Leaving that place was harder than entering it. The moment they stepped away from Elisa's presence, the world around them began to shift again. The glowing sky dimmed slightly, and the ground beneath their feet felt less stable, as if it no longer wanted them there. Zoe quickly pointed out that the energy levels were rising even faster now, warning that they did not have much time. Jenny took one last look back at the faint light in the distance before turning forward. They had made a promise, and now they had to survive long enough to keep it.
As they searched for the way back, the space around them began to distort. What had once felt like an open path now seemed unfamiliar, almost rearranged. Louis tried to trace their route using his device, but the readings kept shifting, making it nearly impossible to follow. Kevin realized that this place was not fixed. It was changing constantly, reacting to their presence and movement. That meant the exit they had used before might not be where they expected it to be. The thought alone added pressure to every step they took.
Zoe suddenly stopped, her expression tense as she pointed ahead. A faint ripple appeared in the air, similar to the one they had seen before, but far less stable. It flickered in and out, as if struggling to stay open. Jake immediately told everyone to move carefully, while Stebin stepped forward, ready to act if anything went wrong. Jenny felt the same strange pull again, like the world itself was resisting them. The closer they got, the more unstable the ripple became, breaking apart and reforming in uneven patterns.
When they finally reached it, the opening reacted violently. The moment Jenny tried to step closer, the ripple expanded suddenly, releasing a surge of energy that forced them all back. The ground shook beneath them, and the air filled with sharp, unstable light. Zoe quickly realized what was happening. The portal was collapsing. Their presence, combined with the unstable energy of this place, was tearing it apart. If it broke completely, they might lose their only way out.
There was no time left to think. Jenny pushed herself up and moved forward again, ignoring the risk. She knew they had to go now or not at all. One by one, the others followed, timing their movements with the brief moments when the portal stabilized. As the energy around them surged again, Jenny stepped through first, the light swallowing her instantly. The others followed right behind her, barely making it through as the ripple shattered completely. When they landed back on solid ground in their own world, everything went silent. The portal was gone. And this time, it did not come back.