Grant wheezed. Dry spit was caked around his mouth. He was lying across the back seat of the cruiser. His head was barely propped up by the opposite door.
He tried to sit up as the shots rang out around him but his abdominal muscles just shuddered, unable to lift his torso. New pain blossomed as the muscles protested his attempt to use them.
His handcuffed hands were behind his back. They were starting to fall asleep. The pins and needles tingling sensation was quite intense but didn’t rise above the general feelings of all over aching and soreness.
He was exhausted from his efforts to prevent the anomalies from coming into being. While he had stopped many of them he could feel 13 of them out there right now. He knew that what he was feeling was not the creatures themselves but their connection to the Beyond.
That connection was stronger now than it was before when he had been able to destroy it. Before it had been like wet clay, heavy yet malleable. Now it felt like baked ceramic, incredibly hard and inflexible.
The door to the police cruiser was still open. Eric hadn’t bothered to close it before he had begun shooting at the anomalies.
Grant could not see much of anything outside of the car. He had slumped over against the far door and he was angled up towards the ceiling of the car. He could hear though.
Shots were ringing out from outside of the car. They were coming in quick bursts. They were incredibly loud and were often followed up by the sound of breaking glass. The dense suburbia presented more walls and windows than open space in their immediate surroundings.
There were also the shouts of the policeman. These could be classified into two varieties. The majority was tactical shouting; Cries of ‘behind you!’ or ‘Get down!’ were being shouted at regular intervals. The other shouts were the cries of the wounded and dying.
Grant could hear one man in particular shouting in pain. Others had cried out only to be cut off. Only this one persisted in his shouts. This was much worse to listen to. They had transitioned from wild cries of pains to pleading for help.
Grant trid once more to lift himself up. He managed to push himself harder than before and sat up. He became a bit dizzy in doing so and nearly fell back down. However, he managed to get his feet down off the seat and onto the floor, balancing himself.
He saw one of the anomaly 4 hanging in the sky outside of the car. He had seen videos of them, but the shaky footage did not do them justice.
The fronds were still; a multitude of feathered arms sticking out the sides like a fern. These were gray and, when it moved they would stroke backwards pushing it forward, and then slowly roll back to their outwards position.
The fronds were attached at a central hub. It was the shape of a smashed sphere.The core of their bodies were smooth gray skin. The coloration on the top was slightly darker than that on the bottom, like the opposite of a dolphin or whale.
Hanging down from the hub was a writhing mass of tentacles. These were unlike the tentacles of the Other. These were iridescent silvery ribbons, more like something a jellyfish would have than an octopus. The edges were curved in an undulating imprecise pattern.
Grant knew that beneath the curtain of tentacles was a beak-like mouth. No one had ever seen it but they had seen the bit marks it left behind. Emitting from within that curtain was a dull glow of anomalous blue green light.
Grant was unconcerned about this, he had already been exposed to the light of an anomaly 9. The scale of anomalies was, according to what he read online, logarithmic. The danger of exposure to anomaly 4’s light was five full orders of magnitude lower than that of a 9 (if at the same distance).
As Grant watched it hanging in the air, he tried to use Resonant Mind. This time he meant to use the power; he hoped that these creatures were simple minded enough that a resonant link would allow him to control them.
Resonant Mind
Increased Focus and Perception.
Skill: Create, stabilize, or destroy resonant links with other minds.
Harken ye to the deeper song!
The connection was simple to create, much easier than using Harbinger of the Beyond had been. Yet, it did not yield any useful results. The resonant link tore itself apart in less than a second. In that brief second Grant was exposed to a wild incomprehensible set of sensations and thoughts.
He felt no measure of control within that moment but was deeply unsettled. He had felt the sensation of having body parts he did not have.
The creature, perhaps taking notice of him for other reasons, or perhaps because Grant had used the power, turned towards him. With the tentacles pointed in his direction it swung its fronds darting forward. Grant’s heart sped up even faster as the anomaly approached him. However, Grant noticed that it was actually coming at Eric.
Eric was standing in a low crouch beside the car, firing at another Anomaly 4. That one was being more surreptitious, darting in and around the cars parked on the street, wending its way toward Eric. Eric had not seen this one coming down from above.
Instead of flinging himself backwards, away from the anomaly, Grant instead tried to scream in warning to Eric. He tried but nothing came out but a pathetic rattling wheeze.
Eric’s partner shouted. “Eric Down!”
Eric dropped to his belly, still aiming at the one he had been focused on. Despite all that was going on Grant was impressed at that instant reaction. Eric’s partner fired a shot that knocked the anomaly 4 off course.
It didn’t do much more than that. It had gotten quite close and Grant could see that the shotgun had put a tightly clustered pattern of holes into it. They were closing up rapidly though. He felt a surge of energy flowing in from the Beyond.
He suspected that these anomalies had the same power he did. He was not certain and based his guess on their gray coloration and the healing he was witnessing.
As the anomaly recovered from the shotgun blast it slowly rotated, reorienting such that the next darting forward lunge would land it on Eric. Before that could happen Grant reached out with Harbinger of the Beyond.
