Chapter 3 - Help is at hand

"I wonder where Tails could be, I've checked at the hospitals, Green Hill Zone and Station Square," Shadow thought out loud to himself as he walked along, staring at the green Chaos Emerald he had just found. "I also wish Sonic would hurry up, he's taking a long time..."

Shadow suddenly stopped as a group of intimidating men, robots and hedgehogs, appeared from behind the trees and stood in his way.
"You'll get out of the way, if you know what's good for you," Shadow grumbled. Every man, robot and hedgehog drew their weapon in reply. Some had guns, others swords and some even had bows. Shadow sighed, before running forward and preparing to attack.

Shadow ran forth and hit the first group of swordsmen with his Chaos Spear and it knocked them effortlessly to the floor. Shadow could feel the breeze of arrows whizzing past his head and he listened as the arrows then imbedded themselves into the trees behind him. Shadow then used Chaos Control to teleport himself behind the group of archers and fired a few Chaos Spears at them. Shadow then began to run at the hedgehogs that were armed with guns...

"ENOUGH!" A voice suddenly yelled above the noise, everyone stopped fighting and turned to face the noise. Shadow turned around to see a crimson red and black Komodo Dragon. He looked a lot like Shadow but his skin was coloured the opposite way. He was holding onto Tails's arm with a firm grip. Tails's hands were bound behind his back and Shadow could see how tired he looked. Poor Tails could hardly stand without swaying back and forth, never mind run away or fight! Then Shadow noticed Tails's bleeding side. It had been bandaged, but Tails needed some real health care, quickly.

"Let him go!" Shadow demanded. The thin Dragon wore a black, leather vest. He also had a large iron sword by his side and a long black battle knife. Shadow couldn't help but stare at him with a look of pure hatred.
"That's a no-can-do, but you're welcome surrender, besides it might even save his life.." The Dragon said casually, drawing his battle knife and holding it near Tails's throat.
"Shadow, run," Tails groaned.
Shadow thought for a second, he wouldn't risk Tails getting hurt so he couldn't attack. It seemed he didn't have any choice but to surrender. But at least he could try to help Tails recover if they were both together.

"Fine" he muttered, lowering his guard. Shadow stayed silent and looked down at the ground and closed his eyes. The Dragon smirked and clicked his fingers. Shadow grunted as he felt something heavy hit him on the back of the head, Shadow hit the ground hard and realized he only had a few seconds to act. The Chaos Emerald Shadow thought to himself. Shadow had it in his hand and used the last of his strength to quickly shove the green Emerald into the soil underneath him, before falling unconscious...

Aeronniell walked towards the stream to collect her knife. "Why Karn? Just why?" she whispered, lost in her own thoughts. It was Sonic's painful groans that finally brought her out of her trance. Aeronniell turned to look at Sonic and Knuckles. She quickly began to walk towards them and gently crouched beside Sonic. Carefully, she examined his injured arm.

Knuckles stared at Aeronniell for a moment. She was a silvery blue hedgehog. Her hair in a high plait and it hung loosely behind her. She wore a cyan dress with long sleeves, with dark blue leggings, black, leather finger less gloves and an old, weather-beaten ,dark turquoise cloak. She also had a sword, a bow and two knives, they were all decorated celtic - style. But the most unusual thing about the hedgehog was her eyes, they were neon blue and gleamed in the sunlight.

Knuckles gently shook himself out of his thoughts. He wasn't attracted to her but wow, was she pretty. To stop himself staring he looked down at Sonic, who was beginning to gain consciousness.

Aeronniell carefully sat him up. Sonic's head just fell forwards, he had no strength left in him. Aeronniell gently held Sonic's head on her hand. "What's your name?" she asked, looking up to Knuckles.
"I'm Knuckles, and this is Sonic" he said.
"Well Knuckles, I need your help. I need you to help me keep Sonic sat upright " She said.
"What are you going to do?" Knuckles said firmly and warily.
"Put his arm back in its socket before he wakes up" She said in such a way Knuckles knew it was going to hurt and take quite a while.

Knuckles helped to keep Sonic sitting up and watched as the water in the stream wrapped around Aeronniell's arms. After a few seconds, her hands began to glow blue. Aeronniell carefully manipulated his arm back into joint. Then Aeronniell put her glowing hand on to Sonic's shoulder until his shoulder also began to glow.

