Chapter 42

Sonic, pushing away the urge to attack, sat behind the log. He listened in to the voices of those masked people. He felt like one or more could come over at any second, attracted to the sound of their horrified, quiet breath. They spoke utter nonsense, words that had no meaning to Sonic. But then, he heard it. English.

"Is your night going well, my fellow Marlanic Followers?" The booming English voice asked. It intimidated Sonic. But he wouldn't fight. To do so would be to kill himself and his friends. Something he would never do. Right?

The creatures let out a "SHURRKRA!!!" In celebration. More of that stupid blather from these freaks. Sonic felt the urge to kill them. Tear them apart and burn them alive. Crush them together into an amalgamation more ugly and terrifying than the sum of its parts.

"Good, good..." The booming voice continued. "Have you found them? The hedgehog, the ghost, the mammoth?" Everyone looked at each other, terrified. But not Sonic. He showed no fear. But he did take it in. These people had heard about them somehow, and they were hunting them.

"Ugra..." The voices sighed in unison. Sonic guessed that was a no. There was a whoosh overhead. A dull blue, red, and silver blur flashed above Sonic, and onto the ground. There was a loud crash.

"Mimask..." The booming voice greeted. "Welcome back. Have you captured our targets?"

"No, not yet..." The man replied. He had the same voice as the person inside the walls. Sonic curiously looked over the log. "But I have seen him. The blue one. And his little friends, as well."

"This is good news..." The booming voice mumbled. Even a mere mumble from it shook the ground. "Where was he?"

"In Orglace Mansion," The man inside the walls stated. "However, he disappeared from sight before my pets could tear him apart. He has it. The hourglass. We are to now search the forest for him and his team. Under our leader's command."

"Of course..." The booming voice agreed. "Marlanic Followers, depart.

The masked figures, what the booming voice had called Marlanic Followers, departed into the forest. Some ran, some dug, and some flew. They all had one goal. To find Sonic and his friends. But what could they want the hourglass for?

Continue to Chapter 44