Chapter One
The Grim Reaper
"We've all heard the tales, Kraig. Myths are called myths for a reason." Jonah said to the balding, grey haired Kraig. The large man shook his head at Jonah and sighed. Jonah narrowed his eyes at Kraig.
"Don't tell me you believe in that bullshit!" Jonah yelled. Kraig nodded to him. His dark eyes filled with fear by the warm firelight of the cavern they sat in. Many members of their bandit troop sat with them around the fire, listening to the argument.
"No Jonah, it's true. I've seen the aftermath of one of his attacks, he doesn't spare anyone. Not even the children. I couldn't believe it at first either, that's why I jumped at the chance to see the aftermath of him hitting the River Raiders camp over past the old Ben Franklin Bridge." Kraig explained, crossing his arms over his makeshift chest plate. Jonah growled in annoyance.
"I heard he wiped out a whole Mutant settlement down in D.C. last week. How he got up here so quickly is a mystery, though." Gerald chimed in. Jonah glared at the scrawny man momentarily before turning back to Kraig.
"That's bullshit, too. No one's that strong. Not even the Mutants shrug off bullets like Kraig was saying. This 'Rex Grimm' myth is just that, bullshit." Jonah stated angrily. Kraig's stories were getting on the man's nerves. He was about to say something again when cold steel was pressed against the back of his head. The sudden feeling of a barrel against him made Jonah freeze in place.
"They always say it's bullshit until it happens to them."
Jonah's face exploded with the pull of a trigger and everyone screamed.
Exiting the bandit's hideout, the black clothed man kicked the head of a dead sentinel who had been posted outside the cavern. A large bullet hole was apparent in the corpse's chest as it still bled from the wound. The man stood silently, a bored and annoyed expression adorned his tough visage. Though he looked as if he were beyond the years of a young man, he was still only fifteen. A young age for someone who killed for a living. But killing is what Rex did best. Slaughtering the bandits of the wasteland paid well, so he did it. Being invulnerable to most forms of damage and being strong enough to lift boulders took a kid far in what was left of the United States of America.
Just another day in the Not-United Wastelands of America… He thought as he scanned the horizon of the barren land that was once part of a great nation. Before the Third World War the land before him had been green and fertile, now it was a toxic mess of radioactive monsters. One such monster was him.
"Gods, I hate this shithole. I wish I could just fucking leave…" Rex sighed. He ran a hand through his messy, light brown hair. The long locks caught a breeze filled with radiation, making him invigorated as he absorbed the excess energy of particles. His deep, sea green eyes scanned the wasteland and its fallout encrusted sky. He spotted a white-hot glow falling from the sky. The glow vanished as it struck a hilltop just ahead of him, blasting dirt all around as it hit.
Fuck was that? Rex thought. He shrugged his shoulders and started towards the hill. He secured his .50 caliber revolver in his hip holster before he left and counted his bullets. His black leather duster caught the breeze as he walked, splaying the four sections of the split end of the garment. His black boots crunched on the bones of dead creatures as he walked, kicking up the dust of their demise. He reached the hilltop rather quickly and ascended the slope with ease.
An orb? That's the weirdest looking marble I've ever seen. Rex thought as he approached the white orb that rested in its small crater. He touched the object with his finger and it glowed lightly. A piece of the orb unsealed from the rest of the object and raised up into the air. A projection was placed on the piece as though it were a monitor.
Whoa… I can't even read most of this. Rex thought as the device projected hundreds of lines of script in letters he'd never seen before. It seemed to give him a list and the shape of an orb next to the list. He reached out and touched the list. The letters immediately translated into English.
"Fuck!" Rex exclaimed, surprised by the device's sudden change. He blinked in amazement as he looked over the device. A small button appeared next to what looked like a projection of the Earth. The listing itself read 'Earth-Land' next to the button.
Earth…Land? Does that mean it's Earth? What? What happens if I press this button? I wonder… Will it restore Earth's surface? What even is this thing? Rex thought. His hand hovered by the screen, awaiting his brain's command. He continued to wait, looking over the object.
"Motherfucker… Well, it's not like I care what happens anyway." Rex sighed and jabbed the button with his index finger.
"Dimensional Transport Activated." The device spoke in English. Rex blinked as he slowly removed his hand from the device and it sank back into a solid orb. It started glowing brightly, a pulling feeling came over his body as he tried to step away from the device.
"Uh… What the fuck does that mean!?" Rex yelled. The device's glow brightened beyond a normal light, blinding Rex.
I think I fucked up. He blacked out.
Rex opened his eyes to a bright azure blue permeating the area around him. He blinked several times as his senses registered everything around him. He took note of the air whipping past him and blowing his clothes and hair around wildly.
"What the hell!? Is that the sky? It's BLUE!? No fallout!?" Rex yelled. He grinned as he realized that he was indeed looking at the sky. Then he realized something else.
"SHIT! I'M FALLING!" Rex screamed as he flipped over and saw the ground coming in fast. Clouds still covered parts of the earth, but Rex had no way of stopping himself. Speeding his way towards the ground, Rex counted his blessings.
