Chapter 19: Ethan – The Reluctant Leader

Ethan stood on the rooftop of his apartment, the city sprawling out before him in a mess of lights and shadows. The air was cool, biting at his skin, but he didn't mind. Up here, away from the hum of traffic and the nagging pull of the Forge, it was quiet. A rare kind of quiet that let his thoughts settle, though they rarely landed anywhere comfortable.

He gripped the glowing metal pipe loosely in one hand, its faint light reflecting on the railing as he absentmindedly spun it. The Forge felt like it was always there now, just beneath the surface of everything. He'd wake up feeling it, go about his day feeling it, and fall asleep bracing for whatever horrors it would throw at him next. But tonight, the rooftop offered a temporary reprieve. Almost.

"Leadership," he muttered to himself with a bitter smile. "Right. Because that's exactly what I signed up for."

The rooftop door creaked open, and Ethan glanced over his shoulder. Lucas stepped out, grinning like he always did, as if nothing could rattle him. "Knew I'd find you up here," he said, walking over to lean against the railing beside him. "You've got the whole 'brooding rooftop guy' thing down."

Ethan smirked. "Brooding? I was aiming for mysterious."

"Close enough," Lucas said with a shrug. He looked out over the city, his grin softening into something more thoughtful. "So, what's eating at you?"

Ethan let out a slow breath, his fingers tightening around the pipe. "You ever feel like you're completely out of your depth?"

"All the time," Lucas said easily. "But that's part of the fun, isn't it?"

Ethan laughed under his breath. "Yeah, fun. If fun is being thrown into a nightmare every night and trying not to die." He glanced at Lucas, his tone shifting. "Do you think we'll make it? I mean, really make it?"

Lucas turned to look at him, his smile steady but his eyes serious. "I don't know," he admitted. "But giving up's not an option. And honestly? You're one of the reasons we're still here."

Ethan blinked. "Me? I'm just the guy with the glowing pipe who talks too much."

"And you're also the guy who notices things the rest of us miss," Lucas said. "The guy who steps up when it matters, even if you don't think you're ready for it."

Ethan looked away, the weight of Lucas's words settling over him like a heavy cloak. He didn't feel like any of that. Most of the time, he felt like he was barely scraping by, stumbling through each encounter and hoping for the best. But hearing it from Lucas, someone who always seemed so sure of himself—it was hard not to believe there might be some truth to it.

"Thanks," Ethan said quietly, his voice barely carrying over the sound of the city below. "But honestly? I'm just winging it."

Lucas laughed, clapping him on the back. "Welcome to the club. Pretty sure that's what all of us are doing."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the city stretching out before them like a living thing. The cold air bit a little harder, but Ethan barely felt it. Lucas's words lingered, something warm and steady in the back of his mind. Maybe he wasn't as lost as he thought.

---

Ethan had spent most of his life avoiding responsibility. Growing up, he'd been content to fade into the background—smart enough to get by, funny enough to deflect attention, but never the kind of person who stood out. He'd never wanted to. After his mom died, it got worse. He stopped trying altogether, trading ambition for safety, effort for apathy. He drifted through days that felt interchangeable, always finding excuses not to do more.

The Forge didn't let him hide. It ripped him out of his comfort zone, throwing him into a world that demanded everything he had—and more. Somehow, he'd survived. Somehow, he'd fought. And somehow, he'd ended up here, standing on a rooftop with a glowing weapon, thinking about people who were starting to feel like friends.

He didn't want to be a leader. He didn't want people relying on him. But Lucas had a point—whether he wanted it or not, the group was looking to him. And for the first time, that didn't terrify him as much as it should have.

"You know," Ethan said, breaking the silence, "I used to think being invisible was a good thing. Just coasting through life, no one expecting anything from me."

"And now?" Lucas asked, his voice quiet.

Ethan hesitated, staring at the faint glow of his pipe. "Now? I don't know. Maybe it's not enough anymore."

Lucas nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That's the thing about the Forge," he said. "It doesn't care who you were. It only cares about who you're becoming."

Ethan let the words sink in, something inside him shifting. He didn't have all the answers, and he probably never would. But maybe that was okay. Maybe it was enough to just keep moving forward, one step at a time.

"Alright," Ethan said, straightening up. "No more coasting."

Lucas grinned, his usual warmth returning. "That's the spirit."

---

When they headed back inside, the apartment felt different. It wasn't the mess of furniture or the faint smell of overcooked pancakes—it was something intangible, like the group itself had started to change. Naomi sat at the table, sipping tea and raising an eyebrow as they entered. Karis, as always, was sharpening her knife in the corner, her eyes flicking to them but saying nothing.

"Have a nice brooding session?" Naomi asked, her tone teasing.

"Brooding and bonding," Ethan said, dropping into a chair. "It's a package deal."

Naomi smirked, and even Karis looked vaguely amused. Lucas clapped his hands together, his grin infectious. "Alright, team. What's the plan?"

Ethan glanced around the room, the faint hum of the Forge still in the back of his mind. For the first time, he didn't feel like the guy on the sidelines, cracking jokes to avoid responsibility. He felt... ready. Not entirely confident, not completely sure of himself, but ready to try.

"The plan?" Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. "The plan is simple. We keep going. And this time, we make sure the Forge knows we're not going down easy."

Naomi nodded, her eyes sharp with determination. Lucas grinned, cracking his knuckles. Even Karis gave him the faintest nod of approval.

Ethan smiled to himself, the weight in his chest a little lighter. They weren't perfect, and they weren't invincible. But they were a team. And for the first time, that felt like enough.