Our Little Pandemic

— Vitrolica…

— Ya know… Ejo says that I’m quick to lose track of things, but I don’t think I’m forgetting anything. I have a dirty, dirty work to do. So, what is it….

The boy’s heart begins to race with hysteria.

— Ejo… You mean your brother?

— One of them.

Imperium takes a step back, stunned by fear.

— We were going to avenge Green, but Kruger went ahead and died… should I wait, wait for Ejo or should I do something too?

— What are you talking about?

— Yeah… I’m here because the Searchers need to die… I guess I can kill some while I wait for him. As long as I don’t act like Krueger… Wait, Atticus, you’re a Searcher too then?

Both of their bodies grow stiffer. Again, Vitrolica turns to him. And frowns.

— Well, well… that’s not fun.

Her left fist exploded on contact, surrounded by a yellow and pink aura that sent Imperium flying to slam his back against the white mounds. But more than being hurt by the impact of her attack, or by the acidic sensation that brushed off on him, it was her expression that pained him the most. It could not even be described as betrayal or treason; it was far simpler.

— If I knew you were a searcher, I would have killed you way sooner!

Vitrolica of Illness was of simple morals. To accomplish Ejo’s goal, the searchers must die. Because they are the only ones capable of intervening. Once they conquered the Wetlands, not even an atomic bomb would wipe them out. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t do whatever she wanted. She was free to make friends and explore the world. But Vitrolica respected Ejo greatly, so everyone else was more of a potential enemy then a probable ally. In other words:

— I should have guessed since you came out of The Lapse… oh well.

She just didn’t care anymore.

— Method Development: Stage Two Endometriosis.

The girl’s cursed womb sigils glow from black to yellow and her entire body begins to shift and transform. While Imperium recovered from her first attack, the woman gained height and seemed to age some. However, her figure was still grey and anorexic. Perhaps even more now that she was taller. She yields the crucified goat demon on her back like a heavy weight staff, letting her now long pink, yellow, black, and white messy hair flow free.

— So, if Kruger jumped on their nest and died… well, I assume he took out a few heads before that. But just one Searcher shouldn’t be a problem. After you die, I’ll wait for Ejo, just like he wanted.

On his knees, Imperium watches the adult Vitrolica approach him casually. The rotting pressure exhaled by her was like that of Green’s. Triggering certain feelings that Imperium wished were gone forever. Distressing, his mind tries to absorb what he could only understand as a betrayal, and rushes for a way to blame himself.

“She’s the third one…” — Imperium thinks. — “She’s Green and Kruger’s sister. Why?! Why did this happen? Why is she one of them?! Why didn’t I notice!? Why am I this…”

— Wait!

Imperium looks up, shocked. The Elder Guug stood between him and Vitrolica, looking up decisively at the terrorizing woman.

— Stop this nonsense! You and he are allies! You mustn’t fight!!

— Elder?! What are you doing? — Imperium asked.

— Returning a favor. It seems like you are the one in need of help now.

The other Guugs watch from a safe distance. Fearing the monstrous woman and worrying for their brave leader. Thick, throbbing veins can be seen spreading over the Anti-Human’s body.

— Huh?! — She yells.

Vitrolica slouches to meet with the Guug face to face.

— What? You’re gonna try and stop me?

— If I must!

She fixes her posture, getting away from the Elder. The degenerate, begins to cackle with slanted eyes and sharp smile. Carrying the Demon Goat Cross-hammer on her right shoulder and with her left arm on her waist. Imperium is reminded once again of the tragedies done by Green and could only imagine how much worse Kruger might have been. Right now, everyone around Vitrolica is as good as dead.

— Sure thing, guy… try and stop this!!!

The boy’s colorful eyes widen in pure, blatant terror.

— Method Development: Chained Infection, Accelerated Necrosis —

— STOP IT!!!

Imperium snapped his fingers. An instant before she could conclude her technique, a strong rotational effect was added to her body. It made her head spin 180 degrees, breaking her neck and killing her instantly. The boy breathes heavily and watches as the body goes limp and collapses on the ground.

That was the type of power Imperium had.

The Elder Guug takes a breather too, certain he was about to lose his life. Some other Guugs approach carefully in order to help their leader.

— Thank you Imperium, my good man. I thought I was going to —

Imperium was holding his head down, crying heavy tears.

— I’m sorry… I’m sorry…

— Imperium, my boy.

The Guugs surround Imperium.

— If I could have done this before… Green wouldn’t…. Liver would be…

— Oh, you’re sorry?

His heart misses a beat. Glancing back up, he witnesses Vitrolica slowly lifting herself up. She had pieced it all together. The Searchers killed Green and Kruger.

— Seems like your good at killing your friends.

Her neck rotates back into place. She frowns at Imperium through her bangs.

— Whether you let them die by my brother’s hand. Or whether you kill them yourself. You don’t even hesitate to be miserable, do you?!

— WAIT VITROLICA I SAID I’M SORRY!!

Vitrolica digs her feet into the ground before launching herself at the young searcher. Panicking, Imperium snaps his fingers again, making her hips twist like a wet rug, breaking her spine, and killing her again. The corpse lands behind him. He tries to calm down and breath but hears the woman’s bones snapping back into place.

— Imperium watch out!!

Looking back, he catches a glimpse of the Anti-Human rushing towards him but instinctively snaps his fingers again. The rotation effect captures her whole body and also a chunk of the ground underneath her, launching her downwards and backwards like a spinning ball. Creating a crater path, she is launched into the forest.

— You have to get out of here! — Imperium turns to the Guugs.

— But —

Hearing a thunderous clap, Imperium sees Vitrolica jump high into the dusk skies.

— Please LEAVE!

Falling towards him, the snotty faced boy has no option but to use his power again. Another violent rotation kills the woman instantly and her body crashes ahead of him. From the dust cloud, Vitrolica rises again, her arm reaching out and her slender fingers almost piercing his eyes. But one instant later —

“I see how it is…” — She thinks.

— Vitrolica is exploded back, by another snap, that ravages her body and kills her once again. Regenerating, having skin, flesh, and bones snap back into place, she understands her enemy.

“It only takes him a snap of his fingers to deliver such a harsh attack. No matter how fast I am, I can’t kill him as he always gets to hit me first. No wonder those idiots died. Even Ejo would perish if he got caught in one of those. Fortunately for me, I can brush it off.”

As the Guugs waddle away from the village into the evening marshes of the Depth One, towards the Lapse, Vitrolica rushes at Imperium again.

— VITROLICA STOP!

He snaps his fingers against her.

— Huh?!

But Vitrolica began to dodge the points of impact where Imperium’s VSS was used. As if she could see a projectile coming from his fingers. However, three snaps later, Vitrolica is caught in a fourth and even stronger rotational effect, that launches her away and kills her once more.