Chapter Seventeen – Family
Sonic gasped in utter astonishment. Unfortunately as they landed, there was another almighty earthquake glitch across Cyber Space, including the city. Sonic gulped, as he steadied his feet, as the intense shaking passed. He looked at the city.
"How did we get here?" He blasted, ignoring the general glitching. But Sukko just smirked, looking up at the still shining glyph, above their heads.
"Oh, very clever." He praised, as he suddenly, rounded on his twin. "Well, time and space have no meaning here, but the city itself somehow warps within it, constantly moving itself away from intruders, separate from everything else. A dimension, within a dimension, if you will. That was why we never got close it, through normal means. To get to the city, we had to find the very specific trigger, to gain access to it's unique boundaries." He explained, pointing upwards. "It's what the glyph means. Family, literally. Only the extremely strong bond, between those related to one another, by blood, can activate the warp, the invisible portal that brought us here. A loving hug between siblings, basically. That's why nothing happened, between you and your friends. You weren't kin." He smiled. Sonic immediately rounded on his twin, holding out a hand. He grinned.
"Brothers united?" He asked, but Sukko rolled his eyes, and grabbed the hand with his, without a moment's thought. He heaved, looking at his twin, as if he was crazy.
"Oh, always, Sonikku." He smiled, the whole thing sounding rather corny. But regardless, they may have made to the city gates, but getting inside wasn't going to be easy either, and knowing Cyber Space, it was also going to be equally as convoluted. Sonic examined the city's doors, and Sukko thought. They were beautiful, with a red, green and golden design. But there was no door handle, knockers, key hole, or lock. The Blue Blur pushed on the door. They were rock solid and going nowhere. He then backed up, to look up the stunning, white washed, walls, which seemed to extend into the heaven indefinitely. Sonic gulped, not fancying his chances running up them. He looked back at Sukko and shrugged. The Sorcerer was still staring at the door. He frowned.
"The fact that the mysterious glyph can still be seen, over my shoulder, from this 'pocket dimension' within Cyber Space, has to mean something. That family is key, and that you and me, have to do something together with that door, in order to open it." He wondered, but as he looked at his twin. "But what, I don't know." He shrugged. But Sonic just outright giggled, seriously impressed with his brother's deductions, as always.
"Still consider yourself less intelligent then Tails." He grinned, with an enormous eye roll from Sukko, as the Blue Blur heaved. "Because I don't. I doubt the kid would have worked that out." He praised, but Sukko heaved.
"Hey, give the Fox a chance. He's still very young, and I have a lot more life experience over him." He hissed. Sonic stopped, and then nodded in agreement. The Sorcerer was right. Sonic heaved, as they looked around. There was nothing around that indicated how they were going to get into the city.
Suddenly, with another almighty glitch across the realm, leading to yet more earthquakes, there is almighty scream coming from outside the walls. The twins immediately looked at each other, and then raced around the edge, to find someone desperately struggling to force their way into the safe-haven, through the very walls, but unfortunately, they brought the corruption with them.
Someone, whom Sonic immediately growled at, knowing exactly whom she was, and so now, wasn't surprised she was still around, considering who created her.
Sage.
The artificial intelligence looked like a young Human girl. She possessed a slim body and limbs with white skin and a large, round head with a tall forehead. Notably, she possessed glowing red eyes and a red energy structure on the left side of her face. She had short white hair with a swirl in it on her forehead and a single red energy highlight inside said swirl. The rest of her body however, especially her arms and legs, are completely black and seem to have outlines of red computer code around them. She wore a black cloak-like dress and black shoes. However, when Sage becomes sympathetic or emotional, her design inverts to a white cloak with blue wire-framing and eyes, and at the moment, she was constantly changing between the two, as the situation that she'd created, got out of control.
She was around the far edge of the city, had been trying the hack her way into the city, physically trying to get in, having successfully glitched herself there. But unfortunately, she brought the corruption with her. Suddenly, it exploded, spreading out across the outer walls, and surrounding paths, but failed to get inside. It attacked Sage, but not before Sonic rushes in a grabbed her, pushing her out of the way, as Sukko uses his Blue Flames, to successfully push back the corruption.
Unfortunately, the Blue Blur got caught off guard, as the corruption hit his hands, and the dark pixelated pattern, with a glowing red glitching aura begins rapidly travelling up it, towards his head. He screamed in pain, as he rounded on Sage.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were dead, killed by The End." He blasted, remembering that final fight himself, very clearly, but Sage cried, desperately sorry.
"Father had a backup, and when he rescued what was left of my remains, he rebuilt me again. But with The End permanently gone, he believed the Ancients's knowledge he originally came here for, was still in Cyber Space, so he sent be back in, to look for it. But I no longer have my original control over this dimension, and when I came back, I seemed to have brought the corruption, the system's external defences, inside with me, and now it's out of control." She sniffed, now in, well over her head. But Sonic roared with angry, through the excruciating agony.
