Chapter 36 PART TWO

Altering the Deal

The gorge delved a deep pocket into the otherwise flat stretch of decimated forest. Before the blast, the density of the trees concealed the true expanse of the gorge, hiding the steep rocky slope from unwary travelers. The trees were gone now. Blow apart and scattered to the wind like dust. All that remained were the densest and oldest trunks to serve like the headstones of a graveyard.

In the open, the gorge appeared like a barren canyon in the desert. Cream could see the dried crevices where waterfalls fell into the deep pools at the bottom. The only signs of life were down at the bottom of the gorge. It was difficult to tell from so high up, but there were definitely trees and untouched pockets of preserved earth.

Emerl stood beside her and peered down. "I cannot see a cave."

"It's hidden in the water. There is a pool far below and the cave is located beneath the arc of the waterfall."

Emerl nodded and soared up into the air, propelled from the jet like flames issuing from his feet and palms. "Lead the way."

Cream hesitated. She turned back just as Heavy King came striding towards her followed by the rest of the Heavies. "If…if…" Cream could not bear herself to say it. "Do you promise not to hurt anyone? To just take the emerald and leave?"

"Of course," Heavy King assured her. "We want nothing else from you."

Trembling slightly, Cream extended her ears and let a gust of wind bear her up into the sky. She hurried after Emerl. When she caught up to him she looked back and saw the Heavies still standing by the edge of the cliff. "Can they not fly?"

"Magician can, sort of." Emerl explained. "But they will meet us there once I confirm the location."

Cream smiled slightly. She did not want the Heavies to be there. If she found the cave and discovered that it was empty, Cream did not know how she would react. Having the unfriendly eyes of the Heavies upon her, would only make her grief worse.

As they descended, Cream saw more and more green. The cliffs of the gorge had clearly served as a barrier against the furthest reach of the blast. However, it was still difficult for Cream to orient herself. When she had visited the cave as a child it had been as part of a group sent from the village. That time, they had taken a long sweeping road that circled all around the gorge. That was the only way to descend without flying.

Cream tried to locate familiar markers but everything was distorted. She led Emerl to a pool at the bottom of the gorge, but it only took her a minute or so to realize it was not the correct one. Emerl said nothing as Cream continued her search. Cheese rested in the front pocket of her dress and tried its best to assist.

It was Cheese who finally let out a squeal of recognition and pointed towards a pool half concealed by a dense encirclement of trees. Cream led Emerl through the bramble and at the far end they found a pool of water cradled by the walls of the cliff. The rock extended over the water and Cream saw the edge where water would have cascaded downward. Now the rock was dry as the water must have been from the river whose flow had stopped.

"There it is." Cream said, trembling. Her visor had fogged again and Cream's vision was obstructed but she knew she had found the right place.

Emerl paused by the edge of the pool. "The water may be contaminated. It would not be wise for you to touch it." He turned back to her and offered out his hand.

Cream reluctantly accepted his assistance. She let out a gasp as Emerl lifted her clean off her feet and held her in both arms. Emerl carried her as if she weighed nothing at all. The jets in his feet allowed him to hover inches above the water and glide gently across the surface. He bent down when they approached the overhanging rock. Cream was breathing heavily now, her heart racing painfully inside her chest.

She had forgotten how long the antichamber was. Emerl was eventually forced to land and half submerge himself in the water. He held Cream just above the water and crept cautiously forward. The light dimmed as they delved deeper and deeper into the cave. Emerl paused when the darkness became absolute. Flash. Yellow lights emitted out of his eyes. They revealed the slimy cave walls and Cream could detect that the cave slanted upward just ahead.

Emerl surged forward and step by step he was raised out of the water. At last they stood upon a makeshift threshold before a wide opening like an entrance. Emerl set Cream onto her feet. The cave mouth was much more sinister than Cream remembered. She shivered slightly and stepped closer to Emerl.

He peered into the depths but even the light shining from his eyes seemed to fail. "This is some cave," He whispered. His voice echoed but the return voice sounded strained and hollow. Cheese took refuge deeper in Cream's pocket.

Emerl strode forward. Not wanting to be left alone, Cream hurried after him. Every step they took echoed loudly and cresceoned down the dark tunnel before them. The air was cold and dank and Cream found herself rubbing her arms to stay warm. "What's that?" Emerl breathed.

Cream saw nothing but the two yellow lights emitting from Emerl's eyes. "I…I don't see anything."

