Rain had been pouring for days. Not just on a single city. But on the whole world. Dark clouds shrouded the sky, separating the world of Endless Depths from any sunlight.
For the denizens of this planet this was an annoyance, but no surprise. Sunlight was a rare luxury, only gracing the planet once every year. At any other time, thick clouds cast a depressing atmosphere in everyone’s hearts.
While the rain still tried to fill the dried-up oceans giving the world its name, the people had long given up hope. Ever since the first portal appeared in the sky and outsiders had invaded, the natives had been living in hell.
Death was everywhere and famine was normal. Big parts of the world turned into wasteland. Whoever didn’t obey the outsiders would be mercilessly butchered, while those who obeyed were turned into slaves. Ironically the outsiders weren’t much better than slaves, fanatically following their gods.
This was the world Tepmodus lived in. And he hated every f*cking second of it.
Born in a smaller town both his parents died when the outsiders came for their harvest. That’s right. They were treated like livestock, raised in towns which posed no dangers to even the weakest outsiders, and killed for their blood.
One might think outsiders were some alien species lusting for human meat, but this was far from the truth.
Most of the outsiders were fellow humans coming from another world. Still, brainwashed by their gods they didn’t have much humanity left in them. They were mere tools in human form rather than anything else.
If you met one of those disgusting creatures it was kill or be killed. This was something Tepmodus had learned early on.
After his parents escaped their town with their seven-year-old child, they unfortunately met the fate of being killed. In order to secure a tiny chance for their child, they paid with their lives.
Their son, having grown up in this terrifying world, fortunately made the right choice. He ran, and ran, and ran.
But could a small child really escape from grown adults? The outsiders were only teasing him, playing with their prey. Their sick and twisted minds delighted in this feeling of being the predator for once. After all they were the weakest of their group. Elsewhere they were looked down upon and detested.
But now that these creatures could hunt a human child, they suddenly felt strong. But one of them made a mistake. Driven by his mental instability he was too greedy. He wanted to see the despairing face of his prey.
Hiding atop a large tree the human boy saw a monster climbing after him. Red eyes and a crazy mouth faced him. But at this point the boy didn’t despair. No. This was the time when the boy found out his fate was to kill.
The outsider didn’t expect it. With a bloodcurdling scream he fell to the ground. Dead. Though, what killed him wasn’t the knife the parents had wisely given their child. The metal was only sticking out from the outsider’s shoulder, perfectly ignorable for anyone with a working survival instinct.
But no. What killed him was the stone which greeted his falling head. Of course, the young boy didn’t comprehend this, form high up in a tree. For him this was the first life he had ever taken.
And for the slowly gathering remaining hunters it didn’t matter. Their companion was now nothing more than another sacrifice for their gods. His death only served as a signal that they had played enough. It was time to bring their prey home.
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However, they weren’t the only ones attracted. The loud scream garnered someone else’s attention as well. A man moved quietly through the forest, soon laying his eyes on the scene.
Suddenly, a loud bang shocked the boy and his chasers. One of the outsiders dropped dead, a hole in his brain. This was the beginning of a massacre for these nightmarish creatures.
They stood no chance as the assailant swiftly moved between trees. Each time a shot rang out one of the outsiders died. Soon, about a dozen of these monsters were scattered all over the ground. Their beloved blood slowly sinking into the soil, serving as fertilizer for the trees.
Caught between the feelings of disgust and delight, the boy stared wide eyed at the unexpected scene. Quickly his hatred won out. He loudly cheered for the righteous fighter who killed his parents’ murderers.
Slowly the hero revealed himself. A grisly man in camouflaged clothing stoically received the boy’s admiration.
He introduced himself as Shev, member of the Special Investigation Bureau. Under the man’s urging, the child hurriedly followed him. What choice did he have?
Stalking quietly through the thick forest the newly formed duo advanced carefully. Their path was long and the young boy exhausted. But he gritted his teeth and held on.
Acknowledging the child’s perseverance, the man rewarded him with dry rations, finally cementing his standing as a hero in the boy’s mind.
Boosted by newfound energy the boy stuck closely to Shev They traveled for a few hours until the thick walls of Cradle City finally appeared before them.
This was the first and last time the boy cried. His parents had constantly told him of the good life they would lead once they arrived at the last bastion of sane mankind. But now only one of them made it this far.
Determined to life for his parents’ hopes the boy swore to make it in the big city. Luckily, the bureau was prepared for cases like the boy’s. With his savior’s help he could do some simple jobs, trading his little bit of strength for food, lodging, and even basic education.
Years went by and the boy grew into a teenager. Living in Cradle City for a longer time the youngster understood that his parents’ dreams were never realistic. So many refugees gathered here, only a few of them living a somewhat decent life.
Compared to those people, who had lost everything, the teenager’s share of a bunkbed was already luxurious. But soon he also had to pay the price.
Contracting himself to the bureau at a young age, the teenager was obligated to join the resistance army. Under the guise of a comprehensive training and defending humanity a professional killer was reared.
And he was good at it. Almost eerily good. With incredible talent he slaughtered outsiders, dedicating their souls to his parents.
After more than ten years of fighting even the outsiders learned to fear the now grown-up. An uncountable number of fanatics had died at his hands. But in the great scheme of things nothing had changed from his efforts.
Outsiders endlessly poured into the world and humans still defended their last territory. Among growing frustration, a new offer reached the adult.
Shev was ready for retirement. One of the extremely rare, maybe unique smiles formed on Tepmodus’ face. Who would have thought that out of the many friends he made, it was the one he idolized as a father figure, who survived until old age?
Now it was time for the veteran soldier to take on this mantle. He was ready to become a member of the bureau. Maybe, so he told himself, he could at least bring some change in his new position.
His job as a special investigator was behind the frontlines, but this didn’t make it any less dangerous.
The adult man experienced this truth from his first day in the new job. Just like a certain hero so many years ago he was sent to a besieged town, aiding any potential refugees.
Singlehandedly slaughtering groups of outsiders, the man managed to save two whole families. Back at the city, an enormous satisfaction fulfilled him. At this moment Tepmodus knew he had found his purpose. Here, he could bring about at least some small changes, one dead outsider at a time.
However, this damned world couldn’t tolerate a man’s hope. As he watched the first children he saved grow up and join the army, the faces of his former comrades flashed past the man’s eyes. Knowing the incredibly low survival rates Tepmodus was once again disillusioned.
He mechanically continued doing his work, venting his emotions on booze, women and outsiders. At least the man’s skills didn’t diminish. He continued to be one of the top special investigators, highly valued by the bureau.
And so, despite an unexpected, sudden change in plans it was just another mission to Tepmodus when the bureau sent him to the smaller city of Lost Habor on this fateful day.