A/N: Been a while hasn't it? The new chapter of the Hellion Rider series took me a while to work up, but I've got a great idea and now I'm working with it. The next exciting chapter is coming forth, here we move onto the follow up to the great battle. In recap, Lyndia proceeds on her quest to awaken the powers that be on Mobius, moving onto the nature power present in the talisman known as the 'Pendance of Tograta', what does it mean for the people of the realm? Let's find out as the team heads to face Lyndia in the temple. How shall it play out? Let's move forward and see!

(End A/N)

Chapter XII: Pendance and Freedom

Toresule's glimmering wings flapped once more, leaving a trail of sparks falling from his wings with each strained flap. The flight was one of some odd silence, while at the front of this effort, Wushan was starting to wonder if he would be leading it still. His mother was awake and though the degrees of her assistance were tenuous, it was possible to still have it work out. There was no choice really, since he knew that the Queen-Mother of the Drakehedge Clan could easily defeat the mighty defenders of Mobius; she bore the endflame like his grandmother had. It is the duty of the Queen-Mother to decide if the world deserved to remain or start again. Such was the belief of the Clan at least, Wushan didn't quite believe that anymore; but his mother would still hold the world accountable. As far as she was concerned, it was the ill-born malice of men that had put her eldest daughter; her pride and joy in this situation.

"Doubts still cloud your mind, my child...why is this?"

Wushan flinched mentally, he had forgotten what it was like having family that could see through him, it always made him feel so under prepared.

"Concern...whatever force is guiding Lyndia is not concerned about the saturation of energy cycles, mother. It could be an issue worse than just the arcane drawing the forces in for strength." Wushan spoke from some experience around 60 years ago, it was something that his mother seemed unconcerned with.

"Ah yes, the event I saw from your past? A mobian playing black mage got his hands on a mystical talisman. He was attempting to fuse natural and unholy realm magic, which blew a section of the Western Ridge Island forest away."

The reminder of the nearly botched case did bother the Hellion Rider still, it was an insult to the efforts of the agency of keeping dangerous things under wraps. Even with his mother grasping the situation, again she had no fear of such a thing happening again. She must have known the risks of fighting with Lyndia at this point, while she wasn't as weakened as Lana was; her power was only at about 40% of its maximum. But Queen Myourine was no less frightening than she had ever been. A simple margin of her strength made her completely able, deadly enough that even now she could scorch the world and its heroes if she so chose to. It was something that he feared greatly and it was nothing that his mother didn't already know.

"As I've said my son, I won't go back on my word, what's done is done with the world. As long as Lyndia survives, the world will not incur my wrath." she didn't bother to speak of what she would not have. The way she spoke meant she would not allow Lyndia to fall, they would succeed.

"Do not think in what-ifs my child, it clouds one's mind and ruins chance of victory."

On that note, the phoenix wings of Toresule's persisted as they neared the last Sacred Point Temple. With the Tornado III in hot pursuit, the crowded plane seemed to travel in a somber silence. It was something that Sonic hadn't commented on yet, this heaviness about the mission ahead. There wasn't a word that he could put to it, as unlike anyone else that he'd faced off with before; this Lyndia had a huge chip on her shoulder. She was struggling against something that she had been bearing for a length of time that was about unfathomable to him. It changed nothing about the situation needing to be corrected, they would stop Lyndia here and this crisis would be averted.

"Hey Sonic..?" the word from the two-tailed fox broke the silent veil that had overcome the group for so long.

"Yeah buddy?"

"Do you...worry about failing? I mean, you heard Wushan. His mother...she might-" Tails stopped abruptly, upon seeing Sonic's trademark smirk.

"That's why you don't let it cloud your judgment Tails, this is no different than any plot of Eggman's, the world is at risk and we're going to save it." the words that the Blue Blur spoke weren't just optimistic, they were just the fact of things.

