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The cool air of the spring evening nipped at my face as I drove into the dead of night.  Only the  illumination of the headlights of the jeep and my lantern in the back seat pierced the darkness.  How I wished for the darkness to simply consume me and end me for what I have done, but I cannot afford to give in to my despair.  I know she wouldn't.

Kilometer after kilometer I drove down the road, do my best to block out the thoughts and visions.  I fought each one to maintain my focus on the empty road.  Eventually, they stopped as my mind began to drift to her.  The memories we shared, the good and the bad.  I wasn't joking when I said I'd let the world burn if it meant saving her, but she'd never let me do that for her.

I gave out a sigh as I shook my head to clear my thoughts.  Come on, Dedrick, stay focused now.  It won't do you any good if you crash and die here.  That'd be a pretty shi-

*Bang!

The hell?  Gunfire?  Why there be gunfire in the middle of-  Bloody hell.

Without even a second thought, I pushed the jeep to its limits as I accelerated down the road to find the skirmish before it finished. Louder and louder, the gunfire roared.  My heart quickened at the dire peril Blackwood and the girl were in.  The sight of distant headlights was told me I close.  It was only until I was within fifty meters of the of the scene that I could finally see what was going on.

A military truck and an overturned jeep sat on both sides of the road. Several figures in uniform slowly approached the overturned jeep as the occupant of the jeep fired at them.  I didn't even have time to blink before I was twenty meters from the scene.  In a split second, I clenched the steering wheel and swerved left and right, aiming for those in the road.

Sickening crunches and flying bodies were all around me as I hit at six of them total.  No remorse was felt as I caught sight of the face of one that flew over my head.

With a quick slam of the brakes and pull of the clutch, I backed up to assist the occupants of the jeep before the Null changed forms.  As quick as a flash, I was out of the jeep and running to the overturned vehicle.

“You alright?”  I shouted as I reached the backside of the jeep.

A barrel of a gun and a loud click was what greeted me.  Yeah, shooting at your savior is a great way to say thanks.

“De- Dedrick?  Is that you?”  A terrified and still adrenaline high Blackwood asked.

“No, it's Santa Claus.  Now are you alright?”  Shifting between sarcasm and then a more commanding tone.

“Y-yeah, I'm alright.  Just a few scratches and a sprained ankle.  Nothing I can't patch up.  Lavina though-”  Glimpsing at the unconscious leech girl at his side.  “Well, she likely has a concussion as is slowly bleeding from the large gash on her head from the crash.  I can stop the bleeding, but I don't have the proper resources to treat her out here.”

“Alright, you take the girl and the rifle to the jeep.  I'll take care of the Null and then we can get the hell out of here.”

I was met with a nod as Blackwood gingerly picked the girl up and hobbled to the jeep.  With them taken care of, I proceeded with gruesome the task of destroying the heads and incinerating the bodies.  Didn't even think twice to check the truck for survivors.  All that left is simply ash and molten metal by the time we left.

The drive to the checkpoint was a quiet one Blackwood attended to Lavina's wounds in the back seat.  It would have stayed that way if my only conscious passenger had not broken said silence.

“Dedrick, just- what were those things?”

I took a long pause as I thought of what to say for this upcoming conversation.  “The Null, Mr. Blackwood.  Paradox beings with the sole intent on wiping out all of existence.  Beings, no, monsters that lack a set form.”

“But they looked human?  Well, minus the faces.”

“They usually take the form of whatever they last absorbed last, or what they've absorbed the most of.  Considering they looked human, well, you can guess what they absorbed recently.  They were grunts, maybe strong enough to take a clip of bullets or so, but not that strong.”

“Those were only the weak ones?”

“Yeah, but you're also lucky they didn't reform together.  Now that is not something you want to see,” Recalling what happened in Chicago as I spoke.

“So-”

“I know what you're going to ask, so don't bother.”  Taking a deep breath before continuing.  “Yeah, they absorb beings and are tough to kill, but what really makes them terrifying is that when they absorb, or I should say, Erase you, that's it.  There is no revive, no afterlife, nothing.  It's as if you didn't exist in the first place.  That's how they earned the nickname of, 'Godkillers'.  Not even omnipotent beings are immune to them.”

“They nullify power, abilities, everything.  Hence the name, Null.  Gods are literally defenseless against them, though most have seem to have forgotten that fact.  Hell, my world is the first and last line of defense to these things.  We take all the shit while they sit on their arses.”  Bitterness seeping into my voice at the end.

“I'm- I'm sorry you and your world have to go through that, Dedrick.” Came his sincere reply.

