Mysterious Location
Lilia was freaking out, and she didn't know what to do. She wanted to save Stella, but Lilia didn't even know why Stella was taken, let alone where. It was frustrating.
'I need to get out of here. I need to….'
Then it hit her. It was gradual at first, but then the world became silent. All her senses were so dulled that it might as well be non-existence, and with how much that smelly concoction that Sonia made Lilia weak, this collar made it ten times worse. It was like being trapped in one of her Mimics, minus the telepathy. It was horrible. It felt like she wasn't herself anymore.
All that was bad, but the worse part was that disconnect, the emptiness. Where five others used to be. It was the first time in years that Lilia was alone, and despite all her complaining, she didn't like it, not one bit.
Lilia strained against her chains, trying to break free. Then she heard a slicing sound with her frailing around, and she stilled. And looked at her feet to find that one of Sonia's water strings had sliced through the bottom of her boot. Good thing, too, because Lilia was inches away from losing her head.
She closed her eyes, 'Calm down. I need to calm down. I need to think of a plan, anything to get out of here. For Stella!' Lilia's thoughts paused, hearing something odd. What's that?
Lilia's ears felt like it was plugged up with water. Then a big popping sound came roaring back, hitting her like a battling ram at full speed. After that, another plowed into me, then another. It didn't take long for my fragile mental defences to be shredded instantly. After a while, all Lilia could do was take it.
*Lilia!* Silva's voice rang through. Soon after, Sil and Va came kicking and screaming back and were absorbed into my body.
"Sil…Va," Lilia cried out, but no one answered. Lilia couldn't hear their response anyway, as one image after another was forced into her brain. They're were their memories most were a blurred mess and others…. Not only Stella was taken, but Rachel was kidnapped. Then there was an image of Shadow with Andres chasing after them. Then it changed to Terran, standing against an army of Zombies? Next, switching to Heather shooting at the Protector. Finally, there was even a glimpse of Druid, but just that through the bodies of Soldiers and Zombies alike.
'Too much.' It was overwhelming. Lilia's brain felt like it was about to burst. Seconds later, not only her brian but her scars were burning, spreading rapidly throughout her body. Lilia knew she'd die if she didn't do something soon, taking Druid and the others with her. Who will help Rachel and Stella, then?
With a last cry for help… 'I can't let it end like this!'
*Listen.* There were a lot of voices in that word. Lilia could pick up Silva's voice and even that fox's. Running out of obtains, all Lilia could do was comply? Lilia's world became still, and Lilia was just flooding into nothing. She couldn't think, couldn't do anything really. Then she heard it.
"I'm so frustrated. Nothing is working!"
"I'm so tired."
"I can't let them pass me!"
"I'll kill him! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"
"They must not find out."
Five scenes were on display in front of Lilia. Her Links fought against overwhelming odds, and some were losing badly. It was so frustrating. Was this some kind of torture? They were fighting for their lives, and all she could do was watch? It felt like a bad dream or something.
"You've got to be kidding me?" Lilia whispered.
*Lilia.* Silva's pained voice spoke from behind her.
She whirled around to see them in their Griffon form, curling up in pain, shimmering in and out of existence.
"No! No! No! Don't go!" Lilia sobbed and rushed over and laid her head on Silva's fur, a futile hope that her touch might keep them from disappearing. "I don't know what to do."
*If we disappear….*
"I know!" Lilia whispered. She could feel how much power they were holding back. If they disappeared, she'd be flooded with too much power. Then she would die…along with her Links. "I can't let that happen."
*Maybe they will help!* Silva nodded at something right behind Lilia.
Lilia turned and couldn't help but jump with startlement to find those torturous five scenes that appeared right behind her. "This? No, this is just a figment of my…." Suddenly she banged her fist into one of the scenes. When her hand felt no resistance, Lilia's eyes widened. "Crap!" As not just her submerged hand but her whole body fell through.
Tunnels
When Lilia opens her eyes, she finds herself in a different location. "Isn't this Druid's area." Lilia shook her head. "No, this can't be real."
She slowly got to her feet just when a Zombie went through her. She felt it, and it was like a jolt to her system. Lilia shuttered. "More real than I thought." As she looked around, there were Soldiers fighting Zombies everywhere. "Vine Markings. Just like that Dead guy in the Outpost." Lilia felt very detached like she wasn't even there.
"Lilia?"
Lilia looked up to find Druid real close. Druid looked like she went through the wringer. "Are you…" She reached out, her hand went through, like before, but some of Lilia's power was left behind. "Huh?"
