Chapter 93

Mestopolis

The road cascaded down into a deep ravine between the mountains and the forest. Beyond the furthest turn, Sonic could see that the path started to rise at a gentle incline towards a high plateau. The city of Sol rested atop the rise like a great crown set upon a tall hill. Even from this distance, the tallest spires and towers of the city could be seen. Above them, great floating machines hovered in the sky like ominous clouds.

Sonic wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and shivered. The disguises he and Levi had purchased from some traveling merchants seemed like thin veils against the premier vigilance of the empire. Levi wore a simple set of merchant clothes and saddled himself with a heavy pack so he would bend as he walked and look more feeble than he was. For Sonic, they chose a more elaborate disguise as Levi was certain that news of Sonic would eventually spread. "A blue hedgehog who is faster than the wind will reach the emperor's ears soon. If your rivalry with him is as bitter as you claim, he will employ all his power into seeing you captured."

Sonic was more concerned for Levi than for himself. The Armana had settled the bleeding and restored some of the fox's strength, but he was still severely crippled by his fight with Howl. When it came time to resume Sonic's training, Levi did not attempt to spar with him. Instead, he had Sonic practice a few sword techniques and stances. The unspoken concern they both shared was whether Levi would be ready to fight when the time came. Neither of them expected their disguises to hold, and they both knew that they would not be rescuing Silver without conflict.

They walked at a steady pace down the winding road. A dozen or so other travelers joined them, so Sonic and Levi kept quiet, unwilling to be overheard. There was a clear dichotomy among the travelers that Sonic noticed almost immediately. Some went with an easy going attitude, singing to themselves or otherwise going along without a care in the world. Yet there were others who kept to the edges of the road. Their hoods were raised and they kept their heads down.

Halfway down the road, Sonic mentioned this observation to Levi. "Thirteens," He whispered back. "I've noticed it as well." Levi risked looking back at a group who was huddled close together and walking wearily at the edge of the road. "They look frightened. Something must have happened."

At that moment, Sonic heard a loud rumble behind them. He whirled around to see a huge floating barge zooming down the road. The vehicle was packed with lavishly dressed travelers. Levi suddenly raised his good hand and flagged the barge down. It came to a screeching halt beside them. A door near the front slid open to reveal the driver. It was an excessively obese otter whose skin was nearly meddled into his chair. He gave Levi and Sonic a sour look. "What is it? This isn't a free ride you know? I doubt you can-"

Levi reached into his cloak and retrieved four golden coins. He placed them into the otter's coffer. The driver licked his lips. "O…well…come on in then…" A set of steps descended and Sonic and Levi took them up to the platform where the other travelers were busy dancing and drinking.

"Your arms, please." The otter held up a handheld scanning device. "You must have the persona to ride."

Levi didn't so much as flinch. He tossed another two coins at the driver. "Formalities would be a waste of all our time, wouldn't you agree?"

The driver eyed them suspiciously, but his greed overruled his caution. He jerked his head to motion them forward and turned away.

Sonic and Levi turned many heads as they passed through. They were by far the worst dressed as the barge was clearly the mode of transportation for the very wealthy. Levi seized Sonic by the arm and steered him towards the rear of the barge. They took a seat next to a few sturdy looking hedgehog's who were deep into their cups. One of them turned towards Sonic and gave him an absent kind of smile.

"Well met friends," Levi placed a gold coin on their table. "Care for another round?" Presently, the server brought drinks for the table. Levi took a nice long sip and the hedgehogs all raised their glasses to him before drinking theirs. Sonic used that as a chance to sniff his and then pour out most of it.

"What's the reason for your generosity?" Asked the soberest of the hedgehogs.

"Paying my respects is all. I recognize veterans of the old legion." Levi motioned to the decals that adorned their cloaks.

The hedgehogs all smiled stupidly. "Hear hear!" They all took another deep drink, but this time, Sonic noticed that Levi only took a small sip.

"What brings you three to the city?"

"Work," Burped one of the hedgehogs. "Mesto is hiring more guards and security. Just as the emperor replaces a legion with his machines, Mesto picks them right back up."

"I see. And how is Lord Mesto affording to pay all these hired hands?"

The center hedgehog leaned forward. "Robbing Thirteens. Bunch of purges have been going on lately. He took down the Church of Solaris not so long back, had the high priest burned alive or something. He's been cracking down on them hard, it will be even harder now considering."

"Considering?"

The hedgehog's looked at Levi with amazement. "Haven't you heard? The princess of the Thirteens is still alive. She's formed some sort of rebel army and is marching through Gortorian Forest. Mesto sent two legions in there to root them out, but neither one came back."

