Chapter 12 - The truth

Now that everyone had left, Aeronniell began to think carefully at what she had just done. Had she done the right thing? Only time would tell. All she could do for now, was wait for Knuckles and hope that Sonic didn't fall for the trap that was to come.

Suddenly, Aeronniell heard a massive crash. As she looked up, she saw the door fall to the floor. Knuckles stood in the doorway. "Knuckles!" Aeronniell exclaimed. "Y..you actually came for me," she said smiling.
"Of course I came for you, Aeronniell. You're my friend.. Now come on, let's get you out of here," he replied. As he tried to break the chain. You're my friend Aeronniell thought. I haven't heard those words in four and a half years.. And now I'm going to destroy every friendship that I have.

Knuckles managed to snap the chain and then he helped Aeronniell to her feet. Aeronniell crumbled forwards, her wounds were just to big and painful. "Whoa, Easy Aero," Knuckles exclaimed as he caught her.
"Knuckles, I don't think I can stand up," Aeronniell winced, as she examined the cuts and bruises on her legs, sides and arms. Knuckles thought for a second and then scooped her up from the floor and carried her out of the cell.
"You'll be alright," he said quietly.
Finally Aeronniell's exhaustion caught up with her. "Thank you," Aeronniell murmured, before falling unconscious...

Knuckles quietly ran through the halls. Occasionally Knuckles would put Aeronniell down and destroy a few robots. Dr Eggman was keeping most of his robots back, as he needed Aeronniell to escape but he still sent some of the weaker robots out to fight, so Knuckles didn't suspect anything. It was a sly trick but Eggman managed to pull it off.

Knuckles realised Aeronniell was running out of time. So he tried to avoid most of the fights and just concentrate on getting out of the base.
"Hold on Aeronniell, we shouldn't be long now," Knuckles panted. Aeronniell just clung onto him.
They had just made it out of Eggman's base, when Aeronniell began to gasp for breath and tried to curl into a ball, in an attempt to stop the pain. "Aeronniell hold on," Knuckles exclaimed as he sprinted, forcing himself onwards.

"Knuckles!" a voice called.
Knuckles stopped and turned to see Shadow stood on top of a hill.
"Shadow, get down here quick!" he called. Within a second Shadow was standing beside Knuckles.
"Aeronniell," Shadow breathed, looking at her wounds.

"Shadow, I need you to get Aeronniell back to the cave? If she isn't healed soon she might-" Knuckles's voice trailed off.
Shadow carefully took Aeronniell from Knuckles. " Don't worry, I'll get her back as quickly as I can,"
"Thanks, now hurry," Knuckles said quickly. Shadow suddenly zoomed off with Aeronniell in his arms.

"Please hurry," Knuckles whispered. Just then he spotted Thunder trotting towards him. So Knuckles walked over to him and mounted. Knuckles then began to make his way back.

Shadow arrived at the cave a few seconds later. As soon as Sonic saw Aeronniell in Shadow's arms he ran over to help.
"Shadow, what the heck happened?" he exclaimed. "Did Karn do this to her?"
Shadow nodded and carefully lay Aeronniell onto a blanket that was on the floor.

Aeronniell instantly curled in to a ball, clutching her stomach. Her breathing was quick and shallow. There was blood all over Aeronniell's dress and Shadow also had a little blood on his chest. Aeronniell was groaning and murmuring as she continued to get weaker.

Shadow crouched beside Aeronniell, beads of sweat covered her brow. Shadow quickly took the green Emerald from Sonic and held it just above one of the wounds. Aeronniell began to stir and gently groaned as her wounds began to close up, Even her clothes began to repair and clean themselves.

It took a while, but all of Aeronniell's wounds healed just before Knuckles arrived.
"Is she alright?" Knuckles asked as he rushed in.
"She'll be fine," Shadow said, as Aeronniell began to wake up.
"Where..where am I?" she muttered as she slowly tried to sit herself up.
"Easy, Your back at the cave," Shadow said gently, as he helped her sit up.

"Aeronniell, why did you leave like that?" Sonic asked.
"Sonic-" Knuckles began.
"It's alright,"Aeronniell said. "You all deserve to know," she sighed...

"About 16 years ago, on my 1st birthday, A baby Komodo dragon was left on the doorstep, the name Karn was stitched onto his blanket.

My mother decided to take him in.

As he grew older everyone adored him. He was well-behaved and had lovely manners. But as you might have guessed, the other children loved bullying him. And when people found out he was a fire Elemental, the bullying got much worse. I did my best to stick up for him, I lost most of my friends in doing so, only Stephenson stayed loyal to me.

Yet despite all of the bullying, Karn was determined to rule the land. See every 5 years, the Ancient Ones, the people who keep order in the forest, have a vote for who they think would be fit to rule. Four and a half years ago, Karn did it, his dream actually came true. He was only 12 but he wasreally mature and acted like an adult all the time.

On his coronation day, the Ancient Ones had to leave as there was an emergency. But Karn was to be crowned like normal. But once the Ancient Ones left. The group of kids that picked on him suddenly attacked him and took the crown from him.

Something changed in Karn that day, something snapped. He went into a frenzy and tried to fight for the crown. I tried to stop the fighting, I protected Karn and tried to stop his attacks. Typically, The Ancient Ones returned and saw what had happened. Karn and I were arrested and we're sent into exile. The Ancient Ones wouldn't let me explain what had happened and so we had to leave.

A few months later, The Ancient Ones found out what had really happened and we were invited back. But Karn wouldn't go, and I'm not allowed to return unless Karn comes with me.

That's why I won't accept him as my brother any more," She explained.

"Well that explains a lot," Sonic said breaking an awkward silence.
Aeronniell sighed. It was time to set the trap.a
"I have to stop the machine, Eggman told me that the machine is powered by a rare and powerful gem: A white fire opal. According to legends there is also a black fire opal. If the gems touch they cancel each other out," Aeronniell explained.

"So then the machine would be powerless, right?" Tails said. Aeronniell nodded.
"I think the black fire opal is in Flame Core," Aeronniell explained.
"Ok then Aero, We'll set of tomorrow," Shadow said.

Everyone settled down to sleep, Aeronniell felt terrible. It was like someone had punched her in the gut with a iron fist. Please don't fall for this trap, she thought to herself, before allowing her weariness to take over and send her into an uneasy sleep..

White and Black Fire Opals do exist, but in the story they are very rare, XD