Lissie paced restlessly beside the iron cage, her ponytail swaying with each step. A longsword hung at her waist, its hilt worn from use. She had long yearned to learn swordsmanship from Karim, but his mastery lay in wielding a greatsword—far too unwieldy for her.
Though guarding a crippled prisoner was a dull task, she carried it out with unwavering diligence. This was a mission assigned by Karim himself, and she would not allow herself to fail. She refused to leave any impression of incompetence in his eyes.
Above, thick clouds smothered the moonlight, shrouding the night in an oppressive darkness.
Suddenly, a frail voice broke the silence.
"Water…"
Lissie turned sharply, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward the cage.
"What did you say?"
"Water… Just a little… I think I'm dying." Ives' voice was barely more than a whisper, each breath ragged, his words fractured as though he lacked the strength to utter them. He looked on the verge of death.
Lissie hesitated.