Well… maybe I'll survive the impact. I fell from a skyscraper and survived but… This is quite a bit higher. Rex thought. As he continued to fall the clouds slowly dispersed around him. He then heard a loud gusting sound to his left. The sound of air moving out of the way of something much larger than himself. He flipped to his side and saw a black speck approaching from the left.
What is it now? Rex thought with a sigh. He blinked, and suddenly it was upon him. A beast. Black, monstrous, powerful. He screamed as he connected with the beast's head and rolled onto its back.
HOLY FUCK! What is this thing!? Rex thought with panic. His stomach grieved and burned with the ache of the impact of hitting the beast as he stood up on its back. He noticed the huge pair of wings attached to the huge body of the creature and the black scales covering its body. The stone-hard scales hurt just as much as the impact when he had rolled across them and smacked into one of the large spikes on the monster's back.
"Who dares intrude upon my flight!?" A bellowing voice shouted from where the beast's head was. The long neck of the creature curved as the winds stopped whipping past Rex. He stared in awe as a pair of light purple eyes stared him down from the angular head of the beast. Its pupils were black slits cut into the void of darkness that Rex found himself staring into. The wings on the creature's back flapped powerfully to keep it afloat in the sky.
H-Holy mother of Thor… It's a Dragon! Beowulf's screaming from Valhalla… Rex thought as he stood frozen with awe on the dragon's back. The dragon stared back at him, perplexed by Rex's presence.
"A human? How did you end up this high in the skies?" the Dragon questioned as it continued to eye Rex. Rex himself was trying to comprehend the situation.
How the hell did I land on a Dragon…? Of all the things to get t-boned by whilst falling from the sky… Wait a second… Where even am I?" Rex finished his thought out loud without really noticing he had. The beast quirked what seemed to be its eyebrow at him and began to laugh in a bestial grumble.
"Why, you're in the land of Earth-Land, boy. I believe the country below us at the moment is Fiore, the world's number one hub for wizards." The Dragon explained to Rex. Rex blinked in confusion at the beast. Wizards. Rex must've misheard the creature.
"Uh… Wizards?" Rex wondered. The Dragon narrowed its eyes at him and snorted through its enormous nostrils.
"Come closer, boy." The Dragon ordered, beckoning Rex forward with a large, silvery black claw. Rex nodded, not having any other options at the moment. To defy the beast was to be thrown back towards the dirt, and Rex didn't need to feel that kind of pain. He walked forward and the beast opened its hand to him, indicating he should step onto the beast's palm. Rex did as the beast wanted and the dragon moved him to directly face the creature. He now had a full, up-close view of the beast. It had four spiked tails, a dark grey underbelly, and its wings were even larger than he imagined, stretching the length of a Football field with each wing. Spikes ran across the beast's back, spreading onto its hind legs and the elbows of its front limbs. The most terrifying aspect of the creature was its deep, piercing eyes of a lavender shaded purple. A feeling of dread accompanied the creature's presence.
"I see. You are not of this world. There is not any measure of magic in your body whatsoever. That is interesting. Are you of this world's parallel, Edolas?" The Dragon asked as it looked over Rex. Rex shook his head, forgoing speech to inspect the beast itself.
"Really? That is interesting. Then why are you so powerful for someone not of this world?" The Dragon wondered. Rex sighed. He should've figured the creature could notice he was abnormal.
"I was mutated by the radiation of a nuclear war. The humans of my planet caused mass genocide across the earth, destroying everything we had accomplished and worked for. The high energy particles of the nuclear explosions mutated my cells, making me superhuman. Go ahead, try to pierce my skin." Rex explained, pulling his sleeve up. The Dragon nodded and tried to poke his arm with the tip of its claw. Rex winced as pain shot through his body, but the beast's claw did not pierce his skin just as he predicted. Nothing could really injure him.
"I am in awe. No human could withstand such a direct attack such as a dragon's claw. What is your name?" the Dragon asked, removing its claw from Rex's arm. He rubbed the bruise that was left and pulled his sleeve back down before answering the beast.
"I'm Rex Grimm. Who're you, Dragon?" Rex responded. The Dragon's maw spread into a smile.
"I am the great and powerful Retmertos! The Reaper Dragon! All who hear my name tremble before me!" Retmertos bellowed. Rex stared stoically at him, not all that intimidated by him. Retmertos grew a confused look as Rex simply stared at him.
"Cool. So, what does that mean for me?" Rex asked, emotion now void in his voice. He had been impressed upon seeing the dragon, but now it was unamusing to him.
"Uh… Well, I could simply let you keep falling. Or, I could make a deal with you." Retmertos suggested. Rex grew curious. He wanted to know what deal a dragon could possibly offer him.
"Oh? A deal? I'm good at making deals." Rex said, a smirk growing on his face. Making deals was his game. He made hundreds of deals back on Earth. Anything a dragon could offer him was something he wasn't going to pass up.
