Alex, an ex-mercenary. He fought 10 years ago in the Middle East with his friends from his high school. They were short on money back then, and because of that, they took part there as mercenaries. It worked; they were in four and received almost 2 million each. Unfortunately, one of them, Gustav, died in combat. After that, they gave his family 250k each, plus the 2 million he had earned working. Now, Alex and his friends meet yearly at a party to remember the old times and strengthen the ties.

One of those parties began just a few minutes ago.

Alex just arrived, and there he saw his friend, Michael.

"Hello, buddy!"

"Hello, Alex! How’re you doing?"

"Just fine, and you, my friend?"

"I am extremely fine! I’ve just proposed to my girlfriend, and she accepted!"

"That’s incredible, Michael! It actually reminds me of when I proposed to my wife 5 years ago; we were pleased too."

Michael, a good-looking person, was 6’2” in height; blue eyes, blond hair, and white rubber skin he gained in the desert of Iraq. He was body-built and had a strong gaze. Everyone who looked at him was intimidated, mainly because of his looks, but he’s a nice guy—too kind for war.

"Hi, guys! Sorry, I came late; my sister broke everything at home, and I had to fix things for her!"

At this time, Michael and Alex looked at their old friend, Harper, who had just come.

He was 5’8” in height. He was a guy with green eyes and red hair.

When he was born, his family, for a moment, confounded him with a girl, then named him Harper. They didn't know the gender until his birth. After a few seconds, they finally paid attention and noticed they had literally fucked everything. It was too late at that moment; he would have a girl's name. Well, Harper’s still looking like this, even as an adult. His shoulders, short hair, and voice are the things that give away he’s a man, but if you do not pay enough attention, you can easily miss it.

"How's life, Harper?"

Alex asked.

"It is good; how's yours?"

"I’m fine, as for Michael... He just proposed to Jenifer, and she accepted!"

"Wow, this is seriously good! Should I call him brother-in-law from now on?"

Jenifer was Harper's sister; she was just like him, but a girl. She had similar height and hair color; everything was alike. With some effort, they could pretend to be each other and fool others easily.

"Now that we finished introductions, let's drink our whole hearts, guys!! We owe it to Gus!"

Michael said.

"LET'S GO, GUYS!!!"

Alex screamed

…

..

Sometime later...

"Oww, I draaank a loooooooooot today, guys. I will piss in the tree to drink moooooooooore."

"Heheheeee, you sure drink a lot, Alex; it is already your 5th liter of alcohol today."

"Ya, real quick, I'll piss at a tree nearby; I'll be back to drink more; better you guys wait!"

"We will"

After that, Alex, who was all drunk, staggered at the tree. He took off his pants and started to piss. While in the action, he thought about his life for some time. While drunk, Alex was somewhat sober, or not. Even he couldn’t tell it.

Well, he didn't have the money he received from the military days anymore, as a house in California is extremely expensive, and he had spent almost everything on a 200-square-meter house 1 km from the center of LA, as well as a Tesla car. He had only fractions of what he once had in the bank. Even though his wife doesn't like to use Alex’s money, she’s surely a big spender, as she uses a lot of money monthly to keep the house working or keep her appearance good. Alex had to make money quickly, as his job didn’t pay enough to maintain his lifestyle.

He spent 2 minutes thinking about his life. Is it what he really wants?

While pondering about life, he saw a light in front of him.

That “light” seemed alive and somewhat alien... By looking at it, Alex understood it somehow didn’t notice him yet.

He was extremely drunk to think. What remained of rational thought screamed at him to leave it alone; the drunk part screamed the opposite.

A sudden idea crossed his mind after some internal conflict...

"What if I jump-scare this entity from behind?"

As that brilliant idea went by, he instantly went for it. Alex sneaked and slowly approached that entity, and when he was close enough:

“I GOT YOU MOTHER FU-"

The entity didn't notice Alex. When that spark of light finally got his presence, it was too late; he grabbed its waist and started to shout, all drunk.

"I grabbed you, hahaha! I am a freaking pro; you are a noob, mother fucker! A FUCKING NOOOB!!!"

The entity seemed confused. What the fuck is happening? That is what it probably thought. It looked at the drunk guy hugging its waist; he was sozzled in alcohol. When the entity was ready to knock out the guy, it saw something interesting...

"Hey, human. What are you?"

"What? I dunno, I’m a broke guy, nooow, what about yoou, bright man?"

The entity seemed angry, and the reason was unknown.

