Eternal Undying Chronicles

Alicarde and Malefica stepped into the precinct, the contrast between its outdated exterior and the modern interior striking.

The front desk was sleek, made of polished metal and glass, while several comfortable reception chairs lined the waiting area.

Police officers moved briskly, their uniforms crisp, and civilians sat anxiously, filling out forms or waiting for assistance. The lighting was bright, almost clinical, and the soft drone of conversation filled the air.

Despite his ominous appearance in the dark Reaper's vestments, Alicarde didn't attract as much attention as one might expect.

The officers around him seemed to instinctively straighten their backs as he passed, a few offering respectful nods, which Alicarde returned with a curt dip of his head.

The fabric of his hood cast deep shadows over his face, but his sharp eyes missed nothing as they scanned the room.

Turning to Malefica, he smiled beneath his hood. She appeared indifferent, her expression calm despite the complex feelings simmering beneath the surface.

This was basic magic to her, and the fact that she had to struggle to maintain even this much was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet, she knew her curse was a necessary evil, something she had borne for a thousand years. Alicarde's crude words couldn't shake her resolve now.

"Ma'am, ma'am!" a young officer called out as he jogged toward them, slightly out of breath.

He came to a stop before them, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Detective West, ma'am, it's about the missing people case. Our analysts are suspecting it might tie in with the Reaper somehow," he said, glancing at Alicarde with a mix of respect and curiosity.

'Did he just call me ma'am?' Alicarde thought, but he kept his expression neutral, looking to Malefica for guidance.

He heard her voice in his mind, a result of the telepathic link she had established through the mark she placed on him.

"It seems you look like a female detective. Play along," Malefica instructed.

"I see. Carry on," Alicarde replied, his voice measured and vague, trying to fit the role.

"Yes, ma'am," the young officer continued, his tone earnest.

"We're trying to get permission to continue as you ordered, but the top brass won't let us touch anything. I get staying away from the Reaper case—it's in military jurisdiction—but the missing people all over the city, that's ours!"

Alicarde nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Take this to my desk. For now, I'll be heading to the server room."

"The server room? Why, ma'am?" the young officer asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Realizing he might have slipped up, Alicarde quickly adapted. "That's my business. Hmm, why don't you come with me? You can fill me in on the details on our way there."

The young officer smiled, visibly relieved, and gave a sharp salute. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Why are you bringing him?" Malefica's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with suspicion.

"Because he knows the way and we don't. Police information wasn't in the databank, at least not all of it," Alicarde replied telepathically.

Malefica nodded subtly, her eyes betraying no emotion.

As they walked, the young officer eagerly led the way, filling the silence with information.

"You know, ma'am, it's strange. No one's talking about the missing people in the press. We've had reports from all over the city, but it's like the media's been gagged."

Alicarde, still keeping up his role, offered noncommittal responses. "Interesting. We'll need to dig deeper into that."

The officer continued, unaware of who he was truly speaking to.

"And it's not just that. I've been thinking... Why hasn't the top brass allowed us to investigate? It feels like they're hiding something. Maybe something bigger is going on, something they don't want us to uncover."

"Possibly," Alicarde replied, his tone giving nothing away. "But we'll only know more once we get to the server room."

"Yes, ma'am," the young officer said, nodding fervently as they turned a corner. "The missing people, the Reaper case—everything feels connected somehow. But the pieces aren't fitting together, you know?"

Alicarde gave him a sideways glance, still playing the part.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Naturally. I suspect top brass knows something but won't let us in. You should look into Councilman Garrett's activities."

"Garrett? Why him, ma'am?" the young officer asked.

Alicarde smiled, hinting at something, so he decided to make it clearer.

"I suspect he might tie into the missing people case. He's too shady."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll look into it. I know he has a lavish mansion somewhere in District Seven," the young officer responded, his excitement palpable.

"Good. I expect great things from you," Alicarde said, his voice carrying a weight that only further motivated the young officer.

Malefica watched the entire interaction, trying her best not to roll her eyes.

The young officer beamed at the subtle praise, clearly pleased that his detective was taking his concerns seriously. As they approached the server room, Alicarde and Malefica exchanged a quick look, knowing the real work was just about to begin.

They arrived at a door that required a biometric scan for access. The young officer hesitated, stepping back as if to indicate his lack of clearance. Alicarde, however, was ready for this.

Without hesitation, he slipped a small flash drive from his palm as he approached the scanner. With a faint beep, the door unlocked with a soft click and swung open effortlessly.

The server room wasn't large but filled with softly humming machines, their lights blinking rhythmically. Alicarde's eyes gleamed beneath his hood as he surveyed the minimal security. He turned to the young officer who had followed them inside. With a subtle raise of his hand, Alicarde activated [Flux Field], manipulating gravity itself.

The officer's body was violently pulled to the floor with a sickening thud. Before he could recover, Alicarde slammed him down again, harder this time, bones cracking audibly under the pressure.

"Stop that! He's already out cold," Malefica snapped, her eyes narrowing as she glared at him.

Alicarde winced at her reprimand. "Right, sorry, my bad," he muttered, releasing his control over the now-limp officer.

