《I had the Saintess Executed, now she’s the Demon Queen and I’m her Toy》 Chapter 1: Execution Day "Mmmm¡­ What a beautiful day." A cute young lady said. She looked out the window, enjoying the scene in the church courtyard. Leaves stained in red, orange and purple slowly fell one by one from the only tree onto the grass and pavement. She stood in a church corridor on the highest floor, taking in the pleasant cool breeze from the dying season. She smiled contently as her golden blonde hair swayed with green eyes fixed on the nature before her. She was dressed in noble attire wearing a purple dress with green accents. And was adorned with colorful jewelry despite it clashing with her dress. She kept her demeanor calm, with an excitement well hidden. For her, it was the most important and momentous day of her life. A day which she considered the crowning achievement of her life. "Today is the day my sister will finally die," she thought to herself, curling a much deeper smile. The sound of footsteps echoed in the hall, bringing her out of her trance. "Lady Kalika. His lordship requests your presence." The maid bowed respectfully as she relayed the message. "My father called?" Kalika narrowed her eyes at the maid and gave her a cold stare. A man clad in heavy metal appeared from the corner of the hall. His armor, adorned with the insignia of her adopted family''s crest on both shoulder and chest. He marched up from behind the maid, making his presence known. This man was the Captain of the Knights, Leo Turner. Kalika glanced up briefly at the captain, She then turned back to the courtyard, uninterested. "Thank you. Tell him I''ll be right over," she stated. The Maid bowed once more and took her leave. Not long after, both Kalika and the captain were walking side by side through the corridor. "I¡­ never thought a day like this would come. To think, your sister, so jealous that she would claim to be the Saintess, especially after the church found that the title belonged to you." The captain was very distraught. "My elder sister has always had a wild imagination." "Nonetheless, it''s nothing short of heresy in the eyes of God¡­ And now she has to atone appropriately," Captain Leo said solemnly. However, on closer inspection, Captain Leo looked very conflicted about the current situation. Kalika on the other hand, was very calm and centered. She looked out the windows as they were passing and thought aloud, "God, huh¡­ What has he ever done¡­?" The captain stopped Kalika. Keeping his voice low he scolded her. "Milady, you mustn''t talk in that manner! You know it''s blasphemous to speak in that way. Especially in the eyes of the head priest." "My apologies. I''ll watch my tongue." "please do," he said. The two continued down the corridor as Kalika thought. "Only idiots believe the high and mighty to be pure and committed. God, Demons¡­ It''s all just a farce for power and money. I''m no idiot, like that sister of mine." They finally reached the room with the church balcony overlooking the capital center. Kalika saw her father, Julian, a man with brown hair and hazel eyes adorned with his crown and kingly robes, and her sister''s ex-fianc¨¦e Grimwald, a man with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing his noble military uniform. They were waiting on the balcony for the proceedings. Kalika simply joined them, and her character almost changed like a switch inside her mind. "Father?" Kalika forced her voice to sound as innocent as possible. Julian glanced briefly at his adopted daughter before turning his attention back to the town center, where a guillotine stood erect. "It''s alright, Kalika. The punishment the court and church passed was¡­ A just one." Grimwald sourly agreed with Julian''s statement. "It''s hard to refute the verdict when there''s so much evidence, after all." Kalika smiled as she watched the stone-cold expressions of the men holding back their own feelings. Kalika soon took a spot between the two men. Leaning on the railing with one hand on her cheek and another fully on the railing, she watched the groups of people gather around for the event. Captain Leo simply waited silently behind the three, standing by for any order that came his way. "Now, all I have to do, is enjoy the show." Kalika smiled, now waiting for the proceeds to begin. It wasn''t long before Lillian came into view. She was a young-looking, beautiful maiden with brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in dirty prisoners'' clothes. She was escorted by guards wearing light armor equipped with spears from the inside of the church. They slowly paced to the center of the plaza where the guillotine lay in wait. Lillian seeing this, became nervous as the people in the crowd started to murmur to each other. The crowd were practically shocked to see Lillian being the rumored heretic they''ve been hearing soo much about. As she walked to the center of the plaza, a list of crimes was announced to the public by a representative of the church. "Lillian Archelion, Daughter of his lordship Julian Archelion, has been found guilty of harassment, lying, slandering and heresy, to name a few of the light crimes." The first few crimes announced had some people in the surrounding crowd shocked by this news, and many others gasped in disbelief. "And in a shocking revelation during the court''s proceedings not two days ago¡­ She has also been found guilty of colluding with enemy nations, passing down national secrets, forging documents, and even going as far as planning a coup against the very lord, her own father! For the throne of Dahlia" Lillian was just as shocked as the crowd to hear such proclamations as she arrived at the center by the guillotine. "W-wait that''s not true!" Lillian screamed trying to refute these false claims; however, her voice fell on deaf ears as the people in the crowd started to get riled up. As a few were still in disbelief at this news. The priest looked up at a smiling Kalika before finishing off the last part of the decree. "Henceforth, in light of these heinous crimes, the court and church, in collaboration with his lordship, have passed down judgment. Lillian Archelion is no longer of royal blood and as a traitor to the nation of Dahlia, she is to be sentenced to death by means of public beheading. " Lillian was at a loss for words about what was happening, and she started to panic, yelling, "That wasn''t the verdict they gave me. This is absolute madness!" An observer in the crowd sent a rock sailing through the at Lillian. Then a roguish-looking man shouts out to Lillian, "Kill the heretic!" Another one starts to shout as they throw another rock. "You traitor!!" More and more people started to turn against Lillian, insulting her and throwing rocks at her. This reaction from the crowd dumbfounded Lillian, as all her life, she''s done no harm, but here, she found the world seemingly turning against her. Guards stepped up to cease the rock throwing, but it had little effect as it started to ramp up further from other people. "It''s amazing how little these rogues cost just to simply talk trash and throw rocks," Kalika thought as she watched the chaos unfold. Kalika turned to her adopted father with a fake look of concern. "What''s going to happen with Lily?" Julian continued to watch the event, gripping his hands in frustration but responding earnestly. "After this¡­ her sins will be forgiven, and God will cleanse her soul¡­" "That''s good. I''m glad God will help her." Kalika responded lightheartedly. Kalika turned her attention back to the chaos. "I wonder if he believes that himself. I wonder how powerless he feels to help his dear daughter, being unable to go against the church with some stupid figurehead." Kalika now looked keenly at Lillian. "Once all is said and done, I''ll become next in line even if it''s as a puppet for those stupid, boorish pigs. As long as I get to live my leisurely life, that''s all that matters to me." Little did anyone around Kalika know that all of the charges on Lillian were, in fact, all complete fabrications. This was thanks to all the strings that Kalika had at her disposal, and the promises she''d made throughout the kingdom.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The promises of money, land and loyalty. In return, noblemen and women, along with the church, would make her the next lord of Dahlia. In exchange, Kalika would live a leisurely life, letting the nobles play their own game of politics. "Hmph. Sorry Lily, But I won¡¯t let you stand in the way of my dream¡­ And don''t worry, I¡¯m sure father will follow you to that next life you¡¯ve always wanted." Kalika''s confidence at this moment was unmatched as she continued watching, seeing that the guards were finally escorting Lillian to the guillotine. Lillian was being held by the arms and was starting to be forced into the head slot of the guillotine. Lillian struggled and struggled, refusing to put her head in the slot. But it was, of course, all in vain as Lillian''s head was eventually put in, and she was, and she is locked into place. In a panic, Lillian pleaded with her father, Julian. "Father please stop this! Everything they say is false! I don''t even care who the Saintess is! Please, I don''t want¡ª... Daddy?". Lillian looked on in shock and horror as Julian looked back at her with a cold expression, her once kind, gentle father''s face cold as stone. Lillian''s eyes then turned to see Kalika give a knowing smile as she waved goodbye at Lillian. It wasn''t long before Lillian came to the realization that¡­ she was set up by her adopted sister Kalika. Someone that she cherished and treated as her own family her entire life. Lillian can only utter one name. "Kali¡­ka¡­?". It wasn''t long before the blade from the guillotine was released, completely severing Lillian''s head from her body. As this happens, even the people up close watching the event fail to see the complete mix of emotions on Lillian''s face. The emotions of shock. Horror. Regret. Anger. And immense sadness. All culminating into one final expression. Lillian''s head now rolls. Tears still seeping from her face. Some people cheered unlike some like Julian and Grimwald, who looked away as the deed was finally finished. Kalika simply smiled contently, knowing the truth of the matter. "I win¡­" Kalika''s victory over her sister was more than assured¡­ although this victory of hers would be very short-lived. Just moments after Lillian''s beheading as people started to slowly trout off and others prayed for Lillian''s soul, a huge earthquake erupted. The ground underneath the citizens in the city center was starting to protrude like an ant hill. Everyone was now on alert. "What''s going on!?" Julian shouted out. Shocked by the unfolding event. Captain Leo looked down at the balcony himself, seeing even more of the ant hills being made on the city streets. "There are mounds appearing throughout the city center, sir! It must be a monster invasion!" The captain readied his sword. "Impossible! How can this be!?" Julian shouted in confusion. Even more parts of the ground were starting to protrude until, eventually, the earthquake stopped. There was a pause for a moment. People were waiting for something to happen. The silence was deafening, until finally, one by one, they erupted with creatures. They were the very spawns of Hell itself¡ªdemons were invading! People started clamoring away for safety only for some to be whisked away into the sky while others were sliced, burnt, and killed. Guards step in to defend the civilians but it''s no use as they are all being overwhelmed. "ON GUARD, MEN!!" Grimwald yelled at the troops. Julian and Grimwald raised their arms to defend themselves and Kalika. Without warning, Kalika was suddenly attacked by a winged demon that almost whisked her away. Fortunately, Julian immediately saved her. In a panic, Kalika was quickly made to hide under the balcony table by her adopted father. Julian turned his attention to Captain Leo. "Leo! Don''t worry about us! Protect the civilians and aid the guards down below!" The captain immediately agreed to the order, understanding his new mission. Without wasting time, Captain Leo jumped down the balcony, assisting the guards on the ground. In a swift move he easily killed two demons and moved to kill more. One after another he slaughtered any demon in sight as he moved to protect as many civilians as possible. All the while, Julian and Grimwald are protecting Kalika who was still very panicked. However, despite fighting very hard, their ranks become overwhelmed by the number of invaders. It didn''t take long for the few remaining guards and civilians to be cornered or killed. With this, it marked the victory of the demon invaders. The winged demons started perching themselves onto the roofs as if ordered to stand by. While the demons on the ground have everyone, including Captain Leo, cornered, unable to make a move without getting slayed. Luckily for Julian and Grimwald, the demons on the ground are unable to enter the church. Despite this, Julian and Grimwald remain on guard, knowing that the winged demons can swoop down at any moment. "Your lordship, what do we do?" Grimwald knew that they were in a precarious situation. Julian was about to answer when a much bigger mound appeared, revealing a demon with cold blue skin, sleek black hair, and bright golden eyes. He had what looked to be a tail wrapped around his pants just beneath his well-built body and short horns that curved from the front of his head to the back. He cackled as he finished steeping on the previously pristine pavement. The mysterious demons'' cackling soon turned to laughter, and he exhaled to finally speak. "I would never have imagined that the Saintess would ever die. And here I thought I''d have to wait a lifetime to invade. " The demon looked at the podium where Lillian''s dead body lay. The demon started to smile wickedly, amused at the situation. "The poor girl didn''t even see it coming either. And to think, not even her blood father came running to help." The demon turned back to Julian whose blood was starting to boil. Grimwald was preparing for an attack at any point. All Kalika could do was watch from under the balcony table. Kalika was completely shell-shocked. "Demons! A-actual demons!!??" The revelation that demons actually existed felt unreal to Kalika, but it was something that she could no longer refute. The demon then bowed down to Julian. "As king of the demons, I have to offer my sincerest gratitude. Now that the Saintess is dead we can invade these lands with all our strength and not only that, but the prophecy of destiny¡­ is finally broken." Julian couldn''t take being insulted as he not only disowned his own blood daughter, but he also allowed her to be executed mere moments ago. "How dare you!" Julian was moments away from charging down from the balcony to battle the amused Demon King. That was until the Head Priest came out from the church. A blast of fire magic came forth hitting the Demon King. "Back, you demon! Go back to whence you came!!" The Head Priest was starting the charge of another magical attack. The demons on the ground were about to attack until the Demon King raised his hands to stop them. The Head Priest ignored the other demons around him and only concentrated on the Demon King. "Your kind is but liars. You talk of the Saintess being dead when she is still with us right here!" The Head Priest yelled as he just about finished charging his fire magic. "Is that so?" The Demon King looked a little amused. The Head Priest wasted no time and shots a fireball at the Demon King. The Demon King took the hit directly with the spell causing him to completely catch fire. The Head Priest continued to barrage the Demon King with his magic fire spells unimpeded. Until it seemed that he was victorious. "Ha. I guess the King of Demons was all bark," the Head Priest bragged. Kalika was amazed by the power of the Head Priest and found herself coming out from the safety of the table. Even Julian and Grimwald found the display of magic to be extraordinary. The Head Priest looked at Kalika and Julian. "Your Lordship. Saintess Kalika. We may yet win this battle!" Grimwald looked around, noticing that none of the demons moved whatsoever. Something wasn''t right. They all looked too confident. Everyone''s heart soon sank as they heard a familiar cackling followed by even louder laughter. "SO, YOU BELIEVE HER TO BE THE SAINTESS??" It was clear by the tone of the Demon King, who was very amused. Even more concerned, the Head Priest turned his attention back to the burning Demon King and continued his barrage of fire magic on him. The fire gradually gathered from throughout the Demons King''s body and into the palm of his hand. The fire gathered was a small ball of fire the size of a marble. "Impossible." The Head Priest was shocked by the Demon Kings immense strength. The Demon King then released the ball of fire back at the Head Priest. The Head Priest tried blocking the incoming attack with a magic barrier, but it is no use as the tiny ball of fire completely breaks through the barrier and engulfs the Head Priest. The Head Priest could do nothing as he screamed at the top of his lungs from being burned alive, charring even his flesh. Eventually the Head Priest was no longer able to scream and was turned into a black charred husk. The Demon King looked back at the balcony. "I presume the little "Saintess" in the dress to be Kalika." The Demon King was now smiling devilishly. "You stay away from her, you fiend!" out of nowhere Captain Leo suddenly attacked the Demon King. The blade connected to the Demon King''s face, but the sword had instantly shattered into pieces. The Demon King proceeded to grab Captain Leo, very annoyed by his presence. "I''m not interested in you." The Demon King responded coldly before tossing Captain Leo into the guillotine and destroying its top half. With the captain out of the way, the Demon King turned his attention back to Kalika. He gradually levitates himself towards Kalika, showing off his overpowering control of magic. "Care to show me some of your holy magic, girl?" The Demon King was very intimidating. Kalika was starting to panic. "I¡­. I.". "I can''t use magic!" Kalika didn''t have any magical powers. Only very few people in the world could use magic, which was always considered as a gift from God himself. "Kalika ¡­!!" Julian yelled to break Kalika''s trance. Kalika instinctively took a step back. Without hesitation Grimwald placed himself in front of her to keep her safe; Julian also followed suit. The gestures made by the two men were, at this point, a futile effort in more ways than one; even Kalika realized this. The Demon King stopped pausing for a moment before starting to float towards the guillotine where Lillian''s body still resided. "Hmmm¡­ Fine. If you''re not willing to show me, perhaps you''ll be willing to show¡­ your sister." The Demon King picked up Lillian''s head, which was still slightly drenched in tears. The Demon King squeezed his palm and poured his blood into her mouth. He then completely took off the top of the guillotine that held the neck in place. He held the head close to the main body. The head quickly latched onto the body, practically stitching itself and healing like it''s never been cut. "Aha~," the Demon King said, looking very proud of himself. Julian, Grimwald and Kalika were shocked, especially Kalika, who is getting a very bad feeling. The Demon King turned back to the three on the balcony and started to explain something to them. "My blood, unlike other demons, has a special property to bring back the dead. In most cases, they''re brought back as mindless zombies¡­ but in rare cases like this¡­ They''re revived into a demon!" Lillian''s eyes start to open. The Demon King is now cackling to himself as Lillian gets up, a little confused. Little by little Lillian starts to undergo a transformation. Her skin became a bluer similar to the Demon King and her hair even changed from brown to white. She starts to grow curved horns from the back and onto the side of her head where it grew to the front and pointed up like a crown. her teeth became sharp like fangs, and her iris turned into a ruby red. She looks around curiously, unsure what is going on. Even cocking her head as she sees Kalika on the balcony. ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 2: Death, Rebirth & Life Everyone was shocked by Lillian''s sudden revival and transformation. "You monster!!" Julian shouted. His face now beaming red from fury. "Eheheheh¡­ That''s no way to thank the demon that resurrected your daughter, now, is it?" The now resurrected and transformed Lillian looked at herself curiously. "I''m¡­ alive?" she said, very confused. She looked at her hand and then felt her head to find two new additions to her body¡­ Horns. Once more, unexpectedly, Leo came up from behind. He was much more battered and bloodied than before, and it looked that this time he was posed to strike down Lillian with his broken sword. "I''m sorry milady, but I refuse to let your honor be tarnished!" Leo shouted. Lillian looked back, shocked by this unprovoked attack. Suddenly, a demon''s tail shot through his head, Leaving Kalika and at the other two men in utter shock. Captains Leo''s body instantly became limp, and his sword fell to the ground with a clang. The Demon King smiled happily as the tail reeled back from the head dropping the body to the ground. The tail then returned to its owner, who was none other than Lillian. She looked down at the now-dead Captain Leo almost devoid of emotion. She then caressed her tail very gingerly before giving an apology. "I-I''m sorry Captain¡­ you startled me¡­" "Heh. What a foolish man. Against a demon fed my blood, he stood no chance." Demon King state. Lillian became sad after hearing the Demon King''s words, realizing that she was, in fact, now a demon herself. She became more bitter looking back upon Captain Leos dead corpse. Suddenly, Lillian was struck by a fireball, which burnt up most of her prisoner clothes and made them a little more revealing. She was surprised turning to find that the fireball came from a reluctant Grimwald. He was posed and ready to jump down the balcony with one foot on the railing. "Your majesty, you and the princess need to escape now, otherwise-!" Grimwald was cut short as he suddenly found himself eye to eye with Lillian as she had both of her hands on his face. Grimwald was unsure what was happening. He found himself utterly speechless, unable to even breathe. "I¡­I''m sorry, Grim. it looks like¡­ this is where we part ways¡­" Lillian masked her sadness, forcing a bittersweet smile. "I''ll always cherish the short time we spent together while I was still human..." She cried a little before closing in with a kiss that lasted a few seconds. Soon after, Grimwald''s eyes became lifeless, leaving Lillian to embrace his detached head for a short while longer. All before lifting it and engulfing it in fire, burning it to ash. She looked back up towards the balcony to her family, still standing on the very spot where she was resurrected. The Demon king looked on impressed by Lillian''s immense power. He then turned to watch as Kalika could only look on in horror, as she witnessed the now headless body that belonged to Grimwald fall over. The body started to gush blood throughout the balcony floor. "This can''t be real." She became pale, her entire body trembling as horrifying thoughts raced through her mind. "NO! It can''t be real!!" The sight was sickening and horrific and she was left unable to turn away from it. as the blood ran past her, she instinctively screamed and fell to the floor. Julian tried to avert her gaze by getting in front of her, placing both his hands on her shoulder to turn her from the scene, but the damage was already done. Kalika was already freaked out, as she understood that she would have no control of whatever came next. Julian continued to tirelessly try to calm down her but to no avail. "Kalika. Kalika! You need to pull yourself together! You need to create a purging barrier! If you don''t, we could both die! I know you can do it. I''ve seen it myself!" Julian understood the dire situation. Two of Lillian''s most cherished companions were killed without hesitation by her. There was no question in his mind that she would be after him and Kalika, too. Kalika looked on in confusion before realizing what he meant. she became much more emotional as she whimpered. "No¡­. No¡­. I-I can''t¡­." "You have to! If not both of us, you have to at least protect yourself!" Kalika was teary eyed. Kalika has never felt so vulnerable in her life until now. "No¡­ I can''t do it¡­ I don''t have magic¡­ I¡­ I can''t use holy magic¡­ or fire magic¡­ or any other kind of magic. I''m a fraud. A fraud who can''t use magic." Kalika''s last statement hit Julian hard as he saw Kalika weep from this sudden confession. "No. you''re just lying to yoursel-." Julian stopped himself for a moment. "I can''t lose both my cherished daughters.". Kalika could feel a deep sadness in the voice of the father who adopted her. "F-father?" This surprised Kalika as she was always treated more harshly than Lillian when she was young or when Lillian and Julian completely stopped seeing eye to eye. This was a side of the father who adopted her that she had never seen. A sense of dread soon overcame Julian as he realized his own folly. "What have I done¡­" Kalika now saw her now demonic sister behind Julian, standing on the balcony railing with a very disappointed look. With a flick of Lillian''s finger, Julian exploded, blood now splattered onto Lillian and Kalika alike. And with that, Lillian simply smiles graciously. "I didn''t think you''d ever tell Father the truth¡­ I''m happy." Julian''s blood and body parts poured like rain. It wasn''t long before Lillian chuckled carelessly for a second before giving a crude joke. "I guess this makes us blood sisters, huh." Kalika, witnessing this was left in complete disbelief at the sudden death of her adopted father. It was almost maddening to a point where reality was just simply a dream turned into a nightmare. "N-no way¡­" Kalika muttered. Kalika tensed up, completely unable to move as Lillian slowly approached her. Lillian crouched to the eye level of her adopted sister. Placing two fingers on Kalika''s cheek, she couldn''t help but look into Kalika''s eyes, watching her expression. All the while, Kalika was starting to hyperventilate, unable to accept the reality before her. The reflection of Lillian''s smiling face can be seen in Kalika''s eyes, as she could only look on in terror. "Thank you, Kalika. For being my sister." And with a flick of a finger, Lillian twisted Kalika''s head and forcefully snapped her neck. The pain in her neck was quick, and Kalika couldn''t feel anything at all. Her vision started to go dark even though she wasn''t closing her eyes. "No, No, No, No, No, No, No!!" It became apparent to her quickly that she was dying, but she didn''t want to die. Just as she had everything in her grasp, she didn''t want to be consumed by darkness. "I don''t wanna die. Please. No. I want to live! I¡­ I." "I refused to die. I refused to die. I refused to die." The same thought desperately of not wanting to die played over and over and over again like record on repeat, all throughout her mind and all throughout her body.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "I...." "I DON''T WANT TO DIE!!" Kalika Suddenly found herself shouting out loud with tears in her eye and Lillian''s finger seemingly still on her. Both Kalika and Lillian looked at each other befuddled. Lillian''s cheek instantly became flush as she blurted out a chuckle. Kalika could only look on in confusion, as she didn''t understand what had just happened. Lillian smiled, backing off of Kalika and seating herself on the balcony railing. She cocked her head with a knowing smile at Kalika. "W-what''s-" with a snap of Lillian''s finger, Kalika was suddenly engulfed in a torrent of flames. She screamed in agony as she felt her own skin melting off her. The pain was unbearable for Kalika, and she was forced to bear the pain until, once again, the darkness finally reached her once more. Like before, Kalika awakened with the caveat that her dress was completely burnt. Kalika was taken aback by this and started covering herself. "M-my dress!" Kalika looked back in terror at Lillian, finding her completely blushing as she covered her mouth with her hands. Lillian removed her hands from her mouth to show an expression of absolute bliss. "T-thank God," Lillian said, almost becoming giddy. "W-what''s going on?" Kalika muttered. Kalika knew what she felt was too real. She understood that there was no way it could be a premonition, especially with her dress completely burned. Was she being revived somehow? Lillian started chuckling some more. "Never in my life have I ever felt so blessed. What a wonderful gift." Lillian smiled excitedly at Kalika. Without warning, Lillian flicked her fingers downwards for Kalika to find a sudden darkness, only for her to awaken, like the times before. Lillian flicked her fingers again. This time, certain parts of Kalika''s body went numb; Kalika could see her arm was now gone, followed by delayed pain. Kalika looked on in horror before she found that she was unable to feel her entire body followed by darkness once again. Again. And again. And again. And again. From intervals of sudden darkness to sudden and painful numbness into the constant awakening. There was no doubt in Kalika''s mind. She was being killed constantly and being completely revived and healed. The sheer amount of time Lillian was killing her was maddening. The pain was maddening. Lillian''s sadistic expression, as she laughed each time she''d killed Kalika, was absolutely maddening. Kalika couldn''t take it anymore as she attempted to plead. But each and every time, she''d only be killed before she was able to say a word. "S¡­ S¡­ St¡­. Stop it¡­. Ple¡­ Please!!" Kalika finally pleads after such a long time. Lillian stopped shortly after. She looked at Kalika lovingly. Lillian just waited patiently as Kalika cried uncontrollably. She sat in her completely ruined cut and burnt dress. "I-I''m sorry. Please. Stop. I''m sorry. P-please. Just kill me already. I don''t want to feel it. It hurts¡­ so bad¡­ Please¡­ Stop reviving me¡­" Kalika had enough. She didn''t want to suffer through all the pain Lillian was giving her. Lillian continued to look at her pitiful sister, still smiling. At this point, Kalika was waiting for Lillian''s response. After a few moments, Lillian finally said something. "Reviving you? I haven''t done a thing. Hehehe." Kalika was surprised by this fact. "Besides¡­ Why would I forgive you? After everything you''ve done?" Dread filled Kalika''s heart soon after hearing those last few cold words. Lillian continued, "You''re going be my toy to play with. Each and every day. We''re going to have a lot of fun together." Hearing those words sent chills down Kalika''s spine. She was absolutely terrified. And the worst part was that Kalika knew she was absolutely powerless to do anything. "I-is God punishing me. Is this his retribution?" The Thought that this was God''s way of punishing Kalika became just as terrifying as her now demonic sister. Despite knowing that she was completely outmatched, she opted to run away. Like a switch in her brain, Kalika tried to get up only to realize that her legs literally felt like jelly, leaving her crawling away as her only mode of escape. Kalika is clearly desperate. "Please! Someone! Anyone! Save me!!" Kalika was yelling out loud in desperation. Kalika desperately dragged herself across the balcony, floor only for all hopes to be immediately dashed as she saw the Demon King simply sipping some tea. The Demon King glanced at a desperate Kalika. "I see that you''re alive again¡­" The Demon King seemed a lot calmer than before. "W-when did you¡­" Kalika started to hyperventilate again. She then got the urge to look around. Kalika turned her head to find that the demon invasion had fully decimated the city. The buildings around them are in complete ruin, as others are simply burning down, including the castle she once called home. Not only that but the streets were filled to the brim with the corpses of civilians and guards, both young and old. "It seems your sister was having a lot of fun with you for the past few hours¡­Although that''s to be expected since us demons take pleasure in others'' suffering, the ecstasy from it is just... irresistible." Kalika screamed out as a sharp pain was felt in her back. Kalika was stabbed with a sword that once belonged to Grimwald. Lillian gave a sinister and knowing smile. Lillian was up to something. Lillian then bent down, hugging her knee. She dropped a white glowing crystal towards Kalika, who was suffering from the pain. Kalika slowly turned her attention to the crystal, recognizing it as a crystal filled with holy magic. Kalika remembered that as a child, Lillian would infuse her magic into a dull, lifeless-looking crystal and turn it into a brilliantly shining crystal. Incidentally this was also when she discovered her own lack of magic. However, she later discovered her strange ability to channel the magic from the crystal, which no one else was capable of. Knowing this, she kept this power a secret from most people she knew. She even kept this a secret from her adopted family. That was... until the time was right for her to show herself and prove herself as the Saintess to the masses. Kalika understood that this crystal was her last hope for survival, so she struggled from the pain, trying to grasp onto the crystals. Kalika grabbed the crystal, but it wasn''t long before Lillian also puts her hand on Kalika''s arm. Lillian kept Kalika from moving her hands from the ground with the crystal underneath it. "What are you waiting for? K-a-l-i-k-a." The Demon King was starting to get intrigued. Kalika clutched the crystal tightly. Without thinking it over, and out of desperation, she attempted to channel every bit of the crystal''s magical properties into her hand. "I-I-I refuse¡­ I-I refuse to be my sister''s plaything!" "D-DIE!!" She shouted as she closed her eyes. Kalika channeled magic, instantly forming a protective barrier around her. It spread around her for about a meter, practically stopping in front of the Demon King. "Oh?" The Demon King was surprised by what he saw. Kalika opened her eyes, expecting Lillian to be disintegrated to bits upon being in contact with the purging barrier she created. However, Lillian was inside of the barrier, completely fine and unharmed. This surprised both the Demon King and Kalika. "W-what the- W-Why!!??". Kalika realized that Lillian already knew about Kalika''s little secret, which she''d been hiding. "How long did you know?" Kalika went pale. It wasn''t long before Kalika was kicked with tremendous force through the sword impaled in her and into the church. Kalika could only cry out from the pain and confusion as half her torso was cut through. Lillian stared menacingly at Kalika as she entered the destroyed church wall. "I''ve known this ever since we were kids. I just never told you I knew. I didn''t even tell Father." Kalika was shocked to learn that Lillian had always known about this strange ability, not once revealing it before she died. Lillian once again approached her sister, entering back into the small barrier. She started to smile fondly. "Ah~. It feels so nice and warm. It almost feels nostalgic." Lillian was simply enjoying the feeling of the barrier that was used to keep demons away. "So, this is how you convinced the fools that you were the Saintess." The Demon King was now behind Lillian, just outside of the barrier. "So, you yourself don''t have any magical prowess, but you can use the powers of others from those dinky crystals¡­" The Demon King then touched the barrier himself, only to have a single finger of his vaporized trying to touch it. He doesn''t flinch and lets his finger regrow itself. "Hmmm¡­It''s pretty powerful as well for what it is. However, it seems that your sister must be immune, perhaps because she is the actual Saintess herself." The Demon King chuckled to himself, amused. "What a wonderful Irony; the Saintess born to kill demons has become one herself. I couldn''t have written it better myself if I wanted to." The Demon King crouched down to meet Kalika''s eye, smiling more widely with satisfaction. "Still, I don''t think I''ve seen an ability like yours myself. This world is still such an unknown frontier; it looks like conquering it will be more fun than I expected." "N-no¡­" Kalika said softly as she realized that she had doomed the world. Lillian soon after grabbed Kalika''s head and killed her again. Blood started flowing, instantly leaving the body. With Kalika now dead once more, Lillian used this opportunity to embrace Kalika in a hug. "Are you sure you want to keep your sister with you after everything that happened?" The Demon King questioned. "My sister¡­ She is the best gift God has ever given me¡­ I want to cherish her and make her mine." The Demon king chuckled at Lillian''s statement. It didn''t take long for the barrier to be dispelled afterward. Kalika''s head mysteriously attached itself to her body. It wasn''t long before Kalika reawakened with her body fixed like all those other times as she continued to be hugged by her sister. "I wonder how many different ways I can kill you. Maybe I can feed you, your own heart. Or maybe I can sever your own arm and use it as a weapon. The possibilities are endless Kalika." Lillian was starting to get excited. Kalika became pale and froze as she heard her sister''s declaration. Was she really her sister? It seems as though Lillian has now embraced becoming a demon herself. There was no hope for Kalika; not only was her sister severely overpowering, but Kalika was completely alone with no one to protect her, no one to save her, and no one to comfort her. "We''re going have so much fun," Lillian said. Kalika could only look on in horror. The only person she''ll be with is her now demonic sister, Lillian. Chapter 3: Cruel Imprisonment A girl with a completely destroyed purple dress flew through the window of a castle corridor, shattering the window and killing the girl instantly. Parts of this girl''s body were riddled with glass shards and the blood now flowed from her dead body. However, the body starts to recover itself. The shards of glass pushed themselves out of the body as the blood slowly returned to the veins from whence it came. This young lady was Kalika Archelion. This castle was the home of the Archelion family that was destroyed during the demon invasion. Blood marked the corridor, and body parts of the casualties loitered on the ground. Kalika could see some demons picking up leftover armor and weapons and looking for any valuable loot they could find. It was a sickening sight to witness monsters raid her once beloved home. Lillian soon enters from the same broken window with demonic wings abroad. She quickly and cleanly put her wings back into her body and practically skipped to see how Kalika was fairing. Lillian looked giddy as Kalika trembled from the recent pain of being slammed through a window. Lillian looked back up at the door before them and entered it. "So, this is my room!" Lillian was obviously very happy and proud of her new room. "I''m so glad the Demon King is letting us live here! Isn''t this exciting Kalika!" Kalika refused to look up, and into the room Lillian stood. "This can''t be happening to me." Kalika could only clutch her hands still not wanting to accept this new reality she finds herself in. Lillian skipped back to Kalika proceeding to pick Kalika up using her tail, hanging the now limp Kalika upside down. They both now entered the room. Using her free hands, Lillian moved Kalika''s gaze to look at her bed, her dresser, her cabinet, and even her personal closet. The room looked suspiciously better than the rest of the castle. "What do you think?" Lillian seemed very excited. Kalika is silent for a long time. Her mind was focused more on recovering from the pain she felt just moments ago. The waiting made Lillian more impatient as Kalika seemed unwilling to respond to her. Lillian tore off one of Kalika''s arms making Kalika scream in pain. Wincing in pain, Kalika finally answered after another couple of seconds. "It looks great!" she whimpered. "I don''t think I heard you." Lillian was much more serious. Lillian proceeded to break Kalika''s other arm. Kalika screamed out again in pain. "IT LOOKS AMAZING!! BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD WITH FATHER!!" "I know right!" Like a switch Lillian went back to being happy-go-lucky. All Kalika could do was weep and should continue to be held upside down by Lillian''s tail. Lillian snapped Kalika''s neck allowing her to be revived and healed. Lillian understood that no matter how damaged her sister''s body was, it would simply return to normal. Lillian watched as Kalika''s torn off limb reattached itself, as if some mysterious force was turning back time. Lillian dropped Kalika on the floor just before Kalika herself awakened. Kalika starts to sob on the floor curling herself into the fetal position. The Demon King entered the bedroom housing the two sisters. He was now adorned with much fancier clothing. "I see you finally found your new room Lillian. I certainly hope you two had a fun time," The Demon King said. He looked at Kalika with his arms crossed. "Yes. We had a lot of fun. Now didn''t we, Kal?" Still sobbing, Kalika took a moment before nodding her head in agreement. Afraid any further retaliation from Lillian. "I see." The Demon King then knelt down brushing Kalika''s hair. "That''s good. And Lillian, I think you''ll also be happy to hear that Kalika''s room should be ready down below." Lillian seemed to be pleasantly surprised by the Demon Kings news. "Oh, that''s great," Lillian exclaimed. Kalika lifted her head finally. "R-room? What room?" The Demon King smiled. "A room in the deepest part of the castle, of course." He started to get up. "It''s not the coziest of places, but it was handpicked by Lillian herself." Kalika suddenly grabbed the Demon King''s pants and started looking at him, clearly desperate. "P-please. Not there. Anywhere but there." Kalika clutched his pants harder. "Please I-I''ll do anything you want. Anything. E-e-e-even¡­." It was clear to both Lillian and the Demon King that Kalika was too embarrassed to finish. The Demon King saw an anger flash on Lillian ''s face. understanding her feelings he grabbed Kalika''s arm that clutched his pants. He started squeezing her arm hard enough to make her squeak out in pain. "Heh. That''s a tempting Offer Kalika¡­ However, I''ll have to reject your offer." The Demon king then threw Kalika to the ground, leaving her with Lillian. "Unfortunately for you I''m not an Incubus that wishes to pleasure himself. We''re Lupeus, our kind simply derive pleasure from the suffering of others." The Demon King looked back at Lillian. "Oh. Lillian. Would you like a Fine selection of clothes for your sister by chance?" Lillian stepped up and glanced at Kalika before answering with a sly smile "No need. I already have some apparel in mind." "Heh. So be it." The Demon king left the two sisters. With the Demon King gone, Lillian grabbed Kalika by the neck with her tail. She lifted her in the air, starting to change Kalika into the outfit of her choice. "Now. Let''s go get you fitted." Kalika was forced and soon fitted to Lillian''s desired apparel. ******** After some time, Kalika found herself entering a long, wet, cold, stony corridor. Wearing a fresh and clean pair of prisoner clothes, she was escorted by Lillian and another strange-looking demon clad in armor. They passed by a few rooms with devices specifically made for torture. Seeing those rooms made her feel uneasy and much more fearful of what her new life would have in store for her.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Eventually they all reached the new supposed home for Kalika. It was the very same cell Lillian was housed in before she was executed. Kalika could only stand in shock as it was a complete and utter mess of a cell. Aside from the stone and concrete, the prison cell had no light, rusted bars, and piles of dirty hay scattered throughout the floor. It smelled of a horse stable. Some sets of iron chains hung loosely on the rough wall, likely used to hold other, more deranged prisoners. Kalika was simply in a daze seeing this prison cell right before her. "Welcome to your new home, Kalika," Lillian said in a slightly mischievous tone. After a little while, Kalika broke out of her trance. She then slowly and reluctantly entered her new supposed home like a dog. Lillian followed behind, and it wasn''t long before Kalika''s sister cuffed her to the hanging chains. Kalika was surprised by this and started to become frightened. "W-what?" Kalika immediately started to pull at the chains. "Aw, you look so cute in this Kalika. Reminds me a little of when I was locked up too." "L-let me out of this!" Kalika started to freak out trying to break free of the chains. Lillian didn''t like it, so using her hands, she stabbed Kalika through the stomach as punishment. Kalika screamed out in pain falling to her knees. Thanks to the chains on the wall, Kalika''s arms can barely reach past her head. Shortly after, Lillian pulled her hand from Kalika''s penetrated torso. "No. This is your punishment for the day." "F-f-f-for what?" Kalika started to bleed out with the new hole in the prisoner''s outfit. She was panting really hard from the pain trying to bear with it. Using a single finger, Lillian lifted Kalika''s head to look at her. "There''s a few reasons. but let''s make this because you had me killed and work our way down from there." Lillian said with a more satisfied look. Lillian was about to do something else when some Demon Guards came in and informed her that the Demon King wanted to speak with her. Lillian was disappointed with this but obliged as Kalika continued to suffer a life-threatening injury. Lillian got up and started to walk out of the cell. She paused for a moment and then started to talk. "Don''t worry Kalika, I''ll be back. I''ll even have some games ready for us to play like the good ole days." Lillian finally left, leaving Kalika alone, hanging in the cell by her hands. Desperate and not wanting to feel the unbearable pain, Kalika made a plea: "L-Lillian! Lillian!! Please! Don''t leave me like this!!" Kalika''s words fell on deaf ears, as Lillian simply left without batting an eye. "P-please¡­" The feeling of despair crept into her heart; it was almost soul-crushing. All she could do was continue to hang by her arms on the wall and bleed out. Slowly but surely, Kalika bled out until eventually, all she could do was sleep, with the pain eventually subsiding. "Oh... Am I dying again¡­?" It became hard for Kalika to tell whether or not she was actually dying. All she understood was that the embrace of darkness was just around the corner, just like those other times. Kalika wakes up to find her demonic sister, Lillian, standing and waiting for her. It seems that she was watching Kalika sleep for a while. "Ah~. It looks like you''re finally awake. Are you ready for some fun?" Lillian gazed at Kalika, her excitement palpable. Kalika, watching Lillian swirl some fire magic in her hand, understood clearly that from this day on, she would suffer immense pain. There were no ifs, and or buts about it. She belonged to her demonic sister to be punished and played with every single day. All purely for her own entertainment. From then on, Lillian began to stop by in her spare time and killed Kalika as she pleased. From time to time Lillian would make her own creative little games to make Kalika suffer even further. Breaking, cutting, burning even drowning, Kalika was not safe from her sister''s instinctual desires. Day''s turned into weeks, weeks into months, and so on and so forth. It all started to become a blur as the tortures that were once physically and mentally taxing started to lose their edge. Nothing surprised Kalika anymore. In fact, her own body would instinctively prepare itself for the pain to come. Despite being able to better cope with the pain, she still absolutely despised it. The pain was only a reminder of how she was still alive and that her freedom no longer existed. This left a longing in Kalika''s heart, a longing to escape from this nightmare she found herself in. She didn''t want to lose hope. the hope that one day she might escape this hell. But with each passing day, the thought of it was becoming less and less likely. After all¡­ what would hope do for her now? ******** Half a year had passed and new of the Demon¡¯s invasion had finally circulated throughout the Cielian continent. and now bound to spread even further to new lands. A man in noble attire ran through the luxurious and pristine white hall past men with shining silver armor. They watch on as the flustered man sprinted his way into the throne room of the Emperor of the four provinces of God. Slamming open the door the man found four priests gathered around a round table with the throne and the emperor not too far away. Half of the priests there looked elderly as the other still had a youth to them. As for the emperor himself, he looked the oldest among all of them, looking more decrepit than most old men. The man immediately bowed, a cold sweat running down his face. ¡°PLEASE FORGIVE MY INTRUSION!!¡± Everyone now laid eyes on the intruding man. ¡°¡±What is so urgent you barge in on our meeting?¡± one of the older priests scolded. ¡°T¡­The ... .There''s ... T-there¡¯s been a demon invasion!¡± everyone there aside from the emperors, eyes widened from shock. ¡°They invaded the Dahlia capital ¡®Nostros¡¯ from below! And killed everyone there! Including the Lord and the Saintess!!!¡± The other older Priest became more worried. ¡°Demons invading? I never thought I¡¯d see the day¡­¡± ¡°Invading such sacred land. How unforgivable!¡± a younger black hair priest stated. ¡°This is dire straits indeed.¡± the last priest with brown hair turned to the emperor ¡°should we mobilize forces from the other countries to meet them head on?¡± ¡°No.¡± The raspy and old wispy voice of the Emperor was stern. ¡°The Saintess shall be reborn again like all those other times. As for the demon invader, we leave them in the hand of the Heroes of Prophecy. These warriors of God will find the head of their king and cut it from them. Just like they¡¯ve done in the past.¡± ¡°This invasion of demons is already destined to fail. It is by God Cassell¡¯s design that the evil deeds of these demons will never bear fruit. So it is better to let nature take its course. In due time, the Heroes will rise to kill those evil demons lurking in Dahlia.¡± ¡°And what if they don¡¯t.¡± the black hair priest asked. ¡°That¡­. Is an impossibility.¡± The Emperor said. ¡°Inform all your respective lords not to interfere. Let Dahlia fend off the hordes for now, they should be able to fend themselves off just fine... But as for you priest Frances¡­I will mobilize some forces and fragments of God''s tears for your own protection, so you may return to Dahlia unharmed.¡± The first elder priest bows. ¡°This precious gift humbles me Emperor Talinidus.¡± ¡°Use this gift well and¡­ do try your best to bring the generals back in line¡­ There¡¯s no doubt that Julius¡¯s Generals will try to break the state even further.¡± The Emperor Suddenly began to cough hard. A nearby guard rushed over but stopped, seeing the swift motion of the Emperor¡¯s hands. ¡°Everyone is dismissed.¡± ¡°W-what about your successor!??¡± The brown haired priest exclaimed. ¡°I have ruled over for many years thanks to the graces of God Cassell. And I shall continue to rule even now. I¡¯ve already seen the Lords and their abilities are much too lacking to take my place¡­¡­ That is all.¡± ¡°Fate is deeply entwined in all things living and when God believes my time is over¡­ He will send another just like me.¡± With those last few words the Emperor left the four priest and the other men in the room. Chapter 4: A Queen is Born Within a desolate, destroyed garden, Lillian overlooks the cliffside of the castle¡¯s once lush garden. She takes in the air looking over the landscape of her country. The very country that would soon become embroiled in the chaos of war. She gazed down upon her blue hand. She then whipped her tail around to simply pet it. She looked at curiously and let out a sigh shortly after, as though exhausted with the events of the day. ¡°Here you are.¡± Lillian glanced back briefly, seeing the Demon King. ¡°We already signed the contract, what do you want now?¡± Lillian asked. ¡°Heh¡­ For the so-called Saintess, you''re still offly calm about all this¡­¡± The Demon King approaches Lillian. Standing next to her he looked upon the same afternoon landscape she was. Lillian glared. ¡°Isn¡¯t that supposed to be a secret?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll mention it only this once¡­¡± The Demon King corrected. ¡°Since we have to keep your origins under wrap, that also means cutting ties with that supposed sister of yours¡­¡± ¡°Kalika and I aren¡¯t blood related¡­ Besides after what she did to me¡­ I want to see her pay!¡± The demon King noticed Lillians, bawled fist. ¡°You have no idea how happy I am that she can¡¯t die. Nothing else matters to me.¡± ¡°Not even your once beloved country¡± Lillian paused for a moment. ¡°This country of mine¡­ Turned its back on me¡­The monastery, my people, even my own family... as much as I don¡¯t like change, I don¡¯t mind seeing it destroyed.¡± The Demon King chuckled to himself glancing back at Lillian. ¡°Oho. You¡¯ve truly embraced your new role.¡± Lillian rolled her eyes. ¡°Everything can be rebuilt with time and as long as I have Kalika, That¡¯s the only thing I care about. But for some of these terms¡­ Are you sure you want me to be the ruling queen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more convenient that way for both of us¡­¡­ You keep your sister to yourself, and I get a troublesome tradition out the way. There¡¯re many women of my kind that would jump at the chance to seize power. Just like what your dear sister tried to do.¡± ¡°Very true¡­¡± Lillian after hearing the Demon King began to depart. ¡°By the way, do you have any preferred flowers?¡± ¡°Anything pink.¡± Lillian waved the Demon King off not wanting to stop. The Demon King, now alone, looked over the destroyed garden, gathering some of the ashes left behind. ¡°¡± a red demon joked. The Demon King looked back up at the only exit, He clearly recognized the demon. ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± The Demon King said. ¡°¡± The Demon King noticed the smile from the demon. ¡°¡± Not wanting to waste further time the Demon King also took his leave into the hall. The red Demon followed along, carrying a scarily similar visage to the Demon King. The only underlying difference being their horns, hair and eyes. ¡°¡± The Demon King continued. ¡°¡± ¡°¡± The Demon King chuckled to himself. ¡°¡± Suddenly a winged demon entered through one of the hall windows with an urgent message. ¡°¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The red demon laughed. ¡°¡± The Demon King noted. ¡°¡± ¡°¡± The demon King looked back at the winged demon. ¡°¡± Everyone around became shocked and confused by his statement. ¡°¡± ******** Outside the capital''s tall stone wall several brigades of armed soldiers attempt to break down the gate as others use ladders to climb the tall walls in vain. It was a battle of Demons holding back the human advance. ¡°DON¡¯T LET UP MEN!! WE WILL SLAUGHTER THESE DEMONS AND AVENGE OUR LORD!!!¡± The human general yelled. Soldiers cheered, ready to keep up the fight with their national pride on the line. ¡°¡± A red Demon Woman said. ¡°¡± Another red demon with long white hair said. Unknown to either of them, Lilian had already made it to the scene, flying in and landing at the top of the gate. The woman noticed her first. ¡°¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The other demon watching narrowed his eyes looking at her ¡°¡± The demon King interrupted them. ¡°¡± He affirmed allowing her to leave. She wasted no time leaving the rest of the everyone else, leaving to places unknown. The Demon King placed his hands on the shoulders of his two generals, still shocked by the display of power. ¡°¡±¡¯ Elsewhere at the capital¡¯s east wall are two blue demons with their red stained dagger¡¯s ready, one with white hair, the other with black. They both looked into the sky at Lillian as she flew away. ¡°¡± The black haired said. ¡°¡± The other said. A huge ready demon joined them, watching as Lillian finally made it to the castle. ¡°¡± The huge demon walked towards the disaster, ready to get to work. The other two demons followed close behind, making some bets. ******** Back within the castle halls, the Demon, Rakon had watched as Lillian ventured back into the castle. She wasted little time as she entered the dungeon. Rakon gave a curious glance seeing this, before taking up a smirk. He turned away to venture off elsewhere. ¡°¡± ******** Down below in the Dungeon, Lillian finally made it to Kalika. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Lillian smiled. ¡°Now what shall we do today?¡± Kalika could only look on in fear as she huddled herself in the corner of her cell. Her hands trembled, understanding the pain she would soon feel. ¡°P-please. D-don¡¯t!¡± she squeaked. Lillian grabbed Kalika by the mouth and made her excitement known to her. ¡°Let''s see¡­ If I can rip your heart out.¡± Lillian said. Kalika could only cry out in pain, as her wishes of being saved fell on deaf ears. This routine of being tortured continued for days. Weeks. Months. Until the first five years went by in an instant. Although it was hard for Kalika to tell since a year felt like a century. With all the torment and punishment Lillian has been putting her through, everything seemed to go on forever. Kalika sat leaning against the cell wall sitting on a small stack of the dirty hay gathered. her body hasn''t seemed to have moved much throughout the years as her body was starting to look much more fragile. Her face looked more deteriorated, and her hair was unkempt and much shorter than it was before. Kalika could only stare into space waiting for the next event to unfold. Kalika can hear heavy footsteps. A demon guard approached her cell with a tray of food and water. The tray simply had a loaf of bread, a piece of undercooked meat and a cup of water. The guard simply placed it by the front of the cell door taking his leave. Kalika simply gave a glare at the Demon Guard as it left. "Is that guard new or something? Doesn''t it know who I am?" Kalika thought to herself. Kalika had deep disdain for demons. She could barely stand the sight of them. Kalika got on her knees and hands, practically crawling over to the tray of food. The floor was cold to the touch and grainy. She pulled the tray to herself and retreated back to her makeshift bed of dirty hay. Kalika took the loaf of the bread, finally biting into it. And as much as she didn''t want to eat the meat, she had to bear with it. Kalika placed the piece of meat between two of the ripped off pieces of her bread to make the meal a little more palatable. She refrained from drinking the water until the very end of the meal. Kalika then noticed a little bit of blood on her arm as she finished eating her meal. She looked at the drop of blood for a moment as if hypnotized. "why do I feel like I''m forgetting something¡­" "Hmm¡­ it''s probably not important." She wiped the blood from her arm and continuing to her favorite part which was the water. To Kalika the water was the only good part of the meal that she could enjoy even if it looked a little diluted. She finished drinking half of the water; she saved the other half right next to her to guard it. This was a habit Kalika made when living in the dungeon since she could only afford one meal and a simple drink during a given day. Throughout the five years Kalika spent in the dungeon throughout the poor living conditions and painful retributions, Kalika''s hatred towards demon race were the only thing to keep her sane. Her hatred of the guards, of the Demon King and even her sister that''s a demon. she hated them with all her heart. Even being her sister''s personal trophy was something Kalika hated. Kalika sighed looking at the prison ceiling. She then looked into the corridor filled with endless darkness. The longing for freedom arose once more. Kalika looked at her poorly kept legs. She already struggled crawling, but to stand felt like it would take much more effort. Kalika had to remind herself of the pointless nature to hope. She had no strength, no plan and no friends. She only had herself and this gloomy dirty prison. She leaned herself back into her favorite cozy spot, soon becoming lost in thought. Slowly she started leaning herself in the corner of the cell listening to deafening silence for any abnormalities like a rat or drops of water. It was the only way Kalika knew how to spend her own time when there was nothing much else to do. She couldn''t even move her body around much even if she wanted to. Since every time after Lillian played with her, her entire body would feel absolutely exhausted. Kalika''s body suddenly started to tense up as she felt the presence of someone familiar. "Huh? Why is she here?" Kalika looked over to the cell bars. The pattering of feet starts to become audible. It''s coming closer and closer. Kalika could tell there was another person too. as expected, Lillian finally showed up. Lillian was dressed down with a black long sleeve shirt along with a red full body corset that tight held her bosom paired with an open skirt. She''s also wearing leg stockings that were complemented by some short heels. This is the first that Kalika is seeing Lillian like this. It looked casual and new. "What''s with the dress?" Kalika was a little curious. "Oh, you like it. It was made personally." Lillian twirled a little showing a little of her demon tail through what seems to be a custom-made hole. Kalika could tell Lillian was in a very good mood today since this is the bubbliest, she''s been in a while. Kalika turned her attention to what seems to be a little human girl hiding behind Lillian''s back. The girl had black hair and pink eyes, and she looked no older than 12 and was dressed in a maid''s outfit. It was strange for Kalika to see a human girl, especially one with pink eyes. Kalika gave a glance at Lillian before looking away. "So... What do you want?" Kalika didn''t seem to be in the mood for conversing. "I''m here to give you a present¡­. Since you''ve been such a good girl lately." Kalika started to hug her legs. "Is that so... well... I don''t want it. so, you can take it back..." Kalika didn''t seem interested as she kept looking away from Lillian. "Are you sure? I picked her out just for you," Lillian said. Kalika looked back a little surprised. "Her name is Rhonda. She''ll be your personal maid." The little maid looked very shy, but just gave a simple smile. Trying to save face it was obvious that the girl was very nervous. She then tugged at Lillian''s skirt, Lillian bent down and brought her ear up front. the girl wasted little time whispering something in her ear. Lillian gave a simple nod to her. The girl immediately went back to being shy after looking at Lillian''s answer. "Why is she giving me a maid...?" Kalika Dumbfounded by Lillian''s sudden gesture of kindness. Chapter 5: Renewed Determination Kalika sat in the corner of her cell, simply watching the pink-eyed girl tidy up her cell. She started piling the dirty pieces of hay together back into Kalika''s corner. all of which seemed very pointless to Kalika. "It''s pointless cleaning those. Oh well, at least she''s a little entertaining to watch."Kalika continued to watch as the little maid girl seemed to be hard at work. Rhonda then noticed that Kalika was watching, prompting her to look away shyly and continue with her chores. After some time, Kalika could tell how inexperienced the girl was, as a maid. She could tell by Rhonda''s unsure glances and inability to discern how to use the duster properly. It was quite a sad sight. Despite all these setbacks, the girl continued to clean up the cell until she was satisfied, and along the way, she gave Kalika something entertaining to watch. Rhonda seemed very proud of herself as she looked at the work she did with pride. She then turned to Kalika. She looked nervous, even playing with her hands as if she wanted to ask something. She gestured nervously to Kalika, pointing to Kalika and then to her own hair. Rhonda seemed to be gesturing that she wanted to do Kalika''s hair. Kalika simply turned her head and refused the girl. The girl understood what Kalika said, although she looked a little disappointed. Rhonda bowed to Kalika before leaving the cell with nothing left to do. Kalika looked back to notice that the girl had a pair of keys to the cell and potentially other doors, allowing herself to get in and out of certain areas. "I wonder¡­ if I can get those from her, maybe I''ll have a chance¡­ but I''ll need to get in better condition to run¡­" Kalika was starting to get lost in her thoughts as Rhonda finally left with all the cleaning utensils she had brought. "Still, it''s strange that a human girl would be at this castle. Perhaps she''s a slave¡­" It was a little strange since the girl didn''t say a word either. But on the other hand, she did look a little shy. Kalika didn''t want to think about the new maid too much, but this little girl provided her with a new potential opportunity for an escape. As long as she was able to get the keys and avoid the guards, she could potentially escape, especially since she remembered the layout of this dungeon from her time playing with Lillian during their youth. Kalika looked at the thin arm. "First things first. I need to get back into shape. If I learned anything useful from that blindly loyal captain, it''s that I have to keep moving my arms and legs until they tire¡­" Kalika clutched her hand. "I will escape from here... Even if it kills me!" The days would continue with the maid as a new part of the routine. Every day her new maid, Rhonda, would come in to find something to clean. Sometimes she would even drop a fresh pair of prisoner''s clothes for Kalika or even some food for her. Upon her request, the girl would even fetch her some water which was a refreshing upgrade to her life. This would be followed by Lillian''s time to make Kalika suffer through her cruel games, which seemed to have softened a little. Despite this they were all still just as painful as before. It was only after spending time with Lillian that Kalika would have time to herself. She would try to get back into shape by standing and moving around the cell when she could. She tried doing push-ups during the first couple of weeks but hated the idea of doing them, so she promptly stopped. With arm-related exercise out of the picture, she stuck to training her legs instead until she couldn''t anymore. A year practically went by in an instant. Kalika noticed that she seems to be moving much better than before. However, she was still struggling to maintain some stability when walking. And it didn''t help that each time after Lillian was finished with her, that her legs felt like jelly. Kalika started to watch Rhonda do her routine cleaning. She noticed that the girl was improving herself as well. She then looked at her hair, noticing that it was getting very long again. I guess at this rate, Lillian will rip my hair apart again¡­" Kalika looked at Rhonda again, starting to get lost in thought. "Perhaps I''ll let this girl do my hair¡­ What was her name again¡­? Oh yeah¡­" "H-hey. Rhonda." Kalika croaked. Rhonda was shaken as she heard her name. The girl looked at Kalika, surprised and curious, as this was the first time Kalika actually approached her. "Can you do my hair?" Kalika looked away as she asked. Despite her clear inquiry Rhonda seemed quite confused. Kalika glared at the confused maid. How could this maid not understand what she was asking her? Kalika lifted up a piece of her hair, pointing to it and then making a cutting gesture on it. The girl continued to look at Kalika, confused until it struck her that Kalika wanted her to do her hair. In a panic, Rhonda left, seemingly gathering the tools for Kalika''s hair. Kalika could only look on and sigh in disappointment at how unprepared the girl was. Rhonda soon returned to the cell, hands stuffed with useless tools like brushes and combs. At this point, Kalika''s confidence in the girl doing her hair was starting to wane. But given that Rhonda was still a child Kalika let this thought pass. Rhonda entered the cell, closing it behind her. Without wasting further time, she searched around the tools she brought until she found the scissors. With the scissors in hand, Rhonda started cutting Kalika''s hair. Piece by piece the hair fell. Looking back every now and then, Kalika made sure to pay special attention to the clumsy maid girl. After all, going bald wasn''t on her wish list. After a while everything was finished. Her hair was cut a little under Kalika''s shoulder and looked a little more manageable.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. With the haircut finished, Rhonda went on to brush Kalika''s hair. It took a while, but soon, Kalika''s hair was in much better condition than it was before. The girl was very proud of herself, but Kalika paid no mind. Kalika looked at the hair, seeing its condition as not what it used to be. "Could be better, but she did alright for a kid." Kalika watched as the girl cleaned the mess of hair from the floor. "I see your little servant helped with your hair." Lillian came into view. Kalika was a little taken aback by Lillian''s arrival. "Are you spying on me?" Kalika glared at Lillian. Lillian suddenly killed Kalika right before the maid, shocking Rhonda, who was unsure what to do when she saw Kalika''s head fly off. "Now that''s not very nice. I thought it would be a good time to hang with each other." The little girl, hands in her mouth, was starting to become terrified. Lillian gave the maid girl a quick, calming smile. "Don''t worry Rhonda. She''s alright. Just watch." Lillian pointed to Kalika''s limp body. In just a few seconds Kalika''s head returned to her body. Kalika awakened, starting to feel her throat as she choked and gasped. Rhonda was completely shocked by this as anyone else would. "You bitch!" Kalika gasped. Lillian started to give off a menacing gaze at Kalika. "I-I''m sorry..." Kalika stuttered a little. Lillian walked over to the cell door to open it. This made Kalika a little terrified of what her sister might do now. Lillian then gestured to Kalika to follow her. "Forgiven... Now follow me. I want to show you something." Kalika was surprised by Lillian''s sudden order. She simply obeyed Lillian''s order, not wanting to anger Lillian any further. She held the prison bars, wobbling herself up off the ground. It felt embarrassing for Kalika. After a year of trying to rehabilitate her legs, it made her feel that she had very little to show for it at that point. "I see you''re getting a little better," Lillian said. Kalika started to stumble, but to her surprise, the little maid girl who tried assisting her. "How cute." Lillian smiled a little amused. Kalika wasn''t a fan of being helped like some cripple, but she sucked it up and bore with it. With the new support Kalika followed Lillian for the first time outside her own cell. They followed and down through the cold stony corridor to somewhere even Kalika didn''t know. "Where are we going¡­" As much as Kalika wanted to ask Lillian, she kept her mouth shut. After some traveling, they soon arrived at a strange chamber in the dungeon. It seems that it has been entirely refurbished into a treasure chamber. There was a pristine new pedestal with an urn on top. Surrounded by paintings and heirlooms very familiar to Kalika, it shook her heart a little. Lillian put her hand on the pedestal looking back at Kalika. "Would you like to say hi to Father?" Kalika was surprised by Lillian''s question. Kalika immediately sucked her lip, looking away from Lillian retaliation. Kalika couldn''t help but feel anger as she remembered when Lillian first became a demon. "You mean the same father you blew into a million pieces. Your own blood fathers!" "Yes." Lillian simply smiled. Lillian looked back at the urn fondly. "And he was your dad too. I thought it''d be selfish if I visited him alone." Lillian looked back at the urn with some fondness. "I have nothing to say about the piece of decoration. Father is dead!" Kalika had a very sour expression "Yes. But we can still talk to him at least-" "Shut up! He can''t hear shit Lily! Because he''s nowhere! He''s done and gone forever!" Kalika immediately screamed in pain as her knee got cut by some wind magic. Lillian orders the maid something in an incoherent language that Kalika couldn''t understand. Kalika knew this language as the Demon Language. Lillian repeated herself to the girl. This time, she seemingly complied, by giving Kalika to Lillian. Rhonda then spoke back in the same language, stuttering. "Does she understand this language!??" Kalika could only watch as her maid shyly backed away. Lillian grabbed Kalika by the arm, practically dragging Kalika to the front of the urn. "S... stop it!" Kalika wheezed out. "Don''t be so narrow-minded Kalika. You could at least pay some respect in his final resting place." Kalika instinctively looked away at Lillian. "I don''t understand why I have to. You were always his favorite¡­" Kalika was very bitter. She suddenly found herself forced to bow by Lillian''s hand. Lillian also bowed in front of the urn. They remained like this for a few moments. "Thank you, Father. For the life you gave us." Lillian kept her eyes closed before finishing. Lillian then took her hands off Kalika''s head and stopped bowing. After a few seconds, Kalika raised her head, too. "You know this is stupid right?" "Is it really stupid to want to see someone you loved every now and then?" Kalika didn''t answer Lillian''s question, deciding to remain silent. Lillian didn''t divulge Kalika any further as she simply started praying. Kalika paid no mind to this but couldn''t help but find the irony of a demon praying to God. the very being that would smite her if given the chance. "Lily¡­ that girl... She''s a demon too. Isn''t she?" Lillian didn''t stop praying and simply answered after finishing. "She is. She''s a young succubus girl. She''s still very young and still learning to be your maid. To be honest, I think she''s even taken quite a liking to you Kalika." Lillian kept looking forward as Kalika winced a little at Lillian''s answer. "I should''ve known she was a demon too..." Lillian turned back to Kalika ready to leave. She raised her hand to Kalika''s knee, healing it with her innate holy magic. Kalika practically forgot about Lillian still being the Saintess despite also being a demon. Lillian helped Kalika up and handed her over to Rhonda who looked happy to help Kalika once more. "That''s all for today. you can go back now," Lillian said. Supported by her maid, Rhonda, Kalika headed back to her cell. Throughout the venture back to her cell, She refused to look at the girl. Knowing now that she''s a demon, she couldn''t accept this girl. Pushing the demon maid away wasn''t going to do her any good, and she knew this. As much as she hated demons, the girl still provided an opportunity Kalika had never had before. Kalika looked at her hand and clutched it with resolve. "I need to get stronger. If I can''t help myself, I''ll never be able to escape this hell. As the only human here¡­ I''m by myself¡­" Kalika''s determination resurfaced. "I will escape. by any means necessary¡­" Kalika looked at the girl, who simply smiled back at her, unaware of Kalika''s true feelings. Chapter 6: ESCAPE!! A couple of years passed since Lillian and Kalika visited their father''s final resting place. She watched her maid Rhonda do her normal duties of cleaning the prison cell and keeping it pristine. Kalika could see that the girl was improving as a maid. It even seemed that she was starting to grow horns from the top of her head. It almost looked cute. Rhonda brought a new cup of water for Kalika. "Thank you." Kalika took the cup and drank its contents. Kalika always avoided eye contact with the girl when she could. She still couldn''t fully accept this young maid since she was a demon, along with everyone else in the castle. The maid finally finished her work and bowed as usual to Kalika before taking her leave. Kalika could only watch as the girl disappeared down the dungeon hall. Kalika sighed, got up to jump around a little to wake her body up, and did a couple of stretches. She then started exercising her body a bit, doing jumping jacks, jogging in place, and even running back and forth from the two ends of her cell. After completely exhausting herself, she sat on her makeshift bed of hay to catch her breath. She quickly looked out of the cell, thinking she heard something, but she saw nobody outside. This exercise routine was her little secret, and she wanted to keep it that way. Kalika glanced at her body and sighed somewhat disappointedly. "This is probably as good as I''ll be able to get¡­" Kalika looked at her hand and then around her cell. "I can walk and run again, but I still need a way to get those keys from that demon girl." There was nothing more than a pile of straw hay, a bucket and chains that were hanging from the wall. Kalika looked at her arms too. There was no real use for the chains. The straw from the hay was no help, and a bucket wouldn''t knock that girl out either. "Maybe I should''ve done those push-ups too." Kalika jumped as she looked back up to find a pair of piercing green eyes through the cell bars. They were unnatural and the only thing that truly stood out. This was obviously a demon, although she couldn''t see its face. A brown-looking crystal is tossed by the cell bars. Kalika was taken aback by this. "A gift," the voice says. The demon with the green eyes looks away and leaves before Kalika can ask him a thing. Looking like it was safe , she went ahead and curiously grabbed the crystal through the bar. "This contains earth magic!" This mysterious demon gave Kalika an opportunity she couldn''t even fathom. With this crystal, she could finally escape if she wanted to. Then Kalika looked at the crystal again questionably. "Why did it give this to me¡­?" This was puzzling to be sure. But regardless of the demons'' intentions, she doubted they knew she could put the crystal to use. Kalika sat down, examining the crystal more closely. "The power is very weak, but I think I can use this. I think I only have one shot to do so¡­." Kalika took the crystal she had hidden in her straw bedding. "I''ll have to choose the time to escape wisely¡­ I just have to endure a little longer, then I can escape this hell¡­" Unknown to Kalika, a red demon with a similar visage to the Demon King was smiling to himself knowingly. "So, you need an opportunity, huh?" Days passed since the strange demon gave Kalika the crystal. She made sure to keep the crystal a complete secret from her demon maid and her sister, who came to visit her. It would be the same ongoing routine, that was, until¡­ Lillian stopped coming. A couple days had passed since she last saw Lillian. This was strange since Lillian never missed a day to see and torture her. Kalika certainly didn''t mind the peace that it gave her; in fact, she was quite happy for it. However, Kalika could tell that something was awry just by her demon maids'' uneasiness. The third day had passed since she''d seen Lillian, not to mention that her maid was now late. After a long time of waiting Rhonda finally showed up. However, it looked as though the entire castle was starting to go on high alert. The demon guards of the dungeon were running back and forth between Kalika''s cell, almost like there was some sort of panic. Rhonda looked worried, which made Kalika curious about the ongoing situation. "Hey, Rhonda, what''s going on?" The last of the guards seemed to have finally retreated from the dungeon. The maid girl seemed to have ignored her as she entered the cell with her cleaning supplies. "Hey," Kalika said again. Rhonda forced a smile and gestured to Kalika not to worry about it. Kalika could only narrow her eyes as the girl went on to start cleaning the cell. "All of those guards just now. They usually patrol the dungeon. The only possible explanation for why they''re leaving is that reinforcements are needed above for something¡­" Kalika looked back at her maid and then the hidden brown crystal. "I may not get another chance." Kalika resolved herself, grabbing the brown crystal. Grabbing the brown crystal, she clutched it with one hand and posed her other, pointing to the maid. Kalika formed a rock chunk the size of a man''s fist and launched it at the girl''s head. Rhonda was none the wiser as the sudden impact of the attack knocked her out. Kalika didn''t hesitate to look at the girl''s body, searching for the keys. With the keys now in hand, she went on to figuring figure out which key was for her cell door until finally¡­ the door was open. Kalika smiled excitedly as the first step of her plan had been achieved. It was almost a dream that she was finally able to get out of her cell without retaliation. She then looked at the crystal in her hand. The crystal seemed to have become gray and dull. Knowing it had no further use for her, she simply tossed it to the side and gave one final look to her cell. The well-kept cell with a makeshift bed and a now bleeding maid. Kalika stopped, seeing some of the blood leaking from the girl''s head. "S-she''ll be alright." Kalika took a step outside the door but stopped once more. She then turned back once more and seemingly growing conscious, made her way back to the girl. She looked at the poor girl bitterly and ripped off a piece of her prisoner''s clothes. "Don''t take this the wrong way. I still hate your kind." Kalika carried the limp and unconscious girl to her makeshift hay bed. She left her cell without much else to do, scurrying down the corridor as silently as possible. She made sure to peek down every corner in case guards remained. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. She still remembered the layout of the castle dungeon like the back of her hand. all from the time¡¯s that she would reluctantly play and explore the dungeon halls with Lillian. Memories began to flash from a long time ago when Kalika first entered the dungeon with Lillian. ******** They were running through the dungeon as children with Lillian pulling Kalika along by the hand. "H-hey, where are we going??" Kalika whimpered, her eyes, darting around the creepy dungeon hall.. "It''s a secret. Just come with me." Lillian spouted. They ran through the dungeon corridor which in Kalika''s eyes was just a terrifying place to be. "I-I don''t like it here, I¡­ I wanna go back." "But we''re almost there! See!" Lillian pointed to a bright light at the end of the tunnel. They erupted through the exit, finding a vast forest with a nearby village by a huge lake. Amazingly enough, they could also see a stream that was connected to a nearby waterfall and sparkled like jewels. And beyond that, a mountainous range that seemed to peak even the heavens. Kalika found the sight to be very captivating and awed at the beauty of the Landscape. "See I told you it was great!" Lillian was very proud of herself. "We''re outside the city walls right now¡­ Father once told me that beyond those two mountains is where God was born." Lillian pointed to the range of mountains to Kalika. "He said the Mountain were sooo big that it was considered the mountain of the gods. And that God Cassell came down to make it smaller." Kalika furrowed her brows a little. "But¡­ Why would he do that? Especially if there were other gods." Kalika didn''t seem convinced. "It''s because all the other gods were greedy and selfish. God wanted to give us hope in times of darkness. While the other gods¡­ they wanted us to live in fear for our lives." Lillian now overlooked the forest at the edge of the cliff. "And that''s why the mountain isn''t here anymore. Plus, that''s also why we have the heroes of prophecy in our greatest time of darkness." Lillian seemed to be shining very bright in Kalika''s eyes, but she wasn''t sure why. the Radiance only became brighter. "Heroes of prophecy¡­?" "That name sounds dumb." Kalika couldn''t help but giggle. Lillian followed suit, giggling alongside her newly adopted sister. "I guess it does, doesn''t it." Kalika looked back upon the mesmerizing view, taking in the spring breeze. "Do you think we''ll ever meet God?" "yeah. When we meet him. he''ll give us a choice." "A choice?" Kalika asked, cocking her head back to Lillian. Lillian explained. "According to father, He''ll ask if we want to return, reborn to live another life. or if we''d rather stay with him and his angels." Kalika became flushed, awestruck by this newly discovered information. "I think I know what I''d want," she declared. "I''d live with God and his angels!" "Huh? Really?" Lillian questioned. "Yeah! If God lives in heaven I''d get to enjoy and have fun with the angels everyday!" Kalika reached her hands out to the sky. her eyes filled with wonder. "a life after death with no worries. That''s what I''d like." Lillian chuckled. "I''d like to be born again and enjoy a new life." Kalika looked back more curiously. "Hmm? Why is that?" "Cause then I''d get to see more of this world. And I think that''s exciting!" Lillian flashed a joyous smile. But as she said that, Kalika shelled back away. Her eyes dimming as though remembering something dark, Lillian quickly noticed the change in Kalika''s demeanor. "Did I say something wrong?" "The outside is scary. I don''t like it. C-can we go back now?" Lillian grabbed Kalika''s hand with both hers. and with a reassuring smile, she agreed. Not long after, they both entered back into the dark dungeon. ******** "Why am I remembering this now?" Kalika thought bitterly. Kalika, back to her senses, focused back on escaping as she silently moved through the dungeon corridor. "This is it!" Kalika remembered this corridor. It was only a straight path to the exit, and she could tell by the subtle light in the distance. It made her heart flutter with the prospect of finally leaving this dungeon. It was like nothing had changed in the years she had been trapped. But this was different. She started running through the corridor carelessly and without worry. She kept running and running with all her might. It was almost shocking for her, but the exit was still there! The light was a blinding beacon of hope. Although it was hard to see, she kept running, knowing that she was almost there. Finally, Kalika has made it out of the dungeon. After all those years of torture, she finally escaped. Kalika overlooked the same cliff that she and Lillian visited as kids. The light was so bright that she could barely see an inch in front of her, so she had to wait and adjust her eyes. To some miracle the entire scenery seemed to have remained the same. It looked like an unchanging landscape that even time itself couldn''t touch. Kalika couldn''t help but cry a little as her escape was practically complete. All she had to do was work herself down the cliff. Looking down the cliff the fall would kill just about anyone if they were clumsy enough. Kalika wasn''t a fan of climbing down, but it was necessary if she wanted to get as far from the demon army as possible. She slowly began climbing down. She tried to find one good footing after another, and it went well for a time until her foot made contact with a sharp piece of rock on the cliff side. Kalika yelped in pain, loosening her grasp on the cliff wall, dooming Kalika to fall to her death as she screamed. Kalika was met with darkness upon contacting the ground like all those other times. After a few seconds she awoke, quite disappointed in herself. Kalika got up, turning to the forest. The forest was still a distance away, so Kalika couldn''t waste any further time. Kalia looked back at the cliff she had fallen from and back to the forest, resolving to get to the lake village as soon as possible. Kalika sprinted to the forest, finding herself losing breath really quickly. She was only able to reach the edge of the dreary forest before needing a break. "Why does that stupid village have to be so far?" Kalika gritted her teeth, and without wasting further time, she entered the forest, knowing that the village was still some distance away. Kalika ran into the forest, trying to formulate a new plan once she made contact with the village. "Okay. Once I get to the village, I''ll need to get a horse and some, and then I can head west to Caledonia. I''m sure the demon''s army hasn''t reached there yet!" Kalika stopped and looked around feeling some sort of presence. "I-it couldn''t be! No, that''s impossible!" Kalika continued to run. ¡°It''s gotta be my imagination. There''s no way she can be here!" After some time, Kalika finally made it to the outskirts of the Lake Village, which she and Lillian had seen way back as children. Kalika was completely out of breath and felt relieved to see the village. Happiness welled up as she ventured closer to the village. It was almost unbearable. All the excitement and happiness¡­ soon became emotions of horror and confusion. The happy villagers that Kalika saw in the distance all had horns and the skin of demons. Seven years ago, this village might have still been populated by humans. But it was now the home of demons! "N-no. This can''t be happening!" Kalika was bewildered and terrified. She realized that she''d made a grave mistake. She foolishly thought a simple village like this still belonged to humans. "I¡­ I have to get out of here!¡± Kalika took off running in the opposite direction. "I should''ve known that this village was already doomed!" Flashbacks of the pile of dead corpses from the day of the demon invasion rang through Kalika''s mind. Kalika quickly hid behind a tree even though there were no pursuers. "I¡­ I need a new plan. I-I should go south to Nirenberg. No! That would be the first place they''d have marched their armies! B-but I can''t head north either. The city of Bellerin is too far. And if I tried to travel there, Lillian or other demons might catch me on the way!" A panicked Kalika started to hear a rustling in the bushes, alerting her to a presence that seemed to have been watching her. "Who¡­ Who''s there?" Kalika was on the edge as her plan seemed to be falling apart. A rough, roguish-looking man comes from behind a tree. He sported a goatee with a scar close to his left eye and was dressed down in loose leather armor. It looks as though he had fresh blood on his armor and arms, possibly from hunting or from doing something far more sinister. "A-a HUMAN!" Kalika was shocked and happy, but quickly realized that he likely had very bad intentions. "W¡­What happened to all the other humans?" Kalika wanted answers. The Man gave a wicked smile. "It''s been a while since we''ve seen a girl round these parts." Kalika was suddenly grabbed from behind by another man. He was choking the air out of her. "S-shttop¡­Pl...p..." Kalika was starting to wheeze but couldn¡¯t finish any words. Kalika was starting to lose consciousness. "I think Harry will like this one. Hehehe." Before Kalika knew it, she was knocked out cold. She was now at the mercy of these rogues. Chapter 7: Captured! "Uughhh¡­" Kalika slowly opened her eyes. There was a putrid smell in the air. It was a smell long forgotten that she couldn''t mistake. She saw that she was on a rough stone floor inside another prison cell. There was a torch just outside her prison , and just by a glance, Kalika could tell that she was in a cave. Kalika glanced then at a faintly glowing red crystal just outside her cell. "Are we inside a crystal cave?" "Hey Harry! The girls back up!" Kalika jumped as she heard the loud voice of an old man. The old man seemed to be another ruffian. His gray hair was practically sticking out everywhere from being unkempt, and his teeth were practically falling out. It certainly didn''t help that the man''s wrinkles became more visible as he smiled at Kalika with a lecherous gaze. Kalika could hear the footsteps of the person the old man called. A tan-looking man emerged from a rocky tunnel with a grin curled on his face. His face was battered, and his nose was practically missing. It was a face only a mother could love. "Go on an'' get." The man told the elder. The freaky-looking old man took his leave, leaving Kalika and the severely scarred man alone together. Kalika quickly returned to examining the room and then the scarred man. "I don''t like this, but this might be my only chance to find out what''s happening¡­" "Shit. I''m surprised my guy didn''t kill ya. You must get a strong neck on ya lady." Kalika was disgusted by the man''s mere look. He took notice but didn''t mind. "Oh this. Yeah got this by those red buggers. A damn big one clubbed my face while I was in the infantry. Surprised I''m alive myself." The man looked right back at Kalika. "An'' in case you''re wondering, I''m the leader of this band of rogues, but you can call me Harry." Kalika shivered a little as the man licked his lips a little. "So, tell me, little lady. Where''d you come from? An'' where are your friends? Actually, where''s your master?" The wretched looking man, Harry, looked up and down at Kalika, taking notice that she was wearing loose prisoner''s clothes that were torn. Kalika could tell what this man meant and took offense. "I-I''m not a slave! And I''m not traveling with anyone." "I see¡­ and yet you were still lookin'' to escape somethin''. Yeah?" The Leader hit the nail on the head so Kalika couldn''t retort. "H-Harry¡­? What happened to the village? No. what happened to Dahlia." Harry laughed hardily. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" he laughed. "I haven''t been outside in years, so I don''t know what happened. If you tell me that, I''ll tell you where I came from. T-that''s a fair deal, right?" Harry continued to chuckle a little and stroked his chin. "An itch for an itch huh¡­ Sure, I''ll bite. A young-lookin'' lady like you oughta know the way of the world now." Kalika looked a little serious, since she needed to know what happened so she could find the best sanctuary. She wasn''t planning on staying with these people after all. Harry pulled a chair from the side to sit on it. "Ya see ''bout seven or eight years ago the Demon King''s army attacked the capital not far from here. Invaded with those ugly little horned spawns to all the nearby villages and settlements. They went on to march their armies south to capture any big ole city they came across like one I was defendin'' at the time." He leaned his face closer to the cell bars for Kalika to get a better look at his face. "Heh. Like I said, I was part of the infantry tasked to defend the city of Nirenberg. I was as good as dead, but by some miracle, I lived." Harry leaned back in his chair. "The last thing I heard was that five of the biggest well-known generals established their own separate city-states. The entire country''s been in disarray ever since. It''s damn dumb too, since all these generals callin'' themselves Lords fighting over land and the Demon King''s army. It''s been a hilarious mess through and through," Harry chuckled at the last few words. "Why were they fighting!?" Harry looked back at Kalika. "Like the hell I know." Harry paused for a moment thinking. "But if I had to take a gander though, might had somethin'' to do with the line of succession. Since they had no true heir since the death of the royal family at the capital. Probably wanted to put their kids on the throne or somethin''." Kalika thought to herself very carefully, running through all the information that she''d just learned. "This is worse than I ever imagined. If all of Father''s generals established their own boundaries for the bid of power¡­ then the territory for the demon army would be double the size of any boundaries set by any individual general since they now have control of Nirenberg." Kalika found herself biting her finger. No matter how Kalika thought about it, if the generals kept fighting back in this manner¡­ They were all bound to perish by the demon army. "They''re all damn fools!" Kalika muttered to herself. "So¡­" Harry interrupted. Kalika almost forgot about the leader of the rogues. "Ya gonna tell me where you came from or not?" Harry was starting to get a little impatient.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Kalika paused for a few moments before telling the truth. "I¡­ I came from the capital''s castle dungeon. I escaped there after years of being tortured-." "Bullshit." Harry interrupted. Kalika glared back at the man. "You said you wanted to know. So, I''m telling you." "No. What your tellin'' me is some malarkey. There''s no way you came from the demon capital. Settin'' a foot there lands you an arrow in the head if you''re human. And you''re telling me that a pristine little girl like you was tortured? Hah!" The man wasn''t convinced one bit. "T-there''s a reason for that!" Kalika tried to retort. "Shut it! Unless you''re gonna tell me where you came-" Harry stopped himself. "Y''know what, I don''t wanna hear it. It doesn''t even matter where you came from." Harry started to open the cell door. Instinctively, Kalika backed away as the man entered. "I''m damn tired of all this waitin'' an'' hiding''." Harry gave a lecherous smile to Kalika. "I scratched your itch, so I think it fair you did the same for me." fear crept into Kalika''s heart as she immediately understood his intentions. "Stay away!" she screamed. The man started to hold down Kalika to the wall. "D-do you know who I am!! Stop-!!" Harry immediately placed his hand on her mouth to stop her from talking. "Oh, none of that matters now. Don''t worry, I''ll be making sure you squeal by the time I''m done with you." Kalika looked down and found that one of her legs was in direct line with his weak point. Without hesitation she struck his family jewels as hard as she could. The man was completely stunned and incapacitated by this critical hit. Without missing a beat, Kalika ran out from the open cell and then snapped a couple of pieces of the red crystal. She wasted no further time as she took off running down the cavern''s passageway. "Everyone! The prisoner escaped!" Harry''s scream echoed throughout the cave system the Kalika found herself in. More men started to show up through the passageways behind her, likely from all the other passageways she''d passed. Even more men showed up In front, forcing them to take a turn into another passageway. "Don''t let her get away!" a man shouted. Kalika, practically feeling them breathe down her neck, starts channeling the first red crystal. She uses her other hand to spit out a fireball, to the men''s surprise. "The damn bitch is a magic user!" "Stop your whining! Don''t let her get away!" The chase continued. Kalika was starting to feel the adrenaline pumping as she looked around quickly in the small roomy cavern passageway, looking for a possible exit. There was a sign indicating the direction of the exit, so she bolted in that direction. Up ahead, Kalika could see some more of those magical crystals. She didn''t want to waste time, so she simply snapped a thin green crystal without stopping. She was now approaching another intersection. Channeling the green crystal, she hoped she wouldn''t have to use it. Unfortunately, three more men came out to ambush her. "O-out my way!" Kalika was frightened by the idea of these men capturing her. She blasted a pump of wind magic , sending the men back, scurrying past them and other men that came from the same direction. The breeze she felt told her she was getting closer to the exit. Kalika then glanced behind her to find more men on her trail now not too far behind. There must''ve been fifteen of them! Seeing this her breathing started to become much heavier. But she knew she couldn''t think about that now. "Don''t let her escape!" one of the men shouted. "I''m almost there! Just a little further!!" Kalika ran even harder than ever. The exit was right there. Before Kalika realized it, she felt a sharp pain in her leg. A knife was thrown at her leg! She started to tumble to the ground in front of what looked like a constructed door the size of the hole in the cave. This was the exit Kalika was looking for. "N-no! I have to get out of here!" Kalika tried to get up but was suddenly grabbed by a man. She started to flail around to shake him off. Instead, she ended up flipping to her back with the man now sitting on her stomach with his knife to her throat. It was the same man she had met in the forest with a scar on his left eye. Despite this man''s provocation she didn''t care that the knife was right on top of her throat. She continued to fight as she readied her hand to channel the second red crystal''s magic. "She''s fuckin'' crazy! Grab the bitch!" One of the men ordered. Some of the men behind her started to retrain her arm. This caused the fire magic she channeled to miss its mark completely "D-damn it!" Kalika was aggravated. "That was my last crystal!" Kalika was starting to panic. "That was damn close. I thought you were gonna blow us both up, heheheh." The man kept his dagger to Kalika''s throat not wanting to take any chances. "Hey. Bossman. Do you still want her to yourself?" Harry, their leader, showed up in front of Kalika, who was still flailing around. "Nah. You guys can keep her to yourselves. Fuckin hell." Harry was obviously feeling the pain from earlier. Harry, their leader, went on to leave the cave. He turned back one last time. "Heh. Have fun, boys." "You heard the man!" all the men were starting to grin from ear to ear. Kalika could see that the men were starting to get excited. It was starting to become a nightmare for her. "Damn it. N-not like this! Please!" Some of the men were starting to strip Kalika. She tried to retaliate but she was powerless. "No! Please! Someone! Anyone! Help me!" She was starting to get emotional, and the situation looked hopeless... until¡­ BOOM!! CRASH!! Noise could be heard from outside the cave''s entrance. It wasn''t long until the doorway was completely blown open. Some of the men released Kalika trying to gain distance from whatever was outside of the door. Smoke was starting to dissipate revealing a red-skinned demon of very large stature, barely fitting through the cave entrance. His horns curled up, pointing to the skies. He also had red eyes, long gray hair and two bottom teeth that point from his mouth. As it turned out, this big demon used the leader, Harry, as a battering ram and now held him by his head. The big red demon threw Harry''s corpse a little past Kalika. It looked at the bandits and then at Kalika, seemingly a little surprised. "I only came here to rectify a mistake¡­ but it seems I''ve found the queen''s toy too¡­" The demon''s voice was scarily deep. "The entire castle has been in chaos since you left. So, you will be coming with me." Kalika was shaking and frightened as she lay on the ground. She didn''t know if she was being saved or royally screwed just by pure chance. "I¡­I-" Kalika couldn''t find any words to say to the frightening demon. "I will not be repeating myself again." "So, in the end, my plan was an utter failure¡­" Kalika started to weep a little, still shaking. "I-I can''t¡­ move," Kalika uttered. Realizing Kalika was telling the truth, the big demon sighed. He went up and helped Kalika with her clothes and then grabbed her by the hips to put her on his shoulder. Kalika''s position was not comfortable for her, but decided not to complain. They started to leave until it seemed the demon remembered something. "Oh. Before I forget." The big demon posed his hands pointing it at the terrified bandits that kept quiet the entire time. He then shot a huge torrent of fire from his hands. The bandits attempted to scurry away, but it was far too late. The entire cavern of magic crystal was engulfed in fire burning everything asunder. "I prefer to keep my enemies dead." Kalika watching this is stumped. This big demon''s fire magic made the Head Priest''s fire magic look like fire from a candle stick. With the rogues taken care of, the big demon started to leave the camp, making its way back to the castle. The big demon ran blindingly fast through the dreary forest. Kalika couldn''t fathom how humans could even fight against beasts as powerful as this. Kalika couldn''t help but feel a little grateful. But still¡­ The same line about being "the queen''s toy" echoed through Kalika''s head. "It couldn''t be¡­ Is my sister now¡­ the Demon Queen??" Chapter 8: Punishment Kalika held tight to the big red demon as she rode on its shoulder in a very uncomfortable position. He was still running at a blindingly fast pace through the forest, and it was getting hard to tell how deep they actually were. As they continued their travels, Kalika tried not to think about what would happen to her. Perhaps they''ll just send her back to her cell with Lillian''s punishment awaiting her. She couldn''t imagine things getting much worse than her first few years of being tortured. "Hey. girl." The deep voice of the demon interrupted Kalika''s peace. "What is it?" "Is it true¡­ that you can''t die?" This question surprised Kalika. Apparently, she was more well-known than she thought. "Does it matter?" "I would very well like to know." "And what if I said it was true? Would you kill me to test it out?" Kalika looked a little bored as she responded. "No. That is a privilege only afforded to the queen. Even as a general of the Demon King, I would be killed on the spot if they''d ever found out." "Then what''s stopping you from doing so? It''s not like they''d ever find out. We''re so far in this forest I doubt anyone would ever witness someone else getting killed. It''s your own loyalty that''s holding you back, isn''t it?" The demon looked at Kalika, a little surprised before returning his focus back to the path ahead. "I have my own honor at stake as well." Kalika found the demons'' retort a little amusing: "Really now? I guess both humans and demons have blindly loyal idiots by their side. But still¡­ I truly hate your kind." "The feeling is mutual then." The big demon just emerged from the forest. They were closing in on the castle''s cliffside. The red demon jumped without any warning, expertly climbing the cliff with each huge leap. They eventually came to the castle wall and jumped into the castle garden. The garden looked as if it had been well kept. Roses, peonies, orchids and even dahlias littered the garden. They all complimented each other with the vibrant pink color that flowed through the air. Kalika would''ve liked to stay, but the big demon was escorting her. "It''s true," Kalika suddenly said. The big demon stopped suddenly. "What''s true?" "A-about me not being able to die¡­ It''s true¡­ I can''t die." The demon paused for a moment before continuing to move on. "I see¡­" They continued to move through the castle corridor until they happened upon a servant. "General B-" the servant immediately gasped as she saw Kalika on the demon''s shoulder. "Inform the King and queen that I brought the girl back." The demon servant raced ahead of them. Despite being unable to see in front of them Kalika could tell the servant was in a panic. ******** After traveling through the corridor for a little bit Kalika is brought into a cozy-looking room. She was dropped onto her back on the carpeted floor. The floor felt hard upon impact. Kalika could tell that she was in the castle''s guest room, which had all the furniture. "So¡­ where was she?" Lillian''s voice rang behind Kalika. Behind her, Kalika could see the Demon King and her sister, Lillian, dressed as royalty. They were sitting on a couch and looked ready for business. Kalika could see that her sister''s eyes were now black with red pupils. Was she angry? This was the first time she''d seen Lillian like this. "I¡­" Kalika tried to speak but was instantly killed by Lillian. "I wasn''t talking to you. Bjorn." The big demon watched as Kalika was revived, screaming in pain just mere seconds later. He was a little shocked to get instant proof, but then he quickly got on his knees to report. ¡°I found her by chance, hunting a straggler from our last invasion. It looked like she was among bandits trying to get their way with her. I have dealt with them accordingly." Kalika recovered from the pain by looking back at the big demon and then her sister. Her sister''s eyes went back to normal. "I see¡­" Lillian looked back at Kalika with eyes a little more softened before becoming serious again. "What were you thinking!?" Lillian was angry with Kalika. Kalika didn''t respond. She only looked away from her, giving an attitude. "You''ve been too soft on her, Lillian. At this point the how and why doesn''t matter. What matters is that she was outside these walls." The Demon King narrowed his eyes at Kalika. The Demon King looked quite aggravated. "Lucius." Lillian looked back at the Demon King. "Don''t give me that. You remember the arrangements of our deal." "The Demon King''s name is Lucius?" Kalika was surprised by this. "Deal? What Deal?" Kalika quickly questioned. The Demon King Lucius sighed. "Go on Lillian, you explain it to her." Lillian took a moment to look at the Demon King and then Kalika. "Seven years ago, I made a deal with Lucius, the King of Demons. As long as you stayed confined within these walls, I had full custody of you. Otherwise, if you ever went outside, some of those privileges I had with you before would be revoked¡­" "A-are you kidding me? I''m not some pet, Lily!" Kalika became furious upon hearing this arrangement. "That''s right. You''re not some pet." Another familiar voice came from the door of the room. "You are one of our most highly held secrets. A human that cannot physically die is a very rare thing to find. You are indeed a one-in-a-trillion find." It was another red demon with green eyes, but his visage was strikingly similar to the Demon King before her. Just like the Demon King, he, too, had his tail wrapped around his waist. The only difference lay with the hairstyle, eyes, and horns that were on the side of his head and pointed up. ¡°Rakon, you came much faster than I anticipated. As you can see, the girl is back. All thanks in part to General Bjorn." Rakon looked at Kalika and then at the big demon general. "That is good to hear. That makes things convenient for me since I just finished with that so-called maid of hers." "He''s talking about that demon girl Rhonda, isn''t he?" Kalika simply glared at Rakon, who paid no mind to her disrespectful attitude.