Anomaly

Author: Rowen

Chapter 327 – The Primordial Fear [45]

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Emily spent the next several minutes trapped in her own thoughts, replaying over and over the words spoken by the “human-looking” anomaly. She didn’t know how to respond, partly because her human mind tried, almost by instinct, to impose logic and meaning on something that was clearly illogical by nature.
The anomaly, in turn, offered little further clarification about what it truly meant when it claimed that this was not its real form. No explanation, no concrete hint, just a statement cast into the air like a riddle.
And that was exactly what unsettled Emily. The lack of answers didn’t push her away; on the contrary, it awakened an uncomfortable curiosity. She found herself studying every detail of the anomaly, every movement, every silence, trying to uncover some kind of clue. Emily was curious... no, intensely curious.
What, after all, was this being’s true form like? It had said that a human would go insane from looking at it directly, but why? Was it because their real bodies contained too much information, impossible patterns that the limited human mind couldn’t process without breaking apart?
Or was there some kind of anomalous force, an invisible presence, acting like a veil, preventing their authentic forms from being revealed? So many questions, no answers. The thoughts piled up like a constant buzzing in her head, and Emily felt her own sanity slowly slipping away, eroded by curiosity.
And she wasn’t the only one. Even Laura kept casting casual sideways glances at the anomaly. Her expression made her growing curiosity obvious; her fingers clenched the edge of the table as if trying to anchor her to reality while her mind wandered. And it wasn’t just Laura.
Nearly all the scientists in the room wore the same look, slightly raised brows, focused eyes, showing not even a trace of the caution they had displayed before. It seemed as though the fear they had felt moments earlier in the presence of the anomaly had completely vanished.
Minor spoiler: it hadn’t vanished at all. Curiosity was simply speaking louder, muffling the natural instinct for self-preservation. Watching the scene, Emily once again had to agree with the words Victor used to describe the organization’s scientists:
“Crazy bastards with no sense of self-preservation” It was, without a doubt, an insult, but ironically, it couldn’t have been closer to the truth. Emily knew that better than anyone.
Scientists, in general, tended to worry less about their own safety when compared to “normal” people, and that trait became even more evident when working directly with anomalies. In the face of the unknown, the instinct for self-preservation often gave way to something stronger: the drive to discover. The desire to understand spoke louder than fear.
What were those anomalies, after all? Where had they come from? Why could they do what they did, violating laws that were supposed to be immutable? To Emily, every risk was also an unanswered question, and every question, a temptation she simply couldn’t ignore.
Emily and Laura, like every other scientist there, longed to satisfy that doubt. Call it greed if you want, none of them would mind, because it wouldn’t be far from the truth.
Lost in her own thoughts, Emily let out a quiet, almost imperceptible sigh. Her fingers tapped softly against the cold surface of the table in a restrained rhythm while her gaze remained fixed on the screens in front of her, displaying in real time the current status of the deployed team.
It was an aerial view, apparently coming directly from the
, as if the world were being seen through its own eyes, or at least, that was how the angelic-looking anomaly described its perception.
Emily had to admit it: that mission was impossible for ordinary humans to complete. Considering everything they had faced up to that point, if the
hadn’t been at their side, they would probably all have been dead before even reaching the halfway point of the operation.
Ironically, upper command had opposed its deployment. Their arguments? Honestly, nothing worth recording, weak, illogical, and easily refuted. That was why Emily had little trouble changing their minds.
Even so, the more they observed, the more Emily and the others realized how unprepared they were. Their supplies had practically run out; only a few crushed rations remained, kept as last-resort provisions. As for water, it had run out shortly before they reached that devastated land, wherever that place truly was.
With no alternative, they had to drink lava. The scene was one of the most chilling Emily had ever witnessed. The incandescent glow of the liquid, the metallic smell in the air, and the heavy silence that settled over everything made it all the more disturbing.
Not just her, everyone present showed discomfort, some looking away, others clenching their teeth as they swallowed. Still, despite the horror, there was also a certain sense of relief: no one seemed to have been hurt, and somehow everyone was still on their feet.
It seemed to her like a good substitute for water, an interesting idea, in her opinion, although Emily herself wasn’t sure she could put it into practice if she were in the place of any of those anomaly response team members.
While she was drifting off, lost in her own thoughts, a languid voice came up very close, almost brushing her ear: “Heeey...” the sound drawled in a lightly teasing tone: “What are you thinking about that has you so focused?”
