Rise In The Apocalypse

Chapter 8: 12?

For a few moments, the chamber fell silent. The four stared at Max, their earlier anxiety about families or pets now replaced by curiosity.

"Twelve…?" Xander muttered, adjusting his cracked glasses. "We only got a few. Why would the System give you so many?"

After hearing about the others’ choices, they realized there were nine known Apocalypses: Alien Invasion, A.I. Armageddon, Deep Sea Awakening, Demon Invasion, Divine Judgment, Magic War, Parasitic Evolution, Ragnarök, and Zombie Outbreak.

"What are those missing Apocalypses?" Ryan asked, genuinely puzzled. He couldn’t think of any others.

Aya tilted her head thoughtfully. "Does that mean… you’re special? Chosen? Or… different somehow?"

Max shook his head firmly. "No. I don’t think it’s about being chosen."

Then, he listed the remaining Apocalypses he’d been offered. As expected, they all looked amazed: Dragon Awakening, Fairy Realm Collision, and Lycans versus Vampires.

"Ahhh! That’s a waste! I should’ve gotten Lycan…" Ryan exclaimed, surprising everyone.

"Fairy Realm? Like elves, dwarves, goblins, or something? That would’ve been… interesting," Aya muttered, regret in her voice.

Xander and Jett exchanged glances, curiosity evident—they wanted to know why Max had access to so many options.

Deciding to shift the discussion, Max asked, "Do you remember the message we all saw when we picked this Apocalypse?"

The others paused, trying to recall. After a moment, they shook their heads.

Max gave a faint smile and repeated it slowly, so they wouldn’t forget:

"The fate of the continent is in your hands. Survive and earn the title that is rightfully yours, and save your own world…"

"It says we need to earn a title to save our world. Probably Earth… so maybe there’s still a way back," Ryan said, his eyes lighting up.

"Ahh! That’s right!"

"I remember now…"

"I think I read something like that…"

The realization hit them—they’d overlooked it before, too distracted by their Caches and the shock of arrival. Now the purpose was clear.

Ryan clenched his fists. "So, survive long enough… earn a title… then we can go home?"

Max nodded. "Seems like it. Families, homes… not gone yet. The System gave us a path. We survive here, fight here, and maybe return."

Even though Max had no family to return to, he felt the same relief—freedom from being hunted by machines.

The group’s mood shifted. The despair that had hung over them started to lift. They finally had a concrete goal.

"Destroy these goddamn machines," Jett muttered.

"If that’s the path home, I’ll fight until I drop," Ryan added, determination in his voice.

Aya managed a faint smile. "At least now we know what we’re fighting for."

Xander exhaled slowly. "Then we need to learn everything about the A.I. from Corin and Zayne. If The Ark is going to survive the Mech Siege, we need intel."

Aya nodded. "We should also talk about our Caches and Talents. Items are easy to share, but Talents… those are personal. We don’t need exact details, just a general idea. That way, when Beginner Protection ends, we’ll know who’s best for combat, support, or survival."

Seeing no objections, Aya continued. "I’ll start. My Talent is related to physical strength… but I have no combat experience. I’m just a convenience store clerk. I can lift heavy objects, but fighting? Not my thing."

Xander adjusted his glasses. "I’m good with guns. My Talent is Sharpshooter’s Focus," he said confidently. "But I didn’t pick the Weapon Cache. I chose Shelter instead… so I’ve got a tent with me. Hopefully there’s guns here."

Ryan chuckled and stepped forward. "Mine’s Iron Stamina. I don’t tire easily, and I heal faster too. Cuts, bruises, exhaustion—I recover quicker than most. Not flashy, but it’s reliable."

Max nodded thoughtfully. "Endurance and regeneration are invaluable here."

Jett let out a dry sigh. He liked the Talents he had, even if he wished he could swap them.

"My Talent’s Mechanic. I have no prior experience, but the System says I can repair machines, weapons, and devices after a bit of study. It’s a Rare Talent—probably handy, but not amazing."

The others looked intrigued.

Jett continued. "I played a lot of games growing up. Talents or Skills were graded—Common, Uncommon, Rare, then Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and sometimes Divine. Mine’s Rare. Not bad, not amazing."

Xander whistled softly. "Rare sounds pretty solid… But I have Superior! Is that above Rare or below?"

"Ugh… not sure," Jett admitted. "I think it’s higher than Rare, but it depends on the system."

Aya added, "Mine’s just Uncommon."

"Still useful," Max said. "No one’s Common, right?"

"Even if there were, it’s fine!" Ryan added.

Max considered them carefully. Aya—strength. Xander—accuracy. Ryan—endurance. Jett—mechanic. Individually passive, but together they formed a strong foundation. The System had clearly distributed abilities to encourage teamwork.

Just then, one by one the four turned their attention toward Max. Only he hadn’t shared his Talent yet.