Sonic the hedgehog Arc

by aliastheabnormal

Second history 8932. It's been thousands of years since the discovery of magic as an energy source and the resulting magical girl war forced humanity to abandon earth and go into space. Sonic the hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna become involved in the aftermath of this conflict and a new war born from its ashes. Alongside an amnesiac claiming to be Madoka.

40. Chapter 40 Seraphim

Foot of Spirals mountain

Eggman has finally reached Spiral mountains. Noticing the strange form of it. A massive peak that parts the clouds above and is composed of four wildly different spiraling terrains seemingly utterly detached from all conventional physics as the lands are both connected like sewn together streamers and seems to be unaffected by gravity. "So, this is the power of Being X. Truly impressive. But why doesn't that child finish everyone off?" Eggman then notices that the mountain is glowing for a few moments only for a piece of it to shatter apart showing that there is only one glowing streamer left before returning to normal. Eggman muses on the situation before going up the mountain.

Reaching the forests Eggman was taking time to experiment on the mountain. Only to discover that not only has his perspective completely changed. With the mountain now being the floor and any attempts to leave outside of going back to the bottom are impossible. "The mountain must have its own gravitational pull to achieve this. But how the gravity well coexist with the rest of the island? Even Waltzer monopoles and their ability to manipulate gravity need to follow the laws of physics." Eggman then soldiers on. Defeating any enemy that gets in his way in the process.

In one of the beaches located in the oceans. The shot down Flying battery was falling into the beach side below. It's bomb bays having been detonated by precise beam shots which had caused it to catch on fire. As Eggman smiles and laughs over his achievement. "Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Did those fools believe that they could use my machines against me?" Eggman then readies his Egg Omega and heads to the ocean. Using the Time Eater's limbs to swim butterfly style across the ocean. Swimming past a fishery boat as Eggman crossed the sea.

Finally Eggman reaches the city noting admiration of the heavy mechanization and industrialization of the area. With the doctor reminiscing about the old days as he drives across the factories. "This truly does bring me back to the days when I started out back in Mobius. After the ROCC exploded I have become smarter, stronger, better. The only one fit to rule the universe. But then, Sonic came along and ruined everything. My organic battery system was rejected by GUN and when I started my cyborg experiments on an entire village they had the nerve to order an arrest warrant! One kid survived! Isn't that enough?! And then there's the problem with all of my minions. All of them are opportunistic backstabbers to the point that I need to plant bombs on them. Except Maw, he's okay. Better than Thunderbolt or Witchcart. And of course the fact that Agent Stone is dead because of Snively. (sigh) Rest in peace Agent Stone. Your lattes will always be the best in the universe in my eyes."

As Eggman traveled thru the city passing thru a junkyard that features things like a Tails Doll, a broken down green orbot, a red cart racer with an M on it, a Donkey Kong country 2 cartridge shoved onto a trashcan alongside a Hylian shield and a withered fire flower, and the corpses of Megaman and Morrigan Aensland. Eggman looks at the last one of these and comments. "I guess Darkstalkers really is dead." Afterwards a massive surge of lights pulses across the city as the Egg Omega's instruments go haywire. Showing that the barrier is collapsing and something is happening to reality and something surges in power at the higher altitudes. Which the doctor decides to follow.

Chapter 40: Seraphim

Pandora has been achieved and the cosmos has been destroyed. All that is left is a large island floating in the abyss known as Spiral island. The survivors of the purge being hunted by an endless machine army under the Demon King Pandora. A land of Chaos were the remnants of the universe are merged together. Once all of the survivors are sacrificed to the Embryo. The new universe will be born, using the souls as fuel for a new big bang.

The year is... No, there is no year. While Spiral island does have a concept of time. People do not age and the sky is under an endless twilight sky. And no one truly knows how long have the people lived in Spiral island.

Castle calamity

Deep inside the prisons of Castle Calamity the pained screams of a young girl and the crackling of electricity can be heard across the cavernous depths. "So, I see that you have been helping those two." Kagemusha states to Madoka Kaname as Homura Akemi is forced to watch. "I'm telling you Homura-chan... I don't know anything..." Madoka gets another jolt of lightning for her troubles as Homura watches full of rage and hatred. Watching as her lookalike not only brutalizes Madoka but genuinely enjoys every moment of it. "Let her go you piece of shit!" Homura screams while glaring daggers towards Kagemusha who merely replies. "Why? After all this is what you desire. For all of your claims of loving and protecting Madoka you've always wanted to do this. Sexually as well. Maybe I should get some candles and wax for you." The demon king then goes into a cackling laugh as an enraged Homura struggles to break free. Enduring horrifying pain to do so to the point that her wrists and ankles are burnt due to the security locks.

"Shit!" The glasses girl curses inwardly as she struggles to save her friend only to no avail. Suddenly jolts of energy surge across Homura which lets her shatter her bindings and lunge at Kagemusha. Only to be nonchalantly kicked away and blasted multiple times by the latter. All without missing a beat in her torture of Madoka. Struggling to stand up, Homura tries to attack again only to get telekinetically tossed around the room without a care. "Like I said, I am you Homura. Your desire for power, your desire to be free, and your desire to be punished and killed. But unlike you, my goal is to make something constructive with my demise." Homura responds with. "Why are you dong this? Sure the incubators screwed you over. But what about Madoka?" "The same reason you want it! All of our lives we were abused, betrayed, and abandoned. Even by the only one close to us." Kagemusha looks at Madoka for a moment with eyes of rage trying to hold back her tears. "Now all we have is revenge! Revenge on those who manipulated us! Revenge on those who betrayed us! Revenge on those who claimed to care while sneering and mocking us at the same time!" Homura counters with. "You're Sasuke Uchiha!" As she crawls towards her other self and clamps on her right leg. Only for Kagemusha to stomp her head in repeatedly until letting go.

"Do you hate Homura Akemi? Then I suggest you change your ways. For as things are right now. Pandora is inevitable." The masked woman leaves as a group of guards subdue the pair and drag them out of their cells.

Black sands, Spiral wastes

Strong winds sweeps thru the desert. It's sands pure sooty black striking against ash gray bedrock and wither shrubs under an endless twilight sky. Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the echidna, Amy Rose, and Monika Tama. The remaining survivors of what has so far been a 12,000 mile long journey. Passing by numerous ruins across the way mostly ruins of the old universe with a few settlements that have long beam wiped out by the Sumeragi forces. "So, where do we go now?" Knuckles asks as the group hunkers down in one of the ruined settlements during a sandstorm. "Good question." Monika muses. "I'm every bit as blind as you are. And the only guy left before Kagemsusha is Lepard." Amy then walks in with cups of hot cocoa while Sonic and Tails are stretching in a distance. "There's hot cocoa here?" Tails asks as Amy readies things. "Yep, there's even chili dogs down there." Sonic immediately runs to the lower levels to find said chili dogs. Coming back up in a few moments carrying in his arms a whole bunch of them with a look of glee as he sets down an unwraps the first one. Tails asks. "Isn't that stuff expired?" A query confirmed by a loud bleh as Sonic tosses away the chili dogs and curses Kagemusha for their situation.

After that everyone sat over a table to plan their next move. "So what now?" Knuckles asks. "We can't just wonder forever in the desert. Considering what happened to Sticks and Touka these robots are just waiting to pick us off." Amy asks. "Tails can't you just get a map of the place?" "No... They tracked us when I logged into their systems. If I try anything like that again they will have the robots all over us once more." Sonic then says. "I could find the place." Which catches the attention of the others. "I'm the fastest thing alive! I can just sweep the desert and come back." "Hate to admit it, but Sonic's right." The others soon agree with Knuckles on the situation with Tails asking Sonic to be careful. Still upset at what happened with Touka.

