Sonic: Resurrection
Part Three
Sonnu's tears had run dry, and his heart felt as if it stopped beating hours ago. He felt nothing. Didn’t even notice Crowe across the room, who was staring out of the window, almost as if he was looking for someone. Sonnu ignored him.
Hours. . .into hours. . .the massive room was silent, Sonnu sat on a silk apholstered couch, a light music filling the room. . .a funeral dirge. Scor was a master of oppression indeed.
Sonnu started to wonder why Crowe, Godiva’s husband, was in here with him. Sonnu didn’t even really know who he was. Some echidna, a warrior judging by his gloves. Shouldn’t he be at a honeymoon or something?
Crowe sighed, and spoke. “I’m sorry,” he said just above a whisper. “I wasn’t bound, I could’ve stopped Scor but I didn’t. It might have ruined the plan.”
Sonnu looked up. “The plan?”
Crowe nodded. “I’m supposed to be here. I blew up at Scor after you left, knowing he’d send me here to confuse you. The Brotherhood knows how Scor thinks.”
“The Brotherhood of Guardians?”
“The same,” Crowe said. “Scor tries to keep them a secret, since it’s one of the only things on Mobius that he can’t control. I think you can agree that Scor needs to be dethroned, and a secret has been kept on the Floating Island, other then the Brotherhood. And considering what I saw you do earlier, I think my father Knuckles might be interested in you.”
“What do you mean?” Sonnu said.
“I can’t discuss it here.” Crowe said. “Too many forbidden words. The Emperor’s Order Pods will have me dead if I say them in the palace. I have a debt to make up to my father, and I think you're exactly what he’s been looking for.”
“Too bad I’m gonna be executed.”
Crowe said nothing, set a small device on the ground. Suddenly a hologram of Sonnu and Crowe apeared sitting on the silk couch.
“We’re invisible,” Crowe said. “All the Emperor’s eyes are seeing in this room is this illusion. We can escape.”
“Escape? “ Sonnu shook his head. “To where?”
“To where the Emperor will never find us.” Crowe said. “The Floating Island.”
Generally those from the Floating Island stayed away form Scor’s Empire--in fact, many who came to the Island were ecaping his tyranny. Scor was desperate to conquer us, the last bastion of freedom in a world he controlled. The Floating Island became a perfect place for revolution, but we all asked ourselves if
revolution was coming too late.
-Lara-Su
“The Kingdoms of my Day”
“This is Knuckles, Crowe, and Sonnu the Hedgehog requesting entrance to Haven.”
Hedgehog, Sonnu thought. He uses the forbidden words so freely.
“This is Sabre. Entrance granted. I’ll guide you in.”
The small shuttle was suddenly caught in a tractor beam that guided them toward the island. Knuckles, whom Sonnu had heard about but never believed in turned to him.
“So, you move as fast as Crowe says you do?” Knuckles said.
Sonnu gasped. More forbidden words. This place must truly be free. “I caught the bullet,” Sonnu said. “I don’t know how but I did. . .”
Knuckles nodded, no smile. “You might be the person Amy’s been looking for then.”
“You mean St. Amy?”
“Yeah, you know her?”
“I talked to her the other day,” Sonnu said. “She told me that my father was sombody named. . .Sonic,”
“Don’t worry about saying forbidden words here,” Knuckles said. “His Majesty can’t see us. And your father’s name WAS Sonic. He was a Freedom Fighter, and, as much as I hate to admit it, he was one of Mobius’s greatest heroes. I think you might be too.”
Sonnu sat back and thought about that. “Where are my parents? “ he asked. “Are they on the Floating Island?”
Knuckles bowed his head, “I think you better talk to Sister Amy about that one,” He said. “She would rather tell you herself.”
The shuttle landed softly in the bay of Haven. The trio exited the Shuttle and was met by two figures--one taller, wearing a constable’s hat and uniform, and the other wearing a swordsman’s robe, with a metal plate over his mouth and nose, and goggles covering his eyes. Sonnu could’t even tell what species he was.
“Is this the Brotherhood?” Sonnu asked.
“Hardly.” the echidna said. “My name is Remington, this is King.”
Sonnu looked at the two. “I’m Sonnu the Bushrat.”
