Chapter 3

Secrets shatter, bonds forge

Lilly leaped out of the way of an ant taking a side path, she ran through a tunnel and suddenly a giant snake appeared, a level fifteen creature, what the hell is it doing up here.

She ran down another path, taking different tunnels as the snake repeatedly cut off her escapes. Finally she lost it, but that was when she realized she didn't know where she was. Frowning in annoyance, Lilly walked through a cavern she'd never seen before. Tunnels in every direction, suddenly thousands of giant ants appeared, she reached for the her flame knife, but a any had but through her backpack already. She dropped it and ran down a cavern. Please! I don't want it to end here, I know I've been bad, I've done things, gotten people killed and ironically this exact same way. But I almost have what I need.

Suddenly she stopped, her soul filled with dread, no, no no no NO!! a dead end, she turned to watch the ants crawl in after her, she backed against the wall. This is how it ends? I guess I deserve this tho. I'm sorry I couldn't be a better supporter Master Zora. An any bit at at her and in her fear she released her magic disguise. Her ears reapeared, her tail between her legs, she fell back Lilly closed her eyes as they got close, closing off any hope of escape, she could hear it's breath on her face. Suddenly something dropped into her lap. She opened her eyes and looked down, a queen ants head lay in her lap, Zora stood in front of her, have held out to help her up.

"H-huh?" Lilly asked, "but, I stole from you, led you into a trap, I even lied to you about being human?"

"Yeah, so and you almost got eaten by ants." he smiled, "I'm not gonna abandon you, and I'm definitely not gonna let some stuck up bastard buy you from some slave trader. I'll protect you." Lilly began to cry, she leaped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"W-why are you so n-nice to m-me?" She asked through her sobs, "I don't understand."

"Because you still owe me a date." Zora replied, a stupid smile on his face. Lilly looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

"Your stupid." She whispered, smiling softly. He pulled out the bounty and broke one of the pincers off of the ant, he rolled the bounty around the pincer and stuck it in his bag. Lilly handed him his knife back, he smiled and said, "your quite the thief, come on let's go." Lilly nodded and stumbled forward, suddenly all of her troubles and exhaustion fell on her at once, she fell forward as everything went dark.

Zora set Lilly down on the bed, Ashley was checking her condition.

"She just collapsed from exhaustion, she'll be fine." Ashley told Zora, before grabbing her book off the table and beginning to read.

"Hey is that a new spell book?" Zora asked, his eyes still on Lilly, sleeping soundly.

"Yes, I finished my old one last night." Ashley replied, "So what's the story, since when is Lilly a Lithian?"

"Oh, she's always been Lithian, she was just hiding it." Zora replied, "I figured it out earlier today, when I met the Imperial Guard." He smiled, "but I wanted her too tell me." He continued, then he frowned, I didn't expect her to try to get me killed though.

"What! She tried to kill you?" Ashley asked, anger rising in her voice, she turned to glare at him, "I thought I told you to be careful."

"I was, I'm ok I promise." Zora replied, spinning around jokingly.

"Ugh, as soon as she wakes up she's out on the street!" Ashley said, "I can't take her meddling anymore."

"What!?, No! She stays. I told you already I won't abandon her." Zora exclaimed, furious she'd even suggest such a thing.

"Ok fine, when you done flirting I'll be at the store buying some ingredients." Ashley replied bitterly, she got up and left, the door closing hard behind her. Lilly's head popped off the pillow, her ears flicking nervously.

"Morning sleepy head." Zora said, patting her on head. She smiled and tilted hey head towards him, then suddenly her eyes widened and she moved away blushing.

"Y-yeah morning." She stuttered, looking at his warm smile made her nervous, but she didn't know why.

"Hey, why don't we go out to eat, like I promised." Zora said, smiling.

"O-ok yeah, l-lets go." She replied, stuttering. She took his hand as he led her out of the inn, she instinctively hid her fox ears and tail.

"Awe don't hide, I like seeing your fluffy ears and tail." Zora said, chuckling a little as she blushed, but dispelled her human disguise anyways. Why do I trust him? Before long they stepped into a café, Lilly looked around in awe as Zora led her to her seat.

"You can take off your hood now, you'll be age from anyone trying to find you by my side." Zora said, before turning to flag waitress

She walked over and pulled out a small

notebook.

"What can I get you today sir?" She asked, Zora looked over at Lilly.

"What would you like Lilly?" He asked, the waitress looked on in stunned silence, for a lithian to be served before a human or demi-human was unheard of.

"I'm not too hungry, just a sparkling orange drink, and a Bacon sandwich." She replied, Zora smiled, "and I'll have an apple cider, and a salad please."

"No problem sir." The waitress replied, frowning as she walked away.

"Are you ok with everyone looking at you like that?" Lilly asked, confused.

