ã€ŠAlpha: First To Riseã€‹


 Authors Note

    Hello Readers,

    Thank you for taking the time to read my very first novel which has been in the works since 2016 when I first started coming up with ideas for the story. Alpha: First to Rise is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, writer¡¯s block, trial and error, and rewrite after rewrite for it to all come to this. I hope you enjoy the beginning to an amazing story that I hope will last for a very long time, and that you¡¯ll be there as Mac grows throughout his journey in becoming the First to Rise!!!!

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    <u>Readers Discretion is Advised!!!!</u>

    This novel is intended for those over the age of 17 years old as it contains some strong language, fan-service moments, and suggestive theme. All characters depicted in this novel are all above the age of consent and some readers might find some moments to be disturbing. Please don¡¯t let that stray you away from this novel as these moments are limited to certain chapters and do not push the boundary that it¡¯s not intended to go beyond.

    <u>Thank You and Enjoy!!!!</u>

 Chapter 1: Hello World

    Written & Created By: Eddie Yagami

    *Readers Discretion is Advised*

    Magic, alchemy, and the supernatural... all things that disappeared from our world long ago. But many have asked, "Can it return?" It''s a question that countless people in the fields of science and medicine have pondered, only to be denied the truth of its existence¡ªif it ever existed at all. But the real question is: should it return? No one can ever know if the timing is right or even why it vanished in the first place.

    A shimmering light can be seen in the distance, surrounded by complete darkness. Upon closer inspection, the light pulsates slowly but steadily. What could this light be, and where did it come from? A mystery that may never be solved¡ªat least not yet.

    One thing is certain: this light has an odd presence. As it appears to get closer and closer, the light speaks, "My time is near." But who¡ªor what¡ªis it speaking to? And what does it mean by this cryptic message? A true mystery indeed.

    Santera Private High School is a prestigious institution for those aiming for successful and lifelong careers. But it''s no ordinary school¡ªmost students come from wealthy families or have earned their way through sheer talent. However, one student stands out, sitting idly at his desk, gazing out the window, waiting for class to begin.

    "Hey, Mac!" someone calls from the doorway of classroom 3A. The voice gets the attention of the student by the window¡ªChandler "Mac" McCullen. He turns to see two familiar faces approaching, one waving. As they arrive, Mac greets them both with a fist bump. One friend takes the desk in front of him, while the other sits next to him. The three begin to converse.

    "Ready for another shitty year?" Mac asks his two lifelong friends, James "JR" Rickson and Lucille "Lucky" Garcia, whom he met back in elementary school. Lucky looks at Mac, slightly annoyed.

    "You do realize that college is just around the corner, right? We have to stay on top of our grades," she says, before glancing at JR, remembering how he barely passed last year. With a small chuckle, she adds, "Well, at least one of us does."

    Mac and Lucky start laughing at JR''s misery as he recalls one of his stricter teachers. JR shakes his fist in mock frustration. "I swear Mr. Keyes wanted to fail me every chance he got!" His retort only fuels more laughter from Mac and Lucky.

    "Why must you laugh at my suffering all the time?!" JR asks dramatically. As the comic relief of the group, his antics always keep them entertained.

    Shortly after, the other students file into the classroom as the bell rings, signaling the start of the day. An older gentleman enters the room, clipboard in hand, and walks to the front of the class.

    "Mornin'', class! How are we doing on this fine Monday morning for everyone''s first day of school?" he asks. The students respond with a variety of greetings.

    "Good! Well, I''m Mr. Parker, and I''ll be your homeroom teacher this year. Let''s all settle down so I can begin roll call."

    As the class quiets, Mr. Parker starts calling out names, while Mac retreats into his thoughts, waiting for his name to be called.

    "So, another year has begun. I just hope nothing too crazy happens this time around," Mac thinks to himself, recalling the chaos of the last two years. He snaps back to reality as Mr. Parker calls out Lucky''s name, knowing his name is next.

    "Chandler... McCullen?!" Mr. Parker calls out, immediately recognizing the name. He pauses, scanning the room for a response. From the back corner near the windows, Mr. Parker hears a heavy sigh.

    "Yeah, I''m here," Mac replies.

