Echoes of Forgotten Wars

The transition through the glowing doorway was like stepping through a curtain of water. For a fleeting moment, Daniel and Mira felt weightless, suspended in a realm where time and space folded in on themselves. Then, with a rush of air, they emerged into an entirely new environment.

The first thing Daniel noticed was the sky—a vast expanse of molten orange streaked with dark clouds, resembling a perpetual dusk. The second was the oppressive heat radiating from the ground beneath their feet, a mix of blackened rock and shimmering lava flows that carved jagged paths through the desolate landscape. Towering spires of stone rose like broken teeth, their surfaces marred with scars of ancient battles.

"This place feels... wrong," Mira murmured, scanning their surroundings with unease.

"Another test?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration. "Does this system ever stop throwing us into life-or-death situations?"