Chapter 16: The Plague of Mutations

  The sound of screeching winds and distant, muffled cries echoed through the dilapidated city streets as Adrian, Mike, Sarah, and Eva made their way toward the Mandaue District. The air felt thick, oppressive, and laden with the weight of something dire, something yet to fully reveal itself. The world had always been unpredictable since the Cosmic Tides began, but this... this felt different.

  As they moved past burned-out buildings and crumbled concrete, Adrian’s thoughts were focused not on the mission ahead, but on the unsettling silence. It was as though the city itself was holding its breath. There was no sign of the usual mutant Aswangs, no strange energy surges. But there was something lingering—a growing sense of unease.

  “Adrian,” Sarah said softly, her voice breaking the silence, “I’ve been tracking something strange in the energy signature. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before.”

  Adrian glanced at her, a deep sense of foreboding settling in his gut. “What do you mean?”

  “There’s a shift in the energy,” Sarah continued, her brow furrowed as she looked at the screen of her portable device. “I’m picking up a... a mutation in the way the System is adapting. It’s... not right. It’s like the System’s been trying to compensate for something—recalibrating something new.”

  “What are we dealing with here?” Mike asked, his tone sharp. He had seen his fair share of strange anomalies during the past months of survival, but nothing had felt like this before.

  Sarah tapped a few more keys. “It’s a mutation, but it’s not the usual type we’ve encountered. This one seems... intentional. Like the Aswangs are evolving faster than they should be. There’s a new kind—one that’s spreading faster than the others.”

  Adrian’s thoughts raced, piecing together the implications. Mutations were dangerous, yes, but they were also a sign of the System’s constant recalibration. It wasn’t just the monsters changing—it was the very environment they were fighting in.

  Eva, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up, her voice tinged with concern. “Are we talking about a new strain of Aswangs? Or is this something... different?”

  Sarah hesitated for a moment before replying. “It’s different. I’ve been analyzing the data, and I think I’ve found a new variant of Aswang. It’s... a Spore-Spitter.”

  Mike narrowed his eyes. “A what?”

  “A Spore-Spitter,” Sarah repeated, pulling up a more detailed image on her device. The screen flickered, displaying an image of a grotesque creature—its body covered in dark, spore-like growths, and its mouth lined with jagged teeth. Thick, black liquid dripped from its mouth, a toxic substance that seethed and hissed against the ground.

  Adrian frowned, feeling a chill crawl up his spine. “What makes this one different from the others?”

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  Sarah’s fingers tapped over the screen, and a new set of data appeared. “The Spore-Spitter releases highly contagious spores that infect both humans and Aswangs. It’s not just a matter of physical damage. These spores are capable of mutating their hosts, causing permanent changes in their biology. If the infection isn’t treated, it leads to a slow, painful death.”

  Adrian’s eyes hardened. “We can’t let this spread.”

  Sarah nodded grimly. “I’ve been tracking infected areas, but they’re spreading quickly. The spores are airborne, and the Aswangs carrying them are becoming more aggressive. It’s like they’re being controlled.”

  Adrian didn’t waste another second. “We need to find a cure. Is there any way to treat it?”

  Eva stepped forward, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve. “There is one way. A specific Resonance-type can reverse the mutation, but it requires Pure Radiation. I’ve been experimenting with my own abilities, but I haven’t perfected it yet.”

  Adrian looked at her, his expression softening. “Then we’ll find a way. We can’t afford to wait for it to get worse.”

  Mike’s voice came low and steady. “Where do we find the infected?”

  Sarah turned toward him. “I’ve pinpointed a cluster of Spore-Spitters near the Mandaue District Hospital. If we don’t stop them there, they’ll spread to the rest of the city.”

  Adrian exhaled, his decision already made. “We’re going in. Eva, you stay close. We need to neutralize the threat and make sure we’re prepared to treat any infected.”

  Eva nodded, her gaze steady. “I’ll do what I can.”

  With that, the team set out once more, their steps quickening as they approached the Mandaue District Hospital. It loomed in the distance, a shadow against the fading daylight. The hospital had once been a place of healing. Now, it was a looming reminder of how far the world had fallen.

  As they neared the entrance, Adrian felt a strange sensation crawl over him—a mix of dread and anticipation. The Spore-Spitters were close, and the hospital had become ground zero for the infection.

  "Stay alert," Adrian said quietly, his voice sharp. "Once we’re inside, we don’t stop. We neutralize the infected, and we make sure Eva has the space she needs to treat anyone who’s been exposed."

  They entered the hospital, the halls eerily silent. The once-bright lights flickered overhead, casting shadows that seemed to follow them with every step. The air was thick with an acrid smell—a mixture of decay and rot.

  “Something’s off,” Mike said, his voice low.

  Adrian nodded. “They’re here.”

  Suddenly, a screech echoed from down the hall, followed by a loud crash. Adrian’s hand went to his weapon, his pulse quickening. The Spore-Spitters were close.

  They moved toward the source of the noise, their steps cautious but determined. Adrian’s mind raced as he thought of the infected, the mutations, and how they would stop the spread. He knew they didn’t have much time. Every moment they wasted brought the city closer to disaster.

  As they turned a corner, Adrian saw it—a group of Spore-Spitters hunched over a body, their grotesque forms dripping with the black, corrosive fluid. The creature’s jagged teeth tore into the corpse, spreading the deadly spores into the air.

  Without thinking, Adrian stepped forward, drawing his weapon and firing. The blast tore through the first Spore-Spitter, sending it crashing to the ground. But there were more.

  The team moved in quickly, engaging the infected as Adrian kept an eye on the building’s energy levels. Eva stayed close to him, her face set with concentration as she prepared to use her radiation powers.

  “Eva,” Adrian shouted over the chaos, “are you ready?”

  She nodded. “Give me a few more seconds!”

  Adrian didn’t wait. He raised his weapon again and fired, taking down another Spore-Spitter. The hospital was becoming a battleground, and every shot felt like a race against time.

  The battle raged on, and as more Spore-Spitters fell, the air seemed to grow thicker with the spores they released. Adrian knew they needed to move fast. If they didn’t neutralize the mutation quickly, it would spread beyond the hospital.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Adrian turned to Eva. “Now, Eva!”

  Eva’s hands glowed with bright, radiant light, the energy flowing through her as she channeled her Pure Radiation. The light spread outward, enveloping the infected bodies in a burst of intense energy.

  One by one, the mutated Aswangs writhed in agony as the radiation burned away the infection, the blackened skin flaking off and revealing the healed tissue beneath. The process was grueling, but it was effective.

  When the last Spore-Spitter fell, Adrian breathed a sigh of relief. They had stopped the immediate threat, but there was still so much to be done.

  “We need to find a cure for those who have been exposed,” Adrian said, his voice firm. “Sarah, any idea where the next outbreak might be?”

  Sarah looked over her device, her eyes narrowing. “There’s a hospital on the outskirts of the city. If we don’t get there in time, it could be too late.”

  Adrian turned to Eva. “Ready?”

  Eva nodded, determination etched across her face. “Let’s go. We’re not done yet.”

  And with that, the team moved out, ready for the next battle. The Plague of Mutations was far from over, but they would keep fighting. Because the System may be relentless, but so were they.

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