Kalika walked through the bloodied maze-like corridors filled with the corpses of the guards and Succubus's alike. Her steps echoed through the eerily silent halls as she quietly observed the architecture and decoration around her. She stepped around the damaged textiles and vases that littered the floor and walls, as she glanced in the different rooms of the castle, discovering more evidence of the internal war waged just moments ago.
"Didn't you say there was a battle in the castle… All I see are dead bodies and broken decorations."
"[There was. But that fight didn't last long. As of now, the castle is completely ours.]"
"No thanks to that army of dark blobs of yours, right?"
"[Them, and my loyal followers who fought well… But putting that aside, You should move on to meet with elders.]"
"So I can meet with you and free myself from this dream. I know." Kalika sighed.
"[Were you looking for something in particular. As soon as you left the castle's dungeon, you wandered off from your escort.]"
"No, I just wanted to look around. To be honest, the castle is much different from what I imagined. All I've seen so far were just rooms filled with bodies and broken chairs." Kalika gazed back through the rooms, finding bedrooms, guestrooms, and even a room housing cleaning supplies. "I was hoping there would be something more interesting-..."
Kalika's eyes immediately drew to a chamber with chains linked to cuffs planted in the center and shelves, filled to the brim with both new and ancient scrolls. Curious, Kalika entered. "A Library?"
"[So you find this room interesting?]"
Ignoring Zorbian, Kalika pulled an old scroll and peeked inside to read its contents. She raised a brow, then cringed ."A contract. And my name is…" She scrunched the scroll in her hand, then scanned the room.
She dropped the scroll from her hand and drew another from its hole in the shelf. "Another? Are these all…" Her face hardened. With a sigh, she tossed it aside. "What a waste of time. All of it. I was expecting a lot more from a so-called demon castle in my dreams."
Indignant, Kalika left the room. "How annoying." she muttered.
"[Sorry to disappoint. So are you ready now to leave?]"
"I suppose I'll see those demons now." Kalika stopped at the intersection of the halls. "Which way is it?"
"[My puppet will lead you. But please stay with him this time.]"
Kalika rolled her eyes at Zorbian's remark, watching as a black oozy hand reached out from the black line in the corner of the hall, emerging and slumping over. It glanced at Kalika, then moved on to lead her through the castle halls.
********
Krason conjured his axe at the ready, glaring at Lyra, prepared to kill. "
Krason and all the Elders froze in place, unable to move.
Krason's eyes widened in surprise. "
"" Cyrus said. He cleaned the blood from his finger, then fixed his monocle.
Slowly, Zorbian's dark puppets entered one at a time, behind Lyra and Cyrus.
"
"
Gelun grimaced. "
"
"
Lyra, seeing this, chuckled. "No, it was an unexpected series of events had everything here fall into our laps. And we couldn't resist taking advantage.>" she twisted Gelun's long beard in her fingers, teasingly. "
Lyra leaned closer to Gelun's ear. "
Veins bulged and Gelun clenched his. "
Keeping calm, Fricius, the blind elder, turned his ear to Lyra. "
"
"Oh?"
"
"
"
The elders gasped in stunned silence.
Lyra smirked. "They didn't have to know that yet, Cyrus."
"
In an instant, Cyrus held his dagger to the demon's neck. Krason scoffed."
"
Krason could only glare at the alchemist. "
"
Lyra's smile deepened with a hum. ""
"
"
"
"
Jaf, with a growing curiosity, peered up at the dark puppets, seeing all of them standing stationary among each other.
Cyrus pulled his dagger from Krason's neck. "
"
Shocked, Cyrus turned to find Kalika leaning in the corner of the room. She had two dark puppets that stood at her side as a shadow that danced and obscured her face.
Cyrus raised his dagger at once. "
Lyra glanced back, just as surprised. "
Cyrus scrutinized The Kalika. "So she's this so-called Champion, Lyra's been talking about. She doesn't seem to be too remarkable."
Kalika returned a glare to Cyrus. "
"
Kalika scoffed. "" She slowly turned her gaze to the frozen in place, Biltrix, and pinched his nose.
"Argh!!" He winced as Kalika twisted and turned his strange, crooked nose.
With a blank expression and a steady glare, Kalika spoke up."
"
"Hmm?" Kalika glanced back at Lyra.
A cold sweat ran down the side of Cyrus face as he glanced from Lyra to Kalika. "
"
Her laughter continued as she released Biltrix's nose.
"So he's supposedly going to be king. But wants more power?"
Cyrus quickly raised a brow, listening to Kalika.
