Sonic GeneX - The Series: Zodiac in Time
Episode 9 - Rise of the Lost Ones

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?
GeneX and related fanchars are (c) 2BIT (TheGreatGator), the author.


Previously on Sonic GeneX - The Series...
Everyone attempted to take a break from their dramas for Punchy & Rainbow's wedding. However, Gemini was imprisoned for interfering with the timeline, Gunner attacked the church looking for Copter, and Felicia, wounded by Gunner, began to regain her memories as Fera!
Lospecter appeared before Gemini, gloating that he sent Timothy to Gemini knowing that it would lead her to head further back in time and ultimately be arrested. Desperate to escape, Gemini found a new power in herself, now able to cast magic without her wand!
In the battle with Fera and GUN, Libra and Copter fought with Gemini as well. Ultimately, they realized that they both care for Gemini, and Libra gave the final page of Bard's book to her, asking that Gemini change their fates. Meanwhile, Fera used the Chaos Cards to chop off Gunner's arm before escaping.
Using his memory of the Raisol Tribe's home from the past, Timothy used a spell to restore the Hidden Ruins, and the wedding concluded there, with an apologetic Fred performing the marriage.
Over time in the past, Rex's group tracked the Doomlings to what would become Demon Island. Upon defeating a powerful Doomling, Rex succumbed to the voices in his head, and captured Luna, stating he had a plan to attain eternal life at the dragon temple. Determined to save his girlfriend, Bard leads the chase as the group wonders what has come over their leader...
Now, on to the next chapter!


While everyone else was pretty much enjoying the post-wedding festivities, Gemini was busy looking over the previously missing page from Bard's book. She knew now what point in time to go to, and where. However, Silver was still unsure this was the right course of action. "You know how I feel about making this change. The Lost Ones are a big part of history, Gemini. If you remove them, yes, it's possible you never meet Libra or Copter, their lives aren't affected by you, they don't meet Cancer and Ophiuchus... And also Timothy would be safe. But at what cost? You don't know the full extent of what would change. This isn't like an immediate world-ending event. If the Lost Ones do destroy the world, it could still be hundreds of years before that!" he stated. Gemini was still fixated on the page as Timothy and Carrie approached. "Never mind that, Gem. We got a better reason why you should hold back." Carrie warned, making her look up with an alarmed expression. Timothy had a look of concern. "Gemini...everything we've done so far was all according to Lospecter's plan. What if he's still a step ahead of us somehow? We... we should be careful." he stated. Gemini backed away a step. "I can't believe this... None of you want to go back? Even after Libra asked me to??" she stammered, "Lospecter didn't see my escape coming! This is our chance!" she stated. Silver didn't say anything, but sure looked awkward. Carrie cleared her throat. "I don't wanna go to Zodiac jail again, Gemini..." she murmured. Gemini let out a frustrated huff. "F-fine... Who needs you? I'll save the WORLD all by myself!" she said, running a distance away and flicking her wrist to create a time portal as her magical wings reappeared briefly! Copter and Libra watched her leave from the shadows. "Maybe we should help her..." Copter muttered. Libra nodded. "We owe her that much. Come on!" However, before they could move, a quintet of crabmeat robots scuttled into their path! "Where are you going, Aries?" came Cancer's voice through one of them. "What do you want now?" Copter grunted. "I see you fraternizing with the enemy. You know, there's more than one way to help your Gemini. Ways that don't involve you two losing her. If I get what I want, I can fix everything for all of you..." Cancer promised. Libra looked unsure, but Copter nodded to her. "Lead the way, crabs. We'll hear what you've got to say..." he said, glancing at Libra with a wink. "Let's keep our options open... But be prepared for the worst..." he told her.


