Lily's heart raced with fear as she watched Allan fall to the ground. She couldn't believe what was happening right in front of her. She sobbed internally as the reality hit her with full force that he was gone.

The courtyard erupted in panic as the peasants who had been forced to attend the wedding began to flee in fear.

The screams of the fleeing peasants echoed in her ears, mixing with the sound of clashing swords and the booming voice of Timur as he commanded his priests to kill them all.

Suddenly, Timur grabbed her wrist. "Come, my Queen. It's time we obtained new subjects to serve our dwindling kingdom.” he said, his voice cold and calculating.

She wanted to run too, to escape this nightmare, but Timur's grip on her wrist was too strong. He dragged her back inside the Temple, and her mind was still reeling from the chaos unfolding around her.

They hurried down a corridor and reached a room where Timur extinguished the fireplace by twisting a gold lion to the left of the mantle. The fireplace slid backward, revealing a dark stairwell.

As they descended together, her thoughts drifted back to Allan. She remembered how they had met, how they had fallen in love. He was a simple securities attorney, but he had a kind heart and a gentle soul. They had talked about building a life together, even though she knew that life was a lie. Many times she he had fantasized that it could be true… but now he was gone, killed in front of her by the man she was now being forced against her will to marry. Her heart ached with grief and anger.

How could Timur do this? How could he be so cruel, so heartless?

But she knew she couldn't show her emotions. She had to stay strong, to keep her wits about her if she was going to survive. She had to bide her time, to wait for the right moment to strike back.

As they entered the room, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The room was dimly lit, but she could see the glow of the computer screens and the hum of the server farm. Suddenly bright lights flickered to life, powered by a series of battery banks fed by solar panels on the roof of the Temple. Lily was confused as Timur approached the main console, typing in commands on the keyboard.

Lily watched in horror as he gained access to the NSA’s GFID Nano-chip tracking system. It was the final item he needed to fulfill a major part of his master's plans. She shuddered at the thought of transporting the inhabitants of Earth to Zion, making them all subjects of Timur's kingdom and the Leviathan's source of fodder.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Lily tried to keep her focus on her surroundings, but her mind kept drifting back to Allan. She wondered if anyone would even know what had happened to him, or if his death would be lost in the chaos of the Leviathan's invasion.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She couldn't afford to show weakness in front of Timur.

But as Timur typed in the final commands and the room shook with the power of the machine, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. The floor trembled below them, and a bright beam of blue light erupted from the satellite dish mounted to the floor. It shot from the center of the room to the far wall where a dark mirror hung. She knew that the Leviathan's plans were far-reaching and that the fate of humanity hung in the balance. And as she looked into Timur's eyes, she wondered if she would ever be able to escape his grasp, or if she too would become just another pawn in his twisted game.

"Wait here," he commanded Lily. She nodded and bowed.

With a sickly green light blasting from his eyes, Timur rushed across the room and placed both his hands against the frame of the mirror. He focused all the power from his core and, with a flash of brilliant light, the mirror formed into a vortex that swallowed him up.

Lily was left alone, terrified and uncertain of what was happening. She couldn't bear the thought of what would happen to Earth if Timur succeeded in his plans.

Lily sat on the floor, crying quietly into her hands. She thought back to the day she had first met Allan, and how they had promised each other to stay together forever. His words of love still echoed in her head:

“You are my everything, my Lily. My life is yours. You make me feel safe and secure, and I cannot imagine a world without you in it. I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens."

She remembered Allan's gentle smile when she had awoken with a nightmare, and his reassuring voice telling her that everything was okay.

"Everything will be fine. Don't worry," he had reassured her, as she had cried into his arms.

But now he was gone. She sobbed uncontrollably, knowing that Allan had given his life trying to save her. She felt helpless. Timur’s hold on her mind was too powerful.

What am I supposed to do? What can I possibly do to stop him?

Her thoughts drifted to the people of Earth who were being transported to Zion. They would be terrified and confused, not understanding what had happened.

I must somehow save them!

She could still hear the faint sound of screaming in the courtyard, and she shook her head in disbelief.

How could he do this? Why would he put innocent people through such misery?

There had to be some way for her to prevent Timur from taking the lives of these innocent people, but she didn't know what it was. She felt so hopeless, and a strange calmness washed over her. There wasn't anything she could do to change what was happening. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. She needed to think clearly about what to do next.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the distinct glint of something metal sitting next to the keyboard where Timur had typed in the command.

A dagger!

She quickly armed herself and crouched back down where Timur had left her.

I’ll be ready.

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