Imperial Palace, Fulgora, Sol Empire
The day had finally come. Today after two years of training, Silver was ready to show the fruits of his labour. He was nervous, but that is to be expected when one visits the Imperial Palace, home to the Empire's royal family. Mammoth Mogul walked beside the psychokinetic hedgehog, sensing the unease and uncertainty in his body and mind.
"So this is really it…the Imperial Palace," Silver said, looking at the majestic castle in awe.
"Yes, it is quite the marvel, my apprentice." Mammoth Mogul said, looking at the Imperial Palace. "I was there to witness its construction, quite a spectacle too."
"How old even are you, Master?" A curious Silver questioned.
"To tell you the truth, lad, I have honestly lost count." Mammoth Mogul replied, causing Silver to look at his master in shock.
Mammoth Mogul however chuckled.
"I'm in good health, Silver, but you see the era from which I was born was long before the ocean had become this vast and dangerous."
Silver gaped and exclaimed, "You're kidding! You predate the Great Flood!?"
Mammoth Mogul laughed as the pair made their way past the bridge and over the moat, then eventually stood in front of the two guards who had their backs to the doors of the place. They were wearing the Imperial Guard uniform but had the blue to the purple (four) Sol Emeralds on their coat of arms. They did not appear to be Mobians however, and rather were hairless pale-skinned creatures that were primate-like in appearance. One of them was tall and lanky with a top hat and one was short and wide with a flat hat.
"Good day, gentleman!" Mammoth Mogul greeted calmly but with kindness.
"Good day to you, Lord Mogul," Both guards spoke at the same time, freaking Silver out. "How can we help you, today?"
The hedgehog asked in a whisper, "M-Master, what are they?"
"Master?" The shorter and rotund guard questioned.
The taller and lengthier guard followed, asking, "Is he the one you spoke about? The one his imperial majesty asked for?"
"Indeed. Will you let us pass so we can go see him?" The mammoth inquired.
"At once, Lord Mogul," Both guards said before standing apart, grabbing hold of each door handle, then pulling it open.
This allowed both sorcerer and Esper to enter the palace without a hassle.
"The Guardsman you've met are Alan and Calvin, though they would prefer Al and Cal. They are descended from the original dominant life forms of this planet, long before it was known as Mobius. They are what we call Overlanders, or Neo Humans to some." Mammoth Mogul explained to his apprentice.
"Humans, huh." Silver thought to himself aloud. "I couldn't imagine a world full of them. I wonder what it was like…"
"It was no different from ours. Humanity had so much potential but squandered it due to their selfishness and fragile egos. In the end, their world, Earth, was laid to ruin and they had nobody but themselves to blame. Their descendants followed in their footsteps, unfortunately." Mogul scoffed.
"...I see," Silver muttered.
The master and student duo then entered the palace, walking through the lobby which had various purple, lilac, pink, and gold decor and architecture with Indian-inspired prayer sheets and jewellery placed around the area. Silver looked around in amazement but then paused once he came across a large portrait painting on the lobby's front wall, which was a portrait of the previous Emperor
"I never knew that I'd get to see inside of a place like this," Silver whispered with whimsy in his voice. "I've only seen the outside of castles. Like the one from Kingdom Valley in the City of Water."
"You will have plenty of time to visit many places once you've earned your rank as an Imperial Guard," Mogul assured the fourteen-year-old.
Silver nodded as the two made their way to the throne room. Of course, the pair had to wait before they were called. Thankfully, the two were met with a pleasant guard.
This Imperial Guard was a two-toned brown squirrel with auburn hair and matching coloured eyebrows that were bushy. The squirrel had baby blue eyes and a long bushy tail. As an Imperial Guard, he wore the standard uniform but had blue to turquoise emerald-shaped pins on his coat of arms, making him the second highest ranking in the organisation.
This was Sir Elias Fredrick Acorn.
"Ah, Lord Mogul! It is good to see you. You've made it just in time!" The squirrel said as if he was greeting a friend.
'...Master knows a lot of people. Just how many connections does this guy have?' Silver thought to himself as he watched the exchange.
"Sir Elias. You seemed to be doing well," The Mammoth nodded. "How is the family, young man?"
"Ah, Megan and Alexis are lovely, good sir! I tell you, I wouldn't know where I'd be without my girls." Elias laughed before taking out a picture of his daughter at her party and began gushing like a proud father. "You know, the little bean turned three the other day. Look at her nibbling at her cupcake and getting it all over her chubby cheeks! Doesn't she look adorable?"
"...Quite," The mammoth nodded.
Silver felt beads of sweat falling from the back of his head, thinking to himself, '...And people called me a weirdo. I've never seen a guy so happy about his family before.'
Sir Elias then noticed Silver and looked back to the wizard, asking, "A ward of yours?"
"Indeed. And if all goes well, he should be a new recruit of yours." Mammoth Mogul stated as he turned to his apprentice.
"Ah, so that's why his imperial majesty was so giddy. He must descend from noble blood if he's coming to join our ranks at such a young age." Elias Acorn thought aloud before turning his attention to Silver. "If this is the path you walk on, I wish you the best of luck."
Silver nodded to the squirrel, stating, "I appreciate the gesture, but I won't need wishful thinking. I will succeed no matter what."
A smirk formed on Elias' face as he noticed the unwavering determination in the young hedgehog and thought to himself, 'Oh yes, he is an interesting one. Hopefully, the princess doesn't give him too much of a hard time.'
"Such confidence." The squirrel noted before turning back to the mammoth. "I like him. Are you sure that he's up for the task? Even if he does enter, our job isn't exactly for the faint of heart."
The elderly sorcerer said, "Silver has already been through things that children should never be subjected to. Before becoming my ward and apprentice, he had nothing waiting for him, and nowhere to go back to. Still, he managed to journey from a distant land for a new start by himself. That alone makes him no child. If he can survive on his own, take instruction, and have better judgement, then Silver will prevail as an Imperial Guardsman."
"Very well," Elias nodded before receiving a message through a small microphone against his right ear. "Oh! His Imperial Majesty is ready to see you. Best of luck, kid!"
Silver and the sorcerer both looked at each other and then followed the squirrel down the large hall. When the corridors were opened, the master and student duo walked through a short hallway until they ended up making their way into the throne room. It was here that a familiar coyote announced the appearance of the monarchs of the Sol Empire.
While inwardly gasping and seething the sight of Silver, the outwardly professional Patch Depardieu announced, "Presenting His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Cyrus Sol X, 30th monarch of the Sol Dynasty, and proud heiress to the throne, Her Royal Highness, Felicity Agni-Sol III!"
