The System sent me one last crucial message, moments before the transfer:
"The world you are about to be directed to will not be destroyed after your passage. All your actions will have lasting consequences, both on the populations and on the balance of forces present. Exercise discernment."
"The targeted world is Arda, more precisely Middle-earth."
Immediately, memories surged and tangled. Middle-earth… I knew that name. It was Tolkien's world, the cradle of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. But despite a vague familiarity, my recollections were blurred. Too much time spent in tutorials, too much obsession with planetary control, too many battles… I only had fragments left: a ring, elves, dragons, a volcano, maybe?
The System continued, as if anticipating my hesitation:
"A unique creature has been identified as a potential target for your troops or experiments: the last fire-dragon of Middle-earth, Smaug. He is expected to perish in two months. It's up to you to decide whether you can find, capture, or eliminate him."
No doubt about it: we were entering another league of challenges.
I immediately summoned the five agents selected for this mission: four former S.T.A.R.S. members and an elite spy. Wesker, Chris, Kevin, Joseph… and Ada Wong.
I deliberately left Leon out. He didn't have the raw military profile I wanted for this operation, and his temperament could be a liability in a world as harsh as Arda.
When the five were gathered in the temporary operations room, I spoke in a calm but firm tone:
"Wesker, you'll be captain of this mission. I'll give you a few strategic directives, but I'll leave you complete freedom on the means to achieve them."
Wesker nodded with a single motion. The others had no objections, well aware of the stakes.
I projected a map of the continent, even though the chart was incomplete.
"You will land in a medieval-fantasy world. Expect to encounter men, dwarves, elves, orcs… and probably magical creatures. Avoid unnecessary conflicts with intelligent and neutral species."
I pointed to a rune representing a grimoire.
"Recover as many books and written documents as possible. Our translation teams will need to update our language converter to assist you remotely. It's likely the tongues of this world will resemble nothing known."
I paused before indicating another icon — a stylized dragon.
"Your primary mission is to locate and, if possible, capture the last fire-dragon: Smaug. But he's massive, powerful, and cunning. A direct confrontation should be avoided, at least at first. The outcome will depend on the area in which you land."
Ada raised her hand, asking the question I had expected.
"From what you said, anything we kill, capture, or steal can be transferred to you via the converter. So you must have some secondary objective… in case we get stuck there for a long time?"
"According to the System, your actions will affect that world, so if you fall into an area with a high concentration of enemies, I want you to split up and have two of you send me as many defeated enemies as possible so I can harvest material to recreate more of my troops," I said, and Ada nodded.
"Joseph and Chris can do that, especially if you give them some powerful creatures to cover them," she added with a smile.
Joseph himself wore a predatory grin.
"Orcs to slaughter? Count on me. I want a hundred in the first week."
"Me, I mostly wanted to go see the elves," Chris declared, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the suspended map. He already seemed lost in the idea of elven beauty conjured up by his imagination.
Next to him, Kevin rolled his eyes with a sly grin, as if he had been waiting for this moment for weeks. He leaned toward me, half-whispering—but loud enough for Chris to hear—and said with mischievous glee:"What he really wants is to see the elf girls… you know, those millennia-old beauties with long ears and sheer dresses. Can you imagine? Maybe I should tell Sophie before she finds herself stuck in a love triangle with an immortal priestess."
A silence fell, followed by a sinister little click: Chris had slowly turned his head toward Kevin, his expression neutral—almost too calm. Kevin immediately stepped back, but it was too late.
Chris, standing at his full 2.5 meters of post-Cadou height, grabbed Kevin with the swiftness and precision of a bear seizing its prey."Wait, wait! I was joking! Just trying to lighten the mood!"
Chris locked him into a bear hug worthy of a starving grizzly, lifting Kevin off the ground. The sound of compressed bones made even Joseph grimace, though he was usually impassive."You still had one rib intact, right? Don't worry, I'll take care of that.""AAAH! CHRIS, PLEASE! I WAS KIDDING, IT WAS JUST A JOKE!"
Kevin flailed his arms like a drowning puppy, his face turning tomato red.
Finally, Chris released him, letting him slump to the floor with a heavy thud. Kevin pushed himself up, coughing, clutching his ribs, and limped a little as he growled:"You brute… brainless Hulk… Fine, then, I'm the one who's going to have an affair with the elves…"
Grumbling, Kevin sat back down awkwardly, massaging his sore ribs—but already joking again. He flashed a provocative grin toward Chris, who simply raised an eyebrow, arms crossed, unshaken.
I couldn't help but let out a small laugh, shaking my head before speaking again in a mock-solemn tone:"Well. Now that Kevin has officially stated his very… altruistic diplomatic objectives," I said, prompting a few muffled chuckles from the group, "it's time to move on to serious matters. I can immediately provide you with twenty creatures for your mission. However, the originals stay here—only their clones will be sent."
