Chapter 89

The Judgment of Solaris

The weather turned overnight. What had started as a brisk autumn morning shifted quietly into a cold winter night. A forlorn sky precipitated flakes of powdered snow upon the sleeping forest. Sonic held out his hand to catch a falling snowflake. It lay gracefully on his forefinger before dissolving.

"It will get cold tonight," Levi muttered. The grizzled fox wrapped himself tightly in his cloak and shivered. "Will you be alright?"

"I rarely get cold." Sonic leaned back on his hands to stare up into the night sky. The duo had set off from the Sanctuary a few hours ago and had decided to make camp. Levi was even more suspicious than Silver and would not risk traveling far at night in case they stumbled across an imperial patrol.

"You take first watch then. Once the weather turns I won't be able to sleep anyway." Levi curled up on the forest floor and closed his eyes.

Sonic shrugged and resumed his inspection of the sky. Only a dozen or so stars were visible. The rest were covered by clouds or hidden by a gloom beyond Sonic's sight. He recalled how the stars appeared on clear nights back on South Island. They covered the entire expanse of the sky in sparkling white light. Sonic would lay down on top of one of the green hills and watch the stars for hours at a time. He had tried to do the same when he visited Station Square and remembered being perplexed when the stars were not visible even on a clear day. The idea that human industry had the power to clog the sky seemed preposterous to him at first. The stars were so distant and remote, a beauty that no hand could stain.

Now Sonic wondered if even the stars of Arvana were obscured by the smoke of human greed. He twitched with a sudden rush of anger. How far did Eggman's desire for ruin and domination reach? How many verdant fields did he need to turn to ash before he was satisfied?

Sonic sighed and his breath released as a cold mist. His homeward thoughts turned to his friends. Amy's warnings echoed in his mind and Sonic wondered if he had made the right choice. Not for the last time either. Sonic shook his head as if to shoo away his conflicted thoughts. He had made his decision and there was no going back. All he could do now was face the road ahead of him, and trust that his friends would be able to protect the earth in his absence.

Worrying gets you nowhere. To distract himself, Sonic drew Caliburn from its sheath. The blade sparkled in the gloom and shone with a red hue against the falling snow. Sonic raised it up and marveled at the sheer edge. He felt strangely awed by the weapon. It, like Blaze herself, bore a magisterial elegance that veiled the power underneath. Sonic spun the sword around a few times and was satisfied by its weight. At least I won't drop it right away. He thought dryly.

Sonic stood up and shook out his limbs. If I'm gonna be up, I may as well see what I can do with this thing. Sonic turned towards the trees. He pictured that the swaying boughs were clusters of Robotnik's fiercests badniks. Sonic charged forward and slashed wildly. Branches exploded as Sonic cut through them as if they were made of paper.

"That might be the worst form I've ever seen." Levi had turned over to watch Sonic. His lips were pursed as if he had just tasted rotten food.

Sonic slid Caliburn back into its sheath and shrugged. "Seemed pretty effective to me."

"That didn't have anything to do with the sword." Levi sat up and glared at Sonic. "Swords aren't meant to be swung like sticks. They're precision instruments."

"I was just trying it out."

"Practice should hone good habits not reinforce bad ones." Levi wrapped himself tighter in his cloak and gazed up. Snow continued to drift down without any sign of letting up.

"We should start a fire," Sonic suggested.

"No fire," Levi growled. "These woods are being watched." He shivered and dropped his head beneath his cloak. "Get some rest, Sonic the Hedgehog, I will watch until dawn."

Sonic placed his blanket beneath the thick trunk of a pine tree. Sleep came intermittently as even he felt the sting of the cold. His dreams were strangely discordant. Bright lights dazzled him as he raced through giant casinos orchestrated with eerie music. Sonic saw his friends' faces illuminated on billboards. They were smiling, and Sonic could hear their laughter just ahead of him, but whenever he turned a corner they were further out of reach. Suddenly, the lights died and Sonic ran through a cold city, lost to time. Skyscrapers morphed into temples and Sonic delved further and further into the depths. He knew this place, he had been here before. Sonic paused at the start of a long road that traced down into the depths of the ruins.

