Lily smiled as Malroth glared at her from the other side of the cell. "Why'd you do this to me?" Malroth snarled, pulling hard on the chains. "Why would you build a dungeon for them to throw me into? Just because they asked nicely?!" He watched as she used a key that was on a chain around her neck to open the cell door. "Answer me, Lily." His voice was harsh and betrayed him as it shook with his hurt.

Lily walked over to him, a bowl of soup in her hands. She stayed quiet as she held the spoon up to his mouth, waiting for him to take a bite. "You need to eat, Malroth."

A week he'd been down here, his stomach churned, and not with hunger. "Get away from me, Lily." He breathed in deep, hoping, wishing that maybe… just maybe she was magicked somehow. But all his nose told him was that she had been spending a lot of time with Warwick recently. Rage coursed through his veins as he pulled on the chains again, hard enough that his wrists popped from the force.

One of the soldiers that usually stood guard was down there when Malroth started snarling and growling, the male soldier grabbed Lily, yanking her out of the cell as Malroth broke one chain. His fingers barely catching the ends of her long hair, it wasn't in her pigtails. "I didn't think you were like them, Lily. I thought…" His pain-filled gaze followed her as she started up the stairs behind the soldier. "This isn't Anessa's doing and you know it."

His chin jerked up when the cell rumbled around him, his breath catching in his throat as he waited and listened to the new enemy. "HAH, HAH! PATHETIC HUMANS… ME NOT GONE LONG! THEY BUILD TINY CASTLE FOR ME TO CRUSH!"

Lily was racing up the stairs and out the main gates, eyes locked on a priest of Hargon who was standing in the field looking up towards the cliffs that surrounded it. "Lord Atlas… The humans are not to be underestimated. We should do well to destroy them now, before they grow any stronger."

Lily craned her neck back, gasping when she saw the huge beast standing over Moonbrooke, Lord Atlas. "GRAH HAH, HAH! YOU FUNNY, WRECKTOR. THEY NOT SO TOUGH. THEY ALL GO SQUISH SOON. UNTIL THEN, WE HAVE SOME FUN. GO MINIONS! MAKE HUMANS SUFFER FOR ME! MAKE THEM SQUIRM FOR ME! MAKE THEM SCREAM FOR ME!"

"Lily! We need to rally!" Warwick held the gate open as he looked out at her, frowning when she didn't respond to him. "Lily!"

Lily watched as Atlas looked down at her before turning away and leaving, a horde of monsters coming towards them. She took half a step forward, pausing for a moment to wipe her eyes. They would lose this. They would all die here. She reached behind her, freeing her blade from its' place on her back.

Malroth looked up, frowning when he heard the fighting going on above him. "If there's one thing I wish for this outcome, it's for Warwick to end up dead." He had ripped his other arm away from the wall, the chain snapping and leaving him in the manacles as he sat cross-legged against the wall where he'd been standing, waiting for the outcome.


Lily gasped when she was thrown against the wall behind her, something in her side popping. She fought to keep her eyes open as the pain threatened to black out her vision. A scream ripped from her throat as she lashed out with her right arm while she kept her left arm pressed to her ribs, doing her best to ignore the pain that shot through her body. Her sword connected with one of the robots that had hit her moments ago.

Warwick wiped sweat from his brow, happening to glance over and seeing Lily driving her sword into a downed robot over and over again. "Lily! Lily! It's dead!" He grabbed her, yanking her back; only to have to duck back under her wild blade. "Lily snap out of it! You're safe!" He jumped back, narrowly dodging the swipe that had been aimed for his gut. "Lily, what the hell?!"

"Die you, fucking monster!" Lily snarled and went to lunge again when Anessa was on her, yanking her back. "Let me go! I'll kill him!"

Anessa dug her heels into the ground, her blue eyes were wide as she finally sat down, forcing Lily to the ground. "Lily! It's us! The monsters are all gone! We did it, we beat them."

"Yeah! This time! And they'll just keep coming back and destroying everything I've worked so hard on!" Lily snapped as she struggled against Anessa, screaming out in pain when Anessa played dirty and dug a finger into the wound and injured rib on Lily's left side. "Bitch!"

"I wouldn't have to be if you'd calm down!" Anessa rolled them over so she could pin Lily. "What has gotten into you?"

"Lily, my little lamb!" Esther ran up, dropping to her knees next to Lily. She reached out, touching Lily's face gently. "Get your knee off her shoulders, Anessa." She lashed out, giving Anessa a decent shove. "She's in shock. Come, my lamb, let's get you into bed and check on those wounds, hm?"


