A/N: So sorry it took so long for me to update this guys! I know it took forever and now that school's over I plan to upload on a more consistent basis. I will try my best to upload everyone other week around Saturday. However, that being said I will not publish a chapter that is anything but my best, if a chapter is not finished to my standards before Saturday I will not post it. Thank you, and once again, I apologize. Now, on with the story!

"Come on Carol! I thought you were gonna beat me back this time!" Lilac called back to Carol as they raced back to their treehouse from the market. Carol was using her signature red bike while Lilac ran.

"Hey! You got a head start! And this bike is a lot heavier when Milla and the groceries are on it with me!" Carol called back.

"Oh… I'm sorry…" The small puppy said timidly from the back of Carol's bike.

"Hey, don't worry about it! It's just for fun after all." Carol insisted. "Now hang on!"

Carol shifted her bike up a gear as Milla braced herself by grabbing onto Carol harder. The green cat's bike shot forward, Lilac looked back in surprise to see the bike catching up with her.

A few seconds later and Lilac and Carol were neck and neck. "Since when was your bike as fast as me at this speed?!" Lilac questioned in amazement.

"I made a few 'teensey weensey' modifications." Carol said with a wink. "Which includes adding another gear, increasing my top speed by 10%!"

"That's pretty neat!" Lilac replied. "But unfortunately for you, you're not the only one who has some tricks up their sleeve."

On cue, Lilac curled up into a rolling ball in midair, and shot forward, performing a dragon boost, which threatened to leave Carol in the dust.

"Oh no you don't!" Carol declared. Milla held on as Carol increased the throttle again, slowly but surely catching up to Lilac, who was now running at top speed.

Lilac looked back and as soon as she saw Carol closing in grew a worried expression on her face. "No way I'm gonna let you win! I haven't lost yet and I don't plan to anytime soo-"

"LILAC LOOK OUT!" Carol cried as she realized that in the excitement their little race, they weren't paying attention to where they were going, she now saw that they were closing in on the treehouse at an alarming rate and frantically pointed toward it.

Lilac looked forward and now saw what Carol was so afraid of. Carol frantically applied her bike's brakes and Lilac put her feet out in front of her to stop.

Milla screamed in fear and covered her eyes with one arm and Lilac and Carol screeched to a halt right in front of the treehouse. She just sat on the bike, holding on to Carol, shivering. This caught the attention of Lilac and Carol.

Lilac ran over to Carol and Milla. "Are you two okay?!" She asked with great concern as she put her arm on Milla's shoulder.

Carol let out a sigh of relief and turned her bike off, and Milla took her head out of her arm and gave a nod while softly saying "mm hmm…"

"Sorry if I scared you Milla…" Carol said apologetically.

"I-it's ok…" Milla replied weakly.

Lilac didn't want to see her friends scared and sad anymore, so she decided to casually change the subject. "Whew, all that running's made me hungry! How's 'bout I cook us up something to eat?"

Carol and Milla's ears perked up at the sound of food, and Carol stomach growled, almost as if on que. "heh heh, I guess I'm getting quite hungry as well…"

"Well, we just did come back from the market after all, does sushi sound alright?" Lilac asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yay sushi!" Milla cheered as she hopped off the bike.

"Well it's about time! I haven't had sushi in almost 3 days! I'm beginning to experience sushi withdrawal!" Carol complained, Lilac rolled her eyes to this and Milla chuckled.

"Well then come on miss 'sushi withdrawal.' Help me carry up these groceries so I can get cooking! Lilac teased.

"Alriiiight I'm coming!" The hungry feline replied with irritation.

Carol went and propped her bike up against the tree they called home and the 3 heroines began to climb the ladder, with Lilac and Carol carrying the groceries and Milla trailing behind.

1 Hour Later…

"Ugh! That sushi really hit the spot…" the now stuffed Carol said lazily as she plopped herself down on the couch.

"That was really good! Thanks Lilac!" Milla said cheerfully.

"No problem girls! If any of you ever want leftovers-"

"Don't talk to me about leftovers right now… too full…" Carol interrupted. "Let's just turn on the TV and see what's on the news…"

Carol flicked on the TV and switched to the news station, and was surprised to see the current headline. She perked up immediately when she saw King Dail of Suigang with the word "missing" below his name.

"Hey Lilac!" Carol called out. "There's something on the news about King Dail! I think it says he's gone missing!"

"What?! Thee King Dail?" Lilac asked in astonishment as she closed in and took a seat next to Carol.

"No, the pickle farmer named King Dail." Carol replied sarcastically.

At this point, Milla walked over and sat on the couch with her two friends, and the three watched and listened with anticipation as to what the news anchor had to say.

The image of Dail faded away and was replaced by the news anchor, a female, young, light orange bird. After a few short moments of her ruffling her papers into a beat pile and preparing to read off of them, she was ready to speak.

