Mutagen

Day 47 – 12:55 PM – Control Tower, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Parañaque, Metro Manila

While the soldiers and survivors from Bay City were struggling in their mission at the surroundings of the airport, the ritual of the shady people inside the control tower started.

These people did not even feel the danger in the surroundings while staying in this place which was supposed to be surrounded by the infected. Not just normal infected but existence the military called the Alpha was also here guarding the nest. The eyes of these people were glued to the magic circle drawn with pig's blood mixed with different kinds of precious minerals and herbs.

As the nine hooded figures stood around the magic circle and surrounded the poor sacrifices, the tallest one spoke.

"Est Deus In Obumbratio, Oceanum Donasse Ferunt Numine Ad Caelum"

The first phrase echoed, the drawn outline on the floor started to glow. Not a bright glow but a dim and gloomy glow that seemed to be unexplainable to the eyes of the mortals.

"Deprecandi Humilitatem Nostram Hic Nobis, Dona Nobis Conspectu Tuo"

As he told the second phrase, the hooded men slowly raised their arms and hands in praise. At the same time, the bodies of three women stiffened. Their eyes opened wide in horror. Their eyes were shaking and they wanted to continue to struggle. However, they could not move their bodies as if there was a heavy pressure crushing their bodies from above. They tried to scream but to bolster their despair, no voice would come out.

"Accipere Nostra Devotio, Dona Nobis Benedictio Tua"

The tall hooded man continued the third and last phrase.

Along with it, the overwhelming presence that could not be detected by mortals ensued inside the control tower. Even the hooded men felt uncomfortable. At the same time, the three sacrifices totally stopped moving. Their eyes rolled up in an impossible degree that it was obvious that the nerves in their eyes snapped. Blood flowed from their eyes like river which was totally unscientific.

Like tears, the blood flowed through both sides of their faces to the floor. Instead of scattering however, the blood moved towards the lines of the magic circle as if the flow was being guided. It did not take long and all the lines of the magic circle were replaced by the blood of the poor maidens.

FLOOSH!

The whole magic circle and the symbols inside it bloomed into flames. Red flames that did not seem to emit enough light compared to normal flames. The nine hooded figures stood in their position without getting fazed. Even though the fire touched the ends of their robes, the flames never set their clothing ablaze. It was the same for the three maidens that were already at the verge of death.

BURST!

The chests of the three girls burst open revealing their hearts that had yet to stop beating. Three of the hooded figures positioned just in front of the girls took out three black colored sinister looking ceremonial daggers and moved towards the right side of each of the girls. They passed through the flames like it was nothing. Without batting an eyelid, the kneeled down and pushed the daggers into the girls' chests, precisely at their hearts with a choreographed movements.

Finally, the hearts of the three girls stopped beating and the three figures returned to their initial positions and assumed the praising pose they had earlier with the same movements.

Odd enough, no blood was spilled during the time the chests of the girls burst open and the daggers were pushed into their hearts. Instead, blood seeped into daggers as if the daggers were absorbing the blood of the girls and the black colored dagger started to have a reddish hue.

The daggers were then set ablaze but the flames did not seem to affect the dead bodies of the three girls. Instead, thick smoke came out of their bodies and that smoke moved towards the center of the magic circle forming what seemed to be a portal. However it was not a portal to traverse but a portal to communicate.

This ritual was not to summon something but to ask for requests in exchange for the sacrifices. They called it the [Ritual Of Evil Blessings].

Seeing the portal form, the nine figures kneeled on the floor on both knees and lowered their heads to the floor.

SWOOSH!

The portal opened and pair of sinister looking eyes could be seen on the portal that was filled with darkness.

"It had been a long time…" The deep voice that could penetrate souls sounded from the portal. "Raise your heads."

""Oh, Great One.""

Hearing the voice of the being behind the portal, the hooded figures finally raised their heads and praised while they kept kneeling on the floor. They watched the eyes on the portal in total reverence.

The portal was very strange. It was both two dimensional and three dimensional at the same time. Even though the hooded figures were looking at the portal from different positions and angles, they could see the same thing.

"Hmmm?" The Great One seemed to have noticed something. "It seems that the surface is not as used to be."

"Great One, the world is currently infested with the soulless bodies moving about. It affects both mortals and the not. We dare not call the Great One out while not fully understanding the current situation."

The tall hooded figure spoke.

"Hoh? I see. The surface had become interesting then. No wonder the sacrifice is only enough to establish contact." The glaring eyes then panned on the lifeless bodies of the girls on the floor. "Now, what did you all need?"

"We beseech the Great One to empower the soulless ones in this place."

"Hmmm? Oh… Is it to clean the filth in this place?"

"Yes, Oh Great One."

"Then, it will be granted."

As the voice fell, large amounts of black smoke burst out of the portal. The smoke even drowned the whole surroundings while evading the hooded figures.

***

Day 47 – 1:15 PM – C-5 Road, Parañaque, Metro Manila

"What is that?"

The positioned at the southern part of the NAIA noticed it first due to the lack of buildings in front of them. Even though the plethora of gunshots should have drowned the voice of that soldier that asked the question, everyone could not help but freeze as they saw the unnerving phenomenon.

