It had been three days since Isaac had ran into the forest in his demonic form. Sally gathered everyone to conduct an organized search for Isaac. Tails and Amy were searching the Western section of the Great Forest. Knuckles and Rouge were searching the Eastern section. Silver and Blaze were searching the Southern section. And Sally and Lily were searching the Northern section. Sonic and Shadow were running in a grid pattern all over the forest, covering large tracts of ground.
"Alright, guys! Security check!" Sally announced over their communicators.
"Nothing yet." Amy responded.
"Nada over here." Rouge replied.
"Still searching." Blaze answered.
Sally put her wrist down, frustrated by not finding Isaac any sooner. Lily was surveying their surroundings, using her mental abilities to attempt to lock onto Isaac's thoughts to locate him.
"Anything yet?" Sally asked. Lily shook her head, feeling a headache coming on.
"Wherever he is, he's still out of range. But I doubt he's out of the forest. Otherwise, we would've heard something about it." Lily answered. As they continued their search, Sally's communicator began going off. Sally hit the receive button, Dante being the one that called her.
"Dante, what've you got?" Sally asked.
"So far, the information on Nephilim is spotty. But then I realized… we're looking at this the wrong way!" Dante began.
"How so?" Sally asked.
"Isaac isn't just a 'normal' Nephilim! A Nephilim is usually the offspring of a mortal and an Angel. But in this case, Isaac, and in addition, Lily, don't have a mortal parent! Instead, they're the offspring of both an Angel and a Demon! Without a mortal lineage, Isaac's powers are increasingly unstable! And in the case of a desperate attempt to prevent death, Isaac's powers went off like a matchstick! Right now, he's pretty much relying on baser instinct! He's going to be insanely strong, so when you see him, don't engage! Get everyone else to convene before doing so! It's going to be a brutal fight!" Dante explained, signing off.
"A fight? But… Isaac wouldn't fight us! Right?" Lily asked. Sally didn't know how to respond. Isaac never attacked them before! Sparring, sure! But never an actual fight!
"I don't know, Lily. But we'll make sure we find him!" Sally answered.
They continued to search, Lily leading themselves to the cave systems to look there. As they neared one of the larger cave systems, Lily stopped Sally, seeing the snow near the cave entrance to have been melted, a faint jet of steam exiting from the cave.
"Shhh!" Lily shushed, seeing that something was in the cave. They quickly retreated behind one of the trees, peeking out. A faint snoring was coming from the cave, indicating that whoever was in there was sleeping soundly.
"Is Isaac in there?" Sally asked, feeling something in the pit of her stomach.
"I think so. I can't hear Isaac's thoughts, but he may not be in R.E.M. sleep right now." Lily answered.
As they stood there, Lily grabbed a small stone, tossing it into the mouth of the cave. The snoring ceased, a light growling beginning to emit from the cave. A large, clawed hand grabbed the edge of the cave, Isaac's demonic form slowly getting out of the cave, looking around. He yawned, stretching out his arms. The only article of clothing intact on him was his hide pants, which was dried and cracked because of the intense heat radiating off of him.
"Holy shit!" Sally exclaimed, quickly putting her hands over her mouth. Isaac heard that, slowly moving towards the tree they were behind. His breathing was guttural, as if he had something stuck in his throat. As he neared them, Sally could detect the smell of sulfur coming from his breath. Lily walked out from the tree, showing herself to Isaac, still wearing his cloak.
"Isaac! It's me, Lily!" Lily revealed. Isaac stopped in his tracks, tilting his head to the side. He could swear he knew this person, but whatever memory he had of her was… hidden.
"Do…. I know you?" Isaac asked, unsure of who she was. Lily was shocked, not believing that Isaac couldn't recognize her!
"It's me! Your sister!" She explained. Sally slowly peeked out, Isaac catching her looking at him. Now, Isaac knew he knew Sally from somewhere! She had that… look about her. A look of familiarity.
"I… I do not remember. But yet… I feel as if I should." Isaac said, his voice rumbling in his throat. As he stared at them, memories began to flash before his eyes, all in a blink of an eye! Isaac shook his head, trying to clear it. As he did so, Lily reached into her cloak, producing the framed photograph of their parents. Isaac sat down on the ground, looking closer at the picture.
"I… I remember something. A… a home near the shore. The sound of a hammer hitting metal." Isaac said, his memories beginning to clear.
"Yes! He's remembering!" Sally exclaimed, excited. As Isaac began to remember, Isaac felt his movements restricted, a light, blue aura surrounding him!
"Blaze! I got him!" Silver exclaimed, restraining Isaac! Isaac began to go wild, trying to break his restraints!
