(Extra Story) Alex Crowe: Resurrection Part III

Alex was sitting in front of the lit fireplace, throwing away anything he found in the burnt house. He gathered all the memories he could, and now he doesn't need them anymore.

He threw away pictures of his family, even the ones as a child, to the fireplace. He watched it all burn, he accepted that he could no longer go back to the way it was. He clasped the locket he found containing Melanie's picture. He attempts to throw it to the fireplace but he stopped. Turns out he was unable to get rid of it, so he let his arms drop to the floor while holding on the locket. All he felt now is heartbreak.

He gets up once the fire burns out and the pictures turned to ashes. He closed his fist and walks out to the door.

He is going to kill Chelsea, and then find Bradley.

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Meanwhile at the house of a certain someone. While it is a nice house, it's not almost as luxurious as Roxanne's.

In the bedroom sits a certain best friend of the selfish, Chelsea, who is currently depressed. She followed Roxanne and committed atrocities with her, including his sister. Unlike Albert, her head is dumb as bricks to get a grasp of what was going on.

Her phone rang and she answered it.

"Hello?...Oh hey Keith...I'm not...You coming over?...Ok...See ya."

Wanting to present herself, she wipes her tears away and fixes her looks. She was about to take a selfie but when she sees Alex with his hood up behind her in her phone she sharply turns around and looks at him shocked at his sudden presence.

"I guess you and Roxanne are just meant to be friends." He said softly.

"Who are you?!!! What are you doing here?!!!" she shrieked.

Alex said nothing but walk small paces until he flashes a kitchen knife. When she saw it, she knew his intentions.

"Are you the one who killed Roxanne?" her voice shakes in fear.

"I am more than just her killer. Both of you harassed my sister and you were also there at the burning."

"Oh my god! You're Alex."

"In the flesh. Here to reunite you with your best friend...in hell."

When he said that, she ran for the door and escaped the room. But Alex didn't attempt to stop her, he knows she can't run far. He just wants to terrify her, like a cat chasing a mouse.

Chelsea runs across the hallway of the second floor, but she wasn't really the sharpest tool in the shed. She made haste to the other room and hid in the closet. She let the closet door open a bit so she could peek on the outside.

Eventually, Alex came to the view, looking for her. He looked around until his gaze fell on the closet, the closet she's hiding in. He let out a little smirk and left the room.

She had to make sure he didn't find her, so she slowly opened the closet door and peek if he was there. When she was sure it's safe, she exited the closet and the room and heads for the stairs. She reaches by the wooden railings above the living room and chandelier in view and was about to head for the stairs.

"Hey." a voice called out behind her.

When she turns around, Alex kicks her through the railings, she crashes to the chandelier and falls to the ground hard, injuring her.

Alex jumps and lands in front of Chelsea, who is seemingly immobilized from the fall. She wheezed in pain until her gaze fell on Alex's shoes, slowly looking up and seeing him towering and looking down on her with murderous intent, clutching the knife in his hand tightly.

He wanted to end her so badly, he was ready to. But then he remembers the look on Melanie's face when they part ways.

Alex loosened his grip on the knife, thinking he was gonna spare her, or so he thought.

Unfortunately, the chandelier Chelsea crashed to had a loose screw and could no longer hold it. As it falls on Chelsea, the sharp end at the bottom of the chandelier pierces her back, ending her life.

Alex was surprised, yet not disappointed. He took the wisp coming out of her and left through the front door and walked into the darkness of the street.

Little did Alex know, someone was watching him from afar and fell on their butt.

"No freaking way!"

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By the time Alex arrived at his house, he felt emotionally drained. He actually tried to spare someone and yet the blood is spilt no matter what. Maybe vengeance is who he is, is it?

He entered his room and sifted through every memory he's collected from his victims and yet, none of them indicate an answer to his question.

Where is Bradley?

Thanks to the memories and the stories Melanie told. He remembered every horrible thing Bradley's ever done. The more he remembers, the more angrier he gets. He clenched and tightened his right fist before he punches the wall full force that it leaves a huge crack.

"You're the last Bradley! WHERE ARE YOU!!!" he yelled in fury.

Taking deep breaths he eventually calmed down and plopped back to his bed.

Alex laid down there, thought and thought, with many questions in his head. Why did it turn out like this? Why did he come back? What power brought him back from the dead and gave him the power to take the souls of everyone he killed? He can feel his humanity fading. His resurrection, his power, he only came into a conclusion.

He's not human and his power is a curse.

"Alex?" a familiar voice called out from downstairs.

This voice was the last thing he expected to hear. He came downstairs and met up with the last person he expected in his living room.

"Melanie?" Alex asked, surprised.

"I thought you could use some company." she replied.

"Why? I thought you'd never want to see me."

"I didn't want to at first but I knew it wasn't your fault. I know deep down, you're still the Alex I love."

Alex looked away in shame.

He then proceeds to sit down on the couch before Melanie joins him. The two sat there in awkward silence.

Until Alex broke that silence. "You shouldn't forgive me that easy. I wouldn't forgive me either."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I've been telling you that even when you were alive."

"Guess I was that stubborn."

"Yeah! One of the reasons I loved you." she said with a smile, and he smiled back a little.