“Me too.”  I whispered as I stopped the jeep.  “Come on, we have to go on foot the rest of the way.  We have to walk about a kilometer south of here before we reach the finish line.  I'd take the jeep the rest of the way, but the terrain is too rough for us to use due to our injured passenger,” Gesturing to Lavina.

“I'll carry her.  I won't slow you down.”  It seems Mr. Blackwood finally his resolve while during our drive.  Just the look of determination in his eyes tells me that he may have something, or should I say someone, worth fighting to protect.  Even at the cost of his life perhaps.

“Any bullets left in your rifle?”  I asked as I took my lantern from the back seat.

“I used them all up back there.”  He gently lifted Lavina off the seat.

“A shame.  Come on, I'll lead the way.  Ignis.”

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

An uneasy silence settled over us as we began our final leg of the trip.  Lavina rested peacefully in Blackwood's arms.  Trees and small hills covered the remainder of our journey.  Not too difficult, but with one of our group incapacitated, it makes the trip a little slower.

“Twenty minutes.  Damn,” I whispered to myself as I glanced as my translator.  It may be enough time to get there with only two hundred meters left, but not if we run into something.

“Rather peaceful out here,” Blackwood commented offhandedly to break the mood.  “A nice change of pace from what we've had to go through tonight.”

“Don't get too comfortable, knowing my luck, that's soon to change.”

“Come on, don't think like that.  Things are bound to get-”

A horrid, inhuman screech abruptly cut off Blackwood before he could get another word in.

“Dammit!  I told you so!  Accendo!”  I cursed as the area around us was illuminated to shine like the day.

What I saw next spurred the fight or flight response in me.  Not a part of my brain or body chose fight.  Why?  Well, the fact there hundreds of rat sized Null surrounding us may have something to do with it.

“Run! Exuro!”  Blackwood didn't need to be told a second time as he followed me as I carved a path through the Null with my lantern.

We ran as fast as our feet could take us as I continued to burn a path through the monstrous Null, occasionally firing the spell behind me to burn any that tried to get Blackwood from behind.  It wasn't until we were over a hill that we came upon a small, flat clearing that was void of Null that I decided to end this.

Once in the middle of the clearing, I quickly pivoted to face the Monsters behind us.  After  allowing Blackwood to run past, I shouted a single command at the top of my lungs, “Exuro!”  A storm of fire spewed from the lantern, burning anything and everything in front of me. All that remained once the flames died out, was the charred soil that laid bare.

“Bravo!  Bravo!  That was an incredible performance, Mr. Spectre!”  Came a familiar, yet jubilant voice.  I have never been so happy to hear that voice in all of my life.

“It was simply incredible to see you in action today, and the pyrotechnics was simply the cherry on top!”  Father Time said with excitement as he turned me around patted my shoulders.

“Yes, yes.  Impressive indeed.  Not only did you survive the onslaught of Null, but you even corrected the timeline so as to prevent a paradox.”  That voice!

“You!”  I turned to face the man who brought me misery.  “Drake Brinks.  I have half a life to turn you to ash right now.”

“Ah, but you won't.  Not while I have your little friend with me.”  The despicable fox snapped his fingers, causing a portal to open next to him.  Not a second later, a Null dressed in a uniform similar to mine stepped out of it, holding an unconscious, young woman in its arms. Wait, there's a face!

“Fiona!”  I shouted, barely holding myself back from running over and taking her back.  As much as I would like to, they would kill her before I could do anything.

“That's right!  Back from the dead, courtesy of the three remaining Bel themselves!”  That smug grin never leaving his face all the while.

“And what makes think I'll even believe what you say.”

“Oh come now, Mr. Spectre.  We both know you know it's here.  After all, you're scrying her right now.”

“Mr. Spectre!”  Father Time exclaimed in shock.  “You removed the Seer's Glyph!  You-!”

“Yeah, I've been scrying and having visions nonstop once I removed it from my scalp in the Realm of Time.  Only thing that's been keeping me somewhat sane was saving Fiona.”  I took off my hat to reveal a third glowing eye.

“Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind making a little deal for your little friend, here,” Speaking as if he held all of the cards.  “A simple exchange of her, for you.  Do we have a deal.”

I could only give him a long, hard stare before giving my answer without any hesitation.  “We have a deal, Brinks.”

“Very good.”  And with a snap of his fingers, the Null walks towards the group as I walk towards the fox.  At the halfway point, the Null placed Fiona gently on the ground.  I only had time to stroke her face and place what I had on hand next to her before being restrained by the Null.

“It's been a pleasure with you all, but now, I must bid you adeau!”  He jeered with victory as I was dragged over to and promptly thrown into the portal.

