Sacrifice

Knuckles had never felt angrier.

"Bloody conceited, self-opinionated, low tolerance skunk!" He mumbled to himself as he savagely pushed aside the undergrowth. The already tattered cloak he wore was torn by some of the harsher vegetation, but if he noticed he paid it no mind.

He sighed deeply as his anger began to dissipate. ‘Typical hot-headed reaction, mate.’ He cursed his temper as he slowed to a more reasonable pace, finally coming to a halt at the edge of a cliff. He gazed over the edge, at the ground far below.

He leant against the broad girth of an ancient tree, his expression downcast. A part of him agreed with St John. He’d done some terrible things while under the Dark Legion’s influence. He could try to console himself by telling himself it wasn’t his fault, it was the spell that had made him do it. But his upbringing and his own sense of honour demanded he do something to set things right.

But what?

He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn’t hear the underbrush as it brushed against another. Julie-Su looked at him with sad eyes. She’d never seen him look so lost, so alone, so…defeated. She reached a gentle hand out towards him.

He caught the movement with his peripheral vision, and years of training fired his reflexes. His left hand clamped painfully about her wrist while he drew back his right in a tight fist. His expression immediately softened at the sight of her terror-filled eyes and he released his grip.

"Sorry," he said softly, his head lowered. "Guess I’m a little tense."

Julie-Su rubbed her throbbing wrist. "A little?" She smiled softly, a smile that faded quickly at the look on his face. He turned his head slightly, sniffing the air. With a worried frown, he began to move closer to the cliff’s edge.

"Where are we going?" She asked, stepping up beside him, taking a firm grip on his arm.

He looked at her with a raised brow. "We?" He asked.

"Echidnas aren’t exactly the flavour of the month around here at the moment," she explained. "And I do happen to be an echidna."

"It hadn’t escaped my notice."

"Wherever you’re going, I’m going with you."

"No." He said, slowly shaking his head. "What I’ve got in mind is something I have to do alone." He raised his eyes to meet hers. His face was deadly serious.

"But…" she began to protest. He placed a finger against her lips, silencing her.

"There’s a major fight brewing here, and your knowledge of the Dark Legion will be invaluable to them." He glanced back the way they’d come. "Besides, there’s other things they need to know, and we both know they won’t listen to me.

"Since he lost his power, Dimitri’s been looking for some other way to accomplish his goals, besides using me as his lackey. He’s been searching ancient texts, interpreting legends, and he thinks he’s found his answer. It’s called the Blade of Order. The legends say it was forged by mystics centuries ago out of the seven original power rings, the Rings of Order, so they could hold the power of Chaos at bay.

"Dimitri believes he’s found its resting place. With the help of Sonic and the others, you can probably get to it first." He pulled his personal computer from its place in his left gauntlet. "The co-ordinates are in here." He handed it to her. She looked at it for a moment, it reminded her of Sally’s Nicole, only it was much smaller, then she tucked it into her belt. "It’s likely to be well guarded, with all kinds of booby traps and the like, so watch yourself. Every scrap of information that Dimitri’s got is in that thing. You’ve got to stop him from getting that sword."

"Where are you going?" She asked tightening her grip on his arm.

"To talk to some old friends." He looked off into the fading sunlight.

He returned his attention to her, gently touching her face. He took a hold of the hand she had placed on his arm. He held it for a moment, staring at her gloved fingers, entwined with his own. He raised his heavy head to look at her.

He tore the green crystal from his chest-plate and pushed it into her hand.

"I…" he began.

There was so much he wanted to say, but he was so new to these feelings. He just didn’t know the words. She looked at him expectantly, her lavender eyes bright and shining.

"I have to go." He finished quickly.

Dropping her hand he leapt off the edifice, letting the wind currents gently cradle him.

She reached out her hand, knowing she could never catch him. She lowered her head, eyes closed tightly, clasping the crystal to her chest.