Remington lauighed a bit. “The poor guy’s still using the Emperpr’s words,” Remington said.
“Give him time, Constable,” Knuckles said. “He’ll get used to freedom.”
“So if you're not the Brotherhood, who are you?” Sonnu asked.
“I’m Constable Remington; I lead the Feydakin commandoes, and King here is the Fedakin’s swordsmanship instructor. His family was killed by the Emperor and he’s been looking for a way to get a little revenge.”
King bowed his head.
“What’s the Feydakin?”
“They used to be the security force here on the Floating Island, but now they have a bigger purpose,” Remington said.
Knuckles placed a hand on Sonnu’s shoulder. “The Feydakin are our last hope,” he said. “We know that the Brotherhood, even though they’re pretty good, couldn’t take on the Emperor’s Saudakar alone. We’ve been raising an army here. Some are echidnas from the Island; others are just Mobians who want a piece of Scor. All of them are willing to die to dethrone him.”
“So you have an army,” Sonnu said. “Why do you need me?”
The three were silent for a few moments.
Knuckles spoke. “I think Sister Amy might be able to explain that a bit better. Come on, she’s waiting for you.”
Scor St. John, the spoiled son,
Sat on his father’s knee,
He drew a knife and stabbed him dead
For all the world to see.
He stood on the corpse and smiled wide,
As he put the knife away,
He said: “If I can kill all my friends like this,
I’ll be King someday!”
-Graffiti on the south wall of Scor’s palace.
He doesn’t know it’s there.
The wedding feast was over, but Scor was still celebrating. While he’d seen a setback to his Floating Island plans, he would soon be rid of that mutation, and his seed would be wiped from the face of Mobius forever. Life was good. Scor was weary from the match, so a slave was feeding him some of the ham,
(poison tested of corse) from the table. Such fools, embracing vegetarianism. Meat was a real cat’s food; a carnivore was what he was. Even though Scor was half skunk, he had the teeth of a cat, and used them.
What a day this had been. Godiva entered, siting on a footstool acros from Scor.
“Hello sister,” Scor said. “Enjoy the banquet?”
Godiva didn’t answer, only sat with a pouting look on her face.
“Ohh, a problem?”
“I miss Crowe already.” Godiva said.
Scor smiled an intrigued smile. “Now that’s strange,” Scor said. “You have at least a dozen slaves to keep you company. . almost as much as us. . .and you miss him?”
She nodded.
“Now there there, he was just another man. We assure you he will die mercifully.”
Godiva looked at her brother. “Mercifully?” she asked, surprised her brother could even pronounce the word.
“Yes, of course. His death must not be linked to us, or else the Brotherhood will never ally with me.” Scor said. “At the feast I introduced a slow poison into his food, as a failsafe. It’s a remote aura poison. It’s neutralized as long as he’s within a few miles of your life force, but when he leaves that area, he’ll die within a few days. A real innovation--the early Acorns used it often with those they couldn’t trust.”
“So he won’t suffer?”
“No no no,” Scor said. “I care for few people, but I do care for you, and I know you at least liked him, so I thought if he was to die, he could die peacefully from a brain rupture.”
“Thank you Brother,” Godiva said with a grateful smile.
“Anything for our. . .” Scor was cut off by the sound of metal on stone. Entering the banquet hall were six of his
Saudakar.
“Your Majesty, we regret to inform you that the images in Sonnu’s suite were false. Sonnu and Crowe have escaped.”
Scor roared in rage, raising his hand to the seven foot robot. “You dare come to tell us of your failure!?!? We’ll have you executed at the. . .” Scor realized he was talking to a robot. “That’s why they always have the Saudaukar tell us I guess,” he said to himself.
“What does this mean?” Godiva said.
“It means Sonnu’s escaped,” Scor hissed. “And since Crowe escaped, soon you’ll be single again.”
“Delightful,” Godiva purrred. “I mean. . .too bad.”
The heart and will of my soul and mind,
between dark and light are torn
The only light in this hateful world
Is St. Amy of the Thorns
-Locke the Echidna
“The Collected Poems of Locke the Echidna”
Sonnu still thought she was beautiful, her soft green eyes that echoed with love and comapassion that few people could show. She was what few people were in this world, comapssionate and caring. He could tell even by looking at her soft smile, her graceful gazelle-like movements, the flowing length of her silk cape. He admired this woman greatly. Her spines were short and untheatening, held from sticking straight up by a golden bejeweled barette.
