Chapter 22 | On Top of a Mountain

Location: Agara, GAL1049

The GAL1049 roofs on one side collapsed with a massive THUD. A few anomalies rushed through the breach to chase the survivors, but Index’s laser struck the central pillar, knocking it down to the lower level before moving along the roofline to lock onto the other chasing anomalies.

The floor was a mire of dead bodies and fallen anomalies; the water beneath the pipes turned entirely red. The thick fog settled into the corners of the arena, while Sid shot down an anomaly with his B3-LS that had attempted to attack a civilian.

“This way,” Sid called to the civilian before pointing to a ledge on the roof. On top, Index was guarding and shooting at the anomalies, trying to save the survivors who remained.

A few more survivors emerged from their hiding spots as Sid called for the exit.

“How many of them left?” Sid asked, narrowly dodging an anomaly that plunged from the roof. He spun, driving the sharp knife side of his B3-LS into its flank. The creature screamed before falling lifelessly with a THUD.

“Sid, reporting: only a few people managed to leave. A monolith anomaly is charging in towards you,” Index spoke from the rooftop through Sid’s earphone.

Slowly, a heavy footstep echoed from the entryway, followed by the sharp screech of its nails on the metallic floor. The rim of the floor tore open, cracking as the monolith anomaly entered, leaving a slick blood trail behind. A thick red fog spread rapidly across the arena.

It slowly locked its white eyes with Sid’s. The atmosphere thickened rapidly as the red fog swallowed the surroundings, shrinking visibility until only the stage remained clear.

Sid let out a weary sigh; his hair flowed out from beneath his cloak in the wind. There was no more screaming.

The alarms had been destroyed, along with their lights.

He held his weapon, B3-LS, in his right hand while moving his left hand behind it, preparing to draw LB-V4. His expression remained calm, though his face was etched with exhaustion.

Sid quickly raised his B3-LS to shoot at the anomaly’s face, but it blocked the lasers with a single hand with ease. The other hand plunged into the metal plating, ripping it off and flinging it toward him.

Sid’s eyes widened as he sensed the threat; he tried to evade, but the chaos made the attack unpredictable. The sharp plating sliced his arm off before it plunged to the ground.

Sid dropped to his knees, screaming in unbearable pain as his detached arm fell to the floor, spilling his blood.

The anomaly lunged at him. Before he could raise his arm to shoot, its nails tore through his stomach, and he choked out blood. The nerves in his eyes turned bright red, widening as he desperately clung to B3-LS before finally dropping it onto the floor.

The anomaly tilted its face before slowly lifting him into the air. It felt the blood soaking into its nails from his stomach while he hung motionless…

Suddenly, a furious rain of Index’s lasers blared at the creature—a sound that seemed to scream his name. The anomaly remained unbothered by the barrage. It slowly pulled him free from its grip with its other hand, placing him back onto the floor as the blood spilled onto the ground.

It then turned its gaze toward the roof where Index waited, and with a leap, it soared into the air. Index quickly reversed its wheels as the anomaly landed heavily on the edge, shattering the glass and bending the metal.

The anomaly stood tall, looking down at the tiny wheeled red robot. Although Index continued to fire at its face, the anomaly slowly strode toward it. “Hold on, Sid,” Index said in a serious tone.

A few minutes passed.

The fog of the GAL1049 disaster stretched visible for miles. High above, the three cloaked figures and Echa appeared on top of a mountain.

Echa stumbled to the brink. Her head was spinning, and the disorienting landscape was too much for her; she cried out, “No, catch me!” Then she felt the cloaked figures pull her safely to the ground, allowing her a measure of relief.

She sighed, turning to gaze into the distance toward the shrouded expanse of GAL1049. “Sid, Index,” she murmured, her eyes shimmering with sudden realization. “I feel like I am the one running again.”