Chapter 31: Conflicted Memories and the Darkness Within
Somewhere in Castle Oblivion
A dark corridor opened, its swirling blackness swirling violently, and from it, Terios emerged, dragging Naminé behind him. The air around them was tense, thick with a sense of impending disaster.
"Please, Terios, stop this," Naminé pleaded, her voice trembling.
She could feel the tension in Terios' grip tightening painfully around her lower arm, desperation coursing through him like a fever.
"The Doctor... He can fix this—he can help—with your powers," Terios replied, his voice a mix of urgency and pain, as though he was barely holding onto himself.
The hedgehog's red eye pulsed erratically, and his face was twisted in a desperate expression. The flicker of control he still had was slipping away.
Naminé's eyes filled with concern, but her voice turned firmer.
"Terios, let go of me!" she demanded, trying to pull herself free.
For a moment, Terios faltered, his grip loosening slightly as he looked at her, confusion clouding his features. He was clearly struggling, not just physically but mentally. His memories were a storm, crashing against each other, conflicting and glitching, causing him unbearable agony.
Suddenly, his mind snapped back to that night—the night that had changed everything. His mind was unravelling, pulling him deeper into a fragmented memory of a past he could no longer understand.
Terios's Memory
Terios's vision was blurry, his mind racing in chaos, but he could still make out the imposing surroundings of the base. He was trapped inside a clear, cylindrical pod, unable to move as bolts locked his limbs tightly in place. His heart pounded in his chest, his body weak and confined, and he had lost the vision in one eye—everything through his remaining eye a hazy mess.
From his pod, Terios could hear the hum of machinery and the distant chatter of voices echoing around the vast, intimidating facility. His breathing was shallow, and his head throbbed with confusion and panic. As he strained to focus, his gaze settled on a group of agents standing near a control panel. One figure stood out—their commander, a man with distinctive heterochromatic eyes, one green and the other brown. The man was in the middle of an intense conversation, his sharp voice cutting through the noise.
"They have been found and detained, Sir. Charges include illegal experimentation, endangering the World Order, and crimes against their world," one of these agents explained, giving their commander this information.
"Good, their reckless actions have doomed their home, leaving Aetheris to be swallowed by darkness," The Commander replied, his tone resolute. "Countless lives have been lost due to their actions, and the Lumarian people continue to suffer the consequences. They must be brought to justice."
Terios, too disoriented to fully grasp what was happening, tried to move, but his body ached, his muscles too fatigued to fight against the restraints of the pod. The voices around him blurred, but fragments of the charges echoed in his mind—"illegal experimentation," "darkness," "justice." The words weighed heavily on him, but his focus began to slip as his strength faded.
Suddenly, a small but desperate voice cut through the chaos.
"Please! Let him go!" the voice cried.
Terios strained to look in the direction of the sound. It was the young girl with striking blue hair pushing past the guards, her face full of bravery despite the fear flickering in her blue eyes. She rushed forward, her small form standing defiantly against the agents surrounding her. Her gaze locked onto Terios through the glass, filled with desperation and sorrow.
"Terios!" she cried again, her voice trembling but resolute.
The commander barely spared her a glance, his eyes cold and indifferent.
"Remove the child," he ordered in a low, detached tone. "She has no place here."
As two agents moved swiftly toward the girl, her cries grew louder, more frantic. She fought against their grip, her shoes skidding across the floor as they tried to drag her away.
"Terios! I need you! You can't let them take me away…!"
But Terios, weakened and fading, could do nothing. His body refused to respond, and his vision began to darken around the edges. The sounds of machinery, the girl's pleas, and the voices of the agents all blurred together in a disorienting mix of noise.
The commander stepped closer, his face inches from the glass of Terios's pod. His heterochromatic eyes were unreadable, but there was a deep, haunted look in them.
"I've seen what happens when people play with forces beyond their control," he said softly, almost to himself, as if recalling a distant memory. "It's always the innocent who pay the price."
He turned away, nodding to a nearby scientist who stood by the control panel. Without hesitation, the scientist pressed a button, and the pod's temperature plummeted, frost beginning to creep along the edges of the glass. The machinery groaned as the pod prepared to place Terios into stasis.
Terios, his body weakening further, tried to stay awake, but the freezing mist overtook him. As his consciousness slipped, his thoughts became tangled. His vision flickered, and he could barely make out the girl being dragged away by the agents.
Her voice echoed in his mind—"Terios… please…"—before she disappeared from his sight.
With the last of his strength, Terios mumbled one word, a name that floated to the surface of his thoughts, a name that carried a weight he couldn't quite place.
"Aqua…"
Suddenly, the memory shattered like broken glass, and Terios collapsed to his knees. His breaths came out ragged, and a pained, guttural cry escaped his lips. His mind was a storm of fractured images and emotions, the lines between reality and the lies he had been fed blurring into a chaotic mess.
"Why… why are they doing this to me?!" he shouted, his voice filled with desperation. "Why aren't the memories showing you, Naminé? Is this real… or not? Am I trapped in hell?! What is this?!"
His fists clenched as he slammed one hard into the ground, the force of his emotion sending a crack snaking through the floor beneath him. His body trembled, not from physical exhaustion but from the weight of the truth he couldn't grasp. His thoughts raced, each one cutting into his mind like a blade, the pain of betrayal suffocating him.
Naminé was conflicted, torn between the urge to help him and the guilt of knowing she had played a role in the manipulation of his memories. She could see the agony in his red eye, the raw emotion spilling out of him in waves, and it hurt to watch him like this.
