It had been over a thousand years since they met, and yet her mother had never forgotten her love for her.

Sophie’s tears dripped on the floor as she crawled her way toward her mother. She grabbed her hand and sobbed audibly, "Mother, mother, Sophie is back, Sophie is back…"

The old lady shivered even harder and asked hoarsely, "Is it really you, Sophie? My little Sophie?"

"It’s me, mother… it’s me…" Sophie cried. "I’m home… little Sophie is finally home…"

The old lady shuddering raised a bony finger to touch Sophie’s soft, white cheeks, but she pulled away the second she made contact. "You’re back, but… I’ve turned into this… thing. You… need to stay away, Sophie. I’ll only dirty you…"

Sophie sobbed even harder as she grabbed her mother’s hand and pressed it to her cheek. "Sophie would never avoid you, mother. You are, and will always be, my greatest treasure…"

The warmth of Sophie’s cheeks transmitted to her palm, and the old lady smiled a little. Shockingly, a pair of tears actually flowed out of her sunken eye sockets as she murmured, "I don’t remember how long I’ve waited, but we’re reunited...