Sonic and Merlina had now escaped from Arthur as the two were going through the bushes as Sonic said very annoyed at the witch.

"Why'd you stop me? I could have handled him no problem!"

"You do not understand," she replied to the hedgehog, solemn and grave enough to dissipate Sonic's annoyance. "He cannot be wounded."

Sonic stopped walking and looked at the person who brought him here.

"And why's that?"

Her eyes had closed, and a mournful look had taken over her features. "He bears the blade and scabbard of Excalibur."

Excalibur…

"Hey wait a second," Sonic said, tapping his fingers to his chin in thought. "I think I've heard that name before…Um…Let me see…"

It was on the tip of his tongue…What was it from…?

The girl reopened her eyes, smiling softly as she watched him struggle to recall where he had heard the name. "Excalibur is King Arthur's sword," she explained, and everything clicked into place.

"Oh of course then that could mean!" Said Sonic

The girl nodded at him. "So you do know of this place... This is the land ruled by King Arthur."

"No way!" Sonic looked around him in amazement. "The last time something like this happened, I was in a desert, but a kingdom is pretty cool, too!"

The girl's smile faltered. "The last time?"

Sonic laughed "Long story it was about a genie and the main baddie always calling me a rat most of the time it felt like a running gag." Until he realised something.

"Wait a minute, was that King Arthur? I mean, he seemed way different in the stories…"

The girl then said confused by that statement.

"Stories? As in legends? Or do you know what is to pass?" Sonic then shook his head saying ""Forget about it, it's a lot of explaining, and it sounds like you really need my help if you called me here."

The girl still seemed confused and agitated, but she slid the hood of her cloak back up over her head, obscuring her features once more. "Let us go. We can talk along the way."

Sonic swiped at his nose, shooting her a grin. "Sounds good to me!"

They walked along, more amicably than before. "Let me introduce myself," the girl said. "I am Merlina the Wizard."

In response to her, Sonic gave her a thumbs up and said. "I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog."

Merlina smiled at him again, though she became morose as she explained her plight. "The king was once a wise and just ruler. He was blessed with noble knights along with a wonderful queen and praised by all Or nearly all in the land..."

Sonic and Merlina passed a lake with some fish as the blue hedgehog said.

"Something happened to him?" Merlina nodded at the question.

"Yes. Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, granted him Excalibur to use in a terrible battle that threatened our kingdom. He emerged victorious, and was set to return the sword. However… he was bewitched by the power of immortality that the scabbard bestowed upon him, and kept the sword for himself. Now he has become immortal, summoning legions of knights from the underworld to do his bidding, and plunging his kingdom into a world of horror and chaos!"

Sonic chuckles at the statement "A bunch of zombie ghost knights roaming the world after passing to the other side? It's just like a big ol' haunted house! This'll be cool, like Halloween all year long!"

Merlina let out a noise of discomfort. "M-Maybe so, but I fear that there will be nobody left to enjoy it. We must act now."

Sonic blinked before saying "You mean take King Arthur down? It's no wonder he was chasing you but what about his whole immortality stick?"

Merlina shifted uncomfortably, pointing eastward with the head of her staff. "Beyond this misty lake sleeps a sacred sword,"

She told him, prompting Sonic to squint into the mist, holding his hand over his forehead like a visor. "With that sword-"

Sonic shrugging it aside said to her.

"Yeah yeah, I'll go get it. Be back in a flash!" he said aloud, stretching out his legs and warming up for another run.

"Wait, Sonic!"

The hedgehog paused in his routine, looking up quizzically at Merlina as she withdrew a couple of things from within her cloak.

First, she fastened a gauntlet around his right hand, causing him to whistle in appreciation as he wiggled his fingers.

"Man, a real piece of armour! I feel like a swordsman already!"

"That's not all."

A small sword was pushed into his hand next, and Sonic grinned from ear to ear as he looked it over. "Very nice!" he praised.

He even swung it a few times to see if it was a real blade and it indeed was.

"I do not want you to go after the sacred sword unarmed."

Sonic nodded to her. "This is a good sword so I'd be honoured."

Merlina explained to him. "Nor do I want you to hold it without experience, and so, I shall lend you Clarent for the time being. I have trained a few squires in the basics of swordsmanship, so perhaps I may assist you as well?"

Sonic examined the blade and said "Thanks, this is gonna be handy until I find what I need!"

Merlina nodded at him "Good luck Sonic!"

Sonic gave her a wink in farewell before he rushed through the grass and the trees.

All around him he heard absolute silence; no birds chirping, no sounds of villages bustling, no signs of life at all save for his own feet hitting the ground. The sound of the wind flying between the trees was the only thing to accompany him, and Sonic began to understand the true gravity of the situation at hand.

This place wasn't not only overrun by the souls of the dead, it was also sadly dying.

