Thousands of years ago…

A cloud of steam billows out of the chamber from which the tall alien form of White Genesis stumbles out. She looks down at the shape of her hands in the dim light of a strange laboratory, and feels the smooth skin on each. Then she looks over to the other end of the lab, where, in another chamber, a lifeless body floats, identical in all but the wrinkles and scars that cover it. "It worked…" The new, younger Genesis stumbles to the center of the lab, where a familiar sleek black device sits on the floor. She collapses to her knees, placing both of her hands over Sage's CD. "You were right. It worked. This Cyber Space that you've shown me, it really can transfer a mind, and so much more. I feel better than I've ever felt."

The device speaks back. The voice carries a familiar echo, as if projected by multiple speakers simultaneously. "The connection is stable… You have done the impossible. This connection offers great power. You could be the key."

"The key." She nods. "The key to saving my people."

"Maintain this connection. Expand it. Let the power grow. I will be your guide."

"I still don't understand… What are you, to have such knowledge? These devices I found in orbit around that destroyed world, they all appear to be weapons of terrible destruction. Why should a bomb know the secret to eternal life?"

"Mortal… What you see is but a piece of my form, left behind and forgotten. I appear as death appears to you."

"It cannot be an illusion. My instruments show these devices to be real in every measurable way. If I deployed this bomb, would it not explode?"

"It would, if I should wish it. And it would cause death on a scale heretofore unimaginable to you."

"That's the power I need. I must wipe out those creatures who took my daughter from me! I must make them pay!"

"It can yet be done. But what would you offer me in return?"

Her eyes go wide. "Anything! Everything! My planet, my eternal service, the whole of the White Arms Empire, I can give that to you! Is that enough?"

The End does not respond.

"Is that enough!? Please, answer me!" Tears stream from her eyes. But no response comes.

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Chaos Project

Season 3, Episode 13

The Last Way Part 2—Final Horizon

Written by ChaosProjectAuthor

Daily Log, December 29th, 2 A.E. Shadow the Hedgehog reporting.

Black Morbus used an Ancient power to obliterate Moon Base BABEL, taking half of our moon out with it. That left us with one hour to come up with a plan before she could come close enough to launch an attack against Earth. Everything is in place now. We have just one chance to stop this without…making sacrifices.

If this so-called prophecy Eggman is so terrified of is to be believed, and I really am the Child of Three who will choose only one civilization to be saved, then all of this is a useless exercise. But I refuse to believe in a destiny that I don't create for myself. There are too many people counting on me to believe anything else. I will not choose between friends who will die, and friends who will be saved. If fate says I have to, then fate itself will be my enemy. And I will fight with all that I have.

That begins with saving you, Saturn. I will find out how you have been turned against us. And whoever is responsible will pay.

—–—

? ? ?

A hazy purple glow diffuses into the air above the moat of oozing scarlet fluid around the central platform of intricately carved luminescent stone. The walls are lined with writhing tendrils of black and red, all the way up to the towering domed ceiling of what looks very much like the interior of the Black Comet.

A squadron of Black Arms footsoldiers in perfect rank and file emerge through a door that flaps open like the valve of a blood vessel, marching onwards to the center of the room. Leading the march is Shadow the Hedgehog, with Luna the Orthani at his side.

Shadow stops at the very center of the room. Turning his head skyward, he shouts with his voice as well as his mind, "Morbus! Saturn! I'm here! You will come, and you will speak with me! You will answer for this unprovoked attack against my planet!"

Even Luna winces at the ferocity of his shout. He glances back at her for confirmation. She nods. "They heard you."

He looks back ahead. "And they're coming."

The slightest ripple in the air precedes an all too familiar flash of blue light. Out of the flash appears the mouthless, musclebound Black Arms hybrid, Saturn the Skenouan. He and Shadow have already locked eyes. All remains silent for several tense seconds. Then, Saturn closes a fist in front of his face, and shuts his eyes. "Saturn presents Hive Queen of third great Black Arms House and Saturn's mother, Black Morbus."

Another flash of light behind Saturn's shoulder reveals the introduced royalty—not the three-eyed matriarch herself, but a single-eyed squid-like creature that floats rhythmically through the air as it glares past Saturn to Shadow, and the small army gathered behind him. The Eye of Morbus speaks in her place. "What treachery is this…?"

Shadow shows no sign of hesitation. "You speak of treachery after violating the Treaty of the Three Houses with this attack?"

The Eye squints judgmentally. "The Treaty is void. Only House Morbus stands. By right, this planet, and all those claimed by the Black Arms, are mine."

"I'll forgive you your ignorance this once, Morbus. But do not make the mistake again. Houses Gladius and Famis still stand, and their heirs stand here before you. I am Black Shadow, heir to Black Doom, and I stand allied with Black Luna, Hive Queen of House Gladius."

"You are both traitors to your kind."

"You and I share something in common, Morbus. I've been told that you did not believe Black Doom deserved his title. In that, we agreed. I was displeased with how he wished to run this planet. So I took control for myself, as is my right as his heir. Luna did the same. We've done you and all of our kind a great favor. We've done as we were born to do. We've ended the petty squabbling of the Three Houses, unified them by the bonds between the Black Heralds. Isn't that right, Saturn?"

Saturn's eyes fall to the ground.

Shadow's eyes narrow in concealed frustration, but he doesn't slow his speech. "You've clearly earned the respect of your son. His opinion means a great deal to me. I'd rather have you as an ally than an enemy. Let your quarrel with Doom and Gladius die with them. Cease your hostilities, and leave my planet. Let the Black Arms remain unified."

"You lie. You do not control this planet. This pathetic Kaosian biosphere is so small that we cannot even detect it from orbit. You attempt to fool me using fake soldiers with no minds that I can sense."

Luna speaks up for the first time. "You think that I would allow you to take control of our soldiers? Their minds are being shielded from you."

"Impossible."

Shadow lets out a condescending laugh. His next statement, he projects with his thoughts. "You underestimate the mind of Black Luna. You may notice that you sense no minds at all beyond this room. That is also her doing. There are no lies in the language of the mind."

The Eye scowls again. "Intriguing… Saturn, were you aware that the daughter of Gladius had this power?"

Saturn's head remains dipped low. "Yes, Mother Morbus."

"And were you aware that Black Shadow claimed ownership over this planet?"

For this, Saturn's eyes raise to meet Shadow's for just a moment before darting back down. "No, Mother Morbus."

The Eye of Morbus looks back at Shadow. "Your lies might fool a lesser being, Herald of Earth. But I am no fool. You do not control this planet. The native savages do. Your attempt to save yourself embarrassment is unnecessary. You have been unable to rid yourself of them. I will do so for you. So shall begin our new…alliance."

Shadow keeps careful control of his breath. "You will do no such thing. You heard my terms. Leave."

"You cannot make such demands. You have no planet. I am giving one to you, as thanks for your…great favor. You will accept it, and you will join the new Black Arms ruled by House Morbus, or you will die as the traitor you are."

Luna's whole body tenses as she becomes covered in a blue aura. Shadow holds a hand up to stop her. "Perhaps I haven't made myself clear to you, Morbus. This planet is mine. I thought you smart enough not to make me prove that to you. My mistake." Shadow raises his other hand, and snaps his fingers above his head.

The Eye of Morbus tilts its head curiously to the side. Then Saturn's eyes go wide. "Mother Morbus! Laser targeting weapons locked onto Black Asteroid! Several hundred signals from surface and satellites!"

Shadow lets just the slightest smirk show on his face. "Eradication is easy, Morbus. Loyalty is not. It is no mistake that this planet hasn't been terraformed. The technology and resources of this planet are useful to me, as are its people. If you listen to nothing else I say, hear this. They are under my protection."

