Chapter 3: The First Encounter

  Alex’s muscles tensed as the weight of his weapon felt heavier on his back. The knowledge flooding his mind hadn't stopped. Now, there were new words, phrases—systems—that almost felt like they were imprinted into his brain. He could feel the technology of the new world. Every fiber in his body told him something was different. He wasn’t just a soldier anymore. He was something more.

  The world he now walked through was foreign and unfathomable, a mix of untamed wilderness and what seemed like arcane forces running through the very air. He wasn’t sure how the beasts he had encountered fit into this equation—yet they were only the beginning.

  He continued moving deeper into the forest. The trees, impossibly high, blocked out the majority of the sky, leaving the space eerily dark. The forest was alive with sound: wind, rustling leaves, the distant howl of unknown creatures. His training kicked in, overriding the anxiety threatening to bubble up. He focused on his breathing, staying low to the ground, checking his surroundings every few seconds.

  Suddenly, a faint glow caught his attention. It wasn’t from the sun. It was soft, almost like fireflies, but the source seemed to be moving. His instincts flared. This could be a trap.

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  He crouched, slipping behind a large stone, and observed. The glowing lights were humanoid figures—three of them, floating just above the ground. Their figures were obscured by the strange glow surrounding them, almost like ghostly wisps. But even from a distance, Alex could see their ethereal forms were sharp, otherworldly. His gut told him they weren’t to be underestimated.

  “What the hell...?” he muttered to himself. He hadn’t seen anything like this on the battlefield.

  The beings moved toward him, their movements fluid and unnatural. They seemed to glide effortlessly through the air, as if the forest itself bent to their will. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He had to decide quickly—engage or avoid.

  Training kicked in. Stay in the shadows. Stay silent. He had been in tight spots before. He could wait for the perfect moment, study them, plan his attack.

  Then one of the figures stopped. It turned its head, locking eyes with Alex. The glow intensified around it, and Alex felt a strange sensation in his mind—almost like a pulse, something trying to invade his thoughts.

  He gritted his teeth, fighting the mental intrusion. This was no time to be passive. Fight. He raised his rifle, aiming for the closest figure, when the world seemed to shift again. His surroundings flickered, like the world was breaking apart, but then it stilled. The mental pressure was gone.

  What the hell just happened?

  Before he could process the situation, the figure’s voice pierced the air—a whisper, but clear enough to reach his ears.

  “You are not from here.”

  Alex’s hand tightened on the rifle. Hostile? Ally? Friend or foe? He had no idea. But he wasn’t about to let his guard down.