Chapter 116: A Slithering Start

No sooner had Johan stepped out of the portal than the biting cold of the tundra gave way to the gentle warmth of the sun. The ground beneath his feet morphed from hard ice to the soft embrace of golden sand. Massive dunes stretched as far as his eyes could see, undulating like a vast ocean turned to earth.

'This is... unexpected,' Johan pondered, the sand slipping through his fingers as he crouched to examine it. 'From ice to sand in the blink of an eye. Frogenheim is certainly full of surprises.'

Off in the distance, he spotted what looked like a mirage – a faint shimmering silhouette, dancing at the edge of his vision. "Is that... a city?" he whispered aloud, squinting to get a better look.

The desert's stillness was oppressive, broken only by the occasional whisper of wind. It carried with it the scent of ancient earth and hidden secrets. The vast emptiness and the profound silence seemed to weigh heavily on Johan's shoulders.