Aeronniell then went into her little leather bag and took out a few handkerchiefs and a little leather bottle inside of it was a golden- yellow liquid. Aeronniell managed to get Sonic to have a few sips of the honey-like drink.
"What does that do?" Knuckles asked.
"Oh, this. It's like a natural pain-killer so it will help him rest. It's made from the berries of what you call a 'health plant'. The seeds, leaves and roots heal people but the berries don't, but I realized that they act as a strong pain-killer," Aeronniell explained.
"Not bad," Knuckles complimented.
"Thanks," Aeronniell smiled.

Aeronniell then went towards the stream and whispered "freeze," a small part of the stream instantly froze. Aeronniell drew her knife and began to cut squares out of the ice and put them into a few thick handkerchiefs, that were placed on top of each other. She then tied the corners of the handkerchief together and made a little Ice-pack, which she put on Sonic's shoulder to prevent swelling.

"Melt," Aeronniell muttered to the stream. The ice quickly melted and continued to flow into the stream. "There.. That should heal up nicely. I just need to put it in a sling," she explained.
"Your arm," Knuckles said with concern, looking at the cut on her arm.
Aeronniell looked down at the cut and shrugged, "It's nothing," she said, getting a bit of bandage and trying to tie it around her cut.
"Here, let me help" Knuckles offered, gently taking the bandage and carefully tying it around her wound.

"Thanks... So, who was that man who was with Karn?" Aeronniell asked whilst putting another handkerchief into stream and wringing it out before gently wiping the cut next to Sonic's eye.
"You mean Eggman? He is basically a crazy, evil scientist who wants to rule the world, but Sonic stops him everytime... Who's Karn?" Knuckles said.

"Karn is my... Arch enemy, he used to live in the forest with me and the others but when he didn't become ruler, something snapped inside of him. Now he has sworn to destroy the forest and rule the land that is left. He is also an Elemental," She explained. Taking a large bandage out of her bag and beginning to put Sonic's arm into a sling.

"What's an Elemental? " Knuckles asked quietly.
"You've never heard of an Elemental!" Aeronniell exclaimed. Knuckles shook his head.
"Elementals live in the forests. We all have the ability to move or control things,"

"Like Physic powers," Knuckles mumbled. Aeronniell nodded.

"There's eight kinds of Elemental, although most of them aren't actually elements," Aeronniell explained tying a knot in the bandage and resting it on Sonic's good shoulder. She then gently helped Sonic to lie down.
"What are the elements?" Knuckles asked.
"Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Light, Dark, Vegetation and Emotion, but Emotion is a rare ability," Aeronniell answered.

"Karn is a Fire Elemental, I'm the one of only ones who can stop him because I'm a-," Aeronniell began
"Water Elemental.. Right," Knuckles interrupted. "That's how you managed to heal Sonic and make the dome that protected us, isn't it?" He continued. Aeronniell nodded.
"You really are a quick learner, aren't you?" Aeronniell smiled. Knuckles went a bit red in the face.

"So.. What actually brought you guys out here in the first place?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Well I live here on the island and guard the Master Emerald but our friend, Tails, has disappeared, by the looks of things he's been kidnapped. Sonic came to warn me about something, but he didn't exactly know what it was he needed to warn me about, probably the attack and to guard the Master Emerald and the two Chaos Emeralds that are here, and that's all we know so far,"

"What made Sonic want to warn you?" Aeronniell asked.
"I think Sonic said Tails left a message, before he was taken,"
"I can help you find him, if you like, we're fighting the same people so we might as well join up," Aeronniell offered.
"Y..you will?" Knuckles exclaimed clearly surprised in the best way possible.
"Of course I will, What does he look like?"
"He's a bright yellow, eight year old fox with Two tails. You can't exactly miss him," Knuckles smirked.

"T..Tails," Sonic murmured as he tried to wake up and even get up. Aeronniell and Knuckles turned.
"Shh, easy now. Stay down," Aeronniell comforted, gently pushing back down as he tried to get up.
"I..have..to find..Tails," Sonic managed weakly fighting against Aeronniell's gentle grip.
"It's alright, just rest. I promise we'll get him back," she continued calmly. Sonic lay back down.
"Tails," he continued muttering and moaning until he fell unconscious again.

Aeronniell continued to gently wipe his forehead with the cold damp cloth whilst exchanging stories with Knuckles.
As it got darker Aeronniell lit a small fire and Knuckles began to cook some food for them.

After Aeronniell managed to get Sonic to eat some of his stew, she ate her own. Then Aeronniell put her cloak over Sonic like a blanket, before settling down to sleep. Knuckles yawned and began to doze off. Soon all three of them were fast asleep.