"Ah, wonderful. Listen here, any who carry the power of the Reaper turn into the incarnation of the Grim Reaper. This power is very, very cumbersome on the soul if one is not strong enough to withstand living on the rift of the mortal world and the world of the dead. I offer you this power as I grow tired of it. In return, you must slay me when I become too weak to remain on the plane of mortality." Retmertos explained. He watched as Rex thought about the offer.
I see no real downside to this, aside from being halfway to Valhalla the whole time. Wait, is Odin even here? Whatever, matters of the Gods can wait. Rex thought, running a hand through his long hair. He tapped his boot for a moment before responding.
"So, does this mean your soul cannot withstand the weight of being the Grim Reaper anymore?" Rex asked. Retmertos nodded solemnly.
"Ever since my soul was taken from me I have been looking for a suitable being to pass the Death Scythe to. You, Rex Grimm, are that being. You possess a certain strength to withstand the power, but also a familiarity with death that will allow you to use the power effectively. The Death Magic will be a cold, painful sting for your enemies. Let that cold show you Death's power." Retmertos explained. Rex nodded at the words. He was used to killing men. Their deaths meant little to him, seeing as how they took advantage of the peoples displaced by the war on Earth. To be known as Death himself was something Rex was familiar with, his name was Grimm after all.
"Sounds like a plan. So, do I just take the power or do you have to teach it to me?" Rex asked, reaching a hand out for the dragon to shake. Retmertos smiled at him and reached his claw up to shake Rex's hand.
"I will teach you the ways of Death's magic. To be the Reaper, trained by a Dragon will make you the Reaper Dragon Slayer. I will warn you now, in case you wanted to be warned, being a human Dragon Slayer will attract females to your side from even the oddest of places. I've seen it happen. It's weird, I know, but this is why I give you this warning." Retmertos explained. Rex grinned at him, a genuine grin, one he hadn't felt on his lips in years.
"I can handle a few girls. Bring it on."
Six years later…
"Ret wasn't lying when he said the power was intoxicating and immense. Damn does it feel good, though." Rex said to himself as he stood upon the pinnacle of a hilltop. He scanned the city as he did so, the city he lived near. Down to his left was a road leaving the town, a quaint log cabin sat near the edge of the road.
I wonder what he'd say if he could see me now. Probably something along the lines of 'Finally got that gay wig cut, did you?' Asshole… even after I pushed him to the afterlife. Rex thought. His appearance had changed over the course of six years. His hair was cut and he would use his hand to slide the longer segment atop his head to the left and back. His green eyes now held a light purple shade and his pupils were reptilian slits. His same, stoic and bored expression remained, but he was a great deal more handsome than before. He was finally the age he looked to be, scratching at the stubble on his cheek.
Haven't changed my clothes, though… Eh, I like my black clothes and coat. Rex thought. His clothes really didn't change at all, just in size, and he now wore his boots with the combat cargo pants tucked into the combat boots. His black shirt was now sleeveless under his long, leather duster coat. His body had changed as well, making him taller and far more muscular than he had been before. The coat actually just barely fit him. His black, fingerless gloves had not changed, though. So the majority of Rex's appearance was more in his body than his clothing.
"Asator, come!" Rex called, snapping his fingers from inside his coat pocket. Behind him some of the hills shrubbery moved aside for a large, black panther. The beast trotted to Rex's side and sat down on its haunches. Its tail swished lazily behind it as its green eyes stared up at Rex.
"What do you think? I joined the one guild here a few years back, so I decided to move here. Like the place, Asator?" Rex asked, glancing down at the cat. The beast seemed to nod as it sniffed the air with a comforted expression. Rex took a whiff of the air as well, picking out the scent of seawater and nature from the air. The wind shifted and blew from another direction. Rex's eyes narrowed as he picked up a scent coming from the area around his log cabin. Asator growled.
"Smell that too? Who smells like metal and strawberries?" Rex wondered, taking off down the hill towards the road. Asator was right on his heels, leaping through the forest with ease as it followed its master. Rex slowed as he neared the road, crouching behind a large tree trunk. Asator took a position in the branches, hidden in the shadows.
What the fuck is this woman doing around my house? Oh, wait a second, I know her. She's in the guild. Why's she here, though? No one there even knows I exist. Rex thought as he stood up and walked out of the forest.
"I can't believe Death himself lives right here, under our noses! How did such an evil being slip past us!?" the red haired, armored woman cried as she stood at the edge of the path to the cabin. Rex walked up behind her, calmly waiting for her to notice his minute presence.
Evil? She knows that Death is just a dude with the power of Death Magic, right? Rex wondered in thought. He cleared his throat and the woman jumped in surprise. She summoned a sword from thin air and went to point it at Rex, though he raised his hand and caught the blade, narrowly missing the edge. The woman blinked in surprise as Rex continued to hold her blade at nose length from his face.
"I never saw a quaint little cabin with a welcome mat as evil before. Are you okay?" Rex asked sarcastically. The woman glared at him and her sword vanished into thin air.
"Ah, good. I was hoping you'd put that away. I think Asator felt like ripping your throat out." Rex said, pointing to the large rock behind the woman. She turned slightly and came face to face with Asator's snarling maw. She yelped and stepped backwards into Rex's chest, making her stumble and fall over onto her rear end.
