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"Love That Gives True Peace"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 5: "Tearful Goodbyes, Happy Reunions, and Troubled Hearts"

   The trek to the Northern Kingdom wasn’t as difficult as it seemed at first glance; with Rouge now in their party, there was a renewed sense of strength and hope, and with Shadow leading them, the group of travelers made their way quickly and easily through the twisted mountain passes.  After only a few days, Shadow told them that the first part of their journey was almost over.

   An exhausted Hidama and Rouge came to a standstill, trying to catch their breath.  To keep up their quickened pace, Hidama was carrying Jacob on his back, and Rouge held Olivia tightly in her arms; they had to move quickly just to keep up with Shadow, who again, for some reason still unknown to them, was unrelenting in his rushed and hasty pace.

   Hidama fell to his knees, grabbing hold of his cape, wrapping it around him as he panted for precious air, and Jacob crawled down off him so he could rest, clutching onto his own, fluffy fox-tail for warmth.  It had gotten colder the further north they traveled, and even now the blue sky was swallowed up by grey clouds, threatening to unleash a winter storm on them.

   Just a few yards ahead of them, Shadow stood on an outcropping of rock, overlooking the miles of trekking still ahead of them, but smiled with satisfaction, as he could see the tallest spire of the ruined city, known as the Northern Kingdom, standing tall in the distance, and they had still eluded pursuers thus far.  He was very pleased with how things were unfolding, and turned to share this good news with his companions.

   Yet as Shadow turned around, he paused, seeing first Hidama’s sheer exhaustion as he held his cape tightly against his body for warmth.  Then the hedgehog glanced at the fox children.  Jacob and Olivia, being born and bred for this region were better off than the rest of them, but were obviously still a bit chilly, having been adapted to the warmer climate of the south.  They stood together hugging each other for warmth, Jacob doing his best to keep his little sister warm.

   Shadow smiled at seeing this gesture of love between the two siblings, who had already been through so many trials and tribulations during their short lives, much like Hidama, and even Knuckles, were also subjected to, and it was encouraging to see their strength and hope shine through.  Yet when his eyes finally turned to Rouge, his smile disappeared.  She was standing, unlike Hidama who was on bended knee, and rubbing her arms in a desperate attempt to warm them.

   Out of all of them, it was perhaps the hardest on Hidama and Rouge to adapt to the chill air, for Shadow had traveled in these icy regions before, and of course, the fox children were equipped with the kind of fur and undercoats to deal with the bitter cold.  Yet, already the daily highs were colder than the chilliest lows for the mountains on Angel Island.  It just never got this cold where the three of them were accustomed to living, and the night only threatened to make the air even icier…and therefore, deadly, for those unequipped to face it.

   It was then that Shadow ran down the path back to his companions, giving notice again to the fox children, seeing that they were already going to be alright, their thick fur and insulating undercoats already enough to sustain them.  However, Hidama was tucked over into a ball trying to warm himself, but shivering heavily.  Normally his fur was enough to protect him from the chill air, but not to these kinds of extremes.  Now it was actually doing him more harm than good, for as his fur began to freeze it insulated the cold air, chilling him instead of warming him.

   However, Shadow immediately ran over to Rouge, who he now gave next to all of his concern.  Already he could see a layer of frost forming on her wings, and yet while she was obviously freezing, she didn’t show it, at least that well.  She had her eyes closed, her head bent down, and her arms folded as she tried to warm them; she also shivered heavily, but did a great job hiding how cold and tired she really was.

   The hedgehog walked over to her, and immediately wrapping an arm around her, he said, “Come now Rouge, you’re good at hiding your fatigue and weariness, but even I can see how cold you are.  Luckily, the Northern Kingdom is only a short run away…perhaps the remainder of the day’s run shall be enough to bring us to her borders.  Do you think you can make it?”

   Rouge immediately looked up at him, smiling briefly at him, and replied, “I—I’m pretty sure I’ll…be okay, but what about you, and the others?”

   Shadow shook his head slowly, and laughed softly, whispering, “I’ve traveled this far north plenty of times, and so far this is nothing I can’t handle.  As for the fox children, they were born in this region, and thus are amply equipped to handle these conditions.  It’s for you and Hinsei Hidama that I give my worry.”

   The two locked eyes for a moment, and Shadow, seeing a glint of worry in her eyes, gave her a reassuring smile, again, one that he showed her and her alone, hugging her tightly before withdrawing from her once more.  He walked over to the fallen guardian, who was now unmoving and silent.  Shadow bent over, and struggled to help the freezing echidna stand up.  Rouge walked over to them, and horrified at seeing Shadow’s failure to help Hidama uncurl and stand, bent over to help him.

   Shadow growled softly, saying, “Ugh, the poor thing.  Echidnas were never meant to dwell this far north…unless you count their far northern strain that lived alongside the foxes of the Northern Kingdom.  Difference is those echidnas were equipped with the fur to handle these conditions…and have long since…died out…,” the hedgehog paused.  After a few moments, he shook his head, and with one final wave of strength he pulled Hidama out of his tight curl, and helped the echidna stand up, balancing his weight on his shoulders.