I summoned a holographic interface in front of me, projecting silhouettes of different creatures, slowly rotating above a glowing circle."Here's what I had in mind for you:
5 Aquila for fast aerial maneuvers and reconnaissance.
10 G-Tyrants, optimized for firepower and endurance in the field.
And for heavy confrontations, I had considered sending you a mutated version of Salazar, enhanced to counter a dragon-type creature… but in the end, I prefer to arm you with 4 modified Nemesis: stability, brutality, total obedience—and 1 clone of William Birkin, with accelerated mutation, able to evolve after each major battle. A true wildcard for complicated situations."
I turned to Wesker, arms crossed, expression focused."What do you think? Would you go with this formation, or do you recommend something else for the mission?"
Wesker studied the projections for a few seconds, then responded in a calm but decisive tone:"Depending on the landing environment, I recommend a more balanced, mobile deployment. Here's what I propose:
10 Pascal clones: armed, autonomous, deadly in formation, and deployable in any context.
1 modified lion for impact, and 2 lionesses for support—all three equipped with the armors and saddles you had crafted for Leo and Naya. Since you created more than thirty, they'll be useful here.
2 combat rhinoceroses capable of carrying the 10 Pascals and opening a heavy front if necessary.
And of course, 5 Aquila for aerial coverage, scouting, and messaging."
He folded his arms again, then added cautiously:"I'll also take survival rations for a full week. If your converter takes time to activate in this new world, or if the link is cut, I want to be sure we can survive and keep moving without delay."
I nodded slowly, validating his analysis."Very well. I'll have everything prepared immediately."
I left the room with two technician-soldiers and headed for the converter. It was a massive, circular structure set on a base of dark, gleaming metal at the city's outskirts. Its sheer size inspired a mix of awe and respect. It rose more than forty meters high, with multiple levels and three secured underground floors.
As soon as I entered, beams of light activated the biometric recognition systems. Holographic panels flickered into existence in the air, glowing faintly, as if the entire structure were connecting to my mind.
The converter was fully intuitive. It responded directly to my thoughts, capable of breaking down any organic or inorganic matter and transforming it into a creature, object, or weapon—provided I possessed the model or the original schematic.
Every creation, every variant, every prototype in my arsenal was archived in a massive database, cataloged by material cost, resource type, compatibility, and danger level. I even had the option to duplicate weapons, reinforce armors, or synthesize rare resources from fragments collected in other worlds.
But what fascinated me most was the converter's heart:a panoramic monitoring chamber at the very top of the structure, protected by reinforced glass and bristling with technologies directly linked to my neural systems.
At its center stood five observation thrones, each slightly inclined toward a curved sensory screen, already streaming waiting data flows. These seats were reserved for observing my five agents deployed into Arda: Wesker, Chris, Kevin, Joseph, and Ada.
The embedded screens relayed in real time everything they saw, heard, and said. With a mere mental flick, I could cut the sound, blur an image, activate a private channel to address one of them, or decide on an intervention.
The converter, massive and alive, seemed to breathe around me. Once I confirmed the unit selection to be sent with them, the building synthesized all creatures and equipment in a flash of blue light, materializing each entity from the data matrices and stored resources in the lower levels.
Each Pascal clone was equipped with a custom Colt M4, calibrated for steady fire rate, along with 5 standard magazines. In addition, I supplied them with:
2 fragmentation grenades for direct assaults,
1 flash grenade for ambushes or disorientation,
And a Desert Eagle magnum as a heavy sidearm, with 2 armor-piercing magazines.
I placed several ammo crates directly inside the converter, labeled and stacked, ready to be transferred remotely if stocks ran dry. They were strictly off-limits to the transport rhinoceroses, according to Wesker's order: weapons and ammunition must never leave the soldiers' control.
The combat rhinoceroses, meanwhile, had been upgraded with dorsal modules—armored compartments bolted to their modified carapaces. Inside were stored:
One week's worth of survival rations,
Water reserves,
Field medical supplies,
Batteries and power cells for electrical instruments,
And a set of tactical tools (binoculars, cables, nets).
The modified lions and lionesses served both as fast mounts for my agents across hostile terrain and as living war machines. I had fitted them with light but durable armor, and their mutated bodies were already enough to handle most threats.
As for the Aquila—my reinforced giant falcons—I had carefully balanced their natural agility with a light leather underbelly armor, reducing their vulnerability without hindering their speed. Their mission was simple: surveillance, rapid transport, emergency evacuation, or lightning strikes.
Finally, I had even devised a crucial function:I could recall any unused unit at any time to redeploy it elsewhere, provided at least one of my five agents was nearby.
Once everything was ready, the system initiated the teleportation. In a flash of white light, the five agents were hurled into the dimensional vortex, their silhouettes dissolving in a static hum. Seconds later, the chamber's screens came alive, each displaying a first-person view from my soldiers' eyes.
