Ripples slid across the small lake as the small, red bi-pedal creature took a drink. Raising it's head the creature looked toward the sky. A small, narrow black jet raced quietly across the sea of stars, passing the lake at blinding speeds. The rear thrusters sparked yellow and slowly dimmed as the ship started to circle.
The thrusters spewed white flames as the jet started to descend through the thick gray haze. Everyone clenched their equipment as they slowly waited. The designated landing spot was close to one of the major roads. Or, what had once been one of the major roads. As the jet connected with the surface, Amy quietly observed the dark ruins through the window. Not even a day ago, this city had been a teeming place of life and happiness. And now, it was a barren land of smoke and decay, full of the remains of memories and lives that had been effectively erased.
Exterior lights flashed on. The rear door clicked and whirred as it slowly lowered, releasing a small ramp that went to the surface. Amy led the three scientists down the ramp, followed by ten of their armed entourage.
Dark ruins stood lifeless in every direction Amy looked. Sadly, most were the mercilessly charred remains of residential buildings. Under her boots the ground was black and warped in small weaves. To the ship's left a small collection of construction equipment rotted away to nothing.
Amy gazed in wonder as she thought of the city that had once been here. Only hours ago, tall skyscrapers had risen from this very spot, rising high to break the heavens. While down below thousands of people had busily journeyed along the streets. She imagined the city's bright neon lights and how they must have looked at night.
Silently, Amy broke from the team and snuck over to a hole that was spewing black liquid. She extended her hand over the hole, reaching for the liquid. Before she could touch it, a gloved hand grabbed her and pushed her body to the ground. Seconds later three green thorn-covered tentacles sprung out of the hole, reaching for the area her head had been seconds before.
Amy gasped as the tentacles wiggled around a little before returning to the hole. Wide-eyed, she turned to the soldier next to her.
"Can you walk?" He asked through his helmet.
She nodded, letting out a whimper.
"That was a close one. Try to be more careful next time, 'kay?"
She nodded again.
"Good." He reached out a hand to help her up.
"Thanks." She muttered accepting his hand.
"You're good. Name's Mike, in case you're interested."
"Amy."
"That's a nice name. You should cherish it."
"Thank you?"
He nodded towards the rest of the group. "Alright gentlemen. These nice eggheads are here to research why a batch of Nanites suddenly went wonky. Providence sent us to take care of anything that gets in there way. Understand?"
The helmet wearing soldiers nodded.
Mike turned back to Amy. "So where are you leading us doctor?"
Amy pointed at a more barren part of the area. "There. That looks to be the starting point of all this."
Amy started through the ruins followed by Mike. She examined a collection of skeletons that lay near a crumbling building marked with a lone sign: School. The skeletons were almost completely melted away. Out of all fifteen skeletons, only one was an adult. Amy swallowed the small lump in her throat and turned on a small digital camera, recording the scene.
Amy shook her head slowly. "This was a massacre."
"What was that doc?" Mike asked from his position on a ledge.
"These children. All killed. And we couldn't do anything."
"We didn't know this was happening. We only got the call after it was already over."
"Still." She grabbed at the bones, immediately they turned to powder in her grasp. Sighing, she watched the powder filter away through her fingers. She continued to stare at it until something caught her attention.
There were strange red markings in the ground near three of the children's feet.
"What's that?" Amy whispered as she ran over to one of the markings.
There were three overlapping circles, drawn relatively close together. Each contained in a single upside-down triangle. Inside the center of where they all met, a single drawing of a heart with wings behind it. The heart had a single hole in it along the right side. Overall, it seemed to be just some disturbed child's attempt at art, instead of some clue as to who did this. Yet, something about the markings didn't quite sit right with Amy. Other than the fact that it was made of blood.
Amy switched on the camera's microphone. "These markings, the upside down triangle, in ancient times it was used to represent the alchemical symbol for water, the downward flow. The downward pointing triangle is also the ancient symbol of femininity. Though there is nothing representing water or the female, I am still open to any ideas representing the two. Although I might be overthinking this of the random markings. Granted, they are very crudely drawn, as if everything was somehow slapped together in a rush. Yet…" She paused.
She couldn't seem to get her thoughts together. Something was wrong; they weren't ordinary drawings by any means. The simple addition of the blood proved that. Plus, the fact that they survived the catastrophe that claimed everything else in the area showed that something else other than a simple mass murder was going on here. But what?
"Okay, let's suppose they're not just random markings that I found in the dirt. Or, better yet, let's suppose they are just that and that they didn't survive the disaster at all. What would we be upon?" She shut off the microphone. "Mike?"
Nothing.
"Mike?"
Silence, save for the interruption of the occasional hiss of something burning.
She turned off the camera. Suddenly becoming aware of how thick the fog was becoming. The mist had been thick and heavy before, but was now a brick wall.
Amy sent an emergency evacuation signal to the transport's pilots.
No response.
She tried again on the coms: Anyone? Are you there?
Again, she received no response.
As the mist swirled around her ankles and she glanced around the forsaken land; a terrible thought occurred to her. One of many she had been trying to ignore.
What if we weren't really alone?
That thought was quickly dismissed though. Amy refused to accept that everyone else was dead.
Amy made her way through the mist to where she'd last seen Mike and the others. There, the mist dissipated around a large hole. Around the rim she made out what looked to be a large puddle of blood. There was no sign of Mike.
Amy stepped close to the hole and looked around. A low growl came from behind her. Startled, Amy turned only to be knocked down by a large blunt object. The last thing Amy saw before losing consciousness was the gaping mouth of her assailant.