Runebelle’s heart sank as her mother’s respoook an ued turn. ed and unsure of how to proceed, Runebelle took a step closer to her mother and spoke gently, “Mom, I... what’s wrong with you?”

  Runebelle’s mother snapped out of her psychotic breakdown. Her breathing slowly returo a more normal rhythm. She looked at Runebelle with wide, fearful eyes.

  “I’m... I’m so sorry, Runebelle. I…I didn’t mean to react like that.”

  Runebelle’ sighed. She took a step closer and pced her own hands together, “Mom, it’s okay. We all have our moments. You don’t have to be perfect. I just want us to be together and support each other.”

  Rune nodded, “You’re right, sweetie. Let’s... let’s have a good day today, okay?”

  Runebelle nodded in agreement, hoping that today would be a better day for both of them.

  As Runebelle went through her day at school, she noticed a subtle ge in her cssmates’ behavior. While she still felt sadness and loneliness, no one was actually b her today. She felt happy about that and mao make a smile after the day was over.

  Upon heading home, Runebelle felt a slight sense of relief. The absence of ivity, even if temporary, allowed her to breathe a little easier.

  Runebelle expected her mother to be there to greet her with a warm hug, just like the previous days. However, to her surprise, the house was empty, and her mother wasn’t there, but she remembered something right afterwards.

  Runebelle muttered to herself, “I fot, Mom was supposed to start a new job today.”

  Runebelle sighed softly. She decided to ehe kit and g the cooking tools her mother used. A thought crossed her mind. She mumbled to herself, “You know, if I learned how to cook, I could help her. Maybe I should take care of my mother for a ge. She hasn’t been herself these days...”

  Runebelle’s initial enthusiasm for learning to cook was soo with the great challenge of unfamiliar recipes and teiques. She tried to to absorb the information from books, but was overwhelmed. She went from the kit over to the living room coud muttered, “Yeah, don’t ever think it’s going to be that easy, Runebelle... So sad….”

  Runebelle’s mother, Rune soon arrived home with a cheerful smile on her face. She announced, “Runebelle, I’ve got a surprise for you! I found this new game at the store today. It’s called ‘Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows.’ I thought we could py it together!”

  Her mother’s enthusiasm was so tagious that Runebelle felt excited for this herself. She jumped up from the couch, momentarily fetting her cooking attempts, and excimed, “That sounds awesome, Mom! Let’s py!”

  Hours flew by while Runebelle and her mother, Rune, delved into the world of “Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows.” Their hunger soon caught up with them.

  Rune gasped, “Oops, I got so caught up in the game that I fot to cook dinner. Sorry about that, Runebelle.”

  Runebelle smiled and said, ” its okay, mom. Why don’t you show me how to cook? I want to learn, and maybe I help you with dinner.”

  Rune smiled warmly at her daughter’s willio learn. “That’s a great idea, Runebelle. Let’s cook together!”

  As the days went by, Runebelle tio help her mother with various tasks around the house, including cooking dihey would spend quality time together, pying the “Epic Quest” game, and Runebelle would eagerly absorb the knowledge her mother shared about cooking.

  Rune’s mood seemed to improve as well. The home was filled with ughter and a sense of togetherhat Runebelle hadn’t experienced in a long time.

  One day, Runebelle returned home from school. She walked through the front door with her school bag slung over her shoulder, and a hopeful smile on her face. She expected her mother to be busying about, preparing for their usual evening routine; however, to her surprise, she found her mother sitting in a chair looking pensive.

  “Mom, is everything okay?” she asked gently.

  Rune’s smile, though initially weak, brightened slightly as she looked at Runebelle. Her face seemed to shift through many types in a matter of seds. She reached out and pulled Runebelle into a tight hug

  In that moment, the floodgates of emotion burst open, and Rune cried. She held onto Runebelle as if she never wao let go.

  “Runebelle I,” she choked out between sobs, “I... I ’t keep pretending that everything is fine. I’ve been trying so hard to protect you, to make you happy, but I ’t hide the truth any longer!”

  Runebelle could feel her mother’s tears soaking into her shoulder as she tio hold her tightly.

  “Mom, what’s wrong? You tell me.”

  Rurembled, ” Runebelle. I’ve been struggling, and I need help. I ’t do this on my own anymore.”

  Runebelle held her mother close, “Mom,” she whispered softly, “I’ll do whatever it takes to help you. We get through this together. You’ve already taught me so much, and I want to learn more to support you. I--”

  Ruears tio fall, but she interrupted Runebelle while letting out a heavy sigh. “Oh, Runebelle,” she began, “I really love you...but ... it’s…T….There are things you don’t know, things I’ve kept hidden for far too long.”

  Runebelle looked at her mother with curiosity and , her eyes refleg the trust she had in her. “What is it, Mom? You tell me.”

  “Runebelle,” she began, “there are some things I’ve kept hidden, things I should have shared with you a long time ago. But I was afraid, afraid of how it might affect you.”

  Ruook a deep breath, trying to find the right words to expiuation to her daughter without overwhelming her

  She paused, “There are certain...dangers out there, people that could threaten our family. I’ve been trying to protect you from them, but I fear that they’ve caught up with us.”

