The world around Raghav spun violently. A surge of wind and light blinded him, and he stumbled through the portal, landing hard on rocky ground. His breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to regain his bearings. The air was thick with the scent of wild beasts and unfamiliar plants. It was no longer Varanasi, no longer his world.
He looked up. The sky was a strange shade of indigo, and towering mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks lost in a foggy haze. The land before him seemed wild and untamed.
"What is this place?" Raghav muttered, his voice barely audible against the eerie silence that surrounded him.
A soft growl echoed from behind him.
Raghav spun around, his heart leaping in his chest. From the shadows emerged a massive wolf. It was unlike anything he had ever seen—its fur was a brilliant red, streaked with gold, glowing faintly under the light of the strange moon above. Its eyes were a piercing blue, glowing with an otherworldly light.
The wolf was staring directly at him, and Raghav could feel its gaze cutting into his soul. It wasn't just a beast. It was something more—something regal.
Before he could react, the wolf stepped forward, its massive form looming over him. But instead of attacking, the wolf tilted its head slightly, as if inspecting him.
Then, out of nowhere, a figure appeared—a man, tall and broad-shouldered, with a piercing gaze. His clothes were simple but functional, a mix of leather and fur. The man spoke, his voice deep and commanding.
"You're not from here, are you?" The stranger's words had the weight of someone who had seen countless strange things.
Raghav struggled to speak, his mind racing. "Where... where am I?"
"Dominion," the man replied, with an almost imperceptible smile. "And that wolf is Nyra, the Queen of the Silverfang Pack."