Legend of the juwels (Sonic Monster AU/ Knuxadow AU) [English]

Chapter 6: ''Escalation'' in the chemistry room

Knuckles woke up lying on the bed.
It was 4 o'clock in the morning.
Finitevius had already finished Sonic's treatment two hours ago.
The hedgehog, still in his werewolf-hedgehog form, lay unconscious on the bed. He seemed to sleep peacefully, as if the recent events had never happened.
He breathed in and out quietly, snoring occasionally.
Knuckles let out a small sigh.
Even though he had barely received a scratch from the fight between him and Sonic, he felt weakened. Sonic could have killed him if that "someone" hadn't protected him. This thought wouldn't let him rest. Even though he was fascinated by this creature with the red eyes, he felt guilty. Shadow had been right. That damn hedgehog had been right! It was dangerous here! Both for him and for Tikal. Sonic's attack had been so surprising. Knuckles wasn't even sure if he would have survived without help.
"Damn it...!" he muttered quietly and stood up. He left the infirmary and walked down the corridor. Quiet had returned. All the students were back in their rooms, most likely asleep. Following the corridor, the red one continued, stepping outside into the fresh air. A gentle summer night breeze caught him, briefly playing with his shirt and dreadlocks before quickly disappearing. Small stars twinkled in the pitch-black sky. In them, Knuckles always saw his ancestors.
His father used to tell him that when they died, they would ascend to the fighting heaven and then be seen as small stars in the sky.
A strange way to describe death, the guardian believed. But the thought of standing in an arena and fighting was not even remotely as bad as death, so it comforted him a little.
He looked at his scars on his arms and legs. Back then, death had been very close by.
How old was he when it happened? Five? If not younger.

Everything was burning, buildings exploding due to green flashes. It had been such chaos. Screams echoed, and pain was part of the ordeal. He had been so full of fear, so much so that he could barely move. This was mainly due to the wounds he carried from an explosion.
In front of his inner eye, he saw Dimitri dressed in golden armor soaked in blood. His eyeballs had been completely black, with a sticky fluid oozing from them. It almost seemed like he was crying. Yet, his lips bore a wide grin.
"Theodore..." he had whispered, grinning broadly. "Do you want to see your family? I can take you to them if you... want..."
The five-year-old couldn't move. Everything hurt so much. It felt like it was just a bad dream, but it was reality. Merciless reality.
He wanted to be with his mother, to cuddle up to her, to tell her how scared he was. She would have taken him in her arms, hummed a familiar melody to lull him back to sleep in her embrace. She would have whispered to him over and over that it was okay, that he was safe. But no one came for him.
Dimitri was slowly approaching him, but Knuckles was frozen in shock like a mouse staring into the eyes of a snake which was about to greedily bite, poison, and ultimately kill and devour its prey."
P-please..." he had only been able to stutter back then, trembling like a leaf before the lightning flashed before his eyes.

