A Second Wind: Book One, A Legacy Found

Chapter 6: The Secrets These Walls Keep

Zephyr walked through the tall hallways of Equinox Manor. He stretched his arms over his head, making his quills frizzy slightly. He was tired. Which surprised him, considering he was usually a source of boundless energy. Though, he had been taking extra combat lessons with Aunt Maria. Not to mention Mari, had been going hard on him to learn the spin dash. Somehow the crossbreed had managed to become invested in his training yet still seem to be completely detached, all at once. So, that could have been the reason.

The thoughts that were wrestling deep within his mind, weren't helping him relax either. The last, but also first, mission had messed with him more then he thought. Seeing what some people could do to one another, it stung to know that he had been looking at the world through rose colored glasses. It was the farmer who help him that was most unsettling. It made him realize just how easily that someone he cared for could be put in harm's way. How easily it could've been someone else? Like Ma or Pa.

The speedster sighed, letting one of his hands reach up and rubbed the back of his neck. He was getting too worked up over this. It was just the first mission. If this one messed him up this much, then how would he feel after the next one? After the next ten? After a hundred? He didn't even want to think about that. The possibility was more than likely, Scourge's soldiers had been after the League ever since he was born. More than likely that that monster wasn't going to give up, especially since all that stood in his way was a bunch of kids.

Maybe Mari had been right. Maybe he didn't belong here. No, no, he couldn't even think that. Why was he thinking like that? Zephyr took a deep breath. Mari was wrong, he did belong here. He was the son of Sonic the Hedgehog and Amy Rose. Two of the world's greatest heroes. It was his job, his legacy, his birth right, to keep the world safe. To put a stop to Scourge. He sighed. That sounded right, but why didn't it feel right?

Zephyr stopped and rubbed his eyes so hard, that he could see flashing patterns behind his closed lids. He took a deep breath, and opened to find...that he had no idea where he was. Suppressing a groan, he started just to walk. The youngster didn't even try to retrace his steps, he knew it would be pointless. Equinox mansion, was so large it was a wonder he hadn't gotten lost sooner, to add that all of the walls moved and rooms constantly swapped around. While these shifts were technically on a clock that signals the changes, to Zephyr, a newcomer who hadn't memorized the shifts yet, they still seemed completely random.

The young hedgehog's only hope of figuring out where he was, was to continue going in one direction, and finding someone who knew the mansion better. He was probably wandering aimlessly for the next hour before he decided on that exploring while he was lost would be better than just being strait up lost. He questioned as to why he hadn't tried to do this earlier. It wasn't like he was going to get in trouble for snooping, he did live here after all, and this place was so big that no one would probably notice.

When it came to the exploring part, Zephyr might have as well been spoiled. The halls of the mansion were beautifully decorated with murals of nature and the sky, all in greens, purples and bright gold. Dark wooden doors were never a rarity either, each of them leading to new parts of the confusing, and exotic, manor. Though, most of the ones that Zephyr opened lead to mostly three person bedrooms, some to storage and rooms that look like they were once used to some kind unsavory rituals. The only strange thing was that, despite seemingly not being touched for years, none of them had a speck of dust in them.

After sometime, Zephyr came across a pair of double wooden doors. These seemingly being much more fancily decorated, and reenforced. Flecks of gold were etched into the patterned carved into the old shinning wood. Whatever was behind this door, it was important. And the little curious, mischievous, demon inside of Zephyr couldn't resist.