Kalika stood at the castle gate, staring and hesitating between the looming walls behind her and the supplies at her feet. Her fingers trembled as she struggled to steady her breath.
Her mind went blank, but she bent to pick up the supplies and turned away.
She shuffled unsteadily into the ruined city, descending the long road that wound straight to the city's battered front gate.
Kalika let the silence settle over her. Every movement, every crackling stone, echoed through the emptiness. Her eyes darted over the weathered ruins, searching for any sign of life. She paused, glancing back at the distant castle.
Each step felt heavier than the last, as if her very being resisted the idea of moving forward.
She pushed on. Hours passed before she realized it, and she arrived at the cart. It was large, with a roof big enough to serve as a home. Inside were four barrels and a few crates, all stuffed with supplies.
Kalika turned back expectantly.
No one was there.
She grimaced and turned to the Garu, which slept soundly, oblivious to everything. Her breath caught as she wrestled with tangled thoughts.
Lillian's alive…" She clenched her jaw. "I… don't want to go back to her." Kalika looked at her blue, bloodstained hand, her mind lingering on Rakon.
"I... I don't need him. The idiot actually freed me." Kalika's laugh came out awkward, thinner than she intended. She gripped her trembling hands and crawled into the back of the cart, curling up tight as her tail arced gently to her face.
Quietly, she peered out of the cart. Still alone. She traced the tip of her tail with gentle fingers, a pleasant tingle shivering up her spine. She pressed harder, hoping the sensation would last, but curled deeper into herself, unsatisfied.
"Uhh, Kalika, what are you doing now?"
Her eyes snapped open. "Donovan?!" She sat up abruptly, cheeks flushed, scanning the still-empty cart.
Outside the cart, a flash of something large and red caught her eye. "We should keep moving."
Kalika hurried around the cart and peered up front. No one was there. The Garu, confused, turned toward her and cooed.
Her gaze dropped, a deeper loneliness hollowing out her chest.
"Why?" Her knees buckled, hands clawing at the dirt as she struggled to swallow. "Why?" She clutched clumps of earth, as if holding on could keep her from falling apart.
Her mind flashed back. "Because you're a liability," Rakon snapped.
She bared her teeth, tightening her grasp. "That bastard. How could he…?"
"Live on the lam," she mocked.
"[There's nothing left for you here.]"
"Shut up!"
"[I can still make that pain go away. All you have to do is consume my core in Oar's. Then everything you feel now will cease to matter.]"
Her eyes softened, listening. A silence came, and she narrowed her eyes. "I refuse! I don't want to be your blood puppet!"
"[So you prefer my brother to lock you in an endless void of nothing?]"
"N…No."
"[Then join me, and I'll give you everything you desire: revenge, companionship, satisfaction—even a true death.]"
"Y…You're a terrible liar," she said, her face pained as she fought to hold back her tears. She stumbled to her feet and onto the back of the cart, digging her fingers into the planks.
"[So, is this what you want?]"
"No! I never wanted any of this. Why is it that every time I try to find peace, it's ripped away from me?!"
Her hand trembled as a surge of emotion threatened to overwhelm her. She scrubbed furiously at her eyes, trying to stem the flood of tears. "I hate this world so much... I hate it. I hate it, I hate it!"
Her breathing quickened and her vision blurred as she tried to pull herself together. She glanced back into the cart, eyes settling on the barrel.
Desperate, she climbed in and opened the first barrel, grimacing at the smell of salt and meat.
She tossed the barrel aside and opened the second—more of the same. She moved to the third, opening it. The barrel wobbled, its wet contents spilling out.
Without hesitation, Kalika plunged her hands in and drank.
Water.
Her cheeks burned, and her fingers curled. She moved to the last barrel, finding it filled with water too.
Anger exploded within her.
She kicked the barrel into an overturned crate and roared in anguish, then collapsed to her knees with her hands over her head. "I—I can't do it. I…I."
Her eyes rose to the now distant castle. She stared at it and bit her lip, hesitant.
Slowly, the crystals dimmed, marking the encroachment of night.
"N…Nobody will notice if I take a couple of barrels from them, right?"
She gulped, then darted her gaze around to ensure nobody was watching. She shuffled from the cart, reentered the city, and left the packs of supplies behind.
********
Gaz and Mae stood upright in Rakon's office as he narrowed his eyes, coldly looking over the last of the reports handed to him, before setting it down with a sharp, tired sigh. "
"
"
"
"
"
Rakon slammed his fist. "
"F…Forgive me." She lowered her head, forcing Rakon to roll his eyes.
"
"
On his order, the two left, leaving Rakon and closing the door.
Gaz, with an unreadable demeanor, narrowed his eyes in concern.
"
Keeping quiet, he glanced. "
"
Gaz nodded. "
"
""
"
"
Mae scoffed. "
Unexpectedly, a strange sound filled the air. The two paused, darting glances at each other.
"Did you hear that?" Mae pointed.
"
They approached where the noise came from, eyes locked with curiosity. Then–
Pans clattered, and a maid scurried out, grabbing everything she could.
"
"Ugh." Gaz rolled his eyes. "
"
"
Mae nodded, following along as the succubus made her way back into the room, knife now pressed against her neck.
"
The maid nodded furiously. Kalika grabbed the maid by the shoulder and pressed her knife against the woman's back, using her as escort; she twisted through halls familiar to her, eventually freezing in place, feeling the movement from a door beyond.
Reluctant, she took the woman and glared, gesturing for silence.
She turned the corner, eyes wide in shock as Rakon locked his door. She hid again and listened as his footsteps became louder.
Her breath caught; she clenched her fist and covered the maid's mouth. Her mind screamed at her to retreat, but her body refused to move. He drew closer, her heart pounding—then—
He turned. Back to both women as he sighed tiredly before entering his private chambers.
