Chapter 15: Edge of Tomorrow-Part 1

Knothole: Many Days Ago

The blistering night was swallowed away by the fierce flames of the firepit. It grew larger while many others around camp fell asleep. A soothing guitar with rigid strings plucked in D major, coupled with a mellow voice that pacified those still fighting to stay awake. Bunnie played away, and her song deeply resonated within Sonic. He sat on a log next to the fire, sharing his seat with Tails and Sally as they hung on every word. The hedgehog felt something soft fall on his lap, leaving Sally giggling as they watched Tails doze off into the calm lyrics and take sanctuary within his friends.

"It is a little late," Sally whispered, not wanting to disturb Tails' nap and Bunnie's song. "I'll clean up if you take him to his tent." Sonic smiled, happily picking up the fox in his arms as he brought him away. He walked through the tent's flaps, placing his buddy into the cushioned sleeping bag. As he was about to leave, Tails stirred awake.

"Sonic?" He started to get up. "Did I fall asleep?" The hedgehog turned back, trying to ease him back into the sleeping bag.

"I'm a little surprised you stayed up as long as you did," Sonic said. "But there will be more to do tomorrow, so let's try to get some shut-eye."

"Wait," Tails pushed himself up, not quite ready to fall into slumber. "There were a lot of stars out tonight, but I couldn't see them because of the fire. Can I just go out one more time?"

Sonic supposed that one little trip wouldn't hurt. He took Tails to the far outskirts of Knothole, spotting an opening where the leaves were absent. Tails' dark eyes reflected the glimmers in the sky. There were many out there that he knew were much larger than the world they stood upon, but that only made them much more beautiful to him. The two sat down on the peak of a hill, watching in silence until Tails reflected his thoughts. "I spent most of my life never being able to see these, and now every day I realize how much I've missed." The awe in his face soon whittled away, intimidated by everything that he had yet to experience. "It's scary to me. The world has only recently opened up, and I don't know how to face it."

"We'll face it together. It might take some time, but we'll never do it alone." Sonic tried to reassure.

"You, Sally, Aleena, Starline, Rotor–you've all taught me something about myself. I don't deserve friends like you."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because the friends I used to have, I abandoned." Tails slowly sank his head closer to his chest. "And it hurts more to know that I'm up here, while they're all down there." Mist flooded his eyes. Sonic rubbed his hand on Tails' back.

"They won't be for long. I know we can get them out."

"Maybe you can, but what can I do?" Tails stared at Sonic, desperately searching for the truth.

"You can do your best. We all can. I told you, we won't do this alone."

"And come a time if I have to, what do I do?" He asked. Sonic blanked on an answer, as he was mostly troubled by the thought of Tails being put in that situation in the first place. He'd do everything to make sure that would never happen, but that wasn't gonna cut it if the worst-case scenario were to arise. Sonic pressed his finger on Tails' chest.

"You'll have to follow what's in here. That's how I've always rolled. I don't need a reason either, it's just my way, and you'll find yours too." The two fell silent once more as the night sky pulled them into a trance. Sonic suddenly felt sleepy, and along with his buddy, he drifted into freedom of thought. Entering a world without problems, they felt unbound and powerful, forging a bond guided by the absence of doubt.

Outskirts of Robotropolis: Present Day

Sonic gazed into the lifeless city, standing above the sullied ground riddled by machines. This plot of land he remembered. He remembered standing here the same day his foster parents were taken. It was the first time he saw the city, and since then, nothing remarkable has changed. It has always been this tumor that never belonged. Sonic clenched his fist, filled with unbridled anger. He wanted to tear it all down, to its last foundation. But before that, he thought of Shadow, which furthered his wrathful desire. This all started because of him, and it was only going to end with him out of the way.