"Lilia, I thought…I couldn't feel you, I thought.." Druid was grateful but confused. She was looking around like she couldn't see me. "This's nuts. I can hear you, but where are you."
"I don't understand…." But then, suddenly, Lilia felt something coming. "Watch it!" And tried to push Druid but just went through her instead. "Well, this sucks."
Good thing didn't really need Lilia's help as Druid shot some fire at a gray-haired woman, and as the woman flicked the flame away, Druid teleported away.
Lilia's perspective shifted, and she was right beside Druid again. "Okay, that was weird." She shuttered. Lilia wasn't used to her new state. Her head was confusing, and this buzzing sound was slowly getting louder. Lilia wasn't sure if she didn't imagine the whole thing.
One thing was for sure. Druid was way too Druid-like to be a fake. And if that was the case, she didn't know what to think. So, quite frankly, maybe this was another form of torture.
"I can't shake her, every time I try, her wind power just sweeps my flames away like nothing, and my foresight isn't working. Plus, if she gets close, she uses those doublegangers." Druid was worn out like she was at the end of her rope. No wonder Druid's ability to see a few seconds into the future was something she depended on. Especially in a fight. To lose that suddenly, she must be losing her mind. "And I lost sight of everyone."
"Wind huh," I mumbled thoughtfully. "Why not use that to your advantage?"
"You mean, use the air like fuel?" Druid shook her head. "My flame isn't strong enough."
Lillia stared at her hands; realization dawned. "Maybe not torture, after all."
"What are you…? Just a minute…." Suddenly there was shouting. Druid was already on top of the soldier, just as he was about to shoot Druid in the back. Her whip was entangled around his throat. That was when The gray-haired woman appeared out of nowhere. Druid kicked the soldier into the woman, and she disappeared. Druid ran, sliding through the fighting and finding cover on the other side.
Lilia shifted again, but it was different. This time, she felt herself getting distorted and then split. In addition, she found herself beside Bryson, whispering in his ear before snapping back to Druid. 'Okay, I officially don't like this. And that buzzing sound is it ever going to go away.'
"Lilia, are you still there?"
"Yes, I'm here. So I may be able to give you a power boost." When Druid was about to respond. "No more questions. Just let me do this, okay?"
Druid finally nodded but with a pained look. "Even with the boost, I don't know if I could beat her." Lilia understood. She knew first-hand with Sonia wasn't about the power difference. It was about the experience. She felt like a toddler in comparison.
'But right now, that didn't matter.'
Lilia's reached out to her other self, the one with Bryson and smiled. "You don't have to. All you'll have to do is buy some time."
***
Druid now was walking in the open; with every step, flames followed. "I've got to say this can be addictive. "As fire crawled up her body and lit up the edges of her hair. "I don't like what this might cost you."
"Shh, you're supposed to be bait, remember?"
"Lilia…"
"This will help me, believe me," Hopefully. Lilia was still winging it, but at least she wasn't just watching anymore. "I see here."
"Okay, time to be bait." Druid walked confidently forward, allowing the gray-haired clones to surround her. Talan, her name is Talan, her other self whispered.
"Are you done hiding?" One of the Talons stepped forward. "Ah, too bad."
Druid didn't say anything. She only smiled gleefully as she gathered her flames and toasted all the clones around her, then she aimed at Talan and clashed with her wind.
"You bitch." Talan gritted out as more clones appeared and tried to hold onto Druid, and like before, she burned them away.
Suddenly Druid pushed more fire, making her feet leave the ground, and Lilia kept feeding her power, but there was only so much Druid could take. Lilia could already feel the strain.
"Druid," Lilia warned.
"I know," Druid stated, "How long?"
"He's almost ready, but Druid, you need to hold her there," Lilia stated as she stared in Bryson's direction. "Druid, you might…."
"I know." This time it came out in a scream.
Then the ground started to rumble, and there was a lot of screaming and running away. "Brase yourself."
The water smashed through the side and came borrowing toward them. However, Druid didn't stop even when the water slammed into her. Everything turned into chaos…until a hand came out of nowhere and pulled Druid out.
Statson held her, and she coughed out some water. "No, no," Druid mumbled, trying to get out of his hold.
"Easy now, Fire Princess, you're safe," Statson consoled.
"Where is she?"
"Who."
"Lilia." Druid looked up just as Bryson jumped out of the water. "Where is she?"
Bryson's only response was... "I don't know."