"
Horrified whispers rippled among the servants, their work forgotten as they watched Kalika.
"
"
Kalika's ears twitched. She paused, glanced back at the whispering servants, then methodically returned to her work.
"
"
Reluctant, the servants and workers returned, moving stone and rebuilding walls.
A demon plugged a rock into the wall's hole and slapped more of the adhesive on the rock. "
Kalika passed, dropping a large rock into the pile behind the grumbling worker. The demon grabbed another rock, groaning in frustration. "
"
The demon blurted a laugh and hissed under his breath. "
"
The demon froze. Nervous, he glanced around the room, as if searching for someone. His breath shaky, he continued working and spoke louder, ""
Hearing the demon, Kalika's stomach twisted. She shot a quick glance at the demon girl, whose lips curled in a faint sneer. The girl's eyes tracked her every move, sharp and cold, as if waiting for Kalika to slip up.
Kalika turned, refocused on her task, picked up a piece of unusable rock, and continued sorting the rubble.
Once the room was repaired, Kalika and the other servants were made to stand in a line. Mae, with Gaz attending, faced each demon and issued a new order.
"
Mae issued the next orders. "
The two continued on and on through, eventually finishing it off with a meek Karnal, ordered to clean the latrines.
With their orders given, the line scattered in a flurry of chaos. Maids and servants rushed off in every direction, though a few lingered in the room, helping to clean.
Through the crowd of dispersing maids and servants, Teyv pushed in, carrying a pitcher of water and mugs, along with a bucket and other cleaning supplies. She promptly handed it directly to Kalika. "
Kalika took the supplies and left, heading down halls crowded with workers. Nervous glances and gossip followed her like an unstoppable storm.
She pressed on, ignoring the gossip swirling around her. When she reached Rakon's room, she hesitated at the entrance, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. After a moment, she set the supplies down and stepped inside.
Entering, she saw Rakon sitting at his desk in the far corner of the room, next to shelves of contracts as far as the eye could see. Across the room on the right were an assortment of barrels with different parchments and paper, with shelves of different inks, vials, and quills all ready for use.
Kalika pursed her lips and approached Rakon's desk. His eyes flicked up, quickly folding his contract as he silently appraised her. Ignoring his scrutiny, Kalika set down the mug and poured water.
As if discontented, Rakon pushed himself back, His chair squeaking at the movement as he took his contract and tore it up.
Kalika watched as he stood, meandering about before tossing the shreds into an empty barrel and turning to his scrolls on the other side of the room.
"Clean the desk," Rakon ordered, already sorting scrolls and stacking loose papers. Kalika moved quietly, dusting, organizing his scattered notes, and straightening the few books on humans she found. When she finished, he gestured to the shelves of vials along the wall. "Wipe down the shelves. Then sweep the floor."
Kalika followed every command without a word, moving from one menial task to the next. Rakon's gaze flicked to her now and then, but he said nothing more.
Eventually he returned to his desk and watched more closely as Kalika took a rag and scrubbed the barrels. His mind churned about, thinking of new tasks to give.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Gaz stepped in, brow furrowed. "
Rakon stood, not missing a beat. "Kalika, go and help clean up whatever mess they have down there."
A frown deepened on Kalika's face, but she promptly set aside her rag, met Rakon's eyes for a second, and then left.
Now alone with Gaz, Rakon exhaled sharply. "
Gaz straightened, half surprised. He quickly fixed his posture and closed the door behind him. "
Rakon leaned back with a quiet sigh. ""
"
"
Gaz became silent for a moment. ""
"Kalika," Rakon corrected.
"<-To Kalika even if we commanded them.>"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Rakon glared. Setting the quilt down. "
Gaz stepped closer and whispered, "
Rakon slammed his fist to his desk, pinching the side of his head in frustration. "" he growled. "
Gaz bowed. "
"< And tell the guard to stay vigilant. I don't want a repeat of last night's events.>"
"
Now alone, Rakon flexed his blackened fingers, wincing as a dull ache pulsed in his joints. He stared at his hands, jaw tight, then muttered, "This is for the best." Turning to the barrel of parchment, he cut a new piece and began scrawling a contract in silent desperation.
********
Night fell once more, and Kalika followed Teyv, flanked by guards, down to the castle's dungeon. She was shown to a rough new bed and told to sit.
With a somber smile, Teyv handed Kalika bed sheets and a pillow before closing the cell door and leaving, with one of the guards staying behind.
The guard quickly conjured a stone block and sat upon it, watching Kalika with a careful ire.
Like an expressionless statue, Kalika sat on the bed and stared back.
The guard sneered. "I thought this immortal was supposed to be a human. Does Rakon really take us all for fools?"
The guard growled inwardly, then glared more harshly at Kalika. "
"
Kalika pursed her lips, then slowly stood from the bed and tossed the sheets aside.
The guard raised a brow and watched as she touched the bars of the cell. Unlike other prisons she was caged in, the bars felt more fragile.
"
"
The guard stood in alarm and raised his arm, hair standing on end. "
Kalika ignored the demon, pulling another bar out. She squeezed out, and in an instant and mound of earth engulfed her entire body.
