DeathKeeper Tailsfan Part one: DeevilMort *Note: Mer Drache is Mewy's character, and it belongs to her, not me. If you like this character, you should read both Shredded Angel and Sotsu, which are connected. Thanks, and let's get going! Knuckles the enchidna sleeps peacefully, slumped on the steps near the Master Emerald. Slowly, his slumber is poisoned by nightmares that seep into his head. He twists and turns and the visions in his mind. Dark, thin shapes twist and slink through the water of the ocean. They number well into the teens, all heading for one point in the ocean--a cave-like rock that holds more than meets the eye. The minds of the dark figures are all the same...ruthless and evil. They slide effortlessly into the cave, jumping apon it's occupant. The vision fades into darkness... Knuckles's eyes snap open and he sits up strait, yelling, KNUCKLES: Deevilmort! The enchidna breathes raggedly, trying to calm down. A cold sweat seeps down his forehead. KNUCKLES: Just a dream. He turns to find the Master Emerald glowing bright, and surges of energy flowing out of it like waves. KNUCKLES: What's happening? Knuckles walks slowly closer, wondering if someone could be tampering with the Emeralds. As he comes within three feet, the emerald flashes brilliantly-and a wailing, chilling, hissing scream fills the air, peircing the night. It fades away slowly, disapeering without a trace. Knuckles starts, then throws himself at the Master Emerald as he reconizes the voice. KNUCKLES: Karma?! Karma! There is no reply, and Knuckles grows even more worried as power drains from the emerald and stops glowing. KNUCKLES: (whispering) Oh, God, no. Knuckles races towards the edge of the island, heading for the ocean cave the lizard guardian lives in, whispering, KNUCKLES: Please be okay. As Knuckles reaches the cave, he feels that something is wrong. He slips into the tunnle and steps onto the rocky ground of the cave. KNUCKLES: (shocked) Oh my god... Rocky bits and pieces scatter the ground, and drops of red stain the walls-signs of struggle. The Father Crystal is laying on it's side, and all the crystals are dead and dim. Karma is not there. KNUCKLES: Oh, man... The enchidna backs up, stunned at the scene before him. Without thinking, he turns and dives into the tunnel. KNUCKLES: I have to tell somebody! He swims out the tunnel, then turns and heads in a certian direction. Tails awakes to a rapid knocking at his door. He stumbles over towards it and opens, revealing Knuckles. TAILS: (sleepily) It's the middle of the night, Knuckles. Why are you here? KNUCKLES: I'll explain when you let me in and close the door. TAILS: Come back later, I wanna sleep. KNUCKLES: Karma is missing. Tails snaps awake instantly. TAILS: (surprized) What?! You mean, he left and he'll be back, right? KNUCKLES: I mean, he's been taken. TAILS: Eggman? KNUCKLES: No clue. TAILS: Oh man. I'll call Sonic. Tails walks to the telephone and dials a number. He waits a while, then talks. TAILS: Hey, Sonic?...Yeah, it's me. No, I'm not calling because of something stupid.(listens for a while) Knuckles rips the phone from Tails's hand and talks to Sonic. KNUCKLES: Look...Karma's been kidnapped. I just checked his cave, there's signs of a struggle and no one's there. Get over to Tails's place as fast as you can, okay? Knuckles hangs up and waits in silence. A half hour later, Sonic knocks at the door. As soon as he is safely inside, he explodes. SONIC: Karma's been kidnapped? KNUCKLES: From what it looks like. And it's narrowed down to two suspects: Eggman and Slash. I know it isn't Slash, because the DeathCrystals weren't touched. Slash would've killed Karma and taken the crystals. So it has to be Eggman or somebody we don't know about. SONIC: Well, there's only one way to find out, and we all know what that is. TAILS: Find Eggman and Force him to talk! Sonic and Knuckles look at Tails oddly. TAILS: What? They run out, discussing there plan. An hour after the trio's departure and search for Eggman and Karma still hasn't brought any results. SONIC: Where the hell does Eggman live? We've searched the ruins, the forest, the city..... TAILS: Maybe he went back to the scene of the crime? KNUCKLES: Any place is worth searching..... They head towards the beach, talking all the while. SONIC: I don't get it. Wouldn't Eggman want the DeathCrystals too? KNUCKLES: It doesn't make sence, but nothing does right now. They near the ocean and find no sign of Eggman. SONIC: Damn. Now where do we go. TAILS: Uh...Sonic.... SONIC:Yeah? TAILS: (pointing) What's that? The fox points to a spot out in the ocean. A green V shape is slicing through the water neatly in there direction. KNUCKLES: Hey, doesn't Karma's tail end that way? TAILS: Yup. KNUCKLES: Is that him? TAILS: Could be. SONIC: (calling out) Karma? The V shape disapeers into the ocean. After a break of a few minutes, a figure explodes from the sea and flaps ocward fin-like wings to balance herself. TAILS, SONIC, & KNUCKLES: (surprized) Woah! The figure stands before them, calm and with one hand on her hip, showing sharp, deadly looking claws. She studies them for a moment, then says, in a low, silky, surprizingly calm but menacing voice: FIGURE: And who might I have the honor of adressing? SONIC: Uh.....I'm Sonic, this is Tails, and that's Knuckles. The figure stares calmly at them, then replys: FIGURE: I am known as Mer Drache, but most people call me Mer. And you have probably noticed that I am a seadragon. (she gazes at Knuckles for a minute, then states calmly) He holds powergem energy, I can sence it. Knuckles starts, then asks: KNUCKLES: How can you know that? MER: I have had encounters with gems with such power as the ones you hold... SONIC: Er...yeah. Uh...what are you doing here? MER: Rumors. I heard them, now I've come to investigate them. SONIC: Oh. Well, our friend is in trouble here...he's been kidnapped. MER: Really? SONIC: Yeah...do you think you could help us? Get him back, I mean? MER: I see no reason why not...who knows, it could help in my investigation. SONIC: Okay, now we just gotta find Eggman's base. The trio runs off with there newfound accomplice. After several hours, the group of four finally gets a clue as to where they might find there adversary. They reach the base, then huddle outside the door. SONIC: Okay...one, two, three.. Kicking open the door, they burst into a room which is expected, as usual, to have several computors and robots in it. What they find instead is ashtonishing. A bookshelf full of thick novels lines one wall, and a cheery fire lites the grate on the opposits side. Eggman sits in a deep armchair, holding a book in one hand and a pencil in the other. SONIC: Er...Eggman? EGGMAN: Of cource. TAILS: What're you doing? EGGMAN: Reading a delightful book. It's called, "Bad guys who gained power" by a relative of mine. KNUCKLES: Where's Karma? Mer seems to stiffen for a second, then loosens up and backs off ever so slightly. EGGMAN: How should I know? I'm not scedualed