Lilith's Shadow Omnibus: Volume 2, page 40
“Oh,” Lilith said, her mood sinking a little, and her shoulders slumped. “I thought… well, I suppose it isn’t surprising. A lot of people don’t trust me, and after what happened with Gina and Rachel… how can I blame them? Amber has done terrible, horrid things, and I can’t understand why. Why is she so cruel?”
“I don’t know,” Archon replied, looking at Lilith solemnly. “However, you’d best keep a close eye out, Lilith. I don’t think any heroes are as panicked as Sky Defender was when he tried to kill you, but you’re far more vulnerable now, especially when you leave your house. I’ve heard that it’s a fortress, but a fortress does no good if you’re not in it.”
“Very true. There are also plenty of villains who want to capture me, so that’s a problem as well,” Lilith agreed, smiling sadly. “Still… I can’t just hide there. I’ve been trapped in tiny rooms for too much of my life as it is, and even if I don’t have armor, I refuse to hide. I’ve heard that’s a sign of guilt, anyway.”
Archon laughed, inclining her head slightly. For a few more seconds they just sat there, as Lilith’s thoughts began to drift. She’d never imagined sitting on a bench next to one of the most powerful heroines in the world, yet here she was. She imagined that Osmar would have all sorts of questions for Archon, yet for the most part, Lilith didn’t. She had some questions, but… perhaps it was best to simply ask them.
“Do you… no, that’s the wrong way to phrase it,” Lilith corrected herself, taking a deep breath, then spoke more firmly. “You said that they don’t trust me. Are you among them?”
Archon chuckled, shaking her head once, then looked at Lilith with a slight smile. “No, of course not.”
“May I ask why? I mean… I don’t have practically anything to back up what I’ve told Spark,” Lilith said, gesturing at the city. “It could be that I’ve had my mind influenced by Amber, too. It’s a thought that’s run through my head a few times, and it isn’t like I can check.”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. I think I’m a fairly good judge of character, and you are either a master of deception or aren’t very good at hiding things. You’ve put yourself at risk plenty of times to save others, despite being hunted by heroes, and you seem honestly distraught about what happened with Morgan and Warden. It makes me think better of you,” Archon said, and her lips quirked into a smile. “As for Amber manipulating your thoughts… that’s a subject we heard a little about recently, as it happens. Mithtek told us about you.”
“Mith-who?” Lilith asked in confusion.
“Oh, you haven’t been kept up to date on them?” Archon asked, her eyebrows rising. “Mithtek is the alien which you and Spark freed from the one parasite at Hill. They regained consciousness about three weeks ago, and the military is finally starting to share a little information.”
“Oh! No, I hadn’t heard anything about them,” Lilith replied, her eyes widening a little, though she was relieved that the alien had survived. Then she frowned. “I wish I’d known that they were awake. I thought they might die, for as long as they were unconscious.”
“You aren’t the only one. And the military is… well, they are difficult at the best of times,” Archon said, shaking her head. “There’s a lot of information that has been shared, but one of the things Mithtek mentioned was your mind. From what it said, when Okris, that’s the parasite that controlled Mithtek, tried to reach into your mind, it was like reaching into a plasma furnace. Not only did the attack do nothing, it injured Okris, weakening its psychic energy enough that Mithtek could rebel at all. Mithtek seemed to consider your mind a psychic fortress much like your manor, so I sincerely doubt Amber has been able to do anything to you.”
“Wait, really?” Lilith asked, her eyebrows shooting upward at the explanation in shock. “But… I didn’t realize that!”
“That’s the thing about psychic defenses. Most of the time, you don’t have a clue how powerful yours are even when they’re tested,” Archon replied, an amused smile on her face. “Unless your defenses are buckling, that is… which only lends credence to Mithtek’s explanation. If you didn’t even notice the alien attacking your mind, you’ve got incredible psychic resilience.”
