Chapter 24: Determination Rising?

"Where are the other two?"

Lucius found himself standing in front of eight bloodied soldier from the Celestine empire. They all looked very distant with hope stripped from their souls. 

A soldier approached. "The other two… Eehhh… had a very strong disagreement..." The soldier looked at the remaining eight, now understanding that there must've been a quarry. "the rest have already been executed per your order too."

"Fine. Then eight will do."

The soldier took his leave. Looking back at the remaining soldier, unremorsefully, he finally talks to them.

"You, eight, understand our power. And the pointlessness of your foolish crusade. You will return to your ruler with a message."

The eight avoided any semblance of eye contact while listening. 

"Invade again. And your cities will burn, and your families smited. If they choose to ignore my warning, they can expect nothing less than war."

Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Am I understood," He asked sternly.

All soldiers affirmed their understanding. Not long after, Azar arrived with a sack and something heavy in it. "My king. I've retrieved what you requested."

"Very good. Give it to the men before us."

Azar paced herself to the bloodied soldiers handing one of them the sack.

"What is this," The soldier asked.

"A gift for your Lord," Lucius answered.

He opened it to find the head of their General in it in its same grotesque form as it was before. The sack was dropped, the soldier barfed upon realizing that they were to carry the head of their beloved general to their Lord.

"We've already prepared supplies for your journey back. Just make sure your superiors understand, loud and clear. Besides, another war wouldn't be the best option for your people after that last war crusade your empire divulged in."

With Lucius finally saying his piece, he takes his leave. "Pray we never meet again."

He left the group of devastated soldiers behind him. Azar followed close by Lucius. "Were you able to extract much information about those strange weapons last night?" Azar asked.

"Yes… Apparently these weapons come from country called Gallock. A country of craftsmen with advanced technological advancements. They apparently have the power to turn fire into an plethora of colors and create explosions in the sky without the use of magic."

Lucius glanced at Azar. "Also, according to the soldier, these weapons are called Pipes. It's quite a silly name if you ask me. They're more like, staffs of fire and explosions."

Both Lucius and Azar entered a tent with the maimed soldier and weapons they'd confiscated. "By the way, have we received any message from Lillian?" Lucius picked up on the strange, piped weapons.

"Not yet, as far I'm aware." Azar stated.

"I see…" Lucius took some of the gray powder in his hand, seeing that some specks and chucks of white crystals were mixed in. He proceeded to gently pour the powder into the pipe. 

Lucius exited the tent with Azar not far behind. He pointed the piped weapon into the sky then poured magic. In a flash an explosion rang out through the campsite catching everyone off guard. 

Another explosion of fire magic erupted into the sky like a tornado. Covering the sky with red and orange. Lucius smiled contently at the spectacle he had just made.

"Fascinating… It's quite the fun toy..."

Lucius Chuckled, marveling at the overbearing fire as it dissipated. "These Gallock craftsmen are truly something else. And to think. that those white magic crystals could do something…" Lucius tossed the weapon to Azar.

"What would you have us do with the prisoner?" Azar inquired.

"We'll hold onto him a bit longer. In case he has any more useful information about this weapon or that country. I'd like to see this country for myself once this war is over."

"Alright then shall we send the prisoner back to the castle to be looked after."

"Yes. It'd be a shame if we were to lose him in the midst of this war, so arrange a transport for him and the supplies we confiscated too." Lucius started to take his leave. Azar seeing this quickly place the weapon back into the barrel to follow back with the king.

"I can accompany the transport if you wish." Azar quickly stated,

Lucius peeked back at Azar. "No. Your place is needed here. The other men handle the matter."

"Are you sure? What if the transport is ambush-"

Lucius now glared at Azar. She understood that there was no negotiating the matter, so she ceased immediately.

"I… I understand. I'm sorry for pressing such a trivial thought on you." Azar gave a slight bow to Lucius and ceased his glare.

"It is an understandable concern, however, I'm not so dull as to not take that possibility into account." Lucius left Azar to look over a cliff side with an army of both undead Confederate and Celestine soldiers.

Lucius glowed with pride looking over his new army of soldiers. he overlooked the horizon before him, Ready to unleash a breed of warfare on their enemy.

********

Kalika sat in the hall intersection between her corridor to her cell, the prison's hall and the dungeon corridor filled with deadly traps. She looks down the hall into the darkness.

"You've been coming here a lot lately. Is there a reason you spent you day here?" Tilus asked.

Kalika looked behind herself to find Tilus standing beside her, looking concerned.

"I don't know. I felt like relaxing here…," Kalika turned her gaze back to the dark Hall before her.

"The hall of a prison isn't a place a lady should relax."

"You were the one who told me to take a day to myself."

"So, you decided to sit in front of a deadly hall of traps." He retorted.

"Yes... because I felt like it." She continues to look down the hall before eventually deciding to get up.

"Leaving?"

"Yes. Because I don't like to be lectured to," she said plainly.

