It had been two weeks since Isaac had fished out the shark from the Mobian Sea. Isaac was walking through the Kingdom with Sally, Sally checking on the welfare of her citizens. There had been a few snowstorms, the warm spell having dissipated about a week-and-a-half ago. Physically, Isaac was keeping a cool appearance. But mentally, he was on high alert, having received a few death threats from the Order of Honorius by mail! Of course, they were careful to not mention the deal with the Mobius Trading Company.
"Isaac." Sally said. Isaac shook his head, broken from his focus.
"What?" Isaac asked.
"I was just asking if you wanted to get some lunch quick before we walk around the residential district." Sally answered.
"That actually sounds good. Yeah." Isaac responded.
"You're still thinking about the death threats, right?" Sally asked.
"A bit hard not to, considering I'm on the top of their hit list." Isaac answered.
"Listen, the guards are on high alert! The Order doesn't do assassins, so they're going to be seen before they even get near us!" Sally explained.
"But there's nothing to stop them from disguising themselves and then revealing themselves at the last minute. I'm going to remain focused. But… what'd you have in mind for lunch?" Isaac asked.
"We could go into the Inn for some soup! David makes the best tomato soup!" Sally exclaimed.
"You sure it's not that junk that comes from a can?" Isaac asked, following Sally.
"I think I can taste the difference between fresh and canned soup." Sally responded.
"I remember you saying something similar about the difference between fresh and frozen fish, but the cod fillets you had were frozen. You said they were fresh." Isaac noted.
"Alright, but that was fish. Soup is completely different! Also, I've seen him make it before. He takes ripe tomatoes, garlic, and parsley, and just makes it in a big stock pot!" Sally explained.
"Well, I'm sold. Let's hurry before the Order decides to spring an attack." Isaac jokingly said. Sally and Isaac got to and entered the Inn, the warmth from the fire a welcome change to the cold outside.
"David!" Sally announced, getting the attention of the manager. He walked out from behind the counter, a large smile on his face.
"Ah, Princess Sally! And Ranger Abaddon! It's so good to see you!" Davis exclaimed, hugging the both of them. As he embraced them, he held them tighter, making sure they didn't move!
"Listen, I can't speak for too long! There are four armed men in my kitchen! They're holding my cooks hostage! They want Isaac dead! Please, take care of them!" David quickly whispered, letting them go.
Isaac nodded, subtly grabbing the handle to his sword.
"Now! What can I get you two?" David asked, keeping his cover.
"Two bowls of tomato soup." Sally ordered.
"Oh, sorry about that! We aren't able to, since tomatoes were part of what we got from the Mobian Trading Company. But since the trade ban, we've been seeing a shortage. But we do have other soups available!" David explained.
King Nigel had actually ceased all connections with the Mobian Trading Company. Stocks plummeted, but prices on goods have begun to rise.
"Just surprise us, then." Sally suggested,
"Chicken corn soup good?" David asked, pulling out a notepad.
"Perfect." Isaac said.
David nodded, walking back into the kitchen. Isaac and Sally walked to the table near the fireplace, the table closest to the door.
"Alright, we need to leave, but we can't make it look like we know!" Sally whispered, subtly looking around.
"No. They'll kill the cooks the moment we leave. Most likely, they're going to either poison me or send someone with our food to attempt to kill me. I'll figure out our course of action when they bring out our soup." Isaac whispered.
Soon, David came back from the kitchen with two bowls of soup, setting them down in front of Isaac and Sally.
"Don't eat your soup, Isaac! They put some kind of green liquid into it! Princess, yours is safe to eat." David whispered, quickly going back to the kitchen. Isaac took his spoon and dipped it into the soup, tasting a very small amount of it. He discreetly spit it out, making sure no one else could see.
"Hemlock." Isaac whispered, instantly recognizing what they put into it.
"Hemlock? Like the tree?" Sally asked, eating her soup.
"No. It looks like a wild carrot. But the stem is smooth, with purple markings. Highly poisonous." Isaac explained, still whispering.
"How do you know?" Sally asked, putting another spoonful into her mouth.
