The New World: Old Habits

Chapter 22

"YOU?!" First Name exclaimed in confusion before continuing with "WHY YOU THREE?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"
"Yeah, I didn't want to do this either but I needed to." Jim tried to explain himself as First Name grabbed Grim's scythe. He pointed it at Jim and started aggressively asking "Need to do what, huh? Continue to mock me?"
Grim re-summoned their scythe so it wasn't in First Name's hands anymore. Turg still wasn't sure what Jim's plan was but he trusted him.
"Listen, neither of us are going to win this and I can't continue living with the looming threat of someone summoning you to try to kill us. I want to-" Jim tried to explain himself but First Name cut him off. 
"SERIOUSLY?! THAT'S WHY YOU BROUGHT ME BACK?! YOU JUST CAN'T LIVE WITH MY EXISTENCE SO YOU'RE GOING TO GET RID OF ME FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL?!" First Name started shouting while pointing his claws at the three. He then continued "I'M NOT EVEN ALIVE AND I'M JUST SUCH A PROBLEM TO YOU!"
"Just get to the point with him." Grim quietly told Jim as he took a deep breath. 
"That's not what I meant, please just hear me out." Jim tried to reason with First Name. He was surprisingly calm, Turg thought he already would've lost it. 
"What then?" First Name snapped. 
"I want to give you your life back. I want to give you another chance." Jim told First Name, who seemed to be curious about that. He asked "Could you elaborate?"
"You were just a teen when you died, you barely lived your life, and the life you did live was ruined by me. I know you won't forgive me for that so I won't bother with that shit. But I will give your life back on one condition, that being we stay out of each other's lives." Jim explained. Turg wasn't sure what he was expecting but it wasn't that. Wasn't like him to give life, though Jim was the reason Turg was alive again. 
First Name thought about it for a moment before saying "No, this is a trick. You're tricking me. All of you. You're all horrible."
"For once, Jim is being honest." Grim said to First Name. First Name's tail was swaying quickly from side-to-side as he stared at the three before looking away and telling them "I can't trust you."
"I get that. I don't trust myself either. But I'm being serious." Jim continued trying to convince First Name, who responded with "So, what? You're gonna do to me what you did to Turg?"
"Yes, exactly." Jim answered. First Name looked away briefly and then said "Gimme a moment."
He then vanished as Jim knelt down again and quietly told Grim "That went smoother than I thought."
Turg knelt down with Jim and rested his hand on Jim's shoulder. He also asked Jim "Jim bring First Name back?"
"Yes, it's a stupid idea I know but it'll keep him occupied for a while longer. I hope." Jim answered Turg's question.
"Turg don't think so. Jim did same for Turg." Turg assured Jim. 
"Yeah, but you weren't my son who I neglected for his entire life. He's always been trying to get back at me, this is just his most successful attempt." Jim explained to Turg. 
The three waited in the clearing for First Name to be back, if he was coming back. The sun had fully set and the sky was full of stars by the time he returned. First Name did not return alone. 
First Name came back with two other beings that looked similar to him to his sides. They had different spike shapes. Turg sort of recognized them but didn't know their names. Jim stood back up upon seeing them, Grim and Turg doing the same shortly after. 
"If you're going to bring my life back then I also want you to bring my brothers', Project and Second One, back as well." First Name told Jim, who asked "That's your only condition?"
"No, I also want to finally be able to do this." First Name answered with a big smile on his face. The claws on his hand got bigger as his brothers encouraged him with "Yes! Do it!" 
Before anyone could react, First Name's claws went straight through Jim's chest, turning him to dust. 
Turg was frozen in fear, not quite processing what had just happened while Grim immediately started fighting. Swinging their scythe at the Cursed Children but missing every attempt while they laughed at them. 
"GIVE HIM BACK!" Grim shouted at them as they continued to taunt them. 
"I'll give him back once I'm done with him!" First Name exclaimed before vanishing, though Project and Second One remained to continue to tease Grim. Flying around them in a circle and occasionally taking a swat at them. Turg knew how he could bring Jim back but he needed First Name to be present. Though he didn't need to as First Name returned with Jim. He seemed to be incredibly panicked as he demanded Grim "DO WHAT I PROMISED! PLEASE!"
Jim then started running away from the area and Turg wanted to follow him, though wasn't sure if he should leave Grim alone. 
"Go help Jim, I'll deal with these three. I can't be killed." Grim told Turg, which was the assurance he needed. 
It was completely dark out and Turg had no idea where Jim went. He was following where he believed to have gone but he wasn't sure if he was correct. His mind was all over the place. Turg ended up at his old family's place, which was standing again from what he could see. Turg found that to be odd but he didn't want to think too much about it, he had to find where his husband went.