Adam’s steps faltered. His grip on Alice’s shoulder tightened, then went slack. A violent cough wracked his body, and blood sprayed from his mouth, dark and thick, splattering against the cracked ground.

"Ghha!"

His knees buckled. Alice caught him before he could fall, her arms wrapping around his chest, lowering him to the ground. Her dark violet eyes were wide, her voice sharp with panic.

"Adam! Adam, stay with me!"

Adam’s vision swam. His body was screaming, the damage from the Crown’s overuse, the wounds from the Void Manifest, the exhaustion that had been building for what felt like an eternity. He tried to speak, but another cough wracked his frame, blood trickling from his lips.

"I’m... fine..." His voice was barely a whisper. "Just... need a minute..."

Alice’s cat ears flattened. Her tail lashed. Her voice was sharp, furious.

"You are NOT fine! You’re bleeding everywhere! Your body is breaking down! Stop being such a self-sacrificing idiot!"

Adam’s lips curved into a weak, pained smile. "I’m not trying to be some self-sacrificing idiot. I’m just trying to make sure everyone’s safe."

Alice’s tail lashed, her claws flexing, and a low growl rumbled in her chest. Her eyes blazed with something between fury and desperation. She could see it, he was going to keep pushing himself until he collapsed completely.

She let out a slow, controlled breath.

"...Fine. If you’re going to be that stubborn, then I’ll just have to use a more forceful approach."

Adam blinked, his vision blurring. "Eh? What do you mean—"

Alice leaned down, her face inches from his. Before he could react, she pressed her lips gently against his forehead.

The kiss was soft, warm, and lingering—a stark contrast to the cold void around them. When she pulled back, her voice was quiet, but firm.

"Sleep, Adam. Let me handle the rest."

Adam’s eyes widened, his mouth opening to protest. But the words died in his throat. His vision blurred, his limbs growing heavy. The warmth of her kiss seemed to spread through him, pulling him down into darkness.

"Wha... what did you... do..."

His voice faded. His eyes closed. His body went limp.

Alice caught him as he slumped forward, cradling his head against her chest. She looked down at his sleeping face, her expression softening for just a moment.

"Rest now."

She gently lowered him to the ground. Then she raised her hand, and shadows coiled around her fingers. Dark violet energy swirled, forming a sphere that enveloped Adam’s unconscious form. The sphere pulsed once, then settled, hovering gently above the ground.

Alice straightened, her cat ears twitching as she turned to face the desolate landscape ahead.

"Alright. Time to find the spider and the idiot lizard." She stretched her arms above her head, her tail swaying behind her. "And maybe a few others while I’m at it."

Alice’s dark violet eyes narrowed as she focused, her void-enhanced senses reaching outward through the desolate landscape. The shadows around her pulsed gently, responding to her call, but there was nothing solid to anchor to—no familiar presences, no distinct landmarks. Just endless grey rock and swirling void.

"Tch. Nothing," she muttered, her tail flicking with irritation. "This place is a maze."

She closed her eyes and reached out through the Soul-Link, her mental voice cutting through the void.

"Oi. Where are you all? Can you give me something to work with?"

A moment of silence. Then Lilith’s voice, smooth and surprised, brushed against her mind.

"That voice... Alice? You’re awake?"

Alice’s ears twitched. "Obviously. I’m awake and I’m looking for all of you. So stop stalling and tell me where you are."

Ignis’s mental voice burst in, bright and eager.

"ALICE!!! You’re finally awake! I missed you so much! Are you okay?! Can you—"

"Yes, yes, I’m fine, we’ll celebrate later," Alice cut in flatly. "Right now, I need to know where you are."

Lilith’s voice came again, calm and measured.

"I’m currently in a chamber filled with strange titans and ancient skulls. The architecture here is... unsettling. I believe I’m somewhere beneath the ruins we passed earlier."

Ignis chimed in, her voice distracted.

"I’m... uhh... somewhere? Azrynn, do you know where we are?"

There was a muffled sound, Azrynn’s voice faint and indistinct, before Ignis came back.

"She says she’s not sure either! We’ve been wandering forever!"

Alice’s brow furrowed. "You’re not sure?! How can you not be sure?!" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"It’s dark! And everything looks the same!" Ignis protested.

Alice let out a long, controlled breath. Her tail lashed behind her.

"Alright. New plan. I need you both to flare your auras just for a moment. I’ll track your energy signatures and come to you. But be careful. Flaring your aura might draw attention from the Void."

Lilith’s mental voice carried a note of amusement.

"Oh?How exciting."

"Lilith, focus."

"Fine, fine. I’ll go first. Find me quickly, Alice." A soft, teasing chuckle followed. "Fufu~ I’ll be waiting."

Alice’s ears flattened slightly at Lilith’s tone, but she didn’t respond. She simply focused, waiting for the flare.

Alice’s dark violet eyes sharpened as she felt it—a familiar pulse of energy, distinct and unmistakable. Lilith’s aura flared somewhere ahead, threading through the void like a silver needle in dark fabric.

"Got you."

She turned, already moving, her form dissolving into shadow as she stepped through the void. Her voice echoed through the mental link, quick and clear.

"Ignis. Stay where you are. Don’t move until I find Lilith. Understood?"

Ignis’s voice came back, slightly sulky but obedient.

"Fiiine."

Alice emerged from the shadows in a wide, crumbling chamber. Pillars of ancient stone lined the walls, their surfaces cracked and worn. Scattered across the floor were the remains of titan-like creatures, their bones massive and dark, half-buried in the dust.

And standing in the center of it all, her silver-white hair gleaming faintly in the dim light, was Lilith.

Her crimson eyes swept over Alice, taking in her new form—the short black hair, the cat ears, the dark violet eyes, the simple black dress. A slow, approving smile curved her lips.

"My, my. You’ve changed."

Alice’s tail swayed behind her. Her ears twitched. Her voice was flat.

"So have you. You look less like you’re about to stab someone."

"I’m always about to stab someone. I just hide it better now." Lilith’s gaze drifted past Alice, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "Speaking of which... where’s Adam?"

Alice’s expression flickered. She glanced down at the shadow sphere hovering beside her, containing Adam’s unconscious form.

"He’s recovering. He pushed himself too hard against the Void Manifest. I had to put him to sleep so he wouldn’t keep fighting."