The room shook and trembled, the hum growing louder and more intense. I felt a sense of disorientation, as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling.
Ted's eyes gleamed with excitement, his face alight with a manic energy. "It's happening," he whispered. "The portal is opening."
Ethan grabbed my arm, his eyes locked on Ted. "We have to stop him," he said. "We can't let him control the portal."
But it was too late. The portal was already opening, a swirling vortex of energy that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly power.
I felt a strange sensation, as if I was being pulled towards the portal. Ethan's grip on my arm tightened, and I knew he was feeling it too.
Ted stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the portal. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said, his voice full of awe. "The power of another dimension, at our fingertips."
As we watched, a figure began to take shape within the portal. It was humanoid in form, but its body seemed to shift and writhe like a living thing.
"What is that?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the hum of the portal.
Ethan's eyes were fixed on the figure. "I don't know," he said. "But I think we're about to find out."
The figure began to take on a more defined shape, its features becoming clearer. And as it stepped out of the portal, I felt a sense of horror creeping over me.
It was unlike anything I had ever seen. Its skin was deathly pale, its eyes black as coal. And it seemed to regard us with a cold, calculating gaze.
"Welcome," Ted said, his voice dripping with reverence. "Welcome to our world."
The figure's gaze fell on Ted, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of recognition. But then its eyes moved on, locking onto Ethan and me.
And I knew, in that moment, that our lives would never be the same again.