Silver felt like he too was falling, it couldn't be, it just couldn't. Rutan was staring where Locke was last seen. Before he could say anything Infinite grabbed him by the shoulder "We must go!". As the Nocturnus all retreated back through the door Silver realized he could move again. What was now holding him paralyzed against the wall was not magic, but horror and shock. He threw the Chaos Emerald aside as Kragok, last to leave the tower top, was disappearing through the door "Petrificus Totalus!". Silver hit Kragok in the back and he fell forward paralysed. Terror tore at Silver's heart. He had to get to Locke and he had to catch Infinite. Somehow the two things were linked. He could reverse what had happened if he had them both together. Locke could not have died. He leapt the last ten steps of the spiral staircase and stopped where he landed, his hand raised. The dimly lit corridor was full of dust; half the ceiling seemed to have fallen in; and a battle was raging before him, but even as he attempted to make out who was fighting whom, he heard the hated voice shout "It's over, time to go!" and saw Infinite disappearing around the corner at the far end of the corridor; he, Rutan and Fiona seemed to have forced their way through the fight unscathed. As Silver plunged after them, one of the fighters detached themselves from the fray and flew at him. It was the Zilla, Eclipse. He was on top of Silver before he could defend himself. Silver fell backward, with the stench of sweat and blood filling his nose and mouth, hot greedy breath at his throat "Petrificus Totalus!". Silver felt Eclipse collapse against him; with a stupendous effort he pushed the him off and onto the floor as a jet of light came flying toward him; he ducked and ran, headfirst, into the fight. His feet met something squashy and slippery on the floor and he stumbled. There were two bodies lying there, facedown in a pool of blood, but there was no time to investigate.
Silver now saw a girl moving with cat like reflexes in front of him. Blaze was locked in combat with Nack who was shooting hex after hex with his pistol but Blaze was somehow dodging them all. Nack was giggling, enjoying the sport "Crucio! Crucio! You can't dance forever, pretty!". "Impedimenta!" yelled Silver. His jinx hit Nack in the chest. He gave a piglike squeal of pain, was lifted off his feet and slammed into the opposite wall, slid down it, and fell out of sight behind Razor, Echo, Julie-Su and Knuckles, each of whom was battling a separate Nocturnus. Beyond them, Silver saw Julie-Su fighting an enormous blond mole. Silver ignored Blaze who was wondering where he came from and set off to chase after Infinite. He ran past Echo who had just successfully stunned Nicolette. Ahead of them Infinite, Rutan and Fiona were escaping through the Great Hall. Fiona was clearly overjoyed as she was happily skipping across one of the long tables kicking plates and glasses as she did. As she reached the end she laughed and fired a spell at the large windows behind the staff tables shattering them. Rutan watched in horror as all the lights in the hall went out but Infinite forced him to keep walking. Silver was close behind them as they went out the other door but just as they got outside Silver tripped over something. Antione was lying on the ground "Ant, you okay!?" "M'all right". Antione was clutching his stomach "Infinite. He attacked me" "Stay here!". Silver got back to his feet and kept running. He knew Infinite was now far ahead but he had more time now. If they were outside that means the way back to the Twilight Cage is blocked so Silver had until the three of them got out of range of Soleanna's protection. He ran down the hill and saw below "NO! BIG!".
The three had joined up with two other Nocturnus, Lightening Lynx and Sleet. These two were by Big's cabin. He was trying to stop them but the two Nocturnus were overwhelming him with powerful spells. They didn't manage to kill Big thankfully but they were powerful enough to force him back. Fiona laughed and approached the cabin. With a wave of her hand the cabin erupted in flame. She squealed and jumped up and down like an excited child "Ya bloody bastards! FROGGY'S IN THERE!" Big yelled trying to get close enough to the other two Nocturnus to grab them. Silver, despite the terrible stitch in his side, ran to the cabin "INFINITE! HE TRUSTED YOU!". Infinite turned to face him "Run, Rutan!". Rutan turned and disappeared into the darkness. Silver raised his hand and yelled through gritted teeth "Stupefy!". Infinite almost lazily blocked it which angered Silver "FIGHT BACK! Cruci-" "No!". Infinite fired a spell which forced Silver to lower his hand "No unforgivable curses for you, Hedgehog! You don't have the stomach!". Silver raised his hand and again "Incar-". Infinite again blocked it "Again and again until you learn to keep your mouth closed and your mind shut". Silver fired another spell and again it was blocked "FIGHT BACK! YOU COWARD! YOU FIGHT BACK!". Fiona laughed and shot a spell that knocked Silver on his back "NO!". Infinite grabbed her wrist "He belongs to the Dark Lord". Fiona looked disappointed and started skipping away in the direction Rutan ran. Lightening Lynx and Sleet retreated as well allowing Big to run into his cabin to save Froggy. Infinite was about to follow his fellow Nocturnus but "Impedimenta!". Infinite again blocked the spell and turned back to Silver who was on his feet. Silver didn't care if he was about to die, he didn't care what would happen. He wanted to hurt Infinite as much as he possibly could "Sectumsem-" "NO!". Infinite silently shot a spell that knocked Silver over again. He coldly approached him "You dare use my own spells against me, Hedgehog?". Silver stared up at him and Infinite slowly nodded "That's right. I created them. I'm the Half Blood Prince and you like your filthy father would use my inventions on me, would you?".
