He was stunned. Was it possible for him to scream? What is that? How?
The reality itself shifted. Not only the floor was missing, the entire room began to disappear. Oh yes. He's falling.
Going over all the possibilities in his head, Fumetsumi finally understood: this was the result. The final result of what he tried to do for over a decade.
- "H-a..."
He smiled. What scientist wouldn't smile?
His project was indeed very scientificly complicated.
Actually, he tried to "unfold" a dimension for it to match the scale of our world. A big scientific breakthrough that scientists around the world would like to see even today.
You see, the physics is divided into "the science about the big" and "the science about the small". And in order to get the most full image of the Universe, we should connect these two sciences into a single one.
But its impossible.
Almost impossible. Scietists have tried to do that for almost a century, but their theories are so complicated and surreal that it's easier to destroy the entire planet to prove them.
Although, the search wasn't pointless. Scientists achieved some theories, with one of them being known as the "M-theory". You only need to know that that according to this theory, in 11 dimentions, all forces and powers can unite into a single one...
The only problem is that this dimension is somehow curled into our Universe in some kind of hyperspace together with other dimensions. And this is what Himetsuryu tried to make: to uncurle these dimensions to reach the impossible.
Most scientists would say that even if such operation was possible for modern science, it would require a massive ton of energy, more than the entire enrgy of the Universe. But who said that Fumetsumi for all these years didn't try to find a "cheaper" way to do that?
You won't understand how this machine works anyway, right? We should hope thst you understood everything said above... Or at least half of it.
So yes, a "wormhole" was created. But where it leads?
-"Whatever awaits me, here I come!" Fumetsumi was full of enthusiasm and energy.
At any case, what he was capable of? He was already halfway through the wormhole.
He fell on the soft, almost pale sand. The colors quickly changed and the sun blinded him with a bright stream of rays.
The wormhole has already closed. It's a miracle that it existed for a few seconds and didn't close when Himetsuryu was inside it.
- "In fact, what just happened?"
It was a reasonable question.
- "It seems that the unfolding of the dimension has caused terrible distortions in space! Interesting..."
...
- Where am I then? A desert? Sahara? Tarim Basin? If my suggestions are correct, I can be anywhere in the Universe itself... This might be a different planet, actually. But I won't believe that among all points of space, along this endless nothingness, I was transported exactly to a habitable planet. I just want to laugh at these diabolically small chances."
He looked above. The extremely bright star was definitely the Sun, and the terribly blue sky must be the same as on Earth. He also didn't feel any fluctuations in gravity or anomalies in the air.
- "If this looks like Earth, feels like Earth and smells like Earth, then, maybe, it is Earth? I shall try to find the way out of here, I should have some chances."
The smile on his face slowly disappeared. He understood that getting out of the unknown desert will be difficult as hell.
- In the name of the Mormaer of Forres, Eddarnon Talorgan Fortriu, I shall return to my clan estate alive and well!
Yes, this is his real name: Eddarnon. He was a noble, such strange and ancient name shouldn't surprise you.
In this situation, he made the best he could do: swear by his title that he would return home. It would ease his soul a little. And nothing more, actually.
He was dressed in his everyday suit and cloak. Everything on him was black, which is terrible when the sun is shining right onto you.
He pulled the cloak over his head and took off his boots.
- "The footwear might help me as a weapon if I encounter an animal. This desert is strange, who knows who I'm gonna meet on my way."
... But things got an even more terrible turn.
After an hour of straight walking into the direction, opposite to the wind, in order to find water, he met two small cactus-like plants.
- "This isn't Sahara then! But what are these plants? Am I really on another planet? Nice joke, I suppose?"
- "If my thoguhts are correct, I've already left behind about 5 km. At best, I should encounter a human village or at least something that can help me survive here in the nearest 20 km."
- "Well, Itadakimasu then!"
He tore off these two plants, about 10 cm tall each, and using his chance started eating them. He ate 1/3 of one plant.
- This might win me some time here.
With every hour of walking, Eddarnon felt worse and wrose. Sun was ready for the sunset. It was getting on for the night.
- I did collect some wood on the road, I have about 100 grams with me. The fact that various sticks can be found in this desert suggests that people were here once. Although the lack of animals still bothers me...
Surviving the night in the desert is harder than the day. Extreme cold temperatures are more dangerous than extreme hot, and without any source of fire you will likely die.
- Wait, what's that... Is that bones?
He felt like something solid crashed into his leg. Indeed, a human skull with visible parts of body was peacefully lying on the sand. He examined the unsuccessful predecessor...
A dead is a dead, he thought. And despite the lousy feeling, he continued his journey. Although, he took some tiny pieces of bones with himself. Who knows what's gonna be useful?
Fumetsumi decided to make a stop. He had been very hopeful for a quick release from the desert, but now he realized his situation fully.
- I'll make a shelter from the wind with the sand, and try to make some fire.
He spent about 30 minutes building a proper sand wall. But while doing this, he realised: the sun has stopped. It should have been sunset already.
He decided not to make fire and observe the situation. After resting for two more hours, he was convinced: the sun was not only not moving, it was going in the opposite direction.
Such movement can be described only through wild orbital events, that were indeed impossible.
- I am clearly going insane...
He finished the rest of the plant he had, and decided it was time to move on.
...
He stopped after three hours of continuous walking, and after analyzing the situation, he realized that he had been here for almost 14 hours.
With such heat, I have only 12 more hours to go. This desert has absolutely extreme conditions, in Sahara I would last 3 times longer.
Endless sand was surrounding him. He knew that no one will come to rescue him, so the only chance was to walk out of here.
Although he made another stop for 3 more hours, trying to sleep, which could've given him a little bit more energy.
He also tried walking into the opposite direction, to check if the surrounding world was real. This feeling was constantly chasing him for the last 12 hours. Now there's only a couple of hours before he will lose consciousness.
fswooshhhh-
...he died. Or at least he thought so, in reality he just didn't have any free energy left.
He wasn't surprised, but still was questioning himself what happened.
His body seemed to be disintegrating, and despite such heat around, the warmth was leaving him, without a single wound on his body. He tried to laugh, but only managed to do a weak smile. He always laughed at himself in hopeless situations...
"This is more than impossible!", He thought. "This is a fever dream!", He thought. Am I gonna wake up? I always knew, the Universe hated me, but in such method..! Ridiculous!
...
I don't want to die... I have things to discover. Chores to do... I have so much in the future... It's not my time yet. The Nirvana will wait!
...
Someone, help?
He knew it was pointless. What's the chance that a miracle will happen and save him? In fact, he was known for his terrible luck, and even if there had been a chance for salvation, it would not have come to him.
Or maybe, all this was actually a salvation?
...
He felt for a second like he was in an endless body of water, and how he was the one who creates waves in it. Strange, isn't it? Like a giant force field was surrounding him, but maybe he just overstudied electrodynamics?
Oh, Universe, I'm so sorry for things that I've done. I'm gonna be better next time, I promise! Just do something, give me my chance!
...
... But nobody came.
He gave up. Or did he?
...
But then, a loud sound pierced through his ringing ears. As if glass had broken somewhere far away.
Eddarnon felt a slight increase in energy.
He is not dead. Yet.
Despite everything, he was ready to fight again, and using his new powers he opened eyes and looked straght.
His heart really stopped beating for a moment, but then continued again.
Oh... What? Is.. that a joke?
It seems that a dark mixed forest was right before him. And all desert behind was gone. He have reached the impossible..
For another time.