    The room erupts in whispers. Mr. Parker, being new to the school, wasn''t expecting a situation like this but feels compelled to ask. "If I may ask, are you the same McCullen whose...?"

    Before he can finish, Mac cuts him off. "I know you mean well, Mr. Parker, but I''d rather not. Trust me, everyone here already knows, and I''d prefer to avoid making a scene."

    Mr. Parker glances around and sees the students already staring at Mac, especially the female students, whose eyes seem locked on him, ready to pounce. Mac shudders, feeling a chill down his spine.

    "I understand. Let''s move on," Mr. Parker says, respecting Mac''s request.

    "We''re off to a great start, huh, bud?" JR sarcastically whispers to Mac, who glares back at him.

    "You wanna get knocked out?" Mac responds, equally sarcastic. JR chuckles, but before they can continue their banter, Mr. Parker calls out, "James Rickson?!"

    "I''m here!" JR replies.

    As roll call concludes, everyone is accounted for, much to Mr. Parker''s surprise. He expected to mark a few students absent on the first day, but this being one of the most prestigious schools in the country, the students take their education seriously. However, Mac feels that this year won''t be any different from the last two... at least for now.

    Before the class ends, Mac approaches Mr. Parker. "Mr. Parker, is this your first year teaching here?"

    "Yes, it is, Chandler. Why do you ask?" Mr. Parker responds.

    "I was wondering if I could leave class a little early and head to my next class ahead of everyone else."

    Mr. Parker is confused at first but quickly pieces it together. "Does this have to do with who you are?"

    Mac nods, and Mr. Parker grants his request without hesitation.

    Mac waves goodbye to Lucky and JR, knowing he won''t see them until lunch. As he walks out, he glances back at the classroom¡ªmainly at the female students who are still watching him closely. With a heavy sigh, he leaves.

    Outside his next class, Mac waits for the bell. As expected, a horde of female students charges down the hallway toward him from both directions. Without missing a beat, Mac calmly steps into the classroom. The moment he crosses the threshold, the students suddenly stop in their tracks and begin walking normally, as if nothing happened.

    Even now, Mac doesn''t understand why they behave this way, but he knows one thing¡ªit annoys him to no end.

    Mac spends the entire day dodging hordes of female students between classes. By the end of the day, he has a plan. He hides in the boys'' restroom¡ªthe one place his fans dare not enter¡ªwaiting for the coast to be clear. Once the hallway is quiet, he heads to the main entrance, muttering to himself, "Damn those girls. Don''t they have anything better to do?"

    As Mac nears the main entrance, he spots Lucky waving at him in the distance. He casually waves back. Once they meet up, Mac gives her a quick hug and asks, "Where''s James?"

    Lucky points in the general direction, and Mac immediately knows what JR is up to. On the other hand, JR''s luck is just not in his favor today. Mac lets out a dissatisfied sigh. "When will he ever learn?" he mutters.

    In the distance, JR can be seen desperately attempting to ask out nearly every girl he comes across, with no success. Mac and Lucky share an amused glance as they watch JR''s failures. Lucky suddenly remembers something. "So, how''s your fan club doing? Did they give you a hard time today?"

    Mac shoots her a blank, irritated stare, but Lucky just laughs. "You''ve got to give them credit for trying at least," she teases.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Mac isn''t having it. "The only credit I''m giving is this smack to the back of your head for annoying me!" he exclaims, though Lucky only laughs harder.

    Not long after, JR approaches them, looking completely defeated. He slumps onto the bench next to Mac and Lucky who were already sitting down, sighing heavily. "So, what did we learn?" Mac asks, rubbing in JR''s failure to pick up any girls.

    "That all the girls in this school only care about one thing¡ªtrying to get into a relationship with you," JR responds, clearly frustrated.

    Mac karate-chops JR on the head, exclaiming, "WRONG ANSWER!" JR dramatically falls over, laying his head on Lucky''s lap, playing up his defeat.

    Mac begins to formulate some cruel ideas and can''t help but laugh. JR, still lying on Lucky''s lap, wakes up confused. Looking up at Mac, he wonders why he''s laughing. He then glances down, realizing where his head is. "Are these... someone''s knees?" he thinks, then quickly turns his head toward Lucky, who is red-faced and flustered.

