[Fiction] The Literary Works of ChaosSupremeSonic

[RustyRick]

I've been reading this from start up to this point this evening, and I've gotta say, I'm very intrigued by this work in progress. I do think you really describe the action scenes rather detailed and it keeps me eager for more, and I also really like this more snarky teamup approach between Sonic and Amy too, hope part 7 will be up soon.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

And we return with Chapter 7 of Sonic Revolution.

 

Hello Knuckles-fans. Are you tired of seeing you favorite character treated like a butt monkey in the main series? Sick of seeing him get no respect in the main series? Well, I hope I've done your favorite character justice.

 

Sorry for the wait folks, had a bit of a writers block and some other projects to work on, but I hope this page makes up for it. This is probably the most intense chapter so far. Not to be outdone by Komodin, so why don't you guys take a look and enjoy.

 

Chapter 7

 

To say island hopping was tedious was an understatement. Knuckles swims from the water to the nearest island shores before climbing the highest point gliding to the next island, descending to the waters as he starts all over. He was a good distance away from his home, the massive Angel Island still floating in the seas behind him. 

 

He reaches a massive coast and sees a city behind the trees. "Finally," he says. But something was off about it as he goes around the trees. He sees a pillar of smoke rise into the skies, with occassional puffs of smoke and lights blasting in the air. "Looks like trouble."

 

He runs through the grass and bushes, climing onto the trees to glide over to the city. The smoke puffs thunder in the skies as he gets closer, the boom sending shockwaves hard enough to shake him in the air. He reaches a building, digging his claws into the concrete as he ascends up the walls where a rocket zooms toward him. 

 

"Yikes!" Knuckles press against the wall as the rocket flies by, the air skirting against his body as it passes him. Well that was close. Whatever was going on, the people here must need help. But he had to find out who was attacking first.

 

Knuckles reaches the top of the building, and a round, mono-eyed robot with wings and a gun turret underneath its body hurdles past him, hitting the building behind him and exploding. "That was a GUN Beetle," Knuckles notes. Which mean GUN was in the area. But why were they attacking this city? They were suppose to be protecting the world.

 

Knuckles glances over the edge to see that was exactly what GUN was trying to do. They weren't attacking the city, they were evacuating it, with soldiers and their robots covering the people as they made their escape out of the shootout. The real culprit were the Nocturnus echidnas firing at them and razing the city apart. 

 

"Ugh, those guys," Knuckles scoffs. He sees a group of people  escorted by soldiers and Hunters get surrounded by energy rings from the Nocturnus, wrapping them together and lifting them off their feet as they get taken elsewhere in the city.

 

Enraged, Knuckles leaps into the air, glides over to the first group of Nocturnus he sees attempting to abduct more people and dives for them, spiralling his body with his fists held out. He crashes in the middle of the Nocturnus, the impact quaking the ground, rocking the Nocturnus off their feet. Knuckles stands up, smiling and cracking his knuckles as he approaches the Nocturnus. "Miss me?"

 

"Oh crud! It's HIM!" shouts a Nocturnus. They scatter, bumping into each other as they make their escape into the city. One of them runs pass Knuckles, who grabs him and tosses him at two of them ahead. They slowly pick themselves up, rubbing their sore spots before panicking at Knuckles shadow rising over them. They look back at the smiling echidna, ready to knock them out cold as GUN Hunters dash over and raise their guns at them.

 

"Move in!" shouts a soldier from behind. 

 

A few Gun Beetles and Hunters zoom over and surround Knuckles, pointing their guns at him. The robots order him to stand down, but Knuckles was confused over what was going on. He helps them out by fighting the Nocturnus and this is how they repay him? 

 

"I guess a 'thank you' is too much?" He says, raising his fists preparing to fight. A Beetle takes a shot at him. Knuckles leaps into the air and smashes the robot with his fist, scattering the drones around him as he dashes toward a Hunter backing away as hit tries to shoot him. Knuckles leaps away and runs around their shots as he closes in, dashing forward and smashing the Hunter in the chest, caving its shell to send it down before it explodes.