She had asked to meet with him again, to explain a few things about the Feydakin.. .and himself. Before Sonnu wasn’t willing to listen to an apparently insane old woman. But something inside him had been shaken lose now, a desire, a drive to fight back, to fight for freedom, to avenge his friend. Some other members of Amy’s religious sisterhood were in the room. They all wore the gauzy, soft, off-white dress Amy wore, but all but one wore hoods over their faces and their tails were covered in silk capes. The only one showing her face was a mongoose, who wore a shiny bejeweled blindfold over her eyes. She also held a long white cane with a golden tip. Sonnu guessed she was blind.
“This is St. Mina the Brave.” Amy said, answering a question Sonnu never asked. “When she spoke the name of Sonic in Scor’s palace, Scor told his Saudaukar to pull out her tounge and dig out her eyes.” Amy controlled a bit of anger that came into her. “When I dubbed her a saint for her suffering, Scor considered it blasphemy and banished the Sisterhood.”
“I remember when the orphanage was closed,” Sonnu said. “I never dreamt it was because of Scor’s cruelty. I blinded myself to the truth and good people like Mina suffered.” Sonnu looked at his feet.
“Do not lower your eye in the presence of saints.” Amy said. “The Maker only seeks your happiness. It is all she ever asked.”
“She?” Sonu asked. “God’s a she?”
Amy smiled. “The Great maker is a deity; gender has no meaning. I use ‘she’ for lack of a better term,” Amy said. “And at times the Maker seems like a woman.”
“I just feel like I just got my sight,” Sonnu said. “Like now I see Scor for what he really is. He keeps order, and everyone in his kingdom has a good place and a decent job, but it’s not worth what he does to people.” Sonnu looked into Amy’s eyes. “I want to know, I want to know everything, espescially who I am.”
“You are the son of Sonic the Hegdgehog, the fastest thing alive. He lead a band of freedom fighters in Robotnik’s war. He was knighted during this war and after Robotnik was killed, he was appointed King’s Field General. He married Princess Sally Acorn, King Elias’s sister.”
“My mother is a Princess?”
Amy paused. Didn’t answer. “During the war of Seperation, or the Robian’s war as some called it, the Princess was killed by Overlanders on her way to the Floating Island to convince the Brotherhood to join the war. After that Sonic grieved, and I, being a saint, comforted him. Soon. . .my compassion turned to love, and while we could never marry because of my vow to the Maker, we became lovers.”
“You're my. . .”
Amy’s eyes were clouded with tears. “Yes,” she said. “You are my son.”
Sonnu dove into her arms, knowing a happiness like he never knew. Amy, ignoring the vow to never touch a male, even her own son, wrapped her arms around the young man, rocking him back and forth, tears of happiness now streaming down her own face.
“I grew up thinking my parents didn’t want me,” Sonnu said. “That I was abandoned by peasants.”
“Exactly what Scor wanted, my son,” Amy sniffed. “But I prayed for so long just for the chance to hold you like this and tell you that I loved you, but neither Scor nor my religion would have it. The Maker has blessed me, and I will never abandon you again. This I swear.”
Sonnu smiled. “You’re the best mother I could ever imagine.”
“And I am honored to have you as my son.” Amy said, wiping a tear from her son’s eyes, as she always wanted to do. “I never gave up believing that what is inside you would awaken. You have your father’s gifts.”
Sonnu was almost afraid to ask. “Where is my father?”
“Your father. . .Sonic,” Amy looked down. “When the last of the royal famly was escaping Mobotropolis to come here, they were attacked by the Suadakar. Sonic shielded them with his own body. He gave his life for his friends. I feel sometimes like a traitor because I stayed in Scor’s empire, instead of sooner
coming here.
"I hoped to change Scor’s heart with compassion and forgiveness, but he long ago used up all the forgiveness I have. I should have given up when he took my Sonic. I loved him until the last day I knew him. I loved him since I was a little girl swinging my blessed hammer and reading the tarots.”
“I wish I could’ve known him,” Sonnu said.
