The mercenary group "Phoenix" went to the island sector 19B, the place where the carnivores once were, it was also the place where the sewer system was. The forest surrounding was unnaturally still, a stark contrast to the chaotic cacophony they had grown accustomed on their trek across Ebinigma. The silence presse in on them from all sides, wrapping around them like a suffocating cloack. Captain Lucian Cane, a grizzled veteran who had seen battlefields from across the globe, led the group of hardened mercenaries. He had always prided himself on his instintcs, but could he trust them in this godforsaken island?
"Keep you eyes sharp, and your fingers near the damn trigger," Lucian growled, his deep voice barely above a whisper as he motioned for the team to advance.
Phoenix was not like the other teams. They were more than just soldiers for hire; they were survivors, men and women who had faced down the deadliest of odds and lived to tell the tale. Their reputation preceded them—ruthless, efficient, and, above all, focused on one thing: the payout. Ebinigma promised a fortune, and that's why Phoenix was here. But even money was losing its allure as the island's horrors crept closer. The team moved in a tight formation, with Sergeant Alex "Brick" Tolman bringing up the rear, his massive frame dwarfing the dense foliage around them. He carried a heavy machine gun across his back, the weight of it seeming light to the giant of a man. Beside him was Shai, their tech expert, her sharp eyes scanning the environment for any signs of movement. In her hands, she held a device that monitored their surroundings, pinging with each shift in temperature or movement.
"Still nothing," Shai prayed with a tense voice. "But this place is messing with the sensors. Too many disruptions."
Lucian didn't respond, his gaze locked ahead. The waypoint they were heading towards—a forgotten lab deep in the island—was only a few miles away, but every step felt like they were walking further into a trap. Their mission was clear: retrieve data on some of the old experiments and bring it back. The client hadn't specified what exactly they were after, but Phoenix was no stranger to secrecy.
"I don't like this," muttered Brick. "Too quiet."
"I agree," Shai added, her fingers dancing over the device, which continued to malfunction. "It's almost like the island's playing with us." Lucian signaled for the team to halt. His eyes scanned the treeline, watching for even the slightest twitch in the shadows. "Something's off. We keep moving, but at a slower pace. I don't want anyone caught off-guard."
Just as the group began moving again, the silence was shattered by a distant roar—something primal, something wrong. The trees trembled as if the island itself was responding to the sound. The Phoenix team snapped to attention, their weapons raised, eyes wide with anticipation.
"What the hell was that?" Brick growled, his knuckles white around the grip of his gun.
Lucian motioned for the team to crouch low, his pulse racing. "Keep calm. We don't know what we're dealing with."
They moved forward cautiously, but the tension was thick in the air, every nerve on edge. The roar came again, closer this time. It was a low, guttural sound, like the growl of a predator sizing up its prey.
Suddenly, a shadow moved in the trees, and the group froze. Lucian motioned for Brick to check it out, and the big man moved toward the movement, his machine gun ready. But before he could react, the ground beneath him gave way, and Brick was swallowed by the earth with a cry.
"Brick!" Shai yelled, but Lucian yanked her back.
"Stay close!" he barked, his voice sharp with authority. They peered into the hole that had appeared out of nowhere, the darkness below impenetrable. There was no sound from Brick, only the unsettling creak of the earth shifting around the hole.
"He's gone…" Shai whispered, her voice breaking.
"We don't leave people behind," Lucian growled, but even he knew that they couldn't risk the rest of the team. "We mark this spot and keep moving. We come back for him later." His voice was filled with a determination that masked his own uncertainty.
The rest of Phoenix pressed forward, their nerves fraying. As they neared the old lab, the jungle opened up into a clearing. There, standing in front of the rusted, overgrown building, was a figure—a woman. She was dressed in ragged clothing, her hair wild, her eyes hollow.
"Who is that?" one of the mercenaries, Liza, whispered, her rifle raised and trained on the stranger.
Lucian raised his hand. "Stay back. Let me talk to her."
He stepped forward, cautiously approaching the woman. Her gaze snapped to him, and for a moment, he saw something in her eyes—fear, desperation. "Who are you?" Lucian asked, though he already had a suspicion. All teams knew the suvivors in the island. The woman had a long and red hair, it loooked stuffed with chemicals.
"You don't belong here," she whispered, her voice raspy. "You need to leave before it finds you."
Lucian didn't care. "What are you doing here, Researcher Mann?" Before Mann could say something, a loud, primordial roar echoed across the lab and ground. "It's here!" she screamed. Suddenly, the jungle around them exploded into motion. From the shadows emerged grotesque creatures—monstrous animals, their bodies twisted by whatever horrors had been birthed in the labs long ago.
"Open fire!" Lucian yelled, and the Phoenix team sprang into action. Gunfire erupted as they fought back the creatures, but the sheer number of them was overwhelming.
"Fall back!" Lucian ordered. "We're getting out of here!"
Shai screamed as one of the creatures lunged at her, its claws raking across her arm. Lucian pulled her back just in time, firing into the creature's chest, but more were coming.
"We need to move now!" Lucian shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
As they retreated, the woman's screams echoed behind them, blending with the roars of the creatures. Lucian glanced back only once to see the creatures tear into her, her body vanishing beneath their writhing mass.
Phoenix ran, their survival instincts kicking in, but Lucian knew that they weren't just running from the creatures.
They were running from the island itself.
They ran into the lab, Captain Lucian grabbed Researcher Mann, maybe he'd receive a bonus if he could deliver her intact.
The ground soon gave away, Lucian roared to Shai, asking for a safe place. "We are above the sewers," Shai muttered in one breath. "It's big enough for us. We'll be safe there, for a while." Lucian didn't have the time to think about this 'while'. He only wanted the payout and to get the hell out of the island, alive.