So Sonic ran straight for the city. He would split and sever the path ahead if it meant getting Tails back. "I told him…" He mumbled to himself, driven even more by fury. "I told him he wouldn't be alone!" His legs kicked hard against the sterile dirt, picking up speed and gutting the soil below him. At last, he would arrive in the city, which he thought of as nothing more than a playground for him to dismantle.

Knothole

The cold dawn pierced Sally's eyes, who, after another sleepless night, was waiting once again for her heroes to return. She slammed another mug of green tea, which barely held her awake. One of her eyelids fought against her will, snapping shut as her body finally stepped in to shut her down. Her head swayed, rocking the chair she sat in ever so slightly. She was battling to stay up, as she determined whether to send a search team or not. She held off for this long because she thought that Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were busy with the mission and didn't need help. It was left to her own devices to make that call, and she wasn't one to miss the opportunity. "You've seen better days." Sally jolted awake instantly, startled by Aleena's voice. She didn't even hear her approach. Sally looked up to her, spotting the disappointment in her expression. "Why do you push yourself like this?"

"I need to be ready if they need me."

"I'm sure they're fine." Aleena patted Sally on the back. "I know those three pretty well, and I bet they can… handle… it…" Aleena's widened eyes were drawn to the forest, prompting Sally to follow them. Knuckles stumbled out of the bushes. His lips were chapped, and bruises covered his body. The two ran forward, supporting him up.

"Knuckles, what happened?" Sally direly asked.

"They took the kid." His parched voice barely crackled from his mouth. "We couldn't stop them."

"Where's Sonic?" Aleena spoke next, narrowing her eyes with resolve.

Later, Knuckles was tended to by the extinguished fire pit. Starline examined his wounds, noting that none of them were severe. He did, however, note that the echidna was immensely dehydrated. Knuckles chugged about thirteen water jugs, easily depleting their supply for today. By the time he recuperated, he explained what went wrong in the desert, and that they not only lost Tails, but also the Chaos Emerald. "And Sonic," Knuckles added. "I don't know where he went, but he told me to tell you to meet him 'there,' whatever that meant."

"If they took Miles," Starline said. "Then he's probably headed to Robotropolis."

"And Sonic went there by himself!?" Antoine exclaimed. "Has he lost it? He'll get himself killed."

"Well, we can't just leave him hanging," Bunnie spoke up.

"I don't know what we can do," Rotor grimly uttered. "We're short on time if Sonic is already there. I'm not sure what we can manage to send before things go south for him." Rotor hated the idea of doing nothing, but assaulting Robotropolis was already risky enough. Getting someone out, let alone two, is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Their only option was to knock on their front door and hope that they survived long enough to rescue their friends.

"Of all times for him to lose his cool, why does it have to be when we can't back up his rash decisions?" Starline sighed.

"There could still be time," Aleena said. "I refuse to leave my son fending for himself. Not again!" Starline conceded his objection, trusting that the former queen had her mind in the right place. "I hate to say it, but our only way to catch up to Sonic is if we use the Warp Topaz to get behind enemy lines, and we'll only do it if every single freedom fighter goes through." The doctor nearly choked on his own spit, he was that surprised.

"My, have you gone mad? Creating a portal for each and every single one of us will cause a massive strain on the gemstone and on me. It wouldn't just kill me, but I would cease to exist. You can't just do something of that caliber without creating enormous tensions in reality."

"We don't have to do multiple portals. We can do one." Rotor proposed. "Give us time to organize, and you'll dictate the size."

Starline responded, "That might work in theory, but I need more of a basis for where I'm warping us to. An image or some form of visualization will do." The group was left speechless, as they didn't have any visual documentation of locations in Robotropolis. Before now, all they've ever discussed was hit-and-runs.

But before all hope was lost, Aleena reminded Starline of one crucial possibility. "There might still be a place, one where you and I have worked many moons under." Starline knew exactly where Aleena was alluding to. He thought to himself that there would be no way that Robotnik would keep that old lab standing, but as he thought about it, it equally would have made sense for him to keep it as a monument of his empire's inception.

