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saphstories · 2 days ago

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Chapter Seven: The Third Sovereign

(Index/Masterpost) (Previous) (Next: 02/19)

A/N: If anyone needs it, Zirael: Z-ear-eye-elle. Happy reading!

I’m in trouble. Silver screamed, crashing through several walls of scorched timber and lying among the splinters in a daze.

In hindsight, openly challenging a Black Oak to battle after rescuing the cub probably wasn’t the best decision. Black Oaks were known for their strength and invulnerability, and Silver wasn’t at his best, weak from exhaustion and hunger. In his haste to protect the kid and his simmering anger, he’d been so sure he could take care of the Black Oak easily. Then…then the Black Oak had to call in reinforcements.

Now Silver was surrounded by a swarm of Black Arms, tossed around like a ragdoll. They were toying with him, playing with the battered white hedgehog like a cat with a wounded mouse. Silver trembled as he pushed himself to his feet, though his head swam and his body screamed in protest. He had to get away, escape these monsters so he could accomplish his mission and save the future. He couldn’t die-couldn’t be killed. Not here. Not now.

Claws hooked into the back of his training uniform—which now hung in bloody tatters off his body—and nicked his skin, and Silver couldn’t react fast enough to stop from being flung headlong into another wreckage. Silver groaned, his eyes rolling in his head. Black spots danced across his vision, and he could only stare regretfully as the same Black Oak he’d challenged lowered his sword so the tip rested against Silver’s heart. I’m so sorry, Mother…

Light exploded into a massive spinning golden circle above the Black Oak, and Silver gaped owlishly as a cobalt blue hedgehog in sleek metallic armor with a silvery longsword strapped to his hip dropped onto the beast’s shoulders. “Hey there, ugly!” The blue hedgehog crowed, leaning over to smirk mockingly into the Black Oak’s face. “Whatcha say you pick on someone your own size and leave my pal there alone?”

The Black Oak roared and swung for the blue hedgehog, but he vanished in a blur of blue lightning, reappearing directly in front of Silver and wagging his finger disapprovingly at the monster. “Tsk, tsk, beastie! Manners!” He winked over his shoulder at Silver, who could only stare, flabbergasted, back at him. “Don’t worry, buddy.” He grinned and glanced up, and Silver followed his gaze. From the golden circle above them, a black and crimson-striped hedgehog, a blonde coyote, a purple chameleon, a white bat, a striped lemur, a lavender cat, and a scarlet echidna dropped to the ground, each brandishing a variety of weapons and adorned in gleaming armor, and once they touched the ashen earth, the golden circle vanished from sight. “The cavalry’s come!”

“Sonic!” The red echidna glared at the blue hedgehog. “You were supposed to wait for us, brother!”

“This is an urgent mission, Knucklehead!” The blue hedgehog—Sonic?—countered, rolling his eyes. “They were about to kill him,” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Silver, who struggled to climb to his feet. “And you were going too slow!”

“I promised Mother and Father I would watch your back, Sonic!” ‘Knucklehead’ snapped. “I cannot do that if you constantly hare off!”

“I do not hare off-!”

“If you two morons are done,” The black hedgehog snarled and gestured irately around him at the Black Arms pack that had surrounded them all. “Might I remind you what we are here for!”

The newcomers formed a half-circle in front of Silver, a barricade of bodies between him and the Black Arms, and the Black Oak Sonic had landed on leading the squadron. The lavender cat glanced back at Silver, bright orange flames dancing along her knuckles. “Are you able to fight, sir?” She demanded. Silver wobbled on shaking legs and clenched his quivering fingers into fists, cyan light flickering around his hands. The cat pursed her lips and nodded. “Milords, Antoine,” She called, obtaining brief glances from the two hedgehogs and the blonde coyote as she stepped back to stand at Silver’s side. “I will protect the Third while you handle the Black Arms.” She informed them.

“Do you need a second, Princess Blaze?” The lemur tilted her head with inquiring violet eyes.

