Existence Is My Woven Tapestry

"Next!" The order harsh to which Reynolds took his step forward, handed his plate outwards only to be treated with gunk that he couldn't quite specify. His treatment here was no less than the ones around him. He walked away, dejected to a corner and fed on his rations.

It had been two months since the first outbreak erupted. Everything felt like a blur, he was engaged in a goose chase with Crimson, following her shadow all over the world, a step behind her while Solon remained to be myth, never once coming up in his channels.

It was a specific mission that landed him in his current position. He was close to capturing Crimson in a foreign country however instead of stealth his patience had worn out and chose direct confrontation. The mission to begin with was meant to be covert but at that point, he wanted to catch her so bad he ignored this rule.

Not only did it result with casualties so high he couldn't process, he was locked out of his system. Malcolm was in a heated debate with the president, trying to explain as to why his men were breaking jurisdiction and running through his country guns blazing.

It ended with him receiving a letter shortly after. 'A full revocation of his position with no honorarys or beneficiaries whatsoever!' Kael watched in silence , Darius was absent at the time and just like that, his life took a turn for the worst. He was relocated to a SafeZone, a place where civilians would be secured from the rampant attacks of the Wretchlings and Gorekins that claimed their lands.

It was an understatement to say that he had fallen from grace. He heard the political shifts much later, all of his connections severed in an instant. At this point the money that he had was completely worthless making him a man who had nothing. And the world doesn't stop for broken men.

But at the very least he had his family. His wife understood while their son was shocked with the change from the classy villas and personal estates he was used to mixing with the civilians. Done with his meal, he returned his plate back at the counter.

He would wallow in regret and beer after that but his family gave him something to live for. If not he doubted whether he would still have bothered to keep on living. Making his way to his allotted tent, he was shocked that it was completely empty.

A letter rested inside handwritten by his wife.

[{Kevin wanted to explore a bit. You should find us at the tree at the hill.}]

He gave a sigh before making his way over. He looked around, the sounds of scrawny men haggling goods that were no longer of value, women and children alike begging for morsels of food to satiate their hunger and quench their thirst. It was an apocalyptic hell scape for them all and yet they pushed on, with hope in their hearts that it would be better.

At the foot of the hill, something in his chest gnawed at him. Telling him that something was gravely wrong. His pace hastened up the trail leading to the gigantic oak tree that cast it's shadow over him. Beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead as he inched closer to the top.

An unnerving silence had claimed the hill which bothered him with each passing second before he made it to the top. He dropped to his knees, his eyes wide open in disbelief as his fingers dug deep into his palms as if pinching himself to check whether he was dreaming.

His son was hung, his small corpse lightly swaying with the wind similar to a wind chime. His face blank that looked down at his mother who wasn't any better. Her eyes missing and her arm stretched out to Reynolds as if a cry for help but halted halfway.

A pool of blood formed at her body, her dress drenched in crimson while a figure remained unfazed with the scene, enjoying the light breeze that brushed past. It was Solon who had a smile on his lips, his eyes looking at the blank sky before landing on Reynolds.

"No... no, no this isn't real..." His voice low trying to pacify himself as his chest heaved. "Hello Reynolds, I've heard that you were looking for me. I'm sorry that I took so long but I wanted to meet you alone. No security personnel to intervene, no position to blind you with arrogance. Just you and me."

Drawing closer to Solon, he noticed the dog that played around his leg. It was his gift to his son. "I was thinking of killing it but it doesn't scream like humans so I didn't bother. But here." With a swift brutal kick, the golden retriever flew through the air crashing onto Reynolds who caught it.

His hands were tainted with blood, clearly Solon had fractured a bone. "Why?! Why did you kill them?! They did nothing wrong to you?!" His voice harsh, tears forming on his eyes but they never fell. "What? I thought that you wanted to meet me privately, no distractions so here I am. Or do you want me to come back later?"

