Chapter 85. A World Beyond

The searing white light swallowed us whole, and for a moment, it felt as though we were suspended in nothingness. Then, just as abruptly, the brilliance faded, leaving us in a dim haze. My stomach churned violently as if my insides had been twisted and wrung out. A throbbing pain pulsed behind my eyes, and every muscle in my body felt like jelly.

I stumbled forward, my legs barely supporting me. The floor beneath me was cool and smooth—marble? I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the blur from my vision. The air here was... different. It was crisp, almost too clean, carrying a faint scent of unfamiliar blossoms mixed with something electric that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Chase groaned beside me, collapsing onto his knees. "Ugh, I feel like I just got off the world's worst roller coaster," he muttered, clutching his stomach.

I forced myself to stand upright, taking in our surroundings. We were in a vast room, more opulent than a