(September 21st, 2017)

Zack

After a whole thirty minutes of fighting, Justin and I each ended up on a knee, calling the entire fight a draw. Catching my breath was an entire ordeal in and of itself. I barely managed to maintain my posture on one knee and not collapse on the ground out of exhaustion. Justin felt the same way, his heavy breathing being evidence enough that he was struggling. I watched as blood fell from my mouth and hit the ring floor. "Aww, man. What a mess," I said as I wiped my mouth.

"Glad to see that you're bleeding, too," Said Justin, who switched from kneeling to sitting on the ground and laughing at the fact that both of us are equally screwed and messed up. The deity's upper lip bled as he laughed it off, making me laugh with him after taking my frustration out in a decent match. 

"I guess it's gonna be one hell of an ordeal to get you back for beating me at the citadel," I stated.

"I can safely say that it'll take you a whole lot of training and practicing. You were so close, though," He replied.

We heard clapping coming from the entrance of the room and watched as Jessie, Alex, Trevor, and Mia looked at us in astonishment, clapping at the fantastic fight that they witnessed. I sighed and sat on the floor, trying to catch my breath. Jessie's eyes were glued on Justin like an art enthusiast seeing a masterpiece coming to life in the most breathtaking of ways. It was no surprise that Justin managed to steal her heart without even trying, seeing as he is incredibly handsome as gods are imagined to be. His golden hair, blue eyes, and stunning smile, accompanied by his perfect physical form is not something any human can achieve. But Jessie was not the only one who was drooling over Justin, for Mia took it to another level. 

"By the gods... Their sexy muscles, the sweat dripping off of their glistening bare chests, the shiny, messed up hair! My body cannot be any more ready!" Mia exclaimed, panting heavily and drooling like a puppy.

"What's wrong?" Jessie asked the aroused demon girl.

"Oh, don't worry about her. She just got too excited to see them like that," Alex explained to the blue-haired Jessie.

"Well, I can't blame her. They're so hot..." Jessie stated under her breath but loud enough for us to hear while eyeing Justin.

"Can someone bring us some water?!" Justin asked to which Alex and Trevor brought some water bottles from the fridge. Justin and I downed the water like parched animals. We were so thirsty that we did not notice Mia sit on our laps and lick some of the sweat off our bodies in an erotic fashion.

"Mia! What the heck?!" Alex exclaimed, grabbing her by the legs and attempting to pull her away.

"Stop!" Mia moaned erotically, grabbing our attention. When we tried leaving, she gripped us by our necks and pulled us together. "They're mine!"

"Jessie! Trevor! Some help, please!" Alex begged.

"Nah, man! This is so cool! I wanna see!" Trevor replied, much to my other friends' dismay. Jessie moved in immediately and began pulling me away from Mia's unyielding grasp.

"What's wrong, Alex? You're the second most perverted one in the group. You shouldn't be pulling me away like this! Are you jealous?" Mia asked, teasing the cyborg.

"What? I don't care what you do in your free time, but you shouldn't unleash yourself on your friends like this!" Alex replied, pulling Mia harder. When Justin managed to free himself from her grip, Mia slipped and managed to grab him by the shorts, pulling them down slightly and nearly revealing his dragon.

Alex finally managed to pull Mia away and free us from her monstrous grip. Trevor sat on the ground, laughing his ass off while Justin pulled his shorts back up, and I got off my feet, grabbing a towel for myself and another for Justin. I wiped my body with my towel after throwing the other to the exhausted deity. Jessie approached me with more water and whispered to me, saying: "What's wrong with her?" Jessie showed genuine concern over Mia and her weird behavior, rather than disgust. "I get how she's got the hots for Justin, but..."

"She... Mia, have you told them about yourself?" I asked. Mia got back to her feet and shook her head before releasing a defeated sigh. I knew that revealing Mia's identity would be pretty reckless and dangerous, but knowing Jessie's past and a certain incident that happened long ago, I held a firm belief that neither she nor Trevor would freak out over the demon girl.

"I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want to see my 'features' after being attacked by werewolves," Mia opined, looking away and swallowing.

"I-It's okay, Mia. I don't mind," Jessie stated, making Mia ask her whether she is sure or not, to which Jessie answered positively. Mia then repeated the question twenty times, with every time getting the same answer from the girl with blue hair.

"Alright, then. Don't say I didn't warn you," Mia said after sighing. She then conjured her wings, revealing her true identity to my friends. Trevor swallowed his own saliva while Jessie gasped and took a few steps backward and stood behind me.

"You're... You are a..." Jessie trailed off, pointing her shaking index finger at the demon girl.

"Yes, I am a demon," Mia answered. Her voice showing genuine sorrow that I believe without a shadow of a doubt. "But it's not like I'm evil or something. I've known Justin and Alex ever since I was a kid."

"B-But demons are-"

"It's okay, Jessie. She's very nice. Looks can be pretty deceiving sometimes," I said, cutting Jessie off from finishing her sentence.

"I-I'm not proud of who I am, Jessie. It's not like demons are good creatures or anything. I know that you may see me as an evil monster who wants to kill every living thing on this beautiful planet, but... I don't want to do that. I love this world as much as anyone else, even more so!" Mia stated, her voice cracking more the longer she spoke. She then put away her wings. "I'm... I'm sorry for who I am."

"Stop," Jessie spoke before releasing a sigh. "I don't want to judge you based on your species. I've learned not to do so after a certain incident." I could tell that Jessie was moved by Mia's words. The blue-haired girl is known to detect liars pretty easily. Mia, however, is no such liar. "And besides..."

