For Now, Forever

by Anna-mathe

Knuckles is on a Quest. But is it all worth it?

1. Priorities

)---------- Priorities
part one of "For Now, Forever"
written by Anna-mathe

The huge snake whipped forward, cotton-white mouth opened. Knuckles
threw up one arm to shield himself. He felt the cobra's weight and fury
on his wrist for an instant. Then the reptile coiled back. Knuckles clawed
away, horrified eyes seeking the wound. But instead of his flesh, the
snake had bit his wrist-communicator. He was unscathed.
But the serpent would not let it's victim escape so easily. It
advanced again, it's oily body pouring over the ground. Knuckles couldn't
seem to move fast enough to get away. Panting, he stopped and turned
desperately to face it. With a loud hiss the top five feet of it's body
reared erect, the hood spread wide.
Someone struck an instant before the snake did. A blur appeared out
of nowhere and slammed into Knuckles, sending him sprawling sideways. The
cobra, not caring who it killed, struck at the person. It's mouth clamped
onto his bare arm, the poison fangs sinking deep.
Sonic grabbed the snake by the back of it's head, then cried, "Knux!
Kill it! Kill it!" Knuckles, pale as a ghost but charged with adrenaline,
picked up a large stick and brought it down on the reptile's head. The
cobra released Sonic's arm, only to be driven to the ground by another
blow from the stick. Knuckles struck with all his strength, again and again,
crushing the head of the serpent.
At last the creature was dead. Knuckles, trembling all over, turned
to Sonic. "T-thanks," he stuttered. "Y-you saved me--" Sonic was standing
stock still, staring down at his arm cradled against his chest. Knuckles
looked, too.
The bite was deep, but only a thin stream of pale blood traced
down Sonic's arm. Sonic and Knuckles locked eyes. There was no known cure
for a Mobian Cobra bite. Even the anti-venom often proved useless, and
the Freedom Fighters had none. In a very real sense, Sonic had given his
life for Knuckles's.
"Go for help," Sonic said, his voice clipped. "I'll stay here; if
I move it will only spread the poison." "Right," Knux replied. He was
almost sick from what had happened, and very very scared. He turned and
ran in the direction of the Great Forest and Knothole Village.
Tall grass had grown in the outer limits of the garbage dump
surrounding Robotropolis. It had grown and died and grown again for years,
forming perfect snake territory. Knuckles had been scouting when he disturbed
the cobra.
Sonic felt no pain, but he knew it wouldn't last long. Being bitten
by a Mobian Cobra was one of the most painful ways to die. It shut down
the bodily functions one by one, even as it intensified the senses. But
strangely, all Sonic felt was a creeping coldness settle in his arm.
He felt no fear of what would almost definately happen. Instead,
he was filled with sadness. Sadness of all he would leave behind . . .
Sad that he might not be able to go through with the reason Knux
had come to the Great Forest in the first place, just over two weeks ago.

It was evening, and it was almost dark before Knuckles returned with
Dr. Quack and Princess Sally. No one else had been told of what had
happened; they didn't want chaos to erupt in Knothole.
Sonic hadn't moved an inch from where Knuckles had left him half an
hour ago. The three approached him silently. No one said a word as Dr.
Quack examined the wound.
For a long moment - too long a moment - he still said nothing.
Sally, her voice breaking slightly, gave in to her impatience and asked,
"Well?"
There passed another moment before the doctor replied.
"The wound is small."
Exasperated, Sally let out a long sigh.
"And?!" she demanded. "Will he be all right?"
"The poison will have taken its full effect within three days.
After that, well . . . "
Knuckles made a strange hiccupping noise and bolted from the scene.
Sally and Dr. Quack really didn't even notice, but Sonic glanced after him
strangely.
Then he turned his attention to Sally. He still hadn't spoken
since they arrived, and now found that his throat was too choked up for him
to make a sound.
Also silent, she knelt down and wrapped her arms around him, both
of them shaking with fear and sadness.

