The Portal Chooses Bones's Cemetery

The repaired portal opened, but Vithyrex's Maze did not offer a clean return. The escape window was narrow, and the party pushed a crowd through it: My Alchemical Romance, Vic Vaurr, Arthur, Vala Gearsprocket, Podon Xopip Kelbar Lokas, Helga Wingkin, Valbrant, and others pulled out of the maze's orbit. They had gathered too many survivors, too many unfinished stories, and too many thoughts for the portal to become simple. Jonah thought of his forge. Maine, Morgan, and Ash thought of Bones. The portal listened to the louder gravity. Instead of returning them to VQU, it deposited them outside Gravenhurst at Bones's cemetery. The Vithyrex Maze arc ended with escape, but not safety. The party had left the maze with extra allies, extra liabilities, and unresolved enemies still moving behind them. They wanted out. They got out. But the place that received them had its own ghosts waiting.