Lana blinked in shock and turned to him.
"The first?"
"Only a handful of people ever saw it," Axel continued. "One of them was a painter. After creating this work, he died under mysterious circumstances."
Lana fell silent, studying the canvas more carefully.
"What if this isn't just a painting?" she asked slowly. "What if it wasn't… shown exactly as it appeared?"
Axel smiled faintly.
"The museum verified the background thoroughly. Survivors of the first wave confirmed that the portal looked exactly like this."
Lana frowned slightly. 'Strange… the ghost portals I've seen in recordings and even in my previous life were black, not blue. Those felt ominous. This one feels… mesmerizing.'
She did not voice that thought and moved on.
The next exhibit was a portrait of a man.
Lana tilted her head toward Axel, silently asking for an explanation.
Axel laughed at her curious expression.
"This," he said, "is the first person who entered that portal."
Lana nodded.
