Chapter Text
The trees rustled in the deep blue sky. The ground rumbled as the people fled the rising golden flames of those who hunted them. Mothers held tightly to their children as they weeped in the chaos of clamoring soldiers that shoved them along, spitting in their faces and shaking with anger.
The village which once peacefully resided in the quiet forest, was now reduced to ashes.
A cloaked man strolled through the wood towards a burning village, seeing the remnants of the villagers stolen dreams. Nothing remained but fire and burning soot.
“Hey kid,” one of the many armor clad brutes muttered in a deep gruff voice. A small ferret in a tattered tunic scrambled off the ground, breaking into a run. The man and his fellow soldiers broke into a cackle, reveling in the child’s fear.
The child ran into the densely wooded forest and into the hooded figure. The fabric was lush but smelled of herbs and sodder. The kid whimpered at the sight as the man quietly held a finger up. The ferret stilled, watching the man pass him into the burning village.
He crossed what was once the town square, the town hall, a collection of ash and soot.
The soldiers continued to boast as they watched him walk past.
“Mage!” One called out, like an alarm warning of danger.
They clamored together, drawing their sword and taking a swing at the cloaked figure.
In a swift motion, a tall staff appeared in the mage’s hand, the crystals glowing in the dancing shadows of the flames. He swiftly spun the staff in hand, leaving a trail of light with each movement.
Without touching them, each iron brute was thrown back, blinded and seared with the wave of the staff.
One of the bigger soldiers charged at him with force, shaking the ground with each step as if he commanded it to.
The mage charged a ball of violet light and thrusted it forward. A wall of rock and dirt shot up from the ground, causing a cloud of dust to burst as the ball of purple light shot through it, landing in the brute’s hand before he tossed it back towards the open flames.
They soon had the mage flanked, each soldier with their hands on their weapons ready to draw.
“Your Soul Surge is quite impressive, it’s almost like magic don’t you think?” The mage taunted, grinning from under his dark hood.
“It is NOTHING like magic!” The soldier spat.
“Yet it was us magic folk who taught your people the possibilities of a soul surge.”
“A foul mistake on your part,” the brute cackled. “What do you plan to do now? We have you surrounded already.”
The mage relaxed, “we have already gathered those who sill believe in us, who do not judge us. And for that, we thank them.”
“You will get your wish. Every witch, mage, wizard and sorcerer alive has gathered together to grant it.”
The soldiers backed away, widening the circle around the mage, “what wish!?”
The staff began to charge as the mage began to chant in an archaic language.
“Wait!” The brute cried fearfully. “Men! Positions!”
The light surrounding the staff crackled, spitting and bursting with unstable energy. Still obscured in his cloak, he looked up to the sky. The stars burned bright even in the tired flames that covered the town.
“Charge!” The army cried out, aiming their weapons at him.
The pressure from the staff grew worse, almost pricking the air with its power.
The world grew loud with the chanting of a million mages, the screams of the army and the cheers of the poor. It was as if the world itself was screaming.
Just as he was surrounded, the air grew cold, the world stilled and the sound, silenced. It was as if the only one alive was the single mage surrounded by burning iron.
The only thing heard was a single breath before the light burst again.
“Severing…. Fate.”
In a single swing, an enormous wave of sparking light burst from the staff, cutting through the trees and engulfing the forest in a sizzling pressure. It was like a sea of magic, searing through the wood, strong enough to nearly pull the trees out by the roots. A mixture of unknown colors blinded the army as they screamed for mercy.
The curving design of arcane magic etched itself into the ground, drawing across the hundreds of miles of soil.
“We shall leave and never return. However, despite your hatred and disdain, we cannot abandon our land. Know this…..”
“Every gust of wind, roll of waves, change in season and weather. Every breath you breathe, know we still live. Appearing in the corner of your eye, in your senses, every feeling of being watched. We’ll haunt you in legend. Know that it is us, watching you, protecting you, not out of good will, but as a reminder of who you drove out.”
The ground quaked, leaving the protesters to fall to the ground as streaks of blinding light etched into the ground, spreading far past where the eye could see, eventually covering every inch of the earth’s crust.
“Farewell.”
The light crackled and erupted up into the sky, covering the earth in light, leaving only a snap before the ringing echoed.
In a second the light vanished like dust.
Rain fell from the sky, a darkening mist clearing like a cloud of dust. The soldiers muttered, still shaking in fear.
The dried leaves bellow, scattered around in the wind as if nothing had happened.
The mages and their pure hearted believers had disappeared along with all magic. All that once existed, fading, into legend.
***
Trees rustled as a gust of wind blew through them. A blue streak blurred past recklessly as a small figure leaped across a vast forest towards the city in the distance.
Above in the sky, a plane’s propellers whirred loudly, following as close as possible.
“It’s good to be back home, Tails!” The blue hedgehog hollered as his bright red shoes stomped along the ground.
“Sure is, Sonic!” The two tailed yellow foxed grinned down at the screen in front of him. “Once I get back to my workshop, I can’t wait to tune up the Tornado with schematics I’ve left back home.” The fox chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head.
“Looking forward to checking them out when you’re done!” Sonic replied. “I’ve got a but of sight seeing I needa do!”
***
That morning for Amy began with her bedsheets in total disarray and a heavy leather bound book pinning her down as if it held a deep pressure. It wasn’t the first time she had fallen into a deep sleep while reading before bed, but it was rare to have such a vivid dream afterward.
To Amy, it seemed as though she had been plucked from her bed and dropped into the aged pages of history.
“It’s clear skies today in station square folks and it appears that earth’s beloved hero, Sonic has returned today!”
A red haired news reporter grinned at the camera with mic in hand. The TV in Amy’s house was blaring that morning as the pink hedgehog poured herself a fresh cup of coffee.
Having been already dressed in her signature red dress, she was glad to know that Sonic had returned safely from his last adventure somewhere off in whatever distant land he and Tails had come across.
She grinned as news moved on quickly from Sonic to the weather, decidedly picking up the newspaper that was on the dining table.
“Since the weather’s so nice, I should eat out on the patio!” The peppy girl gleamed.
And maybe I’ll get a glimpse of my Sonic!
The thought made her giddy. She’d bee able to spend the days with him until he inevitably decided to jump into yet another adventure.
Amy crossed the room towards the sliding glass doors, taking a long sip of coffee along the way, enjoying the way the warmth felt in her chest. She felt relief in the morning’s peace.