Emily simply ignored the words, letting her mind wander elsewhere, as if she could erase the sound still ringing in her ears. She tried to forget that those words had come from the mouth of someone who shouldn’t even be there. Still, pretending she hadn’t heard a thing, she remained silent.
But the voice didn’t give up. “Geez!” it exclaimed, in a tone that was strangely annoyed and, at the same time, almost cute: “You’re going to ignore me again? You’re mean, sis!” she added with exaggerated conviction, as if that accusation were the most obvious thing in the world.
Emily’s eyebrow twitched at those words. The fingers that had been idly tapping on the table stopped at once. With a slow, controlled motion, she turned her gaze toward the voice.
A familiar face entered her field of view. The person’s expression carried a hint of mockery, sharpened by the crooked smile forming at the corner of her lips, as if she were enjoying the situation.
Emily held his gaze for a moment, her lips slightly parted as if weighing every word. When she finally spoke, her voice was low but firm: “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?”
The girl, noticing Emily’s attentive gaze fixed on her, simply shrugged as if it didn’t matter in the slightest. A languidly provocative smile curved her lips.
“Mm-hmm...” she hummed, tilting her head slightly, strands of hair sliding over her shoulder as a teasing glint sparkled in her eyes: “I don’t want to”
She paused briefly, savoring the other girl’s reaction, then went on, her smile opening naturally, almost amused: “What can I do if you only pay attention to me when I call you that?”
She stepped a little closer, her voice low, carrying a hint of restrained mischief: “Besides... why would I stop? I’m not lying, am I?”
Emily’s eyes narrowed briefly at the reply. Then she let out an indifferent sigh, looked away, and began to ignore the other’s presence, as if the matter were already settled.
Even so, her last words lingered in the air, edged with cutting disinterest: “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a real pain to deal with?” Emily asked, not even bothering to look at her.
The figure smiled, and a short laugh slipped from her lips, low and almost imperceptible: “More than you can imagine” she replied, her eyes glinting in a strange way, as if that question, for some reason, pleased her especially.
Emily sighed, running a hand through her hair in a weary gesture. She truly couldn’t understand where all that energy, or that insistence, came from. Her voice came out firm, but heavy with exhaustion: “How many times do I have to tell you? You’re not my sister. You’re not Ellie... Even if you have her appearance, her mannerisms, everything else. I’m not going to believe something that ridiculous just because an angelic-looking anomaly with a creator-of-life mother complex decided to tell me otherwise”
Of course, that didn’t mean Emily disbelieved the words of the angelic-looking anomaly. On the contrary: after everything it had already demonstrated, its powers, its presence, and the events that had unfolded after its arrival, it had become impossible for Emily to say, with any certainty, that the anomaly was lying.
Watching Emily’s indifferent expression, the figure set her bare feet on the floor and moved forward slowly until she stopped in front of her. Her posture was strangely upright, her expression serious and resolute, perhaps the first time Emily had ever seen her that way.
For a brief moment, their eyes met in silence, as if the air between them had grown heavier. Then Emily’s lips moved: “So?”
The figure merely stared at Emily with an intense gaze. For a moment, the silence seemed to stretch between them. Then the figure spoke: “You’ve become a coward, sister”
The tone was dry, and the completely serious face contrasted almost cruelly with the playful manner the figure had shown seconds earlier. The words struck Emily like a sudden chill, as if they awakened an old, uncomfortable memory: “You used to be more... adventurous. Braver.”
The figure held her gaze for several long seconds without blinking, as if assessing her from the inside: “But now... you’re dull. And disappointing”
After saying that, the figure simply turned away, giving her back to Emily. Still stunned, Emily clenched her teeth, her throat burning with everything she wanted to shout.
The words were already piling up in her mouth when, before she could release them, a loud, sudden noise burst from the monitors, crackling through the room and drawing everyone’s attention.
When Emily turned her eyes back, she realized the team members sent on the mission had reached some kind of rocky ravine, completely surrounded by jagged stone walls, leaving only a single visible passage, if it could even really be called a passage.
The ground was narrow, covered in rock fragments, and the air felt heavier inside. And... when exactly had they arrived there? Emily had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed.
“Mmm...” murmured the angelic-looking anomaly, a playful smile dancing on its lips, as if watching something curious. Its eyes glinted for a moment before it added, in an indifferent tone: “That could be a problem. I was hoping they’d make it through without alerting Scyrrath... but it looks like that wasn’t possible”
Emily had many questions echoing in her mind, but one stood out above all the others: after all, who, or what, the hell was Scyrrath?
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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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