"Move it! Get the MIT and Stanford anomaly teams in here now!"
"Where's the FCC tech team? Is NASA on the line?!"
"Mobilize CIA and NSA—full clearance protocols are active. Confirm if this signal is originating from within our dimension!"
"The President is on-site. He is waiting."
The Capital — A subterranean command center beneath a federal law enforcement headquarters.
Inside the ultra-secure facility codenamed "PRISM," the staccato shrieks of secured telephones and encrypted comm alerts pierced the air. Figures in military uniforms and dark suits moved with sharp, urgent purpose.
One hour earlier, the bizarre report—and the accompanying luminous white dragon ring—had been fast‑tracked through an emergency joint dispatch by the Domestic Security Agency, the FBI Director, and the National Security Advisor, landing directly on the President's desk in the Executive Office.
Now, the central command station was no longer occupied by an agency head.
It was held by National Security Advisor James Keller.
And observing from just behind his shoulder stood the President.
James Keller was tasked with coordinating what could become humanity's first "Trans‑Dimensional Contact Event"—a crisis poised to shatter established scientific paradigms.
Live feeds of several generals, the Deputy Director of the CIA, and the Director of National Intelligence glowed on peripheral monitors, each face etched with grim focus.
"Mr. President, final verification is complete," a senior intelligence officer reported, his voice tight. "All data has been cross‑referenced. Global monitoring networks and space‑based sensors show no point of origin. It's… like a 'spatial null.' There's nothing on the other end. Or it exists outside our cosmological framework."
Professor Lawrence Field of MIT, a preeminent authority in contemporary theoretical physics, adjusted his glasses with a faint tremor in his hand. He addressed Keller and the assembled leadership—both in the room and on screen:
"What we are confronting is a novel, unknown form of interaction. The energy signature from the ring matches no existing physical model. If what the young man calls 'magic' is real… it likely constitutes a high‑order energy capable of locally warping spacetime."
He paused, delivering his conclusion in a tone that fought for steadiness yet carried an unmistakable tremor.
"This is not a communicator… It is an 'Anchor.' A 'Quantum‑Entangled Singularity' of impossible stability—bridging two realms governed by different physical laws. In theory, given a sufficiently powerful resonant energy input… it could transmit information. And potentially… matter."
A dead silence swallowed the room, broken only by the persistent low hum of machinery.
Matter transmission. The implication hung in the air, clear to everyone present. This was no longer just about communication. It meant the potential to pull something from another reality into ours—or to send something from our world into the unknown.
Advisor Keller's gaze shifted toward the President standing behind him.
The President's expression was stern, unwavering. His eyes finally locked on the central display—where the faintly luminous White Dragon Ring hovered silently inside its armored containment unit.
After a measured pause, the President gave a crisp, deliberate nod to Advisor Keller.
Keller turned to face the encrypted video feeds of the nation's top leadership.
"Gentlemen," Keller's voice carried through secure channels to every senior official. "Based on verified and incontrovertible evidence, we have reached a preliminary assessment: Mr. David Miller is located in an unidentified dimension or universe and is facing imminent, mortal danger. He currently controls the only known stable trans‑dimensional conduit."
"The President has authorized me to lead initial contact and crisis response. Our operating principles are clear: First, secure the safety of our citizen. Second, contain all information—absolute compartmentalization. Third, evaluate both risks and strategic potential."
He then pivoted sharply toward the operations console, his command clean and unequivocal.
"Stabilize the comm channel. Prepare for the President to establish direct contact and address Mr. David Miller personally."
A moment later, Keller personally fitted the President with a specially encrypted earpiece. The President drew a steadying breath, then spoke. His voice was calm, authoritative, laced with an unmistakable undercurrent of command.
"David Miller."
"You know who this is."
"Your status is known at the highest level."
"You are not alone."
[The World of Magic]
Inside the Magic Crystal Mine, David stood rooted to the spot.
Was that… the President?
The weight behind those words stole the breath from his lungs.
The President's voice continued, clipped and direct:
"Our top scientific assessment confirms the ring can transmit matter, given adequate energy. We understand the severity of your situation."
"Now—specify what you need and how you plan to initiate the transfer. We will deploy every available resource to support you in the shortest possible window."
"Your country is behind you, David. All of it."
David's heart pounded against his ribs. A wave of emotion—hope, awe, crushing pressure—surged through him, hot and dizzy.
His grip tightened around the dark purple Magic Crystal in his hand; the faint energy within the ore seemed to shiver in reply.
"Mr. President!" David's voice was rough with feeling, but the words came fast and clear. "I need two things: a high‑power, military‑grade hydraulic breaching tool, one that works in tight mine shafts. And a sidearm—a Desert Eagle .50 caliber or equivalent—with three full combat loads of ammunition."
"I have a mana‑charged crystal here. I'll try to channel all of its energy into the ring to power the transfer. In ten minutes exactly, I'll signal again with the transmission coordinates—the energy focal point."
"If the gear comes through, I can mine enough to survive tomorrow."
[Earth]
"Copy that." The President's reply held zero hesitation. "Supplies are mobilized. Hold the ring stable. We sync in ten."
The President cut the link and turned to the operations team.
"Contact the Army Research Lab. Pull the latest 'Sapper's Hammer' compact breaching tool—plus a .50 AE Desert Eagle and ammo. Get it all here. Now."
The full weight of the state, authorized at the highest level, began to turn—all for one citizen stranded in a world of magic.
[The World of Magic]
In the dim mine, David let out a long, slow breath he hadn't known he was holding. The President's voice had anchored him, turning paralyzing panic into blade‑sharp focus.
He placed the faintly glowing Magic Crystal directly before the Black Dragon Ring. From what he had gleaned of the transfer rules, proximity was essential for channeling energy. His eyes remained locked on the ring while his mind raced—mentally replaying fragments of an online safety manual for a hydraulic drill.
Ten minutes.
Every second counted. He focused his will, as if urging the dormant magic within the crystal toward the ring. The air between the two objects began to waver, shimmering with a visible heat‑shimmer.
Just hold on, he told himself, the miner's lamp on his helmet casting a swaying wedge of light across the rough wall. Hold on for ten more minutes. Exactly.