Chapter Text
Translated by: Chili
"The servers are the seven Chaos Emeralds. Chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos."
These were the words that my grandmother once told me when I was a little girl. In that moment, I didn't understand their meaning, but when I got closer to the Altar of Emerald for the first time, everything made sense.
The seven Chaos Emeralds... seven mystic gems that hold inside of themselves an incontrollable power. Nobody knows where they came from or how long they have been on our world, but it is said that whoever manages to control them will become the most powerful being on the entire planet.
My name is Tikal, daughter of the chieftain Pachacamac and the last priestess of the Knuckles clan.
For generations, my people have coexisted with the Chaos Emeralds and we learned how to benefit ourselves from their mystical power without disturbing their altar, thanks to a big gem that had the capacity to control the other seven: the Master Emerald. But the power of chaos was too tempting, and my father began seeing them as a chance to expand the Knuckles clan's empire.
I knew that disturbing the altar would bring us disastrous consequences, and I warned my father about desisting, but despite my pleadings, he and his warriors attacked the altar.
All this violence ended up summoning the Wrath of Chaos, the God protecting the altar, who used the Chaos Emeralds to punish my people, sinking them in an ocean of destruction. But that was not enough to calm its rage...
Chaos was out of control, and I was the only one able to stop him. I recurred to the power of the Master Emerald and managed to take back the seven Chaos Emeralds, but the hate and sadness had already polluted his heart, and I had no other choice but to sacrifice my physical form in order to lock him up inside the big gem. Since that moment, Chaos and I have been trapped in a long and deep sleep while the outside world changed.
Many centuries later, Chaos and I were released out of our prison by an evil scientist called Dr. Eggman, who pretended to use the power of Chaos as a weapon to conquer the world. Fortunately, a group of heroes was there to stop it, from which a young hedgehog who was blessed by the gift of speed stood out. His name was Sonic.
Sonic and his allies fought against Chaos, while I guided them with visions of the past. My plan was to lock up Chaos inside the Master Emerald again, but Sonic did something that, until that moment, I thought was a mere legend.
With the help of his friends and the power of the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic became a warrior of golden light and used his positive energy to purify the heart of Chaos, freeing it from the rage that tormented it for so long.
And just like that, thanks to a new generation of heroes, Chaos and I were able to come back to our rest inside the Master Emerald, waiting for the day that the world may need us again.
In the meantime, On a distant land, an echidna woman was watching over the horizon from the top of a large triangular building. Her clothes resemble those of a scientist, with big glasses covering her eyes and a digital tablet with information about the Chaos Emeralds in her hands.
In that moment, none of our heroes could have foreseen what was about to happen. An ancient evil had been released on our world, and the seven Chaos Emeralds would be in the center of the typhoon again.
This story begins on a cold full moon night, when a squadron of dark airships in the form of a boomerang flew over the skies of the East Sea. All of these carried soldiers with different biological implants and black armor, which carried the emblem of their side on their shoulder pads. Half of these emblems had the shape of a gear, while the other half had a sharp saw.
The group was led by a huge guy who remained sat with his eyes closed and without saying a single word. Suddenly, the radars captured something and the pilot of the airship gave a warning voice.
Pilot (From his cabin) : Boss, we're getting closer to the objective.
Big Guy (Sited down) : Good... Let's make this quick.
After saying this, the guy opened his yellowed eyes with red pupils, showing an evil-filled look.
Meanwhile, some miles ahead, there was Angel Island, the floating island where the legendary Master Emerald remained hidden, but the place wasn't as I remembered. The altar with the big emerald was now surrounded by a fortified wall and guarded by several automatic turrets. There were also several soldiers patrolling in the zone, but these ones were carrying green vests with the emblem of a ring on their backs.
All these soldiers were there to protect the altar, but only one of them dedicated his whole life to protecting that sacred place. The last descendant of my people and now leader of a military organization trained to protect the Master Emerald, Knuckles the Echidna.
Knuckles was wearing the same green vest as the soldiers, but unlike the other soldiers, he was carrying a black shirt with his shoulders torn, which matched his enormous warrior fists.
Despite his intimidating look, Knuckles managed to gain the respect of his subordinates. All of them were looking at him as a great leader and as a role model, but this didn't distract him from his main mission. When he wasn't training his troops, he went back to the altar to make sure that the Master Emerald was safe.
That particular night seemed to be a quiet one. The soldiers were a little bored, but they didn't let their guard down. All of a sudden, the noise of the airships began to be heard from a distance, alerting Knuckles.
Knux (Looking at the sky) : Hmm?
In that moment, an airship flew quickly over the walls and dropped a luminous projectile over the terrain, which let out an expansive wave that neutralized every electronic device in the area.
Knux (Worried) : We're being attacked! Everyone in their positions!
Due to the imminent attack, the alarms were activated, and all the soldiers gathered around the altar.
Knux (Worried) : Quick! Everyone get inside of the perimeter!
While Knuckles was trying to organize his troops, more airships flew over their heads, this time dropping heavy metallic spheres all around the place.
Wolf Soldier (Worried) : We're being surrounded... Orders, sir!
Knux (Worried) : Ignore the capsules and take down the Vultures! We have to make sure they don't keep dropping more of those things!