   Hidama looked half-frozen, and was losing his awareness all too quickly.  In desperation, Shadow revealed one of his concealed chaos emeralds, the green one, and thrust it into Hidama’s hand.  Shadow continued his earlier thought, saying, “Blood of the Guardian…come now Hidama, call for the power to help you.  If you can beckon the souls of the diseased to return to life, surely then you can command the power of one of the chaos emeralds.  Come now, I cannot do it for you.”

   After only a few moments, Hidama’s eyes shut even tighter, and his hand grasped the chaos emerald tightly, as Shadow kept his own hand on Hidama’s fist.  After a few more seconds, a light radiated deep from the green chaos emerald, and at last, Hidama’s eyes opened, the thin layer of frost melting away from the surface of his fur, allowing it to properly insulate him once more.  This power also dried the moisture from his fur to prevent it from refreezing.

   Before the light fully dissipated, the streams of it that radiated past Hidama reached Rouge who stood nearby, and it had the same effect on her.  The frost melted away from her wings, giving her great relief, and obviously warmed her up as well.  She looked and saw a smile on Shadow’s face once more, perhaps one of great relief, not just that she and Hidama were warm again, but that Hidama was steadily regaining his former strength.  The fact that he could control the chaos emerald was a sign that he was on the path to a complete recovery.

   Hidama slowly pulled away from Shadow, able to stand on this own once more.  He adjusted his cape so that it fit better on his shoulders, and appeared ready to run once more.  He smiled, and shook his head slowly and said, “Thank you Shadow, I needed that.”  He laughed, and handed Shadow the green chaos emerald, then walking towards the outcropping of rock ahead he continued, “Let’s move on then shall we?”

   The fox children cheered, and ran to catch up with Hidama.  Shadow, concealing his chaos emerald once more, smiled briefly, then put his arm around Rouge, and said, “We should catch up with them; if I’m right then we should arrive there by nightfall.”  Rouge smiled at Shadow, and he returned it; with his arm still around her, they walked side by side, walking at a quickened pace to keep up with Hidama and the fox children, but hanging a few paces back.

   After a few more hours they had all picked up their pace to a run;  As Shadow had said, the Northern Kingdom appeared ever closer each hour that passed, and behind the grey storm clouds Shadow could make out the light of the sun sinking ever lower into the west, and he knew that ere the day’s end, they would arrive at the gates of the Northern Kingdom.

   As they ran, Jacob began to gaze with wonder at what lay before him.  He and Olivia were captured by the mutants when they were only infants, and it seemed only he still retained any memories of birthplace.  He remembered the glorious kingdom; constructed entirely out of the mountainside, carved and fashioned by the master craftsman of their race, as well those from the northern strain of echidnas that lived alongside them, but long since disappeared.

   While his memories of his home were few, he could tell the city had endured great destruction, and he was brought to tears.  The once glorious kingdom had suffered great damage, and was barely a noontide shadow of what it had been.

   Olivia saw her brother’s tears, and questioned him, asking, “Jacob, what’s wrong?  Are you alright?”

   Hidama too took notice of Jacob’s tears, but said nothing of it, yet as he ran, he listened closely to what was said.

   “Oh Olivia, don’t you see?  Our father’s kingdom, it’s ruined.  When he fell, the kingdom fell with him.  I only find joy in the knowledge that some of our kin still live, but I doubt things will ever be the same again,” Jacob cried.

   “Jacob I…I don’t remember things as well as you, but I do know that things were always happy here, and that was because we had our family.  I’m sure everything will be okay, much better than you think it is,” Olivia replied.

   Jacob looked at his sister, and smiled, drying his tears and responding, “Thanks sis, I appreciate you cheering me up.”  He paused, and slowly responded, “It’s true…before the attack, our father was king here…makes me wonder how everyone’s held up since his death, and we were kidnapped.”

   Hidama glanced again at the young fox boy, remembering again a conversation he had with Shadow before his escape, concerning the fox children once more.

   **“Shadow, you mean to tell me those fox children too come from royal blood?  That sounds a bit fishy to me.  Already these mutants have ransacked at least two kingdoms, stealing the heirs to the monarchy after killing the current leaders, save my brother, who was spared.  What have they planned?” Hidama asked.

   “Indeed, Hinsei, the mutants gathered the chaos emeralds, explaining why they stole mine.  They were planning to use them to restore them to their true form, and had captured you to use the Master Emerald, but stopped to see if the chaos emeralds would do it but obviously they failed.  So now I assume they turn their eyes to the Master Emerald…but there’s more.” Shadow started.

   “Please, do tell, I desire to know what is happening.  I’m not afraid of the truth.” Hidama had said.

   “Settle down Hidama, I will tell you.  Lord Feldmort has a brother named Olermere, and he is the second mutant superpower, specializing in physical prowess in battle rather than magic and powers of mind as Feldmort does.  They both command their own armies, and with the overthrow over the Northern Kingdom and the capture of the heir to the throne, Jacob over there, I can only surmise that they plan not just to purify themselves, but take over all of humanity.” Shadow explained.

   “Take over all of…they can’t.  It makes my stomach hurt…the Master Emerald alone is only strong enough to accomplish that through the…the blood of a guardian, which I am, and yet since my brother still lives…no…” Hidama started.

