My mind took a second to process it. I turned sharply, scanning my surroundings for any sign of danger, and that’s when I heard a deafening roar behind me. The explosion had begun just a few houses away from mine.

Without time to think, I raised my hands and materialized a massive wall, strong enough to shield the entire area and contain the blast. The vibration of the explosion shook the wall violently, but I managed to keep it stable while I sprinted toward my house. In an instant, I rushed through the door, found my parents, and grabbed them in my arms, pulling them away from the danger before the fire reached our home. Tears burned my eyes, but I didn’t stop. Moving faster than I’d ever experienced, I materialized various figures resembling firefighters, their faces obscured, and evacuated neighbors one by one, ensuring they were out of harm’s way.

Finally, with my heart pounding and a mix of relief and horror coursing through me, I leapt to the top of the wall to assess the chaos beyond. The sight left me breathless. The devastation was absolute—flames and rubble covered the ground, and the air was thick with ash and death.

Before I could react, an incandescent glow streaked toward me at deadly speed. I barely managed to shield myself with my arms as the searing heat came within millimeters of my face. The anomaly had emerged from the flames, seemingly made of fire itself, an infernal being bent on destruction. Its edges flickered and throbbed like beating flames, growing and pulsing with relentless fury, trying to incinerate everything in its path.

I gritted my teeth, enduring the scorching pain that burned through my sleeves, while anger surged within me like a storm.

The rage and pain mingled, driving me to act. With my arms still ablaze, I focused my energy and summoned a winged creature behind the anomaly. Its massive, powerful wings unfurled, and with a thunderous roar that echoed through the burning chaos, it struck the anomaly with a force that sent it hurtling into the sky.

I didn’t waste a second. As the anomaly regained control mid-air, I materialized another creature, faster this time, slamming into it again and launching it like a blazing projectile into the ruins below. Seizing those precious seconds, I inspected my arms. The skin was severely burned, but focusing my aura, I wrapped the injuries in energy, feeling the relief as the burns began to heal.

A fiery blast snapped me out of my brief reprieve. A fireball was coming straight at me. Without hesitation, I conjured another creature in front of me; its massive, dark silhouette intercepted the impact, absorbing the explosion. The flames consumed it instantly, and it disintegrated, but the attack had been stopped. I was ready for whatever came next, though part of me couldn’t quite believe this was happening on my own street.

From the other side of the wall, I heard voices shouting my name. Turning quickly, I saw Axel and Ángela, looking at me with concern. I dissolved the massive wall of aura, and before the anomaly could react, I sent a few of my creatures to harass and distract it.

Axel and Ángela ran toward me, speaking hurriedly.

—Evacuation is already underway. Are you okay, Ángel? —Axel asked, his eyes darting to my arms.

—I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. This anomaly is likely divine-level, —I replied, trying to keep calm even as anger and pain coursed through me—. You won’t stand a chance against it, so I’ll handle it alone. Focus on the evacuation and rescuing as many people as you can.

Axel shot me a doubtful look, pointing at my arms, but before he could say anything, the burns had already healed, my aura taking care of the damage.

—What burns? —I said, managing a faint smile to reassure them.

But Ángela wasn’t so easily convinced; her sharp gaze locked onto mine, seeing through the calm exterior to the fury simmering beneath. Her expression hardened as she stepped back and nodded seriously.

—I’ll do my best, Ángel. You’re not alone, —she murmured before turning away.

Suddenly, Ángela shouted something, and I felt the heat on the back of my neck; an attack was headed straight for me. Without even turning, I extended a hand and swiftly deflected the scorching flames, dispersing them in an arc that dissolved into the air. More explosions echoed around us, but my eyes remained fixed on the anomaly, the fire reflected in my pupils.

Axel stood frozen for a moment, his jaw dropping at what he had just witnessed—the trail of fire dissipated with a simple gesture of my hand. Without saying another word, he nodded, a mix of awe and respect on his face, before hurrying to join Ángela in the evacuation. Watching them retreat, I turned back to the devastation spreading around me. The anomaly had reduced everything to rubble and flames; the street where I had grown up was now a battlefield of destruction, filled with charred memories.