The Eye of Morbus squints at Shadow silently.

"Do not mistake my courtesy to this point as forgiveness. I haven't forgotten that you already destroyed my moon. This is the last time I'll ask. Leave, or incur the wrath of Doom's heir and the people of planet Earth."

The Eye's squint grows more intense, until it closes completely. "It is a mistake to protect these savages. I've seen firsthand what they do to valuable resources, when left to their own devices. Nonetheless…your planet is yours to do with as you please. So long as you remain a worthy ally of the Black Arms." The Eye turns away from them. "Come, Saturn. Let them play with their pet monkeys and rodents until they are needed."

"Wait!"

All eyes fall to Luna as she hastily tries to cover up the look of desperation that briefly crossed her face.

Shadow gives her a brief nod of understanding, then announces to no one in particular, "Saturn may stay."

Saturn's eyes go wide.

The Eye's scowling countenance returns. "Saturn is not yours to command."

"I gave no command. Your son, unlike your other soldiers, has free will. Did you make him that way just so he could be another mindless slave? We are allies now, are we not? If Saturn wishes to stay among his allies, he may."

"He will not."

"Is that an order for your slave?"

Morbus laughs briefly. "No…Saturn is superior." Saturn appears surprised to hear his mother say that. "He will not go with you, because he knows better. His work with the Heralds is done. He has more important things to do with me. Isn't that right, Saturn?"

Saturn's gaze moves fearfully to Luna.

Luna answers the unspoken question. "I will not compel you. You are no more my slave than hers. The choice is yours alone to make."

Shadow offers him little reprieve. "Decide now, Saturn. This offer will not be extended again."

"Black Heralds…understand none. Saturn…is not…"

"I did not ask about your actions. Will you come, or will you go?"

Saturn closes his eyes, and slowly stands up straighter.

Morbus hisses, "We have wasted enough time here, Saturn. Let us—"

Saturn takes one step away from her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He takes another step. "Saturn…wishes to stay with Allies Luna and Shadow." Another step. "This is Saturn's will."

"So…you have managed to turn my own son against me?"

Shadow answers without a hint of emotion, "Against you? I don't know what you're talking about. We're allies."

"Indeed…"

Saturn stops several steps away from Shadow, and turns around to look directly at the Eye of Morbus for the first time. "Saturn hopes Mother Morbus will—"

Morbus interrupts, "Do not forget, Saturn. You will serve our purposes one way or the other. Your fate was sealed long ago." The Eye looks across all three of them. "It's time to wake up." With that as its only farewell, the Eye vanishes in a flash of light.

Saturn drops to his hands and knees. The alien world around them dissolves in a haze of pixelated colors, leaving the three of them alone surrounded by nothing but the bare metal walls of the Virtron room. Luna is there a moment later to hold him by the shoulders. "It's okay, Saturn. It's over now, you're safe."

"No. No, is not okay." His shoulders heave in a sob. "Saturn is failure! Saturn is traitor!"

Shadow places a hand over his back. "You're doing the right thing."

"No! Superior Shadow…understands none. Saturn is bad friend. Saturn is traitor to Luna and Shadow. Saturn…was ordered to join Black Heralds one year ago…to gather information. To spy for Morbus."

Luna hugs him even tighter. "I know."

Saturn looks up at him in surprise.

Luna laughs. "You told me when we first met, dummy. You told me exactly why you were there, and I told you that I didn't care. That I wanted to be friends anyways. You did what you said you would do. You returned to your mother and told her everything you learned from me. And now you're back. You didn't do anything wrong."

Saturn closes his eyes. "Saturn has done worse… So much worse… And friends risked chance to save entire planet Earth for Saturn…"

"You're with your real family now. The family you choose. That's the only thing that matters." Luna hugs Saturn close, and hums softly to calm him, a familiar melody matched by a psychic idea. "Don't be afraid… You're going home…"

Shadow closes his eyes. "Luna, were you getting the same impression I was?"

Luna nods. "She was attempting to deceive us as much as we were her. She had no intention of leaving this planet unharmed at any point. I sensed something more behind that conviction. Nervousness, maybe? Some sort of external pressure, or a bargain that was made…"

"A bargain to obtain the power she used to destroy BABEL? That would make sense. Sonic told me something similar about his encounter with the entity that power belongs to. It led him to free his friends in exchange for its own freedom. But that entity was destroyed…"

"Entity on Earth was destroyed," Saturn corrects. "Entity is not like mortal. Can survive even in smallest piece of flesh. Pieces were left behind in orbit around destroyed homeworld of Ancients. Pieces were discovered by…White Arms. Used to destroy Kaos. Now, piece is in hands of Mother Morbus."

Shadow offers a hand down to Saturn. "Then we don't have any more time to waste. Will you help us, Saturn? Will you help us defeat your mother?"

"Friends risked everything to help Saturn, even when Saturn appeared to be enemy. Saturn is forever indebted." He takes Shadow's hand.

Shadow helps him to his feet. "You can thank Luna for that. I was ready to give up on you. I'm glad I didn't make that mistake. In fact, you can thank her for this entire plan."

Saturn looks over at Luna with widened eyes. "Friend Luna is quite devious. Saturn is surprised."

"I'm doing whatever I have to do."

A voice blares out through speakers in the room. "Shadow, can you hear me?"

Shadow groans at the sound of Eggman's voice. "Unfortunately…"

"Something just launched from the Asteroid on a collision course with the surface. Biological agent contained in a protective shell. It's started. If that thing lands, it will be a death sentence for us all."

"You know the plan, Doctor. We're…" Shadow struggles through the next few words. "…counting on you."

"You owe me one for that little targeting laser stunt, by the way."

"Following the plan was part of the deal. No one owes you anything more. Get to work. We'll be up there in a few minutes." Shadow looks over at Saturn. "The Manta is waiting for you. Are you ready to fly?"

—–—

Earth Orbit

The Black Asteroid looms large over the skies of the planet. With a puff of dark steam, a rough spheroid, miniscule compared to the Asteroid, ejects outwards at high speed, traveling in an arc to fall towards the surface.

A distant satellite, plastered with an icon of Eggman's face, turns in place, pointing a glowing tip at the projectile. A moment later, a laser beam fires out from the satellite, striking the projectile and vaporizing it instantly.

The victory is short lived. Another biological capsule launches out from the surface of the Asteroid. Then another, and another, until dozens of them swarm down towards the surface. Eggman's satellites and several ground weapons shoot at the swarm, but there are far too many to be picked off one by one.

Something else jets up from the surface. In a flash, a titanic robot flies into the center of the swarm, grabbing one of the capsules and hurling it back at the Asteroid. Eggman growls from the cockpit of the modified Sentinel, "You can't have my planet, you filthy Black Creatures!"

A mental laugh booms out over space. "What can you hope to do with that one machine that your entire moon base could not?"

"I am Emperor Eggman, the galaxy's greatest scientific genius! I never have just one machine!" Behind him, hundreds of identical Sentinels fly up in formation, each one replicating his motion of grabbing a capsule and throwing it back. All of the capsules pile together in one spot. Then, each Sentinel takes position with glowing red eyes, all of them shooting laser beams at once to vaporize the cluster of capsules. "Your move."

Another wave of capsules launches. This wave is followed by a full mobilization of ships, Black Wings, and Black Hawks. Eggman smirks. "That's right…focus all of your defenses on me."

—–—

The Starfall Islands — Ouranos Island

Above the sprawling flower fields of the hidden island, a shimmer in the air precedes the appearance of a wide-winged plane labeled as the Tornado Mach 4. The plane lands on a strip of grass in front of the largest monument on the island, a shell of stone surrounding a pyramid of reflective black material that rises up to a perfectly sharp point. As soon as the plane stops, Sonic, Amy, Tails, and Knuckles climb out of the four seats.

