Thorns and Roses (A Sonic and the Black Knight fanfiction)COMPLETED

Chapter Six

I wish they had chilidogs. I thought, biting into an apple. Makes life better.

I sat at a table that was as long as twenty chairs on each side. Piles and piles of food ran down the middle, giving me an endless choice. I sighed and put the apple down, suddenly not very hungry.

"What is it?" Caliburn asked.

I looked at the long line of food. "I'm not used to this. At all. The way people are treating me is just strange. And look at all this!" I gestured to the food. "Just eating this apple makes me feel guilty. Like I stole all this. It's not fair."

"It is the way we treat our rulers." Caliburn sighed. "Since you are one, we shall treat you all the same."

"But what if I don't want... This?" I blurted, pointing to the crown on my head. "What if I just wanna be free? This is to much for me to handle. A whole world!" I took it off and placed it on the table, taking in the shine. "I'm not a ruler. I'm a hero. The fastest thing alive. Saving people whenever and however I can. All these... Rules and new places. I mean, it's not like I don't like the place. It's really great and full of beauty!" I smiled for a second. "But, I just... I just wanna go back home. To Mobius. To Tails, Knuckles, Amy. The world I knew better. I barely know anyone here, and the one's I do know treat me like I'm some sort of trophy, or act differently. I miss it. I really do..." It felt good to say what I did. It felt like a sudden weight was lifted off of my shoulders, like it was trying to push me down into the depths of my own darkness. I sighed and closed my eyes. "I wanna go back."

There was a long silence. I actually almost jumped out of my chair when Caliburn finally spoke. "You truly miss it?"

I nodded. More than you could imagine. I thought, heart growing heavy.

"Then if you miss it so much, leave." A voice suddenly said.

I jumped out of my chair and gripped Caliburns' hilt. I spun to face the person that just spoke, but found noone.

The voice chuckled. "Ah, hedgehog. So nice to see you again." The voice was dark and crude... Just like the voice in my nightmare.

I stiffened, eyes wide.

"You finally remember who I am?" It asked. "Good." His voice seemed to travel in all directions, bouncing off the walls like a ball.

"H-how... I thought I..." I breathed, tightening my grip on the hilt.

"Apparently, you thought wrong." He chuckled again.

"What are you talking about? What is this?" Caliburn demanded.

"I... I dreamed about him." I whispered. "That nightmare." Chills ran down my back, and I thought I heard my own cry of pain echo throughout the hall. I shivered.

"King Sonic, what is this? Explain yourself!" He shouted.

"That title shall be mine soon enough!" The voice boomed. "He is not worthy! Nor was he ever!"

Caliburn then seemed to understand, because he gave a small gasp. "It... It can't be!" He shouted. "You were supposed to be a fraud!"

Arthur sighed. "You all are fools. That was only a plan to make sure I become stronger. Defeating my duplicate opened the Gate of the Underworld and set me free. I actually thank you for that."

I gritted my teeth. "What do you want!"

"Well what else would I be here for? To destroy you of course! Alas, I cannot... For now. However, I will tell you this: You're wizard, Merlina, is now with me. If you do not come within four days time, she -and along with everyone else you care for- will die."

"If you lay a hand on anyone, I will fight you personally!" I shouted, anger bursting through me.

"We have fought before," Arthur replied. "It is not a very sufficiant threat." That's when I saw a darker object moving in the darkness. "Remember. Four days. Good luck, Your Highness."

I was suddenly hit and thrown backwards, crashing into the food repeatedly. I skid to a halt on my bum, eyes closed as the throbbing grew. I opened my eyes slowly and saw a shadowy-mini dragon without any wings.

I stood and grinned. "Oh. So you like to play dirty, huh. Well," I raised Caliburn. "So do I!" I then charged and slashed at the dragon's neck, which it quickly dodged and jumped back. I ran around it and tried to cut at it's flank. It moved aside and snapped at me, making me yelp. I jumped over it's next attacks and managed to cut at it's back. It gave a hiss of pain once I landed.

"Doesn't feel good, does it?" I asked with a grin. It's tail whipped and knocked me down to the floor.

That doesn't. I thought, standing and grimancing. I jumped again as it's tail whipped at me. I gritted my teeth and charged again, swinging Caliburn in a diagonal line at it's neck. The dragon turned and snagged Caliburns blade, causing him to yelp.

I hung on and stared into it's eyes and grinned. "Hi there."

Seeming to become annoyed, it started to fling me around. I gripped on as tight as I could with both hands. When it stopped to check if I was still on, I pressed onto the other side of the blade. The dragon hissed as the tip went into it's top of it's mouth and dropped me to the ground. I landed on my feet and watched as it shook it's head around. I looked at the tip of Caliburns' blade. A small drip of blood fell to the floor.

"Word of advice," Caliburn grumbled. "Wash my blade."

I didn't have time to respond. The dragon roared and faced me, eyes on fire. Smoke crawled out of the corners of it's mouth as it bared it's fangs.

Ah shoot. I thought.

It opened it's mouth as Caliburn shouted, "Run!"

I turned around and boosted away just in time. I could feel the heat on my back and I sped up, zipping through the halls in a blur.

"The people!" I heard Caliburn shout.

I did the only thing I could do. I sucked in my breathe, and shouted at the top of my lungs, "FIRE!!!"

The dragons roar echoed throughout the hall, proving my point. I could see doors opening and people shouting with alarm as I passed, keeping my gaze at the doors of the castle. Then, an idea popped in my head. I turned a sharp corner and led the dragon through another passage way. I heard Caliburn shout something, but the wind drowned out his voice and I couldn't make out what he said nor did I really try to. Heat hit my back again, this time feeling closer. I gritted my teeth and turned left.

Straight towards an opened window.

I jumped out and used Caliburns' blade to peirce through the wall next to the window. I watched as the dragon tumbled to the ground thirty feet below me, snapping it's jaws as smoke billowed around it's head. It let out another burst of flames that almost scorched my feet. I gave a yelp and placed them on the wall I hung on. It roared one last time before a sickening crunch sound filled the air, and it was still. I gave a sigh of relief and jumped back into the hall, barely making it. I glanced at the dragon's body again to make sure it was still, then walked away with my heart pounding and legs shaking slightly.

"Are you nuts?!" Caliburn scolded. "You could've fallen just like the dragon!"

Despite my momentarily shock at what just happened, I grinned. "But I made it, right?"

"You could not have."

I laughed. "Relax, Caliburn. The important thing is that I'm still alive. Not what would've happened."

Caliburn grumbled something, but I ignored it and continued to walk down the stairs. When I made it down, I froze. "Ooohhh boy."

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Whew! Longest chapter ever! How'd you like the fight scene, though?! I think it was pretty epic! Until next time! CHARACTERS:©SEGA!!