As she neared the door however, the space where her living room had been, disappeared into an abyss of stars.
Amy felt herself fall in step. Severely startled by the sudden change of scenery. Time seemed to slow as the stars around her twinkled.
Before she could react, the starry void disappeared and Amy felt time return to normal. No longer facing her sliding glass door, her home had been replaced with an incoming stone wall.
The hedgehog yelped as she tripped, stumbling forward and fighting to find her footing in order to stop herself from crashing.
Amy thankfully steeled herself, stopping just before the wall, mug still in hand. She sighed in relief before realizing then how the hot liquid leaped from the mug and onto a luxurious ruby red rug on the cobblestone floor.
Frowning, she looked down at the stain before her, groaning with disappointment. Amy turned her mug upside down, watching as a single drop slid from the ceramic.
Before she could get angry at herself for spilling coffee on the floor however, she looked at her surroundings. This was no longer Amy’s home.
The walls and floor were made of cobblestone and the high ceiling towered above even in the tiny chamber. Tall book shelves filled with untitled books lined the walls, each bound in rich leather. An antique wooden desk sat in front of the window, the chair was a luxurious red wood with a velvet cushion at its seat. Likewise, so was the desk. With a long satin cloth draped over haphazardly over it, so much so that it was about to slip off.
An inkwell and feathered pen sat amongst the mess of papers along with a stack of leather bound books and a few golden nic nacs.
Amy made her way to the arched doorway, pushing it only to find it wouldn’t budge. She narrowed her eyes at the door. No door nob. There was no key hole anywhere in the door. Had it been locked from the outside? If so, how was she going to get out?
Blinking, she looked around the room suspiciously. Finding a tiny covered basket on the desk. It fit in the palm of her hand.
“Totally not snooping,” she muttered with a guilty look on her face. She slowly reached for the top before snatching it open. “Aha!”
Empty.
Disappointed, she looked around the room again, there wasn’t exactly anything else other than the desk and book shelves. The answer had to be around there somewhere.
Spotting a ladder by a bookshelf, she climbed up, seeing nothing but books on the shelves. Before long however, as she climbed higher, she came across a small wicker tray with a key sitting in it.
She grabbed it in her hand, inspecting it. The door had no key hole.
Amy made her way down the ladder again staring at the key before looking up the other book shelves. Nothing but books.
She pulled a red leather bound pouch from her dress pocket and pulled a single tarot card from the deck and throwing it into the air before her. The card glittered in the air before disappearing back into the deck.
Amy’s green eyes scanned the room before a flash of light sparkled along one of the bookshelves.
Sticking the punch back in her pocket, she rolled the ladder across the room, checking the shelf her cards highlighted where she saw the outline of a small door behind some books. Moving the dusty books out of the way, she found a key hole.
She grinned, looking at the small key in hand. As she stuck it in and turned, it clicked. The small door swung open easily, revealing a smooth green stone inside. She raised a brow at it. Was that it?
She grabbed it, turning it in her hand before climbing back down the ladder and looking at the door again. She traced her fingers along the intricate patterns etched on the door before finding a deep divot in the thick wood.
Without thinking twice, she stuck the green stone inside. Hearing the clack against the coated wood.
The hole lit up as a stream of golden light traced the patterns along the door frame, opening the door with a click. It swung open, letting a fair stream of light into the chamber.
Amy listened in, hearing the eerie echo of the door screeching, sending a shiver down her spine. The door opened to a dim hallway with a high ceiling. The only thing illuminating the hall were sparse lanterns lit along the corridor. There was nothing else aside from the occasional suit of armor.
Her heels echoed in the cobble stone as she circled the hall, searching for a door. Only to find a pitch black void on the other side.
She blew air, sharply, frustrated and peeved at the huge detour her morning seemed to have gotten. There was nothing left to do other than walk.
Amy almost expected a cold wind to hit her eventually but was disappointed to find no real change in temperature. At the very least, it could have hinted towards an exit.
Every now and then, she’d look up at the suits of armor, curiously noticing how different each one was. Some towered over like they fit a human and others looked like they were meant for someone her size.
It was almost admiral just how different each one was. They even had different weapons.
Creek.
Amy shifted, hearing metal move behind her. She turned and gave the suite behind her a stern look. There was no way any of these could move. That would not only be very cliche but extremely inconvenient.
Then a light scraping echoed the corridor. Something was moving.
Amy gave a cold stare off in the direction of the noise, hoping to find some other explanation.
When she turned, the helmet of a single suit of armor was mid head turn when she stopped.
“You can’t be serious,” she muttered shakily as the suit flinched, gripping the mace in its hand and pouncing off it’s perch like a bullet released from its chamber.
Amy stumbled back, smacking against another suit that rumbled under its movement, crying and screeching with each step. Like little dominos that topple over, one after the other.
“Um…. Would you mind stepping back on your pedestals and not attacking me?” Amy grinned sheepishly, watching the suits twitch toward her. “Yeah… thought so.”
Shiny metal flung itself at her, crashing into a large red and gold hammer that far out weighed Amy herself. She felt soles of her boots slowly scraping against the stone floor as she held her ground. The empty suit was far stronger than she anticipated.
Finally working the courage to push back, she shoved the suit back and gave her hammer a swift swing. The suit of armor flew against the near wall and crashed into pieces.
Amy however didn’t have time to celebrate before a gang of metallic knights were charging at her.
The first one up was a lean suit with a polished sword in hand. Amy ducked, watching the blade shear the air above her before dismantling the armor with a single swing. The next one attempted to slam down a shield and swing its mace only to be smacked away with a blur of red and gold leaving the armor to collapse onto the ground out of balance.
Amy smacked the ground beneath with her hammer, causing the hall to shake and sent herself flying upward. She let the hammer’s weight carry her inertia to flip her forward and leave the hammer to crack down onto the floor where three sets of armor crumbled into a heap upon impact.
She flinched as pieces of armor scattered across the floor, an empty helmet roughly rolling down the hall towards her like a bouncy ball.
The pink hedgehog raised a brow at the poor old scattered remains. The metal was now scratched up and bent from the massacre.
“That’s weird, they just sort of fell apart. I figured there’d be more of a fight.”
Amy’s shoulders slumped, the hammer disappearing in a wave of glittering light, like the last falling embers of a fading firework.
