kweenjaded

For as long as the stars have burned, she has existed. She has been called many names—Gaia, Lilith, the First, the Eternal Witness—but time has eroded meaning, leaving only silence. When the sun finally devoured itself and Earth drifted into the abyss, she closed her eyes, expecting oblivion.

But she did not die.

Eons passed, and Earth—no longer Earth—was reborn in a distant galaxy, reshaped by her unconscious will. Now a training ground for civilizations across the cosmos, the planet teems with life once more. And she, no longer Lilith yet not fully something else, awakens in a body that is hers but unfamiliar. She knows everything yet feels nothing. Memories exist as echoes, not experiences.

When a young explorer, Tilana, stumbles upon her, she is given a name—Lily—a word tied to a flower that no longer exists. As Lily navigates a world both familiar and alien, she must relearn what it means to feel, to connect, and to exist. But something lingers in the depths of this reborn world, something that calls to the remnants of who she was.

To see tomorrow, one must kill yesterday. But what if yesterday refuses to die?.

Lily: The last lily of a forgotten world.

"The stars belong to those bold enough to steal them."*

There were **rules** to being a successful thief.

Rule One: **Never steal from someone bigger than you.**

Rule Two: **If you break Rule One, have an escape plan.**

Rule Three: **If you break Rule Two, don't get caught.**

Renna and Cael had already broken **all three rules.**

And now, **they were running for their lives.**

The neon-lit streets of Strion Prime blurred around them as they sprinted through the lower district slums, ducking under market stalls, leaping over tech-scrap piles, **their stolen prize clutched tightly in Renna's grip.**

Behind them, the heavy thud of armored boots and the crackle of energy weapons fired through the air.

*"STOP THEM!"* a guttural voice roared.

Renna laughed. "They sound mad."

Cael, gasping for breath beside her, shot her a glare. "That's because you stole from **a warlord!**"

"Not my fault he didn't lock up his stuff properly," Renna shot back.

"You rewired his security system!"

"Exactly! He should've secured it better!"

Cael groaned, **vaulting over a hover-crate as more shots rang out.** "Remind me why I'm related to you?"

Renna grinned. "Because the universe has a sense of humor."

Cael didn't even know what they had stolen.

Some kind of **small, black sphere.**

It pulsed with an eerie, deep-blue light. Not tech, not organic—something **else.**

And the **warlord's men were willing to kill for it.**

Which meant **they needed to get off Strion Prime.**

Renna skidded into a side alley, pulling Cael into the shadows just as a patrol passed.

Cael took a deep breath. "Alright. Escape plan?"

Renna peeked around the corner, eyes scanning the private docks. **Their way out.**

Dozens of ships—some sleek and polished, others battle-worn and dangerous-looking—lined the metallic platforms, all prepping for departure.

A massive, dark **warship,** its hull covered in **scars and modifications.**

She shrugged. "Better pirates than warlords."

Because **no one noticed** when two thieves slipped through a barely-sealed cargo hatch.

No alarms. No sensors. Just **pure, stupid luck.**

Inside, the ship's interior was dimly lit, humming with power.

Renna pressed against a wall, listening. "I don't hear anyone."

Cael exhaled. "That's **not a good thing.**"

They moved quickly, navigating through narrow corridors, past crates of contraband, **ducking into an unused maintenance shaft.**

Cael dropped his head into his hands. "We are so dead."

A deep, resonating **THRUM** vibrated through the walls.

And bringing two very unwanted passengers along for the ride.

Cael groaned. "I hate you so much."

Chapter 2 : Stowaways and Starships