Amadeus had been under strict orders by the king to look over his sister, Sally. He had been watching over her for the past half hour, studying her as it seems she began to tear herself apart. Over what, he did not know.
"Princess Sally," he briefly spoke, "is everything alright?"
"I just.. I just have a bad feeling, is all. Something doesn't feel right. There's this chill in the air that seems like it's telling me there's something wrong, I can feel it." She began to speak the stress that plagued her mind.
"Your highness, the king is using every bit of strength in his body to ensure the safety of our people. He's a great man—a smart man. I'm sure everything is quite alright." Amadeus shot to sooth the tense Princess.
"He should have called in, or came back, or sent in Nicole or something. I just don't know, Amadeus. I just have a strong hunch that he's in some kind of trouble." She paced back in forth from the same two spots for the past half hour. He couldn't tell if it was the paranoia getting to her, or if she really did have a bad feeling. But he did have to admit, it was rather odd he hadn't heard anything about the king.
"You make a good point, your highness. I believe it's time we go look for him." Amadeus checked down at his hip holster to make sure his sidearm was off safety mode.
"Wait.. really? But I thought I couldn't—
"The king ordered me to make sure you are watched and kept safe. He never said to sit tight and wait. Besides, my duty is not only to ensure the safety of the Princess, but the king as well." He walked towards the double doors of the castle entrance, signaling Sally to follow behind.
"Stay close." He said to her, as they began their search.
_______________________________
For the first time in his life, Sonic was at a loss for words. The hyperactive knucklehead speedster was speechless. Witnessing someone as worthy as Elias give up the throne was one of the most horrifying things he'd ever seen.
"Mobotropolis, meet your new ruler... Ixis Naugus!" The revolting hybrid wizard chanted with glee. He was met with roaring applause and claps upon his newly appointed royalty.
"Elias... how could you do this.." Tails quietly spoke in awe, closely joining Sonic's side for elder comfort. The man couldn't answer. His head was spinning with the events that had just occurred. The scattered thoughts and mixed emotions pounded through his mind. He slowly looked up from the ground, and looked back to Geoffrey and Naugus.
"I tried countless times to save you, Elias. But you would not heed my warnings." The skunk smiled as he folded his arms across his chest. But hearing just that single remark alone, was enough to boil the blue hedgehog's blood.
"Why you two-faced, backstabbing son of a—!" He screamed at Geoffrey as he began to stomp towards him, though was quickly stopped by Nicole. She was the only thing keeping him from blackening the skunk's eye.
"Hmm." Naugus thought to himself aloud to regain the attention. "I do believe—as king—it is time I make my first call." The wizard smirked with his ugly teeth at Elias.
"As first order of business as your new ruler, I not only take emergency powers from the Acorn family entirely, but I, King Naugus, hereby banish Elias Acorn from the kingdom!" He finally spoke the words he'd been dying to spill for the last decade.
Elias, Tails and the rest of his supporters all gasped at the sudden command.
"What!" The small group heard the cry of a familiar feminine voice. Sonic and Elias turned back to see Sally and Amadeus, as the two stopped in their tracks from their dead sprint.
"Elias! What the hell is going on! Who is thi—
Sally began to yell in fury, but froze as she looked over her brother's shoulder. There, she saw the evil wizard standing with the royal crown on his head.
"Naugus.." She softly said in disbelief, as her eyes doubled in size.
"Princess Sally.. such a pleasant surprise. Tell me, how is dear ol' dad doing?" Naugus spoke with his subtle sarcasm. There was no denying it in her eyes. He was back. He was really back.
Amadeus had stepped forward, drawing his sidearm between his hands.
"Sir, please remove that crown right now. It rightfully belongs to the Acorn heir and the throne of the kingdom. I will not ask again." He kept his handgun pointed at the floor until he felt threatened.
"Ahh, Maximilian's enforcer. I do not believe I've had the pleasure." Naugus took a couple steps towards the Fox father, squaring even with him.
"Oh but I know you all too well, wizard. Your reign of destruction will not again plague this great nation." Amadeus' words began to harden.
"I think you need to check your facts, soldier. There's been a change in management." Naugus then looked to Elias.
"Your highness?" Amadeus questioned the young man.
Elias slowly looked at his captain with a look the man had never seen before. The face of defeat.
"I... am not your king. Not anymore.." He quietly spoke, as Sally and Amadeus gasped.
"But... sire.. how did—
"As much as I would love to continue to bathe in this delicious victory, I do however have plans for my new kingdom." Naugus spoke, slightly startling Geoffrey. Naugus then brought up his one normal arm, putting his two fingers in his mouth to whistle. As he did so, the group began to feel the ground beneath their feet start to rumble.
"I now present to you, your new..." He stopped for his own goofy dramatic effect.
But over the wizard's shoulder, the group saw something... strange?
It looked as if a horde of men were marching towards them. And not just any men.
Lynxes.
Chameleons.
Bats.
And even humanoid spiders.
The Newly formed Iron Dominion.
Elias looked at the mad lot in shock, seeing something he never thought he would in his lifetime. Each of the four great ninja clans, united together, for the first time in history. The crowd of people watched in awe, unaware if they should be terrified, or impressed by the sheer power of the four combined clans.
"No way.." Sonic spoke in awe, watching as each organized clan march up to their very feet. And ahead of the merging clans, was none other than beloved ally, Espio the Chameleon. He himself stood alongside Lightning Lynx, no matter how much he hated it.
