Apocalypse Baby

Kiev and Soren bolted, their hearts pounding in sheer panic.

They had provoked something far beyond their comprehension—a monster in human form.

A demon.

Kiev's breath came in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the trees, desperate to put as much distance as possible between himself and the carnage.

But then, a chilling scream tore through the air.

Kiev froze mid-step, his blood running cold.

Slowly, he turned his head, dread knotting in his stomach.

His worst fear was confirmed.

The demon—the man who had effortlessly obliterated Jagger—had caught up to Soren.

Kiev hesitated for a heartbeat, debating whether to help his comrade.

But fear won out. Survival was all that mattered now.

He turned back around and kept running, his legs pumping harder than ever.

Meanwhile, Soren was locked in a desperate struggle.

His knife glinted in the faint light as he slashed wildly at his pursuer, his movements fueled by sheer terror.

But the demon didn't flinch.

He moved with an unnerving calmness, each step precise and deliberate, his piercing gaze locked onto Soren. His grin widened, a chilling expression that sent shivers down Soren's spine.

Panicking, Soren swung again, his arm shaking with the effort.

But his aim was wild, and the demon saw his opening.

In one swift motion, Alex stepped inside Soren's reach, his hand lashing out like a viper to grab Soren by the collar.

Before Soren could react, Alex drove his forehead into Soren's face with brutal force.

The crack of bone echoed through the forest as Soren's nose shattered under the impact. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire

Pain exploded through Soren's skull, his vision going white for a moment.

His body swayed, and the knife slipped from his trembling hand, clattering to the ground.

His knees buckled further as consciousness wavered.

"Hey, wake up!" Alex said mockingly, slapping Soren's face lightly, each strike stinging just enough to keep him on the edge of awareness.

"What was that?" Alex sneered, tilting his head as if genuinely curious. "You could've had fun with her? What a waste?"

Soren's half-open eyes flinched at the words.

His groggy mind registered the statement, and he tried to push himself free, writhing desperately.

But Alex's grip was unyielding, like a snake tightening around its prey.

"You bastard! Let go of me! Let go!" Soren spat, his voice trembling with panic. His heart raced in his chest, each beat hammering in his ears.

Alex smirked, his voice dropping into a dark, mocking tone. "You seem like the type who enjoys watching others suffer—hearing their screams, seeing their fear."

Soren's initial fury faltered.

He squirmed harder, but when Alex suddenly inhaled deeply, and Soren froze mid-struggle.

Something primal in him screamed that he had to run, but Alex's grip pinned him in place.

"Be honored," Alex said with a cold grin.

"I'll show you what a real scream is."

Before Soren could react, Alex unleashed a deafening sonic scream directly at him.

The force hit Soren like a tidal wave.

His ears ruptured instantly, blood pouring from them.

His nose, mouth, and eyes followed suit as the shockwave tore through his face.

Soren let out a choked, gurgling sound, but it was short-lived.

His skull cracked under the relentless pressure, blood and fragments of bone staining Alex's hand.

Soren's body hung limp in Alex's grip, lifeless and broken.

Alex loosened his hold, letting Soren's corpse drop to the ground with a dull thud. He dusted off his hands, unbothered by the carnage, and then turned his gaze toward the archer.

Kiev was already a speck in the distance, running for his life without daring to look back.

Alex turned his gaze toward the archer, now a distant figure bolting for his life without daring to look back.

That coward, Alex thought, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

Still, the archer's decision wasn't entirely stupid—it was survival instinct at its finest. But the smarter move would have been avoiding Alex altogether.

Alex stretched his arms lazily, rolling his neck. He didn't feel like giving chase. Why bother? Instead, he raised his hand and casually snapped his fingers.

The sound was soft, almost anticlimactic, but what followed was anything but.

Kiev, mid-sprint, was suddenly thrown forward like a ragdoll. A thunderous explosion echoed across the forest as his leg detonated, the crude bomb Alex had discreetly planted earlier doing its job.

