The group moved down the cracked sidewalk, staying tight together as the darkness grew deeper. The street ahead looked empty, but Alexander could tell that it wasn't.

  Was it his link to Fenrir or merely intuition? He couldn't really tell. But he was certain that there were demons watching from the shadows. He looked around at the people he was protecting. They were important. This was what his purpose should be in the midst of this hell on earth that had been unleashed.

  As if confirming his suspicions, Thomas turned briefly, eyes shifting toward the buildings around them.

  "Stay close," he said quietly. "Something's coming."

  The survivors exchanged nervous glances. Some pulled their children closer; Mark's hand moved closer to the trigger, gun aimed at the surroundings.

  Fenrir was tense, lips curling and showing rows of fangs.

  "Can you feel something?" Alex whispered toward Tyger Tyger, who was walking slowly around them in cat form. The creature turned to face him.

  "Oh, I certainly do," Tyger Tyger replied. "We're surrounded by them."

  "Are you smelling them, or is there like a sixth sense out there? Because I can feel something."

  "A little bit of both," Tyger said. "I believe that sixth sense, so to say, is present in you. Your connection to that creature makes it stronger."

  Alex looked up. Everyone seemed tense. But Samantha, on the other side of the crowd, seemed even more jumpy than the refugees. She looked ready to leap at the tiniest shadows, her right hand poised around one of her knives. "So if it's not my imagination, we're in for a nasty surprise."

  Suddenly, a hiss echoed directly ahead. Figures began to shift from the shadows between abandoned cars.

  Gasps echoed through the group. Parents and caretakers covered the eyes of the children.

  Ahead of them, the demons emerged. Thin, spindly forms with disproportionately long limbs and eyes that glowed sickly orange in the darkness.

  Alexander's overlay flickered to life, revealing more than ten [HP] bars, all of them shoggoths, all with vague formless bodies, multitudes of eyes and limbs—abominations, mockeries of life come to hunt human beings:

  [SHOGGOTH]

  More appeared. Ten in total, spreading out to surround the group like a swarm of locusts.

  "Fenrir, Tyger, flank positions," Thomas ordered. "Alexander, stay with the civilians. I'll be in the front."

  A formless shoggoth, dozens of crab-like legs on a vaguely humanoid form, stepped forward.

  Mark screamed,aimed his Remington forward, and shot straight at its head. It shook and tensed up, raising its front legs.

  [SHOGGOTH HP: 25/93]

  "Stay close!"

  Alex stretched out his hand.

  Red light exploded outward, bursting forth and piercing through the demon's body.

  [MP: 25/300 → 0/300]

  With a hole through its body, the creature collapsed, lifeless, and dissolved into black foam.

  Tyger Tyger expanded to battle form, slamming into another shoggoth. His claws raked across its form, bursting blood.

  The creature staggered back, screeching. A sharp claw came at Tyger Tyger, but he dodged it, snapping his jaws around the creature's mass until its HP points collapsed in full.

  Alex's mind connected with Fenrir. He urged it forward. The morph snarled and lunged, crossing the distance in two bounds, jaws snapping shut around a shoggoth's leg. He wrenched it sideways. Black blood sprayed across the pavement, and the creature shrieked like a siren.

  Ahead of the group, a large shoggoth approached, dragging its mass like a worm. Thomas stepped forward, sword out, and swung faster than the creature could move. Thick black fluid spilled out and splashed across the asphalt. The shoggoth sagged inward as parts of it tore loose and slid to the ground.

  [SHOGGOTH HP: 120 → 0]

  A second shoggoth struck from his right, driving bone ridges outward like spears. Thomas turned toward it and brought the blade up, splitting the creature open. Its upper mass peeled apart and dropped in two sides, hitting the street in pieces that still twitched and dragged at themselves before going still.

  [SHOGGOTH HP: 115 → 0]

  The survivors behind them recoiled. Some whispered prayers. Others grabbed their children and held on like anchors.

  "Keep going!" Thomas called back. "Stay in formation!"

  [SHOGGOTH HP: 110 → 0]

  Tyger Tyger pinned one against a lamppost, claws punching through. The demon's screams cut off when his jaws found its center. Tyger Tyger's jaws locked on its heart, pulled it out, and devoured it in one gulp.

