In the noble chambers of Sol's Royal Armory, a weaponsmith stands at a wall adorned with his grand works hanging in display. With a blade in one hand, and cloth in the other, he finishes refining the last of his pieces, ensuring their shine and luster, and with a smile on his face, the civet raises it to meet his eye, taking in every detail of the polished wood and cold steel reflecting the afternoon sunlight streaming through the window.
"And there you are," he whispered to himself, satisfied as he hung the blade on the wooden wall.
He turned, throwing his gloves on the large workbench and wiping his hands from a long day, contemplating the wall before him. From every blade and spear, to every arrow and shield, everything seemed to remind him how far he had come. Not only as a servant to the kingdom, but as a smith. An artisan, he'd dare say. However, as he deeply sighed, strange sounds began to emanate from the far corner of the room, along with someone's voice. Turning to take a gander, he saw a young little girl striking a barrel with a small hunter's knife, as if she were engaged in a glorious battle.
"Ha! Ha! Yah!"
"...Huh... How charming," he said to himself as he watched.
He couldn't help but feel somewhat proud, the girl admiring the weapon as she tried to put as much effort into every blow, with his own work no less. She stabbed the knife deep into the scarred wooden barrel, but struggled to pull it back out. Losing her grip, she tumbled against a few spears resting on the stone wall, causing them to fall against the floor one after another. The smith couldn't help but chuckle, amused at her antics.
"U-Uh oh... Sorry, Mr. Irons!"
"Do not worry, Princess Alizae," he laughed under his breath.
Then again, the princess can be quite clumsy sometimes…
"W-Wait, Princess Alizae?! What in the stars above are you doing here?!" he exclaimed, scurrying towards the little one.
"I'm training to be a dame!"
"You are not! You'll get yourself hurt!"
"Aww," she whined in defeat.
Irons quickly picked up the spears from the floorboard and put them back in the wall. Turning toward the young princess, he asked...
"Are you okay?" he asked as the girl stood up from the floor, wiping dust off herself.
"I'm okay…! But the knife. It's, stuck-"
"Don't worry about that," Irons worried as Alizae struggled to retrieve her weapon. "Princess Alizae, what brings you here? How, did you even get here?" he asked, taking a knee. "Aren't you supposed to be with the king and queen?"
"I was playing in the garden! But I, sort of got lost," she replied, sheepishly.
"And somehow, you managed to make your way through the training grounds, past the barracks, and onto the armory?"
"...Yes?"
"...Sly young fellow, aren't you?" he complimented, earning a giggle from Alizae.
That afternoon, Irons was convinced that the princess would one day truly be the end of him.
"I, really wanted to see Maia spar today," Alizae admitted. "But I don't see her anywhere."
"I don't think there will be any sparring sessions today, princess. Maia is quite busy leading a training exercise."
"...Can I see?" the princess pleaded with eyes even Irons could never refuse.
He deeply sighed, "...Very well, come," earning a cheer from her. "But then I must escort you back to the palace."
"Thanks, Mr. Irons! Sorry about the spears, again…"
Both of them took their leave from the armory and began to make their way through the training grounds filled with Sol's finest defenders. The air was filled with old songs under cadence, the clashing of steel, and the swift whistling of arrows as troops followed their leaders and trainers' instructions, sparred with one another, and pushed their skills to the absolute.
"Again!"
Although the kingdom had been in times of peace, its brigade never faltered under the watchful eye of a noble dame, and proud warrior.
"Very good! Again!"
A sparrow, who couldn't help but stop her training once her eyes would lay on a familiar young girl, walking on the sidelines of the court.
"...Everyone, rest while I return!"
"Ma'am!" everyone shouted in unison, somewhat confused by her sudden leave.
Irons and Alizae continued through the outdoor halls of the training ground, until hearing calls from the field…
"Weapons Master!" Maia shouted from afar.
"General," Irons greeted her.
"Irons, please don't tell me."