“He represented more then just leader and a fighter,” Amy said. “Where he went, hope followed. Sonic drove people to suicidal heroism, loyalty and friendship that the strongest sword could not break. This is what Scor feared, this is why he forbid us to even say his name, and destroyed his home, the Great Forest. If you wish, you can be what he was, Sonnu. You can can be a leader of men.”
Sonnu looked at her, his eyes wide. “I don’t know if I can ever be what he was.”
“If you are truly my son,” Amy said, “you will know no other way.”
We have all died and been reborn as heroes
-Sonic Maurice Hedgehog
“On the Knothole Freedom Fighters”
Knuckles, King, Remington, Crowe and an echidna Sonnu didn’t recognize met in the Mushroom Hill Zone. It had had been only a few days since he got to the Island. He had been learning a lot about the Brotherhood, the Guardians, and their history, all the time his mother preparing him for whatever lies beyond
the Island. She had great respect here, the Brotherhood treated her with respect, and valued her compassion and wisdom. The new echidna had the same marking as her father--the white ring in her red fur. The echidna girl and Crowe seemed to get along well; they acted as if they were close. Sonnu caught a bit of their conversation. They haven’t seen each other in a while, she was glad to see her brother, forgiveness, and so on. The echidna was certainly attractive. Sonnu had heard things about echidna women--that they were all beautiful, and this one was no exception. She looked a lot like Knuckles, with white mitten-like barbed gloves, light red fur, an athletic build. Other than shoes and gloves, she only wore a yellow belt on her hip, showing she had a flare for being natural. In Scor’s empire, (like other corrupt kingdoms) she would not be permitted to walk around naked.
“This is my daughter, Lara-Su” Knuckles said. Sonnu jumped, realized he was staring.
“Nice to meet you, I’m. . .”
“Sonnu the Hedgehog?” Lara said in a light, but strong voice. “There’s been nothing but talk about you in Echidnaopolis. Son of Sonic, caught the Emperor’s bullet.” She looked in Sonnu’s eyes and smiled sweetly. It made his heart flutter when she did that. Her eyes were dark purple, cat-shaped, red hair flowing over them slightly.
“You’re the Guardian?” Sonnu choked out.
Lara nodded.
“Even Scor can’t keep the news of you from being heard,” Sonnu said.
“I’m flattered,” Lara said half-sarcastically.
“As the new Guardian, Lara will not be joining us on the attack,” Remington said. “But we need her to assess
your ability, Sonnu. To make sure you're going to be of use to us.”
“The Feydakin are made up of mostly revenge-seekers,” Knuckles said. “All of them hate he Emperor and would be more then glad to get a piece of him, but we have a detailed plan worked out to seige his castle and seize the throne with a minimum of innocent bloodshed. The main entry platform that the Brotherhood and I will occupy will be of only the most important personnel. It will be the first team to enter the palace after the outer keep is breached and the Feydakin are holding off the Saudakar. We want to make sure you have a place on it.”
Sonnu almost looked surprised. “A place on it?” he asked. “Don’t you think I deserve a place on it?”
“There are thousands among the Feydakin who deserve to be on it.” Knuckles said. “But we only want those who can hold their own in a fight.”
“I’m a trained fighter!” Sonnu said. “I killed Akkir and took on the Emperor himself.”
“And he almost wiped the floor with you.” Crowe said. “I was there, Sonnu--he could have killed you nuemerous times if he wasn't trying to make it look like an accident.”
“Scor is simply an incredible fighter.” Knuckles said. “When he fights gladiators and prisoners, he never uses drugs to weaken them. He takes them on at their full strength, and still comes out without a scratch. He’s better then you, Sonnu--better than most of us.”
“They thought I could teach you a thing or two,” Lara said, bounding back and forth like a boxer. “About how we fight here on the Island.”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt a girl,” Sonnu said.
Lara laughed out loud, “Don’t worry, you won’t.” she chuckled. “I’m the teacher for a reason buddy, I’m the Guardian after all.”
That’s it, Lara, Knuckles thought. Teach him, see if you can awaken that legendary attitude I had to deal with.
Sonnu smiled. “Where I cone from ‘Guardian’ means squat.”
“Yeah, well we aren't where you come from, handsome.” Lara said. “And here ‘Guardian’ means I’m allowed to get Dark Legion on whoever I want, so watch the lip.”