“Is this a prank?” She furrowed her brows.
As if answering her question, light traced the arch of an intricately designed door and swung open to the warm light of day and the rustle of trees in the wind.
Of course, she just had to be right.
Amy walked to the door, pushing it open fully and blinking at the sunlight for her eyes had just gotten used to the dimly lit corridor.
On the other side of the doorway was a large study. Long and wide, the walls were covered wall to wall in bookshelves. Behind a large desk was a floor to ceiling window that peered into the garden outside. She watched the trees sway gracefully along with the wind.
Sat at the desk was a robe clad figure
“I see you’ve made it Miss Rose.” Their voice was flighty. Amy could hear the thick posh accent in each word.
“Meister Calyx?” Amy tilted her head, giving him a judgmental look. “Did you do all of that? ….. why??”
Calyx was a gray, blue green cat with silver eyes, the glint at the center pierced one’s confidence with a single glance. He was donned in a luxurious and heavy looking rich maroon open sided cloak with intricate patterns and colors. It was draped a top a royal blue coat with etched gold. On the coat rack behind him was a large and imposing pointed hat with a lantern hanging off the end, covered in the same patterns and colors as his ensemble.
Calyx’s ears were laid flat on his head as he chuckled softly, closing his eyes, “you’ll have to forgive me. I’m sure I gave you quite a fright.”
Amy was annoyed, “well no but-“
Calyx smiled. He appeared to be Amy’s age, smooth and lush fur with a healthy build. Not very muscular, but still capable of doing anything physically challenging. What gave his true age away were his eyes. Though bright in color, they appeared dull and tired, the youthful shine of a child long gone from them.
“Sorry, I just wanted to see what you would do in such a strange situation,” the cat grinned. “I was surprised to see you so adept at using a soul surge so instinctively. You’ve certainly showed how brute strength should never hinder your ability to solve a problem without it. You’re quite sharp.”
“So they were your puppets,” Amy confirmed with a nod, feeling the need to march off in fury.
A mage with incredible power, he had accessed immortality in his own right. No one knew when he was born, or when he had first emerged as a mage, but he had quickly captivated the existing elders and had worked alongside them since. It had been centuries since he was first appointed a high ranking seat. Head Magistrate of the Magus Council. Meister Calyx.
He stood from the wooden chair, the charms and adornments on his robes clinking with every movement.
Suddenly Amy realized just how out of place she appeared. Between the fantastical luxury of the study and the shimmering high quality robes Calyx was donned in, her simple red halter dress and bright red leather go go boots appeared tacky and cheap.
She became hyper aware of her own movements as she remembered the spilled coffee that soaked the very expensive rug in the room she had just emerged from.
“I suppose I didn’t think to make sure you had finished your drink first,” Calyx murmured gently. “I apologize.”
Amy flinched, stiffening at the mere mention. Was her expression that obvious or had he actually read her mind?
“No need to fret,” Calyx chuckled. “Us mages are notoriously messy beings. We have long since learned to clean up.”
He snapped his fingers as a bucket of water and soap spun on the ground before bouncing off on it’s own to the room, shutting the door behind it so it could presumably commence its work.
Amy’s stared at the door with surprised expression. She hadn’t been entirely used to magic since she left home, she had forgotten how nonchalant a magus could be.
“And about your morning coffee.”
Amy frowned, pouting as she remembered. She had spent so long making sure that coffee was perfect. Only to be thrown into a random fight in a random place.
Before she could voice any complaints however a rolling tray burst through the large doors behind her. It stopped beside her in a screeching halt before the precious porcelain and silverware danced across the room. Flying around, the French teapot poured into a delicate tea cup from high above in a smooth stream.
Rich black coffee rippled in the cup, pulling Amy in at her senses. She cautiously took the tea cup and saucer in hand before the rest of the porcelain swooped in, offering cream and sugar. Shrugging her shoulders, she accepted and each set piece prepared her coffee to her liking.
“How is it?” Calyx asked with a gentle smile.
“It’s,” Amy inhaled the aroma of the coffee before taking a sip. “Incredible!”
Calyx chuckled, “good, then I’ll get into why I have summoned you this morning.”
A basket tilted towards her, showcasing the variety of freshly baked pastries. She went for the strawberry filled croissant of course.
“As we are aware, you haven’t been able to use magic since you were six,” Calyx muttered bluntly. “And though it seems we’ve set that aside years ago, I still wonder about that.”
Amy’s lips stopped just before the cup’s edge which shimmered from the warm coffee inside it.
Oh here we go….
“While I am impressed with how well you handled the puppets, I was hoping I’d see you try and use magic,” Caylx’s face faded into that of disappointment. His eyes were dull and his smile was strained and sharp.
“Well I’ve never been able to use magic. My tarot cards barely even count.”
Amy’s eyes narrowed, glaring at the ground. The teacup had long since left her grasp and was now floating in front of her as if on standby.
She hadn’t thought about using magic again since she first left home. After so many adventures with Sonic and the others, using her hammer and her tarot cards had become second nature to her. She was finally confident in her abilities. For once, she was strong enough to fight alongside everyone else.
Even without magic.
“Regardless, could I ask you to test the waters out?” Calyx’s words simmered. What little stern emotion was in them softened into something comforting. “That is only part of the reason. I would like to ask every mage on your side of the veil to carry around their wands and staffs as much as possible. It seems there’s been an outbreak of corruption on your side of the veil.”
Amy’s eyes flicked up towards him. The sweetness of the pastry turned sour in her mouth.
“Magical beings corrupted by chaos energy…..”
“The more chaos energy they consume, the more they grow, until they corrupt the land around them,” Amy pulled the description from the depths of her memory. Though she hadn’t practiced magic in years, she still occasionally appreciated the study material in the old books she had on hand. They were still fun to flip through occasionally. “The harder it is to deal with them.”
“Correct,” Calyx gleamed. “Then I hope you understand why I am asking this of you?”
Amy frowned, “I do..”
Calyx smiled.
“It pains me to know what you’ve been through. But I am continually impressed by your ability to push through it all even when it seems you haven’t made any progress at all. That Soul Surge of yours is proof of that.”
He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, smiling from ear to ear with dull eyes, “I’ve heard you mention your heightened senses and sharp intuition. That’s proof that the possibility might still be there.”