    "Oh shit!" JR exclaims, jumping up and walking around to Mac''s side of the bench. "Dammit, bro! Thanks for putting me in that situation!" JR says, while Mac continues laughing. JR, knowing how Mac''s mind works, is sometimes scared by his cruel ideas, never knowing what Mac might pull next.

    "If you want to date someone, why not just ask Lucille? I''m sure you''ll have a killer time together," Mac jokes, struggling to keep a straight face before bursting into laughter again.

    JR isn''t amused. He glances at Lucky, noticing how red her face is, and whispers to Mac, "Hey, I think you broke her."

    Mac finally stops laughing and looks over at Lucky. He realizes he might have gone too far this time. "Fuck," he mutters under his breath as he slides over to her, cautiously placing his hands on her shoulders and giving her a gentle shake. "C''mon, Lucille, you know I''m just joking, right?"

    Snapping out of her flustered state, Lucky proceeds to punch Mac hard in the stomach. "Yep, here it comes," Mac thinks to himself, taking the blow without protest, but hardly reacting to the pain.

    "How many times do I have to tell you¡ªthat''s NOT funny!" Lucky yells, storming off while Mac recovers from the punch.

    JR chuckles. "Nice job, bro. You pissed her off¡ªagain. At least you didn''t dodge her punch this time. Honestly, you kind of deserved it."

    Mac shoots him a glare. "First of all, fuck you. Second, she''ll be fine. Third, I saw it coming. And lastly, fuck you again," he responds, then they both laugh it off.

    "All right, let''s go see if she''s calmed down," Mac suggests, and the two boys follow after her. Lucky isn''t too far ahead, waiting near the school''s exit.

    Mac knows that Lucky can never stay mad at him for long, though why that is, only she truly knows. As they catch up to her, Mac notices something out of the corner of his eye¡ªa black luxury sedan parked in the student pickup area, with a tall man in a suit standing by the car. He has an earpiece in his ear, and Mac already knows who the man is there for.

    "Not again. Why does she keep doing this when I''ve asked her to stop?", Mac grumbles to himself as he begins walking toward the school''s exterior exit. JR and Lucky pause, glancing toward the car, immediately understanding why Mac is upset. After a moment, Mac shouts back, "Y''all coming or what?"

    JR and Lucky quickly catch up. "Wanna hang out at my place for a bit?", Mac asks, and they both nod in agreement as they leave the school grounds.

    The man standing by the car sighed in disappointment, pulls out a phone from his jacket pocket and makes a phone call. "Hello, ma''am. You asked me to call if he didn''t use the car?"

    A woman''s voice replied from the other end of the line. "Let me guess, he decided to walk home with his friends instead?"

    "Yes, ma''am," the man confirmed. "Shall I stop him and make him get in the car?"

    "No, don''t bother," the woman said. "For now, just continue to show up at the same time every day. If he keeps refusing, then I''ll just have to go there myself."

    "Understood, ma''am," the man replied before ending the call. He pocketed the phone and sighed again, watching Mac and his friends walk away.

    Inside a large, elegant office filled with bookshelves and what looks like a large meeting table covered in different technological equipment, the woman placed her phone down and let out a heavy sigh. "I should''ve known this would happen. I know he wants his privacy, but I hope he understands I''m just looking out for him," she said to herself, her voice tinged with worry.

    Meanwhile, Mac, JR, and Lucky arrived at a tall, sleek and modern apartment complex with ten floors. They got into an elevator and rode it up to the top floor, then as they got out, Mac pulled out a set of keys while walking down the hall towards his apartment door and unlocked it. Mac''s apartment was very large and luxurious for a single student even though it was meant for a large enough family, it belonged to Mac, who lived alone.

    "Home sweet home," Mac said as they entered. JR and Lucky headed for the living room to relax while Mac walked into the kitchen. "Y''all want anything to drink?" Mac asked.

    JR, always the jokester, replied sarcastically, "Yes, sir! I''ll take an ice-cold be¡ª" But before he could finish, Mac threw a cold water bottle at JR''s face, cutting him off mid-sentence.

