Initiation

Sam stared at the man, his scarred face betraying a life spent in countless battles. The weight of his words hit her like a freight train: she had stumbled into a conflict that spanned the boundaries of time itself. But how? Why? Before she could form a question, the man gestured toward a raised platform in the center of the room, surrounded by intricate machinery.

"Stand there," he commanded. His voice had softened, but there was still an air of authority.

Sam hesitated but obeyed. As she stepped onto the platform, a faint hum filled the room. Lights flickered, and the strange artifacts displayed around the chamber seemed to glow in response.

"What's happening?" Sam asked, her voice shaky.

The man crossed his arms. "This is an initiation. You've entered the Nexus uninvited, which means you've either been chosen by the rift or are a danger to it. We need to know which one."

The platform surged with energy, and suddenly, Sam's mind exploded with images—places and times she had never known, battles fought by civilizations long gone, the rise and fall of empires, the birth of stars, the end of worlds. It was too much. She screamed, collapsing to her knees.

And just as suddenly as it began, the flow of time ceased. Sam gasped, panting as the room around her returned to focus.

The man was watching her closely, his expression unreadable. "You survived. That's... unexpected."

Sam shakily got to her feet, gripping the edge of the platform for support. "What—what was that?"

"A test," he replied. "The Nexus is a living entity. It responds to those who cross its threshold. If you were a threat, it would've destroyed you."

"So, what does that make me?" Sam asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"A survivor," he said simply. "And perhaps something more. Come with me."

He led her out of the room and down a narrow hallway to a large chamber filled with people, all dressed in similar futuristic armor. They looked up as Sam and the man entered, their eyes scrutinizing her. At the far end of the room stood a woman, tall and regal, her dark hair streaked with silver. She stepped forward, and Sam could feel the power radiating off her.

"Welcome, Samantha O'Connell," the woman said, her voice smooth and commanding. "I am Commander Lyra, leader of the Temporal Vanguard. You have crossed the Rift and survived. That makes you one of us, whether you like it or not."

"I—I didn't ask for this," Sam stammered. "I didn't even know this place existed."

Lyra's expression softened, but only slightly. "None of us did, at first. The Nexus chooses whom it will. Now that you are here, you have a choice: join the Vanguard and help us protect the timeline, or be erased from it. The stakes are too high to allow anyone to leave who knows what we guard."

Sam's heart raced. Join them, or be erased from time itself? The choice was obvious, but the weight of it felt crushing. "What exactly do you protect the timeline from?"

Lyra's eyes darkened. "Time is not as linear or as stable as most believe. There are forces that seek to manipulate it for their own ends. Rift Hunters, temporal renegades, ancient entities that feed on the flow of history itself. We are the Vanguard, the last line of defense against those who would tear reality apart."

Sam swallowed hard. "And you expect me to fight them? I'm just a scientist."

"Your skills are valuable," Lyra said. "But you will learn more than science here. You will learn to navigate the currents of time, to wield it as a weapon when necessary. You have potential, Sam. The Nexus has seen it. And now you must fulfill it."

Before Sam could respond, an alarm blared through the chamber. Everyone sprang into action, rushing to their stations. Lyra's calm demeanor vanished, replaced with fierce determination.

"Report!" she barked.

A young man, barely out of his teens, ran to her side. "Rift disturbance detected, Commander! It's in the ancient past—Mesopotamia, 3000 BCE. Multiple signatures, including Rift Hunters."

Lyra cursed under her breath. "They're getting bolder." She turned to Sam. "Looks like your initiation will have to wait. We've got a mission, and you're coming with us."

Sam's stomach flipped. "Wait, what? I don't even know what I'm doing!"

Lyra's eyes flashed. "You'll learn fast. Let's move."