LoM Book 7 Special Edition - Chapter One

: PROLOGUE :

Slowly the sun descended in the skies, touching the distant storm clouds with streaks of fire. In the land far below, long shadows crept down the jagged mountainsides and seemed to slither, like wraiths, into the sprawling city of Arja. From his perch on an outcropping of stone, a lone figure looked out across his homeland warily, his golden eyes glinting in the last glaring rays of sunlight. He was a hedgehog, about fourteen or fifteen years old.  His short, sleek fur was silvery-white in color, but now, as the gathering storm continued to darken the horizon, it was stained almost blood red. He shivered as a cold wind raked through his quills and a rumble of thunder echoed above. The air was thick with the scent of rain, it wasn't this that made him feel so uneasy. Something else was stirring in the thickening dusk... Some sense of impending danger that was steadily growing, like the squall around him.

Anxiously he began to pace, scuffing his boots against the rock. Try as he might, he could not shake the feeling that disaster was approaching. But what could the threat be? The city of Arja was normally a very peaceful place, far removed from the wars and civil unrest that plagued the other kingdoms of Mobius. It was a tiny country, unique, perhaps, but otherwise unremarkable.  It had no enemies, no rivals, nothing that could provoke any kind out outside attack. Nothing, except perhaps...

All of a sudden there came an ear-splitting crash and an explosion of fire. The hedgehog whirled around, and to his surprise and horror, a column of smoke was rising from the town square, where several buildings lay demolished. Before he could even draw breath, another explosion erupted, closer this time, and that was when he saw them.

A huge throng of people was surging through the street, shouting and attacking everyone in their path. The hedgehog tried to get a look at them, but they were all masked and cloaked in black. All he knew was that they were heading straight for him, and it didn't take long to figure out why.

"The treasury!" someone was shouting desperately below. "They're making for the treasury!"

Instantly the young hedgehog raced toward the edge of the outcrop and looked down. The treasury was set into the towering cliffs, and already guards were flocking to the entrance, firing fiercely at the intruders, and for good reason. Not only were the items and artifacts locked within the underground vaults extremely valuable... Some also possessed dark, dangerous powers, and he was one of the few Arjan citizens who knew just what they were capable of.

Suddenly he leaped, right over the edge of the cliff, but instead of falling, he pressed his arms against his sides and whisked through the air, like a comet, right down to the entrance of the treasury. He could see the invaders more clearly now, charging fearlessly into the barrage of lasers and arrows that was being fired at them. They were fighting back with their own weapons, and he gasped as guards began to fall all around him. Then he was suddenly aware of a large, round object hurtling straight toward the cliffs -- a bomb!

"Look out!" he shouted to the two nearest sentries, diving forward and pushing them down behind a boulder.

His cry was cut short by a deafening blast that shuddered violently through the ground. A wave of fire swept over them, smothering them with heat and smoke, followed by a shower of shattered rock. Pressing hard against the side of the boulder to avoid the flaming projectiles, the hedgehog and the guards slowly looked up, only to find that nearly the entire cliff face had been blown away. One of the halls of the treasury had been exposed, and now the invaders were fighting their way in.

"No!" one of the guards gasped. "The Scepter! They're headed straight for the Scepter! We must stop them!"

The white hedgehog didn't need to be told twice. In a flash he was on his feet and racing into the treasury, his teeth clenched with determination.

"Silver, it's too dangerous!" someone called after him, but he ignored them, focusing instead on which route his enemies were taking.

Most of them were filing down a long stairwell that delved deeper into the mountainside, just to his right, struggling with the guards they met along the way. Meanwhile another stairwell on his left had so far been untouched. Formulating a quick plan, Silver immediately veered off toward the empty stairs. If he hurried, he could reach the vault that held the Scepter before the attackers could.

He ran with all his strength, stumbling down the stairwell as it wound down into darkness. At last, after what seemed like a lifetime, he reached the next floor and dashed onward. But before he had gone any way at all, the walls around him quaked with another thunderous explosion. This one had been just around a corner up ahead. His heart pounding, Silver rushed toward the sound, but what he found in the next hallway made him stop dead in his tracks.

