"Mmmm… What a beautiful day." A cute young lady said. She looked out the window, enjoying the scene in the church courtyard. Leaves stained in red, orange, and purple slowly fell one by one from the only tree onto the grass and pavement.
She stood in a church corridor on the highest floor, taking in the pleasant cool breeze from the dying season. She smiled contentedly as her golden blonde hair swayed, with green eyes fixed on the nature before her. She was dressed in noble attire, wearing a purple dress with green accents. And was adorned with colorful jewelry despite it clashing with her dress.
She kept her demeanor calm, with an excitement well hidden. For her, it was the most important and momentous day of her life. A day she considered the crowning achievement of her life.
"Today is the day my sister will finally die," she thought to herself, curling a much deeper smile.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hall, bringing her out of her trance. "Lady Kalika. His lordship requests your presence." The maid bowed respectfully as she relayed the message.
"My father called?" Kalika narrowed her eyes at the maid and gave her a cold stare.
A man, clad in heavy metal, appeared from behind the corner of the hall. His armor was adorned with the insignia of her adopted family's crest on both shoulders and chest.
He marched up from behind the maid, making his presence known. This man, before them, was the Captain of the Knights, Leo Turner.
Kalika glanced up briefly at the captain, then turned back to the courtyard, uninterested. "Thank you. Tell him I'll be right over," she stated.
The Maid bowed once more and took her leave. Not long after, both Kalika and the captain were walking side by side through the corridor.
"I… never thought a day like this would come. To think, your sister would be so jealous that she would claim to be the Saintess, especially after the church found that the title belonged to you." The captain was very distraught.
"My elder sister has always had a wild imagination."
"Nonetheless, it's nothing short of heresy in the eyes of God… And now she has to atone appropriately," Captain Leo said solemnly.
However, upon closer inspection, Captain Leo appeared to be deeply conflicted about the current situation. Kalika on the other hand, was very calm and centered. She looked out the windows they were passing and thought aloud, "God, huh… What has he ever done…?"
The captain stopped Kalika. Keeping his voice low, he scolded her. "Milady, you mustn't talk in that manner! You know it's blasphemous to speak in that way. Especially in the eyes of the head priest."
"My apologies. I'll watch my tongue."
"Please do," he said.
The two continued down the corridor as Kalika thought. "Only idiots believe the high and mighty to be pure and committed. God, Demons… It's all just a farce for power and money. I'm no idiot, like that sister of mine."
They finally reached the room with the church balcony overlooking the capital center. Kalika saw her father, Julian, a man with brown hair and hazel eyes adorned with his crown and kingly robes, and her sister's ex-fiancée, Grimwald, a man with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing his noble military uniform. They were waiting on the balcony for the proceedings.
Kalika simply joined them, and her character almost changed like a switch had flipped inside her mind. "Father?" Kalika forced her voice to sound as innocent as possible.
Julian glanced briefly at his adopted daughter before turning his attention back to the town center, where a guillotine stood erect. "It's alright, Kalika. The punishment the court and church passed was… A just one." Grimwald sourly agreed with Julian's statement.
"It's hard to refute the verdict when there's so much evidence, after all." Kalika smiled as she watched the stone-cold expressions of the men, who held back their own feelings.
Kalika soon took a spot between the two men. Leaning on the railing with one hand on her cheek and another fully resting on the balcony railing, she watched the groups of people gather around for the event. Captain Leo simply waited silently behind the three, standing by for any order that came his way.
"Now, all I have to do is enjoy the show." Kalika smiled, waiting for the proceedings to begin.
It wasn't long before Lillian finally came into view, as she left the church with an escort of guards equipped with spears. She was a young-looking, beautiful maiden with brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in the dirty clothes of a prisoner.
They slowly paced to the center of the plaza where the guillotine lay in wait. Lillian, seeing this, became nervous as the people in the crowd began to murmur among themselves. The crowd was practically shocked to see Lillian, the rumored heretic they had been hearing so much about.
As she walked to the center of the plaza, a representative of the church announced a list of crimes to the public. "Lillian Archelion, Daughter of his lordship Julian Archelion, has been found guilty of harassment, lying, slandering, and heresy, to name a few of the light crimes."
