ELDARYA

Instability.

Standing, Erika observed Julian and the other members of O.B.E.A. talking. Huang Chu stood nearby, next to a projection of some strange slides filled with calculations and chemical elements.

In the morning, she received a text message - who still uses SMS? Install a messaging app already! - summoning her to a meeting at O.B.E.A.'s base to discuss some recent anomalies.

She had only been to O.B.E.A's base a few times. Mostly, two years ago, when the rift opened and an entire nation moved to another dimension. Usually, she handled what needed to be done in parliament.

The room had walls painted a very light gray, almost white. The large oval table in the center of the room matched the color of the walls. Around the table, a few stern-looking men in suits sat, attentively listening to every word Huang Chu said. They didn't take notes. There was no need. The meeting was being recorded by a small black camera positioned at the far end of the room, opposite where Huang Chu stood, focused on her and the slides.

- At this moment, entering that portal is out of the question. It's clearly unstable. The samples, collected with air knives, indicate this - she explained, her face serious as usual. Huang Chu wasn't the most cheerful person when working. Erika felt frustrated.

- What exactly would happen if someone crossed the portal? - she asked, placing her hands in her lap and adjusting her posture, fully attentive.

Huang Chu signaled to someone Erika hadn't noticed before. The projection behind her changed to a camera recording. The date and time were displayed in the corner of the screen.

A machine of some sort pushed an apple through a small synthetic portal, constructed with a robotic framework and charged with samples from the forest portal.

As it passed through the small synthetic portal, the apple appeared intact. But when it hit the ground, it shattered into countless pieces. It had been sliced into thousands of ultra-thin layers. Erika winced, imagining what effect that would have on her body.

- What do you plan to do with the portal? - Nevra asked, his face showing no emotion.

- Before making any rash decisions, we will conduct experiments and find a way to stabilize the portal. Until then, it will remain closed off - Julian paused, waiting for Érika or Nevra to say something. Nothing. He continued - In the meantime, you cannot stay at the mansion. We prefer to avoid any risks.

- And where will we stay for now? - Nevra asked. Erika wasn't concerned about accommodations at the moment.

- In a mansion, somewhat isolated from the city. It's only temporary - Julian responded.

- And when should we go there?

- Preferably today. The place has everything you need, including clothes.

Nevra pondered for a moment.

- Who will be guarding the portal?

- Trained soldiers. But as I said, the area will be closed off. It won't take long, considering the amount of resources and agents involved - Julian replied. Nevra showed no outward reaction. However, deep down, he felt slightly uneasy about O.B.E.A personnel doing the rounds.

As much as he hated to admit it, human weapons were inevitably superior to swords and bows. But when it came to preparedness, they weren't exactly top-notch. They were sedentary, unaccustomed to close combat. They had grown complacent because of their weapons, forgetting that if disarmed, they would need to defend themselves.

For a moment, Nevra imagined a hypothetical scenario where the weapons of a possible people on the other side of the portal were even better than those of humans. After everything he had seen, he doubted nothing. Technology always had the capacity to surprise.

He was getting ahead of himself. They didn't even know what was on the other side of the portal yet. All they could see were the endlessly swirling blue and purple spirals. There might not be anyone on the other side at all. And if there was, what guaranteed they could cross over? They would probably be sliced to pieces, like in the tests conducted at O.B.E.A.'s headquarters.

Then again, just like mushroom portals, there could be portals that only work one way. And what if there were portals that had side effects only on one side? One where people from there could come but not return. One where people from here couldn't go.

Is it possible that someone or something could cross that portal and come into our world?