X-Loves: From Another World
Chapter 2: A Journey on Board

A gigantic pentagon-shaped iron portal was right in front of the audience. The device is connected to a controller in the lower right of the giant portal that is quite full of colored buttons. Some have speculated, perhaps this is a portal connecting other regions as it has been portrayed in several science fiction films. Their speculation is true.

“This is the Pentagon Portal. This tool can create a portal that will connect with distant regions. By utilizing the hypothesis of black holes and white holes, this tool we introduce as an alternative transportation between regions. For the trial this time we put the other end of the portal in Saumlaki,” explained Alistair.

The giant screen on the stage then lit up and showed some of their colleagues who were in Saumlaki. They greeted all the spectators through the screen. It appears they are preparing to turn on the device. Alistair continued his speech.

“With this tool it is expected that we all do not need to take a lot of time to travel to very far places. If it works well, we'll place it among the world's major cities, research cities on the moon, and colony cities on Mars and Titan. This is the biggest innovation of mankind from the students of Ambon.” Institute of Technology

Everyone in the audience was clapping. Without further ado, he had a colleague turn on the device. The device is also on. The audience was amazed to see the metal pentagon hole created a blue light to form a portal, followed by the appearance of a slab forming a digital bridge without black barriers.

At first the audience still doubted that it was a portal, but Alistair managed to prove it by entering the portal. He also managed to make the audience amazed for the umpteenth time.

“Come, anyone want to try it? My colleague Dwiana will lead you,”

The person who first tried it was the Governor of Maluku who was followed by other officials and spectators who were ordinary people. However, there were some spectators, including the minister who attended the event did not participate in the group. Meanwhile, Alistair, Kevin, and Bambang followed them from behind. It is noteworthy that the length of the digital bridge in the portal is only 20 meters. That means the distance of about 600 km from Ambon to Saumlaki can be reached in just a few minutes by foot through this portal.

“I told you, you can,”, praise Kevin.

“Hehehe, I was a little nervous, so it had fallen,” replied Alistair while scratching his head.

“After this we want to do again? Make something unique again?” ask Bambang.

“Kalem used to cok, tired nih cave, just let us make tools so you are not single again, hahaha.” Kevin said to Bambang.

“lah, do not leadekin cave, tar also mate cave definitely meet..”.

The laughter between them and the rest of the group was common, just like the lives of ordinary students.

“Oh yes Ali, by the way you have feelings ‘kan same Dwiana? Ever since this project started, you keep looking at him, right? Hayo ngaku aja,” ledek Kevin.

“Haha... Can you, beta where there is such a thing? beta choose him because indeed he has the ability in this case.” argued Alistair.

“hmmm...” Kevin and Bambang seemed to not believe what the blonde man said.

“There really is, dikit.” said Alistair who apparently agreed with a slightly lowered face.

“Cie..”.

“Tuh right, cave also said what. Ntar ah abis this cave sayin to Dwiana,” said Kevin in a loud enough voice.

“eh..., wait a minute, not the intention of such a beta,” said Alistair with flushed cheeks.

“Hahahaha..

Not felt, the distance we stepped up to 5 meters from the Ambon portal, while Dwiana and the Governor's Mother had reached 10 meters, half the length of the digital black bridge. The spectators who followed in their footsteps also chatted while amazed to see the light blue light world along the portal. Everything was going on so mediocre that something happened.

The slab board shook, but not too hard. The visitors who tried the device started to panic.

“What is this?”

“Oh Lord..”.

Alistair who felt the shock tried to calm the visitors.

“Please calm everything down, it looks like it's just a small shock.”

As Alistair tried to calm him down, an alarm sounded from outside the Ambon portal. Visitors are wondering, what really happened? Is the device broken? Is there a technical error? Or something else?

“Cih what is this?” Kevin was wondering.

Shortly after, Herlin contacted him through AI-Gadget.

“Well, what's up? Why is the alarm going on? What's going on out there?” ask Kevin.

“There was an earthquake here and part of the hall collapsed. But unfortunately the engine connecting section with the portal was damaged by rubble. Portal will shut down in 30 seconds, quickly get out of there.” cried Herlin frantically.

“Oh shit. What should we do?” Kevin was panicked and confused.

“You and Bambang take the back visitors out of here. Beta will bring existing visitors in front.” Alistair said.

Kevin, Bambang, and the back visitors made it out. Meanwhile Alistair went to the front of the group to pick up Dwiana and the visitors in front.

“Dwiana..”

“Ali..”.

It looks like Dwiana is running with the Governor of Maluku. Alistair also tried to help them get out quickly. Unfortunately, Dwiana's leg stumbled and she fell.

“Nak..” The Governor's mother tried to help him.

“It's okay, mommy first.” Dwiana.

The party and the governor managed to get out, only Alistair and Dwiana left in the room.

“Ali, Dwi, fast.” Kevin panics.

They both tried to get out of the connecting room. But dear thousand dear, the portal of Ambon has been closed.

“Portal yang”,

Dwiana turned towards the Saumlaki portal. Unfortunately, Saumlaki's portal was also closed, just as they turned back. They were trapped in the enclosure, standing on a black bridge and surrounded by an endless background of light blue.

“How is it, Ali? We can't go back,” Dwiana panicked while holding Alistair's hand unconsciously.

Alistair could not say anything in the midst of the confusion. Amidst the uneasy atmosphere, the black slabs on which they stood suddenly glowed, forming stripes just like in sci-fi movies when the main character started to turn on his machine. But it's upside down here. The appearance of these lines even brought disaster to them. And sure enough, the black bridge slab broke and disappeared, knocking the two of them into the boundless light blue space.

Alistair pressed tightly to Dwiana's hand. They fell and circled around like parachutists jumping from a plane. They try not to let go of each other's hold. But ‘gravity’ wind blows them both.

“DWIANAAA..

“ALIII...”.

Distortion occurs at the sight of Alistair, between light blue light and black color. The two continued to spin until the black color dominated and eliminated the last speck of blue light in his view. The young man remembered nothing.

…

The sound of birds singing sweetly. Besides that, a gust of wind was heard blowing on the branches of trees. The man opened his eyes slowly. Confusion, that's what probably crossed his mind. Especially after he remembered he fell and swirled unbecoming. He woke up in a forest.

“Where's beta?” His words in the heart.

He looked down at his body. He was a little surprised because the clothes he was wearing were different from the ones he was wearing last time. A shabby, gray-colored and brownish outfit. And his chest was about a few centimeters. He thought maybe it was because of the clothes he was wearing.

He also walked among the trees that were shady enough to find a way out, until a clear river was seen. He went there to drink and wash his face. The river is so clear that it can reflect objects like mirrors. He saw the river water.Slowly the water ripples disappeared and reflected his shadow.

“Who is he?”

At first he was confused as to who was in the shadow. But after watching him with focus, his confused attitude turned to shock and panic so he shouted.

“APAA!!!??”