"Idiot Human." He hissed, indicating Eggman, which Sage didn't deny. Her father was in the wrong, and she knew it. The Ancients should have been left well alone, and now she had no idea what to do. She was not surprised that Sonic was back in Cyber Space, but what caught her off guard completely, was that he wasn't alone.
Sukko heaved, as yet another earthquake hit the area, as he wondered over to Sonic. He didn't touch his twin, fearing transmission, but moved near his arm, and gritted his teeth. He held his hand to just over the corruption. Suddenly, streams of extremely delicate bright blue luminescent vapour-like hue poured from his palms, and into his brother. The Sorcerer concentrated hard, his eyes glowing intensely as healing was both difficult and incredibly fiddly work. Sage watched in silent awe, at the Master at work, giving Sukko the space he needed. Sage witnessing Magic on a scale she had never seen before. The corruption did significantly ease, and began reducing down the Blue Blur's arm, but didn't disappear completely.
Unfortunately, Sukko's Magic gave out, before the corruption did, as he was left panting hard, but as the Blue Blur tried to grab his hand, but the Sorcerer backed away. Sonic gulped, realising his stupidity. One of them infected, was bad enough, two, was downright idiotic. The corruption was still there, causing him intense pain, but it had significantly eased. The Sorcerer growled, panting hard.
"Sorry, Sonikku, it's all I have." He whimpered, disheartened. But as the dark pixelated pattern began to slowly grow up his hand again, Sonic just heaved.
"It's alright. But I think the only way to solve this, is in there." He gulped, indicating with his thumb, the walled city behind him. But Sage just stared, as her eyes flicked from one twin to the other. She intensely frowned, rounding on Sonic.
"This does not compute. Is there a glitch in the matrix? There are two of 'you'?" She stammered. Of which the twins just looked at each other and intensely giggled. Sonic, despite his pain, just downright smiled.
"Ok, Sage, that one's new. We're been called a lot of things in our time, but never a glitch in a matrix." He giggled, then he pointed to the Sorcerer. "This is Sukko, my twin brother, for real, not inside a computer. But truthfully, he doesn't normally follow me on my adventures, these days, to be honest. Which is why you've never met, but this time, he was specifically sent for." He introduced. "And no, your not seeing things. We are indeed identical. It occasionally happens in nature." He added.
Sage blinked, obviously not believing him, but Sonic just rolled his eyes, as the pain in his hand increased again. The vast approaching earthquake, coming and then going, not helping at all. He frowned, they seemed to be getting more frequent, which meant the corruption was spreading further across Cyber Space. They didn't have long, as Sonic dared not ask his brother again, for another heal, Sukko had already given him, all he had, but as he looked at the corruption, and knew, very well, what was beyond, he had a idea. He heaved, as he looked at Sukko.
"When I was completely taken by it, the last time, my soul was trapped in Cyber Space, caged, in darkness, I got a nanosecond glimpse of something, before the blackness fell. At the time, I didn't know what it was, but thinking back, it may have been inside the city walls itself. Controlled with your Magic, Sukko, we may be able to find the answers of how get into the place." He heaved, groaning with the pain. But Sukko growled.
"That's incredibly risky, Sonikku. I could permanently loose you, and then myself." He stammered, indicating their powerful Psychic Link. "We could both die in here." He added, but as he looked around, still trapped outside of the city, and with the corruption slowly creeping back, the Sorcerer realised that he, literally, didn't have a choice. He knew how strong the corruption was. The fact that it had managed to outpace his own Magic, which in itself, was hefty, one of the strongest Chaos powers out there, was absolutely staggering, and truthfully, sent fear straight through the Sorcerer.
Sukko took a deep breath as he stood face-to-face with his brother, as Sage just looked on, helpless to help any further. The corruption was still creeping back, even more now, it getting worse with the now increasing earthquakes that now constantly rippled across Cyber Space. The whole digital realm tossed and turned, twisting and warping so badly, that Sage actually feared it's collapse. Regardless, Eggman may have hacked her into the system, but with the upheaval, she's been locked out of everything. Nothing was now listening to her, leaving her entirely on her own, completely at the mercy of the corruption.
But she wasn't alone, as the twins were their's and the Ancients's only saviour, as the corruption began to attack the very walls of the city safe-haven and even burrow through them, like an organic deep, dark red, slime moving of it's accord. They didn't have long, and the Sorcerer knew it. If the city went down, it would take the whole of Cyber Space with it, killing everyone, including themselves. Even Sage wouldn't be immune.
The Ancients were playing a very dangerous game, by not revealing the entrance code to their city to Sukko, in such difficult circumstances. Could they not not see their own safe-haven was in direct danger? They wanted his help, so allow him to do so. But Sukko frowned. Was this some kind of test? If it was, it was both incredibly perilous, and ridiculously stupid. Suspecting so, the Sorcerer decided to oblige, but he growled. Fine, he'll do the test, his brother completely none the wiser. But never push a Blue Hedgehog to his limits, they push back and extremely hard. It was what made them both heroes, and especially, in regards to the Sorcerer, not the way you'd expect.
