Enocht flinched. Eyes wide, she whipped her head to the chaos beyond. Concerned, she narrowed her eyes.
Stone-faced, Enocht stood and took to the sky. Suddenly, a wall of ice erupted past her, blocking her path.
"
Enocht glared back, finding Jala, bloodied and dragging the corpse of a soldier.
With an icy gaze, he approached, then tossed the body aside.
"So your king informed you of my presence."
"He doesn't need to tell me." From his hand, he conjured his red-stained sword and manifested his armor of ice.
Enocht smirked. "I'd love to play, but I'm a bit busy now."
"Busy with what?"
Enocht froze, keeping a calm composure.
Suddenly, the ice wall cracked from above with an audible thud.
"Curious. When did you arrive? Almighty King Lucius."
Lucius, standing on the wall of ice, scoffed, looking down on the angel.
Jala flicked a glance at Lucius. "
"" Lucius replied. "But the situation calls for my attention, especially since this magic-loving angel is just now becoming disinterested." Lucius followed the edge of the ice wall and blocked Enocht's view of the distant plume of smoke.
Enocht chuckled. "So you think you can hold me here? You and your general won't last three minutes. Or did you demons forget your place?"
Lucius's lips tightened. He raised his large sword and rested it on his shoulder as it slowly grew in size. "Funny, I don't recall us ever fighting. Maybe we can entertain you with our magic?"
"Oh?" Enocht's smirk widened. "Killing you both wasn't part of Cassell's plan, but since you're standing in his way, I'll happily remove the both of you."
******
At the center of the failing water barrier, the orange in Terrocht's eyes quickly receded. He reeled away from Lillian, face melting. "No!!"
Rakon caught Terrocht from behind, holding both arms then pinning the angel to the ground. Black blood leaked as limbs sprang and shrank from the angel's body like an uncontrollable mutation. His face and body bulged as Lillian and Rakon watched.
Lillian stared at Terrocht, stunned, with a single name in mind. "Kalika?"
"Lillian, the barrier!"
Lillian shook. Gritting her teeth, she mustered her strength and pulled the water barrier together as Terrocht writhed helplessly.
"Kalika!" Lillian yelled. "Kalika! You're still in him, aren't you?" She knelt, struggling to maintain the barrier around him. If there's anyone who can come back, it's you. So please… KALIKA!!"
********
Kalika opened her eyes and was greeted with a white void with branching black veins connected to hundreds of differently colored orbs: red, brown, green, and blue.
"It's… Too noisy…"
Kalika blinked, feeling no energy.
"Why am I awake…? Where am I…?"
Echoes of white noise filled her head as she continued to stare up. She flinched as memories refilled her head.
The torture.
The transformation.
The journey.
The blood.
"I… Did that…?"
Everything.
Terrified, she stared up. Eyes wet and lips trembling.
"I'm a monster…"
Her lips twisted into a shaky smile. "Of course… From one prison to another. I guess I deserve nothing less. A-at least it's not dark…"
Kalika curled in the white void. "But… What will happen to me? Is this it? A-am I alone forever?" Slowly, her eyes drifted down with a sigh. "What does it matter now? It's all over, and I'm… so tired."
"Kalika!"
Her eyes flipped back open. "That voice…!" She froze as she saw someone kneeling over her. She raised her gaze, finding the familiar blue-eyed, ginger-haired, scarred man.
"Donovan?"
Donovan smiled back at her carelessly. "Hey, Kalika. You had me worried there for a second."
Kalika straightened. "Wha… what are you-…" Her eyes drifted back down, memories still pounding hard, her stomach twisting, reaching the final cluster of memories.
"That doesn't matter right now," Donovan said. "Right now you need to get out of here."
"Get out… Why should I?"
Donovan quietly gasped. He clenched his fist. "Why else? If you don't, you'll never be free again."
"Free? Does that mean being alone again?"
"That's not what I mean-"
"THEN WHY DID YOU DO IT!!?" Her hands shook and pressed them to her knees. "Why did you push me? I thought we were friends."
"Kalika… You know why…" Donovan sighed, then sat at her side. His eyes scanned the white void world around him. "I… Remember that sword I had to destroy… the one that contracted with me. According to Bjorn, destroyed blood blades could tell you how long you had left to live… I wasn't sure myself, but when Terrocht showed up… I-I had a feeling that it was my time."