Tilus just watches on as Kalika leaves. "Not in the mood to talk, huh…?"

Kalika finds Rhonda starting to leave Kalika's cell with her cleaning supplies. Upon seeing her, Rhonda suddenly dropped the supplies to bow to Kalika.

Kalika then patted Rhonda's head, petting her to a point where she almost messed up her hair. Rhonda was taken aback by Kalika's action, but she didn't mind this unusual act. She savored the moment before Kalika stopped to enter her cell.

It isn't long before Kalika changes course to her bed, practically throwing herself on it. Rhonda, Seeing Kalika Kalika on her bed, simply smiles before gathering her utensils and leaving to do her other maidly duties.

Laying on her bed Kalika's mind drifted off, feeling the pulsing and the tingling under her skin, rhythmically dancing to the beat of her heart. she stared at the ceiling, taking in the rare peace in her cell.

She peeked up at her bangs to find that some of the strands in it had become white. It was a depressing sight to see and served only as a reminder of the passing of time. She turner to her side looking at her smooth hands

"I wonder how long it'll be until I start getting wrinkles… It's only a matter of time..."

Kalika then felt her own face, finding it just as smooth as her hands. "How long has it been since I've seen my own face…? I probably won't even recognize myself if I look in the mirror…"

Looking at her hand much more closely, she noticed some strange blue spots behind the thumb of her hand. "A bruise?"

Suddenly a loud clang rang out, alerting Kalika. She shuddered upon seeing that the three red demon ladies that had beaten her half to death before, were all standing outside her cell. They all start speaking among themselves looking back and forth at Kalika and then amongst each other in their demon tongue.

Seeing them, Kalika backs herself into the wall. One of them starts pointing to her, cackling about something with the other soon following suit. It's not long before a disoriented prisoner is brought to them by another demon guard.

They surround the man like vultures on a corpse, Scratching and clawing at him. One of the women sunk their claws into the man's chest, as if they were an excited child waiting to open a gift.

Kalika could only watch on as the man started to scream. The demon woman with the gray hair Flashed a sinister smile at Kalika, she then spoke something to her in the Demon language. Although she couldn't comprehend the demons' words, she understood that this woman wanted to toy with her just like that man. It was clear to Kalika, that they were trying to get under her skin Like Rakon would.

Soon after torturing the man in front of Kalika, they all leave with him, dragging him along the floor still breathing. He left trail of blood from the wounds they'd given him. Kalika found herself still shaking and clutching her hands. she tried to cease and calm herself to no avail. 

An anger rose within Kalika, a frustration, a fear, a bitterness. "I won't let them have their way with me…" Kalika started hugging her knees close to herself. "I will not. I will not! I will not!!"

Just around the corner of her cell, Ek had been listening in on Kalika's rambling. He frowned as he was listening to Kalika talking about hating demons. He promptly turned around to leave.

"What a joke," he said to himself.

The following days, Kalika trained much harder with Tilus's guidance. She would push herself much harder than ever before. with each visit made by Rakon and the Woman that serve him, serving to fuel her hatred of the demons looking down at her.

********

"Hey They're going at it again!!" a prisoner yells.

In the arena surround b prisoner's Kalika is sparring with Tilus. She has a few bruises on her face and shoulder as well as some scratches. She is determined and ready.

"Alright! Here I come!" Tilus shouted.

Tilus starts swinging punches. Kalika is only able to dodge and block one before she gets knocked down with a punch to the face.

"I think that's enough-"

"Again! I can keep going!" Kalika exclaimed.

"Alright. Fine." Tilus posed himself once more. Even more of the Prisoners are gathered around, all to watch Kalika be beaten. Some of them even start to cheer her on to continue the fight.

Kalika posed herself ready to continue again. It was clear to everyone that she was at her limit, as she breathed heavily.

Once again Tilus swung his fists, watching as Kalika dodge them.

Left Swing!

Block.

Right punch!

Dodge.

This time an uppercut!

It was almost perfectly timed, but Kalika saw through this move as she weaved her head back. This continued on and on. It was becoming more and more like a dance than an actual brawl or spar.

With a serious gaze she contemplated his next move. This time Tilus came in with a straight punch with his right hand. She dodged to his left only to find his left arm knocking her on her back.

Kalika writhed from the pain she felt for a moment. She tried getting back, demanding another round from Tilus.

"No more. That's enough for today." Tilus offered a hand to Kalika, which she refused.

All the prisoners immediately realized that the show was over, most opting to leave as others stayed to watch.

"I can keep going! Let's go again!"

"I said that's enough! We've already gone fourteen times so you can afford to rest," Tilus said.

"What are you talking about!? I'm supposed to fight that demon next week. I can't afford to rest now!"

"Your plenty strong as it is now Kalika-"

"But this is a demon general." Kalika tensed up. Trying to calm herself. "If I underestimate him, I'll just end up getting toyed with. And If I don't kill-"

Kalika scowled, clutching her hands. "I-if I'm not able to kill him… I'll just become a toy by those sick demon bastards!"

