The Slades retreated into the night, driven back by Kaito's ember flames and Lia's sharp shots. As the Market's lights grew brighter, they paused at the edge of a crowded tent alley.
"Oriel's tent can wait," Lia said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Want to come by my place? It's just outside the Market. Akira—my guardian—might have some insights on the Weaver."
Kaito raised an eyebrow, curious. "Sure, lead the way."
Lia led him through winding dunes to a small, sturdy house half-buried in a sand slope. The door creaked open, revealing a dim space filled with maps, strange trune artifacts, and the faint scent of rain. Akira stood by a low table, pouring steaming liquid into two cups.
"Lia," Akira said, her silver hair catching the emberlight as she glanced at Kaito with a hint of surprise. "And you are…?"
"Fireborne Kaito," he said, a nod of greeting.
Lia dropped her rifle by the wall. "Akira's been teaching me the hunt."
Akira handed them cups, studying Kaito a moment longer. Suddenly, she reached for an old, leather-bound book on a shelf. "Kaito… as a Fireborne, you carry a resonance the Weaver fears. Touch this." She opened the book to a page with a symbol of intertwined flames and waves.
Kaito hesitated, then placed a hand on the page. The symbol flared softly, and Akira's eyes widened.
"Lia's parents, Elara and Tavo," Akira said, her voice low. "They were searching for the Weaver, trying to stop it before it hit _Aqualis_. They had a pact with _Emberfall_'s elders… and they were getting close. The shadows took them because of it."
Lia's breath caught. She stared at the symbol, a mix of grief and something raw flashing across her face before she looked away, toward a small framed photo on a shelf—her parents, smiling with water rippling behind them. The room felt heavy for a moment.
Akira, why didn't you tell me?" Lia asked, her voice a little shaky.
Akira's expression softened. "I wanted to protect you, to let you choose your own path. But maybe… maybe this is the path you were meant for."
Kaito leaned in, his ember sparks dying down. "Lia, it doesn't change who you are. It adds to why we hunt."
Lia took a slow breath, eyes closing as if grounding herself. When she opened them, resolve burned through the hurt. "I want to see _Aqualis_. Where they died."
Akira nodded carefully. "It's dangerous, but I'll take you. Together, we'll make sure the Weaver doesn't win."