Anomaly

Author: Rowen

Chapter 313 – The Primordial Fear [31]

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My words didn’t seem to sit very well with the others. While some were still trying to catch their breath after nearly plunging into the abyss before us, bracing themselves on trembling knees, others narrowed their eyes, straining to see something, anything, beyond the absolute darkness below.
No sound echoed back, no shape revealed itself. There was only a deep, silent void. I have to say, the sight was anything but inviting, more like an open invitation to ruin.
“Oh! How awesome!” Rupert remarked, wearing a crooked grin and barely concealed sarcasm: “I’ve always wanted to try bungee jumping anyway... so why not now?” He shot a quick glance toward the abyss before adding: “Right into a canyon with no visible bottom, which definitely doesn’t scream danger at all”
No one responded to Rupert’s words. Still, it was impossible not to notice the discomfort written all over their faces. The mere thought of leaping into a pitch-black abyss made stomachs churn and the air feel heavier. The silence that followed spoke louder than any spoken objection.
That said, there really wasn’t a choice. Either we jumped into the unknown, relying solely on instinct and luck, or we faced that immortal lunatic again, an enemy whose attacks, in some twisted way, rebounded onto me with the same brutal force. As if that weren’t bad enough, Tenebrya was down there... probably.
“Are you really sure about this?” Arthur asked beside me, tilting his head slightly. His voice was low, carrying a poorly concealed confusion as his eyes scanned the emptiness ahead: “That she’s... down there?”
I nodded without saying a word. Arthur remained thoughtful, eyes locked on the darkness below as if silently forming some theory, most likely something related to Tenebrya. I had no idea what was going through his mind. Still, I decided not to worry about it. At least, not right now.
“I’ll admit I’m not exactly great at giving advice” Victor began, rubbing the back of his neck while staring into the abyss: “But I’m pretty sure jumping into that terrifying canyon is a terrible idea” He paused briefly, frowning as if a chill had run down his spine: “That’s what my instincts are telling me” he finished, an odd mix of apprehension and distrust etched across his face.
Victor’s words were followed by footsteps coming from behind us. Instantly, several pairs of eyes snapped toward the sound, weapons raised and aimed directly at its source.
For a few seconds, a heavy, suffocating silence settled in, until the owner of the footsteps finally emerged. It was the same man. Plain-looking, almost forgettable, wearing glasses that gave him a nerdy, or something close to it, appearance. The kind of person who would normally fade into the background of a crowd.
Yet the knife remained steady in his hand, its blade faintly reflecting the little light around us. His eyes were still empty, cold, and fixed squarely on me.
I won’t lie, it was deeply unsettling to be stared at with such intensity, as if he were trying to pierce straight through my skin with nothing but his gaze.
“He seems to have a particularly strong interest in you” Arthur commented beside me. He studied my profile from the corner of his eye, attentive to every reaction, wearing an analytical, cautious look, as though trying to decipher something I myself hadn’t yet noticed.
(Really? I hadn’t noticed until now) I replied, directing the thought specifically at him, a faint smile laced with irony: (Should I be feeling flattered?)
Arthur gave a wry smile in response. Then we both turned our attention back to the human holding the knife. I noticed his eyes studying us carefully, scanning every detail, but inevitably, after a few seconds, they always returned to me.
Up until that moment, I still couldn’t understand what exactly this guy wanted. And honestly, who was the bastard that thought it’d be funny to pull a sick prank like this, putting a killer in my path whom I simply can’t kill? Seriously... the situation is so absurdly ironic that I don’t even know what to think about it.
“I don’t know why he seems so hesitant now... He’s acting very differently from before” Victor remarked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he analyzed the man in front of us.
“You mean” Rupert began, wearing a crooked grin and a voice dripping with irony: “when he was trying to kill us with a knife?” He made a vague gesture with his hand, as if it were trivial: “Yeah, I agree” he continued, rolling his eyes: “He’s acting really weird now... especially since he’s not trying to do that” The last part came out as a low mutter, almost to himself, as Rupert crossed his arms in visible irritation.
