EPILOGUE V

Charles Wayne and Layla Matthews stood at the helm of the Atreus, the spacecraft now still after its journey across dimensions. The escape from their universe had been chaotic, the invasion forcing them to leave everything behind. The Atreus had barely made it through the breach, and now they found themselves on a strange planet in another universe entirely.

The Atreus had landed in a dense forest, its massive structure surrounded by towering trees with leaves that shimmered in various shades of green and blue. The sky above was a strange mix of purples and oranges, with clouds that moved unnervingly fast. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of unfamiliar foliage and humidity that clung to their skin.

Charles adjusted his spectacles, peering out at the landscape. The planet was unlike anything they had seen before.

“Layla, get the others ready,” he instructed, his voice carrying the weight of command. Despite the graying hair, there was a steadiness to him that reassured those around him.

Layla nodded, her mind still racing from their narrow escape.

As a scientist, she was used to analyzing data and running experiments, not leading people through alien forests, but there was no time to dwell on that now.

She quickly gathered the dozen or so soldiers that had managed to escape with them. Each one checked their weapons and gear, the routine providing a small measure of comfort.

The ship’s ramp lowered with a hiss, and the group cautiously descended onto the forest floor. The ground was soft beneath their boots, covered in a thick layer of moss that seemed to pulse with a faint light. The trees around them were massive, their trunks wide enough to hide several people behind, and their branches twisted together in an intricate canopy far above.

Charles took the lead, his broad shoulders cutting a path through the underbrush.

“Stay alert,” he said, his voice low but firm. “We don’t know what kind of life forms we might encounter here.”

Layla stayed close, her curiosity battling with the fear that gnawed at her mind. The forest was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or distant birdcall. The soldiers fanned out, their weapons at the ready, eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger.

They hadn’t gone far when they heard it—a metallic clinking sound, like armor rattling. Charles raised a hand, signaling for everyone to stop. The sound grew louder, and from the shadows of the trees, a figure emerged.

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It was a man clad in knight’s armor, the metal gleaming with a silver hue that caught the light filtering through the canopy. He carried a sword, the blade long and sharp, held with a practiced ease. The knight’s visor was down, obscuring his face, but there was something unmistakably familiar about him.

Charles squinted, stepping forward slightly.

“Hello?” he called out, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The knight stopped a few paces away from them, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His form shifted, like it was trying to change shape but decided against it.

“You do not belong here,” the man said, an eeriness mixed in with his voice.

Charles took another step closer, more confident now, the resemblance undeniable. “Help us. We’ve been displaced from our original universe and we have no idea what’s going on. We need to find a way to contact our friend.”

The knight tilted his head, but then, with a cold detachment, the knight drew his sword, pointing it directly at them.

“You are invaders,” he declared, his voice echoing from within the helmet. “You have no business with this universe. Leave at once and no one will be hurt.”

Layla’s breath caught in her throat.

“Please, we don’t know what’s going on,” she said, her voice pleading, but the knight didn’t waver. He took a step forward, the ground beneath his armored boots crunching softly.

“We mean no harm,” Charles tried again, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace.

“We’re not your enemies,” Layla tried to reason, stepping closer.

The knight wasn’t listening.

The soldiers behind them shifted uneasily, their weapons raised but uncertain. Charles could see the tension in their stances, the fear that they might have to fight someone so soon after landing.

His mind raced, searching for anything he could say or do to get the man on his side, and to convince him that this was all some kind of misunderstanding.

The knight advanced, his sword raised, and Charles realized with a sinking feeling that this was no ordinary situation.

“Prepare to defend yourselves,” Charles ordered, his voice steady, and his arm inching closer to his watch.

Layla’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched the knight advance, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. She too raised a gun in defense.

With a swift motion, Charles clicked the button on his wristwatch. A soft hum filled the air, and in an instant, his body was enveloped in sleek, metallic armor. The plates shifted and locked into place, forming a seamless protective shell around him.

The armor was a deep, gunmetal gray, with glowing blue lines running along its body. As the faceplate slid over his features, Charles could feel the power thrumming beneath the surface.

“So, you have chosen to resist.” The knight said. He sheathed his sword, and Charles thought the worst was over, that maybe they could finally talk.

He was wrong.

The knight’s form changed and grew, until it was many times bigger than his former self. Its silvery, metallic armor morphed into a scaly-green, and sprouted scales. Wings grew from its back, and the faceplate he had on elongated into long nose and mouth that had fangs growing inside them

“What the-” Charles stared in horror. The knight that had once stood before them had now morphed into a…

“A dragon?” Layla whispered, completing his thoughts.

“You were warned.” The dragon spoke. It flaunted its talons, attempting to scare off the group but Charles wouldn’t back down. There were people who were counting on him to lead them, and he was going to do all he could.

Even if it cost him his life.

“I guess I’ll have to make you see reason.” He got into fighting stance.

“Stupid human. You will die like the hundreds that have come before you.”

Charles jumped at the dragon and the dragon lunged in return.