It was always amusing when mortals tried running from me. This old man truly believed that he could escape. We ran across the rooftops of downtown New Roma, the largest of Earths cities here in the twenty fourth century.

I was hired to catch this elderly pervert by a client sick of the authorities in the area turning a blind eye. He was very wealthy after all and in this day and age, a slightly higher economic class could get you out of nearly anything. After one thousand years on this planet, it still amazed me how quickly humans would give in to their base desires.

I tackled him hard to the ground, and before he could try screaming for help, I squeezed tightly on his throat. "P...please...You can have anything you want..." He managed to blurt out some final words.

I simply placed my hand on his chest, and released the crimson energy stored within my body. His torso gained a new hole, two square inches in diameter right where his heart used to be. He died quickly, but to make an excuse for his death, I took a large stack of Sylvins from his pockets and threw him off the tall building we stood upon. The story would be that the allegations against him drove him to end it all himself. With that, another insignificant life was ended and another job nearing completion.

Heading back to the penthouse I found him in, I searched his computer. The last part of this job required the deletion of certain files. These files contained multiple photos of many human children. I erased them swiftly, and inserted a drive into his system that quickly corrupted all data this building contained.

The man was dead, all damaging photos were gone, and the business he ran had lost everything it had on file. All in a days work for an operator in 2347.

Before his security could try to detain me, I slipped out, making sure to hand that stack of Sylvins to the authorities as they inspected the suspected suicide. Anything can be ignored with the right amount of money in a humans eyes. Something that has stayed mostly the same throughout my time on this planet.

Greed was always a dominant trait in a humans character. Ever since my birth a millennia ago in old Crimea. To be fair, I did create the circumstance for greed amongst humans to be necessary for survival. My birth started a severe plague that year. Millions would die in the coming years so I guess the first couple hundred years of my life were some sort of penance for me.

Sometimes I could still feel the many beatings at the hands of other children, and even some adults to this day. My silver hair and crimson eyes made me quite the target for a while. Religious fanatics believed me to be the spawn of demons, and conspiracy theorists thought I was of alien origin. To be fair, both were somewhat right.

I knew what was coming and couldn't wait. Any minute now, the Red Beacon would glow, and the coming of the Devourers would begin. This rock would disappear along with the mortals who lived on it. My human half would be consumed leaving me only with my cosmic form. Then I would finally live among my true people.

Right on que, the sky received a scarlet tint. The end had begun. Soon The Hunger, my peoples flagship would be in view and The Devourers would consume this world.

The mortals in the streets panicked, running around in a state of fear and confusion. The Red Beacon was light years away but it shined so bright it effected the earths sky as a whole. The whole galaxy would be bathed in red when the beacon shined. I took in the humans fear and confusion as I calmly walked the streets. I've awaited this day ever since my Devourer side awoke, allowing me to finally use my abilities.

I stopped aging at four hundred, but my body only aged twenty years in that time. The human blood in me repressed my Devourer genes greatly so my abilities didn't appear until I had matured. For the first four centuries I was weak, frail and helpless, but no matter the pain they put me through, no mortal means could kill me. No matter how much suffering I endured, I would not die.

My tormentors however would all die out eventually, and be replaced by new ones. Once my abilities emerged from my suppressed blood, no one dared stand against me. I was no longer weak, in fact I was the most powerful being on the planet, until now of course.

The Devourers were here, and this cruel species would cease to exist. Despite this being the day I've waited a millennia for, there was a strange pit in my stomach, and a piercing feeling in my chest. The separation must be beginning. There must be some side effects to having a part of yourself consumed.

I finally returned to The Graveyard, a small bunker where a highly caffeinated woman made her home. My handler, Mara, pulled me through the door with great strength as I knocked.

"Get the hell in here Nexus!" She shouted. "What's going on out there?" She asked.

I simply moved her aside, and sat on her couch. "I completed the job. Where's my payment?" I asked.

Mara frowned, grabbing a carton of Sylvins from her pocket. "Two hundred as promised. Now tell me what's going on out there!" She commanded.

I sighed heavily. "You don't need to worry about it. You won't even notice what's happening."

Mara made a very animated expression of shock. "Won't notice it? The friggin sky is red! How am I not gonna notice it?" She asked.

I released an annoyed sigh, and went to leave. "Just relax. Everything will pass soon. I'm heading home to wait." I said.

"Wow... I really though you might show a little panic over what looks like the end of the world. First time for everything right?" She said sarcastically as she reached to chug an energy drink.

I ignored her comment and proceeded to the door. Mara grabbed my wrist, stopping me. I could very easily break her grip but for some reason I didn't like being rough with her. Her hair was brown but she dyed it silver like mine. Her roots were showing, meaning she'd need to dye it again soon. She wore sapphire blue contacts all the time as well, which were very comforting to look at.