    "I swear, every time you say that joke, it pisses me off," Mac said. JR picked up the bottle, opened it, and began to drink, mockingly muttering something under his breath.

    Mac turned to him with a furious look. "I''m sorry, did you say something?" he asked.

    "Nope, nothing," JR responded quickly, taking another swig of water, slightly terrified.

    "Anyways, want a beer, Lucky?", Mac asked as JR, who was mid-drink, spat out a mouthful of water all over the coffee table.

    "What the fuck, dude? Really?!" JR shouted, Mac and Lucky just burst out laughing at his reaction.

    "Yeah, okay, very funny. Laugh it up," JR said, clearly not amused. A towel was tossed his way, "Clean up the mess you just made, Water Boy," Mac said as he chuckled.

    As JR wiped up the mess, he suddenly remembered something. "Hey Chandler, if I''m not mistaken, hasn''t it been a year since you moved into this apartment?", asked JR.

    Mac nodded, "Yep. Yesterday was the anniversary," Mac replied, then Lucky chimed in, "Even though I know why you moved out, don''t you miss living with your parents?"

    Mac shrugged his shoulders, "Always, but with how busy they are and all the attention they get, I just wanted to get away from it all and live a normal life as much as possible," said Mac, Lucky and JR give him a sarcastic look.

    "Yeah, there''s nothing about your life that is normal, but we get what you mean," JR said, sharing a knowing glance with Lucky. Time flew by as they chatted, and soon it was getting late. Lucky and JR both needed to head home.

    "Y''all want me to whip up something to take with you?", Mac offered, sensing their hesitation. "Sorry, Chandler, but you cooked for us yesterday, and I still have leftovers at home," said JR.

    "Yeah, same here. Let''s not forget you also cooked the day before that as well," Lucky added, and she and JR exchanged glances.

    "And the day before that," JR joked.

    "And even the day before that," Lucky teased, noticing Mac''s growing annoyance. "Alright, I get it! Laugh it up," Mac said, exasperated. "Either way, I''m walking y''all home, and I won''t take ''no'' for an answer."

    They already knew he''d say that, so they all headed out together, walking toward the neighborhood where JR and Lucky lived.

    At the outskirts of the neighborhood, they passed through a quiet, well-maintained area. JR and Lucky had lived there most of their lives, sharing both good and bad memories along the way.

    When they reached Lucky''s house, she said her goodbyes and headed inside. Mac and JR continued walking toward JR''s place, and on the way, JR broke the silence.

    "Hey, Chandler?"

    "What''s up?" Mac replied.

    "I was wondering... it feels good to be back in school, right?" JR asked, though his mind seemed elsewhere, contemplating his future.

    Mac looked at him, puzzled. "I mean, I guess? You hate school, so what''s changed this time?"

    JR sighed heavily. "I had an argument with my dad over the weekend. He''s pissed about my grades from last year and said I need to do better. If not, then he''s sending me to military school. It just... sucks."

    Mac knew JR''s dad was a strict man, especially since he was former military. But lately, it seemed like his father had become even stricter, and Mac wasn''t sure why. Maybe it had something to do with what happened a few years ago. Mac pondered it for a moment before asking, "Do you have to deal with Mr. Keyes this year?", Mac asked JR.

    "Nope, thankfully I don''t have to deal with Mr. Keyes this year," JR responded, his tone filled with relief. But before he could fully celebrate, Mac lightly smacked the back of his head.

    "Ow! What was that for?!" JR exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.

    "You know why," Mac said with a smirk. "If you hadn''t been so stubborn and told me what was going on sooner, I could''ve fixed the issue with Mr. Keyes much earlier in the year."

    JR sighed, realizing Mac was right. "Yeah, I guess I can be pretty stubborn sometimes."

    "Not sometimes¡ªall the time," Mac replied, then they both start to laugh as they reached JR''s front door. After doing their signature handshake, they said their goodbyes, and Mac started his walk back to his apartment.

    The walk back to his apartment didn''t take long, and as Mac approached the main entrance to the building, he noticed a large hooded man standing near the entrance. The hooded man was playing with a knife in his hand before pointing it directly at Mac.

