Sonic and the Black Knight (Rewritten)

Chapter 12: The Knight of Prowess

Caliburn knew that Balin was more than capable of teaching discipline to even the most stubborn apprentice knights in such a short period of time, despite being one of the youngest Sacred Swords. Her ability to connect with others and guide them towards self-improvement was truly remarkable.

The Sword of the Crown couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his fellow Sacred Sword. However, he knew by the time they make it to Great Megalith, the heroes would have learnt discipline, meaning he would inevitably have to explain his recent human-like experiences, like Balin said.

As the group journeyed on, the teachings have shown visible improvements in the team's dynamics. Sonic's speed had become more controlled, Jet's aerial maneuvers more precise, and even Shadow seemed to be working more cohesively with the others. Caliburn observed these changes with a mixture of satisfaction and apprehension, and in the end, ultimately decided to tell them earlier.

"I'll explain everything."
"About what?" Sonic asked, his emerald eyes narrowing with curiosity. The blue hedgehog had caught the subtle change in his sword's tone, sensing that something significant was about to be revealed.

Caliburn hesitated for a moment, his metallic form gleaming in the fading light.
"About... my recent experiences. The changes I've been undergoing since our journey began."

"But we've not arrived to Great Megalith yet." Balin interjected, her voice tinged with surprise. "Why the sudden change of heart, old friend?"
"I know thee, Balin. Thoust always manage to bring out the best in others, even in the most stubborn of knights. And seeing the progress our apprentice knights have already made, I believe it's time I uphold my end of the bargain. You've all shown remarkable growth and dedication, and I feel... compelled to be equally forthright with you all."

Sonic's eyebrows raised in surprise, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
"Well, well, looks like even the great Caliburn can learn a thing or two about honesty. Alright then, we're all ears... or whatever the equivalent is for talking swords."

Caliburn cleared his nonexistent throat, a habit he'd picked up from his time with Sonic. "Very well," he began, his voice carrying a weight of importance. "As you may have noticed, I've been experiencing... mortal-like sensations and emotions, such as almost drowning, catching the flu, and the most recent one, sleepwalking. But now that I think about it, I might hath long since having these humane experiences, albeit more subtly."

"How can thou tell?" Laevatein asked, his priestly tone resonating with curiosity. Caliburn paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts before responding.
"Well, I've noticed that I've been experiencing... feelings, for lack of a better term. Emotions that I shouldn't technically be capable of as a sword. It's as if I'm becoming more... alive, in a sense."

Shadow's eyes narrowed, his arms crossed as he processed this information.
"You're talking swords, what makes you different from us?" he questioned, his tone a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "You've always been sentient, haven't you?"

"True." Arondight replied. "But our sentience has always been of a different nature. We are magical constructs, imbued with consciousness and purpose, but not necessarily with the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences."

"What about the shape shifting?" Knuckles asked.
"They help us blend in and interact with the world around us." Balin responded. "But it's a more physical transformation. It doesn't fundamentally give us the capacity for human-like experiences."

"Ah, so I was right." Sonic smirked, his emerald eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "You are evolving."
"Maybe, maybe not. I'm not certain."

"And you've been keeping that to yourself?" Jet asked. "Man, you're just like Shahra."

"Yeah, I do see the comparison-!" The blue hedgehog suddenly stopped his sentence, turning to Shadow and Blaze, who were both equally surprised and staring at the green hawk. "Wait. How do you know about Shahra?"
"Who's Shahra?" Galatine asked, tilting their blades. Knuckles simply shrugged.