Amongst Fear

"O Death, would you spare me over me till another year?"

******

The aliens came to this world through a cone of meteorite rock that pummeled this world. A nine-hundred-meter rock formation that devastated half of the continent. The cataclysmic event caused the strongest nation to exist that said continent to cease existing. Those who survived were welcomed as refugees and offered their services to the cities. However, that all change the moment strange alien creatures that survived the entry to the world and then they appeared. Humanoid insectoids that tower even the tallest man. On their buttocks were larvae-like tails that produce spawns that could vary from a spotter, a leaper, and a crawler.

My observation was that I was dealing with crawlers. To deal with crawlers was easy if they were alone. But a horde that sits on Val Mali was dangerous. That curtain of electricity that was created by mother nature wasn't going to stop the bugs from circumventing the planet to reach it. Let's just say that we aren't alone and the bugs aren't that stupid like most of the citizens believe.

Back to the bugs that were chasing me. These crawlers were weak to static electricity and gasses that affects its autonomous movements. Pesticides temporarily stunned them but only for a brief fifteen seconds. Some have resistance while there are spawns that are immune to the effect. I had sprinted for two minutes since the release of that horde. Two minutes and the horde had continued pursuing me to this narrow passage. It was the same image of a hundred rabbit-size cockroaches creeping towards you.

The rifle in my hand proved to be the darling of mine. A false sense of safety and that it was a way out of hell as well. You don't want to be caught by these bugs. They are omnivores that eat both flesh and vegetation. They are like locus that devour everything in their path. One mistake and you'd wish that you had put a bullet inside your head.

Anyway, to avoid the creatures I had to run through walls. And had to dive once in a while to make sure that these creatures won't catch up to me. I had fought these creatures so there were times that I had been cornered like this. It wasn't luck or something special at all. I was trained by those hardships and survived them. No special power or knowledge from an unknown enigma. If you want miracles then go to the trio who'd be the saviors of this world.

I abandoned most of my magazines and carried only five of them. I emptied the five on the horde to lessen murder. The dark corridors didn't help me, and I had lashes on my chest. My forearm was skinned and my left side was aching. That catch on the chamber that weighted more than I could handle had probably caused this. I wasn't breathing properly and the sprinting had made me tremble. I had done first-aid but the constant stress on my body despite the frame supporting my body wasn't enough to curve it. Not to mention that I had to keep evading the monsters in this tunnel. The tunnels were the home of these monsters and I was their prey.

I had no qualms about this. Not all. No, I am lying to myself. I admit that I had my desires. I had thoughts that are selfish and unreasonable. Yet these thoughts weren't so special. Ah, I did spend most of my life protecting two fools. Not Mia or Viktor, they are special in a way that they don't need some idiot's help to live.

One was a kid who had unrequited love with a girl who did all she could for her mother. A kid who had done his best to protect those he wanted in the name of his darn love. He was a cheesy kid who had set eyes on a girl who was fine with what she had as long as her mother was safe.

When I met the two I thought that it was strange for something so happy in this world. I wanted to protect them even though they didn't ask for it. I wanted to be with those two simply because they were family to me. Ah, when did I realize this?

Those idiots made me going. I kept on moving forward because they were under me. That they were relying on an idiot like me despite all my flaws. I wanted to give them a happy ending. I worked so hard to give them a happy ending yet they did not see that piercing light. I want them to see it. I want to show them that hope. I want those two idiots to experience a happy ending to this horror story.

I guess my heart went blank because of that. Really, how many days has it been since I've been back to this place? I thought that maybe I could let go of selfish beliefs. That I should cater to humanity more than my desires. Really, why do I have to think of these thoughts when I'm hurting like this? Or was it hatred against the aliens that took them from me that made me like this?

Those filthy fucking monsters. How could they do this shit? I know what they are. But it doesn't mean that I am not human. I am just someone who was angry and I own that. I know what I am. I've been through this yet my heart's aching so badly at thought of all of this.

I have to repeat my actions. But this world seems like it was different. Or was there some hidden variable that I didn't know? Val Sol wasn't supposed to have a tunnel leading to Val Mali. No, the city itself fell because of an unknown threat. We didn't know why the sister-cities fell in the first place. Then does it mean that it was this place that led to the downfall? That's impossible, how could the Rangers not discover this place?

Ah, it doesn't make sense at all. I'm tired. My head was aching and all I could feel was the pain in my rib. I was walking inside this labyrinth of darkness without a single sound other than my labored breath and the critter sounds of the crawling aliens. My pack was dead and the light had left me. I had been walking on this narrow path until I couldn't do it any longer.

My back was screaming. My ribcage was tearing and I can feel something poking inside my skin. The frame of the exoskeleton prevents the user from procuring damage when using the exoskeleton. I ejected with the frame wrapped around me so I had been able to stay awake. At best I'd have time to pull the trigger when things go bad. I turned my attention to the path where the sounds were coming from.

I noted it in my head that there were no sounds other than my breathing and the critter sounds of these bugs. My eyesight had adjusted to the dark. The interior of the walls was rough. I could feel a cold liquid drop from the ceiling. There was gelatinous substance past my Achilles heel. There was a cold wind coming from the front and this wind was the only thing I followed. Upon following this wind I entered a huge area with stalagmites. I smelled droppings that belong to the creatures. Below were rows of larvae eggs that contain embryos of spawns. The area was guarded by spotters. I hid behind a rock and scanned the area for possible exit points. No exit points in all corners.

