Chapter 1.1: Execution Day

"Mmmm… What a beautiful day." A cute young lady said as she looked out the window. It's a beautiful autumn day. The air is crisp with temperatures reaching that of a dying spring season. Inside a church corridor on the highest floor is a young lady looking out the window enjoying the weather.

This young woman with golden blonde hair and green eyes is dressed as nobility, wearing a dress of purple with green to highlight. She isn't lacking in any jewelry either as she is adorned in various colors, even if it clashes with her very adored dress. 

The lady simply looks out the window looking very content since this day is the most important and momentous day of her life. She considered it the crowning achievement of her life. 

"Today is the day. My sister will finally die." She thought to herself with glee.

The pattering sound of footsteps echoed in the hall, bringing the lady out of her trance. "Lady Kalika. His lordship requests your presence." The maid bowed respectfully as she relayed the message.

"My father called?" Kalika narrowed her eyes at the maid. She gave a cold stare until a man cladded in heavy metal and adorned in the insignia of her adopted family's crest on both shoulder and chest. This man was the Captain of the Knights, Leo Turner.

"Thank you. Tell him I'll be right over." Kalika stated.

The Maid bows once more and takes her leave.

 Not long after, both Kalika and the Captain were walking side by side through the corridor to reach their destination. "I… never thought a day like this would come. To think, your sister, so jealous that she would claim to be the Saintess, especially after the church found that the title belonged to you." The captain was very distraught. 

"My elder sister has always had a wild imagination."

"Nonetheless, it's nothing short of heresy in the eyes of God… And now she has to atone appropriately," Captain Leo said solemnly.

However, on closer inspection, Captain Leo looked very conflicted about the current situation. Kalika on the other hand is very calm and centered. She looked out the windows as they were passing as she thought aloud. "God, huh… What has he ever done…?"

The captain briefly stopped Kalika. "Milady, you mustn't talk in that manner! You know it's blasphemous to speak in that way. Especially in the eyes of the head priest." The captain corrected Kalika's action.

"My apologies. I'll watch my tongue." They continued down the corridor.

"Only idiots believe the high and mighty to be pure and committed. God, Demons… It's all just a farce for power and money."

They finally reached the room with the church balcony that overlooked the capital center. Kalika sees that her father Julian, a man with brown hair and hazel eyes who is adorned with his crown and kingly robes, and her sister, ex-fiancée, Grimwald, a man with blonde hair and blue eyes who is wearing his noble military uniform. They are waiting on the balcony for the proceedings.

Kalika simply joins them and like a switch inside her mind, her character almost changes. "Father?" Kalika tones her voice to sound as innocent as possible.

Julian looks briefly at his adopted daughter before turning his attention back to the town center, where a guillotine lies. "It's alright Kalika. The punishment the court and church passed was… A just one." Grimwald sourly agreed with Julian's statement.

"It hard to refute the verdict when there's so much evidence after all.". Kalika smiled on as she watched the stone-cold expressions of the men holding back their own feelings.

Kalika soon takes a spot in between the two men, leaning on the railing with one hand on her cheek and another fully on the railing, she just watches the groups of people gather around for the event. Captain Leo simply waits silently behind the three, standing by for any order that comes his way. 

"Now all I have to do is enjoy the show."

It isn't long before Lillian is seen. She's a young-looking beautiful maiden with brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in dirty prisoners' clothes, being escorted by guards wearing light armor equipped with spears. She is being escorted from the inside of the church to the center of the plaza where the guillotine lies in wait. People in the crowd start to murmur to each other, practically shocked to see Lillian being the rumored heretic.

As she walks to the center where a guillotine resides, a list of crimes is announced to the public by a representative of the church. "Lillian Archelion, Daughter of his lordship Julian Archelion, has been found guilty of harassment, lying, slandering and heresy to name a few of the light crimes."

 The first few crimes announced had some people shocked by this news, and many others were in disbelief.

 "And in a shocking revelation during the court's proceedings not two days ago… She has also been found guilty of colluding with enemy nations, passing down national secrets, forging documents and even going as far as planning a coup against the very lord, her own father! For the throne of Dahlia"

Lillian is shocked to hear such proclamations as she arrives at the center by the guillotine. "W-wait that's not true!" Lillian tried to refute these false claims; however, her voice fell on deaf ears as the people in the crowd started to get riled up. A few people were still in disbelief at this news. The priest looks up at a smiling Kalika before finishing off the last part of the decree.

