Chapter Nine: Battle For A Soul ACT II
The flames in the arena had spread to the luxury boxes above the pit and the smoke started to suffocate everyone who was still inside. Angel sent his monster to beat Knuckles down but Julie wouldn't let that happen.
Enerjak ran toward the couple, dodged Julie's punches and went after the weakened Knuckles. He struck to the body, then side of the head, and another body shot that caused Knux to spit out blood.
"Get off of him!" Julie shouted.
She jumped on the beasts' back and pressed down hard on his collar bone with a pressure point attack. Enerjak growled in pain, grabbed Julie by the sweater and flipped her off his back.
Knuckles hit him with a running spear that knocked Enerjak to his back. He got on top and rained down heavy blows, some of which drew blood. Enerjak caught his fist and overpowered Knuckles off of him. They stood up and Enerjak rushed in to attack but the boxing training once again helped him avoid each strike effectively.
He ducked and dodged each punch Enerjak threw and when he saw the right opening, launched powerful counter punches that hit their target. Enerjak groans as he wasn't used to getting hit back from his opponents. Knuckles went for the knock out blow when Angel shot him in the leg, dropping him to one knee.
"Just kill him already!"
Enerjak shook off the dizziness and grabbed Knuckles' throat. He used his left hand to punch Knux while dragging him toward the flames. Julie looked around the pit and saw the gun she stole from Angel, 20 feet away. She made a run for it, while the crimson hedgehog kept his pistol trained on her. He missed every time and Julie was able to grab the gun. She pointed up and fired five quick shots, two of them found their mark.
"AUUUUGH, GOD DAMNIT!"
He dropped his gun and ducked down behind the podium as Julie made her way up. She quickly climbed up to the podium and saw Angel also dropped the sapphire chaos emerald.
Enerjak dragged Knuckles to the flames and picked him up. He wanted to shove him face first into the fire. Knuckles tried to fight out of Enerjak's grip but the beast was too strong. Knuckles plunged his fists into the fire and pressed them against the wall behind. He screamed out, then used all his strength to push off the wall, knocking both echidnas backwards.
Julie picked up the emerald. "AJ!"
The beast snarled as he looked up.
"You want this? Come get it!"
Enerjak got to his feet and turned his back to Knuckles, which gave him a chance to recover. He pushed through the pain and stood back up.
"Hey!" Knuckles shouted.
Enerjak turned around and was blasted by Knuckles' fists, his spiked gloves were now on fire. He connected with technical and powerful punches, which turned Enerjak's face charred blacked.
Knuckles ended off the combo with one last hook that knocked the beast out.
Both echidnas fell to the ground and Julie ran back over to them. She quickly pulled Knuckles' burnt gloves off his hands and checked his pulse.
Angel wasted no time and took this opportunity to escape his goth decided to help Knuckles and AJ instead of going after Angel.
…
The next morning was very chilly and Knuckles shivered while waking up. He was lying on a rectangular concrete pillar in a large room. The sun was starting to rise, letting Knuckles know it was early morning, around 5:30 or 6 o'clock. He looked to the concrete pillar beside him and stared at AJ.
The teenager had lost some muscle mass and his dreadlocks were shorter, but he retained the gigantic frame.
Knuckles checked his body for injuries; his hands had a healing solution applied and wraps around them to help heal. The bullet wounds in his neck, collarbone and legs had been stitched closed. He felt his face for any cuts or bruises, then winced in pain as a cut above his left eye was pressed.
He sat up and tried to get off the concrete pillar as Julie and an elderly doctor entered the room.
"Knux, you should stay in bed a little while longer before you try that." She said.
"…it's hardly a bed, my back is sore from laying on it."
Julie laughed while sitting next to him and interlocking her fingers with his.
"Where are we?"
"Angel Island."
"Holy shit, how'd you get us out of that burning building and all the way out here?" Knuckles asked.
"I called in a favor."
Vector and Espio entered the room.
"What's up, brother, you doing okay? You look a lot better than you did when we came to pick you up last night, I'll tell ya that." Vector laughed.