Sukko placed his hands just above Sonic's forehead, and the other, above his belly, and concentrating hard, the Sorcerer let the Magic flow hard, as both his eyes and his twins, glowed a deep vivid blue. He aimed for the corruption, now spreading again up his twin's arm, and as controlled as he could, he allowed to do so, as it flowed upwards, towards the shoulder, then neck and finally, on and then into the Blue Blur's head.
Suddenly, Sonic screamed, as he felt the intense pain, but also growled, as he also felt Sukko's safety net. Grabbing it, he concentrated hard, as they both glimpse the inner workings of the city before the deep darkness of the cage. Sonic roared in pure temper, as he aimed his mind for that safe-haven and as the corruption enters his mind, it gives him the answer to the riddle of the gates.
'Only the blood of kin can open the doors.'
Sonic screamed, desperately pulling on the safety net, as it took every ounce of Sukko's mental strength to physically pull his mind, from the corruption, being him back to reality, and Cyber Space. He succeeded. Unfortunately, Sukko didn't stand in ceremony, and knowing his healing wasn't strong enough, he fired up his blue flames, literally, he attacked the corruption on his own twin's body. It rapidly recoiled from him, back down the arm again, away from the head, and neck.
Unfortunately, it badly burned the Blue Blur in the process, breaking what anger he had, as his fur was left badly scotched and blistered. Squealing in pain, and almost in tears, Sonic, desperately looking at his twin, he knew comfort was out of the question. The look of pure temper on his face, just said it all, as Sonic was well aware that Sukko heard the answer to the riddle, as well as himself.
But the Sorcerer frowned. The solution seemed odd. Too obvious. The whole of Cyber Space was about family, and protecting loved ones, but as Sukko looked back to the shining glyph, still in the skies above. Was that the point? Did the riddle have a deeper meaning, or as Sukko was now beginning to believe, as he looked at his twin, still shaking with pain, and then towards the doors of the city itself, a more literal one, yet again.
Suddenly, the Sorcerer ran around the edge of the walled city, back to said entrance doors. Desperately panicking, Sonic following him, limping hard, desperately clucking his arm, the corruption already creeping back. Suddenly, yet another earthquake rippled across the whole of Cyber Space. But this time, it even badly rippled straight through the pocket dimension of the city safe-haven itself, causing everyone to be knocked off their feet. Falling hard to the ground, Sukko roared in pure temper, scrambling to his feet, as Sonic just cried, the tears flowing, as he almost curled. He sniffed and hard.
"There's no way out. We are going to die." He whimpered, but Sukko's anger immediately broke, as he just sniggered and hard, as he leaned over his twin, as he grinned.
"Really?" He smirked. "I know the answer to the doors." He hissed, as Sonic just stared, his own despair immediately breaking, as he too, very quickly, got to his feet. He gasped.
"How?" He stammered, but the Sorcerer just smirked, and wincing in pain, he bit down on his own tongue, and then proceeded, to his twin's horror, spit blood onto one of the stunningly ornate doors of the city. The Blue Blur recoiled, whinging hard.
"Ew, gross." He gaged, "Sukko, your disgusting sometimes." He stammered. But the Sorcerer just smirked. Considering some of the people he'd slept around with, in his lifetime. Yes, he was. But he rounded on his twin, as he sneakingly used his own Magic to heal himself. He growled.
"But seriously though, that's the answer. The blood of kin. They mean it literally. I've done one door, you need to do the other one." He shrugged. Sonic blinked and hard, as he looked between his twin, the unsoiled door, and his own hand, not covered in corruption. He heaved in pure astonishment. It was deceptively simple.
"Oh, very clever." He repeated, but with the corruption now back up his arm, and down travelling down his torso, and both legs, Sonic could barely walk. But he just growled. He'd done this before, and surging forwards out of pure defiance, and forgiving his twin, for not giving up, he moved towards the doors, as he just put his hand in his mouth. The physically pulled off the glove, threw to the floor, and then sunk his own teeth into his hand, between the thumb and forefinger. He barely felt the pain, on top of the corruption, and when he finally drew blood, he let go, as slammed the hand onto the opposite door, to his twin.
Finally, there was an almighty clunk, as they began to open. But as the massive doors sung inwards, Sonic collapsed, to the floor, the corruption now to much, it taking in legs out from under him. The Sorcerer growled, as he had let the Blue Blur fall. Sonic hit the ground hard, but nodded, knowing this. The ancients wanted his brother, not him, as he desperately watched his twin enter the pearly white city alone, Sonic now knew his fate was out of his hands. His trust of his own twin brother was absolute. Sukko had never let him down, ever, and Sonic expected nothing less now. But he heaved. This was going to be close, and he knew, and he just preyed that Sukko had a plan. Sage stayed with him. It was small gesture, but as least it was something. But truthfully, she wasn't allowed to enter either, so there was nothing more she could do.
But as further earthquakes the city, Sukko knew it was in a race against time to save both the Ancients and his own twin brother from the corruption, as it threatened to engulf everything.