Chapter 3

Lilly walked into her home, grabbing her extra quiver of arrows, and a small quiver of bolts for the hand crossbow mounted atop of the Grappleshot Alayna fixed and allowed Lilly to use. Lilly didn't Like the Crossbow, she much preferred the versatility of her longbow, and its arrows that Lilly made.

After that she went up the attic of her house, the access area is just outside the spare room, which Lilly often used as an Armory, and once she was up in the attic, the she walked to the Opposite end of the house, where there was a closet with a bookshelf inside, on that Bookshelf, Lilly kept the poisons she often makes, inside that Closet, there was a small safe, where there were Seventeen bottles of a colorless, Odorless poison, which Lilly made several years earlier. This poison attacks the Target's nervous system the moment it enters the target's body, causing psychological damage, sometimes it's enough to straight up kill them. But it could be admisnistered in doses small enough for interrogation and torture, sometimes, if they were really mentally durable, entire bottles could be used in torture. Lilly rarely used it for torture, and if she did, it was on people she really hated.

Lilly's best friend, Xomera, on the other hand, used the Nerve poison quite often when she Locked people up in the plane of Death or Chaos, Xomera also used cuffs that had spikes on the interior, Always Piercing the wrist of who she's locking away with them, and when she tortures them, she will pour a bottle of Nerve poison on the cuffs. Lilly used the poison Rarely, but when dealing with the man who kidnapped her daughter, Lilly would most certainly be using the Nerve poison on Dolga the Ritualist.

Of the extra Quivers Lilly grabs, on one of them, the arrows were tipped with Alcohol, which could be set on fire, or used to only increase the pain a minor bit, Lilly wasn't sure if would use them, so she only Grabbed 5, to save on the weight.

Lilly after gearing up, Pulled Mara aside.

"Mara, I need your help." Lilly told her.

"Of course, what is it?" Mara asked

"I don't know if you've noticed, but Alayna's been kidnapped. I know where they are, it's just a matter of prepping things so this goes well. I'm Bringing Greggory, but I want to Bring you as well." Lilly explained.

"Okay, do you want to try to contact Xomera for help?" Mara suggested, but only got a blank stare from Lilly, "What is it? Lilly, what is it?"

"Mara… Based on what I've heard… I think Xomera was killed." Lilly replied.

"No, there's no way, we were both there when I- you know, and she wasn't caught off guard. Who even told you this?

"no one told me, I overheard Dolga and the Cudgel talking to each other, they had no Idea I was there… They talked about how she went down in four hits and- …They don't have a reason to lie to each other." Lilly said, her voice breaking, Lilly did her best to maintain a calm face and attitude, but internally she was crying.

"Lilly, we're going to figure it out." Mara reassured Lilly.

Lilly didn't say anything. After that, they proceeded down the stairs, as Mara was already Geared up, so Lilly, Mara, and Greggory were able to set off pretty quickly after that. The fact that Lilly Failed as a mother to Alayna, and as a best friend to Xomera, weighed heavily on her mind.

The trip was rather cold, however the only one it was an issue for was Mara, as Mara was not of Northborn descent like Lilly and Greggory. As they Approached dragon's landing, Lilly got an unnerving feeling. It was dark out, and the clouds were low upon the ruined college.

"Hold up." Lilly said.

"What is it?" Greggory asked.

"We're not alone." Lilly responded

"If we run, we can make it to the passageway Greggory mentioned." Mara suggested.

"No. we can't"

"Why not?" Mara asked.

"We're being hunted. However, if Dolga thinks he can outhunt me, he's got himself another thing coming. Let's go." Lilly said, and then proceeded to the Passageway, about a Quarter mile before the entrance, Lilly Motioned for Mara and Greggory to stop, and they did., Lilly then used her Scabbard to probe the snow in front of her. Unveiling a Bear Trap that was prepared to snap as soon as someone stepped on it. Lilly fired the hand crossbow at it to activate it.

"Show yourself, you damn turkey." Lilly yelled out, knowing that the ritualist was nearby.

