After some training with Caliburn Sonic and Merlina began to walk through the forest planning their next move.
"Hmm. I suppose something must be done about this…"
Sonic slowed down. "What are you talking about now?" he asked, holding the sword up and in front of him to more easily speak with it.
"To be quite honest the rock that had sealed me away for quite some time has taken it's toll on me."
Sonic snickered. "And you said my skills were lacking? Looks like you aren't the sharpest tool in the shed either!"
The sword managed to frown, which might have impressed Sonic if he hadn't made such a bad first impression. "That's because a gentleman shouldn't have such an edge," the sword replied loftily.
Sonic rolled his eyes saying "And who are you calling 'gentleman' walking sword face."
"Enough banter let's go find the blacksmith in the castle town," he ordered. "I must be presentable when we meet the Lady of the Lake."
"Yeah you'll just keep on yapping on the way there if I don't." Figured Sonic scanning the view as he saw a glimpse of a city in the far distance he was about to ask Merlina what she was gonna do but however.
Merlina had grabbed a flower as she held onto it "Why do flowers bloom, knowing they are destined to wither?"
"Hmm?"
That question, coming out of nowhere, was enough to keep Sonic rooted as he tried to make sense of the sudden query. He lifted his foot; on his first step alone, he had landed on one of the flowers, and the sight of the crushed bloom with its broken, scattered petals seemed to prompt a sigh from Merlina.
"Their time of beauty is so short-lived…"
The flower on the ground, indeed, seemed to wither and die more and more with every passing second, until the petals 一 once a brilliant orange 一 were a dull grey.
It sent a chill of unease through Sonic, and the hedgehog shivered it away.
"You feeling alright there, Merlina?" he asked. "Sounds like you've got something on your mind."
Merlina then shook her head and said with an uneasy smile "F-forgive me Sonic but I would be recognized by the wanted posters in town."
"Understood! Just call me when you're ready and I'll give an update on my report. If not then I'll be done by then."
Caliburn on the other hand "I highly doubt that." Sonic had a deadpan look as he glared at the sword.
"Listen wise guy, you wanna be sharpened or not?" Sonic warned the sword as he took off once again through the field, the town beyond in his sights.
The town was cleaner than Sonic had expected. All those mediaeval stories kept talking about dirt and death and disease, but the streets were relatively clean and everyone seemed just fine. The hedgehog decided there wasn't much use in questioning it; it is what it is, after all! and kept jogging from street to street as the civilians clamoured to let him pass by.
As many of these people in the town almost shared faces to those back in his home dimension Sonic even passes a few wanted signs of Merlina as the reward for her capture was $4,0000 and another poster of what seemed to be a squirrel mobian who was wanted very much alive and was much more expensive than Merlina's capture on being alive but her name for some reason was ripped off the wanted poster however Sonic didn't even see it because he had other matters to attend to.
Sonic then arrived at the blacksmith shop as he opened the door once inside he saw an array of weapons displayed in the window with all sorts of intricate, carefully-crafted designs in their blades and handles.
"No way Tails!?" The fox blinked his eyes in amazement before hopping away from his workbench at the back of the store, and that's when Sonic saw the blacksmith's garb on him. The hedgehog shook his head, remembering the last time he had been sent into a world like this one. Something similar had happened there, too, with Ali Baba, so, no matter who he looked like, this wasn't his little brother back home. That was fine. It just meant that Tails was back home, doing what he loved, instead of being brought into a strange world like he was.
"S-sorry about." Sonic called out to the blacksmith who approached him "Your Smithy right?"
"I'm sure am it's an honour to meet you, sir knight." Smithy the fox said with a smile.
Caliburn then said "He's no knight, at least not yet." Sonic said back "Says you Cal."
Smithy on the other hand seemed even more amazed by Caliburn than by Sonic. "What a magnificent sword!" he exclaimed, coming closer with his eyes wide open. "I've never seen one that talks before!" Sonic sweet drops saying to him.
"Oh he talks alright." Caliburn glared at him the entire time as they made their way into the back of the shop. Sonic handed the grumpy blade over, and stood idly by, drumming his fingers on his thigh as the blacksmith looked it over.
"I know a fine blade when I see one I am a blacksmith after all" Smithy murmured, causing Sonic to smirk.
"Great! Think you can sharpen this dull piece of rust?"
"Fool!" Caliburn thundered from the blacksmith's grasp outraged to be called that. "It is you who is dull!"
Smithy nodded "Why of course I could! What's the sword's name?" The talking sword said with pride "Caliburn young smithy."
