Aryn could feel the changes running through him, but something else came with that new strength. His skin burned with fever, and every muscle in his body ached as if he had survived a long, brutal workout. He tried to breathe slowly, but even that felt strange. His body wasn't the same anymore, and the sickness weighing on him made that fact hard to ignore.
His head throbbed as he stared at the swirling green portal in the middle of the Jolly King parking lot. The blue cracks pulsing around the edges gave off an eerie glow, almost like electricity trapped inside a storm.
"What the hell is that?" he muttered. "Ah, shii— yeah, I'm just gonna grab this and get out of here. I feel freaking sick."
He pushed through the restaurant door and walked inside, doing his best not to stumble. Every step felt like he was balancing on a boat in turbulent waters.
Outside, bystanders had their phones raised, recording every second. Others shouted into their speakers, trying to tell friends and family what was happening. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder by the second. The air felt filled with fear, curiosity, and that strange pressure rolling off the portal.
One man whispered, "Yo, Is this some kinda movie being filmed?"
"It can't be," another replied from his car window. "Didn't you feel that quake?"
Inside the car beside him, a woman had the radio turned up. The voice of an excited radiocaster filled the street.
"What's good, Atlanta!? Looks like we just got hit with a small 2.0 quake—nothing too crazy, but definitely real! But that's not even the wild part! We've got reports of glowing circles and portals showing up across the city. Weird for our city, but only Atlanta so far. Authroities are on the way! Stay safe out there, A-T-L!"
The broadcast cut off, replaced by a heavy hip-hop beat that rattled the car windows.
In minutes, the entire parking lot changed. Police cruisers, armored trucks, and fire trucks rushed in. Officers began shouting orders and pushing the crowd back. Yellow caution tape went up in a wide circle, blocking everyone from getting close to the portal. The drive thru was shut down, and a tense silence drifted over the area.
People watching from nearby apartment windows pressed their faces to the glass, trying to get a better view.
An officer jogged around the perimeter, running tape from post to post as a stern-looking Captain barked orders.
"We need these people moved back. Lieutenant Bridges, get your men to push that line further out. And get snipers on that roof. Where's the Chief, Miles?"
Sgt. Miles shook his head. "Called twice, no answer. Left voicemails and messages. He has to know by now."
Captain Lyles dragged a hand across his face, looking exhausted. "Dammit. Today of all days…" His granddaughter's birthday tugged at his thoughts, mixing frustration with worry.
Then the portal changed. A deep 'WOOM' groaned from its center, slow at first, heavy, like a heartbeat waking up. Then it repeated. Faster. Louder. The ground trembled as if something enormous was forcing its way through.
Officers raised their firearms. People gasped and stumbled backward. A few shouted as fear spread through the crowd. Minutes passed, but nothing stepped out. The only thing that continued was the racing heartbeat-sound building inside that swirling gateway.
Aryn sat in a booth near the window to steady his balance and eat quickly. Eating the burger he had just bought. Every bite helped settle the hunger clawing at his stomach, but something else inside him was awakening too. It almost felt like another stomach, no, a space. A place inside him that felt empty until now.
He closed his eyes. 'What is this feeling? I've got chills on top of this fever, but I feel stronger too…'
He clenched his fist twice, then a third time. The strength was real. But so was the sickness twisting his stomach.
He stepped out the back door of Jolly King, away from the crowd and the portal. As soon as sunlight touched him again, something flashed across his mind, sharp and vivid.
A waking dream, or… a memory.
A battlefield stretched before him, loud with screams, roars, and the clash of metal. Beasts charged in waves with teeth, claws, horns, and pincers. Ripping into a line of green skinned warriors. Those humanoids fought fiercely, their bodies marked with dark, angular tattoos almost tribal, that glowed faintly with power. Some carried spears and axes. Others drew bows or lifted shields.
Behind that line stood a second formation, massive green figures, muscled and wrapped in thick animal hides. They were gripping long staves carved with swirling symbols. As they stood their ground, glowing circles appeared under their feet. Bolts of fire, ice, wind, and crackling energy shot from their staves, crashing into the swarm of monsters.
The destruction was unreal, something straight from a fantasy movie or a high end video game.
'What am I seeing? Aryn thought, stunned. This looks like something out of a book… Who is that in the back?' Aryn thought, surprised and amazed.
At the rear of the battlefield stood a hulking nine foot warrior, flanked by monstrous bodyguards. Beside him crouched a massive lion like beast with pitch black fur. Its golden eyes glowed like burning coals.
'They're… Orcs.' The realization hit him. 'Why am I seeing Orcs? Why does this feel familiar?'
The vision pulled away in an instant, vanishing as fast as it came.
Aryn's body, mind, and soul pulsed all at once, like something inside him was answering.
A wave of strength rolled through him, but it wasn't complete. Fever still burned behind his eyes. Nausea made his chest tighten. He wanted to throw up the food he just ate.
That's when he heard it. A voice. It wasn't outside and tt wasn't quite inside either. It was both, everywhere, like it echoed through the air and inside his bones at the same time.
[Spirit]: Your Pulse, activates your spirit energy, granting strength, agility, and endurance.
[Spirit]: You feel nauseous due to summon capabilities being inadequate. Conquer your trial and begin to summon the horde.
Aryn froze and looked around, heart hammering. "What… what was that?"
He waited for someone to respond to his whisper, but no one had heard. The voice had been only for him.
'Pulse? Is this making me sick? Is that normal?' he asked in his mind.
No answer came.
He let out a breath, trying to calm himself, but his nerves were tight. Before he could gather his thoughts. 'WOOOM!'
The portal struck. A violent tremor shook the ground, knocking loose dirt and dust from the nearby buildings. Aryn stepped into the street with the crowd, staring at the glowing vortex.
Wind blasted out from the portal, then sucked inward, then blew out again, like the thing was breathing. The shaking stopped and finally the wind fell still. And then something stepped out.
It was around six feet tall, covered in shaggy brown and black fur. Its hyena like snout opened with a growl, revealing long canines that looked sharpened for tearing flesh. Its legs bent backward like a werewolf, and its yellow eyes scanned the world with a predators focus.
A rusted metal breastplate clung to its chest. In its right hand, it held a chipped metal sword.
Then… two more creatures leaped out of the swirling light behind it.
The moment all three landed, every Atlanta PD unit fired. No questions asked, just violent force . Straight human reaction to an otherworldly being appearing before their eyes. An old fashioned American hostile welcome.
Gunshots exploded through the air. Bullet casings clattered across the pavement. The beasts roared and charged the nearest line of officers.
But Aryn wasn't looking at the gunfire.
He was staring at the first creature, the one that stepped out alone. Because for a split second…It looked straight at him. Like it recognized him. This made Aryn feel like he wanted to run.
Before he could react, everything around him flickered. His vision blurred and his body felt weightless like his feet had been pulled out from under him.
There was no light, no sound. Only a sudden rush of cold and darkness. A shadow wrapped around him and swallowed him whole.
And in Atlanta the chaos, gunfire, screams, running feet, sounds of roaring beasts.
No one noticed he disappeared… Everyone was too busy, introduced instantly to a different type of survival than they were used to.