The day the world fell apart wasn't marked by fiery explosions or loud sirens. It came quietly like a thief in the night.
Alexia Kane sat at her cramped desk in the corner of her dimly lit apartment, ignoring the eerie silence that had descended over her neighborhood. She was too focused on her screen, watching the news ticker scroll across with ominous headlines:
"Unexplained Outbreaks Across the Globe", "Mass Disappearances Reported", and finally "Stay Indoors. Do Not Engage."
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as her stomach churned. Something about these reports felt wrong. Too quiet, too calm-- like the eye of a storm.
She barely had time to process the thought before a deafening screech pierced the air. It was unnatural, almost metallic, and sent chills racing down her spine. She shot up from her seat bumping her head onto the shelf above the desk while her heart pounded.
"What the hell was that?" she whispered to no one in particular.
Then the lights flickered. Once. Twice. The third time, they didn't come back on. The glow of her laptop dimmed until the screen went black, leaving her staring at her pale reflection.
[STYSTEM ACTIVATED]
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in her head, making her stagger backwards.
"What-- who said that?" Alexia shouted, glancing around the room. Her hands flew to her ears, but the voice wasn't coming from outside, it was from the inside of her head.
[Congratulations, User. You have been selected as a System Host.]
Her breath caught, she had read her fair share of apocalyptic, thrillers and fantasy novels but this.... whatever she felt she was experiencing, it was insane.
"What system? Who are you?"
[I am the Apocalyptic Queen System, here to aid your survival. Together, we will dominate this new world]
Before Alexia could respond, the voice continued
[Initiating Tutorial]
Her body suddenly felt like it was on fire. Every muscle screamed at her in protest as a flood of information burned into her brain. She collapsed to her knees, gasping for air as blue holographic screens materialized in front of her
[Status: Alexia Kane]
Level: 1
Skills Unlocked: None
Upgraded Points: 0
Equipment: None
Her vision blurred as another screen appeared.
[Quest: First Blood]
Objective: Kill your first enemy.
Reward: 10 upgrade points, Starter Weapon.
She barely had time to process the words before a bloodcurdling snarl echoed from the hallway outside her apartment.
Alexia scrambled to her feet, her instincts screaming at her to move, her trembling hands reached for the baseball bat she kept by the door. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
The snarling grew louder, accompanied by heavy, uneven footsteps. Her breath hitched as she peered through the peephole. The sight made her stomach drop.
Her neighbor, Mrs. Calloway, stood in the hallway, or rather what was left of her. Half her face was gone, revealing jagged teeth and raw muscle. Her eyes glowed an unnatural green, and her movement were jerky, as though she wasn't fully in control of her body.
"Oh, hell no," Alexia muttered.
The system's voice returned, calm and emotionless: [Host, this is your first trial. Kill the target and claim your reward.]
"I'm not ready for this!" Alexia hissed, she felt like the system was asking too much of her, the normal reaction for a nineteen years old would be to hide and wait for the authorities but she knew the authorities won't be coming as the chaos had been ongoing for a week now and no one had come to their rescue.
[Survival does not wait. Adapt or perish.]
As if on cue, the door creaked under the weight of the infected woman slamming against it. Alexia tightened her grip on the bat, her knuckles turning white. She had never been a fighter, let alone a killer, but something inside her refused to die here.
When the door finally gave way, Mrs. Calloway lunged at her with inhumane speed. Alexia swung the bat with everything she had, the crack of wood meeting bone echoed through the room. The woman stumbled but didn't fall.
[Tip: Aim for the head.]
"Gee, thanks for the heads-up" Alexia sneered, dodging another swipe from the creature. She pivoted, adrenaline surging, and brought the bat down hard on the skull. This time the infected woman collapsed in a heap, unmoving.
[Quest Complete: First Blood]
Reward: 10 Upgraded Points, Starter Weapon Unlocked.
Another screen popped up, showing her newly acquired weapon: A gleaming machete. It appeared in her hand, solid and real.
Alexia stared at it, her chest heaving. "This is insane..."
The system responded, its tone as detached and cold as ever: [Congratulations, Host. You have taken the first step towards survival. Use the system wisely, and you may yet rule this apocalypse]
Outside, the world had already descended into chaos. screams echoed through the streets, punctuated by gunfire and explosions. Alexia glanced at the machete in her hand and the body of her neighbor.
If she was going to survive, she needed to adapt fast. She had no idea what the system truly wanted from her, but if it gave her the edge, she needed to live....she'd take it, after all life is give and take.
"Rule the apocalypse, huh?" she muttered, her lips curling into a grim smile. " Alright, let's see what this new world's got"
With one final glance at the flickering blue screens, Alexia stepped out into the unknown.