As the smoke thinned and the breeze carried away the lingering ash, Alex and the Queen began to make their way back through the charred remnants of the forest. Each step felt heavier, the weight of the destruction echoing in their silence.
The Queen's multicolored eyes scanned the devastated landscape, taking in the fractured trees and scorched earth. Her expression was thoughtful, but her voice broke through the quiet with a tinge of frustration.
"But," she muttered, "what are you going to do with those who were knocked out cold? There are so many of—" She stopped mid-sentence, her gaze narrowing as confusion crossed her face. "Eh? Where did some of them go?"
She turned sharply to Alex, her suspicion evident. "Did you do it? Where are they?"
Alex met her gaze with a faint smile, his tone light as if he were sharing a simple truth. "Remember the last portal opened by my 'friend'?"
The Queen frowned slightly, nodding. "Yes."