“Huh. I never would’ve guessed,” Lilith murmured, her thoughts whirring as she considered the new information. It certainly improved her mood, since it meant that Amber probably wouldn’t be able to hurt her too badly. At least not directly.
“Either way, it is,” Archon said, sitting up again as she considered, then added, “Another reason I don’t feel that that you’re lying or a threat is that you remind me of myself, after a fashion.”
“What?” Lilith asked, blinking as she looked at Archon, then at herself. “I… well, maybe we’re about the same height, but beyond that… I think you’re pretty different.”
Archon laughed, smiling broadly as she looked at Lilith. It sent a little warmth through Lilith, as it wasn’t mocking laughter, and there was a sincerity in Archon’s smile that felt nice… though a part of Lilith tried to shy away from that feeling.
“Wrong type of reminding, Lilith,” Archon corrected gently. “I know what it’s like for people to believe that you’re something other than you are. For me, it was religious. You don’t know how suffocating it was when different people tried to claim I was a sign from God, and when some of them started trying to kill one another over me… it was one of the more horrible experiences I’ve encountered in life. It’s why I’ve sworn to avoid religion, and avoid Christian faiths as much as I possibly can. Perhaps it’s different from your own experiences, where people associate you with Shadowmind, but it’s close enough for me. I want to help you where I can.”
“Oh,” Lilith replied, blushing as she looked away, clearing her throat and suddenly feeling terribly awkward, and she internally stamped on the bit of hope that had been squirming free, despite how unlikely the idea was. She hesitated, then admitted, “I… can understand that, I think. The problem is that I’m… young, I guess. I mean, I’ve met a few deities, but I really don’t understand the appeal of religion, personally. Don’t get me wrong, Ra seemed like he was nice enough, but the idea of worship is something that I’m a little… hazy on?”
Archon laughed again, standing up abruptly, and as she did so, she smiled widely. “I see that we’re going to get along just fine, Lilith. I don’t entirely understand it myself, though the bits of reading I’ve done since hearing about your experience indicate that maybe some of the other deities are a bit more tolerable to me than what I grew up with. Not that I’ve had a lot of time to look at them, with the way that Ivanova’s visit has affected the city.”
“True enough,” Lilith said, standing up herself. She considered for a moment, then asked. “I… is this what you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Mostly, yes. I wanted to ensure that you knew that, even if things get… interesting over the next week, that you have people that support you. You lost people that are important to you very suddenly, and then Shadowmind showed her true colors at last. That can’t be easy for you, and if others choose to target you… you’re vulnerable right now, even if you don’t realize it,” Archon said, and smiled slightly as she added. “Besides, I needed to make certain that Dec didn’t get used to the idea of free labor.”
Lilith chuckled, shrugging as she replied. “Well, thank you. I do appreciate it, and… he asked, and I didn’t see any reason not to help. I like being able to help with this sort of thing.”
“Yes, but I’ve heard a little bit more about your situation. You aren’t getting paid anything by sponsors.” Archon replied sharply. “You’d think that at least a few of the clothing companies would have approached you by this point, since your style is rather distinct.”
“Mm, true. But I have been screening my email and calls pretty heavily…” Lilith murmured, turning to the door, then paused as Archon spoke.
“Ah, one moment. I did have one other question,” Archon said, studying Lilith carefully.
“What’s that?” Lilith asked.
“Are you and Spark dating?” Archon asked, and it felt like Lilith’s heart had abruptly leapt up in her chest to lodge somewhere in her throat.
“Um… no? I mean, she asked me if I’d like to go out, but I didn’t really answer, I don’t think,” Lilith stammered, a little shocked by the question. “I… is there a particular reason you’re asking?”
“Of course there is,” Archon said, smiling a little more, and clapped a hand onto Lilith’s shoulder, which had more strength to it than Lilith had been expecting, as it almost staggered her. Then, as Lilith was trying to recover, the woman leaned over and laid a gentle kiss on Lilith’s cheek. Then she was moving away as she added, “Maybe Daemonia is having a corrupting influence after all… I need a shower.”
