~The Duel~

As blood dripped from his taped fist, Knuckles ascended the freeway off-ramp that led to town square. O'nux paced around the concrete platform he was directed to while his doppelganger battled hordes of Demon Island's inhabitants. The suited echidna wanted to help Knuckles but he couldn't deify Patch before the duel, so he stayed silent.

(Espio Ocelot performed a cover of the song "Achilles Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin)

"It's not much further, you've got this." Vector P. called out from the street below the off-ramp. "We'll keep these creatures off ya!"

Ray shouted in agreement while he and Juliette fought off the last horde. Knuckles two finger saluted and sprinted up the ramp. He searched for Silver and Blaze but couldn't find either.

"Thanks for keeping an eye out, guys..."

Just as he crossed the final intersection before town square, Knuckles barrel rolled to the left to avoid the flash of beams fired his way. The hellish screech pierced everyone's ears while the cloaked figure flew around.

"The hell is this thing, next?!"

He was forced to run away from the platform while narrowly dodging attacks. Each beam burned the asphalt and a rancid stench filled the air.

"Anybody have a strategy here?"

"Try to shield yourself and get to the platform!" said the crocodile. "That thing can't interfere with the duel!"

Knuckles used buildings for cover and waited for the creature to make another pass overhead. He zig zagged across the street but the asphalt was struck by a powerful blast that knocked everything back. He bounced off a brick wall and could only put his hands up defensively while the demon closed in.

"Not so fast, cheater!"

Charmy Bee rushed in, held his cauldron up and deflected the beams away from their target.

Knuckles was shocked by this. "Oh shit, you were right, kid! Wizards are real!"

Charmy deflected another attack and said, "That's one of the sorcerers that hexed Mighty!"

Ray hurried toward the intersection. "No Charmy, get outta here!"

The bee shook his head and looked at Knuckles. "Stay behind me, I'll keep the bitch off your back."

The echidna didn't object and put a hand on Charmy's shoulder while both ran down the road, strafing tactically away from fire. The flying demon fired another powerful beam but it was immediately deflected back, striking it and leaving only embers in the sky.

"Ouch!" Charmy said, dropping his cauldron.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just burned my fingers there. Go whip some ass, Knuckles."

He fist bumped the bee and climbed the final steps to the platform. O'nux made eye contact with his opponent and they faced off. Patch, Bokkun and a security detail stepped through a warp ring at one end, while Blaze, Silver and Eggman entered through a vortex on the other.

"Looks like the locals welcomed you to town." Patch taunted.

Silver noticed the beating Knuckles had already endured and growled toward the coyote. "You compromised the duel, he's not at full strength!"

"I can't control the inhabitants here! It's his fault for coming early!"

Although Knuckles' allies couldn't join him on the platform, that didn't stop the Demon Island inhabitants from trying to interrupt. Silver used his telekinesis to lift a chain link fence from a nearby park and create a barrier around the platform.

"You knew these creatures were hostile yet you chose this location regardless." Silver said. "If they break through, I'm ruling this a No Contest."

Patch shrugged this off and went to his side, meanwhile Eggman kept this in mind.

Blaze looked into Knuckles' eyes. "Are you okay? We can postpone until you're ready."

"Yeah, do it Knux! Let's drag this out!" The coyote said.

He clenched his fists angrily. "I'm good to go."

Blaze checked up on O'nux while Silver unsheathed the sabers. They were four feet long, curved and sharpened to a razor's edge at the tip. The mediator extended the blades outward, and Patch wasted no time yanking it away so he could admire it while walking to his fighter.

"Eh. I was expecting better for Council weapons. This is all style, no substance. Mine, though (laughs)...but anywho. Play safe out there!"

The suited echidna removed his jacket blazer before taking the weapon. "As if you give a rats ass if I live through this."

His king turned his back on him and laughed. "I don't! Just give us a good show then you can join these demons for all I care."

On the other end, Eggman handed the saber to Knuckles. "Please tell me you know how to use this thing?"