   “…Hidama, I’m afraid…that once they have no need of you, or feel threatened by you either way…how can I say this?  They’re…they’ll see to it that both you and your brother are slain, before all is said and done, and they aren’t afraid to go to any lengths to see this through, even if it means turning you two against each other.  If left unchecked, they shall become the master race, finally supplanting the echidnas, who have forever been their sole enemy.” Shadow said sadly.

   “They…they can’t.  They must be stopped; I will not let my brother die, and when the time comes, we shall stand together and defeat our enemies at last…someday.” Hidama replied.**

   “Hey, Hidama, you okay?” a voice asked.

   The echidna snapped out of his day dream, and looked to see Olivia tugging on his cape.  She continued, “Look there Hidama!  It’s the Northern Kingdom…I’m home!”

   The echidna looked before him, and the remains of the great Northern Kingdom loomed tall above him.  It was almost night, but the torch fires that glittered at the gates not only lit the way, but signaled life behind the silent walls.  A wide smile was on Olivia’s face, and as she tugged on Hidama’s hand, he laughed, and said, “Alright, settle down, we’re going!”

   The two ran to catch up with Jacob, Shadow and Rouge, who now waited at the beginning of the path that led to the castle gates.  Shadow turned, shook his head, and said, “We thought you had zoned out on us there.”  Hidama grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.  Shadow laughed softly, and said, “The foxes here will be amazed to see you I’m sure, for you are distant kin to the echidnas that used to dwell here years ago.  Indeed, there were many echidnas here, all slaughtered much as your own, and only a few foxes too managed to escape.  They will be happy to know the heir to the crown still lives.”

   Rouge glanced at Jacob, who stood silent, gazing at his father’s kingdom, which he now was fated to rule.  He swallowed hard, and whispered, “Yes…I’m sure they shall be…,” he paused, seeing Shadow staring at him out of the corner of his eyes, then raised his voice and said, “Let’s go on shall we?  Already it grows dark and cold; let’s take refuge inside.”

   He stopped short, when Olivia walked next to him and took his hand in her own.  He stared at her, and saw her look at him and smile.  She giggled and said, “Come on brother; let’s go home.”

   Jacob smiled slowly, and nodded, rubbing his hand over his head and laughing.  He said, “Yeah, why don’t we do that?”

   Looking back to Shadow, he saw the hedgehog smile reassuringly, and whisper, “It’s time for a young prince to take his crown.  Peace and prosperity will again return to this place, and all shall be peaceful once more.  Now go on, we’ll be right behind you.”

   Jacob nodded, looking to his sister once more, and then the fox children stepped onto the path, at last setting foot within the borders of their true home, the glorious Northern Kingdom.  Shadow took Rouge’s hand in his own, and the two walked together a few paces behind the fox children.  Hidama wrapped his cape around him, feeling chilly once more, and walked slowly on the other side of Shadow.  He was happy that the fox children, who had grown on him as younger siblings, were finally home, but he sighed heavily, trying in vain to remember the few things he still couldn’t.  He wanted to remember Angel Island…as well as the face of his dear brother, who he could only recall in thought and dream but not face.

   He had regained much of his former strength, this was certainly true, as shown by his immediate response and control over the chaos emerald.  Yet as Shadow explained to Rouge as they had walked together, Hidama was still only a shadow of what he was when he battled Feldmort, and it would be much longer yet until he found true peace, probably long after he was recovered body and mind.  His soul would take much longer to heal.

   Hidama was again shaken out of his thoughts when the grand gates began to open.  Jacob and Olivia stood hand in hand on the top step of a stone staircase leading to the entrance, and as the doors finally creaked open, they were in awe of who they saw.

   Jacob began to quiver, and said, “You…you’re my friend Luke,” he said pointing to one of the young male foxes who stood before them.  Then he looked to the other and said, “And…and you’re our older cousin Rush.  I—I can’t believe it…I’m…I’m paralyzed with happiness.”

   Olivia was crying silently, for she too recognized the two fox boys, both only a bit older than Jacob, and Luke and Rush too had recognizable shock on their faces.  After a few seconds, the four were in a group hug, overjoyed at being reunited.

   Rouge stood next to Shadow, and folded her arms, sighing and saying, “Isn’t it wonderful to see their joy?  This is really a happy ending, one like you’d find in the pages of a fairytale.”

   Shadow glanced at her and said, “Mmm, but this is a story only half over.”  He nodded at Hidama, who shuffled his feet as he watched.  Shadow continued, “Hidama still has his own pages to fill, and that is why we cannot tarry here longer than this night, for Hidama still has one major enemy left to worry with, and he knows it.  I fear we’ll have to deal with them before all is said and done, and that is part of why he’s troubled now.”

   Rouge looked carefully at the echidna.  Hidama reminded her of Knuckles in so many ways, not just in looks, but other ways as well.  Yet, they were so different from one another.  Hidama was so soft spoken; he was much more gentle and meek than Knuckles, less stubborn and rough around the edges.  However, the similarities again shone through in battle, for Hidama battled with a fire in his eyes and heart, and was relentless, showing no mercy to his foes, and battling with an even more intense ferocity than Knuckles could ever touch.  It was troubling to know that such a wonderful soul was hurting so, and that there was nothing that could  be said or done to help Hidama.  As Shadow had once said, it was up to Hidama to find true peace; it was something he would have to discover on his own, no matter how long it took.