“Um, what?” Lilith murmured in shock.
Archon didn’t reply as she strode toward the doors, and Lilith stared after her in confusion.
Chapter 53
Saturday, August 23rd, 2031
Daven Hotel, Paragon City
“I’m going to be delayed,” Black Harbinger said, his voice unusually subdued and mellow, at least if anyone who knew him were to hear it. Not that they would know even if they did. He could count the number of people who knew both of his identities on one hand, with fingers to spare.
He’d come to Paragon city to look around and prepare to abduct Lilith Carpenter, as well as cause a great deal of chaos, but things had gone awry just as he’d thought that they would be easier. The departure of Morgan Le Fay and Warden had both pleased and annoyed him. It was good that they wouldn’t be in his way, but he wished he could show Warden that her victory had been a fluke the last time. Black Harbinger longed for a rematch, so he could see the woman spitting blood on the ground while he slowly crushed her under a foot.
But just as he’d been making more plans, the situation had changed again. The announcement that Dracula’s Bride was coming to Paragon City had set the news abuzz, and both heroes, villains, and mundanes had begun flooding the area. It was fortunate that Black Harbinger had already gotten a room before the news had broken, as from what he’d heard, the local hotels were actually having to decline business.
Worse for his plans, there were now dozens of high-powered heroes throughout the city and its surroundings, enough that he would have a hard time causing more than cursory damage before being defeated again, which would be a complete waste. Why, even some of the villains would go after him as well, which irritated Black Harbinger. It was only to be expected, though. Many villains were materialistic and selfish.
However, all of that simply confirmed his suspicion that he wasn’t going to be able to carry out his mission any time soon. With two class S heroes in the city, as well as another rumored to be on his way, combined with the ability to call for reinforcements from the Guardians… it wouldn’t work out right.
“If nothing else, I can scout the area. All of the sheep will give cover for anyone deciding to see the sights,” Black Harbinger said, and glanced at the mirror as he did so.
The man who looked out of the mirror at him was bland, like he always was. Brown hair topped an unremarkable, round face with spectacles over brown eyes. He stood just over five and a half feet, and he wasn’t exceptionally muscular or thin, while he wore the simple slacks and a button-up shirt appropriate for his cover. How many people would really think much about the representative of a grain conglomerate traveling around the country, anyway? Particularly one as normal as he appeared to be.
Satisfied with his appearance, Black Harbinger nodded and headed for the door. He’d just have to resist the urge to arrange ‘accidents’ for the several heroes and heroines who’d chosen to stay at the same hotel as him.
It wouldn’t be that hard, of course. Black Harbinger had plenty of experience bottling up his rage for important occasions.
Chapter 54
Sunday, August 24th, 2031
SuperNet HQ, Paragon City
For once when Lilith visited SuperNet, she wasn’t instantly the center of attention. That wasn’t to say that she didn’t attract attention, but the sheer number of people present meant that most of them couldn’t see her at all. The disadvantage was that the crowds were so enormous that she wondered if she’d wandered into the mall during the lead-up to Christmas.
While she saw a few heroes in the crowd ahead of her, their brightly colored outfits were almost completely hidden by the enormous number of civilians, many of whom were wearing bandanas, cloaks, or other outfits based on different heroes. Lilith came to a stop, blinking at the crowd, then looked at the man guarding the door. The security guard was a man she knew named Dave, and he was a tall, burly man with bronze skin and a bald head, who still looked a little out of place in the suit to her.
“What’s going on?” Lilith asked Dave, who gave her a slight grin.
“With all the heroes visiting, a bunch of fans have been begging for signatures and meetings with them, but it’s been causing a fair amount of chaos. So the Director stepped in, and arranged some meet and greets over most of the week,” Dave explained, jerking his chin at the crowds as he continued, pitching his voice to be more easily heard over the rumble of voices. “That’s not even the worst of it, you should’ve seen the crowds an hour ago. I was afraid people were going to get stampeded in the initial rush.”