Silver bravely stared into his visible eye "Kill me then. Like you killed him you damn coward!" "DON'T…". Infintie raised his hand and Silver fell rigid, unable to move "…CALL ME A COWARD, HEDGEHOG!". Infinite looked deranged, demented but before he could do anything else there was a rushing sound of wings. Volt appeared over Silver and slashed Infinite's arm with his wings. Infinite grunted in pain and retreated. Silver felt his body be freed and was able to get to his knees. It was too late now, he'd never reach him before he got to the gates "Silver!?". Silver was relieved to see Big coming back out of the cabin with Froggy safely in his hands. Silver, despite his whole body shaking, got to his feet and hugged Big "Are you okay?" "It'd take more than that ta finish me". Big looked back at his still burning house "Nothin that can't be replaced. Locke will fix it righ' up". Silver felt a searing pain in his stomach at the sound of the name. In the silence and the stillness, horror rose inside him "Big-" "Not now, Silver. We'll worry abou' it later. Let's get ya back up ta the castle". Silver didn't have the strength to argue, Big would find out soon enough. Big put an arm around him and started taking him back up. As they directed their steps back toward the castle, Silver saw that many of its windows were lit now. He could imagine, clearly, the scenes inside as people moved from room to room, telling each other that Nocturnus had got in, that the Dark Mark was shining over Soleanna, that somebody must have been killed. Slowly, uncertainly, dressing-gowned people were creeping down the steps, looking around nervously for some sign of the Nocturnus who had fled into the night. Silver's eyes, however, were fixed upon one spot. As Big took him through the courtyard Silver saw a crowd of people surrounding something and Silver could easily tell what, the spot was under the Astronomy Tower. "What're they all lookin' at?" said Big.
He released Silver "See it, Silver? Righ' at the foot o' the tower? Under where the Mark. Blimey, yeh don' think someone got thrown…". Big fell silent, the thought apparently too horrible to express aloud. Silver walked alongside him, feeling the aches and pains in his face and his legs where the various hexes of the last half hour had hit him, though in an oddly detached way, as though somebody near him was suffering them. What was real and inescapable was the awful pressing feeling in his chest. He and Big moved, dreamlike, through the murmuring crowd to the very front, where the dumbstruck students and teachers had left a gap. Silver heard Big's moan of pain and shock, but he did not stop; he walked slowly forward until he reached the place where Locke lay and crouched down beside him. He had known there was no hope from the moment that the full Body-Bind Curse Locke had placed upon him lifted, known that it could have happened only because its caster was dead, but there was still no preparation for seeing him here, spread-eagled, broken. The greatest wizard Silver had ever, or would ever, meet. Locke's eyes were closed; but for the strange angle of his arms and legs, he might have been sleeping. Silver reached out, and moved a few of the stray dreadlocks that covered Locke's face. Then he gazed down at the wise old face and tried to absorb the enormous and incomprehensible truth that never again would Locke speak to him, never again could he help. The crowd murmured behind Silver. After what seemed like a long time, he became aware that he was kneeling upon something hard and looked down. The locket they had managed to steal so many hours before had fallen out of Locke's pocket. It had opened, perhaps due to the force with which it hit the ground. And although he could not feel more shock or horror or sadness than he felt already, Silver knew, as he picked it up, that there was something wrong. He turned the locket over in his hands. This was neither as large as the locket he remembered seeing in the Phantom Gem, nor were there any markings upon it, no sign of the ornate R that was supposed to be Raiju's mark. Moreover, there was nothing inside but for a scrap of folded parchment wedged tightly into the place where a portrait should have been. Automatically, without really thinking about what he was doing, Silver pulled out the fragment of parchment, opened it, and read by the light of the many wands that had now been lit behind him.
To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Core Shard and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.
M.T.T
Silver neither knew nor cared what the message meant. Only one thing mattered, this was not a Core Shard. Locke had weakened himself by drinking that terrible potion for nothing. Silver crumpled the parchment in his hand, and his eyes burned with tears. He started to cry over Locke's body. He almost fell over but a pair of warm, soft hands touched his shoulder. Blaze was now kneeling beside him and her arms went around him. Behind them Echo, close to tears, raised her bident up high pointing directly at the Dark Mark. The tips had a small glowing blue light. A few people in the crowd noticed that a tiny light appeared at the centre of the mark as well. Chrysan, Chuck, Ellidy and the rest of the teachers all did the same with their Talismans. Around the walls the ghosts of Soleanna began to wail in a kind of song. Their bodies glowed brighter. Antione calmly raised his sword which glowed. Then Marine did the same, then Larry, then Marcos, Bunnie Rabbot, Honey, Swifty, Amy Rose, Brady, Rowdy, Leeta, Lyco until eventually almost every student of Shinobi, Yagyu, Gossamer and Raiju had their Talismans held high. Above them the light within the mark grew ever brighter. The tendrils began to retreat back into the yellow diamond and finally the light enveloped it. After a few moments the Dark Mark was gone from Soleanna.