"If that's where we're at, then I'll round up everyone we have to get ready." Sally took the initiative to gather all of her forces. She ran around Knothole, spreading word of the news. Soon, many freedom fighters were out and about, taking the best equipment they had and revolving around the center of the camp. As Sally took a count of who was here, Knuckles quickly pulled her aside. He explained that while he was in the desert, the spy was there, which prompted Sally to perform a check of everyone nearby, seeing if anyone was missing.

She ran through a mental list, jogging down each face she saw and marking them down as safe. The closer she ran down the list, the more one person, who was absent, irked her mind. "Has anyone seen Rouge?" She asked around, to which she was met with shaking heads from each fighter she asked. Dread loomed over her, fearing that Rouge was their culprit. She had always been around for important discussions, and if she was the spy…

"I'm here!" A woman's voice called from the crowd. Rouge pushed past everyone, approaching Sally to relieve her worries. "Sorry, Linus needed help carrying supplies." Sally sighed, thankful that her suspicions were false. At least, to her, they were. Rouge was dismissed, and as she disappeared into the band of fighters, she too exhaled with relief. "That was close." She muttered to herself. If it wasn't for Shadow's ability to teleport, she might not have been able to make it back in time. She bumped shoulders with Knuckles. They exchanged looks, with Rouge smiling and Knuckles staring warily. "Something the matter?"

The echidna grumbled, having a weird sense of déjà vu when he looked at her. He shrugged as he moved along, not being able to place his concerns. "No, guess not." Rouge wiped away a single streak of sweat down her forehead. That was two close calls today. She became a part of the masses as they all started to funnel toward the center of Knothole. Sally gave Starline a nod, indicating that everyone was here.

"Whenever you're ready." She said.

Starline quickly tinkered with the mechanism on his glove, running his finger through every little pin and cog, all delicately fastened together. What he was about to do was not just a test of his physical endurance, but a test of his knowledge. If one screw was loose, if a bolt was too tight, it would not last long enough to keep the topaz from overloading. But if there was one thing he was taught, it was that a scientist will never learn by not exploring the limits of their inventions. He took a shallow breath. He was still nervous, but had to calm himself somehow. His arm raised, activating the topaz. It started as a simple portal, only meant for a few to enter, but the longer he held the device on, the more its perimeter expanded.

A clearer view was made. On the other side, an abandoned lab covered in cobwebs and dust befell their very eyes. "Hurry!" Starline shouted. "Don't wait. Send them through!" Aleena waved forward, launching the first wave of freedom fighters through the portal. More and more flooded inside the lab as the gateway grew wider. Beneath the glove, Starline's hand was searing. He had to close his eyes to take his mind off the unyielding pain.

"That's the last one, come on!" Rotor called from the other end, prompting Starline to leap through with the last of his strength before collapsing. The portal sealed, leaving all of them cramped inside.

Robotropolis: Old Laboratory

Sally began to dish out orders, sending small squads to scout the area outside the lab. Rotor hastily set up a small laptop for her, allowing for a centralized connection with each squad that was dispatched. Sally tuned in, checking the radio. "We're here now," Antoine said, containing his fear. "Now what?"

"Now, we find Sonic and Tails, bring them here, and make another portal back home," Sally stated.

"That's not going to happen." Starline groaned. He tried removing the glove from his hand, but the leather was glued on, thanks to the intense heat that was expelled. "The gemstone is spent. It needs time to recharge.

"Then we'll need to find another way out of here."

"That's going to take time. We'll need to find something to preoccupy ourselves." Aleena said, pacing around the lab. Her hand flowed along the counters, brushing past old files and rusted devices. She wanted to forget about this place, leave it behind for good. She still hasn't told Sally what happened in this room–what Robotnik did to her father. "You know, I keep a list of all the things I want gone from this city. Storage houses, power plants, refineries." Her words were now directed to Sally. "We could start with those. You make the calls, of course, but it's imperative that trouble does not come back here."