Bard, Monty, Spiro, Astra, Gunther and Radia all went together to the dragon temple in pursuit of Rex, William and the captive Luna. When they got there, they found a trail of dragon bodies waiting for them outside. "I know we're mad at Brutus, but this seems excessive, 'specially since Brutus died already..." Spiro babbled. "What's he going to do to Luna?!" Bard stammered. "Nothing! We're going to catch him and put this right before it goes any farther!" Monty insisted. The others nodded and hurried to the temple, gasping as they felt the ground shake! "Wh-what in blazes is that!?" Gunther yelled. "Dragon temples are sometimes designed to pull free of the very earth and fly!" Radia announced. Spiro yelped. "Come on, Rex! You said you wanted us to meet you!!" he groaned, "He did say that, right?" Astra held up her wand and beckoned them close. "We won't miss the flight! Everyone hold on to me! Galaporta!!" she cried, warping the entire group up to the roof of the temple as it tore free of the ground, revealing itself a massive flying fortress as it took to the air! At this moment, Gemini emerged on the roof as well, turning to make her time portal vanish. "Oh, my word... This isn't just any dragon temple... Th-this really is Shadow Arcangel!" she gasped, looking over the side and recognizing the familiar wingspan of the ship that houses Bucky and Team GeneX in the present day. The others on the roof were too busy gawking to notice Gemini, themselves. "How...does this heap...fly??" Monty babbled. Astra rubbed her chin. "I believe it's intended to run long-term using the Chaos Emeralds. Rex must have found an alternative energy source." she stated. Radia frowned. "Could he have taken extra crystals from my home the last time he was there?" Suddenly, Gunther got a devious smirk and shoved Bard, seizing his Chaos Key as he started to fall, grabbed just in time by Monty. "What the heck!? G-gunther!?" the echidna babbled. The old man stepped over to the center of the roof, where Rex and William had emerged, with Luna bound and gagged nearby. "Good to have you on my side, friend..." Rex said to Gunther, "The rest of you should consider joining us, too. Luna wasn't having it, but she'll learn..." Bard turned as Monty pulled him up and clenched his fists. "Luna!! L-let her go! Rex, are you insane!?" he cried. Rex held up his sword, while William kicked the ground with his boots. "If you want to fight us, it'll be a short fight." William warned. "I don't wish to kill you, friends... I'm going to save you... make you eternal..." Rex smirked. Gemini turned and started to watch. "What do I do... How do I stop what happens next?" she wondered.

Spiro tried to concentrate, but there was nothing to use for the Chaos Crown's life-based powers on the roof. "Uhh, good luck, dudes!" he chuckled. Bard accepted the tailband from Astra and charged at Gunther. "Give back that key!" he yelled, only for William to speed by and knock him down! Monty fired several shots from his gauntlets at Rex, but he swiftly parried them with his blade. He saw Astra and Radia approach from the side as well, trying to get to Luna. "William!" he called, sending the raccoon racing across the roof to knock them over, too! Rex then gripped his sword tightly, and it glowed a bit. "Chaos Spear Storm!!" he shouted, holding up his blade and firing dozens of Chaos Spears upward, which then rained down on the group, stunning them! William took the opportunity to speed through the area and separate them all from their Chaos Relics, scattering them and Astra's wand onto the floor! He also dragged Spiro over, leaving him beside Luna. "S-spiro!!" Astra cried. The feline shrugged. "Hey, good news is, he doesn't wanna kill us, right? Let's hear him out!" he chuckled softly. Rex nodded. "Good boy, Spiro. I knew you'd see reason. Stay down and listen, all of you!" he warned, keeping a grip on his sword, "...I have lived for ages and ages... Kept alive by power gifted me by Light Gaia himself, who tasked me with ending the Doomlings. But I have been shown a truth. Once my mission is completed, Gaia's light will leave me, and I will cease to live. However... I can subvert this..." he said. Monty struggled to his feet. "You... Light Gaia...? What!?" he babbled. This was a lot to process. "Hold all questions until the end!" Gunther snapped. Rex nodded in agreement. "The Doomlings have a secret. Like myself, they yearn to remain in this world. To be eternal... But combining with ordinary life destroys both the life and the Doomling. Still they try. I, however, hold the key. The power of Light Gaia within me, while still keeping me alive, can be used to attain true eternal life should I willingly combine with the Doomlings!" he proclaimed, "And then...I will be able to share that eternity with you...with the world! We only need give up one thing. A quibble..." he murmured. Bard interrupted him. "You HAVE gone insane! The Doomlings are in your head, twisting your mind!" he cried. Gunther chuckled. "So? I hear them, too... They reveal great truth!" he declared. "The Doomlings have been our friends all along!" William added. Radia gasped and Astra held her head. "Tell me...you aren't going along with this, Spiro..." the fennec sniffled. Spiro crossed his arms. "...The crown chose me...it was a sign...I am meant for more...for eternity!" he sneered. Monty grunted and looked at the Relics scattered on the floor. "We have to... stop them!" he realized.

