Immortal Paladin

(POV – Protagonist)

While I was just sitting there, on the edge of my bed, my eyes were fixed on the glass that separated my room from the observation room. On the other side, the researchers were gathered, watching silently.

The presence of a new anomaly in the area probably explained the sudden spike in the number of scientists gathered there— their focused stares made it clear that something had caught their attention.

By the way, the room had undergone some significant changes. The first of which was the addition of two new beds, one for Nekra and another for Althea. However, that didn't really make much of a difference in practice, since they both still insisted on sleeping with me—and not just with me, but practically glued to me.

To be honest, it’s quite uncomfortable, considering we all end up squeezed into the bed. Even though I’ve complained about it a few times, in the end, I’m the one who gets scolded by both of them.

According to them, they were trying to make up for the time they spent away from me this way. Honestly, I still don’t get what sleeping practically squished together has to do with that.

I mean, don’t they feel uncomfortable? We’re so close that it’s impossible for me to even move... It’s like we’re wrapped in a vacuum. Well, from their perspective, I guess it works more like an emotional reward, maybe? An exaggerated gesture of affection. Honestly, just thinking about it gives me a headache.

While my thoughts wandered and my eyes followed the humans on the other side of the glass, a soft voice beside me broke the silence and caught my attention. It was Althea, as curious as ever: “By the way, what do you think they’re trying to do?”

As she asked this, Althea pointed to the glass where the scientists were watching us closely. Each of them held a clipboard, noting something down every time we made a move. To be honest, I never really knew exactly what they wrote down. I’ve never been that interested in finding out— until now, I’d just ignored it.

(They’re observing us, trying to understand what we are, why we’re here, if we pose a danger... and in extreme cases, how to stop us, if necessary) I explained mentally to Althea, keeping my face as expressionless as always.

Hearing my words, Althea nodded in acknowledgment, and like me, turned her gaze back to the glass screen that separated us from the humans. Right now, their eyes were more fixed on Nekra than on me or Althea—and rightly so.

It was Nekra who was calmly playing with dolls that technically should’ve been still. We weren’t the main focus there. Still, I kept watching the scientists for a few more minutes. Althea, beside me, remained silent, just as focused, as if she were looking for some answer in their expressions that we still didn’t know.

A few minutes later, the door to the room creaked open. Laura entered with steady steps and a serene smile on her face, radiating confidence. She calmly approached where we were, and both Althea and I turned our gaze in her direction, attentive to her arrival.

My eyes subtly slid to Laura’s hand, where she was holding a small white fabric bag. I tilted my head slightly, intrigued, while a silent question echoed in my mind: what could be inside that bag?.

As usual, Laura’s first reaction upon arriving was to try to hug me—and, as always, I simply ignored her. Althea, true to her reserved nature, watched the scene from the side, blinking slowly with her large, entirely golden eyes, as intense and deep as mine.

As Laura’s arms wrapped around me, even without receiving a response, my wings, attached to my lower back, moved slightly, swaying slowly and almost imperceptibly, as if reacting on their own to the unexpected touch.

When the hug ended, Laura smiled widely, radiating a much greater happiness than when she had entered. With the usual excitement in her voice, she said: “Now that I’m recharged, I brought gifts for you three!”

Saying this, Laura took three small jars out of the white bag she was carrying. When my eyes fixed on them, I couldn’t help but widen in surprise, an impressive feat for someone like me.

My face, naturally expressionless, rarely conveys any emotion; after all, without bones, my face is as stiff as stone. And the reason for my surprise? What else could it be, except ice cream? But not just any ice cream.

Seeing my expression, Laura couldn’t help but break into a wide smile, one that lit up her face, clearly pleased with my reaction: “Hehe, I knew you’d like it” she commented, a proud gleam in her eyes: “It’s a flake flavor, your favorite. And it’s not just any ice cream, it’s from an extremely limited and rare edition. I really had to go through a lot to get this. So... don’t you think I deserve a reward?” she said with a playful tone, as if expecting something more than just admiration.

The mischievous smile on Laura’s face made it clear what she wanted; there was no mystery there. Her large eyes, full of almost tangible expectation, blinked as she watched me, as if waiting for a reaction. I, however, kept my gaze fixed on Laura, without looking away.

By the way, something that might not be relevant to the situation, but that I couldn’t help but notice: the ice cream the organization offers me is absolutely ordinary, the kind you can find at any corner store. From what I’ve overheard in some conversations while hiding, they think ice cream is one of the ways to calm me down if I lose control and go into a rage.

Seriously, what the hell do they think I am? Just because they gave me ice cream, they think I’ll calm down like that, as if it’s that easy? It’s ridiculous, even from my perspective. I mean, if it were a premium ice cream, like the kind Laura usually gets, maybe I’d consider it.

Maybe this kind of thought makes me seem more vulnerable? But before I even realized it, there I was, standing right in front of Laura’s bag, my hands extended, almost like a zombie hungry for fresh meat. The feeling was strange, a mix of losing control and... desire.