"I ate a piece of it by accident once, thinking it was wild carrot. I was soon having trouble breathing, feeling like I could pass out at any moment! Fortunately, I didn't eat a big enough piece to be fatal. But after that, I made sure to give that plant a wide berth." Isaac further explained.
Back in the kitchen, the Order of Honorius soldiers were watching Isaac, seeing him talk to Sally. They couldn't hear what he was saying, but they saw that he wasn't eating his soup after the first spoonful.
"If you informed him about the hemlock, we shall kill all of your cooks!" The leader whispered.
"I swear, I didn't! None of them know!" David lied.
"Just give it a moment, sir. I put enough hemlock essence to kill thirty men. We just need to wait." One of the soldiers informed, keeping his knife pointed at one of the cooks. After a few minutes of waiting, Isaac began moving his hand to his chest, looking distressed.
"Bingo. The effects are taking place." The soldier observed. Soon, Isaac fell out of his seat, appearing unconsciousness.
"Isaac!" Sally exclaimed, getting out of her seat, and rushing to his side. David quickly rushed out of the kitchen, running over to them!
"What happened?" David asked.
"I don't know! We were just talking, and Isaac just collapsed!" Sally explained, panicking.
As they were trying to help Isaac, the soldiers discreetly left, going through the exit out of the kitchen. As soon as they left, one of the cooks ran out into the dining area.
"David, they left! They're gone!" He announced. As soon as he said this, Isaac quickly sprung up, having faked the entire thing.
"Oh, thank God! I actually thought you were dying!" David exclaimed, placing his hand over his heart.
"No, but the Order are going to wish they were successful! Sally, I'll be right back! I'm going to cut them off before they have a chance to leave the Kingdom!" Isaac said, running out of Inn through the front door.
Isaac quickly ran through the alley, going past the backdoor of the Inn. He quickly leaped up onto the rooftops, getting a better vantage point to find the Order. Soon, he found them discreetly walking towards the train station. Getting a running start, Isaac leaped off of the roof and landed on top of one of them, knocking them out almost instantaneously!
"The Demon-spawn?! He's supposed to be dead!" The leader exclaimed, equipping his sword. The others quickly followed, circling Isaac.
"Guess you were too light on the hemlock." Isaac remarked, insulting them.
"For the Order!" One of them shouted, charging in. Isaac, grabbing the hilt of his sword, slashed towards the handle of his opponents sword, the sword getting out of his grip, along with three of his fingers! Isaac followed it with a quick punch with his left hand, the gauntlet reinforcing the punch, knocking him out!
"You son of a bitch!" The female soldier shouted, charging in with a one-handed axe. She swing down, Isaac blocking her attack with his sword! Isaac quickly sent his boot into her stomach, launching her away from the fight! She landed on her back; the wind knocked out of her! She quickly got up, fighting her winded state! She quickly ran back towards Isaac, swinging her axe with no regard to where it hits!
Isaac began blocking with both his sword and gauntlet, her swinging preventing Isaac from attacking! Isaac quickly blocked her next swing, grabbing her arm and diving towards the ground, taking her down with him. Isaac quickly put his right leg across her chest and his left across her face, trapping her arm in between his thighs, grabbing her wrist with his right hand!
"Let me go, demon spawn!" She yelled, trying to bite Isaac's calf to let her go! Isaac quickly reacted by grabbing one of her fingers and snapping it the opposite direction! She screamed bloody murder, her legs thrashing around! Isaac quickly let her go and got up, sending a swift palm strike into the right side of her temple, rendering her unconscious!
The leader began backing up, knowing this wasn't a fight he was going to win. As Isaac began walking towards the leader, the leader equipped a dagger, his hand trembling!
"You… you don't want this fight, demon-spawn!" He shouted, terrified. As he backed up, he saw Sally quietly walking behind him, her hands clenched into fists.
"You're actually right. I don't want this fight." Isaac responded.
"You're letting me go?" He asked, backing up further.
"Yeah… but I can't say the same thing for her." Isaac answered, pointing behind him. The leader quickly turned around, Sally delivering a roundhouse kick into the side of his head, knocking him down and out! Soon, guards began running out to where they were, restraining and putting the captives onto stretchers to move them out. One of the guards were controlling the bleeding of one the soldier with severed fingers, another wrapping the severed fingers in gauze and putting them in a small bag with snow.