Realizing that this was her moment to act, Gemini started towards Rex, focusing to cause the glowing wings to form on her back again. However, her focus was broken by the waving of a hand in her face. "Yoo-hoo! Guess whoooo!" Gemini backed up in alarm to see Lospecter suddenly floating before her! "You!? N-no... You can't be here! It's impossible! The Chaos Key doesn't have time travel powers!" she stammered. Lospecter grinned deviously at her. "Oh, you're cute when you're stunned out of your mind. See you in hell!" he waved as another dark figure stepped beside him and, before Gemini could get a good look at him, shoved her over the edge of the Arcangel! She tumbled down, trying to grab on to the ship's wings only to grasp at air, tumbling hundreds of feet towards the earth! She couldn't focus, couldn't get her wings to appear. It seemed like the end, but her fall suddenly slowed and stopped in midair, and opening her eyes again, she saw Silver and Carrie below her, both of them glowing with psychic energy to hold her up! "Thanks for telling us the date, Gemini!" Timothy said sarcastically, "This was not a short trip for us..." he griped. Gemini began to sob as she was placed on the ground. "L-lospecter... He followed me somehow!" she babbled. Silver looked nervous. "Th-that shouldn't...be possible..." he said unconvincingly. After all, if they could travel through time, who couldn't? Lospecter soon floated down to meet them, snapping his fingers in frustration. "You fluffy cockroach! But I guess that would be too easy. Now you're in for it though. Just wait'll my boss gets back down here." he said with an evil smirk. Gemini stared at him. "So, YOU have a boss? You never seemed to take orders from anyone!" she snapped. "Should we be getting out of here?" Timothy whimpered. Suddenly, a time portal emerged before them, and Lospecter gave a chuckle. "Not a fan of falling, I guess. Well, allow me to introduce him! He pushed you off a cliff! He's the master and daddy of all Lost Ones! Give it up foooorrr... Apocalooooos!!" the ghost announced. Out of the portal stepped a mobian-shaped figure. Dark energy seemed to emanate from his body as slime coated his quills. Gemini and her friends gasped in horror to recognize the figure. It appeared to be Rex the hedgehog...or what was left of him! His pupils glowed an eerie golden color, his back spikes had grown long and menacing-looking, and his jawline was lined with razor-sharp teeth reminiscent of a Jurassic beast. "Your little mission here is doomed to fail... I'm here to make certain of it!" Apocalos declared.

