Rakon carefully scanned the texts before him, periodically glancing at Kalika as they silently read through their respective books.
He furrowed his brow, seeing her weary expression, trembling hands, and constant tightening of her tail.
"She's been quiet since that strange white book turned to dust…" his eyes narrowed. "She's hiding something."
Kalika winced, her mind still drawing a blank as she turned page after page.
She reached the end of the book, then closed it. "It was… a good book." Her voice was flatter than she expected.
"Hmm, it's nice to hear you enjoyed it. Although… you don't seem thrilled."
Kalika kept silent.
"
On command, the library door opened, and a servant appeared, bowing.
"
The servant bowed more deeply and retreated.
Rakon eyed Kalika again, who stared off into space. "Are you going to sit there all day, or will you tell me what that white book was about? You've been unusually silent since it vanished."
Kalika frowned, clenching the hem of her skirt.
"It's… none of your business… You wouldn't understand," she whispered. "It's not like knowing would help anything."
"Is that so?" With a sigh, Rakon closed his book and walked away from the table. Their tails pulled, forcing Kalika to follow.
Rakon opened the library door. "Have my supper sent to my private chamber instead."
Kalika blushed. "W-Where are we going?"
Rakon glanced back, then flicked his gaze away. "Honestly, clear your head."
"S-shut up! Just tell me!" She spat.
"You'll see soon enough."
The two crossed paths with several servants, drawing wide eyes and whispers, some of which caused Kalika to blush deeper as she struggled to maintain her composure.
Soon they reached a large, empty room, where a massive broken chunk of stone stood like a monument to the castle itself.
"This is the castle's throne room," Rakon explained, leading Kalika directly to the chunk of stone.
Kalika peeked at the stone, then turned to Rakon, watching as he pressed a piece of stone in.
A clunking sound echoed through the room, and a section of the wall cracked open like a door.
"A hidden entrance," Kalika stated. "I remember my father showing me something similar once. I suppose this is a hidden escape tunnel, too."
"Half right." Rakon continued in, forcing Kalika to follow. "My brother Lucius discovered this place when we were children." He chuckled as he turned the corner.
"Imagine his surprise when I broke the throne off and dragged it in here myself."
Kalika's eyes widened at the sight of a giant crystal, glowing green to her but white to Rakon.
To the side of the large room, a slanted throne sat in wait.
"Strange, isn't it?" Rakon's voice startled her. He turned to Kalika, who followed him to the broken throne, her eyes locked on the crystal as he calmly sat on the broken seat. "Out of all the things to hide, they chose this large crystal… Its value is probably a little more than a hundred thousand crystals… It's a shame this thing can't leave this room unless broken apart."
Kalika simply stared at the towering crystal, mesmerized by the faint colors she saw inside.
"You told me before that you could see colors in these white crystals."
"H-hmm?" Kalika glanced over. "O-oh. Yeah."
"What color do you see?" Rakon asked.
Kalika examined the crystal more closely—close enough to look, but far enough not to touch and destroy its magnificence. "Green… and a… Faint yellow…"
"Yellow?" Rakon thought. He quickly pushed the thought aside and cleared his throat. "If you like it, the crystal is yours… If you tell me what you're hiding," he suddenly stated.
"Huh?" Kalika turned, surprised by the offer.
She stared at Rakon for a moment before turning away, exhausted. "As if I need any more of those crystals."
Rakon let out another chuckle. "But you did like to eat them."
"Y-you knew?!" Embarrassed, Kalika flushed.
"Obviously…" He turned, Kalika followed, averting her gaze.
"You know… It's easy to tell when you're hiding something," Rakon said.
"I already told you. you wouldn't understand."
Rakon leered, his expression unreadable. "Weren't you the one who said you'd do anything to stay?"
"What does that have to-" Kalika turned back to Rakon as if she'd been given a gift.
"Tch. Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way." He narrowed his eyes. "Something is obviously threatening my well-being, and I need to know."
"I-If I tell you, can I…"
Rakon closed his eyes and sighed in resignation. "As long as it's nothing like last night."
A quiet relief briefly settled in her chest.
"Now, tell me."
Kalika's shoulders slumped, and her face hardened. "There's an angel after me. He killed… He killed Bjorn and… Donovan."
Rakon raised an eyebrow.
"And for some reason, it's dead set on capturing and imprisoning me… All because I'm supposed to be some 'Evil One'."
She grew silent, her eyes softening as they fell. "I escaped him… but it's still after me."
Kalika looked up, surprised to see Rakon growing pale.
Slowly, black flowers bloomed all around the throne, drawing Kalika's attention. She stopped, noticing Rakon flexing his fingers.
"This… angel…" He began. "Did it have a name?"
Kalika stared silently for a moment. "It did. It called itself 'Terrocht.'"
Rakon's fingers tightened into a fist. "
He fixed his gaze back on Kalika. "And let me guess. It knows where you are."
"It does."
Rakon's fist trembled. Anger flashed across his face, then slowly gave way to a cold resolve.
"Rakon?" Kalika asked softly.
Silent, Rakon stood. "Come," he said, heading back down the passage.
Kalika followed.
Rakon's pace quickened, becoming more urgent with every step. He pushed servants to the wall. "
"
Rakon pushed him. "
The servant scurried off, leaving Kalika alone with Rakon.
"What was that about?" Kalika asked.
"We need to leave. If the legends are true about him, he'll completely upend the Pit." Rakon pushed on with Kalika at his side.
"What do you mean?"
"That angel flattened terrain, warped landscapes. He's part of the reason our world looks the way it does. And I was foolish enough to allow his release."
