(Meanwhile, Amanda and Caleb's POV, Inside the Skyshard Mansion, The Time Stilled World)
After the incident on Ixtal, Amanda's behavior took a sharp turn as she became extremely loyal to Leo and deeply understanding of whatever he did for the family, as the near destruction of their home had finally forced her to realize just how much weight Leo carried on his shoulders every single day.
Inside the quiet living quarters of the Time Stilled World, Caleb sat on a wooden bench while Amanda carefully applied a layer of cooling ointment across the bruises forming along his forearms and shoulders, the young boy wincing slightly as the cold salve touched his skin.
"Ahh… it still hurts," Caleb complained softly as he shifted his arm, his voice carrying the tired frustration of someone who had spent the entire morning training under a relentless instructor.
