Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

─── ⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ ───

    The morning sun shone through the walls of Castle Sol, awakening its inhabitants. The Empire was entering a new day. The royal kitchen was bustling with activity. The chefs were preparing to serve breakfast to the princess and her guests.

    The cunning raccoon, who had sneaked into the kitchen, was also planning to have breakfast. The aroma of freshly baked buns was irresistible, and Marine was ready to give in to temptation before the appointed time. While the little koala chefs were busy slicing fruits and stirring porridge, the girl left her hiding place behind the flour sacks and ducked under the table. Marine was not a thoughtful strategist by nature. But her adventures with the fire princess and the time traveler showed that she could achieve any goal she set for herself. Hiding in the shadows, the thief began to assess the situation.

    — I'm telling you, Rosemary, there are unexplained things happening here. Yesterday, the carrots I was cutting disappeared right under my nose. I swear by the sun of the empire, they just vanished.

    — Don't blab, Holly, keep an eye on the porridge, otherwise it will run away from you like a carrot. All these rumors about paranormal activity in our castle are just nonsense: I won't believe it until I see it myself!

    Rosemary, as the most experienced cook who has worked in the royal family for several decades, has always kept the kitchen in order. Every breakfast, lunch or dinner served during her working hours had to be perfect. But now the elderly koala was Marine's number one enemy, as she did not want to move away from the baking sheet with the most delicious buns.

    Marine decided to take a risky step and reached out her paw for the cherished goal, but it was too late.

    — Thief!

    A small but very strong koala grabbed Marine by the paw and pulled her out for everyone to see.

    — Here comes the disappearance of things, look who's being a troublemaker!

    The entire kitchen staff, forgetting about the boiling milk and sizzling sausages in the frying pans, turned their attention away from their daily tasks to witness the unfolding scene.

    — Tell me, please, Marine, why did you do this? — Rosemary continued to reprimand the mischievous raccoon, while the other chefs nearby giggled. — Princess Blaze is waiting for you for breakfast, where you'll still get all those delicious treats!

      Before Marine could share hеs motives or come up with any excuses, she was interrupted by the loud whistle of the kettle and the clatter of dishes. Suddenly, the entire kitchen seemed to be shaking.

      Sensing something was wrong and being the first to notice the disaster, Marine pulled the elderly woman away from the stove just in time. A huge pot of boiling porridge tipped over onto an unsuspecting crowd. The chefs scattered in all directions, trying to escape the boiling liquid. The kitchen was in chaos. While some were providing first aid to those who couldn't jump away in time, others were trying to clean up and collect the remains of the porridge. Marine quietly slipped out of the kitchen.

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    If the Solar empire was just beginning to wake up, then its princess was already rushing to take care of business, of which there was a lot. Any day now, ambassadors from the northern kingdoms were supposed to arrive at the castle, and preparations for this event were in full swing. Everything had to go perfectly. Blaze was not a morning person, but she was used to her daily routine and getting up early. But this could not be said about her friend, whose biological clock had long been broken.

    Finishing her morning coffee with cream, Blaze looked at how the wet hedgehog quietly crept into the dining room and began his breakfast with dessert. Finally, after taking a break from reading the royal mail and enjoying her delicious drink, the lavender cat stared meaningfully at her friend.

    — Where have you been?

    — Good morning, Princess Pepper, you are as charming as always.

    Hearing her new nickname, Blaze decided not to give in without a fight. Kitty only smiled slyly and replied: "And you look like a wet rat."

    Silver made a hurtful face and wrung out his spines, not caring about the safety of the royal carpets.

    — Blaze, first of all, rats are very cute, and you can't use them as an insult, even if they are so eager to empty the royal storerooms. Secondly, I was swimming :3

    — I guessed.

    The cat stretched out comfortably and returned to her drink and reading. At the same time, the silver hedgehog, having eaten another bun, reached for the fruit salad. After thinking a little, Silver decided to share his impressions of his night walk with his friend. That evening, sleep did not come to him, and he went to the pier, where he managed to catch the last rays of the setting sun. At night, the stars were so bright. Therefore the time traveler decided to stay on the pier to admire their enchanting beauty even after darkness fell. He slept to the sound of the waves until dawn.

    — Why aren't you sleeping in the castle? Silver, it's getting cold at night, and besides, I'm worried about your sleep schedule. If there's anything bothering you, I'm sure I can help.

    The princess frowned and gave the ruffled hedgehog a stern look. The traveler came to the islands of the Solar Empire not only to visit his beloved friends, but also at the insistence of his friend Gold. She literally forced him to go to Blaze to rest and restore his health, shaken after another apocalypse. The thin pink scars running across his thigh and a scratched ear that refused to stand up straight served as reminders of the injuries the telekinetic had received during his last adventure.

    — No, no, everything is fine, thank you very much for your hospitality, Blaze. — The hedgehog hurried to reassure his friend, and then thought about it.

    Lately, Silver had been hearing strange sounds at night more and more often: scraping, knocking, and maybe even whispering. At first, he thought he was just imagining things, but then the psychokinetic searched the room himself and tried to find the source of the sounds. Having found only an old mouse hole and not feeling anyone’s suspicious aura, the hedgehog decided to calm down. He really needed to rest more.

    In any case, Blaze, who had always been a skeptic, was only growing more worried with each passing day. She didn't want to believe the rumors of paranormal activity that had been reaching her from the servants lately, but the situation continued to get worse. As the ruler prepared for her meeting with the foreign ambassadors, she didn't have much time to waste on such nonsense, but the issue was no longer trivial. If even Silver could not sleep peacefully within the castle walls, then the rumors could no longer be ignored. Pyrokinetic decided to involve her friend in the matter, but he was not too impressed.

    — Wow, supernatural. Did someone's sock crawl under the closet by itself? By the way, it wasn't me.

    Suddenly, Blaze's mentor and right-hand man for any questions, Gardon, who had been admiring the view from the panoramic window in the distant part of the dining room, approached the table and greeted Silver. The unsuspecting hedgehog was not prepared for the sudden appearance of an elderly koala and was frightened.

    — In the name of Solaris, don't scare me like that, Gardon! I didn't notice you. Your ability to appear next to Blaze out of nowhere is the main paranormal phenomenon of this castle. How can I help you?

    The advisor's wide range of responsibilities included ensuring that life in the castle was calm and orderly. Raising a kitten princess with fire abilities was not easy, but he coped well. So this time he already knew what to do, even if the problem was just strange and confusing rumors. He would not let Blaze waste her time for such nonsense. His plan was better. He would simply assign this to Silver and Marine, so they would be busy with socially useful work, and not disrupt the royal schedule with their antics.

    Having received permission from Her Royal Highness to speak freely, Gardon began to implement his plan. Silver and Blaze listened to the wise koala with curiosity.

    — Something inexplicable is happening in the castle. People's things are disappearing all the time. Remember how you and I, Silver, were looking for my missing hat the other day, and it was found in the royal bathhouse in the middle of the water? As you can see, I don't have a hat on, — the advisor waved his hand between his round ears, — it's disappeared again, and I'm not the only victim.

   The koala's indignation knew no bounds. Recently, he had been receiving numerous complaints. But he could do nothing about it due to the simple fact that he was not a wizard. The advisor continued his detailed story, trying not to miss a single detail.

    — Food is disappearing from the storerooms, the guards are hearing strange sounds all over the castle and seeing flickering shadows. The fact that such a sensitive person like you, Silver, has lost his sleep cannot be a good sign. The subjects are worried and are asking Her Majesty for help. However, I think that paranormal phenomena are more your area of ​​expertise, Silver. And we would be very grateful if you agreed to conduct your own investigation.

    After listening to Gardon, Blaze agreed with her mentor. It was a pity to interrupt Silver's vacation, but still, his help would really be more useful than any other. The matter was extremely serious, and the busy princess cat could at least help by sharing with her companions the information she knew. So she did.

    The servants believed that the spirits of the ancient kings had awakened and now, angry, wanted to expel everyone from Sol Castle. After today's incident in the kitchen, several cooks quit. They were hurt and very scared, unfortunately, no one managed to convince them to stay. The rest of the subjects were in fear for their own lives and accused the princess of inaction. For herself, the princess decided that she would join the investigation as soon as she finished preparing for the arrival of the delegation. Blaze couldn't let anyone else get hurt, especially not when the castle's honored guests were supposed to arrive. Luckily, the girl had friends who were ready to help her.

    — Don't worry, Blaze, you can all count on me, I'll take care of this right now.

    Silver enthusiastically got up from the table and grabbed an apple with his telekinetic abilities. Guy was about to leave the room, but stopped at the exit. At last the hedgehog decided to inquire what exactly had happened in the kitchen. Gardon, not wasting time on a detailed retelling of events that he had not witnessed, advised the psychic to talk to one of the eyewitnesses, for example, Marine. The pirate girl had just asked Gardon to tell Silver that she would be waiting for him in her hut at noon so that they could go catch ghosts together.

    — Everything will be fine! We fought with the gods, bee Blaze, the ghosts should tremble at the sight of us! — Silver saluted in farewell and rushed off to fight the dark forces.

    — If I'm a bee now, I'm the busiest bee in the world, — Blaze sighed dejectedly, — be careful, fluffy!

    No matter how loud Blaze tried to say goodbye, the psychokinetic was already too far away to hear her. Gardon sighed heavily and mentally began to beg the great sun to give him more patience and, please, sooner.

_____________________

    Before going to Marine's place, Silver decided to look into the royal library. Together with the restless raccoon, he would definitely not be able to collect information. If there were no evil spirits hiding among the books, Marine would not let him spend a minute there.

    The library was one of Silver's favorite places in the castle of the Solar Empire. The number of books collected by the royal family amazed the hedgehog's imagination. Having spent his childhood in the destroyed future, he knew how valuable even the thinnest book could be and how difficult it was to keep it in good condition. That’s why Silver sincerely admired the wealth of the local archive and the effort of the librarians who so carefully looked after each copy.

    The time traveler had a wide variety of literary preferences. He loved to study and enjoyed looking through various encyclopedias and scientific articles. Also before going to bed, the guy could read comics or leaf through novels. In addition, sometimes the hedgehog learned poems by heart and even tried to write his own. However, it's unlikely that anyone should know about this, because the aspiring poet was still far from perfect. Moreover his work was too personal and was kept in the strictest confidence. Now the psychokinetic’s path led through history books and chronicles, where he could find answers to his questions.

    — If I were Espio, the great detective, where would I start? Perhaps it is worth looking for information about the legends of the castle. I am unlikely to find something that Blaze or Gardon don't know, but it’s still worth trying.

    Looking through the dusty folios, Silver finally came across something unusual, worthy of his attention. The book in his hands looked extremely old, but had not lost its beauty. It was covered with embossed leather, inlaid with precious stones and trimmed with gold. In just a couple of seconds, with the ease of a professional burglar, Silver opened small locks on the book cover with his telekinetic abilities.

“The Castle of the Solar Empire.

Myths and Legends.”

    If the hedgehog read the ancient language of the Blaze dimension correctly, he had finally found what he was looking for. The psychokinetic slammed the book shut and went to his “nest”.