Harbinger of the Beyond
Increased Focus
Passive: Convert the emanations of the Beyond into fruitful gifts.
Skill: Create, stabilize, or destroy pathways into the Beyond.
The seed is planted…
He strained against the link connecting the anomaly to the Beyond. It felt insurmountable, at first. Old emotions welled up in him though. The feeling of panic and helplessness that had overcome him the night Ryan died.
Anger over everything that had happened in that moment, and afterwards, surged within him. He drew on it pushing his body past anything he had ever done before. The link broke and a window appeared in his mind’s eye.
You have severed the pathway between Fernling (1 of 13) and the Beyond. Fernling can no longer draw on the energy of the Beyond.
It did not falter as this happened. Not until Eric’s partner shot it again. Instead of a pattern of neat little holes, this time it resulted in an implosion of flesh. A hole had been opened in the side of the hub. It fell to the ground, the tentacles and fronds withering in towards the center.
Another window replaced the first in his mind.
Rick Holmes has killed Fernling (1 of 13). Conversion will share fruitful gifts with Rick Holmes. Convert Fernling flesh into fruitful gifts?
[Yes] [No]
Breaking the link had brought on a whole new level of exhaustion on Grant. More than that it had driven forward his hunger into the forefront of his mind. He struggled trying to consider the options before him. The vagaries surrounding what ‘fruitful gifts’ might be escaped him though.
In the end the only thing his brain was able to process was that with one option he would get something, and with the other he would not. The hungry, tired, weakened animal part of his brain would not allow him to choose no.
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He selected yes, finalizing the selection with a thought. The corpse of the anomaly 4, the fernling, began to dissolve, as all of the physical anomalies did. The solid form began to liquify into black ooze. The resultant ooze began to dance upward like odd licks of flame.
At its base it was the same glossy black. At the tips of the ‘flames’ it shone with vibrant purple, blue, and green. These regions of the writhing mass began to evaporate into a visible gas. The reaction grew in intensity as it continued.
In every video Grant had seen it trailed upwards like smoke. Now though it split into two streams. One going towards him, the other towards Rick, Eric’s partner. Rick tried to dodge the incoming gas, but, not expecting it to be aiming for him, did not succeed.
It was inside of Grant in a Rush. He did not breathe it in, he did not need to. It sought its own way in, moving within his body under its own power. It had a taste, it reminded him of burnt meat and cold coffee. It did not taste of those things, but there was some similarity there that he couldn’t put into words.
Two windows appeared in his mind. He was able to look at either as he wished.
Fernling 1 of 13 has been killed by Rick Holmes.
You and Rick Holmes have each received:
* (3) Flesh of the Beyond
* (1) Floating Essence
* (1) Consuming Essence
* (1) Writhing Essence
Your reserves are dangerously depleted. (3) Flesh of the Beyond have been automatically consumed to aid in the restoration of your body. You still require more raw materials.
Rick stared at Grant for just a moment before turning back to the fight.
Grant felt relief from his aches and pains wash through his body like a cool wave. His hunger was sated, somewhat. He got out of the car. Before he was even standing up fully he reached out with Harbinger of the Beyond and severed the link of the fernling stalking Eric.
You have severed the pathway between Fernling (2 of 13) and the Beyond. Fernling can no longer draw on the energy of the Beyond.
It was easier, now that he had… Eaten? He paused for a moment to think through that. He had consumed a form of flesh, even if it had been transformed into a gas. Was that eating?
Not right now Grant! He thought. He shook his head.
Rick had moved up beside Eric. Eric, still on his belly from when he had dropped, had been waiting for the fernling to reemerge. As Rick came up beside him Eric got to his feet. Rick proceeded to the sidewalk.
Grant watched the two advance slowly as he caught his breath. As they started to pass the first car the fernling shot up and towards Rick.
They both fired but Eric fired first. The fernling dissolved into gas that rushed towards Grant and Eric. A familiar window popped up.
Eric Lee has killed Fernling (2 of 13). Conversion will share fruitful gifts with Rick Holmes. Convert Fernling flesh into fruitful gifts?
[Yes] [No]
Grant selected Yes again; in for a penny in for a pound. More similar windows popped up.
Fernling 2 of 13 has been killed by Eric Lee.
You and Eric Lee have each received:
* (2) Flesh of the Beyond
* (1) Floating Essence
* (1) Consuming Essence
* (1) Writhing Essence
* (1) Propagation Essence
Your reserves are depleted. (2) Flesh of the Beyond have been automatically consumed to aid in the restoration of your body. You still require more raw materials.
“What the fuck is this!” Eric shouted.
He had not seen the other monster dissolve or the gas rush towards Grant and Rick. Grant wondered if they would see the windows too.
“Don’t worry about the rectangle for now. Your friend will explain later, if he can.” Rick said.
I guess they do see them.
“I don’t really know!” Grant said.
His voice was still hoarse but much recovered from before.
The three of them looked out over the ongoing fire fight with the monsters. Six officers stood between the two cars containing the cultists.
The cultists were sitting placid inside the cars, their heads pointed directly at Grant. Grant could see their lips moving, He guessed that they were praying.