"Ha, people always get scared when a predator threatens to kill them. It's great." Rex said with some amusement to his words. A slight grin spread on his face as Asator leapt from the rock and took his spot next to Rex. The woman stood up, dusting herself off and glaring at Rex. He merely continued to grin, the amusement of her gaffe lasting for the time.
"Who are you? Do you know the evil that resides here!?" the woman demanded as she stood in front of Rex. With her effort of trying to be commanding after her fall amused Rex even further.
This is just hilarious. Who tries to demand answers immediately after a fuckup like that? Rex wondered with a grin. His amusement continued as the woman became annoyed with his long silence.
"Well? Are you going to answer me!? Or do I have to beat them out of you!?" the woman growled, grabbing the collar of Rex's shirt. He hand caught the leather string under his shirt and his grin vanished. Rex grabbed the woman's wrist and slowly twisted her arm until she had released his shirt. He stared at her with cold, angered eyes as he did so, making the woman flinch under his soulless gaze.
"Do not touch my necklace ever again." Rex said coldly, his grip cracking the woman's wrist. She cried out and he released her arm, letting her step back from him with shock present in her expression. His eyes did not waver from their vengeful, deathly hollow look. Asator growled lightly to Rex's right.
"I… I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I was just trying to find the Grim Reaper." The woman said, hanging her head in shame. Rex's expression did not waver, not even in the wake of her apology. He did raise a curious eyebrow at the mention of his alias.
"The Grim Reaper stands before you. Why do you seek me?" Rex asked, unleashing his magic from within his body. The cold, rushing power of Death Magic spread throughout his body and out into the surrounding area. A light purple outline appeared around him and Asator stepped back from his master. The plants wilted slightly around Rex and the woman before him looked up in awe, shivering as the cold permeated her body.
"Speak, Erza Scarlet." Rex said, remembering the woman's name. Erza nodded, standing up and standing firm against Rex's immense power. Despite being annoyed that she touched his necklace, Rex found her courage to stand in the face of Death to be rather admirable.
"I… wasn't aware you were just a man. I thought the Grim Reaper was an evil being of some kind… Who didn't have a pet panther..." Erza explained with a slightly sheepish expression. Rex sighed as he stopped outputting his power, lessening the suffocating cold around him. Erza relaxed and Asator returned to Rex's side.
"Well, I am. I'm not an evil spirit, just a holder of Death Magic… which makes me the Grim Reaper. I'm forever trapped living on the boundary between life and death. I see those who move on, hear their final cries, and allow their souls to rest. So, what can Death do for you on this fine day?" Rex asked plainly. Erza blinked momentarily before composing herself.
"Well… I'm not really sure. I was going to exterminate you, but I see that would be a struggle and an unnecessary one at that. I can only ask how you know my name." Erza said, crossing her arms over her armored chest. Rex took a moment to admire Erza, she was beautiful and Rex particularly liked her red hair. She narrowed her eyes at him as he remained silent.
Damn. Whoever's got her is lucky. Rex thought as he stood, silent and stoic. Erza was about to speak again when Rex held his hand up, a sound coming from his cabin made him think.
Is Lilith up? She must've detected my magic being released. For someone who can't use magic she's pretty attuned to it. Rex thought, continuing to listen intently in the direction the noise was coming from. He nodded slightly as he heard the door to the cabin slam open.
Of course…
"Rex! What's wrong!?" a girl's voice called across the pathway to the cabin. Rex turned his head slightly to glance over his jacket collar at the girl standing in the cabin doorway. She was a beautiful, voluptuous, and pale skinned girl with long, white hair and brilliant orange eyes. Concern was present on her face as she stood, watching Rex at the end of the path.
"Nothing, Lilith. Just some exercise. I'll be in momentarily." Rex called back lightly. Lilith narrowed her eyes at Erza and started down the porch steps onto the cobblestone path. Rex sighed at her approach, nudging Asator with his knee. The panther looked up at him and Rex nodded his head towards the still open door of the cabin. Asator let out a bestial grumble and stalked his way over to the cabin, passing Lilith on the way over.
Oh boy… Lilith… Why are you like this? For someone like me? Rex wondered as Lilith stepped in front of him and stared Erza down. Erza grew slightly annoyed and confused as she faced Lilith.
"Who are you and what are you doing with Rex?" Lilith asked in a demanding tone. Erza was surprised when Lilith spoke the way she did. She kept her composure, though and responded to Lilith with equal vigor.
"I'm Erza Scarlet of the Fairy Tail Guild. I was told that the Grim Reaper lived here and came to investigate. Are you an accomplice of this man, Rex Grimm?" Erza asked, slightly towering over Lilith who was only as tall as Rex's chest. Lilith didn't back down, but she did reach back and grab one of Rex's hands.
"I'm his girlfriend. What's it to you, lady?" Lilith wondered. Both women jumped slightly when Rex face palmed hard enough to make a sharp slapping sound. He sighed, stepping up behind Lilith and resting his chin on her head.
