A dark aura quickly covered Kalika's dagger. It piled on until it looked as though she held a pitch-black sword. Hunched over Kalika charged in full speed ahead once again, clashing with Bjorn who was ready with his club.
They clashed weapons, parried and even blocked deadly counter attacks. Bjorn kept himself on the defensive looking for the prime chance to strike. Seeing the first opening, he swung his club hard and sent Kalika flying!
She focused and launched her new dark magic with poor accuracy, hitting the ground around Bjorn and his club.
Bjorn quickly glanced at Donovan who still sat, stunned. "If you want to live, then leave now!" Bjorn repeated, taking Donovan out of his stupor.
Kalika landed back on her leg, and without hesitation, charged back in. Once again Bjorn and Kalika clashed, this time sending tremors and cracks through the ground. All the while Donovan could only clench his fist in frustration as he continued to sit and watch.
"How could this happen? Why did this happen?" Donovan clenched his teeth. "Tilus entrusted me to look after Kalika. But now she's-! I really am a useless man." As he watched the evenly matched battle Kalika and Bjorn were in, an old memory resurfaced.
********
In the spring forest where the birds chirped and the insects sang, a boy hid in the forest behind a tree. He keeps his breathing silent, fearing the worst.
"Donovan!"
A child of ginger hair quickly turned to his father, now standing over him, as he found him. They were at the edge of the forest, unequipped for its terrain as they wore clothes of nobility.
Donovan quickly got to his feet to run but was quickly caught and dragged by the hand.
"No! No!! I don't want to do it! You can' make me!" He resisted in vain with tears in his eyes.
Donovan's father threw him back to the ground in front of him. Getting up he saw his stepmother in the torn dress and right before him his stepsister kept a fox pinned to the ground. The fox tried to resist the girl's grasp but was unable to escape.
Donovan's father allowed the daughter to rest as he took over holding the fox. He then threw a knife to Donovan feet.
Donovan sniffled and cried some more. "I-I don't w-w-want to."
"Kill it Donovan." his father hissed.
"B-but… He's my f-friend"
"It's an animal!! It's not your friend! So, KILL IT!!"
"He doesn't have to kill the little thing, Rodrick." The stepmother spoke. "We can simply cage it up and feed it to the dogs later."
Donovan's heart sank. No matter the choice he made at that point. The fox before him was destined to die.
He turned his gaze back to the knife, forcing himself to pick it up. And resolved to give a more peaceful end to the fox.
Weeks would pass by after this incident, and he would peek out the window one day to find his stepmother wearing the very pelt of that fox. She caught a glance of him and smiled knowingly, happy with the new accessory.
Donovan quickly hid his face. Wiping away semblance of tears from his face as he did.
"The world can be a cruel place… Unkind and unforgiving."
********
Memories of witnessing the death of General will resurfaced. Killed by none other than the Demon King.
"Unfair and unjust."
Donovan is being beaten down by the Demon King in his war tent.
"And sometimes… Downright horrible…"
As the Demon King is finished, he proceeds to sit in front of the now bloodied and maimed Donovan with a smile. Satisfied by his work.
"But…"
********
Donovan clutched the pipe in his hands more tightly as the clash between Kalika and Bjorn continued. Thoughts and memories of first meeting Kalika and their brief interactions swirled in his mind.
Using his pipe, he climbed up to his feet and he proceeded to aim the pipe.
The clash between the two seem to be inching to Kalika's favor as Bjorn's club is slowly getting destroyed. Suddenly an explosion, followed by a wall of fire, erupted between the two.
Peering into the hall, they found Donovan and recently fired a pipe. He gave a pained expression before the two, now having both of their attention.
Kalika's full attention now turned to him as she gazed upon him much more seriously. "Perhaps I should kill you first. You're in my way."
He gulped, clutching the pipe in his hands much tighter as his last memory of Tilus resurfaced.
********
Donovan breathed heavily from training and honing his body in the arena as Tilus watched from the side. A hint of pride making itself known of Donovan.