to start another attack on you for at least a week... SONIC: Wha? So...where's Karma? EGGMAN: I have no idea, but I haven't kidnapped in quite a while. I would be gloating otherwize. Sonic backs out of the room, Tails and Knuckles following. Mer is already outside. SONIC: Well...that was weird... KNUCKLES: No kidding... MER: (suddenly and forcefully) Did you say Karma? TAILS: Yeah...Karma's the kidnapped guy we're looking for. MER: I don't belive it.... Tails is just about to ask Mer what she is talking about, but hears a muttering sound behind him and whirls. Knuckles is leaning against the wall, his eyes rolled up into his head and mummbling, half incomprehensible. TAILS: Knux? What's up? Knuckles continues, seeming to talk to someone only he can see... KNUCKLES: Swarm....attack...captured...cell...where are you?...Karma....wait...stay connected! Karma...at...DEEVILMORT! Knuckles shouts the last word, snapping into his normal state as he does so. MER: DeevilMort? That's it... SONIC: Man, Knux, what was that about? KNUCKLES: What? TAILS: You don't remember? MER: Of cource he didn't...he wasn't really talking.....that was Karma speaking to him, just now...but from the sound of it he's very far away.(whispers to herself) So...he's back at DeevilMort...I didn't even know he survived... SONIC: What? MER: He's never explained his past to you? SONIC: No. MER: Karma...is one of the Suganamo lizards of DeevilMort Island, closely related to the Komodo Dragon but farther advanced and with more skill and cunning, as well as more ruthless and interested in killing. Mer stares at Knuckles, then says: MER: Also appointed as the guardian species of the DeathCrystals, and would-be protectors of the Emeralds as well...if encidnas hadn't been there. KNUCKLES: (shocked) Wha? MER: I am willing to bet anything Karma has been taken back there. SONIC: Why? Captured by his own people? MER: (staring at all three with a shockingly deep stare) because he is an outlaw. Karma leans heavily on the side of his cell, clinking chains noisely in the darkness. He closes his eyes and conncentrates on breathing through the metal loop wrapped tightly around his neck. His mind plays the scene of his capture over and over in his head... He had been sleeping, curled in his usual spot next to the DeathCrystals. A slight rustling woke him, and he sleepily opened one eye to scan the area. Seeing nothing, he rolled over to go back to sleep, but a slight burst of energy from the Crystals awoke him fully. He turned in the direction of the tunnel entrance and walked toward it. He never got that far... Out of the darkness on either side 6 shapes leap at him, snaking around his body and pulling him to the floor. All have a body structure similar to his own, lizard-like and thin, with a whip-like, strong, single-tipped tail. Dark green reptilian skin covers them, and they peer at their captive through blood red eyes. One of them speaks, in the same hissing tone as Karma, letting his tounge flicker out almost lazily. LIZARD: Ssso, Karma. Thought we wouldn't find you, eh? Well, you have been taken, now you shall pay for the thingsss you did to your people. Karma rears up, throwing two of the lizards and wrapping his tail around another two, throwing them into the wall. He scrabbles towards the crystals, trying to protect them. The same lizard that had talked to them, evidently the leader, wraps tightly around his victem and hisses: LIZARD: Oh no, you don't. You will never again sssee thossse crystals, they are oursss! Karma replys by twisting his head and biting into the lizard's nose, which is right near his shoulder. Outraged and in pain, the lizard lets go and Karma takes the oppertunity to kick him into a wall. Turning, he runs toward the crystals again...and stops, finding 13 more lizards standing there calmly. KARMA: Oh, shit..... Now the lizard turns for the exit, but once again doesn't get there. The 13 newly found lizards leap on him, holding him down, lashing at him with tails and snapping with fangs. Karma continues to fight back fiercely, but knows he has already lost. Suddenly, he notices the crystals glowing bright...and a misty figure staring back at him, looking oddly like Knuckles... More and more of the lizards attack, enjoying the sence of hurting the most hated creature in all of DeevilMort. Karma, almost unable to breathe from the mob of lizards on him, suddenly lets out a chilling, hissing scream...and startles the lizards into backing up. Wasting no time, he leaps up and charges for the exit... Three whip-like extentions wrap around his left arm, holding him in place. Three more curl around his right leg, another three his left. Another set of three tails wraps around his final arm. Gasping, Karma pulls at the restraining tails and trys to use his own to free himself, but another three tails wrap around it, rendering it usless. Karma strains at the limbs holding him and trys desperatly to get away, but they only tighten and allow two more to twist around his waist and chest. A final slips around his neck and jerks him painfully to the floor. Out of the darkness the leading lizard aproaches the still struggling Karma. LIZARD: You've given usss a fine chassse for the past two yearsss...now you are going to pay for it... The lizard takes out a small vial of bluish-clear liquid. He brings it to Karma's mouth, who resists but is rewarded by tightning tails. His mouth is forced open and the liquid dribbled into it. He tries to spit it out, but a sharp kick in the face stops him. He tries to force himself to pull free, but already he is loosing feeling in his body...his mind clouds over, and his eyes slowly close.... Karma sighs, huddling into a dark corner of the tiny cell. He knows that help is impossible...how could Sonic and the others possibly know where he could have gone? He lowers himself to the ground of the cell and curls up, trying to sleep... And finds himself connected to Knuckles in his dreams. SONIC: Okay, explain this again, one more time... MER: (sighing) Very well... The group of four sits on the beach, and Mer is telling them the past history of Karma. MER: Keep in mind I don't know all of it...some parts only Karma can know...But let me begin. Karma, like I said, is one of the Suganamo lizards of DeevilMort Island. The island is very far out, and not many people know about it. The lizards that live on it are pure killers, and will attack when they feel like it. But they are not just idiot killers, they are smart and ruthless, able to come up with very effective plans and attacks. For quite some time, they had been attacking my own people, who lived nearby. We lived underwater, and had technology and land that they could have used to there advantage. They had mass attacks on us, often using the DeathCrystal power, and we would have been defeated and forced to move out or die if it had not been for one thing-the Crystals disapeered. Without there power, they could not attack...so they were forced to stop. I