Standing up, he stretched his arms and brushing the imaginary dust off his clothes. He was donned in a simple grey trenchcoat, black gloves and pants. A contrast to the state the world was in at the moment. "You! You're the one responsible for the Fracture! For this hell!" Solon's soft smile never left his lips, as if watching Reynolds torture akin to watching a play.

"You're not entirely wrong. I did an act that spiralled into all of this. A cause and effect if you will. You should blame your god for being so apathetic about her own." Reynolds looked at the man, his face shifting between wonder and anger. "Fuck it! I swear that I'll kill you with my own hands!!"

Placing the retriever carefully onto the ground, he lunged at Solon's figure who had his hands pocketed the entire time. To his shock, he was halted by a powerful grip around his throat. It was Solon whose smiled seemed to stretch further. His grip increased as he raised Reynolds figure into the air.

Raspy gurgles echoed through the air, his lungs begging for air which Solon refused to grant him. "Kill me? I don't think that'll bring your family back but I guess you have to vent your anger somehow. But try not to die before then, okay?" His grip increased, blood running down his gloves before dropping Reynolds figure callously onto the earthy ground.

"I change my mind." Solon chuckled as he made his way to the retriever and with a swift motion of his leg, crushed the skull of the poor pug ending it's life. Reynolds watched it all unfold . Helpless to do anything as he felt his blood trickle from hIs throat. It wasn't lethal but certainly not painless at the slightest.

"Maybe you'll amuse me next time we meet." Solon spoke past his shoulder and in an instant, his figure simply ceased to exit. No eye-catching flashes or whooshes, his figure simply vanished like air. Tears kept forming on Reynolds eyes and finally, he let them fall.

His body winced in pain, that of the loss of his family and that of the blood trickling down his throat. In an instant, everything that he valued was swept right under his feet and he could only watch once more. The burning tinge of grief, helplessness and anger hitting him all at once.

He wanted to scream to the gods, curse them for making him live such a fate but his throat didn't allow it. The bleeding came to a stop but the pain persisted. In his state, he remained unfazed by the loud boom that echoed down at walls of the SafeZone.

Alarms went off, people scurrying all over similar to cockroaches exposed to light in the hope of preserving their lives. The sounds of screams filled with the air that was shortly followed with flesh ripping apart. Wretchlings and Gorekins made quick work of those present.

Their regeneration and large numbers making them problematic to deal with. Wretchlings acted as body shields for the Gorekins which moved with unnatural gras dodging most of the bullets shot at them. Those that landed were brushed off with their regeneration abilities.

Still in his state, he heard the snarls of a Gorekin. Rising to his feet, he curled his fists into balls. He didn't care that the beats had a superior physical prowess unlike him along with regeneration. It was a losing battle but a game he chose to fight nonetheless.

He had nothing else to lose and if he were to die, the he wouldn't care as he would be reunited with his family. The Gorekin lunged at him but midair Reynolds was blinded and opening his eyes once more, he was greeted with the corpse of the Gorekin. Black blood tainted the grass eroding it like acid however it didn't regenerate like he had expected it to.

Looking at the source of the light, he was startled to see multiple obelisks descend into the world akin to angels. Their bodies had an ethereal otherworldly aura making it hard to look at them for too long. But he didn't feel any form of hostility from them.

Without a word, beams of light descended onto the camp like aerial attacks. Beaming waves of demons with ease and a few minutes later, the world fell silent. The screams of those injured or in anguish ceased, the smoldering flames extinguished as all eyes landed on the figures.

However there was no cheers or applause, only silence. 'Is this the heavens way of mocking me?!' Reynolds gritted his teeth as he looked at the figures finally descend and touch the ground at the SafeZone. Only after he had gone through hell and lost it all did salvation arrive. It felt like a cruel joke and he was the punchline.

A transcendent voice boomed loud enough for everyone to hear. It was both strange yet calming. "People of Earth, we come in peace! We have only a simple task, to select those who will be saved and cross to our world for protection and peace!" Crowds of people had smiles on their faces as if their minds omitted the 'select' part.