Chapter 163
Call to Rebellion
The roar of the waterfalls was deafening. Sprays of white rapids crashed down the canyon walls, cutting deep into the rock as the rushing water fell heavily into the lake below. Scattered ruins floated above the surface of the pool. Enveloped by walls of rushing water, the remnants of the ancient city sparkled in the glistening light. It was a sight as beautiful as it was tragic. A city abandoned to the reclamation of nature, perfectly preserved in a state of near timeless glory.
The original heart of the ancient city of Sol lay at the deepest depth of Kingdom Valley. Its most well preserved walls and structures encased in a living mausoleum safeguarded by rushing waterfalls. No matter how hard and heavy the water fell, the lake below never filled to the point of submerging the old relics. Like a living machine, the water filled and drained through a river coursing its way down the mountain slopes into the forest.
Silver floated cautiously above the water, drifting through the ruins. The pale green glow of his aura made him appear like a pale spectre haunting over the ruins of a forgotten people. Above him, beyond the dome of sparkling refracted light, Silver could just see the very tips of the highest towers of the city. The sun's warm glow was blocked by the swarm of gunships that had gathered at the capital.
At the first sign of imperial activity, Silver swooped down and hid himself amongst the ruins. The light mobilization of scattered imperial regiments and isolated bands of Sentinels made Silver's anxiety lessen. If Mesto knew about the secret entrance then this place would be drowned in soldiers. As it were, the garrison here seemed more perfunctory than cautious.
Silver crept through the ruins, moving steadily towards the outer canyon walls. The roar of the waterfalls drowned out his movement. He watched carefully to ensure that no Sentinels or imperial guards could spot him. Once he was sure, Silver floated up into the air, hiding himself behind the spray of the water.
Eventually, Silver found the hidden entrance, carefully disguised beneath a wall of dangling ivy. The nearby waterfalls and vast extension of the canyon walls made this spot practically invisible to all those who did not already know where it was.
Once within the safety of the tunnel, Silver relaxed slightly. He held out his palm and caused his hand to glow, using his own power as a makeshift torch. Silver walked forward, careful only to use enough light to illuminate the space directly ahead of him.
It was a long trek through the semi-darkness. Silver knew the path twisted and winded in order to ascend the canyon walls and eventually reach the plateau upon which the upper city rested. He could still remember the first time Blaze had shown him these passages and walked him through the darkness.
Silver paused midstep, temporarily halted in place by the weight of his own thoughts. Though it had only been a few hours, he could hardly believe what had transpired. For a moment, when he put his hand on the spear wound, Silver had been flushed with certainty. It had been the most overwhelming feeling of confidence and hope. At that instant, beaming beneath the glow of his resurrected sister, the threat of the empire and all the battles to come seemed small and insignificant.
But all too quickly that moment passed. Blaze vanished into the clouds and the day that had started with so much brightness had been covered beneath a grim fog. Had it all been a dream? Silver wished he had taken something from Blaze, some physical proof that what he had seen had been real.
For who would believe him if they had not seen it with their own eyes? Silver had been there in the arena, he had seen Blaze die, had watched as the Flames of Disaster spilled out of the ground and sky. He had watched her lifeless body hang from the Black Chains. And then…had he also seen her alive? Had that been real? He had touched her, felt the tangible proof with his very hands. But even now, just hours later, Silver doubted.
Consequently, the hope that her presence had filled him with had also slowly drained away. As Blaze vanished, a fog swept over the world and with it returned Silver's fears and anxiety.
His glowing hand trembled faintly. Silver watched the light dim and scolded himself for his weakness. Part of him understood why he had been so instantly relieved to see Blaze again. It wasn't just because he missed his sister, it was because he wanted to relieve himself of the pressure of command. He had wanted her to stay, to resume her post at the head of their armies. For a moment, Silver's childish dream seemed answered, and he would not have to take up the call of density after all.
Silver forced himself to take one step forward. It was painful how difficult that was, but once he restarted he found it easier to keep going. Step by step, Silver passed through the tunnels until he reached the iron gates that were magically sealed.
