The day had finally arrived.
A low hum of excitement filled the air as the first-year students gathered in the training hall. The massive space, usually reserved for military personnel, was lined with towering metal beams and reinforced walls, a constant reminder of the academy's strict discipline. The scent of polished steel and old sweat clung to the air, mixing with the faint energy radiating from the portals that had been pushed to the sides of the hall.
In the center of the hall stood a single green portal, swirling with an eerie glow. Its surface shimmered like liquid glass, distorting the space around it, pulling at the senses of those who dared to look too long.