Amy stared at him. She hated this conversation. While the powerful mage had seemed to have faith in her, that faith weighed heavily on her. It was as if he had dropped another dumbbell on top of her already tired shoulders. Could she really fulfill his request with actual results? In her mind, she wanted to believe that it would be different that time, that she wouldn’t return with the same answer.
I tried everything….. I couldn’t make it work.
She huffed, even if that was true, she couldn’t shake that those felt like weak excuses. Even if she had zero control over what may or may not even happen.
“You are fifteen now,” Calyx reminded her. “I realize it’s difficult to believe but this may be a sign that you should keep trying. I only ask that you keep your heart open to yourself.”
Amy nodded quietly. She knew he meant well. With wisdom beyond what anyone could ever imagine. Surely he understood the situation better than even her. He had to be pushing the idea for a good reason.
Right?
”I’ll look forward to your answer Miss Rose,” Calyx strode toward Amy, his robes just lightly grazing the luxurious rug beneath him. “Please enjoy the rest of your morning.”
He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and the floor seemed to slip from beneath her. The world around her jerked cautiously in a blur of light and color before coming to an abrupt halt. She shook and lost her balance. It was like standing in a braking train.
She yelped, falling forward before catching herself once again. She sighed in relief as she found her footing again.
Before she could celebrate however, the tea cup which had been floating before her, fell to the carpet in a clatter.
Amy’s ears drooped, falling flat against her head. Calyx got his revenge after all.
She stared at the carpet, remembering the old mage’s words. Suddenly her expression sobered, watching the coffee stain the carpet. What could she possibly even do about her inability to do magic? Do another card reading? She always got the same answer from those.
As she reached for the cup, a steady rapping came to the sliding glass doors.
A blue hedgehog with bright green eyes was grinning at her with anticipation.
Her mouth fell open.
“Sonic!” Amy’s face brightened up at the sight, completely abandoning the tea cup and saucer on the floor and bounding to the door.
She practically threw it open, nearly sending the poor guy flying as he was leaning on the glass.
“Yo, long time no see!” He steadied himself, rubbing his nose with his usual flighty grin. He nearly fell back as Amy threw herself into his torso, wrapping her arms around him tightly.
She felt like her heart was leaping, all thoughts and doubts had disappeared for a moment. His short quills pricked against her cheek. Sonic moved to grab her arms and peel her off as she stiffened and muttered, “wait.”
“Amy?” Sonic tilted his head. Amy grew silent, not saying anything else. Even her grip on him grew weak.
He raised a brow at her, his confident grin disappearing. He couldn’t see her expression, but he could see that something was bothering her.
Shit….
Had he been gone too long this time? He was sure this last adventure only lasted a couple of days.
“Sorry..” she muttered, finally lifting her head. He only saw the slight frown for a split second before she perked up and gave him a short smile. “I was just thinking it’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
Sonic gave her a gentle smile, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
Truthfully, Amy’s worries lingered on in her mind even in his arms. Usually that’d be more than enough, but seeing him again, though gratifying, had thrusted Calyx’s words into her mind. It was Sonic, an ever evolving hero with unbridled potential and freedom. It reminded her of her own shortcomings. It was almost unreachable.
“Hey, what happened here?” Sonic strolled past her, reaching for the delicate porcelain cup and saucer on the carpet. Amy froze, surely he’d realize the cup wasn’t hers. Especially since she didn’t have the full set. It was much too nice for her to own.
Thankfully, Sonic didn’t question it. To him, it was probably a thrifted find she had come across or something of the sort.
“Just an accident. I tripped,” Amy muttered, looking off to the side as she rubbed her arm.
“Good thing it landed on the carpet then,” Sonic chuckled, grinning back at her “You’d be raging up a storm.”
Amy pouted. He wasn’t wrong but she wasn’t making a big deal of it at the moment so it didn’t matter either way.
Sonic gently picked up the cup and carried it to the sink for washing. Amy stilled in place, smiling. He was always so gentle when he wanted to be.
She grabbed the spray bottle from under the sink and sprayed the coffee stain on the carpet. Luckily it seemed to lift well enough.
It felt nice, she thought. Both her and Sonic cleaning up felt so normal, almost like they were used to it. Her face reddened.
They hadn’t been official for long, but somehow Sonic acted more natural in the role than she did. It almost surprised her given how apprehensive he had been before.
Of course that didn’t mean they were too obvious about it.
“So what’d you tell Tails before making your way over here?” Amy called out to him in the kitchen.
Sonic laid the cup and saucer on a towel to dry before wringing his hands out, “just that I was sight seeing.”
He grinned, staring at her intensely as he leaned in closer. Amy reddened.
“Stop that!” She pushed back playfully, drawing a cheeky laugh out of him.
“Well, I didn’t plan to stay long anyway. I promised him I would check out some tune ups he was working on,” Sonic clarified. “But I know I’d like to do something later?”
There was just the tiniest bit of heat on his muzzle, more than Amy was used to seeing on him.
”Like?… A date?” Amy perked up.
Sonic neither denied or confirmed it, but his grin told Amy enough.
“Just be ready later, I’ll pop by and grab ya’. Kay?” Amy singed. Why was he so damn cryptic about it!?
“Alright!” She gleamed, knowing he’d fulfill his promise even if it didn’t seem like he would. “I guess I’ll just keep my day clear as-“
Before she could finish her sentence, Sonic had already leaned in, resting his head on her shoulder like it was nothing. Of course, it was probably easier without an audience but it didn’t matter to her. She felt him nuzzle deeper, unsure of what he was trying to do before she felt the glossy texture of his nose. Then, a soft nibble.
Amy thought she might collapse in his arms. Where did this even come from?
”See ya!” He grinned abruptly before he disappeared into a fleeting gust of wind.
”SONIC!” She bellowed, dropping down to her knees and hiding her deep red face. You could mistake her for Knuckles.
She groaned, annoyed. Surely wherever Sonic was at this point, he was greatly amused with himself, laughing at himself. A real comedian..
“Typical.”
***
“How can he be so casual about it? What’s up with him?” Fable Filigree was a purple chinchilla with brilliant golden eyes, her long wavy hair bounced as she ranted at the screen. “Why is your brother always soooo weird? And your other brother is….. well there’s nothing going on there.”
Amy giggled at her desk, it wasn’t long since Sonic had left but she was still welcome to the company nonetheless, “that’s how he’s always been. He’s blunt but he means well.”