Following the orders of their commander, the soldiers used their plasma rifles to shoot down the Vultures, but the airships moved too fast.
Wolf Soldier (Worried) : It's no use... Without the anti-aircraft turrets, we can't do it!
Knux (Angry) : Grrr... Private!
After hearing Knuckles call, a little soldier emerged from the others to receive the orders of his leader. Despite his short height, this was the soldier with the highest rank, and he was carrying a helmet that was too big for his head.
Small Soldier (Making a military salute) : Orders, sir!
Knux (Worried) : Call the base! We need technical support now!
Small Soldier (With a radio in his hand) : I already tried commander... The radios are not working!
Knux (Worried) : Damn!
After dropping at least thirty of those metallic spheres, the Vultures finally flew away from the place, not without dropping a final heavy object on the zone, but this one didn't have a spherical shape. Knuckles quickly rushed back to the altar, and he stood in front of his troop.
Knux (Worried) : Close the lines and stay alert!
When the dust clouds made by the bombing finally cleared, the silhouette of a big guy stood in front of the altar. It was a hare with green fur and red pupils whom was wearing black armor. While over his face was a horrific mask that was connected by two metallic tubes. Additionally, three out of his four extremities ended up in robotic parts, while his left arm, which was completely mechanical, ended with a gigantic combat knife.
Despite it being impossible to see any facial gestures, his sinister look showed his dark intentions.
Cat Soldier (Worried) : Blade...
Bear Soldier (Worried) : Yes, it's him...
Small Soldier (Besides Knuckles) : Commander...
Knux (Setting aside the small soldier with his hand) : Behind me, Soldier...
In that moment, all the metallic spheres begin to open up, and from their insides emerge creatures with green, shiny eyes very similar to Chaos. Their bodies seemed to be composed of some kind of purple slime, and they were protected by a black armor with blades on their forearms. Their hands were equipped with some long and sharp metallic claws and their faces were covered with some circular white masks.
Knux (Looking directly at the enemy) : Private. Activate the shield and stay inside it. I will give you some time until the backup arrives.
Once out of their capsules, the creatures began to sneak up towards the altar.
Small Soldier (Looking at the creatures): But there's too many of them. You won't be able to face them all by yourself. Let me help!
Knux (Angry) : I gave you an order, soldier! Protect the altar!
Small Soldier (Frustrated) : Yes, sir...
Without anything more to say, the small soldier came back with the rest of the troops and pushed a switch that was hidden between the tiles on the ground. This activated a huge energy dome, which covered the altar and the soldiers, leaving Knuckles on the exterior.
Blade (Looking at the shield of the altar) : My... An energy shield powered by the Master Emerald itself. Very ingenious. At least somebody here is fulfilling his duty as a guardian.
Due to the device on his face, the voice of the villain had a robotic tone.
Knux (Clenching his fists) : Spare me your talk. How about we begin with the punches?
Blade : Hmmm... you're right, commander. I am also in a hurry.
Blade then pointed at the altar with his blade and ordered the creatures to start with the attack.
Blade : Destroy the shield! Kill everyone who opposes.
After receiving orders from their master, the creatures pounced over the energy shield and started to hit it with their claws. The soldiers couldn't do anything other than observe, since shooting inside the shield would only weaken it.
Small Soldier (Looking at the creatures) : Ugh... Damn monsters...
Knux (Running towards the altar) : Come over here, demons! I'm your opponent!
Knuckles tried to help his troops, but in that moment Blade appeared over him and attacked him with his arm blade.
Blade (Falling over Knuckles) : Don't let your guard down, soldier!
Luckily, Knuckles managed to avoid Blade's attack, but now the villain tried to interpose between him and the altar.
Knuckles (Clenching his fists) : I would not let you win this time...
Blade : Really? I think you need something more than a snow globe and some boy scouts to stop me.
Blade pounced over Knuckles once more and attacked him with his arm blade. The echidna managed to avoid the first few attacks, but then Blade's blade arm started to stretch and shrink, expanding his attack range. This took Knuckles by surprise, who received a small cut on his cheek.
Knux (Surprised) : Gah...
Blade (In a combat pose) : Hmmm... Do you like my upgrades? I ordered them exclusively to face you. You're strong in short distances, that's why I must hurt you before you reach me.
Knux (Cleaning the blood on his cheek) : Perfect! Then you are still a coward...
Blade (In a combat pose) : Said the man who abandoned his men on the battlefield?
These last words by Blade made Knuckles burst with rage and pounce over the villain, continuing with their fierce combat.
The punches of both rivals were so strong that they created fissures in the ground. Besides, every time Blade tried to attack, all of his robotic parts made a charging sound before releasing steam from his openings.
Meanwhile, the creatures continued hitting the shield over the altar, managing to partially insert their sharp claws in the interior.
Small Soldier (Worried) : Stay in your positions. If one of those things crosses the shield, we'll fry them with our weapons.
In that moment, some projectiles appeared out of nowhere and impacted some of the creatures, making them fall from the altar.
Small Soldier (Looking for the origin of the shots) : Finally... they're here!
A small blue airship with two mechanical legs landed near the altar. It was the Tornado, which was piloted by Tails, the ingenious two-tailed fox and Sonic's best friend.
Tails (Inside the Tornado) : Sorry for being late. The help is already here!