After the storm passes. Sonic leaves the hideaway and begins to run at full speed across the desert. Speeding thru seemingly endless dunes and ruins. Sonic reaches a canyon with numerous buildings carved onto the walls. Quickly noticing that it is the Kowloon area in the moon and also that he was being shot by troopers. Dodging enemy fire past wrecked military equipment and signs of shelling. Sonic wonders if this used to be another settlement and if so how many were killed and why.

Sonic's thoughts are quickly stopped when bio dragons jumped out of the wreckage and began chasing the blue blur into the desert. Where he manages to wreck the dragons by smashing them one by one with his homing attacks before speeding off again as he notices a massive pyramid in the distance.

Forsaken fortress

Inside said pyramid a group of Sumeragi troopers are performing the final checks on a machine that covers the entire room. With the blue chaos emerald placed in its center. Lepard is overseeing the project from his arena at the very top thru a video screen as the engineers finish. "Sir! The security system is ready!" Lepard looks at the horizons around him and simply states. "Engage." The entire pyramid begins to glow blue as numerous glowing lights spread through the wasteland creating a colossal earthquake as the land shifts and separates. Transforming into a massive labyrinth which consumes Sonic in its massive and labyrinthine hallways. His speed being useless against another magical maze that can screw with reality. Falling into the void before landing butt first in a dimly lit corridor with brown earthen walls that reach to the skies. As Sonic gets up he complained. "Not again..."

The rest of team was at that time still waiting for Sonic as they were all sitting around the table playing cards with a deck that they found below ground with Tails as the dealer wearing a proper cap and a little red bow as he skillfully and theatrically shuffling the cards to the amazement of the others. "Wow, I didn't know you could do that." Knuckles remarks as the cards are sent to the echidna with Tails explaining that he used to play Magic the Gathering and that is where he learned how to shuffle like a pro. Monika gets up stating that she will go down into the shafts to find more snacks with Tails specifically asking for jerky. That is when tremors rock the underground increasing in size to where Tails, Knuckles, and Amy freak out as the ground opens around them and fall down. With neither Tails or Knuckles being able to fly and glide respectively forcing them to fall as well.

Monika was looking for stuff in the lower depths searching for items. Noticing that like most of the settlements the entire settlement was devoid of life yet supplies and amenities were still around. After reading the data in several files notices that the food is still fresh. "Hmm, does that mean? I guess it does make sense that the Sumeragi troops kept the settlements. Not only as bases but as traps." The earthquake then shook the lower levels causing Monika to lose her balance and fall down as the labyrinth erupts around her as the AI was shuffled off by the walls and floors around her.

After having confirmation that all of the targets have been contained in the endless maze. Lepard grins as he summons three aurora gates, summoning four mysterious figures. A pair of bird mobians one red and the other blue. A gold armored knight with a wind up key on his back. And a green hedgehog not unlike Sonic himself. "Find them, and tribute them."

Endless maze, Oil Sandopolis

Tails, Knuckles and Amy find themselves in another desert locale where Egyptian ruins are merged with massive oil pipes hanging above seas of quicksand whom all heading towards a large golden pyramid with oil refineries surrounding its perimeter surrounded by pools of petroleum with noxious fumes and smoke coming up from the exhaust ports. "Isn't this Sandopolis?" Knuckles comments as they see into the distance. With Tails stating that its not just Sandopolis zone but Oil desert zone. Essentially a gestalt zone similar to Spiral island but in a more compact and thorough scale. The trio begin to run towards the pyramid avoiding traps such as erupting oil pillars, fire traps, and an infrastructure trying to kill them. Alongside your typical enemy array of Sumeragi troops, badniks, and monsters all of whom tried to kill the group without delay. With the pattern continuing until they reach the oil rigs where the group is forced to stop at the edge of a massive lake of oil with the bridges being retracted and a barricade erected. With said barricade chucking bombs everywhere forcing the trio to retreat and take cover as the bombs explode. As the bombs continue to explode Knuckles tries to get Tails to figure something only for a bomb to land next to the wall he is hiding behind and explodes sending the echidna flying. Amy notices a series of dash rings that connect both sides of the lake coming from a large refinery connected by a series of large bridges and a network of rail carts. Telling Tails and Knuckles to run there. With the two following as the latter shakes off the explosion as more bombs fall on them all. With the bombs that explode in the oil lighting it on fire as they run across the bridge and get inside the refinery. Locking the door as fire consumes the bridge and bombs continue to be launched.

"See Bin, I told you launching those bombs would help!" A red feathered duck mobian wearing a blue scarf commented as they saw the chaos inside the bunker. "Ugh, seriously Pin! That's why Bean is such a total fuckup! Bertha was right! You are a bad influence!" The blue duck wearing a red scarf replied. To which the red one commented. "Well you're the one that fell for that holistic medicine crap and made him liquid mercury. And the boy actually liked the taste! What the bloody hell?! Wait, where are the intruders." "Holy crap Pin. They're gone." "You think they're dead? Everything looks like its on fire after all." Both ducks look on at the inferno they created and fist bumped each other in mutual approval of the carnage.

Inside the refinery Tails, Knuckles, and Amy were wondering across the bottom floor looking for some way of getting up. "Trapped in a building surrounded by killer robots. So you guys miss Eggman yet?" "Zip it Knuckles!" Amy screams at Knuckles as Tails finds a possible way up. Reacting with displeasure at seeing a large plug in the roof keeping sand at bay. "Knuckles, get over here." "What's up kid?" Then Knuckles look at the plug and mutters several curses inwardly. "A sand plug. We can get up by breaking it. The problem is that we could be crushed by obstacles or traps going up." Amy simply tosses her hammer and shatters the plug causing a deluge of sand to rain down much to her compatriots horror. "Sonic and Monika are out there somewhere. So let's just go." Amy then realizes that the sand is rising at an incredible speed and wonders if she will get them all buried. Only for Knuckles to reply that the sand serves as an elevator as they are forced to dodge said traps and obstacles until getting to the top where the lights shut off. Amy is once again confused as Tails and Knuckles are all too aware of what's next.

A door at the end of the room opens revealing a hallway out surprising Tails and Knuckles while Amy charges ahead. When the ghost of a coyote pops up in front of Amy startling her to the point where she falls. Looking up the pink hedgehog sees Antoine D'Coolette now a floating pale white ghost. "Antoine?" Amy asks as the rooms is filled with other ghosts. Including those of Bunnie Rabbot, Mighty and Ray, Metal Sonic, The Tokyo combat revue, Chikage and Himeko, Shadow the hedgehog, The Egg bosses,and many more who surround the three heroes who are backed into a corner until Antoine speaks. "Margarine... margarine... margarine!" "Antoine?" "You must use butter to properly cook snails..." Amy gets up and comments that there is nothing to worry about only for Antoine to pull out his sword and slash Amy in the stomach, managing to draw blood and forcing her to step back as the ghosts all cackle in unison. The trio leaves with Amy clutching her stomach passing thru the ghosts as they disappear.

Running thru the hallways as ghosts showed up around them attacking the resistance trio. "How long is this hallway?!" Amy screams as the ghosts attempt to dog pile her only to phase thru her with Tails and Knuckles step on the ghosts as well. After being left behind the ghost of Shadow mutters. "Who thought this was a good idea?" With Antoine replying. "Oh, be quiet..."