   After a few moments, Jacob called for his three friends, and said, “Come on guys, we didn’t mean to hold everything up.  Let’s go on in!”  He and Olivia disappeared inside, and Hidama slowly followed.

   As Shadow and Rouge passed Luke and Rush, Luke asked, “Isn’t that an echidna?  I haven’t seen one since they died out years ago.  Who is he?”

   The gates closed behind them, and Shadow walked with Luke and replied, “He is the son of the last guardian of the Master Emerald; he is Hinsei Hidama, a lord in his own right.  He belongs to the southern strain of echidnas, so yes, very distantly related to the echidnas you once knew.  He took great care of your prince and his sister I can assure you.  Besides his brother, he is the last survivor of the southern strain; it seems all the echidnas were attacked, and the two brothers the only blessed survivors.  That also explains why many of you foxes were spared.”

   Luke nodded slowly, and said, “I know you can only stay the night, but you will at least be here when Jacob takes the throne tonight.  His uncle, Rush’s dad, has been minding the throne until now, and will pass it on to him after dinner tonight.  It’ll take some time, but I’m sure you can agree, Jacob will become a great king.”

   Shadow nodded, and replied, “A great king and ally to others in times of need.  Indeed, it is a blessing that the Northern Kingdom will again be restored.  Truly a blessing…” Shadow fell silent, aiming his gaze at Hidama once more, who while maintaining a positive look on his face, was obviously weeping inside.

   Once they arrived in the King’s chambers, they met Jacob and Olivia’s uncle, who for the past years had looked after the kingdom, not taking the duties of his brother, as custom dictated that is could not be done without consent of the past or present king.  The last king, Jacob’s grandfather, was long dead at the time of the king’s death, so his uncle could do nothing but wait for an uncertain future to unfold.

   When Jacob entered the King’s chambers, he was greeted arms by his uncle, who wept openly at seeing his nephew again.  Great happiness too did he give at seeing his niece alive and well, and openly showed his undying gratitude towards Shadow and Hidama for helping to rescue and protect them.  He was even gracious towards Rouge for helping get them home.  There was so much happiness in the room, even Hidama forgot his troubles, if only for awhile.

   And so, after a long and rich dinner, the best any of them had had in a long while, the group watched as Jacob took his father’s crown, becoming the new king of the Northern Kingdom.  His uncle would be there to guide him, and the enthusiasm in Jacob’s eyes showed how good of a king he was sure to be.  The survivors of the now historic attack were only a fraction of what they used to be, but already the kingdom was being repaired, and things were beginning to look bright.

   Later that night, after Rouge, Jacob, and Olivia had gone to bed, Hidama found himself wandering around the castle.  He paused on a balcony, looking at the stars, as if praying for an answer to his problems.  His wondering was broken by Shadow, who whispered, “Hang in there Hidama; it’s only a few weeks' run to Angel Island…I’m sure your brother will be happy to see you alive at last.”

   Hidama turned slowly to Shadow, tear stains on his face, and replied, “I’m sure he will…yet…,” he paused, turning back to the stars as Shadow walked up and stood beside him.  Hidama continued, “Shadow, I know that I have a brother, and I love him dearly, and desire nothing more than to be reunited with him again.  But…to tell you the truth, I can’t even remember what he looks like, or anything about who he is.  It’s like…there’s a block on my memories of him, and as much as I’m dying to remember him in full, I just can’t…I can only remember his name, and nothing more.”

   Shadow frowned, and placed a hand on Hidama’s arm.  The echidna sighed, and continued saying, “I just don’t think I’ll find peace until I can see him again, or at least remember him.  Until then, I think my heart will be unable to heal.”

   The hedgehog sighed deeply, and replied, “Hidama…Knuckles cannot find peace for you, nor can he be what brings it, satisfying this torment in your heart.  Sure, he can bring some relief, but I, more than anyone, can tell you that true peace cannot be found in anything unless it is sought for.  Only you can bring peace to your heart; how and where you find it, is truly up to you.  It is when you decide to stop torturing your own soul, and let all that’s good in this world bring you pleasure, so that you may enjoy life once more.  You and I are on this same quest my friend, for I too desire peace but have yet to let it win in my heart.  I only pray you can find it sooner than I, for you truly deserve nothing more than happiness and bliss to the end of your days.”

   Hidama looked at Shadow, ready to cry, and said, “And may you too find peace my friend, for this kind of suffering that we know is meant for no one to ever have to endure.”  Shadow looked at him with concern, and Hidama, unable to hold back his tears anymore, began to weep and cried, “I just want to remember my brother!  Why can’t I remember him?  Why?!”

   The echidna fell to his knees, and Shadow, seeing the toll Hidama’s misery was taking on him, and knowing it all too well as it reflected his own tormented soul, knelt down beside Hidama and hugged him, trying his best to comfort the echidna.  Truly it seemed that Hidama might never find peace again, unless he found the courage and strength to find it for himself.  If he could ever let go of the mountain of despair that lay rough and heavy on his heart, then perhaps maybe he could be at peace once more; maybe he could recapture the happiness he abandoned all those years ago, one dark night on Angel Island.

