Chapter 102

The Knight of the Wind

Sonic watched as the rebel healers lowered Silver onto one of the cots. The effort of freeing them had drained the last of Silver's energy. Teaspoons of Armana were dripped onto his lips, but the hedgehog was too exhausted to even drink. Priam sighed heavily and placed a heavy hand on Sonic's shoulder. "He has suffered much, but I think he will recover. Silver has a strong will."

The priest directed Sonic out of the medical tent and the two of them stood in the silent, nearly empty Sanctuary. "How long until he can travel?"

Priam shrugged. "Once he wakes up, the Armana should keep him on his feet. Perhaps in a few hours or so. The camp is not far, though I suppose nothing is far for you."

"What's been happening?" Sonic and Silver had warped directly into the Sanctuary and they had found the place nearly deserted. Blaze had marched her army out with the intention of facing the empire directly leaving only a small rearguard behind. Priam and those who did not fight were left to ensure that if things went bad, the Thirteens would have a fortified position to retreat to.

"We have received only scattered reports. Blaze has managed to capture a few forts along the border of the forest. The last we heard she is preparing to launch an assault on Castle Town."

"Castle Town? Why there?"

"It is an important intersection. If we can control the town we can halt the supplies and troops being sent to the capital. However, that is only by land. Mesto's air armada still controls the sky."

Sonic couldn't wrap his mind around what the priest was saying. He had never been in a war before and trying to understand the nuances of strategy made his head hurt. Sonic tightened his grip around the Chaos Emerald and a reckless desire surged within him. What if he used the emerald to warp to Eggman directly? Could he end this entire war in a single stroke?

"Sonic, where is Levi? Did he decide to remain in the city?"

Sonic felt as if a cold bucket of water had just been dumped on him. The events of the prison escape flashed before his mind at rapid speed. He closed his eyes to gather himself before speaking. "Levi's gone. He sacrificed himself to save Silver."

Priam's withered face stretched with grief and horror. "This…this is a grave loss. The princess will be devastated." The priest put a hand to his heart and bowed his head. "May Solaris keep him."

"Solaris…" The name forced Sonic to remember what he had seen inside the Hive. "I have to see Blaze, there is so much I need to tell her."

"Go if you wish," Priam said. "We can send Silver along after you once he wakes."

"I go with him." Sonic and Priam turned around to see Silver limping out of the tent. Two healers chased him and tried to urge him back to bed. "I'm fine." Silver insisted, wrestling his arms out of their grip. "I'll rest once I've seen my sister." Silver still looked pale and weak, but the glint of green in his eyes burned with a stern intensity.

"Where is the camp again?" Sonic asked.

Priam pointed towards the northeast. "There is a fort south of Castle Town, just beyond the treeline."

Sonic thanked him and took Silver by the hand. He focused his thoughts on the road leading up to Castle Town and held up the Chaos Emerald. "Chaos Control!"

White light enveloped them and a second later they emerged out into darkness. They had arrived near the ruins where Sonic had first arrived in Arvana. He and Silver trekked through the trees, Silver leading the way since he knew the area. "I never got the chance. What the hell is that thing?" He asked, pointing to the Chaos Emerald.

"A gem from my world."

"Why is it here? Have you had that this whole time?"

Sonic shook his head. "It's a long story. You'll hear it when we reach Blaze. Something far bigger than just this war is going on."

It took them about twenty minutes to finally spot the fort Priam had told them about. A tall stone tower emerged over the tops of the trees and lights spilled out of the upper windows. Before they had even gotten within a hundred yards, silver cloaks seemed to materialize out of the shadows all around them. Rebel scouts armed with blaster rifles closed in before stopping and letting out at a loud cheer. "Silver! It's you!"

His scouts went forward to embrace him, but Silver raised his arms in sudden fury. "Is that how quickly you would drop your guard? For all you know, I could be an imperial imposter."