"Bright man… I’m not a bright man inferior being; I AM A FREAKING GIRL YOU LOWLIF-"

She suddenly stopped. It is better to make a good impression. Somehow, this guy is worth it. He has something she’s been looking for, yet she can’t tell what. He gives a familiar expression.

"I am now a bright-man human; I am a girl."

The entity then showed its true form to him. It was an extremely gorgeous girl with pale skin and white eyes, full of glow, but somehow dead. She had white silk hair and was 5’7” in height. That glowing creature was beautiful but didn't show any emotion.

“You seem interesting, human. I will give you power; you can do whatever you want with it. You just have to accept the terms and sign thi-”

"I accept"

"Wait! I haven’t said yet which terms you would have to agree to, nor the power I am giving you."

"I don't care; where do I sign?"

Alex said.

The entity was already losing her patience.

"Oh, fuck. That's why humans are some brickheads. Well, I do not care either. Here’s the parchment."

The glowing girl said.

As she gave the parchment, Alex signed it swiftly. As both parties signed, the parchment burned into ashes. It contained every detail of what he had to do and what he received in exchange. After the document disappeared completely, the entity inaudibly said something like “I expect great things from you,” and then she disappeared, leaving no traces behind.

Alex was all drunk, and after he saw the entity disappear, he simply thought of it as an illusion of his mind and never minded it again.

As he started to understand what had happened moments ago, he suddenly felt something in his stomach.

"HOLY FUCK, IT IS COMING!"

Alex screamed hard; his stomach was struggling hard to hold the alcohol he drank like water. After a minute of pure pain, he threw it all out. He fainted after this, and the memories of the mysterious encounter would probably fade away forever.

…

..

Sometime later...

After an hour or two of waiting for Alex, the friends had already sobered; Jenifer, Michael’s bride, and Harper’s sister was there. She had forced them to drink water filled with salt and sugar. It is an excellent way to force sobriety on someone.

Alex missing was already starting to worry, as he said he would come back soon.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Michael asked Harper:

"Alex is already taking a long time, isn’t he?"

"Yes, he said he would come back soon, but it was an hour ago."

"It's been two and a half hours by now."

"Yes... Something is wrong; better we check if he's okay."

"I'll go with you guys."

Jenifer shouted.

She entered the party to check on Michael. Everything was fine with him, gladly. The one worrying her now was Alex.

He was invited to be the best man at her and Michael's wedding; also, she was Alicia's—Alex’s wife—best friend.

As she proposed to enter the search, everyone accepted her help and they started it. Alicia was also there, mainly to see if Alex was okay, because she knows what happens when he’s drunk.

Alicia was 5’9” in height; she had light brown hair and eyes. She was a Latina born in the US.

"Let's find him in separate ways! It will be more efficient that way."

"I agree with you! Wait… How could you guys lose Alex like this? Do you know he is a freaking monster in height? He’s 6’4”!"

Alicia said.

"Good question… He said he was going to piss nearby. As we were drunk, we couldn’t process information clearly, so we let him go."

"Well, it can’t be helped then... Let's find this guy."

"Yes. We better run; something bad could’ve happened."

After the planning talk, everyone went outside to search for Alex, each in a different place. Little did they know it would take all night to find him.

…

..

6 hours later.

Jenifer was walking toward a medium-sized bush, and only after looking at it closely, she saw Alex’s shoe.

The girl removed the leaves covering the view, and then she saw Alex.

After a long 6 hours, she was relieved.

"I FOUND HIM GUYS."

Jenifer shouted in the voice chat.

"Where?"

Alicia asked; she was desperate for Alex at this moment.

"2 miles north from where we were! I'll drop the location on the maps."

"That’s good! how's he?"

"Well… He is… Not so good."

Jenifer said.

Looking at Alex’s surroundings, Jenifer saw a scene she didn't want to describe, so she used vague words. Alex was laid down in the dirt, covered by his own vomit. He peed in his pants, and his face was covered in bird shit. It was a pitiful view. She didn't want Alicia to see her husband like this, so before Alicia’s arrival, Jenifer woke Alex up.

"Argh, why is it so bright?"

Alex murmured. It was already 7 a.m., so the sun had already risen.

"Alex. Alicia is coming here; you better take care of yourself if you don't want your wife to be pissed off."

"Oh, fuck... How much time did I-"

"6 hours. She is angry by now; you better please her after all of this."

"Okay... What do I do? My head still hurts a lot."

"All I can tell you is that there is a river 1000 feet down the hill. Take a bath there."

"Ok, thank you; see you later."

