The entire factory lay in ruins, still smoldering from the deadly blast that had leveled it and annihilated all five demon generals. Yet from the ash and flame, one figure stood — Kol, his boots crunching through molten debris. He turned, expecting to see only silence and death. But there stood Alexander, alive. Bruised, but not broken.
Kol's eyes lit up, a wild grin crawling onto his face like a wolf finding its prey.
KOL: "Looks like I finally found someone worthy enough to fight me."
He stepped closer, his voice full of that dangerous joy only true killers have.
KOL (CONT'D): "You must be the Hero of New York... One of the three who took down Malekta."
Alexander stiffened. How could this stranger know?
His thoughts swirled, but he kept his voice calm.
ALEXANDER: "What makes you say that?"
KOL: "No one survives my fire... unless they've stared down a demon lord and lived to tell the tale."
Alexander didn't respond. He simply turned to leave. But the moment he did — whiiip — a blade of ice sliced past his ear, cutting it slightly and embedding deep into the wall beside him.
He spun.
Two glowing ice swords now shimmered in Kol's hands, frost dancing along the air.
KOL: "Fight me."
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
ALEXANDER: "Why would I?"
Kol smiled wider, stepping forward like a reaper with polite manners.
KOL: "Because if you won't... you'll die in a blink."
In that instant, one of Kol's swords was already at Alexander's eye.
But before the strike could land — CLANG! — Alexander caught it mid-swing with his bare hand.
Kol stepped back, a glimmer of respect in his eyes.
KOL: "So you're fast. Let's see how fast."
Alexander's axes pulsed to life in a sudden glow, and he smirked.
ALEXANDER: "You wanted this."
KOL: "Then don't hold back... or you'll die."
And just like that, they clashed.
A shockwave exploded outward.
Speed that surpassed sound.
Power that cracked the earth beneath them.
Each strike was a bomb, every movement too fast for human eyes.
But slowly, something became clear — Alexander was giving it everything, while Kol was just getting started.
Kol moved like the storm itself, smiling the whole time.
Then his swords began to glow...
From inside.
Alexander stared.
ALEXANDER: "What… is that?"
KOL: "Let me kick this up."
And suddenly — flames ignited along his ice swords.
ALEXANDER (thinking): "Ice… on fire?"
KOL (grinning): "You're the first to see this."
Fear.
The first time in a long time, Alexander stepped back.
And in that moment — Kol was already there.
The air broke.
Alexander barely defended himself.
Kol's speed had doubled.
With no other choice, Alexander reached out — ready to draw from Heaven.
But Kol was faster.
ICE FLAME.
One move.
Alexander crossed his axes in defense — but they cracked.
The explosion threw him into a wall, then through a building, and finally into an alley far from the battleground.
By the time Kol arrived — Alexander was gone.
KOL (smirking): "You can run now... but next time, I'll finish it."
Black SUVs pulled up. The Demon Eradication Squad (DES) had arrived.
A man in black stepped out — Gatekeeper.
GATEKEEPER: "What happened here?"
KOL: "Just demons."
GATEKEEPER (raising an eyebrow): "All this... from demons? Or are you finally getting soft?"
Kol didn't answer.
He just clapped his hands together — flash — and vanished in a blink.
🛏️ Meanwhile…
Alexander dragged himself into a quiet motel room. Blood crusted his face, his shirt ripped. His axes lay next to him — almost broken.
One more hit like that… and they'd shatter.
His phone buzzed. Jason.
JASON: "Yo, Alex — we've been trying to reach you. Are you done with the demons?"
ALEXANDER: "Yes… but it wasn't me. Another Hunter took care of it."
JASON: "Another Hunter?"
ALEXANDER: "Yeah. I'm coming back to L.A. tomorrow. I need to rest."
JASON: "You okay?"
ALEXANDER: "Yeah. I am."
He hung up.
But the nightmares didn't let him rest.
Kol haunted his dreams. In one vision, his axes shattered in his hands.
He woke up in a cold sweat.
✈️ The Next Morning – Airport
Tired. Confused. Shaken.
Alexander kept his head low, watching everyone like they might be Kol in disguise.
He bumped into someone.
Books fell.
He reached down… and froze.
Lydia.
The girl from high school. The one who used to sit two seats behind him in class, who smiled like summer.
ALEXANDER: "Lydia?"
LYDIA (smiling): "Alexander?"
ALEXANDER: "Wow… it's been so long. How've you been?"
LYDIA: "Good. I left New York three years ago. Moved to Atlanta. What about you?"
ALEXANDER: "Business trip… just came in from London. Heading back to L.A."
LYDIA: "Same. Just three days here. My cab's waiting."
ALEXANDER: "Can I… get your number before you go?"
They exchanged numbers. Smiled. Walked away.
🏠 Back in L.A.
When Alexander arrived, he immediately noticed Annie was missing.
ALEXANDER: "Where's Annie?"
Venessa turned toward him, her face darkened by something unseen.
VENESSA: "It's… a long story."
But then — she froze.
A vision struck her — brutal and clear.
She turned sharply, staring into both her brothers' eyes.
VENESSA: "If we don't find Annie soon…"
She paused, breath caught.
"…she's going to die."
🔥 To be continue