Darkest Night: Chapter 16

"COSMO!!" Cried the young fox, staring in horror at the repulsive beast who clutched his lover's limp body to its chest. The creature snapped its head in the direction of the fox, an agitated hiss escaping the foul pit of its stomach as it backed towards the window. With a swift gesture of its boney hand, it splintered the back wall with its mental power, ripping it from the house and hurling it telekinetically at the fox.

In a deft move, Jaran leapt into the path of the oncoming debris, shrouding the two of them in a cocoon of psychic power. The wall struck with a massive bang, crumbling against the sentinel's Force barrier harmlessly. Taking advantage of their disorientation, the assailant leapt from the empty space where the wall had once been, fleeing into the wooded area beyond the house.

"It's getting away!" Yelled Tails, revving his namesakes as he prepared to give chase.

"I'll go!" Jaran shouted, taking a running start, "Rally the others and follow me, quickly!"

The sentinel gave Tails no time to argue as he catapulted himself from the house, pursuing the kidnapper and its precious cargo through the woods. Tearing through the forest, he made hot pursuit, bounding over fallen trees and crushing branches underfoot. Jaran's sharp eyes darted about, managing to catch glimpse of the creature as it bounded across the treetops, with Cosmo dangling limply on its shoulder. Ahead he spotting a clearing, hoping to ambush the creature there. Leaping from the trees, the thing landed on its feet, positioning itself at the far end of the clearing before turning to face Kai in a bold move.

"Put her down!" Jaran commanded, skidding to a stop and taking a combat ready stance, "No second warnings!"

For a moment the creature appeared to hesitate, lumbering back and fourth as though contemplating its next move. As Jaran advanced forward, the creature let loose an animalistic growl, backing toward the cover of the moonlit trees. From the forest, four other figures moved in on the sage. Four additional humanoids, garbed in dirtied and tattered robes advanced in on him, halting his advance. With the Guardian unable to pursue, the creature in possession of Cosmo dashed into the trees, disappearing into the night.

Reaching to its hip, the lead of the four abominations unclasped a graphite-tinted hilt from its sash, holding it to the side of its body. The other three brandished their arms in tandem with the first, each adopting an offensive combat stance. With a sharp hiss, the clearing was bathed in a crimson glow, as four blood-red energy blades sprang to life in the hands of the zombified warriors. Inching back, Jaran's right hand fell to his left side, pushing back his cloak as the creatures closed in around him.

From the sage's belt, the metallic shimmer of his traditional weapon glistened in the moonlight--no longer shattered and broken as it was following the battle with Omega. Swiftly, Jaran unclasped the hilt from his utility belt, holding it firmly in his right hand, horizontal to his body. With a flick of his thumb, two violet blades sprang fourth from the hilt, one on each end, forming a staff of purple light. The four saber-wielding acolytes faltered, momentarily halting their advance.

Whirling his saberstaff above his head, Jaran lunged forward, making for the foremost acolyte. Bringing his blade down he makes a parallel swipe at the creature's chest, who hurriedly blocks the sudden attack with his own crimson blade. The other three join in the fight, swinging their blades erratically as they attempt to overwhelm the Battlemaster. Flourishing his saber around his body, Kai manages to catch the blade of one of the acolytes just before it cleaves through his neck, narrowly avoiding decapitation. He wastes no time in countering, pushing the assassin's blade upward before spinning himself around, his opposite blade slicing cleanly through the creature's torso.

With a shriek the acolyte falls, its separate halves flailing wildly on the ground before expiring. The three remaining acolytes cry in rage, increasing the fury of their assault. Another acolyte rushes forward, spinning and swinging its blade like a club as it strikes at the Master's chest. With a slight tilt of his wrist, Jaran pivots his blade downward, countering the acolyte's careless swings. Raising his foot, he makes a sharp kick upward, meeting the acolyte's chin with the heel of his boot. The acolyte stumbles, toppling over onto its back clumsily. The sage suddenly becomes aware of a large oak towering precariously over the fallen acolyte and, thrusting his hand out, collapses the base of the trunk telekinetically. The massive tree groans, teetering as gravity takes its hold. Scarcely having time to look up, the acolyte is crushed under the mighty weight as it crashes down on top of it, striking it dead.