Knuckles looked at Julie. "You- you called them? Ah, man!.."
"What? They saved your life by bringing you here before you died!"
"These guys are gonna use every opportunity to pull the 'you owe us one' card, now!…"
Vector put his arm around them both. "Don't worry about it, man. We know you'd do the same for us. Don't sweat it... but you do owe us one."
"Yep, see? There it is."
"You're welcome."
Espio walked up and quietly shook Knuckles' hand, then everyone turns to AJ.
"So, doc... what's the diagnosis?"
"We've managed to revert the Enerjak spell from him, but due to the amount of time that's passed, along with with all the injuries the spell healed, your friend will more than likely suffer from some side effects." The doctor explained.
"How bad are these side effects?" Julie asked.
"Some may be more drastic than others, like memory loss, increased pain tolerance and mild mood swings."
"So basically, he'll be like a bitchy ex girlfriend." Vector joked.
Everyone turned to him. "Dude! Not cool."
"It was a joke, geez! Can't joke about nothing these days."
AJ sat up. "…the only one who'll suffer is you, Knuckles."
"Me? Why?! - Oh right, I beat the shit out of you last night."
"I trusted you to with my life and you let him take me. He made me suffer through everything! You don't know what it's like being trapped inside a beast like that!"
Knuckles looked him in the eye. "Yeah, I do. I was Enerjak for awhile, I did some shitty things, but my friends saved me and I got over it! Now you got the choice to either be a man and move on, or whine and complain about it for the rest of your life."
"You and I both know I had you beat in that arena til your girlfriend saved your ass. I can beat you, Knuckles. And I don't need Enerjak to do it."
"So, that's what this is about huh? Jesus, you're an idiot!" Knuckles growled.
"We'll see who the idiot is next time."
"Yeah? I'm inclined to take the rematch right - (grunts) ..now!"
Julie stopped him from standing up. "Neither of you are going to fight, so knock it off! AJ-"
"YOU don't get to tell me anything! Everything that's happened this week has been because of you and your freakshow!"
"Kid, she was put up to it and you know it." Espio said. "You're breathing now because of these two. I'd be grateful if I were you."
AJ stood up and faced the group one more time before leaving. "I'll be keeping you in mind, all of you."
He walked through the door and pushed past others in his way.
Vector looked at Knuckles. "Teenagers these days, eh.."
"Forget him, what happened to Angel?"
"He ran out of the arena and I stayed with you guys, so.. he could be anywhere." Julie said.
"Actually, we've been tracking him all night and it seems he's stopped in Silver Valley, more specifically the Vace Beach area." Vector clarified.
"Yeah, we're going after him. Thought you'd like to know."
"…and possibly like to tag along? When you're ready, of course."
Knuckles turned to Julie. "As much as I'd like to put a beating on that devil worshipper, I need some time before I go back out there. But keep that seat warm, boys."
"I agree. I want to stay on the island so I can cleanse myself of Serena and Angel."
Vector nodded in approval. "Alright then. We'll leave you two in peace. C'mon, Espio."
The Chameleon gave a two finger salute to the couple and Vector shook their hands before leaving the temple with his partner.
"…besides looking at the bullet holes in your apartment walls," Julie said. "I noticed you still have your engagement ring."
"I didn't wanna take it off but I had a lotta fights. I kept it safe."
"I don't have mine, anymore. Serena took it."
"Probably on Angel's suggestion."
Julie rang her fingers along Knuckles' palm. "…I'd love to have that wedding now that we're free."
"You would?"
"We've lost so much time. I want to spend the rest of my life making that up."
"Well, we've gotta get you a new ring first, Jules. And if we're being honest, I don't have money for a fancy ceremony. Kinda been prize fightin' for the last year, so… I can't give you a fairytale wedding just yet. I'm sorry."
She leaned forward so they were forehead to forehead and smiled. "Then we'll build to it. There's nothing I want more than this."
Knuckles smiled for the first time in a long time. Perhaps this was a sign life was done testing him and he could be happy.
THE END