Melanie sighed. "You're not gonna stop are you? You're going to kill Bradley?"

"Yes." This time Alex did not hesitate to tell her the truth.

He met with silence for a moment and Melanie hugged her knees.

"Why?....Why do you have to do all this?"

Alex was silent at the moment. Thinking it's time to tell her what he never told her or anyone.

"My dad once taught me something. If there's something you wish to be, something to believe in, you have to fight for it, tooth and nail."

"And what do you believe in?" she asked.

"I believe that you should be yourselves without having to put up with other people's whims or opinions, just because you're not what pleases them doesn't make it theirs to change. So I rebelled, so I can be me. And that kind of me will be the one to protect everything I love."

Melanie looks down with sadness and sympathy. "That sounds like the Alex I knew. It doesn't sound too bad, but still, it sounds like you're alone, because it's like you don't want us to share this burden."

His eyes widened at the realization. He actually never thought about that. Guess new perspectives are found in the eyes of others. But this time, for the girl he loves, he'll do anything.

"But this promise I can make an exception. I don't have to go through with this if you don't want me to."

Alex grabs her hands, holds it close and their gazes meet.

"Let's run away. Away from this hellhole. It'll be our fresh start, just you and me. It may sound challenging but we'll figure something out. If you don't want to, then you'd be smart to say no."

Alex looks at her with pleading eyes. Melanie thought and thought until she finally gave an answer.

"Yes! Yes I will!"

Alex smiled with delight and pulls her in for a hug. She returns the embrace and the two stayed like that for a while. The two separated and leaned in for a kiss, but a voice suddenly interrupts them.

"I don't believe it! You really are alive!"

The two turned to the source and they did not look happy to see who it was.

Standing before them was a guy with a burly build, slick back brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a black leather jacket over his black shirt with a skull design print and jeans.

"Bradley!!!" Alex growled.

Bradley lets out an evil smile.

"There he is officers! The guy who's been killing around here! And that girl is his accomplice!"

In an instant, officers moved and corners the couple with their guns pointing at them.

"DON'T MOVE OR WE'LL SHOOT!!! YOU TWO ARE COMING WITH US!!!" one of the officers shouted.

Alex steps in front of Melanie, ready to protect her with his life.

"She has nothing to do with this! Take me and let her go!!!" Alex yelled back.

Then Bradley let out a sinister laugh.

"In that case, how about this. Melanie, submit to me and they'll let you go. I promise that I'll show you a better time than this pathetic shrew."

Alex and Melanie could see Bradley's eyes are filled with lust. Both of them couldn't be any more disgusted.

"Are you kidding me?!!! NEVER!!!" Melanie defied him, and Bradley just frowned.

"What a shame. You hear that, officers? They're resisting arrest."

"YOU HEARD HIM! OPEN FIRE!!!"

And just like that, they didn't hesitate to shoot. Alex pushed Melanie and dived behind the couch and sprawled himself on top of her in a protective manner.

"Alex! You're shot!!!" Melanie exclaimed in worry.

He saw the bullet wounds on his body but surprisingly, it doesn't hurt that much. Perks of not being human perhaps.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

He put his hand on her cheek gently before springing back into action. He stood his ground, ready to throw down with the officers with the knife in his hand.

He ran towards them while tanking the shots. He killed the first officer then the second. Unfortunately the third officer held a shotgun and shot Alex point-blank at his chest, causing him to fly backwards and fall to the ground. He felt that sheer power behind that, though it doesn't hurt like it's supposed to, but it still hurts.

Alex struggles to get up and more officers swarmed in. He got on his feet and breathing heavily. Melanie peeks out to see, but she saw one officer at the window to his left, aim a rifle at Alex. She knew what she had to do.

"ALEX!!!"

She threw herself at him and pushed him forward but she wasn't so lucky. The shot from the flanking officer pierced through her chest.

Alex sharply turns around and saw the horror. Melanie fell down to the floor cold with blood seeping out from her chest, where her heart is.

Alex can only stand there, horrified and breathless as if his world just ended.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Alex did not hesitate to take her into her arms and held pressure to the wound in attempts to stop the bleeding.

"MELANIE!!! HOLD ON!!!"

Melanie can only feel his cold hand on her cheek and look at him with regret.

"I-I'm sorry." she said sorrowfully.

"Please no! I'll save you! Please don't die!" Alex cried.

Melanie raised her hand and touched his cheek. She whispered something to her beloved boyfriend but not enough for the officers present to hear.

She relayed her final message to him and breathed out her final words.

"I love you."

Tears flowed from her eyes and she closed them to a peaceful never-ending sleep. Alex could feel his tears flowing and they fall to her lifeless face. He truly did lost everything.

At the infuriating timing, Bradley clapped his hands slowly.

"What a shame! She was so pretty too. Guess she chose to die for some fool. I hope you realize this is your fault, you are a bad luck to everyone around you. Your family and your girlfriend, their deaths are all your fault." Bradley mocked him with the emphasis on the last word.

Alex gently puts Melanie down and stands up. He clenched so hard that it bleeds, then dark shadow began to cover his skin.

"Bradley..." Alex said, though his voice became distorted.

