(See Chapter 1 for Disclaimer)
~Chapter 2: A Noble Sacrifice~
"AHH!"
"That's what you get for talking back to us, freak!"
A group of young adult humans and Mobians walked away from a small water canal while laughing, leaving behind a young adult male hedgehog in the water. He had snow white with black markings near his eyes, which were golden yellow.
He was wearing typical peasant garb and scruffy brown boots. A knapsack filled with school books sat on the concrete walkway as he sat in the canal, soaked in water. This hedgehog was named Silver, he lived in the farming district with his family: his father Marcus, his mother Silvia and his newborn baby sister Celeste.
As a young adult, he was attending the university in the village. It wasn't as prestigious as the one in the upper class district but many of the professors had studied in schools in different parts of the world, including the prestigious university in Spagonia, so the students were getting a relatively decent education.
Despite his loving family and being one of the top students at the university, Silver's life wasn't too peaceful. Every since he was a child, he was bullied by many of the other students, human and Mobian alike.
Why?
It was because Silver was one of few Mobians born with a special ability, for him it was psychokinesis, the ability to move things with his mind. As odd as these Mobians were, they were seen with great reverence as many believed they were blessed by the gods with these gifts to help benefit society.
And it was true. Silver had used his powers to help out on his family's farm since his father was partially handicapped and had to walk with a cane, so he did most of the farm labor while his father helped his mother take care of Celeste.
However, many others saw these Mobians with special abilities as freaks of nature and so they were often bullied. Silver was one of them, but he was no cowardly pushover; whenever his bullies mocked him, he would fire back with his own insults.
But then, the bullies would get physical with him, and today was one of those days. They had insulted Silver, calling him a "teacher's pet" because he was the top student. It wasn't false, Silver was the top student but not because he wanted to suck up to the professors, it was just because he was a diligent and hard working hedgehog.
It stemmed from helping his parents on their farm all his life, he put that same attitude into his academics and that's why he was such a good student and why his professors praised him.
Not appreciating being labeled a "teacher's pet", Silver countered this by saying that at least he was going to graduate while they'll probably drop out for slacking off.
The bullies didn't like this very much and so they shoved him into the canal, getting him all soaking wet. Silver sighed since he had been used to this daily nonsense, "Well at least none of my books got wet", he muttered.
"Got yourself thrown into the canal today, huh?"
Silver looked up to see a purple female cat standing before him, holding her hand out to him. This was Silver's best friend, Blaze the Cat; she was actually from a wealthy family in the upper class district, but she begged her parents to let her attend school in the farming district because too many kids wanted to be her friend for the money.
Even though they didn't to, her parents let her stay with distant relatives in the farming district and she was able to attend school. That's how she was able to meet Silver, they became friends because Blaze had a special power of her own: pyrokinesis, the ability to create and control fire with her mind.
This was a power that Blaze often used when her family was cooking, lighting the fireplace on cold nights or disposing of garbage so that it didn't pile up and pollute the soil.
They bonded over their abilities and the fact that others picked on them because of it, though Blaze had to deal with bullies less than Silver because they were terrified her wealthy parents would hurt them.
Silver took Blaze's hand and let her pull him out of the canal, "Oh Gaia below, you're all soaked! We're in the middle of Autumn now, you're gonna catch a cold!", she said in concern.
"Don't worry, my classes are done for the day so I can just head on home and take a warm bath", Silver said with a laugh.
"Yeah, but you're still gonna have to walk through town looking like fish outta water, mate!"
Silver and Blaze turned to see another Mobian walking towards them, it was a young female raccoon with orange fur. This was Marine the Raccoon, a friend of Blaze; she lived in the farming district since birth but she got along well with Blaze and she also took a liking to Silver.
She never did like how the bullies picked on her friends and always threatened to beat them up, but since she didn't have any special powers, they never took her threats seriously. But she still remained brave and stood by her friends' side no matter what.
Silver was about to say something but then he was cut off by a loud sneeze, then he groaned as he placed a hand on his head.
"See? I told you that you'd catch a cold, let's get you home right away before it gets worse", said Blaze. She and Marine helped Silver gather his school bag and led him back home, they walked in to see his mother feeding Celeste and his father preparing dinner.
"Hello, Silver. Welcome home, dear", said Silvia.
"You alright, son? You're beginning to look ill", said Marcus.
"He...accidentally tripped and fell into the canal by the university, I think he might be catching a cold", said Blaze. Silver's parents didn't know about his bullies because he didn't want to worry them, so Blaze respected his wishes and kept quiet about it.
"Yeah, the bloke needs some bedrest and plenty o' vegetable soup!", said Marine.