First appeared a barren landscape, gray and ashen. Rocky plains, cracked with dark fissures, where glowing rivulets of lava trickled into crevices. The air seemed heavy, smothered beneath thick black smoke.
Then, volcanoes rose on the horizon, towering over a shadowed valley. A grim fortress, carved into the mountainside, loomed in the distance, and a guttural cry echoed from afar.
On Wesker's screen, I saw through his binoculars a group in motion.Orcs. Dozens of them. Armed with axes, spears, crude crossbows. Some rode on starved wargs.
I exhaled slowly, recognizing the landscape instantly."…Mordor. Seriously."
A silence followed… then Wesker's voice came through his channel:
"Too late to revert to Gérald's configuration."
His tone was neutral, but a smile could be heard in his voice.
Chris stifled a laugh, Kevin chuckled, and even Ada gave a amused smile. The team had deployed.
Point of view: Wesker
The ground cracked beneath my reinforced boots as I stepped down from the rocky platform where we had appeared. The sky hung low, choked by ashen clouds. The air smelled of sulfur and scorched earth. Before me, a rocky slope rose for hundreds of meters, pocked with fissures and dried lava flows. The terrain was arid, but the logistics were intact.
All the elements were in place:
The 10 Pascal clones in formation, weapons at the ready, already sweeping the surroundings.
The 5 Aquila, calm but alert, perched on promontories like celestial sentinels.
The 2 armored rhinoceroses, snorting loudly, eager to move.
And the three mutant felines, their eyes cutting the shadows like blades.
I brought my tactical binoculars up and scanned the horizon. The landscape was barren, as if dead for centuries, but in the distance, between two cliffs, I spotted a small group of massive silhouettes. Heavy gait, crude armor, dark skin: orcs, without a doubt.
That's when I heard it.
A familiar voice resonated directly in my head, as if it vibrated in my bones.
"Wesker, can you hear me?"
I raised my hand slightly to signal the others to listen.
"Yes, I hear you, Gérald. Communication clear."
The other four froze as well, understanding that command was being issued.
"From what I see through your feeds, you've landed in Mordor. It's the enemy base in this world, completely southeast of Arda. Be careful—orcs proliferate there, and nothing is truly safe; even the rocks can hide giant spiders or sleeping trolls."
I felt Ada flinch slightly at that mention.
"There are three potential exits:
A large fortified gate called the Black Gate, but it's the orc armies' highway.
A narrow mountain pass, guarded by a giant arachnid creature called Shelob.
Or by air: I can teleport your supplies to you once you set off on the Aquila."
I nodded.
"Received. Then we follow the plan set in the briefing."
I turned to Chris and Joseph, who were already adjusting their weapons.
"You two, take the first team. One lioness, one transport rhinoceros, 2 Aquila, and 9 Pascal clones with all their gear. Objective: rapid ground advance, specimen capture, tactical observation. You'll go around the eastern peaks and see if you can secure a strongpoint."
Joseph slapped his hands together with enthusiasm.
"Finally some exercise. I hope they're tougher than they look."
Chris smiled, silent, already focused.
I then addressed Gérald, still linked to us by the mental channel.
"Gérald, take the second rhinoceros, the lion, a lioness and 1 Pascal clone. You'll act as mobile relay and tactical extraction if needed."
"Okay, head west. If my memory's right, you should hit ruins where humans are fighting orcs — Osgiliath. Help them and see if you can snag a book there."
I then pointed to the skies.
"We'll do it like that. Ada, Kevin and I will take to the air with 3 Aquila. We'll look for the human city. Priority: acquisition of books or linguistic artifacts. As soon as we find a center of knowledge, we'll send you the coordinates."
At that moment, a guttural cry tore the air.
"Qkenscx!!"
I instinctively looked up. A lone orc, perched on a ledge, was shouting in our direction, weapon raised. Too late for him to warn the others — Joseph raised his hand toward the heavily armored orc and made a fist.
"Come here, you."With a sickening crunch, he crushed the orc's ribcage, literally squashing him with his own armor. Blood spattered the rocks.But before the body hit the ground… it vanished. Instantly absorbed."Specimen retrieved. I'll begin analysis. If possible, keep one alive next time. More data."Gérald's voice vibrated again in our minds.
Joseph shrugged."I'll try. But they scream a lot."
Chris tapped his rifle and replied,"We'll try to sedate one with flashes and grenades."
"Wait, Chris, look at your feet," Gérald's voice said, and a tranquillizer rifle with five darts materialized at Chris's feet.
I stared at the sky, then gave the order."All right. Execute the plan. Meet up after first contact with civilization or after the first engagement. Communications open every two hours; Gérald will act as relay, but after that we need another solution — we're not going to use him as a 24/7 antenna. Inverted-U formation. Maximum security."
Kevin, Ada and I climbed onto the Aquila while the troops for our group were retrieved by Gérald.
(Author's note: I'll probably split this into two staggered sections: one following Chris and Joseph, the other with Wesker, Ada and Kevin.)