Jessie walked to Mia and whispered in her ear: "I wouldn't mind if you also share your boyfriend while you're here." The blue-haired girl winked at the demon before they both laughed.

"What about you, Trevor?" I asked. He nervously looked at me and shook his head with a nervous smile.

"I, uh, I don't m-mind her either!" He stated. His words did not come out of fear. Instead, they came out of something else entirely. I noticed quickly that he had taken a seat and put one leg over the other. I immediately understood why he was acting strangely because it takes a pervert to know a pervert.

"I see. So you don't mind my demon friend, huh? You don't mind her at all, you sick freak? Huehuehuehuehuehue!" I stated with a smug expression on my face. "Anyway, we have to go back. I want to take a shower."

After returning home and taking a nice and refreshing shower, Justin and I returned to the living room to find a sad Robert waiting for us. Aunt Amanda was in the kitchen with Mia and Jessie while Alex and Trevor stood outside of the house, looking out for enemies. I approached Robert and sat across from him. He did not look at me at all. Instead, he kept staring at a knight badge that he held in his hands, gripping it tightly. A badge that displays his position in the royal military. A veteran knight who knew the late monarch personally and spent the majority of his life serving. My father and Rob were more than just a king and his knight. They were friends. They were brothers. For my father to die and be buried without Rob's knowledge must have really taken a toll on him. His silence was more than enough to convey his feelings of grief and sorrow, which I rarely saw from Robert.

"How did it happen?" He asked with a weak, nearly silent voice.

"It... He tried to save us from the harbinger," I stated.

"The harbinger?" Uncle Rob asked, finally raising his head and looking me in the eye.

"Yes. The very harbinger we're aiming to defeat. He showed himself at the citadel, defeating our strongest warriors with ease. When Justin went to fight him, he simply kicked him away like a soccer ball," I recounted the tragic event, or rather, I forced myself to recount the tragic event. I could barely speak the words that weighed heavily on my conscience.

"The harbinger tried to finish me off, but his majesty sacrificed himself to save me," Justin stated, gripping his hand and forcing his words out.

"And you watched as he died?" Rob asked Justin angrily. I was taken aback by the way he addressed my brother like he could have done anything about it. "After everything his majesty did, you just watched him die?!"

"Listen, old man! Justin is as much a son of my father as I am! Don't address him like that!" I snapped at him. Robert was shocked by my yelling but immediately took back his words.

"I apologize. I should not have said that." He fixed his seating position and returned to looking at the golden badge in his possession. "It's just... Your father and I were so close. He was more than just the ruler of our kingdom, Zack. He was like a brother to me. He and I went on adventures when he was just a young, headstrong, and stubborn prince. We even had our own group, much like yours. It was comprised of his majesty, Albert Der Wissenstein, Zeno Astralis, and myself."

"Oh, yeah? What did you do?"

"We traveled the world in search of a vampire. He did something wrong, and we wanted to pay him back for it. Your father and Zeno eventually squared up with him and won," Robert explained.

"Wow. I want you to tell me the story in detail one day," I said to the old man, taking interest in the tale.

"Sure. Come by anytime, and I'll tell you everything. I'll even show you some photos."

"I sure will, old man."

Amanda rushed into the room and grabbed the remote. She turned on the TV and raised the volume while calling everybody to the living room. The news lady had her eyes rolled over to the back of her head with blood coming out of her mouth and ears as she held a piece of paper in her hands and spoke. "In my hands, I hold a message to the entire world from the harbinger of the darkness."

"I have roamed the world for centuries, watching and waiting in the shadows for the day that the new god will ascend and fall under my feet. I've watched in contempt as myriad kings, heroes, angels, and legends attempted to face me, only to suffer and perish in a swift death. To think that I have roamed the earth for ages, preparing to face the one that will end my suffering, only to realize that he is nothing but an insignificant child that passed out with one hit from my boot. Soon enough, history will repeat itself, and your world will succumb to the evil and darkness. Not a soul was able to stand in my way as I crushed every insignificant insect that stood before me at the citadel. Your dear lord and savior suffered a crushing defeat by a single attack. Your king died by my blade and fell on the ground like a feeble old man, and soon, the entire world will decay as the light of the sun vanishes, and all manner of demons and monsters ravage the lands. No shelter will withstand for long. If humanity manages to stand its ground against the demons, then the plagues will be your end. Birds will fall from the sky, plants will rot into nothing, the dead will roam the world and hunt down the living, oceans will swallow entire cities, and the flames of revenge will burn the dragon kingdom to the ground. Not even the afterlife will prove a safe haven and shield you from my power. Your gods will suffer and watch as I consume the souls of those who rest in bliss. And in the end, I will rebuild everything... This is my gift to you. Cherish it well. Juxtynoktrios, I will be waiting."

The news presenter began to spew out blood from her ears, eyes, and mouth before collapsing on her desk. That broadcast alone was enough to instill fear in Jessie's heart and have her collapse on the ground to mope in her own tears. Hearing what that bastard had to say about my father built up the rage inside of me and made my blood boil. It did not take long for the memories of my father to flash inside my mind, especially that final moment that kept repeating over and over again.

"He... He is far stronger than us..." Mia stated as she shook in fear, remembering how afraid she was. Without even presenting himself, he made the entire group feel defeated. Just the thought of him alone could make anyone tremble in fear

"Over my dead body!" Justin got off his seat and proceeded to the door and shouted: "Crusaders!" to call us to action.

