Krystal Hearts: Frostfang

By InuSonishaUnlimited

Disclaimer: I don't own the SEGA characters here or the one Star Fox character here. This story is rated for violence, language and sex. No flames, you know the drill with me if you've read my stories before. Also, have a controller, preferrably a PS2 controller, nearby. Gamecube controllers work well too.

Stage 8: Cold Reception, The World of Endless Ice

The group of Sonic, Krystal, Zero and Kirby set down upon a frigid and nearly lightless world. Around them is nothing but small mounds of snow and ice, the farthest reaches of the world abound with tall pointed structures of ice with dark faint glows within the windows. The group walks into what appears to be a city completely covered in ice, bodies also spread about covered in ice or broken into pieces.

"The Unwarmth homeworld… Definitely lives up to my expectations…" Sonic says, gripping the hilt of Frostfang as he walks towards a tall pair of blue double doors.

"Let's be cautious… They will be expecting us." Krystal whispers as the doors open, a march of several Unwarmth of the same type.

They are soldier-like models with large shields and spears with ice jetting out of the sides and the tips. The armor they wear is thick and shining with the limited light given off by the ice. Their eyes glow with intense malice towards the heroes that come toward them, but they soon halt their march as it opens up, revealing another member of the Unwarmth Elite X. This one, a tall man with large gauntlets attached to his hands and half of a frozen mask on his face. His hair is short but dark blue, covering his upper back and left side of his face, the other bit held at bay by the mask. He speaks softly and yet just loud enough to be heard.

"At long last… the Frostfang has been delivered to us. Thank you for coming, oh Master of the Frostfang… Sonic the Hedgehog." speaks the Unwarmth Elite X member.

"Who are you?" Sonic shouts against the increasingly loud winds of the blizzard taking shape.

"I am Icilion, the sixth member of the Unwarmth Elite X. You have done a good thing bringing the sacred tool for the end of the warming light. Now if you would give it to us, we can secure you a place among our ranks." he says, opening his large clawed hand.

"You all can take your ice and go back to the lowest level of Hell. I won't be giving you Frostfang. No… I'll destroy you with it!" Sonic yells lunging towards the cloaked figure who jumps away and higher up, pursued by the blue hedgehog until they stand alone on a wide platform.

"We shall see how you fair against my frozen gauntlets." Icilion growls opening and closing his claws, making an insidious sound of ice and metal scraping against each other.

Boss Battle: Unwarmth Elite X Number VI: Icilion

HP: 1500 MP: 1200

This one-on-one duel against Icilion will test your strength and mastery of the skills you've developed with Frostfang over the course of the adventure as Sonic has no help from his party members to win this fight. Number six dishes out painful combos, but worse still, he utilizes surprises during the course of the battle as well. If you see small white circles appearing underneath Sonic, Dodge-Roll out of the way to avoid taking an ice spike from underneath.

However, it isn't just the sneaky attacks that cause trouble. Icilion is dangerous from the front as well, he deals an incredible amount of damage with his various claw attacks. One such attack is a swift claw attack that deals several hard hits, each hit has the possibility of causing the frost effect; doubling the amount of damage that Sonic can take. For those familiar with Wolverine's Beserker Barrage attack from Marvel Super Heroes, it is the same attack except with chance of freezing. With an Ice Guard accessory equipped, getting frozen is the least of your worries but the damage is still difficult to recover.

His second attack is a massive ice fist attack that lunges towards Sonic. It is his more slow attack but if it connects, it hits very hard. He will oftentimes launch several, making it difficult to avoid without careful rolls and jumps. His third attack is a large blue energy claw projectile. He can do this with vertical and horizontal directions. At close range, this is difficult to avoid, but you'll have more time at long range. His final attack is a grab that when it connects, a vicious claw assault befalls Sonic, ending with a skyward claw strike sending the blue hedgehog into the air and back to the ground with great force. You can see it coming when he yells "Perish, foolish hero!" and lunges toward Sonic at high speed, use a swift Dodge Roll to avoid it.

Winning this battle requires a careful hand with blocking and dodging. The only attack that cannot be blocked within Icilion's attack repertoire is the grab attack, so you can halt most damage by simply blocking smartly. There is a Counter-Action for the grab as well; Reserved Assault, in which Sonic turns the boss around and strikes with heavy blows ending with; ironically, an X-shaped slash. As his health drops, Icilion will grow more dangerous but also reckless. He won't avoid your attacks as much once he is at half health, so this is the opportunity to hit him hard with special attacks to end the battle.

Once the battle starts, Sonic lunges first, dodging a swift claw strike and landing several blows upon Icilion before rolling to the side to avoid counter attack damage. Icilion jumps up and sends a cross of claw energy towards Sonic, the blue hedgehog blocking it but taking a blow from the side as the boss descends from the attack, taking advantage of the distraction. As Sonic slides across the icy floor, he digs Frostfang into the ground and swiftly kicks Icilion, knocking him off balance before using Iceberg Assault to end the battle.

