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Cattalina, Erika's mother, had only rested for a night before beginning to monitor every person that had fallen unconscious. She used her powerful magic to check their souls and their mental states and clean any negative energy that might have stored inside of their souls, alongside any demonic energy.
She also made sure people had relieving dreams, and not nightmares reminding them of what happened.
She planned to "rehabilitate" everyone through good dreams, showing them that the world still had a beautiful side to it, and that only them could build the future. This was one of the amazing powers of Cattalina, to change the dreams people had as they slept, which would greatly affect how these people also started their days, and even their whole lives.
People that have more nightmares will naturally be more bitter, even if they sometimes don't remember them, while people that have pleasurable or peaceful dreams, or good and fun dreams, might experience better days overall.
Using her powers, she was rehabilitating almost everyone, well, except Rosenheim who had already woken up, but she was still influencing her dreams last night too, even if she had already woken up from her coma.
Since then, she had also been eyeing Lady Everfrost, Elfriedden's mother, and little Sapphirus, Elfriedden's little brother, both of them were very important to the elven boy, a friend of her daughter, so she wanted to make sure they would feel better as they rested.
Eventually, they woke up, surprising her, she didn't interrupt them nor went to talk to them, immediately going to call for Elfriedden's assistance. Despite her charming appearance and her type of "mature beauty" personality, she was actually not that good at talking with people, and deep down, Erika's mother was rather socially awkward. She felt very proud her daughter was the total opposite.
"My mother... She's awake?! Really?" Elfriedden immediately walked out of the bed.
"Yes, also with your brother, both are awake... I would recommend you go meet them immediately," said Elfriedden. "Perhaps bringing Rosenheim too."
"A-Ah, yes! But, she's still-"
"I can go! Let's go, quickly!"
Rosenheim instantly stood up, and both ran towards the room with Cattalina's guidance, opening the door and finding Everfrost and Sapphirus hugging each other, crying.
"It's okay..." the mother cried, trying to comfort her son despite feeling terrible herself.
"Mommyyy..." little Sapphirus was no older than six, and still a big mama's boy, naturally, he would cry a lot and need his mother.
Even children became monsters, and some of such memories remained within them, scaring them. Elfriedden felt even more terrible to know his brother had gone through such a thing.
At least if it were all adults, it wouldn't be as horrendous and traumatic, adult elves are old, usually over a hundred years, their mature minds can adapt quickly and are rather resistant.
"Your mother...?" muttered Rosenheim.
"She passed away..." said Cattalina. "I know elves are very long lived, I always expected mother to stick around for hundreds of years... But a disease caught her, and she... well, perhaps it wasn't even a true disease, but a curse. Those cultists... they've been hiding in that Kingdom for too long."
"I'm so sorry..." Rosenheim sighed. "I shouldn't have asked..."
"No, it's fine... It has been over twenty years since then, I've grown past that," Cattalina smiled faintly. "I live to remember my mother for all the good things she said and taught me. And I am happy I am finally back in her continent... But I wonder, what she would say if she saw her home in such a state? I feel like it is my duty now, to clean it and protect it.
To save it from the demons and the evil dragon. It's... the very least I could do to honor my mother's last wishes."
"Last wishes?" Rosenheim asked.
"Yes, she told me to return to her homeland, and bury her coffin there," she sighed. "It was very specific wish... But I suppose she wished to rest eternally beneath the soil of her homeland, which she felt guilty for abandoning."
"It is a noble wish," smiled Rosenheim. "Once all of this is over... I would gladly help you, I can give you a spot in our cemetery, which is in the middle of a spiritual forest. Your mother will rest in peace and with the spirits."
"Truly? Thank you so much..." Cattalina smiled with a slight melancholy in her eyes.
Rosenheim could tell, that despite how gentle this woman was, and how much she smiled, deep down, she was greatly hurt, and perhaps the only thing keeping her up was her daughter alone.
She admired her a bit, Cattalina...
"You have probably gone through so many things, worse than us even..." Rosenheim said. "You're a very strong person, Cattalina. And I don't mean in the term of levels or magic. I mean it in the terms of the heart."
"Lady Rosenheim..." Cattalina felt moved by the young girl's words.
"I am sure Elfriedden will become King now, I will make him the new King if I must, and I shall become the Queen too," Rosenheim was ambitious. "Once that happens, I will give you a piece of land to honor your help, and also your mother's last wishes."
"Hahah, you're quite ambitious, young lady," Cattalina giggled.
"A-Ambitious? I am only stating facts!" Rosenheim smiled. "I will bring back the Elven Continent back on its feet."
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