The portal flickered like a living thing—unstable light twisting across the steel frame, humming with raw power.
On the other side of the reinforced glass, the Empire's control chamber came alive with motion. Technicians shouted status codes, energy readings streamed across holo-screens, and the whole room trembled as the Cross Portal reached full charge.
It had been a long time since the Empire last attempted a Void mission. Too many failures. Too many lost signals.
But this time—this time was different.
Standing at the edge of the platform, fully geared, was CounterKiller34—a Dominion Frontline veteran, one of the Empire's best.
An elite player, known for his precision and composure under pressure.
Now he led the first official expedition into the Void in years.
He adjusted the strap on his rifle, the faint Dominion emblem shining under the flickering blue light. "Stability reading?" he asked.
"Eighty-one percent," an operator replied. "Portal's holding steady."
FrostByte stood above them on the observation deck, arms behind his back, his expression unreadable. "Good enough," he said through the intercom. "Captain, continue. You may start."
Before the captain could answer, the door behind FrostByte hissed open.
Two figures stepped into the command room.
"Ah," FrostByte said with a faint smile. "You came to watch after all."
It was Cass3—once a top player from Skyrealm, now aligned with Skyrealm's Empire division—and beside her, Led_DX, a masked assassin also from Skyrealm and one of FrostByte's close operatives.
"Of course," Led said casually, leaning against the railing. "Wouldn't miss this."
Cass folded her arms, her eyes fixed on the portal's violent shimmer. "The Void," she said softly. "I thought entering it erased you from the code."
FrostByte nodded slightly. "That's true—mostly. The storm layer above the Void wipes anything that enters. But certain regions… are different. Stable zones. Temporary sanctuaries. That's where they fell."
"They?" Cass asked.
"The Reaper and the Resistance sniper," FrostByte said. "If they survived, they likely landed in one of those safe zones. The storm didn't get them."
Cass tilted her head. "Lucky."
"Or something wanted them alive," FrostByte murmured. "Either way, we've detected a third signal. Strong enough to overload our scanners. If it's what I think it is…" He didn't finish.
Cass gave him a look. "You're not saying it could be—"
"We'll know soon," FrostByte interrupted. His tone made it clear the subject was closed.
He turned toward the intercom again. "Captain. Proceed."
Below, CounterKiller gave a nod to his squad.
Seven soldiers total.
Three from Dominion Frontline, two from Skyrealm, and two from Eclipse Online—each armed, armored, and synced for multi-world ops.
Their armor designs clashed—sci-fi plates beside enchanted mail, mana rifles beside submachine guns—but together, they looked like one unit. The Empire's strength wasn't uniformity—it was conquest.
"Alright, men," CounterKiller said, voice sharp through his helmet. "We've got a simple job. Cross over, scout, record energy readings, confirm coordinates, and return. No heroics."
One soldier chuckled. "Sure thing, Captain. Can't wait to see what the Void looks like."
"Hell yeah!" another cheered.
"Shut up, both of you," someone barked. "You'll jinx the damn portal before we even walk in."
CounterKiller raised a hand, silencing them. "Focus. Once we're through, maintain formation. We don't know what's waiting on the other side."
He looked up once more toward FrostByte. The Commander gave a short nod.
"Empire command confirms," the operator said. "Cross Portal stable. You are clear to enter."
CounterKiller took a breath. "Alright, men—move out."
One by one, the squad stepped into the light.
For a moment, the portal rippled—then swallowed them whole.
The world shifted.
Blinding light. Weightlessness. Then—impact.
CounterKiller's boots hit solid ground. His visor recalibrated, static fading to reveal the landscape around them.
"Status check," he ordered.
"All systems green."
"Armor integrity stable."
"Signal link weak, but holding," another reported.
CounterKiller looked around. The Void stretched endlessly—dark skies fractured by violet lightning, ruins floating in the distance like broken islands.
But the ground beneath them was different—familiar. A shattered plain of metal and stone.
"RimScape," he muttered. "An old SynCorp title. Survival RPG. Shut down years ago."
He turned to the others. "Alright. Spread out. Record readings and—wait."
Movement.
In the distance, near a collapsed tower, a shadow moved—human shape, deliberate.
He raised his rifle. The others followed.
Through the haze, the figure stepped into view—white armor, crimson markings glowing faintly across the chestplate.
A scythe hung loosely at her side.
One of the soldiers whispered, "Sir… is that—?"
CounterKiller's eyes narrowed. "Yeah."
SK. The Reaper.