Chapter 26 Before the Disaster

Makiko let out a scream, her hands flying to her mouth as she backed away from the monitors.

  “What… what is this?! What’s happening?! Those people… they’re… they’re…” Her voice broke, and she sank to her knees, her body trembling.

Shujinko stood frozen, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock.

  “This… this can’t be real. This can’t be happening…”

Akarui was uncharacteristically silent. He stared at the blank monitors, his hands clenched into fists. 

“This is… this is insane. Those were your guys, bro. Your team…”

Kataomoi didn’t respond. He sat in his chair, staring at the darkened screens, his mind unable to process what he had just witnessed. His team—his friends—were gone. Torn apart, crushed, impaled… all in a matter of minutes. And there was nothing he could have done to save them.

Makiko’s panicked breathing filled the silence, her hands clutching her head as she rocked back and forth. 

“We’re going to die… we’re going to die here…”

Shujinko knelt beside her, his voice trembling. 

“No. We’re not going to die. We’ll figure this out. We’ll find a way out of here.”

Akarui turned to Kataomoi.

“Bro, we need to get out of here. Now. Before those things crush us too. We need to reach Dad, he will know what to do!”

As Akarui shook his brother, trying to snap him out of his stupor, a loud, ear-piercing screech roared outside. It sounded like glass being rubbed against glass on a massive scale, sending shivers down their spines. Everyone froze, their breaths caught in their throats. A minute later, the silence was shattered as a massive claw mark cleaved through the security doors like they were made of paper. Jagged, blood-red crystalline fingers poked through the holes, tearing the doors wider until they finally broke apart.

A crystalline creature stepped inside, its grotesque form towering over them. Its body was a jagged mass of red crystals, its movements sharp and unnatural. Its glowing, hollow eyes locked onto the group, and a low growl rumbled from its chest.

Kataomoi finally snapped out of his shock. The sight of the creature, combined with the grief and rage over losing his friends, ignited something primal in him. With a roar of fury, he burst from his chair and tackled the creature with all his strength. The force sent them both tumbling outside, crashing into the ground.

Kataomoi was on his feet first. He pulled out his telescopic baton, extending it with a sharp click.

  “Get the hell out of here!” he shouted, “Akarui! Keep them safe! I’ll hold this thing off for as long as I can! Run! Run!”

Akarui’s eyes widened in panic.

  “Bro! What are you doing?! Leave that thing and let’s run!”

Kataomoi turned to his brother, his expression fierce. 

“Do as I say, God damn it! This thing will kill us all if you don’t hurry up!”

Makiko and Shujinko grabbed Akarui by his arms, trying to pull him away. But before they could move, a sickening splat echoed through the air. Blood splashed across their faces. They turned to see Kataomoi standing frozen, his mouth bleeding. The creature’s crystalline claws had pierced his back, their jagged tips poking out from his chest.

Kataomoi tried to speak, but no words came out. His head slumped forward, and his body went limp. He was dead.

For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the sound of rain and the creature’s low growl. Then Akarui’s voice shattered the stillness, raw with rage and grief.

  “You piece of shit! What did you do to my brother?! You bastard! I’ll fucking kill you! Bro! Big bro! Say something! Please! Big brother! Nooooo! Let go of me! Let go! I’ll kill that bastard! I’ll rip him apart! Aaaaaaaaah!”

The creature yanked its claws out of Kataomoi’s body, and he crumpled to the ground. Where his wounds were, crystals began to form, spreading rapidly across his lifeless form.

Akarui broke free from Shujinko and Makiko’s grip. He grabbed a metal pipe lying on the ground and charged at the creature, his face twisted with fury.

  “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” he screamed, leaping into the air like some shonen anime protagonist. He brought the pipe down on the creature’s head with all his strength, but the impact only made a barely noticeable crack.

The creature swiped its claw in a wide arc, narrowly missing Akarui. The claw sliced through the steel pipe like it was wet toilet paper, sending the broken pieces clattering to the ground.

Just as the creature prepared to strike again, the building shifted violently. Another massive crystalline vine slammed into the structure, causing the ceiling to collapse. Debris rained down, giving the group a few precious moments to escape.

“Akarui, come on!” Shujinko shouted, grabbing his friend’s arm. 

“We have to go!”

Akarui hesitated, his eyes locked on his brother’s lifeless body. But the sound of the creature’s growl snapped him back to reality. He turned and ran with the others, his heart pounding with grief and rage.

They burst out of the building and into the rain-soaked streets, only to be met with another crystalline creature giving chase. Its jagged form loomed behind them, its glowing eyes fixed on its prey.

Just as it seemed like they were out of options, a car came screeching around the corner. The driver slammed into the crystalline creature, shattering it into pieces. The car skidded to a halt, and the door flew open.

“Get in! Hurry!”

14 hours ago, after the heavy rain started to fall, Shachiku stood by the window of his office, staring out into the night.

The rain had been falling heavily for hours, the rhythmic tapping of droplets against the glass creating a soothing, almost hypnotic sound. The night was as dark as ever, the thick clouds blotting out the moon and stars, casting a gloomy pall over the city. The faint glow of streetlights reflected off the wet pavement, but the world outside felt distant and muted.

Shachiku rubbed his tired eyes, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. It had been another long night of overtime, another night of endless paperwork and deadlines. The rain’s soothing rhythm was a small joy, beckoning him to lay down and rest. Even the giant coffee mug clutched in his hand couldn’t keep his eyes from drooping.

But just as he was about to give in to the temptation of sleep, a muffled sound snapped him back to attention. He frowned, leaning closer to the window. 

"Was that… gunfire?"

 He squinted, trying to make out what was happening in the distance. Far, far away, near the silhouette of Helios-9, faint flashes of light flickered like distant lightning. Red pulsating lights joined the chaos, barely discernible through the rain and darkness.

Shachiku rubbed his eyes again, wondering if his exhaustion was playing tricks on him. When he looked back, the lights and noises had stopped. The night was quiet again, save for the relentless rain.

"I’m too tired," he thought, sinking back into his chair.

"I’ve worked too much. Worried too much. These past two weeks have been intense. I need to rest."

With that, he set his coffee mug aside and leaned on his desk, the rhythmic tapping of the rain lulling him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Shachiku woke with a startle, his neck stiff from sleeping awkwardly on his desk. The rain was still falling outside, the sound of it against the window now more oppressive than soothing. He groaned, stretching his arms and glancing at the clock. It was morning, though the heavy clouds made it feel like night.

He turned on the radio in his earpiece, hoping for some news to shake off the grogginess. What he heard made his blood run cold.

“...the government has announced that the planet’s core is undergoing a process of crystallization. This phenomenon, previously kept confidential, poses a significant threat to global stability. However, we are assured that a cure has been developed. Eel Schmuck, now head of the Global Crisis Response Initiative, has stated that mass production of the cure will begin shortly. Citizens are urged to remain calm and trust in the government’s efforts to resolve this crisis…”

Shachiku’s eyes narrowed as he listened, his exhaustion replaced by a sharp, cynical clarity. He had been around long enough to know better than to take anything the government said at face value. The announcement sounded too convenient, too polished. It reeked of manipulation.