Chapter 89: True

"Well, good news, kid," Sonny said once he made it back to Deep Woods two days later where the hooded girl was waiting for him. "The dragon was conveniently not in his cave, so I was able to save everyone including your folks and bring them back to the village."

"Thank you," the girl said, and removed her hood. "And I'm sorry for deceiving you."

"Nimue?!" Sonny exclaimed, recognizing the girl once she removed the purple robe. "So your folks weren't—

"They weren't real, and neither was the dragon," Nimue answered. "But the villagers were really captured by the Knights of the Underworld and taken to that empty cave."

"Yeah, I remember fighting those guys, but I didn't know they were behind the villagers being kidnapped."

"Then I take it you were testing his compassion by pretending to be a villager in need of help," Caliburn said.

"Of course," Nimue said. "And I saw in my magic pool that you freed the innocents from Camelot Castle and defeated most of the Knights of the Underworld. Therefore, I consider you to be true knight, Sonny."

"I beg to differ," Caliburn responded abruptly. "He allowed himself to be possessed by Sonic during an encounter he had with Sir Gawain."

"Yes, I saw that, but he only used Sonic when he thought it was necessary," Nimue said. "Now if he had been possessed by Sonic the whole time, I would've considered that cheating. Plus, he was able to bring Sir Gawain to his senses as Sonic."

Caliburn was about to say something but in the end he kept his mouth shut.

"Speaking of Gawain, did he make it here safely?" Sonny asked.

"Yes, and so did Sir Lancelot," Nimue said as she walked down the path that led to the lake while Sonny and Caliburn followed her.

"Is he hurt?"

"He's fine now, but he was bleeding pretty badly."

"How did he arrive?"

"In a cloud of dust, much like how you and Merlina escaped the Black Knight."

"So what Gawain said was true."

"He may not be the smartest knight, but he is the most honest."

Once they reached the lake, Sonny noticed Gawain standing guard by the bridge to the altar where Lancelot was resting. Gawain briefly nodded to Sonny before joining him, Caliburn, and Nimue at the circular altar. There, Nimue gently woke Lancelot who rose up and lowered his head in Sonny's presence.

"Um, you guys don't need to be formal with me," Sonny said embarrassingly. "I'm not your true king."

"That may be so, but you're his present host. Thus, we shall respect you just as much as he," Lancelot responded.

"Now tell us, Lady of the Lake, how may we counter the Scabbard of Excalibur's power?" Gawain asked to Nimue.

"To weaken the immortality that is bestowed upon King Arthur, we must use the four Sacred Swords against him," Nimue said. "We already have Caliburn, Sir Lancelot's sword Arondight, and Galatine, the twin blades that belong to Sir Gawain."

"So all that's left is Sir Percival's sword Laevatein," Lancelot said.

"Yeah, it'll be fun trying to get Sir Percival to join our side," Gawain replied sarcastically.

"Why do you say that?" Sonny asked.

"She's a very strong and noble knight," Caliburn said. "One false move could be fatal when you confront her."

"But what have those things go to do with Percival being difficult to convince?"

"Because she holds the principles of a knight to a high standard, Sir Percival wouldn't dare betray the man she thinks is her king and will follow his orders to the letter," Caliburn answered.

"Maybe Gawain and I should accompany you," Lancelot said.

"No, Lancelot, this is something that Sonny has to do alone," Nimue said. "Only when Sir Percival gazes upon her true king will she come to her senses."

"Then the sooner I get it done, the better," Sonny said and grabbed Caliburn.

"You will find Sir Percival in the Molten Mines," Nimue said. "I shall pray for your victory."

###

In a valley where molten lava ran down smoking volcanoes through rocky ravines, Sonny came across Sir Percival standing near the edge of a barren cliff. She looked like Blake with the purple hair streaming up from behind her silver-gray helmet, but she had noticeable cat ears and a tail peeking out from the matching silver-gray armor she wore. Her sword was a fencing foil but with a sharp tip at the end of the blade and a gold-colored guard at the hilt.

"I am Sir Percival, Knight of the Round Table, servant of King Arthur," the Blake lookalike said in Blaze the Cat's voice. "State your name so that I may remember you after you're slain and your master so that I may deliver your corpse to him."

"Blaze, if you're still in there, you've got to convince the spirit of Percival to stop," Sonny said as he transformed into Sonic. "I am Sir Sonic, the Knight of the Wind and your true king."

"All I hear are lies coming from your mouth," Percival said and charged at Sonic. "I shall silence thee forever!"

Sonic blocked Percival's attack and parried them in rapid sequence. But with each parry, Sonic managed to push Percival farther back on the ledge that precariously jutted out from the cliff. Then once she reached the edge, Percival lowered her sword.

"You have fought well, Sir Sonic," Percival said. "Almost as good as someone else I used to know."

The rocky ledge crumbled underneath Percival's metal shoes and she fell toward the lava stream below. Quickly, Sonic grabbed her hand and pierced Caliburn into the side of the cliff. Sparks flew from the blade as it slid down, but Caliburn eventually stayed.

Percival's eyes widened as she gazed up at Sonic. "It is you, the one who fought me when I was alive and eventually proved himself to be the true King Arthur."

"That's what I was trying to tell you," Sonic said. "And don't apologize for not recognizing me. Lancelot and Gawain said the same thing when I fought them."

"Are they all right?" Percival asked. "The Black Knight claimed they were both slain by you."

"Well, he lied," Sonic replied. "They're both with the Lady of the Lake if you don't believe me."

###

After Percival left for Deep Woods to join Lancelot and Gawain, Sonic and Caliburn were about to do the same when a familiar figure suddenly appeared behind them.

"Merlina!" Sonic exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

"At the Misty Lake," Merlina replied. "I saw everything that happened in the reflecting pool, and I'm very proud of what you've done."

"Is it true that you saved Lancelot from getting killed by the Black Knight?" Sonic asked.

"Yes," Merlina nodded. "I knew I was risking my own life, but Sir Lancelot would've died if I hadn't interfered."

"And so would've Shawn and Shadow," Sonic responded. "I wonder how Miles is doing."

At that moment, Merlina frowned. "I'm afraid he's been captured by the Black Knight and is being held prisoner in the Avalon ruins."

"Oh, then the Knights of the Round Table and I should get to Avalon right away," Sonic said as he turned from Merlina and was about to run when he looked back. "Where is Avalon?"

"It's on a little island that lies south of here," Merlina said. "I'll be waiting for you in Camelot Castle, Sir Sonic."

"Sounds good," Sonic replied and ran off.

To be continued...