The three of us followed after the leader of our group, exiting the door and heading to the door. But suddenly, a werewolf sprinted in our direction. It looked similar to all the other werewolves we fought. A humanoid body with wolf features. Razor-sharp claws and teeth were the most prominent when it came to this particular werewolf, however. His teeth were clean and lacked the blood of innocent victims. Instead, the only blood it was drenched in was the blood of its wounds. When Alex attempted to shoot it, it froze in place and raised its hands up, saying: "Please! I don't want to fight!" before kneeling, transforming back to its human form, revealing an old friend of mine.

"Ian?" I asked, utterly petrified after seeing a kid I grew up with possess the powers of a werewolf.

"Zack! Zack, I need your help! There are way too many of them!"

"You're... You're a..." I trailed off.

"I am not one of them!" He shouted while on the ground. "Please! I am not one of those monsters!"

"What do you want?" Justin asked, his voice calm and welcoming despite the creature that stood before him.

"They have returned. The werewolves have attacked again and have taken hostages. They want you specifically, Zack!" Ian stated, much to everybody's shock. He trembled in fear with his hands raised in surrender. His voice showed evident desperation that made me believe him despite what I had just learned about him.

"Why would they want with me?" I asked, but I knew the answer. I did not want him to know I was the current ruling monarch.

"I have no idea. They said that if you don't show yourself in twenty minutes, they will start killing hostages! Please, do something!" Ian pleaded, his head pointing downward. The breath of this werewolf was erratic. His injured legs shook and tears fell out of his eyes like flowing rivers. He truly was afraid and panicking.

"What about you, Ian? Why are you a werewolf? Why has your kind attacked the city, huh?!" I shouted.

"Please! I had nothing to do with this! My family and I wanted to live in peace with people and remain in our human forms to die happily and peacefully! Many of the werewolves in this city wanted this, but everything happened so suddenly, and werewolves started eating people and other werewolves..." Ian slammed the ground with his hand. "My mom... They took her and made her into a mindless werewolf, Zack. They did that to anyone not evil enough to turn on the town, or to anyone who stood against them. The rest were killed because they managed to save themselves. S-Some normal people were even turned into mindless werewolves, a-as well. My mom, Zack. I want her back. Please..."

I knew his mom. She is a kind and gentle soul that would make the angriest of monsters relax and reduce their anxiety. Alex put his weapon away, and the rest watched as I got Ian back on his feet. I looked at his crying eyes and understood that he was telling the truth. He appeared to be tired and injured in the shoulder and leg, barely making it to our place before passing out because of blood loss. I gave him two potions from my own stash and instructed him to come with us, joining Trevor and Jessie in their vehicle while I drove us, crusaders, in Justin's vehicle towards the city.

When we arrived, we parked the vehicles at a secluded parking spot and went on foot to find the location of the werewolves. On the way there, Ian decided to explain to us some other stuff that was happening while we were at my old place.

"They have a pack leader. I don't know his name, but I've seen how strong he was, killing 10 free werewolves in a matter of seconds. He appeared as soon as you guys left the town. I wanted to go after you and ask for your help in finding my mom, but I understood how you feared for the lives of your caretakers, much like I am afraid for my mother. I tried to fight them on my own, but I'm... weak."

"Was your mother originally also a werewolf?" Alex asked the traumatized kid. "I-If you don't mind me asking."

"N-No... No, she was not." He stated, making us all stop walking out shock and turn around to listen to what he had to say. His face was glued to the ground and tears did not stop flowing ever since he met us a few minutes ago. His voice trembled and his lips shook as he talked. "Sh-She... She was a normal human being, Alex. As was I until a few months ago. My father wanted me to become a werewolf so that I can protect myself and others. A way to repay the kindness this community has shown me. My mom, however, she remained human. My dad left on a mission to find out what really happened to my young sister, who presumably died in a train crash. When everything happened, I tried to call him... but they cut off all communications to the outside world, leaving us stranded and hopeless."

"I'm sorry about your mother, Ian," I stated. "To lose someone so close... I understand how you feel."

"I-If we could not... Then please, you guys. Allow me to..." Ian collapsed on his knees and began to shed tears. "Allow me to finish her off!" I couldn't help but shed a tear as well at the sight of the desperate friend of mine that was breaking down in tears, having everything stolen from him and the most important person to him be in critical danger. A loss of hope I felt and understood very well. 

Justin walked towards the desperate child and placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him. "We will bring back your mother to you, Ian. I promise."

Ian stared at Justin as if he saw a deity in front of him while unbeknownst to him that he was indeed looking at one. "Your mom will be back to you safe and sound."

"W-Why do I feel better all of a sudden?" Ian asked, enchanted by Justin's words. "Y-Your words, Justin... For some reason, I trust you."

"That's your god for ya," Mia whispered to Alex, who nodded. "That's the man I love."

Justin offered to help Ian off of his feet, to which the latter gladly accepted. Even I felt inspired and had my morale boosted by Justin's words. I looked at the rest of the group and saw that they looked much more determined than they were a minute ago. We all then walked towards the street where we saw a man standing over a giant pile of cars while holding a dead man in his left arm. The man was shirtless and his hair was red with blond highlights. His muscles were defined enough for him to feel the need to show them off.

"I see that you're here, Zachary!" The man said, making my blood boil by his mere presence, let alone his voice. He was wearing leather pants and shoes with silver spikes on them as well as the belt on his pants. He danced like an eager clown before pointing at me. "Welcome back!"