"Terios…" Naminé's voice was soft, uncertain, as she watched the hedgehog before her unravel.
But her words seemed to snap something deep inside Terios, as if her voice alone shattered the fragile control he had been holding onto.
His eye, filled with confusion and pain, darted around the room as if he was seeing it for the first time. It was as though a flood of memories, both real and false, were battling for dominance inside his mind. He clutched his head, his breathing ragged, and his red eye pulsed with a fierce glow.
Suddenly, he jumped to his feet, his muscles tensing as if preparing for battle. He stumbled back, his gaze locked on Naminé, but his expression was distant, lost. His voice, trembling with disbelief, cut through the thick silence.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice shaking with both anger and fear. "Where… where am I? What is this place?!"
Naminé's saw the raw, unfiltered anguish on Terios's face. His memories were slipping, each one fighting for control over his fractured mind. She could feel it, the deep conflict within him. His past, the lies, the implanted memories—they were all colliding, and Terios was caught in the storm.
"Terios… I can help you. Please—" she began, stepping forward, her voice filled with empathy.
But before she could finish, Terios's face twisted in a mixture of rage and confusion. He took another step back.
"Help me?" he spat, his voice rising with a dangerous edge. "You're with them, aren't you? You're one of them!"
His gaze darkened as his memories twisted, familiar faces filling his mind. He couldn't place where, but somewhere deep within him, he remembered their faces. But those faces were distorted by pain and betrayal.
Without warning, Terios summoned his sword, the blade gleaming in the dim light, its edges crackling with raw blue energy. His aura flared, growing more intense with each passing second, as if the power inside him was straining to be unleashed.
"Where are they?" he roared, his voice cracking with emotion. His hand shook as he raised the sword toward Naminé. "Willa… Erik… Aqua!"
The last name escaped his lips like a broken whisper, filled with desperation.
Naminé took a step back in fright. She could see it—the real Terios was fighting to resurface, but the lies, the manipulation, and the trauma were still holding him captive. His sword hummed with power, and for the first time, Naminé felt fear creeping up her spine.
"Terios, please… I'm not your enemy," Naminé pleaded, her voice trembling with fear and empathy. Her hands were outstretched in a gesture of peace, trying to reach the true Terios hidden beneath the pain. "I want to help you remember."
"Lies!" Terios snapped, his red eye wide with rage and confusion. "Your organization took them away from me. I was their protector! But to them, I was nothing but a threat!" His voice echoed through the vast hall, full of bitterness and betrayal.
Naminé flinched, her emotions breaking for him.
"You don't have to do this. I can help you, Terios!" she pleaded.
Terios's face twisted in fury, his sword's energy surging with each word.
"You'll pay for what you've done!" he growled, stepping toward her, raising his weapon.
But before Terios could strike, a voice called out.
"Terios, stop!"
A dark corridor opened, and from it emerged Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, Modern Tails, Classic Tails, and The Man in the red bandages. The two Sonics dashed forward, positioning themselves in front of Naminé in a protective stance.
"Naminé!" Modern Sonic asked, turning to her with concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?"
She gave a small nod, though her expression was still haunted by the encounter.
"I'm… okay," she muttered, clearly shaken. "But Terios… his mind is unravelling. The truth is fighting the lies inside him, and it's tearing him apart."
Modern Sonic turned his attention back to Terios, whose aura flared with confusion and power.
"Terios, listen to me. You've been lied to. We're here to stop this."
Terios, his face twisted with frustration, pointed his sword toward Sonic.
"Why do you look like him?" he shouted, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"Look like who?" Sonic asked, his tone serious.
"The Great Catastrophe!" Terios revealed with anger.
"The what?" Sonic replied, baffled by the accusation.
Terios's features narrowed, his voice filled with accusation.
"You are the reason the darkness came to my home! You're the one they warned us about!" he spat in disdain.
"Great… more complex nonsense," Sonic sighed, exasperated. "Look, whatever you think I am, you've got it wrong. I'm here to help you, Terios, not destroy anything!"
Terios's expression darkened further.
"Lies. It is my mission to destroy you—to protect!" Terios declared, his voice trembling with conviction.
Modern Sonic held his ground, trying to piece together the fragments of truth hidden beneath the chaos. His sharp green eyes locked on Terios, sensing that the hedgehog's mind was on the verge of a breakdown.
"You need to protect them... right?" Sonic said softly, as if coaxing the truth out of Terios. "Willa, Erik..." Sonic hesitated before uttering the last name. "Aqua."
Terios's expression faltered, his red eye flickering with uncertainty.
"How… how do you know them?" he stammered, his voice cracking under the pressure.
The conflicting memories, the false realities, and the buried truths wrestled for dominance in his mind, driving him toward the brink of madness.
"Sonic, are you saying Terios knows Aqua?" Modern Tails asked, confusion written on his face.
Modern Sonic nodded slowly, never breaking his intense gaze on Terios.
"Yeah. It's something Aqua said back when we were together. She talked about Terios being created for a purpose—being made to protect, to guard something precious… but that was taken from them."
Classic Tails looked contemplative, his brow furrowing.
"What could it all mean? Why would Aqua, of all people, be connected to Terios?" he questioned.
Modern Sonic drew a deep breath, the weight of his realisation settling in.
"From what I've been able to figure out," Modern Sonic began, "Terios was created to protect Willa, Erik, and Aqua. He wasn't just some experiment from The Organization like we thought."