Along with Tails some support soldiers and a small fleet of defense drones arrived. Everyone opened fire against the creatures, pushing them away from the altar. Then, the soldiers inside the shield begin to cheer.
Tails (Inside the Tornado) : Keep the hunters away from the shield! I'll try to reactivate the defenses.
Tails used his computer to check on the state of the turrets, but in that moment, one of the hunters ran towards the Tornado and tried to attack the fox kid. Then, a female figure appeared out of the shadows and doing a Spin Kick, pushing back the creature. After that, the girl posed over one of the Tornado's wing.
Tails (Inside the Tornado) : Ahhh! That was close. Thanks Rouge.
Rouge, an attractive bat girl who was also part of Knuckle's team. She was carrying a tight agent black suit with pink borders and also a pink belt with a red heart-shaped belt.
Rouge (In a combat pose) : Better not let your guard down, little fox. I won't always be there to watch your back.
Tails (Inside the Tornado) : Yeah... Sorry...
After making sure that Tails was safe, Rouge opened her wings and flew towards where Blade and Knuckles were. The echidna kept the combat fair against his opponent, then Rouge attacked the villain with a Spin Kick and crashed him against some rocks.
Rouge (Landing close to Knuckles) : Need some help, Red?
Knux (Hectic) : What took you so long?
Rouge (In a combat pose) : It's not easy to get out of bed when you're really comfy.
Knux (Angry) : But you're a bat. You sleep hanging from the ceiling!!
Rouge (Starting to get angry) : Uhg... Do you really want to talk about it right now?
Knux (Angry) : I asked you a simple question!
Blade (Raising from the debris) : Hmhmhm... I'm sorry to interrupt the lovebirds, but I've got important business to attend to. Do you mind if we continue with the fight?
Blade shook his arm blade and prepared for the next round.
Knux (In a combat pose) : Better go back with Tails. I can handle this guy.
Rouge (In a combat pose) : Alright... be careful. There's something off about all this.
Knux (In a combat pose) : Same here. Come on, hurry up!
With nothing more to say, Rouge flew out towards the altar.
Blade (Looking at Rouge) : Hehehe... touching... you know? After I kill both of you, I'll make sure to bury you guys together. That way you can keep arguing on the other life.
Knux (Clenching his fists) : The only one underground will be you!
Knuckles launched himself to attack once more, and both rivals continued their fierce battle.
Meanwhile, Tails' troops continued shooting against the Hunters that were attacking the altar, but the monsters didn't seem to be getting a lot of damage. In some cases, the plasm projectiles managed to destroy their metallic claws, but these were immediately replaced by slime claws.
Tiger Soldier (Shooting) : It's no use! These Hunters are immune to our weapons.
Tails (Using his computer) : I detect a new type of alloy in their armors. We need greater firepower to break them. Now, I think I can repair some of the turrets.
Some small repairer droids got out of the Tornado and flew in the direction of the turrets that surrounded the altar. In that moment, Rouge appeared on the scene.
Rouge : Those things seem more interested in attacking the shield than us.
Tails (Using his computer) : I know, and that's not good. Despite the shield being powered by the Master Emerald, its generators have a limit, and they are close to reaching it.
Rouge : Any other good news?
Tails (Using his computer) : Sonic and Shadow are on their way to get here. We just need to hold on a little more.
Suddenly, the turrets that were being repaired by Tails' drones were destroyed by some explosive shots.
Tails (Surprised) : What is going on?!
After that, the defensive drones began to be knocked down by the same explosions. Rouge and Tails tried to look for the origin of those shots until they saw a silhouette posed over close rock pillar.
Tails (Worried) : Oh no...
Rouge (On a Combat pose) : I knew it!
The new villain was a hare woman with a big scar on her face. Her fur was turquoise, and had the same red eyes that Blade had. She was also wearing black armor, four of her extremities ended up in robotic parts and her mouth was covered by an old and torn scarf. Besides, she was carrying a big scaled rifle which she used to knock down Tails' drones.
Wolf Soldier (Worried) : It's Slash...
Bear Soldier (Worried) : We're doomed...
Without the support of the drones, the Hunters begin to accumulate again over the energy shield. It was just a matter of time before the creatures managed to cross the barrier.
Small soldier (Worried) : Remain calm, soldiers. Remember... we are the last line of defense. The commander believes in us!
Soldiers (Charging their rifles) : Yeah!
In that moment, Slash pointed her weapon against Tails and Rouge.
Slash (Smiling briefly) : Hm...
Tails (Scared) : Gah!
Rouge (Opening her wings) : Look out!
Slash opened fire against her objectives, provoking multiple explosions near the area. For Rouge, it wasn't hard to avoid the shots, but the Tornado was too slow, and one of the explosions damaged one of the wings.
Tails (Inside the Tornado): Aaaaaaah!!
Rouge (Flying towards Slash) : Enough!
Rouge fell over Slash with a kick so powerful that it ended up destroying the rock pillar, but the villain managed to save herself on time with a backflip. Even so, Rouge continued attacking her with diverse combat techniques until she finally managed to kick away the weapon of her rival, sending it across the sky.
Slash (Surprised) : *panting*
Quickly, Rouge jumped toward the weapon and split it in half using her cutting kick technique.
Rouge (In a combat pose) : Oops... it broke.