She heard the others, crashing through the vegetation. And she realised that they had been what he’d been sniffing before.

"Did you catch up with him?" Mighty asked.

She nodded, but otherwise, did not move.

"So where is he?" Sally asked softly.

"He’s gone," Julie-Su said, almost inaudibly, she turned towards the skunk, her eyes growing cold. "Isn’t that what you wanted?" She hissed at him. She pushed him aside, none-too-gently. "We’ve much to discuss." She said as she headed back towards the relative comfort of the camp.

"Such as?" Sally asked as she caught up with her.

"Dimitri’s after something called the Blade of Order," Julie-Su pulled the computer from her belt. "Everything he knows is in here. Knuckles wants us to get to it first."

"What’s the Blade of Order?" Tails asked.

"I don’t know for sure," she admitted. "But if Dimitri wants it, it can’t be for anything good."

~~~~~

He didn’t know what he was doing. He wasn’t sure where he was going. He was acting entirely on instinct. He had glided for hours, it seemed, lost count of how many portals he’d opened. The winds had been favourable, but now they were dying, and, for whatever reason, they had brought him here.

He landed soundlessly. The earth was soft under his feet. He realised he was still dressed in the black outfit Dimitri had presented him with. Angrily, he tore at it, yanking the armour off, shredding the leather, he tossed it away. He sank to the ground, arranging himself in the lotus position that Archimedes had taught him. He wasn’t sure this was going to work. But he didn’t know where else to turn.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, forming the images of the three in his mind.

"You have learned much, it would seem…" a familiar voice echoed in his head.

"Athair?" He opened his eyes. "Am I glad to see you."

"At least one of the family is." The elderly echidna chuckled.

"I need to talk to the Walkers…I didn’t know where else to turn…. I need help…things are nuts…it’s all my fault…"

Athair held up his hand. "You’re babbling, child." He placed his hand comfortingly on the younger echidna’s shoulder. "And it’s not all your fault."

"Maybe not," he agreed softly. "But it is my responsibility. Can they help?"

"The Walkers can always help," Athair said. "The question is, WILL they help?" He smiled. "Come, we will see."

~~~~~

"So where did he go?" Sally asked.

"I don’t know," Julie-Su sighed. "He didn’t say. All he said was that it was something he had to do alone."

"Do you know anything about this Blade of Order?" Sally asked, turning to her father.

"I’ve heard tales, rumours." He shrugged. "I always believed it was truly a thing of legend."

"I say we go get it before those dread-heads do." Sonic said. "Or at least make sure that they can’t." He brandished the handheld computer. "We’ve got the co-ordinates."

"Sonic," Tails said softly, "I got a bad feeling about this."

They turned towards the fox. Since the discovery that he was the Chosen One, with some kind of mystical destiny that nobody truly understood, his precognitive feelings had proven to be something worth paying attention to.

"Define ‘bad’." The hedgehog said.

"I dunno exactly how to put it." The young fox shrugged. "I just feel Knuckles is going to do something really drastic. Something dangerous. Maybe even…" he glanced at Julie-Su. Though neither she nor Knuckles had admitted anything, it was pretty obvious there was SOMETHING between them. The fact that she’d somehow managed to break the spell that had been put on him only strengthened the belief about just how strong that SOMETHING was.

"Fatal." She finished for him.

~~~~~

Knuckles lowered his head, reverently, to the three beings before him.

"Ancient Walkers, I’ve come to…"

"Will you help?" He asked, remembering what Athair had said.

"You can set things right, though the cost is great. Your decision here will seal your fate. To end this battle, to make amends, will you trade your life for your friends’?"

Knuckles gazed at them wide-eyed. He’d dealt with the Walkers enough to translate their words.

To save his friends, he had to die.

He closed his eyes tightly. He was only sixteen. There was so much he still wanted to do. And how would it effect the others? His mother, his father? The Brotherhood? He had no heir, the line would be broken. No heir made him think of Julie-Su. They both knew they were Soultouched, they both knew where their relationship was heading.

But if he didn’t. If Dimitri got a hold of that sword…they’d all be lost.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, and gave the only answer he could.

"Yes."

The Ancient Walkers continued as if no great, life altering, or rather, life ending, decision had been made.

"We cannot fight, it is not our way. But the power is in you, to save the day.

"Blade of Order, mystics made. Heart of Chaos is its bane.

"Order, Chaos, combined in one. All the evil will be undone."

