Chapter 19: The New Dragon
Shadow flew back to Uru'baen and landed in the courtyard. He walked up to Galbatorix and set the Chaos Emerald down on the floor. Galbatorix picked it up and grinned evilly.
"Excellent work, Shadow," Galbatorix said. "Was Eragon, Saphira and Sonic there?"
The dragon nodded. Another one of Sonic's friends, Knuckles the Echidna, was there also. I fought Sonic and got the Chaos Emerald. Unfortunately, I did not know that the Master Emerald would be here also. They took it back to Ellesmera with them, and they have a Chaos Emerald too.
Galbatorix looked at Shadow and he clenched his fist in anger. "They have WHAT?" he shouted.
The Master Emerald, Shadow told him. It is a gigantic emerald that controls all seven Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles is the guardian of it, and he can sense other Chaos Emeralds that are nearby when he has one. I can go get the Master Emerald if you wish.
"That won't be necessary," Galbatorix said. "You can sense the emeralds, correct? We will just wait until they look for them, and then take the emeralds by force."
Shadow bowed his head and left. Once the dragon was gone, Galbatorix sighed and looked at the two Chaos Emeralds he had, eager to find another one so that he could use their power to win this war and gain control of Alagaesia.
Back at Ellesmera, Sonic was talking to Glaedr about what had happened. Glaedr listened with interest and growled at the mention of Shadow stealing the emerald. When Sonic finished his recap, the golden dragon said nothing for a moment, thinking about what Sonic has said. Finally, he spoke.
This is most troubling, he said. If Galbatorix is using Shadow to do his bidding and already has two Chaos Emeralds, we must be ready for him to try again. Now, you said that Knuckles wanted to become a dragon to even out the odds between Shadow, Thorn and Shruikan?
Sonic nodded. That is what he want to do. Can you use a spell to transform him?
Glaedr looked at Sonic, and then at Knuckles. He turned his thoughts to Knuckles so that the echidna could hear him. Oromis and I have a book of spells and we can use one of them to transform you into a dragon. Keep in mind, though, that the transformation will be permanent. Are you sure this is what you want?
The echidna hesitated and then nodded. "Yes; if I want to become a dragon to defeat the others, I will gladly do it even if it's permanent."
Oromis walked up next to Glaedr, holding the book. He sighed and said an incantation. A few minutes went by but Knuckles didn't feel any different. He looked at Oromis in confusion.
"Are you sure this will work?" he asked.
They said nothing and waited. Suddenly Knuckles felt a sharp pain in his body and knew that the spell was working. His fur hardened and turned into scales as they covered his body and his chest deepened as scutes covered it. His legs and arms thickened with muscle; the arm and knee joints reversed themselves, forcing him to fall on four legs. The hands and feet became paws and his toes merged together, becoming three digits, the five fingers becoming four. His fingernails and toenails lengthened into sharp, thick black claws. Wings sprouted from his back and his neck elongated and his face pushed out into a muzzle, his mouth becoming great, gaping powerful jaws as Knuckles' teeth lengthened, sharpening into fangs. Horns pushed out of the top of his head and spikes ran down the length of his back, ending at the tip of his now long, thick tail. His muscles twisted and rippled across his body, growing across his body and becoming stronger. Knuckles continued to grow larger in height until he reached a gigantic size. His eyes moved slightly to the sides, narrowing into cat-like slits but stayed a purple color, and his ears became three spine fans.
Finally the transformation finished. Knuckles had just transformed into a dragon. He looked at his new form, impressed with the results, and let out a prideful roar. Everyone looked at him in amazement.
This is amazing! Knuckles shouted. I feel so powerful.
Sonic looked at him and grinned. Glad you like it, Knuckles.
The red dragon nodded and flapped his wings, flying in the air for a bit. Sonic watched him fly, glad that Knuckles was happy with his new form. He glanced at Saphira.
It looks like there's a new dragon in Alagaesia now, he told her.
Saphira nodded and watched Knuckles fly, hoping that he would help them defeat Galbatorix once and for all.