Chapter 43

A Dream of Hope

Sonic memorized the note before tearing it into shreds and disposing of it in the toilet. His heart was thumping with excitement he struggled to subdue. The desire for adventure burned in his stomach. A secret note, a people languishing beneath the whims of a tyrant, a brand new world to explore, new enemies to fight; these were all perfect ingredients for an incredible new adventure. Sonic could feel the longing for it in the deep places of his soul.

When he returned to Simon's table, however, Sonic gave no sign of his feelings. He ate quietly and forced himself to finish his entire meal, knowing he might need all his energy. The entire time he kept repeating the note's words to himself again and again. The woods tonight at twilight. The old ruins. Come alone. Why had the girl singled Sonic out? What did she intend to do with him? "They hate outsiders as much as they hate the empire. If a group of em found out you were an alien they'd probably string you up and offer on a pyre to their flame god." Sonic tried to push those cryptic words of Simon's out of his head.

Though the beaver was kind enough, Sonic could tell that his opinion of the Thirteens was warped. They wouldn't really try to hurt him just because he was from another world would they?

"So Flip and I are thinking about making a trip over to the city tomorrow," Simon said, breaking the long held silence. "We have some trades to make and whatnot. Perhaps you would like to come along? Mestoapolis will give you a far better picture of the emperor's vision than Castle Town."

"Mestoapolis?

"I told you Mesto was vain," Simon answered with a shrug before shooting a worried glance at the Watcher as if to ensure that it was still covered. "Sol used to be the name of the capital city of the district. The legends say that Solaris brought the city fully formed out of the earth. When the ancient inhabitants slacked in their offerings and forgot about the good providence of their king, Solaris unleashed a terrible flame that burned them away. All that was left was the petrified bones of the old city. Atop those mystic mounds was built the traditional capital. Mesto tore down all the ancient buildings and broke down every stone that was associated with the old legend. The city is now a modern marvel, nearly on the same level as the Imperial Capital itself."

Sonic felt a strange twisting sensation in his gut. He wondered if it was from the vegetables or anger. To make an effort of politeness, Sonic pretended he was too full to continue and pushed his plate away. "I'd like to see the city."

"You'll enjoy it!" Simon said with a sparkle in his eye. "With talent like you have, you will have no trouble finding work. But I hope you are starting to see why we do not need your rescuing from our Emperor. Our world was often tormented beneath the shadow of wars and tyrants. Peace has finally come, and while it has come at a cost, I wonder if there is ever a price too terrible for the boon of safety."

Sonic's smile trembled. He suddenly felt immensely guilty about what he was planning to do. While he was starting to understand Simon's point of view, the voice inside himself would not (or perhaps it could not) accept that Eggman was a positive influence. Whatever the danger, Sonic had already decided that he would go to the woods that night and meet with the Thirteens.

But when he did, what did he expect? If the Thirteens told him everything he wanted to hear, did that negate all that Simon had told him and shown him? If Eggman was one people's tyrant and the other's hero, was it Sonic's place to choose who was right? Even as Sonic sat there and wrestled with himself, he knew he did so from a privileged position. Neither the Thirteens nor Simon had the power he did. They could not stop Eggman whether they wanted to or not. At the same time, Sonic wondered if his ability necessitated action. Just because he could do something, did that mean he had to?

His head physically ached from overthinking. Things were usually so much clearer. Sonic never had to consider who was wrong or who was right. His heart had always lead him down straight paths, along set courses, through fixed number of obstacles, always culminating at the final battle between himself and the ultimate danger. Now he felt confused and out of sorts. His road no longer led from left to right. Speed alone would not cut through the mist of confusion.

"Is everything alright?" Simon asked.

Sonic quickly masked his expression with his signature smirk. "Yeah."

"I thought I might have scared you." Simon jerked his thumb in the direction of his bedroom. "I'm guessing you saw the armor on the stand? I noticed you got quiet after you went in there."

"O..uh..yeah. Were you in the army?"

Simon nodded. "It was a long time ago. I fought for an emperor whose own army had turned against him because they wanted more pay. Conscripted forces were sent from all over the empire to raid and pillage and bring home the gold needed to pay the real troops. We…did horrible things and it was all to reward traitors." Bitterness laced Simon's words as he spoke. "I'm only fifty years old but I have been forced to kneel to twelve emperors before Robotnik…" Simon's words trailed off. The beaver seemed to be recalling memories that were either too painful or too personal to relate.