The group fell into stunned silence, absorbing Sonic's words. The revelation hit hard, shaking their understanding of Terios's origins. But amidst the shock, The Man, remained composed. Yet there was something about his stance—his body language betraying a sense of guilt, of deep-seated knowledge that he had yet to reveal.
A ripple of tension passed through the group as they realised that The Man knew more than he had let on. His calm demeanor, once reassuring, now felt tinged with foreboding.
Suddenly, Terios grabbed his head, crying out in agony.
"No! No more lies! What is real anymore?!" His voice cracked with desperation, his body trembling.
Around him, reality itself seemed to warp and bend. The very air shimmered unnaturally, the walls of the space distorting and shifting as if melting under the weight of Terios's unstable emotions. Time and space began to twist and fracture, creating strange echoes in the environment.
Sonic and the others watched in shock as the world around them warped uncontrollably. It wasn't just Terios's power anymore—another force was at play, something darker, more sinister.
The shadowy essence of the dark shard, the remnant darkness still lingering deep within Terios, began to seep out. The once-hidden force that had been fuelling his chaos was now manifesting, warping the very reality around him as it took hold of Terios's fractured mind. Sonic could feel the malevolent presence growing stronger by the second, threatening to consume everything.
Terios's agony reached a fever pitch as he dropped to his knees, screaming into the void.
"Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"
The Sonics glanced at each other, both understanding the danger. Modern Sonic took a deep breath, knowing the situation had become more dire than ever.
"Terios, we can help you, but you've got to fight it! You're not the enemy, but this… darkness is!" Sonic shouted, hoping to reach the part of Terios still struggling for control.
For a moment, it seemed like Terios was about to respond, but then something shifted. A deep, dangerous voice emerged from his throat, layered with an eerie, sinister tone.
"Oh, how ironic fate can be..."
Sonic and Classic Sonic's eyes widened in confusion.
"Wait, that's not Terios," Modern Tails said, backing up, sensing the dark energy intensifying. "Who is that?!"
"It's like something else is taking control of him?!" Classic Tails remarked in disbelief.
The Man, standing stoically behind them, his red bandages barely concealing his grim expression, responded gravely.
"It must be another force buried deep within Terios's essence. The modifications... they're unravelling something far worse," he warned.
Suddenly, Terios's posture straightened, his previously tormented expression twisted into a cold smirk. His red eye, once filled with pain, now burned with a malevolent glow as it turned lime green. The hedgehog let out a chilling laugh.
"It's good to see you again, Sonic the Hedgehog."
Sonic stiffened, the tone unmistakably familiar, sending a wave of dread through him.
"Who… who are you?" Sonic demanded, trying to keep his composure.
"An old foe," Terios—or rather, the entity controlling him—replied, the voice dripping with venom. "Seeking its long-overdue revenge."
"What the heck is going on?" Modern Tails whispered, the panic rising in his voice.
"This is bad," Classic Tails muttered, stepping closer to his counterpart.
Terios, now entirely consumed by the entity, sneered.
"You want me to stop, Sonic? You think you can save him? Oh, how pathetic. I am part of this experiment, the culmination of darkness and desperation."
Sonic's heart raced as he tried to make sense of the situation.
"Leave Terios out of this! This fight is between you and me!"
The voice inside Terios cackled, dark energy swirling around him.
"Oh, Sonic... this 'protector' has failed, and so will you."
Naminé, standing behind them, trembled in fear, her blue eyes wide as she watched Terios's transformation.
"Sonic…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Guys, get Naminé to safety," Sonic ordered.
Naminé, though frightened, nodded as Modern Tails and Classic Tails quickly escorted her away. The atmosphere around them twisted, the very fabric of time and space warping and crackling with chaotic energy. Terios stood at the epicentre of it all, his form shaking violently as the darkness inside him fought for control. Time seemed to bend, the once orderly lobby of Castle Oblivion now a surreal and fractured space, filled with shifting landscapes and swirling colors. The power radiating from Terios had distorted reality itself.
The Man, though intent on ensuring Naminé's safety, turned to the Sonics and spoke with grim urgency.
"You must stop him, Sonic. Terios—and the entity within him—are destabilising everything. If left unchecked, time and space will unravel."
Sonic, his gaze hardened with determination, clenched his fists.
"Alright," he growled, readying himself. "Let's finish this."
Terios's laugh echoed through the shifting space, cold and filled with malice. The voice that spoke wasn't entirely his own anymore; it was something darker, older, more vengeful.
"You took everything from me, Sonic," the voice taunted. "But now, I'll take it all back. I'll reclaim what was stolen."
Modern Sonic stood tall, facing the twisted version of Terios. He turned to Classic Sonic, who was by his side, equally ready for the coming battle.
"You ready for this?" Modern Sonic asked, his voice steady.
Classic Sonic nodded without hesitation, his expression fierce.
Terios, or rather the entity inside him, mocked them both with a cruel smirk.
"Come at me all at once," he sneered, his sword crackling with dark energy. "It won't matter. You'll be torn apart by the chaos that surrounds me!"
Terios
Battle Music: Dark Impetus - Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
The twisted lobby of Castle Oblivion stretched in every direction, its once-structured walls now distorted into strange curves and warped angles, bending to Terios's volatile energy. Fractures of time and space pulsated throughout the room, sending ripples of instability through the air. The Sonics could barely find their footing as reality itself seemed to bend and break around them.