A huge steel vault had been blown open with dynamite, and now the corridor was flashing red as sirens blared. The masked raiders had already raced inside, and suddenly one of them let out a cry of triumph as he held a gleaming object over his head. Silver's eyes opened with dread when he saw it. It was a scepter, about three feet in length, with a handle made of black stone, and set at the top was a round, dark violet stone that seemed to pulse with energy. Even as he stared at it, he could see streams of black and fuchsia swirling beneath its glassy surface.

"You fools!" he cried, charging forward. "Stop!"

The thieves opened fire on him, but Silver hardly flinched. He ran straight toward the laser beams until they were close enough to singe his fur, and suddenly swung out his arm. At once the beams were deflected and sent shooting back at the startled invaders. As they scattered to get away, they dropped the Scepter, and Silver caught it just seconds before it hit the ground. Once the thing was in his hands, he didn't waste a second. He turned on his heels and sprang back toward the stairway to carry it to safety.

But before he could even reach the first step, several of the marauders suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Give us the Scepter of Darkness, or die!" they snarled.

Silver skidded hard and dodged their outstretched arms. Quickly he swerved around and tried to double back  to find another escape route. But now the way behind him was blocked as well. The strangers that had raided the vault were now coming down the hall toward him. He was surrounded.

"Give us the Scepter, boy," one of them hissed, "and we'll spare your life."

Silver hesitated, shaking. He had to think of something. He couldn't let the Scepter of Darkness fall into the wrong hands.

"Now, kid," the invader demanded, drawing a dagger from his belt, "or we'll kill you right here."

Silver's mind was racing frantically. Then suddenly an idea came to him.

He lifted his head and glared back at the dark face defiantly. "You'll never have the Scepter!" he cried.

Before anyone could move, he lifted the Scepter high and hurled it down to the floor with all his strength. At once the dark violet crystal shattered to pieces, and a mighty shockwave erupted through the hall.

Silver was hurled to the ground. At first he was too stunned to realize what was happening. Then a strange, new sound reached his ears -- a loud, rushing hiss. It seemed to surround him and send tremors of fear stealing through his very being. He opened his eyes, but all he could see was a writhing cloud of blackness. It was billowing up from the broken scepter like smoke, and now it was streaming into the halls of the treasury, completely blotting out the red siren lights as they continued to flash. All around him he could hear cries and cheers, and he turned to see the masked strangers reveling as the darkness howled around them.

"It's happening!" one of them shouted, his voice trembling with anticipation. "The seal has been broken, and now Darkness has been unleashed unto the world!"

Silver shuddered with horror as he watched the scene unfold. The dark energy was roaring all around him, flooding like a river up through the corridors and the halls, up through the stairways, and out into the city beyond.

"Gods," he whispered fearfully, "what have I done?"

: CHAPTER ONE :
CEREMONY OF THE SWORD

Coby stood on the crest of a steep hillside, gazing out across the blue mountain peaks that stretched on and on into the horizon. The late noon sun glowed through the trees of the autumn-painted forest around him, tinging his cobalt fur with gold, and as a cool wind whispered around him, he closed his eyes contentedly. There was no sound except for the peaceful rustle of fallen leaves and the chirping of birds, and the young hedgehog could feel life flowing through him as he breathed in the sweet, clean mountain air. Suddenly his eyes flashed open, and with surprising speed, he leaped off the brow of the hill. He began to race down the slope, and as the ground grew steeper beneath him, and his downward momentum pushed him forward, he started to rapidly pick up speed. Faster he ran, and faster still, until he was nothing more than a blur of blue streaking down the mountainside, his feet flying beneath him and the wind screaming in his ears.

A wonderful sense of freedom surged in his heart. Nothing compared to the feeling of running like this, running with all his speed, until his blood was racing. It was as if all his troubles were being cast away, like leaves, into the wind. He longed to run on like this forever, to go wherever the mountain paths took him, and stop only when he was finally too exhausted to move.

