Anomaly

While the reaction team members debated amongst themselves on the best way to get to the park, which was only a few blocks away, I reflected on how to convince them to jump through a suspicious portal that I would open myself — which, considering my untrustworthy appearance and presence, didn’t help at all. Honestly, for a moment, I considered just telling them it was safe and hoping they'd believe me.

But that was probably impossible. Before I could even form a complete sentence, the headache would take over, preventing me from speaking properly. At best, I could try to convey some intent, but there was no guarantee that would be enough.

Besides, I couldn’t just shove them through the portal and explain afterward... Something told me that if I did that, I’d lose whatever little trust remained between us. Not that they trusted me now, of course.

Still, I sat on the edge of the building, swinging my feet aimlessly in the air as I lost myself in thought. The sky, which had once only seemed cloudy, now showed signs of growing darker, as if it was about to collapse.

And every time I looked down, I had this unsettling feeling that something was watching me from beneath the water. Maybe it was just my imagination... I knew an abyssal fish lived in those depths, but that wasn’t what I was talking about. In fact, I wasn’t even sure what I was talking about.

In the end, I decided to set all doubts aside and act. I’d manage to convince them... or at least that’s what I wanted to believe. With this determination in mind, I took a deep breath and walked with controlled steps toward the leader, who was listening intently to the other reaction team members' suggestions.

I waited for the right moment to approach without interrupting the conversation, and when I was close enough, I reached out, lightly touching the fabric of his clothes before subtly pulling him to get his attention. The next moment, his gaze turned toward me.

I locked eyes with him for a few seconds before looking down at the ground beside me. He mimicked me, staring at the same empty spot. At least it was empty until I activated my ability. The next moment, a shadow spread like thick liquid, consuming the ground and opening a deep rift.

Its interior was an unfathomable abyss, an absolute void where light seemed to be devoured. It was impossible to make out any shape inside — only an infinite, endless darkness.

"Wow, what the hell is this?" one of the reaction team members exclaimed, eyes wide when he noticed my portal. His immediate reaction caused the others to turn as well, their expressions shifting between confusion and surprise.

In the end, everyone gathered around my portal, but no one had the courage to cross it. Honestly, I would hesitate too. It wasn’t something I was proud of, but the appearance of my portal was terrifying — a dark, pulsating rift, as if something was lurking on the other side, ready to emerge and drag anyone into the depths.

"Was this made by [Angel of Death]?" one of the members asked, narrowing his eyes at the portal ahead: "I read in the report that one of her powers involved creating a type of portal, something she used to move freely or even teleport"

Though it wasn’t a surprise, it was impressive how much information they had gathered about me, especially regarding my anomalous abilities. Of course, I didn’t really mind much about it since I hadn’t shared everything I was capable of.

Overall, I only used my abilities when the situation really demanded it, keeping a certain level of caution. To be honest, I was even surprised that Emily and Laura had managed to pick up on something about my powers, especially in such specific and unpredictable situations like these.

Setting my thoughts aside, I refocused on the leader’s clothes, feeling the fabric under my fingers. His gaze, which had seemed lost in his own thoughts until then, turned toward me once more.

He raised an eyebrow, showing doubt and curiosity. The next moment, without hesitation, I pointed my finger at the portal, as if it were the only answer I could offer.

(Jump) I thought, and surprisingly, he seemed to react. His eyebrow raised for a moment, showing his surprise.

(Safe) I replied again firmly: (Trust)

I didn’t know if he really understood my words. Honestly, I hoped he did, but with my broken way of speaking, it was hard to be sure. I just hoped that, at least, he grasped the essence of what I was trying to convey.

I really can’t wait to be able to speak more clearly, without these constant headaches. Nekra told me I’d get used to it over time, but to be honest, I have no idea how long she meant.

As I momentarily got lost in my thoughts, the leader’s voice echoed, interrupting my concentration and grabbing the attention of the whole reaction team: "Guys, let’s go in"

His command was simple, but in a way almost challenging, like asking us to jump off a cliff whose depths we couldn’t see. I honestly expected some resistance, doubt, or at least a protest, but to my surprise, there was none. They followed without hesitation. To set an example, the first to jump was the leader.

As soon as he leaped, his body was swallowed by the endless darkness, as if he had dissolved into the absolute void. The reaction team members, their eyes fixed on the portal, hesitated for a brief moment, as if absorbing the gravity of the moment, before leaping as well. In the end, only I remained, alone, on top of the building.

The biting wind passed by me, and I cast one last look at the sky, where the clouds, thicker and more threatening by the minute, gathered like a storm about to break. I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the silence around me, and only then, with a determined move, I jumped too.

The moment I leaped, I felt my body sink slowly, as if being swallowed by the deep darkness around me. The world of shadows stretched endlessly, and here, everything seemed immersed in a supernatural stillness.