"As of late last night, King Dail, the ruler of the kingdom of Suigang has been missing, with no clues as to where he may have gone." The television then played a small, silenced clip of him waving at his citizens as he strode into his castle for the night. "This video shows King Dail retreating to his last known location: the palace of Suigang, if you have any information as to where the King may be, please contact authorities immediately, all three kingdoms have been put on high alert, assisting in the investigation as to where he might be. With that story at a wrap, here's scarlet with the weather."

Lilac looked over to her two friends, with a somewhat worried look on her face, Carol knew what she was thinking and decided to nip the issue in the bud.

"I know what you're thinking about…" Carol began. "You're thinking about last year when Bre- I mean, he took control of Dail and forced him to fight us."

Brevon had been a touchy subject ever since that time about a year ago when he had tried to steal all of the planet's energy and almost killed the 3 heroines, and Lilac hated even hearing his name.

Lilac began to shiver a bit, thinking back to those times.

"L-Lilac, I'm scared!" Milla admitted. "What if he makes me fight you again?!"

Lilac put her finger on Milla's lips and wrapped her arms around her. "It's alright Milla, there's no way I'll let that happen to you again!"

"Lilac, you and I both know there's almost no way that could ever happen again, he's long gone and he's never coming back." Carol assured, putting a hand on Lilac's shoulder.

"I-I guess you're right, what reason does he have to come back?" Lilac agreed. "If he does, I'll beat him to a pulp, and this time I'll finish the job!"

"Woah Lilac! Let's not get crazy here! We both agreed that killing is a line we would never cross!"

"He is the one exception to the rule!" Lilac replied, planting her right fist into her left palm. Carol sighed.

"Alright fine, but you're jumping to the conclusions way too fast! So what if King Dail has gone missing, there's no other evidence yet to-"

"Thanks for the weather Scarlet, now back to today's headlines." The television interrupted. The three girls halted their conversation and returned to paying attention to the news. "There has been a confirmed meteorite impact on the surface of Avalice, only a few kilometers outside the walls of Suigang, this occurred last night around 10 P.M. Which has led some theorists to come to the conclusion that this phenomena is somehow linked to the king's disappearance, though until a more thorough investigation is conducted, there is no evidence either backing up, nor disproving this theory, I'm Tangerina, signing off."

Carol wanted to try and stop it before it started, but she was too late. "Now Lilac I know what you're thinking…"

"That's his ship!" Lilac exclaimed as she bounded up from the couch and pointed at the T.V. "I bet he crashed his ship to make it look like a meteor landing and now Dail has disappeared and-"

"Lilac! Calm down!" Carol scolded, "you're gonna freak Milla out, and like I was saying before, this could just be a coincidence! We need more information before jumping to conclusions!"

"But... what if we find out it's him, and we're too late…" Lilac said much softly, her head looking toward the floor.

"I think Carol's right Lilac…" Milla chimed in. "I understand, you're worried, so am I, but I think the best thing we can do now is wait…"

Lilac let out a long, deep sigh. "I guess you're right…" she admitted. "I'm too on edge about one or two little news headlines, it's getting late, I think I'm gonna hit the *yaaaaawn* hay…" Lilac stood up from the couch and stretched out her arms.

Carol yawned shortly after Lilac. "Yeah, I guess I could use a catnap…" she sighed lazily.

"I think you misunderstand what a 'catnap' is supposed to mean." Lilac replied, followed by a giggle from her and Milla.

"Hey, I'm a cat, and I sleep. I think I meet the criteria." Carol chuckled.

"Whatever miss 'catnap,' if you need me and Milla we'll be upstairs getting ready for bed." Lilac replied.

"Ugh! But I don't feel like getting up!" Carol moaned.

"But Carol, you promised you'd read me a story today!" Milla complained, giving Carol the 'puppy eyes of death' as Lilac liked to call them. It seemed that even Carol wasn't safe from their powers.

"Aww man! No one can resist those eyes! No fair..." Carol complained as she got up groggily.

That night, as Carol and Milla were sleeping, Lilac was still wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Even after the talk with Carol and Milla about how impossible it was for Brevon to come back, she still couldn't help but feel uneasy. She looked over from her top bunk over to Milla, soundly asleep. I promised myself I would protect you, just like a big sister would... she thought to herself, she then looked over at Carol, sprawled out in some awkward position as usual. We've been through thick and thin together… she began to herself. What will we do if he really does come back someday… Lilac let out a concerned sigh and went back to staring at the roof of the treehouse, until her exhaustion took over and she eventually drifted off to sleep…

Lilac awoke to possibly the most terrifying sight she had ever seen. The entire bedroom was engulfed in flames, she could feel her lungs begging for clean air due to the fact that she was on the top bunk. She quickly jumped down and immediately her eyes shot to where Milla and Carol were supposed to be sleeping, however, both beds were empty, and Milla's was burnt to the point of unrecognition. Panic surged into Lilac's mind immediately. "CAROL! MILLA!" She called out at the top of her lungs, no answer…