Description
"Love That Gives True Peace"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 5: "Tearful Goodbyes, Happy Reunions, and Troubled Hearts"

   The trek to the Northern Kingdom wasn’t as difficult as it seemed at first glance; with Rouge now in their party, there was a renewed sense of strength and hope, and with Shadow leading them, the group of travelers made their way quickly and easily through the twisted mountain passes.  After only a few days, Shadow told them that the first part of their journey was almost over.

   An exhausted Hidama and Rouge came to a standstill, trying to catch their breath.  To keep up their quickened pace, Hidama was carrying Jacob on his back, and Rouge held Olivia tightly in her arms; they had to move quickly just to keep up with Shadow, who again, for some reason still unknown to them, was unrelenting in his rushed and hasty pace.

   Hidama fell to his knees, grabbing hold of his cape, wrapping it around him as he panted for precious air, and Jacob crawled down off him so he could rest, clutching onto his own, fluffy fox-tail for warmth.  It had gotten colder the further north they traveled, and even now the blue sky was swallowed up by grey clouds, threatening to unleash a winter storm on them.

   Just a few yards ahead of them, Shadow stood on an outcropping of rock, overlooking the miles of trekking still ahead of them, but smiled with satisfaction, as he could see the tallest spire of the ruined city, known as the Northern Kingdom, standing tall in the distance, and they had still eluded pursuers thus far.  He was very pleased with how things were unfolding, and turned to share this good news with his companions.

   Yet as Shadow turned around, he paused, seeing first Hidama’s sheer exhaustion as he held his cape tightly against his body for warmth.  Then the hedgehog glanced at the fox children.  Jacob and Olivia, being born and bred for this region were better off than the rest of them, but were obviously still a bit chilly, having been adapted to the warmer climate of the south.  They stood together hugging each other for warmth, Jacob doing his best to keep his little sister warm.

   Shadow smiled at seeing this gesture of love between the two siblings, who had already been through so many trials and tribulations during their short lives, much like Hidama, and even Knuckles, were also subjected to, and it was encouraging to see their strength and hope shine through.  Yet when his eyes finally turned to Rouge, his smile disappeared.  She was standing, unlike Hidama who was on bended knee, and rubbing her arms in a desperate attempt to warm them.

   Out of all of them, it was perhaps the hardest on Hidama and Rouge to adapt to the chill air, for Shadow had traveled in these icy regions before, and of course, the fox children were equipped with the kind of fur and undercoats to deal with the bitter cold.  Yet, already the daily highs were colder than the chilliest lows for the mountains on Angel Island.  It just never got this cold where the three of them were accustomed to living, and the night only threatened to make the air even icier…and therefore, deadly, for those unequipped to face it.

   It was then that Shadow ran down the path back to his companions, giving notice again to the fox children, seeing that they were already going to be alright, their thick fur and insulating undercoats already enough to sustain them.  However, Hidama was tucked over into a ball trying to warm himself, but shivering heavily.  Normally his fur was enough to protect him from the chill air, but not to these kinds of extremes.  Now it was actually doing him more harm than good, for as his fur began to freeze it insulated the cold air, chilling him instead of warming him.

   However, Shadow immediately ran over to Rouge, who he now gave next to all of his concern.  Already he could see a layer of frost forming on her wings, and yet while she was obviously freezing, she didn’t show it, at least that well.  She had her eyes closed, her head bent down, and her arms folded as she tried to warm them; she also shivered heavily, but did a great job hiding how cold and tired she really was.

   The hedgehog walked over to her, and immediately wrapping an arm around her, he said, “Come now Rouge, you’re good at hiding your fatigue and weariness, but even I can see how cold you are.  Luckily, the Northern Kingdom is only a short run away…perhaps the remainder of the day’s run shall be enough to bring us to her borders.  Do you think you can make it?”

   Rouge immediately looked up at him, smiling briefly at him, and replied, “I—I’m pretty sure I’ll…be okay, but what about you, and the others?”

   Shadow shook his head slowly, and laughed softly, whispering, “I’ve traveled this far north plenty of times, and so far this is nothing I can’t handle.  As for the fox children, they were born in this region, and thus are amply equipped to handle these conditions.  It’s for you and Hinsei Hidama that I give my worry.”

   The two locked eyes for a moment, and Shadow, seeing a glint of worry in her eyes, gave her a reassuring smile, again, one that he showed her and her alone, hugging her tightly before withdrawing from her once more.  He walked over to the fallen guardian, who was now unmoving and silent.  Shadow bent over, and struggled to help the freezing echidna stand up.  Rouge walked over to them, and horrified at seeing Shadow’s failure to help Hidama uncurl and stand, bent over to help him.

   Shadow growled softly, saying, “Ugh, the poor thing.  Echidnas were never meant to dwell this far north…unless you count their far northern strain that lived alongside the foxes of the Northern Kingdom.  Difference is those echidnas were equipped with the fur to handle these conditions…and have long since…died out…,” the hedgehog paused.  After a few moments, he shook his head, and with one final wave of strength he pulled Hidama out of his tight curl, and helped the echidna stand up, balancing his weight on his shoulders.