"Grand army of Mobius!" Naugus finished his sentence with glee, joyfully staring at their faces of anguish.
"The four great nations.. merged together for the first time in history. And yet it's used for pure evil." Sally spoke as she quivered in fear. That was, until she and Sonic recognized Espio ahead of the enormous armada.
"Espio?!" Sonic loudly gasped. He quickly paced up to the long departed ally. "Man what are you doing?!" He spoke fearfully, standing right before his old friend. As much as it pained the chameleon to betray such a close kingdom, he had a job to do.
"Step back, Sonic. This is none of your concern. The kingdom of Acorn now belongs to the Iron Dominion." He coldly responded to the hedgehog.
"The Iron Dominion?" Sonic questioned in frustration, as he disobeyed Espio and instead took a step forward. "Espio, I know you! This isn't you, dude! You know your allegiance to the kingdom—
"My allegiance is to my clan!" Espio loudly interrupted him, stunning him. "I won't ask again, Sonic. Don't make me do something I'll regret." His words grew harsher. However, Sonic didn't take too well to Espio's words. Out of pure frustration, he grabbed Espio by the shoulders, and vigorously shook him as he desperately screamed in his face.
"Listen to me! You can't be apart of this—this garbage!" He yelled.
The chameleon's only response, was a rock hard fist to the hedgehog's face. The insane speed of Espio's fist put Sonic to the ground harder then he'd ever expected. Sally lousy gasped and cupped her hands over her mouth, as Amadeus easily pushed Tails behind him for safety.
"You finally see, quickster... There is nothing you, your little Freedom Fighters, or the rest of your people can do to stop me!" Naugus cheered with his evil enjoyment, as Sally helped Sonic off the ground. He wiped the blood from his nose as he finally got back to his feet. The look on his face was heartbreaking to Sally. The way he stared at Espio with the feeling of betrayal.
"Now Elias, you can either leave this kingdom with the dignity you still have, or I can have my new enforcer make you leave. Your choice." The news king smiled with his dark grin.
"Enforcer?" Elias questioned. Immediately following, he heard the cocking of a handgun from behind him. In awe, he turned around to a horrifying sight. Amadeus stood there, aiming his sidearm clean at him.
"Amadeus.. not you too.." Elias softly spoke, nod completely heartbroken.
"I'm sorry, son. You gave up the throne with your own hand. I am not loyal to you, or your father. I'm loyal to the crown." The one-eyes fox spoke with the voice of sorrow.
Elias couldn't believe this. Any of it. On what could have been the best night of his royal career, quickly became the darkest, most sinister day he'd ever seen. After the many battles he'd fought internally this day, he'd finally had enough. The wizard was right. It was time to leave.
"Naugus... you win.. I will leave this land, and never return." Gasps again filled the air.
"No! Uncle Elias!" Tails screamed with tears, as he ran over to the young man. However he was stopped, as Sally reached out and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him into a deep embrace. Sally felt his sobbing snout in her dress.
Elias, now looking down to the ground in shame, turned around, and finally began his path out of the kingdom. Forever.
Sally too watched her brother walk away, tears streaming down her face.
"Now the rest of you fine people, back to your homes!" Naugus turned back to the crowd, falsely putting on a heroic face. Or so that was, until Nicole had held her silence for long enough.
"NO!" She finally hovered into the air and shouted. "You are an outsider! Unfit to rule this land that the Acorn family built from the ground up! As commander of defense of this great land, I'm giving you one chance. Turn back now, and you will not be harmed!" She addressed the Iron Dominion and Naugus alike.
"Aw, isn't that cute. But I have a trick of my own, AI!" Naugus spoke back with great confidence. He hovered into the air to be even with the female AI, and smiled. He then raised his staff into the air, and jabbed it forward, plowing directly through the holographic woman.
In an instant, Nicole's systems began to fail, as the magic staff scrambled her connection to the kingdom. Sparks and bolts of electricity circuited around the floating Lynx. Numbered coding ran up and down the holes where her eyes normally were, showcasing red codes of error.
"NO! NICOLE!" Sally screamed in terror, as her best friend was slowly being torn apart from the inside out. Once Naugus though the woman had enough of her punishment, he released his staff from her inner core, leaving the AI's body to drop limp to the ground.
"Look to your Princess, people! She puts all her faith of national defense, in this.. this expired machine!" Naugus again addressed the great people. Whispers and gasps shot all around the crowd.
Both Lightning Lynx and Espio then walked up to Nicole's pixelating body, and grabbed her by arm arms. They then began to drag her away, towards the castle.
"His Royal Highness will not ask again. Everyone, back to your homes, now." Geoffrey then spoke with a rock solid harshness to his voice. The crowd of commoners obeyed, as they slowly began to scatter, and leave back to their homes. Though, they couldn't help to wonder if they'd just made a grave mistake.
Sonic easily grabbed hold of Tails and Sally, who were shivering with terror.
"The rest of you lot, leave my sight! Or I will deal with you later, you have my word." Naugus then ordered, finally turning around, leaving with his new battalion. Amadeus looked at his sobbing son, and sighed. He too, then followed the new king.
Sally looked up from Tails, staring at Naugus with nothing but hate.
"You'll regret this... you have my word." She harshly spoke before turning around, sprinting off with a face full of tears with Sonic and Tails.