"It is as you fear," he chuckled.
"Hi, Maia!" Alizae grinned, waving to the armored fowl from behind the smith.
"Princess," Maia complained, her hand resting against her face in frustration. "You can't keep coming in here all on your own. Your parents must be worried sick for you by now... What if something were to happen to you?"
"But I want to train with you!"
Maia sighed. Surely she couldn't stay upset with the little one forever.
"Train? With me?" she said as she picked the princess and carried her in her arms, continuing to walk beside Irons.
"I believe Princess Alizae wants to become a dame herself," Irons chuckled.
"Yeah!" Alizae agreed.
"A dame?" Maia inquired. "Are you going to lay down your duties and join the royal guard? I thought being a princess was quite the honor for you."
"But it's sooo boring!" the princess whined. "I always have to wear these itchy dresses, and take silly lessons all the time."
"Knighthood is no better, little one," Irons laughed wholeheartedly. "Unless you enjoy picking up rubble from the streets, that is."
"Pick up, rubble?" Alizae asked, confused. "But, don't you make really cool pointy things?"
"Indeed I do. But everyone starts somewhere. When I first began serving, I was but an ordinary guard, protecting the streets and watching over the people. Believe it or not, but during those years, I was granted the honor of meeting your father, back when he was nothing but a stranger to us. In fact, he saved me."
"Really?"
"Is that so, Irons?" Maia also asked, curious herself.
"Yes," he chuckled. "Although, we didn't start on the best of terms."
"And, why is that?" Maia queried.
"Well… I, wasn't too fond of his arrival, at first. Especially after the doctor's looming return…"
Several years earlier…
Reflections of the Heart Part I: Forged Bonds
Days before "X. First March…"
/Sonic the Hedgehog/
After Nega returned, everything became tense by the minute. He came back after disappearing for so long, and none of us knew what he was up to then. Most of the gems were gone and in his hands, except for one, all thanks to Blaze. Streets and homes of the east side were a mess, to say the least, and the royal guard was on all-out alert in case anything else decided to drop by again. My days after the attack have been quite slow, helping guards clear up where we could and lending a hand to anyone who seemed to need one. Fortunately, no one was hurt; Maia, alongside her troops, made sure of that during the disaster.
Honestly, I thought everyone would be in total panic, fearing the outcomes at that point. But not that kingdom. Things were nothing but dire, and yet the time I've had with everyone has shown me how strong they really were. It was amazing how they were able to gather themselves and come together, even after everything that had happened. They did their best to push through, confident in one simple thing: their princess was watching over them. And as long as she did, they had nothing to worry about, because they knew she would never let them down.
As for Blaze, however, things weren't easy for her. She was always the resilient type, but Nega's return did hit her hard, and left her blaming herself for getting caught off guard. Ever since then, she had been tirelessly at work every single day, leading the efforts for the relief, and making sure that the troops were standing at the ready. If one thing was certain, she knew how to give a speech. Every single knight seemed to hang on to every single word, even me, and I couldn't blame them. Being by her side, would make you feel like you could take on the world. But being the sole ruler of an entire kingdom, and a guardian of not only the gems, but her whole world, was still a lot to bear, and it was beginning to show.
I came to realize she had changed quite a bit. During my stay, me and Blaze spent countless days together in the medical ward, talking about anything and everything, and sharing stories of all kinds while I was recovering from my injuries. Every day, I'd find myself waiting for those doors to swing open, and every time she would come by, she would carry a smile I could never get used to even if I tried. After I finally managed to stand, we'd find ourselves wandering around the palace, even passing through the same corners more than twice, and yet I don't think we ever minded. I enjoyed those days with her, more than anything, but, it would soon all change.