Even after losing her rifle, Slash was still looking confident.
Slash (Crouched) : It doesssn't matter... I don't need it anymore.
Slash voice was similar to a snake's, and used it to talk through a device located on her left arm.
Slash (Using her communicator) : Clear... Begin with the Second Phasse.
Rouge (In a combat pose) : What?
In that moment, two Vultures landed near the altar, and one of them disembarked many black-armored soldiers, who began to shoot against the troops attacking the Hunters.
Tails (Inside the Tornado) : Reavers... Take cover!
With the Tornado still damaged, Tails moved towards the soldiers and activated the aircraft shield to protect them against the enemy fire.
Rouge (Worried) : Damn...
While Rouge observed the scene powerless, behind Slash's back emerged two mechanical arms that ended up in sharp knives. And if that wasn't enough, there were also two knives in her arms.
Slash (Stepping up) : Hmhmhm... Choossse agent... How do you want to ressst? In peace? Or in piecesss?!
Slash pounced over Rouge and attacked her with all of her weaponry. Rouge then used all of her best techniques to defend herself, but Slash body was able to contort at high speed, making it difficult to counterattack.
Rouge (Fighting) : Nice upgrades... You should have asked them to enhance your face as well.
Slash (Fighting) : Scarsss are cool. Why not let me make you sssome?
Rouge (Fighting) : No thanks. I don't want to look like a chopping table.
Meanwhile, Knuckles realized that the Master Emerald was in danger but could not do anything about it while Blade was his opponent.
Blade (In a combat pose) : Hmhmhm... Look at that commander. Your men are being cornered, just like the last time...
While Knuckles was looking at his troops defending themselves, his heart accelerated and his fists began to tremble.
Blade (In a mocking manner) : They will surely die, and you will be the only one responsible for that. But hey, you still have another way out. If I kill you now, you won't have to worry about that. Hehehe
Knux (Furious) : Grrr... Won't you shut up?
Knuckles launched himself to battle once more, but now his punches were imprecise and he did not care about taking any damage. His despair had already invaded him. Blade then released a powerful thrust with his arm blade y almost get to hit Knuckles, but the echidna managed to stop the sharp blade with his strong hands.
Small Soldier (Inside the shield) : Commander!
Knuckles was in trouble. Despite avoiding being pierced by the knife, Blade continued pushing his weapon over his rival. The edge began to cut through the echidna's hands as a threat of blood started to drip across his arms.
Knux (Holding Blade's knife) : Grrr...
Blade (Pushing the knife) : Hehehe...
On the other side of the pillar, the fight of Rouge and Slash was getting more intense, but then the bat girl saw that her ally was in danger and let her guard down.
Rouge (Worried) : Knuckles...
Taking advantage of the fact that Rouge was distracted, Slash used a device that she had on her right arm to shoot a trap net over her. Once trapped, the net released a powerful electric charge over her body.
Rouge (Trapped) : Aaaaah!!
Slash then attacked Rouge with a powerful kick to the face that crashed her against another rock pillar.
Trapped on a net and with her nose running blood, Rouge was out of combat. Slash then posed over her like a predator over her prey.
Slash (Over Rouge) : I've got you...
Rouge (Trapped) : Uh... I forgot how much of a cheater you are...
Slash (Over Rogue) : All isss fair in love and war, right? Hmmm by the way... looks like your boyfriend isss about to be sssplit in half.
Rouge turned to look at Knuckles, who was still fighting to get rid of every mortal thrust from Blade, but his hands were starting to give up.
Slash (Over Rouge) : Asss for you... I think a ssscar on your neck would look good on you... A deep ssscar...
Slash raised her knives to hurt Rouge, but in that moment, a scream was heard in the vicinity.
??? : Chaos Spear!
The eyes of Slash opened in shock, but before she could react, several spears made of yellow energy piereced her body, separating her from Rouge.
At the same time, a blue burst passed near Blade, shocking him as well.
Blade (Attacking Knuckles) : What?
Knux (Briefly smiling) : Game over...
Using the strength that he had left, Knuckles held tightly to Blade's knife and raised the big guy over his head. Then a blue sphere appeared out of nowhere and hit Blade with great strength as if it were a cannon ball, sending him several feet away from the echidna.
Once his purpose was met, the blue sphere landed near Knuckles, reveling himself as the fastest hero on the planet, who was now wearing a sky blue sweater without sleeves.
Sonic : Hey, Knux. Am I late for the party?
Knux (Clenching his fists) : Too late... What were you doing? Preparing your dramatic entrance?
Sonic (Scratching one of his ears) : Hey, you know, it is not easy to come here without any wings.
Knux (In a combat pose) : Whatever... Can you help me with this? I wouldn't ask you this if the Master Emerald wasn't in danger.
In that moment, Blade stood up and began to release steam from his mechanic parts.
Sonic (Crossing his arms) : Yeah, I get it... Go help your men. I'll take care of this walking razor.
Knux (Turning back) : I trust him to you.
Knuckles rushed to aim his soldiers, leaving Sonic the task of stopping Blade.
Blade (In a combat pose) : Hehehe... Alright blue prince, let's dance.
Sonic (Crossing his arms) : I'm waiting.
Blade attacked Sonic with his extensible arm blade, but the hedgehog was too fast and avoided each one of the thrusts with ease. Sonic then used all the close structures to wind up and counterattack the villain with his best techniques.
