God's Garden

Captain Duval, Chief science officer Tassel and Chief of security Shona stepped towards the glowing doorway. As they neared it, it changed from the static, calm blue to a rippling red color.

Duval halted for a moment. The color of the portal seemed very similar to the energy filled aura that all super pugilists had. 

"Hold on for a moment..." Duval signaled for everyone to stop and they did. Approaching, he drew his weapon and prodded the crimson energy portal. Duval imbued his sword with his pugilist aura, and as he did so, the portal steadied, returning to the stability it exhibited when it was blue.

"That could have been bad...nice work Captain!" Tassel commended his superior. There were several instances of rifts out in the universe. Most of them required the highest levels of space stabilization via machine, or a meta that had those sorts of abilities. Generally, when one went through a rift in space, they were never seen again. It was theorized that there were four universes in total; several records and reports stated that some had returned and that the system positions were completely different from each other.

The only exception to the rule was when a sufficiently powerful Super decided to enter a space crack. Such as Captain Duval. 

Tassel continued speaking. 

"If anyone other than you had tried stabilizing the portal or going in first they would have been ripped apart...theoretically.

"Good to know Tass...Okay, let's see what's on the other side, shall we?"

As Duval and his crew stepped through the shimmering portal of the lab, an intense wave of energy enveloped them. The world distorted around them, swirling with colors and sensations, until they suddenly emerged in a completely new realm.

They stood in a clearing, surrounded by forestry as far as the eye could see. It was a magnificent expanse of vibrant greenery and towering trees that seemed to pulse with an ancient wisdom. The air was rich with the scent of blooming flowers, and the sounds of rustling leaves and distant, ethereal melodies filled their ears. It was as if they had entered a living tapestry of magic and nature.

The rookie's eyes grew huge. He nearly lowered his weapon in wonderment of the magical place they were in, until his grumpy senior kicked him in the shin. "Don't be a dumbass!"

"Ah, what's there to worry about? Captain Duval is with us...Ouch!"

He received another kick from the old man. "I said, don't be a dumbass!" 

"Alright, alright..." The rookie frowned but knew that his elder was right.

Shona glanced over momentarily at the two. "Hey, take it easy on the young one, he won't be able to walk if you keep thrashing his shins." 

"Yes ma'am!" Both the younger and older man gave Shona a quick salute.

Duval simply shook his head and went back to what he was doing, surveying the area outside of the clearing for any threats. He could sense a ton of lifeforms just slightly in the outside perimeter of the nearby trees.

"Amazing…" Tassel murmured, taking in the verdant beauty that surrounded them.

At the center of the clearing, they noticed five massive archways. It was hard not to see them due to their size, each radiated different colors and energies. The golden arch glowed with an inviting light, while the red arch behind them pulsed softly, acknowledging their departure. The other three, which were green, purple, and silver, suddenly faded and were no longer active.

'Hhhmmm...five portals in total...Is there really five realms?' Duval wondered to himself, remembering the small Atlas prophecy they had heard earlier about the curators.

Before he had time to mull it over, the red archway fluctuated for a moment.

"Welcome to God's Garden," a deep voice resonated through the clearing. The trees seemed to part at the powerful voice. Out through the red portal stepped Lord Grem, their boss. He stood tall in flowing red armor, adorned with intricate white symbols that glimmered softly in the sunlight.

"Why have you come here?" Grem asked, his piercing gaze resting on Duval. "How did you reach this sacred place Captain Duval?" 

Unease settled over the group. They could feel a palpable tension in the air, something ancient and powerful longing to surface. Not many lower level members of Lord Grem's supreme army, corpse flower, even knew what their leader looked like.

Now that they had seen him, they felt afraid, not happy.

When Duval hesitated to answer, a sudden surge of suppressive energy spread out through the clearing, and into the woods.

Every single person present was floored immediately, except Duval, who managed to stay on one knee, and Shona. A tendril of golden energy from the nearby portal had reached out to surround her, keeping her upright.

