The road stretched endlessly before Alex, the yellow lines blurring together under the dim glow of his headlights. The engine hummed beneath him, a steady rhythm that mirrored his own thoughts—calm, but always moving. After the last hunt, after testing his abilities in the solitude of the woods, he knew one thing for certain:
He was changing.
The powers he absorbed weren't just tools; they were becoming part of him, integrating into his instincts in ways he hadn't expected. The heightened senses from the wendigo, the shifting adaptability of the skinwalker—his body responded before his mind even caught up. He could see clearer in the dark, track scents with unnerving accuracy, and move with a predator's fluidity. And the hunger… it wasn't overwhelming, but it was there, a whisper at the edges of his mind.
He tightened his grip on the wheel. 'Control.'
Whispering to himself.
Alex exhaled sharply, his breath fogging slightly in the cold night air remembering what caleb had told him. Weird symbols? That wasn't just a standard monster. That hinted at ritual, intent and something with intelligence.
The town of Red Pines was the kind of place people only ever heard about when something went wrong. One main street, a handful of stores, and a diner where everyone knew each other. Alex pulled into a parking lot near the sheriff's office, scanning the surroundings with a careful eye.
'Something's off with this town' Alex thought noticing the gloomy and somewhat rushed atmosphere of the town.
Not in the obvious, "monsters lurking in the shadows" way—no, this was subtler. The people moved too quickly, their conversations hushed. Showing obvious worry and a hint of fear, even in daylight.
Caleb was waiting for him outside the diner, arms crossed. "Took you long enough."
Alex stepped out, stretching slightly. "Traffic."
Caleb snorted. "Yeah, sure. Anyway, I talked to some of the locals. Livestock's been gutted—surgically. Hearts missing. Symbols painted in blood near the bodies."
Alex's stomach twisted. That didn't sound like a lone monster. "Any witnesses?"
"One. Old man said he saw a figure moving near his farm the night before his cattle got hit. But here's the thing—he swears it wasn't human. Said it had horns."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "A demon?"
"Maybe. But there's something else." Caleb hesitated. "The symbols… I think they're Enochian."
Alex felt his blood run cold. Enochian wasn't just any old ritual scrawling. It was angelic language. And that meant someone—or something—was playing with forces they shouldn't be.
The farm where the last attack happened was a sprawling expanse of land, the kind that stretched for miles with nothing but barbed wire and empty fields. The air smelled of decay.
Alex crouched near the bloodstained ground, running a hand just above the disturbed soil. Psychometry flickered to life.
Memories filling his mind.
'The sensation of pain. Screaming. The sharp scent of burning flesh. And underneath it all… some kind of whispers.'
He jerked back, breath unsteady. Caleb watched him warily. "What do you think?"
"Something's being summoned," Alex muttered. "And whatever it is, it's close."
As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the field. Both men snapped to attention, drawing their weapons. The shadows between the trees seemed to move, coiling unnaturally.
Then it stepped into view.
Tall. Twisted. Its skin was charred black, eyes burning with an eerie blue light. Horns curled from its head, intricate and jagged. The symbols they'd seen? They were carved into its flesh, glowing faintly.
Alex's pulse quickened. This wasn't just a demon—it was something else something forced into this plane by whatever ritual had been performed.
It tilted its head, lips peeling back into a grotesque smile. Then it moved—
Fast. Too fast.
Alex barely had time to react. Instinct took over. Enhanced reflexes kicked in, and he dodged, rolling just as the creature's claws slashed the space he'd been in moments before. Caleb fired off a shot, but the bullet barely staggered it.
Alex's mind raced. Normal weapons wouldn't do much. He needed to get creative.
Drawing in a sharp breath, he reached into himself, calling on the skinwalker's speed—his form blurred for a split second, enough to put distance between him and the creature. His dark vision activated next, peeling away its physical disguise and revealing the bindings of energy still anchoring it.
'There.' he thought hurriedly.
The symbols weren't just on its skin. They were part of its existence which meant they could be broken.
"Caleb, cover me!" Alex darted forward before Caleb could argue, pulling out a small blade etched with purification sigils. He dodged another strike, using his enhanced agility to slide under its arm and carve deep into one of the glowing marks on its ribs.
The creature screamed a shrill, unnatural sound that made Alex's skull throb. Its body convulsed as the glow dimmed slightly.
'It's working.' thought alex as he prepared for another strike.
But it wasn't done yet.
With a snarl, it lashed out, its clawed hand connecting with Alex's shoulder. Pain exploded through him, but he gritted his teeth, using the force of the hit to propel himself backward rather than take the full brunt of it. Blood dripped down his arm, but he ignored it. Enhanced healing would take care of that soon enough.
Caleb fired another shot—this time, hitting one of the creature's glowing runes dead center. The thing reeled, its form flickering.
Alex saw his opening.
He surged forward, blade flashing as he slashed through the remaining symbols. The moment the last one was severed, the creature let out a final, ear-piercing wail before its form collapsed in on itself, vanishing into nothing.
Silence.
Alex stood there, chest heaving. His shoulder still burned, but the pain was already dulling. Caleb lowered his gun, exhaling. "Well. That was fun."
Alex shot him a look. "Define fun."
Caleb smirked. "You still standing?"
"Barely."
Caleb holstered his weapon, shaking his head. "What the hell was that thing?"
Alex wiped his blade clean, frowning. "A summoned entity. Bound through Enochian script."
"Meaning someone made it."
Alex nodded grimly. "And that means they can do it again."
Back at the motel, Alex sat on the bed, staring at his reflection in the window. His fingers absently traced the fading wound on his shoulder.
The fight had been too close. If he hadn't adapted—hadn't used what he'd gained from the creatures before—he might not have walked away.
His panel flickered in the corner of his vision. New notifications. New abilities gained.
He didn't check them.
Instead, he pulled out his journal and wrote two words:
"I have to find the summoner."
Because whoever had done this… they weren't finished
'but finding the summoner won't be easy, i need to prepare for the coming fight I can't have the fear of losing myself in a fight'
Alex thought about his absorption abilities he has to control them before something bad happens but for now he will rest.
---
To be continued...
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