Tayvon lowered his head and replied, "Yes, I understand."

Lucius extended his hand, taking what Tayvon offered. Despite the possibility of finding it easier to guard outside, Tayvon cast a sympathetic glance toward Aria.

As Lucius touched the dagger, the ruby on it shimmered even brighter. Aria felt perplexed by the Thanatos dragon bone dagger in her possession. What had this dagger been through to end up in her hands as a weapon?

Suddenly, she lifted her head, realizing something she had overlooked.

"I remember living for 280 years. My memories aren't confused. I remember the dagger and the candle clearly; it's not an illusion..."

"Aria," Lucius interrupted her. "Regardless of your memories, you'll be executed, and all your troubles will vanish once you're gone."

Aria's heart sank. She felt overwhelmed by despair and helplessness. There was a time she believed she could escape it all, but now, the chains of fate seemed to have her firmly in their grasp. She sighed deeply. "How do you intend to deal with the dagger and the candle then?"

"We'll burn them along with your body," Lucius led the way forward. "Time is running out. Come, let's enter the Eternal Grove. It's both a punishment ground for sinners and the most sacred burial ground for demigods."

The entire grove was situated on a floating island, silent and still.

As they left Tayvon at the entrance, Lucius quickened his pace. Aria, weak and powerless, had to keep up, almost running all the way. Aria felt utterly hopeless, as if Lucius wished for her death to come even sooner.

The Eternal Grove was unusually quiet, devoid of any signs of life or even a whisper of wind. Each tree soared into the sky, standing tall and erect as if reaching for the edge of the heavens. Their trunks resembled pillars of silver, smooth and solid, while their branches, slender and delicate, spread out like strands of silver feathers, gently swaying as if singing in the soft breeze.

As one walked through the Eternal Grove, a subtle fragrance enveloped them, reminiscent of the floral scent found deep in the mountains, yet imbued with a unique sense of mystery. It wasn't a sweet aroma, but rather emitted a magical essence that compelled one to take a deep breath. Unlike any other scent, it seemed capable of ushering one into a comforting dreamland.

Aria soon realized why Tayvon particularly disliked this place, and even Lucius showed a hint of disdain. If this was supposed to be the holiest burial ground of the demigods, it felt more like a graveyard filled with death.

Thick, sturdy vines wrapped around the deceased demigods, piercing their pale skin with tender shoots that tightly entwined around their bodies. Instead of decay or desiccation, the bodies flowed with the sap of the Eternal Trees through their veins beneath the skin. Bodies melded seamlessly with branches and leaves, resembling human sculptures bathed in silver light, as if growing naturally from the trunks of the trees.

Aria felt a sense of déjà vu, recalling a dream from her unconsciousness. In the misty woods, a young girl lay enveloped by the colossal trees, tendrils of vines entwining around her, revealing a serene face in slumber. There was also a glowing figure, a man who had once reminded Aria to remember this scene forever, not to forget.

Hastily stepping in front of Lucius, Aria pleaded, "Lucius, please hear me out. I feel like I've been here before. I saw a young girl, just like those bodies on the Eternal Trees. Please, give me some more time. I'm not afraid of death or trying to escape. I just want to understand what's happening…"

“Everything is over, Aria,” Lucius stopped and said seriously. "Your memories are flawed, your dreams might be illusions. I don't know what exactly happened to you, but one thing is certain... your memories are incorrect."

"I'm not trying to deceive anyone. I can remember. Don't you want to know what happened?" Aria said, her voice tinged with excitement.

"Adomoye witnessed your actions, didn't she show you? This is also her highest judgment as The Oracle, you must be executed before sunset. As your guardian, it's my duty to supervise your execution, otherwise I will be punished as well," the ground rustled, and a vine slid towards them, reaching into the darker depths. Lucius glanced at it, his brow furrowed. "The executioner here sensed your presence the moment we entered the Eternal Grove. You don't want to make it difficult for me, do you?" Lucius's tone was as calm as the lake water, calmly stating a truth for Aria to understand. Lucius wasn't her ally; he was a guardian committed to his duty.

Aria lowered her head, finding it nearly impossible to argue further. Lucius was indeed gentle, but unfortunately, their positions were in conflict.

Deep in the Eternal Grove lay a gigantic pit of bones, filled with white skeletons. Atop the pile of bones lay the skeletal frame of a celestial deer, its enormous wings spread over the white bones, and beneath the lush antlers lay an empty skull. Before the skeleton stood a demigod clad entirely in black, his eyes were two pitch-black voids. In his hands, he held a broad and thick sword, its heavy blade deeply embedded in the bone pile. Vines writhed on the ground around him, and from afar, he resembled the incarnation of death.

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"That's the executioner," Lucius said.

Aria shrank back in fear for a moment; this was the end of her nightmare in the Celestial Sanctum. But Aria had no choice but to face it.

Lucius lowered his eyes, his gaze heavy. Aria also bowed her head, looking down at the white bones at her feet. She knew Lucius pitied her, but what difference could it make? She had committed so many unspeakable crimes before her memory loss.

"Don't be afraid. Follow me, and I'll accompany you on this journey," Lucius comforted.

Aria nodded despondently, silently walking past.

The executioner tightened his grip on the hilt, directing those two black voids towards Aria. Compared to any demigod of the Celestial Sanctum, he was colder and more ruthless. His voice hoarse, he demanded, "Name..."

Lucius spoke up for her.

"Aria, you are about to face the highest punishment of our demigod race. Now, kneel," commanded the executioner.

