The points of the grass stuck to Knuckles' quills as he laid on top of them. He was busy trying to catch some Z's as he was doing what he always did, since before he even knew how to swing a punch. guarding this Master Emerald that his parents abandoned him with. More like wasting his life with it. His ears popped and he yawned to make it feel less irritating. He didn't very much like heights, so being stuck with this dead end job just made him miserable. He understood why he was here. Why it is his fate. Every now and then he would dream about his family tree. Them demanding him to watch this over-sized rock for his whole life and to never leave the island it resides on. As if he could.
He gave a peek with an eye over to the Master Emerald. It was still there as always, being as boring as ever. He could see himself through the reflection of the deep green glow of the emerald. A purple eye staring back at the light red fur on his body with his quills just as red, fashioned into dreadlocks on the back of his head. A classic quill-hair style that knuckles' tribe would give to the youngest of the tribe. It was not much of a tribe anymore, since he's what's left of them. His shoes, red with dark yellow straps that were designed to fit his feet for his whole life. Not too tight, but never loose. He liked the shoes but they were more meant for the sake of keeping his feet safe when climbing. The mittens on his hands were to keep them warm when the storm clouds passed by, however the gloves had indentations of the spikes that protruded from his knuckles. A defect from birth that never really bothered him. It in fact helped him stay strong. Punching rocks and dirt to help the shrine stay in tact. The same shrine he was resting on.
The shrine was mostly made of stone and dirt, but he was told by his elders that the ashes of their ancestors rested beneath the soil that is the foundation of this shrine for the glowing rock. There were spots that had metallic engravings that were in this deep crimson color. The pattern that it made looked to be a maze surrounding the emerald, which stood straight on an engraving designed to keep it standing, however it never felt like that was the reason it stood. Just by looking at the Master Emerald, it seemed as if it stood on it's own.
Knuckles understood the emerald's purpose for this island. It is an infinite source chaotic energy. Energy that "The God's" had bestowed to the Echidna Tribe. This energy is transferred onto the island and makes it float in the clouds, hiding from the eyes of people who want the emerald for themselves. Knuckles never really ever seen the Master Emerald be used for anything other than to keep the island afloat. For all he knew, THIS was not what he was protecting on this island. He was always told to not think that way. That all of Mobius should be thankful for the Master Emerald's existence. The people who had told him this are dead however, so he felt as if he should not take the advice of ancient fools. He never understood why HE was there to protect it. He's just a thirteen year old, who never really had anything wrong happen in his life. Nobody ever made an attempt to steal it, so far. It's in the clouds, hidden from anyone that can look upwards, or so he was told. Why protect something if it's already very well hidden?
Knuckles closed his eye and figured to rest on the thoughts. He felt himself drift into a quiet slumber. His eye's opened to look at the beautifully starlit sky before he fell under. There was a moment where he felt himself lose the ground, and the cool breeze that passed disappeared. His eyes opened, and Knuckles found himself in a deep dark void. He was floating in the nothingness. This was happening, again. He would be haunted by these dreams ever since he was forced onto this island at a young age. He faced forward. Knuckles looked tired and somewhat dismissive to the lack of scenery ahead of him.
"What'd'ya want?" Knuckles barked, annoyed that nobody had presented themselves to him yet, in this void, like how they always did.
As expected, Another echidna had faded into existence in front of Knuckles, in this void of space. he had warn the tribal garb that were to represent the man's rank. If Knuckles was correct, the man was once a chief, "What is your report on island of angels!" his voice was aged and had a deep natural growl as he spoke. This man was one of the few spirits that taught Knuckles how to speak to others and to be educated in the knowledge and history of the Echidna Tribe. He always looked like he was angry at Knuckles. Like he wished it was someone else watching over the emerald.
Knuckles had nothing to report other than that he slept every night, to which he would have been lectured for. To not have that damned rock at his eyesight twenty-four, seven!, "A critter tried to climb onto the Master Emerald. It got cooked, so I had a meal. Bathed myself under the waterfalls and realized that I'm running low on water for this island. I was thinking about letting the island land on the ocean for a few days to keep the plan life and animals alive," he said calmly and with a stern glare at the chief.
The chief glared back, "The island is for the angels alone. Never let it touch the sea! Take this seriously, Child! You lack the respect for the job you have!"
"Don't tell me what I lack, as if you know anything about me!" Knuckles yelled back pointing his thumb to his chest, "I'm stuck in this jungle with nobody and nowhere to go, because of my job! I don't even know why I'm here. What I am protecting?"