"Yes of course I don't mind at all." Zora replied, winking.

"What everyone else thinks is of no concern to me."

A man stalked down an alley, stopping as he reached a faded red stain. He growled, "I can't believe it, a spell, she's so clever. To bad I have to put her down." The man said.

"Uhm Master Azerith?" A young Lithian fox said, holding out a letter.

"Thank you Gordon, she got away again, why his your sister so troublesome." Azerith said, "it's not like I want to kill her," he sighed, and sat down, head in hands.

"She's rebellious master, this world is no place for rebellious lithians it's sad, but sister won't survive much longer."

"I will be the one to kill her, anyone else and she'll be torchered I'm the only one who'll show her Mercy." Azerith replied, frowning.

"I know, but we must go, you've been summoned." Gordon replied, becoming him to follow.

"I'm on my way."

"I don't know what to say, you to kindly, I don't deserve it." Lilly replied, as the waitress put her good down, followed by Zora"s.

"Don't say anything it's ok, I despise lithian slavery, I love breaking their traditions and seeing their faces when I show kindness to the ones they stomp into the ground."

"She frowned, you know what your fighting for?" She asked, tilting her head. "You shouldn't start a war without knowing what your fighting for."

"I'm fighting for lithians." he said smiling, "revolution. Ya know nothing drastic" He said joking.

"Hehe yeah. Whatever." Lilly replied, talking a bite of her sandwich.

"Ya know someone once told me "Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive, easy to govern, but impossible to enslave." It's not exactly true, but if you think about it, you've been doing just fine for how long, and I know for a fact your more educated than most lithians." Zora said taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, I decided I didn't want to follow orders anymore so I left." Lilly replied, finishing her sandwich.

"That's you alright." Zora replied, "you said something about starting a war, what was that about?" Zora asked leaning forward.

"Oh, um, I was selected for a program, I got curious and found out what it was, that's why I left, without even saying goodbye to. . . Nevermind."

"Ooh, juicy secrets, I won't pry on this someone, but tell me about this program." Zora said, a devilish smirk on his face, a chance to mess up a scheme of the imperials or even better the slavers would be amazing, a chance I can't pass up Zora thought.

"Not here, not now, I'm not in disguise I'd rather not be recognized." Lilly replied, her ears flicked nervously.

"Don't worry, remember I said I'd protect you I have no intentions of abandoning you." Zora replied, as they both finished their food, stacking the plates in the center.

"I don't think you know what you've gotten into. It's gonna get dangerous if they find out I'm not dead, and not just for you. The people that are adter me are bad news.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm worried about you." Lilly said, as they left the café.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine, it's you I'm worried about."

Gordon walked down the alley, his metal collar rubbing the wrong way against his skin, he stopped suddenly, he saw someone he never thought he'd see alive again, His sister Lilly. She was in the open, her cloak had a magical incantation, he could sense it. But she wasn't using it, she apparently wasn't scared of being seen. Then he noticed the boy she was following, he kept turning back to make sure she was still there. He probably found out about her past and and was blackmailing her, one enslavement to another. Gordon thought, don't worry sister, I'll take care of your captors.

Lilly plopped onto the bed and let out a long sigh. "That was good food." She said happily, "thank you so much, I'm gonna enjoy staying with you!" Zora smiled, and nodded.

"I hope so," Zora replied, sitting down beside her, "so this program?"

"um, well it's where they take disobedient lithians and put them in a virtual world, so they can manipulate them and break them." Lilly replied.

"I'd like very much to destroy that program, there didn't used to be slavers here, it used to be safe here for lithians." Zora said, annoyance glittered in his eyes.

"Yeah, I bet it was nice." Lilly replied, falling back onto the bed.

"Hey do you mind if I sleep with you? I'd ask Ashley but I keep getting the impression she doesn't like me." Lilly asked, eyeing the sun which was setting through the window.

"well like going to bed." Zora explained, sliding under the covers. Lilly heard his breathing slow and soon he began lightly snoring. She crawled into bed after him, curling up on top of the blankets wrapping her tail around her for warmth.

Gordon walked up and down the alley beside the inn, his eye kept flickering back towards the sun. Finally it went down, he smiled and began scaling the wall, before long he Clung to the wall outside of the window looking into the room his sister was in. Using the knife Gordon unlocked the window and climbed in, the boy was asleep, Gordon's sister was curled up on the bed. Gordon silently crept over to the bed, he raised the knife over Zora's chest, then he plunged it in.

Suddenly Gordon realised his eyes had been closed. He opened them to see the boy looking up at him and his sister's hand on his wrist, she'd stopped his Blade, she them pushed him back against the wall twisting the blade from his have. Gordon gasped in pain as she tossed it to the boy on the bed who was now sitting up, he caught it.