Kalika stopped, stunned. Their tails pulled, locked with one another. Unable to press on, Rakon came to a stop.
Kalika stared in disbelief. "What…? W… Why…?"
"He was meant to kill my brother and your sister. But that didn't happen. Somehow, they survived. I don't understand how or why, but they did."
"That idiot…" Kalika frowned but softened. "Then again…" Memories of her sister's execution and the invasion of demons flashed in her mind. "We really aren't so different. Are we?"
Suddenly, Zorbian's chuckle echoed in Kalika's mind.
"[Don't blame him too much. My brother's influence is strong. A single touch from that book would have shifted his thoughts away from both our goals.]"
"So, what are we going to do now?"
"The only thing we can do. We need power, and quickly. So we're going to Oar's to feed you that core."
"Huh?" Kalika stared, stunned. "Wait, this doesn't make sense. Why does he want me to eat that core?"
"Rakon. I don't want anything to do with that damned core."
"But you're the only one who can handle his power. If that core wants you, you should listen."
Rakon's words echoed a familiar message, one spoken time and time again by a single entity.
Suddenly, a black wilted flower fell from above, unseen by Rakon. Her eyes widened. A new realization quickly dawned as she remembered the bloom of the black flowers around the broken throne. "Zorbian," she breathed.
"[Hmm… It seems your favorite demon understands the dire straits now.]"
She could practically feel Zorbian smile from behind Rakon, sickly and satisfied.
"That bastard." A wave of disgust washed over her as she clenched her fists and tightened her lips. "Damned gods. Every time. Every time! Why can't I be left alone!!?"
"Kalika," Rakon called. "We don't have time to waste!"
"Alright. Fine. If you want to play games, I'll play along… for now." She regained her composure and strode forward, regrouping with Rakon.
"We leave today," Rakon said. "But I need to leave Gaz a list of instructions before we do."
"That's fine by me." Abruptly, Kalika shoved her shoulder into his arm. She pouted, slowly releasing his tail. "You better not leave me behind again."
Rakon scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Not like I have a choice right now, do I?"
"No. You don't."
***
Guards followed a pale, wrinkled, regal old man down a steep set of stairs. Worry etched on their faces as they watched his movements carefully, prepared for any immediate action needed.
They reached the bottom. A sigh of relief escaped their lips; another successful descent.
Unbothered by his men, the old man continued into the cold stone corridor, eventually stopping and turning to face a disheveled, brown-haired man with blue eyes who stared at the ground.
"Former Lord Kaiser."
Kaiser let out a chuckle. "And what news brings his gracious face to mine, Emperor Talinidus?" He glanced up, the firelight flickering over the emperor's white skin and faint blonde hair. Talinidus's green eyes darted at Kaiser, unamused.
"I am proud to relay that your son has been doing wonders as the new lord. He bravely invaded that forsaken country and is soon to lay siege to their first city."
Kaiser laughed, completely hysterical.
"Are you insane, old man? It will only rile their kind up more. Then they'll turn their sights on the rest of us."
"You overestimate them. They will fall, given time. Then a new band of heroes will rise and finish this-"
The shackles shook and tensed. "You would subject your people to another twenty years of war and famine!? For what ends!?"
"The people will live, Kaiser. They always do."
"Emperor Talinidus!"
Talinidus shot a glare at an unexpected messenger. The guards stepped forward, pinning the man to the wall.
"Speak, wretch! Why are you here!?"
"A-a-a-a message from a woman. She says she wants to speak with the emperor directly!"
"Ha! A simple woman can't order an audience with the emperor."
"Sh-sh-she told me to show you this!" The man raised a black horn for them to see, inscribed with symbols. "She says that the emperor would know. Offer a large sum of gold-"
"Are you stupid? Why wo-"
"Where is she?" The emperor interrupted.
"By the hall's garden."
Talinidus narrowed his eyes. "It looks like my visit is cut short today, Kaiser. We'll have to make time for another day." He turned his gaze back to the man. "You! Lead us to her!"
The guard released the man, who obliged without hesitation. They returned upstairs, turning and twisting down corridors, eventually arriving at the mentioned hall.
At the sight of a gray-hooded woman, he stopped and ordered his guards to halt. Both looked at him, puzzled, as he walked past them and the messenger.
"You can collect your reward later. And you two, stay there."
He approached the gray-hooded woman, her blonde hair sticking out like a sore thumb.
"It's been centuries since we spoke… Enocht."
The white, sharp-toothed woman smiled. "It has. I didn't expect to meet you so soon, Enex. But Cassell wants an answer… And you haven't answered back. Very naughty." Enocht chuckled. "I can't say I blame you. I love to indulge myself in this world's magic, but our masters will take priority."
"That it does. His will is my desire. But don't mistake my silence for complacency. I prefer to speak through action. As he wished, armies now flood Dahlia. So I've fulfilled my part… That is, unless he needs something more from me."
Enocht's smile widened. "He does indeed. Just recently, he found the Evil One. So he needs one thing from you… to ensure her capture."
Enex's eyes glowed a brighter green. "And that would be…?"
***
Lucius hurried through the halls, a maid at his side. He reached the door and entered the room, cold sweat running down his face.
His worries stood confirmed—a vacant chamber with a single note on the bed.
He approached the letter, picked it up, and read its contents. He grimaced, hands shaking as he continued to read. Before long, he calmly placed the letter back down.
The maid bowed. "
"
"Lillian… How do you expect to find that woman?" Lucius peered out the distant window, the breeze of a reviving season flourishing through the air. "It won't be long now. But I'll still make do with the resources I have."
Behind the bed, the once flourishing white flowers slowly wilted. Beneath them, the seeds now planted had begun to take root.