“I just wish you’d visit more often,” Fable sighed. “Your mom’s cool and all but it’s boring being the only girl here. Cassie is on the other side probably off pinching money from people’s pockets. And Lydia’s been unbearable without you here. She just doesn’t let up!”
“I have to admit it, she’s pretty….. Lydia…” Amy failed to find the least insulting words to use to the point she just didn’t try. Her mind played back moments from her childhood where Lydia had been present and it was never pleasant. She shook her head.
“Apart from catching up, that’s not why I called you,” Amy admitted as she fiddled with the gold ring on her wrist.
Fable simmered down, noticing Amy’s downtrodden expression, “right. Typical of Meister Calyx to summon you out of nowhere and throw random possessed puppets at you? It had to be more important than just warning you about the corruption. Everyone received a warning, why do yours in person?”
Amy rested her head against her arm, feeling her body slump like a rag doll in her seat.
”He thinks there’s still a chance I can do magic.”
Fable blinked, her nose crinkling, “well can’t you? You can float and turn invisible.”
“With my Soul Surge maybe,” Amy huffed. “I can only go invisible as long as I hold my breath and even then, people can still see my shadow. And the floating only really happens with my hammer. That’s pretty much all the ‘magic’ I can muster.”
“That’s still something isn’t it? Maybe he’s onto something?” Fable tilted her head, crossing her arms. “Out of all the things you’re stubborn about, I never thought magic would be the thing that pushed you away.”
“I’m not trying to be stubborn,” Amy wilted. “That’s just how it’s been. I try and try and all I get in return are decent tarot card readings.”
Fable frowned, Amy had always been an avid diviner, “now I know your confidence has hit an all time low.”
“I don’t need confidence!” Amy shook her head, balling up her fists and grinning. “I’ve got my hammer and my love for Sonic!”
The purple chinchilla giggled, “well at least I know that won’t change.”
“Well keep your head up like you always do, Amy,” she gave her a warm smile. “You know I’ll be cheering you on!”
Amy returned the smile as the call ended unceremoniously. She sat at her computer for a while, trying to piece together her predicament as if it would be enough to solve all her problems. She hugged her legs, as if only she could comfort herself with no one else around.
The monitor that once gleamed with her friend’s smiling face, now reflected Amy’s whallowing.
Fable was Amy’s age, but far more advanced in magic than she was. She was currently her father’s student, studying alongside her two brothers.
Abruptly, she slid out of her chair and towards the hallway to a wooden drawer sitting against the wall. It was seemingly normal with a short table runner, a lamp and a photo frame.
Amy pulled the heavy furniture off the wall limply, carefully not to tip anything over before placing a hand to the empty white wall at the end of the hall. She stood there, quietly, still debating on her intentions before the faint outline of an arched door traced itself into the white paint. Slowly, an antique wooden door appeared before her, gently creaking open as if inviting her in.
Amy shivered as she felt the cool air seep through the crack. She shook her head and pushed open the door, stepping onto the creaking steps of the old staircase. With each step she took down the hidden cellar, one stained glass lantern lit up.
The room was lit by an assorted display of different stained glass lanterns and lamps in all different shapes and sizes. Aunt Evie’s own personal collection of course. Each lamp had come from one of her many travels around the world. Amy would figure out that she had gone somewhere new, because a new lantern would appear hanging in the collection.
Of course, this was her aunt’s home, not Amy’s. Since she was always traveling, Amy had been allowed to stay in the city house in her stead, leaving her to attend to the place herself and a place to return to when she came back from any adventure she had with Sonic.
Like a home base of sorts.
There were three new lamps in the cellar, she noticed them swinging as if they had just popped in, introducing themselves to her. It had been a while since she had gone down there.
Something shimmered behind her. Amy turned to see glittering dust fall as yet another lamp appeared, hanging from the ceiling. The girl grabbed a ladder and set it up beside it before reading the tag hanging off it.
Holaska
“Stay warm,” she smiled, tracing the lamp’s extricate design.
Amy continued into the cellar. It was lined with old leather bound books, charms and bottles upon bottles of strange and interesting substances. If anyone stumbled into the room, she’d have a hard time explaining those.
At the center of the room laid a long philosophers desk made of old, graying wood. It was an old dining table Aunt Evie had repurposed long ago. Amy traced her finger on the wood. The table was in desperate need of reorganizing and a heavy dusting.
It had been a long time since Amy had gone down the cellar after all.
“There we go,” An older reddish pink hedgehog grinned as she presented the blank wall to a much younger Amy. “This is a blood seal, so you can still open it, even without magic.”
“Without magic?” Amy asked timidly. Her eyes were big and green, and her quills were much shorter.
The woman gave her niece a gentle smile before stepping back, “go on, try it.”
Amy stepped forward, placing her hand on the blank wall. Before her eyes, the glowing outline of the wooden door traced itself into the paint before swinging open.
”Now, whenever you need anything from here, you know where to find it.”
Amy blinked, watching the dust settle around her. She grabbed a long wooden stick which had been leaning against the wall for what had been weeks and stuck it into one of the nobs in the wood. The nob clicked and revealed a hidden drawer, rolling open.
Inside, Amy pulled out a rectangular dusty glass box with rusted dark metal vines welded on top. She pulled out a key from her pocket and stuck it into the rusted lock, twisting slowly until she heard a click.
As it opened, Amy was surprised to see that the inside was still dust free. Inside sat a long crystal stick. It was clear, blank like a fresh new window in a brand new house. Amy took it gently in her hand as if it would shatter and held it, feeling the cold and smooth buffed surface of the wand.
Of course there was no reaction. Amy wilted as she stared at the empty crystal. A wand would usually take the shape and design according to its user. However, Amy’s remained a clear, blank crystal. Pristine as the day she received it.
She wondered if it was even a good idea to carry it around. Sure Calyx’s warning hung in the back of her mind but the wand would still be useless in her hands. Amy pictured her mother’s wand in her mind. Vine wood with small cherry blossom flowers carved and painted into the curves. The rose quartz sphere sat at the end of the hilt as its core.
It was a reflector.
Amy remembered playing with it as a child, harmless since it could only harness one's own magic. In her hands it was a stick, but she imagined how it transformed in her mother’s hands and pretended it did the same in hers.
She was so excited to get her own as she watched her brothers receive one, watching them transform in their hands. Imagine her disappointment when hers remained as plain as it was made.
