The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 281: Ch 280: Cannot Save Her - Part 2

Ethan didn’t respond. His jaw tightened. His gaze drifted back to the stars. And Zara didn’t press him.

She wasn’t here for his comfort or for validation. She just... needed someone to know.

After a few minutes of silence, she nodded to herself and stepped back from the railing.

"I’ll head inside."

Ethan didn’t stop her. He remained where he was, eyes still searching the constellations.

Zara closed the door behind her, and Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He didn’t know what to do anymore.

Too many people were depending on him. Too many lives were tangled together. And Selene—

He looked up at the stars again, as if they might have answers he hadn’t yet found.

"Wake up soon. I’m kind of lost here."

He whispered.

Selene didn’t feel like she was sleeping.

She felt trapped.

Energy swirled inside her like a storm—thick, suffocating, relentless. It wrapped around her lungs, her heart, her mind. It pulsed with a will of its own, pressing, whispering, begging.

[Accept me.]

Selene clenched her teeth.

’No.’

[Let me in. Let me help you. You need me.]

’I don’t want to be a puppet!’

She pushed, fought back, tried to claw her way out of the haze. But the harder she pushed, the harder the energy pushed back, as if mocking her resistance.

[You’re mine already, Selene. Stop pretending you’re in control.]

The weight of it crushed her. It wrapped around her body, her limbs, her throat.

She couldn’t breathe.

She—

Gasped.

Selene’s eyes snapped open, her lungs sucking in air like she’d just surfaced from drowning.

Her body trembled, and sweat clung to her skin like a second layer. But even as she sat up, something felt wrong.

Her body didn’t feel like her own. Her fingers twitched strangely. Her limbs were stiff, heavy.

And something still pulsed deep inside her. That energy wasn’t gone.

It was watching.

Waiting.

The door creaked open.

Selene looked up sharply.

Noah stood in the doorway, eyes wide.

They stared at each other, silence stretching between them like a fragile thread.

Then Noah broke it, rushing forward and wrapping his arms around her without a word.

Selene stiffened at first, but slowly—slowly—her muscles relaxed.

Noah let out a long breath, muffled against her shoulder.

"You scared the hell out of us,"

He whispered.

Selene didn’t reply. She just closed her eyes and leaned her head lightly against his. Her body still didn’t feel like her own.

But maybe... maybe she wasn’t completely lost yet.

Selene tried to speak, but her throat caught fire the moment she moved her lips. She winced, clutching her throat with a soft groan.

Noah pulled back quickly, worry flashing in his eyes.

"You need water. I’ll be right back."

He said before darting out of the room.

Selene nodded faintly, watching him leave. Her body slumped back into the bed, every inch of her aching in quiet protest.

The room felt both too warm and too cold, her senses out of sync, her skin prickling with something she couldn’t name.

She waited for Noah’s return, breathing shallowly and trying to ground herself.

Then the door opened again.

It wasn’t Noah.

Zara stepped inside.

Selene blinked. Her vision was still a little hazy, her mind foggy with remnants of that overpowering energy—but even through the blur, she could see something off about Zara.

A dark shimmer clung to her like a second skin. It curled around her like smoke, flickering in and out of shape, heavy and still. Selene blinked again. The aura didn’t vanish.

It lingered.

It was real.

"You’re awake. How do you feel?"

Zara said, but her voice was flat, tired.

Selene opened her mouth, tried to answer. Nothing but a soft rasp escaped.

She shook her head and lifted her hand weakly to gesture at Zara, then pointed to her own chest.

Something was wrong.

She didn’t know how to explain it. She didn’t even understand it fully herself. But it was wrong.

Zara stepped closer, frowning.

"What is it? You okay? What’s going on?"

Selene tried again to speak, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

"Something’s... wrong... with me."

Zara’s brows pulled together in concern.

"What do you mean?"

Before Selene could answer, a cold whisper curled inside her head.

[She’s doomed.]

Selene stiffened, eyes widening.

[That girl. That soul. Her end is approaching fast.]

Selene’s breath caught in her throat. The voice—it was back.

The presence she’d been fighting... it hadn’t left. It was just biding its time.

She pushed herself up a little, forcing her gaze to meet Zara’s.

"Don’t go into dungeons anymore. You’ve done enough."

Selene rasped out, her voice shaking.

Zara blinked, caught off guard by the sudden warning.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just... don’t go. Please."

Selene insisted, voice steadier this time, her eyes locked on Zara’s.

Zara tried to laugh it off.

"You’re just tired. You’ve been through a lot, Selene. We all have."

"I’m serious."

There was something about Selene’s expression—so calm, so certain—that made Zara stop pretending.

Her breath stilled. She walked to the edge of the bed and looked down at her.

"...You’re talking about as if I am going to die? What? Did you realize something?"

Selene didn’t answer.

Zara looked away, gave a soft exhale.

"It’s fine. I already know."

Selene frowned, confused.

"Madam Verta. She told me earlier. Said my end is near. Guess I should be surprised you’re saying the same thing, but..."

Zara said.

She trailed off, then gave Selene a faint, tired smile.

"...I’m not afraid of it."

Selene stared at her, unable to find words. That dark aura still clung to Zara’s figure, like the shadow of a clock ticking down.

"You should be."

Selene whispered.

Zara shook her head.

"If it’s coming, it’s coming. I’ve survived worse odds than fate. Besides, I’m still alive. That’s already a miracle." freēwēbηovel.c૦m

She forced a small chuckle.

Selene wanted to argue. She wanted to scream and cry and make Zara take her seriously. But her body was too tired. Her voice too weak.

So she just watched as Zara turned to leave, her figure framed by the hallway light—shadow and all.

And the voice in Selene’s head whispered again:

[You can’t save her alone.]