LOGINShare
10: The Price of Protection
publish date:
2026-11-05 02:59:42
Latest chapter
From Abandoned Bride to Apocalypse Survivor 17: Choose Each Other, Break the Trial
Theresa PovThe warning flashed across my vision.[Containment Failure Imminent.]I locked my arms around Ken as the floor vanished beneath us, and the darkness swallowed everything. No walls, no chains, no creature hunting us. Only his arm around my waist and the awful rush of air.Then we hit water.The impact knocked every breath out of me. Cold closed over my head, and something snagged my injured leg and dragged me sideways. I kicked until my fingers scraped rough stone, hauled myself up, and broke the surface."Ken!"Nothing.The chamber was enormous, with black pillars rising from a shallow pool and pale blue lights glowing under the water, lighting strange symbols on the floor. Several meters away, Ken floated face down.My heart stopped.I swam to him through the pain in my leg, flipped him over, and slapped his cheek. "Ken! Open your eyes!"His face was gray. I pressed two fingers to his neck and felt a weak, stubborn pulse. Relief hit so hard I nearly sobbed. I dragged him
From Abandoned Bride to Apocalypse Survivor 16: The Cost of Choosing
Theresa PovThe darkness swallowed everything. I couldn't tell whether I was falling or whether the ground had simply vanished. My fingers stayed locked around Ken's hand as air tore past my face.Then something slammed into my back.Pain detonated through my body. I rolled across a hard surface, hit something metallic, and stopped against a stone wall. For several seconds I couldn't breathe. My ears rang, dust coated my tongue, and something warm trickled from my forehead."Ken?"Nothing."Ken!"A weak groan answered from my left. I crawled toward it, dragging my injured leg, until my scraped palm found dark fabric. Ken lay pinned beneath a bent metal support, black hair across his face, ceremonial robes torn at the shoulder, blood staining the pale skin near his temple."Can you hear me?"His eyelids fluttered. "Unfortunately."A breath of relief escaped me. "Don't start."I wedged my shoulder beneath the support and pushed. Pain speared through my side, but the metal shifted. "Help
From Abandoned Bride to Apocalypse Survivor 15: The Bell That Hungers
Theresa Pov"Let them think I haven't noticed."Ken watched me from across the room. "And when they discover that you have?""Then we deal with it.""That is not a plan.""Neither is walking blindly into the wasteland."He glanced at the shuttered window. The green mist had thickened, and pale strands curled along the settlement wall, sometimes revealing tall shapes moving inside it."We cannot stay here forever.""I know, and you can stop saying it like I'm hiding the exit."I spread our supplies across the table: the cracked rectangular device, the last scraps of food, the folding knife. The spear was still beneath the sanctuary, guarded by seven men and by Orlan, who now knew we wanted it.The device's cracked screen still showed a familiar skyline and a partial date. OCTOBER 2021. 'This isn't another world,' I thought, my pulse quickening. 'It's my own, and something killed it.'I tucked the device into my clothes. Ken noticed."You keep staring at that broken thing.""It matters.
From Abandoned Bride to Apocalypse Survivor 14: The Girl Who Carried The Bread
Theresa PovThe green mist pressed against the settlement walls like something waiting for a door to open.I watched it through the gap in the wooden shutters. It curled around the stones and crept beneath the gates, patient and alive.Behind me, Ken stood by the table, his long black hair spilling over the faded gold patterns on his clothes. His jaw was tight, his golden eyes fixed on me."We leave today," he said flatly."Not until I understand why this settlement worships a machine that may not be protecting them.""And the spear.""And the spear," I admitted.He exhaled through his nose, the sound of a man swallowing a lecture. "You would argue with the mist itself if it asked you to leave.""Only if it asked rudely."Before he could reply, a bell rang outside, sharp and frantic, nothing like the slow ceremonial tolling we had grown used to. Another followed, then shouting. Ken reached the door before I had my folding knife in hand.Outside, the stench of damp stone and stagnant w
From Abandoned Bride to Apocalypse Survivor 13: The Spear They Worship
Theresa PovThe platform split open.A deep mechanical groan rolled across the square as two wooden sections slid apart. Beneath them, a circular stone column rose from the dark, trailing dust and a cold wind that smelled of rust and damp stone. The crowd fell silent.A spear rested on the column. Its dark silver shaft was threaded with golden patterns, and its long, curved blade caught the afternoon light like a flame frozen mid-flicker. Nine small circles were engraved near its base.Ken took one step forward, his golden eyes locked on it. "The spear...""Do you remember it?""No." His jaw tightened. "But I know it belongs to me."Before I could answer, Keeper Orlan threw up both hands. "Behold! The sacred spear of our ancestors!"The crowd dropped to their knees. Some bowed their heads, others stretched trembling hands toward the weapon."The day of cleansing approaches! The divine vessel has returned!"A private notification flickered in front of my eyes.[Divine Remain Detected.]
From Abandoned Bride to Apocalypse Survivor 12: The Things I Chose Not to See
Theresa PovThe wooden figure turned its head toward us.Its painted smile never wavered, but two red lights burned behind its hollow eyes, and its metal feet scraped across the circular platform with a screech that crawled down my spine.The crowd erupted into applause."Look! The heavenly visitors have been chosen!""How fortunate!""Even the Heavenly Bell recognises their importance!"I stared at the platform. Yesterday I had watched children tumble into mechanical pits while their parents cheered. Today these people wanted us to join the same madness.A guard approached in a neatly pressed brown uniform, a white cloth stamped with the nine-circle symbol tied around his arm. "Please come forward. The Keeper wishes to honour you with a special round.""No."His smile faltered. "Excuse me?""I said no."Behind him, the wooden figure slowly turned back to the crowd, as though it had lost interest and was only waiting."Refusing the Keeper's invitation may be considered disrespectful."
You May Also Like
REBIRTH: SEVEN DAYS BEFORE DOOMSDAY
Sam Nixon6.8K viewsDOOMSDAY FORTRESS: THE OFFICER'S COLD BRIDE
DarkRom12.0K viewsThe Commander’s Price: Claimed in the Apocalypse
Tom J. Croft 1.0K viewsThirty Days To Doomsday:My Cheating Ex Begs At My Vault Door
Mac9.4K viewsREBORN 30 DAYS BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE
Maureen181 viewsReborn With The Forbidden System
Rach150 viewsApocalypse Rebirth: The Chubby Wife Has A Shopping System
Deba143 viewsBetrayed And Reborn: I Hoarded While He Begged
Golden Blaze31 views
