Just as Alia was about to sink deeper into those fragmented, flickering memories, an urgent and familiar voice broke through.
"Livia! Livia—wake up!"
The voice seemed to rise from underwater, distant at first, then gradually sharpening. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Emma's face—anxious and filled with concern. The flickering torchlight in the cave cast tangled shadows across her expression.
"What happened to you? Are you alright? What is that shard?" Emma asked urgently, her eyes darting between Livia (Alia) and the piece of metal wrapped in cloth.
Livia—no, Alia—rubbed her temple, her voice faint but steady. "I… I saw past memories. I think they were mine. When I touched that fragment, it triggered something… something that was sealed. My memories are returning." She looked up, her tone firmer now. "That metal shard… it's part of the Grail."
Emma opened her mouth to ask more, but suddenly froze.
"Shh," she said sharply, lowering her voice as she turned to listen deeper into the cave.
Footsteps—scattered but quick, like a group moving in coordinated rhythm, punctuated by a strange breathing sound, as if some beast were sniffing the air. Getting closer. Heavier.
The two exchanged a glance. Something was wrong.
Livia tried to rise, but the Grail's fragment had affected her—she couldn't stand.
Seeing this, Emma moved immediately, squatting to hoist Livia onto her back. But just as she bent down, a hand pressed firmly on her shoulder.
"Don't," Livia said, low but calm. "If you try to carry me out, you won't make it. We're at a dead end—the deepest part of this cave. If they follow us in, they'll block the only way out. There's no way they won't see us. You'll be caught too. I can't move right now—whatever I touched, it's left… side effects."
Emma bit her lip. "So what? You want me to leave you?"
"I'm not asking you to abandon me—I'm staying on purpose." Livia locked eyes with her. "You can get out on your own. With your skills, you can use the complexity of this cave to escape. Once you're out, find Elias and Marcellus—bring them here to rescue me."
"But if they find you alone—"
"I'll reveal my identity. And I'll make sure they know you're gone. As long as someone knows I'm here, those people won't dare act rashly." Her face was pale, but her gaze was clear as crystal.
Emma still hesitated.
"Listen," Livia said, gripping her hand. She tore a piece of cloth from her own sleeve and pulled out several strips from her waist. "Take the Grail with you. Give this to Elias. He knows the fabric and markings of my clothes. Tell him you're the instructor from my castle's training hall. He's the only other one who knows what that room is really for. He'll believe you."
Emma accepted the fabric and nodded solemnly. She wasn't someone prone to indecision—she understood that hesitation now would be fatal.
"I'll find them. I promise."
She wrapped the Grail fragment tightly in the cloth, bound it securely, then gave Livia one last look—firm, silent—before crawling out through the narrow opening.
Once outside, she quickly gathered nearby stones, moss, and dried grass to cover the entrance, hiding it as best she could. It might only buy a little time, but every second counted.
Then, like a shadow, she began weaving through the cave. Her ears caught every echo; her steps paused, reversed, diverted. At several junctions, she could hear the breath of her pursuers, the clink of armor—but with the instinct and adaptability honed through years of thievery, she slipped past every patrol with precision.
At one point, she flattened against a wall, watching a soldier stand just meters from her, pause… then turn and walk away, never realizing she was there.
Finally, she neared the main entrance of the cave. It was heavily guarded.
Emma held her breath, then slithered through a crack in the rock, crawling through a natural gully that led outward. A few guards seemed to sense something—but none spotted her.
Outside the cave stood the mysterious man, his expression blank as he stared into the darkness. Beside him, a hunting dog sniffed incessantly in one direction—toward Livia. It hadn't detected Emma's trail. It never wavered.
But by now, Emma had already slipped past the perimeter under cover of night and vanished into the dark forest, running for the castle.
She didn't look back. She only whispered in her heart:
Hold on, Livia. I swear I'll bring them back to save you.