Terios stood in the middle of the chaos, his form flickering between himself and something darker, more sinister.. His sword glowed with an eerie blue light, crackling with energy from his home world, Lumarian power, combined with something much darker.
"This energy…" Terios began, his voice trembling with the struggle inside him. "It's more than enough to destroy you!"
His eye locked onto Modern Sonic with wild fury, as though he truly believed Sonic was the source of his world's destruction.
With a roar, Terios summoned Reality Rift, his time-manipulating powers warping the ground beneath the Sonics, causing the floor to shatter and rise into the air in jagged chunks. Pieces of debris, ripped from different points in time, flew toward them at breakneck speed.
"Whoa!" Sonic shouted, his reflexes kicking in.
He darted left, dodging the incoming shards of stone and metal. With a flash, he leaped into the air, spinning into a Homing Attack to strike back at Terios.
Classic Sonic wasn't far behind, curling into a Spin Dash to avoid the debris and using his compact form to dart between the flying objects. He slammed into Terios with precision, the impact forcing the indigo hedgehog back a few paces.
But Terios was far from done. His sword crackled with blue energy as he raised it, his face twisted in anger.
"You will not stand in the way of revenge, Sonic!" he snarled, his voice suddenly darker, more guttural.
Modern Sonic glanced at his counterpart, a frown creeping across his face.
"This is turning into a real Jekyll and Hyde situation…" he remarked.
Suddenly, Terios released a flurry of attacks. Dark energy spears materialised around him and shot out in all directions, splitting the air and forcing the Sonics into rapid dodges. Classic Sonic jumped and rolled, narrowly missing the spears as they pierced through the space where he had just stood. Modern Sonic zipped between them, his agility barely keeping him ahead of the onslaught.
Just as they thought they had a moment to breathe, the air around them shifted. Terios's lime green eye flashed with power and he vanished, reappearing behind the Sonics with his sword raised for a surprise attack. The Energy Slash arced through the air toward them.
"Move!" Modern Sonic shouted, his instincts kicking in as he predicted Terios's movement.
Classic Sonic's smaller frame gave him the agility to twist free from the time-lock, spinning just in time to counter Terios with a Spin Attack.
The Sonics managed to land a hit, knocking Terios back, but the cracks in his mental state were becoming more apparent. He stumbled, gripping his head as though trying to hold onto his sanity.
"I was meant to protect them," Terios muttered, his voice softening for a brief moment.
But before the Sonics could reach him, his voice darkened once more, a cruel laugh escaping his lips.
"But you... you took everything from me. They are gone because of you!" The sinister tone in his voice sent chills through the air, and the sword in his hand flared with dark energy again, ready for another strike.
The Sonics braced themselves. This battle was far from over, and it was clear that the real fight wasn't just against Terios—it was against whatever dark force had a hold on him.
"Looks like we've got a real mess on our hands," Modern Sonic muttered under his breath. But his eyes were determined. Whatever the darkness was, they were going to stop it.
As the battle continued, the warped reality of Castle Oblivion began to unravel at an alarming rate. Walls folded in and out of existence, and the ground beneath the Sonics warped, making it almost impossible to predict where to step next. Terios, his eye burning with both pain and fury, raised his free hand and summoned a distorted, shadowy figure beside him—an Echo Clone, born from a twisted timeline.
The clone mirrored Terios's every move with terrifying precision, doubling the attacks and putting the Sonics on the defensive. Each swing of Terios's glowing sword was met with a mirrored attack from his doppelganger, the two striking in perfect unison.
"Seriously?" Modern Sonic groaned, narrowly dodging a swipe from the clone. "As if one of you wasn't bad enough!"
Classic Sonic spun into action, darting between debris and using his Spin Dash to deflect the clone's attacks. Meanwhile, Modern Sonic aimed for the real Terios, calling for backup from his smaller counterpart.
Terios, however, was one step ahead. He lashed out with Time Ripper, a devastating move that tore fragments of reality from the battlefield. The Sonics barely dodged the tearing space, Classic Sonic rolling out of harm's way just as a section of the ground disappeared into a black void.
Modern Sonic's quick reflexes allowed him to counter the clone, landing a precise Homing Attack that shattered the doppelganger into swirling shards of dark energy. But their brief moment of relief was fleeting. Terios, more unstable than ever, summoned his Corrupted Aura, a dark energy field that radiated outward. The ground warped under its oppressive force, and the very air seemed to bend as the aura drained the Sonics' strength, twisting their surroundings into a disorienting maze.
"Mini Me... I don't think we can keep this up!" Modern Sonic shouted, feeling the weight of the aura pressing down on him as his speed faltered.
Terios raised his glowing sword high, poised to deliver the final blow that would tear apart both the Sonics and the distorted world around them.
"This universe… will be torn apart... just like mine!" Terios roared, his voice shaking with pain and fury.
But before he could strike, a sudden blast of dark flames shot through the swirling chaos, colliding with Terios's chest. The impact sent him stumbling backward, a pained groan escaping his lips.
"Gah!" Terios gasped, clutching his chest where the attack had struck.
The Sonics, now freed from the oppressive grip of the Corrupted Aura ability, felt their strength returning, the haze lifting as they caught their breath. They exchanged a quick glance of surprise, both wondering the same thing—where did that attack come from?
The space around them rippled with an eerie calm as a low, commanding voice echoed from the distortions.
"Enough!"
The sheer weight of the word hung in the air, its power undeniable.
From the shadows of the distorted battlefield, a figure stepped forward, his silver hair gleaming under the fragmented light of Castle Oblivion's twisted reality.
