"Nothing here," Jasmine announced, coughing out a mouthful of dust. Zoe nodded. "Alright. Time to head to the next- ".Wait, something's not adding up," Draco argued, his voice firm. Everyone looked at him in confusion. "Draco, we've searched the site. And even if we missed something, the demon detector would have let us know." Jasmine had a point, but he had a really bad feeling about the place. "That's the thing. The detector could be wrong."
"What are you saying?" Derek asked, his voice low and cold."I'm going to search alone. Maybe 'll find something," Draco replied without turning back, stepping toward the shadows.
'No way are you going on your own!" Derek snapped, his voice cold. "Why do you care?" "Because enough is enough. What makes you think it's okay to run off, leaving your teamates worrying sick over you?!" " Teamates? Teamates stick up for each other." Draco growled in response, his tone dark as he turned back to face him. "What made you think we would stand up for an abomination like you?" Derek spat out, the words flying like daggers before he stop them. That struck a nerve. Draco eyes glowed crimson, his presence oozing bloodlust. " Say that again, I dare you."
Jasmine and Dash exchanged worried glances, tension crackling in the air.
Zoe stepped between them, voice cold and commanding. "Enough! We don't have time for this."
A heavy silence fell, broken only by frantic beeping from Jasmine's watch. She glanced down, her mask of calm slipping. "I'm getting a surge—something big is moving toward the city center. We need to intercept it."
Zoe didn't look back at Draco, her voice like ice. "We're leaving. There's a threat at the city center, and we can't afford distractions. Stay here and play hero if you want, Draco. Just don't expect us to clean up after you." "You never did," Draco muttered, but Zoe was already out of earshot.
She walked out without turning back, footsteps echoing through the empty site. Jasmine hesitated—Dash shot Draco a conflicted look—but in the end, they followed. Derek paused at the exit, meeting Draco's gaze with a mix of anger and regret, then turned away.
Silence settled in again, heavy with shadows and the weight of everything left unsaid. Draco stood alone in the site, every instinct on edge, as he prepared to search the darkness by himself.
Draco searched the site alone, but nothing showed up. "I give up," he grunted, kicking a brick out of the way, when he felt something move and hid behind one of the bars. His perception faltered, and his heart dropped as he stared in horror.
Moonlight illuminated the site, revealing demons enough to make even Draco retreat. Shadow imps, demon trolls, curse spitters. A full legion just stood there at attention, as though waiting for an order. That was when Draco spotted him: a demon with blue scales and deep brown eyes. He could even pass as cute, if not for the menacing aura that revealed his true identity. " General Lura, the cannon is almost ready." "How long?" "About ten minutes." "What about the cloak?" "It keeps coming apart, regardless of how much energy we put into it. Luckily, those demon hunters left before it could falter. "Soldiers," he saluted, their eyes on him. "We have managed to hide from the nuisance known as the demon detector. Razo, turn the cannon to the city square, and evacuate every demon in its range. The hunters who came here will be the first victims. If it doesn't kill them, it will turn them into demons that will help us defeat the enemy. And soon Nixara will be ours. Just as Draco was about to move, he froze as General Lura's gaze swept the area. Draco's heart hammered in his chest—he was dangerously exposed. He pressed himself deeper into the shadows, barely daring to breathe.
Lura turned to his lieutenant, voice low but urgent. "Are the preparations complete?"
Razo, a hulking demon with jagged horns, nodded. "The cannon is locked onto the city square. All demons are out of range."
Lura's eyes glinted. "Good. Once the signal is given, ignite the core. When the blast hits, those hunters will either die—or be turned into our soldiers. Nixara will fall, and the realms will follow be ours."
A hush fell over the legion, anticipation thick in the air. Draco's mind spun. He watched as the demons hurried to finalize the weapon, the blue-scaled general overseeing every step. Draco's instincts screamed for him to run, but he forced himself to wait, memorizing every detail of the plan. Even if he tried to reach the others, he doubted he would make it before they fired the cannon. His only option was to destroy it on his own. But how? A desperate, reckless idea struck Draco. It was madness—but there was no time for anything else. With a mocking grin, he strode from his hiding place, feigning bravado in the face of a stunned legion of demons. "Lura!" Draco called, waving vigorously as he walked closer to the growing threat . "Long time no see. Don't mind me, just a hunter here to ruin your plans and save Nixara. Here's my offer: leave now, and maybe you'll live. Refuse—and I promise you'll regret it."
Razo's laughter echoed harshly. "Your hand? Who do you think you are?
Draco's eyes flashed. " I'm a bloodhound. And your worst nightmare."