"Gah! Ahh!... Curses…. You've beaten me, Frostfang Master… But you've still five more to contend with.. And mark my words, they are far more powerful than you could hope to be…!" Icilion shouts as he erupts in ice and wind, his claw gauntlets resting on the floor before Sonic receives his just reward for winning the battle:

Battle Won

Exp Gained: 3000 pts

Sonic pants slowly, dropping to his knees holding Frostfang tight as his friends emerge from their own battles with the group of icy soldiers. Krystal slowly leans towards Sonic, who is slowly shrouded in an icy haze.

"Sonic, what's happening to you!" Krystal shouts, shaking him until he returns to his senses.

"I….I don't know… This world… It's having some kind of effect on me." Sonic says, getting up as Krystal helps him.

"They're trying to curse us it seems. We must hurry." Zero says, Kirby waddling forward tugging at Sonic's skinny legs.

"Heh, you're right. Come on, Kirby, we're almost there." Sonic says, giving his thumbs up to his team before they proceed forward into the Castle of Endless Freeze.

There, they find a Save Point located at the center of the Hall of Frozen Desires. Sonic approaches it and saves the team's progress, as they all come to feel that the end of the journey is nearly coming.

The World of Endless Ice, Hall of Frozen Desires

Sonic: Lv.15/Krystal: Lv.15/Zero: Lv.16/Kirby: Lv.17

Playtime: Stage 8

After saving, Sonic, Krystal, Zero and Kirby make their way up one of the two long staircases on the left and right side of the large hall, heading up to the Upper Floors of the Castle of Endless Freeze. Once there, they find a group of approaching Unwarmth; a scattered bunch from all the worlds the team visited. The difference is their health values are quite high and the experience they yield is greater as well. After some time of going back and forth, the team has grown quite strong with their levels reading as such:

Sonic: Level 25 – Learns Ice King's Wrath: multi-hit slash attack with explosive area finish, Super-Sonic Blade: Chaos-embued attack with high damage regardless of armor or defense rating and Frostfang Embodiment: receive the full power of Frostfang with increased stats and access to Frostfang Destruction – all powerful frozen blade assault with high hits and high damage - (Final Stats: HP: 1600, MP: 1400, Strength: 255, Speed: 255, Defense: 200, Spirit: 200)

Krystal: Level 25 – Learns Blizzard Art: Krystal Rain: multi-hit ice magic lance attack with explosive finish, Blizzard Art: Frozen Finality: embodiment of icy grim reaper swings judgment scythe down, causing damage and Fatal Freezing (instant death upon frozen status), and Spirit's Waking: power-up skill granting Krystal faster casting time and MP recharge when attacking – (Final Stats: HP: 1400, MP: 1800, Strength: 180, Speed: 200, Defense: 200, Spirit: 255)

Zero: Level 25 – Learns Ultimate Zero Blade: multi-hit sword attack ending with wide spray of Z-Buster charge shots, Cyber-Elf Blessing: grants Zero increased stats and revival status upon defeat in battle and Calamitous Art: Devil's Triangle: a vicious attack of intense sword slashes ending with a triangle of red and black energy, causing high damage and possible negative status afflictions (Slow, Defense Down, Spirit Down, Poisoning and Blind) – (Final Stats: HP: 1800, MP: 1600, Strength: 255, Speed: 200, Defense: 200, Spirit: 180)

Kirby: Level 25 – Learns Unwarmth Kirby Mastery: Kirby gains the power to control the inner cold, unleashing greater power and causing possible Freezing with every attack and Superstar: Grants increased stats to Kirby in addition to healing the party – (Final Stats: HP: 1700, MP: 1500, Strength: 200, Speed: 200, Defense: 255, Spirit: 200)

With the team having reached the full potential possible of them, they proceed into the next long hallway, crossing onto a long frozen bridge with tall stained glass windows, overlooking the scenery. At the end of the hall, another Unwarmth Elite X member stands, tapping her foot in impatience.

"Ah, it is about time you have come. Now will you be surrendering the blade or must I force it from you?" the voice of the Elite speaks as she draws a long rapier coated in ice and cold spiraling wind.

"Figures you'd stand before us now before we get to your boss." Sonic says, drawing Frostfang but stepping back as the Elite points the fencer to the floor.

"Your journey ends here, Frostfang Warrior." she smiles as she swings her rapier, the force of the swing blasting the hall with a loud howling wind, shattering the windows around the heroes before she lunges towards them.

With quickness, Sonic blocks her blade as he turns to his remaining team members. "Guys, keep moving forward! Take out whoever gets in the way, we've gotta make it to the top soon! I'll be okay!" Sonic says, but Krystal knocks the woman away.

"Sonic is right, we're running out of time! Zero, Kirby, be careful and head forward. We'll join you as soon as we can." Krystal says, turning back to the Elite.

"All right, don't die on us. Come on, Kirby." Zero says before he dashes ahead, Kirby turning to see a thumbs up from Sonic before waddling quickly across the hallway.

"Just the two of you will fight me? Oh this will not even be a challenge…" the Elite smiles as she removes her cloak, her body covered in a bright icy wind covering a white and blue stripped bodysuit, her knees and elbows covered with bright and glowing light blue balls of ice. Her feet are covered with long spiked boots and her hair is a short cut with a ponytail over her right shoulder.

"You can say that after we've kicked you on your butt." Sonic says, prepping for battle.

"Your kind will not be allowed to curse anymore worlds, we can promise you that!" Krystal shouts as she prepares for battle.