The scouts paused and looked at each other in confusion. "Never lower your weapons until you are sure," Silver continued. "You are the first defense of our position and you nearly let us walk right into camp."

On cue, the scouts all raised their rifles. Sonic's smile faded. "Uh, well now what do we do?"

"We prove we are friendly." Silver motioned to his scouts. "Come and check us for the persona."

The scouts came forward and Sonic grimaced as he was searched. Caliburn was taken from him as was the Chaos Emerald. His arms and legs were scanned for the persona and the same was done for Silver. Once they were checked, the scouts formed ranks around them and marched them towards the camp.

A series of white tents encircled the base of the tower. Torches and spotlights had been set up around the perimeter as well as trenches and hastily constructed stakes. Sonic quickly detected that a change had come over the rebels. They were no longer the spunky castaways playing cat and mouse with imperial soldiers, this was an army encampment full of soldiers. Guards were posted all along the perimeter, their expressions were stern and serious. An aura of vigilance and readiness hung over the entire camp.

Sonic and Silver were brought to a gate and forced to stop. Scouts went inside the camp and a few minutes later, returned with Sir Gawain and Sir Rayne. The two knights did not rush forward to embrace Silver. Gawain raised his sniper rifle and pointed it directly at Silver's chest. "What is the inscription carved above the mantle in the Hall of Knights?"

"Valor ignites, Battle tempers, Victory forges, Honor Knights."

Sir Gawain lowered his rifle and turned it onto Sonic. He glared so intensely at Sonic, that for a moment, Sonic feared that the falcon would actually shoot him. A heavy moment passed, but then Gawain lowered his gun. "I actually can't think of anything to ask you."

The tense moment popped like a bubble as Rayne let out a bark of laughter. "I suppose we will have to take it on faith then!" He roared and rushed forward to squeeze Silver in a hug. The scouts returned Caliburn and the Chaos Emerald to Sonic.

"Easy.." Silver groaned as his fellow knight released him.

Rayne seized him Silver the shoulders. "You look bone thin. What the hell did Mesto do to you?" Rayne's smile transformed to a look of wild rage. "I swear I will tear him limb from-"

"I think we get the picture." Everyone stopped and turned around. Blaze walked slowly towards them. She still wore the same armor she had donned while disguised as Arthur, only now, no helmet covered her face. The Sol Gem placed within her crown sparkled with pink light as Blaze's eyes burned. She stared at Silver and then back at Sonic. There seemed to be a moment of doubt, as if Blaze was fighting against some instinct inside herself. Suddenly, her austerity faded and she rushed towards her brother. She wrapped him in a hug and Silver placed his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," Silver said faintly.

Blaze broke the hug and held her brother by his hands. "Sorry?" She laughed, her voice breaking slightly.

"I'm sorry I got captured…I…I thought I was stronger." Silver hung his head, but Blaze put her hand on his chin and lifted it up.

"You are strong. I could never do this without you."

Silver averted her gaze. "Mesto…he wanted to capture you. He thought you would come after me. My prison…it was just a trap. Levi…he…he's dead."

At this pronouncement, the knights all dropped their heads. Rayne let out a cry of fury and struck the ground with his fists. Blaze cupped her hands together and gazed up at the night sky. "Levi…I…May Solaris keep him."

The nearby scouts all repeated after their princess. Blaze turned her head towards Sonic. "I have no words that will suffice in thanking you. Rayne, have the entire camp assembled within the hour." Rayne bowed and hurried away.

Blaze cupped Silver's cheek gently. "Will you rest now? You need to recover your strength."

Silver nodded and Gawain helped take Silver into the camp. When it was just the two of them, Blaze turned back to Sonic. "Will you walk with me?"

Sonic nodded and the two of them struck out just beyond the gate. Once they were safely hidden within the trees, Blaze spoke. "How did Levi die?"

"It was like Silver said, his prison was a trap. There was no way to remove him, without putting someone else in his place." Sonic's throat suddenly went dry. He wanted to say more, he wanted to recount how brave Levi had been, and how much he had taught him.

