Mason grunted as he pushed him self off the ground. He scanned his body, all the burns, bruises and wounds had disappeared. There was no blood on any part of his body, they had all vanished; even his torn uniform looked like it had just been sewn and ironed. His mouth hung open in shock.
He glanced around the area to see who must've done such good deed, but he couldn't spot out anyone, neither could he decipher where the voice must've originated from. He raised his brows in disbelief when he caught a view of the sky. Everywhere was covered in total darkness, except glows from lights in shops and houses. Murmurs filled the air as people emerged from their shops, offices and houses to watch the eclipse that had befallen the city. The day had turned into night, the sun was no longer visible. Thunder rumbled every minute and streaks of lightning decorated the dark background. “Simon,” Mason gasped as he spotted Simon laying on his back. He rushed to him, “Simon! Get up, we have to go now,” he said shaking his arm. There was no response. His eyes were shut tight. “Simon, wake up,” Mason said with tears clouding his eyes. He shook Simon's head and he coughed. He held Mason's hand and slowly opened his eyes. “Oh, you're alive. You scared me,” Mason said as he wiped off sand from his face. Simon made an attempt to smile, but a wince escaped from his mouth. Mason's eyes scanned his body with concern. He spotted no severe injury, except the burn on his neck and some bruises. “Let’s rush home now before this storm descends on us.” Mason lifted him up to sit. Hanging his arm around his neck, Mason tried to get him to his feet. “Mason… I can barely move my legs,” Simon cried and winced again. “My back hurts badly too.” Mason glanced at his back, a huge wound was on the spot the rock had struck. “I have to get you out of here.” Mason shoved his arm under his leg and his left arm under his upper back and attempted to lift him. The skies erupted with a blinding beam of green and purple light. The beam struck the earth far away from them, yet the impact sent a shockwave that shook the whole city. Mason fell over Simon as the ground beneath them quaked. He looked up, skyscrapers and some tall buildings collapsed in the distance. The shockwave came with a rush of wind that blew up dust, debris and everything that lay free in its path. He lifted Simon up again and began marching down the street. People retreated back into their houses, shops or offices, while others zoomed through streets on foot and with their vehicles. The wind howled as it blew harder, toppling the roofs of some houses. Heavy drops of rain descended from the clouds and the rumblings increased. Several twirling purplish circles appeared in thin air. These circles were portals which spewed nightmares that made people scream their lungs out. Monsters about seven to ten feet tall, each with different physical features, emerged from the portals. Mason's heartbeats became rapid and loud, as he saw some people being ripped apart by these monsters. He quickly made a turn into an alley. As he brisked past a building down the alley, the walls of the building melted like wax and a purple ring materialized. A monster lurched out, its fangs stuck out like a hungry viper. It stood about six feet tall with reptilian features. Its skin was spotted like that of a salamander and its claws were like curved blades. It roared as its vicious eyes focused on Mason and his brother in his arms. Mason tried to run, but at that instant, the monster bolted at him. The monster covered the distance between them in seconds, and swung its claws at Mason. Mason groaned as the claw slashed his flanks. Irritability took over and he jerked, kicking over his own feet and collapsing to the ground with Simon. He looked up, the monster's fangs danced greedily close to Simon's face with raindrops and saliva dripping off it. “Ah! Help me,” Simon yelled as the monster sized him up with its slit eyes. It sank its teeth into his knee, and tore it away. He screamed even more, and Mason breathed hard as he watched the scene. He couldn't do anything, he couldn't even lift a finger at the monster, all he could do was sit there, fear-struck, and watch. Clank! A trash can landed on the monster's head. It turned in the direction the can came from and growled. “Run, kid. Get out of here now,” a man said to Mason. He held a sword in his hand and took a fighting stance as the monster approached him. Mason scrambled to his feet and gently took up Simon in his arms. Simon whimpered as he lifted him. He bled from his knees and the lower part of his legs drooped with a large wound separating them from the knees. The thought of the monster chasing after them instead of the man struck him. He tilted his head, he saw the man slashing at the monster with so much valour. He carried Simon all the way through the alley to the next street. He ran past two buildings and came to a halt in front of a small cottage. “Mom! Dad!” He yelled as he got close enough to the door. The door flung open to reveal a man with beards and low cut. His eyes widened as he spotted the boys. “Simon,” he said as he took the unconscious Simon from Mason's arms and laid him on the carpeted floor. “Oh my God! Simon,” a woman shrieked as she popped out of a small room. She quickly wiped her hands with a towel and rushed to Simon's side. “I'm sorry, Mrs Lucia,” Mason apologized to the woman. “What happened to him?” The man asked Mason. “We were attacked by some bullies on our way home and after that, there was a storm. It shook the whole place. Monsters began to emerge from nowhere. They were everywhere and one attacked us as we tried to escape.” “What?” “I'm sorry, Mr Allen. I tried to help but…” Mason broke into tears. “The same bullies that Simon said always attack you in school?” “Yes, I got expelled because of them.” “Then you are the cause of this! You are the reason he got attacked too,” Mr Allen yelled at him. “Ray…” Mrs Lucia placed a hand on his shoulder. “No, leave me. This boy is cursed. Remember the last storm like this? His parents died. Now this one happens, we almost lost Simon too. He is a curse.”The memory struck a sad chord in Mason's heart. He remembered that day, ten years ago, when the first Anomaly Storm struck. He was only eight years old. The evening had suddenly turned dark. He heard screams outside, but his mother held him back from going to the window. She and his father rushed him to his room. His father handed over his silver necklace to him and hugged him. “Stay here and don't make any noise, Mason. Do you hear me?” his mother said before she rushed out again and locked the door. The next thing he heard was the wall of their house crashing, followed by his mother's scream, and then a loud roar. He peeped through a slit by the door frame. He gasped as he watched his father trying to defend his mother from three vicious human-like creatures, while a shadowed manly figure with a hood stood around the corner watching. His father fought strong, but couldn't protect his mother from an attack from the man in hood. He strained to see who it must've been, but a devi
