Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 33 Eve Of The Convocation

The ability known as Fear was a supernatural power that radiated an aura of terror, affecting all those within its range or focusing on specific victims.

Though commonly associated with supernatural creatures, humans with considerable power could also wield it.

The effect of Fear was not unlike a tiger's roar, which could paralyze its prey, stopping them dead in their tracks, rendering them helpless. The ability to invoke such terror heightened significantly with supernatural beings.

In various cultures, when a human encountered a supernatural entity, they might experience a terror so profound it resembled sleep paralysis—a sensation where the victim is fully aware but utterly incapable of moving or escaping.

When the power of Fear reached its zenith, it could even shatter the minds of its victims, driving them to insanity or worse. Alicarde was using this ability on mere humans, but he was holding back, only applying just enough to intimidate them.

Yet even this restrained use sent a wave of horror through their mundane hearts, seizing their minds and locking them in a state of sheer panic.

From the humans' perspective, Alicarde transformed into a creature born from their darkest nightmares. They couldn't move, they couldn't breathe—all they could do was stand there, paralyzed by an overwhelming dread. The sensation was eerily similar to sleep paralysis, their minds screamed for them to flee, but their bodies refused to obey, trapped in a vice of fear.

Alicarde lowered his gaze, and as if a spell had been broken, the fear that gripped them dissipated. They collapsed to their knees, their faces etched with confusion and lingering terror.

Alicarde glared at them, his expression cold and unforgiving. Behind him, Elizalina smiled faintly, her eyes glowing with a subtle red hue that he did not notice. He turned around and gently took her hand.

"Elly, are you okay?" His voice was laced with concern, his eyes scanning her for any sign of harm. The very thought that these men could have hurt her, even slightly, filled him with a protective fury that he struggled to contain.

Elizalina nodded, though her eyes were filled with remorse.

"Yes, I am fine... I... I am so sorry, this was kind of my fault." She looked down, her voice trembling slightly.

Alicarde placed his hand under her chin, lifting her face so she could meet his eyes.

"It's not your fault, Elly. These guys were just jerks." His tone was gentle, yet firm, as he tried to console her.

Elizalina forced a smile, though her sadness was still evident.

"Yeah, guess you're right. I shouldn't have paid them any mind. I was just so angry when they said mean things about you." Her voice, usually so refined and poised, had softened into something more vulnerable.

Alicarde smiled back. He had noticed that Elizalina sometimes adopted his way of speaking, dropping her usual formal tone for something more casual, more like him. It made him feel closer to her, as if they were influencing each other in subtle, yet meaningful ways.

He let go of her hand and clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"If they ever bother you again, I'll give them a beatdown. So you don't have to worry about me—I can hold my own against jerks like these." He flexed his muscles, trying to lighten the mood.

As he turned his gaze back to the men still trembling on the ground, Alicarde couldn't help but marvel at the effectiveness of Fear on humans.

It was almost too easy. He quickly pulled Elizalina away, worried that she might notice something unsettling about them. As they walked away, she cast a seductive smile back at the men, her innocent demeanor completely vanished, but Alicarde was too preoccupied to notice.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with Anne occasionally appearing in the background. Poor Anne was overwhelmed with work, preparing for the convocation day that was fast approaching.

Alicarde tried to protest, but his voice came out muffled as he found himself buried in her ample chest. It felt as though she was going to suffocate him.

In his mind, he could only think, 'When I said I wanted to be suffocated with them, this was not what I meant.'

Argint was oblivious to his thoughts. She finished her ritual and let him go, her thin, skimpy clothes not helping his situation. Alicarde, after all, was a hot-blooded young man.

'We really need to start setting boundaries here,' he mused as he followed her into the mansion.

Despite this, his mood remained buoyant. He found Carrisa and Amena together on the fourth-floor balcony.

"What is the occasion, Alicarde? You seem unusually pleased today." Carrisa's voice was smooth and measured, her expression one of curiosity.

Alicarde was baffled—he had stopped grinning ages ago, so how did she know? He wasn't about to tell her that he had been grinning like an idiot because of a mere kiss on the cheek.

"Nah, nothing. It's no big deal," Alicarde replied dismissively, trying to play it cool.

She didn't believe him. She made her own conjectures.

"I suspect the forthcoming convocation ceremony stirs more excitement in you than you are willing to admit. It is, after all, tomorrow."

Alicarde wasn't surprised that she knew. This was Carrisa, after all. He had no idea how long her arms actually were or how far they reached.

'But if she's going to make her own guess, there's no need to embarrass myself by correcting her,' he contemplated.

"So what about it?" Alicarde answered cool-headedly.

She smiled at his words. "You may indulge in whatever you wish, save for fornication with strange women. Infidelity is something I find intolerable," she remarked, sipping her tea. "Of course, should your potential mistress possess the fortitude to engage me in a battle to the death, I may reconsider."

Alicarde was a bit taken aback. He sighed, giving her a tired stare.

"I'm not your husband, and you aren't Hera. Most importantly, we aren't dating; we just live together. But I do admit that was a nice attempt at being humorous. I kinda like dark humor."

She sighed, placing her teacup down gently. "I suppose we shall see in time. I have little patience for worthless people encroaching upon what is mine."

Her voice was reminiscent of a winter that would never end. He turned to Amena.

"She's kidding, right?" he asked Amena.

The doll-like maid ignored him. He turned to Argint, who was doing push-ups on the far end of the balcony.

"You heard her, right? She's joking, right?" he asked Argint.

"Guess you'll have to fuck around and find out, won't you?" Her reply was not reassuring.

In the end, he chalked it up to them pulling his leg. Tomorrow was his convocation day, he hated large crowds. He really wished he didn't have to go, but he had promised Anne they would spend the day together. If he missed it, she would end him, immortality be damned.