Flash. Emerl's lights vanished. Darkness stole over Cream. She blinked several times and then it came into focus. An ethereal veil of yellow light was shimmering just ahead of them. The veil blocked the tunnel and moved like the ripples of a disturbed pool of water. As they got closer, Cream noticed it was far more solid than it appeared at first. The ripples seemed to alter states of matter, shifting from a gas, liquid and solid interchangeably.

Emerl took Cream's hand. "Don't touch it." He hissed.

Cream was surprised to find her hand in the air. She did not remember reaching forward. There was something definitely alluring about the veil though. It danced in Cream's eyes and the more she looked at it the more she wanted to reach out and feel it. A strange echoing sound emitted beyond her sight. Cream tried to identify the sound because she felt that it was immensely familiar to her. Someone was singing, but not just anyone. "Mother?"

"Stand back." Emerl pushed her away. Cream had just attempted to walk into the veil. Her mother's voice was growing louder inside her head. She was just beyond the veil singing her a lullaby.

"It's my mother." Cream insisted. "She's calling to me."

"Nobody is singing." Emerl insisted. "The veil is trying to draw you forward."

Cream tried to push past him but he shoved her backward into the wall. Why could he not hear it? Vanilla's voice was just as clear as Emerl's. She was standing behind the veil calling her daughter. Cheese erupted out of Cream's pocket and soared at the veil. Emerl caught the Chao inches away from the shifting surface. For just a second, the veil parted. The gold light turned a vengeful red. The singing turned into a hungry, piercing cry. The surface hardened and a hand reached out to try and snatch the Chao. Emerl was faster, he pulled it away and tossed Cheese back at Cream.

In an instant, the veil returned to normal. The ghostly singing resumed as if nothing had happened. Cream blinked and clutched Cheese tightly. "What was that?"

"This is some kind of barrier," Emerl explained. "I know this energy. This was created with the Chaos Emerald." He turned back to Cream. "Would someone from your village be able to create this? Do you think they put it here to protect themselves?"

Cream shook her head. "No one had ever even seen a Chaos Emerald before Tails brought one."

"That's what I thought." Emerl sounded uncertain. He held his palm out flat against the shifting veil.

"Don't!" Cream cried, but it was too late. The veil turned red again and the hand reached out and seized Emerl by the wrist.

However, it did not pull him forward. Emerl's entire body shone with a golden light and bursts of yellow electric bolts went firing in every direction. Cream crouched down and hid away. She peeked between the fingers covering her face to see Emerl projecting a golden aurora onto the veil. The red mist continued to solidify until it turned black, cracked and faded into dust.

Emerl withdrew his hand. "Come on." He said simply.

Cream rose to her feet and followed after him. "What did you do?" She whispered.

"I overrode the energy. Whatever was causing that barrier has less connection to the emeralds than I do. Don't be afraid." He said, his eyes flashing suddenly. "I can protect us."

Emerl strode ahead and Cream hurried to keep pace with him. He did not reactivate the light from his eyes and after a few moments of walking in darkness, Cream saw the faint trace of light up ahead. "I think you can remove your mask." Emerl said suddenly. "The air here is not contaminated."

He reached behind her and helped unbuckle the straps. The mask came loose and Cream placed it on the ground. "Let's be as quiet as we can from here on." Emerl whispered.

Cream did not need to be told that. She was already feeling like she did not want to be noticed, though she could not say why she felt so afraid. Emerl bent low and crept forward, Cream did the same and followed.

A minute later they reached the light. Cream had to cover her mouth to keep from crying out. The cave had opened up into a far larger chamber and the light was issuing out of the machine Tails had built. The glass cover had been stripped away and the yellow Chaos Emerald was openly displayed. Various wires topped with diamonds were strapped to the emerald. The wires pulsed with energy and the emerald glowed with otherworldly brightness. However, that was not what made Cream's heart start thumping madly in her chest.

A great metal slab had been constructed beside the emerald. On the slab was a frame which housed the parts of a metallic creature shaped like a hedgehog. The wires ran from the emerald over to the frame and Cream could see the eyes inside the skull glowing a soft flame like yellow.

Shadowy figures bent low over the frame and Cream could hear the faint sound of tools. One rose up to attach something to the frame and Cream saw the unmistakable silhouette of her mother. She felt Cheese tremble in her pocket and Cream yearned to call out to her. Seconds later, she was glad she did not.