The cat—Princess Blaze—shook her head. “I’ll manage, Tangle, but if I do need it, you’ll be the one I shout for.” Tangle grinned and her tail excitedly whipped to and fro.

Antoine studied the Black Arms, then raised his voice in a commanding bark that rumbled through the village ruins. “Elohim!”

“Elohim!” The others—sans Sonic, ‘Knucklehead’, and the black hedgehog—shouted back.

“Elohim!” Antoine tightened his grip on his sword, the hilt gleaming in the afternoon sun.

“Elohim!” The Black Arms hissed and snarled, clawing the ground.

Antoine tipped his head back and howled, drawing his rapier and pointing it at the Black Arms. “Nissi!”

Chaos erupted. Spurred by the coyote’s howl, Silver’s rescuers surged forward and clashed with the Black Arms while Princess Blaze shoved Silver into a crouch and pointed towards a tiny but mostly-intact cabin. “There!” She hissed. “Come on!”

“We can’t just-,” Silver objected.

“We can and we will!” Blaze pushed him towards the cabin. “I have faith in Antoine and the Knights; they will handle the Black Arms! It’s you I fear for!”

Silver could hardly put up a fight after the beating he’d already received, so he bowed his head defeatedly and followed the Princess’s directions, limping towards the cabin. “Do princesses normally attend battles?” Silver asked, partly for curiosity, partly to distract himself from the pain and exhaustion.

Blaze huffed, rolling her eyes but kept focused on the task at hand: protecting this ignorant white hedgehog. “I’m but a Princess Regent, sir.” She pointed out. “Inside.”

Silver staggered through the collapsed doorway and nearly tripped over the cluttered floor. He leaned against the wall for support as Blaze stood at attention just inside the cabin, prepared to tangle with any Black Arm that found them. “Still.” He grunted. “Is it wise to come to a fight? Even if you are a skilled warrior, doesn’t that endanger the kingdom you’re regent over? What if something happens to you?”

Blaze cocked a brow. “I’m one of two Princess Regents.” She informed him. “My regency partner—Princess Regent Sally—remained behind while I joined this mission. Should something happen to me, should I be downed by our enemies today, she would still be there to lead our people.” Her tail swished, and a small smile stretched on her muzzle. “Besides, our regency will no longer be needed soon.”

Silver pressed his hand to his side and winced. “How come?”

But Blaze didn’t answer, only stared with a concerned frown on her face. “You’re injured.” She noted, then abandoned her post to come to his side. “Permission to touch you, sir?” Her amber eyes met his golden ones, and Silver nodded. Her fingers gingerly prodded his side where he had a moment prior, and Silver let out a pained hiss. “Your ribs are broken.” She commented, her frown deepening. “Do you have difficulty breathing?”

Silver intentionally made his next breath exaggeratedly loud. “No.”

“You will need a closer examination to be certain, but it doesn’t appear that your lung is in immediate danger. Try to avoid vigorous movement. I’m no combat Healer, so you will need to wait until we return to Elysia for proper medical attention.” Blaze’s tone was pinched with regret, until her ears pricked. “Though…” An orange glow encased her hand.

“So, you’re going to set me on fire instead?!” Silver lunged away from her and cried out when it jostled his ribs.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Blaze rolled her eyes. “I have complete control over my flames. I was merely going to increase the heat in my palm to ease your pain.” Silver eyed her suspiciously, but when she raised her hand towards him again, glowing like the embers of a dying fire, he relented and inched back towards her. Blaze gently pressed her hand to his ribcage, and Silver flinched at the contact. “Relax, I’ve done this many times before.” She commanded.

“Sorry.” Silver muttered.

Blaze paused. “My fire used to frighten me, too.” She confessed. “Fire destroyed what I held dearest, and I hated that I was born with such a curse. But then, I learned control, and I saw what good fire can do.” A compassionate smile that twinkled her amber eyes settled Silver’s nerves. “Fire is a tool. It can be used for great evil or great good. It levels cities, burns forests, destroys life…but it also warms homes, cooks food, even heals wounds. It’s just like anything else in this world. What matters is the intention one has when utilizing it.”