The first few crimes announced had some people in the surrounding crowd shocked by this news, and many others gasped in disbelief.
"And in a shocking revelation during the court's proceedings not two days ago… She has also been found guilty of colluding with enemy nations, passing down national secrets, forging documents, and even going as far as planning a coup against the very lord, her own father! For the throne of Dahlia"
Lillian was just as shocked as the crowd to hear such proclamations as she arrived at the center by the guillotine.
"W-wait, that's not true!" Lillian screamed, trying to refute these false claims; however, her voice fell on deaf ears as the people in the crowd started to get riled up, leaving a small few in disbelief.
The priest looked up at a smiling Kalika before finishing off the last part of the decree.
"Henceforth, in light of these heinous crimes, the court and church, in collaboration with his lordship, have passed down judgment. Lillian Archelion is no longer of royal blood and as a traitor to the nation of Dahlia, she is to be sentenced to death by means of public beheading. "
Lillian was at a loss for words about what was happening, and she started to panic, yelling, "That wasn't the verdict they gave me. This is absolute madness!"
An observer in the crowd sent a rock sailing through the air at Lillian. Then a roguish-looking man shouted out to Lillian, "Kill the heretic!" Another one started to shout as they threw another rock. "You traitor!!"
More and more people started to turn against Lillian, insulting her and throwing rocks at her. This reaction from the crowd dumbfounded Lillian, as all her life, she had done no harm. However, she found the world seemingly turning against her. The guards defended Lillian and stepped in to stop the rock throwing, but it had little effect as it continued to escalate with other people tossing rocks and pebbles.
"It's amazing how little these rogues cost just to simply talk trash and throw rocks," Kalika thought as she watched the chaos unfold.
Kalika turned to her adopted father with a fake look of concern. "What's going to happen with Lily?"
Julian continued to watch the event, his hands gripping in frustration, but he responded earnestly. "After this… her sins will be forgiven, and God will cleanse her soul…"
"That's good. I'm glad God will help her." Kalika responded lightheartedly.
Kalika turned her attention back to the chaos. "I wonder if he believes that himself. I wonder how powerless he feels to help his dear daughter, being unable to go against the church with some stupid figurehead."
Kalika now looked keenly at Lillian. "Once all is said and done, I'll become next in line, even if it's as a puppet for those stupid, boorish pigs. As long as I get to live my leisurely life, that's all that matters to me. Hmph. Sorry, Lily, but I won't let you stand in the way of my dream… And don't worry, I'm sure Father will follow you to that next life you've always wanted."
Lillian was grabbed and held by the arms and forced into the head slot of the guillotine. Lillian struggled and struggled, refusing to put her head in the slot. But it was, of course, all in vain, as Lillian's head was eventually put in, and she was, and is, locked into place.
In a panic, Lillian pleaded with her father, Julian. "F- Father! Please stop this! Everything they're saying is false! I don't even care who the Saintess is! Please, I don't wan—... Daddy?"
Lillian looked on in shock and horror as Julian looked back at her with a cold expression. Her once kind and gentle father's face, cold as stone.
Lillian's eyes then turned to see Kalika give a knowing smile as she waved goodbye to Lillian. It wasn't long before Lillian came to the realization that… she was set up by her adopted sister Kalika—someone whom she cherished and treated as her own family, her entire life. Lillian can only utter one name. "Kali…ka…?".
It wasn't long before the blade from the guillotine was released, completely severing Lillian's head from her body.
As her head flew, even the people up close watching eagerly failed to see the utter despair that consumed Lillian in her final moments as her heart shattered into a million pieces.
Lillian's head rolled with tears still seeping from her face, staining the pavement. Some people cheered, while others stood in complete silence, with some glancing away from the scene like Julian and Grimwald as the deed was done.
Kalika smiled contentedly, knowing the truth of the matter. "I win…" Her victory over her sister was more than assured… although this victory of hers would be very short-lived.
Just moments after Lillian's beheading, as people started to trudge off slowly and others prayed for Lillian's soul, a huge earthquake erupted. The ground underneath the city center started to protrude like an ant hill.
Everyone was now on alert, watching as the event unfolded before them.
"What's going on!?" Julian shouted out, shocked by the unfolding event.