 

"Wait, stop!" shouts a GUN soldier. "He's on our side!"

 

Knuckles turns to see the soldier run past the Hunters as they lower their weapons, leaving the others to run up ahead to continue evacuating. Knuckles waves at the approaching soldier. "That's a fancy way to say hello to someone who helped you out," says Knuckles.

 

"Sorry," says the soldier. "We were told from High Command to expect you among them. We weren't expecting you to fight against them."

 

"What makes you think I'd be with these jokes?" Knuckles asks, pointing at the shivering Nocturnus being held at gunpoint.

 

"You're an echidna like them," answers the soldier. "Just seemed like you'd be a part of it."

 

Knuckles crosses his arms and glares at him. "Yeah, I guess your bosses screwed up again, huh?"

 

"We couldn't take any chances. But since you're here, we could use your help."

 

"Just as long as you don't go shooting at me again," says Knuckles. He climbs up a building, reaches the roof, and glides around the city, watching the Nocturnus and GUN scatter across the ravaged city trading shots at each other. GUN Hot Shot Mechs  flew into the scene to reinforce their friendly soldiers as they fire their lasers at any crowd of Nocturnus soldiers they spotted. Knuckles winces as a mech's laser scatters debris around the area, leaving a small crater in the area. "Yeesh, it's a real glad I'm not with those goons."

 

He continues gliding across the city, spotting another group of people about to get captured by an energy ring. He dives down to save them, only for the ring to vanish and the people scattering away. "That's wierd," says Knuckles as he glides over to investigate. He sees a lone, injured GUN soldier kneeling on the ground as a Nocturne soldier approaches him, brandishing blue energy blades from his wrists. Knuckles dives at the Nocturne soldier, raises his fist and slams him away from the GUN soldier, knocking across the street into a building. The Noctune soldier lies down, dazed and dazzled from the punch as it's face guard pops off to reveal it's rolling eyes. 

 

Knuckles turns to help the soldier onto his feet. "Thanks," says the soldier.

 

"Don't mention it. Will you be alright?" Knuckles asks.

 

"I'll radio for back up, but I'll be fine."

 

Knuckles runs through the streets, avoiding the rockets blowing debris around the city, and dodging away from the falling remains of any Beetles or Hunters dropping from the air. Crowds of people speed pass him on the ravaged sidewalks, staying out of the open areas to make their escape out of the city as the GUN soldiers covered and escorted them. A few Nocturnes attempted to capture any people they encountered, but Knuckles launches himself at the Nocturnes knocking them away as the people continue to run for safety. Knuckles uproots a signpost and smacks a two Nocturnes across the street, shocking the other Nocturnes to release anyone they've captured and get out of the area, allowing the GUN soldiers to defend the civilians much easier with them off their back.

 

Knuckles gives chase as he spots a Hunter backed by a few Gun Beetles flying overhead and take a right at the street ahead, and the sounds of their guns opening fire signaled that they encountered more Nocturne soldiers. Knuckles follows the sounds as he nears the corner, with an explosion erupting that sent a Beetle zipping past the corner, slaming into a building and falling to the ground.

 

Knuckles turns the corner, spoting the Hunter shoot down a few Nocturnes as two Shield Hunters join it to push them back. The Nocturnus retreat futher into the streets to avoid their shots as they fire back, their shots bouncing off the hunter's Shields as they reached the end of the street.  Three new Nocturne soldiers walk out into the open, one in the middle clad in a large, beefy looking body armor as it passes through its group. "Triarius inbound," says one of the Nocturnes. 

 

The Triarius stood in front of its allies and rose its arm to send out an energy shield to cover their front. The other two beside it were equipped with long rifles connected to their arms. "Velites, fire!" commands the Triarius. 

