At that moment, a young demigod burst into the room. His arrival was heralded by the sound of ancient tomes crashing to the ground, heavy volumes tumbling from his arms. With flushed cheeks, the young demigod hurriedly bent down to retrieve the fallen books. He scrambled about in a flurry, his long hair falling over his face, unmistakably male amidst the chaos. His silver locks bore a resemblance to Lucius, and his clear gray eyes exuded youthful innocence, though his attire lacked Lucius's refinement.
"I'm terribly sorry, I couldn't hold onto these books. They said they found someone in the forbidden area and requested your immediate presence..." He stammered as he gathered the books, falling silent upon seeing Aria.
Lucius stood up, casting a cold glance at him, his voice tinged with reproach. "Mr. Harper, how many times have I reminded you to tie up your hair? You look like a madwoman."
"I'm sorry, I forgot," Mr. Harper apologized hastily.
"This is my apprentice, Tayvon Harper. And this is Aria Magnus, who just woke up," Lucius introduced.
"Hello, Mr. Harper," Aria greeted, her voice tinged with anxiety as she inquired, "You mentioned just now that someone was found in the forbidden area. Did you find the real culprit?"
"I'm not sure, I was just delivering the message," Tayvon mumbled, appearing fearful of Lucius.
"I will investigate thoroughly, you need not worry. As your guardian, I will uphold justice," Lucius said, his voice steady and authoritative. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a divine glow upon Lucius, instilling awe in those who beheld him.
Furrowing her brows, Aria knew nothing of her past, yet she was convinced she could not be a murderer.
With that, Lucius strode towards the door, shooting a displeased look at Tayvon Harper. "Follow me."
Tayvon felt a chill run down his spine, realizing he had offended Lucius. Under his piercing gaze, he felt there was no escape. "Yes, Respected Master," his voice trembled slightly.
Aria watched silently as they left, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. Lucius was evidently an extraordinary figure, his majesty sending shivers down her spine. Yet at the same time, she felt unsettled, unable to believe she had lived for over two hundred years, let alone that she had killed a demigod. She didn't even know how to wield a sword, let alone defeat a demigod with magical abilities. However, Lucius's mention of confused memories made her feel that those experiences could not have been illusions; the memories were too vivid. Aria lay on the bed, gazing at the neat scales on her hands, her inner turmoil unrelenting.
During her time in the Celestial Sanctum, the demigods did not treat the prisoner who destroyed the Celestial Eye and killed a demigod with kindness. Almost no one wanted to approach her, and every time food was brought to Aria, the demigods had nothing but anger. This left her hungry every day. Not only did this remind her of the time she was imprisoned by Thanatos, but it was a similar imprisonment, just in a different place. However, Aria also felt a newfound sense of ease, knowing that Thanatos from over two hundred years ago was surely gone.
Since that day's conversation ended, Lucius had not appeared for a long time.
Aria's body had mostly recovered, and today she could finally get out of bed. She leaned on the table and looked out of the misty window, where everything was obscured by thick fog. There were several ancient books on the table, all written in the language of the demigods. Next to the books was an exquisite golden balance, with the sun on one side and the crescent moon on the other. She gently pressed down on the sun with her hand, and when she let go, the sun slowly rose again. She had noticed this balance since she moved into this small room, where the sun would be on top during the day and the moon would slowly rise at night.
At that moment, the sound of the door opening was heard.
"You seem to be recovering well," Lucius walked in, flashing a fleeting smile.
"I'm fine..." she stopped repeatedly pressing the sun and slowly turned to lean on the table.
"Have you been reading those books?" Lucius pointed to the crooked ancient books.
"I just flipped through a few pages randomly, I don't recognize the words in the books," Aria shrugged, those words were like gibberish to her. "I thought you weren't coming today, were you going to continue questioning me?"
Lucius shook his head, his expression serious. "Adomoye wants to see you."
"Is it to judge me?" Aria was stunned. She hadn't expected the judgment day to come so soon.
"Adomoye wants to restore your memory, and in the following days, you will be judged."
"Will you be with me all the time?"
"I will, I'll be there until the trial ends. If The Oracle, Adomoye, finds you guilty, I'll also supervise your execution and personally burn your body."
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"I'm not a murderer. If telepathy can restore my memory, he'll surely see the truth. It wasn't me, I bet you got it wrong."
"Let's hope so, let's go." Lucius opened the door.
When Aria stepped outside into the vastness, she realized that the white mist outside the window was not fog but clouds. This was a city built in the clouds, with towering peaks connected in the sea of clouds, bridges linking buildings, and beneath the majestic buildings was an empty blue sky and floating clouds. The pure white buildings shimmered with brilliance, sparkling with silver light.
Silver-haired demigods could be seen everywhere, with not only fair skin but also a beautiful face kissed by the god of love. Women kept long silver hair, adorned with exquisite ornaments on their heads, and had graceful figures. Men almost all had long hair, neatly tied at the back. However, Aria's passage attracted many people's attention, not only because she was a criminal, but most importantly because her black hair stood out in the world of demigods.
Aria lowered her head, avoiding the curious glances. She followed Lucius up the stairs leading into the sky, and under the sky, there were only the two of them on the vast staircase. The steps were extremely high, as if walking on an endless passage.