  [SHOGGOTH HP: 115 → 25 → 0]

  The remaining shoggoths faltered. They'd expected easy prey. Instead, they'd found coordinated resistance.

  One broke from the pack, charging straight at the group. It targeted a small boy near the edge of the formation. The child screamed and leapt back in fright.

  Alex gritted his teeth, pushing his way forward, stretching out his hand. His mana was depleted—nothing happened. He cursed and had Fenrir intercept, tearing the creature to pieces before it could reach the boy.

  [ALEXANDER MP: 5/300]

  The street went quiet, except for heavy breathing and the whimpering of frightened children. The last handful of shoggoths skidded back.

  "Forward," Thomas said. "We're almost there."

  They pressed on. Sofia stayed pressed against Alexander's side, her small hand twisted tight in his sleeve. Her breathing hitched with every step.

  The wind shifted as they crossed the intersection.

  A shadow cut across the street above them.

  Samantha's head snapped up. "Alex, be careful!"

  Alexander turned just in time to see it drop from the sky.

  The creature landed in a crouch between him and the group. It looked almost human at first glance—tall, thin, with long limbs. Then the details registered: membranous wings folded tight against a twisted frame, gray skin pulled taut over sharp bones, a face that might have been handsome, now warped and cruel. Curved horns jutted from its forehead.

  Its lips pulled back in a fanged smile, and its eyes locked on Sofia.

  She froze. Didn't scream. Just went completely still, like a rabbit spotted by a fox.

  The creature spread its clawed hands and lunged.

  Alexander stepped between them. His hand caught the demon by the throat, stopping its momentum just as its claws punched through his jacket and into his ribs. Pain exploded through his side. [ALEXANDER HP: 65/92 → 53/92]

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  He twisted hard and drove his axe up under the creature's jaw.

  Blood started jetting out of its neck.

  [IMP HP: 120 → 0]

  "Protect her!" Alex shouted. But more shadows began swirling above them. He looked to the side and saw Samantha's face grow pale in panic.

  Then, two more shapes dropped from above, wings snapping open at the last second to slow their descent. Thomas was rushing toward them when a third came down like lightning, swinging sharp claws at Thomas.

  Samantha moved to intercept, but one of them slammed into Alexander from the side and wrapped its claws around his arm. Alex swung his axe, but before it could make contact, he found himself lifting off his feet.

  One of the imps had reached for Sofia before Thomas could get to her, black claws wrapping around her tender arms.

  She didn't fight. Just locked up completely, frozen in terror.

  Demon wings flapped, lifting Alex into the air. The street fell away. Windows flashed past in a blur.

  Alexander struggled in the imp's grip, but its claws were buried in his shoulders. Every movement sent pain through his chest. He could see Sofia below him, dangling from the other imp's claws, silent and rigid with fear as it climbed into the skies.

  The rooftop rushed up to meet them.

  The imp let go, and Alexander's shoulder cracked against concrete. He rolled, came up on his knees, vision swimming. The world narrowed to three winged shapes circling above him.

  Sofia landed a few feet away, rolled with the impact, and didn't move. She just sat there against the low wall that bordered the roof, face white, hands locked in her lap.

  "Sofia!" Alex shouted, turning around. The pain in his back had returned, plus sharpness across his chest, ribs... and... His hands touched wetness along his ribs. He looked down. Blood poured freely.

  [ALEXANDER HP: 53/92 → 42/92]

  The creatures landed around him, their wings and backs against the moon.

  Alexander's eyes fixed on his axe, mere feet away. He rolled, grabbed it, and came up just as the three devils surged toward him.

  Alex swung. The blade caught a creature across the wing, splitting membrane and muscle. Black fluid sprayed across the rooftop.

  [IMP #1 HP: 450 → 390]

  The demon pulled up, screeching. Then it came at him again from a different angle. Alex tried to step back; he stretched forth his hand, summoning a mana blast, but nothing came—his mana was still regenerating. The creature dodged his axe swing and came closer. Alex grabbed one of the claws as it approached and managed to swing his axe again, carving a wound across the monster's torso. It snarled and yanked away. Its strength was overwhelming. Alex tried to slide back. The creatures were ignoring Sofia. He'd hoped he could at least keep them distracted while the others saved her.