His hands fumbled in the dark for the lock, and with practiced ease he entered the combination. Silver used the light of his energy to see the small images and arrange them. The lock was opened by rotating the dials into the correct sequence. Fire, Phoenix, Smoke, Ash, Fire.
Click. The lock unfastened and Silver pushed past the gate. He clamored up the wooden ladder waiting for him at the end of the tunnel and reached the sewers. Silver held his breath as he brushed the foul water out of his fur.
From here, Silver pulled out the map drafted up for him by Priam. He frowned over it, trying as best he could to coordinate his location relative to the map. The old sewers had either collapsed or purposely filled in the centuries since their construction. This pocket had only survived due to its location beneath one of the ancient palaces.
That would put me near the metal district. Silver frowned as he rotated the map around trying to plan a route that would take him to the underground cistern where Sonic had found Lord Typhon.
Fortunately, mastery of the city's various roads, suballeys and underground passages were a mainstay in Silver's education. He put the map aside and hurried down the main sewer tunnel, bypassing the hidden entrance into the ruins of the old palace. Instead, Silver decided it would be best to try and remain underground for as long as possible.
The sewers condescended the further along Silver went. Air became increasingly foul and thin as access to open passages became slim. He did not reach a true block until almost an hour into his journey. Here the sewer had collapsed leaving huge stones in the middle of the passage. The opening back to the surface was buried beneath centuries of erosion and topsoil.
However, such simple physical barriers would not stop Silver. The darkness abated as Silver's hands flashed and the rubble became encircled with mystic energy. Silver pushed and the mound of debris scooted aside to make just enough room for him to squeeze by.
Mile by mile, Silver practically dug his way through the sewer tunnels. His signature silver fur had turned a nasty shade of inky black by the time he reached an open passage. Several times he had been forced to use his powers to move gigantic piles of ruins. Only then could he lay down and wiggle his way through the small gaps. Twice, the ground collapsed beneath him and Silver was nearly dragged into a watery grave, only being saved by his ability to levitate.
The effort left him exhausted and smelling horrible, but it had not been in vain. Once in the open passage, Silver spotted a conspicuously repaired wall complete with fresh bricks. Silver broke this apart with an astral blast. He stepped beyond the barrier and found himself in a paved road spiraling deep underground.
Silver checked the map and felt sure that this would bring him closer to his goal. The walls were now lined with rusted pipes, clear indicators that Silver had stepped out of one age of the city's history and had entered another.
Following the direction of the pipes, the path winded down until reaching a heavy steel door. Silver paused and pressed his head against the metal. Muffled voices echoed through the other side. He checked the map one more time before taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. Silver knocked on the door. Instantly the voices went silent. Silver heard the rush of heavy feet and the unmistakable sound of energy rifles priming.
The door opened. Dozens of soot faced criminals were packed into the gap. The barrels of twelve rifles were directed at Silver's heart. Silver created a shield with one hand and held up the other in a sign of truce. "I am Silver the Hedgehog, the Knight of the Stars. I wish to parley with your leader."
Moments later, Silver was brought through the underground reservoir that had been retrofitted into a makeshift factory. Dozens of heavily armed criminals slunk to the shadows, avoiding Silver's gaze. At the heart of the hideout was an old cistern now reconfigured to serve as a kind of warehouse of stolen technology.
Lord Typhon languished upon his hovering throne. He fit Sonic's description of him perfectly only now, the great warrior bear had been much diminished. The wound he had taken from Sonic had festered, turning the hair near his collarbone a diseased black. No longer huge, Lord Typhon's skin clung to his bones. His chain of heads hung heavy on his neck forcing his head to droop slightly.
At first glance, Silver's heart dropped. This was not the formidable and cunning warrior that Silver had expected. Lord Typhon seemed half dead when his subordinates approached his chair and woke him up.
However, any misgivings Silver had faded when Typhon's eyes shot open. They burned a dangerous yellow and pulsed with red veins. "Hedgehog?" The bear growled. "Hedgehog? Where is he?" Typhon's shout caused the cavern ceiling to tremble. Everyone except Silver cringed back.