"You are protecting the world from the Chaos-"
"- That the Master Emerald holds. I know..." Knuckles interrupted as he growled out the words. "...But what does that even mean?! Why do you people have to be so damn cryptic?!". His hands clenched, frustrated over his family tree and how they treated him so childlike even though, they gave him, what they think to be, the most responsible job that will be his duty, until his death.
The chief gave a frustrated sigh as he pinched the bridge if his nose, "This is what we get, giving a child the job!" Knuckles then rose his fist and swung at the chief. Of course, his fist phased straight through the old pink echidna. Knuckles had his teeth gritted as he snarled and bared his teeth at the chief in anger. The chief had the expression of shame and disappointment as he spoke again, "Mobius is doomed with you as their Guardian..."
Knuckles eyes shot open as he stood up, "JUST, LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
He panted with anger and hatred as he looked ahead, noticed that he was awake, back on the shrine of the Master Emerald. His eyes looked dry and red as he flopped back onto the ground and had his eyes staring into the dawning sky. clouds all around as he took a few deep breathes, to calm his nerves.
Nobody wanted him to be doing this job. Not even him. So just leave... Why not? He thought to himself. Someone else can take the job! Someone more worthy, who would be happy living their lives isolated to the world, stuck on this island. It was decided. He was done being forced to the duties of his ancestors job. A job it seems they failed to control.
His eyes stared into the white fluffy clouds again. There was a dark spot in the clouds. It did not look like a rain cloud. It seemed to be a looming shadow from something large over the clouds, blocking the sunlight. He tilted his head in confusion as he openly spoke, "What is that?"
The clouds broke apart as it revealed a silver planet sized egg breaking through the atmosphere, as it headed straight towards the island! The air around had this violent vibration as the egg plummeted. If that egg crashed onto the island while it stayed floating in the sky, the island will break apart, killing all of the creatures on it!
Knuckles thought fast. He had no time to ask questions. Knuckles had to do his job! He lifted the giant emerald. It was twice his size, and heavy, but he did it. Soon enough, with emerald off the shrine, the island slowly lost it's lift. His idea was horrifying and risky. If the giant silver egg landed on the island while the island lands on the ocean it could break the fall and cause a lot less damage to the island. He had to take the Master Emerald to the vault inside the Lava Reef. There was a shrine there in the caves.
Knuckles hammered his fist into the stone and dirt of the shrine, and clung to it for dear life as his other hand clung to the emerald bracing himself as the egg crashed onto the island. It crashed onto the ridge of the island near the sanctuary. The floating church his ancestors built, hammered into floating rubble. He saw the egg embed itself into the island as he then saw the shock-wave of earth wind and fire spread across the island from where it landed. Knuckles panicked! He saw the wave of heat and wind getting closer. His eyes closed shut, tight as the wave blasted through him and the emerald. It was hot and loud, like a tornado in the desert, ripping through everything. Knuckles thought he was going to die then and there. It was so loud, he barely heard himself scream in terror as his legs left the ground and all that was keeping him attached to the shrine was his dug hand. It clung onto whatever was underneath in the hopes that it was enough to keep him grounded on the now, falling island. He could feel little to nothing as his ears bled as the hot wind rushed past him.
It stopped. He laid frozen as he heard a quiet ringing and nothing else. His eyes slowly opened and looked around in pure shock. There was no grass anywhere near the shrine. Some trees were missing too. If they were present, their leaves were ripped to shreds and the whole tree bent in the direction of the wind. Knuckles made an attempt to stand but his legs felt numb. He had to let the blood rush up from his feet before he could stand. He looked next to him. He was very shocked to see that the Master Emerald was still there, right next to him, wrapped in his arm and hand. Knuckles was baffled. Had no idea he was capable of surviving that, AND protected the emerald.
His mouth was left agape as he rested the emerald onto the mud. He was going to have to clean it up after this. He ran back up to the shrine, to survey the damage he could see, from afar. The mountains and jungle seemed to be in good condition. Only the tall trees took damage and he could not see much difference in the mountains. The ruins were ruins, so he really did not care much for it. He jumped off the shrine and chose to get the Master Emerald to the vault as soon as possible.
As knuckles dropped he felt his neck get cold from the wind being dragged by his dreads. It made him glide his way to the emerald. He knew that echidnas are not usually able to glide like that but he figured being stuck on a floating island had something to do with it.
He lifted the emerald and noticed it feeling lighter than before. He really did not care at that moment, since he had to take it to safety immediately! before heading into a nearby cave he turned to look back. He watched as small metallic things flew out of the silver egg. Knuckles had no single clue of what was going on or what was to come, but for the sheer sake of curiosity, he needed to know what is happening to his island, and find out who/what caused this...