To change the subject, Sonic asked Simon about various customs of the empire. Simon leapt at the chance for a less heavy subject and the evening passed with Sonic learning about all the interesting habits of the new world.

Flip arrived at dusk and hissed loudly when he saw the cover over the Watcher. "We could have an inspection at any time. Do you know what the guards would do if they saw this?"

Simon waved Flip's concern aside. "They have thousands of homes to check. We have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than getting inspected."

"Is that so?" Flip asked. His narrowed eyes glanced towards Sonic. "Word has already spread around town that this one was seen conversing with Thirteens. How much do you want to bet that will bring the guard breathing down our neck?"

Simon's smile faded. He also shot a sideways look at Sonic. "Well…it can't be helped. He's new here."

"And he is already in their sights. Having him here is only going to make us look more suspicious."

"He saved our lives." Simon said firmly. "I'm not tossing him out."

Flip scoffed. "And now he can do it again." He turned to Sonic. "It's nothing personal, but we've worked too hard to stay under the radar. We can't afford to have you bring us into the spotlight."

"Where is he going to go?" Simon demanded. "It's almost curfew, if he is caught outside at night the guards will-"

"What?" Flip interjected. "You saw how fast he moved. The guards won't be able to do anything to him."

Simon balled his hands into fists and looked like he was about ready to shout. Sonic stepped between him and Flip with his hands outstretched. "Hey, don't I get a say in this?" Sonic turned to Simon. "I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I don't want to get into trouble. I can look after myself."

Simon shifted his feet awkwardly. "It is terrible luck to kick out a guest. Especially one that has saved your life."

"Well, it's even worse luck to get your hosts in danger," Sonic replied. He turned back to Flip. "I'll go. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble."

The two beavers said nothing. Flip continued to glare at Sonic while Simon looked undecided. Sonic, on the other hand, felt he had been given the perfect excuse to leave. With a wave of farewell, he shut the door behind him.

Dusk was fading quickly to a dark night. Sonic looked up and saw that the same mournful clouds that had greeted him when he first arrived were still hanging motionless in the sky. They veiled a small crescent moon shimmering far off in the canvas of the darkening sky.

Sonic bent low and leaped upward, easily landing on the roof of Simon's place. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he reached the southern end of the village that led out towards the woods. Below him, Sonic saw villagers hastening back to their homes. A contingent of guards were forming by the statue in the center of the town.

Sonic crouched down to avoid being seen. Once the streets were cleared, Sonic saw one of the soldiers raise a trumpet to his lips and blow. That must be the signal for the start of curfew. Sonic made sure he was beyond the sight of the soldiers before he jumped back into the road and sped off towards the woods.

It wasn't easy for Sonic to retrace his steps. Though it was only several hours before, Sonic felt it had been days since he had gone through the transporter. Fortunately, once he got away from Castle Town, Sonic was able to open up into a run. He felt the wind lash against his face and the scenery around him faded into a dull blur.

Sonic sped down the road and dashed right into the forest. He zigzagged through stretches of dense trees, occasionally careening up an angled tree trunk to propel himself high into the air. He soared over the tops of the trees and squinted down at the woods beneath him. Sonic could not see the ruins from the sky but he caught a glimpse of an open clearing and figured they were in that direction. Rolling into a ball, Sonic crashed down into earth, snapped into a drop dash and left a trail of scorched ground in his wake.

He put on the brakes when he heard voices drifting through the trees. Sonic turned in that direction and found himself facing the hedge that surrounded the ruins. "Quickly Yazmin, bring the incense over here." Sonic somersaulted behind a bush just as two figures emerged behind the trees only a few feet away from him.

An owl wearing an elegant blue cloak and a seal outfitted in a leather breastplate were approaching the hedge. The owl carried a load of polished oak branches under his wing. The seal walked in front and approached the hedge. "Let us in." The seal demanded.

Sonic watched in awe as the bramble parted at the seal's words. A thin looking fox brandishing a crooked dagger awaited him from within the ruins. "Took you long enough." The fox wheezed.

"This is Yazmin's first time as Carrier," The seal explained, motioning to the owl.

