Tyler, Kai, and Ari were in the Trench woods, separated from the group to find clues on Dema. The walk was long, but Tyler led the way, as he had skills in nature from his time in the garden.

As a flower, he grew up among the trees and bushes, and was able to seek knowledge on what plants were good, what plants were powerful, and what were edible.

Even after he bloomed into a human, he never let go of what he learned while living in the garden.

As they walked, Ari came in and walked beside him.

"These woods seem familiar to you?" He asked.

Tyler turned to him.

"They do."

"Does it ever make you miss the garden?"

"Not really. Being a flower was not easy, as I did not know life, until I bloomed."

"You like your human life, huh?"

"I loved it the moment I fell in love with Josh."

Ari smiled.

"That's sweet."

Tyler trusted Ari, and always enjoyed his company. He became curious about his life and how he got to meet Olene.

"How did you meet Olene?" The child asked.

Ari had never been asked about his past, but he looked away from a moment and began to tell his story.

"It was years ago, when we were sworn to the previous leader. Olene was one of the women that was abused under his reign. When I learned of this, I begged the leader to release her, and he said he would."

He turned back to Tyler.

"But, on the condition that I married Olene."

Tyler had remembered hearing stories about women like Rani, Fauna, and Ilse, being abused by the ruthless leader. Even Linh was one of them, and the last one being Jenna.

Knowing that Ari's fiancée was one of them, it made poor Tyler sad.

"Did you agree to it?" He asked.

Ari nodded.

"I did."

He turned away again and continued.

"When Olene was freed, she was not happy about us joining together in marriage, and she didn't love me."

"Does she love you now?"

"We grew to fall in love a few months ago, when Josh killed the leader and took over. When I learned of what was done, I did not shed a single tear."

A troubled smirk appeared on Ari's face.

"He got what he deserved."

Tyler was not shaken by what Ari said. He knew Josh did what he had to do to secure leadership, and to save his life.

"Now, Josh intends to hunt down Dema and destroy them, all because of the torture and suffering they inflicted on you."

"Josh will kill them, I know it." The child replied. "I am not afraid of what will happen. It must be done, if I am to live."

Ari quietly nodded his head.

"Yes, Dema must die."

The two stopped walking for a moment, but the conversation continued. Kai, who was still closely behind them, stood guard over his two companions.

Ari looked to the little flower child.

"You love Josh, do you?" He asked.

"I am in love with him." Tyler replied. "He was the first person I met in this human form. I am bond to him forever."

Once again, Ari nodded.

"I see."

He looked away again and started walking away from him.

"What does he plan to do when the fighting is done?"

"He wants to take me home."

"Where is home?"

"In our little house that he shared with Jenna, in the neighborhood surrounded by woodlands."

Ari turned back to the child.

"How will he take you home, as the leader?"

Tyler thought for a moment, but with everything that was happening right now, he wasn't sure on how to answer.

"I-I don't know."

Before Ari could say anything else, Kai stepped in.

"Josh can't take you home." He said. "You're a Bandito, and your life is with us now."

"I know." Tyler replied. "But, if Josh takes me home, he'll return."

Once again, Ari spoke, but he started walking towards the near bushes of the forest.

"Yes, it is true that a Bandito is relieved of their duties upon death. If you want to go home, you must die."

When he heard this, Tyler was heavily disturbed.

"D-Die?"

"Yes, sweet flower. You must die."

Tyler had always understood the concept of death. He faced it when many of his fellow prisoners died out of pain and agony, as they met their end at the hands of the Bishops of Dema.

But for him to die, just to go home?

That didn't seem real.

Even Kai was shocked at Ari's words. Of course, his vows were the same as every Bandito's, but he never thought he'd flat out say it.

~

Before the conversation could go on, the group realized that they were at the center of the woods. They looked out and saw Josh appear, with the three scouting men.

"Hey, guys. Did you find anything?"

Kai and Ari didn't respond, but Tyler did.

He looked up into the sky and nodded.

"Now, we did."

Josh came over next to him.

"What are you looking at?"

As if it was never seen before, Josh looked up into the horizon and saw a tower, covered with moss, branches, and with bricks as dusty as soot.

Even Kai and Ari were in shock at this discovery.

However, before they could process it even further, a bunch of hawks appeared and surrounded the tower, then flew away all at once.

Tyler, not taking a second to rethink what they were seeing, turned from the tower and started walking towards the opposite direction of the woods.

"We should leave." He said.

Before he walked away, Kai stopped him, and pointed him to the way they came.

"Tyler... I believe we came from that direction."

"That's not the way." The child replied.

Kai let out a confused chuckle.

"No, we walked past those trees over there."

He pointed the path out to him once again.

"That's the way we walked in, and that's the way we're walking out."

Tyler looked at Kai, and made a menacing look.

"Don't trust the trees."

Kai was confused, along with Ari, but Josh went along with it.

He trusted Tyler, and he felt confident that they'll eventually find a way out.

As the group gathered in a circle around the flower boy, Tyler bent down, washed his face with mud, and picked up a random frog from the ground.

He held it next to his face and smiled.

"Hello, grandmother toad."

Kai and Ari gagged, along with the scouting men. Josh also tried to hold back from retching.

Tyler held the frog close as he asked her for the direction to go.

"Show us the path."

The toad croaked.

"Show us the way, and I'll give you a kiss."

Croaking with glee, Tyler looked into Josh's face and licked the frog.

As the Banditos retched with nausea, Josh started to feel horny, as if it was his face that was being licked, and not the frog's.

In response, the toad croaked, and held out her tongue towards the direction she insisted.

"That way?" Tyler asked; pointing out in the frog's direction. "You're sure, grandmother?"

The frog responded, which gave the child the answer.

Tyler looked up at Kai and Ari.

"That's a thought."

The two Banditos nodded their heads quickly, but Tyler did not think they believed him.

"You don't believe me?"

They shook their heads repeatedly, and it gave the child the answer that he already knew.

Tyler held out the frog in their faces.

"Taste for yourself."

Ari ran off, while Kai screamed and tumbled to the floor. Josh busted out laughing. He had never seen his love act so menacing and looming before.

Not until now.

~

Following the toad's directions, the group followed Tyler out of the forest. As they walked, Kai was still in disbelief at what just happened.

"This is definitely not the way we came." Kai said. "And yet, we're going this way, all because of a frog!"

"Oh, relax, Kai." Ari said. "It's not too bad."

"He has to be playing with us somehow. What's his game anyway?"

"I don't think he's playing with us. There might've been an explanation for why he did that-"

"Oh, shut up, Ari!" Kai shouted; shoving him with his armor. "Did you really fall for his spooky dance?"

"He had a reason." Ari replied.

Kai sighed.

"I don't trust him. He is up to something."

As he said that, Tyler stopped and turned around; looking into Kai's eyes with suspicion.

The Bandito quickly corrected himself.

"Uh... nicely done, Tyler. I knew you'd find the way."

Satisfied with his answer, the child went back to guiding them into the forests of the unknown.