    Silver often visited the library, not only because of his love for reading, but also because of the unique atmosphere of this place. The traveler loved the smell of books, the cozy silence, and the way the sun illuminated the chairs in one of the hidden corners of the archive during the daytime. This was the place where the hedgehog went to read.

    Stretching out in the sun on his favorite chair, the guardian of the future immersed himself in reading and soon fell asleep.

___________________

    — Hey, you, wake up!

    — Yes, you damn criminal! Wake up and introduce yourself!

    The awakened hedgehog somehow opened his eyes and stared at the intruders of his magnificent sleep. They were two royal guards. Small koalas with comically large spears. The one that was rounder and fluffier decided to shake the already awake young man by the shoulders just to be sure.

    Unable to tolerate such insolence, famous hero hissed menacingly at the guards and said through gritted teeth:

    "What is this? Some kind of joke? I am Silver, Silver the hedgehog, if you can't tell by looking at me. — To prove his words, the psychokinetic ran his hand over his luxurious silver spines and pointed to his sharp tail. — I am a friend of Princess Blaze and a guest of this castle."

    In response to the guy's protest, the koalas looked at each other and laughed loudly. They heard such excuses every day and more than once. They had no reason to believe the words of a stranger who had entered the guarded territory.

    Silver wasn't amused by the situation, but he also didn't want to get into trouble with the guards. He needed to save his position quickly.

    — Ask the librarian, I come here every day, he will confirm.

    The hedgehog got off the chair and was about to go look for the saving employee of the archive, when suddenly one of the koalas hung on his paw. At that moment, the second guard began poking poor Silver with a pike. The little guards shouted that the evil offender was escaping. For resisting arrest, they threatened to imprison and chain the hazard villain.

    “What the hell is wrong with them?” — thought Silver.

    Having weighed all the pros and cons, the very irritated psychokinetic decided that he was a good guy after all and would not fight with the little koalas. After all, what bad could happen to him in a kingdom ruled by Blaze, his best friend? Sooner or later, someone would definitely recognize the hero who had come to the aid of the empire more than once, and let him go. With these thoughts, Silver sighed and announced his surrender. The guards immediately retreated and began to handcuff the captured criminal.

    — We, officers Lemon and Melon, are arresting you. You will be imprisoned in the royal dungeon until your sentence is passed.

    That is how Silver ended up locked in a prison cell in the dungeon of Sol Castle.

    — I demand an audience with the princess!

    At the prisoner's request, the guards merely chuckled and, after locking the cell, stood contentedly beside the bars to guard the only prisoner currently in custody.

    The cold metal of the tight handcuffs was uncomfortable. However, Silver was grateful that the guards had only used light handcuffs and had not chained him to the wall with heavy shackles. After examining his cell, Sol's number one criminal decided that, in general, a pile of hay, illuminated by the warm rays of the sun, was quite suitable for sleeping. He would wait for the guards to leave for lunch or other activities, break the lock, and go about his business. Having come up with an escape plan, the hedgehog curled up into a ball, making himself comfortable on his improvised bed, and dozed off.

______________________

    Under the bright afternoon sun, Marine was swarming by the coastal hut. The girl was busy testing blasters to catch ghosts. The last time she, Blaze, and Silver visited Sonic's dimension, they watched a movie about fearless ghostbusters. Marine didn't know what she liked more: watch a movie or steal Tails' popcorn. However, the girl watched the adventures of the characters on the screen very carefully, memorizing every detail. The little inventor was sure that she had managed to create a unique weapon against ghosts, much more powerful than the one shown in the movie. All she had to do was finish the tests. Then she would be able to go on a real adventure with Silver, who was supposed to arrive soon.

   But silver boy didn't show up after five minutes, or even after an hour. Marine didn't want to wait. She wasn't used to sitting still. So the little girl decided: if Silver wasn't coming to her, she would go to him herself!

    To the raccoon's great disappointment, her search for her missing friend was unsuccessful. He was not found on the coast, in the royal greenhouse, or in the library, and even his chambers were empty. Despite her failure, the girl didn’t give up but decided to take more serious action.

    — Yo-ho, Gardon! I can't find Silver, have you seen him?

    — Hello to you, too, dear Marine.

    The elderly koala put aside the paperwork he was looking through and looked fatherly at the child playing with a curtain tassel next to his desk.

    — Sorry, I haven't seen him since this morning, wasn't he supposed to meet you a few hours ago?

    Marine looked up from her busy work and replied, "Yeah, but he didn't show up. I looked everywhere for him and couldn't find. He's definitely gone missing."

    Gardon frowned and sank deep into his thoughts. The time traveler really did have a nasty habit of disappearing without warning.

    However, if he made any plans, he always carried them out. Not showing up to Marine after such a long time was definitely not his style. Having concluded that all this was extremely suspicious, the advisor decided to put his business aside for later. Together, the raccoon and the koala went in search of their missing friend.

    As it turned out, no one had seen Silver after breakfast. After searching all of the hedgehog's favorite spots, the friends began to make increasingly absurd guesses about his disappearance. However, they did find Gardon's hat. This time, it was hidden under one of the banquettes in the ballroom, an unremarkable location that the advisor had not visited for at least several months.

    — We need to tell Blaze.

    Marine stopped at the entrance to the hall, where an important meeting was currently taking place.

    — The princess is busy right now.

    Seeing that the raccoon was dangerously close to the doors, the guards crossed their halberds right at her nose, blocking the passage. However, Blaze had taught her student not to stop at any obstacles. Before Gardon could call out to her, Marine had already slipped into the hall, deftly bypassing the guards.

    In the center of the spacious, richly decorated room stood a round oak table, at which influential people were now gathered. The princess herself, several high-ranking officials and their companions were present at the meeting. In Marine's opinion, no one was important. So she grabbed some papers from the pedestal at the entrance and headed towards Blaze with the most businesslike expression.

    — Her Royal Highness, Princess Blaze, your documents!

    The raccoon placed the paper in front of her mentor, but was in no hurry to leave. Having thrown a few words of gratitude for the documents, Blaze finally saw who was actually standing next to her. The cat's surprise and anger had no bounds, but she knew how to control herself. Smiling at her guests, Blaze hissed angrily:

    — Marrrrin, what exactly are you doing here!?

    At that very moment, Gardon hurried out from behind the princess's chair. The adviser leaned toward his mistress and, after first apologizing for the sudden intrusion, began to whisper about a matter of national importance.

    After hearing that her dear friend had been kidnapped by ghosts, the princess looked at her companions with disbelief. But Blaze didn't comment on their theory, as it could be true. She didn't like the idea at all. A spark of concern flashed in the fire-wielder's amber eyes. She didn't want to show it, so she stepped on her tail, which was twitching under the table. There was no reason to involve the nobles in this matter. It could have consequences, and she didn't want to deal with them.

    Nevertheless, the sudden appearance of the little girl and the royal advisor did not go unnoticed by the other people in the room. One of the officials, a cunning and pompous cockatoo with bright feathers and an expensive outfit, decided to find out what the princess was whispering so loudly and expressively about.

    — Your Highness, aren't these the ghosts the young lady is talking about that have appeared in your castle not long ago? People say that these are supposedly the angry spirits of our great, now deceased rulers. Nonsense, don't you agree?

    Mr. Cockatoo squinted at the princess and smiled mysteriously at the alligator sitting next to him.

    — The royal family honors traditions. Isn't that so? But then why are spirits so angry?

    Marine didn't understand politics, but she knew everything about Blaze's life. These two and several other young representatives of the noble families of the empire had been bowsering the princess lately. Each for their own reason: disagreement with the political activities of the young ruler or broken dreams of marrying her for the throne. The raccoon was sure that many rich people were nothing more than thieves, bribe-takers, idlers or swindlers, connected by mutual responsibility. But Marine cared if they were plotting against her close friend, mentor and essentially family. Marine growled menacingly. However, Blaze, whom the little girl was so eager to protect from the attacks of her entourage, was absolutely calm.

    — You will not be allowed to attend the official meeting and farewell ceremony of the foreign delegation, even if your honorable family has always taken part in such events, Viscount Arlo. Part of the necessary protocol preparation on your part has not been completed by the specified deadline, this is my final decision on this matter.

    The ashamed parrot fluffed up his bright feathers and turned away, looking at a pot with a palm tree at a distance from the table. A wave of whispers rolled through the room. It was clear from Blaze's look that the evening was going to be very long.

    Suddenly the kangaroo in a formal suit rose from his seat.

    "I ask for silence in the hall! Your Highness, Princess Blaze, forgive these people for such an irresponsible attitude to work.”

    The man bowed low and straightened up, looking his mistress straight in the eyes.

    “I am sure that the delegation’s arrival will go smoothly, we will ensure this together with you, with our joint efforts. Trust us and please tell us what is truly happening within the castle walls?”

    Pyro's ears pricked up at the last question. So the vile rumors about the princess waking up and angering the evil spirits had left the castle walls and spread beyond them. Was everyone blaming her for this? How many people already knew and what exactly did they know? Did her parents know about this? Blaze's mind was filled with questions, each one making her feel sick to her stomach.

    — Are you talking about Silver? — the kangaroo continued. — About Silver who not long ago helped me and my people with the arrangement of a new vineyard? If something happened, we are ready to offer our help.

    According to Marine, the kangaroo's brief but sincere speech had an unusual effect on the others. It turned out that during his visits to the Sol dimension, Silver, who was widely recognized for his lack of social skills, had successfully integrated into the empire's high society and made connections with almost everyone in the room. As the ghosts and political games faded into the background, the diplomatic meeting transformed into a friendly gathering. Everyone was discussing the boy from another world. Some of them met him at a party, others had him helping with their household and business, and some played cards with him. For the last part he would definitely get a lecture from Blaze later. Anyway, it became clear that everyone had only warm feelings for Silver and would not leave him in trouble.

    Thus, the audience with the princess was interrupted and there was a commotion in the castle. Everyone was busy searching for the missing hedgehog, who was not going to disappear at all. "After this," decided Gardon, "Silver simply has no right to consider himself lonely and useless. Not in this dimension.”

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    It was getting close to night, and the sun's rays no longer penetrated through the small prison window. With each passing moment, the damp cell became darker and colder. A large gray rat squeezed through the bars of the cell. Quickly finding the warmest spot in the room, the rat settled next to the warm and fluffy hedgehog boy.

    — There he is! Silver! Sil, the master criminal, wake up! We found you!

    Marine ran up to the cell door and began to dig into the lock with her claws. Hearing a familiar voice, the prisoner woke up and stretched sleepily.

    — I'm glad I was found. It's a wonderful feeling.

    A blue glow surrounded the handcuffs. The metal gave in to the force. The shackles opened and fell to the floor with a clank. The psychokinetic finally freed himself from the shackles. At that moment, he heard rapid footsteps. Someone was walking down the corridor, hurrying, almost running. A few moments later, an angry princess appeared at the gate, followed by a nervous guard captain.

    — Silver, fluffy idiot, we were so worried, we looked everywhere. How did you even get here? Are you okay?

    While Blaze was worried about the well-being of her missing partner, the guard was fingering a large bunch of keys in his hands, trying to find the right one. However, his actions were pointless, because a loud click was heard, after which Marine triumphantly opened the door of the cell.