    "Can I help you, good sir?" Mac asked nonchalantly, staring the hooded man down with a calm, blank expression.

    "Yeah, you can, you rich brat," the hooded man snarled. "Give me your wallet and any other valuables you have on you, and I won''t end up stabbing you. And don''t make me repeat myself."

    Mac wasn''t carrying his wallet, but he decided to play along. Slowly reaching toward his back pocket, he asked, "Rich, huh? What makes you think I''m rich?"

    The hooded man looked at him confused, then started laughing, clearly amused by Mac''s question. "You can''t be serious? You live in these fancy ass apartment building, and you expect me to believe that you''re not rich? That''s fucking hilarious!", shouted the hooded man as he continued to laugh.

    The hooded man continued laughing hysterically, pacing around and unknowingly turning his back toward Mac. Seeing the perfect opportunity, Mac made his move. The hooded man barely had time to react before noticing Mac''s foot closing in on his face, knocking him out cold. Everything went dark for the hooded man.

    <u>To Be Continued¡­.</u>

 Chapter 2: What Is Normal?

    Written & Created By: Eddie Yagami

    *Readers Discretion is Advised*

    As the world moves on, the idea of magic ever existing has never been a major topic of discussion-well, at least not for everyone. But to the few who still believe it once existed, the question remains: will it ever return? The real question, though, is whether magic should exist in this boring, normal world of ours. We may never know.

    That small, mysterious light we first saw continues to pulse steadily in the darkness. The last time we encountered it, it spoke-cryptic and unnerving-yet calm, like a slow heartbeat.

    The light remains a mystery, but now strange echoing whispers emerge from it. As the light draws nearer, words begin to form: "I wonder... will he be ready to die only to be reborn again?"

    But who is the light referring to?

    Before anything more can be said, the darkness swallows the light again, and we are pulled back to a familiar face lying unconscious in a peculiar place.

    The hooded man-the one who tried to rob Mac-wakes up in a panic, breathing heavily. "Ow! What the fuck?!" he yells, his face throbbing with pain.

    He groans as he looks around and quickly realizes his hands are cuffed behind his back. Then he recognizes that he''s in the back of a police car. "Oh, son of a-" He stops short, looking out the window, startled.

    Outside, Mac stands there teasing the hooded man, waving and smiling through the car window. "Hope you have a great time. Don''t drop the soap," Mac yells, laughing as the enraged hooded man starts swearing loudly and throwing a fit.

    "Oh, he doesn''t sound too happy," Mac says, turning back to Officer Danielle Nguyen, a police officer who has become quite familiar with Mac.

    "Why do you have to tease him? You''re just going to make my job harder," Officer Nguyen scolds Mac, although she still acts playful. "Sorry," says Mac as he shrugs his shoulders.

    With a sigh, Officer Nguyen shakes her head. "So, what does this make it now? The thirtieth time since you moved here?"

    Mac chuckles. "I have no idea. I stopped counting after the third or fourth guy who tried to rob me. It''s kind of funny how they all assume that just because I''m a ''brat,'' I can''t defend myself."

    Officer Nguyen laughs softly, "Well, it''s not like they''d know that a 17-year-old kid is trained in martial arts and can knock out men twice his size," quipped Officer Nguyen.

    Mac grins, "Eh, fair point," he says.

    Officer Nguyen''s tone then turns serious, "Anyway, you know the drill by now. Since you''re still under 18, I''ll have to notify your parents," she said which Mac wasn''t happy about, so he lets out a sigh. "Yeah, I know. You still have their direct number, right?", Mac asked.

    She nods. The first time Officer Nguyen met Mac she hadn''t realized who his parents were. After trying to contact them without success, she did some research and discovered why it had been so difficult.

    Once she learned more about Mac and his family, they set up a faster way to get in touch with his parents. Now, she has their direct line, and since then, she''s become more familiar with the teen and his impressive martial arts skills.

    Once everything is settled, Officer Nguyen prepares to transport the hooded man to the station. As she turns her back, Mac sneaks a quick glance at her. "Have a good evening, Officer Nguyen," he says casually.

    Despite his attempt at being sneaky, Officer Nguyen knows exactly what he''s doing. She lets it slide, though. "Boys will be boys," she thinks to herself, shaking her head as she walks away.