Typhon's eyes swept the room before locking on Silver. His wild gaze expanded into one of animalistic fury. He tried to climb out of his chair, but his arms were too weak. The effort stretched his scar and Typhon whined in pain.
"I am not here to fight," Silver said calmly.
Typhon paused and sniffed the air. His wild eyes narrowed with mistrust. Gradually, his rage dissipated. "You are not the hedgehog who mutilated me."
Silver inclined his head in a show of respect. "I am Sir Silver, the Knight of the-"
"Kill him." Typhon waved lazily and his soldiers rounded on Silver. Before they could raise their weapons Silver fired a pulse of energy that knocked them all back.
"I have come to speak to you of our common enemy!" Silver yelled. More of Typhon's soldiers were coming out of the shadows to encircle Silver. Red dots covered his fur as they took aim.
Typhon snarled and moved his hand to call off the attack. "I have nothing to say to knights. The last sword wielder who came here mutilated me and stole my treasure."
"That isn't what I heard." Silver's heart was racing, and he knew that if Typhon gave the signal he would not be able to protect himself against so many foes. "Sonic bested you in one on one combat."
Typhon's face twisted. "You dare speak that name here?"
Silver met his gaze and made sure to keep his expression firm and defiant. "I did not come here to talk about Sonic. I am here to discuss Mesto and his puppet."
Typhon's chest heaved as the great bear struggled to contain his rage. He sat back in his chair, groaning faintly due to the pain racking his body. "What business would I have with a Thirteen? Your people are unmarked and unfit for life in the new empire. I tried dealing fairly with your kind before and was cheated by that grotesque blue rodent."
Silver ignored the lie. "I know you are responsible for the recent attacks on imperial offices. You managed to free several of your soldiers."
Typhon shrugged. "What of it?" The great bear snapped and one of his lackeys brought him a roasted spike of black jerky. He chomped at the meat greedily, picking the pieces out of his teeth.
"You would have never risked such an open attack in the past. Something has changed."
"The Underking is dead," Typhon spat out a glob of fat and continued devouring his food. "It was time I established myself as the new ruler of the underworld. Mesto had overreached and it was necessary that I push the line back into balance."
"Mesto had Infinite wipe out the Underking and his army," Silver clarified. "And he will do the same to you."
Typhon finished his food and frowned at the empty stick. He tossed it aside dismissively. "He would be a fool to try."
"Mesto is a fool," Silver continued. "And I think you know it. Everyone knows it now. Killing my sister was the worst mistake he has ever made."
At the mention of Blaze a shadow seemed to fall over the criminals. More of them darted back into the darkness, retreating at the very mention of the condemned. Typhon wrestled against his own fear, seemingly working himself up into a rage.
"Damn her," He spat. "I didn't care about your sister at all. The sensation of it all was merely a fitting distraction. Mesto thought he had achieved some great victory and I used his indolence to my advantage, nothing more."
"I don't think so. I think you attacked because you're desperate. Ever since Infinite wiped out the Underking you've been fortifying this little lair of yours hoping you won't be next. But that has changed. The Blood Moon turned that desperation into courage. I think you realize that the only way to survive is to get rid of Mesto."
"Careful," Typhon hissed. "You do not get to come into my home and call me a coward."
"You are a coward," Silver said simply. "That is why you hide underground and are content to play your little game of cat and mouse. But even that small freedom you once enjoyed under the old status quo has been taken from you. There is no bargain you can make. If Mesto finds you, he will kill you all."
Typhon sat up in his chair. "Should we put that to the test? If I presented him with your pelt, perhaps that would be enough to buy my life?"
"You're welcome to try. Of course, I would kill you before your men took me down, but it wouldn't really matter. To make a deal with Mesto would be to set yourself up as his equal. Mesto will not have that. He will have complete and total victory or nothing. That is the lesson you learned. It is the reason you chose to attack."
"Then why have you come here, sir Knight? Have you come to merely prattle on about your virtue and make idle threats?"
"I came to get the measure of you. Sonic said you had tried to double cross him, but he had been impressed by your ferocity. I see that much of your physical power has waned, but your will is not broken."
