This story is based on the Archieverse comic of Sonic the Hedgehog from Knuckles POV. This story contains spoilers for issue #181.
Disclaimer: As with Naruto and Ninja Turtles, I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or Archie Comics.
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold.
Evanescence "Bring Me to Life"
Guardian: Darkness Rising
I can't stand this anymore. I see the looks on their faces, the shock at seeing me again in this form, the form of one of the darkest beings that Mobius has ever known. And yet I can't stop what I know is about to happen for I no longer have control of my own mind or actions.
It all started with my choice to go back to Angel Island. We had just finished a battle with Robotnik. He had destroyed Knothole Village, and captured the majority of the citizens there. Only Sonic, myself, Tails, Amy Rose and NICOLE remained. After a fierce battle, in which we managed to save the others from Robotnik's Egg Grapes and NICOLE, with Tails' help, reprogrammed his teleportation beam so that we would be transported to a new location that of New Mobotropolis, I felt that I wouldn't be needed there for a while, and decided to return home. I wanted to make peace with my father after our arguments concerning my staying with the Freedom Fighters instead of remaining on the Island to help him with my people. I also intended to help him with the situation there. Julie-Su tried to talk me out of it, but I felt this was more important at the time. I was a Guardian, after all, and protecting the Island as well as the Master Emerald was what I was raised to do. So I returned.
I should've listened to her. The moment I set foot on the Island, I was ambushed by the Destructix. I was grabbed from behind. For a brief moment I had a glimpse of Sergeant Simian, and then I was punched hard in the gut by Scourge, causing me to lose consciousness from the pain. I had no chance to fight back like I would've under normal circumstances, as I hadn't expected the attack at all.
When I came to, I was being dragged towards a hole in the ground by two members of the Flame and Frost Legions. Before I could do anything, I was thrown into that hole, which turned out to be the tunnel to the new Chaos Chamber. As I hit the ground, I saw in front of me were Kommisar, Finitevus and, to my shock, Remington in front of me. The last time I had seen him was right before I had gone to get my father out of General Kage's prison. I had thought he was Robotnik's prisoner. But he didn't know me. Turned out those Egg Grapes had wiped out his mind completely and he had no memory of his life before, only since Lien-Da and her Legionnaires had rescued him. However, they had feuded and the Legion had split into two groups, he led the Frost Legion and she led the Flame Legion.
But even as I was finding this out, Finitevus told me something which made my blood boil. They needed help, as Robotnik had wiped out 90 percent of our people, including those on Albion. I was in shock for a moment. I remembered when I led the Lost Tribe to Albion in my great-grandfather's place, the Echidna I had met. I remembered how it had felt to be alone as a child thinking I was the only one of my people left only to find when I was nearly sixteen that the Echidna were just in a pocket dimension, moved there for their safety from a nuclear missile the Dingoes launched. It had caused me both anger and comfort. I felt anger at my father for not telling me this, and comfort to know I was no longer alone. Now at nearly eighteen, I was learning that most of the Echidna were gone, and I may soon be alone once more.
The moment that thought sank in, I became enraged at Robotnik, at what he had done to my people, what he was continuing to do to the world, and angry at myself for leaving the Island. I wanted to make it right, that was all, just make it all right again. Finitevus was saying something as I launched myself at the Master Emerald that I couldn't quite hear. But just as I touched the Master Emerald, not only did I feel its power, a pain more intense than anything I had ever felt surged through me, and all at once a darkness began to consume my mind. I heard Finitevus saying that he would help me control the power this time where I couldn't before, but it sounded so distant, and the voice that responded to him didn't sound like mine. I became a prisoner in my own mind, listening to Finitevus and watching from within the darkness, unable to stop what was happening to me. I could feel Archimedes trying to reach me, but I couldn't respond. The darkness was too much for me to fight against. In the end, I became Enerjak
As Enerjak, I destroyed the Dingo City of Cavem Canus, along with their weapons and banished them to the Desert Zone of Angel Island, except for their current leader who I physically destroyed. I next went after the Flame and Frost Legions. They attacked me, and I saw them as fools. I took away their bionics, made them normal. I sent some to Albion, and those who I saw as ungrateful I left to rot on the Island. Finally I did the one thing that makes me want to scream inside with pain: I went to the village where the remaining Echidna of the Island were, and sent them to Albion as well. But I saw their faces, the faces of my mother, my step-father, and little brother before doing so, the terror they felt as they saw me as Enerjak. They did not know who I was, really was, and I hurt them. If I ever am freed, I will see that in my nightmares for the rest of my life.
I had known I was being spied upon for some time, and while I had been dealing with everything I was told to, the Island had been moving back towards New Mobotropolis. I destroyed the probe, and teleported off the Island. Just as I was doing so, I felt a gust of wind pass me. I knew who it was, but Sonic was unable to stop me. I went to the city below where a crowd had gathered. I said I had no intent to harm them, only to fix things. Sally ordered me to leave, saying she didn't want it to come to a fight. But Julie-Su felt differently. She said she would make me pay for destroying Knuckles. That was when I took off the helmet and showed my face, revealing who I really was.
At this moment, I see their faces, the shock and the horror written on them, so similar to the expressions my mother and her family wore. I feel the pain of Archimedes, who I sense is close by. And the small part of me that remains, the sane part, knows one thing for sure: if I am ever redeemed, I will never be able to face them again, not my friends, not my family. My desire not to be alone again has ironically brought me right to the very thing I most dread, being alone.
And I am alone even now in this darkness which has nearly overtaken my mind completely. Yet one thought filters through: Where is my father? He was not there when I talked to Finitevus and the Legionnaires. I wanted to speak to him, to make things right, and now I cannot, and the only thing I can guess is he is no longer on the Island. Where is he? And how will we meet again? As I ask myself these questions, I can feel the darkness overtaking me, and know I will soon disappear completely and become Enerjak for good.
If there is anyone out there who can hear my thoughts, anyone at all, then please help me. Stop me before it is completely too late. I do not know how much longer I can hold on.
AN: I tried to show what might have been going through Knuckles' mind at the moment his friends saw him as Enerjak, as well as what might have gone through his mind right before he touched the Master Emerald. Hope that all who read enjoyed.