Machines coated in a white polymer exterior entered the circle of light. They circled around the emerald and seemed to be attempting to record some kind of data from it. One of the workers stopped what he was doing to watch the robots. Cream identified the figure as Strider, the village elder. When the machines spotted him their metal eyes glowed red with menace.

"No!" She cried out as one flashed a whip and struck the elder across the face. Cream's scream alerted the machines to her presence. In a flash, six more came wheeling out of the darkness.

They never got within five feet of her. BLAST! Emerl had leapt in front of Cream. A bolt of yellow energy had shot out of his hand and struck one of the machines. It burst into flames and took one of its fellows out with it. The rest of the machines drew back and created a circle around the Chaos Emerald.

"Cream no! Get away!" Vanilla was behind the machines and her face was black with soot. She looked pale and exhausted. Her ears drooped and her eyes were alight with fear.

"Leave my mother alone!" Cream shouted at the machines. "Who are you?"

In response, a dozen more machines emerged from the darkness. They clustered around the Chaos Emerald. "We are Legion." A cold, cryptic voice answered. Cream looked around for the source. It took her a while to notice it was coming out of the metal hedgehog. "How have you entered this place?"

Cream shuddered but Emerl did not seem afraid. He lowered his hand and took another step forward. "Aurora? Is that you?" He asked.

"The Gizoid? What are you doing here?" The voice replied.

"I'm here for the emerald. Let these people go."

Cream cringed as a mirthless laughter echoed through the cave. "You are alone and yet you threaten me?"

"You'd need hundreds of your little Cybers if you plan on fighting me."

"But you do not approve of violence. That is why our master threw you aside, is it not?"

"I'll make an exception for you." Emerl growled. "Your blast killed countless people. You don't deserve mercy."

The Cybers had raised their weapons and targeted Cream and Emerl. However, when the voice started again, they all turned aside and took aim at Vanilla and the village Elder. "No!" Cream screamed.

"We have dozens of them here. There are too few of us left, so I am using these flesh bags to do my work. If you attempt to take the emerald from me, then you will have to do so with their deaths on your conscience."

Cream whimpered. Her eyes darted back and forth from Emerl and her mother. "What makes you think I'd care?" Emerl said. "They mean nothing to me."

"You care because you are a flawed machine." Aurora shot back. "I am privy to all of the doctor's notes. I know you Emerl. You may possess the power to defeat me, but you lack the will to do what must be done. A pity you came alone."

"He's not alone!" Cream spun around. Heavy King and the rest of the Hard Boiled Heavies came striding forward. King stood beside Emerl and jammed his rod into the cave floor. Thud! The sound echoed throughout the chamber. "Is that really you Aurora? I thought you were dead?"

"You…" The voice hissed. "I cannot be killed so easily. When the fox and Sonic attacked this base I injected a spare bit of my code into my Cybers. It was too easy for the Tails to hack into my database and I feared what would happen if he got access to my main computer at Red Mountain. It was well that I did. He wiped my main code, but I had this spare hidden away just in case."

"Impressive," Heavy King replied. "Though I wonder if it would have been better just to go out with the bang you set off. This hiding in a cave and trying to rebuild yourself is quite pathetic."

"The doctor created me to be the ultimate being. A code that could replicate itself and store itself onto almost anything. I am the perfect creature, the next step in evolution. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Heavy King let out a bark of laughter. "You're yesterday's trash. Your little reign is over. Metal Overlord defeated you. This is just your echo."

"I am more than that!" The voice snapped. "The doctor ordered me to preserve the empire until his return and I intend to do so. You and the rest of the traitors will feel his wrath."

Aurora's threat fell on deaf ears. None of the Heavies seemed even slightly perturbed. "What's with the Metal Sonic?" Heavy Magician asked, pointing to the frame.

"After my defeat at Red Mountain I realized I had underestimated the utility of possessing a physical form."

"I didn't realize a computer could lie," Heavy King accused. "You are too much like your master. You got an up close view of Sonic and were overwhelmed by his power. So just like the doctor you decided you would fabricate some of that power for yourself. Hah! You are just as pathetic as he was."

"How dare you…" Threatened Aurora. The voice had changed. A computerized drone mingled with the woman's voice. The effect made Cream's spine tingle.

"And what about the Chaos Emerald?" Heavy King asked. "What are you doing with it?"