After the attack, we worked together on the relief sites, helping those in need and joining the reconstruction groups on the edges of the east district. From time to time, we would meet at the palace garden, where we would sometimes go after a long day. She seemed to need it more than me; worries about everything that had happened on top of all of the work were taking a toll on her. At first, she would deny it, but I could tell it was all wearing her down. I wanted to somehow be there for her, and make her smile like she used to. I hoped that, even by just sitting beside her in silence, I could make some sort of difference. Let her know that, no matter what would happen, I wouldn't go anywhere until we'd make things right. But all it took, was to take her hand in mine…
"We thank you," said the lady as we left her house, her family waiting outside.
Rubble had covered most of the inside of the house, and blocked the entrance. After help from a handful of knights, luckily, most of it was relatively intact.
"Glad I could he-"
"The royal guard is here to serve you."
But amongst that group, there was one particular guard…
"If there is any way we can assist you or your family," he continued, "inform any of us right away."
The lady softly nodded at him as the knight turned and shot a glance at me. The civet continued on his way outside the house, grazing my shoulder. Another guard, also a civet, stared right at me and seemed as if he wanted to say something, but turned away, and followed after him instead. Right before I began taking my leave with them, a hand gently rested on my arm.
"Pay him no mind," the lady said.
"...Did, I do something wrong? He's been following me all morning."
"Are you not the one who fell from the skies?"
"...How, did you know?"
"I've never seen you pass through our kingdom before. This place does not get any visitors at all. Anyone can be wary of a stranger such as yourself, especially during these troubling times."
"Right…"
"Rest assured. This kingdom has seen many of your kind deeds. Word is you even rescued the princess… I hope she is well."
"Don't worry, she is. Although, somewhat busy with everything that's been happening."
"No doubt. I'm relieved," she said, wiping away the dust from her table. "...That doctor… I may not know what his schemes are, but. I have all my faith in her. We all do. She'll surely succeed in bringing peace to this land again."
We both walked through the door and stood at the entrance, taking a look at the outside commotion.
"Forgive me for meddling. I was wondering, what has brought you here? Have you come to help us?"
"Well, I got here by accident. I've been told I really gave you guys the scare. Sorry about that."
"Oh, no need," she smiled. "You've been nothing but a blessing. We enjoy having you here. And the princess certainly does too. She seems to delight in your company. I wouldn't be surprised if you two had quite the history, mmm?"
"You can say that," I chuckled.
"...Are you a traveler? An ember, perhaps?" She asked, somewhat eager.
"Just your average hedgehog, trying to do the right thing."
"I don't believe you even in the slightest," she laughed. "I feel as if, there is more to you than meets the eye… I'm sorry, I'll pry you no more."
"You're fine," I smiled. "I'm glad I could help. Is there anything else you need?"
"Don't you worry about me, you should go and aid the others. I'm grateful, for your aid."
"Anytime… Mrs…?"
"Glades," she responded, extending her hand.
"Mrs. Glades," I replied, taking her hand in a bow, earning a chuckle from her.
"May I have your name, kind sir?"
"It's Sonic."
"Sonic, thank you. May fortune favor you in your travels. Know that this home welcomes you anytime."
Waving my last goodbyes, I walked away and headed towards the main road, which was still somewhat filled with debris cleared up by workers. Many buildings and businesses were closed due to the damage they suffered, especially the ones closest to the edge of the kingdom, where the battle mostly took place. Before I could start looking for what to do next, I noticed a familiar face resting against a wall, keeping an eye on me as I kept on making my way through the crowd. Although I passed him, he lifted himself off the wall and followed. So, I decided to play along.
"...So how long are you going to keep stalking me again?"
"That is none of your concern," he replied from behind.
It was the guard from before. And I would be lying if I said he wasn't getting on my nerves that morning. But I couldn't really blame him. In his eyes, I was a stranger from an unknown world…
I asked, turning to him, "Can you at least tell me what's with the royal escort? I'm just trying to lend a hand-"
"We don't need help from you."
