The portal's swirling vortex spat them out like discarded refuse, and Liam's boots slammed onto weathered wooden planks before his stomach could even settle. Wind whipped across the narrow bridge, carrying the thunderous roar of a waterfall crashing hundreds of feet below. Mist clung to his skin, cold and sharp, while thick jungle pressed in from both sides—towering trees draped in vines, distant bridges swaying like spider silk between massive trunks, and, far in the distance, a city built into the canopy itself, glowing faintly with lanterns and strange, pulsing lights.
'Not exactly the vacation spot I had in mind,' Liam thought, heart hammering. He tightened his grip on the rope railing, knuckles white. Laila stumbled beside him, her usual confident grace replaced by a shaky step. Ast and the others pressed close, eyes wide.
Before anyone could speak, the ground trembled. A guttural roar ripped through the trees—deep, hungry, and far too close.