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Rakon approached Kalika , arms starting to raise to her head. "If there are no objections, I shall pass down this girl''s punishment now, too." Kalika was a little confused by this. She expected to be punished, but not by a demon who looked like the Demon King. "Yes, the sooner, the better," Lucius said. "Before you do¡­ I have some reasonable suspicion." General Bjorn spoke out. Rakon looked at the general, narrowing his eyes. "And what would be this suspicion?" Rakon asked. "I highly doubt this weak girl actually escaped on her own. I find it more likely that she was kidnapped, perhaps men hired by the same group that attacked yesterday." Rakon was a little curious looking at the general. "And why would you think this?" Lucius spoke up too. "It''s quite possible one of the five generals caught wind about the girl''s survival. After all, most of our men in the army are aware of her existence. It''s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that rumors had spread as well." Lucius then looked at Lillian and listened to them speak. He then turned back to look at Rakon. "And if memories serve me correctly, there is a hidden entrance to the dungeon on the cliffside. A hard-to-reach area for sure, but certainly not impossible. And it''s not very well known unless you were part of the previous ruler''s entourage." "So, do you believe that further investigation is needed?" "That might be the case." Lucius responded. Rakon started to laugh a little. Kalika, like Lillian, just listened intently as the two brothers talked. In Kalika''s eyes, they were practically twins, with the only real difference being their horns and skin. Rakon started to walk away from Kalika and back to the door where he had come from. "If that''s the case, I''ll lighten it to fifteen years in solitary detention." "So, does this mean it''s back to the dungeon then?" Kalika looked bored as if expecting this outcome. "You''ll actually be going beyond the dungeon. It''ll be a more secure location that I''m sure you''ll find very fun." Rakon seemed a little too excited. Rakon then looked back at Lillian with a calm smile, finding she didn''t like the outcome. "Huh? What''s with the sour mood? You should be rejoicing. She could''ve spent twenty-five years in the pit. In fact, she can keep her little maid, albeit under our watchful supervision of course. It''s quite a light sentence if I do say so myself." Kalika Looked at Lillian, who seemed bummed by Rakon''s judgment. "I have to concur," Lucius said solemnly. "It''s only fifteen years, Lillian." "Only fifteen years?" Kalika was a little surprised by how nonchalant the Demon King was. "Okay. I understand." Lillian seemed much more conservative now. Kalika couldn''t understand why Lillian saw it as a bad thing. Although Kalika didn''t like it either, as far as she knew, she was goin back to a cell to rot like the last eight years. Rakon then snapped his fingers, and some demon guards came through, grabbing Kalika. "Now. Let''s be one the way. Oh, and don''t worry your majesty, you''ll be able to see her whenever you want, like normal as well. After all, I''m sure you wouldn''t want to miss the fun either," Rakon said. "What is he talking about?" Kalika was puzzled by his last statement. Rakon started to lead the way with Kalika and the guards, leaving behind everyone else. "Wait." Lillian called. They didn''t stop, but Kalika couldn''t help but to glance back as she was being escorted. "No." Lucius said. "Let her remember this. Its better this way." Kalika witnessed Lillian looking much sadder. This just didn''t make much sense to her. There was strange change in the air as if there was much more going on than what was said. ******** Kalika was now following Rakon and some armored demon guards. They were heading deeper and deeper into the dungeon that even Kalika wasn''t familiar with. They were now approaching a steel door. "It''s right past these few doors. It''s a single cell for now. But fortunately for you, our last friend is no longer with us. So, it''s all yours." They kept stepping through several roughly crafted iron doors until a larger steel one was visible. Shortly after Rakon the demon guards something in the demon language. They quickly opened, then went over to leave Kalika and Rakon alone. Throughout their conversation, Kalika knew she recognized the voice. It was from the same demon that gave her the crystal. There were no doubts in Kalika''s mind. It felt like the perfect time to get answers. "Since we''re alone, do you mind if I ask you something?" Rakon was curious about Kalika''s inquiry. "Sure. What is it?" "What do you hope to gain from doing this? Are you looking for power and wealth, or are you just looking to become famous in the eyes of your kin?" "That''s quite a strange question, Kalika." Kalika approached the front of the opened large steel door. "So is giving a prisoner a crystal." Kalika looked very bored as she stared at the ground. "I recognized your voice from back then. You can play all the shadow games you want, but don''t take me for an idiot." "Heheheheheh¡­ You''re a very observant human, aren''t you? Maybe I''ve underestimated you. No. I overestimated you." Rakon surprised Kalika as he was right behind her, amused. He pushed Kalika lightly into the cell. Kalika bawled her fist as she looked at the ground. She was clearly frustrated. "At the end of the day, I was just the pawn to you¡­ wasn''t I?" "You can believe that if you want. After all, it won''t change much." Kalika looked at Rakon with a grim expression. "You must have quite a number of idiots by your side if you''re that confident." "Hahaha¡­ I think I''m starting to like you. You act like a tough girl on the outside, but on the inside, you''re probably just a soft and cowardly little girl." Rakon had the door half closed and started playing with the side of it. He showed off some strange magic by draining blood from his finger. He swirled it around one of his fingers and swooshed it gently by the side of the steel door. "I''m very familiar with your type. You might act tough now, but once there¡¯s a crack in the surface¡­" Blood shaped as a blade started sticking out from the other side of the door. "The whole exterior becomes easy to peel away." The blood turns back to normal, splattering the floor. Not long after, the blood wriggled its way back to its owner, burrowing it back into the veins. Witnessing this took Kalika aback. "Girls like you are the most fun to break since you never know what you''ll get at times." "You''re a sick bastard!" she snapped. Rakon simply smirked, almost chuckling. "You have quite the attitude." He started closing the door as Kalika stood in her new prison, listening to the demon''s last words. "I''ll enjoy tomorrow''s debut. Let''s see what happens." The door closed, leaving Kalika in darkness as she stood in her new cell. "By the way, a friend of yours will be stopping by shortly, so do lighten up a bit." Another steel door creaked shut as he finished his last words. Kalika cringed, disgusted by the demon. She never imagined that she''d become some sort of pawn. She looked at her new and more fortified prison cell with solid steel doors. This cell, unlike her old cell, had nothing in it other than dirt and grime. It certainly didn''t help with how cold this new cell was. She could barely even walk around in it. It was so much darker than her old cell too. And much more silent as well. "So¡­ This is my new home¡­" Kalika bawled her fist. Anger soon started to boil over as she remembered what Rakon said. Kalika kicked the wall immediately in anger. Of course, she immediately regretted this. "Damn it!" Kalika sat on the floor, mulling over her thoughts as the pain from her feet pounds. She leaned herself on the wall, digging deeper and deeper into how she could''ve prevented this predicament. But no matter how she thought of it, she was doomed as soon as she accepted that crystal from the demon. Her mind kept drifting off. She didn''t know what to think. "What do I do now? Will I ever be freed of this nightmare?" "I hate demons. I truly despise them¡­" Kalika''s thoughts were then interrupted by the patter of feet and heavy armor. Then, the creaking of one of the steel doors. She could tell there were two people, one small and another large. A light soon shone through the small iron-barred window of the steel door, trapping Kalika. A blue-skinned demon guard in armor is seen peeking through the bar. It then opens the door , revealing Kalika''s maid, who was also there. Kalika couldn''t see her face properly but could tell by her small stature and uniform that it was Rhonda. "R-Rhonda¡­ so you are alri-" Kalika stopped, shocked by what she saw. A candlelight given to the maid girl revealed a bandaged head and a missing right eye. It looked as though it had been scooped out recently. Rhonda was even trembling visibly as if she were seeing Kalika against her will. Rhonda approached Kalika with a candle and a new pair of clothes in one hand. She placed the new set of clothes in front of Kalika and then respectfully bowed to her. Kalika observed this girl, with a guilt-ridden expression before looking away. This girl had every right to hate her, and Kalika knew it. But to see the maid so scared was something she wasn''t expecting. "He''s just trying to shake me." With the clothes dropped off, the maid simply left the prison cell. Rhonda gave one last pitiful look before the door closed leaving Kalika to her own devices. Kalika clutched her hands, waiting for him to return. "Did they really punish that girl because I escaped? No. He just wants to play on my emotions!" A wave of unexpected emotions kicked in for her. She grabbed the clothes, throwing them at the door as hard as she could. "I DON''T NEED YOUR PITY! SO DON''T DARE LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! YOU HEAR ME!? RHONDA!!" Unknown to Kalika, Rhonda could hear her outside the second door separating them. She then started to cry. "SO DON''T YOU DARE LOOK DOWN ON ME!!" Rhonda clutched at her maid''s dress as Kalika finished spouting her statement with shaky resolve. Rhonda was at a lost, she was almost unsure what to do as she looked in the dark dungeon corridor. With reluctance, she continued to leave Kalika to her fate leaving Kalika with nothing but the silence of her prison. Now quiet, Kalika looked at her trembling hand as if reflecting. "Can I really escape?" she questioned herself. She clenched her hands mustering up what little courage she could "I-I Don''t want to give. Not now. There has to be a way." Chapter 9: New Rules The steel door in Kalika''s new prison cell opened, waking her from sleep. She squinted her eyes a little to find Rakon and a demon woman wearing light armor with him. Like him, she had red skin with violet eyes and black hair. "Is she the girl?" The woman gave a harsh look at Kalika. "Yes, now stop wasting any time." "Tch!" The Woman was obviously not happy with the arrangement. She grabbed Kalika holding her in both hands like a child. Kalika was confused but didn''t fight back since she was still tired. They made their way through the corridor into a small chamber with some weapons. "What''s going on?" Kalika was still trying to wake up. "Your debut of course. You''ll need to be equipped if you''re going to participate." "Huh?" Kalika still didn''t fully understand. The demon woman suddenly dropped her hard on her back. "Ow! Hey what was that for!!" "I''ve done my part. I''m leaving" The woman started to take her leave. "What a bitch." Kalika was pissed by the woman''s behavior. "Where are we?" Kalika started to look around intently. It was weird because she had never been taken out of her cell. "We are in the castle''s underground coliseum where our armies'' men and generals come to unwind and enjoy the spectacles. From time to time, the king and queen come to enjoy the show, too." "So, this is what he meant when he said debut yesterday¡­" "I''m sure I don''t need to explain any further. You are quite the smart human girl, after all." Rakon started to look through the weapons. "If you want me to fight, I refuse. I''m not taking part in your stupid games." Kalika got up immediately. Rakon now picked up a great big sword from one of the racks. He starts to examine it thoroughly as he responds. "It doesn''t quite matter whether you agree or not. As the official prisoner of the Demon King, you are now under the rules of normal prisoners." "W-what do you mean?" Kalika was taken aback. "Did you really think you were under the same rules as a normal convict? Heh. No. every day, it''s killed or be killed." Rakon threw the great big sword on the floor, grabbing another smaller sword. "Sometimes it''s prisoner versus beast. Other times, it is against other prisoners, and on very rare occasions, the Demon King or the generals may also participate. Depending on the event and occasion, of course." Kalika was surprised to hear this; she had never known that prisoners they detained were used as a source of entertainment. "Screw this. I don''t want anything to do with this!" A firm hand then grasped Kalika''s shoulder. She looked back to find the same demon woman that escorted her. "I thought you were leaving to join the other Generals, Azar." Rakon put away the sword finally. "I returned because I wanted to see if the rumors were true." Azar curled a smile eyeing Kalika with much more interest. "Yes, They are, but I''m sure you''ll be able to witness it from the seats above just fine." Kalika was starting to shake; she could feel that this demon woman wanted to kill her. It was the same killing intent Lillian gazed off before when she''d tortured her. "Why wait when I can see for myself now." Azar squeezed on Kalika''s shoulder harder as if readying to do something. "You''re still as impatient as always, Azar." This was Lillian''s voice. She had just come from the dungeon corridor with Rhonda, whose head was down. Rhonda looked to be carrying something in a white cloth. "Your¡­ Majesty. What are you doing here?" "I thought I''d come down to wish good luck to my little toy. After all, this is her debut, and I''d like her to understand how to play this game." Azar retracted her hand from Kalika upon hearing this. "I see... May I be of assistance then?" ¡°No need. You may leave now." Lillian looked at the general menacingly. This took General Azar aback, but she simply excused herself and left. "Heh. If you keep intimidating your allies like that, their loyalty will wane." Rakon was amused. He continued searching through the sets of weapons. Lillian paid no mind to the demon. She approached Kalika with Rhonda by her side. Lillian was feeling a little awkward, and Kalika noticed. She finally decided to speak. "Going forward¡­ you''ll be living under some of the same rules as the normal convicts here. You¡¯ll have to fight hard every day if you ever want the bare necessities." "But why can''t I refuse!? I don''t want to fight. I-I-I can''t fight Lily!" "And?" Lillian asked coldly. "If you refuse now, how do you expect to eat? How do you expect to sleep? This is your new reality, Kalika. You will have to fight for yourself for the next fifteen years." Kalika was upset hearing these words. She clutched her hands in frustration, not wanting to believe a word from Lillian''s mouth. Kalika''s thoughts were interrupted when she heard blades clanging from behind. Kalika turned around to find Rakon walking back to her and Lillian with several sets of swords. "I have a few weapons that might help you in your fights." Rakon presented one of his favorite-looking ones, which looked like blood dripping upwards to the blade''s tip. "Might I suggest this one?"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "No need for those." Lillian gestured to Rhonda to come up, which she obliged. Rhonda opened the cloth, revealing a curved dagger with a red-stained blade and a black hilted handle. The Dagger also had some green and purple gemstones incorporated into the hilt and handle. Kalika got closer to the blade, appreciating its design. She literally forgot about everyone around her and picked the blade with both hands from the white cloth Rhonda was still holding. The dagger started to glow a little before Kalika started to feel much more drained. "Pity, it looks like you''ve just contracted your weapon of choice." Rakon was slightly disappointed. "Huh. Wait, what do you mean?" Kalika was confused by the sudden reaction from the demon. He started to put away the swords before explaining. "All these weapons are blood blades or what your kin have been calling ''Demon blades''. Once you''ve contracted with one of these weapons, you''ll be unable to attack other people with anything other than the contracted weapon. And vice versa." Kalika was slightly amazed by this, as it was something she never would have thought possible. She then returned to the blade, looking at it more curiously. "I had it specially made for you. It was meant to be a gift once the war was over." The Reminder about the ongoing invasion left a bitter taste in Kalika''s mouth, although she had no power to do anything. Rakon pulled Kalika out of her thoughts. "Your match will be ready soon, and Lillian might want to get seated." "Well said. Good luck Kalika." Lillian started to take her leave. Still looking upset, Rhonda gave a bow before taking her leave as well. Kalika noticed that this entire time Rhonda had refused to look at her. But she didn''t care much about it, after all she isn''t entitled to be liked by the girl. Other guards soon joined them as Kalika continued holding onto this new dagger. "Don''t get any bright ideas now," Rakon whispered. "I know. I''m not stupid." "It''s truly a pity I was hoping to speak with you much more in private, but it seems that it''ll have to wait." Rakon was slipping the mask off a little. He went back into character. "Alright. It''ll be just this way." Kalika followed behind, still unsure how to feel about having to now fight in a death match. ******** Elsewhere in the underground coliseum, there were many demons of assorted blue and red colors. They were settled along some of the rough stone seats and seemed to be conversing about the rumored immortal girl. At the far-off side of the coliseum was a perched balcony where four of the five generals were waiting. Among the demon generals waiting was Bjorn, who was taking up much of the space, and three other demons, two of which had blue skin. And another red-skinned demon who is keeping his distance from the others. Not too far is the Demon King Lucius, who was pondering to himself. The two blue demon generals were twin brothers. One of them had white hair while the other had black hair. They were placing bets and wagers on the outcome of the debut match. Both of them fit, with the only armor on them, loosely hanging on their waist and shoulder. The demon with black hair started to raise his voice. "Forget about it Ek! Even if she can''t die, it doesn''t mean she can lose this." "Come on, Kel! You''re telling me that she''s gonna win!? In your dreams!" ¡°Just shut it already, you two!" The demon from the far side was getting annoyed by the bickering. This Demon was also well-built. He had snow-white hair and blue eyes. "C''mon, Jala, you''re telling us you''re not the least bit interested in the girl!?" The demon general Kel was getting annoyed. "That''s right. Even if the girl can''t die, she''s still a useless human. She''s probably only good for entertainment." Bjorn decided to join the conversation. "I have to agree with Jala. I''ve met the girl myself. She''s quite the fragile thing. I could understand why she was locked away in the dungeon." Kel was getting frustrated, outnumbered in opinion. "Really now. You guys have no imagination." Kel then saw Azar entering the gallery and started to get excited. "Azar, Honey! You made it!" "Quiet welp!" Azar wasn''t up for any conversation, likely frustrated by the queen''s earlier interruption. Kel couldn''t help but be very disappointed. Ek, his brother and Lucius were chuckling at this exchange as their own little source of entertainment. "We''ve been securing the border for three years, and that''s what you give me." Kel was starting to complain to Azar. "It''s not like doing that stuff is easy, you know; a good hello goes a long way!" "Just ignore my brother Az. Still as lovesick as always." Ek put his brother in a chokehold. "S-Shut up, Ek!" Kel was getting annoyed. Azar simply looked at them with a harsh gaze before responding herself. "How far have you two gotten with securing the border anyway?" She seemed to have ignored the last part. "If I''m not mistaken, the borders were almost secured." Lucius joined the conversation, to the surprise of the generals. "Y-yes. We just have some land in the west we need to finish fortifying." Kel seemed a little nervous. "That''s good to hear. The sooner the borders are locked down, the sooner we can begin our invasion of the West. Isn''t that right, your highness?" Azar kept looking forward to the coliseum. ¡°Yes¡­ It took longer than I anticipated, but it is still only a matter of time before they all fall. Then this country will be ours." "That''s a day I look forward to," Bjorn added. "What did I miss?" Lillian seemed to have finally arrived. "Ah, Lillian. You didn''t miss a thing. We were actually talking about the war." Lucius seemed to become much happier seeing Lillian. "I see," Lillian took her seat by Lucius. Lucius soon signaled to the guard with his hand that they were ready for the action. The guard then passed the message to start the match. "So, who is she fighting for her debut?'' Lillian Asked. "Oh. Didn''t Rakon Tell you? She''s fighting one of those bandits we caught a few years back. A real scum of a man really¡­ I''m sure Kalika will be appreciative." Lucius smiled as they waited for Kalika and the bandit to enter the ring. Kalika stood alone at the entrance of the coliseum ring, trembling in fear. She remembered a few moments ago as Rakon told her who the opponent was. ******** Kalika was still walking with Rakon, standing shoulder to shoulder with her as guards walked behind them. Kalika was nervous, and it was visible to everyone there. "Would you like to know who your opponent is?" Kalika took a moment to herself before responding. "Y-yeah. Who''s my opponent?" "Well, you''re mistaken if you think it''s one of your kin. You won''t even have to fight against some of our beasts." "So, it''s another one of your prisoners?" "You''re quite the smart girl, " Rakon said almost mockingly. He then got closer to Kalika''s ear to whisper something. He even used his hands to keep the guards from reading his lips. Kalika''s eyes widened in absolute shock, and she started trembling from fear. Rakon simply gave a smile. ¡°O-ho. Is that a crack I''m seeing? " Rakon started taunting Kalika. Kalika, seeing this, tried to hide her own fear and deny this demon his satisfaction. ******** Kalika watched as the caged door opened, with the guard on the other side. She tried to muster up whatever courage she could and control her trembling hands. "There''s no way what that demon said was true!" An image of Rakon''s satisfied expression rans through Kalika''s head. Kalika entered the arena with her dagger and a man dressed in prisoner''s clothes carrying a broadsword. Kalika shuddered a little as she looked at the man''s body and face. The man had gray-stained black hair and a huge scar across his face. His body was also riddled with scars and cuts. According to Rakon, Kalika''s first opponent was a murderer who stalked the street to kill and violate women. The man excitedly looked down at Kalika, with obvious dark intent. Kalika held her new red dagger with both hands, posing it for use. For the first time in Kalika''s life, she has to take the life of a man with her own hands. And all for the pure enjoyment of the demons watching them. Chapter 10: Death Match Kalika tried to control her trembling hands. The man she was staring down was a professional killer, someone who would simply kill for the fun of it. She didn''t want anything to do with fighting this man, but even if she didn''t want to, she felt she''d simply be thrown back in. Kalika looked at the strange yet good-looking dagger in her hand. "At least I have this to use¡­" "Hey, hey, hey. Is this a freebie or something?" The scarred killer was carrying his broad sword with one hand. The man was obviously confident as he looked at the crowd with excitement. He then turned to Kalika with an excited smile. ******** Back with Lucius and Lillian, Lucius realized that Kalika had a blood blade with her. "A blood blade? What a strangely fitting weapon for the girl. If I recall correctly, you made this with your own blood. But why give that to her?" Lucius gave Lillian a curious look. "I had a feeling your brother was going to give her a blood blade of his own. I just wanted to beat him to the punch." Lucius chuckled a little after hearing this. "Is that so¡­" Lucius looked back into the arena with Kalika. "Shame, really. For humans these weapons are only cursed items to them. After all, only demons can use these weapons to their full potential¡­" ******** "Alright! Freedom here I come!" The man was about to attack when Rakon showed himself in the middle of the arena from a mysterious red mist. "Before we begin, I would like to announce the conditions for victory for our little special match." Rakon looked at the two contestants on either side of the ring, chuckling a little. "To win, you simply need to ensure your opponent''s complete and utter death. Other than that, anything goes. Good luck." Rakon disappeared the same way he came in. Kalika saw this power as very strange, it was almost creepy. To her, there was no way to tell how powerful of a demon he actually was. But if she had to guess, he would probably be close to the Demon King, considering that they were likely brothers. "Hahahaha. What kind of condition is that? I¡¯ll have this over in a minute!" The killer dashed at Kalika with blood lust. Kalika, taken aback by this, prepared to defend herself. Thanks to the distance she prepared to defend with the small dagger in hand, clashing the blades loudly. "Oh. I can''t wait to play with you." The man kept his voice down so only Kalika could hear him. Kalika was both disgusted and fearful of the man in front of her. He started to overpower her with his strength, bringing his blade closer to her shoulder. She started to yelp a little, feeling the blade cut her shoulder. The crowd watching started to get curious about how fast the girl would die, so they placed bets out loud. It was unanimously believed that Kalika would easily lose to the killer before her. As discouraging as it all sounded, even Kalika believed this. "Of course, I''ll lose against this guy. I don''t stand a chance against him." "That''s a demon blade, isn''t it?" The man kept Kalika pinned where she stood. "Not only are you weak, but you must be stupid too." "Fuck you!" Kalika retorted. The man just laughed at her before taking a hand off his sword to punch Kalika in the gut. She fell to her knees, coughing up blood. Kalika was surprised as she caught her breath. "Why doesn''t it hurt as badly as I thought¡­?" Kalika looked up at the man, who had a wide grin. "I wonder how I should kill ya. Would be nice to use that dagger of yours, but I think I''ll suffice with this sword." He pointed his sword at Kalika''s arm, working its way to her short golden hair. "Perhaps I''ll take a part of you as a souvenir." "T-this man is a psychopath!!" Kalika gripped the dagger in her hand tightly. Memories of those bandits who attacked and tried to have their way with her ran through her mind. This still-fresh scar made her shudder. And she hated it. She didn''t care about this fight or about losing. But she couldn''t help but get frustrated with herself. She saw herself as pathetic and weak. Even if she was a woman, she didn''t want to be something people could use, toss away like she never mattered. With this in mind, she finally resolved to fight back. "Even if it''s futile, if he''s gonna kill me I''ll just strip him of his pride!" With a surge of anger Kalika ran the dagger into the man''s nether region. The man screamed out in pain from the unexpected attack. Even the crowd was surprised by this attack. Some even started to laugh. ******** Azar was watching, very amused by this attack. Even the twin generals were laughing at the predicament. "I wasn''t expecting that." Azar was very amused. "A tragedy for the man, to be sure," Bjorn added. "Lillian, did you teach Kalika this or something?" Lucius asked very curiously. Lillian looked on awkwardly. "N¡­No¡­" she then started to chuckle a little. ******** Kalika wasted no time ripping the blade from the man causing him to bleed profusely from the wound. Somehow by some amazing willpower, the man continued to stand before Kalika, even more pissed off. "YOU BITCH!!" In a swift motion the man grabbed Kalika''s hand with the dagger. He squeezed her hand until she released it. "Aahhh!" "If you want to die so badly, so be it!!" And with fury he stabbed his sword from the top of her shoulder and through her heart. Kalika could only give a shocked expression as she felt the blade in her body and heart. He pulled his now bloodied sword from her body. Kalika instantly dropped dead on the ground. The man, seemingly victorious, worked his way back to his side of the arena, holding his crotch to cease its bleeding. He then noticed that his cage door wasn''t opening. He watched as the demons whispered among themselves in the demon language. "Hey. What the hell! Open the door already!" Kalika had reawakened, now lying on the ground. She stayed on the ground. Now expecting the match to be over. Rattling could be heard as the man was demanding to be freed from the arena. After a little bit, Lucius finally walked over to the balcony railing.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "There is no clear victor here. If memory serves me correctly my brother said you must ensure your opponent''s complete and utter death." Lucius grinned a little as he looked at Kalika lying on the ground. "The hell are you talking about." The Killer looked back at Kalika, not realizing she was alive. The crowd started to laugh a little, confusing the man even further. "Kalika, stop playing dead," Lucius said, Kalika was annoyed by the Demon King''s provocation, so she finally got up. "Complete and utter death, huh?" Kalika said to herself, not paying any attention to her opponent. The man was simply shocked to see Kalika seemingly back from the dead. "W-what the hell? I know I killed you. What the fuck are you playing at." Kalika was still pondering to herself until she came to a consensus. "This match was rigged¡­ from the very start¡­" Kalika''s voice didn''t reach the man on the other side of the arena. She then gave Lillian a bitter look. "Was this her doing?" Instead of pondering Kalika''s revival himself, the man went into action. He ignored the pain from before and opted to slash at Kalika. She noticed in time to avoid the attack. The last attack separated Kalika from her weapon, leaving her defenseless. "Hehehe. Without that weapon, how do you hope to attack?" The man started to slash widely at Kalika. She tried avoiding them the best she could but continued to be cut and scratched throughout her body. This continued to happen until he finally got a clean hit on her by slashing through her chest. Once again Kalika was killed by this man. Once she was on the ground for good measure he stabbed her body repeatedly again, and again until he was sure that she wouldn''t come back. The floor was now covered in blood, as was the sword and the man, even Kalika''s dagger, which was still some distance from her body. He was once again satisfied with his work but noticed the blood rushing back into Kalika''s body. Even the blood on his body and sword was returning to Kalika''s body to his shock. "W-what the hell. She ain''t human." The man looked around in anger. "What the hell kinda bullshit is this!!?" Kalika awakened again. Seeing that she was alive once again he opted to try to kill her once again. Unfortunately for him, the pain from his crotch resurfaced, causing him to miss his mark. Kalika had the opportunity to quickly get up and flee from the man. He turned around quickly to chase after her. He once again started to slash at her, but this time more wildly. Kalika stumbled and ran from each swing. This man was like a wild animal now. It was obvious that he had no intention of giving up. As the fight continued, the crowd watched, simply enjoying the show and continuing to place bets. To the demons watching it, it was less of a battle of warriors and more of a desperate struggle between two pathetic humans. Some in the crowd were starting to laugh, watching the man''s wild swings miss their mark. All the while, Kalika made every desperate attempt not to be hit. To them, it literally became a show of clowns and inevitability. "I have to get my weapon back, but how am I supposed to do that with this bastard in the way!!?" Suddenly, Kalika''s leg got slashed, making her tumble to the ground in pain. And once again, the man swiftly killed her. This time, he even stabbed his sword into her head to ensure her demise. "Hehehe. Try coming back now, you undead bitch." Although it seemed like he was finally successful, the blade in her head was slowly being pushed out. The man fought to keep the sword in her head until. SNAP The sword completely broke. The man and audience were completely shocked by this turn of events. Kalika reawakened, feeling the other part of the broken blade behind her head, confusing her. Undeterred by this, the man pinned Kalika to the ground. And to her horror, he killed her again and again. As soon as she was revived, he tried a different, more brutal manner of killing her. All the while, Kalika''s fury and hatred of this man grew. Eventually after killing her another several times the man began to grow completely exhausted. His cuts were growing even more ineffective against Kalika. "I-is that all you got?" Kalika sounded very disappointed. "STAY DEAD! DAMN IT!!" The man killed Kalika once more. "Heh¡­ I wish I could¡­ I really wish I could¡­ And¡­¡± He struck her again in the head. She clutched her hand more tightly, her anger reaching the peak. ¡° I wish this man could just die¡­!!" Although the Darkness consumed Kalika a feeling surged through her very soul. When she awoke, she found that the red blood dagger was in her hand stabbing the man''s neck. "W-when did I¡­" Kalika was taken aback that she had suddenly killed the man. She could see that even her opponent was shocked by this turn of events. She then looked at her dagger again. "How did I get this back??" The man suddenly became much heavier, slowly falling onto Kalika. It was obvious that he was now dying, but Kalika was unable to help herself as she was now being completely pinned to the ground by her opponent''s corpse. The crowd started to cheer and laugh, and the twin generals bawled. ******* "That should''ve been impossible¡­" Demon General Jala narrowed his eyes at Kalika. Azar , still with her arms crossed, concurred with Jala. Bjorn took a closer look, looking down from the Balcony. "I thought humans couldn''t use blood blades¡­ perhaps we were mistaken¡­" "I told you she could win now. Pay up!" Kel hustled some money from his brother. "Whatever." Ek handed over a bag of coins to his brother. Lucius was starting to look at Kalika curiously, stroking his chin with curiosity. ******** Back with Kalika, she was trying to get the body off of her. She kept struggling until Rakon showed up, lifting the body with a single hand. Some blood ended up spilling on her face and her ruined clothes, before he threw away the body to the side of the arena. Kalika got up shakily now that she was free with the blade still in hand. She looked around to see the crowd gather at the bars of the caged arena. "What''s going on?" It was a confusing sight to behold for Kalika. Some of the demons looked angry while others, sitting on the rough stone seats, were either watching or smiling contently. "Pay them no mind. We have some demons who like to gamble. Sometimes they can get a little too¡­ Emotional about the results" Rakon then gently pushed Kalika towards the exit. "Congratulations on your first victory," Rakon said. Kalika ignored himmand continued to the exit. She didn''t want to stay any longer than she needed to. Kalika looked at her trembling hand as she exited the arena. Even when she clutched her hands, it was hard to stop the shaking. "I¡­ I Killed someone¡­" She then gritted her teeth. "I hate these Demons¡­" Kalika looked back up to surprisingly find Rhonda holding a towel and a fresh pair of prisoner¡¯s clothes. alongside her were guards who stood by like her own personal bodyguards. Rhonda still looked a little upset but forced a smile. images of her, almost killing Rhonda resurfaced, bring back that same feeling she felt when she learned of Rhonda¡¯s unjust punishment. "Congratulations," Rhonda said. This surprised Kalika as this was the first time she''d ever heard Rhonda speak to her. Kalika gave a somewhat sad look and avoided eye contact with her. Kalika looks back at Rhonda and is about to say something when she suddenly loses her voice. She suddenly starts seeing white circles expanding in her vision until all she can see is white. Kalika starts to hear Lillian''s voice. "-top it. You''re drinking too much Kalika!" Kalika''s vision was returning, seeing a bloodied blue wrist leaving her sight. She could also feel herself being held by the stomach with one hand and something soft pressing on her back. "Hurry! Take that away now!¡± A young maid with black hair, horns, pink eyes, and an eyepatch on her right eye was scurrying away with something covered in white cloth. Kalika could barely feel any energy in her. It was like someone drained all energy from her entire body. The only times she ever felt this way was always after Lillian would torture her. But the last thing she remembered was her trying to say something to Rhonda. "What did I want to say to her again¡­" Kalika''s memory was feeling fuzzier the more she thought about it. "W¡­what happened¡­?" Kalika could only slur the words from her mouth. "Kalika! What''s the last thing you remember?" This was Lillian''s voice. She could hear her from behind. "I won. I won your stupid rigged game. But¡­ where''s that girl Rhonda? And where''s that knife I had?" Kalika was very confused. "This is worse than I thought. That''s nine years¡¯ worth, Lillian!" Lucius was in the same room as them. He finally got in sight of Kalika. It was strange. It looked as though he was now growing a beard. "With how much she drank it should''ve only taken a year at most. I don''t understand how it''s possible." Lillian sounded very concerned. "Perhaps your blood has become more potent then. That''s the only explanation that makes sense." Lucius was now pacing back and forth, pondering. "Alright. No more using your demonic powers until we figure out what is happening with it." The same maid from earlier soon comes back with a handkerchief. Kalika couldn''t help but find her very familiar as she gets her mouth wiped by the maid. When the maid was done cleaning Kalika, she found an immaculate amount of blood on it. "That was on my face?" "Kalika. This may come as a shock, but¡­ the past nine years of your memory¡­ is gone." Lillian moved Kalika so she could view her face , which looked much more mature. Kalika then looked at the maid still next to her, who carried a look of worry. Kalika could now tell that this maid before her was Rhonda. The fifteen-year-old girl she knew was replaced with a woman in her mid-twenties with horns and an endowed womanly body. "W-what the hell?" Chapter 11: Lost Time Kalika now found herself lying on a comfy bed with a big red demon sitting beside her bed reading a book in incomprehensible language. She recognized this demon as General Bjorn. It was like it was just yesterday that she met him. Bjorn looked her way and then went back to reading the book. "You''re awake." Kalika paused for a long time before starting to talk to herself. "What happened to me?" The last thing that Kalika remembered was that she came face to face with an older version of her sister and her maid. "From what I heard, you passed out after seeing the queen. As for where the Queen, King, and your Maid, they''re up above, still sorting out the madness you''ve caused. For a human girl, you certainly bring a lot of trouble." Bjorn flipped a page of his book. Kalika laughed weakly, still not fully recovered from whatever she went through. "And why are you here?" "They needed me here for my demonic power. It relaxes the mind and body of the people around me." Bjorn kept reading his strange book before flipping to another page. Kalika glanced at Bjorn. "That''s a strange power¡­¡± ¡°It is more useful on the battlefield than you would believe." Bjorn said. Bjorn and Kalika were silent for a moment. Bjorn flipped into another page of the book. He then decided to break the silence. "By the way¡­ what''s the last thing you remember?" Kalika turned herself on the bed to look away from the demon. "What do you mean?" "I heard that you lost your memory of the last nine years. You can say it''s curiosity." Kalika paused for a moment before answering. "The last thing I remember was winning that rigged match. I was going to tell Rhonda something, but the next thing I knew, I ended up here. Nine years into the future. It''s hard for me to even believe.¡± Kalika stared at her hand before her. It looked much rougher than the delicate hands she had in the past. ¡°It was¡­. the first time I ever killed someone¡­ It feels sickening just thinking about it¡­" Kalika still looked away from the demon, her hands bawled, just thinking about that man''s face. Even though she felt that he deserved to die, it didn¡¯t erase how dirty she felt after the fact. She tucked herself in, speaking more softly. "I bet it''s easy for you demons to kill. It probably comes naturally to your kind¡­" Bjorn looked at Kalika curiously. He closed his book and put it away. "This is why I dislike your kind." Bjorn got up to leave the room. Kalika looks at the direction of the door to give an inquiry. "Don''t you have to stay?" "No. The effects of my power should linger. Besides, I''ll just be outside. Just get some rest." Kalika could hear the door close behind her as she started to look at the wall. She was still quite tired but couldn''t do much about it. Her thoughts then drifted. "It doesn''t feel like a lot has changed¡­ I don''t think I lost anything¡­ But why do I get this gut feeling that something important to me was just lost¡­" "This is so strange. I never should''ve tried to escape." With this passing thought, Kalika fell into slumber again. ******** Elsewhere, Lillian is in the castle hallway walking with Lucius. They pass down many of some newly added carpeted decorations and some succubus maids working in renovating the walls. "This is ridiculous. She never should''ve been given that Dagger in the first place." Lucius sighed. "Perhaps it''s for the best that she forgot the last nine years. It seems she''s digressed back to when she was first incarcerated." "Yeah. Now she''s back to being my clueless little sister. But I should''ve realized it was a bad idea to begin with to give her that weapon," Lillian said. "Don''t beat yourself too much. Even I wouldn''t have been able to predict how violent the girl would get. By the way, where did you have that dagger stored?" "It''s locked away in my room." "Good. The further away from the girl, the better. I don''t feel like taking a chance with her having that blade again."Lucius said "But what about the arena fights that serve her sentence?" Lillian quickly asked. "We''ll put them on hold until we can figure out how to destroy that, dagger." "But isn''t the durability of blood blades based on the life span of the contractor?" Lillian flashed a more worried expression at Lucius. Lucius pondered. "It is¡­ What a pain in the ass this situation has become." It wasn''t long until both of them reached a room. guarded by two heavily armored demons. The guards both stood at attention. They then opened the door for LIllian and Lucius, allowing them to enter a large room with a grand map covering the entirety of a table. Surrounding the table are three of the five demon generals. "How''s your brother Ek doing?" Lillian asked. "He''s still recovering from the incident in the dungeon," Kel answered bitterly. "I see¡­" "Let''s not waste time talking about weak demons," Azar said harshly. "My brother was far from weak! And you know it''s Azar!" Kel growled. "So, you¡¯re saying losing to the weak human girl wasn''t weak?" "My brother was backed by five of his best" "That''s exactly the point! If they were Killed by-" "That''s enough!!" Lucius'' booming voice broke through the argument in an instant. "We''re not here to bicker about yesterday''s events! Azar! Kel!" General ceased immediately standing at attention. "O-our apologies, your Majesty," They both said in sync. Lucius started to pinch the bridge of his nose in disappointment. "Honestly¡­" Lillian suddenly joined the conversation. "What happened between you two? I thought you were going out." She couldn''t help but give the two a curious glance. Both of the generals immediately became flush. Before either of them could say anything, General Jala chimed in. "Azar was unsatisfied with Kel''s performance. And let''s keep it at that."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Both Kel and Azar were shocked by Jala''s brazen answer. Lillian couldn''t help but chuck as Lucius was starting to get irritated by the lack of actual reporting of relevant war news. "Now, let''s stop wasting time. I''m sure our King wants updates on that so-called confederation." Jala finished. Both Azar and Kel glared at Jala before turning back to finally give their latest war assessment. Kel started first. "As you know, the newly captured territories from the west and north have already been secured at the borders. Leaving only the southern part of Dahlia left." "Yes. The City of Caldonia that was used as a central supply route. And that other city that was destroyed by that other human country north of us¡­ Terova, was it?¡±. Kel affirmed Lucius¡¯s understanding. as he scrutinized the map of the country. ¡°Is there an issue with those areas?" Lucius circled around the table as Lillian just sat and watched the report continue. "No. There are none. In fact the two countries to the north and west of us are keeping tight security around the border of the lands we''ve captured. from, we''ve heard word from some of our spies that the Celestine Empire has been moving goods and supplies to the remaining human army in the south." Kel pointed to a part of the map that was a territory they haven''t conquered yet. "I heard that this route is very risky to take, but it is also the most efficient since there''s a military base over here." Kel placed a rock at the location in question. "Okay¡­ But would one of you like to explain to me what makes this meeting so urgent?¡± Azar stepped up to explain. "You see. Our spies last reported that among military supplies and rations being delivered, were three specific individuals that were traveling alongside the convoy. And mage. A heavily armored warrior and a man who looked to be a knight of noble descent. All of them, individually powerful in their own right. Achieving inhuman feats." Lucius narrowed his eyes, looking at the map. "How long ago was this?" "One week ago. After reaching out back to our man, he was found to be slaughtered alone in the hideout, along with our other spies." "I see¡­ this is very troubling indeed." Lucius started to walk back to Lillian who was pondering the situation herself. "Let''s double the patrol along all routes and keep every door locked and secured." "Already done," Jala said. "Very good." Lucius was satisfied to hear this answer. "Do you really think their first destination will be this castle?" Lillian asked. "I have no doubts about it. No matter where my last predecessor went to hide away, he was always found by these so-called ''Heroes of Prophecy''. The goal of the heroes has always been to kill the unkillable. And if the history of my kin has taught me anything. It is not to underestimate these individuals." Jala finally makes his voice heard again. "If that''s the case, I''ll go out to scout for their group. Azar. Did your spy leave a description of the humans?" "Yes. It''s in this report." Azar took a small scroll and handed it over to Jala. "I doubt you''ll be able to find them on your own Jala," Kel said. "Kel''s right¡­" Lucius was overlooking the map once again. "Azar, give 10 of her best men to Jala. Have them check along these trading routes, and these more discreet roads." Lucius was tracing the routes with his finger along the map. "And Jala, remember... Don''t you dare underestimate these humans. If you''re not careful, doing so will likely cost you your life." Lucius looked at his subordinate seriously. They all understood that failure was not an option. "Come. Let''s go, Lillian. We have much to prepare for." Lillian quickly got up from her seat, following Lucius out of the room to prepare for the threat to come. "It''s been a while since I''ve seen you so hands-on." They both started to walk into the castle hall once more. "That''s because the ''Heroes of Prophecy'' is still a huge wildcard for determining the success of our invasion. While it doesn''t matter if I die, the same cannot be said for the Heroes. Once they''re out of the picture, victory will be practically guaranteed. And I will not be taking chances." "Right." Lillian had a surge of conflicting emotions but kept them well hidden. She understood too well the assigned role she was born with. and despite that, she was working hand in hand with someone that was destined to be her enemy. Despite her boiling emotions, there was only one thing in that world that mattered to her. And that simple thing brought comfort to her. Unknown to everyone attending the meeting, Rakon listened in on the ongoing situation. He smiled, satisfied to hear the news. ******** "Kalika~" a voice sang out. Kalika was sleeping on a pile of hay in a very familiar cell. She woke up and practically jumped away to the nearest corner. "L-l-l-l-lillian!?? What are you doing here!??¡± "I got bored and thought I''d see you," Lillian smiled. Kalika could feel an emotion of excitement. ¡°W-what the? Why do I feel this way." Although Kalika can feel a wave of excitement the feeling of fear can be seen on her face. "Wait a minute¡­ my face? I can see my face. Why do I still look so young??? Lillian suddenly grabbed Kalika by the shoulder. Kalika couldn''t do anything but whimper pleading for mercy. Without wasting time Lillian grotesquely killed Kalika. Kalika could feel the satisfaction. From Kalika''s point of view, however, it looked as though she was simply executing herself. "W-what the h-hell is this. What''s going on? Why can''t I control myself!??¡± "...Why do I feel sad all of a sudden?" Kalika felt a hand touch her shoulder and she jolted awake. She woke up to find a maid sitting right beside her. Rhonda looked at Kalika, very worried. Like Rhonda before , she stayed silent, only giving Kalika a new pair of clothes. Rhonda then turned her attention to Kalika''s hair, lifting up a piece of it and seeing that it was turning white. Kalika was just as surprised to see it. Perhaps all that stress is finally catching up with her. Kalika understood that at this stage of her life, she was no longer as young as she was before. Rhonda gave another curious glance before Kalika started changing. Rhonda freaked out a little, turning to leave the room and closing the door behind her. Kalika stared at the door, as if Rhonda was the odd ball. "What''s wrong with her?." After some time, Kalika changed into her fresh pair of clothes. Just in time before Bjorn entered. "You could at least knock¡­" Kalika was irritated by the demons'' lack of manners. Bjorn simply ignored her statement. "Good, you got rest. follow me to the prison you¡¯ll be staying in." Kalika looked back at the bed, wishing she had slept a little longer. She started following Bjorn down the dungeon hall into another corridor that was filled to the brim with cells. All the prisoners seemed to be cowering in fear. It was a strange sight for her, but she figured that Bjorn''s mere presence was what was making the men so fearful. After a while, they finally reach the doors to the solitary cell with heavy steel doors. "Back to a dull life¡­ I wonder¡­" Kalika entered the cell and looked back at her maid and Bjorn. Rhonda seemed a little frightened, hiding behind Bjorn as she frantically darted her eyes around as if searching for something. Kalika ignored this. "Will Lillian be coming to see me?" Bjorn simply closed the door. There was a silence that disappointed Kalika. She was going to sit when there was finally an answer. "That won''t be possible. At least for right now. Goodbye, Kalika." Bjorn and the maid took their leave, closing the second creaky steel door behind themselves. Kalika started to feel her body trembling. She didn''t understand this sensation. Her knees become weak. "W-what is this overwhelming feeling? And why does it feel so¡­ Familiar?" Kalika looked back to find a pair of familiar green eyes looking at her. She recognized this Demon as Rakon. "I heard you lost your memories from the last nine years. That''s quite unfortunate. You won''t be able to remember the fun times we''ve had." Kalika pressed her back against the wall. Every fiber of her being was telling her to stay away from that Demon. a surge of fear and anger sprung forth, as well as another alien feeling she couldn¡¯t understand. "It won''t be too long now. Soon¡­ you will belong to me¡­" Rakon starts to chuckle a little. "Oh. And here''s a little parting gift before I forget." Suddenly, Kalika felt something slimy and wet, licking up her neck like a tongue. She quickly jerked around, feeling the back of her neck. To her shock, she found a half-finished clone of Rakon with a finger oozing away. The entire clone was made of blood, sticking to the wall like glue with a look of satisfaction as she started to freak out. Rakon shouted out with laughter upon seeing this. The clone instantly turned into a pool of blood that quickly retreated back to Rakon himself. "Until next time¡­" Kalika could practically see the demon grinning from ear to ear. Before she knew it, Rakon had left. With Rakon''s departure, she fell to her knees and her heart pounded fast in her chest. She was left completely confused and bewildered, not to mention creeped out by Rakon¡¯s strange magical powers. Kalika didn''t want to think about his words. She clenched her fists, trembling. "I can''t let that bastard get into my head!" Kalika leaned her head on the cell wall looking at her still trembling hand. And like always, she was at a loss of what to do. "What the hell do I do now?" she asked herself Her mind was a blur. nothing made sense to her any more. so she set herself to the nearest and softest corner. Giving a sigh, she rested her head on the wall, left within only her mind to entertain her. ******** "Is everyone ready?" a man asked. There was an agreement with his two companions. "Alright, then, it''s time to raid the demon''s stronghold!" A group of three heroes stood on a cliff right in front of Dahlia''s still-ruined capital. In the far distance beyond that, lies the Demon King''s Castle. "It''s time to restore the balance!" the lightly armored knight proclaimed, with his fellow companions by his side. Chapter 12: The Heroes Raid It was the dead of night, and three figures were hiding behind some stone rubble, avoiding patrols of demon guards. Among the group of three was a man dressed in light armor, a tall, heavily armored burly warrior with a big shield hooked on his back, and, lastly, a woman mage who was keeping her hood on. "Hold it." The knight was looking from behind the rubble. He glanced around checking for any other patrols. "Jarred, what''s the clairvoyance telling you?" The Mage whispered. "There''s too many demons here. It''s better if we sneak around the patrols where we can." Jarred tried to be as quiet as possible. "This is a Raid! We''re here to kill the King of demons. We should kill as many demons as we can now!" The warrior tried to argue with Jarred quietly. "Ragnar. Just because we''re the Heroes of Prophecy doesn''t mean we''re invincible. Did you forget what happened eighteen years ago?" Jarred pointed out. Ragnar stopped for a moment before speaking once again. "O-of course, I remember Saintess Kalika along with her father. We''re slaughtered among all of the residences here in this very capital." "I can''t imagine how heartbreaking it was for you," The Mage said. "Aye. I had family that lived here. I was lucky to have left when I did. Another week I reckon I would''ve been among the dead." Jarred patted Ragnar on the shoulder to comfort the tall man. "Sylph. Do you think you can make us invisible?" Jarred glanced at Ragnar¡¯s heavy armor. "And can you erase the sound from Ragnar too?" "Sure. But we won''t be able to hear anything from him for a while." Sylph was starting to get her spell ready, and in a flash of light all spells were cast at once. "It''s a good thing that we could still see each other¡­ otherwise we''d be lost really quick," Jarred thought. The heroes expertly avoided the groups of demon guards. Venturing through the broken and destroyed roads and alleyways. It almost felt like child''s play avoiding the guards patrol, one after another. The castle was finally in sight. Unlike the destroyed city, it looked to have much lighter patrols. Ragnar was about to push forward when Sylph grabbed him. "Hold it. We should let Jarred check first." Hearing his name, Jarred steps up to look around the corner where they were hiding. His brown eyes started to glow a blue as he glanced around. "Everything looks fine. We can probably get in without getting detected." "That can''t be right." Sylph had her doubts until Jarred pointed out the castle''s completely open door. They all reluctantly agreed to move through discreetly. Ragnar tried to say something to them nonchalantly, but Sylph had to remind him about her silencing spell. This embarrassed the man greatly. Ragnar just sighed, letting go of what he wanted to say. They were finally inside the Castle. The Main Hall was grand and led to what they presumed was the throne room. However, it was strange. There were no guards in sight. "This is very strange. Is the Demon King even in this castle?" Sylph asked. "Yes, he''s definitely here." Jarred''s eyes glowed once more. Through his vision, he saw a thread leading to a side corridor. "The Threads of fate!" he proclaimed silently. "Follow me!" He went on ahead to the shock of his companions. Both followed closely behind going from corridor to corridor. However, unknown to the group, a green eye attached to the ceiling is closely monitoring them. This eye belonged to the demon Rakon, who was monitoring the heroes with excitement. "Yes. Keep going ''Heroes of Prophecy''. Your fate awaits you in that very courtyard." The three companions scurried down the hall as quietly as possible. They took turns after turns seemingly going all the way around the castle to its rear. Jarred could see the line they were following becoming thicker and stronger. They were obviously getting closer to their destination than he would''ve imagined. "This way!" he quietly shouted. They all started sprinting seeing no guards up ahead. ¡°That''s right. All you need to do¡­ is take that last right turn." Rakon smiled excitedly. Inside that very courtyard, decorated with vibrant pink flowers. ToLillian''s surprise, Lucius slips a ring with red and blue gemstones onto her finger. Lucius is very content with the situation, as is Lillian. Everything was lined up for a fateful meeting between Heroes and Demons! The heroes finally reached the corridor intersection. However, to Rakon''s shock, they kept running straight past the courtyard. Both parties completely missed a seemingly fated meeting. This turn of event completely shocked Rakon as the Heroes kept heading down the Corridor. "Where the hell are they going!?? The enemy of these ''Heroes of Prophecy'' has always been the Demon King all these eons!!" Rakon¡¯s thoughts were starting to race with the possibilities. An eye on the ceiling started to melt into blood. "Grrr. It can''t be possible that they''re after me, is it? No. This doesn''t make sense¡­ but just in case¡­"This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The Heroes kept running as they came across a passageway that seemed to lead deeper down. They also finally encountered demon guards. Ragnar pushed ahead of Jarred and Sylph, ramming into one guard with his big shield to knock him. He quickly moved on to punch the other guard before he could realize what was happening. He gave a quick thumbs up to his companions who had just arrived. They gathered at the spiral stairway, looking down it. "So, the Demon King is this way?" Sylph asked. Just then, the spell finally wore off. "Ah, finally." Ragnar was happy to speak again. Jarred looked back down and affirmed that the Demon King should be down in this direction. "Why would he be down there?" she inquired once again. "Perhaps there''s a prisoner they''re torturing. Perhaps the brunt of his forces are down here." Ragnar was starting to wipe some minor blood off his shield. "If that''s true, we can''t let our guard down for a moment. Sylph. Could you use your Appraisal eye from here?" "Of course I can." Sylph¡¯s eyes started to glow blue as well. She felt the spiral staircase wall and emitted a pulse, practically scanning the dungeon below them. To Ragnar¡¯s surprise, Sylph grabbed a piece of Leather from his small pouch. With a gesture of her other hand, she made a map of the dungeon, which looked like a maze. "Incredible. So, this is the Great Lord''s castle Dungeon! I''ve heard rumors of its size, but I never thought it''d be true." Ragnar started to look at the map, finding many red dots among them. "So, these are the demons guarding this dungeon..." "This is more guards than what a typical prison would have. It doesn''t look like we''ll be able to sneak by either." Jarred took a quick look behind them, then turned back to grab the map. "Then that just means we''ll just have to brute force our way through!" Rangar readied his shield, Sylph was preparing some magic spells, and Jarred had his platinum sword ready. Wasting little time, they all got ready to ambush the dungeon guards. One by one, they dispatched the guards as silently as possible. But this only lasted so long before they were finally discovered. Immediately upon seeing the three intruders, the Guard sounded the alarm. "Well, that didn''t last long. At least we thinned the herd a little." Ragnar took point and bashed into the enemy in sight. Jarred followed up with a slash. Sylph followed up with an assist, blasting two reinforcements in the face with fire magic. They could hear the footsteps of many guards starting to surround them. "Which way do we go, ole leader of ours?" Sylph sarcastically asked. Jarred didn''t hesitate to lead through the enemies in front of them. Sylph just rolled her eyes and followed along with Ragnar. They all fought fiercely through all the guards. Despite the overwhelming disadvantage, the group kept fighting through the demons. Ragnar blocked the incoming attacks, leaving the guards open for a complete counter offense. Jarred slashed and hacked with his sword through the demons before them. All the while Sylph used every element of magic known with deadly efficiency. She sliced with wind, burned with fire, crushed with stone and even dragged and thrown demons around, with water! floods of the demon guards continued to pour in surrounding the heroes. ¡°Damn! It looks like we¡¯ll have to go all out!¡± Jarred hissed. Suddenly many guards attacked Ragnar from behind. catching a glimpse of their shadows flickering in the fire, he quickly turned. He grinned widely. To the demon''s surprise, his shield suddenly turned itself into an ax! With a wide swing he cut through them like fruit in the air. He let out a hardy laughter. ¡°And what''s wrong with that Jarred?¡± The newly transformed ax caught fire by some mysterious force. ¡°All the more fun for us!¡± Sylph sent an explosion of fire into a group of demons. ¡°You make it sound so simple Ragnar.¡± Jarred¡¯s sword glowed red, charged by some magic. Both He and Ragnar dashed forth, slaughtering the demons in their way, both of them attacking, blocking and parrying with every inch they took. Once again, a green eye on the ceiling was still observing them. Elsewhere, Rakon was observing and analyzing the situation in safety. "Tch! Now they''re in the dungeon. but they¡¯re not traveling deeper in?¡± Rakon narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Are they truly the Heroes of Prophecy that Lucius was so concerned of?¡± he now grumbled to himself, watching attentively as the Heroes slaughter of his kind, increasing the casualties minute after minute. "Grrr¡­ Even if they are the heroes, I can''t keep feigning ignorance to them forever. What a shame. And just when I thought my brother would finally perish." Rakon leaned over to pull a rope. The sounds of a bell could be heard far and wide from inside and outside the castle. "Intruder!" a demon guard yelled. Even the guards from outside the castle rushed inside. Back with the heroes, they neared the end as the last of the guards seemed to flee. Jarred stabs the last attacking demon in the neck. "I think that''s the last of them. Can you confirm that Sylph?" Sylph touching the wall confirms this to be true. But she quickly retracts that as she senses even more guards heading their way. "We have ten. No twenty-five?" Sylph was starting to sweat profusely. "They''re literally sending an army!" "Crap. We can¡¯t hold them off forever!¡± Jarred said. ¡°So where do we go now?" Ragnar questioned. Jarred squinted its eyes looking for the thread. "We¡¯ll find the Demon King and end this war! This way!" Jarred pressed forward, following the invisible thread. "Hey, wait!" Sylph yelled, trying to catch up with Jarred. Ragnar followed suit. "I swear, He¡¯s gonna make martyrs out of us!" ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Ragnar shouted. ¡°As long as we avenge the lord, ¡°I¡¯ll fight to the bitter end!¡± "Yeah!¡± Jarred agreed, ¡°We can''t flee now! Not when we''re so close, Sylph! You said it yourself back then too. That we''d end this war and bring balance back even at the cost of your life." Sylph was surprised to hear this. "You did say that." Ragnar laughed. "Hhhhnnghh¡­I guess there''s no turning back now then¡­" Sylph resolved herself despite some of the doubts in her mind. Seeing even more demons further ahead, charging at them, Ragnar speed past Jarred. Her turned his ax into his shield, Bashing them with it! Sylph launched earth spikes into the demons, killing them. Another demon jumped above the shield, but this was easily intercepted by Jarred, as he cut its head off. Their fight continued until they finally came across a series of unguarded iron doors. The guard''s station there was swiftly dispatched, leaving them with a rare peace. Jarred looked from the thread, seeing they were getting closer. "It''s leading through these doors¡­" The group suddenly heard voices talking in the demon''s language. They all hugged the wall in the corner of the pathway where the voice was coming from. There was some talking, then the sound of yelling as if one of the guards were being scolded. Luckily for the heroes, it wasn''t long before the guards left. "That was close," Ragnar sighed. He converted his ax back into a shield once more "Yeah. I wonder why they didn''t come down here. You know what, let''s not worry about that." They all slowly pushed themselves in, unlocking door after door. It was quiet¡ªtoo quiet. There was no way the Demon King could be sleeping or being held prisoner in this dungeon. Can it? Jarred looked at the last locked door in front of them. "This is it. He''s inside here." "I don''t know Jarred. I still think this is weird¡­" Sylph was very skeptical. "Are you sure that the Demon King is in here?" "Well, there''s only one way to find out¡­" Jarred brought out the keys that they had taken from the now-dead guard. He tried each one until he found the correct one. CLANK Jarred opened the heavy door that creaked very loudly. To the shock of the entire group, they didn''t find any demons. Instead¡­ They found a young human lady with blonde hair. She woke up from the creaking of the door, opening and revealing her eyes to be an emerald green. She oriented herself quickly, not recognizing any of them. She looked on, in complete confusion. "W-what??" She asked in complete disbelief. "Wh¡­Who are you people?" The lady who stood before them was Kalika Archelion. Jarred could only stare in confusion at the lady. "Where''s the Demon King?" Chapter 13: A Daring Rescue Kalika was now staring at a group of strangely dressed individuals in armor and cloaks that were unfamiliar to her. "What''s going on? Who are these people?" Kalika was confused, as it was impossible to tell if they could be human, too. Kalika became dumbstruck as she saw the knight''s face. He looked very handsome to her. She blushed a little, becoming a little embarrassed. It''s been a very long time since she''s seen a decent-looking human guy. She was immediately brought out of her trance as the knight asked her again. "Where''s the Demon King? Are you him, hiding in disguise or something!?" Jarred readied his sword. "No," Sylph immediately responded. Her eyes glowed blue, which took Kalika aback. "She''s a human." "W-wait a minute! I recognize her! She''s Kalika Archelion! The woman chosen to be Saintess by God!" Ragnar was in shock. He immediately kneeled before her. It felt like one shock after another. Although she wasn''t against other people bowing before her, she wanted to understand what was going on. "W-whats going on here??" A little confused, the group looked at each other before Jarred spoke up. "We traveled here to kill the Demon King and end the war. We volunteered to meet with this country''s rebel forces alone. But we uh¡­ found you, instead it looks like." Jarred looked away as he said the last statement. "Perhaps this is what God wanted. He wanted us to save the Saintess to finally end the Demon King." Ragnar seemed much too excited for Kalika''s taste. "And why do we need the Saintess now?" Sylph questioned. "Perhaps the powers are necessary to finally kill the Demon King and end his reign of terror!" Ragnar got up excitedly. Jarred pondered this thought for a moment. "You''re probably right. If this is true, then God will want us to retreat with the Saintess until we all get much stronger." Eh. Why are they referring to me as the Saintess?" Kalika was a little confused until she remembered that she had stolen the title that actually belonged to her sister. It seems that her past deeds convinced the world''s populace to believe this lie. With this fact in mind,Kalika felt a little awkward as she now had to break the news to these people. "Uh. Hey-" "If the Saintess is alive, wouldn''t that mean the heir of Dahlia would be here, too?" Jarred suddenly asked. "Perhaps, the Royal family may be just a prisoner of war." Sylph pondered. Ragnar started to burn with Passion upon hearing this. "So maybe the Lord is alive too! And if that''s the case we must keep fighting to release them!" The group was so entrenched by the possibility that the Royal family was alive that they almost forgot about Kalika. Jarred noticed Kalika''s sad demeanor and turned to her. "Do you know where your sister might be?" Kalika was surprised to hear this question. "¡­My sister? ¡­. She''s-" Kalika was so deep in thought about what to say that she failed to notice that she was starting to get closed off and captured by an ocean of blood. This was clearly Rakon''s doing. Like lightning, Jarred jumped over to grab Kalika, and with a kick from his leg on the wall, he escaped the trap, almost being enclosed with her. "A Demon!" Ragnar readied his shield. A clone of Rakon formed from the blood. And started walking to the group with an angry expression. His fingers became long claws that scratched the floor with minimal effort. The Rakon blood clone attempted to swipe at Kalika and Jarred. As if Ragnar teleported, he blocked the attack, and his eyes were now glowing blue. Sylph followed Ragnar up with a wind magic attack that pierced the clone like a bullet, then rapidly expanded in its body. Separating the top and bottom half of its body. It then instantly turned back to a pool of blood. This shook Kalika. She had no idea that he could make a clone of himself out of nowhere. "We should leave now," Jarred said. "What about the heir?" Ragnar retorted. "There''ll be other times." Jarred eyes were glowing blue. "If we don''t leave now, we''ll be overwhelmed. They have guards on their way now." Sylph quickly felt the wall to sense the dungeon floor. "They''re blocking our paths of escape!" "Is there another exit Sylph?" "I-I Don''t know. Let me check" Sylph took a moment and focused until she seemed to have found something. "There''s an exit on the side of the mountain, but it''s on the second floor of this dungeon." "That''s three floors up!" Ragar was surprised to hear this. Jarred readied himself. "Alright we''ll just have to fight right through them. Alright just follow us¡­. Uh-" "No. I''m not going." Kalika interrupted. The heroes were shocked by what Kalika just said. "I''m not the person you''re looking for. You''re better off just leaving me behind." a trace of uncertainty laced in her voice as it trembled. Her eyes darted away instinctively. Her fear was evident to the heroes to the point where they noticed her instinctually returning to her cell. as much as she wanted to be freed from this hell, she had a sharp feeling in her gut telling her it wouldn¡¯t end well. "If I leave then-" Kalika instantly fell asleep, collapsing forward. Sylph forced her to sleep with one of her spells. "God knows what they''ve done to her." Jarred kneels down to pick up Kalika. To Jarred''s surprise, Kalika''s body was much sturdier than he''d expected. He couldn''t help but look at Kalika in shock. "Unforgivable. Let''s show no mercy to these beasts!" Ragnar was angry. Jarred brought Kalika to Ragnar. "Alright, lead the way, Sylph. Ragnar and I will be right behind you!" Ragnar wasted little time using his immense strength to grab the now sleeping Kalika, tucking her under one of his arms. With Kalika in hand and a destination plotted out, they ventured towards the dungeon exit. Although they had just turned the corner, guards were already waiting.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Sylph took the initiative to blast the guards with fire spells. Jarred followed her up, slicing the heads off of the remaining guards. More guards appeared to attack Jarred, but he fended them off easily. With the guards dispatched , they continued to rush forth to the waves of enemies they would face. They''re ambushed left and right, but the demon guards'' plans are foiled each time. "Come on you bastards! Is that all you''ve got!" Jarred''s fierce determination shined through. They finally made it through to one floor. Soon they turned the corner to be met with a flurry of fire blasts. Using his one free hand , Ragnar got in front of the group and blocked the incoming attack with his shield. "Crap. Thanks Ragnar! Sylph!" "Rodger!" Understanding Jarred''s desire Sylph places a magic spell on Jarred. Jarred ran to the demons firing the magic fireballs. Seeing him, they attempted to kill him only to find their spells being repelled! One last fireball hits him, shattering some sort of magic barrier. But by then, it was too late, as the demons were slaughtered easily. "Alright! Clear!" Ragnar and Sylph raced down, and they continued to run into demons of mixed talents. It was becoming harder and harder to fight their way out of the dungeon. To any normal warrior, however, fighting a horde of demons these Heroes encountered would''ve taken an army to escape at their pace. Once again, they passed another floor, then another floor reaching their target dungeon floor. "Alright! We''re almost there, guys." Sylph was starting to run out of breath. Fighting all the demons they were encountering was starting to take its toll on the heroes. Sylph then paused. "What is it, Sylph?" Jarred started to get concerned. "There''s three demons with immense magic powers. Two of them are a couple of floors above, and another... on this floor." "How close are they?" he quickly asked. "Right here," a voice said. Jarred turned to find a blue demon with black hair. He turned upside down in midair, posed and ready to strike at Jarred with a strange red dagger. This was demon general Kel. "When did it-!" Jarred quickly blocked its attack. This greatly impressed Kel. "So, you''re quick on your feet, too. This''ll be fun." ******** Elsewhere , Lillian and Lucius were rushing through the dungeon. They kept coming across the corpses of guards after guards. When Lucius was informed about intruders in the dungeon, He never expected a graveyard. It dressed like a battlefield with cuts and blood on the wall, along with stains of soot from fire He looks at Lillian, seeing her dead seriously. It was like she sensed something that he couldn''t. A gut feeling, perhaps. Lucius couldn''t help but narrow his eyes, realizing they had to ensure these intruders didn''t escape their grasp at all costs. ******** Back with Jarred, he clashed with Kel. Their swords clashed constantly, faster than any normal warrior would be able to accomplish. It was becoming harder and harder for Sylph and Ragnar to find an opening to fight back against the demon. It wasn''t long before Kel started dodging. He jumped around the corridor from wall to wall. "You''re very strong for a human. You three must be the Heroes of Prophecy the humans have been going on about for years." Kel then paid attention to Sylph who was still out of breath. Seeing an opening he attacked her. Luckily for Sylph, Ragnar protected her with his shield, blocking the attack to Kel''s surprise. Kel then got a glimpse of Ragar holding Kalika. Kel retreated some distance from the heroes, becoming more serious. Jarred regrouped with Sylph and Ragnar. Sylph then dug into one of her pouches to bring up a beaker of green liquid. She wasted no time opening it and drinking it. "Sorry guys, that''s the last of our vitality potions. I''m sure you two understand." "Yeah, don''t worry about it, Sylph," Jarred assured. Ragnar also agreed with him as they stared down the Demon General before them. Kel only cocked his head slightly, seeing them not yet attacking. "I thought the Heroes of Prophecy would be here to kill our king. Not steal our queen''s favorite toy." Jarred instantly got infuriated by this statement Kel made. "Toy? This woman is not some toy!" Jarred yelled. "I heard that the Demon Queen was cruel. But I never imagined that she would use the royal family as their own form of entertainment. Your kind must''ve tortured her, keeping her alive this entire time, too. How despicable" Sylph was now starting to prepare some magic in her hands. Kel could only chuckle. "I didn''t know the Heroes of Prophecy were idiots too. I almost feel sorry for you poor saps." "Truly unforgivable monsters," Ragnar stated. Jarred stepped up taking points. "I won''t need your shield, Ragnar." Jarred''s eyes glowed green as did Sylphs and Ragnars. Magic fire rained from both sides of Kel who easily dodged the flurry of attacks of fire and earth spikes. Finding an opening, he used the opportunity to jump from the wall to close the distance between him and Sylph. Jarred blocked his attack. "I don''t think so!" Kel backed off avoiding all the fireball attacks being pelted at him. Tendrils of water magic reached out to grab him, each one missing its mark Running on the wall, he clashed blades with Jarred once more. They exchanged parries and blocks; all the while, Kel was easily dealing with the pressure of the fireballs. Eventually, Kel used his trump card, extending his dagger and transforming it into a sword. Jarred blocked it, but the sword scratched the side of Jarred''s face from the sheer force of the wind. "Should''ve known it was a demon blade. Cursed weapons that only demons can use, huh?" Jarred sneered. "I wouldn''t say that it''s demon-exclusive." Kel responded, cracking a smile. The blade quickly reverted back into a dagger. And like an acrobat he continued to jump around at blinding speed. Switching it up between a long-bladed weapon and a short-bladed weapon. Kel''s speed was starting to get overwhelming. He was starting to run in circles around the group. He started taunting them, where they stood. It was starting to feel like he was just trying to buy time. A time that they knew they needed. "Sylph, could you slow him down!?" Jarred yelled. She immediately started using a spell only to find that this was what Kel was waiting for. He was completely behind Sylph and Ragnar, a blind spot to take out their Mage. He instantly made his dagger become a sword and slashed through Sylph! But to his surprise, his sword went through her like she didn''t exist. Sylph glanced back at Kel, smiling contently. "Thanks Ragnar." "Don''t mention it." Ragnar proceeded to trade places with Sylph , who was holding his armor, and bashed the baffled Kel in the face. Now stunned, Sylph started to pummel the demon Kel into a nearby wall with her immense fire magic. She continued pelting him until Jarred was ready. Jarred¡¯s sword was now posed to do a vertical strike. And despite not being close enough to slash Kel he still opts to swing his sword down as hard as possible. "Take this!!" With that, he created a blue air slash, cutting Kel and defeating the general! Kel now leaned on the wall. But by some miracle he was alive. The slash seemed to have missed Kel''s head completely, as he now had a visible vertical cut on his torso. He attempted to grab his blade, but it was in vain. All he could do was breathe shallowly. "We should finish him," Ragnar said. "No. We can''t waste any more time. The other powerful demon will be here any moment." Ragnar and Jarred complied with Sylph, and they headed to the exit.. All Kel could do was watch on. "D¡­ Damn it." The sound of running was heard before Kel passed out. Back with the group of Heroes, they arrived at the desired location. Unfortunately, the exits have been heavily blocked, likely to keep people from escaping. Kalika, to their surprise, woke up. "W¡­what? Where am I?" she muttered, sleepily. "It looks like she woke up. Isn''t the spell supposed to last a day?" Ragnar asked. "Yeah. Perhaps she has a high resistance to magic." Jarred was looking and examining the rubble before them. "Hey sylph. Can you take care of this?" "Easy." Sylph raised her hand, and to Kalika''s shock, She blew away the rubble in front of them as if she were able to control the earth itself. Kalika couldn''t help but be amazed by this show of power. "Alright let''s go!" Jarred yelled and he started to run outside concerning Kalika. Everyone started running outside, including Ragnar who was still holding her. "W-wait no! There''s a cliff!!" Kalika was instantly blinded by the light and adjusted to find they were all falling down from the cliff. "We''re all dead. NO. They''re dead¡­" To Kalika''s absolute shock, she found that they had floated the last few feet down. They all landed with no problems. Ragnar kneeled down to release Kalika safely on the ground. Kalika wobbled, still trying to grasp the situation. "Heh. sorry about that¡­ Kalika right?" Jarred started to approach Kalika, reaching out a hand. She looked up and found the man more captivating in the moonlit sky. He smiled gently and patiently waited for Kalika''s response. She was instantly smitten with the man and blushed. "I¡­was rescued." Kalika grabbed his hands. and started to well up with emotions. "Thank you!" Kalika cried from joy for the first time in a long time. Jarred chuckled a little. "Of course." We can''t stay here for long. Are you able to walk?" Sylph suddenly asked. Kalika wiped the tears from her eyes. Before checking her own body internally. "I¡­ I think so-" Kalika tripped over herself. Ragnar wasted no time in presenting Kalika with his own back and offering her to climb on. "I''d be honored to carry you. if you see fit, milady." Kalika cringed a little at Ragnar¡¯s offer. "He''s actually quite the gentle guy," Jarred reassured. With some reluctance she took Ragnar''s offer, riding on his back into the nearby forest and going south. As happy as Kalika was about leaving the dungeon once again. She couldn''t shake the feeling that staying with these Heroes would only lead to a disaster. ******** Back with Lillian and Lucius, they''re looking after Kel. Lillian just finished using healing magic on Kel, saving his life. On closer inspection, Lillian doesn''t seem to be wearing the Ring given to her by Lucius. A guard approaches the two with the news. "She''s gone," He stated. Lillian''s eyes turned black upon hearing this. "FIND HER." Chapter 14: Calm Night The Heroes were traveling through the forest, along with Kalika on Ragnar''s back. They seemed to be making good progress. They were not all as fast as Bjorn, but she could say for certain that any normal human wouldn''t be able to reach their level of speed either. Jarred suddenly stopped. He looked through the tree to see the time of day. It was still late into the night. "Alright, I think we should be far enough. Here, let me check something." Jarred started to climb the tree. After a few moments, he jumped down. "There''s a side of a cliff that way. Let''s camp there." Jarred led the way this time simply hiking. Sylph finally set her hood down, revealing her short brown hair and hazel eyes. She started to gather little branches and sticks with some expertly controlled magic. It was mystifying watching Sylph use her magical abilities. It almost made Kalika envious. "Do you need me to bring down a whisp tree too?" Ragnar asked Jarred. "Yeah, once we''ve reached the spot, I''ll help you too. After some time, they all finally made it to the area in question. They were starting to build a layout for a camp at the edge of a cavern entrance. Ragnar set Kalika down by a nearby wall, wasting no time entering back into the forest. Jarred followed suit with an ax in hand. "Sylph. Me and Ragnar will get that whisp wood. You can handle the rest, right?" "Yup. I have it all under control." Sylph''s eyes glowed purple. She stuck her hands into the air for it to be swallowed by nothing. Kalika was shocked to see this. "W-what the-!" "Relax. This is normal. As the Heroes of Prophecy, God bestowed us a series of powers. They say Heroes are supposed to have four, but there''s only three we each know of ¡­" Sylph pulled out a large bag stuffed with items. "One of them, for me, is the storing of things we could use. Unfortunately, it doesn''t work for food. But it''s still useful." Kalika simply watched in amazement as Sylph continued to pull stuff out of nothing. She was even able to pull out a table! "We all have our own set of skills, each with their own little uses." Sylph waved her fingers at the items she pulled out, and as if ordered, they all unpacked themselves, creating a cozy campsite in mere minutes. "This is amazing! I never knew that magic could be used like this!" Kalika started to get up to look around. She wobbled a little but had a good grasp on her balance again. "Like it? It''s a combination of earth with some wind magic. It''s hard to tell since the rocks are smaller than the size of a grain. I can teach you if you''d like." Kalika immediately became quiet after hearing Sylph''s suggestion. "N-no thanks I''m fine." Kalika started to become a little more reserved, which left Sylph a little puzzled. "Alright we''re back!" Jarred said aloud. Both Jarred and Ragnar were carrying a huge tree log. It looked very much impossible for two men to carry alone. It was like this group of Heroes were not short of surprises. Ragnar settled the log down close to their campsite. "Alright I''ll cut these up in the morning, and then we''ll have some ingredients for more of those Vitality potions tomorrow." "Vitality potions?" Kalika wondered. Kalika couldn''t understand the use of a big tree, so despite her curiosity, she chose not to ask about it. Soon, everyone started to settle down around the campfire that Sylph had put together. Sylph then went on to produce three different Barriers that encompassed the entire campsite. "Alright. Now, we should be safe for the night." Sylph announced. Jarred let out a big sigh of relief. However, he looked very disappointed as he started to talk. "And here I thought we''d be fighting the Demon King tonight. Still, at least we were able to save you." Jarred glanced at Kalika, who was sitting close to him. Kalika blushed, a little embarrassed. She glanced at Jarred then looked away just as quickly. "Yup! And another day of living is another day to fight!" Ragnar seems to be very happy. "Hey, Jarred, mind passing some of that jerky?" "Sure thing, Rag." Jarred looked into his bag grabbing some jerky. He passed it along to everyone. "Do you want some too, Kalika?" he asked Kalika. She''d never actually eaten anything like it. To her, it looked like dried skin from one of those red demons. It looked a little disgusting, but she opted to try it anyway. To her surprise, she liked it a little more than expected. A little salty, but better than what she''d been given in the past. There was a silence as everyone simply ate. Suddenly Kalika broke the Silence. "By the way¡­ How do you know who I am?" Jarred was nonchalant as he pointed to Ragnar. "The big guy there used to live in this country, too. Until he moved up north." Jarred took a last bite from his Jerky. "Who knew about the country before the invasion." Jarred then whispered loudly, covering his mouth so only Kalika knew what he said. "He can get pretty sentimental at times." "I heard that!" Ragnar interjected. Both Sylph¡¯s and Jarred¡¯s Chuckle felt like it was an inside joke. Seeing this, Kalika couldn''t help but smile at this event. "Oh yeah!" Jarred realized that they had forgotten something. "Sorry, we still haven''t introduced ourselves yet, have we? I''m Jarred." "Sylph." she smiled. "And I''m Ragnar" he brought up his shield, with pride, setting it back down. They went one by one, introducing themselves, sharing a little of each of their lived experiences as the Heroes of Prophecy. they joked, they quarreled and they shared even more stories. Kalika cracked a rare smile hearing these stories. all of the stories and tales being told sounded so hopeful, compared to the life she¡¯s lived. "So, these are the Heroes of Prophecy¡­" Kalika¡¯s mood became somber and silent as she thought about the horrible things Lillian did and the things she¡¯s done herself. They lived in a completely different world from her. a world she could never hope to reach. "It''s¡­ nice to meet you all¡­" Kalika said. She quickly went back into silence, unsure what else to say.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "Umm... By the way¡­ uh¡­ Kalika¡­ out of curiosity... What happened eighteen years ago?" Jarred asked. Kalika was confused for a moment. "Y-you know, when the Demon invasion¡­ first started." Kalika was surprised by his straightforwardness. "Oh¡­. That. I¡­¡± She brought her head down, guilt building up within. ¡°It''s complicated¡­" "Well, what about your family? You had a dad and sister right." "My¡­ My father''s dead." "And your sister?" Jarred pressed. Kalika cringed a little, narrowing her eyes. "It''s Complicated¡­" Sylph immediately scolded Jarred seeing Kalika''s distress. "Jeez Jarred. Can''t you tell she doesn''t want to talk about it!" "O-oh. I''m sorry." Jarred rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly. Kalika smiled bitterly before responding once more. "It''s fine¡­" "No, it''s not. and I''m sure you''ve been through a lot." Sylph was obviously trying to comfort Kalika, but it didn''t do much to improve Kalika''s mood. Kalika simply remained silent. Ragnar started to join in with his own questions. "By the way. How did you hold up being imprisoned all these years?" "Ragnar!" Sylph scolded. "Hey, I''m just a little curious myself." Ragnar raised his hands in defense. "Most people in her situation would''ve broken down and fallen into despair, especially if they were being tortured for so long. If she was of course." "That''s not the point! you two keep-" "My hatred," Kalika Suddenly said. Everyone paused for a moment. "My hatred for those demons. It''s the only thing that I know that''s keeping me going¡­" Kalika started clutching her hands as she refused to lift her head. "If there''s one thing I want to do, it''s to kill as many of them as possible. Even so¡­ Right now, I wouldn''t be able to do it¡­" "Why is that?" Sylph asked. "I¡¯ve been contracted a blood blad- Erm¡­ a demon blade." Everyone was surprised to hear this. "I heard that once it''s been contracted, you won''t be able to attack anyone else unless you use that contracted blade... I''ve heard all about it, but I don''t think I''ve seen someone trying to attack without one yet." Jarred was baffled yet curious. "Yes, I heard that some men were forced to be discharged dishonorably from the army if they ever took up one of those blades, forged by demon blood. It''s truly a shame." Jarred suddenly approached Kalika, crouched in front of her, to her surprise. "Hey," Jarred spoke dreamily in Kalika''s Eyes. Jarred was so close to her that it was making her heartbeat faster. Kalika''s full attention was now on him. "Can you try punching me?" "W-w-what??" Kalika was instantly brought out of her stupor. Ragnar laughed heartily as Sylph could only facepalm out of frustration from her companion''s forwardness. "What? I''m curious." he defended "Haven''t you heard that curiosity killed the cat!?" Sylph retorted. Kalika was confused at where the charming guy had gone. He felt more like a kid than a man. "Sorry about him. He''s a bit of a weapon nut. He likes to study the swords and their effect since he comes from a line of blacksmiths." "R-really¡­" Kalika was surprised to hear this since he looked like someone you''d find in a noble household. "He also comes from Gallock, one of the wealthiest countries from the Tyres continent. Apparently even the poor have houses to sleep under," Sylph finished. Kalika couldn''t help but feel that what she said was an indirect blow to her country''s pride. She then realized that she was not familiar with the country they were talking about at all. "Wait¡­ Gallock. I never heard of that country before." Ragnar threw a scroll from a backpack beside him. "Ow!" It hit the back of Jarred''s head, who immediately recognized it. Ragnar started to explain the Kalika. "Gallock is a country far west of our continent. In fact, there''s only one small bit of land that can be used to travel through to get to this continent. Otherwise, it''d be a damn long trip on the sea." Jarred pointed to the part of the maps that Rangar was referring to. "I had no idea this world was so big¡­" Kalika was surprised as she looked at the map. "Yeah. It took us a while to come together, not to mention travel here too." Jarred started to put the map away. Jarred then angled his face. "C''mon. C''mon." Jarred was pushing Kalika to attack him to show if the curse of the blood blade was true. "Really Jarred." Sylph sighed. "You might as well do it, Kalika. As weird as it was, Kalika listened and tried punching Jarred in the face. Her fist stood still at the pose, ready to strike, and she couldn''t move. Kalika tried to move her arm to make a punching motion, but it wouldn''t budge an inch. "Are you gonna do it or what?" Jarred asked. He glanced to see that she was struggling. It looked as though she was constipated. Kalika then tried punching the air with the same exact results, to her shock. "I guess you really can''t attack." A glint then came to Jarred¡¯s eyes. "Hmmm¡­ I wonder what properties of demon blood make you unable to attack. Maybe it''s an indirect curse. No. Maybe it''s making the weapon sentient itself. No. no that''s too weird." Jarred¡¯s rambling continued on. Kalika could only look at her hands in frustration. "I''m just useless." "Don''t say that! Even if you can''t fight back, news of your survival will burn the fires of war back into your fellow man!" Ragnar was giving a wide grin. "Yeah. That''s what matters." Sylph added. Jarred approached Kalika again, this time putting his hands on her shoulder. "Look, just because you''re not able to help fight back because of a curse doesn''t make you useless. What matters is that you''re safe now. Besides, we''ll be there to protect you together!" Jarred looked very optimistic. Kalika, but this only reminded her of her deceit. "I should tell them. I''m not the Saintess¡­ That''s the only reason he''s saying this..." "H-hey. I have something important to tell you guys¡­" Kalika looked back up to find them all looking at her with such caring gazes. They were waiting intently to hear what she had to say. She froze, unsure how to tell them. "I¡­ I can''t tell them now. What if¡­" Kalika looked back down shyly. "Never mind¡­ I think I''ll retire for the night¡­" "I''m not like them. And, I''m not like her..." "O-oh. Okay," Jarred said. The others were a little disappointed. "Here. You can sleep in my tent tonight." Sylph offered, leading the way. "Thank you." Kalika followed Sylph into the roomy tent. Jarred sighed, watching them enter into the tent. "Do you think she''ll be alright?" Jarred asked Ragnar. "Only time will tell. After all, being a prisoner of war isn''t always the most luxurious experience. So, I pray that God will help her through this troubling time¡­" "Right¡­" Jarred said unsure. He then gave another sigh before him, and Ragnar smothered the campfire and entered their own tents for the night. "Night." "Yup." Sylph and Kalika laid in their own individual sleeping bags. Trying to sleep now. Kalika turned to her side, looking away from Sylph. She stayed silent but then got an inquiry from Sylph. "Hey. Kalika?" "Yeah?" "Have you ever talked with God?" "Why do you want to know?" Kalika asked. "From some people, I heard that only the Saintess could hear the voice of God. At the same time, others say that all the Heroes of Prophecy need to be together to hear his voice. I guess I just want to discern the truth¡­" "If it makes you feel better. No. I haven''t talked to him. But if I could¡­ I''d have a lot of questions." Sylph chuckled a little. "So, I''m not the only one¡­ Maybe tomorrow we''ll finally be able to talk to him." "I don''t know. Anything could happen." "That''s true." Sylph sounded a little happy, to Kalika''s surprise. This left her very unsure as she looked on in the dark tent. "Thank you, Kalika." "Thank you? For what?" Kalika was now getting a little confused. "It gives me hope that I can actually talk to God and finally get answers that I need to know. S-sorry I''m rambling a little. Let''s talk more in the morning. Good night, Kalika. Kalika didn''t respond. She went on to ponder. She just couldn''t help but get a tense feeling like a knot in her stomach. After a while, she finally was able to slip back into slumber. ******** Unknown to Kalika There''s a meeting in the throne room of the very Demon castle she was taken from. Lucius, Lillian, Rakon, Bjorn, Azar, and Jala are among the demons attending. The three generals bowed before their rulers. With her blackened eyes, Lillian clearly looked still quite angry as she stood before them.. "How is it that these intruders invaded this castle!?" Lillian demanded. There was silence inside the entire room. Nobody answered. Although the generals'' faces showed no fear, the guards behind trembled in fear. "Answer me!!" Lillian was reaching her peak until Lucius finally spoke up himself. "Lillian let it go. I understand your anger, but if this keeps up, you''ll end up killing more of our valued generals like last time." Lillian listened, backing away and returning to her own throne. "What actions have been taken thus far?" she then asked. Jala stood, keeping himself bowed to her. "We already have men scouting forest to the south and checkpoints and lookouts. If there''s anywhere they''ll go, it''s likely to be the territory being defended by the Confederation of Dahlia." "How annoying," Lucius winced. "Of course, I plan on scouting myself, being second best to Ek. Give me a day. Then I''ll send you a signal that only I can send. Then we will punish these thieves who dare steal your beloved toy." Jala''s face was that of someone who would die for a cause. Lillian, despite her still serious demeanor, was satisfied with this answer. "Alright. So be it. Go now and find her. But when you find these people, I want to personally kill them myself!!" Lillian''s eyes glowed an even brighter red beneath her black and rageful eyes. Jala bowed once more, taking his leave. Rakon looked satisfied with the results of the meeting. They all watched as Jala left the throne room. "Now then. Let''s talk about improvements to our castle''s security." Rakon smiled. Chapter 15: Ambush!! "Kalika~." Lillian''s voice rang out. Kalika opened her eyes to see the back of a blonde girl''s head. She was trembling from fear. "It''s been such a long time since I''ve seen you happy¡­ Please¡­ give me a smile." The blonde girl turns her head slowly to reveal herself as Kalika. Kalika who was seeing this, was completely confused at seeing herself. A blue hand stroked the chin of the girl, who is now forcing the smile. "Is this good?" Kalika¡¯s copy asked. She then lets out a shriek of pain. Kalika something wet and slimy as grasped something fleshy that pulsed in her hand. It kept going, beating faster and faster as if in anticipation of something. As much as Kalika wanted to rip away her hand from whatever she was touching, she was unable to control anything. Not her feelings. Not her voice. Not even her body It felt as though she could only stand witness to some horrific experience that wasn¡¯t hers. Soon the eyes of the terrified copy before Kalika grew more dead. The girl then gave a more genuine smile and started giggling with eyes more crazed like a maniac. An alien feeling of disappointment washed over Kalika. "I broke her again¡­" Lillian''s voice said. Kalika then found herself hugging the still giggling girl. A sharp pain arose as she pinched her sharp finger, allowing blood to flow, and stuck it in the girl''s mouth. Kalika could see the eyes of her own face turn from green to gray for a second. A scream is heard from the girl. "I knew my sister was strong!" Lillian sounded very pleased. "IT HURTS! IT HURTS! PLEASE STOP IT!" The girl looked back at her with a mixture of fear and confusion. For some reason¡­ Kalika could feel a sense of happiness swelling in her. Kalika could feel the squeezing of the hand on something fleshy until it became mush. The eyes of the girl became dead and soon revitalized after a few seconds. The girl''s trembling resumed. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. Please. I don''t want this anymore. Please, just let me go." The whimpers fell on deaf ears as Lillian placed her right hand on Kalika''s chin and held her by the stomach with her other hand. "Why would I let go of what belongs to me? Especially when you''re the only thing that brings me any happiness." Lillian, without warning, stabbed Kalika in the neck with her finger. Killing Kalika once again. As Kalika''s eyes became dead once more, Lillian spoke again. "You''re the only family I have left after all¡­ No matter where you go¡­ No matter where you Hide¡­ I will always find you." There was a tinge of sadness behind this voice. It was like Lillian''s character suddenly changed. Lillian hugged Kalika''s body as she woke from being dead. It was a strange sight. "What??" Kalika suddenly woke up. She found herself inside of a roomy tent. A far departure from the prison cell she was in for some time. "Where am I?" She then remembered that she had been rescued by the Heroes. She lay back down to look at the tent''s ceiling. It was a strange sight to behold, but she was also happy about it. It wasn''t long before Sylph entered the tent with a bucket of green liquid. "Ah, you''re awake." Sylph placed the bucket by a table with some vials and beakers. "I have a fresh set of clothes right beside you. They''re some of my old set of clothes so I hope you don''t mind." Kalika looked over to find some basic women''s apparel. It was something nobles wouldn''t wear, but it was also much better than what the unprivileged could afford. Sylph grabbed a beaker dipping it into the green liquid. She repeated this process filling each one on the table. "By the way, there''s a river close by if you''d like to wash up." Kalika frowned at hearing this. "Can''t you pull out a tub with your powers?" "We''re actually using that for the wisp tree outside. Sorry." Kalika was disappointed to hear this. A brown cloth was then thrown onto Kalika. Kalika could only sigh as she looked at the cloth in her hand. Although she didn''t want to do it, She also didn''t want to smell bad in front of her saviors. especially since she was still the adopted daughter of the previous Lord Julian. ******** After some time washing in the riverbank, Kalika finished. Sylph even helped to stand guard and helped Kalika when she needed it. "All done?" Sylph asked. Kalika affirmed as she was now dressed in the new clothes given to her. Although the clothes weren''t her style, she didn''t complain since she always wore prisoner''s clothes. She glanced back at the riverbank, wondering how she looked after being locked away for almost fifteen years. She tried to get a closer look but found the waves of the river overbearing, leaving her unable to see herself. She quickly gave in, opting to tag along with Sylph as they briefly walked through the forest to their campsite. "Alright. Now that you''re finished, we just have to finish making the last few-minute preparations." "Preparations? For what?" Kalika became curious. "Well, Ragnar has to finish breaking down the whisp tree, and Jarred is trying to put the last touches on his sword. We have to be prepared to fight, and leaving traces would be troublesome." "Oh. Alright." "It helps that we''re not too far from the borders, but you can never be too careful." Altogether added. Kalika can now see them making last-minute preparations. Just as Sylph was saying , Ragnar was chopping the last bit of the whisp tree while Jarred was tinkering with his platinum blade. With Jarred, was also an assortment of magic crystals, which surprised Kalika.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. To Sylph''s surprise Kalika approached Jarred, curious about why he had magic crystals. She started hovering around his work table, which he immediately noticed. "Oh, hey. I see you''re looking a lot better than before." Jarred saw that Kalika''s gaze was fixed on the crystals on the table. "Why do you have these?" she asked curiously. "These white shining crystals? Oh, I''ve been tinkering with these for a while now. I think it''s possible to harness their powers in weapons. It works a little, but I just can''t get the right one¡­" "White crystals?" Kalika looked at the differently colored crystals, somewhat curious about what he was talking about. "Well, you know they''re all just white crystals that shine, but for some reason, they''re always random." Sylph joined in. "Yeah. Crystals like this are always unpredictable. A literal disaster waiting to happen." "But¡­ These aren''t white." Kalika stated. "The white ones would have holy magic in them." Kalika started to point at a red crystal. "This one is a red crystal. It normally contains fire magic. And this brown crystal here, that has earth magic." Jarred was a little baffled listening to Kalika. "You can see colors in these?" "Yeah, it''s clear as day." Ragnar suddenly showed up carrying a lot of chopped wood. "That''s interesting, you''re saying that these white crystals have different colors?" "Perhaps your skill helps you to distinguish different sources of energy." Sylph hypothesized. "It''d make sense since, as the Saintess, you need to be able to detect the good from the bad." "N-no Wait¡­" Kalika didn''t want them to continue to think that she was the Saintess. Kalika looked down to muster up what little courage she had. "I have to tell them." "E-everyone stop¡­ I''m not the¡­" Kalika couldn''t say anymore. She started to choke, unable to tell them the truth. "Why can''t I just say it?" A fear welled up in Kalika''s heart that felt unnatural. It was the fear of rejection. After all, how could she be forgiven for everything she''d done for her own gain? "Are you alright, Kalika?" Jarred asked. Unknown to Kalika, she was becoming pale. Everyone was starting to worry for her. "I-I''m alright. Please. Don''t worry about me." Kalika suddenly felt a strange and dark sensation. A dark energy could be felt that couldn''t be mistaken. It could only be one thing. The energy felt like a demon''s bloodlust. The sound of explosions and shattering glass was heard from a distance. Everyone was now on high alert. "What the-! How did they find us!?" Ragnar shouted in disbelief. "We have to leave now! Everyone!!" Sylphs quickly ordered. Ragnar dropped the wood logs, and Jarred sheathed his sword, quickly gathering up the magic crystals he had collected. Ragnar suddenly hoisted Kalika up and into his arms. "H-hey!" Without looking at Kalika, Ragnar apologizes. Kalika could tell just by Ragnar¡¯s expression that the situation was very dire. Without wasting further time, they all took off running. Kalika could see fireballs grazing the heroes and hitting the trees. There was no doubt that they were now being chased. "Damn it! How did they find us???" Jarred questioned. ******** Far behind the heroes was General Jala along with some of his subordinates. His demeanor was serious as he was now in pursuit. "It''s just like you said, General! But how did you know they''d be here?" a Demon soldier asked. "Easy. Their Barrier may have been perfect for hiding their presence. But the lack of magic energy in this area gave them away. After all, all forms of life carry some form of magic, even plants." The demon soldier didn''t understand too much but complemented Jala anyway. Jala ignores him. "Argh! They''re starting to get away!" a soldier exclaimed. Jala then started to think about the situation. These Humans can run as fast as they want. But they won''t be able to reach outside our boundaries." ******** Unknown to the group of Heroes, an ambush was set up and ready for their group. Demons lying in wait in the trees for any possible movements they find. Suddenly, the groups of heroes pass the scouts. With their location discovered, one of them sends a fireball into the sky in the location of the Heroes. It then explodes, getting everyone''s attention, including the Heroes, who understand the meaning behind it. "Crap!" Jarred yelled. "What happened?" Kalika asked in a panic. "It''s an ambush. We have no choice but to fight back!" Suddenly some demons come on the attack, provoking Jarred to bring out his platinum sword. He easily dispatches two demons while Sylph takes care of some of the other ones. They all found themselves in the middle of the forest surrounded by demons hiding. Fireballs and arrows alike came raining down on them. All they could do was hide behind trees as Sylph was readying a new spell. Soon, with powerful wind magic, Sylph devastated the forest area, making a giant clearing and then following up with a fort-like shelter made of earth magic. "Is everyone alright?" Sylph quickly asked. Jarred looked around, still a little cautious. "I''m fine here. Kalika. Ragnar." "We''re okay over here." Kalika was released from Ragnar''s grasp. "They were expecting us to move south. It''s gonna be difficult fighting these demons." "They''re after me." Kalika suddenly stated. "Well, they can forget about it! Sylph Protect Kalika. Ragnar you''re with me. We''re gonna carve our way through these demons." "Eh-hurhurhur. I thought you''d never ask." Ragnar grabbed his shield and transformed it into an Ax, surprising Kalika. Demons start to surround the makeshift fort, and Ragnar and Jarred run out without warning. They started slaughtering demons left and right. They even expertly counter all the projectiles heading in their direction. They killed all the demons that surrounded them pushing themselves into the forest to kill the remainder of their pursuers. They fight. Block and destroy trees in their way of their path of escape. As Jarred and Ragnar Fought, Kalika couldn''t understand why they would go so far to protect her. "You sure are gloomy. Come on, keep your head held high. The moment you lose hope is the minute you lose the battle. Jarred and Ragnar can do it! Without a doubt. So don''t worry about a thing." A demon suddenly approached Ragnar from behind. He was seemingly defenseless, but as the attack hit the sword, it only bounced off of Ragnar. Ragnar turned to the demon and, with his eyes glowing green, swiftly killed the stunned demon with his ax. Jarred didn''t let Ragnar outshine him as he slashed an elemental air strike at multiple demons hiding in the tree. "Looks like you''re lucky when it counts." Ragnar joked. "You got that right! That makes mine twenty-six to your Twenty-four." "Don''t get too cocky. Heh." Ragnar continued to kill demons with a smile and Jarred followed not too far behind. Eventually they practically carved out a path through the immaculate number of demons. "SYLPH NOW!" Jarred yelled. Not missing a beat, Sylph brought the shelter down, grabbing Kalika''s hand. Sylph then went on to make a water platform, with its face pointing towards Jarred and Ragnar. Stepping on the sideways platform, she built a current of wind magic. "Hold on tight!" Like a cannon, Sylph launched herself and Kalika towards the two men, shocking Kalika to her core. Kalika held as tight as she could, and before they knew it, they reached Jarred and Ragnar. Thanks to Sylph''s mastery of magic, they were able to stop safely on the ground. "W-what was that!?" Sylph ignored the question and instead inquired Jarred and Ragnar about the situation. "How far are we from the border??" Ragnar''s eyes glowed blue, and he quickly answered. "There''s a large ground fissure just beyond this forest. Once we make it there, we should be able to reach a checkpoint just past that point." Sylph looked in that direction , mentioning that the forest exit wasn''t too far from them. They were close to the forest exit, where they knew they had a fighting chance. "Alright, let''s make that push then!" Sylph''s eyes started to glow green and many different fireballs appeared and like a monster, she released a torrent of fireballs in many different directions carelessly. Jarred was shocked to see Sylph doing this. "Hey! What are you doing, Sylph!" "I''m creating an opening. Now go!" Everyone looked to see a straight path to the forest¡¯s exit. It was like she conjured a wall of fire to protect them. Using the opportunity, they all took off, with Ragnar again lifting Kalika into his arms. The forest was starting to burn all around them. It wasn''t long before they finally made it out. They reached rock terrain, and, as Ragnar said, there was indeed a large fissure. Right below, it seemed to have been a cave that had collapsed Ragnar finally let Kalika down, seeing that demons had come to chase after them. "Alright, now we just need to cross. Sylph, are you able to make a bridge with your earth magic?" Jarred looked around for a way to get past it, but the entire fissure seemed to go on for miles. Kalika walked away from the group to watch the forest burn in the distance. Despite being out of danger, she couldn''t help but still feel an uneasiness in the air. "I can probably launch us across, but a bridge is out of the question. That''ll become exhausting to maintain." "Right. If that''s the case, start with bringing Kalika across first." Jarred turns to look back at Kalika. "Hey, Kalika." Kalika looked back. To everyone''s shock, a huge wall of ice separated Kalika and the other heroes without warning! The wall of ice became so high that it reached the heavens. "Here we are," a voice rang out. Kalika looked behind herself to find General Jala behind her. The red demon general with white hair and blue eyes, standing before the burning forest. "You, of all people, should know that escape is futile¡­" ******** General Bjorn was back at the castle, standing on the Balcony. He saw a large spear of ice reaching the clouds. Beside him was another demon subordinate. "Let the queen know that he found the girl." Chapter 16: Icy Determination Kalika found herself face-to-face with General Jala. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably as she looked at his well-built body. Despite his smooth complexion, Kalika could tell that this demon was built for war, just like that giant demon general, Bjorn, if not more so. "Stay away from me!" she yelled. Kalika backed onto the cold, icy wall behind her. She was trapped. She could start to hear the muffled yelling from behind the Ice wall. The Heroes were telling her to run, to escape, but at this point, escaping wasn''t a viable option. "Huh, I guess it is true that you''ve lost your memories¡­ I bet you don''t even remember who I am." Kalika was surprised by the demon''s response. "In case you''re wondering, I''ve had the unfortunate duty of capturing you a few times in the past from your poorly planned escape attempts. Not that any of them would''ve ever worked, but it sure as hell wasted my time." Jala raised his hands. An embrace of fire surrounded Kalika, appearing from thin air. Jala was trapping her in a circle of blue fire. The heat of the fire continued to rise even further; it felt as though he was cooking her alive. "Now be a good human and stay put. Seeing your face is already giving me a headache." "This bastard!¡± FWOOM!! A burst of heat sprang forth beside Kalika. Although the blast of fire was far from her, she could still feel the fire. The sudden explosion of fire even surprised the Jala, which witnessed the heroes stepping through the new entry. Their faces were determined, and their eyes glowed green. Sylph started to become a little disoriented from the last spell used. "No human should''ve been able to blast through that wall. At least no normal human." Jala narrowed his eyes as he looked at the heroes. The thought of the Demon King warning about the Heroes of Prophecy crossed his mind. "Heroes of Prophecy." Jala started to scowl. "The only humans in this world that could rival that of the Demon King. Alone you''re nothing but together¡­" "Your all become annoying," Jala readied a blue fireball in his hands. Jarred and Ragnar got into position. Ragnar once again with his shield at the ready, and Jarred has his sword posed. Sylph brought out a small vial of green liquid and didn''t hesitate to gulp it down. "Oh." Jala looked on curiously. "Kalika¡­ Leave this to us. We won''t let him take you." Jarred looked on with a serious gaze, not once taking his eyes off the demon. "It''s not me you should be worried about¡­ It''s time." It was like the air had become stiff and the wind silent. Kalika could only watch in anticipation to see who would make the first move. A gust of wind burst out, speed blazed hot like a comet. An explosion rang out! Jarred''s move was too fast for Kalika to make out anything. She saw a gash across the demon general''s chest as the smoke cleared. Balls of fire surrounded Jarred, and with the clasp of the demons'' hand, they all converged at once. Somehow, Jarred jumped back to his allies, miraculously with only a few scratches and ash. It was clear to Kalika that this was no mere fight, but a battle. The two men glowed brightly from a spell cast upon them, and without hesitation, they raced alongside each other. Ragnar quickly morphed his shield into an ax, slamming into the Demon general with bone-shattering force! The attack was fast, but Jala reacted faster as the ax rested between his two hands. Not far behind, Jarred aimed true for a killing blow only to be met with an explosion of blue flames beneath him. They could all tell this demon''s mastery of fire magic was extraordinary, even among demons. Sylph''s eyes started to glow green once again. It was clear she was ready to go all out on this powerful demon general. Jala, seeing things, threw off the trajectory of Ragnar''s ax. He swiftly and expertly dodged and avoided all the fireballs being pelted at him. Soon, Ragnar and Jarred came in to trap Jala between them as Sylphs'' rain of fireballs sprinkled from either side. Her eyes then glowed a brighter green and formed earth spikes above the demon, ready for use. "Fascinating. This is the first time humans cornered me like this¡­ but¡­" Sylph released the earth attack at the demon! Jala quickly halted himself, seemingly allowing himself to be hit from four directions. A cloud of dust and smoke came in, blocking Kalika''s and Sylph''s views. Sylph quickly stopped her spell, as concern for her allies arose. Once more, the cloud of smoke starts to dissipate, with anticipation starting to build. To the shock of Kalika and Sylph, not only were both attacks from the men completely stopped. But the demon general now had some sort of ice armor that was crumbling, leaving him unscathed. And by some strange miracle, the demon''s wound had healed! General Jala''s expression became more serious with a much more piercing blue gaze. ******** Back at the castle''s balcony, General Bjorn and Azar were conversing. "Why didn''t the queen just send you Bjorn? You have a much better history with the girl than any of us." "It''s not about History Azar. You should understand that better than anyone. Because if we''re truly dealing with the Heroes of Prophecy as the king fears, it''s better to send the strongest of his subordinates." Bjorn looked on at the spear of ice in the distance.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "And who better than the world''s first and only master of ice magic." ******** Back with the fight, the crackle of frost travels on the blades, and now,the armor becomes more and more audible. It was like the heat was being drained from even the men. They tried pulling themselves away but found themselves becoming stiffer and stiffer. It was starting to become suffocating as the heat started to become the winter season. Sylph understood something wasn''t right. Using magic, she reeled back the men, their weapons left behind in the demons'' hands. The two men were shivering and cold to the touch. Sylph quickly used fire magic to warm them up. "Are you okay? What happened??" Ragnar spoke up. "It''s like the bastard was draining the heat out of us. I never felt anything like it before!" Their weapons landed on their feet. They were given back their weapons. The demon general cracked his neck, moving on to his arms and finally his knuckles. "I''ve got all day¡­" Jala gazed back at the Heroes. "But I can''t say the same for you three." Jarred was getting pissed by the demon before him. Sylph narrowed her eyes at the demon, realizing something was amidst. She quickly doused the flames surrounding Kalika. The crackling of something glassy becomes audible. A trail of ice races past the heroes and Kalika enclosing the one exit they had. Jarred and Ragnar looked behind them to find the results of the strange attack. Jarred looked back at the demon general. "Of course. You''re trying to make us stay put. You must be waiting for reinforcements." "And reinforcements equal no escape for us. Is that right?" Sylph added. Jala didn''t answer. He simply waited in silence. They understood that they wouldn¡¯t get any further answers from this demon, so they readied for another offensive. All their eyes Glowed green once again. "Let''s go all out." "I''m right behind you Jarred." Once again, the two men sprinted forth into battle with victory on their minds. Sylph launched more coordinated fireball attacks at the demon, trouncing some of his own fire spells. All the while, the demon general countered and dodged each blow. Jarred charged up an elemental slash attack that quickly flew to its target. However, it was met by a wall of ice, dampening its impact. "Interesting," Jala said. Ragnar''s ax came swinging down, shattering the ground, and nearly hitting its intended target. "Tch!" Ragnar quickly changed his ax back into a shield to block a counterattack. The impact was hard, and he flew back into the ice wall beside Kalika. "Are you alright!" Ragnar huffed and puffed as he stumbled out of the small crater. "Don''t worry about a thing. Milady." Ragnar pulled a green vial from his pouch, drinking it. He roared with energy soon after sprinting back into battle. She could see that they were fighting so hard on her behalf. Their courage filled her with hope. She wanted to help, to fight back, to regain the freedom she once had. But as she was now, she had nothing beneficial to help them. The very guilt of being dead weight to the heroes weighed heavy on Kalika. And if there was anything Kalika hated more than the very existence of demons, it would be the feeling of powerlessness. The very thing she had suffered through all this time. The feeling of wanting to beat against the wall emerged. Watching this fast-paced battle only proved to show how pointless it was to struggle. And despite the uneven odds, they continue to fight. Even Sylph was still sending fireballs into the demon generals'' magic to cancel them out. Another crash into the ice wall is made. This time, Jarred took a blow in the gut. He spat out some blood; he wasted little time also grabbing a green vial and drinking it. He wiped his mouth and with his gaze, Kalika could tell he wasn''t about to give up. "Jarred, are you alright!" Sylph asked, concerned for him. "I''m alright. I think we''re starting to wear him down. He hides it very well, but it''s only a matter of time now." Without another word, Jarred went back into battle. This time, the hits were actually connected. The once seemingly invincible demon general looked more mortal with each blow he took. There was finally another opening on the demon general. Not another opportunity would come , so Jarred charged forth with every intention of ending things. One more slash and victory would be assured. A whirlwind of blood came from a strange magic that Jala was conjuring. The blood became immaculate and converged into a weapon. The demon general had conjured forth a demon blade! The two blades of the swords clashed, sparks flying in the air, and the sound of the blades echoed throughout the rocky terrain. Everyone was shocked to witness such a feat. Jarred jumped back from caution. Seeing that the demon general now had a weapon. His strange magic abilities already made him a strong opponent. Combine that with a weapon; they were dealing with a much deadlier foe. But seeing they had to finish the fight before reinforcements arrived, they couldn''t break down now. "Ragnar!" "Right!" Jarred and Ragnar dove back into battle. General Jala swung his blade downward with one hand, aiming for Jarred. Ragnar easily blocked the attack with his shield. The attack was much more powerful than before; he could feel it in his bones. Ragnar suddenly became still as a rock. Jarred didn''t notice at first, but then he saw his ally''s skin turn pale. "Sylph!" Sylph awoke from the constant bombardment of fire magic she was doing, instantly using her other hand to pull Ragnar back to them. Jala quickly turned his attention back to Jarred, who blocked the attack but felt the wrath of a blizzard pressing on him. However, despite the overwhelming power, it seemed to be coming at a cost to the demon general. Jala was now finding himself becoming more and more fatigued, and Jarred could tell. All Jarred could do was press the demon general. Their blades started to clash, ringing through the battlefield as Sylph could only look after their frosted companion. At the same time, keeping the demon''s magic in check. Kalika joined the two heroes. She found Ragnar''s skin cold to the touch as he continued to shiver from the immense freezing temperature. "There''s gotta be something I can do to help." "Sylph. Is there anything I can do to help? I-I-" "No. All we can do now is put our faith into Jarred." "B-but-" "Kalika. I get it, you want to help. but there''s nothing we can do." Sylph focus was waning. Even Kalika could tell that all the magic was taking its toll on Sylph. Kalika looked down to find an assortment of magic crystals scattered on the ground. "Magic crystals? Jarred must''ve dropped them when he crashed¡­" Kalika picked a red crystal off the ground. Channeling it immediately. "This isn''t much, but if I don''t do anything we won''t be able to escape!" Kalika conjured fire from her hands, holding it by Ragnar to help him recover from the chill. It was a strange sensation to behold; it was like the heat from the fire was transferring to the Warrior. Ragnar soon regained his senses, seeing Kalika''s face above him. This became just as shocking to Sylph. "I thought the Saintess could only use holy magic." Sylph then gave a smile. "It''s a good thing we have you by our side." "Thank you, Milady." Ragnar switched his shield back into an Ax. "Argh! I think I can only manage one more attack. But I think that''ll be just enough." Ragnar gave a slight smile. "Jarred!!" Ragnar shouted. Ragnar threw his ax at the demon general with tremendous force, whirling through the air like a disc. Jala blocked this attack, only to find that it was simply a decoy for Jarred to land another devastating blow to him. Jarred started to sigh. "Thank goodness¡­" He looked back up with green eyes. "We can finally finish this!" Jarred¡¯s platinum sword started to glow red. General Jala was completely wide open for another attack. a chance that was once in a lifetime. Without hesitation, Jarred sent out an elemental slash attack. BOOM!! Kalika waited for the smoke to clear. There was silence in the air. The magic fire spells had finally ceased. Unfortunately, it was hard to see, thanks to the dust from the explosion. To Kalika''s horror, there was a familiar hair, tail, and horns. It was none other than her sister, Lillian, the queen of demons. She seemed to have stopped the attack bare-handed, wings still abroad. Lillian, wings entered back into her body as she turned to look back at the now kneeling and exhausted General. He had an Armor of ice readied for the attack, likely to dampen the impact of the blow. The armor now starts to crumble. "Lucius did say ''not to underestimate the heroes'' Jala. Still¡­ You did a very good job. Please, stand by while I deal with them." "As you wish. Your Highness..." Jala got up, quickly retreating from the area to give them all the needed space. It wasn''t long before Lillian''s eyes became black with rage. The earth shook, and the winds whipped around. Lillian''s Blood lust was clear to everyone present as she became the very force of nature herself. Once Jala was completely gone, Lillian snarled. "How dare you kidnap my sister!" Chapter 17: The Unexpected Truth The Heroes of Prophecy finally come face to face with the Demon Queen. It was shocking to think that she would come of all people. Lillian starts walking to the exhausted Heroes. They were in absolutely no condition to fight. The armor and clothes were signed by the fire, and the armor was frosted and battered. While they did have an additional potion on hand, they were more likely to engage in another hefty battle. Ragnar looked at his shield, which was still in its ax form in the distance. There was no chance of getting that in time, and Sylph seemed to be tapping out of her magic. "Damn it! What do we do!??" Jarred thought to himself. Lillian lifted her hand, a powerful ball of fire manifesting her hand. it grew, bigger and bigger as her cold eyes darted at the weakened heroes. Kalika without warning, ran past the heroes and straight into Lillian. Kalika hugged her sister, stopping her in her tracks. This surprising turn of events quieted the air. "Please. Don''t. Don''t do it, Lily. It''s my fault. L-let''s just go back. Just, let them go. please." "Lily?" Ragnar repeated softly. He was in absolute shock. The fireball in Lillian¡¯s hands began to shrink back to nothing. a hint of familiarity wafted Ragnar as he looked at Lillian¡¯s face. "I-it couldn''t be¡­" he muttered. Lillian placed her hand on Kalika''s head, much gentler than expected. Kalika looked up into Lillian''s face, finding her eyes were still black as night. "I don''t have time for your games anymore, Kalika! How long do you plan on keeping this up, huh? Do you know the trouble I went through to keep you safe!?" "Huh?" Kalika''s eyes widened in shock. She didn''t understand her sister at all. "Do you really think I like seeing you locked up in that prison cell?" "S-shut up! You tortured me and tormented me every day! Since when did you start caring about my safety!?" Lillian grabbed Kalika''s mouth to shut it. "I don''t want to hear it. Twenty-five times Kalika. Twenty-five times. You keep making this harder for yourself. Please, just give it up already!" "Lillian Archelion," Ragnar asked. Lillian turned her attention back to the heroes. "By God, what''s happened to you?" Ragnar was in complete shock. Jarred looked back at Ragnar questionably. He then came to the same conclusion as Ragnar, Remembering Kalika''s words the night before and what the Demon Queen herself had just said... "No way. It couldn''t be¡­" "Kalika!" Jarred wanted answers. He started to grow more and more concerned as she didn''t answer him. "Kalika!" Lillian narrowed her eyes at Kalika. "Should I be the one to tell them?" Kalika grabbed Lillian''s dress with trembling hands. It became obvious to Lillian that Kalika was scared, but not of her. "N¡­No¡­ I''ll do it. But please, just let them go." "You know as well as I do that that''s not going to happen Kalika. " Kalika gripped the dress a little tighter. "P-please Lily. I don''t ask for much¡­ At least give them a fighting chance." Kalika''s voice was soft but also very clear, and her desperation was evident. Her sister''s request had Lillian stumped, as her sister never really cared about anyone else, not even her. Lillian took her hand off Kalika''s head. "Fine. I''ll give them a chance. Now tell them already." Satisfied with the answer, Kalika rubbed her nose with a now flushed face and looked at the Heroes with a bitter yet sad smile. "I''m sorry. But I''m not the actual Saintess¡­" Kalika shifted her eyes to the ground as she continued with the truth. "The truth is that the demon that stands before you is¡­ my sister¡­ Lillian. She¡¯s the actual Saintess. I only made a deal with the Head Priest to usurp power from her and my father. And had her¡­ executed on fake charges." Kalika started to tear up a little. "I really wanted to tell you all¡­ I really did." After a little while, she looked back at the three heroes. "I''m sorry but¡­ I just wasn''t the person you were looking for." There was a deafening silence, and the startling truth had the Heroes of Prophecy shocked and bewildered by the revelation told to them. None of them wanted to believe that this cruel Demon Queen was the Saintess. "Kalika. C''mon, you don''t have to lie-!" She''s not lying." Lillian interrupted. "I was executed. Publicly. Beheaded on the spot." Lillian smiled as her eyes returned to normal. "It''s only thanks to the Demon King that I''m alive today, Albeit as a demon, of course." Lillian quickly gave a menacing Gaze at the Heroes. "But it is also because of her that I''m no longer human! And I''ll never forgive her for that!" Kalika shook a little, hearing Lillian''s last statement. "But I still Love you , Kalika. No matter what, we''ll always be sisters." Lillian gave Kalika a little hug and petted her, too. Jarred seemed lost still, as if lost in thought. "Jarred. What do we do?" Sylph asked worriedly. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "I¡­ I don''t know," he said. Jarred eyes glowed blue to find that the clairvoyance skill was still pointing to Kalika. Jarred spoke softly to himself as if a taboo Idea came to his head. "I-it can''t be¡­ does God want us to kill Kalika¡­" Jarred looked at Kalika, who was still upset and being hugged by her sister Lillian. "NO! That can''t be it! He wants us to save her!" Jarred readied his platinum sword. Despite his immense exhaustion, he was still willing to keep going. Even at the cost of his own life. Kalika, seeing this, tries to calm him down. "S-stop! Don''t!" "No! I refuse to back down now! Not When you''re in trouble!" Kalika starts to cry a little. "No. You Idiot." "Oh," Lillian noticed. That''s fine by me. But first let me put my little sister away." Lillian placed her hand on the back of Kalika''s head. "W-wait, Lily, no!" "Sorry, Kal, this part of the conversation is for grownups only." blood splattered on Lillian''s face, as Kalika''s entire body was shredded to a million pieces by immense wind magic. She proceeds to turn the remains of her sister into ash completely, cleaned the evidence of blood even from herself.. The Heroes could only look on in horror. "H-how could she?" Sylph was left gasping. "She actually killed her!" Ragnar was horrified. Jarred could only look on with a mix of both horror and anger. There were no words to be spoken about Lillian or her cruelty. Without much thought, Jarred rushed in with his sword. With as much power as he could muster, he swung his sword down at Lillian, only for it to be blocked by a single finger. Lillian smiled, amused. "Oh my. I see you''re very excited. But I think that''s too soon." With a flick of Lillian''s finger, she sent Jarred flying back to his allies. He landed hard on his back. "Jarred!" They both shouted. It was hard not to be worried; after all, they had just witnessed the power of the Demon Queen firsthand. "Kalika wanted me to give you three a fighting chance. Aside from that, it seems like a good opportunity to test some of my powers." Lillian snapped her fingers, in that instant a golden barrier filled the entire rocky terrain around them. Lillian looked around the barrier she had just made. "Hmmm¡­ This is the Purging Barrier¡­" Lillian''s eyes then had a glint of green coming from her red eyes. She posed her hands as if dropping a veil. The three Heroes suddenly glowed a golden color. "What¡­ I''m feeling¡­ Stronger¡­?" Jarred looks at his body curiously. "Me too¡­" Ragnar looked to find his scratches gone. "It''s like an all-in-one attribute spell." She looked at her hands to find her magic flowing more freely. "Using this on other demons makes it quite a formidable killer. Fortunately, it doesn''t have the same effect on me as it does regular demons." "Here." Using her magic, Lillian passed the ax back to Ragnar. "This is yours, I presume." Ragnar caught the ax, turning it back into a shield. "If I may ask. Why is it that you''re fighting alongside the demons?" "Heh. I don''t think even Lucius, the King of Demon, has asked me that¡­although he probably already knows why that is¡­" Lillian walked further back to give the Heroes some distance. "Perhaps I''ll tell you when this fight is over. If any of you are still alive, that is." "Oh, and before we get started." Lillian held out her hand with three fingers. "Before you die, I''ll make sure to revive each of you. But I¡¯ll only give each of you three chances." "Don''t act cocky." Jarred, once again, posed his sword. Sylph and Ragnar followed Jarred''s lead. Although a little hesitant, they knew there was no running from this predicament. "Please make sure to give it your all. Otherwise, I won''t get any satisfaction from this bout." Lillian stood tall with her arms crossed. Without wasting another second, Sylph used her skill to prepare a wall and walls of fireballs and stone spikes. Lillian smiled upon seeing this. The next moment, a heavy barrage of fireballs and earth spikes were pelted at Lillian! Lillian danced through the barrage of fireballs and earth spikes effortlessly. Lillian moved on to close the distance between her and the Heroes, with the one on the frontline being Jarred with his sword at the ready. Jarred readied to counter Lillian only to be passed by. Lillian''s seemed to actually be aiming for Sylph. Seeing this, Ragnar got his shield ready to defend. CLONK!! Lillian¡¯s clawed hands collided with Ragnar''s shield with the impact shaking the entire terrain. The Shield withstood Lillian''s first blow. Heat pressed all around Lillian. Looking above, a rain of fire became visible. "Oh." She then looked down to find herself sinking into the ground earth. In a swift motion, Lillian reached for Ragnar, only for her hand to pass right through him. With his eyes green, he gave a subtle chuckle. "Don''t underestimate us, Lillian." Fire met the ground in a glorious and spectacular display. Colors green, purple, and red started to envelop the scene. Jarred could only watch with anticipation for the shower of fire to finish. Sylph, on the other hand, seems dead set to finish Lillian. "You''re not getting anywhere." Lillian''s voice could be heard from the barrage of fire and colors. Instantly, the entire terrain of the fire was cleared by Lillian¡¯s wind magic. To the horror of Jarred and Sylph, Ragnar was now bleeding on the ground and Lillian was holding something fleshy in her hands. Lillian glanced at Sylph. "You want your friend to live, don''t you?" "It''s much harder for a person to heal when their body part is missing." Lillian approached the now-dying Ragnar. She wasted no time placing the fleshy bit where it belonged and healed him completely. She raised her hand just enough for the heroes to see her dropping her three fingers to two. Lillian grinned. "Two lives left for the big guy. Oh, and please just call me Queen or your Majesty. I''d like to keep the formalities." A blade came swinging down on Lillian, but Lillian''s quick reflexes easily intercepted this. The sword now rested between Lillian''s two fingers. "Perhaps you three need another boost?" she said. "Damn you!!!" Jarred attempted a game of strength with his sword against Lillian. His fierce determination shined through, surprising Lillian. She quickly averted its trajectory, letting the sword completely miss her by a hair and into the ground. She placed her feet on the sword amused by Jarred. Although still in shock by what occurred moments earlier, Ragnar opted to assist Jarred, attacking Lillian from behind with his ax. The strike landed, penetrating a quarter of her body. Lillian turned with a smile to Ragnar. "You actually got me. Good work." She then grabbed the head of the ax, forcing it out of her body and proceeded to kick both Ragnar and Jarred away from her. Her wound started to instantly mend itself back together just moments later. Once again, Lillian was surrounded by fireballs. "This again?" Sylph''s eyes started to glow a brighter green. "I added a little more kick to them," she said, gesturing with her hands. Once again, she sent a flurry of fireballs at Lillian. And like before, Lillian dodged them. However, to her shock, Lillian found the fireballs exploding upon impact with the ground. "What combination of magic is this!?" Lillian was trying to block and dodge the shards of rock. "It''s a Magician''s secret. Your Majesty." "Oh, boo." Lillian started to pick up the pace, now outracing the explosive fireballs being hurled her way. Eventually, she found an opening, which she used to close the distance between her and Sylph quickly. Seeing this, Sylph readied a larger fireball in front of her in the hopes of discouraging Lillian''s attack. This didn''t work as Lillian penetrated through the spell with her whole body. She then gave Sylph a sucker punch to the face, sending her into the nearby ice wall. By the time Jarred and Ragnar arrived, they found their companion on the wall with a hand through her torso. She can only spit out blood from the sudden fatal blow. Jarred saw this and furiously dashed forth with his sword, only to find himself already slashed in the chest. He can only tumble forward upon realizing how deep the wound was. His breathing became heavy. Jarred could only grow more frustrated as he attempted to get up. A darkness seemed to be encroaching into his vision until a bright light erased them. Ragnar quickly checked up on Jarred. "Jarred!" Jarred looked up to see that Sylph had also been healed. "So, she''s alright, too." Jarred thought with relief. They watched as Lillian put some distance between herself and them. She then peeked behind and raised her hand once more with two fingers. "You each have two more chances. Please try not to die too fast this time." Lillian said, giving a solemn smile. Chapter 18: An Unforeseen Battle The Group of Heroes started to huddle together. They had to formulate a plan against Lillian. Jarred stared down the patient, Lillian, waiting for their next attack. "We need another plan of attack. Sylph, do you think you can slow her down?" "Aside from the earth magic, I would have to get close to her to do that. But I think I can manage." "Alright, then I''ll be the distraction then!" Ragnar charged forth without hesitation. Jarred, surprised, Followed behind. "Hey wait!" Ranar switched his shield into an Ax, swinging it at Lillian. She blocks the attack with the back of her hands. Not far behind, Jarred attacks Lillian as well, forcing her to use her other hand to parry his attack. Ragnar used the opportunity to reverse swing his ax, aiming for the torso. This was met by another block. Lillian felt a heft from this latest blow. Ragnar''s eyes started to glow green. Like a phantom, his ax passed right through her, leaving no traces of injury. Both Ragnar and his ax then started to glow red hot like hot magma. He was now posed and ready to strike. "Ready yourself, Jarred," Ragnar said. "Huh?" Lillian quickly came to a realization that Jarred was gone. She looked back to see Jarred''s eyes glowing green, charging up an attack. "I''m already a step ahead!" Lillian could only smile. "Sneaky, sneaky." Ragnar''s ax scorched hot as Jarred¡¯s sword became heavier and dense. They finally attempted a joint attack with all the power flowing through them. A loud bang was heard as Lillian completely dodged the attacks in time. However, she then found Sylph dropping from above. This shocking move left Lillian befuddled as Sylph landed hard on her stomach where she stood. It looked as though this would break Lillian''s back, but amazingly enough, she stood. "What the hell?" Lillian blurted. Sylph sat herself on Lillian¡¯s stomach and hung on using her legs to hug Lillian''s as she channeled some strange magic. Lillian then started to see her body glowing faintly red before Sylph aimed her palms at her head. "Take this!" A burst of flames came through seemingly searing Lillian''s head. Sylph then let out a bigger burst feeling something off. Suddenly, Lillian¡¯s eyes peered out from the flames. ¡°H-how is she- Aaaahhhhh!!!¡± The flame was immediately stopped as Lillian crushed Sylph''s hands with her own! Sylph could only scream out in pain as both hands were crushed. She fell off Lillian hard, unable to clasp her hands. Lillian didn''t waste any time kicking Sylph back into the ice wall. a burst of wind magic dissipated from her face. Ragnar rushed over to help a now distressed Sylph. Lillian scowled, watching them. Looking back at her hair, she became pissed seeing her hair now burnt and singed. Lillian held out her hand to use some magic on Sylph but was suddenly sliced off by Jarred, whose sword was glowing red hot. Despite the effective attack, Lillian didn''t flinch. She only gave an unamused glance at Jarred before using her other hand to counter him. She proceeded to grab him by the throat picking him up where he stood. "This is still too easy. Let me give you three, another boost." Lillian threw Jarred with his other companions; he slid on his back hard upon reaching Sylph and Ragnar, who were using the last of their vitality potions. "Jarred, are you alright?" Ragnar hurried to give Jarred a vial of the green liquid. Their bodies suddenly glowed golden once more. They all looked to Lillian to find her, regrowing the hand she had just lost. "Damn it. Just when I thought we made progress." Jarred¡¯s frustration shone through as he continued to look at Lillian with contempt. Sylph joined Ragnar and Jarred; her hands now healed thanks to the vitality potion. She whispered. "I don''t think she''s noticed yet¡­ This could be our chance to turn to the tables." Ragnar and Jarred agreed with this sentiment. "Your right, without that spell, it''d be a lot harder to cut through her," Jarred said, still gazing at Lillian. "You''re telling me. It was like cutting through a mountain with her." Ragnar posed with his ax. "Perhaps this time, I can cut all the way through." Everyone was ready for battle once more. Sylph buffed her allies with spells and barriers before they again took off to battle Lillian. Both men clashed with Lillian. She confidently parried and blocked each of the men''s attacks. They could see they were much stronger and faster, yet they still couldn''t get an opening on her. Rocks and dirt flung through the air from Sylph''s constant attempt to trap Lillian, a futile effort to slow her down. Each attempt ended in failure as the battlefield soon became entrenched with dust. Finally realizing her own futility, Sylph changed plans, conjuring fireballs right above everyone. With a swift motion of her arm, it rained fire upon the battlefield and fireballs showing complete disregard for her companions. Luckily enough they were able to avoid the Fireballs in time. "Damn it Sylph! Give us a warning next time." Jarred yelled. "There won''t be a next time unless we defeat her!" she retorted. Clouds of smoke dissipated from the firefly field of stone, showing Lillian fine, aside from the few scorches on her body. She smiled with content and raised her hand to show her bleeding index finger. "If this is all your three got¡­" A drop of blood dripped from Lillian''s fingers. Upon contacting the floor, a wave of disorientation hit the three Heroes. They looked around to find themselves somewhere else entirely. "That''s much better," Lillian said. A pinging sound was heard. Once again, they moved to a different location. They all stood in different stances as if preparing to launch an attack. Fatigue instantly overcame the three. They looked around for Lillian to find her battered. They watched as she was healed of her wounds, regenerating from her wounds and scratches. "You three may not know this, but demons like me-" PING "Are able to use a sixth kind of magic aside from the fire, earth, water, wind and holy." They all switched places again. PING This time, they all surrounded Lillian again, posed to do something, but they didn''t remember what that was. "They call this ¡®Blood Magic¡¯. Hmmm¡­. although if memory serves me correctly¡­ the more direct human translation would be-" PING "Demon Magic¡­" Lillian disappeared from their line of sight. The three turned around to find Lillian to be sitting on a broken-off piece of rock from the terrain. She pinched her finger to get some blood to come out. "There are apparently many variations to this magic. But mine, in particular, allows me to manipulate the mind to an extent." Blood drips on the floor. They all now lay in separate locations on the battlefield. Ragnar was cratered into the rocky ground, Sylph lay back onto the ice wall, and Jarred was bleeding on the ground. They were each battered, bruised, and burned. And by some miracles, they were all alive.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "It allows me to erase a person''s more recent memories. At most, I can usually erase a year." Lillian bent down to meet Jarred¡¯s hazy eyes. "But I can probably do more than that now." Their vision started to blur and become fuzzy. The heart slowed down. The Light in their eyes started to dim. "Oh, yeah. You all have one last chance." Lillian snapped her fingers. her fingers for all of them to start healing. All three of the Heroes were enveloped by a warm embrace of Lillian''s healing magic. Slowly, the wounds started to heal, and the fatigue left their bodies. This power once again served as a reminder to them that the Demon Queen before them was, in fact, also the Saintess. Feeling more energized, they got up, only to find themselves glowing gold once more. "This will be your tenth boost, so make good use of it." Everyone was stunned by Lillian''s statement. "T-tenth?" Sylph asked questionably. She was shocked by this strange revelation. "Oh, yeah. I did erase your memories of most of the battle, didn''t I?" Lillian started to chuckle to herself. Jarred looked at his sword and found that it chipped throughout the blade. Ragnar''s shield was also quite battered and close to falling apart. They all looked at Lillian to find that she was starting to breathe visibly. Not only that, but some of her wounds were not healing. They could finally see that their fight was not in vain. Jarred posed himself ready to battle once more. "Ragnar!! Sylph!!!" Their attention immediately turned to Jarred. "Let''s go all out! And whatever you do, don''t stop attacking!" Understanding Jarred completely, they all became Serious. They had to bring out all the stops to defeat the Demon Queen. In a last-ditch attempt, Ragnar and Jarred charged forth to once again try to overwhelm Lillian with numbers. She retaliates by scorching the rocky terrain around her with fire. Fortunately for both Ragnar and Jarred, Sylph joined in blowing away the fire with her wind magic to snuff out the fire. The two men attacked simultaneously with great heft, using both their skills to break through; Ragnar with his transmuted Magma skin and Jarred with his Elemental fire slash attack. Lillian, with a show of great power, catches both of the attacks just barely in time. "Amazing! It looks like you three remember unconsciously what happened earlier even if your memories are erased." Sylph came from behind with a water magic encasing her head. Lillian glanced back slightly as she thought to herself. "Heh. She''s too far for me to reach her with my tail, but¡­" A wave of wind magic swirled fiercely around Lillian, expanding quickly and pushing everyone else away. This canceled Sylph earlier Magic. "And now." Lillian looks up to find a big exploding fireball above her. It started coming down on her at a steady pace. The heroes, understanding the implications, clustered together, and Ragnar used his ability to help cloak them with his Phantom Skin. Seeing the big attack, Lillian simply pointed a finger into the sky with a little yellow Fireball at its end and launched it. It soon reached the huge one exploding upon contact. This tiny burst of fire caused Sylph¡¯s ultimate attack to explode prematurely. The explosion enveloped the entire sky. The heat of the magic attack could be felt for miles on end. Even residents from a small village could feel it. "H-hold on! That''s my magic," Sylph yelled. Lillian gave a smile. "After a while of fighting you all, your attacks have gotten a little more predictable. I think this is your third time using this strange combination magic." Lillian conjured forth another yellow ball of fire in the palm of her hands tauntingly. She launched it straight past the heroes, allowing it to explode behind them. ¡°But very powerful too.¡± Sylph can only grit her teeth in frustration since that exploding fireball was her magnum opus of her study of magic. "I never would''ve thought that earth magic with just a little bit of fire could give such an interesting result. I commend you. Sylph." Sylph starts to become more exhausted. "H-hey Sylph are you alright!?" Jarred was worried. "I put almost everything I had into that one attack." "Sylph, how could you be so reckless? Can you walk?" Jarred questioned. Sylph could only shake her head. ¡°I¡¯m at my limit too,¡± Ragnar added. Jarred paused. As he stood, Lillian started to grow another explosive fireball in the palm of her hands with a gaze that revealed her growing impatience. "Sylph!¡± ¡°Ragnar!" Jarred''s call brought his companions attention to him. "Please! Lend me your power!" Jarred lifted his head to reveal his eyes glowing yellow. ¡°So that we might defeat her!¡± Without hesitation, his two companions placed their hands on his shoulder, their eyes glowing yellow. A swirl of power came forth into Jarred''s sword; it started to be enveloped by the midst of the colors that collided together into a brilliant gold. "Alright, Demon Queen. You better be ready!" Lillian could only look on in surprise. Shockingly enough, even Lillian''s eyes started to glow yellow. Lillian''s face then contorted to that of Awe, followed by shock and into a maniacal Laugh. Her eyes soon returned to their normal red. Although taken aback by this, Jarred didn''t Let Lillian''s sudden madness stop him from charging forth with his newfound powers. Amid this charge, Lillian launched the explosive fireball at him, which had very little effect on him. Lillian looked upon Jarred charging at her as the other two stood back, holding out their hands as if bestowing power. "So, this is the true power of the blessings you bestowed upon us. All for the sake of maintaining your own balance¡­ well¡­" Lillian gazed upon the sky before closing her eyes. Jarred swung his now golden blade down at her, leaving a trail of gold mist. ¡°You want me to die here¡­ But¡­¡± "I REFUSE!" Lillian caught the blade with her two hands. Once more, it became a game of strength between two opposing forces. The sheer power from the sword was starting to cut and shred off pieces of Lillian and her clothes. As Jarred continued to focus his power on this one last attack, he couldn''t help but glance up at Lillian. He couldn''t help but to be stunned as he saw Lillian''s face suddenly looking so kind and gentle. "I¡¯m Sorry¡­ that it had to end this way¡­" Lillian''s statement left Jarred befuddled as the power he once had quickly left him. "W-what the-" Lillian quickly grabbed his sword with one hand and used the other to burn a hole right through his stomach with immense fire magic. Jarred fell to his knees and collapsed onto his arms. He could only hunch over, reeling from the newfound pain. Lilian dropped his platinum sword right beside him. She then gave a long sigh. "That''s unfortunate. It looks like you''re the only one left¡­" Lillian stated. Blood was whipped past Jarred, splattering on the ground before him. Confused, Jarred looked back the best he could to find his companions on the floor bloodied. And between the two of them was a blue demon decked in heavy gray-looking armor and a purple cape. He recognized the demon despite the differently shaped horns. Jarred froze from fear. "N-no way." "So, you''re the one that dispersed my Barrier. I said that I wanted to deal with them myself, Lucius." "Is it wrong for a King to worry for his Queen? Besides, it seems you''ve exhausted yourself using your blood magic. You need to be more careful with that." Lucius approached Lillian. putting his hands on her shoulder. He leaned in, whispering in her ear, "I can take it from here if I want." "No¡­ I''ll Finish it." she quickly retorted. "Are you sure?" Lucius started to sound a little worried. "Yes, think of this as my ultimate show of loyalty if you wish." "You''ve already done so time and time again.¡± Lucius sighed. ¡°But if you insist, so be it." Lucius trotted off before stopping once more. "Oh, and what about your sister?" "I''ll carry her home if you don''t mind." Lillian looked back at Lucius with a smile. Jarred didn''t understand, as Kalika had turned into nothing not too long ago. He looked up to find a bare Kalika lying on the ground, slumbering. Her hands and feet were regenerating as if she were not human. It wasn''t long before Lucius tore off his cape and covered Kalika with it. He went on his way soon after. "H-how is she alive?" Jarred questioned. He was almost frightened. "You see... Eighteen years ago, the very same day I was falsely executed¡­ and the very same day I became a demon¡­ was when we discovered that she was immortal." Lillian sat in front of Jarred, crossing her legs as if to unwind. "I was so happy to find out her Immortality. You have no idea, the joy and relief I felt..." Lillian sighed then looked up at the sky above them, her smile becoming more bitter. "To be honest, When I found that I became a demon. I was so scared. In just a moment I killed those I cherished just purely on instinct. Instinct I couldn''t control or understand... And when I finally killed my sister, my thoughts turned to killing the Demon King and then..." Lillian stopped herself, looking back at Jarred, whose breathing was starting to slow and become heavier. "But that didn''t happen¡­ Instead, she came back to life. During that time, I thought it might have been a blessing from God Cassell. But..." Lillian grabbed Both of Jarred''s hands, clasping them together. "Do you have anyone you love so much that you''d do anything for them? Even if it means they would have to endure a lot of pain." Jarred looked up. He was trying to stay conscious. "I can''t say that I do." "Well, I can say that I do. My sister, in fact... She''s the only reason I''m still around fighting for the Demon King''s dream." "D-dream?" "Yes." Jarred couldn''t help but chuckle a little. "I didn''t know demons could dream." "Yes. Well¡­ We all have dreams. It''s just the matter that some are snuffed out faster than others. while others thrive." Lillian finally started to get up, walking to her sister as Jarred took his final breaths. Suddenly, grabbed her tail, his grip slipping fast. Lillian glanced back, curious. ¡°If you loved¡­ Your sister¡­ Why do you still torment her?¡± Jarred wheezed, trying to stay conscious. ¡°Because¡­ I still haven¡¯t forgiven her¡­¡± Lillian proceeded to pick Kalika up in her arms before turning back one last time to Jarred who was struggling to hold himself up. "But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve long since abandoned tormenting her¡­¡± Lillian opened her mouth to say something. But then she realized that Jarred had already passed. She bit her lips, turning from the scene. ¡°Until next we meet¡­ Hero." Kalika woke up, finding herself being cradled in Lillian''s arms. She saw that Lillian was bloodied and bruised; she then looked around very confused. "What? Where''s the-" "Don''t look back, Kalika." Lillian stated. Kalika really wanted to look back but then heard an audible thud. She quickly changed her mind upon realizing that whatever lies behind them would only serve to send her into further despair. "There''s nothing left for us to go back to anyways¡­" She clutched her hands in frustration. The very thought of their deaths started to weigh heavy. But even more so, she felt completely exhausted and overwhelmed. After all, it only felt like three days to Kalika despite almost ten years already passing by. With a defeated tone, Kalika speaks up. "Lily¡­" Lillian turned her attention back to her sister. "I get it. Okay¡­ I get it. " Lillian looked back up, staying silent. "I promise. I won''t do it again. I won''t try to escape again. If that''s what you want¡­ I¡­ I " Kalika stopped. feeling overwhelmed by guilt, she thought bitterly to her, ¡°I couldn¡¯t even do a thing¡­ What am I so weak?¡± Kalika, understanding that Lillian wouldn''t respond, stayed quiet as they traveled back to the demon castle. Her thoughts filled with what ifs and further self-doubts. The very thoughts that she was now powerless to refute. However, unknown to either of these sisters, an unavoidable chain of events would now unfold that could spell disaster for their world. Chapter 19: Phases of a Coin Kalika found herself back at her solitary prison with a fresh pair of prisoner''s clothing. She stared at the ceiling of her grimy prison, lost in thought. It''s been a few days since the incident with her being rescued by the Heroes of Prophecy. And their immediate demise the day after. It felt like nothing had changed aside from the eerie silence. Strangely enough, Kalika was able to find peace in this long silence. In the last few days since she returned, no one visited her: not her sister, not her maid, and not even that creep Rakon. She hadn''t been fed either, but she didn''t mind this; after all, she wasn''t feeling hungry. A sensation signaled to Kalika of a familiar demon closing in. The pattering of feet started to become audible, and the creaking of the steel doors roared loudly in her cell. Her door finally opened, revealing a familiar maid with pink eyes, black hair, and an eye patch covering her right eye. It took Kalika a few moments to realize the nervous maid was Rhonda. She had almost forgotten that almost ten years of her memories had been wiped out. The once cute child maid was now a young adult. Rhonda looked to be carrying some cleaning supplies in her hands; it seemed as though they were finally allowing her to clean Kalika''s dirty prison. She looked around the cell nervously before setting the cleaning supplies on the ground. Rhonda approached Kalika, who was uninterested in the woman. Unexpectedly, Rhonda crouched to her knees to hug Kalika tenderly. This gesture shocked Kalika. She could feel something wet hit her shoulder. Kalika then remembered channeling earth magic from a magic crystal and using it to attack Rhonda. "Does she really care that much about me? Shouldn''t she hate me?" Rhonda stopped hugging Kalika. She smiled and wiped her one eye. She then reached into her bosom to grab some bread from it. She gave it to Kalika and gestured that she wanted to keep it their little secret. Kalika didn''t know what to say, so she simply stayed quiet and nodded. Now, looking a little more content, she started to clean the prison cell. It was weird; it was as if Rhonda wasn''t being held back from being her own carefree self. She could only watch on as Rhonda cleaned her cell. Seeing her clean, she could tell that she had definitely come a long way. She almost missed her as a kid. After a nice piece of soft bread and a hard-working cleaning, Rhonda finally finished making the cell look clean. Rhonda turned to Kalika, taking a brush from one of the pockets in her uniform. Rhonda pointed to it, and Kalika agreed. She turned herself around, letting Rhonda begin. Rhonda brushed the hair as gently as possible, not hurting Kalika. As she dis this, she found more strands of white hair as she went along, as well as some strange small bruises. She paid no mind to these; however, she continues to brush Kalika''s hair. The creaking of the steel doors is heard once more. This time, Lillian seemed to be paying a visit. She looked to be visiting Kalika on something important. Upon seeing Lillian, Rhonda gave a bow before finishing Kalika''s hair. Rhonda proceeded to gather her utensils and gave Kalika a bow before taking her leave. Kalika looked up at her sister blankly. She then gave a sigh. "Is it about that time?" "Just follow," Lillian said. Following Lilian¡¯s order, Kalika got up and reluctantly followed Lillian out her cell door. Suddenly, Kalika found her vision becoming obscured by white circles that grew blindingly bright. She found herself screaming from pain as she was hanging upside-down in a different room. She felt something leaving her body. Although it was painful, it soon became much more tolerable soon after. "Okay. Tell me what you remember last, this time." Lillian questioned. "What''s going on? Weren''t we just leaving my cell??" Lillian looked at a nearby hourglass. "That makes it a little over an hour¡­" Lillian turned her attention to someone else in the room. "Are you satisfied now, Rakon?" Kalika became alert upon hearing that name. She looked around to find the very same demon who had some sort of obsession with her. "Yes, and now we can say that your blood has grown in power. Not uncommon with younger demons." Rakon noted. Lillian could only give a sigh as Rakon seemed to write something down on a piece of yellow parchment. "I was hoping that wouldn''t be the case." ¡°You should be happy, it means you¡¯ll become much stronger in probably another thirty years or so. Maybe then you can reach the level of my brother.¡± Lillian looked at her bloodied finger as she listened to Rakons words. She then turned her attention to Kalika, and in a swift motion, she quickly and painlessly killed her. "And you sure you want to join my brother Lucius on the frontlines?" Rakon Asked. "I''m not going to repeat myself, Rakon. I''m seeing this through to the end." Lillian became a little sterner with her words. "What''s going on?" Kalika Asked. She awoke again feeling dizzy from hanging upside down. "Oh, right." Lillian let Kalika down from where she was hanging. Lillian used her tail to grab Kalika and gently placed her to the ground. As Kalika reoriented herself, she saw that she was inside a room with a lot of scrolls. It was not long after that Lillian started to take her leave. "I''ll start preparing now. Please bring Kalika back to her cell for me." "Lily, wait!" Kalika yelled. Lillian stopped herself for a moment and paused. "What is it?" she finally asked. "You''re just going to leave me with him!?" "Rakon is a trusted advisor to me and Lucius. You''ll be just fine. Besides, I have more important things to do." Not wanting to linger, Lillian left Kalika behind with Rakon.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "W-wait!" Kalika desperately yelled. Kalika would normally find herself suffocated by Lillian, but her demon sister seemed more distant than normal as if trying to avoid her. Kalika quickly remembered how she was now in the future, a future in which she knew very little about. So what happened between then and their present was still unknown to her. Kalika turned to see Rakon finishing scribbling strange symbols on the parchment, he then rolled it up and stored it with other scrolls for later. Shortly after, he brought his focus back to Kalika. "Well, well, well. It looks like we find ourselves alone in each other''s presence again." Kalika glared at Rakon. There was something in his smile that told her that he was up to something. Rakon circled around his desk, walking to Kalika. "In case you''re wondering, thanks to the death of the Heroes, my brother sees fit to finally end this war and finally conquer this country. So, my brother and the queen will be marching to the headquarters of this new confederation that was just formed." Rakon walked past Kalika, going over to the door Lillian left. "It''ll probably take a couple more years for all we know, but if the campaign''s successful, we''ll have won this trivial war. And this country" Kalika stood still, expecting a different action from the demon. Rakon turned around. "What are you waiting for? You still need to be escorted." Kalika was still at a loss for words. ¡°And please try to be on your best behavior, You might be unchained, but you''re still our prisoner.¡± Rakon stated. Kalika cringed. "A¡­Alright. fine" she listened, reluctantly following behind him into the gray corridor with a variety of different wall carpets. She could tell that they were in the castle, simply by the windows and the now dark sky just outside. They passed by many demons and demons guards, all of when, stared. Rakon paid no mind to them, leaving them to watch on, a little bewildered. It was almost a strange feeling for Kalika herself since she never would¡¯ve thought there were so many other demons. Some of them even looked normal with the caveat of Pink eyes and horns, some even had their tails waving out from their pants and skirts. As much as she was curious she kept her mouth shut following behind Rakon as he led the way. She kept her distance from the demon, still nervous that he was up to something. After a while of following, they reached the dungeon. Rakon made his voice heard as they entered the dungeon. "Why so quiet? Are you upset that your kind will lose this war?" Rakon glanced back with a smile. ¡°Or are you upset that your only hope for freedom is gone?¡± Kalika cringed a little. "No. And it was always inevitable that my father''s Generals would lose. it wouldn''t surprise me in the least if they all got drunk from the idea of becoming the next lord. What a foolish prospect to chase after" Rakon couldn''t help but chuckle at Kalika''s remark. "Can I assume that you''re talking from experience?" Kalika simply scowled at Rakon, who was getting amused by her. After a little while Kalika stopped in the middle of the corridor. Rakon immediately took notice of this and stopped too. Kalika looked at the ground, simply reflecting on her life and that one shortsighted decision she ultimately made to become the next heir. A decision she made to finally have power over those she hated. "What''s going to happen after this invasion anyway? Will it be the neighboring countries next and then the whole world?" Kalika seemed to become more bitter. "That would be the ideal outcome. However, my brother Lucius would rather enter into treaties with the surrounding countries." Kalika was surprised to hear this. Rakon continued. "My brother lost his ambition both as king and as a demon. I''m almost disgusted that he''s my brother. Just like you dislike your sister, the queen. I have a deep-seated dislike of my own brother." Rakon started to walk to Kalika. "Personally, speaking I''d like to see them both perish. Especially since they only stand in my way." Kalika''s body suddenly went numb. She tried to move, but her body wouldn''t respond. Rakon then grabbed her by the side of the head, lifting her head from her body. "W-when did I- !!??" Rakon started brushing Kalika''s hair. He leaned in closer as she heard what seemed to be him sniffing her. ¡°But you¡­ You are very special. I can imagine a lot of fun things we could do together.¡± Her vision went dark as he chuckled to himself. The next moment, Kalika awakened to find that she had slapped Rakon in the face. He simply wiped his cheek with his hand before giving an amused smile. "I¡­ I slapped him!??" Kalika wanted to slap this demon again but found herself unable to do so. Rakon couldn''t help but laugh seeing Kalika. She was left in bewilderment as his laughter echoed through the stony corridor. ¡°It looks like your body is still accustomed to fighting back after all. It looks like we¡¯ll have even more fun than I expected." He chuckled. He stared down at Kalika with an amused grin. She could tell just by his face that new ideas were coming in his mind by the second. It made her uncomfortable and the urge to run from this demon Rakon emerged. She didn''t want to be left alone with him any longer. Unexpectedly, hand from behind touched Kalika''s shoulder. She calmed down, but turning around, she found another Rakon standing behind her! "Don''t worry, Kalika. I learned my lessons with you," the second Rakon said. She heard chuckling from her side. This time a third Rakon made his presence known. "Jokes aside, I''ve known you for over these last eighteen years. You''re much more predictable than you think," "W-what the-!" Kalika was starting to feel overwhelmed. "And don''t think you can run away again. I wouldn¡¯t want to see you disappoint yourself again like all those other times." A fourth clone now also approached Kalika. Kalika is now surrounded by four Rakon''s. A fear is rising in her heart as smiles with sinister intentions surround her. "Just like you, I have my own little secrets. The only difference is that mines are still hidden." The two Rakon''s on her side grab her arms, and one from the back holds her from the shoulder. The Rakon in front started to play with Kalika''s lips with his finger. "I know quite a lot about you Kalika. The way you eat, the way you sleep. The ways you like to entertain yourself. I even know of that power you still think is a secret." Now Rakon grasped her chin, bending down to meet her gaze. "And in case you haven''t realized it already, I''ll have you under my watchful supervision as the acting Demon King of this castle. All the while, my brother and your so-called adopted sister will be away." Rakon, shortly after, pulled away with a snide smile. Kalika felt a pit in her stomach. Rakon knew a lot more than what he was saying. It felt like he was giving her only the tip of the iceberg of what he knew of her. The two clones of Rakon by Kalika''s side started to lift her off the ground. Kalika could only feel lost now, realizing the implications of her sister being gone. "Don''t worry. It''ll probably only be a couple of years, right?" Rakon mocked. The two clones then started to escort Kalika through the hall. "Oh. and don''t worry." Rakon''s third clone stated. "I''ll make sure that you won''t be lonely anytime soon." The other finished the statement, smiling. ******** Elsewhere, another possible Rakon clone stood over a huge underground pit along with Demon General Azar. Deep down, there was a dark abyss with no end in sight. A literal death trap for any foolish creature that fell in. As the two demons waited, three other demon women flew from the deep darkness revealing themselves. "It looks like your friends actually found them." Rakon looks at them with content. "Well, these are my friends we''re talking about. I wouldn''t have called on their help if they couldn''t survive the pit." Rakon started to chuckle a little at her remark. "Are you sure you want these women? They still don''t know the human language," Azar warned." Rakon held his hands to the first demon woman to land safely. Rakon, in the demon Languages, spoke to the woman. "" The demon woman gave a curtsy. "" The other demon ladies start landing, following the first woman as they curtsy to Rakon. "" the last two said. ******** Kalika is returned and lightly pushed back into her Solitary cell. Kalika turned back with a glare. She was mustering what little courage and hatred she had for the demon. "Don''t you worry Kalika..." ******** "When all is said and done. You''ll be mine." in the deepest, darkest shadow, in a rocky, rough, dark room, lies in wait a familiar red demon with a broken horn. His green eyes pierced the darkness as he gazed upon a glowing red prism that floated afar on a black altar¡­ He smiled to himself, content. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time¡­¡± Chapter 20: Unchanging Motivations? A strong scent of blood was in the air. Kalika opened her eyes to find that she was watching herself in the underground arena. There didn''t seem to be any spectators around. "Another one of those strange dreams¡­but this is¡­ different¡­" She seemed to be fighting against a gruff, muscular old man. She watched as the man expertly parried and blocked the incoming attacks from Kalika''s blood blade dagger until he killed her with expert precision. "Isn''t that me? Fighting in the arena. I still look¡­ young." Kalika could feel her unmovable body become angry seeing her own death. A familiar voice then called. "She''s been at it for a while." Kalika, not in control of what she could do, turned to see Rakon approaching behind her. She felt more calm than expected. "Then why is that man still alive? Doesn''t she care about eating anymore?" Lillian seemed quite puzzled as she turned to look at the match with Kalika, who was readying her dagger again. "I don''t think it''s the fact that she doesn''t care. I think it may be that she plans to get stronger." "What do you mean Rakon?" "That Old man there has been awfully patient with her, and she''s been forfeiting the match when she notices him getting tired." "Is that so¡­" Lillian said. "Yes. At this point it''s obvious that she''s using him as a training opponent. Even that man realizes this." Lillian''s gaze stayed fixated on the fight as the clash of blades and daggers continued until Kalika was killed once more. Once again a swelling of anger arises from seeing this. "You plan on killing him like the others?" Rakon questioned, He leaned on the balcony overlooking the fight. "Not that I care. But I''m certain killing the man will only wind up upsetting her." "Then what do you suggest I do?" "Nothing." A quick glance was given at Rakon, who continued to watch the fight as he seemed entranced by it. "This will prove to benefit the girl in the long term. The more proficient she becomes with that dagger you gave, the better her chances of winning her future matches. You wanted her to live a more comfortable life now, didn''t you?" She looked back to the fight. "Besides I kinda like the grit from her, and it''d be a shame if that was snuffed out so fast." Rakon finally finished. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Just trying to give her space¡­ That''s all. Besides, I have more important things I need to attend to now¡­ You know that.¡± ¡°Right.¡± There was a pause between the two. As the fight continued, Kalika seemed to have landed a scratch on the man. Although she didn''t show it at first, she soon showed a sense of accomplishment and gave a satisfied smile. "Fine. He can live for now." Kalika noticed that she was being watched. Seeing this, she began to scowl. "What''s that man''s name anyways?" Lilian asked. "That man there, it''s T-" A sharp pain is felt. Kalika wakes to find herself in her solitary cell. She realized that she was sitting on someone''s lap with a hand through her torso. The hand pulled out, and she began to be embraced with a hug from behind. Kalika immediately recognized the person as Lillian as she shouted out her name. She was very confused and frightened to find that Lillian had come to torment her again,or so it seemed. "W-what are you doing here!?" Kalika wheezed. Lillian didn''t answer, instead hugging Kalika tighter. She then leaned forward, pressing her chest to her sister''s back, and laid her chin on her shoulder. Kalika was bewildered by Lillian''s actions. She not only stabbed her through her stomach, but now she seemed really upset? She hadn''t seen Lillian like this since the day she became a demon. "Lucius proposed to me almost a week ago," Lillian said. The pain from Kalika''s wound faded as she heard Lillian. "The Demon King?" "Yeah." "And he wants to marry you?" "Yeah." Kalika''s curiosity started to peek. "I thought you two were already married." Lillian started to become amused hearing Kalika''s statement. "No, I only became queen because it was convenient for both of us at the time. So, I was just given the title. In truth I wasn''t expecting this." "So now you''ll actually marry." "No¡­ I rejected his proposal." "I¡­ I see¡­" Kalika was surprised to hear this. Kalika felt awkward having Lillian leaning on her and talking to her so nonchalantly. "W-what''s going on with Lily¡­?" "It actually made me so happy, but¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to feel that way." some of the pain returned as Lillian hugged Kalika much more tightly. "I''m not ready."Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. There was a long pause between the two. Lillian was comforting herself on Kalika as Kalika herself could only find the strangeness of her demon sister just embracing her like some teddy bear. "Is this why you''re here?" Kalika asked nervously. Lillian took a moment before answering, "In the morning, Lucius and I will leave¡­ Along with some of the generals to march the army south. I''d like to bring you, but¡­ I doubt you¡¯d try staying put. knowing you, you¡¯d do something reckless." "So¡­ You¡¯ll be staying here¡­¡± Those last words made Kalika nervous. She remembered when Rakon and Lillian were talking earlier about Lillian and the Demon King being on the front lines and when Rakon talked to her about being the one in control. "I-I see. So, it will be just like the old days of waiting without being tortured." Lillian chuckled a little. "I guess you can say that. But you''re still under the rules of a normal prisoner so Rakon will be looking after you." "R-Rakon¡­" Kalika repeated, a little more terrified. Upon hearing his name, Kalika''s predicament started sinking in. On one hand, she would be freed of her sister''s torment and torture. On the other hand, Rakon seemed to have a strange obsession with her. It was that demon that felt like the biggest wildcard. Kalika found that he was incredibly unpredictable, which she disliked. "Lily¡­ isn''t there anyone else you can put in charge??" "What do you mean?" Lillian asked, confused. "Rakon. You can''t trust him!" Lillian rolled her eyes. "This again. I told you a million-time Kalika. He''s our most trusted advisor. Besides, he is a pretty good guy compared to most other demons I''ve met." "Lily! Please! Trust me! He''s not what he seems-!" Kalika started to become more panicked. The wound on her stomach started to become more noticeable as she flinched from the returning pain. Lillian sighed. "I know you can be pessimistic, but you shouldn''t worry, Kalika. Everyone staying here won''t lay a finger on you. And I made sure of it." An unfamiliar maid entered the cell. "" The maid was speaking in the demon language. Kalika couldn''t help but look at the maid with pink eyes. "Did I understand that correctly?" Kalika''s suspicions were confirmed as Lillian healed Kalika''s wounds. "Sorry, Kal. It looks like we''re all out of time." Lillian began to leave alongside the maid. "W-wait!" Kalika reached out to Lillian. Lillian, at the door, looked back to Kalika with a somber smile. "Don''t worry. I''ll be back before you know. And that''s a promise." "Lily. No, wait-!" The steel door closed. Kalika could do nothing as the sequence of closing steel doors slowly became quiet. Before she knew it, Kalika had once again found herself alone in her prison. Kalika gave a doubtful sigh as she leaned back on the wall with her head held up. She opened her eyes to find something strange on the ceiling above her. It looked like an eyeball with green pupils. Kalika rubbed her eyes and found that it was no longer there. "I must be going crazy¡­" Kalika leaned her body into the corner cand cozied herself up for another long, boring day. ******** Sometime later, in the castle above, servants of all kinds of demons are rushing through the corridors for some last-minute preparations. Among them is Rhonda, who is moving the clean laundry back into the bed chambers along with some other maids. As she rushed through the corridor, she ran into the Demon King Lucius. He was dressed in heavy armor that went up to his chest. His arms and head were the only parts freed of the metal protection. "" Lucius started talking in their native demon language. "" Rhonda was very shy. Avoiding eye contact with Lucius. Surprisingly enough Lucius then offered Rhonda a handkerchief. "" Rhonda was puzzled by this until he gestured, using his face as an example. She immediately got flustered and dropped the basket of folded clothes in favor of cleaning her face. "" Rhonda gave a deep bow. "" Lucius wasted no time taking the handkerchief back from Rhonda. He immediately burned it to ash once she let go of it. Rhonda couldn''t help but look down shamefully. "" "Rhonda." Lucius broke Rhonda''s from a trance. "" She stood at attention. "" Lucius handed a golden crested pendant to Rhonda. "" "" A servant rushed up to Lucius, interrupting their conversation. "" "" "" the servant reported. "" Lucius sighed. "" Lucius, on hearing Rhonda, turned his attention back to her. "" " " "" Rhonda gave another solemn bow. With business finished, Lucius took his leave. "" Upon Lucius turning the corner, Rhonda held the golden crest in her hands, looking at it deadly, feeling its groves and engraving. In blue-painted letters, there was a language she couldn''t understand. With resolve, she finally pinned the crest onto her maid outfit. She grabbed the laundry basket and went ahead to finish her chores. She proceeded into the bed chamber, finally setting the curtains and the sheet for the bed. She finished by setting the clothes into the closet. Rhonda looked out the bedroom window to see the demon army on the march. From where she was, they were all starting to look like ants. Seeing this, she knew that the war would soon be over. Upon finishing the last of her chores, Rhonda opted to finally visit Kalika. Grabbing some cleaning supplies, she made her way through the castle corridor. Eventually, she passed by a group of three demon ladies on her way to the dungeon. They looked like they were all laughing carelessly and walking around like they owned the place. Rhonda could only look at their backs curiously. "Where have I seen them before?" Rhonda simply shrugged them off, venturing forth into the dungeon. She passed by many of the familiar guards, bowing respectfully as she went along. until she finally made it to Kalika''s solitary prison. Strangely enough there weren''t any guards around the steel doors. This didn''t deter Rhonda as she started to enter the cell with a smile. Rhonda''s excitement turned to horror as she found herself in front of a bloodied, cut, and bruised-up Kalika. "K-KALIKA!" she yelled. Rhonda was frightened by the scene in front of her. Mustering courage, she rushed over a completely bloodied and bruised Kalika. "Rhonda. Perfect timing." Rhonda looked behind herself quickly to find Rakon. "It looks like the other girls had a bit too much fun with Kalika. Please clean up this mess." Rakon threw a blade on the floor for Rhonda. Frightened, she backed away from the small blade weapon. "Do you plan on prolonging her suffering?" Rakon asked. Rhonda was wavering until Kalika tugged at her skirt. Rhonda could see Kalika''s hands trembling. "P¡­Please. Rhonda." Rhonda Looked at the blade on the ground and went back to Kalika. Resolving herself, she grabbed the blade. "F¡­ Forgive me," Rhonda said tearfully. Rhonda tried to make it as quickly as possible for Kalika, opting to aim for her heart. Soon Kalika died and resurrected quickly after, recovering from all the cuts and bruises that were given to her. Her breathing had become much shallower, still trying to register the pain that she had just endured. "Y-you bastard!" Kalika glared at Rakon as tears were falling from her face. Rakon simply smiles back at Kalika with content. Chapter 21: Deal Cutter Kalika was staring on blankly into space as if waiting for something interesting to happen. Her expectations of seeing anyone is about as low as it can get. However, soon the intense and malicious aura of several demons could be felt. It wasn''t long until the creaking of the steel doors was heard, and the pattering of feet became audible. Before Kalika knew it her prison door was opened, revealing three red skinned demon ladies. Two of them had black hair; one with short hair and the other with long, lengthy hair down to her tail. The other, who seemed to be leading the other two, sported gray hair and a smug face. All three also had their own uniquely shaped horns. The short hairs have horns positioned like cat ears while the other two had horns curved towards the back respectively. "Who are these Demons??" Kalika wondered. The smug-looking demon woman started to talk to the other two in their native language. While Kalika could understand some of what they were saying, it was too broken up for her to fully comprehend. One of them then mentioned her name almost mockingly. glances back with sinister smiles masking their faces. not long after they began to surround her, grabbing her by the shoulder. Suddenly she was punched in the gut. Another one swung at the face, punching her! Kalika was left dumbfounded. Without any time to think, she was dragged to the ground and pummeled with kicks after kicks, each one hitting harder than the last. Giggles and laughter filled that prisoner as these demonic ladies continued to trample upon Kalika. After a short while of surviving their onslaught, she was kicked hard into the wall. She coughed up a pool of blood from her mouth. Kalika was dazed and confused by this unprovoked violence. ¡°Why¡­ Why is this happening to me?¡± Shortly after Kalika was grabbed by the throat and pinned to the wall. The gray hair women smiled menacingly with a blade at the ready. One again she spoke in the demon language, this time in a mocking tone. Kalika could tell just by the tone of their voice that they saw her as just another pathetic human girl. Familiar names popped out through their Taunt. They were mentioning Lillian, the Demon King and Rakon. Before she could think, she screamed from pain as she was stabbed by the women. She pulled the blade and as she did, Kalika glanced behind the gray-haired demon, seeing the other two readying their own knives too. Her screams echoed in the hall as the women painfully marked Kalika''s body with her knives. After some time, they were finally satisfied. The two black haired ladies started to leave. The gray-haired demon on the other hand stepped on Kalika''s head. She taunted and mocked Kalika like she wanted her to do something like she was some wild animal. With the pain coursing through her body, Kalika couldn''t move one bit. Despite this she glared tearfully at the women towering over her. This provoked the woman to kick Kalika in the gut, not once but twice. Kalika coughed more blood. she couldn¡¯t feel anything other than the immeasurable pain inside her. Finally, the gray-haired demon left with the other two, closing the steel door behind them. Laughter and joke erupted between the three and with each closing of the iron doors, they became quieter. "T-those bastards¡­" Kalika wheezed. Kalika''s vision was becoming hazy, slipping in and out of consciousness until the door was opened once more with Rhonda on the other side. Rhonda ran up to Kalika, face pale, painted with deep concern and horror. Rakon suddenly shows up behind Rhonda with a blade in hand. He tossed it to the ground for Rhonda who looked back and forth with reluctance. And with the remaining strength she has Kalika tugs at Rhonda''s skirt. "Please¡­ Rhonda¡­" Rhonda finally obliged, killing Kalika. Soon after, Kalika reawakened with her wounds fully healed. Looking back up she glared angrily at Rakon with welled up eyes. "Y-you bastard!" she yelled. ¡°You smug son of a bitch! You put them up to this, didn¡¯t you!¡± Rakon simply smiled at the girls in the prison. He then proceeded to crouch down to the level examining them as if they were cute animals. He gave a light chuckle as he continued looking at the two. "For a human girl you can be very cute." he continued to chuckle for a little before standing back up. "Those girls that stopped by are some of my loyal idiots that stopped by to say hi. They''ll be your playmates to make sure things aren''t boring for you¡­ In due time." Kalika glared much more ragefully at Rakon. "Oh, how scary." he mocked. Rakon entered into the neat solitary prison. "And here I thought that we should bargain a contract." Kalika, as angry as she was, had a curiosity growing from this statement. "What do you mean?" Rakon gave a knowing smile. "Since I admire you so much, I had a couple choice contract ready" Rakon snapped his fingers for a servant to appear with two scrolls in hand. One the scrolls looked brownish gray as the other looked yellow. He delivered them to Kalika before taking his leave. "I even went through the trouble to transcribe it to the human language, just for you. Your language is a little more¡­ Specific with its phrasings. SO it took a lot of time to prepare." Rakon starts to rub his chin watching Kalika opening the yellow scroll. "And Alternatively, if you don''t like either option. I can let my girls continue to entertain you until their Majesties return. Thinking about it now it''d probably be the more mundane option." Kalika ignored Rakon. She read the yellow parchment intently with Rhonda glazing it over too. Although Rhonda had a much harder time understanding the symbols on the paper. Reading line by line she grips the edges of the paper furiously. "Tch!" Kalika widens her eyes in shock, throwing the first scroll to the corner of the room. ¡°What kind of sick joke is this!?¡± She snapped. ¡°Like hell I''m going to be some whore to you!" Kalika was seething in anger, glaring hard at Rakon who seemed uninterested in her plight. He turned to grab the discarded scroll. "And the second?" he asked. Reluctantly Kalika proceeded to open the brownish-gray scroll to read, giving a huff as she did. She squeezed the trim of the paper frustrated by the choices given to her. It wasn''t a choice of two evils but three, and the most current option she saw before her is the most hopeful that she could see.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Rakon placed the first scroll by Kalika. "There won''t be any negotiations or other chances. This will be the only time I''ll be offering these choices to you Kalika." he walked over to the door, leaning on it as he watched Kalika intently. "The first one, I think, is the most favorable for you. You¡¯d be freed from this prison and-¡± ¡°But you¡¯d treat me like some servant or slave!¡± she interrupted. ¡°The last thing I want is to be some concubine to some demon!¡± ¡°Heh. You talk like our species can actually reproduce together. I can assure you that''s not the case. Besides¡­ As long as you prove your loyalty to me, I¡¯ll treat you just right." A chill ran down Kalika¡¯s spine hearing Rakon. "No way in hell am I ever going to consider that! I won''t let him have his satisfaction! I WON''T LET HIM LOOK DOWN ON ME!!" "I''ll take the second option," Kalika said. "Oh." Rakon''s smile widened. "Are you sure about this?" "That contract states that I just need to kill three people to be freed, yeah?" "That''s true, but you''ll also be tossed back into your old cell and be fair game to any with a grudge,¡± Rakon explained. ¡°This may include some of my subordinates. And I''m sure they''ve already taken quite the liking to you. " With a stern eye Kalika looked at Rakon. "If that''s all, then I''d happily bear through it! Compared to what Lily put me through, it''s nothing!" Rakon chuckles, which turns into laughter. "Amazing! This is why I admire you so much!" his laughter continues. "Those determined eyes. that serious face¡­¡± Rakon flashed another smile at Kalika. ¡°Very well." Blood dropped onto the second contract from above a second after. "I''ve signed the second with my blood. All you have to do is give a drop like me and it''ll seal the contract." "And how do I know you won''t go back?" Kalika inquired. "These contracts before you, are enchanted with an ancient magic that was first discovered and created by our ancestor. So, rest assured that should I violate it, I would perish, slowly and painfully on the spot." With reluctance Kalika finally opted to sign the contract with the assistance of Rhonda. Despite Rhonda''s own reluctance to cut Kalika''s finger she finally caved in, cutting it and dropping some blood on the parchment, sealing the contract. Shortly after, Rhonda licked the fresh cut on Kalika''s finger. and to her amazement, her cut healed itself leaving Kalika speechless. She had no Idea that Rhonda could do such a thing. Suddenly a big burst of fire erupted onto the contract, burning the parchment to ash. "W-what the hell??" "That''s normal. It''s just a sign that the contract has been recognized. You can even ask your maid since she''s done one herself." Kalika looked towards Rhonda who instantly became nervous and affirmed that Rakon wasn''t lying. "Alright so when will I be killing this first person?" Kalika asked. "In the next three months we will have your first match." "Match?" A few guards entered the cell. "Yes. and while we get the preparation done, you can feel free to prepare yourself as you see fit while you''re with the other prisoners." "Wait so I''m not staying here?" "Of course not. I can''t keep the prison''s celebrity locked up forever. You have to stretch your legs, meet old acquaintances and the likes. It wouldn''t be a fair contract if I had you rot here forever, now would it." The guards approached Kalika and her maid. "Fine. So be it." Kalika sighed. Rakon smiled happily hearing Kalika''s response. Understanding the situation Kalika got up, only to find that her legs are much shakier than before. perhaps from the beating she was given earlier. Rhonda, a little nervous, opted to follow right behind Kalika. as some of the guards led them outside the cell and through the hall of steel doors, leaving behind Rakon who simply watched them off. "Now don''t cause any trouble out there." Rakon was chuckling. It was obvious to Kalika that he was taunting her. "K-K-Kalika?" Kalika, surprised, looked back to find Rhonda concerned, tugging at her prisoner''s clothes lightly. It was rare to find Rhonda wanting to talk. "A-are you sure you should''ve done that? S-signing the contract I mean." Kalika paused trying to comprehend the fact that her succubus maid was actually talking to her. and in the human language no less. Kalika came back to her senses shortly after and finally responded. "Honestly... I don''t know." Kalika balled her fist, frustrated by the circumstance she was in. "I really don''t trust him. But if guaranteeing my freedom means killing a few people, then I''d happily do it. even if this freedom only lasts until Lilly comes back." "I-I See". Suddenly Kalika started to feel a heat rising within her. Her heart now pounding furiously with vision becoming unsteady. "Why do I feel so weird all of a sudden?" Without warning Kalika''s legs gave way, making her trip over. Luckily, she is saved from the fall thanks to Rhonda''s quick reaction. Her legs wouldn¡¯t stop shaking, and as much as she wanted to regain control, she was at the mercy of something unfamiliar yet arousing. One of the guards inquired Rhonda about the situation in their native language. she replies quickly, explaining something to the guard sorrowfully. The guard scoffed at the maid following up with a remark that sounded offensive. Rhonda paid no mind to this, she simply proceeded to put Kalika''s arm around her shoulder and lifted her up so they could continue being escorted. "I-I''m sorry. this is my fault." Kalika glanced at her maid Rhonda, still a little confused. "W-what do you mean? You didn''t do anything wrong." Rhonda became a little flustered by the response and opted not to respond. still feeling some guilt. "T-the feeling should pass soon, just try to resist any weird urges. Okay?" "S... Sure..." After a journey through the corridors, they finally reached a part of the dungeon, lined in rows and rows of prison cells. All of which were strangely empty. Continuing forth, Kalika started to feel much better and normal, recovering from the strange sensation she had. Feeling better she finally felt able to separate herself from Rhonda. "I wonder what that was about¡­" "Kalika Archelion." a voice rang out. Kalika looked up to find a blue demon with short white hair and black eyes, he had a strap of armor hanging by his waist and his horns pointing to the front like a bull. There was also a horizontal scar going across his face that still looked fresh. The demon stood in their path exuding a dark rageful aura. "" a guard asked. "" He snapped. Ek turned her attention back to Kalika. "You''ve got a lot of nerve coming down here after everything you''ve done!" Kalika simply stared at the demon general and despite his menacing gaze she couldn¡¯t help but to not take him seriously. Kalika turned to one of the guards. "Uhh¡­ who is he?" The guards surrounding her instantly became nervous. Ek got up close shouting at Kalika. "UUUUWWWAAAAAA!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! YOUR ASS HAS BEEN CAUSIN ME NOTHIN BUT TROUBLE EVER SINCE YOU''VE BEEN BREAKING OUT ALL THE DAMN TIME!!! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW!!!!!" The angry demon started to go on tangents that seemed to have no bearing on the matter of what Kalika did. Understanding this, some of the guards pulled away the angry general and informing him of Kalika''s predicament of not being able to remember the last 10 years. He looked on, a little stunned. He instantly calmed down a little hearing this new. but continued to scowl at Kalika. "Consider yourself lucky this time. Next time I see you, you better start groveling!" Ek gestured to the ground with his finger. Shortly after he left Kalika and her escort to continue on their business. "The names Ek. And don''t forget it!" He spouted, just before turning the corner. Kalika could only be annoyed by this demon as she can hear what sounded to be curses being uttered under the demon''s breath. She paid it no mind however, focusing on actually arriving at their destination. It''s not long until they finally arrived at her prison cell. One of the older looking guards stepped up and spoke. "This¡­ is your cell. Open any time. Leave any time. But. cannot leave dungeon. Understood?" Kalika is completely left stupefied. "How is Rhonda able to speak better than him...???" Kalika looked on awkwardly at the guard before affirming her understanding. With their jobs completed Kalika was left at her new place with her maid. "So, this''ll be my new home¡­ it''s probably just empty with-" Kalika took a peek into her new cell with no hopes of a clean quarters. But to her surprise, the cell was clean and actually had a bed in it. She rushed over to the bed, feeling it to make sure it was real. Overjoyed, she quickly hopped over to lay on the bed. She found it much cozier which was literal hay. She could almost cry from joy. But she quickly became embarrassed realizing that Rhonda was watching her. Kalika cleared her throat. "This is¡­ a very acceptable prison cell." Rhonda only watched on cheerfully. Happy to see this rare moment of excitement from Kalika. Kalika looked around the dungeon corridor to find most of the prisons empty. There were signs that their cells were once preoccupied by the disorganized beds and some strange decorations being hung collecting dust. "What the hell is going on?" Kalika continued to look around from her cell. "And where is everyone?" "You''re back?" a gruff voice sounded out. Kalika looked to her left to find a towering older looking gentleman with a well-kept body, a clean shave and short gray hair on a face that looks great for his age. Kalika''s eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a minute. I''ve seen this man before! But from where?" the man continued. "Honestly I thought you''d never come back after that last escape attempt you made." "That''s right! Wasn''t he in my dream???" "Especially after you and the Demon Queen killed almost everyone here¡­" Kalika instantly became pale upon hearing this. Even Rhonda who was standing closely was shocked by this bit of information. Complete confusion hit Kalika hard. "W-wait. what?" Chapter 22: Hidden Strength? Kalika Looked at the older-looking man in front of her with confusion. She couldn''t believe a word he just spoke. "What are you talking about?" She questioned. The older looking man immediately took notice of her reaction. He stared at her coldly before realizing something himself. "So the rumors are true then. You lost your memories from the past nine, ten years." The man then gave a long sigh. "I guess that means you don''t remember me either.