“Do you know where we are now?” a man inquired.

“I don't know, this place... it's too terrifying...” another voice replied.

“Do you still want to move forward?” he asked again.

“Yes, I want to go see, to find out what's happening,” the other voice said firmly.

“I hope you remember what you see today, never forget it...” the man said.

“What's with the red here?”

Aria strolled along an endless forest path, she could hear two voices. Thick fog enveloped, everything around was blurry. She didn't know why she was here, who was talking, or why she kept moving forward.

“Look over there...” the man said.

“Oh my god...” another voice exclaimed.

Aria looked over, through the thick fog, she saw a huge towering tree. She squinted her eyes, carefully observing, noticing the unusual color of the tree.

“The tree is... covered in blood...?” another voice exclaimed.

Aria walked along the path, crossing through the mist, arriving at the tree. She found the tree covered in intertwining red liquid.

“What happened to them?” another voice asked.

“Nourished by blood,” the man answered. “Do you want to know the reason? It's behind the tree...”

Aria went around the thick tree trunk, like circling a tower. But she felt uncomfortable all over, following the voices around the trunk. Then, she almost screamed. Thick vines wrapped around a six or seven-year-old girl. The vines pierced through her clothes, penetrating her skin, only revealing a pale face and a wisp of short hair. The girl's blood had been drained, her skin pale, her eyes tightly closed, as if in a deep sleep.

“It's a child... someone, please save her...” Aria turned around in horror, wanting to remind whoever was behind her, no matter who was talking.

“Aria, I can't save her...” the man slowly walked to her side. Aria looked up at him, but couldn't see his face clearly. Just then, another voice spoke. “Is this child still alive?”

“Yes, but she can't wake up,” the man replied.

Aria tried hard to see clearly, but whether it was the girl on the tree or the man in front of her, she couldn't see clearly. The sunlight fell on the man, leaving only a blurry silhouette. She rubbed her eyes, feeling more and more anxious.

In the distant sky, a voice suddenly sounded.

“Aria...

It's time for you to wake up...

Aria...”

“Aria, Aria.” The voice sounded in her ears. Aria felt herself lying somewhere, hearing her own heartbeat pounding. There was a shallow breathing sound, but it wasn't hers. Aria slowly opened her eyes, seeing a blurry figure standing beside her. The light was dazzling, and she had to close her eyes again. Aria tried to move her body, but the pain surged like a tide, causing her to flinch and groan.

“Aria, can you hear me?” the person beside her asked.

Aria slowly opened her eyes, tears hanging at the corners as her vision gradually cleared. She saw a tall man standing before her, his hair unexpectedly silver. Surprised, she blinked rapidly to ensure she wasn't mistaken. Confirming the sight, she observed the shining silver locks, smoothly tied behind him. He bore a few wrinkles around his eyes, yet his skin was smooth and radiant like polished marble. Clear gray eyes gazed at Aria lying on the bed. He wore a soft, splendid light silver robe adorned with faint feather patterns.

Glancing around the room, Aria noticed silver beams on the white dome ceiling, a square window revealing the azure sky below, and a small table underneath, holding a balance scale and several books.

"I'm Lucius Argent, pleased to see you awake," said Lucius Argent, calmly. "You're Aria, correct?"

Aria nodded lightly, her throat dry as she coughed twice. "Where am I? How did I end up here?" she asked hoarsely.

"You're in the Celestial Sanctum," replied Lucius Argent.

"The Celestial Sanctum?" Aria's eyes widened. "So, you're... a demigod?"

Lucius Argent nodded slightly, giving an affirmative glance.

"You mean I'm in... the Celestial Sanctum? I wasn't supposed to be here after... I mean, I shouldn't have appeared in the Celestial Sanctum?" Aria attempted to sit up, but her body immediately protested with a sharp pain, warning her not to move. She winced, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't you remember?" Lucius Argent asked.

"Remember what? I fell from the cliff. And then..." Aria carefully recollected. "I woke up lying here. Did you save me?"

"Have you forgotten?" Lucius Argent blinked slowly, his gray eyes serious. "You killed someone in the Celestial Sanctum. Don't you remember? I'm responsible for watching over you. I'm your guardian until Judgment Day."

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"What?" Aria's eyes widened further. "I... how could I have killed someone... I must have been unconscious after falling from the cliff, but how could I have survived such a high cliff fall..." Aria was bewildered. "Who saved me? And what happened to Sovereign Bastion? Did the demigods march to rescue Sovereign Bastion?"

Lucius Argent's expression was serious.

"Where's Thanatos?" Aria asked. "Isn't he supposed to be with me?"

"What are you talking about, Aria? Sovereign Bastion was destroyed over 280 years ago. As for the seal in the north, it was the opening of that seal that led to the destruction of Sovereign Bastion. It's been a wasteland ever since."

"Over 280 years ago? 280 years..." Aria's mouth fell open in astonishment.

"The area was resealed by a demigod's magic. It's protected by a barrier now, and no one can enter. Everyone was already dead before that." Lucius Argent lowered his eyes, his expression filled with concern as he looked at her. "You claimed to be a messenger of mortals, yet you killed a... demigod in the forbidden territory of Celestial Sanctum." His last sentence carried a heavy tone.

"But I've never set foot in the forbidden territory. I don't even know where Celestial Sanctum is. You're accusing me of murder, it's absurd..."

"After you regain consciousness, you will face the judgment of the Oracle, Adomoye. Time is running short," said Lucius Argent.

"Judgment for what? Accusing me of killing a demigod? I didn't, it's impossible." Aria was very agitated. If it weren't for the intense pain throughout her body, she would have surely stood up and argued with the demigod.