Following the sound of combat, Team Sonic rushes through the dense trees toward the clearing. Reaching the open area the group quickly spots Kai, locked in combat with two sword wielding creatures, dual-blades of purple fire whirling around him like a burning, violet tornado. Just as the group arrives to help, Jaran is sent tumbling across the ground with a telekinetic shove from one of the creatures, sending his weapon clattering into the underbrush. Struggling to his feet, one of the acolytes makes a furious leap, holding its blade aloft as it prepared to strike down the Master.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" Declared Shadow, a bolt of energy arching from his hand and penetrating the leaping acolyte through the chest. The acolyte cries out, careening backward into the trunk of another large tree.

Stretching out its crooked fingers, a barrage of lightning erupts from the hands of the second acolyte, careening toward the Ultimate Life Form. Taking a dive, Jaran rolls across the ground, reclaiming his weapon and leaping up in front of Shadow. With another flick of his wrist, Jaran separates his weapon into two separate halves, igniting the individual blades, wielding one in each hand. Crossing the blades in front of him, the lightning cradles and fizzles against his twin sabers, deflected harmlessly by the shafts of violet energy. As the sage fights back against the assault of energy, Sonic leaps suddenly in the direction of the acolyte, curling into a ball and firing himself at the creature in a homing attack. Striking it in the chest, the creature is sent off kilter, ending the electric assault as it tumbles into the other acolyte, who had just recovered from being tossed, knocking them both down once again.

Leaping into the air, Tails took flight, brandishing a pair of dummy rings and hurling them at the two incapacitated acolytes. While one managed to roll to the side, the other is struck and sent flying through the air again, slamming into the ground with great force. Before it could recover, the massive, spiked fist of Knuckles strikes the creature across the jaw, making a disgusting cracking sound as it disjoints. It continued to lie motionless, unmoving as Knuckles attempts to regroup with the others.

Backing the team into a corner of the clearing, the last remaining creature reaches out an open palm, summoning one of the sabers of the dispatched acolytes into its empty hand, wielding it in tandem with its own weapon. With a screech of fearless defiance, Amy summons fourth her hammer and charges at the acolyte, heaving a mighty swing.

"Amy, look out!" Shouted Jaran, charging in the direction of the pink hedgehog.

While the red blade of the acolyte did indeed make contact with Amy's Piko Piko, Kai was surprised when the hammer did not cleave against the cutting power of the creature's lightsaber. A shower of sparks sprayed between the weapons, pushing against each other as the two combatants fought for dominance.

"How are you doing that!?" The sage asks befuddled.

"I don't know!!" Amy yelled back at Jaran, gritting her teeth as she stared down the assassin, "I don't know how this hammer thing works! It just does! Now get this gross thing out of my face!!"

Making a flying leap, Jaran delivers a sharp kick to the acolyte's chest, sending him tumbling across the clearing. The acolyte does not falter, however, flipping onto its feet as it makes another charge forward. Disengaging his saber, Jaran stretches out his left hand, as tongues of his own lightning fork from his fingertips, it's searing power bringing the acolyte to a halt.

Despite being armed, the sheer kinetic force of Kai's electric assault was such that the creature's sabers are torn from its grasp, flying into the trees beyond the clearing as it took the full brunt of the sage's power. An unnatural screech, like that of no beast the group had ever heard escapes the acolyte's throat, writhing violently under the storm of energy. A ghastly smell, like that of burning flesh fills the air, as the acolyte collapses to the ground, its charred flesh smoking as its movements cease. The forest falls quiet, the entire party looking upon the massacre that had just occurred around them.