"Henceforth, in light of these heinous crimes, the court and church, in collaboration with his lordship, have passed down judgment. Lillian Archelion is no longer of royal blood and as a traitor to the nation of Dahlia, she is to be sentenced to death by means of public beheading. ". The priest finally finished.

Lillian is at a loss for words with what's happening starting to panic. "That wasn't the verdict they gave me. This is absolute madness!" 

A rock is thrown at Lillian by a random person in the crowd. A roguish-looking man shouts out to Lillian "Kill the heretic!" Another one starts to shout as they throw another rock. "You traitor!!".

More and more people start to turn against Lillian insulting her and throwing rocks at her. This reaction from the crowd dumbfounds Lillian as all her life she's done no harm, but here she finds the world seemingly turning against her. Guards step up to cease the rock throwing to little effect as it starts to ramp up further from other people.

"It's amazing how little these rogues cost just to simply talk trash and throw rocks." Kalika watched as the chaos unfolded.

Kalika turned to her adopted father with a false look of concern. "What's going to happen with Lily?" Kalika asked. Julian continues to watch the event gripping his hands in frustration but responds earnestly. "After this… her sins will be forgiven, and God will cleanse her soul…"

"That's good. I'm glad God will help her." Kalika responded lightheartedly.

Kalika turned her attention back to the chaos. "I wonder if he believes that himself. I wonder how powerless he feels to help Lillian, being unable to go against the church with some stupid figurehead."

 Kalika now looked keenly at her sister. "Once all is said and done, I'll become next in line even if it's as a puppet for those stupid, boorish pigs. As long as I get to live my leisurely life, that's all that matters to me."

Little did anyone around Kalika know, all of the charges on Lillian were, in fact, all complete fabrications. This was thanks to all the strings that Kalika had at her disposal, and the promises she's made throughout the kingdom. The promises of money, land, loyalty. In return noblemen and women, along with the church, would make her the next lord of Dahlia, and Kalika would live a leisurely life, letting the nobles play their own game of politics.

"Hmph. I played my perfect game of chess. All the while all these idiots were playing games far simpler than a game of checkers." Kalika's confidence at this moment was unmatched as she continued watching, seeing that Lillian was finally being escorted by the guards to the guillotine.

Lillian was being held by the arms and was starting to be forced into the head slot of the guillotine. Lillian struggled and struggled, refusing to put her head in the slot. But it was, of course, all in vain as Lillian's head was eventually put in, and she was, and she is locked into place.

In a panic, Lillian pleaded with her father, Julian. "Father please stop this! Everything they say is false! I don't even care who the Saintess is! Please, I don't want-… Daddy?". Lillian looks on in shock and horror as Julian looks back at her with a cold expression, her once kind, gentle father's face cold as stone.

Lillian's eyes then turned to see Kalika give a knowing smile as she waved goodbye at Lillian. It isn't long before Lillian comes to the realization that… she was set up by her adopted sister Kalika. Someone that she cherishes and treats as her own family her entire life. Lillian can only utter one name. "Kali…ka…?".

It isn't long before the blade from the guillotine is released, completely severing Lillian's head from her body. As this happens even the people up close watching the event fail to see the complete mix of emotions on Lillian's face. The emotions of shock. Horror. Regret. Anger. And immense sadness. all culminating into one final expression.

Lillian's head now rolls. Tears still seeping from her face. Some people cheered. Unlike some like Julian and Grimwald who looked away as the deed was finally finished.

Kalika simply smiled contently to herself knowing the truth of the matter. "I win…" Kalika's victory over her sister was more than assured… although… This Victory of hers would be very short lived.

Just moments after Lillian's beheading as people started to slowly trout off and others prayed for Lillian's soul, a huge earthquake erupted. The ground underneath the citizens in the city center was starting to protrude like an ant hill. Everyone was now on alert.

"What's going on!?" Julian shouted out. Shocked by the unfolding event. Captain Leo looked down the balcony himself, seeing even more of the ant hills being made on the city streets. "There are mounds appearing throughout the city center, sir! It must be a monster invasion!" The captain readied his sword.

"Impossible! How can this be!?" Julian shouted in confusion. Even more parts of the ground were starting to protrude until eventually, the earthquake stopped. There was a pause for a moment. People were waiting for something to happen.

The silence was deafening, until finally, one by one, they erupted with creatures. The very spawns from hell itself, demons are invading!