"Look," I sighed, raising my hands. "I get why you're so cautious and all. You have no reason to trust me-"
"And you are correct. We don't. Yet here you are… Winning over our people's hearts, so easily… And the princess. She even grants you the honor of walking by her side. Just, what do you think you're trying to do here?" he snapped.
"I don't know what you're talking about-"
"Stop acting the fool!"
Without warning, he began marching towards me as I stepped back, causing a few eyes to fall on us.
"Listen, and you listen well, hedgehog... I don't like you."
"Right. I, can see that-"
"You better think twice about me leaving you out of my sight. If you even just think of planning something, I will be the first to know. I won't hesitate-"
"Irons!" another guard exclaimed, trying to intervene from behind us. "He saved our princess. And has been nothing but good to us! Don't you think-"
"That means nothing," Irons explained. "Don't you see…? Ever since his arrival, everything has turned upside down for this land. The doctor returns, after we thought we could finally be at peace. The princess is bested by a mere machine, and now, sacred gems lie in the hands of the one who could wipe out this entire kingdom whenever he sees fit."
Irons looked at me with a cold stare, backing away from me.
"And then, there's you. You've remained with us for so long, refusing to return to wherever you came from… Waiting for the opportune moment to strike? It's not like you fell from the skies just to come help us now, did you?"
I sighed… There was no way around him.
"Look, you can follow me all you want if it makes you happy... But those guys could use some help, don't you think?"
I pointed at the gates, or what was left of them. They were covered with rubble that blocked the entrance, and the walls were cracked open, threatening to fall apart any second. Several knights and workers carried wooden beams across the streets, while others pushed carts and barrels full of bricks into piles back and forth.
"…Tch…" Irons scoffed, walking past me, and made his way towards the construction.
Following his step, his partner began walking beside me, almost hesitantly.
"I'm, sorry. About him," the civet apologized.
"Hmm?"
"My brother means well, it's just. With everything that has been happening."
"No, I get it… Everyone's on edge. And I did barge in out of nowhere."
"So it's true, then… It, was you. The star, that fell that sunrise."
"Sorry for the trouble," I chuckled. "I can't seem to go anywhere without making a scene."
"You sure did more than that. All of the barracks were in for a scare, we thought we were under attack," he said, a bit amused. "It was a great drill, nonetheless."
"Did, Nega used to attack the kingdom often like this?"
"The doctor? Well, there was a time when he would relentlessly send his forces against us. The princess had to leave on her own to put a stop to his schemes before he could reach us. I was with the training regiment then, along with Irons. Fortunately, as the years passed by, the royal guard grew quite strong, and over time, the doctor's attacks slowly diminished to a point where we really thought he had given up. And then, one day, he just…"
"Vanished."
"Yes... His previous settlements across the far lands were abandoned, and resources were left for the grab. Not a single trace of him was left behind, even his army had left… All of us thought that old age had finally caught up to him," he chuckled. "...Well, clearly, that's not the case."
"Hmm… Whatever his reason is, it can't be good. Nega wouldn't just leave like that."
"You, know the doctor?"
"Afraid so. I've dealt with him before, along with Blaze back home."
"You, fought alongside the princess? Is the doctor after your world too?"
"Oh, no," I chuckled, "no, not anymore. Blaze and I sent him back all those years ago… But, I have a feeling things might be different now."
"I agree… That thing the doctor sent us. I've, never seen anything like it before."
"Right… Whatever he's planning, it must be something big..."
"...I just wish I could be out there," he said, looking over the broken walls, "helping put an end to all of this."
"You are," I reassured him. "Helping out here is the most important thing right now. Remember, these people need you. So don't worry. The princess and I will take care of him for you."
"Wait. You'll, help our princess once more?"
"You can count on it."
We walked towards the site, joining the rest of the guards and volunteers as they carried stones away from the gates. Rubble was piled up against the walls from both sides, and right before I went in to grab my first batch, the guard extended his hand at me with a smile.
"Steele."
"...Huh?"
"My name. It's Steele."
