Ch.5: The Awakening

Knuckles, Shadow, and Sonic said goodbye to Nazo and left the cave. Shadow stayed with Sonic, but Knuckles made his lonely way back to Angel Island. For a minute Sonic seemed worried about Knuckles going back alone with Eggman on his tail. Knuckles said he could take care of Eggman. Sonic needed no further agruement, and left with Shadow, leaving Knuckles on his own. Darkness surrounded the two hedgehogs as they left, giving Knuckles a strange feeling that he was being watched as he walked back towards the Mystic Ruins.

The howl of wind screamed by, reminding him of Kimara in her savage form, that cat-like form combined with the feartures of a wolf. It was unlike any creature Knuckles had ever seen and Tails Doll kept on transforming her like this. But why? Why was she so important to him? Why did he send her to attack Nazo instead of himself? Why?

These questions felt like they would never get answered as he continued on little knowing of the danger that lerked in the treetops nearby. A steady snap of a twig from nearby caught his attention and he stopped. Sniffing the air he could tell someone else was here besides him. He didn't tell the others about his special ability to track scents, so when he guessed the right person coming through a door and the others would ask how he knew... He just said it was his little secret. The scent he had detected right now smelt of oil and rust. That could only mean one thing.

He was right, and a metal arm snapped out of the treetops and tried to grab him, but he managed to dodge in the nick of time.

" Show yourself Eggman!" Knuckles yelled " I know it's you behind this!"

Laughter is heard and Eggman appeared. He was sitting in the cockpit of a machine similar to the Egg Walker, but even more advanced. The mad sciencetist stared down at Knuckles and sneered.

"You know what I want" said Eggman " and since that girl isn't here to protect you anymore I sugguest you obey me,"

"Not a Chance!" Knuckles shouted and Eggman responded " I see I have to this the hard way,"

The metalic arm of the robot reached down and grabbed at the guardin again. Knunckles hopped on to the arm and started running upwards towards the cockpit. Eggman was shocked at this move, and before he time to react Knuckles was in the cockpit, with the arm bearing down on him.

"Wait, No, Stop" cried Eggman. But it was to late. the metal arm peirced through the spot Knuckles had been standing on a moment earlier. The robot exploded and a strange cloud of gas hung in the air. Knuckles breathed in the smell of victory and headed on his way like nothing had happened, but he didn't notice that Eggman was laughing.

Back at Kimara's place the Tails Doll's lifeless eye's glowed. He had sensed a great danger coming, that he wasn't the cause of. Kimara had only gotten home earlier and was sound asleep until Tails Doll woke her up. She sensed that something was wrong.

"What's happening?" She asked and the Tails Doll answered "The Awakening."

Back at his cave Nazo could also tell that The Awakening was about to begin. Evil haunts the ritual of The Awakening, it is not something you'd want to start on purpose. But, someone had and in that direction led danger. Shadow and Sonic felt it too, but did not know what to make of it. Eggman was seemingly pleased at what he had done and Knuckles was completely unaware that he would be the one to bring forth the destruction upon the world.