Another Stupid Isekai

It took me some time to sort my thoughts. First of all, I put away all the excitement. This could be simply a trap. I didn't understand this strange machinery, and it could do something to me. It was just too risky, to accept his words.

- You are hesitant. You probably think it might be a trap, but I can prove it isn't. Just answer me a simple question. If it is possible, would you like to temporarily visit your old planet?

- Yes - just escaped my mouth.

There was my family out there, and they didn't know what was going on with me. I disappeared for them around three years ago.

- Wery well. So this is what we will do. We already have the data necessary to coordinate the portal correctly. We had many opportunities to collect it, as you people were pulled to this world by your device rather frequently - he explained. - We will need some of the crystals you have, and then we will open the passage. I will go first, and return, to prove it is safe. Then you will go, and we will close the portal. You will have ten days before we open it again in the same place, so you will need to return to that location on time. Does that sound agreeable to you?

- Y-yes.

I was like fish on a hook, but how the hell could I just refuse? I kept nagging myself to start thinking properly, analyze the situation, but emotions just took over. I wanted to go home, even just for a short amount of time, and now I had the possibility.

- Wait... What about The Great One? Won't he notice something like that?

- We already tried it several times, and he didn't. He is a powerful being but has his limitations.

- Ok...

Then I took the backpack down and put it forward to him for the taking, but he didn't.

- Please put it down. This is too heavy for me, and we only need a few of them.

I did as he said. Then he looked at a few of the others, and they rushed to pick a few crystals and started putting them in few different places in the machinery. I glanced there and found out that they have spots prepared to contain the crystals.

It was kinda strange to me that there was no communication between them. They just were not speaking. I started to wonder if it's because of me, or that's how it was normally between them.

- It used to be very time costly for us to use most of this equipment, as it requires a lot of energy. That is what those crystals are, a form of energy - he explained, but I already knew that. - We hope that will change with your help.

- Where will I land? - I asked him suddenly.

- It's hard to tell. It might be the middle of one of your settlements, or maybe a complete wilderness.

- I don't want to end at the bottom of the ocean. Or inside a volcano.

- You won't.

Then he left me for a moment, to start this whole thing. A low hum filled the laboratory. There were few sparks of lightning that shoot in between the frame of the portal, and then it just turned into complete black.

Shu'ah Oot Atso Yeingem approached it, and at first, put his hand into the darkness, then fully emerged himself into it. He returned after a short moment.

- Some kind of forest - he said immediately after. - Please, enjoy your visit.

He gestured towards the portal. I hesitated for a moment. My heart all of a sudden started beating faster and faster. I could feel my stomach rising to my throat. I was getting nervous, very nervous. I licked my lips, and slowly approached the darkness.

I could still feet the anchors left in the city. My safeguards. I started to wonder if I will be able to use them to return even from a different world. It was just a brief thought, before I stepped in, just to emerge in a ruined city, with alleys made out of cobblestone, and the mostly collapsed buildings that reminded me of the view I saw back then when my journey started.

I immediately turned around, to return, but the portal was closed. I tried to search for it, move my hands like there would be something to grab, but there wasn't.

- Fuck - escaped my mouth.

I immediately thought about the anchor, and surprisingly I could still feel it. It was out there, but as I was previously able to ascertain the direction, now I wasn't. It was just there.

- Strange, isn't it? - suddenly caught my ear. - We all feel like this when we first come here.

I turned around. There was a woman standing in between two ruins, in an alley. She had long brown curly hair and was wearing dirty rugs. Old button-up sweater, and a long, loose dress. She was short, and very skinny, barefoot on top of that.

- Do you understand English? Please tell me you do. It's so damn annoying to explain this stuff with gestures.

- I do understand. Where the hell am I?

- We call it the city. People end up here from different places. It's a weird place, but you will get used to it, that's if you survive. It's easy to die here, you know? You will need somebody to guide you, and explain things. I'm Alexandra. What's your name?

- Peter...

- Come with me, Peter. I'll show you around.

I was so damn confused. This place looked like the city I was used to, but she didn't know me, which was rather uncommon. I looked around again and realized that it can't be my city. This one was surrounded by mountains from three sides. Something that I overlooked at first.

- Hey! Are you there, Peter? Come with me - she shouted again while covering herself tighter with the sweater, and crossing her arms on top of it.

- Yeah.... I'm coming.