"That name almost sounds familiar but it'll take a moment!" Sonic nodded at Smithy as the fox got working on fixing Cailburn's edge.
The people of this storybook world sure are polite, Sonic thought as he leaned against a wall, tapping his fingers as he waited and the sound of a grindstone dragging across metal sounded through the workshop. The swords on the other hand…
Once Caliburn was sharpened and ready to go before the hour was up, and the blacksmith insisted that the service was on the house. Sonic decided to be grateful that he didn't have any of this place's currency on him to his knowledge but Smithy declared it was in the house.
Once that was done Sonic began to make his outta town but not before taking on some underworld knights that managed to track Sonic to it knowing he couldn't leave the villagers to their fates Sonic stepped out after dealing with the ghoulish knights before returning to his mission to find Misty Lake.
"So this is where the lady lives right?" Sonic then asked while vaulting over a raised tree root.
"Indeed," Caliburn responded, seeming in better spirits now that he was taken care of.
"You know, a lake in the middle of the forest isn't something I see every day. It's usually grassland or a mountain gorge or…"
Sonic skidded to a halt, his ears perking up and his head turning from side to side as he scanned the area around him. "Did you hear that?" he asked in a whisper.
"Hmm something doesn't seem right, be on your guard." The talking sword said cautious. They both saw spears being thrown right at them..
"Yikes!" Sonic yelped as he dodged the spears just in time as the spears crackled with energy as more were being launched at Sonic.
The blue hedgehog began running faster as he was able to avoid all the spears at them before reaching a place in the forest while wiping some sweat from his forehead in relief.
"Most impressive for a magical out realmer for being able to outrun my Chaos Spears just like that the last person who could outrun them was his highness King Arthur himself."
Sonic had only barely taken in the sight of black spines when a familiar voice sounded out, cold and hostile when they spoke to him.
"But now I have finally drawn you out into the opening enemy of my king."
Sonic took a closer look at a hedgehog with streaks of red running through the dark quills, and his eyes widened as he made the association with…
"Shadow?!"
However the Shadow look-a-like then said as he folded his arms at Sonic "I am Lancelot, Knight of the Round Table."
"Well in that case, you might want to turn around," Sonic remarked dryly, gripping onto Caliburn and getting into a fighting stance, already regretting engaging in this back-and-forth. He had a kingdom to save, and he was pretty sure any battles against seasoned sword fighters would just lead to more sass from the weapon in his hand.
But Sir Lancelot didn't move an inch. "You are a cocky one. You hardly tried to cover your tracks, Gunivere isn't not as sloppy as you are. Did you not think we wouldn't learn that you stole Caliburn? The next stop after that was obvious." He then drew out his sword Arondight saying "And I challenge you to a duel!"
Sonic chuckles nervously as this took him back to the time he met his Shadow back in his own dimension.
"Some things never change…" Sonic sighed, and in response, Sir Lancelot's blade wavered, but before Sonic could comment on the knight's unusual disposition again, Caliburn piped up from his hand.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh nothing. It's just that he looks like trouble."
He heard a sharp intake of breath, and when he looked up again, Sir Lancelot appeared outraged, like he'd been insulted. "What shall it be?" he demanded, still pointing his sword at Sonic. "Will you abandon your sword and flee, like the fraudster you are?"
"That's a great idea!" Sonic countered already to go in the opposite direction.
"Fool! A knight never flees his foe!" And as though his hand was possessed, Sonic's arm raised to point Caliburn back at Sir Lancelot, who rose to take the bait.
"State your name, arcane warrior! So I may crave it for your tombstone."
"He is Knave the Hedgehog," Caliburn quipped before Sonic had finished drawing in a breath, "And he accepts your challenge!"
Sonic protested angrily glaring at his weapon that made the choice for him "Now you wait a second here buster!"
"Very well then! Brace yourself, Knave the Hedgehog.!" Lancelot charged at Sonic as the hedgehog dodged in time and kicked Lancelot back.
"Hmph Knave what a fitting name!" Lancelot said "I most certainly agree!" Caliburn agreed with the black hedgehog knight.
"Hey, whose side are you really on?!" Sonic retorted.
Once the two hedgehogs got in clash their swords clashed countering the other one's attack power.
"Try and dodge this attack, Chaos Quakes!" Lancelot jumped into the air and created a small earthquake attack with his fist on Sonic as he dodged the quake and kicked Lancelot back.
Unknown to the two someone appeared to be watching their little battle as they mumbled "He managed to dodge Lancelot's most powerful just who is he?"