didn't know much at the time...but I left soon after the end of it all to find answers, two years ago. I found eventually that the crystals had been taken-they were stolen by the Crystal Guardian's son...Karma. KNUCKLES: What?! MER: (nodding) I was as surprized as you were at first. But after doing more reseach, I found something else: The origional guardian was a murderer, he used the crystals to kill and nothing else. Now, I don't know about the Chaos Emeralds, but the DeathCrystals will reject a Master that uses them wrong. The original guardian began to loose the power, and Karma slowly gained it all...this was about 3 or 4 years ago. The guardian who was slowly loosing power was Karma's father, who knew his power was disapeering, but didn't know why. As for Karma, the power he gained strengthened him, he is stronger, larger, and faster than all the other lizards. Then the twist came in...an injured creature landed on the island...an anteater by the name of Slash. SONIC: Slash! He has a part in this too? MER: Of cource. You know him? SONIC: Well...he's popped in a few times... MER: He was half dead when he arrived on the island. Karma found him, delirious and cut up in a thousand places. Using crystal power, Karma healed him. When Slash found out what happened, he went power-hungry, trying to get the crystals. He made a delibrete attack on them...and killed the original guardian in the process. (closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them) Karma could have saved his father...he didn't. After Slash had been put in the prison, Karma was more careful about the crystals. He also noticed that the crystals were being used wrong...for attacking, killing, ect. He grew steadily more uncomfotable about it... Then Slash escaped. Karma immediatly took the crystals and ran away with them...stopping the attacks in the proccess. KNUCKLES: And he told us the rest....he hid out for a year somewhere, but Slash eventually found him. After nearly killing Slash, he moved out here for a year, and we just found him. Mer nods. MER: He is concidered an outlaw to his people, but in reality he is a hero, putting himself at risk to save others. Now that risk has gotten him into trouble. (seems to think for a second, then says calmly) I'm coming with you. SONIC: What? MER: You don't know anything about what you are about to get into. I do, so It is important I come with you. Besides, (gazes out to sea) The guardian of the sea has protected my people...I owe it to him to return the debt. Sonic watches the sea dragon closely, then asks: SONIC: So...how do we get to this place? MER: Well...If you can swim well than it's, maybe, a three day journey. Flying could work too, I suppose, but you'd get tired out. SONIC: Er..I can't swim OR fly. MER: That presents a problem. SONIC: Yeah, it does. MER: I could try to carry you...no, that wouldn't work...hmmm....... KNUCKLES: how far out is this place? MER: Very far out.... KNUCKLES: It would be dangerous even to swim then. TAILS: There isn't anything else we can do...... Mer suddenly seems to light up as she has an idea. MER: Knuckles...you've had connections with the DeathCrystals in the past, right? KNUCKLES: (confused) Sort of...why? MER: I have as well...I think maybe we'll be able to use a crystal transport system. KNUCKLES: Are you sure? Those are really complicated...especially since we aren't the true guardian of the crystals...it'll be next to immpossible! MER: We have to try... KNUCKLES: Do you know how many things could go wrong? I say we find a safer way. Mer turns on Knuckles and glares at him. MER: Do you know what those lizards do to there captured victems? Torture. Absolute tourture, then death. Although death is a more welcomed thing after they're through with you. And with the most wanted person ever? They'll make it into a huge thing. He's a wanted criminal who will die unless we get there within the next couple of days. Do I make myself clear? Knuckles nods, then sighs. KNUCKLES: Okay. You'll have to do the directing, I'll just supply the power. MER: That's fine with me. The two close there eyes and concentrate for a moment. Sonic and Tails can feel a small amount of energy flowing towards them. After a few minutes, Knuckles nods. KNUCKLES: Okay, I'm ready. You? MER: Of cource. (turning to Sonic and Tails) All you have to do is hold onto Knuckles or me. Sonic moves forward and places a hand on Knuckles's sholder. Tails steps forward to hold Mer's arm. The sea dragon nods, and both she and the enchidna concentrate. A ball of energy seems to form in front of them, then widens out to envelop them. A white light fills their eyes, and a soft whisling sound passes there ears. Suddenly, they are surrounded by darkness. MER: We're in a cave. KNUCKLES: Not Karma's either. TAILS: So we did it? MER:(leaning against cave wall) We successfully transported.... KNUCKLES: God that was hard... Knuckles slumps to the cave floor, eyes closed and in a restful position. KNUCKLES: I am not moving another inch... MER: We'd better rest here for the night.... The four settle down for the night, hoping against hope that there friend is still alive. Karma, at that moment, is alive, but getting weaker as the guards of the prison have a little "fun." One holds the captive lizard while the other yanks on his neck chain, cutting off his air. Karma squirms, but becomes dizzy as he looses oxygen. Laughing, the guards release the lizard and begin to leave. This is a big mistake. Karma is on the guards instantly, attacking from behind. He wraps his tail around one's neck, choking him, and tries to throttle the other. KARMA: How do you like it?! Gasping, the guards call for help. It soon comes; several other guards attack the lizard captive and beat him into uncontiousness. GUARD: We must move him into a deeper cell, with more chains. They drag the uncontious lizard farther down the hall, planning more and more painful ways of revenge. Sonic awakes to a hissing sound a few feet away from him. Karma pops into his head, but disapeers just as quickly from the throaty, hoarse sound the hiss makes. SONIC: Who's there? Sonic stands up and faces a reptilian figure, a frilled newt. A rust-red color makes it easy to spot, and green eyes seem to glow as it stares at the hedgehog. Rancid breath is released as the newt's tounge slips lightly over Sonic's face. SONIC: What the hell?! Sonic backs up into Mer, who is sleeping peacefully, back to the cave wall. SONIC: Mer, get up! There's something in the cave here! Mer is instantly awake, looking around. She spots the figure advancing on them. MER: Oh, this is not good. SONIC: What? MER: That....is a flesh-eating frilled newt. SONIC: Oh shit. MER: Yeah. You're gonna have to fight it off. SONIC: Me?! MER: Me and Knux can't fight, we're too weak. Tails can help you. Don't worry, I'll tell you how to fight it. SONIC: Okay... Sonic advances on the newt as Mer shouts: MER: Okay. The tail doesn't do anything but don't let it bite you...poisonus. SONIC: (muttering sarcastically) Gee, that's good. MER: It's not fast but it has fast reaction time, so look out. Try to get it from behind. Sonic runs at the newt, who bears it's teeth and leaps. Sonic goes into a spindash and rolls away, turning to come at it from behind. The newt turns to meet the attacking hedgehog and slams into him, stopping the attack without so much as a scratch. It trys to find a place to bury it's fangs, but is faced with a wall of spikes-Sonic's back. Sonic goes into a second spindash and rams the newt down, then zooms off and turns again to attack. The newt turns and waits for him, facing the spinning blue ball. At the last second Sonic stops, slides under the newt's legs, and jumps up to tackle it to the ground. It falls and tries to flip over to give it's deadly bite, but Sonic kicks it in the head and knocks it out. MER: Not bad. But I think we'd better get out of here...it's not safe anymore. SONIC: (panting) No duh. Part two: DeevilMort Deep in the underground prisons of Deevilmort, the leader lizard of the attacks on Karma walks calmly toward his enemy's cell, about 10 guards following him. He stops in front of the cell and peers into the darkness. LIZARD: Karma.... A soft rustle of chains and the appearance of two yellow, slitted pupil eyes answers him. A light hiss escapes the captive guardian, facing his adversary who is almost as big as himself. KARMA: (hissing) Avadon....... Avadon grins evily, then states: AVADON: I've heard you've been giving the guardsss some trouble, Karma. Hasss it been beaten out of you yet? The tired looking, bright yellow eyes disapeer, and there is silence for a few minutes. AVADON: (grinning) I fugured ass much...you're too- AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Karma suddenly leaps at the bars, yellow eyes burning with rage. Looping one of his many chains through the bars, he wraps it around Avadon's neck, pulling him to the door and yanking. KARMA: The anssswer to your quessstion...not quite. Avadon squirms, powerless, against the enraged lizard who has always been far more powerful compared to him. Panic fills the evil lizard leader as he is held up against the bars, chains clinking as the do there evil work. But before Karma can finish off his enemy, the guards leap at him, holding him down and freeing there leader. They kick cruelly at the outlaw, and a peircing scream escapes his lips before he sinks into uncontiousness, whispering, KARMA: I won't give up...you'll have to try a lot harder... Avadon shivers at the scream, a chill running up his spine and giving him a foreboding feeling. Anger shoves the mysterious feeling aside, and he shouts: AVADON: (in a hissing, spitting tone) Keep him locked up, don't let him have resistance-no food and drug his drink so he'll be weak. He will die in four day's time-I'll make sure of it! The cell clangs closed as the guards leave the injured lizard, along with there leader. Mer and Knuckles prepare for a second transport using the limited amount of crystal energy they have. If Mer was exhausted she didn't show it, but Knuckles was plainly ready to collapse if he did too much; he swayed with small sea breezes and bent his head, eyes half closed and taking deep breaths. MER: Are you sure you're ready for this? KNUCKLES: (shaking his head and zoning back to reality) Yeah, let's go. Tails and Sonic move forward to be part of the transport, and Mer and Knuckles concentrate. Once again, Sonic feels the sensation of the mysterious move, but this time it's different. There seems to be a ripple of energy, then it fades out. With an unexpected thump, Sonic falls, Tails next to him, onto an island. Standing up, he looks around. SONIC: Well, we can't be there...this island is only twenty feet in diameter. TAILS: Huh...I thought they were too weak. We didn't make a full transport...right, Mer? There is no answer, and Sonic looks around. SONIC: Mer and Knuckles aren't here! TAILS: Oh man...they must have been cut off! Tails looks around uselessly, but Sonic stares out into the ocean. SONIC: They're probably out there. Tails...? TAILS: (whirling his tails) I'm on it. Tails zooms out over the ocean and soon disapeers from sight. Sonic paces nervously. After forty-five minutes, still nobody is in sight. Sonic's nervousness increases...then a figure drags itself onto the small island. Sonic reconizes it and sighs with relife. SONIC: Mer! Mer drags herself in a few feet and flips onto her back, laying there. SONIC: You okay? MER: Fine, just tired. (blinks, looking around from her position) Hey...where's Tails? SONIC: Out looking for you guys. MER: And Knuckles? SONIC: He's...he's not with you? MER: No...I thought it was only me that dropped out. I ran out of crystal power but I assumed Knuckles still had some... The seadragon tries to get up, but Sonic pushes her down. MER: I have to get out there. Have to find Knuckles... SONIC: You're too tired. Just rest, I trust Tails. Sonic sits down and stares in the direction that Tails left in. SONIC: Come on Tails, you gotta find him...... Knuckles falls into the ocean from a few feet up, trailing bubbles and foam down with him. Exhausted, he slowly sinks down, limbs floating eerilly, as if he is dead. He makes no move to save himself, just lets go of his grip on survival. Then the panic settles in. No air floats into the enchidna's mind. He begins to thrash, desperatly trying to reach the surface. He makes slow progress, wearing himself out as he struggles. Only a foot from the surface, he gives up; blacking out from the lack of air and rest, he closes his eyes and sinks lower.....and is met by the strange flash in his head, the feeling that someone is trying to get to him. Karma, growing weaker from his cruel inprisonment, curls up tightly in a dark corner of his cell. No one had come by all day, except for bringing his drugged water-he had earned himself the reputation of a dangerous enemy, and as many of the guards stayed away from him as they could. He sinks into a quiet sleep-and finds himself, once again, linked with Knuckles ever so slightly. However, this time it is different-the mind that reaches him is dim and fading out fast. In his head, almost out loud, he thinks, no, this cannot happen. Someone find him! He continues to feel Knuckles's black mind, and with a surge of crystal power screams outloud. KARMA: Help him! He izzz dying...sssomeone help him..... His voice fades along with the crystal power. He slumps and whispers, KARMA: And me. Tails sighs, floating ten feet over the ocean. For fifteen minutes he had been searching for any sign of Mer or Knuckles, but so far without any luck. He glances around, then starts as he hears a shout. VOICE: Help him! He izzz dying...sssomeone help him..... Tails whips around, looking for the source of the farmiliar voice. TAILS: Karma?! Seeing no sign of the lizard, he sighs and continues searching. Suddenly, the ocean ahead of him a few yards seems to draw his attention, and he flys over to