I closed my eyes and recalled a special training session with Aura, one reserved only for our category. She had spoken of The Other Side, an alternate dimension mirroring ours in every detail—every building, every street, every corner—but devoid of human life. It was a desolate place, a lifeless reflection of reality. She had explained that, in extreme cases, anomalous of our level could access this realm, a kind of alternate battlefield, perfect for unleashing our full potential without endangering civilians. This place is a precious resource, Ángel, she had said solemnly. Only the divines can access and manipulate it to face extraordinarily powerful anomalies.

I took a deep breath, letting the memory settle in my mind. Perhaps this was the moment to test that place, to drag the anomaly into The Other Side and fight this battle where chaos and destruction wouldn’t harm anyone else.

I walked toward the anomaly, every muscle tensed, breathing deeply to keep my rage in check. Before me, the fiery creature writhed, overflowing with energy, its blazing gaze fixed on my every move as it continued fending off my materializations. I exhaled, and my creations vanished into the air, leaving only me. The weight of my voice was firm and resonant as I called out to it with an intensity I didn’t bother to hide.

Behind me, I opened a portal to The Other Side, that desolate realm, the perfect place to end this fight without endangering anyone else. The anomaly stared at me, as if sensing the void beyond the portal, the infinite silence to which I intended to drag it. In that moment, it let out a roar and lunged toward me.

With a sigh of determination, I allowed my body to dissolve into the shadows beneath my feet, merging with them and reemerging right behind the creature, from the shadow it cast. The anomaly sensed me and saw the portal, trying to stop itself, but it was too late. With all the strength I could muster, I delivered a direct kick to its back, sending it hurtling forward. It passed through the portal, and with a twist of my hand, the threshold closed immediately, leaving the chaos and devastation of my world behind.

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In a blink, the world fell silent, and before me lay only the hollow shadow of that empty reflection, The Other Side, where the anomaly and I could unleash our full power without any collateral damage.

A chill ran down my spine as, in the distance, a fiery explosion roared with intensity. The anomaly was near and furious. Its rage spread like a storm, and with each passing second, I could feel it growing stronger, more aware. Suddenly, amidst a resounding crash that echoed in The Other Side’s void, its voice, filled with hatred, reached me.

—Where the hell have you taken me? —it growled, each word dripping with disdain—. Who are you?

My mind went blank for a second. The anomaly spoke, with a consciousness and a depth of resentment that almost seemed human. I remembered what Aura had told me—that only the highest-ranked anomalies developed such dense essences, capable of questioning and evolving, becoming stronger and smarter over time. Without missing a beat, I observed its category to confirm my suspicion: indeed, it matched my rank.

As I processed this information, the ground beneath my feet began to tremble. Then, with a deafening roar, an enormous serpent burst from the depths. I recognized the beast instantly: it was one of my worst nightmares. It destroyed everything in its path, its metallic scales and razor-sharp teeth exuding a tangible terror as it lunged directly at the anomaly, ready to tear it apart.

—I’m just Ángel, a divine-ranked anómala sent to eliminate scum like you. That’s all.

The anomaly dodged the serpent’s attack with surprising agility, and as it landed, a thunderous sound marked the beginning of its counterattack. The ground started to crack, with fissures splitting open as if from the very center of hell. A fiery blaze, as dense and fierce as molten lava, emerged from the cracks, spreading and consuming everything in its wake. Structures collapsed into dust and ash, leaving behind a smoldering crater of destruction.

I quickly took to the air to avoid the advancing flames, materializing creatures of various shapes and sizes to confront it. I decided to use those based on my own fire nightmares, enhancing their resistance to the heat emanating from the anomaly. Several fire beasts launched a fierce offensive against it while I closed in at full speed, summoning a luminous sword that seemed to extend with every passing second. I attacked in perfect synchronization with my creatures, striking from every direction.

The anomaly, though under siege, reacted with astonishing speed. A burst of its infernal flames consumed the creatures lacking fire resistance, shattering them into scattered fragments of energy. Even the serpent was devoured by its blazing power. I barely had time to react before feeling the searing heat reach me. Flames engulfed my left arm and part of my torso, the intense pain burning beyond what I could endure.

I tried to control my breathing, focusing on extinguishing the fire with my aura, but every movement reminded me of the urgency of the situation.

