Kalika was staring on blankly into space as if waiting for something interesting to happen. Her expectations of seeing anyone is about as low as it can get. However, soon the intense and malicious aura of several demons could be felt. It wasn't long until the creaking of the steel doors was heard, and the pattering of feet became audible.
Before Kalika knew it her prison door was opened, revealing three red skinned demon ladies. Two of them had black hair; one with short hair and the other with long, lengthy hair down to her tail. The other, who seemed to be leading the other two, sported gray hair and a smug face.
All three also had their own uniquely shaped horns. The short haired demon had horns positioned like cat ears while the other two had horns curved towards the back respectively.
"Who are these Demons??" Kalika wondered.
The smug-looking demon woman started to talk to the other two in their native language. While Kalika could understand some of what they were saying, it was too broken up for her to fully comprehend.
One of them then mentioned her name almost mockingly. glances back with sinister smiles masking their faces. not long after they began to surround her, grabbing her by the shoulder. Suddenly she was punched in the gut.
Another one swung at the face, punching her!
Kalika was left dumbfounded. Without any time to think, she was dragged to the ground and pummeled with kicks after kicks, each one hitting harder than the last. Giggles and laughter filled that prisoner as these demonic ladies continued to trample upon Kalika.
After a short while of surviving their onslaught, she was kicked hard into the wall. She coughed up a pool of blood from her mouth. Kalika was dazed and confused by this unprovoked violence. "Why… Why is this happening to me?"
Shortly after Kalika was grabbed by the throat and pinned to the wall. The gray hair women smiled menacingly with a blade at the ready. One again she spoke in the demon language, this time in a mocking tone.
Kalika could tell just by the tone of their voice that they saw her as just another pathetic human girl. Familiar names popped out through their Taunt. They were mentioning Lillian, the Demon King and Rakon. Before she could think, she screamed from pain as she was stabbed by the women.
She pulled the blade and as she did, Kalika glanced behind the gray-haired demon, seeing the other two readying their own knives too. Her screams echoed in the hall as the women painfully marked Kalika's body with her knives.
After some time, they were finally satisfied. The two black haired ladies started to leave. The gray-haired demon on the other hand stepped on Kalika's head. She taunted and mocked Kalika like she wanted her to do something like she was some wild animal.
With the pain coursing through her body, Kalika couldn't move one bit. Despite this she glared tearfully at the women towering over her. This provoked the woman to kick Kalika in the gut, not once but twice.
Kalika coughed more blood. she couldn't feel anything other than the immeasurable pain inside her.
Finally, the gray-haired demon left with the other two, closing the steel door behind them. Laughter and joke erupted between the three and with each closing of the iron doors, they became quieter.
"T-those bastards…" Kalika wheezed.
Kalika's vision was becoming hazy, slipping in and out of consciousness until the door was opened once more with Rhonda on the other side. Rhonda ran up to Kalika, face pale, painted with deep concern and horror.
Rakon suddenly shows up behind Rhonda with a blade in hand. He tossed it to the ground for Rhonda who looked back and forth with reluctance. And with the remaining strength she has Kalika tugs at Rhonda's skirt.
"Please… Rhonda…"
Rhonda finally obliged, killing Kalika.
Soon after, Kalika reawakened with her wounds fully healed. Looking back up she glared angrily at Rakon with welled up eyes.
"Y-you bastard!" she yelled.
"You smug son of a bitch! You put them up to this, didn't you!"
Rakon simply smiled at the girls in the prison. He then proceeded to crouch down to the level examining them as if they were cute animals. He gave a light chuckle as he continued looking at the two.
"For a human girl you can be very cute." he continued to chuckle for a little before standing back up.
"Those girls that stopped by are some of my loyal idiots that stopped by to say hi. They'll be your playmates to make sure things aren't boring for you… In due time."
Kalika glared much more ragefully at Rakon.
"Oh, how scary." he mocked.
Rakon entered into the neat solitary prison. "And here I thought that we should bargain a contract."
Kalika, as angry as she was, had a curiosity growing from this statement. "What do you mean?"
Rakon gave a knowing smile.
"Since I admire you so much, I had a couple choice contract ready" Rakon snapped his fingers for a servant to appear with two scrolls in hand. One the scrolls looked brownish gray as the other looked yellow. He delivered them to Kalika before taking his leave.
"I even went through the trouble to transcribe it to the human language, just for you. Your language is a little more… Specific with its phrasings. SO it took a lot of time to prepare." Rakon starts to rub his chin watching Kalika opening the yellow scroll. "And Alternatively, if you don't like either option. I can let my girls continue to entertain you until their Majesties return. Thinking about it now it'd probably be the more mundane option."
