"Nāgāntaka, get down here. There's a Realm Gate on that island," Taufik commanded, his voice sharp with urgency.
The Garuda, Nāgāntaka, tilted his head in acknowledgement and began to descend, gliding through the mist-laced skies.
The island below them looked nothing like anything from Earth; it floated amidst an ocean of swirling aether, its jagged cliffs pulsing faintly with bioluminescent veins.
The trees resembled twisted sculptures, with leaves like glass and bark that shimmered in shifting hues.
Ethereal creatures skittered across the ground, leaving glowing trails behind them.
Everything on the island felt wrong, alien, as though nature had been rewritten by an unknown hand.
But just before they could touch down, Taufik raised his hand and gave Nāgāntaka a firm pat on the back.
"...Stop"
Nāgāntaka halted mid-flight, wings beating steadily to keep them hovering.
"...Is there a problem, Master?"