He knew where he was now. This was the Stardust Speedway. As soon as the realization came, Sonic was pulled back. He watched like a spectator as another Sonic approached the edge of the road. Metal Sonic appeared in front of him, holding Amy by the collar of her dress. Beside the other Sonic was a sign post. "You must go back and destroy whatever Robotnik activated in the past." Elder Yorven's warning repeated itself.

Sonic tried to call out to his other self to remind him of his mission, but his voice gargled as if he were underwater. The second Sonic sprang forward and pursued Metal Sonic down the road. The sign post remained untouched and Sonic watched as it withered away. The ground rumbled beneath him. Sonic looked up and saw the great ruins were starting to collapse. BANG! Two metal claws exploded out of the ruins, burying the entire area. Sonic covered himself as the ceiling of the cavern caved in.

"Wake up!" Levi kicked Sonic in the foot, ripping Sonic away from his dream. Sonic gasped and sprang to his feet. Levi took a step back and held his hands up. "Sorry, we just need to get going."

Sonic exhaled. His heart raced but the memory of his dream was already slipping away. Sonic shook himself and helped Levi pack up their camp. They started the day's march under a faint dawn light that broke through the forlorn clouds above. The snow had stopped leaving the forest under a blanket of fresh white powder. Sonic couldn''t help but take in the beauty of the forest. It was blissfully quiet, with the only sound being the crunch made by Sonic and Levi's footsteps.

"A perfect trail we've left them…" Levi mumbled. He glanced back mournfully at the road of joined footsteps that followed behind them.

"No problem." In a burst of speed, Sonic dashed over their footsteps and continued the trial in a wide circle before returning. "Whoever follows that won't get anywhere. I'll cover our tracks."

Levi smirked. "That speed of yours sure does come in handy."

"Handy enough to get some answers? What's our plan? How are we going to free Silver?"

"First we need to know where he is."

"I saw Mesto bring him up in that ship of his."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he stayed there. Mesto has secret prisons all over the place. We need to know which one he brought Silver to."

"How do we find out?"

"That is our first objective. There is an imperial barracks beyond Castle Town where I think we can find the information." Levi strode ahead and Sonic took that to mean he wasn't taking any more questions. They spent the rest of the day marching through the woods. Every half hour or so, Sonic would speed behind them and cover their tracks.

Once, while doing so, Sonic stopped when he spotted a strange animal. It looked similar to a deer except its face was more narrow and its eyes were side-slanted like a goats. The creature noticed Sonic and raised its head. Sonic felt oddly paralyzed by the glare. The creature chewed its food and snorted. Sonic raised his hand and took a step forward. It was only then did he notice the horns. The animal had horns that were nearly translucent. Whenever the animal turned its head, Sonic could just make out the cystraline colored horns that were almost impossible to see in the snow. Sonic took another step forward but the creature turned and bound away.

"That was a Nord," Levi explained when Sonic questioned him. "They used to be more abundant but have been dying off for centuries. Our legends often tell of heroes and heroines who are approached by a Nord."

"Do they bring good luck or something?"

Levi shook his head. "They are often omens of death. You noticed the horns?"

"Barely."

"In the stories, the Nord would often help the hero, but when they drew near to give thanks they would be gored by the horn."

"O…I see." Sonic wished he had kept the encounter to himself.

Levi chuckled. "Don't worry. Those are simply stories meant to teach a lesson. Every sword has two edges, what helped you before may be your undoing tomorrow." Sonic smiled, but did not continue the conversation.

After a few hours of marching, they emerged into a clearing. Levi stopped in the middle and took a deep breath. "This should do just fine."

"Are we stopping already?"

Levi threw down his packs and stretched his arms. "We're training. Draw your sword and prepare yourself."

Sonic resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He did not understand why Levi insisted at traveling at such a slow pace. Silver was in danger, and Sonic could have gotten them to where they needed to be in minutes as compared to days. This is just another waste of time. Sonic pulled Caliburn from its sheath and planted his feet.

Levi examined him for a moment before walking over. "Put this foot forward slightly. You want to make yourself as narrow a target as possible. When striking, either stab, slash or parry, do not swing like a wild beast. Remember, this isn't a stick." Levi stepped away from Sonic and drew the two swords from his belt. He stood sideways with one blade in front and the other behind.

