7 - "Echoes of a Forgotten World"

After some time, Swayam, regaining consciousness, found himself lying on that girl's lap, feeling utterly embarrassed. Instinctively, he attempted to rise and distance himself, but the girl, upon noticing his intention, let out a firm shout, insisting that he refrain from moving hastily. Instead, she encouraged him to remain lying down and rest for a while longer.

Following her advice, Swayam obeyed, drifting into a deep slumber before stirring once more. After that brief respite, he resolved to inquire about the mysterious girl's identity, his current location, and the circumstances that had led him here.

Swayam inquired tentatively, "Umm, who are you, and if you don't mind me asking, how did I end up here?"

The girl, named Vale, introduced herself, saying, "My name is Vale, Valentine Pire. I found you near a peculiar object in the forest, engulfed in flames. You were severely injured and had lost a significant amount of blood. That's why I decided to bring you here to save your life and provide the necessary care for your wounds."

***

Upon hearing the family name "Pire," Swayam couldn't help but speculate that Vale's parents must have been fervent admirers of "Bram Stoker's Dracula." The idea of them changing their family name to "Pire" crossed his mind, but he quickly realized that it would be impolite to mention such a thought, especially to someone who had just saved his life.

Deciding to steer clear of the peculiar family name, Swayam continued with more practical questions. "Could you please tell me the current time and date, as well as our precise location?" he inquired politely.

Upon hearing Swayam's questions about their location, date, and time, Vale couldn't help but suspect that he might have suffered a severe head injury, possibly causing memory loss. Otherwise, he wouldn't be seeking such basic information.

In an effort not to further unsettle Swayam, she chose to respond to his unusual inquiries. "We are in Transylvania," she began, "Today's date is July 17th, 2017, and the time is 9:27 PM."

As Vale provided the unusual information, a whirlwind of thoughts raced through Swayam's mind. "What on Earth is happening here?" he pondered. "Why didn't the Time Machine function as expected? How did I end up in Transylvania instead of time traveling?" Numerous questions buzzed in his thoughts, but one gnawed at him the most: "If the Time Machine doesn't work as intended, how did the 'Future Swayam' manage to leave that envelope in his father's laboratory? Or was it all just my imagination, believing those blueprints were sent by 'Future Swayam'?"

***

After pondering his predicament for a while, Swayam mustered the courage to inquire about his Time Machine.

Upon hearing the term "Time Machine," Vale responded, "Ah, so that's what that mysterious contraption is called. If you're looking for the object in which you were discovered unconscious, it has been taken by our nation's ruler, King Gabriel. None of us had ever encountered anything like it before, and it filled us with trepidation. When I reported its discovery, it was King Gabriel who bravely stepped forward and assumed full responsibility for it."

Upon learning that the Time Machine had been claimed by Transylvania's supposed king, Swayam remarked, "As far as I'm aware, there is no king in Transylvania, but let's set that aside for now. Please, tell me about the condition of the Time Machine."

Vale, not well-versed in machinery, responded, "I don't have much knowledge about its current state. After receiving orders from King Gabriel, I didn't return to the site. However, if you're eager to know, I can provide some details. One of its components appeared damaged, the body seemed severely impacted, and there was an unusual substance seeping from it. Additionally, it appeared motionless but emitted peculiar sounds."

***

After hearing Vale's description, one thing became abundantly clear to him – the Time Machine was in a dire state. The notion that it could potentially explode at any moment weighed heavily on his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about its precarious condition.

Concerned about the possibility of a catastrophic explosion, Swayam considered seeking Vale's assistance and collaboration. He urgently conveyed his thoughts, saying, "We absolutely must prevent King Gabriel from taking any action regarding the half-broken Time Machine. If they tamper with it, there's a 90% chance of a major explosion, which could result in significant casualties."

Upon hearing Swayam's concerns about potential casualties, Vale burst into laughter and responded, "What are you talking about? It's impossible for there to be any casualties."

Swayam, growing frustrated at Vale's laughter, raised his voice and scolded her, saying, "Don't you care about your country and its people? How can you say it's impossible for there to be any casualties?"

Vale retorted, "Are you out of your mind or something? Isn't it obvious that there's no chance of any casualties or anything?" She then realized her mistake and added, "Oh! Sorry, my bad. How could I forget that you recently suffered a head injury and lost your memories."

Swayam responded calmly, "It's alright, no need to apologize to me. I haven't lost anything, but I believe you might have lost something, and that's your common sense."

Vale, still puzzled, asked, "Then what are you trying to say? Why don't you explain it clearly because what you're saying makes no sense to me."

Swayam, attempting to clarify, responded earnestly, "What I mean is that the half-broken object your self-proclaimed King has in custody is an extremely perilous device capable of immense destruction. I can't even be certain of the extent of the explosion, but it could potentially annihilate the entire Earth, leading to the extinction of all humans and animals."

Vale, looking even more bewildered, replied, "Are you intoxicated or something? Or could the head injury be more severe than I thought? Humans perished centuries ago."

***