When her mother finished talking, Leonie was left speechless. She wondered if all the burdens that existed had decided to rest upon her shoulders. It was exhausting to keep experiencing blow, after blow, without having anyone who could support her.

Her face paled as her hands started shaking. They were restless, like small hummingbirds trying to escape from danger.

"Leonie, honey, are you okay? Please say something." Amitola said.

Worry was digging through Amitola's heart like a small worm, eating the core of an apple until there was nothing left. She wanted to erase what she had said from her daughter's mind, to take her place. She was ready to do anything to make things better.

However, the ugly truth was that it was not her destiny to do so. Amitola had neither strength nor skill to save the light from the intrusion of darkness, Leonie did. At least she would once she accepted the truth and embraced her calling.

"I..." Leonie started to say, but her voice broke.

Leonie took a deep breath, trying to steady herself and give some consolation to her mother. Even she could see that Amitola was terrified of her reaction.

"I just need some time." Leonie managed to say.

"Of course. Yes, I understand. Take as much time as you want to absorb all this." Amitola said.

Even while saying that she felt bad because she knew that time was slipping by faster than they were aware and Leonie needed to spend every second preparing for what was to come. Still, she did not wish for her daughter to suffer because Amitola chose to postpone the inevitable.

She had to believe that Leonie would be alright since she was a fast learner. Once she focused her mind on something, she could achieve the impossible. Amitola knew that she had to have faith in Leonie.

"Can I sleep in Rim's cave tonight? I need some time alone, and that's the safest place I know besides home, next to a dragon." Leonie said.

"Yes, of course, my dear, but won't you have some supper before you go?" Amitola asked, worried about her daughter's health.

"No, thank you. I am not hungry." Leonie said.

In most cases, Amitola would have insisted, but it was clear that Leonie needed distance, so Amitola didn't say anything. After all, it was a mother's duty to know what their child needed, even when the child was not sure. 

"Alright, my dear. Tell Nald it's time for dinner. Have a good night, my sweet girl," Amitola said kissing Leonie's forehead.

"Good night, mommy, and thank you for telling me the truth," Leonie said.

As she walked away, she could not resist the urge to turn around, and that was when she noticed her mother wiping away tears. It hurt Leonie to see her mother in so much pain, but she could not focus on that at that moment. She needed space and companionship, so she thought Rim could provide her with both.

As she went towards the portal, Leonie did her best to appear normal, cheerful even so as not to frighten her little brother. She even pinched her cheeks to get some color back in them since they were pale from shock.

"Hey, guys!" She said the moment she entered the cave.

"Leonie, this place is great! There might even be bats somewhere in here. We haven't seen any yet, but you never know with caves. And there is this part that seems warmer than the rest, and it's just perfect for sleeping. Come and see, Leonie!" Nald chattered excitedly.

"That sounds great, but mother says it's time for dinner, and you have to go home," Leonie said.

"Do I have to? We didn't explore everything." Nald said, pouting.

"Yes, you have to. It's getting late. Besides, you can continue with your adventure of an explorer Nald and his companions tomorrow." Leonie said as she gently ruffled his hair.

"Okay, okay," Nald said as he headed towards the portal. 

Before going through, he turned around and looked confusedly in Leonie's direction.

"Aren't you coming?" He asked.

"No, I am not hungry. Besides, I'll be sleeping here tonight to keep Rim company. After all, it's his first night in a new place." Leonie said.

"But..." Nald started to say.

"Do you want to leave me all alone to fight off the horde of bats, if they attack," Rim said half-jokingly.

"No, I guess not. I wish I could stay, too." Nald said.

"Well, someone has to take care of mom. She needs you to protect her, and you know that she can't eat alone." Leonie said.

"Yes, you are right," Nald said, perking up.

"I shall be our mother's protector while you guard the dragon!" Nald said as he went through the portal.

"That little guy has a vivid imagination. He has scared me more than once with his imaginary creatures." Rim said.

"Hey, you are younger than him, or did you forget? But you are a dragon what can scare you?" Leonie asked.

"That's true. Well, as you said, I am still young to this world, not yet a fearless dragon. So I didn't appreciate his rat stories, I don't like rats." Rim said.

"That's funny. My father also didn't like rats." Leonie said.

As she said that the facade she was trying to keep up for Nald's sake fell off, and she was yet again swept up by the wind of change, of things learned and things to be done.

"Are you okay?" Rim asked.

"Do you ever feel like you are just a leaf in the wind, and it carries you where ever it chooses without you consciously choosing where to go? Does it ever get too much to be a small drop in the ocean of life and yet a drop that could change everything?" Leonie answered his question with a question.

"You spoke with your mother, I am assuming?" Rim asked.

"Yes, and I am still trying to sort through it all and what it all means. Would it be okay if, for tonight, we don't talk about it, if we don't talk about anything and enjoy the quiet of this cave?" Leonie asked.

Rim studied her with his huge eyes, which seemed to hide in them all that ever was, and that ever would be, for a moment, and then he just lowered himself down and curled up like a cat.

"Sounds perfect to me." He said.

Leonie laid down next to him, comfortably snuggled in his warmth, and was grateful that he did not ask her anything. Although she was not sure if he could sense her turmoil or if he just knew her so well, she was happy that she did not have to think about it all for a while longer.

Soon enough, her eyes fluttered shut. Instead of the usual sense of loss that colored her dreams, she felt something different.

It felt more real than a dream should be, but because of the warmth that engulfed her, she was sure that it was not another nightmare.

A bright light started approaching her, but a part of her knew that she was safe. It was emitting love. She could sense it even from a distance.

As the light approached closer, she started being able to discern its general humanoid shape. At first, she could not see any specific features, but before long, they became as clear as day.

After all, those were features that she knew better than any others, the ones that she thought she would never get the chance to see again. The same ones she wished she could see more than anything else in the world. It was her father.

Even though she wished to see him one more time and had so many things to tell him, Leonie stood frozen in wonder, trying to commit to memory every even the smallest part of who her father was.

"Will you not greet your father, my little doe?" He asked.

Upon hearing his voice, her legs finally found their freedom, and she ran to him, hugging him tightly.

He felt more real than any dream should, and she could not stop squeezing him tightly as tears streamed down her face.

"My dear, I might be dead, but that doesn't mean you should squish me like a tomato." Her father said, stroking her hair.

"Daddy, is that you?" Leonie asked.

"It's me. My brave Leonie, I have always seen you as my little doe, but you have proven yourself to be a lioness. I can't stay long, but I thought you might have some questions for me." He said.