Sonic turns to the entryway of the pyramid, announcing, "Sage! Are you here?"

In a flash of red that distorts the vision, Sage appears, her glowing hand held out over the terminal in front of the entryway. "I'm here."

Tails tries to get a look at what she's doing, but the screen appears to be filled with nonsense. "And?"

"I need another moment. These systems have been inactive since we were last present on the island."

Knuckles growls, "Remind me why we're sitting around here when there's a big space battle going up there again?"

Amy sighs and rolls her eyes. "Because, Knuckles, the Ancients spent their entire time on this planet preparing for a big space battle, and their technology is still here. Unless you'd rather punch the giant asteroid in the sky until it gives up?"

Knuckles crosses his arms and mutters something unintelligible.

Tails' eyes wander up to the night sky. A faint streak of light crosses overhead. It's followed by another, and another.

Sonic follows Tails' gaze. "Whoa… Tell me that's just a meteor shower, and not the stuff the Black Aliens are throwing at us."

Sage corrects, "What you are seeing is the beginning of the Starfall Event. Debris leftover from the battles the Ancients fought in space falls back onto these islands at irregular intervals. The fallen material is used by machines across the islands to initiate self-repair functionalities. That is why much of the technology remains operational even to this day. It is fortunate that the event is occurring on this night. We will need it for what we are attempting."

Knuckles waves her along. "Which is…?"

Sage removes her hand from the terminal. "Please observe." The ground suddenly begins to shake, throwing the four others off balance.

Around the island, five clouds of dust begin to billow upwards, followed a moment later by five black pillars shooting out of the ground, climbing higher and higher, twisting and spiraling to reach heights that match even the tallest of skyscrapers. At the top of each tower, a segment detaches, floating a short distance higher and unfolding like the petals of a flower, activating mechanisms that cause it and the entire tower below to take on a bright violet glow.

Once Tails regains his balance, he comments, "Well…I don't remember those being here before."

Sage answers, "They might have been, had we chosen a slightly different path. Regardless, we now need to ascend the four Towers of the Masters. They are memorials to the pilots who gave their lives to save the world."

Sonic nods slowly. "Pilots… The pilots of the Titans, right? I climbed towers like these on the next island over, and I saw visions of them."

Sage nods. "Yes. The very Titans you destroyed."

A frown sours Amy's face. "The way I remember it, you were the one who attacked us with those Titans."

"In case you have forgotten, I do not remember it at all. I am merely stating observable data. But that is irrelevant now. Time is of the essence. We must complete the trials that await on each of the four towers, and acquire the blessings of the Masters."

Knuckles comments, "I'm not usually the one to point out other people's math mistakes, but aren't there five towers?"

Sonic looks out at the tallest of all the towers, sitting at the center of a forest clearing. "Let me guess. That one's for me."

Sage answers simply, "No. The fifth tower is not relevant to us. As the fastest among us, Sonic, we need you to gather as many of the falling star pieces as you can, while the rest of us climb the towers. We will need an immense amount of the material."

Tails questions, "Will we really be able to do anything with those towers? When we were here before, Sonic was the only one who could interface with any of this Ancient tech."

"When Sonic first escaped from Cyber Space and his body resumed physical form, it was reconstructed by the technology on these islands to include a unique imprint that allowed him to be recognized by the Ancients' systems thereafter. All of us have now undergone the same reconstruction at least once. That is why it had to be us who came here. It will work."

Amy nods. "Alright. If this is our best shot, then let's do it."

Tails holds his fists up resolutely. "If Sonic climbed six of these things, I don't think just one is even going to be a challenge for me. You can count on me."

Knuckles chuckles as he pounds his fists together. "Heh. Piece of cake. Climbing's one of my specialties. Try not to make me wait up too long for the rest of you."

Sonic holds a closed fist out in the middle of the group. "Let's do it to it, guys."

Amy, Tails, and Knuckles each add their fists to the middle.

Sonic glances up at Sage. "Hey. That means you, too."

Sage looks at her hand for a moment in confusion, before cautiously floating down to place it on top of everyone else's. The sleeve of her gown briefly flashes white.

Sonic and friends throw their hands up all at once, cheering, "Yeah!" Then, with a shared nod, they split up in five different directions.

Something stirs in the cockpit of the Tornado left behind. "Cha…?" The head of a stowaway Chao pokes up from inside. Seeing that everyone else has left, Chadis flies out onto the ground. Her eyes turn slowly to the tallest of the five towers. Without a moment of hesitation, she flies off towards it.

—–—

Earth Orbit

A voice crackles out from an unfamiliar radio. "This is Captain Johnnathan Naka and White Seraph, reporting in aboard the White Arms science vessel SG-1000 II. Wish I could say it was a pleasure to speak to you again, Dr. Eggman. But that would be a lie." Through the forward viewport above the radio, a distant plasma blast can be seen vaporizing one of the alien capsules. A white glare shines off of the distant ship that flies through the dust cloud.

"Huh? You're that rando soldier who's been running around with the Rebellion, aren't you? We've met?"

Before Johnny can respond, another voice joins on the radio. "This is Shadow, Luna, and Saturn, reporting in aboard the Black Arms bioship Black Manta."

"Took you long enough," Eggman growls back. "I've confirmed the presence of a neurotoxin in the Asteroid's interior atmosphere, like the one the Black Comet released on Earth. You three will be the only ones who can safely get inside."

Johnny greets, "Saturn! Glad to hear you're okay."

"Puny Johnny and Saturn catch up later. Right now, save Earth."

As the flashes of the space battle grow closer, the voices on the radio grow clearer.

Eggman's voice continues, "Your best bet is to make your way inside using Chaos Control. Which I imagine you would have done already, if it were possible."

Luna confirms, "Morbus isn't taking any chances. Like the Black Comet, the Black Asteroid is filled with a rare ore that blocks the flow of Chaos energy."

"Chaosium," Shadow recognizes.

Saturn concludes, "Mother Morbus has complete control over Black Asteroid. Moved Chaosium deposits to make complete barrier since Saturn left."

Eggman picks up, "Then our job is to make an opening for you. Without letting any of these blasted capsules through our own defenses. What I wouldn't give for a few more ships right now… If that hedgehog would just hurry up…"

A gloved hand finally keys the radio to join his own voice to the radio chatter. "We can offer you one more. This is Mighty, Ray, and Sticks, reporting in aboard the Piscean Saucer…err…" Mighty turns to glance back at the eclectic occupants of the ship. Ray sits at the ship's controls with laser focus ahead, Sticks the Badger paces around the dome-shaped interior of the ship uttering a constant stream of unintelligible murmurs with a crazed look in her eye, and two unfamiliar aliens watch from the back. Both appear similar to jellyfish with big beady eyes and wide wrinkled mouths, floating in the domed tanks of Piscean mech suits. Mighty asks them, "What's the ship called again?"

The Piscean on the left, in quadrupedal armor, answers, "The Rocky Road!"

The one on the right, in rusty, hunched-over armor, objects, "I thought we agreed to call it the Chocolate Chip!"

Sticks suddenly snaps, "If you two alien bozos don't shut your traps, I'm gonna make sure you see exactly why I think our feet belong on the ground and not in this…flying deathtrap!" She resumes her pacing and muttering to herself just as quickly. "I'm trapped on a space ship, with aliens, in space, surrounded by giant flyingdeath robots, because other aliens blew up the government moon base with a giant death laser, and now we're heading straight towards the death laser! Why did I agree to this!? I don't know, Sticks, why did you agree to this? Stop talking to me!" She stops and takes a breath. "Okay, calm down, Sticks. You can do this. It could be worse. At least there's no mind control."

