The transport vehicle rumbled beneath Allen's feet, its armored frame growling with every bump and crack in the neglected road. He huddled under a tarp in the back, heart racing as soldiers chatted idly just meters away. They had no idea he was here. If they found out, he'd be court-martialed or worse. But he had to return. Just once. Just to retrieve something— anything, from the place that raised him.
The orphanage was a few feet away from the Rift and everywhere within a 10 mile radius was dubbed the "Red Zone" by the military. An area so steeped in residual energy and monster incursions, even drones returned damaged. Or didn't return at all.
As the convoy neared its destination, the vehicle jerked to a halt. Allen peeked from beneath the tarp. A checkpoint. Soldiers in combat armor and radiation suits moved through scans. When the coast cleared, Allen slipped out and sprinted toward the reminants of the orphanage.
The once-familiar halls were quiet, filled with broken glass and the stench of ash. He stepped over collapsed beams and rusted toys, finally reaching the old dormitory. He stared at the rusted bed frames, which stood like a skeleton. Memories of their pillow fights and laughter flooded his mind. Unbidden. Tears rolled down his cheeks, unnoticed.
He began his search. Looking for something, anything to remind him of home and his vengeance. Beneath a burnt bunk bed, he found it: a pendant—tarnished but intact, tucked inside a hollowed panel under the floor, a faded photo of children laughing, a younger version of himself among them was inside.
His chest tightened.
"Civilian?" a sharp voice barked.
Allen spun, heart in his throat. A soldier stood at the doorway, rifle half-raised. "What the hell are you doing here? This is a dead zone!"
"I could ask you the same thing?" Allen retorted, hiding the pendant behind him.
Leon growled and was about to scold him when a howl tore through the air.
Leon cursed, shoving Allen behind him. Shapes darted between shadows-lithe, growling, yellow-eyed.
"Are those.....dire wolves?" Leon muttered.
The dire wolves surrounded them with hobgoblins behind them.
"Fuck! Hobs too?"
He clicked his comm. "Echo Team, this is Leon Hart. Engaged a pack of dire wolves and some Hobs at a run down orphanage. Need backup, now!"
Only static answered.
The wolves charged. Leon opened fire, backing away with Allen. His rifle rounds bouncing off their fur before finally scratching the first beast's shoulder. It barely slowed. Two more lunged from opposite sides. He dropped one with a shot to the eye and barely escaped the other's paw.
The rest were closing in fast. Ammo counts blinked red on his HUD.
"Stay behind me!" he shouted.
He pulled the pin off a flash bang and threw it at the monsters. The blinding light bought a little bit of time, they ran.
Their escape was shortlived as the monsters were back on their tail.
As they ran, Leon fired a couple of shots at the monsters to slow them down, while trying still to contact his team.
The monsters were gaining on them and Leon was down to his last clip.
They were cornered, backs against the wall, no where to run.
"I never thought I'd die this way"
With no help and low ammo, all hope seemed lost.
Then he felt it. The same surge he'd felt the day the Rift opened. Desperate, instinctual, he focused. The next round he chambered glowed faint blue.
He fired.
The bullet streaked through the air like a comet and hit a hobgoblin dead-center. The monster exploded in a spray of purple ichor.
Leon stared at his weapon. "What the hell..."
His rifle was covered in a faint blue energy-this time intentionally. Three more shots, three kills. He continued, averaging a kill per three bullets shot.
But then-click.
Empty.
Thinking fast, Leon hit the ground with the bottom of his rifle. The ground gave way. Both they and the monsters fell into an old subway system. The rubble fell on the monsters, killing them. They were safe—for now.
Leon slumped against the wall, panting. "I... I used something. Some weird energy. It came from me. Is this going to be like those fantasy novel I read?"
Allen wasn't listening.
His eyes were tranfixed on an object gleaming with purple light just a few steps away from him partly buried under some stones. He quickly got down as if hypnotized and began removing the rocks.
He pulled free a long object, dusting off dirt and sand. The weapon pulsed— a sword forged from obsidian steel with silver speck like a stary night and etchings that shimmered faint blue. The moment he touched it, he felt something opening, like a dam opened for water to flow out. His vision blurred, then sharpened, his body covered in a lingering purple light. He felt alive
The sword pulsed again and transformed—folding and reshaping into a gauntlet that locked seamlessly over his right hand, the etchings still glowing.
REM had awakened in him.
Leon watched in silence, eyes wide. "Well that's not standard issue."
Allen flexed his hand in the gauntlet, then watched it revert to a sword in his hand. "I am keeping this." He said meeting Leon's eyes. "You have no problems with that right?"
Leon shakes his head, speechless.
Under the midday sun of a foreign sky, Captain Elena Royce stood in full dress uniform before King Vladimir. The royal court watched from marble steps, some intrigued, others wary.
"We come in peace," she said, "My name is Elena Royce, Captain of the Black Squad in the United Nation's Navy SEAL. We mean no harm."
"You are in the presence of King Vladimir Valerius, First of his name." Serena interjected sternly.
"Show proper respect."
"Apologies." Elena said bowing. "We know nothing of your customs. I mean no offense."
"What brings your here?", Vladimir asked.
"We were sent by our government to investigate the mysterious land's appearance and propose an alliance with the inhabitants if possible.
Our world and yours face unprecedented events. Cooperation may be the only way forward." Captain Elena replied.
"Very well then, I welcome you as envoys to Valemire." King Vladimir said.
They were ushered inside and offered seats and drinks. In the meeting room, King Vladimir, Prince Caelum, High mage Serena and two other beaurocrats sat across from Captain Elena Royce and her squad.
"So, lets hear the terms of your alliance." Vladimir said.
Elena brought out a written treaty detailing the terms of the alliance. It stated that both parties would provide knowledge and weapons to one another for research and data collection purposes. Also both parties are expected to help each other out during any conflict, no matter how small. This alliance is to last for 10 years.
King Vladimir saw no flaws or hidden clauses in the treaty so he signed, after which Captain Elena proceeded to tell him of the cataclysm. How different new lands are popping up and how monsters who are somewhat impervious to their weapons appeared.
"It seems this cataclysm you speak of must have somehow merged our world with yours." Caelum said, his eyes narrowed.
"Why do you think so, Prince Caelum?" Elena asked.
"Because most of the monsters you mentioned and described.... they are from our world." Caelum replied.
"So you have a way to stop them?"
Caelum smiled faintly. "Just send a knight proficient in Rem."
Elena stared at him confused at the mention of the word 'rem'.
"Do you not know what rem is?" Serena asked.
Before she could answer, an order came in, recalling all sent out personnels. She then said, "I'm sorry but we'd have to learn whatever that 'rem' is next time."
They stood up and left.
Later that night on earth, they returned to base just before midnight. Allen and Leon were separated, interrogated, then scolded.
"How did you last forty-five minutes alone in the Red Zone?" one commander barked.
Leon hesitated, then said quietly, "I used something... it saved us."
Scientists began taking scans. Energy readings were off the charts.
Allen sat on the rooftop of the barracks, the sword-now gauntlet-on his hand
He held the pendant, staring at the photo in it. He then closed it and tucked it under his shirt.
The world had changed. And somehow, he had changed with it.
"I wasn't supposed to be there,"he whispered. "But I got something good from it." He said staring at the gauntlet on his arm.