Silver grinned weakly at her. “I see why you’re a Princess Regent.”

Blaze huffed a laugh. “Thank you for your kindness, but I was not chosen for my position.” Her smile turned cynical. “I am what I am simply because I decided to stand where others would or could not. Sometimes, it isn’t about who is able or qualified, but who is willing.”

Silver bit his lip, warring with himself, but before he could decide, his golden eyes snapped wide. “Look out!” He yanked Blaze against his chest and called his shield to cocoon them, just as a massive Black Warrior crashed through the wall of the cabin and showered the room in splinters.

Blaze gaped at the shimmering cyan barrier with awed amber eyes. “Thanks.”

Silver fought to keep the shield in place despite his swimming vision. “No worries.” He wheezed.

Blaze frowned and gingerly wriggled out of his grip. Fire ignited up her arms and within her amber eyes. “My turn.” She announced and spun to face the Black Warrior, unsheathing a gorgeous silver rapier with a golden dome handguard. “Stay behind me, milord. I’ll keep you safe.” She vowed.

“Counting on that.” Silver agreed in a rough voice and lowered the shield. Then his eyes popped wide. “Wait, mi-what?”

Blaze ignored him, smirking to herself as she coated Laevatein’s blade in crackling orange flames. Her tail swished, and she crooked her fingers at the Black Warrior, that smirk plastered on her muzzle. The Black Warrior roared.

A streak of violet flew through the hole in the cabin wall with a shout and slammed into the Black Warrior. Blaze stood straight, extinguishing the flames, as the chameleon picked himself up with a groan and caught the cat’s incredulous gaze. “Espio?” She demanded.

“Princess.” Espio bowed his head, then made a face at his tanto buried deep into the Black Warrior’s hide, inky blood oozing around the hilt. “Disgusting.” He muttered, shuddering with revulsion at the squelching noise when he pulled it free. Espio glanced between Silver and Blaze with a raised brow. “Are you both alright?”

Blaze nodded. “His ribs are broken, but nothing Sarena won’t be able to patch up. How goes the fight?”

Espio cringed and gestured awkwardly out the new cabin window. “Best see for yourself.” Blaze furrowed her brow, but Espio refused to elaborate, and Blaze and Silver carefully peeked out the hole. Blaze swore under her breath.

On the bright side, the Black Arms were thinning exponentially, and Blaze was able to count off each person that attended the mission; the Knights expertly handled themselves against their foes. Flashes of blue and red vaulted through the wreckage, small explosions of scarlet light spraying ash and debris and further demolishing the village ruins.

…But it was pitifully obvious that Shadow and Sonic had no clue what they were doing, at all. Sonic rolled around, curled into a blue ball and sparking lightning off his spines, knocking the Black Arms down like bowling pins with the hope they would remain down, then clumsily slicing with Caliburn when they didn’t. The blue hedgehog caught a kick and soared, landing in a dusty heap and nearly impaling himself on Caliburn’s blade. Sonic yelped and blinding swung to defend himself, scrabbling to his feet.

Shadow wasn’t faring much better. Arondight’s point remained focused upon the ground, nearly dragging whenever Shadow called his power to rain shards of energy on his foes and using Arondight’s gold plating as a shield whenever the Black Arms survived his energy strikes. The black hedgehog failed many times to account for Arondight’s weight, the forceful swings sending Shadow careening off his feet. How neither he nor Sonic had killed themselves or others, Blaze couldn’t fathom. They were somehow worse than the most amateur Squire.

For the very first time, Blaze doubted the Prophecy. How could these two inexperienced hedgehogs be the key to saving them all when they couldn’t even handle their own Swords?! “We’re doomed.” She moaned.

“To be fair, Princess, they were only Chosen this morning and have yet to receive proper training.” Espio reasoned. “And now, with the Third,” His yellow eyes flicked to Silver, who frowned at him.

“What do you mean?” The white hedgehog demanded.

“Later.” Blaze firmly interjected as Espio opened his mouth. “When you’re safe, we’ll explain everything.” She promised.

