Adventures into the Unknown #74

Burton Terwilliger VI, a shy modern man who pines for Maria while his rival Tim whisks her away, encounters the mysterious Mr. Jupiter—a bearded stranger who claims to be the ancient god himself and offers an extraordinary bargain: passage through time. When Jupiter shows Burton an enchanted toolshed that can transport him to 1741 to meet his pirate ancestor, Burton Terwilliger I, he leaps at the chance, only to discover that stepping into the past means stepping into his ancestor's life in ways he never anticipated.

Howard Reeves, a Philadelphia engineer with a passion for science fiction, discovers an unusual book at his local library—"The Invasion of Mars" by an author named Ramez, published in the year 2634. When the library mysteriously burns down and his investigation reveals the book doesn't exist in any catalog, was never officially published, and comes from a future date, Howard finds himself caught between believing the impossible and searching for the truth behind this enigmatic volume.

In "The Deserted City," Professor Terence Flemyng wakes from a vivid dream in which he unknowingly triggers the mass abandonment of New York City—only to find unsettling proof that the dream might have been more than just imagination. As he grapples with the lingering unease, strange signs suggest the dream’s events may have left a mark on reality.

Ludwig Brenner arrives at a gypsy encampment with his friend Karl during a hunting trip, only to find himself face to face with a fortune teller who peers into his past—a terrible secret from his wartime years that he's spent a decade trying to bury. As the old woman Marla gazes into her crystal ball, the revelry of the wedding celebration turns sinister, and Ludwig realizes that his past crimes may finally be catching up with him. A haunting tale of guilt and retribution set against the backdrop of post-war Berlin and a chance encounter in the dark woods.