The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 34: Ch : The Vale Mansion- Part 1

The world is in chaos.

Selene weaves through the streets, her eyes darting from one scene of destruction to another. People scream for help. Buildings burn.

Shadows move in the distance, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.

It’s just like before. The end of the world was not something that changed, no matter how many times it repeated itself.

All this chaos and madness felt so distant and familiar at the same time.

Her past life flashes through her mind—this exact moment of madness, when everything collapsed, when people who were once neighbors turned against each other for the sake of survival.

People had died during these times, but feeling anything other than detachment at this moment was difficult for Selene.

Because she had lived through this before, and it had been her reality for a long time, Selene felt detached to anything that was happening.

Zara, walking beside her, notices her troubled expression. She gives Selene a reassuring smile. "

I know this looks bad, but we’re different now. We know what’s coming. We can help."

Selene forces a smile but says nothing. She was certain that Zara had the wrong impression about her.

But she was not going to clarify her feelings about what was happening.

Ethan, a few steps ahead, scoffs.

"You two need to stop thinking like that. The apocalypse doesn’t care about kindness. If you waste time trying to save others, you’ll get yourselves killed. People will take advantage of your sympathy."

Ethan, too, seemed to be speaking from experience. His eyes had the look of someone who had lived through all this before.

But unlike Selene, he felt like an active participant and someone who was well-aware of what was going on around him.

Zara glares at him.

"You’re heartless. Can’t you have some compassion for these people! They are losing everything they have in the blink of an eye!"

Zara tried to invoke some sympathy in the cold-hearted man, but it was of no use.

"I’m a realist. This world rewards the strong. The weak either adapt or die."

Ethan replies coldly.

Zara clenches her fists, about to argue, but Selene interrupts.

"He’s right."

Both Zara and Ethan turn to her, surprised.

Selene’s grip tightens on her weapon.

"I’ve seen what happens when you trust the wrong people. When you believe that humanity is stronger than desperation. People betray. People kill to survive. I won’t make the same mistake again."

Her voice is calm, but her expression is cold. She had seen too many betrayals during the apocalypse and she was tired.

Believing in humanity only made you go so far. After a point, it was every man for themselves and Selene had no intention of defending that kind work world. Especially because she had to live to be a part of it as well.

Zara falls silent, her expression troubled. Her expression told Selene that Zara likely believed she had lost her mind.

Ethan, however, watches Selene closely, a strange look in his eyes. He doesn’t say anything, but she can feel his gaze lingering on her.

She looks away.

Selene had not lost her mind. She was fine and her mind was in it’s place.

Just because she had been a little realistic and decided to speak her mind, she got this reaction.

’It might be better for me to keep my thoughts to myself from now on. It does not seem as if anyone is ready to hear them.’

______

Getting to the Vale mansion was not hard at all. People might have been panicking, but most of them were busy trying to hide and not let this new world affect them.

Roads were mostly empty as people ran away and abandoned their cars and other modes of transport.

"Looks like we won’t need to use our own car this time. I will grab the nearest one that I can see."

Ethan skipped into the open road before getting into the first car he saw. The other two followed without much complaint.

And soon, they started to drive to their destination.

The Vale mansion looms ahead, just as chaotic as the rest of the city. Fires burn in the courtyard. Bodies lie scattered across the ground. The gates have been forced open, and the sounds of fighting echo from inside.

Selene stops, glancing at Ethan and Zara. This was the perfect time for the trio to break in and not be detected.

However, Selene also needed to make the pair in front of her aware that they won’t be able to count on her this whole time.

"Once we’re inside, we’ll have to split up. I have something to do, so you will have to search without me."

Ethan raises an eyebrow.

"You’re serious? You want to roam that place alone? Are you sure you will be fine?"

Selene quickly nodded. Even if she did not feel like she was going to be fine, she would force herself to be. That was what she needed after all.

"I don’t know where the Star of Iridize is exactly, but I know the general direction. You’ll have to find it on your own."

"That’s fine. I just need a starting point. I have my ways of finding what I need anyway."

Ethan assured her and that likely meant that he had an ability that allowed him to detect where his target was.

Selene had never asked the pair what their abilities were and she had not revealed her own in return. The trust between the three was not solid enough for that and these moments proved it.

"Then, let’s separate once we are at the junction. Just go that way and you will reach somewhere that does not have a lot of people on duty."

Selene pointed out as she walked away.

Zara frowns but doesn’t argue.

Selene leads them toward the side of the mansion. There’s an emergency escape route she remembers from before. It should still be there.

Taking a deep breath, she pushes forward.

The trio break in, disappearing into the chaos.

______

I’ll do 3 Chapters until the end of the month and replace all privileges then. I hope you buy them because I will lower the prices of privileges if you buy this month.