The fox snorted. "Like I care. Hurry up and go through. Priam is about ready to start." The seal and owl moved through the opening and just before the hedge resealed itself, Sonic raced through without anyone noticing.

As soon as he was within the ruins, Sonic leapt up onto one of the rundown pillars. From his vantage point, he could see a group of around a dozen people gathered around the central shrine. Sonic recognized the figure standing in the midst of the group right beside the dry fountain. Priam wore a crimson robe with red flames embroidered onto the edges. He held a long staff with a head shaped like a frozen flame. The rest of the group consisted of the women Sonic had seen with the priest earlier that day, including Jasmine.

Sonic took a deep breath and leapt down from the pillar. He walked cautiously towards the center of the temple. Priam was the first to notice his approach. The boar's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared with rage. "You?"

Priam's sudden shout made everyone flinch and turn around. Many of the women let out screams of fright. The owl, Yazmin, extended his wings, ready to take to the sky. The fox had leapt forward with his knife outstretched. Sonic held up his hands in a sign of surrender. "No, wait!" Jasmine had raced forward and leapt between Sonic and the fox.

"What is the meaning of this?" Priam snapped as he came thundering forward. "Why are you here? Who have you brought with you?"

Sonic started to answer but Jasmine cut him off. "He's alone. He hasn't brought anyone."

Priam's rage swelled as his gaze locked onto Jasmine. "What do you know of it?" The other Thirteens flocked towards Priam enclosing Sonic and Jasmine in a tight semi circle. Sonic noticed that all of the Thirteens but Priam were armed. The woman carried makeshift spears and had removed their veils. Sonic saw expressions of loathing and fear etched on all their faces.

Jasmine could not meet Priam's eyes. Without her covering, Sonic could tell that she was very young. Her fur was a soft magenta that glowed slightly in the darkness. "I….I told him to come here," She said with a broken voice.

"You…you…what?" Priam's rage seemed to have reached its limit.

"She has betrayed us, Elder." The fox spat. "We should kill her and the intruder now before they can tell the imperials."

Sonic stepped forward and placed Jasmine behind him. "We haven't done anything wrong."

"Silence, imperial!" The seal shouted. He held a short sword in his hand and his expression was murderous. "How dare you enter this holy place and defile it!" At this there was a general murmur of agreement.

"Please.." Jasmine continued, still addressing the ground at Priam's feet. "This…this hedgehog is the one I've been dreaming about. He is the one that has come to save us."

"Foolish child," Priam said with a constrained effort to keep himself from screaming. "I told you to ignore those petty phantoms. Dreams are not guides. You only saw what your heart desired. Now you have placed us all in jeopardy!" Priam gestured at Sonic. "This one is marked. He will tell the Imperials and they will come for us."

"He won't!" Jasmine insisted, shaking her head with desperate eagerness. "He is the one. I've seen him!" She turned to Sonic. "You aren't here to turn us in, are you?"

Sonic shook his head. "I don't even know what you are doing here."

"Don't play dumb with us!" The fox snarled. "You imperials love taking away everything that made us who we are! Give me the command, Elder, and I will ensure his silence-"

"NO!" Again, Jasmine leapt in front of Sonic. "Elder please listen to me! He isn't here to hurt us. Tell them!"

"You know our laws," The seal interjected. This time his look of rage was directed at Jasmine. "You've betrayed us all by dealing with this outsider. You are not worthy of us, and should share the same fate as him-"

"Enough!" Priam slammed the butt of his staff into the stone ground and everyone fell silent. "This is a grievous sin. You have violated the deepest oaths of our people. In former times, it may have gone forgiven but we cannot afford mistakes. You have put all of our lives in danger."

Jasmine wilted under Priam's fury. She slumped to her knees and crawled forward. Sonic could see tears sliding gently down her cheeks. Jasmine paused when she reached the hem of Priam's robe. For the first time, she raised her head and looked him in the eyes. "Father…please…" She whispered softly so only Sonic and those nearest at hand could hear. "He is the one. I have seen him. The dream…it is the only thing that has given me hope. After…mother…" Priam's expression of rage twisted into one of anguish.

"Every night I felt trapped inside myself, helpless and forced to watch them take her over and over again." Jasmine continued. "But one night I saw him. He shone amongst the endless night. He broke the cords that held me down."