"Lilith… I told you not to say that to people…" Rex sighed. Lilith's shoulders slumped as she groaned in disappointment.
"But… Rex… I want to be your girlfriend." Lilith whined. She turned and looked up into Rex's eerie, piercing eyes with her own that were sad and watery.
Dammit… Rex thought as he put an arm around the girl. She smiled and leaned into his large frame, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"In due time… I suppose. I'm still uncovering the secrets of Reaper Dragon Slayer Magic, but until I'm more confident with this Death Magic, I'd rather abstain from it." Rex explained quietly to Lilith. He'd said the same thing a thousand times before, but it never seemed to quell her desire for him. Rex couldn't say he didn't like her, because that'd be untrue.
For Lilith… I'd slay Jormungandr twice over. Rex thought. He released Lilith momentarily to look up at Erza.
"If there isn't anything else you want, Erza, then we'll be on our way." Rex said, turning towards his cabin with an arm around Lilith. Erza stepped forward though, making Rex stop and watch her movements.
"You mentioned Dragon Slaying Magic, I happen to know several Dragon Slayers. If you're trying to find out more about the magic I can introduce you to them." Erza offered with a warm smile. Rex quirked his eyebrow, but his expression did not change.
"Natsu Dragneel, Gajeel Redfox, Wendy Marvel, and Laxus Dreyar?" Rex said, remembering the names of the Dragon Slayers in his guild. Erza blinked at him in surprise.
"H-How… Who… Are you a member of Fairy Tail?" Erza asked, completely baffled by Rex once again. He nodded and shrugged the left side of his jacket off. He turned and showed Erza the purple symbol on his shoulder. The Fairy Tail symbol.
"Rex Grimm. Joined four years ago, shortly after half of the place's best wizards went missing. I pretty much brought in all the Jewel for the past few years up until now. I wasn't even picked to go into the Grand Magic Games. You'd have had an easy win with me. Bastards wouldn't have been able to hit me. Case in point…" Rex explained. He pulled his coat back on and slowly turned transparent before vanishing altogether from Erza and Lilith's vision.
"I can fade into the afterlife and become an ethereal being. My presence is so miniscule that many who don't mainly focus on it merely forget I even exist." Rex's eerie, echoing voice said. Erza looked around the area, unable to detect where his voice was coming from.
"Since I'm technically on the rift between life and death, many forget that they can perceive me and even lose track of me when I'm right in front of them. Becoming ethereal makes me more prone to anyone who's magically inclined to detect me, but a partially ethereal form fixes that and makes me immune to attacks. Go ahead, hit me." Rex said, appearing behind Erza. She faced him and was shocked by his abilities. She then nodded at his challenge and swung a lazy punch at him. Her fist fazed through his chest, but she pulled it back right away and held her wrist.
"W-What…? My hand is so cold…" Erza said as her teeth chattered slightly. Rex nodded as his form became mostly solid again and his full weight imprinted his boots into the dirt road.
"That is the cold bite of the grave. Death's touch. I am Death, the Grim Reaper, he who reaps the souls of the dead. My magic and ethereal form is incredibly cold to the touch and when hit with my magic it causes the body to feel excruciating pain and cold. You should see my Dragon Force state. I become a scaly skeleton with a scythe and a dark flame pulses around my skull. That dark flame is Death magic in its most primal form." Rex explained as he walked back over to Lilith. She put her arms around his waist again, resting her head on his chest. Erza was staring in awe at him. She then regained her composure and cleared her throat.
"Very interesting. So, now that I know all of this, I was thinking you could come to the guild tomorrow. Master Makarov has an important announcement since after we won the Games and he might want to know you exist. A Dragon Slayer with Death Magic is incredibly interesting." Erza said, smiling again. Rex nodded to her, his expression still blank and stoic.
"Sure. See you then. Come on, Lilith… I'm tired." Rex said, putting an arm around Lilith and heading towards his cabin. Thewhite haired girl snuggled into his side and waved to Erza as they walked waved back and headed back into town.
"Gods she was bothersome…" Rex sighed as he sat in a dark leather recliner next to an identical sectional couch. His cabin was very homey, all of the floors and walls were the stained wood that could be seen from the outside. The logs were a light pine wood with the bark still on the logs outside the cabin's interior. There was a balcony with a railing halfway across the whole length of the cabin that had a staircase leading to the second floor. Behind Rex was the dining area with a medium sized kitchen that Lilith was happily working in with an apron tied around her. To his right were walls that held rooms such as his and a bathroom. Upstairs was a series of rooms, two spare bedrooms with bathrooms, and a reading room with office space. Overall, Rex's cabin looked like one that would cost a fortune to build, but the only thing Rex bought was an axe.
"Sweetie, is there anything in particular you'd like for dinner?" Lilith called from the kitchen. Rex groaned slightly as he put the footrest up.
"No… make whatever you like. I'll eat anything, you know that." Rex said tiredly. His radiating, lavender eyes slowly closed on him and his breathing became a calm, light snore.