As much as this was to take in, Gemini refused to let things end like this. "Hold him off!" she said, her wings returning before she suddenly warped back to Shadow Arcangel! "It's too late, Zodiac child!" Apocalos cackled. As Gemini arrived, she saw Rex, Spiro and William drop their Chaos Relics on the ground while Bard, Monty, Radia and Astra reeled from another apparent thrashing. "The Chaos Relics may interfere with the transformation... Let us remove those claws, Luna..." Rex said, only for the bound wolf to kick him. "Suit yourself..." Gemini ran to put a stop to this, but slime grabbed at her ankles, holding her still! "No!!" she gasped. "You will watch this...before you die..." came the voice of Losipher. She looked to see Bard and Astra rise up and dash for their loved ones, only for a swarm of Doomlings to crash onto the ship from above, their sinister voices apparent to all of them now! "Death becomes everlasting... Nothing becomes everything... Surrender your souls... Lose yourselves... We are your Apocalypse!!" Gemini could see the Doomlings crashing into Rex's body and subsequently reacting to the Gaia energy inside him, melting away into slime which then began to cover his body! Light Gaia's spell seemed to be wearing off him, and he began to revert back into a Tyrannosaurus, scales fangs and claws joining slime as part of his new visage. "Y-YESSS!! L-lossse... s-soulsss... B-become l-lossst... W-we are... Lossst Onessss!!" he roared as Gemini struggled to break free of Losipher's grip. "Gah... I gotta try to destroy him!! N-now!!" she gasped. As Monty and Radia scrambled to their feet, Bard and Astra tried to approach their loved ones, only for the Doomling slime to increase in volume, reaching from Rex towards the four souls around him, forcing Bard and Astra to step back. "Luna!! L-luna!!" Bard cried desperately. "Spiro...r-run!!" Astra pleaded. Spiro did look a bit nervous, but it was too late. The slime latched on to him, and as he struggled, his body was devoured by it. "G-gyaaaaa!! Wh-what's happen...ackk!!" To Astra's horror, he melted into a puddle, and rose up as a gooey spectre of his former self. Gunther gasped and tried to run, only to be grabbed by the slime as well, while William simply accepted it as Rex had. The slime seemed to simply form a turquoise skin around Gunther, though his eyes became soulless and red. William's flesh dissolved, leaving a raccoon skeleton behind. During this, Bard tried to reach for Luna. "Use your claws... S-somehow... Use them to resist!" he pleaded, reaching for her hands. Luna's gag popped out of her mouth as the slime grabbed her ankles. "B-bard!! I... I love y- AAAAAAAHHHHH!!" A shrill, horrifying scream came from her as the slime quivered in rage from the touch of the Chaos Claws, the golden relics being blackened as Bard grasped at them. "Nooooo!!" Bard wailed, managing only to pull the black claws away, not noticing their gold color slowly returning as he watched the slime devour Luna, her screams only fading when she was replaced with a small black ghost, a symbol of horror. Gemini went limp, tears in her eyes. "Spiro...Lospecter... William...Loskeletor... Gunther...Losipher... Luna...Loscream... They've been in front of me all along..." she stammered.

Astra grabbed for her wand and flung some spells at the transformed Rex in her grief-stricken rage. "Y-you monster!! Y-you've killed him!! You killed them!!" she wailed, but her spells were not bothering Rex, who was well on his way to becoming Apocalos. "Death is a matter of perception. You believe in an afterlife, so by that logic, I'm giving you a rebirth now..." he said in a warped, demonic voice, thrusting his claws into Astra's belly and hurtling her across the roof of the Arcangel! "Y-you bastard!!" Monty snarled, ready to start a desperate fight. Gemini was about ready to try warping out of Losipher's grip and joining in, hopefully not taking him with her, but the Lost Ones had other plans. Losipher yanked her over the edge of the ship again, only this time she fell into a waiting time portal! As she fell through repeated time portals, she saw a quick history lesson on the Lost Ones. "We've taken numerous forms through the years..." Losipher's voice declared as Gemini saw brief glimpses of a zombie-esque Loscream, the formless mass of Losipher, a skeletal dragon for Loskeletor, and the gaseous form of Lospecter she first knew, each form introduced to her as she fell from one time hole to another, scarcely able to notice any details of the time frame she was quickly passing through. Finally, she landed beside her friends underneath Shadow Arcangel back in the past. As Timothy helped her to her feet, she saw Carrie and Silver standing nervously before the present-day versions of all the sentient Lost Ones. The ghost-like Lospecter, the demonic skeleton Loskeletor, the vampiric Losipher, the pumpkin-esque Loscream and their leader, Apocalos. "Have a nice tumble down memory lane, Gemmy?" Lospecter taunted. "I hope they hath shown the Renaissance... Our Bard were nothing compared to THE bard..." Loskeletor stated. "You know we didn't actually catch that..." Lospecter murmured. Loscream cackled. "Don't try to appeal to who we were, kids. There's nothing of our weak older selves left... We are only the Lost Lords! Here to bring a horrifying end to all of you!" he declared. Carrie glanced back at Gemini. "I'm lost...what did you SEE, Gemini??" she asked. "They're all from Rex's group... All of them. Even Lospecter and Losipher... They've been terrorizing the world for centuries!" she panted, the revelations proving a bit much for her. Apocalos crossed his arms and frowned. "Oh, would that were true. Think how much further along my plans could be if technology were so much less advanced... Alas, it's not all good news for us on this day. But now I'm here, and an opportunity is presented to change my own fate for the better... All that's in our way is you four... Easily remedied!" he said with a wide, unpleasant grin. Silver gulped. "Where are those annoying Zodiac time cops when you need them?" he complained.

