Chapter 3 A New World

Suddenly, the portal opened, and Lara waved goodbye to her mother and father before stepping into it. A powerful force pulled her deep into the alternate universe, causing her to plummet towards the earth. As she descended, she screamed, and upon impact, an explosion ensued. Curiously, a group of young adults who were spending time with their parents on an island witnessed the extraordinary sight-a falling object followed by an explosion. They hurried towards the scene, only to discover a young woman lying on the ground, similar in age to them. Intrigued, they wondered if she was an alien.

Their parents followed closely behind and were equally astonished to find a royal-looking young woman in their midst. They cautiously approached her, touching her to check for signs of life. Lara opened her eyes, amazed that her fall had ceased. She stood up and gazed at the bewildered family before her.

"Who are you?" Stella asked.

"I am Lara," she replied.

"Mom, you should be asking 'What are you?'" Jane interjected.

"What happened to you? Did you just fall from the sky and survive? Who are you?" Max questioned.

"Once again, Dad, listen to Jane. You should be asking 'What are you?'" Collins added.

Lara realized she needed to come up with a plausible explanation to avoid alarming them. Revealing herself as a goddess from another universe would not be the best approach.

"Yes, I fell from the sky. No, I'm not what you're thinking. I'm just fortunate to still be alive," Lara responded, carefully choosing her words.

"Will you come with us? It would not be right to leave you out here," Stella offered.

"Yes, I will," Lara accepted.

Lara followed them to their campsite, lost in her thoughts as they walked through the forest. She couldn't help but think about home and how she would survive in this new world into which she had fallen.

After Lara had traversed the portal to the alternate universe, Zara couldn't hold back her tears, causing the clouds to release a torrential downpour upon the mortals below. The subjects of King Arthur pleaded with him through prayers, bewildered by the abnormal rainfall during a non-rainy season. Arthur, hearing their desperate pleas, approached Zara with a heavy heart, unsure of how to console her.

"Please, my Queen, calm yourself. The people beseech me to stop this rain. You are the goddess of the clouds, and they weep when you weep. Cease your tears, my love, lest our people drown in the ocean of your sorrow," Arthur implored.

Upon hearing Arthur's words, Zara yearned more than ever to see her daughter. She wiped away her tears, and the clouds ceased their weeping. Zara activated the universal set to catch a glimpse of her daughter. Arthur joined her, gazing at the screen that displayed their daughter sitting amongst humans in the forest. Seeing Lara safe and unharmed, and realizing that the people of Earth treated her with kindness, brought Zara a sense of relief.

"You see now that there is nothing to worry about," Arthur said softly.

"Yes, I see. Forgive me, my Lord. Sometimes, I forget that I am a goddess," Zara confessed, remorseful.

She knelt before Arthur, who was already seated upon his throne. Arthur, witnessing her act of submission, marveled at the woman who revered him just like a subject, despite being his beloved.

"Come, my lovely wife, sit with me. Let us watch our daughter a little longer before retiring to our chambers," Arthur suggested.

While Lara's parents observed her through the universal set, she felt an eerie presence watching her from afar. Rising from her seated position, she startled Max and his family, who noticed her sudden change in demeanor, as if fleeing from an unseen pursuer. Lara scanned her surroundings, attempting to discern who was observing her. Insecurity and fear gripped her, unsure of the magical forces or beings that might be spying on her. She closed her eyes, seeking respite. Just then, Collins moved closer to examine her, when they all heard a noise.

"Mom, Dad, did you hear that?" Collins asked, alarmed.

Stepping away from Lara, whose eyes remained shut, Max signaled for them to stay put while he investigated the source of the sound. As he disappeared from their sight, a piercing scream echoed through the forest. Stella trembled with fear, while Jane and Collins tried to break free from their mother's grip.

"Mom, let go! We need to find Father and leave this place. I told you it wasn't safe," Jane urged.

"How can we be sure that whatever took Father is not after Lara?" Collins added.

Their astonishment grew as they realized Lara was no longer seated on the log.

"Did any of you see where she went?" Stella asked, bewildered.

"No, Mom, she was here just a second ago. How could she disappear without us noticing?" Jane replied.

"Where could she be?" Stella pondered.

As they contemplated Lara's whereabouts, she opened her eyes and discovered she had become invisible to them. She desperately tried to make herself visible, running toward Max, who was being dragged away by menacing creatures. Max witnessed the attackers being beaten by an invisible force wielding a branch. Astonished, they dropped him and fled in terror. Max, his legs still bound, watched in silence as the chains inexplicably broke free. In haste, he raced back to his family.

"Let's get out of here!" Max shouted upon seeing his wife and children.

"Thank God you're safe. What happened?" Stella asked, relieved.

"This island is perilous. There are man-eating creatures lurking here. I was fortunate to be saved by some unknown power," Max explained.

"We can't leave without Lara. We have to find her," Stella insisted.

Meanwhile, Lara, having reached Max family just in time before Max's return, tried to make herself visible again. Fortunately, Jane caught sight of her but couldn't fathom how she had appeared without making a sound.

"Mom, she's already here. How did you get here without us noticing?" Jane exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I went to relieve myself," Lara replied.

"Don't scare us like that again, okay? You had us really worried," Stella scolded gently.

"Now that Lara is here, let's hurry and leave this place," Max urged.

Jane felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of returning home. The forest had never been her preference; she longed for electricity and an Internet connection. She eagerly anticipated their departure. They gathered their belongings and loaded them into the car. Lara, unfamiliar with human ways, observed their packing and the car itself with curiosity.

"What is this strange thing you've all entered?" Lara asked innocently.

"Oh my goodness, you don't know what a car is?" Jane exclaimed.

"No, I don't," Lara admitted.

"It's called a car, Lara. Please get inside so we can leave this place," Max explained.

Lara obediently entered the car and was amazed to see it moving swiftly without the need for their legs. Her joy was palpable, leading Max and Stella to believe that she might have lost her memory due to the fall from the sky.