Karl stared at the numbers in disbelief, his eyes fixed on the softly glowing blue portal in front of him. "Only zero point zero zero one percent? Are you kidding me?" he muttered, frustration heavy in his voice. But he knew complaining wouldn't change anything. The portal was his first step out of this nightmare.
Carefully, he stepped toward the portal. The air around it shimmered slightly, and each step felt like he was walking on an invisible spiderweb. The portal's blue light enveloped him, making him feel as though he was crossing into an unseen boundary between worlds.
As he passed through, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him, followed by a crushing weight on his body. When his vision cleared, he realized he was somewhere completely different—somewhere far stranger.
The sky above was dark and swirling, like ink dissolving in water. Buildings floated around him, their structures constantly shifting, folding, and reshaping like malleable clay being kneaded endlessly.
