Eternal Undying Chronicles

The chaos outside continued unabated, but inside the building, an eerie silence prevailed. Alicarde and Wrath materialized in a deserted corner of the ground floor, where the shadows seemed thicker, almost as if they welcomed his arrival.

The space was dimly lit, with cold, sterile lighting that barely reached the edges of the room, casting long, ominous shadows. The floors were polished marble, gleaming under the artificial lights, and the walls were lined with minimalist decor that spoke of corporate efficiency rather than comfort.

Alicarde's Reaper's Vestments enveloped him in a shroud of darkness, the fabric absorbing what little light existed, making him appear almost as a walking shadow. His eyes, glowing violet beneath the hood, cut through the darkness like twin beacons of dread. His presence alone was enough to instill fear, but combined with the menacing figure of Wrath, his monstrous steed, it was terrifying.

Wrath's black coat seemed to blend into the shadows, with three sharp horns protruding from its forehead, each one glinting dangerously. Its violet eyes mirrored Alicarde's own, and sharp fangs peeked from its snarling mouth, adding to its feral, infernal appearance.

They had bypassed all security checkpoints manned by humans, and most of the building's personnel were occupied with containing the chaos Malefica had incited outside.

Satisfied with the situation, Alicarde dismounted, sending Wrath back into the shadow from whence he came. As the bicorn faded, the sound of hooves echoed faintly for a brief moment before vanishing completely. Alicarde began to walk through the building, his footsteps silent against the polished floors.

The interior was stark and cold, with a modern design that emphasized functionality over form. Tall ceilings loomed overhead, and every corner was perfectly squared, creating a sense of rigid order. The building was remarkably quiet, the only sounds being the faint hum of machinery and the distant murmurs of the chaos outside.

Security here was minimal, with most personnel concentrated outside. The biometric locks guarding various doors glowed with a faint blue light, standing out against the otherwise muted tones of the interior.

Alicarde knew these locks could be troublesome, but with the watch room's attention diverted by the outside commotion, he was confident he could move undetected.

Yet, a part of him remained cautious. It was too quiet, too still. His instincts told him there were still a few personnel inside, possibly lurking in the upper levels or deeper within the building.

The commotion outside might have distracted them, but it wouldn't last forever. The thought passed through his mind that while the situation seemed under control, any slip-up could still be costly. He couldn't afford to become overconfident, not with what was at stake.

The building's silence heightened his senses. Every creak of the structure, every distant noise, made him more alert. As he moved deeper into the building, he kept his guard up, ready to swing his sword at a moment's notice.

His thoughts were focused, calculating the best route to the data bank while minimizing the chances of detection. The fewer interactions he had with anyone inside, the better. He preferred to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, despite his earlier banter with Malefica. But if it came to it, he wouldn't hesitate to act.

Although he wanted Malefica to eat her words about calling him weak, he decided to try not to kill anyone just to prove her wrong.

With every step, Alicarde felt the weight of the mission pressing down on him. This wasn't just about stealing data; it was a test of his abilities, his resolve, and his growing partnership with Malefica.

He needed to prove he could handle this, both to her and to himself. After all, the information he sought could be the key to unlocking the mysteries surrounding Zagarath and the city's corrupt underbelly. He couldn't afford to fail.

As Alicarde moved stealthily through the quiet building, he continued to ponder his situation. He had planned everything meticulously, except for one crucial detail, he had no idea where the data bank was located.

The realization hit him with an embarrassing jolt.

He had the urge to facepalm but refrained—the Reaper's Vestments were far too cool for such an undignified gesture. Instead, he resolved to keep up his mysterious facade. After all, the cameras had likely already caught footage of him, and he needed to ensure that anyone who saw it would think twice before trying to cross him.

He wanted to create the image of an inhuman demon devoid of any shred of weakness, an advocate of divine retribution and death, created to punish them for their sins—the reaper who would harvest their souls and deliver them to the deepest abyss of hell.

Alicarde had a simple reason for this approach. The people he was after were highly superstitious; if they believed something non-human was pursuing them, their fear would magnify exponentially. This fear would serve as a powerful deterrent, and Alicarde had no interest in dealing with any would-be copycats trying to mimic his aesthetics.

He wanted the legend of the Reaper to grow, to strike terror into the hearts of those who opposed him.

But the problem remained—he still didn't know where the data was stored. He could have asked Malefica before they parted ways, but his pride had kept him from doing so.