“The nearest portal is in Whitehall Street. Portals can only be penetrated a minute after they open.” Mason shoved a whole slice of bread into his mouth and munched as he walked on. He walked out the alley while drinking water from the bottle, he had gobbled down all the five slices of bread. He secured the half-filled bottle in his bag and darted down the road. Whitehall Street was a thirty minutes walk. It laid bare with destroyed houses. It was the administrative area of Griffin City and was home to the city hall that now laid in ruins right in front of Mason. A faint glow of purple shimmered behind a slanted pillar amongst the ruins. Mason gasped as he recognized what it was, it was his only chance to complete his mission. He charged at the pillar. It could've been mere luck or he had a good timing, there was no monster around. He took sharp breaths, “Here goes nothing,” he said before leaping through the portal. The travel was too quick, he landed face first on soft soil. I
“System, what's a portal pass?” Mason asked as he cornered into a bustling street. It looked like the catastrophe that struck the city had subsided or like monsters were not on the run — businesses were open, stores and malls were stocked with customers and cars zoomed on both lanes of most of the streets of Griffin City. “A special card that grants free passage to any person going through the portals without restrictions or consequences. Every portal traveller must have a copy of the pass, either virtual or a hard copy, when they intend to officially go through a portal,” the system replied with its automated voice which he was getting accustomed to. “You never said anything about this.” “You never asked,” the system's reply came in a neutral tone. “How do I get one?” “Portal passes are gotten from the Protectors' Guild, an authorized association that was established to protect the city from the effect of the Anomaly Storm since its first occurrence a decade ago. They onl
Mason strolled through a doorway with the word “Café” inscribed with bold ink above the entrance. The place was filled with protectors and adventurers seated at tables eating or having discussions. His stomach rumbled as he caught a whiff of the aroma of foods. “I forgot to swap this eye thing for money at the counter,” he threw his head back and sighed. He was on his way out when he heard a familiar tune — it was the sound that announced the Griffin City Daily News. “It’s quite another stormy evening here in Griffin City. Rumours have been flying up and down and through the internet claiming that the appearance of these portals and these monsters might worsen in a matter of days. And this is based on the analysis of the similar occurrence of this storm that caused a great deal of damage on our city ten years ago, as confirmed by our own sources. Today, we have here in the studio, Jeffrey Aleman, the special adviser to the mayor on security.” “What do you have to say to this? Are
Mr. Raymond paced from one part of their tight kitchen to the other. He stopped, and stared at Simon through the open doorway that led to the sitting room. Simon was seated on his wheelchair, gazing out of the window. He had taken to the comfort of the window side, a place that mirrored what he yearned to have once more. Yet, the scenery outside was far from what he could imagine – several purplish circles emerging out of thin air and hovering over a wreckage of buildings and structures, with mysterious creatures creeping out of them like they had just walked into the interior of their abode. The image of Mason trying to save him from one of those hit his mind and a tear dropped. “Look at him, darling,” Mr. Raymond gestured to Simon in his spot. Lucia turned to stare and clasped her lips together. “We can’t stay here any longer, it’s not safe. Two days ago they tore down his room and the backdoor, who knows where they attack next. I don’t want any more losses, we have to move out.”
The skin of this monster was hard and scaly. It could be mistaken for a dinosaur if it appeared in one of the animal encyclopedias. “What monster is this?” he asked, curious to know the monstrosity that he awakened. “You do not have the ability to identify and analyze monsters. Host must acquire the ability to unlock system analysis.” “How am I supposed to kill what I don't know?” Mason barked. He backed away gently, while trying to breathe. The monster’s claws appeared and it pulled itself up. “I shouldn't have moved,” Mason thought. As he made a run, the monster swallowed him in one leap, crushing his whole body with its sharp grinders. * A blue shield materialized in the middle of one of the well-made cobblestone paths of Spring Brook. It shattered into bits to reveal Ryan, the older man, six other protectors. They were obviously the other members of the Shield he had asked Ryan to alert. “Lin, did you put a dispatch the Code Voilet through to other protector teams
Mason walked through a hallway full of students in black and white uniforms. It was something he hated doing. All eyes turned to him and a few chuckled at him as he approached the cafeteria. The air in the atmosphere felt awry and stuffy, like the normal mixed with a tinge of unusual. At the door of the cafeteria, a boy taller than him stepped in front of him, followed by two others.“Where do you think you're going?” The boy bellowed.Mason looked up at the figure in front of him.It was Oliver O'Hara, the most famous, and brilliant student in school. He brushed his red hair and smirked at Mason, while the other two laughed.Mason hated him because he had stolen Alice from his hands with his money and fame. Alice was also dull for letting such a dummy take her hands.Mason exhaled and tried to evade him to continue to the cafeteria, but he was pushed. He crashed to the floor of the cafeteria, in front of everyone.The whole crowd of students in the cafeteria and the hallway burs