Sabine returned the embrace and squeezed Meesei as hard as she could. She laughed a couple more times and sniffed at Meesei's words. "They are still there, but..." Sabine shut her eyes started to shed tears of happiness, "They don't hurt anymore. I'm not afraid. I feel free." They rocked each other back and forth for a long time, then pulled away. 

Next, Sabine carefully stood up, then threw her arms around Thorantilth, squeezing him just as tightly and probably more than he was able to breathe with. "Thank you, Treeminder," Sabine said, pressing her head into his chest. Thankfully for Thorantilth, Sabine released him well before he suffocated, but she turned around and presented her vibrant smile to everyone watching. The air seemed to fresh, everything seemed so... possible now.

One by one, Janius, Fendros, Tunxeek, everyone returned her smile. It had been tense to watch them almost lifeless on the ground for so long, but whatever the Hist had shown them, it was what Sabine needed. She was up and active, no longer curled up in her shell. The change seemed sudden from their perspectives, but they had not witnessed what Sabine and Meesei had. They might never know. One thing was certain, Sabine was changed.

Janius had his arm over Kaleeth's shoulder, appreciating her reassurance during the ritual, but now that it was over he was the first to call out to them. "What's on your mind, Runt?"

Sabine's smile opened into a grin. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted back to Janius, louder than she had ever shouted in years. "My name is Sabine!"

Even though he was taken aback by her response, Janius' look of surprise quickly reformed into a grin and he laughed heartily. He beckoned Meesei and Sabine to come to the allowed boundary of the Hist tree. "Come here."