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The Land Beyond

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Not to be confused with the Land Beyond, the actual location.

The Land Beyond is a 4-part Tails story beginning in Issue 18 of Sonic the Comic.

Staff[]

Story[]

Once again, darkness has fallen on the Nameless Zone and the Enchanter Kings feel the need to summon Miles Prower to save them once again. One step into his home land sees Tails' Magic Armour form around him as the Kings fill him in on what has happened. Tails is required to rescue Shirob, the missing third Enchanter King once presumed dead, who has left a faint message through the Magic Crystal of Communication. He disappeared just before Trogg appeared in the Zone. The foxes eventually defeated him and banished him in the Land Beyond across the Dimension Bridge. Shirob has now supposedly been held prisoner by Trogg all these years and Tails must rescue him. For this quest, Tails will have the help of legendary warrior Errol Blackthorn, a brave fox who has studied the Land Beyond extensively. Errol isn't so happy about his companion being so small. Walking across the Dimension Bridge over the Non-existent space, Errol explains that only people trying to enter the Nameless Zone need to fight a champion thanks to the Enchanter Kings' magic, although why would anybody want to enter the barren Land Beyond. Nevertheless, their presence invites a "welcome committee" of goblins.

Outnumbered, Errol jumps into battle and urges the "hero of Mobius" to join in. Tails attempts to explain that there has been a mistake and when the goblins have fleed in terror, Tails reveals that he exaggerated in his letters home, Errol deducing that it was actually Sonic the Hedgehog who is the real hero. Errol insists he must tell the Kings of this deception, but these matters are set aside as the entrance to The Labyrinth approaches. Errol has studied maps of this place extensively and quickly leads Tails down a tunnel, only to find it guarded by a monster. Running the other way, Errol reassures Tails but the pair end up shooting over the side of a cliff and falling. Errol believes it to all be over, but Tails saves them both by flying. On the ground, Errol is repulsed by the broken skeletons on the floor but is interrupted by the cries of Shirob, chained to a rock. As a growl rings out, the heroes hope they can free the King before the source of the noise turns up...

Naturally, the Pit Beast turns up in seconds, confused and less than happy that they are stealing his food. Tails notes he can't fly them both out of there, so they head for a tunnel. Realising the situation looks dire, Tails volunteers to stay and fight the creature while the other two escape. Tails prepares for a tough battle without the help of Sonic, but the Pit Beast jumps into the roof, badly hurting his head. The three heroes meet back up and Shirob leads them further underground rather than back to the surface. However, it's a trap! Shirob has led the warriors into a room filled with goblins, where the elderly King reveals himself to be Trogg in disguise!

Trogg reveals he was once the most powerful Enchanter King until he accidentally made contact with The Evil One and the experience drove him insane. Tails realises that's why everyone thought Trogg had killed Shirob and the foe reveals that is why he turned back into Shirob to trick the Kings into sending Tails. The Mobian is furious that Trogg did all this just for revenge on his prior humiliation last story and flies straight at Trogg. However, his attack is futile and Trogg simply punches him out of the way. Disorientated, Tails can do nothing about Trogg's advances with the goblin planning on taking Tails' tails for his trophy room. Just then, the blinding magical portal spawns in the dungeon, allowing Tails and Errol to escape, narrowly avoiding a sword thrown by Trogg.

Back in the Enchanter Kings' inner sanctum, Tails dejectedly admits Errol will have to tell them about his deception, but Errol insists he acted like a real hero today. The Kings are surprised that Tails' time limit for staying in the Zone has already expired, but Errol changes his mind and tells the Kings that Tails is a true champion. Relieved, Tails returns home.

Trivia[]

  • Errol had already made a cameo appearance in the previous story in the celebrating crowd.
  • "The Evil One" has many similarities to The Dark One, so much that they are probably the same characters. Instead of looking like an abstract beast, this version looks like an evil, horned fox.
  • The Land Beyond is seen for the first time.
  • Tails says he can't carry both of them out by flying, with Errol retorting that "We're in a pit, where would you fly to?". Since it's a pit, it is obvious they could just fly out of the top.
  • The magical portal changes purpose again; where previously it could be summoned at will to prevent a person being trapped in the Nameless Zone, this time it appeared to be sentient and appeared in front of Tails when his time was up. This explanation would change again in later stories.

Reprint[]

This story was reprinted from Issue 171 to Issue 174.

Timeline[]

The previous Tails story was The Nameless Zone. The next is The Morbidden Hunt.

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