On a world filled with holes, where everything is frozen, standing still. Two people stand among the ruins of a city on top of a skyscraper. All around them they see people moving through the ruins frozen unmoving. In the distance stood portals, to what looked like different lands, covered by a bright light.

“What is this place?” The woman asked taking in everything around them.

The man walked up joining her, “This is a portal world.”

“What?” Not sure she heard the man right. These were supposed to be the worst-case scenario for tares in the between.

“This is a portal world, a place where certain humans are granted the ability to go through portals.”

“Why would they?” The woman asked and narrowed her eyes out to the distance portals, “And what are portals?”

“The portals are doorways into...” The man seemed to be trying to put his thoughts in order, “Partially constructed worlds. Filled with magical resources and monsters from the void.”

“That actually doesn't sound bad.” The woman thought it would be nice if the monsters were easily contained in such places, why was it so bad?

“The portals are full of monsters that are barely being held inside. In fact, if they don't clear them regularly, the portal leak out monsters.”

“That horrible.

“And it starts just like what happened to Earth.” The man said bringing up the recent issue they had only just fixed, “Areas gradually worn away opening directly to the void making those little holes permanent. Then the world's rules kick in causing miniature worlds to appear.”

The woman realized what he was saying, “Giving it a foothold.” Then wondered, “Can't they close the portals?”

“Yes, but close one another opens.”

“Is that why you said worst case?”

“Yeah.” The man sounded sad.

“Can portal worlds actually stabilize?” The woman asked concerned looking around at all the destruction.

“It can, just like every other type of world. They can stabilize, people can live well, and sometimes they need heroes, but most of the time. Most of the time, I need to bring a system to this portal world for them to even have a chance to adapt.” The man looked around seriously adding, “I've seen a lot of worlds fall from portals, and being unable to adapt in time.”

The woman seeing the man’s mood decided to ask a different question, “Why is this world frozen?”

——

In a place in the between, standing on a familiar skyscraper. Two entities, a god and a man, stand in a time that has already passed. The god paces as the man look lost.

“I'm sorry I don't know what I can do.” The man says.

“Bring me a hero.” The god begs.

The man shakes his head, “I don't think a single hero could save your world.”

“Then bring me as many as you can.” The god yells.

“Do you have that kind of power?” The man asked, genuinely wondering if this god had hoarded power all this time.

“I don't know.” The god stopped his pacing, trying to think, “If I use all my power, and go to sleep for a thousand years I think I could.”

The man looks on in disbelief, “Do you know what could happen in that time?”

“It's my only chance.”

The man let out a long breath knowing it still might not be enough, “Look, I think you need more than just heroes.” The man stepped forward gesturing to the world below, “Currently, only 10% of your population can even enter the portals, and those numbers are going down fast.”

“That's why I need a bunch of heroes.”

“Maybe a system...” The man thought aloud.

“I'll take one of those.” The god said quickly to get anything.

The man was quiet for a long time thinking, “That won't be enough.” He concluded.

The god stepped forward resolutely, “I will pay whatever price, I need but I need something, and I've run up against a wall I can't see over.”

“Ok…ok…let me think...” The man began thinking aloud, }What would he need to save his people and this world?” The man looked down upon the world, “A system will be a start, the people need to be able to grow. Let's see a hero might be able to hold back, but the second they're in the portal? What about ten? Same problem and they might fight each other or die early. So a system, and a hundred? Again same problem because they would just create a beachhead. This is a massive world they would need a lot of heroes.” The man was lost, it was an almost impossible task. The man looked up to the god to say as much but seeing the fear for his people. The man couldn't give up but was coming up just as blank as the god, throwing out his only idea.

“Can you...I don't know...pause your world?”

The god gave the man a strange look before hesitantly, “...I can, but I will be stopped too.”

“I don't have an idea now, but give me time and I might be able to.”

“I know my world will die if I don't. I will put my faith in you. As soon as you leave I will stop my world, I don't know how long before it is lost returning to the void, but I have to put my faith in you.” The god laughed at his own words, ‘A god putting faith in another. I will hope you will be back before then.”

“I will try.”

——

On a world filled with holes, frozen in time. Two people stand atop a skyscraper. A woman had just asked a question, asking why the world was frozen.

“It was the only way to save this world.” The man responds.

“It was that far gone?”

“Almost.”

“Why are we here?” The woman asked still confused at being in a place like this.

“Delivery.”

“How many of them?” This made sense a frozen world and an excess of heroes. This would be a good place for a hero or two.

“All of them.”

“But…But...” The woman stuttered shocked by the implications.

“I'm fulfilling a promise.” The man held out a hand, letting a wisp fly into the air, the world began to move, and a system began to initialize. Slowly everything began to move, the world shifting back into its proper place. Still on the verge of breaking past the point of no return.

Two people drove all around the world dropping off heroes. Everywhere a hero appeared people began to gain a foothold, finally being able to push back. Though it was not the same everywhere as many places were still lost. Even with the system and heroes, people would still die, by being either too foolish, daring, or stupid. Their actions rippling to the towns and cities around them. The world eventually stabilized able to start rebuilding. The world knew it would be a long road but now it finally had a chance, with a hundred thousand new souls empowered by a worlds diminished sleeping, god. The god only had a single thought before falling asleep. "He did it."