 

The Velites raise their rifles forward to send charged globs of neon blue energy at the Hunters ahead. The other Nocturnes join in the shoot out as they blast the remaining Beetles out of the air and push the Hunters back. The Hunters fly over the shots and take to the skies as they continue shooting back, and Knuckles takes this opportunity to climb the top of the building to fly overhead, avoiding the Nocturnus' sights as he lands on the building beside them. 

 

He looks down from the edge at the unshielded top exposing the Nocturnes as they keep the Hunters at bay. "Perfect," he says. He jumps off the edge, his fist raised over his head as he crashes on top of the Nocturnes, punching the ground, sending a shockwave as the impact creates a massive crater into the concrete. Signs and lightposts were uprooted as the impact scatters the Nocturnus in the air around the street.  The Nocturnus pick themselves up, glance at him, and flee screaming at the top of their lungs. The Hunters fly around to pick off any Nocturnes they locked their sights on, and Knuckles chases a few nearby. 

 

"Where ya goin'?" He taunts as he grabs one and throws them into another. He punches another one that makes a jump for him with his energy blades, then leaps over to another group.

 

But a bolt of energy hits the ground in front of him, forcing him to stop. He turns back to see the Velite pointing the smoking barrel of its energy rifle at him. The Triarius stands behind him, brandishing its energy blades under his wrists as they approach him. A Shield Hunter flys behind them, shooting a blue glob at the Nocturnus only to have it blocked by the Triarius' shield. The second Velite comes out to shoot at the Hunter, keeping it at bay as the Hunter hovers opposite of Knuckles. The Triarius and the other Velite rushes for Knuckles and the Velite opens fire. Knuckles ducks and leaps away the shots as he runs up and lunges for the Velite to punch him.

 

The Triarius drops in front of the Velite, raising his shield to block Knuckles' punch before lowering it to reach out, grab Knuckles, and throw him into a car. The Velites raise their guns to open fire on Knuckles, but the Hunter drops in front of him, raising its shield to protect him from their shots as it returns fire. The Triarius shields the Velites as they make their approach for the two, with the Velites taking potshots around them.

 

Knuckles awakens and pulls himself out of the car as the Triarius closes in on them, dropping its shield to tackle the Hunter away, its energy blades cutting the Hunter's shield and armor as the Velites go for Knuckles. They shoot at him, missing as Knuckles leaps behind the car to block the shots, then lifts the car to throw at them. The Velites leap away from the car as it comes down skidding on the streets.

 

The Velites lung back at Knuckles, one of them brandishing an energy blade under their wrists as they reach out to grab and thrust the blade toward him. Knuckles dodges the Velite as they lands, punching him away into a lightpost as the second one dives for him. He jumps into the air toward the other Velite, grabs him, and tosses him at the Triarius to knock him off the Hunter, allowing the Hunter to stand back up to join him. 

 

"Reinforcements inbound: Keep the Nocturnus occupied!" says the Hunter as it shoots a blue glob at one of the Velites. The glob hits the Velite, immobilizing it to the ground. The Hunter shoots a few more shots to further anchor the Velite as Knuckles charges for the Triarius, tackling him as they both go flying into the building ahead. 

 

With the Triarius stunned, Knuckles and the Hunter move in on the last Velite. The Velite shoots the Hunter's shield, blowing a hole into the metal and rendering it useless as the the Hunter tosses it aside. Two Beetles zoom in from behind them as the decend toward the Velite, blocking his shots with their electric shields as they surround him, sending out electrical discharges to stun him as Knuckles launches into the air to land his fist onto the Velite. The Velite stumbles back as Knuckles fist smashes into the ground, the impact cracks and quakes the ground, the concrete rising toward the Velite and throwing it towards the building. The Velite slams into the walls, and it was knocked unconcious.

 

The Hunter and the Beetles move in on the Nocturnes to secure them. The Hunter turns to Knuckles "Area clear," it says. "Assistance requested in other areas."