Captain Leo looked down the balcony himself, seeing even more of the ant hills being made on the city streets. "There are mounds appearing throughout the city center, sir! It must be a monster invasion!" the captain shouted as he readied his sword.
"Impossible! How can this be!?"
Even more parts of the ground were starting to protrude until, eventually, the earthquake stopped. There was a pause for a moment. People were waiting for something to happen.
The silence was deafening until finally, one by one, they erupted with creatures. They were the very spawns of Hell itself—demons were invading!
Human-like demons of blue and red, with black horns affixed to their heads, attacked. Their chests were bare, with only a single strap of armor that covered them, along with their leather skirts where their tails moved freely.
People started clamoring for safety, only for some to be whisked away into the sky while others were sliced, burned, and killed. Guards step in to defend the civilians, but it's no use as they are all being overwhelmed.
"ON GUARD, MEN!!" Grimwald yelled at the troops.
Julian and Grimwald raised their arms to defend themselves and Kalika. Without warning, Kalika was suddenly attacked by a winged demon that almost whisked her away. Fortunately, Julian immediately saved her. In a panic, Kalika was quickly made to hide under the balcony table by her adopted father.
Julian turned his attention to Captain Leo. "Leo! Don't worry about us! Protect the civilians and aid the guards down below!" The captain immediately agreed to the order, understanding his new mission.
Without wasting time, the Captain jumped down the balcony to assist his fellow men.
In a swift move, he easily killed two demons and moved to kill more. One after another, he slaughtered any demon in sight as he moved to protect as many civilians as possible. All the while, Julian and Grimwald protected Kalika, who was still very panicked.
The battle was brutally fought with the demons easily gaining the upper hand as balls of fire and earth were chucked at their guards. There was even a demon that used water magic, which not only drowned men but also cut them.
As terrified as Kaliak was, she couldn't take her eyes from the massacre for a moment. a pit filled her stomach, realizing that their men couldn't stand a chance. It only took one final push for the demons to claim their victory. The guards and citizens were completely surrounded and overwhelmed by the number of demons that had gained control of the capital center.
The winged demons started to perch on the newly destroyed roofs, almost as if they were ordered to stand by. Meanwhile, the demons below kept everyone with their red matted blades of varying shapes and sizes. Even Captain Leo was cornered, unable to make a move without being slain instantly.
"The...The battle is lost..." Julius said.
"Your lordship, what do we do?" Grimwald kept a close eye on the situation, unsure of what these demons would do next.
"I do not know, but as long as we stay in this holy building, these demons shouldn't be able to enter."
Suddenly, a much larger mound appeared, revealing a demon with cold, blue skin, sleek black hair, and bright, golden eyes. He had what looked to be a tail wrapped around his pants just beneath his well-built body and short horns that curved from the front of his head to the back.
He cackled as he finished stepping on the previously pristine pavement. The mysterious demons' cackling soon turned to laughter, and he exhaled, finally speaking.
"I would never have imagined that the Saintess would ever die. And here I thought I'd have to wait a lifetime to invade. "
The demon looked at the podium where Lillian's dead body lay. The demon started to smile wickedly, amused at the situation. "The poor girl didn't even see it coming either. And to think, not even her blood father came running to help."
The demon turned back to Julian, whose blood was starting to boil. Grimwald was preparing for an attack at any point. All Kalika could do was watch from under the balcony table. Kalika was completely shell-shocked.
"Demons! A-actual demons!!??" The revelation that demons actually existed felt unreal to Kalika, but it was something that she could no longer refute.
The demon then bowed down to Julian. "As king of the demons, I have to offer my sincerest gratitude. Now that the Saintess is dead, we can invade these lands with all our strength, and not only that, but the prophecy of destiny… is finally broken."
Julian couldn't take being insulted as he not only disowned his own blood daughter, but he also allowed her to be executed mere moments ago. "How dare you!"
Julian was moments away from charging down from the balcony to battle the amused Demon King. That was until the Head Priest came out of the church. A blast of fire magic came forth, hitting the Demon King.
"Back, you demon! Go back to the pit from whence you came!!" The Head Priest was starting the charge of another magical attack. The demons on the ground were about to attack until the Demon King raised his hands to stop them.
