I could not know.
The name died on my lips, unspoken. A flicker of warmth bloomed in my chest at the thought of her, yet a tide of resurfacing memories blighted. The world blurred, memories mirrored my present sorrow. My breath hitched, a single tear tracing a slow path down my cheek. Resistance warred within me. I yearned to indulge in grief, but a stronger resolve took hold – I would not be devoured. The fog surrounding Liu Sheng's death demanded my focus."Nothing," I said, wiping off some tears, "let us proceed.""Alright, if you say so," Evige shrugged and began wandering."Wait," Ayako interrupted, halting him from walking forth, "where does this lead to?""Should my memory serve, this leads to the throne room."He then turned behind and walked the opposite, "Then that would be beyond our reach.""Why?" I asked."It's based on their policy that any unauthorised personnel, regardless of Solheim's allowance to guests, must not be in the Throne floor," added Ayako. "Only the heads have a right to proceed.""But the killer could be there, right?""I doubt it," said Evige. "Who dares to pass through a block of gelatin slime? Even if it's harmless, it'll take only an inch per hour to pass through. ""Right, besides… a touch of it would burn your skin," I added. "Purple, perhaps?""Purple, it was.""Right," I faced Ayako, "everything he said was right.""I see," she replied, "So there's no point of venturing further deep into that way. Maybe it happened on the other side of the hall.""But…," said Evige."What is it?""Something doesn't feel right.""Can you tell?""I can't," he shook his head, unsure of his own thoughts. "Just that… if it happened there, then what on earth was Liu Sheng doing at that place? Why was he branded as… traitor?"
"I don't know, but the only way to find out is to see what's in there.""Right.""So," I turned behind, shifting our lead, "let us head to the way towards the cathed—"As soon as my eyes reached behind, a lone familiar figure with golden-white shock of hair appeared, silently waiting. Her hands were placed back, standing up right. Her face reminded me of the wicked elder sister of mine, but more adroit. Her presence alone spoke of a great poise and affrighted air."Miss… Adel," I muttered."I'm afraid you'd need no service," said Adel, smirking."Oh great, now we're screwed.""What do we do now?""First of all," Adel walked past us, her gaze glued to the scorching hall. "I applaud you for casting a great hellfire beneath the sacred place of Solheim. Quite spectacular… and majestic.""Well, may I take that as a… reprimand?" asked Evige, scratching the back of his neck."Nay," she replied, her head turned behind. "In sooth, t'was astounding… that perils are meant to be lessened to its own worth. Of course, there's a reason why such a policy you had said exists, and I understand there's a deadend to that. When no path greets you with utter despair, why not carve one for your utter hope?"Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. But even without her words spoken out of her lips, a sense of danger prickled at my skin. Her unwavering gaze held a steely glint. Not a tremor of fear betrayed before our eyes, thus holding our ground. Formidable, her spirit could tell."But what if… a path that you're carving for," continued Adel, her head only turned behind with her right arm raised, "only leads to nothing, but worse than despair?"Then she snapped a finger, and a sudden figure jumped from the shadows above. Clad in a whole black robe, they landed silently behind us. A chilling steel skull mask obscured their face, the only feature visible a pair of eyes glowing an ominous crimson-black. My mind raced. Was this another Kusengan, like the one wielded by Ayako? Yet, the swirling energy within this one seemed different, somehow darker.Locking eyes with the crimson glow, a crushing weight settled in my mind. False void of slumber tightened its grip, dragging the edges of my vision into a swirling haze. My body, heavy with exhaustion, began to succumb."O Sorrowed One, may your cease—"The words stumbled from my lips, replaced by a ragged gasp for solace. It was futile.Darkness. The world dissolved into an inky abyss.