Placing Celeste down into her cradle, Silvia walked over and took Silver by the hand. "Thank you girls so much for helping our son, you're both so sweet and kind. We'll take it from here, so you can head home", she said with a smile.
Blaze and Marine thanked her for her kind words before they left the house, then Silvia placed a hand on Silver's forehead. "Oh, it looks like they were right. You're starting to get a fever, let's get you to bed. You can complete your school assignments later, when you feel a bit better", she said.
"I'll prepare extra vegetable broth and some ginger tea, that always helps him feel better when he's sick", said Marcus.
"But...Dad, I need to help with the farm work. The weeds need to be plucked and I have to feed the cows...", Silver said before he was cut off by a coughing fit.
"Its alright, son. I can handle it just fine, and besides, you won't have the strength to help anyone if you're too ill. You're a kind and thoughtful boy, Silver, but let us help you for once", said Marcus.
With that said, Silver allowed his mother to usher him upstairs to his room where he changed into dry clothes and got into bed; he may have been nineteen years old and felt a little silly letting his parents dote on him like this, but he knew they loved him and he appreciated it nonetheless.
A few minutes later, his father brought him some vegetable soup with a leek bun and some ginger root tea. Silver thanked his father and ate his dinner before settling down for a nap.
An hour later, Silver woke up coughing harshly. He slowly got up to head downstairs and ask his father to brew him some more tea, but then he stopped in the hall by the kitchen doorway when he heard something. It was the sound of his mother crying.
"No, Marcus! Don't do this, not you! Anyone but you!", Silvia sobbed.
"It can't be helped, Silvia. The arrow landed on our house, it must be me that goes out to the podium", said Marcus.
Silver gasped in horror silently, the annual sacrifice to King Mephiles had become so ingrained into the society of Soleanna that everyone just accepted it as part of their lives, but it still didn't make the situation any easier to bear. Silver never expected his house to have the red arrow land on it, but according to the conversation between his parents, it did.
He slowly walked into the room, shocking his mother and father.
"Mom...Dad, I heard everything. Please tell this isn't true", he whispered.
Silvia sobbed even louder as she rushed over to her son and pulled him into a hug, "Oh Silver, my poor child. I'm sorry you had to hear this, I'm sorry!", she said as she cried. Her cries awoke Celeste and she started crying as well, "Silver, take your sister up to our room. I need to speak to your mother alone", said Marcus.
Silver nodded as he picked up his infant sister and carried her away, suppressing a sneeze with his shirt sleeve. He didn't go upstairs, however, he hid in the hallway as he overheard his parents conversation; he was able to quiet Celeste down so he could hear them.
"Silvia, I love you and Silver and Celeste so very much. More than anything else in this world, and that is why I am willing to let myself be taken by the military police and chained to the podium. By giving up my life, I can assure that you and our children will never go hungry. I'm sorry, my love", said Marcus.
Silvia cried even harder as she shared a loving kiss with her husband, "I forgive you, my love. And I'll pray for your soul every day, when Celeste grows up, I'll tell her all about her brave father who gave his life up for her and her brother. And Silver, this'll be hard for him since you two have been so close since he was a baby, but I'm sure he'll understand", she said.
Silver felt tears come to his eyes as he overheard this conversation, he couldn't that he was about to lose his father. He could always put up with the bullies at the university because he always go home to his loving family, his parents always brightened up his day.
Now, his household was about to become like all the others who lost a family member to the demon king. Not but his baby sister was going to grow up without a father in her life. He didn't want to lose his father, he knew he couldn't let this happen, but what could he do to stop it? If someone wasn't sacrificed, King Mephiles would punish the entire kingdom with famine.
At that moment, Silver knew what he had to do. He quickly took Celeste upstairs to his parents room and laid her down in her cradle, "I'm sorry to do this Celeste, but I cannot let father be sacrificed. You're just a baby, you don't deserve to grow up without a father. You're too young to remember me but...maybe that's for the best", he whispered.
Silver gave his sleeping baby sister a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room, he coughed and sneezed as he hastily put on some clean outside clothes; even though he was still sick, he knew what he had to do to protect his family.
After getting his clothes on, Silver snuck out of the house and ran off running into a pair of soldiers from the military police on the way. "Silver the Hedgehog, the red arrow landed on your house. We've come to collect the sacrifice", one of them said.
"Well, here I am! I am the sacrifice! Take me!", Silver demanded.
"You? You're parents didn't seriously offer you up as the sacrifice, did they? Do they even know about this?", the second soldier said.
"No, and that doesn't matter! My house was hit by the arrow, so one man from my family has to be sacrificed. It has to be either me or my father, and I choose me! So take me now!", Silver responded.
The soldiers were still confused but as the Harvest Moon was beginning to slowly rise, they knew they couldn't waste any more time. They took him by the arms and led him to the forest, just then, the door to his house opened and his father stepped out.