The ancient mammoth and the young silver hedgehog watched as two of the most powerful people in the known world appeared before them.
One, the emperor, was a rather large and burly purple Mobian cat wearing a kaftan. His fur was royal purple while there were violet stripes that ran up his arms and long tail. His feet are covered in dark violet fur up to his ankles as well as the outer tips of his large, small ears that were folded down, while his upper legs, back, and sides are covered in purple fur. White fur covered his chest, torso, muzzle, and inner ears. The fur on his muzzle and upper chest protrude outwards. He also possessed eyes with a pale yellow sclera while his left eye had a scar over it.
And next to him was a young lavender-coloured Mobian cat, presumably his daughter. Much to Silver's surprise, not only did she look more beautiful than what he was told, but she happened to be his age. However, judging by the impassive expression while a slight wave of aggressive aura protruded around her, the Esper got the impression that she did not welcome Silver in the palace. Or, at least, she did not want to be present in the throne room with the likes of him.
Silver inwardly sighed, believing that he was overthinking things as usual.
Anyway, the girl had triangular ears with peach-coloured canals and a long tail with the end frayed and violet. Her fur is longer on each side of her head and sweeps slightly upwards. She has four plumes of hair with violet tips done up in a high ponytail with a red hair tie. She also has a red oval gem on her forehead, resembling a bindi.
For attire, the younger cat wore a purple tailcoat with rose trim at the bottom, a gold collar that had an ornament with all seven Sol Emeralds on it, and white leggings. Woven on the back of her tailcoat was a hooked sceptre with five colourful stars around the item. She also wore white gloves with fluffy cuffs and rose, high-heeled shoes with grey soles, white straps, and fluffy cuffs, like her gloves.
They were Imperial Cyrus "Sunny" Sol and Felicity "Blaze" Agni-Sol.
The imperial princess heard an unsettling and disgruntled voice in her mind, addressing her.
(...O-ho! Look who's here, Princess! Why, but your humble warden!) The voice spoke in a mocking tone. (Isn't that lovely?)
'Shut it, Demon!' Blaze commanded mentally.
Mammoth Mogul and Silver the Hedgehog immediately kneeled down to the royal family out of respect.
And once again, Silver could sense the scrutinising gaze of the princess.
'...Why am I getting this unwelcoming feeling from her? Do I offend?' Silver questioned within his mind.
"Thank you, Chevalier," The emperor spoke calmly before addressing the two summoned by him. "Rise,"
Mammoth Mogul and Silver rose to their feet as dignified as they could. It was here where Silver could see the intense gaze of the monarch's only child. Normally, he would react by verbally asking the person to stop, but given his current situation, the guard-to-be chose to endure it.
Nothing was going to stop him from achieving his dream.
"Master Mogul, it's been quite some time since we've last seen each other." The middle-aged ruling cat stated.
The cloaked mastodon stated, "Seven years, sire,"
"Ah, I see." Emperor Cyrus sighed solemnly, recalling a particular tragic memory.
"I've heard much of your progress, Your Majesty, and I say you have grown in more ways than one." Mammoth Mogul spoke, looking at Blaze. "You serve Fulgora and the Sol Empire well. Her Excellency would be proud of you, bless her soul."
Blaze's unwelcoming and ominous aura towards Silver ceased for a brief moment as she nodded to the Chaos Sorcerer and respectfully said, "Thank you, Master Mogul. It is an honour hearing your word of approval."
Silver caught this information, causing his blood to metaphorically freeze.
'The Empress passed away? Of course, that's why Master never mentioned her before! I suppose it would explain the princess' attitude in general, but not towards me.' Silver speculated, remaining silent.
The emperor turned towards the young man, and the king commanded, "Young man. State your name and your country of birth."
"S-Silver the Hedg-"
"Your birth name," Blaze clarified, making her own domineering yet regal presence known. "And speak up, commoner."
Silver bit his lip, not liking the idea of bringing up his old family name but did what was told to him. He took a deep breath and remained confident but respectful with his answer.
"I was born Sebastian Firenze Venice of the Principality of Soleanna," Silver answered as professionally as possible.
Blaze snorted quietly, muttering, "Hn! Sebastian…"
"Soleanna? That far away? You're a long way from home, aren't you, young man?" The Emperor asked with a friendly tone.
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty," Silver responded, the idea of referring to Soleanna as his home both nostalgic yet haunting. "You have a wonderful city."
"Thank you, young lad." The Emperor said. "I hope Master Mogul has kept you well informed about what happens here in the capital. After all, there is always something afoot, be it good or bad."
"He has been a great teacher to me, Your Majesty." Silver said in agreement. "I owe Master Mogul a debt that I may never be able to repay in full. I wouldn't be standing here today if it weren't for him."
"Don't give all of the credit to your master, your actions are also just as responsible for where you are now." Emperor Cyrus said. "So, you want to join my Imperial Guards?"
Silver was surprised by how direct the Emperor spoke, but soon composed himself professionally, much to the increased ire of the Sol Empire's princess.
"That's correct, Your Majesty," Silver answered earnestly.
Emperor Cyrus then smiled.
"Okay, tell me a joke."
"...What?" Silver uttered.
"What?" Patch faltered incredulously.
Blaze shouted, absolutely appalled at her father's words, "WHAT!?"
Mammoth Mogul flashed a knowing smirk at the Emperor, which gave the sorcerer the subtlest nod.
"You're not serious, are you….?" Silver asked sheepishly.
"Humour me." The Emperor said in a simple tone.
"Oh…okay….uh…." Silver said awkwardly, trying his hardest to think of something as daggered glares pierced into him from different sides, be it from Patch or Blaze. "...So…okay I got one…here it goes….so there were three people. One was a king, one was a hero and one was a struggling farmer. So….anyway, they all find a magic lamp on the beach, and out of the lamp pops a magical Djinn or Genie, the wish-granting kind. Oh crude….right, so the Djinn said he will grant the king, the hero, and the farmer one wish, anything they wanted…"
The emperor nodded, anticipating the punchline but was well invested with the small storyline given that Djinns were creations of the Empire's patron deity. Blaze and Ptch merely rolled their eyes at the boy's ramblings.
"So, well….then the….the king…."
Silver hesitated, the gravity of the room feeling tighter given how awkward his speech was, especially when the ruler of the empire was asking him, an orphan boy with freakish powers, to tell him a joke. It didn't help that the Emperor's daughter was watching and looked almost ready to burn the room to the ground in impatience.
"Continue." Emperor Cyrus spoke.
Silver then gulped before taking in a deep breath.