"Sheesh, Abaddon! You weren't careful with them this time, huh?" One of the guards asked, getting him onto a stretcher.
"I took it personal, considering they were trying to poison me with hemlock and keeping innocent people as hostages." Isaac answered.
As they were taking the prisoners, one of the guards was holding a piece of paper, walking towards Isaac and Sally.
"Ranger! I have a message from King Nigel Acorn! Your presence is requested immediately! Please report to the War room for further information!" The guard explained, handing Isaac the paper.
"So much for lunch. Come on!" Isaac said to Sally, running towards the castle with her. After getting inside, they quickly went downstairs and into the war room, where Gregory, King Nigel, his personal guard, and Sonic and Tails were waiting.
"What are you two doing back so soon?" Isaac asked, not expecting them.
"King Nigel will explain." Tails answered.
"Thank you, Miles. I've called you all here because we have been receiving reports of our most wanted criminal being found in the Great Forest!" King Nigel explained.
"Eggman?" Isaac asked.
"No, worse! It' Scourge! He somehow found his way back to our dimension! He's going to come here and kill everyone; I just know it!" Gregory exclaimed, looking like he was going to faint!
"Calm down! We aren't going to let that happen!" The guard said, cracking his neck.
"That's right! Listen, me and Isaac will go, find him, and take him down!" Sonic said, confident.
"Scourge will have many places to hide in the Great Forest. I myself could never map out the entire region. But from what I heard about him; he won't resist taking advantage of his greatest enemy in a region that will have plenty of ambush points." Isaac explained.
"All the more reason I need you two to find him! He wants Sally and I dead. But… there's a reason he hasn't actually made it here to the Kingdom yet." King Nigel explained.
"What reason?" Sally asked.
Tails brought up a hologram projector on his wrist, showing an image of a pink hedgehog, wearing a green-and-yellow dress. "This reason." Tails said.
"Oh no…" Sally responded, recognizing who it was.
"Is that… Amy?" Isaac questioned, confused why she would be hunting Scourge.
"You don't even know how close you are! That is Rosy, Amy's alternate-dimensional counterpart! She has been stalking and hunting down Scourge for years! Not to mention, she is completely insane! But if she's hunting him down, then that means she is going to possibly stop you from finding him!" Sally explained.
"So, you're telling me we'll be hunting down Scourge, the most dangerous mortal being in existence, while also being possibly hunted down by Rosy, who is the only being Scourge fears?" Isaac asked, piecing it together.
"Well… yeah." Tails confirmed. Isaac grinned, tightening the cloak on himself.
"Sonic… it is time we hunt!" Isaac exclaimed, relishing the opportunity to finally go on a 'hunt'.
"Alright, I'll get you two in the opposite end of the island! You'll start your sweep there!" Tails explained, turning off the projector.
Isaac opened the door, Lily tumbling in, having been listening the entire time.
"Lily? Aren't you supposed to be in classes?" Isaac asked, confused why she was here.
"They let us out early! Isaac, I can help you! I know the Great Forest like the notches in my quiver!" Lily exclaimed.
"Woah, there! It's too dangerous!" Sonic responded, not needing Lily to risk her life.
"If he's hiding from someone, he's going to use the cave systems!" Lily exclaimed.
"Cave systems?" Isaac asked.
"Yes! When you go hunting, I go exploring! I've found at least five of them, two of them connect to each other! He could easily evade you underground!" Lily explained. Isaac pondered on this new information. He knew it would be incredibly risky to take Lily, but if she had knowledge of those cave systems, then it would be useful if they had someone who knew where they ended up!
"Isaac, you can't be actually considering this!" Sally said, worried.
"Lily… get your pack. We leave ASAP." Isaac told her. Lily quickly bolted out of the hallway and upstairs. Isaac pulled out his sword, seeing his reflection in the blade.
"You're letting her go?!" Sally asked, knowing this would be dangerous!
"She knows how dangerous it is. But she will only do as I say! I'll be sure of it!" Isaac answered, sheathing his sword.