"He was a great warrior and a true friend." Blaze said simply. "Mesto has dealt us a terrible blow."

"But things haven't been all bad." Sonic insisted. "We heard that you've won some battles."

"A few. But they won't mean much in the end. Mesto is content to reserve his forces, he knows that we do not have a large enough force to truly threaten him. Still, we must try."

They walked side by side, neither of them leading in any particular direction. Sonic felt a strong connection to Blaze, while in a contradictory way, he felt that she was totally alien from him. "Mesto is gathering all the Thirteens in the city and forcing them into ghettos. Levi and I saw it when we arrived."

"Opposing him in the open would always result in petty revenge. Mesto will hurt my people to try and make this entire effort seem like a lost cause. Soon, the Thirteens inside the city will turn against us."

"Why not just fight you in the open?" Sonic wondered, his voice hot with anger. "Is he that much of a coward?"

"Yes," Blaze answered. "But he is also cunning. If he brought his armies out and destroyed us, he would risk turning me and those that fight with me into martyrs. By dragging this affair out, and focusing his efforts on the innocent, he will skew opinion. I will look like the villain, the selfish princess who holds onto her crown instead of safeguarding her own people." Blaze could not keep the bitterness and hurt out of her voice.

Sonic stopped and took her by the hand. "That's not true." He hesitated, as he had not expected Blaze to have tears in her eyes.

"Isn't it?" She asked. Her voice sounded soft and vulnerable, not at all as it did on the night she had spoken before her army.

"Your people love you." Sonic said seriously. "They need you, and nothing Mesto does will change that. We will win this. I promise."

Blaze smiled wistfully. She took Sonic by the hands and pulled him close. Her yellow eyes glistened with tears, but her stare still held the power to nearly paralyze him. Blaze leaned forward and kissed him. Heat seemed to transfer from her and into Sonic. He felt it surge inside his body, invigorating him and washing away all the weariness of recent battles.

Blaze broke the kiss and held firmly to Sonic's hand. "Thank you," She said.

Sonic's cheeks burned and he felt a sudden rush of adrenaline which gave him the urge to turn around and run as fast as he could in the other direction. Instead, he held her hand and remained quiet. "There is much that we need to discuss, plans we need to make. But…for now…would you sit with me?" Blaze directed them towards a flat stone and they both sat down.

The overhanging trees formed an arch above them and it seemed to Sonic, that just for a moment, he had Blaze had been separated into their own world. Though he was still aware of them, his other anxieties faded to the edges of his mind. He was more aware of himself and his present settings than he had been since he had arrived in Arvana. Sonic breathed deeply and relished the feeling of his lungs filling with air. In front of him, the trees were dappled with a rain of silver light issuing from the moon above. Sonic watched as the cool breeze moved through the grass. It was a calm, peaceful moment, completely at odds with all the fighting and violence Sonic had experienced over the past week.

"We must cherish these moments, Sonic." Blaze said after a few minutes of quiet contemplation. "The days will grow shorter, and we will have less time to sit and reflect. Even the forest holds its breath. Nature itself is not unaware that the world will soon change, never to be the same again."

No sooner had she said that, did Sonic feel a sting of cold wind rush against his back. The trees leaned against the pressure and Sonic wrapped his arms around himself to stay warm. Blaze did not seem to feel the cold. Heat radiated from her skin, prompting Sonic to scoot closer to her. "That gem you carry. Is that a Chaos Emerald?"

Sonic held it up. "Yes." Sonic told her everything about the Underking and the underground syndicate of criminals who had helped Levi and him break into the Hive. "They've been stealing Sol Gems from the empire and using them to transport themselves to earth." Sonic explained. "The bandit I fought to win the Chaos Emerald said something kept drawing them to earth. There might be a connection between the Sol Gems and the Chaos Emeralds."

