The Extra Who Shouldn’t Exist

In a dimly lit hallway, a woman with raven-black hair moved gracefully through the corridor of Avaloria Central Hospital. Her beauty was striking, ageless, and no one who passed her could have guessed she was in her fifties—her elegance made her look decades younger.

Alyssa Vega walked with purpose toward a private area on the seventh floor, a wing entirely reserved for VVIPs. Heavy security patrolled every entrance and corridor, their expressions rigid, weapons at the ready. No one without clearance was allowed past the guarded doors.

Alyssa paused outside a door marked "Dr. Emma." She knocked quietly.

From inside, a calm voice replied, "Come in."

She entered to find Dr. Emma behind her desk, fingers dancing over a stack of holographic screens. Upon seeing Alyssa, Emma immediately stood up.

"Ms. Alyssa, I was just waiting for you," Emma said politely.

Alyssa's tired eyes and pronounced dark circles betrayed the toll of the past months; her once easy-going expression now hardened into something stern and haunted.

Emma watched her with a silent sigh. 'Losing her only daughter… it's a weight I can't imagine. She used to smile so easily.'

Alyssa's voice was flat and direct. "How is he? Any improvement?"

Emma nodded, her tone sharpened by hope and caution. "I actually contacted you for that. These last three months, his condition barely changed—we couldn't even find a clear cause. All his injuries healed, but…" Emma's eyes dropped, then she continued, "So we concluded his soul was damaged."

"Yes, I remember you saying that," Alyssa replied. "But didn't I get you everything you needed? All the artifacts that help mend the soul, even if only a little?"

Emma's face softened. "Yes—and that's exactly why I called you. His condition has improved, almost suddenly. Even I couldn't believe my eyes. His life is safe now—but I don't know when he'll wake from his coma."

A small, almost imperceptible smile broke through Alyssa's hardened features. "At least his life is safe," she whispered.

She gathered herself, voice regaining iron. "No one is to know about this. And, just like always, no one enters his room except me. Notify me immediately if anything changes, no matter how small."

Emma nodded. "Understood, Ms. Vega."

Leaving the doctor's office, Alyssa made her way to the farthest room on the floor. She paused at the door, hesitating—soft crying came from inside. She opened the door gently.

Lily sat beside the hospital bed. Upon the bed lay a silver-haired figure—Alex Dragonheart. His breathing was steady, his face peaceful, though pale.

Alyssa kept her voice low. "Lily, visiting hours are over. Wait in the car."

"But… but…" Lily's tearstained cheeks searched for some reprieve.

"Do as I say, Lily," Alyssa said, tired but firm.

Lily wiped her eyes, hugged Alyssa briefly, then hurried out.

As the door closed, Alyssa sighed. 'What am I doing… yelling at her?'

She sat next to Alex, gently brushed her fingers through his long hair, and muttered, "Your hair's grown so much again… You'll need another haircut as soon as you wake up, you know."

The silence pressed in, shattered only by the hum of life-support. A single tear escaped down Alyssa's cheek.

"The doctor said you might still be able to hear me," she whispered. "So I'm saying this now. Don't worry. I know you did your best…"

Her voice cracked as grief rose up again. "I've said it again and again—it wasn't your fault. Life… it's not something you can always control. Selena would never blame you, I'm sure of it."

She sobbed, holding his hand, her grief raw and honest. "So… please, hurry and wake up. The world is getting worse. King Edward is gone—a succession war broke out between his children."

She took a shaky breath. "There's another continent showing up on the maps—one no one's ever seen before Strange things are staring to happen.

As after your battle, a strange announcement echoed everywhere… our world has ranked up among the lower planes. saying somthing like we've all been qualified for the Tower of Ascension's trial. And now there's a huge tower right at the world's center. New kinds of races have been spotted."

Alyssa recounted everything—the chaos, the changes, her own fears—letting all the pain she held spill out into the quiet room. After tears and confessions, she stood up at last, voice trembling.