I did not recognize that man at all. He did not appear to be from around the city at all. His werewolf buddies arrived and stood next to him while more werewolves surrounded us and got ready for a fight. The man threw the dead body in front of us and laughed loudly, showing his deranged excitement.

"I was promised one hundred million dollars for your head, boy! I don't know who offers that much money for one target, but I'm game! After this invasion is over, I'll live my life free of worry!" The pack leader ran a hand through his hair before licking his lips.

"Don't you think that that much money means I'm probably really dangerous?" I asked.

"Who are you? An extremely powerful assassin or something? Whatever you are, boy, you are no match for the greatest wolf pack to ever walk the earth!" He stated, gloating with a statement that is possibly a lie, before howling with his gang. "Millions for your head alone. Your body will definitely make for a nice meal. Get him, boys!"

With his wolf gang attacking us, he left along with the group that was surrounding him and left us to fight the wolves that were surrounding us. Unsurprising, his wolf monsters were strong, but not tough enough to be too much of a hassle. I conjured my sword and charged at one of them, clawing their eye out before stabbing him in the head. Another one jumped at me, but I covered myself with my sword and prevented him from landing any damage. He did not plan on giving up and pushed his claws further towards me while I kept him away. He was so busy with me that he did not anticipate a crossbow bolt to hit him in the head. I slashed his neck and kicked his body away before moving onto another werewolf that was next to Ian.

"Can you identify your mother?" I asked.

"Yes, I can. I can figure out who she is by her smell, but I don't need that since I can tell what she looks like." Ian grabbed one wolf and bit its neck before throwing it high up for Mia to shoot with her arrows. "I can tell who she is by sight alone. I'll tell you when I see her, so don't hold back on these fools!"

"You got it, wolf-boy!"

"Hey, Ian? Quick question," Alex said before shooting one werewolf in the head. "Are wolf people a close relative of werewolves, or?"

"No, actually. We're not close at all. In fact, anyone from any species can turn into a werewolf. You can find a NekoSapien and have them turn into a werewolf. Werewolf abilities are basically shapeshifting into a humanoid wolf with super strength, speed, endurance, and so on. Anyone can do it if you use the right spells or curses." Ian answered the cyborg.

"I can do it, too!" Mia stated before turning into a werewolf and clawing out the face of an enemy, much to Ian's astonishment and shock.

"You're a werewolf, too?!" Ian asked.

"No, she's not. She's a shapeshifting demon with the powers of vampires, succubi, and other demons," Justin answered the werewolf ally nonchalantly.

"A what?!" Ian asked again.

"Don't worry. Just like you're a good werewolf, she's a good demon," Alex reassured Ian. "Trust me. I lived with her for years now."

"O-Okay." Ian shrugged the worry off immediately and concentrated on aiding me with the killing of these heartless monsters. The way he flung himself at them shows his pure rage and unyielding strength. Despite his previous belief in his weakness, Justin's words were enough to fill him with determination to last him a week.

Alex fired his laserbeam attack at four werewolves, killing them instantly. Mia summoned a couple of magical circles that had a meteor go through them and detonate on impact, destroying the remaining werewolves. "Insert flame joke here," Mia said before the meteor struck the remaining monsters and blew them a kiss before their demise.

"Woo!" Ian and Alex exclaimed as they high-fived each other.

"We're done here," Justin said as he dematerialized his sword.

"H-Help..." A voice spoke. A wounded werewolf crawled towards us and turned back to his human form, revealing a dark-skinned individual in his early to mid-sixties. "You have to... help the kidnapped people. That monster is turning them into werewolves."

I ran towards the injured man and gave him an elixir to help heal his injuries, however, he was too injured for one elixir to do the trick. He refused to take more, as he did not want my supplies to run out. I knew that man from before. He is a store proprietor who we used to sell goods for and is a good friend of ours.

"Sir, where are they?" I asked.

"He... He said he was headed to a p-place in the mountains. The closest mountain is the one to the east, called Old Sage's mountain. I believe that they have a shelter there or a base."

"Thanks, old man. Can you make it to the Anderson farm?" I asked. "They'll take care of you there. Just tell them Zack sent you."

"I-I can. I'll head there right now."

The group and I returned to our vehicles and proceeded towards Old sage's mountain, where the werewolves expected us to arrive as bodies. We parked at a diner on the road close to the mountain, where we decided to strategize and plan our next move. I ordered myself some coffee while Justin ordered meals for all of us. I sighed and stared through the window at the road and the peaceful countryside, taking in the beauty of the trees and the quiet feel of it all with my head resting on my hand.

"Hey, Zack!" Justin called. "A picture."

Mia pulled out her camera and took a group picture after setting it up nicely. After that, the entire group and I waited for our food to arrive. Ian sat right across from me and stared through the window, similar to how I was daydreaming. Though, the look on his face expressed grief and sorrow. I felt devastated at the kid's situation, seeing as his mother is in danger, and his father is nowhere to be seen. It reminded me of the time when he and his father took me to go hunting with them. I spent a great time with the two and learned a lot about hunting. It hurt me to see him as a werewolf, especially after what I had witnessed werewolves do. I do not harbor any ill will towards their kind, but the slaughtering of hundreds in this city was too much to bear.

"Hey, Ian," I called.

"Yes?"

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Not too good, to be honest with you," He replied with sadness carved on his face. He stared down at the table after answering me, the poor thing.

"I understand. I have a feeling your mother is on that mountain, if that cheers you up," I stated.

