Spirit of the Herd

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The Spirit of the Herd from Sonic the Comic #69. Art by Nigel Dobbyn.

The Spirit of the Herd is the ghost of the extinct race of Kohenyu, native to the Floating Island. It is the last remaining trace of the species, after they were hunted to extinction by the ancient Echidnas. The Spirit resides in the valley now known as the Kohenyu Graveyard, and has the power of re-animated and control the skeletons of the dead Kohenyu. It is kept alive by a massive emerald known as the Soul Crystal, which lies in the sacred Emerald Mines.

When Knuckles came to the Kohenyu Graveyard, attempting to retrieve a Raw Emerald from the Emerald Mines, the Spirit of the Herd sought revenge against the echidna for the death of the Kohenyu species. It caused the bones of the Kohenyu to rise out of the ground and attack Knuckles, and later to crush the echidna in a giant Kohenyu ribcage.

Knuckles managed to escape, and had an opportunity to destroy the Soul Crystal, but could not bring himself to do it. Realising that Knuckles was the last trace of his people, just as the Spirit was the last trace of the Kohenyu, the two made peace, and the Spirit allowed Knuckles to leave with a raw Emerald.