Miles didn't know why…But to behold such a sight in a jungle such as this felt…Wrong…Like it shouldn't exist here, there was no sign of intelligent life for miles around…Nothing but empty jungle…So to find something so…Large and monolithic in stature such as this was unusual, there was something wrong with this.

"So Miles, any idea what it is?" Sonic asked, looking up upon the gargantuan ziggurat with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

The little fox was brought out of his disturbed thoughts by the question, mustering his words he was able to answer in a slightly nervous voice.

"Well, from the tribalistic symbolism…The fact that there is a ziggurat and the ominous green glow coming from the top…I think that it's safe to say it's a temple of some kind...Perhaps the people who constructed the place were worshipping it…But…something feels off about this Sonic…There's nobody here…it's not like a civilisation to just up and disappear…"

"Oh come on! It's not like there'll be anything there that can hurt us. I mean…It's just an old pyramid. You're not a chicken are ya Miles." A cheeky grin spread across the Hedgehog's face..

"Hey, I never said that! I just think that it'd be stupid to-"

"Baaaaaawk! Bawk, Bawk, Bawwwwwwk!" The hedgehog imitated, seeking to goad Miles into following his direction.

"Sonic, please stop…I'm just trying to say that I don't think it's-"

"Baaaawk, bawk bawk baaaaawwwwwk!"

"A very-"

"Baaaaaawk"

"Good-"

"Baaw-"

"SHUT IT! I think it's a stupid idea, because god knows what could be in an old abandoned temple like that! I don't fancy getting crushed by a giant boulder or riddled with poisoned arrows!" Miles erupted, his fury more volatile and hot than that of a volcano.

Sonic grinned at the sight, he thought Miles looked adorable when he was angry. Like an overly cheesed off ball of fluff, it may try to look as intimidating as possible, however the sight being utterly adorable to every other sentient organism within a 500 mile radius.

"Sheeesh Miles! Chill out won't you? It's not like Indiana Jones, it's not like the Ark of The Covenant's up there!"

"Don't say that! You know that movie terrified me!"

"Oh please, it's a classic! So what if it melts people's fac-"

"NOT HELPING!"

"Alright! Chill! Either way I'm going up there…Listen…I promise nothing is going to happen to you and I. If there's any trouble, then we can run outta here and go home. Alright?"

Miles contemplated the decision, naturally he was uncomfortable with going into some abandoned temple in the middle of a jungle, hundreds of miles from civilisation, however he could see the benefits, he could document the discoveries, he could donate them to museums, he could see things that no other 8 year old fox had ever seen before…Perhaps it was worth the gamble after all.

And so the little fox said, with both anxiety and caged excitement nodded his head. Sonic grinned at the sight, he knew that the little fox couldn't contain his curiosity and thirst for knowledge, Sonic knew somewhere like this would be good for the kid.

…

As they slowly approached the gargantuan ziggurat, Miles began to make out some of the finer details of the structure…On each of the Ziggurats layers, there were artistic reliefs and glyphs that displayed some long lost civilisation, not too dissimilar than those inhabiting other jungles around Mobius.

They were definitely Echidnas, Miles's suspicions had been confirmed by the appearance of the figures, red to reddish brown quills and large fists. Their garb was interesting, it appeared as if they wore the bones of defeated creatures, or perhaps fashioned masks and armour, painting them to resemble bone, in their hands they clutched fearsome looking weapons, Axlatls, Macahuitils, cudgels and bows.

They were clearly proud of the warriors they had. Perhaps they could have been similar to the ancient warring city states originating from Apotos, Lakonias island or the Atticus peninsula of Apotos were known to have found large amounts of artwork and pottery that displayed these long dead soldiers as they would have been in life. It was likely the same with these Echidnas.

There were other reliefs too, ones depicting them hunting great beasts and forging vases and jars, they were not barbaric savages but a vibrant and exotic people…They likely were advanced, and even without the likes of iron weapons and gunpowder like those in Spagonia, these people were just as remarkable and just as brave as warriors.