¡± The man stood tall like a soldier introducing himself. ¡°Alright, the name is Tilus Kyrier and I was the one to help train you up in fighting. Or if we want to be exact, you used me as a training dummy for the past eight or so years." "Hh-huh? I used you as¡­ a training dummy?" "It''s a long story. The short version is we met in an arena match, and you spared my life." Tilus leaned himself at the cell door entrance. "Ever since then, you''ve been sparring with and had me teach you to fight a little by little. I even help you sharpen your technique with that blood blade." "Still though, I''d never imagine you being able to go toe to toe with the Demon Queen much less the warden." Kalika scoffed. "Me going toe to toe with her? That''s not even possible. Do you expect me to believe that I went around killing other people while also fighting my sister? That''s the most absurd thing I''ve heard!" "Well as absurd as it sounds, that''s what happened. But it just so happened that e veryone in this block got in the way of your fight, I''m just considering myself lucky I wasn''t caught in the crossfire. And Honestly, I never would''ve imagined that a lady of your stature would be capable of such a thing myself, but here we are." Kalika didn''t know what to believe. She traced her finger along the grooves in the stone bricks. Tilus could tell that Kalika was conflicted as she kept silent, furrowing her brows. A sense of frustration washed over Kalika as she now stood over the bed. She became much quieter. "You make it sound like I was as strong as my sister. But I can never match a demon like her." "...Sister?" Tilus said curiously. Kalika glanced at Tilus ¡°Yeah, my sister¡± "W-wait! What do you mean, the Demon Queen, your sister!?" "I''m merely adopted, now relax." She snapped. Kalika then noticed Rhonda also becoming dizzy from the sudden revelation. ¡°Oh right, Lily wanted this kept a secret didn¡¯t she¡­¡± Tilus immediately calmed himself. He cleared his throat. ¡°R-right. Sure. "I doubt that I''d ever be as strong as Lily." a memory of her dagger being stripped from her resurfaced, from when she had her memories wiped. "Perhaps it has something to do with that dagger Lily gave me. That''s the only reasonable explanation as to how I can even match her strength in the first place if that''s true..." Kalika gave a rare smirk as if a new hope reignited within her. Tilus, leaned back on the cell door. "Anyways. Why don''t you tell me why you''re back here?" Kalika was brought out of her thoughts. She glanced back at Tilus and sat herself on the bed. Crossing her arms, she contemplated to herself whether to actually tell him. For some reason she felt like she could trust this man just met and giving a sigh, she finally divulged. "I made a contract with a demon named Rakon. To simply put it, I kill three particular people and he''ll guarantee my freedom from this prison. But only until my sister, the Demon Queen returns." Tilus stroked his chin upon hearing this. "The demon queen is¡­ Gone?¡± ¡°Yeah. She left alongside the Demon King to finish the war.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ Hmm¡­¡± Tilus was deep in thought for a few seconds. ¡°And do you know who these people are and where to find them?" "No. as far as I''m aware, the contract stated that Rakon would be picking them out and I''d have to be the one to kill them. The first match is supposed to start in three months according to that demon." "You certainly know how to find trouble." Tilus sighed. "Well, if you need help preparing, I can assist you with this. I don''t mind giving a helping hand a second time with some training." "Training¡­?" Kalika looked at Tilus, she turned away, biting her thumb, pondering what to do. "It probably wouldn''t hurt to trust him¡­" The thought of the strange dream runs through her mind playing back on repeat. "I wonder¡­" "So. What will it be?" Kalika looked back up to Tilus. "And what''s in it for you if you do help me?" "You raise an interesting question." Tilus started to ponder to himself. ¡°How about this? If I help you with this training, then you have to promise to give me an honorable death." "W-what? An¡­ Honorable death?" She looked upon the man more confused. "Yes. And seeing that I¡¯m getting old, I¡¯d like to die while I''m still able to hold a blade. So what do you say? deal?" Tilus held out his hand to Kalika. She looked at him, then at Rhonda still standing by. With reluctance, she accepts/. "F¡­Fine. If those are the terms, then I''ll happily accept the¡­ But no funny business! Alright!" Tilus chuckled a little at her last remark. "Alright then.¡± ¡°Here, follow me. I''ll show you around the prison." Kalika followed Tilus out of her cell. She found that Rhonda was staying behind. "Rhonda?" Rhonda gave a cheerful smile as she gestured for Kalika to go off without her. She seemed to trust Tilus to look after Kalika. "Back to staying silent, huh?" Kalika continued forth alongside Tilus. Standing next to him she finally realized how short she was compared to him. He was even much taller than Lillian by her estimates which made her feel much more like a child. Tilus glanced back at Rhonda who started tidying and examining Kalika''s cell. turning back, he silently called out to Kalika to continue their conversation, but much more quietly. Kalika glanced at Tilus, Curious.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "So that''s your maid?¡± "Rhonda? She is. Why do you ask?" Tilus glances back for a moment. "Just a little curious¡­" "By the way I''m not sure if this will mean a lot to you but¡­ If I''m not mistaken, I think this is your second contract you''ve done with this demon, Rakon." "Second?" Kalika was confused by the sudden statement. "I remember you letting it slip during one of our times trying to escape. You never went into the specifics about it though. just that he was under your thumb. or was it the other way around?" Tilus glanced over to Kalika. "In any case, It may not be my place to talk but I think you should tread lightly with him." "I don''t need your opinion to know that I shouldn''t trust him. Besides, I already had a feeling that he''s been up to something. But it''s stranges.¡­" "What is?" "I would¡¯ve assumed that he¡¯d aim to be the next King of demons with all of his plotting. But it feels like his eyes are on me now. I just don''t get it! I think he¡¯s up to something" "Don¡¯t rack your head too much. Follow your gut. Sometimes it''s the only thing you can do." "That''s easy for you to say. what are you anyways? some Ex-soldier or Captain from the military?" Kalika and Tilus passed by many halls of the prison cell. It wasn''t long before he stopped at a cross section. "Still have a very discerning eye¡­ I guess you can say that, although it''s been quite a long time since I''ve been on the battlefield¡­ But I digress." Tilus cleared his throat and pointed down a hall to their right. "Anyways, down there will be where we get our food and water. It''s one serving for each prisoner." "Wait. we have to get our own food?" Kalika cringed a little. "Other prisoner¡¯s serve us, but you do have to get it from them." Tilus then points straight ahead. "And ahead of us is where the Arena is. There everyone goes to pass time. Games, training, fights. They all happen there." Kalika stared down the corridor leading to the underground Arena. "A-alright. So we''re going straight down there?" Kalika looked back to Tilus to find that he was gone. She jerked her head around frantically until she found him heading down the other corridor to the mess hall. "W-wait! Where are you going!?" Tilus turned around looking at Kalika like she was stupid. "We can''t go training on empty stomachs." It''s at that point Kalika realized that she was in fact hungry. "Yeah. I-I guess you''re right¡­" ******** In the halls of the castle maids and butlers are made to line up as Rakon walks past them all one by one. A cold sweat ran down their faces awaiting some grim fate that might befall one of them. Rakon walked ever so peacefully down the rows of servants. Suddenly, he stopped in front of a butler. Anxiety rose within the pink eyed incubus as if trying to hide a guilt. ¡°¡± Rakon pinched his right-hand index finger placing it on the butler''s head. ¡°¡± The butlers jerked; eyes widened in shock. He starts convulsing uncontrollably until¡­ Finally he stops. Rakon reeled his needle-like finger back, letting the demon fall to the ground. "" The remainder of the servants scurried off as a couple others took the now dead body away. Rakon, satisfied, continued down the hall until he reached the desired room. He entered into a guest room housing the three Demon Ladies that had tortured Kalika not too long ago. Their Feasting on freshly cooked meat. Rakon wasted no time seating himself across from the ladies. Who were showing very ill manners as they continued eating sloppily. "Daji, Valam, Florin¡­" They all stopped at once. Rakon continued in their native language. "" They were all silent. The tension thickened between the four demons in that room. "" The three ladies dropped their cooked meat bowing before their master. The gray-haired Demon, Daji, gave their response. "" "" Rakon interrupted. "" Content with the response Rakon smiled. "" Rakon then snapped his finger for a servant to come out. "" " " "" "That won''t be necessary" a deep voice could be heard from behind the servant. A huge red demon with white hair emerges, startling the servant and making them scurry away. The demon squeezed himself through the door then kneeled and bowed in respect to Rakon¡¯s authority. "Ah, Bjorn. What wonderful timing. A sign of a true loyal companion." Rakon narrowed his eyes on Bjorn. "I trust you know what it is I need you to do." "Yes. and it will be done." Rakon smiled satisfied. ¡°¡± ******** Back with Kalika and Tilus They began to leave the mess hall, many prisoners simply staring and watching from a distance. They all whispered amongst each other instinctively. Kalika could only glance back, curiously as she was expecting there to be much more trouble. but the entire time, the room was completely devoid of any chatter. Turning back, she continued to walk alongside Tilus to the arena eventually entering the large spacious room. It was a strange feeling for Kalika to find the arena crowded with other prisoners hanging out with each other and fooling around. It was almost shocking since it felt like an entire army was housed in this dungeon prison. "Is this how prisons are typically run, I-I''m a little confused. "Kalika continued looking around as they pushed through the crowd. "Not in the least. At least from where I came. I just think it''s their own way of saying that we''re trapped even if we don''t have a prison cell. and it doesn¡¯t help since some of the halls outside this prison are booby trapped." ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kalika continued to look around and noticed that demon guards were being stationed around the entirety of the arena. They were being watched and observed. Her gaze then turned to the prisoners who were now starting to stare at her. By the time they reached the corner of the arena they found that all the inmates were looking at Kalika, whispering amongst each other. Seeing all the other prisoners stare made her feel tense. "Pay them no mind, most of them are too scared to actually approach us." ¡°I-I guess a man as tall as yourself can scare away many people.¡± Kalika chuckled nervously soon after. a hint of fear flashing in her eyes. ¡°Sure¡± Kalika found that even some of the nearby guards were starting to try to distance themselves from them. It was truly a strange sight to see. Tilus positioned and posed himself ready for a fight. "Alright let''s see where you stand when it comes to fighting." "Uhh. Can we start with something more simple? I-I can''t even attack." Kalika started to get concerned. "Because of the demon blade. I know that already. Just try to dodge or block my punches." "W-wait this is too fast-" Tilus threw the first punch only for Kalika to dodge it to her own surprise. Again, this time for the face. The attack nearly struck her, but like before she avoided the hit. Tilus stopped himself immediately afterwards. "Huh. Your reflexes seem to be intact." Kalika pushed his hands away from her face. "YOU ASSHOLE!!" She really wanted to slap Tilus in retaliation but found her body stiffening. This only served to fuel her rage. "I''m surprised you were able to dodge my attacks. With your memories gone I thought we would''ve had to start at square one. But this just makes things easier." Tilus started to ponder to himself for a moment as Kalika continued to seethe in her anger. Tilus started to give a smirk. "An interesting thought just passed my mind." Tilus suddenly patted the angry Kalika on the head putting her in a stupor. "I think I know exactly how to prepare you for your first opponent." Kalika immediately became confused. She glared at Tilus who turned away and leaned on the nearby caged wall of the arena. "But first things first. I''ll need you to go on an exercise regimen." Pushing her own frustrations aside she reluctantly agrees. "A-alright, fine. " "First exercise¡­ Push-ups!" All strength immediately left Kalika¡¯s body as she became pale upon hearing his statement. "W-wait! D-do I really-" "Yes!" Tilus sighed as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I guess it is back to square one with you to an extent." "Maybe we can run around the arena first?" Kalika asked. Shortly after the prisoners watched in amazement, some watching from a distance as were the demon guards. "Wait, isn''t that woman the ''immortal Maiden''!" a prisoner exclaimed. "Y-yeah... what are they doing?" another prisoner responded. Kalika and Tilus found themselves running around the edge of the arena. They were finding more attention from this than they expected. "And after this we''ll be doing some push-ups." Tilus stated. "F¡­Fine¡­" Kalika was starting to run out of breath. She then started to cringe at the idea of doing push-ups. "Why does it have to be push-ups?" "This is only day one Kalika. If you''re serious about following through with that deal you made, this is going to be part of the regimen going forward until that match of yours comes." "How is he not out of breath!!" Unknown to Kalika and Tilus, they are being watched by a blue demon with black hair and a huge vertical scar across his body. The demon watching was Kel, the brother of Ek, and the demon that fought the Heroes of Prophecy. He watches them, very suspicious of their actions. "What is that girl up to now?" he snarled. Chapter 23: Bad Day The iron locked clanks, and the cell doors opened. "" The guards spouted. Kalika quickly covered her eyes from the light of the freshly lit torches. "Just a little longer. I wanna sleep. Just a little longer¡­" Kalika was enjoying the bliss of being comforted by the hay stuffed mattress. This is the peak sleep she''s received in over a month, and she didn''t want it to go to waste. "Rise and Shine!" Tilus announced. Those three simple words just ruined her day. Kalika was annoyed that Tilus had arrived much earlier than normal. "Do we have to?" her words slurred a little. it was obvious that she wanted to continue her sleep. "You very well know the answer to that Kalika. C¡¯mon." Kalika made frustrated moans and yawns getting up. She sucked up her own laziness, following alongside Tilus. The corridors were much livelier than when she first arrived, prisoners pushed past prisoners as guards observed silently for any trouble. Traveling through the corridor they found that guards and other demons were blocking certain sections that led to the outside of the dungeon''s prison. Loud bangs and clangs echo through the halls of the dungeon. Kalika peeked curiously, seeing them placing and inserting strange tubes and pipes within the walls and floors. Some of the demons were seemingly using some sort of magic to place the stones of the walls and floors back. "Hmmm¡­" Kalika started to wonder about the changes occurring. "Kalika." "Oh. On my way." ******** "Argh!" Kalika fell hard on the ground by the stone wall. "Again!" Tilus commanded. Kalika shook herself, backing away from the wall. She ran fast at the wall, starting to run up it slightly until her feet slid down. Once again, she fell onto the ground. Kalika was becoming exhausted. "Okay that''s enough for now." Kalika and Tilus were still the center of attention among all the other prisoners. There was intrigue among some, curiosity from others but mostly scorn from many more who kept their distance from the two. Kalika leaned herself on the wall trying to catch her breath after all the wall running, she did. "What''s the point of an exercise like that?" "You need to build up stamina and strength in your legs. Your opponent will likely be relying on their own strength. So, to Simply put it; if you''re faster than your opponent, then you''ll be one step ahead of killing them." Kalika looked at her arms before turning her gaze to the ceiling. "Well, the exercises seem to be getting easier, so they''re probably working¡­" "I would hope so. You have another month or so until you have that death match." "Right¡­," Kalika silently said. There was a silence between the two. A fight between two inmates suddenly broke out before Kalika and Tilus. They both watched the flurry of blocks and punches. "By the way, are you still having those weird dreams?" Tilus asked. One of the inmates got the other in a chokehold. "Actually, this time around the dream didn''t come around. It''s the first time I had a regular dream in a while. It Kinda feels weird." "How so?" Another prisoner joined the fight, punching the one holding the choke hold. "Well¡­ I don''t know how to put it¡­?" Kalika pondered for a moment. She watched as the two-inmate started to kick down the other leaving him writhing in pain. "The best way I could put it is that the dream felt more natural. but when I wake up, I start to feel a little strange. It feels like under my skin, there''s a constant tingling. Right now, it''s¡­ weirdly comforting." Guards finally came to grab the defeated prisoner pulling him to the edge of the arena away from the other prisoners. Tilus glanced over to Kalika. "So, you''re still feeling it now?" "Yeah. At this point I''m used to it though. Just like everything else¡­" "CLEAR UP!" A voice sounded out. Prisoners started to move and push each other aside, out of the way of a blue demon with a huge scar. This Demon was General Kel. Kel Pointed at Kalika indignantly. "You! You''re coming with me!" Kalika Glared at the Demon. "And who the heck are you?" "Kalika I would just go with him." Tilus warned. Reluctantly Kalika listened and followed the Demon Kel. He led Kalika through the corridor. She could hear a constant mutter, as though he was cursing under his breath. After some time of traveling, they entered into the trapped dungeon hall that was still being worked on. Kel finally spoke up. "You want to tell me what the hell you''re playing at this time?" Kel questioned demandingly as they headed deeper inside. "What are you talking about?" "Don''t act stupid. I know you''re planning on escaping again, aren''t you? Well don''t get your hopes up. This time you and whatever idiot you bring along will find a nasty surprise." Kel stopped, posing his arms as he introduced the hall. ¡°Y¡¯see this hall? its stock to the neck with traps. Spikes, fire, you name it we have it here. So, if you think about escaping, you better think twice this time.¡± Kalika couldn''t help but to cross her arms and scoff at the demon. "Is that what you really believe? You think I¡¯ll try escaping again?" "I''m not gonna fall for your little tricks like my idiot brother. After all the trouble you¡¯ve caused us for the last several years, I know in your mind that you''re still aiming to escape from here." seemingly out of nowhere, Ek suddenly appeared from the corner of the hall. He ran down the hall with a vengeance, his anger visible. "And who are you callin an idiot! Brass head!" Kel turned back quickly. Suddenly they head-butted each other, their horns interlocking. "Brass head! You take that back!" ¡°Take what back? Idiot brother¡± Kel mocked. Kel stood his ground as did Ek, and it soon became a battleground between two bickering brothers. "Like hell I will, you were supposed to be at sub¨CLevel Five over an hour ago!"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "Oh, and how is that my Problem!? "It''s all of our problems if Rakon finds you''ve been slacking!" "Slacking!? I''m doing very important work here!" "UUWWAAAA!! Like what!?" Ek questioned. Kalika could only watch in bewilderment; she starts to even contemplate on sneaking away. She opted to try to get out of the situation only for both brothers to immediately take notice of Kalika. "YOU! JUST STAY PUT!" Both brothers yelled. The fight continues on but eventually the fight is broken up by Bjorn, who was accompanying Ek. "That''s enough, you two." Bjorn looked at Kalika then turned his attention back to Kel. "What is this girl doing here Kel?" "Tch! I was showing her the trapped hall and I was planning on interrogating her to see how she planned to escape this time." Ek head butted his brother once more. "UUWWWWAAA!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN INTERROGATE HER!?" "YOU HEARD ME! SHE''S UP TO SOMETHING! I KNOW IT!" Once more Bjorn pushed them away from each other. "ENOUGH!!" Bjorn gave a long sigh "We still have to finish those changes to the dungeon on level five." "Changes¡­ To the dungeon?" "So, Kel, send that girl back from whence she came. We can''t afford to waste any more time. You know how Rakon gets." Without another thought, Bjorn began to leave. "Yeah, yeah, Fine!" Kel spouted. "Hold up Kel. I still want to talk to Kalika myself." Ek started to approach Kalika. "Cause this girl¡­ STILL NEEDS TO GROVEL BEFORE ME!!" Ek dramatically poses his hand, trying to look intimidating to Kalika. Kalika just looked Blankly at Ek, annoyed. "Uhh. I don''t think so." Frustrated, Ek ruffled his hair, angered by Kalika''s nonchalant reaction. Kel cringed at Ek. "Oi, oi. You''re still on about that? It''s been five years since we made that bet, just give it up already." Ek continues to rough up his hair in frustration until he finally gives in. "GGRRrrrrr. AARGHH!! FINE!!!" Kalika watched on, as Ek tossed a pouch full of coins to his brother. It quickly became hard for Kalika to believe what she was witnessing seeing them argue once more. "What a waste of time." Kalika thought. "That''s bet number thirty, won in a row." Kel happily taunts. Ek is seen just seething in frustration. After another few seconds of watching, she opted to leave as the brothers continued to bicker. Kalika walked a few feet before she ended up hearing her name being called. Before she knew it she felt the sensation of her feet sinking and the sense of something sharp coming for her body from her side, followed by a sudden darkness. "Did I just die¡­?" After a few moments Kalika reawakens to find Bjorn holding her up with her feet still on the ground. He let go. She wobbled for a little until she finally found her balance. "You dingbat! We told you to stay put!" Ek scolded. "One of you. Just bring her back already! She''s supposed to still be in the prison anyhow!" Bjorn was annoyed by them. Once again, he starts leaving the three, scoffing as he did. "Kel. you go with Bjorn I''ll bring Kalika back to the prison." Kel grunts. "Fine, suit yourself. But don''t take your eyes off her for a minute. You never know when she''ll try to escape again." Kalika could only glare back indignantly at the remark. "This again!?" "Alright, this way," Ek said, leading the way. Kalika simply followed, leaving behind Kel and Bjorn to go down another passageway, likely leading back to where they needed to go. Ek gave a sigh. "Eehhhh¡­ Sorry about my brother. He''s been a little more on edge since the Heroes walked all over him and took you. Look, if you are going to try to escape again, just know that there is a lot of booby traps littered throughout the dungeon now s-." "Shut up! I don''t care about escaping anymore!" Kalika immediately stopped, Ek looked to Kalika, standing where he stood. Kalika started to talk in a much more quiet tone. " I know that I tried escaping other times in the past. Even if I don''t remember the reasons of why or when¡­ I know it''s pointless to even try. I gave up the day Lily killed the Heroes of prophecy¡­w" "If even the Heroes of Prophecy couldn''t help me escape-"Kalika started clutching her hands, Kalika stormed past Ek. "-Then what in the hell will!?" "Hey wait!" Ek warned Ek quickly grabbed Kalika''s hand, and she quickly pulled away from him. "Let me go!" she shouted. To Kalika''s shock she ran into another trap, with spikes rushing from both the floor and ceiling. This time she nearly avoided it, getting a scratch on her right cheek. She stood there, breathing heavily, fists still clenched with anger. It took Kalika a moment before she was able to calm down. Ek checked on Kalika to find not only the new scratch on her cheek, but also very dead eyes looking straight beyond the trap as if mesmerized by something beyond it. "Are you alright?" Ek asked. "No. I''m not." Shortly after the trap deactivated itself. "Okay then¡­ Just stay close until we''re back at the prison." Kalika took a deep breath. "All I have to do is honor that damn contract. That''s the best option I have if I ever want to leave this hell¡­ Even if it¡¯s only temporary, it¡¯s still better than nothing." Without looking at Ek she agreed to this. Kalika was soon returned back to the Arena entrance where Tilus waited. "Here you are. And Kalika. Don''t be so damn gloomy all the time." Kalika glared back to see him leaving her. Tilus approached Kalika. "What was that about? Did the Warden want you for something?" "Huh? Warden?" Kalika looked back to find Ek had already disappeared. "Yeah. warden. From what I heard, if I''m not mistaken, he''s also one of the demon king''s generals, as well as his twin brother." Kalika Thought back to when Ek and Kel were bickering with each other. "Brothers¡­ Generals¡­ huh¡­" "They certainly are annoying¡­" Kalika''s thoughts then went to the powerful demon general Bjorn and Jala. She then turned her attention back to the arena "Let''s get back to training." Kalika stated. "What got you in a bad mood¡­?" Tilus followed behind Kalika back into the arena, where Kalika''s training resumed for the remainder of the day. ******** Kalika now laid on her bed exhausted from overexerting herself. She could hear the cluttering of tools as Rhonda collected them. Looking over she saw that Rhonda is finally satisfied with her work and gathering all her supplies. Rhonda smiled at Kalika, she then noticed that Kalika had a scratch on her cheek. Concerned, Rhonda got close to Kalika examining the small wound. "What is it?" Kalika asked. she then noticed Rhonda eyeing her newly made scar. "Oh, this scratch, don''t worry about it. I''ll be fine." Kalika looked away at the wall and without warning, something wet was pressed on her scratched-up cheek. Kalika jerked up surprised, immediately feeling her face to find that the scratch was now gone. "Did she just heal me again??" She turned to Rhonda, finding her now bowing. "Please forgive me! I don''t like to see you hurt¡­" Rhonda gave a sad and guilty expression. Kalika sighed, a little annoyed, but looked upon her maid with pity. She patted her head as if she was still a child. "Don''t worry about it. You should get going, it''s already getting late." Looking at her maid Rhonda, Kalika could tell that she enjoyed the interaction by her flush red cheeks and the smile she tried to hide. Rhonda agreed and left with all of her cleaning utensils and the dirty sheet. And before she realized it, Rhonda had finally left the cell leaving Kalika alone. Kalika gave a long sigh, diving back into her hay stuffed bed. "Honestly¡­" The cell doors clanked locked by a guard. "" they announced. The pattering footsteps of the guards slowly become silent; the torches went out as if a magic snuffed out its life. Kalika was once again alone with no one around. A weird yet familiar sensation started to overcome Kalika. Her chest started tightening and it became hard to breathe. "T-this feeling. This is..." A heat rose within her alongside those strange urges, bubbling up to the surface. She felt her stomach, tracing her fingers down. "M-maybe-" "Have you been enjoying yourself?" Kalika shook. She quickly got up and looked at her cell door to see that Rakon was leaning on it with his back turned to Kalika. "W-what are you doing here!?" "Curiosity. It''s been over a month so I thought I should see how you were doing." "I was doing just fine, until you came. So just leave!" "Oh. I''m wounded. Rejected by a maiden seeking thrills." Rakon laughed a little. Flustered, Kalika turned herself to lie back on the bed on her side. "Don''t feel too embarrassed." Rakon turned to look inside to find Kalika breathing shakily and sweating somewhat. "I''ll give you a little bit of advice. Avoid coming in contact with a succubus''s saliva. They tend to have a lot of unwanted side effects." Rakon started to become amused, seeing as the temptation was starting to override Kalika¡¯s common sense. "But Don''t worry the feeling will pass in a few minutes if it wasn''t a lot." Rakon chuckled a little. "F-f-ff-fuck Y-y-you." Kalika could barely withstand the feeling. She suddenly found her arms being grabbed by Rakon. She looked back at the cell door to see that the first Rakon was still there. "Careful now," the Second Rakon said. "Let''s talk a little more. Maybe that''ll help distract you a little from what you''re feeling." He crouched down to see Kalika blushing red, it''s obvious to Rakon that she''s trying to keep a serious demeanor. "Ah, what a cute looking face." Rakon placed his hands on his chin, observing Kalika. "Hmmm¡­ but it looks like you had a sour day today didn''t you." Kalika became reluctant to answer. Instead, she tried to focus on steadying her breathing. "You don''t have to answer if you don''t want to." Glaring at Rakon, Kalika gritted her teeth and finally answered him. "Y-yes. I''m having a sour day. In fact, it''s become a horrible day. First the morning I was pulled into training early. Then one of those stupid demon generals came over because they wanted to interrogate me, thinking I was planning to escape. And now I have a creep that''s obsessed with me in my prison cell, pointing out the obvious and making fun of me!!" "S-so yes. I''m having a bad day. And now I''m in a much worse mood because of you!" Kalika found herself being petted on the head by Rakon. "Now, that wasn''t so bad, now, was it?" Flustered by Rakon¡¯s boldness she started to spout out a torrent of insults and obscene language at Rakon. Unleashing her full fury of words onto him. It went on for so long that she hadn''t even noticed that he already let go of her arm. By the time Kalika was done, she was still flush red. Exhausted from using her full knowledge of insults she had at her disposal. She watched on as the Rakon clone before her started to melt away into a puddle of blood. Rakon by the cell door laughed. "Looks like you released a lot of stress. You should be much happier." "Grrrr. I wish I could slap him like before!" "Feeling much better from those little urges of yours?" Rakon tauntingly asked. Kalika paused, realizing that the tightening and the weird heat she felt were now gone. "You truly never cease to captivate me, Kalika. Hah, I revel for the day we can meet eye to eye.¡± Rakon started to chuckle to himself once again. "Here. Since you''ve shown me a new side of yourself, I''ll tell you who your first opponent will be." Kalika''s interest peaked. Rakon smiled sinisterly. "You''ll be happy to hear that your first opponent will be¡­ General Ek, the acting warden of this prison." Chapter 24: Unsavory Truths "The Warden, Huh." Tilus ate a spoonful of a stringed meat-like porridge. "Yeah. That''s what he said." Kalika played around with her food, spacing out the different ingredients visible to her as she consumed any semblance of meat from the bowl. Both Kalika and Tilus ate their bowls of meat porridge in the prison mess hall on a wide wooden table along with some other prisoners. The focus of everyone in the room was to simply feast and gossip among other things. Tilus crossed his arms. "Hmmm¡­ This is a surprising turn of events. And If I''m not mistaken the warden''s also a general for the demon army. Definitely no slouch either." He glanced at Kalika, who still played with her food. He continued. "The warden around here has a reputation for being an iron wall. Nobody around here is able to lay a scratch on him, aside from you." Kalika cringed at Tilus as he ate another spoonful of his meal. "I''m finding that very hard to believe. It''s starting to feel like you''re just trying to sing my praises or something." Kaliak dunked her spoon into the bowl, attempting to fish out a much smaller piece of meat. "You don''t have to believe me if you don''t want to,¡± Tilus said. ¡°I''m just telling you what I know. Look, from what I''ve heard and from what the guards have been saying, you apparently killed some of the guards that accompanied the warden, Not only that be you almost sliced half his face off after the last escape attempt you made. " "Yeah, okay." Her voice was clearly filled with doubt. "I still don''t buy this whole, me going on a rampage thing you keep spouting on about. I''m a woman. I can''t do that. There''s no way a person like me can ever go head on with demons!" Frustrated, Kalika started to flick some of the non-meat ingredients from her bowl. "Would be a nice dream to have though. Going around. Killing every demon in sight." She smiled a little at the open thought. "I don''t know, maybe my best chance at winning would be a strength of will. See who can outlast the other. What do you think, Tilus?" "You can''t rely on your immortality alone. Even if you can''t die, if you''re unable to retaliate, you''ll just find yourself as useful as the dirt we step on" Tilus pushed the remainder of his half-eaten meal away. "Yeah, perhaps you''re right¡­" Kalika took the last bite from her stringy meat. With no more meat in her bowl she turned her attention to Tilus''s bowl of half-eaten meat porridge, seeing three to be pieces of meat still inside. "Hey, you mind if I can have the rest of that?" She asked. Tilus glanced back at Kalika bewildered by her question. He peeked at her bowl to find she ate around the vegetables, He promptly glared back at her. "W-what?" Kalika defended. She turned her gaze, a little embarrassed. "I''m still a little hungry¡­" Tilus could only sigh from the response, before pushing his bowl to her. "Fine, but in exchange you have to give another ten laps today." Kalika immediately tensed up from the request, reluctantly accepting it. She took a spoonful of the meat porridge, delighting the taste of its meat, whatever it was. "How can this be so good!?" "I still don''t understand how you can still eat this stuff¡­ and you''re not even eating the vegetables in it." Tilus remarked. "Vegetables? I don''t know anything about those, but this stuff is much better than the bread and meat we would just get." Kalika moved in for another bite, expertly dodging the vegetables in the bowl. After a moment she was finally done eating from Tilus''s food. She wiped her lips with her arms. "Anyways do you know if the Warden has any weak points that I can work off of?" "I wouldn''t know a thing. I think, the past you would probably have a better Idea than me honestly speaking. The warden had to catch you so many times you two practically referred to each other by name." "Is that really that uncommon?" she asked. "Have you heard any of the guards here call me by my name once?" Kalika ponders Tilus''s question. "O-okay fine, I get the point. Still, I can''t imagine ever being that close to him. I feel so annoyed when I''m around him. And aside from that, his brother seems to think I still want to escape." Tilus looked at Kalika, surprised. "You finally gave up on escaping? That''s surprising to hear." "You too!?"She was taken aback by his statement. "The last eight years all you did was scheme of ways to escape. A lot of them were very ambitious a that. If it wasn''t you trying to escape during the night, it was you scheming and making connections with the other prisoners. Although all of them are dead now." Kalika became silent upon hearing this. "I-is that so..." "Y-yeah. I guess that sounds like something I''d do¡­ wouldn''t it..." Kalika looked back at the bowls filled with broth covered vegetables. She spooned up a piece of chopped up onions and carrots. The thought of tasting them, but she quickly changed her mind. She dropped the spoon leaving the bowls behind. "You''re not going to finish?" She stared at the bowls blankly. "It''s too loud in here. Besides, I¡¯m already finished with it so we should get back to training¡­¡± Kalika glances away, hiding her own bitterness. ¡°If¡­ You don''t mind." Understanding, Tilus agreed and followed right along Kalika back into the arena to resume her training session. Kel watched closely from the corner of the dungeon hall as Kalika left with Tilus to the arena. Ek approaches Kel from his side, disappointed to see him spying. "Still nothing?" Ek asked. ¡°What a surprise,¡± he said, sarcastically.Stolen story; please report. "You''re too relaxed with her. Someone needs to keep an eye on her and you''re obviously not doing it, Ek." Ek grabbed Kel by his horns. "I''m not watching her because she''s not planning anything! Dumbass!!" The brother butted heads. "Who are you calling a dumbass? Scarface!" "Oh, you wanna play this game again!" Ek yelled. "AHEM!!" Bjorn was right behind them, like before. "Rakon wants to talk to you Ek." Ek became annoyed. "Seriously? What is it now?" With a scoff Ek follows behind Bjorn but is suddenly called by Kel. "Are you really not concerned about what the queen''s toy will do?" Kel asked angrily. "C''mon. The girls already lost hope of escaping. You really think she''s gonna run away now, especially with all the traps we''ve installed. At this point she''s already resigned to her fate." Kel rolled his eyes at his brother''s statement. "That''s what you said last time! Tch! And what about you Bjorn, what do you think?" Bjorn stopped and turned around. "About the girl? I think that she¡¯s starting to learn at the very least¡­" he turned back to walk away. "But only time will tell if she accepts her life as it is. Who knows? Anything could happen in the next five or so years¡­" Kel watched on as Ek followed behind Bjorn to report to their acting king. "Sheesh. I guess I''m by myself on this, aren''t I¡­" Kel looked back down the hall where Kalika and Tilus were a moment ago. "Dumbasses. They''re too laid back with this girl. I know she''s human, but still¡­" Kel leaned himself against the wall crossing his arms. "There''s something strange going on¡­ I just know it." ******** Back with Kalika and Tilus in the arena. Kalika begins the exercise she¡¯s dreaded most. Push-ups. Kalika gives her best fight with each following push-up she does. All the while, Tilus stood by, watching over her to ensure she¡¯d followed through with the full exercise of fifty push-ups. "Alright, and tomorrow we''ll aim to do a hundred push-ups," Tilus said. "Y-you''re a monster!" Kalika complained, with tears now becoming evident. "You''re the one that insisted on going harder, so no complaining! And after this we''ll do twenty-five laps around the arena." "[I hope this war ends soon¡­]" Kel said to himself. ******** A battlefield with scorched earth is laced with the bodies of soldiers with many different torn off limbs and body parts scattered throughout. A blazing fire scorched and stretched out far beyond the once lush plains and beautiful villages that were once prosperous. And among the chaos the army of demons continued their march, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. In the center of the battlefield laid a never-ending pile of corpses. At the very top, a demon woman watched as the human army fled. whilst in her hand a terrified soldier tried in vain to free himself from her grasp. "N- Nooooooo-!!" The ripping of flesh and bones are heard. Lillian looked at the now headless man''s expression as she held his head with a single hand, pushing his body down with the other. Giving a sigh, she tossed the head behind her into the pile of bodies as she sat down. "They must be getting desperate if now they''re using villagers. My country sure has fallen far¡­" Lillian looked on, into the battlefield of their one-sided massacre. "If they''re desperate, that only means that the war is close to its end." Lillian turned, finding that Lucius was now behind her. "Once we''ve conquered the last of this country''s major cities, this war will finally be over and the country will be ours. Then it''ll only be a matter of dealing with the small pockets of resistance, but that''s to be expected." "I see¡­" Lillian didn''t find much interest in the last part of Lucius Statement. "Lucius, what do you plan on doing with the humans after this war finishes?" Lucius came to Lillian''s side, sitting himself right beside her. He scratched his chin pondering. "That''s a very good question¡­" Lucius looked beyond the battlefield. "I''ve had a few suggestions. Some say we should keep them as slaves while others think it''s better to deport them out of the country..." Lucius glanced at Lillian. "Me. The humans left can do what they want." Lucius gets up. "Just as long as they don''t cause trouble." "Quite the gracious king, aren''t you." She joked. "Gracious? No. Regardless. Whatever we do, I have my doubts that the other human countries will play along, but as long as my people can prosper unlike what we had in the Pit, I''ll be satisfied." Lillian''s eyes softened a little. "Yeah¡­ Down there was devoid of any hope. Honestly, it''s a miracle that the demon race was able to survive in such a dark place¡­" with a much sadder expression looking back at her blue hands. "It makes me a little envious of my little sister¡­ since I''m no longer human¡­" "Life is such a weird thing isn''t it." Lillian gave a bitter smile. She got up, watching the demon army continuing to march forth. "Life is certainly a strange thing sometimes. I''m sure your sister would agree¡­," Lucius said. "Yeah¡­ I wonder how she''s doing now¡­ Hopefully she''s not causing any trouble this time." Lillian hopped down the large pile of corpses she was on, alongside Lucius. She then gave a big stretch. "Alright, so what do we do now Lucius?" From their side, both general Azar and Jala approached them. "Sorry to interrupt, but our scouts are reporting that the confederation''s army is approaching from the southeast." Azar said. Both Lillian and Lucius became alert upon hearing this. Jala followed up. "There is also an interesting rumor going around with the soldiers we just captured." "Rumors? Of what" Lucius became curious. "There are some among them saying the Celestine empire is supposedly going to join in as reinforcements to the confederations. Also, by the look of things, they seem to be under the belief that we don''t understand their language." Azar held in a slight chuckle listening to Jala''s last statement. "I never knew a human could be so cocky." Azar said, as she tried to hold back any semblance of laughter. "He was a very cocky man until I spoke to him personally. Needless to say, he was no longer useful to us." "Hmm¡­ So, after all this time, they''re finally making a move¡­" Lucius looks over the horizon in the direction of mountains. ¡°I wonder what made them change their stance?¡± "Do you really think the empire will send reinforcements?" Jala questioned. "If news of the death of the heroes reached them, perhaps. It''s likely they underestimated us, thinking the Heroes of Prophecy would solve their problem." Lucius then gave a smile. "Hmph." "I can send out a few of our-" Azar was interrupted seeing Lucius hands being raised. "No, need." Lucius began to depart. "Azar you''re with me. I''ll be needing your earth magic. Lillian, Jala. We''ll meet up later." Both women were a little stunned to hear this. Azar shook herself quickly following Lucius from behind. "A-as you command," Azar said. Lillian just watched on pouting, as she is left behind with Jala. "No fair. He just wants to hog all the fun." Lillian became disappointed, understanding that Lucius had already made up his mind "Alright let''s get going. We should probably get the troops ready to intercept that army in the south,¡± Lillian said. "Your Majesty." Lillian stopped upon hearing Jala. She turned to look at Jala with curiosity immediately realizing that wanted to say something. Lillian glanced seeing Lucius and Azar already flying off in the distance. "You may speak. What is it?" "Back when you saved me from the Heroes of Prophecy. That woman that you''d torture frequently¡­ you called her your sister¡­?" Lillian became silent upon hearing Jala. The crackles of the flames in the burning battlefield gets louder with each passing second. "I did say that. Didn''t I?" Lillian crossed her arms, glaring at her general. "You''re not going to pester me too about her, are you?" "No. I don''t plan on it. I was curious about your relationship, and why you would say such a thing." "If you''re curious, I''m not the one to ask. But if you''re concerned, rest assured that we are obviously far from being related in blood. Even if she can''t die, she''s still a human. Nothing more. Nothing less." Lillian starts to take off as well. "If you don''t have any more questions, then we should prepare our forces." Jala could only watch on as Lillian takes off with her demonic wings. He gave a scrutinizing gaze as he stayed silent. "Was she really born in the pit too?" Jala became suspicious. Memories of the time when the purging barrier appeared before him resurfaced. He was completely bewildered at the time but could clearly remember their conversation despite being far from them. unexpectedly, the Demon King, Lucius, showed up behind him. Jala was forced to stay away from the barrier at that point, keeping him away until Lucius, himself, deemed it necessary to shatter the barrier with himself with his sheer strength alone. "I wonder¡­" Jala pondered Jala quickly put his thoughts aside. War was no place for trivial thoughts especially with another new battle over the horizon. Jala narrowed his eyes, becoming much more serious. "I mustn''t forget the mission," He quietly said to himself. Chapter 25: Oppurtunists Men in gray and silver steel marched through a rocky terrain. All adorned in blue and green with the insignia of the Celestine Empire stamped on their chest and fluttering flags. In the far-off distance, above the soldiers, two men sat on their horses. One of which was a General past his prime with a dense beard watched over them. and the other, an office as bald as an egg. Both braced themselves against the bitter cold. "How much further now?" an officer asked. "Another couple of days down this mountain path, then we''ll be in Dahlia," The General said. "Good, I can¡¯t stand this cold." ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. After this we¡¯ll be facing demons from the fiery pits of hell.¡± "GENERAL WILL!!" a soldier shouted. The soldier approached the two men on a horse, with urgent news. The two men looked over, with curiosity. "What is it son?" The General asked. The Soldier immediately saluted. "General Will! We''re getting reports from the front! They¡¯re saying that the army from the Confederations is approaching! Sir!" "What???" Both of the men were befuddled by this report. They turned their attention back to the marching soldiers to find them all now at a standstill. ******** At the front, the soldiers stood firm, with their governing commander standing by as they all watched the Confederate army approach them. The only indicator of their presence being that of their red flag embroidered with the country of Dahlia¡¯s symbol. A cold sweat streaked down the commanders'' face as he finally saw the face of the troops that approached them. Among the soldiers in the confederate army there were men whose skins were pale and gray with gashes and wounds. Some of the men he saw even had missing arms or eyes. Soon the soldiers in the front would witness this too. Panic started to spread as a singular thought formed in all their minds. "THOSE MEN ARE NOT OF THE LIVING" The commander panicked and looked back to the frontline of soldiers. "WHERE''S THE HERALD!?" The clopping on the rock terrain is heard as the man in question arrives. "Y-yes?" "C-check on the state of those men, and if you can, find their commanding officer-" Suddenly an arrow struck the Herald in the neck. The commander could only look back at the approaching army in shock. The army before them started the charge! "DEFENSIVE FORMATION!!" The Commander ordered. He quickly fled behind the frontlines as his men brought out their shields and spears, readying for an oncoming assault. They all readied for the now charging army heading their way. But then¡­ BOOM!! The commander turned to find the very soldiers under his command being hurled into the sky by some unknown fiery explosion. "What in God''s name?" He can only mutter from the sheer shock of seeing his men being torn. Mere moments later, the surviving men started to get massacred by the undead looking soldier before them. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING MAN!!" the General arrived, scolding his commanding officer, who still looked on, stupefied. General Will turned to the soldiers behind him. " ENEMY AMBUSH STRAIGHT AHEAD MEN!! DON''T FALTER AND SHOW NO MERCY TO THESE HEATHENS!!" General Will pushed ahead into the horde of undead soldiers, slicing as many of the undead men as he could from his horse. Inspired by their generals'' bravery, All soldiers around him and his commander charged into the horde before them. Cutting, slicing and defending against the horde of savage undead soldiers before them. A bloody battle of the undead and the living took place as everyone fought fiercely and with determination. With the inspiring figures of both their General and their commander before them, they fought and pushed back even more fiercely against the undead monsters. their advantage became overwhelming, and their victory became practically assured. "WE CAN DO THIS MEN! STAND FIRM!" The commander declared. Suddenly. BOOM!! BOOM!!! Blood and limbs flew through the air as even more explosions sounded, killing more of their men. "What the hell is happening!!" Will looked around, completely befuddled. A rumbling sound echoed throughout the mountain. The commander looked up the mountain to find boulders rolling down the mountain. In an instant, the troops along with the commander were trampled and crushed like bugs by these rolling boulders. Their defensive line soon broke under the overwhelming disadvantage the celestine troops were in. Even more screams echoed as more soldiers got crushed rolling boulders and falling debris. Upon turning back, General Will found that over half of his men were dead. "This can''t be¡­" the general could only look on in absolute shock. Some of the soldiers around the General started to panic, some even retreating. "STAND YOUR GROUND MEN! STAND YOUR GROUND!!" Will yelled. He tried mustering up what little courage he could from his troops. But it was all for naught as some of the troops retreated from the monster before them, being slaughtered and maimed. Seeing no other options even the General reluctantly retreated. "FALL BACK! FALL BACK!!" The General raced through the field of corpses and fleeing soldiers on his horse. His face became more determined. "GEORGE!! READY THE PIPES!! READY THE PIPES!!!!" Even more explosions followed behind General Will. the heat of the fire pressed behind his back with each explosive force after another. until the explosions couldn''t reach him any longer. ¡°READY THE PIPES!!!!¡± Further up the mountain the Officer panicked hearing the new orders. He ordered his men around him to fetch the supplies in question and raced to get their troops into position for a counter offensive. They start opening a barrel full of metal pipes on a wooden stick along with some barrels of gray-looking powder. The piped sticks were passed around from soldier to soldier. Each one being hastily filled with some powder with white glowing my fragments. "W-what the hell do we do with this again." a soldier quickly asked. "IDIOT! Just channel your magic through the handle!" another answered. "O-oh yeah." "READY!!!" The Officer stood at the frontline with his hands raised, his face determined to gain the upper hand. And just as the General and most of the other soldiers made it past, the orders were given. "FIRE!!" BOOM!!If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Again! Another unknown explosion decimated the troops that were equipped with the pipes. One after another, explosions and bangs rang out from small white fragments and fire scattered across the narrow battlefield. Before they knew it, the undead rampaged through the fire and smoke to the newly horrified troops. The soldiers that tried to fight back found themselves slowly getting overwhelmed. Even The General couldn''t hold out any longer, as his horse was slain, leaving him completely vulnerable. Finally, a swing from the undead soldier with a true aim. ¡°Stop.¡± a powerful voice ordered. The general opened his eyes to find that the undead soldier stood frozen, blade at his neck. He looked around to find all the other undead soldiers frozen as well, leaving everyone befuddled. "So, you are their General," the voice said. General Will looked into the direction of the voice to find a blue demon in dark gray armor. The demon with black hair and beard before him looked down at him smugly. A red demon woman was right beside him, looking amused. "That was far too easy, Your Majesty. Are you sure this is the Celestine Empire''s army? The General became instantly shocked upon hearing those words. Azar, seeing that his gaze was upon her, looked down at the general, disappointed with how feeble he looked. "Surely this is just a mercenary group." Azar said. The Demon King, Lucius picked up the General from his fallen horse. "Now if they were a mercenary group, they would be wearing these crests. Perhaps that explosive fire ball Lillian taught you was more devastating than we initially thought." Azar started to play around with the magic, creating another explosive ball within the hands. "Oh, this? The magic is so easy to create. I never would¡¯ve known that mixing elements could create such a concoction¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunate. And here I thought the Celestine¡¯s Empire would put up more of a fight¡­ I guess we should just kill them now." Azar suggested. Lucius readied his other hand. "Perhaps we should¡­" Unknown to either Lucius or Azar, a soldier out of sight was readying a Pipe in his hands. The soldier with a great bloody scar on the right side of his face and ginger hair. He aimed from the side of the demons, being careful not to miss. The scarred soldier then yelled. "LET GO OF HIM YOU BASTARDS!" Both Lucius and Azar became alert. BANG An invisible projectile landed at Lucius''s arm, penetrating the skin and flesh followed by some immense fire magic that shot through the other side of his arm almost hitting Azar. "YOU DAMN FOOL!!" General Will yelled. Lucius'' arm became half burnt with a huge gash from the attack. This left both Lucius and Azar, completely shocked by this. "THIS ISN''T ANY ORDINARY DEMON!!" Lucius''s arm instantly started to regenerate itself. "THIS IS THE KING OF DEMONS!!" A cold sweat ran down the soldier''s face. Before he knew it, Azar was in front of him. She scowled at the man, frightening him into falling on his back. He was suddenly surrounded by the undead soldiers, despite this, his gaze was fixated on the demon women before him. There''s a pause amongst everyone as heavy footsteps approached them. From behind Azar Lucius came, this time dragging the general by the neck with his other hand. Lucius looked at the general with a smile. "I have no further use for you," he said. Lucius presented the general to the scarred soldier, then squeezed the neck of the general with one hand. "No!! Stop it!!" The soldier yelped. Lucius squeezed harder. "S-stop it please-!!" POP. "Oh. So that''s what happens when you squeeze hard enough." Lucius laughed as he promptly let go of the dead general''s neck, allowing it to fall towards the now terrified soldier. "Now¡­ What''s your name?" The terrified soldier didn''t answer. Azar kicked him further to the ground, stamping her feet to his chest. "He asked you a question! Sound off, if you don''t want to die!" "I¡­ I¡­I-I-I¡­" Azar''s impatience grew. She glared harshly at the man as she pressed her feet harder onto the man. "D-D-D-Donovan Mills!!" He screamed, terrified. The sound of something trickling became evident in the sudden silence. Azar instantly became disgusted as she looked at a puddle forming beneath the soldier. "Ugh. The kid just soiled himself." She backed off letting Lucius handle the rest. Lucius ignored the pathetic sight. "Two names, Huh¡­ If I remember correctly, in the Celestine Empire, only Nobles are supposed to have two names. A tradition that''s been copied by this country to a fault." Lucius moved in to grab the strange-looking weapon Donovan had used. He examined it with a peaked curiosity. "There''s only been three people left to have left scratch, let alone a wound on me." Lucius pointed the pipe weapon at the soldier. "Congratulations Donovan Mills. You became the fourth person to make me bleed." Lucius gave a wide smile. "I''ll have to thank you properly." The undead soldiers grabbed Donovan, lifting his now limp body. "Take him to my tent." "Y-you won''t get away with this!" Donovan blurted, by some miracle. Lucius glanced back at the man as he pinched his own fingers to bleed. He simply smiled at Donovan before letting his blood drop onto the ground before them. A sound rang out like a drop of water entering into a pond, followed by some mysterious force that dispersed itself throughout the area. Donovan watched in horror as his once dead commanding General rose from the dead. Slowly his other allies rose as well. The soldiers still alive could only cower in fear as their previous friends had now become lifeless husks under a demon''s control. Lucius levitated himself into the sky so that everyone saw him. He spoke directly to the surviving army of the Celestine army. "You may choose ten among you to return to your country¡­ The rest of you will die." Lucius gracefully floated back to the ground. "You have until morning to choose. if you don''t choose you all die. If any of you try to escape, you all die. If you try to retaliate, you will all die." Turning away from the trapped army, Lucius watched as Donovan got escorted away. "How you all choose doesn''t matter to me. That is all." With his declaration finally done, Lucius took his leave, leaving behind Azar to take charge over the remaining soldiers. She gazed intently at them before turning her attention back to the pipe weapons the soldier''s used earlier. She gave a smile. "Hmm." ******** Lillian and Jala watched over the marching group Confederate army from a hillside. She sat on the edge, swinging her leg back and forth like a child while Jala simply watched her from behind. "It''s so boring just waiting. I''m glad they''re finally here!" Lillian sighed. "It''s not long now, in a few moments we''ll launch our ambush," Jala said. Lillian continued to look intently at the marching soldiers until she saw something of interest. "Oh. It looks like one of the three confederate generals are among them." Jala came in to get a closer look. Lillian pointed to a man with black hair decked in golden armor on a white horse. "He always did like flaunting his wealth¡­ That Kyrier Man." Lillian muttered. Lillian got up from where she sat, raising and pointing her arm to the army before them. A powerful explosive fireball manifested itself before Lillian, growing bigger and bigger until it outgrew an entire villager''s house. "I always liked his father better." she said. "H-hold on Your Majesty-!" Lillian blasted a powerful explosive fireball at the army, directed at the General. The explosion from the magic echoes through the grassy landscape. A world of smoke and soot created by the explosion quickly evaporated revealing a misty transparent blue dome encasing a large portion of the army. The soldiers of the confederate army became alert upon Lillian and Jala in the distant cliff side. "ENEMY ATTACK!!" A confederate soldier yelled. Lillian looked on with curiosity at the blue dome. "So, this is the strange barrier you and the rest have been talking about." "Yes, they only seem to appear whenever one of the three generals enter the battlefield." "Ah. Well, that explains why they''re not dead yet." Lillian started to take her leave as she noticed arrows starting to be shot at them. "No offense your majesty, but we''ve already been over this many times." "You mean in those boring war meetings? I barely pay any attention to those in the first place. I let Lucius handle the participation in those," Lillian Pompously said. Jala just watched on as Lillian continued to trek down the cliff side path. She looked back to find their army starting to attack from behind the confederate army, catching them by surprise. Jala also turned to watch the confederate army getting overwhelmed only for the blue dome to materialize, keeping their demon troops from getting any closer to the general. It wasn''t long before the general abandoned his entire army seeing that the tides of battle were entirely against them. Lillian watched on in disappointment, as the cowardly general gained more distance from the battle. "What a coward." she said. "Should we chase after him?" Jala asked. "No. There''s plenty of time to kill him. I''ll just rip his head out the next we meet." Lillian seemed bored. A winged demon quietly approached Lillian from the front with a message for her. She¡¯s handed a scroll with a message. "The Demon King wanted me to give this to you," The messenger said. With the message delivered the demon messenger made his way back to the sender. Without hesitation Lillian opened the scroll, reading its contents. "Any new orders?" Jala asked. "No. Something else." Lillian immediately burned the message soon after. "Lucius stopped the Celestine Empire''s army from entering into the country. According to him, they have some interesting weapons he wants us to see when we regroup¡­ But¡­" ¡°Now he wants to flaunt his new pet army throughout the countryside.¡± A hint of annoyance could be heard from Lillian¡¯s usual demeanor. Lillian glanced back over to their demon army, watching once more as it easily overtook the remaining confederate army. "After this we should continue south, I''m sure Lucius will tell us more by the time we reach the City of Baldwin. That is, if it¡¯s still around." ******** It''s the dead of night, in a campsite populated by demons that are unwinding after a day''s battle. Some of the undead enemy soldiers are patrolling the area including a tent that Azar recently entered. Inside, a handful of an assortment of barrels filled with gray powder and an array of the enemies'' weapons include the strange pipe weapons. Azar opened a vial of blood, pouring it on the ground. She then turned her attention to the Pipe, grabbing from the barrel to examine it. She found that the iron metal pipe was welded and pressed together on its side. She traced her fingers along the pipe that seamlessly transitioned to the wooden handle that pulsed with magic energy as if it were alive. From a distance she would''ve taken this weapon as a poorly designed club, with its simple and crude design. But looking at it now, knowing it¡¯s power to rip through even the Demon King¡¯s flesh. It presented a new possibility. Rakon stood tall behind Azar, his look, stern and impatient. "I hope this was important." "I think I found a simpler solution to your problem, Rakon." Azar turned to reveal the pipe weapon in her hand. "It might be hard to believe but this stick can kill your brother." Rakon Raised a brow, unsure whether to believe her words. "Allow me to explain," she said with a smile. As Azar explained, a maimed body of the barely breathing soldier, Donvan sat, tied down. He looked up as Azar spoke in her native language. His vision was becoming more and more blurred and hazy as he caught a glimpse of Rakon, who he listened intently. Soon after, Donovan fell unconscious as Rakon smiled, satisfied. Chapter 26: A Rising Determination "Where are the other two?" Lucius questioned. He found himself standing in front of eight bloodied soldiers from the Celestine Empire. They all looked very distant, with hope stripped from their souls. One of Lucius¡¯s soldiers approached. "The other two¡­ Eehhh¡­ had a very strong disagreement..." The soldier looked at the remaining eight, now understanding that there must''ve been a quarry. "the rest have already been executed per your order too." "Fine. Eight will do." The soldier took his leave. Looking back at the remaining soldier, Lucius finally spoke to them. "You, eight, understand our power. And the pointlessness of your foolish crusade. You will return to your ruler with a message." Lucius noticed that the eight were avoiding any semblance of eye contact while they listened. He continued. "Invade again. And your cities will burn, and your families smited. If your lord chooses to ignore my warning, they can expect nothing less than war once my claim has been settled on these lands." Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Am I understood," He asked sternly. All soldiers affirmed their understanding. Not long after, Azar arrived with a sack and something hefty in it. "My king. I''ve retrieved what you requested." "Very good. Give it to those men." Azar paced herself to the bloodied soldiers handing one of them the sack. "What is this," The soldier asked. "A gift for your Lord," Azar answered. He opened it to find the head of their General in it in its same grotesque form as it was before. The sack was dropped, the soldier barfed upon realizing that they were to carry the head of their beloved general to their Lord. "We''ve already prepared supplies for your journey back. Just make sure your superiors understand, loud and clear. Besides, another war wouldn''t be the best option for your people after that last war crusade your empire divulged in." With Lucius finally saying his piece, he takes his leave. "Pray we never meet again." He left the group of devastated soldiers behind him with Azar following closely behind. "Were you able to extract much information about those strange weapons last night?" Azar asked. "Yes¡­ Apparently these weapons come from a country called Gallock. A country of craftsmen with advanced technological advancements. They apparently have the power to turn fire into a plethora of colors and create explosions in the sky without the use of magic." Lucius glanced at Azar. "Also, according to that soldier, these weapons are called Pipes. It''s quite a silly name if you ask me. They''re more like sticks that can channel fire and explosions." An explosion suddenly rang out throughout the campsite catching everyone off guard. Everyone stopped as another explosion of fire erupted into the sky like a tornado! Azar quickly calmed herself seeing Lucius'' content and satisfied expression. ¡°I almost forgot you wanted to have those weapons tested¡­¡± It was as though the very sky itself had turned from a calm blue to a hellish red and orange. "It¡¯s truly marvelous¡­ But also very dangerous¡­" "Very¡­¡­. By the way, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lucius glanced back. ¡°What would you have us do with the prisoner?" Azar inquired. "We''ll hold onto him a bit longer. Apparently that man also apprenticed there with one of the craftsmen that made these weapons. So he could be useful." "Alright then shall we send the prisoner back to the castle to be looked after." "Yes. and those Pipes too. We won¡¯t be needing those weapons." Lucius continued to trek closer to a nearby cliff. Azar followed closely behind. "I can accompany the transport if you wish." Azar quickly stated, Lucius peeked back at Azar. "No. Your place is needed here. The other men can handle the matter." "Are you sure? What if the transport is ambush-" Lucius now glared at Azar. She understood that there was no negotiating in this matter, so she immediately ceased. "I¡­ I understand. I''m sorry for pressing such a trivial thought on you." Azar gave a slight bow to Lucius, who softened his harsh gaze a little. "It is an understandable concern. But I''m not so dull as to not take that possibility into account. Which is why they''ll be escorted through the Pit. Despite the dangers in the Pit, it''s far better there than having the confederate army claim these prizes" Lucius now looked over a cliff side with an army of both undead confederate and celestine soldiers. He beamed with pride as he overlooked the horizon before him, ready to unleash a breed of warfare on their enemy. ¡°The worst case, we have to send a garrison to retrieve what we¡¯ve lost after this war. But enough about this trifle. Let''s get back to the fun part.¡± Azar, standing behind, agreed. ******** Kalika sat at the hall intersection between the corridor to her cell, the prison''s hall and the dungeon corridor filled with deadly traps. She looked down the hall into the darkness. Her imagination, running wild with the possibilities. "You''ve been coming here a lot lately. Is there a reason you spent your day here?" Tilus asked. Disrupted, Kalika peeked to find Tilus standing beside her, looking concerned. "I don''t know. I felt like relaxing here¡­," Kalika turned her gaze back to the dark hall before her. "The hall of a prison isn''t a place a lady should relax." "You were the one who told me to take a day to myself." she retorted. "So, you decided to sit in front of a deadly hall of traps?" A silence hung, very briefly. "Yes... because I felt like it." She continues to look down the hall before eventually deciding to finally get up with a sigh. "Leaving?" "Yes. Because I don''t like to be lectured to," she said plainly. Tilus just watched on as Kalika left. "Not in the mood to talk, huh¡­?" Kalika returned to her prison cell to find Rhonda gathering her cleaning supplies, ready to leave. Upon seeing her, Rhonda dropped the supplies to bow respectfully to Kalika. Kalika was used to seeing Rhonda like this, so she simply patted her head, this time petting her to a point where she almost messed up her hair. Kalika quickly stopped, noticing that Rhonda¡¯s hair was now a mess and quickly apologized. Despite being taken aback by Kalika''s action, Rhonda didn''t mind this unusual act. She savored the moment as Kalika moved to enter her cell. With her hay stuffed bed in sight, Kalika, practically threw herself on it. Rhonda couldn''t help but smile, seeing this. With nothing more to do, Rhonda opted to gather her cleaning utensils, leaving to continue her other maidly duties. Laying on her bed Kalika''s mind began to drift off. She felt the pulsing and the tingling under her skin, rhythmically dancing to the beat of her heart. she stared at the ceiling, taking in the rare peace in her cell, after all tomorrow she was to train more with Tilus.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. She peeked up at her bangs to find that some of the strands in it had become white. It was a depressing sight to see and served only as a reminder of the passing of time. "I wonder how long it''ll be until I start getting wrinkles¡­ It''s only a matter of time..." Kalika then felt her own face, finding it just as smooth as her hands. "How long has it been since I''ve seen my own face¡­? I probably won''t even recognize myself if I look in the mirror¡­" Looking at her hand much more closely, she noticed some strange small blue spots behind the thumb of her hand. "A bruise?" Suddenly a loud clang rang out, alerting Kalika. She shuddered upon seeing the three red demon ladies that had beaten her half to death before. They were all standing outside her cell. They all spoke in the demon''s language amongst themselves looking back and forth at Kalika and then each other. Feeling uncomfortable, Kalika backed herself into the furthest wall. Seeing this, one of them suddenly, one of them pointed to her, cackling about something with the other soon following suit. \Not long after, a disoriented-looking prisoner was brought to them by another demon guard who looked just as disoriented. The guard pushed the prisoner to the three women and in an instant, they surrounded him like vultures on a corpse. They all touched and rubbed the man''s face and chest with their hands and long tails playfully, giggling and cackling among each other. Daji, the grey-haired demon pushed him hard against Kalika¡¯s cell bars, she scratched and clawed at his face, leaving streaks of scars on his face and chest. Kalika tried averting her eyes, but upon feeling something wet touch her, she felt control of her body being lost. her head turned back to the unsightly torture of the man as the other two join in scratching and clawing, even peeling the skiing from the man. The man started to scream in pain as they tore at him. The very sight made Kalika sick to her stomach. as much as she wanted to turn away, she was unable to break free from whatever was controlling her very body. Soon, they finished with the man, allowing him to fall on the ground, leaving behind blood on Kalika''s prison bars. Daji flashed a sinister smile at Kalika speaking something to her in the demon language, most of it still incomprehensible. Despite this language barrier, she understood that these cruel and vile women wanted to toy with her just like Lillian had. But it also became clear to her that these women were trying to get under her skin, just like Rakon would. Kalika tried to remain strong in the face of these women, but it only further fueled them to laugh and make fun of her. a constant word being said that she could understand being, ¡°Weak¡± and ¡°Girl¡± Valam, the demon with short black hair, bent to the man''s head, listening. The other demon, Florin, asked something to her that was quickly affirmed by Valam. Florin squealed like a giddy little girl as Valam pinched her finger, gushing a long rope of blood that she roped around the man¡¯s neck. She wasted little time dragging away the man with Florin and the demon guard following behind. Kalika found herself shaking and clutching her hands, despite not knowing him, she felt a little bad about the torture he went through. She watched as a bloody trail was left behind. She tried to cease shaking and calm herself to no avail. Daji giggled to herself, finally leaving. ¡°¡± Kalka''s eyes widened as she understood two words spoken from that woman. An anger rose within Kalika, a frustration, a fear, a bitterness. "I won''t let them have their way with me¡­!" Despite the rising anger within Kalika, she couldn¡¯t help but to hug her knees close to herself. She clutched herself tightly as she repeated herself. "I will not. I will not! I will not!!" Just around the corner of her cell, Ek had been listening in on Kalika''s rambling. He simply frowned as he listened to Kalika talking about hating demons. He promptly turned around to leave as she continued her rambling. "What a joke," he said to himself. The following days, Kalika trained much harder with Tilus''s guidance. She pushed herself much harder than ever before. with each visit made by Rakon and those demon ladies served as a reminder of why she hated demons so. ******** "Hey They''re going at it again!!" a prisoner yelled. Prisoner¡¯s encircled Kalika and Tilus within the large arena. They were sparring and Kalika already had a few bruises on her face and shoulder with some scratches scattered throughout. Kalika stood tall, determined and ready. "Alright! Here I come!" Tilus shouted. Tilus starts swinging punches. Kalika quickly dodged thee and blocked another before she got knocked down with a punch to the face. "I think that''s enough-" "Again!¡± She interrupted. ¡°I can keep going!" "Alright. Fine." Tilus posed himself once more. Even more of the prisoners are gathered around, all to watch Kalika be beaten. Some of them even start to cheer her on to continue the fight. Kalika posed herself ready to continue again. It was clear to everyone that she was already past her limit, with her heavy breathing and unstable footing. Once again Tilus swung his fists, watching as Kalika dodge them. Left Swing! Block. Right punch! Dodge. This time an uppercut! It was almost perfectly timed, but she saw through this move, so she weaved her head back. This continued on and on. It was becoming more and more like a dance than an actual brawl or spar. Patterns within his moves were practically ingrained in her memory. With a serious gaze she contemplated his next move seeing him reel back his arm. This time Tilus came in with a straight punch with his right hand. She dodged to his left only to be hit with a left jab. Kalika fell to the ground, writhing from the pain. She tried getting back up, demanding another round from Tilus. "No more. That''s enough for today." Tilus offered a hand to Kalika, which she refused. All the prisoners immediately realized that the show was over, most opting to leave as a few others stayed to watch. "I can keep going! Let''s go again!" she begged. "I said that''s enough! We''ve already gone fourteen times so you can afford to rest," Tilus said. "What are you talking about!? I''m supposed to fight that demon next week. I can''t afford to rest now!" "Your plenty strong as it is now Kalika-" "But this is a demon general." Kalika tensed up. She quickly stopped, trying to calm herself. "If I underestimate him, I''ll just end up getting toyed with. And If I don''t kill-" Kalika scowled, clutching her hands. "I-if I''m not able to. Kill him¡­ I''ll just become a toy by those sick demons! I just know it." "Alright. I understand. But right now, I need you to settle down. Listen, most men I trained in my days would still be stuck running laps around a field and doing push-ups, let alone sparring. Your body''s already been conditioned from those years fighting in this arena." Tilus approached Kalika, placing his hands on her shoulder and meeting her eyes. "Even if you lost your memories, those last ten years are still built into you. Have confidence in yourself." Kalika averted her eyes, scowling. She forced her shoulder away from his grasp. "That''s easy for you to say. I don''t need to be lectured to. I''m leaving." She left the arena, leaving behind Tilus. Emotions painted over one another as she walked past the same guards in the same empty prison corridors. She kept going until, finally reached the intersection of the prison hall, the corridor to her cell and the bobby trapped dungeon hall. Kalika looked down the hall, mesmerized by the dark abyss past the flickering torches. She stepped on a pressure plate that instantly shot out spikes. She grasped the spike in their hand as it retracted back into the holes from whence, they came. "Is this your favorite activity now?" Kalika turned around with a blank stare and found Kel behind her. "Again¡­" she thought. Kel crossed his arms. "I''ve been hearing that you''ve been lingering around here a lot lately." "I guess I like looking down here¡­ But I was just passing by this time." Kalika soon after tried to leave. Suddenly, a blade shot out, blocking her path. This caught her by surprise. Kalika looked back at Kel to find him more serious than before. "What do you want?" Kalika begrudgingly asked. "Ek has been acting weird for the past month, and I''ve got a hunch that it has something to do with you. In fact, things have started feeling off since you came back from those heroes." Kel cocked his head up a little, glaring at Kalika. "There¡¯s something going on and you know what it is, don''t you?" Kel glanced his sword facing its blade at Kalika. He inched it closer and closer to her as he approached her, scratching the wall carelessly in the process. In an instant his blade shrank to a dagger and he pointed the tip of it at Kalika''s neck, keeping an arms length away from her. "You are going to tell me everything you know about what''s going on. you hear me." Kalika pressed her neck. "All of you demons are the same¡­ You all do what you want, when you want to, to whoever or whatever it is!" Kalika clenched her teeth, frustrated and infuriated. Suddenly she grabbed his blood blade with her hand. ¡°I hate these demons! I hate them! I hate them! I hate them! I hate them!!¡± Kalika brought her eyes onto Kel, glaring with absolute hatred. and just as she started to press her neck further to the dagger. suddenly¡­ "Leave her alone!" Rhonda shouted, trying to ram into Kel. Unfortunately for her, she ended up bouncing off of him instead,falling on her butt. This left both Kalika and Kel befuddled by her actions. "Oi, oi. what is it now," Kel said. "L-l-leave h-her alone!" Rhonda looked at Kel teary eyed. Despite Rhonda wearing an eye patch, looking at her, Kel couldn''t help but to find her cute. Especially with the position she was posing in, on the ground. He looked away blushing. He retracted his blood blade, putting it away. Kel used this queue to finally leave."W-whatever. But next time we meet, I-I''ll expect a straight answer from you Kalika." Kalika stared at Kel until he was no longer in sight. "Dick." With Kel gone, Kalika glanced back at Rhonda who gave a big mischievous grin, chuckling at her small victory. Kalika couldn''t help but to crack a smile herself. ¡°Sly girl¡­¡± As a small reward and a token of gratitude, Kalika gave Rhonda another pet on her head since she seemed to always like those. ¡°Thank you¡­ Rhonda¡­: Soon after, Rhonda became a lot more cheerful. It wasn''t long before Rhonda noticed Kalika''s hands bleed. As if by instinct, Rhonda attempted to use her succubus powers to heal her again. Fortunately for Kalika she noticed this, swiping her hand away from her maid. Memories of those past incidents resurfacing. "No. No. No. I''m fine! You don''t have to do anything else!" Rhonda pouted. trying to use the power of her cuteness against Kalika, to little effect. Kalika flicked her on the head. "No means no." Kalika sighed. "The last thing I need is to feel weird again, especially if that creep shows up again." Kalika looked back into the booby-trapped corridor and continued to look into the hall until Rhonda noticed. She tugged at Kalika''s prisoner sleeves, breaking her from her stupor. Glancing back, she found Rhonda much more concerned. Her one pink eye glistened, it was almost hypnotizing to look at. "You want to run away again, Don''t you?" Hearing this statement shocked Kalika. "Y-you too¡­?" Kalika clenched her fist, and her voice became more stern. "I don''t plan on running away. I already have everything I need here¡­. A-a bed. Food. A-a¡­ a¡­a¡­." Kalika became silent. Rhonda gave a one sided hug to Kalika, to better comfort her. It wasn''t long before Kalika broke away from Rhonda''s grasp, walking back to her cell. reaching her cell, she stopped. Rhonda continued to watch Kalika with worry. "I just need to follow through with that contract. After that I''m sure everything will be just fine. I¡¯ll be freed, and maybe I can get away from this castle¡­ Until¡­ Lily comes back¡­?" A silence hung in the air, and Rhodna tried approaching Kalika. hearing her footsteps, Kalika spoke up once more. ¡°I won¡¯t run away Rhonda¡­ But I will escape. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to see this through.¡± With those last words, Kalika closed her cell door behind her. Rhonda could only look on, still concerned. After all, as a succubus, she could see Kalika¡¯s true emotions. Chapter 27: Uncertain Kalika tossed herself around on her bed. Opening her eyes, she looked at stony gray brick wall. She continued tossing and turning until she laid flat on her back, still unsatisfied with her position on the bed. The pain from the scratches and bruises she''s gained through her training continued lingering. She briefly raised her scratched and bruised arm weakly, setting it back down soon after. "Can''t sleep?" Rakon asked. Kalika peeked to find Rakon leaning on his back outside on the cell door. Despite the darkness, she could easily make out his red skin and silhouette. "You again?" She rested her head back down. "What do you want this time?" "Same as always. A nice chat. And perhaps a lot less insults and curses too." Rakon chuckled. He looked back to find Kalika now sitting in the corner of her bed, hugging her legs and giving a middle finger to him. Rakon could only smile in amusement. Not long after, Kalika slumped her head to the wall avoiding gazing upon the demon before her. After a few moments of being silent she finally spoke. "So tomorrows the day, huh¡­" "That, It is. It''ll be your big day." Rakon answered. "Will I have to fight unarmed against that general?" Rakon snickered. "Of course not. How do you expect to kill Ek without your blood blade? Don''t worry about a thing, I''ll make sure to deliver it personally to you when the time comes." Kalika hugged her leg more tightly. "O¡­okay¡­" "Hmm. You look unconfident there, Kalika. Are you feeling squeamish? Or perhaps you don''t feel adequate for the fight ahead." "I¡­ I feel just fine." "Is that so¡­ if that''s the case, why is it that you keep hiding." "I don''t know what you mean¡­" Kalika kept staring blankly at the wall. Rakon gave a piercing gaze at Kalika with a confident smile. "Surely you wouldn''t think I haven''t noticed Kalika. Your own doubts that are growing. Eating at you. Boiling within." Rakon turned away. "Heh. You''re not doing yourself any favors." "What would you know, Huh? Unlike you demons, humans can''t even compare." She tensed up. Sinking her head back between her arms and legs. "You demons¡­ You demons are just naturally more powerful than humans. You''re faster, stronger, more magically adept." Kalika looked at her hands. "I¡­ truly hate your kind." Rakon could see clearly that Kalika was Sulking. "So you think you''re too weak. A rich sentiment coming from a girl who''s killed many of my kin and beasts in the arena. Not even a year ago you would¡¯ve been sleeping like a baby, ready to kill your next opponent." "You''re talking like I should remember." "You may not. But I still remember seeing you run circles around your opponent. How you would mercilessly cut their throats, spill their guts. It was a sight that made even your sister proud and was a thrill to behold.¡± Kalika glared back up. "I-I''m not some killer." Rakon smiled. "Oh but that''s what you became. A cold hearted killer with your own selfish goals. It was truly fun seeing you deceive your so-called friends." "Shut up." "The same ones you backstabbed trying to escape." "Shut up!" "Just like that last escape attempt of yours, where you threw yourself back into your sister''s arm. All when you were in the graces of those Heroes." Rakon started to laugh. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!!" Kalika was now shaking in rage. Rakon paused for a moment. "Ah. You''re right¡­ You still remember that, don''t you. Perhaps you reacted on instinct then. Seeing Lillian. Realizing the futility of escape¡­ you were always quick witted when the need arose." "How do you expect me to believe a word you say!??" Kalika found herself glaring at Rakon. "You don''t have to believe what I''m saying you don''t want to. But at least know that it''s not often that I sing the praises of others. You are a rare expectation, especially among humans." Rakon crossed his and brought his head down as if reminiscing on the past. ¡°If you want to take it a step farther, you can say that I respect you.¡± Kalika slowly released her clenched fist, exhausted from being always angry at this demon. She sat herself back down on her bed, resting her head at the palm of her hands. "You don''t make any sense¡­" "Rakon¡­ Why are you so obsessed with me?" She heard Rakon chuckling to himself. He then turned to lean on his shoulder, looking at Kalika. "What a curious question to ask¡­" To Kalika''s shock, her chin was suddenly grabbed and lifted up to meet Rakon''s Gaze. "Why ask?" ¡°H-how did he-?¡± Kalika jerked her chin out of his grasp. "J-just tell me." "The reason is simple..." Rakon brushed the back of his hand across from the bottom of her cheek to the temple of her head. It sent shivers down her spine, and before she realized it, she found herself in darkness. She awoke a moment later knowing what had happened. She looked up at Rakon who looked satisfied. "It''s because you''re never dying and never aging, Like art for the world to admire," Rakon said. He lifted one of her arms to reveal that all the scratches and bruises have disappeared, aside from a few tiny bruises. "You look like an angel. but secretly¡­ you have the heart of a demon." Kalika was stunned by his words. At that moment all the tension built up was released. she felt much more relaxed than she expected. Suddenly, Kalika felt something wet beneath her hand. She quickly retracted her hand away from Rakon''s grasp seeing him melt in front of her. Drops of blood hit the floor and bed as Rakon saw his hand reverting back into blood. "Oh¡­ Looks like I over did it again." He looked back at Kalika. "I''ll be seeing you tomorrow, be sure to be ready by then."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Kalika witnessed Rakon become a simple puddle of blood on the ground, leaving her alone once more. She looked at her now bloodied hand and watched as it slowly turned to a bloody mist along with the puddle. She shook, and her breathing became much heavier. She clutched her trying to control herself. "Ridiculous." ******** The day has come for Kalika to finally fight Ek. Waking up, She found that her hands were still shaking. Rhonda arrived with a fresh pair of new clothes for Kalika and soon found herself ready for the day ahead. Tilus arrived just as she stepped out her cell "Ready?" he asked. Just as she was about to give her answer, The footsteps of something large approached. Kalika glances behind Tilus, finding Bjorn with some demon guards. He looked straight at Kalika bitterly. ¡°Follow us, Rakon wants you in the arena. Alone.¡± He said. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Kalika began to follow behind the escort of demons, stopping for a mere second hearing Rhonda¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back. See you later¡­ Rhonda¡­ Tilus¡­¡± With those last few words she continued forth with her destination set. ******** "The arena''s closed off? Didn''t they say they''d stopped with those arena fights a couple months ago?" a Prisoner inquired. A couple of prisoners sat just outside of the prison arena entrance, playing some card game. The demon guards stood just outside the door, maintaining their statue-like stance. "That''s what I thought too. Maybe fixin something up in there. Who knows.." "Perhaps¡­" The card game being played was trampled on by General Ek, who stormed towards the arena. "Arenas closed off! Now go!!" "Tch. Hard ass." The prisoners didn''t argue as they quickly retreated with their card, away from the entrance. "Seriously. I can''t believe she''s actually going through with this. What an idiot." Ek said. The guards stepped out of the way of Ek, allowing him to enter. In one swift move, he pushed the door open revealing Rakon to be waiting. Ek Scowled at Rakon. "Remember Ek. His life hangs in the balance." "Don''t think you''ll get away with this Rakon-!" "You mean your MAJESTY!" Rakon interrupted. Rakon stared down at Ek with a gaze that could intimidate a Giant. Ek shook, but quickly glared back. "You''re playing a very dangerous game,¡¯ King¡¯. When your brother and Kalika''s sister comes back they¡¯re gonna rip you to shreds." "You talk like they¡¯re an issue. But you should be more concerned with your fight against Kalika. After all¡­ what would happen to Kel if you were to lose?" ¡°You conniving bastard. I never should have agreed to our contract all those years ago!¡± ¡°And you never should¡¯ve sought to betray me.¡± Rakon snapped. ¡°I gave you and your brother so many chances, But now all of you have grown too attached to her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a damn hypocrite.¡± Rakon side eyed Ek, he then narrowed his eyes looking down on him. ¡°I only do what''s necessary to get what I want, unlike you.¡± Rakon then threw a scroll at Ek, who caught it. ¡°The terms of our agreement are there including the safe release of your brother. You just have to sign it. But read it over carefully. After that we¡¯ll start the match.¡± Not long after, Rakon turned to a bloody mist, leaving Ex alone in the empty area. He could only seethe in rage, helpless to the current predicament he was now in. ******** Kalia sat in a large hall that connected to the arena¡¯s side doors. Bjorn along with some of the guards stood guard, barring her from actually leaving. There was an unusual calmness, most likely connected to Bjorn power, but she didn¡¯t think about it too much. Instead Kalika was lost in thought about the night before when she and Rakon conversed. Her thoughts then turned to when he affirmed her as a cold-blooded killer. She felt uneasy with these thoughts in mind. "Hey Bjorn? Do you know¡­ What was I like during those past nine, ten years?" "What brought this about?" he asked. "I¡¯m just a little curious¡­" Bjorn glanced at Kalika curiously. a silence hung in the air. But eventually Bjorn spoke up, making his mind up. "I can¡¯t say that I know a lot of what you did while imprisoned or in the arena itself. But I have heard from many of the guards the heinous things you¡®ve done. You¡¯ve started riots, backstabbed supposed friends and fooled men to help you escape. You even killed the first warden for this prison" Kalika was subtly surprised to hear these. ¡°Of course the only time I''d hear these would be when I had to keep an eye on you. At one time, you even tried killing me¡­ Of course it didn¡¯t work out for you in the end¡­ But I digress.¡± Bjorn gazed away from Kalika, almost uninterested. ¡°Back then, If there was one thing you were good at, it was making enemies out of everyone. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot of prisoners here that still have some pent up resentment for what you''ve done. You only have yourself to blame for that.¡± Kalika thought back to the harsh gazes she felt from time to time. from the time she trained, to eating in the mess hall. she knew she couldn¡¯t escape their gaze. And yet, they never approached her. ¡°Were they scared?¡± Kalika averted her eyes from the demons.. "What a fantastical tale. But, I guess¡­ There is some truth in what you¡¯ve said.¡­" Bjorn raised a brow hearing this. "Alright I think that''s enough." Rakon arrived with a rectangular box in hand. ¡°You¡¯re all dismissed.¡± Bjorn glanced at Kalika once more. ¡°Just because you have enemies, doesn¡¯t mean you''re without friends. Unless you¡¯ve already forgotten that is¡­¡± Not long after, he took his leave along with the guards. Rakon approached Kalika, opening and revealing her red blood dagger inside the wooden box. she glanced at it, realizing that it looked a little different from before. Despite this, she can sense a familiarity from it. There was no mistaking that this dagger belonged to her. She felt herself drawn to the dagger and without thinking she grabbed the blade. suddenly she felt a scorching heat within her hand. She winced from the pain. It was as though her very blood was boiling. "Is something wrong?" Rakon asked. "N¡­No¡­ I''m just fine." "Well then, if that''s the case I¡¯ll lead the way. Your opponent is ready and waiting." With a smile Rakon led the way for Kalika and upon reaching the arena, he opened the caged door for her. She proceeded to enter the large arena with Ek standing ready in the very center. His face, grim and serious. "Good luck." Rakon closed the door. Kalika tried steadying her breathing. She looked around to see all of the seat''s empty. It became obvious that this match between her and Ek was private, only known to a few select people. Upon looking at the balcony, she found Rakon up there observing them. She ignored him, finally pacing herself to finally meet Ek at the center of the arena face to face. A wave of nausea hit Kalika, she tried controlling her breathing, but it was becoming harder and harder as her head started to throb and boil over. "What the heck is going on, what''s this weird feeling?" Ignoring the strange feelings she posed her dagger in front of her. Her hands trembled from the weight of having killed someone again. She could only remember the one person she killed during a rigged match. But this time, it was against a demon where anything could happen. Ek finally spoke up. "You''re better off just forfeiting. Save us both the trouble-" "Shut up!" Kalika''s eyes looked determined. Even Ek could tell this much. ¡°I have to see this through, If I ever want to free myself from this hell!¡± "Fine. Have it your way. I could always use a little payback especially for this scar you left on my face." Ek stood tall with his arms crossed. He became much more serious. Tightening her grip on her dagger, Kalika opted to make the first move to attack. She charged in squinting her eyes, thrusted her dagger, only to find it recoiled. She opened her eyes to find Ek still standing where he stood. "Is that all?'' Ek was unimpressed. Gritting herself, Kalika attacks once again. This time with her eyes open. And like before, her attack bounced right off of him. Ek gazed more seriously at Kalika. "Why can''t I cut him!?" Ek disappeared from Kalika''s sight. "What the- where''d he go!" A pain ran through her chest and up to her neck. She quickly came to the realization that Ek landed a killing blow on her already. Blood curdled through her body, and died shortly after. It wasn''t long before she reawakened on the ground, this time with the blade in her hands becoming even hotter. Her body then moved on its own. A strike from Ek was blocked! "Huh?" Kalika was confused. Coming to her senses, she rolled out of the way of his second attack. Getting back to her feet, she quickly found herself on the defensive as she dodged attack after attack from Ek''s blood blade, which was a dagger much different looking from her own. Eventually their blades clashed along one another, flashing sparks in the air. Kalika found herself interlocked between parry and dodges with Ek. he sped up his attack, scratching and slicing at her hand and arms. She was barely able to keep up with his speed as he got faster. Eventually their blades clashed once more, this time Ek stopped right before her, calmly holding his dagger in one hand. Kalika on the other hand still used both. Ek gazed at Kalika coldly. A flash of the same cold gaze flashed through Kalika''s mind but this time, in the halls of the dungeon? This left Kalika in a state of confusion. "Damn it, Kalika! You''re just playing right into his hands!!" Ek exclaimed. "Huh??" "I DON¡¯T CARE ANYMORE!! I''VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS HELL!!" Kalika shouted. she was pushed back with tremendous force, sliding along the dungeon floor. Kalika blinked to find herself back in the arena, some distance away from EK who posed himself, ready to attack again. ¡°So you can still fight after all¡­¡± Ek said. Chapter 28: Flashing Memories "WE MADE IT!!" A prisoner emerges outside the dungeon exit along with two other inmates. "SO what now Kali-" The prisoner froze as he watched Kalika sit herself on the cliff, embracing the landscape before them. "What the hell is going on here!? WHY ARE WE ON A CLIFF!!!" Kalika glared back indignantly at the men. She went back to ignoring them and turned back to look at the scenery. The angry inmate started to approach Kalika, pissed. "You were supposed to get us out of the dungeon!! Not take us to a dead end!!" "I did get us out. Now all you have to do now is climb down." One of the prisoners looked down the cliff, quickly coming to the consensus that they''d likely die climbing the side of the cliff. "I don''t think that''s an option for us." another said meekly. The angry prisoner grabbed the back of Kalika''s collar, forcing her to look at him. "She tricked us!! It''s just like Tilus said she''d do!" "You actually listened to that washed up guy," she said. The man readied a punch, but quickly found himself wreathing in pain. Blood started to curdle down the side of his mouth and before he realized it he was tossed off the side of the cliff by Kalika. Her blood blade dripped with the fresh blood of the man she just stabbed. With dead eyes she turned back to look at the landscape. "If you two still want to escape, I suggest you climb down now. there''s maybe another minute-" "Aaahhhh!!!" one of the men screamed. "Or perhaps not¡­" Kalika glanced back to find Ek along with two other demon guards with him. "CIEL!! YOU BASTARD!!!" The prisoner attacked Ek only for his blade not to penetrate the demon''s general''s skin. Ek grabbed the man''s face. "You remember the penalty for escaping the dungeon, right?" The man looked on, terrified. In an instant the man was dead, with a guards spear being roughly pulled out his skull "Kalika¡­ I thought you said that you''d stop escaping." Ek said quietly. "I did. And I''m still following through. If I wanted to, I could just jump down this cliff and be resurrected. But then you''ll send squads of demons and beasts after me again." Ek couldn¡¯t help but feel that everything she just said was a lie. He narrowed his eyes seeing that she was just looking at the mountains and forest beyond the cliffs. "Then tell me¡­ Why are you out here?" "I don''t know, Maybe I just like the view." Kalika inched herself close to the edge of the cliff. At this point she could see the rocky and grassy terrain below. Suddenly Ek grabbed the back of her shoulder, throwing her back into the dungeon. Kalika suddenly crashed into the arena cage behind her! She found herself back in the arena fighting Ek. "What the hell was that!!" She quickly jerked her head, dodging Ek¡¯s attack. She moved to distance herself but found that he was no longer there. She¡¯s struck in the gut and launched her in the air! A heat rose in her hand and head, which started to eat away at her concentration. upon blinking she suddenly finds Ek now above her in midair. In a swift motion a spark as she blocked his attack! They clashed a couple more times. Ek whipped his body, slamming her with his tail! Kalika¡¯s sent crashing into the ground below to the floor, forced to cough blood. "H-he''s too fast!!" Her heart raced, faster and faster, then. An explosion from inside her chest is felt. She knew this part of her body all too well. "D-d-did my heart just explode!??" Kalika found herself gasping. Her head and hands were now on fire. She tried stay conscious as Ek rained down on her. He thrusted his dagger down, striking like thunder Unable to move she attempted to meet him head on. Only to be met with darkness. her hand and head cooled instantly. she felt a heft. then a clash. To her shock, as she regained her vision, she found herself somehow still fighting Ek. Her eyes widened, seeing Ek retreat with a befuddled expression as a cold sweat ran down his face. "That happened a lot sooner than I expected." Ek said. he planted his feet back to the ground and leapt back forth. Kalika hardened her resolve seeing this to meet him head on once more. They clashed steel on steel in a continuous war of reflexes with Kalika on the defensive, and Ek on the offensive. It became harder and harder to anticipate the strikes as a few fell through. It was a familiar yet alien feeling, like her mind was still trying to catch up. Yet again her heart raced abnormally fast with the same feeling and sound of an explosion in her chest. She flinched, giving an opening for Ek to land another decisive blow to her. "W-what is going on here!?? "I suppose you don''t remember that, that our blood blade kills its human user." Ek nonchalantly stated. "W-what!?? And he''s telling me now!" Kalika opened her eyes to find a very young Rhonda looking very concerned. "W-what happened?" Kalika uttered. She then screamed in pain from the hand and head. "IT''S HOT! I-ITS HOT!! AARRGGGHHHHH!!!!" Rhonda instantly pulls the dagger from her hands, only to find herself standing with Ek about to strike her with his knee. She dodged, and quickly got ready for a counter. She planned for another strike, but it was easily caught. She looked up to find Lillian looking down at Kalika disappointed. She could feel sharp pain throughout her body, as though she''s been stabbed through many times already. "Tell me Kalika, How did you get this. Tell me!" Kalika''s arm got torn from her body. She then found that her arm was flying across the arena from Ek''s most recent attack. This was followed by another explosion in her chest. "B-but, I''m not holding it!" Kalika''s eyes widened, as though she came to a realization. "Hold on¡­"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. A swift slash from Ek and Kalika''s head flew off. She could see her body being kicked to the ground. But a moment later she witnessed her body getting up! And moving on its own!! "W-what the hell-" "-Is going on with me??" Kalika had made an attack from above. They clashed once more as she slashed down. He quickly retreated back, holding the tip of his nose. ¡°I¡­Cut him¡­?