 

"Got it." Knuckles leaves the Hunter and Beetles to their instructions as he races through the streets to assist the other soldiers. Most of the city was already evacuated. Although there's no counting how many actually made it out and which ones got captured.

 

A squad of Hunters and Beetles flew overhead, announcing to Knuckles, "High value target spotted - moving in!"

 

High value target, huh? With all the civilians they've captured, the Nocturnus must be up to something else. First stealing his Master Emerald's energy, then attacking the city and kidnapping people, and now they're up to something else. What ever it was, it was worth checking out. Knuckles climbs the highest building and leaps off to glide where the squad of robots were zooming towards, following the sounds of gunfire and explosions until a thin pillar of green light erupts into the air ahead of him. It widens, engulfing the area before sending a surge of energy blasting in front of it into the streets. The Hunters and Beetles were flung out, bouncing off each other and hitting the buildings around them until Knuckles reaches where the energy surge occurred.

 

 "Whoa." It was unlike anything he had seen during the whole conflict, seeing parts of the streets and building scorched and blackened by green fire, cars jammed into the buildings several stories high and not a single soul in sight. He wonders what could have caused this until he sees a fading green light at the corner ahead.

 

He follows the light source as it continues fades behind the building. A few Nocturnes run towards the light, and Knuckles ducks behind a bombed-up wall as bricks and debris crumble and slide to the ground. He tries to climb it, but the wall collapses and the bricks and wood pile over and bury him, flinging dust around the street. Knuckles digs out of the pile dusts himself off. "Just my darned luck!" he complains as he goes around the other side of the building.

 

The light was quickly fading and he sprints to catch up, running through the ravaged alley. He sees more Nocturnes spriting towards the light as well, and they didn't seem to spot him. Good thing, though - as strong as he was, Knuckles would much rather see what they were running for without alerting them. The closer he got, the brighter the light was until it completely disappeared. 

 

"What the-?" Knuckles climbs the building next to him, reaching the top to see what happened. He looks down to see a dozen Nocturne Scouts and a few Velites gathered beside a ravaged park with bushes and trees uprooted and burned, and a golden, spherical statue collapsed onto the grass. The Scouts and Velites salute a new Nocturne wielding a glowing, bulbous object with three long ridges surrounding it on its right arm. It had a strange sigil marked ot its forehead, probably the leader. But then Knuckles spots someone else. "Him..."

 

Imperator Ix floats toward the Nocturnes, receiving a salute from the new one. "Report, Praetorian."

 

"Sir, we've rounded up all potential targets in the area." says the Praetorian.

 

"Excellent," says Ix. He looks around the war torn city. "Though it's rather unfortunate that the city had to be razed. No matter - they can always rebuild."

 

"Also, reports from the other fronts have detailed conflict with the other hostiles. They're holding them off, but some have been held captive in the other regions. Looks like we had better luck here, despite the local forces," says the Praetorian. "Although GUN were more capable than we thought."

 

"Yes, that would appear to be the case after being gone four millenia. A lot more has changed than I realized." Ix sees more Nocturnus bring in civilians and soldiers into the area. "Call in the transports," he orders. "This territory is worthless right now."

 

Knuckles jumps off the roof and makes a dive for Ix. The Praetorian spots him, raising it's large right arm and firing bolts of energy from its tip at Knuckles. Knuckles dodges and weaves the bolts as he reaches Ix, raising his fists to punch the glowing, albino leader. But Ix turns around, raising his hand to block Knuckles punch with an flat, green energy barrier that pushes him back and repels Knuckles away. Knuckles lands on the sidewalk as the Praetorian and the rest of the Nocturnus surround him.

 

"Hello again, young Guardian," Ix greets. "And what an unexpected surprise. I'm assuming your here for your precious Emerald's energy, of course?" He holds his scepter before Knuckles, revealing the green orb of the Master Emerald's energy.