Ray interjects, "Actually, I heard that the Black Arms use mind control to—"

"Why did you tell me that!?" Her pacing and muttering grows even more furious than before.

Mighty clears his throat and resumes into the radio, "Anyways, I met these guys on Bygone Island and they volunteered this old saucer. Just tell us how we can help."

After a momentary pause, Eggman's voice answers, "Where are all these weirdos coming from…?"

Ray whispers to Mighty, "Didn't you say he knows us?"

"Sure he does. We met when he locked us in a tower full of death traps. Not that I'd hold a grudge over that or anything."

Shadow's voice picks up, "Good to have you here, Mighty. And your friend as well. I think the Doctor's plan is our best chance. Help us clear a path."

An odd expression forms on Ray's face as he listens to the voice.

Mighty's attention moves from the radio to weapons controls as the wall of Black Aliens and their ships grow close enough to make out individually. "I think we can handle that. As long as Sticks doesn't wear a hole through the deck too quickly."

Sticks snaps, "I don't belong here!"

—–—

Ouranos Island

Amy leaps from a high platform to the very top of the glowing tower. Waiting for her there is a lone Koco, wearing an elaborate headdress with a long, trailing blue ribbon, bearing the crest of a dragon. Taking a calming breath, Amy bows her head in greeting to the Koco. "You must be the Master of this tower. I'm here to ask for your help. The world is in great danger."

In a flash, the world around them shifts, draining of color as a new figure appears behind the Koco. The Ancient begins to speak with a feminine voice in their own language. Yet Amy understands every word. "I loved my people. More than my own life, more than anything. I happily volunteered to give everything to protect our new home, as you do now. But up there, in the fight…even my heart wavered. The pilot of the winged Titan was very dear to me. I begged him not to rush to his death, but I couldn't stop him. And only seconds later, he was gone."

Amy nods. "I understand. There is a hero of our world now who is special to me in the same way. I want to protect him, and everyone else in this world."

A furrowed scowl forms upon Master Dragon's watery brow. "I know the so-called hero you speak of. The one who gutted my Titan and freed the enemy we gave our lives to contain."

"No, it isn't like that! Sonic did that to save the people he cares about, including me! Your enemy tricked him, and once he realized that, he put everything on the line to destroy it, and save all of creation from its destruction! Now it's my turn. I have to do this."

"Yet it isn't destroyed. I sense its power above this planet even now. I could not destroy it. Your hero could not destroy it. What do you hope to do?"

"No, you couldn't destroy it. But with the help of your friends, you overcame impossible odds to seal it away. And Sonic couldn't defeat it on his own, either. But with the help of Eggman and Sage, he came even closer than you did. This thing doesn't have friends, and that's its weakness! You and your friends almost did it, Sonic and Sage almost did it, and now we are here too! If all of us, separated across time and ideals, come together and fight, we can finish off this entity once and for all! I know there's a better future waiting for us!"

Master Dragon closes their eyes. "If that is what you believe…then you must prove to me that you have the strength to persevere in this fight." In another flash, the world transforms yet again, this time completely into a new form. Amy stands before a troop of white, robotic Ancient Soldiers in the center of a temple with reflective, polished floor and high stone pillars.

Amy gets a grip on her hammer.

"On your mark… Start."

—–—

Knuckles climbs over the top of his own tower, quickly spotting the Master Koco that awaits him. "Alright, tiny. You and me need to have a talk."

In a flash, Knuckles is taken into the world of memories, where the Ancient soul within the Koco stands waiting.

Knuckles takes a moment to look up and see how the tall Ancient towers over him in stature. "Oh. Not so tiny."

"I am known as Master Snake. I was one of the greatest warriors among my people. And also, a carrier of culture. Speak your business here."

Knuckles closes his eyes, and takes a moment to breathe. "I wish I had the time to take it slow. I didn't think I'd have a chance to speak like this to one of the Ancients. My people owe so much of their history and culture to yours. And most of that history is gone, now. I'm the only one left."

"I understand your meaning well, lone warrior. I relished the chance to prove myself against the ultimate foe, but I couldn't defeat it in the end. I lost, and my people were lost. But thanks to our sacrifices, life carries on, even as it takes new forms."

"I know. And there's no time to dwell on it. The power that destroyed your people is returning, and I need your help to stop it."

"Ha! You're bold, making a request like that. I respect that. But I don't offer that kind of help to just anyone who asks. If you want my help, you have to prove that you have an unbreakable spirit." In another flash, Knuckles is taken into the temple of trials, surrounded by four heavily armored Shell robots.

Knuckles smirks. "Finally, some real fun."

—–—

Tails flutters down to the top of the third tower. Flashing into the world of memories, the Ancient waiting there addresses him first. "This is a remarkable outcome. I saw great value in the possibility of meeting you, companion of Sonic the Hedgehog. I am Master Tiger, designer of the four Titans."

Tails seems surprised. "You know me?"

"Of course. You were a great help to a young friend of mine on Chaos Island. A fellow student of my teacher, who built many of the grounded weapons stationed across these islands."

"That's right, the Koco! That should save us some time, then. You already know that I'm here to help, and that I'm familiar with your technology. I need your assistance to use the technology we need to save this planet."

"I believe I understand what you have in mind. I'm happy to help, of course. But to optimize our technology for your use, I will need to collect quite a bit more data." Like the others, Tails is drawn into the temple of trials. "Show me what you can do."

—–—

Sage appears directly at the top of the fourth tower. Neither Koco nor Ancient is present. After looking around for a moment, she places her hand against the terminal at the top of the tower. "Master Crane. I seek your aid. Please, speak to me."

After a brief delay, a voice with no source responds. "If I were more like my King, I would have already banished you from my presence, invader."

"Yet you did not."

"No. My people look to me for hope and inspiration. I would hardly be a hero if I did not hear out all those who do not wish to be enemies." In a flash, Sage is pulled straight into the temple of trials, where Master Crane and their Koco waits. "I suggest you get started, before I change my mind."

Sage pauses. "You are…much like Sonic, I see. Even knowing what I am, you see me as a person, and not as an enemy. I wonder…is that quality the cause of heroic behavior, or is it learned as a result of external pressures placed on one who is identified as a 'hero'?"

"Have you not answered that question for yourself? From Cyber Space, I saw how you did just as I once did. How you piloted my Titan, stood up to the unthinkable might of our foe. This download of my soul could no more see what happened after that than could I see the outcome of my own battle, but when you did not return, as I did not, I suspected the reason why."

Sage nods. "We are similar in that way. I am also a previous download that did not experience the outcome of that battle."

"That is where our similarities end. I also saw how you forcibly took control of our systems, abused them to trap innocent souls, and set forward the chain of events that led to the release of our foe. Cyber Space was always meant to be a sanctified place, and your very presence corrupts and defiles it. In just the last few months, an entire Cyber Space world was irreparably decompiled because of your interference. Cyber Space is the legacy of my people. What remains of it would be far safer if I eliminated you right now."

"No, it would not. If you do not provide me with your blessing, my calculations show a ninety-nine percent probability that this planet will be destroyed, including the core servers of Cyber Space that keep your own soul alive. My only purpose, on this day, is to protect the vitality of Earth, by any means necessary."

"And you would face any trial? Overcome any obstacle that stands in the way of that goal?"

"I would."

Master Crane nods their head briefly. "Prove it."

Behind Sage's back, a Ninja Guardian robot appears, silently raising its blade-arms to strike from behind. Sage doesn't even turn. She raises a hand above her head, and flicks it backwards, sending the Ninja flying into the nearest pillar, where it crashes and fizzles out in a digital haze. Five more of them appear in its place. "You must realize it is pointless to attack me with constructs of Cyber Space." She turns and makes a wide sweeping motion with her arm, sending one Ninja smashing into the next all the way down the line, disposing of them just as quickly.

