Chapter 44
The Power of the Gem
Sonic bolted straight at Zero. The jackal's smirk faded as he just managed to avoid Sonic's kick. He wasn't so lucky with the follow up. Sonic pinballed off a collapsed temple wall and propelled himself at Zero, striking the jackal in the gut. Zero doubled over and coughed.
"Do you need a minute to catch your breath?" Sonic quipped. He leaned lazily against the ruins, pretending to be bored of the whole affair.
Zero wiped the saliva dripping down his snout. "Lucky shot," He growled.
"Well you know what they say, it is better to be lucky than-" Zero bounded forward before Sonic could finish. He was much quicker on all fours than Sonic would have guessed, but still too slow for the fastest thing alive. Sonic ran straight up the wall behind him and launched himself into the air, landing behind Zero. In a feat of surprising acrobatics, Zero dug his claws into the ground and spun himself around so fast Sonic did not have a chance to get his guard up.
Zero landed a kick in Sonic's stomach, and followed up with savage strikes at his head. Sharp claws whizzed past Sonic's face as the jackal attempted to land a fatal blow. "You're good," Sonic said as he retreated. "Too bad you're a little slow."
"Oh yeah? Then why are you the one losing ground?"
"Cause I was waiting for this," Sonic sidestepped and Zero's next swipe struck a pillar. Dust sprayed into the jackal's face and left Sonic free to slip behind him. Sonic spin dashed into Zero's back slamming him face first into the pillar.
"Argh!" Zero howled with rage as Sonic kept revving. The pillar cracked as Zero's body was pressed deeper into the stone. BLAST! Zero fired his blaster into the pillar destroying it in an instant and freeing him from Sonic's attack.
Sonic drew back as Zero spun around and started firing blindly. Yellow bolts of energy went soaring in every direction, but they were far too slow to threaten Sonic. He moved past them with laughable ease, stopping every now again to pull a face or mock his foe.
"Stop this!" Priam exclaimed. "You are destroying this mighty temple!"
Zero paused but Priam's lament only made him smirk. "Only a Thirteen could call a ruin like this a temple." The jackal caught his breath and lowered his arm. "You're more skilled than I thought." He said to Sonic. "But this fight isn't over."
"Is that what we've been doing? I thought you were trying to show me how bad at shooting you were."
Zero's face twisted with anger. However, he seemed to have learned from his previous mistake. He did not charge directly at Sonic, instead opting to circle to his left. Sonic watched him closely, but his mind was not focused on the fight. There are twenty of them. He would need to take down Zero and the rest of his squadron before they could hurt any more of the Thirteens.
"Fool!" Zero fired his weapon, but he intentionally missed Sonic. The blast struck a tile on the ground right in front of Sonic causing a cloud of dust to obscure his vision. Sonic sidestepped to his right but moved straight into Zero. The jackal pounced on him and wrestled Sonic to the ground. Sweat and fur filled Sonic's mouth as Zero pinned him to the floor. "Now die!"
Sonic saw a brief flash of yellow. He ducked his head and felt the ground crack beneath him. Sonic seized Zero by the arms and rolled him to the side. Zero used the inertia to heave Sonic off the ground. He spun Sonic around three times before launching him into a wall. That was a mistake. Sonic rolled into a ball and bounced harmlessly off the ruin and rebounded on Zero. SMACK!
The impact sent Zero soaring backward. Sonic unwound himself and sprinted forward reaching Zero before he could even reach the ground. He aimed a kick at the jackal's back, bending him in two and propelling him into the sky. Sonic then raced up a temple wall and leapt into the air. He soared past Zero, rolled back into a ball and dive bombed onto the jackal's chest. Zero cratored into the ground and shattered the tiles beneath him. Dust billowed from the impact covering the jackal in a tomb of rock and earth.
Sonic landed softly beside him. He wiped his gloves clean and shook the dust out of his shoes. "Alright then, who's next?"
The Jackal Squad clustered together and formed a tight semi circle in front of Sonic. They all bore their fangs and growled menacingly, but none seemed eager to start the battle
"Stay back," Sonic whipped around. Zero was pushing himself unsteadily to his feet. Blood matted his black fur and his eyes were bloodshot with rage. He limped badly when he tried to walk.