 

"You got that right, you old fossil!" Knuckles shouts. "Hand it over!"

 

Ix ponders the thought. "No, I think I'll keep it. It's far more useful in my hands, don't you think?"

 

"Have it you way then! I'll beat it out of your wrinkly hands if I have to!"

 

Ix descends toward the ground. "My my, such a temper. Is that any way to treat a fellow echidna? I'd have thought you would have more sympathy, but you seem to be as rash as your ancestors were."

 

"And what would you know about them? I'm the only one left!"

 

"We were there four thousand years ago?" Ix floats around Knuckles. "Although time seems to travel differently from the Cage. It seems we both have much to learn of this world: you of the past, and us of the present." He hovers near Knuckles. "Wouldn't you like to know all about them?"

 

Knuckles  takes a swing at Ix, missing as the white echidna floats away. "If I wanted to, I'd find out for myself. Now hand over the Master Emerald's power, or I'll-"

 

The Velites raise their rifles at Knuckles, followed by the Praetorian raising it's energy cannon. The Scouts flair their energy blades, and they all prepare to attack if Knuckles makes another step. Ix floats above them, his eyes narrowing on Knuckles. "This is interesting," he says. "Nobody has ever spoken to me like that before...at least without suffering the consequences." He raises his hands calling off his soldiers. They lower their weapons as Ix lands on the ground. "Take care of our captives," he orders. "I'll deal with the last of our old rivals."

 

The other Nocturnes scatter away as dots appear in the sky. Knuckles squints his eyes to see the transports closing it, landing from afar for the Nocturnes to load their captives inside one by one as the ships come and go. A transport lands nearby, and the Nocturnes send their captives onboard. Knuckles rushes for the transport to save them, only for Ix to shoot a beam from his scepter to stop him. 

 

"Ah ah ah. You're not here for them, Guardian." Ix shoots another beam at Knuckles, forcing him away from the transport as it lifts off. His eyes narrow gleefully as he raises his arm, concentrates a small green orb in his palm and throws it at Knuckles. Knuckles leaps away as the orb hits the building behind him and explodes, blasting brick and concrete as the force sends Knuckles flying.

 

Knuckles tumbles in the air as Ix hovers ahead of him with his scepter glowing, waiting for Knuckles to fall close enough to strike him. Knuckles reorients himself, raising his fist as he comes hurdling down towards the white echidna. Ix's eyes widen as he avoids Knuckles' punch and hovers further back, but as Knuckles fist hits the ground it quakes the surface, sending a wave of earth rising toward Ix that flings him into the air. 

 

"GAH!" Ix tumbles in the air as he struggles to gain his balance. Knuckles leaps into the air after him, soaring toward Ix as he rears his arm back for another punch. Ix blocks the punch with an energy barrier, his scepter glowing once more as he tries to bat Knuckles away. Knuckles dodges the swing, grabs Ix's arm, swings him overhead and sends them both falling to the ground. 

 

They crash into the pavement, cracking the earth. The impact dazes them as they stand and stumble around. Ix shakes off his daze and turns back at Knuckles, sweeping green beam of energy from his scepter towards him. The beam scorches the earth as it nears Knuckles, who regains his composure and runs from the beam. Knuckles leaps over a car as the beam cuts through its frame and disappates. He peeks through the windows to see Ix rushing for him in the air, spotting a Noctunus transport hovering overhead. Knuckles picks up the car and throws it at Ix.

 

Ix drifts to the side to avoid the car as the car bounces off the transport and sends it crashing on one of the roofs. Ix growls as he concentrates another green energy orb in his hand.  "You are becoming more troublesome than I expected!" he shouts as he throws the orb.

 

Knuckles ducks the orb and leaps into the air, knowing that it would explode and send him flying. As the explosion launches him toward Ix, Knuckles brings his fists in front of him to land a hit. Ix quickly puts up another barrier, blocking the assault, but the force was enough to knock him off balance and send him falling to the ground. Knuckles dives at Ix as the white echidna lands, punching another barrier raised by Ix that deflects him toward the park.