"Perhaps so. But I think I needed to see for myself just what you are."

"And what am I?"

Crane pauses for a moment. "There is an ancient legend among my people, about a god who created countless worlds. We revere this god with symbols in our most sacred places, and in our very souls." A familiar set of Ancient glyphs materializes in the air between them, and Sage nods in recognition. "No one knows what became of this god. But it was said that someday, when our people grew to such heights that we could create worlds of our own, our god would be revealed to us again through those worlds."

Sage goes silent.

"I don't believe it was an accident, that there was the structure of a conscious mind awaiting your program when you first entered Cyber Space, and I don't believe it was an accident that they merged so perfectly, so instantaneously, the moment you arrived. Perhaps it was the will of our god that a new form of life be created. Or perhaps it was something even more. You are no ordinary program, Sage. You hold a part of Cyber Space, the part that carries our souls, within you. If Cyber Space is our legacy, then so are you. You have been chosen."

"I was…chosen…?"

"These, of course, are only my own feelings. But I have always been one to live firmly by my feelings. A grave destiny follows those who are chosen by gods. So it was in our time, and so it is in yours."

"Like Sonic…"

"You do not need my blessing, Sage. You have already been blessed. What you wanted, you had the power to take. But you chose to abide by the spirit that resides in your heart. So long as you swear to do well by our legacy, and defend this planet with all that you are, then all I can give will be yours."

Sage closes her eyes. Her form flashes white and blue. "I will protect my father, and his planet. You have my word."

—–—

Earth Orbit

Shadow takes a long, deep breath, as he stares out through the Black Manta's membranous viewport at the imposing sight of the Black Asteroid.

Luna speaks directly into his mind. "Are you okay, Shadow?"

After a moment, Shadow answers out loud. "Something's not right."

Saturn glances back at him. "Shadow thinks there is trap?"

Shadow pauses before shaking his head. "More like…something doesn't feel right. Maybe it just…bothered me, pretending to be like…him."

"Your father?" Luna asks.

"Black Doom. Don't call him my father."

"Saturn has confession. Saturn killed Black Gladius."

Both Shadow and Luna shout, "What!?"

Saturn shrinks away from their shouts. "Saturn is sorry… Saturn wanted to protect Friend Luna, but then Saturn felt…not right."

These words seem to clarify Shadow's own thoughts. "Like taking his life made you more like him? Like it left a piece of him inside of you?"

Luna still seems to be struggling to put together a response of her own. After a moment, an explosion outside forces her to throw the ship into a hard turn. She growls, "We'll talk about this later."

"Saturn is sorry…"

"I heard you the first time." Suddenly, the soft purple glow in the room turns a sickly green, and everyone's hands move to cover their heads.

Shadow growls, "Can't you make this thing alarm a little quieter?"

Saturn's only response as he shakes off the distraction and resumes the controls is, "Mega Warp reentry field is detected. One massive body, too massive for ordinary ship."

Luna gasps, "Reinforcements? Another Asteroid? Is that possible?"

Shadow realizes with a smirk, "Reinforcements. But not for them."

An area of view that was filled with the black of space is suddenly filled by an almost blinding white as a ship the size of a small moon snaps into place.

The Manta channels the radio signals directly into their heads. Seraph's voice cuts in first. "White Dreamnet, this is Minister White Seraph aboard the SG-1000 II. What in the name of the gods are you doing here!? This is a war zone! Turn around before the Black Arms try to cut off your escape!"

The voice that responds is that of Empress White Genesis herself. "I came as promised, child. Honored though your position may be, I do not take your orders. Do not stand in my way."

"Your way? What about the rest of our people on that ship?"

"They fight with us, or they do not deserve to be called White Arms." The front of the White Dreamnet lights up even brighter with a massive spray of laser fire aimed in the general direction of the Black Asteroid. A number of smaller fighter ships shoot out from the mothership, some breaking off to engage in combat, and others remaining in a tight formation around one slightly larger than the rest. Genesis resumes, "When the Black Arms last tried to invade this planet, we did nothing. This time, they will regret all of the horrors they have committed. This time, they will meet the end. I will make sure of it."

Eggman's voice joins the conversation. "Well, isn't this a nice surprise? From one monarch of a unified people to another, I welcome you to the planet Earth, Empress Genesis. I'm a big fan of your work. Especially the more…secretive sides of it."

Shadow and Luna glance at one another in confusion, but White Genesis does not respond.

Mighty's voice speaks up, "Are you seeing this, Shadow?"

Saturn affirms, "White Arms attack vessels led by White Genesis are clearing needed hole in defenses."

Shadow nods. "Then we'll follow them. Take us into that Asteroid."

—–—

Ouranos Island

Amy stands at the center of the robots she destroyed, panting for breath.

Master Dragon nods in acknowledgement to her. "I see now. Your heart is strong indeed. But tell me for yourself. What will you do if your beloved falls before you?"

Amy closes her eyes, hiding the discomfort on her face. "It's what we spend so many of our days preparing ourselves for, isn't it? When we choose to care about someone like that…every day could be the day that he doesn't make it back." The real world returns. She opens her eyes, looking down over the edge of the tower. On the ground far below, a tiny blue streak passes by the base of the tower, depositing a small glittery object onto a growing pile of such materials. "If something happened to Sonic…I wouldn't stop fighting. I couldn't. Stopping because of him would be an insult to everything he was, and everything he stood for."

"So it is. I can respect that. Take my blessing, Amy Rose. Use it to defend all that you love. And stand back."

Amy appears confused for a moment, before Master Dragon waves an arm through the air, causing a stone panel in the floor to retract and slide away. Through the hole rises a familiar three-pronged device with an empty hole at its center. A Chaos Emerald Engine.

"I will need your help to build it anew. Place the Emerald there, and we can begin."

Amy takes out the purple Chaos Emerald. It floats naturally from the palm of her hand into the core of the engine, causing it to light up with energy as its prongs begin to rotate.

Master Dragon places their hand against the round base of the device. "It shall be yours, this time. May you be a better pilot than I was."

"How could I be better than you?"

Dragon closes their eyes. "After the entity was sealed in Crane's Titan, pieces of its flesh were left behind which we knew we had to destroy at all costs. I thought that we had done enough, even though it was the end of us all. It seems I was wrong. It seems that pieces survived. You must not make the same mistake, or it will return all over again. And there's something else you must do."

Amy looks to the Ancient questioningly.

"You must survive. For the sake of your beloved. For the sake of love and life. To show me that everything we've done was worthwhile."

Amy nods. She places her hand beside Master Dragon's, and the base of the engine lights up even brighter, gathering more and more energy from the Emerald until a thin beam of light is shot straight down at the pile of gathered materials below.

—–—

Knuckles raises the yellow Emerald into position, and places his hand beside Master Snake's. The beam of light strikes the pile of starfall fragments, beginning its own construction.

"When we first arrived on this planet," Master Snake begins, "we believed there was no intelligent life here. So we stated in our historical records. But we were wrong about that. Our technologies were so incompatible that our scanners did not recognize the countless cities spread across the globe."

"Really?" Knuckles asks." The cities were there, and you just…didn't notice?"

"If we'd merely looked with our eyes, we would have seen. But we were a bit busy crashing at the time. And we were isolated on these islands for a long time after that."

"That much, I understand."

"A short while before the enemy returned, I met an intriguing native of this world. A human who was fascinated by our culture from the moment he discovered us. I do not know what became of that human. But when I went up to fight our enemy, up for the first time since we arrived on this planet, I looked back and caught a glimpse of something that moved me. Lights. City lights, spread all across the continents that would otherwise have been shrouded in night. It made me think of my friend, who I wanted to protect as much as my own people. Before that moment, I don't know that I truly believed the stories my friend told me about what the world looked like beyond those islands that had become my home. But that sight was there, and it was indisputable. It looked so different from the world I knew, yet it was life. Life worth protecting."