"What are you doing here Gordon?" She asked, a scowl on her face.

"I-I saw you, and this boy, I assumed you'd been discovered. I was only trying to help you." Gordon replied, dumping down against the wall, head in hands.

"He does know, but I'm ok with that, he's protecting me brother." She whispered, her face had softened.

"I don't understand." Gordon replied looking up, a puzzled look in his eyes.

"It's ok, you don't need to, just understand that I'm safe for the time being, does Azerith know where I am?" Lilly asked, taking her brother by the hand and leading him to a chair.

"Of course not, I wouldn't betray you to him." Gordon replied, eyes wide.

"Give him a message: I'd like to meet him, but only if he comes alone to the 3rd alley on Green Street." She said, Gordon nodded, frowning. "Are you sure this is a good idea, don't get captured please."

"I won't I promise." Lilly replied, "now go, I'll be ok, but if you're gone too long he'll beat you." Gordon nodded, his knife was tossed back to him and he disappeared out the window.

"That was a close one." Zora sighed, "I'm glad your sleeping next to me, but it looks like we should start taking precautions.

"Also about the Meetup you just planned, why?" Zora asked, puzzled.

"So I can maybe get him off my back, or even help me disappear." Lilly replied, smiling, "I'll need a quick escape tho."

"We can do a quick escape as well as a way to check if he's alone." Zora replied. "We'll set it up tomorrow, come on let's go back to sleep." Lilly nodded as Zora crawled back into bed, Lilly curled back up beside him, soon they were both asleep.

The Moon was high, and it's fluorescent light shone into an alley A young boy walked down the alley, his Brown hair still in the silent air. His green eyes flickered like a mirage, a sword sheathed at his belt. He wore a green and black suit, a green spider silougeted on the back.

He stopped at the entrance to the alley, and looked up. My duties start today, I'm an official imperial officer. Took long enough, I've been assigned to patrol this town, apparently a lithian is giving them trouble. Can't have that, I won't fail at my job. He thought, Magnus greenstone never fails.

Zora awoke, sitting up, he glanced over at Lilly who was curled into a ball her tail over her head. He smiled, before quietly getting out of bed, he left the room and disappeared into the street crowds.

Lilly awoke, stretching, she noted that Zora had already gotten up and was no where to be found. Ashley sat at the table, on a PC.

"Hello." Lilly said, a bit shyly, not sure whether she would be hostile or not

"Good morning, Zora went out to get his armor repaired." Ashley replied.

"Oh, ok." Lilly replied, frowning.

"Why are you here, what are you after?" Ashley asked, suddenly.

"N-nothing, Zora said I could stay, that he'd protect me. So here I am, it's not cause I want something." Lilly replied.

"Ok, but I'll keep my eye on you." Ashley replied, glancing over at Lilly for a second.

"Ok." Lilly replied, getting up, she grabbed her cloak and left the room. She pulled the hood over her head as she went down the stairs, and stepped out into the street. She set off in the direction of Zora and before long she arrived outside of Carren's Combat Equipment. Lilly stepped through the door, and spotted Zora at the back.

"We'll be setting up your meeting after this." Zora said upon seeing her.

"Ok great." Lilly replied, standing up on her tipie toes trying to see through the window, suddenly Zora lifted her up, in the room there was a couple of forges, anvils and hot coals for melting metal. Currently Zora's armor was being fixed, Lilly was set back on the ground. She then began to look around, there were a couple of weapons, she was thinking about getting a ranged weapon. Her eyes fell on a magical sword, that when swung if the blade doesn't come into contact with a living creature it will fire a fireball forward. It looked rather cool, she picked it up and carried it to the desk and offered money.

"Please remove the hood, I cannot do business with someone I can't see, imperial law." Carren said, frowning. Lilly removed her hood, and set the knife on the table.

"I'm sorry, imperial law doesn't allow me to serve lithians. Lilly sighed, a few moments later Zora walked over.

"Odd I don't remember imperial law being so enforced." Zora said talking the knife and money, "I'll buy it under my name ok."

"Ok, and yeah recently they stationed a few imperial officers, they're unhappy with how carefree everyone is." Carren said, "thank you for stopping by."

"No problem." Zora said, as Lilly put her hood back on and they left.

"So Green Street, where's that?" Zora asked, "Lilly should already be there."

"This way." Lilly lead the way down a couple of alleys, turning down Brook Street, and taking the fourth alley they stopped outside the third alley on Green Street.

"Here it is." Lilly said, glancing around, Ashley walked down the alley, as she did incantations and runic symbols appeared on the walls finally she stopped infront of Lilly touching her chest a hexagonal Mark appeared, a diamond in the center surrounded by runic marks, a safeguard teleportation spell.

