She ran through the darkened streets dodging the cars abandoned on the roads and the bodies of the people who weren't fast enough.
Her name didn't matter, she was just one of the masses trapped in the city when the sun went away and she along with everyone in Las Angeles learned that there were monsters in the dark waiting to devour humanity whole.
So here she was running, before she had a place, a refugee where she could stay curled into a ball and wait for this nightmare to end.
It didn't take long for the monster to find her. Yellow eyes, deformed faces and sharp teeth. When they tried to enter before it was as if there was an invisible wall keeping them out and she was safe.
Then they burned the building down with her still in it. She barely made it out alive. She's been running ever since.
She could hear them talking behind him. Jeers and catcalls telling her to stop running and what they'll do when they catch her. Every time she turned to look back they always seem closer.
It was one of those times she did that she ran into something that felt like a brick wall.
Oh god, one of them most have circled around when I wasn't paying attention. She closed her eyes as she hit the ground terrified to look into those yellow eyes as she was teared apart.
When she didn't feel anything the girl finally looked up into a pair of warm black human eyes.
"Hello there, are you okay?" the man asked his voice gentle. He was dressed in knee length white jacket and white shirt and black pants.
As she was opening her mouth to say something the sound of footsteps and laughter cut her off.
They finally caught up to her when she fell. She turned around to look still to afraid to even stand up. There was five of them covered in rags with red stains around their arms and collars. They walked hunched over almost on all fours, more animal than man.
Before she could do anything the man behind her walked forward towards them.
As he did the monsters stopped paying her any attention as they surrounded the man.
"Normally I would give you a chance to walk away. But I know what you are, vampires. And if I did you would not repent, would not change, and would kill someone else." The man let out a sigh as his hand drifted down to his side. Where everyone noticed the object strapped to his waist. "I cannot allow you to leave here alive."
It was over in an instant.
The mon… the vampires charged him as one seeking to bring him down and devour him. Only to be met by a silver blur slashing through them all instantly. Their bodies crumbling into dust before they even hit the ground.
The man turned around and walked back to her uncaring about the ash covering the ground. As he turned she could finally the thing he had at his side and now in his hand.
It was a sword, a katana specially. The blade was plain steel but almost seemed to glow in the darkness. A simple black hilt and guard. It was a simple weapon but looking at it one would get the feeling that it was more than it appears.
As he once again stood before her, she could get a look at his face. He looked Asian with tanned skin. With neck length black hair tied into a ponytail and a equally black neatly trimmed beard.
All in all he looked like a regular man in his 20's, but as she looked into his eyes she could feel just like with his sword there was more to him that she couldn't possibly understand.
"Who are you?" the girl asked the only question she could.
"Hmm" the man tilted his head at her before smiling like someone who heard a joke that only they could understand.
"You can call me.. Jack"
It can be said that one of the benefits of living for hundreds of years was that there wasn't much you haven't seen. And Jack has seen many things following the death of Aku.
With the destruction of Aku, Jack believe that the world was safe from the forces of darkness. Imagine his surprise that even with Aku gone their was still forces of darkness still praying on humanity.
Even his immortality remain, maybe it was Aku's final revenge. With an unending life ahead of him Jack did what he has been doing for the past 50 years and began his new journey.
He has seen and face many things on this new path. Both demonic and divine. Warriors who mission was to safeguard the world and others who want to bring about it's end.
He has even seen…
"Really that's it?"
The voice of the young woman he saved brought him out of his reminiscing.
She was young Jack would guess that she was at least 15. Her brown hair reached her shoulders, but was matted and dirty. Bruises and scrapes covered her face. Her jeans were torn and besides that she had on a t-shirt that was in a worst condition than her pants.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked, he watched her as she tried to stand up. Only for her legs to give out on her. Sending her back to the ground. "Do you need help getting up?"
He held out his hand for her to take. She stared at it a moment expecting some trick before she took it and let Jack help her stand.
"Thank you." She told him as she got her legs under control. "And I mean those.. those.."
"Vampires."
"Yes Vampires, they were going to ki.. kill me. Tear me apart like I seen them do others and you just.. just.."
"Kill them."
"Yes! Just like it was nothing. Then all you say is call me Jack. Like that explains anything. I mean what the hell is going on."
"A spell has been cast." Jack spoke with a gentle tone. "That shrouded the city in darkness and even now is spreading over the entire world."