Silver bit his lip but nodded. “I may have something to explain to you, too.” He hedged. “When it’s safe.” Blaze and Espio exchanged perplexed looks but returned their attention to the battle outside the cabin, just in time to see Tangle wind her long tail around the last Black Warrior to give Rouge an opening with her glaive. Espio shook his head, smirking lightly, when Tangle let out a whoop, flung the body into the trees, and high-fived the ECI Chief with a wide grin.

Sonic leaned over onto his knees, panting, and glanced up at Antoine. “Did we get ‘em?”

Antoine surveyed the village ruins and nodded to himself, sheathing his rapier. “Oui. Espio!” He beckoned the violet chameleon to him with a wave of his hand. “You and Tangle do a full zearch of ze village and zurroundings and are being sure there are no stragglers, oui?”

“Oui, General!” Tangle saluted and sped off, nudging Espio playfully when he fell into step beside her.

Antoine’s blue eyes shifted over the gathering group. “Iz anyone badly injured?” He demanded. His company was a mess of ash and more than a few bruises and scrapes, but each shook their heads after checking themselves over.

Espio and Tangle rejoined them a minute later. “We’re clear, General.” The chameleon announced. “Tangle and I made triply sure.”

“Merci.” Antoine’s shoulders loosened, and his hand dropped from his rapier’s hilt. “Go and fetch ze Princess Blaze and ze Third from their zanctuary, please. We need to be returning to Elysia.” Espio nodded and jogged off, and Antione sighed, regarding Sonic and Shadow with a thoughtful expression.

“What?” Shadow snapped when the coyote continued to stare.

“Forgive ze presumption, milord, but I couldn’t be helping but notice during ze battle,” Antoine mused. “How…loose ze two of you were.”

“Loose?” Sonic drily repeated and crossed his arms.

“Sloppy.” Tangle clarified.

“Tangle!” Espio groaned, facepalming upon his return with Blaze and Silver on his heels.

“Sorry,” There was no remorse in the lemur’s tone, however, but it was also without sneer or malice, so Sonic supposed that counted for something. “But it’s true.” Rouge nodded unrepentantly, and even Blaze tilted her head in agreement. It made Shadow’s blood boil, and the black hedgehog seethed. Tangle only grinned at him, unperturbed, and patted his shoulder. “No sweat, though, my lords! We’ll get you fighting fit in no time.” She cheerfully proclaimed.

“Oui.” Antoine agreed. “We have ze best Knights to instruct you in proper skill and techniques.”

“You both need it.” Rouge drawled.

“We can discuss training later.” Blaze interjected. “We need to return to Elysia now; the Third is wounded and in need of medical attention.” Silver opened his mouth to protest, to say he was fine, but his knees buckled; he would have collapsed had Espio and Knuckles not hurried to the white hedgehog’s side and propped him up between them. “Antoine, open the Portal. Let’s go home.”

“Sonic! Knuckles!”

“Ow, ow!” Sonic wriggled in Maddie’s fierce hold beside Knuckles, turning pleading eyes on Tom, and scowled when his father merely joined the embrace with Tails. “Guys, seriously, stop! We’re fine! Look at us; we’re fine!” He complained.

“Alright. Good.” Tom gently pried Maddie’s arms off their two eldest, then his expression turned thunderous, twisted with anger. “Because you’re in so much trouble!” He shouted. “We told you specifically to look after each other, and you go haring off to battle on your first day?!”

“Father-,” Knuckles tried.

“I’m especially disappointed in you, Knuckles.” Tom pointed at the echidna, and Knuckles ducked his head shamefully. “I expect this sort of recklessness from Sonic, but you’re the eldest, it’s your responsibility to take care of your brothers when your mother and I aren’t around!”

“Dad, it’s not Knucklehead’s fault!” Sonic protested, stepping in front of the echidna. “There were extending-,”

“Extenuating.” Tails quietly corrected.

“-Extenuating circumstances; he went with us because he was doing his job and looking out for me!” Sonic exclaimed.

Tom snorted humorlessly. “I figured as much.”