    Without hesitation, Blaze rushed straight towards Silver. As she examined the hedgehog for any injuries, she let out a scream of horror. The rat, which had been sitting quietly, jumped and then disappeared into the shadows.

    Silver looked at Blaze in shock and immediately brushed himself off.

    — I didn't know it was here...

    The lavender cat hugged her close friend tightly. For a while, the couple did not move from the spot, enjoying the moment, which made Marine wrinkle her face and stick out her tongue, teasing her friends.

    — Karamba! I have an idea. Kiss each other after all!

__________________

    After the missing hedgehog was found, everyone who had participated in the search returned to their duties, except for the royal guards. Recently, the king and queen had issued an order before leaving the kingdom. The document mentioned increased security measures and guards at Sol Castle. However, the new guards were not as competent as they should have been. Silver told Blaze and Gardon about the two guards who had taken him to the dungeon. After this incident, all the guards were gathered for what the captain of the guard called an explanatory briefing.

    Although, to tell the truth, the telekinetic increasingly felt that the security staff simply received a collective rebuke. He felt less awkward standing in public view while the others had to memorize his appearance. The silver hedgehog nervously twisted the inhibitors on his wrists, looking around the crowd. However, anxiety was not resolved to take over his mind. Though about his failure as a beginner detective was already living there rent free. He did nothing that day and was left with empty hands. No clues, no proofs, only guesses... 

    However, it was not the right time for self-flagellation. It became known that while Silver was sitting in the cell, his "kidnappers" disappeared. Did the spirits really know that he was going to deal with them? Did anyone try to slow down his investigation? The psychic did not want to waste any more time, especially when he clearly came across the right trail.

    — Where is Princess Blaze? Your Highness?!

    One of the royal knights made his way through the crowd to the improvised stage where the fire cat was located.

    — In the vault! On the east side…

    Dingo, who had finally reached his destination, looked as if he had just completed a marathon. This did not bode well. His fur was ruffled, and his face was flushed. However, the shine of his polished armor and the absence of any external damage gave hope that he was simply in a hurry to deliver his daily report rather than bring alarming news.

    — Catch your breath, Sir Colby, or we won't understand you.

    After taking a deep breath, the knight continued: "The Sol Emeralds are gone!"

    Everyone froze in fear. According to Blaze, the guardian of the emeralds, these dark forces, whoever they were, had crossed a line. The angry cat's sharp claws scratched the armrest of the chair she was sitting on. She was not going to allow anyone to wreak havoc in the castle, let alone steal powerful artifacts.

─── ⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ ───

Chapter Text

─── ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ───

    Villains stole the Sol emeralds from the royal treasury more than once. All magical stones together could grant its owner immense power. So there always were many criminals, who wanted to gain power. But Princess Blaze, the keeper of royal artifacts, learned from each thief's try. 

    After Blaze defeated her enemies once again and returned the stolen emeralds, only four of the seven magical stones were placed under the protection of experienced knights. The princess kept the rest of the emeralds for herself. 

    This time Blaze's foresight became her blessing. The criminals failed to get the entire set. At the time of the robbery, there were only four emeralds in the treasury. And that's all the thieves got.

   After thinking for a while, Blaze put two shining emeralds in her pockets. The last one she wrapped in a cloth handkerchief and gave it to Silver. The hedgehog understood his friend without words and hid the relic in spines. Even if something happened to one of them, the enemy would still not have all seven magical stones. In this way heroes would still have a chance to win.

    Right now, the couple, along with Gardon and Marine, were examining the vault from where the Sun Emeralds had been stolen less than an hour ago. The circumstances of the case were becoming increasingly confusing for the fire princess. According to one version, the attackers first eliminated the psychokinetic, who could interfere with their plans. The thieves then took advantage of the commotion in the castle to break into the treasury.

    The only question was how someone had entered the room undetected. There were no traces of a crime scene. None of the two knights guarding the emeralds had left their posts to join the search. However, the guards had not seen anyone in the vault. Additionally, there was only one tunnel leading to the room, making it impossible to enter or exit without detection. The artifacts had simply disappeared. Of course this behavior was typical of the Chaos Emeralds, who could decide where to go on their own, but not of the Sol Emeralds.

    — Shiver me timbers, are there really still fools in this kingdom who would dare to cross the path of the flaming princess?!

    Marine was already tired of sitting in a room full of useless treasures and doing nothing. Where are the ghosts that she was ready to fight since early morning? Having lost all concentration, the little girl began to catch spiders that crawled away from her into the dusty cracks of the castle walls.

    — Sweetheart, our thief must be very smart. Obviously, he had a reliable plan, and clearly knew what he was doing. — Silver understood Marine's indignation, but they needed a trail to give chase.

    — We might be dealing with an invisible person.

    It was the only suggestion that Gardon found logical. But the princess only grimaced at her advisor's guess. If the thief was an invisible person, the guards would see the emeralds floating away on their own and try to catch the thief. Invisibility is a useful ability, but it's not as stealthy as its owner would like it to be.

    Not hearing any approval for his theory, Gardon only sighed quietly and went back to looking for any leads. Meanwhile, Silver put his arm on Blaze's shoulder and smiled encouragingly at her.

    — Let's leave this as a working theory. I also have an idea... — The telekinetic walked up to the stone wall and knocked his fist on one of the blocks. — Is there a secret passage here by any chance?

    The friends began to tap the walls, trying to find any hollow spaces. However, all the stones sounded the same, and none of them triggered a mechanism to open the hidden door. With no progress, the team decided to change their strategy. If there was a hidden passage in this room, someone must have known about it at some point, at least the architect who designed the castle centuries ago. With this in mind, the four friends headed to the royal library, where they hoped to find plans for the building.

    The heroes walked through the corridors. Everything was already decorated for the arrival of the guests. Colorful flower arches and soft, fluffy carpets indicated that the date of the ambassadors' arrival was imminent. All preparations were almost complete. Very soon, Sol Castle was to open its gates to foreign nobles.

    During her walks around the castle, Marine always enjoyed looking at the paintings of the royal fleet. Each of them was a true piece of art and held the memory of victories in great battles. Suddenly, an unusual glow caught the girl's attention. She stopped and peered under the canvas. A mysterious light was emanating from beneath the painting.

    Noticing the absence of the little fidget, Blaze slowed down. The princess tried to attract Marine's attention by calling out to her. Friends didn't have much time to solve the case. They could admire the beauty of paintings at any other time. Now they had to hurry to the library. But... The little girl didn't move. Then Blaze approached Marine, pulling the other companions along.

    A second later, due to the raccoon's careless movement a painted canvas several meters long fell to the ground. The sound of its fall echoed through the castle's corridors. When everyone saw what was behind the painting, they gasped in surprise. The wallpaper covering the wall behind the canvas had been peeled off. The exposed stone had glowing patterns resembling sunbeams. The image extended beyond the open space, disappearing beneath the layer of wallpaper.

    Blaze didn't trust magic, so she pushed Marine aside. The fire princess tore off the remaining wallpaper to see the entire image. A shimmering trail extended all the way to the ceiling, ending at the junction of two floors. In search of an explanation, Blaze turned to her advisor. Gardon had been working in the castle since before the princess was born. He knew the ancient building better than any of the four of them.

    — Your Highness, this looks like the sun. It's similar to the emblem of the empire. However, the image is incomplete, making it difficult to determine its exact shape. By the way, it's a very unusual and beautiful design. — Koala examined the mystical pattern, trying to recall any similar images in his memory. — This is the first time I've seen this glowing “art”.

    "But I'm not, — Marine squeezed between the adults closer to the shining wall and continued, — while we were looking for Silver today, I've already seen such suns.”

    The little raccoon had already seen a similar pattern today, such as in the knight's hall, where a shining sun adorned the ceiling. She also noticed a similar ornamentation on the watchtowers and in the courtyard.

    — I thought it was just a preparation for the celebration, — Marine explained. — I would have liked to paint the walls with glowing paint too, but I couldn't find any painters.

    Meanwhile, Silver approached and touched the image. Upon contact with the surface, small, shiny sparks scattered. Pulling his hand back, the psychokinetic concluded and informed his friends that this pattern could not have been painted. In his opinion, they were likely facing a seal that was leaking energy, causing the image to shimmer.

    Blaze listened to her feelings. A wave of familiar power made her fur fluff up. The cat touched the wall in order to find the source of the energy.

    — You are right, I can feel the aura of Sol Emerald… But I don't see it here.

    The more the keeper examined the patterns, the more amazement was reflected on her face. The energy did not flow through the glowing threads. It stood in place, evenly distributed over each swirl. Even if they hadn't found the emerald, these seals were definitely a clue. The heroes were moving in the right direction.

    — We'll come back later, but for now, let's hurry.

    Blaze took one last look at the mysterious patterns, memorizing every detail. Perhaps they could find out more about them in the library. Satisfied, she turned on her heels and walked away. Following the princess, the group continued their journey to the royal archives.

    The last rays of the setting sun were breaking through the windows. The sunset was burning like a fire over the kingdom. Following a centuries-old tradition local inhabitants of the empire never said that the sun was setting behind the horizon. Every evening their holy sun was dying, slowly fading. In the morning it always came back to life, announcing to the people the arrival of a new day by its light.

______________

The sun has died. A bright full moon appeared in the dark sky.

______________

    It was nearing midnight when the friends arrived at the library. The Royal Archives were illuminated by a soft yellow light from candles and table lamps. Behind the counter, a librarian was peacefully dozing over the books. The little koala was dressed in a green sari and had half-moon glasses that had slipped down her face. After waking the woman and enlisting her help, the team decided to split up to speed up their search for the necessary information.

    Silver immediately headed to the shelves where he had found the book about the legends of Solar Castle in the morning. The hedgehog had fallen asleep as soon as he reached the chapter about magical artifacts. Perhaps, if he had read the chapter to the end, things might have been easier.

    Anyway, Marine, who didn't seem tired at all despite the late hour, was skipping along beside the psychokinetic. Together, they began to search the shelves.

    Quite a while passed, when the cozy rustling of pages was interrupted by a sudden rumble. The frightened cry of the librarian and the sound of falling books made the heroes wary. Tall shelves fell one after another like dominoes, trying to crush the visitors of the archive. To save everyone, it was necessary to act quickly. Having activated his abilities, Silver stopped the destruction and returned the bookcases to their original position.

    — Is everyone safe? — Having crawled out from under the pile of books, the hedgehog shouted as loudly as possible to make sure that no one had drowned in the resulting sea of ​​literature.

    — Yes! We found everything we needed!

    Somewhere in the depths of the archives, the princess, her loyal advisor, and the terrified librarian were happy not only because they had survived, but also because they had unexpectedly stumbled upon useful books and blueprints.

    — Excellent as always, Blaze!

    Silver was genuinely glad that no one had been hurt. Nearby, Marine was lounging on a pile of scrolls.

    — I feel sorry for the guy who will clean all this up...

    — Something tells me that you feel sorry for me.

    The hedgehog rubbed the back of his head in frustration and began to collect the scattered literature from the floor, when suddenly he froze. A second later Silver leaped up from his seat, frightening his raccoon friend, and released a large wave of energy.

