HEAVEN REALM
"Your majesty, we've searched all over the heaven and mortal realms but we found no trace of his highness" a knight said kneeling before Richard "are you sure" he asked the knight "yes, your majesty" "did you check the demon and flower realms" Richard asked "our spies in the demon realm said they found no trace of him, I doubt the Prince would be in the flower realm" the knight replied "check the flower realm, he might have gone there in search for new concubines" Richard said knowing very well his son is not in search of new concubines but instead in search of his mother "yes, your majesty" the knight stood up and bowed then turned towards the door when Richard spoke up "get me Jimmy" he said "yes, your majesty" the knight said and left.
"Could Dylan have gone to look for Sarah, why doesn't he understand he can't find her if she doesn't want him to" "why do I think she doesn't want to see her son, I must be out of my mind to think such a thing" he thought to himself and sighed "I hope he finds her soon, and I hope to find Riley as well" he thought. "Your majesty, you called for me" Jimmy said and knelt before Richard "yes, I did" "did Dylan tell you where he was going" Richard asked "no your majesty, his highness mentioned nothing to me" Jimmy replied "did you upset him, I know he always tells you his whereabouts" Richard asked "I didn't upset his highness, but he did seem upset when he left your chambers earlier this morning" Jimmy replied "alright, inform me the moment you get word from him" Richard said "understood, your majesty" jimmy said and Richard nodded for him to leave.
"I guess he went to find Sarah, I wonder how he'd act when he meets her" he said to himself and sat back on his throne.
...…
FLOWER REALM
"Did you summon Riley, Ava?" Maya asked Ava the moment they reappeared in the peace garden "no I didn't, he appeared here when I was panicking" Ava replied "he's such a life saver" she added "I guess he can tell when I'm in pain" Maya said and smiled "would you resume your meditation or you want to get it from me" Ava asked her authoritatively and she pouted "I'll resume" she said and frowned a little then transformed into her true form and rooted herself to the ground in order to resume her revitalization process.
Ava sat by her, watching as she swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the wind, "ma'am Sarah is lucky to have such handsome men as her sons" she said to herself and looked at her friend who was now glittering and sprinkling sparkly dusts on the ground around her "and this naughty friend of mine, is lucky to have one of them as her friend" she added and watched calmly as Maya started to bloom and sparkled brighter almost blinding her. "You'd have to give me a massage for shining so bright into my eyes" she said to her Vivory rose friend who had stopped shinning and sprinkling dusts.
A while later, Maya transformed back into her human form and grinned at Ava "I wouldn't massage you Ava, you should be the one massaging me" she said to her friend "scoff…, I hope the process is done now and you're stronger" Ava asked her "of course, it's done and I'm now the strongest person in the entire Flower Realm" Maya replied and Ava rolled her eyes "let's go back to the cottage now, it's late and I've got to sleep" Ava said "mm, I also need to sleep" Maya replied and they teleported to their cottage.
.....
DEMON REALM
_the next morning_
Stephanie lied on her bed facing the ceiling, thinking of her brother "I miss you so much, brother" she said wiping tears from her eyes "I remember those times you would pat my head and call me a little girl just so I wouldn't go to war with you, now I am the one who leads the demon army" "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you" she said and closed her eyes remembering the last conversation she had with her brother;
FLASHBACK
"Brother, please let me go with you" Stephanie said to her brother who was clad in dark military attire with pleading eyes "no you can't Stephanie, it's dangerous out there" her brother replied "but brother, I'm a warrior myself" she said "I can't risk your safety; the Heavenly Emperor is powerful and cunning. I can't let you take any chances" he said to her and just then, their father walked in. Stephanie went to him and held his arms "father, please tell brother to let me go with him to the battle ground" she said "Stephanie, Jeffery is right, you can't face the imperial army of the heaven realm and to think the Emperor is there himself" Demon Lord Lewis said "I am the warrior Demon Princess, why should I fear any emperor" she said frustrated "and you're the Demon Lord father, you should have faith in your warrior daughter" she added calmly.
Stephanie looked between her father and brother but got no reply from them, she inhaled deeply, accepting the fact that she wouldn't be allowed to join the war "I'll be waiting for you in my bedchamber" she said to Jeffery "but there's a condition" she added and her brother smiled before answering her "what is the condition young sister" he said "you'd have to lose when we play the game of chess" she said firmly with hands folded under her breasts and her father and brother laughed out loudly "alright your highness, as you wish" Jeffery said and bowed slightly "I love you brother" she said and hugged him then he left for the war.
After a long while of waiting for her brother's return, Stephanie got tired and decided to go to the throne hall to meet the Demon Lord. When she got there, she stopped in her tracks at the sight before her "b…brother" she said sniffing back tears then ran to the foot of the stairs elevating the throne, which was where Jeffery's corpse lied "brother, open your eyes and talk to me!" she yelled but got no reply from the unmoving body "father, tell him to wake up" she said to Lewis crying loudly and the latter held her by the shoulder, trying to comfort her.
"He's dead now daughter, we have to believe it" he said to her "no, no, brother is not dead" she said and wriggled out of Lewis's hold then crawled towards Jeffery's body "brother, open your eyes and show them you're not dead" she said to the corpse and when she didn't get any reply, she wailed holding her brother's corpse and after a while, she stood up and wiped her tears before clenching her fists tightly.
"I promise you I'd avenge your death brother" she said and went to her bedchamber.
PRESENT
"I'm sorry all my plans of avenging you has been falling apart, your young sister is such a loser" she said to herself crying "rest in peace brother" she said then opened her eyes before going to take a bath then left her bedchamber.
.....
"Good morning mother, did you have a good night's rest?" Riley greeted Sarah when he got to her in their little garden "good morning son, of course I did" she replied and kissed his cheek "Riley, I want to ask you something" Sarah said "what is it, mother" he asked and sat beside her "would you go with Dylan when he's returning to the empyrean cloud palace" she asked "I'm not saying to move there, but to meet your father. He must be dying to see you" she added "I don't need to go with Dylan, I can find my way alone" Riley said.
"Don't hold grudges against your brother, it's not his fault he's in love with Maya" Sarah said, sad that her sons turned against each other the very day they met simply because of a woman "I'm not holding grudges against him, mother" he replied her "I'm glad to hear that" Sarah said and he smiled at her. "Good morning mother" Dylan greeted and the duo looked up to see the newcomer "good morning son, how are you" Sarah said smiling "I've never been better mother" Dylan replied smiling then kissed Sarah's forehead.
"Mother, you look so young and more beautiful when you smile" Dylan said and her smile widened "I'm quite sure a lot of those mortals and even immortals would want to make you their bride" he added teasingly and Sarah spanked his head "you naughty boy, just keep quiet" she said dramatically then Dylan laughed, and Riley also laughed at her dramatic expression. "You two are so alike, Riley also says the same thing" she said "I'm so blessed to have you two" she added looking at both her sons admiringly. "Come, come, let's have breakfast" she said and they all gathered round the table; she served them steak and some salad.
After the meal, Riley excused himself and teleported to the empyrean cloud palace to meet his royal father, leaving Sarah with Dylan.