Alex woke to the sharp hiss of decompressing air.
Cold metal beneath him. A smooth, curved chamber arced overhead, lined with filaments of pulsing light that flickered like veins under skin. For a moment, he forgot who he was.
Then it all returned in a silent rush—the Hollowborn attack, Lena's intervention, Kade, GENESIS flashing before his eyes like a protective ghost.
But now, the console was quiet. No chirps, no sarcastic quips. Just absence.
He sat up slowly. His body ached, as though reality had been peeled off and reattached backwards. The room was sterile, humming, clinical—like a hospital that had been designed by AI. Transparent screens hovered in mid-air, flickering with code he couldn't read. A small drone zipped past him, projecting a 3D schematic of Monridge's skyline before disappearing through a side tunnel.
This was the Systemic Core. He didn't know how he knew that. But the moment he saw the giant arc-reactor-esque machinery throbbing at the chamber's far end—half machinery, half illusion—he understood. This wasn't just a facility.
This was where reality ended and the Simulation began.
Today marked almost a day he wasn't home. He could only imagine how the situation is weighing on his Mom.
He needed to find a way to get out of here as soon as possible. He needed to prove himself to Kade.
Alex buried his face in his palms. Deep within him, he kinda felt regret of accepting this fate.
A door slid open with a faint whoosh. Lena stepped in, her body language military-straight, expression unreadable. The Lena he'd seen at school—the one who laughed under her breath at bad cafeteria food—was gone.
"You're up," she said, voice clipped. "Follow me."
Alex nodded, standing awkwardly. "Where's GENESIS?"
"Rebooting. System sync. You'll get it back soon."
The hallway beyond was brighter. More people. A medic brushing past with a headset and data-pad, muttering to herself about "cybernetic overload patterns." A man with cybernetic arms grunted while adjusting a suit of slim VR-armor.
But Lena didn't pause. They walked in silence until they reached a wide, open arena, domed like a high-tech coliseum. The floor shimmered with ever-shifting code beneath tempered glass panels.
Two people waited.
One was a man built like a tank in a sleeveless training vest—dark hair pulled back, arms crossed. The other was a sharp-eyed woman with spiked gloves, fiddling with a medkit. She didn't glance up.
"Kade," Lena said. "Mira. This is the new recruit."
Kade moved towards Alex with a dominating presence "Looks soft," Kade muttered.
Alex turned grim glancing at Kade.
"Looks conscious. That's an improvement," Mira added dryly, still not looking at him.
Alex glared at Kade nervously.
"He's getting his console," Lena replied. "Give him a minute."
Kade grunted. "No time for minutes."
Before Alex could protest, the floor flickered. A platform rose, revealing a console controller. It lit up with a low hum—GENESIS.
"Rise and glitch, baby!" the console chirped. "System online, and oof—did someone reset me with a frying pan?"
Alex exhaled, half-smiling. "Good to have you back."
"You look like hell."
"You feel like a hangover."
"That's mutual, buddy. Ready to dance?"
"As I'll ever be."
Kade motioned toward the center of the arena. "You want to join this fight? Prove you can sync under stress."
GENESIS pulsed. "Combat Sync Initiated."
" Noted," said Alex.
Mira came towards him " the only way you can sync is to channel your emotions–or whatever. You get the idea."
Alex nodded. Genesis phased inside him.
Lena was at the edge of the arena with a pad that controlled the simulations and Kade was beside her.
" Are you ready Alex?" said Lena from the mic.
Alex took a ready stance " I'm ready."
The whole arena activated simulator sequence.
Everything around Alex blinked white.
Suddenly he stood alone in a square demolished arena, facing three rapidly shifting holograms that took shape into wolf-like Hollowborns.
" Whoa," Alex stood up straight. " This was way different than I expected."
" Virtual dogs, I'm guessing it's a high class Class-2 hollowborn that noobies aren't supposed to train with." Genesis made it's voice audible for Lena to hear but she ignored it.
The moment they lunged, Alex moved—not by instinct, but by something deeper, wired into muscle and breath.
He somersaulted, dodging one of the hollowborn's jab.
Alex landed and laughed in relief.
Another wolf jumped and wanted to scratch Alex mid-air but he caught it's claws and twisted it's arm. The wolf shrieked and bent in pain
Another stood behind Alex as the injured hollowborn struggled to stand, about to strike, Alex ducked and it struck the wolf instead, falling again.
Alex swiftly kicked the other wolf's leg and it fell.
The second Alex stood up, the last wolf raced towards him but Alex jumped, rolled on it's back and landed as the wolf collided with the two wolves and they fell hard on the floor.
