Alex's mind raced. No way back? That couldn't be true. There had to be a way, she thought. There had to be some loophole.
"Wait," she said, her voice cracking with desperation. "What do you mean, no way back? There must be something I can do. A portal, a spell—something?"
The figure remained silent for a long moment, then its head tilted slightly as though listening to a distant voice. "There are ways," it finally said, "but they are dangerous. This is a realm of trials and choices. One wrong step could lead you deeper into the abyss."
Alex swallowed hard. She wasn't sure she could trust this mysterious figure, but it was her only lead. "I'll take the risk," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Tell me what I have to do."
The figure nodded slowly, as if it had expected this answer. "Very well. There is an ancient gate hidden deep within these woods. It leads to the Edge of Worlds, a place where you might find a way to return. But the path is fraught with dangers. The woods are not what they seem, and there are creatures here far worse than any nightmare."
With that, the figure turned, moving with eerie grace into the darkness of the trees. Alex hesitated for only a moment before following. The silver light of the grass faded behind her as they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, the trees growing taller and more twisted, their branches weaving together like a dark canopy overhead.
As they walked, the air grew colder, and strange sounds echoed in the distance—low growls, whispers carried on the wind, the rustle of unseen wings. Alex felt her skin prickle with fear, but she pressed on, her eyes fixed on the figure ahead.
Suddenly, the figure stopped.
"Do not stray from the path," it warned, its voice low. "There are things in the dark that would see you lost forever."