Back to what's happening, flashback is over.
Hannah:
Uhm? Is something wrong?
She asked, unsure.
(Authors Note: Basically since the entire flashback took place in Alvarez's mind. To the "real world", he was just standing there for 2.6 seconds, staring at her, as If caught mid thought.)
Alvarez:
Nope, it's all good.
He casually said as he nonchalantly takes the other vinegar and walked away without another word.
Alvarez:
Now I've gotta get some drinks..
Hannah stood there, frozen, staring at him from behind as he walked away.
Hannah:
What was that strange feeling just now?..
Do I know him–
A sudden voice snapped her from her thoughts.
???:
Hey, wasn't that...
Hannah turned.
It was ???.
??? stood there with a mild squint and a casual pose, holding a shopping basket filled with a pack of spaghetti and other stuff... Is that a fucking katana?!
That doesn't even make any sens–
She's slightly shorter than Hannah, likely between 5'3 and 5'5, with a shoulder length black hair and an unreadable expression.
Hannah:
Wow! You're back already?
That was fast.
???:
No, i just got lost and somehow wondered into the treacherous lands of vinegar.
Hannah:
...
I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.
???:
Why were you getting vinegar anyway?
Hannah:
...Uhm well..
Now that I think about it, I also don't know why..
???:
You know, you should be more responsible instead of buying things just because you can.
Hannah:
Says you.
???:
You..
??? jokingly acted like she was offended.
Hannah:
Anyways, what did you say earlier again?
???:
..Forget it, it's probably just nothing.
Maybe it'll be better this way.
_____________________________________
Later that day, Alvarez laid on his couch scrolling through social media while the TV plays in the background.
As he scrolled past dance trends and some ads, a post from an official verified news account called "Balitanews", caught his eye.
" BREAKING NEWS!!!
Hundreds dead as Ominowa Station collapses in Nagoya, Japan.
Witnesses claim monstrous creatures emerging from glowing portals inside the terminal moments before the structure burned and crumbled. Official sources is yet to confirm the validity of these claims.
A previously posted police report was deleted shortly after stating that "destruction does not appear man-made." Nagoya city urges it's people to remain calm, saying: "everything is under control. "
and that there are "ongoing investigations."
Alvarez sat up.
His eyes widened
Alvarez:
No way...
Is this for real?!
He quickly began looking at other similar posts. Same headlines. Cellphone videos of the unusual destruction of the station. People running in fear. Blood spattered across the floor and walls.
Some called it a hoax, some said that it was another Internet conspiracy. While others are genuinely terrified.
Alvarez's heart, raised.
Alvarez:
So it hasn't change?!
It's starting again!
Then—
*BOOM*
A deafening explosion occurs nearby, the kind that makes ears, ring.
*TSEEEEE*
The shockwave rattled anything in it's path.
Shattering his windows inward in a hail of glass.
The ground violently shook as everything around began to tremble.
Alvarez, shocked, looked outside, it was chaos, and there the same monsters from 'that day' were wreaking havoc. Tearing through the streets.
The fire alarm in his apartment building started blaring just seconds before the emergency siren system hailed throughout the city.
*WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*
Alvarez:
Shit shit shit!
Alvarez, took his phone, shoved it in his pocket and ran out the burning building without hesitation.
His feet pounded against the pavement.
As he ran, he suddenly remembers
something from 'that day'.
Alvarez:
What was that thing again?
Come on think think think...
Then it clicked.
Alvarez:
Oh right!
SYSTEM!
Nothing happened.
Alvarez:
Then how!
SYSTEM, ACTIVATE!
Silence.
For a span of a few minutes, Alvarez tries his best to activate the System while running.
Alvarez:
ACTIVATE SYSTEM!
SYSTEM WAKE UP!
SYSTEM ACTIVATED!
SYSTEM PLEASE ACTIVATE!
Yet still, nothing happened.
Then as he ran.
He froze.
In the distance was a family.
A mother, father, daughter, son, and an elderly woman that seemed to be the grandmother.
Behind them, a massive, ant-like creature lumbered. Its legs thundering against the concrete in such a way that it sounds scratchy.
The monster was the size of three buses stacked together.
The grandmother tripped.
The others turned to help carry her, slowing themselves in the process.
The monster was getting closer.
Alvarez:
SYSTEM! DO SOMETHING, GODDAMMIT!!!
He shouted at the top of his voice.
And there, it appeared.
Roll and gain a random ability |
{Roll (Free¹)} {Cancel}
Alvarez was desperate.
He felt responsibility over the faith of this random family that he doesn't even know.
Alvarez:
Roll!
Are you sure?
Disclaimer: Such use could lead to side effects that include, but are not limited to; nausea, headache, internal bleeding, constipation and even death.
{Yes} {No}
Alvarez, in this moment of desperation, doesn't care about himself at the moment.