While all this was happening, Althea watched the scene from the side, her head slightly tilted, as if reflecting on something distant. Nekra, on the other hand, was a little further away from where we were, her eyes fixed and intense on the small jars of premium ice cream, as if they were the only objects in the room worth paying attention to.

The scientists, on the other hand, seemed to be in a frenzy, writing hurriedly on their clipboards, as if every word was crucial, without even looking up from what they were doing.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the jars that Laura was holding, while she watched me with a look full of pride and expectation. She was so focused on me that she didn’t even notice the small shadow starting to form behind her. Slowly, the shadow grew, and from there, thin tendrils shot out, moving with terrifying speed.

In the blink of an eye, the tendrils snatched the jars from Laura’s hands, bringing them to me. She blinked in surprise when she saw the jars now in my hands, and immediately looked back at her own hands, only to find them empty.

Laura's gaze also shifted to the small shadow that had appeared behind her. When she turned back to look at me, she was smiling, but the tears, which slid down her cheeks with an almost imperceptible movement, did not go unnoticed.

Quickly, Laura sat by the edge of my bed and kept smiling, but the tears continued to fall. Watching this, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Well, honestly, I’m not that cruel. I knew Laura had probably gone through a lot to get those ice creams.

It may not seem like it, but I knew how rare those ice creams were and how difficult it could be to get one. In the end, here I was, holding the three ice creams carefully balanced in my hands, while gently stroking Laura’s head.

Her face, which had previously shown surprise, quickly turned into an expression of complete awe. And then, as if it were natural, a drop of saliva slowly dripped from her mouth, and she looked at me with a strange gaze, somewhere between confusion and desire. That scene made me question whether I really should be doing this at that moment.

***

(POV - Emily Parker)

In a well-furnished room, where various ornaments were arranged in a meticulous and organized manner, Emily carefully examined some files. More specifically, they were records about the most recent anomaly discovered.

Despite nearly causing an apocalypse, the number of victims was surprisingly low, especially when compared to other major anomalous incidents that had occurred in the past. She furrowed her brow, reflecting on the irony of fate—something so devastating, but with a smaller impact than expected.

For instance, many believe that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by a meteor... Sure, at first glance, anyone would think that was the cause. After all, the enormous crater and the scale of the impact, especially considering where the meteor struck, would certainly have caused an unprecedented catastrophe on Earth.

The scenario that unfolded there, with mass destruction and drastic climate changes, only reinforced that theory. However, for the organization—made up of individuals who deal with anomalies and phenomena that defy common understanding—the truth was quite different. They knew the event wasn’t just a cosmic accident.

The real cause of the mass extinction of the dinosaurs wasn’t a simple natural event, but an anomaly discovered at the impact site. If Emily had to describe exactly what this anomaly was, or how it presented itself, the details would be something like this:

A spherical creature, approximately 7 centimeters in diameter, floats constantly about 20 centimeters off the ground, as if defying gravity. Its surface, resembling black marble, displays golden veins that intertwine and move in a hypnotic manner, creating fluid, organic patterns.

A faint glowing pulse emanates from its body, like a vital energy in constant renewal, casting subtle shadows on the surroundings. Curiously, it lacks a mouth, eyes, or any other organ that would allow it to be identified as a living creature in the conventional sense, defying the laws of biology.

Additionally, despite its seemingly harmless appearance, the anomaly intermittently emits a pulse of radiation of unknown nature. This pulse has the power to cause instant cell death, with effects ranging from the destruction of individual organisms to the collapse of entire biomes.

In-depth geological analyses, along with data extracted from the organization’s temporal records, suggest that the anomaly was the catalyst for a catastrophic planetary pulse 65 million years ago, coinciding with the mass extinction that marked the end of the Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Paleogene.

Honestly, just thinking about it, Emily couldn’t help but shiver. Since the anomaly was discovered, it hadn’t shown any signs of aggression, or rather, it was almost impossible to even determine if that sphere was alive or not.

At least for now, the anomaly is hidden in an inhospitable region of the planet, constantly monitored and studied 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by a dedicated team of scientists.

While Emily’s thoughts consumed her mind, a knock echoed at the front door. She slowly lifted her eyes, staring at the wooden door with a slightly distracted expression. The next moment, her voice was heard, calm but firm: “Come in”

As soon as Emily gave the command, the door creaked open. In one swift motion, three people entered. However, one of them couldn’t be classified as "human" so easily. Though their outward appearance resembled that of a human being at first glance, there were unmistakable details that set them apart from that classification.

Their eyes glowed intensely, as though an inner flame was lighting them, and their wings, delicately positioned along the coccyx, defied any ordinary explanation. Moreover, a soft golden aura surrounded their body, accompanied by a halo floating above their head, making it clear that although their form was human, their essence was something entirely different.

The being before Emily was the latest anomaly discovered, the one that had caused a pseudo-apocalypse in recent weeks. Their eyes observed the anomaly carefully, analyzing every movement and detail. Emily’s task for the day didn’t seem that challenging, at least not at first glance. It was simple: sit, talk, and extract as much information as possible.