Typhon made a fist and beat his breast. "I am Lord Typhon, my will is unshakeable."
Silver had to try and resist a smile. He really is full of himself. "Then Lord Typhon, allow me to make a proposition. Mesto is our mutual enemy. We should work together to bring him down. As long as he and Infinite are alive they are a threat to all of us."
"An alliance?" Typhon mused. "That is possible. My spies report that Mesto violated the emperor's mandate with the execution of your sister. With just a little extra push, we could ensure that the emperor was compelled to replace Mesto with someone more understanding."
"You misunderstand me," Silver said. "We do not want to just remove Mesto. Our objective is to take back the city."
Laughter. Not just from Lord Typhon but from his army of criminals. The sound of their mirth echoed off the high ceiling.
"Are you rebels really as stupid as they say?" Typhon wiped a tear from his eye. "Did you not see what happened to your precious princess? Not even your own people want you. The city is impregnable. It would take a force of several thousand to lay siege to it."
Silver didn't so much as smile. "These are our aims. The city must be taken back. Together, with your army on the inside and mine outside, I think we can do it."
Typhon let out a bark of derisive laughter. "O you think we can do you? And how will that happen exactly? The emperor's ships can blow your army into pieces with a single shot. Do you have ships, Sir Knight? Do you have legions of mechanized drones?"
Silver shook his head. "We will have to ground the ships, and there are ways to combat the excessive numbers of the Sentinels."
"And what of the legions?" Typhon pressed. "You will have no support in the city. Even if I could get your forces inside the gates you will be locked down and destroyed."
"Once we are inside the city, the people will turn against Mesto."
Typhon did not laugh. He stared blankly at Silver as if he were just realizing that he was conversing with a crazy person. "Did it drive you to insanity?" Typhon whispered. "Did watching everyone call for your sister's death not make the point clear? They want the empire. Sure, many hate Mesto, but they will not try and take this city back by force."
"I know my people better than you do," Silver said forcefully. "They did what they did out of fear. We are no different than any other people on this planet. Mesto made that point perfectly clear. He used fear and violence to turn my people into the kind of mob that would cheer as their own princess was killed in front of them. But that doesn't mean they are lost forever. When the time comes, I know that they will stand up and fight."
Typhon groaned. "There is no point in such a strategy. If you had an ounce of intelligence then you would realize your best hope is to force Mesto out. Once the emperor elects a governor without so many personal attachments to this region you could hammer out a workable peace."
"That is not an option." Silver stood back and looked up so that he could address Typhon's entire audience. "I know you all may think I'm crazy, but I need you to hear me. The emperor is evil. There will be no lasting peace. Mesto and the emperor don't plan on ruling Arvana, they don't care about this planet at all. This invasion of the emperor's home world is only the beginning. He does not plan on staying here and building a better future for us. Once he has sucked Arvana dry of everything he can get from it, he will discard it."
"Now what?" Typhon said. "Do you expect us to rebel against the emperor as well?"
"You must do as your conscience tells you. But know this, if you want to survive then we must free ourselves from the empire."
"To what end? Even if you could take back the city, where would that leave us? We are criminals. How do I know you won't just try and kill me as soon as you have your victory?"
"You don't. But you'd be an absolute fool to think that there is any future for you in the empire. Mesto will never give up his post. Even if the emperor tried to remove him. The only way to ensure our survival is to destroy Mesto."
Typhon leaned forward on his chair and scratched his head with his long claws. "Why should I believe that? The emperor is no fool, he would not allow Mesto to ruin his operation. You say the emperor doesn't care for this planet, but why waste so much time and energy on conquering it?"
"Mesto will never give up his rule. Not before this entire province burns to the ground. As to the emperor, his goals are beyond my understanding, but it is evident that he aims to become a conqueror on the galactic level. His rapid abuse of the Sol Gems should tell you that. Unless of course your stupid enough to believe Mesto when he said that all those earthquakes were actually caused by the power of the emperor."