Jasmine trembled as she spoke. She had to fight back tears to continue. "Faster than the wind, blue as sapphire, I saw him as clearly as I see you now. Everynight I have seen him move so fast he creates a gale so powerful a flame bursts to life and lights the world." Jasmine hiccuped and wiped her face. "Please…don't send him away. Don't throw away…my…my last hope."

Priam had twisted his free hand into the fold of his robes. He appeared to have been physically wounded by Jasmine's words. His venerated aura of wisdom had faded, making him appear old, frail and uncertain. He crouched low and whispered something to Jasmine that Sonic could not hear. She reached out and allowed Priam to help raise her to her feet. The priest cleared his throat and then spoke aloud. "Very well. Outsider, come here."

There was a collective intake of anger as Sonic strode forward. Priam inspected him closely. "What is your name?"

Sonic hesitated for only half a second. "Sonic the Hedgehog."

"And do you promise to keep everything you see here a secret from the imperials? Even at the cost of your own life?"

Behind Priam, several of the other Thirteens were staring daggers at Sonic. Sonic shrugged. "I promise."

"In that case, I will permit you to stay-"

"What!" The fox with the knife rushed forward to Priam's side. "This is in direct violation of our most sacred laws! An outsider, here in this temple, on the night of our most important ceremony?"

"I am the priest, Voltiar," Priam said with a commanding tone. "I did not say Sonic will participate. He can observe, if he chooses."

Voltaire's eyes flashed. "You listen to this deranged story just because this welp is your daughter? Where was that same mercy when-"

Priam snapped his staff forward and laid it softly on the fox's shoulder. He did not strike him hard but the display of speed silenced Voltiar. "Enough." Priam's voice was cold as ice. Voltair cowed and stepped backward with his hands held up in surrender. Priam spun around and headed back towards the dry fountain. The other Thirteens circled around him.

Sonic was left on the outside of the ring with Jasmine. She approached him timidly. "I'm sorry for all that." She kicked at a tuft of grass growing within the cracked stones of the temple. "We aren't usually so unfriendly. Things have just been….really difficult lately."

Sonic scratched his head, unsure of how to respond. "What is this dream you were talking about?"

Jasmine blushed and looked away from him. "O…I…I hadn't meant for you to hear that. It's just…when I saw you in the square today, I almost couldn't believe it. I was sure I had never met you before but it was like I was seeing someone I had known my whole life, only I had forgotten somehow. For the past few weeks I have been dreaming of you every night."

"Dreaming…of me?" Sonic could not see how that was possible.

Jasmine blushed redder than ever. "Yes, I'm certain of it. The blue spikey hair, the white and purple shoes, I have seen them before."

"But…what did I do in the drea-" Sonic's question was cut off by Priam suddenly raising his voice.

"Shhhh, it's about to start." Jasmine took Sonic by the hand and led him over to a higher part of the temple. From there they could see within the ring. Priam stood beside the fountain and raised his staff.

"From the dry earth and the withered bones of a desert, you Solaris, the King of Eternal Flame drew out your city." Priam drew some powder out of his robe and tossed it into the fountain. At once flames burst inside the lids. However, they were not like any fire Sonic had ever seen before. They seemed to constantly shift from a kind of glowing liquid to sparks of flashing fire. Instead of red and yellow, the flames mixed every color of the rainbow before burning a deep black and a pure, blinding white.

"Sol the gift and birthplace of your chosen people, the city of the King." Priam held his hand over the flames and flexed it into a fist. Smoke immediately rose from the embers and gathered around the top of the fountain. Sonic's mouth hung open as the smoke formed an image of a great medieval city.

"But the ancients grew lax and generations came and went who never knew the despair that existed before your gift. They took for granted all that was given to them and the temples laid in ruins while the gambling dens and the places of wretches swelled." Priam moved his hand, images of flies and other insects formed in the smoke and buzzed around the city.

"To cleanse your name, you brought fire from the earth and smote the city you had made. Yet not so destructive as to leave nothing. A remnant was preserved and from what remained of that gifted city they built a new home." Priam sliced the air and the smoke city changed. Its traditional towers and siege walls were placed with a modern city with skyscrapers and flashing neon lights.

"A time of pestilence has come again. Evil has taken hold of the city and the nation. Your temples are discarded, your people tossed to and fro in a storm. Solaris, King of Eternal Flame, we beseech you. Rid the city of the vile who corrupt it! Return it to those to whom it belongs!"