"We shall see if you have the power to defeat me. I am Unwarmth Elite X Number V, Glacine. Prepare for eternal sleep in ice!" she shouts before coming towards Sonic and Krystal.

Boss Battle: Unwarmth Elite X Number V: Glacine

HP: 2000 MP: 2000

Glacine is more than a match for both Sonic and Krystal, but both heroes possess more than the means to defeat her as well. As was the case in the previous Unwarmth Elite X battle, Glacine is very fast and can close the distance between her and the two characters with ease. However, unlike that battle, her attacking damage is not necessarily high. Her real advantage is the wind shroud that covers her body. As long as that is on her, all attacks go through her without causing any damage. There is only one point in the battle in which she can be dispelled of this power and until then, you have to dodge and defend appropriately.

Her attacks consist of quick thrusts that can cause Poisoning if they connect. Avoid this with a simple roll but keep close to Krystal, as it is also a good time to block to protect her. Her second attack is a series of curved icy sonic booms she emits with several directional swings. Jump and dodge to avoid this attack, but be careful of the hallway limitations. You don't have too much room to use for avoiding this attack if she spreads it out accordingly. Her third attack is the one you need to be on the lookout for: she will throw her rapier on the ground and begin glowing brightly before charging right at a character, mostly Sonic. When she gets close, the Counter-Action "Repel Force" will be available.

Use this action to knock the windy effect off of her body and to send her reeling. Rush to her while she is dazed and land as many blows on her as you can. Use special attacks to cause more damage quickly before she recovers with an explosive blast of energy. After the blast, she recovers her windy effect, so you will need to wait again to avoid wasting attacks. As her health drops below half, she will unsheathe a second rapier and cause an even greater danger to you with her close range combos. Keep on the move and wait for the opportunity to strike again and finish the battle.

The battle begins as Sonic moves straight at Glacine, blocking her thrusts as Krystal uses her Blizzard Arts to keep her on the defensive. After she lunges towards Sonic covered in the intense blue energy, Sonic halts her with Repel Force and the two begin striking her down. After some damage, Glacine repels them with a blast that send them nearly out the windows. Krystal dodges more thrusts of her rapiers before repelling her once more, landing the final blow as her vulnerability nearly comes to an end.

Battle Won

Exp Gained: 3000 pts

"Oh no… this cannot… this cannot be happening…! I lost to… you… Oh no….This… this sensation… it is the power… the power of Frostfang…. Oh it is wonderful… So so very…. Wonderful….Ugh…." Glacine slowly speaks and falls to her knees, slowly fading into cold air.

"Whew… we did it… Let's regroup with Zero and Kirby." Sonic says, with Krystal acknowledging before they move ahead.

Ahead in a large circular room with glass on the floor looking over a large lake of black water with floating floes of ice, Kirby and Zero stand before the fourth member of the Unwarmth Elite X. He grips a large icy pole with sharpened snowflakes on both ends of it and walks towards them. His head is completely covered in an icy helm, his eyes a dark red as his gloved hands shine from the spikes protruding from his wrists.

"You were foolish to split up from the Frostfang Master… It is the blade that can defeat us." the Elite member speaks.

"You're wrong. Those with the will to fight and strength to carry forward each day, they possess the power to halt you as well." Zero says, gripping the Z-Saber in one hand as Kirby takes on the form of Sword Kirby as they prepare for battle.

"We shall see if this is true, for you face Number Four of the Unwarmth Elite X, Frozeille. I will teach you the true power of the greater Elites!" he shouts before going at the pair of heroes.

Boss Battle: Unwarmth Elite X Number IV, Frozeille

HP: 2500 MP: 1500

As you can tell by his HP rating, Frozeille is one of the more sturdy members of the Unwarmth Elite X. His high HP is further supported by his defensive measures, almost consistently on the defensive with countering blocks for when Zero or Kirby make any moves on him. His attacks cause a fair degree of damage but it is the counter attacks that are the most dangerous. Unlike previous battles against the Elites, Frozeille does not possess any stat augmenting skills that suddenly empower him. As such, once you know how to properly fight this boss, there are no immediate changes to your strategy from start to finish.

His attacks, as stated before, are not too serious. They consist of a spinning attack that hits all around him, though the damage isn't high at all. He also possesses a thrusting strike that can gain him distance, though he doesn't do anything with the advantage of distance to need it. His third attack is a dangerous attack that pulls both characters towards him as he spins his staff. The multiple hits can add up to high damage, so continue to dash to avoid this problem (Zero's substitute for Sonic's Dodge Roll). Frozeille is most dangerous when he is blocking, as attacking him at any time when he blocks can result in one of three attacks.

The first is a reversal of sorts, sending his target off the ground and in a series of aerial strikes ending in a slam to the ground. This can cause a great deal of damage so avoid it at all costs. The second attack is a multiple thrusting attack that can cause freezing. With the right accessory, the freezing will not affect Zero or Kirby, but the damage will still be high. The third and most dangerous attack is a slam attack that goes into an aerial variation of the spinning attack that draws in Frozeille's targets. The resulting damage can be fatal so extreme caution must be taken, especially since only Kirby has the potential to heal both party members.

