World of the Arabian Nights

The World of the Arabian Nights is the main setting in Sonic and the Secret Rings. It is an alternative reality that exists within the storybook of the Arabian Nights, an collection of different stories from the medival mideast. This reality is made from the stories written in the Arabian Nights and therefore reflects the stories and the characters. The world of the Arabian Nights are supported by the seven World Rings, the hearts of the Arabian Nights' stories, which bind the different stories together to form this world.

In Sonic and the Secret Rings, the world of the Arabian Nights faced imminent destruction when an evil genie called the Erazor Djinn began running rampant within the world of the Arabian Nights, with the purpose of carving up its stories to make himself more powerful and then break into the real world. Shahra, the Genie of the Ring therefore sought out Sonic the Hedgehog, who was foretold in legends, to help stop Erazor before their world would be lost forever. After hearing the troubles going on, Sonic agreed to help the young genie and entered the world of the Arabian Nights to set things right.

Eventually, after many trials and battles, Sonic managed to beat Erazor Djinn by sealing the evil being away in his own lamp, and restored the world and its stories to their original state, thus saving the Arabian Nights.

Setting
As the world of the Arabian Nights is composed of the stories written in the Arabian Nights storybook, this world's locations and settings resembles those found in medieval Arabia, while the world's history and recordings itself resembles the stories written in the storybook.

Many of the residents in this world resemble the characters found in the stories of the Arabian Nights, such as Ali Baba, Sinbad and King Shahryar, and has similar backgrounds. It also features dinosaurs as wild animal life and even supernatural beings from Arabian culture such as genie s, spirits, monsters and living deaths, which is actually pretty common.

Locations

 * Lost Prologue: The entrance to the realm of the Arabian Nights, filled with swirling paper.
 * Sand Oasis: The desert domain of King Shahryar.
 * Dinosaur Jungle: A lush rainforest filled with Jurassic plants and animals.
 * Evil Foundry: A smoldering medieval industry from an ancient kingdom.
 * Levitated Ruin: Towns built on the back of giant flying mantas flying in the atmosphere.
 * Pirate Storm: A black and desolate coastlines with shipwrecks and patrolled by pirate galleons.
 * Skeleton Dome: An dessicated boneyards of what were once King Solomon's mines.
 * Night Palace: Erazor Djinn's floating stronghold.

Origin
 Not much is known about the early history of the world of the Arabian Nights. According to Shahra, the Arabian Nights were created by King Shahryar, presumably at the time where the Arabian Nights' storybook were just created and gave birth to the initially stages of this world. While the inhabitants born in the world of the Arabian Nights were sentient beings and could make their own choice, some of them have certain parts of their life determined before handed, due to the stories involving them had been written so.

Early History
 In the ancient past of the world of the Arabian Nights, there once existed a kingdom. The only known thing that has been left behind by this kingdom is an fortress that since then has become a relic.

 Over time, an adventure named Sinbad the Sailor had many incredible adventures in the world and the Arabian Nights, and his exploits and accomplishments made him a living legend throughout his world. It has also been revealed that long ago, King Solomon managed to seal away many evil spirits.

 Long before the events of Sonic and the Secret Rings, Erazor Djinn appeared and caused many malicious misdeeds throughout the world of the Arabian Nights. Erazor was eventually punished and sealed away in a magical lamp, where he would remain until he had granted the wishes of a thousand people, as he would not be forgiven until then. At some point, Erazor and Shahra developed an unspecified, but strong relationship.

Erazor Djiin's Reign of Terror
 Eventually, Erazor Djinn had granted a thousand people's wishes, Aladin included, and had thereby served his sentence. Despite technically having atone for his past actions and was once again free, however, the imprisonment had given Erazor a renewed hatred for people, and for the creator of his story for giving him this fate.

 N ow no longer able to handle staying in  the storybook world, Erazor began a quest to take over the world of Arabian Nights by carving up and twisting the words that supported the stories into spirits that followed his command. His plan was to absorb the words of the Arabian Nights' storybook, and thereby the power of the book itself, and as well find the seven World Rings so he could complete control his entire world, and eventually make his way into Sonic's world.

As the result of Erazor absorbing the Arabian Nights' stories, the written text in the storybooks that spawned the world of the Arabian Night slowly began to vanish. The effects was even more devastating on the world of the Arabian Night, since by removing the building blocks that made up the world, the world of the Arabian Nights itself began to vanish as well. This meant that should Erazor succeed in his mission, the world of the Arabian Nights would cease to exist, and its stories would be silenced forever.