Then suddenly a small voice called from somewhere nearby.

"Prince Coby! Prince Coby, wait for me!"

Coby instantly skidded to a halt and turned to see a little fox bounding toward him. Though she was only eight, she ran confidently over the uneven ground, her pretty fur glimmering russet in the sunshine. Coby smiled in recognition, though it was almost a surprise to hear her call him by his proper title. He almost could have forgotten, during his exhilarating run down the hill, that he was Cobalt, Prince of Mobotropolis.

"Amber," he smiled as she ran up, panting, "what are you doing so far outside the city?"

"My mom took my brothers and me on a picnic near Knothole Village," she explained breathlessly. "I saw you run by and asked her if I could go see you. Where are you going?"

Coby shrugged. "Nowhere in particular. I was just going for a good run through the mountains. But hey, there's an old Freedom Fighter outpost nearby. Wanna go see it?"

Amber's eyes lit up instantly. "Oh, yes, please!"

"Come on, then," Coby smiled. "Maybe we can get in some training while we're out. It won't be long till you're a Freedom Fighter yourself."

Amber looked up happily and followed him as he ventured into a redwood forest. Before long they picked up an old footpath that wound deep into the woodland. It was a long, rough trail that rose and fell with the contours of the land, and since it was no longer used regularly, it was now overgrown with thick vegetation. But the young fox managed to keep with Coby as he led her on at a brisk pace. They had been on many forays into the forest together, and so she was no stranger to the harsh terrain.

Every now and then Coby would pause to teach her about a certain landmark in the woods, or quiz her on how to track. Though she was bouncing with excitement, she gave him her full attention and answered every question confidently. Then, finally, they came to a rocky outcropping where an old wooden lookout tower stood.

"This," Coby explained, "is where the old Freedom Fighters used to keep lookout for danger coming from Robotropolis."

Amber looked up curiously at the tower, then turned to gaze out across the land. Just beyond the peaks and wooded valleys, she could see the glittering white towers of Mobotropolis, their home.

"Is it really true that Robotropolis once stood where Mobotropolis is now, Prince Coby?" she asked.

"Yes. When my father was a kid, Dr. Robotnik overthrew the king and took over, turning the kingdom into his own dark city. Mobotropolis was finally rebuilt just before I was born."

"I love our home," said Amber, "it's such a nice place. But Prince Coby, why don't the Freedom Fighters live here in the Great Forest anymore, like they used to? We still train in Knothole Village, but I think it would be neat to actually live there."

"Well, we no longer have need for a resistance, now that Robotnik is defeated," he replied. "We can live our lives in peace and security again. But my father made Knothole a training camp for you and the other young people of Mobotropolis, to preserve the old ways and to teach you valuable skills you might need someday -- skills the real Freedom Fighters used to use in the war." Suddenly the Prince lifted his head proudly. "After all, my father was one of the greatest Freedom Fighters who ever lived."

"King Sonic!" Amber piped.

Coby nodded and started to reply, when suddenly he froze and pricked his ears. Warily he began to look around.

"What is it?" Amber asked, searching the area as well.

"Shh," he whispered, "I thought I heard something close by ... "

He stepped forward and strained his ears, listening for sounds in the undergrowth. He thought he heard a rustling to his left, and turned. Then he heard footsteps rapidly approaching from behind, crashing through the woods. He swung around and let out a shout of surprise as he suddenly came face-to-face with a flailing mass of twigs, vines and leaves that was running straight toward him. The thing tackled him, and Amber let out a cry of alarm as they both went tumbling down the hillside. Desperately Coby struggled as they rolled over and over again, trying to fling the assailant off of him. Finally they hit level ground again, where he managed to shove the creature away just before he went sprawling onto the grass. But he didn't waste a second to catch his breath. Wary of another attack, he immediately leaped to his feet to face the threat.

Then he heard a snort of laughter. A black hedgehog was rolling on the ground in front of him, cackling loudly. Instantly Coby recognized the dark purple streaks on his quills and the royal crest he wore around his neck.

