"Arghhh... Dammit, today is so boring," a man in a red suit, with slicked-back red hair, shouted in frustration.
"Sir, you sound like we're at work," replied a blond-haired woman, slightly chubby, looking at him with a mix of amusement and annoyance. "You know this was supposed to be a nice vacation for the both of us before we go back to work. And, by the way, why did you insist we bring all our equipment, and even spend extra on a new van?"
The two stood by the side of a long highway cutting through the middle of a desert. Their van, which looked more like a news crew's vehicle, was parked nearby with two folding chairs set up beside it.
"You never know when something interesting might happen," the man replied. "That's why I insisted we bring the equipment. I just didn't expect Egypt to be so dull—no action, no interesting stories happening here."
Their names were Nad and Thalassa. They were independent reporters who traveled the world, capturing events for their social channels. Over time, they had built a loyal following, but a recent incident had shaken their credibility. Many had started doubting their stories.
"You know, I was the one who picked this place for our break," Thalassa reminded Nad. "If I'd let you decide, we'd probably be off covering one of those wars happening around the world."
"Come on, we need something to report. Sitting here is already driving me crazy," Nad grumbled, fidgeting in his chair. "I need to capture something big, something that'll get us noticed."
"You mean like the so-called 'flying humans' you went on about?" Thalassa scoffed. "The story that got you labeled a madman and got us both kicked out of the company?"
"Exactly!" Nad said, a strange glint in his eye. "If I can get video proof that there are people out there who aren't just regular humans, we'd become the most famous reporters on the planet."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Thalassa replied with exasperation. "Just so you know, I still don't believe you. I'm sticking with you because you've made some amazing discoveries, but you need to stop with the talk of flying people and nature manipulators..." She paused, her voice trailing off as her eyes grew wide, fixed on something behind Nad.
Nad noticed her expression change and quickly turned around to see what she was looking at.
"What the... what are you looking a—" Nad's words were suddenly cut short.
In front of them, a little distance down the long highway, a bright light appeared in the middle of the road out of nowhere. The light hovered in the air for a moment, shining intensely, and then slowly began to expand. It grew large enough to fit a car, and before long, three armored vans emerged from the circle of light, speeding down the road. Once they had passed, the light vanished as if nothing had ever happened.
"All right, Thalassa, pack everything up," Nad said, a grin spreading across his face. "Looks like we've found something way more interesting than anything else around here."
---
Meanwhile, the three vans from the Dragon Roar Faction had just passed through the portal and found themselves on a highway.
"Hey, why are we on a highway?" Gwen asked, directing his question at Merrick.
Inside the van, they all sat facing each other.
"It seems that all the portals at our destination were destroyed," Merrick explained. "It's probably a tactic to delay any backup. But luckily, we're more advanced. This road is the closest one to the town we're heading to."
"Destroying our portals? They're clever," Tamsin remarked. "But I wonder what they'll think when they find out about these portable portals."
"If they make it out alive, that is," Gwen replied.
Not long after, they arrived at a small town as the sky grew darker. The town was peaceful and quiet, with no signs of chaos among the people.
"This doesn't look like a war zone to me," Alex said, sounding nervous. This was his first mission, and Stan's last words echoed in his mind, warning him of the dangers ahead.
"We're here, but the fight isn't happening in this exact spot," Gwen replied.
At that moment, Merrick stepped out of the van and hurried to a nearby alleyway. He placed a small device on the ground, then quickly ran back to the van. To those inside, nothing seemed to change—they were still on the quiet street. But suddenly, the sound of gunfire and explosions filled the air, coming from all directions.
"We've arrived," Merrick announced. "Everyone, get ready to engage. The battle has already begun. Anyone who isn't with our faction is an enemy. Attack them immediately."
The team stepped out of the vans, spreading through the area with determination.
Alex, still in the alleyway with the others, couldn't see much of the fight yet and didn't fully grasp the intensity of the battle unfolding around him.
"I don't think we should stay in one place; let's move out. The sooner we handle this, the better," Tamsin said, and with that, they all moved out.
What the others didn't realize was that two people were following them. At least once, they had been trailed by someone before.
"They just vanished from this alleyway. Do you think we lost them?" Thalassa asked Nad.
"I doubt it. Right before they disappeared, I noticed someone in a mask placing something on the ground. Maybe if we go over there, we'll get some answers," Nad replied.
The two of them got out of their van and approached the alleyway. Upon closer inspection, they found the object as expected, lying on the ground.
"Is it really possible that people with superpowers exist among us?" Thalassa asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"I'm just glad I'm not the only one who believes anymore," Nad said with a grin. "Grab the cameras and drones; we're about to uncover some big secrets about this world."
---
Meanwhile, back at headquarters, Peter was carefully overseeing the unfolding situation. Every small detail from the battlefield was being reported to him, and Stan was there in the office, monitoring everything with him.
"I just got a report that someone—who isn't even a Paragon—has entered the war zone. Maybe they wandered in by mistake, but this area is dangerous for them," Peter informed Stan.
"Well, it's a good thing Tharon was sent there ahead of everyone else. Tell him to handle the situation," Stan suggested.
---
At that same time, in a small town in Egypt, five individuals had just arrived through a portal.
"It's incredible how you can now travel instantly, thanks to those mages. I wish I knew magic," one of them said with a sigh.
Bang!
Just then, a loud explosion echoed in the distance.
"Looks like the fight has started. Now, remember what Master Lucius instructed. We wait until both sides have seriously weakened each other. Once that happens, we strike whoever's left. If we succeed in capturing this portal for the Wyndham family, I promise each of you will be rewarded with more of these magical items," the man in charge said confidently.