Kalika woke from her bed. She stretched and yawned, still feeling groggy from her slumber. She then sat up and rubbed her eyes. Feeling a subtle pang in her stomach, she glanced around her stone room, filled with a simple chair, table, and a few bags tucked beside her bed. "Hungry..."
Hearing the sound of crying and whimpering, Kalika turned to the curtain-covered glass window by her bed.
"Hmm…? Whose crying?" Curious, she opened her window. To her shock, she was greeted with the sigh of Charla, bawling her eyes out. Kalika cocked her head, confused. "Charla?"
Charla glanced up, meeting Kalika's sharp yellow eyes. Panicked, she attempted an escape, only to trip on her long skirt.
Kalika's eyes twitched, speechless by the unfolding circumstance. "What's going on now?" Kalika grumbled.
She watched as Charla continued to cry, her face pressed to the ground.
"
Charla froze. She shook, slowly clenched her hands, and sniffled. Slowly, Charla sat up, and in tear-filled eyes, she looked to Kalika. "
A cold sweat ran down Kalika's face. "
"Something stupid happened to Donovan again. Didn't it?" Kalika thought
Charla thoughtlessly climbed through the window and fell straight to the ground.
"What is she doing!!?"
"
"Huh?" Kalika cringed and face-palmed, unable to comprehend the succubus. "
"
Kalika sat on her bed, resting her face in her fist, looking at Charla. "
Charla listened. She slowly sat up and sniffled like a child.
Kalika sighed at the sight of the succubus and spoke more bluntly."
"
Kalika rolled her eyes. "
"
"Then why did you boil that... Thing from the Krefon I killed?>"
Charla jolted and averted her gaze in panic. "
"Uh-huh..." Kalika stared daggers into the succubus, watching as she slowly panicked. "She can't even hide it. She's either shamelessly honest or an idiot. Probably both." Kalika exhaled. "A match made in heaven, it seems."
"
Charla fidgeted. "H... he drinks it... Th-then he loves me? B-but i-it won't work… I-I messed it up.>"
"
"
"
"
"Eh!?" Kalika's eyes cracked wide open. A scowl filled her face, and she glared coldly at Charla. "
Charla looked at Kalika, confused. "
Before Charla realized it, Kalika stood over her, eyes blazing like the fires from hell itself.
"S-ss-smell another man!?" A rage boiled over, and a deep black filled Kalika's eyes, terrifying Charla.
"K-Kalika?" A cold sweat ran down Charla's face as Kalika growled.
********
Donovan sat in his rooms, at a stone table, carefully trying to fit the iron pipe into a large stick.
"Tch!" Unsuccessful, he pulled the pipe out and examined the stick. "It needs to be a little smaller," he muttered, looking in the pipe. He saw groves on the other end of the pipe. "Hmm... But the other end has to be wide to stay in? Ugh. How did those Gallians do it again?"
A sudden eruption of laughter interrupted his thoughts. He tried ignoring it and returned to his pipe.
"Maybe if I fit it through the other end of the pipe I can-"
"Bwahahahahaha!!!"
Another flurry of laughter spiraled on with a sudden scolding
"Kalika! Put her down!" Bjorn shouted.
Hearing Kalika's name, Donovan dropped everything and reached for his mask. He quickly threw his disguise back on and peeked from his door from sheer curiosity.
To his shock, Kalika hung Charla upside down in the bar, using a rope and a small chandelier on the ceiling. The patrons, as Charla squirmed around in her tied-up, mouth-covered state.
Kalika darted a glare at the bartender, Falaz, "
"K… KALIKA!!!" Donovan stormed out, with part of his disguise almost falling apart.
Kalika, nonchalant, leaned her head back to see Donovan. "What?"
The laughter that was roaring quickly silenced.
"W… Why the hell are you hanging Charla like that! Let her down! This is completely irrational!!
"Peh!! Irrational?" she mocked.
Falaz quickly slid a slab of meat to Kalika. She took the plate in her hand and passed a glance. "I guess that makes two then…" Kalika turned with her food in and departed the scene, pinching Charla's cheeks as she passed her. "At least Rhonda knew how to stay quiet."
Charla, teary-eyed, silently pleaded with Donovan.
Suddenly, Kalika spun Charla in place. "If you want this stupid succubus down, then cut her down yourself." With a hint of irritation, Kalika left, entering and slamming the door of her room. "And keep that love-sick demon away from me! She's your stupid problem!"
"Seriously, Kalika!?" With some hesitation, Donovan returned to his room and took his blood blade and, with the assistance of Falaz, cut Charla down. "What the hell did Charla do to piss her off?"
Being cautious, Donovan quickly sheathed his sword and threw it aside.
"
Donovan glanced. But returned to untying Charla, ignoring the demon.
"
"
Disappointed sighs and groans filled that air. Other Indignant patrons sneered, stood alongside everyone else, and slowly trudged out of the bar.
Pensive, Donovan watched as the demons left, with the last one brushing past Zelak and Bretta.
"
"Kalika caused a scene and argued with Donovan out in the open," Bjorn explained.
"
"There we go," Donovan untied the last knot holding Charla. As he turned to Charla, he noticed how she started averting her gaze from him.
Donovan ruffled his hair. "We can't keep going on like this. Something is clearly on her mind." He sighed. "Hey, guys. Can you two talk to Charla? See what's going on."
********
Donovan sat at the empty bar, looking over his seared rabbit meat and mushrooms on a stick. As appetizing as the meal looked, his eyes were glued to the back corner of the bar, watching as Charla spoke to Zelak and Bjorn. All the while, Bretta kept opposite of them, eating a plate of sliced meats, lost in her own world.
Zelak, listening to Charla, rubbed the back of his neck. He sighed and slowly made his way to Donovan, sitting right beside him. "Heh. The woman wants to get you to like her."