"Silver! Stop!" Sally yelled out, trying to get Silver to let him go! But as soon as Silver saw Sally, Isaac broke free from his restraints, the energy pushing everyone back! Isaac charged towards Silver, his hooved feet pounding into the ground! Silver restrained him again, lifting off of the ground!
"It's no use, Isaac! Just calm down!" Silver ordered. Isaac closed his eyes, the air around him beginning to heat up! The snow within twenty feet from him began to melt, the temperature reaching higher degrees! The bark on the trees began to peel, becoming scorched! Isaac quickly pushed his arms out, breaking the aura around him! Isaac landed on the dry ground, smiling!
"It is no use, Silver! Your future is forfeit to the Inferno!" Isaac bellowed, laughing wickedly! Silver prepared himself, charging up his power. Isaac charged at Silver, reeling back his arm! Silver stopped him again, this time throwing him into a tree! The tree broke upon impact, Isaac bouncing off and land next to it as it was falling.
Isaac slowly got up, his ribs having been broken and penetrating the skin! Isaac coughed up large amounts of blood, leaning onto the stump of the tree!
"Oh no…" Silver muttered, seeing the damage on Isaac. Suddenly, Isaac's wounds erupted with fire, his ribs beginning to retreat back into his chest, the skin mending over! Isaac stood up straight, breathing deeply, not even a single scar was left from the injury!
"Want to try that again?" Isaac asked, revealing himself to be healed. Isaac grabbed the tree from the ground, swinging it towards Silver! Silver quickly created a protective shield around him, taking the brunt of the impact! Silver collided with two trees, bouncing off of them like a pinball! The aura vanished from him, quickly getting up!
"Hahahahaha! Give me a real challenge, mortal!" Isaac boasted, picking up the remains of the tree trunk. Suddenly, a powerful jet of fire bathed Isaac, Blaze focusing her powers on him! Isaac only walked towards her, showing no real push from the fire! Blaze began backing up, focusing more of her energy into the attack! Isaac quickly grabbed her wrists with one hand, ceasing her attack!
"Your fire is no match for mine!" Isaac said, opening his mouth. The inside of his mouth began to illuminate, showing a buildup of fire was beginning to erupt from his throat! Before he could breath hellfire upon her, a sudden swing of a Piko Piko Hammer hit him on the head, slamming his mouth shut! Isaac let go of Blaze, his hands retreating to the sight of impact on his head!
"Blaze, go!" Amy yelled, adopting a battle stance. Blaze quickly ran from Isaac, seeing black smoke leak from his nose. Isaac turned his head to Amy, opening his mouth, black smoke billowing out.
"Your wrath is strong, Amelia. I wonder how much it will take to break it from you." Isaac said, walking towards her. Amy charged in, swinging her hammer! Isaac braced himself for the impact, sent flying into a boulder! Isaac quickly leaped from the ground, grabbing the boulder, and throwing it at her! Amy responded by smashing it as it came at her, not anticipating Isaac charging in behind it!
Isaac grabbed her by the head and swung her like a ragdoll, throwing her into a grove of pine trees! She broke through a patch of saplings, shaking off the needles from it! Isaac grabbed large chunk of boulder in his right hands, slinging it towards Amy at a dangerous velocity! But before it could hit her, she vanished in a blink of an eye!
Isaac began looking around, trying to find her! But as soon as he managed to pick up a scent, he felt an incredible force make contact with his jaw, sending him flying to the ground! Isaac began to get up, before feeling another force hit him in the same spot! Isaac was sent flying again, feeling his jaw out of place. He saw Sonic a distance, carrying Amy, being the reason she avoided that chunk of boulder. Shadow suddenly appeared next to him, Isaac seeing a black mark on his shoe, seeing he was the one that kicked him in the jaw.
Isaac stood up, grabbing his jaw, and snapping it back into place. He smiled widely, feeling a loose tooth. Isaac quickly pulled it out, feeling another one begin to grow into place!
"So much for a hit from the Ultimate Lifeform!" Isaac yelled, insulting Shadow. Suddenly, the ground underneath gave away, a hard-hitting punch hitting him in the gut! As he was punched into the air, a swift kick knocked him back down! He looked up from the ground, seeing Knuckles and Rouge side-by-side, having attacked him tag-team style!
Isaac got up and began looking around him, seeing the entire Sonic Team had him surrounded, prepared to attack accordingly. But Sally quickly ran out in front of him, getting his attention and preventing the others from fighting him again.
"Oh… it's you." Isaac said, letting his guard down. He didn't know why he knew her, but he knew she was someone important. Isaac kneeled down on both knees, his eyes level with hers. Isaac could feel something gnawing at him! A deep feeling that he should know who she was!
