Chapter 38: Alicarde’s Choice

Alicarde watched as he stepped into a scene straight out of a nightmare. The large production chamber was a grotesque display of death and despair, with the smell of misery heavy in the air. Fear gripped him, but he knew he couldn't turn back.

The heavy machinery loomed like silent sentinels, their surfaces coated in dried blood and chunks of flesh.

The sheer scale of the horror around him made his stomach churn, but he swallowed the bile rising in his throat. Lily was trembling beside him, her unease growing stronger by the minute.

The floor was a grotesque carpet of human remains—dismembered bodies, shattered bones, and thick pools of coagulated blood. The stench of decay was almost unbearable.

Bodies lay scattered across the room—men, women, even children. Some had been partially devoured, while others had been twisted into grotesque, half-transformed monsters. The walls were smeared with dark, dried blood, and the sickening metallic scent filled the air.

It was almost too much for him to bear, but Alicarde steeled his nerves. He couldn't falter now.

Dozens of creatures roamed the chamber, their grotesque forms illuminated by the faint light streaming through the large glass windows high above.

They were a mix of once-humans, now twisted and deformed, and fully inhuman beasts with long claws, rows of jagged teeth, and eyes glowing with a sinister light.

They prowled the room, toying with whatever humans had the misfortune to survive.

"Lily, you need to hide here," Alicarde whispered urgently, guiding her toward a small space beneath one of the machines.

"Stay quiet and don't come out until I come back."

Lily nodded, eyes wide with terror, and crawled into the hiding spot. Alicarde stood up, sword in hand, and prepared to move forward.

"Which one is your mom?" he asked.

Lily's voice was shaky as she pointed at a pregnant woman, her long auburn hair matted, and her clothes torn.

The woman's face was a mask of exhaustion and despair, her swollen belly a  reminder of the life she still carried.

Alicarde nodded. 'I can't leave her like this.'

"Okay, stay here. I'll get them out." He had no real plan—just a desperate drive to try.

He moved stealthily, keeping to the shadows. The people trapped inside the chamber began to notice him, their voices low but filled with both hope and fear.

"Who is that?"

"Is he going to help us?"

"Oh God, please let him save us."

"Help us… please, somebody…"

"Where's my child? Have you seen my baby?"

Alicarde raised his index finger to his lips, gesturing for silence, but it was too late. Their whispers had drawn the creatures' attention.

The monsters' eyes snapped towards the humans, their ears twitching as they searched for the intruder. The first one spotted him, its glowing eyes narrowing with malice before it lunged, claws extended.

The creature, used to helpless prey, underestimated him. Alicarde sidestepped the attack and swiftly sliced its arm off. With a quick decapitation, the beast fell to the ground, blood pooling beneath its limp body.

The others turned to him, growling, and began to swarm. The sight of so many closing in at once was terrifying, but Alicarde held his sword tight, his breath steady.

He swung his sword downward, cleaving through the first creature with ease, then charged into the horde with superhuman strength. His body enhancement magic surged through his limbs as he rammed into them.

A series of rapid stabs followed—his sword acting like a rapier, leaving thin, precise holes in the chest of one of the beasts. He rolled swiftly across the blood-soaked floor, dodging lethal strikes with the graceful techniques he'd picked up from Argint.

He leapt onto one of their heads, driving his sword deep into its skull before launching into a backflip, narrowly avoiding the slashing claws of another.

Despite his agility, the sheer number of enemies began to overwhelm him. His clothes were torn, and shallow gashes appeared across his body, but his wounds healed rapidly. Still, they were too many.

Backing away to catch his breath, Alicarde watched the creatures regroup, their eyes glowing with a sinister intelligence.

'They're learning… adapting.'

He moved forward again, slicing through another creature, his sword carving a bloody path. His movements were a deadly blend of Carrisa's precision and Argint's raw speed and power, though he lacked the finesse to fully utilize their techniques. Still, he fought on.

"He's fighting them!"

"Please, save us!"

"Dear God, we're going to die!"

Despite his efforts, the monsters were relentless. As he fought, they began to coordinate, attacking in unison and forcing him on the defensive.

Then, they changed tactics, targeting the remaining humans.

"Nooo! Stay away from them, you bastards!" Alicarde shouted, his heart pounding in his chest.

One of the creatures charged toward Lily's mother, while another lunged at Anne, who lay unconscious on the ground. His eyes darted between them—he could only save one.

"Damn it!" he roared, choosing Anne.

He charged, driving his sword into the creature mid-lunge and pulling Anne into his arms. A piercing scream echoed through the chamber.

Lily's mother was dead. Her severed head hit the floor with a sickening thud, landing at her daughter's feet. The girl's scream was pure agony.

The factory fell silent as all the creatures turned toward Lily. Alicarde's heart sank as he clutched Anne tightly, his mind clouding in despair. The lifeless expression on Lily's face ate away at him.

