The night air was heavy with the scent of smoke and sweat. The battered streets were littered with demon carcasses, the eerie glow of blood-streaked symbols flickering in the pale moonlight. Within the small group, an uneasy energy simmered as they paused to catch their breath.
Jessica wiped a smear of blood from her cheek, her voice calm but resolute. "Alright. The first part of the plan is done. The second part…" She looked around at them, her eyes hard. "Let's go kill some rats."
Simon raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous. "Kill some what? Is this some kind of game to you?"
Alucard cracked a wry smile. "Well, to me it is."
Markus shrugged. "Same here."
Simon let out a slow breath, frustration tightening his features. "Thanks, God. This is just what I needed—a bunch of kids who don't even realize this planet is being ripped apart."
Alucard's smile didn't fade. "No, we realize. But from what? Zombies? Demons? They're dying easily enough."
Simon's eyes flickered with a quiet intensity. "That's because they're the weakest of the weak. What you saw on the news? Not even five percent of their true power." He reached down and kicked the severed head of a demon at his feet. "Look at this symbol—different from the others. The normal demons have a mark on their legs, the laser shooters have one on the backs of their heads. This one… is something else entirely."
Alucard's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying there's a whole army out there, with different ranks? Different abilities?"
Simon gave a short, grim nod. "Exactly. It's just a theory… but it's more likely than not."
Isabel watched him with a hint of awe. "Wow. You're smart too."
Simon looked at her, momentarily confused. "What do you mean by 'too'?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, a playful glint in her eyes. "Don't worry about it."
He rolled his eyes. "Weirdo…" But even as he spoke, something shifted in his posture—an instinct, a quiet alarm. "Wait a second…"
Alucard leaned forward. "What is it?"
Simon shook his head slowly. "Forget it. Let's keep moving. We've got people to save."
They set off down the ruined street, searching for any sign of life. The silence was broken by a sudden cry—raw and desperate.
"Please! Help me and my family!"
A man came running, tears streaking his face. His voice cracked with terror. Jessica reached out, her tone soothing. "Alright. Calm down. Where are they?"
"Right there!" he gasped, pointing frantically. "Please… hurry!"
Alucard's face darkened. "I'm not repeating the same mistake again," he muttered.
The group broke into a run, following the stranger through the shattered buildings. But Simon's sharp eyes caught the flicker of uncertainty in the man's expression. As they neared a cluster of abandoned cars, Simon leaned closer to Alucard.
"Prepare your gun," he whispered. "It's a trap. I'll cover you."
The man's shoulders stiffened at the whispered words. Suddenly, he let out a roar in a guttural, alien language. His skin shifted, muscle and bone warping as he transformed into a hulking demon with a symbol glowing red on his chest.
Simon's eyes narrowed. "I knew it. Alucard—now!"
Alucard didn't hesitate. He leveled his gun and fired, the air flashing with energy as the shot tore through the lesser demons that sprang up around them. In three seconds, they fell—dead before they could even scream.
But the shapeshifting demon was unfazed, fury twisting its features. "Everyone fall back!" Simon shouted.
The demon raised its left arm, a beam of crimson energy erupting from its palm. Simon planted his shield in front of Alucard, the air crackling as the laser seared into the shield's shimmering barrier.
Alucard fired back, but the demon blocked it with a shield of its own—grafted to its chest like a monstrous carapace.
Simon's mind raced. With a swift motion, he detached his shield, planting it at his feet. He raised his sword high, slamming it down with all his might to launch himself skyward on the resulting shockwave. For a heartbeat, time seemed to stop—then he was airborne, his blade crashing down onto the demon's shield with explosive force.
The impact disabled the demon's defense, sending both of them tumbling across the ground. Simon rolled, snatched up his fallen shield, and reactivated it just in time.
The demon shrieked in fury. It rose into the air, hovering two stories above them, its eyes glowing like molten coals. Laser beams erupted from its palms and eyes, searing the air as it laughed in a voice that made the skin crawl.
The shield in Simon's hand trembled under the assault, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. He gritted his teeth, feeling the strain of every impact.
The demon's laughter turned to confusion as it scanned the ruins, searching for Alucard. "Gone," it rasped in a low growl. "He left you."
A voice cut through the air like a blade. "Behind you, bastard!"
The demon turned just as Alucard's laser shot blasted through its back, tearing it from the sky and slamming it into a crumbling building. Dust rose in a choking cloud as Simon sprinted forward, slicing through the demon's limbs with brutal precision. The creature's eyes bulged, its mouth opening in a final, silent scream before Simon ended it with a swift stroke of his sword.
Alucard let out a breathless laugh. "Nice work. I had him fooled the whole time."