Kalika ignored Rakon. She read the yellow parchment intently with Rhonda glazing it over too. Although Rhonda had a much harder time understanding the symbols on the paper. Reading line by line she grips the edges of the paper furiously.
"Tch!"
Kalika widens her eyes in shock, throwing the first scroll to the corner of the room. "What kind of sick joke is this!?" She snapped. "Like hell I'm going to be some whore to you!"
Kalika was seething in anger, glaring hard at Rakon who seemed uninterested in her plight. He turned to grab the discarded scroll.
"And the second?" he asked.
Reluctantly Kalika proceeded to open the brownish-gray scroll to read, giving a huff as she did. She squeezed the trim of the paper frustrated by the choices given to her. It wasn't a choice of two evils but three, and the most current option she saw before her is the most hopeful that she could see.
Rakon placed the first scroll by Kalika.
"There won't be any negotiations or other chances. This will be the only time I'll be offering these choices to you Kalika." he walked over to the door, leaning on it as he watched Kalika intently. "The first one, I think, is the most favorable for you. You'd be freed from this prison and-"
"But you'd treat me like some servant or slave!" she interrupted. "The last thing I want is to be some concubine to some demon!"
"Heh. You talk like our species can actually reproduce together. I can assure you that's not the case. Besides… As long as you prove your loyalty to me, I'll treat you just right."
A chill ran down Kalika's spine hearing Rakon. "No way in hell am I ever going to consider that! I won't let him have his satisfaction! I WON'T LET HIM LOOK DOWN ON ME!!"
"I'll take the second option," Kalika said.
"Oh." Rakon's smile widened. "Are you sure about this?"
"That contract states that I just need to kill three people to be freed, yeah?"
"That's true, but you'll also be tossed back into your old cell and be fair game to any with a grudge," Rakon explained. "This may include some of my subordinates. And I'm sure they've already taken quite the liking to you. "
With a stern eye Kalika looked at Rakon. "If that's all, then I'd happily bear through it! Compared to what Lily put me through, it's nothing!"
Rakon chuckles, which turns into laughter. "Amazing! This is why I admire you so much!" his laughter continues.
"Those determined eyes. that serious face…" Rakon flashed another smile at Kalika. "Very well." Blood dropped onto the second contract from above a second after. "I've signed the second with my blood. All you have to do is give a drop like me and it'll seal the contract."
"And how do I know you won't go back?" Kalika inquired.
"These contracts before you, are enchanted with an ancient magic that was first discovered and created by our ancestor. So, rest assured that should I violate it, I would perish, slowly and painfully on the spot."
With reluctance Kalika finally opted to sign the contract with the assistance of Rhonda. Despite Rhonda's own reluctance to cut Kalika's finger she finally caved in, cutting it and dropping some blood on the parchment, sealing the contract.
Shortly after, Rhonda licked the fresh cut on Kalika's finger. and to her amazement, her cut healed itself leaving Kalika speechless. She had no Idea that Rhonda could do such a thing.
Suddenly a big burst of fire erupted onto the contract, burning the parchment to ash. "W-what the hell??"
"That's normal. It's just a sign that the contract has been recognized. You can even ask your maid since she's done one herself."
Kalika looked towards Rhonda who instantly became nervous and affirmed that Rakon wasn't lying.
"Alright so when will I be killing this first person?" Kalika asked.
"In the next three months we will have your first match."
"Match?"
A few guards entered the cell.
"Yes. and while we get the preparation done, you can feel free to prepare yourself as you see fit while you're with the other prisoners."
"Wait so I'm not staying here?"
"Of course not. I can't keep the prison's celebrity locked up forever. You have to stretch your legs, meet old acquaintances and the likes. It wouldn't be a fair contract if I had you rot here forever, now would it."
The guards approached Kalika and her maid. "Fine. So be it." Kalika sighed.
Rakon smiled happily hearing Kalika's response.
Understanding the situation Kalika got up, only to find that her legs are much shakier than before. perhaps from the beating she was given earlier.
Rhonda, a little nervous, opted to follow right behind Kalika. as some of the guards led them outside the cell and through the hall of steel doors, leaving behind Rakon who simply watched them off.
"Now don't cause any trouble out there." Rakon was chuckling. It was obvious to Kalika that he was taunting her.
"K-K-Kalika?"
Kalika, surprised, looked back to find Rhonda concerned, tugging at her prisoner's clothes lightly. It was rare to find Rhonda wanting to talk.
"A-are you sure you should've done that? S-signing the contract I mean."
Kalika paused trying to comprehend the fact that her succubus maid was actually talking to her. and in the human language no less.
Kalika came back to her senses shortly after and finally responded. "Honestly... I don't know."
Kalika balled her fist, frustrated by the circumstance she was in. "I really don't trust him. But if guaranteeing my freedom means killing a few people, then I'd happily do it. even if this freedom only lasts until Lilly comes back."