"The king then told the Djinn, "I wish for wisdom, to rule my kingdom justly and fairly in times of peace and great need." The Djinn nodded and with a snap of its fingers, the king could hear the voices of the kings of the past, whose knowledge and experience would allow the king to ensure that the mistakes made by his predecessors would never take hold once more." Silver explained in a much more clear and thorough tone.
"If only all rulers had such a wellpool of insight…" Blaze said under her breath with a hint of disdain, though with enough volume for Silver to hear.
"After the king left the beach, the hero stepped forward. The hero then said to the Djinn, "I wish for the courage to fend for my homeland in times of war and strife." So the Djinn snapped its fingers and the hero's body was flowing with vigour, strength, and a new unresolved determination to take on the threats to his homeland and keep it safe." Silver continued as he then started to finish. "And then finally the farmer….the farmer looked at the Djinn and thought about it for a second and then said, "I wish for a rake…a rake that reaches past my back and hooks onto wheat and grass." The Djinn snapped its fingers and the farmer left with what he was given: a slightly bigger and longer rake…"
'Zhat is it? A rake?' Patch scoffed, unamused. 'I've heard better crickets who can be making better comedy zhan zhis troublesome amateur! Foolishness, I say!'
Blaze held a similar opinion as she glared at Silver, muttering, "All that for something that mundane? There's no way in hell anybody could find that terrible joke humo-"
"AHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"
'...Saviturn, damn it, Father!' The female cat groaned in her mind as Patch gaped at Silver's apparent success.
(...You should go down there and burn that boy to a crisp. His voice is already becoming irritant… Right after you tear that fat oaf's throat open.) The ominous entity whispered into the girl's mind.
'Be silent!' Blaze hissed cognitively.
Mammoth Mogul snorted, not hiding a humorous smirk whatsoever, further peeving the nobleman and princess. Everyone's attention quickly turned to the source of the laughter which, much to Silver's surprise, was the Emperor, helplessly laughing hysterically.
The emperor wiped a few tears from his eyes, saying, "Ho! I must say, that one took me off guard! Hahahahaha! Ah, good one, lad! I like him, Master Mogul, he would make a fine addition to the Imperial Guard!"
"Here, here!" Mogul cheered while patting Silver, donning a proud expression.
"Yeah…Heh, heh…" Silver awkwardly cheered, oddly disappointed at the test which was wiped up.
'...This doesn't seem right.' The fourteen-year-old pondered. 'I wasn't expecting anything extravagant, but wasn't this supposed to be a challenge? The other guards couldn't have got in like this. They were either initiated through a rite of passage or through being a descendant of nobility.'
Patch was just about ready to object to this…farce, but fortunately for him, the princess interjected on his behalf.
"Apologies, Father, but I cannot accept these terms of induction into the Imperial Guard." Blaze said, gaining the Emperor, Mammoth Mogul, and Silver's attention. "In what world or era would a mere joke grant one the right to join the ranks of the empire's elite guard?"
'Yes! Oh zhank zhe heavens for ze princess!' Patch mentally praised, causing a smug smirk to appear on the coyote's muzzle.
The Emperor chuckled softly before composing himself.
"Perhaps you would like to share your insight, daughter? What would you do to test if the young man is worthy?"
Blaze then looked at Silver and flashed a condescending smirk.
"How else? We follow tradition with a trial by combat," Blaze casually stated with her eyes fluttering in a half-lidded fashion.
'...And there it is.' Silver uttered in his mind with sarcasm and a bit of sass.
"That sounds like a splendid idea!" Mammoth Mogul expressed almost too cheerily.
"Then who will test him?" Emperor Cyrus asked.
Suddenly, the whole room turned to a proud Patch, who stood tall and regal-like as he elected, "Your Imperial Majesty, I would like to take on the burden of such an…honoured task."
Silver could blatantly hear the eagerness in his voice and could only think back to the first day he arrived in the capital two years prior.
'...Oh great, he's still holding on to a grudge. Typical.' Silver thought, rolling his eyes.
"What do you think, Daughter?" Emperor Cyrus questioned Blaze.
"Patch would be an excellent choice, Father. His skills are befitting for such a matter."
"Very well, Master Mogul, I ask that you facilitate the trial. Would you be inclined to take that role, good sir?" Asked the monarch.
"That would be appropriate, so I will gladly fulfil it, My Liege." The Mobian mastodon agreed.
"Silver the Hedgehog, I see that you are eager to join my Guards, however, this may be your only chance to withdraw if you feel that you need more time to prepare. I will only ask you this once, are you sure that you're ready for this challenge?"
"...Whatever it takes, Your Imperial Majesty, I'm ready. I'll give it everything I got!" Silver spoke with resolution.
"Very well, then the trial shall commence." The Emperor said before looking at his daughter. "As head of the Imperial Guard, I shall leave it to you to determine the terms of engagement and success."
"The trial shall be done by way of the blade." Blaze said, causing Silver to slightly panic. "The challenger shall face Lieutenant Depardieu in a sword duel. The rules are simple, if you knock the opponent unconscious or out of bounds, you win. If you disarm your opponent, then you also win. Swordplay is the only method of fighting that you will use, other forms of combat are prohibited. Do you accept these terms, Silver the Hedgehog?"
"Well, scratch throwing him out of bounds with my Psychokinesis off the list…" Silver thought, flinching in surprise and annoyance as if he knew that Blaze set up the duel this way to spite him. "...But I won't back down…I've come too far…"
"I accept the terms, Your Highness." Silver said without hesitation. "Though, I'd like to ask…we're not holding the challenge here, are we?"
"Oh, heavens no. We will be going to the Royal Training Grounds right now." Emperor Cyrus chuckled before turning to Mammoth Mogul, "Master Mogul, if you would."
"Of course, Your Majesty," The sorcerer nodded as he raised his hands and coated himself and the rest of the people in the room with green Chaos Energy.
Mogul cast, "Chaos Control!"
In a flash of light, Silver, Patch, Emperor Cyrus, Princess Blaze, and himself were warped to another location of the castle.
-Royal Training Grounds, Imperial Palace, Five Minutes Later-
Cyrus and Blaze took their seats near the battlefield while having servants service their needs in the form of beverages to quench their thirst, and berries for their hunger.
Mammoth Mogul stood adjacent to the two combatants; the Imperial Guardsman, Chevalier Lt. Patch Depardieu, and the aspiring hero, Silver the Hedgehog.
Using his magic, Mammoth Mogul conjured up a rapier sword and telekinetically handed it to Silver, who grabbed the blade with one hand, which quickly dropped towards the floor due to the young apprentice underestimating its weight. Patch winced at Silver's unprofessional handling of the rapier.