Lilac stormed through the flames and out of the bedroom as fast as her legs could carry her, she burst into the chamber of flames, which used to be her hallway and quickly checked the bathroom across the hall, nothing but flames and smoke. She crashed out of the bathroom and did a dragon boost at maximum speed through the hallway and down the steps into the blazing kitchen and living room, frantically looking around for any sign of her friends. They're not here! Lilac thought to herself in panic, but then she reassured herself. They must've gotten out! They had to have gotten out okay! I would've at least seen their bodies if they were here!

"Are you sure about that?"

That deep, ghastly voice was all too familiar to Lilac, but it was a voice she never hoped she would have to hear again.

She knew the voice has come behind her, so she swung around, not even bothering to open her eyes before she threw a powerful punch in the direction of the voice. She socked her assailant right in the jaw, sending the figure flying onto their back. When she opened her eyes, she expected to see Lord Brevon standing there, but in his place was something even more terrifying than that.

It was Milla…

The small puppy whimpered, struggling to get up. Lilac watched in horror, greatly ashamed and terrified of what she'd just done.

"L-Lilac…" the dog pouted. "I thought you said you would protect me… you hurt me!"

Milla was still looking down at the ground, tears were falling to the floor, but were almost immediately evaporated by the approaching flames. Lilac knelt down next to Milla and put her hand on her shoulder. "Milla I'm so sorry!" She cried. "Brevon was here! I heard him, I just turned around and-"

Lilac's heartfelt apology was interrupted when Milla's head shot upwards to look the purple dragon straight in the eyes, her familiar emerald eyes were replaced with bright red, almost demonic eyes. Lilac had seen these eyes before, and she prayed in her mind that this wasn't happening.

Ring…

"No! Milla please! Fight it! Don't do this again! I can't take it!" Lilac pleated with her hands folded.

"It's no use child, look what you've done to your friend! She hates you now, and soon she will fight you. To the death! Ahahahahaha!"

Lilac's head spun around frantically, it sounded like Brevon's voice was coming from everywhere. Her eyes shot back to Milla, the transformation had begun. Crimson streaks of energy swirled around her and she began increasing in size. Brevon was still laughing and Lilac couldn't take it anymore. She grasped her head and held it in agony and rage.

Ring…

"MAKE IT STOP! STOP IT!" She screamed. Milla was now twice her size. "This isn't real! This has to be a dream! Wake me up please! Someone wake me up! I can't take it anymore!"

Lilac had her eyes clamped shut, not wanting to see the monstrosity that was forming out of her friend right in front of her. But suddenly, the gurgling sound of Milla's transformation ceased, and soon Lilac began to slowly open her eyes, however, what stood in Milla's place looked nothing like the monster she fought before...

Ring…

It was a dark, and shadowy silhouette of a figure, it had a loose form with shadowy particles emanating from it like smoke. It seemed to be humanoid in nature, with a powerful build and a small antenna like appendage on its head. The only things that weren't black were its eyes… those sinister, yellow eyes…

The flames were closing in, and Lilac knew her time left on avalice was coming to a close, there was no way out, the only thing left to do was to wait and see what this terrifying pillar of darkness had to say…

Ring…

When it spoke, it replaced Brevon's voice for the scariest voice Lilac had ever heard. Not only was the voice deeper and more sinister than Brevon's, but it spoke as if it had no feels at all, as if it was incapable of emotion, and that was the most terrifying part…

"Sash Lilac…" The black figure began. "I've been expecting you…"

"What do you want you MONSTER?!" Lilac screamed.

"I'm the monster? You just hurt an eleven year old child, look what she's become thanks to you!" The figure took a step forward, Lilac couldn't move back, she was up against a wall, being threatened by a shadowy figure with flames closing in. In that moment, Lilac did the only thing she knew she could do, she lunged forward with her fist out, preparing to strike the creature, but to no avail. Lilac phased straight through him and wound up on the other side.

"Hehehe… someone's eager to face their demise, but alas, this is not the time…"

Ring…

"Face me you coward!" Lilac wailed with rage.

"We'll see each other soon child, then I'll reveal who the true coward is! But for now, it's time to wake up, you have a phone call to take, a call that will set in motion the steps to my reawakening!"

"I'm not finished with you yet!"

"Yes, you are." The shadowy figure swiftly waved his hand over the floor that Lilac stood on, and just before the flames took them both the floor gave way.

Lilac expect to fall from the treehouse to the ground, but instead she found herself falling faster and faster through a seemingly bottomless black void. She screamed in terror as she fell further, until finally, she saw a bottom approaching, a floor of spikes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH…!"