Levi and Sonic shared knowing glances. "So Lord Mesto is taking out his frustrations on the people?"

"People?" Chuckled one of the hedgehogs. "Just the Thirteens. He's been trying to round them up into a ghetto in the south of the town, but he needs more muscle. We heard he's paying a lot, and it's a lot easier than what we had to do back in the day."

Levi lowered his head. "Yes…rounding up women and children from their homes…is certainly easier than fighting in a battle."

"We are just trying to get ours before it's over," Continued one of the hedgehogs.

"What do you mean by that?" Levi asked pointedly.

The hedgehog leaned in close. "We've heard the emperor isn't too pleased with Mesto. This business with the Thirteens, it's too personal. I think the emperor is waiting to use Mesto to crush the rebellion, then he will do the same to Mesto. That will make him a hero to the Thirteens, and they'll interrogate into the empire without causing so much of a fuss."

Sonic could tell that this bit of information surprised Levi. He leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin. "That…that makes sense-" A bell sounded and those inside the barge cheered. Sonic got up and looked out the window. They were approaching the end of the road. Sonic gasped.

Mestopolis seemed to float above the world. A huge brick bridge led up into the city. The world unrolled at either side, with mountains to the north west, the forest to the east, and a great spiraling river to the south. The city was even bigger than Station Square and far more beautiful. Its red towers and buildings glinted in the sunlight.

The barge came to a stop and everyone was made to leave. A gate blocked the bridge and everyone was forced to go one by one in order to be checked. Sonic pointed towards an imperial who was scanning imperial personas before allowing anyone to enter. Levi took Sonic by the arm and they walked away towards the trees. He stopped once they had a good viewpoint of the city. Sonic was still breath taken by the beauty. On the far west side of the city the canyon walls of the mountains shimmered with flowing waterfalls that cascaded into the valley below. "It's amazing," Sonic said simply.

"This is Kingdom Valley, the first home of my ancestors. When Solaris raised the city of Sol from the earth, its emergence is what created that lake down there." Levi pointed and Sonic could almost imagine a city, like Angel Island, rising out of the water.

"How do we get in?" Sonic asked. "I doubt you can bribe every guard in the city."

"There are a few ways. Though I can't know for sure how many of the secret entrances the empire has closed up. So much has changed in just a short amount of time. The persona wasn't mandatory for entry before. You couldn't trade in the markets, but you were at least allowed to return to your home without the mark." Levi turned back towards the gates. "Mesto is preparing for something big. With Blaze opposing him out in the open, it will only make things worse for the Thirteens still living in the city."

"What choice does she have?"

"None," Levi answered grimly. His hands balled into fists. "Mesto will pay for all that he's done, for all that he will do. Come on, we will have to go around."

Sonic sighed as they spent the rest of the day marching along the perimeter of the city. Eventually, the trees blocked their view of Sol as they traveled down and around the valley. They went slowly and cautiously as the imperial presence increased. Several times they were forced to take cover in the trees as a host of sentinels zoomed by.

The sound of rushing water increased and Sonic could see waterfalls cascading past the curtain of thinning trees. At the base of the valley, the forest drew back to reveal a city of ruins. Waterfalls encased the ancient structures like a dome of water causing Sonic to stop in his tracks. He had rarely seen anything so beautiful, that was also so incredibly sad. Levi halted beside him. "There were the ancient temples," He explained. "Before Solaris first punished my ancestors for abusing the Sol Gems. The city once extended beyond the valley."

"Why wasn't it rebuilt?"

"These ruins serve as a reminder. If we were ever tempted to use the Sol Gems again, we did not need to look far to remember why to stay our hand." Levi pointed to the high rock walls which traced up towards the plateau upon which the current city of Mestopolis towered over the surrounding terrain. "There are still a series of old tunnels which connect to the old city. With any luck, the empire has not blocked them all yet."

Sonic's patience was tested yet again as the duo was forced to wait until the cover of night. Only then would Levi risk leaving the cover of the trees. They crept towards the ruins and hid behind piles of ruined marble. The empire had not left the ruins unguarded. Several camps of imperial guards patrolled the area while a host of Sentinels kept up a tireless watch.

Fortunately, Levi knew the area better than the imperials and was able to forge a path through the ruins without detection. He led Sonic towards one of the waterfalls where the deafening crescendo of water allowed them to talk freely. Behind the wall of falling water, Sonic could see a faint trace of a path that led up the rockwall. Levi gestured to what appeared like a solid ring of ivy. "There should be a tunnel through that underbrush."

Since he could not climb with his injury, Sonic placed Levi on his back and raced up the wall. When he reached the ivy he fumbled for a handhold and the green vines drew back to reveal the entrance to a cave. They walked slowly into the darkness. For an hour or so they walked forward blindly. The sound of the waterfall slowly receded. A cold silence permeated the space. Sonic could feel his own heart thumping inside his chest.