"You sure you're even a knight, Lancy? Because I think I got you on the ropes!" Sonic taunted hoping to give life to this battle
"Joke while you can hedgehog!" Lancelot declared as he used Chaos Control as he kicked Sonic into a tree as the birds above the tree flew away.
Sonic dodges an incoming sword attack from his foe and then elbowed Lancelot in the face, sending him flying across the field.
"I got far too careless!" Lancelot mumbled as he grabbed his sword and was ready to leave before saying "This isn't over Knave when my colleagues hear about this you will wish you hadn't messed with the Knights of the Round Table!"
And like that Sir Lancelot turned on his air shoes and ran off though the forest as Sonic and Caliburn began to leave the scene as they began walking through the Brocéliande Forest.
"Wow so that Lancelot guy was one of the Knights of the Round Table?" Caliburn nodded "Agreed and he's the mightiest knight of all and a trusted companion to Arthur besides me."
"Really so if he's the 'mightiest' then this should be a breeze!"
"I disagree." Caliburn sounded solemn enough that Sonic held back his retort. "He was very clearly off during this fight. He is known to clear battles with ten opponents without so much as a scratch on him afterward, and to flee a battle as he just did…Ordinarily, he would never have done such a thing."
The sword's blue eyes looked sharply up at Sonic. "I want you to understand this, and to not get a swollen head. It is only due to luck and circumstance that you won just now. Something was wrong."
"Huh, you don't say…" Sonic thought it over. "He was acting kinda strange, now that I think about it. It was as if he was testing me or something."
Caliburn then said "Tread carefully this might won't be the last we will see of Lancelot." Sonic nodded before he released something as they were walking.
"So remind me again why we came to these woods again? I thought we needed to meet with the Lady of the Lake?" Caliburn replied.
"We do, Knave. But given that Knights of the Round Table out number us, 5 to 1, we need an ally in combat that won't sell us out to Arthur.."
Sonic looked around the place which almost looked like a village "And we'll find them here? Reminds me more of Knothole back home."
Caliburn nodded, choosing his words carefully for some odd reason "Indeed. The Queen of the Forest she was once King Arthur's beloved bride, the Queen of Camelot known and loved by all in the land. She always stood by Arthur's side though right and wrong but now she vows nothing but his downfall. Though, she'll be hard to convince. While her beauty is spoken to be legendary, as is her lack of patience for outsiders who would bring trouble to these woods."
Sonic smirked to the sword "Oh, come on. Once she gets to know me and figures out who you are, I'm sure this "Queen" you're talking about will be wondering why she didn't come to us for help against Arthur in the first place."
Caliburn sighed annoyed "Or more accurately, she'll be wondering who annoys her more, King Arthur prior to falling into his madness, Lancelot or you?"
Sonic then said confused "Wait, what's Lancelot got to do with this?" Caliburn said with a smirk "You see, prior to marrying Arthur Lancelot once attempted to court the Queen of the Forest for her hand in Marriage. In response, she broke both of his hands before stating that he should be grateful she didn't decide to break his skull instead. Lancelot developed a deep fear of her after that even after joining the Knights."
It was then a new voice sounding serious and almost one with authority said "Hmph! You'd think after the last bunch of Underworld Knights that would've told Arthur's army and assassins many times to stay out of these woods. But it seems they are too stupid or have a death wish!"
Sonic and Caliburn turn around just in time to see a Sally Acorn look-alike land from the tree before them, her sword Grail already drawn for battle.
"S-Sal?! You're here too? Haha! No Way!" Exclaimed Sonic with almost joy he knew he didn't see Sally the last time he went into a story book world so this was a first for him.
"Sal? My name's Guinevere, Guardian of Brocéliande Village, or as your king and sword has been referred to as the "Queen of the Forest". The now Identified Guinevere said
Sonic knew it was a double much like his counter with Smithy and Lancelot until he realised something "Wait hold on did you just say, 'my King'?"
Caliburn then said as if in worry "Oh dear! She must believe we severe King Arthur."
Sonic then tried to reason with her trying to prove that he wasn't an enemy "Listen lady, we're trying to take down that man in a tin can. The only reason we're here now is because pointy here thinks we could use the help."
Guinevere scoffed at him "Do you believe me to fall for such poor trickery? Many bounty hunters have tried the same trick upon me, all now feeding the forest dwellers with what was left of them."
Sonic winced at that "Yeesh, That's...a little intense." Caliburn sighed saying "It appears there's no getting out of this without a duel brace yourself Lady Guinevere is far different opponent then Lancelot!"
"Now, raise your sword. I want a challenge before you fall." Guinevere declared as she entered a battle stance.