    — What was that? — Marine stared at the psychic with curiosity.

    The hedgehog shushed the little raccoon and listened to his surroundings, waiting for the energy to return.

    — I got it! You want to find out who dropped the shelves and catch them. All hands on deck, I'm ready!”

    The raccoon got into a fighting stance and got ready. She couldn't wait to finally engage in combat with the mysterious someone who had disturbed the peace of the castle's inhabitants.

    “Nothing. — The psychokinetic lowered his ears in disappointment. — Just us, books, bugs and spiders, books again, mice or rats, and then more books. Lots of books..."

    Silver waved his hand at the vast expanse of scattered literature.

    — It looks like I'm too late this time. Whoever it was, they've already left. Of course, if they were here at all.

________________________

    After the incident, the heroes settled in the throne room. Marine was sleeping on one of the banquettes, covered with her own tail. The Guardian of the Seas was snoring sweetly, twitching her paw every now and then. Most likely, she was dreaming about how she triumphed over the defeated ghosts. Gardon, on the other hand, didn't even think about sleeping. The koala was sitting at a small table, surrounded by various books, maps of secret passages, and castle plans. Only his furry ears were visible above the stacks of books.

    Looking at his friends, Silver smiled involuntarily. In Blaze's dimension, he always felt simply... Cozy. But Blaze prevented the hedgehog from completely relaxing, or rather, it was the cloud of negativity and anxiety that surrounded the tense cat.

    Silv put down the book he was reading and approached the princess, who was sitting on her own throne, looking at some map. He gently threw a mantle, which was lying nearby, over the girl's shoulders and timidly asked how she was feeling.

    The guy received an answer to his question in the form of a completely unroyal, but, in his opinion, absolutely charming snort.

    — The ambassadors are already on their way. The council wants me to cancel their arrival. However, I cannot withdraw the invitations.

    Blaze sighed in disappointment and wrapped herself deeper in her mantle.

    — It is very important now to establish trade relations with the north, and this has been entrusted to me. Everything must go flawlessly. However, our ministers can also be understood. We cannot guarantee the safety of guests while there is chaos in the castle.

    After explaining her position, the princess fell into her own thoughts. Recently, the cat has been terribly busy. In addition to her daily responsibilities, Blaze had been tasked with organizing a meeting with foreign partners. Everything required her attention and presence. Even the selection of napkins and plates for the buffet had to be coordinated with her. It seemed that the cat was about to be torn into a hundred little kittens. Perhaps, she thought, with 99 little helpers it would be easier for her to keep up with everything.

    — There are rumors about me outside the castle walls. It has always been like this… But this time, I feel like I am losing the trust of my people.

    Blaze pulled back her cat ears and flicked her tail in displeasure. Such behavior did not escape the attention of her partner. Silver squatted down next to the throne and looked into the princess's tired eyes. Molten gold met the lemon sun.

    — Everything is already restless after the latest reforms. You should have seen what happened at one of the meetings today… While the parents are away, everyone decided to shift the responsibility for their actions and mistakes onto me. Like I'm princess-queen, can you believe it? 

    Silver settled more comfortably near the throne and laid his head on his friend's lap. Blaze began to pick at the white hedgehog's unruly spines. They both wished they could have more warm moments like this with each other, but they were both often too immersed in their work, saving the world or running the kingdom.

    — A bunch of new useless security, these ghosts and this guy from the meeting... I'm going crazy, — Blaze continued.

    — What kind of guy? — Silver, who had dozed off, became wary again.

    — Oh, just one weirdo missed all the deadlines and decided that he would remain unpunished, because his family traditionally helped with organizing the celebrations.

   — I don't like him. Do you want me to bite this bastard?

    To prove his point, the hedgehog clicked his teeth and smiled broadly, showing off his sharp fangs. At first, Blaze was taken aback by such a suggestion, but then she picked up on her friend's playful mood and laughed.

    — Silver, no! He's a good guy, just a bum. And what if you catch something from him, huh?

    The remaining bits of tension were gone. The couple's laughter filled the air, creating an atmosphere of lightness and merriment.

   "You know, — Blaze began, — sometimes I just want to be the guardian of the emeralds, travel with you and not have to worry about anything.”

    — No no no, never. — Silver shifted, pulling away from his friend's embrace. — You want to go to hell with me, Blaze. I don't want to go there and you won't. Just because I'm an optimist doesn't mean I don't suffer. The apocalypse is not cool! You know it. Let's save that dialogue for later, now we're catching ghosts.

    Leaving his friend to sigh in disappointment over her thoughts, Silver enthusiastically decided to return to work.

    — How are you, Gardon? — The hedgehog asked.

    — The castle is so empty that there's no one to ask for coffee, — Gardon grumbled. With each passing minute, it was becoming increasingly difficult for the elderly adviser to fight off drowsiness.

    Over the past few days, many servants had quit the castle, although many of them had remained loyal to the royal family for many years. In addition, in the morning, the princess received a letter from her mother. The queen was interested in how things were going in the kingdom during her and her husband's absence. If things had been going so well until recently, there was no way Blaze could write a decent response right now. 

    — In my opinion, fewer servants is better, — Silver said. — As long as there is danger lurking in the castle, there is no point in putting the lives of ordinary people at extra risk. Let them leave.

    The fluffy hedgehog's words made sense. Just recently, someone in the library had tried to kill the heroes, and along with them, the innocent librarian. In addition, boiling porridge had splashed onto the cooks and Marine in the morning. The subjects were taking risks simply by being in the castle, and no one was going to dispute that. 

    — Furthermore, — the young man continued, — I would not trust every member of the castle staff.

    Blaze and Gardon might find such a statement questionable, since the telekinetic was known for his naivety. But he could still sense the bad intentions of strangers and never got involved with suspicious individuals without a good reason. Moreover, they did not know who was behind the unrest in the castle. Anyone could be someone other than who they claimed to be. Just today, the hedgehog had already met two royal guards who turned out to be impostors and caused lots of troubles

    — For example, the new gardener. He's terrible, Gardon, believe me. The guy destroys flowers just by standing next to them!

    Silver grimaced, recalling the strange gardener. Noticing friends' curious stares, the hedgehog continued.

    The guy finally lost the trust of those around him after he turned a garden shed into some kind of a chemical laboratory. The new gardener claimed that he was making special fertilizer using an old family recipe. The other gardeners were skeptical about the strange acidic green substance. Experience told them that in no way it could be fertilizer. Despite this, the young agronomist, by his own words, was a master of his craft and his father was an old friend of the king. So no one dared to contradict him.

    The princess was concerned about what she had heard. She gave her mentor a meaningful look. The elderly koala nodded, showing that Blaze shouldn't worry. He would take this under control. The matter was clearly serious, but they would deal with it a little bit later.

    Gardon opened his day planner. With age, the advisor's memory had become worse, but he didn't want to forget anything important, so he wrote down any information he thought was necessary in his notebook. The prolonged game of ghost hunters didn't cancel his own daily duties. Of course, the koala didn't have time to investigate the gardener's suspicious activities right now, but he would definitely come back to it later. A new entry appeared in the diary.

▢ Search the shed in the royal garden. Find out what the gardener really does.

    "Now, young people, all this talk can wait, — said Gardon, putting down his daybook and leaning back in his chair. — Let's get back to the important things. There have been two assassination attempts alone today. You need to worry about your own lives, children."

    The advisor gave his prodigies a stern look and wagged his finger at them. No matter what anyone said, he was responsible for their lives. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to these kids. Right now, the old man was thinking that the princess and her friends needed to be guarded immediately.

    — What should I be afraid of? - Silver grinned self-confidently and carelessly threw his hands behind his head. — If this someone really wanted to kill me, — the psychokinetic reasoned, — then he could have tried to do it a long time ago, even at night. But instead, he locked me away from everyone in a cell. He's the one who's afraid of me, I'm clearly too tough for him!

    The hedgehog was more than confident in his abilities. The likelihood of him actually encountering something new and truly frightening was negligible. However, his partner, although tired of her mentor's constant overprotectiveness, was not about to relax or underestimate the threat.

    — We should all be more careful, Silver, — Blaze shook her head disapprovingly, — We don't know who exactly we're dealing with. Besides, you're not in the best shape after a month of surviving in a ruined future.

    The fluffy guy hurried to reassure his partner: "Sunshine, my wounds don't bother me anymore. And if anything happens, you'll burn anyone with your fireball. Didn't you just want to face death with me in another bad future a couple of minutes ago? We're strong, and we can handle anything.”

    Of course, the time traveler had thoughts that not everything was as clear as it seemed to him. But deep inside he believed that all their failures were nothing more than bad luck. Soon they would get to the truth and win.

    Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed down the hall.

    — What's going on? — A half-asleep Marine jumped up from her seat.

    — Looks like someone's being murdered again. — Silver pointed out the obvious. — We need to hurry to help.

    The hedgehog and the raccoon rushed together to save the one in trouble. The doors of the throne room slammed loudly, sending the brave heroes on their adventure.

    Left alone, the princess and her adviser decided to exchange the information they had collected. Until today, Blaze thought she knew the castle where she grew up very well. She could navigate it with her eyes closed and knew every nook and cranny. However, now in front of her were two old and dissimilar plans of the same castle, but neither of them corresponded to the modern version.

    “Nothing surprising,” — thought the cat. Many rulers rebuilt their palaces for themselves. But no one left any records of the construction work in the years indicated on the building plans.

    The architectural mystery of the past attracted attention, but it did nothing to solve the problems of the present. There were never any secret passages in the vault. This meant that the theft of the sol emeralds remained shrouded in mystery.

    In any case, the cat was in no hurry to give up. In one of the scrolls, she found a mention of the seven sun seals located in the castle. It was likely that her friends had discovered them during the day. However, the document did not provide any information about the true purpose of the magical patterns or their connection to the sol emeralds.

    The Keeper was left to speculate on her own. Her intuition told her that the stolen relics had not left the castle grounds. She could feel their presence with her heart, but her eyes could not see them.

    As a result of their small research, there was a lot of new information. For example, the princess's attention was drawn to original traditions of the coronation ceremony.

    Blaze knew that one day she would become a queen. The ceremony had always seemed to her like a celebration, as it had been for her parents, not a dark ritual. According to the ancient descriptions that Gardon had found, long ago, before ascending to the throne, the leader had to prove their right to rule by passing a test. Blaze thought she knew the history and culture of her people well, but the information in front of her was completely new.

    First, the pretender to the throne had to defeat the current ruler in a duel. If the candidate won, he took the sacred weapon of the defeated rival. The next step was to prove that the winner had royal blood in their veins. With his new blade, the future monarch brought a bloody sacrifice to the sun. If the offering was accepted, the chosen one became a conductor of the divine will of the holy sun and brought light to his people.

    Thinking over the information she had learned, the master of fire walked anxiously around the throne room. Blaze always found it easier to think when she was moving. It was unclear whether this was her natural trait or an unintentional influence of the friendship with Sonic, who was never able to sit still.

Step, step, step, turn;

Step, step, step, turn;

Step, step…

Stop?

