Chapter XII: Sophia's Home

The Resistance arrived in a village. Sophia did not want to be here, and Joanne could see this.
"What is wrong, mother?" she asked the blue-haired priestess.
"This is where I lived before I began my journey to recruit followers."
"This is where you were born?" asked Damien.
"No. I was never actually born. I was created to save this world. This is where I learned my purpose."
The village was surrounded by oak trees, maple trees, and trees unlike those on Earth. Some had green leaves, while others were as colorful as rainbows. Birds flew freely, oblivious to the humans and dragons. Lizards crawled up the trees looking for tasty insects. Bees were pollinating flowers so new ones could bloom. Farmers were plowing their fields. Cattle were lazily chewing on grass.
"It's beautiful here." said Cypress, Damien's dragon.
"Yes." Sophia said as a tear trickled down her cheek. She walked into the village's graveyard, passing by several tombstones. Then she stopped two. One beared the name Ezekiel, the other, Ariel. It was here that she stopped, knelt, and wept.
Karin looked at Ariel's grave and noticed that the tombstone said the person inside only lived for ten years.
"Who was this person?" Karin asked.
"She was my daughter. I remember how it felt carrying her inside me. My first child. She had beautiful green hair that I never tired of combing. She had sparkling eyes as green as the foam of the sea. She had an almost ceaseless zeal and an infectious laugh. I enjoyed every moment I spent with her. That is until Stephan killed her."
Sophia turned to see silent surprise in the girls' eyes. The same person who had killed their parents and burned their house down had also killed this innocent child?
Sophia said. "I have come to terms with her death. But there are times I admit I wish she and her dragon, Cirrus, were still alive. Perhaps I was allowed to give birth to her so I could understand what it is like to hold a life in your hands. I would not regret giving birth to a life like that.