PoV: Sonic

I sniffled as they kept me locked under the temple. It was dark, but I could see just fine. Not a plant near me.

"Choo!" I sneezed as a dust bunny landed on my nose, "It's cold..."

--- Earlier ---

  I was back in the mortal realm. This time I was trapped inside the temple with no way out. The collar finally stopped choking me, yet the symbol still burned.

  I just have to break the curse then what... The village won't get better until Sally becomes High Priestess.

"Hurry up with the offering, the demons will become furious if we don't do something- AHH!" the maiden who opened the door screamed, "Oh chaos... Sonic... you're here? What brings you to the temple? Sally is waiting by your shrine."

"I need to speak with the Priest, can you take me to him?" I crawled out of the shrine and dusted myself off.

"Of course," the maiden and her companion lead me to the Priests room.

  On the way I could only think of how I hated removing the curse. He didn't say I couldn't place another one. A curse no one would notice... Parasites? No... Something he'd need medicine for.

  When I arrived to his room, there was a terrified woman feeding the bastard honey, the only food that did not rot.

"Sonic... Mephiles said you'd be coming... to remove the curse... Now... do it... Or I'll have you killed..." he was starving and suffering the way all us villagers did when we gave this man everything for the demons.

"I need to be alone with him," I announced. The maidens all left the room.

"Sonic... you've become a worthless demon... you cannot disobey your masters... you will never be rid... of me..." he went on and on as I began removing the curse. He spoke of everything he claimed to do for the village, I didn't care for his tall tales.

  I need a different curse... I need to free the villagers- I removed my curse and quietly replaced it with another. May his blood harm him by refusing to flow.

"You can go eat now," I answered.

  He wearily reached beyond his honey pot towards the fruits that lay behind it. He grabbed one and looked in awe as it did not rot. He began eating all he could, eating everything he saw. I began getting up and he grabbed me.

"GUARDS!" He shouted and another set of hands grabbed me.

"What are you doing? I need to get back- mm!" My mouth and nose we covered as I was tied up in chains.

"I'll be sure to return your body to them after I've finished with you," The Priest grinned as ordered them to pull the chains tighter, "Take him to the dungeon, now!"

"Yes sir!"

--- Present ---

"It's almost sunrise... Mephiles is going to be furious..." I sighed as I looked up at the chains. They had but seals on the shackles so I couldn't break them. There were seals over the prison walls and bars as well. I couldn't escape for now. I just had to wait for my strength to come back.

"Sonic, are you in there?" I heard a familiar voice in the dark. It was Sally, she found me, "I'm coming in."

"Sally, you'll get caught helping me," I felt arms around my waist, "What are you doing?"

"You said you have to go back before daylight, right?" She pressed something against my lips, "Drink this."

  I recognized the smell, it was the wine she had given me before. I started to drink as she tipped it for me. With my hands shackled to the wall, I couldn't move.

"Please, drink all. I need you to keep getting stronger," Sally ran her fingers through my quills. I drank until I couldn't anymore. We took a break before I started to drink the last of the wine.

"Wine will make me stronger?" I asked after she wiped my lips.

"Wine? Is that what blood tastes like for you?" I felt sick the moment she said those words.

"Wait, you've been giving me blood!?" I could believe it yet I knew why. Demons were always told to desire blood and mortal flesh.

"To make you stronger. Please, drink all the blood we give you. It's the only way you can beat Fleetaway and Mephiles. Drink the blood, get more powerful, and kill them. Set us all free as our new God, Sonic. Please. We only have lambs' blood right now, but whatever blood you need we will get for you. Here," she pressed her arm against my cheek, "You can take mine-"

"I will never drink mobian blood!" I turned my head, "Understand you want me to save you all but please... don't ever make me drink mobian blood, I won't kill anyone."

"Get the prisoner," I heard the guards.

"I have to go," She kissed my cheek and left.

  A few moments later a guard came in with a torch, "Grab him and let's go. The Priest wants to see him."

  When I was brought out of the dungeon I was met with sunlit halls. They pulled me into the hallway and I felt a burning agony as the sunlight grazed me.

"Stopped fighting it!" The guard snapped and pulled the chains.

"No!" I stayed put.

"We'll escort him," four maidens ran up to me and covered me with a blanket, keeping the sun from touching me.

"Tsk," I heard the guard as the girls helped me follow them without burning.

  I was taken to the Grand Priest who was now sitting at the end of a long table. I was forced onto my knees, sitting across from him at the end of the table.

"Sonic, are you afraid of the sunlight? A powerful demon like you? You're only a threat in the dark," he scoffed, "I'll allow you one last moment with the village, as they see you burned outside the temple."

"You can't! The plagues will only return! You'll be killing everyone, even yourself," I wasn't going to let everyone suffer again.

"You see, that's where you're wrong. Do you know how mortals gain demonic powers?" He grabbed a dagger and walked up to me, he thrust it into my shoulder making me scream, "We drink their blood. The plagues may come but I'll have your immortality and demonic abilities. I'll be able to keep everyone just barely alive."

"You'll die before you can taste my blood," I couldn't let him torment everyone.

"You're wrong, I have plenty right here-" he dropped the bloody dagger and clutched his heart.

"I told you," I felt different all of a sudden. I snapped off the shackles and cleaned off the dagger. I grew large leaves to cover the windows and anywhere sunlight entered.

"You shouldn't be able to break the seals! You're a weak demon, you aren't meant to..." he was dying right before me. The curse saved me, but so did the blood Sally gave me.

"I can heal you, remove the clotting blood, but it won't be for free. If you want your life you will step down from the title of Grand Priest and anoint Sally as High Priestess immediately. And then you will bring me three chickens or a hog, whichever you prefer to replace your blood," I felt the burning of Mephiles's symbol becoming more intense. He warned me about being out past sunrise, I was sure he was furious. If the burning continues I won't be able to walk. I need to handle this quickly.

"Choose now, your life or dying today," I watched as he grabbed the bottom of my yukata, wearily pulling himself against me.

"... neither..." he attempted to bite my leg just before I pushed him away. He struggled to continue moving before collapsing.

"Sally Acorn is the new High Priestess. Please inform her right away," I looked out the window and all the fruits that had been picked and fields that had been harvested were regrown, "My last gift for today is a feast fit for the village to celebrate. I'm not sure if I will ever return, but please protect each other. I bless this village with prosperity and health as the Acorn Village. I must go now," I wrapped the blanket over myself again and left for Mephiles and Fleetaway's shrine.

"Sonic wait!" Sally came running as I opened the door to the shrine. She had another gourd, "Please, drink everything we send you."

"I will, High Priestess," I took the gourd and felt something grab me. It was one of Mephiles' tentacles.

"Sonic-"

  I was suddenly pulled back into the shrine and down into the abyss as the door was shut. When I opened my eyes I was being held by Mephiles who looked furious...

"What the hell. Did you do?"

~~~

12/7/21