Chrysalis

[Genesis]

But just as the bullet was about to end yet another life, it stopped. It remained motionless in mid-air, at most an inch away from its target.

Then it began spinning. Rather than make its way to and through Jordan's head, it moved backwards, quickly accelerating. It flew back towards the shooter. Its journey back into the weapon's barrel was accompanied with the same bright muzzle flash that had appeared when it was launched seconds before.

Kaze stood and watched. Only she was not affected. She could see time itself reversing, and doing so faster and faster. The giant skyscrapers made way for sweeping hills and open grasslands devoid of human life.

This was Manhattan long before its settlement by humans.

It was dark. It was night. There were no human-made sources of light, so thousands of stars lit up the sky above Dagon. As she looked towards them, she felt something gently pulling her upwards, towards the many lights. With every passing second, she was pulled farther from the planet, and deeper into space.

She felt her eyelids getting heavier, as if someone was pulling them down. She didn't resist, and shut her eyes.

Until a voice composed of uncountable different voices spoke in her head:

"Look."

And she did. All around her, she saw the blue beings. Nomads, as humanity called them. Dozens surrounded her, seemingly staring at her. As she looked back at them, she felt the creatures' curiosity, nervousness, confusion. In some cases even fear. They had never seen a human before.

Most prevalent however was their feeling of friendship. Unity. While she had just witnessed how cruel and divided humanity can be, these beings were the exact opposite. One united species. Free of war, free of death.