Simon allowed himself a brief, savage grin. "Thanks, man."
"Anytime."
Lesley's voice cut through the fading echo of combat. "Oh my God—are you two alright?"
Alucard flashed her a thumbs-up. "We're fine."
Isabel's eyes sparkled. "That was… incredible!"
Jessica laughed breathlessly. "That was better than any video game."
Markus stared, shaking his head in disbelief. "How did you know it was a demon, Simon? You called it before he even changed."
Simon wiped sweat from his brow. "Think about it. If your family was trapped in a burning building, would you leave them behind to get help? Demons are worse than fire—they kill without mercy. That man… he wasn't human."
Markus nodded slowly. "Damn… you're smart."
"Thanks." Simon turned, frowning down at the demon's corpse. "Look—another symbol. A red circle with four lines making an X. I'm guessing… it's a rank or a sign of their power."
Alucard knelt to examine it. "There's another on his hand—a triangle."
Simon's brow furrowed. "Strange…"
A sudden rumble beneath their feet made them freeze. Markus's voice was a shaky whisper. "Am I crazy, or is the ground… shaking?"
Before anyone could answer, a low growl rose from behind. They turned in slow motion to find two massive zombies—each one larger than a gorilla—stalking toward them with lumbering, hungry steps.
Markus fired his Desert Eagle, the report echoing through the air. But the bullets might as well have been spitballs against the monsters' thick hides.
"That's a Desert Eagle!" he shouted. "Why isn't it doing anything?"
Alucard swore. "Shit… the gun needs time to recharge."
Simon let out an exasperated sigh. "Of course… just perfect."
Without hesitation, he drew his sword and charged. The first zombie swung its massive arm, but Simon ducked low, rolling and slicing through its legs. He activated his shield just in time to block the second monster's blow, though the impact sent him skidding across the broken asphalt.
His breathing ragged, Simon flipped backward at the last second, letting the two monsters crash into each other with bone-crunching force. In that single heartbeat of confusion, he lunged forward and sliced their heads from their shoulders.
He straightened, breathless. "Well… I could've done that sooner, but… no. I needed the opening."
The group let out a collective sigh of relief. "Good job," they murmured.
Simon took the water Jessica offered him, drinking deeply. "Thanks," he said with a wry grin. "Alright… what time is it?"
Jessica checked her watch. "It's… whoa. 1:28."
Simon exhaled. "Alright. Let's rest for thirty minutes… then we keep going."
As they settled down to rest, laughter mingled with the soft hum of the wind. Alucard and Markus flanked Simon, the three of them talking in low voices.
Simon watched Jessica from the corner of his eye. She was laughing, her eyes bright as she teased Lesley. Even now, surrounded by ruin, she found a reason to smile.
"How is she like that?" Simon muttered. "Cracking jokes while the world burns?"
Alucard shrugged. "That's Jessica. Tough as nails. When I first met her… she was cold. Couldn't even meet her eyes for more than a second. But give her a week, and she's your best friend. Weird… and always positive."
Simon let out a quiet laugh. "No kidding."
"And Lesley—she's been by her side for seven years," Alucard said softly.
Simon looked at them, thoughtful. "How old are you guys, anyway?"
"We are both nineteen," Alucard said. "But I'm older by two months, so he has to respect me."
Markus snorted. "Hell no."
Alucard asked "what about you Simon?
Simon smiled faintly. "I'm twenty. And… how do you know my name, Alucard?"
Alucard hesitated, then gave a sheepish grin. "I guessed it."
Simon narrowed his eyes. "No… Jessica told you. Didn't she?"
Alucard said "ye- yes?"
Simon narrowed his eyes again "what did she say about me?"
Alucard winced. "She… said you were handsome. Strong. Brave."
Simon blinked. "Oh… what?"
Markus's voice cut through the moment. "Guys… look at this."
They gathered around his tablet, the flickering screen showing horrors beyond anything they'd seen. California, the south of Oregon, half of Nevada—gone. Demons tearing through buildings, monsters bigger than any they'd fought. The shapeshifting demon had been just the beginning.
Simon swallowed hard. "What do we do now?"
Alucard's voice was steady. "Don't ask me. You're the one leading."
Simon drew a slow breath. "We fight. We steal weapons. We find supplies. We survive… or at least, we try."
Jessica looked at him, her voice clear and unwavering. "We'll fight until our last breath. We'll help whoever we can, and we won't stop. God will help us… as long as we're together, nothing will stop us."
Simon met her gaze, feeling the echo of that promise in every tired bone of his body. "Then… what are we waiting for?"
Everyone answered as one: "Fight!"
Jessica nodded, her smile bright and fierce. "Then let's go."