Chapter 7

The Staff

Knuckles searched his side of the ruin very carefully. Even though his one arm was badly sprained he was still able to climb even though it was difficult. He could dig too but it was extreamly hard and dangerous. Within minutes he'd found five very tiny shards of the Master Emerald but that was all.

He sat down to rest. "I think I found most of them," he said with a sigh, resting his head against the stone wall. "I just hope Tikal had better luck."

As it turned out the echidna princess was having a much harder time finding the shards. She had only found two so far and she knew there had to be more then that.

I mustn't be looking hard enough, she concluded.

She got up from the fallen stone pillar she'd been sitting on. Maybe I need to look in a different area.

She headed down a slopy path that led to a lower chamber.

She got about halfway down before she began to sense something. What? Am I sensing? A shard of the Master Emerald?

She ran down the corridor. I must find out what it is!

As she ran her one foot stepped on a switch on the floor. Suddenly she heard a grating noise behind her and a vibration in the stone floor.

The female echidna looked over her shoulder. A wall of sixteen inch spikes was coming at her.I didn't know this temple had traps!

She gasped and ran faster. She heard the wall coming after her in a matching speed. She ran even faster. She saw a entrance ahead and dived.

The instant she was out of the corridor she landed on the stone floor, on her side, and rolled out of the way. The spiked wall exited the same corridor and came to a stop, impaling the back wall.

Tikal sighed in relief, stood up, and looked around.

She saw the wall was covered in hirogliphics. The floor was made of sandstone. Far off in a corner, illumintated by torches, was a box. A tomb? she thought walking up to it. I hope not.

The echidna princess knelt down and examined the box. It's too small to be a coffin, she concluded. I wonder what it is.

Just then she noticed an inscription on the lid. She knelt closer to read it.

It read:

This treasure of the ancients,

Holds the mystery,

The true power of the gem,

Chaos holds the key.

What does that mean? Is this talking about a Chaos Emerald?

Tikal carefully lifted the lid.

Something inside glittered in the faint light. What is this?

She lifted the lid all the way and stared at the contents in awe.

It was a golden staff. At the top end it spilt out with into many thin clawlike bands. It looked like the staff had once held a gem.

Tikal took the staff out of the box for a closer look. She examined the clasp. It looked large enough to hold a Chaos Emerald.

Was this staff used to harness the power of the Chaso Emeralds? she thought fingering the area below the clasp. If so, why?

She noticed another inscription in the bottom of the box. She leaned down to get a closer look.

An ancient staff,

An ancient power,

Causes death and destruction,

In one hour.

A secret lays,

Within its bands,

Don't let it fall,

In the wrong hands.

What does that mean?

She looked at the staff again. Just what is this for anyway?

Tikal stood up. "I'd better show this to Knuckles," she said.

Tikal ran back up the corridor she'd come through. Maybe he can give me some answers.

Just as she stepped out of the long hallway someone ran into her.

"Ow!" she exclaimed falling on her behind.

"Oops, sorry...TIKAL!" said a voice.

She opened her eyes. Knuckles was staring down at her with his hand out. His eyes showed relief and anger. "Let me help you up," he said.

Tikal took his hand and he helped her to her feet a bit roughly. When she was standing he asked. "Where have you been? I was looking all over for you!"

"I was trying to find Master Emerald shards." she replied. "What else?"

"Hey what's that?" he asked pointing at something she held.

Tikal looked down at her hand. She was holding the golden staff. She hadn't realized she's grabbed it. "I was going to ask you that," she replied. Then she held it up. "I found this while I was looking for the pieces of the Master Emerald."

Knuckles took it from her and examined it closely. "I've never seen it before," he told her.

"Oh," she said disappointed. "I guess I'll never find out what that inscription ment."

"What inscription?"

She told him. He could give her no answers for that either.

"Come on," he said taking her hand. "Let's go. You can bring that with you. I'm sure Tails will want to look at it."

"But won't Tails be surprised to see me?" she asked.

"No," he replied unexpressively. "Tails is used to those kind of things."

"Hmm," she said thoughfully. "Uh.....Where does Tails live?"

"Near the train station around here."

"Oh. Well let's go. I think we found all the shards in here."

The two left the ruin. They easily found their way out of the jungle. Within minutes Knuckles was knocking on Tails' door.

When the two tailed fox opened it he couldn't help gaping at the female echidna princess. "You... Aren't you........?"

She nodded. "Yes, I am."
"But how....?"

