Barrier stone

The Barrier Stones are objects that appear in Sonic and the Black Knight. They are a set of stone monuments from the world of Camelot which are meant to seal off the Dark Hollow.

Description
The barrier stones are four large stone monuments located in Shrouded Forest, Great Megalith, The Cauldron and Dragon's Lair in King Arthur's kingdom. Each barrier stone has a large platform in the shape of a celtic cross with a smaller round platform in the middle which is surrounded by smaller rocks. In the center there is a tall and flat pillar with a round top and a low podium at the foot.

When one of the sacred swords (excluding Excalibur) is inserted into each of the barrier stones' podium, the barrier stones will join together in a ring and form a magical barrier around the Dark Hollow which is meant to contain the powers of the underworld emerging from there.

Inscriptions
Whenever a barrier stone is activated, its stone pillar will glow red and reveal some inscriptions written on it in an unidentified language which tells about the barrier stones and the sacred swords. So far, the inscriptions of only two barrier stones are known:


 * "This stone is but part of the ring that sealeth the Dark Hollow." - The inscription on the barrier stone in Shrouded Forest.
 * "When the sacred sword pierces stone, so shall return the power." - The inscription on the barrier stone in Great Megalith.

History
When Merlina the Wizard revealed her betrayal and began to apply the scabbard of Excalibur's immortality-bestowing powers to the kingdom with the forces of the underworld, Sonic the Hedgehog and the Knights of the Round Table set out to find the barrier stones after receiving instructions from Nimue, hoping to set up a barrier that could contain Merlina's forces before they could consume the kingdom. With each of them hurrying out to one of the barrier stones, Sonic and the Knights of the Round Table managed to find and activated them with their sacred swords, thus making them form a barrier around Dark Hollow. However, the barrier proved to be too weak against Merlina's forces and could at best slow them down. Nevertheless, the barrier gave Sonic and Caliburn the opportunity to enter Dark Hollow and defeat Merlina.