"No... stop! That was back then... this is not now and here!" he whispered as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't want to remember the pain, so he opened his eyes and gazed at the night sky. He wouldn't have liked to admit it, but the previous day had really drained him of energy... and yet he was awake.
He sought refuge with anyone, no matter who it was from Sonic's group of friends. Even that filthy, dark hedgehog would have been welcome to him at this moment.
As if someone had heard his wish, footsteps sounded. They were firm and regular. The white echidna stepped out from behind a bush and briefly observed his fellow with his clever, yellow eyes. "What are you doing here, Theodore?" he asked with a firm voice, causing Knuckles to flinch.
Before the red echidna could attempt to find a stuttering justification for leaving the building, the white one raised his hand. "You don't need to justify yourself to me." He gestured towards a wooden bench and smiled faintly at him. "How about we sit down and talk about it?"
The guardian didn't object and followed the elder.
"What's on your mind?"
"How did you-"
"Believe me... I can tell when someone is not doing okay. Back then, I should have recognized it when Dimitrie didn't feel well, too... But now I see worry in your eyes. So what's wrong?"
The younger one's lungs tightened, he couldn't speak. Gasping for breath, he couldn't breathe properly.
He just wanted comfort, like he used to find in his mother's arms. Trembling, he exhaled and rested his head on the other's shoulder, desperately trying to hold back everything boiling inside him.
Finitevus' body tensed in surprise as the red one's forehead made contact with his shoulder.
"Um..." he began briefly, then exhaled. "I understand: No words, no clear thoughts to grasp in such situations. It's hard to hold back emotions. Feelings can overwhelm you when they have a hold on you..."
Knuckles nodded silently, grateful for Finitevus' understanding. The elder's words struck directly at the heart, describing exactly what he was going through. The burden of his emotions felt overwhelming, and he felt like he could break down in tears at any moment.
Finitevus said and did nothing, allowing the younger one to rest on his shoulder. As Knuckles leaned against the shoulder, he felt an unexpected warmth and comfort. It was strange to receive this moment of affection from someone he hardly knew.
Was it because the white one trusted him himself?
Was it because they had shared the same past?
Or perhaps was it because they simply shared the same species?
He didn't know, and he didn't feel the urge to necessarily have to know.
"Thank you, Sir..." he barely whispered.
"Don't thank me too soon, Theodore. I would like to discuss something else with you. It's about the task of selecting a student who masters dark magic. Since I'm not sure if you're up for it, I thought that-"
"I am up for this task!" the younger one exclaimed indignantly.
His teacher looked at him sternly. "Are you sure? It wouldn't be fair if I were to assign you such a difficult task."
This statement made the younger one pause. He growled. He hated it when others underestimated his abilities. "I can handle it, Sir. Believe me. I just need some time."
"It's not that I don't believe you can't do it. But whether you want to. One can be mentally very damaged if they deal with it too much. It seems to be taking a toll on you."
The red one briefly looked down. "Finitevus... I mean... Sir... I want this. I want to know what happened, why Dimitrie went crazy. If there's a way to find out what happened, then it's worth the effort."
He looked resolutely into the yellow eyes of the other.
The white one held eye contact with him. "Very well... however... there's a small problem. The door to the student archive is sealed with a strong spell. The problem isn't that I don't know it, but that I have to teach it to you first."
Knuckles stared at him incredulously.
Teach?
"What do you mean? I'm mortal. I'm not a magician. I can't perform magic, let alone learn it."
"You're not aware of what you as an echidna are capable of. You're the new guardian of the Master Emerald since Dimitri... disappeared. That's why you're able to learn and use all forms of magic. We echidnas are all capable of using magic in a certain way."The revelation about his supposed magical abilities hit him like a bolt from the blue. He had never even remotely considered that he might be able to learn magic. But now that he was told this, he felt a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and curiosity rising within him.
"Magic?" he repeated slowly, as if he wanted to check the term for its authenticity.The teacher nodded solemnly. "Yes, magic. The ability to manipulate the world around you, to understand and control it. And as the guardian of the Master Emerald, you have access to a particularly strong source of magical energy."
Knuckles wrestled with his thoughts. Was it really possible that he had possessed hidden abilities all this time, of which he was unaware? "So... what do I need to do?" he finally asked, regaining his determination. The teacher smiled slightly. "First, you must learn to control your abilities. You will learn this with small and easier spells. Then I will teach you the spell that will grant you access to the student archive. But be warned, Knuckles. The power of magic can hold both light and shadow. It's up to you how you use it."
"Light and shadow?" Finitevus nodded. "Did I not already tell you that someone with dark magic is responsible for the death of our clan? As I said before, there are different types. Light and dark magic and also magicians. Witches, for example, can use both light and dark magic. Werewolves tend to use dark magic. But mostly, it depends on whether they have a good or evil heart because magic always comes from within."
"What do you think... what kind of heart do I have? Which magic would be best suited for me?"
"Hmm... let's do an experiment." He pulled two wands out of his pocket. One was made of dark metal and carved wood, adorned with ornate scrolls and ominous symbols. The other was made of bright, shiny wood, decorated with gentle lines and glowing gemstones. Finitevus handed Knuckles the dark wand. "Hold this wand firmly in your hand and focus on your inner feelings," he said calmly. The younger one hesitated. Even though he was curious about the result, a part of him longed for normalcy, just like before he arrived here with Tikal. Hesitantly, he reached for the dark wood and examined it. "What now?" Knuckles held the dark wand in his hand and closed his eyes, focusing on his inner feelings. A whirlwind of emotions raged within him. Fear of the unknown, anger at the threat emanating from the dark magic, and at the same time, an inexplicable fascination with the power he felt. As he tightly clutched the wand, he felt his hand tingling. A tingling sensation that slowly spread throughout his entire body. The darkness of the wand seemed to merge with his own inner turmoil. Yet at the same time, he felt an eerie strength, a power that was unfamiliar to him but seemed enticing. "Knuckles, open your eyes," Finitevus said quietly. As the red echidna opened his eyes, he saw the wand in his hand slowly pulsating. Dark energy flowed from it, swirling around him like an invisible aura.
"This is dark magic," Finitevus explained. "A force that arises from your own inner conflicts and emotions. It can be destructive if not controlled, but it can also bestow incredible power." Knuckles felt his heart beating faster. The temptation to use this power was strong, but at the same time, he feared the consequences. He knew he had to be careful, that he couldn't let this dark side get too close to him. Quickly, he handed it back to Finitevus. "But you must not forget, Knuckles," Finitevus continued, "that there is also another side. Light magic, which arises from love, hope, and compassion. It is just as powerful as darkness, if not more so. It's up to you which side you will choose."
The red echidna looked back and forth between the dark wand and the bright wand. He knew he had to make a decision, a choice between light and shadow. Determinedly, he reached for the bright wand. He felt a surge of positive emotions coursing through his body. "Very good. You are on the right path. I will ensure that you get extra hours for magic, where I will personally train you." Knuckles nodded to him. "You should go to sleep now, later you will have potion class and then survival training. I believe you won't have any problems with the subjects. Despite your ignorance about potions, you will manage. You will work with someone in the subject who can inform you sufficiently about it."
He sighed.
Did it have to be group work?
"Got it."