This sent shivers not just to the officers, but also Bradley. He had no idea what's coming to him.

"...I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!"

Alex turns around, his eyes becoming bright red and his sclera turn black, filled with rage and hate as he dashes to an officer. Everything happened in a flash, the others wrapped their heads on the situation and what they saw shocked them.

Alex impales the officer with only his hand through his chest, they saw that his hand is covered with black and red shadow with claws protruding in each of his fingers. Alex sharply pulls his arm out and the officer falls down lifeless.

The officers became scared as he faced them. Alex screamed with rage in a distorted voice and lunged at them while they fired at him. One by one, Alex butchers them. One by one, the officers fell down like dominos.

Alex didn't care anymore, he's completely blind by rage and red. Becoming a true shadow of his former self, a monster. They always said he was different, but they should not be surprised he finally fights back.

Once the officers are all dead, only Bradley remains, and he's more than mortified, he pissed his pants when he made eye contact. The first thing Bradley sees is Alex's red eyes glowed with rage around the void black.

Bradley had a scheme that he could be seen as a hero by taking down the killer that's been haunting Hollow Hills, but now it has dissolved into nothing and left with two options: Fight or Flight. He foolishly chose Fight.

"YOU BASTARD!!!" he roars as he picks up the gun from a dead officer and shoots at him.

The bullets pierced Alex and yet nothing fazes him. Alex just walks towards him as Bradley continues shooting him until he runs out of ammo. Alex took this opportunity to grab the gun from his hands and crushed it, he took Bradley and threw him over where he hits the wall near the fireplace.

Bradley recovers and looks at Alex walking towards him with fear and anger. What he was looking at isn't Alex, it was a ferocious beast wanting to kill him for taking away what was his.

Bradley finds a rod in front of him and picks it up and shakily points it at Alex in hopes he would stay back. Alex's eyes narrowed, as that was the same rod that was used to kill his sister.

Bradley rears the rod and attempts to stab Alex only for him to grab the rod before it hits his chest. Bradley pushes with all his might but Alex did not move at all.

Alex then yanks the rod out of his hand and impales Bradley with it. Bradley stumbles then Alex ferociously grabs him by the neck and throws him to the floor. Alex slowly walks to him as Bradley tries to crawl away. He picks him up by his shirt and Bradley gets a good look on his raging red eyes, horrified to the bone as if death himself was looking at him.

Alex finally remembers something.

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(Flashback) (Alex's POV)

I looked up at Bradley and saw him hold a lighter.

"One day. I will come back and I will kill you" I said with rage and sadness.

Then Bradley threw the lighter at me and he became the last thing I saw as flames consumed my sight.

(Flashback ends)

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(Alex POV)

I held Bradley by his shirt as he looks at me with fear just as I look at him with murderous intent.

"Please! Have mercy!" he begged.

But we both know I have no intention of giving him that.

"I said I'll come back and kill you..." I said with a distorted voice as I raised my claws in the air.

"...and I keep my word."

Just like that, I dug my claws into his flesh, mauled him, butchered him, with all my rage. I kept clawing him non-stop and I began to see red, I couldn't see the details of what I was doing. But I'm not stopping, I don't care anymore. My father's lessons and Melanie wanting me to turn away from this and I threw it all away. I don't care anymore, I just want him to die.

I eventually stopped as I saw Bradley's corpse became unrecognizable from my handiwork. The body fell to the ground and a wisp floated from him.

I snatched his soul to see what was behind Bradley's ugly and hatred soul.

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(Flashback Sequence)

Bradley's life was nothing but pure selfishness and wanting others to be below him. There are even records of him getting into women's pants. Bradley was a total pig.

But then the latest was surprising.

It took place in what seems to be an office. Bradley seems to be talking to an old man with white hair, blue eyes, and fair wrinkly skin. Wearing a black suit, blue shirt and a white tie, along with a white overcoat draped over his shoulders. On his desk, there was a label of his name.

'Mayor Alastair G. Wolfe'

"You seem like a special boy, Bradley." the old man spoke.

"I sure am, the only problem is that Alex freak."

"I see. What if I told you, you can solve that problem by solving mine?"

"I'm listening."

"It's simple, I want you to kill Sebastian Corvus and his family. In return, not only you get to kill the boy you hate so much, but you'll also gain special authority and privilege granted by yours truly. What do you say? It'll be like two birds and one stone."

A moment of silence is all it took until Bradley smiles evilly.

"I'll do it."

(Flashback ends)

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Blood. Corpses everywhere. Crows cawing at the distance. A room of slaughter lays down plenty of officers, along with Bradley's grotesque corpse.

And at the center, was a boy donned in a red hoodie, torn and stained blood. He held his precious beloved Melanie in his arms and wept, for he had truly lost everything he loved.

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(Timeskip) (Alex's POV)

The skies are grey, crows gathered around the lone tree on top of the hill overlooking the town. I stood at the tree over a grave I recently made for her.

I buried Melanie and placed a picture of her and us to mark her. I stood there with my heart aching as I allowed the last of my tears to flow.

"This tree was where we spent our time together. I thought you'd want it here."

