PROLOUGE_ _._

HE should have tried harder.

Smoke rolled off of the sacred land before Sonic, the devastation spread every direction. A once harmonic kingdom was now hidden with grime and gore, a testimony of a violent war. The battle fought the long night before had its levy, the warriors victory ending in inglorious equilibrium. Heavy looses to his home had caused him his family's souls, leaving him almost alone.

Sonic gaped at the display for a moment before he lunged forward and searched for a sign of life. Lifeless bodies, so deformed that none could be recognized even by their own mothers. Death had scented the air and scared the earth, leaving the living to be damned.

The sun was beginning to rise far at the horizon, the sun shinning high above the blue sky. Sonic paid no attention for he did not care, he had just witnessed his mother be raped and slaughtered by her throat, his father be stabbed in the heart with a sword, and his friends be tortured and killed. He was hurt, yes, but alive. But his state of mind was traumatized.

The tuned whistle of his brothers pitch sounded, followed by a painful, hacking cough. "Sonic," Manic hollered. "They're dead, they're all dead!" Sonic choked on the sight of guts flowing out of a mans body. Chuck. The ring on his finger being the only way to recognize him by, his regret of not fighting hard enough against the villain that held him down. He should of been able to save them, and save those he cares for the most despite his age of ten years.

"I know," Sonic yelled back. He covered his mouth to avoid throwing up and turned his gaze away from the gore. He ran to his brother and yanked him by the arm away and into the forest. They needed to get away from the rotting flesh and deadly sights, the armies would probably return and kill them both to keep them from uttering a word from the truth behind the battle. As the oldest, he had to protect his younger sibling.

"They're dead," Manic whined and sniffled. He clenched his fist as teats shed from his eyes, "What are we going to to do? We're goners, we'll never survive on our own, I want mama!"

"Shut up." Sonic said and glared, and then tightened his grip on his brothers wrist as he shoved past bushes and trees. "Just shut up, I don't want to hear it." He hissed with an unsteady breathe, it was obvious he was trying his hardest to hold back his tears from falling out of his eyes.

The youngest ignored his statement. "They're all dead!" Sonic frowned. Even with understanding the harsh situation, he could not stand to hear his cries of pain. It was clear that they wer both hurting because of the past events. The truth was that he still could not believe it, everything had happened so fast. Because of the evil ruler, the creatures had to suffer, the chipmunk did not deserve to be the ruler if he could not defend his citizens. He had literally betrayed the land by considering to give it self to the enemy. This battle could be easily won by having a better ruler, someone worthy of sitting on the thrown.

The eldest furrowed his brows, he was growing irritated by his brothers complains, he stopped automatically and twisted Manic's arm around which caused him to groan in pain. "I said shut up!" He shouted at his brothers terrified expression, they weren't weak, they could overcome this together.

The two held their stare. Sonic's gums throbbed from the physical beating he had gone through, he didn't want his brother to fear him. He wanted to be respected, not feared. It was his way of showing authority. The little boy inside him wanted nothing else but cry with his brother but he could not, he needed to imbue the youngest to be strong.

Manic seemed to relax, and he knew he needed to calm down. This wasn't healthy, "What are we going to do now?" Sonic was silent, as if thinking hard as to how to answer that question. They had no where to go and were too young to work, besides, the neighborhood cities were probably destroyed as well.

"Don't worry, little brother. I...I'll take care of everything. I promise." Sonic stuttered out unsurely as his gaze fell. In truth, he wasn't sure what to do, he was only a child. It made him upset, no, it made him enraged with furry. He would make by far a much more better leader than any king there has been. His gaze darkened, "I keep my word."

"I trust you." Force smiled Manic for the first time that day, "Although I cannot help but feel worried. What are we going to do?"

"Leave that to me," said Sonic. "I will think of a plan, I'll keep you safe." He informed as he gazed off to the sky, he needed to be strong.

The ruffling of close by bushes caught the ear attention from the eldest who slouched his back with caution as he shoved his brother away and far from the location of the bush so whatever was there could not have a close grasp of him. From past training in his village, he knew well how to flung a sword although he only had a cutting knife which he took out from his pocket, it would have to do.

"Sonic!" Complained the youngest as he balanced himself from almost falling but was kept quiet by his brothers hush. He watched intently as Sonic stepped closer to the ruffling of the bushes with a steady knife at his grasp. The movement within the bushes came to a stop once Sonic stood over it.

Sonic raised the knife above his head and with a quick movement he lunged himself into the green bushes with a heavy growl. There was a shriek at the other end, and Sonic came face to face with another species. "Huh?" Sonic tilted his head at the terrified fox who was crying under him.

"Please don't kill me!" He begged through his cries that muffled his voice. He seemed about the age of seven, and not much of a threat. Sonic stood as his brother ran beside him and stared at the small fox. "I'm sorry, just don't kill me!"

The oldest was silent as his younger brother tried to calm the small fox, he was probably from one of the close by villages and was one of the few survivors. He reached his hand out to him to help him up. "We won't kill you, so stop crying."

