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Chapter 3: Cruel Imprisonment

A girl with a completely destroyed purple dress flew through the window of a castle corridor, shattering the window and killing the girl instantly. Parts of this girl's body were riddled with glass shards and the blood now flowed from her dead body. However, the body starts to recover itself. The shards of glass pushed themselves out of the body as the blood slowly returned to the veins from whence it came. This young lady was Kalika Archelion.

This castle was the home of the Archelion family that was destroyed during the demon invasion. Blood marked the corridor, and body parts of the casualties loitered on the ground. Kalika could see some demons picking up leftover armor and weapons and looking for any valuable loot they could find. It was a sickening sight to witness monsters raid her once beloved home.

Lillian soon enters from the same broken window with demonic wings abroad. She quickly and cleanly put her wings back into her body and practically skipped to see how Kalika was fairing. Lillian looked giddy as Kalika trembled from the recent pain of being slammed through a window.

Lillian looked back up at the door before them and entered it. "So, this is my room!" Lillian was obviously very happy and proud of her new room. "I'm so glad the Demon King is letting us live here! Isn't this exciting Kalika!" Kalika refused to look up, and into the room Lillian stood.

"This can't be happening to me." Kalika could only clutch her hands still not wanting to accept this new reality she finds herself in.

Lillian skipped back to Kalika proceeding to pick Kalika up using her tail, hanging the now limp Kalika upside down. They both now entered the room. Using her free hands, Lillian moved Kalika's gaze to look at her bed, her dresser, her cabinet, and even her personal closet. The room looked suspiciously better than the rest of the castle. "What do you think?" Lillian seemed very excited.

Kalika is silent for a long time. Her mind was focused more on recovering from the pain she felt just moments ago. The waiting made Lillian more impatient as Kalika seemed unwilling to respond to her. Lillian tore off one of Kalika's arms making Kalika scream in pain. Wincing in pain, Kalika finally answered after another couple of seconds.

"It looks great!" she whimpered.

"I don't think I heard you." Lillian was much more serious. Lillian proceeded to break Kalika's other arm. Kalika screamed out again in pain.

"IT LOOKS AMAZING!! BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD WITH FATHER!!"

"I know right!" Like a switch Lillian went back to being happy-go-lucky. All Kalika could do was weep and should continue to be held upside down by Lillian's tail.

Lillian snapped Kalika's neck allowing her to be revived and healed. Lillian understood that no matter how damaged her sister's body was, it would simply return to normal. Lillian watched as Kalika's torn off limb reattached itself, as if some mysterious force was turning back time. Lillian dropped Kalika on the floor just before Kalika herself awakened. Kalika starts to sob on the floor curling herself into the fetal position.

The Demon King entered the bedroom housing the two sisters. He was now adorned with much fancier clothing. "I see you finally found your new room Lillian. I certainly hope you two had a fun time," The Demon King said. He looked at Kalika with his arms crossed.

"Yes. We had a lot of fun. Now didn't we, Kal?"

Still sobbing, Kalika took a moment before nodding her head in agreement. Afraid any further retaliation from Lillian.

"I see." The Demon King then knelt down brushing Kalika's hair. "That's good. And Lillian, I think you'll also be happy to hear that Kalika's room should be ready down below." Lillian seemed to be pleasantly surprised by the Demon Kings news.

"Oh, that's great," Lillian exclaimed.

Kalika lifted her head finally. "R-room? What room?"

The Demon King smiled. "A room in the deepest part of the castle, of course." He started to get up. "It's not the coziest of places, but it was handpicked by Lillian herself." Kalika suddenly grabbed the Demon King's pants and started looking at him, clearly desperate.

"P-please. Not there. Anywhere but there." Kalika clutched his pants harder. "Please I-I'll do anything you want. Anything. E-e-e-even…." It was clear to both Lillian and the Demon King that Kalika was too embarrassed to finish.

The Demon King saw an anger flash on Lillian 's face. understanding her feelings he grabbed Kalika's arm that clutched his pants. He started squeezing her arm hard enough to make her squeak out in pain. "Heh. That's a tempting Offer Kalika… However, I'll have to reject your offer."

