"What's... what's happening outside?" Seraph stepped out of her bedroom, staring in shock at the snow-covered landscape beyond the balcony.
It was indeed unusual. Although winter always came early to this city, seeing snow this early in the season was exceptionally rare.
Elara feigned surprise as she took a delicate sip of her coffee.
The morning snow created an almost supernatural atmosphere, its pristine whiteness a stark contrast to the chaos Elara knew was coming. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows of their high-rise apartment, the city looked like it had been dipped in powdered sugar - beautiful, yet eerily foreboding.
While Seraph marveled at the unseasonable weather, Elara's mind raced through calculations. The snow was early by nearly three weeks compared to her previous timeline. Was this a butterfly effect from her actions, or had her presence already altered more than she realized?
She found herself lingering on the memory of the mysterious figure in the school - the one who had commanded electricity with such devastating precision. In her past life, she'd never discovered their identity, but now, with her foreknowledge... Her eyes drifted to her reflection in the window, noting how the awakening of her power had already begun changing her. The rosy glow in her cheeks wasn't just health - it was power humming beneath her skin.
Seraph assumed the change was due to Elara finding closure after making her vow at her parents' grave yesterday.
In reality, when the meteor shower had struck, mysterious forces had already begun infiltrating Earth. Some individuals with strong latent potential had awakened their abilities on that very first night.
Since not everyone could obtain supernatural powers, those who did were called Evolvers. The earlier one evolved, the more formidable their powers became.
Some even referred to the earliest Evolvers as Neo-humans, creating a hierarchy among themselves.
But Elara didn't entirely agree with this view. She'd known someone who, despite evolving later, developed incredibly powerful abilities - a case of slow but steady growth leading to overwhelming strength.
Elara still vividly remembered an incident from the late apocalypse period. While scavenging supplies from a school with Leon, they were surrounded by students in the parking lot. She was forced to walk point, despite her relatively weak abilities.
Though protected by her power, she found herself overwhelmed by the mass of undead, pushed against the entrance. While physically unharmed, the fear of being submerged in the horde paralyzed her mind.
That's when she felt something like water beneath her feet - though she knew the area hadn't seen rain in a month, and the school's utilities had long since failed.
Where had the water come from?
A weak current passed through her feet for just an instant. She might have thought it was her imagination, but the next moment, the surrounding undead convulsed violently before crumbling to ash in a burst of scorched flesh.
A tall shadow, like a specter in the darkness, vanished behind a pillar - perhaps a dying hallucination.
Later, when she asked Leon about the source of such powerful electricity, he dismissed her notion.
"You've been watching too many soap operas. Still hoping for a hero to save the day? Those stupid zombies probably just knocked down a power line. Served them right."
But Elara knew it wasn't that simple. The school's backup generators had been damaged or looted long ago.
"We've got Leon - isn't that enough? Why are you thinking about other people?" Ashley interjected maliciously, twisting Elara's words as she intimately adjusted Leon's collar.
"I... I wasn't," Elara replied, lacking the energy to defend herself or explain further with no one left to take her side.
Snapping back from those heavy memories - or rather, the future - Elara slapped herself without hesitation. Though extreme, it was the quickest way to correct her wayward thoughts.
The action startled Seraph, who rushed over and cupped Elara's reddening cheek. "Why would you hurt yourself like that? You can talk to me if something's bothering you."
"Sorry," Elara apologized remorsefully. She'd acted as if she were still alone like in her past life, forgetting Seraph was right beside her.
To change the subject, Elara brought up something else. "Did you feel feverish last night?"
"Actually, yes. I thought I was just too warm to sleep, so I turned on the air conditioning," Seraph admitted sheepishly.
"That's what air conditioners are for," Elara said aloud, while thinking to herself: 'As expected of Seraph - such natural talent, sensing the power on the very first night.'
Over the next few days, the two grew closer while maintaining their normal work routines. Three days before the catastrophe, Elara was planning to request leave when she encountered Cassian in the hallway.
The cologne had seemed unfamiliar at first whiff, but now, experiencing it a second time, Elara could analyze it properly. A familiar oceanic scent wafted from behind, tinged with spicy notes that suggested lightning's subtle rumble - assertive yet not aggressive in their combination.
"Hello."
Cassian nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips as he recalled their previous encounter. "We meet again. Haven't run into your fiancé lately, have you?"
Only then did Elara notice something unusual, surprised. "No, I've been too busy to see him or..." She trailed off, giving Cassian a meaningful look.
"Haha, the internal announcement should be coming out today. You'll be pleased with the outcome." Cassian winked playfully.
"Thank you very much." Elara raised an eyebrow. An unexpected bonus - while her prepared evidence hadn't been needed, she was quite satisfied with this result.
Besides, even if the evidence couldn't cost him his job, it could certainly add fuel to the rumors. And with the world about to descend into chaos, who cared about consequences?
The thought made Elara break into a sweet smile, her sparkling eyes fixed on Cassian, joy radiating like starlight.
She couldn't help but give him a warning: "If you trust me even slightly, you might want to stockpile supplies as if preparing for war these next few days. With your capabilities, I'm sure you can manage it."
Hearing this, Cassian's deep blue eyes darkened, his smile becoming inscrutable. He regarded Elara seriously before nodding. "Understood."
That day, Elara went to buy ammunition - which was restricted in this country, necessitating regular purchases. While ordinary bullets might prove useless against late-stage undead, having an ammunition stockpile was crucial for surviving the early stages.
As Elara confidently rattled off bullet specifications to the oddly nervous shop clerk, Cassian stood in the hallway, deep in thought.
Two seconds later, Cassian entered his office's rest area and called his mother.
"I'll do as you suggested. Don't worry... Haha, no, I haven't suddenly changed my mind - I just heard some rumors... Yes, yes, I'll handle it quickly. Come on, I'm not a child anymore. I have to go."
A shadow crossed Cassian's handsome features as his thin lips pressed together.
That night, the already clear blue sky darkened like spilled ink. The stars shone with unusual brilliance, and the moonlight was unnaturally bright.
Inside Elara's apartment, carefully hidden from Seraph's view, lay her preparations: medical supplies, non-perishable food, water purification tablets, and most importantly, a detailed journal outlining the next three months of the apocalypse. Knowledge was her true weapon - more valuable than any gun or stockpile of ammunition.
The snow continued to fall as darkness settled over the city. From her vantage point, Elara could see Cassian's silhouette in his office tower across the street, also watching the sky. She allowed herself a small smile. The pieces were beginning to move, and this time, she would make sure they fell in a better pattern.
Countless people gazed skyward, including both Cassian and Elara, their expressions varying degrees of concern.