"This is so boringggg..." groaned Sonic as Sally mudged him with her elbow to be quiet as they were listening to a school lecture as special guests; one of the special schools opened up for both Mobians and human children to learn about their cultures, histories and other subjects together. Sonic wasn't too keen as he never liked schools; even before his home village was wiped out by Robotnik's robot army.

Still he did glean factors about human history including when the movie based on the novel the Mister bombed so hard and was so bad that no one would dare touch adaptation rights of the work of the author EL James ever again and the collapse of the Electoral College system of the country of the United States of America. Right now the teacher was on the topic of ancient Mobian history and the extinct Echidna Empire along with an ancient portrait on the projector showing red Echidna warriors fighting against a massive mammoth warrior with a Chaos Emerald embedd to his belly while using magic.

"The Echidnas were the quickest of the first Mobian species to advance and built the Echidna Empire which had ruled over most of Mobius and had even gathered 6 of the Chaos Emeralds afte they fell. However the 7th Chaos Emerald embedded itself to a mammoth hunter giving him great power and turning him immortal. Dubbing himself Mogul he took over his tribe and the nearby ones as well; with time he learned how to master the power of his Emerald and created what was to be known as Ixis Magic. He taught this magic to his followers and built the Order of Ixis and waged a war against the Echidna Empire over rule of Mobius and heavy casualties on both sides." the teacher explained.

"Was it like the War between the Kingdom and the Federation?" asked a Mobius child and the teacher shook his head.

"This one was fought with warriors and magic instead of technology but it was also on a much grander scale and went on for far longer. In fact Locke the designated Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds went on a risky plan infusing his yet to be born egg with energy from a Chaos Emerald and once hatched would raise his son Knuckles from birth to the be the greatest warrior the Echidnas would ever know; hoping he would be powerful enough to defeat Mogul. Knuckles and Mogul fought in the capital fo the Echidna Empire known as Albion and the island which housed Albion disappeared along with the two fighters and anyone who may have survived..." the teacher answered and Sonic yawned and was about to be scolded by Sally when they were called away by a guard much to Sonic's relief.

Sonic and Sally shook their heads looking at Antoine trembling as they and guards were on a boat they were sent to an area beyond Westside Island where an army of Badniks were picked up. "Don't be a baby Antoine; fighting Badniks is not actually any scarier than being on this boat where you can fall in and perhaps drown in the water..." Sonic told him and looked like he was shivering at the look of the water.

"Oh is Sonic afraid of water?" Sally asked with her arms folded and Sonic was immediately on the defensive.

"NO! No; it's just that I never learned to swim..." Sonic retorted and Antoine was laughing with Sally giggling behind her hand while Sonic grunted. Soon they reached land and it didn't take long to reach the Badnik army which was surrounding a temple.

The Badniks surrounded them and Sonic and Sally went back to back to fight them while Antoine looked scared as he did his best to fight them with his sword. They got in while the guards handled the rest of the Badniks outside and saw symbols on the walls; "The Order of Ixis? This must be really old..." Sally commented recognising the symbol and found a row of stairs for them to go down. There was Robotnik packing up tomes as well as machines with his newly rebuilt Eggpod nearby.

"Wonder when we would be seeing you and your silly stache again Robotnik!" Sonic said as Robotnik noticed them and sent his flying Badniks to use some grappling attachment to take the boxes up.

"Well if it isn't Sonic, the Princess and their new cadet sidekick... I have been meaning to pay you both back for that embarassment. Just so happens you found me as I have returned to old stomping ground from during the War; I found this place as well as evidence that Ixis magic was used to send away the Echidna island and along with it one of the 7 Chaos Emeralds. I decided that I needed this stuff back in order to find a way to bring the Island back." Robotnik explained taking them aback as he went into his Eggpod and began firing at them but they ended up dodging.

With Badniks sent after them Sally jumped and attacked them with her wrist blades, Sonic was jumping and charging at them and Antoine was avoiding them while indigniant about being called a sidekick.

Robotnik was firing at them with the blasters from his Eggpod but Sally found herself caught by the neck by a figure; "Remember me Princess?" sneered Brass as Sally and Sonic gasped upon seeing him with his new robotic prosthetics and robotic eye. Sonic charged at Brass to allow Sally to get herself free.

"You've met my new bestie before haven't you? Hugo Brass; we have really bonded over our hatred of blue rodents and tomboy princesses." smirked Robotnik as Antoine gasped upon realising who it was as it was in the news that Sonic and Sally had been targetted by the assassin who killed the previous king.

Sally and Sonic kept dodging Brass's punches and when they did land they sure felt it; however enough missed punches which landed to the wall caused the ceiling to start to collapse. Robotnik then sent in attachments to forcefully drag Brass through the hole in the ceiling that he made on the spot with his blasters.

Sonic then went and grabbed Sally and Antoine as he then ran up the stairs while dodging the falling debris, managing to get out of the structure before it collapsed. They were then checked on by the guards as Sally asked "what about Robotnik and Brass?"

"They escaped in the air before we could stop them as well as their cargo; sorry Princess." explained a guard apologetically as Sally and Sonic groaned.

Back in the lair of the Eggman Empire; Brass was furiously confronting Robotnik. "I had them and I could have crushed them literally with my bare hands! Now they got out and you ruined my best shot at killing them!" Brass ranted as Robotnik shook his head.

"No way you are able to yet do away with them; especially with so little time before it all collapsed on you. Sonic and the Princess would have gotten out and all leaving you would have accomplished would be your feeble human fleshy parts being crushed by all that debris and you are still far too useful for me to let that happen. Don't worry there will be opportunities and we will have the power to not only crush them but all of the Kingdom of Acorn!" Robotnik retorted shaking his head.

"With the tomes we have collected we will be able to return the Echidna island from wherever it is and be able to claim the Chaos Emerald there. We will need to be more proactive in collecting them from now on as on the scorecard they are currently winning 2-0 on that front!" Robotnik said as he had his computer scan the tomes to download the information into the database.

"We had a chance to nab Robotnik but not only did he escape with what he was after but Brass survived and has allied with Robotnik!" fumed Sally as she Sonic and Antoine were back at the Palace and reporting back to Elias in the throne room.

"Yes Brass being alive to be a potential threat to our Kingdom would be concerning enough but to find him allied with the other #1 enemy of the Kingdom plus potentially all of Mobius?" Elias replied with his hands together shaking his head.

"Well we have beaten them both before and we can do them again! Plus even if Robotnik brings back an ancient Island; we can beat him to that Emerald! Remember We have 2 Emeralds and he hasn't got any!" Sonic said confidently.

"The idea of the capital of the long lost Echidna Empire returning sounds farfetched but if it is possible; we must be prepared for what comes with it. Like if Mogul managed to survive the final fight with Knuckles." Elias stated.

"You mean with that Emerald he had making him immortal... What Sal?" Sonic asked as Sally looked perplexed.

"Oh, I am just surprised that you digested any information from that lecture since from how you acted it didn't look like you heard a word of what was said." Sally explained and Sonic shook his head trying and failing not to look insulted.