"Good work, keep at it like that and I'm sure you can fight even the Demon King." Tilus joked, patting Donovan's already stiff and pained shoulder.
Donovan can only laugh weakly. "Y-yeah… Maybe... By the way, Thanks again… for helping me back then…"
Tilus exhaled. "Don't worry about it. Maverick he… Still lacks control over his emotions. He's easy to displease, but still carries respect… Given if you're as strong as him."
Donovan sighed. "I doubt I'll be as strong as either of you. We're practically worlds apart."
Tilus slapped Donovan on the back of the head. "Don't be an idiot. In a fight it's not always about how much muscle power you have. In fact it takes much more than that."
"Let me guess. It takes strategy and patience too." Donovan said, sarcastically.
"That too, but it requires one more thing." Tilus looked upon Donovan much more confidently. "Something that even I now lack."
Donovan thought of himself for a while before giving his confused and unsure answer. "is it…Courage?" Donovan questioned.
********
Kalika immediately charged Donovan. Bjorn attempted to hit Kalika through the flames but was easily sliced through!
Tilus laughed, hardily.
********
"You're thinking in the wrong place." Tilus with his fist, gently pounded Donovan's chest. "It's heart."
********
Kalika inched closer ready to strike true to end Donovan with a stab to the chest.
********
Donovan scoffed, waving off Tilus. "The heart? Please be real… What does that have to do with anything?"
Tilus could hear the doubt in Donovan's voice. "A soldier and a maiden can muster up courage from deep within..." Tilus gazed upon Donovan, much more seriously. "But what use is it, if you don't have the heart to act on it?"
Tilus continued. "The very will to stand for others and ourselves in the face of uncertainty… I've already lost much of that…" Tilus's eyes lit up, as though remember the past fondly. "I've seen many things over my years of life. I've seen kingdoms fall; new nations born. I've even had a chance to fight against arguably the most powerful creature a man can face…! But my time is coming to an end."
Donovan averted his gaze as he thought of his own accomplishments in life. "It sounds like you lived a fulfilling life."
"I have." Tilus said, plainly.
"But let me ask you something, Donovan. Back then you jumped in to help Kalika, Even though I told you not to. Why is that? Why would you protect something you're scared of?"
"That's a strange question to ask… I don't know…"
"Now what if I told you that she's killed hundreds and thousands of men in cold blood. Would you still have helped her then?" Tilus asked.
Donovan narrowed his eyes, not once glancing back at Tilus. "I… I don't know…"
"You don't know?" Tilus parroted.
Donovan remained silent for a moment. "As far as I saw it, I didn't see her as some cold-blooded killer, or some locked away criminal. She was a person in trouble surrounded by people who couldn't care less about her.…"
He darted his eyes back at Tilus. "And when that happens… I can't stand by and watch someone like that suffer."
Tilus suddenly placed his hands on Donovan's shoulder with a smile, surprising Donovan. "You're a good man…with a lot of heart left in you. For this reason, I want to entrust you with my last will."
Donovan's eyes widened in shock. He backed away looking at Tilus stunned. "You shouldn't be passing them to me! The will of a man is only allowed for the ears of Cassell or their next of kin!"
Tilus grabbed Donovan arms, clutching it tightly. "Then think of it as a promise then. This is something I doubt that even God Cassell could help with…"
He continues "Now listen… Kalika, she… Can be very pessimistic… She often keeps herself closed off…I fear that she'll soon be heading back down a path of self-destruction. This time one that she won't come back from… And even if I want to help her, I know it won't do much once I'm dead."
Tilus loosened his grip on Donovan. "So when I'm gone I would like you to look after her. For better or for worse."
"So you want someone you barely know to look after this woman now…" Donovan laughed a little. "I should be the last person to ask. Sworn enemy to your country and random stranger. So why put so much trust in me?" Donvan became much more unsure of himself.
"Because…" Tilus bumped his fist once more into Donovan's chest. "You seem like a good kid with a good heart."