it. For a few seconds, the water seems clear and he can see down to the bottem...and see the floating body of the enchidna near the ocean floor. TAILS: Oh man.....Knuckles! For one fleeting second, he wishes Mer or Karma was with him-both were excellent swimmers, having been out in the sea since they were born. He shakes the thought of both reptilian friends away, and flys higher so he can dive. TAILS: Well, I can't swim as good as some can, but I can swim. He dives into the ocean's icy cold water and imidiatly finds it hard to swim; his tails grow heavy from all the seawater soaking into them, and he has to drag them down, slowing his progress. He continues, going so low he fears he won't be able to get back up. Deeper and deeper, into waters slowly growing darker; then, suddenly, he is there. The eerie body of Knuckles floats beside him. He grabs the enchidna's arm and pushes against the ocean floor, propelling him up a few feet. He begins to feel worried as he relizes he wants to take a breath, but forces himself up and keeps going. He uses his tails as well as he can to propel him, but they are more of a bother than a help. Now, only a few feet from the surface, he finds himself trying to force his mouth open to take a breath of the air that doesn't exist. With a final surge, he bursts through the surface and gasps, gratefully sucking in air as he holds the uncontious enchidna. After a few restful minutes, Tails turns to the body of the enchidna next to him. After a few failing trys, he manages to get into the air to fly, dragging Knuckles with him. The uncontious guardian dangles limply, barely looking alive. TAILS: It can't get any worse than this. We are stranded on a tiny island, attempting to get to a second island of murderous lizards so we can save a friend who may be already dead, while a second is practically drowned and a third is missing. If anything is worse, name it. The fox heads back to the small island they had landed on. As soon as he comes within hearing range, Sonic speaks. SONIC: Tails! You found him! TAILS: Yeah, but it's not good. He was practically dead when I found him. Sonic's face becomes even more worried as Tails lays the red enchidna on the island. TAILS: I couldn't find Mer though... SONIC: Because she's here. He points to the other side of the small island, where Mer is laying peacefully, resting after using so much energy. TAILS: Well, that's a relife. He turns to Knuckles, sprawled on the ground. He shakes him gently, saying, TAILS: Wake up. When nothing happens, he shakes the enchidna harder, yelling, with an edge of panic in his voice. TAILS: Com'on, get up, Knuckles, wake up! Again, nothing happens, and Tails gives up hope that the enchidna will ever wake again... Knuckles seems to be enveloped in the darkness of his own mind, falling into it and never coming out. He gives up on life, simply lets go of it. His mind, weakened, begins to shut down. Then, suddenly, a second mind joins his. For a few breif minutes, he is connected with another being. A shadowy outline forms in front of him into a lean, farmiliar shape. FIGURE: You have to get up. Knuckles disagrees with the strange yet reconizable figure in his head, and it speaks again. FIGURE: There izzz much more you have to do....ssso much left to be done...you are needed. The accent sets off Knuckles's mind even more...who was it? Suddenly he remembers...Karma. The one who they had set out to rescue...who was going to die because he saved an entire race... KARMA: Get up...you're a major part in what izzz to come. Knuckles trys to respond to the lizard, but instead sputters and hacks up sea water. The figure in his head shatters, and he snaps back to reality. Hacking and coughing, he expels most of the water from his lungs, attempting to sit up. SONIC&TAILS: Knuckles! KNUCKLES: (still sputtering) What...happened? Where are...we? TAILS: You don't remember what happened? You and Mer lost the connection with DeathCrystal power and the transport faltered. We didn't get to Deevilmort. KNUCKLES: I remember now.... The enchidna sighs, then suddenly starts as he thinks of Karma. KNUCKLES: Karma! We have to get to Deevilmort now...... Sonic and Tails can feel teh energy flowing towards the enchidna as he gathers it for a transport. TAILS: (firmly) No way. If you try that now you'll fade out again, and who knows if we'll find you. You have to rest...look at Mer, she's sleeping. KNUCKLES: But- SONIC: We have to make sure as many people survive as possible, even if it means sacrificing one person. It had been two days since Karma had last met with Knuckles's mind. Not a crumb of food had past his lips, and the water they gave him continued to weaken him with it's drugs in it. Along with this, the only light was the torch outside his cell door. His mind was beginning to fall apart, despretly hoping for a rescue while knowing it was almost impossible. Sitting in the corner of his cell, Karma's usually calm mind is replaced with an unusual panic. Despite the chains on him, he dashes at the wall, slamming into it and slapping at it with his tail. He dashes to the cell door, gnawing on the bars with his small fangs, as if he is trying to bite through them, curling his tail around the lower bars. A crazy light in his bright yellow eyes, he runs at the far wall, ramming into it with his sholder and clawing at it hopelessly. Attacking the walls of his small cell, he screams, KARMA: I have to get out of here! His panic run slowly seeps away and his calm ming comes back into place. Tired from the attacks on his immovible walls, he sinks into a corner. Slowly, a new sence, fear, seeps into his torutured mind like venom. He curls up in a tight ball, and moans: KARMA: Oh god, sssomeone help me! Mer and Knuckles had to rest for three days before building up enough crystal energy to transport again. They not only needed energy for the transport, but to be able to move around and attack if neccicary while on Deevilmort. Finally, Mer and Knuckles get ready for the major power rush of the transport. It works smoothly, with no unusual happenings. The group of four feels solid ground under their feet. SONIC: Cool, we made it. MER: Uh-oh... KNUCKLES: What? MER: We are in HUGE trouble. The group is in the middle of a huge crowd of lizards. They are all similar to Karma, but have red eyes and darker green skin. They glare at the four tresspassers with a evil, emotionless stare. KNUCKLES: Uh...hi? TAILS: They don't look very happy... MER: That's mainly because of me and Knuckles. TAILS: Oh. The lizards seem to have an almost hungry stare, desprete for a killing. KNUCKLES: It occurs to me that maybe we shouldn't be here. MER: Yeah. (to the lizards) Look, we'll just get going, and leave you alone. KNUCKLES: Yeah. Sorry to pop in on you like that. LIZARD GUARD: An enchidna and a sssea dragon...what a catch...Avadon will be mossst pleasssed. KNUCKLES: What do we do now? MER: It's simple, really...we run like hell! The four dash through the astounded