“Come on, you're just a girl.”
“Oh yeah?” Lara said with mock surprise. “Let’s see you do this!” Lara planted her barbed knuckles in a nearby tree, climbing it quickly and effortlessly, then, reaching a high point, glided down gracefully, circling the tree like a fluttering leaf.
“Don’t let her show you up, Sonnu.” Knuckles said with a nudge.
“Come on, slo-mo.” Lara teased, shoving Sonnu slightly with her gloved fist. “Climb the tree. . . .if you can.”
Sonnu looked up at the tree. It stretched up infinitely to a green sky.
How Am I supposed to do that? I’m no echidna!
Sonnu looked at Lara-Su. She grinned at him, hand on her hip, short tail waving lazily. He wondered how he could do anything special like that. He was only a Bushrat, this was a Guardian, she was gifted, and beautiful. . .
“Come on, Sonnu,” Knuckles said. “Don’t tell me I dragged your sorry carcass back to the Island to watch you gawk at my daughter. Prove yourself!”
Lara looked a little embarrassed at the comment, but continued to goad Sonnu. “Let’s see some of that legendary speed . .if you got it.”
She laughed at him a bit. The others jumped in--even the silent one known as King chuckled behind his steel mask.
“I’ll show you. . .” Sonnnu said, his feet moving before his mind, blurring in a figure eight pattern. He blasted up the tree, leaving a trail of fire from the friction. He grabbed a branch, look down at the group. . .they’d stopped laughing. Sonnu used the speed again, this time blasting down through the midst of the crowd, intentionally knocking down Lara-Su as he flew by.
Lara picked herself up, trying to preseve a bit of dignity while Sonnu blasted off over the horizon. “Well, looks like we did it.” Lara said. “I guess he’ll come back as soon as he runs this out of his system.”
“Yes, he’s definitely like his father.” Knuckles said. “Unfortunately for you, Lara.”
“I think I can handle him.” Lara said with a playful smirk. “After all, I had to deal with Crowe growing up.” She gave Crow a playful noogie.
“Not every guy has to deal with an older sister with superpowers,” Crowe laughed.
Knuckles smiled, and Lara was surprised. Her father hadn’t smiled much since his friend Sally died. Perhaps something in him was awakening as well.
Crowe shoved Lara with his glove playfully. “I could probably kick your butt now, echidna girl.”
“Oh, you think so?” Lara pulled a punch close to Crowe’s face, and he dropped. She laughed. “See, I got you with one punch, but I’m a good sport.” She held out a paw to help him up, but Crowe didn’t move. “Come on, Crowe, I’m trying to be nice.”
Nothing.
“Crowe?”
Knuckles bent over his son, rolled him over. Crowe’s eyes were glazed over, emotionless, empty. Knuckles placed his earhole on Crowe’s chest.
“Crowe?” Lara said again. “What’s wrong?”
Crowe didn’t answer, didn’t move.
“Come on boy,” Knuckles said, shaking him. “Stop playing!”
Knuckles knew then. This was no game.
Remmington was already bent over Crowe, scanning him with a Nicole-type device. “Crowe’s brain is pooled with blood,” he said. “He had six major ruptures at once. That’s impossible."
“My son.. . . .” Knuckles said. “My son is dead.”
“It could only have been remote aura poison,” Remmington said. “I know my poisons, I’d bet my reputation on this.”
“Aura poison,” Knuckles said. “Only royalty has access to. . .the Emperor poisoned my son. He killed my son!”
“Crowe!” Lara said, sobbing. King embraced her in comfort. She cried on his shoulder as he rocked her gently.
Remmington helped Knuckles up. “Don’t lose it Knuckles, you’ll have your chance to. . .”
“The Emperor killed my SON!” Knuckles yelled, his tortured voice bouncing off the tops of the massive trees, shaking loose leaves from their branches high above. He clenched his blood-red gloves, swore silently.
Scor would know vengeance in his arrogance.
He would pay.
Knuckles always put us children before himself, always honored our wishes before his own. He would die for us, and that alone is enough to make me honor him with everything I do. I dedicate this text to him and his vast wisdom. Things he’s muttered in his ire have kept me going though the toughest parts of my training. My father, Knuckles, could have never taught me better in a school, than he could have taught me through his own actions. He was truly a great man, truly worthy of being called “Guardian.”
