A scientist experimenting with time-travel technology accidentally stumbles upon a time portal in a historical period, where they must navigate through the past to stop a secret society from using the portals for their own gain, only to become stranded in the past and forced to make a new life, until they discover a hidden message revealing a way to create a new time portal and return home.
Protagonist: A scientist experimenting with time-travel technology; Antagonist: A member of a secret society in the historical period who wants to keep the existence of time portals hidden and sees the protagonist as a threat.
The protagonist discovers the true intentions of the secret society and must navigate through the historical period to find a way to stop them from using the time portals for their own gain, while also trying to find a way back to their own time.
In the climax, the protagonist successfully sabotages the secret society's plans and destroys the time portal, preventing them from using it for their own gain. However, in the process, the protagonist is unable to find a way back to their own time and is left stranded in the historical period. The novel ends with the protagonist coming to terms with their new reality and deciding to make the most of their situation, using their knowledge to make a positive impact in the past.
Twist: As the protagonist comes to terms with their new reality, they discover a hidden message from a fellow time-traveler, revealing a way to create a new time portal and return home.