"Tch! Amateur," The snooty coyote hissed.
Blaze merely gave the situation an ominous smirk.
'...Good. At this rate, Father would have to reconsider his insistence on me having a warden. Or at least have somebody else assume the role instead of this poorly trained commoner posing as a page.' The princess constantly thought to herself.
(Your poor excuse for exercising control is amusing.) The entity spoke in her subconscious.
'And I'm ignoring you.' Blaze fired back before burning the cackling entity's presence deep in her mind.
"Your Imperial Majesty, before we proceed in zhis endeavour, I believe it is important to address ze Royal family of zhis…troublemaker's past crimes." Patch spoke, causing Silver's blood to run cold and Blaze's smirk to widen.
'...Crap!' The hedgehog uttered mentally.
"Crimes? What has this young man done?" Questioned Emperor Cyrus
It was here that Patch explained his report from two years ago, including his and Mighty's call on a disturbance regarding a local cabbage vendor's encounter with Silver, his refusal to abide by the orders of both him and Mighty, the infamous chase of Main Street, and his association with the controversial stunt artist (Tangle), which ended in his successfully invading law enforcement for two years. He even got confirmation from Silver himself was an immigrant, suspecting that he wasn't legally registered as a citizen of the Sol Empire, making him undocumented.
An unreadable expression appeared on the young hedgehog's face as everybody turned their attention to Silver.
"Silver the Hedgehog, is this true?"
"...Yes, Your Imperial Majesty," Silver answered, choosing to not explain himself given that it wouldn't change whatever the emperor decided to do with him.
"...I see," The rotund cat nodded.
Blaze found satisfaction in Patch's explanation and said, "Then I see that there's no point in continuing the match. Silver is to be charged immedia-"
"-Hold that thought, Daughter. The verdict is yet to be decided," Cyrus interrupted, taking Silver, Patch, and Blaze off guard.
"Father! Please, be reasonable. The boy is guilty! He even admitted to his crimes! The commoner is not even from our empire. Why waste time on such a farce?"
"Felicity, my darling flame, a wise man once told me that a man should not be judged by the phantoms of his past, nor the looks of his person, but should be judged by the integrity of his character." The wise ruler stated.
"King Oliver II," Patch muttered, knowing his ancient history. "The late Emperor Yali did find wisdom through older kings' manuscripts."
'The integrity of a man's character…' Silver repeated in his mind.
"Let's make things interesting but fair. If Page Silver the Hedgehog wins, these allegations are to be dropped and he will receive the title of squire." Cyrus decreed, filling Silver's heart with hope. "However, losing the trial will mean that the boy be held accountable for the allegations and charged for domestic disturbance in addition to evasion of authority."
Silver's eyes widened, but his resolve never wavered. Blaze, still believing that the commoner didn't stand a chance, formed a confident smile.
"That is not a bad idea. I agree," Blaze accepted. "That shouldn't be an issue for you, would it, Venice?"
"No, Your Royal Highness," Silver shook his head with determination coursing through his body. "I can handle whatever you throw at me."
Blaze repressed the urge to snort and said, "We'll see…"
Cyrus nodded to Mammoth Mogul. The sorcerer reiterated the rules.
"As previously stated by Her Imperial Highness, this is a sword duel. If you are knocked unconscious, that counts as an automatic loss. If you are disarmed, then that counts as a loss. If you move out of bounds, then it is your loss. This also counts when either of you surrenders. Remember, swordplay is the only method of fighting that you will use. If one of you uses other forms of combat, then you are immediately disqualified. Are these terms clear?" The large Mobian inquired.
"Oui/Yes," Both Patch and Silver answered as they drew their weapons.
"Good, then let the battle commence! En garde!" The sorcerer shouted.
From there, Silver, despite his nervousness, held up his rapier and emulated the most basic fencing stance. Patch, however, remained unarmed for the time being while coolly staring down the child.
'...Now, it is time for you to pay for zhe dishonour you've caused me, Soleannite trash!' The malicious coyote mused while keeping an impassive yet focused gaze. 'I am going to be enjoying zhis.'
Patch saw this and held back thunderous laughter. To him, Silver looked pathetic, believing that he could stand up to him with a feeble and unstable stance.
"You should have taken Hiz Imperial Majesty's chance of surrender, Peasant." Patch spoke down to Silver arrogantly. "Now, you face judgement of the heir to the noble Depardieu family!"
With that, he took out a rapier that Silver immediately set his eyes on. It had a long, thin double-edged silver blade. The rapier had a golden cup hilt decorated with lines and a golden knuckle bow extending from the rim of the cup hilt to the sword pommel, which is golden as well and pointy. It also had a white and straight grip.
This was the Depardieu family's heirloom, the Arrow of Destruction, Laevatein.
'...There's something off about that sword! It gives off an incredible aura!' Silver analysed, utilising a foreign source of power which was indicated by his eyes and forehead quills flowing apart glowing gold for a split second.
Blaze and Patch took notice of the hedgehog's power, coming to the same conclusion. Silver was one of the gifted, blessed with an innate power.
"Huh? That is peculiar. He did not mention the boy had extrasensory perception." The emperor muttered to himself out of curiosity.
"Father, you did not inform me that this commoner was an Astra!" Blaze complained.
"Oh? I didn't consider that to be of importance." Cyrus shrugged before a coy expression formed on the older Mobian cat's face. "...Unless you've taken an interest in the boy."
Blaze's eyes widened before she immediately rejected her father's implication, stating, "F-Father, that's absurd! Why, I'd never…!"
"I jest, my dear! I jest! But I wouldn't tempt fate." Cyrus stated with a wink before a serious expression took form. "...Jokes aside, I do not recall an Astra blessed with two gifts."
"An Astra with two gifts? Impossible," Blaze stated flatly. "You give the commoner too much credit,"
(Maybe… Or perhaps, you are simply being willfully ignorant.) The dark entity spoke, but Blaze refused to acknowledge the presence of the being.
The emperor chuckled, much to Blaze's irritation.
While shaking his head, the older male Mobian cat stated, "Heed my previous warning, Daughter. Do not tempt fate. It works in mysterious and bewildering ways."
Blaze, knowing that her father was serious, kept her mouth shut but was still plagued with doubt and bias against the hedgehog being assessed.
'We'll see…' The girl said as she paid attention to the duel.
Meanwhile, Patch had similar thoughts, stating, '...An Astra? Oh, zhis is all too perfect!'
Silver remained steadfast, saying, "I won't back down! Do your worst!"
