Phased out

Samuel came to a stop in front of a small building—but even that building, despite its size, looked flawless. The walls were smooth, the windows spotless. Every inch was polished, cleaner than any structure Ethan had ever seen in the real world.

That was the difference.

This place wasn't just a copy of reality—it was a perfected version of it.

Ethan wasn't sure how to feel about that. He glanced up at the sky. Something about it looked… artificial. Like an image stretched across a dome. But he didn't let himself think too much about it.

Samuel spoke, snapping him from his thoughts.

"This is the place."

He stepped inside, leading them down a short hallway before turning left into a large open room.

Inside, thirteen people sat on the floor, gathered in a circle. Their faces were engaged, like they had been deep in discussion before Samuel arrived. But as soon as he entered—along with Ethan and Alice—all eyes turned to them.

Samuel raised a hand. "I'm back, guys."

A wave of overlapping voices greeted him in return.

"Welcome back, Sam!"

Ethan stood near the entrance, taking in the room. But as he did—he realized something.

They weren't just looking at him.

They were staring.

Ethan knew why.

Compared to the rest of them, he looked unpresentable. His clothes were dirty, his posture tense. The claw weapon gripped in his hand didn't help either. He probably looked like a thug—wild, savage, dangerous.

And then there was her.

Among the faces in the room, one stood out. A blonde girl, strikingly beautiful. Her skin was pale as snow, her features delicate yet defined. Her body was petite yet subtly curvy, her legs turning slightly inward as she sat.

She was the complete opposite of Ethan.

One of the men in the group stood up, offering a polite nod.

"Welcome, new visitors."

Ethan hesitated. He suddenly felt awkward, out of place. Socializing wasn't exactly his strong suit.

Sensing this, Alice stepped forward with an easy smile.

"Thank you, guys." Her voice was gentle, warm. "My name is Alice Fable, and this is my friend Ethan… Ethan Baker."

At the mention of his name, the air in the room shifted slightly.

The man who had stood up blinked. His gaze flickered to Alice, and for a brief moment, his face turned slightly red.

Her voice. Her presence. She looked and sounded like an angel.

He quickly looked away, clearing his throat. "Nice to meet you guys."

As Alice and Ethan finished introducing themselves, a wave of curiosity spread through the group.

A few people leaned forward. Some exchanged glances. The name "Ethan Baker" clearly meant something to them.

And then the questions came.

"Wait… you're that Ethan?" Harper Vaughn, the cautious journalist, spoke first, her sharp eyes locked on him. "The one from Phase 0?"

Ethan shifted uncomfortably. "Uh… yeah?"

A ripple of murmurs moved through the group.

"I knew it." Derek Hayes, the hotheaded athlete, crossed his arms. "We heard the voice after Phase 0 ended. It said you and Karlos were the heroes." His tone wasn't exactly hostile, but there was an edge to it.

"Right," Ivy Sinclair, the quiet med student, adjusted her glasses. "But the announcement was vague. What exactly happened? What made you two heroes?"

Ethan glanced at Alice, who gave him a small nod, letting him know it was okay to speak. He exhaled before answering.

"Phase 0 was…" He paused, trying to find the right words. "A trial phase. There were a lot of us at the start. We had to solve puzzles, figure out rules… and avoid dying."

That last part made a few people tense up.

"How many of you survived?" Nathan Cross, the calm, leader-like figure, asked.

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Not many."

Silence.

"And Karlos?" It was Lena Carter, the beautiful blonde, her voice soft and gentle.

Ethan felt something tighten in his chest. He hadn't spoken about Karlos since his death. But these people deserved to know.

"He… didn't make it."

A heavier silence settled over the room.

Alice looked at him, as if checking if he was okay.

"Damn…" Milo Torres, the comic relief of the group, ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, man."

Ethan just nodded. "Phase 1 wasn't any easier. We were separated from the others and thrown into a… broken, floating metal structure. No safe ground, barely any light. We had to find the rule book just to figure out what the hell was happening."

Owen Grant, the supply tracker, frowned. "That's… completely different from my phase. Mine was just an empty desert. No threats. Just surviving the heat."

"Every phase is different, then." Noah Bennett, the planner, rubbed his chin. "That means we all have different pieces of the puzzle."

Victor Reyes, the unsettling one, grinned slightly. "Sounds like your phases were fun."

Ethan shot him a look but ignored the comment.

"What about the monsters?" Zara Malik, the fighter, cut in. "Were there any? Or was it just a mind game?"

Ethan exhaled. "There were monsters. Phase 0 had them. We fought one. And…" He looked at his claw weapon. "Killed it."

That got a reaction. A mix of awe, shock, and respect.