Even though Shadow knew failure was no option, he found Sonic's blind optimism annoying at best. Even if they were not to fail, it wouldn't be for the reasons given. But the Ultimate Lifeform spared no words, this was always how his pitiful rival was, no matter the situation. Knuckles on the other hand was one to agree, as the red echidna's knuckles beat together, he let off a laugh. Something that got even Amy's attention at this range, where had this come from?

"Yes, this is truly a time when I know we're going to win. With the odds stacked against us...its strange, perhaps invigorating, but my knowledge of ruins is finally going to aid us. I know we'll be victorious, it's odd really but I feel nothing but truth in what you've said Sonic."

"That's the spirit, Knux!"

Amy on the other hand was finding herself full of hope at her hero's words, but a growing concern for the looming clouds in the distance. She could see where this last Temple must have been, due to the Sacred Point Energy using her as a conduit earlier, she could feel the traces of energy and knew they were almost upon it. She was concerned about Wushan, how this must have been taking toll on him. Though she'd liked the Drakehedge in part of his kindness and gentlemanly behavior, there was a lot of mystery and unsure focus that she held there. The power that lingered within her, would it remain with the release of this third Temple?

The unknowns ran in high, as both the Drakehedge family and Sonic & Company soon followed. It left the Queen-Mother standing at the stone carved out temple. Terribly worn by the processes of time, this forgotten mountain-carved temple had once been the pride of the Mystihog people. At one point the sworn enemies of the Dragon clan, it had been a thing of the past, once Queen Myourine had found her lover, in one of the Mystihogs proud Knights. The site was a forgotten part of what was now the Hill Top Zone, it at least made the chance of collateral damage would be small.

With Sonic being the spokesman for the heroic Mobian effort involved with this, he decided to ask Wushan what the plans was. They'd need to know in order to coordinate the effort and while the Blue Blur had to admit that this was a tough fight, he felt good going in still. It was more than a thrill, this was really living to save the world and it was right up his alley.

"So Wushan, what's the plan here? This is your sister, we're at the temple now...whose going in and what's the word?"

"Alright, Sonic, here's what I've worked out. You, Knuckles, and Shadow are going to support me and my mother on the way into Temple. We're going to engage Lyndia, we have to wrest the Pendance of Tograta from her before she activates it. Otherwise natural powers will be unleashed and at a new zenith. Not seen within the last millenia." it was only one item that reflected natural energy; but it would be enough to cause a serious problem.

"Sounds like a game plan to me if any."

"Humph, you've missed an important part of this problem faker." Shadow would rebuff the lack of information given and ask another question. "Is there anything about this amulet that's dangerous?"

It was a question that Shan had little problem answering, it was honestly a good question to ask. Especially since it reminded him of the important info he'd go about revealing to Sonic and his friends about the threat potential.

"What you are about to face is essentially a talisman that holds all of natural within its form. It can lash out aimlessly, even without someone wielding it. Lyndia knows how to activate this device and within the Spirit Point temple, it will be a little more volatile. Use caution when nearby it, since it'll cause a huge amount of problems; if you can imagine."

The natural energy just might interfere with Shadow and Knuckles more directly, at least if either employed the use of Chaos Control. There was no guarantee that it wouldn't flair up some kind of reaction, given the supernatural and nature energy so close in proximity. While all three energies could get along, those based in the field, actively sparking would make for some unknown outcome. Sonic seemed to be surprisingly lucid when grasping this, he was listening as to avoid being caught off guard. None would have suspected the sight that they would stumble upon.

-Within the Cavern Temple-

Lyndia had been chanting in an ancient tongue, using her knowledge of the past and the studies that her mother had put her through in her youth. After her last conflict with her siblings and the visual of seeing her mother would awaken a need stronger than the drive forced upon her by the arcane force inside of her. The glimmer of hope that guided her was something greater than mere survival, it was a want to have her family once again. The sensation of being held and truly loved by her mother was almost like a whisper from the avatar of hope. It was a thing that reinvigorated her more than seeing her brother and even her twin sister. As the drakehedge female chanted, she could feel the impulse to stop the chant probing her will's defenses.

