A silence filled the air as the cart traveled down the straight, wide path. Once again, Kalika was left to wait for Donovan to refill the dull gray crystals with magic.
She peered out of the cart, bored, and watched as weird bunny-like creatures, pronounced about before getting devoured by a giant plant.
She made a quick mental note of the flower and continued to look on in the peculiar forest of thin, intertwining trees. From between the trees, and the animals scurried about, she caught sight of several shimmering magic crystals of blue and brown, all scattered throughout the forest.
Growing impatient, Kalika turned to Zelak, who drove the cart. "Hey, Zelak. How far is your village now?"
"Another day out. We should be halfway there now."
Kalika sighed.
"I'm done." Donovan pushed the pile of shaky crystals to Kalika.
"Finally."
Donovan watched as she grabbed each one after another. Becoming increasingly bored with each one.
"Do you feel anything yet?" Donovan asked.
Kalika glared. "No," she tossed the last gray crystal into the pile of crystals she's already gone through.
"Hmm. Maybe it's too small to notice?"
An abrupt chill ran down everyone's spine, and the Garu's became feral. Zelak lost control, causing the cart to jump and spiral out of control. "
Acting fast, Bjorn flung his blood at the birds. Forcing an overwhelming tranquility through his blood magic.
"There's a strong blood lust in the air…" Zelak noted. "A-and that presence… It couldn't be!"
Zelak scowled. His hands shook as he tightened his grasp on the reins. "There's no way. He couldn't possibly come to the pit already… Not with him,"
Zelak clenched his teeth and channeled his powers. His eyes glowed with a bright intensity that blinded even Bjorn. And within a few seconds, Zelak's clarivoyance revealed a new starling truth to him. "
"What happened!" Donovan stood up.
Blood poured from Zelak's bulging eyes, and his breathing shallowed. His blue pupils shrank to the size of a needle. All the while, his mind raced a million miles an hour.
"Zelak, what happened!!"
"They're dead…"
Bjorn narrowed his eyes.
"All of them…" Zelak weakly announced.
"Who's dead?' Kalika questioned.
A thunderous tremor struck the earth around, along with an increasingly immaculate bloodlust. A fear rose within Charla, who huddled closer to Donovan. All the while, Bojrn, Kalika, and Zelak straighten their gaze to the source of the storm in anticipation. The ground shook harder and harder until….
There was silence.
"It's… gone?" Donovan darted his eyes around. He watched as even goblins fled without paying any attention to them. Suddenly, a forboding sense of death sliced through the air.
Kalika, alarmed, jerked her head up in time to witness the giant axe-wielding demon attacking like a judgment from god.
In that same instance, Bjorn clashed his earth manifest club against the attacking demon.
"Magnus!?"
"
"Hraagghhh!" Muscling up all the power in his arms, Bjorn managed to push Magnus away from their cart.
Magnus crash-landed right behind the cart.
Kalika gazed at the demon, a sense of familiarity washing over her. "I feel like I've seen him before."
"
A subtle gasp escaped Kalia's mouth. "Rakon?" She narrowed her eyes at the demon, drawing his attention to her, Donovan, and Charla.
"" Magnus then turned his gaze to Kalika, Charla, and Donovan. "
"
Magnus cocked his head, a little puzzled. Not long after, his eyes lit up in recognition. "
A fiery whip wrapped around the arm of Magnus, who blocked. He glanced at the sword whip that burned with an intensity, then turned a glare to Zelak.
"
"
Zelak snickered. "The irony." Zelak cast a knowing glance at Kalika, who seemed to be dumbfounded.
Without batting an eye, Magnus instantly broke through the fiery chain of Zelak's sword. "
Bjorn blocked with a club.
"
""
"
Magnus's cold words were like a declaration of war. Bjorn, silently and slowly lowering his club, then spoke. ""
"
Everyone around Kalika turned to her at once. Donovan, clueless about the happenings, glanced from Kalika to the Giant demon Magnus.
Kalika stepped off the cart, glaring indignantly at the towering demon.
"
With practiced ease, she conjured and defelected the attack with her dagger. Kalika sneered as she glared at the ruthless demon. "I remember you now. That axe, that magic, and that stupid beard on your face."
"Wait a minute." At this moment, Donovan was struck with the same realization, finally remembering Magnus as the giant demon that cleaved Kalika in two. "Isn't he the demon that cut you in two?"
Without warning, Kalika darted straight for Magnus with clear intentions as she thrusted her dagger. Magnus blocked, interlocking the head of his axe with the tip of her dagger.
"
Magnus pushed Kalika back into the foot of the cart.
Acting fast, Zelak, reconjured his broken sword, but was interrupted by Kalika. "Don't get in my way, Zelak! If you get in my way, I'll kill you myself! That same goes for both of you." Kalika darted her eyes to Donovn and Bjorn. 'I want to kill this demon myself."
"Because of him, Rhonda was killed by Rakon. If it wasn't for him-!"
Kalika, sensing danger, glanced up and saw the axe already poised to cut through her.
She dodged, letting the giant axe splinter the ground. A crater formed, and from it, cracks began to splinter off in all directions—a rumbling unlike what anyone had felt thus far spurred up.
Without warning, the ground broke beneath Kalika's and Magnus's feet.
