Eternal Undying Chronicles

Alicarde rode Wrath into the city, the demonic bicorn's hooves pounding against the ground with a force that seemed to shake the earth itself. The towering pillar of light ahead split the heavens, revealing the void beyond—a sight both mesmerizing and ominous.

Malefica clung tightly to Alicarde's back, her black robes whipping in the wind as Wrath galloped at an almost surreal speed, the world blurring into streaks of color.

Alicarde's violet eyes narrowed beneath his hood.

'What the hell is happening in this city?'

Wrath's teleportation added an unsettling disorientation to the journey, shifting the scenery in abrupt flashes. Within moments, they arrived at the central district, right outside the towering Bureau of Intelligence building.

The sight before them made Alicarde pull Wrath to a halt. A massive, jagged obsidian-like object hovered nearby, pulsating with a sickly glow of magic. Its surface vibrated violently, and a repulsive aura emanated from it, forcing onlookers to keep their distance.

It wasn't just the object that caught his attention. The area was a war zone. Human soldiers lay scattered, broken and defeated, their weapons—tanks and firearms—reduced to mangled heaps of metal. Civilians ran in every direction, screaming and desperate to escape.

In the distance, the wail of police sirens mixed with the relentless hum of helicopters from the media and medical teams. The entire city was in chaos.

Alicarde scanned the area further, his gaze landing on a group of figures dressed in black assassin-like garb. They wore hoods and masks, their movements precise and deadly as they engaged in a vicious battle.

"The Nightshades," Alicarde muttered, his voice low and edged with suspicion.

"Did Carrisa call them back?"

The Nightshades were locked in combat with several Strigoi, their blades flashing in the morning light. The assassins fought with a chilling efficiency, overwhelming their opponents with ease. Alicarde's arrival atop Wrath must have caught their attention, as one of them dissolved into a shadowy mist and materialized directly in his path.

The figure knelt gracefully before Wrath, her curves and posture betraying her as female.

"Welcome back, my lord," she said, her voice familiar, though muffled by her mask.

Alicarde blinked, taken aback.

'I know that voice. She's the Nightshade I fought before.'

Unfortunately, her name eluded him. The realization left him awkward, but he masked it with a confident tone.

"Ahhh, it's you," he said, his voice distorted into a sinister growl by the Reaper's Vestments.

"It's been a while."

The assassin lowered her head further.

"I am Mercy, commander of the Shadow Division. Our purpose is to act as your blades in the darkness. If it is your will, we will fight and die in your name."

Alicarde raised an eyebrow under his hood.

'Damn, that was cool,' he thought, careful to keep his tone neutral.

"How did she know it's me?" He glanced at Wrath, quickly piecing it together.

'Right, the bicorn. It's not exactly subtle.'

Malefica, silent until now, finally spoke. "What's going on here? What's the situation?"

Mercy hesitated, her gaze shifting briefly to Alicarde, who nodded.

"Report the situation, Mercy," he ordered.

She straightened slightly, her tone formal.

"Three days ago, the princess detected the Nexus fragments reacting. She predicted that the remaining fragments would manifest simultaneously. We Nightshades were ordered to mobilize and prepare for battle against the Truth Association's agents and the Strigoi forces."

She lowered her head, her voice tinged with regret.

"We shadows arrived first, but the main army is delayed. Mobilizing such forces requires extensive logistics."

"How many of you are here now?" Alicarde asked.

"Fifty Shadows are present, my lord," Mercy replied. "The rest will accompany the main force when they arrive."

Malefica cut in, her gaze sharp. "You still haven't explained how it escalated to this."

Mercy hesitated again, waiting for Alicarde's permission. Another nod urged her to continue.

"We discovered the hiding place of Zagarath, the Strigoi leader. He's been here all along, concealed within this very building. The princess deemed this the perfect opportunity to strike."

Alicarde's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword.

"Zagarath is here?" His voice dropped, laced with cold determination.

"He's mine."

He turned Wrath toward the building, but Malefica grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly firm.

"Wait! If you go after Zagarath now, no one will stop you, but look!" She pointed at the Nexus fragment, its ominous vibrations intensifying.

"The Nexus is about to begin its trial," Malefica continued.

"It'll summon a guardian from the demiplanes—something terrible. If you don't stop it, thousands will die! Think of your friends, —Anne, Liam, Alec, Aki, Marcus. They'll all be caught in this city's destruction!"