"Why should I tell you? Traitor."

"Because you are an egomaniacal narcissist just like Robotnik. It would never be enough for you to win, you desire an audience to applaud your genius."

Aurora did not respond right away. However, Cream found her silence far more threatening than her voice. She and her mother caught each other's eye. It will be okay. Vanilla mouthed.

"Very well." Aurora started. ""Before igniting the base at Hot Crator I sent the Cybers bearing my code away. They found this village and located the most extraordinary machine. I eventually discovered that it was built by Tails, and the machine successfully harnessed the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Like the short sighted creature that he is, the fox had used this great power as a water purifier. I, however, realized its true potential. With the emerald, I can power this body and use it to destroy Metal Sonic and his minions."

"You could." Heavy King agreed. "But we are going to have to take that emerald from you."

Aurora changed tactics. Her voice softened. "Why must we fight? We three parties represent some of the greatest achievements of our master. I, the first and greatest artificial intelligence, you and your Heavies are the first successful blend between machine and organic specimens. And Emerl, you are the achievement of an ancient civilization, capable of power far beyond anything this world can offer. Together, we can reform the empire. Take it back from Metal and his rebels. We could not only hold the empire until the doctor returns, but extend it further, finally take this world over for him."

Heavy King dug his rod further into the cave floor. "I will do no such thing. Only one hand at a time can wield the scepter of power." He raised his rod into the air. "I am the Heavy King, and I will not serve any master ever again."

One of the Cybers broke rank. It seized Vanilla and wrestled her over to the front of the group. Vanilla struggled against her captor, but stopped when the barrel of the Cyber's blaster pressed against her head. Cream made a desperate attempt to rush to her aid before Emerl snatched her arm to hold her back.

"Take another step forward and I will kill them all!" Aurora screamed.

Heavy King answered with a laugh. A moment later, all the heavies were laughing except Emerl. "Why would I care? Have you really fallen this low? The only thing I care about in this cave is that Chaos Emerald. You don't have the power to destroy that, so go ahead and make a mess while you go down. It makes no difference to me."

"No….please…" Cream was weeping. She rushed over to Heavy King and dropped down at his knee. "You promised you wouldn't hurt them. You said you just wanted the emerald-"

"And I do. I am not the one making the threats," Heavy King snarled.

Cream felt paralyzed by powerlessness. Neither King nor Aurora cared who was being threatened. Neither party had even the slightest bit of empathy. "Let the blood be on your hands then." Aurora returned. "I will soak the earth in it before I go."

"Get on with it then!" King shouted. "You are only delaying the inevitable. Your Cybers cannot stop us, and I will personally ensure that every last line of your code is wiped out for good."

"Fool! Do you think you will withstand what is coming? Take the emerald if you wish. Let its power delude you. But he is coming. A thousand emeralds could not preserve you against him. The Realm Lord will turn this world to dust as he has done to all the others!"

Cream couldn't breath. She lost track of Aurora's continued manic rambling. Her throat continued to constrict. Lack of air was making her dizzy. She watched, as if seeing it through the far end of a lung hazy tunnel, as her mother made one final attempt to flee before the Cyber holding her tightened its grip. Relenting, Vanilla opened her eyes and found Cream's. She smiled softly. "It's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

"DIE!"

"ENOUGH!"

Two terrible screams fought until one subcommed to the other. A blinding mix of colored light flashed in Cream's face. Emerl was hovering in the air. Four Chaos Emeralds circled around him. His golden eyes had turned white and were shining in the darkness. In the blink of an eye he vanished. Cream whirled around and saw him standing beside Vanilla. The Cyber that had been threatening her had been ripped to pieces.

There was another flash of light. Cream covered her face. Screams and blaster fire echoed overhead. Cream stayed low to the ground and covered Cheese in her hands. As quickly as it started, the commotion ended. A deep silence followed.

Terrified at what she might see, Cream opened her eyes. All the Cybers had been destroyed. The metal frame had been thrown down and the parts of the hedgehog had scattered around the cave. Emerl had reached inside into the machine and retrieved the yellow Chaos Emerald.

"Mother!" Cream jumped up and rushed to her mother's side. Vanilla had been thrown to the ground but moved as Cream approached. Relief swelled in Cream's heart as she embraced her mother. Vanilla was crying as he tightened her grip around her daughter.