"What about you? What will you do?" Sally asked as Aleena made way for the exit, signalling Starline to follow.

"Starline and I will work on our road back home, and in the meantime, visit an old friend."

Fortress

There wasn't anything. Anything at all. One could easily mistake it for being dead. But Tails knew he wasn't dead, only that it was much worse. He felt his wrists tied in a tight bind, his thoughts racing wildly, and that he was propped up in a cold seat. His mouth ran dry. He hadn't been given any to drink since his capture. For how long was he here? He had already lost track. It could've been many hours, or even a day or two. It would've been maddening for many, but something within his subconscious kept fighting. Finally, for the first time, he heard someone speak. "There's no need to keep struggling. You have already proved your worth, child." An unpleasant voice. It sent chills down Tails' spine as he recognized it. It was the voice he heard when he was subjected to that cave, the one that preached salvation to his blissful friends. It was Robotnik. "For a while, I thought you were lost," His disembodied voice continued. "Running amongst the terrors of the world. But no longer, because I always get my property back."

Tails was holding his tears back; he felt his body tremble in the darkness. "Leave me alone." His voice croaked.

"What's there to be afraid of? You are an honored asset to the empire. Your mind is unparalleled by many. We are accepting of who you are, and there would be no better delight than to have you on our side." Tails kept his mouth closed. The mere thought of working with that maniac deeply unsettled him. There would be no acceptance, no honor in what he would do. He would just be a slave again, but under a different roof. The voice of Robotnik turned sour by the fox's silence. "I offered to do this the easy way, but if you're not willing, then I'll show you something to be afraid of."

Suddenly, white lights erupted all around Tails. He got to see the room he was trapped in: an oddly clean space with a conveyor leading into a glass chamber that had wires connected to many of its ports. Tails was strapped to a metal chair off the conveyor, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, he made out five figures restrained on the belt. Their heads were obscured in white fabric bags, but Tails quickly made out who each of them was. A walrus, a platypus, a chipmunk, and two hedgehogs. The conveyor belt started, moving them closer to the glass chamber. "Wait…" Tails quivered. "Don't!" He tried breaking free from his bind, but it was futile. First, it was Rotor, then Starline, then Aleena, Sally, and Sonic. Each of them was slowly placed inside as the machine whirred. "No!"

Lights began to flicker as the machine took an enormous load of energy. Electricity bounced within the chamber and eventually fizzled into a thick cloud of smoke that hid those inside from Tails' sight. His tears had escaped, and he watched in horror as the glass door slid open. Smoke trailed to his feet, and a march of metal soldiers emerged from the chamber. His friends, or what was once them, stared heartlessly at him. "Stop! Get away!" The fox squirmed in his seat, but what was once Sonic snatched his lower jaw and forced him to keep looking at his steel face.

"You should've listened." It spoke.

This cruel fate, however, was but an illusion fed to the poor fox. In reality, Tails had been restrained inside a cell, where a visor had been forced onto his head. It projected a stream of scenarios and modules that were powered by the Phantom Ruby. Robotnik and Snively monitored the experiment, making new scenarios when the time came, and fueled the psychological torment. "That one was vile, sir." Snively spoke with genuine admiration. "But he's still resisting."

"It won't be long until his mind breaks," Robotnik said. "He'll lose himself soon enough, and he'll have no choice but to submit." It was all thanks to the ruby. The doctor had only scratched the surface of its potential, and already, it's proven invaluable. If he could weaponize it, the war would undoubtedly turn in his favor. That is, if it hasn't already. There was plenty Robotnik had up his sleeve, and all he needed now was an opportunity to test them.