At that Jack turned and started walking away. As he headed into the city he was joined by the girl.
"So what do we do?" she asked him, keeping pace with him behind and at his side.
"We do nothing. I will take you to a place where you will be safe until I finish this."
"Y.. you can't just leave me alone." She stepped in front of him. "Take me with you."
"I don't even know your name."
"It's Lindsay, Lin for short. Please, please let me come with you?"
As Jack stared into Lin's tearful blue eyes he already knew what his answer would be. Even after a thousand years he still wasn't any good with women.
"Fine, but you will do what I say when I say it no exceptions. Are we clear?"
"Yes! Thank you." Lin smiled at him as she returned to following him. "So, you didn't say how we were going to fix this."
"Magic such as this always have a focal point. Once it has been destroyed the spell should unravel." Jack explained.
"How exactly are you going to find this focal point." Lin asked hugging herself as she slightly shivered in the night air.
How indeed, as Jack made his journey through the world he has learned many things. But he wasn't the only one to pick up a trick or two.
"My sword will lead the way. Like how a divining rod finds water, my sword can to track the source of this evil."
They walked in silence as Lin only to stop as she ran into Jack's hand. She looked up expecting an attack but when nothing happened she looked to Jack for an explanation.
"You look cold." he held out his jacket for her. "Here put this on."
Lin gently took the jacket and quietly slipped it on. "Thank you." She whispered to him as they walked deeper into the darkened city.
They walked for what felt like hours. Heading deeper and deeper into the city. Every once in a while they would run into more vampires expecting easy pretty only to fall just as easily as the first ones Jack ran into.
They stopped multiple times as Jack's sword shook a bit sending Jack in a random direction.
They continued like this for awhile before Jack once again held out his hand for Lin to stop. They were in an alleyway. As Lin sat down, Jack's head was tilted as he listened for something only he could hear.
Footsteps, heading to the same place I'm going. Four people, one woman, two men and a child. All human.
As Jack stepped out of the alley he got his first look at the group. With the two men, one was white with brown hair and glasses dressed in clothes that while plain and formal looked to be easy to fight in. The other one was a bald dark skinned man dressed in more casual clothes but still ready to fight. The boy looked to be tanned with dark neck length hair dressed in clothes that were a bit to big for him.
When Jack stepped out in front of them the men's eyes widened as they started to raise the crossbows that were carrying. The boy on the other reacted before either of them as if he already knew Jack was there. The only one who was completely relaxed was the woman.
Dressed in all denim her brown hair draped around her shoulders. She was completely uncaring of Jack's appearance, not because she was surprised but because she already knew he was there and that he wasn't a threat. The look in her eyes as she stared him down was both strange and also strangely familiar to Jack.
"So who are you, exactly?" the woman stood between Jack and the men behind her. In such a way to prevent either one from attacking the other. Which Jack could appreciate.
"My name is Jack, please to meet. And you are all?" with his arms at his side bowed his head slightly to them.
"Name's Faith." She pointed to her companions one by one. "Tall, dark and handsome is Charles Gunn."
"Yo." Gunn greeted him but never once lowered his crossbow.
"The guy in glasses and tweed is Wesley."
"You can call me Wes if you prefer." Wes like Gunn refused to lower his weapon.
"Last and least is the kid, Connor." Connor opened his mouth to say something only for Faith to keep talking and cut him off. "So why don't you introduce us to the little lady behind you?"
So she knew that as well. Without turning around Jack waved behind him. "Lin, it's fine they are not going to attack us."
From the alley Lin near sprinted out of it appearing almost instantly behind Jack.
Faith clapped her hands together. "So now that we all know each other. Tell me Jackie boy what are you doing out here."
"I believe that we're here for the same reason as you. To destroy the source of the spell that is keeping the city shrouded in darkness." Jack explained to them.
They're reaction to his answer varied but the only thing that each did express was surprise. Did they not know, then what we're they doing here?
"Are you sure it's here?" Wes was so alarmed by the idea that he nearly dropped his crossbow in shock. "How do you even know?"
"My sword led me here." Jack told them, it was only the look on his face that told them he wasn't lying to them.
"Yeah, like that explains anything." Gunn muttered, he then continued in louder voice. "Look Faith, if the Beast is here we don't have anything to kill it with."
Faith waved off his concerns. "You got me big guy and that's all you need." With that remark Faith turned and headed into the yard of the building that had her name painted on the front of it.
