Author's Note

Heads up: This chapter is told in first person and gets really dark and gory. This is my take on the Collapse.

Verse 2:0 Past

"Up a little higher son, line up your shot." My father said to me. I was ten years old at the time, and had lived a fairly ordinary life for that age. I went to school, had friends, and had a good family.

I learned in school about the Traveler, the bringer of Humanity's Golden Age. Whispers at school had started circulating, talking about the "Darkness." I didn't know what the Darkness was, which lead to me asking my parents about it. My mom frowned deeply as she was feeding my little sister Roselite, who was just born recently. My dad wore a grim expression, and he took me outside to the backyard. He had grabbed a rifle, and was showing me how to shoot it. Being my first time, I missed the targets my dad had set up.

"Dad, I suck at this. Why do I need to know how to shoot?"

"It's better to know how to than not, Mordecai."

Another few missed shots later, I brought up my question again about what the Darkness was. My father sighed deeply before looking at me.

"A problem we hopefully won't have to deal with"

Ten years later, and that problem had come to Earth.

Roselite was crying as my parents ran towards the Colony ships, in the Russian Cosmodrome, hoping to get on board to escape this nightmare. The Darkness, had arrived on Earth. The triangular ships had come to where we were at, and from them, dropped living shadows. This caused the people to abandon their cars and rush towards the entrance. My sister's cries were hard to hear over the screams of other people and the gunfire as soldiers tried to stop the shadowy creatures.

"Get down!" My dad yelled at the top of his lungs. I grabbed my sister and brought her in front of me as I got down. The soldiers in front of me were shot, pelted with bullets coming from behind. New ones took their place, pushing past my location. Wondering how my father knew to get down at the right moment, I turned to look at him. My eyes widened as I saw my dad's coat was bloody, three bullet holes leaking out onto the ground.

"Dad!" I went over to him as he fell on his side. Both my mom and sister started crying hysterically once they realized what had happened. He reached out his hand and I took it, bringing him off the ground and to his knees. He wrapped his arms around me and my family. He let go of them and grabbed me by my arm.

"L-listen here Mordecai, I'll h-hold them off for as long as I c-c-can, but you have to take your mother and sister to the s-ships. I l-love you all with e-e-every fiber of my being." He reached for Roselite whom he kissed on the forehead. He grabbed one of the fallen soldiers' gun. My stomach twisted as my mind caught up with what my dad was about to do.

"Dad please don't! We can make it together I know it! Don't leave!" I cried out to my father, who turned to look at me. A pained smile graced his face.

"Goodbye s-son, take care of our f-family." With that, he turned around and started shooting alongside the other soldiers. I grabbed a gun, and motioned for my mom and sister to come with me. The entrance in my sight when another triangular ship appeared in front of me, raining down shadows that lunged onto people. Those who weren't killed became possessed, and lashed out at the people around them. I took aim with the weapon and started shooting at them.

My body felt like it was on auto-pilot as I gunned down the possessed in front of me, but it was futile. More and more were coming. Turning around, my heart dropped as I saw the creatures approaching from behind as well. Grabbing another rifle off the ground, I got on top of a car and shot at them from both sides. I prayed to the Traveler for a miracle, but the prayer fell on deaf ears as more people were killed or turned.

My mom had also grabbed a rifle and started shooting at them, but they rushed her. My gun had ran out of ammo at that point and I watched in horror as my mom got surrounded by the creatures and was ripped apart, her screams grabbing at my heart. Roselite was below me and I grabbed her hand to run. Suddenly I was pulled back as her hand was torn from mine. Turning around, my sister's face leaked black ooze from her darkened eyes. I fell to my knees, losing the remaining strength in my body. I had failed my family.

I was pushed down to the ground by an unseen force, it's touch burning through my clothes and onto my body, restraining me. My head was yanked up to face Roselite. Her possessed hands reached up to her face, and began pulling the skin off it. I threw up as her scalp and melted flesh revealed a grinning skull whose eyes pierced my soul with their depth. I screamed until my throat was raw and numb.

The dark presence in my sister left, her lifeless body falling to the ground. The creature looked at me with something akin to a smile, before putting its claw out my head where I felt it enter my body. It filled every nook and cranny inside of my head, replaying memories of my family. It was nothing short of torture for me, reminding me all that I had lost. My body spasmed and shook as this happened.

"You're all alone now child. Embrace the Darkness, embrace us, and you can see your family again. Wouldn't you like that?"

I refused, and it started laughing. The laughter that would haunt my soul. I felt it wrap its claws around my heart, and it crushed it. Blood and ooze left my mouth as I laid dying. It left my body, and my head fell back on the ground. My vision grew dark as oxygen stopped reaching my brain, but brightened as Light erupted across my sight, vaporizing the Darkness.

My pain was eased, and I died.

Who am I? What is this? Where am I?My first thoughts were questions as I tried to recall my memories, but found nothing. Opening my eyes, a little machine was in sight as it stared back at me. I didn't know why, but a sense of security came over me. Looking down at my body, I saw that I was wearing some kind of armor.

My eyes went from my armor to a small skeleton that was near me. A pang of sadness went through my heart and my eyes watered.

"Eyes up Guardian." Hearing those words, made everything feel better.