Priam raised his arms and the smoke vanished. The flame within the fountain rose up in a great spinning inferno. The light revealed the jupilant expressions of wild excitement in the Thirteens. Sonic felt his stomach tighten. What am I doing here? He turned his head and to his surprise he found that Jasmine was crying again.

"What's wrong?"

She wiped her face and smiled softly. "It's…it's nothing. These ceremonies always used to frighten me. I never liked the old stories. They were always so full of ruin and destruction. I never understood why my father loved them so much."

Sonic shifted uncomfortably. Jasmine watched as Priam continued to implore Solaris to rid Soleanna of invaders. "We never used to do that. Even though the empire has ruled over us for ages. I remember my father used to insist that we had to pray for their good as well as our own. So much has changed. I hardly recognize us anymore. My father says the empire wants to turn us into ghosts, make us invisible, delete our history and make it out that we never existed. What if we became something worse?" Jasmine turned to Sonic. "Are you here to save us? Are you here to defeat him?"

Sonic did not know how to answer. Jasmine's face was full of longing and desperation. He did not need her to clarify who she meant by "him." Sensing his hesitation, Jasmine took his hands. "The emperor, he is not of this world," Jasmine sobbed. "His power is like nothing we have ever seen. His rule will not end, he will push us down until we become the very evil we once hated. I…don't think even Solaris can stop him. But you…you aren't of this world either, can you please sav-"

ZAP! Jasmine went rigid and released Sonic. She shook violently and all her fur stood on end. Sonic was paralyzed by shock. Her teeth rattled and foam slipped out of her mouth. A buzzing electrical whine raced up and down her body. Jasmine's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell backward.

Cries echoed throughout the temple. The flames had gone out. Sonic saw figures emerging out of the darkness. The owl tried to take flight but he was struck down by a laser beam through the wing. The Thirteens were surrounded. The fox had been driven into the ground by a cloaked figure and was being handcuffed.

"Can you please save us?" A mock baby voice repeated. Sonic spun around. A jackal emerged from behind one of the temple walls. His fur was jet black except for the tufts of white at the ends of his tail and hair. A metal device was strapped around the arm he held raised like a gun.

"YOU!" Sonic heard Priam shout. His next words were cut short when his captor punched him in the gut.

"Me," The jackal repeated casually as he advanced towards Sonic. He stopped when he reached the place Jasmine was laying in the grass.

"What did you do to her?" Sonic snapped. His shock was wearing off. He could feel adrenaline and white hot energy surging into his limbs.

"She isn't dead. Not yet. Mesto likes to finish him off himself, you see." The jackal smiled and flashed a set of sharp white teeth. "Sorry I had to interrupt her little speech. A damsel in distress, a hero come to save her, it all sounded very interesting. But unfortunately for you, I'm on the clock and I've got traitors to bring in."

Sonic countered with a grin of his own. "You aren't taking anybody."

The jackal raised his arm and aimed the weapon strapped to it directly at Sonic's heart. "I hate to disappoint you. But the Jackal Squad never fails to bring in their prey." At this, the rest of the newcomers let out loud yelps and howls.

Sonic crouched into a fighting stance. All the confusion, doubt and mystery were fading to the margins. Here was something he understood, an enemy standing right in front of him.

His movement caused the rest of the squadron to respond. In seconds, Sonic found himself surrounded. The Jackal Squad was made up of wolves, jackals, and foxes, each wearing black armor and each equipped with blasters strapped to their forearms. "You need all your friends just to fight me?" Sonic quipped.

The jackal's face tightened. "Back down boys." He held out his hand and at once, the rest of the squad backed away.

"Run Sonic!" Priam shouted. He had been tied to the dry fountain and his face was bleeding from a cut above his eye. "That is Zero, Mesto's number one commander. You cannot face him alone! RUN!"

Sonic smirked. "Number one commander heh? I guess this could be fun."

Zero snarled. He flexed his hands and extended sharp claws. "You aren't on my registry. I don't have to bring you back alive. I'll leave your corpse here as a warning to the others."

"You won't win with threats," Sonic challenged. He put his hand into the dirt, reared up like a sprinter, and felt the surge of energy swell inside him. Let's go.