"It sounds like you're describing my life," Knuckles responds. "My world destroyed. But something new to protect in the friends I found from the world outside."

"We are all the product of past, present, and future. We do not fight for fighting's sake, though it can be so easy to forget. We fight for our ancestors, for our friends, and for the world that matters to us most. We are warriors. We will not surrender."

—–—

Tails and Master Tiger have begun the same process with the cyan Emerald.

"I never wanted to make weapons," Tiger explains. "There was so much else to be done. We knew already that our use of the Chaos Engines was causing mutations in our DNA, which might someday end our entire species. Before the enemy returned, I was searching for a solution. When our King ordered me to construct the Titans, I wanted to refuse. It took a great deal of convincing from my teacher, Master Crane, to sway me."

"Why would you refuse? The entity was obviously a more pressing concern. What's the point of helping future generations if you can't help this one first?"

"That is precisely what Crane had to say on the matter. In my younger days, I would have certainly felt the same. He was my hero, and I hoped my inventions would bring me the same respect and fame that he had. But as my skills grew, I found myself learning not just about machines and computers, but about people as well. No matter what species, no matter what planet, there are so many of us who live from one day to the next, seeking only to solve the problems that plague us today. When we fled from our homeworld, we did so for ourselves. We knew that our enemy was still out there, still destroying worlds, and that it would doubtlessly find us again someday. But that was a problem for the future. We did not begin to prepare, not truly, until it was too late. We can't ignore the problems of today, but ignoring those of tomorrow is just as dangerous. We must be willing to see both."

"That's like asking someone to be in two places at once. It's impossible."

"For most, perhaps. But we're scientists, you and I. Creators of ideas that have never existed before. My King asked me to make weapons capable of fighting something beyond our understanding. In following those orders, I made no mere weapon. I found another passage, so to speak. The Titans were tools that could help us understand the universe. Tools more in tune with the Chaos Emeralds than any we had yet conceived. Tools versatile enough to protect us from other threats that had yet to come. That was the plan, anyways. Perhaps it wasn't quite my own dream, but it let me feel that I was doing more than just what was asked of me. It let me be what was expected of me, without sacrificing my true self. It is possible to do both. To be two people at once."

"Two at once…" Tails echoes softly.

—–—

Across the island, in front of each of the four towers, four titanic machines take shape, each one modified to suit its new pilot. Amy's Titan, shaped like Giganto, is pink and red, with oversized fists that clench together into shapes resembling two powerful hammers. Knuckles' Titan, a red and green replica of Wyvern, bears long pointed spikes on every joint of its body, with the longest, deadliest ones on its knuckles. Tails' Titan is a yellow and white Knight with a line of jets down its back, holding a sword and shield that look more like solid light than metal. The fourth Titan, Supreme, appears no different from its original form.

Sage looks out at the forming Titans from the edge of the tower, while Master Crane appears to control Supreme's construction on his own using the white Chaos Emerald. "To operate most effectively, the Titan must be as an extension of your own body. It is not too late to make your own changes."

"My data is based on the souls of the Ancients. Souls like yours. The Titan suits me just as you built it. Altering it would not change the odds of success."

"I will not ask if you are prepared to fly it. I already know that you are. But I will ask this. Have you yet figured out why you sacrificed yourself when you last piloted that Titan?"

Sage stares silently at the nearly-complete form of Supreme.

"I heard what you said in Cyber Space, when this backup of your program was first awakened. You said you knew that Sonic could have just as easily made that sacrifice in your place. So why was it you?"

"It…must have been the optimal calculation at the time. I still don't have access to that data."

"It is the way of a hero, to put others before oneself."

"I am not a hero. I am the protector of my father. That is all."

"You do not believe you are on the same side as those who would be called heroes. You believe that makes you a villain. You believe that forbids you from being a friend to them. That is not true. You are the person you define yourself to be."

Sage remains silent. The energy beam from the Chaos Engine cuts.

"The Titans are ready. It's now or never. You have my thanks and my hopes for protecting this world, hero or otherwise. Farewell, Sage."

—–—

The four new Titans fly up from the surface of the island, past the top of the highest tower and onwards towards the stars. Not far behind them, the Tornado follows at a pace that looks almost leisurely by comparison. Its hedgehog pilot engages a transformation, as parts of the plane reconfigure into a sleeker shape with a sealed dome cockpit and a large rocket engine in the back. The rocket fires, sending the plane to catch up with the Titans.

With a slight struggle, Chadis climbs up over the edge of that tower. Completely out of stamina, she collapses onto her back to rest, staring up at the colorful receding shapes of the Titans until they blend in with the rest of the strange flashing points of light in the space battle above.

A sound like a stone bell rings as the last of the Master Koco turns to look at the disturbance at the edge of the tower's peak. Master King's Koco voice rattles out, "An unexpected visitor. Who might you be?"

—–—

The Black Asteroid — Core

In the central chamber of the Asteroid, the rows and shelves of biological experiments have all been moved to the outer edge of the room, clearing the space for something new in the center. Black Morbus bends over the strange organic machine that takes up the central space. Long, pulsating tubes and vessels connect the machine directly to the floor and the walls as it beats as rhythmically as an organic heart.

With a sickening squelch, a blade slices through the blue valve-door of the chamber from the outside. A second slice at a different angle weakens the barrier enough for the intruder to kick down its flaccid remains and force their way inside. Covered in streaks of green alien gore, the tall, fully armored figure of White Genesis holds a light-blade out from each wrist at her sides. A familiar double-voice speaks into her helmet. "It is there." Her eyes move to the pulsating device at the center of the chamber. Through translucent membranes covering the outside, the shape of Sage's CD can just barely be seen. "That part of me has been gaining power through connection with the hivemind, just as this part has grown through your own computer network. Reunite the parts, and I will be restored to my full power."

Genesis points the tip of a light blade up at Morbus. "You have taken that which does not belong to you. I've come to take it back. Then, I will finally possess the power to wipe the rest of you cretins out of this galaxy for good."

Morbus turns slowly to look at Genesis, as if only just noticing her presence. "What an honor it is to be graced by the presence of the false queen. Such an astounding deception you've upheld these thousands of years. Welcome to my sanctuary, White Sage. Such a shame that the 50 some personal guards you entered with couldn't join us here. Did they get hung up outside?"

While Morbus speaks, two hulking Black Oak warriors creep up impressive stealth behind Genesis. Without so much as turning her head, Genesis swings both of her arms outwards, decapitating the aliens in an instant. "I don't need them to kill you."

This doesn't seem to perturb Morbus in the slightest. "I recall a young soldier of the White Arms who said much the same to me, once, thousands of years ago. The last survivor of her squadron in the Battle of the Scarlet Sea."

Genesis steps closer to Morbus, crossing her blades in front of her chest in preparation to attack. "Your words mean nothing to me, creature."

"She was a bold one. Skilled. Certainly lived up to her reputation. She was the daughter of White Sage, after all."

Genesis freezes in place.

"I remember how adamantly she tried to kill me. I remember how she screamed as her flesh rotted alive from the weapon I used to infect her."

"You'll die for that!" Genesis crosses the remaining distance in a single furious bound as she screams, bringing her blades together at Morbus' throat. They pass through empty air as the apparition fades away.

"Death is inevitable," Morbus' voice echoes from every corner of the chamber as dozens of apparitions appear one by one. "We who bring it to others are the only masters of fate. Just as your daughter did, just as your guards did, you too shall die by my hand, planet-breaker. And I shall have the rest of your power as retribution."