"Who are you? Why do I feel I know you?" Isaac asked. Sally walked closer to him, putting her hands onto the sides of his head. Isaac flinched at first, but soon settled into it. She slowly leaned closer, soon kissing him. Suddenly, Isaac's memories of Sally began filling his head! He broke the kiss, his memories attaining a higher degree of clarity! He blinked a few times, now recognizing her!
"S-Sally?" Isaac questioned, causing her to smile. She quickly hugged him, Isaac returning the embrace. The rest of the Sonic Team began closing in, cautious of Isaac. Isaac noticed them walking closer, beginning to growl at them. Sally noticed this, seeing that Isaac felt himself threatened.
"It's alright, Isaac. They're your friends. They're not going to attack you." Sally whispered, hugging him tighter. As Isaac got a better look at them, more memories began to loosen. Memories of the holidays with them, of him flying in the Tornado X for the first time, finding out he was Nephilim! All the memories became clearer, one by one. He let go of Sally, slowly standing up.
"Isaac… you in there?" Sonic asked, keeping his distance. Isaac cleared his throat, feeling it to be sore from Amy preventing his attack on Blaze.
"Yes… I believe so." Isaac responded, revealing himself coherent.
After an hour, where Isaac had spent it profusely apologizing to everyone for attacking them in his wrathful state, the others made a campfire to allow themselves to warm up in the winter conditions. Isaac was sitting closest to the fire, Sally leaning against him.
"Did Dante say how long this is going to last?" Isaac asked, still in his demonic form. Sally shook her head, not having an answer for him. Isaac sighed, not wanting to spend the rest of his life in this form.
"If it makes you feel any better, Fiona's going to be on trial in a few weeks. And Scourge and Rosy were captured by the Zone Cops." Sally informed Isaac.
"Why Rosy? She was insane when she committed those crimes." Isaac asked.
"Don't worry. She'll most likely receive psychiatric care for her mental state. She's in better hands than we have here." Sally explained. Isaac sighed, feeling some shred of comfort in the explanation. As they sat, Lily came back from the stream that cut through the forest, carrying large fish.
"Here, brother! I don't know if you've eaten today, so I caught you some fish to eat!" Lily explained, showing him the catch. Isaac smiled widely, his stomach rumbling loudly! Isaac took the biggest fish, eyeing it eagerly!
"Man, that's going to cook good! So, do you need a knife or-" Sally began to ask before she was interrupted by Isaac tearing into it with his teeth! Sally scooted away a bit, disgusted by Isaac tearing into it with no regard to cooking it! The others soon saw Isaac eating the raw fish, each having a look of disgust.
"I think Isaac just ruined sushi for me." Rouge commented. Knuckles rubbed his throat, feeling some bile rise.
"And that's why I'll never eat fish again." Knuckles observed.
Isaac finished the fish, sighing contently. He threw the carcass of it into the fire, what little meat left on it beginning to sizzle. He looked back to Sally, smiling. She could see scales embedded between his teeth.
"You're gonna need to floss… and brush your teeth… before you think of kissing me again." Sally reacted, causing Isaac to frown. Isaac got up, walking over to the fire. Isaac reached in, snapping off a charred stick. Isaac began rubbing the stick against his teeth, using the charcoal to clean his teeth.
"With toothpaste, Isaac." Sally clarified. Isaac growled a bit, throwing the stick back into the fire. As they hung around the fire, Sally's communicator began going off. Sally answered it, finding it was Dante on the line.
"Sally, do you have Isaac nearby?" Dante asked.
"Yeah, he's right here." Sally answered, bringing the communicator to Isaac.
"Hello?" Isaac asked.
"Mali lateat, sanctifa ad lucem!" Dante chanted, causing Isaac to begin to spasm! Isaac fell to the ground, writhing! His body began smoking, Isaac's bones breaking and reforming! The horns on his head began to recede, skin soon growing over it! His skin became its normal pigment, his veins ceasing to glow. His scars faded, no longer glowing as well. Isaac was breathing heavily, all parts of his body hurting! Isaac was back to normal, but he felt his head as if it were going to split!
"Dante, what did you do?!" Sally asked, shocked by the severity of the transformation!
"It's an incantation I found! Normally, it would be used to exorcise someone. But in this case, it caused Isaac's demonic powers to go into flux. But it doesn't mean they won't resurface! As long as Isaac doesn't lose control, he won't go through an involuntary transformation." Dante explained.
"Ahh, but you could've given me a warning, though!" Isaac exclaimed, feeling his headache soon recede.
"Didn't want to risk you resisting! You can kick my ass when you guys get back!" Dante explained, signing off.
"He can count on it." Isaac muttered. Cracking his knuckles.