    Meanwhile, Mac grins and tells himself, "Damn, she''s got a nice ass. And that rack..." Mac quickly shuts down his thoughts, reminding himself of the obvious reasons he needs to keep them in check.

    As Officer Nguyen drives away, the hooded man speaks up. "Hey, Officer... who was that kid back there?", he asks.

    She has no obligation to answer, but she decides to give a cryptic response, "Don''t worry about it. Just pray you don''t cross paths with him again," Officer Nguyen warned the hooded man which ends up terrifying the hooded man into silence as he accepts his fate.

    The rest of the week passes uneventfully. Mac continues to avoid his persistent ''fan club'' using his usual tricks to stay out of their reach. When Friday finally arrives, the bell rings, signaling the end of the school day.

    "Finally! The weekend''s here!" JR exclaims as he and Lucky head out of homeroom toward the main entrance.

    Mac, on the other hand, waits in his usual hiding spot-the boy''s restroom-waiting for the all-clear. His phone buzzes with a message from Lucky: ''Coast is clear.''

    "About time," Mac mutters as he exits the boys restroom and catches up with Lucky and JR outside the school. "Man, this shit is getting old. When will they ever give up?", Mac asks mostly to himself, but he still said it out loud and clearly sounded frustrated.

    In typical JR fashion, he couldn''t resist a jab at Mac whenever he''s frustrated, "Jeez, I thought you liked all the attention," JR quips with a chuckle. Mac suddenly appears inches from JR''s face, giving him a deathly glare. "What was that?" Mac asks coldly.

    JR shudders, "Oh, nothing. I didn''t say a thing," he replies nervously. "Good. Thought I''d have to kill you for a second there," Mac says, walking away as JR breathes a sigh of relief, meanwhile, Lucky is just laughing at JR''s obvious terror.

    "Thank God it''s Friday. Now I can get back to training with Mr. Lou," Mac says, sitting on a nearby bench.

    Lucky recalls Mac mentioning his martial arts training last weekend, just before school started, "Oh, right. You said you were taking this week off from training, right?", Lucky asked.

    Mac nods, "Yeah, Mr. Lou wasn''t thrilled about it, but he understood, which I''m glad that he agreed," said Mac.

    "So, what''s the plan for the weekend?", JR asks.

    Mac thinks for a moment, "I''m visiting my folks tomorrow, but that''s about it," Mac said as he tried to remember when was the last time he saw them.

    Lucky shrugs. "As long as my parents don''t lock me down, I''m free all weekend," she said.

    Mac and JR exchange a concerned look. They both know how strict Lucky''s parents can be, especially her father, who doesn''t seem to like her spending too much time with them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "So how about we hang out Sunday?", Mac suggests.

    "Maybe," JR responds. "I gotta check if the old man wants to spend some time together. He''s been really old-fashioned lately," said JR.

    Though JR''s father can be strict about school, he''s also softened since JR''s mother passed away four years ago. Mac and Lucky understand the delicate situation and never bring it up, but Mac makes sure to check on JR from time to time.

    "If you need to spend time with your dad, I get it," Mac begins to say, "He''s just looking out for you, like Lucky and I are too," Mac said as he placed his hand on JR''s shoulder.

    JR nods, grateful for Mac''s words. Just as they''re about to leave, a familiar voice calls out from the parking lot.

    "Chandler!", a woman yells towards Mac and his friends, and Mac just freezes, "Fuck," he simply mutters under his breath. Without turning around, he addresses JR and Lucky, "Looks like I''ll have to catch up with you guys another day. I''ll text y''all later tonight," said Mac.

    Lucky and JR both wave at the woman calling out to Mac, knowing exactly who she is.

    "Well, that sucks. Guess you have to go with her, huh?" JR asks sympathetically.

    "Yeah," Mac sighs, "Be careful on your way home, and let me know when you get there," said Mac, always being protective of those close to him.

    JR and Lucky nod as Mac walks toward the woman. "You know, Mom, a simple text or call would''ve sufficed," Mac says, slightly irritated.

