The sky fractured above the village, splitting into jagged lines that gleamed like shards of glass in the sunlight. Aric froze, his fingers gripping the edge of the cliff, unable to look away. A chill ran down his spine as pieces of the strange, floating light began drifting toward the earth.
"Aric! Come inside, now!" his mother shouted from below, her voice trembling. Panic threaded her words.
He wanted to obey, but his feet wouldn't move. Something about the scene held him rooted in place—the brilliance of the sky, the unnatural calm in the air before the chaos. Then the first scream pierced through the quiet, and reality struck.
A creature burst from the floating shards above the village—a massive, shadowed form with eyes that glowed amber. It landed in the village square with a deafening crash, scattering villagers in all directions. Horses bolted, carts overturned, and roofs crumbled under the shockwave.
Run!" Aric's mother yelled, grabbing his arm. He stumbled but managed to follow her toward the cottage. Still, the force of the disaster tugged at him, pulling him toward the cliffs' edge as though the world itself had shifted.
The ground trembled violently beneath him, cracking with deep, ominous lines. He stumbled, heart hammering, as the cliffside groaned. And then, without warning, a swirling portal of light opened in the sky. It pulsed, almost alive, and a gentle but irresistible force pulled him upward.
"Aric!" His mother's voice rose in panic, but it was swallowed by the roar of wind and the chaos below. He struggled, but the pull was relentless. Colors twisted around him, the air thick with sound and light.
Then everything gave way. He fell.
When he opened his eyes again, the world was completely different. The sky had shifted to a pale green, dotted with floating islands drifting lazily in the distance. The wind smelled faintly of ozone and something unidentifiable, like metal and rain.
A figure in a dark cloak stood a few paces away, watching him. Calm, measured footsteps approached.
"You're awake," the voice said, smooth and melodic.
Aric's throat went dry. "Where… am I?"
The figure tilted their head, eyes glinting with quiet amusement. "Welcome to the Shattered Realms."