Anessa and Warwick frowned as they stood outside Lily's room, waiting for Esther to come out. The King came up next to them, frowning at the door. "Why are we not talking to Lily?"

"Warwick went in there a moment ago and she about broke her arm trying to get him." Anessa sighed softly, giving her King a curious look when he started digging into his pockets. "What are you looking for, sir?"

"Oh, the Yggdrasil potions I made earlier-"

"These? You gave them to me to give to Lily, she was already out on the field when I went to give them to her, though." Warwick produced two small clear vials, holding them out to Anessa. "Would you give them to her? Seeing how badly she reacts to me…"

"Of course, I'll see if they help." Anessa took them and slipped into the room, seeing Lily was glaring at her, or the door, she couldn't tell. "Uhm… His Majesty wanted me to give these to you."

"I already gave her two." Esther barked, not even looking up from what she was doing at Lily's side. "All of you need to stop relying on her so much, especially since you decided to lock Malroth away. If this poor girl goes down, we're all doomed."

"Esther! You sound as if you're abandoning hope, even after Lily brought us this far?" The King burst into the room, gawking at the priestess, Warwick right behind him. "I, for one, shall never surrender!"

"Then never surrender… on the front lines, Your Highness." Lily growled at him, then turned it on Esther when the priestess jabbed her in the side.

"Hush, you. You'll make me mess up."

Zara looked up from where she was sitting just outside the workshop that was connected to the bedroom. "Your Majesty! You sound so… kingly all of a sudden. Hold up- you aren't a monster in disguise, are you?"

"How long have you been there, Zara? We were looking for you a little while ago." Anessa gasped, surprised to be seeing the Captain at all.

"Esther asked me to carry Lily, I'm one of the only ones that doesn't agitate her."

"Zara, my dear! I am, and always shall be, the rightful ruler of Moonbrooke! Do you forget so easily that the blood of the legendary Erdrick flows through my royal veins? Kingliness is the least of my virtues!" The King let out a roar of laughter, pausing for what he probably thought would be dramatic effect before grinning at Lily. "By the power of my legendary line, Atlas will be defeated!"

"Of course! His Majesty is descended from heroes! I wager one as mighty as he could strike Atlas down with a single blow!" Zara let out a small giggle before going back to reading the book she had her nose in.

"Oh, goody. Can't wait to not be a part of your history lessons." Lily rolled her eyes and looked down, focusing on Esther as her annoyance quickly built up.

"Oh, Zara my dear! I am no hero. Our good friend Lily, on the other hand…" The King seemed to not hear Lily's comment as he continued to ramble. "Lily, the blood of heroes courses through my veins, and with it, a strength beyond reckoning. I wish for you to build a weapon capable of harnessing this incredible power. I shall explain to you what must be done. You have only to give my thoughts form."

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Let me just get on it." Lily deadpanned the King, motioning towards Esther who was threatening the builder with a stab from her needle. When he stared at her with a grin, Lily let out a loud groan. "Anessa. My book is behind you, will you hand it to me?"

Anessa turned around, seeing the little pack that carried the great book in it. She grabbed it out, gasping when she nearly dropped it, her eyes bugging from her skull. "Lily! How do you carry this?"

"How can you not? It's just a book." Lily patted the bed next to her, waiting for Anessa to bring the tomb over.


Anessa looked down at the paper that Lily had ripped out of the book, frowning at it. "She said… just toss it on the ground, right?"

"That's odd, but I guess we can try." Warwick shrugged as a bright light flashed before him and Anessa. He stared wide eyed at what was standing before him. It was a tower that loomed over them, but it was shimmering in the sunlight and he could see through it. "How… in the world?"

"She said it was her magic." Anessa stared up the tower in awe, her eyes sparkling from the sight of it. "So, this is the Kazapple Cannon…"

"The… what?" Warwick looked over at Anessa, frowning at her.

"It's a weapon that's capable of combining the power of every citizen of Moonbrooke and unleashing it upon our enemies. I thought it was mere myth…" Anessa grinned at her friend, a hand on her hip. "I suppose we should get busy!"

"But this doesn't look like a cannon!" Jerome growled as he joined the two soldiers.

"Obviously, Lord Jerome. It's-"

"It's part one of three, you eejit." Lily grumbled as she walked up to the base of the blueprint, picking up the page from her tomb she had given to Anessa. "There will be three towers, but we'll take them one at a time, that way you guys don't fuck up."

"With this, we will be able to defeat Atlas!" The King finally looked to Lily with a serious look. "This is surely a moment of celebration, and yet you wear such a stern expression. Does aught bother you?"

"I want Malroth released. How much longer do you intend to keep him there?"

