Knuckles in...
A Nocturnal Conflict - Part 4


Twilight Cage - Hallways

*Shade and Jani were walking around the hallways of the Twilight Cage, Shade on lookout for any of her ex-allies as they patrolled.*

Jani: "So where's the exit in this place?"

Shade: "There is no exit necessarily. When me and Knuckles freed the prisoners, I sent them to hide out until I can think of a way to convince the fellow Nocturnus to change their ways."

Jani: "Oh. Brilliant. In other words, you are a bit of a dumbass."

*Shade just rolls her eyes at that. But as she did, she is grabbed and slammed into another room by Jani.*

Jani: "I wanted to give you Nocturnus a chance earlier, but that was before your friends shot me in the back and turned me into a lab rat."

Shade: "That wasn't my intention, Jani-Ca! My intentions were to settle things peacefully!"

Jani: "In case you hadn't noticed, I have a lot of trust issues. One of my own killed our entire city, took my eye...and killed my mother..."

*Shade stared on as Jani uncovered her missing eye, showing a gaping hole where an eye should be, showing what scars were left on Jani by Finitevus.*

Shade: "You... You lost your..."

Jani: "And now you intend to take the one person I can trust."

Shade: "What?"

Jani: "Knuckles... He's about the only one I can safely rely on left... He approached me when I needed someone to talk to... And back when my city was attacked by the Eggman Empire, he helped us turn the tide in the best way possible... I guess you could say that I do like him..."

Shade: "...Jani... You shouldn't worry about that..."

*Jani glared at Shade as she stood up, but the other echidna just tried giving a soft smile.*

Shade: "Knuckles and I just met... And if I'm being honest, he seems like a bit of a recluse, most likely preferring not to get into stuff like that. We don't have any mutual feelings for each other, just mutual goals. I'm sorry about what happened to you...and your mother... But that's all. Knuckles should have the final say on that topic."

Jani: "..."

*Jani stares at Shade before turning away. She doesn't say anything, just becoming a look out for Shade. Though Shade was a confused as she was ready to move on, until she realized just where Jani tossed her. A plan was then concocted.*

Twilight Cage - Imperator's Sanctum

Ix: "I shall grant death upon you as an act of mercy. And as penance of your transgressions against my army. Bow to me and accept your fate, Guardian, and I promise it will be painless."

*Ix and Knuckles had a stand off, Ix standing just in front of his throne while Knuckles walked down to confront him.*

Knuckles: "Tempting offer... But I'll pass. I prefer to take a third option. If you stop what you are doing - converting my fellow echidnas - and returning the Master Emerald, we can just stop this fighting altogether."

Ix: "Hah! That fool Poduze said the same thing and my leader bought it! Little did he know you foolish Knuckles Clansmen would abuse the power of the Master Emerald, resulting in a tear into the Twilight Cage!"

Knuckles: "I had nothing to do with that. And the one who did that is no longer associated with us...not that he was associated with me in the first place, but regardless..."

Ix: "Enough! If you will not submit quietly... Then I shall destroy you where you stand!"

*Ix then began to float, lifting himself high above the ground as he readied his staff.*

Knuckles: "See if you can, bucko! I've fought much tougher in Eggman's army!"

*Knuckles jumps up and flies at Ix, only to bounce off a barrier the mage conjures through his magic.*

Ix: "Fool! While we Nocturnus have become more technologically advanced in our years here, I have been practicing the arcane arts to become unrelentingly powerful! Even Chaos will know to fear me!"

*Knuckles punches at the barrier, causing Ix to bounce back from the punch in to the wall.*

Knuckles: "You talk way too much. Either stop talking and fight or just surrender."

*Ix glares at Knuckles for that insult before raising his staff and unleashing a barrage of energy spheres at the red echidna, forcing him to start dodging out of the way. Knuckles then kicks off the wall in order to close the distance quickly as he reels back a fist for a punch. This is blocked by a barrier before Knuckles is caught by telepathy from the staff and sent flying to the ceiling.*

Ix: "You are outmatched, Guardian! Your connections to the Master Emerald cannot save you. And your pathetic Clansmen will be found soon enough."

Knuckles: "Yeah? Give me one good reason why I should need the Master Emerald to beat you!"

*Knuckles punches the ceiling, causing debris to start falling at Ix. Ix catches the debris, but gets blindsided by Knuckles as he swoops in and slams Ix against the wall.*

Ix: "...I see. You are unlike most leaders of the Knuckles Clan. Your power is to be admired... It is a shame that I must destroy you; you would have made an excellent warrior!"

*Ix then uses his telepathy to slam the debris on Knuckles' head to loosen his grip before slapping the red echidna with his staff before sending him flying back. He then catches Knuckles mid flight to slam him against the ground.*

Knuckles: "Rgh... Why do this? What is your end goal?"