"Why the hell does a demon like him need more power? HE HAS MORE THAN ENOUGH OF IT DOESN'T HE!!?" Kalika, with clenched fists, glared fiercely at the elders. "I hate the bastard. I truly do. First, those damned contracts and stupid games and now this!?" She uttered venomously. "Always fluanting himself, always one step ahead. Why can't I just win against him for once!!?"
Kalika's shoulders shook, and her breath, once unsteady, slowly calmed. "No! Forget about him. All of this will be over soon, just like Zorbian said. Then I'll truly be free from this stupid nightmare of a dream!"
"
Her eyes twitched at once, hearing the elder Farn, who stood frozen behind Biltrix.
"
"
"Argh!! Fine!!>" Biltrix blurted. Kalika released his nose at once. Shortly after, the elders unfroze, and the dark puppets prepared their weaponized arms. "
"
"Out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to have a name, would you?" Cyrus asked.
Kalika glared. "What is it to you?"
"No offense, but I prefer to call you by an actual name and not 'champion'. Unless that's what you prefer?"
Hearing Cyrus, Kalika rolled her eyes and stepped ahead, following the elders. "It's Kalika. Now, let's go."
"Kalika… Now, where have I heard that name from?" Cyrus pondered. "And the fact that she knows the human tongue like me and Lyra… Hmm… Interesting…"
"
"
********
A heat slowly overtook Donovan as he opened his eyes, he found himself in a blank white void. "Where am I?"
"Strange." A wispy, feminine voice said.
Donovan turned discover a floating source of absolute fire that hovered over him. surprised, He stumbled back, falling on his butt.
"A thezakan appears before me. How very rare. Wait…" The fire slowly approached Donovan, leaving him stunned and even more befuddled.
"No… You are not thezakan… Human. Even rarer. To think that his creation would find its way here. I had thought he had long purged the blood of the old thezakan, but he simply reused it, it seems."
"Wh…Who are you talking about!" Donovan questioned.
"My child… And child of Dwall… I am simply referring to our creation and the son of Zelak, the one who created your kin."
"That demon? No- They mentioned Dwall the celestial of water… Th-they don't mean the celestial of light, do they!?"
"Ah~~.. But he matters very little now. Even if by mere mistake, to connect our souls, albeit briefly is not small feat. as a small token of this accomplishment I'll dispose of a small snippet of knowledge that may prove useful for you for your current... Circumstances."
Donovan felt a sudden burning sensation in his head, but despite its intrusion, it only felt warm and inviting. His eyes widen in shock "W-Who are you??"
A warmth suddenly filled Donovan, as if being smiled upon.
"Just a simple observer, like my fellow kin. Although, seeming that I've interfered with our sons plan like Felim and Gerna before me, it doesn't seem to be the case anymore." A sly chuckle echoed in the void. "Perhaps our souls will meet again or perhaps this will be that last we meet. In either case I wish you luck, Cassell's child"
"Wait no-!" His mind blanked at once. Replaced by a searing pain.
"Uugghhh…" Donovan slowly forced his eyes open, his vision blurred and a vertigo taking hold. He felt his body drag from the plaza ground. His gaze flickered from the waves of magic striking the horde of dark puppets to the dark alley where demon guards panicked.
"W-what's happening? Am I… Alive?"
"
"Huh?" His sight slowly cleared again, this time with the visage of a guard who examined his pipe along with another as they spoke.
The commander slapped the two on the back of the head. "
The pipe stumbled from the guard's hands. And the two stood at attention.
"S-sorry, sir!" they said in unison.
Donovan slowly picked himself from the ground, startling the guards around.
"
Still weakened, Donovan forced himself to his feet, gasping for air. "W-what happened to me. One minute, I killed a bunch of those monster things… Th-the next I… I...."
"
A pain rushed to his heart. "Aarrghh!!!!"
"D-damn It! I feel like my heart is going to explode!!"
"Hey! Are you alright!?" Several of the guards quickly helped Donovan down, leaning him against the alley wall. "Careful! You used all of your magic earlier. You're lucky you didn't die where you were."
A rage of coughs erupted with blood spewing from Donovan's mouth and onto his shaking hands. He gazed at the bloodied stains left behind and quickly slumped his hands weakly at his sides.
The commander of the guards quickly shook him. "Can you hear us!? Tell me, soldier! Did you come from heaven!?"
"
The demon commander examined Donovan's hazed eyes with a growing curiosity. "
Donovan's vision hazed in and out. "
"
"
The bickering between the two demon guards erupted.
"W-what the… Why can I… understand them?"