"Unfortunately, our dear friend, the ritualist, could not join us." Lilly heard the voice of an old Foerang out upon the field. This was that of a man called 'The Gifted', however, he's been more or less dead for the better part of the last 20 years.

"Who is that?" Greggory asked.

"Not who this man is pretending to be." Lilly said. "You show yourself, too, Illusionist!"

"Why should I? It's so enjoyable to watch you look everywhere, wondering where I might…" The Illusionist paused, He was using Xomera's voice to try to get to Lilly, this time, He revealed himself and moved to attack Lilly, she was able to defend but was thrown to the ground, "Where I might appear" He used his own voice that time and followed with a Cackle that transitioned into Zathor's voice. Zathor was someone who rarely laughed, so it was a disturbing noise. After that he went back into hiding, and Lilly noticed She couldn't find Mara or Greggory anywhere.

"Mara? Greggory!" Lilly called out, knowing her view was obscured by the highest levels of Illusion Magic.

"For such a Strong Person, you seem so easy to break." The Illusionist said, using Lilly's Original Patron Goddess' voice, that being the voice of Xelia.

"And for a person with such magical competence I'm Impressed you're such a coward." Lilly beat back.

"Who knew that a battle nun would make such a Terrible mother?" The Illusionist said, using Elara Tovarius, the Sisters Elita Mother superious' voice, "I certainly did, letting her child run off in the busy streets of the central trading hub of one of the regions? Quite the inferior intellect."

"Choose your next words very carefully." Lilly warned, Still searching for the Illusionist, he nearly got him by attacking from behind, but Lilly turned at just the right time, and was able to Parry his Attack with Chillkiss. While their blades were locked Lilly took her left hand, and Quickly Grabbed a Vial of Nerve poison, and broke it on his face, the poison seeping into the cuts the Glass made. Forcing him to reel back in Pain disappearing into his Illusion magic pain in Pain.

"So, you've adapted to using your Illusion magic while the pain fills your veins… am I supposed to be impressed?" Lilly struggled to breath from this.

"This was YOUR doing!" Lilly heard Alayna's voice yell out, "If you were better my mother would still be alive!" Lilly immediately turned her head in the direction she heard it from, her heart broken.

"Ineffectual, as ever." the Voice of Alayna's Biological Mother (Lily Dragonborn), said, "And I'm not the only one you failed to save, I thought you learned from your mistake, Lilly?"

Suddenly Lilly found herself in the Northwestern Forest region, and when Lilly looked up, she Found Xomera's home, and she froze, eyes wide with fear. She watched around her for any surprises, and slowly walked into the house, her heart dropped the moment she laid eyes on on Xomera's body, she walked over to it, and fell to her knees in defeat

"If it's worth any consolation, she didn't suffer." The Illusionist said, using his own voice, "The kill was quick, and relatively painless. For the goddess, at least."

"What did you do with Amara?" Lilly said, tears coming from her eyes, however, her voice remained wrathful and Angry.

"The Girl?" The Illusionist Chuckled, "Dolga and his men were the most ineffectual lot I had ever seen, Zathor murdered them, Brutally, and Dolga ran away, as usual. We may have Killed Xomera, but the Job is only half finished. And I intend to finish it. Personally."

Lilly considered this, the Illusionist was rarely in a Location himself, and if, by any chance, he was telling the truth…

"Good." Lilly said, she felt the Illusionist's hand on her Pauldrons, she quickly Grabbed it, and threw him over her Shoulder, Leaving him Prone, but before he could get up, Lilly thrust her Dagger down upon the Illusionist's Throat, several, several times, Blood Spewed everywhere, and on the Last Stab she left her dagger there, Pinning him, while Lilly got up, and Drew Chillkiss, he chuckled at this, before she thrust the longsword into his throat, pushing it deeper, and deeper into the Ground, the Illusion from everything else fading, and Lilly's Tears Likely froze before they hit the ground

Lilly Looked around for Greggory, and Mara, but found no sight of them, she did find their tracks, they didn't notice that she had left them, Likely because of an Illusion. At that point, Lilly once again fell to her knees, and let her emotion out, for once, she let herself cry. She sat there, crying for several hours, at the height of the Blizzard… letting herself Freeze.