"Commander…" One of the wolves started. "Allow us to fight him. We can take him together."
"Stay back!" Zero repeated savagely. Venom seemed to be spilling out of the jackal's jaws as she stared at Sonic.
"I'd listen to my friends if I were you. You are in position to fight. I don't want to hurt you."
"You think you've beaten me?" A manic smile spread across Zero's face. "I am Zero, commander of the Jackal Squadron, Lord Mesto's most trusted general. I will not lose." Zero reached behind him. For the first time, Sonic noticed that the jackal was wearing a black tactical belt. It blended with his fur so well, Sonic had not seen it.
"Commander!" The wolf said again. "No! He is not worth it. Lord Mesto said-"
"Silence." A pink light flashed as Zero drew out a sparkling gem. He held it tightly in his hand and the light cast his face into sharp relief. Zero's black eyes were huge with hunger. "Behold, the true power of the empire."
Sonic took a step back. He had no idea what the gem was, but it immediately reminded him of a Chaos Emerald. "Nice rock, are you planning on proposing?"
"Keep making your jokes. Humor will not save you."
"Enough games then. Do what you're going to do and let's get on with it. I don't have all night."
"Very well then." Zero squeezed the gem and it shattered into pieces. A pink mist released out of the remains and Zero breathed it in. At once, the jackal's eyes rolled back and his entire body seized up. Zero started to convulse and foam spilled out of his open jaws. His black eyes turned white and started glowing. Sonic watched in mounting horror as Zero's body swelled. The muscles in his arms and legs expanded. His claws extended and became sharper and deadlier. Zero let loose a piercing cry that made Sonic cover his ears. The jackal's fur stood on end as if he were being electrocuted.
Zero snapped his jaws shut and the scream faded. A deep silence followed. Sonic waited with his breath held. Zero lowered his head and blinked. The white faded from his eyes. He was larger than he was before and much more bestial. Zero crouched onto all fours and pawed at the turf.
"What did-"
SMASH! Zero pounced at blinding speed. His incredible bulk slammed into Sonic and knocked the air out of him. Sonic tried to slip away but Zero snatched him by the leg. The next moment Sonic was being wrung in the air like a rag doll. Zero slammed him into the ground again and again. Each impact made Sonic see stars and his head started to ring. Have to get away.
Sonic did the only thing he could think of. He opened his mouth and bit down hard on the arm holding him. Zero let go with a howl of pain. Sonic scooted backward trying to put distance between himself and Zero.
"Not having fun anymore are we?" Zero's voice was far deeper and booming than it was before. It echoed throughout the entire ruin.
"Size and strength, won't beat me," Sonic fired back. He was breathing heavily and blood was trickling down the side of his face, but he was not about to back down. "Not if you can't hit me." Before Zero could strike, Sonic started to run. He ran in a wide circle around Zero, making sure to stay just beyond his reach. In seconds, Sonic had turned into a blur of blue motion.
His motion created a harsh wind that snapped at Zero. Faster. Faster. Have to go faster. Sonic would end this fight in one blow. If he could reach the sound barrier and hit Zero at that speed, no amount of increased durability would help.
"ENOUGH!" Zero raised his arms and slammed his fists into the ground. A tremor shook the temple, causing Sonic to lose balance and fall. Zero reached him a heartbeat later. Sonic tried to wiggle out of his grip but the jackal was far too strong. His claws dug into Sonic's skin. With one hand, he pinned Sonic to a temple wall and with the other he punched him in the gut.
Sonic coughed out blood and splattered it on Zero's face. The jackal wiped his face and smirked. "Are you ready to die now?"
Sonic had no breath in his lungs to form an answer, but Zero was not about to wait. He struck again and again, landing blows in Sonic's gut and face. He hit so hard, the wall behind Sonic cracked. Sonic did not feel the fourth blow. His eyes had gone dark and his head was throbbing so badly he could not feel anything else. The next sensation he had was that of sliding down a wall.