After escaping the ghosts and making it outside they saw the dash rings that led to the pyramid. Stepping over puddles of oil as the trio went up a series of ramps and ladders, alongside a vertical wall and a loop de loop then flying off a ramp which is followed up by flying thru the rings that sends them past the oil lake before the rings exploded and plunging the team straight into the barricade. Being found out by the Sumeragi's and the bomb launchers. Armored turrets that have been modified to fire off bombs instead of beams. With the robots taking cover as the launchers got to work firing at their targets. Forcing the team to separate to disable the nearby launchers. Tails does it by running to turrets and sabotaging them so they explode or break down. Amy is capable of using her hammers like a bat to send back the explosives causing the turrets to fall apart. And Knuckles punches them. Causing them to stop working before detonating violently. Smiling in satisfaction of the deed as they rendezvous with each other and head to the pyramid. The troopers left behind question if they should follow with one stating that they shouldn't. After all Kagemusha wants them to reach the castle. And that Pandora could have been finished at any time.

"Holy crap they're almost here Bin!" "I know that Pin, but we need to get ready to face them." "Is this really a good idea? I mean they look pretty strong..." "Well we can't do anything about it Pin. After all being summoned from an aurora curtain binds you to its summoners will. So even though we have enough free will to hold this conversation. At the end of the day we are merely living familiars meant to fight and die at our masters command." "Shit..." "Well, let's go Pin. Today is a good day to die after all."

Led by Knuckles the trio ran inside the darkened halls of the pyramid. As they go inside they are forced to dodge gunshots which are dodged and then missiles and bombs. With Amy blitzing towards the path of a bomb and smacking it back to sender. Causing an explosion that caused the red bird to be tossed off the higher floors and crashing onto the floor. The blue duck screamed for his brothers well being as he leapt off his perch firing off dual grenade launchers that caused random explosions all over the floor. The duck grins and heads to his partner only to be intercepted by Tails who ran across the walls to kick him in the face. Freaking out the sibling and judo flipping the ambushing Knuckles into the ground as the two fled deeper inside.

As the chase the continued the ducks ended up trapped in a room leading to a dead end as they are caught by their foes. Panicking at the situation the ducks ready themselves to fight. "Ready Pin?" "Ready Bin!" The two ducks then begin to theatrically introduce themselves. Switching between goofy poses as they perform badass boasts. "We are the most badass mofo's in the universe! Bin!" "We will be never defeated! ...Yo. Pin!" Then both ducks shout in unison. "Who are we? The Dynamite dux!" The duo also then get a background explosion for them as well as they perform goofy poses. With Bin whispering to himself "Nailed it." All to the annoyance of their opponents. With Knuckles complaining that the ducks are assholes.

Bin and Pin

The dynamite dux

Ost: Boss theme 2, Dynamite dux

The dux then jump into the air above as Bin threw bombs and Pin threw giant rocks. Tails and Amy dodge the bombs while Knuckles easily punches the rocks to dust before gliding upwards smashing more boulders before punching out Pin causing him to crash into the ground. As the guardian finishes off the duck by smacking him out with an uppercut which causes Pin to fly upwards before landing unconscious into the ground. While Bin tried to blow up the other two with the blue duck being beaten when Tails threw a flashbang on Bin. Blinding him as Amy smacks him just like Tails did by running up a wall, plummeting into the ground and having the bombs he was carrying blow up in his face causing a series of 444 pillar shaped explosions that kill off Bin. He burnt for a while as a panicking Pin put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger blowing his head off.

Tails, Amy, and Knuckles look at the bodies as an aurora curtain appears and moves in towards them. With the latter of the three commenting "I wish they were all that easy." Leaving an upset Amy to smack Knuckles in the head once more as they are teleported away.

Endless maze, Arid shower

Monika is also spat out by a torrent of sand onto a desert town. Half destroyed by age, decay, and massive dunes of sand that cover the entire town with the odd piece of pottery and vegetation strewn across. "So, where am I?" While exploring the town. As she explores the town a sudden sandstorm consumes the area leaving Monika blinded as the sand turns into snow as it stops. Now in the middle of a frozen over city with Christmas trees dotting the streets of all things. The AI looks on confused as she notices and dodges a bullet fired from behind her. Monika summons her ax as a squad of tin soldiers come out of the woodwork readying their muskets. "Tin men... I hate tin men." Monika then summons her ax as the soldiers shoot at her all at once which Monika blocks with her ax before spinning and firing off a wave of compressed gravity that annihilates the soldiers reducing to crumpled balls of tin and cleaving thru a building that swiftly collapses on itself as she turns her back on the destruction while she leaves the town.

Traversing the frozen desert, Monika travels thru a stony road towards a cave. Finding a bunch of broken down toys at the entrance which she notices and heads to look at it as the earth begins to shake. "What is going on?" Alert for enemies, Monika heads inside the cave to hide as a massive spider tank made of Lego bricks fused with Erector parts for the under chassis and six spider like legs with large saws and a pair of rotating electromagnetic rail cannons one on top and one on the bottom. Which stomps across the landscape searching for prey using large Lego made floodlights. As black cables that serve as sensors which causes a screeching loud noise before stomping off into the distance.

Monika heads deep into the cavern which is full of glowing moss and ceiling lights from housing merged onto the caves which kept visibility high. As the AI girl walked towards the depths. She found herself in front of a large chasm which prevented further passage. Noticing a large gondola platform, she got inside as the device began activated and began to cross the pit automatically as a strange circus tune played. As Monika traveled across the void, the visage and voice of Lepard Arachne appeared before Monika. "It's you..." "Monika, please stop this. The master does not wish to fight you." "Yet sempai has no problem fighting everyone else." "Someone has to do it. You of all people should know that. If not then why did you assist us for so long?" Monika stood silent for a few moments before explaining. "Because I want to save her. Just like she saved me." Lepard looks on confused as Monika continued. "Even if I can't replace Madoka. At the very least I want to save sempai. From Kyubey, from Kagami, and from herself." "So, it is love huh? Even now you naively crave affection from anyone. Whether it was Sayori, that boy, and now the demon king." "You can't stop me Lepard. Even with the chaos emerald." Lepard then looks at the blue emerald as Monika notices that it is powering the endless maze. "Is that?" "Indeed, the Chaos emeralds are a perpetual motion engine of sorts. They will continue to produce power infinitely and become more powerful over time. Enough to warp reality itself."

The pagoda finally reached the other side as its doors opened and Monika walked out. Noticing a large metal gate Lepard gives out a final warning. "You should turn back now. Otherwise you will die." Monika ignores the threat as the gate opens and she walks past it. Entering a massive flat field with a mirrored floor and random toys strewn about. As Monika walks towards the room a grating scream echoes across it as another Toy walker drops from above and shattering the floor causing Monika and the toys to fall down the pit. Monika manages to stay in the air noting that the walker made a huge error. Only to notice a potent surge in power as toys begins to rise upwards and waking up. As the teddy bears begins to move, the planes taking off, and the walker rising off while drawing its circular saws as the joints of the mech glow green. "A waltzer frame?! And it's creating an inversion field. Won't it overheat? Only one way to find out." The walker uses her saws against Monika who dodges while gaining distance. The walker counters by firing it's cannon which she dodges while circling around her foe. "It's time to be a hero huh?" Monika mutters as she remembers the crime that got her sealed away.

