Eric didn't remember falling. He didn't remember landing. All he knew was the hard, biting cold that hit the side of his face the exact time he opened his eyes. His body tumbled across smooth marble, rolling until he came to a stop near a glowing red pillar.
He groaned softly and pushed himself up. "Who the hell dropped me that hard?" he whispered.
His vision cleared. And after taking in the surroundings, he froze.
This place… wasn't anything like the wild forest he had just left.
Towering red pillars rose toward a ceiling so high it seemed to float in the clouds. Strange glowing threads ran along the pillars, pulsing slowly and out of pattern. The walls shimmered faintly, almost like they were made of crystal, but thicker… stronger… unreal. The floor beneath him was smooth and polished, reflecting the soft crimson light that filled the whole chamber.
It felt like standing inside a giant heart.
