where's the little ones?

The demon domain was a chaos of shifting terrain—a scorched maze of rivers that bled into caverns, crumbling cliffs, and a desert that pulsed with heat like the breath of a furnace.

“Where in the world do we even start looking for Charlene?” Argun asked, peering through the rippling portal.

They looked toward the edge of outer darkness, where lakes of fire churned and portal after portal blinked open like angry eyes. All around them were scenes of torment—souls being dragged through ash and flame, their cries echoing with weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sounds could drive any mortal insane.

But Destiny had been here before. She didn’t flinch. Her eyes scanned past the rivers of flame and writhing creatures, searching.

Through all the chaos, Gigi pointed, her voice tight. “What’s that over there?”

They turned to where she was indicating. Through the smoke and the smolder, a trail of unmoving bodies stretched along a rocky embankment.

“See the ones between the torches?” she whispered. “Snakes are wrapped around them like ropes, dragging them under. And they come back to life—just to suffer it again.”

Argun nodded grimly. “That’s usually how it works down here. But… these bodies…”

“They haven’t come back,” Gigi said.

“That’s not normal,” Destiny added, stepping forward with narrowed eyes. “Let’s follow the corpses.”

Argun started toward them, but the Queen caught his arm. “No. Let’s get Armaros. We’ll need a tracker. And notify Beth and Odo about what we’ve found. Also, ReNew—she’ll be helpful.”

---

Back at Seth’s bedside

Idris stood like a brick wall between Seth and the exit. “You’re not strong enough—”

“IDRIS!” Seth barked, trying to shove past him. “Move! That’s my daughter out there!”

“You just got brought back from the dead, Seth!”

“She’s my child. I’m not losing her like I lost Tamara!”

Idris grabbed his arms to steady him, but Seth thrashed. Dr. Gilead rushed in with a needle. “Sorry, my friend. This is going to sting.”

Before Seth could protest, the doctor jabbed the tranquilizer into his thigh. Seth blinked, wavered, and collapsed forward. The doctor caught him just in time and lowered him gently back onto the bed.

“You rest now,” he murmured, brushing Seth’s damp hair from his forehead.

Idris sighed. “Doc… how long will it take him to recover?”

Dr. Gilead looked troubled. “He was resurrected, not just healed. This is beyond my knowledge. Time will tell.”

Idris looked over at Seth, now breathing deeply in sleep. “Time is something we don’t have. If we don’t find Charlene soon… he’ll crawl to the demon domain if he has to.”

---

Meanwhile, in the kitchen of the Realm’s safe house

Odo slammed his palm on the counter. “We’re wasting time! We need to move now!” His voice cracked with urgency as he began throwing supplies into a worn-out backpack. “What are we even waiting for?”

Beth rubbed a calming hand over his back. “We’re not charging into Hell without a plan.”

“I told you—Charlene is separated from ReNew. That’s a massive problem.” Gigi’s tone was sharp as she looked over maps and old scrolls laid out on the table.

“And she’s without her soul,” Argun added solemnly as he tossed a strip of bacon to Armaros, who caught it midair. “That kind of power imbalance is volatile.”

Odo was already pacing. “Yes, yes. You explained that. But what’s changed?”

“This time,” Gigi said, looking up from the map, “Charlene is more powerful. She’s been separated from ReNew for days, and she’s gone rogue. She’s trying to stop the demon lord from crossing into our domain. She’s full of rage. She’s hurting.”

“She’s strong,” Odo snapped. “I’ve seen her fight. She can handle herself.”

“She’s not just fighting demons,” Gigi said softly. “She’s trying to protect us all. Even if it kills her.”

Argun nodded slowly. “She’s going for the demon lords alone. That’s what she does when she’s scared. When she doesn’t want to lose anyone else.”

Odo stiffened. “So what’s the problem? If she can take them down, maybe this war ends before it starts.”

Beth’s voice was barely a whisper. “Or maybe she triggers one.”

“She could spark an all-out war,” Gigi said. “And that’s exactly what the demon lords want.”

Odo froze. “You think they’re baiting her?”

“Exactly,” Gigi said.

“I have an idea,” ReNew finally spoke, standing straighter. “But I need you all to listen.”

Odo sighed. “What now?”

“We don’t just need a plan. We need a guide. Someone who knows the domain better than any of us.”

“Someone who can get to Charlene before she reaches the demon lords,” Gigi added.

ReNew looked at them all, her tone calm but firm. “I know exactly who we can ask. You’re not going to like it.”

---

Inside Torock’s old office

Tabitha sat across from the man who once terrified the Realm. Now, Torock lay slouched on an old leather couch, shame etched across his face.

“I brought you here,” Tabitha said, “to confront your past. You need to understand where you went wrong so you can start rebuilding yourself.”

Torock didn’t move. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.

“I know I’ve got a long road,” he said quietly. “But this place... it’s where I—” He stopped. The memory choked the rest of the sentence.

Tabitha waited, then said gently, “You haven’t forgiven yourself for Byron.”

Torock winced at the name.

“It’s not an excuse,” he said. “But when I lost my brother... something broke. I didn’t just crave power. I drowned in it.”

Tabitha nodded and scribbled in her notebook.

“I kept going deeper. The demons offered me control, and I said yes. I told myself there was no turning back, so why not just keep going?”

“And now?” she asked.

“Now I feel sick. I betrayed the Realm. I hurt my family… my children. And my mother—Destiny—hasn’t said a word to me since she found out. She won’t even look at me.”

As if summoned by guilt itself, a portal shimmered to life in the corner of the room.

Out stepped Destiny—the Queen.

His mother.