DIMENSIONAL PORTAL (PART II)

???: "Time to turn on the machine."

Caelia: "Are you sure that you want to turn on the machine? It may result in a black-hole swallowing the earth, or a rip in the fabric of reality."

???: "Yes, I am sure, I have done the math; it won't do any of that."

A loud whir can be heard while the machine lights up. A certain light began moving; it moved along the hollow circle in the middle. It circled so fast that it then stretched and became a circle.

The middle of the machine lit up, revealing a white glow inside the machine.

???: "YES! YES!! IT'S WORKING!"

Caelia: "There seems to be no errors."

After a few moments, the white glow became red, and the glow filled the room, making the dim lab appear like a creepy.

Suddenly, a blinding flash filled the room, and the glow became a mirror, but not of the lab… But of the world, inside the machine… No… PORTAL, on the other side was a ruined building; a red hue filled the room, and the red hue drifted into the lab through the portal.

Caelia: "A strange substance is detected. It is recommended that you wear a gas mask."

The figure grabbed a gas mask from a nearby locker and put it on. He walked to the portal and stepped through it. Looking around at the ruined building, he walked to a window which was cracked. He looked through it and saw the world… a devastated world filled that smoke that had crept into his lab.

Meanwhile, Ethan and Herobot had just walked back to the IHO, but suddenly Herobot got a notification from the IHO.

Herobot: "Someone is using an excessive amount of electricity, more than the average, 4 terawatts to be precise."

Ethan: "4 Terra-what?! That's more than the average use by more than a hundred times!!"

Herobot: "I know, which is why it is suspicious. We need to check it out, and also, an A-ranked hero team was sent alongside us, so no need to worry."

Ethan: "Worry? Me? HA! I wish! Where is the huge power consumption?"

Herobot: "A few kilometers south."

Ethan nodded. He began to jog, bouncing on each step, and with every second, he sped up. Herobot followed behind.

A few minutes later, Ethan and Herobot arrived, but all they saw was an average supermarket. It was impossible that all of that energy was being used by a mere supermarket.

Ethan and Herobot walked in, the AC blowing air onto their heads as they walk in. They looked around. It looked standard: stuff on shelves, dairy and water, and other stuff in the fridges.

Let's see what the mysterious scientist is doing now. The man walked out of the building, skeletons patrolling and marching the street, people lying on the ground and others screaming and running, some dead in the middle of the street, some being beaten up by skeletons.

The scientist looked around and saw a large tower looming. It was the only building that was intact. The scientist walked towards it, his mask raising suspicion, but not enough for the skeletons to attack. When he arrived at the tall tower, only to see that it was a Gothic castle.

He walked to the gate, staring at it, the large wooden door looming over him. Suddenly, the doors slowly swung open, and when they did, skeletons holding guns came out, they surrounded the scientist. One of them put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him into the castle, the doors slamming behind them.

The skeletons led him down hallways until they reached their destination, the throne room. Ghost Emperor sat there on the throne, bored, playing on a mobile gaming device.

Skeleton guard: "Sir, we found this human staring at the gates. He is wearing a gas mask."

Ghost Emperor glanced at them. He held the device in one hand and dangled it before throwing it at some maids who barely caught it.

Ghost Emperor: "Ah… Doctor thornes, I thought you were at your lab."

Dr. Thornes: "Y-you know me?"

Ghost Emperor: "Of course I do! You were the one who assisted me after all!"

Dr. Thornes's thoughts: "He must be talking about this universe's version of me"

Dr. Thornes: "No, I am not him. I am from a different universe… I know you want to save people, help them even… And I am here to help. I can be your friend. Just help save my world. Wars have killed people, disease has made people hurt, bullies have assaulted losers!"

Ghost Emperor's face turned mad at the word losers. As if it triggered something. He scanned the scientist before talking.

Ghost Emperor: "Tell me more."

Dr. Thornes: "I will. My world has made a hero organization, but the heroes didn't fix anything; they made things worse. They never helped anyone, never stopped bullies, never stopped wars… Some even KILLED instead of helped. Both of us can fix that world. I have inside knowledge."

Ghost Emperor: "OK? And if the world is so corrupted, why isn't that version of me fixing it?"

Dr. Thornes: "He is a failure, never helped anyone but himself…"

Ghost Emperor's fist clenched. He got up from his throne. A nearby maid began laughing, something snapped within her, and she lost her sanity. She attacked Ghost Emperor, but he just grabbed her head and crushed it like a grape.

The scientist stared with wide eyes. He knew if he was found out by Ghost Emperor that he would have the same fate as that poor maid who had snapped under the invisible pressure, or maybe WORSE.

Dr. Thornes's thoughts: "It's OK, after he takes over the world, I will defeat him in the battle of wits and kill him, then the world will recognize me for who I am…"

The scientist took a deep breath. He looked around, trying to ignore his fears.

Dr. Thornes: "I see you are strong, but… Let's invade that world and show them our strengths, OUR JUSTICE!"

While all of that transpired, Ethan and Herobot were inspecting the whole supermarket, looking around for some kind of entrance to a secret lab or some nuclear reactor in the middle of the Earth.

After searching, they found it, a suspiciously empty fridge. Ethan opened it and looked around in it. He saw nothing but ice at the bottom of the fridge. He saw a small droplet that was frozen, and Ethan touched it, trying to peel it off, because he liked to remove ice droplets from any frozen surface, but that triggered something.

A trapdoor opened, and Ethan fell into it. and almost immediately crashed into the bottom. And then the lights lit up the room. It was a futuristic-looking elevator with no walls. The elevator went downwards. Soon after, Herobot fell and joined Ethan.

After a few seconds, the elevator stopped, and a large metal door slid open. It revealed a lab. In the lab were holograms and other machinery that are impossible to create with our current technology. In the middle was a portal that was open, ominously spilling a red gas that seemed eerie.

Herobot walked closer to the portal. He put his hand in the spilling gas.

Herobot: "Analysis complete, gas seems to contain Quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) also known as AGENT BZ, it also contains Element 119."

A voice boomed through the lab, startling both Ethan and Herobot.

Caelia: "You are not supposed to be here. Leave. Before I make our bots attack you."

Herobot: "Who are you!"

Caelia: "I am Dr. Thornes's creation. I am Caelia, an AI more advanced than the most advanced of AI."

Ethan: "Who is Dr. Thornes?"

Herobot: "He used to work at the government before being corrupted by power. We are merely here to help. This portal will cause the demise of everyone in this reality and the one next to it."

Caelia: "I already know the risks, my creator knows the risks and still does them; he is determined."

Ethan: "There is a fine line between reckless and determined. Your creator is stupid."

Caelia: "You mere mortal do not get what his genius is worth, yet you call him stupid; it's as if you are hiding your insecurities."

Ethan: "Who wouldn't, but at least I'm the kid that admits that they act stupid but think smart, so shut your mouth… no… speaker."

Herobot: "I recommend that you stay out of this, Ethan. Here, take this."

Herobot gave Ethan a gas mask to wear. Ethan walked through the portal. He looked around and examined the building before jogging to the exit. Seeing the grim atmosphere, the corpses, the skeletons… He immediately knew that Ghost King… Or some version of him… is ruling the world.