Still caught in the horror of the story, Corey couldn’t tell how long they all sat in silence before Natalie spoke up, her voice low, but hard, “That’s all simply fascinating, but you haven’t told us what we need to know yet.”

He looked at Victoria, who blinked at the younger girl, caught off guard by her tone as well as her words. Natalie didn’t give her a chance to recover, going on to demand, “Where is the nearest exit to our world? That’s all we want. We’re not soldiers, we don’t want to fight! Tell us how to get back!”

Her tone would have had Corey backing down, if her words had been directed at him. He supposed, though, looking at Victoria’s softening expression, when you’re up against such adversity as what she just described, Nat probably seemed like just an angry little girl throwing a fit. What he saw in that expression made his heart sink faster than ever before, as he saw their last hope come crashing down around them before she said a word.

“It is too late for you to return,” she spoke the words that sealed the sense of doom that Corey felt building in his gut, “If your sanity alone was not enough of an indicator, that weapon is. The Soul has a plan for all of you, and won’t lightly let you leave. It does not want needless death, and those who simply cannot handle the reality of this new life are expelled to rebuild themselves on the surface. It is apparent to me, however, that the three of you do not fall into that category.”

More silence followed. Corey didn’t notice as small shivers started to work their way through his body as the hope they’d all lived on for the past few days was burned to ash, just like that. Never before had he regretted a decision more than he did at that moment, wishing that he and Dominic had listened to Natalie and never come down here. Dominic's distraught expression mirrored his thoughts as the smaller boy looked at Victoria with his mouth agape.

They blew it. The words repeated in his mind over and over, ringing like bells as Corey struggled to contest the proclamation, whispering, "But… we had a week, we were supposed to have a week to get out."

Natalie looked at him with blank eyes, her thoughts on her dad, now alone, left to wonder if his daughter was as dead as his wife, to spend the rest of his life without answers.

Victoria shook her head sadly, with a gentle, "There is no time limit. Unless you are of no use to the Soul and its purpose, it will not release you."

“That’s why everyone just assumes that the Below is the ranting and raving of madmen,” Natalie whispered, “Because the sane ones stay down here to… to be pulled into a fight that they never asked to be a part of.”

Victoria shifted uncomfortably, before softly correcting her, “Not all human beings who dwell Below are on one side or the other. Some try to stay out of it, and never try to find the Soul. Others gain their powers and simply use them to survive.”

The woman trailed off, and Corey’s eyes sharpened as he watched her inhale as if to continue along that train of thought, before letting the breath go in a simple sigh, and moving on, “I cannot help you to leave, but I can help you to find safety.”

This caught the trio’s attention, and they all looked at her, Dominic with hope and Natalie with resignation. Corey continued to watch her mannerisms, looking for any signs that she was being dishonest or hiding anything, but in this, at least, she seemed to be genuine.

Still, he had to ask, “What sort of safe place? Because we found a little fishing spot in the fungus cavern a while back, and that wasn’t as safe as we’d thought and we were almost eaten.”

Victoria smiled at him as she rose gracefully to her feet, “I can take you to a place where no enemies can get to you. Will you come with me?”

Tired and desperate for something good to come out of this day, after so much bad news, the trio exchanged looks, and seeing no dissent in the boys’ expressions, Natalie answered for them all, “We’ll come.”