It looked to have at one time been a factory of some business that had only recently been closed down. What windows they could see was broken. With the gates torn off the hinges. Draped over the front was a giant canvas with red lettering that was hopefully paint.
As one they walked through the gate. "So, Jack are you any good with that sword?"
The minute they made it through they were attacked by two vampires. Who just as quickly they appear were killed.
One with Connor's bolt through it's heart. While the other had it's head cut off as Jack drew his blade and attacked in one single graceful movement.
There was a moment of silence after the ambush. Then Faith exploded.
"THE HELL DID I TELL YOU!"
After her outburst Faith took several deep breaths. As she calmed down Lin, Wes, and Gunn backed away to leave Jack and Connor to face her alone.
"Um, did I do something wrong?" Jack honestly didn't see what the problem was as he sheathed his sword. But the look in Faith's eyes stopped him all the same.
"You get one pass Jack because you didn't know." Faith reassured him before turning to Connor. "But you, I told you we are not going to kill any vampires until we're sure they're not Angel."
"They weren't Angel." Connor growled not at all cowed by Faith's glare.
"But you didn't know that. You attacked without thinking!" She poked him hard enough that he was forced to take a step back. "Go back to the hotel Connor, I can't trust you out here."
"What! You can't, you need me here. The Beast is here you can't beat it by yourself."
"With what Wes told me I can't win with you. So I think it's best you leave. Now."
"You can't do this!"
"I told you Boy I'm in charge and if you don't like it do something about it."
They stared at each other in silence. Then they moved. Punches and kicks we're thrown and dodged with inhuman grace.
Jack watched them fight with a cynical eye as he observe their abilities and judge their strength.
In the end it was a short bout with the winner clear.
As Faith continued to dance around Connor's blows. She let one of his arms come close enough for her to grab and slam him into the ground back first.
When Connor tried to get up he came face to face with his own crossbow in Faith's hand.
"You have power kid I give you that." Faith told him as she lowered the crossbow. "But until you learn to use it you're worst than useless. Go Home."
Connor slowly got up off the floor. Then without looking at anyone walked away from the factory.
They watched him walk off in silence.
Gunn let out a heavy sigh "I better go after him. Make sure the idiot doesn't get himself killed." He turned and follow Connor the dark.
"Wait!" Jack called out to Gunn making him stop. Jack look at Lin. "Go with Gunn, Lin."
"What, why?" Lin whined to him.
"You will be safer with them at their home. Than with me in there."
"But.."
"Remember what I said. Go with him."
Jack and Lin stared at each other. Then Lin visibly deflated as she walked over to Gunn.
"Great babysitting two kids. Double the fun." Gunn let out a breath. He placed his hand on Lin's back pushing her forward. "Come on kid, you got nothing to worry about with me."
Faith, Wes, and Jack watched the rest of their group leave. When they were no longer in their sight.
"Angel is a vampire, yes." Jack inquired.
"Yes he is. But before you through a fit he's not like over vampires. He has a soul." Faith told him. The way she held herself. It told Jack that if it comes down to it she would attack him as well.
"Even so just because he has a soul does not make him good. If he has align himself with this Beast then he must be stopped as well." Jack hand drifted down to his sword. As they slowing moved to face each other.
"Angel is good. This isn't really him. His soul was taken from him by a bunch of idiots. That's why we have to stop him without hurting him, so we can put it back." Faith relaxed her posture and held her hands out to her side.
Jack's hand fell away from his sword. "Fine we do this your way. You handle Angel, I will kill the Beast." He turned and entered the building without another word.
"No! Wait you can't kill the Beast alone. It's to powerful." Wes yelled at Jack as he and Faith follow him in.
"Whatever the Beast is believe me I have faced much worse." Jack marched forward heading for the source of the spell, The Beast. "But when this is over you must tell me. How does a Slayer become friends with a vampire. Even one with a soul."
Faith let out a whistle. "Nothing gets pass you huh Jackie boy."
"My path has ran across Slayers enough times that I can recognize one from how you move."
The conversation came to a close as they neared a set of doors. As one they looked at each other then pushed open the doors and walked in.
The door opened up to a large room. It was a loading dock with crates stacked periodically through the room.
Infront of them sitting on a set of crates set up to look like some kind of throne was a man.
Black hair, black eyes, and dressed in all black. He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. He leered at them with a smile so wide all his teeth was showing could only be Angel.