Chapter 21- Flying Menace 

Sotsu awoke at first light. He began to trek back to Knothole in hope that Skara was alright. He was worried that the Dark Legion may have kidnapped her in the middle of the night or something like that.

Sotsu reached the town quickly and began to quickly and quietly head toward the inn. The only people gone from the town really were the Freedom Fighters. The ex-earthlings didn’t go to the ARK because they were ordered to stay at the town to defend it if needed.

He reached the inn and knocked on Skara’s door. He waited for a few minutes figuring Skara was probably getting dressed or something. He patiently stood for a few minutes, then knocked again.

He waited for another few minutes then finally decided to try the door.

"Skara. If you’re in there I’m gonna come in. If you answer or something I won’t," Sotsu called out as he grabbed the doorknob.

He slowly turned it and then slowly entered. The window was open. No Skara anywhere.

"Skara?" Sotsu called out. He looked about in panic.

"Skara!" 

Sotsu ran out to the innkeeper who sat at the front desk.

"Where’s the purple echidna that I brought here last night?" Sotsu demanded.

"I no know," the innkeeper replied shrugging his shoulders. 

"She not here then you pay," the large warthog said pressing a finger toward Sotsu.

"I don’t have any money ask Sally for some," Sotsu said as he began to head out.

"No no! You pay!" the warthog said drawing a shotgun from the bottom of the desk.

"You pay now!" he exclaimed.

Sotsu stopped and turned upon hearing the cocking of the firearm.

"You pay now!" the warthog repeated, holding the sights on Sotsu.


Sotsu glared at the innkeeper. The edges of the barrel began to fold inward and close the barrel.

"What? What happen?" the innkeeper said ignorantly as he starred at his gun folding upon itself.

"Tell Sally I said hi," Sotsu said as he exited.

Sotsu now planned just on heading back to the Floating Island in hopes to get there before the Dark Legion plan on making their move. He felt bad the Skara left without him. He hoped she was safe at least.

"Sotsu hey! I still want to talk to you!" Sotsu heard Kevin shout from his hut.

"Yeah what’da want!" Sotsu shot back harshly. 

The cooxen came out of his hut and toward Sotsu.

"I want to know a few things. One why you’re acting like a jerk ,and second I want to know what’s wrong," the cooxen said.

"Look. There’s stuff happening on the Floating Island, a lot has happened since I’ve left Knothole," Sotsu explained, trying to actually sound nice despite him being very irritated by Kevin’s persistency.

"Where’s you’re…" Kevin was about to ask but was cut off.

"She’s not. And I dunno," Sotsu replied, already knowing what the conclusion Kevin had probably jumped to was.

"Hmm. Okay then ,well your friends miss you and there driving everyone else crazy. Ya’ think you could visit them before you leave?" Kevin asked.

"Nope. Gotta run, their your problem now. You wanted to help right? Well you can by staying outta this," Sotsu began to run off toward the direction he had came into Knothole from.

"Sotsu! You emotionally void bastard! Come back here!" Kevin shouted.

He was about to chase after Sotsu but the echidna had already planned that to happen. Sotsu had formed a flash-bang, much like the one he had used against Remoan. In a bright flash the black echidna disappeared.

Sotsu was charging though the Great Forest at in incredible speed. He was not only using air molecules to make him move at a faster speed but he was manipulating his own metabolism. He was going at least three-quarters as fast as Sonic could go, which was much faster then most people could move at full speed.

He used his current momentum and leapt off the ground sending him flying high into the air, from there Sotsu continued flying. He was surprised to find how far he had already traveled. It was only a matter of time before he’d reach the Floating Island. Hopefully that Skara girl had made it to safety.

Sotsu heard a faint whining sound. Then he saw a large black fighter jet of some sort fly a ways above him and into the horizon.

"Dark Legion has jets? Shit!" Sotsu shouted aloud, having spotted the Dark Legion’s emblem on the tail fin.

No sooner as he had finished saying that, a squad of five jets came speeding from the horizon. They were in a delta formation and each of them launched a pair of Mavericks at Sotsu then split formation.

"In the name of Chaos you guys are suicidal," Sotsu said to himself as he turned his body sideways and went between the missiles. Then he turned and with a flip of one hand the missiles began to turn and follow him. He had done that on purpose. He intended to fly them right into the jets when they came back around.

Sure enough they did… but from each direction. They all were flying at different elevations though, for obvious reasons of not wanting to kamikaze into the others. 

Sotsu focused the missiles to aim two to each jet. Sotsu couldn’t direct them that orderly, so as each jet flew about, the missiles totally got off aim, each one flying off to some random location.

The pilots quickly flipped about and opened fire on Sotsu using their chin-mounted machine guns. Sotsu fly toward one and zipped past the right-most jet. He turned about and shot off a shadow blast aimed toward the engines of that one. The jet began a lower U-turn, which caused the shadow blast to hit the tail segment and blast it apart. With smoke rising and the jet falling, the pilot ejected out and parachuted to the safety of the forest. 