"Wait a minute... Riku?" Modern Sonic said, eyes widening in recognition. "What are you doing here?"
Riku, gripping his Soul Eater sword tightly, strode forward without hesitation, his gaze locked onto Terios. His expression was unreadable, intense but calm.
"Long story," Riku muttered, his voice low and focused.
Riku didn't waste any more time with explanations; his attention was solely on Terios, whose lime-green eye burned with dark energy.
Terios's expression twisted into a mocking smile, his voice once again infused with that sinister, otherworldly presence.
"Well, well... if it isn't Ansem's puppet," Terios—no, the Entity—scoffed, a deep, dangerous tone taking over.
Riku's face tightened slightly, but he didn't flinch. His grip on the Soul Eater tightened as he spoke.
"Not anymore," Riku shot back, stepping forward. "I'm here to find my way to the dawn, and that means stopping you!"
The Sonics exchanged quick glances. Modern Sonic was both relieved and confused to see Riku.
"Riku... the last time I saw you, you closed the Door to Darkness from the other side. How are you even—?"
Riku interrupted, his focus still on Terios.
"No time for questions," he remarked sharply.
Classic Sonic, meanwhile, scratched his head in bewilderment, still taking in the sudden appearance of this new figure. Another ally? Or was Riku something else entirely?
Terios, or rather the Entity lurking within him, sneered at the display of unity.
"You think you can stop me with your shallow grasp of the darkness, boy?" His lime-green eye flared with power as the surrounding space continued to distort, the very fabric of time and space bending to his will. "You don't know the true depths of it—the darkness will consume you all."
Riku's eyes narrowed, unfazed by the Entity's taunt.
"We'll see about that," he declared calmly.
Both Sonics prepared to fight alongside their new ally, ready to take on the increasingly unstable Terios.
The Battle Resumes!
As the space around them continued to twist and fragment, Riku and the Sonics charged forward, their determination unwavering despite the chaos. Terios, now on the back foot, struggled to maintain his footing as the trio's attacks hit their mark. A sharp blow from Riku's Soul Eater sword caused Terios to stagger, his form flickering between two realities.
Terios's internal conflict grew more violent with each hit, his voice cracking under the weight of both his real memories and the dark entity inside him. His chest heaved as he clutched his sword tightly.
"I need to save them!" Terios shouted desperately, his voice filled with anguish, the protector of his family clinging to what was left of his purpose.
But as quickly as those words escaped his mouth, his expression twisted, and a deeper, more sinister voice overtook his own.
"There's nothing left to save," the Entity hissed through Terios, the lime-green glow of his eye intensifying. "They're all gone, just like you will be!"
Riku narrowed his eyes, sensing the overwhelming darkness taking control of Terios. The memories of his own battles with Ansem, Seeker of Darkness flooded his mind, reminding him of the fragile balance between light and darkness. But Riku knew better now. He had faced the abyss and walked away stronger. He would not let this twisted version of a hedgehog fall to the same fate.
Drawing upon the darkness within him, Riku tapped into his Dark Aura. A swirling shield of dark energy surrounded him as he leapt into action, protecting the Sonics from Terios's wild swings. His strikes with Soul Eater were quick and precise, aimed at destabilising Terios during his moments of weakness.
Terios roared as the pressure mounted, releasing a massive Reality Fold move, that warped the battlefield violently. The cracks in reality widened, and everything around them distorted. Terios's blue Lumarian energy began flickering like a flame caught in a storm, while his lime-green eye pulsed erratically with chaotic energy from the Entity—Mephiles.
His swordplay became increasingly erratic, each swing powerful but wild and uncontrolled. The Sonics dodged and weaved through the attacks, their movements fluid as they coordinated their strikes. Classic Sonic zipped around the fragmented space, using his Spin Dash to disrupt Terios's footing, while Modern Sonic unleashed a barrage of quick, precise strikes, weaving between Terios's unstable attacks.
Riku, now fully immersed in his Dark Aura, timed his attacks perfectly, striking at Terios during the brief moments when he regained control. He launched a Dark Firaga from a distance, the blast hitting Terios squarely in the chest, causing him to falter once more.
"He's losing control!" Riku shouted to the Sonics. "We have to hit him when he's vulnerable!"
Modern Sonic nodded, his eyes focused as he activated his Phantom Rush ability, his body glowing with speed and energy. He rushed Terios in a flurry of rapid attacks, pushing the unstable hedgehog back further.
Terios, his mind unravelling with each strike, cried out in pain. His voice continued to shift back and forth between his own tortured self and the dark entity.
"Stay… out… of my way!" Terios growled through gritted teeth, his sword crackling with unstable energy.
But the trio pressed on, undeterred. They knew they were getting closer to breaking through the darkness that had consumed him.
However, the space around them them twisted, each second becoming more warped and unstable as Terios's mind and body struggled under the immense strain of the dark energy. Terios flickered in and out of existence, his form alternating between himself and the entity trying to take over. His voice wavered, the sound of pain and desperation mixing with cold, mocking laughter.
"I can't… let them… down…" Terios muttered weakly, his sword trembling in his grip. But then, as if a switch was flipped, the dark energy surged, and a deep, menacing voice overtook him.
"They're already lost!" the entity declared with chilling finality.
The environment continued to disintegrate around them. Temporal fissures ripped open the air, warping time and space. Fragments of different eras and worlds merged into the fractured landscape, making it nearly impossible to tell where Castle Oblivion ended and the chaos began. Debris from various timelines hurtled toward the Sonics, forcing them to stay alert.
