A World of Despair(Book One)

Chapter Three (Emilia)

   Emilia flicked her eyes open as she came back to dull reality. She sighed and stretched, looking around at her room like she did every day she came to a stop on the clock she'd made. It registered around nine in the morning, that was odd since Emilia usually slept through the day. Yawning once more, Emilia then got up and stretched, then went to get ready for the day. She quickly pulled on her long trench coat and gloves and then fetched her mask. If she wanted food then she'd better get started. She walked over to her sword and stood there to admire it for a minute. She stroked the blade fondly for a moment before picking it up and securing it to her back. She used to have a sheath for it, but one of the Xions she had faced had eaten it and then choked on it. The world as usual was very quiet and barren. The glass dome around her house was sound proof anyways.

   She walked out of her house and then looked around. As usual the air smelled of decay and oddly enough, flowers. That scent to this day still made Emilia sad. Securing her porceline mask to her face, she began to walk. Nothing was in the outer wastelands, which was where she set her house. She knew to steer clear of the city since that was where the Humanoid-Xion's fed. They seemed to feed off of radiation and they in turn were very toxic to really even touch. The Animaloid-Xions were what she was after. They didn't feed on radiation, they fed on each other. Therefore they were the least toxic of the limited sources in this world. 

   Emilia took only several minutes to bypass the city and walk to the ash forest. There was where her quarry was. She quickly crept into what little cover the scorched trees offered. All around the ground was stained black. Ash even clung in the air still. This place was truly dead. Emilia stuck to the shadows and silently moved through the forest. There up ahead were some Xions. They looked like they were at one time cows or something. However they were feeding on some poor Xion that was too weak to defend itself. Emilia watched for a bit before picking out her victim. A sturdy old one seemed good. It was slightly on the lean side, but still would have rich meat. Emilia zeroed in on that one and then decided to go in. 

   She shot out of the bushes and latched onto the back of it. The Xion snarled in surprise and began to buck around. Emilia hung on with ease and with one hand grabbed her sword. She then took it and sank it into the back of its skull. WIth a suddering cry the beast fell to the ground, immediately dead. The other Xions cried out in pain and anger. Emilia turned to them and hissed. Her face was speckled with blood and she truly looked fearsome for someone so small. The other Xions got the message and they quickly raced off. Emilia turned back to the Xion that was her breakfast and decided to bring it back to the house. Picking up one bit of it she hauled it up onto her shoulders and then began to walk home.

   Making it in there, the dome quickly went to work de-radioactivating her kill. Once that was done she set to eating it. This was the best meal that she had eaten in awhile. Once she had eaten her fill she got up and was going to go back to sleep, but pain struck her. She cried out in pain as everything went white. She fell to the floor and began to foam at the mouth. Something was definently wrong. Then after a few minutes it all went away. Standing up, Emilia immediately ran to the bathroom and began her usual daily check. Sure enough, her eyes were yellow. Running to her room she grabbed a box out from under her bed and opened it. There nestled safely in the box was a set of syringes. Each were filled with a pale green liquid that had the consistancy of water. 

   Grabbing one out she uncapped it and stabbed it into her leg. Once that was good she injected the contents into her leg and felt the familiar burning happen. She shook her head as the pain intensified and then it started to ebb away. Shaking she took out the syringe and then put the box back under her bed. Walking over to her bookshelf she took down a book and a pencil opening it up she began to write.

 April 3rd, 2331, It's happening more frequently. I fear that before long I'll start to become one of the Xion again. I said that I'd die before becoming one of them again, that day may be coming soon. I prayed that it wouldn't but after the incedent that happened today I fear that my prayers have been for naught. The cures are becoming less effective nowadays and I'm struggling to come up with another cure. This infection seems to be getting immune to my cures faster than I can alter them.  I'm already at a consistency of 45:60. Any more and I may as well just inject pure radiation into my skin once again. I hope that I will be able to find the cure soon, but I'm not so sure that I will be able to.