"It isn't far now," Levi whispered. "The gate should be just up ahead." Sure enough, a few minutes later, Sonic bumped into a set of iron bars. He drew in surprise and Levi stepped forward. He knelt beside the lock and Sonic heard metal scrap against metal. "These are old locks. A key could not be used as these tunnels were made as an escape of last resort. There is a combination…I just need to remember what it is."

That proved more difficult than it sounded. Levi fiddled with the lock for an hour before stepping away and sighing heavily. "I can't think in this dark. I can barely see what I'm doing. We will need to wait until the morning."

Sonic groaned in frustration. "That's all we've been doing. Silver has been imprisoned for days now. I could have found him earlier if I just ran into the city."

"I am aware of Silver's plight," Levi replied coldly. "Every hour is precious, but we cannot afford to make mistakes. You would never make it inside Mesto's prison. You're fast, but do not underestimate Lord Mesto. He is cunning and he has the resources of the empire at his back."

Sonic threw himself down on the cold, damp ground. "I've faced worse. I've gone against Eggman's armies loads of times."

"Arrogance will be your undoing."

Sonic did not respond. He drew Caliburn from its sheath and the blade hummed with vibrant energy. The red hue emitting from the steel cast a faint light into the cave. Sonic could just see the outline of Levi's gray eyes. "I understand your frustration." Levi said slowly. "The truth is…I am afraid." He held up his stump and stared at his wound. "Not of death. I have been prepared to die for a long time. Nor do I fear for the survival of Soleanna. Kingdoms rise and fall, it is the way of things. Even the planet Arvana will pass away in time, whether it is caused by the empire or not." Levi hunched over. A white light shone in the dark pools of his eyes. "There is something else. A threat looms in the edge of my mind. Can you feel it?" Levi whispered as if this unknown threat might hear him.

"What do you mean?" Levi's tone was starting to make Sonic anxious. Especially, because he knew exactly what the fox meant.

"I don't know…it is just a feeling. A sense that there is something more at work. Something beyond just the evil of the emperor…something unnatural." Levi raised his head to look at Sonic. "We must be ready. Strive to master that blade Sonic. I do not think the princess gave it to you as a trifle. She must sense this threat, I know she does."

Sonic gazed at Caliburn. His thoughts were conflicted as his instincts told him that whatever it is that Levi feared, it was not a threat that could be defeated with ordinary weapons. "It is not the steel itself." Levi said, as if he were reading Sonic's thoughts. "It is what it represents. For you to master that sword would mean that the sword itself would come to think of you as its wielder. Caliburn can only be wielded by a knight."

"That's not who I am."

"No," Levi agreed. "But Blaze still gave you the sword. She saw something in you, either that you would change or that the world would change around you. I cannot say. All I can say is; be ready."

The night passed slowly. Sonic drifted off into dreamless sleep, yet whenever he awoke he felt even more tired than he had before. Light slowly started to trickle in through the cave mouth and Levi was able to open the locked gate. They passed through into an open chamber where a wooden ladder led them up to a trap door. Levi pressed against it and rusted metal scrapped as it moved aside. Sonic followed behind and climbed up into a damp metal tunnel in what appeared to be an delertic sewer.

Levi smiled. "Some luck at last. Looks like the empire isn't as all knowing as they thought. Come on, we should be able to reach the surface through here." They journeyed through the sewers for another hour before reaching another ladder. Levi climbed up and pushed aside the trap door. Mounds of dust dropped onto their heads causing Sonic to sputter and spit. He held his breath as they climbed into a partially collapsed room clogged with dust and cobwebs.

"Where are we?" Sonic spluttered.

"One of the old palaces. It burned down ages ago. This section is unreachable from the surface." Levi escorted Sonic through the ruins until they reached a door blocked by debris and collapsed stone. They climbed onto the broken marble and squeezed through a gap in the broken ceiling. Sonic gasped for breath as he finally emerged out into the open air. The sun shone into his eyes and the sound of talking and hurried footsteps echoed all around him. They had emerged into a narrow alley next to a busy street.

Levi brushed the dust of his cloak and together they struck out towards the main road. Sonic marveled at what he saw. Roofs of layered marble caught the glint of the morning sun and washed the city in dazzling white light. Cobblestone streets were packed with the denizens of the city rushing along in the hustle and bustle of a thriving street market. Lanterns filled with golden light hung along every lamppost and atop the various bridges that connected the different segments of the city.