Zero's breath warmed his neck and he heard the jackal whisper to him. "I loath what you made me do. The Sol Gems are only to be used against the greatest threats of the empire. Since no threats really exist, the Sol Gems are not really supposed to be used. However, if no witnesses remain and if my men swear not to tell, then who can say that I used one? I will have to kill all these Thirteens here and now. I will tell Lord Mesto that they committed suicide as some half brained form of resistnace."
Sonic tried to move but it felt as if every bone in his body had been broken. Arms took him in hand and forced him to his feet. His vision slowly returned and Zero sharpened into focus. Three of his Jackal Squadron were holding Sonic limp. Zero held a black sword in his hand. "The little dreamer girl will die next. I want her to see your corpse before I end her life. It is essential that the enemies of the empire die without hope."
This was it. Sonic could not move. After all his narrow escapes, after all the times he had avoided danger, he had finally slipped. Sonic had never really considered his own mortality before. Danger always intermingled so closely with excitement that dread was something Sonic never felt. Now, dread was all that he was left with. Not simply the dread of his own death, but the weight of his failure. He thought of Tails and Knuckles, and Amy, friends he would never see again. Would they ever find out what had happened to him?
Zero had reared back, preparing to drive his sword straight through Sonic's heart. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Red bolts of laser fire came streaking out of the trees. One struck the sword in Zero's hand causing him to drop the weapon. The three holding Sonic were all hit in the head and slumped to the ground. Sonic swayed and dropped to his knees.
Everywhere he looked, red streaks of light were cascading down on the temple. He watched as Zero rallied his troops behind a temple wall. The Jackal Squadron returned fire by shooting blindly into the trees. "It's him!" Sonic heard Zero hiss. "Gawain and his rebels!"
Out of the shadows, figures in gray cloaks were emerging. They took the disregarded Thirteens and started leading them out into the forest. "They are taking the prisoners!" The wolf shouted. He pulled out of his cover to aim a shot at Priam. BANG! A red bolt struck him between the eyes and he dropped.
"Retreat!" Zero snarled. "We have to retreat. Fire at once and go now!" Yellow lights flashed as the entire Jackal Squadron all fired madly. At the same time, Sonic watched them run backward. They leapt over the temple wall and disappeared into the night.
Red streaks followed them, but stopped after a few seconds. Minutes of silence followed before being broken by a rush of footsteps. Gray cloaked soldiers wielding long scoped rifles came striding into the temple. At their head was a falcon with navy blue feathers. He wore a green lens over his right eye. It flashed suddenly and the falcon turned in Sonic's direction. He raced over but instead of offering Sonic a hand, he showed him the barrel of his gun.
"Who are you?" He snapped. The falcon had a serious voice and an utterly humorless face. His beak was hardened and scarred in several spots. One of his eyes was a common green but the one covered by the lens was a bright shade of opal.
"I…my name is Sonic,"
"You were the one fighting Zero?"
Sonic nodded. It was not easy for him to speak. He figured that at least a few of his ribs had broken.
"Are you an imperial?"
"No…I…I just-"
"He is no imperial." Priam came limping up to the falcon. "He risked his life to try and save us."
The falcon shouldered his weapon. He offered Sonic a wing and pulled him up. "Can you travel?"
Sonic's legs wobbled, but Priam caught him before he could fall. "I will help him, Sir."
The falcon's green eye flashed with suspicion. "We can't afford stragglers. Anyone who cannot walk has to be left behind. We must go with speed."
"Do not worry. I will bear him, and we will not slow you down." Priam put Sonic's arm over his shoulder and carried him easily. They headed for the far side of the temple. A group of the gray cloaked soldiers were searching the ruins. "Have you got everyone?" Priam asked.
"We think so," One of the soldier's answered. Sonic could not see who it was because they wore a helmet that was similar to the one's knights wore in the middle ages.
"Priest…" A feeble voice croaked. Priam turned to see the owl who had been shot earlier. He was lying on his back with his broken wing stretched out beside him. "I cannot leave…" He said through tears. "I don't want to slow you down…but..I..I am not ready to die.."
Sonic unhooked himself from Priam and held onto a temple stone for support. The old priest knelt beside the owl. "No one really is. But courage is not ignoring your fear, but overcoming it."