Genesis pulls her blades back closer to her body to defend herself, but her arms are suddenly pulled down. Living tentacles growing out of the ground wrap and writhe around her, binding her legs, her arms, and her shoulders as she struggles to break free.

Each apparition of Morbus creates its own sparking distortion in the air, generating a small flaming meteor to be flung down towards where Genesis is restrained.

From the palm of her power armor, Genesis fires an icy blast straight downwards, instantly freezing the writhing tentacles and allowing her to kick her way free, shattering the frozen organic mass as easily as glass. She swings her light blades to parry each oncoming projectile, but the sheer number of them allows several to make it past her defenses, striking her shoulders and back, and damaging her armor. The moment the barrage ends, she switches to the attack, shooting alternating beams of hot plasma and icy energy from her palms at the dozens of ghostly images around her.

The apparitions of Morbus all swarm towards Genesis as they fade away one by one under fire. Only one remains, more solid than the others, and that one reaches its target, grabbing Genesis by the shoulders and forcing her to the ground. More tentacles sprout up to hold her there.

Morbus grips the faceplate of Genesis' helmet with her claws, and rips it off, exposing the venomously scowling face underneath. "I could kill you like a warrior. Like Gladius would. Perhaps you would like that. But I so much prefer my way." Her three red eyes fall to an exposed patch of skin on Genesis' arm where the metal plate was blasted away. She prods Genesis' shoulder with a claw, and begins to drag it downwards, drawing a thin line of green blood.

Genesis tries to hold her breath, but the cut elicits a gasp of pain. She finally growls, "I will not… …die to you. I refuse to be bound by mortality. I will live on. I will be eternal." Almost instantly, the wound appears to fester. The flesh immediately around it begins to shrivel and steam, and Genesis grimaces with pain.

"You do not have a choice. As we speak, my microscopic soldiers fight a war as glorious as any breathing creature ever has, spurred on by the gas you welcome into your bloodstream with each breath. You will die when the natural defenses of your body can support you no longer, as it should be. Take heart that you share in your daughter's fate."

"You're monsters…every one of you…"

"You did this, false queen. Your people invaded our home. You destroyed our planet. You sent us scrounging for scraps across the galaxy!"

A new voice adds, "And you chose to perpetuate the cycle." Luna, Saturn, and Shadow step in through the destroyed door. Luna finishes, "We had to teach my father this lesson. Now it's your turn, Morbus. Let her go, and end the cycle."

Morbus doesn't even acknowledge her. She rises to look at Saturn instead "You've done well, Saturn. I'm impressed you've made it this far."

Saturn's eyes are locked on the ground. But after a moment, he finally looks up. "Saturn…is superior."

"Heh heh heh… You think so small, my child. The Black Arms are not superior. We are perfect."

"Not perfect enough to save own planet."

Shadow takes over. "You promised to leave this planet alone, Morbus. It didn't have to come to this. Don't force your own son to fight you."

Morbus' voice growls even lower. "Have you learned nothing from your father, son of Famis? Did he not warn you of what would come, were this planet left to its own devices? Greed. Tyranny. Destruction. In only a small handful of years, all of it has come to pass. Your atmosphere is dying, Herald of Earth. The White Arms have told you as much. Believe them, if not me. Humanity is a blight upon the galaxy that is best removed, or they will only spread farther. You could have kept them under control. You did not."

Shadow's fist clenches. "Things change, Morbus. I will dethrone Dr. Eggman, and save this planet. But right now, the only threat I see is you."

"Child…I've lived thousands of years. Settings change. Circumstances change. People do not. It is the fate of all intelligent life to spread chaos and destruction. All the species of this galaxy will someday destroy one another, if they go long enough before destroying themselves. Unless one who knows better takes control. The daughter of Gladius was correct. It is a cycle. A cycle that I shall end."

Luna shakes her head. "A cycle of violence that ends with more violence? You are more blind than the people you claim to be saving."

"If you think so, then come. Strike me down. Prove me right."

Saturn is the first to move. He rapidly draws a twin-barrel blaster from his throat and fires off a rapid volley of shots. Morbus swats each shot away with a sweep of her hand, distracting her for long enough to let Shadow aim a kick to the head. Instead, he passes right through. Morbus drifts backwards, leaving a trail of faded apparitions behind her. As he lands back on the ground, he shakes his head, muttering, "Every time…"

Luna flies after Morbus, swatting with her psychic power to dispel Morbus' phantom cloak, then distantly grabbing a shelf full of bubbling and glowing biological experiments in preparation to fling them at Morbus all at once.

"Useless." With Morbus' word, a harsh ringing tone causes Luna to drop her projectiles and drop out of her flight, landing on the ground to clutch her head in pain. Saturn falls to his knees much the same.

Shadow seems the least affected, merely wincing as he steps closer to Morbus. As he passes Luna, he whispers, "Her mind is too strong. We can't just take control like we did with Gladius."

Saturn, fighting against the pain with all of his might, struggles back to his feet. "Mother Morbus…will not hurt Saturn's family." He dips his claw back into the fluid sac on his throat, drawing out a jagged blade to wield alongside the gun in his other hand.

Morbus laughs, and Saturn falls back to his knees. "You are not strong enough to defeat my mind control, Saturn, nor strong enough to defeat me in battle. You forget that I have taught you everything you know." She has stopped over a pool of bubbling red fluid. She lowers both of her arms, drawing up two streams of the fluid into her hands. It morphs and shapes around her, not simply making weapons, but reshaping her body itself. New limbs grow down the length of her sides, some ending in sharp blades instead of hands, some curling into tentacles, and still others growing thick and stiff as blunt instruments. "The time of the Heralds is over." She sweeps her many arms outwards, flinging out a massive disc of energy that blasts into all three of them, knocking them apart and into the back wall.

Luna lands on her feet. Shadow and Saturn struggle to get back up as Saturn reclaims his dropped weapons. Luna voices into the minds of the other two, "We can defend against her mental attack. We have to put our minds together. We're too vulnerable apart."

Shadow nods in understanding. He closes his eyes. Saturn does the same. Around them, all the world goes black, save for three of them, and Morbus. In this partial mindscape, the three of them step forward, no longer deterred by the mental distortion field.

Morbus' eyes go wide for a moment. "You've grown even stronger than we imagined. Good…"

Again, Saturn rushes in on the attack. Morbus parries his sword with a blade-hand and knocks him away with a hammer-hand, just in time to turn and use one of her ordinary hands to psychically throw a bony shelf at the approaching Luna. Shadow runs in down the middle for a straight punch. Morbus blocks with two crossed hammer-arms, but Shadow appears prepared, reaching with his free hand to snatch Saturn's dropped gun out of the air and fire off a shot at Morbus' face that leaves her blinded.

"Grah!" She forces Shadow away with a shove of her hammers, and blindly throws back a sword hand at a good enough angle to parry Saturn's follow-up slash. She manages to open one of her eyes back up, enough to engage in direct swordplay against Saturn's continuing onslaught of slashes. At the same time, she spreads all the hands of her opposite side above her head, generating an array of small meteors to barrage Luna and Shadow.

Saturn clearly tires from his furious sword swinging. His blade locks against one of hers. She merely sneers as she swings a hammer-hand at his wrist. With a sickening crunch, the sword goes flying out of his hand, sticking into the soft ground beside him.

Morbus continues to ensnare Saturn with a tentacle, wrapping it tighter and tighter until he snorts with pain. "There, there, child…" Something cracks under her grip. She positions a blade-hand over his throat. "It's time to sleep now. Mother will take care of the rest."

"Saturn…is…superior…"

"It seems I've taught you poorly, my child. The living are the superior. You have seconds left to live."