"But she's just a kid!" Sally responded.
"So is Tails, but he pilots an aircraft and fights as well." Isaac argued.
"Tails has an IQ of 300!" Sally fired back.
"Lily knows how to hide and survive! If things get too dangerous, she'll hide until everything clears!" Isaac argued. Sally didn't say anything, knowing that Isaac wasn't going waver. Sally quickly walked out, purposefully pushing her shoulder into Isaac's, leaving the War Room.
"Tails, get that terror of the sky running! Sonic, meet me in the hangar! We're leaving as soon as I have everything we'll need!" Isaac ordered, walking out into the direction of his quarters.
45 Minutes Later:
Isaac was walking towards the Tornado X, loading, and holstering his father's flintlock. Isaac was silently praying, praying that he would only have to use it as leverage to take Scourge in alive. His pack was heavy on his shoulders, containing enough supplies to camp out for a few days, if it comes to that. Tails was already in the cockpit, the engine running. Lily and Sonic were waiting, Lily having her training sword and her bow and a quiver of arrows. Isaac could faintly see the outline of her chainmail under her tunic, knowing to come well protected.
"Sonic! Lily! Get in the plane! I'll be joining you in a few moments!" Isaac ordered. Sonic and Lily were quick to respond, climbing the stairs to enter the aircraft. Isaac closed his eyes, bowing his head to give a prayer.
"Paṭaippiṉ āṇṭavarāṉa elōhim, eṉ jepattaik kēḷuṅkaḷ. Maraṇa niḻaliṉ paḷḷattākku vaḻiyāka nāṅkaḷ payaṇikkumpōtu eṅkaḷai pātukākkavum, ēṉeṉṟāl nīṅkaḷ eṅkaḷuṭaṉ iruppatai nāṅkaḷ aṟivōm. Mēlum uyiriḻappukaḷait taṭukka nāṅkaḷ muṟpaṭukaiyil, iṉṟu nīti kiṭaikkaṭṭum. Tayavuceytu lilliyaip pātukākkavum, ēṉeṉṟāl avar eṅkaḷukku vaḻikāṭṭuvār! Ellōhim naṉṟi. Āmeṉ. (Elohim, Lord of Creation, hear my prayer. Protect us as we travel through the valley of the shadow of death because we know you are with us. As we seek to prevent further casualties, let justice be done today. Please, protect Lily because she will guide us! Thank you Elohim. Amen.)" Isaac prayed.
As Isaac began walking towards the aircraft, Sally was quickly walking in, seeing Isaac was ready to leave. Sally grabbed Isaac's shoulder, turning him around. Before he could say or do anything, Sally quickly kissed him, stopping him in place! Isaac made no resistance against her, his hands holding her shoulders. Sally broke the kiss after a minute, looking into his eyes.
"Please, I want you and Lily to come back, safe and sound!" Sally said. Isaac nodded, his hands holding Sally's.
"I promise. We will come back safe! All of us!" Isaac promised, giving her another kiss on the cheek.
Letting go of her, Isaac ran over to the stairs, getting himself into the cockpit of the plane.
"Alright, let's get out there!" Isaac said, securing himself into the seat.
Tails began piloting the Tornado X, taxiing over to the runway. After centering himself, the plane began speeding down the runway, picking up speed!
"Whoo! This is awesome!" Lily exclaimed, enjoying the experience. "You're insane!" Isaac reacted, feeling his stomach flipping again!
The plane took off without a hitch, gaining altitude and heading for the other end of the island. It only took a minute, but the plane switched to its hovering mode, gently landing onto the snow. Isaac, Sonic, and Lily got off the plane, Isaac feeling relief upon getting off.
"How do you hate that? That was fantastic!" Lily asked, excited.
"How do you love that?! That was terrible!" Isaac returned.
"Tails, we'll contact you when we find Scourge! Get back up in the air so he doesn't have any ideas." Sonic communicated to Tails, using his communicator.
"Got it! Good luck, guys!" Tails responded, the Tornado X going back up into the air, leaving them. Isaac, Lily, and Sonic began walking out into the forest, scanning the forest for signs of recent activity.