The fox stared at Sonic's hand unsure, with caution he took ahold of it and stood. "T-t-thank you." He stuttered as he began to breathe hard gasps of air, it was obvious that the young boy was scared by whatever had happened to him. Most likely they were all in the same situation.

"What's your name?" Asked Manic as he crouched down to the foxes eye lever with a raised eyebrow.

"M-M-Miles P-p-o-w-wer."

"Miles Power?" Questioned the green hedgehog as he tried to distinguish the foxes mubbled words. He earned a nod from him and smiled kindly, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Miles. I'm Manic and this is Sonic." He introduced as he made motions with his hands.

Miles seemed to relax once he saw no threat, he has bruises all around his body. Almost as similar as the two brothers who also had cuts and bruises with blood stains in some areas. Weakly, the fox stared at the two brothers as if reading their minds, with a deep breathe he stated the next, "My village was destroyed by the knights of the west. We are the only ones who survived from the destruction, they burned our homes and slaughtered my people and left us to die. By the display of the two of you, it seems we are not the only ones who lost."

Sonic stared at the fox with a suspicious look of a raised eyebrow, "Who's 'we'" He questioned, he had not been aware of more by standers other than the fox known as Miles. As if on cue, other creatures began to emerge from the bushes, all young and helpless, they were lost and scared. Normally, instead of shunning them all off, the blue hedgehog felt anger boil inside of him. The king was of no use, letting them all suffer. The pain of loss was not something he wished for others to condemn within themselves for it was an unbearable feeling of pain.

"So, there's more than just us..." Mumbled softly Manic.

A green hawk stepped forward with a disgruntled expression plastered onto his features, he looked about the a year or two older than the blue hedgehog, "These are the ones we hid from? I can't believe it, what a joke!" He exclaimed his frustration rather rudely as Sonic stared at him with annoyed look on his face, the blue hedgehog all ready found this boy to be getting on his nerves.

"Say whatever you want about me, birdie, it wont affect me coming from a petty fool like you." Sonic responded with an invidious tone, he did not have time to argue, he needed to take care of his brother. By the reaction of gasps from the other creatures it was obvious that the blue hedgehog had made a bold move to call out the hawk. But then again- the fuming hawks reaction was certainly amusing.

"You..." The hawk was not usually at loss of words, but there was something about Sonic's piercing gaze that struck him. It showed no emotion that a child should have, nor did it show fear of him. Unsure of the new situation that he had been placed on the hawk stared from the corner of his eyes at his followers in search of their reactions.

The blue hedgehog released a chuckle which brought the hawks glare back to him. "Seems like this new attention isn't something that your very fond of, birdie." Teased Sonic unable to seem too serious.

"It's Jet, not birdie, hedgehog!" Screamed the now named Jet with dissatisfaction of being but in the spot.

Sonic seemed to cringe by the loud hoarse as he covered his sensitive ears, "Whoa, birdie. You scream like a girl, huh, you even sound like one with that tantrum. Shesh, if this is your way of getting me to like you, well, your not doing a good job."

Giggles rose from the group, Jet let out an unpleasant shriek as he lunged at the blue hedgehog to cause pain, "Shut up!"

With a swift movement, Sonic moved to the side with each punch that the hawk threw at him. Jet seemed overtaken by his anger as he fought like a Wildman with no order and missed the hedgehog every time. Sonic was fast. The others, except Manic, watched with amazement.

Jet fell onto his knees, breathing hard through gritted teeth, he could not believe someone was actually faster than him. Sonic seemed to look as if the whole moving around was nothing.

Sonic fake frowned, "Wow, I actually thought you would be a greater opponent, birdie." He smiled- an expression that made the hawk feel disgusted by his ability to make his pain seem as a joke.

"Damn you!" Sonic raised an eyebrow as Jet stood back onto his feet and threw a fast punch to his face. To everyone's surprise, Sonic caught the hawks arm just before it struck him on the face. Jets eyes widen as Sonic grinned and punched him with his free hand right in between his ribs which caused his breathe to leave his body.

Groaning, the hawk fell to the ground as the creatures cheered for Sonic who seemed to return to being serious.

"Nobody's ever stood up for Jet before and beat him so easily!" Explained an excited crocodile.

"Yeah, you're amazing!" Complimented an armadillo.

Jet growled at the scene, betrayal from his followers, he had protected them all and this is how they repaid them. The sharp pain still stung within his gut as he groaned and rolled on the ground.

"You must be our new leader!" Stated Miles with a pleading gaze, that word made static flow through his veins. A brilliant plan had washed over him, Sonic gazed at the troubled children before him and he witnessed a similarity between them all.

Hatred.

"Sonic?" Manic questioned to his brother quietly who seemed deep in thought, "What are you thinking?"

Sonic grinned with a inimical stare glistening in his eyes as he looked back at his brother from the corner of his eyes.

"Justice and mercy."

Opinions?

So this is something that crossed my mind to write after getting really into battles in History but I would really appreciate reviews on this!