Terios, under the control of the dark entity, unleashed Reality Rippers, dark energy constructs that tore through space, leaving cracks in reality. Classic Sonic darted between them, his speed and agility allowing him to dodge the attacks with skill. Modern Sonic was just as relentless, weaving through the distortions and attacking when he could.
"I can smell it," Riku remarked, his face stern as he deflected one of the reality rips with his Soul Eater. "That darkness... it's Mephiles."
Modern Sonic glanced back in confusion.
"Mephiles?" He racked his brain, trying to remember. "Wait… I know that name. Back when the Destiny Islands was in the Realm of Darkness… I remember that name being said!"
The tension rose as Terios—no, Mephiles inside him—laughed coldly, the sound distorted by the surrounding chaos.
"That's right, Sonic," Mephiles's voice echoed through Terios, dark and twisted. "It's good to be remembered… even if your fragile little mind can barely piece it together."
Modern Sonic gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the dark energy pressing down on him. He glanced back at Riku, who stood firm with his Soul Eater drawn, dark energy flickering at its edge.
"I don't know you or where you came from, but we're sending your butt back there!" Sonic remarked, squaring his stance.
Terios—no, Mephiles—laughed coldly, and reality around them twisted further. Temporal fissures erupted in the air, launching shards of debris from different times, fragments of cities long lost, echoes of places that never existed.
Classic Sonic darted into action, his expressions communicating his determination. His body blurred into a Spin Dash, deftly avoiding the collapsing debris as he launched himself at Terios. The impact sent Terios skidding back, but the dark energy around him surged in retaliation.
Riku leapt forward, dark aura swirling around him as he slashed with Soul Eater, aiming for Terios's unstable energy.
"You're not the only one who knows how to harness the darkness," Riku said through gritted teeth. His strike hit home, but Terios retaliated, unleashing a burst of chaotic energy that sent Riku skidding back across the fractured ground.
"You still don't understand, do you?" Mephiles hissed through Terios. "This vessel… was created for my purpose. The darkness, time and space… they all bend to me. You're all just delaying the inevitable."
With a growl of fury, Terios raised his sword high, and a shockwave of blue Lumarian energy mixed with dark tendrils exploded from his body, tearing open even more rifts in reality. Pieces of the past and future flew toward the Sonics and Riku—an ancient stone tower here, a fragment of a broken city there, swirling and merging into the battlefield.
"Get ready!" Modern Sonic yelled.
He dodged left as a chunk of debris from another world crashed where he'd stood moments before. Classic Sonic nodded and followed suit, jumping between crumbling ruins as they tried to close the distance to Terios.
But Terios was moving too fast. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned another Reality Rift, warping the battlefield around him. The Sonics struggled to keep up as the ground beneath them warped and shifted, making it nearly impossible to gain any footing.
"You think you can save him?" Mephiles taunted, his voice low and menacing. "This is his destiny, and your future is nothing but oblivion."
Riku, recovering his stance, snarled.
"You don't get to decide anyone's destiny!" he shouted.
He dashed forward, summoning Dark Firaga, the dark flames erupting from his blade and hurtled towards Terios. The blast hit its mark, momentarily disrupting the dark energy surrounding him.
Classic Sonic took advantage of the moment, racing forward with a Spin Attack. The impact hit Terios squarely, knocking him off balance for just a second. But Terios's corrupted aura flared again, and he released a Dark Surge, pushing Classic Sonic back.
Modern Sonic saw the opening.
"Now!" he called out, charging forward in a blur of blue speed, using his Homing Attack to strike Terios hard in the chest. The force sent him crashing into one of the rifts, the dark energy sputtering around him as he staggered to regain his footing.
For a moment, it looked like the combined strikes were enough. Terios's grip on his sword faltered, his lime-green eye flickering as his true self tried to fight back.
"I… I need to save them," Terios muttered weakly, his voice barely audible beneath Mephiles's dark laughter.
Riku stepped forward, his face grim.
"Don't let him control you," he said. "You still have a chance to fight this."
But the moment of vulnerability was brief. Mephiles's voice erupted from Terios again, filled with venom.
"You can't save him, boy. He's mine!"
Terios roared as the lime-green glow in his eye intensified. His sword crackled with dark energy, and the air around him warped and twisted violently. He raised his blade high, summoning a powerful Reality Collapse—a swirling vortex of distorted time and space that pulled everything toward its core.
"Hold on!" Modern Sonic yelled, digging his feet into the unstable ground, but the pull of the vortex was too strong. Debris, time fragments, and even the very air around them began to spiral toward the centre, threatening to consume everything.
Classic Sonic fought against the pull, his small form struggling to stay grounded, while Riku, gritting his teeth, summoned Dark Shield, creating a protective barrier to keep the force of the vortex at bay.
"This is bad," Modern Sonic muttered. "If we don't stop him now, he's going to tear everything apart."
Riku nodded, his face stern as he replied.
"We need to hit him with everything we've got. It's now or never."
As the vortex intensified, Terios's form flickered between his true self and the dark entity within. His voice was a mixture of agony and triumph.
"They're all gone… and soon, you will be too!"
The ground beneath them splintered as the pull of the Reality Collapse intensified, drawing everything closer to its inevitable destruction.
Modern Sonic fought against the relentless force of the vortex, glanced at Riku and Classic Sonic. His eyes hardened with resolve.
"We need to hit him hard, all together!" Sonic shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the collapsing battlefield. "It's now or never!"
