CHAPTER 18 - 18 - WORLD CHANGING (PART 1)

Chapter 18 - World Changing (Part 1)

"BREAKING: We have just received news that unidentified creatures have attacked several cities around the world!"

The headline was written in big, bold letters, catching Jack's attention immediately. He blinked slowly, staring at the screen. His hand moved almost on its own, clicking on the article. A live stream began playing instantly.

Onscreen, surveillance and aerial footage from helicopters flickered in and out, showing terrifying scenes from across the globe. In every frame, monstrously large creatures rampaged through cities, destroying everything in their path.

People ran like headless chickens, screaming and sobbing as they were assaulted from every direction. Explosions erupted on every street corner. Thick black smoke coiled into the sky from burning buildings.

It was hell on Earth.

"Save me!! Save me!!"

Reporters on the ground scrambled to record as much footage as they could, their cameras shaking wildly.

"W-We don't know what's happening! There are so many things attacking—AGH! NO! NOOO!!!"

The footage cut out just as a monstrous silhouette appeared from nowhere, letting out a deafening roar.

Jack and Lune watched in shocked silence. Neither of them could believe what they were seeing. It defied reason.

More reports poured in, listing newer and newer cities under attack. Every continent was being struck simultaneously, and in Jack's head, the metaphorical clock kept ticking, faster and faster.

"What is going on?" he whispered. "Those are Aevum creatures, aren't they? What are they doing on Earth? How did they get here?"

He turned quickly to Lune—the only one who might know something—but she was just as stunned and confused.

"What is happening, Lune? What the hell is this?"

"I... I don't know." She held her head, distressed. "This didn't happen before. I've never heard of monsters reaching Earth. It never occurred in my timeline!"

"...What?"

"I've never heard of anything like this. It's simply not possible for monsters to come here. The connection between Earth and Aevum is only one-way—except in extremely rare, extreme cases. This shouldn't be possible!"

Even as she spoke, her thoughts spiraled.

'It can't be. Portals can't just appear and pull creatures through. That would take an absurd amount of Time Essence—enough to send thousands of beings? Impossible.'

"You can't be serious." Jack clicked his tongue and glanced back at the stream. Chaos filled the screen. Each new scene, each new devastated city, only made his dread worse. His fists clenched tightly.

"Did the future change, Lune? Huh? Did something cause the future to change?"

"I... I don't know."

"Then who would?" His eyes bore into her. "Damn it."

Suddenly, Jack sprang to his feet. "We need to leave. Right now. There's no way these things haven't already reached this ci—"

BOOOOOOM!

Before he could even finish, a thunderous explosion rocked the house. Jack stumbled, barely keeping his balance. Heart racing, he rushed to the window.

In the distance, smoke billowed into the night sky. The unmistakable sound of panicked screams carried through the air, flooding the neighborhood with terror.

"They're already here."

Cursing under his breath, Jack spun around and bolted toward his parents' room.

He knocked frantically. "Mother! Father! Are you in th—"

He threw open the door—only to find the room completely empty.

"Where are they?" he muttered, scanning the room with growing anxiety.

"Are they still working?" Lune asked, worry etched across her face.

"No... They never stay out this late." Jack's voice was dazed, uncertain. "Can you look for them, Lune? Do you have any ability to sense where they are?"

"...I-I'm sorry, Jack, I can't. There's no Time Essence here for me to use to expand my senses. I can only rely on what's inside my body."

'This is bad. Really bad.'

Jack's thoughts spiraled. Just minutes ago, everything had been normal—peaceful. Now, the world was falling apart around them, and he had no idea how it happened so fast.

Without wasting another second, he turned and sprinted down the stairs. "I can't stay here. The monsters will reach this area any moment."

"Do you have a place to hide?" Lune asked.

"I'll figure something out. There are a few spots I can us—"

ROOOOOOAR!

A monstrous screech cut him off. It was loud, guttural, and horrifying.

"HELP!! HELP!!! AAAAAAGH!!!"

BOOOM!

"No! No!!!"

Screams echoed just outside, mingling with the sickening sound of bones breaking and structures collapsing. Chaos was knocking on their very door.

And then it did.

The front door slammed violently, shaking on its hinges. Jack took an instinctive step back—just before a second slam tore a hole clean through it.

Through the gap, Jack saw a dark creature pressing against the frame, trying to force its way inside.

"Jack! Hide, now!" Lune yelled.

But Jack couldn't move. He was frozen, staring at the door as it was torn apart. A third slam shattered the last of the hinges. The door flew inward like a missile.

Jack dove to the side.

BANG!

The door crashed into the floor, leaving a deep mark in the wood. Then the monster entered.

Though partially shrouded by the night, Jack could still make it out—and it was horrifying.

The creature resembled a four-legged beast, something between a dog and a feline. Its body was skeletal, hairless, with wrinkled skin stretched tight over its bones. It stood half as tall as Jack, with a grotesquely large, gaping mouth. Its head and forehead were riddled with pitch-black eyes, like a spider's.

Saliva dripped from its fangs as it heaved, staring hungrily at Jack. Its mere presence made his heart race and his spine crawl.

"Jack! Don't just stand there! Move!" Lune shouted, preparing to fly to his aid.

But before she could reach him, the creature lunged.

Jack gritted his teeth and took a stance.

"No, you won't."

He recalled Lune's training. As the monster pounced, he swept forward and struck its neck with the edge of his palm—quick and forceful.

But—

"Be careful!" Lune cried.

Jack's heart dropped. His attack had little effect. The monster hit the ground but rolled up almost immediately, charging again.

'It did no damage.'

Eyes narrowing, Jack grabbed the nearest chair and swung it down hard.

BANG!

The chair exploded into pieces on the monster's back.

"ROAR!!"

Still, the beast snapped its jaws, aiming for his leg.

'No.' Jack leaned back and launched a precise kick into the creature's jaw.

It yelped in pain and fell on its back.

Jack didn't waste the moment. He grabbed another chair and began slamming it down.

"Rah!" he shouted, hitting it over and over. The chair broke on the second strike, but he kept going—using the broken legs and splinters to stab and bash the monster with everything he had.

Blood began to ooze from its twitching body. The monster finally went limp... but Jack didn't stop. He kept swinging, kept stabbing, until its skull was nothing but pulp and gore.

"That's enough, my love. It's dead!" Lune called, grabbing his arm gently.

Jack's breath came in heavy gasps. He blinked and looked up, clarity slowly returning to his eyes.

"You killed it, Jack."

He looked down at the mutilated corpse. Blood was everywhere—on the floor, on the walls, on his hands and face.

"What... just happened?" he whispered.

'I completely lost track of everything when it attacked.'

He dropped the splintered wood and stared at his trembling hands.

'That was close. It nearly bit my leg. That would've been a disaster.'

Despite the adrenaline still coursing through him, Jack was strangely calm. Even during the fight, he hadn't panicked. All he remember was how a weird switch instantly clicked in his head and instead of deciding to run... He decided to fight.

'What was that there? I didn't feel like myself at all.' He asked only to quickly realize that it was pointless to do that.

"I need to leave. This house isn't safe anymore," he said, stepping past the corpse.

And then—

[Time has found you.]

[Essence is seeping into your body.]

[Awakening begins.]