While absorbing the power of the book, the Erazor Djinn unleashed a series of attacks on the world of the Arabian Nights and its inhabitants as well. Upon unleashing his forces upon the world, Erazor's evil spirits began terrorizing the people and when they arrived at King Shahryar's palace, they made everyone run away, forcing the king into hiding. At some point, Erazor himself resurrected the forty thieves as evil spirits and used them to attack King Solomon, literally breaking the king into pieces, while Erazor released the evil spirits King Solomon had sealed away and drove them into serve him. Also, while fighting some pirates, Sinbad was attacked by the Rukh, possibly sent by the Erazor Djinn, and was imprisoned.

The Legend of the Blue Hedgehog
 While the fate of the world of the Arabian Nights looked bleak, Shahra, the Genie of the Ring learned from the newest stories added to the Arabian Nights that a "Legendary Blue Hedgehog" from another world could come to stop the Erazor Djinn. Despite not having nearly as much power as Erazor, Shahra was able to leave the world of the Arabian Nights and began searching for this hedgehog.

Her search eventually took her to the real world, where she found Sonic the Hedgehog and was convinced that he was the chosen one. As Sonic was napping in his home, he reached to check his clock upon awakening, but accidentally bumped into a ring, and Shahra popped out of it. She told him about the Erazor Djinn and the threat he posed to both their worlds and the Arabian Nights' storybook, and asked for his help since he was the legendary blue hedgehog. As Sonic accepted the challenge, Shahra gave Sonic a ring that sealed a contract that made Sonic her new master. Sonic rubbed it as instructed, and was asked for a wish. He sneezed from a cold and humorously asked for a few handkerchiefs. After doing so, he wished to travel into the world of the Arabian Nights and flew with Shahra into the book on a magic carpet.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> While Sonic traveled through the book's Tunnel Of Pages, the entrance to the world of the Arabian Nights, Erazor attacked Sonic. Erazor demanded that Shahra brought him the seven World Rings, but she refused. Erazor then tried to shoot Shahra with a flaming arrow that was slowly burning out like a fuse, but Sonic took the blow. Erazor then told Sonic that he would remove the curse if Sonic brought the seven World Rings. If he failed to do so, the arrow would burn until it eventually extinguished, along with Sonic's life force. Erazor then revealed that he would take the life of King Shahryar before leaving. With his life on the line, Sonic set off into the world of Arabian Nights to save the king, while locating the seven World Rings. Shahra then stayed by Sonic on his journey, feeling guilty for getting him involved,

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> The first place Sonic searched was the Sand Oasis, as he hoped to find the King Shahryar. Once he found him, however, Sonic first thought that he was Eggman and that he was behind this and attempted to question him. Shahra stopped Sonic, however, and explained the whole thing. After a short talk, King Shahryar was swooped up by a "pterosaur" commanded by Erazor, which Sonic grudgingly saves him from. In the meantime, Sonic saved Ali Baba, who he mistook for Tails, and earned him as his ally.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Sonic also faced the Sand Scorpion, which was sent by Erazor. After defeating it, Sonic saw that it had one of the seven World Rings. After picking up the yellow World Ring from the remains of the monster, Shahra revealed that whoever gathered up all seven World Rings would be offered as a sacrifice to open a gateway between worlds.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> On their way to the Evil Foundry where Erazor was heading, Sonic and Shahra found the green World Ring. After picking it up, Sonic asked Shahra if she could remove the curse Erazor had place on him, but Shahra told him sadly that she could not. Sonic then told her not to worry and they continued on. On at the Evil Foundry Sonic confronts Erazor, who summoned the Ifrit Golem, a gargantuan fire giant to burn the black pages left in the Arabian Nights' storybook. Sonic was unable to defeat the overwhelmingly powerful Ifrit, however, due to his curse, so he and Shahra escaped, although Sonic promised to return later to finish him off.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Desperate for help to defeat the Ifrit, Sonic and Shahra asked Ali Baba for advice, and he suggested that they should find his friend, Sinbad. After learning where Sinbad were held captured, Sonic and Shahra went to Levitated Ruin and freed a trapped Sinbad, who Sonic mistook for Knuckles. As Sonic and Shahra asked him how they could stop the Ifrit, Sinbad suggested that they could just "splash some water on him". Sonic sarcastically mocked Sinbad's answers, causing a feud between the two of them. Ali Baba forced his way in between the two to stop the fighting and said that the only problem with that plan was getting enough water to stop such a large fire golem. Sinbad replied that he was getting to that part before he was interrupted, and said that they would be able to get enough water to beat the Ifrit with the Water Blue Ring, a World Ring Sinbad used to control storms before it was stolen by pirates.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Sonic and Shahra then headed off to Pirate Storm in order to confront the pirates and take back the Water Blue Ring. On the way, Sonic and Shahra found the Blue World Ring. As Sonic collected the World Ring, Shahra gave him a mysterious relic, saying that it would be their last hope of stopping Erazor. Once at Pirate Storm, Sonic confronted the pirate captain and acquiring the Water Blue World Ring. The pair then returned to the Evil Foundry to face off with the Ifrit.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Using the Water Blue World Ring, Sonic managed to weaken the Ifrit and after a challenging battle, Sonic defeated the Ifrit, but it then released a time bomb. Sonic and Shahra managed to escape the foundry and Sonic kicked the bomb into the air. As it exploded, it revealed the Red World Ring. As Sonic picked the ring up, he realized the seven World Rings contained various emotions.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Sonic and Shahra then went to the Skeleton Dome to meet King Solomon and get some answers about the evil spirits, but once they arrive, they saw that the king had been turned into a floating skull by Erazor Djinn. As the king asked for help, Sonic agreed to confront the resurrected forty thieves and eventually got the king's body back. In the meantime, Sonic and Shahra found the White World Ring.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Finally reassembled, King Solomon told Sonic that he had to face Erazor in his lair, which he could enter with the White World Ring, and revealed to Sonic that Erazor used to be the Genie of the Lamp and that they could use his lamb to seal Erazor away forever, if they found it. King Solomon was still weary, however, as he feared they may not be able to restore world of the Arabian Nights from Erazor's damage, but Sonic told the king to leave it to him.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Eventually, Sonic and Shahra reached and entered Erazor's stronghold, the Night Palace. As they passed through, Sonic and Shahra found the Purple World Ring, and as Sonic questioned Shahra about her relationship with Erazor, she was only comfortable revealing Erazor's past to Sonic. After several obstacles, Sonic found and confronted Erazor Djinn. After a heated battle, Erazor was defeated by Sonic. However, before Erazor could be completely defeated, he escaped through a door and locked it. Upon seeing the lock, however, Sonic and Shahra saw that it could be opened with the seven World Rings.

