chapter 4: What lurks beyond the portals

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The Director of the Awakened Association, a typical day immersed in documents and assessments of potential nurtures among the awakened populace. Amidst the facade of peace, danger lurked beyond the portals, a reality concealed from the general populace and low-level awakened. Despite successful counterattacks, uncertainty clouded their safety. The struggle, primarily contained within lower-level portals or resource mining in higher ones, strained their manpower. The need for potential seeds, individuals capable of shouldering this burden, grew ever more pressing.

A sudden surge of dread seized the Director, an ominous aura heralding chaos and destruction. Initial thoughts of a terrifying being breaking free beyond the gates dissipated as swiftly as the aura emerged—a fleeting, terrifying essence that few beneath his level could sense.

Activating his heightened senses, the source of the disturbance revealed itself—a telltale awakening tribulation. Excitement surged within him, recognizing the immense potential an awakened human of such caliber could harbor.

The origin pinpointed to the reception hall, where an incredulous sight awaited him. A colossal sphere, its outer layer reminiscent of dragon scales—dark-purple and adorned with cryptic runes—greeted his eyes.

'Dragon egg...?' Fear briefly gripped him before he regained composure.

Dragons, apex predators across linked dimensions, wielded immense power, their dominance unmatched. Their lethargic nature and disregard for races except for a select few spared humanity from conquest.

'Why here, on Earth, of all places?' The question loomed unanswered.

Recalling his purpose, he focused on finding the potential seed but was interrupted by younglings discussing the peculiar "egg" emitting an intimidating aura, repelling weaker-willed creatures.

Curiosity piqued, conversations among the youths shed light on the spectacle—an individual engulfed by an eerie aura, transforming into a cocoon adorned with dragon scales. The intervention of powerful Awakened, including 'Elsa the Frost Witch,' averted catastrophe.

Back in the Director's perspective, comprehending the situation, he swiftly organized measures for the egg's protection—deploying a plethora of devices and artifacts to safeguard its sanctity.

'Now, we wait,' he contemplated, notifying higher authorities of this extraordinary occurrence.

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The minutes stretched into hours, the Director's mind occupied with thoughts of the egg and its inexplicable appearance within the association's precincts. Reports trickled in—rumors abounded, speculation ran rampant.

Communication with the higher-ups yielded little clarity. A directive arrived, emphasizing caution and vigilance. The egg's safety became paramount, shrouded in mystery and ominous significance.

In the reception hall, a contingent of Awakened volunteers, entrusted with guarding the egg, maintained a vigilant watch. Among them, murmurs spread, snippets of conjecture intertwined with fragments of awe-inspiring accounts.

Rumors of the egg's origins swirled—a fabled prophecy, whispers of interdimensional rifts, and legends of a forgotten era. Each whispered tale added a layer of mystique to the enigmatic sphere, deepening the intrigue surrounding its presence.

As the hours waned, tension permeated the atmosphere. The Director, ever vigilant, observed the movements around the egg, a silent guardian amid the buzz of uncertainty.

Questions hung in the air, unanswered and unspoken. The egg, an anomaly tethered to realms beyond comprehension, remained a silent enigma within the association's walls, a harbinger of mysteries yet to unfold.