Warwick narrowed his eyes on Lily as the King explained it to her. "Forgive me, Lily. I know how close the two of you are. Your friend's incarceration must be vexing indeed. But no matter how much you have done for my kingdom, a wise king must heed his counsel. When Malroth fights, he strikes more fear into the hearts of our own soldiers than those of our enemies. And then there is the matter of his lack of reflection in Ra's mirror…" He gave a soft sigh, trying to convey a sense of sadness. "You need not fear for his safety. No harm will come to your friend. And when the time is right, he will be freed."

"Come, Lily, His Majesty has spoken. Let us focus our efforts on building this cannon so that Atlas may be slain, and this ugly business ended!" Warwick clapped a hand on Lily's shoulder, grinning at her.

Lily let out a smug laugh as she rolled her shoulder away from Warwick's hand. "He may strike fear, but you all plan on letting him go right before we face Atlas, don't you? He's the hardest hitter, you know you need him for that." She slipped away from the group, trying her best to keep herself calm.

"Lily, I… is there anything I can do to help you get your spunk back? I miss your smile." Zara came up to the builder, linking her arm with Lily's. "Is it because of Malroth? I must say, I'm surprised to hear that Anessa was instrumental in getting the King to agree to it. I wonder why she would do such a thing… while yes, she has expressed misgivings about his aggression, she knew his prowess on the field served us well. She would always make him the main hitter when talking plans out in the war room." She patted Lily's arm, smiling at her. "I'm sure the King will free him soon; you just need to wait a little longer. Come, let's go eat!"


Lily was drawing blueprints in her room as Esther knocked and poked her head in later that evening. "Come in, Sister."

"I'm just checking on your bandages, Lily." Esther stood just inside the room as Lily got up from her desk and walked over to the bed, laying down so the priestess could look her over. "I was curious and was looking over your blueprint, my lamb, and it seems we will need something called an Orb of Power to complete the structure. The other townspeople and I can build the tower, but you will have to prepare this item." She looked up when the door opened as she spoke and The King walked in, Warwick on his hip. "Sadly, I haven't the first clue where one would begin to look for such a thing…"

"I believe I may be of assistance in that field!" The King laughed, that noise was getting under Lily's skin. "To the north of Moonbrooke Castle, a top a cliff, stands a singular statue of the Goddess gazing out into the ocean. She watches over the lighthouse that stands off the coast, and within it rests the Orb of Power. Take Anessa and Warwick with you, and you should have no trouble retrieving this treasure."

"Mmm, joy. It'll have to be in the morning, when Esther clears me for adventures." Lily winced when Esther lifted the black shirt she was wearing to peer at the wound, ignoring the King as he slipped from her room.

"Lily, your wound seems to be healing faster than before. Honestly, not that I would recommend it, but you would be able to leave later tonight-" Esther leaned back, giving Lily a grin.

The two girls stopped talking for a moment when they realized that Warwick was still in the room. Lily shook her head and let out an annoyed sighed when Warwick looked between them. "Thank you, Sister Esther. Would you… would you leave us? I'll have you check it again in the morning before I leave."

"Yes, my lamb." Esther slowly got up, frowning at Warwick before she left the room.

When Esther shut the door, Warwick relaxed against the bedpost. "Lily… let us leave any discussion of Anessa's role in this business with Malroth till later." As he spoke, he was beginning to pace, then he grabbed two cups from where he spotted them just inside the workshop. He walked back over to the bed, giving one to Lily so he could pull his waterskin off his belt. He poured her a glass before pouring his own. "Whatever she is, she is a fine soldier, and we may need her strength. Soon enough, the truth will out. I promise you that." He pulled his glass to his lips as Lily tossed her own back, happily drinking the cool liquid inside.

Lily put her head back, sighing some as she relaxed into the bed, feeling the tension and worry leave her. She felt a small ping of panic, but it was gone before it could build as she looked down in the glass. She sensed something from it, but she couldn't place what.

"Lily,"

The builder looked up, smiling at Warwick who was watching her with half lidded eyes. "Yes?"

"Touch your nose."

She let out a drunk sounding giggle as she reached up, touching her nose.

"You love me."

It wasn't a question. He knew it and she knew it. "I love you."

"You'll stop fighting me," He noted her shoulders tense for a moment as she nodded, that stupid grin growing on her lips. "Get up." She wiggled from the bed, her nose even with his chin as he stepped over to her, his fingers tangling into the long blond strands. "Help me with my armor." The soldier couldn't help the stupid grin on his face as the builder reached up, helping him work his armor off. "Should you have another glass? Or will you be a good girl?"