Due to a lack in Krystal's healing arts and the dangers of Frozeille's counters, winning this battle can be done in one of two ways. The first way is by use of Zero's Z-Buster, as Frozeille cannot effectively counter projectile attacks. When he does, he isn't close enough to affect both party members, and when he lands he is vulnerable to attack. The second way of winning the battle is using the Shield Boomerang to deflect Frozeille's own attacks and take advantage of the counter attack opportunities. Blocking brings forth the "Piercing Blow" Counter-Action, which causes Zero to break through Frozeille's attack on his shield and strike hard, causing high damage. Keeping careful is the best way to win this fight and while Kirby provides excellent assistance as you make Frozeille open, he is prone to taking blows from his counters, so always keep mindful of this.

The battle starts with Zero moving close to Frozeille, who tries to attack with a hard thrust. With a quick dodge, the Maverick Hunter moves aside and lunges with a thrusting attack of his own, going into a combo that takes the boss in the air. Kirby flies up and lands strikes of his own before bringing him down with a Hammer attack. Frozeille, annoyed begins blocking, to which both heroes attack and take counter damage as a result of the boss' attacks while blocking. Using Superstar, Kirby empowers himself and heals both of their wounds, to which Zero empowers himself with the Cyber-Elf Blessing, moving in and dodging Frozeille's attacks to finish the battle with a downward strike.

Battle Won

Exp Gained: 3000 pts

"Ugghh…. So it seems….I was wrong… Gah…" Frozeille coughs and falls face-first, disappearing in a cloud of white fog.

"Good job, Kirby. We took him down." Zero says, to which Kirby gleefully does his victory dance as Sonic and Krystal arrives on the scene.

"Looks like you guys were just fine." Sonic smiles and turns up to the higher level of the room as three cloaked figures look down at them.

"The Frostfang Master has arrived with his comrades… And it appears he has even taken it upon himself to defeat several of our brothers and sisters." One of the men speaks.

"Hmph, it is just as well. We know now how weak they truly were to lose to such people." A woman's voice speaks.

"Now that leaves the three of us to take the blade and spread glorious ice across the many worlds. Frostfang Master, your journey is at its end now. Your struggle is futile." A second male voice speaks, much older.

"Hah, my journey is not quite at its end until you guys go down!" Sonic shouts, pointing Frostfang at the remaining members.

"Poor child, do you truly believe that you can defeat the most powerful members of our organization? Do you believe you can bring your friends back from their icy slumber?" the female voice speaks.

"I do and I will, just you wait until I get there!" Sonic shouts as they disappear into the next room. "Come on, guys just a little bit further…" Sonic says, putting Frostfang away as they approach another hallway with a second Save Point, to which Sonic records their progress.

The World of Endless Ice, Sphere of Cold Judgment

Sonic: Lv.25/Krystal: Lv.25/Zero: Lv.25/Kirby: Lv.25

Playtime: Stage 8

Following the use of the Save Point, Sonic and his team walk up a long set of stairs, entering a hallway with three doors; known as the Final Frozen Cells: One is marked by a symbol of a snowflake with a circle around it, the second door is marked with a snowflake with a missile on it and the third door is marked with a snowflake with both of those symbols on it.

"Hmm, appears we need to defeat the two on the sides before we can go through that middle door." Sonic notes as they proceed through the first door mentioned above. Inside the space is a seemingly outdoors area with snow lightly falling and snow-capped mountains around. In the center is a figure holding a large ring around his hand as he walks towards the group. His hood comes down, revealing an older man with a long light blue beard and a long scar across his right eye. His hair is non-existent, a shiny dome reflecting the glow of the ice as he stops.

"Children should not fight such unnecessary battles… You should simply accept what is decided for you." He slowly speaks.

"We're quite capable of making our own decisions… Especially when we know the choices given to us are wrong. Enough talk." Sonic says, drawing Frostfang.

"You only see us as the enemy… Yet have you not considered the power that you are using?" the man speaks further, stopping Sonic.

"What are you talking about?" the hedgehog asks.

"That weapon, Frostfang… It is not so unlike our own. Your body… You felt it when you came here did you not? Your body is becoming assimilated to the extreme cold we create. You, in essence, Frostfang Warrior… You are merely meant to become one of our own. Stop this foolishness and revel in your great power. Spread glorious…" he continues to speak until Sonic stops him.

"Shut up… I want nothing to do with you people… The only thing that I want… is for you to release my friends!" Sonic shouts.

"That… Cannot happen yet… Their hearts remain burning with hope. We must… snuff out that hope." The older man speaks.

"Then take your ideals and shove it… Only thing I'm going to shove is this blade into your non-existent heart!" Sonic shouts before moving into attack, his team of Krystal, Zero and Kirby close behind him.

Boss Battle: Unwarmth Elite X Number III: Snowvrengel

HP: 1000 MP: 1500

His low health count may appear to be a trap for a highly challenging battle and for the most part, it really is not. The oldest member of the Unwarmth Elite X is not entirely the volatile fighter and as such, winning this battle is practically a steal. However, it doesn't make the battle entirely easy since the boss immediately breaks out his weapon. A massive sphere of hardened ice protects him from damage as well as provides his means of damaging your party. In order to win this battle, cracking and destroying the protective barrier is important.

