They say only fools would dare to step into the Ebony Forest, and he was the biggest fool of all. The hooded hedgehog rode along along the dark, twisted path upon his mare. It was his job to ensure that everything stayed where it should; the mortals stayed inside the valley, only traveling to the coast lines by a path lined with safety spells, and the monsters and demons stayed in the forest.
He suddenly stopped, sensing a present other than the usual dark entities he was use to; something light.
❝Shit❢❞
He hissed under his breath, as he forced his mare to turn and charge through the under brush. Branches clawed and snapped at his face, as if the forest didn’t want him to find the source of the energy.
Demons had surrounded the girl, cackling like hyenas.
A dark figure sat in the corner of the bar, fingers wrapped around a glass of some clear liquid. Glowing green eyes peered around the nearly empty building, as if he were waiting for someone. He didn’t notice when the other walked up to him.
The tall echidna stood over a grave one drab, misty afternoon, looking down at the words etched into the solid stone. How ironic it all was; Hazen dying, then coming back, only to die once more,just as he had before:choking on his own blood. No doubt the demons below his feet were in fits of laughter still.
However, he wasn’t thinking about Hazen’s death; no, his mind was on more pressing matters, like the fact that pieces of Shadow Khor were still out there, and how his henchmen were practically non existent, thanks to Sanctum for killing them off. And speaking of Sanctum, he had the piece of Shadow Khor that Scourge had been hanging on to. Anarchy knows what happened to the green hedgehog. Basically, Sanctum was throwing his plans off. If he wanted to regain his one up on world domination and purging, he’d have to throw himself onto the chess board. A dangerous move, but necessary, since his pawns-The Suppression Squad-couldn’t do anything.
Turning quickly, Finitevus moved like a shadow, seemingly hovering above the ground, and towards his next destination. Perhaps, a little fight would do him some good to help relief some pent up stress.
Sunlight sprinkled down between green leaves, dripping onto the forest floor below. Mary, a red, female echidna, was riding on a mare, looking up at the sun spots. She took a deep breath, thinking over recent events. The days had flown by a drab, tearful blur, and only now was she able to unwind.
Just then, off to the side, the under brush began to rattle, scaring her steed. The mare reared back, taking Mary by surprise. She scrambled to grab the reins tighter, but started to slip. She fell backward, sliding onto her butt. The horse began to run away.
Growling, Mary stood back up, and glared into the woods, fists clenching up. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”
“Fiona Fox...” The male echidna stood tall, looking down at the vixen with glowing, golden eyes. No smile was place on his muzzle, rather a disinterested frown.
“I haven’t seen you in a while. What brings you to my tower?”
'Alright Finitevus, keep calm.' The albino echdina paced around the dark basement, lit only by various, bubbling chemicals in tubes littered around the room. Turning angerly from the warp ring in which he used to watch the events unfold,he stormed over to a counter, resting his hands on it and taking deep, heavy, breaths. His enemy had eaten his way through Finitevus' army of demons; they were a lot more clever than he had initially thought...
In a sudden, swift movement of rage, all the paperwork went flying and the test tubes shattered, spraying glowing, toxians everywhere. The chemicals hissed and ate away at metal tables and counters and floors. The echdina stood in the center, huffing. No, he was better than this. He was far more smarter than some, low-breed hedgehog. Straightening his back, a smile appeared on his muzzle. All he needed to do was keep his composure, and everything would be fine.
It had been quiet for a while, so Mary figured it'd be safe to come in. With a few body slams against the door, she knocked the lock off, sending it flying a few inches before it landed and rolls towards the cold, lifeless hand. She screamed.
Later, Mary sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the opposing wall. It had happened all too fast; the last thing she saw of when Hazen was alive, was him pushing her out of the back door, glaring down at her. The next 5 minutes seemed like an eternaty as she listened to her husband struggle to put up one last fight. When she was able to walk back in, he laid there, blood steadily dripping out of his mouth, and glazed eyes staring at her. Cause of death: internal bleeding, caused by outside trauma to the chest.
Mary gasped as she choked on tears. She knew she couldn't cry anymore; she had a kingdom to run, and a baby to carry. She stood up, tossing the use tissue into the garbage bin, and walked briskly out to greet the crowd of awaiting citizens, anxious of what was to come.
Sunlight streamed through leaves on a hot afternoon, filling the forest with life. Everywhere, birds were chirping, animals grazed, and insects buzzed. The Ebony Forest seemed to have completely flipped a switch; normally, the forest was cold, damp, and devoid. Not today though.
That all changed however. As soon as the albino echidna stepped within the area, wildlife perked and ran. The air because cold, and thick. The sun was suddenly consumed by thick, black clouds. A cool, yet chilling, smile took up his entire muzzle.