'Nothing will ever stop me again...I know what to do now, the chance I overlooked centuries ago in despair. The chant of essence.'

The prospect of removing the essence from her body was actually possible, even though she risked a chance of giving it a body of its own. The essence could find shape within the essence of natural and sacred point energy from the temple grounds. There was nothing that could be done about that, Lyn was more concerned about her own life now. She planned to escape this outcome at any cost, she didn't want to fight her mother or family ever again. It was time to put the true enemy out and to face it down no matter what.

'You would dare risk your life force by pulling me from you...?'

The dark essence within her spoke for the first time in over a millenia, the dark voice still gave Lyndia chills to hear. But she did not falter, in fact she chose not to answer its annoying thrum in her mind. Her chant increased and the energy that she poured into it became more focused, it caused the alter to turn a soft golden shade. It was responding to the belief of her words and the essence of her energy that had begun to work through the talisman's epicenter. For the first time, Lyn would shudder in pain as the Pendance of Tograta thrust a light tendril into her chest. She could feel every movement as it latched onto the darkness that was corroding away at her spirit.

'Serious as ever...but the damage could scar your soul, we are one, child. This isn't the way to-gaoorhh!'

The voice was silenced by the pain of more tendrils of light lancing its figure. This mass of hatred could not stand the purity of Lyn's belief empowering the separation spell that she was using. The arcane essence was fairly stunned to find her belief so strong, it was enough that she was willing to risk death in other to be free. While the magical aura had been bluffing about its place, while not one with her, it might have done enough damage with the time it had been attached to her soul nonetheless. Still it realized that she wasn't phased by this fact, Lyndia had chosen to embrace the chance of being free even at a high cost.

'You must sto-Guooah!'

'I must continue, I will persist, until I are free! I'll never raise a hand to hurt my family again, even if it kills me. Instead of damning you, I'll just make sure you are out of my hair forever!'

Her eyes would shut as she felt the ritual's final stages come upon her, she remained focused and completely dead set on what was happening. Even though Lyn felt her family in the same chamber as she, she would not stop. The act that was to allow her to rejoin them was almost finished, none of them could halt it and she would have had it no other way. It felt good to act for the greater good...to do what was right even if a cost would snatch her from the world. While she dreaded making her mother upset, to see her siblings unable to live without pain like she wished; she'd still have to risk it. This was the only selfish thing she could ever want for herself and for one strong pride, she'd risk herself in order to have her wish.

As the essence began to bleed out of her body, Lyndia started to turn pale, but still she gave a pained smile as the blood-like substance was tugged from her body and began to blotch together. It was bigger than anything else as a feeling that she'd felt in a really long time. The pain was more real than anything she'd felt since being awake, her blood was pumping and she was in serious pain. With her eyes widening as the last of the essence was yanked from her body, she'd fall back and only heard the patter of feet as they finally found a way past the barrier. Her heartbeat became weaker and slowly Lyn's breath grew shallow as she lay against the ground, finally herself for what was an eternity of bearing a weight on her soul.

-From the other side of the barrier-

As Wushan looked on helplessly at Lyndia's ritual being carried out, a sentiment of urgency overcame him, Lana, and their mother. The Queen was outright beating on the barrier with her claws, lamenting that she hadn't enough time to recover enough magic to overcome her daughter's activation of the powers. Myourine rushed to her daughter's side as the barrier finally fell. Her daughter had completed the removal process and had suffered the side effects of using the Pendance itself. She felt nothing but dread as she could feel her daughter's life teetering on the edge. All of the power that her daughter had possessed mere moments ago had been bled out of her.

"It...corroded so much of you, Lyndia. Don't you dare leave now..." the Queen-Mother had leaned in closer to her daughter and released a small green-blue flame into her mouth.