"It's a long story," Knuckles said quickly. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," Tails complied, moving out of the way. "Come on in. Make yourselves at home."

The two echidnas stepped inside. Tikal looked around the small house in awe. Never in her life had she seen so many tools! And gadgets too!

Knuckles noticed her looking around and whispered in her ear. "Stop staring."
Tails hadn't noticed. The two tailed fox gestered to an old beat up couch. "Please have a seat."

They sat.

Tails sat down in an overstuffed easy chair. "So," he said getting right to the point. "What brings you here?"

Tikal held up the staff. "We need to know if you know anything about this," she answered directly.

Tails took it from her and examined it. "Where did you find this?" he asked.

"The old temple in the Mystic Ruins," Knuckles replied. "We brought it here to ask you if knew anything about it."

The two tailed fox examined it a little longer then shook his head. "I'm sorry I don't know anything about it. I thought I had when I first saw it but now that I got a better look at it I realize I don't."

"Oh," Knuckles said standing. "Then I guess we'll have to find out ourselves."

"If you leave it here I think I may be able to find out something," Tails added quickly.

Knuckles was about to speak up but Tikal took the staff and said. "Thank you, Tails, but that won't be nessesary. We'll find out something about it on our own."-She looked it over- "It kinda looks like something my people once made. Something they were going to use to help them win the war but they could never find a stone large enough to fit in it. This may or may not be the same weapon."

"It sounds like you know more about this then I do, Tikal," Tails said observently. "Yes, I think it would be a good idea if you two keep it."

The female echidna bowed. "Thank you, Tails," she said.

She grabbed Knuckles' arm. "We'd better go," she said, pulling him toward the door.

Once outside Knuckles freed his arm from her grasp and demanded. "What did you do that for?"

"Forgive me," she said bowing slightly. "I don't think it's wise to leave it with him."

"Why not?"

"I just don't."

Knuckles decided to push it. He always asked her questions and most of the time she never answered. This time he'd make sure she would. ""How come?" he pressed her.

The question irritated her. "Look, I don't want to explain things right now. It's way too complicated. Besides I'm tired."

Yeah, I bet you are.

"We could spend the night here," Knuckles suggested gestering toward Tails' house.

What is he trying to do? Maybe he wants Tails to look at it while I'm not looking. Or maybe he's just suggesting it because I said I was tired.

She hesitated. "I don't know," she said guardedly. "Do you think he'll mind?"

"Of course not," he took her hand. "Let's ask."

Tails was all too happy to let them stay. When asked the question he eagerly bobbed his head up and down and led them upstairs. Tikal was surprised at how he was acting. Does he want something? her grip tightened on the staff. If it's this he won't be getting it any time soon.

"You guys can sleep in here," Tails was saying. He opened a door. Tikal saw a bed in one corner by the window. It must be his room.

Sure enough it was. Tikal felt bad about getting it. "Are you sure it's all right?" she asked just to be sure.

"Sure, I don't mind," Tials assured her. "The couch downstairs is just a comfortable."

He stared for the door. "Good night," he said, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind him.

When the fox was gone Knuckles and Tikal stood on opposite sides of the bed staring at each other uncomfortabley.

"You can take the bed," Knuckles offered, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I can sleep on the floor."

"No," Tikal said staring at him, taking in all his features. "You take it."

"No you, you're the lady," he said a bit loudly. "I was always told to offer the best to a lady."

"But you're the one who's hurt," she pointed out, wagging a finger at the cast. "You need rest and comfort to help that heal faster."

"It doens't hurt that much," he insisted. "Besides I couldn't let you sleep on the floor."

"But."

"Go ahead."

"No, I insist," she objected. "Go ahead."

"You."

"You."

"You."

"You."

"You."

Tikal started laughing.

"What?" Knuckles asked, surprised at how pretty her laugh was. "What's so funny?'

"Why don't we just share it?" she replied still giggling. "I promise to stay on my side."

"Well," he said beginning to blush. "If that's what you want....."

As it turned out Tikal slept under the covers and Knuckles slept on top of them.

He lay there wide awake for the longest time, however, and stared at the ceiling thinking. As always his mind stayed on one thing. I must find the Master Emerald, he thought cradling his injured arm on his chest. If I don't Chaos may.....wait a minute! Why did Chaos attack us anyway? I thought he wasn't mad anymore.

The red echinda growled as a thought came to him. I bet Dr. Eggman did something to him! What if he cloned Chaos like he'd done to Shadow? If he did we're in worse trouble then I thought!