As he rolls towards the party, attack with extreme prejudice. Any attack will damage the hard shell and when it starts to crack, keep attacking that one area. If you don't break it open quickly, the crack will close and you will need to start again to break through his defenses and take him down. While doing so, avoid the glowing circles that form around the boss' shell, firing ice beams and raining down icicles upon the party as he moves around the arena. Once the shell is open, swiftly unleash high hit attacks on the boss and if everyone attacks with fury, you can defeat him before the shell recovers itself. If it does, the second crack will be tougher to land as his attacks will come out more frequently but it is still not necessarily a difficult fight at this point.

As the old man rolls towards Sonic and Krystal, they dive out of the way while Zero fires shots from the Z-Buster. Kirby sucks in the ice beams and fires them back consistently, cracking the shell as Sonic and Krystal move in, bashing the shell open. Once open, Sonic starts attacking the old man with high hit combos and special attacks, Krystal following up with her Blizzard Arts. Zero maintains position firing charged shots as Sonic attacks until the shell reforms. Another assault of high intensity attacks takes the old man down.

"Your… resolve may be strong, but… he possesses great power… You cannot stop him this time…" the third member softly speaks before disappearing.

Battle Won

Exp Gained: 3500 pts

"This time? What do they mean…?" Sonic says in thought before walking back to the center room with his team.

"One down, two to go." Krystal says as they go into the door on the right, entering a semi-dark room with four glowing spheres in the corners of the room providing the only light.

At the center of the room, a cloaked figure claps softly. She removes her hood and twirls her arms, arming herself with two large missile launchers covered in ice. Her hair reaches her waist and curls up at the bangs over her dark blue eyes.

"So you defeated Snowvrengel… I told him not to fight but he refused to listen…That poor man." she speaks as she walks forward.

"Yeah, well you're next. Unless you want to surrender…" Sonic says.

"I'm afraid that cannot happen, child. For you see, the final stages are nearly complete. Soon, we will have covered every world in ice, even the ones you've vainly saved. Once he possesses Frostfang, there will be no stopping it." she continues to speak.

"Who is he?" Zero asks, pointing his Z-Buster at the woman.

"He, who leads our organization, the one who gave us form and gave us power… The leader of the Unwarmth Elite X. That is who I speak of." the woman explains vaguely.

"So no name, or you won't speak of it. That's fine, we don't need to know." Sonic says, drawing Frostfang.

"You will fall before you discover the answer anyway, so there is no need to tell you anything." the woman speaks before pointing her arms at Sonic and his team.

Boss Battle: Unwarmth Elite X Number II: Frolianasis

HP: 1200 MP: 2000

Like the previous fight, this boss does not possess a high amount of health. Unlike that battle, her health value does not mean an easy battle. Frolianasis possesses incredible attack power and range due to the weapons at her disposal. The missiles themselves come in different speeds, spreads and blasts upon impact; making her unpredictable for most of the battle. In addition to attacking, the missile launchers enable her to cross the area swiftly with icy jets, leaving behind a trail of frozen spikes in her wake which can cause damage. The key to victory in this battle lies in the four spheres located around the room.

The low light in the room makes it difficult to see the boss as she fires off missiles at Sonic and his team. The missiles come in single shots, which target one character, multiple shots which can hit more than one and big shots, which causes big damage over an area. The single shots are the fastest and the big shots are the slowest but cause the most damage overall. She can see you in the limited light but you can barely see her. To fix this, attack the spheres around the room to light them up. When they are all glowing, Frolianasis will be blinded, allowing you to attack.

At half health, Frolianasis will gain far greater power with her attacks but will be blinded for longer periods of time when you activate the lights. Be careful when her launchers are glowing. This means the impacting blast area will erupt with icy spires. Dodge-Roll to avoid the blasts and continue to attack her when blinded, the battle will come to a close in due time. As long as you avoid grouping the party together, you can avoid a string of damaging attacks that can spell the end for you.

As Sonic and Zero dodge missiles to get in close, Kirby and Krystal attack the spheres in the corners of the room to light them. Once lit, Sonic and Zero leap into action, attack the boss with great enthusiasm. She knocks them away with her launchers, firing missiles and sending them to the far reaches of the room. Krystal nails her with a freezing attack on her Blizzard Arts. The pounding eventually wears her down and defeats the second member, who fires off missile after missile in a blind rage. Sonic jumps with great timing, striking a missile and sending it back at her, causing her to fall and slowly fade away.

"I may…have lost this battle…but we have not yet lost the war…You will see…Ice will cover the worlds…Forevermore…" she speaks before fading into nothingness.

Battle Won

Exp Gained: 3000 pts

"One more left… Let's finish this." Sonic says as they leave the room.

The final door opens, revealing a short staircase before a wide room ornamented with vaguely familiar statues and more broken windows letting in the cold air. The sky outside has grown dark and the snow is blowing by more violently as the heroes approach a lone figure. Sonic grips Frostfang prepared to face the final face of the organization, who turns around and laughs.

"Hahaha… Certainly took you long enough, hedgehog." the figure speaks, removing his hood and shocking Sonic.

"You… It can't be… Eggman!" Sonic shouts, looking at his archnemesis with genuine surprise.

