Chapter 7 - CH VII: Revelations

Linda-Su sprinted to Knothole. The King and Queen had recently stepped down due to health concerns, leaving their two eldest children, Princess Sally and Prince Elias, in charge. They were always concerned when an echidna showed up, least of all the heiress of a prominent member.

Linda-Su was panting as she bowed to Sally and Elias. “Linda-Su? Are you okay?” Linda nodded, then changed her mind. “You know Ekyt, he’s the human guardian? He needs medical attention! I’ll explain, but I fear the worst…” Sally and Elias exchanged grim glances. “Of course. Elias, you know him better, will you see to that?” “Of course Sister.”

Ekyt woke up, laying on the ground. He looked down at his chest, feeling the mass of blood. “What the hell…this is mine…but it isn’t ALL mine…I wasn’t even hurt…that damn ring…I don’t know what it’s doing to me, but I will se it destroyed.” That would come later, he was more concerned with finding Linda-Su. Pulling his robe closed after wiping the worst of it off. His strength had returned, so he climbed back on the horse, heading for the remains of Castle Acorn.

The castle had been destroyed in the terrible war against Dr. Robotnik. Now, the Freedom Fighters (Sonic and co) had taken some of their land back. The citizens were now hidden safely within the castle. They had repeled a few minor invasion attempts by Robotnik’s remaining robots. The mood was one of jubiliation as though the war was finished. Ekyt didn’t approve. But then again, he was a strange case. Perhaps some people need hope to survive…Maybe I do too…But when hope fails you, strength is what will push you forward, or so it is told…If that IS true, then I worry for the sake of most of those who will remain…they will be few in number… Ekyt was simply reciting the proverbs to pass the time, however appropriate they turned out to be.

Ekyt hitched the horse up. Two guards stepped in front of him. “I’m with Linda-Su, part of a delegation from Angel Island.” Ekyt said. “Have you proof?” One barked. “There’s no time for that! Escort me in if you don’t trust me!” Ekyt snarled, shoving the man aside. He had a job to do, and damned if some guard was going to stop him.

He kicked open the doors, to find Elias, Linda-Su, and Sally staring at him. Linda-Su got up and ran over to him. “You’re alright…thank Steppenwolf, you’re alright!” She couldn’t believe it. “Only a fraction of the blood was mine Linda-Su. We need to know more about the ring and what it does to it’s bearer.” Elias, Sally, and Linda-Su all looked away as one. “You know something of it?” Ekyt was furious. “Well…yes. You already know it saps the life force of it’s bearer. It also taps into a source of great evil. Great power, but great evil. It would kill an echidna easily. That’s the source of the blood.” Elias explained.

Linda-Su looked nervously at Ekyt. He had his hand inside his robes, feeling his chest. “You knew, didn’t you?” Ekyt said quietly. Linda-Su would have preferred it had he yelled. “I did. But I couldn’t tell you. You had to find out yourself.” She saw a spark in his eyes. “Why do I have to learn everything by suffering! What the hell is it going to hurt if I hear the risks first? I’d like to think I’m disciplined enough to the point where it wouldn’t cloud my judgment!” he shook his head, sorry for the rant. “I’m sorry, that’s not fair to you…you have to follow orders, the same as I do…forgive me for saying that.” Ekyt bowed slightly, heading off to find lodging for the night.

Linda followed him as he navigated the castle’s passageways. “Look, I understand you’re upset, and I certainly understand why!” Ekyt found the door he was looking for. Linda would be safely hidden here. “You should get some rest, you’ve had a trying day.” Ekyt said by way of response. There were two beds in the room, along with a desk. It was decorated royally with the crest of King Acorn. “You’re going to keep me company tonight, right?” Linda asked. Ekyt spared a glance over his shoulder. “I’ll be on guard.” His answer was slightly rough. He couldn’t help it. He just couldn’t understand why things were working this way.

Linda-Su sat down, not happy about the turn of events. “Please…sit with me for a minute.” She said/asked/ordered, patting the bed next to her. Ekyt sat down, his eyes straight forward.

“I think we need to talk…And…wait a minute…open your robe!” she exclaimed. Ekyt didn’t want to, but he reluctantly opened his robe. His white shirt (The same one he wore at the ceremony) was blood stained. Linda put a cautious finger to it. “You’re still bleeding.” She said, surprised. “It’s nothing.” Ekyt answered. “Take off your shirt. You’re hiding something.” She said, not wanting to order him around, but knowing at the same time it was the only way she was going to get an answer out of him.

Ekyt started to, but had to stop, wincing in pain. “When I passed out, I cut my shoulder on a rock. I can’t get the shirt off.” Linda-Su, praying that nobody saw this, reached forward and pulled his shirt off for him. She felt him tense up, as though he was ready to attack, even though she knew he wouldn’t.

