Lantern light wasn’t needed here—the portal itself glowed with a soft golden shimmer, as if dawn had taken root in the heart of the stone. Two young wizards paused at the threshold, robes brushing the mossy path, staff tapping quietly against the cobbles. The older boy steadied his grip, gaze fixed on the brilliance beyond, while his brother stole a glance back, wide-eyed and unsure. Beside the pumpkins at the arch, a pixie waited with folded wings and a knowing smile, as though she’d been expecting them all along. Beyond the portal lay another world, bright with promise, yet close enough that the forest still whispered at their backs.