"Nexus, what are you going to wait for? What do you know about this and why does that shimmer in the sky look so much like that freaky hand stuff you do?" She asked.

I had known her for four years now. A speck of time in the millennia I had lived. I have watched countless humans live and die and it has lost meaning to me. Her death should be no different, her words shouldn't have any effect on me. But when I saw the terror in her eyes, that pit in my stomach returned. The separation was a very aggressive event.

She seemed to realize I wasn't going to answer her question, and her grip softened. Slowly her hand fell from my arm, and back to her sides. Two small tears formed, and the fear I saw was mixed with sadness. "Please be careful out there." She pleaded.

I felt like a knife had been placed in my chest. I understood now that my human side still carried emotion, and on instinct wanted to act on them. Likely a last defense mechanism from the separation that would soon occur.

I placed both hands on her shoulders. I spoke softly to calm her the best I could. "Mara...do not worry yourself. I will be fine, and the change that is to come, you will not notice... Just relax for a few hours, and this will all be over." The tears that were swelling in her eyes now streamed down her face. She was so confused, scared, and sad. Her emotions had overwhelmed her as is common among humans. She looked down, unable to speak as I left.

As the door shut behind me, I felt that pit again. This time it was stronger than ever. I felt a strange sensation come over my eyes. I couldn't keep them open, and my breathing became shaky. I cleared my mind, taking very deep breaths which suppressed this feeling for a time.

Upon returning to my apartment though, the feeling returned in full force. My legs were shaking, so I leaned against the wall for support. Soon enough though, I fell to my knees as I felt something releasing from my eyes. Is this it? Am I separating now? I asked myself.

Believing this to be the moment, I let it go, only to feel a liquid leaking. I opened my eyes fully but my vision was hazy. After wiping the liquid from my eyes I could see clearly but didn't understand. This liquid was the same substance that leaked from Maras eyes. They were tears. I was crying.

That wasn't possible. A Devourer does not cry. This is an action performed only by humans. Despite that knowledge, the images of my mother, amd her warm smile flashed in my mind.

I knew her very briefly before her death, but my people have perfect recollection from birth and I think she knew that. I think she also knew that I was the one responsible for all of the death around her, and for hers. Despite this, she smiled at me, told me stories, and sang to me before I slept. She showed me such kindness. Moreso than any other animal does for their offspring.

And so the tears flowed once more. I recalled many more images of humans I had met through my life. Sophia, a charitable nun I had met in Spain during the eighteen hundreds. Ralph, an American actor I met in the twenty forties. And of course there was Mara, the kindhearted young woman who accepted jobs to help the less fortunate.

I sobbed violently in the corner of my bedroom. This was wrong; I shouldn't have been feeling this way. This was a joyous occasion, but my human heart ached at the thought of it.

I had to snap out of my erratic state when a scarlet spark shimmered in my room. I wiped my eyes, and calmed my breathing. Clearing my eyes once again was easy enough, but I felt that pit grow larger and larger.

The spark expanded to a portal that I was both eager and reluctant to step through. Once I did, I found myself in a place I had seen only ever in my imagination. The inner core of The Hunger was exactly as I'd imagined.

In the center of the only open space on the moon sized ship was a massive orb made up of the life force of billions of worlds. Filling the rest of the room were several surges of red energy. These were the Devourers.

My people did not assume physical forms, and only exist through surges of life force energy. They were one, but also many. Connected by a hive mind so intense that there were no individuals, but a single consciousness split between infinite vessels. Soon I was to join this union.

They communicated with me not through speech, or anything resembling words. The Devourers communicated through simple understanding of will.

"Nexus, Earths time has come." They communicated to me.

I nodded in response and approached the life force orb. "You have spent a millennia on Earth. What have you discovered?" They asked.

I pondered my experience. "The mortals of this world are... Cruel, and erratic, allowing their emotions to control them most of the time." I responded.

"Yes the humans are a unique species in that sense. No other life form we have encountered have been as emotional and illogical as they are."

I looked down upon hearing this. It was saddening for me to hear. My emotions were controlling me as well, but I couldn't help but ask myself the same question over and over again. Are my emotions truly a bad thing?

"Offer yourself to the orb, Nexus. Begin the separation, and join us in the consumption of Earth." They commanded.

I reached for the orb, feeling my life force being pulled towards it. It was at this moment that time stood still for me. I remembered something Sophia had said to me centuries ago. "Do not despise those who wrong you Nexus. Men act on hatred, but that hatred comes from fear. Fear for themselves and those they love. Every action we take begins with love. Whether or not the action helps or hurts others, all we can do is try our best."

And a lesson Ralph had taught me two centuries later. "Life usually sucks and makes us feel all kinds of negative emotions. But even the negative feelings we have like sadness and anger are healthy, and make us feel alive from time to time. I love acting because I can make people feel those emotions and then turn those emotions into happiness by the end of my characters story. We all deserve to see at least one happy ending in our lifetime."