"Thanks, Zack. I know she is on the mountain, but what if we were not able to bring her back?" He asked. "What if she remained a feral werewolf?"

"Based on my knowledge of magic, I believe that she can be brought back to normal if she was transformed with a werewolf curse. All you have to do is defeat the caster or break the spell charm, and what's done is done," I explained.

"You think so?" He asked.

"I've heard of a spell that makes its victim into an obedient werewolf. I think that the werewolf leader used an enhanced version of it to enslave the people he enslaved, including your mother. I'm curious about its effects, though. I want to know how he got his hands on a powerful spell and study it. Maybe we can reverse-engineer it, find a diffusion spell that counters it, or make our own."

"Do you think it has a limited amount of potential victims per casting?" Ian asked.

"I believe so. I don't think there's a spell strong enough to control that many people simultaneously." I placed my thumb and index finger on my chin and rubbed it while thinking about any spells, curses, or methods to make obedient werewolves. Something on this scale is unheard of. There are many different methods of achieving the same result when it comes to magic. Turning humans into beings such as werewolves, vampires, and others can be achieved by many different methods, including spells, rituals, curses, bodily fluids, or others. Each method offers a variety of benefits and drawbacks for the creatures created. One could potentially create a werewolf that relies on a full moon to change, while another can create a werewolf that can turn any time they please. Every method comes with its own strengths and weaknesses and finding the absolute perfect method to create werewolves is no easy feat. Especially obedient and feral werewolves on this scale. Merely thinking about it made me feel very uncomfortable and anxious.

The food arrived a while later, and the entire group, including me, began to eat. Ian ordered a regular human meal, just like everyone else. Mia, however, ordered way too much for one human to handle. As I was eating, I caught Ian staring at our car in admiration through the window. His eyes scanned the red vehicle intently and a smile crept its way onto his face. A car like that was tough not to admire. The vehicle was heavily modified for Justin's use throughout the journey and calling it an eye candy is a big understatement. Nearly everything about the car was modified with custom-made parts.

"Do you like what you see?" Justin asked the boy.

"Yes. It's a pretty sweet ride," Ian answered honestly, smiling at the god sitting next to him. It seems that this simple distraction was enough to make Ian feel slightly less anxious and upset, and that made me appreciate Justin even more.

"But we can't use it to scale the mountains, Justin." Mia drank some of her soda after saying that. 'We'll have to keep it here and scale on foot."

"Oh, don't worry about that. My pickup truck can climb that mountain, no problem!" Trevor stated as he ate his food.

"Stop spitting everywhere," I replied.

"I guess we'll ride in Trevor's pickup, then," Alex stated.

Before I could say another word, I watched with a twitching eye as the waitress brought Mia a huge bucket filled to the brim with blood. Mia grabbed the bucket and downed it immediately as the entire group watched her in utter shock and bewilderment. The waitress herself nonchalantly brought the bucket without hesitation. She left without even asking why and was unfazed as I watched her glance over Mia for a second before getting back to her work, not caring in the slightest about the teenage girl that was consuming a large bucket of blood.

"Ah... The lovely taste of blood after a nice meal. I asked the waitress to put as much blood left in this bucket as possible. What can I say? I love the taste." Mia licked the blood off her lips and winked at Justin.

"See? Believe me now, Ian?" Justin asked the perplexed werewolf.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" Mia asked. "Justin would finish a noodle cup that's twice the size of this bucket twice as fast!"

"Excuse me?" Justin asked.

"What?" Mia stared at her boyfriend with an annoyed expression.

"Thrice as fast, babe," Justin said with a smug expression forming on his face.

"That's not something to be complacent about," Mia replied.

I sighed and paid for the entire group before leaving while Justin argued with me over why I didn't let him pay, his words falling on deaf ears as I walked to the pickup truck with a deadpan look. I got in the back with Alex as we both possessed long-range weaponry that's capable of firing quickly and at the furthest distance. Trevor drove us towards the mountain where we saw werewolves that immediately howled at the sky when spotting us. I aimed my sniper rifle and blasted them with a powerful charged attack before Alex fired his rocket launcher at them.

The werewolves sprinted after us, attacking us from both the front and the back. They jumped on the truck bed and attacked Alex and me. I dodged to the side and conjured my polearm to stab one of them in the chest while Alex sliced off one of them with his sword. Justin aimed his crossbow at the truck bed and shot one of them in the back, saving me from its jaws. I kicked it out of the vehicle and watched as the rest chased after us, disregarding their comrades. Alex conjured his assault rocket launcher again and aimed it at the pursuing monsters. But as Alex fought off the enemies, I failed to notice a winged demon that flew in and yanked me off the ground with its hands. I used my polearm and attempted to stab it, only making it fly higher and higher.

"ZACK!" Mia shouted on the earpiece.

"I'm okay for now! Hey, I can see their base from up here! Mia, tell Trevor to continue straight and not to stop! We're very close!" I stated.

"Where are you right now?" Justin asked.

"This creature is carrying me to their base as we speak." The closer I got, the clearer the structures got. I decided to be more useful and snipe down some werewolves before I reached their base. I fired at a couple of them, hitting seven of them before the demon decided to shake me, making me drop the sniper rifle.

"What a jerk," I commented on his behavior as I crossed my arms.

"When did these werewolves get into the possession of a demon?!" Mia inquired, which made me pause to think that it was indeed something strange.

"I believe it's the same person who sent succubi after us," Justin replied. "It's not the first time and I doubt it's the last."

