(As you might have wondered in Chapter 2, I mentioned that this cave was first discovered by a boy who had been camping there for a while. You may be curious—who was that boy? What is his name? Is he still alive or not? Well, I want to tell you: the boy is still alive. Let's begin.)
The scientists tried relentlessly, but they couldn't locate the hole again. It could only open during heavy rainfall. They collected everything from the site and departed. In this city, torrential rains occur only once every several months—or even years. That's why the cave remained sealed for nine years. During this time, there were occasional light showers, but they weren't enough to reopen the mysterious hole.
The next heavy rainfall would not occur until a year later. Meanwhile, the scientists examined the materials they had retrieved from the site. Among them, they found fingerprints, wallets, backpacks, and other personal belongings belonging to five friends. Through their investigation, they discovered that the group had studied at the same university and had gone on a holiday trip together. They hadn't informed anyone—keeping it a secret among themselves.
When the five friends were pulled into the hole and eventually regained consciousness, they were stunned to find themselves facing three different doors. A sense of fear and uncertainty overwhelmed them as they hesitated to see what lay beyond each one.
The boy who originally discovered this strange place was Ali, the best friend of Jimmy. Back in 1990, during his school days, Ali had gone hiking alone. During a sudden downpour, a massive hole opened up near him. Terrified, he fled without entering. The next morning at school, he shared his story with his classmates, but no one believed him—except Jimmy.
When Jimmy later declined an invitation to go hiking, Ali reminded him, "The mountain I visited nine years ago is part of this trail—let's go!" At the time, Ali believed the hole might open regularly during rainstorms. However, none of them knew that heavy rainfall was predicted that very night—except for Adam, who had quietly read the forecast and suggested they camp in that spot.
Now, Ali was not as frightened as the others. He gathered his courage and decided to open the doors one by one. What they saw behind them left them absolutely astonished.
The first door was connected to the past, specifically to the era of the Kayı tribe—a prominent Turkish tribe from the 12th century. It led to the time of Suleiman Shah, the father of Ertuğrul, Gündoğdu, Sungurtekin, and Dündar.
The second door opened onto another planet, a mysterious replica of Earth. The third door led into the future. Everyone was overwhelmed with fear and confusion, uncertain about what to do, knowing they could no longer return to their own time.
Alex and Ali proposed a plan—they suggested forming pairs to explore the unknown. Groups of two were organized for safety and support.
However, Ali ended up without a partner. Resolute and undeterred, he chose to venture out alone. Since there was no way back, they all agreed to reunite at the same place every night to share their discoveries and experiences.
Alex and Jimmy were together, while Jack and Adam formed another pair. Alex and Jimmy decided to venture into a replica of planet Earth. Meanwhile, Adam and Jack journeyed into the future, and Ali traveled back to the past.