After completing his training, John officially joined the Human Time Alliance.
His rank was simple at first: he worked with a group of security soldiers tasked with protecting scientists during timeline exploration.
One morning, Neo entered the briefing room.
"There is a new assignment," she said.
The soldiers looked up.
"A newly discovered timeline has been detected. Our scientists want to study it, but they need guards," she continued, her bright blue eyes scanning the room.
She paused and looked directly at John.
"Do you want to go?"
John hesitated for only a second.
"Yes."
Soon, the team gathered inside the portal chamber. Soldiers readied their equipment while scientists monitored the machines, adjusting readings and calibrating the portal.
The portal slowly activated. A bright circle of light shimmered in the air. Neo's voice came through the comm system:
"This world has never been explored before. Stay alert."
One by one, the soldiers stepped through the portal. When John crossed the threshold, the world changed instantly.
Fresh, fragrant air filled his lungs. Tall trees towered above, their massive branches stretching toward the sky. Glowing plants lit the forest floor with soft, pulsing light. The entire landscape felt alive.
One soldier whispered in awe:
"This place…"
John's eyes widened as he took in the forest.
"It looks like a fantasy world," he murmured.
They moved deeper into the forest, stepping cautiously over thick roots and soft moss. Every sound—the distant hum of unseen insects, the rustle of leaves, the strange, luminous glow of plants—reminded them that this world was completely unknown.
And John couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them.
The soldiers moved carefully through the strange forest. Towering trees stretched high above, their massive branches blotting out sunlight, and the air carried a faint, metallic hum—almost like the planet itself was aware of their presence.
One soldier muttered, scanning the ground.
"I think this world is far behind us in technology. It looks like the age of kings and queens."
John nodded, taking in the massive trunks and ancient moss.
"Yeah. It feels like a medieval world."
Suddenly, another soldier raised a hand and pointed ahead.
"Wait… look over there."
About five kilometers away, a small group of humans stood on a hill. Their bodies were thin, almost fragile compared to the soldiers, and their clothes and armor looked rough and patched. They carried bows and arrows, the most primitive weapons John had ever seen.
One of the soldiers activated a scanning device.
"Local humans. Primitive weapons," he reported.
The strangers noticed the approaching team and quickly drew their bows.
"Incoming!" someone shouted.
A sudden rain of arrows flew toward John's squad. Hearts raced; muscles tensed. But in a synchronized motion, the soldiers pressed their time watches.
In an instant, they vanished.
The arrows whizzed harmlessly through empty space, embedding themselves in nothingness. Moments later, the team reappeared behind the attackers.
The primitive humans froze, wide-eyed and trembling, their weapons useless. Silence fell over the hill, broken only by the soft hum of the soldiers' equipment.
One soldier whispered into his communicator.
"Enemy threat level: extremely low."
John exhaled slowly, trying to steady his racing pulse. He looked at the frightened group, realizing just how far ahead their civilization was.
"This world is far behind ours," he murmured, a mix of awe and unease in his voice.
To be continued