The blast door to the control room decompressed, flying open as a figure entered. The jackal, Zero, rushed inside with urgent news. "Doctor, we have reports of contact in the city. Our drones have confirmed that freedom fighters have infiltrated our defenses." Robotnik initially brushed off the report. There were always hit and runs in his city, and barely any of them required his attention. He tried dismissing Zero, telling him to increase patrols, but the jackal's news was much more drastic than it seemed. "We'll need more than just patrols. These attacks are all over the place. Swatbots are being actively engaged, and more freedom fighters keep popping up all over the place." Robotnik dropped what he was doing. This almost seemed too good to be true.

"An invasion?" He smiled as he asked.

"By the looks of it."

"Very well. If their cards have all been laid out, then so shall ours." Robotnik pointed at Snively, causing the short man to flinch. "Keep feeding more scenarios through, update me if the fox's behavior changes." Robotnik continued to give Snively orders. However, whatever conversation the two were having, it was all muffled to Zero. His eyes were fixed on the ruby, and his ears were deafened. All that he could hear was a white noise that came from the gemstone, pulling him further into a trance. He was completely enticed, as he hallucinated a voice whispering behind him.

"I'm here…" It softly passed through him, almost like it was a ghost's. "I'm waiting for you." He could hear the voice flow in front of him, drifting into the ruby, which appeared to glow brighter than before. It was calling to him.

"Are you listening?" Robotnik's stern voice snapped the jackal from his trance. "Did you hear anything that I said?"

Zero slightly nodded, subconsciously recalling what the doctor's orders were. "Locate the rebel's entry point, and terminate anything along the way." Robotnik waved his hand, evicting Zero from the room. The mad doctor also left the control room, eagerly cruising through the steel hallways to the war chamber. As he entered, he found Shadow already inside and waiting for him.

"I'm getting tired of these summonings, doctor. This better be worth my time."

"Oh, Shadow." Robotnik simultaneously chuckled and groaned. "There will never be a time more important than this." The round man walked past Shadow, seating himself on his iron throne. "Those foolish freedom fighters have just put all their eggs in one basket, and I intend to crush it. Or, more accurately, you will."

"Then I expect compensation, for Maria's sake."

Robotnik laughed, "What position are you in to be making demands?" Shadow was dead silent, adamant on his request. "Did you forget about this?" Robotnik moved up a lever on the panel of his throne. Shadow suddenly started to feel a burning sensation in his neck. It was the regulator, set at a low level. "I've only humored your previous proposals because of my cousin's insistent whining. So, what makes you think you can afford to get testy with me?"

Shadow winced in pain as the regulator grew in intensity. It felt as if his blood was boiling. But strangely enough, that pain became almost numb, almost tolerable. Shadow, who was once completely hindered by that device, was able to withstand it briefly. "Because you can't afford to win this battle without me." His eyes narrowed on Robotnik. The doctor's neck ran with sweat, and his mustache visibly drooped. "What will it be then?"

The doctor had no choice but to give in, unless he wished to increase the regulator to its max charge, which was only a last resort. "You know what? Fine." He conceded, turning off the chip in Shadow's neck. "But how about I offer something more drastic, instead?" Robotnik reached into his breast pocket, revealing a small glass vial with a clear substance inside. "What good would more visiting time achieve in the long run? You need an investment–some insurance to keep the time you have left together. You've probably already figured out by now that dear old Maria is still sick." Shadow's eyes flashed open, knowing what was in Robotnik's hand. "That's right. This is what will save her, but only if you are compliant."

Shadow saw no other way. Tonight could finally mark the pivotal moment of Gerald's wish and what Shadow had desired for so long. She would be free from her burden, no longer afraid of death. There would be no price too high to pay, as long as it was guaranteed she would survive.

Living Quarters

Maria sat in front of a wall, the same one that had been previously destroyed by Shadow. It had already been repaired, as the hole was filled with plain and dull stone. It had been an eyesore for her for too long. She had requested a brush and some paint to bring more life to the wall. She was given a brush with stiff bristles and a tray of matte paint. They were probably leftover supplies from the old kingdom, which would have to do. Maria had been sketching the wall for hours, drawing a calm shore below a twinkling night.