I ignored Rupert’s muttering and focused all my attention on the man before me. As always, the more I watched him, the more familiar he seemed. His features, his posture, even the way he held his gaze, everything stirred an unsettling sense of recognition.
At that point, I wasn’t even trying to deny it anymore. I definitely knew him. I didn’t know from where, or how, much less why. It was simply a quiet, persistent certainty, hammering away in my mind, that at some point in the past, our paths had already crossed.
(Somehow...) I began, catching Victor’s attention. Rupert was Arthur to me, others probably heard it too, but they were far too busy staring at a terrifying lunatic holding a knife to bother paying attention to me: (He looks familiar... somehow)
Arthur parted his lips slightly, as if searching for the right words. A flicker of understanding crossed his gaze, making his eyes shine for a brief moment before he finally asked, his voice low and heavy with caution: “You... recognize him?”
Still skeptical, I nodded in silence, confirming his thought. Arthur’s eyes widened just a little, and he began shifting his gaze between me and the armed man in front of us. I wasn’t entirely sure why he was doing it, but I had the distinct sense that he had realized something, and apparently, I wasn’t the only one who noticed the change.
“What is it?” Victor asked, casting Arthur a sharp sideways glance: “Did you figure something out?”
Arthur nodded slowly, though his expression carried the same disbelief I felt. When his lips finally moved and the words left his mouth, the sound seemed to echo through the area. The place fell into absolute silence, and by silence, I mean something beyond the mere absence of noise. Even the breathing around us seemed to stop: “I think... I think that man is the
”
I felt dozens of piercing stares turn toward me, looks filled with confusion, disbelief, and above all, skepticism. The air itself seemed heavier under that silent scrutiny. Arthur appeared to notice the collective reaction and hurried to correct himself... or almost.
“Of course, I mean mentally” he said quickly, nearly tripping over his own words. After a brief pause, his voice steadied, calmer and more controlled as he continued: “That man was most likely created within the subconscious of the
A heavy silence settled over the area for several seconds, as though even the air hesitated to move. Then Rupert broke the quiet with a soft sigh, tilting his head to the side before commenting: “Well... that definitely explains a lot”
With that, Rupert turned to me and studied me in silence for a few seconds, his head slightly tilted as if assessing me from top to bottom. Wearing an expression that mixed genuine curiosity with a hint of irony, he finally asked: “Why a nerd holding a knife? That’s... weirdly normal?”
I wasn’t sure what he was trying to imply, but I felt like I should be offended by that. Could I hit him already? The thought crossed my mind for a moment.
Either way, I ignored him and focused on what Arthur had said. And... I had to admit, it made sense. Maybe that really had been what I looked like back when I was human.
I knew I was plain. That had never been a problem. But even by my own standards, this was plain times two. Literally.
“So...” Rupert began again, pulling me out of my thoughts as he crossed his arms and cast a wary glance toward the abyss behind us: “Does anyone here have a brilliant idea that doesn’t involve... jumping into a creepy, apparently bottomless canyon?”
I turned my gaze toward Rupert, and the instant he looked back at me, I let my lips move into something that could almost be called a smile. It wasn’t warm. It wasn’t friendly. Just subtle. Calculated.
Rupert’s body tensed the moment our eyes met, as if a chill had run straight down his spine. His eyes widened briefly before he muttered, his voice tight: “Creepy”
I shrugged: (I figured as much)
While we were distracted with each other, the man stepped forward. Everyone’s attention snapped back to him. Then he took another step.
Instinctively, we all retreated at the same time, edging even closer to the abyss. It was obvious that everyone wanted to shoot, but it was just as obvious why they hesitated. Any shot could end up hitting me instead.
This silent exchange of steps continued for a while, slow and suffocating, until there was nowhere left to retreat. We were standing right at the edge of the canyon. One more step back, and we would truly plunge into the darkness below, toward an infinite, oppressive void.
“What do we do now?” Rupert asked again.