With Tilus' grasp gone, Donovan ops to take his leave approaching the exit of the arena.
********
Kalika's eyes widened in complete and utter shock and confusion.
********
Donovan stopped short of the door, pondering to himself still. He sighed. "To be frank… I'm not very good with women… But I guess… I'll see what I can do…"
Tilus smiled. Thanking him.
********
Kalika suddenly finds herself being embraced by Donovan, as she is held by his hug.
Donovan spoke hoarsely. "Please Kalika, you have to stop this!"
Donovan suddenly coughed up blood. He glanced down at the dagger stabbing his chest at that moment.
She attempted to pull free of Donovan, but he pulled her back in. "Let go of me." she sneered.
"No…! I know this world can be cruel and unforgiving. Hell, I've lived in a world like that too. Scorned by those close to me with people who watched on that could care less that I exist!"
Kalika's hands began to shudder listening to him.
"I can't say that I know everything you've been through. But please trust me when I tell you… that you're not alone!"
"[Kill him!]"
Kalika winced, feeling a pang in her head.
"[His life means nothing.]" The voice continued.
Kalika immediately pushed him away with her knife still in hand. Donovan slid down the hall on his back as the pipe fell from his hand.
Donovan coughed more blood. "Please Kalika. I want to help you. I really do. But you can't pretend that everything is fine!" Donovan grabbed the pipe back in hand and attempted to get back up.
He coughed up more blood and covered the wound on his chest.
The pang of the voice started to become much louder. She tightened her grip on the dagger and attacked Donovan once more.
This time He blocked in time with the pipe. Donovan stared at the dagger, inches from his face.
"This isn't what Tilus would've wanted Kalika! And I'm sure your maid wouldn't have wanted this either."
Kalika sneered. "What would you know!?
Suddenly without warning Bjorn pinned Kalika on the wall. Kalika roared with anger, now pinned by Bjorn. A darkness rose within as she vowed once again to kill everyone.
"There's no point trying to reason with her. The Kalika, you think you knew isn't here. Lest you want to die you should leave. Now!" Bjorn narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Donovan.
Donovan ignored him, pointing his pipe at Bjorn's back. "No! I made a promise to Tilus that I'd look after Kalika" Donovan stared back with a more determined look. "So let her go!"
Kalika struggled even more to free herself, even as her arms were pinned. The aura began to rip at Bjorn's hands, but he held strong. In fact, he pressed Kalika into the wall much harder, stopping her.
Seeing this, Donovan gritted his teeth and shot the pipe once again. This time shooting through Bjorn's back with a pillar of fire! This left Bjron in complete shock. Even Kalika is stunned seeing this.
"You fool!!" Bjorn yelled.
"H-how did he-!?" Bjorn pushed his thoughts the side as he unwrapped his tail, using it to capture Donovan, surprising him. He then tossed Donovan back into the large room. He quickly did the same with Kalika sliding her across the wall instead. They both landed hard and far from each other by the pit.
Bjorn stumbled back into the room holding his wound until it healed. He then posed and pointed his hands at both Kalika and Donovan, as if ready to release a powerful magic. "If you want to die so badly, so be it!!"
Bjorn released a sea of fire that covered the entire stoney floor. Donovan closed his eyes waiting to be engulfed as the scorching heat reached him. Strangely enough, he didn't feel anything burning.
To his shock, as he opened his eyes, he found Kalika just staring at him unnervingly close with her blood stained face. He quickly averted his eyes. As he did, he noticed a strange dark cloak of darkness surrounding the both of them.
"Your… Saving me…?"
"No." She spoke. She turned around as Bjorn's fire magic ceased "I just want to kill you myself is all… But first I'll kill Bjorn."
Kalika's words only serve to confuse Donovan further.
Bjorn narrowed his eyes, seeing that Kalika had seemingly protected Donovan. Without another thought, Kalika charged forth at Bjorn.
