Ch.9: Dark Chaos Knuckles Is Born
When Rouge and Julie-Su told the others that Knuckles was in the medical center everyone immediately rushed over. Remington halted the stampede from entering the treatment center, but let Locke through since he was Knuckles dad.
Locke was surprised to see Sonic when he walked in. Although since Sonic was the one who brought Knuckles in, it wasn't to big of a surprise that he was allowed to stay and watch.
"What's the status Hawk?" asked Locke.
"Pyshically he's as fit as a fiddle" said Hawk " I think the problem may be with the Link,"
"What Link?" asked Sonic.
"The Link that is formed between the Guardian and the Master Emerald" Locke explianed " if the Emerald ever shatters, the Link makes sure the two will always find each other,"
"But in this case its the opposite" said Sonic " Knuckles isn't looking for the Master Emerald...,"
"Its coming to find him," said Locke.
Suddenly an emergency call from Spectre erupted through the whole base.
"Locke!" shouted Spectre's voice " the Master Emerald has transformed and is heading striaght for Echidnapolis!"
"Mom!" shouted Knuckles, suddenly sitting up " I have to save her!"
"No" said Locke, sternly to his son " the Link has been contaminated by Dimitri. If you go out to fight right now who knows what will happen,"
" That's my problem then" said Knuckles, then looked at Sonic " unless you object to saving peoples lives?"
"Would we ever let you fight alone?" said Sonic, throwing Knuckles a thumbs up " come on, time to end this war once and for all,"
After a quick stop by the alter to arm themselves with the Chaos Emeralds Sonic and the others blasted towards Echidnapolis. When they arrived the mountian that had been hiding the city had been sliced clean off by the Master Emerald, leaving it vulernable to attack.
It was no easy task getting everyone to safety, mostly because there wasn't much people to save. The Master Emerald had already ready destroyed close to two-thirds of the city. Fearing for his mom Knuckles immediately rushed in, with Sonic following from behind.
The hedgehog and the echidna both had to watch out for the green energy beams the Master Emerald was shooting from it's mouth. Lara-Le was cowering inside her apartment when Sonic and Knuckles arrived. Her right leg was trapped under parts that fell down from the roof. And the whole cieling threatened to cave in any minute.
"Come on Mom" said Knuckles, lifting off the heavy debris " lets get you out of here,"
A gaint tremor shook the earth as the Master Emerald passed by, letting what was left of the cieling to rian down. But thanks to a speedy response by Sonic everyone made it out to the safety. Shadow, along with Rouge and Tails came by to meet them,"
"Shadow, what's the status?" asked Sonic.
"Not good" said Shadow " those green beams have drained everyone of all thier energy. Looks like the Master Emerald is trying to get power any way it can,"
"You're not saying what I think you are" said Knuckles worried " are you?"
"They're dead," said Rouge.
Knuckles cringed when he heard the news. This terrible tragedy had to strike just when he was getting to know more about his kind. Had his birthday been nothing but a big waste? Maybe things would be better if he never made that wish.
"Run!" yelled Vector, followed by the rest of the group that was behind him " its coming after us!"
Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow turned to see the Master Emerald Dragon approaching, its body overflowing with massive amounts of energy, some provided by the lost souls of Echidnapolis. Taking out a Chaos Emerald Sonic looked at Shadow.
"Time to fight" said Sonic " you ready?"
"Hmph," said Shadow, nodding and getting out another Chaos Emerald.
The rest of the group got the idea and soon all seven Chaos Emeralds were up in the air, ready to turn Sonic and Shadow into thier Super Forms. The Master Emerald paused as the Chaos Emeralds started to glow, and then let out an enormous roar.
The whole island shuttered as the roar sliced through the air, Sonic and the gang could barely stand it. Then, to everyones surprise, something horrible happened the Chaos Emeralds shattered!
"What the...?" said Shadow, when the Chaos Emerald shattered in his hand. Looking at the others he noticed thier emeralds had shattered as well.
To make matters worse, according to the writing on the old shrine, the Chaos Emeralds were created to store away the excess energy of the Master Emerald. Now that the Chaos Emeralds were shattered there was nowhere for the energy to go, except striaght back to its source.
"This is not good," said Espio.
"What was your first clue?" asked Rouge, as the Master Emerald Dragon started to get larger.
" The Master Emerald has completely regianed its full power" said Remington, landing along with the rest of the Brotherhood in an EST jet " its going to take more than one Guardian to restore it back to its orginal state,"
"We have no choice but to try to seperate Dimitri from the Master Emerald" said Spectre " as long as his dark heart taints it, everything will be lost,"
"And if we try anything we'll be lost," said Hawk.
"There's no other way," said Locke.
"Father, wait!" said Knuckles " what are you doing?"
"Saving the world" said Locke " just like my son,"
Grabbing each others hands Locke, Spectre, and Hawk confronted the Master Emerald Dragon and stood chanting a mantra in ancient echidna tounge. White light surrounded all three of thier bodies and then shot out like spear, piercing the Master Emerald Dragon's heart.
The dragon form deminshed with a yell of pain leaving the Master Emerald itself hovering in midair. Dimitri's body had been sucessfully ejected out, but by the condition his body was in it wasn't hard to assume he was dead.
"They did it!" yelled Sonic, happily.
"They sure did" said Shadow to Sonic " look,"
Sonic turned to see Locke, Spectre, and Hawk's bodies laying on the ground, unmoving. Remington didn't waste time walking over and checking the three for pulses. But he couldn't find any, all three of the old Guardians were dead.
"No" said Amy, throwing a pitiful glance at Knuckles " how could that happen?"
"Its a failsafe in case the Master Emerald's power got out of control" said Remington " the only flaw was self-sacrifice,"
Knuckles couldn't stand listening to anymore than his ears could take and slammed the ground with his fist, his entire body was shaking in anger. Still floating in midair, a dark pulsating orb began to glow inside the Master Emerald.
The orb spread until the enitre Emerald glowed black. Red beams of lightning shaped energy shot out of the Dark Master Emerald and a black aura started to surround Knuckles as well.
The red echidna's fur became flaming purple, and his eyes shined as red as rubies. His gloves ripped off revealing dangerous looking talon-like claws.
From limbo the Ancient Walkers trembled for the end had come. The anger, saddness, and guilt inside of Knuckles had tainted his Chaos Force. It would take all the luck in the world for Sonic and the others to stop Dark Chaos Knuckles.
