Domirella: The Surreal Succubi

Domirella: The Surreal Succubi - Chapter Twenty-Six

Every impact of Ria's hooves against the ground sounds like glass shattering. There isn't a single tree left standing. I've seen this more times than I care to count. The aftermath of a breach incursion. Fighting and dying are the results wherever one appears. At first, no one knew the cause, as most believed it to be a freak explosion or a natural-gas explosion. That was the rumors spreading early before the war. Then it happens again and again. 'If we knew then, maybe we could have stopped the war.' Now it is happening here. Another breach, not some residual rip in space the size of a pinhole. 'Those flares... could that be people from my world? Is Doctor Spencer here in Annetheria? He is working on a secret project. After all, our plant is responsible for all data regarding the breach.' Ria stops suddenly, spooked by something. I saw it clearly the first time I saw one—a New Preborne Aeon Anathema.

It is an atrocity born from the breach. An abomination of fusion of animals native to the other side. A body like a rabbit, legs like a canine, and a head like a bird. With skin made of armor bone and reinforced muscle fibers. Glowing blood-red eyes devolved to intelligence. It is a creature of pure calamity. It creeps from the still boiling water of the river, unfazed by the intensity of heat dissipating. I know what this ungodly beast would do next. This monster will feed on everything in range. It devours until it reaches the next stage of its life. In the Adolescent stage, its classification is 'New'. If the preborne gains Prime or Sentient class. Nothing in this world can stop it.

I know of only two ways to kill them. Destroy the brain or eradicate its entire body. 'Shit, if I had a Pretorian Battle-suit, I would at least have a thirty to forty percent chance to kill it. My revolver powered by magic is all I have, but I've yet to know how to use it.' It's an excellent time to try this revolver out. From what I understand from my research, I need to channel mana into this item. 'Shouldn't be too hard, right?' Using focus to concentrate mentally is normal for me. I draw the weapon from the holster. Amazingly, I have yet to notice. That will only last for a while. These creatures have a sense of finding prey. Without a battle suit, I'm valuable. I can feel the mana in my body, like warm water running from a faucet. Internal mana consistency is quite different from external. I can sense it all around me. 'Was this from absorbing the mana jewel?' The target is in the crosshairs. At this distance, I can only hope to draw its attention. My finger pulls the hammer back. The chamber spins. The flow of my mana fills the chamber of my revolver.

Intense pain erupts from my left eye again, prompting me to hold my free left hand against my eye. My vision blurs again, but I must take the shot now or lose my chance to land a critical hit. The hammer ignites the chamber. An unseen force knocks the revolver back with the sound of a cannon—a flash slam into the Preborne Anathema. A shriek of ungodly proportions fills the night.

"What just happened?" I whispered.

I'm well out of a revolver's optimum range. Getting too close to one of these things is suicide. Yet, I can see a basketball-sized hole in the creature from here. Unexpected, but that isn't enough. It will heal from its wound rapidly unless I can get a hit directly to the brain. Anathema has a minimum of three hearts and at least two brains operating two separate nerve clusters. That is why incineration is the most effective way to kill them—the monster zeros in on me. I direct Ria to get a move on it quickly.

"Have to put some distance between us and that monstrosity!" I snapped.

Ria's speed is comparable to a jeep on rough terrain. Her speed feels swift. 'This would have to do.' I look behind me and see the preborne creature gaining on us. I needed cover. The forest line was coming into view. The river to my left is about two kilometers away. Going that way is terrible. I'd have nowhere to go. The undamaged forest is closer, and I can lose its line of sight. An Anathema of this class is nothing, but a mindless beast only known to kill. I encourage Ria to run faster. Shrieks echo from behind, drowning out Ria's galloping over the cracking glass. She's just as determined to survive this as I am.

"That's it... come after me!" I shouted.

More guttural shrieking comes from behind. Ria races into the forest and weaves through the dense trees with ease. Snapping and cracking follow some distance behind us. The beast follows us into the woods, slamming into trees to gain on us. I pull the reins, directing Ria to rotate to a flanking position. I focus and ready myself for another shot. Because of the flames burning nearby, I can see well enough to fire. The creature burst into the location we just were. I squeeze slightly, releasing another blast. This time, I can see a compressed ball rocket from the nozzle. The ball obliterates the shoulder of the monster. An enormous explosion would be enough to vaporize this abomination. A preborne speed and strength are relatively low compared to later stages. As a 'New' type class, it is also the youngest being newly hatched. The damaged section regrows.

Then, something I have yet to see before. When Anathema moves to a new stage, it mutates, and as its skin it molts. A new preborne is like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly at an alarming rate. That happens after feeding enough to trigger the process. Yet, before my eyes, I watch the preborne Anathema evolve into a Prime Adolescent. A new body triple in size rapidly grows into a more formidable killing machine. What once was the beast's appendages look more like blunted knives. At the joints, pure muscle connects the feet, capable of tearing through anything. A pair of long rabbit ears grow from the head.

'That is impossible! No, Anathema came through a breach ready to evolve. Unless... Did they learn from the war? No, that can't be!' I quickly fire two or three more rounds, hitting the new monster. They strike the target center mass, leaving larger holes. I put more mana into every round. The beast zeros again on to me. This time, it charges straight for me. Every round impact causes more damage, but its regenerative ability is too great. I pull against the reins to get Ria to retreat. Its speed is significantly faster in this form. It continues the chase, relentless in pursuit. 'I hope they are ready with this spell.' I spot Sissel near the tree line. She's sprinting faster than I thought possible, guiding me to the trap.

A blur of motion blocks the path before I can react. I never saw it coming. My body hurts all over. Blood sprays from my mouth. I try standing up but can only lean against the trunk of a tree.

"Need to assess the situation," I said, coughing up more blood.

Time is critical, so I try to move, but sharp pain convinces me to lie still. I think the impact may have busted one of two of my ribs, and my right leg may have a fractured bone. Blood drips down my forehead from a deep gash. My condition is severe, and I don't need a medic to tell me that. I'm not running out of here. The pain isn't helping, either. My vision isn't that great, but I notice Ria is gone. I must have gotten knocked off her. The high-pitched neighs of my horse echo from somewhere in the forest, but I can't tell where. What I can hear is the monster. It's close. I hear sluggish and heavy stomps hit the forest ground—it is circling its prey now.

"I was wrong...," I whispered.

We have documented anathema hunting-specific targets. They single out particular objectives or people. Back then, no one thought it was possible. Neither did I, yet I knew why this monster was here. The signs are initially subtle—my fear and hate cloud what is right in front of me. I watch in horror as the creature creeps around the tree I lay at in front of me. My eyes follow its every step until it towers over me, staring down at me with piercing red eyes. 'There is no doubt in my mind that my death is imminent. No one survives an encounter like this and lives to talk about it.' I see the beast's hot breath rolling like smoke from its mouth. The creature slams one of its front appendages into my right leg, dragging me to it. It opens its mouth wide, and its jaws unhinge, allowing it to open its mouth further. Thick slime drips onto my body. Something comes out of its mouth and quickly latches on to me. 'Shit, a parasite?' The organism rips into my left arm, wrapping tentacles around it entirely. The pressure breaks every bone in my arm. More rip into my upper chest. An E.D.I.O.S, Enhanced Destructive Integrated Oblivion System. A parasitic symbiote of organic and robotic design created by the race that opened the breach on Earth. They infect humans or animals captured in combat, turning them against their kind. This monster is trying to turn me into one of them. I can't let that happen.

My head breaks out into intense pain. A blurry of visions rushes through my mind. I see flashes of the Breach return as it overtakes my world and this world. Each image sends electric shocks of pain.