What happens in the Departed Realm, Stays in the Departed Realm

The Meeting Point

Madeline, James, and Kiara walk out of the courthouse in the Departed Realm. The trial has just ended, and while the outcome was in Madeline's favor, her expression remains unreadable. James and Kiara exchanged worried glances.

"Maddie, you've been quiet," Kiara said softly. "You've barely said a word."

Madeline kept walking at a steady pace. "The case is closed. He's facing the consequences. What is there to talk about?"

James frowned, his concern seeping into his tone. "You say that like it doesn't matter. You don't have to pretend like he didn't affect you.  You're allowed to admit it if he did."

Madeline stops in her tracks, closing her eyes for a moment. She opened her eyes and turned to her friends, her amber eyes glowing faintly as she glanced at them.

"It's not pretending," Madeline said firmly. "I'm just... choosing to move on."

Madeline knew her words were half-true. She is pretending everything is fine, however, she is also choosing to move on rather than letting her mind linger heavily on the pathetic excuse of the man that her former partner was. While she had new questions connected to his words, she had no concern for his well-being.

Before the conversation can continue, a sharp ping of a notification echoes in the air. The all began to check their coffin phones, indicating a message from a scout.

Two new souls have been spotted. Confirmation from Master Morro suggests they are of significant importance. Awaiting further instructions.

James let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "This recent influx of new souls is really causing a mess. People are showing up in the afterlife at a rate too fast for the arrival system to monitor and record. They all have somewhat similar stories as well, with some variation." He frowned. "I know Garmadon flew over and informed us, but this is getting ridiculous."

Kiara's expression softened as she studied the message. "I wonder what makes them so special."

Madeline's lips curved into a faint, determined smile and nodded in agreement. "Let's find out."

—-

Madeline, James, and Kiara are making their way through the outskirts of the forest. The scout who initially located Kai and Cole had passed along vague descriptions, but finding two strangers in the Departed Realm is no simple task.

James frowned, looking at the dense trees around them "I still don't understand why Morro thought we should do this. He knows these guys better than we do."

Kiara spoke calmly. "Probably because he wanted to enjoy his day off longer. Or maybe he wanted us to practice working with outsiders."

"Regardless of his reasoning," Madeline interjected, her tone cool and even, "we need to find them. If they're half as important as Morro claims, then we can't afford to waste time."

James raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Important how? We've managed just fine without them so far."

"It's not about us, James." Kiara said gently. "It's about the realm. Don't you remember how Morro located all of us? Surely, we can locate a few souls for him."

As they move deeper into the forest, the terrain becomes more uneven. Madeline pauses to check their coordinates, her brow furrowed.

"We're close," Madeline said quietly. "The meeting spot should be just ahead."

Kiara glanced around the darkened forest. "Feels like we're walking into the middle of nowhere. Why couldn't the scout pick a spot that's... less ominous?"

James shrugged, his tone dismissive. "Probably wanted to keep it neutral. Can't blame them. I wouldn't walk straight into an unfamiliar base either."

Madeline nodded in agreement. "Exactly. This is about building trust. We meet on equal ground."

Kiara offered a small smile."Let's hope they're willing to listen. That's all we can ask for."

The trees begin to thin as they near the designated meeting spot—a small, open clearing marked by an old stone structure.

"This is it," Madeline murmured. "Stay calm, but alert. We don't know how they'll react."

James huffed impatiently. "Let's hope the scout's still got them in one piece."

Kiara nodded thoughtfully. "And let's hope they're as important as Morro says."

They step into the clearing and begin to wait for the other group, tension building as the minutes pass.

James grumbled "How long are we supposed to wait here? What if they don't show?"

Kiara glanced at him ."They'll show. We always hire the best scouts. She wouldn't fail."

Madeline's gaze flickered toward James. "Patience, James. This isn't the kind of situation we can rush."

James rolled his eyes slightly, crossing his arms. "Yeah, yeah. Doesn't mean I have to like it."

Finally, the sound of footsteps reaches their ears. Madeline stiffens, motioning for James and Kiara to stay back as she steps forward. The scout emerges from the trees first, followed by Kai and Cole.

"Here they are," the scout said with a nod toward Madeline. "I told them enough to get them here, but I figured you'd want to fill in the blanks yourselves."

Kiara stepped forward, raising a hand to silence the scout, her tone calm and welcoming. "Thank you. We'll take it from here."

Madeline stepped forward, her tone calm and measured. "Welcome. We've been waiting for you."

Kai and Cole glanced at each other, wondering what was going to happen next.