Sonic bristled. “I had to go; there wasn’t a choice!” He insisted.

“There’s always a choice, Sonic!” Tom snapped. “When are you gonna start using that head of yours, kid?” He gently but firmly thumped the blue hedgehog between his ears. “You could have gotten yourself, not to mention your brother, killed by going into a fight you aren’t prepared for! This isn’t robots and Eggman anymore, Sonic, but aliens Elysia hasn’t been able to defeat in 2000 years of fighting; aliens that destroyed Green Hills and nearly killed us all yesterday; and you think that just because you’re a Squire that you’re ready to take that on? Come on, Sonic, what were you thinking?!”

Sonic swallowed and stared down at his sneakers, shifting uneasily on his feet. Not even Knuckles knew why Sonic had gone on the mission to rescue the Third Sovereign; he’d just seen Sonic among the troops preparing themselves in the Armory and insisted then and there that he would be joining. There hadn’t been enough time to inform his family that things had irrevocably changed…that his destiny now factored him as a King fated to end the war they now found themselves involved in. How was he supposed to bring that up? ‘Oh, BTW, while I was supposed to be getting orientated as a Squire I was actually chosen by a sentient Sword to end the war with the Black Arms and rule over Elysia with the faker as one of the foretold Three Sovereigns.”

Tom blinked, Maddie gasped, Tails gawked, and Knuckles stared at Sonic as if he’d grown a second head. One second too late, Sonic realized he’d voiced all that out loud. Stupid thinking out loud. He scowled, then shifted again on his feet. “Yeah, so…that happened.” He chuckled nervously.

“You’re serious?” Tom demanded.

Sonic unsheathed Caliburn and held the sword out for his family to see. “Completely. And that mission Knux and I hared off on? It was to rescue the Third Sovereign from the Black Arms, because while all this was getting explained, Scratch the Prophet had a vision of the Third in trouble and said the only way to save him was if Shads and I went, too.”

Tom slowly exhaled and exchanged a look with Maddie, who pursed her lips. “And you didn’t think to tell us this sooner?” Tom crossed his arms and raised a brow.

“Things were happening kinda fast, Donut Lord, even for me!” Sonic shrugged helplessly and sheathed Caliburn. “They kinda hauled me and Shadow to the Assembly Hall as soon as we were Chosen, and Scratch got the vision of the Third while we were in there.”

“Who is it?” Tails wondered.

Sonic scoffed. “Another hedgehog, believe it or not. It’s not official yet, because he hasn’t technically been ‘Chosen’ by the Third Sword.” Sonic crooked his fingers for air quotes at the word Chosen with a roll of his eyes. “Scratch’s pretty sure it’s him, though. Poor guy got mobbed by the Black Arms; Blaze and Espio rushed him to the Sanctuary as soon as we came through the Bay.” He scrubbed at his quills, dislodging a cloud of ash. “Twan said that as soon as Sarena clears him, we’re all gonna meet at the Armory; bring him up to speed and hopefully get him Chosen by the last Sword.”

Maddie reached over and plucked a large, charred splinter from Sonic’s spines. “Might use the time for a good wash, blueberry.” She recommended, and a humored smile twitched her lips as she regarded Knuckles and his soot-stained cherry fur. “Both of you could use one.”

“Sovereigns first!” Sonic vanished in a streak of blue for the dormitory’s sole bathroom, steam wafting out from the crack beneath the door a moment later.

Knuckles rolled his eyes. “Elysia is doomed.” Tails snickered.

