Eternal Undying Chronicles

The air in the village grew colder, but this wasn't the chill of winter. It was the heavy, suffocating cold of Alicarde's killing intent. His gaze cut through the crowd, sending shivers down the spines of those gathered, even if they didn't know the man well. But Malefica did, and she recognized the look in his eyes – that eerie violet glow that shimmered with icy rage, indifferent to the fear it stirred.

As the crowd parted, Malefica emerged, pushing her way through with urgency. She discarded her basket of vegetables, paying no mind to how its contents scattered across the snow. Her only concern was the man standing rigidly by the village entrance, sword drawn, casting a menacing shadow across the ground. She stepped between him and the temple, her tone hushed but sharp.

"What are you doing? Calm down, Alicarde."

Despite her calm demeanor, there was a hint of panic in her voice. She knew all too well how dangerous Alicarde could be, especially when the light of day surrendered to night. It was as if something in him responded to the darkness, amplifying his power – and his fury. Yet she also knew he wasn't one to see reason when his anger took control.

If she wasn't careful this could end in a bloody battle between him and the coven.

While she didn't doubt the covens power, she also knew not underestimate his will to kill.

Alicarde's eyes didn't soften, nor did his stance. Malefica felt her own heartbeat quicken as his gaze locked onto her. She had never felt this small in his presence, and despite her resolve, a sense of dread seeped into her thoughts. She hoped Cassandra would stay hidden until she could find a way to calm him.

'If Cassandra steps out and says the wrong thing... it'll be like pouring oil on fire,'

Cassandra was powerful, yes, but Alicarde was tenacious – undying, with a mind stubborn enough to match. If the two were to clash, there was no predicting the destruction that would follow. Alicarde wouldn't stop, and Cassandra wouldn't back down. The witches would undoubtedly be caught in the crossfire.

'She could easily kill him but he would not stay dead and with his vast mana pool, he would only get more out of hand, I need to talk him out of this'

But Malefica knew her words alone wouldn't be enough. She needed to find the right trigger to bring him back to himself. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped forward, her expression stern.

"Stop ignoring me and calm down."

She reached out, placing her hands on his face.

"Listen to me," she whispered.

"We didn't come here for bloodshed. Remember, you promised the werewolf girl that you would keep control."

Her voice was gentle, almost pleading.

She watched as his jaw clenched, his grip on his sword loosening ever so slightly. The mention of Argint seemed to reach him, cutting through the fog of his rage.

Finally, he grunted, lowering his sword.

"Fine, no killing you talk it out." he muttered.

Malefica let out a slow breath, relief washing over her. She knew that reminding him of Argint would work; she had spent countless hours listening to him talk about his struggles, his guilt, his desire to change. Alicarde had opened up to her in ways no one else ever had, and in doing so, he had allowed her to understand the workings of his mind.

'Offering to be his therapist was a wise choice'

But their brief moment of peace shattered as Cassandra chose that exact moment to step outside the temple. She wore a flowing blue dress, her skin adorned with jewelry that glinted like tiny stars. Her expression was one of disdain, her tone dripping with arrogance.

"You belligerent little man,"

"You dare to cause a ruckus here? I will put you in your place for this insult against the coven."

Alicarde's eyes narrowed, his fingers curling around the hilt of his sword again. He felt a familiar heat rise within him, a seething anger ignited by her words. This wasn't the first time Cassandra had spoken to him with such disrespect; she had spent the past three days taunting him, treating him as if he were beneath her.

"What did you just say to me?"

Cassandra's lips curled into a smirk.

"You heard me," she replied,

"Know your place, you lesser creature."

Malefica saw Alicarde's aura darken, his body tense as though ready to strike. She stepped forward, her voice sharp.

"Enough, you two. Do not fight."

But her words did little to quell the brewing storm. The other witches watched in silent apprehension, exchanging uneasy glances. They hadn't been given any orders yet, but they could feel the tension, the inevitable clash looming closer with every passing second.

Cassandra scoffed at Malefica's interference, her gaze turning icy.

"Siding with an outsider? I would expect no less from a traitor," she spat, pointing a finger at her.

"Look at you, Malefica. After a thousand years, you must be desperate. You throw yourself at the first man who shows interest in you... Disgusting."