In order to battle Rex and their now-transformed friends, Monty and Radia went for the Chaos Relics, while Astra focused on trying to heal herself with her wand. She was hurt pretty bad, and wouldn't be any good to the others now. Bard thought to use the Chaos Claws, but Radia stopped him. "Use this instead... I'm sensing a darkness inside those claws. Being worn as Luna lost her soul...seems to have cursed them." she warned, handing Bard the Chaos Sword. Monty reclaimed his gauntlets and Radia put on the crown along with the Chaos Wing. Rex, however, was too busy to stop them. Lospecter and Loscream, formerly Spiro and Luna, had gone below to the inside of the ship and drug up several dead dragons. Now, Rex covered their bodies in slime, transforming them into base Lost Ones... Losol! "Go, my children... Make our friends see the truth. Help them become gloriously lost, like us!" Rex commanded, sending the losol slithering after the four heroes with alarming speed! Bard clumsily swung the Chaos Sword at one, and it quickly collapsed into inactive slime! Monty fired some shots from his gauntlets, also finding that the losol were easily downed by them. "Hey, Rex! There's a flaw in your eternal life plan... The Chaos Relics are your weakness!" he smirked. Rex scowled at him, extending slime from his feet across the roof and over the edge of the ship, leaving limited space for the heroes to walk. "Maybe so, but we outnumber you tenfold!" he declared as the slime stopped flowing, but the ship began to shake! "...He just turned all the dragons on the ship into those things, didn't he?" Bard gulped. Radia flew up with the Chaos Wing, and gasped as losoar bats flew out of the ship to chase her! "Aaaah!! E-excuse me, I need to pick up one thing! Uhh, Chaos Cards or key?" she babbled, diving back down to the ship! Lospides crawled up the side of the ship, and loskulls also flew up to surround Bard and Monty as well. "You better learn that sword quick!" Monty gulped as Bard picked up a tailband and slid it onto his tail. "To avenge Luna... I'll be the warrior the group always wanted... Or, you know, die trying..." he stammered. As the Lost Ones charged at the heroes, they clutched their Chaos Relics and prepared for the worst...