"Kalika wait!" Donovan was too late. Trying to force himself up, he staggered to the ground, coughing up more blood. He was yet again, forced to watch.
Bjorn quickly conjured his club made of earth magic, blocking her attack again. He attacks, smashing the ground as she dodged each attack and blocked the last one.
Blows exchanged between Kalika and Bjorn, each healed quickly with each scratch and scar made.
Bjorn grunted. He took his club, channeling even more earth magic in it. Through this he enlarged his club! And in an instant, he brought it down hard!
Kalika dodged most of his attack, but eventually he struck her tail. Bjorn used this opportunity to blast a torrent of fire magic from his hands. This blasted scorching hot fire onto her, burning away half of Kalika's body which returned back to her shortly after.
She cut her tail from her body, freeing herself from Bjorn's club. And as her tail regrew, she stabbed into Bjorn's stomach in retaliation. He flinched and once again pointed his hands at Kalika.
Suddenly he felt the dagger growing within him. He wrenched his hands feeling something complete running through him again!
Kalika smiled.
Bjorn worked the will to latch his free hand onto Kalika's face and crush it. This didn't dismay Kalika, however. Seeing this he attempted to press her hard to the ground, but her feet were firmly planted on the ground.
Another explosion sounded followed by another torrent of fire aimed straight at Bjorn. He nearly dodges. Bjorn looked back at Donovan, who'd become much paler, panting.
"Again!??" Bjorned shouted.
Bjorn threw his club to the air, reforming it into a ball of huge earth and rock. All of them directly aimed at Donovan. "You damn human. Know when to stay down!"
"Grr! No!" Kalika, seeing this twisted blade.
Bjorn felt an immense power rising and before he realized it, half of his body was cut in half! The earth magic crumbled away completely. He tried moving his body, but there was no response.
Kalika grabbed his legs and in that moment, using all her strength, she tossed him to the edge of the pit, by Donovan. He distanced himself a little from Bjorn, seeing that he was breathing shallowly.
Kalika also started to breathe much more heavily as she approached Bjorn and Donovan. Now in front of them, she glanced from Bjorn to Donovan, still hearing the voice insisting on killing everyone.
But her smile was gone.
"This isn't fun anymore…" she said.
She ignored the two, looking down the huge pit before them.
"Kalika? Hey Kalika!" Donovan, on his tried once again to get up. This time a little more successful as he held tightly to his wound. He inched closer to Kalika.
"Maybe if I go down here I can find Lillian. Maybe even my father too." Kalika said, solemnly.
Donovan continued to push forward. "Hey Kalika."
She continued, ignoring Donovan "Perhaps they're waiting for me down there. what do you think… Zorbian."
"Zorbian?" Donovan thought.
Donovan finally made it to Kalika, grabbing her arm. Wincing from the pain he finally got her attention, now looking eye to eye.
"Kalika, What happened to you??" Kalika saw that his face was filled with worry and concern. She stared back a little confused. "How did you turn into a demon??" Donovan pressed.
Kalika immediately jerked her arm away from him, continuing to stare back confused. She cocked her head. "Demon?"
suddenly a strange yet familiar blood bubble floated into Kalika's view. "Huh?"
"
"
Glancing to her side, Kalika recognized the approaching demons from the day before and from that time her and Rhonda were cornered. Donovan looked a little shocked. "M-more demons!?"
"
The Blood splattered on them. Shortly after the rocky ground beneath them started to crumble away. Without thinking Kalika charged forward but was quickly met with Magnus' huge ax that cut through her waist.
"
"Kalika!!" With more Vigor Donovan aimed and shot the pipe again! Magnus cut through the flames and found the small demon girl looking bored, now posed and ready to strike.
"
Before Kalika could even react Magnus grabbed the top half of her body, tossing it into the pit too. Not long after the ground beneath Bjorn's back completely collapsed, sending him into the pit also.
"
Magnus came by Mae's side. "
"
"
"
"
Mae looked around shortly before shrugging it off.. "
"
"