Jasmine stood before Kali, fully stunned by what she was witnessing. She already knew the truth about Kali because of her family's background, but what she didn't expect was to actually witness the Goddess of Destruction before her very eyes. Yet Kali wasn't only known for destruction—she was also known for liberation and saving humans in trouble.
"Kali…" Jasmine whispered.
Without hesitation, Kali shot toward the demons at supersonic speed. She cut down all ten of them effortlessly. As soon as the fight was over, Kali collapsed, instantly reverting back to her normal self.
"Kali!!! Are you okay!?" Jasmine cried.
"Yes… I'm okay… as long as you're okay, Jasmine," Kali replied weakly.
Little did they know, the people who had been trying to capture Kali earlier now had them completely surrounded, guns drawn.
"Put down the girl, and you won't get harmed, kid. You don't know what you're messing with," a shadowy man said, stepping forward. It was dark now, and hard to see who was talking.
"Who are you?" Jasmine demanded.
"Well, I don't believe that's any of your business, little lady. But I do know that my business is to take the vessel back to the headquarters of the Okemir Army," he replied.
Jasmine thought to herself, Huh? But why would they be after a teenage girl? Then it hit her. Wait—they must know about Kali's powers!
"Let me guess," the man continued. "You're trying to figure out what's going on when you really shouldn't be. Well, let me tell you a little about us. We, the Okemir Army, are on a special mission to pick up the little flower you're holding in your arms. She's the key to destroying the entire world. If you think you can stand up to us, that would be hysterical. An army… You think you can take on an army? Don't make me laugh. Hand over the girl."
Jasmine, clearly out of her league and surrounded by about twenty-five men dressed in black military uniforms, had no choice but to comply.
"Kali… I'm sorry," Jasmine whispered as she watched them drive away with Kali in a military vehicle, rain now pouring down in the darkness.
At the Okemir Headquarters
Kali was taken to the Okemir Army's headquarters, located just outside Cincinnati. The reason for her kidnapping wasn't clear to her—she had passed out after the fight—but she knew one thing once she regained consciousness: she had to find a way out.
The headquarters was set up like a massive fortress, and no one truly knew its purpose. Even local authorities believed it was just a normal business complex.
Kali was taken to a floor that looked like it was meant for laboratory experiments.
"Hey! Let me go!" Kali shouted as a grunt threw her onto the floor.
"Yeah, right. Get over yourself. You're lucky we need you alive—otherwise, you'd already be dead," the man sneered before leaving the room.
Kali banged on the glass, desperate for anyone to help her. Moments later, a rough-looking man entered the room, his demeanor like that of a mafia boss. This was Sam Castellano, the leader and CEO of the secret Okemir Army. He sat down across from her, grinning with a cigar hanging from his mouth.
"So, girl… let's cut to the chase. You have something we want—and we're going to do whatever it takes to get it," he said, smirking.
"I don't know what you're talking about! I'm just a teenage girl—now let me go!" Kali protested.
"Heh. See, peaches, it ain't that simple. We're looking to take over the world through domination—and you might just have the power to make that possible," Sam said.
"Huh?" Kali asked, confused.
"You've probably heard about the disappearances of kids all over Cincinnati lately, haven't you? If you think that's just a coincidence, you're dumber than you look, girl. Those are no accidents—they're sacrifices. Just like your friend who had his head ripped from his neck."
Kali's eyes widened in horror.
"The blood from these sacrifices is the key to bringing back someone we need," Sam continued. "The thing that killed your friend was nothing—at least compared to what we're trying to resurrect."
"Huh…?" Kali whispered.
"That was a demon that killed your friend—and the same kind you destroyed. But we have an infinite supply of them."
Sam snapped his fingers. Outside the lab, a machine roared to life. Through the glass, Kali watched in horror as a portal opened—a gateway to the demon world itself. One demon stepped out and pressed its claws against the glass.
"See, girl?" Sam said. "You're nothing."
Kali stared in utter disbelief.
"But don't worry, girl—no, you're not even a girl. You are the legendary goddess, and deep down, you know it. You aren't in danger from these creatures—but you will be when we use your power," he said, grinning.
"We're going to resurrect your greatest enemy. A demon you won't be able to stop. You only won last time out of pure luck."
Kali froze, her heart pounding.
"I'm talking about Raktabīja."
Her body trembled as her instincts reacted on their own. Deep down, she knew she had every reason to be afraid.
(Editor's note: Raktabīja is Kali's greatest enemy in ancient Hindu mythology.)
"You are the Goddess of Time and Destruction—the reincarnation herself. We've used blood sacrifices to try to resurrect Raktabīja, even teaming up with Beelzebub, the queen of the demon world, to bring him back and lay waste to this land. But human blood isn't enough for the task. So we'll simply use your ability to control time to travel back and bring him here—before you defeated him."
Kali couldn't comprehend everything she was hearing, but one thing was clear—she was born to save the world.