Riku nodded, his grip tightening on his Soul Eater as dark energy flared around him. He could feel the weight of the darkness pressing down on Terios, the struggle within him growing fiercer by the second. There was no time to waste.
Terios raised his sword, the weapon crackling with volatile energy as the dark entity within him prepared for one final, devastating strike. The Reality Collapse expanded, its gravitational pull intensifying, drawing in fragments of time and space—distant lands, echoes of forgotten worlds—all converging into a singularity.
"Prepare to be erased!" Mephiles's voice erupted from Terios as he unleashed the full force of the vortex.
The energy twisted and warped the battlefield, pulling the Sonics and Riku closer to the brink of oblivion.
Riku, gritting his teeth, called upon every ounce of darkness within him. Memories of his battle with Ansem flooded his mind—of standing on the edge of being consumed by the very power he now controlled. But this time, Riku was different. This time, the darkness was his to command.
With a surge of determination, Riku summoned his power, launching a final Dark Firaga straight at Terios. The burning flames twisted and spiralled, cutting through the chaos as they streaked toward Terios's lime-green eye.
The impact was immediate. Terios let out a guttural scream of agony, clutching his face as the Dark Firaga struck its mark. His sword faltered, his stance wavered, and the glow in his eye flickered violently. The gravitational pull of the vortex shifted erratically, losing its stability as Terios struggled to regain control.
"Ahh, I can't… see!" Terios howled, his voice a mixture of panic and pain.
His hand clutched at his eye, the dark energy around him sputtering chaotically as his body staggered under the strain.
The Reality Collapse above them twisted violently, warping the battlefield further as the loss of Terios's control sent shockwaves through the already fractured space. Chunks of shattered timelines and debris from alternate realities were sucked into the vortex, spiralling dangerously overhead. The battlefield itself was coming apart at the seams.
"Now!" Modern Sonic shouted, his eyes blazing with determination. "We finish this—together!"
Without hesitation, Modern Sonic activated Phantom Rush, his body glowing with energy as he blitzed toward Terios at breakneck speed. His form became a blur of afterimages, each strike landing with rapid precision, pushing Terios back with every hit.
Classic Sonic, watching his future counterpart, revved up his Spin Dash, curling into a tightly wound ball. With a burst of speed, he launched himself toward Terios's legs, his spinning form hitting with a force that shook the ground beneath them.
Not to be outdone, Riku summoned a dark storm of energy around him, his eyes narrowing as he tapped into the full extent of his power. His Dark Maelstrom erupted, a swirling vortex of darkness surrounding him as he charged toward Terios. Dark tendrils lashed out, striking Terios with brutal force, pushing him further toward the edge of the battlefield.
Terios, blinded and disoriented, staggered backward, unable to control the gravitational forces he had unleashed. His sword flailed wildly, but his attacks were unfocused, his strength waning under the combined assault of the Sonics and Riku.
"I need to… protect them!" Terios cried out, his voice desperate, his mind unravelling.
But it was too late.
As the Reality Collapse spiralled out of control, something massive tore through the fabric of space—a towering building, ripped from a distant timeline, came crashing down toward the battlefield. The gravitational pull of the vortex had dragged it in, the immense structure hurdling directly toward Terios.
The Sonics and Riku barely had time to react.
"Move!" Modern Sonic shouted, grabbing Classic Sonic and dashing out of the way just as the building came crashing down with a deafening roar.
Riku, seeing the towering structure hurtling toward them, reacted in an instant. With a swift motion, he leaped into the air, summoning his Dark Shield mid-flight. The shield absorbed the debris flying toward him as he twisted in the air, landing gracefully a short distance away from the impending crash.
The ground trembled beneath them, the shockwaves rippling outward as the massive building slammed into Terios. The air filled with thick dust and swirling debris, the remnants of the Reality Collapse sputtering out and dissolving as the gravitational pull weakened and faded. The chaotic rift in time and space slowly began to stabilize, and the battlefield grew eerily still.
For a moment, there was only silence.
As the dust settled, the once chaotic scene revealed the wreckage where Terios had fallen. His form was barely visible beneath the massive structure, the flickering blue glow of Lumarian energy now dimmed. The once bright, lime-green light of Mephiles's influence had vanished, leaving Terios motionless and broken beneath the weight of the debris—but not entirely destroyed.
Modern Sonic approached the wreckage slowly, his expression grim and serious. He stood over the fallen protector, his eyes scanning the ruins with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. Beside him, Classic Sonic glanced up at his future self, his wide eyes reflecting both concern and cautious optimism. He gave a subtle, determined nod, always ready for whatever came next.
Riku, his breath steady but his grip on the Soul Eater still firm, walked forward carefully. He looked down at Terios, the flickering remnants of Lumarian energy barely visible from beneath the rubble. His face was unreadable, but his eyes betrayed a deep, lingering unease.
"The darkness… the manipulation…" Riku muttered, his voice low, almost contemplative. "It's not finished yet."
Modern Sonic nodded, his gaze lingering on Terios's unmoving form. "Yeah… I feel like there are still more questions that need answering." His voice, though steady, carried a sense of unfinished business, as though they had only scratched the surface of the deeper mystery surrounding Terios and the forces at play.
Classic Sonic, ever silent, gave a firm nod, his steely expression mirroring the resolve of his future self. Though he couldn't speak, the intensity in his eyes was enough to communicate his readiness for whatever challenges lay ahead.
