First Contact

Alex observed the battlefield from a distant dune one last time before vanishing.

The soldiers retrieved Scorponok's severed claw and tail, reporting the incident to their superiors. They mentioned an unknown soldier who had assisted them—clearly of the same nationality but wearing a different military uniform.

The only clue to his identity was the shell casings of 20mm armor-piercing bullets left behind.

Events unfolded and Sam, the protagonist's life was turned upside down.

Meanwhile, Alex lay on a beach chair under the shade on a secluded island in the Bahamas. Above him, a tetrahedral aquamarine crystal pulsed gently, strands of visible light streaming into his body as he absorbed vast amounts of information.

Nearby, Lily, Arwen, the feathered serpent, and baby Eira played in the shallow waves, their laughter filling the quiet beach. Eira was temporarily under Alex's care while Maleficent tended to her adopted human daughter, who was expecting a child.

As Alex severed his link with the universal core, he opened his eyes and gestured, sending the crystal back into the void where it belonged. Stretching, he snapped his fingers, instantly summoning a table, chairs, food, and drinks.

"Girls, let's eat!" Alex called.

Eira giggled, flapping her tiny wings before diving into Alex's arms.

"Dad is awake~" she chimed, rubbing her face against his chest.

Alex chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Yes, yes. Now come wash up and eat."

Arwen took the baby from Alex's arms, carrying her toward the cabin to clean up. Alex dried his soaked shirt with a flick of magic and turned to Lily, who held a large conch shell bigger than her.

"That's huge. What are you going to do with it?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm giving it to Sania. She likes collecting shells," Lily replied, handing it to him.

Alex stored the conch away and sat down, portioning the roasted bird in front of him. The bird a Fey-tribe offering., resembled an ostrich, albeit plumper and slightly smaller, a species from the Game of Thrones world.

Arwen, Lily, and Eira sat down, and Alex personally served them.

"Thanks, Daddy~"

"Thank you, my love. Are you done with the core?" Arwen asked.

"Yeah. This world isn't too chaotic. The main players are the mechanical lifeforms, but aside from that, it's nothing special."

"That's normal. Everything depends on the first contact," Lily said.

"True. The core supplied limitless energy to the first being who touched it. That being created his own version of life, mechanical entities capable of storing and harnessing that energy. Seeking more power, he attempted to absorb the core's origin energy into himself, but it backfired, consuming him completely.

"Without their creator, his constructs lost direct access to the core's energy. To survive, they learned to extract energy from stars, planets, and other sources. Over time, factions formed, civilizations expanded across galaxies, and each developed its own path."

"As expected, other lifeforms evolved alongside them, and some learned to coexist."

Alex narrated the events of the past and shared key moments from the future as he knew them from the Transformers films.

"That's… boring and stupid," Lily scoffed.

"Yeah. Why fight in cities where so many civilians could get caught up in the destruction?" Arwen agreed.

Alex shrugged. "That, I don't know."

"Daddy, let's play after this, okay?" Eira stared at him expectantly until he nodded.

After their meal, Alex transformed his shuttle into a sleek yacht. The four of them cruised along the coast, basking in the afternoon sun, enjoying a rare moment of leisure together.