"That's right, Sonic… It is I, the leader of the Unwarmth Elite X. The creator, at the very least. Number I had grown too… Big for his boots so he had an untimely end." Eggman says, pointing to the lifeless and fading body of the Number I member of the Elites.

"So it was you this whole time… The one that they mentioned. They knew about our history." Sonic says.

"Indeed… Now I know what has brought you here. But you will find no victory, hedgehog. I am far more powerful than ever now." Eggman speaks, holding a sphere of incredibly cold energy in his hand.

"You're fully Unwarmth then… Very well, I'll take you down and free our friends!" Sonic shouts.

"Yes… Good, hedgehog. Show me the power of Frostfang. It is the final key I need in order to bring a cold end to all worlds and create my world in the process. Let us see if you have what it takes to stop me this time; no Chaos Emeralds to help you now." Eggman speaks before creating an icy wall, separating Sonic from his friends.

"I'll show you, Eggman!" Sonic shouts lunging forward.

Boss Battle: Doctor Eggman

HP: 2800 MP: 2800

The first of the final battles and Doctor Eggman will definitely put up quite a fight in this battle. With the power of the Unwarmth in his hands, Eggman is capable of battle without the aid of any machines. Not only this, his movement across the arena is quite swift, meaning you will need to keep an eye on him as he moves. Eggman attacks with both physical combo attacks, special attacks and high-powered ice magic attacks. His physical attacks chain together and can cause Fatal Freeze, so having the Ice Guard on is especially important. He can attack with a formed ice axe or sword, the axe obviously causing more damage but attacking more slowly as a result. Dodge-Roll or block Eggman's physical attacks to give yourself an opportunity to attack.

Eggman's more dangerous physical attacks come as projectiles; spheres or spears he launches from high in the air or far away. Run around to avoid these as they can leave you stuck in hit stun and vulnerable to Eggman's more damaging attacks. As far as special attacks go, Eggman can summon columns of hard-hitting ice beams from the floor beneath Sonic, coming out fast. Run because dodging these can be difficult and leave you vulnerable to another beam attack. Eggman can also bring forth large ice spears to strike at Sonic from any direction. Hold up your guard to block them and reflect them back at Eggman. Eggman also possesses a sweeping energy blast that circles him, so you must as well. Be mindful that it does change direction as well, so turn quickly when it does to avoid damage.

The magic at Eggman's disposal includes Frozen Meteor, Icy Javelins and Snow Angel. Frozen Meteor causes heavy damage to Sonic, but its main area of effect is the center of the room. Go to the corners to avoid this attack. Icy Javelins is dangerous because it doesn't cause stun. This means it can damage you consistently while Eggman does another attack and while Sonic's health decreases, the other attack can be a finishing blow. Use items to recover from a life-threatening situation. Finally and most dangerous, Snow Angel summons forth a large group of snowy Unwarmth winged creatures, firing icy lasers at Sonic. Hold guard throughout the attack in order to stand against it. It will still cause damage but it won't be as much as if you were caught off-guard.

Attacking Eggman when he is casting magic is the best and most safe time to attack. During this time you can interrupt his spell casting, which is signified by a circle underneath him. Run to him and attack with your best combo and special attacks. The sooner you can whittle his health down, the sooner the battle comes to an end.

The battle unfolds as Sonic avoids Eggman's icy attacks, astonished by the mad doctor's powers. With dodges and jumps, Sonic comes close and misses an attack as Eggman fires an ice beam, sending the hedgehog reeling. Sonic shakes his head, getting the frost off as he tries again, knocking back ice spears and attacking Eggman with swift combos. After enough attacks, Eggman unleashes Snow Angel, which Sonic blocks to the best of his ability. At the end of the attack, Sonic goes in close and finishes the fight with another lengthy combo attack.

"Ahh! Gah… Ah I see… The Frostfang has chosen a good warrior indeed…" Eggman says covering himself in a white cloak as he quickly heads out of a nearby broken window.

"Wait!" Sonic says as he follows, the ice keeping his friends at bay melting down as they follow.

At the end of the long pathway is a large circular platform surrounded by several broken columns. Sonic takes note of the nearby Save Point and uses it for the final save.

The World of Endless Ice, Bridge to Cold Paradise

Sonic: Lv.25/Krystal: Lv.25/Zero: Lv.25/Kirby: Lv.25

Playtime: Stage 8

After saving, Sonic goes through a final check of equipment. After setting restorative items to everyone including himself and setting the best weaponry for each character (Antarctic Sovereign for Sonic, Mystic Coldwind for Krystal, Ultimate Z-Saber for Zero and Superstar for Kirby), he proceeds forward with his team at high speed until reaching the platform.

"It's over Eggman! Release my friends!" Sonic says.

"It is not over yet, Sonic… Far from it!" Eggman shouts, raising the glowing sphere higher as the ice begins to circle him. "Now that Frostfang is near, I can unlock the true power of this artifact." Eggman continues.

"Artifact? What are you talking about!" Sonic shouts.

"This, Sonic... Is known as the Unwarmth Soul. It is an artifact I discovered not too long ago. Once I obtained it, I became… enlightened you see. I have the power of extreme cold on my side, but it wasn't complete. It needed Frostfang to unlock its true power, and now… I have that right here!" Eggman shouts pointing to Sonic.