Within Rex's Dreams…
Huh…? A dream…maybe? Rex thought as his vision opened to a forest road. He saw smoke in the distance and was heading directly for it.
"Looks like trouble. Ret did say I should help people whenever I can. Death may be death, but he's no asshole." Rex said as he picked up his pace. He was young, right on the cusp of being sixteen at least. He continued forward until he came upon a village.
"Gods above… Did Surtur arise here?" Rex wondered upon seeing the burned down buildings in the village. A large, brick structure still stood across the town but its roof was burned off. A large group of similarly dressed men stood at the center of town. Gallows were erected near the group of men and they were pulling people from a large cage over to the gallows.
Rex watched with growing rage as a woman was hanged from the gallows. A child screamed as their mother was murdered. He stalked forward into the town, his Death Magic radiating from his body. The hooded men brought a burly man in a suit onto the stage.
"Who wants to see the mayor of this shithole hang!?" the hooded man on the gallows called across the crowd of his fellows. They cheered and the men put the noose around the mayor's neck.
"Three… two… one!" the bandits cheered as the man on the gallows flipped a switch. The town's mayor fell into a hole, slowly choking as the rope dug into his throat since it wasn't long enough to snap his neck.
"REAPER DEATH SCYTHE!" Rex screamed, summoning a scythe with his magic and throwing it towards the gallows. The blade slashed the rope and sent the mayor sprawling on the ground. The bandits cried out in annoyance and turned around to face Rex who stood silently behind them.
"Hey, asshole! You want to die too!?" a bandit yelled. Rex stared them down. They flinched upon seeing his eyes. He moved his hand out to the side and his scythe came spinning back to him. He caught it in both hands and pointed it at them. The serrated scythe glowed with his magic and had runes cut into the entire handle. The runes glowed with a dark purple.
"Death has come for you all." Rex said as he reared back and charged forward with his scythe, bringing it around in a huge, sweeping slash. He cut five men in half with his singular swing, their parts and guts falling to the ground with resounding thuds as the town square grew quiet. Rex looked up at the rest of them, his eyes cold, hard, and unfeeling. The desire to rip through the men made his magic flare wildly, forcing them to step back from him due to the cold, awful feeling that accompanied his magic.
"S-Shit! Get him!" a bandit yelled. Several of them charged forward and Rex growled. He whipped the blood from his scythe and bringing it high into the air.
"Dead Blade." Rex stated calmly. He swung his scythe on multiple downward and upward angles, launching curved blades of his magic at the brigands. The men tried to dodge his attacks and lost limbs to the supersonic blades. The ones who were slow to dodge got ripped in half by the magic blades. At least half of the bandits had fallen to his simple attacks, making the rest cower in fear.
"What's wrong with you fools!? It's just one man!" a man yelled as he walked over from the cage of townsfolk. He wore a grey leather chest piece of armor and carried a huge shield on his back. In his grip was a small, white haired girl with orange eyes. She was trying to get away from the man but stopped when she saw Rex standing fearless against the horde of brigands before him.
"Steel-Back! He's some Grim Reaper or something! He killed half of us with that scythe!" a bandit called out to Steel-Back. Steel-Back let go of the girl and she ran to hide under the gallows. Rex noticed her start helping the mayor who had been stuck under the structure this whole time.
"Who the hell do you think you are, kid!? Walking in here and messing with our business!? Huh!? Speak up, maggot!" Steel-Back yelled, walking forward and standing in front of Rex.
"I am Rex Grimm, the Reaper Dragon Slayer. You idiots happened to attack the wrong town at the wrong time, because Death is now here to send you to the Gods." Rex stated coldly, glaring at Steel-Back. The man scoffed and pulled his shield off of his back. He then pulled a short sword out of the shield itself.
"Yeah, alright kid. Since my men seem to be a bunch of pussies I'll shut you right up." Steel-Back said, smacking the broadside of his sword on his shield. The clanging noise resounded throughout the courtyard. Rex prepared himself as Steel-Back started charging him and readied his scythe. Steel-Back attacked with several swings in quick succession. Rex stepped back from each swing and countered with a powerful sweep from his scythe. Steel-Back blocked Rex's blow with his shield, but he didn't expect the explosion of Death Magic that followed the blow.
"Death's Wind." Rex whispered as his magic exploded from the end of his scythe and blasted Steel-Back to the side. The man crashed into the ground and rolled to a stop on his back. Rex quickly followed and leaped into the air, bringing a powerful, downward swing onto the fallen man. Steel-Back screamed as Rex's scythe pierced his chest and was ripped to the side when Rex pulled the blade free, tearing his chest cavity open. Blood spurted and gushed onto the cobblestone, pooling at Rex's boots.
"H-Holy shit… he killed Steel-Back…" one of the bandits in the group muttered. The band of brigands stared in horror and disgust as Rex set his scythe on his back. The bladed device locked onto his body with a band of his magic across the handle, the blade itself sat over his right shoulder and pointed to his right. Rex turned to the rest of the bandits and saw the mayor under the gallows. The girl had freed him and they were now escaping over to the cages where the rest of the townsfolk were held. Rex nodded as he prepared to decimate the men before him.
