Pink eyes scanned the scripture of a long-forgotten document. Tired of reading, the incubus let out a long, exaggerated sigh. He rolled the parchment and bound it together.
"
The incubus glanced at the soldier who invaded his private domain of women and scrolls as he sat in bed. The must in the air easily overshadowed the disorganized rustic room of clothes and stained furniture.
"
"
"
********
Prepared in his normal attire, Gaz walked the dirty, muddied road with soldiers at his side as they ignored the demons that slept soundly in the streets. He fixed his straps and, with his serious gaze, pushed through the large crowd of demons that peered over each other, desperate to watch the commotion as several soldiers surrounded the crowd itself.
Slowly through the crowd, Gaz emerged and walked up a half-rotted set of stairs, leading to a singular karnal demon held in place by other soldiers. He stopped and gazed at the crowd of Karnal's, Lupeus, and Succubi that watched from inside the half-rotted town. He then turned back and approached the demon on display, eventually reaching and placing his hand on his shoulder, and with a control animosity, leaned in and whispered, "
"
"
Without hesitation, the soldiers forcefully stretched one of the demons' hands to the ground.
Terrified, the demon stuttered another plea, "
"" Gaz coldly said.
An axe suddenly slammed, and the demon screeched in pain, having his fingered cleaved off. The crowd, untouched, watched quietly as the tips of his fingers were pushed off the platform,
"
"
"
"GAAHHHHAAHHHHHHAAAA!!!"
"
The axe cleaved the last half of the demon's hands with brutal efficiency before being pushed off.
The demon shuddered, trying to recover. But suddenly. "
"
Unfazed, the crowd of demons watched and whispered amongst each other as Blood gushed from the captive demons' wounds. Not long after, the bleeding was stemmed by a soldier's fire magic, leaving the punished demon exhausted and barely able to glance at Gaz. "
"
The karnal demon straightened. "
Gaz glared even more coldly at the demon. "
Horrified, the demon desperately tried to break free from the soldiers holding him. "
Gaz, grasping the demon by the mouth, stared straight into the demons. "
In a dazed state, the demon's arm was forced forward and into a slow and painful cutting that moved to his legs. Piece by piece, he was cleaved apart, as the audience watched quietly, as if observing every pained expression made until only a stumped body and head. Unable to resist, he silently took the last of his punishment as the axe traveled from his crotch to his gut, to his chest, and finally severed his neck.
His head, on full display for the crowd, was quickly cut in two, leaving the men and women with a grim reminder of Rakon's authority.
"
The soldier stayed, nodded. "
"
Gaz glanced back at the soldier, climbing down the stairs. "
"
"
********
Half-tired, Kalika moved around in a pile of hay and sleepily called out, "Rakon?" slowly she opened her eyes, meeting her newly cuffed hands. Curious, she glanced around, and to her surprise, she found herself surrounded by both other similar cuffed women and children. The atmosphere was gloomy, and the women and children, dirty with some carrying a slave crest with a through it, a sign of their freed status.
She watched on as an incubus suddenly entered the hay-filled room and snatched one of the many women, dragging her against her will and slamming the reinforced wooden door behind. Kalika could sigh, almost disappointed. "So, it was just an illusion. That's annoying…"
"
Kalika scoffed. "
"
Kalika glanced back, finally noticing Mishti sitting behind her with Fayelynn sleeping soundly on her lap.
Uninterested Kalika looked away, but then inquired, "
""
"
"" Mishti calmly and gently stroked Fayelynn's hair. "
Kalika, with her bound hands stretched, yawned. "
"
Kalika glanced. "
"
"
"
"
A sly chuckle escaped Mishti's lips. "
Kalika, with quiet and growing determination, clenched her fists. "I'm no one's slave. I refuse to be a pawn in any of their dumb games. Not my sisters, not Rakon's, not even a God.>"
""
Kalika scoffed in disbelief as the boy, still clinging to her, tiredly raised his head. "
"A-ABSOLUTELY NOT!!" Indignant, Kalika pushed the confused boy off her and passed him to Mishti. All the while, the blue-skinned succubus could only chuckle at Kalika's sudden reaction.
Taking the child, Mishti sat the boy beside. "
Uninterested, Kalika rolled her eyes and laid back in the pile of hay. However, Seconds later, an unexpected pair of white-haired incubi emerged into the room, strutting about cockily with knives in hand. Curious, Kalika peeked up, only to meet with a knife to the neck and a weight on her stomach.
"" The incubus said.
"
"
"
The incubus on top, Kalika, chuckled. "
"
Kalika tensed up and gasped. Watching as the horns rose and the black hair dangled.
Suddenly, a knife shot into the silhouette's head, shattering the still-forming illusion. Socked, the companion could only watch on in horror as his companion fell limp off of Kalika.
With an air of annoyance, Kalika stood, and the red-stained knife, lodged in the incubus's head, shot out and sliced Kalika's bindings before resting back gently in her palm. "
"
"
"
The frightened, the incubus pinned his knife against Mishti's neck and held tight from behind. "
"
Slowly, the Incubus's eyes grew heavier, and his knife drifted away from her neck, eventually falling to the ground with an audible thud. And before they knew, the incubus fell hard to the ground, sleeping by his companion.
"
"
Fayelynn, waking up tiredly, wearily opened her eyes, confused. "< What's going on?>"
"We had some very special demons show us to Kisik. For now, we're going to help escort Mistress Kalika back to her friend, then head back home.>"
"
"
Fayelynn nodded. "
Kalika glanced from Mishti and Fayelynn to the boy who held his bond hands expectantly. Unable to respond, she shook her head and, with the gesture of a finger, sliced through the boys' bondage along with Mishti's and Fayelynn's. " With the turn of a heel, Kalika took her leave, catching her flying knife just outside the room as Mishti and the kids followed.
********
" IN the cooling breeze, the white textile sails were raised the rhythmic beating of the drums echoed. From the shallows, the large ship of demons entered the greater waters with several demons, sitting still, tending to their wounds as others slept.
"We did it…" From the back of the ship, Donovan's hands trembled, feeling his smooth mask. "It's finally all fixed..."
Bjorn, with bagged eyes, meandered around the back, keeping his eyes focused. "Don't let your guard down now. As soon as we make land, we need to find Kalika and get out of Kisik as soon as possible.
"Why?" Donovan asked.
"Because, from what Weth told me, the town has turned into an underbelly town rife with those bounty hunters, and I'm not talking about a few either. Apparently, they created some guild in the town very recently."
Donovan, exhausted, sighed. "Great…"