The sun at dawn laced over the rolling hills of the kingdom, as Leona stood on the edge of a cliff, staring down the hill into the busy village beneath her. In a heartbeat, her heart, once filled with question marks, suddenly carried an unexpected weight of revelation. She had seen how the world was torn by rifts and the appearing of abandoned characters for several weeks now. But it was only now, standing on this precipice, that she understood the full scope of Cedric's importance.
"He's not just a piece of the story," Alaric's voice echoed in her mind. "He is the story's heart."
Leona turned away from the view, her thoughts consumed by the revelation Alaric had shared. Cedric wasn't just some steadfast male lead or a romantic anchor to Vivienne's arc. He was the linchpin, the force that could either bind the fragmented narratives into a unified whole or allow them to spiral into chaos.
Far from Leona's perch, Cedric awoke with a start. His chest heaved as he struggled for breath, the remnants of another vivid dream clinging to his mind. For weeks, his nights had been filled with visions of places he had never seen, faces he had never known, and Leona.
Always Leona.
He threw his legs over the side of the bed and pressed his hands to his temples. "What are you trying to tell me?" he muttered to the ghostly image of her that lingered in his mind.
A knock at the door broke into his abstraction.
"Come in," he called, his voice hoarse.
Vivienne came into the room, an image of cautious concern. "You didn't come down to breakfast," she said, crossing her arms. "Is something wrong?"
Cedric was quiet for a moment. He had confided in Vivienne with so much, but these dreams seemed to be different. It wasn't just nightmares-it was messages, and he did not know how to explain it without sounding insane.
"It's nothing," he finally said. "Just restless nights."
Vivienne didn't look convinced, but she nodded. "Well, when you're ready, we need to meet with Magnus. The villagers reported another rift near the southern border."
Cedric nodded, grateful for the excuse to change the subject. "I'll be down shortly."
As Vivienne left, Cedric's gaze fell on the window. The light outside seemed different somehow-brighter, sharper. It reminded him of the moments in his dreams when Leona's presence felt closest.
She followed the path down the cliff and her footsteps fell in quick and determined strides. Alaric was at the bottom of the slope, leaning his back against a weathered tree. His face revealed nothing but his voice sounded solemn when he spoke.
"You've made your choice."
"Yes, I have," said Leona. "Cedric should know the truth. If he is the answer to the narrative merging, I need to tell him the truth."
Alaric's brow furrowed. "And what will you say? That his existence is nothing more than a construct? That the fate of this world—and every discarded story—rests on his shoulders?"
Leona's resolve wavered, but only for a moment. "He deserves to know. Cedric has always been more than his role in the story. He's strong, compassionate, and capable of choices that defy the constraints of his character. If anyone can handle this truth, it's him."
Alaric sighed, his gaze distant. "You're putting a heavy burden on him, Leona. Be sure he's ready to carry it."
The sun was high in the sky when Leona found Cedric. He was alone, standing at the edge of a field where wildflowers swayed in the breeze. His shoulders were tense, and his expression was distant.
"Cedric," she called softly.
He turned, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw her. "Leona," he breathed. "You're… here."
She nodded, taking a step closer. "I've been watching, Cedric. Guiding when I could. But this. this is something I needed to tell you face-to-face."
He studied her, his gaze searching. "Why do I keep seeing you in my dreams? Why does it feel like you're always just out of reach?"
Leona hesitated, the weight of her words heavy on her tongue. "Because you're more than you know, Cedric. You're not just the male lead of this story. You're its heart-the thread that stitches it all together."
Cedric frowned, confusion flickering across his face. "I don't understand.
She reached out, setting a hand to his arm. "This world-the people, the places, the conflicts-it's all part of a story. But the story's breaking, fractured by rifts and remains of what's been discarded. You're the one who can mend it, Cedric. You have the power to weave these fragments into something whole."
His breath caught, and he stepped back, shaking his head. "You're saying this is all… a story? That I'm not real?"
Leona's heart ached at the pain in his voice. "You're as real as you believe yourself to be, Cedric. What matters is what you choose to do with the truth."
Hours went by as Cedric and Leona walked through the fields, talking. She explained to him the nature of the rifts, the discarding of draft characters, and a shadowy entity that wanted to overwrite their world.
Cedric had been in silence, his face one storm of emotions. Turning to her when she finally finished, his jaw seemed to set in determination.
"If what you are telling me is true, then I have a responsibility to protect this world-to protect Vivienne, Magnus, and everyone else I care about. But how? What am I supposed to do?"
A smile played on Leona's lips, a hint of hope in her eyes. "You've already begun, Cedric. Your choices, your relationships, your actions-they're already writing the story, even now. But to heal the fractures for good, you'll have to find the source of them-the shadow entity."
He furrowed his brow. "And if I fail?
"You won't," she said, her voice quite even. "Because you aren't alone. Vivienne, Magnus, and even Alaric-they're all part of that story too. Together, you could write an ending that no force can ever erase."