"Oh yeah? Well let's see you try to take it from me!" Sonic shouts, jumping up and gripping the hilt with both hands to perform a chopping slash.

Eggman smirks and holds the Unwarmth Soul outward as Sonic comes close. The blade strikes the artifact and causes it to glow brightly before enshrouding Eggman in a bright and icy light. Sonic is flung back, falling onto his back yet still holding Frostfang as Krystal rushes to his side. She helps him up and they both observe, along with Zero and Kirby, as Eggman transforms into something even more powerful.

The ice turns his skin darker blue but his eyes shine through his glasses with red malice. The cloak around him is added with spike ice shoulder plates, icy spikes at his waists and on his boots and on his gloves, icy claws extend from his fingertips. On his back, an icy circle spins slowly with blue and white spheres circling his body slowly. "Haha….Ahahahah! At last! The true power of the Unwarmth Soul is mine! And with this power, I shall form the great Eggman World, right after I do away with your worlds once and for all!" he shouts.

"Don't bet on it yet…" Sonic says softly, gripping his shoulder. "I'm not finished yet…"

"Ah but you are, Sonic… Not even you or your meager allies can defeat me at this point. In fact… it is time I dealt away with you once and for all!" Eggman shouts, firing repeated energy bursts at Sonic, who blocks after pushing Krystal to safety.

"Sonic!" She shouts, trying to get close but the blasts get exponentially wider and harder to hold back.

"Damn it all… I can't give up now… Argh!... I'm stuck…!" Sonic says to himself before receiving a powerful blow, opening the floor beneath him and sending him falling into the dark icy sea below.

"No, Sonic! Sonic!" Krystal shouts as Zero holds her back, watching the hole grow bigger.

"We can't lose you too, Krystal… We've got to finish this before it's too late…" Zero says, gripping the Z-Saber tight in preparation for battle.

As Sonic floats in the water, Frostfang envelops him in a sphere of power to protect him while speaking to him.

"Sonic… Sonic the Hedgehog, listen to me. Only you have been chosen by me… To end this conflict before the worlds are lost. You must awake and accept your destiny."

"I…I can't…. I can't beat him now… Because of me, he got that powerful… I caused this… I let my friends at home down… and I'm letting my friends here down too… I'm no proper Master…"

"Sonic… You have fought this hard to rescue your friends and protect the places and people you love. You cannot give up now… You have my faith, the faith of your friends here and at home. Listen, feel their hope burn within you… Feel their power empower you…"

"Feel… their power… and their hope… I will not… I will not give up…There's no way I'm letting him win…I…won't…let…him…"

"WIN!"

With a great shout, the hole Sonic fell into is bathed in a bright light of blue energy, the blue hedgehog emerging from the hole, gripping Frostfang in its most powerful glory, the blade glistening with bright light and stars, the head of a wolf prominently holding the blade from the hilt and the chain glittering with golden light. Sonic has undergone a transformation: his skin is light blue and his eyes a bright golden color. His gloves are a dark red glowing with energy, his shoes are pointed with ice and over his back and head are blue circles with a wolf insignia at their center.

"Eggman… This battle is far from over! Ready guys!" Frostfanged Sonic shouts.

"Sonic, you're okay!" Krystal shouts up, in happiness as tears fall from her face.

"Let's put this to an end." Zero nods gripping his sword.

Kirby jumps up and down excited before drawing the golden blade of MetaKnight from his gullet, the multi-coned hat adorned with stars on his head showing he's ready.

"Haha…So you've come back, I see… No matter, this time I will obliterate you!" Unwarmth Eggman shouts as he lunges towards his nemesis for the final battles.

Boss Battle: Unwarmth Eggman

HP: 3333 MP: 0

This is it, the second of the three final battles for this epic adventure and Unwarmth Eggman is one powerful monstrosity to face. However, with Sonic in possession of Frostfang's most potent of powers, winning is merely a manner of knowing what you can do now and how it is necessary to defeat the mad doctor's schemes. Frostfanged Sonic possesses higher attack power, despite having the max rating. He is also significantly faster and possesses some long range options for the fight. The most important skills at his disposal are the Finality Ice Storm, Blizzard's Royal Cross and Unwarmth Dispel. In order for Krystal, Zero and Kirby to be able to damage Unwarmth Eggman properly, you must dispel the Unwarmth power he possesses.

Of course, Unwarmth Eggman will not simply allow you to do this. He will do everything in his power to interrupt Frostfanged Sonic's attempts to lessen his power with a heavy arsenal of Unwarmth attacks. He uses most of the same attacks from the previous duel, except they cover more area and deal more damage. His new attacks include Fatal Ice Spear and Unending Torrent, both of which can cause heavy damage and inflict Fatal Freeze. Be careful of these attacks and interrupt Unwarmth Eggman when he shouts "Fatality shall be assured…" in order to stop him. Once you've dispelled him, he will be vulnerable to a thrashing by both Frostfanged Sonic and his party. You need only lock on and press the attack button, Sonic will move straight to Eggman and begin attacking him. Keep it up for the remainder of the battle until it comes to a close, but do not let down your guard, the end is near.