"Isn't this a little dangerous?" Sonic asked. "These swords are sharp."

"I promise not to cut you open," Levi replied with a tiny grin.

And who's gonna stop me from cutting you open. Sonic thought dryly. Without waiting to be told, Sonic rushed forward. He was inches from his target and Levi still hadn't put up his guard. What's he doing? Sonic pulled back his strike and slid past Levi. "This won't work unless you come at me with the intent to do real damage." Levi called. "It was painfully obvious you were going to hold back."

"You didn't put up your guard."

"No, I never dropped it." Levi turned back to Sonic and took up the same stance. "Try again."

Sonic vented his frustration by kicking the snow as he resumed his form. This time, Sonic attacked straight on. He slashed at the opening in Levi's form, but the blow was deflected. Sonic felt his wrist being turned back and before he knew what was happening cold steel was pressed against his neck. "How did you-"

"Your swing was wild and unpracticed. You thought only of your strike and not of my counter. You have good instinct for combat, but not for swordplay. You must learn to meld these two together."

Sonic swung Caliburn over his shoulder. "And why is that exactly? I don't understand why Blaze thinks I need to use a sword in the first place."

"It is not our place to question the princess. She has tasked me with teaching you what I can, that is enough for me. Now try again."

Sonic did and time and time again, Levi deflected his blow and countered with a move that left Sonic helpless. They sparred for two hours and by the end of the bouts their exchanges had progressed to four moves. When Levi called for a break, Sonic hacked at a tree branch in frustration.

"Don't abuse your weapon." Levi chided him. "Come, lets clean your blade." Levi sat on a rock and retrieved a small flask. He poured a silver liquid over his two swords and then wiped them gently. "Here, pour this on the steel."

Sonic took the flask and poured it out. Whenever it touched the blade it made a small hissing sound. Surprised, Sonic felt the blade and was shocked to find that the metal was hot. "How is that possible?"

"Caliburn is the masterwork of the greatest smith in history. Legends state that Trajan found the steel in a meteor that struck the planet. No forge on Arvana was hot enough to melt it, so Trajan made a bargain with Solaris. It had been his life's ambition to create the ultimate blade, so Solaris agreed to give up some of his own fires in order to melt the ore. When his work was finished, Trajan understood that the heat had come from his own life force and he died."

"I don't understand why she gave this to me." Sonic said, voicing what he had been wondering all along.

Levi shrugged. "Perhaps she sees something in you."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be coy. I saw what you did at Masada. You have the power to put entire armies to flight. Even now, as we were sparring I knew that I had no chance against you if you used your true speed. This sword was made for the greatest warrior in Soleanna, it has always been rightfully wielded by the princess herself, but perhaps she feels that the winds have changed." Levi stowed away his flask and rose. "Come on, we should make it deeper into the forest before we rest."

They marched on till darkness covered the forest. The blissful silence of the day turned into a foreboding quiet as the shadows lengthened. Sonic suddenly wished that their footsteps didn't make so much noise as they crunched through the snow. "We'll stop here." Levi pointed to a cluster of close trees.

Sonic stretched out on the ground, but Levi continued to pace around. "What's up?"

"I don't know." Levi tapped the hilts of his blades. "Something doesn't feel right." After a few minutes of anxious walking, Levi sat down across from Sonic. "I'll watch first if you want to get some sleep."

"I'm not that tired." Sonic admitted. "Is there any reason we are taking the long way?"

"There is. I wouldn't leave Silver in Mesto's hands any longer than I have to."

"Well…what is it?"

Levi fixed Sonic with a stern glare. "The barracks operate on a fixed schedule. They shift who goes on patrol and who stays. Tomorrow evening is a shift day, meaning there is a higher chance he'll be at the fort."

"He?"

"Howl. He's one of the top imperial captains in the district."

"We've met. Why do you need him?"

"Howl will know what Mesto has done with Silver."

"And you think you can get him to talk?"

Levi smirked. "He'll talk."

Before Sonic could ask another question, the ground beneath him rumbled. CRACK! Sonic leapt to his feet as the tremor caused the tree behind him to snap in half. He felt his teeth rattle in his skull as the shaking continued. Sonic stumbled and fell to the floor. Levi collapsed beside him. "Earthquake…" Levi groaned. "Cover your head!"