The Demon king then threw Kalika to the ground, leaving her with Lillian. "Unfortunately for you I'm not an Incubus that wishes to pleasure himself. We're Lupeus, our kind simply derive pleasure from the suffering of others." The Demon King looked back at Lillian. "Oh. Lillian. Would you like a Fine selection of clothes for your sister by chance?"

Lillian stepped up and glanced at Kalika before answering with a sly smile "No need. I already have some apparel in mind."

"Heh. So be it." The Demon king left the two sisters. With the Demon King gone, Lillian grabbed Kalika by the neck with her tail. She lifted her in the air, starting to change Kalika into the outfit of her choice.

"Now. Let's go get you fitted." Kalika was forced and soon fitted to Lillian's desired apparel.

********

After some time, Kalika found herself entering a long, wet, cold, stony corridor. Wearing a fresh and clean pair of prisoner clothes, she was escorted by Lillian and another strange-looking demon clad in armor. They passed by a few rooms with devices specifically made for torture. Seeing those rooms made her feel uneasy and much more fearful of what her new life would have in store for her.

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Eventually they all reached the new supposed home for Kalika. It was the very same cell Lillian was housed in before she was executed. Kalika could only stand in shock as it was a complete and utter mess of a cell.

Aside from the stone and concrete, the prison cell had no light, rusted bars, and piles of dirty hay scattered throughout the floor. It smelled of a horse stable. Some sets of iron chains hung loosely on the rough wall, likely used to hold other, more deranged prisoners.

Kalika was simply in a daze seeing this prison cell right before her. "Welcome to your new home, Kalika," Lillian said in a slightly mischievous tone.

After a little while, Kalika broke out of her trance. She then slowly and reluctantly entered her new supposed home like a dog. Lillian followed behind, and it wasn't long before Kalika's sister cuffed her to the hanging chains.

Kalika was surprised by this and started to become frightened. "W-what?" Kalika immediately started to pull at the chains.

"Aw, you look so cute in this Kalika. Reminds me a little of when I was locked up too." "L-let me out of this!" Kalika started to freak out trying to break free of the chains.

Lillian didn't like it, so using her hands, she stabbed Kalika through the stomach as punishment. Kalika screamed out in pain falling to her knees. Thanks to the chains on the wall, Kalika's arms can barely reach past her head. Shortly after, Lillian pulled her hand from Kalika's penetrated torso. "No. This is your punishment for the day."

"F-f-f-for what?" Kalika started to bleed out with the new hole in the prisoner's outfit. She was panting really hard from the pain trying to bear with it. Using a single finger, Lillian lifted Kalika's head to look at her.

"There's a few reasons. but let's make this because you had me killed and work our way down from there." Lillian said with a more satisfied look.

Lillian was about to do something else when some Demon Guards came in and informed her that the Demon King wanted to speak with her. Lillian was disappointed with this but obliged as Kalika continued to suffer a life-threatening injury.

Lillian got up and started to walk out of the cell. She paused for a moment and then started to talk. "Don't worry Kalika, I'll be back. I'll even have some games ready for us to play like the good ole days."

Lillian finally left, leaving Kalika alone, hanging in the cell by her hands. Desperate and not wanting to feel the unbearable pain, Kalika made a plea: "L-Lillian! Lillian!! Please! Don't leave me like this!!" Kalika's words fell on deaf ears, as Lillian simply left without batting an eye.

"P-please…" The feeling of despair crept into her heart; it was almost soul-crushing.

All she could do was continue to hang by her arms on the wall and bleed out. Slowly but surely, Kalika bled out until eventually, all she could do was sleep, with the pain eventually subsiding.

"Oh... Am I dying again…?" It became hard for Kalika to tell whether or not she was actually dying. All she understood was that the embrace of darkness was just around the corner, just like those other times.

Kalika wakes up to find her demonic sister, Lillian, standing and waiting for her. It seems that she was watching Kalika sleep for a while. "Ah~. It looks like you're finally awake. Are you ready for some fun?"

