Chapter 96: Promises

(AN: I decided to cut down and summarize the rest, it is already taking me 4 full chapters where I only planned to spend at most a half on Lily. But as always, I get too focused, and before I knew it, I'm already at 4000 words and just half-way done. I wanted to detail a bit more on what happened with Lily and I may still use what I had already written in the future, but I think we should continue with the story. 

I actually planned to add a new section to the Auxiliary chapters section for bonus stories. The torture and the harassment scene could find its place there… Although who wants to see this cute angel suffer? MONSTERS!)

Sitting on the ground only in her underwear, Lily was crying, the painful realization of all the naivete she strolled around the city, doing whatever she felt like. This naive, girlish thinking brought her nothing but pain and sorrow once again.

Because of her stupidity, two innocents got hurt, or maybe worse, she got forced into signing a contract, basically selling herself into slavery as a female gladiator, entertaining the masses.

The bruises and the ripped clothing were a punishment she got after defying the overseer of the gladiators. That was the result of that lanky, gaunt bald man with that ugly unkempt black beard and horrific stench.

After agreeing to the terms, she was cuffed and was taken to the lower sections. The holding cells for the fighters. However, before she could take her new 'residency', she had to meet with the overseer, the leader of this area.

As soon as she was escorted to his office, she could feel his penetrating gaze undressing her. Without any hesitation or modesty, he walked to the handcuffed girl and reached out with her grabby hand with a coy smile on his face. 

The beating and humiliation she received was the result of the headbutt Lily gave to that pig when he leaned closer and started breathing into her ears. He was confident that no slave girl would ever dare to defy him, he was the law and order in this hellhole! 

As he fell back to the ground with blood gushing out of his broken nose, he couldn't even react when Lily firmly stepped on his little flagpole and scrambled his eggs. He could only cry out in pain, as he reached out and rolled on the ground.

It took him several painfully long minutes before he could squeeze out an order to the guards.

"Take her back... beat her up badly…. The boss needs her tonight…. don't break her arms and legs…. keep her alive…" 

The guards took their time torturing the girl. Using whips, sticks, or their fists and legs, they beat the girl mercilessly for hours. 

When they finally left, Lily slowly crawled to a corner, and with her head buried between her legs, she wept. She cried not because of the physical pain, the torture she endured; that was nothing to her, she felt worse in the pocket world. 

What hit her hard was the emotional burden; knowing that because of her actions, that kind, elderly couple got into trouble, and are now suffering, or maybe even worse. She couldn't be sure anymore. They might as well be dead already…

Sobbing, she let out all the grief, all the despair she felt weighing down her chest. Her only hope, her only shining beacon was one person. Even if she knew it was impossible, she still wanted to cling to this sliver of a chance. Her dear brother, her hero, the warmth in her heart…

"Brother… please… save me! I can't do this alone!" She repeated the same phrase like a mantra, desperately hoping to reach him.

Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. A loud roar echoed inside her head, and she felt a golden light momentarily flash inside her mind. 

She immediately knew. Her prayers were answered, her brother heard her!

***Back to the present, in the forest just outside Higrove***

With his current speed, it didn't take more than a couple of minutes to reach the edges of the forest. Reaching the end, he stopped just behind the treeline, looking towards the city gates. 

Looking at the western section of the wall, Aiden clenched his clawed fists. His ebony long hair fluttered in the wind, his golden eyes were focusing on the guardsmen standing guard. A moderately sized queue of eager people was waiting for entrance.

"I swear, I'll burn the whole city down if I have to, and there is nothing and nobody that will stop me!" he swore to himself. He felt responsible, if he didn't push himself too hard, and would have listened to Enya's warnings all of this wouldn't have happened.

'Come to think of it… Enya? Where are you? I can't feel you at all?' Aiden asked inwardly after he noticed that his trusty companion was nowhere to be found. He couldn't feel her at all. 

'Enya? Talk to me!' he tried calling but to no avail. The mature female voice that was always with him, protecting him from harm, was not heard, her presence nowhere to be found. 

'ENYAAAA!' he shouted once again, refusing the believe that this would be it. No, she was a higher being, a stronger existence. Even if she might have been affected by all that happened with the old man in the pocket world, she wouldn't vanish without a trace. That's just not possible.

Sitting down on the ground, he closed his eyes and focused his will to search for her inside his soul. 

Soon, he finally could feel a familiar presence faintly flickering in the depths of her soul space. Looking at it, he saw her; she no longer had her mature humanoid female form. She was once again, back to her earliest state, a small, white ball of concentrated energy.

'Finally! Enya! What happened to you, why are you like this?' he asked. A multitude of contradicting emotions started to overflow his senses, giving him a headache. Rage, pain, despair, sadness, relief, happiness, he was receiving too much impulse in a short amount of time. 

[A lot… has happened… Aiden. I had to… spend my energy… to warn them…. That you were fine…. and just needed some time to recuperate…. I am sorry… Now I need time as well... ] The weak, tired, and ragged voice of Enya could be heard from the ball of energy. 

After a moment of respite, she followed.

[I can't assist you for a while Aiden. But please… even if you broke your chains… and set yourself free earlier than you should have… Don't rush in…. Trust those two… Think, before you act…. Remember…. You are the last.]

After she spoke, Aiden could feel her presence fading. She was completely spent. All the energy she slowly regained over the years, gone, because of him.

'Just rest, Enya. I'm the one who should apologize, I'm still just an idiot… I promise I will make it right!'

In a few moments after his awakening, he already swore twice, making two promises to fix the mistakes he made. 

Opening up his eyes, he exhaled, and as his arms transformed back to normal, he stood up. Looking at the gate once more, he nodded his head to himself and was about to leave the cover and walk out, when he heard a familiar voice coming from behind.

"Wait, don't go yet, Aiden!"

Turning around, he saw Number 3 rushing toward him, with Granny not too far behind. They both had concerned looks on their faces. 

"What happened, Aiden? How did you wake up? Why did you rush here so angry?"

With a pained look, Aiden looked at Number 3 for a few seconds, not sure what to do. He actually wanted to leave them behind, before he causes more pain, but thinking back to Enya's last words, he decided to honor her.

With a sigh, he spoke as Granny arrived as well.

"Lily is in danger. I felt her cry, I could feel her pain. She is somewhere in the city in that direction! We have to save her!" he pointed towards the west. 

Number 3 recognized where he was pointing, and as the wrinkles set up on her forehead, she gently caressed it with her right hand, while she spoke.

"Dammit! I told her to be careful! If you are sure that she is in that direction, then she is at the Slums district in the city, a place where all the scum of society gathers."

Nodding, Aiden turned around and started walking, however, he was unable to, as she felt Number 3's hands on his left shoulder pulling him back.

"Wait for me to finish, boy! Don't run in so mindlessly, think before you act! Before she went into the city, I gave her an amulet that would protect her. That amulet is special, and the thugs that most likely are holding her captive, wouldn't even be able to see it, so her life is not in danger at least." 

Seeing the relief on Aiden's face upon mentioning that if nothing else, Lily would be alive, made her smirk, and continued giving the boy even more surprise.

"Additionally, the second reason I gave her the amulet was that with it, I can always find her."