Chapter 56 - Facing the Nightmare (Part 4)

Lily was lost momentarily looking at the beautiful scene in front of her. Seeing her mother happily caressing her younger self… Was something she often dreamt about when she started living with Granny.

Right now, they don't have much time to waste, so coming back to her senses, Lily coughed to get their attention.

"Khm! I'm happy you found your… daughter, but right now, you have no time to waste. You have to escape before the invaders arrive here. Go and I'll hold them off for as long as I can."

Madelaine looked at the teenager, with a complicated expression. There were many irregularities in her behavior, something big she is trying to hide. Even though, it's undeniable that she is a good person, with a good soul and that she is trying to help them escape to safety.

Still, she was not someone who could sacrifice others for her personal benefit, so she shook her head and looked at the teenager with a gentle smile on her face.

"Thank you for your brave words Ms. Lilianne, but I can't just leave you here to die for 2 strangers you just met. It would be going against everything I believe in. Instead, let's go together, and you can make sure we stay safe while you guard us. How does that sound?" she argued.

Even though Lily wanted to argue and try to convince Madelaine to escape with her daughter without looking back, seeing the same determination in her eyes that she had when she first arrived in the pocket world. She knew that it would be pointless to argue with her, and also, she didn't really feel the strength to go against her mother, even if she wasn't real. It already took everything from her mind to keep herself from just running over and embracing her and letting everything else go.

In the end, after a few seconds of thinking, Lily nodded her head and agreed to Madeleine's suggestion.

"Okay, let's do that. But we really have to leave now. We have no time to waste! Pack the essentials quickly. I will watch the windows and see if anybody is approaching. If it's just one or two, I can take care of them, but if it's more…" She looked at her younger self, who was watching her with a frightened expression under the embrace of her mother. Then she looked back at Madelaine who understood what she was trying to convey immediately.

"I understand. I will be as fast as I can!" Then, with her daughter still in her arms and scared as a little bunny, she stood up and left the room to start packing.

After both mother and daughter left, Lily could finally relax. This was really hard on her. However, the events didn't play out the same way as they happened, there were changes. Like how her mother couldn't find her younger self hiding under the bed. Not until she pointed to her hiding place again.

She was a clever girl and could connect the dots and untangle parts of the mystery she was now forced to play a part in.

'I think, I just need to make sure that the events are going to happen how they should, and make sure I fix the mistakes that are happening. Like how that black fog kept my young version hidden under the bed. I wonder if that is really what this trial is about? We have already moved on from our past, why force us to experience it again? It just doesn't make any sense."

As she sat down near a window that was overlooked in the front area of their house, she kept thinking about what happened so far. She also couldn't help but think and wonder about the trials her brother must be facing.

"What could Aiden be facing right now? Hope she is fine…" she muttered to herself.

"Who is Aiden?" Suddenly a weak, yet familiar voice came from the other side of the room. While her mother was busy packing, Kid Lily wandered off. She felt some strange connection with the adventurer, and she felt compelled to get close to her for some reason.

Lily was surprised that she didn't even notice the Kid Lily sneaking up on her. Looking at the young child, she smiled, remembering the times when she was just like her, afraid of everything, powerless, weak against fate, unable to stand up for herself, and for her loved ones.

After a few moments, she answered while turning her attention back to the window and focusing her gaze towards the distance where the fights were still happening. She knew that they only had a few more minutes before the fighting would cease and the first invaders would arrive.

"Aiden? He is my brother that I love more than anything in this world. He was my guiding light when I was lost. He is…" she trailed off.

"Your brother? Where is he? Is he safe?" asked the Kid Lily, with an innocent expression on her face.

"He is currently away on some business of his own, but I am sure he is safe. He is strong after all, much stronger than I am." Lily replied, while still looking at the distance.

"Why are you two apart from each other? If you love him so much, and if he loves you just as much, why would you separate? If I would have a brother, I would never want to leave him!" Kid Lily exclaimed.

Hearing her younger self's innocent response made her smile. Talking to herself, even if it was just an illusion was a unique experience. She sighed and looked at the Kid Lily as she answered her.

"I know what you feel, believe me. I wouldn't want to be separated from brother either. It's just that… we both have our own challenge to face, and we can only meet and be reunited once we overcome them on our own."

As she looked back to the window, she noticed 2 invaders coming from the direction of the village center. Both the leather armor and the blades of their swords they were gripping were smeared with blood. Blood of the villagers they massacred, fueled by their greed and hatred. As they were slowly marching closer to their position, Lily looked at her younger self and urged her.

"Go, check if your mother is ready, tell her we have no time left, we have to leave now!"

Kid Lily nodded and scampered back to the direction of where her mother was. Meanwhile, she silently opened the window and readied an arrow in her bow.

