Alex was fast asleep on his bed, tucked in.
Morning sunlight streamed through the cracked blinds, dragging Alex from the thin grip of sleep. Genesis's soft mechanical whisper tickled his ear." Rise and glitch, sleepy one."
Alex woke up very confused, tilting his head to get a good look of Genesis and he winced, pain was at every inch of his body.
" Something doesn't feel right. What happened? How I'm I here–?"
" Relax, your Mom brought you home," replied Genesis softly.
Alex sat up. The vivid memories of yesterday's gym class period rushed to his head. The basketball game. The monster. Lena.
Genesis floated to a shelf, it's glowing essence sipping through the cracks.
Alex looked troubled for a moment and turned to Genesis " Did I die?"
Silence thickened the tension. Genesis made a low buzz and hovered towards him " Yes, but I managed to revive you in time. When some people found you unconscious in the field. They took you to the clinic. Afterwards, your Mom took you home."
Alex sat speechless. Genesis stared at him with glow that displayed worry
"Genesis? "
" Yes?"
" I–I don't wanna do this anymore," said Alex, tone suddenly serious.
Genesis floated silent for a while " I know it is hard–"
" It is hard, I died. I don't want to do this Genesis. You should go back to your virtual society."
Genesis suddenly glowed red " I CAN'T DO THAT!" It's voice cracked and guttural , the room shook violently before it calmed down, much to Alex suprise.
Genesis beeped " Oh. sorry."
Alex mouth twitched " Why can't you go back?"
" I'm... not actually from the virtual society," replied Genesis reluctantly.
Alex was a little stunned " so where did you come from?"
" I don't know... but what I know is that people trying to get their hands on me and I want to stay safe, I don't trust the virtual society's motives," said Genesis in a low worried tone.
Alex felt something in his heart, like sympathy.
" Please Alex, I don't want to go. If they get me, it will affect me, it will affect both of us."
Genesis lights flickered and it levitated.
Alex stared at Genesis. He had never seen this side of him before.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from behind Alex's bedroom door.
Genesis swished into Alex's cupboard to hide.
Alex laid down to look natural.
Mei came in with Alex's breakfast on a tray and placed in on his laps.
" Morning," said Mei softly and Alex nodded.
Mei felt his neck " You weren't looking good yesterday."
" I'm fine now," said Alex and lifted himself up to sit.
Mei looked at him affectionately " You should get some rest."
Alex forced a smile " I'm fine Mom."
Mei stood up " I already told your teacher you are not coming to school today."
" Well, um—I need to go to school."
Mei looked kinda surprised because Alex is usually never eager to go to school when he was well talk less of being sick.
"You sure you're okay going to school?"
"Yeah. The normal world still expects me to pretend everything's fine."
She gave him a glance, the kind that said she knew something was off but didn't have time to pry. "There's egg rolls on the shelf . Come home early today."
He nodded, and his mom left.
Genesis warped out of the cupboard.
"Time is but a construct. But your attendance record is very real."
Alex took his legs out of the bed, somehow glad to see Genesis humorous, annoying side again.
As Alex got dressed, he felt the familiar tug of reality crashing back down: high school, homework, bruised ribs, and now a cosmic mystery with a talking piece of forbidden tech. He pulled a hoodie over his head and grabbed his bag.
Alex groaned. " I kinda wish I will trade this destiny thing for five more minutes."
Genesis chuckled in his head. "I calibrate my tone to suit your sarcasm."
"You are way too chipper for an ancient interdimensional console."
Soon, Alex left for school.
Monrigde High buzzed with low-grade chaos—students crowding halls, laughter echoing down lockers, sneakers squeaking on tile. It was refreshingly normal.
Genesis, though, was not.
"These creatures smell like hormones and despair," the voice hummed in Alex's mind.
"You're describing high school."
"Is this where intellect comes to die?"
"Stop narrating my life. You're not Morgan Freeman."
Alex tried to play it cool as he crossed the quad. He exchanged a nod with Amir from biology class, waved at Emma who always borrowed his physics notes, and narrowly avoided tripping over a soccer ball that skidded across the sidewalk. People existed in this space. And for a moment, he blended in.
Until he didn't.
"Well, well," came a voice dripping with mockery. "If it isn't forehead-boy."
