Chapter 123 - Something called Life [19]

"Who the hell had the brilliant idea to pick this building?" Victor grumbled, breathless, as he climbed the emergency stairs: "Seriously, these stairs go on forever! This can't just be exhaustion... Are you sure it's not some kind of anomaly?" His voice was broken by heavy breathing, each step becoming more of an effort as he moved.

"Sorry, it was my fault. I was the one who picked this building... or, to be honest, I didn't really pay much attention to it. I just went into the first one I saw"

"At least the height has its advantages — the higher we go, the less chance we'll be chased. If we make it to the top, we won't have to worry about monsters catching up with us... well, at least the ones that can't fly"

"Besides, from the top of the building, we'll have a better view of what's going on in the city. The monsters just appeared out of nowhere, no warning at all, and we still have no idea how bad the chaos is"

Anyway, we kept climbing without hesitation, hearts pounding in our chests with each step. It felt like our lives depended on it... because, honestly, they did. And honestly, I don't think anyone here wants to end up as a giant worm's dinner.

For a brief moment, that thought crossed my mind, but I quickly turned my attention back to what was below us. Still, I kept climbing, not looking back — not that it made a difference. My vision took in everything around me, letting me see whatever I wanted, even without moving my gaze.

Back to the important stuff, a massive worm made of magma was hot on our heels. Its glowing body twisted, sending sparks flying and leaving a trail of melted rock in its wake. The heat coming off it was suffocating, getting stronger with every foot it closed in on us, making the air thick and almost impossible to breathe.

Honestly, I was still trying to figure out how we got here... Is it just me, or does everything seem to fall apart in the most absurd way whenever I'm around? I always thought Arthur was the real bad luck magnet, but lately, I've started to wonder if, maybe, I'm the unlucky one. Of course, that's something I'd never admit out loud.

I glanced sideways and saw Victor staring at the floor, watching the massive worm slowly crawl toward us. Its presence seemed to weigh on us more with every second.

The next moment, his deep voice broke the silence, thick with tension: "This thing... doesn't look like it's gonna stop chasing us, even if we make it to the top. If we get up there, we'll be cornered!"

Hearing Victor's words, I realized he was right. At first, climbing seemed like the only option; after all, there was no other way out of the building with that monstrous worm blocking the only exit. But, as Victor pointed out, even if we made it to the top, that huge worm would definitely follow us.

Sure, I could try to throw us out of there again, like I did before, but honestly, I don't have much confidence I could open two portals again. Last time was just a stroke of luck, an impulsive act driven by the desperation to save Arthur and Victor. Luck that, frankly, I doubt would strike twice.

Of course, if it was our last and only choice, there wouldn't be any other option but to go that route. But deep down, it would be a cruel game, with the odds perfectly balanced— 50% chance they'd die because of me, and 50% chance they'd survive because of me.

And honestly, I can't stand the thought of playing with their lives like that, like they were pieces on a chessboard. If there's any chance of avoiding that situation, I'd much rather find another way.

Thinking like this, I can't help but wonder how my thoughts have changed lately. Sure, I still feel indifferent to most things— and I think that's something hard to change, especially when it comes to my emotions. But still, I honestly don't plan on ignoring situations where I can help in some way.

As I climbed the stairs, with my usual indifferent expression, my mind was a whirlwind. Thousands of thoughts raced through my head, each one trying to find a solution to help Arthur and Victor. But no matter how hard I tried, nothing came up.

It seemed like the only option left was to fight. Just then, right in front of me, Arthur spoke. His voice was calm, almost like the situation didn't bother him, giving the impression that he wasn't worried at all.

"I've got a plan! Just keep running— we need to reach the top before that thing gets us!"

Neither Victor nor I had any idea what he was planning, but in the end, we just decided to go along with it. With that in mind, we quickened our pace. My legs, though short — almost like a child's — weren't really an issue.

My body is much sturdier than an average human's, and this difference made up for any limitations in the length of my strides. So, I was able to keep up with Victor and Arthur without any trouble.

Finally, we reached the top of the building. Victor, who was leading the group, opened the door without hesitation and stepped aside so Arthur and I could go through first. As soon as we crossed the threshold, we instinctively looked back.

The deafening sound of concrete cracking echoed through the air, making it clear that the worm was still relentlessly climbing to catch us.

Victor and I exchanged a quick glance before turning our attention to Arthur. Unlike us, he seemed strangely calm, his serene gaze contrasting with the tension that surrounded us.

I wondered what he would do next. The next moment, he gently raised his cane and, with a sharp thud, planted the tip on the ground. At that exact moment, the shadows around us began to stir, swirling like they had a life of their own.

They slid toward us, expanding almost consciously, until, in the blink of an eye, they surrounded us completely. Before we could react, a dark dome formed above our heads, enveloping us entirely.

I blinked, surprised, before shifting my gaze to Arthur's cane. It wasn't the first time I'd seen him use it, but to be honest, I had no idea what exactly that cane was.

