Dr. Fletcher sent Marcus the location of the rift site and he quickly made his way there by taxi.
The location was what looked to be a closed shopping center, with a few 'construction' vehicles on site, but were really just undercover organization vehicles.
As he stepped on the lot of the store, Marcus was stopped by a 'construction' worker. "Hey man, you can't be here, can't you see we're working?"
Marcus paused for a moment, "Hmm, uhm, my bolts are loose and my chip is fried, right?" Marcus said with a raised eyebrow.
The 'construction' worker sighed, her expression becoming contempt. "You, you're the officer sent to replace Officer Kingsdale?"
Marcus frowned. "I didn't come here to be disrespected by a glorified cosplayer."
"You sure?" The woman asked, "Because you look homeless, and what's with those pink flip-flops?"
Marcus looked down to see he was dressed in a crinkled muscle shirt, stained shorts, and… pink flip-flip flops.
He then sighed. "Look, don't worry about me." He said with a wave of his hand, "Just show me to Officer Kingsdale."
The woman shook her head but complied with Marcus's orders. "Ugh, what is this world coming to."
As the woman led Marcus through the lot and towards the store, Marcus got curious glances from the other undercover operatives who worked the site. Marcus looked back at some of them, causing them to avert their attention.
When they finally entered the store, Marcus was greeted by rows and rows of stocked shelves and empty aisles. As they approached the center of the store, Marcus saw a swirling pool of energy on the floor, that crackled and popped with ether.
Surrounded the pool of ether was a thin silver wall that was about three inches tall. They were surrounded by their ACAs who monitored and recorded the readings.
Standing off to the side was a man dressed in civilian tactical gear. He was armed with a rifle and dagger. His hair was short and spiky, while his eyes held a deep blue color.
It was officer Kingsdale.
"Are you my replacement?" Officer Kingsdale asked, his voice cold and his eyes narrowed.
Marcus nodded, "yeah, I am."
He sighed. "You don't look like much, you aren't even in uniform." He then turned to face Marcus completely. "And where's your weapons?"
"I don't use weapons." Marcus replied, "I don't need to."
Officer Kingsdale chuckled. "Oh yeah, let me guess hot shot, you're a rank-four straight out of training, thinking you're tough shit because you got a few pow–"
"I'm rank-three," Marcus stated plainly, he then turned off his hands into a long silver blade. "See, I don't need weapons."
Kingsdale's jaw dropped. "R-rank-three?" He stammered, "Isn't this underneath your pay grade?" He asked, his voice losing its deep base.
Marcus smirked, "Yeah, but I had a long morning, need something to clear my mind."
Kingsdale nodded. "Yeah, fighting anomalies is a great way to unwind." He said with a nervous chuckle. "Anyway sir, I'll be on my way."
Marcus nodded. "Be safe Kingsdale," Marcus said as Kingsdale walked past him.
"Yes sir."
Marcus smiled at being called sir, it made him feel good, powerful even. "So what's the ether levels like?" Marcus asked curiously, stepping beside an ACA, and staring at his computer screen.
"Uhm, the readings are holding stable." The man replied as he gestured towards an array of numbers. "See, each of them is holding at this point, so we should be–"
Suddenly the numbers began slowly ticking upwards. "Uhhh…" the ACA looked back at his screen with a curious look. "That's not right."
Marcus' eyes widened. "Aw fuck."
The numbers suddenly began skyrocketing while the pool of ether in the middle of the store simultaneously began swelling and circling faster in a clockwise fashion.
The air became charged with ether, and the base of the building began to rock, all while the ACAs looked to Marcus with pale faces.
Marcus sighed as he grabbed his temples, "Why is my luck so shitty, of all the rifts I could've chosen."
"D-do we clear out sir?" The ACA Marcus was standing next to asked worriedly.
Marcus nodded as he lowered his hand over his mouth. "Yeah, tell everyone to clear the store, I'll uhm, I'll handle this."
Without wasting a second the ACA began shouting orders to the other operatives in the building. "Green light!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Get to safety!"
At those words, the store was quickly evacuated of operatives and their equipment, leaving Marcus alone to deal with the rift and whatever emerged.
Given that this was supposed to be a low-ranking rift, the barrier that was used wasn't even a factor in stopping the anomaly. Meaning a fight was definitely inevitable.
Marcus sighed as he watched the rift grow with energy. It seemed that he was truly unlucky, as every rift he has ever come across, spiked in levels.
First, it was Luna, then the serpent, and now… this.
As the pool of ether continued to swell, Marcus began removing his clothes. Not because he wanted to get freaky with the incoming anomaly, but so he wouldn't have to leave the fight in ripped clothes, or worse… naked.
He then handed them to an ACA who was heading towards the exit. The ACA grabbed his clothes with a confused expression. "S-sir I'm flattered but…"
"Don't be." Marcus replied, "I just can't risk my clothes getting damaged." he explained.
"O-oh!" The ACA said in realization. "I'll keep them safe sir!" She said before running off to join her comrades.
Marcus sighed as he turned around to face the growing rift. Seeing as he had a few seconds left, Marcus began jumping from one foot to the other, while shaking his arms and hands loose.
As he stretched, the rift exploded in a sudden burst of golden light and ether embers.
What emerged from the rift looked to be a young girl. She was dressed in a black and gold dress, with long golden hair and eyes.
She had long pointed ears and the scowl of an old grumpy woman.
Marcus looked up the the anomaly, watching with a curious gaze as she hovered above the swirling rift.
