The Children

Bonus chapter: How I met y̶o̶u̶r̶ Father

Within the bullhead we left off last time, Winston glances over to Jason as he fiddles around with a pair of zip ties.

Jason: I know these exist for the sake of convenience, but why couldn't we use real handcuffs? These just seem boring.

Winston: Hey, I have a question.

Jason: No, we can't play cops and robbers.

Winston: That was my third question. No, what I want to know is this... How do you know the tall black guy? I've only known Him for an hour or so, but He seems like the kind of person that's outlived everybody he's met. And yet you two act like you have some history.

Jason: First off, tall black guy? Secondly, I'm immortal, you furry asshat. A few centuries ago when we first met, he was less of a smartass and a hell of a lot more serious and straight forward. Hell, he had a completely different look back then. We also tried to kill each other... So to speak.

Winston: Oh, story time! Tell me!

Jason: Well, we do have some time to murder. Why not?

Winston: Sweet!

Jason: let's see... I think it was three thousand years ago, I was tasked by the Reapers to investigate a strange burst of cosmic energy that was also involved in several dozen souls needing to be reaped suddenly disappearing at that time. At first I thought it was just a rogue Reaper, nothing I couldn't handle... You can probably tell that it wasn't a Reaper.

[3,000 years ago]

After arriving on the planet known as Remnant, I dispell the portal behind me I used to get here. Nothing but grass fields with the occasional hill a few miles out from what I can see. Sun high above me in the midday.

Jason: Alright, this is the closest I can get to whatever this anomaly is. With any luck, I'll be in and out before the end of the day.

Expanding my supernatural Reaper magic outward, I sense several mortal souls not far away. Along with one strangely powerful soul.

Jason: Huh, that was fast.

Finding my target, I take a stroll westward. Within an hour or so, I spot what appears to be a few smoke pillars rising behind a hill. The sound of distant screaming can barely be heard.

Jason: Hmm, sounds like someone is getting busy.

I pick up the pace and rush over the hill. Making to the top, spot a small village. Definitely the sound of people screaming bloody murder.

Jason: Whelp, time to play my favorite game of find the rogue Reaper in the chaos.

I make my way down and arrive at what looks like the front entrance to the village. Small wooden structures with the occasional hut scattered about. Most of which is on fire, along with dead bodies. Some look like they've been sliced in half, others seem to have been torn apart or bludgeoned.

I soon hear what sounds like someone  running close by. A few buildings down, a lone human rushes out and starts running down the streets. Soon spotting me not long after.

Human: RUN! You need to leave before it finds you too!

Before I could retort on this human's ignorance, a strange being suddenly leaps from behind the same building. Just as fast as it ascended, it comes crashing down on top of the survivor. Plunging an absurd looking blade into the poor soul's back. Stopping him on the spot as the sword pins him to the ground. Given the amount of blood pouring out, and the fact that he's not screaming in pain, implies that the human was killed instantly. But I could really care less about him. What catches my attention is what just killed him.