Chapter 2

A Beginning

Many Years Ago...

It's the screaming that catches Gabriel's attention. Despite all the noise from the lightning storm, cracking branches, animals and such, the crying and screaming come out in clarity.

"Did you hear that?" He asks, stopping his horse.

Magnus groans to a stop next to him, he's already cranky and wet, "Now? Really? Great Notch, Gabe, nothing is out there-"

Thunder rolls and Gabriel shushes Magnus, "There it is again, don't you hear it?"

The crying comes again, this time louder. Magnus hears it this time, his eyes narrowing, "Yeah, I hear it? Is that a kid?" he slides off his horse.

Gabriel follows, "I think so,"

"Who the hell leaves a child out in a storm like this?"

"I don't know, but we better find the source before a monster -"

A man bursts from the edge of the clearing, stumbling slightly over a fallen branch. He is soaked, dark brown hair plastered to his skull. There are scrapes and bruises on his exposed arms. The man wears no armor, but a sword rests at his side, hitting his thigh with each running bound.

In the arms of the stranger the source of the noise, a small infant, crying as loud as the small lungs will allow. A piglet is in the other arm, squealing with each jarring motion.

"Hey!" Magnus calls, "Are you alright?!"

The male freezes, feet sliding in mud.

"Do you need help?" Gabriel asks.

"I do," The man's haggard voice replies, gasping breaths escaping between words.

The two members rush up, "How can we help?" Gabriel asks.

The other looks him up and down, dark brown eyes staring deeply. As if inspecting for something, then,

"Take my child."

The warrior is momentarily thrown for a loop, "What?"

The man extends the crying infant out, as well as the piglet, "My son, I need to you take him-"

The piglet wiggles free, rushing off. Magnus gives chase, "I got him!"

Gabriel turns back to the stranger, "I can't take your-"

"Please, I'm being followed. If Hero- if He catches up, I won't be able to protect my son."

"I'll help you fight him," Gabriel explains, "I'm a warrior, we can take him-"

"No!" There is flash of panic in the other's eyes. "You cannot defeat him, he is too strong. Please, he's already taken my wife. I beg you; don't let me lose my son."

Gabriel hesitates, and then reluctantly extends his arms, "Alright, I'll protect him."

The relief is immediate, "Thank you," he passes the child into Gabriel's arms, "The piglet is Rueben, don't separate them."

The stranger gently kisses his son's forehead, "I'll be back soon I promise."

There is what sounds like thunder cracking in the distance, till Gabriel hears rocks rolling. The stranger stiffens. "Hurry away from here, if I don't find you in a weeks' time, I'm dead. Please find him and Rueben a good home if I don't."

"Wait what is his name?"

The stranger leans in, "His name is-"

Magnus comes crashing back into the clearing, holding the thrashing piglet in his arms, "I got the bacon,"

Gabriel frowns at him, before turning back to the other male - "How will you find us-"

The stranger is gone, nowhere in sight.

"Where did he go?" Magnus asks.

"I don't know," Gabriel whispers adjusting the child in his arms, "We should go, you carry Rueben."

"Rueben?"

"Bacon-I mean the piglet."

They get up on their horses, and Gabriel adjusts the baby in his arms, covering him with his cloak. The baby has gone silent; energy spent, and now sleeps soundly against the Warrior's chest. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you till your father comes back." he assures. Deep down however, some part of Gabriel realizes he might be lying.

"What's the baby's name?" Magnus asks as he tries to carry the still squirming Rueben.

Gabriel looks down at the sleeping boy and smiles, remember the stranger's whispered words.

"His name is Jesse."

Some Years Later...

A lone swordsman stands amidst the rotting corpse of a once legendary beast. Pieces of it strewn were across the landscape, but the swordsman himself walked amongst the bulk of it. This world was so much different now since he had last been here. The monster had done a fair deal of damage, and impressive amount in fact. Nothing like he had seen in some time.

All around him carnivorous mobs feasted upon the flesh, they paid him no mind. Those foolish enough to turn their attention away soon slinked away in fear of him.

They knew better.

As he progressed through the endless grave all around him memories called out. Many from those who were absorbed and killed by the beast, some were in fear at their last moments; others had been at eerie peace.

But as more time passed, their memories too would fade from existence. Soon there would only being an echoing voice, calling out the name of the beast that nearly destroyed their home.

Witherstorm.

The swordsman however was not interested in the masses, but instead the last moments of the leviathan itself; and the power of which it possessed.

Hidden in the thickest of the desecrated goliath, a command block, the device itself was broken, and much to the swordsman's surprise; drained of its power.

Cursing in an ancient tongue far older than this world, he delved into the memory. Searching deep and hard, for whoever took the power of this beast could only be a handful of beings in the vast universe.

"A pig?" He frowned, shifting through the images. "No wait..."

He dug deeper, and his surprise increased ten-fold, "Is it truly possible?"

The memory was frozen, the last thing the Witherstorm laid it's eyes on, all of it quickly memorized. The swordsman let the memory fade from existence, no longer finding any use of it. But the warrior who had struck the beast down was now within his own memory.

His gaze turned to the distance, far away a town celebrated. He could hear the cheers, praising heroes who bravely splayed the beast. But he had no interest in the team, just their leader.

But he could wait.

Now wasn't the time anyway. The boy still had a lot to learn and grow from. Turning away from the town, the swordsman moved towards the woods. He smiled as he pulled out a glowing flint, making his path to an ancient temple. It would take time before he saw the warrior in person, but he could wait.

He did have all the time in the world after all.