Meanwhile, Slash was recovering from the previous attack when she realized that a guy with a hard look was standing alongside Rouge.
Rouge (Trapped) : Hm... I was wondering when you'd show up.
The new contender was a hedgehog as dark as the night, with red marks over his quills. He was wearing a brown leather jacket, and on his feet, he was wearing some strange boots that seemed to make him float lightly over the ground.
Cat Soldier (From the altar) : Look! It's Sonic and Shadow!
Bear Soldier (From the altar) : We're safe! Woohoo!
Shadow (Standing close to Rouge) : Can you free yourself?
Rouge (Trapped) : A gentleman, as always...
Using a little knife that she was carrying on her belt, Rouge cut through the net that was trapping her and then stand up.
Shadow (Looking at Slash) : The shield covering the altar is about to fall. You should defend it.
Rouge (Cleaning her nose) : Fine, as you wish... but hurry. I think these guys are plotting something.
Rouge gave Slash a final look and then flew away.
Slash (Sharpening her knives) : Hehehe...
Shadow (Looking at Slash) : So... what was the idea to come here?
Slash (In a combat pose) : Don't hurry up, hero. You're about to find it out...
In that moment, two giant armored soldiers got out of the interior of the Vultures. One was a rhino, and the other was an elephant, both carrying heavy siege cannons.
Small soldier (Worried) : Siegers! Everybody get down!
Those units, called Siegers shot two powerful energy projectiles against the altar shield, causing a big explosion that destroyed the barrier completely.
Small Soldier (Crouched) : Aaaah!!
Knux (Reaching the altar) : No...
Rouge (Flying) : Oh...
The impact of the explosion also reached the Hunters blowing them all around the place, but the creatures were too resistant and wasted no time getting back up.
Sonic (Looking at the altar) : Eh?
Blade (In a combat pose): Let's see how heroic you are now... Kill all the soldiers! I want them all obliterated into pieces!
The Hunters received the last order from Blade, and they targeted the soldiers protecting the altar as their new objective. The creatures then proceed to move slowly towards them.
Tails (Worried) : Oh no...
Knux (Worried) : It's an order soldier. Retreat!
The Hunters rushed towards the soldiers, who were now opening fire to defend themselves, but the creatures ended up cornering them. Sonic noticed the danger and quickly rushed over the altar, abandoning his fight against Blade.
Blade (Using his communicator) : That's it... The extractor. Now!
The Hunters pounced over the soldiers, but they were quickly repealed by Knuckles, Rouge and Sonic. Meanwhile, the enemy Reavers were quickly moving towards the Master Emerald.
Shadow (Looking at the altar) : The soldiers... They are the bait...
Slash (With a metallic sphere on her hand) : Bingo...
Before Shadow could react, Slash used a flashing bomb to disappear from the scene.
Shadow (Covering his eyes) : Damn...
After getting back his vision, Shadow ran towards the altar to stop the enemy's advance. At the same time, the battle against the Hunter was getting more complicated. Despite Sonic's speed, Knuckles' strength, and Rouge's dexterity, the creatures were too numerous, and the fire from the Reavers was making things even harder.
Knux (Fighting) : They're fighting with all their might! Retreat!
Small soldier (shooting with his rifle) : Commander! The Master Emerald!
A group of Reavers began to climb the stairs of the altar, but then Shadow appeared in front of them.
Reaver Jackal (Scared) : Move aside, hero...
The Reavers begin to open fire against Shadow, but the hedgehog avoids all the shots and then counterattacks with his best techniques.
Shadow techniques were similar to Sonic, since the majority of his attacks were based on speed, but they also had the capacity to accumulate energy with his fists and release it in the shape of projectiles.
After getting beaten up by the hedgehog, the Reavers had no other option but to retreat, but then, in that moment, the other three Vultures appeared over the altar and began to bombard the perimeter, putting Shadow away.
Shadow (Covering) : Ugh... how annoying!
The explosions called the attention of the heroes who were fighting against the Hunters.
Tails (Inside the Tornado) : Sonic! The altar!
Sonic (In a combat pose) : I've got it!
Sonic tried to go to the altar, but then he realized that one of the Hunters was about to nail their claws on a disarmed soldier.
Wolf Soldier (Covering) : Heeeeelp!
Sonic (Breaking) : Oh no...
Sonic became a spinning ball and launched against the Hunters like a cannon ball, crushing it against the rocks, but this time the hedgehog continued spinning over the armor of the monster, breaking it and crushing its cybernetic heart, leaving it out of combat.
Sonic (In a combat pose) : One less... that leaves us with... still many?
Without its vital source, the body of the Hunter melted into a purple-colored puddle. In that moment, Knuckles also managed to defeat another Hunter, since the armor of the creatures begin to be torn apart due to all the damage that they received.
Knux (Clenching his fists) : Sonic! Stop wasting time!
Meanwhile, one of the Vultures was placed over the Master Emerald and opened an inferior gate, revealing a strange spherical device that spin over itself.
Shadow (Looking at the Vulture) : Chaos Spe...
Shadow tried to attack the aircraft with his energy projectiles but was hit by an explosion, making him retreat even more.
Shadow (Holding his arm) : Ugh...