Patch took out his rapier and pointed it forward, taking on a traditional fencing stance, one that showed indication of years of mastery and discipline over the art of fencing.
"You'll be regretting those words, boy! Have at you!" The coyote growled.
The noble coyote then finally rushed at Silver with a powerful and swift jab of his rapier, which the young hedgehog narrowly dodged.
'He's fast!' Silver winced cognitively.
However, Patch anticipated this block, then quickly weaved over to Silver's left and thrusted Laevatein once more. Silver bent backward to evade, but doing so made him lose his footing, something that Patch capitalised on as he rushed in front of the Esper.
Silver fortunately was able to block Patch's strike, regaining his footing as he took a step back to exit the snobbish coyote's range.
"Damn it!" Silver growled, readying himself once more.
Silver then rushed at Patch, swinging and thrusting his rapier at the Knight Lieutenant with as much might and speed as he could muster.
Patch was not impressed by the hedgehog's sloppy strikes and easily parried and blocked each one like a master fencer.
"Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept," Patch snarked while swinging his blade casually. "Je peux faire ça toute la journée, gamin. Peux-tu?"
Blaze snorted with her lips twitched upward at Patch's remark. Little did Patch or Blaze know, Silver understood and spoke several languages and comprehended the verbal jab that was thrown his way.
Silver's brows furrowed as he clashed his saber against Laevatein, then responded, "Ne me sous-estimez pas, noble chevalier! Vous devrez me passer au fil de l'épée pour m'arrêter!"
Patch and Blaze gaped at the boy's ability to speak one of the official languages while Mammoth Mogul and Cyrus smirked at Silver's cheekiness and determination.
Silver used this opportunity to push his opponent away by the hilt of his blade. Then Silver perfectly emulated Patch's sword thrust technique toward the coyote's face by memory. However, Patch, while not anticipating such an attack, managed to narrowly dodge the move, only receiving a slight gash on his left cheek.
'HE CUT PATCH!' Blaze screamed in her mind.
"Impressive," Both Cyrus and Mammoth Mogul uttered with a smirk.
Patch placed one of his hands on the small stinging cut, then saw the blood on his hands. His blood had been shed. By a poor immigrant imitating his technique!
…This was the final straw.
"Espèce de salaud sans parents!" Patch whispered in anger as he took Laevatein and summoned its spiritual energy to strengthen the blade. "You will be paying for zhe indignity you've wrought, today! Zhe time for play is over!"
Silver could sense the power of the Patch increasing as a result of the magical sword's energy enhancing the coyote, causing the wind to stir and form small shockwaves.
'That's Sol Energy!' Silver was finally identified. 'That would make it a Vulcan Arm!'
Blaze gasped, recognising the stance and demeanour that the Chevalier Lieutenant was taking.
"He's going to-!" The princess whispered.
Emperor Cyrus remained silent but calm, merely wishing to see what happened next. Mammoth Mogul did the same, wondering what would Silver decide next.
"Consider zis a privilege, boy! Very few saw zis and lived to tell ze tale!" Patch said before quietly whispering, "Depardieu Art: Flèche Perçante!"
He began to viciously thrust and swing with his rapier with tranquil fury, never losing his proper stance or footing as the fast but strong strikes were starting to overwhelm Silver.
'I-I can't read his movements! He's too much!' Silver said, struggling to take the blows of an enhanced Mobian coyote.
Blaze could barely keep up with Patch's moves but could tell that it was a downhill battle for Silver, assuming that the trial was over. But much to her (and Patch's) surprise, the Esper tried to block and evade the flurry of attacks. Some of Silver's attempts were successful, however, the young hedgehog could feel his fatigue from the physical strain he was taking due to most of Patch's blows being successfully given.
For a moment, the assault stopped when Silver was sent to the ground, nearly getting sent out of bounds.
Patch jumped back as Silver kneeled to the ground, gasping for air.
"STAND UP, BOY!" Patch ordered heatedly. "YOU SAY YOU WANT TO JOIN ZE GUARD!? WE DO NOT PROSTRATE TO OUR KNEES! WE ARE ZE STRENGTH OF ZE EMPIRE! WE ENGAGE IN BATTLE WITH OUR ENEMIES ON OUR FEET!"
As a result of the lecture, Silver got, having never lost the fire in his eyes as he held up his sword again.
Silver tried attacking Patch again, but the coyote's movements were quicker than before and dodged each strike.
"Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy!" Patch barked, weaving through swings like they were things to him. "You would bring shame to the Imperial Guard! Shame to the crown! A foolish insolent boy like you has no business seeking an audience with the emperor, or the princess!"
Patch then clashed Laevatein with Silver's saber and spat in his native language, "Vous n'avez pas votre place ici!"
Blaze gave a condescending look at Silver's side of the fight, finding his desperation to be disappointing and pathetic.
'...Couldn't have said it better myself, Patch.' The girl thought to herself.
Cyrus and Mammoth Mogul, once more, said nothing and waited for Silver's next move.
Scowling in fury, Silver swung his rapier widely with the intent of dealing damage to wipe the smirk off Patch's face. But this was a part of the coyote's plan. Manipulating the boy's emotions to his advantage, Patch found a clear opening and seized it. The coyote made a clean cut on the Esper's shoulder, causing visible bleeding as a small patch of red appeared there.
This action caused Silver to wince in pain. While the Mobian hedgehog had been hurt and even cut before, the cut in question this time was far more intense. As if a portion of his spirit had been cut. Before it had simply been ignorant peasants with no skill for swordplay, but Silver was currently fighting someone who was not only a master of the blade but wielded a mystical sword.
Despite the pain, Silver had a goal to achieve, and he hadn't come this far to give up on himself, or that precious goal.
The Soleannite swallowed his pain and blocked an incoming strike from Patch, the two's blades now locked together with each swordsman pushing against the other once more to break their guard.
Silver and Patch stared each other down, the coyote looking more frustrated and livid while the hedgehog simply stared at him intently as his eyes and quills flashed gold for a split second.
"Just what do you think you're up to, boy?" Patch asked the hedgehog Esper.
"...Learning." Silver simply replied.
Seeing that Silver wasn't giving up, Patch ended the blade lock himself by stepping back. The Knight Lieutenant then rushed in once more as he began to attack Silver with a flurry of rapier strikes. However this time, Silver was able to weave around most of these strikes, then blocked and parried the ones that landed too close to his body. It was as if he was learning to duel from this fight alone.
"No! NO! Why won't you stand down!?" Patch screamed, continuously swinging Laevatein at his opponent, who kept on weaving through each swing before stopping it with his basic sabre.