"A golden Luna?" He said to himself, "Well, what are the chances?"
The anomaly looked down at Marcus, her eyes narrowing as she studied the naked teenager before her. "Are you the human known as Marcus Fall?" She asked in a deep, gruff voice.
Marcus nodded. "yeah."
The anomaly sighed as she crossed her arms.
Marcus waited for her to make the first move, as he remembered when Luna first arrived. He wanted to avoid making the same mistake twice.
The anomaly uncrossed its arms as it pointed a hand towards Marcus, charging it with golden ether. "Prepare yourself for battle Marcus, and do not withhold your strength," the ether in her hand began to swirl violently, "…or it will be your life."
Marcus raised his arms as he lept back from the anomaly. "Let's get started," Marcus said with a smirk.
He had no idea how this anomaly knew his name, why she looked like Luna, or why she warned him of a fight.
And honestly, he didn't really care.
The fight started with the anomaly disappearing from her spot. Marcus hurriedly turned around and thrust a silver blade forward. Unfortunately, he was met with nothing but empty air.
Suddenly a bolt of golden ether crashed into his shoulder and sent him flying towards an empty shelf. Marcus gritted his teeth as his body smacked through the thin metal and food.
He crashed on the ground with a thud, the floor caving from the impact, leaving a small human-sized crater.
Marcus quickly rose to his feet, not waiting to catch his breath or bearings. He then jumped in the air and held a hover high above the shelves. He still wasn't great at flying, but his skills were good enough.
As he hovered, his eyes darted around the store scanning for the golden anomaly. The store was quiet save for the crackling energy from the rift. Marcus focused on listening for any noise the anomaly could make.
Just then Marcus felt a woosh of wind rush past him on the right. Without wasting a second Marcus charged a small bolt of silver ether and fired it off.
Marcus missed, and his ether bolt crashed into the closest shelf, leaving a small hole that simmered with ether. "Damn."
"Too slow." The anomaly said in an instructional tone. Appearing in front of Marcus with a golden blade extending from her hand.
She then thrust forward, her blade piercing through his stomach and emerging from his back.
"Gyah!!" Marcus spat out slob as his eyes widened with pain. His crimson blood covered the anomaly's golden blade. The pain was excruciating, nearly sending Marcus into shock.
He had been beaten, shot, and burned.
But being impaled was a new type of pain that hit differently.
"Move fast, react faster." The anomaly instructed as she charged a bolt of ether in her other hand. She then shot it off directly into his chest, sending him crashing onto the floor again.
The impact was brutal, the floor cracked and broke from the impact, sending shards of tile flying in the air. Marcus groaned in pain as his body quickly began to mend its wounds.
The anomaly wasted no time in pursuing Marcus. She blitzed after him, landing on the floor with a powerful touchdown. Marcus turned to the anomaly as he gritted his teeth.
He quickly moved to grab the anomaly, but she was faster. She effortlessly dodged his attempt to grab her and closed the distance.
Marcus pulled his head back, swinging down at the anomaly with a tight fist. She swiftly weaved his attack and countered with a fierce uppercut.
Marcus' jaw clenched from the impact, his head flying backward as he stumbled.
"Plan your counter before you strike, don't swing aimlessly." The anomaly informed as she kicked Marcus' leg. Blood spewed out of Marcus' mouth from the uppercut. Coupled with the kick, Marcus collapsed onto the ground hard.
The anomaly was relentless.
She straddled Marcus, locking his arms to his side with her small yet powerful feet. They burrowed into his arms, causing them to bleed and crack under the pressure. Marcus screamed out in pain but was quickly sliced by a flurry of punches from the anomaly.
"Screaming solves nothing." She said coldly, continuing to strike at his face. Her movements were swift and precise. "Think through the pain and find solutions or don't think at all."
Marcus tried to focus through the pain, to plan his next move. His mind raced with potential strategies, but it was clear that this anomaly was in a different league. Even Luna, who was eerily similar to this anomaly, didn't show this much raw power.
Could they be different classes of the same race?
If so, it could be possible for this anomaly to have the same weakness. But as he thought about it, Marcus realized Luna was only overwhelmed because the fight was a 3v1.
Eh, it didn't matter, Marcus needed to overwhelm this anomaly all the same. If that required him to fight like three people, then so be it.
Marcus gritted his teeth as he began extending his arms. The anomaly attempted to burrow her feet deeper, but that only made Marcus fight harder.
His muscles tensed and ached, but as he continued to focus and force them out, the anomaly's grasp began to wane. "You're teaching me to be faster!" Marcus roared. "But I already have the power to beat you now!" His arms finally ripped free from the anomaly's grip.
She collapsed forward upon Marcus' chest, giving him a prime opening. Marcus swiftly went for it, grabbing the anomaly by her neck and throwing her into the ground.
The impact was vicious.
The anomaly's small form bore through the ground.
Marcus's grip tightened around her neck, as lifted her out off the floor slightly, before throwing her down again. He repeated this action three times until the anomaly stopped resisting.
He then lifted her out of the floor, her body dangling freely as debris fell from her body. "You'll need more than brute force to win." She said emotionlessly, reaching for Marcus's fingers, attempting to pry them from her neck.
"I guess we'll see about that," Marcus said with a smirk, before throwing her across the store. She flew wildly, her body failing to control its flight path.
She swiftly crashed into a display of fruits, sending juice and seeds flying. She tore through the wooden display like a knife through butter.
Marcus didn't waste a second in blitzing after her.