Marcus/Rocco
Morning came quicker than I would've liked. My body
still felt sore from Nysera's illusion, but at least it was my body this time.
Reality hurt and somehow, that was comforting. I sat
on the edge of the bed, rolling one shoulder before reaching for the bracelet
around my wrist.
It pulsed faintly beneath my fingers. "Morning,
Rocky." I smiled without looking up.
"Morning, Val."
"You look less terrible."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"Close enough," he chuckled quietly.
By the time I stepped downstairs, everyone else was
already awake. Darren sat behind three laptops.
Apparently destroying one yesterday had convinced him
he needed backups. Livia placed a mug beside him.
"You've been staring at those screens for hours."
Darren didn't look up, "I've blinked, that's
progress." Which caused her to sigh.
Noah wandered into the room carrying enough food to
feed an entire football team. "You know…" he bit into a sandwich. "I miss
fighting demons that just punched us."
Callie looked up from tightening the grip of her whip.
"You miss getting punched?"
"No." another bite. "I miss understanding why I was
getting punched." Riley snorted.
"I can't believe that actually makes sense."
"I always make sense." Callie shook her head.
"Rarely." I couldn't help laughing. Which made them
look at me. "What?"
"It's nice to not see you brood for once." Noah
responded. "I mean dude, you've smiled." He held two fingers barely apart.
"This much."
Callie and Riley nodded. "He's got a point."
I looked between and muttered. "I hate every single
one of you."
"We know."
Seraphina finishing securing the straps around her
sword. "We leave in ten minutes."
Everyone nodded. Business returned immediately.
Weapons were checked. Communicators tested. No one
wanted another surprise like Nysera. Darren finally stood.
"I've narrowed the routes." A holographic map showed
in his laptops. Three crimson markers. Each one blinking steadily.
"The western signature is closest." He zoomed in. "The
other two hadn't moved much since yesterday."
Noah frowned. "Are they… waiting?"
"I don't know." Darren rubbed his eyes. "But if all
three begin moving at once…" he didn't need to finish.
Callie folded her arms. "We hit the closest one."
Seraphina nodded. "Before they can regroup." I looked
around the room. Everyone already knew. This wasn't a discussion. It was the
only option.
"Then let's move."
The drive was quiet. With every one preparing in their
own way. Noah bounced one tonfa against his knee. Riley watched the streets
passing outside.
About thirty minutes later, something changed. I heard
it first. A dull boom. Followed by another.
Noah frowned. "You guys hear that?" another explosion echoed across the city then
gunfire. Lots of it.
Darren's head snapped upward. "That's new."
"It wasn't there five minutes ago." My stomach
tightened.
"Let's pick up the pace." The car accelerated. Smoke
rose above the buildings ahead. The closer we got, the louder it became.
Explosions. Metal twisting. People shouting orders.
The vehicle rounded one final corner-
Everyone was silent. "No way…" the words escaped Noah
before anyone else could speak.
The entire district, was a battlefield.
Demons flooded the streets in every direction.
Hundreds of lesser demons poured from an enormous Tear suspended.
Its violet surface churned violently, spewing more
creatures onto the streets every few seconds. vehicles burned beside overturned
buses.
Some civilians were still being rushed toward
evacuation trucks. Others were trapped. The smell of smoke and blood hit us the
moment the doors opened.
Riley stared, horrified. "How did this happen
overnight?" Darren's fingers flew across his keyboard.
"It couldn't have." His voice cracked. "My scans,
there weren't this many."
Noah slowly spun one tonfa into his hand. "I guess we
have to work overtime."
I was already reaching for my swords. Then, I stopped.
Something wasn't right. The demons weren't acting like demons.
They seemed more controlled and composed than any
demons we had encountered.
Valen stepped beside me. "They are organized." Another
building collapsed somewhere ahead. Yet their formations never broke. Every
demon adjusted its position without hesitation.
Darren's breathing became audible through the
communicator. "Marcus…"
"I know."
"No." his voice had gone quiet. "I don't think you
do."
Suddenly every single demon stopped. At the exact same
time. The roaring ceased. Everywhere fell silent.
Eventually, they all turned toward the same street.
Without a single command. A path opened through the endless sea of demons.
Footsteps echoed through the silence. Slow, measured
and confident.
A lone figure emerged from between the endless ranks
of demons. Tall. Broad shoulders beneath a dark military-style coat.
His black gloves looked immaculate despite the war
surrounding him. At his waist, rested a single sword.
The first demon I've seen with a weapon…
His short ash-grey hair stirred lightly in the wind as
cold crimson eyes swept across the battlefield.
His gaze lingered on burning vehicles before shifting
them to me.
"So," his voice carried effortlessly across the silent
street. "You're the one…" a brief pause. "Who carries his blood."
The words landed like a stone in my stomach. No one
spoke or moved. His gaze remained fixed on me.
"And killed the others. I wondered what kind of person
could accomplish both."
His hand rested lightly on the hilt of the sword at
his waist. "I have my answer."
"My name…" he inclined his head just enough to
acknowledge us. "Is Malachar."