Lillian gazed at Kalika, her excitement palpable. Kalika, watching Lillian swirl some fire magic in her hand, understood clearly that from this day on, she would suffer immense pain.

There were no ifs, and or buts about it. She belonged to her demonic sister to be punished and played with every single day. All purely for her own entertainment.

From then on, Lillian began to stop by in her spare time and killed Kalika as she pleased. From time to time Lillian would make her own creative little games to make Kalika suffer even further. Breaking, cutting, burning even drowning, Kalika was not safe from her sister's instinctual desires.

Day's turned into weeks, weeks into months, and so on and so forth. It all started to become a blur as the tortures that were once physically and mentally taxing started to lose their edge. Nothing surprised Kalika anymore. In fact, her own body would instinctively prepare itself for the pain to come.

Despite being able to better cope with the pain, she still absolutely despised it. The pain was only a reminder of how she was still alive and that her freedom no longer existed. This left a longing in Kalika's heart, a longing to escape from this nightmare she found herself in.

She didn't want to lose hope. the hope that one day she might escape this hell. But with each passing day, the thought of it was becoming less and less likely. After all… what would hope do for her now?

********

Half a year had passed and new of the Demon’s invasion had finally circulated throughout the Cielian continent. and now bound to spread even further to new lands.

A man in noble attire ran through the luxurious and pristine white hall past men with shining silver armor. They watch on as the flustered man sprinted his way into the throne room of the Emperor of the four provinces of God.

Slamming open the door the man found four priests gathered around a round table with the throne and the emperor not too far away. Half of the priests there looked elderly as the other still had a youth to them. As for the emperor himself, he looked the oldest among all of them, looking more decrepit than most old men.

The man immediately bowed, a cold sweat running down his face. “PLEASE FORGIVE MY INTRUSION!!”

Everyone now laid eyes on the intruding man.

“”What is so urgent you barge in on our meeting?” one of the older priests scolded.

“T…The ... .There's ... T-there’s been a demon invasion!” everyone there aside from the emperors, eyes widened from shock. “They invaded the Dahlia capital ‘Nostros’ from below! And killed everyone there! Including the Lord and the Saintess!!!”

The other older Priest became more worried. “Demons invading? I never thought I’d see the day…”

“Invading such sacred land. How unforgivable!” a younger black hair priest stated.

“This is dire straits indeed.” the last priest with brown hair turned to the emperor “should we mobilize forces from the other countries to meet them head on?”

“No.” The raspy and old wispy voice of the Emperor was stern. “The Saintess shall be reborn again like all those other times. As for the demon invader, we leave them in the hand of the Heroes of Prophecy. These warriors of God will find the head of their king and cut it from them. Just like they’ve done in the past.”

“This invasion of demons is already destined to fail. It is by God Cassell’s design that the evil deeds of these demons will never bear fruit. So it is better to let nature take its course. In due time, the Heroes will rise to kill those evil demons lurking in Dahlia.”

“And what if they don’t.” the black hair priest asked.

“That…. Is an impossibility.” The Emperor said. “Inform all your respective lords not to interfere. Let Dahlia fend off the hordes for now, they should be able to fend themselves off just fine... But as for you priest Frances…I will mobilize some forces and fragments of God's tears for your own protection, so you may return to Dahlia unharmed.”

The first elder priest bows. “This precious gift humbles me Emperor Talinidus.”

“Use this gift well and… do try your best to bring the generals back in line… There’s no doubt that Julius’s Generals will try to break the state even further.” The Emperor Suddenly began to cough hard. A nearby guard rushed over but stopped, seeing the swift motion of the Emperor’s hands. “Everyone is dismissed.”

“W-what about your successor!??” The brown haired priest exclaimed.

“I have ruled over for many years thanks to the graces of God Cassell. And I shall continue to rule even now. I’ve already seen the Lords and their abilities are much too lacking to take my place…… That is all.”

“Fate is deeply entwined in all things living and when God believes my time is over… He will send another just like me.” With those last few words the Emperor left the four priest and the other men in the room.