Silver’s wide golden eyes flicked between the gathered Court within the Elysian Palace Armory, and the white hedgehog shook his head rapidly, nearly dislodging his flicky friend from her resting place in his quills. For whatever reason, the little pink bird decided to remain with him, and Silver found himself the owner(?)/companion(?) of his very own flicky…whom he really should name. Focus, Silver! “Okay, okay, let me get this straight.” Silver held up his hands. “This is Elysia, the kingdom founded by the survivors of the Solaris Event ten years ago, which is hidden within a pocket dimension at the nexus of the universe, and you all are the Court that governs said kingdom until the Prophesied Sovereigns arrive. Which are you, you,” He pointed at Shadow—who crossed his arms—and Sonic—who grinned and gave him a thumbs up. “And apparently me, who are supposed to somehow eradicate the Black Arms and end the war, according to the Sovereign Prophecy given four hundred and thirty years ago by the Prophet Isaiah. And you want me to go down there,” He pointed down the dark corridor that led to the Sovereign Chamber. “And hope the third and final Sovereign Sword, Zirael, appears to me, and pick it up, which will Awaken some kind of dormant power in me and officially anoint me as the Third Sovereign of Elysia?”

“Well,” Captain Vector huffed. “It sounds nuts if you say it like that.”

Silver fidgeted, tugging on the hem of his new gloves. “Not as nuts as what I’m about to say.” He sighed. His flicky, sensing his unease, fluttered down to perch on his shoulder and twittered encouragingly, nuzzling against his cheek. Silver gratefully stroked her, idly noting the star-shaped white patch of down on her chest. Star… He rocked on his feet, and Star chirped, gently pecking his finger. “Alright, alright.” He grumbled. “I…wasn’t from the village you rescued me in.” Silver confessed. “I was actually looking for civilization, because I got…er…dropped in the middle of the forest.”

“Dropped from where?” Amy furrowed her brow.

“It’s not necessarily where that’s important, but when.” Silver corrected her. Puzzled expressions stared back at him, and the white hedgehog grinned awkwardly. “I’m from about two hundred years in the future…give or take a year or two.”

Stunned silence met his revelation. “Impossible.” Rotor finally whispered.

“Improbable.” Silver countered. “But, because I’m here and didn’t get blown to bits when I went through the Time Window, entirely possible.”

“Two hundred years?” Sonic poked Silver’s shoulder, and the white hedgehog batted his hand away. “Awesome!” He grinned.

Silver, however, cringed. “It wasn’t. Isn’t. Won’t be. Gah, stupid tenses.” He muttered sourly, then sighed. “The future I come from is an apocalyptic wasteland, a future where the Black Arms won the war and destroyed the world as you know it.”

Horrified silence so thick a pin drop could be heard loudly and clearly reigned in the Armory, like all the air had been sucked out of the room. “The Black Arms win the war?” Sally croaked.

Antoine buried his head in his hands. “Mon Dieu.” He whined. Vector punched the wall with a growl; Rotor patted his back, but his expression was hollow. It matched the look in Blaze’s eyes as she stared silently at nothing. Jewel was shaking her head, her wings drooping to the floor.

“It…It can’t be true…” Amy trembled, tears brimming in her eyes. Rouge gingerly put her arm around Amy’s shoulders, her face in stone but her eyes shattered like glass.

Sarena staggered; Scratch wrapped his arm around her shoulders to steady her. “Is…Is there no hope, then?” She whimpered.

“Of course there is.” Scratch disagreed, rubbing her back soothingly. “There’s always hope. Think about it: why else would Silver come back here?”

Silver gulped at the fragile hopeful gazes centered on him. Even Shadow, who displayed as much emotion as a statue it seemed, stared at him imploringly. Silver bit his lip. “In the future, there was-is-will be-whatever-a group of rebels that secretly work against the Black Arms. They called themselves Last Hope.”

“And you were one of them?” Vector surmised.

Silver slowly nodded. “I was a candidate of Last Hope, one of the few they considered sending back in time—using a Time Window—to the turning point of the war; to prevent the Black Arms’ victory and save the world.”

“I don’t understand!” Blaze threw up her hands, sparks shooting out from her fingertips and igniting in her eyes. “How could the Black Arms win the war? What could have happened to make that our future?!”

“In my time, the Sovereign Prophecy was never fulfilled, but no one could remember exactly why.” Silver answered with a helpless shrug.

“Well,” Amy began. “It’s obvious now, isn’t it? The Prophecy was never fulfilled in your future because you were born too late. Two hundred years too late. But now that Last Hope has sent you back in time, to the correct time, you’re giving Elysia the proper chance we never had before: the chance to fulfill the Prophecy and win the war! This proves you’re the Third Sovereign!”

