Chapter 10

"Ephemeral Wrath, Wrathful Dreamer"

Upon waking up after their all-too-brief rest at Acornopolis, two alarms - two different alarms - sound simultaneously, sending guards and soldiers running all over the place. Sally leads Sonic toward the top of the castle to take a look at their foes on the outside, while Elias and Metal head toward the forces more directly. Fang takes off toward the source of the second alarm: a jailbreak that seems to have the prison guards in an uproar.

Sally and Sonic spring into action as soon as the Phis get in close, with Sally starting to show off some new moves, projecting an energy blade from her armored hand while her other arm emits an energy shield of its own. Sonic fights beside her, no longer half so shocked as the thrill of the fight against an army rushes through his veins. Metal provides aerial support, taking out groups of Phis, while Elias hangs back and protects the gate alongside the soldiers.

Meanwhile, passing alongside Fang is a strange being in black, carrying a scimitar like an extension of his arm. They head to the same place, realizing the source of panic simultaneously: Tails has turned feral, and is shrouded in flame and lightning, screaming "He is sleeping!!" as he dispatches - but does not kill - guards. The feral fox darts past Fang and the mystery creature, hindering their progress with fireballs and hypnotic effects as he rushes outside.

As the fighting continues outside against the army of Phis, a wall of Metaldiers begins to form - and Tails, crackling with energy in a strange, supernatural fury, lays waste to the lot of them, finishing with a powerful explosion that knocks Slash and Simian alike far from the battlefield. Just as the battle is won, however, Tails promptly lands... and falls asleep, reverting to normal.

While Fang and the mystery creature - a fox, calling himself "Dervish of the Ronin Kitsune" - converse, and medics take an injured Elias into the medical bay, Metal holds a conversation with Metal X at a distance, with X warning Metal against fighting them now. Sonic, however, will hear none of it, and he gathers Sally, Metal, and Fang to help him take the other robots on. At first, they seem to hold an advantage, as Crusher is less able to fight while he tries to carry the fallen Slash and Simian; however, Metal X reveals his true might, taking on the whole group of Freedom Fighters and leaving them battered on the battlefield, taking minimal damage himself. No longer would Metal X perceive Metal as a wayward brother - and he swears to no longer show mercy to the living Freedom Fighters...