Chapter 19: Beyond the Cosmic Veil

The silence that followed Seraphina's disappearance was deafening. I stood there, paralyzed, the after-image of the vortex still seared into my retinas. The weight of what had just happened pressed down on me like a thousand suns. Seraphina was gone, whisked away to some unknown realm, and the burning void left in her absence threatened to consume me.

Dupree, always one to act, shouted, "We need to find her, now!"

Lysandra, her gaze fixed on the spot where the vortex had been, murmured, "The energy that took her... it's not just from this temple. It's ancient, cosmic even."

Moros, looking equally concerned, added, "We've encountered many energies before, but this... this was different. As if it spanned dimensions."

As the weight of despair threatened to drown me, my father's voice cut through, filled with determination, "We can't stand here pondering. We must act. Seraphina is strong; she'll hold on. But it's up to us to find a way to bring her back."

I nodded, pushing through the haz