Theo stepped back from the console slowly, like he was afraid the room might collapse if he moved too fast.
"…Okay," he said, voice tight with excitement. "We're done."
The portal answered with a low, steady hum.
Theo turned, eyes bright. "Eliot. You explain."
The room closed in.
Every face turned toward him at once. Eliot felt it in his chest—Leon's unreadable stare, Rex hovering nervously, Elara's phone half-lowered, Cassian standing still in the doorway. His shoulders pulled in without him meaning to.
"I—" He stopped. Swallowed. His fingers curled into his sleeves.
He looked at the portal instead of them.
"The stabilizers," he began quietly, "they regulate the energy flow. If it spikes too fast, the frame collapses inward. If it's too slow… nothing opens."
He shifted his weight, heat crawling up his neck.
"The anchor locks the distortion in place. Without it, the portal drifts. Or tears itself apart." His voice steadied as he went on. "That's why the conduits have to be aligned exactly."
Theo nodded rapidly, eyes shining.
"Yes—yes, exactly! And now," he said, clapping once, unable to contain himself, "we test it. One of us goes in."
Before anyone could react, Theo grabbed Rex by the sleeve and yanked him forward.
"WAIT—what?!" Rex yelped, nearly tripping.
Elara stood up, brushing crumbs off her fingers, half a bag of chips crinkling in her hand. She wandered over to Leon.
"Is he always like this?"
"Yes," Leon said flatly.
Eliot frowned. "Why?"
Leon didn't look away from the machine. "Because when he's excited, his brain moves faster than his caution."
Leon reached into the chip bag, took one, and handed it to Eliot.
Elara smirked. "Wow. Special treatment."
The door creaked.
Cassian stepped inside—and stopped cold.
The glowing frame. The warped air. The vibration humming through the floor.
"…Is this what my brother's been on about?"
Everyone nodded. Eventually Theo and Rex nodded too.
Theo hurried back to the console, fingers flying. "Alright. Eliot—do the honors."
Eliot took a breath and flipped the switch.
The air shimmered.
Light bent and rippled outward like liquid glass. Papers slid, then lifted, spinning through the air.
Hair tugged gently toward the center as the portal opened wider, bright and alive. Theo's grin split his face. Eliot felt his own smile break free, heart pounding.
Then—
SPARK.
A sharp crack snapped across the frame.
Theo's smile vanished. His eyes locked on the wiring.
"Why is that wire cut?" he shouted. "Rex—WHY is that wire cut?!"
Rex spun around, panicked. "You said cut the red wire!"
"I said cut the red wire right after you cut the white one!" Theo yelled, voice cracking. "You didn't even cut the white one!"
"Oh," Rex whispered, shrinking. "Didn't… didn't hear that part."
The portal screamed.
The hum turned violent. The light flickered wildly.
Cassian stepped forward. "Can't you do something?!"
"No—no—no!" everyone shouted back at once.
Leon lunged, grabbing Eliot and Theo by the shoulders and dragging them back.
"Stay back!"
The force exploded outward.
Socks lifted off the floor. Papers spun like blades. The room tilted—gravity letting go. Everyone was shouting, but the sound felt swallowed by the roaring air.
"SWITCH IT OFF!" Elara screamed.
Eliot's lungs burned. His hands shook as he slammed the remote switch.
The light vanished.
Gravity came back all at once.
They slammed into the floor—faces first—with a deep, bone-shaking THUD that rattled the walls.
And then—
Another impact.
Heavy.
Close.
Not them.
Silence.
No one opened their eyes.
Eliot woke up to pain.
A dull, aching throb spread across his face and forehead, like he'd headbutted the floor—which, judging by the position he was in, he probably had.
He groaned softly and cracked one eye open.
The light was still there.
Not fully shimmering like before—more unstable now. It flickered weakly, pulsing like it was struggling to stay alive.
"Ow—ow—why does my face hurt so much," Theo complained nearby, rolling onto his back.
"I'm never standing that close again—"
Rex pushed himself up, wobbling. Elara was already sitting, eyes wide, phone clutched in her hand.
Leon stood first, steady as ever, scanning the room. Cassian followed, brushing dust from his clothes.
Eliot blinked.
Then his eyes flickered to the side.
Someone else was there.
She was kneeling on the floor a few feet away.
Hands clasped tightly together. Head bowed. Long brown hair spilled down her back in thick waves—and above it, unmistakable, were pointed wolf ears, twitching slightly.
Behind her, a fluffy tail moved slowly, swaying back and forth like it didn't know whether to relax or bolt.
When she shifted, Eliot caught a glimpse of golden eyes, glowing faintly even with her head lowered.
"Oh my gosh," Eliot breathed.
Elara sucked in a sharp breath. Click.
She took a photo before she could stop herself.
Everyone froze.
The girl lifted her head.
For half a second, they just stared at each other.
Then—
"AAAAH!"
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
"WHY DOES IT HAVE A TAIL?!"
She shouted too, scrambling backward, teeth bared, ears flattened flat against her head.
She lunged instinctively—
—and Leon was there instantly, stepping in front without hesitation, forcing her back with sheer presence alone.
She hissed, shaking, eyes wild.
"Who dared bring me here?!" she snapped, voice trembling with fury and fear. "What did you do?!"
She looked ready to attack—but the strange thing was, none of them moved.
They just stared.
In awe.
Cassian blinked once. Twice.
"…I am calling Mom."
He reached for his phone.
"No—wait," Eliot said suddenly, pushing himself upright despite the ache in his face. "I'll handle it."
"El—don't," Elara said quickly, grabbing his sleeve. "This is not a handle it situation."
He gently pulled free anyway.
Theo, meanwhile, was staring with wide, fascinated eyes.
"She… she looks like the ones in my drawings," he whispered. "That's actually kind of—"
She snarled again, backing away.
"I don't have time for this!" Her voice cracked. "My family—I have to save them. Please—please, just take me back!"
Eliot opened his mouth to speak.
Before he could—
The portal behind themcracked.
Light fractured violently, shattering like glass made of air.
Theo turned, horror on his face.
"No—no, no, no—"
The portal collapsed in on itself with a sharp snap, sparks dying instantly.
Theo dropped to his knees. "REX!" he cried dramatically. "YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!"
Rex stood frozen behind Leon, hands raised helplessly. "I—I thought you said—"
The room fell silent again.
Except for the girl's shaking breath.
And the fact that the portal—their only way back—was gone.