"WHERE'S COSMO!?" Shouted Tails suddenly, sprinting up to Jaran in a panic, "WHICH ONE HAD HER!?"

"This way!" Jaran shouted, bounding in the last known direction of the kidnapper, "We might still catch it!"

Team Sonic wasted no time, following the sentinel through the forest as fast as their feet could carry them. This kept up for some time, and the group began to wonder if they would catch up to the creature. Their question was answered by a sudden, loud roar, like that the engines of a mighty aircraft, echoing a short distance ahead of them. From above the treetops, a flat, onyx craft rises into the air, its engines kicking up a strong wind, bending the trees beneath. The group stare in awe as the ship rises into the atmosphere, climbing higher and higher until, in a burst of momentum, it vanishes from sight, carrying the captive Cosmo with it.

"NO!!!" Screamed Tails, crying out at the night sky, "COSMO!!!"

Jaran was silent, staring with widened eyes into the sky where the ship had vanished, uncertain of his next move. His trance was broken as Tails tugged on the Guardian's robe desperately. "WE HAVE TO GO AFTER HER!!" Cried the kitsune frantically, "WHERE DID THEY GO!?"

Kai opened his mouth to speak, hesitating as he brought his hand to his chin, stroking his unshaven stubble. The attention of the group fell to him, as he lowered his head into the palm of his hand. "Regroup at your lab," he murmured, his voice wracked with nervousness, "we'll figure out what to do there."

"NO! WE HAVE TO GO NOW! HE'S GOT--"

"TAILS, SHUT UP!" Barked the sage, causing the fox to cower, "I KNOW HE'S GOT COSMO! DO WHAT I'M TELLING YOU, GOD DAMMIT! GO TO THE LAB!"

The fox stuttered, wanting nothing more than to rush in and take back what was his. He realized, however, that his desire to protect Cosmo was coloring his better judgement. Reluctantly, the fox lowered his head, turning and walking briskly back in the direction of his house, followed by the rest of the Freedom Fighters…

The group quickly made their way back to Tails' abode, descending the lift in his shed into his laboratory proper. Congregating in his communications station, Tails, Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow and Amy all stared at Kai anxiously, awaiting his insight on the circumstance at hand. Vanilla, having instructed her daughter to return home, was also present, insisting she be a part of the council herself, much to Kai's displeasure. Unable to bear the silence, the frightened Tails was the first to speak.

"We have to hurry!" Insisted the fox, his fur standing on end as he paced back and fourth, his hands visibly shaking, "The X Tornado Mark Two is flight ready! I can go in and get her back!"

"It's a little bit more complicated than that, Tails…" Murmured the sage, folding his arms together.

"NO IT'S NOT!" Argued the fox, flinging his arms out wildly, "It's simple! We have to follow him and take her back! What's so dang complicated about that!?"

"Would someone please explain to me just what on Mobius is going on!?" Vanilla cried fearfully, "Where exactly has Cosmo been taken, Jaran?"

"That's the complicated part," he said with a sigh, rubbing his forehead, "she's been taken aboard the Darkship."

"Wh-what?" Stuttered Tails, his fears peaking.

"The Darkship," Jaran repeated himself, "Xemus' mobile base of operations. It's in orbit above--"

"I KNOW WHAT THE DARKSHIP IS!" Snapped the kitsune, "WHY WOULD HE TAKE HER THERE!? WHAT DOES HE WANT!?"

"Everybody needs to calm down," Jaran said in a low monotone, his jaw clenching as he struggled to maintain his own composure, "This is getting us nowhere."

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, KAI!" The kitsune screamed defiantly, tears beginning to soak the fur of his cheeks, "WE'VE WASTED ENOUGH TIME TALKING ALREADY, AND IT'S YOUR FAULT! I WON'T LOSE HER AGAIN BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO SLOW!"

The room fell silent, as Jaran gazed back at the hysterical Tails. The fox continued to tremble, more tears filling his eyes as he stared at the sage. His gaze faltered, however, his ears curving back as he lowered his head shamefully.