Alex got to the river in no time; he was in good shape and hurried as fast as he could; he was fast, faster than ever; he looked like an athlete in his prime. Alex was so focused on getting a river bath right now that he didn't even care. As he approached the river, he took off his clothes and then jumped straight into the cold water.

*Splash

As he entered the river, he picked up his dirty clothes and did the laundry using the river water. He was wet, and his underwear was also. He placed his clothes on the ground to dry up with the sunlight. It was still early in the morning.

While Alex was washing himself, Alicia came to the place Jenifer shared. Jenifer explained the situation. Alex had fainted, and she woke him up. Now he’s at the river, washing himself up. When she heard about her husband's location, she instantly ran to where he was.

"Hello, dear"

"Hello honey, did I worrie-"

Alicia didn't want to hear his words now; she was too worried for this. Instead of hearing his excuses or lecturing him, she jumped into his arms and hugged Alex with all her strength. After she did it, Alex just stopped his words and hugged her back. They surely loved each other.

All Alicia wanted now was to enjoy the moment.

…

..

3 days later.

Alex woke up. It was 7 a.m.

His wife usually wakes up an hour later than him, so he almost always cooks breakfast. Today, he got up full of energy. Since that party, he didn't look as beaten as always did. He was more vivid and more active. He didn't worry much; better not look up too much for the reasons behind it, as it may return to what it was before. He went into the restroom to do the morning piss, and then he brushed his teeth, as always. As he went to the kitchen to do the daily food, while descending the stairs, he fell.

The world after him went into slow motion. All his senses worked as hard as possible to find a way to fall into a good position without breaking anything.

After 200 milliseconds, he barely adjusted his body. In a mere 0.2 seconds! Even though he was making progress, it wouldn't do it; he would still dislocate a bone or two in the best-case scenario. His mind was working harder than ever! While at the peak of his brain activities, he had finally found a solution! He simply opened a dimensional drift.

“Simply” was a weird word to use in this case. Even he, who did it, didn't know what had just happened; it happened incredibly fast! As his nerves eased, he fell into the opening.

After he entered the portal, he analyzed his surroundings.

"Where the fuck am I?"

Alex pondered.

He looked at his surroundings. All he could see was a great plain with nothing important but a forest to its left. It was weird; he was surprised. How the fuck did he get here?

He evaluated the last few minutes of his life. Everything in his head was the fact that he had opened a fucking dimensional drift while falling the stairs.

"Well, I can't call that thing dimensional drift or opening for much time; guess I'll call it 'portal' from now on."

Alex spoke.

He was talking to himself now.

Everything felt so unreal, yet he could sense reality within it. Rather than afraid or scared, he was surprised. His eyesight was previously a mild myopia, but now he looks at everything, and it is so clear... He could remember the last time he saw the world this clearly; he was 22. Everything is clear now. It was amazing.

"Well, a day off from work won't kill anyone."

He thought.

As he thought it, he went straight to the forest. Catching resources and doing a camping day sounded better than being in the plains forever.

"Oh, I have a palm tree here! Even though it looks different than the ones I know... Well, I don't mind; I'll take its leaves."

"Hmm, this flower glows blue? My wife will love this; I'll definitely take it!"

"Ha! It’s bamboo! I can make a nest for me with this."

Alex started to talk to himself; for a social guy like him, some time alone could be extremely lonely.

He finally built his den. It was a well-made bamboo and palm tree structure.

After some lazy time, Alex started to think about the early events.

"What happened there? Was it me? If so, how had I made it?"

Alex started to think about the portal he opened. Was it him? He was almost sure it was.

He stimulated his mind the most he could. It was running every kind of thought, and then he remembered a flash memory from the party when he met the glowing entity.

Alex forgot almost everything that happened there. All he could remember was it disappearing, and it was shocking enough.

"It has to be it! That girl made something with me."

He realized.

"How the fuck am I supposed to explain this to my wife? A fucking gorgeous girl saw me half naked pissing in a tree and gave me powers."

He certainly mixed some memories there, but that wasn’t the most important thing. He tried to remember more, but it hardly came; he gave up.

"Guess it won't do it. I managed to feel the 'portal' opening; can I stimulate that feeling again to get back home?"

He thought this, and then he remembered that he didn't have a staircase to fall on, like in his home. The sun is starting to set; he doesn't have enough time to think about life now; he has to do something!

The flora here is different than usual. He’s afraid of the fauna, as he hasn’t encountered anything yet. Amid his mental chaos, he found a tree. He climbed and then jumped from that tree.

"AWAHAH"

He fell, nothing but a pain in his buttocks. He thought simulating a falling scenario could open that “portal” again, but it proved wrong.