"I already told you, Chevalier. You're going to have to put me to the sword to stop me." Silver answered coldly with a blank expression. "So stop playing with your food and do your worst!"
Blaze was stunned at the nerve Silver gave to a noble knight. He was but a commoner! Was he that caught up in his juvenile delusions? Or perhaps it was a childish arrogance for barely scratching the adult? The younger cat couldn't fathom the reasoning, but she was certain that Silver had quite the mouth on him, and she was hoping that Patch could end the fight to keep him quiet for a long time.
Enraged at these words, Patch jumped back and quietly spoke, "Very well. Cela scellera votre destin!"
Fighting at full power, Patch turned up the difficulty as he began to weave around Silver and struck him in his blind spots with great strength and speed.
Silver, who was improving, was now thrown into a sink-or-swim situation as Patch had enough of this embarrassment and unleashed his full physical capabilities on the teen hedgehog.
Silver was not able to read Patch easily due to his rapid movements, only managing to stay in the battle by dodging and blocking.
But even that was proven difficult as Silver could feel his fatigue growing. He felt one of his knees had begun to grow weak as if it could give way any second and make him lose the fight.
'...I cannot fight much longer! If I'm going to win this, I'll have to take my stand now!' Silver determined. 'And I only have one shot, so its all or nothing!'
Patch stopped his assault and stepped back from Silver, and after mocking him one last time had prepared to finish the Esper off with his strongest technique.
"Depardieu Art: Dard de Flèche!" Patch shouted as he rocketed towards Silver while thrusting his blade forward, creating what looked like a mach cone around Laevatein.
Silver's eyes widened at the sight of the lunging technique which was about to hit him dead center. Many thoughts flashed through his head, his friends, his mentor, his life from before. Silver however stood firm, his eyes forming a sharp stare as he moved his rapier in front of his face.
'...NOW!' Silver mentally screamed.
Patch collided with Silver, and the force of his techniques created a small explosion of Sol Energy that obscured the spectators' vision. The sound of metal clanging ran through the training room's walls however, and when the Sol energy and smoke from the impact disappeared, they could see that Silver had not only blocked Patch's technique but coated his rapier's blade in cyan coloured energy that sparked Psychokinetic electricity.
Mammoth Mogul and Cyrus grinned at this, fully anticipating such a moment while Blaze was left completely stunned at what she was watching.
Patch was unable to push Silver backward, his blade remained still, almost as if inertia was no longer a factor. Silver then looked at Patch before smirking at the coyote as cyan electricity crackled around his eyes while his body started to glow faintly.
"Psycho Shock Counter."
The stare of a tranquil yet enraged Silver burned in the back of Patch's mind as Silver's rapier then discharged cyan psionic electricity across Patch's body. The power began electrocuting him with the same energy as typical electricity but its psionic properties caused the mental pain and sensation in Patch's mind to skyrocket.
Three cyan rings of psionic energy funneled into Silver, and then after a few seconds, a cyan wave of psionic air pressure flung Patch across the room and out of bounds. Silver had won.
"Chevalier Lt. Depardieu of Fulgora is unable to battle! The win goes to Silver the Hedgehog of Soleanna!"
Emperor Cyrus clapped for the hedgehog's victory as Silver dropped to his knees on the training ground, finally managing to take a breather after a hard-earned battle.
"...You did good, Venice. You did good," Silver whispered to himself before tossing the rapier aside.
The emperor turned to his daughter with a jolly grin on his face and asked her, "Wasn't that a splendid show, darling?"
"...H-How!?" Blaze shouted, standing up, visibly denying what she saw. "This is outrageous! How could Patch lose to some Soleannite commoner?!"
Blaze angrily stormed over to Silver and pointed at him in an accusatory fashion.
"You cheated, didn't you? I told you that no powers were allowed, only swords!"
"Apologies, your Imperial Highness, but that is not true." Mammoth Mogul spoke up firmly, gaining a shocked glare from the Sol Princess. "If I recall, the conditions of the duel stated that only forms of combat outside of swordplay are prohibited, not the use of Astra or other mystical abilities."
"BUT HE JUST USED HIS POWERS!" Blaze objected furiously.
"Yeah, on the sword." Silver corrected. "I didn't stop using the sabre, I just enhanced it a little to even the playing field."
Blaze couldn't speak, both out of anger and surprise. She gritted her teeth as she only barely tried to contain her frustration.
(That's it, Princess! Just burn up a little more and fry that peasant to a crisp! Do it! DO IT!) The entity goaded, loving the sensation of Blaze's negativity.
"Daughter, that is enough." Emperor Cyrus with a calm and authoritative tone, snapping the girl out of her anger. "What's done is done."
Patch meanwhile was helped up to his feet by Mammoth Mogul, who placed his hand on the coyote's shoulder and with a flash of green light, healed his body from its physical and mental damage, removing the phantom pain surging within the Knight Lieutenant.
"...What has happened to me, Master Mogul?"
"My apprentice happened, Chevalier. Regardless of your personal bias, you've taught him much in your bout with him. And so he used that knowledge in tandem with his true power, besting you in the trial." Mogul explained, beaming at Silver with pride.
Patch inwardly fumed at the notion, embarrassed and pridefully wounded at the revelation.
" I see…" The young adult mumbled.
Everybody gathered outside the training ground as Emperor Cyrus congratulated Silver on passing his test.
"Silver the Hedgehog, your duel has shown me that in the face of danger, adversity, and pressure, you manage to adapt and persevere to complete the task at hand. Your ingenuity, maturity, and quick thinking are all excellent qualities, but it is your overwhelming resolve that impresses me the most. And while you still have much to learn and grow from, these factors along with your unique abilities have convinced me to give you a chance as an Imperial Guardsman-"
"-He is not even a knight yet, Father! He is not even a squire! Even if he won fairly, we cannot coronate someone who has not yet earned their ranks in the Imperial Army!" Blaze objected.
"You make a fair point, Daughter." Emperor Cyrus agreed as he and Mammoth Mogul shared a knowing glance and smirk. "Which is why I will not only grant Young Silver full citizenship but since the boy has served under the tutelage of a nobleman recognized by the Sol Empire for at least two years, earned the rank of squire."
"What!?" Blaze shouted.
Silver gasped, then smiled, saying, "Y-You'd do that?"
"Why of course, son! Individuals and their personal biases aside, when it was formed, the Sol Empire became a place of opportunity and new beginnings for everybody. The first emperor, Rama, envisioned the growing province to be a welcoming one and established the right for all who swore allegiance to be given a blank slate."