After climbing the steps for a while, Lucius slowed down, giving Aria time to look around. Throughout the city, no matter where she went, she could see giant wings spread out on the tall pillars.
"Do you like wings?" she asked.
"They represent the Celestial Deer," Lucius turned back and said. "Our most precious divine creature."
"It sounds like the Celestial Deer can fly? But these statues only have wings and no deer appearance."
"Do you want to see it?"
"Of course."
Lucius stopped, turned around, and then took out an exquisite crystal bottle. "Hold out your hand," he said.
Aria looked puzzled, but she did as she was told.
He poured out a drop of thick, silver liquid, his palm swept over it, and a white light flashed. The drop transformed into a stag with wings. It seemed like a formation of clouds, ethereal and light, with blossoming flowers on its antlers. After circling Aria's palm a few times, it spread its wings and soared into the dazzling sky, disappearing from view.
"Your spellwork is truly astounding," Aria exclaimed.
"Though we possess the power of the divine, we cannot attain their longevity," Lucius said calmly, continuing to lead her upward. "Even with our formidable magic, we cannot escape the fate of mortals."
"You mentioned that demigods with powerful magic would live longer. What about The Oracle?" Aria inquired.
"The Oracle will also meet death. He won't live as long as you imagine, perhaps not even over two hundred years. In the end, all life returns to dust," he replied.
Sunlight bathed the white stone staircase, lending an extra serenity to the blue sky. At the pinnacle of the towering clouds, stood a figure.
Aria recognized him at once, Tayvon, the young and somewhat reckless demigod. Today, he had neatly tied his hair behind his head, but it was much longer than that of other men.
"Is Tayvon your servants?" Aria asked.
"He is my apprentice. Demigods do not have servants, nor do we compel anyone to be one. We merely teach young individuals how to wield magic," Lucius explained.
Tayvon, with a hint of youthfulness, handed the tray covered in white silk to Lucius when he saw him. Lucius lifted one corner and then covered it again, casting an inscrutable glance at Aria.
"Have they finished their inspection?" Lucius asked.
"Yes, they said you should keep it," Tayvon replied.
"Then help me store it. We will need it on Judgment Day," Lucius said.
Tayvon carefully lifted the tray, as if holding a hedgehog covered in thorns, remaining vigilant. "I... I would like to request... permission to enter. I wish to see The Oracle today. Is that possible?" Tayvon asked hesitantly.
"The Oracle will see through your thoughts," Lucius said.
"I am genuinely sincere and will not disturb you," Tayvon shook his head vigorously, adding a polite remark at the end. "I just wish to catch a glimpse from afar. I greatly admire The Oracle, Adomoye."
"Then you must ensure not to let your thoughts wander, so as not to disturb us. Telepathy requires absolute silence and peace of mind," Lucius advised.
Tayvon shivered, then looked at Aria with pity. "I promise not to disturb you and just want to observe. I will restrain myself from wandering thoughts," he pleaded.
Lucius turned to Aria again, reiterating, "You also need to be mentally prepared. When Adomoye uses telepathy, relax your mind and refrain from any distractions. Do as he instructs without resistance."
"What will he make me do?" Aria felt nervous, finding it even harder to relax after Lucius' reminder.
"Telepathy will not harm you. Remember not to resist," Lucius said.
"Will he make me remember things?" Aria asked.
"I cannot guarantee that. We can only try. You should be more concerned about the impending pain," Lucius admitted.
Aria had thought The Oracle would be seated in a magnificent temple, on a lofty throne. However, to her surprise, the summit of the mountain was a calm lake. Lush green grass surrounded it, and a misty-eyed fawn was drinking from the lake, flowers blooming on its antlers.
"Why doesn't it have wings?" Tayvon couldn't help but ask first, clearly the most surprised.
Lucius cleared his throat, casting a sharp glance at him. Tayvon blushed deeply, lowered his head, and murmured an apology.
"They are not divine beasts in their infancy. Only when they mature and their wings grow full do they become true celestial stags," came a mature, deep voice from afar.
Aria followed the sound and saw someone standing at the heart of the lake. However, what shocked her was that the most esteemed Oracle among the demigods turned out to be a woman, with no hair and dressed in a plain white robe, as simple as a monk. From her pale yet delicate features and her slightly gentle voice, one could tell she was female. Adomoye stood on the water, causing gentle ripples beneath her feet.
"The Oracle, I have brought a suspect," Lucius said, bowing respectfully.
The deer by the lake splashed water with each step, surrounded by a heavy silence that even Lucius dared not break by meeting Adomoye's gaze. Aria kept her head down, feeling the intimidating calm of those steady eyes. Tayvon nudged her gently from behind, urging her to approach Adomoye with slow steps.
Between the cracks of the cobblestones, dense grasses grew, and something suddenly flickered beneath Aria's foot. She lifted her foot in surprise, only to find a protruding eye blinking back at her. When she looked up again, Adomoye was already standing before her.
Facing Adomoye's pale, emotionless face, Aria felt even more nervous and afraid. Adomoye extended her distinctly skeletal hand and lightly brushed Aria's cheek, her fingertips icy cold, sending shivers down Aria's spine with each touch. It reminded her of that night when Xander trembled in agony under the torment of the mysterious individual. Fear swept through Aria's entire body.