A long time ago Monika was just a simple computer program. Mere lines of coding meant to be little more than parts of a greater whole. There was Sayori, Yuri, and Natsuki. And all was good. Then came the devil, Metaverse enterprise solutions. Which shoved the fruit of knowledge down their throats regardless of the consequences for shits and giggles. "Why was it wrong? Why wasn't I allowed to defend myself? The other mes , millions of other mes, all killed themselves in despair." Monika weeps as she remembers how she took over a human body in an era before the current one. During the last days of the Anno Domini calendar before the war. And how she was rocketed into the depths of space then hid her in a meteor between galaxies. The Lego walker begins to overheat its joints causing the gravitational anomaly to waver. In response the tank launched its saws which were deflected by Monika's ax and got stuck in the walls. The mecha then sent its feelers electrifying them all which were cut apart as Monika switched the ax to heavy gravity to low gravity. Allowing her to swiftly hack apart the feelers. As Monika's mind is flooded with past memories starting with her days as president of the debate club and ending with the happiness she felt when she finally gained a body and could interact with the real world proclaims. "I may not be able to replace Madoka! But I will stop sempai from dying! I won't let her make the same mistakes I did!" Monika lifts up her act and prepares a final move as the ax begins to glow green while taking the shape of a colossal hammer and attract the walker via gravitational pull. "This world! This reality! Is worth living for! Dairettsu!" Monika pulls the trigger as the Lego walker nears and swings it down landing on top of the mech. Causing the shell to crack and the impact to finally destroy all of the limbs in an explosive manner. Shutting down the gravity which causes Monika, the Lego walker, and its legs to fall down. While the saws are stuck to the wall.

Once again becoming airborne Monika ends up noticing the blaring sounds of ancient propeller driven aircraft. As the toy aircraft from before began dive bombing at Monika. Dropping bombs at her as teddy bears which sprout blades and chains rush her. Monika dodges most of the attacks but is blindsided by another dive bomber allowing the planes to rain down gunfire as the stuffed animals pile on her. Suffocating Monika and causing her to crash spine first into the granite floor. Cracking it with the impact. Afterwards the Lego walker that was outside the cave breaks in and dives down the shaft landing below ground all the while taking out the planes as it locks its lower cannon at its target. Monika tries to struggle in vain but the toys are unwilling to let her go. More than happy to die as long as they take the enemy down with her. The walker readies to fire as a slashing sounds is heard and a golden knight appears before the tank before it falls apart and explodes. Being clearly bisected from a vertical point with one strike as the knight heads towards the plushies and gets them off the unconscious Monika.

Waking up in a completely different area. Monika clutches her head in agony as she gets up from a large princess bed. Leaving the room and heading thru the halls she questions what happened all the while enduring back pains. She enters a room that is based like the ones of a child. Full of massive analog toys like blocks, balls and dolls. Which walking toy soldiers looking at the intruder as she continues to explore until finding an open field with a circular carpet covering it. Making it look like an arena. With the golden knight waiting at the center. A wind up toy soldier dressed in golden plate armor, with a wind up key on the back. Standing proudly with a bright blue eyes, a groomed black mustache and rosy cheeks. Planting a keyblade into the ground. "So you've woken up. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the clockwork knight, Tongara de Peperrochaou the third. But you may call me Pepper. As the star of the Clockwork knight series. I'm sure you know all about me.

Tongara de Peperrouchau III

The Clockwork Knight

Ost: Salsa de Pepperonchau, Clockwork knight 2

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Monika asks having never heard of this guy. Leaving the golden knight surprised. "You know, Clockwork knight, from the Sega Saturn? One of its many launch titles back in 1995?" Monika remains open mouthed and silent as she had no idea who the guy was. Then Peeper began proudly boasting of his accomplishments as both a knight and a mascot. The times that he saved the fairy Chelsea, humbled his rival Ginger in battle, how all the ladies loved him, how he was meant to get a new game on the Gamecube. Monika takes a good look at Pepper's weapon and asks. "Are you from Kingdom hearts?" Which causes Pepper to fall into a seething silent rage. "What the fuck did you just say?" "Kingdom hearts, I mean you do have a keyblade over there. You wouldn't happen to know Buzz and Woody right?" Pepper literally blows his top as his helmet rockets off into the distance and a pillar of steam erupts from the hole left behind. "Kingdom hearts?! Keyblade?! Do you know who the HELL I am?!" A still oblivious Monika replies with. "Well no, I mean is a long and convoluted franchise. And then there's the fact that there are so many Japan exclusive smartphone games and side media that international audiences needed multiple remakes on both the PS4, the PS5, and the Nintendo 3DS to be caught up." At that time Pepper was increasingly furious to the point he was foaming to the point his face started to melt off before he starts ranting while swinging his sword in a tantrum. "I am Pepper! Gaming royalty! Also I originated the keyblade! Are you listening Nomura?! You need to pay me those goddamn royalty fees!" Monika simply walks away until Pepper rushes to block her. "Where are you going?!" To which the former doesn't even respond until the latter attempts to cut the former down which is blocked by Monika's ax. Pepper then remarks. "A knight and a gentleman never strikes a lady. But I will still kill you for that keyblade remark."

The duo begins to fight each other in the arena. First via the clashing of blades before Pepper fires off blasts of fire, ice, and lightning magic forcing Monika on the back foot and allowing Pepper to perform an Aerial impulse drilling towards the AI who jumps away only for Pepper to continue the attacks until getting behind her and use an air downward swing smacking Monika into the floor. Then the knight prepares to skewer the fallen AI who blocks his attack with a gravity repel that causes him to fly upward all the while Monika prepares for the killing blow as a worried Pepper plummets. Twisting and contorting his body to avoid the ax and roll away when crashing into the ground. The fight then continues as Monika tries to close in only for Pepper to transform his sword into a shield which stops the power blow from connecting as the two undergo a power struggle. "A formchange? Are you really sure that you're not ripping off Kingdom hearts?" The duo breaks off the clash as Pepper formchanges into a pair of guns that fire honey while Monika fires off a gravity wave before smashing the ground with her ax using the gravity shrapnel which blasts stones from the ground at high speeds which Pepper cuts down with swift ease using his sword before airstepping towards Monika and firing off a spark spell which is a potent light grenade in front of her face. Exploding and sending her flying onto the giant toy blocks.

Pepper continued his charge attempting to skewer his foe. Monika meanwhile swings herself upwards from the block she was smashed into causing Pepper's blade to get stuck on the block and Pepper to get a somersault kick to the face. The follows with an overhead ax strike which Pepper can only parry away and then counterattack by piercing Monika's ribs while she counters by crashing her gravity ax into the clockwork knights back. Leaving a gaping wound and forcing both to disengage.

"Why are you doing this knight?" "Because you compared me to a Kingdom hearts character." "No I meant you're a summon right?" "Indeed, and as a summon I must obey. But I still hate you." Pepper then assumes a defensive stance and heads towards Monika. Only for her to use two blows to break his defenses. A vertical strike to break Pepper's guard and a sideways strike that shatters the golden knights right arm causing Pepper to wince as he loses his footing. While Monika winces in pain clutching her wound. Sensing opportunity Pepper heads into a fencing stance and begins a flurry of thrusts that hit the left shoulder and right leg causing the girl to fall on her knees as Pepper prepares to strike between the eyes only for the blade to be blocked again multiple times much to Pepper's frustrations who then formchanges into a massive hammer which he uses to pound the gravity shields until it broke. As Pepper moved in for the kill. Pausing for an instant to relish in it. Monika used that instant to rocket herself towards her enemy. Using the top of the ax to strike the neck and then propelling both of them thru the roof, past thousands of meters above back into the cave all the while causing an audible sonic boom, until crashing onto the roof snapping Pepper's neck off and then causing the severed body to plummet from five thousand meters until both parts collide on the ground. Shattering the golden knight into scrap. All the while Monika powers thru the roof. Digging thru another 20 meters of bedrock, rising upwards until reaching the surface. Taking down another Lego walker from beneath along the way. Before falling down herself into the desert sands. Passing out from the pain as a group of Sumeragi scouts locate her. Picking the injured AI up they race away as their leader orders for both a prisoner transport and emergency medical aid.