Sonic rolled into a ball to protect himself. Trees groaned as their trunks shook. Some broke in half and fell. Sonic couldn't tell how long the shaking lasted. By the time the ground steadied, Sonic's head was aching horribly. He rose unsteadily to his feet and spat out a glob of blood. He helped Levi up. The fox had a cut across his scalp from where a tree had nearly crushed his head. They both surveyed the destruction all around them. Trees were fallen everywhere and a visible crack traced over the ground.

Levi followed the crack. It widened as they approached the epicenter of the tremor. Up ahead, Sonic could see steam issuing into the sky. They both gasped when they reached the center. A gaping hole had been torn into the ground. All the surrounding trees had been pulled into the sinkhole. Steam rushed out of the hole along with an incredible heat. Sonic rushed to the edge and looked down. Far beneath, he could see swirling fires.

"What is this? What happened?"

Levi bowed his head. "The ruin of the Emperor." Levi motioned to the destruction all around them. "Arvana is collapsing upon itself. The vitality of the planet is being siphoned, eventually, it will break apart."

Sonic was horrified. Blaze and the others had told him this was happening, but seeing it for himself was a whole other matter. "Look at the fires, the legends are true." Levi pointed to the flames issuing out of the hole. "The wrath of Solaris has been kindled, the judgment will come soon."

"I was told a story about the capital city, about how it was destroyed."

Levi nodded. "In ancient days, when our people abused the Sol Gems, Solaris destroyed our city with the Flames of Disaster. Yet that was only a slap on the hand. If the Flames are released again, nothing will be spared. The Flames of Disaster will destroy all life on the planet, imperial or not. At least, if the prophecies are to be believed."

"In either case, we all lose," Sonic summarized.

"Not the emperor." Levi pointed up. Great flood lights issued from the sky, revealing the foreboding shape of several large ships. Levi grabbed Sonic by the arm and retreated. Once they were hidden in the trees, they turned back to watch. Two of the ships landed outside the perimeter of the crater while the third hovered straight over it. Troops in flowing gray cloaks marched out of the ships carrying heavy equipment.

"What are they doing?" Sonic wondered.

"These are science corp officers," Levi whispered back. "Look at the insignia on their cloaks."

The imperials wore a device shaped like a circle subdivided into twelve different colored parts. Sonic watched as they set a series of strange machines around the outside of the crater. On the flip of a switch, each of the devices activated and hummed with energy. The ship hovering over the crater opened its hull and expunged a huge coil which descended halfway down the crater. A glass shaft was twisted around to reveal three Sol Gems in the center of the coil.

The coil whined and pulsed with pink energy. Each of the machines ringed around the crater started to react to the coil. Pink jolts of electric energy sprang from the coil to charge the other machines. Sonic felt the ground start to rumble. For a moment, Sonic wondered if the imperials were attempting to use the crater to start another earthquake. He grabbed Levi and tried to move him away, but Levi shooed him down. "Just watch."

The shaking grew in intensity and the coil machine emitted a piercing loud noise. Crk. Crrk. Sonic watched in awe as the ground started to fold back together. Mounds of earth and tree root, refolded together. It was as if the imperials were doing surgery on the planet itself. The coil ascended as the crater was filled. Where there had once been a huge hole, there was now a stack of layered crust. The science corps officers packed up their machines and left the area.

Once they had been gone for a while, Sonic and Levi stepped quietly back into the open. Levi stood in front of the mound of jagged crust and placed his hand on the top. "Still warm." He observed. "I'm not sure I understand what I just saw."

"I do." Sonic stepped to Levi's side. "I heard about this from an imperial. The empire has been sending out these clean up crews all over the planet. They don't want anyone to know that the Arvana is on a timer. If it got out, there would be a panic."

Levi clenched his teeth together. "That makes sense. Perhaps the science corps doesn't think of it as a clean up. They may be convinced that they are actually keeping the planet together. Not that it would make any difference." Levi turned to Sonic and fixed him with an intense glare. "The judgment of Solaris will come first. The Flames of Disaster will burn away the empire, and we along with it."