Sotsu looked up to see the other jets had already regrouped and were once again delta formation and firing upon him. Sotsu flew directly under the gun-fire and as the jets zipped over head, he dashed upward and latched himself to the bottom of one. His clothes rippled loudly as he was going along at a very fast speed. His hat flipped off and he quickly got it before it flew off. Sotsu plopped the hat back on his head and held onto it with one hand. Sotsu could feel that the jets were turning as he was nearly ripped from his location by the immense force. 

Sotsu pushed his still-holding-onto-the-jet-hand against the cold metal surface and began to charge shadow energy into the hull. He heard some frantic shouting as the console of the jet began to spark. Then Sotsu shoved off just as the cockpit hatch busted off and the pilot ejected. As Sotsu was falling downward he could see the jet ignite and exploded, the pilot slowly floating downward.

The three other jets flew over Sotsu’s head, reminding him of some kind of hunting birds stalking their prey until seeing it fit to strike. As Sotsu regained his flight and hovered high in the air above the forests he waited for the jets return. 

He was answered as their engines were heard shortly before they came into sight. Now in a triangle formation they launched quick light-damage missiles. Sotsu flew straight toward them. He flew into the middle, grabbing to two side ones and letting the top one pass overhead. 

By some fluke the two side one didn’t blow as Sotsu carried them as he U-turned and flew after the three remaining Dark Legion jets. He stalked them for a little bit until they began to U-turn. As they did Sotsu followed their arc and as the jets came about the other way Sotsu pushed the missiles in their path, blowing apart the two side jets. Then as the last remaining jet was heading straight for Sotsu, Sotsu quickly dashed to his left side and brought up his shadow blade.

The blade dug into the hull of the jet as it moved along. The hull screeched loudly as it was torn apart and as Sotsu reached the engine he quickly dropped out before the jet exploded in a bright orange and red fireball. 

Sotsu slowly lowered until he right above the trees. He let his shadow blade disappear as he watched the three last pilots drop from view as they parachuted downward. Sotsu let out a long breath as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. 

"Come on Sotsu no time to waste! I’ve gotta get back to that Floating Island!" with that the black echidna jetted off, still staying air-borne.

As the after-noon dawned Sotsu found the Floating Island hovering over the horizon. Sure enough… a smaller island was hovering over it, the Dark Legion’s Floating Fortress. It had a landmass hanging below it similar to that of the Floating Islands. But only a single structure was upon it, a large black and silver castle.

"Time for the Black Knight to pay a visit to his castle," Sotsu said grinning at how much of a corny comic book line that sounded. 

Sotsu diverted his path upward, heading straight for the Dark Legion HQ. As his elevation heightened and he got closer the floating menace of a fortress, he noticed jets and helicopters that wavered about heavily guarding it. Sotsu closed his eyes and drew from his very core, then he jetted off even faster the before. 

"Incoming UFO from 12 o’ clock. Do you read me Beta Dogbert?" one of the pilots called over the intercom of the cockpit.

"I read ya’ Broom Helda… commander says kill everything that comes near the place… over," the pilot heard in reply.

"Alright then! All units commence attack! I’ve got readings it’s the Black Knight! Go go go go!"

Sotsu charged toward the spear head jets that fired on him. He charged straight for the center of them as he brought up two shadow blades and slashed open two of the jets. Then when they exploded it took out the three others.

He now reached level with the Floating Island. Several lone helicopters flew about firing on him with an assortment of missiles and machine gun fire. Sotsu weaved in and out of the fire. He closed in on one of the helicopter and blasted out the back segment was a powerful shadow blast. Then he flipped about and headed for another one, cutting the propeller with one of his shadow blades. 

He circled in the air as some machine gun fire followed him about. Then the black echidna flipped one of his shadow blades in his hand and hurled it at the remaining helicopter. It cut off one of the blades of the helicopter causing it to waver about and loose altitude. 

Sotsu summoned another shadow blade and resumed his course toward the Dark Legion HQ. Another six jets flew right by Sotsu. He turned and began to blast at them using shadow blasts. The jets U-turned and each one fired a missile cluster. The barrage of mini-missiles all exploded pre-maturely tearing apart the jets, Sotsu had used his telekinesis to put pressure on all of the tips of the missiles. 

Sotsu turned just in time to see two more jets flying toward him. As they passed by him he thrust out his arms to his sides that caused the jets to tear open from Sotsu’s shadow blades. Sotsu quickly began his course again. 

He reached the underside of the landmass of the Dark Legion’s Floating Fortress. Several automated turrets popped up from the earth. There were circular and had a bright silver color. They began shooting bursts of yellow laser at Sotsu. They were dotted along and fairly spaced out well.

Sotsu quickly took an approximate toll of about ten of them at the present time, there were most likely more all over the fortress.

