Back to Chapter 72

Sonic became aware of a muffled noise in his ear. Slowly, he opened his eyes, his vision blurred a little. All around him were smashed pieces of rock from what had previously been both floors and ceilings up above. He grunted and rolled his head, un-cricking his neck in the process. With a blink, the world returned to normal, revealing golden-brown cavern walls, and the noise became clear too- a beeping from his watch. Sonic looked down at it and tapped the screen.

“Sonic! Thank goodness you’re alright!” Kintobor’s face filled the screen, “Is Tails with you?”

Sonic snapped to reality- Tails! He searched the immediate area, finding Tails not too far from him and rushing to his side, “Come on, buddy, wake up. I can’t do this without you, you know…”

Tails murmured, “Is it time to get up already?”

Sonic smirked to himself “’Fraid so, pal” Sonic looked upwards at the huge drop they’d fallen from, the little light from the lanterns of the Mystic Cave Zone nothing more than a pinprick up above, “Looks like we’re both okay, Kintobor. But I don’t fancy our chances of getting out the same way we came in. We’ll have to find another way”

Kintobor was relieved, “That’s good news. Sally thinks you’ve found the Hidden Palace Zone, for what it’s worth”

“Never heard of it,” Sonic shrugged.

“I have!” Tails said excitedly, “Well, sort of. Legend has it it’s not the only Hidden Palace Zone on Mobius. There may be Hidden Palaces all over”

“Thrilling,” Sonic rolled his eyes, “Now how do we get out? No sign of old egg-breath. I’m guessing his hovercraft got him to safety. Which might mean he’s had time to prepare”

“How right you are, hedgehog!” a tinny voice called out. Sonic and Tails spun round to see what appeared to be a dinosaur robot, specifically a stegosaurus with a motorbike wheel, not unlike a Moto Bug in its construct. “Though the Doctor has been unable to locate any organic batteries in this Zone, I’m certain you two will make good captures!”

Sonic glanced over at Tails, “You know, I could get tired of being right all the time”

“Really?” Tails asked.

“Nah”

The stegosaurus snorted, “Prepare to be splattered by Stegway, hedgehog!”

Sonic cocked his head derisively, “Buddy, I’m about to show you why the dinosaurs went extinct”

The Stegway revved its engine and charged at Sonic with a mighty zoom. Sonic deftly cartwheeled to the side and the furious Badniks screeched and skidded round for another go. This time Sonic leapt forward in a cannonball motion and landed behind the Badnik. Sonic realised too late he’d landed with his back to a large body of water. He glanced at the deep pool then looked back, only to see the Stegway, engine roaring, bearing down on him.

“I don’t mind going down if I get to take you with me!” the Badnik cackled. Sonic was caught completely by surprise as the robot slammed into his stomach and knocked him back into the water, carrying the momentum through and splashing down.

As Sonic sunk deeper beneath the surface of the water, it was little consolation to him that the Stegway sparked pathetically and fell to the depths below, out of commission. Unable to swim, Sonic would have no chance of escape and was doomed to a similar watery fate.

Startling Sonic, causing him to spit out the air in his lungs, a set of mechanical tentacles grabbed him! Looking upward, Sonic saw a Badnik which resembled a jellyfish. On its base plate was an inscription Sonic could barely make out- “JELLYGNITE”. Assuming that was the robot’s name, Sonic reasoned he might be in trouble.

With little warning, the Badnik detonated and the concussive blast almost knocked Sonic out. He was going to drown, killed by a jellyfish. How embarrassing was that for a three-time world saviour?

Suddenly, a gloved paw grabbed Sonic’s own. It was Tails! His little legs were kicking furiously as he held tightly onto his friend. More importantly, the two of them were rising!

Tails eyed a huge glass tube, which seemed to be carrying water upwards at speed. Taking his best chance, he dragged Sonic with all his might towards the bottom of the tube and swam upwards into it, carried up through the current before the two were ejected in an eruption of water, safely deposited in a room with plenty of air.

