A white flower bud, shimmering in the corner of a sunlit bedroom, bloomed and unveiled its glimmering petals.
Not far away, Lillian laid in bed, still unconscious, and then—
Her eyes opened, the slits of her pupils narrowing. Alarmed, she sat and darted her eyes around, looking over the cozy room. Each breath came shallower than the last as confusion took hold.
"W-where am I?" she murmured.
From the corner of her eye, she saw a fair-skinned maid with black horns enter. The maid's pink eyes widened, then she rushed out.
Lillian furrowed her brow, then a sharp pain struck her head. Memories of her fight with Enoucht flooded back. She gasped and touched her stomach.
Nothing.
The wound was gone.
Not long after, a familiar demon entered. His hair grew closer to his neck, and his beard stood even more pronounced than before.
He opened his mouth to speak, but his golden eyes gave away his identity before he uttered a word.
"Lucius?" Lillian called.
He breathed a sigh of relief as she drifted her gaze to his scar-covered chest.
Her heart sank. "L…Lucius, what happened to-"
Before she knew it, she was embraced in a tight hug.
"Lillian, you're finally awake."
"Wh… What happened?"
Lucius grew grim, almost pensive.
"The Empire of Celestine invaded. It's been rough, but I somehow managed to hold them back."
"They… Attacked?"
Lucius leaned away and nodded. "The dogs don't know when to stop. We had a short reprieve thanks to the winter, but they're routing more of their men. Right now, Jala is handling the border, but it won't last long."
Lillian's eyes widened with horror as a sudden realization struck. "K-Kalika… Where's Kalika!? And where's Rakon!?"
"Those two are the least of our worries, Lillian." Grimacing, he gently turned her to face him. "The armies are gone, Lillian. I tried gathering everyone from our settlements, but it's not enough. We still need to hold them off until reinforcements from the Pit arrive."
Lillian stared in stunned silence, unable to comprehend a word spoken. She blinked
"I need you on the front lines with me again. If possible, recruit more men. I need all the help I can get."
"B…but… Kalika…" she said more quietly.
"We'll worry about her later. Right now we need stability here."
Her eyes lowered. Her chest felt torn between two worlds. Her hands trembled, tightening into a fist. "C…C-c… Can I have… more time…"
He sighed deeply, understanding. "Sure. You should rest. After what happened, you need it."
Lucius quietly left with the maid behind, who glanced one last time before closing the door.
Lillian lowered her head and furrowed her brow, deepening her frown. The pain she felt was harsher than any wound.
"Kalika… Where are you?"
********
Rakon sat with his head down and slumped against destroyed and half-scorched stone bookshelves. The fire lingered around him like a natural disaster as he stayed silent under its crackle.
Slowly the door opened. And although quiet, Gaz's voice was heard, but just barely.
Footsteps faded into the background, then back in with several more as demons entered, dousing the fire.
"
Rakon stayed silent. A shame burning deep inside kept him from speaking.
"
His guards quickly marched into the library, assisting Rakon up and out of the library. Not long after, he pushed them off him.
""
Rakon slowly trudged through the halls, silent, with his mind churning. His concerned entourage followed as he finally made his way back to his office.
"
"
Gaz, staying quiet, bowed politely and closed the door, leaving Rakon in his room. He trudged over to his desk filled with books, a single contract and Kalika's ornate, bloodied dagger, lying on a white cloth.
He sat, staring at the contract with newly dulled eyes. The revelation of Kalika remembering everything lingered in his mind, along with the demon's head, stabbed into the door of his very bedroom.
He read the contract again, speaking more hushed.
" In a spike of rage, he flipped his desk into the barrel of parchment. Splinters scattered; paper, so valuable, became useless, and his horde of books became nothing but junk.
He stared ahead. His chair felt even more hollow than before.
"Since when was I fixated on her? When? When?? When!??" He clenched his fist. "It's… all my fault. I should've kept her closer to me. Ensured I brought her to the pit myself. If I did, I'd have that black core in my hands."
He took a deep breath.
"Then, I'd carry the power to conquer the heavens, prove my ascension. That contract should still give me absolute control over her, but…"
He raised his black hand, staring silently for a good minute. A pain still coursed through his veins, still thin as if withered. He pinched his fingers and, in a small way, his blood snaked out, only to splatter helplessly over his palm and lap.
" Rakon sat. Eyes lowered as his thoughts continued spinning. Soon his gaze grew cold and distant. His lips tightened. And suffocating darkness surrounded him as black flowers bloomed from the corner of the wreckage.
Expression now resolute, Rakon stood and called out.
"Gaz!"
The door creaked open, Gaz peeking from the other end. " " Gaz's breath caught. " " ********
Maids and servants scrambled throughout the castle in a panic. Some returned to their quarters; others hurried to finish their chores, leaving a curious few bewildered by the sudden event.
Curious, Kalika peeked from behind a door she was cleaning and listened from inside as servants panicked and abandoned their station. She glanced back, watching as Maids and servants whispered amongst themselves. Some became pale, and others shook, trying to finish their work.
Kalika turned, focusing back on removing the sludge and stains that marked the door as she listened to the chaos beyond. Her mind wandered on. Memories of Rakon angry glare lingered in her mind.
She smirked, humming to the others' surprise as she worked on cleaning the door, whipping the cupboards and eventually the stone table that stood as the centerpiece of the room.
Before she knew it, she stood, admiring her work, feeling a little brighter than usual.
" Another shrugged, just as confused.
Slowly, the halls behind her quieted, and a call came from behind. She turned to find Teyv, standing and waiting with empty eyes. " Kalika narrowed her eyes but feigned her maid persona and followed after Teyv, letting her lead the way. They twisted down halls, eventually coming to a long line of servants and maids, waiting patiently.