"So she's scheming ways to have her way with me?"
"She says it's beyond that now... Not that it matters."
Donovan chuckled. "Really? I guess that's flattering to know…"
"It's hard to tell what a succubus is thinking at times. One minute, they can be the most honest things. The next thing you know, you're hog-tied in some cellar, ready to be called daddy."
"Happened to you before?"
"Nope. But it happened some decades ago to Trapal. My old woodsmith friend from Bona."
A weak laugh escaped Donovan's lips. He exhaled and found himself deep in thought. "When I was talking to that Alchemist, Cyrus, he also told me that Charla liked me... But what am I supposed to do with that?"
Donovan grew still, staring at the meat. His hands trembled, and he winced, trying to find those words in his mind. "Y-you know. It doesn't help that... he also told me her kind just... keeps following. Chasing no matter where a person they 'like' goes. If she's serious, then there's probably nothing any of us can say to make her... let go."
"Probably not." Zelak agreed. He glanced back at Charla, seeing her face become more pained. Unexpectedly, Falaz served Zelak the same dish as Donovan and then went on to serve Charla and Bjorn as well. Zelak ate away at his skewered meat, letting Donovan simmer in his thoughts.
"What am I supposed to do with her?" Donovan questioned. "I know I can give her contract to you, but when you guys return to Bona, what then...? She's freed, and then she chases after me?"
Zelak took his fourth bite and just as quickly gulped it down. "Mmm... It's certainly a possibility... You know you could just put an end to this whole situation by-"
"That's out of the question!" Donovan interrupted. He leered at Zelak, annoyed, all before turning back to staring at his food. "Unlike you heathenous demons, we humans have values. We arrange and prove our bonds and our love under god Cassell's watchful gaze, then we start our new lives with our family."
Zelak looked at Donovan, unimpressed. "And?"
"And?" indignant Donovan stood. "And!? What do you expect from me!? To say yes!? To go along with her whims or your plans!? We barely know each other! We haven't even traveled for a month, so how is anyone expecting me to love her!?"
Zelak grabbed Donovan's arm. "Hey. Calm down, will you? A little word of advice about succubus. They're said to see the color of your emotions."
Donovan glanced at Charla and saw her face glued to the ground, clueless and terrified. All the while, Bjorn ignored Charla's obvious distress.
Seeing this, Donovan exhaled sharply and sat back down. "Great. Another new thing I just learned about the succubus race. Is there anything else I don't know about you demons?"
Zelak took another bite, nodding his head. "Maybe a few things." He watched as Donovan played with his food, irritating Falaz in the process. "And we don't expect to love anyone. A thing like that is just a fragile concept here in our homeland. We might care, but that's as far as it extends normally.
"So what? You don't love the woman of yours?"
"I care about her, yes, but that's also because the line of my tribe would otherwise die out. And because of their massacre... It'll be centuries before our tribe can be rebuilt again. Even then, our traditions will likely die with me."
"My condolences. I suppose. I'm surprised you didn't want to stop then."
"There was no point in stopping. Not with Bretta on the line. The only thing that matters is survival. But tell me, human... What would it take for a woman to gain your favor truly?"
"Favor?"
"Just humor me."
"Ugh. Fine. I guess.... She would have to be faithful, caring, and loving. They would never try to force me to do anything that I wouldn't want. We would obviously be able to speak to each other. And they'd also have to be a follower of God, Cassell."
"Isn't that a bit much, following a god like yours?"
"Those are my terms. I had my fair share of despicable women in my life. Even right now, I don't think I'm ready for anything. And I don't want to be used again like some rag to satisfy a woman's sudden urges either. I worked so hard not to get away from that point again."
Falaz suddenly slammed his hands on the table. "
"Huh?"
"He wants you to eat." Zelak explained.
Relenting to the demon's wishes, Donovan took his first bite from his meal and poke with his mouth full. "There. Happy?"
Falaz continued to clean his bar table, still annoyed.
Donovan sighed and glanced at Charla and Bjorn. "You can tell her my terms."
"Are you sure?" Zelak asked.
"Yeah. If Charla is earnest about me, then she'd stop chasing and obsessing about me. and she'd follow the word of God Cassell.
Zelak rolled his eyes. "Bjorn, you heard the 'human' right? Tell Charla his conditions." Zelak said out loud.
"Fine."
Zelak turned and noticed how Donovan stared straight ahead, uninterested. Zelak then pushed his plate away and stood. " can't say I agree with this whole god thing of yours but whatever happens between you two are between both of you. Personally speaking, I doubt this will end well for you, knowing the cubus kind."
Donovan chuckled at the remark. "Yeah. Maybe. But what else can I do? The last thing I need is for things to get out of hand. especially with Kalika. Whatever's happening with her..." He turned his head back at Charla and Bjorn, watching as Charla, listened intently to him.
Donovan, watching this, sighed. He turned back to his cooled meal and took another bite, eating the juicy mushrooms and meat.
********
Laughter erupted as demons feasted on a variety of dishes. Some ate dishes with glazed meats and potato-like chunks, served atop a large cooked mushroom cap. Others had skewers of white, golden-brown meat and mushrooms, along with light, fluffy flatbread smeared with blackberries.
One of the many patrons picked up a berry-smeared flat bread, looking at it in amazement. "
A red-skinned elder demon with a crooked nose, affirmed. ""
The elder demon grabbed a mug full of mead from the long table of dining demons, gulping it down contentedly.
"Biltrix," A demon called. "Biltrix!" The elder demon pulled his mug down and scanned for the calling demon.
"Ugh.
An armored demon pushed through the guests, ruining the mood of the banquet. He kneeled before the elder demon and spoke. "Councilman Biltrix! It's about your Son's! He's been assassinated!>"