The archer hit the ground hard, tumbling over himself before skidding to a stop. His scream tore through the air, a raw, visceral sound of pure agony. He clutched at the mangled stump where his leg had been, blood pouring freely into the dirt.

Pain radiated through Kiev's entire body, overwhelming his senses. His mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened. Did I step on a trap? Or... was it him?

A chill ran through him as he heard it—the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps crunching on the forest floor. He looked up, his tear-filled eyes meeting Alex's calm, almost amused expression as he approached.

"No… no, no, no…" Kiev stammered, his voice trembling. Panic surged through him, pushing past the pain.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright, balancing precariously on his one remaining leg. His entire body shook as he tried to hop away, desperate to put distance between himself and the approaching nightmare.

"Oi, you forgot this."

Alex's voice rang out with a mocking edge as he bent down to pick up the archer's discarded quiver.

Kiev didn't dare turn around.

He kept hopping forward, his breath ragged, each movement a struggle against the searing pain in his leg.

Alex plucked an arrow from the quiver and held it up, examining its sharp tip. He tilted his head, his tone dripping with cruel amusement.

"I said, you forgot this. You should take what belongs to you."

Without hesitation, Alex flicked the arrow like a dart.

It sliced through the air with deadly precision and force, embedding itself in Kiev's remaining leg.

A bloodcurdling scream escaped the archer's lips as the sharp pain shot through him. His balance wavered, but before he could recover, Alex had already drawn another arrow.

This time, he aimed carefully. With a fluid motion, Alex hurled it. The arrow pierced Kiev's side, driving deep into his waist.

Kiev let out a groan of agony, his body twisting as he collapsed onto the ground. He lay there, helpless, every nerve in his body alight with pain.

The sound of Alex's footsteps grew louder, deliberate and unhurried, each one making Kiev's heart pound harder in his chest.

Finally, Alex stopped beside him, looming like a shadow over the broken archer. Kiev's trembling eyes lifted to meet Alex's cold, unforgiving gaze.

"Why… why are you doing this?" Kiev choked out, his voice weak, barely more than a whisper.

Alex's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Doing what? Isn't this what you do to your targets?"

Before Kiev could respond, Alex raised another arrow. With a swift, downward motion, he drove it into the archer's back.

Kiev cried out, his voice echoing through the forest.

Another arrow.

And another.

Each strike was methodical, precise, and relentless, burying deeper into Kiev's body.

Kiev's screams tore through the air, raw and filled with agony. His groans turned into desperate murmurs, his voice shaking.

"We... we haven't even killed many," he stammered, his words slurred through the haze of pain. "We barely have any tutorial points. I don't see why you're doing this."

Alex's eyes narrowed, his tone sharp and unyielding. "You killed the innocent. And if I let you go, you'll kill more."

Without hesitation, Alex pulled another arrow from the quiver and fired. The arrow buried itself into Kiev's flesh with a sickening thud.

Kiev screamed louder this time, his body writhing as the searing pain coursed through him. Blood poured freely from his wounds, soaking the ground beneath him.

The pain was unbearable, a constant flood that wouldn't let up. His breathing grew ragged, each inhale a struggle. Tears mixed with the blood streaming down his face as he cried out, his voice hoarse.

"Then just get it over with!" Kiev shouted, his frustration and despair boiling over. Blood trickled from his mouth as he coughed, choking on the taste of iron. "Why the torture?"

Alex stopped, his expression shifting from cold indifference to something darker. For a moment, he seemed to consider the question, his gaze piercing through Kiev like a blade.

Then, an eerie grin spread across his face, the kind that made the air around him feel colder.

"Why?" Alex repeated, his voice low and deliberate.

"The answer's simple." He leaned closer, his grin widening into something sinister.

"I'm doing it because I enjoy it."

Kiev's bloodshot eyes widened in horror, his entire body trembling.

Before he could even process the statement, Alex raised another arrow and drove it down with unrelenting force.

Kiev's scream echoed into the night, the sound of pure, unfiltered agony. The forest grew silent, save for the shallow, broken gasps of the defeated archer.

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Authors Note:

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