The light faded to reveal a shimmering portal floating in the air about three feet to Nova's left. Through the circular opening, they could see what appeared to be a bustling coffee shop, complete with the familiar sounds of espresso machines and casual conversation.
"Perfect!" Nova exclaimed, her face lighting up with triumph. "I made us an exit!"
Marcus squinted at the portal, his enhanced Hybrid senses picking up details that weren't immediately obvious. "Nova," he said slowly, "why can I smell... tentacles?"
Before anyone could answer, a massive purple tentacle emerged from the portal, followed by what sounded like a very polite voice ordering a "venti half-caff interdimensional latte with extra foam and a shot of liquid starlight."
"Ah," Samantha said with the kind of calm that came from accepting that her life had become a series of increasingly bizarre events. "That would be a cosmic Starbucks."
