Amora paused. "No. I'm traveling."
"Traveling?" Ariella asked. "Where?"
"Beyond our land," Amora said. "To see other worlds. Other lives."
Roman stepped in. "We don't have time for this."
"Time for what?" Samuel asked.
"Lilian," Roman said. "The seeds are pulling her into the old city. Now."
"Pulling her?" Ariella asked.
"They're merging," Roman said. "Becoming one dark mind. They need her to control it."
"Control what?" Samuel asked.
"The city's dreams," Amora said. "To turn them into nightmares."
"Why now?" Ariella asked.
"They have a tool," Roman said. "An artifact. In the old city. It turns fear into power."
"Power to do what?" Samuel asked.
"To change reality," Amora said. "To make nightmares real. We have to stop them. Now."
"How?" Ariella asked.
"We follow the seeds," Roman said. "Into the old city's heart. But it's a trap. They want us there. They're waiting."
"Waiting for what?" Samuel asked.
Amora's eyes were dark. "Waiting to use us. To use our fears. To make their dark dream real."
Samuel and Ariella looked at each other. "What will you find there?" Samuel asked.
"Knowledge," Amora said, her eyes bright. "To see different lives. To understand the world."
"And your work?" Ariella asked.
"It goes on," Amora said. "I'll study old stories. Find the links between us all."
"A big journey," Samuel said, worry in his voice.
"Knowledge has risks," Amora said. "But it's worth it."
Ariella nodded. "Then go," she said. "Find your answers. You'll always have a home here."
Roman stepped forward. "We don't have time. We have to leave. Now."
"Leave? Where?" Samuel asked.
"The old city," Roman said. "The seeds are pulling Lilian. They're becoming one dark thing."
"One thing?" Ariella asked.
"A mind," Amora said. "They want to control the city's dreams. Turn them into nightmares."
"Why now?" Samuel asked.
"They have a tool," Roman said. "An artifact. It turns fear into power. We have to stop them."
"How?" Ariella asked.
"We follow the seeds," Amora said. "Into the old city's heart. But it's a trap. They're waiting for us."
"Waiting for what?" Samuel asked.
"To use our fears," Amora said. "To make their dark dream real. And to use Lilian. She's the key."
"The key to what?" Ariella asked.
Amora looked at them. "The key to breaking the city's mind. To turning its dreams into weapons. We have to go. Now. Before it's too late. Before they use Lilian to destroy everything."
Ariella looked at Amora. She saw herself. The same hunger for knowledge. The same drive to explore.
"You're like me," Ariella said, voice soft. "The same need to know."
She walked to a bookshelf. Old books lined the shelves. She took a stack, filled with notes.
"These," she said, giving Amora the books, "are my journals. My work. They helped me find my way."
Amora took the books. Old paper felt familiar. She felt close to her mother.
"They're yours now," Ariella said. "They might help you."
"Thank you, Mother," Amora said. "They mean a lot."
Roman stepped forward. "We have to go. Now."
"Go where?" Ariella asked.
"The old city," Roman said. "The seeds are pulling Lilian. They're becoming one dark thing."
"Dark thing?" Samuel asked.
"A mind," Amora said. "They want to control the city's dreams. Turn them into weapons."
"Why Lilian?" Ariella asked.
"She's the key," Roman said. "To an artifact. It turns fear into power. They need her to use it."
"Use it how?" Samuel asked.
"To break the city's mind," Amora said. "To make nightmares real. We have to stop them. Now."
"How?" Ariella asked.
"We follow the seeds," Roman said. "Into the old city's heart. But it's a trap. They're waiting for us."
"Waiting for what?" Samuel asked.
Amora looked at them. "They're waiting to use our fears. To make their dark dream real. And to use Lilian. She's the only one who can unlock the artifact's true power."
"What power?" Ariella asked.
"The power to rewrite reality," Amora said. "To make their dark dream the only reality."
Samuel watched them. He felt pride. Ariella's books were more than knowledge. They were her life's work.
"Amora," Samuel said, his voice worried, "your journey will be hard. People will try to use you."
"I know the risks," Amora said. "But I can do good."
"Alone?" Ariella asked.
"Yes," Amora said. "I want to travel without your names. Without the city's shadow. I want my own name. My own work."
Roman stepped in. "We don't have time. We have to go. Now."
"Go where?" Samuel asked.
"The old city," Roman said. "The seeds are pulling Lilian. They're becoming one dark mind."
"Dark mind?" Ariella asked.
"They want to control the city's dreams," Amora said. "Turn them into nightmares. They need Lilian."
"Need her for what?" Samuel asked.
"To use the artifact," Roman said. "It turns fear into power. They need her to unlock it."
"Unlock what?" Ariella asked.
"The power to change reality," Amora said. "To make their dark dream real. We have to stop them."
"How?" Samuel asked.
"We follow the seeds," Roman said. "Into the old city's heart. But it's a trap. They're waiting for us."
"Waiting for what?" Ariella asked.
"To use our fears," Amora said. "To make their dream real. And to use Lilian. She's the only one who can control the artifact's full power."
"What power is that?" Samuel asked.
Amora looked at them. "The power to rewrite the city's mind. To make their nightmares the only truth. And they're running out of time."
Amora said. "We have to stop them. Now. In the old city.
Amora added. "It turns fear into power. They want to change reality."
Roman stepped in. "We have to leave. Now. Lilian's in danger."
"Danger?" Samuel asked.
"The seeds," Roman said. "They're merging. Becoming one dark mind. They need Lilian."
Ariella nodded, eyes knowing. "Wise," she said. "Your freedom is power. But you're not alone. Knowledge and friends are with you."
"We're here," Samuel added.
Amora smiled. "Thank you. I must go now."