Chapter 103: Echoes of the Rift

The world spun around Louis and Amelia as they tumbled through the shimmering blue portal. Disorientation gave way to a jolt as they landed hard on the cold, familiar lab floor. The smell of burning metal and singed electronics filled the air, a stark contrast to the ethereal beauty of Aethel. Louis groaned, his body protesting the harsh landing. He pushed himself up, wincing at the throbbing pain in his arm. The lab was a scene of utter devastation. Debris littered the floor, equipment lay smashed, and the containment field crackled erratically, a gaping hole replacing the once-shimmering Pandora vortex. His gaze darted around, searching for the creature. Relief flooded him when he saw no sign of it. But the relief was short-lived. "Amelia!" he cried, a surge of panic gripping him as he realized she wasn't beside him. Scrambling to his feet, he called her name again, his voice echoing through the ravaged lab. No answer. Hope began to dwindle, replaced by a cold fear. Ha