"And you didn't say anything!?"
Donovan remained silent and quietly watched Kalika's fist shake. "I'm sorry… I didn't want to worry you…" With a deep breath, Donovan stood back up. "But we can't linger on that now. You have to get out of here before that Angel regains control!"
"I refuse."
Donovan stepped back in shock. "H…Huh? B-but why!? You can finally live again! Your sister's out there fighting for you! Even that demon from the dungeon, the one that put you through all this hell!"
Kalika snickered. "My sister and Rakon?"
"Yes… I can still see it right now as we speak. She's begging for you to come back, Kalika. You."
"Shut up! Of course she wants me back. But what's she going to do? Keep me like some trophy again and leave me to rot like the last time. And that demon Rakon! I….I… I don't understand! I… Don't understand anymore. I just want to die."
Hugging her legs, Kalika kept her eyes down, her lips pressing tighter together. "I should've died long ago. I don't belong to this world… I never did. Every time I try, It's like the world itself is rejecting my very existence. It's like I'm a joke of the world."
"That's not true!"
"THEN WHAT IS!?"
With a shaky breath, Kalika turned away.
Uncertain what to say, Donovan continued to look down at Kalika with a deepening frown. He glanced around one last time, and a thought crossed his mind.
"When you were little, what was your dream?" Donovan asked.
Kalika cringed. "What kind of question is that?"
"Just answer it."
Kalika remained quiet.
Donovan sighed. "Fine… I'll go first then… When I was five— And don't laugh. I wanted to be like those Heroes of prophecy. A person chosen by God Cassell himself." He chuckled to himself. "But after my mother died, that dream died too, and things weren't the same after that. I guess you could say that I would've been happier dead with my mother at that point..."
"What a stupid dream," Kalika said, flat.
Donovan rubbed the back of his head. "Ehehe… Y-yeah I-I guess it was…"
"I can't remember what I was like when I was that age." Kalika suddenly said. "Only that I was adopted by the man who destroyed my first home… But I suppose that I did have one when I was ten. A… Stupid dream."
"What was it?"
"I wanted a prince to come save me, and come take me to his home where we could live happily, just like in one of those old love stories. It's funny… Because a prince from somewhere far did come. But then my father decided to engage Lily instead…. That's when my dreams died too." She glanced around, feeling the glowing orbs brighten, as if watching.
"He died at my sister's hands. Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I ignored all those nobles. Maybe my life would've been a little more dull, but I'd at least have my books. And maybe me and Lily could've been actual sisters."
"But that didn't happen," Donovan said. "Lingering in the past won't help."
"You don't think I know that? There were days when I dreamed in prison, hoping that I was actually living in a nightmare. I wish all of this were a dream. That none of this was real, that I could go back and slap some sense into myself. But there's no going back."
"Yeah. There's no going back." Donovan said. "But there's still one direction you can go. You can still move forward."
"I already tried that! And look at where it's gotten me!"
Donovan grasped her shoulders. "But there're still people out there that care about you, right!?"
"So what!? The world without me in it-!"
"Are you hearing yourself!?" Donovan tightened his grasp. "That's not true at all!"
"Naive, soft, stupid, that's all you are, Donovan!"
"Maybe that's all true. But that doesn't change the fact that your life matters. You matter, Kalika."
"Shut up! Stop talking like you know me!" Kalika pulled from Donovan's grasp and stepped away, glaring bitterly.
"But I do know you. That's why I'm trying to save you from yourself."
Kalika strained a chuckle, breaking eye contact. "Save me? I-I'm afraid it's too late for that. I tried. And I tried, and I tried to find a way to make everything work. Even if I go out there now, what do you think is really waiting for me?"
Donovan kept quiet, his mind searching for an explanation.
"I'll be trapped in another cage," Kalika answered. "That's just how my life is. A-and if that's not the case, Th-they probably wouldn't want me anymore."
"You don't know that, Kalika."
"Y-yeah? And you do?" she questioned. "At this point it's better if I choose to do nothing. A-and who knows, maybe this God Cassell will actually want to talk to me… And let me stay around."
Donovan saw the hope drain from Kalika. His fingers flinched, and before he knew it, he embraced Kalika in a hug.
