Some world elsewhere

He pulled on the lever. A spark ran through the wires to the boiler and flames erupted underneath it. Steam flowed trough the pipes to pistons in the heart of the machine that began to rotate an array of gears. The device picked up momentum until the two large rings began to spin and the runes along the rings started glowing. A speck of light appeared in the centre of the two rings. It grew brighter and larger as the whole room began to shake under the might of the apparatus. When it reached full working speed the centre of the orb of light opened up to to the cosmos and I could focus on the stars beyond it.

"Esterdell," he called out, barely audible past the drone of the machine. "Are you sure about jumping in again? You don't know what lies on the other side."

The portal began to suck air into itself. A few loose pages fly off my desk and vanish beyond the event horizon. I lean back to steady myself against the winds.

"Indeed, there could be hell itself on the other side." I put my hand on my chin, weighing up the risks again. "But must I remind you; I'm jumping in to learn. The answer to everything, everywhere can't be found on just our world, that is why I am going through with this."

"The answers you bring still don't give us the whole picture and you never bring anything back but scars. Why do you risk your life again?"

The winds have picked up significantly as I begin to slide closer to it. I grab hold of the railing and lean back more.

"You still don't see it? Don't worry, soon you will see for yourself the beauty of adventure and learning. Until then you have to stay here, practicing. How many days did you say I had?"

"One hundred and fifty days. In less than that time you have to come back."

"And why is that? Come on, we studied this, you know the answer."

"The uhm... the worlds are... they drift apart. One hundred and fifty three days and a connection can no longer be established, subtract three for caution."

"That's correct."

I drop down and sling my backpack over one shoulder. I grab the railing with both hands and start to slide my hands along the rail and shuffle closer. I lean one of my hands into the portal. Beyond it I could feel nothing. I pull back to see my hand still intact. I look over my shoulder to my student. He was looking down to the monitor in front of him. He then looked up to me with a worried expression that I have seen all too often. He threw his hands up and waved furiously and I returned a final wave goodbye as let go of the rail and get sucked into the portal. I sense my body being turned to dust as it is sent flying through oblivion. The familiar aura of my world becomes more distant as a new type of magic embraces me coldly. I ease my mind to be ready for the realm ahead.