PAIN…
That evening was very discouraging. They had searched all day long and found nothing. Not a trace of him anywhere. They searched Dimitri's mountain fortress, which was left vacant, and every other possible hideout location within a fifty-mile radius. Wherever Dimitri was keeping him, it was well hidden.
The teenage friends were sitting around a campfire, trying to think of what to do next. The Ravagers told about their search in Station Square, which was a dead end. Sonic had gone to Robotipolis, which was another dead end, and he wasn't on the Floating Island either. While they were talking, Julie-Su stood up and went to walk away, which caused everyone to look up and stop talking. "Hey! Where're you going?" Amy asked. "…Nowhere," Julie-Su replied as she walked away. They all watched her leave and then looked at each other. "Her aura is quite different from when last I saw her," Vipes stated. "Yes. I see sorrow, as before, but this time…I see longing, and shame," F.C. replied. Rouge explained what she had discussed with her when they got back to the Floating Island, which left them with a sense of great pity. "Bummer. I can't imagine how she must feel right now," Morph said. "We'll find him…Then those two can get back together and everything can be all 'happily ever after'," Sonic said, trying to brighten the situation. "Yeah…" Sally said with a sigh.
They dreaded the next morning. They hadn't slept at all the night before. All they could do was wonder what Dimitri was going to do today. They sat in silence, sitting in front of the monitor in King Acorn's throne room. They really would have admired the room if they weren't in fear of the next half-hour. It was made of sky blue stone, with red carpeting. Hanging a foot above King Acorn's chair was a large, flat-screen monitor. All was quiet until all the screens came on, and Dimitri's laugh filled their ears. "Welcome back! Today, we are going to have a little fun. Yesterday was simple beating, so today we are going to get instrumental. Are you ready, Knuckles?" Dimitri asked, turning to the dangling Knuckles. "B-bring it…" he said. "First, we will take him off the chain and try some water torture, being that you have a small fear of water. Oh, I remember that! You, me, the bottom of the Mobian ocean! Oh, what a laugh!" Dimitri said as he snapped his fingers. Some Legionnaires sprung forward, undid the chain, and dragged Knuckles over to a water tank, filled with chunks of ice. "Take a deep breath," Dimitri said as they shoved his head under the water and held him there. He struggled to get up, but was too weak to do so. The water was so cold, he felt like he was going to freeze into an icicle. When Dimitri snapped his fingers again, they pulled him up, giving him time to gasp for air, and dunked him again.
They were horrified. Dimitri was out of his mind! The guys growled and clenched their teeth as the girls fought to hold back their tears.
When Dimitri was done with the dunking, they put him back on the chain, allowing the cold water to drip down his body to the floor. "Now…let's try something else," Dimitri said as the Legionnaires punching him with metal gloves, which shocked his soaked body. He grunted in pain as each electrical pulse was sent through him. There would be a bright flash where he was being struck, then it would disappear. This continued for several minutes, until Dimitri grew bored and desired new means of entertainment. "Hold him still," Dimitri said as he pulled out a hot brander. Knuckles struggled, but was held still as Dimitri brought the brander closer and closer. He held it just before his great-grandnephew's chest before stopping and saying, "If you say 'Hail Dimitri, Lord and Master', then perhaps I wont burn this onto your chest." "B-Burn in H-hell," Knuckles replied defiantly. "Me? Oh, no. It's you that will feel burning," Dimitri said with an evil smile as Knuckles grunted loudly with a steaming sound in the background.
Julie-Su couldn't bear to hear him in pain like this. It was like something ripping at her heart. She gazed at the burnt 'DL' on his chest, which stood for Dark Legion. He was gasping deeply through his clenched teeth as he squinted his eyes. She wanted to scream, and she almost did. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't everything have been the way she wanted it to? He was being slowly killed right before her eyes. Why him? Why them?
"Well, that's all the time we have for today! Until tomorrow, then," Dimitri said with a smile as the screen shut off. Mighty couldn't take it anymore. Enough was enough. He growled in rage, grabbed the monitor and screamed, "DAMN YOU, DIMITRI!!!" as he tore the screen down and smashed it on the floor. He then started sobbing on his knees as he hugged himself for comfort. Ray knelt beside him and put his arm around Mighty, who continued to sob. Morph was so depressed his shoulders were hanging low enough for his hands to touch the floor. Sonic just stared at Mighty on the floor when he felt something squeezing his hand. He turned to see Sally, fighting back her tears as she tightly grasped his hand. He grasped her hand as well as she looked up at him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Enough is enough," Grim said as he clenched his fist tightly before himself. "Yeah. Let's get to work," agreed Espio.