"I sure hope it is!" Alex replied, the sound of his weapons clearly audible through the earpiece.

I gazed at the structure in awe at the beauty of it that came with the danger that lurked within it. Their base was a colossal fort that was renovated and fitted with some imperial technology. However, I did not spot any imperial presence whatsoever across the base through the sniper rifle or when I got closer. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I spotted turret cannons popping out of the holes on the towers throughout the fort, aiming at my friends' vehicle. I stabbed the demon with my royal sword and directed it toward one of the turrets before stabbing it in the chest one last time and jumping off of it. I used my shield to minimize the impact of the landing. When I hit solid ground, I immediately rushed inside of a turret and attacked the werewolves inside that remained in their human form. I stabbed one of them in the back, strangled him, took his machine gun, and directed it at his allies, shooting them in the head. But despite my unloading of an entire magazine on them, they began turning into werewolves. I took my sword out of the man's back and sliced his neck off, killing him instantly. One of them completely morphed but did not survive my polearm, impaling him in the face. The other died of a shot from my sniper rifle.

I walked towards the turret controls and aimed it toward another turret, destroying it before it could fire at my friends. I noticed that the controls for the turret were easier than I thought they would be since all I had to do was aim and fire. I destroyed two other turrets before mine got shot from afar with yet another defensive installation. As the turret room was lit ablaze by the explosion, I made it outside in the nick of time.

"Zack! Are you okay?" Justin asked.

"I'm fine. I had to take care of some turrets for you guys. There are more, so watch out and try to get here quickly, I'll try to open the gates for you," I explained to the group.

"Thanks. Take care of yourself out there."

I watched as a bunch of werewolves approached me in their human and beast forms simultaneously. The humans carried firearms while the werewolves attacked bare-handed. I used my tornado grenades to take care of the monsters in the gate area. The other werewolves proved a problem for me as one of them leaped at me and tried to chew my face off. I protected myself with my polearm and stabbed it in the chest before putting my sniper rifle in its mouth and firing. I got off the ground and shot a beast in its mouth before covering myself from the human ones. After shooting my way through the towers and walking from one tower to another through the bridges, I made it to the turret that shot at me. I was too small a target for it to fire at me, so the enemies inside stormed out of the room and attacked. I used my sniper rifle to protect myself from one of them, but the injuries I sustained during my trek from the first turret to this one made it harder to push against it. It was there that I realized that I was in trouble. The second I let go from the polearm that's the only thing between me and a giant maw, I would instantly have my face eaten off. However, if I did not act, I would eventually have my face eaten off. I do not want my face to be eaten off. 

Suddenly, earsplitting roars pierced through the dark sky as a colossal dragon emerged and laid waste to the entire fortress installations with the power of wind and lightning. Debris flew in every direction, destroying a large portion of the base and ending the lives of the evil werewolves. The monsters could only make a desperate attempt to escape, but they would eventually be killed one way or another. With lightning striking many of them alongside their defensive systems and vehicles, the werewolves realized that defeat is near. Nothing could stand against the legendary dragons that brought the chosen deity into this world, and this was proof enough of that. With sweat dripping from my forehead and my strength fading by the second, I let go of the polearm with my right hand and summoned my sword, stabbing the wolf in the stomach. The wolf opened its mouth and tried to bite my face off, but I jerked my head to the side and watched as it bit the ground, its speed being slowed down by my attack.

I pulled out my sword and stabbed it repeatedly until it got too weak to attack again before I pushed it away and stabbed the beast in its mouth. As soon as I cleared my surroundings, I fell on the ground and leaned against a wall before drinking a healing potion. With the darkness already setting and the enemy base set ablaze by my turret attack, I relaxed and killed the rest of the attacking werewolves with my sniper rifle. What I did not account for was that aiming and shooting weapons took a toll on my injured body. Looking at the sky, I noticed that it became dark, and then, I watched as Trevor rammed through the gates that I forgot to open. Before vanishing, the dragon caused enough damage to the fortress that ramming through a gate with a pickup truck was a breeze.

"Zack?! Zack!" Justin called.

"I'm... I'm alive," I replied as the potion helped me to recover.

"Where are you?!" Mia asked.

"Near the top. See the turret that was not destroyed?" I asked. "The closest one to the other destroyed turrets? I'm heading to it right now."

"You sound injured! Are you okay?" Alex asked.

"I'm just... I'm just a little tired. I wish you could see the trail of bodies I left behind. I really am something, huh? I'm catching my breath. I'll meet you at the castle. Don't take too long; otherwise, you'll miss the party."

I got back to my feet and trudged to the turret. From there, I proceeded through the watchtowers to the castle, where I descended down to the main area near the gates. I watched as Trevor arrived in his pickup and parked beside me. The group got out of the vehicle and ran towards me, giving me their potions and making me heal quicker.

"Thanks, you guys." I got back on my feet and watched as the pack leader emerged from a balcony to applaud.

"If you really think I'd let you die at the hands of a bunch of grunts, you're mistaken. I needed someone to test my minions against. How was it to kill so many people from your own city?!" The maniac laughed.

"You bastard..." I said while holding my own shoulder.

"Aww, poor thing! He got injured on his way up here." He sent more werewolves after us with a snap of his finger.

The group and I fought throughout the castle as hard as possible until we made it to the throne room, where the werewolf leader awaited us. When I opened the door, I saw him sitting on a throne with his legs crossed, staring at me intently with a disgusting smile on his face.