Amy, who was finishing up dusting, greatly admired the newly formed mural from the other room. Her head, which was poked out from the doorframe, retreated inside the bedroom as she resumed her duties. Maria was low on paint, and yet, there was so much left to color. She put down the brush and tray on a table, wheeling herself away from the wall. "You still have a sharp memory." A sudden voice startled her. She looked ahead with a gaping mouth, in disbelief at who she saw in front of her. She thought she was hallucinating, but after blinking several times to clear her vision, she knew it was no trick. "I remember that coast. You and Shadow used to go there all the time." Aleena said, standing right before the old woman.

"You're here!" Her words were short-winded. "What have you been doing all this time?"

"We've been busy," Starline said, not too far from Aleena. "Incredibly busy. Even as we speak, we're on the clock." The platypus walked behind Maria, grabbing hold of her wheelchair's handle, and giving it a stroll forward. "But I think it's time that you're allowed to leave." Just then, a battle cry came closing in. Starline barely had any time to react before he was struck by a claw hammer.

"Don't touch her!" Amy put herself in front of Maria, holding the hammer tightly. Aleena tried to walk peacefully toward the hedgehog, but Amy held her position strongly. "I don't know what you intruders want, but you won't take her."

"Amy, it's ok!" Maria gingerly grabbed Amy's hands, pushing down slowly. "They're friends."

"They are?" Amy's war face mellowed, now visibly regretful of her display. She looked down beside her, seeing the platypus out cold on the ground. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it." Amy dropped the hammer and raised Starline off the ground, where he came back into consciousness.

"You sure have a lot of strength." He woozily spoke.

"Hold on, what's going on?" Maria digressed. "Why are you here?"

"Long story short, there are a lot of rebels in this city in need of a way out." Aleena started to explain. "Starline and I have already plotted a route, we just have to get it ready in time for when the rest need to escape. I thought that since we're here, we can get you out too."

Maria looked down, unsure of what her old friend had proposed. "What about Shadow? He can't come with us, not with that awful thing Ivo put in his neck." It was a tough pill to swallow, but Aleena knew that Shadow did not fit in the equation.

"He's too far gone as it is. Ivo already has him within his clutches. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do for him."

"Then I won't go." Maria raised her head, devoted to her choice. "I can't leave Shadow behind, not again."

"It's because you're here that he's become our greatest foe." Starline chimed in, trying to sway her decision. "He's deluded himself into thinking that he's keeping you safe, but that doesn't change the fact that he's already crossed the line."

"Which is why I can't leave. I know there's darkness in his heart, but there is more pain within him. He needs me here, or else he might lose himself for good." Maria tilted her head to Amy, who also seemed disappointed that she was choosing to stay.

"You deserve to see the world," Amy said. "You shouldn't be cooped up in a place like this."

"I've already seen much of the world, and even beyond that. But you? You're the one who's cooped up here." Maria touched Amy's hand. "Go with them. I promise that they'll keep you safe." Amy moved away from the old woman, shutting her eyes to hold in her tears, as she followed Starline out of the room. Aleena took this moment of privacy to share one last thought with Maria.

"How true do you believe in your own words? Can you really sense any good left in Shadow?" Maria nodded, certain that her friend wasn't completely gone. "I hope so, because it's inevitable that my son will face him, and if he dies, I will hold your words against your throat." Aleena exited the room, leaving a grave impression behind.

Underground System

Knuckles already hated this mission. After that embarrassing display back in the desert, the only thing he wanted to do now was blow off some steam by tearing down everything in this city. Unfortunately for him, Sally thought his uses would be better suited for something a little more covert. He was below Robotropolis, specifically in the sewer system. He wasn't alone, as Bunnie led the way forward while Antoine was in the back, monitoring their rear. Sally wanted them to explore the under segments of the city, especially where she and Bunnie found that secret facility, and where more of the Master Emerald shards were spotted. Considering his innate ability to detect Chaos energy, Sally thought it vital that Knuckles tag along on this voyage.