-Lara-Su
Foreword to “A Father’s Wisdom”
Crowe was buried in the Sandopolis desert. Knuckles wasn’t sure why, but Crowe spent a lot of his time there, since he had liked the desert. He was into archeology and was fascinated by the pyramids. There was no real funeral, only Knuckles and a few of the other members of the Brotherhood saying their goodbyes.
Echidnas never liked to make a big deal of death, but this time it was different. Crowe was just a young man, a boy, barely twenty years old. The Emperor seduced him and poisoned him with his lies; he was truly evil. Knuckles wouldn’t submit to hate-- that would be lowering himself to Scor’s level. However, justice would be served. Amy walked up from behind, gazing over Knuckles’ shoulder at the fresh grave.
“He knew you loved him.” Amy said, answering a question that Knuckles asked in his mind.
Knuckles nodded, remembering she was clairvoyant.
“He knew that you cared for him, and he loved you.” Amy continued, saying exactly what was neccessary to comfort him. “He was a brave young man, and he tried his best to make you proud of him.”
“I didn’t appreciate him,” Knuckles said. “I yelled at him.”
“You yelled because you knew what was right for him.” Amy aid. “You corrected him with discipline and always forgave with love. You did more for him then any other could have. He wouldn’t have been who he was without you.”
Knuckles nodded. “He was a good boy,” Knuckles said. “He was a little naive sometimes, but he was a good boy.”
“You haven’t cried yet, Knuckles.” Amy said.
“I don’t need to,” Knuckles said.
“All emotions are good, Knuckles,” Amy said. “Even sadness, and you need to let go, release.”
Knuckles didn’t move, “Guardians don’t cry.”
“You're embarrassed around me?” Amy asked. “If you wish, I will tell no one if you cry.”
Knuckles bit his lip, closed his eyes. Tears ran down his face. “My boy,” he said weakly.
Amy knew Knuckles didn’t want to held, but she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he sobbed. She knew how he felt, she literally felt his pain. She was a caring person, but she too. . .wanted revenge. Scor had built a tower of enemies, and soon it would topple on him.
Love is the deadliest weapon against hate
-Lara-Su
“A Father’s Wisdom”
The Feydakin were an incredible army. There were almost four thousand of them; many of them echidnas, but there were other species, all of them recruits who wanted a piece of history in taking the palace and toppling Scor’s empire. They were armed with diferent weapons, most with semi-automatic rifles common in security forces, with a sidearm pistol and a longblade on their back for hand-to-hand combat.
Most Mobian warefare was hand-to-hand and these warriors were trained by King, who Sonnu was told was the best around. Now they were exercising, some were sparring, others were target shooting, still others were running or marching in rank, all preparing the best way they know how. Sonnu watched them from a hill above the grassy plain, wondering how he went from loyal Emperor’s Enginneer to counter-revolutinary.
Lara-Su sat down beside him, Sonnu felt his heartbeat in his ears. Sonnu never quite felt like this about a girl, or anyone for that matter, other then his recently discovered mother.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” Sonnu said. “I owed him my life.”
Lara nodded. “I’m done mourning. Crowe would’ve wanted me to move on. It’s better to celebrate a life, then to mourn a death.”
“That’s good.” Sonnu said. “Who said that?”
“I did, silly,” Lara grinned, letting out a slight giggle.
Sonnu never thought he’d see the Guardian of the Floating Island giggle, it was weird. “Too bad you can’t join us in the attack, you’re a good fighter.”
“I have this island to defend,” Lara said. “I’ve never left it, I wouldn’t know what to do if I ever did.”
“Someday, you might want to see the rest of Mobius.”
Lara looked at Sonnu, smiled a bit, looked down at her feet. “Sonnu, your mother. . .Sister Amy, she’s a telepath you know.”
“Yeah?”
“So it’s hard to keep secrets around her for long.” Lara said. “She gets inside your mind and lets you know what to do with your feelings. It’s something about the Little Planet that gave her that power, something about Mobius’s second moon.” Lara paused. “What I’m trying to say is, when she’s around it’s best to come clean with what’s in your heart beore she embarrasses you by telling you what to do about it before you even ask.”