Sol was constructed in a series of ringed districts with each sharing a common architectural theme. It was a breathtaking display of art and culture, yet it was all overshadowed. Like a cancer, signs of industrial diseases proliferated in the city. The great spiraling towers capped with colorful spires were enshadowed by gray rectangles of oppressive efficiency. The meticulously crafted bridges made of woven wood were joined by mechanized walkways. Everywhere he looked Sonic saw a city at war with itself, a parasitic growth of metal and artificiality draining the vibrancy of a once beautiful city.

Nowhere was this contrast more visible than when Sonic looked towards the center of the city. The original Sol had been constructed so that all of its grandeur and beauty would climax at the massive temple that rose above the rest of the city. Only now, the temple was completely overshadowed by a monstrosity of scaffolding, and metal. Sonic knew Eggman's style and the building reeked of his trademark, inorganic, soulless and environment destroying signature.

"The Hive," Levi said, watching Sonic's expression. "That is where Lord Mesto keeps his secret police."

Sonic wondered why Mesto would require a secret police, when he already had so much security out in the open. Not even concealed in the crowds, hoards of imperials in red uniforms patrolled the streets. They were partially concealed among the throng, yet their presence was unmistakable. Everywhere Sonic looked, down every corner, and watching every intersection there was a group of imperial guards.

However, this hypervigilance did not seem to bother the crowd. They spoke excitedly to one another and browsed the wares of the vendors without a care in the world. Sonic saw an aged Echidna with dull purple fur selling carved knives, a squirrel selling skirts and an otter shopping perfumes to a group of gitty hedgehog girls. No one, except for Sonic and Levi, had done a count for the number of imperial soldiers in the square, nor had noticed the group of Sentinels that had just flown by overhead.

"Everything seems so peaceful," Sonic observed.

"It is peaceful," Levi said.

Sonic paused as he noticed a fox woman brandishing her goods. She had carved the likeness of Eggman into wooden figures and had gathered a large crowd of eager customers around her. "They really love him."

"The emperor has brought stability to an empire that seemed on the verge of collapse. They believe he has brought lasting peace."

"It is just hard to wrap my head around."

"The emperor conceals his true intentions very well. Oftentimes, greed and cruelty will hide themselves behind the cloak of progress. He gives the empire peace and security because that is what suits him, when the circumstances change do you think he will hesitate to plunge it back into war and chaos?" Levi sighed and shook his head. "Many have made the error of mistaking efficiency for virtue, even a majority of my own people have gladly accepted the emperor's peace, not knowing or caring of the true cost."

Sonic paused to observe the activity of the market. It did not take him long to understand the appeal of the illusion. Why worry about some nameless threat or the plight of the faceless, when prosperity and peace were right in front of you? Sonic watched as a hedgehog girl herded her three children through the square. They were all laughing and playing, completely oblivious to the armed guards all around them, the vigilance that permeated the air, and the hidden violence that brought them their peace.

"WAIT! WAIT!" Levi and Sonic turned at the sound of the screaming. The peace of the crowd faded in an instant and everyone scattered back to the edge of the market. Four imperial guards were dragging a Cat with long green ears along the ground. Sentinels quickly descended into the square and formed a ring around the soldiers. Not that anyone seemed on the verge of interfering.

"I have papers!" The cat wailed. "I can show you, please, check my arm, scan me, I have the mark!" The imperial guards threw the cat onto the ground hard. The leader drew out a tablet and seemed to check something on it. "You're on the list, my friend."

"No, there must be some mistake. Please, scan my arm, I am not one of them." The cat tore back his sleeve and held up his arm. Sonic understood that he was showing them his imperial persona.

The guard did not so much as look down. "There is no mistake. You are on the list." The three other guards lifted the cat off his feet. He screamed and yelled as if he were being tortured. The lead imperial laughed. Sonic's hands balled into his fists. He was ready to charge in, but Levi grabbed his arm. "Don't," He whispered.

The lead imperial got close to the Cat. Sonic could not see what was happening but the Cat started to whimper and moan in terror. However, the imperial did not seem to hurt him. He stepped away having only placed a tag onto the Cat's collar. Sonic could not see what it said from where he was standing. The guard gave the order for the Cat to be taken away. Sonic did not understand what had just happened. One moment the Cat had been screaming in pain, the next he had gone completely silent.

As quickly as the ordeal started, it was over. The imperials melted back into the crowd and the Sentinels scattered away. Everyone returned to their business in the market as if nothing had happened. Sonic turned to Levi for an explanation and was shocked to see that the fox had tears on his face. "What just happened?"

"Did you not see it? The marker that was placed on his collar."

"No, what did it say?"

"Thirteen." Levi took a shaking breath. "We must act quickly, Sonic the Hedgehog, we must stop Mesto."