Amberine felt herself being pulled through the portal, her entire body weightless, spinning uncontrollably in a void of brilliant light and swirling magic. The sensation was dizzying, disorienting, as if the ground had disappeared beneath her and she was suspended in a boundless emptiness. She wanted to scream, but no sound escaped her lips—the rush of the portal overwhelmed everything else, and she couldn't do anything but brace herself for wherever she would end up.
Suddenly, the sensation changed. She felt a jarring tug, followed by a rush of cold air, and before she could even comprehend what was happening, she was flung out of the portal. She hit the ground hard, her back slamming against a solid surface with a dull thud that knocked the breath out of her. A pained groan slipped from her lips as she winced, her eyes squeezing shut in response to the sharp ache that shot up her spine.