Alex smiled, Adrenaline pulsing through his veins. Mira choked on her drink trying to laugh. Kade nodded and Lena's mouth twitched to a smile—just a little.
" This wolves had their brains shuffed into their posterior." Genesis quipped.
The wolves didn't stand up, they laid on the ground as if they were beaten up.
Alex looked puzzled but shook off that thought and turned to Kade. There wasn't any change in Kade's expression.
" Um. I guess I'm done now."
Lena gazed from Alex to the pad as if. Confused?
Alex turned back, the wolves still lay lifeless.
" The wolves sure are dum."
He turned to Kade " Are you still saying I can't handle it?"
Kade did not respond.
Just then.
Alex felt breathing on his neck, his eyes widened, he turned back but. Too late.
The wolf gave him a huge punch that sent Alex flying and he land on a pile of rocks, though it was a simulation. It felt very real.
Mira winced at her seat. Kade and Lena watched from the distance with an expression that showed slight disappointment.
Alex groaned.
" Yep. Take it back. The wolves are smarter than I thought," Genesis said in a low tone.
The wolves stood up rapidly and slowly worked towards Alex, it's eyes blazing red.
Alex couldn't move, he felt like a frigde was on top of him, getting heavier.
One of the wolves used telekinesis to weigh him down.
Mira watched carefully holding the med kit.
Lena looked at Kade " if this get critical, I will turn this simulation off Sir."
Kade merely nodded.
Alex face got red, everything around him felt like gravity is on edge.
The wolves joined in to weigh Alex down with their telekinesis until a point Alex couldn't breath.
" Next time... I wouldn't... Underestimate..." Alex managed to speak.
Lena's finger was inches closed to the simulation stop button.
Alex's eyes were now like that of a dead person, there was this new energy inside him, glowing around him. It pulsed slowly, a shimmer of light and then. A barrier pulse obliterated the hollowborns into pixelated dust.
A pause.
Alex exhaled sharply.
"Umm," GENESIS whispered. "You weren't supposed to know that."
Kade, watching from the side, arched an eyebrow.
The simulation ended.
Alex blinked back to reality, breathing hard. Kade's arms were still crossed, but his mouth twitched. Mira finally looked up.
"Okay," she said. "Not soft."
The simulation resurfaced and the rocks that were under Alex disappeared, making Alex fall.
Lena came to him, holding the pad.
" You need some rest."
" No, I'm fine, I can still do this."
Alex struggled to stand.
" Just need the pain to wear off."
Lena lowered her arms and was about to leave.
" Wait."
Lena turned back.
" Can I go with you? Just... to see around... to get to know the place more?"
Lena stood silent. Thinking.
" Okay then."
Alex smiled weakly and walked exhaustively as she strode.
Minutes later, They came to the command center.
The command center was a low-lit bowl of screens, tech panels, and translucent maps rotating mid-air.
"That," a voice piped, "was not protocol."
Alex turned to see a lanky guy in goggles leaning back in a chair surrounded by wires.
"Taro," Lena said. "Systems operator. Hacker. Officially annoying."
"Officially brilliant," Taro corrected and turned to Alex. "And you must be the anomaly with reflexes that break physics. Welcome."
Taro shook hands with Alex.
" I'm not actually an anomaly anymore. I'm in the game," replied Alex.
" Because you have the console, if not, it will be otherwise," added Taro.
Just then, Genesis phased out of Alex, much to Taro's surprise.
" Hey, Alex is worthy of me!"
" Hey chill just stating the facts," replied Taro cooly.
" Officially annoying," Lena quipped, running an analysis on a computer.
" Hey Genesis, don't phase inside again for a while. I think I'm about to throw up," said Alex bent, one hand on stomach.
Taro's eyes flashed " Do not do that, my drone just finished polishing the floor–"
A screen lit up. Zones of Monridge glowed red.
" Alert: Hollowborn breach at Monridge sector," said the AI repeatedly from the intercom.
"Class-4 Hollowborn," Lena murmured. "That is not normal."
"Class-4?" Alex asked.
"Means you don't wanna meet one alone," Kade said, his presence surprised everyone because they weren't aware when he came.
"Zone breach," Lena said a female operative beside Kade " it seems to be in an abandoned train station in Monridge."
Lena stood alone, arms folded, watching the translucent map with a glowing red spot.
"Live Hollowborn breach," Taro called. "Class-4. Downtown Monridge."
Kade snapped his visor on. Lena grabbed her weapons. Mira swore softly.
Alex came to Lena " Let me help you guys."
Lena thought for a moment.
"This is not a game , Alex," Lena said, eyes locked on his. "This is war."