Chapter 45- Sin They had managed to bandage and tend to the various slashes, bruises and wounds on the squirrel. She hadn’t awoken, as for the most part all the others were awake from being unconscious or are now simply asleep. Sotsu sat alone at the edge of the camp atop a large boulder. The moon was full, his black fur held the same tone as the night sky. His arms rested on his legs and his back was slightly hunched over, his posture not being it’s best both because of physical stress as well as emotional turmoil he was still suffering from. He cast a glance back at the group, Quicksilver resting sound with his back against one of the logs, Generation leaning on him, both asleep and tranquil. Sotsu felt a slight sense of jealously for the yellow echidna. He wanted to be with Skara right now; unfortunate for him she was somewhere a few thousand miles away. Wolf laid out lazily near the fire with Karzola wrapped tightly in a bedroll nearby. Eron and Carmen were talking off at the other side of the camp as not to disturb the resting group. Gray set nicely asleep with his back against an oak, Spitfire nearby just incase he should need it. Jim held sound asleep laying near the fire which seemed as if it’s life were about to diminish any minute. Welkin slept at another end of the camp with his back against a trunk, Shekaru rested soundly held in his arms protectively. Finally Raven came into view. He was a ways off of the camp area, there he stood atop another large rock. A vigilante sentinel, a true warrior, unshifting and rightful of his cause. Sotsu held an admiration for the fox’s strength, even in the toughest of situations he never panicked or gave in. Sotsu looked back over the bleak expanse of forest set in front of him. He set his view toward down to the ground in shame. He never once was proud of himself, for anything he did, it always seemed to result in more suffering, be it his or others. The black echidna sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He breathed in the cold air of the night, letting it cool his system and try to calm his nerves. His feelings at times like this tipped dangerously to the dark end. Of course he always considered feelings just an excuse for stupid actions, that’s why he never tried to express them, though many times he failed to do so. This resulted in many things he regretted. His outburst earlier was one of them. Because of that, the small group of Freedom Fighters had found them, and that nearly cost everyone their lives. Fortunately so far they had not seen a sign of the other Freedom Fighters. Sotsu knew with his luck they would find them, then another battle would ensue and possibly the cost of it all would be the lives of a few, friends of foe it didn’t matter. A life is a life and something as valuable to that was never worth wasting. Sotsu felt the warm presence of something in his mind. As if, something or perhaps even, someone, homely, kind and gentle to him, was reaching out and touching his mind. His heart felt a tingle, as this presence seemed to caress his mind. His eyes, still closed, in his mind’s eye an image formed. Swirls of brown, green and purple mist formed and solidified into the shape of a beautiful echidna. Strong brown shoes held firm on the black recess of the mental expanse. The black legs of her pants went up to just under her slender mid-section of soft purple fur; completing the basic attire was a tight black top of the same material. Over the lean figure hung a heavy brown long coat, it’s ends shaded to that of hunter green, the same color of the tips of her hair. Her lavender dreadlocks were tied into a long braid that hung at to bottom of her back. Her long tail hung down just about ankle level. Sunglasses hid her soft jade irises, the windows to her soul. Heavy bangs set halfway down her face, jutting from her jade hair and ending in a tranquil hunter green. She took her hands, which were cover with black finger-less gloves, to her glasses and slowly slid them off. Her jade pools seemed fixed toward the black echidna. "Where are you Skara? I can sense you. But where are you?" Sotsu questioned. As if answering, the other echidna turned and a landscape filled Sotsu’s view. A desert expanse, as vast as Sotsu’s mind could comprehend filled the area. "Sandopolis?" Sotsu questioned himself, remembering a picture of the place from one of the comics he had read. Skara turned her head to look behind her, then she slid her glasses back on and her wings extended forth to reveal their elegance and beauty. The Angel, the only person that kept Sotsu driving forth for a goal he found worthwhile. She flew off into the wasteland expanse and disappeared. There stood the Black Knight, now in his black suit, in the strong desert wind that flapped his thick dreadlocks behind him. The sand stirred and he strained his gold eyes from behind his blue sunglasses to try and see if Skara was still there. Nothing. Nothing but the dammed sand. Disappoint found Sotsu’s heart and stabbed it cold with bitterness. Sotsu slowly opened his eyes from the short dream-like state to find another person to have replaced Sotsu’s love. Another black echidna, cruelty of the darkest of nights, vile as the bottom steps leading into Hell. A living demon, stood where Skara had once stood. Unfortunate for Sotsu this was real now. Sotsu could feel the pure evil hanging from this creature though, and it made Sotsu’s skin crawl and set his nerves on edge. A slight breeze picked up, sending the new comers tattered green cape fluttering. A long-sleeved, thick, gray top ruffled silently. One hand held down his large, floppy brown hat, a silver belt buckle on the hat shone in the light of the full moon. Sotsu noticed bits of straw sticking from underneath the large brown top, as well as from other parts of his attire. His slender black legs were fitted on the bottom with large boots that matched the hat. The scarecrow-echidna stood there standing erect, silent, his head bowed with his blood-red eyes which peered from behind a sharp and pointed nose, locked onto Sotsu’s. "Where is Breeze?" the mysterious echidna questioned Sotsu in a thick voice. Sotsu plopped down from his resting place and approached the other