A small transfer of the Queen's essence could stabilize any of her kin's spirits, as she was the beginning and the end of the Drakehedge Clan itself. It was the pride she held in her oldest born that led her to such desperate measures. Even though she risked her safety during this process, little else mattered to her.

"M-M-Mother..."

"Hush child, you're just going to put yourself more at risk."

"N-No...I'm...s-so...sorry, mother."

The Queen went quiet as she listened to her daughter's words, she understand her eldest child wish to get something off her chest. Though in response, Myourine's healing intensified to counter the wavering spirit of Lyndia's will. As the Queen-Mother did her best to restore her daughter's life, the arcane essence had begun to forge its own body. Slowly the will of malevolence had taken steps to giving itself form once more. Lana rushed into the room next, having been staring at the altar, trying to figure out a way to give itself a complete form. While overcoming the shock of his sister's act, Wushan attempted to confront the spirit through one way he could focus: through anger.

"Die!" the drakehedge prince let off a large fireball attack, the blue-orange flames glinting with the bulk of his strength.

The flare would slam into the semi-solid humanoid form and force the black-gray matter to slam into the side of the temple wall. Knowing the job wasn't done, Wushan tried to urge himself to gather more power, even though his heart was sinking. Though a hand moved to his shoulder in order to remind him of the simple fact, he was not here alone. Sonic looked up at the taller drakehedge and patted his shoulder while bringing up the obvious.

"It's not over yet, we've gotta finish that mass, your sister did the hard part. Now we finish this."

"Chaos Spear!"

"Thunder Arrow!"

The crackling of focused chaos energy being released from the two heavy hitters of Sonic's friends came in a near unified attack. Both the bolt of chaos energy and the electric-like blast had impacted the center of the solidifying body. It was a strong impact, one that forced the form right back into the wall again. While the figure rose faster this time, it was only in enough time to be uppercut by Knuckles, who had already used his burrowing skills to surprise attack their foe. Shadow watched the figure hit the ceiling and smirked, finally someone would pay for all of this, someone that he would that he was the ultimate.

"Ah...the power of chaos." the disembodied figure managed to rise in time for a kick to be delivered to its head by Shadow.

"Be silent, your destruction is at hand." the Ultimate Lifeform's words were resolute in the need to finish this being before he could become complete in some form or another.

A second blow followed, it was a body punch from the Guardian of the Master Emerald. A clear offensive lead by Shadow and supported by Knuckles, few would be quite this well coordinated. As the black hedgehog lead an fierce assault: starting with a straight punch to the being's face, with a rising knee into the chest of the body; Shadow had grabbed its shoulders while in mid leap from the high knee and flipped over the back of the forge of arcane energy. The pose would've been painful to anything human, as Shadow had the neck and upper shoulders bent towards him, leaving the body positioned in a painful form that left odd peg-looking legs and the rest of the torso open.

"Let's see how you take this!" the fiery echidna moved in and slammed both fists into the sternum region, before punching in the knee region of the being's body. Once again the creature was under a second offensive from an Echidna Boxing master. After feeling the body lurch under his blow's contact, he'd follow up with several quick body jabs, before slamming his knuckled spurs into the chest had.

Finally something seemed to be responding in the soundless body, a deep crack in the chest, a fracture in the right leg. Shadow would drop down towards the ground, forcing the face and shoulders into the mountainous earth hard in a modified wrestling type maneuver. It wasn't really much his style, but he wasn't going to resist modifying the hold to cause more pain wherever possible. Turning to face the apparent creature's body as it contorted the neck and head straight again, Shadow crossed his arms and looked at the being unimpressed.

"So is this it? Are you the big threat that these Drakehedge were concerned about?"

The being managed something of a twisted grin, it had taken a beating and now it was smiling at the one who had pummeled it. The bone-like structures seeming to reset themselves as it fixed the damage done, the inside of its body had been glowing white at the beginning, now it was more orange due to what pain had been dished out to it. Knuckles took note of it and brought his fists back up, prepared to move in once the opportunity presented itself. Something was very off about what had been done to it and the reaction they were getting.