What happened next was pain, then nothing.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

The cool air of the spring evening nipped at my face as I drove into the dead of night.  Only the  illumination of the headlights of the jeep and my lantern in the back seat pierced the darkness.  How I wished for the darkness to simply consume me and end me for what I have done, but I cannot afford to give in to my despair.  I know she wouldn't.

Kilometer after kilometer I drove down the road, do my best to block out the thoughts and visions.  I fought each one to maintain my focus on the empty road.  Eventually, they stopped as my mind began to drift to her.  The memories we shared, the good and the bad.  I wasn't joking when I said I'd let the world burn if it meant saving her, but she'd never let me do that for her.

I gave out a sigh as I shook my head to clear my thoughts.  Come on, Dedrick, stay focused now.  It won't do you any good if you crash and die here.  That'd be a pretty shi-

*Bang!

The hell?  Gunfire?  Why there be gunfire in the middle of-  Bloody hell.

Without even a second thought, I pushed the jeep to its limits as I accelerated down the road to find the skirmish before it finished. Louder and louder, the gunfire roared.  My heart quickened at the dire peril Blackwood and the girl were in.  The sight of distant headlights was told me I close.  It was only until I was within fifty meters of the of the scene that I could finally see what was going on.

A military truck and an overturned jeep sat on both sides of the road. Several figures in uniform slowly approached the overturned jeep as the occupant of the jeep fired at them.  I didn't even have time to blink before I was twenty meters from the scene.  In a split second, I clenched the steering wheel and swerved left and right, aiming for those in the road.

Sickening crunches and flying bodies were all around me as I hit at six of them total.  No remorse was felt as I caught sight of the face of one that flew over my head.

With a quick slam of the brakes and pull of the clutch, I backed up to assist the occupants of the jeep before the Null changed forms.  As quick as a flash, I was out of the jeep and running to the overturned vehicle.

“You alright?”  I shouted as I reached the backside of the jeep.

A barrel of a gun and a loud click was what greeted me.  Yeah, shooting at your savior is a great way to say thanks.

“De- Dedrick?  Is that you?”  A terrified and still adrenaline high Blackwood asked.

“No, it's Santa Claus.  Now are you alright?”  Shifting between sarcasm and then a more commanding tone.

“Y-yeah, I'm alright.  Just a few scratches and a sprained ankle.  Nothing I can't patch up.  Lavina though-”  Glimpsing at the unconscious leech girl at his side.  “Well, she likely has a concussion as is slowly bleeding from the large gash on her head from the crash.  I can stop the bleeding, but I don't have the proper resources to treat her out here.”

“Alright, you take the girl and the rifle to the jeep.  I'll take care of the Null and then we can get the hell out of here.”

I was met with a nod as Blackwood gingerly picked the girl up and hobbled to the jeep.  With them taken care of, I proceeded with gruesome the task of destroying the heads and incinerating the bodies.  Didn't even think twice to check the truck for survivors.  All that left is simply ash and molten metal by the time we left.

The drive to the checkpoint was a quiet one Blackwood attended to Lavina's wounds in the back seat.  It would have stayed that way if my only conscious passenger had not broken said silence.

“Dedrick, just- what were those things?”

I took a long pause as I thought of what to say for this upcoming conversation.  “The Null, Mr. Blackwood.  Paradox beings with the sole intent on wiping out all of existence.  Beings, no, monsters that lack a set form.”

“But they looked human?  Well, minus the faces.”

“They usually take the form of whatever they last absorbed last, or what they've absorbed the most of.  Considering they looked human, well, you can guess what they absorbed recently.  They were grunts, maybe strong enough to take a clip of bullets or so, but not that strong.”

“Those were only the weak ones?”

“Yeah, but you're also lucky they didn't reform together.  Now that is not something you want to see,” Recalling what happened in Chicago as I spoke.

“So-”

“I know what you're going to ask, so don't bother.”  Taking a deep breath before continuing.  “Yeah, they absorb beings and are tough to kill, but what really makes them terrifying is that when they absorb, or I should say, Erase you, that's it.  There is no revive, no afterlife, nothing.  It's as if you didn't exist in the first place.  That's how they earned the nickname of, 'Godkillers'.  Not even omnipotent beings are immune to them.”

“They nullify power, abilities, everything.  Hence the name, Null.  Gods are literally defenseless against them, though most have seem to have forgotten that fact.  Hell, my world is the first and last line of defense to these things.  We take all the shit while they sit on their arses.”  Bitterness seeping into my voice at the end.

“I'm- I'm sorry you and your world have to go through that, Dedrick.” Came his sincere reply.