echidna, his hands falling near his hoistels, ready to snap up the akimbo should it be necessary. "I’m unsure of who you are referring to," Sotsu stated. "A female squirrel came around this way a few hours ago. Tell me where she is," the other echidna demanded. "Can I at least know the name of the person who’s questioning me?" Sotsu asked, raising his voice as the wind picked up to a powerful gust. The other echidna seemed to take the question as it were a threat as he lifted up his head slightly and eyed Sotsu down in a near menacing manner. His eyes stabbed into Sotsu’s with painful precision. The small ruby’s pierced Sotsu’s soul and seemed to force him to yield. "The name is Croh," he replied, as he levered his glance to meet Sotsu’s. "Now tell me where is Breeze," the dark figure asked, drawing out his words as if he were explaining something to a small child. "Stay here where I can see you," Sotsu growled, "I’ll go get her." Sotsu walked hastily over to the main of the group, about the fire. He glanced up at Raven who was facing toward the area with a slight look of concern on his face. "Even Raven senses something amiss with this guy," Sotsu noted quietly to himself. His fur prickled as a cool gust of wind picked up, killing the weak fire that was left, to leave a thick smoke rising from the ashes and rock. Sotsu looked behind him to where Croh is, no, to where he was. To Sotsu’s horror the scarecrow terror that was the black echidna known as Croh, was no where to be seen. Sotsu instantly took up the LED on his glasses and his eyes darted about in panic. His akimbo up and on guard with a stored charge of shadow energy just in case. Raven took a graceful and swift leap to the Black Knight’s side. "What is it Sotsu? Where is-" Raven began calmly before Sotsu quickly cut in. "I dunno. But if we don’t find him, it can mean trouble. We gotta wake everyone! Especially that squirrel. He’s after the squirrel!" Sotsu exclaimed. "God shut the hell up Sotsu," Wolf mumbled, grogginess dripping in his voice. "No time! Everyone get up! We’ve got… er…" Sotsu stopped in failing to find a word to fit Croh's status. "An intruder?" Raven suggested with a slight shrug. "Er… an intruder!" Sotsu shouted. "I’ll stick with you Sotsu," Raven said drawing his blade. "Don’t want anyone else killing me?" Sotsu replied with a wide grin. "You got it," Raven nodded. "I never knew you cared," Sotsu teased. Raven just replied back with a quizzical glance. "Er… sorry," the black echidna apologized. Within a few mere moments the group, though tired and half-awake, stood armed and for the most part ready; even Breeze was up, she took near the front of the band with Sotsu. "What’s going on?" she asked, confused with the current happenings. "Some guy’s after you. We think he might mean harm," Sotsu replied. "Croh? He’s here!?" she asked rather panic-stricken. "That guys this bad huh?" Raven asked. "Let’s just hope he’s having one of his better days," Breeze replied sternly, as she pulled fourth a small blade from a leg band, that held a rather numerous set of them; Sotsu also noticed that the kevlar top she wore adorned several pockets and slits for the same form of weapons. The chill night air held thick. Tension ran ramped about the group as a few asked questions relating to this event. Stress built on Sotsu. He knew something was defiantly with Croh. His senses, be it his scientifically enhanced senses, or his telepathic ones, Sotsu picked up on some pure and bitter evil within that echidna that was unnatural. It was more potent then Kragok’s, more then Robotnik’s, more then anything he had ever felt. Sotsu knew if a fight endured it would be a brutal one that would serve costly. Sotsu growled silently as finally a sonar reading picked up on something a few strides away. Sotsu turned to where his glasses had indicated, and there stood Croh, atop the very same large rock Sotsu had only moments ago. The moon was low behind him, the cold draft of the night picked up again. Sotsu shook his head as he looked up through his blue lenses, reading off the indications on the green text of the LED. The thermometric sensory only picked up the objects about the vile creature, his form held nothing but a freezing abyss. A slight gleam of moonlight picked up off the small dirk that was held loosely in the echidna’s right hand which was low near his side. His other hand was posed with all fingers standing stiff except the middle that was bent down. He stood as a sinister over-viewer of the Great Forest. His expression seemed almost blank, as if inside his demons and devils where at peace and he was no more then a mere echidna. Sotsu, Raven, Gray, and apparently Breeze knew otherwise. The three, though not knowing Croh like Breeze did, had the innate ability to perceive the deception of a mere ragged and tattered thief Croh showed himself to be. The three sensed the echidna to be something beyond a sensible and comprehensible evil. Something far beyond the twisted minds of the Dark Legion, beyond the twisted depths of Enerjak. It was something that hell itself had known and cast upon this land. A dark presence that plagued the land, yet despite it’s power it always managed to keep low and never be noticed except for those open to such things. Sotsu felt that this person could be the Child of Armageddon, the Ender, the Prince of Darkness, perhaps Death himself. Sotsu didn’t know. But what Sotsu did know is that he was here. Whatever he was, whoever he was, whatever he represented, he was here. Standing before the group stood a force which was more then to be feared. The scarecrow-echidna produced a small gold coin from within his cape and held it posed to flip upon his left hand. His eyes took toward the piece of currency, his expression was soft and almost hurt looking, his blood eyes held a sense of innocence, a bitter twisted deceiving lie. "By the time this coin hits the ground," Croh began, his voice seeming almost soft now, as if he where a small child stating something with awe, "you will all be dead." Croh is © of Generation 8 Credit to Generation 8 for the submission of Croh Breeze is © of Biafra Republic Credit to Biafre Republic for the submission of Breeze -Nicholas D. Wolfwood-