Alex turned to see Darren and Blake, smug as ever, leaning against the bike rack.
"Still alive, Steele? That's a shame," Blake added, his laugh like a bad sitcom track.
Genesis stirred. "Shall I initiate humiliation sequence?"
Alex blinked. "What? No—wait, what's the sequence?"
Before he could object, Darren lunged forward and knocked the egg roll out of Alex's hand.
"Oops. My hand slipped. I guess your basketball skills couldn't save your lunch." he said with fake innocence.
A few students nearby looked over but quickly looked away. Typical.
Then Alex caught movement—a girl across the quad, standing under the maple tree. Dark hoodie, headphones. Watching.
Lena?
She glanced his way, unreadable.
Genesis whispered, "She's watching. You sure you don't want to leave an impression?"
Alex sighed. "Fine. Just don't vaporize anyone."
Darren moved in again, hand ready to shove Alex.
Alex sidestepped, grabbed Darren's arm, twisted just enough to make it look like an accident, and Darren tumbled over a bench—face-first into a tray of leftover noodles.
The small group of students nearby burst out laughing.
Blake charged forward, furious. Alex dodged, tripped him, and Blake skidded across the pavement like a cheap action movie stuntman.
Applause. Genuine laughter. Someone even said, "Damn, Steele!"
Alex brushed off his hoodie. "You guys always trip over your egos or is this a new routine?"
Genesis chuckled. "Satisfying, wasn't it?"
Alex couldn't deny the thrill.
But as he turned to look for Lena again—she stood up and left.
Later that afternoon, the sky began to dim early, as though clouds had thickened in a hurry.
Alex walked the quiet street home, backpack slung low, earbuds in but no music playing. He replayed the school yard scene over and over, not just the fight—but her.
That girl.
Same energy. Same gaze. As if she knew him already.
Then a cold breeze brushed past his neck.
And the world warped.
The traffic lights blinked out. Lamp posts flickered. His phone glitched and buzzed. Static filled his ears.
[CONSOLE.DETECT.MODE–ACTIVATED.]
[ACESSING ENTITY DATA…]
[THREAT:
Genesis's voice went sharp. *"Alex. Move. Now."
Alex turned.
The Hollowborn stood in the street—more solid this time. More real.
Its limbs crackled with static, eyes flickering like broken code. Pedestrians froze like they were buffering, locked in time.
Alex stumbled back. "This can't be real again—"
"Run or fight," Genesis hissed. "But choose fast."
He backed toward an alley, heart pounding. The hollowborn chased after him like a cheetah.
As Alex ran, he could here rapid footsteps behind him along with a wet growl.
Suddenly, a blur landed between him and the Hollowborn. A cloaked figure with sleek black armor, a glowing visor.
The agent. The same one from the alley.
She raised her weapon—a glowing staff—and launched forward with digital grace.
The Hollowborn shrieked and struck, its claw passing inches from Alex's chest as the agent tackled it sideways.
Alex scrambled behind a dumpster, watching the two clash—light versus glitch, code versus corruption.
It was like watching a video game bleed into life.
"Who is she?" Alex whispered.
Genesis responded low. "Your unexpected ally. For now."
The Hollowborn shrieked again and struck it's claws but the girl blocked it with her staff.
She slid under the hollowborn's long legs and conjured a gun in her hand and shot the monster. It growled.
Alex watched her with great interest.
The hollowborn stood up straight, it's eyes glowed red and it shot a laser from it's eyes to the girls chest. She fell, her back slid on the floor roughly.
Alex wanted to jump out of behind the dumpster but Genesis stopped him. " Do you want to die again?"
The girl sat up, she grunted. She felt the burnt holes on her stomach.
The monster lunged forward but the girl quickly conjured a giant ninja star and threw it to the monster's face and It vanished in a spray of particles.
Alex came out from behind the dumpster
The girl stood, scanned the area, and disappeared down the alley before Alex could say a word.
His knees buckled.
"So," he said. "Still think I'm not in danger, huh?"
Genesis pulsed inside his pocket. *"You were lucky. That was a Class-2 manifestation. Next time, you'll need more than alley walls and hope."
Alex looked up at the sky, where the clouds shimmered unnaturally.
This wasn't some game anymore.
And he wasn't a normal kid anymore, either.