The Crossing Destinies [OPEN Sonic the Hedgehog FF]

The Morning after the Nightmare (2/5) - R

Shadow left the town, not knowing the small demon was still alive. He was wounded but still breathing. He spent most of his time in the cave on a small hill of grass and moss, protected from the coldness.

Eclipse lifted his head. He was still unstable with his movements, but his body was no longer screaming in pain at the smallest move.

It had been days since he miraculously escaped certain death. Even now he shivered in fear. His greatest luck was landing in a familiar part of the forest, thus finding his way to the cave faster. He had crawled inside before passing out.

His pets went into a frenzy, horrified by his terrible state. Once they calmed down, they tended his wounds the best way they could. They gathered small bits of negative energy, feeding him for nights.

Thanks to their effort, Eclipse's healing process was sped up. The torn wing grew back, but it would still take time before he could fly at full speed.

The small demon tried his limbs one by one. He could move with them freely if he ignored the occasional pain. He needed to move his body to get rid of the stiffness. He forced himself to stand on all fours, catching his breath.

"I'm okay now," he gently said to his pets, who worriedly grouped around him. "I just need to stretch myself a bit."

With help of the rough wall, he stood up. He felt incredibly weak. After long minutes of practicing, he gained confidence in his walking.

Since he was no longer forced to concentrate on his pain, fear began to set in. He'd missed the deadline for negative energy by a day. He had to gather some, or he would be in big trouble.

There was one major problem; all the energy he gathered was used for his recovery. He had none. He headed for the exit.

'I have to hunt!' He bounced off the wall, trying to walk, but he soon fell.

"Damn it!" he cursed. As he was getting up, he felt a chilling gust of air. 'No... it can't be!' He was afraid to lift his head.

Faint steps were heard, a quiet scratching accompanying them. They belonged to creature similar to Eclipse; however, this one was a lot taller. He had five horns on his head, the biggest pair was growing from his forehead, curving backwards with a slight Z-shaped line. The rest were much smaller forming a tiara and filling the space on his forehead.

His back quills were of extraordinary length as they were almost touching the ground and their lower halves were twisted. His long tail was, compared to them, very simple, but it was enough to slash his enemies.

His eyes were also yellow. But they seemed to be cold, emotionless, and partly hidden behind pince-nez glasses. He had clawed feet, and hands, and sported similar red markings and stripes. One more thing, setting him aside from Eclipse, was a robe of military feeling.

He walked around the laying demon without paying him any attention. Dust balls hid further in the cave, only observing the scene. He stopped next to empty hourglass and spoke with a clear voice, "What happened Eclipse?"

(Amazing RatInTank from Tumblr made Sirius for me <3 I love both designs, so here they are ;-) See the external link for Tumblr Blog)

The small demon jerked, his teeth chattering. He was scared to answer, but if he wouldn't, he could have bigger problems.

"I... I encountered a slight setback!" he quickly mumbled. "I swear, I'll gather it in the next night! Please, give me a chance!" he shouted to the ground unable to face his superior.

"Gather?" the other demon asked, moving toward Eclipse. His tail slightly stabbed the previously tore wing. A painful moan escaped Eclipse's mouth. "With this body?"

"Please, give me a chance. I have never missed the deadline before," he begged.

That was true. He always worked hard. Other demons were often jealous of his success.

The other demon was silent, his tail only stabbed deeper. Eclipse muffled the moan. After a minute, the tail stopped tormenting him, and the small demon gasped in relief.

"Very well then, but by the next deadline, you have to gather the double amount."

Eclipse's heart skipped a beat. "Yes, I will! I won't fail you, brother Sirius!"

"And now... why are you in this state?" Sirius slightly tilted his head, and his narrowed eyes pierced the small demon.

Eclipse shivered. He knew that look. His brother was serious. He wanted the answer. Should he tell the truth? But then his prey and revenge could be stolen from him!

"I... I..." Eclipse stuttered, unable to proceed any further.

"Whatever," his superior sighed. "Just don't fail because next time you will be severely punished." He made sure to pronounce the last word clearly.

"Yes, brother..."

His brother slowly walked away. With a simple hand gesture, he opened a portal to their homeland, disappearing inside. Eclipse was finally able to breathe freely.

It was too soon to celebrate that he avoided any punishment. He had a hard job in front of him, and he was determinate to do it right this time. He slowly stood up.

"Let's go, kiddies," Eclipse called his pets, who gathered around him. "It's time to move away from this town. I have heard about this big city that isn't that far away. There we will be able to fill our quote in no time."

He tried to smile, pretending he was okay. He would be able to finish the task here as well, but the priest was here. He couldn't face him now. He needed to gather his strength first, then he would return to settle the score.