The Dawn of the New World

Hao Xuan was standing in front of a stone platform tinkering with some engraved tiles when Arthur, Malina, Olav, and Gamil entered.

"Master, you called?"

They looked to the sides where the four warders were sitting cross-legged in each corner of the room with their eyes closed. Hao Xuan continued fiddling with the stone tiles for a couple of minutes before he finally turned around to face them.

"Hmm, I have to go return to the other world now."

Their expressions turned grim and Arthur quickly stepped forward.

"I will accompany you. I am ready-"

"No, you're not," Hao Xuan cut him off flatly.

Arthur was the leader of all the Orcs when Hao Xuan wasn't around so he normally treated him as an equal in front of them but now wasn't the time to be gentle..

"You're not ready, not yet. You need to be stronger, much stronger if you want to have my back."

Arthur clenched his fists in protest but didn't say a word in return. Hao Xuan saw his trembling arms and smiled. He walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"You just need more time, which is what you will, all of you. As you all know time passes much faster in here. A few hours in the outer world are equal to a year in this place. This is both a good and a bad thing."

"It's good because you have a lot of time to work on things, it is bad because I won't be able to oversee any of them, not for a while. The next time we see each other it would have been at least 5-10 years for you if not even longer."

Almost all of them visibly stiffened at the thought but continued listening.

"And during that time, you four will be in charge of everything. If there is a problem ask Altron's help but I would like it if you guys took more responsibility for yourselves. You need to grow and mature not only as leaders but also as individuals. You need to experience much more of the world and that can't be done by being cooped up in this little piece of land."

Hao Xuan moved aside to reveal the stone platform he was working in. There were rows upon rows of various tiles engraved with different symbols, most of which were half-cut and mismatched. They looked like pieces of a puzzle from afar.

"This is my gift to you," Hao Xuan gestured towards it.

The squad leaders stepped forward to get a better look at it. There were two semi-circular arcs on the wall right behind the stone platform with a small ramp leading up to them.

The arcs were empty in the middle with some metal gears and cogwheels visible in the back.

"Come," Hao Xuan motioned for them to come closer. When all four of them stood in front of the platform he started explaining its purpose.

"This is the control panel for the gateway over there," he said referring to the arcs.

"I would have just told you the exact sequence and how to open the gateway yourselves but for whatever reason, no other sapient being is able to memorize this information apart from me, not even Baracus or Altron."

"That's why I made this. After a few failed attempts I was able to get it working."

He reached down and pulled open a small hatch in front of the platform with three buttons on it.

"Each of these three buttons corresponds to a specific sequence that will open a gateway to one of three locations. The gateway opened by the first button leads to the ship graveyard, so you can keep sending the scavenger drones for materials whenever there is a need."

"The second gateway leads to a new world that I discovered not too long ago. I haven't gone there in person but I have been watching over it for a few months now. It has various races living there, the majority of which are humans. There are also a few sub-human species and numerous demihuman tribes."

"Each of them has their own heroes and powerful fighters that defend their lands, but they constantly fight against one another with little to no provocation. Technology-wise they are still far too primitive to be of any threat to us. In fact, they view any innovation in technology as witchcraft and band together to fight against it."

"They are stubborn beyond belief, skeptical to a fault, and exceedingly ignorant."

Just thinking about them was enough to leave a deep scowl on Hao Xuan's face. He let out a deep breath to calm down before glancing towards the squad leaders that had much the same reactions.

He suddenly gave a toothy grin, "I want you to go to their world and unify or conquer it by whatever means necessary."

"WHA-"

"Master you can't be serious ab-"

"Shh, no complaining!" Hao Xuan raised his hands to silence them at once.

"I'd prefer it if there wasn't too much bloodshed but do what you have to. This is going to be both an assignment and a test for you lot so you better do your best. Each of you will get points for it for certain actions, so think carefully. Altron already has all the details. Work smarter, not harder, understand?!"

"...Yes..."

They all replied in barely audible voices which Hao Xuan didn't mind and continued explaining.

"I chose that world because it's actually a fragment of this one, the same one we are on. At some point long ago they used to be one. And maybe it's because of that but time moves at the same speed in there so it will be a lot easier for you to move in between them."

"There are two beings in that world that are extremely strong. They have broken through the Profound realm but because of the limitations of the world their powers are severely limited, just Nidhora's. But that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous."

"One of them is the leader of the so-called 'righteous sects' of the human species and the other is a demihuman vagabond. I'd prefer it if you could bring both of them to our side."

Hao Xuan was just about to turn around when he remembered something else, "Oh, and you only have about 15 years to do all of this. Their world is on the verge of breaking apart under the pressure of the river of time. During the 16th year their world will turn into dust and all its inhabitants killed, including you if you are left behind."

"So, chop chop, eh?"