   Hidama looked half-frozen, and was losing his awareness all too quickly.  In desperation, Shadow revealed one of his concealed chaos emeralds, the green one, and thrust it into Hidama’s hand.  Shadow continued his earlier thought, saying, “Blood of the Guardian…come now Hidama, call for the power to help you.  If you can beckon the souls of the diseased to return to life, surely then you can command the power of one of the chaos emeralds.  Come now, I cannot do it for you.”

   After only a few moments, Hidama’s eyes shut even tighter, and his hand grasped the chaos emerald tightly, as Shadow kept his own hand on Hidama’s fist.  After a few more seconds, a light radiated deep from the green chaos emerald, and at last, Hidama’s eyes opened, the thin layer of frost melting away from the surface of his fur, allowing it to properly insulate him once more.  This power also dried the moisture from his fur to prevent it from refreezing.

   Before the light fully dissipated, the streams of it that radiated past Hidama reached Rouge who stood nearby, and it had the same effect on her.  The frost melted away from her wings, giving her great relief, and obviously warmed her up as well.  She looked and saw a smile on Shadow’s face once more, perhaps one of great relief, not just that she and Hidama were warm again, but that Hidama was steadily regaining his former strength.  The fact that he could control the chaos emerald was a sign that he was on the path to a complete recovery.

   Hidama slowly pulled away from Shadow, able to stand on this own once more.  He adjusted his cape so that it fit better on his shoulders, and appeared ready to run once more.  He smiled, and shook his head slowly and said, “Thank you Shadow, I needed that.”  He laughed, and handed Shadow the green chaos emerald, then walking towards the outcropping of rock ahead he continued, “Let’s move on then shall we?”

   The fox children cheered, and ran to catch up with Hidama.  Shadow, concealing his chaos emerald once more, smiled briefly, then put his arm around Rouge, and said, “We should catch up with them; if I’m right then we should arrive there by nightfall.”  Rouge smiled at Shadow, and he returned it; with his arm still around her, they walked side by side, walking at a quickened pace to keep up with Hidama and the fox children, but hanging a few paces back.

   After a few more hours they had all picked up their pace to a run;  As Shadow had said, the Northern Kingdom appeared ever closer each hour that passed, and behind the grey storm clouds Shadow could make out the light of the sun sinking ever lower into the west, and he knew that ere the day’s end, they would arrive at the gates of the Northern Kingdom.

   As they ran, Jacob began to gaze with wonder at what lay before him.  He and Olivia were captured by the mutants when they were only infants, and it seemed only he still retained any memories of birthplace.  He remembered the glorious kingdom; constructed entirely out of the mountainside, carved and fashioned by the master craftsman of their race, as well those from the northern strain of echidnas that lived alongside them, but long since disappeared.

   While his memories of his home were few, he could tell the city had endured great destruction, and he was brought to tears.  The once glorious kingdom had suffered great damage, and was barely a noontide shadow of what it had been.

   Olivia saw her brother’s tears, and questioned him, asking, “Jacob, what’s wrong?  Are you alright?”

   Hidama too took notice of Jacob’s tears, but said nothing of it, yet as he ran, he listened closely to what was said.

   “Oh Olivia, don’t you see?  Our father’s kingdom, it’s ruined.  When he fell, the kingdom fell with him.  I only find joy in the knowledge that some of our kin still live, but I doubt things will ever be the same again,” Jacob cried.

   “Jacob I…I don’t remember things as well as you, but I do know that things were always happy here, and that was because we had our family.  I’m sure everything will be okay, much better than you think it is,” Olivia replied.

   Jacob looked at his sister, and smiled, drying his tears and responding, “Thanks sis, I appreciate you cheering me up.”  He paused, and slowly responded, “It’s true…before the attack, our father was king here…makes me wonder how everyone’s held up since his death, and we were kidnapped.”

   Hidama glanced again at the young fox boy, remembering again a conversation he had with Shadow before his escape, concerning the fox children once more.

   **“Shadow, you mean to tell me those fox children too come from royal blood?  That sounds a bit fishy to me.  Already these mutants have ransacked at least two kingdoms, stealing the heirs to the monarchy after killing the current leaders, save my brother, who was spared.  What have they planned?” Hidama asked.

   “Indeed, Hinsei, the mutants gathered the chaos emeralds, explaining why they stole mine.  They were planning to use them to restore them to their true form, and had captured you to use the Master Emerald, but stopped to see if the chaos emeralds would do it but obviously they failed.  So now I assume they turn their eyes to the Master Emerald…but there’s more.” Shadow started.

   “Please, do tell, I desire to know what is happening.  I’m not afraid of the truth.” Hidama had said.

   “Settle down Hidama, I will tell you.  Lord Feldmort has a brother named Olermere, and he is the second mutant superpower, specializing in physical prowess in battle rather than magic and powers of mind as Feldmort does.  They both command their own armies, and with the overthrow over the Northern Kingdom and the capture of the heir to the throne, Jacob over there, I can only surmise that they plan not just to purify themselves, but take over all of humanity.” Shadow explained.

   “Take over all of…they can’t.  It makes my stomach hurt…the Master Emerald alone is only strong enough to accomplish that through the…the blood of a guardian, which I am, and yet since my brother still lives…no…” Hidama started.

