As Silver lied on the ground, he considered for a second that he could just run for it but he didn't have a chance with injured leg. He forced himself to stand as the Nocturnus tightened the circle trapping Silver inside with Finitevus. Mordred stepped out thrust Silver's gloves and bracelets into his hands without looking at him and then rejoined the circle. Silver quickly put them on his shaking hands. Finitevus looked like he'd been waiting for this for a life time "You have been taught to dual, I presume, Silver?". Silver remembered as if was from another life the Dueling Club but all he learned was the Disarming Charm and what use was that? Even if he could somehow disarm Finitevus there were thirty Nocturnus around him. Finitevus was right, there was no one to protect him this time "First we bow to each other" Finitevus did so but kept his head upright staring at Silver who didn't move. He tilted his head mockingly "Come now, Silver, the niceties must be observed. Locke wouldn't want you to forget your manners". The others laughed at Silver, but he wasn't going to bow, he wasn't going to let Finitevus play with him before he killed him, he won't give him the satisfaction. Finitevus raised his hand "I said bow!". Silver groaned; some invisible force was bending his spine forcing him to bow "That's better". He released Silver "And now you face me, like a man. Straight-backed and proud, the way your father died. And now we dual".
Before Silver could even react, he was hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was. White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life. When it finally stopped Silver was back on the ground with Finitevus kneeling over "I'm going to kill you, Silver. I'm going to destroy you. After tonight no one will ever again question my power. After tonight when they speak of you it will only be how you begged for death and I, a merciful lord, obliged". He stood back up and backed away "Crucio!". Silver screamed but this time the spell ended quickly, Finitevus was playing with him. Silver staggered to his feet and right into a wall of Nocturnus who pushed him back in. Finitevus laughed "That hurt, didn't it? You don't want me to do that again, do you?". Silver said nothing, he was going to die here just like Sonic but he was not going to beg "I asked you whether you want me to do that again. Answer me! Imperio!". Silver felt, for the third time in his life, the sensation that his mind had been wiped of all thought. Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though he were floating, dreaming "Just answer no. Say no. Just answer no" "I WILL NOT!" said a stronger voice, in the back of his head. "Just answer no" "I WON'T DO IT! I WON'T SAY IT!" "Just answer no". Silver then spoke out loud "I WON'T!".
His voice echoed through out the graveyard and Silver was brought out of his dream state as if cold water was just thrown on him. He was back feeling the aches from the Cruciatus Curse, back knowing where he was and what was happening. The Nocturnus were not laughing anymore. Finitevus was staring at Silver curiously "You won't? Tut, tut, tut. Silver, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die. Perhaps another little dose of pain?". When Finitevus fired his next spell Silver leaped out of the way and hid behind one of the gravestones "Don't turn your back to me, Silver! I want you to look at me when I kill you! I WANT TO SEE THE LIGHT LEAVE YOUR EYES!". Silver crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no hope, no help to be had. But he knew one thing only, and it was beyond fear or reason: He was not going to die crouching here like a child playing hide-and-seek; he was not going to die kneeling at Finitevus' feet he was going to die upright like his father, and he was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defence was coming. Silver stood up and despite his whole body shaking in fear he walked out to face Finitevus "Have it your way. Expelliarmus!" "Avada Kedavra!". Cyan light shot out of Silver's gloves just as black shape shot out of Finitevus'. The two spells met in mid-air creating a straight beam between the two. Silver couldn't have ended the spell if he wanted to. A golden liquid was splashing out of where the two spells impacted. Then out of the top golden threads erupted and formed a dome around the two of them. The Nocturnus closed in wondering if they should act "Do nothing! He's mine!" Finitevus ordered. Then to Silver's disbelief a sound was coming from the beam. It was music, the music he heard from Burst in the Chamber of Secrets.
It was the sound of hope to Silver. The most beautiful and welcome thing he had ever heard in his life. He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just around him. It was the sound he connected with Locke, and it was almost as though a friend were speaking in his ear "Don't break the connection". Silver held stead fast, the beam was now moving, moving towards Finitevus who looked astonished, almost fearful. Finally, Silver's spell pushed passed Finitevus' and made contact with his gauntlets. Silver expected Finitevus' to be disarmed but instead something strange happened. Finitevus' gauntlets and cape seemed to catch fire. Either it wasn't hurting him or Finitevus ignored the pain because he continued to stand his ground although it was clear his fear was growing. A flame shot out of the gauntlets and formed the shape of Mordred's armour. Then another flame shot out and landed on the ground inside the dome. The flame grew and took shape. The fire took the image of Sonic. Silver didn't understand what he was looking at "Hold on, Silver!" Sonic said. Finitevus was staring at him with shock, he no more expected this than Silver. Another flame formed next to Sonic, it was the human Silver saw in his dream, Larry "He was a real wizard, then? Killed me, that one did. You fight him, boy". Then after him was Agnes Hopkins who surveyed the battle in front of her "Don't let go! Don't let him get you, Silver! Don't let go!". With the appearance of every figure Silver felt warmer, he could feel his strength returning. And then another flame emerged. Silver knew when he saw it who it would be. He knew, as though he had expected it from the moment when Sonic had appeared. He knew, because the woman was the one, he'd thought of more than any other tonight. The fiery form of a young echidna woman appeared next to Silver. Silver despite every inclination looked away from the battle he was in and stared into the face of his mother. She looked back at him with a proud but regretful expression "It will be alright. Hold on! Your father's coming!".
Tikal then looked at Silver's other side. Silver turned his head; he was so distracted seeing his mother that he didn't notice a final flame which had formed into his father. Finitevus watched fearfully as his victims stood before him. Shadow spoke quietly so only Silver could hear "Silver, when the connection is broken, you must get to the Warp Gate. We can linger for a moment to give you some time but only a moment! Do you understand?", Silver nodded. Before Silver could brake the connection Sonic stepped forward "Silver, take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents". Tikal touched Silver's shoulder "Let go. Sweetheart, you're ready. Let go!". Silver wrenched his hands away breaking the spell. The golden dome disappeared as did the Wisp song. But the figures did not leave, they flew towards Finitevus blocking Silver from his view. Silver ran, pushing past two stunned Nocturnus. The Emerald Cup was in front of him but he jumped over it towards Sonic's body "Stun him!" Finitevus yelled. Silver grabbed Sonic's arm with one hand and with the other "ACCIO!". The Emerald Cup flew off the ground and he caught it. He heard Finitevus' scream of fury as the Warp Gate pulled him and Sonic into a whirlwind, they were going back.