Chapter 1 "The Curse" In the dry place of Mobius where the grass plains reign supreme, but are hot all year round, a Kingdom stood filled with peace and the people fair and generous under a benevolent King and Xak, a Brown Hedgehog with black sleeve gloves, and heavy black Canvas shoes, was the prince of this fair land only the age of 8, seen strolling about the castle as he does, with his best friend Ophilia. "Hey Ophy! What’cha wanna do?" asked, boredly. "I don’t know. It’s your house, shouldn't you be the one thinking up the fun?" Ophilia asked annoyed. "Nah! If I did all the thinkin', who would do all the cool stuff? Heheh!" Xak answered with a bright grin and a laugh. "Pfft, since when did you do anything cool? Because, I've never seen it." She said cruelly with her own smile, crashing his ego like she usually does. "Aww c'mon we do cool stuff all-the-time! How do you not see me when this happens?" He asked seriously. "I don’t know, because you're ‘coolness’ just blinds me so I can't see it... hehe." she says again. Rising up his ego high but breaking him again. From somewhere, her Mother calls out to her, "Ophilia! C’mon we're leaving hun!" "I'll catch you latter dude, I have to go." Ophilia said. She blushed and gives a hug to Xak and left. As he watched her run towards her mother, he had a small glimpse of her beauty. Suddenly a rock hit him in the face, the pain hurt badly and woke him from his little dreamscape to hear, “And don't forget I'm coming back over tomorrow! You better have something to do by then! Or I'll kick your butt!" she yelled before she left. That Night xak sat up in his room, the walls were covered with Posters of rock stars and rock and roll things, and he thought about things they could do the next day, not finding much inspiration from those pictures. "Maybe swings? Nah! To Kiddush... Wrestling nah! She might like that too much." he said and giving it more thought, "And she might win too... hmm oh I know! We’ll go on an adventure!” he said happily, until a thought came to him and he frowned, “D'aww but dad won’t let us out of the Castle... Pfft what does he think we are... five? Well, maybe we could still have an adventure.. but inside...” he yawned, “I’ll have to get up early tomorrow to plan this out better... for now I guess I’m tuckered out." with that said, he turned off the light next to him and rolled over, and already fast asleep. (6 years later) The Kingdom was lit up with fancy lights, and in the breeze fluttered with rose petals and streamers floating around among the kingdom, celebrating. Xak was come from his room, walking down the hall, he saw Ophilia at the end of the same hall. "Hey Ophy!" Xak shouted to greet her down the hall from where Ophilia was standing; she looked back at Xak and he saw that her expression on her face was full of anxiety. Xak walked towards her, smiling and blushing along with her." Soo... in 2 more days huh?" Xak said. "Yeah heheh... 2 more days" she smiled, then asked him "So, are you nervous, a-at all?" "Me? Nervous? Pshaw, like I'm ever Nervous" he said confidently, Ophilia rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah? Then why are your knees shaking Mr. Brave Heart? Hehe you're as nervous as I am and don't lie, I’m a girl, I know when you're lying!" she said with womanly persistence. "Yeah alright, I guess I am a little.” He muttered. "A little? What did I just say?" She said slugging him in the shoulder. "C’mon you can't start lying now." "Allllright!.... yeah,” he yielded, “ I'm Nervous okay!... it's just that, it's hard to believe that we're really gonna be Mar--" "Xak my boy!” a voice interrupted them, “I need you to came here for a moment, and bring your Girlfriend with you, we have a surprise!" "A surprise?" Both xak and Ophilia looked to each other, and slowly walked down the hall to the throne room. "Um. what did you want dad?" asked Xak with a strange expression. Before them was a slick black suit, with a deep purple tie that shines against the bright sunny rays that came through the vast windows around them, and a dress of white and black design made with the most elegant black frill and the finest white silk around, that was just so simply beautiful. "You and your purple huh..." Ophilia said sarcastically. "Yup, you're purple Hedgehog, and I love you" he replied, confident with his come back as he watched Ophilia’s face turned from her sarcastic smile into a bright beat red blush rising on her cheeks. "Point taken..." she muttered. "Well, he has the suit and dress ready, and we need you two to try them on... Nicks would mind escorting Xak to the changing chambers, and Nolly please take our bride to be to her changing chambers.” The king says. "Of course, my lord!" they both replied. Xak and Ophilia separated from the Throne room, waving bye to each other as they took their different Directions. "So my little nephew, are you anxious about the big day?" Nicks asked walking casually down the hall next to Xak. "Yeah... heh! Uncle Nicks have you ever... been married... or in love?" Xak asked in a nervous stutter. "Nope, I've always been a free bird, kiddo, never really got into the whole "ball and chain" routine, just isn’t my style, but hey I also believe you should follow your heart." "Yeah... yeah! You’re right; it's just a dumb wedding I mean one day of ceremonies, and togetherness.... and... People... and... And... I think I'm wimping out!" Xak exclaimed in a panic as his face began to sweat bullets among his brow. "Wow, wow, wow! Kid, relax it'll be nothing,” he said, “Alright you love her don't you?" "Of course!" Xak quickly answered with no doubt about it. "Then what's to worry about?" Nicks said, shrugging causally. "Yeah, yeah, it'll be fine, I mean I love her and she loves me, so I think I’m feeling better... a little." he said as they approached the room. Nicks opened the door and handed the suit to Xak. "Welcome aboard sailor" He said with a jokingly spoken tone. (Meanwhile with Ophilia and Nolly heading to there detenation) "Oh man, oh man, oh man! I'm so nervous, Nolly! Xak loves me, right, I