Page 27 of Her Immortal Protector

I watch in awe as Akeldama steps forward, his form shimmering and shifting like smoke. One moment he looks like my brother, the next like a creature from the deepest depths of the ocean. It's mesmerizing and unsettling all at once.

With a fluid motion, Akeldama raises his hands. The air around him crackles with energy, making the hair on my arms stand on end. My new vrakken senses heighten the experience, allowing me to feel the magic pulsing through the air like a living thing.

A tear appears in the fabric of reality, slowly widening into a swirling vortex. The portal's edges shimmer with an otherworldly light, colors I've never seen before dancing along its rim. It's beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

"Incredible," I breathe, unable to tear my eyes away from the sight.

This portal feels so different, and I am shocked. I can feel the way it pulses, the way it moves. I feel…connected to it.

Akeldama turns to us, his form settling into something vaguely humanoid but still alien. His voice, when he speaks, seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"Step through," he commands, gesturing towards the portal. "Your new home awaits."

I glance at Christos, seeking reassurance. He nods, squeezing my hand gently. Together, we move towards the portal. The energy emanating from it makes my skin tingle, a mix of excitement and fear coursing through me.

As we near the threshold, I can't help but marvel at the being who created this gateway between worlds. Akeldama stands impassive, his power evident in every line of his ever-shifting form. I wonder briefly what other miracles he's capable of, what other secrets this new world holds.

The first of our group steps through, vanishing in an instant. Others follow, each disappearing into the swirling vortex. Soon, it's our turn. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever lies ahead.

I stumble through the new portal, my head spinning from the rapid transitions. As we emerge, I'm hit with a wave of sensation so intense it nearly knocks me off my feet. The air here is different - thicker, almost syrupy with magic. It pulses around us, a living, breathing entity.

"Welcome to Liiandor," Akeldama announces, his voice carrying an otherworldly resonance.

I try to take in my surroundings, but everything feels overwhelming. The landscape shifts and shimmers, as if reality itself is fluid here. Trees with bark like polished obsidian reach towards a sky swirling with colors I can't even name.

Suddenly, a shout pierces the air. I whirl around, my new reflexes faster than I can process. My jaw drops as I see Nyx, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. Tendrils of light dance between her fingers, coalescing into shapes that defy logic.

Holy shit. Magic. Real, honest-to-god magic.

And then it hits me - I can feel it. The magic isn't just around us, it's inside me. It pulses through my veins, a thrummingenergy that makes me feel more alive than I've ever been. How could I have forgotten this part?

I look down at my hands, half expecting to see sparks dancing across my skin. The power inside me feels barely contained, like I might burst if I don't let it out somehow.

"Christos," I whisper, my voice shaky with awe and a hint of fear. "I can feel it. The magic. It's... it's part of me now."

He nods, his eyes glowing with an inner light I hadn't noticed before. "It takes some getting used to," he says softly. "But you'll learn to control it."

I watch as Nyx continues her magical display, each gesture creating ripples in the fabric of reality around us. The other vrakken look on with varying degrees of familiarity and wonder. I realize I'm at the beginning of a journey I can't even begin to comprehend.

The End

---