Ethan stood in the twisted, hollow version of Midtown High, taking in his surroundings with calm precision.
The walls were distorted, stretching unnaturally, like a painting that had begun to melt. The lockers were rusted, their doors slightly ajar, the names of students scrawled onto them warped beyond recognition. The air was thick, humid, carrying the scent of something ancient and rotten.
This isn't a physical place.
Ethan ran through logical possibilities:
A pocket dimension created by Nisanti.
A reflection of the real world, but corrupted.
A prison for those taken.
Either way, he had work to do.
The moment Ethan took his first step forward, the whispers started.
Soft, like breath against his ear.
"Ethan Kane."
His body didn't react, though his mind cataloged every detail.
The voice was female this time.
It spoke his full name—it knew him now.
The tone was almost… affectionate.
He ignored it.
He knew better.
Magic, like science, had its own weird set of rules.
And Ethan had no clue what they were for this space.
Engaging on any level without information would be a fool's move.
So he walked, keeping his pace even, avoiding the figures shifting in the shadows.
Ethan navigated through the warped hallways, scanning for signs of movement.
Then—he heard it.
Soft sobbing.
He turned a corner and found Amy and Rachel huddled together in a corner, their uniforms torn, their faces pale and streaked with tears and exhaustion.
Amy's eyes widened. "Ethan?"
Ethan crouched, keeping his tone steady. "Oh, you two are still alive. Good. What do you know?"
Rachel clutched Amy's arm. "W-We don't know anything. We just woke up here, and then—"
She didn't finish.
Ethan glanced at the dark hallway behind them. Something had been watching them.
He didn't have time for panic.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
Amy nodded. Rachel hesitated, then nodded as well.
"Good," Ethan said. "We're leaving."
Paige stormed into Felicia Hardy's classroom, slamming the door behind her.
Felicia raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "Well, hello to you too young lady. What can I do for you, Mrs. Guthrie."
Paige took a deep breath, then ripped off a section of her arm, revealing steel underneath.
Felicia's expression didn't change.
Then she smirked. "Huh. That explains a lot."
Paige frowned. "You ain't shocked?"
Felicia leaned against her desk. "Please. I've seen much weirder. So what's wrong? I doubt you showed me this just because you wanted to."
The blonde mutant stepped closer. "My friend Ethan's up and disappeared. Whatever's in this dang school just up and took him. He said to come look for you before he up and disappeared."
Felicia's smirk vanished.
"…What? Did he now?"
Paige nodded, pulled out her phone and showed it to Felicia. As Felicia read the text her neutral face was slowly replaced with a serious look as she read the last message "Nisanti."
"So he sent you this during school hours and after this you couldn't find him and he's not picking up you calls." said Felicia as she analyzed the situation.
Paige nodded, clenching her fists. "I'm done waiting. Ethan said you know what going on and can help me, so I'm trusting you. Do you know where he's at?"
Felicia stared at her for a moment. Then—she sighed.
She pulled out her phone and texted Peter.
[Forget waiting. Another student was taken. I'll be going in now with some backup. Meet us when you can.]
Felicia looked up. "Alright. We'll stay hidden and wait for the school to empty out. Once that happens we'll go down to the basement."
Paige exhaled, tension easing slightly. "Good."
Felicia's green eyes darkened. "But let's get one thing straight. We're not here to play hero we find the missing student and get out."
Paige nodded. "Fine by me. So long as we bring him back I'll follow your lead."
Felicia smirked. "Sounds good Mrs. Guthrie, afterall it's a student's job to follow their teacher's instructions."
One Hour Later.
Felicia and Paige slipped through the doors of Midtown High, moving silently.
The school was completely empty.
Felicia exhaled. "Alright. Now which way is the fastest to the base—"
BANG!
The doors slammed shut behind them.
Felicia turned back. Tried the handle.
Locked.
Paige took a step forward—and the shadows moved.
A blackened, twisting mass slithered along the walls, curling around the lockers like living veins.
Felicia reached for her clawed gloves. "Damn, seems they were expecting us."
Then—the mirrors began to shift.
Paige saw it first.
Figures stepped out.
Human-shaped. Faceless and naked. Their skin smooth and reflective, as if their bodies were made from liquid mirror. They moved in a rigid inhuman like motion.
The first one lunged.
Paige's steel fist met its head—but instead of impact, her arm sank into the creature's face like quicksand.
She yanked back instantly.
Felicia run up and slashed at the creature's torso, but the creatures didn't bleed.
They kept coming.
Felicia cursed. "Damn if we can beat these thing we'll never get to the basement. We might end up getting captured too."
Paige clenched her fists. "I ain't letting that happen."
Felicia grinned. "Couldn't have said it better myself."