Lucius Argent sighed heavily. "And you destroyed... the Celestial Eye in the forbidden territory."

"The Celestial Eye...? What is that?" Aria was furious, enduring the pain as she slowly sat up, then solemnly told him, "You can't just pin these charges on me. I've never done anything like that, I couldn't have killed anyone, let alone heard of the Celestial Eye and the forbidden territory."

"Perhaps you've lost your memory, perhaps it was you who destroyed the Celestial Eye in the forbidden territory, causing a backlash of magic." Lucius Argent said. "Furthermore, you didn't live over 200 years ago. You may have confused memories. You've mistaken what you heard for your own memories. I must emphasize again, a mortal cannot live for over 200 years..."

Aria suddenly had a flash of insight, thinking of something that could prove who was telling the truth. She raised her left hand, pulling up her sleeve to her elbow, the scales shining with a cold light, adhering intact to her skin. In the places where Thanatos had stripped away the scales, they now grew tightly together on the back of her hand, as if they had never been removed.

"These scales take a long time to grow back..." Aria raised her head, looking again at Lucius Argent. "You said Sovereign Bastion was destroyed over two hundred years ago?"

Lucius Argent nodded.

"So that means I've lived... for over two hundred years?" Aria found the idea incredibly crazy, perhaps she was truly going mad. However, the demi-god named Lucius Argent in front of her didn't seem like a lunatic.

"Oh... no..." Aria covered her face in sorrow. If it had really been over two hundred years, she couldn't imagine how sad it would be to live all alone in this world. If her memories were confused, then who was she, and what had happened? Yet the scales on her arm remained, and she felt that her memories were very real, not imagined.

The mattress sank slightly as Lucius Argent sat on the edge of the bed, calmly telling her, "Aria, there are some things we cannot control. But if you've truly lived for over two hundred years, then you cannot be an ordinary person. However, you don't seem to possess any magical power or any special traits. Therefore, I believe you need to slowly recall, to take time to clarify your memories."

"Do you have any family?" Aria raised her head, asking him despairingly.

"Yes, I have an adopted daughter," Lucius Argent said.

“If one day you lost her, have you ever thought about how it would feel?”

"I think it would be loneliness. I see her as more precious than my own life," Lucius Argent said with a gentle warmth on his face.

"But I have nothing left," Aria said desolately.

"You're alive, that's the greatest gift, isn't it?"

"How long can a demigod live?"

"Even demigods cannot surpass life and death. Demigods usually live to be over 170, perhaps longer for those with stronger powers, but not exceeding two hundred years."

"But you are demigods, you have powers..." Aria murmured. "At least, you should have half the power of gods, if this world has gods..."

Lucius Argent chuckled softly, the silver hair on his head reflecting a silk-like glow. "We only possess the power of gods, but we don't live forever like them. This is something perhaps only you didn't know, it's not a secret."

"It seems I've missed more than just time," Aria squeezed out an awkward smile.

"It's nothing, after all, your memory has been damaged."

“How do you plan to judge me? But I don't remember anything, it's not fair to me.”

"There is one more thing I must tell you," Lucius Argent said seriously. "Our Oracle, Adomoye, will personally preside over the judgment. Your actions will not escape his scrutiny, Adomoye will use mind-reading on you."

"Mind-reading?"

Lucius Argent's ten fingers interlocked on his lap, his tone still elegant even in such a serious topic. "Only demigods with high cultivation can enter others' consciousness. Adomoye will enter your mind to see your memories and understand your thoughts." Lucius Argent looked at her with concern, his tone becoming more subdued. "But the process will make you feel like your head is splitting. If you resist it, you might even be driven insane by the pain."

Aria suddenly remembered someone, the mysterious figure wearing a hood that night, who might have used demigod's mind-reading on Xander. And Thanatos had that person inquire about her whereabouts, and the mysterious figure had answered correctly.

"But don't worry," he continued. "Not everyone will go insane from mind-reading, only those who intentionally torment with magic will. Adomoye won't do that, The Oracle is the most powerful demigod."

"Will you use mind-reading?" Aria asked in confusion.

"No, it's an ancient divine power that requires high cultivation to achieve," he said, his tone becoming more severe. "The destruction of the Celestial Eye was a serious matter, so serious that it alarmed the entire Celestial Sanctum. Therefore, Adomoye will personally judge you. Because you are the first mortal to infiltrate the forbidden area and kill a demigod inside. The seriousness of this matter far exceeds your imagination..."

"What will happen to me?" Aria shuddered.

"Most likely... the death penalty."

This made Aria's heart wrench fiercely. She had previously overlooked how terrifying these charges actually were: killing a demigod, trespassing into the forbidden area, and destroying the Celestial Eye of the demigod clan. No matter where, she would face the harshest judgment. Aria only hoped that the demigods had made a mistake and that someone else had committed the murder.

"Adomoye may be able to help you restore your memory," Lucius Argent continued. "Only when you remember everything will you find the truth. And only this method can confirm your words. I hope you are telling the truth because lies cannot be hidden from Adomoye's eyes."

"I'm not lying," Aria exclaimed, pounding on the bed excitedly. Then she let out a groan, her whole body in pain like her bones were breaking. Aria weakly squinted her eyes, hoarsely saying as she clutched her chest, "If I had been to the forbidden area, how could I not remember anything? I don't even know how I survived the fall from the cliff, something must have gone wrong somewhere."

"Losing your memory won't help you escape the charges, this is something I can't help you with. I'm only responsible for guarding and questioning you," Lucius Argent said in a calm tone. "Personally, I believe you are a sincere mortal girl. But you must be judged, and if your memory cannot be restored, then it's very likely you'll be executed."