The air in the preparation room thickened, charged with an ominous energy that sent a shiver down the spines of Adam, Elizabeth, Max, and Tyler. Alex sat in the corner, the weight of an old fear pressing down on him. His mind raced, memories he had hoped to forget resurfacing at the worst possible time.
"What's going on with you?" Max asked, his plasma flickering in his hands. "You've been off ever since we got here."
Alex didn't respond right away. His eyes were glued to the replay footage on the screen, but his mind was elsewhere. A feeling of dread crept over him, gnawing at his insides.
Before he could process his thoughts, the room shook violently. The air became heavy, oppressive, and the temperature dropped.
"What now?" Tyler said, his light powers flaring up defensively.
The door to the preparation room exploded inward with a deafening crack, and shards of wood and metal scattered across the floor. The team jumped into action, shielded by their powers. A figure stepped through the ruined doorway, cloaked in dark flames, his aura cold and suffocating.
Alex's breath caught in his throat. He knew who it was, and the sight of him brought a flood of memories he couldn't escape.
"No…" Alex whispered, voice trembling. "It can't be."
The figure stepped forward, his glowing crimson eyes scanning the room. His voice was calm, but it carried an icy coldness that made everyone freeze.
"I'm here for Alex. Step aside, and I won't have to hurt you."
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, frost forming at her fingertips. "Who do you think you are to demand that?"
The figure tilted his head slightly, his dark flames flickering with cruel anticipation. "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that Alex is coming with me."
Adam stepped forward, igniting his fox cloak with a burst of blue flames. "If you think we're just going to hand him over, you're gravely mistaken."
The figure smirked, the cold smile twisting his face. "I was hoping you'd say that."
The room erupted into chaos. The stranger—Preston—wasn't just any demon. He was a Knight of the Demon King, and the battle they were about to face would decide far more than just the outcome of this confrontation.
Preston moved first. His Void abilities stretched across the room, warping the air itself. Tendrils of shadow shot out from the floor, whipping around the group. Tyler responded with beams of light, but Preston's dark flames absorbed the attack with ease.
Max launched a barrage of plasma at Preston, but the demon moved too quickly, his form blurring as he dodged with unnatural speed, the plasma dissipating harmlessly against his dark aura.
Elizabeth conjured an ice wall, but it was obliterated in a single strike from Preston's flame-coated fist. "Impressive," he said, voice dripping with mockery. "But ultimately useless."
Adam charged forward, blue flames swirling around him. He clashed with Preston, their powers colliding in an explosion of fire and shadow. Adam's blue flames flared higher, the fox cloak rippling with demonic energy.
"Who are you?" Adam demanded, eyes narrowing as he fought to maintain control. "Why are you doing this?"
Preston didn't answer. Instead, he unleashed a wave of Void energy that sent Adam crashing into the far wall. The impact shook the room, but Adam quickly recovered, his flames reigniting as he pushed himself up.
Alex's heart raced, watching helplessly from the corner. He knew Preston. He knew him in a way that no one else could understand.
"Preston…" he whispered under his breath.
The moment the name left his lips, Preston stopped mid-attack. His eyes locked onto Alex's, and for a moment, there was a flicker of recognition. "So, you remember me," Preston said, his voice softer now, but still tinged with malice.
Max, confused, turned to Alex. "Alex, you know him?" he asked, disbelief creeping into his voice.
Alex's throat tightened. "He's—he's one of the Demon King's Knights. He's here to take me back."
Elizabeth's eyes widened. "This is Preston? The one you told us about?"
Preston's lips curled into a cold smirk. "The one and only. And I'm not here for small talk. Move aside, or I'll make you."
The team gathered themselves, preparing for another round, but Alex stepped forward, his voice breaking. "Preston, please… You don't have to do this. You're not a slave to him. Fight against it. You can still—"
Preston's expression hardened, and the brief moment of hesitation vanished. "I've made my choice," he said, his voice unwavering. "I don't need your pity, Alex. I've chosen my side."
Before Alex could respond, Preston gestured, and a wave of Void energy surged toward him. The attack sent Alex stumbling backward, his powers unable to defend against the force.
The battle between Adam and Preston raged on, but it was clear where Preston's loyalties lay. Every attack he launched, every step he took, was an embodiment of his unwavering allegiance to the Demon King. The light of his former friendship with Alex was extinguished, buried beneath the weight of his duty.
"Preston, no!" Alex shouted, but his voice barely cut through the deafening chaos of the battle.
But Preston's resolve was unshaken. "This is the way it has to be, Alex. Your father won't allow you to live this life. You belong to him, and I'm here to ensure that you come back to the Demon Realm."
Adam, bruised and battered, stepped forward once more, his blue flames burning hotter than ever. "If you want him, you'll have to go through me."
Preston's dark flames flared as he prepared for the final assault. "I was hoping you'd say that."
The room erupted into an even greater chaos, energy crackling through the air. But no matter how hard Adam fought, no matter the strength he summoned from his system, he couldn't stop Preston's overwhelming Void energy.
With a single, final strike, Preston broke through Adam's defense, sending him to the ground. "Goodbye, Adam. This ends here," Preston said coldly, his voice final.
Preston's shadow tendrils surged toward Alex, and without hesitation, he wrapped them around him, lifting him off the ground. Alex struggled, but there was no escaping the cold grip of Preston's power.
"Alex…" Preston's voice was barely a whisper, but there was no warmth left in it. "It's over."
With that, Preston turned and began to walk toward the ruined door, pulling Alex along with him. The team could do nothing but watch as the very person they had hoped to save—Preston—carried out the will of the Demon King.
Alex's heart shattered as he was dragged away, the bond he once shared with Preston now a distant memory, consumed by the darkness.