"I-I'm sorry…" The fox boy apologized, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "I-I didn't mean it. I'm scared…"

Jaran sighed heavily, pacing over to the kitsune and dropping onto his knees. Reaching out, he tenderly wiped the fox's eyes clear with his thumb, placing a hand on the fox's shoulder as he murmured quietly. "You're right, Tails. It is my fault. I held off too long on doing what needed to be done, and for that, I'm sorry. Know this, though, I'm not letting what Xemus has done pass this time. I will get her back. I swear it…" Standing, the sage began to make for the lift, his head low as he prepared to take his leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" Inquired Tails, bringing Kai to a stop.

"I'm heading for the Darkship," he replied gravely, "I need to hurry if I'm going to bring Cosmo back safely."

"NO WAY!" Objected the kitsune, running to the human's side, "I'm going with you, too!"

"No, you're not," Jaran denied, shaking his head, "this is my fight. I swore to protect you and Cosmo. I can't guarantee your safety if you board that ship."

"She's MY fiancé!" Argued the adolescent kitsune passionately, "I can't just sit here and do nothing! I have to help!"

"He's right!" Amy concurred, rushing to Tails' defense, "Cosmo's a friend to all of us! You can't just expect us to sit and wait!"

"Let me put this in terms you'll understand…" Jaran spoke sourly, turning to face the others, "You're not going with me. That's final!"

Miles fumed, his face becoming red as he stumbled over his own words. With grunt, he marched past Jaran, storming from the room. Amy looked sourly upon the sage, her frown expressing clear displeasure. "You're a jerk, Kai," she spoke resentfully, trailing Tails out of the room. Despite remaining silent, Sonic shook his head slowly from side to side, making his disappointment clear. The sentinel stood silently, feeling the four remaining pair of eyes beating down on him. Hearing a pair of heels approaching him, he turned to face Vanilla's stern gaze.

"Jaran, going aboard that ship alone is suicide!" Objected the doe, "You're going to need every ounce of help you can get!"

"You don't know what's going on, Vanilla…" Murmured the sage, "It's best you stay out of it."

"No? Let me tell you what I do know, then. That madman is up there doing God knows what to that poor girl! Going in there without reinforcement reduces your chances of getting her back tenfold! Meanwhile, her poor young fiancé is down here feeling powerless! I know you care about them both, but Cosmo is HIS, not yours! Rejecting his help only makes matters worse! This idea you have that this is your battle is STUPID! This isn't just your fight, Jaran, and you're not alone anymore… We trust you, now it's time you started trusting us!"

With a sharp turn, Vanilla marched to the opposite end of the room, staring at the wall vacantly. Jaran remained still, lost in deep thought. It was then that the Ultimate life form approached him, bearing a grim expression. Looking at the sage, his eyes trailed down to the hilt hanging from his belt, taking note of the sage's newly-repaired weapon. "I thought you said the crystals you needed to repair it didn't exist in our universe," Shadow recalled, "how did you manage it?"

Jaran looked down, detaching his inactive weapon from his belt, turning it over in his hands gently. "Have you ever noticed how the Chaos Emeralds seem to be drawn to particular people?" He asked the Ultimate Life Form, "The Cyan Emerald always seems to find its way to Sonic? The Green Emerald always seems to find you? Like that?"

"I see the pattern, yes," nodded the onyx hedgehog, "where are you going with this?"

"When you trusted me with the Violet Emerald, I became aware that the gem seemed to respond to me in much the same way. I realized that because of its abilities to convert and transfer energy, it could potentially be used to help me reconstruct my lightsaber. I cut a tiny shard from the face of the Chaos Emerald and placed it in a furnace with my old crystal. The fragments bonded together. After that, repairing the casing was easy. I placed the new crystal in and it worked marvelously."

"What about the double-blades?" Asked Shadow with mild curiosity, "When did you add that on?"