"Aethon!" he growled, "what the heck are you trying to do?"

"You should have seen your face!" Aethon howled. "You thought some kind of leaf monster was coming to get you! I scared the quills right off you, didn't I?"

"I should have known it was you," the Prince mumbled, dusting himself off. "How'd you do that, anyway? I heard you but you still managed to sneak up on me."

"Oh, I had a little help," Aethon grinned, brushing the last of the leaves and twigs off of him. "How about that, guys?" he called suddenly. "Now that is how you ambush somebody!"

Just then more shapes emerged from the bushes near the old Freedom Fighter tower. Among them Coby spotted his younger sister, Turquoise; his friends, Keesho the Tiger and the two echidna siblings, Raena and Charon; and a young dog that was about Amber's age, who ran straight up to Aethon.

"We sure got him, didn't we?" she giggled.

"We sure did, Lex. Superb work, my crafty apprentice." He high-fived her and gave her a wink.

"Yeah, and you made me look bad in front of my own trainee," Coby smiled, shaking his head.

"You OK, Prince Coby?" Amber asked, bounding past the others toward him.

"I'm fine. Hey, guys."

Turquoise was laughing as well. "Good job, Aeth. You got the birthday boy all dirty, and his ceremony is only in an hour."

Amber suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked up at him. "It's your birthday today?"

"Yeah," Coby nodded, still picking dust and grass out of his quills, "though I didn't know the ceremony was so soon. I must have lost track of time."

"How old will you be?" she asked.

"Sixteen," he answered proudly, "old enough to receive my royal sword."

"Yeah, you'll need it," Aethon chimed in, "especially if it's that easy to sneak up on you."

"Tell me about it," said Charon. "We thought for sure you would have heard us, especially the way Keesho here kept tripping over tree roots." With that the tall black-and-red echidna nudged Keesho roughly.

"I only tripped on one," the tiger mumbled.

"Look, I wasn't expecting a sneak attack," Coby replied. "Let that be a lesson to you, Amber. Always be aware of your surroundings, even in familiar territory. Or else idiots like this may jump you," he added, pointing toward Aethon.

"You're just mad because you got beat up by a tree," Aethon teased. He picked up two tree branches and ran at Coby, wiggling them around menacingly. "Look out, Coby! Leaves! They're going to get you!"

"OK, cool it, Aeth," Coby said.

But Aethon persisted. "Woooooo, tree monster!"

"Aethon--"

"I'm big tough Prince Coby and I'm scared of shrubbery!"

"Hey, Aethon, what's that behind you?" Coby asked suddenly.

Aethon turned and looked. At that instant Coby tackled him from behind and threw him to the ground, and the two began to wrestle in the dirt.

Keesho lowered his ears and quickly jumped out of their way as they rolled past. "Uh, guys, somebody's gonna get hurt here..."

But Charon just rolled his eyes. "Aww, you guys fight like hedgehogs!"

"Hogpile!" Aethon yelled suddenly, climbing up onto a rock and launching himself at Coby. The Prince hastily rolled out of the way however, leaving him to face-plant right into the ground.

"Oooh..." Everybody winced.

"Told you..." Keesho muttered.

"Is he OK?" Lex asked.

"Iunno," Raena shrugged, "poke him with a stick."

Charon promptly picked up a large tree branch and began to poke Aethon boredly as he lay motionless on the ground. Finally the black hedgehog lifted his head and gasped in painfully.

"I think I turned my insides to mush..." he choked, struggling to get up.

"Well that's what you get for trying to jump on me," Coby retorted, folding his arms.

"All right, all right, enough you two," Turq said, stepping in between them, "Really, Coby, Dad sent us looking for you. He says it's time to start getting ready."

"Yeah," nodded Keesho, "the whole city has turned out to see this."

"OK, OK," Coby said. "Let's get going then."