In the realm of darkness, we had the power to transport ourselves anywhere, as long as there was at least a trace of shadow to open the portal again. Amidst that darkness, I quickly found the team members.

They were all standing still, looking around with expressions of surprise and curiosity, as if trying to understand the vastness and strangeness of the place we were in.

I swam gently through the shadows, gliding silently until I got closer to them. The leader was by my side, and I observed him for a few moments. Suddenly, he opened his mouth, apparently surprised by something. Immediately, I realized what he was trying to do — he tried to speak, but no sound came out.

That’s when a strange feeling washed over me: I had never noticed before, but this place... there was no sound at all. I might not be able to speak, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t hear. The absolute silence that surrounded us was almost palpable, as if the air itself had lost the ability to vibrate.

As far as I remember, I haven’t heard a single sound since I got here. Strange, right? But, to be honest, I don’t think it matters all that much. What really matters now is that we can move toward the park. But, honestly, how are we supposed to do that? It’s not a problem for me, but the team members... they seem disoriented.

Their movements are clumsy, like they’re trying to adjust to something they can’t fully grasp. They keep bumping into each other, as if the space around us is more complicated than it should be.

At this rate, I doubt they’ll be able to move efficiently. At best, it’ll take us forever here until they figure it out, and unfortunately, time is crucial right now. Well, it’s not like I don’t have an idea, though.

With a simple thought, a shadow detached itself from my body and started wrapping around me. It fastened tightly around my waist, and the next moment, it stretched out, reaching the reaction team members and wrapping around their waists too.

In the end, shadowy rope-like shapes started forming. The team members reacted more with surprise than fear. Either way, seeing that everyone was ready, I started swimming through the darkness.

My movements were fluid, like a fish, gliding smoothly through the shadows. As I moved forward, I kept my eyes on the outside, observing the environment as we got closer to the park.

By the way, I was swimming at a considerable height, higher than usual. The reason? Below us, the darkness seemed strangely thick and muddy, as if a mix of murky water and mud had invaded my shadowy world, distorting the sense of depth and safety.

I have no idea how that happened, and to be honest, I don’t really expect to find out. Something tells me, with a heavy and unsettling intuition, that venturing into that abyss would be a terrible idea—one I’d prefer to leave alone.

So, taking that into account, we finally reached the park. While exhaustion was evident, I spotted a shadow near a tree, which, surprisingly, was still standing, resisting the strong winds that had ravaged the area.

But it wasn’t just that. Strangely, the park seemed almost untouched, as if the chaos and destruction that had overtaken the rest of the city hadn’t reached it.

Using the shadow cast by the tree as an anchor, with a simple thought, I created a portal, a quick and effective exit. With a burst of energy, I jumped through, pulling the reaction team members with me, ensuring everyone followed the movement in sync.

We landed softly, the impact on the ground almost imperceptible. I descended with grace and precision, while the leader, despite a somewhat clumsy move, managed to land cleanly.

Unfortunately, the same luck didn’t follow the rest of the team: some fell face-first onto the ground, with a light groan of frustration, while others had the misfortune of landing on their backsides, causing muffled laughs, but no one was hurt.

I watched the scene, tilting my head to the side and blinking briefly, finding it somewhat amusing. While I distracted myself watching the reaction team members, the leader behind me kept his sharp watch. With his weapon in hand, he carefully surveyed the surroundings, assessing our situation with precision.

By the way, this place felt strangely out of place compared to the rest of the city. While it was still raining and windy, the difference was clear. The rain here was just a light drizzle, and the wind felt more like a gentle breeze than a real gust. It was like we were in an isolated bubble, away from the intensity of what was happening around us.

A little further off, but still close enough, I noticed the leader seemed to be talking to someone, his finger near his ear. I figured it was either Emily or Laura he was speaking with.

I kept an eye on his back for a few seconds, until something caught my attention. It wasn’t exactly something visual, but a vague feeling, as if something in the environment had subtly shifted.

When I turned toward the city, everything appeared calm, as if nothing had changed. Yet, as I tilted my head, a feeling of confusion washed over me, though there was nothing that stood out as odd.

The city still stretched out before me, quiet and still, but something inside me insisted that there was more to it, something about to happen.

I didn’t know what exactly, but it was as if the air itself was charged with silent expectation, a tension I couldn’t understand, but that urged me to keep watching, without knowing why.

The next moment, a whirlpool churned the water violently, its center opening like a hungry mouth. I wasn’t the only one watching anymore; everyone was frozen, their eyes glued to the strange and unsettling occurrence unfolding before us.

The air grew heavy, as if the environment itself was holding its breath. Then, in the terrifying silence that followed, a monstrous hand emerged from the whirlpool, covered in dark, jagged scales, each one sharper than the last.

It rose with brutal force, its claws slicing through the air, before embedding itself into one of the nearby buildings, as if the structure were made of paper, causing it to shake violently under the impact.