The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 112: Ch : The Trials of Sacrifice- Part 3

Up above, the dungeon responded.

The stone walls shuddered, and the corridor they stood in began to change. Patterns rippled through the walls, and the solid end of the corridor cracked open.

A new passage revealed itself.

Zara fell to her knees, her hand covering her mouth.

Orion’s eyes widened, and he reached out toward the void where Selene had fallen, but the edge had sealed itself, leaving only solid stone.

Ethan remained still, his breathing harsh. His hands trembled at his sides, and his expression was unreadable.

The system’s voice echoed around them:

[Sacrifice accepted. The path forward is open.]

Zara let out a choked sob.

"She... She did it."

Orion turned to Ethan.

"What now?"

Ethan’s jaw clenched.

"We finish the dungeon."

"But Selene—"

"She told us to. And if we don’t, then what she did is for nothing."

He said, his voice hard.

He took a step forward, leading them into the newly opened passage. His steps were steady, but his aura pulsed with anger and grief.

Zara and Orion followed, their hearts heavy.

The corridor led them to a chamber filled with light. Treasures and rewards glimmered, and a small pedestal held a glowing orb—the prize of the dungeon.

But none of them reached for it.

The system’s voice spoke again:

[Choose your reward.]

Ethan turned to the others.

"Whatever we take, it has to help us get her back."

Zara nodded, wiping her tears. Orion’s expression hardened.

One by one, they approached the pedestal. The light shifted, responding to their choices.

As the room began to glow brighter, a silent promise formed between them.

Selene had made the sacrifice.

Now, they would do whatever it took to bring her back.

______

Ethan stood before the glowing pedestal, the reward shimmering with an ethereal light.

His expression was hard, his jaw set in a way that suggested nothing but defiance.

The treasures around him glimmered, promises of power and advantage, but he only saw the hollow offering of a system that had just taken Selene away.

"Ethan. You need to choose something."

Zara’s voice wavered.

He didn’t move. His fingers curled into fists at his sides.

"I’m not taking anything from this cursed place."

"Stop being stubborn! Selene sacrificed herself. We need to take the reward so we can find a way to bring her back!"

She snapped, the urgency pushing through her fear.

Ethan’s eyes remained fixed on the pedestal, but he shook his head.

"It’s bullshit."

Zara reached out, her hand grabbing his arm.

"We don’t have time for this. You know Selene wouldn’t want us to waste her sacrifice."

He wrenched his arm free, his movements sharp and decisive.

"Then I’m not wasting it."

Before Zara could react, Ethan turned and sprinted to the edge of the room. His boots thudded against the stone, each step echoing in the vast chamber.

"Ethan!"

Zara screamed, but he didn’t stop.

He reached the cliff and, without hesitation, jumped.

A gust of cold wind rushed into the chamber, pulling at Zara’s hair and sending a shiver down her spine. She stumbled forward, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.

"Damn it."

She whispered.

Beside her, Orion stood frozen. His expression was torn, his lips pressed into a thin line. His usually calm demeanor cracked, and Zara saw the conflict burning in his eyes.

"Orion... don’t,"

She begged.

He turned to her, a soft, pained look on his face.

"I’m sorry, Zara. But I can’t leave her."

"No... Please!"

But like Ethan, Orion moved too fast. He stepped back, gave her a faint, bittersweet smile, and then he, too, leapt into the abyss.

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

Zara stood alone, the weight of the moment pressing down on her like an avalanche. Her team—her family—had thrown themselves into the darkness, chasing after a girl who might not even be alive.

She grit her teeth, her hands trembling.

"Sentimental idiots! All of them."

She muttered.

The system’s message remained before her, the glowing orb on the pedestal still awaiting a choice.

Zara’s eyes narrowed. They had all forgotten what they came here for.

The crafting skill—something they needed to refine the nullifying crystals.

Something that could give them an edge against whatever threats lay ahead.

She stepped forward, her mind racing.

"Fine! If no one else is thinking straight, I will."

She said.

Her hand hovered over the light. She focused, channeling her intention into the system.

The orb pulsed, and a warmth spread through her as the crafting skill transferred to her. The system chimed softly, the reward accepted.

Zara didn’t linger. The moment the skill settled within her, she turned back to the edge. The cliff loomed, dark and daunting, but she didn’t hesitate.

"Idiots! You’re not leaving me behind."

She muttered once more.

She jumped.

For a moment, everything was weightless. She felt the air rush around her, the void stretching beneath her, infinite and cold.

But then, the ground gave way.

Zara’s feet met something solid, but it slipped out from under her.

She gasped as the world around her twisted.

The darkness closed in, swallowing every trace of light and sound. Her senses blurred, and she felt as if she were falling again, but this time through an endless chasm.

"Ethan? Orion?"

She called out, her voice muffled by the void.

"Selene?"

Nothing.

Her fingers clawed at the air, desperate to find something—anything—to hold on to. But there was only darkness.

And then, the dungeon spat her out.

Zara landed hard on damp earth.

The sudden brightness of the outside world burned her eyes, and she blinked rapidly, trying to adjust. T

he cool breeze bit into her skin, and the familiar sounds of rustling leaves and distant birds slowly registered in her mind.

She pushed herself up, dirt clinging to her palms. A groan to her left made her whip her head around.

It looked like they had all survived that fall without any major injuries.

"What a bunch of idiots! You should have trusted Selene a little more. She did say she had a plan."