Gemini and Silver were fighting side by side against Apocalos, trying to prevent him from getting up to the ship while Timothy and Carrie were kept occupied by just Loscream and his flailing vines. Silver tried to grab Apocalos with his psychokinesis to hold him still, but it only worked for an instant as Apocalos' eyes flashed purple before stepping right out of Silver's psychic grip! "Don't bore me, hedgehog. I am the oldest darkness on earth!" he sneered as Gemini tried to blast him with a powerful magic spell. "That tickles." he smirked, raising his hand to catch the blast, and then hurl it right back at Gemini! "No!!" she gasped, falling backward, only to be caught by...an alligator? "Can't you stay outta trouble in any time period??" Looking up, Gemini saw that Cuthburt had caught her! Running up beside him were Evelyn and Adam, with Fred in his lion form bringing up the rear. "Look's as though evil has revealed its true face, at last! We won't allow you to change the future, Lost Ones!" Fred declared. Losipher crept up behind them, with Loskeletor coming from the left and Lospecter bringing up the right. "You and what army, future boy? Your pals can't even handle one of us!" Lospecter smirked. Evelyn shot him through the face with her blaster, only for his smoky form to instantly regenerate. "That was rude... Laser her back, 'skelly!" he said, snapping his fingers. Loskeletor fired his laser eyes at the group, forcing them to run for the only opening they had to evade it. Losipher then started to transform, becoming larger and growing tentacles in place of his arms! "I've been waiting to devour each of your souls!" he bellowed. Fred fired a bolt from his wand directly into Losipher's mouth, knocking him back! "Maybe I should have stopped to pick up Capricorn or someone..." he murmured. Gemini ran to rejoin Silver, who was trying to crush Apocalos with tree trunks he'd lifted with his powers, but Apocalos seemed to dodge and weave anything he threw at him with ease, his eyes flashing purple anytime he seemed to almost be struck, and then he'd move at incredible speed to avoid the attack. Gemini observed this and gasped. "That's how he got here... Apocalos can somehow manipulate time. We don't stand a chance!" she whimpered hopelessly.

Radia and Monty did a good job of wiping out the minor Lost Ones that came their way, while Bard did his best to defend himself. Rex was getting tired of this. "Let's kill them, then..." he grunted, glancing at the Lost Lords around him. Loskeletor grabbed a broken loskull and hurled it at Monty, while Loscream flew around the trio menacing them. "D-do you think there's any way we could save them?" Monty murmured. Radia shook her head. "We can't afford to think like that. We need to stop them here... We need to end this!" she said. Losipher came at Bard and grabbed at him, trying to throw him off the side of the ship! "If you won't join us... You'll join Brutus!!" he growled. Bard struggled, but managed to point the sword at him. "Errrgh... Go, shooty thing!!" he grunted, firing a Chaos Spear into Losipher's chest, stunning him! Seeing his opening, Bard proceeded to fire several Chaos Spears at Losipher, filling his body with slimy holes until he collapsed into a formless, writhing puddle! Lospecter slithered next to him and groaned. "Ewww, Gunther, you've looked better... Well, know what? I bet we can fix that. Just feed you a couple yummy souls and you'll be good as new. How many could it take. Two...three tops, right?" he said awkwardly. Bard stared at him. "Y-you're still Spiro..." he stammered. He chuckled. "No, I'm not... I'm better... I'm basically a god." he grinned. As Bard backed away from him, Monty found himself surrounded by Loskeletor, Loscream and Rex. Radia tried to help, but her understanding of the Chaos Cards wasn't great, and only summoned a light breeze. Monty was reduced to punching with the gauntlets, forcing Loskeletor back, but Rex wouldn't have any of it. He jabbed his claws into the echidna's chest, and then again and again as Monty howled in pain! Astra struggled to her feet at this moment. "N-no!!" she panted. Monty collapsed as Rex backed up. He was bleeding and broken. "Surrender...all of you... You can live forever if you surrender now." Rex offered. Monty gagged a little, but managed to speak in a raspy voice. "I...have a plan... Into...the ship!" Rex sneered as he heard Monty say this, but Bard, Radia and Astra were quick to reach his side. "Galaporta!" Astra cried, causing the quartet to vanish! Rex growled, his form shifting. He began to recover his hedgehog quills as he molded his form to his liking. "Get after them! They intend to crash this ship and eliminate us, for certain!" he ordered. "Will that work?" Lospecter asked. "Damned if I know! This is new to me, too. I didn't know the relics would be so powerful against us..." Rex stated, looking at Losipher. The Lost Ones started after the heroes, who found themselves inside the ship and holding Monty upright as Astra tried to heal him. "He's dying... Quickly, what's the plan?" Astra asked him.