Samuel, who had been quiet since arriving, finally spoke. "So… you've already killed something."

Ethan didn't know how to respond to that.

Then, Riley Maddox, the friendly one, perked up, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, at least now we have a badass on our side, right?" He laughed nervously, glancing at Alice. "And an angel, too."

Alice smiled. "You flatter me."

Riley quickly looked away, his face slightly red.

"So, what now?" Jace Holloway, the silent but strong one, finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the room.

Ethan looked around at the faces watching him. He felt it now—the weight of expectation. These people wanted answers. Wanted a plan.

And for some reason… they were looking at him to give it.

"Now?" Ethan finally said. "Now we figure out what the hell we're supposed to do next."

Nathan stood up, his expression calm but firm. He could tell the group was looking for direction, but right now, they didn't need a leader—they needed a break.

"For now, let's just relax and enjoy ourselves here."

A beat of silence.

Then—cheers.

Voices overlapped, excitement filling the air. Some laughed, some clapped. For the first time in what felt like forever, they had no immediate danger looming over them.

But while everyone else celebrated, Ethan felt out of place.

The noise, the energy—it didn't sit right with him. His chest felt tight, and his grip on the claw in his hand tensed. Without a word, he turned and quietly slipped out of the room.

Alice, mid-smile, caught the movement.

Beside her, Samuel noticed too. He glanced at Alice, his eyes wordlessly telling her to go after him.

Alice hesitated for only a second before nodding, understanding the message. She turned and followed Ethan out.

From across the room, Riley watched.

He didn't say anything. Didn't react.

But a small, bitter feeling curled in his chest as he saw Alice go after Ethan.

For a moment, the feeling bothered him.

But with the room still buzzing with laughter and conversation, he let it go.

For now.

Ethan climbed the stairs in silence, his footsteps soft against the polished floor. When he reached the rooftop, he stepped out into the open air and took a deep breath.

The breeze was gentle but steady, carrying a coolness that felt different from anything he'd experienced in the previous phases. It wasn't stale or suffocating—it was fresh. Real.

He walked to the edge of the building and sat down, letting his legs dangle over the side.

For the first time in a while, he wasn't running, fighting, or fearing what came next.

His eyes drifted over the cityscape.

The tall buildings and smaller ones blended together, forming a structured yet oddly perfect skyline. The sky stretched above him, filled with thick grey clouds, as if rain was about to pour at any moment.

But Ethan knew better.

It wouldn't rain here.

The thought unsettled him, but at the same time… there was something beautiful about it.

There was no sun in sight, yet the city was illuminated by a strange, ambient glow. It felt unnatural, but at the same time… peaceful.

For the first time, he understood what Samuel and Alice had meant.

This place felt different.

Ethan exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment.

Maybe, just for a little while, he could let himself breathe.

A soft creak of the rooftop door echoed behind him.

"Hey, Ethan."

Alice's voice was gentle, almost hesitant.

Ethan turned his head slightly, looking at her. His expression—so often tense, guarded—had softened.

For once, there was no immediate danger. No reason to fight or run.

Just the wind, the sky, and the quiet presence of someone who understood.

Ethan barely reacted when he heard the rooftop door open again, but Alice's voice pulled him back.

"Hey, Ethan."

"Yeah?" he responded, his voice low.

Alice walked toward him, her steps light against the rooftop floor.

"Y'know, it's really rude to leave a group of people cheering and trying to relax."

Ethan frowned slightly, not understanding what she meant.

"What?"

Alice giggled softly. "Leave it."

She looked at him then—her face framed by the dimming light, gentle and sweet.

For a brief moment, Ethan found himself mesmerized.

But as soon as he caught himself staring, he looked away.

Alice sat down beside him, tucking her legs in as she gazed at the skyline. The city stretched endlessly before them, bathed in a soft, surreal glow.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she murmured. "Better than the real world."

Ethan's breath hitched.

Something about that sentence… bothered him.

But still, he found himself agreeing.

"Yeah… you're right."

The two of them sat there, watching as the sky shifted into shades of deep blue and orange. The moment wasn't awkward. It was quietly comforting—a rare kind of peace neither of them had felt in a long time.

Then, Alice spoke again.

"We need you, Ethan."

Ethan's expression shifted. His eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"For what?"

Alice turned to him, her eyes steady.

"You killed whatever was in Phase 1, right?" she said. "You're more qualified than any of them down there."

Ethan felt it now. The weight of her words.

"You should take the lead, Ethan." Her voice was quiet but firm. "You're better than them."

And in that moment, he understood.

She wasn't just suggesting it. She truly believed it.