The Battle for the Arabian Nights
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> By using the World Rings, Sonic opened the door and tried to make Erazor remove the curse he had placed him. Instead, Erazor convinced Shahra to give him the seven World Rings that she and Sonic have collected. Shahra complied and revealed that she and Erazor were once together and that she wanted to be back with him. Sonic, however, rubbed his ring and commanded Shahra to do what she "feels is right", causing her mind to crack at the two different choices she wanted to make. Erazor then took the World Rings himself and tried to sacrifice Sonic, the collector of the World Rings, in order to gain their full power and take complete control of the world of the Arabian Night. However, Shahra blocked Erazor's blade and was struck down in Sonic's place. As Shahra died in his arms, Sonic made one final wish for Shahra to grant - asking her to "not die, and to go back to the way you were". Although she did not have the power to grant the wish, the mysterious relic she gave to Sonic returned to its original state, Erazor's Lamp. Soon after, Erazor absorbed the power of the seven World Rings and transformed into Alf Layla wa-Layla. However, his transformation is not complete as Sonic was still alive. Suddenly, three of the World Rings infused with Sonic, causing him to transform into Darkspine Sonic.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> After a vicious battle, Darkspine Sonic defeated Alf Layla wa-Layla and returned Erazor to his original state. Having reverted to normal as well, Sonic, now controlling Erazor with his lamp, made Erazor grant three wishes; The first was to bring Shahra back to life, and since Sonic had the lamp, Erazor had no choice, despite refusing, and Shahra was revived. Sonic's second wish was for Erazor to return the world of the Arabian Nights and the storybook back to normal, and all the pages that Erazor had absorbed were released from his body and were returned to the world and the book, finally restoring the world of Arabian Nights to their former glory. Sonic final wish was then for Erazor to be trapped within his lamp forever, and Erazor yelled after Shahra's help while cursing Sonic, as he was sucked into his lamp forever. Shahra, though back to life, was still overcome with grief from Erazor's fate and her betrayal. Sonic understoods this, and wished for mountains of handkerchiefs so she could cry for as long as she needed to.

Aftermath
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> With the world of the Arabian Nights now safe. Sonic and Shahra returned to the Evil Foundry where Sonic threw Erazor's lamp into the lava, insuring that Erazor could never harm the storybook world ever again. After that Sonic had many more adventures in the world of the Arabian Nights, some with Ali Baba and Sinbad, as he searched for a way back to his own world. Then, when it was time for Sonic to leave the world of the Arabian Nights, he bid a touching farewell to Shahra.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> With the Arabian Nights and the world it had created now at peace, the story about "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" found in the Arabian Nights' storybook, was changed into "Sonic and the Secret Rings", as the world of the Arabian Nights recognized Sonic's participation in its stories.

Gallery
<h2 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> See Also


 * World of Camelot