"I-I See".
Suddenly Kalika started to feel a heat rising within her. Her heart now pounding furiously with vision becoming unsteady. "Why do I feel so weird all of a sudden?"
Without warning Kalika's legs gave way, making her trip over. Luckily, she is saved from the fall thanks to Rhonda's quick reaction. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking, and as much as she wanted to regain control, she was at the mercy of something unfamiliar yet arousing.
One of the guards inquired Rhonda about the situation in their native language. she replies quickly, explaining something to the guard sorrowfully. The guard scoffed at the maid following up with a remark that sounded offensive.
Rhonda paid no mind to this, she simply proceeded to put Kalika's arm around her shoulder and lifted her up so they could continue being escorted.
"I-I'm sorry. this is my fault."
Kalika glanced at her maid Rhonda, still a little confused. "W-what do you mean? You didn't do anything wrong."
Rhonda became a little flustered by the response and opted not to respond. still feeling some guilt.
"T-the feeling should pass soon, just try to resist any weird urges. Okay?"
"S... Sure..."
After a journey through the corridors, they finally reached a part of the dungeon, lined in rows and rows of prison cells. All of which were strangely empty.
Continuing forth, Kalika started to feel much better and normal, recovering from the strange sensation she had. Feeling better she finally felt able to separate herself from Rhonda.
"I wonder what that was about…"
"Kalika Archelion." a voice rang out.
Kalika looked up to find a blue demon with short white hair and black eyes, he had a strap of armor hanging by his waist and his horns pointing to the front like a bull. There was also a horizontal scar going across his face that still looked fresh. The demon stood in their path exuding a dark rageful aura.
"
"
Ek turned her attention back to Kalika. "You've got a lot of nerve coming down here after everything you've done!"
Kalika simply stared at the demon general and despite his menacing gaze she couldn't help but to not take him seriously.
Kalika turned to one of the guards. "Uhh… who is he?"
The guards surrounding her instantly became nervous.
Ek got up close shouting at Kalika. "UUUUWWWAAAAAA!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! YOUR ASS HAS BEEN CAUSIN ME NOTHIN BUT TROUBLE EVER SINCE YOU'VE BEEN BREAKING OUT ALL THE DAMN TIME!!! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW!!!!!"
The angry demon started to go on tangents that seemed to have no bearing on the matter of what Kalika did. Understanding this, some of the guards pulled away the angry general and informing him of Kalika's predicament of not being able to remember the last 10 years.
He looked on, a little stunned. He instantly calmed down a little hearing this new. but continued to scowl at Kalika.
"Consider yourself lucky this time. Next time I see you, you better start groveling!" Ek gestured to the ground with his finger.
Shortly after he left Kalika and her escort to continue on their business. "The names Ek. And don't forget it!" He spouted, just before turning the corner.
Kalika could only be annoyed by this demon as she can hear what sounded to be curses being uttered under the demon's breath. She paid it no mind however, focusing on actually arriving at their destination. It's not long until they finally arrived at her prison cell.
One of the older looking guards stepped up and spoke. "This… is your cell. Open any time. Leave any time. But. cannot leave dungeon. Understood?"
Kalika is completely left stupefied. "How is Rhonda able to speak better than him...???"
Kalika looked on awkwardly at the guard before affirming her understanding. With their jobs completed Kalika was left at her new place with her maid.
"So, this'll be my new home… it's probably just empty with-"
Kalika took a peek into her new cell with no hopes of a clean quarters. But to her surprise, the cell was clean and actually had a bed in it.
She rushed over to the bed, feeling it to make sure it was real. Overjoyed, she quickly hopped over to lay on the bed. She found it much cozier which was literal hay.
She could almost cry from joy. But she quickly became embarrassed realizing that Rhonda was watching her.
Kalika cleared her throat. "This is… a very acceptable prison cell."
Rhonda only watched on cheerfully. Happy to see this rare moment of excitement from Kalika.
Kalika looked around the dungeon corridor to find most of the prisons empty. There were signs that their cells were once preoccupied by the disorganized beds and some strange decorations being hung collecting dust.
"What the hell is going on?" Kalika continued to look around from her cell. "And where is everyone?"
"You're back?" a gruff voice sounded out.
Kalika looked to her left to find a towering older looking gentleman with a well-kept body, a clean shave and short gray hair on a face that looks great for his age.
Kalika's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a minute. I've seen this man before! But from where?"
the man continued. "Honestly I thought you'd never come back after that last escape attempt you made."
"That's right! Wasn't he in my dream???"
"Especially after you and the Demon Queen killed almost everyone here…"
Kalika instantly became pale upon hearing this. Even Rhonda who was standing closely was shocked by this bit of information.
Complete confusion hit Kalika hard. "W-wait. what?"