Infinite's Phantom Ruby

Infinite's Phantom Ruby is an object that appears in Sonic Forces. It is the finalized version of the artificial duplicates of the Phantom Ruby created by Dr. Eggman that possesses the same powers as the original.

Appearance
Like the Phantom Ruby prototypes, Infinite's Phantom Ruby is magenta with black ripple patterns. However, unlike the prototypes and the original Phantom Ruby,is shaped more like a tetrahedron.

Powers and abilities
Infinite's Phantom Ruby possesses the same traits and degree of power over virtual reality projections as the original Phantom Ruby. However, it can only be activated by those that possess a strong will or a strong character. When a Phantom Ruby prototype is pitted against Infinite's Phantom Ruby, their virtual reality manipulations will cancel each other out. If pushed too far however, the Phantom Ruby prototype will be destroyed.

Past
The Phantom Ruby prototypes were created by Dr. Eggman in his secret lab in Mystic Jungle, where the doctor conducted analyses of the original Phantom Ruby. However, most of them had one or several fatal flaws that proved too risky to use effectively. After experimenting with lots of prototypes however, Eggman finalized one of them. This one was given to Eggman's army commander, the Jackal Squad's captain, who, after a humiliating loss to Shadow the Hedgehog, sought greater strength after casting his old identity aside. Thanks to his strong will, the captain was able to activate the prototype and harness its power. The captain was subsequently assimilated with the finalized duplicate after a number of experiments, becoming Infinite. Under the direction of Eggman, Infinite sought to destroy the world with the Phantom Ruby and make way for the Eggman Empire's uprising.

Sonic Forces
In Sonic Forces, Dr. Eggman and Infinite put their plans into action by attacking the world using replicas of Shadow, Metal Sonic, Zavok and Chaos created by Infinite's Phantom Ruby, and defeating Sonic the Hedgehog. With the subsequent aid of Infinite and his Ruby, the Eggman Empire's conquered over 99% of the planet.

Six months after the War to Take Back the Planet began, Sonic escapes from the Death Egg with the help of the Avatar and later encounters Infinite in Mystic Jungle during the latter's battle with Silver the Hedgehog. During the encounter, Sonic insists that Infinite tell him the secret of his power, only for the latter to power up his Phantom Ruby and engage Sonic in battle. Afterwards, Infinite ultimately decides that Sonic isn't worth killing and takes his leave.

When the Resistance launches Operation Big Wave in an attempt to take Metropolis, Eggman dispatches Infinite and has him use his Phantom Ruby's power over virtual reality against the Resistance. This brought forth gravity distortions and monsters in Infinite's likeness that attacked the Resistance. In no time, the gathered Resistance's troops got scattered in the confusion. As a result, the troops wandered into enemy crossfire where they got picked off one by one. 80% of the Resistance forces were soon after wiped out while the rest lost contact with HQ.

Despite the Avatar's efforts to salvage Operation Big Wave, the Resistance had no choice: if they wanted to live to fight another day, they had to call off Operation Big Wave. The Resistance subsequently fell back from Metropolis to regroup, leaving the Eggman Empire as the victor of the military showdown.

After successfully foiling Operation Big Wave, Infinite confronts the Avatar and after a bit of fighting, he finally recognizes the rookie as the one they spared all those months ago. Infinite summons cannons to finish them off, but, because the rookie found the Phantom Ruby prototype Infinite dropped earlier, they are immune to the Phantom Ruby's effects. Though at first shocked, Infinite dismisses them, stating only two days remain before the Resistance is wiped out, then once again leaves.

Discovering that the Phantom Rubies relied on the Death Egg to provide them with power to work, the Resistance destroyed the space station, weakening the Rubies. However, Eggman had anticipated this, and had a backup power reactor built underneath the Eggman Empire Fortress. This allowed Infinite's Phantom Ruby to regain enough power to let Infinite banish Sonic and the Avatar to Null Space (for a time), a dimension created by the Phantom Ruby.

At the climax of the war, Infinite used his Phantom Ruby to create a virtual sun above the planet to burn the Resistance and the world with. However Tails discovered that the Phantom Ruby prototype the Avatar possessed. Following Tails' instructions, the Avatar made the virtual sun Infinite created disappear with their prototype, which got destroyed in the process. Infinite soon after took on Sonic while his weakened Phantom Ruby recharged. Once it was fully charged however, the Avatar came to Sonic's aid, and together they defeated Infinite. Infinite's Phantom Ruby was then pulled into its reactor, causing Infinite to disappear. However, Sonic and the Avatar would follow the Ruby into the reactor, which housed several other Phantom Ruby prototypes. These rubies were all subsequently destroyed when Sonic and the Avatar blew up the reactor.