At the mention of the tremors, Typhon shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Silver used this as an indicator that he had found an inroad. "Even you must have heard that the Science corp officers have been sent all over the planet to cover up the devastation. You may not believe the legends about Solaris, but you'd be a fool not to realize that the emperor is inflicting irreparable damage on our planet."
Silver paused and gazed fixedly at Typhon. He knew that the criminal boss would be more persuaded by Silver's poise than by his words.
"It is too risky," Typhon said. "The odds of victory in battle are near zero. Infinite wiped out the Underking and his army in the blink of an eye. There is no point in dying in such a fight. Perhaps Mesto would just kill me if I brought you to me, but there is also that small chance that I am rewarded." A toothy smile stretched the grizzly predator's face. "Even if the emperor is draining this world, a real disaster is a long way off. Why shouldn't I live like a king in the meantime?"
Silver prepared to fire a jolt of crystalized energy straight into Typhon's heart when the ground beneath him shook. Everything shifted to the side as there was a dull boom sound from beneath them. Half a second later, the ceiling and walls trembled.
The tremor hardly lasted a second. Silver waited with his hands held up, the collected energy still forming. Boom. A second tremor, this one coming from the ceiling and far stronger than the last knocked Silver to his knees. Boom. Boom. The next tremors caused the gathered criminals to shout and scatter in every direction.
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" Typhon yelled over the tumult. All went silent. The great bear held up his hand and counted down from five. When he finished the count, he exhaled heavily.
"What was that?" Silver demanded. "There must have been an explosion on the surface. Did you have an attack planned?"
Typhon shook his head. He barked out a command and one of his lackeys raced over to him. Typhon whispered a hurried message and the envoy went racing into the tunnels. Silver watched them go with a sudden uptick in his pulse. He turned slowly back to Typhon. He expected that the bear would be primed to continue his attack, but Typhon seemed completely distracted.
No one took any notice of Silver as the criminals hurried back to their work. Silver stood awkwardly, unsure if he should just try and leave or continue the conversation. Before he could make up his mind, a group of criminals returned led by an echidna of impossible size.
The imposing behemoth rushed over to Typhon and bowed. "There have been explosions all over the city. The science corp offices have nearly been leveled. All the ships that were anchored near it self-destructed."
"What?" Typhon snapped. "What happened?"
"It was completely sudden. One moment nothing and the next there were huge explosions."
"That's it? Surely you saw more than that."
The echidna shook his head. "Just huge flashes of pink light."
"The Sol Gems!" Silver rushed over to the echidna. "Did you say the explosions were all pink? Where else did they occur?"
The echidna stepped away from Silver, eyeing him cautiously.
"Answer him, Demise."
With Typhon's assurance, the echidna said, "There were some explosions near the Hive and a few around the palace. Most of them happened in the science corp offices and the Metal District."
Silver turned to Typhon. "Do you still have any Sol Gems?"
The bear frowned. "A few. We traded most of ours away. Why do you ask?"
"Get them out," Silver demanded. "There is something I need to see."
Typhon's chest swelled. "You don't give commands here!"
"Just do it," Silver deflected.
Typhon fumed, but gave the order. After another few minutes, his lackey returned empty handed and pale faced. "I….I'm sorry my lord. Something has happened…the refinery's empty. The casket exploded and the Sol Gems…"
"What?" Typhon reached out and seized his lackey by the throat. However, the enfeebled Typhon couldn't complete the threat as the sudden movement caused his injury to flare up. He howled in pain and fell back into his floating throne.
Silver didn't pay him any attention. His mind was already racing with the implications of what he had just heard. Blaze did it. She had really caused all the Sol Gems to vanish. And if that was true, so too was her resurrection. She really is alive. A beautiful surge of warmth spread through Silver, removing much of the weight that had gathered on his shoulders.
"The Sol Gems weren't stolen," Silver said, returning to the conversation between Typhon and Demise. "All the Sol Gems on the planet have been turned to dust."
Lord Typhon glowered at him. "What are you rambling about?"
"The abuse of Arvana is over. The power that the emperor has been stealing from the planet is no longer his to abuse. All the major systems that were fueled by Sol Gems have just been destroyed."
