QUICK NOTE: Everything from Chapter 13 onwards is new.
Jeff and Darla didn't want their son to have only two limbs, but he did. They wished he could walk on two fully functioning legs, but he couldn't. Connor was once a troublemaker, but the trauma of having both legs ripped off his body changed something inside him. He became depressed, anxious, and moody. They were desperate for him to be happy again. They knew none of his meds or equipment could do so.
By the time Connor could walk, they knew he would be a runner. As a baby, he would crawl and crawl for what seemed like forever. After learning to walk, he would push himself to go further, no matter how many times he fell down. They could see a fighter in him.
And then he lost his legs.
Jeff and Darla were archeologists. Jeff remembered when he first saw Darla. They'd met on a site underground, looking for an ancient artifact—the Master Emerald. They were obsessed with finding it. They knew that with the existence of the Chaos Emeralds, the Master Emerald would exist too. They heard stories—legends—of its power, and how it was even more powerful than the seven Chaos Emeralds. This led them to the theory that it could control the Chaos Emeralds.
One night, when Connor was seven, Jeff received a phone call while reviewing his research. It came with big news: the Master Emerald had been found on an island in the Atlantic known as Christmas Island (a nickname given to it for being found on December 25th).
Jeff immediately told Darla the news. She was watching TV with Connor, who was munching on his favorite thing to eat, a chili dog. Christmas decorations were spread all across the room, and reach further into the house. Empire City became one of the most beautiful cities in the world this time of year.
"Darla, I need to tell you something," Jeff said, quietly whispering into her ear.
"What is it?" she asked as she looked at him.
Jeff couldn't contain his excitement. "They found it."
Darla's look if confusion was replaced by a look of happiness. "The…the…"
Jeff nodded.
"Honey, that's great!" she said, reaching up to give him a hug.
"Yeah, but there's something else."
"What?"
"They want us to look at it right away."
Darla looked at the happy and content Connor. "But what about him?"
"We won't be gone long, I think," Jeff assured her. "He'll be fine."
"But you know how he is when we're not with him," she reminded him. "He gets scared."
Jeff took her aside where Connor couldn't hear them. "Darla, the Master Emerald will most likely have the power to… get Connor his legs back. It could cure diseases. Its power is limitless. And now we know where it is."
Darla looked back at Connor. "He'll be so happy…"
"Exactly. We have to do this."
Darla sighed. "He'll miss us."
"It'll all be worth it," said Jeff. "I'll call my parents and ask if he can stay with them."
"They'll say yes?"
"They always do."
They practically sped when they drove to Jeff's parents' house. Connor waited near the corner of his grandparents' living room as his mom and dad sat in the dining room, discussing the discovery of the Master Emerald and that Connor needed to be taken care of. Connor's grandmother caught his eye and smiled at him, and Connor smiled back. He liked staying with Grandpa Gene and Granny Wilma, sometimes.
After they made out a plan, Jeff kneeled in squatted next to Connor and his wheelchair to talk to him.
"Connor, Mom and I are gonna be gone for awhile, so you're gonna stay here with Grandma and Grandpa, okay?"
"But I wanna go with you," Connor protested. "You promised."
"I know I did," Jeff said. "When you're older, you will. Good things come to those who wait."
Connor hugged his dad. "Please…"
Jeff peeled his son's arms from his shoulders. "Don't forget your meds, and rub your stumps."
"But it hurts," Connor whined.
Jeff chuckled and stood up. "We're leaving soon," he told Darla.
Jeff's wife picked Connor up from his wheelchair and gave him a big hug. "Make sure you do everything Granny and Grandpa tell you, okay?"
"Okay," Connor struggled to say.
Darla set him back down and went out the door with Jeff. Connor rolled over to it and watched his parents get in the car. He had no idea that he would never see them again.
Christmas Island was a beautiful place. It was uninhabited by humans, so animals like birds and insects roamed freely. Jeff, Darla, and a few other archeologists were led to a cave that was deep in the jungle. The entrance led them to a sprawling underground maze that took them literally two days to figure out. The whole time Jeff thought of Connor. What was he doing? How was he doing? Jeff knew these trips took a toll on Connor. What if they didn't make it home? No, he couldn't think of that. Now it was time to solve the mystery of the Master Emerald.
The group came to a large chamber that was illuminated by the light of crystals, which was coming from the light of the Emerald. It was positioned a few inches off a rock in the middle of a large pool of water. The group had no choice but to swim to see it. They tried to ignore the discomfort of their wet clothes as well as the worry that the contents of their packs got wet. Jeff fell to his knees at the large, cyan-colored gem in front of him. This discovery would change the world. This discovery would change his life.
He got in closer to the Emerald and peered inside. He thought he could see two blank, yellow eyes staring at him, with some sort of pink stone above them.
"Leeeeave heeeere," a deep, stark voice reverberated through the chamber.
Jeff turned to Darla, fear-stricken. "Did you hear that?" he asked her.
"Hear what?" she asked.
"That voice!"
She shook her head.
The voice spoke again. "Leeeeeeeeeeeeeave heeeeeeeeeeeeere!"
The Emerald started to crack. They yellow eyes inside it began to glow. Then, to Jeff's horror, the Emerald split into pieces and unleashed something. It was some kind of humanoid being. It, along with the pieces of the Emerald, fell to the floor. The monster landed with a plop. Its body was watery and was the same color of the Emerald. The goup just stood there, frozen in fear.
"My name, Chaos…" the monster said, "remember it, for it will be the last name you shall remember."
"Chaos" stood up and threw a punch at a member of the group. Its arm stretched in order to reach him. The archeologist fell into the water, along with a piece of the Master Emerald. It sank to the bottom of the pool and was sucked into a hole, like the drain of a bathtub.
Chaos grabbed two more archeologists with its large hands and smashed their bodies together, killing them. It grabbed Darla and smashed her body into the ground, killing her also.
Jeff staggered backward at the sight of the death of the love of his life. "No…" he said. He locked eyes with Chaos. The monster began taking steps toward him.
"You are afraid," it said. "Good."
Jeff tried to dive into the pool to escape, but Chaos grabbed his ankle and pulled him out. Jeff squirmed in Chaos' Tight grip. Chaos wrapped its other hand around his head and started squeezing.
Jeff had broken his promise to Connor… He knew it…
"You cannot have the Emerald," the monster growled. "I am its guardian, fool." It then threw Jeff's lifeless body into the pool.
The pieces of the Master Emerald began to form back together, except for one piece. Chaos stared at the empty slot in anger.
"Where is it?!" it yelled in rage. It dived in the pool to the hole in pursuit of it.