Blaze pried the Sol Gem off her crown and held it close to the Chaos Emerald. The two gems seemed to shimmer slightly, but otherwise had no reaction to one another. "If these criminals are traveling to earth, then we can expect that the empire has the ability to do so also. Your world may be in greater danger than you supposed."

"I know," Sonic admitted. "But my best chance to help may be from over here. Eggman has to be stopped and I…" He held up the Chaos Emerald. "I can use this to warp to him directly."

"But you don't know where he is," Blaze pointed out. "We could direct you to the Imperial City, but there is no guarantee that the emperor is actually there. Besides, you cannot take on his whole army on your own."

Sonic dropped his head. "I…I don't know how else to help. I'm not a soldier, or a general, I don't know anything about strategy or how to wage a war."

Blaze smiled. "Then it is a good thing you are not one of my generals. You have a far more important role than that."

"What do you mean?"

"You will see. Tonight will be a night for celebration. On the morrow, we will plan and we will prepare for the battles to come, but for tonight, let us simply enjoy what we have." Blaze jumped to her feet and offered out her hand."Come, everyone should have been gathered by now." Together, they left the forest and returned to the camp. The rebel forces had been assembled around a large platform near the base of the tower.

Sonic attempted to slip into the crowd, but Blaze took him by the hand and led him up onto the dais. At the sight of him, the rebels let out a loud cheer. It was clear that his efforts to save Silver had quickly spread throughout the camp. "Sonic! Sonic!" Hundreds of voices chanted his name in unison.

Sir Rayne and Gawain joined Blaze and Sonic atop the dais. Rayne held out his hand and the rebel army fell silent. Blaze stepped forward to address her army. "In times of darkness it is easy to give into despair. Yet it has always been that the darker the night, the brighter the dawn, the coldest winter gives birth to the most living spring, so it has always been that our greatest champions and heroes rise when our kingdoms need is most dire." The rebels cheered again and broke out into more chanting of Sonic's name.

Blaze let them be and turned to Sonic. "Hand me Caliburn."

Sonic slid the sheath over his shoulder and held it out. He felt slightly disappointed as he realized that his mission was over, and Blaze would now be taking her weapon back. Blaze unsheathed the sword and held it above her head. Tongues of fire erupted around the steel in a flash of dazzling light. The rebels drew back in awe. Blaze turned back to Sonic. "I have but one gift to give you in payment for what you have done for me. Kneel."

Sonic lowered himself onto one knee. He cringed slightly as Blaze lowered the flaming sword near his shoulder. However, to his surprise, the flames were warm but not burning. "Sonic the Hedgehog. Do you swear to defend the innocent? To serve as a shield for the defenseless and the orphan? Will you be a shield for the wayward and a refuge for the exile?"

Sonic hesitated. He knew what it would mean if he took this oath. Never in his life had Sonic bound himself to anyone or any creed. He had always been a free spirit, content to live his life as his heart desired. His only code had been to ensure that other creatures were also permitted to live free as he did. But now Sonic realized that if the people of Soleanna were going to be free, he would need to bind himself to them. It was not a sacrifice Sonic could make easily. Yet, in that moment, he realized it was a step that he needed to take. "Yes."

Blaze moved the sword to his other shoulder. "Do you swear to brandish your sword against the enemies of Soleanna? To fight, and if need be, die in her defense? Do you swear to uphold the virtue of its citizens, to show mercy whenever possible, and bring honor to its king?"

"Yes,"

"Then I hereby name you, Sir Sonic, the Knight of the Wind!" At these words there was an uproar of cheers.

Sonic rose uncertainty to his feet. The fires around Caliburn extinguished and Blaze flipped the blade around. "It is yours now."

Sonic seized the hilt. Burning energy traced up his arm and down his back. He raised the blade into the air and a gust of wind billowed rapidly around the steel, enveloping Sonic in a mini tornado. The rebels cheered and Sonic turned to see Gawain and Rayne incline their heads respectfully towards him. Beyond them, Sonic could almost imagine Levi standing in the crowd looking up at him.