~~~~~

Athair looked up as his great-grandson approached. He frowned at the look on the boy’s face. "They didn’t help?" He asked. Knuckles looked as if he were struggling to hold back a virtual tidal wave of tears.

Knuckles shook his head. "Oh, they helped. It’s just one heck of a price." He looked his elder straight in the face. "Can you do something for me? I don’t know if I can do it."

"What?"

"Tell my family, my friends, everybody…" his voice was cracking. "Tell them…to be…happy." He raised his face to the sky in an attempt to regain his composure, and hide the tears now very evident in his large violet eyes. "Tell them… that…I’m in a better…place."

Athair’s own eyes widened. "You can’t be meaning what I think you are."

"It’s the only way…" Knuckles’ voice was barely a whisper. "It’s a rational choice…one life for…"

"You are talking suicide…" Athair began.

"You think I don’t know that!" Knuckles turned on his great-grandfather. "I’m sixteen years old! I don’t want to die!" He lowered his head. "But I can’t let them die. Not when I can save them." He let out a deep, shuddering sigh.

"It’s the only way."

~~~~~

Following the co-ordinates provided by Knuckles, the rather large group, comprising of the Freedom Fighters, the Chaotix and King Acorn’s Secret Service, arrived at their destination. They were in the middle of a lush tropical rainforest in the southern area of the main continent. A tall, curved bluff jutted out of the green. Antoine landed expertly at the base of the bluff, as per Sally’s instructions.

They stepped out into the warm moist jungle. Mighty breathed in deeply.

"This is where my kind originally came from." He said.

"Any still around?" Espio asked.

"Dunno," Mighty admitted. "Could be."

"Hope they’re friendly." Vector said, peering into the trees.

"This is it?" Sonic queried as he looked around. "There’s nothing here."

Sally was reading the tiny screen on the hand held computer. "It’s underground, Sonic." She explained. "According to this…the entrance…is right over…there." She pointed to a dark, shadowy recess in the cliff face.

"Now I wish Knuckles was here," Sonic sighed. "He’s the digger."

Sally sighed. "Let’s get this show on the road."

~~~~~

It seemed like they’d been scraping in the dirt for hours. Mighty had been doing most of the work. With his strength and stamina he seemed to have been made for the job. Finally, he hit something solid. He ran his fingers around the edges of a flat, rectangular stone.

"Hey," he called out, "I think I found something."

"What is it?" Sally asked.

"Looks like a door." Mighty shrugged. "Can’t budge it though."

"According to the texts," she said. "It can only be opened by one of the three."

"The three?"

"‘One who outstrips the tsunami’s might. One full of fire and mystic sight. One who dances in the sun’s pure light. Three as one set all things right.’" She read from the computer’s tiny screen.

"Oh, very pretty." Vector sneered.

"I’m guessing their talking about Sonic, Knuckles and Tails." Sally said ignoring the crocodile.

"What’s a sue-nar-me?" Amy asked, stumbling over the strange word.

"A tsunami is a tidal wave," Sally explained. "One of the fastest things in nature."

"So I’m the one that ‘outstrips the tsunami’s might’?" Sonic asked.

"I’d say it’s a match. Knuckles is red, like fire, and he’s feisty," she went on, "but what about the ‘mystic sight’?"

"He’s had more contact with the Ancient Walkers than anyone else," Sonic mused. "There was that whole ‘Tikal’ thing during that Chaos business. And he does seem to know when something bad’s goin’ down."