Knuckles kept running.
Where he was going, he didn't care. He just had to keep going. Had
to think.
Sonic had agreed to help him. Because of that promise, the hedgehog
was now slowly dying one of the most horrible deaths devised by the All
Powerful.
There was nothing he could do. Nothing.
As this thought ran through his mind over and over, the Guardian bit
down unconsciously on his lower lip so hard that he could taste the blood
in his mouth.
The salty flavor finally restored some sense of responsibility to
him, and he stopped running. All at once exhaustion swept over him and he
flopped down on the ground and tried to set his priorities.
The sky was now completely dark except for the stars which shone
brightly on such a moonless night. Somehow, they reminded him that he was
a long way from home, and unless he acted somehow, he might never again set
foot upon the Floating Island as Guardian. Alive. And his friends . . .
This was the reason he'd come here in the first place, the reason he'd asked
for Sonic's help . . .

* * * * * * * * *

It had begun a day as any other on the Island. He'd emerged from
his hut, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and headed to the Chaos
Chamber, as was his morning ritual. His first priority was to the Island,
and if all was not well with the Chaos Emerald, then the Floating Island
was toast.
These quiet mornings were one of the things he cherished above all
other things. During his walks to and from the Chamber were the only time
he'd allow his mind to drift back to his earlier childhood. The days when
his father was Guardian. The days when everything was still beautiful.
Somehow things were different now. Ever since his father's
unexplained departure, he'd been filled with a loneliness that sometimes
threatened to overwhelm him. There had been times when he would look around
himself and be swept over with an almost chaustrophobic feeling. He'd
scream and shout for someone to answer him, but the only answer he'd receive
was that of a woodland creature of some sort who happened by. Then he'd
just stand there, unthinking, unfeeling.
Then he'd met the Chaotix. His first real friends he'd ever had.
Later, of course he'd had his run-ins with Sonic and the Freedom
Fighters. The emptiness his father's departure had left would never
disappear, but at least he was no longer alone in his life.
All the same, things were different now. Everything seemed
darker. His purpose was beginning to lack . . . purpose!
And so, on these morning hikes, he'd let his guard down enough to
just lose himself in the memories of earlier, happier times until he reached
the Chamber.

Inside the Chamber, he sat down beside the emerald and stared at it.
Something was amiss - he could feel it. The emerald was . . . sending him
a feeling of . . . violation?
That didn't make sense. No one was here. There was no one on the
Island who shouldn't have been, and everyone there certainly knew better
than to mess around down here.
So what was up?
"Why, I am, you foolish echidna!"
Started beyond your imagination, Knuckles looked up in time to see
the air shimmer just above the emerald. Out of the shimmer floated a being
like none he'd ever seen before, but recognized instantly from legends and
tales he's known since his infancy.
Before he even realized it, he gasped the word: "Firelance!"
"That's my species, echidna. Don't wear it out. I don't feel you
need to know my name." The Firelance nonchalantly settled himself on top of
the emerald and made himself comfortable. "I know yours already, Knuckles,
Guardian of the Floating Island. It's good you know me, though. It saves
me the effort of explaining why you shouldn't bother even trying to oppose
me."
Knuckles gritted his teeth. Sure, he knew better than to rile a
Firelance, but this one's attitude was pushing his limits of tolerance.
"What do you want?" he demanded curtly.
The Firelance waggled an admonishing finger at him.
"That's not very polite, is it, echidna?"
Knuckles crossed his arms nervously.
"I'm not one for small talk," he informed the one who was sitting
on the Chaos Emerald in the Chaos Chamber on the Floating Island over the
planet Mobius. "I prefer to get right to the point, so the rest of my
day'll still be free."
The Firelance laughed.
"Actually, Guardian, you may have more time on your hands than
you'd like to think about."
For a moment, the scarlet Guardian made no reply as he registered
what was being implied. Then his eyes narrowed with a sudden flood of
nearly irrepressible anger.
"What do you want?" he repeated, this time in a low, threatening
voice that would have sent chills down the spine of any normal being.
Firelances were not normal, however, and this one especially
seemed to be aware of the fact that there was nothing the echidna could
do to defend himself if he attacked him.
He chuckled.
"Temper temper, echidna. Don't patronize me."
"Believe me, I'm everything *but* patronizing," Knuckles coldly
informed the intruder.
"True." The Firelance took a deep breath. "I want from you, in
twenty days, the answer to the following question. Consider it a
challenge, if you will." And here he narrowed his oblong, amber eyes.
"Where is the portal to the NeverZone?"
"The NeverZone?" Knuckles repeated, confused. "What the heck is
that?"
"It, echidna, is the basis of every legend and tale of folklore on
this Island."
"And if *you* can't find it, how do you expect *me* to, Firelance?"
Knuckles demanded, now seething.
"Who says I don't know where it is?" was the calm retort.
"Well if you know, then why the hoo-ha do you want me to find it
for you?!"
"Because if you don't I will wipe out every bit of life with the
misfortune to be on the Island right now. Whether or not they are here
twenty days from now. Location means nothing to me. Those who are hear at
this moment will perish in twenty days if you don't bring me the answer I
want."
Shocked, Knuckles inhaled so sharply it hurt his throat.
"Why?" he gasped. "Why would you kill everyone here because I
couldn't answer something you already knew?"
Instead of replying, the Firelance vanished.