Dead silence fills the air and crows caw at random times, but I continued to speak sorrowfully.

"Do I gain nothing but hate?...Do I lose nothing but love?...Dad was right, he tried to warn me...I tried to turn away from this...for you...but I realized I was too late...I failed you...I failed you all..."

I turned around to look at the town. I gaze on the building that is the city hall, where the mayor is.

"....If there's something you wish to be, something to believe in, you have to fight for it, tooth and nail. Isn't that right father? I don't think I'll be the son you'd want me to be....I have one last thing to take care of."

I turned back to her grave and gave a sad smile.

"I'll see you soon, Melanie."

One final look is all I need before I walked back to the city with determination.

Mayor Alastair Wolfe is the one responsible for all this, and he will pay.

I know revenge won't bring anyone back, but at least I'll stop it from happening to anyone else.

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(Third Person POV)

In the office, the old mayor is on a phone call, smoking his cigar.

"Good luck on your promotion Mr. Strahm. I'll see you again soon."

The mayor hangs up and blows through his cigar. Then his unnamed secretary enters the office.

"Sir?"

"Go ahead." the mayor said.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"Bradley failed."

"Yes sir."

The mayor took one final blow before shoving his cigar into an ashtray.

"Task the guards. I have a feeling that Corvus boy will be coming here soon."

"Already on it sir."

The secretary bows then leaves the room. Leaving the mayor sitting on his chair with an evil smirk on his face.

'Let's see how far your boy comes, Sebastian."

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Meanwhile on Alex's side.

"Mayor Alistair Wolfe. I couldn't care less about that guy, maybe because I was only a kid. Why did he sent Bradley to kill us? It doesn't make sense. Maybe I'll figure it out when I get there." Alex thinks aloud as he heads towards his destination.

Alex's first stop is preparation. He walks to an almost empty streets, donning his red hoodie torn with his hood up. He walks up to the kitchen store and enters the shop. There he collects as many knives as he needs and puts them in the shopping basket. Just as he attempts to walk out to the exit, the shopkeeper halts him from the counter.

"Hey punk! You know you have to pay for that right?"

Alex stopped in his tracks and looks at the shopkeeper. When the shopkeeper looks at his face, he became shocked in horror. Alex squeezes the grip on the knife and shot a glare. Somehow the shopkeeper felt the bloodlust and he backs away.

"Ok! ok! Just don't hurt me!"

Alex didn't need to kill him so he lets him go and exits the shop to go to his destination: the city hall.

At the city hall, there were two guards at the front door, hold assault rifles. Last thing Alex needs a fight with those kinds of guns, so he needs to kill them off quickly.

The guards were approached by a teen in a torn and bloodied red hoodie with his hood shadowing his face.

"Hey! Are you lost hobo? This isn't a shelter. Now scram!" the guard tried to shoo him away.

But Alex did not move or flinch, but he did raise his head a little, revealing a cold stare.

"Did you even hear me?!!! I said-"

The guard's words were interrupted when Alex let the knives fall from his sleeves, catches it and throw both knives at each of the guards' necks. Alex runs between them, grabs the knives and slices their necks off. Blood splatters from them and they collapse to the ground.

Alex rises and grips the knives. If action movies taught him anything, it's that there will be bad guys going guns blazing the moment you enter the room.

He enters a stance and kicks down the door and runs inside. Just as he thought, there were ten guards startled at the teen's sudden infiltration and starts grabbing their guns.

Alex threw the knife at the first guy's head and got up close with the nearest guard, grabbing him and starts stabbing him dead. Seeing the guards got their safeties off, Alex used the guard he was holding as a meat shield. They shot the guy Alex was hiding behind. Alex grabs the pistol from the dead guy he was holding on and starts shooting. He shot three guys until he ran out of bullets.

It's just two guys left and they're out of bullets also. Alex throws the meat shield away and sprints to the nearest guy, he leaps and thrusts his knife to his face like a spear. He pulls it out and proceeds to the second guy, but he kicks the teen off. The guy grabs Alex by his left wrist and he responds by trying to stab him but the guy blocks it by grabbing his right wrist, locking them both in a struggle. Seeing he needs another angle, Alex forcefully pulls away his right arm, which the guy let go and stabbed him by the thigh. The guy flinches in pain and lets go of Alex as he drives the knife in his left to the guy's neck.

The guy collapses. He collects all the souls he kills and to his astonishment, it healed him. Alex then proceeds to the stairs. On his way up he had to fight bad guys on the way up. Stabbing and slashing, stepping on walls and tossing them over the railing so fall to the ground floor. When he reaches second floor, he saw something rolling to his feet. It's a grenade.

He instinctively kicks it back to where it was thrown from. The grenade explodes and screams of men were heard. While the three remaining guards became wary because they couldn't see through the aftermath of the explosion. The teen jumps through and pounces on the first guy and pierced his knife through his heart. Then grabs on to the second and stabbed him by the crotch, he threw him to the wall and sliced his neck. He went to attack the third guy with a baton but he blocked the knife and hits Alex square in the face. He stumbles as the guy walks towards him, but the teen throws the knife at his leg and the guy flinches. Alex grabs the arm, snatches the baton, goes under his arm while holding it, and hits the arm with the baton breaking his arm. The guy screams then gets hit in the face which he lied face down. Alex the stomps the back of his neck hard that it breaks.

