Moments later, Leo came to a stop at the front of the cottage. He raised his hand, prepared to knock, but the door swung open and a woman emerged from the cottage. She was around her mid-forties and introduced herself as Delilah. She explained that she was a witch and the guardian of the Kingdom of Destrove. Delilah told Leo that she was the one who took him to the Village of Conoco when he was a baby, after Tylorne supposedly killed his father and she had watched over him until he came of age to overthrow Tylorne. She was the one sending Leo the dreams as a message for his duty to bring back peace to the land.
While Leo was still processing what she said, she didn't wait for him before continuing. She gave him a ring and told him that this was a status representation of a king where only kings can wear this ring. The ring was called the Ring of Destiny. It was passed down for many generations and she found it on Leo when she saved him from Tylorne many years ago. Leo took it in his hands and held it as if it was something he wasn't worthy of having. It was gold with a bright red jewel in the middle.
Then she told him, "This ring holds a powerful force that will help you when the worst begins. But to bring the ring to effectual protection, you must find your hidden power within yourself."
As soon as she finished explaining, she started to pack up while Leo finally let everything click into place. It was overwhelming to think that he carried a powerful force right in his hands so he struggled to not let himself doubt his capabilities. It scared him to think of what dangers could lie for him to possibly need such a powerful force. But Leo reminded himself of the innocent lives at stake and his duty to restore peace to the land.
In just ten minutes, Delilah had finished packing her important supplies into a sack and studied Leo for a moment before deciding they didn't have time to waste. She opened the door and took in a deep breath of the morning air. "Ready?"
Leo followed closely behind Delilah as they walked in silence through the forest. The trees were so thick not even a ray of sun was able to pass through the crowd of leaves. A chilly breeze sent a shiver down Leo's spine. Suddenly, Delilah stopped and reached into her pocket. She took out a yellow powder that seemed to glimmer in the darkness. Leo stared at the powder in wonder, until Delilah blew on it and it flew from her hands onto the floor. His eyebrows furrowed until he realized that the powder was lighting up the dark floor. Delilah smiled at the light in satisfaction and watched as it spread deeper into the forest, lighting up a path. She turned to face Leo and told him that the powder was only temporary so she was going to look for some sticks for a fire, just in case. Leo was to wait for Delilah to return as it would be faster if only one of them went.
