Chapter 37: Monster

Energia: Titans of Verità
Table of Contents (For Catching Up)

Eitan was coming to like his new sniper rifle very much.

He never thought he’d care for a weapon. Those were for killing. If there was one thing Eitan Avidan hated, it was killing. When he first decided to become an Operative, he had dreaded having to do it.

But when he held this gun, he couldn’t help but admire it. The many different kinds of ammunition weren’t all that amazing. But the scope was so powerful, so clear, that he felt as though he could see every millimeter of the sector. Right down to the specks of dust on the road.

Very useful for finding a lost little girl.

He started with the most populated area: the market. His siblings loved to visit the market, especially Aila. They all knew they didn’t have any credits to spend. They just liked to look.

While he searched, he felt his anxiety grow. Something was wrong. It wasn’t like Aila to wander off. She knew to stick to the others. Could she have been abducted? Could one of their debt collectors finally decided to- no, that couldn’t be it. They’d take the house, not a little girl.

A massive figure caught Eitan’s gaze. He recognized the armor immediately. Tommy stood out like a blue tree in a desert. He seemed to be looking for something on the ground. What was he doing?

Do you have time to worry about it? Eitan asked himself. He shook his head, deciding that he didn’t. He amplified the scope further, then continued his search.

With the marketplace eliminated, he turned to scan the less populated areas of the sector. Could she have wandered into the industrial areas? That didn’t sound like her. Then again, she did have a terrible sense of direction. It was possible.

He saw it almost immediately. A towering, ape-like monster with glistening white fur. Six powerful arms swung wildly, smashing the warehouses around it. It was too far to hear, but he could tell it was roaring.

Eitan’s blood ran cold. Why was a Ragno inside the city?!

He froze, staring at the monster in horror. They weren’t supposed to be in the walls! How could it have gotten through the barrier? And of all places to be, why here? Why now?!

My god. It’s… beautiful!

The thought surprised him. Was he impressed? Amazed by this terrible beast? That couldn’t be right. He should be terrified! He needed to raise the alarm, call for backup and-

Why does it need six arms?

He shook his head. Focus. Don’t ask. Don’t wonder. Don’t-

Is it related to the Ragno-Scimmia somehow? Could it have web glands too? A distant cousin, maybe? Would the two get along if put alone together? This one is a predator, so-

A distant shriek snapped him out of his wonder. It was quiet, just loud enough to be heard. A little girl’s voice…

…ringing from the direction of the monster.

Oh God, no!

Fear tore its way through his chest. It couldn’t be. Surely not. But if it was…

Eitan suddenly found himself trembling. The weight of the weapon in his hands seemed to double. He needed to do something. He needed to pull the trigger. He needed to fight.

Reluctantly, Eitan took one last admiring look at the beast. Then, struggling not to close his eyes, he pulled the trigger.