After some time of absorbtion, Knuckles left the Chamber to seek
out the Chaotix and explained to them the situation.
Naturally, they were somewhat disturbed at the possibility of their
lives ending in less than three weeks.
"What do we do, Knux?" Espio inquired.
Knuckles sighed.
"Well, I don't think the portal is here on the Island. I mean, I've
never seen it. Have any of you?"
The four of them slowly shook their heads.
"Dang. I'd hoped . . . never mind. Anyway, I want you guys to
comb the Island. If you find anything, go to the Chamber and give your
answer to the Firelance. And hope he'll accept your word instead of mine."
"Where're you gonna be?" Mighty asked.
"I-I'm gonna go to Knothole. Maybe I can get some information from
the Freedom Fighters."
"Too bad we don't have more to go on," Espio mused softly. "'The
basis of every legend and tale of folklore on this Island'? I don't get
it, Knux."
Suppressing a shudder, Knuckles admitted, "I don't either, Espy."

Shortly afterward, Knuckles left the Floating Island for Knothole
Village. As he glided down to the Mobian surface, the thought crossed his
mind that he might never see the Chaotix again, if he didn't find this
portal.
Of course, it wouldn't really matter to him. He'd be dead too.
With that pleasant thought occupying his mind, Knuckles landed on
the coast of the Mobian Ocean. He stood there for a moment, staring at the
horizon over the water, trying to get a last glimpse of the Floating Island,
but it was past his range of view.
Sighing, he turned and began to head inland.
He hadn't been walking for a particularly long time before he was
discovered. Fortunately, though, it wasn't by Robotnik or his sentry bots,
as he'd worried, but by the very person he was looking for.
A blur of blue seemed to appear out of nowhere and run countless
circles around him before coming to an abrupt stop in front of him.
No introduction is needed as to the identity of the new arrival.
"Yo, Rad Red," Sonic greeted. "What brings you this far from the
Floating Isle?"
Knuckles swallowed what bit of pride he still retained. He had
higher priorities than the old quarrels between the two of them.
"Sonic, I need your help," he simply stated.
The hedgehog raised a somewhat skeptical eyebrow.
"You sure?"
Instantly, the rage boiled.
"Listen!" Knuckles almost shouted. "The lives of everyone I care
about is at extreme risk here, and you're still doubting my integrity?! Do
you honestly think I'm joking about this?!?!"
"Woah there, down, Simba!" Sonic quickly cut in. "I'm not doubting
your word. I just wanted to make sure you come in peace."
"Worse," Knuckles glumly admitted. "I come in desperation."
"All right," Sonic conceded, sitting down on a rock. "Why don't you
tell me exactly what's going on here?"
And so the Guardian sat beside the Freedom Fighter and explained the
encounter with the Firelance in the Chaos Chamber.
"That's the story," he mumbled by way of an ending. "I have no clue
where to find this 'NeverZone' Portal."
"And you were hoping maybe someone in Knothole would have an
answer?" Sonic presumed. "Fine, we'll check around. One question."
Knuckles spread his hands wide.
"I'll tell you whatever I can."
The reply apparently surprised Sonic.
"Man," he quietly exclaimed, shaking his head. "You really *are*
desperate!"
"Wouldn't you be?" was the whispered reply.
"Yeah . . . I take your point. Anyway, what's a Firelance?"
The echidna's body convulsed slightly in a heavy shudder.
"Until this morning, they were only legends."
"What sort of legends?"
"The kind parents use to spook their kids into behaving. They look
like seven foot scorpions, emitting a bright golden glow, and they have
power over temperature and motion. It may not seem much like a superpower,
but they could suddenly boil the whole planet alive . . . or stop the
heartbeat of everyone on the Floating Island. Legend has it that they last
appeared two thousand years ago, on the day that the first Guardian took up
the mantle. The Firelance made the warning that unless the Chaos Chamber
was sealed - at this time it was guarded, but basically open to everyone -
that he would destroy all life on the Island." The similarity from the
ancient tale to the current situation sent another shudder throughout the
Guardian. "The Guardian didn't think the Firelance had the powers it
claimed to have, and dismissed the concept, insisting that the Chamber was
safe, and that no one could harm the Emerald in any way. Shortly after, he
was killed by laserfire in a citizen uprising. The Chamber remained open.
Noting this, the Firelance changed the temperature in such ways that violent
storms covered the entire planet for an entire day, causing before unimagined
damage."
"The first Day of Fury," Sonic whispered.
Knuckles nodded.
"Life on the Island was allowed to continue, however, because of the
almost instant placement of a new Guardian. The Firelance made the same
warning to him as he did to his predecessor, and with the Day of Fury barely
behind the people, the Guardian did as the Firelance had ordered. After
that, there are no proven sightings of a Firelance, although the stories
have been racking up like leaves in the fall over the last two millenia."
"Powerful," Sonic simply noted.
"You got it."
"Well then, let's go see what the others at Knothole have to say
about thi - "
"Sonic, wait."
Pausing even as he'd begun to break into a sprint, Sonic looked over
his shoulder at the echidna who was climbing to his feet.
"Yo?"
It took Knuckles a moment to brace himself for the words he was
about to say.
"Don't tell them what's going on."
"WHAT?! Knux, buddy, how do you expect to get any help with this if
no one knows what's going on?"
"It's not so simple. You know your people. You know which ones
you'd trust with something huge, and which ones you wouldn't. I don't. And
I can't trust someone just because you or Sally or anyone else tells me I
can. This involves the wellbeing of everyone on the Floating Island, and I
can't just go trusting everyone with that wellbeing."
Sonic's glare forced Knuckles' gaze to meet his own.
"But you trust me?"
Biting his lip sharply against a reflexive bitter remark, he
replied, "Yes. We've had our run-ins in the past, but even when we were on
opposite sides, I could always tell where your honor lied. Sometimes I just
couldn't bring myself to admit it."
The blue Mobian took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I'll help you," he said in a serious tone. "I promise, I'll do
whatever it takes to help you save your people, even without the others'
help."
Knuckles nodded, swallowing a well of emotion.
"Thank you."