Typhon laughed. "Is that right? And how did that happen?"
"By the power of Solaris." Silver expected the laughter and the ridicule but he stood his ground. "The playing field has been leveled. Without the Sol Gems the empire isn't nearly as powerful."
"Delusions," Typhon said while rolling his eyes. "How long will you allow these daydreams to control your life?"
"It doesn't matter if you don't believe me," Silver interrupted. "The truth lies before you. The Sol Gems are gone. The empire is vulnerable. The time for sitting on the fence is over, everyone must now pick a side."
Typhon studied Silver intently, his narrow, pretadoral eyes fixed with suspsison. "I will need time to confirm what you say is true. If all the Sol Gems really have vanished then that does move the needle slightly. But I still do not see why I should align myself to you. Mesto is my enemy not the empire."
While he spoke, Typhon's soldiers steadily drifted out of the shadows in order to encircle Silver. Demise rose to his full height and moved to stand in front of his leader. Silver's hands twitched as he readied for the outbreak of violence.
"But-" Typhon smiled. "I like to keep my options open." The tension in the room deflated. Demise and the other soldiers slunk back. "You may leave now sir Knight."
"And if you change your mind?" Silver pressed. "Once my army storms the city it will be too late for you."
"I will send messengers into the forest."
Silver put his arm over his chest and inclined his head. "That is all I can ask for. Thank you for your time." He turned away and forced himself to walk at a normal pace.
Typhon whispered something to Demise and the two of them howled with laughter. Silver heard the ringing of their laughter as he made his way out of the tunnels and back into the sewers.
It was a long lonely trek back to the secret ladder. However, when Silver arrived he decided not to head directly back to the Sanctuary. Instead, he ventured to the second ladder and ascended up into the abandoned palace. From here, he was able to make his way out into the city.
Silver emerged into a tight alley and raised his cloak's hood. He went slowly to the end of the alley and peered out into the main road. The streets were unusually empty. A wispy fog lingered in the streets. Though it was midday the sun was veiled leaving the world in gray shadows. Smoke billowed from the middle of the city, covering much of the Metal District. The airships that had previously dominated the city's airspace were missing.
Despite the damage, Silver was surprised by the relative lack of imperial presence. He assumed Mesto would flood the streets with his legions as a show of force. Instead, the city was left relatively quiet and empty. Only a few citizens risked the open roads and they went quickly along with hoods raised.
"It's an omen…"
Silver heard someone whisper to another. He turned quickly and saw a group of female hedgehogs huddled together looking pale faced up at the smoke. In that brief glance, Silver saw something that shocked him so much he gaped openly, not realizing that he was staring. The eldest of the hedgehogs swiftly hid the golden medallion beneath her tunic and whispered to her friends to move along. She cast a worried glance back at Silver as they darted down a side street.
Throwing caution to the wind, Silver followed after them. He turned down the same street just in time to see the train of one of their dresses slip behind a far corner. Silver ran to catch up, but as he took the turn the women vanished.
Silver stood still and examined the walls of the nearby buildings. This was in the more ancient quadrant of the city, not so far from where they had taken refuge in Priam's old house. Silver knew it was possible that women had concealed themselves in a similar hideout.
Silver closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. Telepathy was the least developed of all of Silver's abilities. It required absolute concentration with even the faintest deviation in focus reducing the power to nothing. Silver rarely made use of this power, only occasionally employing it to communicate telepathically. However, it did have the minor benefit of alerting him to nearby minds.
He breathed slowly as his EMP extended out from within himself and moved through all the nearby solid barriers. They're here. Silver ended the contact and floated up into the air. Using his psychokinesis, he broke open a window in the adjacent building. Once inside, Silver followed the signal down into the lower halls.
He easily pushed aside a makeshift barrier of loose brick and entered a dimly lit alcove. A few dozen people gathered within, crowding around an extremely fat feline. The hedgehog women Silver had been following were speaking to the cat.
"There is smoke covering the entire district," One of them was saying. "But I didn't see anything else. Mesto sent soldiers to block the entrance, but otherwise all is quiet."