I felt Victor’s gaze settle heavily on me. He was clearly waiting for some kind of reaction. In silent response, I looked past them, toward the canyon stretching out behind us, carving through the land as far as the eye could see.
Its jagged walls dropped into an abyss of uncertain depth, where the bottom seemed to vanish into endless emptiness, as though the earth itself had been torn open there.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this...” Rupert muttered, running a hand through his hair as he stared into the abyss ahead of us: “But I think jumping down there is our best shot. There’s no point shooting that thing if it can regenerate indefinitely... and we can’t keep running forever”
Everyone seemed to share the same unspoken understanding, silently agreeing with Rupert’s conclusion. Still, that didn’t make the idea any easier, to leap into the terrifying abyss yawning just behind us, dark and impossibly deep.
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Chapter List

Chapter 1 – First Contact [1]
Chapter 2 – First Contact [2]
Chapter 3 – First Contact [3]
Announcement!
Chapter 4 – First Contact [4]
Chapter 5 – First Contact [5]
Chapter 6 – First Contact [6]
Chapter 7 – Outbreak [1]
Chapter 8 – Outbreak [2]
Chapter 9 – Outbreak [3]
Chapter 10 – Outbreak [4]
Chapter 11 – Outbreak [5]
Chapter 12 – Outbreak [6]
Chapter 13 – Adaptation period [1]
Chapter 14 – Adaptation period [2]
Chapter 15 – Adaptation period [3]
Chapter 16 – Adaptation period [4]
Chapter 17 – Adaptation period [5]
Chapter 18 – Threat from the shadows [1]
Chapter 19 – Threat from the shadows [2]
Chapter 20 – Threat from the shadows [3]
Chapter 21 – Threat from the shadows [4]
Chapter 22 – Threat from the shadows [5]
Chapter 23 – Threat from the shadows [6]
Chapter 24 – Threat from the shadows [7]
Chapter 25 – The director’s visit [1]
Chapter 26 – The director’s visit [2]
Chapter 27 – The director’s visit [3]
Chapter 28 – The director’s visit [4]
Chapter 29 – The director’s visit [5]
Chapter 30 – The director’s visit [6]
Chapter 31 – Conducting experiments [1]
Chapter 32 – Conducting experiments [2]
Chapter 33 – Conducting experiments [3]
Chapter 34 – Conducting experiments [4]
Chapter 35 – Conducting experiments [5]
Story recommendation: the new chapter of Anomaly will normally be released at 7pm.
Chapter 36 – Conducting experiments [6]
Chapter 37 – Conducting experiments [7]
Story recommendation: I’m reposting because, last time, the author’s story hadn’t been approved yet.
Chapter 38 – Conducting experiments [8]
Chapter 39 – Conducting experiments [9]
Chapter 40 – Conducting experiments [10]
Chapter 41 – Black Lake [1]
Chapter 42 – Black Lake [2]
Chapter 43 – Black Lake [3]
Chapter 44 – Black Lake [4]
Chapter 45 – Black Lake [5]
Chapter 46 – Black Lake [6]
Chapter 47 – Black Lake [7]
Chapter 48 – Black Lake [8]
Chapter 49 – Black Lake [9]
Chapter 50 – Black Lake [10]
Chapter 51 – Black Lake [11]
Creation of the Discord server
Chapter 52 – Black Lake [12]
Chapter 53 – Black Lake [13]
Chapter 54 – Black Lake [14]
