The sanctuary had always been a place of peace and renewal, but the atmosphere had never been so tense, so electric with anticipation, as it was now. The residents had gathered in the clearing near the portal, where they waited, hearts heavy with the weight of what was about to happen. Whispers filled the air, the people talking in hushed tones, their gazes constantly shifting to the crimson portal that pulsed with an ominous light.
It all began with a single child. A small, malnourished boy tumbled through the portal, his clothes ragged and his face smudged with dirt. The Verdant Wardens, the first to see him, rushed forward with urgency. Their leader, Flora, had prepared them for this, but nothing could have truly prepared them for the reality of what they were seeing. The boy's eyes were wide with terror, his body trembling with exhaustion and fear.
