MAGNUS DEI SYSTEM: CRIMSON RESOLVE

CHAPTER 8: FATAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE KING CRAWLER

“Alexander wake up!”

Alex opened his eyes as an echo of his mother's voice reverberated in his head.

Emotions raved within him, and he pulled himself close to the bathroom wall, hugging his knees.

“I don't want this anymore!” His lips trembled, and his body shivered.

“Resurrection, survival, death…” The list was endless. “I don't want any more of it.”

He bit his tongue to prevent the screams from ripping out of his throat.

Twenty passed as he maintained the same position until the clock in front of him chimed.

Alex looked up, “7 hours to go.” He muttered to himself.

If he waited this out, he could finally leave.

He pulled the backpack closer.

“I need to get more supplies for Trent. If we are going to find my father.” 

They would need more food. Alex didn't know if he would be able to leave with the supplies he was gathering, but it was best to try.

He picked a silver food pouch and tore it open.

‘Just add water.’ The label said.

“If that's all it takes.” Alex raised the bottle of water, allowing a small stream to pour on what looked like a thick block of cement.

He watched how the block sucked up the moisture, turning into a creamy-like mixture.

“Disgusting smell…” Alex crinkled his nose, but he had no choice.

The first bite burned his tongue, but he didn't care.

It was good enough and that was all that mattered.

In the next ten minutes, Alex walked out of the hotel room.

What he found in that basement was not enough if they were going to look for his father in the whole Outer Region.

“Wait for me, Trent. I'd be back soon, and then I can finally repay my debt.” Alex muttered, walking out of the hotel.

The harsh wind hit him on the face, but Alex didn't plan on giving up.

“Medicines, weapons, food, clothes.” He muttered as he ran, but he made sure to stay under cover.

It was strange that the streets were rather empty, but Alex didn't think much of it.

He appreciated the convenience instead.

Then he sighted it.

“A Pharmacy!” Alex was elated. “Such luck.” He smiled to himself.

Crouching beside a car parked outside the building, Alex looked around.

This was his chance.

There was nothing in sight.

Not a crawler, nor a human.

It looked too good to be true.

“Something's not right.” Alex wondered to himself, but the drugs behind the windows seemed to call out to him.

Trent was wounded, and if they needed to go far, he would need one of those drugs and those items.

Alex looked around for the umpteenth time, and he rushed forward.

His movements were sharp until he reached the broken-down door of the pharmacy.

Most of the shelves had fallen over, but his eyes still moved, marking the medicines that looked familiar according to what he had studied.

“Found it.” With a new resolve, Alex stepped forward.

Unfortunately, there was a line, and just as he tripped past it, a wide alarm resounded in the whole street.

It was like a police siren was amplified ten times its normal sound.

“What on earth-” Alex took a step back, frozen in place.

A roar blared in response to the alarm sound. The ground thundered heavily.

“Come on, body! Move.” Alex’s voice was caught in his throat, and his fingers dug into his palms, hoping the pain would divert his brain from the fear.

If he didn't move soon enough, he would die.

That beast was approaching, and he was the target.

There was no time to be bitter toward the owner of the trap.

In the next breath, Alex gasped, forcing fear out of his mind. 

His head felt like it was being hammered as he rushed for the pile of drugs scattered on the floor.

Alex forcefully tuned out the deafening quakes and threatening roars while he searched for the drugs.

“Where are the coolers?” Alex moved frantically, opening drawers after the other.

He opened his backpack and threw in various drugs.

The bandages, the gloves, plasters, inhalers, and painkillers.

As soon as his eyes spotted anything familiar, they went into the bag.

Alex looked out the window. The quakes were getting closer.

He knew it was that beast, but he couldn't spot it. 

“Is it hiding?” He muttered, zipping his bag close.

Above his head was the timer; he had four hours to go.

Alex rushed out of the pharmacy, but something felt out of place.

‘Why was everywhere suddenly quiet?’

The moment the thought appeared in his mind, a black shape blocked the sky above him, tore through the clouds, and slammed onto the pharmacy.

The building flattened instantly, and a shockwave rippled out, slamming into the body of Alex.

Alex’s chest took the blow, and he was thrown back with full force.

His body landed on the heavy floor, rolling across it before it slammed into a car.

Alex gasped, and in reflex, his hand came to his mouth, but it was unable to stop the blood that rushed out.

“What the–” Alex exhaled. His body felt like a rag doll.

With another cough, he rolled over and vomited blood.

His arms shook as he tried to push himself up. Something warm was running down his face. 

Blood, maybe. He didn't care.

“Move.”

His muscles didn't listen, but his ears were working.

He heard the heavy sound of sharp claws on concrete as it drew close to him.

“Please get up.” Alex spat the taste of blood into the dirt and lifted his body off the ground.

That beast was coming closer, but it had slowed down.

It was probably because it knew this new prey had nowhere to run.

Alex heaved and powered his body.

“I have to run.” He ran like he wanted, but it looked more like limping.

He raised his hand, wiping the blood that dripped in his eyes, before he tried looking for the right hiding place.

He had to leave the supplies; there was no way he could carry them with this broken body.

No matter how he tried to ignore it, he could still hear the soft breathing behind him.

Alex didn't look back. Looking back gets you killed.

Then he dashed into the closest building, a broken-down store.

He ran and sat down, hiding behind the bar counter, and his hand covered his mouth.

Alex could smell the rottenness of that monster.

It was close. Too close for comfort.

“Please.” Alex squinted his eyes; the timer read less than three hours.

The screeching on the ground got closer before it stopped.

The beast snarled; it could smell its prey, but strangely, it couldn't see it.

And because of that, it raged. Arms flying over and claws pulling down the building.

It passed by the store and continued its rampage.

It was working. Alex pressed his sleeve to his nose, trying to block the effect of the dry air.

However, nothing could be done for what happened next.

A coughing fit escaped his lips, raw, dry and loud.

And before he could stop it, it was too late.