Anomaly

"This place is incredible... It feels like crossing a portal into another world. Or at least, I imagine that's how someone would feel when entering one" commented one of the response team members, letting out a gasp of awe.

Their eyes scanned the surreal landscape ahead, while their feet sank slightly into the soft earth of the floating island, feeling the strange lightness of the ground beneath their boots.

All the other team members seemed to share the same thoughts, and I was no exception. As they mentioned, the scene before us hardly seemed like it could exist on Earth. We were surrounded by a sea of lush flowers, in every imaginable color and shape, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The air was filled with a soft, intoxicating fragrance, while the gentle breeze made the petals dance in a hypnotic display. No matter where we looked, the only fitting description for what we were witnessing was simple: a true paradise.

But perhaps for that very reason, an odd tension hung in the air, thick and almost tangible. It was as if everyone there, consciously or unconsciously, knew that this apparent tranquility was just a fragile facade, on the verge of unraveling.

The environment, at first glance, seemed like paradise — lush vegetation, fresh air, the distant call of creatures hidden among the foliage — but this serenity concealed a silent danger. At any moment, without warning, the scene could turn into a complete nightmare.

The plants now resting under our feet, motionless and harmless, could, in an instant, rise up like hungry predators, twisting and contorting to hunt us.

This was the kind of place we found ourselves in: a land where logic faltered, and the unexpected ruled, making every step a gamble against the unknown.

As the group members observed the surroundings with a mix of fascination and caution, my eyes turned to my Alter Ego, who still maintained its imposing draconian form. Its scaled skin subtly reflected the light, and its vertical, ember-like eyes locked with mine.

For a brief moment, I felt the weight of its presence, a primal force contained in its piercing gaze. Then, it let out a warm puff of air through its nostrils, strong enough to make my hair flutter. The low, deep sound of its exhalation carried a near -instinctive tone, as if it were evaluating something within me.

Without hesitation, its body began to dissolve into a dark, twisting mist, which dispersed into the air before being drawn back into me, leaving only the echo of its existence in the silence that followed.

I glanced briefly at the horizon, not focusing on any particular point, just letting my eyes wander across the vastness around me. The wind brought the salty scent of the sea, and the sun, now tilting in the sky, bathed the landscape in golden hues.

I sighed and turned, beginning to walk toward our destination. To be honest, on that vast island, it was the only place that really stood out, a striking presence amid the dense vegetation and uneven terrain. At least, that’s what we’d noticed from above, when we were still flying over the area.

“I think this is the first time I’ve entered the epicenter of an anomaly and, instead of feeling that usual weight in my chest, I actually feel strangely relaxed” commented one of the response team members, casting a curious glance around as they walked.

“Well, these places are usually a lot more... diabolical?” replied another member, hesitating for a moment as they searched for the right word. Their eyebrow arched slightly.

“I just hope this place is as peaceful as it seems on the outside” said another member, letting out a heavy sigh. Their gaze scanned the structure ahead, analyzing every detail of the flawless façade, as if trying to predict what really awaited beyond the entrance.

It seemed that each of them carried their own stories about anomalous places, which made me briefly wonder what kind of experiences they’d lived through. Not that it made much of a difference to me at the moment — after all, that wasn’t why we were here.

Still, it was curious to realize that places like this could emerge due to anomalies. What intrigued me, however, was how this particular place deviated from my expectations.

If someone had asked me, I would have imagined something much more bizarre — translucent ground like glass, revealing an endless abyss below, or perhaps streams of thick, red liquid, pulsing like lava made of blood. In comparison, this scene felt almost... ordinary.

Anyway, as we moved forward, the structure we had first spotted from afar in the sky became increasingly clear as we drew nearer. Now, its intricate forms stood out sharply, revealing its grandeur.

It was impossible to deny that, in some way, it resembled an ancient temple, something sacred and lost in time. Moss and lichens covered the stones, creating a vivid contrast between the vibrant green and the aged stone. The structure seemed to crumble under the weight of the years, but its majesty still remained.

And, oddly enough, that construction seemed completely out of place, as if it didn’t belong to the surroundings, where wild nature reigned without the interference of human hands.

“Strange” commented Rupert, observing the structure intently: “It’s like this temple has been here for much longer than anything else around it. The stones seem weathered, worn”

It seemed Rupert had thoughts quite similar to mine. However, that didn’t matter, at least from my perspective. Deep down, what mattered was that the structure before us was clearly older than the rest of the island.

There could be plausible explanations for that—perhaps a construction from a more ancient time, or even a remnant of something lost to time — but, in the end, little of that would change the situation.

As we approached the structure, the tension in the air grew. The response team members began to circle the area with calculated movements, likely looking for a way for us to enter.

The main entrance, which at first appeared to be the portal, was sealed by a complex and imposing mechanism. Upon closer inspection, I realized that what had seemed like a temple actually bore a much closer resemblance to a medieval church.

Its tall columns and the majestic arch of the façade suggested a design inspired by the great cathedrals of past eras, but with proportions that surpassed any construction from that period.

Anyway, while the team members focused on exploring the exterior of the temple, my eyes couldn’t stray from the entrance. There, engraved in the stones, were enigmatic words.

What surprised me the most was that, despite their unfamiliar appearance, I could understand what they said, as if an ancient language was revealing itself before me.