"That? That's always been there," explains Kai, "I just never saw a need to use that function. Fighting Eggman's robots isn't exactly strenuous, but Xemus and his acolytes--I needed the extra advantage…"

"The acolyte's weapons were single blades," the hedgehog observed, "why did you build yours differently?"

"Shadow," Jaran huffed, confused by this line of questioning, but obliging nevertheless, "Xemus may be my clone, but because I was in suspended animation, he's also much older. I'm a master of the saber arts, but Xemus has had several hundred more years of practice than I have. He's a much better dualist than I am. To compensate, I gave my weapon a better offensive edge. More blades means a better chance, I guess? It's a stretch, but it works for me… mostly."

"You're very proud of your weapon, huh?" Asked Shadow.

"Well, yeah! For a long time, I considered it my best friend. People lie, people cheat, people let you down--my lightsaber doesn't lie, it never falters and it's always at my side, right where I need it to be. I can trust it…"

"Mm…" Murmurs the black-quilled speedster, placing a hand on his chin, "Weapons don't win wars, Kai. People do. Maybe instead of putting your faith in something that can break and be replaced, you should try putting it in your allies?"

"I…" Jaran began, finding himself confounded by Shadow's accurate remark. With a heavy sigh, the sage rubbed his temples, letting out a frustrated groan, "I can't ask you to go with me, but I certainly won't say no if you insist."

"I wasn't giving you a choice," the Ultimate Life Form said with a smirk.

"That goes double for me," agreed Sonic, marching up to the two from the corner where he stood, "if my future sister-in-law is in a bind, you better believe I'm backing you up!"

"This Xemus guy is overdue for a beating," growled Knuckles, pounding his fists together, "I'm in!"

Jaran couldn't help but smile, impressed by the resolve of his comrades. It was their miraculous devotion to each other that made made them strong. With their support, victory seemed just possible. His attention suddenly fell to the door, where Tails and Amy had re-entered the room. The Guardian was quiet as his eyes followed Tails, approaching him with a stubborn look upon his face.

"Jaran," the two-tailed fox began, "I really, really appreciate all you've done for us, and and I know you think you're looking out for me, but I can't always count on you to fight for mine and Cosmo's safety! She's my fiancé, and my responsibility. Unless you plan on tying me down, there's nothing that can stop me from helping get her back!"

The sage looked upon his charge, a warm smile spreading across his lips. Despite his concern, he could not refute the fox's dedication, and it may very well be thing that might win Cosmo back. With a nod, Jaran silently resigned, bringing a smirk to the fox.

"Guess that means I'm going, too," Amy spoke, "a little girl power won't hurt…"

Nodding, Jaran Kai paced quickly toward the door, turning to face the others with a resolved glare, speaking quickly. "Grab your gear," he ordered, "We move out in an hour…"



Cosmo stirred restlessly, grogginess clouding her senses as she lay upon a cold, metal floor. Feeling dizzy, the Petali clutched her head, as her ears ringed painfully. Forcing herself upright, she slowly opened her eyes, glancing around what appeared to be a dark, metal chamber. At the far end of the room was a massive viewport, staring out into the star-speckled blackness of outer space. Outside, Cosmo could make out a bright, spherical planetoid. The planet Mobius, drifting far below.

Attempting to stand, a white-hot pain suddenly shoots up the girl's thin legs. Shrieking, the Seedrian maiden collapses onto the deck in agony. Examining her legs, she is horrified to find that both have been broken at unnatural angles, her internal mantel visibly protrudes from a split on each kneecap. Even more terrifying was the fact that these injuries appeared too precise to have been accidental. Panicking, Cosmo darted her head around the chamber, hoping beyond hope there might be someone willing to aid her. Her eyes then fell upon a dark figure standing in front of the viewport, which she had failed to notice before. The figure, however, cast an uneasy feeling on the Seedrian's soul, the mere sight of it turning her stomach. Seeing no other option, the girl dragged herself painfully across the floor, sliding to the feet of the unknown entity.