Amy glared at the baton in her hand, debating on heeding Calyx’s warning. She could practically hear his chantlike voice, repeating.
Amy emerged from the doorway as it disappeared into the wall before she pushed the dresser back in place, now feeling the cool touch of crystal tucked into her boot. It was an unfamiliar feeling, like wearing glasses for the first time or wearing a hat when you don’t make it a habit to do so. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this cumbersome.
Before Amy could get used to the feeling, time had already passed and there was a knocking at her door. A blue hedgehog stood, grinning at her. Amy felt her heart leap.
“Ready?” Sonic asked, offering a hand to the girl gently.
Amy nodded quickly, feeling her worries strip away.
Without giving her another second to breath, Sonic scooped her up and bolted away in a gust of wind, shutting the door with a flash. Amy clung to him, already used to the feeling of his tense body whenever he ran, how to cool air pricked at her skin from the velocity. Her quills were sure to be a mess but she didn’t care. Not today.
In a quick second, the city was a mass of lights in the distance of the skyline. Amy was now standing in a grove of trees outside the city on a hilltop that looked over the entire landscape. It was exactly the kind of place Sonic would like.
Amy heard a gentle whoosh behind her. She turned to find Sonic smoothing out a blanket over the prickly grass and she felt a smile tug at her lips. She was fixing her quills as Sonic turned back at her, offering a gloved hand to her with a grin.
Amy’s heart was beating rapidly as she took his hand and sat beside him. She opened her mouth to comment on the unusually romantic set up before he held out a finger to her and laid back on the blanket. Confused, Amy followed suit, following his gaze up to the star lit sky.
She had to admit, she was a little annoyed. Sure he wasn’t the best at romantic gestures but the least he could do was tone down the attitude. Her brows furrowed as she scanned the sky. Dozens of stars adorned the night like powdered sugar on bread.
That was when she saw it. A small cluster of stars shining brightly at the corner of her eye. They were huddled together in a group like a herd.
“Wait, those look!-“ Amy gasped, turning to Sonic who gave her a knowing grin.
“Yup,” he nodded, watching Amy turn back excitedly.
“The Starfall islands!” She gleamed, tracing the edges of the island into the stars like a map in her mind. “What are the odds of that? Is this why you were being so cryptic?”
Sonic chuckled at the girls’ excitement and wonder, “I knew you’d catch on quickly. I figured you would like to point it out yourself rather than just have me point at it.”
The two lay there in comfortable silence, watching the twinkling stars. They wouldn’t have been able to see them in the middle of the city.
“Wow,” Amy muttered, seeing a blue star not too far from the cluster. “Little planet is still pretty far from here, huh?”
“It’d be nice to go up this year and see the sights again, wouldn’t it?” Her voice trailed off, remembering the first time she went up to the mystical planet on her own. When she set eyes on Sonic for the first time.
“We could invite Tails and have him bring the Tornado,” Sonic added. Amy couldn’t tell if he was purposely avoiding a solo trip with her though.
She rolled over and nestled her cheek onto his chest, sighing along to the rhythm of his breath. He was stiff before he relaxed under her and grazed a hand across her back.
“He’s still so timid,” she thought as she felt the cool night air prick at her. Most of the time she let him initiate the first move, but there were times she couldn’t help squirming herself onto him. For the most part however, she held back.
Sonic’s breathing softened and his arm went limp beside her. He had lulled himself to sleep. Amy held back the urge to giggle out of fear that it would wake him. That’s what he gets for running around constantly without rest.
Nights like this were rare for the couple, but even without long and deep conversation, she didn’t mind watching over him as he let his guard down and slept.
The two hedgehogs' ears twitched.
The ground shook as a loud burst rang through the forest, startling the two from their slumber. Sonic scowled, he didn’t need time to figure out who had attacked the lush forest and neither did Amy when a maniacal high pitched laugh echoed in the night.
Amongst the flames and smoke, an egg shaped human man rocked back in his egotistically named ‘Egg Mobile’.
As the smoke settled, a large red and black hermit crab with large claws and bladed rakes emerged above the trees. Plowing through the forest like a bulldozer. It shoveled at the ground, knocking down trees and brush in the reserve.
Amy winced at the destruction.
“He knows when to make a bad comeback,” Sonic’s face turned to a lopsided frown but Amy could see he was secretly amused at the sudden action.
Eggman chortled, rubbing his hands together, “even if I don’t find that emerald here, leveling this place will be good enough to start building Eggmanland again from scratch! It’s almost perfect!”
“Oh he’s back on that plan, huh,” Amy grew annoyed. “Crashing my birthday wasn’t enough for him, was it?”
“Sure makes things interesting though,” Sonic smirked. “Time to bust in!”
Sonic sped off in a flash of blue light, Amy reached out but he was long gone, “Sonic, wait!”
Her ears flopped down on her head. They were too far for her to even catch up, it might even be better to let him have his fun at that point. She sighed as she turned away, kicking small rocks on the ground.
“He didn’t even think to let me help,” she huffed. Amy turned back, hearing the burst of metal in the distance as Sonic struck the metal shell of the hermit. In turn, Eggman shrieked dramatically, throwing his fists around.
“You!” he shouted as the blue hedgehog blew raspberries at the man dancing around on the hermit before dodging the crabs claws swatting at him.
Amy sat on the blanket, tucking her knees in and watching. He looked like he was having fun. She smiled, realizing just how goofy he acted when he knew he could handle a situation. Even amidst destruction and havoc, Sonic’s playfulness washed away all doubt and worry.
The girl began to nod off, hearing the muffled sounds of the ongoing battle, waiting to feel the rush of wind blow past. She rested her head against her knees, relaxing into herself as the sound seemed to almost fade away.
Crackle…
Amy’s eyes cracked open, her ears twitched. Something was crackling, like a campfire or a sparkler. Popping like a blown out lightbulb. She looked around the dark forest, the trees lay still and the leaves were flat on the ground.
But that didn’t make sense. She could still feel the night’s cold wind on her back.
There was a growl, but the cadence of it was distorted. Like a mass of voices mixed together with something electrical. Echoing, yet still, screaming, while hushed.
A burst of crackling light like glass shattered across the field. The figure was blurred, but it almost looked like a feral animal. Or a rabid human.