RANK: S
Suddenly, the chaotic battlefield around them began to shift. The twisted and distorted space, once teetering on the edge of collapse, shimmered and flickered, changing back to the familiar lobby of Castle Oblivion. The fractured remnants of the Reality Collapse dissipated, and even the massive rubble that had crashed down on Terios seemed to vanish into nothingness, leaving the room eerily pristine.
But Terios still lay there, unconscious on the cold floor, his body motionless.
Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, and Riku stood over him, their expressions tense, as the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the nearby corridor. Modern Tails, Classic Tails, and Naminé rushed into the room, their eyes immediately locking onto Terios's still form.
"I'm glad you guys are okay," Modern Tails remarked, visibly relieved.
"Good to see you made it to safety," Modern Sonic replied, nodding with a mix of relief and lingering concern.
"Is it over?" Classic Tails asked, eyeing Terios cautiously.
"Yeah," Modern Sonic answered, his voice low. "For now."
As they all gathered around, Modern Sonic's eyes darted around the room. A sudden realization struck him, and he furrowed his brow.
"Wait… where's that guy? Where'd he go?" he asked, scanning the lobby for any sign of the mysterious man.
Modern Tails shook his head as he explained.
"He disappeared when we got to safety. That guy is so cryptic… always vanishing when things get intense," he muttered in frustration.
"That guy is such a pain," Modern Sonic sighed, crossing his arms.
Even Classic Sonic looked deflated by the man's constant elusiveness.
"So, what now?" Classic Tails asked, scratching his head as Classic Sonic mirrored his confusion.
Riku stood silent, eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the situation. He knew exactly who the man in red bandages was, but revealing everything now didn't seem right. Not yet. His gaze shifted to Naminé.
"You alright?" he asked, his tone soft but attentive.
"Yes, I'm okay," Naminé replied with a small nod to Riku, relief evident in her expression.
"And I see you two already know each other," Modern Sonic remarked, glancing between Naminé and Riku. "At least I don't have to introduce everyone."
Modern Tails suddenly looked at Riku with wide eyes, recognition dawning on him.
"Wait… you're Riku, right? From before?" he asked. "I thought you were in the Realm of Darkness after closing the Door with Shadow, Silver, and The King?"
Riku nodded, his expression unreadable.
"Yeah, I've been… around. A lot's been going on," he explained.
Modern Tails frowned, processing this.
"We saw Shadow earlier, but where are Silver and King Mickey now?" Tails questioned.
"They're… around," Riku responded, his tone distant, offering no further details.
"A bit cryptic there don't you think, Riku?" Modern Sonic remarked, folding his arms with a smirk. "Want to tell us what's going on?"
Riku gave a knowing smile in return.
"Like I said... Long story."
Modern Sonic shook his head, sighing in mock exasperation.
"Figures," the hedgehog muttered.
Classic Sonic exchanged a glance with Classic Tails, both looking puzzled by the exchange. Classic Tails turned to Modern Tails.
"Who is this guy?" the young fox asked.
Modern Tails smiled awkwardly before explaining.
"Riku's a friend… sort of. He was manipulated by the darkness for a while, working with Maleficent. But it turns out he was being controlled by Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness."
Classic Tails blinked, overwhelmed.
"That's a lot to take in…" he remarked.
Modern Tails continued, "But Riku helped close the Door to Darkness. Helping to stop the darkness from taking over the many worlds out there."
Modern Sonic chimed in, glancing at Riku.
"And. he helped us stop an out-of-control Terios, so he's definitely one of the good guys now!"
Riku nodded, appreciative but serious.
"Thanks, Sonic. But I think there are still more questions that need answering," he admitted.
Naminé stepped forward, her gaze falling on Terios. The weight of everything that had happened rested heavily in her eyes, and for the first time, there was no mystery or uncertainty in her voice.
"I think… everyone deserves the truth," Naminé said firmly. She looked at Modern Sonic, her expression softening but still serious. "You've all been kept in the dark for too long."
Modern Sonic, sensing the gravity of her words, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Naminé? he asked.
Naminé knelt beside Terios briefly before standing again and turning to face the group. Her resolve was clear.
"We need to take Terios to White Space. There are things you all need to understand—things that have been hidden for too long."
The room fell silent, her words hanging heavily in the air. Modern Sonic exchanged glances with Riku, Classic Sonic, and both Tails variants. Deep down, they knew that this battle had left too many unanswered questions.
Modern Sonic took a deep breath, his voice calm but resolute.
"Alright, Naminé. Let's go to White Space," he remarked.
Everyone nodded silently in agreement, understanding that the answers they sought were just as important as the battle they had just fought.
As they prepared to leave, a sense of anticipation hung in the air. The truth about Terios, the dark forces manipulating him, and the roles they all had to play were waiting for them—just beyond the veil of White Space.
Another chapter down. And this was a long one, but full of action!
I hope you enjoyed reading it, took me a couple of re-writes. Especially the lead up to the battle.
Riku has arrived. This is the end of his story in Chain of Memories, so he is aware of the Man and Naminé. Mickey is somewhere, maybe we will see him in the next chapter. Who knows?
Mephiles making a small cameo was interesting. The shard was reacting to the stress and darkness within Terios, allowing him to take over for that short time.
Sonic is connecting the dots it seems, everything starting to fall into place for him. But more needs to be discovered, questions need answering.
The Replica is lingering also, so we shall see where that leads in the next chapters.
Thanks again for reading. Big shout out to everyone who has favourited and followed this story so far.