"B-But father, what about the charges-"
"Silence!" The Emperor commanded, causing Blaze to flinch as she saw the return of the ruler that she used to see as a child when her mother was alive. "My patience for your blatant prejudice has grown thin, Felicity. I am not senile. Through his trial, I saw a sharp, righteous, and steadfast young man that I could trust within the borders of my empire. His conduct proved to be enough evidence to suggest that the report I was given had been greatly exaggerated, charges included. And someone will be hearing from me about it-"
Patch's face began to sweat once Cyrus darted his head toward him for a split second.
"-Bottomline, my decision is final. And I will hear the utterance of neighsay no longer!" He told his daughter, who was cursing up a storm inside of her mind, prompting the entity to laugh at her misery. "Silver the Hedgehog, upon your completion of this trial, you have earned the title of squire, the faithful companion to the Royal Order of Fulgora, the domestic branch of the Sol Empire's Imperial Guard. Your duties as squire are to accompany your Guardsman in battle for assistance and provide support when called upon. Off the battlefield, you must study the code of chivalry, and heraldry, participate in events related to the Guardsmen, and care for the armour and weapons of the Guardsmen you are assigned to. Within a year, there will be an assessment held by your assigned Knight Commander, and depending on whether the criteria of the assessment are met, you will be summoned to the dubbing ceremony at the Festival of Light. Do you understand?"
Silver kneeled before the Emperor while bowing his head, humbly stating, "...Thank you, Your Imperial Grace. Whether I am knighted or not, I will never forget this generosity today, and I swear to repay it somehow."
"Rise, Silver," Emperor Cyrus instructed, causing Silver to do so without hesitation. "That is not necessary. Though, if you wish to show appreciation to me, then prove your worth! I challenge you, Sebastian Venice, to ascend to Knighthood!"
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty!" Silver exclaimed with confidence.
Just before anybody could say anything a messenger ran up to the group, crying, "YOUR GRACE! YOUR GRACE!"
The group turned to see a relatively young male Mobian quokka running up to them. He had red-furred, with bright skin. The male had large dark red ears, green eyes, a black nose, and a dark red patch between his eyes. He also had two small strips of hair on his head and a small tail that was barely visible.
He eventually kneeled in front of Princess Blaze and Emperor Cyrus with his head on the ground.
"Y-Your…Imperial Majesty…Y-Your Imperial Highness…!" The quokka managed to utter in between pants.
"Bartholomew, breathe! You are hyperventilating!" Emperor Cyrus commanded, prompting Bartholomew, or Barry as his friends called him, to comply.
"F-Forgive me, Your Grace! But I bring terrible and urgent news!" Barry exclaimed with worry etched on his face.
"Well, don't keep us in suspense! Out with it!" Blaze demanded, barely managing to keep her irritation contained.
"The Communication Division has received a distress call from Guild Master Tabal of the Coconut Shipwright Guild! He says that the Setting Dawn Pirates are raiding both the Imperial Shipyard and the Lighthouse holding the Imperial Library!"
"WHAT!?" Both father and daughter screamed.
'...Pirates? And so close to the mainland.' Mammoth Mogul thought to himself. 'This does not forebode well.'
"I-It gets worse, I'm afraid!" Barry stuttered. "There's been a report that the captain has gotten his hands on an ancient Vulcan Arm. But it's being used to summon demons from Naraka!"
Silver's eyes widened, utterly blown away at what he heard.
"Your Imperial Majesty," Patch called, causing the older cat to turn to him. "I am at yours to command."
Looking at his daughter, he asked, "Can I rely on you and the Embers for this mission?"
"I will not fail you, Father." Blaze swore, always ready to defend her territory.
Smiling at his daughter's conviction, Cyrus told Bary, "Call the rest of the Order of the Hearth and tell them to meet their princess at the royal dock."
"A-At once, Your Grace!" The quokka nodded before rushing elsewhere.
'...The Order of the Hearth? Is that some special division that pertains to the Royal Order of Fulgora?'
The emperor turned to Blaze and Patch, saying, "You know where to go."
The nobleman and the princess understood and readied themselves to rush off. But before Blaze could go, her father stopped her for a moment.
"What is it, Father?" Blaze inquired.
Mammoth Mogul looked toward his old friend and emperor, who nodded with an approving gaze.
The sorcerer turned back, then to Silver, who remained silent, bewildered, and concerned.
"Silver, my apprentice, while I will remain as your instructor and support you, we will part ways for now." Mammoth Mogul said, dropping a bombshell on the boy.
"What? Master, I don't understand…"
"Silver, you are on active duty in service to the Sol Empire starting today." Emperor Cyrus explained, catching both Blaze and Silver off guard. "Your first order is to accompany Blaze and her Guardsmen. You will assist the Order of the Hearth in their task to defend Southern Island. Do you understand your mission?"
Blaze felt humiliated by such an order, but swallowed her pride and yielded to the emperor's instructions. Silver could sense the tension and seeping rage the girl had towards the situation through his secondary golden power.
Silver nodded his head and bowed his head, saying, "Yes, Your Grace."
"Excellent. My daughter will guide you to the Ember's vessel. The Chevalier Commander who leads the Order will serve as your mentor and primary superior. Await further instructions from him. I await your report." The rotund royal cat instructed. "I await your report. Dismissed."
With that Blaze rushed off to catch up with Patch, causing Silver to follow closely behind.
Mammoth Mogul took this time alone to speak with the Emperor.
Cyrus groaned, shaking his head as he said, "Felicity is only getting worse as she gets older. Where did I go wrong with her?"
"Parenthood does not come with instructions, Sunny," Mammoth Mogul wisely stated.
"I can barely recognize my own child. All that time preparing for her burdens being a guardian of our regalia, being my only heir, and keeping that monster locked away, I've stripped away her childhood. Precious time that I won't be able to get back. Now that Amber has passed on, she's become colder. Uncaring. And I have nobody but myself to blame." Cyrus lamented. "I should have listened to Amber when she warned me beforehand."
Mammoth Mogul then said, "I wouldn't lose hope yet, old friend. Blaze is only fourteen. When there's time, there's a chance. Both for you and for her."
"If only it were so easy," The emperor sighed.
"Parenting, being a part of life, is not easy. When they become aware, speak, and learn about themselves, children develop their own thoughts and beliefs. Somehow, we find them to be more intelligent than the previous generation, yet lack the foresight, wisdom, and experience that their parents attained within a lifetime. Because of this, children would often become full of themselves and make foolish decisions or come to foolish conclusions. But at the end of the day, as a father of a growing young lady, you raise her how you want her to be and lead by example."