"You…you're safe." Vanilla sobbed. "When you didn't return…I thought….I thought…" But whatever she thought didn't matter. All the grief of the previous days did not matter. Nothing mattered except the smell and feel of her mother's embrace.

"What the hell was that?" Heavy King bellowed. Cream turned her head to see the Hard Boiled Heavies circle around Emerl. "I don't remember giving you permission to use the Chaos Emeralds."

The four gems were still spiraling around Emerl. He clutched the fifth tightly in his hand and dropped his head. "Aurora is an unpredictable foe. We all know what she did when Metal had her beat, there was no telling what she might do. She dropped her guard and I seized my chance."

All the power and vigor he had demonstrated only seconds before was gone. Emerl passively handed over the yellow emerald to Heavy King, who snatched it from Emerl's grip and held it up to his eye. "Well…I suppose there was no harm done. Still, in the future, do nothing until I give you a direct command."

Heavy King took all the Chaos Emeralds and stored them back in their case before walking over to the fallen frame and standing over the skull of the metal hedgehog. A faint trace of light still lingered in the empty eye sockets. "Not so mighty after all." Heavy King stomped his foot on the skull and crushed it into pieces. He then approached the retrofitted machine Tails had built and examined it closely. "Come here," He snapped at Cream.

Instinctively, Cream turned to her mother. Vanilla's expression of relief soured in an instant. She nodded gently at Cream, who rose to her feet and went over to Heavy King's side. "You say Tails built this?"

"Yes."

Heavy King rubbed his chin as if he was pulling on a beard. "In that case, I am afraid that I must alter our deal." He spun around and towered over Cream. A second later, Heavy Shinobi had drawn his sword. Gunner and Rider had drawn their weapons as well and Magician had cloaked herself in a black aurora.

"Wh…what?" Cream squeaked.

"Where can I find Tails? He may have another Chaos Emerald. You tracked him down. I want you to to tell us where he lives."

"Fiend!" They all turned to see Strider, rising unsteadily to his feet. He had a long gash across his face where he had been struck by the whip. "That young man aided this village. We will not betray his trust by giving him up to the likes of you!"

Click. Gunner had taken aim at the elder with his rocket launcher. "Want me to toast the old man?"

"There won't be any need for that." Heavy King insisted. "They will tell me what I want to know."

Cream felt her blood boil. Rage was overcoming her fear. After all she had been through, now they wanted her to betray Tails? Her hands were balled into fists. "No…I…I did what you said. You promised. You promised to take the emerald and leave."

The heavies answered with laughter. "I am a King. I say what I like, and I do not have to explain myself. Now unless you want us to finish what Aurora started, tell me where to find the fox."

"No!" Emerl had rushed to Cream's side. "Leave them alone. We can find Tails on our own. Cream has already done enough for us."

"Cream?" Heavy King asked savagely. "Fool. Why do you even know her name? She is a means, and only serves as that function as long as there is an end she can point us to." Heavy Shinobi came forward, his sword held high and his eyes locked vengefully on Emerl.

Emerl, however, continued to stare at the ground. "Please…just let her go…"

"I will. As soon as she tells me what I want to hear." King moved forward. He put a hand on Emerl's shoulder and pushed him out of the way. To Cream's surprise, Emerl allowed himself to be flung aside like a ragdoll. "Now," King started, raising his rod and pointing it threateningly at Cream. "Where does Tails live?"

Cream was crying again, but not from grief. The sheer injustice of the situation was making her feel a rage so profound she thought she might burst. "No…" She breathed. "I…I won't. You lied."

"Insolent brat!" Cream saw Heavy King's palm rear back and she closed her eyes. However, the slap never arrived. When she opened them she found Emerl, again standing in front of her.

"You…" Heavy King snarled. His attack had glanced off of Emerl's gilded armor without leaving a trace.

"Stop this violence," He pleaded.

The other heavies came to their leader's defense. "Stay back," King said softly. "This one seems to have forgotten himself. I suppose he is need of a demonstration." Heavy King rose to his full height and lifted up his golden staff. "Emerl! Make the girl tell you where Tails is."

The rod flashed twice and then Emerl's eyes flashed twice as well. He turned slowly back to Cream. "I…" His voice sounded strained as if he was fighting some inward battle. "I'm sorry…" He reached out with two fingers and Cream knew what he planned to do. She leapt backward to get away but Emerl rushed forward. Cheese came flying out of her pocket but Emerl knocked the Chao aside.