"Its time for me to go, Silvia. Take care of our children for me--"
Marcus was cut off when he gasped in shock, Silvia walked out to see why he suddenly cut himself off. She gasped in shock when she saw Silver being led away by the military police, "What are they doing?! Where are they taking him?!", she shouted.
"Silvia, go upstairs and get Celeste! I'll follow them, join me when you have the baby with you", said Marcus.
After that, he chased after the military police while his wife went to get their daughter. Marcus stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the soldiers chaining Silver to the podium, "What are you doing with my son!?", he shouted. He tried to run up to the podium but was stopped by two other soldiers, specifically Shadow and Rouge.
"Stop! Do not interfere with the procedure or you'll kill us all!", shouted Shadow.
"But what is my son doing up there? He shouldn't even be out here, he's sick! He should be home! Silver, what are you doing?!", shouted Marcus.
"I'm doing this for you, Dad! I won't let you be sacrificed, not you! I'll do it", Silver called out.
"NO!"
Just then, not only did Silvia arrived on the scene with Celeste in her arms, but so did Blaze and Marine.
"No, Silver! Don't do this, please!", shouted Blaze.
"Yeah, mate! You're our friend, don't go offering yourself up to be lunch for a demon!", shouted Marine.
Silver smiled sadly as he let out a wheezing cough, "I'm sorry. I never thought the arrow would land on our house, but now that it has...I can't let you be the one to sacrifice yourself, Dad. Every family that has had to give up someone fell into an inescapable bout of depression, so many kids had to grow up with a father in their lives.
"Celeste was just born no less than four weeks ago, she needs you in her life! She's too young to remember me, so she won't be hurt by this. It's better this way", he said.
"But what about us, Silver? Your friends, your parents...we'll miss you, please don't do this!", Blaze begged.
Just then, the air suddenly grew cold as ice. Everyone looked around to see all the crops magically growing and ripening again, then they were nearly blown off of their feet as Mephiles swoop down in his shadow dragon form. Silver looked up at him but he held no fear in his eyes, he never would've guessed his home would be picked for this but he knew it would at some point.
If not when he was still living with his parents, then it would've been when he was married and had a family of his own. If Silver did have a family of his own, he would've gladly offered up his life to protect his wife and children.
Well I guess I'll never get married or start a family now but at least I can ensure my family is safe, he thought.
So while he was scared, Silver did his best to swallow his fears by taking slow and deep breaths, though it was hard due to him coughing and his fever getting worse. "Remain calm, face your fate with dignity", he whispered to himself. He offered to make the sacrifice, the last thing he was gonna do was let himself get dragged off screaming and begging for his life.
Mephiles landed before him and stared down at him curiously, most of his sacrifices were either elderly or middle aged, he wasn't expecting a young adult.
Strangely he doesn't so any fear but why is he still sweating though, Mephiles thought.
He then placed a hand on Silver's head and felt around, realizing how warm he felt.
Oh...he's simply ill, Mephiles thought, quite interesting indeed.
As Mephiles was still staring at Silver like he was trying to understand him, he could hear the cries and pleas of his parents. Mephiles looked up to see Marcus and Silvia being held back by the military police, Blaze and Marine stayed off to the side because while they didn't want to lose their friend, they knew better than to interfere with the sacrifice.
Silver's parents, on the other hand, were so adamant on not letting their son be killed that they were trying to push their way past the military police to get to him.
"No, not my son! Take me instead! It was supposed to be me!", shouted Marcus.
"No! My baby!", screamed Silvia.
Now Mephiles was even more curious as well as confused, so he decided to take his leave already. So, in one swift motion, he grabbed Silver and flew away with him. Silver gasped in shock as it felt like the wind was completely knocked out of his body, which was gripped not too softly in Mephiles' fist.
Silver struggled to look down as the sight of the village as well as his parents' voices faded away in the distance. He then looked up at Mephiles, who at the moment looked like a giant black and grey dragon with glowing neon green eyes.
Honestly, he did look as scary as people made him out to be, but Silver knew it wasn't what he looked like but what he did that made everyone fear him. That was when Silver remembered that once they got back to King Mephiles' castle, he was going to be eaten alive.
Or maybe Mephiles was going to kill him first and then eat him to be somewhat merciful, Silver didn't know which but neither sounded very pleasant.
Regardless, Silver didn't have much time to think about it or even contemplate his mortality because his fever had increased in temperature and he felt his consciousness slipping. By the time Mephiles was approaching his castle, he could sense that Silver had passed out.
"You are definitely my most interesting offering, little white hedgehog...", Mephiles muttered under his breath.
[End of Chapter 2]
