Etien's footsteps were too light. Fragile. He walked beside Glen through the portal hall deep inside the palace, his gait barely more than a whisper against the cold stone floor. The chamber was freezing, carved from ancient rock and lit by the faint glow of blue runes encircling the magic circle etched into the ground. The air trembled as Glen activated the seal, and the portal shimmered to life, casting a silvery glow that opened the way to Winterbraun.
Torches lining the walls flickered wildly in the gusts spilling from the reawakened portal. So did the long robes of the mages, still chanting to keep the gateway stable, just enough to carry them across in a single step.
"You holding up?" Glen glanced over, voice low, thick with concern.
