The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 269: Ch 268: Back to the Cage - Part 2

By the time they reached the towering front gates of the palace, the sky had darkened completely, leaving only the flicker of distant city lights and a faint glow from within the walls to illuminate the way.

The gate stood tall—thick metal reinforced with strange energy currents, humming faintly with power.

There were no guards in sight, but that didn’t make it any less of a problem.

"Well, here we are. Good luck getting in. That thing only opens from the inside. You’d need clearance... which none of you have."

The captured guard muttered, crossing his arms.

’This looks similar to the place I escaped from, but I can tell that this is a different gate. And there is also no...security. I suddenly have a bad feeling about it.’

Selene stepped closer to the gate, inspecting the smooth surface for any sign of weakness. There was none.

"So we’re stuck?"

Zara asked, arms folded tightly.

The guard smirked.

"Unless someone in there opens it—which they won’t—you’re wasting your time."

But Ethan didn’t respond. He just stared at the guard, and the smirk slowly faded.

"What... what’re you looking at me like that for?"

The next second, a faint blue shimmer passed over Ethan’s eyes. The guard staggered back, clutching his head as if something had just been ripped from him.

"Wh-what did you—?!"

Ethan didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped toward the gate, palm glowing faintly, and pressed his hand against the scanner embedded in the wall.

A soft click echoed.

The gate creaked. Then, to everyone’s shock, it began to open.

The guard’s jaw dropped.

"That’s not possible! That’s—how did you—?!"

"I borrowed your credentials. Didn’t think you’d be using them again anytime soon."

Ethan said casually, stepping inside as the gates parted.

Selene blinked at him in disbelief.

"You can do that?"

Ethan just shrugged.

"Turns out I can."

Selene did not believe Ethan did what he did on a whim. It seemed as if he knew how to open the door and he decided to make use of his knowledge to his advantage.

’What a resourceful man. But I am not surprised by all this. It seems like I expected this to happen when I decided to lean on Ethan.’

The others slipped inside, leaving the guard stunned and speechless as the heavy gates slammed shut behind them.

The palace grounds were eerily quiet.

Even as the gates sealed shut behind them, the unsettling stillness pressed in from every direction.

No guards. No footsteps.

Just the distant hum of machines hidden within the towering, polished walls.

As they moved deeper into the palace courtyard, the sheer scale of the place became apparent.

Towering spires, seamless metal archways, and glowing symbols carved into the ground made it feel more like a fortress of the future than a royal palace.

And yet, it all felt modern as well.

Orion slowed, gaze scanning their surroundings with narrowed eyes.

"Alright, now that we’re in... how exactly do we find the exit? Or the boss? We’re still shooting blind."

Selene didn’t respond. She was distracted—eyes darting, heart pounding. The voice had returned.

[To the right. There’s a path. It will take you to what you seek. Follow it. You were meant for more than this aimless wandering.]

Tt whispered gently.

Zara folded her arms.

"The place is too massive. We’ll waste hours just checking one wing. The most efficient way to do this is to split up."

"No. We shouldn’t split up. We still can’t use our abilities. If we run into anything—even a trap—we’re done for."

Nora said sharply, stepping forward.

"Which is exactly why we can’t afford to waste time. We cover more ground separately. That gives us a chance to find something before something finds us."

Zara countered.

"But—"

"She’s right. We don’t have much of a choice. If we stick together, we might never find the exit. We’ll regroup at the outer courtyard in one hour."

Orion sighed, reluctantly agreeing.

Nora clenched her jaw, frustration plain on her face. She turned to Selene, expecting her to back her up, but—

Selene wasn’t there.

She was already walking away, head tilted slightly like she was listening to something no one else could hear.

Her steps were smooth but aimless, her expression unreadable.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

"Selene—?"

She didn’t turn.

"Selene!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Still nothing.

The voice was stronger now, filling her thoughts like a wave crashing over everything else.

[Deeper. Through the left wing. The core of this place recognizes you. It will open. You’ll see.]

Her feet moved before she could think.

The path stretched endlessly ahead, shadows shifting at the corners of her vision—but she didn’t stop.

Something about it felt right. Natural. Like the palace itself was calling her.

Ethan cursed under his breath and turned to the others.

"She’s not with us anymore."

"What do you mean?"

Nora asked quickly, alarm rising.

"She’s following something. A pull. I don’t know what, but if I don’t go after her now—"

"You think she’s in danger?"

Orion asked.

"I think we’re in danger if she’s left alone. Whatever’s calling her... it’s strong. And it’s not the system either."

Ethan said, already backing away.

Zara raised an eyebrow.

"So you’re going after her alone?"

"Wouldn’t be the first time. Keep searching. Don’t wait on me."

Ethan glanced over his shoulder.

Nora reached out.

"Wait—Ethan—"

"I’ll bring her back."

He promised, then turned and bolted after Selene before anyone could stop him.

Zara watched him disappear down the corridor, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"Well. That complicates things."

"Do we really have to keep searching?"

Nora asked, her voice low now, unsure.

Zara didn’t answer. She just turned and walked in the opposite direction, her hand already reaching for the hilt of her weapon—even if it didn’t work anymore.

Orion glanced at Nora.

"Come on. One hour. Then we regroup."

Nora hesitated. Something inside her twisted—the same uneasy feeling that had been growing ever since they stepped back toward the palace. Something about all this felt wrong.

But still, she turned and followed.