"Now, face Death's wrath and feel the cold bite of the grave. Reaper Dragon's…" Rex said, rearing his head back. The bandits screamed as they tried to escape him, running behind the gallows. Their effort was for naught, though. Rex's spell was ready.
"Roar!" Rex yelled, blasting a beam of Death Magic from his mouth. The beam caught the rest of the brigands within the trajectory and they screamed as their bodies flared with pain, turning colder than ice. The beam of magic stole the light from the area, making it the brightest thing in the area at that moment. Soon his attack died down and left a long path of annihilation through the village. Many of the still-living bandits lied around the pathway that Rex's Roar cut through the ground and the slightly standing building across from him. The ones who were alive were groaning and shivering in pain as their muscles seized up, immobilizing them where they lay.
"A-Amazing… such power and skill… Thank you, young man! Thank you so much!" the mayor exclaimed as he came out from behind cover. He walked over to Rex and reached out a hand to shake. Rex accepted his gesture and shook his hand.
"Please, if you would… my people are still trapped in this cage." The mayor said, gesturing to the cage of cheering townsfolk off to the side of the square. Rex nodded to the man and walked over to the cage. He grabbed the gate with one arm and started pulling on it. His mutated cells still retained the brute strength he was given only a few years ago, but now that strength had increased tenfold, allowing him to rip the cage door off with little effort.
"Damn. That was pretty easy…" Rex mumbled as he tossed the steel door to the side. The people came rushing out of the cage to surround him, praising him and trying to shake his hand. Many of the women were trying to kiss his cheek or otherwise. Rex felt slightly overwhelmed and turned partially ethereal, backing out of the crowd. They grew extremely confused when he reformed next to the mayor who shook Rex's hand again.
"Thank you so much. You're a hero! Please, if there is anything we can do…" the mayor said but trailed off when Rex held a finger up.
"I want to know how this happened." Rex said, releasing the man's hand. The mayor nodded and took a deep breath before beginning to speak.
"This bandit group moved into this area a few weeks ago. They were just small time. Raiding merchant carts and certain farms around the area. We sent for wizard guild and military support just the other day… but no one showed up until you came in. They attacked last night and burned down homes, killing half of the townsfolk. This morning they had built that horrid structure and were killing people for fun and… I don't even want to think what their leader was doing with those orphan girls he was rounding up while his men murdered for fun…" The mayor explained, shivering at his own thoughts. Rex nodded as he absorbed the simple story. Seemed rather basic for a bandit gang.
But… why did they attack a whole town like this? There must've been some motivation behind it. Who could've convinced these small time bandits to attack and burn a whole village? Rex thought as he looked across the town. He stopped on a white flash moving behind a building where he felt eyes watching him.
"Sir, you mentioned orphans…?" Rex asked, watching the brick building closely. The mayor nodded to him and sighed.
"Yes, unfortunately there was only one before the attack started… Now… I don't even want to know…" the mayor explained solemnly. Rex nodded and turned back towards the mayor.
"Um, I must've missed your name when I was regaining my breath… What was it again?" the mayor asked.
"Rex Grimm, Reaper Dragon Slayer." Rex said. The mayor shook his hand again.
"Matthew Rodin. I'm honored to make your acquaintance, Mr. Grimm." Matthew said as he shook Rex's hand. Rex nodded and turned back to the brick building where he spotted an orange eye peaking around the corner at him. They suddenly vanished when he spotted them.
"Same here, you can just call me Rex." Rex said, half paying attention to Matthew. The mayor smiled when he noticed what Rex kept staring at.
"Ah, I see you've attracted the attention of our town's little sweetheart. She's been here for as long as I've been in office. Lilith Davenport is her name. Sweetest teenager I've ever met. Go on and talk to her. She's a curious one." Matthew stated, patting Rex on the back. Rex nodded and walked towards the old brick building. He looked at the sign above the doorway that read 'Miss Marie's Orphanage' and sighed.
Of course… this place just has to keep reminding me of the Nuclear War. Blown out and burned buildings… orphans without a place to go… Gods above… Rex thought with a heavy sigh. Thoughts of his life back on Earth came rushing to him, killing, burning, fighting and… loneliness. He stopped, looking down at his hand. His power glowed lightly on his palm. He gripped it in a fist.
No… It's different now. This place… it has given me a strength… a confidence I haven't felt since Dad first taught me how to shoot. A desire to protect. The confidence to do so. I can do it. No bomb will ever destroy my life again. Not while I have the power to rip it from the sky and destroy it. Rex thought. He nodded to himself and unclenched his fist. He took the first step around the side of the building and saw a streak of white vanish behind the back wall. He walked down the alley, his boot steps resounding off the ground. He rounded the corner and spotted a box that shifted ever so slightly. If his vision hadn't been enhanced by the Dragon Slaying power he was given then he would've never seen it.
"Such an inconspicuous box…" Rex joked as he approached the box. He kneeled down and gripped the sides of the box.