The group traveled back through the mountains toward Mobotropolis, one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms on Mobius. The great avenues were bustling with activity as the citizens flocked toward the palace, which towered high in the distance like a great temple. All around them huge banners were being draped from the white stone balconies to commemorate the celebration that would soon take place. As Coby walked by, the people greeted him warmly, congratulating him and wishing him a happy birthday. He dipped his head to them gratefully as they passed.

"Wow, people are sure making a big deal out of this," Lex observed, "all for a sword ceremony?"

"It's not just any sword my brother's receiving," said Turq, "this will be a royal sword -- a sword only he can wield. You've all heard the stories of the old kings, right? How they had magical swords that protected them in battle, and even saved them from death? Well, that's what kind of sword Coby will get today."

"Wow, magical?" Amber blinked in amazement. "How is it magical?"

"No one really knows for sure," Keesho explained, "no one has actually ever seen the sword being made. Well, no one outside the royal court, anyway, and they're not allowed to tell. But I do know that it involves a strange, golden liquid that the prince must dip his hand in. They use this liquid to make the sword, and it's said that it bonds the weapon to the prince's life force. I've also heard it involves a Chaos Emerald."

Both Lex and Amber opened their eyes wide. Everyone on Mobius knew of the seven legendary Chaos Emeralds. Their origin was a mystery, but they were as old as the planet itself, and they contained extraordinary powers -- powers very few could contain.

Finally the street they were walking on suddenly opened up into a wide courtyard, surrounded by lush, green gardens and enormous stone fountains that gurgled pleasantly. The castle loomed just ahead of them, terrace upon terrace rearing up to the sky to form a great ziggurat, with long stairways on all four sides. At the foot of the main stairway was a raised platform, covered by a thick red carpet, with a stone podium at the center. It was before this platform that the citizens were all gathering, taking their seats in the rows of benches provided.

There were two figures in the center of the crowd. They were surrounded by a troop of guards, but they talked casually to the people as they walked by, smiling and nodding politely. Both of them were hedgehogs. One was pale blue, the color of the sky, with gentle hazel eyes. The other was a brilliant sapphire in color, with eyes like splintered emerald, and on his head he wore a crown that glistened gold in the sunlight. He looked up when he saw the youngsters approaching and smiled.

"Hey, there he is," he called happily, walking up to Coby and pulling him into a hug, "the man of the hour! You excited about your big ceremony, kiddo?"

"Hey, Dad," Coby laughed, "Yeah, I can't wait! I am a little nervous though."

"Aw, you don't have anything to be nervous about," Sonic answered, "this is your big day. You're gonna make your mother and me very proud."

"Not looking like that he isn't." Suddenly the lighter blue hedgehog came up and started to dust the grass and grit out of his hair. Coby smiled up at his mother but blushed slightly as his friends snickered behind him.

"Don't embarrass the kid, Cyan," Sonic grinned.

"Well, it looks like he's rolled down every hill from here to Knothole," Cyan replied, though her eyes were glowing as she looked at her son. "Go and get yourself cleaned up."

"I was headed that way, Mom," said Coby. "Be back in a few!" With that he turned and dashed off toward the palace in a flash of blue.



When Coby returned, the courtyard and the gardens beyond were full of people. Before they had all been chatting excitedly, but now they sat in calm silence, anxiously waiting for the ceremony to begin. Coby stood at the foot of the altar platform, shuffling his feet impatiently. He had groomed himself as neatly as possible, and now his fur glistened handsomely in the gentle light of dusk. Sonic stood beside him, explaining how to go through the ceremony properly.

"It's really not that long," he was saying, "you'll be congratulated on your birthday, have a verse read to you from the Royal Scrolls, and then your sword and the royal crest will be presented. The most important thing is to listen to the oath they read you..."

The Prince nodded quietly, trying to take in all his father was telling him. But suddenly two young girls about his age came walking by, smiling at him as they approached.

"Congratulations, Coby," they both said politely.

Coby brightened instantly at their praise, and felt strangely flushed. "Thank you very much."