Ix: "I suppose telling you would be of no consequence to me, seeing as you'll die regardless... My goal is to rule over Mobius! All of Mobius! My word will become law! My power - unmatched! No fool will dare to stand against me! And if it means sacrificing all of the echidna both in and out of the Nocturnus to achieve that goal, then so be it! They are pawns in my plan anyway."

Knuckles: "You... You are no different from all those before you who want world domination. No... At least Eggman is more transparent!"

*Knuckles slams his fist on the ground to send himself flying before diving at Ix, only to be caught and left hanging as Ix starts to choke Knuckles out now.*

Ix: "This battle is over, Guardian. You were a worthy foe, but in the end, Imperator Pir'Oth Ix remains undefeated in the Nocturnus. And this shall remain forever so once I rule over Mobius."

*Knuckles tries to struggle, finding it harder to breathe as the choking gets tighter and tighter. As Ix starts to laugh at this display, the elevator to his sanctum opens to the two High Praetorians entering.*

Ix: "Ah, good timing, you two. By order of the Imperator, I demand this fool be executed on the spot. Never mind any remains; the converted echidna can clean it."

*The High Praetorians look at Knuckles...before pointing their blasters at Ix.*

Ix: "Hm? You dare point your weapons at me? What folly is this?"

High Praetorian: "Imperator Pir'Oth Ix. You are hereby taken off your position as leader after admission of treason against your fellow Nocturnus."

Ix: "What!? What do you mean!? I have done no such treas-"

*Ix then hears his voice echo. Not just in the chamber, but throughout the entire facility. His plan of world domination and sacrificing the Nocturnus was just heard by everyone.*

Ix: "What...? No... How!? This room is supposed to be private! No one should be able to hear me!"

Shade: "I hacked into it, Impera- No... Ix!"

Ix: "You! You traitorous wretch!"

*Ix, in his panic, drops Knuckles on the ground as more Nocturnus enter from the elevator, pointing blasters at and readying Leech Blades to drain Ix. None of them seemed concerned over Knuckles though.*

Knuckles: "...Heh. Good work, Shade... Glad someone's got my back..."

High Praetorian: "Stand down, Imperator Ix! You are completely surrounded!"

Ix: "...Grr... You miserable fools! You are all nothing but slaves to me! Serve your master, or else feel my wrath!"

*The Nocturnus refused to budge as Knuckles stood back up, ready to lend a hand. Ix backed up to his throne, glaring at his fellow echidna before starting to laugh.*

Ix: "You poor, deluded children... You haven't even seen...true power... The true power of the Imperator!"

*Ix then reveals the Master Emerald under his throne, the gem rising from under the floor as Ix laughs. The Nocturnus were unphased but Knuckles' eyes were widened.*

Knuckles: "Everyone! He's going to-"

*It was too late. The Nocturnus opened fire on Ix, but the shots began to bounce off of the mage as his battle armor began to slowly peel away, revealing the old man underneath, now glowing with Chaos Energy around him. He had achieved a Super form.*

Ix: "Hahaha! Fools! As the rightful ruler of the Nocturnus, I am able to link with the Master Emerald to achieve a powerful state of being! I don't even need my staff now!"

*Ix tosses his staff aside as he then lifts the Nocturnus high in the air and prepares to drop them in order to crush them. But then Ix gets punched in the face by Knuckles, saving the Nocturnus.*

Ix: "...Of course. You too are linked with the Master Emerald. Which is only fitting that you would be the only one to get by my defensive aura. But it matters not... You cannot hope to beat me..."

Knuckles: "You Nocturnus leave this to me! In this state, he is way too powerful to handle by normal means!"

*Ix swats Knuckles aside, sending him through the wall and out of the building, landing at the bottom part of the Twilight Cage. Ix floats out of the hole, following where Knuckles landed.*

Knuckles: "Urgh... Man, guy has a nasty right hook... Still... Its not as bad as Sonic or Shadow's Super forms... Of course, he could just be holding back..."

Ix: "Haha! Yes, grovel on the ground, fool! Your power means nothing to me now! And this is the power I shall use to rule over Mobius with! No being - Acorn, military, or even God - will be able to defeat me! NO ONE!"

*Knuckles stands back up, readying himself for a fight before flying at Ix, only to miss and get sent flying back to the ground by an elbow to the back of the head. Ix then sends an energy sphere at Knuckles, creating a massive explosion that engulfs the echidna. Knuckles still stands though, but critically hurt as he holds his arm and starts panting. As Ix looks at this with glee, a gun blast bounces off his aura followed by a Chaos Spear. Turning, Ix finds Shade and Jani trying to defend Knuckles.*

Jani: "Leave him alone, you power hungry old fart!"

Shade: "You won't win, Ix! Not in the name of my mother!"