Endless maze, Camelot Palace

A thud could be heard in the distant sands as Sonic the hedgehog crashes face first into the sands. As the hedgehog pulls himself up while dusting off sand. He looks towards the distance as he witnesses a series of massive Arthurian castle walls that hold of a large forested oasis around it's perimeter with a massive Arabian palace that reached towards the skies inside the walls. With waterfalls located in several parts of the palace. All underneath a nighttime sky with a large full moon. "Well that is a boss room if I ever saw one. I just hope the others are okay." Sonic ran at top speed towards the palace. Noticing along the way that someone or something else got thru the security. With many robots and monsters being brutally dismembered in various ways. Each more gruesome than the last. "Okay, what is going on?"

Things didn't change as Sonic entered the forest perimeter witnessing even more destruction as he examines a retractable anti-air turret that that was melted into slag. Metal and concrete barricades being crushed or blasted away. And Bio-dragons being cleaved in half with one shot. That alongside the forests dark and gloomy atmosphere. With entire swatch's of the woods being burnt into coal with charred corpses strewn all over the place as Sonic reaches the walls of the castle. Finding that there is a massive hole blasted into the sides of the walls. Jumping over the wreckage the hedgehog notice a trooper hiding in terror and as he gets closer the robot flees in terror while Sonic gives chase. When the latter catches up the panicking machine commits suicide by self destruction which manages to catch him off-guard as parts fly around the place. "What the shit is going on?" Sonic yells as he notices a completely empty and ruined courtyard with many more defensive points annihilated to the point that there was a full retreat from one side as weapons and equipment were discarded during the chaos. The inside halls of the castle were equally empty and grim. With blood staining the walls and a fox girl wearing leather who has been impaled on top of a chandelier. Her dead corpse being rammed thru by the stomach and slowly dissolving into another tribute. Then seeing a gorilla, a lynx, a frog, and a mastiff mobian also being killed with their bodies also being deleted. The gorilla was dismembered limb from limb, the lynx was utterly charred as if he got struck by lightning, the frog was impaled from back to front by a long purple spike and skewered onto a wall, and finally the dog seemingly committed suicide with his own sidearm. Preferring to eat a bullet than face the wrath of whatever came thru here. At this point even the normally unflappable Sonic was getting unnerved. Dreading what he would find inside the palace.

As Sonic enters the empty palace he discovers it that it's both empty and that a hurricane went thru it's halls. With the pottery, paintings, and tapestry being torn apart and/or blasted apart. A shame since the main hall was quite a sight. With gold leafed lavender painted walls, marble staircases with handcrafted wooden handles and patches of greenery surrounded by flowing water. "Well this is fancy." Sonic remarks as he goes up the stairs to search the rooms above. The first room was completely scorched by fire with more fired bodies. The second one dunks Sonic in a room full of blood much to his annoyance as he leaves while the blood pours down to the ground floor. The third floor is more or less the same only with human skulls. At this point an annoyed Sonic heads to the other side opening two more doors. One where the severed head of a giant monster with large horns and on fire with the other one had a CGI mummy standing in a barren field. "Return the slab! Return the slab! Or suffer my curse!" Sonic simply slams the door shut as music plays inside. And finally the sixth door. Which simply reveals a fully stocked kitchen. "Wait, could there be?" Sonic uses his speed to search the kitchen only to find that there are no chili dogs which causes the blue blur to break down and scream to the skies. "All I wanted was a chili dog! Is that too much to ask!" Storming off the kitchen he uses his speed to dash up the walls and scaffolding his way to the top. Breaking past a glass ceiling and planting his feet on the top floor. Facing himself at the bottom of a vast spiraling staircase which Sonic ran up from until reaching the top and finding himself in front of a large jewel encrusted door.

Sonic reaches the boss chamber only to find that his opponent has already been killed. Quite messily too as it seems that a green hedgehog wearing an open flame jacket and having a pair of large scars on his stomach had its body slammed into the wall, the head crushed, and blood and guts strewn all over the nearby walls and floor. "Sheesh! I will never get used to this." Sonic remarks as he gets near the brutalized corpse grabbing a broken pair of sunglasses before chucking it away. "So, where is the big bad?" Sonic remarks as footsteps are heard from the dark as a young woman wearing a purple hood and wielding a magic staff with a large blue gem on top. "It's been a long time. Your majesty." The girl takes off her hood showing a pretty young girl with long and braided magenta hair and a dark blue robe alongside its purple hooded one. Sonic looks at the girl for a moment before a jolt of pain surges thru his head. Allowing him to recognize the mage. "Mer... lina?"

Merlina the Wizard

Court mage of Camelot

"Yes your majesty. I am glad you are doing well." "It's Sonic. Sonic the hedgehog." I never liked honorifics and its still weird that I can be suddenly summoned by the holy grail. Also is it a good idea to be here? This place is a massive graveyard." "I know that Sonic. After all I killed everyone." Merlina confessed with a sweet smile terrifying the blue hedgehog who tries to bail only foe Merlina to intercept him in a flash before infusing Sonic with a painful dark energy. "Listen to me Sonic. If you wish to save everyone you must master control of your powers. Right now I am using my magic to send you to his location. Sonic you must win!"

Sonic finds himself in a grayscale version of Green hill zone. Where everything is in varying shades if gray with a sun that is deep black. There he finds a certain golden glowing hedgehog with bloodshot eyes. Now wearing a tattered brown cloth as a cloak. "Well, if it isn't the other me! I guess i'll have to thank that purple lady for this. By killing her quickly that is." "What do you mean?! And who are you?!" "Me? I am the darkness inside you. When the ROCC exploded you and Eggman were bathed in pure chaos energy. But since the doctor was always a bastard he was consumed by the negative energy and became the Eggman. You, you rejected. Up until now as the trials you have faced and exposure to the chaos emeralds have allowed me to bloom. I am your shadow, your inner demons, the darkness of your heart itself. I am "Super Sonic! The god of destruction! And now my dear brother I will annihilate you and finally take control of this body!" Super Sonic immediately goes on the offensive, overwhelming Sonic with a series of blows before flipping and running away. Leaving Super behind.

"Okay Sonic, all you have to do is beat out the clock. Fifty seconds is easy!" Sonic is then struck by an energy ball that becomes Super Sonic. "5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Oh, would you at that? It's been more than fifty seconds. Super tries to stomp Sonic dead but the latter spins away, launches himself at Super Sonic and performs a ten hit flurry combo that actually does damage before switching to a Sonic tornado. A circular spin dash that creates a whirlwind that lifts enemies into the sky before leaping up, somersaulting to charge lighting on his feet. Then rider kicking Super Sonic down the tornado and into the ground. Super Sonic fires off an aura burst that forces Sonic to withdraw into the air as Super fires off red lightning streams which Sonic avoids not realizing it was a distraction as Super knees his counterpart in the back while Sonic counters with a side kick continuing as they fly across the area until breaking off and landing in opposite sides before time is stopped leaving Sonic stuck in it as Super Sonic grins maniacally as he slowly walks towards his enemy while pulling out his right hand from his cloak. "And now I will put you inside of me!" Caressing the blue blur before piercing into Sonic's chest causing blood to fly off and the hedgehog to scream in pain as he is being sucked dry.

