Anomaly

Author: Rowen

Chapter 319 – The Primordial Fear [37]

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A humid, strangely biting heat, laden with a sharp smell of ozone, hung in the air. Even so, I felt no discomfort from it. In stark contrast, Victor, Arthur, Rupert, and the other members of the anomaly response team were clearly struggling to keep their breathing steady.
Every breath seemed to take effort, and the discomfort was obvious whenever the air filled their lungs. The silence that had settled in since the moment we arrived was oppressive, heavy enough to magnify every movement and every uneven breath among us.
It was Rupert who spoke first, after several seconds fighting to catch his breath. He slowly removed his suit helmet, mirroring the actions of the others. The environment was still hot, and sweat ran down his forehead, mixing with the dust caked onto his face.
With tired eyes, shoulders weighed down by exhaustion, and an uneven breath, he broke the silence and muttered, almost in disbelief: “Are we in hell... or something like it?”
One of the anomaly response team members followed up with a nervous chuckle still caught in his throat, his eyes scanning the strange surroundings: “I thought you had to die to go to hell... or heaven” The comment almost sounded like a joke, but the silence that followed made it clear no one was entirely sure it was a joke.
Another voice echoed soon after, coming from one of the team members, muffled by the environment and the vastness around us: “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we took a one-way trip to hell, considering how far down we’ve gone”
No one seemed willing to challenge the words left hanging in the air, not when the scene before us asserted itself with such brutal force. Bubbling rivers twisted between jagged cliffs, from whose cracks molten lava poured in glowing streams.
The ground, completely fractured and filthy, was made of black stone, hot to the touch, with no sign of grass or life, stretching oppressively as far as the eye could see.
“We need to keep moving” Victor said, raising his voice just enough to draw everyone’s attention. His gaze swept quickly over the tense faces before fixing ahead: “I don’t know exactly how, but this is definitely being caused by the anomaly we’re looking for. Once we find it” he added, jaw tightening slightly: “we can fix this whole mess”
Rupert scanned the surroundings carefully, letting the silence stretch for a moment. His eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly, paired with a half-smile thick with irony. Then he spread his arms, as if trying to embrace the vast, directionless expanse ahead, and said: “Alright then... so where do we go in a place that doesn’t seem to lead anywhere?”
Victor looked back at me, but I ignored him for a moment. Instead, I focused on my senses, trying to pinpoint where Tenebrya’s presence was strongest. It tugged my attention in an odd, uncomfortable direction, following the course of a bubbling stream that wound its way between glowing lava springs.
The contrast between the hot steam and the reddish glow made the air heavy and hard to breathe. I had no idea where that path might lead, all I could see was a dead plain, devoid of grass, trees, or any sign of life, as if this part of the world had been abandoned.
I pointed toward the direction where I felt Tenebrya’s presence. For a brief moment, I felt the weight of everyone’s gaze on me, a focused silence that lasted only a few seconds before breaking, as they all turned to stare at the spot I indicated.
I figured most of them couldn’t make out much of anything ahead, since a thick gray fog hung in the air, blurring shapes and distances.
Maybe it was just a result of where we were. The ground beneath our feet was rough and uneven, and I couldn’t help but think we might be standing on volcanic rock. I wasn’t certain, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if it were true.
“Alright...” Rupert said, resting a hand against his forehead as he squinted, letting out a resigned sigh: “Looks like this is going to be a long trip” His eyes then drifted to the stream beside me, where the water bubbled restlessly, releasing small clouds of steam: “We should probably resupply before we go. I’ve already drunk all my water, so I need to refill...”
He paused, eyeing the current cautiously: “Although that looks like boiling water... it should cool down eventually, right?”
Rupert glanced around, as if looking for support, but found only skeptical faces and wary looks. I focused on the stream and activated my special vision, and what I saw left no doubt. Instead of an ordinary flow, there was a stream glowing intensely in shifting rainbow hues, pulsing with an almost living light.
In short, whatever that was, it definitely wasn’t water. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Arthur had seen it too, his serious expression and the tension in his shoulders gave him away.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea” he said, drawing attention as he adjusted his monocle with a controlled, precise motion. The lens caught a brief glint before he continued in a serious tone: “The liquid shows anomalous properties, including signs of corrosive acidity”
Rupert’s body reacted with a sharp, almost involuntary shudder. His eyes snapped toward Arthur, widening for a brief instant before shifting back to the steaming stream. He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with difficulty, and took a few slow steps backward, as if afraid of getting too close.