“Right.”
“So,” Lara paused. “I really. . . .hope you come back all right.”
“So do I.”
“No, I mean, I REALLY hope you come back HERE all right.”
Sonnu thought. “Why here?”
“Because I’m here,” Lara said. “I want to see you again, because I care about you.”
“We’re friends, I care about you too,” Sonnu said, missing the point.
Lara shook her head. “Forget it, just. . .” She looked at him, smiled a small, embarrassed smile. “Oh, what the hell.” Lara grabbed Sonnu by his vest and pulled him into a kiss, placing her hand lightly on the back of his head, gentle around the spines. She held the confused hedgehog for a moment, then released him, turning the other way.
“Just come back in one piece you crazy hedgehog.” Lara said, facing the other direction.
Sonnu didn’t know what to make of that, not that he minded, it was just weird to him. “Man, I. . .oh boy,”
“I kissed you, all right?!” Lara said. “Get over it.”
“Well, I just didn’t think. . .”
“Yeah, well, I did think.” Lara said, turning back around to him. “And when I thought, I thought that you were someone really special to me. It’s just I don’t want a relationship to end before it began so just. . .just. . .come back to me.”
Sonnu looked into her eyes for a moment, the eyes that smiled even when she didn’t. “If I don’t come back for any other reason,” he said. “I’ll come back for you.”
“Promise?”
Sonnu nodded. “I promise.”
Where there is darkness, there can be no light, but when light comes, there can be no more darkness.
-Lara-Su
“A Father’s Wisdom”
The Saudaukar had called Scor to his throne room, an old friend was visiting. Scor had called the black-coated imperial guards, six of the greatest fighters in the kingdom. He glanced at Godiva. “It will be nice to see Amy again.” Scor said. “She’s an incredible woman.”
“Yes.” Godiva purred. “Why was she banished again?”
“Treason.” Scor said. “She honored someone who we punished. Called her brave,” Scor shook his head.
“Not a smart thing to do to you, brother,” Godiva said. “Why do you suppose she returned?”
“She knows now what we did to Sonnu.” Scor said. “She desires revenge, but we will not honor her. We’ve called our Imperial Guard here for a reason. She will not escape me this time.”
The Saudaukar stomped in heavily.
“Your honor, we are proud to present to you, St. Amy of the Thorns, and the Sisterhood of the Thorns.”
Amy and her Sisterhood strode in gracefully. Scor held out a glass, one of his slaves filling the glass. “Sister Amy,” Scor said, the words sliding out of him with a minimum of respect. “Why do you return from where you were exiled?”
“This was my home before it was yours, Scor.” Amy said, deliberately leaving off any sign of respect.
“You seem to forgot how to address royalty, Sister,” Scor hissed. “Now, we demand, why did you return?”
“I have returned to give you a message, from my son Sonnu and the Brotherhood of Guardians.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve heard from either of them.” Scor said. “Do continue.”
Amy smiled wide. “The Brotherhood have seen how you’ve acted as Emperor, and are displeased, so we offer you an ultimatum. Relinquish the throne, or we will remove you.”
Scor slowly hid his rage. “I will give you chance to repeat that,” Scor said. “And if it is to our satisfaction, you will continue breathing.”
Scor snapped his fingers,and the Imperial guard surrounded Amy, drawing their swords, one placing a sword on Amy’s throat. She was absolutely unintimidated, only glared straight into Scor’s eyes, sensing his rage.
“I will repeat myself,” Amy said. “But only because I used words too large for someone of your level of stupidity to understand. You have two choices, step down and die with dignity, or...” Amy held her hand in the air, and the imperial guard screamed horribly, holding their ears and thrashing as if they were on fire, it was seconds before they crumpled on the floor motionless. Scor glanced at them. Blood poured from their ears and nose.
Amy continued. “You can die kicking and screaming like the spoiled child you are. Three thousand Feydakin are coming, and they will make my threats real.”
Scor’s voice quivered only slightly at the fact his entire imperial guard was just killed with the wave of a hand. “I think you forget about my Saudakar,” Scor said.
“It will be a glorious battle Scor,” Amy said, senseing Scor would not relent. “But a short one. Nothing can protect you now. It is your time to meet the Maker.”
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