The sun had fully risen, casting its warm light across the land as the day began.
Ethan arrived at the edge of Angeles National Forest, ready to investigate the fallen teorite and figure out what was really going on. Without hesitation, he activated his cloaking ability and slipped into the dense forest.
Using his mory of the teorite's trajectory from the night before, he headed in the direction it had fallen. But the mont he stepped into the forest, sothing felt... off.
The deep valleys, usually serene, were alive with bursts of activity. Birds were startled into flight, and the occasional blood-curdling cries of mutated beasts echoed through the trees. It was as if sothing was tearing through the forest like a swarm of locusts, leaving chaos in its wake.
Ethan quickened his pace, heading straight toward the source of the commotion.
The atmosphere in the forest was tense. Smaller mutated creatures were fleeing in panic, darting past him as if their lives depended on it. Mutated raccoons, mule deer, and even a California kingsnake as thick as a barrel slithered away in terror.
"What's got you all so spooked?" Ethan muttered, not bothering to stop them. Sothing big was happening in the forest, that much was clear. A new predator had likely erged, throwing the food chain into disarray.
As he moved deeper, the signs of carnage beca more apparent. The ground was littered with the remains of larger mutated beasts—coyotes, mountain lions—all stripped clean of flesh, leaving behind only gleaming white skeletons.
Ethan crouched down to examine one of the bones. It wasn't just clean—it was unnervingly clean. Tiny bite marks covered the surface, evidence of sothing small but nurous.
"Mutated rats…" he murmured, piecing it together.
Rats were typically low on the food chain, their small size and lack of significant abilities keeping them from being a real threat. Even if they mutated, they rarely reached a power level that could rival other predators. And a whole colony mutating? Practically unheard of. Normally, they'd still be at the bottom of the hierarchy, scavenging for scraps.
But here? The evidence was undeniable. Corpses were everywhere, even an entire pack of mutated coyotes had been wiped out. The rats weren't just surviving—they were dominating.
"They've gone completely berserk," Ethan thought, his mind racing. "Looks like that teorite's got so serious power…"
Just as he was processing this, a faint buzzing sound caught his attention. Looking up, he spotted several drones zipping through the treetops, heading deeper into the forest.
"Humans are on this too, huh?" Ethan muttered, intrigued. Things were definitely getting interesting. He decided to follow the drones, curious to see where they were headed.
After about ten minutes of trekking, he reached the heart of Angeles National Forest. The area was bustling with activity. Human activity.
Ard personnel in Genesis Biotech combat gear patrolled the periter of a massive crater, their alloy weapons glinting in the sunlight. The crater, about thirty feet in diater, was surrounded by teams of researchers and an Awakeners squad. A few scientists in lab coats were crouched in the dirt, sifting through the soil as if searching for sothing.
"The teorite's not here anymore," an older scientist with graying hair announced, standing up and dusting off his hands.
"What? Then where the hell is it?" a woman nearby asked, her tone sharp. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail, her bronze skin marked by a scar running across her right eye, giving her a fierce, no-nonsense look. This was Samantha Reed, the captain of the Awakeners squad, tasked with protecting the researchers and recovering the teorite.
The older scientist adjusted his glasses. "It's likely been taken… by the rats."
Samantha blinked, montarily at a loss for words. "You're telling a bunch of rats made off with a teorite?"
The scientist nodded. "Based on their behavior and the evidence we've gathered, their nest is nearby. If we wait, they'll probably co back."
"And how long is that gonna take?" Samantha asked, clearly frustrated.
"Depends on when they're done eating," the scientist replied matter-of-factly.
Samantha let out a long sigh, clearly unimpressed. Staying in the forest for too long wasn't ideal—mutated animals and plants were everywhere, and the longer they lingered, the more dangerous it beca.
The researchers eventually left the crater and headed toward a makeshift tent set up nearby. Ethan, watching from the shadows, couldn't help but smirk. "They even set up tents? What, planning to move in?"