Not when people are about to die right in front of him again.
Not when he can do something.
Alvarez:
I SAID ROLL!!
The family was about to meet their demise as the monster closes distance. Then—
*SLASH*
Like thunder cracking through the air.
Alvarez reappeared out of nowhere in a blur of motion, cleaving through one of the monster's legs, holding a blade made up entirely of a blueish energy.
Ant-Like Monster:
KREKKKKK!
The monster roared in agony.
Its green colored blood spraying across the pavement.
Its leg, severed, toppled beside it.
The family ran away.
The monster, Immediately retaliating, realeses a wave of energy against Alvarez, from it's maw.
*OAAAAAA....VROOOOMMMMMMM!*
The impact burned through the ground beneath.
But he managed to dodge, then countered leaping towards its head.
*SWOOSH*
Alvarez:
DIE!
*CLANG*
The monster blocked his attack using what appears to be its antennae.
Alvarez:
Tough son of a bitch..
He flipped back.
Alvarez:
Right, the legs..
You just got lucky!
This time, I'll kill you!
*SWOOOSSHHH*
He surged forward in blurring speed.
Alvarez:
TAKE. THIS!
The monster, alarmed, strengthened the durability of its legs.
Yet, Alvarez blitzed through the legs with ease.
*SLICE SWING SLASH*
Ant-Like Monster:
SHHHHHRACCCKKKK!
The monster screamed in despair as Alvarez goes to finish it off.
Alvarez:
Die.
He swung his blade, cutting the monster's head in half.
Alvarez stared at the defeated monster to catch his breath, before hearing screams of people running from other monsters.
Dead bodies filled the street.
He was too caught up on the fight that he forgot there were other monsters apart from the one he defeated.
He might've saved a family, but he can't save everyone.
Alvarez:
Shit I've got to—
He collapsed to the ground in pain, coughing off blood.
The System reappeared.
You have exceeded the safe usage of [Silver Cut] . The following side effects has been applied: nausea, internal bleeding, pneumonia, chronic pain and severe migraine. |
Alvarez screamed in torment, vomiting blood. Experiencing all of this at once.
Alvarez:
AAGHHHHH!!
It hurts! It hurts!
Help me..
Please..
Someone..
Life starts to fade.
His vision began to dim.
Then, darkness.
_____________________________________
*BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ!*
Alvarez jolted upright, drenched in sweat, his phone buzzing violently beside him.
̶A̶l̶v̶a̶r̶e̶z̶ ̶j̶o̶l̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶u̶p̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶,̶ ̶d̶r̶e̶n̶c̶h̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶s̶w̶e̶a̶t̶,̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶p̶h̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶b̶u̶z̶z̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶v̶i̶o̶l̶e̶n̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶e̶s̶i̶d̶e̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶.̶
̶ ̶̶̶H̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶h̶̶̶a̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶j̶̶̶u̶̶̶s̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶w̶̶̶o̶̶̶k̶̶̶e̶̶̶n̶̶̶ ̶̶̶u̶̶̶p̶̶̶ ̶̶̶f̶̶̶r̶̶̶o̶̶̶m̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶ ̶̶̶d̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶a̶̶̶m̶̶̶ ̶̶̶o̶̶̶f̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶o̶̶̶m̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶o̶̶̶r̶̶̶t̶̶̶.̶̶̶ ̶̶̶A̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶l̶̶̶e̶̶̶a̶̶̶s̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶a̶̶̶t̶̶̶'̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶w̶̶̶h̶̶̶a̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶o̶̶̶u̶̶̶g̶̶̶h̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶i̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶w̶̶̶a̶̶̶s̶̶̶.̶̶̶ ̶̶̶H̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶c̶̶̶o̶̶̶u̶̶̶l̶̶̶d̶̶̶n̶̶̶'̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶m̶̶̶e̶̶̶m̶̶̶b̶̶̶e̶̶̶r̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶d̶̶̶e̶̶̶t̶̶̶a̶̶̶i̶̶̶l̶̶̶s̶̶̶.̶̶̶ ̶̶̶J̶̶̶u̶̶̶s̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶ ̶̶̶b̶̶̶l̶̶̶u̶̶̶r̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶n̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶ ̶̶̶h̶̶̶o̶̶̶l̶̶̶l̶̶̶o̶̶̶w̶̶̶ ̶̶̶v̶̶̶o̶̶̶i̶̶̶c̶̶̶e̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶n̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶y̶̶̶e̶̶̶t̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶h̶̶̶i̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶a̶̶̶r̶̶̶t̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶c̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶.̶̶̶
̶
̶H̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶d̶ ̶w̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶u̶p̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶,̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶e̶m̶b̶e̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶"̶d̶r̶e̶a̶m̶"̶.̶
His breathing was heavy.
Alvarez:
No way..
What the fuck..is happening?
----TO BE CONTINUED----