Noticing his reaction, I spoke telepathically to everyone: (You don’t need to worry about touching it. It’s a bit hot, but you’ll probably be fine. Just don’t swallow it, the sensation is not pleasant at all)
Everyone’s gaze turned toward me. Their expressions, once tense, visibly eased, though traces of concern and anxiety still lingered. There was curiosity on their faces as well, as if they were wondering how I knew that: (I ended up swallowing a bit of the water when I fell. Well, I’m not entirely sure what it would actually feel like to ingest it. In my case, it was strangely lukewarm. Still, I imagine the real effect wouldn’t be much different from having acid poured down your throat and into your nose, burning you from the inside, slowly)
My words made every member of the response team swallow hard and step back from the stream in hurried motions, some nearly tripping over their own haste. I didn’t pay much attention to it, they’d be fine, as long as they didn’t ingest the water, of course.
At worst, direct contact might cause a mild burning sensation on the skin, something like a fiery tingling. But considering they were wearing full armor, I assumed there wouldn’t be any major risk.
Well... that is, unless they decided to step into the stream. In that case, I wasn’t sure what would happen. Maybe they’d be cooked alive?... It was a possibility.
“All right... long story short, we need to get out of here before thirst stops being just a nuisance and becomes a real problem” Victor commented, glancing toward the horizon as if calculating how much time we had left: “Noted” he replied, curt and immediate.
And so, we began our march toward Tenebrya. At first, we followed the stream’s edge, not by choice, but because everything suggested that Tenebrya’s presence extended along that same path.
Besides, no one seemed willing to stray too far from the place where we had fallen. There was a silent discomfort in the air, a shared sense that venturing beyond the familiar would be an unnecessary risk. After all, we had no idea what truly lurked in this place.
We walked for several minutes, maybe hours. Time, after all, wasn’t exactly a luxury we could afford. As we moved forward, the scenery changed only in minor details, but at its core it remained the same: a stretch of barren, lifeless land, without a single tree or even a blade of grass in sight.
From time to time, strange noises echoed from somewhere very, very far away, sounds difficult to identify, yet close enough to unsettle us.
On top of that, walking for so long under that suffocating heat, with heavy air saturated by a metallic, ozone-like smell, was a brutal experience. It was already taking its toll, evident in slower steps, labored breathing, and an ever-growing, oppressive silence.
Unfocused stares, dragging feet, and sweat pouring endlessly revealed the group’s increasing exhaustion. Constant attempts to moisten dry lips with the little air they could breathe made their condition painfully clear: a thirst that was nearly extreme, cruel and silent. I watched them for a while before turning my attention to Victor, Arthur, and Rupert.
Honestly, I knew my words might instill fear in them, but I had to say it anyway: (What are we going to do? Everyone looks exhausted, on the verge of collapse, consumed by thirst. I doubt we’ll reach Tenebrya before most of them... die)
The three of them kept walking. Even so, it was clear my words had sunk in. Victor watched each person in our ranks out of the corner of his eye, alert to the signs of exhaustion etched on their faces. Still, he knew there was nothing he could do.
All the water they had brought had run out minutes earlier. Beyond the fatigue, there was something even more unsettling: the farther we went, the stronger the thirst became, as if the simple act of walking made it worse. Maybe it was something in the air, but I couldn’t be sure.
There was nothing we could do at that moment, but that didn’t mean we should simply stand by and do nothing. I activated my eyes once again and began carefully scanning our surroundings.
I wasn’t sure exactly what I was looking for. That vision only served to detect anomalies or anything with anomalous properties. Finding water, however, was completely beyond its reach. Or so I thought, until we reached a fork in the path.
To the left, a bubbling stream flowed over a stone bed, releasing steam and a metallic scent. To the right, incandescent lava slowly snaked forward, crackling in deep shades of red and orange.
Both paths veered away, leading to different, and equally unknown, destinations. I could still feel Tenebrya’s presence following the course of the bubbling water, yet my gaze was drawn to the lava.
Curiously, it didn’t shimmer with rainbow-like colors, which should’ve indicated it was just ordinary lava... right? Even so, something about it unsettled me. To my eyes, the lava seemed wrapped in a vague haze, one that, as far as I could tell, only I could see.
I glanced at the others for a brief moment, searching for any sign of doubt or agreement, before turning my attention back to the lava. Either way, if we didn’t do something now, we’d all end up dying of thirst.
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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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