"And he can sense things that others can’t." Espio added.

"So that means I dance in the sunlight?" Tails asked.

"I think it means more than that," Sally said. "It speaks of pure light. You are this ‘chosen one’, and you’re a heck of a lot more pure than either of the other two…"

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Sonic demanded.

"He’s younger, nicer," Sally smiled, "less prone to anger."

"Okay, okay." Sonic held up his hands in mock defeat.

"So we should be able to open it." Tails said.

"Hope we don’t need all three," Sonic said. "We still don’t know where the heck Knux took off too."

"Maybe we should just leave the darn thing in there," Bunnie suggested. "If it’s gonna take one of our sweet li’l boys to get in there and get it, then Dimitri won’t be able to get his grubby mitts on it anyhow."

"Maybe," Sally agreed, "but it says they’re needed to open the door. There may be another way in…"

"Or they could just blow it up," Sonic added.

"Or, Dimitri could coerce one of you three, with threats, one of those collars, or a spell like the one he put on Knuckles." She sighed. "We’re going to have to go in there and get the blasted thing."

"So, how do we open it?" Sonic asked.

"There’s a handprint in the middle of it," Mighty said. He’d been clearing dirt and muck from the door while the others had been talking. "Five fingers." He put his hand in it, and though it fit, nothing happened.

Sonic and Tails exchanged a glance. "Guess we better check it out." Sonic said.

"Age before beauty?" Tails suggested.

"Come on, Tails, you know, of the three of us, I’m both the oldest and the most beautiful." He smiled. Sally rolled her eyes.

"I’m sure that’s open to debate." Julie-Su mumbled under her breath.

"Just open the blasted thing." Sally sighed.

Mighty stepped aside as Sonic approached the door. "Well, here goes nothing." He placed his hand in the intricately carved pattern. The immensely thick stone door moved easily beneath his fingertips. A musty smell greeted them as they gazed into the darkness beyond. "I guess we have to go in there, huh?"

"I guess so," Sally said, for the first time feeling just a little apprehensive.

"Think it’s booby trapped?" He asked.

"I wouldn’t doubt it."

"Maybe just Tails and I should go." He suggested.

"Come again?" She looked at him sceptically.

"Well, this place was designed so that only us, and rad red, can open it," he mused, "so…maybe it’ll let us inside with no problems as well."

"It sounds logical…" she said.

"It sounds suicidal." Vector muttered. Espio jabbed him in the ribs.

"Okay you two," she agreed. "But be careful."

"Sal, it’s me."

"That’s what I mean."

~~~~~

The interior was dark, dank and musty. Their torches barely illuminated a metre around them. They moved cautiously, ready for anything. They entered a large chamber. Against the far wall they could see what they assumed was their quarry as the torches reflected off something metal.

"That’s it?" Sonic asked. "No fanfare, no lightshow, no death-defying, no pitfalls, no spiked balls of death?"

"You sound disappointed." Tails looked up at him.

"Well, I didn’t get to strut my stuff."

"What’s the point of showing off? I’m the only one here to see you."

"Good point."

"And besides, maybe you were right. That this place somehow recognised us and let us pass."

"Another good point."

"Will you look at that?" Tails said in awe.

They had reached the far end of the chamber. The Blade of Order rested on a stone tablet. A wholly unremarkable looking weapon, too long to be called a knife, too short to be called a sword. But behind it, painted directly onto the stone was a mural of such intricate detail, it left the pair with absolutely no doubt as to who the three the verse had spoke of were.

In the centre a golden, fox-like creature held a dazzling blue and green orb. Twin tails curled around to provide even more protection. Below the central creature was a creature of pure cobalt, with large round eyes that appeared to see everything, its body covered with what appeared to be icicles, offering support and protection to the golden one. And above them both, a being of fire, its face surrounded by long tongues of flame, cradled them all with its warmth, its almond shaped eyes focused directly on the golden one and its blue-green charge.

They stared at it for an indeterminable amount of time. Sonic shook himself out of his reverie and picked up the Blade of Order. "Enough with the art appreciation, we gotta get this baby out of here."

They re-emerged into the world of light, and were not at all pleased at the sight that greeted them. The entire area, it seemed, was covered with Dark Legionnaires. Their friends had been herded into those sparking laser-barred cages. A massive airship hovered overhead like a metallic thundercloud.

"Oh, crud," was all Sonic could think of to say.