crowd of lizards down the street. More lizards at the end set to block them off, and they are trapped. MER: (throwing open a small door) Quick! In here! SONIC: What's in here? MER: The underground passages. The prisons are down here; we can escape and find Karma! They dash through the door into the greatly sloping downward hall. Forks, twists, and dark endings meet them; Mer picks a passage and yells, MER: Com'on! The four dash down the hall, lizards after them. The halls get darker and darker, until it is practically pitch dark. Forks and passages branch off in all directions. They keep running, knowing it is the only thing between them and Karma's species. Finally, Knuckles stops. KNUCKLES: (panting) I...think...we...lost'em... There is no answer. Knuckles looks around and finds he is totally alone. KNUCKLES: Oh man! I must have gotten seperated from them in the dark... He turns and finds two lizards staring at him in their evil, unblinking stare that only Karma cannot claim to have. KNUCKLES: Oh man..looks like a fight... He had fought with Karma before, when the crystal power had split him in half. And one of those times he had lost. He hoped they wouldn't be as difficult to defeat. One of the lizards charges forward, whipping it's tail like a bullwhip. Knuckles waits, then, when it gets close enough, punches it in the head. It collapses with a shocked look on his face. The other lizard screams, LIZARD: Kill all enchidnasss! Theives of the powergemsss! It moves forward, slinking around Knuckles slowly. Knuckles stays on his guard, watching the lizard and it's tail carefully. Suddenly, it dashes forward, sweeping it's tail and knocking Knuckles off his feet. It hungrily dives for the enchidna's throat, trying to tear it open with it's small fangs. Instinctively, Knuckles reaches out and grabs the lizard by it's neck. It squirms, snapping at his hand, and he throws it. It twists and lands lightly on the floor, coming back for more. Knuckles double-punches, hitting the lizard in the head as he did to the other one, cracking the skull. But even defeated, it still charges forward to fight. Knuckles kicks, hitting it on the crack of it's skull and wounding it. Screaming, it collapses to the floor, twitching, but still trying to reach the enchidna. Knuckles's heart is going too fast for him to think strait, he is horrified at the lizard's attack even with it's dying breath. He walks on down the passage, totally lost and running over the memories of the lizard's death. Mer, Sonic, and Tails slow down from their mad escape dash at a fork in the passages, one leading to a dead end. MER: Well, they seem to have left us alone, so- TAILS: Hey, where'd Knuckles go? MER: (groaning) He must have got seperated in the dark... TAILS: Should we go back for him? SONIC: Knux can take care of himself for a little while. We really need to find Karma, he's in bigger trouble at the moment. MER: Sonic's right. I think I know which area of this underground maze would have Karma in it, but not a specific cell. SONIC: All you have to do is lead us there, we'll deal with that when we get there. Sonic runs towards the second hall of the fork, the one that isn't a dead end. SONIC: Com'on! MER: Uh, I wouldn't... Sonic runs down the hall and slams into what seems to be an invisible wall. Dazed, he backs up. SONIC: What the hell?! MER: I said, don't go down that way. SONIC: Well, where else do we go? (points) That passage is a dead end. MER: It appears to be a dead end. The sea dragon walks over to the wall in the blocked passage and calmly steps through it to the other side. She pokes her head back through and yells, MER: Follow me! TAILS: (running through the "wall" as well) That's a hologram? MER: Yes. There are several of those around here, as well as twists, traps, and guard posts. I know where a fair few of them are, so I'll lead you around here. Mer leads them in silence for an hour, avoiding lizards and traps. Finally, she speaks. MER: This is the wing...I'm not sure which cell it is. Tails, Sonic, and Mer break up to investigate the cells. Luckily, most of them were empty, but quite a few had bones and other unplesent remains to prove that they once had occupants. After about ten minutes, Tails speaks. TAILS: Over here! Sonic and Mer run over to Tails. They peer inside the cell. SONIC: (calling softly) Karma? Two yellow eyes glow from the darkness of the back of the cell. KARMA: Sssonic? Sonic begins to pick the lock of the cell door as fast as he can. SONIC: Yeah, it's me. We're here to get you out. The yellow eyes disapeer from the darkness of the cell, and there is a rustle of chains. Karma suddenly comes into the torchlight. Sonic reels back, startled. SONIC: What happened to him?! Karma's usually bright green color is pale, he is far skinnier and it is obvious that he is weak. His eyes are weary looking and he is very alert to movement. MER: (outside the torchlight) Probably a case of no food. The usual Suganamo trick, and if he was fighting back they probably gave him some drug too. Sonic swings the door open, and Mer goes in to get the chains off of the lizard. Karma suddenly starts acting strange; he backs into the corner in a defensive manner, hissing in a low tone, as Mer advances on him. When she gets close, he lets out a hissing shriek and leaps at her, wrapping his tail around her legs and resting his mouth very close to her neck, as if he is ready to strike and kill her. SONIC: What the hell?! Karma, what are you doing?! MER: (very slowly) I think this is all defensive, Sonic... SONIC: Huh? MER: I think that, after all these days in this prison, with all they're doing to him, he thinks I'm one of the lizards. Which is understandable, because I look similar to them. Sonic and Tails rush into the cell and pull Karma off of the sea dragon. He is breathing hard and a crazy light fills his eyes again. SONIC: Karma, chill. That's Mer, she's a sea dragon and a friend. KARMA: A sea dragon?... The crazed lizard calms down at once, and Sonic and Tails let go of him. He sighs and leans against the wall, tired out after his explosion of wild energy. KARMA: Oh god...I have to get out of here...... SONIC: We're here to do just that, don't worry. Mer moves forward to Karma. She puts his right arm around her neck, letting him lean on her to walk. MER: You saved my people's life....I'm not resting until yours is safe as well. She turns her two waiting companions. MER: Let's go. Avadon sits in his hall in the city above the tunnels. Suddenly, the door of the hall bursts open, and a lizard guard rushes through. A nasty bruise on his head marks a battle. LIZARD: Massster, there hasss been an intruder! AVADON: (eyes narrowing) What kind? Report, you idiot! LIZARD: An enchidna. I and my partner met it in the passsages below, and we fought...It killed my partner... AVADON: (evily) And did you kill it? Becaussse (draws the lizard closer and rests his tail on it's shoulder) if you didn't...I am going to make sure you die