"Guess it hadn’t made it. Time for Plan B."

While he was thinking of how he could make a stair to jump, an ominous lion with eagle front hands and buffalo legs set its sights on Alex, his new prey. All Alex could understand at that time was:

"I am fucked."

Alex started to run frenetically!

The lion jumped at him, but happily, Alex was somehow faster. He has had enough of this for now. He climbed a tree to try resting a little before running again, and then the “lion” broke up the tree base, making Alex fall.

Alex’s body was upside-down. Falling such a distance in that position, he would surely break his. It was something about 40 feet; he would not survive.

Once again, his senses sharpened, and he began pursuing survival at any cost. Every part of his body was working! In a mere 100 milliseconds, he had already made at least a few thousand scenarios. Every single one of them led to his death.

Alex was desperate now.

He had plans to have kids with Alicia, make money, and buy a better house; he couldn't die! He would be the best man for Michael and Jenifer after all.

"I won't die and turn into food for this unnatural being!"

A peak of resolve ran through Alex.

As he was preparing to fight. All of a sudden, a familiar feeling came across his body. He understood it instantly; it felt like a new limb. To move it was like using an arm you broke and spent months to repair, unmoved all the time.

It would usually take its sweet time to work, but Alex understood the feeling, and he made it! The portal opened again, and he crossed it just before hitting the floor.

*Hard noises

Alex fell to the ground, but unlike before, it was familiar now. It was home! Alex was crying—not tears of pain or sadness, but tears of joy!

Alicia had missed work today because Alex hadn’t cooked breakfast. It was abnormal, so she tried to contact him, but nothing. He had just disappeared. Alex's phone was out of signal. They were in LA, so there was no way his phone would vanish all of a sudden.

Alicia was sitting in bed, worried. She was almost calling the police when a hard noise reverberated all across the house. She instantly ran to see what had just happened.

"ALEX!?"

She shouted in surprise.

"Yes, it is me..."

Alex was lying on the floor, all dirty.

In such a state, Alicia saw him, her husband. She jumped at his arms and cried at them. He raised himself quickly, grabbed his wife, and hugged her as hardly softly as he could.

"I am now home, honey."

"You never lose your coolness, do you?"

"No, I never do."

"Hahahaha, like always!"

Both hugged each other. After a few seconds, Alex walked away.

"Dear, where are you going?"

Alicia asked.

"I don't know how to explain this. Call the boys to come here and tell them it is an emergency. Trust me, it is important."

"So, after disappearing for the whole day, missing work, you ask me now to do this?"

"Yes. I'll take a bath; I am all sweaty and dirty after all; it can’t be helped. Also, here’s a small gift for you, honey."

"Oh, a gift?"

Alicia’s worried expression turned into a chuckle instantly; she couldn’t hide it.

Alex took the blue flower he had grabbed from his pockets. It surely had an alien appearance: it was glowing, like a bio-light from algae in the ocean, but in the terrain, just like a plant firefly. Alicia took the flower with a peculiar expression on her face. It was a mixture of amazement and wonder.

"Well... Take your bath, dear; I'll call your friends."

"I love you, honey."

"Me too, but a bit more."

"You know that I love you the most, honey!"

The discussion about who loved each other more continued for more than 5 minutes; it just ended when they both agreed that it was equal.

…

..

2 hours later...

"Harper, Michael. Do you guys remember what happened at the party when I disappeared?"

"No, I don't."

"Neither me"

"Well… Quite unfortunate. You guys won't believe me, but something actually happened there. I got something from that day."

Alex grabbed his suit and weapons from the old days. Harper and Michael looked at each other with amazement and confusion, and while pondering why Alex had those, he threw the guns and clothes at them.

"Be ready in 5 minutes."

"Alright"

They didn’t understand why, but they would be ready anyway.

Harper and Michael are finally wearing their military suit and equipping their guns, even though they don't understand anything about what’s happening.

They were confused, and then Alex just did something absurd.

A “portal” had opened in front of them. It was green, with red lighting on the border. Something you could see only in movies, they looked at Alex, who said:

"Are you ready, guys? We will earn some money!"

Both friends were kind of broke, so after they looked at each other, they accepted. What could go wrong? They trusted Alex with their lives, and he was promising money!

The three friends entered the dimensional rift that Alex had just opened. They walked forward and finally crossed it. A familiar scenario for Alex and an alien one for Michael and Harper appeared. It was a plain horizon with a forest on the left.

"What is this, Alex?"

"I'll explain it now, even if I can’t comprehend it completely."

The gate closed, and the friends established themselves in another world.

...

..

.