  [IMP #1 HP: 390 → 330]

  Before Alex could attack again, a set of claws raked across his chest, opening long gashes. Pain flared as he looked down at himself. Alex grunted, and his knees buckled.

  [ALEXANDER HP: 42/92 → 28/92]

  A second imp hit him from the side while he was down.

  Teeth sank into his forearm. He screamed and drove the axe into the creature's chest, splitting it open. The demon roared, and Alex struck again at its neck, then again, until its neck, already jetting blood, was completely severed from its head.

  [IMP #2 HP: 120 → 0]

  The body spasmed to the side and collapsed with a thud.

  Sofia whimpered.

  Alex screamed.

  "Cover your eyes!" he said. He didn't want her to see all that. She didn't deserve it.

  The third imp landed on Alexander's chest, driving him flat. Its claws punched through skin and muscle, grating against bone. He felt ribs crack.

  [ALEXANDER HP: 28/92 → 16/92]

  The axe slipped from his fingers. His vision started to gray at the edges.

  The imp leaned in close, grinning with too many teeth.

  Alexander's hand flailed, trying to reach his weapon, but his hands could only find concrete and steel. Everything hurt. He couldn't breathe properly. His HP was plummeting.

  [ALEXANDER HP: 16/92 → 5/92]

  He was going to die here. Sofia was going to watch him die, and then she'd be devoured by two demons.

  He wasn't strong enough. He had failed. He...

  Unless...

  His hand touched something cold and wet. The fallen imp's body, lying beside him where he'd killed it. And the creature was twitching, even without a head. The creature was still alive.

  Alex looked at the torn chest.

  And remembered.

  There was a way to gain power. It echoed in his mind, like a devil on his shoulder, urging him to go beyond his limits.

  After all, he had to save a little girl.

  Alexander's mind raced. He was dying. The imp on his chest was going to finish him in seconds. Sofia would die next. Unless he did something drastic.

  But Sofia was right there, frozen in terror, waiting for him to save her.

  He didn't have another choice.

  With a burst of energy, he pushed the third imp off his chest, toppling it and slamming its face. Alex's fists pounded against hard bone. The first imp, however, came at him from above. Alex slid back, pain and blood seeping through him as he crouched upon the body of the second imp.

  With a swift motion, he slid his hand through its open chest.

  His fingers closed around it. It still beat—disgusting, hot, and slick, pulsing against his palm. Every instinct screamed at him not to do this. This was wrong. This was crossing a line.

  But something else had overcome him: blind rage, blind rage that desired to spill blood and destroy.

  All to save those who were innocent.

  Those who didn't deserve to be hurt.

  Sofia made that small sound again.

  "Please," Alexander groaned. "Close your eyes."

  Alexander tore the heart free. His hand was soaked in black blood, warm and thick. Slippery veins and arteries slid between his fingers. Slick tissues clung to his palm as he pulled the organ out.

  Then, he shoved it into his mouth.

  Blood splashed across his tongue. It burned like acid, like poison, like something destructive forced into his body. His throat convulsed. His stomach lurched. For a second, he thought he'd vomit it back up.

  Then the power hit.

  [MP: 15/300 → 115/300]

  [HP: 5/92 → 35/92]

  [MAX HP: 92 → 98]

  [ATTACK: 12 → 14]

  [CORRUPTION: 0% → 7%]

  His vision snapped back into sharp focus. The gray edges vanished. Strength flooded through his limbs, hot and violent. His muscles twitched and spasmed, restructuring themselves, growing denser. His body jerked back into motion like someone had jolted him with electricity. Every fiber felt alive, electric, and dangerous.

  The first imp slid back, inhuman eyes blazing with awe.

  Alexander breathed hard. He grunted like a beast and leapt forward. The demon's claw attacked him.

  And Alex slipped.

  Faster than he ever could.