Sonic thought to himself until a target emerged in front of him as the voice of Merlina said.

"Am I coming through clearly?"

Sonic was surprised to hear Merlina's voice so it most likely she was using telepathy to speak to the hedgehog "I'm guessing you're using a bit of telepathy or something to speak with me?"

"Indeed I think it's best we get you accustomed to my world. I want you to learn proper swordsmanship starting with the basics." Sonic nodded as he saw some targets emerge out of thin air as he had a good grip on the sword Merlina lent to him.

"Swords huh? Well since I am in Medieval England in the old days then lay it on me sister!" Sonic declared as he began slashing the targets with ease even some higher targets as Sonic slashed them with ease.

"This is a piece of cake, what else have you got that'll entertain me Merlina, something that isn't a wooden target?" Sonic asked Merlina playfully as the witch said.

"Very well if it's a challenge you seek then I shall grant you that wish!" A spell was flung into the sky as Sonic saw a massive figure making its way to him as the dragon almost reminded the hedgehog of Dulcy.

"Behind the ruler of this lake the Mist Dragon!" Once the dragon stepped out of the mist a blue and black dragon as it delivered a massive roar.

"Challenging is one thing, but a dragon? You're just full of surprises, aren't you Merlina?" Quipped Sonic dodging an incoming claw attack from the massive creature.

Sonic began to go on the offence as he began slashing at the Mist Dragon as the dragon then blew fire at Sonic as the hedgehog just dodged in time.

Sonic sighed in relief he nearly became BBQ until he noticed a crystal on top of the dragon's head before smirking as he jumped onto the dragon and began slashing at its crystal as the crystal was shattered.

Sonic wipes away some sweat from his forehead "Well Merlina, how was that? Did you see my real power?"

The winds whipped around him as the dragon took to the air, retreating, and Merlina's voice barely made it to his ears through the noise.

"That was amazing! Defeating the Mist Dragon like it was nothing… The mark of a true knight!"

"Well don't expect any shining armour from me," Sonic quipped, resuming his run around the lake. No more targets popped up; it seemed as though Merlina was sufficiently impressed by his skills before running off again.

Sonic kept running until he arrived at a rocky cliff with a massive tree towering from above below what the tree looked like.

A breeze of air blows across the land as Sonic sees Merlina behind her as the blue hedgehog then returns Clarent to Merlina before saying.

"Well look at that, I can see the sword." Merlina nodded as the hedgehog jumped up from rock to rock until he was standing at the roots of the tree, with a sword buried in the stone at his feet.

"This must be it!" Said Sonic as he examined the sword the hilt was a mix of dull silver and antique bronze, with an intricate circular design attaching the blade to the handle.

Merlina asked from below "So are you ready?" As Sonic placed his gauntlet hand over the sword. "For what?" He asked as the young witch then said "If you remove that sword and defeat King Arthur with it, you shall forever be the worst of knights, and a slayer of kings."

Sonic thought over it. He wasn't used to playing the role of a villain but however Merlina made it clear as day that Arthur was no longer a hero and needed to be stopped. It was nothing like the stories he had read, but then again, he wasn't usually in the stories he read, either. Maybe this was something that needed to be done, regardless of who did it, in a world that wasn't his to begin with.

Sonic figured that he could live with the title 'King Killer' in a storybook.

Sonic shrugged saying "Well guess I can't be the hero every time." Before pulling the sword out of the ground once unsheathed from the stone. The blade glowed a bit as though reflecting the sun but the effort was short lived as Sonic examined the sword.

"So this is a sacred sword." Merlina nodded from below saying "The blade goes by the name of Caliburn."

Sonic remarks "It's kinda really sorry looking-" Until a voice said the sword gained eyes spooking Sonic a bit.

"FOOL!" Of course this startled Sonic for before regaining his footing "It talks!?" As Caliburn glared at the hedgehog as he got a good look at Sonic's face almost remembering seeing it before "Your face you almost remind me of-"

"It's been some time Caliburn." A voice said as it didn't belong to Merlina nor Caliburn Sonic's quills lifted upwards dodgering the attack just in time as Sonic looked upwards as he saw King Arthur floating in the air as the king's face was covered by a sinister aura.

"Oh great mister doom and gloom found us!" Said Sonic annoyed to see Arthur before turning to Merlina "Merlina get to safety!" She nodded before casting a spell and disappearing from the scene.

"I have seen treachery from the likes of my dear Gunivere but I'm a bit disappointed to see you against me as well old friend."

"Hmph it's you who is the greater fool Arthur than anything you wish to hear."

Arthur growls at the sentient sword as he said "And yet you sit in the clutches of Merlina's chosen warrior, how pathetic he's nothing but a squire!"

"Oh says you Arty!" Shouted Sonic as Arthur drew out Excalibur and pointed it at them both.