It truly looked like Gemini and her friends were finished as the Lost Ones closed in around their entire group. "Well, guys... I think now, at the end, I can safely say... I should have stayed home with Talon." Carrie whimpered. "Oh, now you figure that out!" Silver groaned. Just as it seemed the Lost Ones would tear them all limb from limb, though, time portals opened up all around them, and the entirety of the Zodiac Council emerged! Cancer had set aside his problems with the others to show up, along with Scorpio, Copter, Libra, Pisces, Taurus, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Virgo, Aquarius and of course, Ophiuchus! They surrounded the Lost Ones, looking quite angry. "Back up, Lospecter, or I will END you!" Copter warned. "I like your spunk, kid, but I only listen to my boss!" he snickered. "Eee hee hee! All of us in one place! I guess we all knew you'd bring us together, Gemini!" Scorpio laughed. "Enough!" said Ophi as Apocalos turned to face him. The leader of the Lost Ones crossed his arms. "You promised me the world would ultimately belong to the Lost Ones, but you've been allowing these time travelers nearly free reign to meddle in my history, potentially destroying us before we're even born. Tell me why I shouldn't do the same to your group?" he sneered. Gemini turned to Fred with a look of abject horror. "It can't be true... Tell me you didn't know this!" she stammered. Fred looked at the ground. "I...suspected." he frowned. Even Capricorn looked a little shaken. "We... we don't promise anyone anything..." she stammered. Ophi shrugged. "It is written. The proper course of time will lead our world into the Lost Ones' control. But to keep the time traveling leader here from making it happen too soon, I had to let him in on that fact. None of us may be happy about it, but it's not our job to save everyone! Only to keep the timeline running its proper course!" he announced, glaring knowingly at Cancer. Libra and Copter exchanged worried glances as Apocalos created a time portal of his own. "Very well... We're leaving. I trust you'll put these miscreants in their place. It hardly matters...they now know that I can meddle in time just as they can. If they try this again, I'll make their entire history into a nightmare they'll beg me to release them from!" he warned, leading the Lost Lords through the portal and back whence they came, Lospecter blowing raspberries at them on the way. "...I thought it already was such a nightmare..." Gemini murmured.

Monty told them the plan, but it was he who would carry it out. Brutus had told him about his temple home, and Monty knew of a chamber where he could lay a trap. He waited inside this chamber, insisting that the others keep quiet and stealthy. If he were to die, he planned to take the Lost Ones with him. Rex led the Lost Lords to this chamber, hearing Monty wailing in pain. They entered and surrounded him, pinning him to the wall. "Where did the others go?" Rex demanded. "C'mon, bro... We'll take that pain away and replace it with slime..." Lospecter promised. Monty gasped and panted, and then gave a wide smirk. "Go...to...hell!" he said. Bard suddenly appeared at the entrance to the chamber. "Luna...if you're in there... I loved you..." he said as Radia pressed a switch nearby. The chamber slammed shut, sealed. It was a containment cell for enemies of the dragons, meant to keep them trapped forever if need be! A special cooling substance began to fill the chamber, which would keep them quiet and suspended until the fateful day the cell would be opened. However, before they could be frozen, Rex hurled Monty into Losipher! "Eat up... this may be a long rest!" he stated as Monty wailed, his body being dragged into Losipher's slime, never to be seen again! Astra started to sob for Spiro, but walked away with purpose. "I have to turn this temple around..." she sniffled. Bard nodded. "Dragons will return for this place. We have to warn them never to open this chamber." he told Radia. She nodded and let out a heavy sigh. "The Chaos Relics have completed their mission I guess... though at what cost? I think we'd better have them split up and hidden away... You told me what happened with Brutus and it just seems in the end, the Chaos Relics were largely more trouble than they were worth. But they may be needed again... So, it's best to put them in places where they may be found someday..." she said. Bard nodded in agreement, and took a deep breath. He had one final song to sing.