Sonic coughed, “Thanks, Tails. I didn’t know you could swim”

Well I saw you couldn’t and realised I’d better make a move pretty quickly” Tails tried to shake off his wet fur.

“Heh. Looks like you could use a towel,” Sonic grinned.

“No towels,” came another robotic voice, “but we’d be happy to help you dry off!”

Sonic sighed, “Tails, have you ever had one of those days where you can’t get a moment’s peace?”

“Perhaps I could give them a cool breeze from my wings to dry them off, Redz?” a Bat-like Badnik suggested to his friend.

“No, B-Bat! I have a much better idea!” the second Badnik, a small red tyrannosaurus rex, offered, “I’ll just turn up the heat!” Without any further warning than that, Redz spat out a fireball at Tails, who only narrowly dodged the blast. “Come on, foxy! Stay still so I can flame-grill you!”

“Hey, dino-breath, keep your eyes on the ball,” Sonic snuck up on the little Badnik from behind and picked him up, “Especially if the ball is blue and spiky”

As Redz flailed and tried to fight Sonic off by firing further fire blasts, Sonic pointed him at B-Bat, blasting off one of its wings and causing it to veer off, screaming, into a wall where it shattered. Sonic finished off by spiking Redz into the ground, to similar results.

“Looks like he was just another fossil fool!” Sonic smiled. “Hm? Huh? Nothing? Oh, suit yourself”

Tails was too busy looking on in shock at the imposing figure who had, in turn, snuck up behind Sonic, “S-S-S-Sonic, behind you!”

Sonic spun round to take in the sight of the hunched character with a smile, “Hey, I know you!”

Adjusting their hat, the unimpressed individual huffed, “Indeed you do, hedgehog. As I know you. What I don’t know is what you’re doing in the sacred Hidden Palace of the Trolls”

Tails tilted his head, comforted by Sonic’s lack of concern, “You know this guy, Sonic?”

“Sure do!” Sonic motioned at the third face, “Tails, meet Walter Naugus, Royal Wizard. Walter Naugus, Tails”

“Delighted,” Naugus grumbled, undelighted, “Now, once more, tell me, what are you doing here?”

“Cool it, pal,” Sonic raised his hands defensively, “we didn’t come here on purpose. We were sent tumbling into this place by Doctor Robotnik. Believe me, we want to get out as much as you want us gone”

Naugus paused and deliberated, “Very well. Accompany me in this direction and I can show you a way out”

Sonic and Tails followed Naugus through a passageway into a large chamber. It shone with brilliant green light. Tails realised the walls were gems, “They’re beautiful. They’re like the Chaos Emeralds…”

“Not quite,” Naugus noted, “This is the inner sanctum of the ancient ones. The walls here are crystalline thanks to our crystalmancy”

“Right,” Sonic nodded, “And who’s she then?”

“Crystalmancy,” Naugus gritted his teeth, “is a powerful form of magic which can turns objects into solid crystal”

“Well it’s very pretty,” Sonic smiled.

“This Zone is one of many Hidden Palaces throughout Mobius. Before species across our world intermingled, all races kept largely to themselves. The Hidden Palaces were the spiritual centre of each race. I’m sure your friend can tell you of the Hidden Palace of the Foxes. You should know of the Hidden Palace of the Hedgehogs, but the low culture on South Island tells me you likely don’t”

Behind Naugus’ back, Tails leaned in to Sonic and whispered in his ear, “Sonic, I’m not so sure this place really does belong to the troll race”

Sonic followed Tails’ pointing finger. A large statue loomed in the room but it assuredly wasn’t a troll. It looked nothing like Naugus at all. As a matter of fact, it was quite clearly an owl. It was wearing what appeared to be a medallion necklace. Sonic was certain he’d seen one like it before but he couldn’t think where right now.

Naugus led the two friends into a large open room with another passageway facing them. Water flowed through the centre of the room. Sonic and Tails took note of the enormous pipe organ which took up most of the room.

“Through that passageway is a way back to the surface world,” Naugus said, “I want you to know it is with tremendous risk to my personal wellbeing that I even let you go. It is only because of your record of heroism that I choose to trust you, quickster”

“Quickster?” Sonic furrowed his brow.