"Alright I understand. But right now I need you to settle down. Listen, Most men I trained in my days would still be stuck running laps around a field and doing push-ups, let alone sparring. Your body's already been conditioned from those arena fights."

Tilus approached Kalika, placing his hands on her shoulder. "Even if you lost your memories, those last ten years are still built into you. Have confidence in yourself."

Kalika looked away scowling, she forced her shoulder away from his grasp. "That's easy for you to say. I don't need to be lectured to. I'm leaving." She then walked away from Tilus.

"You're not going to stand by the bobby trapped hall like last time are you?"

Kalika stopped upon hearing the inquiry. "No… I… I… just leave me alone."

 She walked out of the arena, emotions painted over one another. She walked past the same guards in the same empty prison corridors. She kept going until, finally reached the intersection of the prison corridor, the hall to her cell and the bobby trapped dungeon corridor that led into the castle and who knows where.

Kalika looked down the hall, mesmerized by the dark abyss past the flickering torches. She stepped on a pressure plate that instantly shot out spikes. she touch the cold steel of the spike, brushing it up and down with her fingers before grasping it fully with her hands.

"Is this your favorite activity now?"

Kalika turned around with a blank stare and found demon general Kel behind her.

"Again…" she thought.

Kel Crossed his arms. "I've been hearing that you've been lingering around here a lot lately."

"I guess I like looking down here… and playing with those spikes from time to time. But I was just passing by." Kalika soon after tried to leave. "Now if that's all, I'll be leaving-"

Suddenly, a blade shot out blocking her path. This caught her by surprise. Kalika looked back at Kel to find him more serious than before.

"What do you want?" Kalika begrudgingly asked.

"Ek has been acting weird for the past month, and I've got a hunch that it has something to do with you. In fact, things have started feelin off since you came back." Kel cocked his head up a little, glaring at Kalika. "You know something, don't you?"

Kel turned his sword facing its blade at Kalika. He inched it closer and closer to her as he approached her, scratching the wall carelessly in the process. in a instant his blade shrink to a dagger and he pointed the tip of it at Kalika's neck, keeping an arms length away from her.

"You are going to tell me everything you know about what's going on. you hear me."

Kalika pressed her neck.. "All of you demons are the same..." Kalika gave Kel a glare as she gritted her teeth and grabbed his blade with her hand. "Why don't you-!!"

"Leave her alone!" Rhonda tried ramming into Kel. Unfortunately for her, she ended up bouncing off of him instead and fell onto her butt. This left both Kalika and Kel befuddled by her actions.

"Oi, oi. what is it now," Kel said.

"L-l-leave h-her alone!" Rhonda looked at Kel teary eyed.

Despite Rhonda wearing an eye patch, looking at her, Kel couldn't help but to find her cute. Especially with the position she was posing in, on the ground. He looked away blushing. He retracted his blood blade, putting it away.

Kel used this queue to finally leave."Tch! W-whatever. But next time we meet, I'll expect a straight answer from you Kalika."

Kalika stared at Kel until he was no longer in sight. "Do they seriously let him do whatever he wants here?"

With Kel gone, Rhonda gave a big mischievous grin at Kalika, chuckling at her small victory.

Kalika couldn't help but to crack a smile herself.

As a small reward and a token of gratitude, Kalika gave Rhonda another pet on her head since she seemed to always like those. Soon after, Rhonda became a lot more cheerful. It's not long before Rhonda notices Kalika's hands bleeding and she attempts to use her succubus powers to heal her again.

Fortunately for Kalika she noticed this, swiping her hand away from her maid. Memories of those past incidents resurfacing. "No. No. No. I'm fine! You don't have to do anything else!"

Rhonda pouted. She then tried using the power of her cuteness on Kalika, to little effect. Kalika flicked her on the head.

"No means no." Kalika sighed. "The last thing I need is to feel weird again, especially if that creep shows up again."

Kalika looked back into the booby-trapped corridor. Kalika continued to look into the hall until Rhonda noticed and tugged Kalika's prisoner sleeves. Kalika looked back to find Rhonda much more concerned. Her one pink eye glistened, it was almost hypnotizing to look at.

"You want to run away again, Don't you."

Hearing this statement shocked Kalika. "Y-you too…? W-why is it so hard for everyone to believe." Kalika clenched her fist, and her voice more stern. "I don't plan on running away. I already have everything I need here…. A-a bed. Food. A-a companion. A-a… a…a…."

Kalika becomes silent. Rhonda gave a one sided hug to Kalika, to better comfort her. It isn't long before Kalika breaks away from Rhonda's grasp to get back to her cell.

"I just need to follow through with that contract. After that I'm sure everything will be just fine."

Rhonda could only watch on worriedly as Kalika closes her cell door behind her.