Amy stood up, watching the thing contort against cracking light and shattering crystal. It morphed into multiple shapes before landing on a single four legged animal. A wolf with frizzy fur and a glowing mane of light colored fur, covered in crystals. Its’ legs were clacking against the ground like glass and the eyes shined like a beam.
It growled and hunched its back, stalking across the field.
Corruption.
Amy quickly remembered what Calyx had said and she felt stupid for forgetting about it.
Before she could process what was even before her, more crackling came. Many figures of painfully cracking light solidified in different forms. Four legged animals, phantoms and humans, even smaller birds and bugs. Amy could barely count them all.
A loud crash was heard in the distance. Sonic was still facing off with Eggman. He had no idea of what was happening.
“No,” Amy hissed. Eggman was looking for an emerald. Now that she looked around, there were plenty of rings floating about the forest, the purified remnants of chaos energy. "It seems Eggman might not be too far off."
She turned back to the corrupted figures with horror in her eyes, her face pale. If they stayed on this side of the veil for too long, they’d start feeding on whatever chaos energy was around.
One strolled past her, sniffing about. It was ignoring her. She stood bemused, wondering what she could do.
Then it turned, snapping its neck towards Sonic and Eggman’s direction.
It was going after them. If either of them had an emerald-
Like clockwork, the corruption turned straight to the battle in the distance, and darted through the forest. Amy had to act fast now. Of course they had ignored her, she was of no use to them.
“Wait!” She shrieked, feeling the strain in her voice as she stumbled down the hill. Quickly, she slid a card out of her pocket and thrust it toward them, hoping it would slow them down or daze them but they kept going. “No-“
“Stay down!” She summoned her hammer in hand and threw it over and above her head. The mallot spun through the air, knocking down multiple phantoms. It was strong, but not enough to break them down.
They hissed and swore, there was one thing in their way from getting that chaos energy in their system.
The pink hedgehog froze, she was their new target.
She turned and ran. Her heavy boots were beating against the dirt as she sprinted through the trees. She didn’t need to turn around and look, she knew they were chasing her down.
Amy kept running, feeling the now warm crystal stick against her leg in her boot. She wished she could signal for any mage or magus, but even if she could use magic and activate the crystal focuser, she couldn’t stop running for fear they’d catch up. She needed to be a constant target.
She skidded to a stop, there were more before her. They circled her like sharks while the phantoms glared at her.
The red and golden hammer materialized in a shimmer into her hand, it was time for brute strength now.
The first one leapt up high above her, aiming to pounce while another was charging up a beam of pulsing light in hand. Amy rolled, barely escaping the wolf before slamming her hammer into it and launching it towards the phantom, knocking both down.
A second wolf scrambled towards her, growling and biting at her hammer while a third snuck up from behind. Amy dragged the hammer with her full strength, wolf in tow and shoved it behind her. The wolf was scraping against the ground so harshly, that it yelped and let go, being sent flying across the clearing.
One of the humanoid beings ran up, raising an axe to her. Amy quickly ducked, the corrupted figure vastly miscalculating how far it extended its reach as the axe was now stuck to the ground. It squirmed as it tried to pull the axe out only to be shoved and sent flying into a tree by the pink hedgehog.
Amy huffed, giving an open mouthed smile as she breathed heavily. She was pretty proud of herself for handling the onslaught with ease. Before she could celebrate however, she felt something sharp jabbing at her.
“Ow! Hey!” She shouted, her eyes darting around in a bad attempt to find the source. She found it only when it came flying at her face, crackling like a wasp with a sparkler. She yelped, swatting at it erratically to a futile end.
In the meantime, Sonic was busy taunting the mad scientist, oblivious to the ordeal Amy was dealing with.
“Hey, isn’t this thing like that one robot on the starfall islands? Don’t tell me you copied them?” He cackled. “Can’t event come up with anything new nowadays?”
“That guardian's code name was Caterpillar and mine is a hermit crab! Two completely different things!” Eggman argued. “And mine is much more advanced anyway!”
“Maybe you should’ve stayed a hermit!” Sonic spat back, jumping back and forth seamlessly as the hermit’s claws swatted at him. “That would be much nicer!”
“Silence!”
Amy squashed the bug against the ground, shuddering at the vile creature. She whined, it just had to be bugs. However, she couldn’t let up just yet, there was nothing else that mattered more to her than keeping the corruption away from Sonic and that emerald.
Instead she kept her mind occupied as she smashed her hammer against the phantoms. Could it be good that Eggman interrupted her date at all? Otherwise, Sonic would’ve seen the corruption manifest. Or maybe it was Eggman’s search that prompted their arrival in the first place? In that case, she would have more of a reason to blame him.
If only she could use magic. She’d be able to call for any nearby mages more skilled in magic than she ever could. Or maybe if she hadn’t been so focused on the idea of Sonic’s date, she’d have thought to bring a few infused crystals or dowsing rods to deal with it herself.
But she was stuck in what felt like an endless loop. Of course, a soul surge isn’t strong enough to deal with these monsters. What was she thinking?
Amy’s face fell. The monsters seemed to have stopped attacking her. In fact, they were still. Their necks strained towards the opposite direction.
Oh no.
Amy’s blood ran cold. They had lost interest in her. She was no longer a threat to them.
Oh no.
They turned their bodies in the other direction.
Nononononononono.
Amy chased after them, feeling the outstretched tree branches grabbing at her. It was as if the forest was mocking her. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.
Stop.
She pleaded, watching as the distance between her and the corrupted phantoms grow further and further.
STOP.
Her legs felt like lead. She felt everything slow down, she was practically dragging herself across the forest.
PLEASE.
It was like an everlasting nightmare, similar to those where your legs are treading through sludge.
Amy was running out of options. The tarot cards weren’t doing anything aside from bestowing vague readings, and her hammer was simply knocking them down.
In a desperate attempt she stumbled as she stuck her hand in her boot, pulling out the blank, crystal wand. It was slippery in her hand from the sweat. She dropped it on the ground a couple times.
“Come on,” Amy grit her teeth as she pointed the wand at the figures in the distance.
The wand remained a clear smooth crystal, the only light illuminating it now being the pale moonlight above.
She flicked the wand in the creature’s direction again, growing frustrated at the useless stick in her hand. He grip tightened and she waved it around brazenly, her teeth were gritted. She could feel the anger burning in her eyes.
Stop crying.
But she couldn’t. What else could she do?