   “…Hidama, I’m afraid…that once they have no need of you, or feel threatened by you either way…how can I say this?  They’re…they’ll see to it that both you and your brother are slain, before all is said and done, and they aren’t afraid to go to any lengths to see this through, even if it means turning you two against each other.  If left unchecked, they shall become the master race, finally supplanting the echidnas, who have forever been their sole enemy.” Shadow said sadly.

   “They…they can’t.  They must be stopped; I will not let my brother die, and when the time comes, we shall stand together and defeat our enemies at last…someday.” Hidama replied.**

   “Hey, Hidama, you okay?” a voice asked.

   The echidna snapped out of his day dream, and looked to see Olivia tugging on his cape.  She continued, “Look there Hidama!  It’s the Northern Kingdom…I’m home!”

   The echidna looked before him, and the remains of the great Northern Kingdom loomed tall above him.  It was almost night, but the torch fires that glittered at the gates not only lit the way, but signaled life behind the silent walls.  A wide smile was on Olivia’s face, and as she tugged on Hidama’s hand, he laughed, and said, “Alright, settle down, we’re going!”

   The two ran to catch up with Jacob, Shadow and Rouge, who now waited at the beginning of the path that led to the castle gates.  Shadow turned, shook his head, and said, “We thought you had zoned out on us there.”  Hidama grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.  Shadow laughed softly, and said, “The foxes here will be amazed to see you I’m sure, for you are distant kin to the echidnas that used to dwell here years ago.  Indeed, there were many echidnas here, all slaughtered much as your own, and only a few foxes too managed to escape.  They will be happy to know the heir to the crown still lives.”

   Rouge glanced at Jacob, who stood silent, gazing at his father’s kingdom, which he now was fated to rule.  He swallowed hard, and whispered, “Yes…I’m sure they shall be…,” he paused, seeing Shadow staring at him out of the corner of his eyes, then raised his voice and said, “Let’s go on shall we?  Already it grows dark and cold; let’s take refuge inside.”

   He stopped short, when Olivia walked next to him and took his hand in her own.  He stared at her, and saw her look at him and smile.  She giggled and said, “Come on brother; let’s go home.”

   Jacob smiled slowly, and nodded, rubbing his hand over his head and laughing.  He said, “Yeah, why don’t we do that?”

   Looking back to Shadow, he saw the hedgehog smile reassuringly, and whisper, “It’s time for a young prince to take his crown.  Peace and prosperity will again return to this place, and all shall be peaceful once more.  Now go on, we’ll be right behind you.”

   Jacob nodded, looking to his sister once more, and then the fox children stepped onto the path, at last setting foot within the borders of their true home, the glorious Northern Kingdom.  Shadow took Rouge’s hand in his own, and the two walked together a few paces behind the fox children.  Hidama wrapped his cape around him, feeling chilly once more, and walked slowly on the other side of Shadow.  He was happy that the fox children, who had grown on him as younger siblings, were finally home, but he sighed heavily, trying in vain to remember the few things he still couldn’t.  He wanted to remember Angel Island…as well as the face of his dear brother, who he could only recall in thought and dream but not face.

   He had regained much of his former strength, this was certainly true, as shown by his immediate response and control over the chaos emerald.  Yet as Shadow explained to Rouge as they had walked together, Hidama was still only a shadow of what he was when he battled Feldmort, and it would be much longer yet until he found true peace, probably long after he was recovered body and mind.  His soul would take much longer to heal.

   Hidama was again shaken out of his thoughts when the grand gates began to open.  Jacob and Olivia stood hand in hand on the top step of a stone staircase leading to the entrance, and as the doors finally creaked open, they were in awe of who they saw.

   Jacob began to quiver, and said, “You…you’re my friend Luke,” he said pointing to one of the young male foxes who stood before them.  Then he looked to the other and said, “And…and you’re our older cousin Rush.  I—I can’t believe it…I’m…I’m paralyzed with happiness.”

   Olivia was crying silently, for she too recognized the two fox boys, both only a bit older than Jacob, and Luke and Rush too had recognizable shock on their faces.  After a few seconds, the four were in a group hug, overjoyed at being reunited.

   Rouge stood next to Shadow, and folded her arms, sighing and saying, “Isn’t it wonderful to see their joy?  This is really a happy ending, one like you’d find in the pages of a fairytale.”

   Shadow glanced at her and said, “Mmm, but this is a story only half over.”  He nodded at Hidama, who shuffled his feet as he watched.  Shadow continued, “Hidama still has his own pages to fill, and that is why we cannot tarry here longer than this night, for Hidama still has one major enemy left to worry with, and he knows it.  I fear we’ll have to deal with them before all is said and done, and that is part of why he’s troubled now.”

   Rouge looked carefully at the echidna.  Hidama reminded her of Knuckles in so many ways, not just in looks, but other ways as well.  Yet, they were so different from one another.  Hidama was so soft spoken; he was much more gentle and meek than Knuckles, less stubborn and rough around the edges.  However, the similarities again shone through in battle, for Hidama battled with a fire in his eyes and heart, and was relentless, showing no mercy to his foes, and battling with an even more intense ferocity than Knuckles could ever touch.  It was troubling to know that such a wonderful soul was hurting so, and that there was nothing that could  be said or done to help Hidama.  As Shadow had once said, it was up to Hidama to find true peace; it was something he would have to discover on his own, no matter how long it took.