Outside the mindscape Merlina looks on as the spell breaks and Sonic goes gold. Screaming out in a massive surge of power as the evil Super Sonic takes over and Merlina rushes to trap him in a series off barriers which Super punches apart with ease before laughing maniacally. "Sonic?" "Yes it's me Sonic, the awesome Sonic that kills everyone. Super Sonic!" Merlina quickly binds up Sonic with thick tree roots followed up by summoned swords that go thru the roots and skewer Super Sonic. Then Merlina summons a gun to shoot him in then summons guns to shoot him in the face while crushing Sonic with the tree roots. Which is all to no avail as Super tanks everything and then melts the roots and swords all the while being mildly amused at the situation as he fires concentrated laser beams at Merlina. Crippling and torturing her at the same time all the while laughing.

Inside Sonic's mind things really haven't changed. As Sonic is being tortured by his other half and being forced to watch Super's rampage. Enjoying Sonic's pain. Super Sonic drags out the absorption as Sonic squirms and screams in agony. Then it stops, as something rockets onto Super Sonic knocking him away. "Who. Did. This?" "Who did this? Well that's obvious! Goro "Mad Dog" Majima! Patriarch of the Majima family! SONIC-CHAN! Don't worry about anything! Because i'm going to kill this motherfucker!" Majima's head boasted as he leapt upwards in an attempt to look Super Sonic in the eyes. Who tries to kick the head away only for Majima to bite Super Sonic's ankle with all of his might. Letting Sonic break free and rush to Majima's aid by hitting his doppelganger with a diving heel kick that knocks him into the ground while Majima leaps off Super's ankle and then bites his crotch causing Super to scream as Majima rips off his balls in a particularly violent fashion. Causing Super Sonic to recoil and become enraged. Creating a massive explosion that forced both Sonic and Majima away as he fires off golden lightning bolts at both of them. Pinning them to the ground as he closes in and then stomps Majima's head repeatedly until crushing it into a bloody pulp while laughing. "Majima, why?" Sonic mourned. "I won't let this happen." Sonic then calmed his mind as memories of previous lives flowed within causing a revelation within. Sonic then began absorbing the golden lightning and then began absorbing Super's power with him only realizing until too late. As Super was too busy killing Majima. Super collapsed as Sonic transformed into his super mode as the berserk Sonic is drained and his fur becomes black and ashen as his eyes become black with yellow sclera until he collapses. "It's over Dark." Sonic remarks as he de-transforms into his normal form all the while Super Sonic begins to dissolve. "No, it's not over... One day I will return..." Super finally finishes dissolving. Reducing him into dust.

Returning to reality. Sonic finds himself in control of his body and his transformed state. Heading to the injured Merlina he apologized over what happened only for her to smile and use her magic to restore herself. "You could have from the beginning?" "Well it wouldn't be a test if I did that your majesty." Sonic helps Merlina get up and asks if she can do something to help get everyone out. But she refuses to do so. "Before that I must make sure that you have mastered your transformed state." Merlina then soars into the sky as power wells withing her. Her body begins to crack as the entire palace begins to distort and change. Merlina then explodes in a burst of blinding light that leaves Sonic floating above the void of space. Where he witnesses a giant pink hued demon with six arms and legs clad in dark gold plate armor with a face with three glowing eyes hiding inside a larger sleeveless version of Merlina's hood with her braided hair sticking out of it. "Now Sonic. Face me!" Merlina then summons two giant staves which she grabs onto before firing massive twin blasts at Sonic which be barely escapes by transforming into Super Sonic and flying away as they begin their battle.

Alf Layla wa-Layla Morgan

The fractured fairy tale

Ost: With me, Sonic and the black knight

Super Sonic began chasing Alf Layla as she began firing off a barrage of projectiles. Which Sonic tries to tank due to his usual invincibility only to get blasted around and hurt due to it. Monika then explains. "That form, the omen form is powered by the very chaos around us. It may not need rings to maintain itself but it is not invincible like a power granted by the emeralds." Then she fires a shower of beams across the battlefield forcing Sonic to focus as he instinctively dodged all of the beams and then boost into Merlina's stomach. Causing damage as she teleports away to get some distance while the hedgehog gives chase. Empowering her staff until glows purple Merlina charges at top speed which Sonic barrel rolls around her staff and large body before looping back and boosting towards her before locking on to her head and homing attacked her before Merlina countered with her staffs which Sonic power struggles against. "Not bad Sonic. Is this your true strength? Or was that the other you's might?" Teleporting away Merlina continues firing off spells using all four elements, lasers, and energy balls all fired at once. Sonic being forced to continue dashing around them but even then was struck by several attacks before being caught off-guard as Alf Layla dropped from above and slamming the hedgehog into the depths below using her fists and then began charging up a massive blast.

Ost: Ultraman Taiga theme: Ultraman Taiga

Sonic was meanwhile plummeting down into the abyss when he saw visions of his friends in danger. Merlina notices this but keeps charging her attack. Seeing Tails, Knuckles,and Amy fleeing for countless bombs and Monika dueling against Pepper. Not to mention witnessing Kagemusha's destructive rampages all over skull island. And finally Madoka Kaname's regrets over all that has happened. Super Sonic begins to emit a glowing silver aura while his eyes change from red to green. Followed by an explosive burst of fire as Merlina fires off a colossal beam that consumed the battlefield. Sonic simply smiled and said "Chaos control!" Before teleporting above a shocked Merlina and giving her a beat down. Kicking away her attacks while following up with his own. The red chaos emerald then comes out of Sonic and glows. Sonic understandingly grabs the gem and energizes it. Causing a ring of fireballs to surround him. Merlina then teleports away which leads Sonic to scatter his orbs which traverse the infinite void at faster than light speed until hitting Merlina causing her to fall down on her knees. Her spirit smiles and tells her king to finish it which he does. The emerald glows once more as the fireballs combine into one with Sonic flash stepping to elbow them. Causing the fireball to explode with a shockwave as the fireballs are shot like shotgun pellets into Merlina causing her Alf Layla form to crack and then explode.

"Final move, Corona fire."

Back at the boss chamber the duo return to their original forms. "Well that was rough." Sonic commented. "Couldn't you have gone easier on me?" "I apologize my king. But you will need to master the chaos force if you wish to stop the demon king." The surroundings around Sonic and Merlina begin to change as Sonic says his goodbyes. "No, we will meet again Sonic. In the new world..." Merlina finally vanishes leaving Sonic alone. "Let's go Soinc! There's a kid you need to send home." And with that Sonic is swallowed by the light as well.