along with that traitor Karma... The lizard gulps and twitches under the lizard leader's stare. He does the first thing that comes to his head. LIZARD: (nervously) It...It'sss dead. I killed it myssself. AVADON: Good. However... Avadon wraps his tail around the guard's neck, squeezes tight, and lifts him up off the ground. AVADON: For even letting a creature sssuch asss an enchidna onto thisss island, you will pay the price. The squirming lizard hisses pitifully, no match for it's leader. Avadon squeezes harder... AVADON: (with enjoyment) Oh, you want me to ssstop? The evil leader releases pressure and throws the lizard at the wall. With a sickening crack, the lizard hits; it falls to the ground, dead, with a broken spine and neck. AVADON: Ssso. Karma hasss friendsss trying to help him..... The lizard plans evilly, setting traps for the four who are trying to save Karma. Mer leads the group of four down a hall, stopping occationally to scout the corridors and, though they aren't saying it, to give Karma a rest. Karma, after a little while, had insisted on walking without any assistance, and was actually keeping up quite well with the others, though it looked as if it was really tiring him. MER: Tails, can you go and scout ahead? TAILS: But I just- MER: (jerking her head towards Karma, who is lagging behind slightly and leaning against a wall) Could you scout ahead? TAILS: Oh....right. Tails speeds off down the passage, sticking in the shadows and finding their passage clear for a long time. He is just about to leave and head back to the others, when he hears a hissing voice. LIZARD: Did you hear about the enchidna they found? Tails is immidiatly interested, knowing that the only enchidna for miles around is Knuckles. LIZARD2: Yesss. He wasss ssspotted in the North Tunnel wing, correct? LIZARD: Right. They killed him, but he got one of our guards in the prossess. Tails hurries away, not wanting to hear any more. As soon as he is out of hearing range, he whispers: TAILS: Oh, man, Knuckles is...dead? He walks slowly back to the others, and practically bumps into Mer as she peers around the corner. MER: What's up with you? TAILS: Mer...I heard that Knuckles is dead..... MER: What?! TAILS: They killed him...I heard two lizards talking about it. MER: Oh, no... Mer stares at the wall for a minute, thinking, then she says: MER: We can't tell Karma yet. He'll try to kill the murderers, and he can't in his condition. TAILS: Right. Let's just get out of here. They continue moving along the corridors, trying to find there way out. Sonic, anxious to escape, zooms around a corner without thinking. MER: Sonic, no! We haven't scouted yet! SONIC: It'll be fine, not like anyone'll be there... Sonic turns around and finds himself running strait at a lizard. SONIC: (trying to slow down) Holy shit! He crashes into the lizard, trips, and slides to a stop. He whips around, and finds he has slice right through the reptile. SONIC: What the hell?! MER: (laughing) It's a lizard skin... SONIC: Huh? MER: They shed there skins, like snakes..... SONIC: Oh. Suddenly, two voices can be heard down the halls. LIZARD: The prisoner hasss essscaped!!!!! SONIC: Uh-oh..... MER: Oh, man, we've been making too much comotion. We have to hide! Speaking for the first time in a while, Karma gives his advice. KARMA: Take the sssecond to the right on the next fork, there'sss a room we can hide that no one will expect usss to be in. They rush to the room, open the door, and pile inside. Closing the door, they look around. MER: A hatchery? KARMA: (shrugging) The bessst I could do on sssuch short notice... The room is filled with tables and containers, all piled with eggs. Heating lights and other hatching items clutter the room, not being used. KARMA: (glancing at the eggs) We won't be bothered here...thossse aren't ready to hatch, and won't for a long time. MER: Okay, good. The four wait in silence, listening to the rushing feet pass by outside the door. A half hour later, only occational passes are made. MER: I think it's safe now. They slowly walk out the door, then head to their right, where both Karma and Mer agreed was the way out. Suddenly a shriek from behind them peirces the quiet. A lizard had watched them leave the hatchery and was warning the others. LIZARD: He'sss down thisss way! Come here!!! A second lizard joins the first and Sonic, Tails, Mer, and Karma are forced to flee. The persuing guards chase after them, and one, most unluckily, pulls out a dart gun. KARMA: They have tranquilizersss! Karma is quickly falling behind from the others, being weaker from his past few days. The first lizard behind them takes his aim while running, going for the escaped "outlaw". He fires, and the dart hits home right between Karma's shoulderblades. He falls with a soft sigh and a light thump. The others continue running, not realizing that they lost one of there group. MER: I think they stopped following us... The sea-dragon looks back to check and sees Karma weakly trying to drag himself forward, a lizard slowly advancing on him. MER: We lost Karma! Sonic immediatly turns back to go get the guardian. He reaches Karma and bends down to help him get up, but Karma shoves his hand away. KARMA: (hissing) Move it! SONIC: Just hold on one minute.. KARMA: You have to go now. If you don't, thossse guardsss will catch the ressst of you. SONIC: I can get away... Karma gives a low, hissing growl, and using the rest of his strength wraps his tail around Sonic's throat. KARMA: Leave or I will show you the way of my people. Sonic backs off, leaving Karma to black out in the middle of the corridor. He runs back to Mer, and yells: SONIC: Com'on, we have to get out of here! MER: But.... SONIC: He told me us to leave so we wouldn't get caught. Just go! Mer leads the rest of the group down the hall to the exit, feeling as if she had failed her one mission. One of the guards chases after her, and the other goes to the uncontious form of Karma and drags him back to his cell. Avadon sits, pleased, from the latest news. More tresspassers had come to the island, but they had escaped. The punishment had been delt; two more replilian carcasses laid motionless on the floor before him. AVADON: (to himself) Thossse rescuersss will keep trying to sssave the traitor Karma. I think it'sss time for the DeathKeeper to come to and end. Avadon grins to himself as he stands up. AVADON: He may have the cryssstals, but I am the true death holder! Karma lays in his cell, finally beaten by his people. He blinks slowly, waiting for what he knows is to come. Soon it begins; a whole squad of lizards appears outside his door and drags him out, pulling him down the hall, closely guarded. He doesn't even fight back, he knows he has lost. KARMA: I tried....... Knuckles had wandered for hours with no luck of finding the others. He finally found his way out of the tunnels and onto the streets, but seeing them full of lizards had climbed up the buildings and traveled up there. He soon found