Cleo's heart felt heavy as she glanced over to Lumosa. Lumosa, who was usually composed, now had her arms wrapped around her knees, the weight of ages visible in her downcast eyes. 

The goddess was not the radiant, otherworldly being Cleo had imagined. In this moment, she seemed as fragile as the leaves drifting across the water.

‘Hang on, let me get this straight…You want ME to go get a super old cursed crown that turned even a GOD evil just so YOU can destroy it?!’ Cleo asked. She pulled herself to her feet, her body still trembling under the weight of what she’d just seen.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but I can only personally trust you with this task," Lumosa’s voice was barely above a whisper. She tilted her head slightly, her short blue hair catching the sunlight. 

"I cannot do this alone. I am… not as strong as I once was. And the crown’s curse also ties me in ways I cannot fully explain."

Cleo hesitated before saying, ‘But why me? I’m just—’ She stopped herself. 

Lumosa had already seen through her, past any bravado she might project and into the truth she tried so desperately to bury. ‘I’m no one special,’ she finished quietly.

Lumosa looked up, her gaze piercing yet kind. "Do you truly believe that, Valerie?"

Cleo stiffened at the sound of her old name. ‘Please don’t call me that,’ she said, hoping to leave that name behind.

"Very well," Lumosa said with a faint smile. "But you are more than you realize. You must have been reborn as a familiar for a reason, Cleo. That reason may be unclear for now, but I assure you, it will become apparent soon enough."

Cleo exhaled through her nose, turning her gaze to the shimmering hill where the unicorns had disappeared. ‘And what if I say no? What if I don’t want to get involved in your… godly problems?’

Lumosa didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she unfolded herself, standing gracefully as she reached up into the golden tree behind her, as if searching for something. Her tall stature was impressive and beautiful, and despite herself, Cleo couldn’t look away.

"If you say no, I will not force you," Lumosa said, her voice soft but unwavering. "But know this: the crown is not just my burden. It is a threat to all who walk this world. Obscyron’s torment fuels his hatred, and the curse festers. If the crown falls into the wrong hands…"

She didn’t finish, but Cleo didn’t need her to. The memory of Obscyron’s terrifying grin burned in her mind.

Cleo exhaled sharply, her resolve faltering. ‘Fine. Say I believe you. Say I want to help. Where do we even start? That crown could be anywhere.’

Lumosa’s lips curved into a small, grateful smile. "It is closer than you think."

‘What?’ Cleo’s eyes widened.

"The crown was not destroyed when I cast it away," Lumosa explained, her tone tinged with regret. 

"It landed in the heart of what would become the Umbrafell Empire. Over time, its influence seeped into the land, twisting it into the shadowy realm it is today. The crown rests beneath the capital, sealed away but not unreachable."

Cleo whimpered. ‘Of course it’s in the most dangerous place imaginable.’

Lumosa chuckled softly, a sound that momentarily lightened the mood. "Danger often accompanies destiny, does it not?"

‘Great. Now you’re spouting riddles,’ Cleo said, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.

Lumosa sat back down, a soft, comforting smile on her face as she locked eyes with Cleo. 

"You won’t be alone in this. I will try to the best of my abilities to help you, and there will be others who will stand by your side. Trust in that, Cleo. Trust in yourself."

Cleo looked up at Lumosa, searching her eyes for any sign of deceit. She found none. ‘Alright,’ she said finally. ‘I’ll help you. But if I die, I’m haunting you.’

Lumosa laughed, a genuine, melodic sound that made the leaves around them dance. "Fair enough."

Lumosa opened her palm, and the item that rested on it suddenly darted towards Cleo. It tightened around her neck, and as she tried to look at it, a bell sounded off with each shake of her head.

‘What's this? A magical collar?’ Cleo asked, and Lumosa nodded. 

“Call it a little incentive. It should help you with your speech problems. Just, don't be surprised if it suddenly disappears one day,” Lumosa said with a wink. 

As Cleo turned toward the hilltop where Celeste beckoned her, she took one last look at Lumosa, who waved her goodbye for now with that beautiful smile on her face. 

The weight of the task ahead settled on Cleo’s shoulders, but for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of purpose.

To be continued…