"Wake up soon, all right? I don't think I can do all this alone. I'm afraid of losing you and Lily too…"

With nothing left to say, she leaned forward, pressed her lips gently to Alex's forehead, and then left the room in silence.

-----

As the hospital room settled into silence, a presence shimmered into existence from the thin air.

Her beauty was striking—blue hair with silver streaks spilling in soft waves to her waist, each strand reflecting the room's dim light. Zara's features were delicate, almost otherworldly, her eyes deep and luminous like a summer lake. Even standing with quiet confidence, she exuded an aura that made the hospital's bright technology and sterile walls seem dull by comparison.

She stepped towards the bed and smiled gently at the sleeping silver-haired boy. "Sorry, after giving you all my power last time, I needed time to recover and to find you again."

Moving quietly, she placed a hand on Alex's head, voice near a whisper. "Here. Take some of my life essence—it'll help heal your soul faster."

As Zara focused, a gentle blue glow rippled from her palm. Alex's fingers twitched. A moment later, his whole body jerked and he shot upright, eyes wild.

"Selena!" he yelled, panic and grief in his voice.

Taken aback, Zara fell right off her chair. The thud of her landing broke the quiet.

"Ah—! Damn it, he healed too fast…" she mumbled, rubbing her hip in embarrassment.

Alex was panting heavily, eyes darting around the unfamiliar room. The memories surged back, every wound raw again in his mind. He gripped his head as pain flashed behind his eyes.

His system's voice returned with a calm undertone.

[ Host, calm down. We're in the hospital right now. ]

Hearing it, Alex forced himself to slow his breathing. He looked over at the blue-haired girl still getting up from the floor, studying her closely.

In a single motion, he ripped out his IV lines and tried to stand.

"Selena—what happened to Miss Selena? She's alive, right? Please… Tell me it was just a nightmare!"

Zara's expression fell, sadness flickering in her eyes. "Unfortunately, it was all real, Alex."

His mouth fell open as her words landed. The truth pierced him—he began to shake, then broke down. Tears streamed from his eyes as he clutched his head and sobbed, "It can't be… It can't be…"

Zara watched him quietly, not speaking. She respected his pain, leaving him to mourn on his own for three long hours.

---

After time had passed, Zara quietly returned to find Alex sitting on the bed. His eyes were hollow—as if someone had reached into him and scraped away hope itself.

"It wasn't your fault…" she offered gently, breaking the silence.

Alex didn't look at her, didn't answer right away. After a long pause, his voice emerged low and hollow, "What do you know? I couldn't even save a single person who was there for me when I needed them."

Zara fell silent, feeling the gravity in his words.

He looked up finally, voice raw. "Who are you? Why did you help me then?"

Zara straightened her back, eyes steady. "You already know me."

Alex frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

She sighed, resigned. "My name is Zara. Surely that means something to you?"

His expression changed as understanding dawned. "No way… you're the AI assistant. Zara…?"

She smiled, reassuring yet melancholic. "Yes. Let me explain everything."

She recounted her story, telling him about How she asked Draven for help and how the head master aldric verlane also helped, About the vessel and how she took over the body that was prepared for Veyra and the death of kellian, and her own resurrection in this form she kept talking explaining everything. Alex listened, too stunned for words.

"So Draven actually helped you get this body?" he said at last.

Zara nodded.

"I am glad that drav n is okay and Thanks for helping me in that fight and for everything you did. But…" his voice trailed off. "Could you leave? I don't want to talk to anyone right now. Please just… let me be alone."

Zara's lips parted as if to say more, but she stopped herself. She left quietly, letting the door close behind her.

From outside, she could hear the muffled sounds of Alex's grief—tears and muffled sobs echoing in the sterile hallway.

'Her death… it broke him harder than I realized, I can't tell him the full truth anyway it's too soon.' Zara thought sadly as she walked away into the night.

------

A/N:

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