The area was a threat itself. I had turned my mind into steel at the sight of this larvae room. These larvae embryos had the same black spots back then in the past. This room was a threat and in a few years, this place would become an entire army.

I needed to destroy this room. If I follow what happens then the three-cities would suffer at the hands of these creatures. Not to mention that losing the canyon-cities resulted in more casualties. We had to move to the underground tunnels and lived a life of misery until we found A44.

Not even finding A44 made our life that better. Without the capabilities of the canyon-cities then the Rangers were almost wiped out as a regiment. The Interior Rangers were joined with the Exterior and we had lost too much. I had a choice here and that was to find a way to collapse this area and delay the destruction of the lost cities.

Destroying this hive would mean changes. I had altered the sequence of events or somehow influenced them. Though in my head I might be a delusional fool who thinks that he's important enough warrant such change. That's why my thoughts went into the conclusion that this was a different world with a different timeline of events.

The destruction of the sister-cities means that the Volatile Rangers would be initiated. That was the reason why the trio found that off-site leading to the salvation of this world.

To destroy this site means that the sister-cities might be saved. But that might delay the initiation of the Volatile Project where the Rangers are forced to venture the land and contact Rogue Errant Rangers who knows the lay of the land.

I closed my eyes. I pushed on my forehead. I regulated my breathing. I turned my attention to the larvae that surround the alien nest. My heart palpitated and I turned my eyes to the nest. No, I should destroy the alien nest if I can. That might lessen the casualties. To do that I need to find the packs. No Ranger works alone and judging by the Striker that was left on the opening chamber. I realized that the weight-bearer should be somewhere around here. The team had probably discovered the chamber and choose to scout the location. Upon discovering the location, the Team they had probably concluded to escape only to be ambushed by the crawlers. The Shielder probably escaped and the rest of the team killed by the horrors.

I thought about the incoming horrors. The halls that I crossed to reach this place. I had to go back to where I escape and that hall was probably filled with alien life. I could take a turn around here and then find a way divots and crevices and crawl through these narrow alien-made passages. I still had my metal frame and my oxygen mask along with the filter so I should be fine until then. However, I could imagine the horror of walking back to that alien filled corridor. I had seen many Rangers fall into pits of larvae and become living human embryos infested with eggs.

The black-spotted larvae eggs glowed green. The slime from the stalagmites acted like nurturing water. There was a hole on the left side of the passage. I sneaked through the larvae, waited for aliens to pass, and skulked down this passage.

I pointed my rifle in the front. I aimed my sights on every small creature that comes out of the circles on the walls. The fist-sized bugs were easy to kill when I hit them with the butt of my rifle. I had to navigate this gelatins tunnel and crawl until I reach back to the passage where I was running. The maddening sound of multiple bug legs crawling on the soil. Their red eyes glowing in the dark. Their black-spotted buttocks were a sight of horror for me. I had to wait for about four hours before I could continue down the passage. The whole nest was on alert and any tracks concerning the Ranger with the pack were gone.

Somehow I was not as afraid when I faced them earlier. Whether it was the deafening silence produced by the narrow passages. Or the thousands of marches of little tiny critter legs. I had no care about them other than these creatures will tear me apart. I did not need anything like mercy. I was willing to die before long and that won't change. I'd accepted my death. That I won't let go. But the thought of those two idiots who can't stop arguing despite the chaos before them.

They were beautiful. They say that you don't know what you wanted until death's end. I wanted to protect Nagi and Miko. They were my everything when I thought I was empty. They were my shining light even before the trio of heroes released that piercing light. They were my guiding light, the lantern in the darkness that kept me going until it goes out.

Even if my body was beaten I was fine as long as they were with. Those stupid kids who I adored. I promised them and yet here I am standing alive and reborn back in time.

I stood in front of the nest. I got the pack after searching for so long. I let go of the thought of the beasts finding me. I let go of it all and thought of what was in front of me. I stand in front of the larvae nest and the pillars that keep the ceiling from falling.

I was outnumbered. My ribs were aching and my chances were so low. I took the pack and attached the explosives to the pillar. I set the explosives using a mechanical timer and turned my attention to the pathway leading deeper inside the caves. The way out of the fortress was blocked. There was no way out other than deeper inside the caves. I continued running despite the aching rib. I heard the deafening noise of the thousand crawlers. I heard among these crawling menaces the ticking of the mechanical bomb. The bomb ticked and then there was a sudden blast that shook the earth. The ceiling cracked and crumbled. The earth beneath me formed large cracks and I found myself running and vaulting.

The Crawlers identified my location and went towards me. Their instincts showed how much they want to rid of me and at the same escape the rain of debris. As I navigate and weave my way through this cave. A passing rock flew and hit the spine of my frame. I got ejected and I was slammed forehead-first. I rolled to have a bit of momentum and sprinted despite the wetting on my shirt.

As I took a risky leap on the edge I held to a rock for dear life. However, the debris rolled, and the rock slammed on my forehead, and I let go. I saw how every part of this alien-made cave started to crumble. I closed my eyes and thought of those two.

I don't want to die.