Transmigrated As An Extra In The Apocalypse

The distant clatter of soldiers maintaining their gear and the hum of cyber suits filled the air.

I sat on the same rock, my thoughts swirling like a storm. My mind kept circling back to the realization that I was Sky, a character whose death was inevitable in the novel. The weight of it pressed against my chest.

The crunch of boots on gravel broke my reverie. I looked up to see Amber approaching, a faint smile on her lips and a handful of snacks and drinks in her hands.

"Thought you might be hungry," she said, holding out a packaged ration and a bottle of water.

I blinked, caught off guard. "Oh, uh… thanks."

She settled down beside me, unwrapping a protein bar. "It's not gourmet, but it'll keep you from passing out."

I took a bite, the bland taste doing little to distract me from the questions bubbling in my head.

Amber, oblivious to my inner turmoil, took a sip from her water bottle and glanced at me.

"You know, seeing you like this takes me back," she said, her tone lighter now, almost nostalgic.

"Back?" I echoed, unsure of where this was going.

"Yeah," she said, a small laugh escaping her. "When we were kids. You were always so quiet, lost in your own world. I'd have to drag you out of trouble half the time."

I stared at her, the words catching me off guard. Memories? Of course, she had memories of Sky, her best friend.

But they weren't mine.

She continued, oblivious to my sudden discomfort. "Remember when we used to sneak into the old training grounds? We'd get caught every single time, but you never stopped going back. You always say you wanted to see what the 'awakened life' was like."

I forced a chuckle, trying to match her mood. "Yeah… sounds like something I'd do."

She laughed again, shaking her head. "You were always so stubborn. Always had this… spark, you know? Like you believed things could get better, even when everyone else had given up."

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, I didn't know what to say. She was describing someone I wasn't someone I had never been. Yet, to her, that person was me.

Amber's golden eyes softened as she looked at me. "It's good to see you're still fighting. After everything, I mean."

I nodded, unsure how to respond. Before I could dwell on it, a sharp voice called out from the group of soldiers.

"We're ready to move!"

Amber stood, brushing the dust off her cyber suit. "Looks like it's time to go."

But before she could take another step, a sound sliced through the air a low, guttural growl that sent a chill racing down my spine.

Amber froze, her hand instinctively moving to the weapon at her side. "Did you hear that?"

I nodded, my eyes darting to the scattered bodies of the fallen soldiers.

The sound came again, louder this time, joined by others.

Growls. Snarls. A symphony of inhuman sounds.

My stomach twisted as I watched the corpses begin to move.

Arms twitched, heads jerked unnaturally, and then, one by one, the dead soldiers began to rise.

"Oh, no," Amber breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Their bodies contorted as they stood, bones cracking and limbs shifting. Flesh peeled away, revealing grotesque forms beneath.

These weren't the soldiers they once were. They were monsters now.

Amber drew her weapon, her voice sharp. "Everyone, get ready! We've got hostiles!"

The soldiers scrambled, weapons aimed at the rising horde.

The awakened activated their cyber suits, energy coursing through the glowing seams.

I stumbled back, my heart pounding as the creatures fully transformed.

Their eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, their jaws stretching impossibly wide, filled with jagged teeth.

Amber grabbed my arm, her voice urgent. "Sky, stay close. Don't leave my sight."

I hesitated then nodded, swallowing hard. And said "They are infected?"

"Yes," she said grimly. "But this… this is worse than I've ever seen."

Because they are fully transformed, far more dangerous than any creature .

The creatures lunged, moving with terrifying speed. Chaos erupted as gunfire rang out, the sharp cracks echoing through the clearing.

The soldiers fought valiantly, but for every monster they took down, it felt like two more rose to take its place.

"Sky, move!" Amber shouted, pulling me out of the path of a lunging creature. She fired, the energy blast from her weapon ripping through its chest.

I stumbled, my mind racing.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. This wasn't in the novel.

Or if it was... I didn't remember.

Amber's voice brought me back to the moment. "Sky, listen to me. If you want to survive, you have to fight, we will need enough strength."

She pressed a weapon into my hands, her golden eyes fierce. "Stay by my side. We'll get through this."