Time seemingly blurred for Lily as she embarked on her relentless assaults against each of the mutant bases scattered across the Middle East and even further up.
Days passed quickly, and in her continuous hunt, she barely kept track of the time. Days and weeks blended together until eventually, she completely forgot to keep track of time, simply enjoying the hunt.
In total, she had encountered and destroyed 25 mutant bases— most of which were small mutant bases, but some were even comparable to the Fortress she attacked before.
Not all belonged to the same group either— along her travels, she had come across a variety of different groups, some that worked together and others that didn't— she had even come across many criminal organizations that used mutants as slaves for their dirty work.
Naturally she destroyed all the weak groups she came across and from the memories she gained from probing their minds, she gained the location of other bases.
This was how she grew to a large number such as 25 bases from the small amount she initially had.
Granted, she could've attacked a lot more if she had been willing to take the risk, but she didn't.
As her attacks grew as frequent as they were, the groups eventually began to increase their defenses and secrecy— especially the ones that were backed by the Brotherhood.
Due to this, she had to avoid some places and run outright from some locations.
She had made her way through the blistering deserts and beautiful landscapes of Saudi Arabia, encountering numerous hidden bases throughout the land and destroying them all with her raw power.
Then she made her way Jordan, a land with amazing monuments, nature reserves and seaside views, where she used the cover of night to destroy a total of 2 small bases and 1 large base.
From Jordan she went to Syria, hidden amongst the cities and villages quite a few bases were located, but with her stealth and speed she was able to avoid the local athorities and deal with the mutants amongst them.
While she did cause a bit of a mess— destroying a few large buildings— it wasn't her fault, so she didn't blame herself for it; no one told them to make their base on the top of a highrise.
After destryong the bases she could and having her filled she made her way to Iraq— a land that was not only large but also bustling with a large population of both locals and visitors.
Due to this, it was a bit difficult at first to find the exact location of the bases, not to mention avoid being detected during the battle. But with ample time to plan and strike, she was able to destroy a large number of the small bases scattered across the lands.
She even got 2 large bases here— but she had to flee shortly after due to the Brotherhood finding her location.
Fleeing from Iraq, she actually ended up in Iran, something she wasn't actually planning to do— but the Brotherhood seemed very instant this time around.
Iran was a large stretch of land— so massive, in fact, that it was easy to get lost in the deserts that covered it. Thanks to this, however, she was able to avoid being followed by the Brotherhood, outpacing them after a few nights spent in the desert.
Yet amid this chaos and carnage, she found a fleeting moment of peace— within the deserts of Iran, she came across a group of wandering nomads, or so they called themselves.
In reality, they were just people without a place anymore due to the wars and destruction— but she found a rare moment of peace as she followed them and spent time with them.
Yes— Lily spent time with them.
Eating them was pointless; they were just humans and would barely grant her any mass— instead, she found their company relaxing amidst her crusade.
Speaking to them was calming— learning even— she had come to remember what it was like to communicate with humans, the joys and sorrows they felt, the stories they had to tell.
Lily enjoyed them very much. She even found herself looking up at the sky at night and stargazing with the children who accompanied them, a fondness she had long lost.
Understanding them was easy—actually, understanding everyone she had encountered throughout the land so far was easy. Thanks to her enhanced mental capabilities, breaking apart, piecing together, and understanding a new language was almost instinctive to her—it was why she never struggled with the language throughout the journey so far.
It was why the people that she came across never doubted her identity— and even if they did, they would still welcome a lost and lonely soul such as herself.
But Lily left shortly after— while she enjoyed her time with them she never forgot her goal; she would never let such a fleating moment of relaxation hinder her progress.
So, with unwavering determination, she made her way throughout Iran— destroying the most bases she had so far.
She spent a long time in Iran, multiple days— maybe even weeks— she had long lost count. But from her time in Iran she was sure she had gained a massive amount of abilities and mass, she could feel the raw power coursing through her body.
After Iran, she actually made her way to Afghanistan— a place she never thought she would end up at the beginning of this journey but a place she did due to whatever reason.
But as she wandered the streets of one of the major cities, a news broadcast on one of the televisions caught her attention.
'Billionaire Playboy Tony Stark reappears after having been missing for multiple days.'
The headline piqued her interest, but it was only until she looked at the date that she was fully convinced.
"May 5th 2008. A few days after Tony exscaped from the Ten Rings base, and a few days before his battle."