"Just shut up and worry about the beating you've earned. You're gonna unlock that cage after I'm done here, then you can fuck off forever."

The doctor gave two thumbs up before walking to the sideline. Nega's medication had worn off and he could feel his condition worsening. Bokkun watched his creator suffering through another coughing fit but was powerless to aid.

Silver pointed at the center of the platform. "You're to duel until someone draws first blood, however rules of engagement can be changed if both parties agree. You're to reset position in the event of a ringout. Step forward when you are ready."

Both echidna's met in the middle, neither said a word but each understood what they had to do.

O'nux swung first in a frenzied attack, forcing his opponent to sidestep and block. Patch shouted obscenities from the sidelines, angered at the lack of technique shown.

"You're shit with that blade, come on! Stay in the pocket and sweep!"

"I will disqualify your fighter," Silver warned. "Shout again and Knuckles automatically advances."

Patch shook his head in disgust. "This is biased bullshit..."

Knuckles struggled to keep up so he jumped out of bounds repeatedly. He had the power advantage over O'nux, but this time speed was the key to victory, and he might as well be fighting Sonic for how slow he was. Silver halted the bout during each ringout and Patch grew furious at the constant position resets.

"He's exploiting the ringouts, man, disqualify his ass!"

Silver looked at the exhausted echidna. "Unfortunately he's right. Happens again and you forfeit the bout."

"Gotcha..."

Silver stepped back and called for them to resume. O'nux lunged in and they clashed steel at top speed. As fast as they moved, Knuckles knew O'nux was holding back like in their first fight.

"It's okay," he whispered.

The suited echidna acknowledged this and slashed upward. Both retreated, Knuckles looked down and watched blood trickle from the small cut on his chest.

"THERE IT IS! O'NUX WINS!" The coyote shouted. "Easy money, hell yeah!"

"I want to change rules of engagement."

"No, no, you lost fair and square, you're done!"

O'nux stepped forward. "I agree, I want another match."

"Nah-uh, not happening! You-"

"Both parties have agreed. Step aside." Silver ordered. "You will duel until one yields, cannot continue or is mortally wounded."

Patch was fuming at this. "If you don't win, you'd better bleed out here 'cause you're out of chances with me."

Both echidna's reset position and raised their sabers. O'nux was pushed back by the force of Knuckles' slash. He ran forward to engage, the clanging of steel now much louder due to the effort put behind each attack. The burly echidna seemed to control the fight, until O'nux flipped over a low slash and slice his back seven times while airborne.

"Whoa! He's slick with it!" Patch said.

Knuckles groaned while taking a moment to compose himself, then he turned around to continue.

"Time to return the favor."

O'nux nodded subtly and they clashed once more. He pulled his weapon back to do as little damage as possible and hoped no one would notice. Luckily for him, the blood shed and Knuckles' animalistic snarls hid this fact.

O'nux kicked him back, took a batting position and swung. Everyone watched the large echidna parry the slash and counter with one of his own, almost too quick to see. Patch's fighter fell to his knees and blood stained his palms.

"I can't see! I CAN'T SEE!"

Blaze ran over to render aid to O'nux, while Patch couldn't believe his eyes.

"You're shittin' me, are you - you let that idiot cut you?! Get up! Come on!"

Knuckles stumbled backward, appearing weak after losing a fair amount of blood, but stayed on his feet.

"Can you continue?" Blaze asked.

The coyote glared down at his fighter. "I swear, if you don't get up right now-"

"No."

Blaze helped him off the ground and Silver made the official decision. "O'nux yields. Knuckles wins."

Patch swiped the saber from the ground and held it up. "Fine, you wanna challenge me, I'm right here! Fight me now or get your ass out of my dimension! I've had it with this clown, COME ON!"

Concerned, Eggman grasped Knuckles' shoulder and said, "Don't do it, Knux. We can leave right now, nothing to be ashamed of-"

"You made me come out here, I'm making you stay."

The doctor leaned down to whisper, "Please just walk away!'

The echidna shoved him away and stepped forward. "No quarter."

