The moment the Gate swallowed them, the world changed.
Sunlight vanished.
The salty ocean breeze disappeared, replaced by damp air that stank of rotting flesh and wet stone. Ethan felt space twist around him again before his feet struck solid ground.
He steadied himself and looked up.
An enormous underground structure stretched before him. Jagged rock formations jutted from the walls, while ancient stone pillars supported a ceiling lost in darkness. Crude bridges connected platforms carved into the cavern walls, crossing chasms so deep that their bottoms were invisible.
Reddish light seeped through cracks in the stone, illuminating heaps of bones and abandoned weapons.
Somewhere in the distance, something shrieked.
Ethan wrinkled his nose.
'Well, California certainly knows how to welcome visitors.'
But he was relieved.
'No gate takeover, the gate is still there, and Mark seems fine.'
He looked at the tall man.
'Well, mostly fine.'