"E-excuse me," she whispered, her voice dry and fatigued, "I'm hurt badly. I need help."

The figure made no reply, as the chamber seemed to take on an unnatural quiet of its own. Upon inspecting the figure more closely, Cosmo realized it to be a tall, humanoid figure, draped in midnight black robes, its head enshrouded behind a hood. Tilting its head, the entity cast a look over its shoulder, it's face hidden in shadow. "Naturally…" It spoke, its voice bearing a distinct hiss, it's tones deep and grating, "A crippled animal's struggle is far more entertaining than an able-bodied beast. The desperation creates an amusing spectacle…"

Cosmo trembled at the creature's remark, its words laced with sadism and bile like that she had never heard. The voice, however, was distinctly familiar, bringing a chill to the air. She shook, sliding back slowly as her eyes grew wide with terror. "You…" She croaked, trembling violently, "It's you…"

With a fluid motion, the entity turned, tilting its head down to gaze upon the helpless girl. Two burning red eyes, like hot cinders on the flame, peered from underneath a demonic black mask, enshrouded by the hood of its robe. Slowly, the creature moved forward, advancing on Cosmo as she continued to shrink back.

"How I've looked forward to our meeting, Cosmo of Greengate… Soon to be Cosmo Prower, to my understanding? I expect that introductions are unnecessary?"

"X-Xemus?" She replied, her voice wavering, "Wh-why--why have you brought me here? Why have you done this to me!? Where is Tails!?"

"I expect your boy is mounting a rescue operation," mused the Lord Xemus, bringing a taloned hand up to stroke his assumed chin, "it serves little purpose, however. By the time they reach you, I will have what I want…"

"Wh-what--WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" Cried out Cosmo defiantly, masking her fears in a feeble attempt, "I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU! LET ME GO! P-please?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, my dear…" The shade replied unnervingly, "You underestimate your value to me…"

"I-I'm not important!" Cosmo argued, continuing to inch back from the encroaching shade, "I don't mean anything! I just want to go home to Tails!"

"Do you truly believe that animal holds any true affection for you?" Inquired Xemus in a mocking voice, "That there is even the slightest amount of truth to his claim of 'love'?"

"O-of course I do!" Cosmo countered, reinforcing her faith in her love, "Tails loves me! You'll see! He'll come for me!"

"I'm sure he will…" The demon said with a cackle, "He would hardly give up his most exotic pet, yes?"

"P-pet?" Cosmo shuddered, her resolve chipping at his insult, "I-I'm not--"

"Think, child! A mammal, choosing a creature of chlorophyll over his own kind. An impossibly unlikely combination at best! A walking, talking plant--now that is intriguing! You're a fascination to him. Nothing more. He observes you like a lab rat, day after day. Eventually, when he tires of you, he will discard you, and you will be left alone…"

"N-no!" Cosmo cried, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks as she glared at Xemus, "It's not true! Tails loves me! He'll come for me! You'll see!"

"Shall we test that theory then?" Sneered the abomination, backing the girl into a wall, "I'd be interested to see his reaction when he finds you…"

"Wh-what do you want with me?" The Seedrian begged, her body shaking in terror, "Please don't hurt me!"

"I want what you have, and what is only yours to give…" He answered ominously, reaching his hand up slowly and taking hold of his mask, "I know what you fear, girl--the betrayal of your boy to the Metarex still weighs on your mind to this day, and you've feared disappointing him ever since… After I have finished with you, you will be so vile, so disgusting in his eyes, that he won't be able to stand the sight of you…" Lowering his head, Xemus removes his facial mask, letting it fall from his hand onto the floor with a deep clang. Slowly, he raises his head, pushing his hood back as Cosmo stares in horror at the demon underneath…

And across the ship, a terrible cry is heard. A cry so fearful, that even the Dark Lord's mindless acolyte's quake in their boots. The dying cries of a beautiful, lost soul, drowning in darkness…