    The woman, who is revealed to be Mac''s mother, Samantha McCullen, smiles at him, "Chandler, when have you ever answered any of my calls or texts?", Samantha joked.

    Mac chuckles, "You don''t call or text because you and Dad are always too busy," Mac counters.

    "Yeah, I know. Still, come and give your mom a hug," Samantha says, pulling Mac in for a quick embrace. After a moment, she steps back, "So, let me guess-you''re upset because I''ve been sending the car for you all week?", Samantha asks.

    Mac sighs heavily, "Do I need to give you an answer or have you come to add more unnecessary attention to my life?", quips Mac who is slightly annoyed.

    "Excuse me?! Watch that tone, young man," Samantha chides playfully, "And what can I say? I can''t help being so famous these days," Samantha says dramatically.

    Mac chuckles and says. "Whatever, Mrs. Drama Queen." Samantha shoots him a glaring look, "What was that?!", she exclaimed, "Oh, nothing," Mac says quickly and looking away.

    Then they get in the car and begin to head towards Mr. Lou''s studio, and during the drive over, Samantha expresses her concern for Mac''s safety, especially with all the attempted robberies that have happened over the past year. "Chandler, it''s my job to worry about you no matter how strong you are," Samantha says with concern in her voice.

    Then she remembers a phone call that she received the other day, "Speaking of which, Officer Nguyen called me the other day telling me about another attempted robbery, care to explain?", Samantha asked.

    Mac tried to play dumb at first, "Who?" Mac asks, trying his best to avoid that conversation entirely, but Samantha wasn''t going to let that slide so easily.

    "Danielle Nguyen, you know, the officer who has been handling all the incidents you''ve been involved in over the past year?", exclaimed Samantha.

    Mac recalls Officer Nguyen, only because he remembers her ''assets'', "Oh, that Officer Nguyen," he says, trying to sound innocent, but Samantha knows her son all too well. Samantha smirks, "Chandler, I know you have a thing for certain... assets," she says with a chuckle.

    One thing Mac didn''t know was that his mother had met with Officer Nguyen in person after the first few incidents. As soon as Samantha saw Officer Nguyen''s figure, Samantha knew she had something to use against Mac.

    Mac, who was mid-sip of drinking water from a bottle, spits it out, "MOM! What the-"

    Samantha couldn''t stop laughing at his reaction, "You''re so much like your father when he was your age. It''s uncanny," said Samantha as she continued to laugh. The conversation continues for the remainder of the drive to Mr. Lou''s studio. After arriving, Mac quickly says to goodbye to his mother and is ready to get back to training.

    "Listen, Chandler," Samantha says before he steps out, her tone softening. "You''ll be 18 next year, and you''ve probably been having... those thoughts for a while now. If it''s weird talking to me about it, then just talk to your father. He wouldn''t mind having a man-to-man conversation with you about those kinds of things," said Samantha.

    Still embarrassed, Mac simply nods, eager to escape the conversation, "Later, Mom," he says, quickly heading into the studio.

    As Samantha drives away, she thinks to herself, "I can''t believe how much he''s grown... but next year will be tough on him, with Alpha likely waking up on his 18th birthday."

    Inside the studio, Mac spots an older man meditating in the center of the room. Mr. Lou, who looks to be in his mid-50''s, remains still and focused as Mac grins mischievously. "I''m gonna get you this time, old man," Mac mutters under his breath.

    Mac quietly drops his bag and takes off his shoes, then he approaches Mr. Lou from behind, moving as stealthily as possible. But as soon as he got close to Mr. Lou, he vanishes into thin air. Mac looks around in confusion, "What the-?", Mac began to say. Suddenly, wisps of air swirl around him, and without warning, Mr. Lou reappears behind him, delivering a powerful palm strike to Mac''s back, sending him flying.

    As Mac soars through the air, his mind flashes back to a memory from five years ago-a moment that changed his life forever.

    Mac was just 12 years old then, heading to the local park to meet JR and Lucky. When he arrived, he saw three high school bullies harassing his friends. Without a second thought, Mac rushed in to protect them, but being untrained, he was quickly overpowered. The bullies turned their attention to him, beating him to the ground.

    Just when things seemed hopeless, a deep, commanding voice called out, "Don''t you boys have anything better to do than pick on someone half your size?"