¡± "BRAVO. BRAVO." Rakon echoed. Neither of them paid attention to him. Instead keeping eye on each other, with Kalika looking more worried than Ek. "Your fight the last hour has been entertaining, but perhaps-" "-You''ve forgotten about the penalty of the contract. Kalika. Ek" Rakon looked into Kalika''s eyes. An overwhelming sensation overcame her and she quickly fell to her knees. It felt as though her entire body was boiling now. ¡°Did he¡­ Do something to me?¡± Unexpectedly, Rakon appeared before her in another room. He took her chin by the hand and drove it up, to look her in the eye. "You only have yourself to blame. It''s not my fault that you tried breaking our agreement. Now release the blade." Kalika does as she is told, releasing the blade from her grasp. and yet again she finds herself in the arena with her stomach cut writhing on the floor. Confusion evident in her eyes. She looked up to find Ek standing over her. "I guess there''s no changin you after all. You''re better off giving up now, Kalika. There''s no way in hell you''re winning against me. He drove his blade towards her head. Kalika barely avoids the attack, leaving a scratch on her face. She rolled back to her, holding her stomach. "I can''t give up now!" Kalika retaliates, but it''s easily blocked. "I-" Ek starts to talk. "-thought we were friends!" Kalika found herself in the past again. She was interlocked with Ek. They were surrounded by dead demon guards in the dungeon hall. Behind her lay the destroyed dungeon exit that was covered with rubble. "Friends?? FRIENDS!?? WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE FRIENDS OF A DEMON!! YOU''RE ALL LIARS! LIARS THAT USE OTHERS AS THEY PLEASE JUST OT GET WHAT YOU WANT!!" Kalika yelled. "UWWAAA!!! OH, NOW THAT''S RICH COMING FROM YOU!" "SHUT UP!!" Kalika clenched her jaw, anger evident. "W-What the hell gives you the right to speak. You''ll never know the pain I''ve had to endure all this time!!" Kalika broke through, slashing at Ek''s face. This shocked Lillian who was right behind Ek. she watched as he fell to the floor with a fresh new scar. Kalika glared at Lillian with cold eyes. "So you actually came¡­" Lillian quickly gathered her senses. "This ends here Kalika." Kalika could only laugh at Lillian''s statement, she soon slipped into a maniacal laughter. She slowly ceased her laughter seeing that Lillian was waiting for some other response. "You know Lily¡­" Kalika raised her blade. "Now I''m wondering... if I can kill you too." Kalika charged at Lillian only to blink and find herself sprinting at Ek instead. Her body reacted on its own, attacking Ek. This time her attack went through, subtly scratching the surface of his skin of his chest. This turn of events shocked Ek. Now behind him, Kalika quickly jerked her body to face him again, seemingly posed to attack. Ek turned to block, only to find Kalika surprised, which confused him. She then found the will to drop the blade from her hand. Neither of them move an inch. Kalika breathing started to become more heavy as the seconds passed by from the exhaustion. "I-I Remember¡­ o-or I''m at least starting to remember¡­It''s all just coming in flashes. I don''t even know what I''ve been doing this entire fight!!" Kalika became a little more frightened. "A-am I even human anymore???" "Get a grip will ya! Unless you forfeit now¡­" EK posed his blade ready to continue, and attack Kalika in what seemed to be a wide opening. ¡°Things will keep getting worse for you!¡± Kalika quickly came to her senses upon noticing Ek making his move. She quickly dodged his attack, and the following flurry of swipes and slashes he made with his dagger. He leapt in the air attacking from above! By miracle, Kalika caught it in her hand. She tried to hold it off from stabbing her face but slowly her strength started to wane from Ek''s strength as a demon. "Damn it! Just give it up!! No one has to die if you forfeit!!" Ek yelled. "Ten minutes left." Rakon announced. With a quick glance Kalika could see Rakon place a restrained and muffled Kel in front of him. "Wait. What is he doing here???" Kalika watched as Ek became paler, something she would''ve thought impossible with their blue colored skin. "FINE!! IF YOU WON''T GIVE UP I''LL MAKE YOU BEG FOR IT!!" Ek with all his strength plunged his dagger through Kalika''s eye and then straight through her face. Kalika screamed, completely startled by this action and quickly felt a flood of pain, emanating from her face. He pulled his dagger out prompting her to instinctively grab her face. She fell to her knees unable to bear with the pain Suddenly, she couldn''t feel her feet anymore. glancing down a pool of blood formed. Knowing what Ek did she glared back at him. "Y-you bastard!!" "Don''t look at me, You''re only bringing this upon yourself Kalika. Whatever contract he''s holding over you this time isn''t worth it! SO JUST GIVE UP!!" "I REFUSE!" She retorted. Hearing her response Ek swiped his dagger, easily dismembering Kalika''s left hand. Kalika bared with the pain, and saw that he now aimed for her stomach. "I refuse¡­ I refuse. I have to beat him. I have to!!" The attack was blocked, the blood dagger manifested in Kalika''s hands. She gave a frightening, yet familiar deathly glare at Ek and a dark aura thinly veiled her body before retreating away. in that same instant she completely repelled his attack! Rakon witnessing this alongside a capture and tied up Kel, looked on in satisfaction. Kalika looked at the blade in her hand now even more confused. "How did I-" Without warning, a hot sensation traveled throughout her entire body. It felt as though she was burning from the inside out. This left her reeling , barely able to stand. Yet again her heart burst. "None of this makes any sense at all!" Kalika hazily gazed back at Ek, seeing him charge forth. To her eyes he became so slow. She blocked yet another attack. "I really want to.¡­¡± ¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­.. ¡°Kill him." Kalika broke through his attack, landing another hit! This time she penetrated his skin. Kel watching from the balcony, started to visibly become concerned with his muffled voice. Their fight continued with Ek dismembering her arms and legs only for her heart to self-destruct moments later to reattach back to Kalika. Soon Kalika found herself in dance, going toe to toe with a demon general of all things. A nostalgic feeling surfaced within her heart, a battle she would''ve thought long gone. A battle that left the dungeons in ruin and devastated. A battle against her demonic sister. Memories resurfaced of pushing through blazing heat, slicing through stone. And an uncontrollable rage that leads to a spiraling of chaos and mayhem and destruction. She could feel a joy rising as she closed in at Lillian seeing a potential opening. Then¡­ A clash once more and she was back in the arena. She could see Ek''s determined yet exhausted face. Kalika wouldn''t have ever imagined that she''d actually see a demon exhausted. The last grains of sand from an hourglass finish reaching the bottom. "Time is up Ek," Rakon said. Despite still being interlock with Kalika he quickly pushed her away and turned to Rakon. "D-DON''T DO IT!!" Using this opportunity Kalika stabbed Ek in the back. surprising him. Both Ek and Kalika watched as Rakon picked up an Iron looking pipe on a wooden stick handle. He pointed it straight at Kel''s back, putting Kel in a panic. Rakon could help but smile playfully. "For the crimes plotting against the King of Demons, the life of General Kel is hereby¡­ Forfeit." "NOOOOOO!!!" A loud explosion sounded off. A moment later, the entirety of Kel head and chest had a torrent of fire running through him. This left Kel''s body in a grotesque state. The blade sunk deeper into Ek''s body, shortly after he coughed up blood. "Y-you monster." Ek in utter shock fell to his knees. Rakon laughed gleefully at Ek''s comment. "You''re the one who said that two hours would be more than enough. It looks like here¡­ you only have yourself to blame¡­" "That bastard was only using me again, wasn''t he!" Kalika gripped and plunged the dagger much deeper. "Not that it matters right now." Kalika suddenly pulled out the dagger from his back and lunged forth to stabbed her dagger into his chest. To her surprise, Ek caught her by the wrist trying to keep her from killing him. "D¡­Don''t do it Kalika." he wheezed. "You''re making a big mistake¡­" "S-shut up!! My only mistake was not killing you sooner." Kalika grabbed Ek by the neck and wrestled him to the ground where she now laid on her back. With Ek on top of her her tried to wrestle free from her grasp, so she changed the course of her blade. With all her strength, she pushed. Eventually the blade soon found its way to the neck, piercing it. "Kalika¡­whatever you do.. Don''t trust Rakon¡­" Kalika clenched her teeth. "JUST DIE!!!" The dagger was stabbed into Ek''s neck, just under his chin. After a few minutes of struggling, Ek was finally dead. Kalika took a short rest to catch her breath before getting out from under the dead demon. She started to hear clapping from behind her, which she ignored. Instead she chose to look at the now dead Ek. "How many did I kill?" Kalika asked. Rakon slowly pulled the blood blade from Kalika''s hands. "Why do you ask?" "Just answer the question." "Hmm¡­ I haven''t kept track of myself, but if I had to guess.. Maybe about a dozen or so¡­." Rakon shortly after grabbed Kalika''s chin to have her look at him. "But who knows? It''s hard to keep track when you''re having fun" he smiled knowingly. Kalika jerked her head away from his grasp. Looking around the arena, she found that it was filled to the brim with piles and piles of dead bodies of demons, beasts and humans. a nightmarish image she¡¯d never would¡¯ve thought to imagine. She looked down at her hand to find it completely drenched in blood and upon lifting her head back up, she found that the arena was clean. Her lips trembled looking back at Ek¡¯s corpse, but quickly steeled herself. "I''m not like them. I''m still a human..." Chapter 29: Progress? Kalika opened her eyes. She was blinded by the sheer darkness that surrounded her. A void. A space of nothing. And yet despite this, within the blinding dark she can feel a strong sense of anger welling up around her. Heavy rageful breathing coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. A burning sensation filled her entire body, she wanted to writhe in pain but found her body no longer existed. She looked up to find her young self from all those years back. But she''s in a prisoner''s outfit with some white strands of hair littered in her blonde hair. She could see herself giving a cold and scornful look. "Pathetic." Kalika woke up from her bed panting heavily, beads of sweat coming down the side of her head. She took her time to gather her thoughts. She then found herself being ambushed from the side by a hug. Rhonda squeezed Kalika tightly in her embrace. ¡°R-Rhonda?¡± Kalika didn''t reciprocate the feeling, only letting Rhonda finish her hugging. Kalika forced a small smile, petting Rhonda on the head. Shortly after, Kalika became more serious. "What happened? The last thing I remember was being in the arena¡­" "From what we were told, they said that you fainted shortly after killing the warden." Tilus revealed himself from the outside of the prison cell. ¡°O-oh¡­¡± Kalika becomes silent for a moment, trying to recall what happened. The last thing she could remember was wanting to know how many people she killed. "That just leaves two more people that I have to kill¡­" It looked as though Kalika was lost. "Y¡­yeah¡­ Do you feel alright? You''ve been out for a few days now..." Tilus gave a look of concern. Kalika Sighed. "Y-yeah, I''m fine." "I''ve been out for a few days¡­? No wonder I feel so well rested." Kalika stretched herself feeling much better. Tilus however continued to look at her, concerned, as Rhonda simply smiled on content. "Well, if everything is good, now might be a good time to celebrate a little. How does that sound?" Tilus waved for her to follow. He waited patiently for her response as she thought about the suggestion. "Y-yeah. Sure. That sounds good. Is there anything new?" Tilus chuckled a little. ¡°No, But How about I give you my share of the food?¡± The thoughts of a second portion of meat porridge filled her mind. They thought it sounded great. realizing that she was drooling a little, she quickly wiped her mouth and averted her gaze with a slight blush. ¡°Y-yeah. I wouldn¡¯t mind that.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Tilus grinned a little and began his trek. Realizing this, she quickly ventured off her bed to follow Tilus. She stopped just as quickly glancing back to find that Rhonda was staying behind waving with a smile. "H-have a nice meal, miss Kalika." she cheered. Kalika doesn''t respond back, instead nodding her head in understanding and continuing the venture. Back with Rhonda she seemed conflicted, she started fiddling with her fingers, looking into Kalika''s cell. She pulled out the golden medallion with the insignia of the country''s crest. A tear falls from her face. She quickly wiped it away and returned the medallion back to her maid''s uniform. Rhonda turned to find that Rakon was standing right behind her. She jumped in surprise, falling to her butt. Rakon barely paid any attention to her, watching as Kalika finished turning the corner. He then turned his attention to Rhonda handing over a blood blade dagger to her. She recognized it as Kel''s dagger. She instantly grabbed it hastily pulling it to herself. It was a reunion bittersweet to her as she examined the blade, feeling among the grooves of the hilt and blade. "Consider this your parting gift¡­ Now that our ten-year contract is over. You''ve done a very good job for a lousy maid¡­" Rakon shortly after took his leave. "It''s a shame Kalika couldn''t kill Ek much sooner¡­ otherwise, Kel might still be alive¡­" Rhonda starts to tremble. Tears becoming more evident. "Then again. it''s a shame you weren¡¯t there to see the spectacle. He went out in spectacular fashion.¡± Rhonda, with the dagger begun to tighten her grip, the dagger glowed affirming its new master. Suddenly, Rakon stopped at that very moment. ¡°By the way, don''t get any funny ideas¡­ You wouldn''t want to make Kalika sad like last time." Rhonda stayed silent as she continued to look at the dagger sitting on the floor. She clutched the dagger tightly. "N-no. I wouldn''t¡­" "Very good," Rakon said. He continued his departure leaving Rhonda to sulk alone in the prison corridor. ******** Deep in the chaotic battlefield of men versus demons, the battle is overwhelmingly in the favor of the humans. Lillian, overlooking the battle, calmly ordered for a retreat. Lillian gracefully entered the sky, quickly finding arrows being shot at her. she dodged and weaved through the attacks, closing the distance between her and the majority of the human army. In a single move she channeled forth a huge wall of fire allowing for the demon army to make its retreat. With her job done she reconvened with Jala and was also in retreat. "Tired already?" Jala asked. Lillian looked at Jala sternly. "No." She flew past the demon general. A short time later they reconvened at a camp, far away from the battlefield. Jala and Lillian were talking privately within their room, where a map of the country laid in the center. "I did advise that a straightforward assault wouldn''t work," Jala said.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Lillian ignored Jala criticism, overlooking the map before them. "Do we have any words from Lucius?" she suddenly asked. "Yes, in fact we just received news that both Ek and Kel are dead." Lillian''s interest immediately peeked. "Dead!?" She pondered to herself for a little. ¡°I guess that explains the bad feeling I was getting¡­ But how did they die?¡± "He didn''t state how. Only that they''re both dead." Jala reported. Lillian stopped looking over the map, she picked up a decorative knife laying on it, looking at it with a lost fondness. "That''s very unfortunate¡­ Ek was the only one of you five to actually ever scold me. And his brother Kel was always trying to watch his back. Those brothers were definitely a funny pair." Her voice was devoid of all emotions. No sadness, no joy, not even anger. "Pardon?" Jala looked at Lillian curiously. "I''m just reminiscing a little." A silence grew between the two until Jala finally broke it. "I heard from a guard once that Ek was friends with the girl Kalika. Is that true?" Jala asked. Lillian took a moment before answering. "I thought that was the case at one point too. He always seemed to try to look after her¡­ but I don''t think she saw it the same way." "I see¡­¡­I''m sure whatever happened, they both fought bravely to the very end." Lillian simply agreed to his statement. ¡°That¡¯s enough of them. Bring in the captains so we can go over our next plan of attack.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be the same as the last one, will it?¡± ¡°That depends, all you have to know for now is that the next few battles will be very important. And that¡¯s all I¡¯ll share for now¡­¡± Jala glanced back at Lillian, uncertain. But he didn¡¯t question it. He followed the order¡¯s leaving to retrieve the captains, leaving Lillian alone in the tent. ¡°I hope she¡¯s faring well¡­¡± Memories of when Kalika almost killed Ek the first time resurfaced. she cringed a little. ¡°No. She wouldn¡¯t do that¡­¡± She contemplated quietly. ¡°She was still timid back then. I doubt she¡¯d do anything drastic. but still¡­ The sooner I can kill him, the sooner this war will end¡­ That Kyier man¡­¡± In a swift move she plunged the knife into the map. ******** Kalika retrieved her spoonful of her celebratory meat porridge, staring at it. She suddenly didn¡¯t feel too hungry looking at it. "Do you wanna talk?" Tilus asks. "Huh? Oh¡­ I-I''m fine." "Are you sure? You don''t look too well. You''ve been pale since you''ve woken up." Kalika drove her spoon back into the bowl. "I said I''m fine." Kalika stared at the food in front of her. "I don''t think I''m hungry¡­" ¡°Now you''re not hungry?¡± Kalika pushed the second bowl given back to Tilus. ¡°I guess I just lost my appetite. that''s all.¡± Tilus furrowed his brow. He took the bowl, not hesitating to eat it. Kalika continued to stare at her food as Tilus ate his. "You know¡­" He gets another bite of his food. "It''s not a good idea to keep thoughts and emotions bottled up. If there''s something on your mind, just speak it. I¡¯m not here to judge." He took another bite. Kalika leaned onto the palm of her hand as she pondered to herself. She now watched as an argument was starting to unfold in the mess hall. "Tilus¡­ Do you think humans and demons can be friends?" Tilus stopped for a moment, hearing her inquiry. He then took another bite and wiped his face with his hands. "I can''t say that I know that answer myself. But from what I can tell, you never really seemed to care if someone was a demon or not. You''d give everyone the same face." "Face? What face!??" Kalika became indignant, blushing embarrassed. Seeing this Tilus cracked a smile. "The kind of face where you always look angry or annoyed." "Excuse you! I don''t always look angry!" she retorted. "You should look in a mirror sometimes. If you could see yourself now, you¡¯d might be surprised." "Mirror¡­? I haven''t used those in¡­ I don''t know how long it''s been¡­" Kalika started playing with the handle of the spoon in her bowl. "Perhaps that maid of yours could get one for you, you two seem to be close." "Rhonda? She''s just my maid, that''s all¡­ But I guess I could ask her. It probably wouldn''t hurt¡­Hmm¡­" Finally regaining her appetite Kalika finally picked up the spoon of the meat porridge, eating it. ¡°Mmmm-¡± Suddenly, a man fell onto their table, breaking it. Neither Tilus nor Kalika flinched as both of their bowls of food also fell on the man. She now looked at the unconscious man with mild annoyance. "M¡­my food¡­" "COME AND GET ME YOU DAHLIAN SCUM!!" A ginger haired man screamed. Kalika watched as a ginger haired man fought against three other prisoners, now annoyed. "Oh¡­ Who the heck is he?" "I think he''s a new guy. If I''m not mistaken, he arrived the same day that you had your match with the warden." Kalika looked back at her food on top of the unconscious prisoner, and then back at the fight. She, Tilus and a few other prisoners, just watched as the Ginger haired man held himself against the other 5 prisoners that came his way. Seeing this Kalika smiled. Entertained by the unfolding scenario. This man before them was easily holding his own, and despite the scar on his face and body, he had a decent look to him, reminding her a little of the hero Jarred. With her eyes still fixed on the brawl Kalika started to converse once again. "Hey Tilus¡­ How old do you think I am?" Tilus looked at her suspiciously. "Why do you ask? Did someone catch your fancy?" She gave a quick glare. "Just answer the question." Tilus turned his attention back to the fight. "Hmm¡­ If I had to guess I''d say maybe twenty-six or twenty-seven. But it''s hard to tell since you''ve always looked the same since the day we met." looking back at Kalika, he could see her tense up. She crossed her arms and continued to watch the fight''s climactic end as the new inmate had won against twelve of the other inmates attacking him. The man wobbled himself up, arms in the air. "I-IS THAT ALL YOU''VE GOOOOT!!!" he yelled. Shortly after, the man was whacked over the head with a club from one of the demon guards. "Well¡­ that''s that¡­," Kalika said. Tilus simply agreed with her. "He''s very energetic for a newcomer, isn''t he?" Suddenly that same man fighting was thrusted upon Kalika and Tilus, landing between the two in an awkward position. Kalika looked up to find a short black haired demon woman flashing a wide smile. Kalika remembered her from the other day. It looked as though some of the demon guards were trying to persuade her as she looked at Kalika. She ignored them instead heading straight to Kalika. She busted the tables in front of her and flung the chairs out the way, making the already chaotic mess hall even messier. Eventually she came face to face with Kalika, bending down to get uncomfortably close to her. "Kalika." The woman started to chuckle to herself. Seeing the woman smile before her felt unnerving. Despite her uncomfort, she didn''t want to appear weak in front of this demon like before. "Valam! Valam!" One of the guards called out. The guard tried to get between her and Kalika, He tried talking to her, but this only served to annoy the demon. Valam quickly killed the guard with a single swipe clawed hands. She then grabbed Kalika by the neck, saying something in the demon language that Kalika still couldn''t fully comprehend. "Valam!" The demon woman with gray-hair showed up at the door. She glared at her companion. The two women then started to converse in their native language. "" "" Daji retorted. Valam immediately let Kalika go. "" "" Daji glanced over to Kalika with a smirk. " " Daji gave off an unpleasant chuckle. Kalika, still unable to understand, tried her best to maintain composure as she held her neck. The last of the demon women showed up, the one with black long hair who looked very bored. Valam quickly took notice of her.."" "" Florin said. She glanced over and saw that Kalika was around. "" Florin giggled. "" Daji insisted. Daji pushed past Florin with Valam following close behind. Florin flashed a knowing smile before also following suit. It wasn''t long before the demon''s guards started conversing among each other. Some of them looked very concerned and troubled. The other prisoners around however used the opportunity to leave the mess hall, not wanting to be involved in any further chaos. Kalika herself let out a sigh of relief, just glad the whole ordeal was over quickly. "Thank goodness that''s over." "Yeah¡­ That was a little¡­ Intense¡­" Both Kalika and Tilus felt a hand touch their shoulder. "Y-yeah! What the heck was that about??? I damn near pissed myself there for a moment¡­" They both looked behind them to find the gingered hair man that was launched at them earlier. The man looked at Tilus and then Kalika. He immediately jumped away, seeing Kalika. "W-w-w-w-what the hell is a woman doing here!!!!????" The man started freaking out. Not long after he made a very strange face, bewildering both Kalika and Tilus. Tilus cringed as he saw a puddle forming around the man. Kalika on the other hand stared blankly at the man before turning in for a laugh. She laughed uncontrollably at the man, absolutely amused. "Really now..." Tilus looked on, disappointed in the man. This man before them was Donovan mill. A strong ex-soldier of the Celestine Empire, now a prisoner of war that had an absolute fear of women. Chapter 30: New Game "Y-y-y-your food!" Donovan yelped. He nervously sat two bowls of meat porridge in front of Kalika and Tilus. He barely held himself together, stiffening himself straight. Kalika watched him, amused. She didn''t hesitate to get a spoonful of the meatiest part of the porridge, eating it. "Nmm. Good work." she complimented "Wait, isn''t that a third serving," A close by prisoner inquired. "Yeah, I think it is. How the hell is that guy getting more than one serving???" another interject. One of the prisoners among the gossiping group noticed and pointed to where the food was being served. He tugged at one of the companions and pointed again over to a group of men beaten half to death. All of them just so happened to be the servers for the prison food. "Oh, yeah. Weren''t those the guy he was fighting¡­?¡± ¡°Sucks to be them¡­¡± Back with Kalika and Tilius, Kalika had finished another of her bowls, now leaving three bowls of vegetables covered in broth. "Ahh~. I haven''t eaten like that in a long time. Who would''ve thought the new guy was put in charge of cooking the prison food?" Kalika glowed happily, surprising even Tilus. Tilus turned back to his food, solemnly agreeing as he finished his bowl too. Donovan just continued to stand as tall as he could out of fear. This left some of the prisoners watching, to actually feel bad for the newbie. "Could you get us another bowl?" Kalika asked nonchalantly. "Y-yes!!" Donvan didn''t hesitate to go over to the men with the cauldron of porridge. He breathed a sigh. ¡°Another two please.¡± "A-another two!!" an old prison Chef sounded. "O-okay fine! But these are the last ones!" The old Chef mumbled curses from beneath his breath, filling another two bowls himself. Delivering the meal the Chef leaned close to Donovan, speaking quietly. "I told you how the guards''ll get if we keep giving you food all willy nilly." "I-its not for me." Donovan whispered. He gazed back at Kalika and Tilus waiting patiently for their food and conversing. "Ah, I see¡­" The Chef squinted his eyes to get a good look at the two. Upon seeing them he quickly became alarmed. "W-what the-! Those two! You didn''t piss em off, did ya!" "N-no. nothing like that." The Chef, however, pushed the bowls to the side, practically knocking one over. He grabbed the collar of Dovan shirt pulling him closer. "H-hey let go-" The Chef became more hushed. "Listen Here! Take from an old crone like me, those two are bad news! That older tall man there is known as the ''Imperial Wall'' and that girl there is the ''Immortal maiden''!¡± He hissed. ¡°They''ve killed thousands of men and beasts in the arena an if it wasn''t there, the girl would sweet talk ya into trying to escapin¡¯ with her. Falsities I tell ya!¡± Donovan pulled himself away from the old man. ¡°And that''s if she didn''t pull that demon dagger from thin air just to kill ya. God knows the poor saps got on her bad side." Donovan became even more alarmed. " Look I don''t care that you''re some Celestine soldier, do what''s good for yourself and stay as far away from them as possible! Nothin good will come from them!" "Hey, do you have them?" Kalika called out. "C-c-coming!!" Donovan grabbed the first good bowl all the while being handed another new bowl to replace the fallen bowl. The old Chef could only watch in disappointment. "How long are you gonna give him gramps?" an injured prisoner asked. "Couple of weeks at most. And that''s if he doesn¡¯t come across ¡®The Maverick¡¯ too." A fourth meal of meat porridge was given, and Donovan found himself once again standing stiffly. This time, his face screamed for help, more than ever. Kalika, seeing that the man was still standing stiffly, glared at him. He immediately took notice, and a shiver ran down his spine. "Hey.¡± ¡°Ep!¡± ¡°How long are you just going to stand there??" Kalika asked. Donovan tensed himself, unable to respond. "You''re scaring him half to death Kalika. You can at least try to act kind." "Eh, But I am." she said, confused. "Y-y-yes Mam!!!" he promptly sat himself down. They both looked at Donovan awkwardly as he now sat stiffly with both his arms at attention. Neither Tilus nor Kalika would''ve ever imagined that they''d be in a predicament as strange as this, staring down a man as brazen as a bull, but just as weak as a flower. There was complete silence among the three for a little as Tilus and Kalika went back to eating. Sensing the rising tension, Kalika cleared her throat. "Are you not going to eat too?" "N-no! I already had my share!" "O¡­Okay¡­" She noticed that every time she made a move, he would start stuttering. Again and again, this happened, it started to become annoying. "Alright. out with it. Why are you so scared?" "I. I. I. I. I-I''m so sorry! But¡­ But girls make me nervous!!!"Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "Huh?" Kalika became puzzled by the man. She started to chuckle "I''d say it goes much deeper than that.". "What''s so funny?" Tilus asked. "It''s been a long time since I''ve seen a man be so pathetic." she continued to laugh. "I have to agree to a point. I''ve never seen a man take on a group of other men, then cower in front of a woman. Actually¡­" Tilus looked awkwardly at Donovan then Kalika. "The only time I''ve seen such a thing occur was with a husband and wife." The three of them suddenly became silent. "Eheheh¡­ B-by the way, you''re from the Celestine empire, right? how''d you get captured?" Kalika''s annoyance quickly became apparent. Donovan continued to sit very stiffly. "Just relax already." she said annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± ¡°Ep!¡± Slowly Donovan calmed himself down. All the while Kalika and Tilus finished the last of their porridge, waiting for the eventual response from the man. "H¡­how did you know that I came from Celestine??" "Huh? Please, you''re too obvious. Firstly, only people from the Celestine Empire refer to us as ''Dahlian''. Secondly, that ginger hair of yours, in case you''ve forgotten, is a dead giveaway. There¡¯s not many people around with that kind of color." "O¡­Oh yeah!" he felt his hair in surprise. Donovan became much calmer. "We were sent to aid the Confederates, to help reclaim their country from the demons. But when we were marching down the mountain to enter your country, we were ambushed and slaughtered by an army of undead. controlled by the Demon King himself." "Really? that''s unlucky." Kalika then thought of the last few times she''d met the demon King, Lucius. "I wonder how he''s doing¡­" Donovan continued. "Yeah, well you can probably say that, but I''d rather think that God''s protection wasn''t with us that day... Because the Demon King killed our country''s top general, turned my comrades undead and I was tortured for hours on end for information about our weapons¡­ all before sending me here¡­" a bitterness could be heard from him as he finished. Kalika softened her Gaze on Donovan. She understood the feeling¡¯s he felt with not only being tortured but being unable to help. "You should consider yourself lucky, you could be worse off." "Worse off¡­? What could be worse than this???" "Well, be glad to be alive for one." Tilus interjected. "Aside from that you can use what little time you have to pray for your comrades'' dead souls." Kalika cringed a little. "Pray? That''s not going to help anyone." She then points to Donovan. "Hey, you! What''s your name?" Donovan froze for a moment. "D¡­ Donovan Mi-" "Well Donovan, consider yourself screwed and lucky." Donovan is confused by her remark. "H... Huh?" "If you were coming down from the Talon Mountain pass at the south-western border of our country, they wouldn''t have sent you back to this castle''s dungeon unless you were important¡­ That is unless they find out that you''re completely useless." "W-wait. This is a castle dungeon?" He looked around confused. "Y-yeah. We''re in an underground dungeon prison¡­" Kalika stared at the man. A sense of relief washes over him. "Oh, thank God. I thought we were in some mountain prison. I feel like a burden has been lifted." "H-he mellowed out quickly¡­ But wait, does he mean that he thought this was a mountain prison?" Before either Tilus or Kalika could interrogate him further, a demon guard announced the presence of all prisoners and guards needed to come to the arena. "What''s this about?" Kalika asked curiously. "Must be another big change for the prison, they did this the last time they changed the warden and stopped the arena fights." "They did?" Kalika raised a brow, hearing Tilus. Tilus affirmed and got up from the table. His intentions clearly on following the guards and other prisoners that were starting to leave. Kalika and Donovan followed suit, with Donovan staying close to Tilus. "Do they really need the prisoners for these?" "Honestly, I doubt it matters¡­ but since the demons have their own way of doing things. I''m not going to complain." "Right¡­ Oh yeah! Donovan What did you-" Kalika was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder by a demon guard. "Hey! Let me go!!" Tilus and Donovan turned back, alarmed. "You are wanted up on the Balcony." The guard stated. "By whom!?" "Rakon, the acting Demon King." Kalika stopped. "Him¡­" "Fine." She tore her arm away. "Go on without me. I''ll meet you two later." She left, following the guard. Tilus just watched her leave, standing stationary next to Donovan. "Whose Rakon?" Donovan asked. "He''s the one that oversees the warden of this prison¡­" A shiver ran down Donovan¡¯s spine, feeling Tilus¡¯s strong hands on his shoulders. a cold sweat ran down his face as Tilus urged him to follow him to the arena. ¡°Y-yeah. Sure¡­¡± A short walk to the balcony later Kalika is given a special spot to seat herself. She looked around the balcony, finding that it looked very decorative and well-designed. Some of the tapestry she saw even had depictions of arena fights that were well made. "It''s been a while since I''ve sat somewhere so lavish¡­ but where''s Rakon?" "Welcome." Kalika looked up to find Rakon standing behind, towering over her. She jumped away from surprise. "Y-you bastard!" Rakon laughed upon seeing her reaction. "Very good! It looks like you''ve made a full recovery." Kalika calmed herself. "What do you want from me this time?" "I thought I should give you a reward." He presented the huge crowd of demons, soldiers and prisoners all forming a unit. Separated by purely each other''s races. "What''s all this about?" she asked. Rakon smirked devilishly. "Today we''ll be announcing some changes to the prison. Something that will make things much more interesting." After a few moments of watching everyone gathering it seemed to have finally ceased. "It looks like that''s everyone. Hmm¡­ Actually, we seem to be missing some people¡­ No matter, why don''t you take your seat." "Fine." Kalika without much resistance does as she''s told. Slumping herself into the seat behind Rakon as he stepped forward in the view of the crowd. "Welcome. As some of you are aware, the current warden and General, Ek met an untimely end a few days ago. As such, new wardens will be appointed as of today. These three will be the new acting wardens." On queue the three Demons that have walked up. Kalika''s heart sank as they were none other than Daji, Valam and Florin. They each glanced at her one by one before turning their attention back to the crowd. And right behind the demon Florin, a bloodied and cut up prisoner was crawling on all fours, following. Kalika could practically feel a blood lust emanating from them as they overlooked the entire crowd. Rakon introduced each of them one by one to ensure everyone knew their name and face. Jokes started to be spouted around by some of the prisoners by what seemed to be three beautiful demon women. They were completely ignorant of their cruel intentions. "What fools!" She growled to herself. Rakon narrowed his eyes, unamused. "I will not stress the importance of staying behaved. That is unless you''d like a slow and painful death¡­ " Rakon suddenly caught a glimpse of the bloodied prisoner. He started to quickly speak in the demon language to the three, annoyed. "" he snapped. "" Florin answered with a chia smile. Rakon glared much more coldly at the women. "" Seeing this sent a chill down Kalika''s spine. This was the first time she''s seen him so angry. Valam grabbed and dragged the bloodied man over the balcony railing, kicking him over without a second thought. A loud thud echoed, silencing the prisoners immediately. Rakon turned his attention back to the crowd, his annoyance still clearly visible. "If you don''t want to end up carved and mutilated like this man you will heed my words. You will do as you are told, and you will follow the directions given to you to the T. What they say goes, and their word will be law." Kalika tensed from Rakon''s speech. She could only remember one time being as scared of Rakon as she is now. "One last thing." Rakon turned to Kalika, gesturing to her to come up. "Huh?" After a few seconds she shook off whatever tenseness she felt, slowly joining Rakon unsure what he wanted. She stood by his side, opposite of the Demon Ladies. Daji, in particular, growled quietly. "As of tomorrow, there will be a game conducted for the entire prison and the winner will receive a prize of having one wish fulfilled." "A-any wish?" Kalika looked up at Rakon. He smiled. "That right¡­" The curiosity in the arena started to peek, with some of the prisoners even starting to get a little excited. "This game will be ongoing for the next couple of months and whoever can kill Kalika the most wins!" "W-w-what!!!" Kalika stepped away from Rakon, shocked. The excitement within the crowd grew ever larger, with some still being skeptical. Despite this, the overall consensus within the crowd of prisoners was clear. A game to kill Kalika, the ¡®Immortal Maiden¡¯ herself was a game that sounded too good to pass up. "And to help keep track¡­" Rakon raised his hands with a sinister smile. Suddenly red tiny projectiles shot from Rakon''s single finger, showering the arena with red. Everyone attending felt a prick in their necks. Even Kalika felt a prick. "Ow!!" she yelped. Rakon turned his attention to Kalika, giving a light chuckle. "I can only imagine how bored you were waiting to do your first match. Don''t worry Kalika. This time will be much more entertaining for you." "I can''t wait to see who wins," he said gleefully. Chapter 31: Burden "Y-you set me up." Kalika clenched her fists. "I did nothing of the sort. I''m simply giving you a new opportunity. So don''t panic." Rakon turned his attention back to the crowd before him. "Panic!? You''re just using- Mmff!!" Valam glanced at Kalika and with a smile, she motioned Kalika to stay quiet. "I¡­ I can''t breathe!!" After a second fell to her knees, gasping for air. "Like with every game there are rules, and all of you will have to abide by." He held out a finger. "First, this little GAME will take place only from the morning to dusk. Secondly, Killing of guards will be met with swift execution. And lastly¡­any desire of interacting with Kalika, aside from killing her, will be punished severely." Rakon gazed sinisterly at the crowd before him. "I will be watching everything so be sure not to even jest the idea." Rakon smirked. "Other than those rules, anything goes." Back with Tilus and Donovan watching, Donovan is unsure what to make of the last rule stated. "Wait. That last rule¡­ doesn''t that mean-??" "Perhaps he''s trying to cut Kalika ties to anyone who might want to help or be a little too friendly. " Tilus pondered. Kalika gazed back up to Rakon still trying to catch her breath. "What the hell!!" "Weapons will be delivered to all your cell¡¯s tomorrow morning, so get ready for the fun ahead. That is all." With that last statement, Rakon was finally done with announcing the current change for the prison, allowing the crowd to disperse as they pleased. Some of the prisoners within the crowd seemed to be excited as evident by the distinctive chatter going on below. Some even mentioned how ¡®Maverick¡¯ would be happy to hear this news. "There''s no doubt that they''re plotting and scheming of ways to kill me now." Daji, soon after, started to coddle up to Rakon. "" She asked. "" He glanced back at Kalika with a gesture. This only served to frustrate the women, but despite this she acted with etiquette, accepting this job. It isn''t long before Kalika is surrounded by the three women, making her uneasy. "They''ll be escorting you back to your cell.¡± Rakon said. ¡°I''d recommend resting up for the morning''s event, to be at your best." Kalika could only seethe in anger, practically forced to comply. "Fine. But what do you plan to accomplish with this!?" she demanded. Rakon didn''t answer, instead giving a simple smile. "I''ll be seeing you in one month''s time. Until next time¡­" He waved her off before turning to a bloody mist, vanishing before her and leaving her to the care of the demonic ladies. ******** Kalika upon being returned, was kicked into her cell by Daji. The three women stood in front of her cell door contemplating something in their native language. From what Kalika could pick up, they seemed to be thinking about killing themselves. Kalika narrowed her eyes. "These demons." Finally after a moment of deliberation they backed off slamming the cell door behind them, leaving. Despite the three women being gone, Kalika''s rage continued to grow. She wanted so badly to punch and kick at the wall and bed before her, it was almost unbearable. The only thing she could do was to fall to her knees and scream her heart out. "Rakon¡­ Rakon! Rakon! Rakon!! Rakon!! RAKON!!!" After a few seconds Kalika smiled, blurting out a giggle. She quickly snapped herself back. "Rhonda?" Kalika Clamored to the Bars of her cell. "Rhonda!! Rhonda!! Where are you!?" Kalika continued to call out for her maid to no avail. "She¡¯s usually still here! Where is she!?" Kalika called out for Rhonda again, but unknown to her, Rhonda is sitting by the very end of the hall, staying out of sight. Rhonda wiped a tear off her face while keeping Kel''s Blood dagger in hand. She looked at it practically unsure what to do with it, until a huge red demon appeared before her. "B¡­ Bjorn¡­?¡± she whimpered. Bjorn Looked down at Rhonda, sternly. "" Rhonda Whimpers out a sniffle. "" Bjorn narrowed his eyes. "" "" Rhonda starts to caress the eye patch over her right eye. He turned his gaze, as if reminiscing. "" ¡°¡± Rhonda blushed a little hearing the last part of Bjorn''s statement. She drew her eyes closer to the ground a little shamefully. ¡°It¡¯s a shame what happened¡­ Even if it was by Rakon''s contract, it doesn¡¯t seem like she changed much, after all. She¡¯s still just as blind as she¡¯ll ever be.¡± Rhonda could hear a faint hint of toxicity laced in Bjorn¡¯s voice.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°If you need help, Don¡¯t look for it from me. What happens to Kalika next is none of our business. Remember that.¡± Bjorn soon after starts to take his leave. He stopped. "Oh, and before I forget. Maybe be more careful with your partner. You should consider yourself lucky that Azar never found out." Rhonda watched as Bjorn disappeared from the corner of the hall to whatever duty he had to perform next. Left to her own devices, Rhonda continued to linger, sitting on the dungeon prison floor, pondering the words left behind. Back with Kalika she finally gave in with Rhonda coming to her. "He did something to her too¡­ Didn''t he¡­? And I don''t even know who or when I face this next person¡­" she pondered for a moment, understanding what has to be done. "I''ll just have to press him for information then, but for now I just have to survive this foolish game of his." ******** It''s the dead of night and Lillian was looking over a map along with Jala and two other commanders. they''re inside a warm cozy tent lit by candles around them. They are coming up with a new plan of action for the next upcoming battle ahead. "So that''s what you''re after?" Jala asked. "Yes." Lillian affirmed. "This is risky if we do this¡­ and if that intuition of yours is wrong again, the King won''t be too happy about this. This could push the war back another couple years." "I''m sure of it, Jala. Their General, Thomas Kyrier is certain to show up for this battle." Lillian places a yellow wooden figure between a plethora of blue and red figures. "This General I heard will sometimes come out after a consecutive number of victories over their enemies." "Is that the reason you''ve been sending our men to their deaths?" Jala looked very unconvinced. "I thought you weren''t in a rush to kill this general¡­" Lillian clammed up a little. She crossed her arms, nervously looking away. "T-that was before I knew that killing him would''ve expedited this dumb war!" she defended. Jala could only sigh hearing Lillian''s retort. "Your Highness, I assure you there were other alternatives to achieving this outcome." "Perhaps, but one of the fastest ways to lure out your enemy is to build up their own morale. And if they''re none the wiser, you can strike them down at their most boastful. It''s a fine lesson I¡¯ve learned from a certain someone." Jala could only look on in disappointment. The two commanding officers became more conflicted upon seeing Jala''s reaction. "You two leave. Me and Jala need to speak alone," The two commanders followed the given instructions, leaving the tent. "There''s something you''re not telling us. I could only imagine that it has something to do with that girl." Lillian once again clams up. "N-now what makes you think that." Jala unfolded a parchment from one of his jacket pockets. Sliding it on the table slowly. "I received this just recently." Lillian took the parchment, reading it. "It talks of the shipment of strange weapons and a soldier from the Celestine Empire." Jala explained. She gripped the parchment fiercely, reading faster all before tearing it to shreds. Despite her eyes turning black from rage, she attempts to keep a calm motif. "I can see how you would be concerned now." "So you are concerned about this Celestine soldier. I hope you understand that the king was likely jesting about that ''husband'' thing." Suddenly the entire tent flew up in the sky along with all the other miscellaneous things that were inside. All the soldiers were now all looking in Jala and Lillia¡¯s direction. Lillian''s gaze became much more menacing as she tried to keep up with a calm demeanor, despite all the bloodlust she was emanating. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I can tell. Lucius has always been horrible with his jokes.¡± Jala could tell that a rage was building in her voice. "Perhaps a more secluded place is an order?" Jala stated. Lillian starts to breathe much more heavily, trying to keep herself in check. "I-it looks like it." They soon both vacated into a nearby dark forest to converse more in secret. Lillian paced herself back and forth, crushing the rocks and dirt beneath her feet. She was slowing her breathing as much as she could, all in order to control the growing anger. Jala simply leaned on a tree, waiting, awkwardly. "Calm yet?" he asked. "Y-yes I think I''m much more c-calm." Lillian''s Eyes were still black and this time veins seemed to be bulging from her head and neck. Seeing this Jala remained silent. Lillian growled under her breath, retching her fingers out of sight of Jala. ¡°Husband? Husband!?" Lillian scoffed at the idea. "When I find that soldier, I''ll be sure to grant him my blessing!" Lillian punched a tree right through, tearing half of its base off. She started to breathe more heavily, trying to contain herself. "It''s a bit of an overreaction, Don''t you think?" Lillian gave a crooked smile "Overreactions? No, I think I''m more than justified. It''s not like you''d ever understand, you never had a brother or sister to look after." "Your Highness, have you forgotten¡­?¡± Lillian glanced, curiously at Jala. ¡°Us demons are always born as twins. " Lillian stopped immediately becoming silent. "R¡­Right, I almost forgot about that¡­ did you have a brother, or a sister"" Jala took his time as if pondering. "I had a younger brother that I always looked after. We worked together, had each other''s backs for many years." "I see¡­" Lillian became much more calm. "And where is your brother?" "Dead." "My condolences then," Lillian said. "Please, your Highness¡­ Spare me the Pity. He died trying to kill me¡­.and met his death at the end of my blade." Jala narrowed his eyes, reflecting on his own past. "To this day I still don''t understand why he turned on me¡­ not that it matters anymore. Because he only proved himself weaker than me." Jala turned to Lillian. ¡°I¡¯m assuming the same happened to you early at birth¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be surprised. It¡¯s the way of our world¡­¡± Jala forced himself off the tree he was leaning on, approaching Lillian. Hey conjured up his blood blade into his hand. "I can''t say I fully understand why this human girl is so important¡­ perhaps you wan to fill some imaginary void¡­But regardless¡­" he swung his sword down hard, cutting the remainder of the tree base next to Lillian. ¡°Sheltering someone weak like that human girl will serve to be your downfall if you''re not careful." Jala stabbed the trunk of the tree, dragging it along the ground to their campsite. "Not that I think She''ll betray you at any point, she''s much too weak for that. But just as a general advice; try to keep your emotions in check, otherwise it will be exploited, used against you¡­ And you''ll lose more than what you ever would¡¯ve gained." Lillian turned her attention to the newly made tree stump. One half was smooth to the touch as the other half was chaotic and prickly. She quickly turned back to Jala who was still departing. "Jala." Lillian said sternly. Jala stopped turning to look back at Lillian. "Yes?" As much as she didn¡¯t want to admit it, He was right. Her mind has been clouded since entering the field of battle. She was strong, but not invincible. Approaching Jala, she grabbed the other side of the tree. "Since when did you become a sage of wisdom?" Lillian lifted half the tree onto her shoulder. After a few seconds Jala mirrored Lillian''s action, putting the tree onto his shoulder to carry the log back to camp. "I''m no sage. But seeing that you''ve calmed down, do you still intend on having our forces charge in for another ambush?" "I was¡­ But perhaps I''ll go with the idea you had in mind. Thinking about it now, I think it''ll make our victory all the more satisfying." "Are you sure, it would entail you being the bait." "It''s fine. It''s been a little while since I¡¯ve had a little fun anyways." ******** Back with Kalika she was slumbering in the quiet cell , Embracing the short lasting peace before the chaos that would unfold. Outside her cell Rakon watched her with sheer curiosity before taking a glance to the corner of the hall where Rhonda was also sleeping. He smiled, contently. ******** "MAVERICK!" A prisoner yells. "Don''t tell me you''re actually going through with this!" In the shadows a tall man with long brown hair and mostly shaved face sits on the corner of her bed. His cellmate with short brown and gray hair looked at Maverick in disbelief. "Why not? The prisoner who kills that bitch the most, gets a wish as a reward. Knowing that demon, he¡¯ll actually follow through with this promise¡­ Besides, I''m tired of twiddling my thumbs just because that outdated man was with her." Maverick opened his eyes, revealing a deep blue. "This is a golden opportunity and everyone else knows it. and to say it isn''t, only makes you a coward." The cellmate was taken aback by his statement. "Tch! Did you forget! she can literally conjure up a blade like those demons-" Maverick grabbed the man by his mouth slamming him to the bars of their cell. "AND!?¡± he yelled. The cellmate looked on, in terror, as if anticipating the worse. ¡°It''s us against her, our metal versus hers. this isn''t an arena match of one versus one." Maverick Smiled. "This is retribution. damned if she forgot everything she''s done, but I won''t. and neither should you." Maverick released the man from his grasp, leaving him in a stupor. "Y... you''re right." The prisoner clenched his fist and jaws. "That''s right, she killed your brother. didn''t she." "He didn''t even want to fight, and she cut him down where he stood." "You feel that anger? remember it well when you find and kill her. We will make her pay." In the cell next to the two men, Donovan stared at the ceiling, just listening in on their conversation. Chapter 32: Retribution The clanking of locks sounds out throughout the entire dungeon prison. "" Each prisoner was given a selection of weapons to choose from. They carried clubs, swords, and daggers. Even a few blood blades were offered to be chosen from. Groups of prisoners formed together with a common goal in mind. All the while Kalika continued to sleep without a care until her cell door was finally unlocked as well. "" The guard said. Kalika didn''t have much care and started to go back to her nap. She quickly snapped to her senses, realizing that she couldn¡¯t waste time. It was the start of the hunt. She made a dash for her cell door, but to her shock, she found a mass of prisoners waiting for her at both ends of the hall. "What the-! H-how am I supposed to get out of here!?" Kalika keeps her hands grasped on the bar of her cell, frantically searching around for a potential opening. "Don''t make us wait now!" A prisoner showed up excitedly, showing his ugly mug to Kalika and scaring her. The door was forcefully opened. Kalika backed herself to the wall, trying to think of a way out of this dire predicament. "Hey guys, why don''t we play with her a little, before we kill the little witch." The ugly mugged prisoner entered the cell along with a few other Prisoners. "Don''t think about it." "Careful she might bring out her blade" Another calls out. "Who cares about that? Look at her." "Yeah. Yeah. she''s like a scared cat." Kalika tried to scarp what little courage she has, glaring back at the men in defiance. "Hey look I think she''s trying to scare us," a prisoner outside said. The ugly prisoner grabbed Kalika by the edge of her shoulders, licking his lips. Suddenly his head exploded into a bloody mess, shocking everyone who witnessed this.. "W¡­What!!" Kalika could take her eyes off the grim scene The spectacle left everyone speechless. That man''s head just exploded seemingly out of nowhere. Kalika, looking around, quickly realized that this was the perfect opportunity to try to at least escape. Soaked in blood, she pushed the corpse off her. She charged past the few prisoners in her cell, leaving them dumbfounded. "What are you doing!! She''s escaping!!!" one of them realized. The prisoners turned to dash madly to catch Kalika. The adrenalin was pumping through her, she felt far ahead of them, so she looked back to find them not even a foot behind. "I have to get to ¡®that¡¯ hall, Then I can lose, these guys!" "Urk!" Kalika spat out blood and found that a spear had penetrated her stomach. A now chuckling prisoner threw the spear, and another was sent flying to her. It went through her chest! "N¡­No I can''t¡­ stop¡­" She feels her feet slipping. She lost her balance and fell. "Nice shot!" one of them yelled. Her vision became hazy. She tried crawling to the hall intersection before her, but someone got in front of her. her heart sank for a moment, until she noticed some familiar shoes. She looked up to find a familiar face. "R-Rhonda?" Rhonda pulled out the two spears from Kalika''s body, all the while the prisoner kept running to reach Kalika. Rhonda glared back up at the men with her one glowing pink eye. In that same instant, the prisoners suddenly found themselves in a dark forest. They looked up to find that there was no sky, only a pitch dark void with a plethora of white glowing specs littered through the darkness. "W-where the hell are we???" A sense of someone watching them made their spines tingle. They went on high alert as they all scanned the area and spread out. The yelp of a prisoner echoed. The scream of another. The sound of something slithering just on the ground, then a sudden yank. "Aaahhhhhh!!!!" "What the hell is going on!!??" One of the prisoners looked around to find many pink eyes staring at him. "Stay away! Don''t come any closer!" The rapid crunching of leaves and branches sound off. All the while the patter of small footsteps got louder. He turned to find a horrendous looking monster standing over him. His screams echo around as the other prisoners are getting attacked by many smaller beasts and monster They all fought back ferociously, but also in vain as they all fell, one by one. Back with Kalika, she watched the horde of men convulsing and cowering aside from a few who averted their eyes from Rhonda. Kalika glanced back at Rhonda, finding her much paler and exhausted. She forced a smile for Kalika before turning her attention back to the few remaining men that looked away from her gaze. The prisoner that remained looked around to find the pitiful state of the other men. "Pathetic, I warned them too about the maid." he grunted "What do we do about her?" another asked "Dumbass. We¡¯ll just kill her." He rushed straight at Rhonda without hesitation, attacking her! She caught the blade in his hands, keeping it off her. But she found her strength slowly waning.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Rhonda!" Kalika, still on the ground, watched as Rhonda was barely holding off against the man. She felt useless as she struggled in front of her. Looking at the man''s legs however, she got an idea. Kalika grabbed him by his legs, and with all her strength, pushed his leg up. He lost his balance falling over hard onto his head with a loud cracking sound emanating upon impact. Another man charged right at them, and without thinking Kalika forced herself up and got in front of Rhonda taking the stab in the chest. Rhonda was taken aback by this sudden action. "K¡­Kalika??" "Y-your fight is with me. But then again¡­ I guess all the prisoners here are just dumb." "B-but Why??" Rhonda cried a little seeing Kalika protect her. Kalika grabbed the blade of the man pulling it out of herself. The man becomes shocked, trying to resist her. Eventually she pulled the blade from her chest. "If you were to die now, who else would cut my hair and clean my cell?" The man freaked out seeing Kalika forming a thin dark aura around her as glared at him. "What the hell are you!!" he tripped over himself, crawling back. Kalika¡¯s breathing became heavier as she tried to keep herself composed. Another prisoner ran in, snatching the blade from her grasp. "Just Die!!" Kalika closes her eyes, ready to be struck down. The sound of blades clashing rang out through the prison hall. She opened her eyes to find Rhonda fending off the blade of the man with another familiar red blade. "A blood blade?" "What the fuck!" The prisoner, surprised by this, instantly became annoyed. Rhonda completely deflected the blade. Another prisoner approached from behind, but upon seeing Rhonda''s glowing eye he practically went limp. Rhonda avoided the falling, but upon looking back, she found a horde of prisoners heading their direction. Kalika shook, seeing this new group of prisoners, eager and ready to kill her. It was surreal seeing how many people actually wanted to see her dead. Her hands trembled uncontrollably and her breathing hastened. "R-R-Rhonda. You have to leave now! Otherwise-" "I''m sorry¡­ But no.." Rhonda interrupted. a gulp is heard from Rhonda as though she chugged down a cup of water. Another gulp. Then another. And another. "What is she-?" "Miss Kalika¡­ please flee." Rhonda looked back at Kalika briefly with a flush red face, hazy eyes and a strange smile. To Kalika''s surprise, Rhonda''s tail then popped out from under her skirt, moving around erratically. "Please go now," Rhonda said. "Fine," Kalika said. Not wasting another minute Kalika turned to enter the booby-trapped hallway. "That idiot. When did she become so reckless!?" A sudden numbness overcame Kalika. she could no longer feel or move her body. a sensation she was all too familiar with when she would be killed. "W-when did I-? Kalika looked over to her left to find a tall man with long brown-hair, posed with his attack completed. She felt herself falling over, watching as more prisoners were joining him, watching and relishing her downfall. "No! I can''t stop now!" Kalika''s vision left her, only for her to return to finding herself being slashed in the chest with the same sword. "Again!" Kalika fell to her back. She glanced up, seeing the trapped dungeon hall not too far from her. Slowly her vision faded yet again. "I Have to-!" "-ow is she still moving!?" Kalika found herself scampering into the hall. "Don''t let her escape!" A stab through her chest once again from the very same man''s sword. She didn''t let this stop her however as she leaped into the booby-trapped hall, sliding on the ground with blood gushing from her chest. one of the prisoners, accompanying the tall long brown-haired man chased after Kalika. He carelessly swung his club, aiming for Kalika. ¡°For my brother!!!¡± he yelled. THWARP Everyone witnessed the man instantly die, seeing iron spears protruding from the ground and through his head and body. "Dumbass," the brown-haired man said. "What do we do now Maverick?" Kalika notice the prisoner addressing the tall brown man "Maverick?" Maverick turned around heading back down the hall he came from. "We wait," He said. "She''s bound to be hungry at some point, she can''t hide in that hall forever. You two wait by the mess hall and let us know if you see her." "Sure." "Got it." Kalika simply watched the men leave as she slowly died from the fatal wound. Waking back up she found that they were now gone. She leaned herself back onto the wall to catch her breath. "What the hell. It¡¯s not even ten minutes, and all these people were after me¡­" After a few moments, Kalika started to hear a weird sound coming from the prison corridor with her cell. Kalika shimmied past the first trapped to take a peek only to immediately regret it. She quickly averted her eyes, blushing flush red. "H-how can she do something so embarrassing!!?? I-I saw nothing!" Kalika covered her ears. Kalika looked down at the dark booby-trapped hall. "I-I should head deeper¡­ J-just in case anyone else tries to follow¡­" Kalika glanced behind herself, taking one last look before trekking into the dungeon hall. Not long after, she instantly dies by a trap. She awakened, annoyed. Taking note of the trap. Unknown to her, an eye on the ceiling is watching. Elsewhere a demon with green eyes and a broken horn has been observing her through this. He chuckled to himself. "Clever girl. Perhaps I should''ve made this area off limits too¡­ no matter what." The demon closed his eyes, opening them, now in front of the Daji, Valam and Florin. "" Daji called out a little confused. "" "," Rakon Said. ******** Kalika continued to journey through the dungeon; she peeked around every corner, died by many traps and still found no guards in sight. it felt a little suspicious. "Perhaps they didn''t feel a need to have guards in booby trapped hallways. But still¡­" Kalika looked behind herself to find many of the traps going off. They looked broken. "Why are there so many traps!?" Kalika then came across a very familiar corridor. ¡°This is¡­¡± She followed it all the way through, knowing there wouldn''t be any traps. She kept following down the hall until she came to a very familiar room. It was the resting place of her adopted father, who Lillian had killed many years ago. It looked well-kept aside from the dust that collected on the decorations and furniture. The urn was still on its pedestal and the heirlooms haven''t moved an inch. Some dying dahlias looked to be placed right at the foot of the pedestal. Kalika couldn¡¯t help but look at the flowers beneath her bitterly. "I had no Idea that this place was so close¡­" Kalika placed her hand on the urn, with memories of simpler times. And the memory of when she first met him. Memories of the smoldering ashes that filled the sky and man ready to strike her down resurfaced. She remembered crying as a five-year-old child, knowing her end was nigh. But then the man hesitated. "What a fool of a man¡­" She said to herself. Looking back up at the heirlooms, Kalika noticed some magic crystals. Her eyes widened in shock. Finding her eyes glued to them. There were three different crystals: a red crystal, a blue crystal and a green crystal. "I¡­ I can use these!" she exclaimed, excitedly. Kalika quickly pushed herself to the crystals picking one up, but to her shock it immediately turned gray. "W-what the-! N-no way." Kalika picked up another with the same result, then the last that also turned gray. "W-why are they turning gray!?" she held all three in her hand in bewilderment. "A-am I going insane???" The sound of footsteps approaching became audible. She looked back, sensing three demons. "N-no way! it couldn''t be. H-how did they find me!???" Kalika quickly hid behind the pedestal, keeping still and quiet. they seemed to be looking around, picking up and looking at random trinkets "Just leave. Just leave!" The eyes of three demons suddenly peered over Kalika. "Naughty girl." Valam said in the human language. Daji soon after destroyed the entire pedestal that housed her adopted father''s ashes. Kalika was grabbed and thrown across the room. "" Valam said. "" Florin added. "" Kalika couldn''t understand a word they were saying. But despite this she understood that they didn''t have any good intentions. With what energy she had, she quickly got up to run away from them only for something to grab her by her hair. "" Florin said. ¡°¡± Valam agreed. and Daji herself loved the idea. Kalika, glancing back, could only look back in horror seeing all them smiling wickedly. Chapter 33: Contempt Kalika¡¯s thrown onto a pile of her father¡¯s ashes. She looked at the broken urn in front of her. "" Florin asked. Daji picked up a pile of ash off the ground, she clumped it into her hand sending a blaze of fire into it. "" Daji grabbed Kalika by the face, giving a wicked smile as she forced Kalika to open her mouth. She posed herself ready to stuff the fiery clump of ash of her adopted father''s remains into her mouth. And just as Daji was about to stuff it into Kalika, a bloodied hand shot from Kalika''s neck, grabbing Daji¡¯s arm! Alarmed, Daji pulled back, immediately putting out the fire. A familiar voice echoes in the room. "" "R¡­Rakon!??? What''s¡­ goin-¡­" Kalika started to lose consciousness. No. She was dying again. Kalika awoke to find herself being dragged from the chamber, leaving a trail of ash behind. "H-how could they¡­ T-those bastards. Let go of me¡­" "Let go of me!!" Kalika tried resisting, but quickly found herself with a kick to the gut. She got slammed effortlessly into the wall of the corridor. Daji looked at Kalika angrily as her posse simply gave scornful looks at Kalika. She tightened her grasp on Kalika''s neck, starting to talk down to Kalika in her native tongue. Despite the language barrier, Kalika could tell from the words she could recognize and the venom in her words that she hated Kalika. It wasn¡¯t not long before Kalika was thrown onto the floor. Valam suddenly grabbed Kalika by the hair, painfully dragging her across the floor and tossing her to the other end of the hall. She slammed into the wall hard, coughing out blood as she did. She was left on the floor, wrestling with the pain as their laughter echoed in the hall. They slowly approached Kalika, who struggled to get up. Just as she lifted herself, she found herself unable to breathe. It felt as though the air was sucked out of her lungs. She was completely defenseless against these demonic women. It wasn¡¯t long before Kalika was grabbed by the side of the arm and dragged the rest of the way to the prison. And as they did, the three women cracked crude jokes, completely directed at Kalika. Even with the language barrier, she could still tell as such with the few words she understood. "I¡­ I Hate demons!!" Kalika instinctively found herself glaring at the ladies indignantly. One of them took notice just as they entered the prison. Daji, grabbed Kalika by the cheeks with her one hand, holding it tight in her grasp. She glared back at Kalika, practically annoyed. "" she said. She then gave a sinister smile. "" Florin smiled too, swirling some water magic in the palm of her hand. She formed a flat disc that accelerated faster and faster, eventually inching close to its target until the entire corridor was filled with a blood curdling scream. ******** A skinned leg from raw chicken is sliced through and opened up. The bones are removed as well as any other pieces of the bone and thrown into a seasoned pot of boiling water. "Is the new batch ready yet?" "Yeah, yeah. Give us a minute here!" The prisoner chief turned his attention to Donovan who was cutting some vegetables. "Are the carrots and onions ready yet?" "Almost." Donovan finished chopping up the vegetables. He then brushed them into a bowl with his knife and slid it over to the next cook in line for them to dump the bowl into the pot. Some of the other prisoners around, started to scoff at Donovan. "Alright you''re on serving duty," The chief said. "Sure." Donovan said, plainly "An here." The chief gave a large rag looking handkerchief. "What''s this?" "You wrap it around your head." "I''m not wearing that so forget about it." The rag was abruptly thrown in Donovan''s face. He quickly tore the rag from his face annoyed. "Hey, you wanna fight with me old man!" "Oh shut up." Another cook said. "Just get working, will ya." said another. ¡°Damn it, Why¡¯d the demons want him on cooking duty now?¡± a hint of irritation seeped through his words. Another cook manning the pot also chimed, irritated by Donovan. "Seriously, for a new guy you''re too damn hot blooded." "Not when it comes to the immortal maiden though. The man literally pissed himself just seeing her!" Laughter erupted from among the men manning the cooking utensils. leaving Donovan none too please. "He did!??" another asked. "Yeah! Just yesterday too! You should''ve seen it!" Cackling and laughter could still be heard among the few cooks, some of whom Donovan had beaten the day before. Donovan turned around quickly, absolutely boiling. "You Dahlian bastards! I''ll-" Donovan was slapped hard on the back of the head. "Hey who-!" Donovan stopped, seeing that Tilus was in front of him. "Quit the bickering and serve already, new kid." Tilus ordered. "Tch." Donovan glanced back at the men still chuckling. ¡°Fine.¡± Placing the pot her took the ladle, scooping up the meat porridge and pouring it into the wooden bowl. "It seems like you''ve gained back some of your nerve, I guess¡­ you really are afraid of women. Aren''t you?" "I-I''m not scared of women!" Donovan gave the bowl, steering his eyes away from Tilus. "I just don''t have a good history is all." "Hmph." Tilus grabbed his bowl. "By the way¡­ do you remember what I told you last night" Donovan darted his eyes back to Tilus. "Of course I do. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll try to become her friend or something. In all honesty I¡¯d rather avoid her as much as I can... Like I said¡­ I don''t have a great history with women."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "Still¡­ Whatever happens. Good or bad. you should avoid getting involved otherwise she might try escaping again. And she''s already in a bad enough situation as it is." Tilus with his bowl in hand leaves. "For her sake, just avoid her-" The doors of the mess hall are slammed open. Shortly after Kalika is being dragged into the mess hall and thrown into the room full of other prisoners. She lets out a painful scream. Glances and looks of confusion became evident with everyone, Even Tilus was shocked to see her dropped in, in such a manner. By the looks of it, Kalika has had her legs and arms cut and sliced through. She struggles to move and is pinned to the ground shortly after, by Daji. She spoke out in the demon language which was shortly after translated by a guard. "Easy kill for anyone who wants it." Kalika clenched her teeth upon hearing this. Looking up she found that many of the prisoners were arming themselves. Leaving their food and their bowls. "" Daji kicked Kalika over to the men, shortly after, leaving with the other women. It wasn''t long before Kalika was killed by the other revenge hungry prisoners around her. They slashed and stabbed at any part of her that they could. She struggled to fight back. To escape. But it was all for naught as she screamed in pain. Donovan witnessing this, found the scene absolutely appalling. As if by instinct, he left his post, only to be grabbed by Tilus. "Argh! What are you doing old man!" "Stopping you from doing something stupid." "What the hell are you talking about? They''re killing her!!" "They are. And they had, three times already¡­ In case you haven''t realized it yet, Look." Donovan was forced to watch on as the group killed Kalika, they seemed to be waiting a few moments before another stabbed Kalika. Through a gap within the wall of men, Donovan saw Kalika''s fatal wounds heal, leaving him in complete disbelief. "W-what the hell???" "No matter how many times she''s killed, she can never die. so you shouldn¡¯t have worry about her." "What do you mean¡­? They''re ganging up on her¡­ how the hell is that fair!?" Donovan tried to break through Tilus''s grip but found him to be overpowering. "Let go of me damn it!!" "Listen kid. Even if you do help her, what good do you think that will do for you if you wind up dead." "Like I give a damn-" The doors opened once again. This time Maverick had shown back up with his sword in hand. "M-Maverick!?" one of the prisoners noticed. "What the hell is he doing here? doesn''t he just sit in his cell???" another prisoner questioned. Maverick approached the group of prisoners huddling over Kalika, he gave a menacing glare only a predator would give. "Step away from her." They all obliged, scurrying away, all the while some loyal prisoner came from behind Maverick to assist him. It''s not long before Kalika awoke and got stabbed in the stomach. She screamed out in pain once more, all the while Donovan struggled to free himself from Tilus''s grasp. "They say you lost your memory of the last ten years¡­ must be very convenient. Huh?" Maverick started twisting the sword, making Kalika writhe in pain. "But I''m far from forgetting all the shitty things you''ve done like everyone else here. I''m the kind of guy that believes in a life for another life. So I''ll be taking your life for each one you stole from me." Maverick takes the sword out, plunging it into Kalika''s chest. "This is for John." Slices the neck. "This is for Harold." He positions the sword over Kalika''s head, terrifying her. Maverick presses down and Kalika grabs it with both hands. "This is for Leo." With all his strength, he drives the sword into her skull. He noticed that she was still gripping the sword strongly as he tried pulling it out. "Hold her down." Maverick ordered. Many of the prisoners that followed him obliged, holding her down. She awoke to find that she was being held down. "L-let go of me. Let go of me!!!" Kalika Dart her eyes around the room seeing Tilus holding the new guy from the day before. "T-tilus! Help me! Please!" her head was immediately cut from her head. "Shut it will you," Maverick coldly said. "Damn it! She''s calling you! Are you just going to ignore her!?" Tilus continued to look on. Watching. "Please!!" Kalika yelled again. Once again she is killed. "Please!" she pleads again. "Stop!! This is just plain wrong!" Donovan finally yells. Maverick slowly turned his attention to Donovan, glaring at him coldly. "Donovan, Right? I heard of you.. The last I saw; your people crusaded my homeland in the name of your God." Maverick once again kills Kalika. "If invading with the righteous cause for your God wasn''t wrong¡­." He kills her yet again. "Then this is no different." and again, she''s killed. "This is simply retribution for the people she''s killed. My people!" Kalika woke to see the sword once again pointed at her face. "There''s another four thousand two hundred thirty-seven people I''ll need to avenge." "I turn my back for a minute and the rules continue to be broken" A voice sounded out. "Apparently I didn''t make myself clear the first time." Suddenly the heads of all the men holding Kalika down, exploded. Drenching both Kalika and Maverick in their blood and leaving them in utter shock. The other prisoners watching, including Donovan and Tilus, were just as shocked by the swift punishment dealt. A bloody clone of Rakon appeared. "If any of you try to do anything aside from killing her, then you should expect a swift punishment. This will be your final warning." The bloody Rakon clone turned his attention to a disoriented Kalika on the floor kneeling down, rubbing her cheek with two of his fingers. "It looks like my appearance has everyone quite shaken. Perhaps you''d like to use this opportunity to escape?" He whispered quietly. a moments later Rakon''s clone was penetrated through with Maverick''s sword. Its target, Kalika. But by some miracle the Mavericks'' strike missed Kalika''s head, barely grazing her. "Oh. he''s very ballsy. Isn''t he¡­" "You''re no guard, and everything else goes right?" Maverick stated. "That is correct," Rakon replied. The clone took his hands off of Kalika. "I wonder what you''ll do next." The clone gave a smile before becoming a puddle of blood. Maverick using this chance pulls his sword back readying for a swing. Suddenly he was punched in the face by Donovan. Surprising both Kalika and Maverick. Maverick stared at the man that stood before him. His breathing started to intensify as he continued to look at Donovan. "You bastard. I''ll kill you!" Mavericks'' aura became more intense. "T-this idiot! What¡¯s he thinking!???" "Ha. So this is the famous oppressive aura, you northern barbarians use." Donovan mocked. Maverick swung his sword at Donovan, only for Tilus to catch it. Maverick glared up at Tilus, aura intensifying. "You wanna fight too?" his rage intensified with each word spoken. Tilus quickly looked at Kalika with stern eyes. Shifting his eyes to gesture something to her. "No." Tilus finally responded, turning back to Maverick. "It just so happened that you''re ruining my meal. And now everyone here is on edge with all this racket you''ve been making." Kalika quickly got up retreating from the mess hall. Seeing this Maverick tried to follow, however his sword was still in Tilus''s grasp, unable to move it. "Is this the line you want to draw, Tilus." Maverick started to pull with all his strength to no avail as Tilus''s grip tightened. ¡°Are you really willing to die for that woman!?¡± Donovan, standing between the two men, watched as they were practically waging war using their muscles alone. The two struggled until cracks became visible on the sword. Maverick scowled at Tilus, who simply let the sword go. "Fine. The line has been drawn. You better have your swords ready, the next we meet." With those last few words, Maverick left. The remainder of the men that were with him followed suit, leaving behind the dead bodies of their companions. Tilus sighs. "She brings nothing but trouble¡­ Oh well." Tilus glanced at Donovan to see he was now shaking. Upon checking him, Donovan became as brittle as a leaf, falling apart. The spectacle of pure muscle power seemed to have been too overwhelming for him. "Dumb kid." ******** After some time passed of escaping, Kalika found herself hiding in that corner of the dungeon prison corridor. She listened as running from other prisoners was heard. She was cut and bruised from the other encounters with prisoners she''s been getting throughout the day. "" A guard yelled. He continues to yell this, walking down the corridors. A wave of relief washed over Kalika. "It''s finally over." "I found her!! She''s over here!!" Kalika Jolted, opening her eyes to an oncoming attack. She tried to block it with her hands, when suddenly the man''s head exploded. Once again Kalika found herself covered in blood. "Congratulations on making it through your first day." Rakon appeared before Kalika with a cocky grin. "Y-you asshole!" Kalika looked over at herself. Seeing her arms soaked in the man''s blood. "Don''t worry, I''m sure that Maid of yours will get something ready for you. She''s done a good job cleaning the mess she''s made too." Rakon notices that Kalika is starting to breathe more heavily. "I-I''m too tired to¡­ deal... With you." "Don''t tell me... you''re just... going to-" Rakon looked back to find Kalika sleeping. "Hmm¡­¡± Kalika later wakes up in her bed. She looked around to find herself cleaner with Rhonda by the side of her bed. She peeked at the cell door, finding it wide open. "How did I¡­" Moving her arm, she discovered a loaf of bread. She glanced at Rhonda before cracking a smile and eating the loaf in front of her. "Thank you, Rhonda." Kalika watched as Rhonda''s dreamful worry turned into blissful content. "Tomorrow the same thing will probably happen... I have to be one step ahead¡­ It probably wouldn''t hurt to explore the dungeon a little more..." The thought of her adopted father''s burial chamber arose in her mind, with a deep disappointment settling in. "I''ll clean that tomorrow too..." Kalika takes those last few bites of the only meal she''s had for the day. Upon finishing, she got a whiff and cringed. "What''s that weird smell?" She watched on, as Rhonda smiled with blissful ignorance. Chapter 34: Path of Deception In a small desolate town, men in armor, assigned with the insignia of the confederate army march. They pace themselves, men looking around in confusion and skeptical of their reports. Their commanding officer along with his captain''s keep to the front lines on their horses. A scout on horse returned to the commander, finished with surveying the town. "Leviah, do you see anyone yet?" the commander asked. "Not in particular, but I think I¡¯ve seen some kids at the Cassell church. But something doesn¡¯t feel right about it. If the demons did arrive here, this town would¡¯ve burned to the ground already..." ¡°Unless they wanted to preserve this town.¡± The commander grunts. "Alright, now go inform the General of this too. He''s going to want to know this." Without another word the scout gallops away on his horse past the marching men. "Is there a reason why the General came this time, Commander Well''s?" one of the captains asked. "He thinks that the demon forces are becoming much weaker and reckless with their advances. He thinks that there might be some internal conflict with their regime. But if you ask Me, I think he''s just getting overzealous just because our last battles have been in our favor." "Alright, Sieger on me and bring ten of our men, the rest standby. We''re checking that church." The commander whips the leash of the horse. The men knew better than to question their commander and followed his order to a T. They marched forth, following closely with their commander as they made their way to the church. They made their way past all the wooden and poorly painted homes until they finally made it to the building constructed of stone. It was the only church in the area with a bell tower. The entrance felt homey and inviting with its two decorative doors. And just above the entrance, an expensive looking stained-glass window, depicting their blonde-haired God of their religion stood welcoming to all. The commander and captain station their horses with their men, Prior to entering the church the sound of indistinctive prayers of children are heard. Upon opening the door a putrid smell permeated through the air. They peeked inside, finding piles of corpses piled on either side of the church''s nave. further ahead a small group of children prayed to a desecrated statue, all while covered in blood. Cautiously approaching the children, the commander and his captain could saw that they were all trembling from fear. From behind them, a woman with white long hair passed the captain. A chill instantly ran down their spine. They watched as the women approached the children, and it wasn''t long before the commander and his captain recognized this women as a demon with her blue skin and horns "T-that''s-!" "Shh" She quickly gestured with her finger and mouth. A dread filled both men, their bodies refusing to move for them. All they could do was watch as she came behind the bloodied children. She bent down to her knees placing both hands on a little girl that shook. "W-w-will God Forgive us now?" The little girl asked. "I''m sure he will. God is always more lenient to kids like himself. Unfortunately he''s not as forgiving to grown-ups like me." The girl started crying. "Will I see Mommy now?" The other children started to cry too, keeping their whimpers and sniffles as quiet as possible. "That¡­ Is no longer possible. But I''m sure your mommies and daddies would like to watch you all live nice long lives, all the way from heaven like the other people here," The woman said. A pressure even greater filled their two men entire being. There was no doubt in their mind now, the demon woman before them was in fact, the Demon Queen. The captain tried to turn himself back, with all his strength only to find their platoon of soldiers already dead. He turned back, finding the women in front of them now giving a happy cheerful smile despite the pressure given to them saying otherwise. "It''s been a while since I''ve done something like this¡­" Lillian poked the finger of her hand sending a drop of blood on the ground. "Go ahead and tell your General that, were retreating up the mountains'''' PING Suddenly, they found themselves standing in front of General Thomas Kyrier. They were in the middle of a chaotic flurry of men packing away the camping equipment, getting ready to march. "Alright and what else did you want to say???¡± Thomas asked irritably. "H-huh?" Both The commander and his captain were completely befuddled. "You said they''re retreating into the mountains but there was something else. Now spit it out." "O-oh! Uhh. T-there were children covered in blood and a ton of dead bodies. I think the demons had the entire town populace slaughtered¡­" The captain reported "Is that all?" "Y-yes¡­ I think¡­?" Thomas pondered for some time. "Perhaps they plan on using the townspeople as food like they''ve done in the beginning of the invasion. Those monsters. If they¡¯re really desperate for food they''ll likely double back to the nearest settlement up the mountain path. And there''s only one village I can think of." "Harold! Bring us the maps!" Thomas demanded. Moments later a map was placed upon a nearby table where the three gathered. Thomas pointed to a village on the mountain. "Here. we''re perfectly positioned to reach them for an ambush in just a day if we march now. This should give us another day to work with if they''re marching their armies up this mountain pass from the village."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The commander understood but was also unsure. "Yes. this would work but¡­ I-I believe The Demon Queen will also be among them¡­" "Good," Thomas said. The commander was taken aback by his response. "The sooner we kill the Demon King and Queen, The easier it''ll become to take back our country. And I have the perfect weapon to use." Thomas showed off a Horn, tied to his waist. "That horn. Isn''t that supposed to be saved for the Demon King??" the commander looked on in shock. "Think of it as a safety precaution. And if the worst comes to worst, I can at least guarantee this upcoming battle as a draw." "I hope you know what you''re doing, Tom¡­" Commander Wells gave a glance, skeptical of his leader''s plan. "Oh¡­ and by chance you wouldn''t know how we got here would you." The captain asked. "What do you mean?" Thomas responded much more irritated. ******** Some hours later they''re all marching alongside their army. The captain looked very depressed. "I Can''t believe that doesn''t believe us." The captain whined. "His temper did lwas on the short side today. But it is strange how we can¡¯t remember anything after encountering the Demon Queen¡­ we should be dead but¡­ We¡¯ll just have to keep our eyes and ears open." "Right." Sieger affirmed. The march to intercept the demon army continues forward, through the side of the mountain''s rocky cliff side. ******** "" "Tch! Right when we had her too!" In the prison corridor, Kalika stood slumped, breathing heavily from exhaustion, she smiled more satisfied seeing them leave. Kalika fell onto the wall behind her, sliding down to the ground absolutely exhausted from trying to avoid death. "Congratulations on another day done," Rakon said. Kalika gave a quick glare before retreating her gaze. "You again¡­" "You always seem dead set on going back into the dungeon. care to tell me why." "It has nothing to do with you. Besides, there''s no rules for leaving the prison." "That''s true¡­ There isn''t," Rakon said. "But it is curious how willing you are to rush into dying within all those traps set through those halls." Rakon crouched down to meet Kalika''s eye. "You know those girls won''t stop dragging you back to this prison. the more you venture outside the more you''ll run into them." "Those three can eat dirt for all I care. This fictitious game of yours is only two months and once that''s done-¡­" Kalika quickly becomes quiet. Rakon waited for Kalika to finish. "Then what?" Rakon flashed an amused smile. Kalika started to become much more tired, her exhaustion becoming overwhelming. "Rakon¡­ When am I supposed to kill this next person." Rakon gazed at a sleepy Kalika, a little confused. "Ah, yes. The match. We''ll be having it right after this game. After the winner is announced you''ll be fighting against the very son of a Hero of prophecy." Upon hearing this Kalika forced herself awake. "The son of a Hero of Prophecy?? What do you mean? The Heroes are dead. How can one of them have a son here¡­?" Kalika''s confusion was becoming more and more evident. "Who is it?" "Now where''s the fun in that? I think It''s much more entertaining if you find out for yourself." Rakon continued to look at Kalika amused, giving a very light chuckle. "That is, if you can¡­ But how about I sweeten the deal a little bit. If you find out who the hero''s son is, I''ll give you a little reward." "Well. It''s about time I go. And good work on staying conscious this time." Rakon patted Kalika''s head, angering her. "H-hey-!" Rakon instantly turned into a bloody mist. The footsteps of someone big were now audible and a familiar voice rose. "Kalika. You''re awake." Kalika''s eyes widened upon seeing Tilus. he looked scratched up, bruised and battered. "W-what happened to you?" "Don''t worry about it, I just finished dealing with a man and his grudge." "W-well what are you doing here?" Kalika tried getting up using the wall behind her as support, grabbing the cracks between the bricks. Kalika tumbled a little but was quickly caught by Tilus. "I''m here to help you back to your cell." he offered a hand to Kalika, which she reluctantly accepted. "F-fine." Kalika stumbled alongside Tilus who kept her balanced. "Isn''t this¡­ Breaking the rules? "During the night the demon''s game is halted so all those other rules don¡¯t apply here." "I guess that makes sense¡­if that''s the case you must''ve been the one to bring me back those other times¡­" Kalika almost tripped over herself. "Are you alright?" "Y¡­yeah¡­ I''m just sore. I still can''t believe the nerve of that bastard. Two whole months I have to avoid getting killed. Then after that I have to face off against the next person." "Is that so? Do you have a name?" "N¡­No. He just said that is the son of a Hero of Prophecy. And that''s it." "I see¡­" TIlus kept his head forward. Not once looking back at Kalika. They continue walking through the prisoner hall until they finally reach Kalika prison hall. "We''re almost there," Tilus said. "Hey¡­ Tilus." Kalika called out weakly. "Yes?" "How is that guy doing? The one from the Celestine empire." "Him?" Tilus clenched his jaw, and quickly glanced at Kalika. "That kid''s been causing a mess of trouble lately. Especially with that man who''s been chasing you down. Apparently he changed cells since they were next to each other¡­" "That long hair man? Maverick right? He''s been annoying to avoid, but he always gets me." Kalika cringed. "I wish he''d just die already." "Yes. well other than causing trouble he''s doing fine. Why did you ask?" Tilus questioned. ¡°I was just curious. that''s all¡­¡± They finally made it to Kalika''s cell where Rhonda worked. Kalika looked over into her cell to see that Rhonda was scrubbing away the blood of the last fool that tried to have his way. Rhonda peeked over her shoulder seeing Kalika and Tilus, Upon her turning around it quickly became evident that her maid''s dress was absolutely ruined. Kalika could only sigh, embarrassed for her. she glanced back at Tilus. "Can you do me a favor? When you see that guy again, can you ask how he got here? I have a feeling that there''s more to it, to how he got here. and I want to know about it." "Huh¡­" for a short period Tilus pondered to himself before simply taking his leave. "Tilus?" Tilus waved with his one hand, not looking back. "If the conversation presents itself, I''ll ask. Goodnight." With Tilus now gone Kalika turned her attention back to Rhonda, who bowed before Kalika. "Welcome back." she said. Kalika could see that Rhonda worked hard to clean her cell again. "thanks Rhonda. But¡­" Kalika looked away, distressed. "I think you should take the night to refresh yourself." Rhonda looked back at Kalika in confusion. "Your, uhh¡­" Kalika felt uneasy as she had to point out Rhonda''s embarrassing appearance. This prompted Rhonda to become flush red and rush off for the remainder of the night. At that moment, Kalika sighed. ¡°Good night.. Rhonda¡­¡± ******** Elsewhere in the confederate territory in Dahlia, deep in the southern mountain caves two soldiers venture deeper through the cavern tunnel. they passed by many white glowing crystals as they held their torches in hand. "Are you sure that man can be trusted?" A man in chain armor asked. a man in much heavier armor glanced back at his companion. "He hasn''t let us down before. And if what he says is true, this could easily change the tide of this war." "I''ll believe it when I see it." The two men continued to trek deeper through the dark cavern with only one path to follow. "Ugh. How deep is this cave???" "We''re almost there. Relax." After some time they finally made it into a huge cavern three times bigger than a dragon with a ceiling that extended for miles. white specks littered the walls and ceiling like a night sky. And in the center laid a huge deep dark black abyss that had no end. The two men approach the giant hole looking down. "Damn¡­ How deep does this go¡­?" "Probably to the pits of hell itself, for all we know. try not to fall down now." The heavy armored man taunted. "Shut up. Will ya." They both cautiously back away from the hole. A hand suddenly grabbed the shoulder of one of the men, making him jump. They both quickly turned to find a man in the shadows, with his presence revealed by the light of their torches. This man dressed himself of nobility and had long sleek black hair and Pink eyes. He bowed with a crooked smile. "Welcome. It''s a pleasure to see you''ve arrived safely. Now¡­ shall we get to business." Chapter 35: Resentment "" Prisoner''s ran to Kalika''s cell with a single thought in mind. They reached it only to be met with a bright pink eye that transports them into a dark hopeless forest. They¡¯re attacked by several monsters from all sides that also bear the same pink eyes, full of rage and disgust. Their screams echo through this illusionary forest, with the men now being eaten from the inside out. Kalika, seeing Rhonda''s work, praised her. Rhonda simply smiled back happily as Kalika could only watch the men as they convulsed violently on the floor. "Whatever she did, I''m glad she used it on me¡­¡± Kalika almost felt sorry for them. Key word, ¡®almost¡¯. ¡°Whatever they''re dreaming, it must be pretty horrible. Too bad for them." Kalika exchanged a glance with Rhonda. "And Rhonda¡­" Kalika started. Rhonda immediately perked her ears, listening more intently . "Please¡­ Don''t do anything weird with them or¡­ Embarrassing..." Rhonda darted her eyes blushing a little. She shyly tucked herself into her shoulders. "O¡­Okay¡­" She said, a slight hint of embarrassment clearly evident. Kalika also became flushed, quickly averting her gaze. ¡°A-a lady like yourself s-should be more selective. t-that''s all.¡± Kalika became a little more flush, clearly not thinking her own words through. ¡°A-alright, I-I¡¯m going now!¡± Kalika raced off to the safety of the trapped dungeon hall. In her way stood several men encroaching from the corner of the hall just behind her. "There she is!" the first yells. "Kill her!" Another two approach closely from behind. "Alright! Don''t lose nerve now!" Kalika dodged the first attack. "A cut and scratch are nothing." the other two cut into her leg with their swords, she grits through the pain. "Don''t stop! And just keep running." Another man appears in front of her, just in front of the trapped dungeon hall. She jerked back a little. "Gotcha!!" The man brings the blade down fast, but Kalika caught it in time. "Damn it! I can''t win against this and those other men will...!" "Get out of my way!!" A sharp pain ran coursed through Kalika¡¯s veins, like something sharp suddenly appeared within her followed by a boiling. Kalika suddenly punched the man. dumbfounding everyone that witnessed this. "W-wait¡­ What?" she uttered. She quickly snapped back to reality, pushing past the man and into the trapped hall. "Damn!" One shouts. "I thought she couldn''t fight back without that blade!" "Maybe it was all a ruse to let our guards down." another scoff. "Don''t get too cocky, we''ll be getting you next time!" Kalika let out a sigh of relief seeing them leave. "That was unexpected¡­" "I wonder how I punched that guy... it was like the time that creep Rakon was smelling my hair¡­" A shiver went down Kalika''s spine. "Oh how I hate demons¡­" she firmly pressed her hands into a fist, but relaxed just as quickly. Kalika didn¡¯t waste entering back into the labyrinth of traps. With expert precision, she leapt, dodged and avoided each of the pressure plates, every string and all the bricks that would spell her demise. She stopped, sensing a familiar malicious presence. "It''s them¡­" she quietly said. "They''re here earlier than usual." Reluctantly Kalika ran off in the opposite direction of the bloodlust she felt, until she came across a staircase by chance. She stopped once again, glancing down the deep dark corridor with peaked curiosity. "I never ventured further down before." a pang hit her stomach. "I really don''t want to¡­ but maybe... Maybe this will throw them off." With her mind made up, Kalika descended down the stony staircase, and a huge wave of relief hit Kalika all at once as she finally reached the next level of the dungeon. Indistinctive chatter is heard. There were demon guards traveling through the halls now. Kalika hugged the corner of the wall listening in gathering whatever bit of information she could understand. The name Bjorn suddenly came up. Her ears perked, listening more intently to find key words she could understand. Despite her best efforts however, she was unable to unravel much from what they said before taking their leave. Likely back to their post. "That didn''t help much¡­" she thought. Seeing no reason to linger she pressed forward. Keeping low, hugging corners and staying as quiet as humanly possible. The guards were more relaxed, bored by the mundanity of moving supplies and keeping a lookout through the unchanging halls. All of this was in Kalika¡¯s favor as she continued moving quietly though he halls. instinctively glancing to the ground, she halted. She slowly reeled her feet back cautiously. There was a pressure plate, likely containing another trap. "They have traps here too? How annoying." The depressing thought of being caught in one of these traps and captured by the guards, didn''t sit right with Kalika. She started to mumble curses and groan in annoyance. "Did they really booby trap the entire dungeon or something?" She continued to proceed with much more caution through the halls. Eventually she came across storage rooms with barrels and sacks filled with ingredients. Feeling adventurous, Kalika entered, and opened a sack revealing the onions within it. She cringed seeing this, immediately closing it back up. "Hmm... Maybe there''s more food here." She continued her search and ransacked the entire storage room finding nothing but vegetables to her disappointment. Not long after, the scent of freshly cooked meat invaded her nose. "M-meat! I haven''t had anything aside from bread for a long time." She quickly peeked out of the room in search of the delicious scent. Keeping low she found herself inside a kitchen with pots of already cooked meals and prepared plates with utensils. Looking to her left stood another door, likely to lead to another mess hall similar to the one in the prison. "Where''s the cooks?" The strong smell of the freshly cooked food hit her nose again. "S-so hungry." Kalika quickly found a bowl and a ladle, scooping up from strange cubed brown meat. And despite the weird look, she helped herself to the food. "Mmmm~~! Shoo gud! Mmm. How is this more delicious than that meat porridge??" Soon after enjoying her blissful meal the voices of demons could be heard. She quickly hid behind some counters across from the door with the noise. Hearing the conversation between another two demons she could easily discern two words. "Girl" and "Intruder". Kalika became annoyed. "I probably shouldn''t linger around here¡­" The two then rushed out after covering the food. Upon being left alone, she quickly helped herself to a second serving of food prior to leaving the kitchen. back in the dungeon hall, she looked around the corners of the hall, Kalika could see that the guards had become more active. "Not there¡­" She turned around heading down another path. Even more guards. "Oh, great¡­" Once again, she is forced to backtrack through another hall littered with even more storage rooms. A guard turned the corner forcing Kalika to hide in the nearest storage room. She waited as the guard slowly marched on his patrol, holding her breath until he was finally gone. She eased up, knowing she was in the clear once more.Stolen story; please report. Looking back into the room she found a barrel filled with an assortment of glowing colors. "What''s this¡­" she approached the barrel, feeling the colors of red, green and blue. She even saw a few spots of brown mixed within the confetti of colors. She dipped her hand in, feeling the sandy and grainy colors. Shortly after touching the colorful powder, most of the colors disappeared, replaced by gray crystals. "That''s weird¡­what happened to the colors??" Kalika poured the gray crystals from her hand, back into the stockpile of colors. At the corner of her eyes she found something that looked familiar. She approached the barrel filled with metal pipes on a stick. "Wait. Isn''t this¡­" she reels herself in to touch the strange weapon. "Kalika?" A deep voice arose. Kalika stopped, just inches from touching the weapon. Kalika turned back, finding a familiar face. "Oh¡­ long time no see Bjorn¡­" "You seem to be overly casual today¡­ for sneaking into the fifth level" Bjorn hunched his head down to peek through the doorway. Kalika looked at him blankly. "How did you find me?" Bjorn ignored her. "I''ll be escorting you back now," he said. "Are you kidding me! This guy." Kalika forced a smile upon herself. "Is that so¡­ and what if I say no." Bjorn suddenly grabbed half of Kalika''s body with one hand. "I wasn''t asking." his eyes gleamed with his dead serious gaze. Kalika, shocked by his boldness, reached for one of the barrels as Bjorn pulled her out of the room. He effortlessly lifted Kalika into the air to meet his eye. "Let go of me!!" she yelled "Don''t make things more difficult than they have to be. Wait a minute." Bjorn looked at a stain on Kalika''s prisoner attire. "Did you eat our food?" Kalika blushed a little. "I said let go!!" The next moment Kalika threw the gray powder into Bjorn''s eye. Bjorn instantly jerked back screaming in pain. His grip loosened allowing Kalika to escape. She ran without a second thought, speeding down the hall as fast as possible, turning around every corner she saw to lose him. The next moment, a roar echoed through the entire dungeon. A trap suddenly sprung forth with long spikes protruding from the ground, almost grazing Kalika. "Too close." Kalika was forced to wait for the trap to reset itself. The ground shortly after started to shake violently, the sound of destruction coming closer and closer along with dread. Bjorn suddenly crashed through the stone wall right behind Kalika. His anger was very clear.. Kalika became pale upon seeing him. "Crap! I really pissed him off, didn''t I?" Once again Bjorn grabbed her. ¡°You never learn, do you?