Ix: "Hmm..."

*Ix floats down, not worried in the slightest as he stares at the girls.*

Ix: "Ah yes... Your mother, Shade... A fine soldier we lost during her prime. Her death was always a mystery to us in the council. ...But how about I share a secret?"

*Ix gets closer to Shade, whispering in her ear.*

Ix: "I killed your mother."

*Shade's bravado instantly sank as her eyes went wide, tears streaming down her face. Ix smiled before readying an energy ball to destroy Shade with, only for Jani to push her out of the way.*

Jani: "Shade!"

*Jani turns back to Ix, readying a Chaos Spear to toss at him as he approached.*

Ix: "I sent her on that mission years ago... Sent her to her death, assassinated so she may not interfere with my plans. She got too close to knowing what I hoped to achieve before we were ready. And we don't need that, now do we?"

Shade: "You..."

Jani: "...Yeah, so what? Ix! I already lost my mother to someone much like you! A megalomaniac hellbent on trying to change the world order for his own personal gain... And he almost succeeded... But you know what? I refuse to give up! I refuse to just sit down and die!"

Ix: "Hmph. Then stand and die for all I care..."

*Ix readies an energy ball to destroy both Jani and Shade at the same time. As it is tossed, a mighty explosion engulfs the area, causing any onlookers to see nothing but smoke. Ix smirks with a devilish grin before seeing something admist the smoke. It was Knuckles, hand outstretched to block the attack.*

Knuckles: "That was quite a brave declaration, Jani. And you're not the only one with stakes in this... That Finitevus... He did a lot of messed up things... Things I can and will not forgive. He abused the power of the Master Emerald... He turned my friends against us... And he nearly killed our kin... There are people who are scum... And then there are people who are worse than that!"

*Knuckles' energy erupts as does his rage, his red fur becoming a shade of pink as he floats over the ground, dreadlocks floating haphazardly.*

Knuckles: "And you, Ix... Are worse than scum..."

Ix: "Bah! You think this changes anything! You are no match for me! I have the power to ru-"

*Knuckles suddenly appears in front of Ix, startling him to silence. Knuckles then slowly outstretched a fist to Ix's face, merely tapping it. That tap is enough to send Ix flying right at the barrier of the Twilight Cage and tear through it, sending the echidna flying before crashing into a random asteroid.*

Jani: "Whoa..."

Shade: "...K-Knuckles? What was...?"

Knuckles: "...This is the true power of the Master Emerald and the Chaos Force. And this power is what Finitevus and Ix attempted to use. But because of them being blinded by their own hubris, they can never achieve this level of power."

*Knuckles returns to his natural red fur form before looking at his hands.*

Knuckles: "...And to be honest. I'd rather not use this power either. Not unless I have to..."

*Knuckles turns to Shade and helps her and Jani to their feet.*

Knuckles: "You alright?"

Shade: "...A little shaken up, but... I'll live..."

*Knuckles gives Shade an embrace, giving her sympathy over what was revealed. Though Shade just stops him and shakes her head, just glad it is all over.*

Twilight Cage - Meeting Hall

*Knuckles was on stage, giving a rousing speech over incorporating the Nocturnus with the remaining Albion echidna, with the audience watching on in awe. Shade was watching from the back, smiling as it seemed like everyone was listening to him. That is until Jani approached her.*

Shade: "Oh... Um... Thanks for earlier... I'm... I'm sorry for freezing like that... I just..."

Jani: "Forget about it. I'd do the same if I wasn't so angry... Which is to say, I still am..."

*Shade and Jani look on at Knuckles' speech together, Jani leaning on a wall with arms crossed.*

Jani: "You still have Miz and Stare. Miz acting like a surrogate mother in a way and willing to look out for you. At least you have one more than me."

Shade: "...Are you sure about that last part?"

Jani: "...?"

*Shade extends a hand, giving a soft smile to the fellow echidna girl.*

Shade: "We don't have to have animosity toward each other over something so trivial. I'd rather not be an enemy to you; rather, I want to be your friend... Your ally... If you will allow me, Jani-Ca..."

*Jani looks at the hand before smiling.*

Jani: "...I'll think about it."


Aftermath

After Knuckles helped integrate the Nocturnus Clan into the Albion echidna's group, the clan went to work on bringing those Mobius back home, but found Angel Island sunk to the bottom of the sea. The echidnas now take shelter at Mobotropolis by Queen Alicia's blessings, while Sally is away with her friends at Soleanna on her own mission...

Twilight Cage - After Everyone Left...

*A familiar mustached figure stands in front of a monitor, looking at blueprints on a long abandoned project the Nocturnus forgot about during their imprisonment. The mustached figure grins as he finds exactly what kind of soldier he intends to build... Project Gemerl.*


End of Nocturnal Conflict...