White Fire2: Return of Darkness

By: Tidota Eru

Ch.1: Ressurection

His red eye's were back to staring at the Earth below him. His friend's had left the lonely space colony once known as the Ark. Shadow just stood watching them leave, but he could feel the sadness surrounding them. Zagarow had almost defeated him and Sonic, and thanks to that light he was destroyed. But, his friend's also managed to lose one of their own during that battle. His name was Knuckles. The red echidna that was once the Guardin of Floating Island was now gone. For some reson he had just disappeared without a trace. The other's were taking the Master Emerald back to Angel Island, it's what Knuckles would have wanted. Shadow now turned his eye's to the empty corridor of the Ark. Silence was all that met his ear's.

Back on Earth the Choatix were staying in the hut that Knuckles had once given them, when their home was destroyed by the Black Arms. Their new house had already been fixed, but for some reason they found themselves staying here. Espio was sitting in the far corner of the hut, trying to meditate, but kept on being awakened even though there was no noise. Vector was usaully silent, his headphones and CD-player were thrown over on the table without a care. Espio and Charmy had never seen Vector turn away music before. Charmy seemed to lose the joy to talk, he was to eeriely silent.

Espio:And all becuase of losing Knuckles

For some reason that night Espio actually walked to the Master Emerald's alter, the moon lighting his path. When he got there, he saw the gaint green jewel glowing in the moonlight. Espio walked over to the side of the alter and pushed open a wall. Knuckles had told the Choatix that he had a hidden study under the alter. All the walls were lined with books, and Espio found himself looking at one in perticular. Unlike the other books there this one seemed new. Marked with a white cresent moon on the cover. Espio opened it and began to read.

Knuckles Voice:reading I don't know what happened, but somehow I feel different. My fur has changed and I can see the sadness in my friend's eye's. I didn't know they would miss me that much. But for some reason, no matter what I do, I can't seem to tell them that I'm alive. How would they react? I overheard Sonic saying that Shadow is leaving the ARK tommorow to spend some time here. Mabye we can get him to smile for a change. Anyway, it seems like it's time for me to go, agian. I may be back, but the light keeps taking me away.

Espio closed the book, stunned. Knuckles was alive.

Espio: Why can't you come back? the light? Shadow! He and Sonic both said they saw Knuckles disappear in a light. he runs out, book still in hand, to the hut

The next morning was a surprise for all as Espio explianed his find. Shadow had arrived early that morning and interest in Espio's story.

Amy: If he's alive, then why didn't he tell us?

Espio: He say's he can't. That a light is always taking him away. He was on Angel Island, on that I'm sure.

Tails: He had to be if he wrote something down first and then left the book.

Shadow: What about the light, it could be the same thing me and Sonic saw.

Espio: I don't know what the light is. I thought you and Sonic would know.

Shadow: All I saw before he disappeared was that he staring right at the Master Emerald.

Sonic: I only saw him get dissolved in a green light, Shadow did too.

Tails:snapping his fingers That's it! The Master Emerald is what took Knuckles away, the question is why?

Shadow: And where?

Ch.2: Reborn into Darkness

Darkness, that was all his eye's could see. Knuckles stood up wearily in the blackness.

Knuckles: Where am I?

A voice seemed to come from out of the shadow's.

Voice: We shall rise. We shall rise.

Knuckles: Who's there!

There was a laugh behind him, but before he could turn to see who it was. A streak of white fire shot from the ground into the air. It's light illuminated a firgure standing in the shadow's. His features were hard to describe, but from a description Shadow had given Sonic a long time ago, Knuckles could tell that this guy was Black Doom.

Doom: The Black Arms shall rise agian, to make this world meet it's end. Darkness and light must jion as one, to make all evil be undone.

There was a flash of green light and Knuckles found himself on Earth, but not the Earth he was used to. This place was like a volcanic ruin. A red sky, burned down ruins of citie's, and people lying before him, dead and umoving. Then something else shocked him more than anything, there lying on the ground were his friend's. Shadow, Sonic, and the other's all laid there dead. Knuckles felt the anger building up inside him, he slammed his fist's on the ground making a crack in the earth. His glowed hot pink and he started to rise

Knuckles: Take me back to my time! I don't want to see any more.

The Master Emerald seemed to honor his wish and sent him back to Angel Island.

Meanwhile Sonic, Shadow and the others were on Angel Island looking at Knuckles hidden library.

Sonic: Man I've never seen so many books.

Shadow: Knuckles told me he kept records of everything he's been through.

Vector: When did he tell you that?

Shadow: During the Emerald Fire episode.

A glow from above suddenly caught Charmy's attention

Charmy: Hey guy's look! Up there!

All eye's turned toward the ceiling. there was a green light hanging from above, but it quickly went out dropping a red echidna on the floor below