The officers were ducking behind the cars shooting the flying anomalies as they came close. The rest that were still moving were circling them from above trying to catch an opening to dive in on the massed officers.
Looking at the ground around the cars Grant could see downed officers and fernlings. Grant did not think the fernlings were dead, unlike the downed officers. He could feel the fernlings still drawing energy from the Beyond.
He assumed their defenses had been overwhelmed by enough shots to put them out of commission; the ones which were down were peppered liberally with neat puncture holes. How temporary, or not, that state was, was unknown.
“You wait here.” Rick said, not paying Grant anymore attention than that.
Rick and Eric advanced towards the other police officers in their makeshift bunker. They stayed low and pointed their guns at the anomalies in the air.
Grant reached out to break the links of the downed ones. He hoped they might die instantly and keep fueling him to get him to a point where he could disconnect all the ones still moving around.
He broke the link of the nearest fernling that was downed. It died instantly and he got another two windows.
Fernling 4 of 13 has died.
You have received:
* (7) Flesh of the Beyond
* (1) Floating Essence
* (1) Consuming Essence
* (1) Writhing Essence
* (1) Propagation Essence
Your reserves are depleted. (5) Flesh of the Beyond have been automatically consumed to aid in the restoration of your body. You have adequately refilled your reserves.
Grant felt great. He felt a little like he was high in fact. Euphoric, that was the word. He laughed a little. He started heading towards the fight. He took a measured pace, not crouching low with his head on a swivel like the police had, but like a man out for a walk.
He continued to break the links of the downed ones as he did. He got four more bringing the total dead to seven; six remained in the fight. The ‘loot’ windows kept appearing gaining him more Flesh of the Beyond, more of the same essences, and a few “Flesh Essences”.
Eric and Rick had advanced to the makeshift bunker and were joining in shooting at the circling fernlings. Rick took his eyes off the circling fernlings for a moment.
“Get the fuck back!” Rick shouted at him.
Neither Grant nor the Police had seen a fernling which had taken cover in the branches of a tree. It saw Grant though. As Grant stepped toward the firefight it darted out at him, seeing only that he was isolated.
Grant saw it with moments to spare. He tried to reach out with Harbinger of the Beyond but he didn't have enough time.
“Fuck.” The word fell out of his mouth, quiet and weak.
He tried to dodge by falling to the ground. The creature did fly past him by a bit, but not out of reach of its tentacles. They found purchase on his face and pulled the rest of it in towards him. With his hands still handcuffed behind his back, he was helpless to do anything but roll away from it on the ground.
He screamed for a moment. Even this was cut off as a few of the tentacles writhed down his throat. He had expected it to smell horribly, but all he smelled was a hint of ozone. It was otherwise tasteless and odorless.
It cinched itself tighter and tighter against his face. He could feel the beak pressing against him. It took a few exploratory nibbles.
Then it took a bite in earnest. The beak dug into him, it carved through his flesh like soft butter. It took part of his nose and caught his eye in its grip. He felt it drain and get dragged out of its socket.
The nerve stretched a moment before it detached. He was more aware of these facts than he would have expected. He wanted desperately to bring his hands up and pry this thing away from his face. The metal dug into his wrists as he pulled hard against them.
He felt the fronds beating wildly as if it were trying to take back to the sky. It wanted to carry him to some safer perch where it could devour him at its leisure.
Grant did the only thing left to him; he bit back.
—
In the back of the police car Eva sat, still aching from her brief encounter with the police. Despite her proclamation the weapons of the police had done significant harm. She had healed by the blessed power of Grant’s blood. That healing had come with a cost though. She was feeling weak.
They had placed her in the back of the police car with Hannah. They had assumed to sort them by gender instead of into the holy fellowships set by the Father. Blasphemers, all of them.
She had watched what she could see of what was happening. All she could see with her Beyond Sight was the trials God had sent, and Grant, the Harbinger.
She knew the trials as fernlings. God had imparted her this understanding along with more of those creatures that would be emerging to test them. These ones were of the weaker variety.
The light of the fernlings had been weak compared to that of the opening into the realm of god. Grant’s own light was also weak; weaker than it should have been though. He was a dampened flame.
That was partly her fault. They had chased him and attacked him with their weapons.
He had flared as he and the police defeated a pair of the fernlings. It grew as he absorbed those on the ground, laid low by the guns of the police.
Though her power was weaker than his, even when she was empowered by his presence, she tried her best to sever the links the beasts had to the realm of God. She struggled for a moment before giving up.
To her horror, the fernling whose link she had tried to break came not to strike her down for her failure, but headed towards the Harbinger. She watched and tried again furiously to break the link.
“Hannah help me break the link!” She screamed.
“I’m trying!” She screamed back, a tremble in her voice.
It was not obvious if it was from the great effort or fear for the Harbinger.
The link did not budge. She watched as the abomination began to eat the Harbinger’s face. Had they, had she, failed him so soon?
Her fear was banished by the Harbinger. Humbled once again by his power, and the power of God. He was eating the fernling even as it ate him. She smiled, how could she have doubted?
“Reach out with me again Sister, the Harbinger is strong but we must be too.” She said, her voice calm now.