Bunnie's memory was a bit fuzzy about where to go, but she was confident that the hidden facility was nearby. Knuckles started to get a faint scent of the emerald's fragments. He quickly notified Bunnie, backing up her suspicions even more. As they continued down the tunnels, the silence between the three grew ever more. Bunnie was getting a little bored from all the walking and wanted to get to know Knuckles a bit more. "Sonic told me that you're a warrior." She began the conversation. "Says that you pack a mean punch. Makes me wish that we had you on our side a whole lot earlier."

"Sonic said that?" Knuckles raised an eyebrow. "He never admits any of that to me."

"He definitely had other words to describe you," Antoine spoke up. "Some I probably shouldn't say."

"Now that sounds more accurate." Knuckles resumed his attention ahead, where he tried to refocus on that trail of energy.

"You shouldn't mind that," Bunnie said. "You've taught Sonic a lot already, more than he wants to admit." Knuckles was thrown off focus by that comment. It was almost weird hearing a compliment again, after all those years he spent in isolation. He didn't really know how to respond, and he just kept trying to stay on task. "Hey, maybe you can teach Antoine a thing or two about fighting?"

Antoine remained skeptical, almost hurt by the notion. "Uh, you think I can't fight?"

Bunnie, not wanting her statement to be demeaning, instantly shifted her tune. "Oh, no! That's not what I meant by that. I just think that maybe your finesse could be brushed up a little."

"It's not about the finesse!" Antoine unsheathed his sword, straightened his posture, and performed an array of swings and moves to demonstrate his skill, albeit in an extravagant manner. "It's about the look, the show, the presentation that I am defined in battle." As Antoine flourished his sword, he quickly lost grip of the handle. The blade ricocheted countlessly along the sewer's walls, eventually plunging into the ground right in front of Antoine, where the coyote flinched wildly.

"And I do not doubt that you can put on that show," Bunnie grabbed his sword and put it back into his sheath. "But first, it has to start."Antoine turned his gaze away from her, feeling embarrassed. "There's nothing to feel bad about." She tried to reassure him. "Everyone has a little stage fright. I just hope that you can move past that."

"Hold on…" Knuckles raised his voice as his head locked in one direction. He felt something was off. The trail of Chaos energy that was originally in front of them has moved, and it was moving very rapidly. He sensed it move all around him, like a fly buzzing along his head. Then, it finally returned to one spot, which was where they came from. Knuckles turned around, standing his ground as he felt the source of the power getting closer, which was accompanied by a loud rumble, roaring nearer every second.

The floor began to shake, and fear spread through Bunnie and Antoine. What was approaching became clear enough, as a wave of dark water flooded the tunnels. The three attempted to outrun it, but it was no use, as they were all quickly caught up in the wave. The current was fierce, and all control was stripped from them. It was then that Knuckles felt a presence of Chaos energy within these waves. His eyes shot open, spotting some of the Master Emerald fragments floating along with them. That wasn't even the odd part, however, as Knuckles also saw what appeared to be a brain right next to the fragments.

Suddenly, the current shifted, smashing through the ceiling and carrying the three to the surface. Knuckles, Bunnie, and Anotine hacked water as they were able to be freed from the waves. Knuckles watched with terror as he could now plainly see the brain. It was controlling the water, along with the emerald's fragments. It swirled into the air, where it condensed into itself, forming limbs and a body resembling a scorpion. A jaw, full of translucent teeth, protruded from the front, along with a pair of lime-green eyes. It stood before them, shrieking into the sky. It was a monster. It… was Chaos.

To be continued…

Up Next: Edge of Tomorrow- Part 2 of 3