Thirty minutes have passed since the last chapter. We find ourselves in a prison-like cell, where Kali is being held within the Okemir Army building.
"I don't understand why everyone keeps saying all this stuff about me being a reincarnation of some ancient figure… but… could it be possible?" Kali thought to herself. "I keep blacking out at certain moments of my life, and I don't understand why. Like when Jasmine claimed that I defeated the demons that were attacking us. Now an entire army is after me? I'm just a normal teenage girl…"
She turned to look at the Kalawa bracelet Jasmine had given her. It shimmered brightly, as if it were trying to communicate with her.
"I am just a normal teen girl… right?"
The silence soon vanished as the sound of high heels echoed down the hallway. Kali looked toward the noise. Even though she couldn't see exactly who was there, she knew it wasn't someone she wanted to meet.
"Well, well… what do we have here?" said a mysterious voice.
The shadowy figure stepped into view. Standing before Kali's cage was none other than the great Beelzebub.
"So, you're supposed to be the child who's the reincarnation of that bastard Kali?" Beelzebub sneered.
"Yes, ma'am!" said Sam, standing beside her. "She has indeed shown the exact same powers as Kali."
"Hmph. She doesn't look like much to me," Beelzebub muttered, crossing her arms. "But if you say she's the vessel, I'll take it seriously."
Beelzebub opened the cage and walked slowly toward Kali. Without warning, she lifted her by the neck.
"Listen well, child. You're going to fix your past life's mistakes. You killed one of my best demons, and you're going to use your power to bring him back—so we can lay waste to this wretched world."
Kali struggled to breathe, her hands clawing at Beelzebub's grip. "I… won't…" she gasped.
Beelzebub laughed. "Doesn't look like you have much of a choice." She threw Kali to the ground. "Get this girl up to the portal. We'll proceed as the ancient scripts command."
"Yes, ma'am! Right away! Guards—take her!" Sam shouted.
The guards grabbed Kali by the arms and dragged her out of the room against her will. They took her up to the top floor—Floor 60, which hovered high above Cincinnati. Kali was too exhausted to fight back and didn't know how to access the power she possessed. She had no choice but to resist weakly.
"Now then, fire up the portal at once and let's get her through," Beelzebub ordered.
"Yes, Lady Beelzebub!" the guards replied.
The machine began to hum and spin. Before Kali knew it, a glowing blue portal opened before her eyes.
"Go ahead, child," Beelzebub said with a grin. "Once inside, we'll tap into your power and bring him back to life. But we must go through first."
Suddenly, alarms blared.
WARNING! INTRUDER ALERT!
"What is that?" Beelzebub growled.
"Guards, get the cameras up. I want eyes on this now!" Sam barked.
The guards rushed to the monitors and flipped them on—revealing a furious and determined Jasmine sprinting toward the elevators.
"Keeehahaha! What does that fool think she's doing?" Sam jeered.
"IF YOU TAKE ONE MORE STEP, YOU'RE GONNA BE LIT UP WITH A HUNDRED ROUNDS, LITTLE LADY!" a soldier shouted, flanked by dozens of others.
"I DON'T CARE!" Jasmine screamed. "YOU HAVE MY FRIEND, AND I'M HERE TO TAKE HER BACK—EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!"
Kali's eyes widened. Tears filled them.
"Jasmine… no… please, go back to safety. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You have to trust me—this is something I must face alone," Kali thought desperately.
Somehow, miraculously, despite her exhaustion and confusion, Kali telepathically communicated that message to Jasmine.
Jasmine froze in her tracks, tears streaming down her face. Realizing the danger, she turned and ran away.
Kali's last hope—gone.
"Keeehaha! That'll teach that little brat not to mess with an army. What a wimp—couldn't even put up a fight," Sam laughed.
Kali trembled with rage and sorrow. She knew that one day, she would avenge her friend Lucas's death—caused by these vile people. She knew she had to grow stronger, to protect Jasmine and everyone she cared about. But first, she had to survive whatever awaited her on the other side of that portal.
"Now that the nuisance is gone, let's get moving," Beelzebub said coldly.
"Wait," Kali said weakly. "Before you make me go through with this—just one question. Where exactly does this portal lead?"
Beelzebub smirked. "Go ahead and step in. You'll know soon enough."
Without warning, she shoved Kali into the portal.
"Ugh—what is this place?" Kali groaned.
Beelzebub's laughter echoed all around her. She stepped forward, smiling cruelly, and whispered one word:
"Hell."