Alex picks up the knife and proceeds.

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Meanwhile in the mayor's office, Alistair sits calmly at his desk. Shots, screams, the chaos can be heard. His secretary enters the room.

"Sir, the security has breached and massacred. We need to get you outta here."

Alistair just smiles there and gets up.

"Go home. You may use the other door." Alistair said.

"But sir-"

"This is personal, I will deal with this."

The look on Alistair's face says it all. He has been expecting this.

"Yes sir."

The secretary indeed leaves through the door to his left. Alistair calmly walks to a collection

of swords hanging on his wall, including combat scythes. He runs his hand through the swords and takes out a broadsword.

Alistair smiles in satisfaction and the front doors open, revealing Alex, holding a knife in his right hand and a baton in his left. His clothes are tattered and covered in blood, even his face, sporting an angry glare.

He walks forth and closes the door behind him. Alistair turns and looks at the vengeful teen.

"Alexander Corvus. Sebastian's son."

"You took everything from me. Now I take vengeance." Alex declared.

The mayor only smirked.

Alex bared his teeth and threw the baton at him. Just when the baton gets close, Alistair just swipes it away with his sword. Alex already sprinted towards him. He used the knife to strike at him but Alistair blocks it with his sword. Alex anticipated this so he takes out the last of his knife from his hoodie and goes to stab him. But Alistair noticed this so he kicks the incoming attack, he uses his sword to push the teen off and tries to slash him but Alex rolls away to gain some distance.

Alex grips his knives as the two are having a stare off.

'This isn't good. I didn't expect him to be a skilled fighter for an old man.' he thinks to himself.

Alistair's smug face only pissed him more. Alex charges again and tries to strike him only to be blocked by his sword. Then he redraws and tries a different angle, blocked again.

"Hey guess what!" Alistair taunts.

Alex gave him his attention but it was a mistake. The mayor elbowed the teen by the face and cuts his right arm, causing him to let go of the knife. Alex held his left hand knife reverse gripped and tried to slice him but the mayor sidestepped and grabbed the teen by his hood before throwing him at the wall where his swords are hung.

Alex grunted as he pushed himself up, he saw the mayor used his sword like a cane with a cocky smirk at Alex's dismay.

Seeing the knives are no longer in his hands, he grabs a sword from the wall of swords and grips it one-handed before entering a stance.

Alex is mostly hand to hand combat, but thanks to his father's training he's familiar with the way of the blade. Alistair raises his own sword and points at him, taunting him to come.

Alex makes the first move by charging at him and swiping his sword, but Alistair followed up with a swing of his own, which Alex blocked. The teen moved to the side and attempted to strike him there but he sidestepped, Alex followed up with consecutive strikes but the mayor kept dodging and blocking. At this point he was just toying with him.

Alex has had enough, he swings horizontally, which the mayor dodged, then overhead slashed with all his might, which his strength broke his defenses, then the teen thrust his sword forward. The mayor moved his head to the side to avoid it but the teen managed to scratch his cheek.

Alistair steps back and shrugs it off. He blocked Alex's two strikes before he blocked the third strike, locking them both in a struggle.

"Impressive. Your father taught you well, but where do you think he trained, boy?" Alistair said.

Alex grunts with the intent to push through. Seeing this, Alistair lets go and Alex stumbles forward. He kicks the teen and jabbed the tip of his broadsword to his shoulder.

Alex flinches at it and in response, he swings at him but the mayor grabs his wrist and slices his torso, then his leg. Alex struggles in a limp before he swings once more but Alistair swings at the sword and it flies out of the teen's hands before the mayor upper-slashes, causing Alex to yelp and fall to the ground.

Alex struggles to get up, though he doesn't feel much of the pain, he can feel himself bleed.

"Your father never told you, did he?" He asked.

Alex silently struggles. As angry as he is, he can't help but be curious about the truth of his father, so he allowed Alistair to continue to talk.

"He was an assassin, best of the best. Then we assigned him to your mother to learn the secrets she's kept about the truth of our world. Specifically, supernatural powers. But your father decided he wanted freedom, he defected, left with her, started a family and had a set of twins. But your father knows no one leaves until we say so, it's part of the rules we established. So we sent assassins but he was too good to dispatch anything we sent his way..."

From that moment, Alex remembered the night when he was little.

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(Flashback)

Alex was 10 years old when this happened. He, Rena and Dad were coming home from a diner. Until a man came at them with a gun.

"This is a message from the boss" the man threatened.

He pointed his gun at young Alex then Dad threw a rock at the man's face which stuns him. Everything else happened in a flash. He disarms the man in a swift movement then with the gun in his hand, shot the man dead. Dad then huddles to the young twins.

"Hey, are you babies okay?" He asked with concern.

Alex and Rena nodded, but were shocked by what their dad just did.

"It's okay, I won't let them harm you. Just don't say anything about this, or more will come for us, you understand?"

They nodded again and the dad pulls them into a hug. Both of the twins cried on their father's shoulders.

"I'm gonna teach you both how to fight, to defend yourselves, you understand?"

