After the intense planning session, Adam, Max, and Alex made their way to the VIP dorms, where Lucas's room was located. The large, stylish room had a modern feel with sleek furniture and a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. It was a far cry from the dorms Adam and Max were used to, but Lucas's taste for luxury was evident in every corner.
Adam knocked on the door before stepping inside. He wasn't sure how everyone would react to what Alex had shared, but it was time to face the truth.
Shawn and Tyler were already there, lounging in comfortable chairs. Elizabeth, however, stood by the window, staring out at the cityscape as if lost in thought.
"Everyone's here," Shawn said with a smirk. "Took you guys long enough. You ready to get down to business?"
Adam's voice was serious as he replied, "Yeah, but we need to talk first. Alex has some things to share. Things none of us will like, but we all need to know."
Tyler raised an eyebrow. "I'm all ears, but you've got my attention now, Alex."
Alex stood silently for a moment, feeling the weight of the moment. He glanced at each of them, the tension in the air palpable. Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with a quiet urgency.
"I didn't just come here to escape that place," Alex began, his words slow and deliberate. "I came here because my past… it's going to catch up with me. And when it does, it won't just be me they're after."
Shawn's expression darkened. "What do you mean? You said they might be after you, but why would they come for us?"
Alex's eyes dropped, his voice lower now. "Because I'm not the only one with power. Anyone close to me—the people I care about—they'll target you too. And these aren't just any group of people. The military… they've been hunting us for years, turning us into weapons. I've seen it firsthand. If they think you're a threat, they won't hesitate."
Elizabeth, who had been quiet until then, stepped forward with a determined expression. "We're a team. We've faced worse before, and we'll face this together. If these people think they can tear us apart, they've got another thing coming."
Max clenched his fists, a fire igniting in his eyes. "We've survived worse. Let them come."
Adam looked to each of his friends. "We need to be ready for anything. Max, Shawn, Tyler—are you all prepared to handle this? If they figure out where we are, we could all be in danger."
Tyler cracked his knuckles with a grin. "I didn't get this far to back down. If they want a fight, they'll get one."
"Same here," Shawn added, a cocky smirk returning to his face. "I've never been one to run from a challenge."
Lucas, who had been silently observing the conversation from his spot at the desk, finally spoke. His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable weight to it. "If they come after you, they'll have to go through me first. This room is equipped to handle anything they throw at us, and if things go south, we've got escape routes ready."
"Thanks, Lucas," Adam said, feeling a surge of relief. "We'll need every advantage we can get."
Alex looked around the room at the faces of the people who had chosen to stay by his side. His heart swelled with a mix of gratitude and guilt. They didn't deserve to be dragged into his mess, but here they were, standing strong.
"Alright, let's make our plan," Adam said, pushing his emotions aside. "First things first: we need to secure the area. I'll handle the defenses, but we'll need eyes everywhere."
Max stood up, nodding. "I'll take care of mapping out the campus. I know the place better than anyone."
Shawn grinned. "And I'll handle any… unexpected guests. Let's hope they're not too friendly."
"Right," Tyler said, his eyes scanning the room for vulnerabilities. "We'll need to stay in constant contact. No one goes off on their own."
Elizabeth, ever the level-headed one, added, "We also need to gather more intel. We don't know everything about these military people, and we need to understand their tactics if we're going to be ready."
"Exactly," Adam agreed, his tone firm. "We stay sharp, and we'll get through this. We're a team, and we'll do whatever it takes to keep each other safe."
Alex nodded, his voice steady. "Thanks, everyone. I'll make sure I'm not a liability. If I'm going to survive this, it's with all of you."
The weight of the situation hung in the air, but there was also a shared resolve between them. It was clear that the storm was coming, but they would face it together, no matter what.
"That being said we all need to get stronger so that we don't die when we have to fight any demons," Alex said "Oh also Max you're a rare demon subclass and also an illegal so if they come and find you they will kill you"
The room grew silent for a moment after Alex's words, the weight of his revelation settling over them all. Max's expression shifted from confusion to concern as he processed what Alex had said.
"Wait," Max said, his voice tense. "I'm illegal? Because of my subclass?"
Alex nodded grimly. "Yeah. Only leaders can create other demons. And Adam's not a leader. So your ability, the fact that you can make other demons—it's forbidden. It's a violation of the rules that the demon factions follow. If they find out what you can do, they'll consider you a major threat, and they'll come for you. You won't just be hunted by the military; it'll be the demons themselves after you."
Max's eyes widened, his mind racing as the reality of what Alex was saying began to sink in. "So... because I can create demons, I'm a target for them? Just like that?"
"Exactly," Alex said. "The demon factions have laws in place to maintain their power structure. If a non-leader demon has the ability to create others, it disrupts their entire system. And they'll stop at nothing to eliminate that kind of threat. They'll see you as a danger to their hierarchy, and they'll come after you with everything they've got."
