The Abstract Annihilation

III: The Return

  "Oh my goodness!! How can this be? Why is this happening?" Lauryn was acting a bit hysterical. Kim went to comfort her.

"What's happening?"

"That thing... that's the core. It's still around. I thought it was vanquished."

"So that thing you fought all those years ago, is here!!?"

"Apparently. There has to be a logical explanation for this."

"Until we figure out what exactly that was, let's not jump to any conclusions. The campground is not far from here."

  The vegetation had cleared, revealing several log cabins with tents nearby. A man walked to them.

"Welcome to the campgrounds. You must be Ms. Kimberly Uribe."

Kim replied, "Yes... how do know my name?"

"An agent of Research Inc. told us that you were coming."

"Who told you that we were coming?"

A voice sounded. "I did." Behind the first man, another man, thin and well dressed, walked up. "The name's Aaron Sanchez. I'm an old friend of Morales. I was assigned the task of documenting the marvelous anteaters the corporation left all those many years ago. I believe you are my escort in a sense, I presume?"

"Yes. I need to make sure the information is valid and up-to-date. Do you know where they are now?"

"Sure. This time of year, they tend to be around the eastern side on the campgrounds. I can bring you, but I must warn you. That area is blocked off from public access due to a legend the popped six years ago. It is said that a mysterious creature known as "El Asesino Juvenil" or "The Juvenile Killer" lurks in that section of the area. Witness accounts say it looks relatively like a wolf and is incomprehensibly savage, as if full of rage." Aaron's story was stopped when a loud noise  rung through the forest.

"That's sounds like it came from the direction of the helicopter. If anything happens to it, we have no other way of returning back home."

With no further delay, all four ran towards the helicopter. When the got there, everything seemed normal. Brandon looked at the tail propellers. Two of the blades were damaged.

"Great" he said. "We have to fix these before we think of leaving. But who or what could have broken them?"

Lauryn stared at a piece of the propeller on the ground. She looked at the jagged edge and noticed a purple color to it. She walked to the rotor and observed the same purple as on the separated piece.

"Don't you think it's odd that both sections have the same color along the fracture line?" She said. "Not just any shade. I remember that color. This is no doubt. Our culprit is that thing we saw when we arrived."

"Wait... Someone tell what happened." Aaron shook his head.
"When we arrived, I discovered a subterranean  chamber we think is related to the mythical Master Core. Upon being exposed, a mysterious figure manifested and attacked us. It was in that direction. You can see the chamber for yourself."

"You go and check it out." Brandon said. "I'll stay and repair the propellers so we can leave whenever."

"Alright. Let's go." Three of them went off to investigate the site of their encounter.

Standing near the pit, Aaron looked into the open area.

"This did not exist for the entirety of my stay. This I can confirm is surreal." He stepped down into the cave. He stood still for a moment. "Definitely a supernatural presence of some sort." He moved and stopped again, this time to a sinister voice.

You were foolish to come here. You are invading my only remaining sanctuary in you pitiful existence.

Aaron ran back up top. "Did you hear that, too?!!"

"Yeah" Lauryn and Kim said. "It must be the Core."

I prefer to be called... the Annihilator!

From behind the two girls, another woman figure stood, looking just like Lauryn.

Or just say Anne if it hurts you to say the full name.

"What are you thinking of accomplishing with a form like that!?"

Because of the Helian's endeavors, I was left with incomprehensibly minute amounts of power. Over the passed time, I was finally able to construct a stable form. Along with this current form, some of the energy leeched out to become a separate entity of myself. It served as a protector for this sanctum. Besides, with this form, your traumatization will grow, seeing a doppelgänger and having to fight yourself; why, you, my second greatest threat, could not do anything.

"What do you mean by I'm a threat?"

You have traces of the power that defeat within you. Enough of this, why should I tell you. This world is coming to an end. But you feel you have enough willpower to face me, I will be waiting at the southernmost point of this forest. Until then, you are only delaying, not stopping me. Anne walked behind a tree and vanished as fast as she appeared.

"Lauryn, was that the cause of your condition?"

Before she answered, she let out a sigh. "Yes. Whenever I fought it those many years ago, I was once indoctrinated and controlled by it. It turned me against Jes. While possessed, I had visions of awful things that would continue to haunt me until this day." She stood up tall and face Kim and Aaron. " We'll accept the Annihilator's request. Maybe if I defeat her, these nightmares can finally go away."

"But how in the world are we going to fight against something like that?" Aaron asked.

"I know." Kim answered. "Brandon had brought some weapons in the chopper. I have been certified to bring them. That paranoid man finally did something useful with his precautions. So let's gear up and prepare for a fight unlike anything else imaginable." They ran into the trees and disappeared. From the bushes nearby, Anne stepped out and looked in the direction in which they had left. She muttered,
It must be hard to not understand what you are up against. Yet again, what do you understand? The only thing you need to know is that there is no protecting your existence. Afterward, she turned and walked in the opposite direction, saying
I am here to stop the resistance. Once you are gone, your existence will fall apart from the corrupting presence of Telikos. A mist came in, shrouding the area as it finally got quiet. Anne faded into the haze with a ominous laugh. Nearly as fast as it came, it dispersed. In the clearing, there was almost no movement from anything except from the tree branches rustling in the wind.