Domirella: The Surreal Succubi

Domirella: The Surreal Succubi - Chapter Thirty-Seven

All of a sudden, what I'm seeing slows. A string of images of the monster populates all around me. I remember that first fight with the templars in Tranquility's Harbor. Somehow. I could calculate the possible movements of this beast. My brain must be processing information through my left eye at an incredible rate, like a supercomputer calculating complex equations. I have to act decisively. A quick assessment of the probable outcomes pointed to jumping back to where we were. With all my strength, I yank the templar back the way we came. She stumbles onto me as we roll out of the way from the momentum. The creature lands with an enormous splash in the water. A wave of displaced water washes us farther up the stream.

"We gotta move!" I yelled.

The water slows the monstrosity just enough for us to return to the bank. Behind us, it burrows across the water. I pull the revolver and turn to shoot, pulling the trigger several times. The Anathema was compressed and decompressed as a barrage of compressed balls hit the target. It takes minor damage to its joint points and a few plate cracks, but nothing significant. 'If I could get off a precision shot between the joints in the legs, I could create a weak point, albeit a temporary one. From there, I can keep hitting it to the point it inside would be destroyed. Then, all I need to do is get a shot deep enough to implode or explode inside the creature.' This could work, but I need to put distance between us.

"We have to stay in the water! The sound is masking our movements!" I yelled.

My eye still shows the projected paths the Anathema would take. This might be the edge I need to set up my plan. Every time the beast jumped, we'd move to the location it just was. Keeping it confused all the while. It's fast, and even with this foresight, I can barely stay ahead of it with Riona. I can't let her die. Not just because she has the information I need but because I won't let another person become a victim of the breach. This is her world, and a handful of people are present to even begin to comprehend the dangers this world is in. Another aggressive jump is incoming. The two of us jump back, but I pull the templar back. To the shock of both of us, the monster changes directions midair, using this white substance that sprays out in a stringy line, causing it to pivot.

"Spider webs?" I yelped.

I correct for the change, but again it fixes and stays airborne before landing right on top of the two of us. We fell just as the creature brought two of its legs down at us. Suddenly, out of nowhere, we were falling. The templar held on tight. All I could see was a swirling vortex of colors. Indistinguishable from the next. 'What was this?' An opening drew farther away, like a train or car entering a tunnel. We were in it now and wherever this was. We are here for the ride. As quickly as it began, we hit something with a thud.

"What just happened?" Riona said.

"I don't know...," I whispered.

The ground was concrete. Familiar klaxons blurred, signaling wherever this was, is in the midst of an emergency. I gather myself and take stock of my bearings. Ignoring the shocking confusion of the prisoner with me. If she can be called that by this point. This place, we can't be here. It's not possible.

"This... this is... Sierra Nova Base. We evacuated it at the end of the war. How are we here?" I asked aloud.

"What are you talking about? We must defend ourselves," Riona said, pointing to the opposite end of the corridor.

Dozens of Anathema poured in from another section. "This is General Fist! All personnel evacuates to the projector within the next two hours. Our defense forces will hold the line until then!" the man said over the speakers.

'General Fist? He was just a colonel when this happened. What the hell is going on? This all happened years ago.' We sprint the opposite way from the incoming monsters. A group of soldiers fires around us as we run. I pull Riona close. The blast doors start to close.