"Good day, my friends, though the tidings are bleak.
If you'd stop to listen, I've a tale to speak.
A sadness and tragedy carried through song,
Of seven chosen heroes, whose mission went wrong...

Bard is my name, one of seven I was.
A knight, a warrior, a guardian with a cause.
Take heed of my story, my tale of woe.
Lest the evil I speak of return, and grow.

We fought to stave off death and despair,
But greed and lust for power grew thick in the air,
In the end, the worst darkness is in our own hearts!
It seeps into our souls, and tears us apart!

Yet I managed to seal this evil away,
But it may return on one dark troubled day.
Take heed of my story, my tale of woe.
Lest the evil I speak of... return, and grow."


Gemini, Timothy and Silver had to stop at the present day to bring Carrie home. With Fred, Copter and Libra all pleading their case, Ophi decided to show them leniency, but only if they returned to their own times and never crossed through history again. This would mean goodbye to Carrie and all her friends in the present for Gemini. She hugged Carrie tightly, fighting back tears as they were saying their goodbyes outside the building where this all began, Kosmo's house in Troblusk City. Kosmo didn't seem to understand the whole thing, but he was fine with giving Carrie a place to stay. "I can't believe it ends like this... In such total defeat..." Gemini whimpered. Timothy patted her shoulder. "I know... At least it seems like I'm gonna be okay. I'm not disappearing or anything." he sighed. Carrie brushed a tear from her eyes. "I did what I could for you, Gem. Turns out, I'm even more powerless in the grand scope of things than I ever dreamed..." she frowned. Silver cleared his throat, looking devastated to have to bring this up. "We really need to go, before Ophi changes his mind and locks us up..." he said. They were about to leave, too, but at that moment, Libra swooped down, shouting frantically at them. "Stooop!!" They jumped back as Libra skidded to a halt near them, and Kosmo did a double take. "Wait, you're the Deathbringer!? You look just like her!!" he babbled. Libra rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, keep up with the times, would ya? Gemini! I need your help!" she said hastily. Gemini blinked a bit. "You? The Deathbringer should never need anyone's help." she said with a huff. Libra growled a bit. "Look, I'm not proud of what Ophi turned me into, okay!? But I know the truth now, all of it. Gemini... I'm asking you to help me... to defeat the Zodiac Council once and for all!" she announced, raising her fist. Everyone stared at her in absolute shock. "Well... I'm in!" Carrie muttered. Silver shook his head and sighed. "You better tell us everything...and if we're doing this...we're gonna need backup!" he realized. There was only one who might truly stand a chance in a desperate situation like this... Sonic the Hedgehog!

To be continued... BZZZT... ZZZZT... BONUS SCENE! BZZZZT...


Dr. Nammad wearily stepped into the GUN medical center, heading for a particular patient. Richard Gunner had refused to be seen by normal medical doctors...only Nammad would do. It was amazing he was even conscious enough to make demands, what with the blood loss. Nammad nervously walked into his room, stuttering as he wondered if his patient was awake. "Is option A viable or not? Speak, you ninny!" Gunner snapped groggily. Nammad stepped forward anxiously. "I, err... I'm not Frankenstein, general. And, uh... I'm not Bucky, either. I can't reattach your arm. It's dead, Rich." he said nervously. Gunner slammed the side of the bed with his left fist, glaring at the stump where his right arm used to be. "Option B, then...and damn the furry freaks to hell! Damn all of them!!" he shouted, making Nammad uncomfortable. "N-not so loud. You want to, uh, be forced to take a leave of, uh, absence?" he babbled. Gunner glared at him. Obviously he was already on leave. Nammad gulped and produced some blueprints. "Option B, then... Anything special you care to, uh, order?" he asked, showing off plans for what appeared to be arm cannon attachments. Gunner sneered. "Some sort of claw, perhaps... I want to crush the life out of that wolf with the very arm she ruined!" he snarled. A future of murder and mayhem seemed to be in store for Richard Gunner...

To be continued...