Encounter

"The Traveler..."

The Traveler? That one title brings forth so many questions. Why is it treated like a living being? Where does it travel? So many questions, and no way to ask. I hope my ability allows for me to evolve some stupid vocal cords.

I take back anything negative I said about the human body and everything good I said about this one. As of now, firepower has shown overwhelming dominance over everything I'm able to do, and the lack of a voice has not only prevented me from social interactions, but from from speaking to my own goddam ghost.

"Criii-kaaa"

I can't speak even if I tried. That was me attempting to say even my own name, what part of that sounds like fucking Anton? That's right, none of it. I guess it makes sense that an alien space monster couldn't pronounce names from Russia of all places. Hopefully this lack of speaking ability doesn't carry over to other members of my race. Perhaps we can speak telepathically, that would be nice.

Whatever, sitting here praying isn't going to do anything.

Clutching the rifle in my hands, I move forwards towards one of the nearby buildings that are practically built out of rust. The framework of this building is really putting in the work here, even rusted through completely it still manages to hold up this building. The architects who designed these buildings must have been geniuses.

Stepping through the doorframe, I scan the room. This place seems to be some sort of storage facility. Several shelves line the walls and racks fill the middle of the room. Nothing seems to sit on the shelves apart from cockroaches and rust, nothing particularly interesting nor useful. This place must have been raided to the last bullet.

With a sigh, I leave the building. If all of the buildings are going to be like this, which they probably will be, then there's no point in looking through them. I would rather not waste my time after all. As I step outside, several shots from a Fallen weapon fly past my face, almost blowing it clean off.

What the fuck! Can I not even enter a building anymore without being shot at?

I dive back into the building, taking cover in the tetanus covered building. Was I born in the middle of fucking Fallen galore? Why are they everywhere? Taking a peek through some of the holes that have been rusted through the walls of this building during the ages, I spot a group of two Fallen, who are now looking towards each other and making weird snarling noises. I can't understand a word that they're saying, but it seems to me like they're... fooling around? Is this some kind of game to them? You don't kill for pleasure, not a single one of my hits has been for anything so stupid as fun.

Taking my sniper, I aim through the small hole in the wall, I hope these walls are rusted enough for my bullet to shoot through with ease.

Placing my targets onto the one on the right, I pull the trigger. The bullet flies out from the gun and seems to have no plans of stopping as it blasts right through wall, continuing onwards to pierce straight through one of the Fallen's heads. Take that you fuck, if theres anything I hate more than the scum I used to kill it would be those that take killing as a joke.

The Fallen's friend is thrown into a panic by the scene of its friend dying in front of it, as it looks towards the building I'm hiding in and begins to screech before charging towards my position.

It seems like it just got thrown into a blind rage. With a sigh, I put the gun down and head outside. I can't spend ammo on a single enemy like that, especially one that no longer poses a threat. From experience I can tell you, that once you get this angry you won't be able to land a single shot on a moving target.

Crouching down, I begin to speed forward towards the Fallen, making sure to move from side to side slightly as I travel. It seems as if level four of Enhanced Ligaments has somewhat allowed me to travel sideways at such high speeds.

The Fallen stares at me while I approach while firing one bullet after another. Due to its rage and my speed, its unable to land a single one of them as all of them fly wide from where I am.

Closing the gap between us, I bring out my claws and let them strike dead into the chest of the Fallen as it spits out heaps of blood from its mouth. The blood splatters across my face as it shrieks in pain, making several desperate attempts to swat at my hand that is now impaling several of its organs. Its punches land hard on my hand, but due to my Strengthened Carapace and Pain Suppression, I can't feel a thing.

With each punch, its strength gets weaker and weaker until eventually it struggles to even raise its arms. Blood pulses from its mouth once more before it goes limp and I retract my claws from its body, causing it to land to the ground with a harsh thud.

As much as I despise these guys, their bodies mean a lot to me. Crouching down, I lay my rows of teeth on the neck of the Fallen as I begin to dig in. Piece by piece, the body gets consumed and I feel the warmth of its blood travel down my throat.

Swallowing the last bite, I look towards the other body, and begin to devour it as well. After finishing, I begin a small tread back to the building to recover my sniper.

I remember before that there was a strange menu, one that displayed all of my upgrades, I wonder if I can recess that. What was it called again, status?

As I think this, a sharp pain fills my head, as a message appears.

.

[Status]

[Name: None]

[Race: Enhanced Hive Thrall]

[Biomass: 5.2 kg]

.

[Upgrades] :

[Sharpened Claws 4]

[Enhanced Ligaments 4]

[Strengthened Carapace 3]

[Pain Suppression 5] [Evolution requires 10 kg of Biomass]

.

Evolution? So my theory was correct, upgrades can be evolved past their level cap, which seems to be level 5. I don't seem to meet the requirements as of now, but perhaps there are some more Fallen nearby.

As I say this, another ship passes overhead, however this one seems slightly different. The ships I had seem before previously had been round, brownish ships, however this one was long and sleek. From the front it appeared to be a T shaped ship, black in color with small green lights along the front and the sides. After passing over to the clearing, it stops.

This ship seems much more advanced than the other ones, what kind of Fallen demigod is going to come out of this one. My mind is practically screaming at me to get further away from whatever is to come, but a strange feeling of attachment prevents me from doing so.

As the ship stops, several of the brown Fallen ships rapidly approach, deploying tens of Fallen to the ground as they all prepare for a battle.

What are they doing? Are they going to fight themselves?

As I think this, several figures drop down from the black ship. They appear to be made out of a grey bone, their six fingers tipped with claws and their head looking nothing more than a rounded slab. Wait, are those... don't tell me.

Hive?