Max felt a chill run through him. He'd always known his abilities were different, but he hadn't realized how dangerous they made him. Not just to the world he had grown up in, but to the very beings he had once thought of as allies. He wasn't just an outcast. He was a walking target.
Adam stepped forward, placing a hand on Max's shoulder. "Max, we're not going to let them come after you. We'll find a way to protect you. You don't have to face this alone."
Max took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "But how? I don't even know how to control what I can do. I'm just trying to survive, not stir up more trouble."
Lucas, who had been quiet up until this point, leaned forward from behind his desk. "If they come after you, they'll have to go through me first. This room is fortified, and I've got the resources to keep us hidden. But you need to be ready, Max. The demons don't care about intentions—they only care about power and control. And if they think you're a threat, they'll make you pay for it."
"Great," Max muttered, frustration seeping into his voice. "So, what now? How do we even begin to deal with this?"
Shawn stood up, cracking his neck with a determined grin. "We train. We learn how to fight. We make sure we're ready for whatever those demons throw at us. We don't let them take anyone down."
Tyler, never one to back down from a challenge, added, "Exactly. We've got your back, Max. We'll figure this out. Together."
Elizabeth, always the calm voice of reason, nodded. "We'll need to gather information about the factions, their laws, and how they operate. We can't let ourselves be blindsided. And we need to make sure we're all stronger, especially you, Max. We don't know how far they'll go to track you down."
Max's heart pounded in his chest as he looked around at his friends. They weren't just offering support—they were offering a plan, a way forward. No matter how dark the road ahead seemed, he wasn't facing it alone.
"I'm in," Max said, his voice steady now. "I'll fight. I'll learn to control this power, and I'll make sure they don't get to me, or any of us."
Alex gave a small smile, his tone serious but encouraging. "Good. We'll all need to be at our best. The demons won't be easy to deal with, but together, we've got a chance."
The room was filled with a sense of unity, the weight of their shared resolve grounding them in that moment. They were more than just a group of individuals with powerful abilities. They were a team—and together, they would stand against the forces that threatened to tear them apart. Whatever came their way, they would face it head-on.
In the dimly lit study of a grand mansion, the scent of ancient parchment and candle wax filled the air. Heavy tapestries adorned the stone walls, depicting battles fought long ago, and the room was furnished with dark wood that gleamed with age. At the far end of the room stood a large wooden desk, behind which sat a figure whose very presence radiated authority.
Alex's father, Razeer, was a towering figure, his features sharp and commanding. His demon heritage was unmistakable, with eyes that gleamed like molten gold and a dark aura that seemed to pulse around him. As the leader of one of the most powerful demon families, his power was unquestionable—and his will, unchallenged.
He sat, his hands clasped in front of him, staring at the two knights kneeling before him. Their armor glinted in the flickering candlelight, and they bowed their heads in respect. Razeer's gaze never wavered from the pair.
"You know why you're here," Razeer's voice was deep, low, and cold, like a glacier cracking beneath a winter storm.
The first knight, Reginald, a tall figure with a scar running down his left cheek, nodded. "Yes, my lord. We are here to receive our orders regarding the young master."
Razeer's lips curled into a slight, cruel smile. "The time has come for my son to answer for his actions." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Alex has broken the sacred laws of our kind. The rules are clear—only those of the highest bloodlines can create new demons. His ability to do so is an affront to everything we have worked to build."
The second knight, Preston, a younger man with sharp, calculating eyes, hesitated before speaking. "But, my lord... Alex is your son. Shouldn't we... handle this with discretion?"
Razeer's golden eyes flashed dangerously, the temperature in the room dropping. "Discretion? My son has defied me. He is no longer a part of my legacy. He is a threat to the very foundation of our rule, and he will be treated as such. His actions could unravel everything we've built over the centuries."
Reginald bowed his head. "We understand, my lord. What do you wish us to do?"
Razeer leaned forward, his voice icy but filled with a quiet, terrifying resolve. "I want you to find Alex. I want you to bring him to me—alive, if possible. But if not… make sure there are no traces left of him. He is an abomination in the eyes of the demon world, and it is time we erased that mistake."
Preston flinched slightly but quickly nodded. "It will be done, my lord. We will not fail you."
Razeer waved his hand, dismissing them. "See that you don't. Do not underestimate him—he is my son, after all, and I am certain he has learned how to survive. But you know what must be done."
The knights exchanged a brief glance before nodding in unison. "Understood, my lord."
As they exited, Razeer stood from his chair and walked to the window, gazing out at the city below. His thoughts were dark, filled with the knowledge that he had set a dangerous plan in motion. His son was not just a disappointment—he was an obstacle. And obstacles, in Razeer's world, had only one fate.
He would find Alex. And when he did, the consequences would be far more than the boy could ever imagine.