However the most curious thing to Miles was the imagery relating to jewels…More specifically emeralds…There were reliefs of priests holding sacrifices in front of gems of varying colours, blue, green, red, white, yellow etc …they seemed to worship them like they were gods…How curious…Yet there was one religious image that dominated the others, a giant emerald as green as the leaves of the jungle leaves. From the depictions it seemed massive…Towering over the Echidnas who bowed in homage to the thing…As if it was like the head of their pantheon…Perhaps the greenish glow at the top of the pyramid was coming from the emerald? They had to make sure.

They began to race up the steps of the pyramid, climbing higher and higher with each minute and after approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds they had reached the top of the gargantuan Ziggurat.

The jungle was spread out before them, a never ending sea of green that stretched far into the distant horizon, clashing with the brilliant blue skies above, the sun shining down oppressively on the two mammals, unprotected by the shade.

Miles, resting his legs on the steps let out a small groan, wiping sweat from his brow as he stated,

"Damn…It's really hot up here Sonic…"

"Language Miles, besides I know it is! How on Earth could those Echidnas have built this place? In this scorching sun nonetheless!"

"Well…At least we're at the top…That's something…"

"Yeah…Come on, no rest for the wicked kid, lets go inside and see what it is that's making that green glow."

The two slowly looked towards the cave like entrance to the ziggurat…and with a deep breath, both walked inside….Not expecting what wonders….Or what horrors could be lurking within…

It was cool and damp in the temple, nowhere near as humid as the oppressive jungles that lay outside, meaning that the place offered as a welcome relief fro the jungle elements, there was no light however…So they took every step, very, very carefully. Miles's ears pricked with every single hint of a sound…expecting himself to stand upon some life threatening trap that would claim their lives…Yet it wouldn't come…

As the glowing green light grew nearer and nearer, the little fox felt the butterflies fluttering in his stomach…he was beginning to have second thoughts about the whole endeavour…Maybe this was a bad idea after all…maybe it would be best if he turned back and raced towards the daylight…He would rather be out there than face whatever awaited him in this ziggurat…he was only 8…he wasn't a proper archaeologist…He was beginning to miss home…

Even Sonic was beginning to feel unnerved, he didn't like dark areas as it was; he disliked the lack of visibility and knowing where he stepped, he disliked the creeping terror it put into the back of his mind…making him crave the light of day…But…He couldn't go back….not yet…

The two suddenly found themselves walking into something new…A large atrium within the ziggurat…Daylight faintly broke through the cracks in the ceiling, yet the main source of light was the one thing that the artistic depictions of the Echidnas seemed to worship…The giant emerald…

It was a beautiful sight…It stood in the heart of the atrium…It's crystalline surface polished like glass, without as much as a chip or scratch…It hummed too…seemingly with unknowable energies that the two could feel pulsating within the core of the giant gemstone…It was incredible…Utterly incredible…they had to tell Vanilla, Amy, hell anyone about this.

"Wooow…" Miles gasped…breaking the silence that had engulfed the atrium other than the low hum of raw power emanating from the emerald.

"Yeah…It sure is a beauty…what do you think it is?"

"No clue….I think it may be harnessing some kind of energy, it's definitely an emerald but…not like any I've ever seen before…I think this is what the Echidnas worshipped…Before they disappeared of course…However I still thi-Hey! What the hell are you doing?!"

Sonic ignored the panicked cry of the little fox as he slowly approached the gargantuan gemstone…He could feel something within him beckoning to it…like some external force messing with his mind…His legs were moving automatically…bringing him closer and closer to the emerald…He could feel the power within coursing within his mind…He could imagine what power the emerald could grant…It could make hero-work far safer and less injury prone1 He could change lives with this! Change the world even…But he just had to get a bit closer…

"SONIC LOOK OUT!"

The hedgehog turned and saw a figure bathed in shadow, hurting towards him like a comet…It's fist stretched out in a punching motion…