Sonic smirked as he charged at Guinevere as their sword sparks flew across the battlefield as Guinevere managed to deliver a kick on Sonic as managed to quickly recover and slashed her a few times before jumping above him.
"Your skills are impressive but they are as tacky as you!" Taunted Guinvere as she grabbed Sonic by his arm and tossed him into a tree.
"Okay I'm getting really sick of being tossed lately!" Sonic then blocks Guinvere's attack and then was finally able to break her defence and began slashing at her.
She then kicked Sonic off her as her sword began to glow "You're strong but I will not be defeated by the likes of you!" Guinevere slashed Sonic as the background around him became engulfed in white mist.
"She could strike, this is her domain after all, keep your guard when you find the real Guinevere!" Caliburn said as Sonic tried to search for Guinvere as he slashed at her illusions as they vanished from sight until the real one emerged from the mist as Sonic then began to slash at her and then finished with a roundhouse kick to defeat her.
"AHH!" Guinevere as she slammed into a tree and her knight vizor knocked off her face she growled at Sonic saying "If you expect me to beg for my life you scoundrel, then just thrust your blade through my heart and be done with it."
Sonic then said with a shake of his head "W-What?! No way! I really did come for your help against the King! Honest!"
Guinevere then said, almost shocked, "Does thou speak the truth in thou words?" Caliburn then said with a small smile "Yes my lady I humbly apologise for not speaking sooner."
Guinevere had a look of surprise "Caliburn? Is that you? You have been freed from the stone that sealed you and I can assume the blue hedgehog is also with you?"
Caliburn nodded "Yes he is my lady. Thou this Hedgehog here is a knave with only a basic level of sword training. We need a truly exceptional knight to aid us with our quest."
Guinevere was struggling to get back to her feet and said from the massive battle they had "How do I know this isn't a ploy concocted by Arthur? Maybe he brainwashed you into finding me. How can I truly trust you after what I've been through?"
Sonic then had a slight smile saying to Guinevere with honesty in his voice "Because I already trust you. Can I ask you to do the same, Guin?
Guinevere looked at the hand Sonic was offering her before looking into his eyes. She took his hand as he helped her back to her feet as she looked away, trying to hide her blush. It had been quite some time since someone had made her blush in years.
"V-Very well from this moment we are allies. What must we do?" She said as Caliburn then got the queen of the land up to speed.
"Well your grace we must travel beyond the DeepWoods to speak with the Lady of the Lake, Nimue. She's the only one with the knowledge of how to defeat King Arthur."
Guinevere walks to retrieve Grail and her mask as Sonic went over and placed his hand on her shoulder "Sounds like one heck of an adventure, right Guin?"
Guinevere gently pushes Sonic as she placed her mask back on her face "Please try to take this matter very seriously, Sir?"
The blue hedgehog nervously chuckled saying "Oh right, I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog." Guinevere looked at him before shaking his hand "Then let's begin our quest, Sonic."
Guinevere then said "I know a secret passageway to the Lady of the Lake follow me and don't try to get lost!" Sonic salutes "Aye aye Guin!"
Well looks like that wraps up this wonderful chapter and this chapter was fun to write I was able to incorporate both the Lancelot fight and my own made battle with Guinevere who will act like Sally Acorn's counterpart and in other news I was really hyped for this month's Nintendo Direct we got a new Mario & Luigi RPG game called Brothership that sounds like fun and then we got a Fairy Tail game sounds fun for those who love Fairy Tail, a bit of game updates from certain games moving on we have Hello Kitty Island i mean that's nice for those who love Hello Kitty we also get Looney Tunes World of Sports that sounds like a fun arcane game to play, a game you can raise monsters called Farmagia, Donkey Kong Country returns HD it seeks like DK's getting all sort of stuff going to many different platforms these days, a Dragonquest remake of the third game, Funko fusion, Luigi's Mansion 2 HD coming out very soon Marvel vs Capcom arcade edition where you can some classic stuff from it which is neat next is Super Mario Party Jambaree it seems nice but I really it comes with button control I mean I enjoy the Joy-con by a little bit sadly but it's neat that we got a new Mario Party game with all sorts of new stages and some classic ones then we got a brand new Zelda game where she's the main protag when Link goes MIA the Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom does sound like a fun little game I might get later on and lastly Samus finally gets her Metroid Prime 4 game with her oldest next to Ridley Syullux returning from the great beyond to settle the score with her.
Either way I cannot wait for these brand new games to come out on Switch I bet your hyped as I am anyway that's all from me RGGAM out!