The guard smirked, almost cockily. But soon the earth shifted, forcing him to watch as his magic washed over her like sand. "
Freed, Kalika outstretched her fingers, allowing blood to coil from her palm and reshape into a simple red-stained knife.
The guard stuttered, then tried to react, but Kalika closed the gap and thrust her blade past his armor. The blade struck his heart; he squirmed and wheezed helplessly, grabbing her wrist with pleading eyes.
A twisted smile flickered across her face, a brief rush of excitement in her chest. However, the pleasure she felt vanished just as quickly.
Wanting to rekindle the feeling, she ripped her knife out.
Blood splattered across her skirt. Kalika stared down at the dying guard, breath coming fast, heart hammering as she waited for some spark—some flicker of continued satisfaction. But then it ended. The same accustomed emptiness returned and lingered. Without a word, she cleaned her blade on her skirt and turned away, her face unreadable.
She clenched her teeth then marched on, hollow and restless, still searching for something to fill the void.
"[What will you do this time? Kill another sect of guards?]"
Kalika strode through the hall, stone-faced and indifferent to the ruins left behind. The voice echoed in her mind as she climbed the stairs.
"[You can only feign silence for so long. Eventually you'll have to give me your answer… My champion.]"
Kalika stopped. Freezing at the archway into the castle's corridors. Her lips tightened to a frown, and her eyes stared on, unblinking.
"[What? Are you changing your mind now? There's nothing left for you in this world. Admit it, you're trying to stall for time. You thought by becoming this demon's slave you'd be freed from our influence, didn't you? Sorry to say, but even my brother maintains his influence. Even in this so-called castle it's only a matter of time before he plays his next move. So what will it be? What will you do without my protection?]"
Kalika took a shaky breath, trying to ignore Zorbian's voice. Growing desperate, she moved through the hall, turning corners and carefully avoiding guards, as if anticipating their every move. At last, she found a new set of stairs leading down.
She entered, descending into a new corridor laced with an assortment of labeled rooms.
She opened the first door to the right and greeted herself with a stock full of barrels as far as the eyes could see. At the very end of the large, long room, a succubus maid laid passed out and drunk next to an open barrel of mead.
Kalika darted in, pushed past the drunken maid, grabbed a dusty chalice from the shelf, filling it with the golden liquid.
She took a quick sip, letting the tingle wash over her tongue, searching for the floral sweetness she craved. She closed her eyes, willing the warmth to spark something inside her. Only a faint, fading heat followed.
Finishing her first cup, she filled another chalice and sat beside the passed-out maid, who slept in peaceful bliss. Kalika guzzled down the next serving, stirring the maid from her slumber and drawing her hazy gaze to Kalika as she finished her drink with a flushed face.
"
Kalika ignored the woman and stood only for a new helping.
"
She downed another cup, the mead burning her throat. Her face flushed, but the emptiness inside her only grew. "This isn't helping," she muttered, grip tightening on the cup.
"
She poured another, drinking faster, chasing the bliss she saw in the succubus's smile. Sweetness dripped down her chin, but the emptiness only deepened. The succubus watched, confused, as Kalika grew tense and irritable.
Kalika flung the chalice to the floor, letting it clatter away. She staggered off, jaw clenched—still empty, still searching.
The maid, still confused, watched as Kalika stumbled, nearly running into the archway of the door and left the room.
Kalika continued, practically crawling up the stares, eyes heavy, face hot and a pressure that kept on going. She stumbled, into the castles walls and leaned against the wall, forcing herself forward. Her head pounded with the echoes of Zorbian's voice that sounded more and more like gibberish.
"Sh-shut up. Shut up, shut up," Kalika muttered, her eyes drooping as vertigo washed over her. She stopped at the corner of the hall and stared on.
"Why can't I feel happy?"
Even slower, she turned the hall. Her eye downcast then lifting at the familiar sight of Rakon's office.
Curious. She leaned away from the wall, stumbling and wobbling to his office. She opened and peeked in, discovering Rakon sleeping on his work.
She entered, conjuring her dagger, and stumbled about. She twisted an otherwise sadistic smile as she pointed her dagger at Rakon with her unsteady, drunken hand. "Sho this ish where you were," she quietly slurred. "Bastard."
She pressed the edge of her blade against his skin, her hand shaking. The urge to end it warred with a hollow ache inside her. She circled his desk, pulse pounding—half hoping he'd wake, half terrified that he might. Leaning on Rakon's back, she hovered there, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath, the rise and fall of his chest. She stared at his sleeping face, searching for a flicker of guilt or fear.
Her gaze faltered, drifting down to the incomplete contract on the desk. The dagger wavered in her grip.
"Huh?" Her eyes lit up, seeing her name written in. "What the heck?"
Symbols blurred before her eyes. Suddenly, her breath caught—painfully sharp. Her lips trembled as her grip slackened and the dagger slid from her hand, clattering softly on the desk. Jaw clenched, she stared at two distinct symbols on the contract, her heart pounding with equal parts fury and confusion.
A soft laughter filled the room. Kalika stared at her name on Rakon's contract, the symbols beneath it spinning in her mind. The irony stung, raw and fresh.
"I hate you. I truly hate you so much."
The laughter faded, replaced by a hush that pressed in from every direction. Her chest clawed with memories of bliss playing at her heart.
"Damned idiot."