"Have your meeting, these spells, runes, and barriers will garuntee your safety." Ashley said, smiling, "I've decided that I like you, don't disappoint me." Lilly nodded as both Zora and Lilly disappeared.

Azerith walked down the fourth alley on Green Street. He frowned, sending his guards off in different directions. He stepped into the entrance of alley three. And there she was, 1I11Ia or Lilly.

"It's been awhile, but this was stupid, asking to meet, you'll die tonight, I'm sorry if it were up to me I'd welcome you back, but it's not." Azerith began

"Are you done with your speech old man, I'm not dying tonight. I've got things to do." Lilly replied, suddenly a voice in her ear said, "he's not alone."

"Awe old man, you brought me company, I thought I said come alone." Lilly said, taking delight in the surprise on his face.

"I'm on a path that will lead to the destruction of slavery in this town, do you honestly think I'd do a meeting like this without precautions." Lilly asked, smiling.

"I guess not, you've always been unusually intelligent." Azerith replied, "let's talk then."

"Yes, let's." Lilly replied, "I'd like information if you don't mind, tell me how many imperial officers are stationed here?"

"Four." Azerith replied, his men closing in.

"tell me, if you knew I was safe would you keep chasing me?" Lilly asked, A sad look on her face.

"If I could feel sure you'd never be caught by anyone then yes I would." Azerith replied, smiling, "you were always my favorite, "boys Attack!!" As soon as he said that several soldiers with swords leaped at Lilly and before she could run or even move, she had been stabbed from all sides. She fell back shattering into a million crystalized shards.

"What!?" Azerith exclaimed, looking around.

"Did you really think you'd kill me, I knew you had back up,I trust in my friends, they wouldn't let me die." Said, smiling down into the alley from the roof above. Zora and Ashley stood beside her, they both wore cloaks, concealing their identities.

"Your better protected than I thought." Azerith said, "men stand down." Azerith's soldiers disappeared out the entrance to the alley.

"I'll leave you alone, you'll be dead by my sword." Azerith replied, then he turned and disappeared down the street.

"So it seems he's off my back, I'm officially dead in the eyes of the law." Lilly said, smiling.

"I don't get it why was that a priority." Zora asked, a little puzzled.

"I want to help you take out the Aurora Project, that's the program I was telling you about." Lilly replied, "it's been hard to help with the imperial army after me."

"Oh, that does make sense, though I've been trying to figure out how to get into this project. We'll have to take it out from the inside, but how do we find it?" Zora said, puzzled.

"We should take out the four imperials first." Ashley said, as they stepped into their room. "One of them should know the information we need."

"Your probably right, but all this action has me all wound up, we should go out and do something." Lilly said, her tail, flicking back and forth at the tip, her ears were up and alert.

"Like what, play fetch." Zora said chuckling.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, her ears went down a little.

"Hehe, what did you have in mind?" Zora asked, patting her on the head reassuringly.

"Stop doing that!" She said, blushing.

"Awe but your so soft." Zora replied, smiling as her ears lowered in embarrassment.

"I was thinking about going to the festival they're holding tonight." She said.

"That's a great idea." Zora replied, Lilly tilted her head towards him she realized now that she did like head pats. He patted her on the head, watching her tail flick happily.

Lithians and Demi-humans were still new to this world, about two years before Zora's sister disappeared the linear timeline of the Earth got spliced, it folded into knots and spliced together, past cities appeared in previously barren desserts, some animals and humans spliced as well. Causing the creation of Demi-humans, and lithians, also creatures like dragons, and fairytale monsters began to appear. New rules, laws, and governments were created, America was the most free, the entire continent of Australia vanished, and the lost city of Atlantis rose from the ocean.

It was quite normal for lithians to enjoy more animal-like things than humans. Zora knew that which is why he made a point to Pat her on the head every now and again.

"I'm staying here, I'll set up some protective barriers and traps to protect us while we sleep." Ashley replied, frowning down at her book.

"Fine fine, we'll have. fun without you." Zora replied, putting an arm around Lilly, her tail bristled as he did that and she blushed.

"Sounds great." Ashley replied, seting the book down to practice a spell, a couple of runes floated in the air Al they tried to cooperate in a fluent dance but they sparked, and collided before bursting into Sparks. She grunted in frustration.

"Ok well, wanna explore the forest an older part of this city has a exit, that leads directly into a forest. I heard that some rare artifacts can be found out there. We'll go out for a little while, and come back for the festival." Zora said and Lilly nodded. Zora stood up and crossed the room, Lilly right behind him, he opened the door for her and closed it behind him. Lilly followed Zora down the stairs and out the front door. Zora looked up, "the sun will be going down soon. We'll have about two hours to check out the forest."

"Ok let's hurry then." Lilly replied, grabbing his hand, they ran down mainstreet.