The Demon Queen encountered minimal resistance from the creatures inhabiting the forest's outer zone. She advanced steadily towards the innermost zone, where the orb was located. Within minutes, she arrived at the vicinity of Alric's house. As she approached the orb's location, she observed Alric and others gathered around it.
Drawing nearer, the Demon Queen noted Vexanna and Alric engrossed with the orb, while Aelda stood observing. Whitney then alerted the group to an approaching presence. Alric and the others turned to see the Demon Queen. Upon reaching a sufficient proximity, the Demon Queen inquired, "Who are you, and what is your purpose in this forest?"
Alric introduced himself, stating, "We are the inhabitants of this area. As you can see, that house over there is ours." The Demon Queen, startled, exclaimed, "You live in this forest!" She surmised that Alric and his companions must possess considerable strength to reside in such a forest, with only a single dwelling.
The Demon Queen inquired, "Are you not aware of how perilous this forest is?" Alric responded, "Is this not a normal forest? I have resided here alone for a month, and it appears to be nothing more than an ordinary forest!" The Demon Queen was once again shocked, retorting, "You have lived here for a month, all alone? Impossible. This forest harbors creatures far too powerful to be considered normal."
Without delay, the Demon Queen declared her intention: to obtain a specific orb, which she meticulously described. Alric promptly recognized the item and presented it to her. However, the Demon Queen observed that this orb lacked any Demonic aura, a crucial characteristic that diverged significantly from her expectations.
Alric subsequently elucidated the circumstances, which she readily comprehended. Consequently, she resolved to appropriate the orb for herself. Following the conclusion of their exchange, the Demon Queen departed with the orb, retracing her steps along a path she recalled with perfect clarity.
As the Demon Queen departed for her kingdom, her path was obstructed within the forest. The Night Crawler, sensing her demonic aura, manifested directly before her. The Demon Queen had anticipated the creature's appearance following Alric's explanation regarding the orb.
However, upon her departure, she neglected to request Alric's assistance in navigating the forest, particularly should the Night Crawler emerge. Preoccupied with the urgent affairs of her kingdom, her thoughts remained fixed on the pending tasks awaiting her return from the forest.
The Demon Queen launched an assault on the Night Crawler, yet the creature remained motionless, seemingly inviting the attack. Despite her varied magical offensives—wind, fire, and water—none appeared to affect the Night Crawler. Following a barrage of these attacks, the Night Crawler absorbed all the demonic energy they contained.
Within seconds, it proceeded to absorb the Demon Queen's demonic aura, leaving her completely depleted. She then realized the gravity of the situation: this beast is an insurmountable adversary for any demon.
Upon the complete dissipation of her demonic aura, her demon advisor and other high-ranking demons serving her directly concluded that she had perished.
Even the demon kings under her command perceived the complete absence of her Demonic aura. Although the Demon Queen had only lost her aura and could still wield Demonic energy, it appeared the beast sought to strip her of all remaining Demonic power.
She devised a plan to bypass the beast by generating a wind gust, creating a dust wall to obstruct its view. As she moved past, the Night Crawler lifted its paw and struck through the wind, sending the Demon Queen backward.
She promptly countered by encasing the beast entirely within a rock cage, then proceeded with haste, though not at her maximum speed, as she deemed it unnecessary. The Night Crawler then burst from beneath the ground at her feet, sending her backward once more.
Unwilling to risk encountering another beast similar to the Night Crawler, she refrained from entering the forest indiscriminately in her escape.
The demon queen sensed the gradual depletion of her Demonic energy, which was steadily being siphoned by the beast. Complete loss of this energy would temporarily render her into a more human state. However, demons naturally recover their Demonic energy over time; in her case, a full month would be required for a complete resurgence if all were lost.
After the Night Crawler absorbed 10% of her Demonic energy, the demon queen resolved to make a decisive move. She swiftly dashed towards the beast at full speed, intending to bypass its flanks.
However, the cunning beast generated an earthquake, impeding her movement. Despite this disruption, she skillfully maintained her balance, successfully eluded the Night Crawler, and proceeded directly to her kingdom.
The Night Crawler, unable to apprehend her, pursued her to her kingdom, a fact unknown to the demon queen. Upon her arrival at the kingdom of Solstice, the demon queen observed a clandestine meeting of several high-ranking demons and her advisor, who were deliberating on the succession for the nation's leadership.
Her sudden appearance startled them, prompting some to exclaim about the demon queen's ghost. She sternly commanded silence and inquired about the purpose of their gathering. They explained that her vanished Demonic aura had led them to presume her demise, necessitating the selection of a new ruler for the Nation of Solstice.
The Demon Queen commanded all present to resume their duties, declaring the meeting unnecessary now that she had returned. She then summoned the individual responsible for scattering the Demonic Orbs across the lands. Upon arrival, the Demon Queen handed the orb to this individual, instructing them to repeat the task. The individual complied without question.