The Overlap [Currently in revision]

The Overlap — A speculative progression fantasy A supposed city. A whole empire. Yet all Nathan sees is scattered structures, distant farms, and cratered earth. The layers. The Overlap. It all sounded so simple in the Empress’s speech, recited at every opportunity. Children of Zero, heed my words: In our world, you can never see it all. Everyone and everything exists on exactly one layer, interacting only with the one above and the one below. The only way to move through the layers is to advance into the next. Once you reach Two, I, Empress Ritana, will grant you citizenship. Endure. Improve. Ascend. Nathan used to care about citizenship. Before the incident, he went through life cluelessly, waiting for his body to grow up. Now he knows he can’t wait that long. His trainers at the new farm have shown him that to matter, he has to advance. Every punishment is just another opportunity. He doesn’t resist. He embraces it. Nathan knows that once he advances, everything will finally make sense. But he’s been so focused on his goal that he forgot to question the people who train him.