"Ah, my hundred million has arrived," He stated.

"If I could, I would make you go through one hundred million deaths, each one more painful and gruesome than the last!" I yelled at the evil monster.

The man sighed. "That was a lame line."

"Okay then," Justin replied. "How about you save the talking because you're gonna need a hundred million to fix what we're gonna do to you."

"Hey, kid. You there with the werewolf powers," The monster pointed towards Ian. "I heard you were looking for your mommy, right? Well, why don't we have a family reunion? I'm such a nice guy."

The leader snapped his fingers and summoned Ian's mother, fully turned, and too far gone in her possession to listen to her son. Readying her claws and jaws, she approached us menacingly and with murderous intent. I conjured my sword and got ready to fight, but was stopped by Ian, who wanted to fight his mother for himself.

"Why don't we let the rest of you have some fun as well?" The leader's leading group of subordinates appeared and charged at us. I skipped past them all and went directly for their master. When I made it to the throne, I swung my sword hard enough, but the monster ducked and kicked me away. As I lifted myself off the ground, I watched as Ian struggled against his mother, and the rest got outnumbered very quickly as more werewolves arrived at the scene. I charged at the leader again and watched as he tried to punch me away, only for me to duck and slice his sides.

"You little..." He spoke before his wounds started to heal. Finally, seeing me as a threat, he cracked his knuckles and charged at me in his human form. His speed and power were formidable and proved difficult for me as I dodged far more than I hit.

"SHAAAAAOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA" The leader shouted like an eastern martial artist or what western imitations of them would shout.

Most of my attacks did not manage to land, and I ended up leaving many openings for him to attack me. I ended up getting punched in my abdomen and torso before he kicked me away. I got back to my feet and threw my polearm towards him. He caught it before it could hit him, but failed to see as I summoned a volley of spectral spears and sent it flying in his direction. He managed to deflect some of them with his kicks but ended up getting hit by a significant number of them, wounding him in the chest, arms, and legs.

"You... You're great. I see now why you're worth one hundred million dollars. You're certainly more capable than you give yourself credit, kid. But nothing you throw at me will be enough to put me down for good! NOTHING!" The leader pulled out knives from his shoes and pants, throwing them all in my direction. I hid behind my shield and watched as he leaped at me and began punching and clawing at my shield.

"You will all die here!" He yelled, getting visibly frustrated with me. He got even angrier when he realized that Mia shot him with her bow. He pulled the arrow out of his shoulder and tried to punch me again, only to find that I had left my defenseless spot and stood in front of him, grinning as he got hit by my punch, followed by swings of my sword. Soon enough, he turned into his werewolf form, showing a power that far outmatches any of the other werewolves that we fought before. I summoned a dome shield to protect me against his attacks, but it proved too weak to sustain dozens upon dozens of attacks at once. Eventually, it broke and allowed the leader of the pack to strike me. Luckily, I managed to jump away from the attack at the right moment, but that still got me wounded. However, not enough to have my arm ripped off as he had hoped. He tried attacking me again but got hit by my polearm before getting slashed by my sword while I struggled to stand at my feet.

"I feel no remorse to heartless bastards like you," I stated. "I'll cut you down... I'll cut you down to pieces!"

Suddenly, the screaming of Jessie struck my ears as she got hit by a werewolf. I watched in horror as her body hit the floor. Alex tried to run to her aid, only to get hit by a punch and propelled towards a wall. Justin was overwhelmed by werewolves as they jumped on top of him and immobilized him. Mia tried to go save her lover but ended up getting slashed by a female werewolf and surrounded by more enemies. Trevor succeeded in reaching Jessie but was eventually cornered. He desperately pulled out a pistol and aimed it around him, knowing that it would do nothing against them. Ian was eventually beaten by his own mother and got pulverized. Her teeth dug into her son's shoulder, making him roar in pain while tears fell from his eyes.

"Think fast!" The werewolf leader said, making me turn around to get impaled by his werewolf claw.

"No..." I managed to speak. I looked at my chest and watched as the blood poured out of it, and the piercing pain intensified. I was too exhausted even to let out a simple whimper and could only watch and writhe in pain as the rest of my friends lost their battles.

"I will never forget you, kid. Not just because you were the reason I earned a hundred million dollars, but because you were truly a formidable fighter. You have my respect. You were never meant to defeat me, as I am meant to become the king of all werewolves! As my forefathers foretold!"

"King...?" I asked as my voice fainted, and my vision blurred. "F-Father..."

I looked at the ceiling and saw the soul of my father smiling down on me. Alongside him stood my mother. It was the first time that I got to see her face other than in photos or videos. My father offered his hand for me, asking me to join him in the afterlife. The prideful smile on his face brought me to tears. "I failed, father... I failed."

Smiling, he shook his head and reached further to take me with him into the realm of eternal peace, knowing that I have done what I could to aid Justin in his adventure. "There is... nothing I can do now..." I slowly raised my hand to grab his hand and go with him to find eternal bliss when suddenly, I heard the voice.

"ZAAAACHAARY!" Justin shouted. "Do not yield!"

And all of a sudden. Memories of all the moments, happy and sad, that I have spent with Justin and the rest of the crusaders rushed back inside my head. I remembered why we are doing this. I remembered that I never planned on giving up. Alex never gave up, even knowing he was at death's door. Mia strives to keep this world safe and beautiful, even if the world would grow to hate her. And Justin? He is fighting, knowing that he will never see his friends and loved ones again and would depart from this world forever.