 

Ix throws another energy orb at Knuckles, missing as Knuckles ducks away and the orb flies across the park exploding on the ravaged buildings on the other side. Knuckles glances at the the explosion, then smirks at Ix for missing him. "Nice shot, you old fossil!" he taunts.

 

Infuriated, Ix throws orb after orb at Knuckles. Knuckles dodges and weaves the orbs as sprints out of the park, leaps over the fallen tree, and heads toward a building beside the downed transport to climb. This was his chance to save the people he could from Ix's forces. He scurries up the wall to the top, narrowly avoiding the orb passing under his foot and hitting the building next to him. The resulting explosion threatened to throw him off the wall, but he stabs his sharp knuckles into the wall to grip him in place as the explosion settles. Ix hovers over to Knuckles, firing green beams at him as he continues to climb. The beams miss as Knuckles scampers from one side to the other to avoid them as he continues upward. Ix fires another beam, cutting off the edge of the wall and the roof that sends the bricks falling toward Knuckles. Knuckles leaps off the wall and glides to the next building to continue his climb, and Ix hovers higher into the air.

 

As Knuckles reaches the roof, Ix points his scepter at him, firing bring green rings of light by his feet. The rings bury halfway into the roof as Knuckles sprints toward the transport. Ix zooms over the transport and drops down onto the roof, slamming his scepter onto the surface that sends an explosive shockwave around him. The shockwave flings Knuckles off the roof toward the park near the fallen gold statue near the center, and slammng into its stone base. 

 

Knuckles gets to his feet, rubbing his head as he watches the transport fly away with Ix gazing down on him. Knuckles growls and shakes his fist at Ix, and picks up the spherical statue to throw at him. Ix rises into the air, avoiding the statue as it crashes into the building and sends it collapsing in on itself.

 

Ix chuckles. "Still rash, I see," he taunts. Ix points his scepter at the park, its tip glowing bright green before bursting in a wide surge of energy towards Knuckles. Knuckles sprints to the side away from the beam as it incinerates the grass and stone of the park before disappating. He runs toward one of the fallen trees to pick up, and throw at Ix before leaping along with it. Ix flies underneath the trunk, and Knuckles meets him in the air, slugging his fist on the side of Ix's face to send him hurdling down to the streets and into one of the buildings.

 

Another transport flies over the area, as if surveying the fight before continuing ahead. Knuckles lands on the ground, lifts up a large block of concrete, and throws it at the wing of the ship, knocking it off course and sending it down toward the street. He runs toward the transport, bashing his fists on the silver, metal exterior of the ship to break inside and free the people within. A Velite walks out of the cockpit, raises its rifle at Knuckles, and fires. Knuckles dodges the shot as it scraps the surface of the ship, and prepares to fight the Velite.

 

Then, a bright green pillar of light blasts into the air and explodes into a sphere of crackling energy as Ix hovers at the center of it. He turns his eyes toward Knuckles and sweeps another beam of energy from his scepter, forcing Knuckles away. Then Ix raises his hand to rapidly fire green orbs that trail behind Knuckles. Knuckles dodges the orbs as they explode around him, and Ix fires another green orb in front of him that explodes and sends him flying backward toward a lightpost. Knuckles grabs the lightpost, his sudden grasp tearing it from the ground as the explosion settles, allowing him to land to the ground.

 

Ix raises his arms above him as his staff concentrates a dark, sparkling wave a green energy over his head. The energy shapes into a sphere, and Ix throws it at Knuckles. Knuckles leaps away from the sphere as it flies down and hits the ground, bursting onto a shockwave that sends a massive push of air around it. The shockwave flings Knuckles off his feet towards the golden spherical statue he threw surrounded by the rubble of the fallen building.