Alicarde clenched his jaw, torn between his thirst for vengeance and the responsibility weighing on him. He bit his lip.

"Fine."

Jumping off Wrath, he faced Malefica. "What should I expect?"

Her lips curved into a small smile.

"Expect backup—from me." She waved her hand, summoning a vial of glowing liquid.

"Drink this. It's the highest-grade recovery potion. It'll restore you to peak condition."

Alicarde took the potion, drinking it in one swig.

"And then?"

"Then," Malefica said, her tone shifting to grim seriousness,

"prepare for the hardest battle of your life. The guardian won't be as powerful as Wrath was at his peak, but it'll still be a nightmare. And if you're unlucky, it'll bring minions."

Alicarde nodded, gripping his sword tightly. 'If this city needs me, then I'll be the shield it deserves.'

He smiled grimly. "I don't feel so lucky right now... or better yet, when have I ever been lucky?"

Malefica chuckled softly from behind him, her voice tinged with both amusement and concern. "Good point. So why don't I give you a little assistance?"

With a graceful wave of her hand, two grimoires materialized, floating beside her as an aura of arcane power surged through the air. Alicarde felt his strength surge as her spell took hold.

"This spell is called Limit Break," Malefica explained. "It pushes your body beyond its natural limits, but there's a price—after it's over, you'll face an intense backlash. It won't be pretty."

He nodded, gripping his sword tighter. "Got it."

Malefica glanced at the sky, her expression darkening as she measured the remaining time.

"We've got until that rift closes, and the Nexus fully turns into a gateway. That's when the real trouble begins. The minions will likely arrive first."

Alicarde smirked, his voice laced with defiance.

"That's fine. I've got minions of my own."

He turned to Mercy, the shadow commander, who stood ready with her twin short blades. A handful of other Nightshades had gathered behind her, their masked faces giving away no emotion.

Alicarde sighed. "I say that, but we're still outnumbered."

He muttered under his breath, "Where are the girls when I need them?"

Mercy misinterpreted his frustration as a command.

"The others are inside the building, assisting the princess," she said.

"We were tasked with securing the Nexus key and transferring it to the Esper when the guardian appears."

"Hmph. Carrisa always has a plan, doesn't she?" Alicarde shook his head.

"Fine. I'll deal with the guardian."

The Nexus began to vibrate violently, and the jagged obsidian fragment glowed brighter. The rift in the sky shrank, its once-gaping maw condensing into a swirling black vortex. From within, a hulking figure emerged, stepping through the dimensional tear. The air grew colder, and the oppressive energy from the Nexus intensified.

The first of the guardian's minions had arrived.

Alicarde raised his sword, the blade gleaming ominously in the pale light. 'This is going to be annoying,' he thought.

The creature was grotesque—a towering amalgamation of sinewy muscle, sharp talons, and eyes that glowed like molten gold. It let out a guttural roar, shaking the ground beneath their feet. As it moved, smaller creatures poured out from the vortex behind it, their twisted forms scrambling hungrily toward the city.

Alicarde stepped forward, his stance calm but ready.

"Mercy," he said, his voice cold and commanding, "take your shadows and keep the smaller ones busy. I'll handle the big guy."

Mercy hesitated for a moment but quickly nodded. "Yes, my lord. Shadows, with me!"

He glanced at Malefica.

:Errhm not be be that guy… but is that big guy also a minion or is that the final boss"

Malefica smiled.

"You're in luck… thats also a minion"

He sighed holding his sword.

"good things just never come my way"

Malefica stood beside Alicarde, her grimoires glowing as she prepared to cast another spell.

He looked at it again.

"Are you sure about this? That thing looks like it could flatten a building."

"Yes I am thats a minion."

Alicarde smirked, his eyes fixed on the guardian's minion.

"Good. I could use the exercise."

The creature lunged at him, its massive claws slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Alicarde sidestepped the attack, his movements enhanced by Malefica's Limit Break. With a single fluid motion, he swung his sword, the blade cutting through the creature's arm like a hot knife through butter.

The beast roared in pain, but instead of retreating, it grew more frenzied. Its severed arm began to regenerate, the flesh knitting itself back together with horrifying speed.

"Of course it regenerates," Alicarde muttered.