As Caliburn said to Sonic "I'm afraid time for talk is over brace yourself for I shall train you in true swordsmanship."

Sonic nodded as he swung Caliburn before saying "Okay professor, work your magic!" Arthur chuckles as he lands on the ground as his eyes glowed.

"Come then! Show me your reasoning. Show me why this worthless wretch is worthy to wield you!"

Arthur yelled at his horse as the horse made a mad dash as Cailburn shouted "Don't let him escape!"

Sonic nodded "Got it!" As he ran after Arthur as two were nearly at the same running speed before Arthur stops as his sword glows Caliburn gasped saying.

"Block those attacks!" Sonic swung his sword against Arthur's as sparks flew as Sonic then kicked him off his horse.

"You have spirit!" Arthur said as almost impressed as he slammed his sword at Sonic as the hedgehog was able to dodge in time as Sonic went for a homing attack but Arthur caught the spin dash like it was nothing before slamming the hedgehog into the ground before calling his horse as he got back on it.

"You're not getting away that easy Arthur!" Sonic declared as he removed some dirt from himself before charging as Arthur replied.

"Pursue me if you want a death wish fool!" As he summoned out some underworld knights to attack Sonic as the hedgehog slashed his way through the monsters.

"Keep your stance strong and remain calm!" Caliburn barked however Sonic argued "Will you shut up and let me fight I got this!"

However, that caused Arthur to slash Sonic back as the hedgehog hit the ground hard as Arthur laughed at them.

"You're both unbalanced rather than battling each other than me!" Sonic growled at Arthur's snide remark before jumping onto Arthur's blade and then kicking him in the face knocking him off his horse.

King Arthur grunts as he hits the ground as he then blocks an incoming attack of Sonic as the king wags a finger at his foe before pushing Sonic off him and calling his mount one more time.

"You're not gonna lose me!" Sonic yelled at Arthur who just laughed at him as they arrived at some grasslands as Arthur's blade shines as Sonic counters by slashing back before Sonic unleashes a homing attack on Arthur as he lands with a thud on his back.

Sonic landed on the ground exhausted as he saw Arthur holding onto the scabbred as all wounds from the battle vanished.

"Geez this fight could last forever!" He then looks at Caliburn "Are you sure you're a scared sword?!" Caliburn replied, annoyed.

"Well it is you sir who lacks the proper skills!" As Arthur summoned his horse back as he placed the scabbred back onto his belt.

"Hah! A fool of a knight not even slaying with my own two hands you couldn't even defeat Gunivere on her worst of days with that attitude perhaps my knights will be enough to crush you where you stand."

"See? Even Arthur seems so!" Caliburn replied as Sonic said back ticked off "Well it's your fault! You're a really bad teacher!" And like that Arthur fled the scene on his horse as his laughter echoed in the space around them.

Sonic and Caliburn began to argue with each other as Merlina emerged onto the scene once Arthur had left as Sonic noticed her.

"You okay Merlina?" The girl nodded "I am but I doubt I could be even of use but I do know Caliburn is a much more suitable teacher."

Sonic had a deadpan look saying "You can't be serious I'm not sure a smart mounted sword would be a good teacher."

Cailburn scoffed "The impertinent one here is you, knave! You were striking as though you wished to wound him instead of disarm him… I daresay you know not of his immortality?"

Sonic faltered, looking back at the sword in his hand. "You mean you can't hurt him even though you're a sacred sword?" he asked.

"Of course not! Excalibur's scabbard has powers that far outweigh most other magics in the land-"

"Then why did we even bother to find you?!" Sonic groaned, waving the sword around in annoyance.

"Stop this foolishness this instant!" Caliburn ordered. "I am the sword who chooses his handler, and I say that I shall train you until you are worthy of fighting King Arthur as you ought to!"

Merlina frowns "For as long as Arthur has control of the scabbard we won't be able to defeat him."

Sonic nodded before glancing back at Caliburn as the latter glared back "So what's our next move?

"We must ask the scabbard's former owner how to hinder its power," Caliburn said, sounding bossy as ever, though this time around, Sonic didn't find it in himself to mind as much.

Sonic then had an idea who might be as he answered "Nimue the lady of the lake?" Merlina smiled as she nodded.

"I mentioned her earlier." Sonic smirks before saying "Well no point sticking around let's go find our lady of the lake."

Caliburn then declared as he warned Sonic "I fear that it may not be as simple as that."

Sonic paused as he looked at the blade "What do you mean?" "You shall see for yourself. Onward, my young knave!" Sonic growls as an angry vein appears on his forehead.

"Cut it out with the 'knave' stuff my name's Sonic capital S capital O capital N capital I capital C Sonic the hedgehog!"

The sword then said with a smirk "Very well I shall call you Knave the hedgehog."

Sonic rolled his eyes as he began to run off "Oh whatever you oversized letter opener!"