The Calling of... [Sonic the Hedgehog FF]

The soul - Shadikal (story-trade)

Hello, this story is a small story-trade with -dark45-. He really likes Shadikal, so I offered to give it a try. It was really fun to do, really! Despite it being really "odd" pairing for me, it can actually make sense. Depends on how you look at it and it would be possible if they had some time for themselves.

Well, I'll stop rambling, just make sure to visit -dark45-, he has nice polished stories (I love his Silaze Pirate AU) if you like my stories.

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The day was sunny, like any other on the Angel Island. It was floating above the ground, shrouded by clouds and mysteries. It was a place of many legends about the creation of the life and once the mightiest race of Echidnas. They were strong and proud and that's what brought them down. The only gentle soul among them was trampled and its destiny was to be sealed inside of the Master Emerald, that Echidnas worshiped and protected.

The enormous green jewel had great power and desire for it clouded Echidnas' minds, turning against their own teachings and engulfing themselves in a bloody war. But that was soon over when water god of destruction, Chaos, wiped almost the whole race, leaving only a handful of survivors and lifting a huge chunk of ground to the sky, creating a lonely island.

As the time went, Echidnas slowly died out, leaving only one child behind. It was a boy bearing a name of the once proud clan, Knuckles. He was gentle but strong, loyal to his friends and fierce against his enemies. But even time slowly took his life, leaving nothing but memories.

[***]

A breeze was blowing, caressing the grass around a small temple. At its top was a pedestal and above it was floating and slowly turning enormous green emerald. This stone was named Master Emerald and it had a power greater than all Chaos Emeralds together. There wasn't a single soul near it... but saying it, would be a lie.

After all, there was one soul living on this island. Its name is Tikal. She is a gentle young woman, full of love for every living being. She was silently sitting at top of it, gazing at the horizon hidden behind the clouds. The wind was blowing right thru her, but she didn't mind. She, after all, lost all sense of feeling so cold or hot weather could never bother her.

But even if many people would be happy not to feel it, she secretively sometimes tried to remember how it was... to feel the wind touching her skin, how a fire burned her fingers and how the wound was cooled down. She closed her blue eyes as she was sitting on a big green gem.

It was floating above a small altar, emitting a slight light. The day was peaceful, just like many others. Its serenity was enjoyed by another island inhabitant. It was a black hedgehog with red stripes over his quills and limbs. He was sitting below the jewel with closed eyes as well. His body was covered with small bruises and scars, but the most dominant was the one over his right eye that took his eyesight there as well.

He got in in one ugly fight a long time ago. Another one took his left arm, but he had no problem with it. He got himself and cyborg arm, giving him more ranged attacks and shield generator. Not just once it saved his skin. His rocket boots were more tattered, but they were still fully functioning. Their creator was a good man, making sure they will work even after centuries.

The silence was disrupted by a child's voices. They were getting quickly closer, so the hedgehog had no other choice but to open his eyes. He quickly checked his floating partner, seeing she as well took notice.

"Uncle Shadow! Uncle Shadow!" shouted a mostly white bat with red tip of ears. Behind her was a young red echidna with white tips on his quills.