Emperor Cyrus took the older being's words to heart and nodded, "...You're right. I've been so caught up in my duties and fear of the future that I let my daughter slip through my fingers. She doesn't need a ruler posing as a patriarch, she needs a father. …I must take my place."
"Yes. And she needs companionship," Mogul added. "That is one of the reasons why I told you about Silver all those years ago."
"Right… Do you think the lad could melt away her frozen exterior?" Cyrus questioned.
"Only time will tell," Mammoth Mogul answered cryptically. "Both of them have many trials ahead of them. But the greatest one they will face constantly will be with each other. We can only pray that the children will cooperate when it is needed."
"I have complete faith in both of them," The emperor stated with conviction. "Those two represent the future of the Sol Empire."
To Be Continued
Author's Note:
Did you enjoy the chapter? If you did, please leave a favourite and a review on what you liked or didn't like. Chapter 2 is here, it was originally going to be longer but we decided to split the chapter in two, so be on the lookout for Chapter 3 when it releases. Anyway, let us go over some of the things we've learned and seen here.
Mammoth Mogul's Age: Mogul predates the world ending/changing event known as the Great Flood. This took place at least four hundred years ago before ABSOLUTION. As far as the audience knows, Mogul is at least over 400 years of age.
Elias Acorn: In ABSOLUTION, instead of being a prince of a kingdom within the present, Elias Acorn (named Sir Elias Fredrick Acorn in this continuity) is a descendant of the House of Acorn, which survived the Great Flood and now serves under the Sol Empire. His wife and daughter are still around and the girl is his BIOLOGICAL child.
Alvin and Calvin: In this continuity, the Imperial Palace is guarded by two human-looking individuals, who Mammoth Mogul also referred to as 'Al' and 'Cal', and this is because they are based on Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal from the Sonic Archie Comics, who were members of an interdimensional race called Zone Imps who could warp reality and basically had Toon Force powers. Now their nature and abilities within the Sol Dimension won't be revealed until later, but stay tuned for more.
Patch Depardieu: Much like Elias, Patch exists in this continuity as well. But, instead of being a villain like in the Archie Comics as Antoine D'Coolette's evil doppelganger, he is referred to as Chevalier Lt. Antoine "Patch" Depardieu, a loyal elite knight of the Sol Empire that hails from a noble family in service of the Crown. He is merely an antagonist for Silver that may receive more depth to his character soon.
Emperor Cyrus' origin: Emperor Cyrus, Blaze's father in this continuity, has a name that comes from King Cyrus of Persia. It may have been a reference to the Mobian lion of the same name from Sonic Underground. He bears a strong resemblance to Big the Cat from the Chaos Dimension. His nickname "Sunny" could be a reference to a name straight from the Sonic Bible.
Blaze's birth name: Felicity Agni-Sol is Blaze's name at birth. Felicity is a name that is supposed to have a double meaning regarding the irony of her character and background; meaning good fortune and happiness. Agni is the Hindu god of fire, while Sol is the Roman god of the sun whose Greek equivalent is Helios, but also the Norse goddess of the sun and twin sister of Mani, Norse god of the moon.
Silver's birth name: Being born in Soleanna, Silver was born as Sebastian Firenze Venice da Soleanna. Because of this, he may have something equivalent to a Sicilian heritage (a mixed race that has Roman, Greek, Moore, and Norman origins). Sebastian is also a name that has a double meaning while serving as irony; meaning venerable, or revered. Firenze is Florence in Italian, or prosperous or flourishing in English. Venice, like Florence, is a location related to Italy which means "City of Canals", a nod to Soleanna's inspiration and the metaphor of a paradise that Silver aspires to create someday.
Blaze and Silver's ages: Both characters are fourteen years old.
Classism/Xenophobia: ABSOLUTION will have imperfect/flawed characters where they are depicted as detestable due to the nature of characters born to power or to ruin. But they will have many layers. This is a way to convey the effects of a world, while fantastical, is dark, cynical, rough, deplorable, and in need of change.
Blaze's Attitude: Unlike her Game Counterpart in the localised English-speaking countries, Blaze's character and aggression here is derived from her Japanese counterpart before her development. However, it is more antagonistic for plot purposes and to keep the RESURGENCE timeline consistent since ABSOLUTION is a prequel to SONIC RESURGENCE and Sonic Rush.
Mysterious Voice: Blaze may have a voice speaking in her mind. Blaze's remarks may suggest that the voice is of demonic origin.
Astra: A name that is derived from the Hindu word for weapon, this term is used to label those born with supernatural abilities or mutations. For example, Silver and Blaze are Astras for being gifted with psychokinesis and pyrokinesis respectively.
Vulcan Arm: A term named after the Roman god of fire and the forge, Vulcan (called Hephaestus in Greek mythology). As far it has been revealed, Vulcan Arms are weapons that had Sol Energy grafted in it. More information may be given in later chapters.
Laevatein: Originally from Sonic and the Black Knight, Sir Precival's signature rapier in ABSOLUTION is not only a special weapon handed down from Patch's family, but is a Vulcan Arm with special family arts. These arts include:
Depardieu Art: Flèche Perçante- A viciously flurry of sword thrusts that can only be used to its full extent when the user achieves tranquil fury and maintains proper footing. Sol Energy enhances the user physically when in sync with Laevatein.
Depardieu Art: Dard de Flèche- By channelling Sol Energy to the blade, the user thrusts with Laevatein extended, creating a mach cone that surrounds the blade.
Terms used in French, translated in English: "Vous n'avez pas votre place ici!/You don't belong here!", "Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept,/One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,", "Je peux faire ça toute la journée, gamin. Peux-tu?/I can do this all day, kid. Can you?", "Ne me sous-estimez pas, noble chevalier! Vous devrez me passer au fil de l'épée pour m'arrêter!/Do not underestimate me, noble knight! You will have to put me to the sword to stop me!", "Espèce de salaud sans parents/You parentless bastard!"
Silver's intelligence: To compensate for Silver's lack of experience and naivety, he is smart enough to analyse a foe's movements and imitate it, if possible. This is consistent with his Game Counterpart, as in Sonic 06, Silver managed to duplicate Shadow's Chaos Control after seeing it in action once.
Coconut Shipwright Guild- A famous guild/shipwright company on Southern Island composed of the Coconut Crew, a band of handy and talented Mobian koalas. While the guild is exclusive to ABSOLUTION, the Coconut Crew are characters introduced in Sonic Rush Adventure.
Do feel free to suggest ideas for later chapters, but do remember that this is still our story and we have final say on what happens in it. Please be civil and calm when giving reviews or comments.
If that's everything, this is UltimateDemonBeast65 signing off! See you next time!