The Virus of Emerald Hills (Sonadow)

Chapter 16

“I can’t believe Mobius is gone Miss Amy, I will miss it dearly” Cream said, snuggling into Amy’s side, the pink hedgehog rubbing her head while Cheese floated around in a bubble, keeping him alive. In fact all chaos except Chaos struggled to breath on the Black Arms carrier. 

“So, old man. What’s the plan? What does Grumpy have to do?” Rouge said without a care in the world, Doom turned his attention away from Maria who was in his lap to the bat. Eyes came from all directions even Eclipse paid attention from where he was ordering a few black arms around. 

“From your reference to ‘Grumpy’, is this the nickname you have for my son?” Doom’s protective tone had Rouge only raising an eyebrow, “What do you think?” her sassy body language came with her hands on her hips while she tilted her head amusing the others. Doom only raised an eyebrow, he glanced over to his son, Shadow was snoozing in the arms of Sonic while his rings were in the black arms pool beside the two. Rejuvenating the protective shields around them. 

“My son can only act if the guardians perform the forbidden ritual of connecting the pure emeralds and prime crystals together, this will then create the gems we need to revive Mobius when Shadow sits upon the ancient throne” Doom explained, his words full of knowledge and wisdom. 

“Ha! Good luck getting us all to agree” Drax laughed, he had Mephiles in his lap, the dark hedgehog not liking the fact he would have to deal with his lighter counterpart. 

“No offence but when we were chosen to be the guardians of the chaos emeralds, we were warned that if the emeralds came in contact with prime crystals. We would lose something dear to us. I was told I would lose a soul” Honey spoke in her serious tone, her eyes on Doom who sighed, he knew the ancient stories and myths of the language of the prophecies. It would seem rumours were the cause of doubts. 

“Some of which is true and yes a sacrifice is needed but this is where the black arms can save the souls sacrificed” Eclipse added, he moved closer to his father, Maria smiled at him especially when he passed a teddy over to her. 

“May I ask how you intend to do this? The last us guardians heard was the prime crystals non-existence but now that we know they can be created by Espio. What’s to say you don’t just want the crystals for your own power?” Drax asked the question, they all wondered. Doom sighed, looking around the area at the freedom fighters. 

“Because if you use your brain for once, the black arms are the only ones with the ability to manipulate time and save Mobius from it disappearing from existence all together” Espio was the one who answered, his son tucked against his chest while the other chaos guardians could only look at him in confusion but he continued. “Years ago, a person who I will not name for their own beliefs, offered a deal between the Shinobi Clan and the Black Arms, it was agreed that I and the first pure blood of the Black Arms, would become the orphans in the hidden ‘wars’, our job was to combine the rare emeralds and crystals of the universe. In a prophecy to save the three kings of the emeralds, at first it felt like a story told to children but when the three kings were described as pure hedgehogs, it made sense. In order for one to make a sacrifice, they must do one which is why I offer my unborn child as a sacrifice knowing that full trust only comes with the hopes of the guardians in the form of the kings” Espio’s words were wise beyond his years but it touched several of them. Shadow actually smiled connecting eyes with the chameleon who nodded, it was time for them to stop hiding and instead to face the truth. If they were to save Mobius, they had to break the laws of the vows of silence they made to one another. 

“Shadow and I know each other very well due to an alteration where I was the cause of Shadow losing his unborn child, in payment full I gave away my ability to heal myself instead I allowed Shadow to poison my heart” Espio spoke in truth, Shadow moved over to him.