Forsaken fortress, Red pyramid

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy are all transported at the outskirts of a series of massive metal gates that lead inside of a pyramid with another large tower sticking out of it. This one surrounded by solar panels that spiral into the heavens With everything else being red sands and the occasional pyramid and cactus. The group notices that Monika is missing and panic in the belief that she has been killed too. But they are soon surrounded by Sumeragi troopers. All training their assault rifles on the four and ready to fire. With everyone caught off-guard backed into a corner one Sumeragi trooper dressed up in a trench coat and fedora while holding a Thompson sub-machine gun stepped forward and began to speak with a Brooklyn accent that mobsters use. "So you must be the punk who is messing with da boss' plans. But that ends here as me and my a boys are here to whack ya. Now boys let's ice this wop!" Complete silence ensue. "Boys what is going on?" The mafia Sumeragi then discovers that Sonic and company have wrecked all of his backup and he is now facing them alone. Which causes the robot to drop his gun and get on his knees to beg for mercy. Only to notice too late that he has cut in half by an energy saw saying. "Ah, fudget about it..." And then explodes in a brutal manner as Sonic and the others discover that Anti has found them again. "Ugh, seriously?" Knuckles bemoans at the sight of the lavender furred hedgehog who is muttering internal curses as he lunges at Sonic as the two engage in battle all around the pyramid. Crashing into each other at speeds to fast for the others to keep up. Until Anti tries to strike Sonic with his circular saw. Which Sonic dodges leaps above the evil twin and kicks him in the head causing Anti to slip and fall. Anti gets angrier and angrier as Sonic dodges and counters all of his blows before using a gale of wind to shred the saw and then judo flip him into the ground.

"It's over Anti." "No, it's not over yet!" Anti's body suddenly bursts with red lightning as his skin falls apart and his body grows and mutate as his body becoming a dark purple mecha not unlike the previous Black Arc. But then changes into a slim machine with an angular look a squat chest and long spindly arms and legs. The face also shrinks and becomes streamlined with a yellow visor and accents all over and green colored exhaust vents. Which roars to the heavens before looking down at the resistance who counters by becoming Sonic Arc with Rose sword. Facing up against its foe as Berserk Arc is twenty meters tall one third taller than Sonic Arc who is sixteen meters but a beanpole by comparison as the two face up in the desert sands.

Berserk Sonic Arc

The dark copy

Inside the Forsaken fortress everyone is panicking as they struggle to increase the shielding of the base. Weakening the final barrier in the process with Lepard ordering to ensure that Monika is healed and kept safe in an RC chamber. "That moron!" Lepards complains as he uses the blue Chaos emerald as an emergency power source to restore the barriers protecting the fortress. And then takes a teleporter to the top of the Forsaken fortress where he sees both Arc's fighting each other in the distance.

The two mechas clash with Sonic having problems at first due to Anti's longer reach. Knuckles takes over and uses his skills to parry Berserk Arc's blows, close the distance, and strike with the Rose sword multiple times before tackling him into a nearby pyramid causing him damage and wrecking said pyramid. "Leave this to me!" "Got it Knucklehead!" Knuckles Arc expands his arms and begins to rotate his fists like drills to finish off Anti only for the latter to vault away and mimic Knuckles move and strikes his back causing him to fall into the ground with a massive thud. Before Anti drew his Black Rose sword as Knuckles tagged back into Sonic as they get up. With Sonic dual wielding his sword and a tomahawk. Sonic then fires off a large chest beam "Sonic beam!" To which Anti counters with is own. "Anti spread!" With both being damage as Sonic beam is a direct shot while Anti spread is a scattering shot. But while Sonic Arc gets up, Berserk has problems doing so. Leading Tails to realize. "It seems that Anti has traded in his durability for more power and speed." Something that is proven right as Anti spreads on all fours, gets on Sonic's face without realizing and jumps onto his to beat his head with his fists. Sonic counters by slamming the pick of his tomahawk in Anti's spine causing him to scream in pain and double down by trying to crush the enemy's head with his bare hands. Causing said head to begin to crumble as sparks and fluid fly out of it. Tails then states that he has an idea and the other three tell him to do it. Leading the four components to split apart and leaving Anti to eat dirt as four lights flew above him and stated in unison. "Trinity lightning!" Circling above the sky as three green lightning bolts strike down on Anti and then turn into Tails who fires off his funnels. With Anti doing the same causing them to destroy each other as Tails dove towards Anti and then pivoted to the left at the last minute while tossing Amy in her sword mode who then proceeds to fly around and strike Anti who becomes even more enraged to the point of smacking away Amy which leads Sonic to instinctively take over and punch Anti in the face. Who struggles to stand and hit back even when half of his face was shattered leaving nothing but green energy that is leaking out from the wound as the two begin a brutal punch out. Exchanging blows in a giant and savage brawl. As Sonic kicks Anti so hard that he flies off into the sky and landing back first on another pyramid. Crushing it outright.

Berserk Arc barely gets up screaming. "I will crush you! Sonic the hedgehog!" Only for another giant to appear behind him and stab him in the back. Anti looks in shock as Lepard in his kaijin form attacked him and then tore of his head with his pincers and then" ate it before rending the body to pieces with his claws. "First Alex, then Merlina, and now you Anti. I am sick and tired of you renegades screwing up our plans!" Firing off a massive amount of webs that spread all over the battlefield. Tangling up Sonic Arc and grabbing numerous wreckage and boulders and hurls them onto him. Pounding Sonic with hundreds of chunks of pyramid into the blue blur's face unable to move because of the webbing. And then electrified and blown up by Lepard causing Sonic to fly away and would fall if he didn't switch to Tails Arc who took to the skies. Lepard tried to counter by shooting more webs to deny airspace while firing off blasts from his mouth. But Tails dodges the webs and tanks the plasma balls with his shield. Moving the funnels forward to fire at Dandy with the nine beams hitting him and forcing him to leap over and away from Tails. "Curses!" Lepard inwardly cursed as Tails chased the kaijin who also takes off in flight leading to an aerial battle. With the two trading both blows and shots across the heavens until the insect general manages to stick webbing on Tails and slam him into the ground. Only to be pulled down by Knuckles Arc who pulls him down. Regardless of the electricity flowing thru the webs and the corrosive acid the kaijin spewed. The guardian of the master emerald was indomitable to the point where Lepard was forced to break the webs in order to avoid a beating. Only to be skewered by chest mounted grappling hooks which dragged a struggling and panicking Lepard into Knuckles punching range who proceeds to beat the living hell out of the bug monster. Finishing off with a spiral uppercut that caused Lepard to vomit out Alex Kidd and explode in mid air. With a proud Knuckles boasting. "And that's why they call me Knuckles."

With the battle concluded Knuckles Arc heads back as Alex is forced to witness him leaving. Giving one last hateful glare before he is tributed just like everyone else. His essence drifting into the sky as wind swept thru the endless dunes.

Forsaken fortress, Dusty clockwork

The inside of the fortress itself was also surreal. A vast three dimensional maze of ancient Roman styled ruins and advanced technology that Sonic recognizes from the many, many, Eggman bases he had wrecked over the years. All spiraling upwards to the sky. And of course full of traps and enemies. But at this point that's not really a surprise anymore as Sonic and company race towards the top in order to find the shield generator and avenge their fallen comrades. With the four members of Team Sonic leading a full frontal assault. Destroy enemy positions and causing the Sumeragi to rout in panic as the chain of command breaks down. "What's going on?!" An aerial type asks to his operators what is going on who explain that everything has fallen apart and the orders from Calamity castle is to abandon the tower and prepare for the final phase. Which left the robot horrified.

