Cracking the Gate

Ethan floated in a strange, mist-filled space, below him stretched a vast, emerald-green lake. Despite the absence of any visible light source, the entire space glowed with an otherworldly brightness.

Scanning his surroundings, Ethan noticed a small island at the lake's center. Curious, he willed his body forward, intending to get a closer look.

Before he could react—

Whoosh!

The space shifted. In an instant, he found himself hovering above the island.

Ethan froze. 'What the hell?'

He tried again. With just a thought, he could instantly teleport anywhere within the space.

Testing the limits, he focused on the misty barrier surrounding the area. A blink later, he was at the edge, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move past it.

"You done messing around?"

A familiar voice boomed through the space.

"…Uh." Ethan hesitated. "Old man, where is this?"

He recognized the voice—it was Morzan.