“Now it just needs to be official.” Sally agreed.

Silver swallowed hard and glanced down the corridor. The chill wafting from the open door bristled his fur, and he forced it to lay flat. “And if I’m not?” He whispered. “What if you’re wrong? What if I’m not the Third? What if I’m just the whistle-blower, the red herring?”

“Silver, do you remember what I said in the cabin?” Blaze raised her brow.

“Of course.”

“Well,” She gestured to the corridor. “Are you willing?”

Silver averted his gaze to his fidgeting hands. This wasn’t part of the mission. He was only supposed to warn them about the Black Arms’ victory, and in doing so, save the future and the world. Accepting a position of power, a mantle of leadership, wasn’t in the cards.

Or was it? Could Amy be right? Could Silver really be the Third Sovereign, and the reason the Black Arms had been victorious in his time was because he’d been born out of time? If he were indeed Chosen by the Third Sword, then the Prophecy would be fulfilled when it had never been before. Elysia would get a real chance to defeat the Black Arms. The apocalypse Silver had come from could very well be avoided. Silver had already lived and suffered in the Helheim that was a world ruled by the Black Arms. He refused to let anyone else do the same. Not if he could help it.

There was too much at stake for Silver to be unwilling to stand now.

Silver steadied himself, steeled his nerves, clenched his fists, and stepped into the corridor. Shadow, Sonic, and the Court followed close behind as he descended further and further, the passage seemingly elongating with every step. Star chittered and orbited Silver’s head in curious circles, but never strayed far from him. His golden eyes widened slightly when the tunnel opened into a stone chamber, blinking against the late afternoon sunshine that illuminated the room and caused the golden phoenix to shimmer. “So, what-ah!” Silver yelped.

As it had before, the Phoenix’s eyes glowed brilliant gold, and from the beams flickered into existence a Sword, floating merely inches off the stone floor. A short, nearly dagger-length triangular blade of silver steel, glittering with a prominent cyan triangular diamond in the center, outlined in gold that matched the blade’s circular hilt. The blue-green diamond pommel shimmered at the end of the black grip. “Zirael.” Scratch reverently breathed.

Silver swallowed thickly, palms sweating inside his gloves, his fingers twitching anxiously, heart racing the longer he stared at the Third and Final Sovereign Sword. His Sovereign Sword. Golden eyes riddled with apprehension flicked up to the entourage, spotting only excitement, anticipation, and hope. For a better future. Silver reminded himself and reached for Zirael’s hilt, momentarily startled when the blade jumped into his hand.

The Phoenix’s wings created a maelstrom in the stone chamber, its eyes shining like twin suns, its call deafening and victorious.

Silver hardened. Translucent cyan crystal spread from his grip on Zirael up his arms and over his body, encasing him in gleaming stone from quills to heels. Silver squeezed his eyes shut, fighting desperately against the encroaching crystal that reached inside his mind, but gasped when it did not invade, but fortified, and discovered within the stone security. Patience. Tranquility. Wisdom. Justice.

“Woah.” Sonic breathed, and though Shadow loathed to do so, he agreed with the sentiment wholeheartedly. Silver was almost completely obscured from view, bathed in cyan and golden light, the atmosphere crackling with the energy of the Selection.

The golden cyan light peaked to a brightness that momentarily blinded the observers, and when their sight returned, Silver swayed on his feet, Zirael dangling loosely in his fingers. Sonic bolted and caught the white hedgehog as his knees buckled and swung one arm over his shoulders. Silver hissed, and Sonic winced. “Oh, yeah, your ribs. Sorry, dude.” Shadow rolled his eyes and marched forward to take Silver’s other side, much more carefully than Sonic had done, though Silver still flinched when Shadow touched him.

