As I waited there, dead silence, even the trees seemed to stop swaying with the wind. 'So I guess it was fake… or did I fail the checking process?'
As I went to take a step, it seemed like the world slowed, almost to a stop. As I begin trying to turn around, hearing a buzzing like sound, "what… is that!?"
The beam of light I saw was blinding, but I couldn't turn away, being drawn in instead. For such a loud noise being produced by it, it isn't knocking anything over, but I'm still shaking. The beam of light began to expand, becoming more like a medieval doorway, with an arc on top with a rectangular base. The color being almost a sun yellow, but nothing like I've ever seen before. 'I… have to go in there.'
I begin taking steps, but as I get closer, it becomes even harder to move. My body seems like it's moving using gears filled with cobwebs, like walking through a field of cooled molasses. I'm almost there! A few more steps and I can learn more, different topics, new things! About 3 more steps!
1.
2.
3.
"Finally! I'm through! But where exactly am I?"
This definitely isn't anywhere near my warehouse, these trees… What an interesting trunk, plus those leaves. The dark trunk contrasts against those autumn orange leaves, but even with the contrast, it comes together with the undertone of the trunks. "Ive never even seen trees like this… just where is this? And how is this a chance to learn more?"
But as I take my first step forward on this new land, instead of the expected cushion of my casual self-made clothes and shoes, I feel the breeze of the wind a bit too much. "Where did my clothes go! Not just my clothes, but also all my belongings! How did that stupid door take my clothes…"
While others might be completely done for, it's just a matter of finding the materials for me, I mean, I'm the one who made those clothes in the first place. 'I wonder how that dumb door worked'
Not to mention the trees, the land itself is quite interesting. Instead of the expected damp, empty land expected with such tall trees, since they would absorb the nutrients in the soil; the land was rather full, with patches of grass in the distance, along with mushrooms having their own spots, as well areas that are dry, as if they had been eaten by some creatures. This defies everything I've known… Normal soil, even with fertilizer wouldn't be able to support such a wide range of life. 'Just what is supporting all this life? I don't think the leaves would be able to absorb enough energy to support such a wide trunk, so it has to be something underground.'
Though I believed this to be possible, this was only following what I knew in my past. But following what Rylthir said in the book, I have to change the way I think. 'What if they're absorbing things I haven't seen before? Different compound? Maybe… different element?
That's the only thing I could think of to support this environment. Until I find people of some kind, I have to just assume.
I began to look back at the spot I came in from, and sitting there, was once again a book. This book on the other hand was much thinner, almost more like a folder, only including one page, and one sentence, all it read was "say soul system"
"Few. thank goodness i said that in my head, no way… I'm still on earth right, I didn't get transport to a system world, did I? But now that I think about it, if I was still on earth, I think the light beam door thingy was a bit much, if it's to another world, I guess it's justified." But until I get confirmation, let's just be normal. "Soul system"
As I say those words, one thing becomes clear. I'm not on earth anymore.
A clear, holographic screen pops up in front of me, unlike what some books portray, this one was tangible, i could grab it and move it around, but the second i let go, it just stood there, bobbling up and down for a few second before coming to a stand still. Based on instinct, I said it again, making it disappear, but this time it didn't feel the same, almost like the hologram went back into me. After saying soul system again I began looking at it from a side view. "Dang, it's as thin as paper!"
After I rotated it back to the front, and flipped it to the back, seeing it was just the blue light shining through, telling me it's safe to use around people. Though I don't love being around people, I do believe I need to use others to learn here, unless there's something like google here as well. But first, I should find a riverbed so I can get some stones. Given that the trees might be feeding off of a different energy source, lets just find some animal tracks.
After finding what looked like a herbivore footprint distinct with 3 toes, though it did have a considerable weight given the depth of the imprint. Being careful to not draw attention to any animals, I began to move towards where the animal prints were facing.
After what seemed like one hour, based on the movement of the sun, I heard running water. Hitting a steady jog, rushing to the river, holding mushrooms that looked edible in my hands. After dropping a few, I had to stop to pick them up, making sure nothing got on it, inspecting the normal brown color of edible mushrooms. After making it to the river bed, seeing the steady, beautiful flow, I began to reminisce on the past. 'The last time I saw a clean river was around 2050, even though it didn't affect me since I had a desalination machine I built back in 2030 out of pure boredom.'
"This just further confirms it, I'm really not on earth anymore…" Even though I didn't have any real connection anymore, it was still a weird feeling, almost as if my body remembers its origins.
I began picking up stones that would be suitable for making into axe-heads; and looking for clay, marking using sticks sticking out of the wet dirt. This was basically the same thing as always, although I'm sure that many things are different in this world, hunting and surviving will always be the same. But for this to be real, I need to find one last thing, I need to find a good spot to call home! Even if temporary, homes are something every animal needs in an environment. Ants have anthills, bears have caves, and snakes have dens, everyone needs a place to call home, this was an idea brought up by some regarding homelessness in 2027 after the housing market began hyperinflation worldwide. This also began the mass emigration of people from the U.S to places that had better economies. "I found it!"
I was only looking for about 10 minutes but I found a spot that checked all my boxes! Close to a river, protection from all sides, and a cover from rain. Though the last one was mainly added since you could see storm clouds rolling in from downstream.
After setting my stuff down, protected from rain, I headed back to the river, since there was a tree with thickness that was perfect for my axe handle.
After finding the tree by following the footprint I left, I ripped off the branch I picked out, deciding to clean off my face at the river. Even when I lived alone, I prided myself in my cleanliness, but that doesn't seem possible here. But as I leaned forward into the clear water, eyes closed, and splashed my face with the water, making ripples from the agitation. But when I opened them, seeing the slight ripple of the water, still making out the general shape of myself, but instead, seeing a young man where a 64 year old should have been.