Michael’s lifeless body fell down at the witch’s feet. She turned around and looked at the stones. As Michael’s blood seeped into the ground, the stones began lighting up, one by one, until the entire circle glowed. The moment had finally come.

Gwynn had spent so much of her time, lusting after this ultimate power, planning out the entire thing, that whatever humanity she had before had transformed her into some kind of a monster. The transition was gradual. At first she had spent a lot of time researching into portals, as more of a curiosity and a past time. But then when she began to realize the power to be gained, and the power would only be hers to harness — she became transfixed with the possibility of being the most powerful witch in the realm. It was too much to pass up. That’s why as she stood there, surrounded by the two dead bodies of Ardwyn and Michael, she hardly felt any remorse or guilt. They were just tools to aid in her purpose. Her desire for power had turned into an ever consuming bloodlust.

In eager anticipation she awaited what would happen next. She looked around studying each of the stones carefully. The stones began glowing and pulsating with some sort of a rhythm, until the light shone brighter than ever before. Then the energies of the stones shot out into the center, all of the stones combining into a sphere of energy, growing larger and larger, until bursting out into an oval portal.

It had happened. The Nexus portal finally stood unlocked. The ancient books said that whoever had then first went through this portal, would attain the ultimate power to open portals throughout worlds.

Her time had come. She readied herself, and brushed her hair out of her face. She stood up straight, and felt the pride of being the first to walk through the portal. It was right there, almost calling to her. She had forgotten the rest of the world around her, fixated on this one singular goal.

She slowly walked toward the portal, excited what would happen next as she crossed over.

As she was about to touch the edge of the portal, a figure emerged. It was a man wearing a black robe, with dark long hair. He had a serious look in his eyes.

“At last,” he said walking out of the portal. Behind him the portal shut down and disappeared into the night.

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Gwynn’s face grew pale. The portal had closed. She was supposed to be the first one to walk through the portal. Who was this person and how had he managed to walk through the portal at this very instant?

“Who are you?” Gwynn asked him.

“Waraheim,” he said. “The time has finally come. I've been trapped in the portal’s edge for a thousand long years.”

Waraheim stretched out his arms, and legs as if he had not used them in a while.

Gwynn felt a great fury. She didn’t care who this person was, or what their story was. How dare did he go through the portal before her. She was going to unleash her worst on him. She clenched her fists.

“What is going on here —“ Waraheim said as he noticed the scene of the dead bodies laying before him.

Gwynn was ravaged with rage now. She used both of her hands to cast her most powerful spell and shot it directly at Waraheim, taking him off his feet and throwing his body at one of the large stones behind him. Gwynn did not expect anyone to survive that kind of impact. That’s why she was surprised when Waraheim started to laugh as his body fell backwards on the stone.

He kept laughing even louder.

She didn’t like being laughed at. Especially not under these circumstances. She cast another spell, which threw Waraheim’s body to the other side of the stones, this time slamming him down even harder. It was not possible for a mere mortal to survive this kind of blow.

But Waraheim just got up, and dusted off the dirt from his robe. “I’m only going to ask you one question,” he said. “Answer truthfully and I may let you live.”

Gwynn was curious who this person was. She had never seen anyone who would be able to withstand one of her powerful spells.

Waraheim’s expression turned serious. “Forgive me, but I have been locked on the edge of time for over a thousand years. Feels good to laugh again. Feels good to breathe again. Feels good to be alive again.”

He took a deep breath of air, and raised his head to the stars, closing his eyes for a moment of silence.

“Now, like I said,” Waraheim continued. “I will ask you only one time. Growing old has not granted me a lot of patience.”

Gwynn nodded at him, recognizing his power. She wondered what he would ask her.

“What happened here?” Waraheim said and paused, showing no emotion.

Gwynn studied the situation carefully. She considered how to twist the truth in her favor. “They tried to attack me,” she said, faking the pain in her voice. “These two dragged me here to the portal to activate it, and then tried to kill me. In self defense I killed them. They left me no choice.”

“Witch,” Waraheim said slowly, his expression turning grave. “There are far more powerful things than you in the nether realm. Things that have been sleeping for a long time, waiting to be released.”