With a roar, Lucian and Shai directed everyone to the sewers. Not knowing it would be their last action as the Immortal Phoenix, sadly, they'd never return alive.
30 minutes later.
The Phoenix was now inside the sewers, they fought against the monsters trying to enter the sewage, but after a while, they left. Lucian said to everyone rest, while he and Shai were going to talk with Mann.
"Why were you here and what the fuck were those things?" Lucian questioned Mann.
"Carnotaurus. That's what they are," Mann answered while resting. "Good thing we met the youngsters."
Lucian didn't pursue any futher, Researcher Mann acted like she was okay, but one could see clear as day her trembling hands.
A while later, Lucian decided to explore the sewers, maybe they could find Brick.
They all soon started again their mission, but with one new member.
Similar with the forests, the sewers were coldly in silence. The sewage was congratulating its new customer.
The stench was unbearable, a mix of decay and rot that clung to the air, making it difficult to breathe. Lucian led the way, his flashlight cutting through the darkness, casting eerie shadows on the slick walls.
"Stay close," Lucian muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "These sewers could lead anywhere, and I don't want anyone getting lost."
Behind him, Shai followed with her tech equipment, scanning for any signs of movement. Mann was further back, her trembling hands clutching her weapon. Despite her composed demeanor earlier, the sight of the creatures had rattled her more than she let on. Now, she moved like a ghost, staying close but quiet.
Lucian's mind was racing. He didn't trust Mann. Her knowledge of the island's creatures was unsettling, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she knew more than she was letting on. But they needed her—for now, the thought of killing her was tempting. He didn't bring it up as they continued walking through the sewers, the mission still the priority.
After a while, the sound of rushing water grew louder. The team reached a wide, open chamber where several tunnels converged. Lucian raised his fist, signaling the team to stop. His flashlight illuminated the murky waters below, and for a moment, they all stood in silence, the tension palpable.
"Where the hell is Brick?" Shai asked, her voice barely hiding the fear creeping in.
Lucian didn't answer immediately, his gaze focused on the dark waters ahead. "We'll find him," he said finally, though he wasn't entirely sure.
Suddenly, there was a splash, and all eyes turned to the water. Something large had disturbed the surface. Lucian's hand instinctively tightened around his rifle. "Everyone, stay sharp," he ordered, scanning the water for any signs of movement.
Another splash. Closer this time.
"Lucian…" Shai whispered, her voice shaking. "What the hell is that?"
Without warning, a massive shape surged from the water. It was an alligator, but not like any they had ever seen. Its body was grotesquely bloated, its eyes glowing an unnatural green, and its skin was mottled with scales that shimmered in the faint light. The creature was a mutant, twisted by whatever experiments had taken place on the island.
"Open fire!" Lucian shouted, and the Phoenix team sprang into action.
Gunfire erupted in the chamber, bullets tearing into the creature's thick hide, but the alligator was relentless. It surged forward with terrifying speed, its massive jaws snapping shut on one of the mercenaries with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed across the walls as the soldier's body was torn in two.
"Fall back!" Lucian ordered, but the team was already scattering, desperate to escape the creature's rampage.
Shai fired a round into the alligator's eye, but it only seemed to enrage the beast further. It lunged again, its powerful tail whipping through the water, sending another mercenary crashing into the wall. The impact was brutal, and the soldier crumpled to the ground, unmoving. He was dead.
"Get out of here!" Lucian yelled, pulling Mann along as they ran down one of the side tunnels. Shai was right behind them, her face pale with terror.
But the alligator wasn't done. It pursued them through the narrow tunnel, its massive body crashing through the sewage as it closed the distance. Lucian fired blindly over his shoulder, trying to slow it down, but the creature was relentless.
Suddenly, the tunnel ahead split into two paths. Lucian didn't hesitate. "This way!" he shouted, taking the left path, hoping it would lead them to safety. But as they rounded the corner, he heard a scream from behind.
Shai.
Lucian turned just in time to see the alligator's jaws snap shut around her. The scream was cut short as the creature dragged her into the water, her body disappearing beneath the murky surface.
"No!" Lucian shouted, but it was too late.
Mann stumbled forward, her face pale and her hands shaking uncontrollably. "We have to keep moving!" she gasped, her voice panicked.
Lucian grabbed her arm, forcing her to keep running. The tunnel twisted and turned, the sound of the alligator's pursuit growing fainter behind them. But even as they ran, Lucian knew the truth—there was no escaping this place.
On the way, Lucian found Brick's body, the alligator had found him and brought him here, he was torn apart. But one could still see that he was alive and fought, but the alligator only toyed with him.
After what felt like an eternity, they stumbled into another chamber, this one smaller and filled with old, rusted equipment. Lucian slammed the door shut behind them, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
Mann collapsed to the ground, her body shaking with sobs. "They're all dead… everyone's dead…"
Lucian didn't respond. He knew they were trapped, and it was only a matter of time before the creature found them. His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan, but the oppressive weight of the island's curse was pressing down on him, and for the first time, he felt truly hopeless.
In the silence that followed, the sound of dripping water echoed through the chamber, a haunting reminder of the danger lurking just beyond the door.
And then, the door shuddered.
Lucian's heart pounded in his chest as he raised his rifle, knowing full well that it wouldn't be enough. The alligator had found them, and there was no escape this time.
With one final, deafening crash, the door burst open, and the creature lunged into the room.
Lucian fired, but the bullets barely slowed the monster down. Its massive jaws snapped shut around him, and everything went dark.
The Phoenix team was no more.
"May God curse Misho Julian in the afterlife."
And only silence remained, in the entirety of 19B.