*Swoosh!*
As soon as Soren entered the portal, he felt his body pulled through a narrow, suffocating passage, as if the world itself was rejecting his presence, before he felt the gravity return.
*Thud!*
Soren landed lightly on the ground and immediately lifted his head; his eyes scanning the field around in extreme alert.
Fortunately, this time, the place they appeared wasn't the nest of some monster.
Rather, Soren saw that they had arrived in a barren land, an endless stretch of cracked earth scattered with broken ruins and uneven stone structures beneath a dull, lifeless sky.
Even the air felt dry and heavy, carrying a faint metallic scent. It gave the impression of an ancient, abandoned battlefield.
Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.
A brief second passed before Evan, Aurelia, Sylvia, and Aria appeared right behind Soren, their figures slightly tense.
Only after confirming that the area was clear did they breathe a sigh of relief.
