Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 166 Trust Me

Alicarde felt the familiar rush of vertigo as he struggled to stabilize himself mid-air. Shaking his head, he muttered,

"Damn it… still not ready for flight."

Countless attempts had gone into mastering this ability, but each had ended with him hurtling back to the ground. All the motivational nonsense Argint fed him—about desperation forcing one to succeed—felt hollow now. He was being hunted by a coven of furious witches, and he still couldn't fly.

With Marian clutched tightly in his arms, her blindfold still in place, Alicarde leapt from tree to tree, his movements swift and silent as a shadow slicing through the moonlit forest. Behind him, he could feel the witches gaining ground, relentless and vengeful.

A hum filled the air, forewarning of an imminent attack. Alicarde's eyes widened as he saw a massive burst of magical energy tear through the forest, annihilating trees and igniting the surroundings in towering pillars of fire.

The heat licked at his face, scorching even from a distance, and the vibrant glow cast an ominous light across the darkness.

Gritting his teeth, Alicarde pivoted sharply, changing course. He leapt off a branch and flung Marian briefly into the air, allowing him to flip off another branch for momentum. As she fell, he smoothly caught her mid-air, wrapping her securely in his arms before touching down with ease.

A sharp scream escaped Marian's lips, and she clung to him instinctively. In the chaos, her blindfold slipped, and for the first time, she looked up at him. Her eyes, wide and tinged with lingering fear, took in the forest, now illuminated by the relentless glow of magical assaults raining down around them.

She bit her lip, her voice trembling but firm. "Put me down… you have to take me back to the ritual site!"

"Shut up!" Alicarde barked, his tone sharp.

She flinched, but refused to back down.

"I need to go back… this—this is for the coven."

Alicarde's attention snapped to an incoming attack—a massive serpent made of writhing magical energy hurtling toward them. Trees splintered and fell as the serpent slithered closer, coiling and preparing to strike.

With a fierce kick off a nearby tree, Alicarde launched himself at the serpent, his sword gleaming as he punctured through the magical creature, slicing it apart as if it were nothing but mist.

The serpent dissipated with a hiss, leaving a faint shimmer of light in its wake. Alicarde smirked beneath his hood.

'Knew it… this sword can cut through magic.'

Meanwhile, Marian was caught between desperate pleas and terrified cries, begging him to take her back.

"Take me back, please!"

"Shut up… you damn fool." He shot her a fierce look.

"I'm not letting you throw your life away."

He dashed through the snow-laden forest floor, finally setting her down as he glanced over his shoulder to see the witches approaching.

Taking a deep breath, Alicarde called upon every ounce of strength and activated [Flux Field], focusing his power into his legs. With a forceful stomp, he drove his foot into the ground, unleashing a gravitational shockwave that cracked the earth around them.

Trees splintered, twisted, and sank into the ground as if crushed by an unseen hand, and a violent tremor rippled outward, hurtling toward the advancing witches.

Marian, caught off guard, fell backward, her wide-eyed stare filled with awe. Alicarde himself was momentarily stunned by the sheer magnitude of his attack, leaving the forest floor in shattered disarray around them.

But there was no time to bask in the destruction; the witches were relentless, undeterred even by his devastating assault. He seized Marian once more, dashing back into the dense woods as she kicked and screamed, demanding to be returned to the village.

Alicarde weaved through the forest evading the witches attacks.

After a few minutes of running he finally gave them the slip

Marina who was in his arms screamed and begged him go put her down. She was filled with a misguided notion that her death would save the coven.

He reached the limit of his patience.

Alicarde flung Marian to the ground, her body hitting the forest floor with a soft thud. She quickly scrambled to her feet, but before she could react further, he dismissed the gauntlet on his right hand and slapped her across the face.

Her pale skin flushed red from the blow, and her hand instinctively flew to her stinging cheek.

Grabbing her arm, he pulled her close, his hooded face looming over her, voice cold and seething with frustration.

"Are you mad, you foolish, dumb b*tch?" His tone was low, sinister.

"There are people out there risking everything to keep you alive. Your life isn't yours to waste anymore."

Marian's lips trembled, tears welling up as she bit back a sob.

"Y-you think I don't know that?" she choked, voice quivering.

"I do… but my life was never mine. It belongs to the coven—the coven that raised me, gave me purpose. I want to do this… it's my choice."

Alicarde studied her, his violet gaze unwavering. He scoffed.

"You say that, but why do you look so relieved to be away from them? Why did you scream when I threw you earlier? Why did you cling to me when you thought you'd fall?" His voice softened, but it cut through her like a blade.

"You don't want to die, Marian…. Your eyes those are the eyes of someone who is scared to die… the eyes of someone who wants to live."

He walked towards her.

"I know it because I have killed to many people with a desire to live in their eyes… you do not want to die."

Her face turned ashen, and Alicarde held out his sword, its black blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

"If you're so willing to die, then take this. Do it yourself."

She took the sword from his hand, fingers trembling as she raised it to her neck. With a scream, she pressed the blade against her skin—but she couldn't push it further. Her hands shook violently, her resolve crumbling.

"Can't do it, can you?" His voice was calm, almost gentle.

"I figured as much.. no one really wants to die.. even people who kill themselves.. wish they hadn't at the last moment."

Marian fell to her knees, the sword slipping from her grasp as she dissolved into sobs.

"I… I… I don't want to die," she whispered.

Alicarde's mouth curled into a faint smile under his hood.

"Good."

Her tears flowed freely, and she looked up at him, voice desperate.

"But… what am I supposed to do? If I don't complete the ritual, the coven will weaken. They'll keep making sacrifices…"

Alicarde knelt beside her, placing a firm but comforting hand on her head.

"Trust me, Marian. The coven won't fall apart, and you don't need to die. Just put your faith in me, and we'll find a way to end this without any deaths...Trust me."

She blinked, surprised. "Trust… you?"

He nodded, his expression resolute.

"Yes. Let's create a miracle together, without more bloodshed."

Hearing this from Alicarde—a man known for solving problems by any means necessary, often violently—was a startling revelation. It was a sign of growth, one that Carrisa would no doubt find encouraging.

The sound of chanting witches echoed through the forest, growing louder as they neared. Alicarde stretched out his hand to Marian, who looked up at him with wide, uncertain eyes.

She hesitated only a moment before taking his hand, and he pulled her into his arms, lifting his sword as he sprang up into the trees.

As they ascended, he could hear the chanting intensify. The ground beneath them trembled, and suddenly, trees began uprooting around them, lifted into the air as if animated by unseen hands. The forest rumbled, roots twisting and dirt falling, while the witches coordinated their voices into a singular, powerful spell that filled the air with a heavy, ominous energy.

The very tree he stood upon began to rise. Alicarde quickly leapt off, flipping through the air to descend towards the forest floor below, narrowly avoiding the floating, uprooted trees now spiraling upward.

In the sky above, dozens of trees clustered together, their roots interlocking, trunks melding as if sculpted by an invisible force. Slowly, the mass of trees transformed, forming a colossal figure—a towering treant over 60 meters tall.

Its bark-like face took shape, with hollow eyes and roots that twisted into a long, gnarled beard. Leaves sprouted like hair, and its massive arms stretched outward, casting a dark shadow over the forest.

Several witches collapsed, their energy drained from the exertion of the spell. They were already weakened by the ritual and the lingering effects of Malefica's curse, pushing them to the edge of exhaustion.

The treant's hollow eyes scanned the forest, finally landing on Alicarde, who stood defiant on a branch with Marian clutched tightly to his side. He felt the weight of the creature's gaze and took a deep breath.

"Damn… this is going to be a pain."