It wasn’t as if it was something entirely new; a strange and distant feeling began to grow inside me. Perhaps my brain, somehow, had evolved or adapted since I became an anomaly.

No matter how much I try to understand this, it still feels strange. I feel like I still hold onto my human identity, but at the same time, there are moments when it feels like there’s something else, like I have another identity that I can't remember. It's as if I’m two different people, or at least, two souls sharing the same body — if that even makes sense.

Anyway, in the end, the lingering question was that I could read what was written. However, while there was indeed writing, it was impossible to pronounce it because, although it had no meaning in words, it carried a sense — at least for someone who understood the language.

And, strangely, when I reflected on its meaning, something unexpected happened. The entrance began to glow, an intense, blinding light burst from its openings, illuminating the darkness around us.

Then, the stone door ahead began to slowly descend, revealing a dark and mysterious hallway. The reaction team members, visibly tense, rushed toward the spot, their weapons held firmly, eyes fixed on the scene before them.

Seconds later, when the entrance was fully open, the team members exchanged glances for a moment, their faces marked by confusion, as if trying to understand why the door had suddenly opened. Their eyes, initially hesitant, then turned to me. I looked back at them, blinked briefly, and then shrugged. I wouldn’t be able to explain what had happened, even if I wanted to.

Honestly, I didn’t have much of an idea either. From my perspective, the door just opened on its own, with no apparent explanation. I mean, I didn’t even say anything — I just thought about it opening, and suddenly, it gave way. In the end, with no answers or explanations, we decided the best thing to do was enter and find out what was inside.

Slowly, we entered the structure, and it turned out to be exactly as it appeared from the outside. The environment exuded an ancient atmosphere, vaguely resembling what you'd expect from a medieval church.

The dim light from small windows cast long shadows on the stone walls, and heavy chairs were arranged on either side, meticulously aligned.

In the center, there was a narrow aisle that led up to the chairs, almost like a space dedicated to silence and reflection.

At the end of the room, a grand throne stood, where a water-made figure with priestly features held a book. The image, ethereal and almost mystical, seemed to observe all who approached.

Strangely, it genuinely seemed like the water priest was alive. You could tell that the water inside him — if that’s even possible, considering his entire body was made of it — was still moving, gently rippling as if it had a life of its own. However, the priest didn’t move a single inch since we entered the room, remaining static like a liquid statue, his presence unsettling and silent.

Next to him, several showcases displayed objects that seemed extremely valuable, all curiously made of water, reflecting the soft light of the room. The reaction team members began to search around, their eyes alert for any clue that might lead us to the anomaly.

The tension in the air grew with each passing minute. By the way, since we arrived, the signal with the outside world had been completely cut off. It became apparent when Rupert tried, unsuccessfully, to contact the organization.

Anyway, inside the church, the first thing I did was close my eyes. When I opened them again, my eyes were glowing intensely, in a multitude of colors that seemed to dance as they reflected the light around me.

The world before me unfolded, revealing a new dimension, a vibrant and unique essence, visible only to me, and no one else. It was like a curtain had been raised, showing something deeply hidden, something I had the privilege — or perhaps the burden — of perceiving.

In this new world I could glimpse, the priest and all the relics in the display didn’t shine at all. However, there was something that stood out intensely, as if it were the only living thing in that place.

The book the priest was holding radiated a light so strong it seemed to eclipse everything else around it. I stared at it, and for some inexplicable reason, I felt that the book had noticed my gaze. It was as if it was aware of my presence.

The sensation was strange, even more so because, as I looked closer, I noticed sweat running down the face of the book... which was, undoubtedly, impossible, considering we were talking about a book, after all.

My feet moved slowly, each step echoing softly in the silence around me, as I made my way toward the book. By this point, I was absolutely certain of it: the book was definitely nervous and anxious, almost pulsing with an energy of its own.

In summary, it was an anomaly, and the intense glow emanating from its body indicated that, fortunately for me, it seemed to be one of those I could eliminate with surprising ease.

With slow but steady steps, I continued to move toward the book, my large eyes, which shimmered in multiple colors, blinking softly from time to time, reflecting the strange energy that filled the room.

However, when I was about to reach the book, the place began to tremble, the ground vibrating beneath my feet. I quickly glanced around, trying to understand what was happening, before turning my eyes back to the priest.

I saw his hands, which had been completely still, now gripping the arm of his throne tightly, his fingers white with tension. In the next moment, the priest stood up abruptly, his empty, lifeless eyes locking directly onto me.

At the same time, I felt the anxiety and fear emanating from the book, a growing and overwhelming sensation, as if something was about to break at any moment.

Honestly, this was the first time something like this had happened. I mean, the anomaly... it was hiding from me, wasn’t it? At least, that’s what it seemed like, because when I arrived, the place was strangely quiet, as if it was completely dead, lifeless.

And clearly, the anomaly was trying to pass itself off as something simple, just a mere book, as if its presence could be disguised so easily.

Although the priest had an imposing appearance, with his upright posture and steady gaze, for some reason, the fact that I could only see the book as something that could truly be called alive made the scene almost comical.

The book, with its yellowed pages and worn cover, seemed to be more afraid of me than I should have been of it, as if it knew that, despite all the priest's authority, it was the one in an uncomfortable position.