The portal shimmered to life in front of us with a low, humming thrum, casting a pale blue glow over the group. One by one, they stepped through—some confidently, others with a hint of hesitation in their eyes.
I followed just after Leo.
Crossing through felt like stepping into ice water. My breath hitched for a second as the world warped around me—sound dulled, vision distorted—and then, just like that, we were on the other side.
The Outer Land.
A sharp wind cut across my face, dry and oddly metallic, carrying with it the scent of scorched earth and something fouler—rot, maybe. The sky was overcast, thick with clouds that pulsed faintly, almost like a heartbeat. The trees—if you could even call them that—were skeletal things twisted into unnatural angles, their bark like flaking obsidian.
"Cheery place," someone muttered behind me.
"Stay sharp," Leo said, scanning the landscape.