“Me too.”  I whispered as I stopped the jeep.  “Come on, we have to go on foot the rest of the way.  We have to walk about a kilometer south of here before we reach the finish line.  I'd take the jeep the rest of the way, but the terrain is too rough for us to use due to our injured passenger,” Gesturing to Lavina.

“I'll carry her.  I won't slow you down.”  It seems Mr. Blackwood finally his resolve while during our drive.  Just the look of determination in his eyes tells me that he may have something, or should I say someone, worth fighting to protect.  Even at the cost of his life perhaps.

“Any bullets left in your rifle?”  I asked as I took my lantern from the back seat.

“I used them all up back there.”  He gently lifted Lavina off the seat.

“A shame.  Come on, I'll lead the way.  Ignis.”

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

An uneasy silence settled over us as we began our final leg of the trip.  Lavina rested peacefully in Blackwood's arms.  Trees and small hills covered the remainder of our journey.  Not too difficult, but with one of our group incapacitated, it makes the trip a little slower.

“Twenty minutes.  Damn,” I whispered to myself as I glanced as my translator.  It may be enough time to get there with only two hundred meters left, but not if we run into something.

“Rather peaceful out here,” Blackwood commented offhandedly to break the mood.  “A nice change of pace from what we've had to go through tonight.”

“Don't get too comfortable, knowing my luck, that's soon to change.”

“Come on, don't think like that.  Things are bound to get-”

A horrid, inhuman screech abruptly cut off Blackwood before he could get another word in.

“Dammit!  I told you so!  Accendo!”  I cursed as the area around us was illuminated to shine like the day.

What I saw next spurred the fight or flight response in me.  Not a part of my brain or body chose fight.  Why?  Well, the fact there hundreds of rat sized Null surrounding us may have something to do with it.

“Run! Exuro!”  Blackwood didn't need to be told a second time as he followed me as I carved a path through the Null with my lantern.

We ran as fast as our feet could take us as I continued to burn a path through the monstrous Null, occasionally firing the spell behind me to burn any that tried to get Blackwood from behind.  It wasn't until we were over a hill that we came upon a small, flat clearing that was void of Null that I decided to end this.

Once in the middle of the clearing, I quickly pivoted to face the Monsters behind us.  After  allowing Blackwood to run past, I shouted a single command at the top of my lungs, “Exuro!”  A storm of fire spewed from the lantern, burning anything and everything in front of me. All that remained once the flames died out, was the charred soil that laid bare.

“Bravo!  Bravo!  That was an incredible performance, Mr. Spectre!”  Came a familiar, yet jubilant voice.  I have never been so happy to hear that voice in all of my life.

“It was simply incredible to see you in action today, and the pyrotechnics was simply the cherry on top!”  Father Time said with excitement as he turned me around patted my shoulders.

“Yes, yes.  Impressive indeed.  Not only did you survive the onslaught of Null, but you even corrected the timeline so as to prevent a paradox.”  That voice!

“You!”  I turned to face the man who brought me misery.  “Drake Brinks.  I have half a life to turn you to ash right now.”

“Ah, but you won't.  Not while I have your little friend with me.”  The despicable fox snapped his fingers, causing a portal to open next to him.  Not a second later, a Null dressed in a uniform similar to mine stepped out of it, holding an unconscious, young woman in its arms. Wait, there's a face!

“Fiona!”  I shouted, barely holding myself back from running over and taking her back.  As much as I would like to, they would kill her before I could do anything.

“That's right!  Back from the dead, courtesy of the three remaining Bel themselves!”  That smug grin never leaving his face all the while.

“And what makes think I'll even believe what you say.”

“Oh come now, Mr. Spectre.  We both know you know it's here.  After all, you're scrying her right now.”

“Mr. Spectre!”  Father Time exclaimed in shock.  “You removed the Seer's Glyph!  You-!”

“Yeah, I've been scrying and having visions nonstop once I removed it from my scalp in the Realm of Time.  Only thing that's been keeping me somewhat sane was saving Fiona.”  I took off my hat to reveal a third glowing eye.

“Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind making a little deal for your little friend, here,” Speaking as if he held all of the cards.  “A simple exchange of her, for you.  Do we have a deal.”

I could only give him a long, hard stare before giving my answer without any hesitation.  “We have a deal, Brinks.”

“Very good.”  And with a snap of his fingers, the Null walks towards the group as I walk towards the fox.  At the halfway point, the Null placed Fiona gently on the ground.  I only had time to stroke her face and place what I had on hand next to her before being restrained by the Null.

“It's been a pleasure with you all, but now, I must bid you adeau!”  He jeered with victory as I was dragged over to and promptly thrown into the portal.

What happened next was pain, then nothing.