Sotsu dived down just as most of the fire passed overhead. Then he brought up his shadow swords and cross-slashed them in front of his body. They projected a semi-circular slash projectile made from the shadow material. The two projectiles each found home in a turret and it detonated.

Sotsu continued upward avoiding the fire to the best of his abilities. Two more jets zipped by Sotsu, when they began to turn Sotsu had already prepared a shadow blast for both of them. Sotsu had to dodge an oncoming barrage of laser blasts from the turrets so he couldn’t take his aim. As he shot one blast it struck one jet blowing it clean, the other managed to dive under the blast and began to open fire on Sotsu.

Sotsu headed straight for the oncoming jet and right as he was going to make collision he arched up. The pilot wasn’t fast enough to react to the oncoming salvo of turret-fire, the lasers smashed into the jet’s engines and the burning flyer crashed into the landmass taking out two turrets with it.

Sotsu finally rounded the edge of the Dark Legion’s Floating Fortress and landed atop the ground. He was meet by several more turrets and Dark Legion guards armed with a broad assortment of heavy weapons. 

"I won’t give in!" Sotsu shouted as he headed for one of the turrets. The gunfire danced about him, several made a very close shave leaving slightly singed hair. Sotsu closed the distance with the particular turret and leapt high up to close the distance faster. He hit one foot on the turret’s head and used that to leap again. Sotsu flicked one hand downward and blasted the turret as he took higher to the air. 

The fortress walls were no more then a dozen yards away. The dark palace loomed over the area, it radiated with the Dark Legion’s corruption. The metal castle was the sole structure on the small floating island, but it alone was intimidating enough to keep most away. Sotsu on the other hand was here to take the whole place out… if it’s at the cost of his life he’d believe it to be worth. And he wouldn’t allow himself to die in vain.

Sotsu flew upward to land inside on of the castle windows. Inside he was meet with a harsh greeting of gunfire as a small group of five Dark Legionaries shot at him with their small silver pistols. Sotsu merely dodged them until he was within arms reach. He picked up one by the scruff and violently pressed him onto a wall, the other four retreated in fear.

Sotsu didn’t show a hint of humor or mercy, his eyes holding on his victim like two burning stones.

"Where can I find Kragok?" Sotsu demanded.

"I… in the Throne Room!" the Dark Legionnaire stammered. 

"Take me there," Sotsu said as he let the Dark Legionnaire to the ground.

"Ye…yes sir!" the Dark Legionnaire replied nervously. 

Sotsu held the robed figure at gunpoint. He ordered him to tell his men to lower their arms or his brains will be the new wallpaper of the place. In terror from the threat the Dark Legionnaire ordered down the guards arms.

The two walked down several metal hallways and corridors filled with guards and machines until finally he robed figure led Sotsu to a large double-door that held an elaborate design that contained several exotic metals and gemstones. 

"This is it sir," the Dark Legionnaire said humbly.

"Thanks," Sotsu replied as he opened the door that produced a loud creak.

The Dark Legionnaire ran off as Sotsu entered the room. It was a very large room. A red carpet ran from the door that Sotsu had just entered to the throne on which sat Kragok who was surrounded by female slaves. The floor was of black and white marble. From the ceiling hung exquisite chandeliers. The demon stood to Kragok’s right and another important echidna figure to his left.

"Sickening," Sotsu said to himself as he watched Kragok brush away the slaves as he stood up.

"You’ve come back to me my Black Knight. Are you looking for death? Or are you looking for your angel?" as Kragok finished the echidna to his right began to head off. He was a brown echidna with large black shoes, each had a metal strip bolted to the front, his pants and button-up vest were brown as well as a hat which sat atop his head, of which underneath hung strands of hair with an assortment of colorful beads. One thing particularly interesting about him were his cybernetic arms. Each one was fairly heavy looking, made of a dark metal material and the forearms each held a large mounted gun that was finished with a blue-lighted aimer. 

"Yes retrieve her for me Lemetris will you?" Kragok asked the echidna.


Kragok grinned broadly as the brown echidna pulled Skara out from behind a door near the far corner of the room. She was awake and struggling against the strong grip of Lemetris’ metal arms.

"You join us or…" Kragok stopped and waved his normal arm… Hellfire went over and pummeled Skara in the face… Skara being in a weak state at the present moment feel.

"Or we shall continue," Kragok finished.

"Also if you try anything heroic…" Kragok waved his mechanical arm and a view screen opened above the throne he was on. A picture of Echidnapolois appeared. 

"I can assure you if I wanted to I could blow the place sky-high," Kragok said sinisterly as he brought a small remote out from his robes.

"Let go of me you asshole!" Skara shouted struggling.

"Shut up!" Hellfire shouted as she slapped Skara hard across the face.

Sotsu felt anger swell up. He clenched his fists trying to control himself.

"Join us or they all die," Kragok demanded.

"Fine then… I will," Sotsu replied.

-Nicholas D. Wolfwood-