The arrival of the echidna in Knothole caused a bit of a stir, as
well you may imagine. Sally's first reaction to the news was that he and
Sonic must have battled it out once again, and now both needed to be patched
up from the fight, so she was a bit surprised to find what good terms the
pair of them seemed to be on.
Knuckles told Sally that he was looking for something important, but
that he couldn't say anything more than that. After careful consideration,
she accepted that as an excuse and let him stay in the village. When
inquired by the other villagers, he would just smile and say, "Circumstance."
It was perhaps more true than anything else he could ever say.

His first clue came to him on his third night in Knothole, after a
day of searching as best he could through the Great Forest and trying to
weasel information out of the villagers. It came in the form of a blue blur
and a small grey computer.
"Sally doesn't know," was all Sonic said, depositing Nicole on the
table in the hut Knuckles was staying in.
Nothing else needed saying.
Knuckles picked up the computer and inquired of her databanks
anything regarding the NeverZone.
"Access denied. Unauthorized voice code," was all she would say in
reply.
"Hey, Nicole! I'm authorizing him, okay?" Sonic almost snapped.
"Right, my main hedgehog. Searching databanks."
As she searched, Sonic and Knuckles exchanged a nervous look.
"One entry found."
Knuckles' hopes sank. Only one?
"From the ancient 'Legend of the Sky': 'Wherever the battle for
freedom and peace wages, the Chaos Warrior will find the NeverZone: its
entrance at their feet, its power flowing through their veins. Only with
the NeverZone's exposure can the Chaos Warrior overcome his enemy.'"
Sonic blinked.
"Yeah, what you said, Nicole."
"No, hang on!" Knuckles interjected, excitedly. "It makes sense!"
"Do tell," Sonic suggested.
"Don't you see? Chaos Warriors. Sonic, that's *us*!"
As that sunk in, Sonic let out a whistle.
"Hey, I think you're right. We two are the only people on Mobius to
have used a Chaos Emerald to achieve ultimate forms!"
"So the entrance to the NeverZone should be at our feet . . . that's
where I'm lost."
"If there's one thing I've learned in this danged war, Knux, it's
that whoever writes these ancient legends had an uncanny knack for telling
the future. If they say that the portal is at our feet right now, you and
I, here and now, then the sucker's gotta be close by to Knothole."
"Underground. From the wording, I'd bet it's underground."
"I agree. We've got seventeen days to check every cave and cranny
in the area, trying to find an underground chamber with a portal to another
dimension. Cheer up, Knux. This'll be a cinch."

