Narrator’s POV

Tails’ scream caught everyone's attention. The kitsune was being held a yard off the ground. His little legs flailed about, ocean eyes wide, mouth gaping for air, and hands grasping onto the one tightly gripping his throat. Knuckles laid on the ground underneath him, his purple eyes wide and distant as his precious blood pooled beneath himself. A sickening ‘SNAP’ broke thru the air. For the four still alive in their group, it made them flinch as if a gun was shot off right by their ears.

Tails’ limp body fell in a heap on top of the echidna. The culprit, a black hedgehog with five quills on his head and amber eyes, stood with his hand still the way it was when around the child’s neck. A toothy smirk plastered the ancient ones face as his golden orbs burned with demonic mischief. Silver’s amber sun eyes stared with shock at the demon yellow of his father’s. Anger developed within the younger ones chest, and showed in his form. Gloved hands clenched into fists, eyebrows furrowed, and body hunched ever slightly.

“What’s wrong my child? Are you mad that you lost more friends because of your foolishness?” his father mocked. His replies were whimpers from the azure hero, defensive grumbles from the Ultimate Lifeform, stern snake eyes from his twin, and loud growls from ivory. A dark chuckle erupted from deep within the demon's chest. “Did you really think you’d be able to save them Silver? Just like with Adrian? Cause then I’ll make sure to torture them out.”

Silver’s pupils snapped to slits so thin that they weren’t seen. Two swords were tightly grasped in his hands. He rushed at the dark one with speed quicker than Sonic, his swords raised and struck down on a single extended knife from his father that held above their heads. Their faces were inches apart with a death stare in between. Silver’s father, Darkness, leaned in closer to mingle their breaths.

Darkness whispered tauntingly, “You will lose just like every other time, Silver.”

“You are a dead man.”

Silver’s demonic voice came out and his trio of friends were frightened. His father on the other hand smiled wide and took the challenge.

Mephiles’ POV

The other one smiled widely, his white teeth glimmering reflections of the dark sky. His amber eyes stared back into Silver’s own. They were going to fight. And only one was going to come out of it… I knew that Silver’s sanity had finally snapped and that he was going to fight to avenge everything that has happened to Mobius. I looked over to Shadow and with one second of meeting gazes, we bolted in the opposite direction. Sonic was held firmly in Shadow’s grip as I ran ahead of them, dodging bodies, rubble, holes, and anything else in the path.

I could hear the faint sounds of clashing swords, beating wings, and ominous roars of battle cries. Two figures, one black and the other white, crashed into the ground to my right. They took off into the sky and once more crashed again but on my left. I continued to run, raising my arms to block debris from the crashes. My breathing became ragged and I knew I was going to have to stop sooner or later.

Silver’s POV

“Hey sis? Can me and Silver go play outside?” asked my twin, Adrian.

“No. I have a surprise for you two,” my sister, Midnight, replied with a playful smile.

I beamed at her with a wide smile. “Really?! What?! What is it?!”

She giggled. “You’re not supposed to know what it is Silver.”

“Then when CAN we know?” Adrian pouted.

Midnight giggled again. “How about this… you two stay in here, and I’ll go prepare the surprise for you. How’s that sound?”

Both me and Adrian jumped with joy, shouting out our happiness. Midnight smiled, kissed our heads, and left the room, closing the door behind her. I looked over to my brother.

“What do you think it’ll be?” I asked, feeling my tail wag as fast as my happiness.

“I don’t know… Maybe she’s got us horses?” Adrian suggested with his hands under his chin.

I squealed. “I don’t care! I’m too excited to care!”

The door creaked open and, with all my happiness, ran over to it. I swung the huge piece of wood and smiled up to who I thought was my sister. Only to gasp and run to my brother when meeting my father’s gaze. I began to shake with fear of the much older male in our presence. His amber eyes were locked onto me and Adrian, his hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword. He slowly took a few steps into the room before turning and closing the door. A soft whimper left my throat and hid behind Adrian as much as I could.

A dark chuckle erupted from my father as he prowled towards us. His strong hand grasped his sword’s hilt, and he pulled it forth. “Pathetic,” he snarled.

Adrian bared his teeth and flattened his ears defensively. His small hands balled into fists and he began to back up, knowing that neither of us could take him on, single handedly or together. I hit the wall with a gasp and more fear plagued me. Father’s hand shot forward and smack both of us, sending us flying to the other side of the room. I hit my head on wooden floor, getting the breath knocked out of me.

I opened my eyes and was seeing triple as my ears ringed. With a shake of my head, I hazily and bluredly watched a giant foot stomp on my brother’s chest. Before a shimmering silver sword came down and struck right through his throat. The blade pulled up and was covered in a red liquid. Adrian began to hack and turned on his side, his back facing me. It was at that point that I heard the faint thundering sound of the doors slamming open and swords clashing together. My sister yelled at my father, who yelled back in response. I sat up and brought Adrian’s head into my lap.

“Adrian?” I called softly.

His distant eyes stared up at nothing in particular. Tears began to swell in my eyes. “Adrian?” I rasped.

The sound of glass breaking echoed and a moment later, arms wrapped around me and brother. I looked up to meet Midnight’s gaze. The tears slipped from my eyes as I looked into her sorrow-filled amethyst eyes. I broke into sobs. Midnight’s arms brought me closer. I cried into her chest.

Narrator’s POV

Mephiles was the first to snap out of mourning state over the kit and echidna. He grasped Shadow’s arm firmly and pulled on it.

“We need to go!” he shouted.

Ruby eyes glanced between the ebony and the lost friends. The grey streaked ‘hog could see the tears pricking his eyes.

“We need to go,” Mephiles repeated. “They’re gone. In a better place. We need to leave them.”

“No!” Sonic shouted. The azure pushed away from Shadow and fell onto the ground. He crawled over to his friends and held tightly onto Tails’ body. “I’m not leaving him!” he cried.

Mephiles groaned softly and frantically looked around, keeping track of where Silver and his father were. Which was very close. The ebony male watched the duet battle and saw a piece of debris coming straight for them. He panic and reached for the azure hero.

“Sonic!”

His voice was cut off as he was thrown to the other side of the street by the force of the ruble hitting the ground. He coughed and quickly sat up. There was nothing but the massive boulder-sized rock to where he stood. Sonic was nowhere in sight. Mephiles felt his heart drop. He had lost another friend. Coughing to his side made him snap to the sound. In the dust laid his look alike. He jumped over to him and held onto his side.

“Are you alright?” Mephiles asked worriedly.

Shadow groaned and rolled onto his back, revealing the rock in his stomach. Mephiles gasped.

“No… no no no No NO NO!!” he shouted in despair. Tears ran down his pale muzzle. He was going to lose another friend. Why was he going to lose all the people he cared for? Why him?

“M-Mephiles…” Shadow called. Pale green met with fading ruby. “You… you need to go…”

“No. I’m not leaving you. I won’t leave another friend. Not again… I-I won’t…” Mephiles sobbed.

“We both know… that I won’t be able to last too long… y-you… you-you nee-need to g-go… now! Ugh!” Shadow held his stomach in pain and arched his back. Mephiles wrapped a hand around his neck and tilted his head.

“Don’t say that. You’re going to be alright… You’re going to be alright… I-I… I promise you’ll be alright… You will be… You will…”

Shadow stared at him sadly. His ruby eyes then rolled to the back of his head and his body went limp. Mephiles froze.

“Shadow?” he called. No answer. He called again, and was given the same reply each time. The ebony began to sob, crying to the world why he had to be the one to suffer.