Luca didn't wait for the food to be prepared.
The moment he stepped out of Flame Burger, he ducked into the nearest alleyway, far from prying eyes and smartphone cameras.
The last thing he needed was footage of a man in medieval-leather-straps opening a glowing portal circulating across the internet. That was a headache he simply didn't have time for.
The portal shimmered into existence and he stepped through without hesitation.
—
When he emerged on the other side, the world had transformed entirely.
Gone were the concrete towers and the endless stream of pedestrians staring at their phones.
Instead, Luca found himself standing in a valley that belonged on postcards and in daydreams.
Rolling green hills stretched out in every direction, their slopes dotted with wildflowers in shades of purple and gold.
Old trees stood sentinel here and there, their branches spreading wide against a sky so blue it almost hurt to look at.