She shook, surprised at the sudden action. She didn't protest. Instead, her arms fell limp, cherishing the simple comfort.
"Don't do it," Donovan said. "We both know… that's not the case."
Donovan pulled away, hands still on her shoulders. "If you can't live for yourself, why don't you live for me instead. I still have a bone to pick with my family… M-maybe you can avenge me for all the horrible things they did?"
"Liar."
Donovan forced a laugh. "I-is it that easy to tell?"
"Yeah…"
"W-well, how about this. M-maybe you can build a new life in Kynreth… No?" Donovan turned and scratched his cheeks. "U-umm… L-let's see. Maybe become a scholar! Like those demons in the pit, or maybe even traveling or sailing across the seas and go out to see the world!"
Kalika watched on as Donovan stumbled from one suggestion to another, stammering each sentence, then periodically taking back a few.
Her thoughts shifted to the companions she made, the wolf, even that small Karnal family struck by tragedy.
"—U-umm, I don't know. A simple life. It doesn't have to be complicated." Donovan assured.
Kalika's ears perked. "A simple life? Do you really think I could do that?"
"Of course you can!!" he exclaimed. "And along the way you'll find more people who'll care about you and stand by your side."
Kalika's features softened as her mind wandered to the dull days acting as a maid under Rakon's control. "Simple?" She smiled somberly. "I tried that. But… Everything always seems to get complicated... If I go back now…"
"Fine." Kalika suddenly said.
Donovan stopped. "You'll do it?" His smile returned.
"But on one condition. I want you to come with me."
Lillian's voice suddenly echoed in the white void as Donovan froze.
"K…Kalika, you know I can't-"
"Promise me!"
Donovan stood, unsure how to process Kalika's demands as he saw her hands tremble.
She continued. "I-I'm scared, Donovan. I want someone who'll be there, even if I'm a monster."
"You're not a monster."
"Yes, I am!"
"A…Alright. I'll come with you. I'll be right behind you."
Lillian's voice grew stronger as she called out to Kalika.
"So how are we supposed to get out of here?" Kalika asked.
"Hold on," Donovan said.
"What—!!" Suddenly, a pressure squeezed around Kalika as gravity seemed to shift, as if propelling her upward—sensations returned little by little as Lillian's voice grew louder and suffocating heat became more recognizable.
"Goodbye. Kalika…"
Before she knew it, she shot into the open chaos, tearing from Terrocht's body as a shapeless mass of white flesh. The angel writhed, a hole clear in his chest as he screamed.
She slid roughly to Lillian's feet, covered in white flesh that slowly became one with Kalika, reforming her body, face, horns, even her blue skin and tail. She gasped and darted her eyes around in confusion.
"Wh-where am I!? Where's Donovan!?"
Her eyes finally landed on Lillian, who immediately embraced Kalika in a hug. She squeezed her tight, practically choking the air from her.
"Kalika…. Thank the Celestials."
"Huh?" Regaining her senses, Kalika pulled from Lillian's grasp as Rakon was tossed beside them. Kalika glanced, surprised. "R-Rakon? He's actually here? W-wait, but where am I and where's…"
She spun, then froze in shock as she saw Terrocht reform the hole in his chest as he wore Donovan's face.
"D… Donovan?"
Terrocht glared back with clenched teeth.
Lillian pulled at Kalika's wrist as she barely held the barrier. "Kalika, we need to go! I'll explain more later!"
Lillian stopped. Her hands slipped from Kalika's wrist upon seeing the look of utter shock on her face.
"N-no…" Kalika murmured
Rakon rose to his feet, and followed Kalika's gaze to Terrocht. He reached for her shoulder, but thunder struck from the cloudless skies, shattering the water barrier as a large tremor shook. The earth cracked, then shifted and pieces of ground rose and fell violently.
The fire from the golden army ceased and cracks from the earthquake separated Kalika from Lillian and Rakon as the fractured ground beneath them sank into the ground. More earth crumbled over the two and behind Kalika, forcing her closer to Terrocht.
The angel chuckled. "How fortunate, Cassell favors me," Terrocht mused.
Kalika closed her eyes. Her breath shook as memories of Donovan flooded her mind. "That idiot…" She clenched her fists, glaring with her golden-yellow eyes.