"Yes...I'd be the one of their concerned with Shadow the Hedgehog...project Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, whose creator is Gerald Robotnik...a human, I see. Just like us then, what we once were before transcending."

The sudden knowledge about what he was did take him aback a little, but soon his face was wearing something of a sneer as irritation wore on him somewhat. "I know not how you figured that out, but it won't save you. Knowledge is useless when you've been crushed. We've already determined this is your fate."

The being once more grinned and retorted with something worthy of its caliber.

"Physical contact with you multiple times, I'll learn more as we fight. Isn't that right, Knuckles?"

Hearing this managed to help Knuckles keep something of a straight mind. He'd positioned both fists level and moved in on the disembodied being quickly, and brought his left fist up swiftly for the creature's right side. The being moved his hand down and partially managed a block, something that slowed the impact only slightly. Though Knuckles still connected and sent the being into a stumble backwards.

"Ah. A solid shot, thank you, now I know that move." the contact with the arcane figure was something troubling, since it seemed to let the being learn the physical contact information, as well as the knowledge of a worked out defense.

Shadow would respond to this speculation of how it was learning moves with a punch of his own. Something that the body would block with both arms in front of its face. However, the definite regards in difference of strength was seen, as Shadow's punch made it slide back around 7 feet.

"You have no power, defense is useless without it." Shadow proceeded to rush in, thinking this was the best time to finish this thing off.

While gathering a charge of the ultimate power within, Shadow would find a harsh blow hitting him in the side. A bolt of dark magic that lashed out from the body like a whip. Something that dropped him into a painful spin, he'd land on his side, but shot to his feet in anger. That was power that the creature apparently had and was hiding for this. Though, as he was a poised warrior, Shadow didn't bother to address the attack at all.

"That power I do have, the arcane...which holds me together. Remember that well hedge-Oof!"

The being's monologue was ended as Sonic slammed into his back with a spin dash. Hitting the nameless arcane force with a physical move to test that resistance. It was a squarely landed shot that cracked the back in several places. It gave Sonic something to shoot for, as unlike Shadow he was a lot swifter and faster to respond with agility. The happy-go-lucky hero made his entrance into the battle, fashionably late, but with purpose. He'd gathered Tails and Amy and had the two of them take to prepare something techy, in Tails' case and for Amy to help him. They'd need some kind of containment field he imagined, but he wasn't sweating the details; as that was not the two-tailed genius's concern.

"Fashionably late with your order of a knuckle sandwich, served fresh, get it while its hot!"

-Back in the altar space of the Temple-

Queen Myourine sat there, supporting Lyndia's now stabilized body. Though it had taken some great deal of her recovered magic to ensure that her daughter was fully restored, she gladly paid the necessary price for her child's sake. Lana knelt by her sister, holding her hand and waiting for the next moment when she'd open her eyes. Even now, Wushan was helplessly sitting by and just hoping against all odds, that Lyndia wouldn't simply sleep with their mother's efforts having been so painfully put to the test here. The sounds of the battle in the chamber ahead of this one brought no joy to any of the drakehedge present. The clash of energy in the next room made fur and hair stand up on end, but still there was no response from any of the present three royal family.

It was some passage of time around 6 minutes before Myourine froze up, hearing the soft sound of breathing picking up. A small groan from Lyndia marked a strong resurgence of belief in her recovery being a possibility. Not one to put a price on her recovery, Myourine's eyes now bore dark circles under them as she used a little more vitality from her present state to enhance the waking effect. With that extra thrown in, Lyndia's eyes opened and she sat up in her mother's arms slowly.

"Mmm...I'm...me, I'm whole again." she could feel her limbs unrestrained, no dark thoughts haunting her mind. She was very fortunate, though she hadn't put it together how she came back. The damage had been so extensive to her physical and spiritual body.

"Welcome back, Princess Lyndia." The Queen-Mother of the Drakehedge clan smiled for the first real time since being awake.