    Blaze's sensitive cat hearing caught the unnatural creaking of metal coming from somewhere on the ceiling. Frozen in the center of the room, the girl raised her head up and saw how a giant ornate chandelier with many candles was falling right on her. Gardon's scream remained ringing in her ears as she looked at the already fallen chandelier at a distance from her. Her honed reflexes saved the keeper of the emeralds from death faster than she could figure it out.

    The cat was brought out of her trance by the old koala's lamentations. Gardon's heart was already too weak for such adventures. Just as the princess began to calm her worried mentor, the lights suddenly went out.

    The darkness didn't scare. One thing was clear to Blaze: the criminal wasn't doing a good job if he thought he could catch them so foolishly. Her cat's eyes, bright as stars, saw perfectly in the darkness.

    — Show yourself! — The princess ordered.

   Suddenly, hundreds of small shadows rushed across the hall. A dark figure formed on the royal throne, illuminated by the moonlight.

    — Nice to finally meet you, kitten.

    Two piercing green eyes were carefully studying the princess. On the throne, swinging its leg and smiling maliciously, sat a skinny mobian cat. The stranger was no longer young. His gray fur had lost its former shine years ago. However, despite the first sight, the man was full of strength. A strict black suit and an elegant satin mantel with a crimson insert completed the image of the mister-mystery.

    — I am ... — the stranger began in a hoarse whisper, — the Rat King. And this castle rightfully belongs to me and my subjects. From now on, the great sun of the empire will shine only on us!

    Stepping off the throne, the self-proclaimed king spread his arms and laughed loudly. He was surrounded by thousands of rats of all sizes and colors. Several climbed onto his shoulders, and one even settled comfortably between the triangular ears of its master. It seemed that the cat felt completely at ease surrounded by his subjects. Blaze took a defensive stance, and Gardon drew a small blade that he had prepared in case of danger.

    — You will not get the Sol emeralds! — Blaze hissed angrily.

    “Silly girl, I don't need your fancy stones, — a Cheshire grin spread across the opponent's face, — I mean not yet. Take her!”

    Obeying their master's command, the rats rushed into battle. Shadows flashed across the hall. Sharp claws scratched everything they could reach, and small teeth easily bit through fabric and gnawed into skin. The little devils attacked without fear of pain or death. They tried to scratch out their opponents' eyes and inflict as many wounds as possible.

    The room was filled with squeaks and the smell of burning flesh. The princess managed to repel a wave of rats that attacked her, frying them to a crisp. Blaze looked at her advisor. He was battered, but not defeated. It was time to take care of the cause of today's troubles.

    The Rat King threw off his robe. A golden sheath appeared beneath the cloth. The enemy caught the princess's eye and grabbed the hilt of his weapon. In one swift motion, he released the legendary blade.

Solar saber.

    Blaze was surprised for the umpteenth time that day, but she wasn't going to show it to her opponent.

    — Do you like it?

    The Rat King tossed the light, perfectly balanced saber from one hand to the other. The sparkling steel was decorated with a floral pattern carved with niello and gold.

    — It was exactly what I needed, — the old cat continued, admiring the magnificent blade in his arms. — My talented subjects stole it from your treasury. It seems like hundreds of years have passed since anyone took such a deadly weapon in their hands.

    The lord of rats made a sudden lunge towards the unarmed princess. Fortunately, Blaze dodged in time thanks to her training and combat experience.

    — We stole it... hmmm... A month ago? It’s no wonder no one noticed the loss among the countless riches of your family, kitty.

    The villain finished his monologue by swinging for the next strike. In the chaos, he reveled in the unequal battle. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Gardon was fighting for his life. He had just shouted: “Security!” when he was completely swallowed up by disgusting basement rats.

    Blaze was an experienced fencer. The same could not be said about her opponent, who waved a saber like a village boy waving a found stick. He laughed and fooled around, not really trying to actually hurt his opponent. "Why would he do it?" The pyrokinetic thought. Such behavior was confusing. A bad feeling arose in the girl's chest. Still, there was no time for reflection.

    Skillfully dodging all the ridiculous attacks, the lavender cat kicked with her right leg and swiftly knocked the weapon out of the villain's hand. After catching the saber in mid-air, the fire-wielder didn't hesitate to slash her opponent across the chest.

Victory!

    The gray cat fell to the marble floor of the throne room, breathing heavily. His tail was flailing wildly, and his suit was torn. A thin scratch ran across his chest. Blood stained his white shirt crimson. Having gained the upper hand over her enemy, Blaze pointed her blade at the defeated villain. He would no longer wear a crown, nor would he have a head on his shoulders.

    The room fell silent. There was no sound of rats squeaking or Gardon groaning as the little rodents held him down.

    Blaze looked into the green eyes of the rat king. The criminal's gaze penetrated straight into her soul.

    Sonic had emerald eyes, the cat remembered. They always had a spark of warmth and joy. It only took a moment to fall in love with that look. Amy's eyes were like two ripe limes. Her eyes were full of love and tenderness. It was impossible to forget their beauty.

    The eyes the princess was looking into right now were the color of swamp mud. That's what she decided. And in this swamp, she was destined to sink deeper and deeper. The world around her turned green and then began to shake and spin. Blaze's legs trembled and buckled. Her once-firm grip on the sword's hilt weakened. The saber fell straight to the ground. Finally the princess cat curled up on the throne room floor. The next second she lost control of her body and froze. 

    Gardon, Blaze saw, was in exactly the same predicament. The Guardian of the sol Emeralds gathered her last strength and hissed:

    — What have you done to us?

    Lord of the rats groaned as he got to his feet and giggled evilly. 

    — I did nothing, dear, it's all the poison. 

    The man approached Blaze, who was paralyzed by the toxins, and began to search for her. Two sol emeralds got into the Rat King's hands. He quickly hid the treasure in the pockets of his unbuttoned jacket.

    — A neuroparalytic toxin, to be precise. Don't worry, it won't kill you or your friend. But those small, burning wounds you received from my nimble warriors won't let you resist in any way anytime soon.

    Now the heroes turned their attention to the floor of the throne room, covered in small acid-green marks left by rats. The rodents' paws glistened with the immobilizing toxin.

    The Rat King came closer to the throne and walked around the richly decorated chair. In the blink of an eye, he tore a tapestry depicting the symbols of the royal family from the wall. Behind the canvas was a stone wall with a barely noticeable groove.

    From Blaze's position, the exact actions of the sly cat were not visible. It seemed to her that he took out one of the sol emeralds and inserted it into a groove on the wall. At the same moment, the precious emerald began to shine, and the stonework around it shook. The wall absorbed the magical artifact, hiding it from prying eyes.

    Familiar patterns began to spread across the floor of the throne room. In the night, the glowing lines shimmered yellow, red, and orange. The threads were intertwined and twisted into spirals, forming a complex ornament. A magnificent sun shone in the very center of the hall.

      "Did you know, Princess Blaze, that the kitten's mother teaches him how to catch rats?" Your queen has never had any luck hunting.

      The villain admired his work for a few moments. The rats were squeaking and running around the activated seal. Sparks flew from their small paws touching the pattern. When the gray cat reached the sun saber, he took it in his hands. His own blood dripped from the sharp blade.

    — We are actually closer than you think, Blaze. The blood of the great sun flows in our veins. I am your forgotten second cousin - Duke Smolder.

    The ash cat bowed respectfully. Its narrowed eyes carefully studied the defeated princess. After that, the duke continued to tell about his fate, walking around the hall and examining its decorations.

    — When your great-grandfather decided to abdicate the throne. He handed over the power to your grandmother, who handed it over to your mother. Everyone has forgotten about my grandfather, the eldest son and the direct heir to the crown. On that fateful day, he was supposed to take the place of your grandmother, the darling of the people!

    Smolder stopped and turned to face his motionless and silent audience. There was fury in his eyes. An old grudge had haunted him for many years. His grandfather should have been in charge and rich, but instead he remained in the shadows.

    Of course, the Duke knew that his ancestor would not have made a good ruler. The old man was fond of gambling and lived a lavish lifestyle. By the end of his life, the gambler had lost almost all of his wealth. His only son inherited only a small sum from him. However, the young man did not give up and lived a good life on the outskirts of the empire. Smolder's father never interacted with his royal relatives and lived a quiet life, focusing on his own small fishing business.

    But Smolder himself did not want to follow in his father's footsteps. He was drawn to wealth, and his thirst for power consumed and blinded him. After abandoning his family, the young duke embarked on a path of corruption, making the throne his ultimate goal. And now, he was closer than ever to achieving his dreams.

    — Your grandmother was chosen as queen only because the stupid sun of the empire shone brighter in her eyes!

    The Duke approached the Princess dangerously, kneeling on one knee beside the motionless body. The scoundrel grabbed the Princess's face with one hand, squeezing her jaw painfully. He looked intently into her eyes.

    — I am faithful to the traditions of our family. And I will not forgive the sins that my father forgave you. He should have ruled, and I should have followed him. It is time for justice to prevail.

    The villain left his victim. Blaze's head hit the floor with a painful thud. With a confident stride, the Rat King made his way to the center of the throne room, where a magical seal awaited him. He raised his bloodied saber and plunged it into the center of the sun. The legendary weapon shone brightly, and at the same moment a surge of energy rippled through the castle.

    — Now I will be the sun of the empire. From now on, I am the new king. And anyone who doubts this will experience my fiery wrath!

    The wind picked up in the throne room: the long curtains swayed, and the closed windows tried to open, even the rats slid across the marble floor and rose into the air. The defeated princess felt the room filled with the power of the sol emerald. The fire-mistress tried to call out to the gem, but the magical artifact didn't hear her call and didn't obey.

    — Know, Blaze, your unbridled flame is beautiful. I cannot destroy such a magnificent creation as you. So I won't kill you as long as you're obedient.

    Smolder stood in the middle of the hurricane, his head held high. His hands were tightly gripping the shining weapon embedded in the stone floor. The storm intensified, but the duke did not interrupt his monologue, shouting over the growing noise.

    — If you don't give up… I promise you… First my rats will scratch out your eyes so that the sun never shines in them! And then I will deal with everyone you care about!

    Suddenly, the wind died down. The bright light that briefly illuminated the room began to fade. At the same time, the ancient armor that had been peacefully standing in the throne room rattled and shifted. Under the influence of ancient magic, the iron knights came to life.

    — Leave the resistance, join me and become my moon. We'll make a great team. Together we will rule the whole world.

    As soon as all the warriors lined up in front of their master, the new king gave his first order.

    — Put everyone in a dungeon!

    The soulless puppets silently began to carry out their new master's will. The knights picked up the princess and her advisor. The defeated heroes were destined to return to the dungeons of the Sol Castle. However, this time they became prisoners, destined to spend the rest of their lives in damp cells or perhaps die.

    — I will visit you at dawn, my fading star.

      The villain was enjoying his victory. He wished that all the good heroes would die with their bright ideals. This time, friendship would not prevail. The kingdom was now in his hands. And with the power of the Sol Emeralds, the Rat King would soon rule the entire world.

─── ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ───

Chapter Text

─── ✩₊˚.⋆𖤓⋆⁺₊✧ ───

    Silver and Marine were moving along the corridors of the castle towards the source of the scream. Or rather, the young pirate was running happily, anticipating the upcoming battle, and the hedgehog was following the raccoon through the air. Between saving energy and his own comfort, the hedgehog chose the latter. Honestly, he would hardly have been able to keep up with Marine if he had decided to run. Besides, he did not want to strain his barely recovered hip. The full moon flashed in the windows rushing past their comrades. That night, the friends didn’t have time to admire the stars.

