Ethan didn't turn the lights off that night.
He lay back on the bed, one arm resting over his eyes, the other hanging loosely off the side. The room stayed quiet, the kind of quiet that should've made it easier to sleep.
It didn't.
His mind kept circling the same thing.
That gap.
Small. Inconsistent. But real.
He'd held the phone. Waited. Nothing.
No comment. No reaction.
If she really saw everything—
That shouldn't have happened.
"…You're still there," he said, not moving.
[Viewers: 1]
Yes.
Same answer.
Same timing.
Ethan lowered his arm slightly, just enough to glance at the screen.
"…You don't get tired?"
A short pause.
No.
"Don't sleep?"
No.
He let out a quiet breath through his nose.
"…Must be nice."
No response.
Ethan stared at the ceiling again.
"…If I stop talking," he said, slower now, "do you still… watch?"
Yes.
Immediate.
No hesitation.
Ethan's fingers twitched slightly against the edge of the bed.
"…Even when I'm asleep?"
A pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
Yes.
He didn't like that.
Not the answer.
The delay.
He turned his head slightly, eyes settling on the wall instead.
"…You hesitated."
No reply.
"…Why?"
The screen stayed still.
Ethan let the silence stretch.
Didn't push.
Didn't fill it.
Just waited.
Eventually, he exhaled.
"…Right."
Sometime later, he sat up.
Didn't check the time.
Didn't need to.
His body wasn't tired anymore.
Or maybe it was, and his mind just refused to follow.
He swung his legs off the bed and stood, stretching slightly. The soreness from earlier had dulled, settling into something easier to ignore.
Better than yesterday.
Still not clean.
He walked toward the window, pulling the curtain aside just enough to look out.
The street below was mostly empty now. A few cars passed every now and then, headlights cutting through the dark.
Normal.
Distant.
"…Tomorrow," he said quietly, "I'm going in deeper."
No response.
Ethan waited.
"…You heard me."
Yes.
"There's a mid-tier gate not too far from here," he added. "Group runs usually. More people."
A pause.
Then—
You don't need them.
Ethan's grip on the curtain tightened slightly.
"…That's not what I said."
No reply.
He let the curtain fall back into place.
"…I'm not asking for permission."
The words came out flat.
Not aggressive.
Just—
Clear.
The screen flickered.
It's more dangerous.
"I know."
You're not ready.
Ethan turned back toward the room.
"…I wasn't ready last time either."
That didn't stop him.
Didn't stop her.
A pause.
Then—
I helped you.
There it was again.
Same line.
Same weight.
Ethan held her words for a second.
"…You did."
He didn't deny it.
Couldn't.
"…So you'll help again."
The message didn't come right away.
For a moment, the screen stayed still.
Then—
If you listen.
Same condition.
Ethan nodded slightly.
"…Then it's fine."
Not safe.
Not controlled.
But fine.
For now.
Morning came faster than expected.
Or maybe he just didn't sleep enough to notice the time passing.
Either way—
He was already moving.
The streets were busier this time. More people heading toward gates, badges clipped to their collars, conversations overlapping as they walked.
Ethan kept to himself.
Didn't rush.
Didn't slow down either.
Just moved.
The gate came into view sooner than he expected.
Larger than the last ones.
The air around it felt heavier, the distortion more noticeable even from a distance.
Mid-tier.
No mistaking it.
A small group stood near the entrance, checking gear, talking through something quietly. Two of them glanced up as Ethan approached.
One of them—tall, older—looked him over briefly.
"…You solo?" he asked.
Ethan nodded.
"Yeah."
The man frowned slightly. "This isn't low-tier."
"I know."
A pause.
The man looked like he wanted to say more, then didn't.
"…Suit yourself."
Ethan gave a small nod and stepped past them.
No one stopped him.
No one followed.
Good.
He stopped just before the gate.
The air shifted slightly around him.
Different from before.
Heavier.
More present.
"…Anything?" he asked.
[Viewers: 1]
A second passed.
Then—
Be careful.
Ethan blinked once.
"…That's new."
No response.
He stared at the message for a moment longer.
Then—
"…You sound worried."
Silence.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
"…Right."
He stepped forward.
The world folded.
The moment he entered, he felt it.
Different.
The space inside was wider. Taller ceilings. The air colder.
And—
Noise.
Not loud.
But there.
Distant movement.
Multiple.
Ethan stilled.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "This is different."
The screen flickered.
Don't rush.
He nodded slightly.
"Wasn't planning to."
He took a step forward.
Then another.
The ground felt uneven under his feet, small bits of debris scattered across the floor. The light here was dimmer, shadows stretching further than they should.
Ethan's grip tightened on his blade.
His breathing slowed.
Focused.
A sound echoed from deeper inside.
Movement.
More than one.
He stopped.
Waited.
Listened.
"…How many?" he asked quietly.
A pause.
Longer than before.
Then—
Three.
Ethan's jaw tightened slightly.
"…Close?"
Yes.
He adjusted his stance.
"Alright."
His heart rate picked up.
Not panic.
Just—
Awareness.
He moved forward carefully, keeping his steps light.
The first one appeared at the edge of his vision.
Then the second.
The third followed a second later.
Faster than the ones before.
More coordinated.
Ethan slowed.
Waited.
"…Now?" he whispered.
A flicker.
Then—
Wait.
He held.
The creatures shifted, spreading slightly.
Not random.
They were—
Now.
Ethan moved.
Fast.
He closed the distance before they fully reacted, blade striking the closest one first.
It didn't go down clean.
It twisted, snapping toward him—
Back.
He stepped away just in time, the second creature lunging past where he'd been.
The third circled.
Ethan adjusted, trying to keep them in view—
Something felt off.
Not like before.
Less controlled.
Less—
Left.
He moved.
Barely avoided a strike.
His footing slipped slightly on the uneven ground.
Too slow.
The first creature recovered faster than expected.
It lunged.
Ethan raised his blade—
Late.
The hit came in—
And stopped.
Not clean.
Not normal.
The creature's movement stuttered for a split second.
Just enough.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He drove his blade forward, finishing it.
The second one followed.
Then the third.
It ended quickly after that.
Too quickly.
Ethan stood there, breathing harder now.
"…That wasn't the same."
The screen flickered.
No response.
"…You hesitated."
Silence.
Ethan's grip tightened.
"…You didn't answer right away."
A pause.
Then—
You're okay.
That wasn't what he asked.
Ethan stared at the screen.
"…Yeah."
He was.
But—
That wasn't the point.
He looked down at the bodies.
Then back at the corridor ahead.
"…Something's different," he said quietly.
No response.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah."
He already knew that.
He just wasn't sure what it meant yet.
He adjusted his grip on the blade and moved forward.
Because stopping here—
Wouldn't give him answers.
And somewhere in the back of his mind—
That same thought lingered.
Not loud.
Not clear.
Just—
There.
For the first time—
She didn't feel completely in control.
And he didn't know if that made things better—
Or worse.