And so the two of them pored over the area of the Knothole
territory, following up every lead they found, under the excuse that they
were out patrolling.
"Don't you think you guys are doing an awful lot of 'patrollong'?"
Sally inquired one day.
Sonic shrugged.
"Fine. We're not patrolling. We're scouting. Anyway, we're
catching up."
"On what?!"
Sonic shrugged again.
"Guy stuff."

When it got down to the last week, though, Sonic began to get
worried, and Knuckles began to get downright scared. They'd found countless
holes in the ground and many good sized caves that Sonic had taken note of
as possible supply caves and storage space, but still had found nothing
resembling a portal.
"What if we misinterpretted the passage?" Knuckles fretted.
"Don't think that," Sonic snapped. "You can't. Us having
interpretted that thing correctly is the only chance you and everyone else
from the Floating Island have. We just have to keep looking."
To cover more ground, they split up in their search. Knuckles, who
had better night vision, would often be out "scouting" an hour or two before
the sun came up.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Sally inquired of him one day, feeling
concerned and a little bit upset at the suspicion that he was keeping
something from her.
"Naw, I'm tryin' to quit."
The Princess sighed.
"Look, Knux, whatever you're looking for can't be so important that
you should risk your health over it."
"I'm going out now, Sally. See you later."

If only it had crossed Sonic's mind before, he would have warned
Knuckles that the garbage dump area was not a good place to go prying into
holes when alone, or anytime, for that matter. He'd not thought of it,
however, and didn't think of it until that morning.
"Sally, where's Knuckles?"
"Where else? Out on his great search you two won't tell me about."
"Don't put him down, Sal. This is real important to him."
"Yeah, I noticed. I just wish you'd let me in on it! Maybe I
could help - "
"Where did he go?"
"Who?"
"Knux."
"Oh. I think he said he was going to the garbage dumps outside
Robotropolis."
"He . . . *what*?!"
Before Sally could repeat herself, Sonic was out the door and out
of sight. The echidna was about to go prying around in every hole in one of
the largest snake populations in the northern continent. He had to warn him
before it was too late . . .

* * * * * * * * *

Which brought everything up to the present. Knuckles lay there on
the ground, staring at the stars and wondering if there was any chance left
for the Floating Island. Or indeed, if there was any chance . . . for
Sonic.
A loud sigh escaped him, and he allowed his eyes to slowly close.

"Priority four - echidna!" was the voice that woke him.
Instantly popping his eyes open and jumping to his feet, he regarded
the floating sentrybot with a threatening glare.
"Oh yeah?! Well if I'm priority four and Sonic's priority one . . .
then WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH PRIORITIES TWO AND THREE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
Without another word, he smashed his fist into the robot, sending it
flying in hundreds of pieces.
Knuckles was furious with himself. He'd fallen asleep! The
critical days were upon him, and he'd fallen asleep! How long had he been
out?
His wrist communicator still worked, and it had a timekeeper built
in. Seeing the date, he reeled back in shock.
*He'd slept for an entire night and day!*
Two days! Two days until the Firelance would return to the Chaos
Chamber. Two days and Sonic would be dead. Because of this, in two days,
he might also be dead, along with Mighty and Espio and Charmy and Vector
and -
"Get a hold of yourself, Knux!" he snapped at himself. "Think!
You've gotta find the portal . . . " *What about Sonic? He saved your life
. . . how can you not try to help him?* "Hundreds of people on the
Island . . . " *But what about the one who was willing to do whatever it
took to help them and you?* "Oh, blast it all."
He had to think. He had to set his priorities.
Should he continue his search for the NeverZone, or try to find a
way to help Sonic?
His first priority was, and always had been, to the Floating Island.
But Sonic, who didn't share that priority, was dying for that priority. How
could he not save him above all else for what he'd done for him?
On the other hand, if he saved Sonic somehow and the Island payed
the price, then the whole thing would be worthless. Sonic had given him one
last chance.
He had no right to let it pass by.