know he does but... does he?" Ophilia asked in concern. "Yes, yes, of course he does, he always talks about you, now please relax ma'am, everything will be fine." Nolly said calmly, in attempt to relax Ophilia. "Yeah okay, yeah you're right, what am I worried about. HAHAHA! Nothing stops Ophilia Harpe!" she shouted with womanly pride. "That’s why you were just panicking a second ago?" Nolly whispers with her head down. Reaching their goal they enter the room, and prepared to try on the dress. While... "Ouch! Hey Nicks cool it with the pinching! If you didn't know it kinda hurts!" Xak shouted. "I know I know I'm sorry kiddo, I’m just trying to help make this fit, that’s all." "Well could you do it without, making it hurt?" "I'm trying Kid, I really am." Nicks replied with an annoyed tone While... "Ahhh! Nolly what are you doing!" Ophilia screamed, "I'm so sorry Ma'am it's just this dress doesn't seem to fit... um... your bust..." she replied sincerely. "Geez! Can this be fixed?" Ophilia cried out. "Yes, yes don't worry I'll resize it, we have until the day after tomorrow after all." "Oh good..." Ophilia replied in sigh, much calm than before. (The next day) The sun was shining brightly and peacefully. The soft light seeped through Xak’s window and onto his bed, glazing his face with its light causing him to wake him up from a peaceful sleep. He stretched and yawned when suddenly he reached over from his bed and grabbed something that felt soft... "Uh what's that?" He turned his sleepy head to see Ophilia sleeping next to him in his bed. "O-O-Ophilia what are you doing here?" he spluttered. "Ahhh" She yawned pleasantly, "Oh! Hehe, I snuck out and creeped into your bed last night, because, I missed you, and I couldn't wait to see you... tomorrow is the big day, I'm actually getting excited." She said. "Oh... yeah so, you don't have cold feet anymore?" he asked her. "Nope! Hehe, because I remembered that I'll be with you!" she said in a sweet giggly girly way. Xak's face was in conflict as he listened to her response, "I don't know I still feel... Nervous... do you think we might be... rushing this a bit?" "Well, we are kind young... but as long as it's you and me, I don't care, Xak." He sighed and smiled. "Yeah I guess you're--" BOOM! Suddenly loud thundering crashing noises stormed down from the sky causing the foundations of the castle to seemingly shake beneath them. The sound of buildings crumbling down all around, and people screaming had reached their ears. "what in the hell?" xak cried out in shock as he rushed out of bed and raced to his window, looking out to see that nearly everything had been destroyed. He gaped, "What in the-- DAD, MOM!" Xak quickly slipped on his shoes and arm sleeves to attach his enchanted chains to them and he rushed out of his room to scout for his parents. "Hey what’s going on?" Ophilia called after him. "I don't know! Just- c’mon follow me!" he shouted. Ophilia rose from his bed and raced down stairs with him, only to find the castle in ruins so quickly! "C’mon Ophy! We gotta find my parents; they'd most likely be in the throne room!" "Why there this early? WHY THERE DURING ALL THIS!!??" she cried out. "There is a chamber hidden in the throne room for when things like this happen,” he explained, jumping the last few steps, “NOW C'MON!" Xak grabbed her hand and together they bolted down the last hall, to the throne room which was now surprisingly still in one piece. "Oh Geez, they must be alright if this is still standing…" Xak quickly opened the massive door. His eyes fell upon the sight before them. He found his mother, lying on the Throne room floor murdered, and to see his Father just in time to have his life taken right as they walked in. "DAAAAADDDDDD!!!!!!!!” he cried out in horror of what he just witnessed. When the body fell, Xak’s bright eyes lost their shine, and his blue eyes turned dark in ager, he grits his teeth as hard as possible, and his fists clenched so tight, and glared dead straight down at the criminal. “Why-you-son-of-a..!" Xak yelled as he charged at the Shadowy figure, so ready to pummel its face in. When he threw his punch with all his might, the black Shadow caught it right before it could make contact and without hesitation and looked Xak right in the eyes. "Hmhmhm, well now, aren’t you just full of fight? Hmhm but I’m not exactly after you... not just yet, boy." the shadow growled as he barely made a move that blasted Xak roughly to the wall, the shadow then summoned up black flames to burned down the Throne room around them, leaving the sky open above, as the skies suddenly became thick with unnatural darkness. "When you're ready, and Stronger, then I'll have at you, but till then..." the shadow creeped up behind Ophilia, and grabbed her up, flying off into the sky, "I'll keep this! Muwahahahaa!" Xak hopped back on his feet, and ran at the ruined walls using them to gain height as the shadow flew up higher. He leapt from one to another like a ninja and desperately; he made his final Jump up at the shadow and Ophilia as he reached out his hand, crying out her name, "OOOPPPPHHHHIILLIIIAA!!!" She screamed in fear out his name in response, "XAAAAAKKKKK!" The shadow turned around, pointing out his hand like a gun and from his finger, outshot a black fire bolt that slammed into Xak’s chest, causing his body to shoot down the ground. Xak hit the floor of the solid Throne room hard, impacting the concrete floor, the force caused his body to roll and slamming into a wall... Xak felt his chest burning painfully, and his eyes thick with tears, as all he could do from then on was watch... watch as his Beloved was taken away from him and around him, His kingdom fell into ruins. His parents were dead and gone... and his body in aches... "What... why?..... Why did this happen? Why her...?" he tried with all his might to stand. He weakly limp out and away from of his once called home to search in revenge for the shadow that destroyed everything and to rescues his Ophilia... "I'll find you Shadow man.... and when I do... I'll make you pay!" he growled.