~~~~~

Dimitri slashed the air with the Blade of Order. It made a strange, almost magical sound, somewhere between a hum and a ring. "I must thank you for fetching my new toy for me," he smiled at the now caged Sonic and Tails. "Now, whatever will I do with it."

"Well, you could try shovin’ it where the sun don’t shine." Sonic suggested in a mumble.

"My, such tenacity from one in no position to be so bold." He tapped the bars with the Blade, causing them to spark dramatically. "But, who should I try it on first?" He paced slowly along the length of the cages. "The ‘chosen one’ perhaps?" He said stopping in front of Tails. The little fox shrank from him.

"Leave him alone, ya big bully!" Mighty growled.

"And what is he to you?"

"A friend." The armadillo glared at him. "And I don’t like anyone who picks on little kids."

"Are you volunteering to take his place."

"If I have to."

Dimitri chuckled. "And I thought the hedgehog had bravado."

"We all know who it SHOULD be," Kommisar sneered as she looked wickedly at Julie-Su.

"No, my dear granddaughter," Dimitri cooed at her. "It will be so much more satisfying if we wait for her boyfriend to get back. And then they can die together."

"How sweet." Kommisar purred.

"I always was a romantic."

Moritori snorted. "That little rodent’s long gone. He’s not going to show his cowardly face around here. Shows good judgement if you ask me."

"He’ll be here," Dimitri smiled. "He’s a hero, it’s what they do."

"DIMITRI!"

All present turned to the sound of the voice. Knuckles stood on top of the cliff, looking down at the assembled Legion, his caged friends. He no longer wore the leather and armour Dimitri had given him. In fact, he wasn’t wearing anything. The damage done to his body at Dimitri’s command was clearly visible, even from a distance. The bruises, the burns, the lacerations were healing at an alarming rate, but they had been so severe and so numerous, his unnatural healing abilities were having trouble repairing them.

"Jeez," Geoffrey whispered as he took in the condition of the echidna. "It’s a wonder the bloke’s still standing."

"I hate to say I told you so…" Vector said.

"Hmm," Dimitri mused. "The boy does have impeccable timing."

"And he can really project." Kommisar added.

"As Guardian of the Floating Island, Knight of the realm of Acorn and representative of the Ancient Walkers, I offer you the opportunity for a peaceful surrender."

"And if we choose not to?" Dimitri countered.

"Then I’ll be forced to do something extremely unpleasant."

A smile curled Dimitri’s face. "Do your worst." He challenged.

Knuckles launched himself off the cliff. He didn’t even bother to go into a glide, he just dropped straight down into the masses of Dark Legionnaires.

"He’s nuts." Geoffrey commented.

"What?" Sonic countered. "You just figure that out?"

"He can’t face the entire Dark Legion by himself." Sally said.

"Then what say we even the odds a little."

They turned to the sound of the voice. Dimitri and his cronies were so busy watching what they thought would be Knuckles’ slaughter to notice the pair of Legionnaires that had approached the cages. Julie-Su frowned.

"Elle? Ellie-Za"

"Hey, Jules," the taller of the pair smiled beneath her hood. "It’s been a while."

"Friends of yours?" Vector asked, eyeing the two suspiciously.

"What’s with the handbag?" Ellie-Za asked.

"He doesn’t trust Dark Legionnaire defectors." Julie-Su smiled.

"I can’t say I really blame him," Ellie-Za shrugged.