"...Sonic," I replied, gladly taking his hand.
"Hey," someone called from behind as I quickly turned to meet them.
"Y-Yeah-Oof!"
"Here," Irons said, handing me a heavy sack filled with stones. "This'll get you started… Since you're eager and all."
"Y-You, shouldn't have…!" I said, struggling to keep the sack in my hands. Ultimately, I let it fall against the ground, as Irons took his leave to work on his own spot, not too far from us.
"Irons!" Steele called to him, annoyed, but was left without a response. All he could do was shake his head and sigh in frustration. "...Irons is just upset that he is assigned restoration duties instead of working at the armory."
"The armory?"
"Yes. He's looking to be a smith for the royal armory. I, on the other hand, want to serve the royal order… That is if he would stop worrying so much, for once."
"I'm sure he's just looking out for you, is all."
"Right… Oh. This whole wreckage is a bit unstable, so do be careful."
"Right."
And so, we started working on the pile, clearing away the rubble stone by stone. Together, we took trips back and forth, placing the stones away as others gathered them in carts to take them away. We found a decent pace, although the sun that day wasn't much of any help. With the number of guards that were there, it didn't take us long to clear most of the worst, leaving the path through the gates easier to pass through. With that out of the way, we moved on with the piles against the wall, only to realize that I had brought more attention than I had accounted for. The rest of the knights and even citizens began to turn their heads toward me while I continued to work alongside Steele. A few kids shyly waved at me from far, which I couldn't help but wave back.
"Wait, is that?"
"That's him. He's the one."
"I heard that he saved the princess when the doctor made his return."
"It's true, I was there when it happened. He's been aiding us each day ever since."
"Look over there, do you see him…?"
"He is not from this land, and yet has already received the highest honor… Just, who is he?"
"He is all the people talk about nowadays."
"I, think he means well…"
"I hope so. Right now, I'll take as many allies fallen from the skies as I can get."
"...Captain?"
"Wait here... I'll have a word with our, otherworldly visitor."
My shoes struggled with the rubble under me as I tried to push a stone out of its place, and I ended up losing my footing, almost falling.
"Sonic, are you alright?" Steele asked, quickly coming to help out.
"Easy there," a voice called from behind while footsteps came closer. "Need a hand…?" another knight offered; a gerenuk, armored with a mark on his shoulder plate.
"C-Captain!" Steele stuttered, struggling to stand straight with the rubble beneath him.
"...Here," the captain said, studying the stone in front of us. After moving some of the rocks away from it, he stood right behind it. "We'll push this and send it rolling downwards."
Together, we began pushing the boulder, slowly moving it away from its place. At first, it seemed as if it wouldn't go anywhere.
"Quite stubborn, aren't we?" the captain quietly grumbled.
We pushed one more time, until it began sliding against the rocks, soon tumbling down the wreckage.
"Phew," the captain relieved, wiping his brow. "Nice going, gentlemen."
"Thanks for the help," I replied to him.
"Actually, thank you. You've been quite the aid ever since you arrived in our kingdom."
"Glad I can help. I'm sorry he had to come back."
"It was unfortunate, but inevitable. However, thanks to you, even our princess owes you from what I've heard. Many are starting to brand you as this, great hero from above," he explained, standing on top of the wreckage, and staring into the town for a moment. "...I am beginning to wonder if I can trust their words, however," said the captain, slowly turning towards me with arms crossed.
"Captain, I'm no great hero, but if it's alright with you, I want to help in any way I can."
After a moment of thought, he replied…
"...Well then," he said, sliding down the rocks. "If that is what you wish, then we won't turn away your help. We need all the hands we can-"
The ground beneath us began to slightly shake, while something started to slowly crack behind us. We quickly turned, watching as the wall shattered upwards while debris snapped, falling right over a familiar guard. Irons couldn't react in time, not being able to stand straight with the rubble underneath him. However, I was already on the move even before everything started to come down, launching myself forward as fast as I could, and grabbing him by the arm as we both fell and rolled downhill, away from the collapse. While we struggled to get back up, a whole section of the wall crumbled down as pieces of stone rolled against the ground. With dust gathering around the both of us, we were in the blind, and eventually, everything had gone completely silent. I struggled to get my bearings as I stood up from the ground, and before I could even worry for the others, Irons began to cough beside me. I quickly turned to check on him, hoping that he was alright.