She tried her best to ignore them, walking past until they reached the very beginning of the line, where Mae stood with an unreadable expression.
Resigned, she automatically moved to the front, but was swiftly pulled aside by Mae, who glared. "< You're not meant to stand.>" Mae explained.
Not long after, Rakon stepped from behind the corner with Gaz at his side. He glanced at Mae, then at Kalika.
" Teyv bowed. " "Kalika," Rakon called, his eyes lowered and cold. "Take my side."
Feeling a pull, her body moved, almost surprising her. Her heart pounded as she stood by his side.
She glanced, curious of his next move…
"Tell me, You've worked beside many of these servants and maids. This past month. Am I correct?
Kalika began to nod.
"I want you to tell me outright." He clarified.
Feeling compelled, Kalika spoke up. "Yes"
The maids and servants gasped subtly, surprised.'
" " "I think I can."
"Good." Rakon turned his gaze. "Gaz, give it back to her."
With a nod, Gaz displayed both of Kalika's blades, one still stained with clear blood.
"Take it. We're going to play a game." He said.
Kalika listened, taking her weapons. "Why are you-"
"From here, I want you to walk with me." Rakon's eyes turned forward, deeply focused. "Anyone you know who talked ill of me, doubted me, or planned for my death—kill them."
Kalika glanced at Rakon, his eyes felt cold and focused, as if trying to prove a point.
On their first step, Kalika's hand moved, slicing her throat with cold precision. Blood spattered the walls. The body collapsed, and the maid beside her retched, paralyzed by terror. All the while, Gaz and Mae looked on, stone-faced at the sudden death.
Undeterred, Rakon continued. Kalika was unable to control herself as she walked. Past tense servants and maids.
Rakons Glared onward, hearing the death of two more. Then another four, then three. Each one is as blood as the last. He clicked his tongue in annoyance,
"Cut his head," He order
A servant's head rolled.
"Spill the next traitor's guts."
Death followed them. Desperate servants ran in vain, each executed to perfection. Despite this, he remained unsatisfied.
"Kill several more now."
Kalika surged forward, cutting down over half a dozen in a blur. Screams echoed through the castle as she moved mechanically, face blank as they continued the slaughter, ending at the castle entrance.
The last, and silence remained heavy over the carnage left behind.
"That's over half," Rakon noted. "Is that all?."
"Why did you have me kill them?" Kalika questioned, her hands shaking.
"We're only finishing the job you started," Rakon replied. His eyes met Kalika briefly, then turned to the surviving servant. " On his order, the servants moved at once, some still retching as others barely held themselves, shaking from the bloodied showcase. Nonetheless, they pushed past their feelings, cleaning.
"Tell me," Rakon spoke. "Did you enjoy killing them?"
"Yes," Kalika stared, but jolted in surprise. "Th-that's not what I wanted to say."
Curious, she glanced back, as if hoping to meet his gaze. Instead, His stern focus kept forward.
He cringed. "And tell me… Do you despise me?"
"I… Do." Her words felt more shallow than expected. She furrowed her brow, confused by Rakon.
"Good. Then follow me," He said.
Kalika felt herself unable to retaliate as she stepped outside the castle's gates.
"Bow to me." Rakon suddenly said.
On Rakon's orders, Kalika's body moved on its own, bowing to the demon. She fought, but slowly resigned, flattening her features.
He sneered, eyeing and circling Kalika. Reaching her back, he pressed his hand on the back of her neck.
"I knew it. Now he-"
"In the name of Zorbian, I release you."
"W-what??"
A weight lifted from her being. Slowly, the crest on her chest burned, allowing her to breathe easier and think more clearly.
"You've fulfilled your duty. Now you're free to go." Rakon, even more distant, turned.
"I-I'm… Free?" Her lips curled for a fraction of a second, but an overwhelming flurry of other emotions broke though. Her eyes darted to Rakon's retreating figure and leapt.
"S-stop!" Kalika grabbed the back of his vest, her dagger and knife clattering to the ground as her mind swam in confusion. "What's the meaning of this?!"
"Is it really that hard to understand? You're free..."
"But why!?" Kalika tightened her grasp, almost desperate. "Why?"
"Because you're a liability." he snaked, forcing a glare. "Perhaps I should thank you. You opened my eyes. Showed me how short-sighted I've been. And because of that, I finally realized that all of my plans, all those years of work I put into attaining my brother's position, were for naught. I grew too distracted and this is where it landed me."
He took a deep breath then turned away. "As a reward, I've given you your freedom back. Now you can finally escape like you always wanted."
Her chest tightened, and her grip loosened at his words. "But… But where am I supposed to go?"
"I don't care! Live on the lam! Or scurry back to that so-called sister of yours! Now that you're a demon, you'll both blend perfectly."
Her breath caught. "Lily…? But she's dead! You said it yourself!" she snapped.
Rakon's eyes lowered. "Well, I was wrong. Through some miracle, both she and my brother survived. Do you see the problem now…?" He clenched his fist. "Whose head do you think is on the line here…? Leave here. And never come back. I-I…"
From the entrance, Gaz and Mae passed Rakon and presented bags and supplies. She stared and slumped to her knees in shock. Her eyes lowered, still trying to process everything.
"There's a cart with a Garu waiting for you at the main gate of this ruined city," Rakon added. "Take it too. I won't be needing it."
Without a moment's hesitation, he, Mae, and Gaz re-entered the castle, and the gates closed.
"Take care of yourself… Kalika."
The door closed. Leaving Kalika in the eerie silence of the ancient, destroyed ruins. She looked at the bag of supplies. Then glanced back into the city and at the distant gate. "But…"
Her chest tightened, feeling a dark void creep in.
"I don't want to leave."