    — I will not betray the crown even at the cost of my own life

    There were three mobians in one of the rooms. Two of them were hiding their identities under black hooded robes. The assassins were threatening a colorful cockatoo. As Marine entered the room, she immediately recognized the victim as Viscount Arlo from the audience. The moonlight glinted off the steel of the blade that was pointed at the high-ranking official's neck. Without hesitation, Silver used his telekinesis to knock the weapon out of the attacker's hand and push the unknown individuals against the wall. Facing the victim and its alleged killers, the hedgehog and the raccoon were ready to fight.

    The strangers tore off their robes and showed their faces. Identical as two drops of water, the rat girls looked at the heroes in anger. But In less than a moment, the twins decided to show their true nature. Mr. Arlo couldn't help but cry out in fright.

    In the moonlight, the rat bodies began to bend and shake unnaturally. When the transformation was completed, two huge fanged creatures were approaching the friends. The monsters' dark gray fur stood on end and their long claws scratched the parquet floor. Glowing eyes looked at the heroes as if they were prey.

    — They're werewolves, Silver! Just like Sonic!

    Marine didn't seem to be afraid of the mythical creatures at all. On the contrary, she was fascinated by their power. Armed only with a nearby chair, the girl leaped at the monsters with a battle cry. Fortunately, Silver was ready and prevented her from committing a posthumous feat. At the last moment, a sparkling blue portal opened in front of the werewolves, and they were immediately sucked into it.

    — Hey, that's not fair! — Marine was indignant.

    Then a similar portal opened near the ceiling. The Lycans flew out of the portal at high speed and slammed into the floor. Silver grinned triumphantly.

    — Isn't it a cool trick? My friend Gold taught me.

    After showing off his new skills, the hedgehog unleashed a wave of psychokinetic energy towards his enemies. In an instant, the werewolf girls clutched their heads with their clawed hands. One of them began to convulse, spewing foam from her mouth. The other, unable to bear the torture, emptied her stomach onto the royal carpet. Marine believed that Silver's ability to induce migraines and epileptic seizures was both terrifying and highly effective.

    After a while, the werewolves were completely exhausted and lost consciousness. Using his telekinesis, the traveler between space and time created an improvised cage out of available materials, where the defeated opponents were left.

    — Bravo, what an exciting battle! Thank you for saving my life!

    Viscount Arlo began to tidy himself up. His incredibly beautiful feathers fluffed out, ruining the cockatoo's magnificent hairstyle. The pallor had not yet left the man's face. But the life that appeared in his eyes testified that everything would be fine with the frightened parrot.

    — These thugs appeared out of nowhere and offered me the opportunity to join the new royal government, as they claimed one of my dearest friends had already done. Dearest in the past… — The aristocrat paused, deep in thought, recalling his companion. 

     "From this day forward, it's over between him and me, — Arlo declared. — I will not turn my back on the royal family, even for the sake of advancement and immense wealth."

    — I don't understand what you're talking about, mister.

    Marine raised her eyebrows in surprise and gave a skeptical look at the official. Guy had behaved inappropriately in the presence of the princess a few hours ago and had been publicly caught neglecting his duties. But now this birdy mister seemed so loyal? Putting her personal grudge and doubts aside for later, the raccoon turned to her partner.

    — But... Shiver me timbers, Silver! What the hell!? I was ready to defeat those creatures, and you didn't even give me a chance!

    The girl stamped her foot menacingly and looked at her friend with an offended expression.

    — Marine, I'm sure you'll still have the opportunity to participate in a glorious fight today.

    The psychokinetic fell silent, searching for the right words to express his thoughts. During the thinking process he adjusted his gloves and inhibitors, which illuminated the room with a blue glow.

    — Besides, I don't see the point in putting our lives in danger for nothing and wasting time fighting, when Blaze and Gardon are alone. Of course they can take care of themselves. But... I don't have the best feeling about this. It's time for us to go back.

    Silver, Arlo, and Marine left the room, leaving their defeated enemies behind. The road should have been short: just a couple of turns, and they would have found themselves at the throne room. But something was wrong. The trio passed the same stained glass windows and paintings over and over again, as if the corridors had changed their location and trapped the heroes.

    — Friends, there is a door here!

    The parrot pulled back one of the curtains that adorned the castle wall. Behind the fabric, there was a massive oak door that no one had seen before. The friends had no choice but to enter. It was time to escape from the endless corridors.

    Behind the door, the team was greeted by a dark, dusty tunnel. The group fearlessly moved forward. Silver's markings illuminated their path, and the darkness receded. The sound of the heroes' footsteps echoed through the tunnel. Suddenly, the clanking of metal made everyone stop and listen. The motionless ancient armor came to life, filled with magic. Knights came out of niches in the wall and blocked the friends' path with swords.

    The trio prepared for battle once again…

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    Having won the throne, the newly-crowned king was in a hurry to establish his own rules. His army combed the corridors of the castle in search of those who disagreed with the new regime.The doors of the bedrooms were torn off their hinges, and sleepy servants were dragged to the dungeons. However, the former royal guard managed to resist for a while, but soon was defeated by enchanted knights.

    The change of power through a coup d'état obliged the entire staff of the castle to be replaced. The usurper did not hope for the people's love in the near future, but he could not allow traitors among his close associates.

     The king sat on his throne, legs crossed, with a satisfied smirk on his face. A young man fussed about next to him, treating his master's wound: skillful hands easily and quickly applied tight bandages.

    The healer's name was Florian. He was a rat, like his two sisters. Many years had passed since they were invited to serve Duke Smolder. One day, a young gray cat in an expensive suit came to the orphanage where the little ones lived together and took them away.

    As it turned out, that day the mysterious stranger was looking for new ideal subordinates. With his ability to command rats, man wanted to cloud the minds of the triplets, turning them into slaves who had to unquestioningly follow all his orders. As it turned out later, this was not necessary. To the delight of their master, adopted children were smart and obedient. They chose comfort and work as servants, rather than a hungry life in an orphanage.

    Years later, the sisters discovered their ability to transform into dark creatures. Then the master's happiness knew no bounds. The girls practiced their fighting skills day after day and eventually grew into professional killers, becoming the personal thugs of Duke Smolder.

    Florian didn't have any superpowers, but he was extremely smart and learned quickly. The boy immediately became his master's favorite and right hand, helping with all his affairs. In addition, having mastered the medical profession, the young man eventually became a doctor and took upon himself the care of the health of his master and sisters.

    Remembering his youth, Florian didn't think that he and his sisters had fallen into slavery. It seemed like they had found a true family. Of course, their adoptive father didn't always show enough care and affection towards children, believing that he had acquired a servant. But it was Smolder who gave them a chance for a better life.

    Kids were happy to grow up in a richly furnished mansion, eat good food and have the opportunity to study. They thought their makeshift family was wonderful. The peace and quiet in their home were only disturbed by the aristocrat's growing thirst for power.

    Together they were a gang - criminals who carried out illegal trade under the noses of the royal police. Things went well for a long time, but the Duke wanted more. Over the years, his mind became clouded. In place of Duke Smolder came the Rat King, who suddenly remembered old grievances against the royal family and wanted to seize the throne. No matter how much the triplets considered Smolder's venture a failure and not worth their lives, they would not dare to go against their adoptive father.

    And so a plan was born. For a month now, Florian had been working at the royal court as a gardener. He was tasked with observing, studying other mobians' abilities and looking for weak points. But things were going with varying success.

    The king and queen left the castle, which could have been an excellent moment to seize power. The princess, due to her own busy schedule, rarely visited the garden, and Florian couldn't find out anything about her. It didn't help that this strange guest from another world with telekinetic abilities appeared. His presence definitely added complexity to their case.

    Nevertheless, the rats sent by Smolder successfully combed the castle. They studied every corner and overheard conversations. The little spies were not noticed, and soon the criminals knew everything they wanted. Although, without a doubt, the most useful information for the case was obtained by the informant - a rich alligator, a close one to the crown and a trusted friend of the duke.

    — And yet you did not lie, Edwin the Alligator. — Smolder, King Smolder, nodded to greet his partner, who helped him so easily get the desired throne.

    Edwin, a high-ranking official in the past, entered the throne room accompanied by his escort. Two small koalas, armed with long pikes, looked ridiculous against the background of their stately master, whose smile, full of sharp teeth, could scare anyone.

    — Did you ever doubt me, my friend?

    Smolder and Edwin were long-time partners. Together they had pulled off many crimes and fraudulent schemes. The cat and his gang were extremely influential and well-known in the criminal world, and the alligator knew how to make profitable connections and obtain useful information.

    When the criminal duke set his sights on the throne, the alligator was right there. In fact, Edwin had his own motives. For his help, Smolder promised his old friend riches and the title of marquis, earl or any other. Edwin was a wealthy man, but he came from an unprivileged class. And for complete happiness in his life, alligator had wanted only a title. With it he could finally become part of the elite of the kingdom of Sol. In general, Edwin was more than satisfied with the terms of the deal. So he began his work.

    The alligator, thanks to his countless connections, obtained a unique document from the royal archive. The ancient scripture told of an enchanted castle of the Solar Empire.

    According to legend, in the old days, when the kingdom was very small and often attacked by its neighbors, the castle was an important defensive structure. Each new ruler, after passing the tests and defeating his predecessor, became the keeper of the sol emeralds.

    The magical artifacts had extraordinary power. But even their power, concentrated in the hands of one person, was sometimes not enough. In this case, the mysterious castle could become the last hope for salvation.

    When the kingdom's enemies were close to victory, the monarch could use the sacred weapon, the sun saber. With the help of the blade and the power of the emeralds, the castle itself could be summoned to fight.

    After performing the ritual, the keeper gained the ability to control every part of the building that contained the seal with the sol emerald. Thus, the corridors of the palace could change their position, creating endless labyrinths from which the invaders would never be able to find a way out. In addition, ancient magic gave life to the knights' armor located throughout the palace. The army of iron warriors was always ready to fight for their kingdom.

    Only a few times in the history of the empire, the royal family had to use the powers of the castle to save themselves and their people. Years passed, and the kingdom became stronger, richer and wider. For many centuries, power was in the hands of experienced rulers, and the sol people forgot the horrors of wars.

    Times changed, as did the traditions of the royal family. In times of peace, the throne was passed on to a worthy successor without bloodshed. Moreover, only the most noble were appointed as guardians of the sol emeralds. Soon, knowledge of the castle's capabilities became a state secret, known only to a select few rulers.

    But this time, dangerous information fell into the wrong hands. Duke Smolder and Mr Edwin took advantage of the forgotten knowledge. They turned the castle's powers against its inhabitants, and now the villains were celebrating their victory

    — I admit, I didn't believe in the truth of the legends until the very end. Not a castle, but a magical miracle of our ancestors' architecture! — Smolder was incredibly happy that the plan worked and now the entire kingdom was almost in his hands. Reality still seemed like a dream.

