Interstellar: Exploring The Cosmos With My Anomaly System
Chapter 52: Havoc

Chapter 52: Havoc

"Easy..." Astra muttered to herself, carefully planting her foot in the next firm part of the soil. "Easy..."

Her gaze dropped to the acid below, the pristine blue practically shining against her pale skin, the liquid below rippling intimidatingly with each rock that fell down to the bottom. She shook her head harshly, steeling herself to get closer.

Just when she reached close enough, she reached into her bag, pulling out a small clay pot she had made with the rest of her gear. Carefully and slowly, she dipped it into the acidic pool, making sure her fingers got caught in it.

"That’s one of them..." She muttered to herself, getting the other out of the bag. Dipping that into the pool as well, her eyes remained sharp with focus the more and more she continued. Making sure to keep her breathing calm, keeping from inhaling more fumes than the charcoal can purify.

Zelr let go of Lailla, the girl slowly starting to rise once more, she pushed against the ground her fingers digging mini craters into the earth, she panted heavily, her face scratched from the debris she had created.

"You..." She growled, irritation clear on her features. Her gauntlet began to open up, letting out monstrous degrees of pressured wind. It roared and howled behind her causing the leaves of nearby trees to thrash wildly. Zelr remained watched on with heavy breaths, his hand gripping at his blade even tighter as he awaited her move.

She pushed forth, the wind carrying most of her momentum, one of her legs twisted against the dirt causing her body to spiral into a kick that was impossible to track. The devastating blow landing on Zelr’s arm blocking his face just in the nick of time.

"Tch–" He hissed as he felt the strain of the attack on his bones.

"You’re not the only one with tricks!" She shouted, a snark look on her face. Crimson continued to leak from her nose as she continued her barrage. Zelr kept trying to fend her off, using his tail to grab at her leg and stopping her movements for only a fraction of a second, giving him enough time to strike.

"You bastard!" She choked, her eyes closed as she braced herself, trying desperately to regain her momentum mid air, she felt what seemed like a gust of air rush past her, a omen of the attack to come.

When she opened her gaze, it was covered in shadow. The razored ends of the blade already by her neck. As she felt the cold ends of the stone chiseled weapon, she felt it dig deeper and deeper into her neck.

"Ngh—" She grunted, trying to get away as soon as possible, but it was too late, with all his might, he pulled back, the blade creating a shallow cut in her thick skin, yet blood gushed like crazy.

Her eyes turned hazy, and her vision blurry. The atmosphere seemed white to her and everything was starting to run cold. With a hollow thud she fell to the earth, Zelr walking up to the body and putting his hand by the wound.

Astra soon crawled back to the surface, letting out a soft sigh of relief as she finally made it to the top unharmed. Her eyes widened in a panic at the sudden sight before her.

"Is she dead?!" She exclaimed, watching the lifeless enemy with curious eyes.

"No... she’s fine— just unconscious," He muttered, pressing more and more against her neck. "She will need medical though..."

"Celi can guide me through it—" she walked closer, her eyes falling on his battered body, it was a miracle he could even stand, much less hold a conversation like this. "Nice thinking on the save, she could be a good hostage for us...though—"

"You look like you need that too," She muttered.

"I’ll live..."

[Warning! Warning!]

’Celi??’ She thought, her heart racing at the sudden message, a translucent screen appearing before her, showing her the state of the village. It was in complete ruins, the village huts cast ablaze.

[The village had been attacked!]

"I’ll be right there!" She shouted, the sudden outburst caused Zelr to look at her confused.

[No! We need those items!]

[Is that Astra?] Belk’s voice came from the otherside, though she couldn’t explain why hearing his voice calmed her down somewhat, knowing at least he was ok.

The young scientist came into frame, his body made it clear he took a thrashing, he was

[Hey Astra, listen! They took the old man hostage and a few others too—] his voice grew softer, his head hung slightly as the memory came back to him, still fresh in the back of his mind.

"Hey—" She tries to say only to be cut off by the boy.

[They took the old man and some of the villagers too!] He muttered, his voice riddled with regret [And they left a message for us, ’bring your village’s scientist to Veira on the next full moon.’]

"How far is that away from now...?" She murmured, her heart beating faster as this gets put on her all at once.

[three days...] Celi responded.

[But they don’t know that this village has two genius scientists!] Belk laughed, his sadness seemingly gone with a gust of wind. Though tears still linger, his gaze was filled with a flame that was unquenchable. [We’ll save them, and take over their ’kingdom of science’, right?!]

Though there were so many miles between them, he stretched his fist out to her, his signature grin stretching across his face, brows furrowed in determination.

Astra was taken aback by his enthusiasm, a soft adoring smile forming on her face as she does the same, a portal forming in between them as their fists connect in a soft bump.

"Right!" She nodded firmly, the wind feeling extra strong as a gust of wind blew by them both.

"Let’s do our best for the future, Belk," She muttered as their fists remained connected, her fist tightened, the strain of the glove softly carrying in their moment.

"Understood!" He nodded as well. Soon the portal closed, and they’re connection was severed, Astra looking down to her hand, still feeling her fists against hers, part of her regretting having the glove on still.

"So..." Zelr commented, his gaze side eyed to her. "Are you two like a thing? Or—"

"Huh? Don’t be stupid!" She snapped, her voice as sharp as it was before they called, her gaze falling back to her glove. "We’re just friends."