"Another omen," Cackled a voice from the shadows. "Not even the imperials can escape the doom."
"There's more." The hedgehog girl with the medallion leaned in to speak to the cat. Silver couldn't hear what she said but when she was done, the cat slapped his round belly.
"Rebels?" He asked in dismay. "Daniella, are you sure?"
Daniella looked around wearily, clearly having intended to keep this part of the discourse private. "He wore a gray hood. I thought I may have even recognized him."
"It's the curse," The voice from the shadows said cryptically. Silver peered through the gloom to see an old crone standing high on one leg. Her long beak was heavily weighed down by sags of old, wrinkly skin. "The signs are clear. The blood moon was just the start. The blood of the innocent weighs on us all."
"Enough of that Nan," Growled the cat.
A hush had fallen on the group. Silver saw many faces turn to the old bird, clearly troubled by what she had said.
"You can ignore it if you want Griff," The crone replied. "But it won't be ignoring us. The curse is on us as well as Mesto and his minions. The crime of murder hangs over this city. There are powers in the world older than the ones paddled on by the priests. To kill an innocent soul, to offer them to the fire…that is a crime against nature."
"The princess attacked Lord Mesto," Griff snapped. "She wanted to incite rebellion and chaos."
"Not to mention her sacrilege against Solaris." A figure rose up amongst the shadows. He was garbed in the signature robes of a priest of the Church. He pointed a gnarled finger at the old woman. "The princess made herself out to be the true fire. Her blasphemy deserved death."
There were low murmurs of agreement to these words, but the crone remained adamant. "The blood of an innocent has turned the celestial signs red. Our hands are stained. None shall escape vengeance."
To this there were small shrieks of terror. By the movement in the darkness, Silver realized there were children among the group. One of the hedgehog girls suddenly cried out in a panicked voice. "We didn't mean to! I didn't know. I was just…everything was getting worse since she came to the city. The earthquake…Mesto's injuries…I didn't-" Terrorized by the old woman's threats, the girl flung herself on the floor.
"Now look-" Griff's protests were drowned out by the crone's high-pitched laughter. Her throat cracked with every piercing note.
"Cry while you can. There was no remorse on the day of condemnation, and we should expect none on the day of judgment. Blaze was brought to this city as a crucible, and that is a test we failed. Our fate is sealed. Her blood is on our hands, and we will have to pay back every cent."
"Enough!" Griff bellowed. But he had already lost control of the group. Many jumped to their feet to try and argue with the crone, while just as many lost themselves in frenzied cries. Women huddled together to sob, whispering gently to one another that it had not really been their fault, and that they had never meant for Blaze to be executed.
Griff was swallowed up by the conversations, pulled into a fierce debate on whether or not they should have rallied to Blaze's side and defeated Mesto in battle. Silver watched as one of the hedgehog girls insisted that the city was doomed, that the terror of the blood moon haunted her dreams and kept her in a state of sleepless fear.
"Ruin," Cackled the old woman. "It will all come to ruins. Imperial and Thirteen alike, we shall all be pulled beneath the world. It will not be like the fires of old where the ashes could still be cobbled together, but a great drowning in a sea of blood."
"Enough." Silver withdrew his hood and stormed into the center of the room. His hair and eyes flashed with mystic green energy. The outflow of his aura illuminated the hideout. All voices fell silent. Four echidnas near the corners made half-hearted movements to rush him. Silver raised a hand and light burst from his palm. The intensity of the beam made the echidnas stand down.
"I am Sir Silver the Knight of the Stars, half brother to Princess Blaze." Silver's eyes swept the room. Everyone was looking at him with a petrified expression. Griff slunk his head deep into the rolls of his wide neck, while the female hedgehogs all covered themselves with their cloaks.
"We know who you are," Spat the old crone. She raised herself up as high as her old bones would allow. "Have you been spying on us this whole time?"
Silver ignored her and addressed the onlookers. "The blood moon was not an omen of disaster, only a warning. The day of fate draws near. The end of the age has come, the sun has set on the kingdom of Soleanna, and it has fallen to us to meet its destiny." Silver paused, waiting for his own heart to stop hammering so intensely.