Suddenly a lightning pain shook inside her mind. It felt as if something deep inside her brain got released, wreaking havoc, causing her endless suffering. Closing her eyes, to ease her suffering a bit, a vision, a memory of someone else... Or maybe of another lifetime?

As the memory became clearer, she found herself in front of an altar. On the altar was a tall and chubby statuette of a mature elven lady looking down gently at her subjects. She was wearing a light green gown with a similarly light green colored crown on top of her head.

As she was lost in the sight, she heard a soothing feminine voice from behind her.

"What a surprise! You came to pray as well, Sister Madeleine?"

Looking back, she was stunned at the beauty of the owner of the voice. In front of her, there was a curvaceous mature elven beauty. She was wearing the same clothing as the statuette, the light green colored gown that could pass for sexy nightwear. Her long, silky blonde hair was like golden threads, that the gods blessed themselves. She stood there like a goddess, gently smiling, looking at Lily with those kinds, light green eyes, that you once saw, would never be able to forget.

'Goddess.' That was the only thought that came to Lily's mind as she looked at her.

"Is there a problem Sister Madeleine? You look troubled." The lady asked, smiling at Lily.

'Madeleine? Wha'?' Lily got surprised, upon hearing the name. 'What is this memory? It's not mine…'

Shaking her head, she looked at the lady in front of her, not sure what to do. However, as she looked, somehow she felt like she knew who this person was. The answers flooded into her mind, taking control of her actions, as she answered automatically.

"Nothing at all, High Priestess. I just came to give my respect to Mother. I wanted to give her one more prayer before I head to bed. Please let me apologize if I disturbed you with my rash actions." as she said that, she also felt the need to bow down deeply and apologize to this woman in front of her.

The High Priestess came closer and lightly grabbed Lily's shoulders, to stop her from bowing.

"Please Sister Madeleine, you did nothing wrong. Nothing can make me happier when my sisters feel the same connection to our Mother as I do. Please let me accompany you!"

Instead of letting Lily stand up, the High Priestess knelt down to the ground next to Lily and closed her eyes as she faced the statuette.

"Us, direct descendants of Mother, the Goddess of Nature, Naone the Everloving, we have the power to connect to her and ask her for aid in our time of need. Please, close your eyes, and repeat after me. Feel her love and care, feel the connection we all share with her!"

"Oh Naone, gentle and kind mother of all elves, please bless this arrow and guide it against those that want to cause us harm! Please let this unworthy one stand strong against our enemies! Owa tho inneth!"

The prayer reverberated inside Lily's mind, she felt as if a previously locked away part of her being was finally released from its chains, and filled her very being, her soul with its care, its warmth. She felt incredible, as if she was everywhere, like if she was a part of nature.

Lily opened up her eyes, and while nobody saw, a flicker of green lightning could be seen crossing in her eyes. Aiming at the closest invader, she readied her bow while she muttered the prayer she memorized inside the strange memory.

"Oh Naone, gentle and kind mother of all elves, please bless this arrow and guide it against those that want to cause us harm! Please let this unworthy one stand strong against our enemies! Owa tho inneth!"

As she finished her chant, she let go of the bowstring and watched as the arrow flew through the air, towards the unsuspecting enemy. As it whistled through the air, a faint green light enveloped the arrow. At the same time as the energy shrouded the arrow, a second one materialized in the air next to it, and slightly altered its course, towards the second invader.

It all happened in a fraction of a second, and because both invaders did not suspect any resistance coming from that singular hut, they were not prepared to react in any meaningful way. They could only watch in horror as the shining green energy penetrated the middle of their foreheads, ending their greedy lives in an instant.

It all happened so fast, they weren't even able to mutter a single word, and just fell to the ground as life left their bodies. Faint, barely visible black fog left their bodies and faded into the air.

Looking at the results, Lily was satisfied. This was a chant that her mother taught her many years ago, but until now, she wasn't able to use it. But now, back in this place, after everything that happened, she finally found the strength her mother said is in her. Maybe it was being reunited with her mother, or maybe that she was no longer haunted by these shadows of her past… Whatever it was, she was finally able to utilize this power.

Looking back, she saw Madelaine in the doorway with her daughter next to her with a bag on her small back. Lily smiled seeing this and stepped away from the window.

"We are okay, but not long. I have dealt with the first group, but more will come. And when they see their partners on the ground, my surprise attack won't work against them."

However, Madelaine just looked at Lily with shock visible on her face. She couldn't believe it when she heard this teenager chant her family prayer. This was that was only known by her family, it was absolutely impossible for an outsider to know about it.

"How?! How did you know one of the Sacred Chants? Just who are you?"