The shot was coming from a new explosive rifle from Slash, who was already close to the Master Emerald.
Slash (Pointing Shadow) : Hmhmhm... Don't think it will be that easssy.
In that moment, Sonic appeared close to the altar and thought about attacking Slash, but then he noticed he was surrounded by huge fire flames, forcing him to retreat.
Blade (With a flamethrower) : Somebody wants a toasted rat?
Blade was also close to the Master Emerald and used a powerful flamethrower to create a fire barrier around the gem.
Sonic (Covering his face) : Ugh... I don't know what I hate more, drowning or burning myself.
While Blade and Slash kept the two hedgehogs away from the altar, the Vulture with the extracting device, shot a powerful light ray over the Master Emerald, making the gem shine in an unusual way.
Knux (After punching another Hunter) : No... they're trying to take it away. Tails! Do something!
Quickly, Tails shoots a couple of torpedoes against the Vulture, but the aircraft contained a protective shield.
The situation was critical; with every second, the shine on the Master Emerald was getting more intense, and some fissures were beginning to appear on the surface, from which small water droplets sprang.
Blade and Slash (Shooting in all directions) : Hahahahahaha!!
Shadow (Close to Sonic) : Listen! If we attack at the same time, we can outwit those guys and strike down that thing!
Sonic (In a combat pose) : Understood. Double-spin Spin Dash at my signal, ready?
Sonic and Shadow were preparing for a joint attack, but in that moment, the light of the Master Emerald was absorbed by the extracting device, making the big gem explode.
Knux (Shocked) : *Panting*
Knuckles and the rest of the heroes were petrified at the sight of the Master Emerald falling to pieces everywhere. Then, with eyes filled with rage, the echidna rushed to the altar, sending flying all the Hunters that were crossing his path.
Knux (Running and punching at the Hunters) : Nooooo!!
Rouge (Trying to stop Knuckles) : Hey! Wait!
Suddenly, the entire island started to shake.
Rouge (Staggering) : Oh... What's going on?
Tails (Using his computer) : The island is starting to lose its stability... we're falling down!
In that moment, one of the Reavers received a message from their leader.
Blade (From a communicator) : We got the package... let's go.
Reaver Raccoon (Using a communicator) : Understood. Time to go!
After reaching their objective, the Reavers began to retreat back to their Vultures, leaving the Hunters still attacking the soldiers. At the same time, Blade and Slash jumped over the Vulture extractor and held on to the spherical device, while Sonic, Shadow and Knuckles observed them from the base of the altar.
Slash (From the Vulture) : It wasss a nice reunion, but we have to go.
Blade (From the Vulture) : We'll see you again, heroes... Meanwhile, enjoy the fireworks! Hehehehe
In that moment, the Hunters stopped attacking the soldiers and changed their eye colors to red; besides that, they started to emit a pulsating glow that was accelerating with each passing second.
Rouge (Looking at the Hunters) : Oh no...
Tails (Scared) : Everyone get out of here!
After understanding the situation, everyone got away from the Hunters and sought refuge as fast as they could. And then the monsters began to explode, covering everyone with dust and rubble.
Small Soldier (Covering) : Aaaaah!!
At the same time, Angel Island began to descend, allowing the Vultures to fly with ease and hide themselves amongst the clouds.
Blade (Disappearing in the distance) : Hahahaha!!
Knux (Nailing his fists to the ground) : Hang on! The hit will be strong!
The explosions of the Hunters illuminated the battlefield while Angel Island plunged into the abyss. After falling for a couple of minutes, the island finally hit the ocean, creating a huge wave that would crash against all the coasts nearby.
When the peace finally came back, heroes and soldiers rose up from the debris. Many of them ended up wounded, but luckily, they were all safe.
Small soldier (Shaking) : Ouch... *cof cof*
While everyone was shaking the dust off, Knuckles was standing still in front of the altar, contemplating the desolated landscape that the battle left behind.
The fire on the altar was almost off, the armor of the Hunters was dispersed and covered in purple slime, the mystic ruins were completely destroyed, and the Master Emerald was shattered.
Small Soldier (Looking around) : Ahm... Commander?
Of all the heroes, the echidna was the most affected; the sacred place that he protected a long time ago is now in a deplorable state.
Knux (Tired) : *Sigh*
After seeing Knuckles overwhelmed, Rouge, Tails and Sonic got close to him and tried to cheer him up.
Rouge (Briefly smiling) : Hey... I'm good... if you're interested.
Knux (Tired) : I'm glad...
Sonic (Relaxed) : Cheer up, Knux, Your emerald is still here. We only need to find all the fragments and put them back together to restore it. Right, Tails?
Tails (Close to Sonic): That's right! But... restoring this place will be a little more complicated. Hehehe...
The words from his friends cheered up Knuckles a little bit, and then the echidna picked up the fragments of the Master Emerald that were on his feet.
Knux (Looking at a fragment) : But I don't understand... Why did they break it? Were they trying to steal just a fragment?
In that moment, Shadow joined the group.
Shadow : I don't think those guys were looking for the Master Emerald.
Rouge : Hmm? What are you saying?
Shadow : The device that they used seems to be absorbing its essence. If they wanted something from the Master Emerald, that "it" was on its inside.
Tails (Confused) : "It"?
Knux (Thoughtful) : Or somebody...
