Eternal Undying Chronicles

Carrisa could hardly focus. The massive, thirty-meter-tall guardian loomed before her, its presence oppressive and unyielding. Once a three-headed monstrosity, it now stood diminished, with only one remaining head. Alicarde had destroyed one head before departing to confront Zagarath, while she had severed the other the moment she arrived.

With her addition, she had made Argint stay out of the fight… much to her dismay. Though she didn't argue trusting that Carrisa had her reasons.

Still, her thoughts were elsewhere. She couldn't shake the image of Alicarde battling Zagarath in the crumbling skyscraper not far from her position.

'I should be at his side,' she thought, her formal demeanor momentarily slipping under the weight of her concern.

But she knew better. Their forces were stretched thin, and every soldier mattered. Blood spilled freely, soaking into the earth and saturating the air with its metallic tang.

'Is this the work of the demon sealed here?' The thought chilled her.

Even if the Demon of Noon was absorbing the blood, along with the magic coursing through the bodies of the fallen, it wouldn't be enough to break its ancient seal. Zagarath's hopes of freeing the demon were delusional—unless his plan involved annihilating the entire city.

'Is he truly planning to unleash an army of Strigoi upon the city?' The prospect was grim, and though ruthless, she deemed it doomed to fail.

Her faith lay in her own forces, an army making their way to the city. Still, the weight of the situation pressed down on her.

With a sharp swing of her sword, Carrisa cut through an incoming piece of debris, dodging as it shattered to the ground. Amena appeared at her side, her hands gleaming with the blood of the fallen.

"Mistress, please focus," Amena said, her voice steady yet edged with urgency.

"I understand your concern, but we must kill the guardian. The Nexus has stabilized, and the key will soon manifest."

Carrisa gave a curt nod, pushing her thoughts of Alicarde aside. This moment was critical. The appearance of the Nexus Key was imminent, and the team they had stationed—hidden in two unassuming vans—was prepared to retrieve it. Once in their possession, the key would be transported to the mansion, the most secure location within their reach.

Chris, their teleporter, couldn't use his translocation abilities due to the spatial fluctuations around the Nexus gate, so they had no choice but to move it manually.

Carrisa forced herself to tune out the cacophony of battle around her. Her sharp eyes focused solely on the Nexus Gate, its swirling vortex of light and shadow pulsating ominously. Any moment now, it would stabilize, and the key would appear.

The guardian roared in pain. Two grotesque stumps protruded where its other heads had once been, oozing dark ichor. Its remaining head reared back before unleashing a torrent of black energy, the searing current ripping through the air with devastating force.

Elizalina darted forward, her hands glowing as she conjured a massive shield of boiling blood. The crimson wall absorbed the brunt of the blast, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface as the beam fractured. One split beam glanced off the blades of a hovering helicopter, sending the craft spiraling out of control. It exploded in a fiery plume as it crashed into the ground.

The guardian snarled, thrashing in fury, but Carrisa's attention wasn't on the towering beast. Her gaze was locked on the Nexus. The gate swirled faster now, light and shadow coalescing into a singular point.

"Any moment now…" she muttered to herself.

But there wasn't time. They had to bring the guardian down before the key appeared.

Carrisa raised her blade high, the runes along its edge glowing with an ethereal light. She turned to Amena.

"We must act now. Keep its focus on me."

"Yes, Mistress," Amena replied without hesitation, darting toward the guardian with terrifying speed. Her bladed hand glinted as she hacked at the creature's thick legs, drawing its attention. The guardian roared, its massive form twisting to face her.

Seizing the moment, Carrisa moved with calculated precision. She darted forward, her blade slicing through the creature's defenses like a scalpel. Dark ichor splattered across the ground, the beast's anguished cries reverberating through the air.

Behind them, Elizalina held her position, weaving blood to shield them from the guardian's relentless attacks. She winced as the blood shield she maintained began to crack further under the guardian's fury.

"Carrisa, I cannot hold this much longer!"

"Just a moment more!" Carrisa called back, her voice commanding.

The Nexus pulsed violently, a bright light emanating from its core. The time was near.

With a final roar, the guardian unleashed another destructive beam from its remaining head, this one wider and more concentrated. Amena dodged by a hair's breadth, the energy searing the ground where she'd stood moments before. Carrisa, undeterred, lunged toward the beast, her blade glowing brighter as she muttered an incantation.

Her blade struck true, cleaving through the guardian's remaining neck with an otherworldly force. The massive head toppled to the ground, the creature's body convulsing before collapsing in a thunderous heap.

The battlefield went momentarily still as the guardian's lifeless form hit the ground.

Carrisa turned her attention back to the Nexus Gate. The vortex calmed, its erratic pulses slowing to a steady rhythm. At the center, a brilliant object began to materialize—the Nexus Key.

Elizalina staggered back, the blood shield evaporating as the threat subsided.

"the key…" she said breathlessly.

Carrisa nodded, her expression calm. "Secure it. Ensure it reaches the mansion without fail."

Amena gave a sharp whistle, signaling the esper units hidden nearby. The vans roared to life, speeding toward the Nexus as caden disembarked, moving swiftly to retrieve the key.

However, it was far from over. From the depths of the sewers, guttural growls echoed ominously. Manhole covers were violently blown off, and hordes of Strigoi surged forth in a chaotic frenzy.

Argint smiled. "Guess it was a good thing I saved my energy …."