It was clear that Genesis Biotech wasn't taking any chances. Sophia, the head of the organization, must've deed this teorite a high-priority target.
The team she'd sent was no joke—twenty ard personnel, five Awakeners, and even two second-generation cyborgs stationed outside the tent. Their glowing green eyes scanned the surroundings, constantly on alert.
Ethan stood still, his mind racing as he calculated the best way to deal with the humans while maximizing his own advantage. But just as he was about to finalize a plan, a strange sensation crept over him—sothing felt... off.
He turned his head slightly, scanning his surroundings, and then he saw it.
Perched on the thick branch of an ancient tree was a massive owl, its body easily over two feet tall. Its round, unblinking eyes were locked onto the tent below, an eerie intensity radiating from its gaze. What caught Ethan's attention even more was the glint in its eyes—sothing dark, sothing far too cunning for a creature like this.
"What the hell is that?" Ethan muttered under his breath, his curiosity piqued. He was glad he hadn't acted rashly. Clearly, the teorite hadn't just drawn him and the humans—it had attracted... sothing else.
The forest was turning into a circus of competing interests. And now Ethan couldn't help but wonder—was the owl alone? Or were there other unknown forces lurking nearby, waiting for their mont?
As he pondered, a group of ard patroln wandered beneath the tree where the owl was perched. They were chatting casually, their weapons slung over their shoulders.
"Hold up, I gotta take a leak," one of them said, stopping abruptly.
His teammate turned to him with a smirk. "Man, what's with you lately? You've been peeing nonstop. What, too much action in the bedroom? Kidney's giving out on you?"
"Shut up, man. It's nothing like that," the guy replied, laughing awkwardly. "You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up in a minute."
The teammate hesitated, frowning. "I don't know, dude. This place is sketchy as hell. What if sothing jumps you while you're, you know, mid-stream?"
"Co on, it's just a quick piss. What's the worst that could happen? Besides, I can't go with you all standing around staring at . Just go, I'll be fine."
"Alright, whatever," the teammate relented, shaking his head. The group moved on, leaving the man alone under the tree.
The man hurried over to the base of the tree, fumbling with his combat gear. As he unzipped his pants and began relieving himself, a look of pure relief spread across his face. The sound of water hitting the ground echoed faintly in the quiet forest.
But he didn't notice the danger above him.
The owl, still perched on the branch, shifted slightly. Its piercing gaze never wavered as it watched the man through the gaps in the leaves. Then, without warning, it spread its massive wings and dove silently toward its target.
"Huh?" The man heard the faint rustle of movent and instinctively looked up. His eyes widened in horror as the enormous owl ca hurtling toward him. He opened his mouth to scream, but before he could make a sound, the owl's head tilted unnaturally to the side, and sothing grotesque happened.
A long, snake-like tendril shot out from the owl's neck, whipping through the air and wrapping tightly around the man's mouth.
"Mmmph! Mmmphhh!" The man's muffled cries were barely audible as he struggled, his hands clawing at the slimy appendage. But the tendril wasn't done. It forced its way between his teeth, prying his jaw open as it slithered deeper into his throat.
"Guhhh!" The man gagged violently, his face turning pale as veins bulged on his forehead. His body convulsed, his knees buckling under the overwhelming sensation of choking.
The tendril seized the opportunity, sliding further into his body with a sickening squelch. In one swift motion, it disappeared entirely, leaving no trace of its presence.
The man froze, his body stiff as a board. For a mont, there was nothing but silence. Then, with a series of unsettling cracks and pops, his posture straightened unnaturally. The look of terror on his face lted away, replaced by an eerie calm. His lips curled into the faintest of smiles, so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
"Hsss..." He let out a soft, shuddering breath, his body trembling slightly as if from the aftereffects of relief. To anyone watching, it might've looked like nothing more than a post-pee shiver.
...
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