Eternal Undying Chronicles-Chapter 197: Finding The Alchemist

Inside the building, Amena gazed out at the morning sky, her hands dripping with the blood of the Strigoi she had just slain. The once-pristine skyscraper was now a labyrinth of chaos, teeming with these hideous creatures. Their guttural growls echoed in the cold, lifeless halls, blending with the distant hum of helicopters circling overhead, their cameras capturing every second of the pandemonium.

Her eyes were drawn to the swirling vortex of magical energy in the distance. A gate stood ominously, its presence radiating raw, chaotic power. Before it loomed a familiar silhouette cloaked in the menacing Reaper's Vestments.

Amena couldn't suppress a smile. Alicarde had returned.

And yet, even from this distance, she could see he was facing his own struggles. The Nexus was spewing forth a torrent of monsters from the demiplanes, and the worst was yet to come—the guardian had not even appeared.

"Welcome back home, Ali," she whispered to herself.

But her moment of reflection was brief. Amena still had her own mission to complete. She was tasked with locating the kidnapped alchemist, as well as obtaining the key to securing the Nexus.

The former a task that, ironically, stemmed from her own mistake—her failure to prevent Zagarath's Strigoi minions from capturing the alchemist in the first place.

'One more loose end,' she thought. If she retrieved the alchemist, her mission would be complete. The espers would then ensure his transport, along with the Nexus key, back to the mansion, where they could be safeguarded.

A guttural growl from behind her broke her concentration.

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Amena sighed, her shoulders tensing as she turned.

"You lowly Strigoi truly don't learn, do you?" she muttered.

A pack of the grotesque creatures emerged from the darkened hallways, their pallid skin stretched tightly over sinewy bodies. Their glowing red eyes glared hungrily at her.

One of them, slightly larger than the others, stepped forward, its twisted form exuding an air of feral authority.

"Kill her," it rasped, its voice a jarring cacophony of scraping metal.

Amena wasn't surprised. The Strigoi had evolved rapidly in their time on the mundane plane, shifting from mindless beasts to cunning creatures with a semblance of intelligence. But intelligence didn't equate to power—not against her.

She raised her right arm, which began to twist and contort. The flesh shimmered unnaturally as her hand morphed into a razor-sharp blade. The edges glinted menacingly in the dim light.

Without hesitation, she swung her bladed arm in a wide arc. The closest Strigoi was cleaved in two, its body collapsing to the ground in a heap. The others growled and charged at her simultaneously, their claws slashing through the air.

Amena moved with the grace and precision of a seasoned predator. She sidestepped the first attack, her blade flashing as she sliced through the neck of another Strigoi. Its head rolled to the floor, leaving a trail of dark ichor in its wake. She spun on her heel, blocking a clawed swipe with her bladed arm before driving the edge deep into her attacker's chest.

"Pathetic," she muttered, pulling her blade free in a spray of black blood.

The remaining Strigoi hesitated, their newfound intelligence telling them they were outmatched. But hesitation didn't save them.

Amena surged forward, her movements a blur as she dispatched the rest with ruthless efficiency. The final Strigoi tried to flee, but she hurled a dagger from her apron, striking it between the shoulder blades and pinning it to the wall.

The creature writhed weakly before falling still.

Amena wiped the blood from her blade onto her tattered sleeve, her eyes scanning the corridor for any remaining threats. The air was eerily silent, save for the distant sound of explosions and screams from outside.

'One step closer,' she thought, her focus returning to the task at hand.

She moved deeper into the building, her footsteps muffled against the debris-strewn floor. The alchemist had to be close—Zagarath's minions wouldn't have taken him far. Her ears perked up at the sound of muffled voices coming from a nearby room. She pressed herself against the wall, peeking through the cracked doorway.

Inside, a group of Strigoi stood around a hunched figure bound to a chair. The man's face was pale, his eyes wide with fear and indignation as he trembled under the creatures' scrutiny.

One of the Strigoi, larger and more grotesque than the rest, seemed to be in charge. It barked orders in its grating voice, its clawed hand gesturing toward the alchemist.

"Prepare him for extraction. Lord Zagarath wants him alive."

Amena's lip curled in disgust. Zagarath's plans didn't matter—this alchemist wasn't leaving the building with them. She took a deep breath, her fingers gripping the hilt of the daggers strapped to her waist. Then, with the swiftness of a shadow, she slipped into the room.

The first dagger found its mark in the neck of a Strigoi, silencing its grotesque mutterings. Before the others could react, Amena was upon them. She vaulted over the table, her blade-arm slicing cleanly through another creature's chest.

The leader roared in anger, lunging at her with surprising speed. Amena ducked under its swing, countering with an upward slash that tore through its abdomen. It staggered back, clutching at the gaping wound, but it wasn't finished yet.

"You'll regret this, human," it snarled, its glowing eyes burning with hatred.

"Not human," Amena corrected coldly, her voice devoid of emotion. " just a lowly homunculus."

With that, she drove her blade through its chest, piercing its heart. The creature's body convulsed before collapsing in a heap. The room fell silent once more.

Amena turned to the alchemist, who was staring at her with a mixture of fear and awe. She knelt beside him, cutting through his bindings with a swift motion.

"how pathetic, then again what can I expect from an alchemist… ?" she ridiculed, her tone colder now.

The alchemist lowered his head, his voice trembling. "damn you… lowly homunculus… how dare you.."

"shut up… your voice is annoying," she instructed. "I need to get you out except if you want to stay here and end up as Strigoi food."

The alchemist nodded, his fear replaced by a flicker of hope. Amena pulled him to his feet keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings as she pulled him along. They made their way back toward the exit. The building still teemed with danger, but Amena was determined to see her mission through.

As they reached the stairwell, a deafening roar echoed through the halls, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. Amena's heart sank.

She pushed the alchemist behind her, her blade-arm at the ready. The towering creature emerged from the shadows, its massive form dwarfing the hallway. Its eyes burned with malevolent intelligence, and its jagged claws scraped against the walls as it advanced.

Amena gritted her teeth. "Stay behind me," she told the alchemist. "This might get messy."

The Strigoi let out a guttural growl, its gaze locked onto her. Amena tightened her grip on her blade, her resolve unwavering.

'I've come too far to fail now,' she thought.

And with that, she charged.