Kalika awoke to a blinding dark abyss that surrounded her. She glanced around, lost and confused.
Just before she could take a single step, a familiar laughter echoed across the dark planes.
Kalika cringed. "Zorbian…" she sneered. She whipped her head around in search of anything, for anyone.
"[Try as you might, but you won't be able to find anything. Unlike my mind, my body no longer exists… But if you prefer…]"
Suddenly, the visage of Rakon appeared before Kalika. Zorbian, posing as Rakon, gazed up at Kalika. "I can pose as this man."
Zorbian laughed, amused. All the while, Kalika shot an icy glare and growled at him.
"Why so sour. Aren't you satisfied and happy now that your giant friend is with you again?"
"He's not my friend. A-and neither is Rakon. "
Zorbian smirked, examining his own body. "Ah, yes. So that's his name. Rakon."
"Just spill it! What do you want from me!?"
"I don't need anything for now. Even if I wanted something from you, I doubt you'd be so willing… I'm here to deliver a message since this may be the only time we can communicate so clearly." Zorbian pointed to the side of his head. "Seeing that you're still in my head and all. Kehehehehe."
With Kalika growing impatient. Zorbian quickly cut to the chase, becoming more serious. "Cassell has rewritten your fate again. Both you and your friends have been given… A new destiny, so to speak.. And it can't be stopped. At least… not without my help."
Zorbian fixed his gaze back on Kalika, who continued to glare back, this time more incredulously. "But as much as I'd like to help, you still won't accept me or this world. You can't even accept yourself for who you truly are." He turned away with a more grim expression that masked him. " And because of that, he's taking advantage of your… predicament. If you continue on this path, you'll likely be imprisoned for all eternity, not so different from me. If you want to spare yourself from your previous fate, you have to find me. And as it so happens, your path leads you to the very city where you can find me."
Kalika froze and became quiet. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke up. "As a jest, tell me. What would you do if I did find and help you?"
Zorbian smiled. He then turned back to Kalika with eyes as black as coal. "I would destroy this world for all its worth. Everything Cassell created, stole, and changed! I'd burn it asunder until it becomes nothing!!"
A chill ran down Kalia's spine. Then her entire body grew cold as if life was being sucked from the air itself. The air of malice that came from the demon was unlike anything she'd felt before. To her surprise, he offered a hand,
"And with your help, I could resurrect back into your world and rule over it as I should've all those eons ago."
"You're mad!"
"Mad?" Zobian laughed. "That doesn't begin to cover it!"
Zobian's eyes returned to normal. "I don't expect you to believe me right away. But in time you'll soon come to understand that I'm your only salvation in this book, Cassell weaves."
Suddenly, Zorbian's body slowly evaporated away, bit by bit. "It looks like this is all I can manage for now. But before I go, I'll give you one last warning… The servant of your favorite demon is on his way, and if you're not careful, this group you've built up will perish by his hands."
Zorbian faded away into a mist. A second later, Kalika was forced awake within a cozy room in the inn.
"That was… weird…"
Kalika glanced around the room, and a deep calmness washed over her as she remembered from the day before. "I'm back in that other dream…" She slowly got up, feeling a headache. She winced but pushed through the ache in her head.
She slowly approached the door and moved aside the door covers, only to be met with Donovan in his demon disguise.
"K-kalika, you're awake."
Feeling the presence of someone watching, Kalika peered to the side, finding that Charla was peeping from the end of the hall's corner.
"J-just ignore her," Donovan said. "I came to get you since we're about to leave."
"We're about to leave?"
"Yeah. Me, Bjorn, and Zelak went over it and thought it best to move as soon as morning came. We already have everything we need, and Zelak's dealer friend supplied us with some extra food for the journey."
"That's surprising…" Kalika went on ahead, forcing Donovan to follow.
"You're telling me. Zelak seems to think it was because of his sister, eh… Charla, I think it was. Since she has to come with us."
"Eh!?" Kalika stopped and turned to Donovan, surprised.
"A-again. I was just as surprised. I talked to Bjorn and Zelak about it and~… A-anyways, we're just waiting on you."
"But why is she coming with us?"
"I-I'll explain on the way."
As the two arrived at the inn's main room, Charla popped up in front of Donovan with a new plate of burnt meat and mushrooms.
"
"N…no thank you." A cold sweat ran down the side of Donovan's head.
Charla pouted, disappointed, and fled down the flight of stairs.
"What was that about?"
"Sh-she's been trying to give me food all day. It feels like she's trying to fatten me up or something. At this point, I think I know how to say food in their tongue now." Donovan sighed.
Kalika glanced downstairs and saw Myno, along with the giant demon Brynolf, hard at work serving their patrons and fulfilling other small requests.
"Is something the matter?"
"No… It's fine."
Kalika, along with Donova, slowly climbed down the stairs and squeezed past the banterful patrons.
Suddenly, Myno shouted. "< Where do you two think you're going!>"
Kalika stopped and glanced back to see Myno behind them with a massive barrel in her hand."" She said.
Kalika and Donovan could only look on in confusion at her abrupt declarations.
********
Myno placed the massive barrel right beside Bjorn, who sat cramped in the cart, along with a second barrel. "
"
"
Myno jumped down from the cart and glanced at Zelak, who sat in the driver's seat. "
"
Myno departed back into the inn, leaving Bjorn to raise his brow.
"Another follower of your dead god?"
"You can say that," Zelak said.
Both Kalika and Donovan climbed back in, with Charla racing from within the inn to catch up. She climbed in and happily held up a plate of undercooked meat. "
Donovan looked on in disbelief at Charla's determination. "Th-this demon…When will she just give up?"