And like that, while the heroes were trying to solve the mystery of the attack on the island, the soldiers began their task of helping the wounded and collecting the fragments of the Master Emerald.
The next morning, the mystic ruins were clean, and the last fragments of the Master Emerald were put back together on the altar by three tired soldiers.
Small soldier (Wiping the sweat) : Ooof... I think that's all of them.
Knux (Crossing his arms) : Good job, boys. Now go back to the base and take a break.
Soldiers (Making a military salute) : Yes, sir!
The three soldiers descended the altar quickly, leaving Knuckles alone with his thoughts. In that moment, Rouge showed up, who was covered in bandages and scratches just like the echidna.
Rouge (Landing) : You should also take a break. You look terrible.
Knux (Crossing his arms) : Hm? And Tails?
Tails (Arriving): Here I am!
Tails showed up flying with his two tails, but unlike last night, he was now wearing a white shirt, a vest similar to Knuckles and a tool belt.
Tails (Scratching his head) : Sorry for being late. Some cleaning droids went crazy, and I had to control them.
Rouge (With a hand on her hip) : Well... what's the next step?
Knux (Crossing his arms) : Restore the Master Emerald and make Angel Island float again.
Rouge : It sounds so easy when you say it like that.
Tails : Don't worry. He knows what he is doing.
Knuckles approached the fragments, closed his eyes, and put his hands in position to begin the restauration ritual.
Knux (Closing his eyes) : The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos.
Rouge : Why have you never dedicated a poem like that to me?
Tails (With a finger on his mouth) : Shhh...
Knux (Closing his eyes) : What once was it, Come back to be... Master Emerald! Come back to your original form!
Rouge and Tails remained silent, expecting something magical to happen, but time was passing by and the fragments showed no change.
Rouge : Well?
Knux (Putting down his hands) : It's too weak right now...
Rouge : Would it work better if I brought some glue?
Tails : Rouge...
Knux (Crossing his arms) : It doesn't work like that. Hmmm... Looks like we have to wait until the fragments recharge their energy. This could take days or even months.
Tails : I see... In that case, it would be better to continue with the repairs. Oh! By the way, I received a message from headquarters. We have a reunion in fifteen minutes.
Knux (Crossing his arms) : Alright. Let's go back to the base.
Rouge : I'll go for a coffee. You want one, commander?
The three heroes were about to leave the altar, when the fragments of the Master Emerald began to shine in a pulsing matter.
Knux (Looking at the fragments) : Huh? What's going on?
Knuckles got close to the fragments and saw how they were vibrating while their brightness was getting stronger.
Tails (Surprised) : The Master Emerald is getting restored. The ritual worked!
Knuckles (Averting Tails) : Back off! Something is not right...
While the heroes were observing, the energy of the fragments concentrated on a single spot and released a single hit upwards, and then... I appeared. Floating unconscious over the altar, but after a couple of seconds suspended in midair, I ended up falling over the fragments in a spectacular way.
Tails (Feeling other's pain) : Ouch...
Knux (Surprised) : But if it is...
Quickly, Knuckles ran to my aid and lifted me onto his arms.
Rouge (With her hand on her hip) : You... know her?
Knux (Carrying the girl) : She's an old friend. She helped us when Eggman unleashed the power of Chaos a few years ago.
Tails (Confused) : Tikal... Right?
Knux (Carrying the girl) : That's right. Hmmm... I think she's hurt from the falling. We have to take her to the infirmary.
Tails (Assisting) : I'll go ahead and prepare a gurney.
Tails spun his tails and went flying towards the base. Knuckles then carried me on his arms while Rouge was accompanying me on his travel.
Once in the base, Knuckles settled me on a soft gurney that was located inside a white room. After that, Tails closed the doors, and the three heroes went towards the commander center.
Tails (Closing the doors) : She will be safe here.
Knux : Good. Let's go.
Once inside the commander center, Tails called the headquarters, but suddenly an intimidating face showed up on the big screen that was inside the room. It was a dog with a harsh look who was wearing a high-ranking military uniform.
??? (From the screen) : Salutations, Commander Knuckles. Agent Rouge. Mr. Prower.
Knux and Tails (Making a military salute) : Good morning, general Dobermann.
Rouge (Crossing her arms) : Good day, general.
General Dobermann (From the screen) : I'll go straight to the point. The Council is very worried after what happened last night. According to Mr. Prower's report, the enemy attacked in an organized manner, utilizing an even more advanced weapon than the last time. Luckily, there were no casualties.
Knux : My men are strong. They won't fall that easily with these new technological terrors.
General Dobermann (From the screen) : I am sure about it, commander. But I'm afraid that the situation is still critical. Apparently, the enemy took something from the Master Emerald and now it's our priority to find out what it was about.
Tails : General... I think I could have an idea.
General Doberman (From the screen) : I'm listening, Mr. Prower.
Tails (Using a tablet) : You see... I made an analysis of the device that they used on the Master Emerald and it seems that they were trying to capture Chaos.
Tails showed up his tablet to the General, who did not seem to understand very well the diagrams that the fox boy made.
General Dobermann (From the screen) : Hmmm... The water demon that attacked the city? I thought that thing disappeared after its ...purification.
Tails : That's what we thought as well, but then we found out that its essence was still inside the Master Emerald. It's just that it never manifested again.
