Chapter 86: Acquaintance
Once Sonic got to the tree, he saw a large boulder beneath it with a sword on top. Sonic immediately jumped to the top of the boulder while Merlina watched. He then grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it up. To his surprise, the sword slipped out of the crack in the boulder it was placed in with ease and then a pair of eyes opened in the center of its decorated hilt.
"Hello, Caliburn," Sonic said as he let go of the hilt.
The sword levitated into the air as its eyes blinked in disbelief. "Sonic? Is that you?"
"It is," Sonic replied.
"Why do you look so different?" Caliburn asked.
"Well, it's because I'm a spirit occupying a human body."
"Oh, my! Were you summoned from the Underworld?"
"No, I was allowed to reincarnate thanks to the Mobius spirit Light Gaia."
"Then whose body are you occupying?"
"His name is Sonny Hedge."
"Let me speak to him."
"All right, then," Sonic said and changed back into Sonny.
But before Sonny got the chance to speak, the tall figure Sonic saw earlier came riding down from the overcast sky on the same black horse.
"It's the Black Knight!" Merlina exclaimed. "We must get out of here."
"A true warrior never runs from his battles," Caliburn said, and placed his hilt in Sonny's gauntlet-covered hand. "Now tell me, Sonny, are you a knight?"
"Um, no," Sonny answered, holding Caliburn unsteadily as the Black Knight came charging down with his sword drawn.
"Then you must be a squire," Caliburn said. "Now, follow my lead."
As the Black Knight swung his sword to strike Sonny, Caliburn moved to block it with Sonny's arms getting tugged in the process. But with each swing, Sonny got more used to Caliburn's movements and was able to strike the Black Knight a few times. Yet despite Sonny's best efforts, the Black Knight always had his free hand on a decorated scabbard with no sword which emitted a dark blue aura that healed all the Black Knight's wounds.
"I feel like this could go on forever," Sonny muttered as his hands grew weary. "Are you sure you're a Sacred Sword, Caliburn?"
"Yes, I'm quite sure!" Caliburn responded as he slipped out of Sonny's hands and floated a few inches from his face. "You're the one who lacks the proper fighting skills, knave."
"Hey, don't call me a knave!" Sonny responded angrily.
The Black Knight laughed menacingly as he sheathed his sword. "A fool like you could never hope to defeat me, so this battle is pointless."
Then the Black Knight rode off into the sky just as quickly as he had come. Sonny and Caliburn watched him go while Merlina came out from underneath a tree-root she was hiding under when the Black Knight showed up. As soon as the Black Knight was gone, however, Sonny and Caliburn began to argue.
"Boys," Merlina said as she appeared between Sonny and Caliburn in a puff of smoke. "You do realize that as long as the Black Knight carries the Scabbard of Excalibur, he cannot be defeated."
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Sonny asked.
"Consult the man who made that corrupted illusion of King Arthur in the first place, Merlin the Wizard," Caliburn said, and glanced wearily at Merlina. "Assuming he reincarnated into this world."
"He's dead," Merlina answered bluntly. "And you weren't fighting an illusion, but an actual man named Arthur who is the current ruler of the kingdom stand in."
"How can that be? Sonic is the true King Arthur, so this man you speak of must be an imposter!"
"We're not in the World of Camelot anymore, Caliburn," Merlina replied calmly.
"Then where are we?" Caliburn asked.
"In my world, which is also Sonic's," Sonny said. "So, Merlina, how can we defeat the Black Knight if he can't be wounded?"
"We must find the reincarnation of Nimue, the Lady of the Lake," Merlina said. "She was the one who gave King Arthur the cursed scabbard in the first place. But right now, I think it would be best if you took Caliburn to the Blacksmith shop at Camelot Castle to repair him."
"Hmm, I guess you're right," Sonny said grabbing Caliburn by the hilt. "His blade does look pretty dull."
"Well, I can't help it!" Caliburn exclaimed. "Being trapped inside a rock for eons will take its toll if you're a sword."
"Right," Sonny replied sarcastically. As the mist began to clear, the trees around the lake became slightly visible. "So which way is Camelot Castle?"
"That way," Merlina said pointing her staff in a westward direction.
Sonny started to walk across the stone bridge that connected the small island which the boulder and tree were situated on to the shore of the lake when he looked back and noticed Merlina wasn't moving.
"Aren't you coming?" Sonny asked.
"No, the Black Knight would surely come if I showed myself in a public place," Merlina replied. "I shall remain in hiding for now, but call my name if you need me."
"Oh, then I'll see you later," Sonny said and waved at Merlina as he took off with Caliburn in hand.
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On the outskirts of Camelot Castle, which was a looming structure of brimstone turrets and imposing walls that was only accessible via a stone bridge that ran across a giant moat. Sonny had just gotten done explaining his world to Caliburn and the many adventures he had been having since he was thirteen when the spirit of Sonic suddenly appeared. Caliburn didn't notice him, but he still looked at the place where Sonic floated which was right in front of Sonny.
"Why didn't you summon me when we were fighting the Black Knight?" Sonic asked with his arms folded.
"Because I didn't think to do so," Sonny said defensively.
"Well you should've because if the Black Knight hadn't gotten bored of fighting you might've been killed."
"I know, Sonic, and I'm sorry."
After a brief sigh, Sonic said, "Just don't hesitate to call me."
As Sonic's apparition vanished, Caliburn's eyes drifted up towards Sonny. "Who were you talking to?"
"Sonic," Sonny answered.
"You don't sound too happy," Caliburn said as Sonny walked slowly across the bridge.
"He just got mad at me for not letting him take over when the Black Knight attacked."
"But it was your decision to not ask for his help, so don't feel bad about it."
"I know, but he's just looking out for me. After all, if I die then he does also."
Inside, the castle was crawling with small creatures covered in shiny black armor. Fortunately, there were no people around so Sonny transformed into Sonic and slashed his way through the creatures wielding Caliburn with expert familiarity. Once this was accomplished, Sonic made his way to the Blacksmith shop which was designated by an open doorway where an enormous hearth and workbench were located. He quickly changed back into Sonny as footsteps were heard followed by a figure appearing in the doorway.
"Miles?" Sonny exclaimed, seeing his best friend standing at the opening to the Blacksmith shop wearing a work apron, black-tinted goggles, and a large mitt on one hand. "I wasn't expecting to run into you here. Is the Blacksmith in?"
"I am the Blacksmith," Miles said with a confident smile. "Now how may I be of service to you, good friend?"
"Why do you sound like Tails?" Sonny then noticed Miles wearing bandages around his head and a hint of two tails moved in the darkness of the doorway.
"Tails? Who's that?" Miles/Tails asked.
Sonny sighed irritably and said, "Maybe this will jog your memory."
Miles/Tails watched with fascination as Sonny transformed into Sonic and then his eyes widened. "I remember you! You were the blue hedgehog that came into my shop to have a special sword repaired!"
"Aren't you the Blacksmith from the World of Camelot?" Sonic said as Miles/Tails removed the bandages from his head allowing two fox ears to show themselves.
"That's correct," Miles/Tails responded. Then he noticed Caliburn and said, "And I see you have the special sword again. Caliburn, was it?"
"Indeed, Blacksmith," Caliburn said floating out of Sonic's hand. "Now sharpen my blade so I may be presentable to the Lady of the Lake."
"Yes, sir, right away!" the Blacksmith was about to take Caliburn to the anvil when Sonic held him back.
"Before you start repairing Caliburn, I'd like to know what you're doing in my friend's body," Sonic said as he changed back into Sonny.
To be continued…