"Bless me then…please.."
Priam stretched out his hand and placed it on the crown of the owl's head. He closed his eyes and started whispering something Sonic could not hear. As he waited, Sonic looked around. He saw a few bodies laying in the ruins. Most of them were members of the Jackal Squadron but a few were Thirteens. One of the bodies was Jasmine. Pain coursed through Sonic's body as he attempted to walk over to her. He had to use the pillars and walls for support but he eventually reached her.
She had not moved since she had been shocked. Sonic turned her over and pressed his ear to her chest. He felt a surge of relief when he heard the gentle thump of her heart. "Help!" He called out.
A moment later, the falcon was at his side. He stared down at Jasmine with narrowed eyes. "Leave her. If she cannot walk, we can't help her."
"No." Sonic insisted. "She is fine. She wasn't injured badly, she was just knocked out."
"I won't risk my mission for one-"
"Jasmine!" Priam came sprinting over. He leaned down and lifted his daughter. "I can carry her." The priest's eyes darted to Sonic. "I…I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I think I can actually walk." Sonic bit his lip as he straightened out. His legs still felt on the verge of collapse, but they could hold him up at least.
The falcon turned to him in surprise. "Zero broke you apart. How is it that you are still standing?"
"I'm not so easy to kill," Sonic said with a small smile.
The falcon watched him closely before shrugging. "We should leave. We must reach the rendezvous point before Zero can regroup." He left them and ordered his troops to follow him into the forest.
Sonic and Priam followed as quickly as they could. They struggled to maintain the pace set by the gray robed rebels. The rebels darted rapidly through the trees, their cloaks billowing behind them. Their clothing made it difficult to keep track of them as their gray mantels seemed to blend into the surrounding forest.
To his embarrassment, Sonic was struggling the hardest to keep up. His legs wobbled with every step and his breathing was hitched. Every few minutes or so he would double over to spit out a glob of dark looking blood. He was not used to coming out the worse end of a one of one fight and Sonic could already feel himself itching for a rematch.
For the time being however, it was taking all of Sonic's determination just to keep moving. The rebels's base was much further than Sonic had hoped and they kept them marching for several hours. It was not until night started to break into a cold, gray dawn did they finally stop. They emerged out of the forest onto a narrow stretch of rock.
"This is the Overlook" Gawain was telling the Thirteens. Sonic decided that was an accurate description. The Overlook rose above the rest of the forest which descended down into a valley before coming to an end at the foot of the mountains far to the east. A ridgeline encircled the basin with high cliffs trapping the forest within the valley.
The beauty of the sight temporarily relieved Sonic from his pain. In the early morning light, the vista created by the valley and the distant mountains was spellbinding. However, he was the only one that was interested in that. Everyone else had turned to the north. Several of the Thirteens had even dropped to their knees. Curious, Sonic followed their gaze and had his answer at once.
Though the distance was still great, the Overlook gave the viewer a perfect sight of the city. It lay beyond the northern edge of the forest, elevated atop a high hill. The medieval towers shone softly in the dawn light. A great wall of stone encircled it and an eagle flew above the tallest rampart. Sonic knew at once that this must be a sacred place for the Thirteens. He could already imagine all the works of art this view of the city must have inspired.
He approached the falcon, the only one among the group who did not seem entranced by the sight. "That is Mestopolis?" Sonic asked gently.
The falcon's expression soured. "Do not call it that.." He hissed. "Not here at least." The falcon's eyes swept over the group. "They'd push you over this cliff for such an insult."
"I meant no offense!"
"Ignorance is a wooden shield against flame. It can only be used once."
Sonic nodded. "So this is Sol then?"
"Yes. The capital of Soleanna. The Overlook was once a secret known only to the royal family. The king would bring his children here to show them the kingdom and instruct them on the burden of governance." The falcon frowned. "Now we use it to watch for signals." He gestured out into the basin. "Watch."
Sonic did and as the sun started to streak through the distant mountains he saw a faint line of smoke coming out of the trees in the center of the valley. "It is safe to return." The falcon said stiffly. "Come along!" He announced to the group. "We still have a ways to go."