Well, here goes nothing… I suppose I could take a moment to think about why I'm doing this, but I'll just let the Gods decide. Rex thought as he slowly lifted the box up. Underneath was the small girl Matthew spoke of. She watched him curiously with a shy disposition, hugging her knees to her chest as she sat under the box. Rex's callous eyes stared into her brilliant orange ones, and for the first time in a long time his gaze softened. His eyes became less intense and gained a softness to them as a feeling permeated his heartstrings.
She's… beautiful… And cute… Her skin's so pale, almost as white as her hair. Rex thought, staring in awe at the small girl. She stared back with curiosity but dared not reach out towards him. Rex was at a loss for words.
Well… Now what? The fuck did you walk back here for? Rex thought about his actions. He slowly set the box on its side, allowing the sunlight that poked through the smoke to illuminate the girl's vivid white hair. She suddenly moved, making Rex reflexively tense up. Her arm reached out and she placed her delicate hand on his cheek, feeling the miniscule stubble that had started growing on his jowl. Rex reached up and placed his own rough and large hand over hers. She smiled as he did so and Rex's heart rate quickened. His normally aloof and icy disposition melted into a mixed pot of emotions and feelings he hadn't felt in years.
Why is her touch making me feel this way…? And she's smiling? Rex thought. His expression remained stoic, but his eyes spoke the truth to the girl before him.
"Your eyes are pretty."
Rex sucked in a quick breath as he felt blood rush to his cheeks. She just complimented him and his heartbeat sped up to where he felt it pounding against his ribcage. Lilith, the girl he was kneeling before, got up into a crouch and placed her other hand on his other cheek. Again his heartbeat quickened.
"You're cute, too. What's your name?" Lilith asked. Rex blinked for a moment, unable to remove his eyes from Lilith's.
"Uh… I'm Rex Grimm. You're Lilith, right?" Rex asked. Lilith nodded and smiled at him.
"Yep. Did Mr. Rodin send you over here, Rexy?" Lilith wondered. Rex's eye twitched at the odd way Lilith said his name. It bothered him for some reason. He nodded in answer and Lilith smiled. She stood up and Rex followed, towering over the girl.
"He's a nice man. Let me stay here ever since my parents left, but I'm going to have to leave the orphanage when I get a bit older. What about you?" Lilith asked, still holding Rex's face. His cheeks were red.
"Uh… well, my family died a few years back. I recently met a Dragon who gave me the power to do what I just did to those bandits and I've been a traveling wizard for about a year now after the Dragon died." Rex said, sticking his hands in his pockets. Lilith nodded with a solemn smile.
"That's a sad story. How did the Dragon die?" Lilith wondered. Rex was surprised that she didn't question Retmertos' existence.
"I had to kill him. When he passed the power of Death Magic to me his mortal body became hollow and weak because the Grim Reaper lives in the rift between life and death. He ordered his disciple to end him, so I did. His death brought his pain to an end because his body and soul were not powerful enough to withstand the pull of death. I, however, can withstand the power's affects, somehow." Rex explained quietly, never taking his eyes away from Lilith's. She frowned at his story.
"That's very sad… I hope he passed peacefully." Lilith mumbled. Rex nodded and tapped the blade on his scythe.
"He told me to use the Death Scythe, so I did. It was quick and painless. He now rests comfortable in the afterlife to which my unconscious form guided him to. At this very moment my unconscious ghost is guiding the men, women, and children that died here to the afterlife, wherever that may take them. I hear their cries, feel their ghastly pain, and see their departing souls. It's a… draining existence." Rex explained. Lilith listened with fascination that soon turned into tears and sniffles. Rex panicked as she began crying in front of him.
Shit! What do I do!? Rex wondered as Lilith removed her hands from his face to wipe her eyes.
"H-Hey… I didn't mean to upset you…" Rex muttered. Lilith shook her head and smiled at him.
"No, it's not that… I'm just so happy you were here to help these people. They've been so nice, they didn't deserve this. It calms my heart to know you're there, guiding them to the next life and beyond. It's comforting, actually." Lilith explained with a smile. She then leaned in and hugged Rex, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Thank you, Rex. You're a hero to these people." Lilith whispered. Rex slowly put his arms around her, pulling her close to him.
That's right…
Rex opened his eyes to see a dark room laid out before him. There was a weight on his body and a softness on his chest. He looked down to see Lilith lying on top of him, cuddling his body. He could smell the scent of her cooking from across the room and heard Asator purring loudly on the floor next to him.
I remember why I'm here. Not because I have to be, but because I want to be here… with Lilith. She brought feeling back to my body. I'll never let anything take that away from me. Rex wrapped his arms around Lilith. She sighed happily in her sleep and snuggled closer to Rex, pressing her large chest further into his. He blushed lightly and combed his fingers through her hair.
Gods help the fool who even tries.
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I'm declaring now that I' m only working on this story and one other, possibly. Hopefully I can provide you all with some entertainment as I use this platform for practice.
Anyway, thanks guys.
See you next time with more of the Grim Reaper.