"So how’re ya gonna get us out?" Sonic asked. "You gonna blow up the control panel? Short out the system?"

"I thought I’d just shut down the power." She flicked a switch and the lasers blinked out. Julie-Su flung her arms around the tall female’s neck, knocking her hood back to reveal a not unpleasant looking burgundy-furred echidna.

"I’ve missed you."

"Yeah," the smaller one sneered. "Not so much that you’d run off after a guy with a big pair of violet eyes…" she battered her own eyes for emphasis, "and a body that…"

"Moni-Ca!" Julie-Su gasped at the other, much shorter Legionnaire. She flipped back her hood to reveal a delicately pretty face surrounded with fur and spines of pale lilac.

"Oh, great," Vector mumbled. "Now I’ve got three of them to contend with."

"You guys get moving. The Guardian may be tough, but he can’t keep that up forever." Ellie-Za said as she pointed towards Knuckles, who was, surprisingly, holding his own against the entire Dark Legion. Without a second thought, the others joined the fray. Ellie-Za sat down at the mobile command centre and began typing away furiously.

"What are you doing?" Julie-Su asked.

"Why aren’t you out there helping your boyfriend?"

"Someone has to watch your back." She replied, smiling to herself when she realised, for the first time, she didn’t feel the need to deny the ‘boyfriend’ tag.

"Fair enough." Ellie-Za shrugged.

"So what are you doing?"

"Seeing if I can’t organise a little family reunion."

"What DID happen to the Island."

"We…" she looked at her friend, "I guess that’s ‘they’ now, huh? THEY put up an enormous force field around it. Nothing can get in, nothing can get out, unless they know the proper codes."

"So what makes you think you can get around it?" Julie-Su raised a brow.

