Adam sat in the tub, lost in thought. He pondered their current predicament, the urgency of Emily's situation, and the vital need for the artifacts. Nirik's voice echoed in his mind, reassuring him that the time difference between worlds wouldn't affect the speed at which they needed to retrieve the artifacts; they'd return to their own world at the exact moment they left. This thought brought a sense of ease, a testament to Nirik's incredible powers.
Yet, a wave of self-doubt washed over Adam. He no longer felt as strong as before. Looking at his hands, he cursed his naiveté and overconfidence, realizing he had lost his artifact powers, leaving them stuck in this precarious situation. He buried his face in his hands, feeling useless, wondering how he could possibly fight Serbas in his weakened state to reclaim the artifact.
Just then, Lyra's voice, clear through their neuro-link, broke through his despair. "Don't think that way about yourself, Adam. You've done your best to come this far. I'll be by your side, and together we will get the artifact back."
Adam smiled, warmed by her comforting words. "Thank you, Lyra. I needed to hear that. I know with you by my side, we can overcome this obstacle."
A Different Lyra
Adam then stepped out of the bath, emerging naked into the bedroom. Lyra, upon seeing him, visibly blushed, pushing him. "Please cover yourself, Adam."
Adam was puzzled. "Lyra, you've seen my body so many times before and never once felt this embarrassed. What's gotten into you?"
Lyra looked away, her blush deepening. "It's not the same as before. You're married now." She quickly moved past him and entered the bathroom.
Confused by Lyra's sudden shyness, Adam put on his clothes, pondering what had truly happened to Lyra during their separation. Inside the bathroom, Lyra hummed a joyful tune as she soaked in the tub. She was, in fact, incredibly happy to have Adam back in her life, having yearned for him since he left for the other world. Her happiness transformed into the melody she hummed.
Adam, listening to her, smiled. He'd never heard Lyra hum like that before. He was amused by her human transformation, seeing her personality grow and show itself more freely. Despite her changes, Adam felt that Lyra was still the same, deeply connected to his mind.
The Fall of a World
Adam turned on the TV, watching archived emergency videos detailing the world's descent into chaos. News of a spreading disease, government-imposed quarantines, and the rapid spread of infection turning humans into zombies filled the screen.
Within weeks, governments were overrun. Riots and protests erupted as campsites became clusters of infection. People distrusted their governments, fighting over the idea of using weapons of mass destruction.
Protests and clashes broke out, with many opposing the use of nuclear weapons on cities still teeming with survivors. Armies were deployed to contain the outbreak, but public trust eroded as innocent civilians were killed.
Human self-preservation gave way to chaos; people armed themselves, fighting both the military and the zombie hordes. The military slowly succumbed to desertion as soldiers fled to find their families, and governments lost control.
In a desperate, last-ditch effort, countries launched missions to dispose of nuclear weapons and seal off reactors, moving swiftly before their governments dissolved entirely. The rich and powerful were sent to underground facilities, meant to safeguard them until the apocalypse ended.
However, due to unforeseen circumstances, those who died in the underground facilities also turned into zombies. The virus had infected everyone, and death inevitably led to zombification.
Before long, these underground facilities became zombie-infested. Some watched these events with perverse satisfaction, while others lost all hope for civilization, retreating to their homes to survive the apocalypse.
Lyra, now in her nightgown, sat beside Adam, watching the past events unfold. She scanned through, noting that multiple factors could have saved the civilization, but human selfishness turned a containable crisis into an apocalyptic mess.
Internet videos showed the last pleas of survivors that were never answered. Scrolling further, Lyra saw how attempts to create small settlements devolved into power struggles, with humans killing each other and tearing apart any hope for rebuilding their world.