*"Wherever the battle for freedom and peace wages . . . "*
This was no good. He needed to go to the actual battle grounds.
That meant . . . Knuckles looked over his shoulder at Robotropolis. That
was where the battle waged. That was where he needed to be.
"I hope this works," he muttered, beginning his approach to the city
nervously. He should have been flailed for attempting to go through with
this in bright sunlight, but, as he reasoned with himself, in the city, the
smog is so think you can't see anything no matter what time of day it is.
"' . . . it's entrance at their feet, it's power flowing through
their veins . . . ' I'd bet I actually have to be hyper for this to work.
DANG! How can I . . . "
A psychic blast knocked him off his feet, just on the outskirts of
the city.
*Chaos will attend to itself.*
The words floated in his head. The voice vanished all too quickly.
His father's voice.
There was no time to think about him . . .
No time to remember . . .
"Chaos will attend to itself," Knuckles whispered to himself. "I
guess that's a go ahead."
And he proceded to enter the city.

When he emerged from the shadows he'd hidden in, it was directly
outside Robotnik' palace.
This was what it all came down to, after all. The ultimate battle
in this war for freedom and peace would be here. Its outcome would
determine the fate of all of Mobius. And today, it would determine the fate
of the Floating Island.
Almost instantly the SWATbots spotted him and advanced, screeching
about priority fours. Knuckles was sick of hearing about priorities.
Priorities got him into this mess. He severely doubted they'd get him back
out.
*Okay, Dad. Chaos will attend to itself. If I must be a Chaos
Warrior, it'd better be now or never!*
As these thoughts crossed his mind, he felt something. Something
beneath him. A power that hadn't been there before, but seemed to be
growing steadily. The presence of a Chaos Emerald.
*There's a dormant emerald under the city!!* he realized with a
start.
The thought process had taken only a second, and the SWATbots were
closing in on him fast. Reacting to his instincts, the echidna bashed the
ground as hard as he could with his large, strong hands, and was amazed as
the ground in front of him collapsed with ease under his blow. He reached
down, grabbed the faintly glowing gem and jumped as high as he could.
While at the height of his jump, he grabbed hold of the palace
building and climbed as fast as he could, dodging laser-fire and being
careful not to drop his precious cargo. When he'd reached enough altitude,
he jumped from the wall and soared out over Robotropolis, hidden by the
smog, and glided well outside of the city.
* . . . it's power flowing through their veins . . . *
As Knuckles began his descent, he noticed for the first time that he
had transformed into HyperKnuckles. For a moment, he was still, shocked at
having made the change without even realizing it, but then an idea hit him.
"It's power flowing through their veins!!" he shouted to the wind.
"That's IT!!"
The wind didn't answer as HyperKnuckles shot back to Knothole.

"Knuckles . . . " Sally said quietly when he entered Sonic's hut,
deenergized and regular Knuckles once again. "Where've you been?"
He didn't answer.
"How is he?" the Guardian inquired of the Princess.
"Not good," she reported softly, gesturing to the bed where the
other Chaos Warrior lay.
Sonic was either asleep or unconscious. Knuckles wasn't sure which
was worse, considering the nature of his injury.
"He's not going to make it," Sally said in a choking voice. "Dr.
Quack's sure of it. His system can't fight off the venom . . . "
"Hush, Sally," he admonished. "Don't be so sure."
* . . . its power flowing through their veins . . . *
"What do you mean?"
"I think if he turns into SuperSonic for the amount of time it takes
for the blood in his body to go in a full cycle, the energy will purify his
blood. It should save him!"
For a moment, Sally's eyes lit up, but then dimmed once again.
"But we have no emerald."
Knuckles held up the waking emerald he'd found in Robotropolis.
"But we have no rings."
"Sally," Knuckles said in a low, reassuring voice, "Chaos will
attend to itself."
Without another word, Knuckles silently moved to Sonic's side. He
took hold of the hedgehog's hands, into which he placed the emerald.
"Come on, Sonic," he hissed quiely. "Come on!"
A brilliant flash of light erupted from the emerald with their four
hands covering it. Sally was momentarily blinded, and when she rubbed the
flash out of her eyes enough to see, she saw . . .
HyperKnuckles and SuperSonic, standing side by side, grinning.
She screamed and threw her arms around them both.