Aria felt a force dominating her body, and her legs involuntarily knelt to the ground, the impact of bones creating dull thuds.

"Your charges," declared the executioner.

"Murder of a demigod, trespassing forbidden grounds, destruction of the Celestial Eye," Lucius answered for Aria.

"You have challenged our sacred order, desecrated our sanctum, and slain our brethren. Your sins are unforgivable," the executioner's voice stern and merciless. "In the face of your crimes, you must accept punishment. This is your fate, your destiny, Aria. Death shall be the consequence of your wickedness, under the watchful gaze of the myriad spirits."

Controlled by the executioner's voice, Aria involuntarily straightened her body, gazing ahead. Silence enveloped the surroundings, no breeze stirred in the bone-filled pit. The Evergreen Forest shimmered with silver light, the dead demigods lying quiet as if in peaceful slumber within the vines.

"Lucius, I have lost more than just my memories; I have lost my life," Aria's voice trembled.

"If you fear, then close your eyes," Lucius said calmly.

A single tear rolled down as Aria closed her eyes, awaiting the end at the hands of the executioner. Her life, forgotten by the reaper, would ultimately be claimed by death, a fate never meant to be hers.

Fear gradually eroded her last ounce of courage. As the executioner drew his sword, the iron scraped against each other, producing a piercing, ear-splitting sound. Aria's heart raced, her breath quickened. She dared not imagine the agony she would feel as the icy blade sliced through her neck. Closing her eyes, she shuddered, silently repeating "Don't be afraid," attempting to evade the impending horror.

Behind her, footsteps echoed, treading upon the white bones, emitting a dull, echoing sound.

Aria was so nervous she could almost faint.

She tightly shut her eyes, shouting, "I didn't kill anyone, it wasn't me..."

Then, she heard a jarring sound, like lightning striking a mountain peak, followed by the sound of the sword swinging through the air, accompanied by a chilling wind. Subsequently, there was a thunderous roar.

Aria was so frightened she couldn't breathe. However, she waited for a moment. The pain that was supposed to come did not arrive.

Opening her eyes, she felt a warm liquid spraying on her back. Turning abruptly, she saw Lucius beside the executioner, holding a dagger plunged into the executioner's chest, the blood shimmering silver, flowing down his black robe.

Aria's eyes widened with terror.

"What's happening?" her voice trembled, feeling paralyzed.

In a sea of blood-red, Lucius' face was cold as he pulled the dagger from the executioner's chest. The executioner's massive shadow fell to the ground, striking the white bones with a dull thud. Aria felt an inexplicable fear surging within her as she stared in horror at the fallen executioner, then at Lucius, hands stained with blood. She didn't know what had happened; she had never seen Lucius display such ruthlessness. She wanted to scream, but her voice wouldn't come out.

"Aria, get up," Lucius said urgently.

Aria slowly rose to her feet, her body trembling even more violently. She felt as though she were trapped in a terrifying nightmare. She wanted to ask Lucius what had happened, but her voice seemed to be blocked. Her heart pounded, fear enveloping every inch of her skin. She didn't know how to deal with this situation.

“Did you... kill him?” Aria asked, her voice trembling with shock.

“Yes, I had to. We didn't have time to explain when we entered the forest because he could hear our conversation,” Lucius replied. “We need to move quickly, Adomoye will soon discover us.”

Lucius pulled Aria along, exiting the bone pile.

“Why? What exactly happened?” Aria asked, stumbling along behind him.

“After the Celestial Eye was destroyed, the Oracle closed off the passage to the Celestial Sanctum. The Eternal Forest is the only way out, so I created a portal there. We have to hurry, take these...” Lucius handed her the blood-stained dragon bone dagger and gold pendant. “You must remember every word I say, don't touch those trees, they'll entangle you. I'll escort you to the portal, which will close by sunset.”

“I don't understand, what's going on?” Aria asked, her expression bewildered as they exited the bone pile, Lucius picking up the pace.

“Your memory is correct, I deceived you to prevent Adomoye from discovering your true identity,” Lucius explained. “We had an agreement, I helped you destroy the Celestial Eye, then altered your memory so you would bear Adumoye's punishment.”

“An agreement?” Aria stepped forward, meeting Lucius's gaze with certainty.

“Be careful,” Lucius warned, pulling her away from the writhing vines on the ground. “These vines will entangle anyone who is alive.”

Aria cautiously stepped aside, then asked, “What was our relationship before?”

“It was a transactional relationship.”

“Then why did you save me? Wasn't I supposed to bear the punishment?” Aria questioned, furrowing her brow.

Lucius frowned but didn't answer.

“Is the third agreement you mentioned related to saving me?” Aria pressed.

He paused, meeting Aria's gaze squarely. “Yes, I couldn't bear to see you die, so I broke the third agreement. I can't save Sovereign Bastion, so I hope you'll complete it personally. I'm grateful for your help before you lost your memory, it's enough for me to repay you now. The person you're looking for is in Longhorn Town. You must bring him back to Sovereign Bastion. Use the demon repellent candle; it's the only way to pass through the magical barrier.”

Aria looked at Lucius in astonishment, sensing he was telling the truth. Her hands trembled as she held the dagger and pendant.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through, and the eyes of the demigods in the Eternal Tree all opened simultaneously. Their eyes were all ink-black instead of their usual gray. Lucius frowned, his palm emitting a white light as he pointed it toward the demigods in the tree. The twisted, pale faces of the corpses struggled before closing their eyes once more.