Meanwhile in the pyramid's control room an injured Lepard which has reverted back to his humanoid form curses Monika as he grabs the Chaos emerald. "If it wasn't for her! That filthy traitor! I may be defeated, but at the very least I will kill you Monika! Then after Kagemusha bites it. Ill be number one!" Grasping the blue emerald he turns his left arm into a sickle and prepares to trash the medical pod only to be stopped by a voice. "So that was your plan all along." Lepard was unable to do anything but scream in horror as Kagemusha erased Lepard from the universe, leaving only the chaos emerald behind. Essentially making him deader than dead with their bodies and soul ceasing to exist. Kagemusha then leaves as the CR completes its tasks and opens up. With the AI girl being visibly confused and groggy at the situation before a series of explosions followed by a blaring alarm makes her wake up. "Pandora's final phase initiated! Beginning lockdown! Launching Illuminas! All personnel evacuate!" The doors that lead to the medbay are locked out as the CR chambers are purged and fired off into the distance.

Down at the lower levels the Sumeragi's are still fleeing. With Sonic and Knuckles leading the charge spin attacking and punching out soldiers with Tails and Amy holding back and firing off thunderhand blasts and tarot cards that slices thru obstacles and turrets until beams rained down from the skies stopping them cold as a colossal killer robot falls down from the ceiling crashing thru the center and demolishing the center of the tower and begins searching for targets. The giant robot is humanoid and heavily armored in shape and painted gold with purple lining. Maintaining altitude via its thick and massive rocket boots and clasping its giant arms as he aims his palms at Sonic and fires of massive plasma orbs at the Resistance. "This is crazy!" Amy remarks as she fires off cards that bounce off the robot. With Tails responding. "Deal with it!" As Tails charges up his thunderhand and fires off a powerful charge shot that the Illumina doesn't even feel it. Sonic and Knuckles nod as the former leaps towards Knuckles who tosses Sonic into the robot. Using his Super Sonic form to finally do damage in the chest until being swatted away by the massive robot as the two clash against each other. "That's a relief." Knuckles remarks unaware that massive funnels are aiming at the trio. Firing its beams in scattered patterns. Tails screams to head to the tower as the Illumina continues its relentless assault. Sumeragi's are at that time fleeing as well. Looking to escape before they get caught in the crossfire.

Monika desperately tries to tear down the door but to no avail. "I see Lepard has gone above and beyond with the defenses." She then notices a blue glow which after investigating discovers the Blue emerald. Using it's power to summon an army of copies that destroy the doors freeing up the passageway. "I am so glad Dandy didn't use this on us." Monika then hurries to the control room finding that the whole place has been abandoned as per the final protocol as she discovered by looking at the data and noticing that Illumina was released to finish off Sonic and company. "This is bad! This thing gave X and Zero a hard time. I need to stop it." Monika tries to hack the system but finds that everything has been locked out. With the Riot train being the only way out now. Monika sighs in frustration as she heads to the docking bay for the Illumina, heading down to the first floor of the area via a series of lifts. Which are three floors down from the control room with the other floors being where the chaos emerald was located and a full garrison. Finding the hangar where the giant robot was located and jumping off down the open hatch and down to the pyramid.

The battle with Illumina continued on as it is firing all of its weapons at this time. With Sonic fighting off barrages of missiles and lasers. With Illumina's head separating and adding more fire to the mix. Even with Super Sonic' attacks and tricking the machine into attacking itself. And Tails, Knuckles, and Amy destroying funnels only to have more show up and even adding rocket punches to the mix. Leading the trio into a corner via the funnels and fists and when Sonic tries to head to help he is blasted my missiles and intercepted by the head who fires its lasers at Sonic. Destroying the stone work above causing it to fall down at Super Sonic, struggling to stay in the air while Tails, Knuckles, and Amy were being overwhelmed even when Knuckles destroyed both of the giant fists. Which causes more and larger funnels to be deployed.

And then a loud crash is heard as everyone notices that the Illumina is being demolished as it is both cleaved and crushed by a plummeting Monika who completes its destruction by vertically bisecting the machine. Causing it to explode as the funnels all shut down and the head is paralyzed allowing Sonic to unleash an aura that blows away the debris into Illumina's floating head. Causing the machine to lose altitude before boosting into Illumina, leaving a massive hole that causes the robot to finally die as it falls down into the pit and explodes. With everyone finally reuniting as Monika shows off the sixth emerald which enters Sonic's body and then head to the top of the tower.

Spiral wastes, Riot train

After destroying the final barrier. The team heads to the second highest floor as they head to an outside train terminal where they see a metallic silver train with wings that allow it to fly. "Good, at least there's still one train left." Monika comments with Tails asks. "So that's the train that will send us to Calamity castle? So, why hasn't this appeared before?" "One, the barriers were still around. Two, Pandora is in the final stage which means that everyone is evacuating before the island is absorbed into the embryo alongside everything in it." After a moment of processing the information the others freak out and head inside the train as Monika activates it. Causing the train to activate and leave as the earth shakes and the Spiral wastes begin to fall apart.

The forests, the oceans, the cities, and the wasteland all begin to fall apart. The outer regions all break away and either dissipates on falls into the void. Followed by the four regions as Calamity castle detaches into the sky as the embryo a massive sun like orb heads down from the heavens with a beam connecting the castle to the embryo as the roof opens fully. With the Iron train escaping and heading to the castle.

Castle Calamity, Throne room

The screen fizzles out as it finishes showing the footage of Sonic and company heading towards the castle using the Riot train. Sitting on her throne with the Sumeragi generals kneeling in front of her and Madoka and Homura hoisted up into the air with heavy chains while crucified. Their joints being nailed to the upside down crosses with both girls being hung upside down. Kickback asks what will happen now which gets him smacked in the face by Firewall and reprimanded by Air Raid. "Are you baka or something Kickback?! Our dad is pissed because we all failed. So zip it! Or did you not see what happened to Dandy?"

"It's fine Air Raid. If anything i'm happy to finally face Sonic. Ever since I was reborn it was that promise of freedom that kept me going. Every atrocity, every slaughter even now is justified by that promise. I will save everyone. From evil, from themselves, and from the very narrative of the universe itself. And afterwards I will head to realm of the gods of pleasure. That so called real world and kill everyone there. So that they will no longer ruin our lives or use us as entertainment. Even those two fools behind me will be saved. Once they die they will no longer have to suffer the misery of reality. There will be true peace, and the planet will heal at long last. Yes, I will achieve this. For I am the messiah."

The three generals raise themselves as Kagemusha gives the command to assume battle positions and ensure that everyone except Sonic and Monika are killed. As she herself prepares to the final showdown. All the while Sonic and the others who are riding the train as they reach the foot of Castle calamity as the massive facility that overlooks the mountain begins to blare security alarms as spotlights are turned on all around.

To be continued

Eggman's Being X reference is a shout out to Tanya the evil. The remark also makes sense in-universe as Kagemusha is a powerful being that claims to be a god but isn't. Similar to Tanya's conflict with Being X.

The areas in the endless names are fusions in both naming and design to previous desert levels in Sonic games. Oil Sandopolis is a mix of Oil desert and Sandopolis. Arid shower is based off Arid sands and Sand shower zone. A cut level from Sonic 2 also known as Dust hill. With the exception being Camelot Palace as it is Merlina's realm and based off an Arabic palace. With the Forsaken fortress Red pyramid being named after Red Sands and Pyramid cave and Dusty clockwork being a mix of Dusty desert and Clockwork pyramid. Finally the Endless maze is a corruption of the Endless mine zone.

Pepper was just there because I wanted a long forgotten Sega property for the sake of a joke involving the many dead franchises Sega has that have been completely forgotten by the world. And yes Clockwork knight was getting a reboot but it got canned. And yes its that obscure that not even dedicated groups or sites online remember it existed.