  Runebelle raised an eyebrow. “Dangers? People? What do you mean, Mom? What’s going on?”

  “Runebelle,” she began, “tonight, there’s going to be a big...battle, just like the ones we fa ‘Epic Quest.’ But this battle is not a game, and it’s not something I wanted you to be a part of.”

  Runebelle’s eyes widened as she listeo her mother’s words, “A battle? What kind of battle, Mom?”

  Rune nodded, her gaze filled with a mother’s love and worry. “It’s...plicated, Runebelle. There are people who want to hurt us, and I’ve been trying to keep you safe from them, but… now they know where I live… I… I ’t do it alohis… this is just like our characters do in the game, you know? We have to fight to protect the ones we love… I…just don’t have anyone I call to help.”

  Runebelle took a deep breath, trying to absorb everything her mother had just revealed. She shook her head momentarily and then said, “Mom you and I both know that this is not like a video game. We’ll take every precaution we , and we’ll deal with whoever tries to take us down accly.”

  Rune looked at her daughter with pride but also with some worry. She reached out aly cupped Runebelle’s fa her hands.

  “I’m so gd you uand, Runebelle,” she said, “But these people... they’re not like anything you’ve faced before. They’re bad people and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  Runebelle pced her hand over her mother’s “Mom, I know that mom,” she replied firmly. “But I’m not a child anymore. I’m 18 years old, and I want to help. I handle myself, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect our family.”

  Rune’s eyes welled up with tears, “Runebelle, you’re my baby,” she whispered. “I’ve spent so long trying to shield you from all of this. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way…I….”

  Runebelle leaned in closer to her mother. “Mom, I know you’ve been hiding this,” she said gently. “But keeping me in the dark any longer won’t protect me either. Let me help you.”

  There was a moment of silehat seemed to stre for a long time. Rune’s shoulders soon came to rex themselves and a small smile formed on her lips. She brushed a strand of hair from Runebelle’s fad nodded slowly. “Alright, Runebelle. If you’re sure about this... then we’ll face this together.”

  Runebelle hugged her mhtly, “Thank you, Mom,” she whispered. “We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

  Ruurned her daughter’s embrace with equal fervor. “I believe in you, Runebelle,” she said softly. “We’ll do whatever it takes to keep our family safe together.”

  Evening soon desded upon their home. The aroma of a freshly cooked meal filled the house. Runebelle was the one who endiime i preparing the dionight for the two of them.

  When Ruered the kit, she paused in the doorway and said, “Runebelle, this smells absolutely amazing!”

  She hurried over to the stove, peering into the pots and pans with eager anticipation. Runebelle turned around with a smile having some pink c her cheeks. “I’m gd you like it, Mom,” she replied softly. “Thank you, Mom. I wao do something new for you tonight after all you’ve done for me.”

  “You’ve really outdone yourself, Runebelle,” Rune said while pg a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Thank you for taking the time to cook such a wonderful meal for us.”

  “It’s nothing special, Mom,” she murmured with a weak chuckle.

  Rune nodded. “You’ve grown so much, Runebelle. Not just as a cook, but as a person. You’re brave, strong, and g. I couldn’t ask for a better daughter.”

  The duo shared their meals. Mother and daughter savored not only the delicious food but also a preoments which they had together.

  Onight settled in, Runebelle and her mother, Rune, found themselves in their living room, preparing for this battle. The room was only lit with the soft glow of a few dles.

  Runebelle donned a makeshift armor which was made of clothing and accessories that had been gathered from around the house. She had a small wooden sword slung across her back.

  Ruoo, had ged into attire that spoke of readiness. She wore a long coat that billowed slightly as she moved, giving her a heroic air. Her eyes, however, were less heroid filled with worry.

  “This is ly what I had in mind for a battle,” Runebelle muttered under her breath, eyeing the wooden sword slung across her back. She turo her mother, Rune, who was gathering a few more dles to pce around the room.

  “M-Mom,” Runebelle began cautiously, “why do we only have cooking utensils and nothing else we use? What if a burgr got in? Shouldn’t we have... you know, actual ons or something?”

  Rune paused mid-motion, her brow furrowing as she sidered Runebelle’s question. Her hair seemed to bristle slightly, and she ched her fist with a psychotic gre.

  “A burgr?” Rune replied. Then, Rune’s body momentarily seemed to visibly bulk up. Her posture straightened, and she she squared her shoulders fidently.

  “A burgr wouldn’t st five seds against me!” Rune decred with surprising gusto. She gestured to the utensils i with a wink. “These aren’t just for cooking, you know. I handle anything that es our way.”

  “Alright, Mom,” Runebelle said with a smile tugging at her lips. “I guess we’ll stick with what we have. But if anything happens, I’m ting on you to unleash your kit warrior skills.”

  Rune chuckled softly, her earlier tension easing slightly. “You got it, Runebelle. I’m ready for anything now.”

  Suddenly, thunderous knock echoed through the house, shaking both Runebelle and her mother from their preparations. Runebelle clutched the hilt of her wooden sword. “Who could that be, Mom?”

  Rune moved closer to the door with her hand h he handle. “I don’t know, Runebelle, but be careful. It could be ‘them’..”