"You almost killed him, have you heard of something called holding back?" Malefica shot him a scathing look. "You should try that sometimes."

"Yeah, I hear you," Alicarde mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Turning his attention to the machines, he pulled out the flash drive again. Instead of inserting it into the port, he placed it against the side of a machine, where it magnetized instantly. A green bar lit up as the device began uploading its payload.

While the flash drive did its work, Malefica knelt beside the unconscious officer, pulling out a vial of shimmering liquid from her dress. She forced the vial's contents down his throat, healing his broken bones and bruises. All the while, she threw sharp looks at Alicarde, clearly unimpressed by his recklessness.

Meanwhile, at the precinct's entrance, a woman dressed in a sharp black suit strode in. Her blonde hair was tied back in a bun, though a few loose strands framed her face. Dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion, but her cold expression and the gun holstered under her arm exuded authority.

"Detective West... ma'am, what... didn't you just come through here earlier?" a nearby officer asked, confused.

"Yeah, I saw you head toward the server room," another added, looking perplexed.

"Is something wrong, ma'am? You didn't say anything when you came in earlier," a third officer chimed in.

Detective West frowned, her brow furrowing. "I just arrived," she replied curtly, her tone brooking no argument.

Her instincts screamed at her that something was off. Never one to ignore her gut, she marched to the reception desk. Without warning, she shoved the junior officer aside and began typing furiously into the system, pulling up the CCTV footage.

Her eyes narrowed as the footage showed a cloaked figure resembling a Grim Reaper and a red-haired woman walking with a rookie officer toward the server room. The detective's pulse quickened. She didn't hesitate. Spinning on her heel, she bolted toward the server room, her hand instinctively reaching for her gun.

"Detective West, what's going on?" one of the officers asked, following her lead.

"No time. Get everyone moving, and secure the building!" West barked, not breaking stride.

A few officers quickly fell in behind her, while others scrambled to clear the area, ushering civilians out of the precinct. The tension thickened as they neared the server room. The officers gripped their weapons tightly, anticipating whatever lay behind that door.

Just as Alicarde and Malefica exited the room, they found themselves face-to-face with Detective West. Her gun was trained on them, her cold eyes calculating the situation. She wasn't alone either—several officers flanked her, spreading out to form a defensive line, their faces tight with fear.

"What the hell is that? The Reaper?" one officer muttered under his breath.

"Are we really going to fight this thing? I heard it took on a squad of soldiers," another officer added nervously.

"I don't think we stand a chance," a third officer said, his hands trembling.

"Get a grip, all of you!" West barked, her voice sharp. "We do this by the book!"

Alicarde's violet eyes glowed ominously beneath his hood as he stepped forward. His voice dripped with menace as he addressed the officers. "Mortals, stay your hand."

Jessica didn't waver. "Where is the rookie that came with you?" she demanded, her voice cold as she kept her aim steady.

"No harm has come to him. Fear not," Alicarde replied, his tone laced with dark confidence.

Jessica allowed herself a momentary sigh of relief but kept her weapon raised.

"What are you doing, talking like that?" Malefica's voice echoed in Alicarde's mind, irritated.

"Like what?" Alicarde replied telepathically, amused.

"Forget it."

Jessica's voice cut through their exchange. "Hands in the air, you're under arrest."

Alicarde chuckled darkly. "You think you can apprehend the harbinger of death?"

Malefica nearly rolled her eyes. 'What are you doing?' she said telepathically. 'Seriously?'

"What's her name?" Alicarde asked Malefica telepathically, ignoring the officers.

"Jessica West. She's a detective," Malefica replied, her tone flat.

Alicarde stepped forward. "Jessica West... you are known to us. The living do not escape the gaze of death."

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, right. Why don't you tell me the name of the rookie you just knocked out? Maybe then I'll believe you."

Alicarde felt a flicker of panic. "I think she is sharper than she looks. Uh, Malefica, a little help here?"

"You think?" she replied, exasperated.

"Are you going to help or just criticize?"

"His name is Timothy Waters," she informed telepathically.

Alicarde straightened. "I have no obligation to tell you anything. You are all known to us. Timothy Waters is unharmed."

Malefica couldn't resist internally shaking her head. 'You just gave it away.'

"Enough theatrics," Malefica said telepathically, her patience thinning. "We have work to do."

Alicarde sighed. "Mortals... heed this warning, the guilty will know agony."

With a swift motion, Alicarde raised his hand, and the wall next to them buckled under the force of [Flux Field]. The structure crumbled, sending debris flying and engulfing the hallway in a thick cloud of dust.

Before the officers could react, Alicarde summoned Wrath, the bicorn materializing from the shadows. He mounted the beast, pulling Malefica up with him, and in a ripple of distorted space, they vanished, teleporting away as the world shimmered around them.

Jessica coughed, waving the dust from her face. The officers around her were shaken but unharmed. "Damn it!" she growled. "We need backup now!"

One of the officers looked at her in confusion. "Ma'am, did they just—?"

"Shut up!" Jessica snapped, frustration boiling over. "Find out what the hell is going on!"

"What the hell is going on in this city?" Jessica muttered, her mind racing as she tried to piece together the puzzle forming in front of her.