"Adjusting size for optimal observation."
The gigantic sphere shrank in an instant, compressing itself until it floated right before me, no larger than a massive table. The continents were still visible. The night lights still flickering. It spun slowly, then stilled, and that's when I noticed a single golden shimmer pulsing somewhere over northern Russia.
"What's that?"
"A potential candidate. The Globe of Happenings reveals individuals with latent resonance compatible with the Archeons. Their presence is indicated through gold light."
"Ohhh. So this thing doubles as a recruitment radar."
"You could describe it that way, yes."
"Neat. So, what, I just watch the live feed now?"
"Not exactly, Master. Since time within the Chronological Palace runs differently compared to Altera Earth, the Globe can only display frozen or delayed states. To synchronize properly, I would need to adjust this dimension's time to match Altera's flow."
"Wait, you can actually change time here?"
"Of course," Observa answered, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Would you like me to alter the temporal alignment to Altera time?"
"Sure, why not? Let's sync the clock. What's the worst that could happen?"
I immediately regretted those words.
The air around me shifted in a way that made my vision shimmer. The sigils on the floor pulsed once. The frozen world started moving. Clouds drifted. Oceans rippled. Tiny lights flickered and changed like the pulse of a living world. The golden shimmer over Russia brightened and started expanding, pulling me in like a magnet. I could feel the gravitational pull through my mind, like I was leaning over a dream too far.
The Globe zoomed in. Mountains came into view, then forests, then snow fields. My reflection disappeared and was replaced by a stormy Russian wasteland. Wind howled faintly through the projection and I actually shivered.
Okay… creepy realism.
I spotted a teenager sprinting through the snow like a desperate blur of white and red. The first thing that hit me was how fast she was. She was faster than any normal human should be, darting between trees as snowmobiles roared behind her. The second thing was the trail of blood she left behind, staining the snow crimson in long streaks before freezing.
"Observa, please tell me she's not running a marathon for fun."
"Unlikely. Her physical endurance suggests advanced genetic modification. And judging by her attire, which is a torn medical jumpsuit, it is safe to assume she has escaped a controlled facility."
"So, like… an experiment?"
"Yes. A Russian one, by the looks of it."
My eyes flicked back to the Globe. She stumbled once but kept going, her bare feet carving deep imprints into the snow. The wind was brutal. The soldiers behind her fired Combat Flux rifles, releasing bullets of bright blue energy. One missed her by inches and exploded against a nearby pine, sending splinters flying.
She didn't even look back. She just ran. I was amazed by the camera-like perspective shift automatically changing to follow her.
"Damn. She's fast."
"She is losing blood at a dangerous rate. Her body temperature is dropping rapidly."
"Yeah, I can see that."
She reached a clearing and that's when it happened. Her legs gave out. She tripped, hard, tumbling down a small slope. Snow kicked up around her like smoke. She rolled several times, crashed into a rock, and finally came to a stop near a cliff edge. Her body barely moved.
"Oof. That's not good."
The soldiers caught up seconds later. Snowmobiles circled her like predators. Their engines hummed against the wind. One of them shouted something in Russian. I didn't need the system translation to know it wasn't friendly.
She pushed herself up weakly, blood running down her legs. Her face was pale. Even through the globe, I could feel defiance still flickering in her eyes.
"Can we do something about this?"
"Perhaps. But it depends on what she does next."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The Archeons do not choose followers arbitrarily. Potential candidates must display willpower. Think of it as a defining choice that separates survival instinct from purpose. Her next decision will determine whether she is worthy."
I looked back at the scene. The soldiers had surrounded her now, their guns raised. Blue light hummed from their weapons. The girl was barely standing, shaking from the cold, yet she didn't kneel. Her hand clutched a metallic shard, maybe a broken tool from the facility. She looked ready to fight, even though there was no chance she could win.
She refused to give up, even when the whole world had its boot on her neck.
"Observa, can we… I don't know, go there?"
"You wish to interfere?"
"Interfere? I just feel like taking a walk in the snow. Of course I want to interfere! She's perfect!"
There was a brief pause, a hum in the palace's air, like Observa was actually thinking about it.
"Teleportation is possible. The Palace has locational trace access to Altera Earth through the Globe of Happenings. However, synchronization will be unstable. You will need to sustain your physical form through continuous Xana."
"Translation?"
"It will drain you."
"Good thing I've got a lot of Xana to spare."
"You truly intend to go, Master?"
"She's bleeding out, Observa. And you said it yourself. Her choice will define her worth. So maybe it's time I give her a reason to choose something other than death and see if she can keep fighting."
The hall went still for a moment. Observa didn't object though.
"Understood. Synchronizing you with the Globe of Happenings through Chronos-spatial transfer."
The sigils beneath my feet lit up, glowing the same hue as the golden shimmer on the globe.
"Alright. Russia, here I come."
"Chrono-spatial transfer in three… two… one."
The world shattered into streams of light. The next thing I knew, I was standing in the middle of a blizzard, snow slapping my face.