Chapter 17: Phases of a Coin

Kalika found herself back at her solitary prison with a fresh pair of prisoner's clothing. She stared at the ceiling of her grimy solitary cell.

It's been a few days since the incident with her being rescued by the Heroes of Prophecy. And their immediate demise the day after. It felt like nothing had changed aside from the eerie silence.

Although strangely enough for Kalika she's able to find peace in this long silence. The last few days since she returned no one visited her; not her sister, not her maid and not even that creep Rakon. She hadn't been fed either, but she didn't mind this, after all she wasn't feeling hungry.

A sensation signaled to Kalika of a familiar demon closing in. the pattering of feet started to become audible and the creaking of the steel doors roared loudly in her cell. Her door finally opens revealing a familiar maid with pink eyes, black hair, and an eye patch on her right eye.

It took Kalika a few moments to realize the nervous maid to be Rhonda. She had almost forgotten that almost ten years of her memories had been wiped out. The once cute child maid was now a young adult.

Rhonda looked to be carrying some cleaning supplies in her hands; it looks as though they're finally allowing her to clean Kalika's dirty prison. Rhonda looked around the cell nervously before setting the cleaning supplies on the ground.

Rhonda approached Kalika who was uninterested in the woman. Unexpectedly Rhonda crouched to her knees to tenderly hug Kalika.

This gesture shocked Kalika. She could feel something wet hit her shoulder. Kalika then remembered back to when she channeled earth magic from a magic crystal and used it to attack Rhonda.

"Does she really care that much about me? Shouldn't she hate me?"

Rhonda stopped hugging Kalika. She smiled and wiped her eyes and then reached into her bosom to grab some bread from it. She gave it to Kalika and gestured that she wants to keep it their little secret.

Kalika didn't know what to say, so she simply stayed quiet and nodded. Now looking a little more content, she started to clean the prison cell. It was weird, it was as if Rhonda wasn't being held back from being her own carefree self.

Kalika could only watch on as Rhonda cleaned her cell. Seeing her clean, Kalika could tell that she definitely came a long way. She almost missed her as a kid.

A nice piece of soft bread and a hard-working clean later Rhonda was finally finished making the cell look clean.

Rhonda Turned to Kalika, taking out a brush from one of the pockets in her uniform. Rhonda pointed to it and Kalika agreed. She turned herself around letting Rhonda begin.

Rhonda brushes the hair as gently as possible, taking care not to hurt Kalika. As she did this, she found more strands of gray hair as she went along as well as some strange bruises. She paid no mind to these however, continuing to finish brushing Kalika's hair.

The creaking of the steel doors is heard once more. This time Lillian seems to be paying a visit. She looked to be visiting Kalika on something important.

Upon seeing Lillian, Rhonda gave a bow before finishing Kalika's hair. Rhonda proceeded to gather her utensils and gave a bow to Kalika before taking her leave.

Kalika looked up at her sister blankly. She then gave a sigh. "Is it about that time?"

"Just follow," Lillian said.

Following Lilians order, Kalika got up and reluctantly followed Lillian out her cell door. Suddenly Kalika found her vision becoming obscured by white circles that grew blindingly bright. She found herself screaming from pain as she was hanging upside-down in a different room. She felt something leaving her body. Although it was painful it soon became much more tolerable soon after.

"Okay. Tell me what you remember last, this time." Lillian questioned.

"What's going on? Weren't we just leaving my cell??" 

Lillian looked at a nearby hourglass. "That makes it a little over an hour…"

Lillian turned her attention to someone else in the room. "Are you satisfied now Rakon?"

Kalika became alert upon hearing that name. She looked around to find the very same Demon that had some sort of obsession with her.

"Yes, and now we can say for certain that your blood has definitely become more potent."

Lillian can only give a sigh as Rakon seemed to write something down on a piece of leather. "I was hoping that wouldn't be the case." Lillian looked at her bloodied finger then turned to heal Kalika who was covered in other holes.

"And you sure you want to join my brother Lucius on the frontlines?" Rakon Asked.

"I'm not going to repeat myself, Rakon. I'm seeing this through to the end." Lillian became a little sterner with her words.

"What's going on?" Kalika Asked. She was feeling dizzy from hanging upside down.

"Oh, right." Lillian let Kalika down from where she was hanging. Lillian used her tail to grab Kalika, gently placing her to the ground.

As Kalika reoriented herself, she saw that she was inside of some room with a lot of scrolls. It's not long after that Lillian starts to take her leave. "I'll start preparing now, please escort Kalika back to her cell for me."

"Lily Wait!" Kalika yelled.

Lillian stopped herself for a moment and paused. "What is it?" she finally asked.

"You're just going to leave me with him!?"

"Rakon is a trusted advisor to me and Lucius, you'll be just fine. Besides, I have more important things I have to do." not wanting to linger, Lillian left Kalika behind with Rakon.

"W-wait!" Kalika desperately yelled. 

Kalika would normally find herself suffocated by Lillian, but her demon sister seemed to be my distant than normal. Kalika quickly remembered how she was now in the future. A future where she knew very little about what happened in between then and now.

Kalika turned to see Rakon finishing some notes on a piece of leather before turning his attention to Kalika.

"Well, well, well. It looks like we find ourselves alone to each other's presence again."

Kalika glared at Rakon. There was something in his smile that told her that he was up to something.

Rakon got up and started to approach Kalika. "In case you're wondering, thanks to the death of the Heroes, my brother sees fit to finally put an end to this war and conquer this country. So, my brother and the queen will be marching to the headquarters of this new confederation that was formed not too long ago."

