The journey back felt far shorter than when they had crawled down days ago.
Perhaps it was because no hearts were pounding in anticipation of a sudden ambush. Perhaps it was because no strange whispers emanated from the shadows. Or perhaps, every soul there simply yearned to see the sun once more. Ngguuuung... The elevator ascended past The Core in a solemn silence. The Annihilator still lay there, a giant heap of scrap metal that now served as a headstone for Elias. The Lost City remained mute; its skyscrapers stood tall like a row of nameless monuments. The Juggernaut in the laboratory, the now truly empty Silent Void, and the Old Mines that held only the remains of ancient miners—they passed them all without a word.