Both of the twins nodded once more.

(Flashback ends)

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Alex remembered that night, the moment he saw his father kill a man, the moment before he started their training. He was preparing both of them for this.

Alistair strides around while he continues to talk.

"...so we decided to stop and watch. I kept tabs on your family for years, watching him training you and your sister with his skills, your fights in the school, and watched your mother weakening him with feelings of compassion and love. We waited for his moment of weakness and when he finally lets his guard down, I sent someone he never predicted."

Alex knew the answer. "Bradley."

Alistair stops at his set of swords.

"That boy would do anything to do anything he wants without anyone stopping him. In return for killing the entire Corvus family, I gave him a special privilege. Authority and pardon granted by yours truly. I even gave him control over the police."

Alistair began to walk back in front of the kneeling teen.

"You know, you're very much like your father. You have potential, skill and spirit. Why don't you join us and become our best assassin like your father before you, finish his work. What do you say?" Alistair offered a hand to him.

Alex seethes in rage. First he took his family from him, then he had the audacity to make him a slave. He breathed out his answer.

"Never."

Disappointed. Alistair stands up and towers over the boy.

"It's a shame. Before I forget, full disclosure. The whole town didn't like the Corvus family ever since you all moved in here. They hated what you are and so blame you for their problems. I already sent word to the town and the outside that you did those killings. So now, the world hates you. Nothing an annoying crow in their field, and if scarecrows are not enough to send you away, then shotguns will."

From this moment, Alex remembered what Melanie told him about his name.

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(Flashback)

"Hey, why is your last name Corvus?" Melanie asked.

"Dunno, Mom and Dad never told me about that." Alex replied.

"Do you know what it means?"

"What?"

"It's Latin for crow or raven."

"Mom always like those. I read about them though. Don't they mean bad omen?" Alex asked.

"They don't have to be." Melanie responded

Alex looked at her with a questioning look.

"They also mean good omen. People often depicted as a symbol of death, they also symbolize rebirth and starting anew. You have a really good name."

"Don't tell me you're gonna start calling me your little crow? Dad already calls me that."

"In that case, how about I make it cooler. From Alexander Corvus...to Alex Crowe?"

Alex smiled as he liked the idea.

(Flashback ends)

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Alistair raised his sword high up, ready to execute the boy.

"Now you can die knowing you are not wanted in this world."

As Alistair swings down the sword with intent to slice down the teen, but what happened next shocked him. Alex's hand, covered in red and black shadow with claws protruding in each fingers, holding the blade tightly. Then he saw his face. His eyes turn red and black and an angry glare, the same form when he killed Bradley.

Alex gets up with the blade in his hand, Alistair tries to push it down but Alex doesn't bothered at all, not even the pain.

Alex then punched him in the stomach, the mayor became wide eyed and coughed out blood as he was sent flying backwards and crashed to the ground.

Alistair gets up and sees the darkened killer walking ominously towards him. He charges at the teen to attack him, but once again he grabbed the blade before it touches him then Alex scratched his right thigh with his claws. Alistair flinches in pain and gets kicked off, stumbling as Alex walks towards him. He was about to make a horizontal swing but Alex ducked and clawed his right arm.

Alistair was breathing heavily, he just witnessed the teen countering his moves with just his pure strength and sheer willpower. Alistair lets out a battle cry and thrusts the sword in hope that would strike him. But once more, Alex grabbed the blade before it touches him.

Alistair tries to push the sword through but Alex seemed immovable from his position, not a single flinch. He then dominates the mayor by pushing forward with ease and bringing the sword up to the side of the teen's face. Alex squeezes the blade in his hand then cracks began to show until the blade finally shattered, leaving Alistair defenseless as Alex swings his claws with his might at the mayor's stomach, causing him to jerk and scream then fell down to his knees at the teen's mercy.

Alistair looks up and sees Alex looked down on him with a cold, murderous stare and frowned. What Alistair sees is no longer the valiant, innocent boy he watched over those years, he's now looking at a monster of hatred and ruthlessness, oozing with killing intent that's suffocating to see. Alistair can only kneel there, paralyzed.

"How?!!! You're just Alexander Corvus!" He spat with disbelief.

Alex raises his hand and dark mist begins to gather at his palm, it then formed an ethereal red and black scythe made of eldritch power. He raised the scythe, ready to slice his victim. Through the dark, shadowed facade, he says his answer.

"Alexander Corvus is dead....I am Alex Crowe."

He swings and slices across his chest so deep that it is fatal, his body stood still for a while before falling to the ground. But it would seem he had the last laugh. Turns out the mayor in turn, impales Alex through the chest with the knife he picked up earlier. It was through his heart.

Alex stumbles backwards while the ethereal scythe and the shadows in his skin disappears, blood spilled from his mouth then he falls to the ground.

This is it. He got the revenge he wanted. Now there is nothing left in this world, and now he'll soon join Melanie and his family. Alex felt cold, he couldn't move, then his vision suddenly changed. Several images flashed right before him. He saw the day they moved to their new house in Hollow Hills. There he was, on the playground where he first met Melanie. Then he saw his father training him and Rena. Then the fights in school, the happy family times, he and his twin sister being a chaotic duo. Then his time with Melanie.

