Eternal Undying Chronicles

Amena leapt effortlessly over the building, her eyes scanning the horizon. The blizzard was worsening, the wind howling like a chorus of unseen ghosts, and the snowflakes twisted in the air like small shards of ice. Yet, there she was, moving with a calm precision, her maid outfit still pristine despite the growing chaos around her.

Her phone buzzed suddenly, breaking through the eerie silence of her surroundings. It wasn't the magical communicator she used for official business, but rather her personal phone—a rare device she'd kept hidden from most people. In a city where civilian communications were disrupted by the blizzard, any incoming call must've come from a private network.

She hesitated for a moment, her gloved hand hovering over the phone's screen. The number was unfamiliar. Her logical mind urged her to ignore it, but her instincts told her otherwise. Only a few people knew her private contact information, and it could only be one person—Alicarde.

Without a second thought, she accepted the call.

The moment she heard his voice, a wave of relief flooded over her. Despite the chaos of the situation, his playful tone cut through the storm like a warm breeze. He was the only one who saw her for who she truly was—a person, not just a homunculus, and that made all the difference.

"Hello, master… I mean, Hello Ali," she said, a rare smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Alicarde's voice came through with its usual charm, unbothered by the tense situation she found herself in. There was a lightness to it, as though he hadn't been aware of the danger she was facing.

"Hey… you mad? Sorry I didn't call; my phone blew up."

"I am not," came her curt response.

"Good. Don't have much time, so I'll make this quick. I need you to check the underground section of the university library…."

She didn't want to worry him further. He'd always been there for her, even when others saw her as nothing more than a tool to be used. She wasn't about to tell him the full extent of the chaos unfolding.

With a quiet sigh, she answered, "Nothing to worry about, Ali. Just a little... interruption."

But her words were interrupted. Just as she spoke, she looked up and saw it: the alchemist. The one who had been eluding capture had tried to sneak attack her by hurling a massive chunk of a building in her direction.

The rubble was massive, a deadly weapon designed to crush anything in its path. But it wasn't enough to stop her. With a single, fluid motion, Amena dodged the falling debris, landing gracefully on her feet.

"Errr… Amena, what was that loud crash? And I can still hear some rumbles. What's going on?"

Amena paused.

"It's nothing. We were… trying to catch a rat."

Alicarde was quite for a moment.

"Must be some rat…"

"Yes, quite an ugly rat who thinks he's sophisticated," she replied, her voice calm.

"Don't worry; we'll catch him soon enough. He can only run so far."

"Uh-huh. Well, you girls be safe, alright?"

"Understood." Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

She didn't elaborate. There was no need to. Alicarde didn't need to know everything. He would only worry more. Instead, she focused on the task at hand—the alchemist who had now positioned himself at the center of the alleyway, clearly preparing for another escape.

Amena ended the call, the smile on her face lingering a moment longer before her expression returned to its usual stoic calm. Her eyes never left the alchemist, and she could tell he was already scheming his next move.

She took a step forward, only to see the alchemist muttering to himself. His eyes widened as he looked at her, admiration creeping into his gaze.

"What a beautiful creation…" he muttered, mostly to himself. "I must flee today, but I'll return with backup to obtain you."

Amena, however, had no interest in his plans. She didn't hear the rest of his words, nor did she care to. Her mission was clear, and it was one she would see to the end.

Without warning, her body tensed, and she leaped forward. Her bladed hand stretched out like a spear, its sharp edge cutting through the air and impaling the alchemist's leg. He screamed in pain, but before he could react, she followed up with a swift, powerful kick, sending him crashing into the nearby wall.

The alchemist struggled to get up, blood dripping from the wound, but he was no match for her.

"Do not struggle… it's pointless," she said, her voice cold and unfeeling.

She walked toward him slowly, every movement deliberate. But just as she was about to reach him, something scaled the side of the building, a low growl emanating from the creature. She recognized it instantly—a hideous Strigoi, a creature of the night, with twisted limbs and sharp claws.

The Strigoi roared, charging toward her with unnatural speed, but Amena was faster. In one fluid motion, she kicked it aside, sending the creature flying into a nearby wall, where it crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

But she didn't have time to savor the victory. More Strigoi were appearing, emerging from the shadows like a swarm of insects, each one more menacing than the last.

Amena didn't hesitate. With a single flick of her wrist, her bladed hand sliced through the air, decimating the Strigoi as they came at her from all directions.

But then she sensed something—something larger, something darker. Her eyes snapped to the sky just in time to see a massive shadow descend from above. A hulking figure landed with a tremendous crash, its form outlined against the blizzard's fury. It was another Strigoi, but this one was different. Stronger. Faster. Its eyes burned with a hunger that sent a shiver down her spine.

As it charged toward her, she braced herself for the onslaught. But before she could act, the creature was struck down from above at the alchemist, a single blow knocking him out cold before it fell into the sewer below. The manhole cover opened wide, and with a loud crash, the alchemist was dragged beneath the earth.

Amena's mind raced.

"Compression magic… that must be Zagarath," she thought, her mind immediately connecting the dots. Zagarath was making his move. And if Zagarath was involved, things were about to get far more complicated.

But before she could follow, the Strigoi surrounded her, clawing at her from all sides. She didn't hesitate for a second. Her bladed limbs were an extension of her will, slicing through the attackers with swift precision. She wasn't concerned with the bloodshed—she simply fought to survive.

With every step, she moved like a machine, every motion calculated, designed for maximum efficiency. The storm raged around her, but inside her, there was only calm, focused on the battle at hand.