Chapter 55 – Black Lake [15]
Chapter 56 – Black Lake [16]
Chapter 57 – Black Lake [17]
Chapter 58 – Black Lake [18]
Chapter 59 – The call [1]
Chapter 60 – The call [2]
Chapter 61 – The call [3]
Chapter 62 – The call [4]
Chapter 63 – The call [5]
Chapter 64 – The call [6]
Chapter 65 – The call [7]
Chapter 66 – The call [8]
Chapter 67 – The call [9]
Chapter 68 – The call [10]
Chapter 69 – The call [11]
Chapter 70 – The call [12]
Quick update
Chapter 71 – The call [13]
Chapter 72 – The call [14]
Chapter 73 – The call [15]
Chapter 74 – The call [16]
Chapter 75 – The call [17]
Chapter 76 – The call [18]
Chapter 77 – The call [19]
Chapter 78 – The call [20]
Chapter 79 – The call [21]
Chapter 80 – The call [22]
Chapter 81 – The call [23]
Chapter 82 – The call [24]
Chapter 83 – The call [25]
Chapter 84 – The call [26]
Chapter 85 – Storm [1]
Chapter 86 – Storm [2]
Chapter 87 – Storm [3]
Chapter 88 – Storm [4]
Chapter 89 – Storm [5]
Chapter 90 – Storm [6]
Chapter 91 – Storm [7]
Chapter 92 – Storm [8]
Chapter 93 – Storm [9]
Chapter 94 – Storm [10]
Chapter 95 – Storm [11]
Chapter 96 – Storm [12]
Chapter 97 – Storm [13]
Chapter 98 – Storm [14]
Chapter 99 – Storm [15]
Chapter 100 – Storm [16]
Chapter 101 – Storm [17]
Chapter 102 – Storm [18]
Chapter 103 – Storm [19]
Chapter 104 – Interludio – A little chat
Chapter 105 – Something called Life [1]
Chapter 106 – Something called Life [2]
Chapter 107 – Something called Life [3]
Chapter 108 – Something called Life [4]
Chapter 109 – Something called Life [5]
Chapter 110 – Something called Life [6]
Chapter 111 – Something called Life [7]
Chapter 112 – Something called Life [8]
Chapter 113 – Something called Life [9]
Chapter 114 – Something called Life [10]
Chapter 115 – Something called Life [11]
Chapter 116 – Something called Life [12]
Chapter 117 – Something called Life [13]
Chapter 118 – Something called Life [14]
Anomaly
Chapter 119 – Something called Life [15]
Chapter 120 – Something called Life [16]
Chapter 121 – Something called Life [17]
Chapter 122 – Something called Life [18]
Chapter 123 – Something called Life [19]
Chapter 124 – Something called Life [20]
Chapter 125 – Something called Life [21]
Chapter 126 – Something called Life [22]
Chapter 127 – Something called Life [23]
Chapter 128 – Something called Life [24]
Chapter 129 – Something called Life [25]
Chapter 130 – Something called Life [26]
Chapter 131 – Something called Life [27]
Chapter 132 – Something called Life [28]
Chapter 133 – Something called Life [29]
Chapter 134 – Something called Life [30]
Chapter 135 – interlude – Hidden intentions
Chapter 136 – Inside the mist [1]
Chapter 137 – Inside the mist [2]
Chapter 138 – Inside the mist [3]
Chapter 139 – Inside the mist [4]
Chapter 140 – Inside the mist [5]
Chapter 141 – Inside the mist [6]
Chapter 142 – Inside the mist [7]
Chapter 143 – Inside the mist [8]
Chapter 144 – Inside the mist [9]
Chapter 145 – Inside the mist [10]
Chapter 146 – Inside the mist [11]
Chapter 147 – Inside the mist [12]
Chapter 148 – Inside the mist [13]
SPECIAL PROMOTION ON PATREON!