    — How fortunate, the great kings decided that such knowledge was too valuable to pass on by inheritance. It seems that none of them liked to share their favorite toys. — Edwin laughed maliciously. — And we only used 6 emeralds... I wonder what will happen when we get our hands on the last one? — The alligator asked his criminal partner.

    — The whole world will be ours.

    When the self-proclaimed king's wounds were treated, the villains approached the high windows of the throne room. On the other side of the glass, it was deep night. The inhabitants of the kingdom were asleep and didn't know that in the morning they would wake up under the power of a new ruler. With the help of an iron army, the usurper planned to subjugate the entire kingdom in just a couple of days.

    — Did you take care of the heroes? — Edwin momentarily cast aside thoughts of a future in which the entire world would kneel before him. It was too early to indulge in fantasies when control over the present could disappear at any moment.

    — The princess is in the dungeon. She will die at dawn or join us. — Smolder adjusted the sleeves of his tattered shirt, considering changing into something more appropriate to his new status as king.

    — And her weirdo friend, if he doesn't get torn apart by my pet werewolves, will be lost forever in the labyrinths of the new Sol castle. I'll take care of that as soon as I find the last emerald. — As usual, the cunning cat had everything under control.

    — Excellent. — The alligator relaxed his tense shoulders. He had nothing to worry about while his partner, more experienced in criminal affairs, was monitoring the situation.

    “That's exactly how it is, — Smolder put on his signature smug smile and patted his friend on the shoulder, — but none of this would have happened without your help, my charming rats, and of course the poison that our talented Florian created.”

    The healer was taken aback by the sudden attention to his person.

    — Thank you… I am glad to serve you, Your Majesty.

    The young man bowed nervously and hurried out of the throne room. With each passing moment he felt less and less comfortable in the company of the two schemers. Florian had no need to know about their future plans when he had his own.

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    The fire mistress' wrists were bound with cold metal. The cells, empty since morning, were now crowded with people. Blaze looked around at the prisoners, but all she saw were familiar faces. A stableman was chained to a cell across from her. The young rabbit's face was covered in abrasions and bruises. It was clear that he had put up a fierce resistance during his arrest. Several guards were also locked in a separate cell. In the dungeon were the laundresses, the cooks, the doctors, and the minister. These were her people, her nation, whom she had failed. A deep sense of regret filled the princess's heart. The full moon illuminated her empty, damp cell.

    — He dared to take the throne away from me… — Blaze thought indignantly.

    The cat remembered how during the ritual the scoundrel laughed so hard that her blood ran cold... And he was so close to her that if it weren't for the poison, the villain would have died in agony, turning into ashes. The girl shook her head, driving away the obsessive thoughts about reprisals against her enemy.

    — The tales that Gardon read to me as a child are coming true, — the lavender cat continued her thoughts.

    — So, the wound I inflicted on him is the bloody sacrifice necessary to complete the coronation? Does that mean that, according to the traditions of the past, I personally crowned this bastard?

    Disappointment quickly gave way to guttural rage. Blaze was not going to let her people down again. She would never be the moon reflecting someone else's light. She was the great sun of the empire and she was destined to burn, giving her people light and warmth, the flame of hope.

    — What are we going to do, your highness? — Asked Gardon, chained in a nearby cell.

    — Burn.

    The paralyzing poison stopped working. Blaze awakened her abilities and melted the chains holding her.

    Whatever this rat king has in mind, it will not happen. She will break the seals, take the emeralds, and overthrow the usurper.

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    — I don’t know who came up with such a wonderful idea: to make a bunch of soulless armor guards for the castle. But now I do not approve of this idea!

    Silver caught up with Marine and Arlo, who turned into another corridor to break away from the knights pursuing them. The trio had already defeated the iron warriors several times, but after a while knights came back to life again and continued to pursue the heroes.

    The longer the friends ran through the castle labyrinth, the more enchanted knights they encountered. To escape the magical guards, the team entered one of the castle's halls and immediately closed the doors, barricading them with furniture for added security.

    Having gained some time, the heroes needed to decide as quickly as possible what to do next. On the other side of the barricades, the knights were trying to knock down the door that separated them from their targets. There was not much time to think and recuperate.

    — Guys, I think we need to get out of here, — Marine panted, catching her breath after a long run.

    — Let's jump out the window and escape! — The rescued aristocrat suggested to his new friends.

    — Brilliant, Arlo, but I'm afraid we can't leave Blaze and Gardon in the castle, — the girl said indignantly. — Who knows, maybe there are a lot of other iron clowns after them right now.

    While the friends were arguing among themselves, trying to come up with a decent plan for further action, the wide window, where viscount Arlo was standing, swung open.

    A rat-guy climbed onto the windowsill from the street side. Silver immediately recognized the gardener who had recently worked at the castle. However, this time, the employee looked different: his work apron was replaced by a dark robe, a dagger hung on his belt, and gold earrings sparkled in his rat ears.

    Just as Silver wanted to greet Florian, the gardener jumped to the floor and reached for his weapon. The heroes tensed up at once.

    — I'm not your friend, — the guy began, — but not your enemy either.

    — Then give me at least one reason to spare your life, Florian.

    The master of telekinesis menacingly approached his, as he had previously thought, friend. The hedgehog's spines stood on end. If the rat really was a traitor, he couldn't let his guard down.

    But despite the obvious threat, Florian didn't back down and continued: “I have a suggestion for you.”

    — Why should we believe you, mister, if you immediately reach for a knife when you see us? — Arlo asked the mysterious guest a question.

    Cockatoo, although he didn't know the gardener, was not going to trust him so easily, since the rest of the comrades were acting wary.

    — You are in danger, — Florian warned the heroes. — My sisters are chasing you, but I can stop them. Let us go… — The rat guiltily lowered its ears, but didn't hide his dagger.

    The three friends looked at each other in surprise.

    — Your sisters? — Marine snorted. — We've defeated those werewolves long ago! We're running not from them. Savvy? 

    The girl smirked smugly and stuck out her chest, showing that she was proud of their victory in the past battle.

    — You did what!? — Florian was furious. He immediately grabbed Silver by the fur on his chest and put the blade to his throat

    But Silver didn't flinch. It was already clear that the rat was more feigning threats than actually wishing harm on the heroes.

    — Chill, dude, they're fine. — The telekinetic raised his hands in a defensive gesture and pulled back, when Florian loosened his grip.

    Lowering his voice, but still clenching his fists in anger, the gardener asked, “Where are they?”

    Friends told the young man how his sisters had attacked them, but failed. Fortunately for Florian, the defeated killers were not seriously injured, but only remained unconscious in the room where the fight had taken place.

    Cursing, the mobian rat headed for the window, but stopped before leaving.

    — Let me and my sisters leave the castle, they will not harm anyone again. Head to the throne room and deal with the one who arranged all this. The Rat King will soon take over the kingdom, but I don't want to serve him anymore.

    After a moment of silence, during which no one interrupted or touched him, Florian continued.

    — Do not let the rats that this fool controls hurt you. Their paws are covered in poison, — the gardener warned. — Goodbye.

    Florian put his hand to his heart, as if trying to calm its anxious beat. The boy lowered his head and covered his face with the edge of his hood. The rat jumped out of the window and disappeared into the night.

    The heroes allowed the villain's former henchman to leave. The information he provided was a fair exchange for his freedom.

    The knights were knocking on the doors harder and harder. Friends had to hurry, but way to the throne room through the castle's labyrinths was still unknown. The situation seemed desperate. Then Silver took out the sol emerald that Blaze had given him.

    — This stone can get us out of here, — hedgehog explained to his companions. — But there's a problem. It doesn't love me.

    The energy of the emerald burned the palm of the future hero even through the fabric. Now more than ever, Silver regretted not learning teleportation without chaos emeralds or any other magical artifacts. However, there was a way out of this difficult situation.

    Sol emeralds could hear the most sincere wishes and help those in need. Of course, if the emeralds deem it necessary. The three friends, who got into trouble, immediately began to beg the magic stone to save them. The chances of success were small, but no one was going to give up on the idea.

    The enchanted knights didn't give up either. New punches fell with more force on the barricaded door. Soon the wood gave in under the onslaught of the iron warriors. The door cracked and shattered into splinters. Even the furniture that blocked the way was broken.

    Suddenly the room was illuminated by a flash of bright light. At that very moment, the knights burst into the empty hall.

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    Meanwhile, somewhere in the castle...

    The Fire Princess turned into a living torch. Blaze walked down the corridor, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty halls.

    The heat of the fire mistress made the wallpaper on the walls smoulder. The flower arches that the servants had painstakingly assembled in anticipation of the holiday turned to ashes. The curtains, drapes and carpets burst into flames in an instant, as soon as the cat approached them.

    Actually Blaze didn't want to burn down her castle. The flames died out as soon as the cat went far enough. But the heat still caused irreparable damage. The princess didn't pay attention to it.

    For Blaze, the only thing that mattered was her enemies fell. Hordes of rats ran away saving their lives from the hellish flames. The magic knights who came across Blaze's path fearlessly jumped into the fire, but in the blink of an eye they began to melt.

    Step by step, seal by seal, taking sol emeralds back, Blaze was getting closer to her main goal.

    That night, the princess's flame burned brighter than all the stars.

─── ✩₊˚.⋆𖤓⋆⁺₊✧ ───

Chapter Text

─── -ˋˏ ༻𖤓༺ ˎˊ- ───

    The throne room was lit by candles casting a soft yellow light. The stars shone through the window and the full moon danced among them. As the night wore on, the self-proclaimed king continued to celebrate his victory modestly.

    Soon, expensive wines, exquisite delicacies, and the best sweets stored in the castles' storerooms were served in the hall. While eating, the king talked to his protege about his future plans. In Smolder's opinion, the takeover of the kingdom was just the beginning. He promised his friend that all the world's treasures would soon fall at their feet.

    One of Smolder's favorite pet rats slipped into the hall and climbed into master's arms.

    — Here comes my favorite. Eat, please.

    The rat king offered his little servant some cheese. The rodent happily began to devour the food, squeaking occasionally.

    — What are you saying? I can't understand you when you're eating — Smolder listened to his pet.

    — The princess decided to burn us alive? — The cat suddenly hit the table, scaring the rat and mister Edwin with his two guards. — I'm going to give her a lesson. She should have listened to my threats, because now they will come true!

    The angry king rose from his throne. Together with several enchanted knights, he headed for the exit of the hall. But before his majesty had time to reach the end, a bright flash of light illuminated the room, blinding everyone in it. Three figures fell from the air onto the marble floor. The travelers began to rise to their feet, rubbing their bruised places.

    The Rat King froze in fear. His hands began to shake. But soon the fear was replaced by determination and rage. The cat clenched his fists until his joints cracked and shouted: "Get them!"

    The heroes were immediately attacked by the familiar iron warriors, but Silver didn't give them a chance to hurt anyone. The enchanted puppets were instantly enveloped in a blue glow of telekinesis. The magic knights were lifted off the ground and thrown out of the throne room through the windows. Broken glass rained down onto the marble floor.

    Now when the villains were temporarily without their magical support, it was necessary to defeat them as soon as possible. A fierce battle for the fate of the kingdom began in the throne room.