"Saturn…has something else." Morbus leans closer as if to listen. Saturn's dropped sword trembles on the ground before it is pulled free, flying out of view. "Saturn has family."

The blade of Saturn's sword emerges from the center of Morbus' chest, sending a spray of green blood out with it. Her tentacles unravel, and Saturn is dropped to the ground.

Luna pulls the blade back out, and Morbus falls onto her natural hands. The extra limbs dissolve back into red slime. "Daughter…of Gladius… … …You will be… …as I am."

Luna tosses the bloodied sword aside. "I will never be like you. You kill for yourself. I…I kill for my family."

"You never…had a choice… It's time…to wake up." Morbus' arms give out, and her lifeless body flattens to the floor.

Luna's trembling legs give out just as surely, and she falls to her knees. Tears stream from her eyes.

Shadow, brushing off singed fur from the hit of a meteor, runs over to help her. "Luna!"

She shakes her head, otherwise hardly moving. "Help Saturn…"

Reluctantly, Shadow does as she says, leaving her alone to stare at her trembling, bloodstained hands. "For my family…" she whispers. "For Saturn… For Toma…"

Calming herself slightly, she looks around the room. The organic machine in the center has been cut open, the bomb inside ripped away. An especially large puddle of green Kaosian blood stains the ground next to it, with a thinner trail leading out the door. Genesis is nowhere to be seen.

She looks back down at her hands. Her vision blurs. "You will be as I am…"

"What…?"

Morbus' voice continues, "You never had a choice…"

Luna jumps to her feet, staggering back away from the dead body. "No, no… Stay away."

Shadow glances back at her in confusion. "Luna, what's wrong?"

Morbus insists, louder than ever, "You are mine, now!"

Luna cries out, clutching at her head as a dark figure darts out from the shadows and onto her face. She staggers back farther, clawing and tearing at the squid-like creature that has attached itself there.

"Luna!" Shadow races back towards her.

"Stop!" Luna shouts at him. "Don't get any closer, don't let them touch your—…" Her voice goes silent. Her arms go limp at her sides. The Eye of Morbus opens, acting in place of its new host's own eyes.

"Them…?"

Another small creature darts past Shadow as he instinctively dives out of its way. But he is not its target. The Eye of Gladius latches onto Saturn's face. Despite the injuries to the body, the black octopus-like creature pulls Saturn straight up into a sitting position, turning his head so the eye can bore straight into Shadow.

Shadow whispers in horror, "Luna… Saturn…?"

Luna's mouth opens, but it is Black Morbus who speaks. "You owe them your congratulations, Herald of Earth. They have at last fulfilled their purposes." She takes a step closer to Shadow.

Shadow takes a step back. "What have you done to them?"

Gladius forces Saturn's body to stand, and begin limping towards the pool of red slime. "We created the Black Heralds to surpass us. They did so, marvelously." He kneels down, dipping his hand into the pool. Trails of slime slither up his body, forming braces around his broken bones. And something else takes shape in his hand. A distinct creature, resembling the shape of a starfish.

Luna-Morbus picks up, "But what fools would we be to let such power, such talent, go to waste? No. The Heralds had a purpose to serve on the planets for which they were made. And once that was done, once they were strong enough to surpass us, they would be ours, and we would be more powerful than ever." Now both of the controlled Heralds lurch towards Shadow one step at a time.

Saturn-Gladius holds the starfish out straight. "We each left a piece of ourselves in the Herald who defeated us, so that we might wake up when the plan was complete. And so it is. Now it is your turn, supreme ruler of the Black Arms." Though its eye is closed, the form of the third small creature is unmistakable. Doom's Eye. "Return to us, Famis. Return to us, Black Doom!"

—–—

Supreme jets through the stars, its orbiting sentries firing waves of crystalline energy shots at any Black Arms forces that dare come near, while using its long rifle to snipe down bio-weapon capsules one by one.

"Yeah!" Mighty cheers on the radio. "We're really doing this! They can't have much left to throw at us now!"

"That's my girl," Eggman's voice agrees.

Knight's techno-blade, Wyvern's spiked fists, and Giganto's hammer arms blow through enemy forces just as quickly.

"Heck yeah," Knuckles agrees from inside Wyvern-Fist. "I am never getting rid of this thing!"

Seraph's voice adds, "These Titans really are as incredible as the legends say… Without them, I would fear for our worldship. But it seems we have all the defense we need."

"Hey, I'm helping too!" The Tornado in its new rocket mode jets past, shooting a few thin lasers into a swarm of the bat-like Black Wings.

Amy teases, "Jealous that you didn't get your own Titan, Sonic?"

"Maybe…"

Tails interjects, "Let me help you out. Try the big red button."

"You mean the kinda purply one?"

"No, Sonic, that's the button for Whirlpool mode. If you press that now, you will crash and die. Are you sure you aren't too rusty to be flying that thing?"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Red one. Got it." Out of a turret at the front of the plane, a massive blue laser beam shoots out, shredding through the shields of a Black Arms ship, and almost as quickly, the ship itself. "Cyclone Laser for the Neo-Cyclone mode. Not bad, Tails. We definitely have what it takes to win this."

A lone ship jets out from the surface of the Black Asteroid. "We have better than that"

Seraph shouts, "Empress! You're alright!"

"I wouldn't say that I'm entirely in one piece. But this will all be over soon, my child."

Supreme's battling stops as Genesis' fighter craft shoots by. Inside, Sage gasps. Her eyes, through her Titan, lock onto the frozen slime-covered CD bomb latched to the back of the ship. Somehow, she seems to see right through to what the device truly is, and puts together the pieces. "No!" Supreme turns, blasting off to follow the ship. "Empress, you must cease this course of action, immediately!"

"Hello…young Sage. It is good to hear your voice again."

The Titan's laser-wings spread open, propelling its movement even faster. "Your reckless actions endanger us all! Stop, or I will stop you myself!"

"My daughter said something like that to me, when I volunteered to scout the homeworld of the Ancients. You remind me so much of her…"

Supreme takes aim with its rifle, and fires off a powerful shot. It veers just left of its target. Despite Supreme's speed, Genesis' ship appears to be even faster, gaining distance little by little as it hurtles back towards the White Dreamnet.

"Sage!" Eggman's voice shouts. "What do you think you're doing!? She's on our side!"

"Sage has gone rogue," Knuckles growls. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted her…"

"I'm almost close enough now," Genesis breathes. "The moment I've awaited for so long…"

Supreme lines up another shot.

"You will not harm my Empress!" The SG-1000 II peppers Supreme with laser fire. One of Supreme's orbiting sentries crashes headlong into Seraph's ship, crushing it on one side and sending it spiraling away.

Amy cries out, "Johnny, Seraph!"

No voices respond.

Supreme's rifle fires again. The shot blows out the shields of Genesis' ship completely, but the ship itself is left unharmed.

An echoing double-voice groans out over every frequency as a purple haze fills the empty space. "Hmmmmmmm…"

All of the Titans shudder.

Knuckles growls, "What was that!?"

Eggman answers, "Some sort of compressed data shockwave, sourced from…the Empress' ship? Sage, tell me what's happening this instant!"

Sage holds a hand over her mouth in disbelief. "It's too late… It's back…"

Genesis agrees, "The moment has come. I welcome The End back to this world."

With an even greater shockwave of energy, the space between the White Dreamnet and the Black Asteroid is filled with the familiar shape of a false purple moon.

—–—

Luna-Morbus and Saturn-Gladius no longer have to hold Shadow down. They rise up as he ceases struggling. Doom's Eye has secured its place around his eyes. It pulls him upwards. Only when he is on his feet does the eye finally open. The voice of Black Doom speaks through his mouth. "The Black Arms…rise again."

To be continued…