Chapter 149 – Inside the mist [14]
Chapter 150 – Inside the mist [15]
Chapter 151 – Inside the mist [16]
Chapter 152 – Inside the mist [17]
Chapter 153 – Inside the mist [18]
Chapter 154 – Inside the mist [19]
Chapter 155 – Inside the mist [20]
Chapter 156 – Inside the mist [21]
Chapter 157 – Inside the mist [22]
Chapter 158 – Inside the mist [23]
Chapter 159 – Inside the mist [24]
Chapter 160 – When logic escapes [1]
Chapter 161 – When logic escapes [2]
Chapter 162 – When logic escapes [3]
Chapter 163 – When logic escapes [4]
Chapter 164 – When logic escapes [5]
Chapter 165 – When logic escapes [6]
Chapter 166 – When logic escapes [7]
Chapter 167 – When logic escapes [8]
Chapter 168 – When logic escapes [9]
Chapter 169 – When logic escapes [10]
Chapter 170 – When logic escapes [11]
Chapter 171 – When logic escapes [12]
Chapter 172 – When logic escapes [13]
Chapter 173 – When logic escapes [14]
Chapter 174 – When logic escapes [15]
Chapter 175 – When logic escapes [16]
Chapter 176 – When logic escapes [17]
Chapter 177 – When logic escapes [18]
Chapter 178 – When logic escapes [19]
Chapter 179 – When logic escapes [20]
Chapter 180 – When logic escapes [21]
Chapter 181 – The Burden of Remembering [1]
Chapter 182 – The Burden of Remembering [2]
Chapter 183 – The Burden of Remembering [3]
Chapter 184 – The Burden of Remembering [4]
Chapter 185 – The Burden of Remembering [5]
Chapter 186 – The Burden of Remembering [6]
Chapter 187 – The Burden of Remembering [7]
Chapter 188 – The Burden of Remembering [8]
Chapter 189 – The Burden of Remembering [9]
Chapter 190 – The Burden of Remembering [10]
Chapter 191 – The Burden of Remembering [11]
Chapter 192 – The Burden of Remembering [12]
Chapter 193 – The Burden of Remembering [13]
Chapter 194 – The Burden of Remembering [14]
Chapter 195 – The Burden of Remembering [15]
Chapter 196 – The Burden of Remembering [16]
Chapter 197 – The Burden of Remembering [17]
Chapter 198 – The Burden of Remembering [18]
Chapter 199 – The Burden of Remembering [19]
Chapter 200 – The Burden of Remembering [20]
Chapter 201 – The Burden of Remembering [21]
Chapter 202 – The Burden of Remembering [22]
Chapter 203 – The Burden of Remembering [23]
Chapter 204 – The Burden of Remembering [24]
Chapter 205 – The Burden of Remembering [25]
Chapter 206 – The Burden of Remembering [26]
Chapter 207 – The Burden of Remembering [27]
Chapter 208 – The Burden of Remembering [28]
Chapter 209 – The Burden of Remembering [29]
Chapter 210 – The Burden of Remembering [30]
Chapter 211 – The Burden of Remembering [31]
Chapter 212 – The Burden of Remembering [32]
Chapter 213 – The Burden of Remembering [33]
Chapter 214 – The Burden of Remembering [34]
Chapter 215 – The Burden of Remembering [35]
Chapter 216 – The Burden of Remembering [36]
Chapter 217 – The Burden of Remembering [37]
Chapter 218 – The Burden of Remembering [38]
Chapter 219 – The entity of pride [1]
Chapter 220 – The entity of pride [2]
Chapter 221 – The entity of pride [3]
Chapter 222 – The entity of pride [4]
Chapter 223 – The entity of pride [5]
Chapter 224 – The entity of pride [6]
Chapter 225 – The entity of pride [7]
Chapter 226 – The entity of pride [8]
Chapter 227 – The entity of pride [9]
Chapter 228 – The entity of pride [10]
Chapter 229 – The entity of pride [11]
Chapter 230 – The entity of pride [12]
Chapter 231 – The entity of pride [13]
Chapter 232 – The entity of pride [14]
Chapter 233 – The entity of pride [15]
Chapter 234 – The entity of pride [16]
Chapter 235 – The entity of pride [17]