"Your master is not hungry. He already ate earlier." Zelak spoke.
This time, Charla darted her gaze and pouted at Zelak. "
Zelak ignored her and whipped the reins. In an instant, the cart moved, tripping Charla. She fell over, fumbled the plate of meat from her hand.
"
Seeing her teary-eyed state reminded Kalika a little of Rhonda with her clumsiness. She then looked ahead of the cart, watching as they slowly approached the entrance of Bona.
Kalika sat down along with Donovan. They watched as Bona slowly left their field of view as the cart followed the dirt path back into the marsh forest. Looking across herself, Charla was still teary-eyed.
"It feels so tight in here…" Kalika thought. As she peeked behind the cart, she caught a glimpse of a familiar black scarred wolf, hiding within the strange marsh plants. "You again? So you're still following us?"
"Hmm…" Kalika stared curiously before she finally noticed Charla's undercooked meat, teetering over the edge of the cart, Kalika crawled and tipped it off the cart.
"What are you doing?" Donovan asked.
"Oh, nothing."
Kalika returned to her spot and pressed her back against the side of the cart walls."So now we go to Oar's, right?"
"Sorta," Donovan answered.
Zelak spoke up. "We're stopping by my village first. I want to check on my mate, to make sure she's alright."
"You never mentioned who your mate was," Bjorn noted.
"She's someone I hand-picked myself to carry my next of kin. She's bound to give birth soon, and I… I was thinking of fulfilling a last wish she had from long ago."
Donovan gazed at Zelak, surprised. "I never took you as the type to actually care,"
"He isn't," Bjorn said. "He's just reminding himself of his own mortality."
"
"
"What happens with them is none of your concern. They will grow up knowing our god, and if they inherit my magic, they will use it for the benefit of Zorbian."
"Hey, Zelak," Donovan called. "You keep mentioning this Zorbian-"
"It's a dead god." Bjorn interrupted. "That's what he and his Kin worship. According to their beliefs, Zorbian was murdered and betrayed by his brother. It's a fallacy, really."
"If it weren't for Zorbian, all of our kin in this pit wouldn't exist," Zelak retorted.
Kalika rolled her eyes and sighed. "I prefer we don't talk about gods."
"B-but wait. I just want to understand. But you demons, you don't worship the same god?"
"Most of us demons don't blindly worship an idea or concept. We serve our king. And that's it." Bjorn explained.
"But it used to be that we all worship Zorbian. We all used to be his followers." Zelak added.
"Maybe back in the darker ages, but that was long over since King Drakar had succeeded the throne."
Zelak Scoffed. "
"You and your people should be happy you still live. King Lucius could've followed his father and slaughtered all of you."
"Maybe. But that bastard promised me a space by his side and land for my people in the heavens. But they were just empty promises."
"Perhaps if you had listened and followed his orders back then, you wouldn't have been thrown out. Blood magic like yours is powerful. Yes. But it's no good if you end up dead."
Zelak ignored Bjorn's words and kept his focus on the road.
Bjorn blurted a sneer and turned back to Donovan and Kalika.
"Your history must be long."
"It's much shorter than you think. But our history isn't important right now." Bjorn said. "What is important is that you continue to practice your control over your magic. I heard that you've been using it a lot more recklessly."
"M-me? W-well, I-"
"No excuses! Destroying your arm and using that demon blade as recklessly as you did almost cost you. Going forward, your slave succubus will hold onto your sword. You're not to touch or handle it."
Donovan glanced at Charla, a little surprised. And reluctantly agreed.
Kalika gazed outside the cart, resting her chin on her palm, bored.
"Bjorn. What about Kalika?"
Kalika raised a brow and peeked.
"What about her?" Bjorn asked.
"W-well…" Donovan glanced back at Kalika. Surprisingly, he then climbed up Bjorn and whispered to his ear. "That dark magic has been coming out a lot more lately. When she was at the inn, the dark magic seemed to be pouring from her. It was the same when she fought those other giant demons. Heck, Zelak told me, was entirely consumed by it and went on a rampage again… and according to him, she was also able to teleport to an extent."
Bjorn raised a brow and looked on as Donovan retreated down, off him.
"I think it might be a good idea if she learns to control the magic power in her. Otherwise, things might get out of hand."
Bjorn exhaled then gazed back at Kalika with a growing concern. For a while he contemplated his thoughts before finally relenting. "Fine. But I'm not sure what I can teach to help."
"What?" Kalika looked at Bjorn, surprised. Indignant, she just as quickly turned her head. "Don't expect a lot from me."
Donovan couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "I'll try to help you, too. The best I can anyway."
Bjorn scoffed. "Since you're so excited about training, you should start now. And don't expect me to go easy on you anymore!"
"H-huh!?" " Donovan looked up at Bjorn, surprised. "O-ok. Sure."
"This time, you should train with earth and water magic. And Kalika."
Curious, Kalika glanced back,
"I want you to watch and focus on the sensation his magic gives."
"What's the point?" she questioned.
"Just do it."
"Fine… Whatever."
Zelak glanced back, seeing as the two were deepening their understanding of magic with Bjonr's guidance. All the while, Charla watched on, like a spectator with deep interest. He smirked.
"It's just as you said, God Zorbian. In due time our champion will only get stronger."
********
Just outside the devastated and bloodied savage Village. Magnus piled the last of the bodies of the villagers. He glanced back into the forest with a rising frustration. He glared back at the previous demon with a deepening annoyance.
"
From afar and hidden out of sight, Bretta, disheveled, watched in horror as Magnus burned everything asunder. He slowly left and watched from just outside as the village burned away.
"
Growing cautious, Bretta turned and fled deeper into the forest.
"