Apocalypse Baby-Chapter 154: Bad Choices [2]

Damn it all.

Freya couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer.

Her blood boiled.

With a sharp inhale, she rose to her feet—her movements abrupt, furious.

Then, she snapped.

"Are you people seriously—?!!" she shouted, her voice raw with rage.

Her glare burned as she whipped her head around, staring down each of them.

"The only reason we even made it out of that hellhole was because of him!" she yelled, pointing toward Alex.

"He made the path to escape!"

"He took down the monsters in our way!"

"And this is how you repay him?! By stabbing him in the back?!"

A heavy silence followed.

Then, a voice cut through it.

Kieran.

His tone was flat. Emotionless.

"If he dies, we all get out. The answer is pretty obvious."

Freya’s chest tightened.

A few others nodded in agreement.

Then, the first player who had rushed to the vendor spoke up, his expression hardened.

"I’ve done too much shit to start playing hero now," he said, rolling his shoulders.

"Let’s kill him—and get this nightmare over with."

Freya’s fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms.

Her jaw locked.

Her heart pounded.

Their words dripped with nothing but selfishness.

She couldn’t believe it.

This was who they really were?

She had never hated a group of people more in her life.

Then, Ezekiel finally spoke.

His voice was low. Tired.

"I’m tired, Freya. We all are."

He exhaled slowly, shoulders sagging under the weight of exhaustion.

"Who knows what the next trial will throw at us? We’ve already lost too many people. And if we keep going…"

His gaze darkened.

"More of us will die."

Then, he lifted his head—his expression cold.

"Why not end it now?"

Freya’s eyes narrowed.

"At the cost of someone’s life?"

Ezekiel took a step forward.

His boots scraped against the ground, the sound heavy. Unyielding.

"That sacrifice is worth it."

Freya’s heart pounded.

Her fingers twitched at her side.

Then, without hesitation, she drew her blade.

Steel flashed.

Her stance was firm, eyes locked onto Ezekiel.

"Then you’ll have to go through me first."

Ezekiel let out a frustrated sigh.

His patience was running out.

"Move, Freya."

His tone was sharper now. Warning her.

"No one sent him to piss off the Nightmare."

His jaw tightened.

"This is just the result of his recklessness."

Freya’s grip tightened around her weapon.

"That ’recklessness’ is the only reason any of you are still alive right now."

Ezekiel’s expression hardened.

"Enough…"

A new voice suddenly cut through the air.

Then—

Thud.

A staff struck the ground.

The sound echoed.

The floor rumbled beneath them.

Then, like snakes slithering from the depths—

Vines erupted.

Dark green tendrils shot out of the earth, twisting and curling through the air before latching onto Freya and Alex.

They had no time to react.

The vines wrapped tight, locking them in place.

Freya struggled, gritting her teeth—

But the more she fought, the stronger the vines squeezed.

Alex, still silent, barely even moved.

The air around them grew thick with tension.

Someone had made their move.

And now, everything was about to change.

The vines tightened.

Thick, rough tendrils coiled around their bodies like serpents, wrapping their arms, legs, and torsos until only their heads remained uncovered.

The pressure was suffocating.

Freya’s breath hitched as she struggled, but the vines only constricted further, locking her in place.

Her heart pounded.

Then she turned her head, eyes wide with shock as realization slammed into her.

It was her.

"Ella?!"

Her voice cracked with disbelief.

"What are you doing?"

Ella stood firm, her expression cold. Unwavering.

Her grip on her staff was tight, her knuckles slightly pale from the pressure.

Her response was simple.

Flat. Emotionless.

"What needs to be done."

Freya felt her stomach drop.

A chill crawled up her spine.

She wanted to deny it, to believe she had misheard.

But deep down—

She knew.

She should have seen the signs.

She should have known this would happen.

The moment Ella killed Jeremy, Freya should have realized.

But she had ignored it.

She had wanted to believe that Ella was still the young, innocent girl she appeared to be.

That she hadn’t been broken by this nightmare.

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That she hadn’t been twisted into believing that mercy was a weakness.

But she was wrong.

And now she couldn’t help but wonder.

What does that make me?

For choosing to show mercy…

Was she a fool?

Ella’s voice cut through the air, sharp and cold.

"I like you, Freya." Her expression was unreadable, her grip on her staff firm. "But you’re too much of a saint, always obsessing over good and bad."

Freya’s jaw tightened.

"I’m not a saint, Ella. No one is."

Ella’s eyes narrowed.

"Then stop acting like one and let us do what needs to be done."

Freya’s fingers curled into fists.

She bit her lip, frustration boiling inside her.

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"I cannot."

Ella’s lips pressed into a thin line.

"Then sit still while we make the right choice."

Alex still wrapped in vines, he let out a scoff.

Right… more like selfish.

Ezekiel stepped forward, his boots crunching against the dirt.

The other players followed, closing in, their eyes locked on Alex like predators circling prey.

He stopped just a few feet away.

"You’ve been awfully quiet, Alex."

Alex tilted his head, his expression unreadable.

"Yeah… I’m just taking it all in, really." His gaze flickered over them, sharp and calculating.

Ezekiel’s grip on his sword tightened. "And what do you think?"

A slow grin spread across Alex’s face.

"I think you’re making a foolish choice."

"This piece of..."

Kieran stormed forward, fury flashing in his eyes, his hand tightening around his weapon as he moved toward Alex. But before he could take another step, Ezekiel’s hand shot out, stopping him with a firm grip on his shoulder.

Alex’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"Just so you know, unlike Freya, I’m not a saint." He leaned his head back slightly, casually meeting their stares.

His tone was cold, yet calm. "If you come at me with the intent to kill, then be prepared to be killed as well."

A sigh escaped Alex’s lips as he glanced around at the players, his expression unbothered by the mounting hostility.

"She warned you, but you wouldn’t listen."

Ezekiel’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

Kieran, barely able to control his temper, snapped, unable to comprehend Alex’s nonchalant attitude:

"This bastard. What is he talking about?"

Ezekiel’s gaze shifted to Freya, his frown deepening.

She clicked her teeth, her face turned away, unwilling to meet his eyes.

Their fate was no longer hers to worry about.

"Just so you know, the reason she tried to stop you is not because she’s trying to help me," Alex continued, his tone lighter now. "She’s doing it for your sake."

Ezekiel’s brows furrowed even more.

"Don’t bluff, man. With that kind of massive explosion you cast there, there’s no way you aren’t on red right now."

Ezekiel’s voice was sharp like he was trying to make Alex see reason.

But Alex just smirked, his expression almost mocking.

"Oya, oya, you don’t catch me." Alex’s eyes gleamed with mischief before his face twisted into a wide grin.

"But just so you know, I don’t need any ability to get rid of you clowns."

Before anyone could react, the vines holding Alex in place burst apart.