   After a few moments, Jacob called for his three friends, and said, “Come on guys, we didn’t mean to hold everything up.  Let’s go on in!”  He and Olivia disappeared inside, and Hidama slowly followed.

   As Shadow and Rouge passed Luke and Rush, Luke asked, “Isn’t that an echidna?  I haven’t seen one since they died out years ago.  Who is he?”

   The gates closed behind them, and Shadow walked with Luke and replied, “He is the son of the last guardian of the Master Emerald; he is Hinsei Hidama, a lord in his own right.  He belongs to the southern strain of echidnas, so yes, very distantly related to the echidnas you once knew.  He took great care of your prince and his sister I can assure you.  Besides his brother, he is the last survivor of the southern strain; it seems all the echidnas were attacked, and the two brothers the only blessed survivors.  That also explains why many of you foxes were spared.”

   Luke nodded slowly, and said, “I know you can only stay the night, but you will at least be here when Jacob takes the throne tonight.  His uncle, Rush’s dad, has been minding the throne until now, and will pass it on to him after dinner tonight.  It’ll take some time, but I’m sure you can agree, Jacob will become a great king.”

   Shadow nodded, and replied, “A great king and ally to others in times of need.  Indeed, it is a blessing that the Northern Kingdom will again be restored.  Truly a blessing…” Shadow fell silent, aiming his gaze at Hidama once more, who while maintaining a positive look on his face, was obviously weeping inside.

   Once they arrived in the King’s chambers, they met Jacob and Olivia’s uncle, who for the past years had looked after the kingdom, not taking the duties of his brother, as custom dictated that is could not be done without consent of the past or present king.  The last king, Jacob’s grandfather, was long dead at the time of the king’s death, so his uncle could do nothing but wait for an uncertain future to unfold.

   When Jacob entered the King’s chambers, he was greeted arms by his uncle, who wept openly at seeing his nephew again.  Great happiness too did he give at seeing his niece alive and well, and openly showed his undying gratitude towards Shadow and Hidama for helping to rescue and protect them.  He was even gracious towards Rouge for helping get them home.  There was so much happiness in the room, even Hidama forgot his troubles, if only for awhile.

   And so, after a long and rich dinner, the best any of them had had in a long while, the group watched as Jacob took his father’s crown, becoming the new king of the Northern Kingdom.  His uncle would be there to guide him, and the enthusiasm in Jacob’s eyes showed how good of a king he was sure to be.  The survivors of the now historic attack were only a fraction of what they used to be, but already the kingdom was being repaired, and things were beginning to look bright.

   Later that night, after Rouge, Jacob, and Olivia had gone to bed, Hidama found himself wandering around the castle.  He paused on a balcony, looking at the stars, as if praying for an answer to his problems.  His wondering was broken by Shadow, who whispered, “Hang in there Hidama; it’s only a few weeks' run to Angel Island…I’m sure your brother will be happy to see you alive at last.”

   Hidama turned slowly to Shadow, tear stains on his face, and replied, “I’m sure he will…yet…,” he paused, turning back to the stars as Shadow walked up and stood beside him.  Hidama continued, “Shadow, I know that I have a brother, and I love him dearly, and desire nothing more than to be reunited with him again.  But…to tell you the truth, I can’t even remember what he looks like, or anything about who he is.  It’s like…there’s a block on my memories of him, and as much as I’m dying to remember him in full, I just can’t…I can only remember his name, and nothing more.”

   Shadow frowned, and placed a hand on Hidama’s arm.  The echidna sighed, and continued saying, “I just don’t think I’ll find peace until I can see him again, or at least remember him.  Until then, I think my heart will be unable to heal.”

   The hedgehog sighed deeply, and replied, “Hidama…Knuckles cannot find peace for you, nor can he be what brings it, satisfying this torment in your heart.  Sure, he can bring some relief, but I, more than anyone, can tell you that true peace cannot be found in anything unless it is sought for.  Only you can bring peace to your heart; how and where you find it, is truly up to you.  It is when you decide to stop torturing your own soul, and let all that’s good in this world bring you pleasure, so that you may enjoy life once more.  You and I are on this same quest my friend, for I too desire peace but have yet to let it win in my heart.  I only pray you can find it sooner than I, for you truly deserve nothing more than happiness and bliss to the end of your days.”

   Hidama looked at Shadow, ready to cry, and said, “And may you too find peace my friend, for this kind of suffering that we know is meant for no one to ever have to endure.”  Shadow looked at him with concern, and Hidama, unable to hold back his tears anymore, began to weep and cried, “I just want to remember my brother!  Why can’t I remember him?  Why?!”

   The echidna fell to his knees, and Shadow, seeing the toll Hidama’s misery was taking on him, and knowing it all too well as it reflected his own tormented soul, knelt down beside Hidama and hugged him, trying his best to comfort the echidna.  Truly it seemed that Hidama might never find peace again, unless he found the courage and strength to find it for himself.  If he could ever let go of the mountain of despair that lay rough and heavy on his heart, then perhaps maybe he could be at peace once more; maybe he could recapture the happiness he abandoned all those years ago, one dark night on Angel Island.