"Irons!" I yelled, reaching him. "Hey, are you hurt?"
He couldn't say anything. His mouth was open in shock, frantically looking around himself while catching his breath.
"H-Hey."
He jumped in surprise as my hand met his shoulder, looking straight at me with wide eyes.
"Are, you alright?"
"...I'm… I'm, fine… Y-You…"
"Can you stand?" I asked, getting up as I offered my hand.
Taking it, he stood up as gravel slid off him, and just stared at me as I wiped the dust away from my arms while leaders began shouting orders to troops from afar to control the whole scene.
"...H-How… How did…"
"…Well… I'm, a bit quick on my feet," I replied, coughing from the dust. "We should check on the others, though. See if they made it out okay."
"Steele," he whispered to himself, looking towards the cloud of dust standing ahead of us.
We carefully stepped down the hill of broken stones and through the dust, blocking out most of the sunlight. Although we were lost, the sounds of voices and metal clanging being our only source of direction, Irons hurried on ahead, worrying for his brother.
"Over here!" one of the guards shouted while standing on a hill of debris, signaling to the others once he found the two of us. "Are you two well?!"
"We're alright!" I replied as I waved back.
He quickly met us, showing us the way, and over time, the dust started to scatter as we met a crowd with worried glances standing against a line of knights. The moment they saw us, everyone slowly erupted in all kinds of cheers, while guards alongside the captain and Steele rushed to meet us.
"Irons!" Steele yelled.
"Steele, are you alright?" he worried, hands on his shoulders.
"You're asking me?! You just had an entire wall fall on you! And then…! You…" Steele said, staring right at me." How, did you do that?"
"Never in my years of service have I ever seen something like that before," the captain perplexed. "…You're no ordinary traveler, aren't you?"
"…Well-"
"Sonic!" a familiar voice rang amongst the crowd.
Slowly, the people began to settle down, one by one. Every single guard immediately turned towards the voice in surprise, as the crowd moved to make space for someone struggling to pass through. Right when the captain saw who it was, immediately, he shouted…
"Royal Order! Stand at guard!"
As his voice boomed across the streets, every knight and guard stood straight in reverence of their princess' presence, all while Blaze passed through the crowd, quickly making her way toward us through the debris. The captain did what he could to look his best, preparing to greet her.
"Ahem… Your Majesty!" he began. "Captain of the East District Talon, at-"
"Are you alright?" she quickly worried, reaching up to us.
"…your, service?"
"We're fine," I reassured her, chuckling, "everyone's okay."
She deeply sighed in relief, "Thank goodness… I was afraid there was another attack."
"I, believe that with the removal of the debris," Talon explained, "the wall must've given out over time… I'm, truly sorry, your Highness," he apologized, bowing his head.
"Do not worry, captain. I'm just relieved everyone's safe," she smiled.
She started walking towards the wreckage, rolling up her sleeves and tying her hair together into a bun. Irons, Steele, even Talon were confused at this, and as soon as she started to pick through the rubble, Talon spoke up.
"Y-Your, Highness… What, are you doing?"
"Oh, well, I thought, ngh," she replied as she lifted a stone, "I could lend a hand. It certainly looks like you do."
"Princess, there is no need for you to help us. Please! Let us take care of this for you-"
"Nonsense," she asserted. "A leader who doesn't aid her own is unfit to lead… Besides, I, could use some time away from the paperwork."
The captain seemed like he wanted to protest further, but hesitated instead.
"...Very, well then. We are honored."