Side Story: The Plague of Mutations

  The streets of Mandaue had never been quiet for long, but today was different. The usual buzz of activity, the scurrying of survivors, and the ominous growls of the Aswangs seemed to have subsided, replaced by an eerie stillness. Adrian couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming—something worse than what they had already faced.

  His fingers drummed against the hilt of his weapon as he moved down the broken streets, flanked by Mike, Sarah, and Eva. The city was barely recognizable now, half-destroyed by the storms and chaos that had erupted since the Cosmic Tide had first struck. But even in the ruins, there was still a lingering hope—a belief that if they just kept fighting, they could rebuild.

  But Adrian’s thoughts were focused on the growing danger that lurked in the distance. The Spore-Spitters. The Aswangs were mutating faster than ever, adapting in ways that no one had expected. Adrian had heard the rumors from survivors, from scattered groups who had seen the new mutations firsthand. And the reports were chilling.

  “They’re evolving,” Sarah had said to him earlier, as they examined the data. “These new Aswangs, the Spore-Spitters—they’re not just stronger. They’re more dangerous, and the infection they’re spreading is unlike anything we’ve faced.”

  Adrian’s hand clenched around his weapon. He had seen the destruction the Aswangs caused, but this was different. These mutations were spreading too fast, and no one seemed to know how to stop it. If they didn’t act quickly, the entire region could be consumed.

  As they approached a burned-out building that once served as a local pharmacy, Sarah’s device beeped, signaling that they were getting close to the source of the contamination.

  “It’s coming from the next block,” Sarah said, her eyes glued to the screen. “The energy signature’s all wrong. It’s unstable.”

  Adrian gave a curt nod. “Stay sharp. We don’t know how many are infected or what we’re walking into.”

  They rounded the corner and stopped short. A large, once-dignified hospital building loomed ahead, its windows shattered, the walls smeared with the unmistakable signs of corruption. Webs. Thick, chitinous layers of webs that covered the building’s exterior like a grotesque cocoon. The air was thick with the unmistakable stench of decay, and Adrian’s stomach churned.

  “We’ve got a breeding ground here,” Mike said, his voice tight with tension. “This is bad, Adrian.”

  Adrian’s mind raced as he scanned the scene. The building wasn’t just infected—it was overrun. He could feel the weight of the situation press down on him. If they didn’t act fast, the infection would spread even further.

  “We need to get in there,” Adrian said, his tone firm. “Sarah, can you cut the security? We need to move in fast.”

  Sarah nodded. “Give me a minute. This building’s old—probably hasn’t been updated since the System’s last recalibration.”

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  As she worked her device, Adrian took a moment to assess the situation. The webs on the building’s surface were no ordinary Aswang infestation. These creatures had mutated in ways that made them more resilient, more aggressive. Adrian had seen mutated Aswangs before, but these were something else—something that didn’t belong in the old world.

  The sound of skittering legs and strange chittering noises reached their ears. Adrian's eyes narrowed. They weren’t alone. A group of Spore-Spitters had noticed them.

  The first one came barreling out of the shadows—a monstrous creature, its body bloated with the corruption of the spores. It hissed as it released a spray of black, poisonous spores toward them.

  “Eva, get ready!” Adrian shouted.

  Eva immediately stepped forward, her hands glowing with the radiant light of her Pure Radiation abilities. She raised her hands, and a burst of light shot out, vaporizing the incoming spores before they could reach them. But the Spore-Spitter didn’t stop. It lunged toward them, its mutated claws slashing through the air.

  Adrian moved quickly, his gravity manipulation sending the Spore-Spitter crashing against the side of the building. Mike followed up with a swift blow, his fists pounding into the creature’s chest, causing it to collapse with a wet, gurgling sound.

  “We’ve got more incoming,” Mike grunted, looking around for any more signs of movement.

  Adrian turned to Sarah, who was now finishing her work on the security systems. “We’re clear to go in. Move fast.”

  They quickly entered the building, their weapons raised. The interior was dark and silent, the walls covered with sticky webs, and the faint smell of decay hung in the air. The halls were eerily quiet, save for the occasional screeching sound from deeper within. Adrian signaled for them to stay low and move quickly.

  As they entered the main lobby, they found themselves face-to-face with more of the infected—survivors who had been transformed into grotesque, mutated Aswangs. The sight was both horrifying and heartbreaking. These were people who had once been like them—fighting to survive in a world that had become a nightmare. Now, they were nothing more than vessels for the System’s corruption.

  Eva stepped forward, her expression grim. “I can help them... but I need time.”

  Adrian nodded. “Do it. We’ll cover you.”

  Eva’s hands glowed with radiant energy as she began purging the corruption from the mutated survivors. The light enveloped them, burning away the toxic growths and reversing the mutations. But there were too many—too many who had already succumbed to the infection.

  Adrian clenched his fists. “We can’t keep up like this. We need to find the source.”

  They moved deeper into the building, following the trail of the mutations to a large, open area at the heart of the hospital. It was filled with Spore-Spitters, all clustered together, feeding off the energy in the room. The walls were covered in webs, and the floor was littered with remnants of the infected—broken bodies, their eyes vacant and glazed over.

  Adrian’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. “This is where it’s all coming from.”

  Sarah, who had been scanning the area, looked up. “There’s a central power hub in the room. They’ve been siphoning energy to fuel the mutations. If we take that out, we can stop the corruption.”

  Mike cracked his knuckles. “Then let’s get to work.”

  Adrian moved toward the center of the room, his mind calculating their next move. He had to neutralize the Spore-Spitters before they could continue their spread. With a single gesture, he sent a wave of gravity at the closest group, causing them to collapse into a pile.

  “Eva, now!” Adrian shouted.

  Eva’s light flooded the room, washing over the Spore-Spitters and burning away their corrupted forms. The air was thick with the smell of burning flesh as the mutated creatures disintegrated under the force of her radiation. But there were too many of them.

  The power hub flickered, and Adrian could feel the energy pulsing stronger. The corrupted Aswangs weren’t just feeding off it—they were using it to accelerate the mutations, making the creatures grow faster and stronger.

  “We have to shut it down!” Sarah yelled, moving toward the central console.

  Adrian and Mike fought off the remaining Spore-Spitters as Sarah worked to disable the power. The air crackled with energy as the power hub began to destabilize, the walls vibrating with the sheer force of the corrupted energy.

  “Done!” Sarah shouted, stepping back as the power grid shut down, the energy flow cutting off.

  The remaining Spore-Spitters screeched in fury as the energy began to wane, their bodies beginning to destabilize as their source of power vanished. One by one, the mutated creatures fell, the light from Eva’s abilities purging the last traces of corruption.

  Adrian wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart pounding. They had done it—but at what cost?

  Eva, exhausted but relieved, turned to him. “It’s over... for now.”

  Adrian nodded, his gaze hardening as he looked around at the devastation. “For now. But we’re not finished. The System is evolving. The corruption is still out there, and we need to stop it before it spreads again.”

  The fight wasn’t over. The corruption was contained, but the battle for control of the System was just beginning.

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