Chapter 9: My Name is Liliana

“Hey you…. Hey!  Wake Up!”  

“W-What!  HAH!”  Sam screamed.  “W-Who are you…. Where am I?”

“Well, you’re about 40 miles outside of Okyra.”

“Okyra…. Oh yea…. We were attacked.”

“Attacked….By Who?”  The girl asked.

“There were bunch of em’.  A Hooded Man…. A Man in Chains…. The Creature…. and the Man with the Mace….”

“Hmmm?  You sure you aren’t hallucinating?  You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”  The girl reached into her satchel, and pulled out a piece of freshly wrapped meat.  

“Here, eat this…”  

Sam took a bite of her offering.

“It’s delicious…. what is it?”  He asked.

“It’s veal.  I was doing some hunting and cooked it up last night.”

“Thank you….”

“No problem, I have plenty.  So you want to tell me now what really happened to you… or are you gonna stick with that same ludicrous story you just told me?”

“I’m telling you the truth….  I had to run, they killed the King… and they were going to kill me next.  That’s why I ran.”

“And where were you running to?”

“Uh… Tzaria…”

“Are you sure about that?  We don’t tend to let outsiders in.”

“We?”  Sam asked.

“You didn’t know I was a Tzarian…. Couldn’t you tell from my hair.”

“Your hair?  Its red…. do all Tzarians have red hair?”

“We do….  You know, you really should get out and explore more.  O’Leus is gigantic…. it’s a shame you’ve spent your whole life in Okyra.”

“Hey… I love where I’m from.”

“Then why’d you run?”  The girl asked with a smile.  “If you love something, you’re supposed to protect it…. am I right?”

“Well yes… but this was different.  I was told I had to leave.  I was told that I was special….”

“Well you don’t look very special to me.  What can you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“What makes you so special?  Are you a great swordsman, or are you a deadeye with a bow and arrow?”

“I’ve never used either of those…”

“That’s pathetic.  We were taught how to use swords at age 6.  But that’s what makes Tzarians the fiercest warriors in O’Leus.  So what do you want in Tzaria?”

“I was told to speak with the Grand Elder.  He should be able to help me.”

“Help you do what?”  

“U-Uh… I guess help save my home.”

“Save your home?  You don’t sound very sure of yourself.”  

“It all happened so fast….  It was just a regular day, then everything changed.  So can you help me or not.”

“It would be impossible to get into Tzaria without me so…. I guess I’ll help you out for now.”

“Thanks!  My name is Sam.”

“My name is Liliana.”  She responded.

“I love that name…. I think I’ll call you Lily for short.”

“Dont…”