  He went down, caught its ankle, and yanked with the strength of his entire body. He pulled the demon by its feet and slammed it against the ground like a sack. The creature weighed nothing now. His arms felt like steel cables. The creature tried to rise, wings flapping desperately.

  The power surging through him felt alien, like his muscles were responding faster than his brain could process. Tendons felt tighter, reactions sharper. It was as if something else was moving his body, something that knew exactly how to kill.

  He grabbed his axe and brought it down in brutal, savage strikes. Not once—again and again. The creature's shrieks turned to gurgles as he carved through its neck and torso. It tried to claw at him, managed to rake across his arm, but the pain felt distant now, irrelevant.

  [IMP #1 HP: 330 → 0]

  The third imp hesitated, wings spreading as if to flee. But Alexander hurled his knife with inhuman accuracy. It punched into the creature's throat. The imp staggered, then Alex was on it, tackling it to the ground. His hands found its neck. He squeezed, feeling bones crack and splinter beneath his grip. His fingers felt like they could crush stone. The creature thrashed, clawed, and tried to push him off.

  He didn't let go.

  [IMP #3 HP: 450 → 0]

  Blood and death blurred.

  Alexander stayed there, kneeling over the corpse. Blood—his blood and the demon's—ran down his arms. His breath came in ragged gasps. His teeth were clenched so hard his jaw ached.

  He could feel something wrong and evil inside him. It wasn't painful anymore. He didn't feel guilty. It felt... good. Powerful. Like he could take on ten more demons and win. Like he was stronger, faster, better than he'd been five minutes ago.

  That terrified him more than the demons had.

  Then he remembered the child. His heart caught in his chest.

  He turned around to find her covering her eyes.

  Suddenly, movement echoed behind him.

  The door to the rooftop opened.

  Footsteps on the roof access stairs. Thomas emerged, sword drawn, breathing hard from the climb. He took in the scene: the dead imps, the blood, Alexander kneeling in the middle of it all.

  His eyes went to Alexander's mouth. He could tell it wasn't his blood.

  Thomas's expression shifted. Understanding, then something that might have been disappointment. Or maybe just sadness.

  "You consumed it," he said.

  "I had to." Alexander stood on shaking legs. "I was dying. Sofia—"

  "I know." Thomas sheathed his sword. "I'm not judging. I'm just... I'm sorry you had to make that choice."

  Alexander wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. It came away black. "How bad is it?"

  "Not terrible yet. But it's a start. And it gets easier every time."

  Alex stumbled forward, breathing hard. "I won't do it again."

  Thomas let out a quick sigh. "Everyone says that." Thomas moved to Sofia and knelt beside her. "Hey there, little one. You're safe now. You didn't get hurt, did you?"

  Sofia didn't respond. She was still staring at Alexander.

  Thomas looked back at him. "She saw."

  "She saw a lot."

  Thomas sighed. "That's going to be hard for her."

  Alexander had no answer for that. He was still processing what he'd done. What he'd felt. The surge of alien strength. The wrongness of it.

  But he could still taste the heart in his mouth, and part of him—a small, dark part that hadn't existed five minutes ago—wanted more.

  ***

  As soon as Alex was downstairs, Adriana rushed to wrap her arms around him. People came forward, some clapping, others tapping his shoulders and calling him a hero.

  The group resumed movement, slower now. Every shadow held tension, every overhang a potential threat. Alexander stayed close to Sofia, his protective instinct sharp, knowing the city was still a hunting ground. But for now, the immediate threat had been neutralized.

  The group moved cautiously down the cracked sidewalk, the gym looming ahead.

  Marion stood in the doorway, arms crossed, posture rigid. Relief and disapproval warred across her face. "You're alive," she said. Her gaze swept over the survivors. "Bring them inside. Quick."

  The people moved past her, a mixture of exhaustion, fear, and calculation written in their expressions. Their faces were pale, lips cracked, eyes hollow from days without rest.

  Sandra was waiting near the first aid area. She knelt beside a man whose forearm had been scraped raw against concrete. Alexander watched her power, her miracles. One by one, she tended to the injured. Scrapes closed, bruises lessened, breathing steadied.

  And then, only then, Alexander let himself breathe and relax.