Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 62 Recollection

Alicarde sighed, relieved that none of the hospital staff had tried to stop them, especially considering he was carrying a sword. It was early in the morning when they left, so there wasn't much movement from people—just a few nurses and cleaning staff. He was thankful there was no drama.

Carrisa's shoulder felt comfortable. He could hear her breathing and enjoy her fragrance. In contrast, he reeked of blood and sweat.

'Wasn't she in a battle? How does she smell like rainbows and sunshine despite everything?' Alicarde thought to himself.

Since she was already letting him rest on her, he decided to take a little more liberty and wrapped his arm around her waist. She didn't seem to notice, or perhaps she simply didn't mind.

"Alicarde... could you please explain what transpired back there?" Carrisa finally asked after some hesitation. She had deliberated on how best to approach the subject and eventually decided to be direct.

"What happened, huh? Let's see. Not much, really. So, do you girls want the long version or the short one?" Alicarde raised his head from her shoulder, glancing at the other women seated with him.

"I can see the anxious expressions on your faces. Listen, I'm fine. So please, stop giving me those pitying looks. It's annoying."

Carrisa turned to face him. "We are not offering you pity, as you so eloquently put it. We are concerned. Each of us here has a vested interest in your well-being," she replied, glancing at Argint and Elizalina. "Some more than others."

Alicarde frowned slightly, feeling confused and somewhat irritated.

"I have no idea what that's supposed to mean, but whatever. You guys want to know what happened? Fine, I'll tell you."

The maid driving the SUV glanced at him through the rearview mirror, curious about what he was going to say. Argint was also paying close attention; they had searched for him when he disappeared, and they all wanted to know what had led to the events that had unfolded.

Alicarde sighed. He had a feeling there was no way he could avoid explaining everything.

"I went to the hospital to visit someone. A little girl. Her mother was killed by a Strigoi, and I had promised to protect her. But then, I let her die."

His eyes flashed with a brief but intense fury as memories of that day resurfaced. It made him want to tear Zagarath to pieces.

"I failed her. All I could do was run from my enemy—pathetic and weak. Anyway, I was pretty depressed, as you've probably guessed. But after tonight, I honestly don't care anymore. I just want revenge, and I'll get it, no matter the cost."

Alicarde's face twisted with rage, his lips curling as he bit down until they bled.

Elizalina, her attention focused on his angered expression, asked, "And what, pray tell, does this have to do with you being kidnapped today?"

Alicarde's gaze grew cold as he met her eyes. "It has everything to do with it. Today was the day I realized how naive I had been. It's my responsibility to protect my interests, and it was in my best interest for her mother to live. I had promised... and they made a liar out of me.

That, Elly, is unforgivable."

His voice quivered with deep resentment, a bitterness that filled the air around them.

Argint, growing more impatient, interjected, "You still haven't said what actually happened today. How did that lead to this? Stop dodging the question."

Alicarde sighed, visibly annoyed. "I was getting there, genius. Let me think for a moment."

After gathering his thoughts, he continued, "I went to see Lily after the whole incident with Elly. I couldn't stay depressed forever. I tried not to let it affect me, but I did blame myself."

He recounted the events of that humiliating night, adding details he had not shared before. Carrisa already knew much of it, but Alicarde was careful to omit his encounter with Malefica.

That was his secret to keep, and Malefica had made it clear she didn't want to be involved with Carrisa, though Alicarde knew it was only a matter of time before she found out if he continued working with the witch. And right now, he had every intention of doing so—Malefica had power he desired. Magic. Spells.

Elizalina placed her hand on her chin thoughtfully. "I understand. This incident led to our class representative being mistaken for a delusional drug addict who claimed to see monsters."

Alicarde shot her a stern look. "Yes, it did. After your whole vampire reveal, I almost suspected you. I did some research on Strigoi at the mansion's library. It's a subclass of vampires, so my suspicions were not unfounded."

Elizalina furrowed her brow, her tone calm but firm. "I take offense at the mere suggestion that you would suspect me of associating with such lowly creatures. It is beneath my dignity to be involved with beings of such low stature."

Alicarde raised his hand, an apologetic look crossing his features. "Right, I know. Sorry about that. You'd never stoop so low. If you were involved, you certainly wouldn't have hesitated during your initial attack."

His voice carried the confidence of someone who no longer harbored doubts about her allegiance.

Argint scoffed, crossing her arms. "I refuse to believe she was holding back. Obviously, she just couldn't win."

