The world had changed dramatically since the portals appeared. Fear and uncertainty had taken over, but the survivors were determined to rebuild their world, no matter the cost. A year had passed, and the portals had disappeared, but nobody knew how long this respite would last.
In the center of the first stronghold, survivors gathered around a bonfire. The sounds of laughter and conversation filled the air, a rare moment of joy in these dark times.
One of the survivors, a young woman named Kiera, sat on a log by the fire. She looked around at her fellow survivors, grateful to be alive, but still afraid of what could happen.
"It's hard to believe we've made it this far," Kiera said, her voice tinged with both sadness and hope.
"I know what you mean," a middle-aged man named Mark replied, taking a seat next to her. "But we've got to keep fighting. We can't let those monsters win."