General Dobermann (From the screen) : I see... then the danger is even bigger than what we originally believed. Those mercenaries would probably turn the creature into a weapon. We'll have to take more serious actions immediately.
Knux : What are your orders, General?
General Dobermann (From the screen) : Now that Angel Island is over the ocean, it's more vulnerable to further attacks. You and your boys will have to keep protecting the Master Emerald. We'll also send a shipment of spare parts to rebuild the defenses of the island.
Knux : You won't send more soldiers?
General Dobermann (From the screen) : Actually, we'll just send one.
Rouge (Crossing her arms) : Huh?
Tails (Confused) : Only one?
General Dobermann (From the screen) : That's right... due to the gravity of the situation, the council has decided to initiate the Project R.
Tails (Surprised) : The Project R... The super soldier.
In that moment, Rouge interposes Tails and the general.
Rouge : With all due respect, general. She is still not ready for these kinds of threats. She needs more training.
General Dobermann (From the screen) : Three years are more than enough to train a soldier. Or at least that's what you told us, agent Rouge.
Rouge (Serious) : Hmmm...
General Dobermann (From the screen) : Besides, if you have any inconveniences, Dr Akari will be there to help you out.
Tails (Very worried) : Dr. Akari? She'll be here?
General Dobermann (From the screen) : I know this is very sudden, but these are hard times and we must act fast. Dr. Akari and I will depart to Angel Island tomorrow morning. You'll receive the rest of the information once we are there.
Tails (Very worried) : But general... the facilities are not ready yet...
General Dobermann (From the screen) : They better be, Mr. Prower. That's all I have to say. Good day.
After finishing the conference, the general Dobermann disappeared from the screen, leaving only the emblem of a ring with wings as an image.
Knux : Well, you heard the general.
With nothing more to say, Knuckles left the room, leaving behind a very worried Tails and a thoughtful Rouge.
While the sun was setting over the horizon, I was still lying down over the infirmary gurney when my eyes began to open slowly.
Tikal (Opening her eyes) : Oh...
After waking up from my long sleep, I sat down on the gurney and rubbed my eyes. My body was still weak, and my head was spinning. That's when I took a look at my surroundings.
Tikal (Looking at her surroundings) : Where am I?
The room where I was at was very clean and had a window looking out at the exterior. Besides, to my side there was a small table where there was a pretty flowerpot with a sunflower.
Tikal (Confused) : What is all this?
Suddenly, someone entered the room.
Tails (With a lot of food) : Oh... you're finally awake.
Tikal (Confused) : Who are you?
Tails (Leaving the food on the table) : You can call me Tails. We met some time ago, remember?
Tikal (Thoughtful) : Tails? Oh, right... You were the friend of Mr. Sonic.
Tails (Checking his tablet) : Correction, I still am.
Tikal (On the gurney) : I see... I am Tikal. It's a pleasure seeing you again, Mr. Tails.
In that moment, Tails got closer to me and examined me with the scanner on his tablet.
Tails (Using his tablet) : Vital signs are normal. Body temperature is normal. There are no traits of chaos energy detected.
Tikal (Confused) : So... What am I doing here?
Tails (Turning off his tablet) : Eh? Well... We were expecting you to tell us. You appeared out of nowhere, and we brought you here to cure your wounds.
Tikal (Confused) : My wounds? But how...? Ouch...
In that moment, I realized that I had a band on my forehead, which was giving me a lot of pain whenever I touched it.
Tikal (Confused) : That hurt...
Tails (Taking a plate full of fruit) : It will be better if you try not to touch it until it heals properly. Why not eat something? That will help you heal.
When I saw the plate full of fruit that Tails was offering me, my stomach began to growl.
Tikal (With her eyes wide open) : Food...
Tails : I didn't know what kind of food your people consume, so I opted by the basics. Fresh fruit and water.
While Tails was talking, I took a beautiful apple and took a huge bite out of it. After spending centuries without trying any food, that apple felt like the most delicious thing in the world.
Tikal (Eating with pleasure) : It's... wonderful.
Tails : Wow... I guess you were really hungry. Hehehe.
Tikal (Looking at the apple on her hands) : Did you said... hungry?
In that moment, I finally understood what was happening. My body was hurt, weak, and hungry because I regained my physical form. I... was alive ... again.
Tails : Hey... Are you alright?
Tikal (Worried) : But... what happened to me?
And while I was trying to assimilate my new reality, on a distant island, Blade and Slash were entering a dark room with a huge screen in the middle of it. Both villains walked closer to some kind of floating chair in the shape of an egg, which carried the emblem of a gear with a saw on the backside.
Slash : It's done. The creature isss oursss.
In that moment, the sharp voice of an old man came out of the floating chair, and by the sound that he made while breathing, he seemed to be sick.
??? (In the shadows) : Ahhh... excellent... *Cof cof*
The identity of this man remained a secret in the shadows, being only visible with his two dark mechanical hands, which he used to operate the control panel in front of him.
??? (In the shadows) : Now it's just about time for the world to know the greatness of my genius. Hmhmhm... HAHAHAHAHA!!
The man with the metallic hands began to laugh like a maniac, while on the big screen were displayed several images related to Chaos. At the same time, Blade and Slash looked at each other with a disgusted expression.