¡± Bjorn''s face contorted to an anger she¡¯s never seen before. His thirst for blood became more apparent to Kalika as she was thrown over the trap and through the stone wall of the hall! Kalika coughed, finding herself in another storage room. She then coughs up blood, struggling to get back up from within the dust and smoke. From inside the dust she could tell that Bjorn was approaching her, breaking the spikes from the ground like toothpicks. "Get up." Kalika forced herself to her knees. "Get up!" It was too late as Bjorn grabbed her head and forced it onto the wall. He squeezed her head against the stone brick wall with tremendous force, cratering her head further in. The pain from her head surged through, it was unbearable. "Aaarrrgghh!!!" ¡°Again and again, you¡¯ve always found some way to test my patience''s. I couldn¡¯t care less that you''re a human, much less the queen''s toy! But you. You¡­!! You¡¯re such a shortsighted women!!¡± Before either of them realizes it, with one last push Bjorn forcibly pushes Kalika through the stonewall and into the next room. Kalika is sent hurtling through the room and is left writhing and screaming from the pain. She looks back up to find a blue demon woman like her with mostly black and yellow eyes peering at her. She freaked out, frantically scurrying away from the demon. It''s not long before Bjorn smashed through the rest of the wall, sending rubble flying through the rooms and filling the room with the sound of shattering glass. "Impressive¡­ You''re still alive..." Kalika shook and bloodied, looking up to find Bjorn giving a scornful look before turning to scan the room. "Damn it. I knew I should''ve moved these Mirrors further down." "M¡­Mirrors?" Kalika quickly looked around the room. "Hold on¡­ Where''s the other demon¡­?" Bjorn picked Kalika up by the waist. "What other Demon?" He threw her back into the other room onto a barrel with rocks. "Arrrghhh!!" "It''s just the two of us here. Besides, the guards in this dungeon know to stay away from me when I get like this," Bjorn stated, a calm anger stirring within. Bjorn Sent another punch hurdling to Kalika, She quickly dodged her head in time, avoiding the attack. The barrel behind her suddenly shattered and broke from the impact. pain washed over her back like a bush of hot iron nails . She glanced up finding his other arm ready to strike, mustering all her strength, she nearly dodged his fists as it broke the ground. Turning to meet his menacing gaze, she opted to retreat, scrambling to her feet to gain what little distance she could him. There was no questioning it now. Bjorn wanted to kill her. Knowing this she ran back into the dungeon hall, carrying herself whatever distance she could from the pissed demon general. "I have to get out of here Now!" She hurriedly ran down the dungeon corridor, cutting whatever corner possible, all while trying to avoid all the deadly spikes and fire traps littered throughout the dungeon. But it all seems meaningless as Bjorn crashed and smashed through the walls as if it were paper, leaving a trail of chaos and rubble. "The staircase has to be around here!" Huge red hands pop out from the corner of the walls, all an attempt to capture Kalika. She barely avoided his grasp, and doubled back into the dungeon. Bjorn completely smashed through the wall behind Kalika and charged after like a bull. smashing through walls and corners and through other rooms. Kalika then turned a corner to find a dead end! Suddenly his hand pops through the wall again in another attempt to grab her. He repeats this action again and again. one after another all in quick succession he keeps smashing through the wall with his hands alone, all in the effort to catch Kalika. Long after avoiding his attempts, Bjorn crashed through the wall once again and into the dead end. seeing that he missed his opportunity to catch her in this dead end, he became angrier. Bjorn chased after her again leaving Kalika with running as her only option from this angry demon. The chaos continued to unfold as he tore through walls, smashed through others, and created mountains of rubble in his wake. All the while Kalika could only panic and dodge each attempt. Within the chaos however, a strange wispy voice started to echo through Kalika''s mind. "Call me¡­ Call me¡­Call me¡­" Kalika''s head started to pound harder and harder. the calling became stronger. her senses dulling. and like a switch, Kalika felt a strange connection. An unnatural desire overcame all judgment as she twisted, turned, dodged. "Why is everything becoming so... Quiet?" She turned a corner to find another staircase leading further down the dungeon. A strange yet familiar dark aura emanated from down below those black stairs, it was absolutely hypnotizing. "I¡­I need to..." Bjorn came from her side like before, but this time she had no time to dodge. "I said STOP!!" Bjorn grabbed Kalika, ramming her through several of the walls until he reached the end, leaving Kalika''s mangled body in a crater. Bjorn breathed heavily, watching over as Kalika resurrected. She gasped for air, trying to reorient herself Kalika looked back up to find Bjorn with eyes full of hate. "I''m glad Rhonda isn''t here to see this," he said to himself. Bjorn raised a fist, quickly punching Kalika in the gut. "W-why?" Another to the face. "W-w-why??" she started to tear up. Kalika looked up to see Bjorn wearing a mask of absolute rage. But upon closer inspection¡­ "Wait a minute¡­ did he really just¡­ cry?" Bjorn sent another punch. Kalika closed her eyes in anticipation. POWSH Kalika felt insurmountable pressure blowing her way, only to quickly cease. Upon opening her eyes, she found the most unlikely person to come to her aid. Before Kalika and Bjorn was none other than Rakon, who now glared deathly at Bjorn. "Bjorn. What is this?" Bjorn''s mouth trembled upon seeing Rakon, he tightened his jaw before giving a bow. "I''m-" Bjorn was smacked across the room and into a pile of rubble by Rakon. Rakon started to approach the General, intimidatingly. "What was your order?" Bjorn got up, to bow once again. "It was to e-" Rakon grabbed the huge demon by the neck. "IT WAS TO ESCORT KALIKA BACK TO THE PRISON!" He yelled. "NOT TO PUMMEL HER AND DESTROY THE ENTIRE FIFTH LEVEL!!" Rakon furiously squeezed at Bjorn''s neck even harder. "You''re lucky I still need you alive, otherwise you''d be dead!" "U-unlike Kel and Ek?" Bjorn choked out. Rakon''s eyes widened in anger. He instantly threw Bjorn to the side into some walls. Kalika watching couldn''t help but be awed by Rakon''s strength. Once again Rakon paced himself to Bjorn, who again bowed before Rakon. "You know what I hate most, more than sheer incompetence, Bjorn? It''s the sheer lack of loyalty!!" Rakon grabbed Bjorn horns and broke them off! Bjorn screamed in agony and blood started to gush from the horns. Rakon threw his horn at Bjorn''s knees. "Say another word and I''ll rip an arm from your body." Rakon hissed. Bjorn remained silent writhing in the pain, he reluctantly grabbed his horn and gave a deeper bow before taking his leave. With Bjorn dealt with, Rakon turned his attention to Kalika. He looked back to find her blushing a little. She quickly hid her face, not saying a word. "Alright, Let''s get you out." Rakon grabbed Kalika from just under her armpit, pulling her from the crater she was stuck in. "And don''t misunderstand me either. I didn''t help out of good will; I just have no intention of breaking you like that sister of yours did." Kalika froze. "I¡­¡± her face became a little redder. ¡°I know that already¡­" Rakon peeked at Kalika''s condition to see that her prisoner''s outfit was in a very morbid condition. "I suppose we''ll have you fitted with new clothes before I bring you back to the prison." Rakon moved past some of the rubble to enter into the destroyed dungeon hall. He then gestured for Kalika to follow which she reluctantly abides, trailing her gaze away from him. "H-hey. Can I get a mirror from here too while we''re here?" Rakon stopped for a second, glancing at her. "Absolutely not." "Boo." Kalika, seemingly returning to normal, became indignant. as she followed behind Rakon. ******** The Confederate army finally arrived in the mountain village. The commander on the horse looked around finding earnest folk doing their best to cultivate their fertile lands that they owned. However to their surprise, some of the people witnessing their arrival start to become panicked, some running off somewhere out of their village. The Commander looked around, past the shabby shack and dirty homes, seeing children running around playing. Very familiar children. "Wells." General Thomas called. The commander was taken out of his stupor. "O-oh, yes?" "Something doesn''t feel right," Thomas said. Some families start to flee. "Halt right there!" A soldier yelled. Even more people started to flee the village and the children playing just moments ago started to be picked up by the parents to flee too. The commander then recognized the voice of one of the kids. He looked back to see a girl with a very familiar hair. "No. it couldn''t be¡­" "Welcome¡­ I see you all arrived just in time." Everyone, from the soldier to the captain, to the commander and even the General were all shocked. From a distance stood the Demon Queen, Lillian Archelion, who stood tall with a knowing smile etched on her face. Chapter 36: Secret Weapon Families fled, pushing past all the other soldiers and away from the army, abandoning the village they lived in all their lives. All the while General Thomas Kyrier sat on his horse, face to face with the Demon Queen Lillian who stood far from him and his men. "T-the Demon queen!???" The Commander, shocked, looked back at his general who glared sternly at the woman. Lillian cocked her head, leaning her chin on the back of her hand with her arms crossed. "I''m glad our plan worked out smoothly. It''s certainly been a long time since we''ve met face to face Tom." The commander and captains looked back at their General who furrowed his brow. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," He said. "That''s fine. It''s better that way since remembering will only confuse you. Besides, I don''t want to hurt that poor ego of yours before I kill you." The General didn''t respond. Instead, he glanced around to find that the village was a natural trap with one two ways in and out. "A single pathway through the village with no other means of flanking or retreating. So this was a set up." General Thomas glanced at his commander. "What did you do to my men?" Lillian gave a shushing gesture with her hand. "Now that''s my little secret to keep." "Damn demons. But still¡­ Try as you might but you''ll never get to me." "Ah. yes, the Barrier, right?" Lillian a somewhat mischievous smile, touching the barrier. She watched as the strange blue pulse ripple around her finger, then her hand like water. "Y-yeah that''s right. Demons can''t enter the barrier." The captain among them noted. Lillian chuckled hearing the man. "You never know until we try." As if on cue, the screams of men dying and getting cut down suddenly comes from behind. Everyone turns to find the army behind them starting to get slaughtered by demons from behind and above on the mountain side. An explosion of ice spikes erupted from far within the confederate army''s line. "What the hell!??" The General looked on, bewildered by the eruption of Ice. "Grrr. We can''t sit Ideally by! C''mon we need to support our men!" The commander and captains rode off to support their rear. "Oh. This makes things easier." The General watched as Lillian grew wings from her body. She then flew in the air above her, growing a big ball of some sort of fire magic from her hands. Jala seeing this huge ball of fire orders a quick retreat. The demon army retreats, leaving the confederate army soldiers confused. BOOM Three explosions rained across the army''s troops. Even the commander and captain are caught in the explosions "ARROWS!" The General Commanded. The archers surround the general, rained their arrows at Lillian. She easily flicked them away with a huge gust of her wind magic. The general was ford to shield his face from the gust. "Damn it!" his other hand then felt for the horn at the side of his waist. The thought of using it crossed his mind. However he quickly rejected this idea. "AGAIN!" he commanded. More Arrows poured as Lillian who easily avoided these attacks, all the while sending more explosive magic to the troops behind the General. After a while Lillian ended up destroying an entire cliffside path to the village, stranding the general and his remaining subordinates with herself "FIRE DAMN IT! KILL THAT DEMON!!" The archers continued on firing away, depleting their supplies quicker than any battle they¡¯ve fought. This continued until everyone was down to the last arrow. The General before Lillian could only scowl at her understanding their dire predicament. Lillian landed back on the ground safely, feeling the barrier once more, smiling once more. "You know. My father once told me that the Kyrier family is a very special bloodline. He said that it went back to the first Heroes of Prophecy chosen by God Cassell himself." Lillian''s hands started to glow with holy magic. She expanded a purging barrier from the shell of the protective barrier the General was using. Seeing this, all the archers and soldiers felt an insurmountable pressure. Lillian could only give a wicked smile. "T¡­This can''t be¡­" The general was left in an utter state of shock. The next second all the men surrounding the General were sliced by Lillian''s wind magic. puddles of bloods formed around the general as he witnessed a change in Lillian demeanor. He felt a scary aura emanating from her, as if she was ready to toy with him. Lillian quickly recomposed herself and held out her hand. "Not that it matters much to me. I just want to end this war already." The general felt the horn by his side. He quickly clutched it to bring it to his mouth. Lillian formed an earth spike from her hand, pointed straight at him. It shot at him in a blink of an eye but shattered, meeting another barrier! Lillian, surprised by this, shot many more his way, each shattering upon impact. She snarled, sending an even larger one that also shattered! A crack formed at the barrier making the General uneasy. as he glanced at his horn but looking back, He found Lillian already in contact with his Barrier. "What!???" She manifested her holy magic in hand gripping at the barrier with her bare hands. desperate, she quickly grabbed the horn, blowing in it for a second before getting his head sliced from his body. The body fell off the horse. "Why did he blow on that horn¡­?" Lillian stared at the body for a few seconds before turning. But as she walked away with thoughts about Jala and the army, the dead General''s body suddenly contorted, mangling itself, breaking bone after bone in his own body. She turned back quickly, finding this gross sight. Lillian found herself speechless as she continued to witness this strange circumstance. A glowing snow-white hand erupted from the chest of the man''s corpse. Another hand erupts. They each pushed and opened the chest further, opening up and allowing some mysterious white being with golden blonde hair to emerge from the bloody corpse. The white being turned to look at Lillian, leaving her in a state of shock seeing that the strange being was faceless. It brought out the rest of its body and looked at Lillian with curiosity. It towered over her and started speaking strangely with a voice that sounded otherworldly and distorted. It then went on to look on the ground, grabbing the severed head of a random soldier. It held the head, starting to use it like a puppet. "Testing~. Testing one, two, three..." The voice from the head sounded croaky. It became obvious that this white being was using this head to communicate. "How peculiar¡­ You are the holder of the holy light. The one chosen to seal away this world''s evil. And yet, you are not human¡­," it said.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "What¡­ are you?" Lillian kept herself alert and on guard. "I am¡­what some would call¡­ an Angel. My name is Enocht, Servant of God Cassell. One of ten, that serves under him." "Ten?" she questioned. The angel Enocht cocked its head as if staring deep within Lillian. "I see¡­ so the original soul mended back together with a powerful magic. that of demons¡­ hmm¡­ Very powerful indeed." Enocht absorbed the man''s head into his hand. Two green eyes grew out of his blank face, and then a nose, and then a mouth formed. He gave a crooked smile. "This world''s evolution of magic never ceases to amaze me. Alas¡­ this is an issue that must be resolved. God Casell wouldn''t like his holder kept from the cycle of life and death." Lillian is shocked as she suddenly found herself face to face with this pure white being. "Please allow me to return your soul back into the cycle. Where it belongs." Lillian Dodged! Her arm cut from her in an instant. She distanced herself, holding her newly stubbed arm. "You''re only delaying the inevitable light holder." Lillian let out a scream as she instantaneously regenerated her arm, regrowing her own flesh, bone and skin. She found herself much more exhausted. "Ah. so you can regenerate like the Superior demon''s." Enocht grabbed Lillian''s other severed arm, absorbing it into his body. "The corruption in your flesh is deep." he smiled. "But your magic is invaluable." A clash of Wind magic between the two suddenly erupted. Lillian kept both hands out, trying to match the angel blow for blow. Dirt and debris filled the air, and an explosion of wind echoed through the fragile village. Lillian placed her hand on herself. "Boost." She sent holy magic through her body, strengthening herself the best she could. Feeling more confident she used her earth magic. Conjuring a stone wall. The wall instantly shattered but still left a window for her to manifest an explosive ball, hurdling it to the angel. BOOM A direct hit and the attacks seemed to have ceased his magic attacks. The dust soon clears, showing a huge hole within the angel''s torso. However he paid no mind to this instead turning to the now dead horse and absorbing it into his body. His body then reformed as though it weren''t flesh. Enocht gave a distorted laughter. "Such fascinating new magic! a lovely combination. It makes so glad to have been summoned!" Lillian didn''t hesitate to close the distance between them. Seeing this Enocht conjured forth a grid of light sending it to Lillian, But this attack passed through her, surprising the angel. Lillian knocked the angel to the ground, clutching his neck. And without hesitation, she ripped off his head with all her strength, keeping his body pinned with her feet. Enocht''s detached head spoke up. "So, you are defected like the Evil one. But since you are still only mortal, you are a problem that is easier to resolve." Lillian instantly engulfed his head in fire. Infuriated that he could still talk. She felt hand touch her legs. She looked back to find the headless body grabbing her leg and easily tossing her off it and into a villager''s home. She got up, disoriented. Looking back to the angel''s body approaching her, his head then grew back. "What the hell?" her eyes widened in complete shock and horror, watching it continue its approach. "I think that is enough with your delays, Light holder." Enocht held his hands out readying a big ball of fire. "It is time to return you to the cycle." The huge ball of fire is sent hurdling to Lillian only for a huge wall of Ice spikes formed between Lillian and Enocht. The fire and ice collided, hot steam forming on both sides. "What is this?" Enocht questioned. Enocht got sliced through with a blood blade. "Oh?" General Jala stood with his Ice armor fully formed on his body. "Even more impressive magic!" Enocht gave a much more sinister smile. "Now I understand why I was summoned." Enocht healed instantly to the shock of Jala. He grabbed Jala by the neck "It seems that the humans wish to use me as a tool for war. Too bad." The angel started to absorb Jala''s armor reaching his neck. "My only intentions are to serve my master''s cause." Enocht''s arm is sliced by a huge gust of wind. Jala quickly separates from the angel, throwing the hand off himself. Enocht is shot with a barrage of earth spike and wind slicing attacks hitting him directly. Arms sliced, Leg, feet, hand, chest, head. "Jala!" Lillian yells. She stopped her barrage. Jala understanding used the opportunity to form a water prison around the angel and froze it to as cold as possible to make an icy prison. Unfortunately, this only proved to be ineffective as Enocht easily escaped, shattering the Ice around himself. Without hesitation he swung his reformed arm forth to Jala, manifesting it as a gilded white sword. Jala parried the attack in time. But this is followed by another clash and another until Lillian broke through the Ice wall using her fire magic. The fire hit Enocht directly who is yet again, unaffected as charred skin reverts to glowing white. "How is he not dying!??? It''s like-" Lillian''s thoughts are interrupted. "As a servant of God I cannot die unless my creator wishes for it. Trying to kill me will not alter your fates." The angel''s body started to bulge and contort. He grew two extra arms from his body and then another two. The three engage in an even more intense bout as bothe Lillian and Jala struggle to keep the angel from reforming and attacking them. They were being overwhelmed by the angels'' immense power before the, "I am the will, given shape. And the inevitability of your demise." He smashed the ground as they both dodged in time. His body continues to contort and misshapen. He grew an additional head. Then eyes all over his body. The very sight disturbed Lillian, and she was the Demon queen. His body then went back to normal and turned to Lillian, reaching out to her. "Now Light holder, allow me to return you back to the cycle." Jala stabbed Enocht in the back. He then slices upward through the angel''s head. Lillian snapped herself back to her senses. She kicked the sliced angel away from them. Using its hand the angel grabs onto the ground, penetrating some of the rocky terrain with his fingers. Yet again healing himself. But then¡­. Enocht found his arm starting to crumble away. He frowned seeing this. "Did part of him just crumble away?" Jala questioned. Lillian, hearing Jala, opted to examine herself. "I think he did." She found that some of the angel''s arms looked more chipped away than before. Enocht stood taller and more serious, he started to approach Lillian. Seeing his changed demeanor she quickly sent out a barrage of slashes with her wind magic. Enocht counters each and every one of her attacks with his own. "Let me help." Jala held out his hands, conjuring forth a big blue ball of fire. He starts to conjure even more of the fire ball around himself all before sending them at Enocht. Soon the village became even more chaotic with a torrent of fire and the bangs in the air. The exchange of magic attacks started to become more and more intense with each step Enocht took. Lillian attempts to boost her power once again finds her power easily dwarfed no matter how many times she tries. "he has to have a limit! there''s always a limit!" Lillian thought. A cut in an arm. Another on her cheek. A blow to the stomach! Enocht threw his sword arm into Jala''s stomach, nailing him to the mountain wall far from Lillian. Suddenly LIllian is slashed in the chest. She coughed blood, and her neck grabbed. To both Lillian and Enocht''s surprise, his arm holding her started to completely crumble away. "Looks like luck is on your side. Pity, perhaps another servant or group of holders will release you." Slowly Enocht crumbled away into a pile of stones and pebbles. The sword in Jala crumbled away also, leaving a gaping hole in Jala''s chest. Lillian fell to her knees, exhausted from the overwhelming fight. She quickly healed herself following up by healing Jala too, who was half conscious. " We won¡­"Lillian stated, still exhausted. "Thank you Jala." she was breathing much more heavily. unable to move herself any further. "Your highness are you alright??" Jala asked worriedly. It wasn¡¯t not long before Lillian fell over, onto his shoulder. Jala looked at his wound that was now gone. "how am I???" his mind shifted to what the Angel Enocht Called Lillian. "Light holder¡­? Jala found himself staring at a now sleeping Lilian for a long time before deciding to bring her somewhere to continue her rest. ******** Jala is inside of a shabby broken down village home watching over Lillian. He continues to watch over her as if pondering something. "Where''s Lillian?" a familiar muffled voice asked. "I-i-in here Your Majesty." a soldier answered. The Demon King, Lucius entered the home, he looked bloodied with a flesh wound in his chest. "Jala. Tell me what the hell happened to Lillian. NOW!" Lucius glared fiercely at Jala who stared back with contempt. ******** Back with Kalika she is now sleeping through the hard day she''s been through. Rakon''s blood clone manifests itself, looking at Kalika. His attention then turned to Rhonda who was sleeping by the side of the bed. "What a lousy maid." He approached Kalika, smiling upon brushing his hand against her hair. He watched her move slightly as mumbling something happily. "Good dream?" he quietly asked. "It won''t be too long now. Soon this war will be over¡­ And I''ll have won. " Rakon smiled. "Heh. I hope they enjoy my little gift." Chapter 37: Dungeon Chaos! "Argh!" Kalika peeked down the corner of the hall leading to the staircase down below. In front of the staircase, Valam stood and waited "So, they are trying to keep me from going back down, That''s so annoying¡­!¡± She quickly hid herself back into the hall corner. ¡°I wanted to get some more of that food they were cooking." Kalika found herself unconsciously drooling a little as the thoughts of the delicious food flooded her mind. The patter of footsteps is heard echoing the hall, most likely one of the Daji or Florin roaming the halls. Reluctantly forcing Kalika to press on in the dungeon halls. After a while of sneaking around the halls, Kalika lost the women on her tail. She peeked from the corner, soon scanning the empty hall. Unfortunately, this didn¡¯t make her feel easy. After all, she just found out that they could mask their own presence somehow. "Tch. It''s like they want to play a game of hide and seek with me, every time I come here." Continuing forth, she ventured deeper into the dungeon until she came across another set of stairs that lead upstairs. These were being guarded by Florin. "Of course." she scowled. "There''s no doubt about it now¡­ They''re trying to keep me on this floor¡­." Kalika once again continued to investigate the dungeon corridors. She activates newly discovered traps, but easily avoids them, finding them repetitive. Kalika sighed. "At least these traps are a lot easier to deal with¡­ They''re becoming predictable at this point. But still, I think I ''ve seen every nook and cranny of this dungeon. And I haven''t eaten in a couple of days." Suddenly Kalika''s stomach growled. "Uuggghhh¡­ Why hasn''t Rhonda come back yet!? I really don''t want to go back to that prison. But at this point I''ll- '' Kalika''s stomach growled even louder. "Perhaps I should try to steal a bowl of meat porridge¡­" -_- ******** Kalika now peeked down the dungeon corner with the prisoner straight ahead. She could see a couple of prisoners loafing around like some of the guards. She cringed upon seeing this. "Alright the mess hall should just be to the left of this hall I think¡­" Kalika readied herself for a fight. "Okay¡­ Here goes nothing." She sprinted down the hall with complete disregard of the noise she made. The prisoner, hearing her footsteps, turned to find Kalika rushing down the hall. "Quick! Got get-" Kalika stepped and hopped off his face, to the shock of the other man. The other Prisoner disregarded Kalika, scurrying down the other hall with a clear objective. She raced down the hall, and slam opened the mess hall door, stammering and running in. She ran and hopped over all the tables until she found the perfect bowl to steal. "It''s the Immortal Maiden! Get her!!" Donovan, who was serving food, heard the ongoing commotion. Glancing back up, he found Kalika quickly grabbed the bowl from some poor man. She quickly changed gears to escape with her newly acquired prize. ¡°What the- What¡¯s she doing here!?¡± Donovan questioned. the meat porridge in the ladle he held, poured out as he watched in surprise. Suddenly a prisoner arrived, slashing at Kalika¡¯s gut! ¡°I got her!!¡± He yelled.¡± Kalika disoriented, buckled down, and ignored the immense pain, opting to continue her escape. Another prisoner stabbed her back. Another slash to her arm. She held tightly to her bowl. out of nowhere, she was cut in her neck. "D-don''t let go! D-don''t let go!" Kalika''s vision became hazy and after a while, found a blurry darkness. She awakes to find herself running out the exit. She smiled pridefully, practically making out of the mess hall. And like the thief she was, she hightailed it, away from the scene of the crime. Donovan watching, could only stand still in the kitchen, shocked by the utter chaos. Almost all the other prisoners were now chasing after Kalika. He clutched his hands, and dropping the tackle, he followed right behind the other prisoners. "Hey, where''re you goin!??" the old chef yelled. Kalika dashed through the halls dodging and weaving through as many attacks as she could. She was simply impressed by how many of the prisoners there were that actually wanted to kill her. She looked back to find many of the other prisoners now chasing after her. And in front of her even more men with Maverick leading the charge. "Tch! Him!?" She blurted, annoyed. "I just have to turn that corner into the hall and that should-" A sword stabbed through her bowl and into her chest. She recognized it as Maverick''s sword. "M¡­My food¡­" The bowl of meat porridge spilled to the ground behind her as she continued to run away. Kalika looked back up to find Maverick now punching her. She fell to the ground hard. "Arrghhhhh!!" The sword in the chest got pulled out causing her to scream further. "Finally¡­ I had a feeling you''d come out sooner or later." Maverick sliced Kalika''s neck. All the prisoners around Kalika kept their distance from her. "I messed up." "Looks like the bitch finally got hungry, didn''t she." laughed. "Don''t hog her to yourself Maverick." Kalika resurrected. Her neck got sliced again by Maverick. This repeated for some time. Kalika being forcefully resurrected. And Maverick¡¯s instant slicing of her neck. All culminating in a rhythmic pattern as the crowd of prisoners watched. Unknown to Kalika Donovan is trying to push past the guards but was being held back. Some of the prisoners watching were starting to get bored with the same attack and death. One of the other irritated prisoners approached Maverick. "Hey c''mon. Give us a piece of the action too-"The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Maverick instantly beheaded the man, his gaze dead serious like no other. Maverick was like a predator, defending its prize for others that would prey on it like vultures. Prisoner''s loyal to Maverick started to step up, forming a line between him and the other prisoner that had planned to kill Kalika. He swung his sword again killing Kalika "This girl is mine." SHINK "Anyone else that has a problem with this can either leave or die." Hearing Mavericks'' words spooked the prisoners there. somewhere started to become sickened by the sight and left. "I¡­" SHING "I¡­. can''t¡­" SLASH "STOP IT!!!" Donovan attempted to push through several of the Mavericks men. He punched and kicked his way through his men. "That idiot soldier." a prisoner muttered. "Yeah, what''s he doing?" Maverick just glanced over before slashing once again at Kalika''s neck. "You again?" he mumbled. Kalika resurrected once again, shortly after the sword got stuck through her chest, making her scream in agony. "The last time you tried to help the Immortal maiden you were just fortunate the Imperial wall stepped in to help." Donovan broke through opting to punch Maverick. This was met with a punch to the gut by maverick himself. He inched himself close to Donovan''s warm whispering. "Don''t expect any help this time. Because he won''t be returning any time soon. "W-what do you mean!!!??" Before he could do anything, Donovan got punched square in the face. Kalika Glanced up to the scene before her. "T-the new guy again? W-what''s going on?" She then glanced back to her chest to find a sword sticking out of it. Without hesitation, while everyone else was distracted by the one-sided beating, Kalika removed the sword from her chest. She died and was revived shortly after, and using this golden opportunity started to escape. Maverick now held Donovan by the throat. Donovan punched Maverick several times, but that got weaker with each punch. "Is this all you got? Pathetic!" Donovan was slammed into the wall, coughing up blood as he did. "MAVERICK! SHE''S GETTING AWAY!" one of his men shouted. He ignored the man, putting more attention on Donovan right before him. Prisoners seeing this, riled up, trying to break through the line being manned by Maverick men. The whole situation started to become more chaotic. Eventually the prisoners broke through the line, running past Maverick and Donovan as the fought. All to chase after Kalika. Kalika peeked once again behind herself seeing not only the horde of men chasing after her. Not only that but also catching a glimpse of Maverick choking the life out of Donovan on the ground. All the while could only Donovan punch back in vain. The scene became even more chaotic as some of the guards attempted to intervene but quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer chaos surrounding them. Prisoner pushing on prisoner, Guard trying to push through while trying to maintain an order already lost. She turned away seeing this. "He''ll be alright¡­" "Don''t let her get away!" one of the prisoners yelled, his voice practically being drowned by the chaos in the hall. "He''ll¡­" The memory of when he tried to help her resurfaced along with that time, she was able to laugh because of him. He was someone she barely knew. Even so, she thought about the Heroes of Prophecy, asking herself, what they would do. It wasn;t even a question to her. "He''s so annoying¡­" To the shock of everyone Kalika suddenly halted and turned back around running towards the horde of men. "I think she''s lost her mind now or somethin!" a prisoner jokes. "Who cares, let''s kill her." Kalika slowly started to approach the side of the wall. "Alright I''ve done this plenty of times in those corridors. It''ll be like dealing with those traps!" "Hey, what is she doing???" They all watched as Kalika ran up across the side of the wall, confusing most of the men there. "I can''t afford to make any mistakes from here!" Kalika braced herself, leaping from the wall and over the head of the other prisoners. Some of them continued to watch, befuddled by the situation. "What are you doing!?? Get her!!" Kalika stepped on the face of one of the men watching her. She kicked off hard using him like steppingstones, followed by another man, then another, all until she finally made it past the horde of prisoners! Kalika continued to race away from the men. Her heart was beating much faster. "T-that was close!" "Hey Maverick, The Immortal Maiden¡¯s coming back." "Eh?" Kalika pushed past Maverick''s men. "Hey get her!" Kalika hopped and grabbed onto Maverick. She clutched his neck with her arms holding him tight. Maverick Released Donovan from his grasp, turning his focus back to Kalika. He grabbed her trying to force her off him. Right before being pulled off, she bit his ear, biting a piece of it off. Maverick cried out in pain as she grabbed Donovan and ran! spitting out the piece of the man''s ear as she did. To everyone''s shock she easily dragged Donovan''s limp body down the corridor. The prisoner that chased her earlier continued their pursuit running past Maverick once again. All the while Maverick simply held the side of his ears in shock. "How did she¡­" Back with Kalika, Donovan started to regain consciousness. He looked back in confusion, shortly after losing consciousness again upon seeing her. Some of the prisoners chasing her started to become much more exhausted chasing her down the hall. Some even started to collapse. "H¡­How is she still this fast?????" the prisoner stopped, wheezing. ¡°And how does she have so much energy??¡± Kalika turned the corner of the hall with a separate trapped hall straight ahead. She rushed headfirst activating a fire trap. She barely made it through with Donovan a little burnt. Everyone still following, stopped. They all watched as the clear trap spewed out fire from its unknown origins. Pissed by the outcome, some of the prisoners with dagger started throwing their blades at Kalika to little effect. This only serves to leave cuts on her arms and stomach. Not that she cared about it much now. With nothing else to do, they all glared back at Kalika, leaving the premises. They all started to murmur about her and Donovan, finding Kalika''s actions weird and strange. Kalika sat herself on the wall across from Donovan. All the while the fire spewing and her stomach growled once more, reminding her of her failed expedition. She sighed, disappointed. After a while of sitting back on the wall Donovan finally awoke. He looked up to find Kalika in front of him. "Y-y-you!??"He started clamoring to the wall. Sweating more profusely. He looked around quickly. "We''re inside the booby-trapped dungeon,¡± she said. ¡°Just give me a moment and I''ll help you out." Donovan can only look on, a little stunned. "W¡­What happened?" "I had to get you away from that brute. Just be glad you''re not dead." "SO I was saved by¡­ The Immortal Maiden?" "KALIKA! MY NAME IS KALIKA! Not Immortal Maiden!" Kalika sighed frustratedly. "Honestly, I just hate that name." Donovan jumped upon seeing Kalika''s glare. "And another thing! Why do you keep butting in!?? Not that I''m complaining, but do you have a death wish or something??? This is the second time you almost got killed!" Donovan looked away shyly. "It''s just¡­ What they want us to do to you¡­That¡­ It isn''t right. I-I just can''t stand by while other people are being trampled on. Especially if they''re defenseless. It''s just¡­ That''s not justice." A clear silence hung between the two. all broken as Kalika sighed again. "An Idealist, huh¡­?" Kalika took a deep breath. "Your chivalry will be the death of you if you keep trying to help me.¡± ¡°O¡­Okay¡­¡± Kalika began to feel awkward again as they both became at a loss for words again. ¡°B-but¡­ If you really want to help me¡­ Just leave some food in one of these dungeon halls or bring me food after hours." Kalika then gave a depressed, concerned look. "I¡­ Haven''t eaten anything in days, and I seriously considered eating a piece of that brute''s ear." "O¡­Oh¡­" Donovan could only look on awkwardly. ¡°S-sure¡­ I don¡¯t mind passing along some food¡­¡± In that moment the Fire trap finally ceases, helping to put the awkwardness to a close. "Alright, looks like it''s safe for you to pass back in." Kalika got up gesturing for Donovan to stay close. ¡° Okay.¡± Donovan followed her lead approaching the trap. "I-Is it really¡­ Safe." "Just make sure you run through really fast. Then you should be fine." Donovan gulped, a little nervous. He backed up, readying himself just before taking off into a sprint and barely making it through the trap "Whoa!" He felt his hair getting singed by the fire. "Good work. And see you around, new guy." Kalika "I-it''s Donovan." he yelled back. Kalika paid little attention, instead she focused on avoiding upcoming traps ahead of her. He kept watching through the spewing fire, with thoughts of Tilus and what Maverick said about him. "Where are you Tilus¡­?" Donovan said to himself. ******** Lillian awoke in the shabby village home with Lucius sitting by her side. his chest bear with it bandaged all around, reading a book. "L-Lucius? When did you get here??" She noticed the bloodied bandaged with a huge dent in his chest. "What happened to you???" She became worried, attempting to force herself up. a pain surged within her, making her flinch. Lucius stopped her and leaned her back to the bed. ""Don''t worry about me, this is just a flesh wound. I just have to rest a little longer and I''ll be fine." "But how did this happen to you?" Lucius looked away. "Remember that report I sent regarding those strange weapons the Celestine army had?" "Vaguely. Yes." Lucius closed his book at the moment. "Well. It looks like the confederate army somehow got their hands on these supplies. Whether they''ve been saving them or somehow got them in a shipment recently I can''t say. Regardless, we will have to rethink our approach to conquering this last city." Lillian became disappointed. "I see¡­ So, we''re gonna be stuck for a little bit aren''t we¡­" "Yes¡­ But since one more of their Generals are dead it only leaves two more left to deal with. So, you did a good job.¡± He smiled much more fondly at her. ¡°Aside from that I heard you dealt with some strange creature." A flicker of doubt filled Lillian''s eyes. "It called itself an Angel¡­ I¡¯m not sure but,,, I think the General I killed... Somehow summoned it...." Lucius got up, setting the book down and grabbing something off a nearby shelf away from Lillian''s view. "Did he use this?" Lillian examined the horn before her. "Y-yes. He used that I think, he blew into it for a second. then after that...." Lillian found Lucius becoming more serious, as though the situation became much more dire. "Is¡­ Something wrong?" She asked. "Listen Lillian. What I''m about to tell you has to stay between us." Chapter 38: Hidden Truths Lucius held out the horn in his hand in front of Lillian, upon closer inspection it had strange symbols engraved into the plain white horn. "For a long time, my family held onto three horns similar to this for as long as I could remember. Each one with their own colors and symbols engraved on them.¡± ¡°I was told that they were possessed with the souls of very dangerous beings, the very ones that served the God you worship." a tense unease hung around them as Lillian looked at the horn Her eyes lit up, with a familiarity. "I think¡­ I remember something being written in the scriptures about these horns." Lillian''s epiphany struck. "That''s right! It was said that five angels were said to have descended from the heavens to help mankind, three were sent to wage war and the last two stayed in heaven to serve God Cassell himself in heaven." Lillian forced herself up, leaning her back against the wall. Lucius held out the horn , allowing Lillian to reach out and grab it. She examined it out of pure curiosity, examining every nook and cranny. She sighed. "I never would''ve guessed in a million years that one of the generals had such a holy artifact in hand. And to think¡­ that an angel would be such a frightening thing to face off against¡­" Lillian stared intensely at the horn, now looking at some strange writing on the side. "Is that what it was that you¡¯ve fought?" Lucius asked. Lillian quickly affirmed with a nod. "If that''s the case it''s possible that the General that summoned it, meant to use it as a last resort. Perhaps to wipe out our army." Lucius stated. "Yes but¡­ that angel really didn''t seem interested in fighting the army¡­ Instead it seemed more focused on me¡­ It even referred to me as the Light holder." Lucius became intrigued. "Hmmm¡­That''s not surprising, Perhaps it was the first coined title before it was given a different name." "Perhaps¡­" Lillian gripped the horn much more tightly. She then smiled more fondly. "I''m glad some things don''t change at least." She silently said. "And when all this is over, things will go back to normal.. even if I''m a Demon. I still have Kalika¡­" Lillian thought. "Hmm?" Lucius glance curiously at Lillian "O-oh. Nothing." Lillian turned her attention back to the horn. "Have you tried destroying these?" "If we could we would''ve done so already." Lucius held his hand over the horn. Concentrating his fire magic onto it to burn the horn to as. And as expected, it came out unscathed. "Since we can''t destroy these horns we''ve opted to lock them away." "So you have three more of these horns. So that leaves another four more out there." "Six if we''re counting the two that are supposedly with God¡­ But yes. And given that we now have practically half of the horns I doubt that any other will be coming around. As far as I''m aware the other four are likely on other continents and countries far from here.¡± ¡°So the only issue we have to worry about are those pipe weapons. But we''ll discuss that another time." Lucius grabbed the horn. "If you don''t mind. We should keep this locked away." "Right." Lillian obliged. Lucius then placed the horn inside of a chest, locking it. A servant came along, grabbing the chest to escort it along with some guards. "By the way, where''s Jala?" Lillian asked. Lucius laid himself back onto the bed. "Jala? right now he''s scouting out the last fortified city along with Azar.¡± "The last city?" Lillian questioned. ¡°yeah. It¡¯s only a couple weeks away from this village, but they should be back within the week with their report." ¡°What of the other cities? shouldn¡¯t we be conquering them as well?¡± "I''ve taken care of that. I raised an army of their dead kin and sent them to the other three cities. if all goes well the captains in charge will be reporting back within the week.¡± "I¡¯m surprised. It¡¯s not often I see you so on point.¡± She giggled. Her demeanor suddenly shifted, becoming more disappointed. Lucius could tell that Lillian had something to say but kept silent, unsure what to say. Eventually after a moment, she finally broke the silence she held. ¡°So¡­ You used that power again." She turned herself away from Lucius. ¡°I think I can see why you left me behind now¡­¡± The room becomes silent again. an awkwardness hanging between the two. "You know¡­ If you''re not careful¡­ That could kill you¡­" Lillian said. "...... Years off my life mean nothing¡­ Especially if it means paving a new path for my kind." "Still, even if demons live for a long time¡­ I-¡­¡± Lillian stopped, a tinge of concern washing over her. "My offer is still on the table.¡± Lucius suddenly said. ¡±If you''d like, we can still marry when this war is done. That is the human custom, isn¡¯t it?" "I don''t know¡­ I don''t think¡­ I don''t think I''m ready yet¡­" Lillian felt Lucius¡¯s hand touch her shoulder, with him sitting back up. "That''s fine Lillian. Take your time." Lillian smiled bittersweetly. "Thank you¡­Lucius"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Lucius flashed a comforting smile, unseen by Lillian. ¡°For now we should rest. We need to recover before we move on to the city of Gralin. And once we¡¯ve conquered that city, this war will be finished. and the country, secured.¡± Lillian turned herself over, leaning her head on his shoulder, with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d love nothing more¡­¡± ******** Elsewhere in the dead of night inside of a dense forest, two red demons flew past tree after tree, without rest. "Hold it Jala," Azar said. Azar looked back. "I think this is the place." They both slowed down, coming to a halt. They settled themselves in a clearing with very few tree¡¯s Jala instantly leaned himself at the closest tree he could find. "Finally," Jala said. Azar slowly circled herself around that very tree, content. "I can see you''re still grieving." Jala noted. "Spare me the chit chat. Those two were never gonna cut it, even if they didn''t betray Rakon." Azar traced her finger across the tree. "Speaking of which. I''ve been hearing that some strange monster almost killed our¡­ Beloved queen." Azar gave a hint of sarcasm, rolling her eyes. Azar narrowed her eyes. "If I were in your position I would''ve ended her there, and no one would''ve been any wiser." Jala glared back. "We stick to the plan Azar." "Oh. Did Rakon already tell you?" she questioned "...Yes..." "Don''t be so disappointed Jala. As exciting as it sounds to kill them ourselves, we wouldn''t be able to hold a candle to them. Even right now as they are now. as much as it pains me to admit it¡­" "I know¡­ Reminds me a little of that time that Daji tried poisoning the queen to kill her. Even at the edge of death the queen utterly defeated her along with your other blood sisters." "Oh right they did try to kill her too, didn''t they.¡± A hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°I think that was around the same time her little toy escaped too." She smiled. "Hmph. Served her right." Azar started to skip past Jala. "And to think¡­ All these years later and we still don''t know where that woman came from. Along with that girl. It''s still a mystery to me why the King is so infatuated with her to begin with. I Bet if she wasn''t around, we would''ve won this war ten times by now." she sighed. "I have to agree. Ever since the queen came in, he started to become much more lenient to humans."Jala said. "Still on about the human stuff? Even after fighting those Heroes of Prophecy. From what I heard from the queen and Kel, They were quite formidable opponents." "They were the exception not the rule. Humans are and will always be weak." Azar approached Jala "True. True. That toy was probably part of the exception too until her memories were wiped." "What do you mean? As far as I could tell, she was always a cowardly and selfish woman. And one that wouldn''t mind killing her own allies if it means she could reach her goals. I doubt that she''d even hold a candle to us." "Haven''t you heard? "Azar chuckled. "The queen and her little Toy actually got into a fight before those Heroes arrived. A lot of people say they were evenly matched.¡± Jala raised a brow hearing this. ¡°But I''m highly doubtful. I think it''s much more likely that the queen held back." she finished. "Your jokes aren''t amusing Azar." "Who said I was joking?" she playfully responded. "But considering that all you do is work, I guess I shouldn''t be surprised that you haven''t heard much. Jala was about to retort when another familiar voice spoke up. "That''s enough Idle chatter from you two." They both turned to find a blood clone of Rakon. They both kneel before him. "Everything is in place," Azar said. "Good. That just leaves one thing." Rakon revealed an unlocked secured chest. "Make sure they receive this. And if everything goes well¡­ Both my brother and that woman will be dead." Jala is given the box. "How they receive it doesn''t matter. As long as they get it and know how to use it, everything will just fall into place." "What is this?" Jala asked. "Just think of it as a weapon, with a blinding hatred." Rakon gave a smile before turning into a bloody mist. With Rakon now gone, Jala opened the chest. Azar peeked alongside the Jala to find a Black Horn with a golden unrecognizable inscription on it with strange alien symbols. ******** Kalika is stabbed in the gut by Maverick once again, followed by a slice in the neck. She awakens from her deathly slumber finding her ready to kill her again but suddenly¡­ "" "Looks like luck is on your side." Maverick reeled his sword back, slowly retreating along with his me. "We''ll be seeing you tomorrow." Kalika glared at the man in fury. "If that gray-haired demon didn''t catch me, I would''ve had a peaceful evening!" Kalika wobbled herself up, and like all those other times she was completely exhausted from all the running and hiding. "I wonder where Tilus went. I don''t think I''ve seen him for a while either. I wonder if Rhonda will be waiting for me this time¡­" After a while of pacing herself through the prison halls she finally came across her prison cell. Peeking inside, still no Rhonda. But on her bed was a bowl of meat porridge. Re-energized Kalika rushed and almost tripped getting to the food. "Thank you, New guy!" Kalika grabbed the spoon, immediately stuffing her mouth. She instantly became depressed. "Itsh cold¡­" Kalika looked at the bowl, finding that there wasn''t any vegetable in it. "Huh?" Despite the disappointment Kalika felt like she couldn''t refuse. She continued to eat the meat porridge, enjoying the stringy meat. "OW!" She bit her tongue. "That was sharp. What was that?" Kalika felt her tongue to find it was now bleeding. She moved her spoon around to check for any unwanted bits of food. She tried to continue to eat but felt something in her mouth. Fed up, she checked her mouth again, she felt something sharp where her teeth should be. "What is¡­ Wait¡­ Is this¡­ My teeth?" Kalika was instantly confused by this, not understanding what was happening. "That''s weird¡­ Was my teeth always this sharp? Hmmm¡­" "Good evening" "O-o-oh. Rakon." Kalika quickly looked away upon seeing Rakon''s arrival. "What are you doing here?" "It''s been over a week so I thought it would be a good idea to say ¡®hi¡¯." "O... Oh¡­" Rakon turned his gaze to the bowl in Kalika''s lap. "It looks like you found some sustenance." "If you mean food, then yes." "Good for you. And you must be very excited. Only a couple more weeks until the game ends and then you''ll have that fight." "Ugh, finally. By the way, you wouldn''t know where Rhonda would be by chance, would you?" "That Maid. she''s been stripped of her title and barred from entering this prison." Kalika became shocked. "Wait! What do you mean she''s been barred from the prison." "The warden¡¯s found that the little maid of yours was bleeding other prisoners to death. Not only that, but she dared attack them too when they found out." Kalika became stunned hearing this news. "L-liar! She would never do that!" Rakon entered her open cell. "Don¡¯t worry, once you''re done with your next opponent, I¡¯ll allow you to see that lousy maid again." ¡°Lousy?¡± ¡°Hmm??¡± Rakon suddenly gave a somewhat curious glance at Kalika. Suddenly he reached out to her face, surprising her. her heart thumped and she leaned back. ¡°What is he-?¡± she found her cheeks being pulled back, forcefully revealing her sharp teeth to Rakon. Shortly after, he burst out in laughter. "You''re a very cheeky girl." he let go of her leaving to feel her cheek, confused, as she watched him laugh. Not long after he began to leave, already satisfied and amused. Taking herself out of her stupor, Kalika reached out her hand to Rakon. "H-hey wait-!" "Perhaps I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. And make sure not to bite yourself, Okay¡­" Leaving with a chuckle, not turning around Rakon waved goodbye. Kalika relaxed herself back on the bed, but still felt an unease within her. She looked back at her bowl unsure what to believe. "What was that about...?" she felt back on her cheeks, keeping her hands on it for a few moments. "Argh. There''s no point thinking about it now. I have to be ready for tomorrow! This time I''ll avoid that demon for sure!" Chapter 39: Last Game Day Kalika''s leg was sliced off! She fell hard on the ground, triggering a trap that killed her instantly. Kalika revived quickly after to find that she was now being dragged by the arm by the demon, Valam. "Tch! At least it isn''t the gray-haired bitch. I hate it when she¡¯s the one on patrol. She¡¯s always dragging me by the hair." Kalika attempted to get up, to walk alongside Valam only to find a disgusted glare from her. She quickly laid herself back on the ground to be dragged. "Right, I almost forgot. She prefers dragging me like gray hair¡­" Kalika watched as one of the prisoners ran off somewhere. "Like always, the snitch runs to get the gorilla¡­" Kalika is dragged and thrown into the arena. "They throw me into the arena." Kalika took a quick look around, seeing all the prisoners getting ready to pounce on her. "Still no Tilus, huh¡­?" She noted. Valam smiled, Leaving Kalika to the prisoners and they all attempted to surround and to kill Kalika. "Like I haven''t seen this before." As she laid on the ground, Kalika avoided the first strike aimed for her head. She quickly used this opportunity to grab and bite the man''s hand. "YOOOWWWW!!!!" She bit a chunk of it out his hand, spitting it into another''s face. This brutal display shocked the first wave of inmates. Using this opportunity, she quickly got up, grabbed another inmate using him as a shield from another attack. "I only have a couple of minutes until that brute comes here! I''ll make it out this time for sure!" Kalika quickly scanned around for any other attacks. From the corner of her eyes a man with a club charged in. She ducked and the attack whacked another man. "Tch! Someone, just grab the bitch!" Without hesitation another inmate grabbed Kalika from behind. "Gotcha this time girly!" "Hah, You Idiot," She mocked. The man''s head instantly exploded, spreading the matter on the other prisoner and Kalika. "Great Now I''m dirty!" Kalika became irritated. "Just kill her already!" another prisoner shouted. Kalika rolled out the way of another attack! Grabbing the dead man''s club, she used it to block another incoming attack from Maverick. Half the club had been cut through. "Th¡­That was close. He''s here earlier than usual." Maverick, with quick precision, pulled his blade from the club using it to cut into her torso. "C-crap!" "That makes four hundred ninety-seven that are left to avenge." Maverick coldly stated. Kalika gritted herself, more determined. "I''m surprised that the whole prison hasn''t revolted against you." Maverick kept his poker face. He pulled his blade and slashed Kalika''s neck. ******** "Argh!!! It''s always that man! He should be banned from being anywhere near me!!" Kalika paced herself back and forth in her cells. She then plopped herself onto her hay bed, exhausted from being angry. She sighed. "At least tomorrows the last day I have to deal with this stupid game from Rakon." Kalika found herself leaning her back at the foot of the bed, hanging upside down, scanning for any movements. "I wonder if Rakon will come today. He definitely likes to be a tease, so it wouldn''t be unlike him." ¡°Hmmmmmm¡­¡­¡± Kalika began to become lost in thought. "I still haven''t figured out who my opponent is for the deal he made with me. But he probably wouldn''t abide by it with him being a demon and all¡­ Still¡­. The son of the hero of Prophecy. He''s gotta be a kid, right?" Kalka cringed. "Unless that big guy got frisky in his teens or something." Kalika slowly started to blush. In an instant she bawled herself up, covering her eyes in a panic. "T-that''s too embarrassing!! Way too Embarrassing!!" she squealed. "What''s embarrassing?" Kalika looked back. "Ra- Rakon...!" She quickly composed herself, sitting herself back up. ¡°S- so you were stopping by." Rakon stood in the open prison door, He smiled, amused. "It''s hard to have fun when you''re expecting me, you know. But what''s got you in a tizzy?" She blushed a little harder, becoming defensive. "N-Nothing! J-just a passing thought. That''s all." "A thought? About what?¡± Kalika looked away shyly. "W-well I was trying to figure out this second opponent¡­ Seeing that tomorrows the last day¡­" Kalika looked back up, hearing Rakon''s laughter. "I''m surprised you haven''t figured it out already, at this point you should have narrowed it down already." Kalika became indignant. "Y-you''re not giving me a lot to work on. Y-you could at least give me a hint." Kalika now crossed her arm, pouting. "Cute. alright. But only since you''ve shown me another side of yourself." He chuckled. This remark confused Kalika and only watched on as Rakon approached her, kneeling down to match her eye level. "Heroes of prophecy have existed for over centuries and centuries beyond that, ever since a God named Cassell ascended the heavens. It is said they are reborn every fifty years to ensure peace is maintained." Rakon stopped. "That should be more than enough for you to work with."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Huh? That''s all?" she questioned. Rakon got back up. "That''s all." "I''m not sure how much of that will hel-¡­" Gears started to turn in Kalika''s head, she started to ponder. "I think we''ll end the conversation here unfortunately, tomorrow will be your last day after all. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need all the rest you can get. But before I go, just be aware that the dungeon halls will be off limits this one time." Kalika immediately came out of her stupor. "Wait. what do you mean by that?" "This last day you will have to stay in this prison." Rakon flashed a smile. "I''ve seen your performance in the prison, and I have to say that I''m impressed. Hence, you won''t need that handicap." Rakon started to leave once more. "So don''t even try to go into those halls anymore. Consider it a new rule." Kalika listened as the echoes of the footsteps faded into obscurity. She became annoyed. "Great... What am I supposed to do now?" "He wouldn''t really blow up my head now. Would he¡­?" Kalika thought back to the day before Lillian left, when Rakon toyed with her while escorting her back to her solitary cell. "Ehhh¡­ I think I''ll pass testing that theory." "Ok. If I can''t go into those halls, I''ll need to formulate some plan if I''m going to survive tomorrow." ******** The morning has come, and Kalika is sleeping in. a horde of prisoners bolt out their cell, knowing the last day is upon them to dish out some semblance of vengeance on Kalika. They raced down the corridor to her prisoner cell. ¡­¡­.. Only to find it empty. ¡­¡­.. "Huh!??? Where the hell is she!!!???" A prisoner exclaimed. Elsewhere, Kalika tossed and turned on the bed still sleeping in. Unknown to her, Rakon is watching her from an eye clinging to the ceiling. of the dungeon hall "Cheeky girl." Rakon watched, amused from his safe space. After some time passed Kalika woke up rubbing her eye, she got up starting to stretch. Rakon with great interest recounted the events that took place prior. "I noticed that she changed cells last night. And judging by the cell door, she broke into that cell." Rakon continued to study Kalika with great intrigue. He chuckled. ¡°Interesting. Whether she knows it or not, she already has it with her. Perhaps it¡¯s simply pure instinct alone she¡¯s recognizing what she can do now with it in her¡­ regardless, what she just did, should¡¯ve been otherwise impossible for a human¡­¡± Daji approached Rakon from behind. "" She starts to rub his chest almost teasingly. "" Kalika looked up, finding the strange eyeball watching from the ceiling, not long after it dissolved into a puddle of blood. "Uhhh¡­" Kalika became a little creeped out seeing this but pushed it to the back of her mind. she sighed. "It was probably that creep." Kalika quickly looked around, changed into her new clothes, readying for the last day of his game. She started to creep through the halls in caution. Spotting some guards, she quickly hid, knowing they''d only assist the prisoners in finding her. Soon after she quickly made her way to the mess hall. The entire room was completely empty aside from some of the food being cooked ahead of time. Kalika smiled contently seeing this. Her smile turned to one of mischief, lace with sinister intentions. seeing a perfect opportunity, she hummed with glee. ******** Out in the hallway the prisoners scrambled around the prison corridors, searching for Kalika. Cell after cell they looked, but came up empty handed each time. "Argh! She''s not here either!" "C''mon! Where the hell is she!??? Oi! Did you see her in the hall??¡± a prisoner cried out. "Nothin yet." another answered. "Hey Matt. Maybe what the guards were sayin were a load of shit." "Yeah." The prisoner scoffed, annoyed by the situation. "Let''s just get somethin to eat." "Are you sure you don''t wanna keep looking?" "What is there to look for!?" the prisoner snarled. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m fucking starving.¡± The prisoner keeping an eye out in the hall joined in. "Yeah, I''m starvin too, we''ve been lookin for her for a good chunk now. Besides I heard the old coot brought in a new recipe to add a little kick to things. Say he''s adding some new veggies." "As long as it isn''t any of that green crap, he added the other day it left a bad taste in my mouth." Groups of disappointed and frustrated prisoners gather in the mess hall by the dozens, grabbing their meals one by one. Many if not all are talking about their frustrations of being unable to locate the Immortal Maiden, Kalika. A Prisoner cook poured a strange looking soup into the bowl. "Hey, what are these white and brown bits here?" "Like the heck I know, probably some of those new vegetables the old guy was talking about. Apparently, the old guy was fighting tooth and nail to get em," The cook said. "If you say so." The prisoner took his bowl bringing his meal alongside many other prisoners eating their food. Some of the prisoners cringed upon taking the first few bits of the soup, all the while others bore with the strange taste and aroma of it. Complaints soon started to pile up about the taste of the soup. some that were holding out with the bad taste, threw their spoons on the ground, annoyed by the bad meal. yelling at the cooks sparked outrage by the old chef that became indignant. Soon the whole mess hall was simply an eruption of pure noise. Unknown to anyone in the mess hall, Kalika had hidden herself away behind some dusty old barrels in the open prison kitchen. Kalika hummed silently to herself, content in hearing the chaos and indistinctive yelling behind her. "Looks like they''re enjoying my little additions. It would''ve been nice if those cooks didn''t come back though¡­" Unexpectedly, not long after, one of the cooks approached the dusty barrel, readying to open one with a tool in hand. "Oh well. I can probably just wait it out here-" "Huh?" a cook noticed Kalika hiding away. Kalika suddenly got the urge to look up hearing the man''s voice. Both the cook and Kalika found themselves staring at each other. "Crap." "SHE OVER HERE!!" He yelled. Suddenly the man found his face being stepped on, with Kalika leaping off just as quickly. The horde of prisoners, now alert, blocked her off, as each and every one of them became aware of her presence. They all began their pursuit, attacking Kalika indiscriminately with anything they could get their hands on. "The Immortal Maiden! Get her!!" Kalika witnessed as a few of the prisoners took off into the hall without hesitation. "Tch. The gorilla''s men too!" Kalika starts hopping from counter to counter, then from table to table, all the while avoiding knives and other objects being hurled at her. Plates and bowls flew through the air, some still scolding hot with broth hitting Kalika and other prisoners alike. A sharp pain in the back. "I hit her!" A prisoner yelled loudly. "Don''t stop now!" Another strike. Then another. Despite the slashes at stabs, Kalika keeps hopping and running to the only exit. "Stop her!" Prisoners started to gather up, Blocking the entrance. Kalika was forced to stop, finding herself at the only exit surrounded by men with malicious intent. Instantly a sharp pain surged throughout her body from the knives in her. she stood firm however, unwavering. A man suddenly collapses onto the ground writhing in pain. Soon his mouth foamed up. Another drops, then another to the confusion of some of the prisoners. One after another, then groups of men started to fall. "What the hell''s happen-" the man started to foam at the mouth, dropping to the ground with a thud. Even the men blocking the exit weren''t safe as they also dropped to the ground. Seeing this Kalika couldn''t help but give a wicked smile content to witness the fruits of her labor. The cooks further back simply watched on, stunned by the event folding before them. "T-they''ve been poisoned!" A cook yelled. "By what???" "Don''t worry, they won''t die¡­ I think.¡± Kalika turned back to the cooks. ¡°Well thanks for the help. Bye." Kalika waved bye at the cooks before taking her leave. "Quick, someone get the guards!" one of the cooks yelled. ******** "Maverick. We found her in the mess hall." "Good." Maverick opened his eyes and got up from the bed he sat on. He grabbed his trusty long sword and marched himself from his cell. Not long after he wound up crossing paths with Donovan where he stopped. By the look of things, it looked as though he''d been waiting for Maverick. He glared at Maverick intensely A close-by guard accompanying Donovan watched Maverick closely, preparing his spear for the worst. "You''re lucky I''m not a martyr you, bastard. How does it feel having these demons babysit you now? It must feel good," Maverick said. "Tell me where Tilus is. You know where he is, don¡¯t you?" Donovan''s gaze became more intense as he stared down at Maverick. Maverick smiled, amused. ¡°Heh¡­. And what if I do? It doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s a dead man walking¡­¡± Maverick then pushed past Donovan in favor of pursuing Kalika. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if you''re still around I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see him one last time.¡± Donovan is forced to watch on as Maverick presses on. his face filled with concern. His eyes flickered with a memory of a promise made. He turned to Maverick calling him out. He called him a coward and other vulgar word. He ignored him. Donovan continued to press on until the Demon guards stepped up to cease Donovan. The guard pressed him on the wall, reminding him not to get involved. Reluctantly Donovan is forced to stay put as he continues his attempt at provoking Maverick in vain. Maverick continued to march forth, eyes blazing for vengeance. Chapter 40: Lynched Prisoners writhed in pain across the prison corridor and mess hall floor. Some foamed at the mouth as others were forced to bear with the pain. Maverick along with his followers saw the mess before them, practically surprised. "W¡­What happened here¡­"One of the followers uttered, stunned by the scene. Maverick navigated through the mess of collapsed bodies. Looking at the table, he saw a strange stew and picked it up. "Don''t eat that!" a cook warned. "The food¡¯s been poisoned by the Immortal Maiden." Maverick looked at the cook and turned his attention back to the stew at hand. He picked a white chunk from the stew. He felt its rubbery texture and squeezed it. Everyone watched as a little bit of green juice was secreted from the piece. "A white toad mushroom. This can paralyze a grown man for several days¡­ If cooked properly. And several hours if it isn''t." Maverick tossed the piece of the mushroom aside. "W-wait, how can you even tell?" The cook asked. "In the north these are grown plentifully, we''d boil ''em and use its juice for hunting. All you''d have to do is squeeze them once they''re boiled to identify them." Maverick once again sets off to leave. "We''re leaving already Maverick?" "I doubt that women will be coming back here soon¡­" he stated. Demon guards start passed Maverick along with some other differently dressed demons. "I''m just going to roam around until I find her again. I suggest you three do the same.... If you find anything, let me know." Maverick finished. He continued to venture forth into the halls of the dungeon prison as his followers did the same, scattering in a frenzy. ******** Elsewhere in the prisoner corridor Kalika was being pursued by four other prisoners, some of them threw knives at her and were missing. "Your aim sucks! Gimme those!" A thinner prisoner shouted, taking the other¡¯s knives. The thin prisoner started throwing the knives himself, getting more direct shots at Kalika. He hit her back, then her legs, he aimed for her head but missed. As knives continued to be pelts, She pushed past the pain, outrunning all the prisoners to their own surprise. Some even start to give in, absolutely exhausted. "H-how the hell is she still going???¡± They questioned. Up ahead at an intersection, Kalika caught a glimpse of another prisoner planning an ambush. "Again!?" This time a man with a club swung for Kalika''s stomach. She''s nearly hit, dodging backwards. She quickly grabbed his club pulling him past her and into the line of the three other prisoner''s chasing her! The prisoners all scurried up, starting to lose Kalika again. "Argh! Damn it! C¡¯mon!!" She started to take as many reckless turns through the hall as possible, looking for the possibility to lose these men. She saw a particular hallway recognizing it to the hall leading to the arena balcony. It''s normally blocked with a locked barred door, but it seems one of the guards left it unlocked. She didn''t hesitate entering the hall and escaping any other future pursuers. A sigh of relief as the prisoners chased her before running past the entrance. With her escape complete she follows the path of the arena balcony. "I''m surprised they never caught up to me¡­" Kalika stops in the middle of the hall. "Actually¡­why am I not exhausted?" Kalika pondered for a moment. "Perhaps all that training with Tilus did help¡­" "I''ll worry about this later. I can probably hide on the balcony for the rest of the day." Kalika chirped. She continued forward. "If I knew dealing with those other creeps would be this easy I probably would''ve stuck around¡­ Then again that Maverick guy is really tough to get around... I can''t go a day without running into that bastard!" Kalika crept onto the balcony, keeping her head low. "As long as I''m not discovered here, I should be just fine. The day shouldn''t be too long now." Out of curiosity, Kalika peeked over the solid balcony railing. She watched as prisoners played games, exercised and even fought with one another. And from the edge of the entire arena the guard stood stationary, they seemed like mere decorations from the up above in the festival of men fooling around. She spotted a few familiar faces and the prison name she''s been given had been mentioned a lot. Some seem to be interested in looking for her to simply kill her. Kalika continued to look around, eventually finding Donovan entering the room with a demon guard. The demon guard seemed to have told him something before taking his leave. ¡°I wonder what that''s about¡­¡± . She watched as he started exercising as if training for something. Not only did he run laps and did push ups like a professional. but then he started doing a variety of other strange exercises she hadn''t seen before. "Is he really still going about it?" a prisoner whispered. "Yeah. I''m surprised he is still doing that routine, even after the ''Imperial Wall'' left." Kalika continued to watch in secret for a time and everything was going good. That was until she was approached from the back. Behind her stood Daji wearing a malicious and devious smile. "" Kalika froze upon hearing those words. She knew who it was just by her voice alone. Following her instinct she opted to jump from the balcony but immediately felt something entangle her neck. A strange bloody rope now choked her with the assailant being Valam. She licked her lips, satisfied with her catch. Florin, not far behind came from behind Kalika, placing her finger at the nap of her neck, a shock was sent through Kalika''s body. "N¡­Not again!" Daji approached Kalika''s side." Kalika still couldn''t understand much of what she was saying, but she did try to resist whatever was making her body freeze up. Florin peeked off the balcony. "" ""The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "" Valam said. "" Florin asked with curiosity. "" Florin quickly came around to the idea, smiling devilishly . "" Florin got close to Kalika''s ears with a giggle, whispered. "Jump down." As if moving on its own Kalika climbed over the Balcony with the bloody rope around her neck. "No. No No No No No!!!" Daji gave the final push off the balcony. The rope tightened. Her vision blurred seeing all the shock prisoners around her, "I-I Can''t¡­. Breathe¡­" Kalika dug desperately to tear off the bloody rope around her neck to no avail. Donovan, far across that arena, watched in horror. The other prisoners around were just as dumbfounded as the next seeing this. "W-wait, That''s the Immortal maiden." Not long after, Kalika succumbed to suffocation. She then awoke to find herself still hanging where she was before. "Why am I still here?? Is it because it¡¯s not inside my body?? I... I have to break free!!" Kalika continued to struggle, trying to break at the rope in vain. Not long after, Florin started to conjure forth stones, dropping them down to the arena below. "Throw. Throw. Have fun." she cheered with a smile. Daji repeated Florin "Have Fun!" Now Valam did the same. "Have fun!" They kept saying the same thing over and over like a call for action. Soon prisoners became more confident. "This is perfect. This is only what the bitch deserves." a Prisoner threw a rock. Others started to agree, grabbing the rocks, and pelting it at Kalika. They then started getting their own knives, throwing it at her too. Before her she could see a world of hatred, with plenty of prisoners gleefully throwing rocks and knives. Pain rippled through her body as she desperately searched for air. The scene obviously became too much for other prisoners who saw themselves out, uncomfortable with the event before them. All the while the laugh of the demon women above was the most clear thing Kalika could hear. From behind the crowd a rock is thrown at the Balcony, hitting Daji square in the jaw. The perpetrator, none other than Donovan. Kalika saw this. Looking at a completely frightened and shaky Donovan. "T¡­That idiot." "" Daji looked back down in fury. Everyone stopped, seeing this. Florin approached Daji, pointing out Donovan and whispering something in her ear. "" Daji pushed Florin aside, held out her hand, and soon after something shot out from the palm of her hand at a blinding speed. Donovan is shot in the stomach with a bloody spear now in his body. Daji fired again but this was redirected by Florin followed by Valam that let go of the rope holding Kalika. Kalika fell hard on the ground. Choking and gasping. "" Daji yelled. Both Valam and Florin are now trying to restrain her. The prisoner''s quickly turned their attention to Kalika. "This is our chance!" "Get her!" they yelled. They start to rush at her from all sides with their weapons on hand. Everything starts to slow around Kalika as the entire area erupted into chaos with blood spears being hurdled everywhere; she feels her heartbeat and breathing hasten, a boiling from beneath her skin returned. "Call me¡­. Call me¡­" It was that familiar wispy voice from before. Kalika wanted to question whatever entity was calling out to her, but found herself unable to speak. A familiar scorching hot sensation emanated from her hand, it felt as though her hand would melt. "No¡­. Stay away from me!" she shouted. The first inmate plunged a dagger into Kalika''s chest, waking her from her trance. She grabbed his arm, stopping him from pulling it out. shortly after he got shot in the head by a spear. "What?" Kalika became shocked. "Crap, T-the wardens goin insane!" a prisoner yelled She quickly pushed all thoughts of the chaos aside, realizing more men were coming for her. Not taking any more chances, she attempts to push past all the men before her. She was attacked from all sides, slashes and cuts came her way. Approaching the arena wall, she ran up its side and quickly jumped off it. Without hesitation she used the heads and faces of the men chasing her as platforms to escape the enormous crowd. "Argh!" "Ow." More of the blood spear nearly hit Kalika, instead killing the prisoner she jumped off. "Hey! Hey! S-she''s getting away!" Attempts to grab her failed again and again as she ignored the chaos and the prisoner chasing her, being halfway through the crowd. Soon through all the chaos she finally pushed past the mob of men. The very mob that continued to chase her. The attacks continued to rain down on Kalika from the prisoners and Daji alike with some hits being successful as others completely missed their mark. Within the mess she noticed and redirected an attack from behind into the wall. She dodged another and is pelted with even more knives from desperate prisoners that want her dead. Slowly the whole situation was becoming too overwhelming for her. A killing shot finally came in. Unexpectedly, a prisoner came from the side and slashed her neck. "I got her!!" he exclaimed. "I can''t stop. Keep going!" Through sheer determination she continued pushing past the pain and death, getting closer to the exit before her. "W-what the hell!? She''s still going!" She awoke seeing the exit just ahead, but was just as quickly shocked. "What the-!" in front of her stood Donovan who held the door open with the spear still lodged in his stomach. Other prisoners attempted to pull him off realizing what he was doing, despite this he held firm. "That idiot. Fine! If that''s how you want it. So be it! But don''t blame me if you die." Kalika braced herself ready for the chaos she would face in the hall. That was¡­ until her head flew off. And her body was kicked back into the arena. She awoke to find Maverick now standing over her, tall and ready to kill. Everything around them seemed to have slowed to a snail''s pace. the chaos from Daji''s blood spears stopped. the prisoners that chased after Kalika stopped. Everything became silent. The writing was practically on the wall for her. "D-damn it¡­" Kalika slumped herself back onto the ground and tensed up. "I lost... again." Kalika clenched her teeth, frustrated. "No matter what I do¡­¡± ¡°I always lose¡­! Maybe it''s better if I..." "GET UP!!!!" Donovan shouted. Kalika shook. She watched as Donovan got punched and the demon guards intervened with the scuffle. The guards quickly and forcefully escorted him out from the arena without a second thought. Daji, watching from the balcony, scoffed at this. "What are you looking at? I''m right over here," Maverick said. "That new guy- No! Donovan¡­ He''s right. I can''t give in now!" Kalika clutched her hands. "I refuse to be someone else''s toy!!" With a single swipe of his blade he cuts her neck, this time however she continues to pick herself off the ground. Maverick kicks her body back to the ground. This repeats once again. She attempts to get up. only to get kicked and killed. But she doesn''t give up. Again. And again. And again. She refused to stay down. "Stay down!" Maverick yelled. Kalika refused to give in, eventually dodging his killing blow, affording her an opportunity to regain distance from the relentless man. The prisoners around could only stand in shock. "W-wait, since when could she still move after dying??" Even Maverick was surprised by this fact. "So even when you''re killed, you can still keep moving, huh?" Maverick readied his sword again for an attack. "At this point I doubt you''re even human." "S-shut up, I''m still human. So don''t you dare say otherwise!" she growled. "You should be happy, that was complimenting." Maverick quickly closed the distance, slamming his blade into the ground. Kalika nearly dodged, her prisoners clothes were cut straight down its side. she quickly checked to make sure it was fine. "There are still two-hundred forty-three men left. I need to avenge." Maverick gazed back up, revealing subtle madness in his eyes. "You''re a crazy bastard." Maverick gazed more grimly at Kalika. He lifted and swung his blade around himself, aiming for her neck. Kalika avoided this attack, but just barely. She looked back at Maverick to find him still wearing that same grim expression. "There are still two-hundred forty-three left," He repeated. Kalika felt a sudden pain from her legs. She looked down briefly to find a bloody spear in her leg, pinning her in one spot. She looked up to find Daji looking much more satisfied along with her posse. Before she realized it, she got slashed in the chest. "This should make it two-hundred forty-two." Kalika could feel herself tipping over. She stopped herself, holding on. "This¡­ This is nothing! Compared to what Lily put me through.." Maverick readied his sword once more. "Just die already.¡± Kalika darted her eyes around the arena. "There has to be something I can¡­" Kalika''s glance turned to the spear in their leg. She grabbed it, pulling it from her leg in time to block his incoming attack. Kalika staggered from the pain in her leg. She tried catching her breath staring down Maverick who''s aura started to grow and become more and more malicious. It almost felt suffocating. The prisoner''s around started to become more cowardly seeing the clash between the two. Not long after, one by one some start scurry out of the arena. Mavericks malicious aura, proving too much for them to handle. "H-hey where are all you going!??" a prisoner questioned. "Are you stupid, when the Maverick gets like that, he''ll kill anyone in sight!" Another explained. "H-huh???" The confusion enveloped the man who hesitantly followed behind. Eventually, Kalika was alone in the arena, standing face to face with Maverick. It felt unreal to see all the prisoners that were so eager to kill her leave because of the man before her. After some time, she slowly felt herself becoming overpowered. She parried the sword letting it crash into the ground beside her. Maverick slowly lifted the sword, revealing an indentation on the stone ground. "And you doubted my humanity. You''re just a monster." she said. Maverick stared at Kalika uninterested. "I''ll take that as a compliment." Chapter 41: Maverick Maverick readied his sword. His muscles bulged, veins pumped and swung his sword with a vengeance. Kalika picked a blade off the ground, to block this attack. But it shattered from the sheer force of his strength! "Ho¡­How strong is this guy!!!?" Kalika distanced herself from Maverick. Lucky for her the prisoners that left, also left their weapons behind. She reached another blade off the ground only to find Maverick already on her. He slammed his sword to the ground, cutting her arm off. Maverick unleashed attack after attack, all the while, Kalika was forced to dodge every precise and calculated attack. She could tell with each swing of his strikes and slashes were deliberate. Suddenly, she found herself pressing her into the wall. He swung for her head. She ducked! "Wrong move," Kalika''s eyes widened in surprise as her head flew in the air. She could see that he had forcefully cut through the stone wall tracing his blade back to her neck. "I have to get out of there!!" As if reading her thoughts, her own body scurried away from Maverick, bursting into a sprint. Soon after, she resurrected back to her body with her arm back, finding herself running from Maverick. He easily caught up to her and running beside her, he brought his blade down forcing her to stop, dodging the attack. She turned, running the other way. Sensing his approach she grabbed a club on the ground she quickly turned, blocking another one of his attacks. His sword was mere inches from breaking the club wielded, forcing her to abandon it. "As long as I can keep this up I can just bleed out the clock." Suddenly, a sharp pain hit her leg. She glanced down to find a blood spear now in her leg, keeping her pinned to the ground. "W-what!?" Maverick''s sword penetrated her chest, piercing her heart. She quickly looked back at the balcony to find a smug Daji, and the other demon women who were enjoying the spectacle. "D¡­Damn y-you." Kalika hissed. She coughed up blood. "I won''t let you have your way with me!" A few seconds later, Kalika died once again. She resurrected seeing another blood spear heading her direction. She dodged it. Another attack from Maverick, slicing and wounding her stomach. She pushed through the pain, running through the arena, dodging and weaving through Maverick''s precise swings the best she could. ¡°Stay still!¡± He swung, missing her again. As this happened, Daji''s attacks whistled through the air, penetrating the wall and ground. Each one inching ever closer to Kalika. Unsatisfied with the results, Daji sent out an even faster flurry of blood spears, making them more noticeable in the arena. Even at her fastest she wasn¡¯t able to avoid these attacks. Eventually Kalika was struck thrice. once in the leg, the body and arm. Using this opportunity Maverick once again slays Kalika. Like before Kalika resurrected, But this time she found herself being held in place by Valam''s blood rope. Kalika could look on in shock before she is swiftly killed again. This was no longer a game of cat and mouse with her and Maverick. it was a one sided battle with those demon women playing god. Maverick continued his onslaught of attacks as the three women stood in complete safely from the balcony. "W¡­Where''s your honor in this fight you brute!!" Maverick sliced off her head. Not too long after she got held in place again by some rope, resurrecting. "Honor? You''re the last person that should be talking about that. In this hell, there''s no room for honor.¡± Maverick curled a smiled, filled with anger and malice. ¡°But if I''m honest I''m glad we''re having this little unofficial rematch." Maverick once again stabs Kalika in the chest. "N¡­No¡­" Her vision became dark again, but this time the same wispy voice from before made itself heard. "Call me¡­ Call me¡­" "W-who are you!??" She asked through the darkness. The echoes of water drops slowly become louder and louder. She awoke, and was swiftly killed. It becomes louder and louder. Once more she is killed as she finished resurrecting. She could now tell that whatever is approaching, is upon her. Slowly a figure reveals itself to be Kalika as she was back during the invasion, the youth that she lost. Her own visage stared at her as if mesmerized by her. She wore the same prisoner''s clothes and was bloodied with golden yellow eyes. And a single thought ran through her mind upon seeing this. "This is not me." "Call me¡­ Call me¡­" That same Wispy voice. Kalika''s Visage now smiled at her, holding out her hand. "Yes. Zorbian." Kalika is consumed by even further darkness. She awoke finding her blood blade manifesting in her hand from her own blood! Mavericks'' attack is blocked, not only shocking him. But also the demon women on the balcony. Even Kalika herself was taken aback, but quickly put the thought aside. "Z¡­Zorbian??" Maverick pressed down harder, obviously seeking to overpower Kalika. His aura around him started to become more and more malicious as he continued to try to break through Kalika''s blood blade. All the while, Kalika stood firm, barely feeling any of the pressure. Cracks formed beneath her feet as he pushed ever harder to break through her blade. She deflected his attack. She could feel the warmth of the blade in her hand and her head. Her thoughts and heart raced much faster than she thought would ever be possible. It was unlike how she felt, while fighting Ek. Another several blood spears are hurled at Kalika, Hearing them she quickly dodges and deflects a few with much more ease. Valam then sent her rope only for it to be slashed to bits. ¡°Why is everything¡­ Getting slower.¡± Maverick followed with his attack only for it to be blocked. His sword cracked upon impacting Kalika''s blood blade. "I never expect to see this again. But that just makes this all the better!" Using the cross guards of his sword he created his own opening, he flicked her hand up and slashed from beneath Kalika. The next moment Kalika''s heart exploded, and she resurrected immediately after with the slash healed.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Kalika readied the counter only to have it parried. It wasn''t long before their strike and clashed became a war to see who would get cut first. Not only did Kalika have to contend with each strike and slash from Maverick, but also the flurry of attacks from Daji and Valam that intended to make her lose focus. Strike after strike, dodge after dodge and parry after parry. It all felt overwhelmingly chaotic, yet bearable. It was starting to slowly become formulaic. Slowly but surely, both Daji and Valam became frustrated, unable to and connect their attack to Kalika. However, Florin with a smile, stepped up, offering some assistance. she pinched her fingers, watching the battle below, and with practiced ease, flung a drop of her blood straight at Kalika. That very blood curved and wormed its way to Kalika like a guided projectile, splattering on her forehead and confusing her. "" Kalika found herself freezing in place, unable to move a muscle. seizing the opportunity, Maverick, thrusted his sword into her chest. Shortly after, he ripped the blade out and she resurrected just as quickly after. Without warning her legs were swiftly cut. She now fell to the ground finding Maverick''s sword closing in on her neck. Kalika parried and rolled away as her heart exploded. she revived, quickly climbing to her knees to block another strike from above. "D¡­Damn you¡­" Kalika muttered. She glared back up at the straight-faced Maverick. More blood spear¡¯s were aimed and shot at her, forcing to maneuver away from Maverick as he once again went on the attack. She was once again on the defensive, trying to avoid and deflect the gleeful demons and Mavericks attacks. Kalika glanced back angrily at the balcony, her own frustration becoming evident. She quickly surmised that Florin likely has an ability to somehow control her will. She scoffed, annoyed by them. Suddenly Maverick scored another clean hit on Kalika. "I''m down here," Maverick Said. Kalika blocked another incoming attack as Maverick slammed his blade down again with much more heft. By some miracle Kalika''s knees barely held against Mavericks brute strength. He slams his sword again. And again. And again. Each blow, bringing Kalika''s strength to its limit. Seeing this as an opening she charged in and with her dagger in both hands and stabbed Maverick at the side of his stomach. He grunts from the impact of the attack. Maverick unexpectedly dropped his sword to the ground, confusing Kalika. "D-did I... do it?" Maverick grabbed onto both of Kalika¡¯s hands with his one hand and her hair with his other. ¡°W-what the-! Let go-!¡± She desperately tries to free herself but is met with a swift head butt. He head butts her again even harder. And a third, but this time much harder. She loses grasp of her blade and is tossed aside. Her head was pounding and her vision distorted. She looked around the ground for her weapon only to realize that it was still in Maverick. Maverick grabbed his cracked sword, aiming it like a spear and pelting it to Kalika''s chest. He approached her, ripping it from her body, leaving her to cream in pain. Darkness encroached seeing the dagger sticking from Maverick''s stomach. Kalika is kicked to the wall, she dodges, being much more oriented, but quickly gets pinned to the wall by another of Daji''s blood spears. "Damn it!" From this point Kalika was once again pinned to the wall. between being pinned to the wall and killed without hesitation by Maverick, an overwhelming sense of frustration filled her. With all her strength, she catches Maverick''s sword with both hands. "G-give it back! you coward!" She can clearly see that he''s unconcerned with the dagger in his side. Slowly but surely Maverick''s strength was overwhelming Kalika again. Another blood spear struck her, but she refused to flinch. Another spear hit her, then another and another and another. Despite this she refused to give in to the pain she felt. A drop of blood once again hits her forehead, Making her extremely weak "W-what the hell!???" She glanced back at the balcony, knowingly seeing the wide grin on Florin. The sword once again slashes through her. Laughter could be heard from the balcony. Hearing this irritated Kalika as her body started to slide down against the wall behind her. She stopped. Clenching her fists, frustrated. Memories of manifesting the blade during her fight with Ek resurfaced. Thinking about it started to amuse her. "I don''t have much to lose." Once more, death has claimed Kalika. "So your name is... Zorbian. Right?" resurrecting, Kalika felt the handle of her weapon now manifesting in her grasp, Kalika moved, blocking Maverick''s attack with her newly manifested blood blade. Shocked, Maverick peeked to find the blade gone from his side, now bleeding from the wound. Kalika squeezed her way from under Maverick''s sword, slashing at the other side of hip. Her hands became hotter and hotter. she then started to hear cheering. She blinked, finding herself in the caged area with a plethora of seats and demons sitting. Glancing back at the balcony she could see her demonic sister, Lillian, The Demon King, Lucius and Rakon all looking satisfied and impressed. "End it." A man''s voice said. Kalika looked back recognizing the voice. "END IIIIIIT!!" Before her knelt, a much thinner man, but she could tell by his hair and eyes that this was Maverick. He glared back angrily. "What are you waiting for? I''m the last one, right? You''ve got what you wanted so just do it." Maverick now held his arms out in defeat. She found herself approaching the weak looking man placing her blood blade just under his chin. "I pity you," the words, escaping her own mouth. With those words said, she continued to walk past Maverick to the closest exit. Mavericks'' arms fell to the ground, fists balling up. "You should be happy. This''ll be the last time we''ll meet in the arena so you''re likely to live. But if you do die, please give your comrades my thanks¡­ For being my training dummies." Kalika had peeked behind, now finding Maverick seething in rage. She turned back to leave, hearing him cry out in rage. Kalika quickly turned around, finding herself back in the present With Maverick in the air ready to attack from above. The rage in his eyes was unlike anything she''s seen up until now. Kalika dodged, leaving him to obliterate the ground beneath him with his attack. He quickly chained another attack sending Kalika flying into the arena wall. She coughed blood. "He''s strong. Really strong! But I can beat him!!" Much more determined and with greater confidence, Kalika rushed over Maverick, Dodging and deflecting at the other attacks being sent by Daji and Valam. From the corner of her eyes Kalika noticed drops of blood closing in. She used her dagger to block it, surprising Florin. Kalika then followed up with another stab on Maverick, who nearly connected his attack. Kalika kept driving the dagger deeper and deeper into Maverick''s body. "Heh. Finally having some change of heart. But if you''re going to kill me¡­ You''d better aim for the heart or neck!" Maverick pushed Kalika off himself. She tumbled to the ground, but she quickly oriented herself and dashed back into the fray with her dagger ready. "Not that you can kill me! Because I have over another two-hundred of my kin to avenge!!!!!" Maverick swung to kill and Kalika did the same. But to their shock, a man in black armor suddenly arrived with an even bigger sword! He blocked both Mavericks and Kalika¡¯s attack. They all watched as Maverick''s sword was completely shattered upon impact! The fragments of Mavericks sword laid scattered across the ground. Maverick could only look on in utter shock as standing before both him and Kalika was now a tall man, completely covered in black armor from head to toe. The man in black armor looked back at Kalika giving a glimpse of its terrifying helmet. "The game is officially over." Rakon announced His voice was heard from the balcony, prompting Kalika to look, finding Rakon standing happily. All the while the other Demon Ladies stood around awkwardly. "Your performance was beyond my expectations. You even conjured your blood blade from your body." Kalika''s weapon was immediately snatched from her. "H-hey!" She turned to find another Rakon standing happily. ¡°You performed an impressive feat most of your kin wish they could mirror.¡± He patted her head, leaving her grumbling embarrassedly. ¡°You should be proud, This time you didn¡¯t need my help.¡± "By the way, This man you see before you, is your opponent you''ll be facing tomorrow." Kalika looked back to the man in Black armor. "For now, we''ll dub him the ''Black Knight''." Rakon said. "Unacceptable!" Maverick shouted. "Give me a few more hours with her!" looking back at Maverick, his anger started to become more and more evident. "You''ve already had your fun. You can leave now," Rakon said with a scary calmness. At the snap of Rakon''s finger, a plethora of guards surrounded Maverick. Maverick paid no mind to the guards or Rakon, instead keeping his gaze fixated on Kalika. Rakon, seeing this, stepped in his sight, glaring at Maverick much more menacingly. "Of course, if you wish to die, I can also grant you that accommodation myself." Hearing Rakon''s words, Maverick calmed himself. And without another word he turned, leaving the arena with guards following him close behind. Rakon gazed up at the balcony "" "" Rakon first clone placed his hand on Daji''s shoulder. She stopped and obeyed Rakon''s order along with both Valam and Florin. The Black Knight seeing this, glanced at Kalika and not long after took his leave too, not saying a single word. This left Kalika with Rakon. Shortly after, Kalika¡¯s gaze shifted to the ground before her. "The day wasn''t over." a hint of disappointment evident in her voice. "That doesn''t matter. You did a very good job handling the matter. A little longer and you might''ve killed him I''m sure. A fact I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still refuting" Rakon offered a hand. Kalika, seeing this, refused. "Since when did you care that I¡¯d win?" "I don''t. you can die a thousand times as long as it means I get what I want." Rakon gave a chuckle seeing Kalika''s curious gaze now fixed on him. ¡°So I¡¯m just a means to an end ?¡± Kalika sighed, turning away. "I guess I shouldn''t expect anything less from a demon like you... Your kind must enjoy thriving in the chaos." "I wouldn''t say that. It¡¯s a little more¡­ complicated. We all have our own wants and goals like you humans." Suddenly, Rakon grabbed Kalika¡¯s chin forcing her to look at him. "The only difference between our kin is that we¡¯re not driven to avenge our friends or family. That said¡­ We are also aimless creatures searching blindly for our own little reasons to live." ¡°I¡¯ve long found my reason. What about you?¡± Rakon took a single finger, bringing it to the tip of her chin. Kalika jerks her head off his hand. "S-stop it.