The mansion trembled as another explosion rocked its foundations.
Screams and the sounds of running feet echoed through the corridors. Smoke billowed from shattered windows, carried away by the cool night breeze.
In the midst of the chaos, a lone figure walked calmly through the halls.
Ethan's eyes glowed an eerie red, his face set in grim determination. With each step, the air around him seemed to crackle with energy.
As he turned a corner, three guards came charging towards him, weapons raised.
"Stop right there!" one of them shouted.
Ethan didn't break his stride. He raised a hand, and a shimmering barrier of energy materialized before him.
The guards' weapons bounced harmlessly off the shield.
In one fluid motion, Ethan clenched his fist. The barrier collapsed inward, slamming into the guards with crushing force, their bones and flesh mashed into a disgusting pile.
Ethan stepped over their chunks of meat without a second glance. His mind was focused on a single goal - finding Alpha.
As he descended a staircase, a memory flashed through his mind. Alpha's bright smile, her unwavering trust in him. He had promised to protect her, and he had failed. The thought only fueled the cold anger burning inside him.
At the bottom of the stairs, Ethan found himself in a long hallway lined with doors. He could sense faint traces of demonic energy coming from behind them. Prisoner cells, he realized.
One by one, Ethan blasted the doors open. Inside each cell cowered demons of various types - some humanoid, others more bestial. All bore signs of mistreatment and experimentation.
"You're free," Ethan told them. "Get out of here. Now."
The demons didn't need to be told twice. They streamed past him, heading for the exits. Ethan watched them go, his expression unreadable. Then he continued on his way.
At the end of the hall stood a heavy steel door. Unlike the others, this one was sealed with magic. Ethan could feel powerful wards pulsing behind it.
He placed his hand on the door, closing his eyes in concentration. Dark energy swirled around his fingers as he began to unravel the spells.
Suddenly, a voice rang out behind him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Ethan turned to see a woman standing there, a scythe balanced casually on her shoulder. Her face was hidden behind a black mask.
"Where is Alpha?" Ethan demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
The woman tilted her head. "The Lunar Kin? She's quite safe, I assure you. Though I'm afraid I can't say the same for you."
Without warning, she swung her scythe in a vicious arc. Ethan barely managed to dodge, the blade whistling past his ear.
He retaliated with a burst of magic, but the woman was already moving. She danced around his attacks with inhuman speed and grace.
"Not bad," she said, sounding almost impressed. "But you'll have to do better than that."
Her scythe began to glow with an otherworldly light. When she swung it again, it left trails of energy in its wake. Ethan threw up a hasty shield, but the force of the blow still sent him staggering backwards.
He gritted his teeth, realizing this wasn't an opponent he could underestimate. Time to get serious.
Ethan's eyes flared even brighter as he tapped into more of his power. The air around him began to distort, reality itself warping under the weight of his magic.
The woman hesitated for the first time, clearly sensing the change. "What are you...?"
Ethan didn't give her time to finish the thought. He launched into a flurry of attacks, each strike empowered by demonic energy. The woman was forced on the defensive, her scythe a blur as she fought to keep up.
For a moment, they seemed evenly matched. Then Ethan feinted left before striking from the right. The woman fell for it, leaving herself open for a split second.
It was all the opening Ethan needed. He slammed his palm into her chest, channeling a massive surge of power directly into her body.
The woman flew backwards, crashing through several walls before coming to a stop. She lay still, smoke rising from her prone form.
Ethan turned back to the sealed door, preparing to finish what he had started. But before he could, slow clapping echoed through the hallway.
"Bravo," came a familiar voice. "I must say, I'm impressed."
Lian stepped into view, a sardonic smile on his face. Gone was any trace of the friendly demeanor he had shown earlier. Now his eyes gleamed with a cold, calculating light.
"I had my suspicions about you from the start," Lian said. "But I never imagined you were this powerful. Tell me, who are you really?"
Ethan's expression didn't change. "I'm the one asking questions here. Where is Alpha?"
Lian's smile widened. "Ah yes, your little pet. I'm afraid she's a bit... indisposed at the moment. But don't worry, we're taking excellent care of her. After all, a Lunar Kin is quite the valuable specimen."
A pulse of killing intent radiated from Ethan, so intense that Lian took an involuntary step back.
"Wrong answer," Ethan growled.
He raised his hand, dark energy coalescing around it. But before he could strike, Lian's form shimmered and vanished.
An illusion, Ethan realized too late. The real Lian's voice echoed from all around him.
"Now now, let's not be hasty. I'm sure we can come to some kind of arrangement. After all, we're not so different, you and I. We both seek power, do we not?"
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "We are nothing alike."
Laughter rang out. "Oh, but we are. I can sense the darkness within you. The hunger. Why deny it? Embrace your true nature. Join us, and together we can reshape this world."
For a moment, Ethan was silent. Then he spoke, his voice quiet but filled with conviction.
"You're right about one thing. There is darkness in me. But it's not what defines me. I choose who I want to be. And right now, I choose to be the one who's going to tear this place apart if you don't return Alpha to me. Now."
The laughter faded, replaced by a sigh. "How disappointing. I had hoped you would see reason. But if this is your choice..."
The air shimmered, and Lian reappeared. But he was different now. His eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and his body seemed to pulse with barely contained power.
"Then I'm afraid I'll have to eliminate you," Lian said, his voice distorted and inhuman.
The two faced each other, the air between them thick with tension. Then, as if responding to some unspoken signal, they launched into action simultaneously.
The hallway erupted into chaos as their powers clashed. Walls crumbled, the floor cracked, and the very air seemed to warp and twist around them.
Ethan fought with everything he had, drawing on reserves of power he didn't even know he possessed. But Lian was a formidable opponent, matching him blow for blow.
As their battle raged on, destroying more of the mansion with each passing moment, Ethan couldn't help but wonder - where was Alpha? Was she safe? And what other secrets did this place hold?
With those questions burning in his mind, Ethan steeled himself for what promised to be the fight of his life. Whatever the cost, he would find Alpha and put an end to this madness. The night was far from over.