“An ancient word of my people for one who is fleet of foot and of tongue,” Naugus looked down at Sonic with a half-smile.

“I think I like it,” Sonic returned a smile of his own.

“Well, I hate it!” an all-too familiar booming voice bellowed.

Sonic rubbed his temple, “I don’t know about you, Tails, but I’m getting a little sick of surprises in this Zone”

Robotnik descended from above, having attached a large instrument to his Egg-O-Matic that was something like a massive trombone, “This is the end for you, hedgehog! Allow me to play you off!”

“I love the attempt at harmonisation with the organ, Robotnik,” Sonic crossed his arms, “What’s the plan? Play us a lullaby instead of boring us to sleep?”

“Much more interesting than that!” Robotnik declared, pressing a button on his control panel. The enormous instrument blarted out a noise that resembled something like a musical note. Sonic and Tails covered their ears while Naugus grimaced. Summoned by the control note, sea mines rose from the water below. Sonic, noting Naugus was the least speedy of the remaining three, whisked him to a safe point in the room. However, this only meant the sea mines had time to detonate, setting off a huge chain reaction and causing debris to fall from above.

Naugus gasped in horror as stones bounced off the organ, “No! That organ is a sacred treasure of the troll race! I will not allow you to harm it!”

Robotnik, flying slightly out of reach of Sonic’s leaps, continued to summon forth further mines. Whenever Tails drew close enough, the blasts from the mines would shoot up columns of water which knocked the fox off course.

“You should consider yourself lucky, Sonic!” Robotnik laughed, “So many people would love a grand musical finale to bow out on!”

“ENOUGH!” Naugus roared. With a flick of his wrist, he shot forth a green energy blast which shot skyward. Robotnik looked over his shoulder only just in time to see it, letting out a squeak of panic as it collided with the instrument attached to the Egg-O-Matic. The area the blast hit was instantly turned green and crystalline. Slowly, but without question, the crystals spread, covering the instrument gradually. Panicking and fearing the same fate may befall his beloved Egg-O-Matic, Robotnik stabbed at an emergency eject button on his console and jettisoned the horn, causing it to fall to the ground where it shattered.

Seeing he had no further means of attack, Robotnik decided to beat a hasty retreat, “This isn’t the end, Sonic! And you, wizard- you’d better be on guard. You’ve just made a very powerful enemy!” Robotnik sped through the passageway leading outside.

Sonic and Tails brushed themselves off. Naugus sighed, “I must thank you both. You were prepared to stand your ground and fight to defend this sanctuary. This place is all I have left. If it were to be discovered by the miners who come in search of precious gems- the crystals left by my people’s sacred troll magic- I don’t know if I could bare the loss”

“Relax, pal,” Sonic assured the troll, “You don’t have to worry about that. The miners abandoned their operation up above. They were close but they didn’t get to you. And as for Robotnik, well, Tails and I can keep him at bay”

“Thank you, quickster. Truly,” Naugus removed his hat and bowed his head deeply. “Now, I must ask that you both leave immediately. Do not return to this sacred place unless it is a matter of life or death”

“You got it,” Sonic nodded, “Come on, Tails. Let’s get to the surface”

After walking for some distance, the two heroes came upon a hatch. Opening it, they realised they’d exited a secret passageway, disguised as part of a rock face. They were looking down from the mountainside over a sprawling industrial facility.

Tails was uneasy, “Sonic, do you think we can trust Naugus?”

Sonic shook his head, uncertain, “I don’t know. I do know we can trust that he doesn’t care for Robotnik. I hope that’s enough. But that owl statue you spotted had me thinking something wasn’t right in there. I wonder if that really was the Hidden Palace of the Trolls. Or if, maybe, it belonged to the owls in times past. Well, at any rate, I guess it’s a moot point right now. Let’s check in with the others and see if we can reunite in that factory down below”

The two friends slid down the mountain side towards their next destination, where things would take a shocking turn for the worse.

On to Chapter 74