"Get out of there!" Zelak warned. But by then it was too late as the ground crumbled away.
"Kalika!" Donovan clenched his teeth, forced to watch as the cart sped off in a desperate attempt to escape the perilous, ever-growing hole.
"Bjorn! What's happening!?"
"Magnus struck a Hafu's nest!"
"A Hafu's nest!?"
"Yes. They're nests hard to come by, especially this far up north. However, Hafu's nest is a series of tunnels created by what you humans would consider giant worms. Here in the pit, we call those Hafu."
"Giant worm!? W-wait, th-then that means Kalika's in danger!"
"Sorry, human, but there's no way we're turning back now." Zelak abruptly turned the cart and glanced back with annoyance, watching as the ground continued collapsing. "
********
Kalika and Magnus fell deeper into the hole. Seeing that they were nearing the end, Magnus aimed his hands at the wall and shot webs of blood. The string of blood bounced from wall to wall on the circular pit until a full-fledged web formed, becoming a perfect spot for a soft landing."
Kalia stumbled and attempted to balance on the webs of blood. "It's like those trees and those weak branches."
As she gained a clean foot, Kalika didn't hesitate to attack. She dashed at Magnus, slashing and swiping her dagger.
To her annoyance, Magnus parried each attack with relative ease, redirecting her attack with just the flip of his axe.
"
"
Magnus broke her wrist with an audible crunch. Despite the immense pain, Kalika refused the waiver. With her other hand, she punched and smacked the giant demon, confusing him, and she reached for his horns. Magnus pushed her away.
"Go to Hell!" she exclaimed.
Within this small window, Kalika focused all her rage in her palm, manifesting a ball of dark energy.
"DIE!"
Magnus, alarmed, threw Kalika to the wall, nearly avoiding the deadly attack.
He sharpened his gaze more directly at Kalika. '
Kalika chuckled as she stood back up on the web. Her broken wrist quickly cracked back into place. She held it, moving it around to assure herself of the repair.
"
"
Kalika closed the distance and clashed her dagger with Magnus's axe.
"'
Once again, Magnus pushed Kalika away.
Unexpectedly, Kalika grabbed the web and, taking advantage of this, launched herself back at Magnus, this time circling him in at almost blinding speed.
Magnus whipped his head around and swung his axe at her. Like a snake, Kalika slid over his axe, evading it.
"Grr!" Magnus whipped his axe back around, missing again and again, "
Magnus raised his hand, shooting out webs of blood aimed at Kalika that pierced the walls and branched out like an uncontrolled virus.
Strings of blood shot on after another like arrows whizzing in the air. And within the newly created chaos, Kalika dodged and deflected the perilous attacks, all the while, Magnus continued his relentless assault, closing the distance and swinging his axe.
Sensing his attack, she jerked back and watched as his axe cut through the rock. She passed a glare to the demons before throwing her dagger at his face.
He blocked with his hand, then pulled his axe and swung again, this time barely grazing Kalika. " Webs of shot from above, forcing Kalika to conjure her dagger and deflect the barrage of attacks as she jumped away from Magnus.
Forced on the run, Kalika evaded and blocked the webs and strongs of blood infesting from Magnus until the entire space became nothing but red lines.
" One after another string of blood missed and shot through Kalika like a passing bullet, slowly riddling her body with holes as she pushed through the pain. She closed the distance between her and Magnus, poised and ready to attack. However, as she stepped forward, a blood web shot through her feet, sticking her in place.
With the trap sprung, Magnus readied his axe and swung it.
In a split-second decision, Kalika turned to web under her and sliced through the intricate blood web, collapsing it entirely.
They fell deep into the pit, quickly landing at the bottom.
With her feet freed once more, Kalik wobbled up and glared at Magnus, who continued to tower over her with his overwhelming presence.
She glanced at her hand, opening and closing it. A slight irritation masked her face. "Now that stupid magic won't listen again. No matter. I don't need it."
Magnus poised with his axe in both hands. A slammed it towards Kalika with fury.
Kalika dodged to the side, letting it crater the ground like before.
With a calculated gaze, Kalika threw her dagger at Magnus, and as he dodged the attack, she reconjured her dagger, blocking the swing from his axe.
The sound of iron rang up the long hole, as their weapons interlocked in a war of pure strength. Kalika was slowly pushed back, little by little, despite all the effort she was putting forth. "Strong… But it's like what Tilus said. If they're stronger, I have to be faster."
A smirk formed on Kalika's face as a wicked idea rose.
Suddenly, Magnus put all the strength he had, completely overwhelming Kalika with his strength and sending her crashing into the wall behind.
" Magnus swung, aiming for her neck. Once again, their weapons became interlocked against one another.
However, to Magnus's surprise, Kalika gazed at him relatively unconcerned as she smirked. With growing annoyance at her defiance, he pushed harder. "< What's so amusing?>"
Without another word, Kalika pulled her dagger away, allowing Magnus to behead her on the spot. Her body fell to the ground lifeless. All the while, Magnus could look at her head, puzzled by her action.
" "URK!"
Magnus glanced down. Finding Kalika's headless body stabbed in the stomach. " To Magnus's shock, Kalika's head flew back to her body, reattaching itself.
" " Magnus's eyes widened in shock. "