    Without hesitation, Marine picked up a nearby candlestick and rushed to attack with her improvised weapon. Her first target was a pair of confused koalas, the servants of mister Edwin. The terrified Lemon and Melon didn't stand a chance against an experienced fighter like Marine. But they weren't going to give up without a fight.

    At the same time, Arlo got into a fight with his former friend Edwin. Two gentlemen were fighting each other with epees. The air was sliced by swift blows of piercing weapons. Broken glass crunched under the feet of the opponents.

    — You've lied to me again, Edwin! — Arlo the cockatoo, with the ease and grace of his bird species, swiftly delivered precise blows to his slow-moving opponent.

    — It's one thing to mock the young princess and her mistakes, but it's quite another to wish for her death! — Shouted the cockatoo, making another attack lunge towards the enemy.

    At the last moment, Edwin managed to dodge the deadly blow, but the wounds from the previous attacks burned his scales.

    — I've always told you to listen to me and your mansion would be filled with wealth long ago. — Edwin snarled, revealing a row of sharp alligator teeth.

    — But you, fool, have always followed your kind heart at the end of any business we have together. You will not dare to spoil my plan with your weakness this time, Viscount Arlo. A true thief knows that gold is more valuable than friendship.

    The alligator threw his epee aside and lunged at the bird. In hand-to-hand combat, Edwin could easily defeat anyone by biting them in half. If Arlo couldn't betray his ideals, then his life was worth nothing. Villains couldn't let live a bird that knew too much and talked too much.

    While his comrades were fighting hard, Silver decided to deal with the main villain immediately and save the kingdom's future. The Rat King and the Psychokinetic were left alone, surrounded by the chaos of the battle. Smolder hesitated, unsure of whether to attack first. Armed only with a solar saber, without his knights or rats, the cat doubted his chances against a mage from another world.

    Suddenly, the massive oak doors of the throne room burst open. Hordes of rats poured into the room. The rodents ran forward mindlessly, destroying everything in their path.

    Lemon and Melon, two small koalas, instantly lost their courage and ran away, forgetting about Marine, with whom they were fighting. Edwin snapped his teeth at the throat of his opponent, but froze in fear. The terrified Arlo, cornered by the alligator, now didn't know who to fear more. At the appearance of the poisonous rats, everyone in the hall tensed up at once.

    The rodents, whose paws were smeared with dangerous poison, went crazy. The rats ran with loud squeaks, not caring where they truly were going. Anyone who got in the pack's way could suffer from the sharp claws.

    The Rat King was jubilant. With his army nearby, victory would definitely be his. Smolder shouted across the hall, ordering his minions to attack their enemies. But rats didn't listen to him. The gray cat was swinging his saber and tearing his ligaments, giving the order again and again. But afterall the rats still didn't react.

    The small gray creatures ran past the people in the hall, straight to the broken windows, through which they disappeared into the night. The rats' behavior remained a mystery until Blaze appeared in the doorway, surrounded by flames. The rats' primal fear was stronger than the Rat King's mental control, and they left the castle to save their lives from the fire.

    The fire princess slowly walked into the center of the hall. All eyes were on her. In an instant, the glowing seal on the floor flared up. The Sol Emerald, obeying its guardian's sincere will, emerged from its imprisonment within the castle's stone walls.

    Taking advantage of his opponent's confusion, Silver knocked the Rat King down with a wave of energy. Solar saber fell out of Smolder's hand. The hedgehog then threw the last magical emerald into its keeper hands.

    Blaze had finally regained all seven of the Sol Emeralds. The fire mistress immediately used their power to transform into Burning Blaze. In this new form, surrounded by magical flame, the guardian of the Emeralds possessed incredible power. The enemies were filled with fear, as none of them could match such a dangerous force.

    The princess picked up the sun saber from the floor and ran the sharp blade across her palm, covering the steel with blood. The blade shone with a new brilliance in the hands of its new owner. Finally the Sol Castle was under Blaze's control.

    With a blank expression and no hesitation, Blaze pressed the tip of a sharp blade to the defeated usurper's neck. Smolder's gaze darted around the throne room, searching for a way out, but there was none. The villains had been defeated.

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    After past events, with the help of sol emeralds the castle was restored in the shortest possible time. The news of the fire princess' victory over the villain, who tried to seize the throne, spread throughout the kingdom. The people were overjoyed and celebrated not only the restored peace, but also the holiday that took place despite everything.

    The last few days have certainly not been easy for Princess Blaze. But as always, she has managed to overcome all the challenges. Of course, she did this with the help of her friends and loyal subjects. The long-awaited guests from the northern kingdoms have finally arrived in Sol. After this, the princess felt a weight of responsibility finally lifted from her shoulders.

    The streets of the capital were in full swing with the festival. Foreign traders were displaying their unique goods at fairs. And locals were delighting guests with their traditions and grand celebration. Everything was going well.

    The sun, a star burning somewhere far away in space, still illuminated the empire and gave it warmth. Once upon a time, Duke Smolder desired to become a new, better sun for the entire world. He confidently pursued his goal and seized the crown. But after all he was defeated and forgotten, like a nightmare that the entire kingdom dreamed in one night.

    In the dark cells of the Sol Castle's dungeon, the defeated villain and his captured accomplices awaited the trial that would determine their fates. Meanwhile, a fast ship was sailing across the endless ocean surrounding the kingdom.

    On the ship's deck, in addition to the sailors, there were three uninvited guests who had quietly gotten on board and announced themselves only after the ship sailed. The unknown persons paid off the captain and the crew with gold and jewels. The wanderers were heading as far away from the Sol Kingdom as possible, to the very edge of the earth.

    From the ship sailing with a tailwind, Florian looked at the gradually receding land. The capital of the Sol Empire wasn't his and his sisters' home, and there was nothing else keeping them in this place...

    Duke Smolder, their master, had been consumed by his lust for power. Now the rat trio was wanted for their involvement in a coup d'état. The guards were already on their trail and they could no longer remain in the kingdom if they wanted to save their lives.

    Tomorrow at dawn, the children of the rat king will begin a new, finally free life.

______________________

    In one of the castle's rooms, the fire princess and her time-traveler friend were discussing past events and catching up on each other's lives. It was a lovely evening in a Solar Kingdom. The setting sun was shining through the light curtains and the warm evening breeze blew from the sea. 

    The Solar Dimension was the best place to relax and Silver enjoyed spending time here. The calm, measured life on the seacoast helped to relax and forget about any problems. Of course, adventures managed to find a keeper of time even here. Now that all the dangers had passed, and the villains were sitting in the dungeon, the hedgehog was glad to finally spend time with his friend, without rushing anywhere.

    Unfortunately, the peace of two friends was not to last. Footsteps could be heard in the hallway. Someone was quickly approaching the room where the couple was so comfortably settled.

    — Blaaaaze! — Marine shouted, bursting into her friend's chambers.

    — The northern guests brought a bunch of gifts, and you don’t even want to look at them!

    The diplomatic meeting dedicated to establishing relations between the kingdoms was not without its traditional exchange of gifts. Of course, Marine was eager to see what the ambassadors from the distant kingdoms had brought for the princess. However, Blaze had her own plans.

    After all the business was finally settled, the cat immediately hurried to her dear friend. Silver had been visiting the Solar Dimension for quite a while, and Blaze still hadn't had the opportunity to spend time with him without being distracted by work and saving the world. Therefore, the couple was planning to go to the city fair together. Although there was no real reason to rush.

    Noticing the curiosity that appeared on Silver's face, the cat gave in to the little girl: “Just one peek, and that’s all.”

    All together, the friends decided to open the gifts left by the foreign ambassadors. The princess’s attention was drawn to a simple wooden box with holes drilled in the lid. Rustling sounds were coming from the box.

    — Frir!

    A small brown hedgehog was sitting in the open box. Blaze thought the animal was very charming, but she didn’t know how to react to such an original gift, and most importantly, what to do with it next.

    — They gave you a hedgehog! How cute. I thought they don't live in your dimension. — Seeing his fellow species, Silver laughed and picked up the little spiky ball.

    Marine was as surprised by the gift as her friends. She had never seen hedgehog animals in her life.

    Gardon will be delighted! After Sonic the hedgehog lived with us, and then Silver the hedgehog lived with us, people finally understood what the royal family lacks for complete happiness! — The girl concluded.

    Remembering her advisor, Princess Blaze thought that the new pet would probably bring a lot of trouble. Mobian hedgehogs who got into the Solar Dimension always brought adventures with them, but were independent and gladly helped with all the chaos. Then someone definitely would have to take care of the hedgehog from the box. However, Blaze wasn't sure she had enough time to take care of the little pet. The fear of a new responsibility that she might not be able to handle overwhelmed her.

    Seeing the frown on Blaze's face, Marine thought that her words had not produced the effect she had expected, and she hurried to dispel her friend's gloomy thoughts.

    — Don't worry, Blaze, we'll send this hedgehog to work in the kitchen. He'll catch mice, and as a reward he'll be fattened up to a round ball.

    Of course, it was better not to overfeed the pet, but Marine's plan really calmed the princess down.

    The current king and queen were wise rulers, but even they sometimes made mistakes. After leaving the Sol Kingdom, they left their young princess alone with many of her own problems and unresolved issues.

    Of course, Princess Blaze was strong-willed and intelligent, and she wasn't afraid to take on challenging tasks. However, sometimes she needed help. Unfortunately, this time, there were enemies hiding among the countless servants her parents had hired. This nearly led to the collapse of the kingdom. The secret knowledge that even the royal family didn't know about was used against the heroes. Despite the difficulties, the princess and her friends defeated the villains.

    One day, Blaze will become a true queen, and she will be a great ruler, leading the kingdom to prosperity. And if evil awakens again, she hopes that her loyal friends will always be there to help.

    Of course, once upon a time the young princess was taught that there is no more stupid and deceptive feeling than hope. But hope always came to the rescue and supported in difficult times. The sun will always shine brightly for all the inhabitants of the empire, no matter what.

    Blaze will definitely take care of this.

    And now, while there is time, she will enjoy the peace with her friends. If trouble comes, together the heroes will always cope with any difficulties. Be it mysterious ghosts, wild rats, cunning enemies or now even a small hedgehog.

The End ~ ☀︎₊˚⊹

_________________________

    — Who is our favorite little hedgehog? — Gardon asked the wild hedgehog, who was happily eating a sliced apple.

    At first, the advisor was skeptical about the new royal pet. Keeping animals in the castle made no sense except for entertainment. This only could cause unnecessary trouble, which the employees had enough of. But then the elderly koala took a liking to the adorable baby, who was snorting so funny.

    — It's me! And I want to eat too! — Answered Silver, who was sitting nearby.

    The mobian hedgehog was already thinking of making an offended face, when suddenly a ripe red apple was thrust into his hands. Silver immediately licked his lips in anticipation of the sweet fruit and took a bite. Through his chewing, the boy mumbled a thank you, which Gardon rolled his eyes at.

    — We're all the same, — the advisor thought. — Someone picks up wild cats or dogs from the street. But we're the only ones in the Solar Kingdom who adopt hedgehogs from another dimension.

─── -ˋˏ ༻𖤓༺ ˎˊ- ───