 

Ix prepares another wave of dark green energy, shapes it into a sphere, and throws it at Knuckles. Knuckles picks up the statue and places it infront of him as a shield, the energy sphere hitting it and sending another shockwave that almost knocks him off his feet once more. The shockwave disappates, and Ix prepares another wave to throw at Knuckles. Knuckles picks up the statue and leaps into the air toward Ix. He raises the statue over his head to hammer it on Ix. 

 

Ix cancels his wave of energy to project a barrier over his head to block the statue, but the weight and the impact knock him towards the ground. Ix lands on his feet and watches as Knuckles throws the statue at him. He raises his scepter to shoot a beam of energy at the statue, piercing through the center to blast it to pieces as the beam shoots towards Knuckles. 

 

"Uh oh!" The beam strikes Knuckles, shocking and stunning him out of the air as he falls onto the pavement. Knuckles struggles to pick himself up, his legs too weak to stand, his arms too soft to hold him up. He collapses as he gets a hazy view of Ix hovering over him, his face scrunching weakly in anger as he tries to continue to fight.

 

"Looks like you've lost, young Guardian," says Ix. He shoots green energy rings at his arms and legs to restrain him, and lifts him into the air. "But I will show mercy - the Nocturnus could always use someone like you to help reclaim this world."

 

The Velite hops back into the cockpit of the transport as Ix opens the back of the ship to place Knuckles inside. 

 

"This isn't over, Ix!" Knuckles shouts as he fights to break free. "These things can't hold me forever."  

 

Ix laughs. "Believe me, young Guardian, it has only begun." The transport door closes, and the ship lifts off and flies out of the city. 

 

The transport was completely empty inside save for him, making Knuckles wonder the point in knocking it down in the first place. But that made it all worth breaking out of the restraints, as there was no need for him to hold back his strength. Knuckles continues to yank, shake, and kick off his restraints as he tries to free himself, with barely a budge out of them. There has to be a way to break free!

 

He tries once more, simultaneously pulling his arms and legs away from the bulkhead. The metal wall pulls along with his arms and legs, until one his arms break free. He reaches to his other arm to pull it free, then finally his legs. "Finally!" Knuckles runs to the windows to see where the transport was. He sees desert and canyon ranges around him, with new Nocturnes flying in the skies with wing-like jetpacks as they engaged these bird-like creatures and their drones, exchanging laser fire and missiles in the air.

 

Knuckles turns to the front of the ship, and bashes at the bulkhead, tearing a hole into the cockpit where the Velite was piloting the ship. The Velite looks back at the hole behind him. "What the-? Hey!"

 

The Velite raises his rifle at Knuckles, only to get knocked unconscious by a punch. Knuckles pulls the Velite out of his seat and pilots the ship down toward the desert. He spots a group of Nocturnes setting up camp in a valley and steers the transport towards them, crashing into their equipment as the Nocturnes scatter around to avoid it. When the transport stops, Knuckles kicks off the glass canopy of the transport and hops out onto the sand where a few Velites stand before him.

 

The Velites open fire, and Knuckles takes cover behind a boulder. As they cease fire, Knuckles hears footsteps of one of them approaching. He looks down to see the shadow of one of them near the boulder, and leaps out of cover, punching the Velite and leaping toward the others. The Velites shoot at him as he dives toward them, knocking on one of them with punch on his landing, then grabing the other to throw into a wall. "That takes care of that," he says as he looks over them.

 

He sees a bird-like drone soar over and fire a laser beam at him. Knuckles picks up a black, metal plate that broke off the Nocturne's equipment to use as a shield as he runs through the alley and into the firefight between the Nocturnus and their new bird-like foes. He runs into a group of birds, their rifles raised toward him. He shields himself with the metal plate, and bulldozes through the group as he makes his way through the area. He had no clue who these bird folks were, but with the area being a shoot out, there was no time to find out.

 

I know I'm bragging, but did I do Knuckles justice or what?