"Hello?" Lilly heard a woman's voice say in the distance, "Is someone out there?"

Lilly remained unmoving, but a few moments later, she felt a Blanket placed on her shoulders, Lilly looked up to see who it was, she could hardly make out their features, but she believed that the Woman, like her, had red hair, and green eyes.

"You're going to be Alright, I promise you that." the woman said, and helped Lilly the rest of the way to the tunnel, once inside Lilly, albeit through Tears, managed to make out the rest of the woman's face. She indeed was a red-haired woman, although her eyes weren't Green, they were a rare shade of Purple. She looked a good ten years Older than Lilly, although Lilly was unlucky enough for her family curse to Kick in at Nineteen.

The woman made a fire to warm Lilly up, but Lilly didn't say a thing. The woman then made a bowl of soup and handed it to Lilly.

"What's this?" Lilly asked quietly.

"The only way to fight a cold, Dear. It's Chicken soup. Go on, drink up." She said, and Lilly did so hesitantly.

"Who are you?" Lilly eventually asked.

"I'm Jayda Stormclaw, your rescuer, as you are mine." Jayda said.

"But I've never rescued you?" Lilly said.

"Spoilers!" Jayda said with a smile. "I love that word."

"What do I owe you?" Lilly sighed.

"Absolutely nothing at all, though I would quite like to know what you were doing alone on the ground in the cold next to a dead body." Jayda replied.

"It's a long story." Lilly said, not wanting to share the details of her encounter with the Illusionist.

"It's alright, there's plenty of time to share it, the storm isn't due to be over for a few hours." Jayda said, and so, albeit reluctantly, Lilly shared the details, she didn't give the nitty gritty, but enough information for Jayda to understand.

"I see. I'm… deeply sorry about the loss of your best friend." Jayda said.

"Thank you." Lilly replied.

"I do believe that I can help you find your friends. And I can help you…" Jayda cut off, but then resumed, "I can also help you get your daughter back"

"Thank you." Lilly responded.

When the storm subsided Lilly and Jayda Moved on through the labyrinth under Dragon's Landing, Lilly was, however confused, because the soup Jayda Gave Lilly, was made by Jayda, however, it tasted like Lilly's soup

"Where did you get the recipe for the soup?" Lilly asked.

"Oh, my mother, she was one of the world's best cooks, and her Best friend made the best tea my husband and I had ever tasted." Jayda replied, which only served to confuse Lilly even more. Though, Lilly doubted that Jayda's mother's best friend made the best Tea, because Lilly had always Considered Xomera's Tea to be the best.

"You're Married?" Lilly asked, respectfully.

"Oh yes, but my husband is a handful, when he's not bumping around the timeline, he's accidentally unleashing ancient threats, and Arguing like a married couple with his Brother-in-law on his sister's side." Jayda explained.

"Your Husband is a time traveler?" Lilly asked.

"So am I, as well as his sister, and her Husband, too." Jayda replied

"How did you convince Xelina to allow that?" Lilly asked.

"It wasn't difficult, if you manage to corner her in her human form, she's really not that difficult to convince." Jayda said, "my mother was actually the one to tell us how to do that."

"Sounds like you loved your mother dearly." Lilly replied.

"I did… unfortunately, neither her, nor my father were around much while I was growing up. It was no fault of theirs. They did their best, and they were there for me when they could be." Jayda said.

"Well, you seem to turn out alright, so, I think they did well." Lilly said, and Jayda only nodded.

"Lilly!" Mara said, and Lilly looked up to find Mara, and Greggory, Mara ran over and hugged Lilly, to which Lilly only halfway Hugged back.

When next they stopped, Lilly didn't really say much, she had a lot going through her mind after her encounter with the Illusionist, Lilly was the one who Cooked for them still, however. And Lilly Didn't sleep that night, because if she did, she would only have an encore of what the Illusionist showed her. So, Lilly just sat there, in the cold in her blankets, Tending the fire.