"Princess Blaze was known to all of you as a warrior of honor and a faithful ruler. She was brought to the city on the pretense of peace, a net of lies woven by the emperor. Once ensnared she was taken by Mesto's traps, publicly portrayed as a villain, and sentenced to death by her own people." Silver's aura flickered in the semi darkness, illuminating the pale faces of his audience.
"Or that is what Mesto believes. In truth, Blaze came here of her own accord, determined to face the evils of the empire head on. By the predetermined plan of Solaris, she was handed over to you, to be condemned by the voice of those she had come to save. And so the blood of the innocent was spilled as this wise crone says. But that is not the end. Blaze was not left to suffer the enmity of death, but as the Phoenix is reborn from the ashes so too has she risen from the dead. I tell you now that the princess has risen and at this moment lives by the power of Solaris. It is by the power of her resurrection that the authority of the empire has shattered. The Sol Gems they ripped from the planet have lost their power, crippling Mesto and the emperor's legions."
Silver allowed his aura to fade slightly. "The warning of the Blood Moon is not an omen of destruction, but merely a sign of a promise. Blaze will liberate this city. The vengeance will come, but those who take refuge beneath the wings of Solaris will be rescued." Silver paused to look around, gazing into the eyes of each of his gathered countrymen. "You must believe me when I tell you that there is no future with the empire. The emperor will destroy this planet, all he has ever wanted from it was the power of the Sol Gems. Unshackle yourselves from the fear by which Mesto has enslaved you. Help me. I will march my armies to the gates and throw everything we have at Mesto. He must be defeated if our people are to have a future. When that day comes I will need help."
Now finished, Silver allowed his aura to fade completely. In the gloom, each of the gathered was allowed to process their thoughts in the relative solitude provided by the darkness. Silver closed his eyes and forced himself not to hear the whispers. Though as ever, his focus was not as potent as it ought to have been.
"He's mad. I saw them burn Blaze alive."
"Mesto is bad that's for sure, but why should we rise up against the emperor as well? Things wouldn't be so bad if we had a better governor."
"These types are not right in the head. Why's he trying to tell us she's come back to life eh? If she had, why didn't she come herself?"
"Suicicde, fighting the empire is suicide."
"But what if he is right? Don't you remember what happened in the arena? Fire spilled out of the sky!"
"Delusions. The princess convinced all her followers she was some kind of deity. If she had just kept her head down we could have lived at peace like all the other provinces!"
"What do we do?"
Silver opened his eyes. Daniella stood up with her hands cupped around the medallion she had withdrawn from her dress. It was made of bronze and shaped in the image of the sun. Freshly varnished, the metal glowed faintly in the gloom. Daniella looked intently at Silver with an expression of both fear and longing. "If what you say is true?" She asked, her voice small and shaky. "What do we do?"
"Be brave," Silver said simply. "Mesto controlled us with fear, and the only antidote to fear is hope. When the time comes, Mesto will expect that the city will not rally to us because you are too afraid of him. He feels that the incident with Blaze has proven his point. With fear and shame he will feel assured that we cannot resist him. But when that moment comes, when the time for choosing has arrived you must be brave."
"But…" Daniella allowed her tears to fall openly. "You already tried once. We had our chance to fight Mesto, to stand up to him but we failed. We let him make murderers of us all. Why should we escape the coming storm?"
"Blaze did not return from death to destroy you. She is no vengeful revenant. Blaze died to save this city, to save her people, and she rose again to make that liberation possible. If you want to know what to do next, go, go and tell everyone you know that the princess is alive. The hope of Soleanna burns again. So put away fear and prepare yourselves. When you see the banners of the Phoenix on the horizon then you know that the day has come."
Silver stepped back and allowed the onlookers a moment to think. Daniella looked to him, her face steadily brightening as a fire kindled in her eyes. Her hope was matched by the doubts of several others. Griff shook his head and many turned back to the old crone, hoping for a different explanation. Silver was almost forgotten in the storm of rapid conversations.
But even as he slipped away he heard soft voices saying "it might be true, and if it is we have to take this chance."