"An Atlas!" There was a dark slit in the red helm that Lord Grem had on. Normally you couldn't see anything asides darkness from there, but it was now aglow with three bright red lights. 

Lord Grem cocked his head slightly while staring at Shona. He reached out to the ground and sent some of his energy towards her.

The moment the energy reached the soles of Shona's feet, his glowing eyes blazed even brighter.

"Two Atlas it seems...you've been busy, Captain Duval."

Lord Grem looked over at Tassel, who was pressed onto the ground with the rest of the crew. He had singled him out due to his science uniform and the rank number he had on his sleeve. 

"What is your name?"

Tassel gasped for air under the suppressive force he was being subjected to.

"T-T-Tassel, my Lord."

"Your Captain doesn't seem to want to explain himself. How did you end up here?"

Tassel was suddenly excluded from the force that had been pushing him down. He shakily stood, then brushed himself off. He glanced at Duval before looking back to Lord Grem. "We were investigating a weird electromagnetic anomaly on an unmarked planet...It turned out to be an Atlas ruin of some type..."

"Magus...That's enough, Tassel. You can fill me in on what transpired after. The rest of you need to die. Especially you, Atlas woman, and you, Captain Duval, sorry."

Captain Duval's scarlet eyes burned with anger. He gathered up all the power he could and managed to get back to both of his feet.

"What?! Why does anyone have to die? We have done nothing but serve you faithfully, Lord Grem! If I understand you correctly, Shona is carrying my kid?"

"Shona is her name huh? Yes, she has a child within her...It is polluted with your genes as you are an Apex grade...but better safe than sorry."

Lord Grem allowed his aura to seep out of him until it looked like he was on fire with Pugilist energy, that power exploded into many tiny tendrils, piercing everyone that was still on the ground, killing all of them. Grem then used some of his energy to draw Tassel towards him, tucking the man under his arm.

Duval could feel the oppressive weight of Lord Grem's energy as the tendrils surged toward his crew. In a split second, he summoned every ounce of his pugilist aura, drawing it into his sword as he leapt forward in supreme anger at the betrayal. With a wild battle-cry, he unsheathed and swung his blade, creating a barrier of shimmering light around himself and his weapon as he launched an energy wave towards his now former boss.

"Captain!" Shona shouted, her voice laced with urgency, her eyes darting between Duval and Lord Grem. She still had the golden barrier around her from before.

In that moment, the golden portal behind her flickered brightly, its light intensifying until it glowed like the sun. A beam of golden energy snaked forth like a living thing, connecting to the existing golden veil, wrapping around Shona's arm and drawing her toward it.

Lord Grem laughed while easily deflecting the red crescent of sword light streaking towards him, then reached out with his own energy again and tried to seize Shona. 

Captain Duval activated a skill that boosted his power briefly. It was an ability that didn't last very long but could nearly bring him up to S grade levels of power momentarily. 

"Don't touch her you bastard!" Duval leapt in-between the energy trying to seize Shona and slashed towards it.

His sword clashed with the energy, Duval roared and pushed his sword down with all of his might.

Lord Grem had underestimated Duval, not expecting him to have mustered up a battle power close to Grade S.

"Not bad...But I need to have the woman Duval. Step aside and I will find a use for you in the future."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Duval gritted his teeth and prepared for one more attack, which was all the time and power he had left available to him.

"Suit yourself..." Grem upped his power level and prepared to squash Duval in one hit.

As the golden energies kept enveloped Shona and pulling her in, the portal began to pulsate with power. She felt a rush of energy wash over her, and suddenly, the energy formed into intricate golden armor around her body, transforming into a magnificent suit of Yoroi armor. Its ornate detailing shimmered in the light, a perfect fusion of strength and elegance, granting her an exhilarating rush of power and clarity. 