Sonic, Shadow and Freezie were covering more distance in a few hours than they usually did in a week's time. Tails and Rotor jumped into the Tornado and were flying around with DJ, searching from the sky. Everyone else joined the search on the ground, combing every inch of the ground they covered. "F.C.," Cap said to the young mage, "Is it possible you could reach him telepathically?" F.C. looked up at the sky and said, "I'm not sure. It would require great concentration to establish a good connection, and I'm not sure if he's really capable of it." "We're running out of options. Keep this between us two, but we'll never find him this way. Mobius is a big freakin' planet. If we don't use our heads…I don't wanna even think about what might happen," Cap stated. F.C. saw the truth in what Cap had said, set himself in a lotus position to meditate, and began to concentrate.
F.C. ascended onto another plane of reality, so as to reach Knuckles. It didn't look and different from his surroundings previous to his ascension. He could even see his body floating in meditation. 'Knuckles! Knuckles, can you hear me? It's F.C.! I know it must be hard, but try and respond!' F.C. shouted, trying to send out a signal. He waited, receiving no response. 'Come on! Don't give up on us now! Answer!' Once again, silence. F.C. sighed as he lowered his head. It was hopeless. 'G-Good t-t-to he-ear y-you…' a weak voice muttered. F.C. 's head shot up with a wide smile. 'KNUX! Is that you???' he questioned. 'Y-eah. Ca-an't t-talk…w-weak…' 'Where are you??? Tell me where you are and we'll get you out of there!' F.C. said. 'D-Don't…kn-know…Da-ark…Hard t-to st-stay aw-wak-ke…' F.C.'s smile faded as Knuckles' voice began to trail off. 'NO! Don't lose consciousness! Please, stay awake!' he pleaded. To the young mage's distress, he lost contact. He shouted his name for several minutes, not gaining any response.
Cap was disappointed with F.C.'s news. Was there any hope at all now? He walked off until he reached a cliff and decided to stare out at the horizon. The sun was beginning to set again, and the horizon was red. Cap sighed and looked up at the sky. "We could really use some help right now. I'd appreciate it," he said aloud, "I'm starting to lose hope. People look to me to be the one that's always positive. But…I-" He stopped when he heard a familiar voice sniffling not too far away. He pushed back some branches to see Julie-Su, who had stepped off to the side to cry it out. "You okay?" Cap asked. Julie-Su slowly turned around as she wiped her eyes. "I-I'm fine. I just…I just can't take this. We're never gonna find him," she said, beginning to cry again. "Yeah we will. We just gotta-" "What does it take to get through to you?!?! He could be anywhere! And while we're searching, he's being tortured to death! This is all my fault…I could have told him how I felt right then and there, but I didn't, and now I may never get the chance!" she yelled, tears gushing from her eyes. A look of anger filled Cap's eyes as he shook her. "What's wrong with you! Stop moping around and feeling sorry! We will find him! I swear it! I won't sleep until we do! All we need is faith, hope, and the will to do it!" he yelled. She stared at him for a moment, until he ran off to continue his search. 'Thank you, Julie-Su. You helped restore my faith. Hang on Knux!'
Julie-Su continued to just stand there, until she looked at her reflection in a small brook. Her lower eyelids were red from crying. Red. Just like him. She looked all around her. The sky was red, the leaves began to turn red with the autumn, even the small bird that flew by was red. It was like the whole world was mocking her. She took a deep breath and sighed as she raised her head. He wouldn't give up if their dilemma was in reverse. He would search night and day until he found her. She had to be willing to do the same for him. 'Thanks Cap,' she thought to herself as she went to join the rest of the search party.
"Welcome back to our show!" Dimitri began, "Today, I thought we'd lay off the physical suffering and move on to mental and emotional torment." Dimitri walked over to Knuckles' dangling form and began to circle him. "Yes, that will be quite easy, won't it? Considering all you've done?" Dimitri said mockingly. Knuckles was slipping in and out of consciousness, and mumbled, "Th-that…won't…work thi-is ti-ime." Dimitri chuckled and said, "Oh yes it will. I am going to reveal your dark side right here, for all eyes to see." Dimitri motioned his hand and an old echidna stepped forward. He was an elderly echidna, with patches of white hair on top of his head. He wore a pair of large, circular spectacles, which made him look all the more menacing as the little light in the room reflected from them. "So, how's the subject?" the old doctor asked. "He's ready. Do it now," Dimitri demanded. "Of course, sire," the doctor replied as he pulled out a pocket watch and began to move it back and forth before Knuckles' face. The young guardian chuckled as much as he could and muttered, "Idiot. Ev-ryone knows y-you ne-ed to wat-tch it" as he shut his eyes. Two legionnaires stepped up from behind him and punched both his sides, causing him to open his pain-filled eyes as he grunted. They grabbed his head and forced his eyes open as the doctor continued to motion the watch back and forth. "You are getting sleepy now," the old echidna proclaimed. "No…I-I'm n-not…" Knuckles muttered as he felt his eyelids getting heavier. "Sleepier…sleepier…" the doctor continued, as Knuckles' eyes fluttered for a second, and slowly closed. "Now, when I snap my fingers, you will wake up and we will talk with Eclipse. Ready? 'SNAP!'"