A heavy silence fell over the gathering. Alicarde's grip on his sword tightened, his patience snapping. In one swift motion, he hurled his sword at her, not hesitating for even a second. Cassandra barely dodged, the blade whizzing past her head before embedding itself into the statue of Malefica's grandmother behind her.

Cassandra's face drained of color, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at the statue. Alicarde frowned, confused by her reaction. He didn't care about his sword – he could retrieve it at any moment with his control over gravity. But something about the statue's destruction had struck a nerve.

"What... What have you done?"

Cassandra whispered, her voice trembling. She staggered toward the statue, her gaze fixed on the faintly glowing runes now exposed on its surface.

Malefica's own eyes widened in shock as she realized what lay carved within the stone. The runes exuded a dark, twisted energy, their lines etched in blood.

"Why... Why are there forbidden spells carved into Grandmother's statue?"

Malefica's voice shook with disbelief. She had always had mixed feelings about the statue.

Cassandra knelt by the shattered pieces, tears glistening in her eyes.

"You destroyed it... You've ruined us... ruined the coven, you destroyed the one chance to bring back Lady Diana "

A murmur spread through the crowd of witches, confusion and fear rippling across their faces.

"Lady Diana... What is she talking about?"

"Why would she hide magic in the statue?"

Alicarde watched them in silence, his hand outstretched as he summoned his sword back to him. But Malefica's reaction disturbed him. Her face was pale, her body trembling with a mixture of anger and disgust.

"Tell me it's not true, Cassandra,"

"Tell me you didn't use the blood of our sisters for this spell."

The crowd gasped. Cassandra gripped the pieces of the statue in her hands, her knuckles white. Continue reading on empire

"You don't understand. This ritual... it was our only chance to bring Lady Diana back, to restore the coven to its former glory," she replied, her voice breaking.

Malefica took a step forward, her voice filled with righteous fury.

"And at what cost? Who were you planning to sacrifice?"

The witches exchanged fearful glances, uncertainty clouding their faces. Cassandra turned to them, her voice filled with conviction.

Alicarde observed the confusion and uncertainty spreading through the crowd. But Malefica's expression was a mix of anger and disgust.

"Answer me, Cassandra. Tell me the blood you used for the runes isn't what I think it is… did you use the blood of other witches for your spell?"

Gasps echoed through the coven, and uneasy glances were cast toward Cassandra.

Cassandra's trembling hands clutched the fragments of the statue, her voice barely a whisper.

"You have ruined everything… the ritual… it was supposed to bring back Lady Diana and restore our coven to its former glory…"

She glanced at Malefica, her gaze filled with seething hatred.

"While you were cavorting with this outsider, I was working to undo your sin, to bring Lady Diana back."

Turning to the other witches, she called out,

"Sisters… I found a way to bring back our Lady, a path to our future. But this traitor returned and used this man to destroy everything! You have seen it for yourselves… she cannot be trusted!"

The crowd began to shift, a murmur of anger rippling through them, their gazes hardening against Malefica.

"Enough of your nonsense, witch," Alicarde snarled.

"We would have been gone days ago if you'd told us what we wanted to know."

Cassandra's gaze turned icy, but Alicarde pressed on, his tone sharp with anger.

"You were asked a question. Who were you planning to sacrifice? Whose blood did you use?"

Malefica, standing beside him, echoed his demand.

"Answer the question, Cassandra. Why did you dabble in forbidden magic, and who were you planning to sacrifice?"

Cassandra's expression twisted in disdain. "Yes, I sought a sacrifice—a sister who would willingly lay down her life for Lady Diana. Any of us would gladly do so, myself included."

The witches seemed swayed by her words, but Cassandra wasn't finished.

"For decades, I searched for the right vessel. And finally, twenty-eight years ago, Marian was born… the perfect candidate."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

All eyes fell on a young witch standing nearby, her face pale with fear as she realized her life had been planned as an offering.

Malefica's voice trembled with righteous anger.

"You can't justify sacrificing your own coven members!"

Cassandra scoffed.

"Then you are an enemy of the coven."

With those words, the coven closed ranks, their expressions hardening as they prepared to enforce Cassandra's twisted vision.