Patch enthusiastically agreed. "No quarter."

Silver pointed to the center. "Fight."

The coyote was far more skilled with the saber and he wanted to show his superiority by toying with his weakened opponent. Knuckles blocked what he could and gritted his teeth to endure the pain. He fell for Patch's tricks and paid for it with more bloodshed.

"Look at ya! Boom! Here's another! How you like that?! Too easy!"

Confident he could take it, Knuckles waited for Patch to get close. He saw the wind up and ducked so Patch knee'd him in the face before pushing him away. His strength was nearly depleted but anger was the only thing keeping him in the fight.

Ray banged his fists on the chain link fence and Vector P. mumbled, "Come on...!"

(Espio Ocelot ended his set with "Rotten Apple" by Alice in Chains)

"Still standing, are ya? Pat on the back, you're tougher than most men. But I'm bored of this so let's wrap things up."

Patch was surprised his opponent stood up straight and invited him over, given his numerous injuries at this point.

"I take it back. You deserve a warrior's death, Knuckles. You earned it."

Patch flew across the concrete platform in a millisecond and ended up with a death grip on his windpipe. Knuckles used his saber to disarm the king of his, then lifted him into the air. Everyone waited excitedly on the deciding blow.

But Patch squirmed and begged his way out.

I YIELD! I GIVE UP!

"It's No Quarter! Finish him, Knux!" Eggman shouted.

Silver looked at the echidna. "Are you satisfied with his surrender or do you wish to conclude this duel yourself?"

Patch was chokeslammed to the concrete with as much force as Knuckles could exert. He looked over his defeated opponent for the final time.

"I accept."

Vector P. and the allies cheered from their spot behind the fence, while O'nux grinned at this outcome. Bokkun took the warp ring from Patch's coat pocket, then ran to his creator. Before he could activate the ring, the telekinetic hedgehog took it away and gave it to Blaze.

"We go on MY schedule, idiots." Knuckles said.

Silver opened a vortex and scooped Patch off the ground. "In accordance with your terms, all of Emperor Nega's personnel will be sent to join him in his colony. The throne to Augustine's Kingdom is now vacant."

Knuckles handed the saber to Blaze then fell back on one knee. Ray, Charmy, Juliette and Vector P. joined their ally, while Patch's security detail was ordered to follow the telekinetic hedgehog. O'nux looked on before he too was called by Silver as well.

"Wait, not him." Knuckles said while being helped up. "...he got roped up into this craziness just like I did. He's free of Nega, and belongs here."

"So be it." Silver said while releasing the suited echidna of his hold. "All of your terms have been met."

O'nux gingerly made his way over to the group, holding the bandage over his eye. "Not bad, big guy."

"Told ya, give me a day or two and I'd figure it out."

"I appreciate you not cutting my head off when you had the chance to."

"We still got time."

They shared a laugh and fist bumped. Charmy was the first from the group to wrap his arms around O'nux.

"I knew you didn't turn on us, I've been telling these guys for months!" The bee said.

"Hehe, thanks for keeping faith in me, Charm."

Ray shook his hand. "Hey, sorry about all that shit before."

"It's forgotten."

"Good to have you back, my friend." Vector P. said.

He nodded, then Juliette pulled him in for a hug. " I was scared you two were actually gonna kill each other for a second there."

"Nah. I trusted him to return the courtesy I showed in our first scrap."

"I'm glad you're okay. So, you going to get back with Ledian now?"

O'nux laughed nervously. "I think she called the engagement off by now, I know I would've if I were her. And I need time to recover before I date again."

The female echidna smirked at this response. "Well, hopefully you're not away for too long, this time. Don't be a stranger."

Knuckles patted his shoulder before turning to face Blaze. "I'm just about ready to leave, but there's something I wanted to do before that, then we're out of your hair."

She smiled and handed the warp ring back. "I trust you to keep track of your prisoners. Besides, we're always watching over Sol. Take care."

She disappeared into a portal, and Knuckles looked at his friends. "Anybody got a ride back to town? I'm done walking for awhile."