The cold night air smelled faintly of iron and smoke, carrying the distant echoes of screams that never seemed to end. Jessica's voice rose above the tension, calm but unwavering. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Alucard tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes glinting. "With that being said… what exactly are we going to do?"
Lesley hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "I think we should try to stop the invasion—or maybe at least find anything that can help us. Demon weapons, cursed items… anything that might give us a chance."
Jessica nodded firmly. "That's a great idea."
Isabel shifted uncomfortably, her voice taut with worry. "Yeah, but… what if we come across enemies that can kill us in an instant? We're not exactly bulletproof."
Alucard's smile was thin and wry. "Then our only choice will be: 'it's either you or me.'"
Simon glanced over at Markus, his brow furrowing. "Markus… what exactly are you doing?"
Markus didn't look up, his fingers moving quickly across his phone's screen. "I'm searching for any nearby safe places that aren't swarmed by monsters or demons."
Simon nodded. "Alright. Keep searching."
A moment passed in silence, the weight of their mission heavy in the air. Markus's eyes widened as he stared at the screen. "I found a live stream… tagged with 'help.' Let's watch it."
The screen flickered to life, but for two long minutes, there was only darkness and the sound of ragged breathing. Then, a man's face appeared in the dim glow—sweating, eyes wide with terror.
"My name is Michael," he whispered, his voice shaking. "I live in Carson City, near Milis Park… which isn't a park anymore. I started this stream to show everyone who says it's fake—this isn't a trailer for a movie. It's real."
He swallowed hard, turning the camera away from his pale face to show what lay beyond.
Alucard's breath caught. "Holy… Jesus. What happened…"
The park was gone—nothing but scorched earth and twisted metal. Trees had been obliterated, houses reduced to blackened rubble. Only a few half-destroyed buildings still clung to the earth, like ghosts of what once was.
Simon frowned, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "I think… I've seen this guy before…"
Michael's voice cracked as he continued. "A creature… shaped like a man… flying high above everything. It had strange scrolls wrapped around its arms, legs, and neck… symbols I couldn't understand. It just waved its hand… and these two massive, blade-shaped winds formed a cross and destroyed everything. Everything… except a few buildings like this one, where I'm hiding. After that… they came. Tens of thousands of demons… crawling things, hell dogs, human-shaped nightmares. Some had two heads, four legs… others I don't even know how to describe. That was two hours ago. I'm still hiding… praying they don't see me—"
Suddenly, a scream ripped through the feed. A chilling, inhuman laughter echoed through the darkness. Michael dropped his phone on top of a closet, clutching a cleaver and a chair like a shield as he cowered behind the door. He sobbed as the door creaked open. Four seconds later, there was a single, strangled scream—then static.
The feed went dark.
Silence fell over the group, a heavy quiet that pressed against their hearts. Simon's expression hardened, fury burning in his eyes. "These fucking BASTARDS," he growled. "THEY WILL PAY FOR THAT. WE ARE GOING THERE TODAY!"
Isabel stared at him, her face pale. "Calm down—it's in another state! We left our bicycles somewhere we can't even remember! What the hell are you thinking?! You're really that stupid to go there—to a place overrun by demons—"
"SHUT YOUR GOD DAMN MOUTH!" Simon roared, his voice crackling like thunder. "I said we're going there. TODAY."
The group fell silent, shocked by his sudden outburst. Simon's eyes were cold steel. "We're stealing a car and going there—either you like it or not."
Alucard stepped forward, his voice low and commanding. "Calm down. This isn't the way to talk to anyone."
Simon exhaled a ragged breath. "Fine," he muttered, his jaw tight. "I saw a car parked nearby. I know how to drive. And don't you dare say another word. God!"
He turned sharply, striding away into the darkness.
Isabel clenched her fists, anger flashing in her eyes. "One more second and I would've cut his fucking head off!"
Alucard's gaze darkened. "You calm down too. Shut the hell up."
"Me?! I'm the wrong one here?" she shot back.
Markus's voice was quiet but firm. "Alucard… enough."
Alucard's eyes narrowed. "Or what?"
Lesley's voice was barely a whisper. "Jessica… please…"
Jessica drew a breath, her voice rising above the tension. "Would all of you calm down? For one second!" She swept her gaze over them, her tone soft but strong. "We're a team. Not strangers. We haven't fought like this before… what happened to us?"
Isabel's voice trembled with frustration. "What happened? Your guy just told me to shut up—treated me like a child. I'm 19 years old—I'm older than him!"
Markus spoke up, a faint grin flickering despite the tension. "He's 20…"
Lesley shot him a look. "Markus… really?"
"Sorry," he said, sheepish.
Jessica's gaze softened. "I'm sorry he treated you that way. I promise it won't happen again. But right now… we have to stay quiet. There might be demons around us—watching, waiting to strike."
A flicker of movement caught Alucard's eye. His voice dropped to a sharp whisper. "And there's one right there—next to Simon! SIMON, LOOK OUT!"
Simon spun just as a crawling demon lunged from the shadows. Its tail was a jagged spear of bone and sinew, slamming into Simon's shield with a crackling shockwave that sent them both sprawling.
The demon scrambled up, claws scraping the ground. Simon rolled to his feet, his energy sword already humming as he hurled it like a spear. The demon caught it in its left arm, stopping the blade six centimeters from its face. But Simon was already moving, slamming his fist into the hilt and driving the blade deep into the creature's skull.
Another demon lunged from behind. Markus didn't hesitate—he raised his Desert Eagle and fired twice. The first shot caught the monster in the shoulder, making it howl in pain. The second shot was deflected by a blade of bone that sprouted from its forearm.
Simon deactivated his sword, snatched it back, and spun in a tight arc. He reignited the blade and cut the demon's head from its shoulders with a single, swift stroke.
Simon exhaled, his breath ragged. "We have to go—NOW! Get in that car!"
He pointed at a Ford F-150 parked nearby and sprinted toward it, the others right behind him. When they reached the car, Simon saw the keys hanging from the ignition.
"The keys… but I'll have to break the window. Cover me—this will make noise."
Alucard leveled his gun, his voice steady. "We've got your back."
Simon slammed the butt of his sword into the window, shattering it with a harsh crack. The alarm wailed into the night, but he yanked the door open, grabbed the keys, and silenced the noise. It was too late—their brief moment of peace was already shattered. In the distance, the howls of demons rose like a chorus of nightmares.
Simon's voice was urgent. "Get inside—fast! Before they come!"
They scrambled into the truck, doors slamming shut as Simon jammed the key into the ignition. The engine roared to life. As they pulled away, two demons lunged for the truck—Simon didn't slow. He crushed them beneath the tires with a sickening crunch.
The truck roared down the broken streets, the darkness closing in around them. Carson City, Nevada—it was a long way from Sacramento, but before they faced that journey, they needed rest. The dashboard clock glowed 1:56 AM, and every mile felt like a promise.
They found a small hotel—The Ane & Spe at Parkside—a fragile haven in a world of monsters. For tonight, it would be enough. They would eat. They would sleep. And tomorrow, they would fight again.
Because no matter how dark the night, their resolve burned brighter.