Deep within the wreckage of the site, a hand shot through the rubble, clawing through the debris, its owner stil struggling for life. With a loud, defiant roar, Draco crawled out, streaked with blood and ash,and his uniform tattered beyond recognition, but still alive. Draco struggled to his feet, letting out a soft laugh. He was alive- he was actually alive! He straightened up and let out a powerful howl, the sound stretching far beyond the rubble. Rid of his euphoria, his gaze turned serious; Lura and Razo were still alive, no doubt; the demons were more powerful than ever, and an ominous shadow loomed overhead- something about him had... changed.
But all that could wait. Right now, Draco was just grateful for being in one piece. Draco walked through the smoke, feeling good about his success, when he noticed four silhouettes in the smoke- his cohort! Draco ran up to them, ready to report his success, when he noticed something wrong. Suddenly, Draco ducked, instincts saving his life as a silver arrow sliced through the ground silently, its shaft gleaming in the moonlight. A powerful breeze cleaved through the smoke, revealing his team- only, they didn't seem to be his teamates anymore, with their weapons drawn, their faces hardened like stone. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.They were hunters, the banes of demons; so why did he feel like the prey? Every muscle screamed the same order: run. And for the first time, a hunter ran fom his team. Dash was the first to react, hurling his hammer with insane speed at Draco, and knocking him to the ground with a crash. Jasmine flashed forward, her daggers aimed for his heart, but Draco was already moving, her daggers missing by a few inches; the hunt was on. Draco moved with ethereal grace, dodging arrows and Dash's overwhelming force as he made his way torward the city. "Damn it Dash, it's me. Why won't you guys listen?" Draco muttered, narrowly dodging Dash's powerful swings. But Dash's onslaught grew even stronger, the ground around them cracking as it yielded to Dash's rage. Draco kicked him back, creating distance, and Dash responded by sending a boulder flying at him. Draco growled, lightning coating his body like second skin, before lighting up the car with a brilliant flash. By the time the smoke cleared, Draco was gone, his destination clear in mind; the portal gates, magical structures used for travelling between the human and monster realm. Getting there would be an instant getaway; if he reach it before them, of course.
Draco ran faster, his body aching in protest as the wind rushed passed him. He screeched to a halt as he reached the Gates, the massive structures humming with magical energy as if alive. But before he could reach it, the gates shut down, his only chance of escape crumbling before him. He was too late. Before Draco could regain his senses, something powerful crashed into him, blurring his vision as he struggled to his feet, with his cohort barring his path, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight. Zoe stood in the front, her weapon levelled at his chest. " Zoe, snap out of it. It's me, Drac-" Before he could say anymore, a powerful arrow shot through Draco, forcing him to his knees as he coughed out blood in broken gasps. "Keep his name out of your filthy mouth." Derek growled, his hands notching another arrow. "Wait Derek," Zoe ordered, and Derek lowered his bow slightly. "He seems to have been mutated. He doesn't know what he has become." Zoe walked a little closer, staying a few feet away, and brought out her demon detector, the pale compass blinking red under the moonlight. Draco stared in horror; it was protocol, one etched into his bones. A pale blue meant the area was clear, grey meant demons were close,but at a safe distance. But red meant... "A demon was right in front of you. Kill on sight," he whispered, the cold truth seeping in; he had become the thing he hated most, the thing he had sworn to destroy from the very beginning; he had become a demon.
"It seems you finally understand. We'll make it as painless as possible." She stood and turned, signalling Derek to shoot the killing arrow. Human or not, it was a demon now; the only relief she could give it now was a swift death. Draco stared downward, ready to accept death. He was a demon now; dying like this was the greatest honour he could recieve as a hunter. Suddenly his eyes shot open, glinting with the resolve to live. What was he saying? Did he really endure all those years of suffering and humiliation, just to die like this? Didn't he promise his mother he would survive no matter what? They had mocked him, betrayed him, and now he was to die, just like that? If he was dying, he would die on his terms, would go down his way! He may have become a demon, but he would always be more human than these lying cowards, who left their allies when times turned tough. That wasn't his way... so he would carve his own.
Zoe gave the order, and Derek shot his arrow, but before the arrow could claim its target, Draco was already moving, the arrow brushing against him as it struck the ground. Draco stood, his eyes defiant and glowing with vitality, and his wounds healed like they were never there. Zoe and the others raised their weapons, their eyes fixed on Draco and his oppressive power. "It's good to know that prey still fights back." Zoe smiled, her jian glowing with moonlight.
"Sorry to say, but I can't keep knocking on death's door," he retorted, his eyes growing cold."You're right about one thing, though: I'm not Draco; he died trying to protect those he thought as family. I won't waste my life for your needs anymore. So leave now... or someone will die."
Zoe's hand trembled slightly, her team's movements betraying their fear as well as they stared at Draco. He had seemed to grow stronger; or rather, he was done holding back. But Zoe and her team mistook courage for stupidity, and paid the price in blood. Dash was the first to move, sprinting forward and bringing his hammer in all its sheer might, aiming to crush Draco. But in that split second, Draco had moved, sidestepping the heavy attack that had caused Dash all his momentum with ease, and delivering a crushing blow of his own, sending Dash through one of of the remaining scaffolds, blood splurting out in crimmson streams as he struggled to get up in vain.
One down, three to go. Draco ran forward, ready to finish Dash, and Jasmine blitzed forward, her two daggers at the ready as she raced torwards Draco. But it was a trap: Draco stopped abruptly, and spun, planting a kick in her side to force her down to one knee. Derek took the oppurtunity to fire an arrow at Draco, but Draco grabbed Jasmine in a submissive lock, using her as a shield for the deadly projectile. Derek managed to desummon the deadly weapon in time, but it cost a second, and a second was all Draco needed. Draco grabbed him face- first, slamming his head into the ground until the body went limp, and sent a stunning kick into Jasmine's skull, and knocking her out as well.
And then there was one. Zoe dashed forward, her blade lashing out powerful slashes of light, but Draco stood his ground.She was strong and relentless, but Draco was even moreso. In one brief moment, her footwork faltered, and Draco capitalised, placing his heel behind her instep and wrestling her down with a powerful twist. Draco choked her against one of the walls, her lithe body struggling helplessly against his iron grip. "Where is it?" "Never!" she spat out, but her eyes flashed to her left pocket, and Draco let her go, and in one fluid motion, grabbed the card, her body falling to the ground with a dull thud, added with a crunching stomp to one of her legs to make sure she stayed down. The keycard was the only way to open the gates once they had closed, and since she was the leader, it would naturally be with her.
"No," Zoe mumbled, inching towards Draco, but it was too late. The gates hummed to life, and Draco crushed the card in one hand, before turning to see the carnage he had laid on the team he once swore he would protect. "See you around, hunters. I hope we meet again."
With those words, Draco strode through the portal, and into the new life as a reborn demon.