She took a look at his shoulder first. It was a minor wound that would cause him discomfort for a couple days. She looked at his back, seeing a few scratches, but nothing major. Then she looked at his chest and nearly passed out. “Ekyt, I thought you said this was nothing!” she exclaimed, sickened by the amount of blood. “It’s nothing. Take a closer look, most of it’s not mine. That ring must somehow use the blood of it’s enemies AND it’s bearer to attack.” He was breathing heavy, mostly due to nerves. It felt wrong to be sitting there, half-naked in front of a girl who just happened to be his boss. She cares about my well-being… Ekyt thought, not for the first time, but surprised nonetheless. This is disturbing…between the blood…and the fact I lost my temper…I’m not master of anything…she must know that. Maybe I was right. I’m a glorified pawn in a game of chess, protecting the queen…except now the queen doesn’t want her pawn hurt…That’s the way war works…there’s more she’s not telling me. But I’m not going to ask, I’m used to secrets. They’ll reveal themselves in due time, more than likely…

Linda-Su narrowed her eyes. “There’s something you aren’t telling me Ekyt…about why you’re the way you are.” Ekyt looked up. She had just thrown him a curve ball. “I’m sure I covered everything…” Linda smiled comfortingly. “You know you can talk to me. I want to know. As a friend.” Ekyt coughed slightly, not hiding his surprise as well as he hoped. With a sigh, he began:

“It’s been almost two years since I arrived on Angel Island. I didn’t know of what went on behind the scenes. The Brotherhood was divided on their opinion of me. Locke was all for giving me a chance, however unconventional. Spectre…he wished me dead, and I think he tried, at times, to make sure that happened. Athair knew something the rest of them didn’t, and he refused to say. Your mother…she didn’t like me, but was willing to let me try.” Ekyt paused briefly to catch his breath, then continued. “They tested my will many times…at one point they had me killed, to test my loyalty. I passed, but I was bitter…Very bitter. I felt I was deserving of more trust than that. I was told “This is how we do things” and then banished when I confronted them. That hurt. What you’ve got to understand is, that without the job, I’m nothing more than a pathetic human who never found his niche on his own planet. So, after I was welcomed back by Locke, I trained non-stop. The tests continued, and I grew more bitter. But loyalty kept me bound to their traditions.”

He stopped. Linda looked away. “This hasn’t been fair to you, has it? All the effort you’ve put in…the loyalty you’ve shown…and you’re asked to die…” She looked at him, her beautiful, emerald-green eyes glistening. She took his hand, holding it for a moment. “I promise you…no order such as that will pass my lips…of that, I can give you my word…” She held his hand, raising it, bending her wrist and his into the form of an ancient echidna symbol meaning “promise.”

She held it there for a moment, as was the custom, before placing his hand gently back down. He looked away. “This means a lot…The fact that you actually care for my well-being…it’s a nice surprise.” He managed to say, embarrassed to no end. He had always been the untouchable, mystery character that no-one could figure out.

“Of course I care!” she replied, surprised at his reaction. “Did you think I didn’t?” “I don’t know what I thought…or even if I thought at all…” He got up, using a towel he had found to wipe the blood off his chest. He looked out the window. It was a peaceful day, belying the turmoil that was engulfing everyone involved.

Linda-Su placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He flinched at the touch, but turned around to see what she wanted. She pulled him into a hug. Her tears ran down his chest. “I miss my mother Ekyt…she was always my pillar of strength. My father could rot, the world could end, but she would always be there…always…” She looked up at him, her chin resting on his chest. “Do you understand any of this? You show so little emotion, I can’t tell.” Ekyt closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “I feel it. It’s just my training, or maybe my nature, that doesn’t allow me to show it. I DO care. I don’t like to see anyone unhappy, least of all those he treat me courteously.”

Linda-Su was a bit startled; he hadn’t said something so deep since she had known him. She decided now to tell him one of the reasons he was chosen for this mission.

She sat on the bed, while he knelt at her feet. “Another damn custom…you never give those a rest, do you!” she laughed. He turned red, apparently not sure how to reply. She spared him that trouble by continuing. “You have shown me so much respect Ekyt. Most everyone disliked me, thinking I was nothing but a pampered, spoiled princess. And even though I’ve kept secrets from you, there you are, staying loyal to the Brotherhood’s orders. I don’t deserve that, the same as you didn’t deserve me keeping secrets, orders or not. Right now, I want to remedy that.” Ekyt looked up curiously, but stayed kneeling.

“You already know you were chosen for this mission because you were human. I don’t know many other reasons, but I can tell you this one: Before she died, you earned my mother’s favor by defying the Dark Legion. She deemed you worthy to protect me. And believe me, coming from my mother, that’s a big deal.” Ekyt looked up again, questioningly. “So there was something else besides me being a sacrificial lamb…and, please, if you know…why did they rush me to mastery?” Linda-Su shook her head. “I don’t know. You could have guarded me just as well without it.”

Ekyt had an idea. “It must be the ring…only a full guardian can control it, right? That must be it.” Ekyt looked down at his chest. Disdainfully, he put a hand to his stripe, as though he was going to try to pull it off. “You know, if sickens me. I’m wearing this, the mark of an elite group, and I’m not deserving.” He looked down bitterly. Linda-Su grabbed his arm and pulled him up next to her. “I think you’ve earned it. But what matters is you think you have. I hope someday you’ll feel like you earned it.”

Ekyt bowed his head, and thanked her. He struggled to get his shirt back on (his left shoulder was still aching) and pulled his robe back on, pulling the belt tight. “I have a bad feeling…you’d better get some rest while you can…” Ekyt said, looking out the window. “A bad feeling? About what?” Ekyt shrugged. “I don’t know, but every time I’ve had a bad feeling on this mission, something’s happened.” “Oh, you’re overreacting!” Linda-Su said. Ekyt smiled and nodded. “I hope you’re right.”

At that moment, Prince Elias ran in. “Sorry to bother you, but we could really use your help, if you’re up to it!” He had his sword in his belt. “What’s happened?” Linda-Su asked. “We’re under siege! Robotnik built his force up since the last attack; we need all the firepower we can get!” Linda-Su chanced a glance at Ekyt. “Remind me not to doubt your intuition again.”

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