The Head Priest ignored the other demons around him and only concentrated on the Demon King. "Your kind are naught but liars! You talk of the Saintess being dead when she is still with us right here!" The Head Priest yelled as he just about finished charging his fire magic.
"Is that so?" The Demon King looked a little amused.
The Head Priest wasted no time and shot a fireball at the Demon King. The Demon King took the hit directly with the spell, causing him to completely catch fire. The Head Priest continued to barrage the Demon King with his magic fire spells unimpeded until it seemed that he was victorious.
"Ha. I guess the King of Demons was all bark," the Head Priest bragged.
Kalika was amazed by the power of the Head Priest and found herself coming out from the safety of the table. Even Julian and Grimwald found the display of magic to be extraordinary. The Head Priest looked at Kalika and Julian. "Your Lordship. Saintess Kalika. We may yet win this battle!"
Grimwald looked around, noticing that none of the demons moved whatsoever. Something wasn't right. They all looked too confident. Everyone's heart soon sank as they heard a familiar cackling followed by even louder laughter.
"SO, YOU BELIEVE HER TO BE THE SAINTESS!?" It was clear by the tone of the Demon King, who was very amused.
Even more concerned, the Head Priest turned his attention back to the burning Demon King and continued his barrage of fire magic on him. The fire gradually gathered from throughout the Demons King's body and into the palm of his hand. The fire gathered was a small ball of fire, the size of a marble.
"Impossible." The Head Priest was shocked by the Demon King's immense strength.
The Demon King then launched the ball of fire back at the Head Priest.
The Head Priest tried blocking the incoming attack with a magic barrier, but it was no use as the tiny ball of fire completely broke through and engulfed the Head Priest. The Head Priest could do nothing as he screamed at the top of his lungs from being burned alive, charring even his flesh.
Eventually, the Head Priest was no longer able to scream and was turned into a black charred husk.
The Demon King looked back at the balcony. "I presume the little 'Saintess' in the dress to be Kalika." The Demon King was now smiling devilishly.
"You stay away from her, you fiend!" Out of nowhere, Captain Leo attacked the Demon King. The blade connected with the Demon King's face, but the sword had instantly shattered into pieces. The Demon King proceeded to grab Captain Leo, very annoyed by his presence.
"I'm not interested in you." The Demon King responded coldly before tossing Captain Leo into the guillotine and destroying its top half. With the captain out of the way, the Demon King turned his attention back to Kalika. He gradually levitated towards her, showing off his overpowering control of magic.
"Care to show me some of your holy magic, girl?" The Demon King was very intimidating. Kalika was starting to panic. "I…. I..."
"I can't use magic!" Kalika stood stunned, unable to move.
"Kalika …!!" Julian yelled
Kalika broke from her trance and instinctively took a step back. Without hesitation, Grimwald placed himself in front of her to keep her safe; Julian also followed suit. The gestures made by the two men were, at this point, a futile effort in more ways than one; even Kalika realized this.
The Demon King stopped pausing for a moment before starting to float towards the guillotine, where Lillian's body still resided. "Hmmm… Fine. If you're not willing to show me, perhaps you'll be willing to show… your sister."
The Demon King picked up Lillian's head, which was still slightly drenched in tears. He squeezed his palm and poured his blood into her mouth.
He then ripped off the top of the guillotine that held the neck in place and brought the head close to the main body. Lillian's head quickly latched onto the body, practically stitching itself and healing like it had never been cut.
"Aha~," the Demon King said, looking very proud of himself.
Julian, Grimwald, and Kalika were shocked, especially Kalika, who was getting a very bad feeling. The Demon King turned back to the three on the balcony and started to explain something to them.
"My blood, unlike other demons, has a special property to bring back the dead. In most cases, they're brought back as mindless zombies… but in rare cases like this… They're revived into a demon!"
Lillian's eyes started to open, causing the Demon King to start cackling to himself as Lillian got up, a little confused.
Little by little, she started to undergo a transformation unlike what anyone had ever seen.
Her skin took on a bluer hue, similar to that of the Demon King, and her hair even changed from brown to white. She began to grow curved horns from the back of her head, encasing her head like a crown. Her teeth became sharp like fangs, and her irises shifted from her natural blue to a ruby red.
She looked around curiously, unsure of what was going on. She even cocked her head as she saw Kalika. "Huh?"