Nexus points.
Some called it the ‘magic shop’ syndrome, where a shop with unusual items would randomly appear in a street-corner, not unlike a fable. An abandoned area, either an abandoned building or somewhere with a lot of space, would suddenly gain a shop that was unlike anything considered ‘normal’ in that dimension. Often the proprietor was the classic ‘wizard’, or sometimes something other than ‘human’… often friendly, well meaning and quite helpful in answering questions. The shop itself would contain wares that were more applicable for a ‘fantasy’ setting.
Of course, news of such shops resulted in numerous police reports, particularly when the items they sold might violate certain laws. Despite their attempts, it was almost as if these strange Nexus spaces as they became to be known as, ‘knew’ how to evade law enforcement. Those that tried to shut them down, would simply find an abandoned building when going inside…
These nexus points were not limited to mere shops, however.
A more ‘friendly’ Nexus point would include bars and restaurants, which appeared happy to serve customers of all kinds appearing where one would expect to find them. Humans from Earth were frequently allowed to mingle with ‘demi-humans’ that appeared native to some kind of ‘parallel Earth’ in various nightclubs, bars, inns, or even discos (From a world where- apparently the 80’s never stopped.) It seemed impossible to contain… and people appeared to enjoy the experience.
With such spaces acting beyond the reach of any governing body, greater efforts were made to shut them down, or prevent people from entering them. Yet once again, all attempts proved to be futile. While the criminal element tried to utilise these areas as a resource, it seemed they ‘did’ operate under… another law, one which they realised it was best not to get caught in.
When leaving a nexus point, the person would find themselves returning back to their own dimension, even if going through a different door. It was theorised there could be an ‘infinite’ number of strange dimensions, each with their own rules and yet- there was also a timer… a person could not linger in a nexus point forever. When the staff members said it was ‘closing’ time, they meant it. If a person refused to leave, the nexus would simply dissolve away without taking them… and they would be returned to their own world unharmed. (Proprietors were generally apologetic about this, and encouraged people to leave of their own free will when it was time…)
Of course, a lot of people wanted to know just ‘what’ was going on. Ambassadors of various governments were found able to access the Nexus points to pose the questions… and the staff- human and non-human alike were generally quite friendly to them, but explained that they had ‘no idea’ either why things were like this. They simply were happy for new customers. To them, it had always been this way. The shop, the bar, the room… whatever it was, always connected to a new world and they were always free to leave… and those who came in, were never the type who might ‘harm’ the status quo. Naturally, the various ambassadors explained that the situation was ‘unacceptable’, and that one needed trading permits to run a business, even if it was somehow ‘multi-dimensional’ mingling… but this was always met with a shrug. Those who ran such places were willing to accommodate to certain standards as best they could, but they couldn’t deny their space to exist… and neither could people be stopped accessing it.
Besides, what harm could it do?
For a while, humans might strike an odd relationship with demi-humans, perhaps even romantic inclinations… and the curiosity or perhaps ‘dangers’ of the Nexus points began to die down.
It became a normal aspect of life, even advertised freely. Humans could finally see there was more than their own world… Many began to see it as a great opportunity to exchange ideas and technology. Technological concepts were often swapped with magical concepts… potions for medicines… yet the rooms were too small to do any ‘big’ trades…
Hospitals would find their closet would suddenly house a ‘mad scientist’ area, eager to help the most helpless of cases… an abandoned house would suddenly become a doorway to another house in another world… to say nothing of old abandoned manors that became ‘real’ haunted houses.
Even schools and colleges were not exempt from this, with common rooms becoming ‘multi-verse’ common rooms and students from different dimensions all somehow interacting with each other. Nexus points tended to expand in colleges, with an entire school sometimes becoming a nexus…
Still, while accessing the dimensional space was theoretically lucrative, many set their sights on accessing the dimensions beyond. Governments and various bodies were interested in exploring this phenomenon to the full extent, accessing the entire worlds that these other people came from… to gain the wealth and material from a new dimension. Could humans someday explore beyond the nexus areas, and see the world where demi-humans came from?
Many tried to find out… and questions were asked… the demi-human races advising ‘caution’. For the most part, people were expected to stay within their own dimensional space, mingling only in these common areas… yet this wasn’t an ‘absolute’ rule. Under certain circumstances, it was possible… and someday humans would see how.
Yet for now, humans enjoyed an expanded world… with new demi-humans to make friends with, in their fractured yet somehow normal world… with magic just within their reach…