¡± she demanded, staring back at him indignantly. Rakon could only chuckle to himself seeing this, amused by her reaction. ¡°O-once this stupid contract of yours is done, I want to leave this place forever. In fact, when this is done, I don''t want to see you ever again." "Oh. you wound me." Rakon chuckled, still amused. "By the way Kalika¡­ Have you figured out your opponent''s true identity?" Kalika instantly relaxed herself. she frowned, knowing the answer. Chapter 42: Undeserved Recognition "" The clanking of the Prison cells echo throughout the dungeon prisoner. "Weapons here," A demon guard stated, pointing to a wooden barrel. A plethora of prisoners had their weapons confiscated from them throughout the entire dungeon prison. Some willingly obliged and let go, while others attempted to hide their smaller blades in vain. ******** "C''mon." one of the prisoners whined. "We couldn''t have kept these for at least another day?" A group of four prisoners were eating some of the meat porridge and conversing. "If you wanted to kill someone earlier you should''ve done that yesterday." his scarred chin friend retorted, chomping on a spoonful of stringy meat. The bald prisoner agreed with their friend. "Oh hey! Did you hear? Apparently a group of guys tried to kill Maverick last night!" another interjected "Really! Is he dead???" "Of course not dumbass! But the other guys I heard that their skulls got crushed. You''d have to be really dumb to try to mess with him." "You don''t say¡­ Why''d you think they did it?" "Ain''t it obvious.¡± The bald prisoner blurted.. ¡°They obviously wanted to ensure their own victory in this demon game. The Maverick by far killed the Immortal Maiden the most out of everyone here. And that''s a fact! Honestly, I''d be surprised if he came in second¡­" The bald inmate tossed his spoon aside, frustrated. "Really now. How many times do you suppose he killed the Immortal Maiden." the scarred chin prisoner reached for a sip of water. "I heard the man was a captain from the northern country of Gurlov and was imprisoned with around four or five thousand of his men." the first prisoner stated "What does that have to do with anything, Rick?" "Well from what I heard the Immortal maid basically killed everyone of those poor bastards over the span of four, five years. The Mavericks apparently only joined the game to avenge his comrades.¡± He leaned closer, speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°But the craziest part is that, that mad bastard almost did it!" The scarred prisoner now spat out food in shock. He now found himself choking on his food. "T-that''s absurd!" the bald prisoner exclaimed. The fourth member also agreed to the absurdity. Rick continued, "And from what I heard from some of his followers, he was just two-hundred shy too." "Like hell that''s true, Do you have any Idea how hard it was to catch that bitch." Their bald friend retorted "Did you forget about his little posse he had with him?" their fourth friend questioned. "In case you haven''t been paying attention he literally had guys posted just to find the Immortal Maiden." Rick gestured to their fourth friend with a mocking smile, just to make a point. "O-oh yeah¡­" the scarred prisoner leaned back. unsure what to make of the whole ordeal. "I wonder how he convinced them to help him?" "Like the hell I know. And to be honest I could care less about them." Rick ate a spoonful of the meat porridge. "I''m sure those guys feel proud of themselves." "Do you think they did it for revenge?" The scarred friend asked. "Like I said, I don''t know. But if that is the case then they''re just cowards.¡± ¡°Yeah. If they were a real man they would''ve done it themselves instead of relying on the Maverick." The blade inmate tossed aside his bowl, not hungry anymore. He continued, smiling amused. "If the ''Imperial Wall'' was around perhaps we would''ve seen a closer neck to neck with master and pupil. Man~ I would''ve killed to see something like that." "Since when were the Maverick and the Imperial wall master and student???" The fourth man questioned. "Oh yeah, you wouldn''t know, would you." Rick set aside his bowl. "You see, over ten or so years ago the Imperial wall would help us normal guys train up, just cause those damn demons would always bring some weird monsters! But after he fought with the Immortal Maiden he changed. He became a lot more selective with his so-called pupils." "Yeah. It just happened that Maverick was the second person he took up after the Immortal Maiden started to trick other guys to escape with her." The scarred chin prisoner scowled. "I''ll never forgive that evil bitch." "Hey, wasn''t that Celestine soldier guy taken under his wing too?" the fourth, questioned. "Oh yeah. I think he was now that you''ve mentioned it. Uhh¡­ Last I heard, That guy was rushed to some ward along with a bunch of other guys that got poisoned-." The doors of the mess hall suddenly opened up revealing the demon Ladies. They stood by as some nearby guards made an announcement. "Everyone here and in the prison are required to report to the arena immediately. "It''s finally time, eh¡­ What a waste of time." Prisoner''s arose including the group. They all moved as one, to now hear the winner of the game. But most importantly, what Maverick would wish for from the current reigning demon, Rakon. ******** Meanwhile back at Kalika''s cells. she was still eating some meat porridge that was hand delivered. Outside her cell, five demon guards lingered, watching as two freshly killed prisoner''s were carried off. Kalika finished emptying her bowl with the only remains being the vegetables. She looked up seeing Rakon still watching her.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Creep." She set the bowl aside, finished with the meal. "All done?" He asked. Kalika gazed down, sighing disappointedly. "Of course I am." "I''m glad you were able to finally decipher your opponent''s identity. It took you longer than I thought, but I knew you were a smart girl." "Shut up," She said, keeping calm. "Why the long face Kalika?" "N-Nothing! I Just want to get all this over with." Her gaze shifted closer and closer to the ground below her bed. "So when will I receive this prize of yours anyways?" "In due time, I''m sure it''s something you''ll appreciate. but for now, let''s get you to your special event." Rakon opened the cell door, urging Kalika to follow. She followed his lead traveling through the prison corridor along with an escort of guards. "Are these guards even necessary?" Kalika asked. "Not at all. But this is a special day so I made an exception. Just for you." "Right..." They continued through the corridors and hall until they eventually reached the arena balcony. Peeking over the balcony, Kalika saw an army of prisoners. looking at them now, it was hard to believe that she actually survived an onslaught of attack from a literal army of men. Prisoners stood row by row once more, but much smaller than before. Guards did the same waiting for the announcement. After some time passed, Rakon finally stepped forth along with the wardens, Daji, Valam and Florin. Kalika, seeing the women, was reluctant at first, but is urged once more for her to come up. She slowly made her way by Rakon''s side. She now stood by Rakon, awkwardly, as he made his announcement. "I hope everyone here had a fun time enjoying the spectacle these last two months. It was a rare opportunity I hope everyone got to enjoy." "Just get it over with already¡­" she growled inwardly. "A small few did well for themselves but there was one among everyone else. "Rakon presented the winner that now entered the arena below. "A man named Ivan or what most know him as¡­ The Maverick." Maverick is seen walking down the aisle with two other guards on either side. They walked between the rows of guards and other prisoners, approaching the balcony where Rakon and Kalika stood. Kalika watching this, looked back up to Rakon to find him smiling in anticipation as Maverick now stood before him. "Congratulations. And as promised, tell me what you desire and I''ll give it. As long as it''s within my power of course." "I wish¡­" There was a deafening silence as everyone curious what this man would desire most from the demon before them all.. "to be freed from this prison, and to be given the means to travel back home." Kalika stood dumbfounded by his wish. "It shall be granted." Rakon said. Kalika could only seethe in anger looking at Maverick. "That man¡­ Why would he-" "Jealous?" Rakon questioned, mockingly. Kalika looked over her shoulder, finding him sporting a very amused grin. "S-shut it." She looked back over the balcony. She could hear him chuckling behind her. "This man! First he wants to avenge all his friends and now he wants to leave!?? At least I''ll never see that stupid face of his ever again." Kalika watched as some braces were removed from Maverick. Indistinctive chatter erupted among the prisoners and guards alike. All revolving around the surprising wish that seemed so blatantly obvious and yet, seemed so unlike the man. The ground started to suddenly shake from behind. Kalika quickly turned, finding Bjorn towering over them. Seeing him made her shudder, remembering the pummel he gave her weeks before.. Upon closer inspection, Kalika could see that he gained many new scars throughout his body with the only signs of recovery being with his horns re-growing. Bjorn gave a quick glare at Kalika before turning his attention to Rakon. "You needed me?" "Yes. escort this man to the castle walls with some tools and food for survival. and a spare horse if we have one." "Understood." With that one word, Bjorn left. And not too long after Maverick also started to leave, accompanied by the guards. He gave a serious glance back at Kalika as though giving an unspoken promise. He turns away, continuing to the exit. Upon opening the door, it revealed the Black Knight¡¯s arrival. As Maverick began to leave the arena, he stopped, right beside the Knight. "I would say it''s been nice knowing you, but I''d be lying." Maverick said. The Black Knight ignored this passing comment. "No last words of wisdom? Is this really how you wish things to end? How, you want to be remembered?¡± Still no response. Maverick can only give an exhausted sigh. ¡°Fine... If this is the road you¡¯ve chosen, as a man I have no right to tell you otherwise. But I have no desire to die in this hell, so be my guest." With those last few words, Maverick continued to march forth, towards his freedom. Within the dark helm of the Black Knight, the hollow black was replaced by determined eyes. With this mind made up he stepped forth into the arena. the door closing behind him. Eventually after a couple of minutes, the Black knight stood at the center of the arena. The very centerpiece of their next event. Everyone looking at this mysterious Knight was dumbfounded and curious of the identity of this man before them. Rumors and speculation flowed through all the prisoners. However the guards seeing the man became much more pensive and talkative than ever. Their conversations are being lost in translation. Rakon chuckled to himself, seeing everyone''s reaction. Kalika seeing the guards'' reaction however became curious on the true importance of the Black Knight before them. Rakon spoke up once more, interrupting all conversations. "This man you see before you, stormed the city capital and the castle over fifteen years ago. He devastated the remainder of the city outside this castle, killing our kin. It wasn''t until my brother, the Demon King arrived, that this very man was subjugated." "H-he''s that strong¡­??" Kalika was a little surprised to hear this "Ever since then, we''ve had him locked down here. He is a very strong human, and not someone to underestimate." Rakon finished. Rakon turned his attention back to the crowd. "Clear up!" he yelled Guards moved their way into the further parts of the arena. The prisoners soon followed the same after some clearer instructions from the guards below. Soon some guards encircle a barely visible line, conjuring up a huge cage similar to the one Kalika fought in before. Seeing such a feat being performed left Kalika in awe, giving a strong reminder of how fascinating magic truly is. Even if they were performed by demons. Rakon suddenly grabbed her from the hips. "W-w-what are you doing~-!" He jumped down from the balcony with Kalika in his arms. upon reaching the ground by the cage door, he released her. "I-I could''ve done that myself!" She quickly distanced herself, blushing. He took no heed to her words, instead focusing on opening the door for her, presenting it to her like a gentleman. unamused, she turned her head, annoyed by his antics. A few moments later she finally enters into the caged arena. "Before I forget, there is a caveat to this particular fight." Rakon said. "Caveat?" Kalika turned back around, seeing Rakon closed the door. "What caveat?" Rakon held out his hand. "You must kill your opponent before he kills you five times. If you die the fifth time, the victory will go to him." "Huh!?? Why are you telling me this now!" Kalika grabbed the bars of the cage infuriated. "It slipped my mind. Besides, it was part of my contractual agreement I made with him." "Contractual agreement? What about our agreement!???" Don''t worry, our agreement still stands, as long as you kill them we''ll be able to continue our agreement like normal, of course if you fail to do so, the penalty will begin to take effect. And I wouldn¡¯t want that." "You bastard." Kalika is now seething in anger once again. "Don''t be so livid, I''m confident you''ll kill him with little issues. You have beaten him plenty of times before in the past." Rakon shrugged as he left, not seeing an issue. "H-hey! What about my Weapon?? "Conjure it. it should be easy for you, especially since you''ve done it plenty of times before." Kalika growled under her breath. Slowly she turned to face the Black Knight who already had his huge black butcher blade at the ready. Looking at it again it was literally the size of her entire body, if not, bigger. The man lifted the sword, resting the back of the blade on the top of his shoulder. "That sword is ridiculously huge!!" Kalika took a deep breath. "Alright, Calm down Kalika¡­" She reached out her hand in preparation. "All I have to do is call out its name¡­" "Zorbian." With just the mere thought of her weapon her blood blade dagger once again manifested in her hand. She grabs it, Readying it shakily. She took another deep breath. "Okay I have five chances to kill him¡­ " Rakon flew back to the balcony making an announcement. "Before everyone is the Immortal Maiden and the Black Knight! Kalika will only be given five lives to defeat the man before her! Should she fail¡­she will forfeit her own chances of freedom and will become my personal slave.¡± Rakon smiled, contently. ¡°Enjoy the show." Chapter 43: The Black Knight Chapter 37 / 38 A mixture of confusion and laughter filled the stands of the prisoners and guards. "Slave? What is he talking about?" A prisoner asked. "Heh. Who cares? This is gettin interesting! What is it? Five times she''s killed, then the big black armored guy wins?" "Sounds like it," Another prisoner chuckled. "I don''t know about you but I''m putting my money on the big guy! KILL HER GOOD!" ¡°Yeah!!¡± other prisoners cheered. Laughter and amused indistinct chatter continue to echo throughout the entire arena talking about the supposed penalty awaiting Kalika. All the while, she glared back up at Rakon from the caged Arena, pissed. "T-that bastard." Kalika turned back to the opponent before her. "He''s trying to get under my skin again isn''t he. I won''t let him have his way!" Without another thought Kalika charged in, dagger ready to strike the opponent before her. The Black Knight, seeing this, readied his huge blade also, with his one arm, Kalika Jumped in for an attack that was easily blocked by the Knight. The clashing of steel reverberated through the entire arena. He repelled her attack, pushing Kalika back half way back, keeping his monolithic composure. Kalika examined the man with more scrutiny. "His armor is very similar to my father''s when he went into battle¡­ There''s even a crest of our family on his shoulder..." She narrowed her eyes, and without a second thought she rushed over to the Knight. "I wonder if they have the same gaps!" The Black Knight fixed his stance and gripped his blade. He swung his huge sword hard at Kalika''s side and she blocked it! but his sheer strength proved too much as he sent Kalika spiraling to the caged walls! Kalika winced in pain. "S-so strong!" Opening her eyes the Knight slashed at her with all his strength. "Huh?" Kalika dodged, in time to witness him cutting through the caged wall with ease. She could only look on in shock at the absolute absurdity of this man''s strength. "I he wanted to, he could actually snap me like a twig!" Kalika was quickly taken out of her stupor as the Black Knight turned to look at her. The sounds of the crowd of prisoners and guards'' excitement became more palpable. The man postured himself again, this time with both hands on his blade. A faint glow started to emanate from his huge butcher sword. "Wait, I''ve seen this before." Memories of Jarred Fight against Jala resurfaced. The Knight raised his sword, bringing it down with tremendous force. And despite the far distance, Kalika opted to dodge to the side. Her hunch turned to be correct as a brown magic slash projected from the blade, yet again cutting through the arena cage! This shocked just about everyone else aside from Rakon who simply became annoyed. "" one of the guards yelled. The Knight''s blade started to glow once more and a glint sparked from within the helm of the Knight; it was obvious that he was ready to go all out. Kalika simply growled, readying to go on the attack again. This time however the Black Knight approached, once again on the attack. Kalika blocks but is surprised as her entire body goes numb. "That''s one." Rakon announced solemnly. "H-how- Wait¡­" Kalika remembered for a brief second seeing a light come towards her. She quickly came to the consensus that attacks from his glowing blade simply couldn''t be blocked. As her mind drifted off, the thoughts of pushing the Knights defenses started to surface. She then awoke finding herself clashing steel with the Knight. His blade glowed once more as he swung it forth, forcing her to dodge. He follows up with another magic strike, then another. each strike projecting and colorful magic energy from the natural elements of the world. Kalika attempted to avoid these devastating attacks. She encircled the man, only to be easily countered. He stood face to face with Kalika again and swung his blade with expert precision, switching back and forth from using one hand to two hands. He spun the blade in his hand, cratering it to the ground beneath Kalika. The attack cut her leg deeply. The Knight readied another attack, posturing much more differently. He slammed the huge blade to the ground with an oblique slash! penetrating the stone ground! Without relaxing he swerved his blade through the ground, carrying its momentum into another diagonal slash! and another! And another! Then another! This creating a non-stop flurry of attacks that tore the ground and forced Kalika back as she avoided each attack! The ground was decimated and rubble flew in its wake, all the while Kalika was now cornered. Suddenly a blue magic slash came at her! She dodged out the way, only to find the Knight in the air! "A feint!?" The spectator watched in anticipation then¡­ A solid blow cutting through Kalika''s shoulder. She could only bite her tongue, holding back any semblance of screaming from the pain she felt. "He¡­He almost killed me!" Kalika gritted herself using the opening to actually land a counterattack, penetrating through the gaps in the armor. She attempted to cut as deep as possible but was quickly grabbed around her neck with the man''s arm. SNAP "That makes two." Rakon announced once more. Kalika awoke once more in the man''s arm. She attempted to wiggle as her blade was still wedged in the man''s torso. The same pressure came forth. She could recognize that he was trying to snap her neck again.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Kalika panicked. She then grabbed her blade again and with all her remaining strength, pulled her blade from his body, and stabbed it into another open gap! The Knight bellowed in pain but kept his grasp on her. Not wanting to give in, she pulled her dagger out once more, this time penetrating the gap closer to his chest. This time he''s forced to let go of her. Kalika quickly distanced herself from the man, trying to catch her breath. She called back her blade, finding it much easier to call forth. The Knight looked back at Kalika. It''s like the man had no emotions. Instead, he readied himself again, sword glowing. Kalika glanced at her hand, finding blood on it. Seeing it made her a little hazy at first but quickly recomposed herself. She found herself breathing heavily, readying her dagger. "I never knew you were this strong¡­" she took a gulp, with nerves now ready she sprung back into actions. She made a dodge, followed by the clashes of blades. She felt the heft of his strength as she parried his attack, but just barely. She had no hope of beating him in a contest of strength, and she knew this. And trying to outpace him was going nowhere fast. She tried to encircle him once more only ending in failure. "Tch! It''s like he knows what I plan to do right before I do it!! Is there a way I can confuse him?" Kalika shortly after found herself on the run from the Black Knights'' attack, Dodging magic slash after magic slash. It was practically a miracle that everyone outside the cage was unharmed. Once more the Knight cuts through the steel bars, completely missing Kalika and leaving a gap in the cage. They then started to run alongside the walls of the cage with Kalika in the lead. Not long after however she was easily caught up by the Knight, shocking her. He attacked with another horizontal slash forcing Kalika to slide her body on the ground. She quickly jerked her body and pushed herself from the ground and into a sprint, running past the Knight. She looked back to find his back was completely exposed, but at this point she was too far. A devilish Idea came forth, and without a second thought she threw her knife at his back. It easily bounced off his armor at an angle. Her throwing would need a lot of work. The crowd seeing this started to laugh at Kalika''s poor attempt. She didn''t pay attention to them; however, she instead kept her eyes fixed on the Black Knight. She conjured her blade again as she stared straight at the brown buckled hidden by a separate piece of armor. "There''s a buckle hiding just under that piece of armor ¡­ If it''s anything like what my father''s armor was, just cutting two of them should loosen his chest armor." The black Knight once again faces Kalika, readying his sword once more. Without much thought he starts his pursuit of Kalika once more. They both clashed and dodged each other''s attacks. Attack after attack, followed by the secession of dodging and parrying hefty attack coming her way. She continued searching for that one opening and opportunity to strike him from behind and rip that armor off. The opportunity finally arrived. He leapt from the air ready to strike hard with his huge blade from above! Not missing a beat, Kalika ran past him as he proceeded to destroy the ground below, completely missing Kalika to his annoyance. She quickly drove her dagger into his back, cutting half of the strap. The Knight counter''s swerving with his huge blade in one hand, grazing Kalika''s cheek. Inmates from the crowd started to get a closer look, almost confused by her actions. "What the hell is she doin.'''' one of the prisoners laughed. Kalika started getting chased again, this time however, using her dagger, she threw it straight at his head. He blocked the attack, but this helped provide Kalika an artificial opening as she circled around him once again. She conjured her dagger, throwing and missing her target again. "Tch!" Another magic slash came hurtling her way, connecting to her right arm. "C... Crap!" Before she could react, The Black Knight attacked from the air once more! This time his connected as he sliced through her and the entire ground, killing her for a third time. "Death number three." Rakon announced. Cheers from the crowd start to erupt. "Hahaha! Just two more times!!" Kalika awoke her blade burning hot in her hand. But strangely enough, her heart beated with a calmness and as she opened her eyes an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia hit her. A familiar tall man offered a hand to her. "You don''t have to push yourself this hard Kalika¡­: Her vision faded back to the Black Knight, about to strike her once again. ¡°That''s right¡­ You were always there for me¡­ Weren¡¯t you¡­¡± She dodged out of the way quickly getting to her feet followed by a riposte, stabbing the Knight in another gap of his armor. A subtle chuckle sounded from the armor. The Knight grabbed Kalika with his other hand, lifting her up. She immediately used her legs, kicking him at his helmet and throwing him off. He raised his huge sword, swiping at Kalika relentlessly. She dodged and weaved through the attacks sent her way. She then focused on conjuring her dagger and blocking the last attack that slammed down hard at her. Her leg became weak, almost giving way. she grimaced from the sheer pressure being placed upon her. It felt as though she was being crushed. slowly the ground beneath her started to feel like gravel as even more pressure began to be exerted. Everyone watched in anticipation, waiting for Kalika''s fourth death to arrive. Unexpectedly, despite the sheer pressure, Kalika repelled this sword into the ground. Unexpectedly she jumped on his sword then using his head, jumped into the air! She turned herself in the air facing the Knight''s back. She threw her Dagger striking one of the straps. cutting it half way. She conjured it back as she landed on the ground, throwing it again. This time much more straight. The Knight swerved his body, blocking the attack with his sword. He followed up, charging in like a bull with another attack. He became much slower than she expected. Memories of their past she long forgotten, resurfaced. He thrusted is sword forth but was barely avoided by Kalika, who dashed past him like a mad man with a newly made cut on her face. She conjured her Dagger once more, throwing it to the second straps at his back again. This time succeeding! The strap was completely cut as the blade bounced off the armor behind it. Filled with newly gained confidence she manifested her dagger to try again, only for it to be blown away from the Knight''s magic slash. He felt for his back discovering the buckle close from completely tearing up. Kalika smiled, amused. "Looks like he found me out. Now I have to-" To the shock of everyone in the crowd the Knight suddenly stabbed his sword into the ground and in one move, ripped off his own chest armor revealing a well chiseled structure. He proceeds to crush and rip off the armor from his arms, hands and shoulders too leaving his helmet. "I was never a fan of this Armor." A familiar muffled voice came from beneath the helmet. The prisoners closest to the arena were in shock leaving the rest of the audience curious. "N¡­No way. t-that voice..." a prisoner began muttering "What is it?" "That man in that armor. I thought he was supposed to be dead." "Who?? Who do you mean???" The man proceeds to pull off his helmet. Kalika turned away, discontentedly. "Are you sure you want to do this¡­ Tilus.¡± She looked back at him, much more serious. ¡°You still had the upper hand in this..." Before everyone in the arena the gruff gray-haired man stood before them. The very man that mentored Kalika, Tilus Kyrier. His gaze was serious as he threw aside his helmet. "The Imperial Wall!??" The prisoner yelped. Many of the other prisoners became shocked upon seeing him. "And after we went through all the trouble for that armor¡­" Rakon said to himself, frowning disappointedly. "There''s no point keeping it on if it''ll just rip off during our fight." Tilus grabbed the huge butcher blade in with his one hand, once again slamming it to his shoulder with an audible thud. "You''ve done exceptionally well, but that isn''t good enough. Tilus narrowed his eyed at Kalika. ¡°Are you holding back on me?" Kalika simply readied her dagger once more. "O-of course not..." Tilus gave a doubtful glare, looking at her as if he could see through her. Once more the handle became scorching hot and the memory of her facing against a bloodied Tilus resurfaced. ******** "Our next contender for this Knight of honor is Kalika! Or who some are calling, the Immortal Maiden." A demon announcer shouted. Kalika finds herself face to face against a bloodied and scarred well toned older man. He was breathing heavily, likely from all the other men and beasts he had to just fight. Kalika looked upon the man with pity. "How many did you have to kill?" she asked. Hearing the sudden question put Tilus on edge. He brought his guards back up, ready to fight. He shifted his eyes, readying his much more regular sword. "Which do you mean? Humans, beast or demons?" "It can be any which one you want, or everything." using both hands Kalika held her blood blade dagger like a novice. ******** Kalika blinked to find herself in the present once more. "You have a promise you must uphold, Kalika. I hope you didn''t forget it." Kalika stayed silent, instead gripping her dagger much more tightly in both hands. "Why did you have to remove your Helmet...???" She gritted her teeth, giving a false look of determination. Using both hands, Tilus whipped out his huge sword ready for battle once more. "Oh. And Kalika. there''s something I forgot to tell you that I want you to know." Kalika''s curiosity piqued slightly. "W...What is it?'' "It''s about your father¡­Julius..." A sense of anxiety washed over Kalika as she felt the color leave her skin. "M¡­M-my father¡­?" Chapter 44: His Little Miracle Inside a scorching home, a man in silver armor, embroiled with gold details was posed and ready to strike down a wailing blonde girl. He hesitated, seeing an already slaughtered family around, a family he had just cut down not too long ago. ¡°Is this truly what you want¡­ God?¡± The man thought to himself. After quickly pondering his choices, he finally sheathed his sword. He bent down to the girl''s height, taking his helmet off, revealing his calm and soothing smile. After a little while the girl stopped crying, her eyes red and swollen, filled with confusion. the man held out his hands, allowing her to make her own choice. ******** The same little blonde girl scuttled alongside that same tall man with brown hair and hazel eyes. His silver armor glowed in the rising sun and a family crest embroidered on his chest became more visible. It was the crest of the Archelion Lordships. The girl locked eyes with the man, Curiosity now evident with some tears that were still visible on her face. They both continued to walk across scorched earth of a once prosperous land that has been burned asunder. From a far-off distance, men and women are being rounded up by soldiers, one of which spots them. "Y-your lordship!" another tall man in armor ran in their directions. "Did you find the source of the light?" "No." The lord said. "So What did you find? if you don¡¯t mind me asking." The Lord looked backed at the girl with soft and guiltful eyes. "This little one here. No parents in sight from what I saw¡­" With a more stern gaze the lord looked back to the soldier. "This is a sign from God. A sign that he wants me to raise her as my own. I¡¯m sure of it." "B¡­But Lord Julius are you sure this is alright? The mistress passed not a month ago, and with child¡­" "I know¡­ I know that too well¡­" Julius smiled bittersweetly. "But Lillian will understand, in fact I''m sure she''ll be ecstatic to get a new sister.¡± The girl looked back at the man a little confused. ¡°Sister?¡± "If that is your wish¡­ M-May I ask a question lord Julius¡­" "Hmm? Yes, what is it?" "What''s her name?" The soldier pointed to the girl, who still held tight to Julius''s hand. "What is your name?" Julius asked curiously. The girl looked down shy, unsure if she had a name herself. ¡°I¡­Don¡¯t know¡­¡± "Well, If you don''t have a name, why don''t we give you one ourselves. Hmm, Let''s see." Julius looked around curiously all the while the girl could only watch on, in curiosity. The girl looked down, finding a pretty pink flower that had just bud in front of them. She reached out to try to grab the pretty flower only to be held by the man''s grip. Julius immediately took notice, letting the girl pick the flower. "Do you know if that flower there has a name?" The soldier looked at the flower briefly. "Yeah. A Lot of those grow beyond the hills to the south. Some of the locals here call it the ''Miracle Flower''. It''s said that if true love is found just beneath this flower as it blooms, that time itself would stop for an entire day." "I asked for its name. Not its history, Tilus." The soldier, Tilus, rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "O-oh sorry. locals here call it the Kalika flower..." "Kalika?" Julius looked at the girl curiously, who was now happily waving around the flower. After much pondering he finally knelt down to the girl who was trying to pick another flower that was more burnt. "Hey." The girl turns back to look at Julius. "Do you like that flower?" The girl happily shook her head. "It''s pretty." "Yes. I can see that." He gently took the flower from the girl holding it up to her. "How would you like to become this flower?" The girl gave an unsure glance. "Well¡­ How would you like to be¡­ As pretty as this flower?" He asked. "Can I really be that pretty?" "Yes, you can. And all you have to do is share this flower''s name." The girl''s eyes Sparkled happily. "Really? Is that really true?" Julius nodded in the affirmative. He then placed the flower in the girl''s hair. "From This Point on, your name is Kalika Archelion. My little miracle." Kalika now looked upon her father with joy. ******** Tilus¡¯s eyes flickered, remembering that day very clearly as the clash of steel in the arena filled with Prisoners and demons reverberated. "Just tell me already! What is it that you know about my father!??" Another clash of blades ensued. Kalika kept up the pace with him making them evenly matched. Tilus readied another magic slash, making a horizontal strike. Kalika jumped over, expecting it to be another feint from Tilus. Once more she had blocked his second attack! "If you want to know, then beat me first!" "Tch! You asshole." "You want to know, right?" Tilus questioned. "And what if I don''t care." "Then you can just cut my head off whenever you want." Tilus pushed Kalika back some distance. "What''s with him!??? What is it that he wants to tell me about my dad? Did he really know him???" Kalika dodges another three magic slashes from Tilus. "Fine I get it! If that''s how you want to play it, then I''ll just stab you in the heart!" She closed the distance between them, dodging his first attack and blocking the second. She followed with an attack of her own that stabbed into his arm. Tilus broke her grip from her blade, sending her flying into the air, surprising her. She attempted to reorient herself, conjuring her dagger back to her hand.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She fell hard on the side of her leg and attempted to get up. Upon looking at her, Tilus looked much more different. He looked bloodied as though he had just come from war. In his hands he held a regular sword laced with blood. She found herself moving on involuntarily. She attacked, dodged and died many times. After some time, she could tell that Tilus was getting exhausted. His scars and bruises became much more visible and after some time he finally fell to his knees. Kalika stared at the man with her ruined prisoner''s clothes. She stuck the point of her dagger at his neck. Tilus closed his eyes acceptingly. "So, this is how it ends¡­ By an un-killable woman¡­," He stated. ¡°Fine¡­¡± "I surrender," Kalika suddenly said, starting to walk away. Tilus opened his eyes in shock. Watching her leave. He wanted to get up with all had left but could only fall to the ground with a loud thud. ¡°But why? Why?¡± He thought to himself. Right before passing the door, Kalika cocked her head back to Tilus. "Hey you¡­ The next time we fight, can you show me how you did that thing." Tilus forced a peek back up. "W-what thing???" He questioned hoarsely. "The one where you deflected my attack with the hilt of your sword." She took a somewhat uncaring glance at her dagger. "It threw me off when you did that." Kalika turned back, waving good-bye as she left. "Those eyes¡­ God only knows what she''s seen¡­" Tilus thought to himself. Opening his eyes back up, Tilus found his attack being blocked. Kalika had reoriented herself in time, blocking an attack from above. Her dagger became scorching hot. She deflected his attack, driving her dagger into his side. He punched her off him, sending her skirting across the ground from her back. She quickly dodged to the side, seeing a magic slash from Tilus the scorched red this time. She felt the passing heat from the strike as it left its mark on the arena. Bringing her attention back to Tilus, he once more closed the distance forcing Kalika to conjure her dagger for another block. Their two clashed their blades. With each spark echoing the shadows of their long forgotten past together, as they had trained in the arena and sparred together. Before they''d realized it Tilus started to fix Kalika''s posturing as she attacked with kicks and pats. "Back straight." "Keep your legs firm" "You can hit harder than that." The crowd watching started to slowly become confused watching the two fight as Tilus would periodically try to help Kalika make each strike stronger than the last. Even Kalika started to become befuddled. Eventually Kalika slashed down with her dagger that was met with a block. "You''re doing well¡­" Tilus repelled Kalika and with all his strength slashed back, nearly hitting her! Kalika retaliated, throwing her Dagger and hitting him square in the stomach. Conjuring her dagger once again she planted her feet to the ground and launched herself towards him. His blade glowed green and without a second thought, sent a green magic slash her way! "I have to dodge-. NO! I need to push through!" In that instant, Kalika was sliced in half. ******** Kalika memories arose once more as she witnessed her last fight with Tilus as they were clashing blades once more. "IT WAS YOU I KNOW IT!" Kalika screamed. "YOU TIPPED HER OFF, DIDN''T YOU!" tears now rained as her anger rose. she clenched her jaw, awaiting for his answer. Tilus looked at her much more sternly. "Kalika, You have to stop. If you keep doing this, you''ll lose sight of who you are." "SHUT UP!! I DON''T CARE! THOSE MEN DESERVED WHAT THEY GOT!" "Deserve what they got!! This isn''t revenge Kalika! That''s murder!!" Tilus glared much more harshly. "This isn''t you. You shouldn¡¯t-" "Shut up!" she interrupted. Kalika became a little teary eyed. "He was right¡­ I thought I could trust you. But you''re just like the rest of them!" Kalika pushed off Tilus, ready to strike him. ******** Kalika awoke, stabbing straight through Tilus''s chest with all her strength. A blinding yet dark light emerged from her blade, penetrating and gushing through Tilus'' body like a stream of blood. The strange magic pulsing from her blade suddenly ceased. With that one hit, Tilus fell to his back with Kalika following on top as She found herself now on top of Tilus, stunned. She looked at her Dagger in hand finding it drenched in blood as well as a great big gash in the middle of his chest. "W¡­What¡­?" Kalika became silent, looking upon Tilus somberly. "I¡­ Did it." Even the crowd was silent and stunned by what had happened. Some chatter even started to arise from the disbelief of what they had just witnessed. "We have our Winner!!" Rakon suddenly announced with a wide smile. "And with one life to spare too." Rakon thought to himself, happily. Kalika could only look on in confusion. "That last move you made¡­ I would ask you to show me it¡­." Tilus smiled. "But it looks like we''re already at the end of this fight¡­" Kalika dropped her dagger from her hand, still in complete disbelief. "T-this can''t be it, can it? I-I Don''t even know-" Tilus suddenly grabbed her hand. "That was a well fought Kalika¡­" "But I. But -" Kalika began to panic. "That was a well fought¡­ Kalika¡­" He repeated, squeezing her arm and taking her out of her stupor. "Don''t worry about it¡­" Kalika looked to Tilus, seeing his dim eyes. "F¡­Fine¡­" Kalika looked away as he released his grip from her. "You took that on purpose¡­ Didn''t you¡­," she said. "I have no Idea what you mean." Tilus gave a slight chuckle. "You caught me off guard with that last maneuver you made. No one could guard against an attack like that¡­" Kalika got off Tilus, sitting herself right beside him in the silence as it continually grew between them. After a moment of silence, it was finally broken by Tilus''s hoarse voice. "You may not believe this¡­ but when we first met¡­ You looked like the fragile little thing in that delinquent village. Your only guide being Lord Julius himself." "Shut up," she said softly. "Back then I was a stupid girl. I didn''t know a thing that was happening. The only thing that I understood was that a man tried to kill¡­ But¡­" Kalika stopped for a moment. "He was a man that had some change of heart and adopted me into his family¡­" Kalika gave a light chuckle. "Maybe I would''ve actually died that day. Who knows, perhaps I would''ve been worshiped like some god. if I was always immortal of course, But there is no way of telling¡­ For all I know, I could''ve been cursed with this by God himself¡­" Kalika gave a much more bittersweet smile. "Regardless of whether you were immortal or not, I doubt it would''ve made much of a difference to him. To him, you were always his daughter. A daughter he worried for just as much as Lillian, your sister." "Yeah. Well, he did an absolutely horrible job at it." there was a subtle hint of animosity in her voice. She softened her tone a little. "For all my life since then he would barely look after me, he would expect me to be perfect at everything. I had to become the perfect daughter all the while Lillian was handed the silver spoon of his affection." "Kalika¡­ That''s because he planned on passing his title to you," Tilus said. With that simple statement, Kalika''s heart started to sink. The world around them started to become white noise. "Y¡­Y-you''re lying. He always wanted Lillian to inherit his title. N-not me! She was his blood daughter, the Saintess! So don''t tell me he was planning to give me the right when I had no claim!!" "To him it was never about claim through blood¡­ In fact even at a young age he saw you as the daughter that could succeed him. All the while your sister Lillian never showed any interest in learning or succeeding¡­" Tilus turned his gaze to look Kalika straight into her eyes. "some years ago, before the demons invaded¡­ He expressed his surprise in finding out that you were given the title of Saintess¡­ He was confused. But proud. Not once did he question it, But that made him all the more concerned about Lillian¡­ He thought she would be jealous and hated your very existence." Tilus blurted out in a weak chuckle. ¡°Her mother was always an aggressive woman after all¡­¡± Kalika quickly became riddled with guilt. She understood well that this misinformation came from those loyal to her, spreading unjust rumors. "He feared that Lillian would reflect her mother''s jealous and hateful tendencies but regardless¡­" Tilus grabbed Kalika arm with his weakening grip. "He wanted you both to have a satisfying life, he was by no means a perfect father. But I could say for certain that he tried his best to keep you both happy. to him... you were both his little miracles..." ¡°Looking back now¡­ Perhaps I could¡¯ve protected that dream of his. If only I reached out to you back in the garden. Told you his true feelings when you spoke so sourly about him¡­¡¯ A memory resurface of Kalika in her teens seeing a gruff man with brown hair and a growing beard. She spoke to a newly loyal follower about her father but retreated upon seeing one of his generals. Kalika tensed. "Why are you telling me this now¡­?" Kalika looked at Tilus, much more saddened. "Because¡­ I fear for you Kalika, and you need to know the truth. I fear that like your father, you''re blindly following a path that will lead to your ruin." "Well, what do you think I should do then??" "I don''t know¡­ I wish I knew the answer to that.. But I simply don¡¯t know¡­ But whatever comes next. Follow¡­ your¡­. gut¡­¡­." Tilus''s became dimmer, the life in them, leaving. "Do you have any last words'' Kalika," Rakon said. Kalika glanced behind herself, seeing Rakon standing over her. She turned back to Tilus, grabbing and squeezing his hands tightly. "Th¡­Thank you. Tilus. " Tilus gave a subtle smile as the light in his eyes faded. His hand became heavy and his grasp weak. Rakon circled around to Kalika''s side seeing her somber expression with not a tear in sight. "Don''t humans cry when they''ve lost someone close to them." It was obvious to Kalika that Rakon was teasing her. She didn''t answer, instead stared at Tilus''s lifeless body. Rakon gave her time until she finally called him. "Rakon¡­ When will I face this next opponent?" she asked. Rakon smirked. You can fight her as early as today if you''d like. "Yes. Please bring them here." Guards with chains drag women through the caged door who witnessed the fight. they approached from behind Kalika to present the next opponent.. "But if you want, I can give you another month to fight them, if you don''t feel adequate enough." "No. I want to fight them-" Kalika gasped, seeing the women in front of her. In front of her stood a woman in a ruined maids dress that had scratches, short black hair with a single pink eye and eye patch. She recognized this woman. "R¡­ Rhonda???" Chapter 45: Lost and Confused "W-what kind of joke is this?" Kalika questioned, as her voice trembled. she stared at Rhonda in complete shock. Rakon slipped past Kalika, presenting the frightened Rhonda. "I can assure you. This is no joke." He grabbed her by the back of the hair, showing Kalika how terrified she looked. "She only has herself to blame. This lousy maid of yours has caused more than enough trouble for the both of us." "Us!?" An anger flared up in Kalika. "R-Rhonda has served me well. She even put her life on the line for me!" Rakon snickered, glancing back at the maid. "This maid of yours is a lot sneakier than you''d think. Of course, I''m sure she finds it more convenient that you never remembered the last ten years." Rakon turned his gaze back to Kalika. "After all I''m sure the old you would''ve been thrilled to kill her the moment you two were alone." "What¡­ Do you mean?" Kalika watched as Rhonda''s frightened expression became that of immense guilt. "What did she do¡­?" Rakon brought himself close to Kalika bringing his lips to her ear, whispering something. "Have You ever wondered why each escape attempt failed?" Rakon turned his gaze back to Rhonda. "This succubus maid of yours was never loyal to you Kalika. And I''ll let you in on a little secret¡­ ever since your first little escape I had this woman under a carefully crafted contract to help me keep a close eye on you." Kalika''s heart started to sink, unsure what to think from what he just said. "But even under this contract she found a way to report your escape attempts. Becoming the prime informant to the Demon Queen against my very wish. Truly a miraculous feat, One I''m sure she wasn''t expecting me to find out about¡­" He said more openly. Something within Kalika flared up, an undistinguished rage that even she couldn''t understand. Her whole body felt on fire as she trembled, trying to doubt Rakon''s words. "T-that''s not true. T-that can''t be true." Kalika couldn''t take her eyes off of Rhonda. "He''s lying Rhonda! Right!??" Rhonda looked away, guiltily. Kalika walked steadily to Rhonda, quickly fastening her pace in moments, grabbing the collar of her uniform with both her hands. "Y-you''re not going to even defend yourself. Y-you''re not going to at least lie!??" A whirlwind of emotions started to overcome Kalika''s senses. It was one unbelievable revelation after another, and she couldn''t come to terms with which was worse. Before she realized, Kalika''s grip on Rhonda¡¯s uniform tightened as she released her other. "I¡­I-I''m sorry¡­" Rhonda muttered. "Sorry? Sorry!?" A hot sensation filled Kalika''s hands. She glanced at her hand, finding that the blood blade dagger was already in it. "W-when did I-" "Are you ready to fight then?" Rakon asked. Kalika went into a stunned silence, unsure what to feel at that very moment with the bubbling emoting whirling within her. she glanced at Rhonda with her grip still tight on her dress. Everything in her body felt like a confused mess. "N¡­. No." Kalika muttered. Rakon got closer. "Come again. I don''t think I heard you." "N-no." she said aloud. "I-I¡­I''m not ready¡­" "Hmm¡­ Okay." he said. He looked at the guards alongside Rhonda. ¡°" he ordered. On command Rhonda started to be dragged from the arena. She followed at first but quickly turned to Kalika, resisting their pull. "I''m sorry! Kalika I''m sorr-!" She was dragged back with the guards. Kalika simply watched the desperate maid as she tried to continue to plead for forgiveness. Eventually being dragged through the door until her voice could no longer be heard. Soon after the prisoners, still around watching from the stands, got escorted away back into the prison. All the while Kalika just stood still staring in the same direction from where Rhonda left. After some time had passed, even Tilus''s body was removed from the arena, leaving just Rakon and Kalika alone. Rakon finally approached a silent Kalika. "Are you ready to go back now?" Kalika remained silent for a time before finally responding in the affirmative, finally leaving, with Rakon escorting her back through the dungeon hall. After some time of being quietly escorted, Kalika''s somber gaze turned to her cell, seeing a rectangular reflection by her bed. "A¡­A mirror?" Slowly a view of herself came into view and upon seeing her full reflection, she shook. "A small reward for correctly guessing your opponent¡­ I hope you''ll enjoy it." She slowly approached the bars of her cell, gluing her eyes to the mirror. Before Kalika stood an image of her past dressing in the brown, ragged and torn prison clothes. "T-there''s no way¡­" she uttered to herself. Kalika''s gaze quickly turned to her hair, seeing that strands of white hair peeked from between blonde strands. Her trembling hands felt her face, her hair, her nose and even her cheeks. "W-w-w-why do I look so young?" Kalika backed away from the cell bar, stunned. she bumps into Rakon who now stood behind her examining his own reflection. She looked back up seeing Rakon''s reflection behind her own, looking very proud. "Heh. Now even you can appreciate your own beauty every day." Kalika''s breath started to hasten; an intense pressure hit her chest. She quickly clutched her chest feeling an overwhelming dread overtaking her. "No! T-this isn''t right! THIS ISN''T NORMAL!!" Without warning Kalika ran. "Oh¡­?" Rakon watched on, as Kalika raced off into the booby-trapped corridor of the dungeon. Kalika ran, dodged and jumped through all the traps she remembered. All the while the sight of Rakon never left her vision. Even closing her eyes, she could hear his voice. "Where are you going Kalika?" Rakon questioned. "I thought you gave up on escape." She opened her eyes, finding Rakon in front of her "Or was that a lie?" he said in a more mocking tone.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. She turns down another hall evading another trap. Rakon''s voice couldn''t escape Kalika as she expertly weaved through all the traps. Her breath got faster and faster as her heart pounded ever harder. Eventually she found an unguarded staircase and ran up without hesitation. Suddenly, she was captured into a pool of blood. Rakon''s head stretched out from the pool that held Kalika, shocking her. "Where do you think you''re going?" he asked. Kalika gritted her teeth. "L¡­Leave me alone!!" She forcefully ripped herself away from the blood that encased her. She stumbled out and continued her escape. guards on patrol noticed her and began their pursuit, with spears in hand ready for action. "Get out of my way!" The first guard attacked but missed Kalika. She quickly ran up the side of the wall, hopping over the demons. They continued their chase, until¡­ ¡°¡± They all stopped hearing Rakon''s voices. ¡°¡± He continued to watch as she ran through the dungeon hall. . After some time, she eventually found her way to the second floor of the dungeon, running to the only exit she knew of. She ran hard down the hall with the light at the end until eventually she found herself on the very same cliff overlooking the forest and mountains ahead. She felt out of breath, breathing heavily as she looked beyond the mountains where magnificent sunset presented itself. Despite the beautiful scenery however, the one thing she hated most stood before her. Rakon wore that same cocky smile as he moved to the side of the doorway. Kalika ignored him, walking to the edge of the cliff in front of her. She looked at the scenery before her, then down into the rocky and grassy fields below. Not long after she sat down. any and all urges to run away or to escape. suddenly vanished. replaced by uncertainty. "Leave me alone" she said solemnly. "You''re not going to jump down? You''ve been avoiding me so far, so why stop now." "I said ''Leave me alone¡¯." Rakon kneeled over by Kalika''s side overlooking the same horizon. "You know, I always wondered why you always sat here. Even during the harsh frost season, you would sit here in the bitter cold. You could¡¯ve stayed nice and cozy inside but¡­ you refused." Kalika scowled. ¡°I-I¡­¡± A burning sensation emanated throughout her entire body until a blistering cold could be felt. She closed eyes from the pain. But upon opening her eyes she found herself now in a snowy landscape. everything she once saw in the sunset was covered with the frost and ice of the world itself. The crunching of snow from behind. ¡°Out here again? Are you sure you want to sit here, Kalika?¡± Glancing behind, she found Ek standing, wearing a huge fur coat. She turned back saying nothing with her same sour look. ¡®Let me guess, you fought with that old guy again, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why does it matter to you!¡± she interjected. ¡°It¡¯s not like it matters. None of this matters. so don¡¯t act like you care.¡± Suddenly, Ek drooped his fur coat over Kalika. Soon after he began to leave as she could only look at the coat in surprise. ¡°W¡­Why?¡± ¡°The Queen will be upset if her ¡®Toy¡¯ froze to death out here.¡± He stops. ¡°Besides¡­ I already know you won¡¯t be escaping anytime soon.¡± Kalika cringed. ¡°So¡­ You know about that too¡­¡± ¡°Are you really surprised?¡± Ek sighed, turning back around with his arms crossed. ¡°If it makes you feel better, I still don¡¯t understand why you just sit there on that cliff.¡± ¡°Is it cause you''re waiting for some miracle to happen?¡± ¡°Or is it that you''re praying to actually die?¡± Kalika brought her head down, almost disappointed in the Eks speculations. She brought her head back up, speaking slowly and decisively. ¡°Has it ever occurred to you that sometimes, I just enjoy this view?¡± she asked. ¡°If you really want to know, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Kalika looked back at the scene before her, gazing upon the snowy peaks of the two mountains Lillian once talked so fondly of. ¡°When I feel lost or unsure of something¡­ Sometimes I just like to watch the flowers and the trees, feel the breeze of the wind¡­ It''s the only thing that comforts me sometimes and helps me clear my head¡­¡± Ek simply listened. seeing her just look on at the frosted wonderland. a world bitterly cold and yet peaceful. ¡°But in a way¡­ It feels so sickening too. seeing that nothing has changed.¡± she said in unison. Past clashing with present. Rakon looked a little surprised by her sudden confession. Kalika realized she was back into the present, looking back into the sunset. ¡°Looking at it now, it feels so pointless to run away, and even if I did, there''s no one that would help me. Or even support me." "Heck, even the most powerful humans in the world couldn¡¯t save me from this place. They died trying to save me¡­ to save me!" Kalika teary eyed seemingly began to relax herself looking over the horizon. She watched as the sunset continued its course. "When I look over this cliff, onto the land I was born¡­ it reminds me how unchanging these lands can be... and that infuriates me!" "And why is that?" Rakon asked. "Why else? I tried to be the perfect daughter, but it never seemed to matter¡­ Lillian was always his favorite! and how couldn¡¯t she!? I was just some girl he found in a village. A nobody. Another child ready to be slaughtered just like everyone else!¡± Kalika seethed from the memories of her childhood. One devoid of a father that seemed to care. Slowly she began to be surrounded by people who took interest in her and her. They slowly but surely began to fill her with doubts and fears. And even when Lillian tried to talk or play with her, Kalika slowly became more distant as an envy grew. She grimaced at her own past thoughts and actions, looking back in hindsight. ¡°I couldn''t stand it. I thought if I could usurp the title, to become Lord¡­ That I¡­¡± Kalika stopped. ¡°Was¡­ Was that what I really wanted?¡± Kalika grabbed tight onto her prisoner pants. "I-I really don''t want to believe Tilus¡­ I-I really don''t! But I can''t help but believe every word he said." "The more I think about it the more I''m questioning if I was ever free at all, or if I was just some ¡®thing¡¯ to be molded... How do I know what choice was mines, and which was someone else''s, who wanted something from me!?" Rakon watched as Kalika started to tear up before him in a rare moment of weakness. "It looks like the mask has finally fallen¡­" He said with a frown. Out of nowhere, Rakon gave her a pat on the head. "You poor little thing. But I can¡¯t help but feel the irony from this sentiment coming from the girl who broke destiny itself." Kalika winced painfully. "Sh¡­Shut up." ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you, my kin were able to invade these lands.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s also thanks to you that the Heroes of Prophecy are no longer an obstacle for us.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Rakon suddenly stood in front of Kalika, his face painted with a newly amused grin. "And here I thought you''d never give up. Makes me wonder what happened to those strong and defiant eyes you had.¡± Kalika clenched her teeth, hearing his words and he continued. ¡°You¡¯ve already killed a traitorous General and a dying old man. So, tell me. Why is it that a lousy maid like her, makes your poor heart waiver. Does your freedom mean nothing to you?" ¡°Besides, I thought you hated demons.¡± Rakon teased with a chuckle. ¡°Or perhaps¡­ you secretly yearn to be enslaved and locked up forever.¡± An anger flared up, hearing each work carefully picked and driven at her. Her hands trembled violently, and she couldn''t control herself. "Y-you-!" Before she could even realize it, Kalika found herself stabbing Rakon in his stomach with her dagger. She dared not to look up at Rakon, stunned by her sudden flash of intense anger. To her surprise, Rakon suddenly burst into laughter. Her knees became weak. And her grasp pulled away from the handle of her dagger. Rakon smiled, pulling the blade from himself revealing the inside of the hollow shell of his blood clone. He dropped the blade before Kalika, amused by her reaction. "I-I didn''t mean-" "Don''t lie," he interrupted, putting her in a stunned silence. Rakon placed his fingers just under Kalika''s chin, lifting her gaze to him. "I''ll allow it¡­But only because I like you." Kalika continued to look on in confusion, unable to process anything that was just said. "Even in this state, you''re very cute¡­" he said. ¡°H-huh?¡± With Kalika oriented once more, Rakon took his hand away. "But you''ll want to pull yourself together. After all, trying to go back on the contract now will only end in your enslavement, forced to bend to my own will¡­ I''m sure you wouldn''t want that." "N¡­N-no¡­ I-I just¡­ I just need some time..." Kalika felt at a loss for words. Seeing the colors slowly shift, she turned her attention back to see hues of purple starting to settle in from the sunset sky. Surprisingly Rakon suddenly offered a handkerchief. ¡°Here.¡± Kalika slowly and reluctantly grabbed it and put it to use. ¡°Th¡­ Thank you?¡± Shortly after, Rakon got out of the way, allowing Kalika to get a better view of the scene. "I have high expectations for you Kalika. After all it''ll be a shame to see you linger in this prison as my slave. Especially when there''s so much potential, so much more you can achieve that can help change this sorry excuse of a world." She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around Rakon, looking at the now wet handkerchief. "It¡­ It doesn''t matter what I do¡­ As far as he¡¯s concerned, I¡¯m just some pawn to him¡­ to be used¡­ and..." frustration started to settle back in. "You can stay up here for now, but when the sun finishes setting, let''s go back in. I''ll just wait here." "I envy you." Kalika suddenly said. Rakon stopped, listening intently to her words. "I envy you, my sister, even your brother, the Demon King... It must feel good knowing that you can do whatever you want¡­ whenever you want. free any constraints..." "You envy me?" Rakon blurted a chuckle. He gave a quick glance to Kalika. "My life isn''t forever Kalika. Just like my brother and that sister of yours, our lives are still mortal. We may live ten times longer than any human, but that doesn''t stop us from dying of old age or on the battlefield. Unlike you it seems" Rakon leaned himself on the cliffside beside the dungeon entrance. "For all we know, you may never die of old age either. living to see the fruits of our labor, generations into the future and beyond is something I think is much more enviable in my opinion." Kalika, at a loss for words, looked up into the sky somberly. feeling the breeze and trying to clear her mind. However, she soon found herself becoming more lost. Chapter 46: Emotions? A scoop of meat porridge is poured down into a bowl and handed to a prisoner awaiting his meal. Flurries of conversation about the Imperial Wall''s death are circulating throughout the prison with everyone practically expressing their shock and disappointment about the outcome. The mess hall was no different as even the cooks would mention this from time to time with the other prisoners, they served food to. In the back of the kitchen a familiar ginger-haired man entered putting on a cook apron. "Donovan!" What are you doing here!?" The old chef yelled. "Huh? What do you mean?" Donvan glanced over a little confused. "I heard you were stabbed in the gut. I''m surprised yer still alive after that. But how''re you still walkin???" "O-oh. Those guards gave me some weird green water. It was very bitter, but after that my wound disappeared like it was nothing." "What the- Those demons have something like that hidden around??" "I''m just as surprised, I''m not sure if they have more of those but if they do, I can see how the demon army could be so formidable for you Dhalian." The old cook stepped on Donovan''s toes hard. "YYOOOWW!!! What was that for!!!!??" "If your goin to be insultin us you might as well work!" The cook slammed a huge pot into Donovan''s arms. "You''re on servin duty again!" "Insulting you? Dumb old man. If I was insulting you, I would''ve done it." Donovan muttered. Donovan got the pots and bowls ready, serving out the meat porridge to the prisoners. As he served bowl after bowl to each prisoner, ongoing conversations about a fight that ended with the death of the Imperial Wall started to permeate throughout the mess hall. Hearing these conversations made Donovan feel a little uneasy. "There''s no way this can be true¡­ Can it?" Donovan thought. Elsewhere in the mess hall Prisoners were having a conversation about that very topic. "How do you reckon she did it?" a bald-headed prisoner questioned. "Did what?" "Y-you know That dark magic that came from her dagger.¡± "H-huh?" The second became more confused. "Dumb ass he wasn''t there, remember? He was poisoned like Harry." The third with longer hair prisoner butted into their conversation. "Oh, right. I completely forgot about that. Are you feelin alright?" "Just a little pain in the stomach. But otherwise, I''m fine. But what happened with the fight with the Immortal Maiden and the Imperial Wall?" "Oh right! The immortal Maiden killed him!" "W-what, really!?" "Yeah. at first, we didn''t recognize him since he was suited in pitch black armor, but when he took it off-" The long-haired prisoners¡¯ shoulder bumped his friend. His bald-headed friend turned to him, a little confused. "What?" The long-haired prisoner pointed to the mess hall door with none other than Kalika entering, her expression as uncaring as could be. Conversations ceased with her slowly making her way to the closest serving location which happened to be Donovan''s. Donovan became stiff upon seeing Kalika at his serving booth. "K-K-K-K-K-Kalika!" Donovan stood stiff. Kalika looked up and down Donovan. "Your¡­ Alive¡­" "Y-y-y-yes!!" Donovan tried to calm his nerves, taking deep breaths. The subtle sound of indistinct chatter started to surface within the mess hall. Kalika ignored this, and despite her indignant expression she looked relieved. "I''m glad that you''re still alright... But you shouldn''t be sticking your neck out there like that. You could''ve died there. and you would''ve looked more like an idiot if you did. " "Y... You''re welcome?" Donovan became stunned and confused by her words. "My food?" She inquired. "O-oh, yeah." Donovan proceeds to carefully shift through the pot of meat porridge, "A-and you hate vegetables right." "Yeah? how did you know that?" "Tilus. he told me about your dislike for them when he was helping with my training regimen," Donovan said. "Oh." "H-here you go." Donovan set the bowl ready for Kalika. "By the way. If you don''t mind me asking. Is it true tha-" Kalika suddenly dodged an incoming attack from behind as a big prisoner. He slammed his fist to the table, completely ruining Kalika''s food. "H-hey what''s the big deal!??" Donovan yelled. "Shut up wretch! I don''t understand what everyone''s so afraid of? Now¡¯s a prime time to kick this bitch''s ass!" A strong tan looking prisoner stood before Kalika, Donovan was seconds from moving in, until he witnessed Kalika conjuring forth a blood blade dagger, shocking him. "W-what the hell???" Some of the prisoners around are even shocked, even advising the buffed prisoner to step away from Kalika. He refused to listen, as he looked down at a scowling Kalika. not backing down and with a smile he threw another punch. "That won''t scare me!!" The next moment the man found Kalika gone, and his one arm split in two! The foolish prisoner could only look on in complete shock and horror. Pain rushed through as he gave out a pain screamed. "AARRGGHHHHH!!! MY ARM!! MY ARM!! W-WHAT DID SHE DO TO MY ARM!!!???" The Man''s achellie''s heel got sliced making him fall to the ground. standing over him Kalika pointed a knife at him, staring with cold eyes. "I didn''t know that my dagger Zorbian was this sharp. Or maybe you''re just that weak."Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. White noise surrounded her until Donovan pierced through." "-top Kalika, everyone gets it! C-c-calm down!" Kalika reoriented herself, with hand now trembling. "Look. I-I have another bowl for you here." Kalika pulled her knife away from the writhing man, quickly thanking Donovan for the food. Shortly after, Guards came along to collect the injured man, escorting him from the mess hall. Kalika seated herself onto a table closest to the exit, driving any other prisoners from the table itself. She ate peacefully, but Donovan couldn''t help but to see her troubled expression. "I wonder what''s up with her¡­" The old chef questioned. ''I don''t think I''ve seen her like that since before the incident with the Demon Queen¡­" "Demon Queen?" Donovan questioned. "Yeah, you wouldn''t know this, but that girl fought the Demon Queen herself, not even a year ago. I heard they killed over a hundred other prisoners in the skirmish. But before that she looked like she was on edge, as she was with that fellow she almost killed." The old chef handed Donovan a new set of bowls. "I''d try avoiding that girl if I were you. These old bones of mine are saying that somethin bad is afoot with her." Donovan glanced back at Kalika, a little more worried. "Uh. Hello." A prisoner interrupted. "Can I get my bowl now?" "S-sure." Donovan continued his work. After some time had passed, Kalika was still eating from the same bowl, eating much more slowly than she would normally. She eventually finished her meal and left with little issue. opening the door, she found that Rakon had seemingly waited for her just outside the mess hall. Donovan caught this sight. He watched as they seemed to converse with each other, with Kalika looking uncomfortable. "Isn''t that the demon who made that game to kill her?" Donovan could only watch on in concern as they left. ******** Some time later after helping with the meals, Donovan readied himself to leave. he found the old chef collecting bowls from the tables "Hey Old guy do you know where the¡­ erm¡­ Immortal Maiden''s cell is by chance? "Why the hell you wanna go there for? You should be stayin away from her!" "I just want to check something. That''s all." "Tsk. ¡®That¡¯s all¡¯. That''s what they always say.¡± The cook gazed at a doubtful glance but answered anyway. "Her cells at the closest corridor to the right of the trapped dungeon entrance. You''ll know you reached the dungeon hall by the different colored stones. But make sure you don''t enter that dungeon, otherwise it''ll kill ya, you hear." "I already know what they look like and to be careful. But thanks, old guy." Donovan took off soon after hearing his directions. The cook shook his head. "Damn fool¡­" He said to himself. turning the corner through the prison halls Donovan found guard after guard escorting prisoners left and right, all being enclosed into their cells. Conversations were in abundance as the guards talked in their native language. Name of Rakon and the current wardens being thrown out along with other unfamiliar names. He quickly hid back around the corner avoiding the guards'' gaze. It felt as though an important event was on the horizon. "All prisoners are to return to their cells." One of the guards croaked. Hearing their words, Donovan opted to avoid the guards, sneaking around and avoiding their patrols through the prisoner corridors. Eventually Donovan found the Dungeon entrance in question turning into the corridor. "I hope I didn''t take a wrong turn¡­" he thought. He looked through cell after dusty cell looking for the one Kalika was housed in. It was like a ghost town decorated with pre-made beds and abandoned belongings. It felt as though this part of the prison was purposefully made unused. He glanced to his right, finally finding a cell with a mirror. A reflection of Kalika came into view and then Kalika herself, who sat herself on her bed, staring at her own reflection. Donovan let out a sigh of relief upon seeing her. "Kalika." She didn''t move a muscle, instead shifting her eyes quickly, getting a glance at Donovan who approached. "What are you doing here?" She turned her gaze back to the mirror. "I wanted to check in on you. That cruel game is over, but you look more upset now that it''s over¡­ what happened?" ¡°I¡¯m fine. Now leave.¡± There was stifling silence that grew as Kalika refused to answer him. "Does killing Tilus weigh heavy on you...?" Donovan asked. Kalika exhaled. "What do you think?" "I¡­" Donovan took a deep breath. "I could only imagine the guilt you feel. So, I think I could understand how you feel..." Kalika muttered something beneath her breath. She started to chuckle, which slowly turned to laughter, placing the palm of her hand on her face and clawing at it. "Me? Feeling guilty?" She laughed more, thinking of Donovan''s words herself. "Y-you don''t feel guilty then?" A second later Kalika ceased her laughter, taking a deep breath. "No¡­ I don''t feel guilty. In fact, I don''t feel anything." Her voice became flatter, lacking the emotion she had shown previously. Kalika Looked at her own reflection with scrutiny. "Ironic isn''t it. He''s been like a mentor to me for years helping me survive in this prison and the arena. And I can''t feel a thing for this man¡­" Kalika turned to face Donovan. "Even then I don''t think I felt a thing for him after hearing about him vanishing¡­ or when I was fighting him in his final moments. I don¡¯t think I ever care for him at all.¡± ¡°Th¡­Thats not true¡­¡± Kalika gave a strange dull stare at Donovan as got up from her bed. she walked to Donovan, conjuring her dagger as she did. "I wonder¡­" In a blink of an eye Kalika stood in front of Donovan with blank expression and her blade to his throat. Donovan quickly pulled his hands up in shock. "K-K-Kalika?" "It''s weird. Even now I don''t think I feel anything¡­ back then the thought of threatening someone else''s life with my own hands would never have passed my mind." She pressed the tip of the dagger at his throat. "But now¡­" Donovan looked deeper in her eyes, finding that she looked almost hypnotized. "Kalika are y-" A sharp pain in his neck arose from Kalika suddenly digging her dagger into his skin. "Thinking about it now, maybe I should kill you. And save myself the trouble of having someone else using me." Each word she said started to become colder and colder. Donovan could feel the blade driving it way deeper in his neck forcing him to quickly grab the dagger at the base of its blades. "Kalika!!" A searing hot sensation emanated from the dagger. He held out from the sheer pain he felt peering in Kalika''s hypnotized gaze. He found that her eyes now had a glint of yellow slowly shining through her emerald eyes. "Kalika-! Hey! I-I''m not your enemy. Stop! Kalika!!" Kalika reoriented herself, gasping. She quickly retracted the blade from his hand and neck, leaving behind a bloodied cuts on his hand. Donovan backed away from Kalika, he looked at her much more concerned as she gasped for air. Kalika, breathing heavily, forced her hand open, dropping the blade to the ground. "I-I''m Sorry¡­ I don''t know what came over me¡­" Kalika''s eye returned to its normal color. She looked at her hands, slowly clutching it, terrified. "I¡­ I-I¡­ Please. it''s better if you forget about me. You seem like a good guy but¡­" "Kalika. Let me help you. Tilus wouldn''t want to see you like this." "What would you know? Tilus is dead now." Donovan relaxed his nerves, approaching Kalika he grabbed her hand with both of his "That''s not true. He''s over us even now from God''s place above. Just like everyone else that''s passed before." Kalika pulled her hand away quickly. "Spare me this drivel. Let me ask you this. Do you want to know what''s on the other side when you die?" Kalika looked up at Donovan to meet his gaze. "It''s darkness. Absolute darkness. It''s just an endless void of nothing. And you want me to believe that he''s still watching us." She turned away from Donovan, leaving him. "You''re a fool beyond all comprehension. stop wasting your time trying to help me and focus on yourself. and if you don''t the next time we meet, I''ll kill you, myself!" Kalika said. "Now leave!" she shouted. Donovan stood, speechless. "B-but-" Just as he was about to say something, Rakon appeared behind him. "You heard the lady." Donovan looked back to find Rakon behind him, sporting a sour expression looking at him. Guards came from behind grabbing Donovan. "H-hey let go!" He wanted to resist but found himself easily overpowered. " " The guards affirmed their understanding and escorted Donovan from the prison corridor. All the while trying to resist. Rakon turned his attention to a depressed looking Kalika as she continued to stare at the ground beneath. "What are you doing here?" she questioned. "I''m just assuring that some of my loyal followers don''t get any bright Ideas with the other prisoner. these followers are visiting directly from the Pit, so you can never be too careful..." Kalika soon found her chin being lifted to meet Rakon''s gaze from above. "Make sure to prepare yourself accordingly. I have high expectations for you." Rakon said solemnly. Chapter 47: The Last Standing City In the sky a red winged demon hovers above a large heavily fortified city, away from the prying eyes of the soldiers below patrolling the large stone walls. Loud explosions, Fire whizzing through the air in what looks to be a makeshift training ground. The demon watching, took note of the strange weapon they were using. He brought forth a parchment writing down this vital information. Another blue winged demon joined the other red demon. "It''s just like he said," The red demon said. The scroll was handed to the blue demon. "Give this to the king." The blue demon agreed, leaving the red demon to continue his recon of the city. He watched as all the villagers started to be escorted into the nearby fortified castle. With the army, most likely sensing an impending battle. ******** The demon army marched onwards towards the heavily fortified city with Lucius, Lillian and their two top generals following closely behind, guiding the demon army. "Hmm¡­ strange," Lucius pondered. Lillian glanced at Lucius curiously. "What is it, Lucius?" "We should have encountered some patrol''s by now¡­ according to the information we¡¯ve received, they typically patrol this rough terrain thoroughly." Lucius immediately halted the marching army, commanding the available scouts'' to thoroughly scan the area. With the new order''s two red demons are sent out in search of the scouts. Just then, the blue demon with the report arrived, gracefully landing by Lucius. Lucius is given the scroll in hand, quickly reading its contents, curiously. "Azar, Jala. Have everyone start setting up camp." "What about the patrol?" Jala asked. "It seems that the confederate army is converging in Gralin. Perhaps news of their last ports fall had reached them. In any case, we''ll need to be ready by tomorrow." ******** In the dead of night Lillian sat upon a rock in the middle of the plains. She looked in the night sky gazing upon the stars, away from the prying eyes of the army she was leading. "No prayers, again?" Lillian turned to find Lucius making his way to her side. She turned back to look at the skies. "Back from your war meeting already?¡± "It''s unlike you not to pray to your God. no one else is here. Is that sister of yours on your mind again?" "No¡­ But I would like to see her again. It''s almost been half a year." Lillian then gave a slight chuckle. "Do you think she misses me?" Lillian glanced back at Lucius, seeing that he could only give a chuckle at the idea. "I thought so too¡­" Looking upon the stars more seriously, she found two mountains, not too different from that cliff Kalika would look over every now and then. Memories of a deeper past flourished through her mind. Memories of simpler times. "When this war is done, I''d like to give Kalika her own room in the castle¡­" she suddenly said. "Hmmm...? What brought this thought upon you, Lillian¡­? Have you forgiven her?" "God no." she chuckled. "I don''t think I''ll ever forgive her for what she''s done¡­ But after everything that''s happened, with the Heroes of Prophecy and that angel. I guess I just want her to be closer to me I guess." Lucius could only smile. "If we do that, she''ll be your responsibility. I hope you understand." "Of course, and if you want, we can even revise our old agreement to include- Uhh¡­ You know." "Ah, yes. It''s due to expire after this war is over, isn''t it? I almost forgot about that." Lucius now looked at the stars above too. "You''ve been a lot of help to keep the orders in my court, it must''ve felt strange to keep your origins as a Saintess hidden." "Not quite. I was already used to keeping it a secret. To be honest I never wanted this power to begin with." Lillian looked at her hand, channeling a faint glow of her holy magic. "I always wanted to live my life day to day as carefree as possible. But that didn''t work out." she closed her palms, canceling the magic. Lillian got up stretching from head to tail. "So much changed in one day. But this is my life now and I''d like it to stay as it is now." "Hmph." Lucius, amused, gazed back at Lillian. "So how would you like to do this agreement?" "We don''t have to change anything. Well maybe just a line or two but¡­ I think that''s it." "Just a line or two? Why not three or four?" Lucius teased. "Let''s look it over then, when the time comes. How does that sound?" Lillian, leaving, rubbed the tip of her tail by Lucius''s neck, almost playfully. Lucius smiled at the interaction and followed close behind. "That sounds good to me," ******** Within a highly decorated room with fancily designed carpets and other rare-looking ornaments decorating the stone walls, two men cladded in heavy iron and gold-plated armor knelt before an old man. One of the kneeling men had great blonde hair, while the other had brown hair. "We are ready. Head Priest Frances." The blonde-haired man said. In his raspy voice the priest spoke up. "Good¡­ In the name of God Cassell. We will drive these horrid invaders away. God is on our side." "Yes. Tomorrow will defeat the Demon King and Queen and take back our country!" The brown hair man proclaimed. ¡°We will avenge our fellow brethren!¡± ********* The morning of the drums of war encroached. Rows and rows of the demon army troops marched in unison, approaching the city. rows and rows of infantry littered the front lines of the confederate army. Men with bows and those Celestine pipes kept a vigilant eye out on the demon army, as some of their winged compatriots took to the sky. Some of the archers stationed at the wall started to lose nerve seeing the demons flying in the air. "Stand firm." a veteran archer said.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Back down on the ground, the Demon army was now face to face with the confederate army. Slowly Lucius approached the confederate army dressed in his dark-gray armor, all the way up to his head with a frightening looking helmet. Despite the stoic expression of the men he saw before him, the frightened murmurs of the other soldiers behind could clearly be heard. Lucius, without saying a word, lifted his right index finger. He steadily channeled a small light, turning it into a blazing ball of fire. Bigger. Bigger. Bigger. It started to grow much bigger than even the huge, fortified gate before them. "So, this is what remains of the confederate army?" Men in the front start to panic as others quickly readied their shields. Orders to charge flooded the battlefield as the confederate army made their last stand! With a simple flick of Lucius''s finger an entire row a battalion became engulfed in fire, charring each man to ash. The Demon army charged in upon this attack! Winged demons swooping in as archers fired arrows. A mess of blood stained the ground in an instant with the confederate soldier easily being overwhelmed by the demon''s strength. Explosions from both Lillian and Azar''s attack filled the back line of their enemies, scattering the bits and pieces of the human soldiers across the battlefield. Jala on the other hand broke through enemy lines. Using both his scorching blue flames and chilling Ice magic to cover the field, inducing further chaos onto the battlefield. He continued driving through the enemy forces and slaughtered man after man. Slowly closing in on the walls of the fortified city ahead. "Sir, they''re breaking through our lines!!" An archer shouted. "Ready your bows." Their Captain ordered. From the wall the groups of archers pulled their strings and upon their command. Released a hail of arrows upon the demon horde. "READY!!!" The captain readied many more archers this time. "FIRE!!!" The fire in rapid succession in hopes to slaughter their enemy. Arrows rained down onto the battlefield striking ally and foe alike. Very few people were safe from this barrage. Sparing most of those who wore armor. "Ready the Pipes," The blonde-haired General stated. "General Trevor? What are you doing here?" The captain questioned. "What kind of general keeps himself off the battlefield?¡± ¡°But what about the Head Priest!??¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Right now, we must repel these monsters! Now ready those pipes!¡± Trevor commanded. A line of men ready their arms and fired on command. Lucius seeing this, ordered for his winged soldiers to fall back as blistering fire scorched the ground and the air alike. Azar in the sky landed right beside Lucius. ¡°Do you want the ground troops to fall back too?¡± ¡°No. We have to keep pushing. have them keep pushing their army to the wall as planned. then we¡¯ll have our spare men attack from their side.¡± ¡°So be it.¡± Azar said, taking back off into the sky. Marching around all seeing all the archers he, General Trevor turned his attention back to their Captain. ¡°Do we have any more of those pipe weapons in reserve?" "Y-yes I reckon over a thousand sir." "Well, what are we doing, we should arm our best men now!" General Trevor turned his attention to a wimpy looking soldier. "You! Kid! Go grab those pipes and deliver them to our best, and those pouches of powder too." The weak soldier looked a little dumbfounded. ¡°Kid!¡± "Oh! Y-yes sir!!" The soldier ran off to gather the equipment, leaving the general and captain as they watched the chaos unfold before them. "We can''t let them get any closer." "Folly. They can''t get any closer as it is. All we have to do is lead them back and blaze them with the pipes. I doubt that they¡¯ll expect our barrier." the captain said. "Fool. Didn''t you hear? Thomas perished at the hands of that Demon Queen." "And?" The captain became confused. General Trevor scowled at the man. "You must be new to your position." he scoffed. "Alright listen carefully. Thomas was not only one of the best generals, but he was also extremely cautious. He even went as far as to wear a holy relic of the church. Not only that, but he was also give a piece of the holy stone itself." "W-wait he was given both a holy relic and a holy stone from the church!?" "Yes. In fact, the priest gave me and Cier a piece of the stone too just recently. Albeit much weaker than Thomas''s." Trevor became much more serious looking over the battlefield with scrutiny. "Still¡­ If the Demon Queen is able to destroy his barrier, how do you think our city''s barrier will hold up if she arrives? For all we know, it could crumble at her touch. So don¡¯t you dare let your guard down!" Hearing General Trevor''s statement, the captain began to feel a sense of dread. "R-right! B-but what should we do??" "Isn''t it obvious? We find the Demon Queen as soon as we can and kill her. But then we¡¯ll need to find the Demon King, But the priest already has something ready for him. just in case.¡± ¡°Even if this war ends in a draw. It''s much better than the former." The General finished. Back onto the Battlefield, the demon army is noticing that the confederate forces are being slowly pushed back to the walls. "Hey, Look They''re running" a demon yelled. The demon''s army continues to press forth. Lucius continued to watch from afar. Something felt off to him. ¡°They¡¯ve ceased firing those pipes¡­¡± he thought to himself. He narrowed his eyes from the strange circumstance. "What are they up to?¡± Lucius quickly turned to Azar who rejoined him much earlier. "Tell everyone to fall back." Azar became shocked upon hearing this. "A-are you sure you want to fall back now?? We have them where we want them." Lillian, who is also with them, stared straight at the large stone wall. She saw a strange familiar wave or some sort of distortion. "Lucius. There''s a Barrier." The Confederate army fell back to the walls, just as it seemed that the battle was finished a demon blade struck an invisible blue barrier! "READY!¡± ¡°AIM!" The demons looked up, finding even more of the confederate soldiers on the wall now geared with the pipes in their hands. "FIRE!" Torrents and a flurry of balls of flames shot at the demon''s horde. Massacring many of the demons there. All Lucius and his Lillian could do was watch as their force started to get decimated by the piped weapons "So, they were holding back," Lucius said. "If they have a barrier, we won''t be able to reach them." "Strange, how is it that this city has a barrier?" Lillian questioned. "Most likely thanks to the Celestine Empire just like those staff''s they''re using¡­" Lillian became more serious hearing this. "Them." Without warning she grew her demonic wings taking off back into the battlefield. "Hey! Where are you going!?" Lucius questioned. "I''m going to destroy that barrier!" Hearing this Lucius Furrowed his brow as Azar became evidently confused by these proclamations. "Destroy the Barrier, That''s impossible." "Lucius, watching Lillian, Issued his orders. "Have our frontline fall back and on standby. And gather your best with earth magic to erect walls until further notice." "Your Majesty?" Azar bit her lip and followed his instruction. "Right away!" Lillian in the sky shot through the battlefield hurdling her way to the barrier. General Trevor, scanning the progressing battle, notices a blue demon woman with white hair flying low to the ground at an almost blinding speed. seeing her uniquely fitted armor, he came to the consensus that their target was found. He quickly gathered men with bows and pipes, ordering them to fire at Lillian. "Kill That demon!" he shouted. Lillian, noticing them, took off into the sky to shake off their aim. Fire and smoke filled the sky with a single target in mind. A blast fire grazed Lillian''s wing and face as she dodged the fire and arrows being hailed to her. She continued maneuvering through enemy fire opting to reach the far side of the barrier, at the corner of the fortified city. Like a bolt of lightning, she landed on the barrier and quickly used her holy magic to disrupt and make a hole in the barrier. She entered the newly made hole that had closed back up just as quickly. ¡°Tch¡± as disappointed as she was, she understood full well that there had to be a source for the barrier. She flew herself over the wall casting explosive magic unto the archer below, decimating their forces on the wall. Azar and Jala, seeing this, become shocked. All the while Lucius could only strike the hairs on his chin, impressed by Lillian¡¯s ability. "Y-y-your orders?" One of the demon captains asked. "Standby until this barrier is destroyed." Azar returns, finishing her duty. "Anything else Your Majesty?" "No. For now, we can''t pass that barrier. But with Lillian on the other side, it''s only a matter of time." "But what if she''s killed?" Azar Ask''s. Lucius glanced at Azar uncaringly. "Worried for Lillian''s wellbeing¡­? How unlike you. She is the Queen of Demons, the second most powerful among all of you. And you know this better than anyone here. Azar." "I''m not worried for her. But there''s two of those human generals in that city with those strange pipe weapons." "She''ll overcome it. Just like she did with the Heroes of Prophecy." Lucius finished. Lillian continued to rain down chaos on the soldier below until finally she was struck in her wing with a torrent of fire from a pipe. Falling from the sky she landed on her feet hard, quickly retracting her wings. She became surrounded by soldiers gunning for her head. But with a wave of her finger, she dismembered each and every one of the soldiers around her with wind magic. She cleans the splattered blood off her skin taking note of her surroundings. She found herself in a leveled part of the city that was demolished aside from a few homes with thatched roof tops. Behind her stood the large town that was now consumed with fire. An explosion rang out, she quickly dodged to her side, nearly avoiding an attack from another of those pipe weapons. Now standing before her was General Trevor who now sported a freshly burned scar to the right of his face. And the blonde hair he once had partially burned from his head. "Strange. I feel like I recognize you from somewhere." Trevor readied a second piped weapon in his other hand. "It''s just your imagination." Lillian attacked the General with her wind magic aiming true until it struck his Barrier. "Huh!?" The General smiled, contently. "I won''t be dying that easily! Queen of Demons!" Chapter 48: Realities of War Conjuring a ball of fire, Lillian launched it straight at the General before her. The scorching fire washed over his round Barrier, and from the fire, an explosion from the pipe in his hand echoed through the desolate destroyed city. She dodged the pillar of fire that almost landed a devastating blow on her. The General quickly bolted into the nearest destroyed house, frustrating Lillian. "Hmph!" Lillian directed more of her wind magic onto the man, but each attack only ended in failure as the barrier protected him from each blow. She then conjured forth spikes of earth magic, launching straight into the destroyed home. This left trails of rubber as the general located a barrel of powder, Scooping its contents into the two long pipes. Lillian smashed through the wall, continuing to apprehend the man. He shot off another round this time hitting her in the gut! He blasted a second but was blocked by a conjured wall of earth. Lillian felt her hollow and burnt through stomach, healing it quickly through her regeneration and holy magic combined. He blasted another round into the earth wall protecting her. "There she is!! That''s the Demon Queen!!" a soldier yelled. Lillian looked behind, finding scores of the confederate soldiers armed with the same pipes. "FIRE!!" Their captain shouted" Squads of soldiers fire their pipes forcing Lillian to conjure another earth wall. Despite these protections, however. Everything began to feel completely overwhelming feeling the sheer heat of the blasts. "Keep up the fire men!!" Another wave of explosion, but this time followed by a hot steamy fog. This confused many of the soldiers. "What are you doing!?? Keep firing men-!" The commander was suddenly silenced. The fog started to envelop the soldiers. Sounds of tearing flesh and unnatural slices surrounded the men. Eventually the silhouette of Lillian holding the head of one of the soldiers came into focus. She peeked out from the fog, throwing the head to the side. Seeing Lillian''s approach, some of the men started to cower. But another fearless soldier charged in with his sword showing his full incompetence. And as if by mere thought, Lillian slaughtered with a simple flick of her finger. Glancing back, Lillian found that the General had escaped somewhere. "Where is he now?" A shot from above. Lillian formed a round barrier of water around her, eating up most of the attack. Fog quickly filled the area allowing her a quick escape from the general''s sight. "Shit." General Trevor scoops another two handfuls of powder into his pipes. He feels for his sword, and then for a pouch by his side. He looked down from the top of the building for his men, seeing only their scattered remains. "I have to let Ciel know." Aiming one of the pipes into the sky he shoots it off. "There you are," Lillian said. Lillian came from the sky with a punch, hitting his Barrier. She attempted to use her holy magic but was thwarted as the man jumped from the building! Shocked by this move, she looked down, finding him conjuring an earth pillar from the side of the building, landing on it. From there he jumps from building to building, in a futile attempt to escape. "Clever man." Annoyed, Lillian uses the full force of her wind and earth magic to devastate the buildings below. House after house, Rubble after rubble. No stone wall or thatched roof was safe from the onslaught of magic attacks she unleashed. He returned fire using his last shot in his pipe, this time grazing past her face. Unfortunately for the General, the house below completely collapsed below him. Losing his footing, he fell into the rubble of the newly destroyed house. Screams of anguish started coming from the newly destroyed home. Wasting no time, Lillian flew over to the remains of the house, landing in front of the general. The General, now scratched and bruised, looked back up at Lillian as she scanned their surroundings. To her shock, the area littered with civilians, some of which tried to squirm out from the debris to little success. She scowled seeing this. And with her tail, she threw a piece of debris at the man, watching as it bounced off the barrier. "Hey. Is your army so Ill prepared that you didn''t evacuate everyone? Or was it that they refused to follow your army''s order¡­" Lillians gazed at the general more intensely. ¡°And to think¡­ you¡¯d destroy your own city to maintain power.¡± Raising her hand, Lillian burned everything around them asunder. a fire so intense, the General thought he¡¯d be burned alive from within the barrier itself. Brief screams filled the area followed by a deafening silence. The crackling of the flames disappeared along with the very fire. The General looked around shocked to see the fatally injured civilians now charred corpses. "What are you surprised about? If you wanted to protect them, you should''ve brought them somewhere safe, like the church," Lillian Said. in disgust. Lillian attacked the barrier with her clawed hands. Once again, using her holy magic she penetrates the Barrier with her fingers now piercing through. The General started to become even more frightened seeing that she was now tearing through the Barrier. But then¡­. BOOM!! A pillar of fire shot through Lillian''s arm! Using this moment of confusion, General Trevor got to his feet, escaping with a single pipe in hand. Lillian regenerated her arm, more annoyed by the arrival of a second General. A brown hair gruff man with a beard, wearing the same designed armor as the former. He perched himself far away atop a tall tower.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Damn it! I missed!" Ceil hissed. "That was too close!" General Trevor looked more fiercely at Lillian. "Whatever you do, don''t let the Demon Queen near you!" Trevor shouted. "Oh?" Lillian followed Trevor into a decimated town square. She glanced around curiously as she wondered where the other General was. Soon, soldiers arrived onto the scene, many more than what Lillian had faced so far. Most of them sported pipes and readied their weapons. As others from behind had swords and bows ready to attack. Lillian could only smile, amused at the situation. "More?" Even more soldiers started arriving at her two sides, and then even behind her. It''s as if they forced every man in the city to participate. This seemed to be the case upon closer inspection, The soldiers were all wounded in some form or fashion with even a couple missing an arm. "Hmm¡­" Seeing the sorry state of the men, she became more serious. "FIRE!" Trevor shouted. Lillian quickly conjured a round barrier of water and earth, surrounding herself. Piles of steam once again filled the air. A fear rose among a few of the soldiers, followed by some relief? Without explanation their pain faded away from each soldier including the two generals. "This¡­ must be a blessing from god." One of the soldiers proclaimed. "We¡­ We killed her! We killed the Demon Queen!!" General Trevor felt the side of his face, finding his scar now gone. Suddenly a golden glow emanated around everyone, along with a surge of power. "This¡­ This is the power of God himself¡­" Trevor almost stared into the sky with awe until a laughter arose, the shock and awe. But then¡­ A familiar voice then arose. "I see you all appreciate the boost I''ve given." Lillian blew away all the fog surrounding them, revealing herself to be just fine. "Hmmm¡­¡± She smiled, almost proudly. ¡°I think one more should do it." Raising her hand slightly, everyone once again started to glow gold feeling another surge of energy unlike what they''ve felt before. Confusion struck everyone that surrounded Lillian. "W-what- Why would the Demon Queen- No! How could she do such a thing?" Ciel muttered to himself. "I still pity some of you. Those of you who are still scared, that came from the mountains and countryside, feel free to leave. If you give up willingly, I''ll let you live." "She''s a liar! Don''t listen!" The soldier aiming his pipe was instantly slaughtered. "I''m still talking." Lillian kept a sharp glare at General Trevor who stationed himself behind the soldiers. " I can still kill all of you now, where you stand. If you truly wish to die for this losing war, so be it. But if you still want to live¡­ This is the only time I''ll show any of you mercy." "So what will it be¡­" Lillian lifted a finger, slowly manifesting explosive magic at the tip of it. It grows bigger, and bigger and bigger. "W-what kind of magic is that? "One of the soldiers muttered. "Ready!!" Trevor Shouted. With practiced ease, many of the soldiers aimed their pipes at an unamused Lillian. All the while some of the other soldiers just stood, stunned by the size of the magic they were witnessing. It felt as though everything was at a standstill. "Ready!" Trevor repeated. Tension became thick within the ranks, until finally¡­ "I-I surrender-!!" A soldier shouting within was cut down by one of the captains. "Aim your damn pipes men!!!" The captain yelled. Slowly more men started to join in reluctantly. "Shame¡­" she said, recognizing not only the choice, but fear from within. A faint yellow glow started to materialize in front of all the brigades, one of which, in front of the commander. "Huh?" General Ciel who''s watching from atop a building is flabbergasted. Before anyone could realize, the explosive balls of magic are sent hurtling to the closest soldier! Explosions surrounded Lillian; she flicked her finger to Ciel sending the huge ball of explosive magic his way. He stood in stunned silence as it quickly closed in! He jumped! and in a matter of moments the building he stood on was completely destroyed. Not wasting any time, she pushed past the smoke and into the horde of soldiers. She slaughtered every man in sight. She scorched the earth beneath, setting soldiers ablaze. And using the wind magic she sliced through each enemy in sight. Men struck at her back and arm to little effect. Each soldier was swiftly dispatched as she healed from each cut and blow. Through this terrifying display of strength, the soldier resolved to fight and slowly started to dwindle away in ranks. "FIRE!!" A captain yelled. The amplified power of the soldier in other brigades penetrated the horde she was fighting off. "Killing your own allies now?" She questioned. She ripped off the head of a soldier, sending it flying to the other brigade''s Captain, Killing him. The blazing heat of their fire started to become much hotter, scorching the very stone pavement of the city. They blasted shot after shot, all in a futile attempt to kill Lillian. All the while Lillian culled their fellow men and looked around for the blonde General, still unable to find him in the chaos. Even more fire, now even more filled the air! The firing of the pipes became more and more relentless, each time killing an allied soldier and wounding Lillian for a few moments. With an entire Brigade destroyed she moves to the next, dealing the same pain to each man in her way. Slice, breaking, burning, snapping even drowning with her water magic. she unleashed the full length of her knowledge to kill unto them. Eventually through the battle her eyes become fixated by something a far distance off. Seeing this she smiled. "There it is¡­" ******** Alongside a destroyed dirt path Trevor ran up alongside a few of his troops. "Ciel! Ciel!" Stumbling from between two houses Ciel stumbled out coughing. "I''m right here! What are you doing here??" "Are you injured?" "No. Surprisingly I''m just fine." Ciel turns back, looking at the remainder of the destroyed building. "But what are you doing here Trevor?" "To make sure you''re alive, of course. We''re the last two generals left. If one of us dies now the morale of the remaining men will plummet." Trevor gave a hand that was turned away. "Now is not the time for concern. We need to focus on killing the Demon Queen and King." Just then Lillian flew towards them! followed by an army of their men chasing her. "Speak of the devil¡­" Ciel said, shocked. Lillian turned back with a smile on her face. "Here you are." She pinched her finger, making it bleed and without hesitation she threw her blood on the ground. PING The two generals suddenly found themselves holding their swords by the church along with the dismembered corpse of their men. Blood and burnt stone could be seen everywhere they looked, like a battlefield of a desecrated land. "W-what the-" Ciel and Trevor, looked at the corpses, realized that the men before them were all part of the last line of defense. A panic started to settle in between the two. "Whew. I don''t think I''ve killed this many soldiers before. It''s amazing how well admired you two are. For them to sacrifice their lives to protect you two is admirable." Stunned, both generals looked up to find Lillian at the top of the church holding the church''s sacred relic. "W-when did we- what black magic is this!!??" Ciel questioned. "Don''t worry I just snipped a piece of your memory away, not that you''ll need it. "Ciel! She has the God''s Tear!! We can''t let her-" Before he could finish Lillian shattered the entire crystal in her hand. "No. You won''t be needing this either." Just then the entire barrier surrounding the entire city dispelled in an instant. ¡°You all put up a tougher fit than I expected. Good work.