It wasn't a grimacing smile like the first, when she embraced her children. This was an actual sign of joy, despite the drained appearance she held. The chance to see her eldest not as her enemy had been a dream she was after for a long time. One that she could thank all makers and creation for granting to her. It was long overdo for her daughter's hard fought freedom to be hers finally.

Truly now this was Lyndia's to walk with her head up high with. Myourine slumped slightly against the wall, as she had used a great deal of power to help Lyndia remain amongst the realm of the living.

"Mother..."

"You are never to leave my side again, child. Not if you still have breath in your body, we are a family...we should live as one, not as foes."

"...That will never happen again."

Lyndia's fist clenched as she stood up slowly, she was in no shape to fight as it were. Physically she was fine, but she was drained of almost all of her magic reserves, with only her will and stamina left at her disposal. Wushan stood up and moved towards the chamber, raising a hand to Lyn, it was time for him to do his part for their family. Lana followed this action, getting up and moving to Shan's left.

"Please sister, rest and let me do this. Finally, I can act like the little brother I should have before. With you safe...my mind is clear." Wushan's words made Lyndia give momentary pause.

"I agree Lyndia, rest with mother, I'll go with Shan and show our foe what it means to incite the rage of a Drakehedge. You are finally safe...protect mother and we will do the rest." Lana's reassurance did seem to help her older twin, the pair left without another world. This left Lyndia to her thoughts, as the battle underway in the chambers were taking quite a turn.

-In the Vision Chamber-

The slightly battleworn form of Knuckles showed that the being had gradually began proving it was a threat. Knuckles bore a few blast marks, a single gash along his hip, but there was no sign of fatigue on the Master Emerald guardian. Even though it was the one that had suffered more physically. With its makeshift body bearing more scars: gashes along face, slices and cracks along its hardened body that showed the ferocity of combat with it. Sonic born a few scratches, but appeared to be pumped still, he was focused on the openings of this creature. Shadow looked the least worn, having only a single blast mark, virtually invisible to the naked eye upon his arm.

"You are impressive creatures...no magic at all, and yet...your power is immense." the being was stunned to see, this many strong warriors left in the land, it was unexpected enough that the creature was looking hard for a way to escape.

"Flatter us as much as you like, your life is over." Shadow declared coldly, having had enough of this creature's existence to last him a lifetime.

The arrogance of a creature trying to use his own fighting techniques against him earned the ire of the Ultimate Lifeform. In return, he would be there to end its life. With the odds stacking up against the very essence of the arcane magicks. With no small words to describe the pressure mounting, it had to make one wonder why this creature was so sure of itself. Even to point of watching the drakehedge enter and grinning a bit more at the sight of the two. Sonic looked up to see Lana and Wushan's appearance, noticing that the pair seemed ready to end this as much as anyone else.

"You may yet find Ultimate Lifeform, not you, this Emerald Guardian, this speedy hero, or these two Drakelings can destroy me. For the powers are bountiful in this templer, it is not my place, but my body grows stronger!"

The words spoken by the creature was not wrong, this figure that was once a man now standing with an intensity filling its body. The natural energies that it had begun absorbing from the active Pendance were beginning to help it recover somewhat. Though the odds were stacked against it, the battle to end a danger millenia in the making was coming to be a stand alone event. With the odds against the nameless one, anyone would beg the question: how would the odds of a 5 vs 1 battle play out? It would soon be told, as the creature which called itself Lacos would make its name known and the true power that it possessed. It would give the heroes true reason to know a struggle, for it would bear no mercy upon them or the world.

(End Chapter)

The next chapter now behind us, we find some good news and bad news in the forge. Despite Lyndia being freedom, the price was high and it leaves both the Queen-Mother and her eldest, out of battle for a time. Can Sonic and the others finish off the creature that inhabited Lyndia's body? We shall soon find out in the next installment of the Hellion Rider.

Until then adieu

-Quentix