The thought of contacting her through the mark she had placed on him crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. He'd rather figure it out on his own.

He reasoned that the data bank must be large, requiring specialized equipment. Such equipment would likely be heavy, meaning it wouldn't be placed on the higher floors. That narrowed it down to the ground floor, but the ground floor was vast, and time was running out.

Alicarde weighed his options. The only alternative was to find someone who could guide him to the data bank. Right on cue, he spotted a young woman walking down the hallway. She had short hair and was dressed in an office suit, her eyes focused on a stack of papers in her hands.

She seemed completely absorbed in her task, unaware of the reaper lurking just a few meters away.

He waited until she was just two meters away. She hadn't noticed him at all. When she finally looked up, her face went pale as her eyes met the violet glow of his beneath the hood.

"Hello, mortal," Alicarde greeted her, his voice dripping with sinister intent. He released a small amount of his fear ability, intending only to unsettle her slightly.

The young woman froze in place, her eyes wide with terror. A liquid stream suddenly trickled down her legs as she lost control of her bladder.

Alicarde was baffled beneath the hood. 'What the hell? I just said hello. What's her deal?'

The woman trembled violently before collapsing to the floor, unable to even scream. Her eyes welled up with tears, paralyzed by the overwhelming fear she felt.

Alicarde was growing irritated. "Stand, mortal. I am not here for your soul," he continued his theatrics, hoping to get her to cooperate.

But she remained on the ground, too terrified to move. Alicarde sighed inwardly and retracted his fear ability, though the woman's face was still ashen.

'What the hell? I only released a tiny amount of fear.'

He noticed her name tag as she cowered on the floor. It read "Kim." From the looks of her, she was just a small-time employee, hardly worth his time.

"Rise, Kim. I have not come for your soul. Show me to the data bank," he commanded, his voice still carrying that sinister edge.

Kim, shaking uncontrollably, managed to nod her head. Tears and cold sweat mixed together as she pointed a trembling finger behind her, stammering, "T-the... the d-d-dat... datata... s-server... r-room...

back there..."

Alicarde could barely make out her words, but it was enough to understand. She was trying to indicate that the data bank was in the direction she was pointing.

Without wasting any more time, Alicarde used his control over gravity to lift her off the ground, causing her to yelp in fear.

"Show me the way," he ordered, floating her along as they moved through the corridor.

They soon reached a biometric lock. Kim, still hovering in the air, nervously informed him, "I... I don't have the right clearance... I-I can't open it..."

Alicarde didn't seem bothered. He had been prepared to punch through the door if necessary. But just as he considered doing so, the flash drive he had received from Amena vibrated in his Vestments. He pulled it out, holding it up to the door's scanner. To his surprise, the door opened smoothly with a soft beep.

Behind him, Kim gasped in terror. She hadn't seen him pull out the flash drive, so in her mind, he had used some bizarre, supernatural power to bypass the lock.

The fact that he held a black sword in his hand only deepened her conviction that she was dealing with the Grim Reaper himself.

They stepped into a larger room that was empty except for a massive, vault-like door. The door was metallic, with reinforced hinges and thick steel bars securing it in place. It looked impenetrable to most, but Alicarde wasn't most people.

He waved the hand holding the flash drive, but nothing happened. The door remained stubbornly shut.

He turned to Kim, annoyance creeping into his voice. "Why is it not opening?"

Kim yelped again, her voice trembling as she stammered out an explanation, "Th-the d-door... it's... it's not connected to the system. It's... completely analog. Y-you need...

a key... and a pin... which are... m-manually inserted..."

Alicarde absorbed her words, understanding what needed to be done. He approached the large vaulted metallic door, the weight of it obvious just by looking at it.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

'So much for being discreet,' he thought.

With a simple exertion of his superhuman strength, he grabbed hold of the door and ripped it right off its hinges. The metal groaned in protest, denting under his grip as the walls around it cracked from the force. Alarms immediately blared throughout the building, their shrill wails echoing off the walls as Alicarde tossed the door aside with a deafening thud.

'I guess I'll have to fight my way out now. Sounds like fun,' Alicarde thought, a twisted smile forming under his hood.

Kim, still floating in the air, paled even further. She had just witnessed him rip off a door that must have weighed several tons.

'This isn't a person... this is definitely the Grim Reaper... I'm dead... mom... dad forgive your useless daughter...' Tears streamed down her face as she realized she might not survive the night.