“I… can believe that. This is pure chaos,” Lilith said, and winced as a few people started examining her speculatively. “I don’t suppose he’ll be annoyed that I’m early?”
“I doubt that. I’d suggest heading for the back, before you get dragged into it,” Dave said, chuckling, pulling out a lanyard with a card on it as he added. “I’m pretty sure that Veltor would get annoyed at you stealing his thunder anyway. Here’s your badge.”
“Thanks, Dave,” Lilith replied, giving him a smile, then took a deep breath before plunging into the swirling mass of fans and heroes.
It was… complicated, making her way through the crowds. A couple of people tried to talk to Lilith, but she pretended she hadn’t heard them, and she was incredibly thankful for her enhanced reflexes, with how many people tried to ‘accidentally’ run into her or block her path. She was faster than pretty much all of them, which helped significantly.
She did catch a glimpse of the five heroes and heroines who were standing past most of the crowd on a slightly raised dais, though. One of them was a man in a silver and red outfit, who had a shock of incredibly bright red hair atop his head, and the outfit had a distinct lightning theme to it. As Lilith watched, the man created a miniature tornado in one hand that he held up while posing next to a blushing young woman, while other people took a picture of them. The others were interesting as well, but she didn’t get a good look at them, as Lilith was busy dodging someone’s attempt to grab her arm.
It took a bit to reach the doors into the back, which thankfully were being kept clear by another security guard. A guard who thankfully recognized Lilith and tipped her hat as Lilith slipped past, and she caught her breath before scanning her badge and stepped through the doors.
The noise of the crowd quickly quieted as the door closed, and Lilith let out a slight sigh of relief, and took the moment to look up at the minotaur behind the secretary’s desk in front of her. The woman looked back in disapproval, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“You’re early,” Marge said flatly. “Your appointment isn’t for another fifteen minutes, Miss Carpenter.”
“Believe me, I’m aware of that. I’d intended to see if there were some resources that’d be useful to me on the computers in the lobby, but under the circumstances, I believed it best to vacate the area quickly,” Lilith replied apologetically. “Could I wait in here until it’s time for the appointment?”
Marge seemed to consider for a few seconds, staring at Lilith, then spoke in a grudging tone. “Very well, you may wait. The circumstances are exceptional, so I will allow it. Do not make a habit of it, though!”
“I won’t,” Lilith assured the minotaur, and took a moment to catch her breath, still stunned about how many people had been outside. She’d been expecting things to be about the same as they usually were, with a few people registering as heroes, a bunch of reporters, and a handful of fans or heroes. Maybe the gift shop would have had more people in it, but that had a different entrance for a good reason.
Lilith sat on a nearby bench and closed her eyes, tuning out the clamor from the other side of the doors as she considered the past couple of days. She couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do, not with how much had changed. It hadn’t even been a week since Gina and Rachel had left, and already people were flirting with her, and… well, to put it bluntly, she wasn’t sure how to deal with that, or even if she wanted to. Archon and Emily’s advances had been startling enough, but she’d also gotten a few flirtatious emails from people who she barely remembered having met, and who were using the Las Vegas incident as an excuse to make contact with her. At least none of them had managed to track down her phone number yet.
It was almost a surprise to Lilith as she found her mind simply… drifting after a minute, the soft sound of a clock behind Marge’s desk ticking softly. It was an actual clock, she realized belatedly, with gearing and all, and she wondered where the woman had gotten it. Lilith only had digital clocks at home, so it was different than what she was used to.
Time passed slowly, but Lilith didn’t do anything. She just let it wash over her. There was something to be said for not being at home, surrounded by the utter absence of companionship. It was nice to be surrounded by other people, even if she was alone while being there. The problem with being actually surrounded by other people was that they wouldn’t leave her alone.