Groaning internally, Sonic prepared for another hours long march. The rebels led them to a narrow trek that spiraled down the ridgeline. They went slower on the descent which was a rare comfort to Sonic who was still struggling to walk.
By midday, they had descended into the valley and Sonic was about to faint. His stomach grumbled audibly and his many bruises and wounds were stinging terribly. Mercifully, they did not have much further to go. In less than an hour, the density of the trees lightened and they stepped into a makeshift clearing. The few trees that littered the area were being used as canopies. Gray tents dotted the area and a massive red pavilion was raised in the center of the camp.
"Take these to their beds. Let them rest." The falcon ordered. Priam and the other thirteens followed their rebel handlers eagerly. Sonic made to go with them, but the falcon stopped him with a glance. "Not you. Come with me."
Sonic limped forward and the falcon escorted him to the pavilion. Banners were raised outside it. One displayed a flame encased within golden sparks, and the other a sword made of diamonds. The tent flaps were pushed open before they could reach it. Three armed rebels strode up to meet them. One was a black furred echidna. He wore a heavy set of steel plate armor along with the signature gray cloak. The second was a silver hedgehog. He wore no armor on his chest, electing only for greaves for his shins and bracers around his forearms. His eyes were a deep, piercing yellow. Symbols dyed onto his gloves glowed with a soft green light.
The last was the most impressive and struck Sonic with an immediate sense of authority and power. He wore a pristine crimson doublet with dark purple sleeves. A belt of solid gold wrapped around his waist and held a dazzlingly rich scabbard encrusted with gems. The sword hilt was gilded and a fat ruby was encrusted in the middle of the crossguard. He wore a caged full helm that completely covered his features. The helmet made him look far more threatening than the other rebels. Instead of gray and concealing, his cloak was blood red and flaunting.
The falcon dropped to one knee. "Commander, we have returned with the worshipers."
"Rise, sir." The masked man said. His voice was distorted by the helmet making it far more impressive and imposing.
"Something wrong with your leg?" The silver hedgehog demanded of Sonic. His voice was slightly childish and overly aggressive. "Why don't you kneel?"
"He does not kneel because he has no idea who I am." Answered the rebel leader. He pushed his guard aside and stepped closer to Sonic. "Who have you brought to us? I thought I gave you clear orders Gawain? This one is an imperial. He has the mark."
The black furred echina made a move as if to rush Sonic, but the rebel leader called him off. "Peace, Sir Rayne. He cannot harm us. He can barely stand as it is."
Gawain stepped forward. "Please, Commander, this one was fighting Zero when we arrived. He nearly had the jackal beat. But Zero powered himself up with a Sol Gem. He started to kill him so we intervened. The priest, Priam, vouched for him."
The silver hedgehog shook his head. "Him, beat Zero? That's impossible."
"Were you there Silver?" Gawain countered. "Are you doubting what I saw?"
"Enough." The Commander snapped. For the first time, he directly addressed Sonic. "My apologies. In my haste I forgot my manners. My name is Arthur. Who are you?"
"I'm Sonic."
"Are you hurt Sonic?"
"I…" Sonic was covered in blood and bruises, but he did not want to appear weak. Especially since he felt Silver's doubting eyes still watching him closely. "I'll be okay."
"And you shall. I have much that I want to ask you, but first let's see that you are healed. Sir Gawain, take him to the medical tent. I will speak to him later tonight. For now, I must see Priam." Arthur walked away and his guard followed.
Sir Gawain took Sonic by the arm and led him gently to the far side of the camp. "You're lucky." Gawain growled.
"How so?"
"The Commander isn't usually so friendly."
"I guess I have that kind of face," Sonic jested.
"Have you seen your face?" Gawain asked with a raised eyebrow. "Zero nearly beat you to a pulp."
Slightly distrurbed, Sonic ran a hand over his face. He could feel pockets of dried blood and places where the skin was starting to swell. "Will…Will your doctors be able to help me?"
"Doctors? I'm not sure what you mean by that, but our healers will set you straight." Gawain took Sonic to a collection of white tents in the far corner of the camp. The healers all wore white robes with clear veils covering their faces. Sonic saw Jasmine laid out on a cot in the grass. Two healers were bent over her.