"A totem!? Or is it a sub-body!?" Grem tensed up at the sight, then he relaxed. "You aren't from that realm...it isn't meant for you...wait...If it is birthed over there..."

Lord Grem thought about a possibility and rushed forward, Tassel still tucked under his armored limb. He couldn't afford to let Shona disappear into the golden gateway.

In a desperate bid for their survival, Duval gathered himself. He met the incoming Lord Grem with his elevated power, Grem's crimson energy colliding with his shimmering barrier, creating an almighty shockwave that knocked the trees around them back. The intense collision sent Duval sprawling and gasping for breath, his body hitting the ground had created a deep trench. He looked up to see the pure fury in Grem's glowing eyes.

"I gave you a chance...I was even going to make you an Oracle...you understand nothing, fool."

"You're tying to kill my woman and my unborn child..."

Duval spit out a mouthful of blood. "Get wrecked, you asshole."

Suddenly, from behind him, the air shimmered, and a green portal sprang to life, its vibrant hue cutting through the chaos. As if sensing the peril Duval was in, it opened wide, a swirling vortex beckoning him.

"Duval!" Shona yelled, turning just in time to catch a glimpse of the emerging green portal, it had formed in one of the formerly empty archways.

As Duval fought to pull himself off the ground, Grem's aura crashed down upon him—an overwhelming force that threatened to finish him off. Just then, the green portal erupted with energy, a force so powerful that it pulled him in as if it had a will of its own, saving him at the last moment from Grem's impending strike.

"Captain!" Shona cried, but Duval was gone, the green portal closing around him, sealing him away from the menace that was Lord Grem.

"Curse you Sylvanthia...Damn interfering twig." Lord Grem scowled at the green portal as it closed, then turned his attention back to Shona.

"Two Atlas, two souls doomed! No new curators!" Grem roared, fury etched across his face. The glowing Yoroi armor now enveloped her, pulsating with golden light, filling her with fierce resolve. 

She stopped fighting the pull of the golden energy and started to back pedal with all of her strength towards the golden doorway.

Lord Grem was about to follow and intercept, until he was distracted by several rounds of electromagnetic ammunition bouncing off of his helmet. The rookie, with blood rushing from his mouth, smiled. He hadn't been killed immediately by Grem's earlier attack. He was weakly holding his railgun, the smoke still billowing from his weapon.

In the brief moment his attention was moved, Shona had made it inside the portal. The golden energy cut itself off immediately.

Grem stood there for several seconds. He knew it was useless to try and cross over if the Record had shut off access at the nexus point. He looked over at the young man whom had distracted him.

Even though he had been bloodied, he was still very attractive. His most eye catching feature were his long ears. He was a member of the Elfin race.

"What is your name?"

"Iver." 

"I like your bravery and loyalty. You don't understand the gravity of the situation here my child. Come with me, I'll explain everything." 

Lord Grem reached out with his energy and pulled the young man into his other arm, then disappeared back into the red doorway.

...

Just as the golden energy enveloped Shona completely, the world around her twisted and flickered in shades of golden light. She felt a brief disorientation as she was yanked through the shimmering barrier, a sensation of weightlessness overtaking her. The brilliance of the portal faded, and before she knew it, she landed in a darkened alleyway.

Shona stumbled forward and suddenly found herself backed against a brick wall, her heart racing from the abrupt transition. The vibrant golden armor that had just adorned her an instant before dulled to a more mundane appearance. She glanced around, taking in her new surroundings, the scent of asphalt and distant city sounds filling her senses.

Before she could catch her breath, a figure emerged from the shadows, stepping out from a nearby doorway. A young Asian man, clad in a casual outfit, minus the coin dispenser he wore around his waist. He had round sunglasses perched on his nose and stood frozen in surprise. A plume of smoke dangled from his lips, curling into the air as he blinked at the spectacle before him.

"Whoa, are you real?" he exclaimed, surprise etched across his face. The cigarette slipped from his mouth, landing on the ground. "I'm Makoto, by the way."