Her dismissive tone carried her usual sharpness.

Alicarde nodded, considering her words. It was possible that he had been subconsciously looking for a reason not to kill Elizalina, a justification that might have clouded his judgment.

Elizalina giggled softly, wrapping her arms around Alicarde's shoulders. "I am glad you recognize the superiority of vampires over such rabble, so you must know, without a doubt, that I am far better in every regard."

Her voice was sweet but laced with a hint of pride.

"Tch, shut up, you woman of ill repute. If we weren't stuck in this moving vehicle, I'd make you swallow those words." Argint's cold voice cut through the air, her indignation palpable.

Elizalina turned to retort but was immediately silenced by Carrisa, who interjected, her voice calm yet commanding.

"Let us return to the matter at hand. What transpired after you visited the hospital?"

"Right. I had visited a few times but never mustered the courage to see her... until today—well, yesterday. She was utterly despondent, silent tears running down her cheeks. Her tears were a harsh reminder of my own failure." Alicarde clenched his fists, his voice tinged with frustration.

"I made her a new promise, one I intend to keep. I swore that I would destroy them all."

He paused, a darkness settling over his expression. "But I know it's more about my revenge than hers. Killing them won't bring her mother back, but it'll make me feel heck of a lot better."

Carrisa listened intently, her focus sharp. They were nearing the heart of the matter, and she was keen to understand what had led to such a drastic change in Alicarde's demeanor.

His face twisted with a somber expression as he continued. "I was ambushed by the deranged doctor who ran the hospital. Oddly enough, it had nothing to do with the Strigoi. Turns out the doctor who declared me dead was completely insane."

Carrisa's brow furrowed as she clenched her fist slightly.

"The doctor, you say? How interesting. I had not expected him to be of any significance. It seems this city harbors many secrets that remain unknown to me, the doctor being one of them."

Alicarde shrugged. "Yeah, the doctor. Apparently, he'd been watching me on campus for a while. When I started making repeated visits to the hospital, he saw it as a chance to trap me."

Argint interjected, her eyes narrowing. "How could they have captured you so easily? You're not weak enough to be taken down by a small group, even if they had those massive chimeras."

Alicarde sighed, shaking his head. "They used a magic circle and knockout gas mixed with whitewood ash. When I weakened, they injected me with some drug laced with more whitewood ash."

Amena, who had remained quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke.

"A combination of whitewood ash and a potent alchemical soporific would indeed prove effective against you, particularly if you haven't built up any resistance to it."

Carrisa sighed, her voice carrying a tinge of regret. "Perhaps I should have followed through with my original plan of introducing small doses of cyanide and ataraxic into your food to gradually build resistance. However, Amena was most insistent that such a method would erode any trust you have in me."

Alicarde's eyes widened, his shock evident. "Wait, what? Why am I just now hearing that you were considering poisoning me? That's terrifying."

Argint and Elizalina exchanged glances but seemed unsurprised by Carrisa's ruthlessness. Such actions were expected from an Evernight princess.

Alicarde sighed, moving on from the unsettling revelation.

"Anyway, I got captured. The doctor ran a few experiments on me, mostly to gather data. It wasn't too painful, all things considered."

Carrisa's gaze sharpened, her voice filled with concern. "Not too painful?"

Alicarde nodded. "The real issue was how I escaped. In my naivete, I unleashed Wrath. He tore me apart in my bid break free from the restraints. Literally, he ripped me to pieces, but I managed to escape while the doctor sicced his chimeras on Wrath."

His voice grew quieter, more distant, as he continued. "Wrath caught up to me. He killed me. Repeatedly. I was burned alive, crushed, torn to shreds, over and over again. My mind broke.

The pain... it was unbearable."

Argint's eyes widened in shock. "He killed you repeatedly?"

Alicarde's voice took on a steely resolve, his gaze cold and unwavering. "I was lost in my own mental landscape, consumed by fear, in the end, I came to a decision. I could either fight for something or die for nothing."

Elizalina leaned in closer, her concern evident. "And what did you decide?"

Alicarde took a deep breath, his tone filled with newfound certainty. "I decided what I wanted to fight for. I realized who I truly am. Ali Asad is dead. I am Alicarde, and I am Eternal. My true name has restored my mind, and now I know my purpose."

He leaned back, his expression cold and indifferent. "I'm going home. I'll take a bath, get some sleep, and when I wake up, I'm going to bathe this city in blood."