A little later, after everyone had witnessed Sonic's recovery and
he'd been able to return to his normal form, Sonic and Knuckles finally got
a chance alone to talk.
"Knux, I've gotta admit it. You saved my life." Sonic grinned
sheepishly. "Thanks."
Knuckles waved a hand curtly.
"Don't thank me," he bluntly stated.
Sonic blinked.
"Why not?" he insisted. "You saved my skin, man! I have the right
to thank you if I want!"
"No," Knuckles insisted, shaking his head. "Don't you get it? I
turned my priorities to the Island first. It came to me by accident to use
the emerald to help you. I was going to let you die to save the Island.
Instead, it flipflopped. You're peachy, but the Island . . . "
It finally caught up with him. The Guardian collapsed to his knees
and broke into sobs.
"*Knuckles!*" Sonic snapped sharply, kneeling beside him and
gripping his shoulders. "You listen to me. I know your priority is to your
Island and your people. I promised to help you save them. You had to look
after them first, even at my expense. If I didn't realize that, do you
think I would've done what I did? It's a matter of my life, or hundreds of
others. What other choice could you have made?"
Knuckles felt limp.
"Sonic, in one day, it won't matter. We never found any portal.
The only thing that even relates to its existence is in that verse from the
ancient legend. I've let down everyone on the Island, all my best friends,
my ancestors . . . it just doesn't matter anymore."
"It's not ever yet, pal," Sonic informed him. "You can't give up.
You've got one day left to pull this together. If we just look at this more
literally, maybe we can get it in time for you to - "
"What if we don't?"
"Knux, why are you being so pessimistic?!"
For a long moment, the echidna didn't answer. Then he finally did,
in a faint voice, saying, "Because I'm so scared."
Sonic opened his mouth to reply, but a voice thundered in their heads
before he could.
"YOUR TIME IS UP, GUARDIAN!"
A sick look of realization swept over Knuckles' tear-stricken face.
"Oh no," he murmered. "The Floating Island moves in an eastwardly
direction; the days are shorter there! It's too late - "
Then, even as Sonic still held him, he vanished.

For a moment, he thought he was dead.
That moment was spent spinning through oblivion, unseeing,
unfeeling, completely numb all around.
*Is this it? Is this what eternity is like?*
A sudden burst of sensation overwhelmed him as he re-entered the
physical world.
"Let's hope not, echidna. For that would be a very boring eternity
indeed."
Blinking at the sudden amount of light around him, Knuckles found
himself back where it all started: the Chaos Chamber.
Only now it was an inferno. The Chaos Emerald was surrounded by a
wall of flame. Within this circle, standing atop the emerald, was the
Firelance. Another wall of fire ran around the perimeter of the Chamber.
Between the two walls stood himself . . . and the Chaotix, all appearing
scared out of their minds.
At his arrival, the four of them turned toward him in alarm, thier
eyes asking the question they dared not put into words: had he found the
answer?
Deliberately ignoring them, the Guardian turned his attention to the
Firelance. As their eyes met, the heat from the flames intensified
fifty-fold.
"Well, Guardian? Where is the entrance to the NeverZone?"
Trembling, Knuckles stood silently.
"Guardian, where is the entrance to the NeverZone?"
*Think! Think! Wherever the battle for freedom and peace wages
. . . at their feet . . . flowing through their veins . . . *
"Guardian, do you have an answer?" the Firelance calmy inquired. As
he spoke, Knuckles felt a strange tingling at his fingertips. Looking at
his hands, he gaped in horror as they began to disintigrate before his eyes.
Espio broke out, "Knux!"
Vector covered his eyes with what was left of his own hands and
turned the volume on his walkman up to the max.
*In Robotropolis I found the emerald . . . it saved Sonic . . . I
wonder . . . underground . . . at my feet . . . in the battle for freedom
and peace . . . its power - power flowing through their veins . . . like
the Chaos Energy did for Sonic . . . *
"GUARDIAN! This is your last chance! Where is the -"
"YOU'RE STANDIN' ON IT, DUDE!!!!!!" Knuckles bellowed as loud as he
could.
The flame around the emerald seemed to explode. Its force slammed
the scarlett guardian to the floor, trying to shield himself from the blast
of heat. He heard the shouts from the Chaotix.
And then it was over.
Whatever body parts had disappeared were back and in perfect working
order, the flames were gone, and so was the Firelance. They were alone in
the Chaos Chamber.
Slowly, still almost afraid to move, they crawled back to their
feet. Their gazes locked, conveying hundreds of different messages to each
other that required and received no replies.
Then Vector let out a loud whoop.
"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAH, WE'RE HOME FREE!!!"
And they all broke out into cheers.