I mean, it was obvious that it was some kind of anomaly—I'm not naive enough not to notice that. Anyway, I didn't have much time to think about it. In an instant, the entrance at the top of the building was simply devoured, effortlessly swallowed by the giant worm.

Even in that situation, my expression remained unchanged, cold and impassive. I cast a brief glance at Arthur, and he immediately noticed. With a subtle movement, he brought his finger to his lips—a clear signal for me to remain silent. Not that it was a problem for me... After all, technically, speaking was never an option for me, to be honest.

I shifted my attention from Arthur to the giant worm, watching it in silence. For me, it was impossible to determine where its head was, as this creature didn't even seem to have one. However, it was clear that it was surveying its surroundings, as if searching for something.

Its mouth, wide open, revealed a dizzying abyss—a never-ending spiral, where countless spikes lined up in threatening rows, sharp as blades, ready to tear apart anything that would be swallowed.

I remained completely silent, just like Victor and Arthur. None of us dared to make a sound. Fortunately, after a few seconds of absolute tension, the worm began to retreat, probably convinced that we had fled elsewhere. We watched intently as its monstrous presence moved away.

Only then did Arthur finally lift the veil that had been surrounding us. In the same instant, the shadows that concealed us vanished, dissipating as if they had never existed, leaving the feeling that it could've all been just a mirage.

"Haaa..." Victor let out a long sigh, the tension finally leaving his body. His gaze was still fixed on the horizon, as if trying to process what had just happened: "For a moment, I thought my end would be getting swallowed by a giant worm made of volcanic rocks"

Arthur remained still, staring at the point where the worm had disappeared. I, on the other hand, blinked slowly before turning and walking toward the edge of the building. I wanted a clearer view of what was happening down below. As I reached the edge, the first impulse was to look at the city.

The scene was devastating: buildings in ruins, empty streets, and a sky of dark tones, heavy with thick clouds, as if rain could fall at any moment. No matter the angle, it was impossible to deny it: it seemed the apocalypse had finally arrived.

Despite all my strength, there was one point in the city that caught my attention: a faint line of light, soft and almost ethereal, stretching toward the building where I had first encountered the flower.

Even though the building was partially destroyed, something inside me—perhaps a premonition—told me the flower was still there, untouched, resisting time and the devastation around it.

The next moment, my eyes turned to the streets below. The scene was one of chaos and abandonment: cars scattered everywhere, some still in good condition, others flipped over and crushed, many completely destroyed.

But beyond the vehicles, monstrous creatures were also wandering through the streets. There were giant worms, terrifyingly large lizards, wild-looking wolves, and even monstrous insects—all aimlessly wandering.

However, the strangest thing was that, as always, none of these beings seemed interested in the humans around. It was as if the monsters completely ignored them, or perhaps didn't even see them.

"This... looks like a direct view of hell" Victor commented, his voice low and tense, as he approached me and stopped by my side. He was observing the scene with a serious expression.

When I looked at him, I blinked slowly and tilted my head slightly. His expression was hard to decipher. At first glance, he didn't seem scared, but at the same time, he didn't look as surprised as I thought he would.

I mean, I, personally, am incredibly surprised, even though my expression doesn't show it—actually, it rarely reveals anything, since I'm so used to keeping it impassive. Deep down, though, I'm truly shocked, more than anything else.

The more I looked around, the more evident it became that the city was on the brink of collapse. Buildings were cracking, streets were becoming unrecognizable, and chaos was spreading uncontrollably. Additionally, my Alter Ego was out of my line of sight.

I could still feel it, sense its presence, and even get a rough idea of its location, but I couldn't see it directly. However, one thing was certain: it was pushing the monsters away from our position, keeping them far enough for me to catch my breath for a moment.

"This is going to be a memory hard to forget... I've never seen the city like this before" Arthur commented, approaching Victor with a concerned look. He paused briefly, observing the surrounding scene before continuing: "I think we better hurry. I have a feeling that, in a few hours, there won't be anything left we can call a city. My intuition tells me that giant flower is directly linked to all this"

"Intuition? What, are you some kind of Esper or something?" Victor asked, casting a curious glance at Arthur while raising an eyebrow slightly.

Upon hearing Victor's words, Arthur flashed a corner-of-the-mouth smile, his eyes carrying a confident gleam. Then, with the same calmness as always, he finally replied, his voice full of unwavering certainty: "Well... I don't know if I'm an Esper or not, but my intuition has never failed me so far"

Victor let out a deep sigh upon hearing Arthur's words, revealing a weariness that seemed to come from deep within. I, on the other hand, remained silent, blinking slowly as I absorbed the moment.

My gaze then turned to the sky, where a beam of light pierced through the clouds with surgical precision, like a needle puncturing a fabric. Its intense glow stood out against the vast grey, pointing directly at a specific point in the city.