Knuckles groaned as his eyes opened. 'Wh-at…I…I'm f-free?" Knuckles said, his voice seeming deeper. "Yes, you are," Dimitri said, smiling proudly at the success. Knuckles looked up and growled. "Y-You! When I-I get ou-outta h-here…I'll r-r-rip your he-ead off!" Dimitri chuckled and said, "Wouldn't you rather do so to your father?" "M-My father?" Knuckles muttered sarcastically as he spit off to the side, "I ha-ave no f-father. If y-you mean Lo-ocke…then no. I hav-ve bi-gger plans fo-or him." Dimitri smiled with satisfaction. "You don't really like your father, do you?" he asked. "I ha-ate him wi-ith everyth-thing that I a-am. C-can you bl-blame me? The h-heart-less mon-nster ab-bandoned me f-for six y-years…Did h-he ex-xpect the hur-rt to j-just go aw-away? Th-that he co-could just come b-back int-to my li-ife? Six y-years al-lone on th-that st-tupid island. I'll bl-low it up wh-hen I get ou-outta here…or ma-aybe I'll j-just rem-move the em-erald…let it si-ink. But Locke…si-ix years w-was lo-ong enough t-to fi-gure out wh-at t-to do to h-him," Knuckles explained.
The people of Acorn were all shooting comments back and forth. Was this who they were trying to save? Was he really worth saving? This couldn't possibly be the son Lara-Le had spoken of. Locke turned away from the screen and lowered his head. He had failed his son in every way. This proved it. Knuckles never showed it until recently, but there was a deep resentment of his father entwined in his being. This was his fault. He had made his son a monster.
"What do you intend to do?" Dimitri questioned. "Heh…I w-want him t-to die s-slow. I could b-bury him a-alive…or dr-rown him…b-but then, I w-wouldn't be ab-ble to he-ear him sc-scream…Maybe I-I'll sta-ab him w-with the sp-purs he put o-on my ha-ands…let him bl-bleed to death slowly…He ma-ade me a f-freak…" Knuckles growled and lunged his body forward at the camera and yelled, "YOU HE-EAR ME LOCKE??? I'M GONNA KI-ILL YOU!!! AND IF ANYONE G-GETS IN MY W-WAY, I'LL RIP 'EM AP-PART WITH THE CL-CLAWS Y-YOU GAVE ME!!! YOU M-MADE ME A FR-REAKIN' MONSTER!!!"
Dimitri, fully satisfied with Knuckles', or rather Eclipse's display of evil and hate, motioned for the doctor to snap his fingers. After the doctor did so, Knuckles stirred for a second, then looked up at the camera with glossy eyes as his mouth hung open. His head then drooped as he muttered, "Y-you son of-of a…" "Oh, no. I did nothing but show Eclipse the door. But then again…there really is no Eclipse, is there? It's just you. It's just a sad, lonely little boy who hates his father, and wants to take his rage out on the world. You are absolutely pathetic," Dimitri mocked. Knuckles, using all the strength he could muster, swung himself on the chain and used his bound feet to whack Dimitri in the side of the head. Several legionnaires sprung forward, some rushing to Dimitri, others to beat the defiant Guardian. Dimitri shoved his assistance aside and glared at Knuckles with burning hate in his eyes. "Still you defy me?!?! Well, we'll just have to do something about that, won't we?!?! Dimitri yelled as he walked over to Knuckles and pulled out a knife.
Everyone's eyes widened. Was this it? Julie-Su turned away as Dimitri stopped in front of Knuckles, not wishing to see.
To their surprise, Dimitri took the knife and cut Knuckles' arm. He did flinch from the sudden jolt of pain, but it was nothing serious. It hardly broke the skin. Then it slowly healed, and closed up. "You see, good people of Mobius, Knuckles is quite extraordinary. The chaos energy in his veins will heal any injury he might sustain. I have often wondered how much your body can heal at once. Since we lowered the dosage of the drug we've been giving you, why don't we give it a test?" Dimitri said with an evil, sinister grin. He stepped back as some Legionnaires surrounded Knuckles and drew small hand-knives, "Just remember: only his arms, legs, and sides. I don't want to ruin that handsome face of yours. Not yet, anyway." Knuckles, knowing what was about to happen, closed his eyes and waited for the pain. He didn't have to wait long.
Tails pulled one of his tails in front of his face so he couldn't see, as Amy did so with his other tail. They others wanted to look away, but couldn't. They were too scared, to horrified to move a single muscle. With tear-filled eyes, they watched as Dimitri watched with a grim satisfaction. He then turned to the audience and said, "Although I would like you to see more, we cannot remain on the air any longer. If we did, someone might be able to break our signal-jammer and trace our broadcast. So you can check in with us tomorrow. Same time, same place." Just before the screen went blank, you could see Knuckles, hanging from the ceiling, his arms, sides and legs becoming a crimson red, as a puddle of the same color began to gather on the floor.