Then the first day I met Mara, she gave me an offer. "Thousands of people in this city are wronged every day but their problems are swept under the rug with a few Sylvins in the right pockets. I don't have the skills you have, but if you'll help me to help them... if you'll be my operator... I'll make sure you won't regret it." The first human to see something positive in the abilities that I charished. A potential to do something good in the world.

I brought my hand back to my side. The confusion of The Devourers was radiating throughout the room. "I have another discovery about the human race that I feel needs to be shared." I said.

"Begin the separation, Nexus." They commanded.

I ignored them. "They are cruel, but... They are also passionate, and caring. They're individual souls, differing from every body."

The Devourers had become impatient, and many surges rushed me at once. A quick release of the pent up energy inside me repelled their charge though.

"The negative among humanity stand out... But they do not speak for all of us..."

"Us!" The Devourers exclaimed.

My word choice was strange, even to myself. But I'd made up my mind. This decision was not easy, and the willpower I needed to hold back my tears was immense, but I knew now what needed to be done.

"Earth will not be devoured today. The Hunger must leave at once." I stated.

As soon as I finished my statement, a great amount of force launched me against the walls of the large room. A burning sensation covered my whole body as the Devourers attempted to forcefully destroy my human form.

"Your human side has corrupted you, brethren. We will correct this." They said as my pale skin began to sizzle. I screamed in pain as they held me down.

This was it. I decided to throw everything I had ever longed for out the window because of these damned feelings. And now I was going to die, making my sacrifice worth nothing. I acted on my emotions. It was spur of the moment, it was illogical, but most of all, it was human.

My long, extensive life flashed before me, and I realized how little I really understood. It took me one thousand years to finally make the ultimate discovery about humanity. That we are flawed, fearful, and emotional creatures, but we do the best with what we have, and there's nothing wrong with that. And it took me this long to finally include myself among these humans I claimed to despise.

Despite the past, I could finally see clearly that this world was my home, and I couldn't stand by and allow anyone to take it from me. I tensed every muscle in my body, and let out a primal scream that released a massive wave of energy, blasting away the Devourers that held me.

"You defy your kind, Nexus. If the Earth is not consumed, the Devourer race will starve." They said.

I took a deep breath as my energy built up inside me. "My kind are down there, and you are our biggest threat." I said. I used another burst of energy to propel myself towards the life force orb, and blast it with every ounce of power that I could muster.

There was a flash of white, and the disappearance of all sound, smell, and sight. I could feel my eyes opening and shutting, but it made no difference. I could feel my limbs moving but I could not see them. It was as if existence had simply stopped.

Finally the white faded and I saw rapidly approaching concrete. I sparked a few surges of energy from my palms which created a small energy shield. It shattered upon impact, along with multiple bones in my body. Just breathing was a struggle for a few moments before my wounds rapidly healed.

I sat up, letting out pained groans as my bones set back into place. I felt the areas where my skin had broken, throb after healing. It had been a long time since I'd been hurt like that.

Looking up, I could see The Hunger slowly dematerializing after the release of life force energy. Soon enough, the Devourers flagship was nothing more than red smoke that engulfed most of the planet for a few moments. The Red Beacon dimmed allowing the bright blue, Earth sky to be seen again.

The Devourer race was gone. No world would be consumed by them again. And with the destruction of their race, a part of myself withered away. Sparks of crimson power left my body, and dissolved in the air in front of me. My powers were gone, along with my immortality.

I could tell now that I was completely human. No Devourer energy remained within me. Despite this, I still looked the same, and I felt the same as well. I was human all along; it just took me a while to realize it.

Dozens of people stared in shock. A man had just fallen from the sky and seemed unharmed. Thankfully my powers stayed present until after I hit the ground. Some were fearful, and some were impressed. Not one reaction was the same.

"Nexus!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim. Mara rushed to my side with tears in her eyes.

She punched me in the chest which would actually leave a bruise now. "What the hell happened?" She asked as she pulled me in for a very tight hug.

"I'm still really sore. Could you loosen your grip?" I asked.

Mara pulled away, leaving her hands on my shoulders. She was inspecting my body for wounds that she'd need to treat. This woman had seen me heal myself before, but she always felt the need to make sure I was alright.

I grabbed her hands with my own to calm her nerves. "I told you there was nothing to worry about... We're safe." I said with a smile.

She gasped at the sight. "I've seen you do a lot... Never that." She chuckled as she wiped her tears.

I stood up, reaching out my hand to help her up. "First time for everything, right?" I said, keeping that smile.

She took my hand and we stood watching the sky become bluer and bluer. I've discovered more in this one day than the entire millennia before. I discovered my people, and my purpose. Most importantly, I discovered myself. As an old friend once told me, we all deserve to see at least one happy ending in our lifetime.