Narrator’s POV

“I won’t let him take you from me,” Silver said.

The albino hedgehog moved his head back to look up to the ebony one. They only stared at one another, lost in the moment. Both had a mirrored expression of sorrow, with tears of frustration and sadness wanting to spill from their eyes. Neither knew what to do next.

“Silver…” Mephiles said softly.

“Sh… There’s no need for words Mephiles.” Silver then leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on the white muzzle. The owner of said muzzle kissed back just as softly. “I love you,” Silver said when they parted.

“I love you too,” Mephiles said dazedly.

A scream from outside broke them from their moment. They both ran outside and saw that the road was a blood river with dead bodies sprawled everywhere. Both amber and green eyes widen from the sight as their hearts skip a beat.

“We need to go…” Silver said with frightening pants. Mephiles was only to nod. The dark hedgehog took one last glance over all the bodies, taking notice of all the people he didn’t and did know. But his heart sunk to his stomach when he noticed a pink hedgehog with short quills, red dress, and dull green eyes that stared at nothingness. A breathy sob left him.

“Mephiles. C’mon. There’s nothing we can do here…” the ivory hedgehog ushered. Mephiles met his sad, apologetic eyes. He slowly nodded and looked to the light red ground. A gloved hand took his with care. “Mephiles…”

“Don’t,” he interrupted. “Just… Don’t…”

Silver lowered his ears. A great pain began to bloom in his chest at seeing the inky hedgehog like this. He had never liked seeing him like this…

The snowy one turned around and lead the way with caution. The grip on his hand tightened from the other, to which he returned with the same action. Sun-yellow eyes looked back and met with hard, determined snake-green. Silver’s courage and hopes rose from the gaze. The duet broke into a sprint. Their hands never let go of one another in their chase after shadows.

More flying killers attended the bleeding skies, splitting thru the wind with quick, swift ease in search of prey. Yells, shouts, and screams ached the hearts of those who were able to stay out of the way of death. The roads and paths rushed with dark red blood of men, women, and children that weren’t meant to die so soon. Buildings would explode, burn, and crumble to the destroyed, rubble-littered grounds. Plants of all sorts were either underneath or ripped up from debris.

Sonic, Shadow, Tails, and Knuckles stayed in the child foxes laboratory, finding it more safe than outside. Sonic let out small whimpers of pain as Tails did his best to bandage his half-lost arm. Shadow had bruises and small cuts littered his entire body, but one huge gash in his side bled rapidly, even through the thick bandages put around it. Knuckles had the white strips around his throat, a four-clawed scratch going across the sensitive area underneath. And even Tails himself had the white binding on his head, a bruise from the roof caving in after a blow from a screeching creature.

Silver and Mephiles rushed throughout everything. Once they made it to the leveled home that their friends hid in, they carefully made sure not to let the dark creatures of the skt see them as they walked through the debris.

“Guys? Are you here?” Silver called as loud as he dared.

Shadow’s sensitive ear flicked to the stairs. “I think someone’s here…”

Knuckles looked at him like he was crazy. “Like hell. I don’t care who it is. For all we know, it could be one of those things pretending to lure out hiders. No way shadow.”

Mephiles’ ear carefully swivelled for any sign of any sort of sign that his friends were alive. He sighed when not getting anything. The sable ‘hog turned to the albino. “We should move on. I don’t think they’re here. If they were, they would’ve come out by now.”

Silver sighed sadly and shook his head with frustration. “Let’s hope they’re someplace safe…”

“Yeah… C’mon. Let’s get moving.” Mephiles started walking over to Silver. He took one step over a big piece of rubble, and fell through the weak spot. He landed on his back in the laboratory. Shadow took out one of his guns and Knuckles grabbed a knife from the table, both pointing their weapons at the unexpecting hedgehog. Mephiles groaned and arched off the ground from the pain in his back.He rolled to the side and slowly stood with a groan.

Shadow squinted as he tried to make out the figure of the being. Knuckles didn’t think twice and rushed in with his knife at the ready. The obsidian animal sensed the other's dash towards him. He kicked his leg out and landed it into his stomach roughly. The crimson echidna fell back and he gripped around his going-to-bruise abdomen.

“You’ll pay for that you bastard…” Knuckles rasped.

Mephiles twitched his eyes in confusing. “Knuckles?” he said.

Violet eyes glared up with a growl. The dust settled down and revealed the shadowy twin. Knuckles squinted and said, “Mephiles?”

Silver brought himself to his knees at the edge of the whole. He too squinted in confusing at the quad there. “Guys?”

Sonic and Tails looked up to see the chalky one. “Silver?” Sonic croaked.

Mephiles glanced to the azure hero and his eyes widen. He rushed over and held onto his shoulder, gazing at his arm. “Sonic?! What happened?!”

Emerald eyes were hidden in a scrunched face. “I w-was trying to s-save Cream from one of the monsters…”

Mephiles slowly looked to his face. Olive eyes returned to the floor in sadness. “Amy was taken too…”

Sky blue eyes of Tails click to the elder. “Amy? But…”

Tears threatened at his eyes. A sob stuck in his throat as he tried to hold it back. “Why? Why?! This isn’t fair!” he complained.

All were silent aside from the soft sobs of the little kit. After a few moments of silent grief, Knuckles strode over to him. He knelt down and pulled the young child into an embrace. Silver and the ebony twins looked elsewhere while Sonic watched with sadness. They let it go on for a couple minutes that would’ve lasted until they were found when Silver spoke up.

“We can’t stay here any longer. We can grief for our lost friends later. When we’re in a safe, or safer, place.”

Shadow nodded in agreement. He went over to the blocked stairs and got rid of the crumbled house with a chaos spear. The group of five crawled out from the laboratory into the bloodied world. Shadow linked an arm around Sonic to help him move about. Knuckles let Tails hug onto his arm as tears still slowly cascaded down his reddened face. Mephiles followed after the two pairs and dazed over to Silver. Neither said a word, still in the hazed moment of grieving. Silver only motioned his head towards a direction and Mephiles nodded.

The band began their trek to anywhere but the city. A group of beasts flew over the small group with their beating wings and battle cries, blood-curdling screams of people followed. Sonic flinched and buried himself into Shadow’s shoulder. Tails sobbed tears with Knuckles forcing him quiet. Silver peered around the corner at the gruesome sight beheld. The vicious creatures crouched over the corpses of a family of four, bathing themselves with their dark crimson blood. Mephiles came up beside him and, finding the scene, covered his mouth in terror and to keeping down the last meal he had.

Silver took in a shaky breath. The ivory ‘hog stared back at his other friends with pity. A sigh left his peachy muzzle. His ebony love caught his attention and he met his gaze, tears threatening at his fragile amber eyes. Dark arms wrapped around him protectively as the owner set his chin on the light ones head. The snowy hedgehog returned this embrace by wrapping his own arms around Mephiles’ midsection and burying his face into once-soft chest fur.

Suddenly, Tails let out a scream.