Chapter 236 – The entity of pride [18]
Chapter 237 – The entity of pride [19]
Chapter 238 – The entity of pride [20]
Chapter 239 – The entity of pride [21]
Chapter 240 – The entity of pride [22]
Chapter 241 – The entity of pride [23]
Chapter 242 – The entity of pride [24]
Chapter 243 – The entity of pride [25]
Chapter 244 – Timeless State [1]
Chapter 245 – Timeless State [2]
Chapter 246 – Timeless State [3]
Chapter 247 – Timeless State [4]
Chapter 248 – Timeless State [5]
Chapter 249 – Timeless State [6]
Chapter 250 – Timeless State [7]
Chapter 251 – Timeless State [8]
Chapter 252 – Timeless State [9]
Chapter 253 – Timeless State [10]
Chapter 254 – Timeless State [11]
Chapter 255 – Timeless State [12]
Chapter 256 – Timeless State [13]
Chapter 257 – Timeless State [14]
Chapter 258 – Timeless State [15]
Chapter 259 – Timeless State [16]
Chapter 260 – Timeless State [17]
Chapter 261 – Timeless State [18]
Chapter 262 – Timeless State [19]
Chapter 263 – Timeless State [20]
Chapter 264 – Timeless State [21]
Chapter 265 – Timeless State [22]
Chapter 266 – Timeless State [23]
Chapter 267 – Timeless State [24]
Chapter 268 – Timeless State [25]
Chapter 269 – Timeless State [26]
Chapter 270 – Timeless State [27]
Chapter 271 – Timeless State [28]
Chapter 272 – Timeless State [29]
Chapter 273 – Timeless State [30]
Chapter 274 – Timeless State [31]
Chapter 275 – Timeless State [32]
Chapter 276 – Timeless State [33]
Chapter 277 – Timeless State [34]
Chapter 278 – Timeless State [35]
Chapter 279 – Timeless State [36]
Chapter 280 – Timeless State [37]
Chapter 281 – Timeless State [38]
Chapter 282 – Timeless State [39]
Chapter 283 – The Primordial Fear [1]
Chapter 284 – The Primordial Fear [2]
Chapter 285 – The Primordial Fear [3]
Special Christmas/New Year’s promotion on Patreon.
Chapter 286 – The Primordial Fear [4]
Chapter 287 – The Primordial Fear [5]
Chapter 288 – The Primordial Fear [6]
Chapter 289 – The Primordial Fear [7]
Chapter 290 – The Primordial Fear [8]
Chapter 291 – The Primordial Fear [9]
Chapter 292 – The Primordial Fear [10]
Chapter 293 – The Primordial Fear [11]
Chapter 294 – The Primordial Fear [12]
Chapter 295 – The Primordial Fear [13]
Chapter 296 – The Primordial Fear [14]
Chapter 297 – The Primordial Fear [15]
Chapter 298 – The Primordial Fear [16]
Chapter 299 – The Primordial Fear [17]
Chapter 300 – The Primordial Fear [18]
Chapter 301 – The Primordial Fear [19]
Chapter 302 – The Primordial Fear [20]
Chapter 303 – The Primordial Fear [21]
Chapter 304 – The Primordial Fear [22]
Chapter 305 – The Primordial Fear [23]
Chapter 306 – The Primordial Fear [24]
Chapter 307 – The Primordial Fear [25]
Chapter 308 – The Primordial Fear [26]
Chapter 309 – The Primordial Fear [27]
Chapter 310 – The Primordial Fear [28]
Chapter 311 – The Primordial Fear [29]
Chapter 312 – The Primordial Fear [30]
Chapter 313 – The Primordial Fear [31]
Chapter 314 – The Primordial Fear [32]
Chapter 315 – The Primordial Fear [33]
Chapter 316 – The Primordial Fear [34]
Chapter 317 – The Primordial Fear [35]
Chapter 318 – The Primordial Fear [36]
Chapter 319 – The Primordial Fear [37]
Chapter 320 – The Primordial Fear [38]
Chapter 321 – The Primordial Fear [39]
Chapter 322 – The Primordial Fear [40]
Chapter 323 – The Primordial Fear [41]
Chapter 324 – The Primordial Fear [42]
Chapter 325 – The Primordial Fear [43]
Chapter 326 – The Primordial Fear [44]
Chapter 327 – The Primordial Fear [45]
Chapter 328 – The Primordial Fear [46]
Chapter 329 – The Primordial Fear [47]
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