Cream balled her hand into a fist, closed her eyes and punched. Emerl caught her attack with laughable ease. He tightened his grip around her hand and Cream dropped to her knees. At that moment, Cream hated Emerl more than anyone. She loathed his yellow eyes that were at once so alien and cold, while simultaneously so warm and full of depth. His previous defense of her was completely forgotten. She loathed his passivity. He had all the power she did not, but had no agency to use it.

With Cream subdued, Emerl was free to place his fingers on her forehead. Her eyes spun back into her head and again Cream felt herself fall into a living memory.

She saw herself flying to Tail's house. She watched as she entered his workshop and met him for the first time. The vision shattered an instant later and Emerl released her. Cream fell forward onto her hands and knees. "Tails has a workshop in the Mystic Ruins." Emerl told Heavy King. "Not far from the train station leading to Station Square."

"Very good." King said, lowering his staff. "Now come along, we're done with these people."

Cream felt Emerl watching her but she refused to lift her head and catch his eye. After a moment or so, he turned away. Cream listened as the footsteps of the heavies receded.

"I can't believe we found Aurora," Heavy Rider exclaimed.

"I know, what was that about? She's lost her mind. What the heck is a Realm Lord?" Heavy Magician asked. Cream waited until their voices faded into silence. When they were finally gone for good, she rose unsteadily to her feet. Vanilla came rushing over to her.

"My girl…my sweet girl." Vanilla wrapped Cream in a tight embrace.

"Those squandrols." Strider growled with a shake of his head. "Did they capture you dear?"

"Yes." Cream admitted softly. Something very strange was happening inside Cream. She was back with her mother and fellow villagers but she did not feel the relief she had expected. Instead, she was racked with anxiety, worried about what would happen to Tails now that his address had been extracted from her.

"Come along now Cream," Strider offered, pointing still deeper into the cave. The rest of the village will want to see you. We don't have much but we have some spare food. That A.I or whatever didn't want us to starve."

Cream smiled faintly but did not follow Strider when he started limping in that direction. Vanilla stayed behind with her daughter. "What's wrong?"

"Tails…they will go after him now. I…I wish there was some way I could warn him."

"You've done all you can." Vanilla said firmly. "Look at all that you've been through already." She knelt beside Cream and held her hands gently. "I'm so proud of you, and you've been so brave, but I think it's time for you to come home."

Tears fell onto their held hands and Cream realized that she was still crying. She had tried to be brave. Again and again over the course of her journey she had stifferend her resolve against challenges she never imagined she could overcome. But she did not feel that she could stay. Some barrier hung between her and her mother that prevented Cream from fully enjoying their reunion.

"Let's go back. We will have to find a new place to live and build a new village. Our people need you now Cream. Come home." Vanilla rose and pulled Cream behind her. For a few steps she followed meekly behind her mother. They paused when they reached the spot where Cheese had been knocked to the ground. Vanilla knelt down to scoop it up. "You've been through it as well haven't you?" Vanilla asked as she brushed the dirt off the Chao.

"Chao.." Cheese agreed.

Vanilla handed Cheese back over to Cream and started walking again. But this time Cream did not follow. Her and Cheese were staring at one another. Cream could see that the relief the Chao wanted to feel was blocked by the same feeling of unfinished business that was plaguing Cream. "I have to go." Cream heard herself say.

Vanilla spun around. "Cream no…I..I'm sorry but I forbid it. Stay here with us."

"Tails might need my help."

"That boy can take care of himself."

Cream shook her head. "He doesn't know. Emerl is much stronger than he lets on. If King forces him to fight Tails…" She did not finish her thought. The more she spoke the more certain Cream became. She had to go, she had to reach Tails before the others. Before her mother could protest, Cream turned around and started sprinting in the opposite direction.

Her mother called after her and gave chase but Cream was much faster. At the edge of the main chamber, Cream paused and retrieved her mask. She strapped it over her face and kept running until she was out of the cave. The water reeked, but Cream kept her mouth and eyes closed as she waded through it.

When she emerged from the pool, she saw a distant glint of gold in the distance. Cream swiftly took to the sky and soared out of the gorge. Emerl and the heavies were going back to where they had parked the Heavy Brigadir. Cream prayed fervently that they would not go straight to the Mystic Ruins. She had to reach Tails before them. Extending her ears, she caught a gust of wind and flew towards the setting sun.