"O-of course," Kalika uttered. She released the woman's mouth.
"
She covered the maid's mouth again, more annoyed. "
Kalika pulled the maid ahead and escorted her through the last corridors until they reached their destination. She led the woman down a flight of stone stairs and opened the first door, revealing rows of barrels and shelves lined with glass bottles.
"
Kalika pinned the woman to the shelves. Her eyes were more hollow than before. "
The maid shook and quieted, slowly sitting. She was forced to watch as Kalika broke open the first barrel and indulged herself.
She guzzled mug after mug, desperate to quench her thirst. "This is worse than the last…" she slurred. She fumbled to the ground, leaving the maid half-tempted to leave.
Kalika pulled the barrel down and drank directly from it. Satisfied, she set it aside and slumped to the ground.
"Finally. His stupid voice is gone…" Her gaze drifted lazily to the frightened maid, still afraid to move. Through some miracle, she wobbled to her feet, dunked another mug into the barrel, and passed it directly to the maid.
"
The maid reluctantly accepted, drinking from the mug little by little as Kalika watched.
The maid choked, and Kalika chuckled as the woman tried to fix her supposed mistake. "
"
Kalika sank down beside the maid and stared into space. "It's so nice to have someone by your side. Not like that bastard Rakon."
She glanced at the maid, snickering. "I bet it's easy for you. All your kind has to do is look good and do what you want. It's completely and utterly embarrassing… But I guess it works for you, doesn't it?"
The succubus cocked her head, unable to comprehend Kalika.
Kalika lowered her eyes and traced her fingers along her lips, flushing red. Her eyes grew heavier, and her breathing steadied as drowsiness overwhelmed her.
Refusing to succumb, Kalika stabbed her own head, terrifying the maid and forcing a panicked scream. To her surprise, the fatal wound healed, and she watched as Kalika reached for a bottle and tore it open with her sharp teeth.
Kalika groaned in annoyance at her cleared mind and drank some of the bottle down before exhaling in dissatisfaction.
Bottle still in hand, Kalika steadied herself and stood. "
Her nerves prickled, forcing her to take another sip before dropping the bottle. Its bright red contents spilled as she finally reached his door.
The locked door easily yielded to her copy of the key, clicking audibly before creaking open as she entered. She locked the door behind her and approached Rakon, who lay silently.
She quietly strolled to his side, staring at his face. With continued silence, she climbed to his stomach and placed the dagger to his throat.
His eyes flashed open, shock evident on his face as Kalika stared down at him. "Kalika? How did you-"
"Shut up." She pressed harder, staying silent as she looked at him with a tired gaze. Slowly, she lowered her head, pressing their foreheads together. Then, with steady calm, she whispered, "I hate you… so much."
She leaned closer, locking lips and stealing breaths.
Rakon's eyes widened. Kinfe to his throat, he furled his fingers until she finally withdrew, leaving them both gasping for air.
Kalika slowly breathed in and out, her eyes locked on Rakon.
"I don't want to leave," she admitted, feeling the side of his arm. She slowly raised it, forcing his hands onto her chest. "I don't care what I have to do to stay."
"Stop. You're not in your right mind."
"I don't care." She leaned closer.
"Stop."
She continued.
"I said STOP!"
In a rush of adrenaline, Rakon pushed Kalika to her back on the bed and pinned her down. The knife still at his throat, he sweated bullets. "If you're going to kill me, do it now. I'm dead either way."
Slowly the knife lowered from his throat. A faint smile played on her flushed face.
"Is this some sort of game for you!?"
"I don't know," she said quietly. "What does it look like to you?" With her free hand, she tore open the collar of the maid's uniform, exposing the fresh red crest on her chest.
She exhaled, relieved to breathe more easily. She giggled, looking at him. "It reminds me of the last time this happened-"
Kalika winced as she was pressed harder to the bed.
"That was different, and you know it!"
"I know. But… I didn't hate it. Because for once… I forgot everything horrible in this world."
Rakon faltered.
Kalika wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer.
"Please, Rakon, don't leave." Her voice was surprisingly stable and sweet as she wrapped her free arm around his neck. "Treat me like I'm human. I want to feel… normal again."
Kalika traced her fingers across his chest, lingering over each scar as though searching for something familiar beneath them. Rakon caught her wrist, his hesitation turning to unease.
"Kalika…"
She ignored the warning in his voice and pulled herself closer. Every time he tried to push her away, she clung tighter, her desperation growing. She no longer knew what she wanted from him—only that the thought of being alone left an emptiness she couldn't bear.
"I just want to feel alive…" she whispered.
The night pressed on in fractured moments of anger, pleading, resistance, and exhausted silence. But it was never enough. Rakon pushed. But a fear pulled Kalika closer, clinging tighter and forcing herself deeper into a connection she had convinced herself she needed, desperate to prove she still belonged somewhere.
By morning, Kalika slept soundly against him, clinging to Rakon as though he might disappear the moment she loosened her grip. Their tails had tangled sometime during the night.
Rakon remained awake.
He stared up at the ceiling, expression hollow as his thoughts circled back over everything that had happened. Anger came first. Then guilt. Then something quieter—something he refused to name.
Beside him, Kalika suddenly tensed in her sleep. Her fingers dug into his side, her face twisting with fear.
Rakon looked down.
For several moments, he did nothing.
Then, almost against his better judgment, he gently ran a hand through her hair.
Kalika's grip loosened. The tension drained from her face, replaced by a fleeting, peaceful expression that only made the weight in Rakon's chest heavier.
Rakon looked away.
Even now, after everything they had done to each other, she still sought comfort from him.
And somehow, he had still given it.
Curious, he stroked her chin. She groaned, moving her head from his hand.
His lips twitched despite himself. "Cute…"