“ARE YOU IN BETTER CONDITION NOW?”

“No,” Sloan responded to Kyros bitterly.

“Will you listen to every word I say?” Kyros asked as he disposed of the gloves he wore just because it had dirt on it.

Sloan was wrapped with the dark branches Kyros unleashed. Sloan had no choice but to stay still as he hung upside down in the air.

“It’s not like you’re giving me a choice, you moron! If I keep fighting you, you’ll definitely burn me with these branches!”

“Good. Now that I have your full attention, I want you to stop messing with my timeline. Cassian will be out from that boy as soon as the sun sets. Then, we’ll proceed as planned.”

“You should have told me that earlier! Besides, what was he even thinking?! Why did he let a human use him like that?”

“You really don’t read the updates I sent, don’t you?”

“What update?”

Kyros opened his email through the X phone he owned and showed the screen to Sloan.

Sloan was shocked. “You expect me to read a whole novel as an update?! You could have just called me!”

Kyros sighed. “I no longer know what to do to you, Sloan. You get mad whenever we do not send you any updates or details. And if we do, you ignored them.”

“Just let me down here and I’ll read them!”

Kyros saw the sun had already set.

“I’m afraid you no longer have time for that.”

Kyros let Sloan go and let him stand on his own.

“I believe he’s free now. Let’s go,” Kyros said as he sensed Cassian’s presence on the rooftop.

“SO? WHAT TYPE OF DEATH DO YOU PREFER?” CASSIAN ASKED JOHANN.

His stepfather quickly put Johann behind him and prepared to fight the two death dealers.

“What’s this?” Cassian asked Clay. “An unfinished business?”

“Well, I asked him to kill me earlier but he’s such a slowpoke.”

“Oh? And you were doing what? Being easy on him?” Cassian teased Clay.

“Come on! Demon Hunters are hard to deal with sometimes. But… just say the word and I’ll take care of him.”

“Never mind. It’s not like I never hit two birds with one stone before,” Cassian said as small thunder surrounded his hands as if preparing to summon a bigger thunder.

Johann’s stepfather was also unleashing an energy that surrounds his body. Johann was shocked to feel the same energy he had seen before.

“Dad’s energy… It was similar to a death dealer. But… why? And his wound… It was healing fast.”

Johann’s stepfather is ready to attack. The moment he ran towards Cassian was also the moment Cassian readily ran towards the demon hunter. Their speed and movement are at par. It was harder for Johann to see everything that was going on. The sword his stepfather used shone with flashes of light due to its quick movement. Cassian, on the other hand, was enjoying the fight. As he dodge the blade he was already aiming for the vital parts of his opponent. The moment Cassian unleashed the thunder from his hands it hit right where he intended. The hunter fell on his knees as if he was electrocuted.

“Dad!” Johann yelled but could not step forward because Clay was blocking his path.

“Sorry, but I won’t let you spoil his fun. It’s been awhile since I saw Cassian enjoy killing someone. So, if you want to stop them you have to go through me first. All right?”

“Then I’ll make sure you’ll not get in my way then,” Johann said as his energy gathered in his hands.

“Oh-ho… let’s see what you got,” Clay shot Johann from up close using his one hand.

Johann, though shocked at first, dodge it and try landing a punch on Clay. He didn’t stop attacking so Clay will not have enough space to shoot him again.

When dark energy surrounded his stepfather’s body. Everyone stopped moving. Cassian raised an eyebrow as he stared at the man kneeling in front of him.

One of his eyes was changing into red. As if something from within him is resurfacing. When he stares at Cassian, his intent was clear. He would kill the death dealer in front of him.

“You—” Cassian was about to say something as he recognized the energy surrounding the hunter.

But Kyros and Sloan appeared on each side of Cassian and took each of his arms. They took him away and stood on a higher ground before the sword of the demon hunter hit his body. It happened in a flash. Cassian would have been cut in half if he remained standing there.

“You should be careful, princess. That thing is no longer just a hunter.”

“Oh? Should I thank you then, my dear prince?” Cassian mocked Sloan.

“You could have said a simple thank you and you chose to mock me?!” Sloan yelled at Cassian.

“Well, it was you who teased Cassian first,” Kyros commented.   

“Hey, not fair! You guys didn’t give us enough time to play around!” Clay said while pouting as he stood near Kyros, Cassian, and Sloan.

“So? What should we do now?” Sloan asked.

“Do we look like we still have time to play around?” Kyros said. “We need to go to hell this instant.”

“It can’t wait?” Cassian asked Kyros.

“Unfortunately, no. One of our kind has already gone missing, Cassian. I suggest we investigate it. Now.”

Cassian seemed disappointed but he gave in and understood the urgency of the matter in hell.

“Let’s go then.”

Kyros used his X phone to open a portal for them to jump in. Cassian saw the location Kyros encoded.

“Aren’t there some things we need to bring with us to hell?”

“Fine. But let’s make it quick,” Kyros replied to Cassian.

“It’s not like we’re running late, Kyros.”

Kyros raised his phone in an open area and a beam of light appeared from it. A portal leading to the death dealer’s realm can be seen. Cassian entered first, followed by Kyros, then Sloan.

Clay was the last to enter it but he looked behind Johann and saw he was already assisting his stepfather.

“Hmm… I wonder who it was that was inside him.”

“Clay! Come on!” Sloan yelled like an officer.

“Yes, Siree!!!” Clay responded with a smile.

“DAD! DAD!” 

Johann yelled as he ran towards his stepfather. He was still standing but he was trying to control the energy he was unsure if he could contain again. But it was fighting him.

“Stand back! Stay away, Johann.”

“Dad…”

Johann could do nothing but watch in horror when his stepfather used his sword to stab himself. It was only then that his energy started shrinking back. But along with that, his stepfather also loses consciousness as his blood spills from his chest.

“Dad! No! Dad!”

SELENA WAS IN HER ROOM. 

She sat in front of her vanity table and patiently waited for Johann to return home. As she looked inside her jewelry boxes she found the wedding ring she no longer wore.

Ever since her husband left their house she kept it in a safe place within her bedroom. The onyx crystal cracked years ago. But it keeps on cracking now as if soon enough it will turn into dust. As soon as she put it back in its box, Luz knocked and entered her room.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Miss. But… Johann called and he said… he’s with his Dad.”

“I see,” Selena said as if she expected the news. “Was Johann hurt?”

“No. He said it was your husband who was wounded.”

“I see,” Selena said calmly before standing. “Was everything prepared, Luz?”

“Yes, Miss. Everyone will be here at any moment now.”

“Good. Let’s not make them wait. You know how impatient the Donovan clan are when we’re not on time.”

“Yes, Miss.” 

END OF DEATH X DEALER (SEASON ONE)