The Secret Order

The Secret Order
I am truly sorry to tell you this, but there is another world beyond ours, but it is most certainly not heaven. I, Andrew Oberg, am a member of an ancient order of warriors that has kept that world a secret. A war has been waging for millennia, and as of recently, I’ve been playing a crucial part in it.
How am I able to live my sixteen year-old life as a student and wage a war at the same time? It is because the time in our world seems to flow at a decreased rate. Say you have been gone for one hour in our world; it will have been an entire year there. Although, due to the way our bodies register time, we do not age any differently either way. To travel there and back again, you must be born with the willpower.
Those in our order, The Bane of Oblivion, are born with the ability to see the portals. Ordinary people would have to train for years to even attempt such a thing, and it could still lead to their insanity. Two kinds of portals exist, natural portals, which we guard, and use for mass transportation. And personal portals, which only those who have received their commanders amulet have. Even though I am young, I have already earned my amulet.
It was at the siege of The Obsidian City, by far the darkest day of my time. A week had gone by since we had first attacked. Our men were wounded, morale was low, and some believed we would not win. My commander called a small group of four rangers, including myself, to his tent for a special mission. We went through the secret tunnels under the city walls, but as we came out, we were attacked. My companions were killed, but I was able to fight my way to the gate, so I could pull the lever, winning us the day. Now I am respected as a hero of my order and was awarded an elevated rank.
We use the same ranking system as the U.S. Army, because many of our recruits are American. My current rank is Captain; but I’ve had offers for promotions. I turned them down because I would prefer to be on the...