"Ladies and gentlemen, my sincerest gratitude for you joining me here. Today, I will present to you my thesis on the effect of void pressure on the distribution of alternate dimensions. My name is Kenneth Forthright. Joining me today is my colleague, Mage Sarah Spode, who will be assisting me with my demonstrations."
Kenneth motions to Sarah, who stands beside him. Between the two of them standing there in magi cloaks, and the large number of strange magical devices behind them, it is almost surreal to look at.
"As you may know, the theoretical implications of alternate dimensions are vast. It is predicted that they can have physical laws entirely different from our own, from different rules of crafting to distortions of space and time themselves. In addition, they may be home to materials and living things we have not yet discovered. The implications for the advancement of our infrastructure and technology are vast.
"Hell was proven real just seven years ago by Clayold et. al, but there has still been debate over whether Hell is actually a separate dimension, or some other place in our own world. As part of our first demonstration, we will open a gate to Hell."
Sarah rummages inside her pocket. "Um... we have a problem."
"What is it?" Kenneth asks.
"I seem to have misplaced the flint and steel."
Kenneth smiles. "That won't be necessary. I'll light it myself."
Silver sparks jump from Kenneth's fingers and coalesce into a ball, which he unleashes upon the base of the rectangular obsidian frame. In an instant, a black bubble expands and covers the inner edges of the frame. There are iridescent stars moving within the surreal nighttime blackness, in contrast to the light in the rest of the lecture hall.
"The interface is the wrong color," Sarah states, her brows clenched in confusion.
"Indeed," says Kenneth, grinning widely. "I seem to have lit the portal with void fire by accident." Kenneth turns to face the audience. "Change of plans everyone! We may have just discovered another dimension, and we will use the techniques we prepared to prove whether or not it is a dimension separate from our own!"
Kenneth and Sarah begin organizing some equipment. There is some excited chatter.
Then, a strange, unearthly sound like breaking glass in reverse echoes through the room. The chatter silences.
"I just saw a dark, tall figure with glowing eyes..." one audience member says behind me.
"Kenneth, I don't like this. Close the portal immediately," orders Miner.
"I don't know how..." Kenneth says as he probes the inside of the starry night portal with his hand.
"I'll get a pickaxe," announces Sarah as she walks away.
Suddenly another unearthly sound, similar to the first, echoes behind me. My back shivers. Two beings scream in unison. I jump up from my chair and Miner grabs me, pulling me away as fast as he can run. I look behind me and see a tall humanoid creature, with a bald head and no clothes. Its skin is black and its body is thin. My heart is pounding. People run away from it in all directions, except for the one who lays beneath the creature. I hardly get a glimpse of them before Miner pulls me around a corner through a door.
I know without a doubt that whatever that monster was, it was not from this world. If there are as many dimensions as Kenneth says there are, there are surely many other monsters.
There is another scream.
Miner's run comes to a stop.
"Where is Kenneth?" Miner demands.
I turn around and see Sarah and two other adults who I do not recognize. Sarah appears frustrated.
"He left through the northeast entrance," says Sarah.
"What in Hell's fire was that creature? Did Kenneth know about it?" demands Miner.
"Not to my knowledge," says Sarah.
"Has such a portal ever been created before?" asks Miner.
"I don't know."
"I must speak to Kenneth. Get that pickaxe!"
Miner runs with me behind him through a hall. Kenneth stands leaning against a wall, gazing at a closed door leading to the lecture hall of his presentation.
"Kenneth, what have you done?" Miner demands.
"It was an accident, I swear," insists Kenneth.
"I don't care if it was an accident. Explain what you did, why you did it, and what you saw." Miner's tone is urgent.
"I lit the portal with void magic by accident. It was a slip of concentration. There was a tall, black creature. I don't know what it was or where it came from, but it seemed to fade in and out of existence in an instant."
"Given the fact that no such creature has ever been witnessed, we must conclude that the creature came from the portal," Miner says.
Miner turns to face a red-robed woman who just walked up to us.
"What is it, Arch-Mage Steelback?" inquires Miner.
"Arch-Mage Waystream is dead, three of us are injured, and the beast is dead. Is it safe to dismantle the portal frame?"
"Yes, have Mage Spode do it at once!"
"Understood." Steelback leaves us.
"Notch bless Waystream; he was a good man," Miner notes solemnly. He turns to Kenneth. "Kenneth, I don't know what I would do if you were killed!"
"Neither would I," I say.
Kenneth smiles sadly at me.
"Don't pull any more improvisations from here on out. Stick to the plan," orders Miner. "You only have one thesis and one chance to prove yourself. Don't let my training of you be in vain."