He held on to Anne and leaped up, soaring a few meters into the air. The vile wind rushed past him, and time seemed to slow as he looked down at the massive beast responsible for the carnage.

His muscles tensed as they dropped, and he brought his sword down with all his strength. The impact was catastrophic. The ground beneath the monster cracked and buckled, shattering under their combined weight and force, exposing the dark, swirling sea below.

Waves crashed against the rocks, the sound muffled by the chaos surrounding them.

The creatures continued their bloodlust, tearing through the helpless humans. Their screams filled the air, but Alicarde's focus was only on one person—Lily.

Her hollow, lifeless stare made his chest tighten in guilt. He moved before another creature could reach her, his body a blur of motion. Grabbing her by the waist, he hoisted her onto his back with one arm, while still cradling Anne protectively in the other.

His hands trembled as they clutched his sword. Fear clawed at his mind, but he bit down hard on his lip, focusing on the task at hand. Sweat ran down his brow, mixing with the blood that smeared his face.

He found himself back at the spot where her mother had died, the same place where he had first felt the weight of his own powerlessness.

'Damn it,' he cursed silently. The hollow tears in Lily's eyes made him feel even smaller. Her sorrow was like a physical weight on his shoulders. Regrets flooded his mind—he should have been stronger, faster.

Gently placing Anne and Lily by the edge of the hole, the sea now roaring just below them, he stood tall. The weight of their lives now rested squarely on his shoulders. His eyes were locked on the creatures, especially one—the largest and clearly the leader. Which had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

It stepped forward, towering over the others. Its eyes glinted with a cruel intelligence, and a jagged scar ran from its brow down to its cheek. Rows of sharp, jagged teeth were revealed as it grinned, a sickening sight that made Alicarde's stomach churn.

"You're a brave one," it hissed, its voice dripping with venom. "But bravery won't save you here, boy."

Alicarde's heart pounded, but he wasn't surprised the creature could talk. Something this monstrous must have been leading them. Carrisa had taught him about creatures like this. He didn't respond, just tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, bracing himself for what was coming.

The creature moved with unnatural speed, faster than Alicarde had anticipated. Its claws lashed out, barely giving him time to block. The first strike he managed to deflect, but the second caught him across the chest. Pain exploded through him as its claws tore into his flesh.

The creature laughed, its voice a chilling, guttural sound that echoed off the walls.

"You're no match for me," it sneered. "Just another meal."

Alicarde grit his teeth, staggering back but refusing to fall. He couldn't. Not now. Not here. With a fierce shout, he lunged at the creature, their weapons clashing in a deadly dance of black steel and white claws.

But the beast was faster. Stronger. It blasted him with a ball of magical energy, and Alicarde's body was hurled back like a ragdoll, slamming hard into the ground beside Anne and Lily.

His skin sizzled, his chest charred and smoking. He coughed, blood spewing from his lips.

'I did my best,' he thought. 'But it wasn't enough.'

The creature stalked toward him, each step filled with sinister intent. Alicarde struggled to push himself up, his arms shaking, but his body was betraying him. His vision swam with darkness.

Despair gripped his heart as the reality of his failure set in. He couldn't die—but Anne and Lily, they would.

The creature stood over him, claws glinting in the dim light

. "You fought well," it mocked, its voice dripping with false admiration. "But this is where it ends for you."

Alicarde forced himself to stand, raising his sword again, but the creature casually stopped the blade with one finger.

"I was certain my last attack should've finished you. But it seems we have an undying in our midst," it sneered, stabbing Alicarde with its claws.

The pain was excruciating. Alicarde gasped, blood bubbling from his mouth as the creature lifted him up like a broken doll.

"A human undying. How quaint," it mused, throwing him back to the ground like a piece of trash. "Carrisa Evernight wasted her one chance at creating an undying on you. What a joke."

Alicarde struggled to stand once more, but the creature was relentless. It kicked him back down with ease, sending waves of agony through his body.

His bones felt like they were made of glass, cracking with each impact. His ribs shattered, shards piercing his heart. He felt utterly broken. Weak. Helpless.

Fireballs struck his chest, knocking him to his knees.

'I tried. I really did.' His mind raced with desperation. 'Why isn't it enough? I'm scared. I don't want Anne to die. I can't save Lily. I'm so useless…'

He stared down at the sea below, dark and menacing. He was quite literally between the devil and the deep blue sea.

But Alicarde wasn't ready to give up. Not yet. His mind scrambled for a plan—anything that might save them. With a final burst of desperation, he hurled his sword at the creature, buying himself a few precious seconds.

He grabbed Anne and Lily, hoisting them up, and without hesitation, he leaped into the dark, churning waters below. The icy sea swallowed them whole, their fate unknown.