Eternal Undying Chronicles

"I'm not going to repeat myself. Identify yourself, or face the consequences."

Alicarde smiled, glancing at Malefica, then whispered to her.

"Is this how all witches talk?"

"I said identify yourselves!"

Despite her earlier warning, the witch ended up repeating herself, and Alicarde wasn't about to let the opportunity pass.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"She repeated herself. Now I'm really scared of what she'll do next," he said, his voice low and teasing.

The Reaper's Vestments made his whispers sound sinister, but from his tone, Malefica could tell he was making light of the situation. Not wanting to indulge him, she stepped forward, still holding his hand. As she moved, she inadvertently pulled him along, though he followed without protest.

When Malefica stepped out from the shadows, the young witch cautiously took a step back, readying her magic. She squinted, trying to get a better look at the approaching figures.

The young witch had long blonde hair tied into a ponytail, adorned with a gold hair accessory and matching earrings that complemented her green eyes. She wore a dress that reached her knees, her overall appearance adding to her beauty.

As she finally made out Malefica's figure, her eyes widened in shock, a mixture of reverence and fear crossing her face.

"La-Laady Diana… is this a dream?"

Her gaze then trailed to the figure standing behind Malefica. Upon seeing the imposing form clad in cold metal and dark fabric, reminiscent of a grim reaper, her face paled.

"I-I understand... My time has come. Lady Diana has come to take me to the other side with the grim reaper."

Malefica sighed, clearly unimpressed with the young witch's reaction.

'This one's not the sharpest tool in the shed.'

"Be quiet, she's not dead. I'm here to see Cassandra," Malefica said, her tone stern and to the point.

The young witch shrank back, glancing nervously between Malefica and Alicarde, who had remained silent the entire time. She gulped, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh no, they've come for Lady Cassandra too... This is horrible."

Malefica's eye twitched in irritation. She took a deep breath.

"I am Malefica, not Diana. Take me to Cassandra this instant."

The young witch blinked in confusion, frowning.

"Malefica... That Malefica? The one who betrayed Lady Diana and sealed her away? The heartless, ungrateful witch who turned on her own coven? The witch of the night... That Malefica?"

Malefica's eyes narrowed into a cold glare, and Alicarde could sense she was moments away from pulverizing the girl. He had to stifle a laugh—it was comical how the young witch blurted everything out, oblivious to the danger she was in.

"Yes, that Malefica," Malefica replied icily. "Now take me to Cassandra."

The young witch's face drained of all color as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Alicarde had no idea what stories she had heard about Malefica, but whatever they were, they had her terrified.

Her lips parted slightly as if preparing to scream, but Alicarde moved like a blur, appearing behind her in an instant.

"No need to make a scene," he whispered darkly.

Hearing his sinister voice was enough to break the witch's composure entirely—tears welled up in her eyes, and she began sobbing.

Malefica stepped forward, her expression cold as she stared down at the frightened witch.

"I do not have the time nor the patience for this. Take me to Cassandra now."

The witch nodded, trembling with fear.

"And wipe your tears. Neither of us is going to harm you," Malefica added.

Continue your journey with empire

"Actually, I make no guarantees," Alicarde said, his tone teasing, but it did little to comfort the young witch, whose legs gave out beneath her. She fell flat on her bottom, quivering.

Satisfied with her reaction, Alicarde smiled. Malefica, on the other hand, sighed in frustration. She offered a hand to help the witch up, but the girl quickly rolled away in fear.

"It seems you don't have the best reputation among your people. What did you do to them?"

"Nothing much. I wonder what they've been teaching the younger witches about me to have them this terrified."

"Should we ask her?"

Malefica shook her head.

"No, it doesn't matter. We just need her to lead us to Cassandra, hopefully without any conflict."

Alicarde nodded, walking over to the witch. He activated his ability, [Flux Field], manipulating gravity to lift her gently into the air. The witch let out a startled yelp.

"Take us to Cassandra, or I won't be so nice next time," he warned.

The witch quickly nodded, and Alicarde set her down. She led them through the village, where the atmosphere shifted immediately upon their arrival. Eyes turned toward them, and some witches hurried toward the Inner village, likely to alert others or get reinforcements, while others cautiously watched from a distance.

It wasn't long before some recognized Malefica. The resemblance she bore to her grandmother's statue made it unmistakable. Whispers spread through the crowd.

"Is that really her? The witch of the night?"

"Yes, that's Malefica, the traitor."

"I heard she stabbed Lady Diana in the back."

"You heard right."

"She's even worse than the stories."

"Really? How so?"

"I heard she uses children for dark magic rituals."

"What? That's taboo!"

All sorts of accusations flew from the onlookers, each more horrible than the last. Malefica remained indifferent, her expression unreadable as she walked through the village. Alicarde couldn't help but wonder how she truly felt about all of it—it couldn't be easy to hear.

Eventually, they were surrounded by a group of witches whose magic simmered in the air, signaling they were ready for a fight. Yet when they met Malefica's gaze, there was a hint of suppressed fear. She didn't stop walking, treating them with complete disregard, and for whatever reason, none dared to attack her. They simply backed away.

'Damn, didn't know Malefica was so badass,' Alicarde thought, silently following behind her.

He admired the village's beauty and the ambient magic in the air. It was a clean, well-maintained village, and, considering it was full of witches, it was probably a paradise for most men.

'Though with my luck these days, it might quickly turn into hell,' he mused.

They soon reached the temple at the center of the village. Malefica stopped and, in a calm voice, called out.

"Come out, Cassandra. I know you are here. I came to talk."