"You got everything, Coby?" Sonic asked suddenly, but Coby didn't answer. Sonic turned and saw that his son was still watching the two girls, who had settled in the gardens not far away. "Are you listening to me or are you too busy checking those girls out?"

"Huh? What?" Coby swung around and blinked at him absently.

Sonic merely raised an eyebrow at him and nodded toward the two young ladies again.

Coby quickly shook his head. "N-No, Dad... I just know them from around the city."

"Right. Your eyes were practically out of your head."

Coby shoved him playfully. "They were not."

"But seriously," said Sonic, "have you got it?"

"Congratulations on my birthday, reading from the Royal Scrolls, sword, crest, got it."

"And the oath," Sonic reminded him, "to defend the kingdom with your life. I want you to take it seriously. After all, someday you'll be king."

"I know, Dad. I will, don't worry."

Sonic nodded slowly and glanced at the clock tower that stood just beyond the altar. "Just a few more minutes now."

"Hey, Dad," Coby said suddenly, "how come you don't have a royal sword? I thought all kings were supposed to have one."

"They are," Sonic answered, "but I was too old to receive one when I became King. It's said the sword will only bond to someone who's lived in royalty since birth. The longer you've lived under the teachings of the Royal Scrolls, the stronger your bond to the sword will be."

"They can't make you one? But what if there was a battle? The magic of the sword is supposed to make kings almost invincible."

"Hey," Sonic grinned, nudging him, "have you forgotten that your ol' dad has been kicking butt his whole life without a sword? Don't worry about it. I'm fine without one."

Just then the city bell rang loudly, and the crowd instantly turned its attention toward the altar, where the royal priests were gathering.

"That's our cue," Cyan said, walking up beside Sonic.

Coby watched them as they ascended toward the altar together and stood on either side of it. Then one of the white-robed priests stepped forward, and a reverent hush fell over the courtyard. Coby lifted his head and pricked his ears eagerly.

"We have gathered here this day," the priest began solemnly, "to celebrate the sixteenth birthday of his Highness, Cobalt the First, Crown Prince of Mobotropolis."

Here the crowd cheered, and amid the volley of voices, Coby was sure he could hear his sister and his friends calling out loudly.

The priest waited for the cries to die down, and then continued. "As a royal tradition, on the day of his sixteenth birthday, every prince receives a royal sword, empowered with the ancient energy of the Chaos Emeralds, that bonds to him and protects him from any danger that may befall him. With this sword, the prince can defend his kingdom with the strength and the courage of a god, and with its magic, he can even avoid certain death. The time has come for Prince Cobalt to receive his royal sword, which shall be bonded to his soul alone forevermore." He paused and looked down at Coby. "Step forward, young Prince."

Steadily Coby climbed up the steps and stood before the altar. He was trying his best to remain calm and dignified, but he couldn't stop himself from trembling. He had waited for this moment for a long time.

Suddenly the priest pulled a huge, tattered scroll off of the altar and unraveled the ancient parchment carefully. "Congratulations on your sixteenth birthday, young Prince," he read, "this day signifies that you now have the wisdom and experience to govern the people of Mobotropolis in the event that a new king must ascend to the Throne. Since the noble day of your birth, you have been trained to understand the laws of this sacred kingdom, and now the time has come for you to share in the responsibility of their royal Highnesses, King Sonic and Queen Cyan, and the Royal Council, of protecting and guiding our people. To aid you with this, you shall receive your royal sword. Kneel, Prince Cobalt, that I may read to you the Prince's Oath."

Coby stooped down on one knee and bowed his head. He was aware of countless eyes fixed on him intently, but then, suddenly, it felt as though some greater force were watching him, a force so powerful it sent a shiver through the air. Wonderingly, he glanced up to the heavens, which were now fading to a deep indigo as dusk fell. For a brief second, he thought he saw a star, bigger and brighter than any he had ever seen, that glowed brilliant blue in the sky. But before he could fully register what was happening, the star vanished, and he suddenly wondered if he'd only imagined it. He shook himself and turned his attention back to the altar. The priest was still reading.