Ellie-Za looked sheepishly at her. "Because I invented it."

~~~~~

"He needs help." Sally yelled as she watched Knuckles disappear beneath a swarm of black robes. The Legionnaires were almost instantly thrown back. "Or maybe not."

Knuckles stood glowering at Dimitri. His deep red fur was beginning to lighten.

"Jeez," Sonic said as he noticed it. "He’s going Hyper."

"But that’s not possible without the proper number of Chaos Emeralds and Power Rings." Sally protested.

"Tell him that." Sonic pointed at the now electric pink echidna. But the power build up didn’t stop. They had to avert their eyes as Knuckles began to glow with a hot white light. Legionnaires began to scream, more in panic than pain, as their cybernetic parts began to melt.

"He is really pumping out some energy," Sonic said as he squinted through the glare. "Remind me not to get him angry."

"But where’s he getting it from?" Sally asked.

"Maybe there’s some Emeralds and Rings in the cliff or something." Sonic suggested. "He’s absorbing it from somewhere."

"He doesn’t need to absorb energy," Moni-Ca told them. "He can generate it on his own."

"WHAT?" Sonic and Sally asked as one.

"For all intent and purposes, the guy’s a living Chaos Emerald." The lilac echidna explained. She studied him with a more clinical eye. "It seems his power levels are linked to his emotional state, or maybe his adrenaline levels have an influence. But he won’t be able to keep up this kind of level for long. He’ll burn himself out."

Even as she said it, Knuckles’ glow began to diminish to a more bearable brilliance. He stalked towards Dimitri, refusing to break eye contact. He didn’t want to see his friends. The decision had been hard enough. He knew if he saw any of them, he’d lose his nerve. He wouldn’t be able to do what he knew he had to. So he didn’t look at them, tried to not even think about them. Especially…

‘No,’ he told himself, ‘don’t think about her…don’t think about them. It’s their only chance…’

He’d almost reached Dimitri. The Dark Legion gave him no trouble. Those that had not been incapacitated by his white-hot glow were either engaged in battle with the others, or just too scared to come near him.

"Looks like it’s just you and me," he said, challenging his distant uncle.

"My dear boy," Dimitri smiled, "there are certain perks which come from being in charge. For instance…the option to delegate…" Xenin stepped between them.

Knuckles’ eyes narrowed. He wasn’t particularly fond of the cyborg, especially after the beatings he’d suffered at his hands.

As if sensing the young Guardian’s thoughts, Xenin smiled. "Ready for some more punishment?" He gestured towards the still obvious injuries on the red echidna’s body.

"You were a real though guy when you had me dangling like a fish on a hook," Knuckles snarled. "Let’s see how brave you are when I can fight back." He charged at the cyborg so swiftly, Xenin didn’t even have time to react before he was lifted into the air, quite easily, by a single hand of the irate echidna.

"You won’t harm me," Xenin smiled, "you’re code of honour won’t allow it."

Knuckles glared at him. He was right. Knuckles didn’t believe in really hurting anybody. He was aware of just how strong he was, and always held back when dealing with a living opponent. He noticed Xenin’s robotic limbs. His non-living, robotic limbs. And smiled.

"You’re right," he said. "I won’t severely damage a living being. But hanging around with you guys, I’ve learned a thing or two. Like, for instance," he dragged his claws lightly across Xenin’s cheek, drawing blood, but not really causing damage. "This is you." He twisted his free hand into the cyborg’s spines, tugging painfully. "And this is you. But this…" He took a firm grip on Xenin’s robotic arm, a malicious look come into his eyes, "…is not you." He twisted it sharply, tearing it completely from his body.

Xenin screamed, in outrage not pain. "Why you little…"

"Don’t get me angry, Xenin," Knuckles warned, "you’ve still got a lot of other bits to lose." He smiled wickedly. "Or would you like to be totally…disarmed?"

A look of genuine fear came into Xenin’s organic eye. He knew the young Guardian had the strength to quite literally tear him limb from limb, even if he hadn’t already proved it. He could see the cold hatred in his deep violet eyes and wondered if somehow the spell wasn’t completely broken.

Sally’s jaw had dropped when she saw Knuckles tear Xenin’s arm off. She was aware of his strength, but she never would have dreamed he was capable of such a ferocious act. Even though it was a cybernetic replacement, the actually implication of what her friend had done was enough to make her shiver.

Dimitri, too, watched with a growing uneasiness. If the boy could so easily damage Xenin, who was only following orders, what did that mean for him? He wanted to use Knuckles’ power, but was beginning to have doubts about his ability to control him. But he wouldn’t have that power used against him either.

He looked at the Blade of Order, firmly gripped in his metal claw. He smiled. ‘Better to end it now.’ He thought as he slipped into the shadows.

~~~~~

Far across the battlefield, Sonic caught a hint of movement with his peripheral vision. He focused on it, even as he fought a particularly burly Legionnaire. He frowned.

"Oh, crud." He whispered.

While he was distracted by his struggle with Xenin, Dimitri was sneaking up on Knuckles’ blind-side, the Blade of Order raised menacingly, his intention all too clear.

A series of rapid punches to the face had his opponent out of commission. He bolted with all the speed he could muster, which for the fastest creature on the planet was formidable indeed, towards his friend, just as Dimitri began to lower his weapon.

"KNUCKLES!!!" Sonic screamed the warning at the top of his lungs.

The red echidna turned towards his evil ancestor, a surprisingly calm expression on his face as he saw the blade. He made no move to defend himself, he merely closed his eyes.

~~~~~

Ellie-Za’s head snapped around as Julie-Su let out a scream of excruciating pain. The pink echidna clutched her chest as she slumped to the ground. The burgundy echidna quickly leapt to her aid, ready to defend her against whoever it was that had cut her down.

She pulled her gasping friend into her arms, and began searching for the wound, surprised that there wasn’t one. "Jules?" She whispered.

"It’s gone," she whispered clinging to her friend. "I can’t feel it anymore." She shuddered as she realised what it meant. "He’s gone."