the lizards crowding towards the center of the town, eagerly shoving to a small platform... KNUCKLES: I wonder what's up? He follows the crowding reptiles, careful not to be seen. Mer sighs, hidden down an ally with Sonic and Tails. MER: We've already lost two of the five we had...... Tails walks to the end of the ally and looks out, scouting the area. TAILS: Where are they all going? MER: What? TAILS: Look...there all crowding in that one direction... Mer stands up and looks where Tails is pointing. Cursing, she says: MER: It's the execution... SONIC: WHAT?!?!?! MER: They kill anybody who is a traitor in there minds......and of cource Karma is there biggest one of all... SONIC: Oh shit! They rush out the ally, heading in the same direction as the lizards. Unfourtunatly, in order to not be seen, they have to go slower, and waste time finding alternate routes and safe passages. MER: We're going to be too late...... They rush on, hoplessly, trying to reach the city's center, where they know Karma will be...if they can make it in time..... Karma is dragged, none too carefully, onto a platform resting next to a wall, which has chains and bloodstains covering it. Avadon is standing on the platform as well, talking to the crowd of murderous lizards. AVADON: We have caught the traitor...the one who ssstole our victory and our powergemsss...and we will give him what he dessservesss....death! The crowd cheers, sending hissing screams into the air. Karma is yanked to the bloody wall and the chains are attached to him, barely allowing him to move. The evil lizard leader turns and stares him in the eye, grinning in a sickeningly satisfied way. AVADON: I am going to enjoy thisss, Karma...good-bye. The lizard takes the silver spear a second lizard hands him, standing in front of the guardian... Several things happen at once. Mer, Sonic, and Tails reach the back of the crowd waiting for Karma's death. Mer totally looses her sence of control and screams, MER: NOOOO! Instantly a horde of lizards is on the sea dragon and her partners, attacking viciously. All hope of rescuing the DeathCrystal Guardian is lost in her mind...... Except more than reptilian eyes are watching him. Knuckles, high above the crowd, hastily jumps and glides from building to building as he realizes what is going to happen. KNUCKLES: They're gonna kill him! He keeps going, trying to get to the platform as fast as he can... Avadon grins wickedly as he presses the spear gently to Karma's chest. He slowly adds pressure, driving the weapon into the body of the guardian. Pain slowly begins to build as it slices into his chest, like an animal trying to burrow into him. He tries to squirm away, but the chains hold him in place, forcing him to endure the slow murder. Suddenly, the blade is drawn out, and the pain lessens. Karma breathes and suddenly feels a blow to his head with the spear butt. It slices out and cuts a gash in his already wounded chest, letting blood flow out. The evil lizard laughs as he ruthlessly slices at his chained captive. At first, Karma seems as if he can endure, but slowly is driven crazy with the attacks, screaming in a cold, chilling voice, thrashing madly and even injuring himself in his craze. Now Avadon attacks his enemy, forgetting about the spear and lashing, biting, and kicking, damaging Karma in any way possible. He grins evily as he aims for a crack on Karma's head with his heavy tail, causing a final and painful death. Suddenly, he finds himself not moving, his tail held back by somebody. He hears the crowd gasp, and turns to find himself staring into a red enchidna's eyes. The last thing he ever saw. The crowd screams angrily as Avadon's limp body falls to the ground, a broken neck and ribs showing his death. Knuckles runs to the bloody lizard, who is breathing heavily. He snaps the chains off and asks worriedly, KNUCKLES: Karma, you okay? Karma nods weakly, plainly not okay but not saying so. Suddenly he yells. KARMA: Kucklesss, behind you! Knuckles is slammed down as lizards pour onto the platform, wrapping tails around his neck and chest. Karma attempts to pull them off, failing. He notices more of the lizards in the back of the crowd, piling onto three other creatures only just reconizable as his friends.... In Karma's cave, the dead crystals suddenly shimmer to a blazing light, coming back to life under their true ruler, Karma, the DeathKeeper... Karma watches the battle of the Suganamo Lizards, anger building as he sees the slaughter of innocent people playing in front of his mind, both from the past and what is to come. Suddenly, an energy seems to come to him; he feels stronger and angrier. Knuckles fights with the fifteen or so lizards on top of him, trying hard to breath through the loops around his neck. He cries out as they snap at him, but still fights back, good and strong. Mer, Sonic, and Tails form a circle. None dare to come within range of the sea dragon, who had several dead carcasses by her feet, all gone from poison. Sonic and Tails put up a good fight, but could not hold out for long without Mer's help. Karma watches it all, building his hate for his people. As Knuckles is held in a death grip by the tails of the lizards, Karma screams in rage, feeling the DeathCrystal power overflow from inside him. KARMA: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Fire erupts from the platform, burning through the lizards on Knuckles but not heating him up at all. The reptiles twist and wither into ashes, screaming. Another blast surrounds Mer, Tails, and Sonic like a wall, killing many of the attackers. MER: He has the DeathCrystal power back! Fire runs through the crowd, making a path to Mer and the others from the platform. Karma motions for Knuckles to go to the others. The enchidna rushes down the path, a sea of fire exploding on all sides of him. He reaches the other three, panting. MER: Knuckles! I can't belive you're alive! KNUCKLES: Why? MER: (shouting to make herself heard) The guards said they killed you! Karma suddenly runs down the path as well, yelling, KARMA: We have to get out of here! Over the tops of the buildings is the tip of a tital wave, rushing towards the island almost eagerly. Karma motions for them to come forward, then closes his eyes and concentrates. They disapeer in a crystal transport, not seeing the tital wave hit. Not seeing the water boil from the heated crystal flames, killing reptiles and ending the rein of the Suganamo lizards. That night, on the beach near Station Square, Karma sits apart from the others, staring into the darkness. Mer walks over to him, saying quietly, MER: You killed them, didn't you? KARMA: (showing no emotion, but not looking at Sonic either) They were an evil people. MER: But they were your people! KARMA: No. They did not underssstand what I did...friendship and kindnessss had no meaning to them. Only conquessst and revenge mattered. Mer pauses for a moment, then says, MER: Sorry. Karma turns and, without saying anything, walks away.