She slumped to the ground, gripping the wand tightly. Sonic’s laughter was ringing out across the forest like a happy jingle. What would he think if he saw her this way. A crumpled mess.
Hadn’t she promised herself she wouldn’t stop?
“Please,” she whispered out in a quiet, shaky voice. “I don’t care if I never use magic ever again but please…… let me help him. If I can use this power to save him….. then I will cherish this power for the rest of my life….”
The world grew silent. Sonic’s laughter disappeared and she feared the worst. It was over…..
She thought she was better than this. How wrong could she have been?
Amy’s ears twitched. She opened her eyes. There was a light. A tiny one, shimmering in her hand. She looked down, loosening her grip on her wand.
The color…… was different.
In a split second, it was like all sound returned to the world. Her heart was beating faster than she could handle but she couldn’t care less.
There was a faint glow, and it was coming from the clear, crystal wand.
The tears on Amy’s face dried as she pushed off the ground and ran. She ran as fast as she could, throwing her legs forward forcefully as if that would be enough to push herself further. What were her the chances? Slim, but there was still a possibility, right?
She remembered something Sonic had told her and looked up at the sky, running. Running as if she was chasing the stars above her. They were following her, following every stride she took. Almost cheering her on. He was right.
It did feel like running amongst the stars.
Her chest began to hurt but she only pushed further. The phantoms were right there.
She thought back to the mantra she had made for herself, the one she had made so desperately. She extended her wand out like it was a sparkler, ready to burst and pointed forward.
The tip of the wand was fizzling like a dying candle, but that was the only sign Amy needed. It was now or never.
Her grip tightened and the tiny light raced forward. In a flash, the forest was full of blinding light. Had she done it? Had she hit one?
The light subsided and the phantoms were stopped dead in their tracks. They were looking at her again, crawling towards her like before. It was just a flash of light, but it was just enough to recognize her as a mage.
They stalked towards her, glowing brighter than before. Amy’s victory was cut short as the different phantoms grouped up, huddling together and melding into one. The mass of creatures grew taller, sprouting long, muscular legs, a spine across it’s growing back and a reptilian snout. It slithered towards her, it was a wingless dragon with fractals of shattered glass as its scales. It was far bigger than any of the phantoms before.
And it was focused completely on the pink hedgehog before her.
As thankful as Amy was, she wasn’t entirely expecting this outcome.
Regardless, Amy gave her best smile, grinning from ear to ear as she gripped her hammer in her hand before her, ready to take a hit. It was finally time to follow through on her promise.
The beast made the first move. It was surprisingly graceful in its movements as it floated and swung its tail at Amy. She gripped her legs on the ground and braced for impact. Her muscles strained as she took the hit, sliding back a good few inches before throwing a couple cards into the tail and skipping away.
She charged at the dragon as it struggled with its tail stuck to the ground. It writhed, annoyed and overstimulated at the loss of balance. It stomped its legs while crying out a brain shattering screech. Amy could see its neck straining with each movement.
Amy slammed a heavy hammer across the torso and legs before hammering the base of the tail itself. As it flinched, the tail broke free and the monster rampaged, sending shockwaves of shattering glass across the forest floor.
A phantom broke off from the dragon and charged at Amy with a glowing halberd. Amy ducked, sending the figure crashing into a tree. As if by plan, the dragon’s tail swung, slicing across Amy’s legs, throwing her balance off and forcing her onto her back. She let out a grunt. The tail came slamming down at her. Amy’s eyes widened and she rolled out of the way, being blown back by the force.
The dragon was being far more loud than Amy anticipated, surely Sonic would be able to hear once his own battle was won. She had to finish this quickly.
“You are so annoying!” She yelled, running up the tail and onto the wingless dragon’s back. She jumped, throwing her hammer around and letting its weight carry through the velocity. As planned, the hammer crushed onto the dragon’s head.
The heavy creature toppled down like a slinky. Amy smashed the ground, causing a big shockwave like the dragon did. All she could think of was what would happen if this thing made contact with Sonic. The thought sent her heart racing. She was not about to let that happen!
The wand in her boot simmered, this was it.
She threw the hammer at the dragon’s neck and pulled the wand from her boot, much gracefully now and thrusted it in the dragon’s direction.
“I’m not letting you ruin this night more than it already has,” she growled. “Do you hear me!”
She sliced the air with the glowing wand, scooping up scattered tarot cards around her. Her cards struck the dragon in the face. So that’s what she was doing.
Deciding to go with the flow, she puppeteered the cards in her favor and cast the cards affects through her wand. Light snapped in the dragon’s face, pushing it back into a corner as it cowered against the onslaught. It cried and growled into the sky, muffled by the banging of explosions in the not so far off distance. Sonic was wrapping up that battle.
Amy ignored the dragon’s please and trapped it place with the cards, chaining it to the ground. Her blood was hot, but it felt good. The wind shimmered around her, blowing her quills along with the pressure. She gripped her hammer and launched it at the dragon’s snout, shattering the last of its armor. It slumped against the ground and Amy cheered inside.
She could see the skin flashing in and out like a dying light. Sonic was laughing in the distance and the giant robot was collapsing ahead of her. Amy could see the tall hermit crab disappearing beneath the trees.
“You’re done!” She cried, her hammer glowing as pink and golden petals of light fell from the mallot with each movement. She spun, the velocity and weight of her hammer carrying her forward and cracking into the monster.
Amy was sure Sonic heard the crack as a flash of shattering light burst from the force. The dragon had exhausted all its strength and crashed into the ground, bursting into nothingness.
In the distance, Sonic was dusting off his gloves of the dust. He chuckled as he watched Eggman ranting and crying out incoherent insults at Sonic for his defeat. Sonic was grinning whilst watching Eggman waving his fist at the air.
Sonic tapped the poor crab with his foot before using the remnants as a bounce pad and batting Eggman and his eggmobile into the sky like a baseball. In a second, he disappeared into a twinkle in the distance. His screams growing quieter the further he went.
The hedgehog landed on the scrap metal. He grinned sheepishly. Perhaps he had overdone it. Amused at his actions, Sonic knocked on the metal and whistled, satisfied that he had crumpled the thing. He would have to ask Tails to check out the site the next day and figure out if there was indeed an emerald hiding out there.
Before he could relax however, a loud burst and crash sounded across the forest as a flash of light cracked amongst the trees.
Sonic’s eyes widened, gritting his teeth.
“Amy!”