"I'm coming home everyone....soon."

Alex closed his eyes and sank into the neverending darkness.

____________________________________________

Alex slowly opens his eyes and finds himself in an endless white void. He sits up as he sees nothing but a white expanse all around him. He looks at his chest to see no wound from before, and feels around to sense no pain. Seeing that he is alright, Alex stands up.

"Well, looks like I really am dead." Alex says as she looks around.

Alex then senses a presence behind and quickly turns around. He became shocked as sees Melanie, Rena, his mom and dad standing there. He feels a sense of peace around them and so he relaxes.

"You're all alright."

He immediately runs to them and just as he gets close, he suddenly bumps into an invisible wall. He puts his hands on the invisible wall and tries to push through.

"I can't get to you!" He cried.

Alex takes one look at them and sees their sad expressions.

"What's wrong?" he asked, dumbfounded.

The answer to his question, Melanie raised her hand and pointed behind him.

Confused, Alex turns around and saw a black and red mist coming towards him slowly. From that mist emerges a figure with a black cloak with his hood up walking towards him.

Alex was confused as the figure was walking towards him before the figure stops in front of him. The figure pulls down his hood and what Alex saw, shook his entire world to the core.

It's himself, black spiky hair with bangs hanging over his right eye, ghostly white skin with faded black eyeshadow, his eyes are dark red hue. His expression is a mix of ruthlessness and despair.

"What is this? I don't understand." Alex's voice began to crack as he turns to Melanie and his family with sad expressions, even they shed some tears.

Alex puts his hand on the invisible wall. When he puts two and two together, his eyes widen in horror upon the realization of the reality.

"I...I'm alone...and lost." He sobbed.

"This can't be happening....No family, no friends, no home, no love...I have nothing now."

Alex couldn't take it anymore. He fell to his knees and silently sobbed. The black cloaked version of Alex walks to the weeping teen and softly pats his back to comfort him. After a short while, he looks up to the cloaked Alex who gave a gentle expression rather than the hatred and sadness he once saw.

The cloaked Alex stands straight and offers a hand to him.

Alex knew what this meant.

If he takes that hand, there will be no going back.

He takes one last look at his family and his girlfriend. They may have sad looks, but he could also see the love from them, it says it all and it was enough for him.

Alex looked back to the cloaked Alex and took his hand. The shadow mist began to engulf both of them and Alex shed one final tear.

"....goodbye...I love you all."

____________________________________________

(Alex POV)

I slowly opened my eyes and I found myself in the same place I was before.

The mayor's office.

I slowly sat up and looked around the mess we made when we were fighting. I found the mayor's body lying across from me, then I remembered how it went. I checked my chest for the stab wound. There is a hole made in my hoodie and shirt for the entry but there was no wound.

"What was that? Was it a dream? Oh well...nothing matters now." I asked myself in my head as I stood up and looked around. My gaze fell to the mirror to my left and I approached it.

I saw myself with the same expression that the cloaked-me had. I no longer recognize myself. That's right. I'm a corpse, a shadow of my former self.

I ripped my torn red hoodie off and I was left with white dress shirt, black skinny jeans, a silver chain hanging on my left hip and black Converse shoes.

I formed the eldritch scythe in my hands and went to the door. I stumbled upon a black cloth lying on the ground. I picked it up and draped it over me to make a makeshift cloak.

I left through the door and walked through the building, passing over the dead bodies of those I killed on the way here. I reached the front door and exited the building, I walked forward and then I stopped to be greeted by sirens.

There were police cars surrounding me, with each officer pointing their guns at me. Behind them were all the people of Hollow Hills, with the looks of shock, fear....and hate.

Alistair was right. They all hate me even from the start.

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP OR WE WILL SHOOT!!!"

the officer yelled out.

In response, I bared the scythe I've hidden in my cloak.

"He's got a weapon! OPEN FIRE!!!" they yelled out as they started shooting at me.

I didn't make an attempt to dodge or defend myself. Instead, I allowed myself to get shot, tanking the volley of bullets. And the thing is, I didn't feel a thing.

When the rain of fire ended, they were shocked and confused to see I was still standing. I recovered with a scowl on my face.

"RELOAD!!!" the officer cried out as reloading.

I could tear them up close, but something inside me told me to use something else. I closed my arms and I felt my power building up inside. Once the cops finished reloading and were about fire at me. I released my surge of power to drain the cops of their life force. Black and red wisps seeps out of the cops and I absorb them until they drop dead.

The townsfolk became horrified at what I just did with little effort. I can hear their shrieks of fear.

"My god....a monster!"

"No...He's the Grim Reaper!!!"

"Everyone!!! Run."

Grim Reaper huh? Not bad. When the townsfolk flee from me in panic, I began walking forward and started humming Farewell by Apocalypta.

It all becomes chaos now. With my scythe I kill everyone who stands in my way and every time I get close to them, I rob them of their life force and they drop dead like flies. Black decay began to spread behind my steps, it's as if what I walked dies. One car attempted to run over me but I sidestepped, I extended my hand and stole the driver's life force and after I was done, the car crashed into an oil truck. The truck exploded and so did the nearby cars until one of them flew into a building, setting it on fire.