Rakon walked past Kalika going over to the door Lillian left from. "It'll likely take a couple more years but if the campaign's successful, we'll have won this small war. And this country"

 Kalika stood still expecting a different action from the demon. Rakon turns around. "What are you waiting for? You still need to be escorted."

"A…Alright." Kalika listened, reluctantly following behind him into the corridor.

Kalika is walking behind Rakon as he just leads the way. She kept her distance from the demon, nervous that he was up to something. after a while Rakon made his voice heard once more. "Why so quiet? Upset that your Kind will lose this war?"

Kalika cringed a little. "It was always inevitable that my father's Generals would lose. with them fighting amongst themselves, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they all got drunk from the Idea of becoming the next lord."

Rakon couldn't help but chuckle at Kalika's remark. "Can I assume that you're talking from experience?"

Kalika simply scowled at Rakon who was getting amused by her.

After a little while Kalika stopped in the middle of the corridor. Rakon immediately took notice of this and stopped too. Kalika looked at the ground, simply reflecting on her life and that one shortsighted decision she ultimately made to become the next heir. A decision she made just to have power over those she hated.

"What's going to happen after this invasion anyways? Will it be the neighboring countries next and then the whole world?" Kalika seemed to become more bitter.

"That would be the Ideal outcome. However, my brother Lucius would rather enter into treaties with the surrounding countries." 

Kalika was surprised to hear this.

Rakon continues. "My brother lost his ambition both as king and as a demon. I'm almost disgusted that he's my brother. Just like you dislike your sister, the queen. I have a deep-seated dislike of my own brother." Rakon approached Kalika. "Personally, speaking I'd like to see them both perish. Especially since they only stand in my way." Kalika's body suddenly went numb. She tried to move but her body wouldn't respond. Rakon then grabbed her by the side of the head, lifting her head from her body.

"W-when did I- !!??"

Rakon started to brush at Kalika's hair. He then proceeded to sniff her hair as her vision went dark. "Your natural scent is so calming." The next moment Kalika awakens to find that she had slapped Rakon in the face. He simply wiped his cheek with his hand before giving an amused smile.

"I… I slapped him!??"

Kalika wanted to slap this Demon again but found herself unable to do so. Rakon couldn't help but laugh seeing Kalika.

"It looks like your body is still accustomed to fighting back after all." Rakon Laughed.

"It looks like the next couple years will be interesting. I can't wait to see what you look like broken and denigrated."

The Urge to run from the demon Emerged. She didn't want to be left alone with him any longer. 

A hand touched upon Kalika's shoulder, prompting some relief. She turned to see Rakon behind her. There were now two of him!

The second Rakon started to talk to her. "Don't worry Kalika. I learned my lessons with you. Faced with a difficult situation you either run away or chase after the queen for refuge."

"N-no. I-I-"

"I've known you for over eighteen years. You're much more predictable than you think Kalika," a third clone of Rakon said.

"W-what the-!" Kalika was starting to feel overwhelmed.

"And don't think you can run away again. Rest assured that precautions are in place. So, you won't be escaping any time soon. Besides, I wouldn't want to worry the queen." a Forth clone now also approached Kalika.

Kalika is now surrounded by four Rakon's. A fear is rising in her heart as smiles with sinister intentions surround her.

"Just like you I have my own little secrets. The only difference is that Mines are still hidden."

The two Rakon's on her side grab a hold of her arms as one from the back holds her from the shoulder.

The Rakon in front started to play with Kalika's lips with his finger. "I know quite a lot about you Kalika. The way you eat, the way you sleep. The ways you like to entertain yourself. I even know of that power you still think is a secret." 

Now Rakon grasped her chin, bending down to meet her gaze. "And in case you haven't realized it already, I'll be having you under my watchful supervision as the acting Demon King of this castle. All the while my brother and your adopted sister are away." Rakon shortly after pulled away from her with a snide smile.

Kalika felt a pit in her stomach. Rakon knew a lot more than what he was saying. It felt like he was giving her only the tip of the iceberg of what he knew of her.

The two clones of Rakon by Kalika's side start to lift her off the ground. Kalika could only feel lost now, realizing the implications of her sister being gone.

"Don't worry. it's only a couple years, right?" Rakon mocked.

The two clones then started to escort Kalika through the hall.

"Oh, and don't worry." Rakon's third clone stated.

"I'll make good sure that you won't be lonely anytime soon." The other finished the statement, smiling.

********

Elsewhere, another possible Rakon clone is standing over a huge underground pit along with Demon General Azar. Deep down is a deep dark abyss with now end in sight. It is a literal death trap to any creature that falls in.

As the two demons wait, three other Demon Women fly from the deep darkness revealing themselves.

"It looks like your friends actually found them." Rakon looks at them with content.

"Well, these are my friends we're talking about. I wouldn't have called on their help if they couldn't survive the pit."

Rakon started to chuckle a little at her remark.

"Are you sure you want these women. they still don't know the human language." Azar warned.

"Oh, that won't be a problem at all." Rakon held his hands to the first Demon Lady to land safely.

Rakon in the demon Languages speaks to the woman. ""

The demon woman gave a curtsy. ""

The other demon Ladies start landing, following the first woman as they curtsy to Rakon.

"" the last two said.

********

Kalika is returned and lightly pushed back into her Solitary cell. Kalika turned back with a glare, she was mustering what little courage and hatred she had of the demon.

"Don't you worry Kalika..."

********

"When all is said and done. you will be mine."

in the deepest darkest shadow, in a rocky, rough dark room lies in wait a familiar red demon with a broken horn. his green eyes pierced the darkness...