Frostfanged Sonic lunges at Unwarmth Eggman, slashing at him to interrupt his attacks while Krystal assists with her Blizzard Arts. Unwarmth Eggman dashes back, blasting the area with icy attacks and causing damage to the entire party to which Krystal heals everyone accordingly. Zero keeps firing on Unwarmth Eggman as Frostfanged Sonic dispels the Unwarmth power, bringing him to vulnerability. Kirby moves in and deals heavy combos as the party does the same, hitting hard and fast until the battle comes to a close.

"No…! No this cann…cannot be! I wil…will not be defeated here…! No…no no no!" Eggman shouts, calling forth even more power from the artifact until the area is blanketed in a bright light. Frostfanged Sonic goes into the light, Krystal not far behind but it blocks out Kirby and Zero, leaving them to wait for their comrades. Inside the sphere, there is both light and darkness, the cold air circling the area as Frostfanged Sonic and Krystal approach Unwarmth Eggman, gripping a long icy greatsword. "So it has come to this at last… This will settle this battle once and for all…And I assure you that this will end things…"

"Eggman, I will ask you one more time… Release my friends from the ice and we can settle this at home." Frostfanged Sonic says.

"No, hedgehog… we settle things here…" Eggman responds.

"You won't have your way any longer… The worlds have suffered enough because of you and we will stop you!" Krystal shouts.

"Hahahahaha… Well, let us see you stop me!" Eggman shouts, holding the sword with both hands as he moves forward.

Final Boss Battle: Unwarmth King Eggman

HP: 2800 MP: 0

For this final confrontation, only Frostfanged Sonic and Krystal will be fighting against the powerful Unwarmth King Eggman. This battle will go mostly the same as the previous one, with Eggman pulling out the same attacks as before only this time, his purpose is really to separate Frostfanged Sonic and Krystal from each other to allow him to deal with one at a time. However, maintaining close proximity with Krystal works out incredibly well as they have access to special Counter-Actions when they get close to Unwarmth King Eggman. One is "Severance", which allows the pair to attack the mad doctor with a series of attacks that leave him dispelled from his power. The second is "Ultimus", in which Krystal send Eggman skyward with large ice boulders that break into large shards that Frostfanged Sonic uses to slash at Eggman. The last one is "Victinus", in which both characters create a spinning gyro of light that slashes at the mad doctor until it erupts in light.

Use this when you get close to deal more damage and get a break from the icy onslaught. The only new attacks Eggman uses now consists of Rain of A Thousand Swords and Calamity Bringer. The first attack calls for a shower of falling ice swords upon the pair, but you can deflect them with Frostfanged Sonic's guard, sending them towards Eggman. They won't stop the attack but it is extra damage to cause to him. The second attack has him swinging the greatsword swiftly and with great purpose, causing nasty damage if it hits. Roll out of the way and counter with hard hitting attacks to take advantage of his downtime.

Near the end, Unwarmth King Eggman unleashes a torrent of ice and snow in wind, calling forth a vast amount of smaller Unwarmth to deal with. Take them out quickly and then resume the attack on Eggman. Act according to his various attacks and actions and you will be able to finish the battle once and for all.

Frostfanged Soinc and Krystal go forth, attacking the Unwarmth King Eggman with everything they have. The mad doctor sends out everything he possibly can, all manner of icy attacks and minions to slow them down but the two warriors remain strong in the current of evil. At last, following a trading of blows over and over again, the final blow is decided. It is Eggman who falls at last to the Frostfang.

"No…! It cannot be…! Graaaahhh!" Eggman shouts as the bright light recedes, leaving the doctor spiraling into a hole. The hole appears to display Sonic's world in it as he falls into it. Frostfanged Sonic looks over the hole and then back to Krystal who smiles at him.

"Ready to go?" he asks, picking her up.

"Yes, let's go home…" Krystal smiles and nods as they go into the hole…

Epilogue

The hole had dropped us back to my world, where the ice was already melting very quickly. It didn't take long for my friends to finally be free of the ice's hold and feel the warm sun on their faces. Through the mirrors, Krystal and I had seen that Kirby and Zero ended up where they needed to be, their respective worlds free of the icy hold of the Unwarmth. I didn't know what happened with Eggman but I know eventually I would find him and the battle would resume again, I can only imagine.

Frostfang remains with me, so I know that my fight is far from over. Not only that, but as long as Eggman possesses that desire for greater power, I will continue to cross blades with him. Frostfang has told me that the power of the Unwarmth within Eggman was no more, but the Unwarmth themselves were still in existence. One day they would return and when that day comes, it would be once more time for me to draw him in battle.

Although the worlds were now safe and Krystal could return home, she had decided to stand by me instead. She felt that she had a purpose with me and that in the coming battles, she wanted to be by my side. I am glad that she is, there is something about her that makes me happy and sets me at ease in battle. I'm just glad that she is here...

Credits

Inspiration: Kingdom Hearts (Square Enix), Sonic the Hedgehog (SEGA), Kirby Super Star (Nintendo), Megaman Zero (Capcom)

Thank you for reading and experiencing this story with all of these strong warriors, but the journey has not yet come to an end…

Great things to come… A new power is born, a new enemy emerges and a new wielder of power rises forth to assist he who possesses the power of both fire and ice…. Coming soon, a new battle begins, forged in both fire and ice…. Krystal Hearts II: Burstfang