"I'll be a good girl." Lily smiled up at him, flinching some when he cupped her face, pulling her into a sloppy kiss. His lips were thin and unexperienced, but he pulled away from this kiss panting with excitement in his eyes. She shifted under the giddy gaze from the soldier as he pulled her into yet another sloppy kiss, his hands touching wherever he could as he pushed her shirt up.


Lily rubbed her arms and legs as she stood in front of Esther in her shorts with her shirt pulled up so the priestess could have one more look at her wounds. "They're looking very good today, my lamb." Esther pulled back, giving Lily an odd look. "I must say… I was surprised to see Warwick leaving your room this morning." She leaned back; her hands folded in her lap. "It is none of my business, Lily, but I think you should be careful. I thought you didn't want to hurt Malroth?"

"I don't. When we're done here, he can go back to the Isle and I'll stay here like Warwick asked me to last night. I like it here, really I do." She pulled her shirt down before grabbing her dress and slipping into it. "I'd love to stay with you, Esther, you are so kind."

"I was actually hoping to go back to your Isle with you, Lily."

"Oh? Is that so? Why would you want to do that? It'll be turned to dust under Hargon's forces."

Esther stared at Lily with wide eyes as the builder turned and left the small room meant for the priestess. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she reached over, fingers shaking as she grabbed the key to Malroth's cell.


Lily, Warwick and Anessa stared out at the ocean, frowning when there was nothing in the offering chest with the Goddess statue. "Didn't he say it would be here?" Warwick growled as he looked around the statue again.

"No, silly. He said it was at the lighthouse, we have to glide across the sea and get it there." Lily pointed out that way, through the cyclones that moved across the ocean. "We just have to avoid those, right?" She jumped off the ledge, letting her windbreaker catch her and take her through the wind. She wiggled when she needed to move in a certain direction. She landed on the other side and waited, seeing Anessa land first. Something stirred inside of her, there was something she had been wanting to ask the general. But the question escaped her.

Warwick hadn't stuck the landing quite right and was forced to climb up the small cliff beneath the lighthouse. Anessa grabbed Lily, pointing towards the top of the stairs. "Did you see that! There was a monster just right there!"

Lily looked up at where Anessa was pointing, she hadn't seen anything. But she had been distracted, wondering if Warwick would be alright. She gasped when Anessa suddenly pulled her forward, racing up the stairs. "A-Anessa! Wait!"

"He'll catch up!" Anessa growled as she all but dragged Lily up the stairs. The two looked around frantically, not seeing the next step. The general led the builder around the back of the tower, a happy noise leaving her as she ran over, yanking a door open. "Here we- GOOOO!"

Lily let out a scream when Anessa was hit with a large spring that sent the general and, thanks to her hold on Lily, herself down off the side of the tower. She could hear Warwick yelling after them as he made it up the stairs just in time to see them go over.

The two girls hit the water and it took Lily a moment to realize what was up and what was down, but she noticed that there was a giant hole in the bottom of the tower. She looked up; her cheeks puffed with air as she watched Anessa start to swim for the surface. The builder lashed out, grabbing Anessa's foot and dragging her through the hole. Anessa fought her for a moment, but then she must have seen where Lily was pulling her to because she took the lead.

Lily gasped and coughed up water as Anessa helped her out of the water. The two collapsed next to each other, waiting to see if Warwick would follow them. "I won't lie… I thought you were trying to kill me, Lily. Zara told me of the rumor you've heard… I… I want you to know that I… I didn't tell the King to put Malroth away."

Something knotted in Lily's belly as she stared up at the half-collapsed ceiling above her, it lodged in her throat, making it difficult to breathe. "Anessa… where…" Lily bit her lip, she didn't know why she needed to ask this question, but something in the back of her head was screaming at her to ask it. No matter what Warwick had told her. "Where's Ra's Mirror?"

"What? It's in the-" Anessa sat up, eyes wide on Lily. "It went missing a couple days ago…"

"That's what I thought. Keep this between us, will you?"

Warwick had finally joined them, and they had made their way up the tower, finding the room with two chests in the middle. Though it was guarded by a few gremlin's, they were easy enough to beat down. Lily put it in the back of her head that the monsters didn't really attack Warwick. They focused mostly on herself and Anessa. She looked to Anessa who seemed to be watching Warwick carefully. "Let's head back. That way I can get this placed and we can start to look for the next piece, yeah?"

"Lily." Anessa grabbed the builder's arm when she started to climb the window to get out. "This tower… it somehow seems not of this world… how it sits alone n the ocean with naught else in sight… like something out of a dream…"

"What does that matter, Anessa? We have what we came for. Let us return to the castle and complete the blueprint!" Warwick was standing on the ledge of the window, hand out for both girls so he could help them up.