"Prince Cobalt, do you swear to use this sword only for the powers of truth and justice, and to make it a symbol of strength and hope for your people? Do you swear to always defend your kingdom, even at the cost of your life, and to keep Mobotropolis from falling into darkness? Do you swear to guide your citizens with wisdom, and tend to their needs first and foremost, and to make our sacred land a safe and peaceful haven for all? Do you, Prince Cobalt, as our future monarch, swear to this oath?"

"I do," Coby answered confidently.

"Then by the powers of the Stars," declared the priest, "I present to you the royal crest, the symbol of your leadership."

Suddenly Cyan stepped forward, carrying a large golden chain with a heavy red pendant in the center. She placed it around her son's neck and smiled warmly at him before returning to the left side of the altar.

"And now your royal sword!" the priest proclaimed loudly.

Now Sonic approached Coby. With great care, he dew a magnificent, glinting sword from a red leather sheath, and gingerly tapped Coby on each shoulder with the tip of the blade. As soon as the sword touched him, it seemed to come alive and glow. Coby could almost hear the energy humming through it.

Then, slowly, Sonic stepped back.

"Rise, Prince Cobalt," he and the priest said in unison, "Knight and Prince of Mobotropolis."

The air filled with cheers again. His heart swelling with pride, Coby rose and carefully took the sword from his father, looking at it closely for the first time. It was a heavy, noble sword, close to three feet in length. The silver blade shined so brilliantly that it looked as if it had never been touched, and the hilt was embellished with gold and rubies. Energy seemed to flow from the sword into Coby's hands, filling him with strength. Suddenly he swung around toward the crowd and lifted it exultantly over his head. The last rays of sunlight raced up the blade and flashed stunningly at the tip, and now the citizens' cheers erupted into a triumphant roar.

"Hail Prince Cobalt!" they cried. "Long live the Prince!"

As the sun disappeared beyond the mountains and the chant finally died down, Turq and the others raced up to congratulate Coby.

"Good job, Bro," Turq smiled, hugging him.

"Yeah, Mr. Knight," grinned Aethon, "looks like you're a real prince now."

"Is it heavy?" Keesho asked.

"Yeah, not too much though," answered Coby, "I bet it could do plenty of damage. I can't wait to learn how to use it. Dad says Nihara is going to teach me."

Keesho nodded. The children all knew Nihara. She was a hedgehog that Sonic and Cyan met her years ago. Back then, she had been an assassin, hired by Robotnik to kill Sonic. But Sonic had helped her, had saved her life and freed her from Robotnik's control, and ever since then she had been fiercely loyal to him and the other Freedom Fighters. Now she served as Mobotropolis's Captain of the Guard and Weaponsmaster. She was cold and fierce, though a staunch protector of the royal family, and her skill with the blade was unmatched.

"You couldn't have a better teacher," Keesho said, "everyone knows what an awesome sword fighter she is. Though she has quite a temper, too. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side, that's for sure."

"She's not so bad," Coby replied. "I've watched her train troops before. She's tough, but she's not as hard as some people think."

"Don't worry," said Turq, "I bet she'll make an awesome fighter out of you, too."

"Awesome fighter?" a rough voice interrupted suddenly. "Please. Our little prince wouldn't last five seconds in a real sword fight."

The children turned. Four kids stood in the courtyard below, glaring up at them. At the head of the group was a tall, lean boy, around the same age as Coby. He was a hyena, with black smudges around his eyes and dark hair that spiked over his large ears. He stepped forward and looked down at Coby with a contemptuous sneer on his face.

"So, we've grown up at last, have we little boy blue?" he asked. "Think you're a real man now?"

"Who invited you, Storm?" Turq growled.

Coby felt his ears draw back too. They had known Storm ever since they were little. He was a notorious bully and a well-known troublemaker, and he had never liked Coby or his friends.

The hyena glanced at Turq and shrugged carelessly. "Forgive me, Princess, but I couldn't help feeling amused at how excited little Coby is over his first sword. Wasn't long ago you rode your first bicycle, was it?"