¡± Her words to the two generals almost felt like she was mocking them. This unexpected turn of event enraged them. as just moments ago they were about to fight back against Lillian. ******** Lucius, still standing by, proudly witnessed the barrier''s sudden glow and immediate dispersal as it shattered into a trillion pieces, vanishing like air. "Order all troops to charge." He told Azar. "As you wish." The confusion of the confederate soldier became visible. Glances and panics from even the most veteran soldier start to arise. Not long after the bloody conflict resumed. Many soldiers stationed at the stone walls became an easy slaughter for the demon. Heads and ligaments scatter across the ground along with the screams of defenseless soldiers. Azar, stepping up, conjured her explosive magic, using it to completely destroy the gates of the city. The demon''s horde charged in killing any soldier they could find and burning the homes not already destroyed asunder. ******** Lillian watching this couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed in seeing the barbaric actions of her army. A shot is fired at Lillian. She dodged, giving a chai smile at the two furious generals. "Still fighting? You''ve already lost this war. You two might as well give in now." "Never! We will never let you sins of God win! You will lose this day, demon!!" Trevor aimed another pipe at Lillian, Firing another burst of fire from it. That quickly dispelled itself. "W-what the-" Seeing this, even Lillian is surprised. "Out of Magic already?" Lillian held out her hand. Once again, the two generals glowed Gold with strength resurfacing. But this only served to infuriate them further. Lillian jumped down from the church roof. "I''ll give you two, one more choice. You can give up now... Or you can die fighting this losing war." With determined looks they held out their swords and pipe in defiance. Lillian could only sigh in disappointment "Fine. But I won''t be your opponent." Not long after she said those words, and like a blazing fury, Both Jala and Azar arrived along with Lucius. The generals looked back, shocked to find the demons that now stood behind them. ¡°Now let''s end this war, shall we.¡± Lillian said. Chapter 49: Schemes "Master Frances." A young man calls. An elderly man adorned in priestly robes was praying to a small marble statue of a young looking man. He sat himself in a chair behind him, in front of a dead fireplace in his bedroom. He sighed looking upon the statue with admiration. "What is it?" "T-t-the demons! They broke through! What should we do???" The priest, although surprised, simply clenched the arm of his chair as tight as he could.. "How did they- Have they invaded this church?" he asks. "N-no. B-b-but it''s only a matter of time. The Generals are trying to hold back the demons all by themselves and there''s no one else out there to back them up!" "Blasphemy! We have men in reserve." "But they''re all dead, Master! Slaughtered by the Demon Queen herself!" A cold sweat ran down the old man''s face. "T-the Demon Queen¡­T-then that means¡­" The head priest struggled up from his chair, grabbing a satchel. "We must go! We need to gather our most loyal and devout. Then men, the women, the children. Even the elderly." "But it''s not safe! You need to escape now-!" "Nonsense! There is no escape. If we don''t kill the King and Queen of the demons now, the entirety of our kin will perish beneath those monstrosities!" The young man reluctantly assists the Priest out of the room. The Priest stopped, catching his breath. "My child¡­ This day I have no doubts that we will see God in all his magnificents. I know for a fact that this day we will all see a miracle beyond all comprehension. Are you ready to give your life in the name of God Cassell? The young man grasps onto the priest''s hand with both his own. "Of course! I''m ready and willing." "Very good. Now post haste!" ******** Both General Trevor and Ceil found themselves surrounded by some of the most powerful demons they''ve ever faced. The intense aura of everyone there was almost sickening. "There you are Lillian. I see you have the last two there''s two men left," Lucius said. "Yes. These two are the last generals of the confederate army. I offer mercy but they''d rather die an honorable death it seems." Lillian turned her attention to both Jala and Azar. ¡°Jala, Azar you can kill them. Me and Lucius will be watching just outside this courtyard." The two generals looked at both Jala and Azar with familiarity. Ceil furrowed his brow. "Aren''t they¡­" A bloodthirsty aura crept behind the two generals. The feeling of suffocation intensifying with each passing second. The two men shuddered involuntarily, feeling a hand being placed on their shoulder. "Relax, If I wanted to kill you two, I would''ve done it already. I''m just giving you two a fair warning¡­," Lillian said. Lillian continued on her way to Lucius and her demon Generals. A Realization passed through both men at once. They both grasped their chests at once feeling for something of importance was missing. "W-when did she-" Trevor was cut off. "She erased our memories." Ceil said. "She must''ve destroyed it somehow when we were fighting her then." "Lillian." Lucius whispered. "Are you sure you don''t want me to kill them?" "They can handle it just fine, Besides I want to give them a fighting chance at the very least." Lucius chuckled hearing this. "So you feel pity for them. Alright. have it your way." Lillian turned back to the generals with a smile. "You two can consider this your execution. But if you somehow live, I''ll just erase the memories of your whole life." She said cheerfully. Hearing this cheerful tone only served to put the men on edge further. "Azar, Jala. have fun...," Lillian Said. "And Good luck~!" Azar Rolled her eyes as she conjured forth an explosive ball of Magic. "Let me handle this." Azar sent an explosive magic ball their way, exploding upon impact. Her bored gaze soon turned to surprise as they found the two generals. Their armors glowed a strange blow hue. "What kind of magic-" Jala cut Azar off, sending blue flames of magic. But this becomes waved off from the hefty swing of Ciel''s sword. Jala narrowed his eyes. "These Humans¡­" "Be careful you two¡­ They''re more powerful than you think," Lillian said, with a hint of pride. Lillian and Lucius distanced themselves as much as they could as an intense stare down ensued. The last Confederate Generals looked back at the Demon Generals with determination, While Jala and Azar couldn''t look less interested. Jala manifests streams of water around him, all the while Azar prepared a ball of fire in one hand and an explosive ball in the other. Wasting no time, both sides engaged. Azar and Jala launched their magic attacks at both generals with expert precision. all for these attacks to be easily thwarted as they washed off the two generals. Ciel made the first move, attacking Azar with his sword in hand. She barely dodged but used the opportunity to blast an explosion straight at him! Jala and Trevor however find himself in an equal stalemate as Jala''s ice magic seems to crack apart upon impact. He conjured forth his blood blade sword, blocking the Trevor''s slash. "Lillian. What''s going on here?" Lucius asked. As both Lillian and Lucius watched the exchange of parries and dodges, Lillian explained the strange circumstances they were witnessing. "Those two men you see are wearing Armor from the previous Heroes of Prophecy. It''s said in the scriptures that these armors were blessed by God Cassell to withstand all evil unnatural to this world." "They''ve prepared themselves well then.¡± Lucius noted. ¡°But this won''t save them in the end." Lillian agreed, watching with great interest.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Jala swung his sword harder, making Trevor feel the heft of his swing. Trevor glanced at Lillian and Lucius. Another push of Strength was instantly exerted unto him. "Your opponent is me," Jala said, almost uncaringly. Jala pushed Trevor away. Trevor planted his feet firmly back to the ground. Standing his ground. He instantly dashed back into combat. The General then held out his hand. Jala swung his blade, completely missing the head of the general as he ducked in time. Crouching down and touching the ground beneath, he had a pillar of earth shoot him into the air! Trevor attacked Jala from above, swinging his blade down hard! Jala quickly blocked this attack. and stared straight as the General who looked even more determined. In one swift move, Jala deflected and kicked the General back, leaving Trevor to wallow in frustration. They both continued their exchange of attacks and parries as Azar and Ciel continued their fight, much closer to the church. With Azar and Ciel, Azar was keeping her distance from the man, splashing him with waves of explosive and fire magic. Her frustration started to become more and more evident. with each attack being brushed off like it was nothing. At her wits end she finally decides to switch up her attacks. Ciel swung at her with his sword only for her to catch it midair. And with all her strength, she tossed him back, giving her room. Ciel got ready to block but was caught off guard when she conjured a ball of earth colored in a darker brown. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but I think I¡¯d rather pummel you instead.¡± undeterred, Ciel rushed into attack. In that same moment, Azar reshaped it into a long rod using it to block Ciel''s attack. It sparked upon impact and was hard as steel. She pushes him back, conjuring five additional balls of earth and launching them at the General. Ciel dodged and blocked this relentless onslaught of the ball. Suddenly, he was pierced with an earth spike in his shoulder. He continued to charge forth through the halls of earth balls and spikes sent his way. closing the distance he finally swung forth! Only for her to suddenly vanish. Looking around frantically, scanning for her presence. "Where''d she-" "You know what¡­ I always did prefer getting my hands dirty anyways," Azar stated, sending a chill down Ciel¡¯s spine. She showed up right behind Ciel with a huge clever looking weapon in hand, posed and ready to strike with the blade. A cold sweat ran down Ciel''s face. He quickly jerked his body to block this strike head on. The weight of her blindingly fast attack sent him crashing through the church walls where the remaining civilians took refuge. Ciel got up and noticed the dent in his sword. Looking around he realized that he was now surrounded by the remaining civilians of the town who were now cowering, seeing Azar enter. ¡°It¡¯s the demons!¡± Th-they¡¯re going to kill us all!!¡± Azar, hearing this, smirked. Entering the church, she readied an explosive magic ball again. "So, this is where the other humans are." ¡°Wahhh!! Please don¡¯t kill us!¡± a woman pleaded, hugging her child. Without hesitation, Azar launched an explosive ball straight at Ciel. ¡°NOOO!!!!¡± Mustering as much power as possible Ciel sent out a wave of pure wind magic to deflect Azar''s magic back at her. Seeing this, she cuts through the magic, letting it explode. Through the smoke Ciel charged back at Azar and thrusted his blade into her. She grits her teeth, pissed. "You filthy bastard." She muttered. ¡°Everyone! Escape now!!¡± Azar pushed him off her. In that same instant, she manifested an earth ball and reformed it into a club. using all her strength she smacked the general back into the church! Ciel crashed into civilians and their church''s altar, now more bloodied than ever. Screams of women and children filled the room as they witnessed the scene. ¡°How dare you! You filthy bastard. You could¡¯ve died quietly. but no~.¡± As Azar entered ever deeper in the church, her wound slowly healed up until nothing was there anymore. The women and children panicked, unsure what to do. ¡°How pathetic.¡± Azar said. Suddenly Azar sent out a flurry of explosive magic and fire magic in the General''s direction, killing the other women and children in the church and fire and rubble the entire room. She stomps onto the general''s chest, completely denting the armor. "OH, It looks like your armor''s about to break. How sad." she mocked. She conjured forth another ball earth reshaping it into a sword this time. "Nothing Personal, Ciel¡­" "W-we had a deal." Ciel wheezed. "The deal still stands. All your leader has to do is blow that horn¡­ we gave. And I¡¯m sure once he sees both of your corpses, he¡¯ll be much obliged to do so.¡± She said in a playful tone. ¡°Oh. And about us returning to the pit¡­ We have no intention of leaving." Azar gave a more devilish smile. She stabbed the General through the throat, sending the entirety of her blade through it. slowly the man choked on his own blood, killing him. leaving Azar to smile sinisterly. The clashing of blades continued with Jala and Trevor, with each one matching strike for strike and parry with parry. Hearing another set of explosions, Trevor glanced back, Concerned. "You''re distracted again," Jala said. Jala landed a clean hit on Trevor''s chest, sending him flying through the air. He landed onto his back hard, leaving him gasping for breath. Trevor drove his sword into the ground, supporting his climb, back to his feet. Taking in the air around him, Trevor pulled his sword from the ground, Parrying Jala''s second attack. Eventually the two clashed, interlocking their swords. Jala''s calmness became unnerving to Trevor. He could tell at the glance that this demon looked down on him. "How disappointing," Jala said. "I expected more of a challenge. Then again, no human can never reach the level of the Heroes of Prophecy" "Y-you bastards¡­!" Trevor gritted his teeth. "I knew we shouldn''t have trusted you two." He hissed. Trevor pushed away from Jala. Holding and aiming his hands, he conjured a cube shape of earth magic, shooting it Jala took the hits straight on, ignoring the attack. He grabs onto the neck of the General throwing him towards Lucius and Lillian. Ice started freezing around Trevor, Holding him in place, He struggled to get out. Suddenly sharp pain as his arm was sliced through, then his opposite leg! Trevor can only scream from the pain, left at the mercy of the demons. Trevor glared back up and Lucius, the Demon King "Y-you will die this day!" he proclaimed Another arm is sliced followed by a scream. Jala now stepped onto the head of the now dying general. Azar came from the church rolling the head of Ciel, the man she just killed Lillian and Lucius. "My target is killed. What about you Jala?" Trevor was now eye to eye with a deceased ally. He tries to hold out, determined to keep fighting. But Jala stepped on the man harder. "I was just about to end this actually." Just before he could finish off the General, subtle chanting and prayers of men and women began to be heard. Priest''s and other civilians in white robes start to enter into the courtyard along with the head priest and his assistant. Some people in white robes start to even enter from the newly made hole from the church as well. Azar rejoined the others, unsure what''s going on. Lucius watched, unamused. The head priest became grim. "I now know the face of our enemy. The Devil King that''s brought his army of demons and wrought chaos and discord to our world. And who would seek to destroy us all." Digging into his satchel the head priest brought out a familiar look black horn with gold inscriptions. "With this¡­ We shall smite God''s enemies. And save the world!" Hums and unnerving chanting continued. Lillian could feel something scarily familiar with the horn the priest held. "Wait, isn''t that-" "Don''t let him use that!!" Lucius shouted. It clicked with her hearing Lucius'' command. Lillian spurred into action, launching pressure wind magic. But this was met with another Barrier protecting the Head priest! Leaving other people around him to perish before him. Despite this, the Priest continued. Seeing this Lillian raced over to the old man. Thoughts racing in her head. "If this is like that other horn. This can only end badly!" The Black horn bellowed its call for a good five seconds before Lillian tore through the barrier, killing the man with her own hands. She was too late. The man''s body started to convulse "C¡­Crap!!" She quickly backed off the priest rejoining Lucius who readied his sword. "There''s only one way they would have obtained that horn¡­" He growled. "¡­Rakon¡­" Lillian glanced at Lucius, seeing his furious face. "Rakon? Why would he-" "Shall I order a full-on retreat?" Azar inquired. "Yes. have all the officers lead our troops as far from here as possible and fast!" Smiling, she obliged, heading out to distribute the news. "And Azar! Me and Lillian will need both you and Jala here once you''re done." Azar paused for a moment before affirming her understanding. Jala finally releases the general from his feet in favor of watching as a pure being of white emerges from the corpse of the priest. Trevor turned to witness the event too, hearing the crunching of bones and squelching of flesh. It was just as Lillian feared. An angel with blonde hair and no face emerged as if reborn. It looked not too different from the Angel Enocht, but something felt eerily off about this particular Angel. Not wasting time, it assimilated the corpse into its body, gaining some of their facial features, his face contorted until it was satisfied with its own look. It then gave a look of disdain at the demons. Joyful prayers and worship started to fill the courtyard. "Please Terrocht save us from these evil beings!" "Make them suffer for all our misery!" "Save our country!" The Angel standing tall held out his hands. "Then¡­¡± ¡°Become one with me." Lucius quickly released a huge wave of Fire magic engulfing everyone before them in fire. As the fire dissipated, it''s revealed that all the people in the robes, starting to meld into the angel. Faces became lumps of flesh entering into the Angel. Trevor seeing this started to become more terrified. "I-is that truly an angel!???" Terrocht raised a finger, point it to Trevor. Like a bullet its finger extended into the man''s head, shocking everyone one there. Lucius cut the finger, throwing the now dead General far from them. "Jala! Burn every corpse you see to ash and have Azar do the same when you find her! Lillian, we need to keep this angel distracted for as long as possible!" The Angel started cackling. He then gave a smile. "I shall kill all demons in the name of our God, Cassell." Chapter 50: ANGEL 003 A cold sweat ran down Lucius''s face as he glared at the Angel, Terrocht before them. "Lillian¡­ Don''t let your guard down for a second." He said, grimmly. Lillian glancing back at Lucius never saw him so serious. She immediately went on guard, putting all her focus onto Terrocht. She brought her hand forward, conjuring multiple balls of fire around her. "I know-¡­" But like magic, it disappeared from their sights! Suddenly Lucius blocked Terrocht attack on his General, Protecting Jala. Lillian was left in utter shock seeing this. "H-he''s faster than that last angel I fought!" Lucius deflected the attack and instantly burned it with his immense power using his free hand. Terrocht stuck his hands through the fire gripping and ripping Lucius'' arm off! "Thank you for the meal." it said. "GO!" Lucius ordered. Jala dashed from the courtyard. Lucius backed away from Terrocht, watching it absorb his arm into itself. Not too long after, Lucius instantly regrew his entire arm. "Mmmm¡­ You must be the King of Demons¡­ Such excellent and potent magic. This is enough to sustain me for a whole ten years!" Terrocht held out its hands and in an instant grew it larger and larger. With a smile he slams his huge fist at Lucius, cratering the ground. Luckily for Lucius, he evaded but was met with a ball of fire hurdling his direction. "Tch!" He readied his free hand to stop the attack but is saved by a water barrier conjured by Lillian. She turned to Terrocht, hurling her own fireballs at him. However he took them all straight on without flinching. "Ah yes you¡­ Your magic is familiar. You wouldn''t happen to be the holder of the holy light would you? Or perhaps an offspring." "Nonetheless your magic will serve to make me stronger!" Terrocht shrank his hands and quickly enlarged it, in an attempt to grab Lillian. She dodged and counter attacked by pelting him with an even faster flurry of fire balls. Lucius followed behind Lillian, slicing at Terrocht abnormally large fingers before turning to slice and severing its hand. Within a mere second the hand completely regenerates itself. Lillian grimaced, seeing this. ¡°Grr.¡± After a moment of pondering, she changed her fire magic to earth. "What''s this?" Terrocht asked Lillian reformed the balls of earth around her into the shape of rods and spikes "This is new¡­" it said. Without hesitation Lillian unleashed a flurry of earth spikes and rods at Terrocht. Rod after rod and spike after spike penetrated Terrocht from its legs to its body, even its head. It began to use its hands to block the incoming attack. Eventually the flurry stopped. Peeking from its hand it found Lucius moving in, cutting its head from its body! Lucius slid far distance away from Terrocht, watching for any signs of life. Sure enough Terrocht regrew its own head like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Ah~. Nothing like a warmup to start off my first few moments in God''s paradise." Hearing Terrocht, Lillian became more serious. "Warm up?" Before she could realize it Terrocht stood over her ready to attack. Everything slowed down to a snail''s pace and she caught a glimpse of its sinister and knowing smile. She blocks and is sent flying through the courtyard wall. Her arms became numb from the impact of his blow, then her head struck several of the small homes behind her. She tried reorienting herself as she flew back only to find Terrocht before her once again! He grew his hands ready to slam her to the ground. "Lillian!!" Lucius once again cut his hand with a single slash. But this left him exposed in the air. Terrocht, using this small window, shot and struck Lucius with an earth rod no different from Lillians. sending him into another section of the city entirely. Lillian scraped her back on the ground but quickly got to her feet. a few seconds and her arms and back were healed. She quickly pressed her hadn on her chest, endowing herself with additional energy and strength using her own powers. Her eyes darted around, waiting for Terrocht to attack any second. "Where are you? Where are you? Where are you?" Lillian suddenly hears the sounds of buildings being demolished. "There you are!" She grew her wings, quickly taking off to the source of the noise, she found both Lucius and Terrocht engaging in an intense battle. Each blow they made led to the decimation of houses and other buildings, leaving the city in an even more ruined condition. Lucius conjured three huge balls of fire, sending it in Terrocht''s direction. It easily deflects this attack and sends one of its own to Lucius who cuts through this magic! The Demon King wasted no time closing the distance, cutting through Terrocht. He turns blocking an attack with his sword, quickly dodging through Terrocht''s counter attacks. Lucius cuts through Terrocht''s arm, only for it to completely grow back in seconds.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Unexpectedly, Lucius was suddenly grabbed by Terrocht''s enlarged hands and was forced to bear the pain of being crushed. Luckily for Lucius, Lillian intercepts them with her wing magic slicing through Terrocht''s arm. Lucius quickly distanced himself from Terrocht with Lillian joining by his side. Lillian scoffs. "What happened with your undead army Lucius?" "And bring fodder for this Angel, that won''t help us, Lillian." "Then how do we beat him?" Lucius scowls. "All we can do is keep attacking until we exhaust it... Angels are unkillable creatures that only die from exhausting their magic." Terrocht closed in for an attack, Stretching and slamming its arms down. They both evade this attack. "Lillian! Whatever you do, don''t let it consume any flesh! It''ll only make him stronger!!" Lillian glances back at Terrocht, remembering what it and the other angel Enocht did before. Terrocht hearing Lucius smiled creepily. Lillian landed back on the ground and launched pillars of earth rod from its arm up to its body. But it broke through as if pain was just a concept. Stretching back to Lillian She backs off further, endowing herself with what little power she could muster. "So, you are the holder of the holy light¡­"Terrocht points a finger at Lillian. "How rude of me I should''ve introduced myself." Lucius quickly approached from behind, ready to cut at Terrocht once more. Terrocht dodge, pointing and blasting a beam of energy from its finger at Lucius! Lucius is shot in the chest! He ignored the pain slicing Terrocht''s head off again. Lucius grabbed the head, burning it to ash. He quickly distanced himself as the head completely regenerated back. "My Name is Terrocht, God Cassells faithful commanding Angel. But sometimes he prefers to call me ¡®ANGEL 003¡¯." Terrocht gives a quick bow, before clashing with Lucius again. "Tsk tsk tsk. Don''t worry I''ll have you returned back to the cycle with those other Heroes of Prophecy. After all, if you don''t return, God will be quite upset." Lillian slices through him with her wind slices. "That''s another month lost¡­" Terrocht noted. Terrocht deflected another of Lucius'' attacks "It''s alright to be scared of death, holy light holder. All creatures fear death, but in dying, it brings them to the holy land to live in tranquility. Eeh hee hee hee hee heeh." PING "Oh?"Terrocht found itself in the air. It found Lillian now punching its gut. Lucius followed up slicing through Terrocht. "The demon races fable blood magic, Huh?" One side of Terrocht completely regenerates leaving Lucius to burn the other half. They all land back on the ground. "Looks like it works," Lillian says. She readies her bloodied hand, this time splattering her blood to the ground. Terrocht suddenly found himself in a dizzying confusion of attacks. One second, He''s blocking an attack the Next he finds himself attacking Lucius. This then changed once again to him clashing with Lillian. Lucius thrusted his blade into Terrocht''s back. he attempted to cut through him but failed. "Ah, Magic that strips away pieces of memory with each drop accounting for about ten minutes." Lillian flinched hearing the Terrochts'' analysis. "This is an easy remedy." PING Once again, he is in the air with Lillin readying a huge explosive fireball from above. She shot it at Terrocht, but he simply deflected the attack towards the fortified city wall. PING Terrocht blocked Lucius sword. PING Now he found himself Conjuring a ball of fire shooting it at Lillian. PING Now he''s deflecting their attacks. He caught and grabbed Lillian by the arm. She yelps and Lucius sliced Terrocht''s arm in an instant. "Too late." Terrocht said. Lillian splatter blood on the ground once again. Their battle ensued with Lillian strengthening herself like last time. She huffs. "I''m at my Limit, Lucius!" "Hold out for a little longer. Jala and Azar will be back any moment!" They evade a beam of Light from Terrocht. Their battle continued to level the entire city itself with an intense back and forth between two forces. "This is it!" Lillian thought to herself. Lillian watched as Lucius made use of the small window but¡­ Turning around Terrocht pointed his entire palm to Lucius, confusing him. "Huh?" A beam of light shot through Terrocht''s hands, blasting a large hole into Lucius''s chest. "Lucius!!" But just like before, Lucius ignored the pain and moved forward to slash Terrocht in half and burned both slides to a crisp. Lucius stumbled to his knees coughing up blood. Terrocht instantly regenerated his body once again. He got up, now looking down at Lucius. It reaches its hands out to grab the Demon King, but this was avoided with Lillian snatching away Lucius, bringing him as far from Terrocht as possible. Lucius regenerated himself back with the help of Lillian''s holy magic to heal his wound. "We''re lucky we haven''t come across any remains so far. Looks like they came through on their end¡­" Lucius struggled his way up. "Stop." Lillian interjected. "We can''t Lillian. As long as that Angel lives, He''ll kill every living thing in sight. And I will not let it kill my people. Not like last time! We''ve come too far to let it all end here!" Lucius tore off the remaining bits of his armor that remained, letting it fall to the ground hard. They both looked back at Terrocht seeing that it was seemingly examining itself. "They shaved my lifespan into a single year¡­" Terrocht looked back at them plainly as if bored with them. He then hovered himself in the air flying further and further up. "I shall cleanse this earth of you demons and put an end to this charade." "W-what is he doing now??" Lillian questioned. Lucius'' eyes widened in surprise. "He''s going to destroy this entire city¡­" "Quick Lillian! We need to-!" BOOM BOOM Loud explosion roared. Fire scorching through flesh of both Lillian and Lucius. The perpetrators, none other than Jala and Azar who were now holding the freshly shot pipes in their hands. Both Lillian and Lucius fell to their knees, no to long after being frozen in place. "J¡­Jala?? A-azar!!???" Lillian became confused, quickly realizing the circumstances. "So, you were working under Rakon after all, Azar." Lucius hissed. "I should''ve killed you both a long time ago! But you, Jala¡­" Lucius clenched his teeth in rage. ¡°I never would¡¯ve thought you would betray us too.¡± "Rakon already told us your plans of negotiating with these human nations.¡± Jala said, plainly. ¡°After all they''ve done to us, they deserve nothing but death." ¡°How disappointing.¡± Lucius could only glare at Jala before being completely encased in ice. Lillian also began to be encased in ice. "J-Jala, Azar you''re making a huge mistake!" "No. Our only mistake was accepting you as our queen. A demon with human origins is no Demon at all." "Jala stated. "Well said Jala," Azar said. Without warning, Jala is suddenly stabbed in the back and through the chest by Azar, shocking even Lillian. "A¡­Azar?" Jala wheezed. She pulled her stone conjured sword from Jala''s body, leaving him to fall to his knees. He felt his fatal wound and looked at the blood on his hands. "W¡­Why?" "The new King will have no need for a demon like you either. You know him, hates disloyal followers, especially those he knows will turn their backs on him. He knew sooner or later that you''d learn that he convinced that brother of yours to turn on you." Azar circled around to meet Jala face to face. Azar flashes a snarky smile at Jala. "He knows how sensitive you are when it comes to your¡­ past. So, he figured it was best to stem the bleeding now before you could fester any further." Furious, Jala attempts to use his ice magic on her only for her to use earth magic to crush his arms! Jala screamed in pain. She crushed his other arm with her earth magic, locking him to the ground as Lillian slowly finished becoming encased in Ice. She looked back up seeing a huge ball energy the size of the entire city. "Heh, nice knowing you, Jala." Sprouting wings, Azar flew off before Terrocht devastating attack could be launched. "AZZAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!" Terrocht, watching from above, could only smile in amusement. He continued to gather the energy in his hands, all the while Azar flew further from City and past the fleeing demon army without warning. "Isn''t that Azar?" A soldier pointed out." ******** With the motion of Terrocht''s arm, he sent the enormous ball of energy hurtling towards the ground. The ball of energy slowly hit the ground, enveloping even half the fleeing demon army in light, killing everyone in range. Luckily for Azar she manages to get out in time to watch the spectacle, satisfied with the results. Not too far from the battlefield Rakon watched the events unfold. He smiled contently seeing as a newly made crater is revealed. With Terrocht nowhere in sight. "Where have you gone¡­" Rakon wondered. Rakon turned away, leaving the hill side he was watching from. "No matter, that Angel shouldn''t have much time to live. It achieved its purpose. Now¡­ This country belongs to me." Chapter 51: Victories & Defeats A noble in formal attire rushed through the door of the throne room where the Celestine Empires Lord held his meeting. He births through the doors now entering a room made of pure marble with pillars lined in attention in the long large room. At the very end the Lord sat upon a throne made of lavishly carved white birch. where he listened intently to the nobles of his court. The four nobles discussed political alignment, specifically that of the religion involving Cassell church. The Lord, listening intently to the nobles below but was clearly agitated. Sitting on his wooden throne, his hand clenched his long brown hair at the side of his face and his expression becoming more and more sour alongside his blue eyes shifting from noble to noble as they each took turns speaking overly positive of having the church involved in their affairs.. Suddenly their conversations were interrupted by the noble that just barged in.. "Lord Kaiser! Lord Kaiser!" The noble bent down, trying to catch his breath from all the running. The Lord peeked, curious by the man''s actions. "What is it?" After a few moments of catching his breath, he finally spoke. "The entire country of Dahlia has fallen to the Demons!" Everyone within the room became pale. "Inconceivable! H-how did the city of Gralin fall!?? And what happened to the army we''ve sent!" Another noble shouted. "I-I don''t know!" he answered. Another man entered the room. "Your lordship! I have urgent news from the border! Rangers patrolling the border are said to have found some of the soldiers with the head of General Harry." "What!! When was this" Lord Kaiser exclaimed. "T-they were just found three days ago." "Three days?! And what about the city??" The noble stutter. "O-o-o-over two weeks my lord." The city of Gralin is a month away from the border at least with the road they had to take." one of the nobles said. "If that''s the case they either fled or were killed before serving as reinforcements¡­" a third noble concluded. "Where are these soldiers now?" "They''re all dead." The man said. "Dah! Of course they''re dead." "Yes. All with their throats slit. We reckon they were attacked by Bandits in the dead of night." The Lord got from his chair. "How they die doesn''t matter any more. We must deploy any remaining troops we have and reinforce our east and south-eastern borders! No one goes in or out of that country! no one!!" "Y-your lordship The bishop won''t be happy-" Kaiser quickly glared at the noble talking ."THIS IS A DIRECT ORDER FROM YOUR FUTURE EMPEROR!! I WILL NOT BE SLOWED DOWN BY THAT FOOLISH MAN ANY FURTHER!!" "FOR FAR TOO LONG I LET HIM HELP GOVERN THIS CONSOLE WITH EACH DECISION HE MADE LEADING US TO FURTHER RUIN!!" "L-lord Please calm dow-" "I WILL NOT CALM MYSELF ARNOLD! WE''VE WAITED AND DID NOTHING! FOR YEARS!! AND FOR WHAT!?? FOR OUR ENEMIES TO GET STRONGER AS THEY RAVISHED THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRY???" Kaiser turned his head to the side of the room. "Harold!!" A ginger haired man wearing light armor appeared from the side of the marble throne room. He quickly got to his knee, trying to keep himself composed. "Y-yes your lordship? "Have your men Apprehend Bishop George Reign the third and bring him here." With the order given, Kaiser waved off the man to complete his given command. "Y-your lordship T-this is against the law of the church! Our people could r-revolt, not to mention-" "The PEOPLE will revolt if they hear of our failure to support the Heroes of Prophecy! The PEOPLE will revolt if their homes are destroyed, and lands burned!" Kaiser stepped closer and closer to the noble still raising his opposition. " The PEOPLE will revolt if word gets out that we could''ve prevented this DISASTER! THEY WILL SEE US AS INCOMPETENT AND WEAK MEN OF THE COURT, INCAPABLE OF DEFENDING OUR OWN BORDERS!!!!" "I won''t let the church, nor this court restrain me any further!" he hissed. Kaiser now stared down at the now cowering Noble. "From henceforth The Church will have no more bearings in how I can govern our people or military" Kaiser turned away from the noble, leaving the throne room. "B-but y-y-your Lordships-" "You can''t just exclude the church! God would never approve of this decision!" Another noble retorted. Kaiser glanced behind himself with a furious gaze. He turned to Guard beside him, giving an indistinctive order. quickly after the guards escorted the other men in the room out leaving just the court nobles and Lord. A cold sweat ran down the noble''s face. "L-Lord Kaiser?" A few moments later a mountain of ten guards entered the throne room, locking all the doors. "I relieve you of four of your duties as my advisors," Kaiser said. "God. The lord''s gone mad." The fourth noble muttered. Not long after the guards approached the noblemen. The nobles pleaded for mercy as the floor became painted with red. The Lord watched on as each man was executed before him until it was finally finished. "Clean this up. and send a call out to all my Generals. There''ll be very important changes we''ll need to implement." And with those last few words Lord Kaiser left his bloodied throne room.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ******** Just outside of the demon castle a blue winged demon flew holding a scroll in hand. He approaches the castle landing on the balcony. Awaiting there was Bjorn, whose horns are slowly growing back to normal. He took the message in hand and allowed the demon to leave as he delivered it to the recipient. Walking along the hall, Bjorn notices that a lot more renovations are being done. Eventually he enters the room with Rakon working on a piece of parchment. Bjorn hands over the scroll. "Very good." Rakon said, taking the scrolled message. He opened it, reading its contents. He smiled, satisfied with what he read. "I think you''ll be happy to hear that the last city has fallen, Bjorn." Rakon quickly shifted his expressions to that of disappointment. "However, it seems the King and Queen are now dead." Bjorn is taken aback by this news. "That can''t be true. Who wrote this report?" with much urgency "None other than Azar. Half the army was also wiped unfortunately but we can still make do." Rakon got up from his chair leaving the room as Bjorn just stood. "There''ll be some important changes we''ll have to undertake." Rakon gestured for Bjorn to follow. Walking through the hall, demon servants and succubus assist in ensuring the walls and decorations are done. With everything being adorn in the colors of black, red and purple. "Since my brother is now dead the right of succession needs to be held again, which means the appointment of new generals as well. Of course, if you wish you can choose to opt out of this arrangement. I don''t mind picking new candidates from the Pit. In fact, I already have a few in mind." Rakon glanced over, seeing Bjorn''s become bitter. He continued. "As you know, this also means that I''ll need to be released from my confines below, so be sure to send someone to get me." "What about the girl?" Bjorn suddenly asked. "Hmm?" Rakon stops. Bjorn followed suit. "I''ve heard you''ve formed a contract with her, allowing her freedom if she kills people of your choosing." Rakon narrowed his eyes before shifting them elsewhere. "What of it?" "Are you sure we should let her free? This girl is Immortal capable of killing our best. In fact, I''ve heard she killed two of our guards just last week alone." Rakon rolled his eyes. "I simply promised freedom from her current confines. But if it''s any relief to you, I''ll be the one keeping a close eye on her. Besides, I have no intentions on letting her leave this castle" Rakon began to walk past Bjorn. "And as for those guards, they''ve all been sufficiently warned to keep away from her. She''s obviously going through a mood." Bjorn started following behind. "And what if she doesn''t kill that maid of hers? Succubus are known for overstimulating the bodies of even demons. And the maid is-" "That maid will die. Just like the other two," Rakon said. "In fact, I''m handing someone she should despise on a silver platter to her. I''m sure she''ll want to play around with her food before she eventually bites into it." Rakon glared back, seeing Bjorn tense up and clutching his hand. "That look doesn''t suit you Bjorn. Don''t forget your role as a General." "Y¡­Yes¡­" Bjorn released his hands. "Aside from Kalika. I think it''s proper that we prepare a celebration for this upcoming week. It should give me just enough time to arrive once word is received for my release. I''ll even have a few old friends come by." Rakon stopped, seeing pink petals flow by him. Looking to his left he saw the flower in the preserved pink garden start wilting away, preparing for the change in weather. "What a shame. Looks like they''re losing their beauty once again." ******** "" Groups of prisoners are escorted from the arena by guards. Some gave glances back watching Kalika. She stared blankly at another cowering inmate lying on his back, twirling her dagger by his face. The guards quickly dragged the man away. They then exchanged nervous glances at each other unsure how to proceed. "" Florin said. Kalika glared back at the demon women standing before her. She returned to spinning her blade a few more times before getting up. The other two demon women arrived. Seeing the other two arrive, she sighs, quickly giving in. Soon after, the three escorted Kalika back to her cell. Where they pushed her back into her cell. Looking back, she closed her cell door, allowing them to lock it. Finished with their duty, the three ladies left, conversing in their native language. Obviously talking about Kalika then shifting to talk about Rhonda, her maid. Kalika slumped herself into her bed, looking at the stony ceiling above. She raised her hand, conjuring the blood blade in it. She throws it to the ground, repeating the process over and over. Conjuring it and then throwing it to the floor. "Zorbian¡­ Zorbian¡­ Zorbian¡­ Zorbian." She conjured it once again, now examining it. The pure red matted blade with black accents started to feel more and more comfortable the longer she held it. And despite its random act of killing her, she felt better control of it overall. "Strange¡­" she said to herself. She can feel her heart starting to race, reaching its limit. She slowed it down, calming herself. "Even with you, I''m still no match for them¡­or Rakon¡­But Rhonda¡­" Kalika''s arms became limp. She fell into silence, turning to her side. "There''s¡­ No other way¡­" "It''s not like she mattered, anyways¡­ She''s a demon just like them¡­ and they''re all the same. They''re just liars¡­ all of them." "Liars?" Kalika recognized this voice. "Rakon¡­" Kalika refused to look in his direction. Rakon stood just outside her cell door, peering through the bars. "You should be excited. One more week and you''re finally released from your shackles. In fact, I''ll have something special to share with you once this bout is over." Kalika peeked at the demon. She returned her gaze back to the wall before her, uninterested. Rakon gave a slight frown. "Don''t feel like talking today either, huh." Rakon turned to leave. "Have it your way. By the way, if it''s of any interest¡­ That last city has fallen¡­ And the remaining Generals of the human army¡­ Are dead. From this point on this country is now demon territory. So, you should expect some big changes, Kalika." Rakon gave a sly smile before leaving. Kalika in the shadows of her cell, began to feel flushed and teary eyed. She wiped her eyes a few times, as she clutched her blood blade much more tightly. "It was always inevitable¡­" She said to herself, with shaky resolve. Her heart started to ache, a feeling she didn''t recognize. "I¡­I-I...¡­ I hate demons. I hate them!" Thoughts of Lillian flashes in Kalika''s mind. "It only took half a year for Lillian to win the war with the Demon King¡­ humans really are just weak¡­ They''ll probably just make us all their slaves¡­ Then it''s only a matter of time before they''ll want to conquer other countries." Kalika''s dagger slipped away from her hand as she moved to hug herself. "It¡­it''s all my fault¡­I-" "N-no! I refuse to believe him!... I¡­I won''t believe him! Demons are liars. T-they''re all just liars¡­" ******** Somewhere deep in the mountain forest in the encroaching darkness, Deers jump through and past trees. Each one of them is trying to escape something. Earth rods are shot through most of the heads, necks and even bodies of the fleeing deer''s on the run. Rod after rod killing each deer in sight with no regard for the forest. across the forest and the trees laid the corpses and blood of the deer''s. A being of pure white, blonde hair and yellow eyes approached one of their corpses. Touching the deer, he absorbed it into his body. "These creatures carry so little magic, but it''s still sufficient for lasting nearly a day." It moved to absorb more deer''s but is suddenly shot in the back by an arrow. It turns out to be a frightened young hunter. The hunter quickly scurries away, panicked. An earth arrow is then shot in the hunter''s back, piercing through his chest. He drops down hard on the ground, now dead. "Thank you for the meal." Touching the man, he is absorbed into the white being leaving behind his clothes. The Angel Terrocht smiled happily. "His magic will last me three months." Terrocht started to glow brightly as it looked at the clothes on the ground, taking them. He started to put the clothes on. "Yes God Cassell¡­ I shall find her¡­ Understood¡­" With the clothes on, he shifted and contorted his skin then slowly changes its color to match that of the man he had just killed. "Yes¡­My new mission is to find ''the Evil one''. And seal her away for all eternity." Terrocht''s eyes dimmed back down. He absorbed the remainder of his kills leaving the stains of red behind in the forest. He stopped for a moment, looking at his hands. "Hmmm¡­ I''ll need a lot more magic energy another one hundred years should be sufficient." With those last few words, he continued his journey, trekking deeper into the forest with a singular goal in mind. Chapter 52: Powerless A steel door creaked opening. In the darkness beyond the cold door a single pink eye glowed. "" The guard said. A woman with short black-hair, in a torn and ragged maids outfit stumbled out from the prison. She was escorted through the halls and corridors of the dungeon by several guards as they traveled to the prison. They are stopped short of going into the arena before them. From behind Rakon appeared. Looking down at the succubus maid before him. ******** Within the mess hall, Donovan served food to all the other inmates, all while watching Kalika from afar. He watched as she simply stared at her food, uninterested in touching it. "She''s been like this for almost a week¡­ What happened to her?" He thought. She was alone. Anyone that dared to approach was always met with a knife to their neck. He''s never seen someone so closed off to the world in his life. Despite some doubts and his fear, he continued to feel a deepening concern for her. Another cook noticed Donovan''s lack of attention calling him out. "Hey Don! stop daydreaming!" "Grrr¡­ Don''t call me that!" "Then get back to servin!" The Cook retorted. Donovan glanced back, seeing Rakon now in front of Kalika. She stared at the demon for a few seconds before finally taking a few bites of her meat porridge. He noticed a subtle change in her, as though she had found her emotions once again. Kalika''s disdain and annoyance had returned, along with her indignant demeanor. Not long after finishing her bowl she got up to follow Rakon out of the mess hall. Some prisoners seeing this start talking. "You reckon they closed the arena, because of her again?" "No doubt." another answered. "I''ve been hearing that she''s supposed to leave this prison as of today." "Bah~! I''ll believe it when I see it." Another joked, ever so mockingly. The group laughed while enjoying their meal without a care in the world. Even if she almost killed him, he felt there was something much deeper going on. And he watched on, feeling useless to help. Memories of his stepmothers'' brutally cold words resurfaced. The words of: "You''re a useless boy with useless dreams. So quit trying to act useful when you''re nothing but a wasted pile of meat!" These words that still haunt him, as do her and his stepsisters'' other words that only recognized him as just wasted space. He cringed trying to regain focus. ¡°Whatever¡¯s happening¡­ I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get through.¡± ******** Kalika walked alongside Rakon through the halls. Eventually they entered the arena filled with demons seated, awaiting for the spectacle to start. Some of the face''s she saw looked familiar but others very new to her including demons the size of Bjorn. Strangely enough she also found demons that look like humans with their only differences being their horns on their head, their tails and pink eyes. The Demon''s seeing her started to get riled up, pointing and conversing in their native language. She ignores all of them, instead keeping her attention to the lone black-haired maid in the center of the arena. Rhonda. Kalika met Rhonda at the center of the arena where Rakon finally made his announcements. White noise soon drowned out Rakons words as he spoke. Kalika continued to stare at the guilt-ridden maid. And slowly, Rhonda brought out her blood blade, posing with it in both hands. Kalika could clearly tell that she didn''t want to fight, from her avoiding eye contact and her constant shaking. Her eyes had become more sunken and her body much dirtier than before. She could tell that Rhonda was devoid of hope. "Imagine being tortured and ripped apart day after day," Kalika suddenly said. "Can you Imagine it? Of course not. Because you''ll never understand the pain of dying over and over again." Kalika conjured her own dagger. ¡°But I know it well¡­¡± Rhonda started to tremble much more. "I¡­I-I¡­" A dark Aura instantly flared up, cloaking Kalika''s dagger. Everyone in the audience is taken aback by this including Rakon who smiles shortly after. Kalika looked at the dagger confused, feeling herself being drained. "The condition is simple. The winner is the first to kill the other. Of course if Kalika Dies once she will lose this match." Rakon turned his attention back to Kalika. "Did you hear? Die once, and you lose." Kalika gave a quick glance at Rakon before turning back to Rhonda. "Yeah. I think those conditions are perfect." "Good." Rakon turned to a bloody mist, reappearing at the arena balcony. "Let the fight begin!" In a split-second Rhonda already made the first move. Her attack is easily deflected. "Is that all?" Kalika questioned. Rhonda stumbled, quickly turning back to Kalika with her dagger aimed at her again. She then charged forward, attacking at random. Despite Rhonda''s apparent best effort Kalika, Dodged each strike one after another. Kalika dodged and quickly grabbed Rhonda''s hand from the side. She stared at Rhonda, much more irritated. "What are you doing?" Kalika started to squeeze at Rhonda''s hand making her drop her Dagger. "Why aren''t you taking this seriously??"This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Kalika''s dagger-like stare frightened Rhonda, she then threw her hands off Rhonda. "Pick it Up. Now!" she ordered. Rhonda slowly reached for her dagger on the ground. After a moment of catching her breath, Rhonda once again went on the attack. Slashing and swiping at Kalika with little regard of seeing where she was attacking. Using her blade, Kalika deflected the last attack. She then placed her dagger at Rhonda''s neck, surprising her. Rhonda''s eyes watered up. Memories of Rhonda as a child flashed through Kalika''s mind. Looking back at Rhonda of the present, Kalika cringed seeing Rhonda close her eyes to accept her fate. "You''re not going to use your power?" After not hearing a response Kalika grabbed Rhonda by her collar, pulling her in. With fire in her eyes, she spoke soft, but also fiercely. "What kind of cruel joke are you playing at? You''re a demon! You''re supposed to be stronger than me!" "I told you to never look down on me! didn''t I!!??" Kalika Yelled. Rhonda could only look on, stupefied, Remembering the one and only other time she said those words. "Damn it! At least pretend that you care about living!!!" Even with Kalika''s bangs blocking some of her face, she could tell the turmoil of emotions flowing through Kalika at that very moment. The vibrance of blue, red and even yellow flowing throughout Kalika''s body. These colors she saw soon converged into pure deep black. The demons watchingm started to become unrest seeing the pathetic display. Not long after Kalika threw Rhonda away from her. Rhonda stumbles a little. "I.... I understand... I¡­ I''m sorry." "Don''t apologize!" Kalika readied her cloaked dagger once more The veil of darkness emerging even more powerfully. Rhonda reluctantly readied her''s too. Rhonda steadied her hands and breathing, calming herself. She saw that Kalika was ready so goes on the attack for the third time. This time with much more ferocity. They clashed, deflected and parried each other''s attack. Interlocking their daggers Rhonda winced from the sheer pressure from the dark aura cloaking Kalika''s dagger. "Stop Holding Back!" Kalika commanded Kalika pushed back at her hard. Rhonda steadied Herself, charging back in. "A... Alright!!" Rhonda squeaked. Rhonda''s eyes glowed brightly. Peering into them, Kalika suddenly found herself in the middle of a strange forest. "Huh?" She heard the skittering and murmurs of strange beasts in the forest. The bushes rustled and leaves and branches crunched. Kalika felt a large presence coming from her right! She readied her blade only to find Rhonda appearing before like a spirit through the fog. Kalika pulled her hand, dodging backwards from Rhonda. Looking back up Rhonda, disappeared again. The same presence from the front approached. Kalika dodged a swipe to the face! She blocked another attack from above. This time Rhonda attacked from behind, she met her head on with a parry! Jumping back, Rhonda slowly vanished like a mist. "Is this what happened to those other men she fought?" Kalika searched around, looking to anticipate Rhonda''s next move. A rapid crunching of leaves to her left. A crackle from a branch to her right. She cocked her head and from the corner of her eyes, Rhonda reappeared, launching herself at Kalika. She blocked most of the attack, but she found herself still getting cut at the side of the face from it. Rhonda sliding low to the ground, vanished again. "Again??" Kalika started to become irritated by this game of cat and mouse being played. She then felt a strange gust of wind. Quickly posing herself, they clashed their blades once more. And like before Rhonda retreated, only this time she sent another slash, This time from an extended blade! The blade retreated, vanishing only for it to reappear on the other side. She''s not quick enough! And is met with its full weight of Rhonda blade across her chest. The cut is shallow. Realizing this, Kalika stepped hard on the blade, cutting her own feet. She ignored the pain however, opting to follow its sharp edge to the user. To Rhonda¡¯s shock, Kalika appeared before her, kicking her in the face! Kalika, landed behind Rhonda, went on the offensive, swinging her cloaked Dagger. Rhonda quickly recovered and they clashed once again. scratches and cuts started to accumulate amongst the fight followed by parries and strikes. Eventually Kalika kicked Rhonda to the ground, leaving her defenseless. Kalika readied her blade to strike with the pressure of the cloaked dagger starting to become more and more oppressive. "Is this all you have?" Kalika questioned. "N¡­No¡­" Kalika began to bring her blade down. And as she did, Rhonda started gulping something down. One gulp, two gulps, three gulps. And like magic, Rhonda''s strength seemingly returned. Rhonda evaded the attack just in time, quickly retreating, disappearing from Kalika''s sight. Kalika began to hear heavy and faint breathing. but unlike last time the sound came from everywhere. This left Kalika in a tizzy as she searched around for any signs of Rhonda. Suddenly a slash to the arm. Another to the leg and a third and forth to her back and chest. "She''s gotten much faster!" Kalika was attacked another three, now four, Six more times. She was unable to keep up. Kalika was finding herself getting cut and scratched all over her body. Something slimy worked its way up one of her cuts, looking behind she found a flush Rhonda licking her back! Kalika swung her dagger on, leaving Rhonda to retreat back into the darkness. Kalka continued to look around before remembering the effects of the saliva and Succubus''s. "C-crap!!" An immense heat started to work its way into Kalika. Making Kalika become much flusher. She trembled trying to keep her composure. Rhonda, seeing her power take effect, once again struck back at Kalika again and again leaving deeper slashes and cuts on her body. Kalika found her body starting to become weaker with each strike. Despite this predicament however¡­ She could only smile. CLANG Rhonda stood shocked and Kalika blocked her attack. Kalika stood, sweating and flushed, and with eyes looking more crazed. Rhonda attempts a retreat but is met with a dagger piercing her leg! Rhonda stumbled onto her back, once again defenseless. With Rhonda now cornered back on the ground, Kalika conjured her blade back to hand, and pounced! The dagger pressed hard against Rhonda¡¯s neck. she quickly closed her eyes expecting the worst. Kalika''s breathing became a lot heavier. She watched as blood started running down Rhonda''s neck. Slowly the illusion conjured by Rhonda disappeared leaving them in the middle of the arena once more. The crowd of demons watched in anticipation but became shocked upon closer look. Even Rakon''s face contorted upon seeing the results. "Congratulations Rhonda¡­ You won," Kalika said. Rhonda slowly opened her eyes, finding her dagger stabbing Kaliaka''s chest. Upon seeing this even Rhonda became shocked by the results. "I-I-I-I-I¡­ I-I didn''t mean to-" Kalika suddenly patted Rhonda on the head. "That''s fine." Kalika pulled herself from Rhonda''s blade, stumbling to her feet before turning to look at Rakon. She could tell that he was absolutely boiling in rage. "It looks like I lost." she proclaimed proudly. Shortly after, she fell to her back. She revived herself a few moments later, finding Rhonda over her even more concerned. Not long after, Rakon threw Rhonda off Kalika. And into the caged wall. "You were supposed to kill her!!" He exclaimed. "Yeah? Well, it looks like I lost. Those were the conditions, right? I win, I''m freed.¡± Slowly Kalika brought her eyes down in acceptance. ¡°I-I lose, Then I¡­ become your slave¡­" Rakon, getting even more frustrated, pinned her further in the ground. "But you were supposed to win." He hissed. "Why does it matter to you whether I win or lose?¡± Her sudden comment shocked him. ¡°Any way you cut it I''ll continue to be your own little pawn. I''m not stupid Rakon." Kalika looked away, a little more somber. "It¡¯s the same outcome either way. Besides, I already know you want something from me¡­ Otherwise you wouldn''t have gone through all this trouble for me." Rakon began to laugh. "You think that I need you. You''re just my entertainment." "If that''s the case, why did you go out of your way to help me? All this time you could''ve left me worse off. You have no reason to care about me." "Those were just whims." he snickered. Rakon forced Kalika up. "Don''t get full of yourself. Now that you lost, you belong to me now!" Kalika, hearing Rakon, looked more deeply into his eyes. "Lost? No, I lost the moment I signed that contract we made¡­ And you know it." Guards started to arrive within the arena to escort both Rhonda and Kalika away. Rhonda started to get dragged away as Kalika simply released herself from Rakons grasp and followed the guards. "Oh." Kalika stops glancing back at Rakon. "And Rakon¡­ I''m glad I was able to make things inconvenient for you. Losing isn''t so bad when the person you hate most is writhing." With those words she leaves Rakon with a balled fist and grit his teeth. "That woman¡­" Chapter 53: His Plan In the castle''s throne room Rakon sat down sourly looking at Rhonda as she was brought before him and forced to her knees by the guards. She looked around and found the faces of Demons she''s never seen before. A blue demon the size of Bjorn stood tall with his trusty giant ax by his side. He looked to be growing impatient as he stroked his gruff gray beard. His red eyes and bull-like horns aimed straight at Rhonda. Another she could tell was in Incubus with his sleek black hair and eyes no different from her own. His attire was that of a noble that gave him somewhat of a sleazy look to him. She could tell just by his crooked smile that he was a professional trickster. The last was a demon that looked no older than a girl at the age of fifteen. She was much shorter than Kalika, had blue skin, white hair with bright blue eyes. Her horn poke from the side of her head curving to the side like animal ears. Rhonda looked back at Rakon, seeing him hold back an indistinguishable rage. He seemed to be pondering something as he felt the hilt of his sword next to him. He gripped onto the handle holding it for a few seconds before releasing it. "" Rakon question Rhonda stayed silent, too frightened to speak. "" This time he raised his voice, Frightening Rhonda further. "" Rakon grabbed the sword once again, this time lifting and slamming the tip far in the ground. "You can''t even die properly can you!!" After a few seconds Rakon got from the throne, pulling the sword from the ground. He marched himself to Rhonda slamming the blade of the sword once again, this time nearly killing Rhonda. Rhonda reluctantly glanced at the sword right next to her face, seeing her own reflection through it. "" "" The Incubus said. Rakon continued to glare down at Rhonda, taking his time to ponder. After a few moments Rakon pulled the sword from the ground and walked away from Rhonda. "" "" The incubus walked up next to Rhonda, examining her closely from a distance. "" "" The incubus Gaz Chuckled to himself. "" "" The Big Demon Noted. "" Gaz rebutted. "" "" The Young Demon yawn. "" "" Gaz reassured. He turned back to Rakon, giving a bow. "" "" Without another word the guards lifted up Rhonda. "" Gaz said. They followed behind Gaz as he led the way out of the room, leaving Behind Rakon and the other two demons. "" Mae asked. "" Rakon pinched his forehead in frustration. "Is there a Problem?" "" "" Mae pressed. Magnus stepped up to explain. "" "I still don''t understand." "" Rakon said. "The only difference being that the material''s to make it are hard to get, aside from my brother considering them unethical to use¡­" Rakon continued. "" "" Mae asked. Rakon Didn''t respond. Instead, he sighed, sinking deeper into the throne. Magnus cleared his throat. "" "" Rakon took a deep breath. ""This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "" Magnus sighed. "" Mae glances at Magnus before turning to Rakon as well. "" Magnus stated. Rakon pondered to himself once again. After a while of deliberation, he finally gave his answer. "" ******** Kalika was sitting in her bed humming happily. Her thoughts on Rakon''s angry reaction as she lost the fight against her maid, Rhonda, had put a smile to her face. It became hard for her to remember the last time she was this happy within the mountain of misery and hardship she had endured and became numb to. Even knowing the miserable fate, she is guaranteed; she wanted to relish this rare moment of happiness while she could. As even she knows that the feeling would be fleeting. "What are you so happy about?" Rakon said, with much annoyance. Kalika peeked just outside her cell, finding Rakon wearing an annoyed expression. "Oh. nothing¡­ But you took your time, I thought you''d be here sooner with some chains and a steel collar." "We don''t use chains and collars to enslave others.¡± He retorted. ¡°The way we do it is through a slave contract that strips the will of the person. They become mindless and obedient." Kalika hearing this gave a long, shallow sigh. "Of course¡­" "Lucky for you we don''t have the contract, but that''s just a minor inconvenience until we can make it¡­" Rakon, walking, ran his fingers alongside the bars of the cell. "Once the war celebration above is done, I''ll meet you face to face. Afterwards you''ll come along with me into the Pit where you''ll eventually become my personal slave¡­" "The Pit?" Kalika asked. "The Pit is where all my kin were born. It''s a much more hostile world down there, teeming with monsters of all sizes¡­ unlike what your world has here¡­" "I see¡­ And I guess what you really want is down below, in the pit¡­" "Very observant¡­Kalika." Rakon said. He leaned himself on the bar of her cell with his arms now crossed. "A... Are you sure this is a good Idea... The last time I left these confides; Lily killed the Heroes of Prophecy. She''d Likely do the same to you if she found out." "You''re right¡­ That might''ve been the case. if she were still alive." Kalika paused for a moment, she turned, seeing Rakon with his back still towards her. "Huh?" Kalika''s feelings started to drain from her. "Y¡­You''re obviously lying." "Would you like to know how she died?" Rakon asked. Kalika squeezed the sheets of her bed in between her fingers. Her body became stiffer as she kept herself collected. "S-sure¡­ Entertain me. How did she did exactly? Rakon glanced back with his same sour look. "She died alongside my brother fighting your God''s angel. This very angel completely destroyed the City of Gralin with a single attack. All that''s left there, is a crater three times larger than the city." Kalika chuckled nervously. "That''s an offly long tale you''re telling Rakon." "If you don''t want to believe me, that''s your choice. Nothing will change." Rakon turned to face Kalika. "You have no one that can come to your rescue anymore. And any oppositions I would''ve faced are no longer a roadblock¡­ And in every sense of these words, you do belong to me now." Rakon, seeing Kalika moving her attention to the ground, opted to walk through cell bars, entering her locked cell. "I can do anything I want to, whenever I want to¡­" Rakon Kneeled to Kalika''s level, lifting her head to meet his gaze. "And now you will soon become the perfect obedient slave. It''s just what you wanted. Right?" Kalika was at a loss for words. Seeing this, Rakon quickly got up, patting her on the head. "Hmph. You gave up your freedom all for that lousy maid of yours, didn''t you? You had your chances to kill her. And if you did, we wouldn''t be here.¡± ¡°And here I thought you hate demons." Rakon chuckled, slyly. "I-I do hate demons¡­ I do. I just don''t want anyone else to die because of me." Rakon Stopped. Looking down at Kalika, he found her now crying. Without another word, he stepped back, giving her space. Seeing his reaction she quickly wiped her face clean. She averted her eyes, embarrassed by the situation. "W.... What happens to Rhonda Anyways?" "Don''t worry about that woman. As far as you should be concerned, you''ll never see her again. And I''ll leave it at that for now." Kalika became disappointed hearing Rakon. She laid herself in the bed, turning away from Rakon. "I''ll return later tonight. Just be prepared to leave when I arrive." Not long after, Rakon turned into a bloody mist, leaving Kalika behind to her own thoughts. She looked at the bruise on the back of her hand. It looked bigger than last time. She was at a loss for words. Unable to comprehend her own feelings. ******** Deep in the lowest levels of the dungeon, Rhonda found herself heading much deeper into the deep dark abyss feeling the heat from the pools of carefully guided lava. surrounding her were empty tables where blacksmiths and other craftsmen alike would work. Rhonda recognized this place as the entrance to the Pit. She glanced back, seeing that Gaz was still right behind her. The guards with them suddenly left, leave the two alone. "W-what are we-" "There''s no use hiding your intention from me. Even if Rakon does want you banished you''d only scurry back in like a rat." Gaz snaked from his mouth. Rhonda is suddenly stabbed in the back by Gaz. Desperate, she quickly wrapped her tail around Gaz''s neck, but he sliced it off just as quick! She screamed out in pain "You''re better off dead since you''d only cause more of a headache for my master." Rhonda attempts to escape but is caught by her horns. Not long after Gaz slices one horn off her. "YAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Rhonda teared up from the pain. Shortly after Gaz slices the other off her. Rhonda fell to the ground hard, writhing in the pain. "This should suffice. My master will be happy to have these, I''m sure it''ll compliment his new slave. But the rest of you won''t be needed." Hearing his words, Rhonda quickly stumbled to her feet, turning to face the incubus with her own conjured blood blade dagger. Rhonda winced in pain trying to keep herself steady against the man. Her eye glowed brightly. But Gaz only smiled, amused by Rhonda, and beguiled by her determination. "You are such a fighter. And look at that! You''re trying to confuse me too." Rhonda''s glowing pink eye dimmed. Left with no other choice she went on the offensive. Gaz easily caught her blade, aimed towards his chest. And with ease he maneuvered his own dagger piercing just under her chest. "Too bad you''re not good at fighting." He spoke. Determined, Rhonda used the blood blade power, Extending the blade into Gaz''s chest. Shocked, he pushed Rhonda off him, pulling the blade from his chest! "Shit! I forgot about that!" Without wasting much time Rhonda ran from Gaz, forcing him to tend to his wound first. Running through the hall Rhonda licked her own hand, quickly placing it at her two wounds In moments the wounds closed up, leaving two guards in her way. Being caught, she readied her dagger and gulped down her own saliva. She then took another gulp and raced to confront the guards. One of them Swung, nearly hitting her. Seeing the opening she killed the first guard with a thrust. She followed up swinging her blade to the neck of the second, killing him instantly. The effects are caught up to her fast. But the sound of footsteps behind pushed her to continue her escape. Gaz, infuriated, was now on the pursuit looking for Rhonda. He found the guards continuing the pursuit eventually coming across an intersection of the dungeon that branched to three separate paths. He had lost her. He balled his fist in fury. "Damn it!!" ¡°I need to find that damn woman fast! Otherwise, she¡¯ll cause more trouble for the party tonight.¡± ******** "" The locks around the prison echoed throughout the prison. Donovan stared just outside his cell looking at the same unchanging hall. "Not a lot of guards tonight.¡± He yawned. ¡°I wonder why..." Noises of stumbling and something panting slowly became audible to him. Confused and curious he got from his bed to peek out the cell. a bloodied hand made its presence known, grabbing the cell bar. Slowly the face of a black-haired woman was revealed. Her face was flushed red as she panted with blood running down the top of her head, dripping off her cheeks. With her one pink eye she stared at him with recognition. upon seeing Rhonda, Donovan screamed in terror. "Oh! Shut up will ya!" One of the prisoner''s screamed. "Who''s screaming this time?" "I Dunno." Chapter 54: Committed Donovan, terrified, backed away from the cell bars, freaking out at the sight of Rhonda. "W-w-w-what''s a woman doing here!!?? A-a-and why are you bloody!!??" She brought out a bloodied chain of keys, she inserted the first which was wrong. ¡°W-w-wait! w-why do you have keys!?¡± She continued to try each key one by one, until she finally found the one for the prison cell. With the door now open she approached Donovan as he pressed himself against the wall. ¡°A-ah crap!¡± he yelped. He felt himself become more and more faint from seeing the blooded women encroaching. Flashes of his past echoed, as he remembered his stepsister doing the very same with crazed eyes. He quickly closed his eyes, expecting the worst, but nothing happened. After a couple of minutes he opened his eyes, now finding Rhonda bowing before him. ¡°P-p-p-please! Help me!¡± She squeaked. Donovan, confused, was unsure how to approach the increasingly strange situation. Rhonda, seeing that he finally opened his eyes, spoke up. "Pp-p-please¡­ H-h-help me save Kalika." "W¡­What?" Donovan slowly started to ease up. She looks back, making him jolt. He saw the look of desperation clear as day on the maid''s face. From this he can tell her sincerity to be real. "W- What''s going on??" Donovan asked. Rhonda tried to maintain her composure as she continued to tremble and pant. "Y-you don''t know m-me¡­ B-but I''m Kalika''s maid. I''ve seen you once with my mistress in the hall once. Y-y-you seem like a good person¡­ a-and I really need Help! Please! I-I¡¯ll do anything!" She bowed once more, leaving Donovan dumbfounded, unsure how to respond. ¡°Wha¡­ What happened?¡± Donovan asked. Rhonda tried to quickly compose herself. she gripped the hemp of her maid uniform, to calm herself. "Kalika¡± She started. ¡°S-she¡¯s to become a slave. And it''s all my fault¡­" Donovan could hear a hint of pain in her voice as she continued. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do. I promised myself that I¡¯d stand by her¡­ no matter what, But now I¡¯m-.¡± Looking at the Ernest maid. Before he knew it, tears fell from her face, she quickly dug in her pockets and brought out a gold ornament that was entrusted to her by Lucius. With trembling hands, she presented it straight to him. Donovan was taken aback by this jester. ¡°Please, Take it! B-but if that''s not enough I¡¯ll-¡± Unexpectedly, Donovan closed Rhonda¡¯s hands. She stood a little stunned by his action. Thoughts of Kalika ran through his mind and how she was actively pushing everyone away from her. Doubts formed in his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can help with Kalika¡­ She-¡± Suddenly the memory of Tilus''s and their promise resurfaced. He became more serious. ¡°Damn it.¡± He thought to himself. ¡°Just one more time.¡± He sighed, looking back at Rhonda with renewed determination. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help. ¡°Rhonda¡¯s one eye brightened and smiled with glee hearing his answer. Seeing this, Donovan averted his eyes, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. ¡°But I don¡¯t think Kalika would be too happy to see me. So how about this-...¡± ******** Lock after Lock, cell doors were being unlocked by Donovan. The inmates seeing this action become confused by what he was doing. "Hey, isn''t that the celestine soldier man?" "Yeah? What''s he Doin?" "Wait¡­ How did he get out of his cell???" another inmate pointed out. At the end of the corridor after unlocking every door in sight, Donovan made an announcement. "Hey, you Dahlian''s, I''ve got a special proposition. If any of ya beat me in a head on fight, I''ll tell ya where all those demons are hiding all the Ale!" "What''s he glabbering on about now?" one of the prisoners asked. They peaked out of their cell seeing Donovan making obscene gestures at them. "What the-!" The prisoner is hit with a wooden bucket of filth. Another bucket was thrown and then a third, all hitting their targets. The prisoners hit with buckets were now gnawing at their teeth. "You bastard!" Without a moment''s hesitation They chased after Donovan. First it was the three, then it quickly turned into the entire block of prisoners chasing down Donovan. All with one goal in mind or at least most as one of the prisoners really wanted that ale. ¡°I¡¯ll kill ya!¡± ¡°Yeah! Let''s kick his ass!!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s tie a noose and hang the bastard!¡± ¡°Where the hell is that ale, ye son of a bitch! Tell me!¡± More locks start to become unlocked. This time by Rhonda, as she unlocked all the prisoners'' cells after prisoners'' cells. Using her powers, she manipulates the men into causing an even bigger riot within the dungeon prison. The guards on patrol became alert to the growing unrest and charged in, to cease the madness growing in the prison. More prisoners began to flood the hall overwhelming the current rag tag group of guards. Eventually, guards, stationed by Kalika¡¯s prison corridor ran in to assist their fellow men. Lightened the security over Kalika''s cell. "" a struggling guard cried out. "" Another guard runs for the much-needed assistance. Rhonda, carefully avoiding the growing riot of prisoners, used a rag to wipe the blood off her face. She hurried over to Kalika''s cell, still feeling the pain in her back and chest from the wound she closed up.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. She collapsed without warning just as she made it to the corridor holding Kalika. Ignoring the pain she got up, investigating the source of the pain. She found that her wound she closed with her powers had opened back up. She used her saliva once again, healing the skin and taking a few moments to calm herself from the effects of her succubus power. Exhausted, Rhonda paced herself the remainder of the way to Kalika''s cell until she finally found Kalika lying on her bed. "I wonder what''s going on out there¡­" Kalika simply listened to the chaos that was unfolding beyond her cell and the footsteps approaching her. "Kalika!" Rhonda yelped. Kalika jumped, becoming more surprised upon seeing Rhonda. "Rhonda? What are you doing here? And what happened to you?" "I-I''m sorry b-but there''s no time to explain. We have to leave now." Rhonda hurried the key into the lock, unlocking Kalika''s cell door. Kalika sat there stunned by her statement. "Leave¡­?" After a moment she cringed. "No." Kalika turned to lay back in her bed. "Please we have to go. If we don''t-" "Is it because I''ll become Rakon''s slave? Is that why you came?" Kalika interrupted. "Spare me your pity¡­ I don''t need it. I made my choice Rhonda. You have your chance to be free and to start a new life with no worries¡­ But you''re squandering it." Kalika gave a harsh glance at Kalika. ¡°B-but-¡± "My fate''s already set in stone, you''re better off just leaving me behind." "N-no! Please¡­ Listen! don''t give up!" Rhonda pleaded. Once again, she grabbed the skirt of her ruined maid uniform. "You can escape this time! I swear¡­ This time you''ll make it! You shouldn''t have to suffer because of me¡­" Kalika''s ears perked as she continued to listen to Rhonda''s plea. Rhonda continues. "So let me help you. Please!" "Rhonda¡­ I appreciate your thoughts¡­ I really do¡­ But¡­ I think I''m beyond saving at this point¡­" Kalika said. "You''re better off just saving yourself from this place if you can." "No! I don''t want to leave you!" "Are you stupid!?" Kalika yelled. Kalika didn''t dare to look at Rhonda. "You only have one life so don''t waste it! I''m not going! And that''s final! Just accept my wishes, Rhonda, and leave." Rhonda felt a Pang in her chest, stumbling forth. She clutched her chest, feeling an unbearable pain. "I''m sorry, b-but that''s not an option for me either¡­" Rhonda said. "Hmm?" Kalika, curious by her response, peeked over to find Rhonda putting her dagger to her own neck. Kalika became alarmed seeing her like this. "R-Rhonda. What are you doing!??" Rhonda¡¯s hands began to tremble as she spoke. "I-I do only have one life, and I don''t want to die with regrets." "Then drop the knife. You don''t have to do this." Kalika''s worry started to become more and more evident to Rhonda. Rhonda frowned. "I know you hate demons¡­ But¡­ Do you hate me too?" Kalika stared shocked, stunned by the sudden question. She couldn''t bear to look at the women before her. "O¡­Of course I hate demons." "B-but do you hate me?" Rhonda brought the dagger closer to her neck as she stared at Kalika with pain filled eyes. "I-I know I don''t deserve your trust. I lied to you, and deceived you¡­ But I truly did not want to see you suffer any more than what you''ve already gone through with the Queen back then¡­" She continued. "Even if you hate me. Please trust this one last time¡­ and if you don''t¡­" with a gesture of her dagger, her intentions were clear. "Then I have truly failed you as your maid. And I''ll make things right for you." "Wh¡­W-what kind of person threatens to kill themselves if they can''t help someone?" Kalika questioned. Looking into Rhonda''s eyes, she could tell that she was serious. Kalika sighed, finally and reluctantly giving her answer. "F¡­Fine¡­ But this is the last time. But don''t get your hopes up, if we get caught, don''t expect me to protect you-." Kalika suddenly found herself being hugged. She couldn''t remember the last time she felt this kind of embrace. It was unnatural and different, but she didn''t hate it. "Deal." Rhonda said. "U-uhh¡­ Rhonda. Could you let go?" Rhonda released Kalika from her embrace. "W-we have to hurry. F-follow me!" Rhonda grabbed Kalika''s hands forcing her out of her cell to follow alongside. "H-hey wait. You don''t have to hold me. I can follow just fine!" Kalika shouted. ******** Back within the dungeon prison the prisoners suddenly started a full-on brawl fest. Prisoner punching prisoner, prisoner fighting guards. All the Chaos unfolding all stemming from a simple trip and a fist to the face, by the man looking for that mythic stash of ale. Donovan within the chaos dodged and countered, fighting against any man that came his way. And as he did, he left nose bleeds and black eyes in the wake of the chaos. Fighting his way through he suddenly spotted the man of interest. A black-haired man dressed of noble descent, plowed through prisoners in his way. Not wasting any time, Donovan fought through man after man. "Out the way you bastards!" He yelled. "Hey that''s the Celestine man! Get him!" A prisoner covered in foul grim, rushed to Donovan punching him. Another punch from the side by another inmate. A third to his gut. "Ggrrrraaaahhhh!!" Donovan returned the favor punching the second prisoner and head butting the first. Another came from behind him putting him in a choke hold. "I got the bastard!" Shortly after, another punch in the gut. With all his strength Donovan flipped the man over from behind his back. A fourth prisoner came for an attack but was pummeled into by another falling prisoner. Using the opportunity, he continued his chase after the black-haired man. He kept fighting through man after man until he finally made it through by some miracle. Donovan found himself more exhausted than what he''d expected. "That was close¡­" Donovan scanned the hall of chaos until he finally found the man of interest. He watched as the man moved past a blockade of guards trying to quell the chaos. Donovan quickly punched his way past prisoners and guards alike. And upon seeing the eyes of the black-haired man, he knew he found him. Without hesitation he ran past the blockade of guards, in an attempt to punch the man in the face. Donovan''s fist was caught, inches before hitting the black-haired man''s face. "" He saw that Gaz had caught his fist with his one hand. "So, he is a demon!!" Donovan thought. "" The man glared back with his pink eyes. The next moment Donovan found himself being tossed back into the crowd of prisoners still fighting. Gaz turned to one of the guards before him "" He questioned. "" the guard questioned. "" another guard scolds. "" Gaz''s frustration started to become evident to the two guards. "" "" Gaz is suddenly whacked at the side of his head with a guard''s spear! Wielded by Donovan with a fresh wound to the torso. "" Guards from behind pounced at Donovan. attempting to strip him of his newly gained weapon to little success. "" Gaz yelled. "" a guard retorted "" Guards rushed forth, nearly hitting Donovan with each attack becoming more deadly than the last. Eventually, He found himself being kicked back into the crowd of chaos by Gaz. Now on the ground, Donovan opened his eyes, finding the filthy prisoner standing over him. "There you are!!" the Prisoner said. Donovan was grabbed at the collar of his prison clothes. His face is then struck by the man, not once or twice but five separate times before the guards separated them. Using this opportunity the guards quickly pinned and cuffed him to the stone floor. Not taking any chances, Gaz approached Donovan, stepping on the side of his head, pissed. "Tch! " "" The guards stood stunned, still unsure whether to tell him. "Gaz?" Daji along with Florin and Valam arrived. The guard that left earlier was with them. "" Daji questioned. Gaz seeing the three women became even more irritated. "" "" Daji furrowed her brow. "" Daji hurried herself to Kalika''s cell "" Gaz quickly followed behind without complaints. Donovan, seeing Gaz leave alongside Daji, started to panic. He tried freeing himself, but it''s all in vain as he was completely incapacitated. "Damn it all. I''m sorry you two. But you''re on your own now." ******** Kalika along with Rhonda ran through the dungeon halls, quickly avoiding all the light patrols in the dungeon. Making it past and into the fourth level They continued to the Third. Just in time for Gaz and Daji to discover the empty cell Kalika left behind. Daji looked into the cell, grinded her teeth frustrated by the sight before her. "" "" Gaz said. "" They both stopped, hearing a familiar voice sounded through the prison corridor. They turned back to find Rakon standing tall and menacing. It only took a single glance for them to recognize that the Rakon that stood before them was no clone. He stood tall with a big scar on his chest, covered by his advisor''s robe that he¡¯d always wear. He had a broken right horn and emerald, green eyes that shined brightly, as though he had already seen right through them. Approaching he found Kalika¡¯s cell was now empty. Seeing this, he scowled. "" Rakon glared at both Daji and Gaz ferociously. "Where is Kalika!!??" Chapter 55: Party Crashing Kalika and Rhonda stood before a completely collapsed corridor and their only quick exit from the dungeon. Rhonda stood shocked as Kalika looked at the plugged-up corridor unfazed. Kalika sighed. "So, what now?" she said. "W-we go to the castle! T-there''re other ways out, up there! " "The castle¡­? Oh yeah¡­ It''s been so long I almost forgot¡­" Kalika looked down the other end of the hall. Not long after, Rhonda ran ahead urging Kalika to follow. With reluctance, she followed behind with Rhonda leading the way. Arriving onto the first floor of the dungeon, Kalika and Rhonda continued through the stone halls. "There''s no guards around this floor either. Perhaps they''re all in the castle above¡­" Kalika watched Rhonda from behind seeing her become much paler than before. "Hey Rhonda. Are you alright?" "Y-yeah. Don''t worry about me." she said, waving Kalika off. Hearing Rhonda, Kalika couldn¡¯t help but feel that she was hiding something. Kalika slowed down. Stopping at the very stairs she was first led down all those years ago. Climbing up the stairs she started to feel an almost nostalgic feeling. That all came to a halt upon seeing the first demon guard. He was dead drunk, swigging around a wooden pint of ale, joking around with other demon guards close by. Their playful banter soon turned into a quick drunken brawl allowing Kalika and Rhonda to sneak by undetected. roaming down hall after hall, Kalika could tell that a lot of renovations had been done while she was locked away. She remembered that these very walls were once a pristine white, now replaced by the color of black. Walking further down she found that new tapestry in the colors of red and purple hung on the wall along with some beautifully made decor of vases and plates and various different cupboards to match. There were even well-designed red carpets decorating the very floor, that were once nothing but stone. As much as she wanted to. Kalika couldn¡¯t take a leisurely stroll down these halls. She had to follow behind Rhonda and escape from this castle she once called home. Continuing onward, they turned into the hall, finally coming across more guards. Corner after corner, hall after hall, it seemed like these guards were posted everywhere, all almost half drunk With some, they could tell that the guards were obviously helping themselves to whatever booze they could find, but their sheer presence made it difficult for Rhonda and Kalika to escape undetected. "" a girl''s voice abruptly slurred. Kalika''s and Rhonda''s hearts sank. But then Kalika quickly became confused. "" They both turned, finding a blue demon girl with white hair holding a pint of ale in her hand, obviously drunk. she looked tired, but despite this she seemed very happy "" The demon girl, Mae drunkenly pointed down a hall she just came down. "U-uhhhh¡­" Kalika, bewildered by this strange circumstance, stared at the girl before them. She recognized her as a demon, but she also looked like a little girl. and even she didn''t drink Ale at her age. Rhonda quickly got in front of Kalika speaking in their native language. "" Rhonda quickly grabbed Rhonda to escort her through that very hall. "" "" Rhonda blurted. Mae quickly circled in front of them, standing in their way. "¡± Mae Pointed to Rhonda indignantly ¡°" She exclaimed. "" Unexpectedly Mae pattedRhonda on her back all while chuckling. Kalika understands that despite this girl''s looks, that she was not some frail girl. She could sense that Mae was staring at her from behind. She felt a small hand touch her arm followed by Mae peeking up at Kalika. Mae pressed the wooden pint against her chin as if pondering something. ¡°¡± A cold sweat ran down Rhonda¡¯s. She was about to jump into action, But Mae suddenly patted Kalika hard on the back, laughing hardily. ¡°¡± Mae forced her pint of ale into Kalika¡¯s hands. Kalika could only look at the pint awkwardly. ¡°¡± Despite her limited knowledge, Kalika could understand that the girl wanted her to drink the beverage. Reluctantly, and against what Rhonda advised, she gave a sip from the drink, consuming it. She found the drink much more bitter than she expected and felt it burning the walls of her throat as she forcefully chugged the drink down her throat. She smiled at Mae, feigning her like, to the drink given. Mae, satisfied, took the drink back from Kalika, smacking the pint to her lips and gulped away. She exhaled happily from her drink. ¡°¡± she slurred, before taking her leave. The two left quickly, freed to leave. ¡°¡± Mae shouted. She pointed again down the hall she came. ¡°¡± ¡°¡± Rhonda blurted, taking Kalika along with her, leaving Kalika even more confused. Just as the drunken Mae turned around, she quickly glanced back at the two, a little more confused herself. "" She just shrugged it off, choosing to chug down her pint of ale. She exhaled again, finishing her drink. "" Back with Kalika and Rhonda, they found themselves inside of a large great hall where rows of long tables laid with so many varieties of foods, that it¡¯d make a barbarian blush. There were meats, breads, and fruits as far as the eye could see and all for the taking. And right beside the tables, barrels and barrels of ale were lined up. They were all ready to bust open for its contents as the demons within this hall, partied without a care in the world. wandering further in, they found that the room was a conflict of aromas with the smell and ale here, and delicious smell of tender meat there. On a closer inspection of the tables Kalika found that the meat she smelled was coming from a large boar that was completely cooked with cooked grapes spilling from its belly. A barrel of ale exploded, hitting the floor spilling all its contents on the floor, Hardy laughter was heard from the demons who caused the incident followed by more laughter from those just seeing the scene. Rhonda, trying to escort Kalika away, almost slipped on one of the many bones the demons devoured from, some of the bones even had meat still on them. Kalika was tempted. She really wanted to dig into the different meats and fruits she saw before her. reaching out she tried grabbing a piece of chicken leg, only to be pulled away from Rhonda. Rhonda quickly brought Kalika back to her senses. ¡°K-Kalika. we have to go. We can¡¯t stay here.¡± she whispered. Understanding, Kalika nodded, continuing to let Rhonda lead the way through the distracted demons. Kalika suddenly felt a strong presence within the horde of demons they were shimmying past. It felt as though they were being watched.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She ignored this feeling, opting to silently follow Rhonda''s lead. They almost made it through with just another push past a group of demons. Just as they made it to the other side of the room a huge blue demon with a large gray beard, made his presence known. This demon was Magnus. "" He turned his gaze to Rhonda, narrowing his eyes. ¡°¡± Rhonda pulled Kalika away. They pushed through the partying demons looking for another exit. They found themselves quickly gaining the attention of the demons as they continued their search. Eventually the entire room became aware of them, and they both became cornered within a pool of demons. "It looks like we have no choice." Kalika held out her hand. "Zorbian." Unexpectedly, her blood blade dagger did not appear before her, shocking her to her very core. She calls it again. Then again. All with the same results. Kalika froze in shock. "W-what''s going on??" Magnus approaches the two women again, pushing aside the other demons that couldn''t understand the situation. "" Kalika freaked out seeing demons charging in. This is intercepted by Rhonda who dispatched the first two with her extending dagger. She took a gulp of her saliva, then another and another. Demons came charging in alongside Magnus. They were quickly met with Rhonda''s gaze, placing most of the demons around them in a trance, aside from Magnus. He punched at the ground, nearly hitting Rhonda. Not taking chances with the demon she pulls Kalika with her, running past all the intoxicated demons. Magnus followed behind, chasing them and setting off the alarm as he did. It doesn''t take long for the whole castle to become alerted. Demon''s once drunk, sobered up quickly knowing the severity of the situation. They raced onward to their location without hesitation while others moved to block any exits they might try. "T-there¡¯s another exit this way!" Rhonda said. keeping at her pace Kalika throws her question. "Are you sure that''s a good Idea? What about the other guards." "A-all the guards are celebrating around the east side of the castle. if we escape through the front, we might make it past the old capital." Kalika, running alongside Rhonda, watched her face become beet red and sweaty as she continued to gulp down at her own saliva. Running through the hall a guard approached from the right but was swiftly disposed of by Rhonda. Another two in front are just as quickly dispatched with a single swipe of Rhonda''s blade. Not long after, the two entered the main entrance of the castle, where several large pillars stood tall. The escape seemed certain until a huge ax was thrown, nearly hitting both Kalika and Rhonda. The ax landed in front of the main entrance, and like some strange magic, a web of blood covered the area like a wall! Kalika is quickly captured and pinned to the ground by Magnus, in his large hand. Rhonda retaliates but her Lightning-fast attack was thwarted as Mangus blocked the attack. "" Rhonda is punched into a wall by Magnus! She fell to the ground on her feet, stumbling forth. She quickly reorients herself, charging in with little disregard for her own safety. She swung her extended dagger at the demon, but this is met with a hammer to the face. "R¡­ Rhonda!" Kalika yelled. Kalika turned to find the hammer wielding demon to be the same drunken girl they met earlier. Mae posed herself looking at the maid pitifully with her large hammer resting on her shoulder. "" Her demeanor had completely shifted from the happy drunk to a cold-hearted little girl. Kalika gritted her teeth. "Zorbian! Zorbian Zorbian!" Kalika kept trying to manifest her blood blade, but to no avail. it felt as though it was hidden away somehow. Rhonda fell to the ground on her stomach. It became hard to tell if Rhonda was shaking from the pain or from the effects of her own succubus powers. Not long after, Rhonda got to her feet, with much more blood running down her face. She gulped down again, and again. And this time opened her one eye much more widely. She charged in again. This time with much more fierce determination. "" Mae met her head and as their weapons clashed. Mae flipped the hammer''s head to its side and deflected Rhonda''s attack, pushing her away. Mae holding out her finger manifested multiple blood bubbles straight from her finger, bringing forth five separate bubbles. With a single gesture all the blood bubbles shot its way to Rhonda. Rhonda evaded the best she could but was struck by two of Maes blood bubbles that stung her like acid. Mae followed up with her own attack on Rhonda closing in above her with a hammer posed to strike! By some sheer miracle Rhonda brought her gaze upon Mae, putting her in a trance. Rhonda ducked just in time, avoiding the attack and turned her attention back to Magnus and Kalika. Magnus, understanding the situation, started to use his own blood magic. Placing his hands on the floor, webs of blood shot out, starting to travel through the floor and pillars of the room with a single target in mind. Rhonda jumped and dodged the bloodied webs shooting at her, carefully avoiding each precise strike sent her way. Rhonda curved around the pillars of, witnessing some of them shatter as the blood web shot through them. Eventually after dodging them for so long, she found a risky opening. Taking the risk, she jumped straight past a web being shot at her and to Magnus himself. In a single move she jumped and stabbed the arm holding down Kalika! Magnus winced from the pain and flinched just enough for Kalika to escape his confines. "Run!!" Rhonda shouted. Without hesitation They both ran to the other side of the main entrance, and into the halls of the castle again. Magnus once again pursued the two women, this time sliding his hands against the wall and shooting out more webs of blood from the wall. They turned hall after hall, avoiding every web that attempted to latch onto them, all the while Rhonda kept gulping down her own saliva. Looking at Rhonda, Kalika could tell that she was holding onto her own sanity by a thread. Just running alongside her she could feel an immense heat coming from her as she panted. Having experienced Rhonda''s succubus powers firsthand, Kalika couldn''t imagine unbearable urges her maid was going through. It felt as though she was pulling off a miracle. "T-t-t-this way!" Rhonda yelled. They came across an intersection. And facing them were Daji, Florin and Valam. Seeing those three demon women, Kalika''s heart sank. Daji immediately sent a spear through Kalika''s chest. Florin dropped her own blood on the floor that sent out a strange pulsing wave that immediately stunned both Rhonda and Kalika in place. Valam, not to fall behind, used her blood rope, tying it to Kalika''s neck from afar. Luckily for Kalika, Rhonda quickly broke free from Florins power and sliced away Valam''s rope. Rhonda quickly took Kalika under her wing and turned right in the hall. Gaining distance from the three women, Rhonda tore away the blood spear from Kalika¡¯s chest. She quickly licked her hand and smeared it on Kalika¡¯s wound, healing both her chest and back as they fast approached a withering pink garden. Not long after, Kalika regained consciousness, finding pain coming from inside her chest. "O-ow¡­. Rhonda?" Rhonda pulled Kalika ahead, telling her to run once more. They soon entered the garden. The chill in the air became evident and she recognized this garden well from when Bjorn recaptured her. "W-wait this is-" Rhonda interrupted. "Y-you have to jump Kalika! It''s the only way; you have to jump over the wall!" Kalika was momentarily stunned by what Rhonda just said. Kalika looked over the short stone wall, slowly, she felt her every will to escape, leave her. It was as though her every will to leave was replaced with immense hesitation. It felt just like those other times. She looked at the night sky, becoming hypnotized by the radiance of the two moons. Looking back down a fear crept into Kalika''s heart. A fear she didn''t understand. "S-s-s-s-somethings not right. W-why can''t I¡­" Kalika turned back to Rhonda, much more concerned. "Rhonda-" Suddenly Kalika found herself being kissed by Rhonda. the sounds of moaning snaking just under her breath, Rhonda''s eye widened in shock, regaining her sanity. She quickly pulled herself away from Kalika, distancing herself. She quickly wiped her mouth from her beet red face. "I-I''m so sorry!¡± She stuttered. ¡°I-I can''t¡­ resist the feeling¡­ any longer. M-my mind is going blank. P-please, you have to go now!" "I¡­I Can''t¡­" Kalika has never seen Rhonda in such a vulnerable state as she did now. Seconds later Kalika felt a dizziness strike. A familiar heat rose within her body. Not long after the demons chasing them surrounded both Kalika and Rhonda. ¡°Please, forgive me for what I¡¯m about to do.¡± Rhonda muttered. Desperate, Rhonda forced herself to push Kalika from the stone wall. "Please forget about me! And run as far away as possible! Please!!" Kalika watched from below as a blood spear shot into Rhonda''s chest. An immense guilt filled her heart at that moment. And just as she thought she would hit the ground¡­ She was caught from the sky, into the arms of someone very fit with toned muscles. Opening her eyes, Kalika looked on in horror as she found herself in the grasp of Rakon. "R-Rakon!?? Despite his slightly changed appearance with his broken right horn, she could tell it was him, as they flew in the sky with his demonic wings abroad. Rakon ignored Kalika with a sour look, instead focusing on getting them back onto the stone wall of the garden. Landing back on the wall, they watched as Rhonda with the spear still in chest, continued to fight in vain. Gaz arrived, stopping the pointless fighting and pinned Rhonda to the ground. Daji and her posse scowled at the maid, leaving her be. "" Gaz said. "" Mae arrived on the scene but was halted by Magnus, they both continued to watch the scene in silence. Gaz grasped at Rhonda''s face examining it much more closely. He snickered. "" He threw her face from his hands. "" Rakon glaring at the maid, growled. "" Kalika, looking back at Rakon, saw his eyes become black, with his green pupils glowing ever so brightly. With his right arm Rakon conjured forth a rock, enlarging with each passing second into a boulder that encompassed most of the garden. Gaz quickly moved out of the way knowing there was no reasoning with Rakon at this point. "Rakon! Please! Don''t do it!¡± Kalika tugged at his clothes hard. "Don''t do it!" Rhonda, seeing Kalika and recognizing the situation, tries to keep herself composed as she looks on in sorrow. And for one last time, she looked at her master, saying her final words. "Kalika¡­ I''m so sorry." "DON''T DO IT!!" The crushing of bones and flesh were the only things that Kalika could hear in the deafening silence. She couldn''t bear witness to see the results of Rhonda¡¯s demise. "No! This can''t be happening! T-this can''t be." In an instance all those feelings she once thought were real, vanished in an instant, replaced by an empty void. All her senses started to feel overwhelmed, heart racing, heat rising. She recognized this feeling well. The effects from Rhonda''s concupiscent kiss, started to overtake her very mind. "No. Not now!" breathing became much heavier with hazed vision. She held tight to Rakon''s robe, trying to calm herself in vain. "T-this isn''t real. This isn''t real¡­ It can''t be real." She could hear the calling of her name, everything started to become increasingly hazy. She gripped Rakon''s clothes much tighter as her body felt an overwhelming desire that was mind numbing to a point of losing air. Everything became dark as she was filled with new breath and an unbearable lust.