"Will she be alright?" Sonic asked the healers.
One of them turned to him. A female squirrel with large circular eyes inclined her head. "The healers do not speak," Gawain informed Sonic.
Once his injuries were noticed by some of the healers, three white robed shrews hastened over to Sonic. Gawain handed him over to their care and walked away. Feeling slightly awkward, Sonic allowed the healers to bring him over to a hanging hammock. They laid him gently down and as soon as he was off his feet, Sonic felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
A healer uncorked a bottle of a strange red liquid and handed it over to Sonic. Though he knew it was probably unwise to accept random medicine, Sonic was too tired for critical thinking. He gulped the draft down in one sip. The liquid burned his throat and he immediately felt his eyelids droop. He fell asleep instantly.
Sonic woke at dusk. His body was stiff and sore and he groaned as he tried to rise from his hammock. His movement caught the attention of his healers and they rushed over to push him back into bed. "I'm alright," He argued.
He wasn't lying. Sonic felt much better. Though he was sore, his wounds were no longer stinging quite so badly. When he put a hand on his ribs the skin was tender to the touch, but the bones seemed to have been mended. "That's some medicine," He exclaimed.
"It is called Armana. Your bruises will fade in time, but your inner hurts are healed."
Sonic looked up. Priam had entered the tent and was standing beside a fully rejuvenated Jasmine. She beamed at Sonic before rushing to his side. "I…I'm so sorry. Because of me you almost…well.." Tears bubbled at the corner of her eyes.
Slightly unnerved, Sonic scratched the back of his head and laughed. "No worries, I'm okay. I'm glad to see you on your feet."
"The healers of Soleanna are legendary for a reason. Not even the great medical factories of the empire can produce an elixir like Armana." Priam explained. The usually gruff priest was smiling and looking down at his daughter fondly. "It seems my daughter's faith in you was not totally unwarranted. Your duel with Zero has caught the attention of the entire camp. Everyone is telling the story."
Sonic frowned. "Do they mention the part where I get beaten into the dust?"
"Perhaps ignorance is as useful as courage. You do not understand what you did. Zero and his Jackal Squadron carry their reputation for a reason. Even Knights fear to face them. Zero himself killed Sir Tristen only a few moons back. The fact that you faced him and are still alive is a feat worthy of respect."
Sonic smiled faintly. "I'm only alive because we got saved."
"And for that I thank Solaris. For now, however, you have been summoned to the Command Pavilion. Arthur wishes to speak with you."
Jasmine's eyes lit up. She stared at Sonic in disbelief. "Wow! You get to meet with the Knights Royal."
Sonic's healers drew back and allowed him to leave the bed. "I will take you there." Priam left the tent and Sonic followed. Dusk hung over the world covering the camp in still darkness. The rebels lit no fires and passed through the camp like shadows. Sonic saw many faces turned towards him. Narrowed eyes haunted his steps. A few of the gray cloaked warriors were clustered in a circle cleaning their rifles. When they saw Sonic they gawked at him as if he were some hero returned from the dead.
"You have created quite a stir," Priam explained. "No marked imperial has ever been granted an audience with the Knights Royal. Yet neither has anyone ever stood up to the Jackal Squadron before. They will not know how to feel about you."
"And what about you?" Sonic asked pointedly.
"My doubts ended in the temple. I do not share my daughter's propecinity for dreams and prophecy but I do not doubt what my eyes saw. Solaris has some plan for you, that much is certain."
Priam took Sonic up to the entrance of the pavilion. Four gray hooded guards stood outside the entrance. Sonic walked forward but the priest remained behind. "Are you not coming?"
"I was not invited," The priest said with a bow. "You have been given a great honor. Guard your tongue when speaking to the Commander. The Knights Royal do not forgive insolence, even if done out of ignorance. Good luck." Priam turned away and walked back into the camp.
Sonic watched him go with a nervous twist in his stomach. He wasn't sure why he felt so intimidated. I've met with the president of the U.F numerous times. Stiffing his courage, Sonic turned and entered the pavilion.