Black smoke as thick as clouds burst out into the sky. The smoke started to blanket the sky and was slowly spreading.

"Quick! Contact the command!"

The captain in this squad hurriedly spoke.

However…

"Captain! We lost connection!"

"What!" The Captain bellowed in confusion. "What are you doing?! Try the other frequency!"

"Captain! All frequencies are not working! Even our hand held radios are not working properly!"

Hearing that, the Captain took out the radio from his belt pocket and tried to use it.

SHHHHHHHHK…

All he heard was white noise.

The captain then looked at the sky, the smoke was spreading faster. His heart started to feel dread as he looked at the pitch black smoke.

"May God protect us."

He said as he grabbed the cross of the rosary tied up on his wrist.

***

Day 47 – 1:11 PM – Imelda Avenue, Parañaque, Metro Manila

"Sir! All communications are down!"

The soldier in charge of communications bellowed in panic. Not only him but all the other soldiers were feeling even more restless.

Albeit a little later, they could also see the black smoke spreading in the sky, no, rather than smoke, those seemed to be actual clouds. However, they did not carry rain and instead, the cloud seemed to carry…

Death…

The pitch black clouds scattered faster and faster. It did not take long and the glaring afternoon sun could not be seen anymore. The bright day became a gloomy night as the clouds spread further.

Soon, the clouds blanketed the whole area in and out of the NAIA.

It did not end there however as everyone could feel something strange was in the air.

GRAAAAAAA!!!

GRRRROOOOOOOWLLL!!!

GRUUUUUOOOOOAAAA!!

The soldiers froze as they heard the spine chilling growl in the background. It was as if someone hit the call the horde button in a certain game.

They all turned to see where the growls were coming from and to their horrifying shock, all the infected below had their eyes glowing with an eerie red color.

All the infected growled and roared at the same time while facing the sky. That was then that the soldiers and survivors saw the thing they never wanted to see in this outbreak. A literal sea and wave of infected as they wildly try to reach towards the soldiers.

The infected started charging in faster speeds, even jumping over each other and climbing over each other's body. As the seconds go, the infected started to make a ladder up to where the soldiers were, atop the flyover.

"SHOOT! SHOOT! Don't let them climb up!"

Major Lopez shouted to break his soldiers' stupor. Although he seemed composed, his heart was also pumping wildly. The feeling was even worse than encountering terrorists in the forests at the south of the country.

"Oh My God! What in the world is happening?"

A female survivor said as he stepped back from the edge of the flyover. She was shooting the infected below when she saw something.

The skin on one of the infected burst leaving its flesh in the open, its muscles then distorted and its bones bent. Soon, it transformed into an infected no one had seen before. The most horrifying part…

It pierced its fingers on the foundations of the flyover and climbed up in as speed no less than a running cheetah.

"AHHH!"

The survivor tried to shoot it but the infected knew how to dodge while climbing. Due to the uneven shape of the foundation, the woman lost sight of the infected. It was then that her assault rifle was gripped with a hand without skin and was pulled away from her. The assault rifle fell down the ground below the flyover and the infected climbed over the road barrier before jumping towards the woman.

BAM! SIZZLE!

Fortunately, a barrier formed in front of the woman. The barrier protected the woman and slowly corroded the splattered body of the infected.

BAM!

The skull of the infected sunk in and its neck was bent in an unsightly angle as a bone armored arm punched the infected's head. After the infected flew away from the impact with a bent head, the barrier vanished.

"Are you alright?"

Odelina asked as she helped the woman stood up with her free hand.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"It's fine. Get another weapon, it's not over yet."

"Y-yes. I wi- AHHHHH!"

The female survivor was not able to finish her reply as she shrieked once more while pointing at a certain direction.

Odelina immediately entered a battle stance when she froze in shock.

The one that the female survivor was pointing at was the infected she had just killed. Or, it was supposed to be.

With a bent neck and sunken skull, the infected stood up like it was nothing.

It then charged back towards Odelina and the woman once more.

BAM!

Odelina punched the infected once more causing it to fly back like the last time. Its neck was not just bent anymore but its head dangled on its neck. It should be dead by now…

But it was not…

It stood up again and charged forward.

"This is bull."

The always polite Odelina could not help but let out a simple swear seeing the infected in front of her.

For another time, she attacked the infected and punched it on its chest. The infected's chest sunk in and was pushed over the rails causing a disgusting splatter sound below.

Was that the end of it?

Odelina hurriedly checked. To her horror however…

The infected's body was all broken and the fall might have totally broke its spine. However, with just its remaining right arm and two legs, it started to drag its body towards the foundation of the flyover. Fortunately, it was unable to climb up once more. Still, this was a thing of hell.

The moment Odelina turned away from the scene below she could not help but feel shocked.

That infected was not the only one. There was already a dozen or more infected on the fly over with bent necks, gunshot wounds on their heads and even exposed smashed brains. And yet, they were still moving.

This time, the mission issued by the military became a true fight for survival.