But to Ethan, it was nothing more than a hoax—a false belief Alice had convinced herself of.

He exhaled slowly, his voice carrying a quiet disappointment—not at her, but at himself.

"I'm nothing special, Alice… I only survived because of Karlos." His grip tightened slightly on the claw weapon beside him. "I don't think I'll last much longer either."

Alice's expression changed.

Her eyebrows furrowed.

For the first time since joining him, she wasn't smiling.

Ethan remained quiet, his gaze lost in the vast cityscape ahead. The sky stretched endlessly, painted in deep hues of twilight, the last traces of light reflecting off the impossibly clean buildings. The wind curled around them, gentle yet steady, as if the world itself was listening.

Then, Alice spoke.

"But sadly, Karlos isn't here with us anymore…"

Her voice was soft, melodic, almost like a lullaby. It carried no force, no pressure—just warmth, just understanding. The kind of voice that could break through even the strongest walls of doubt.

Ethan stiffened slightly, but Alice continued.

"Do you think Karlos would want you to die… or lose faith just because he didn't make it?"

Her words hit him like a slow-moving tide, sinking deep before he even had the chance to resist.

He clenched his jaw, staring down at his hands, fingers curling slightly over his knees.

Would Karlos want that?

Would he want Ethan to just… fade away?

Ethan exhaled sharply.

"I don't know. Well… not really. You're right."

Alice smiled—a knowing, playful smile.

"Then you should help everyone," she said gently, tilting her head toward him. "Help them."

Ethan turned to her, his brows pulling together. "Why do you trust me so much?"

Alice didn't hesitate.

She grinned, leaning slightly toward him, her golden hair catching in the breeze, reflecting the dim city glow like spun silk. Her eyes—soft, gleaming like polished marble under the strange, ambient light—locked onto his with an almost teasing intensity.

"Duh. You and Karlos passed Phase 0, and because of you, we escaped Phase 1. It's a given I'd trust you."

Her confidence in him felt undeserved. But… it also felt nice.

Ethan blinked, then let out a short breath.

"Yeah… that makes sense."

Alice's lips curved into a beautiful smile—one that could stop someone's heart if they weren't careful.

"Good," she murmured.

For the first time since Karlos' death, something stirred inside Ethan. Not quite hope. Not quite strength. But something.

A flicker of determination.

He nodded slightly, "I'll try to make myself useful as soon as possible."

Alice's grin widened.

"Good boy."

Ethan snorted softly, shaking his head. "That sounds inappropriate."

Alice giggled, her voice light, teasing, effortlessly sweet.

She swung her legs back inside the rooftop, standing up with a casual, fluid movement—a movement that was both effortless and hypnotic.

Even without trying, everything about her was naturally seductive.

The sway of her hips, the way her hair caught the fading light, the delicate way her fingers brushed the rooftop edge as she turned to leave—it was all unintentional, yet intoxicating.

Ethan didn't stare.

He refused to.

But he noticed.

And Alice, being Alice, knew it.

She reached the doorway, her fingers lightly resting on the frame. Just as she was about to leave, she paused.

Without turning around, she spoke.

"It was meant to sound inappropriate."

Then she finally looked back—her playful grin returning.

She flicked her tongue teasingly.

And before Ethan could even process that—she turned and ran down the stairs, laughing softly as she disappeared.

Ethan sighed, running a hand down his face.

This girl was going to be the death of him.

As Alice made her way down the stairs, Samuel was already waiting for her at the bottom.

The others had already left, making their way to the hotel—a surprisingly well-furnished place with a dining table, proper beds, and a breathtaking night view.

Samuel leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. As soon as he saw her, he asked,

"How is he?"

Alice didn't stop walking. She simply smiled, a knowing, confident smile, as she passed by him.

Her hands rested lightly behind her back, near her hips, her head tilted up slightly as if she had no worries at all.

"Don't worry," she said, her voice light yet certain. "He'll be good."

Samuel exhaled, feeling a wave of relief at her assurance. He trusted Alice's read on people—she wasn't often wrong.

Still, as she reached the doorway, he added, "Riley is waiting for you outside with Lena. You should go with them."

Alice nodded, unfazed. "You coming with Ethan?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Samuel shrugged. "Yeah, since he doesn't know the directions, I'll stay with him."

Alice gave a small nod before stepping out into the night air.

"Bye-bye." Her voice was soft, playful. "Take care of Ethan."

Samuel chuckled, shaking his head as he pushed himself off the wall.

"Sure, I will."

And with that, Alice disappeared into the night, her figure blending into the dimly lit streets.

Samuel sighed to himself, then turned back toward the rooftop.

It was time to go get Ethan.