Chapter 23 Echoes Of A Lost City

The swirling vortex of darkness roared with an otherworldly sound, buffeting Anya and Elara's aunt as they plunged through the portal. Sand whipped around them, momentarily blinding them before spitting them out onto a cold, hard surface. Anya landed with a thud, coughing as dust filled her lungs. She clambered to her feet, squinting through the dim light. They stood in a vast cavern, its jagged walls shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence. Scattered around them lay towering structures, half-buried in sand, their intricate carvings and faded murals hinting at a once-glorious civilization.