"No..." I spoke... "I will not..."

"You're still fighting it? Just give in already," The werewolf leader spoke, still lifting me with his claws.

Suddenly, I felt the royal power awaken within me as a light shone through my wounds. With my resolve returning to me and my rage fueling my heart, my willpower burned brighter with the flames of retribution.

"For so long... I have rejected my true calling. I lived my life hating who I am." I finally admitted it to everyone present. "For so long, my father tried his best to keep me safe and happy, but I hated him for it. I did not want the throne. I did not want to be his legacy..."

"What are you talking about?" My words brought nothing but confusion to the evil werewolf.

"I did not want to be the heir to the throne. But then, when I realized how much everyone has suffered to keep me safe, I felt disgusted with myself. With my father gone, I saw the suffering of the people. I heard their cries of help. And... I've realized something. As much as I need them, my friends, my family... They need me as well... And this kingdom? This kingdom calls for its king!"

A beam of light struck me from the sky, blinding the werewolves and releasing me from the grasp of the evil pack leader.

With my wounds healed, I looked at myself to see that I have finally unleashed my royal armor. A mystical winged armor made by my royal spirit, the white, platinum, blue, and gold shone brilliantly to everyone present in the room. "An armor that represents my will and my resolve." 

I conjured my sword and stared at the pack leader and watched the fear in his eyes as he trembled. I floated in the air with my sword in my hand and feeling the new power coursing through me. It felt refreshing. I felt like I was finally myself.

"A royal armor?!" The leader screamed in fear.

"You may sit on a throne, but you are no king," I declared.

"Who... Who are you?!" He asked.

"Zachary Angelus Drakionis. The one hundred and twentieth monarch of the kingdom of RaynoDrakionis. The Royal Crusader! On my honor as the king of this noble kingdom, your death shall be by my hand!" I shouted in all my glory.

I conjured spectral spears and sent them flying at the werewolves that dared to attack my friends, killing them in a mere instant. The leader tried attacking me again, only for me to slice his claws cleanly off. I then sliced off his other hand. As he screamed in pain, I attacked him with my own barrage of royal fists.

"PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH! PERISH!" I shouted with every punch.

"What is happening?!" Ian asked, astounded by my display of royal strength, not knowing who I am.

"Witness your king!" Mia and an awakened Jessie exclaimed.

"K-K-King?!" Ian asked, his jaw falling to the floor.

As my final attack, I summoned my sword once again and sliced his neck. Mia gathered the body and blood that shot up from his neck like a fountain and used it to create a weapon for herself. I discarded my armor and watched as the blood from the werewolf leader and his subordinates gathered and formed into the shape of a seven-foot-tall sword. Mia turned their bodies into particles of light and gathered it all to make the weapon and give it the strength that it requires.

Ian's mother turned back to her human form. Her son ran towards her and checked for a pulse, he was overjoyed when he found out that his mother was alive and well. Ian and Alex helped her get on her feet as she woke up. She held her head in her hand, and when she finally regained her focus, she turned around to her son and embraced him in a warm and loving hug. I watched as she cried on his shoulder as he cried on hers. A loving embrace that I will never experience, but a joyful moment nonetheless. I approached them and watched as Ian let go of his mother and kneeled in front of me, along with Jessie, Trevor, and his mom.

"Your majesty! I-It's an honor to have fought by your side!" Ian exclaimed, sounding nervous and on the verge of tears once more.

"Off your feet, Ian. Save the formalities for later. I may be the king now, but until we reclaim our home, I'm still the same old Zack, alright?" I placed one hand on his shoulder. "Let us leave this place."

We watched as the enslaved werewolves rushed towards us in their human form and begun to thank us while exiting the castle. The group and I returned back to town and waited for the communications to reestablish to contact Ethan and the rest to tell them about what happened here. We entered Rob's house to find him on his feet, walking toward me and wrapping his loving arms around me as I let out a tear of joy. After a delightful feast, Mia whipped out her camera to take a photo of the entire team, along with Robert, Amanda, Ian's mom, and the proprietor that helped us know where we needed to go. As we were dining, Ian burst into the room to tell us to turn on the TV as a message from my father was playing.

"My dear people. If you are watching this, I regret to inform you that I am no longer with you. A long time ago, I discovered that my time was nearing its end. As the new dragon god ascended and more about the future has been discovered, I realized that it is the beginning of the end to my reign as your king. I have most likely died while fighting the empire to protect my loved ones and the people of my kingdom. The future may look dark, and your fates may be uncertain, but that's not what I am here to tell you. I am recording this message as my farewell to all of you and to tell you that it's not over. The darkness will not succeed in consuming the world as long as someone is out there fighting for what's right. The kingdom will not perish as long as there's a king that strives to protect his people. I may be long gone, but my son, Zachary, is still alive and well. As of the publishing of this message, he may be out there, fighting alongside the chosen god and his great companions in a crusade to safeguard the world. My wish is for you to accept him as your king and have faith in him despite his age and inexperience, as I am sure that he will one day surpass me and be a better king than I ever was. And to you, my son. I'm sorry I have never spent my time with you and sent you away. Letting you go is the hardest decision that I have ever made and the only decision that I ever regret. Please find it in your heart to succeed me as the king and help your people. And to everyone else, thank you. Thank you so much for the decades that I've spent as your monarch. It was an honor."

I was left in tears as my forehead lay on the table. Robert wrapped his hands around me to comfort me.

"I... I forgive you, dad!" I cried.

"I forgive you..."