It's all chaos now. I kept walking, hearing screams, killing and draining their life force. I don't care anymore, I just want this town to burn. I hate humans, I hate the world, I hate their definitions of humanity, I hate it all. They turned me into a monster, so I'll be a monster.

I will kill those who dares to cross me, I will kill those who dares to take life for granted.

I finished humming my song and I saw I was on the road with pine trees at each side. I didn't even notice I already crossed the borders some time ago. I looked back and saw Hollow Hills, my hometown, on fire and smoke. I didn't even notice the sky is scarlet red. A crow flies and perches on my shoulder, I allowed it to do what it wants as I looked at my burning town.

The price of my vengeance was that I destroyed my home. This took the proverb I once read to a whole new level.

'A child who wasn't embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.'

This is where the Reaper was born. My old life died with my home, Hollow Hills will soon become nothing but ash and ruin. But still, I remembered every memory I made here. Good and bad, Mom, Dad, Rena, and Melanie. I'll never forget them all.

The crow flies off my shoulder and I started walking to the road, leaving my burning town behind to face the world...

...even if I'm its enemy.

Alexander Corvus died along with Hollow Hills.

My name is Alex Crowe

____________________________________________

(One year later)

In the next town, I was stalking my target. A man who worked in a pharmaceutical company. I was now wearing the black cloak with my hood up, wore a black long sleeve rolled up, black quarter-length pants, and black boots.

I don't know why. Ever since I destroyed and left Hollow Hills, I killed people, from those who wanted to kill me and those who are corrupt enough to abuse their power, and sometimes monsters who go bump in the night. I've accumulated my power and learned what I could do, the ability to steal other people's life force to heal me, make me strong, and gain their memories. I expanded my abilities through trial by fire, I manifested it, cultivated it.

Until I took a life that did not need to be taken. So I stopped using my power, started seeing it as a curse, but still haven't shy away from drawing blood.

But this time it's different. Something about this man made me drawn to him. Perhaps if I kill him and take his memories, I'll get my answer.

I stalked him from the rooftops. I just watched him walk into a bar. If I go in there and kill him, it'll draw attention to me, so I waited. Then after some time I saw a woman coming out of the exit and the same man followed, drunk. He tried to hit on her but the woman was yelling at him to leave her alone. She manages to go away while the guy whines.

Now's my chance.

I stepped out of the shadows with a knife in my hand and ran towards. The man sees me but he was too drunk to notice what was going on.

It was too late. I shoved the knife in his neck and covered his mouth to prevent him from making any noise. The man fell limp and I began to sap his life force. I closed my eyes to view his memories.

He was apparently a part of an experiment with people and a supernatural demon. Among his memories, I saw something that changed my broken world.

My eyes shot open and breathed heavily.

"Rena?.....You're alive....my sister is alive."

She survived and I now know where she is. I looked at the moon, something sparked within me. A spark of hope. I know where I must go.

St. Olga's Asylum.

"Rena. I'm coming for you."

____________________________________________

(Present day after the events of Empire City)

(Third Person View)

Six months since the chaos of Empire city. A man with a black suit and a fedora roams the feudal city in the eastern lands.

As he passes through the kimono clad citizens, he flips a coin with an ever-present grin plastered on his face as he already enlisted his next pawn.

He suddenly felt a disturbance in the wind so he took to the alleyway leading to a secluded area.

"Are we here to play hide-and-seek? I'll have you know I'm a pretty good seeker." he called out.

Then suddenly, an ice shard flew toward Cypher at full speed. He predicted this and easily sidestepped. Then he brought out his dagger with a snake pattern to block the rapier attack and saw the face of the white haired person.

It was Nathan Wolfe.

"My, if it isn't the Wolf Prince." Cypher hummed in a playful tone.

Both withdrew their weapons but Nate shot a blast at him. Cypher was hit by the blast, freezing him in place except for the head. Nate points his rapier to him.

"Cypher! For your involvement with the crusade of the Fallen Governor-General Caine Strahm, I hereby place you under arrest!"

Cypher just giggled. "Oh come now! Spare me of your self-righteous speech of justice. Hey, won't you release me of this icy bonds?"

Nate just pressed the blade against his neck as a response. But then Cypher's grin grew wider.

"Not even if I reveal information regarding the death of your father Alistair Wolfe?"

This hit Nate like a bullet. His eyes widened in shock, this reaction gave the frozen man exactly what he needed.

"How do you know my father?" Nate interrogated.

"Oh I know lots of things about him, dear boy. His business, his connections, and above all, I know who killed him. Would you like to find out?"

Nate was in deep thought about him. He would go against his code if he releases him, but at the same time, he wants to know so badly no matter the cost, and that's what he did.

He extended his arm, using his magic to weaken the ice until it dissolved, freeing the man as he dusted his suit.

"Tell me what you know." Nate questioned.

Cypher sighed, he could just stab him after he freed him but just for kicks, he decided to throw in an appetizer for a certain reaper. He went to pick up his hat and put it on his head. He turned to face the ice magic user with a sinister smile on his face.

"Now where should I start?"

(End)