Prologue

Common Era, 1956. The sun rose in the early hours and shed warm light upon the world, a different world. Inside an untouched cave in an unknown location, a magical machine of mysterious origins existed near the mouth. A portal built by an ancient people seeking godhood but never achieving it. It stood abandoned and forgotten, left to decay into obscurity. The ancient circular stone and metal structure, covered in moss and vines, distorted and generated blinding light within its borders. For it has been activated for the first time in millennia. Thus, it became a gateway between worlds.

Four daunting figures materialized from the alien artifact, emerging from the distorted space within and imprinting heavy footsteps onto the large patch of grass the portal sits upon. Their faces were unseen, hiding behind the otherworldly mask and visor of their airtight helmets, a precaution for a potentially hostile environment. Their exotic white and gold protective suits were unnatural in the space they entered. They scanned the cave, Browning Automatic Rifles at the ready, unsure of their new surroundings. Water dripped from the ceiling, enabling limited plant life to grow. A ring of mushrooms surrounded the portal as if indicating its supernatural nature.

They were researchers from a powerful foreign entity tasked to explore the untold. They carefully made their way towards the mouth of the cave and exited, anxious to see the new world. The terrain was vast, mountainous, and barren, with no signs of artificial existence. A distant silhouette in the sky then took their attention—a wyvern. A creature of distant fantasies roared as it flew towards the horizon to an unknown destination. Seeing no threat, the researchers slung their firearms over their shoulders, which displayed the unmistakable red, white, and blue flag patch. Under it, another patch showed numbers one through four for each member displayed over a cobweb. The word ‘EUREKA’ was vertically displayed on the right side of their torso; the expedition name and codename given to the portal.

It was the same word spoken years prior after a meteorite in the Mojave Desert was found to be a crewless wreck of alien origins. And how its mysterious cargo was rebuilt into the portal granting access to another world.

Upon briefly nodding at each other in agreement, the researchers embarked on a journey through the exotic lands of the alien world. Despite planetary estimates, the cold desert was not as extreme or harsh as it was feared to be.

They trekked for hours, taking notes of their surroundings. They observed the geography, studied the sky, analyzed the soil composition, and examined the vegetation. Atmospheric samples indicated that the air was safe to breathe, but they weren’t yet ready to test it.

Undoubtedly, this Earth-like planet was revolutionary. It was remarkably similar to Earth in nearly every aspect. Habitability was self-evident, and the researchers wondered if it hosted intelligent life. This is what they were searching for.

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Their question would be answered once they reached a ridge where a forest revealed itself below. A steady stream of smoke rose into the sky a slight distance away. They stood still, no words spoken, amazed at what they witnessed.

A small village was found. It looked primitive. The researchers quickly noticed movement and instantly realized what it was—people. Civilization.

Earth was now one of two planets that harbored life, but it soon became evident that this world hid many more secrets. Mystery shrouded every inch of this world. Every discovery made, every question answered, and every puzzle solved, all only led to further bewilderment and confusion.

Expeditions confirmed that native humans had already called this world home for as long as their history stretched. It was a surprising oddity in itself; however, other peoples also existed—the elves, known for their natural beauty; and the dwarves, known for their short stature. Goblins, dragons, and orcs were no longer myths but reality. Above all else, the phenomenon that truly made this world fantastical. Magic.

It was a land of miracles and fantasies. Myths and fairytales weren’t so far-fetched. It was a world before industrialization—a world of feudal societies, archaic conflicts, and supernatural sorcery. Mages and knights were the embodiment of power. The sword ruled all in the lands of kings and conquerors. It was also the beginning of the most secretive projects and operations no one would ever know, locked away within the deepest depths of classified government secrets.

What could have been the single most significant footnote in human history was instead doomed into oblivion. Humanity, as Earth has known it, could have finally expanded to worlds beyond, but politics would inevitably get in the way. Not by those involved but by those who had no knowledge of the portal. The Cold War created a situation where an alien world could be enough to disintegrate the fragile political relationship between the superpowers. The government could not allow the world to know of its existence, for if the world knew, all hell would let loose. It would start the next global conflict, a vicious scramble for the alien world and its resources. Allies would turn into enemies, and enemies would do all within their power to gain dominance.

But under a new secretive continuity of government contingency plan, the alien portal and its connected world were given a purpose. Under the threat of nuclear war and subsequent nuclear apocalypse, they became the last-ditch escape for humanity should Earth ever become an uninhabitable wasteland. Total annihilation was a genuine possibility, heightened by the endless ideological confrontations and proxy wars. Thus, the United States sought to establish a permanent presence on the other side, ready for mass migration and integration. Over the following decades, they secretly carved out a new civilization in their near-exact image.

Guided by Earth’s preeminent power, the new state was destined to become the other world’s next superpower. The alien world would be designated as ‘Adonis’; a codename recognized and understood only by the most trusted individuals.

But they called it ‘Tammus’.