Shadow hissed, Sonic gasped, and Silver yelped. Arondight hummed against Shadow’s back, Caliburn vibrated on Sonic’s hip, and Zirael shuddered in Silver’s hand. Shadow and Sonic quickly unsheathed their Swords, and all Three’s eyes widened and jaws dropped in bewilderment at the blinding golden light that shook their Swords.

Behind them, the Phoenix screeched and beat its wings in triumph.

Henry Grace had seen many things in his many years. Wonderful things, ordinary things, and horrible things. Things no other mouse may have seen or will ever see. Things he wished he hadn’t, and things he wished he had. But the one thing he wished to see most of all, he may never. Many lived their lives waiting for this thing, hoping that one day, they would see it, and passed on still waiting.

Henry wouldn’t be like those people, those that spent their lives waiting. He had gathered many years, fought many battles, and done many great things: including but not limited to marrying a gorgeous maid and raising two beautiful daughters. The whole of Elysia had waited centuries for this one thing, the thing that would save them all, and it had yet to happen. Henry knew it would, he was a mouse of faith, but he refused to waste his life waiting. If he lived long enough to see this one thing that so many waited for… now that would be such a miraculous thing.

Henry shook his head and pushed a box of fabrics onto the shelf for inventory later that week. No sense in fantasizing on wishes and dreams when there was work to be done. So, he picked up his cane and lumbered towards the front of the boutique, but paused and frowned when the ground trembled and the shop shook. Clothing fell from the racks, mannequins toppled from their displays, even the mirrors slipped from their hooks but luckily didn’t shatter on the wooden floor. “What in heaven’s name?” Henry muttered. Earthquakes in Elysia? That was a thing Henry had yet to see.

“Henry!” Henry’s attention was yanked away from the curious quake—and the disarray of the boutique it had left—to his beautiful wife nearly tripping over the mess to get to him.

“Just a quake, Liv, nothin’ to worry over.” Henry tried to console, but Olivia grabbed his arms and yanked him hard towards the door. “Olivia! What-?”

“Come outside, quickly! You’ve got to see!” Olivia cried. Henry held tight to his cane so as not to lose it; his daughter would be furious if it happened again, blasted Healer…and followed Olivia out the door and onto the street, where it seemed all Elysia were gathered and staring, gawking, up at the sky. “Look!” Olivia pointed towards the palace.

Henry’s cane clattered to the street.

Shooting into the hazy blue sky above the palace was a shining pillar of golden light, banishing what little cloud cover had managed to pass through the Smoke Screen. Henry could only gape as minutes passed before the beacon finally faded and rescinded back into the palace.

Henry Grace had seen many things in his many years. Wonderful things, ordinary things, and horrible things. But the one thing he’d never counted on seeing, the thing many lived their lives waiting in waste for, the one thing all Elysia hoped for…Tears trickled down Henry’s whiskers, but the old mouse did not care in the slightest as his gaze dropped from the sky and to his lovely wife, weeping in joy as she curled into his side, the smile on her face through her tears one of the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen. Today, Henry saw hope return to Elysia after four hundred and thirty years…and it was the most magnificent thing he’d ever seen.

Okay, if you caught the reference between the last line of the last chapter and the first of this one you're amazing. 😂

It's a personal headcanon of mine that SCU Sonic does NOT know how to fight and of course while Shadow is better at combat, he has no clue what to do with a big heavy sword 😂😂 so the boys are gonna need lots of teaching to get into fighting shape for their kingdom. CUE TRAINING MONTAGE!!!! Hehehehe- they have NO CLUE what they getting into-

DONUT DAD AND PRETZEL MOM MY BELOVEDS. The parents are parenting~~~ ✨✨

The Sovereign Swords-- Arondight, Caliburn, and Zirael-- are indeed the same swords from Sonic and the Black Knight, only with some tweaks in design and ability to fit their roles in The Three Sovereigns! ❤😎

SOVEREIGNS!!!! ASSEMBLE!!!! Hope has returned to Elysia, and isn't that a magnificent (and dangerous) thing? 💖

Thanks so much for reading Chapter Seven of the Three Sovereigns! See you next Wednesday, 02/19, for Chapter Eight: Prepare the Way!