"Don't talk down to me like you're so much older, Storm," Coby retorted. "It may be my first real sword, but the guards have shown me a thing or two about sword fighting before."

Storm snorted. "A thing or two? My dad taught me how to use them when I was only nine. And he was a master. Unlike your father, who is the worst king Mobotropolis has ever seen."

Coby and Turq's eyes sparked with fury.

"My dad," hissed Coby, "is the one who saved this city from Robotnik. If it weren't for him and the other Freedom Fighters, we'd all be robot slaves now."

"Your dad is a pretender and everybody knows it," Storm scoffed. "One day he'll screw up, and we'll all pay the price. But I'll tell you what, Prince Charming. If you're so sure you can handle a sword, why don't we have a go sometime? Just you and me. Then we'll see who's better."

"Are you an idiot, Storm?" Turq asked. "He has superspeed, like our dad. Even if you have more experience, you'll never be able to catch him."

"Only because he's too much of a coward to fight close-range," Storm retorted. "How about it, prince? Whaddya say? Are you man enough to fight me sometime?"

Coby rolled his eyes. "I'm not sword-fighting you, Storm. I won't have blood shed over something as stupid as that. If you want to pick a fight, you'll have to find somebody else, because I've got better things to do."

Storm laughed and shook his head. "I knew it. You are a coward. Scared I'll cut you to ribbons, eh?"

"I'm not the least bit scared of you," Coby answered coolly, "I know how you are. You act all big and tough in front of your friends, but once you're alone you have nothing to show for it. I'd like to see you fight someone on your own just once."

"Is that right?" Storm snapped, stepping closer to him. "Well, if I had my sword with me, I'd take you on right here, right now."

"Yeah, in front of all these guards?" Turq snorted. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, wouldn't I?" Storm growled.

"Is there a problem here?"

The sudden voice made Storm and his companions spin around. Sonic was standing just a few feet away, eyeing them coolly. Storm had mocked the King before, but now that he stood in his shadow, he suddenly seemed to shrink in stature.

"No problems," he answered calmly. "We were just chatting... Your Highness."

"Yeah, that's right," Aethon called after them as they turned and stalked out of the courtyard. "Slink off, ya thugs. Not so tough now, are ya?"

"Don't listen to him, Coby," Keesho said to his friend. "Everyone knows that Storm's bark is far worse than his bite."

"And so is his breath..." Coby muttered, wrinkling his nose. "But there's something else I really don't like about him."

"You mean besides the fact that he's a giant selfish jerkface?" Raena asked.

"No, it's something more than that. I dunno."

"Just ignore him, kids," Sonic said, "don't let him provoke you. In the meantime just try and steer clear of him. We don't need any trouble."

"Yeah, and besides," Turq added, "like you said, it's all probably just a bluff anyway. But come on. Enough standing around. Let's celebrate and get us some ice cream!"

Coby perked up instantly. "I'll race ya there!" he yelled, taking off toward the city.

"You're on, Bro!" his sister cried, leaping after him.

"Oh yeah? I'll beat you both!" Aethon called, joining in the chase.

"Oh boy... Left in the dust again," Keesho mumbled to Raena and Charon. "Wait up, guys!"

"Take care of that sword, Coby!" Sonic shouted as the children passed through the courtyard gates. "It's yours for life!"

Coby waved to his father, sheathed the sword, and strapped it over his shoulder. But as he ran with his friends down the roads of Mobotropolis, he found he couldn't shake that feeling that some strong presence was watching over him. He glanced up at the night sky, searching for the strange blue star he had seen during the ceremony, but there was no sign of it now. Had it really been there? And if so, why had it made him feel so peculiar? It had somehow been disturbing and reassuring at the same time.

He was mulling over these feelings when suddenly he realized that he was beginning to lose ground to Turq and Aethon. He leaped forward and sprinted after them, but as the wind whistled in his ears, he was almost certain he could hear a distant voice whispering to him.

Look to the stars, young Prince... Look to the stars.