It wasn't very much later that the Chaotix, having not gotten the
day-long nap Knuckles had, crashed under a tree near the perimeter of the
Island.
Knuckles himself, however, didn't feel he could sleep just now.
There was too much to think about.
It didn't make sense. Things just didn't fit together.
The Chaos Emerald of the Floating Island was, in fact, the portal to
the NeverZone. The verse from "Legand of the Sky" said that only exposure
of the portal would allow him to overcome his enemy.
That could mean that revealing its location would appease the
Firelance and save the Island. Or else it could mean something else.
The last recorded, proven incident with a Firelance had been when
the creature had insisted upon the sealing of the Chaos Chamber. For some
reason, they didn't want it open, and would rather wipe out all life on the
planet than leave the Chamber unsealed.
What if, somehow, the Chamber would have to be . . . unsealed? To
allow the portal to be opened once again, open for eveyone to use to cross
into a land of legend? Could that, ultimately, be the key to the final
battle for Mobius?
And, the point that weighed on his mind most heavily, why had the
Firelances changed their minds?
Two thousand years ago, they wanted it sealed. Now it almost seemed
to the opposite: they wanted it exposed. Knuckles was almost sure the
Firelance knew he'd come across the verse from the legend. For some reason
which was as of yet unexplained, the creature had sent him on a quest with a
goal he already knew. Why? If not to bring the verse to his attention, then
why?
And why had he heard his father's voice while on the Firelance's
mission? How did *he* fit in with this? With the Firelances?
Knuckles shook his head. There were, as usual, too many unanswered
questions. What right did he have to answer them, anyway? His priority was
to the people of the Floating Island. As long as they were safe under his
protection, he didn't *need* to understand.
A sigh escaped him.
*Priorities. That's what it all boils bown to. My priorities. My
father's priorities. The Firelance's priorities . . . *
His thoughts drifted to Sonic. What were his priorities, that he
could suddenly take Knuckles' as his own as well?
*I guess Sonic's priority is to all life in general.*
He laughed.
*Lucky dog. I guess. I may not have to think as much about what I
must do . . . but at least if he doesn't feel it's right, he doesn't have to
go through with it anyway. A priority to life in general . . . It sounds
intriguing. Something tells me I'd never get away with it, though.*
Somehow, along this train of thought, it struck him to call Sonic
and let him know what had happened. After all, those in Knothole had no
communications with the Floating Island, but Knuckles still had his wrist
communicator. Walking over to the edge of the Island so as not to disturb
the slumbering Chaotix, he activated his link.
"Hello?" he inquired. "Anyone listening?"
For a moment, there was only static. Then there was a pop and a
loud exclamation.
"KNUX!!! Is that you?!" came Sonic's loud and joyful shout.
"Last time I checked, I was still me and intact. Although I was
worried for a moment there . . . "
"Man, you scared the socks off me! I thought you'd bought it right
there!"
"So did I, but it was just a teleport."
"But what about the Firelance? Did you figure out where the portal
was after all?"
"Yeah, at the last moment. Get this! It was the Chaos Emerald all
along! Right at my feet all this time."
"But wait. Does that mean that the emerald you found in
Robotropolis is also some kind of portal?"
"Gosh, I don't know. The way this day's gone, I wouldn't doubt
anything."
There was a long pause.
"Does anyone else get the idea that this is far from over?" Sonic
asked.
"Oh yeah," Knuckles agreed. "I think we've just begun."