As I stood at the edge of the teleportation portal, a wave of energy hummed through the air, filling me with an electric anticipation. I glanced at Lise and Zaya, both wearing expressions that mirrored my own a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
The portal wasn't just a gateway; it pulsed with swirling colors and light, like a nebula compressed into a single doorway.
This was it, the start of the tournament we'd been preparing for, and the beginning of something far larger than anything I'd ever imagined.
"Ready?" Zaya asked, her voice betraying only the slightest hint of hesitation as she gripped the straps of her pack.
Lise nodded, her eyes fixed on the portal. She looked calm, but I could sense the undercurrent of tension in her posture. I took a deep breath, giving a small nod. I'd done my best to prepare for this, but nothing could have readied me for the enormity of what lay on the other side.
