Stars in the Sky (Book 2 of the Real World Chronicles)

Ch. 17: Betrayal Is An Ugly Shade of Green

Knuckles and Dr. Robotnik, with their remaining Egg-Drones, were on the run for their lives weaving through the surrounding maze of the hydro-excavated temple. They had to run faster and duck as arrows flew out of the walls, but miss them. The drones scouting ahead ran into a spiked wall booby trap that impaled them all; the doctor and echidna screeched on their heels and turned down a side path to the left. They hopped down a ledge, then took sides of either side of the path as a morning star swung in between them, crushing the last of their Egg-Drones. The chain suspending the morning star broke, letting the morning star then roll after them, forcing them to keep sprinting.

"I don't want to die like this!" Robotnik wheezed like a coward. "It's derivative!"

Up ahead, they could both see a heavy stone door sliding shut.

"Make room for Daddy!"

Knuckles ran ahead to catch the door and suspend it in place long enough for Robotnik to slide under it. Knuckles let go and dove onto the floor from under the door just as the morning star smashed into it.

The two breathed heavily from the loaded adrenaline.

"Two and two," said Robotnik, counting limbs. "Great! We're still bipedals, more or less."

They both stood up, looking around for a moment.

"Fire in the hole!"

They ducked in time to avoid a burst of flames that shot out of an owl carving's eyes.

"I've solved it," Robotnik concluded. "There is a booby trap every seven secONDS—!"

A giant battle axe bearing the mark of an owl swung down from the ceiling, barely grazing his mustache, before ending up with its blade jammed into the wall.

Robotnik blinked. "That was a little early." Knuckles growled as he turned in a direction and kept walking. Robotnik laughed a little, "So glad it didn't cut off my mustache.

"Hey, Little Red Wrecking Ball," Robotnik called after the echidna walking off while catching up beside him. "I know you're dying to get your Emerald on, but can we be a little bit more mindful of our surroundings? May I?"

Robotnik pressed some controls on his gloves. The triangle design on his sleeve opened up, allowing a mini-drone to fly out and scan its surroundings with laser technology.

"In 30 feet, turn left." A Siri-like voice directed.

Robotnik glanced down at his red pawn while a 3D map was being laid out for him above his glove. "Work smarter, not harder."

The duo then continued on their way through the maze, following the mini-drone.

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Sonic and Willow wailed as they zigzagged down possibly the roughest slip-and-slide Willow had ever been on, shortly after following the path down to the entrance and getting swept up by a jet of water. Sonic fell not-so-nicely on his legs on the sandstone floor from the drop-off point; he barely was about to get up when Willow landed right on top of him, worsening his bruising.

"Augh, my pelvis," he whined, holding his back as he struggled to get up under the added weight on top of him.

"Sorry," Willow apologized sheepishly and got off.

As they both stood up, they got a quick look at the surroundings of the start of the labyrinth.

"Okay, secret temple," smirked Sonic, getting his feet ready. "let's see what you've got."