As Auriella, Leo, and Cal entered the Burial Forest of Belmire, they stepped into an atmosphere both haunting and enchanting. 

The thick canopy of twisted, gnarled trees seemed to close behind them, as if sealing them in. But up ahead, through the dense shadows, they could see a glimmer of golden light. 

As they moved closer, the darkness gave way to a small clearing covered in golden dirt that seemed to emit its own gentle glow. 

The golden color covered the ground like a delicate, ethereal blanket, the light shimmering and winding around the trees like vines, casting a soft, mesmerizing glow over everything.

“Wow…” Leo breathed, looking around in awe.

Auriella chuckled softly. “I know, right? It’s beautiful here.”

Even Cal was silent, his wide eyes taking in the golden light with an innocent wonder, captivated by the sight. 

Auriella gently pulled Leo’s arm, guiding him toward a smaller tree at the edge of the clearing. 

Among the towering giants, this tree stood humbly, its branches thinner, bark lighter and smoother, as if to mark it as something special but subdued.

"This is it,” Auriella whispered, her voice soft with reverence. 

She approached the tree, and with careful, gentle fingers, traced a name she had once carved into the bark: her mother’s name. The letters were rough, a bit shaky, yet deeply etched with purpose and love. 

As her fingers glided over each letter, they began to glow softly, a warm white-gold light that pulsed like a heartbeat in the dimness.

Auriella leaned her head against the trunk, her voice dropping to a tender whisper. “Hi, Mom… I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit in a while. I… I’ve brought some visitors with me. My new family.”

She turned to look back at Leo and Cal, pride and love in her eyes. Leo, hesitating a little, stepped forward, his stance a little awkward.

“Hello, ma’am,” he began, voice tinged with shyness and respect. “My name’s Leo, and I… I love your daughter very much.”

Auriella smiled, heart swelling with gratitude as Leo reached over and carefully handed Cal to her. She held their son close to her chest, her gaze softening as she spoke again to the tree.

“I did just as you hoped, Mom. I found someone who loves me, and we had a child who…” Her voice cracked as a tear slipped down her cheek, her hand gently pressing against the small tree trunk. “A child who’ll grow up knowing how much you would have loved him.”

Her tears fell softly to the golden ground, and a faint ripple of light shimmered from where they landed, spreading in delicate waves like a rock skipping across water. 

But as the light faded, a loud groaning echoed through the clearing, and the surrounding trees trembled, their branches creaking and shifting.

Startled, Auriella quickly wiped her tears, chuckling nervously. “Oops… I forgot about the rules.”

Leo glanced at her, brows knitted in confusion. “Rules?”

“Yes,” Auriella said, regaining her composure. “The Burial Forest thrives off the nutrients of the dead. The living are only allowed here to bury the dead, and if they visit… they have to leave no trace. Otherwise, it confuses the trees.”

“Oh…” Leo nodded, processing this strange but beautiful rule. He glanced at her with understanding. “Would you like to stay a bit longer?”

Auriella looked back at the tree, her heart heavy yet content. After a brief pause, she shook her head. “No… I think I’ve said what I needed to.” She took a deep breath, voice growing stronger. “Let’s go. I need to return to Quintenia… and speak to my father.”

Leo gave her a look, clearly picking up on the weight in her words, but he simply nodded, taking her hand as they began to walk toward the path leading out of the forest.

Before they could leave, however, they heard footsteps coming from the entrance. 

Pausing in their tracks, they saw a tall, muscular figure entering the clearing—a demon man with the features of a wolf kobold, his fur as white as freshly fallen snow and his eyes sharp and fierce. 

Beside him walked a smaller kobold girl, her expression bright and curious as she gazed around.

The demon’s gaze landed on Leo, and his eyes narrowed in fury. “A human?!” he snarled, his claws extending as he moved forward, body taut with hostility.

“Daddy?” the little girl asked, tugging gently on the fur of his arm. “What’s wrong? I thought we were here for our yearly picnic with Mommy.”

The man’s eyes softened as he looked down at her, and with a heavy sigh, he relaxed his stance. 

“You’re right, Carina… Just… don’t pull on my fur, okay?” he muttered, casting one last wary look at Leo before turning away to head deeper into the forest, toward his partner’s resting place.

Leo let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping. “Well… that was… something,” he said, glancing at Auriella with nervous eyes.

Auriella chuckled. “Don’t take it to heart. Kobolds are very territorial and don’t like change, especially after losing their partner. For them, the world becomes smaller, lonelier.” 

Her voice softened, empathy filling her words as her thoughts began lingering on how she'd feel if Leo had died. 

Would she become bitter and hateful toward the world as well? The thought was simply too much for her to bear.

Leo noticed her somber expression and reached out, gently squeezing her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, though her gaze remained distant. 

“I’m okay… It’s just… this trip is becoming more than I expected. Coming here… finally learning who my father is… and finally having the chance to face him after all these years of him abandoning us… it’s a lot.”

Cal yawned softly in her arms, breaking the tension as Auriella smiled down at him, gently rubbing his back. Together, she and Leo left the forest and made their way back to Kimora’s house.

When they arrived, they found the place empty. A single note lay on the dining table, written in Oriana’s neat handwriting.

‘Went to treat Mom and Dad to lunch at Pix’s Diner in Azdocia. Feel free to join us if we’re not back by the time you read this!’

“Azdocia?” Leo asked, glancing over her shoulder. “Is that far?”

Auriella shook her head. “Not too far. About an hour’s walk southeast. Though I imagine they used Oriana’s cloud magic to get there instead.”

Leo chuckled. “So… guess that means we're not going?”

“I don't think so,” Auriella laughed, shaking her head. “Looks like we’ll have to find somewhere nearby to eat or go to the market and make something to eat instead.”

As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly, making both of them laugh. Cal awoke at the sound, blinking up at them with a confused expression.

“Well,” Leo said, still chuckling, “I guess that answers my question about whether you’re hungry.”

Auriella’s cheeks flushed as she playfully swatted him. “Oh, hush!”

They laughed together, the sound filling the empty house as they held each other close, grateful for this little moment of joy amid the trials ahead.