Despite the burns and the excruciating pain, I took a deep breath, concentrating on not losing control. I saw the anomaly advancing with twisted arrogance, its eyes filled with fury and its flames intensifying as if feeding on its own hatred.

Quickly, I summoned a dense barrier around myself to create a moment’s respite and to alleviate the burning in my wounds. I gripped the sword in my hand, letting the energy of my aura flow through every exhausted muscle. I remembered Aura’s words: “True strength lies not only in what you can summon but in how much you can endure without losing yourself.”

I closed my eyes and focused on projecting something much bigger. In the darkness of my mind, the image of a creature forming was almost tangible, its essence so powerful it reverberated in my chest. When I opened my eyes, a colossal beast materialized behind me—a monstrous figure twice my size, its body covered in skin as black as obsidian. It seemed to consume light itself, overshadowing the anomaly’s flames.

The creature roared and charged at the anomaly, absorbing the fire it hurled against it as though every attack only made it stronger. Seizing the distraction, I also moved in, tracing an arc with the sword that left a silver streak in the air. It was now or never. The anomaly turned toward me, its flames burning even hotter. I knew that if I wanted to defeat it, I would have to attack with everything I had, holding nothing back.

I leapt toward it, channeling my energy into a direct strike against its fiery aura, while the creature I had summoned attacked from the other side, crushing it with a blow that resounded like thunder.

The anomaly screamed in pain as the colossus struck it. In the silence that followed, I watched its flames weaken, as though being devoured from within. I knew it wasn’t over yet, so I took a few steps back, never taking my eyes off it. The anomaly struggled to rise, its movements clumsy, and in a last-ditch effort to attack, it unleashed a fiery explosion in all directions.

My reflexes made me instinctively shield myself, but then I felt the pressure in the air dissipate. When I looked, the anomaly was losing its form. Its body dissolved into tiny black particles that floated toward the sky like ashes in the wind. The battle was over.

The adrenaline began to subside, and an overwhelming exhaustion set in, but a sense of relief and triumph gave me the strength to stay on my feet. I took a deep breath, surveying the field of destruction around us in the other side of that dimension, where chaos and silence intertwined. I knew this was only the beginning, but for now, I had fulfilled my duty.

I turned and opened a portal back, recalling the image of my parents, Axel, and Ángela, who were surely still waiting for me on the other side.

As I stepped through the portal, I felt the weight of the other side begin to fade, replaced by the fresh air and the flickering lights of sirens on the street. The scene was shocking: collapsed buildings, overturned vehicles, and firefighters working to extinguish the last remnants of the flames. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about how close my parents had been to this horror.

Axel and Ángela saw me emerge from the portal and ran toward me. Their expressions were a mix of relief and surprise, though they tried to mask it with an air of normalcy.

—Everything okay? —Axel asked, looking me up and down as if searching for visible injuries.

—Yes, all good. I took care of it; it won’t threaten anyone again for now —I replied, my voice trembling slightly.

Ángela gave me a pat on the shoulder and flashed me a smile of approval.

—We saw you in action from here at that last moment before you disappeared —she said—. I don’t know how you did it, but... it was impressive, Ángel. You achieved what seemed impossible in so little time.

I could barely process their words; my mind was still elsewhere. I needed to see my parents, to make sure they were truly safe. I barely gave Axel and Ángela a nod of farewell before I began walking toward my house. The weight of exhaustion bore down on every step, but I didn’t care.

When I arrived, I saw my parents waiting at the door, their faces filled with worry. When they saw me, my mother let out a sigh of relief and ran to embrace me.

—Son... I thought we’d lost you —she said, her voice choked with tears.

I hugged them tightly, letting myself sink into that moment of peace I so desperately needed. Although the danger had passed, that night had been one of the hardest of my life.

After a while, as I stepped into the house, I felt the weight of the entire battle—the flames, the fury of the anomaly, and my own fears. But seeing my parents safe and sound made me realize it had all been worth it.

That night, they let me stay home. After everything that had happened, I felt a peace I hadn't experienced in a long time. I fell asleep remembering the look of relief on my parents' faces, grateful to be with them, even if only for a few hours.