    The bullies froze, startled. Standing behind them was an older man who had appeared out of nowhere. One of the bullies, trying to save face, sneered, "What''s it to you, old man?"

    "Yeah, mind your business and get lost!" another added.

    The man, unfazed, stared at them with an intensity that sent chills down their spines. Without another word, the bullies ran off, scared senseless.

    The man''s expression softened as he turned to Mac, who was beaten and bruised. He helped him up and led him to a nearby bench. "Are you alright, young man?" he asked.

    "I''ll live," Mac groaned, wincing in pain.

    The old man chuckled softly, impressed by Mac''s toughness. He looked over at JR and Lucky, "What happened here?", asked the old man.

    JR spoke up, "Those bullies were picking on us. Mac came to help, but... it didn''t go so well."

    The old man nodded, understanding the situation. He turned back to Mac, "You''ve got guts, kid. But tell me-where are your parents?", the old man asked, concerned for Mac''s safety.

    The smile on Mac''s face vanished. "They''re at work as always. I had to ditch my bodyguard just to come hang out with my friends," said Mac with a disappointed tone.

    At that moment, the bodyguard Mac had mentioned came running up, panic evident on his face, "Mr. McCullen, are you alright?! Who did this to you?", asked the panicked bodyguard.

    Mac groaned as the bodyguard checked his injuries. Upon hearing Mac''s last name, the old man raised an eyebrow, "McCullen, huh? Is that your name, boy?", asked the old man.

    "Yeah, Chandler McCullen. But I''d prefer that everyone call me Mac," he replied, wincing as the bodyguard fussed over him. The bodyguard turned to the older man. "Sir, did you see what happened here?", asked the bodyguard.

    The old man nodded, "Just some older boys picking on the young lads here. But don''t worry, I scared them off," replied the old man, the bodyguard shook his hand.

    "I appreciate your help," the bodyguard said, "but I''ll take it from here. His parents are very particular about who interacts with young Mr. McCullen here."

    The old man chuckled, "I''m well aware. I''ve known the McCullen''s for quite some time now," said the old man, but the bodyguard was slightly confused, "May I ask your name?", he asked the old man. The old man smiled, "Luis Marcianos," he replied, then looked at Mac, "But you can call me Mr. Lou."

    From that day on, Mac''s life changed. He became determined to learn how to defend himself and protect his friends. Mr. Lou, a master martial artist, took him under his wing, teaching him various styles of martial arts, including different styles like karate and taekwondo, just to name a couple. But there was more to Mr. Lou that Mac would not know about, at least not until much later in his life.

    Back in the present, Mac is seen flying through the air after Mr. Lou''s strike, then his instincts kick in. With a sharp flip, Mac regains his momentum, landing on his feet in a smooth, controlled slide across the studio floor. He comes to a stop, breathing heavily but steady.

    Mr. Lou chuckles, "Nicely done, boy. It seems your training is finally paying off," Mr. Lou complimented.

    Mac, still catching his breath, smirks. "Dammit, old man. Why don''t you just send me flying through the roof next time?", exclaimed Mac, still wondering what just happened. Mr. Lou laughs, "Don''t tempt me, Chandler because I just might," replied Mr. Lou.

    Despite the playful tone, there is pride in Mr. Lou''s voice, "But I knew that you could handle it," he adds. Mac, who was always competitive, grins, "Oh yeah? If you''re so confident in my training, then let me show you just how confident I am in kicking your ass!" Mac challenged Mr. Lou, he raises an eyebrow, accepting the challenge, "Don''t get cocky with me, boy. Show me what you''ve got," said Mr. Lou. With that, the student and master squared off, both smiling as they prepare for another intense training session.

    <u>To Be Continued....</u>

 Chapter 3: Expect The Unexpected

    Written & Created By: Eddie Yagami

    *Reader''s Discretion is Advised*

    The mysterious light returns once again, pulsating faster than before, still surrounded by darkness. It had always been cryptic, but now something about it feels different. One can only wonder why its rhythm has quickened and what it means. We know the light can speak, as we''ve heard its whispers before, but does it also have a consciousness? Can it think for itself?

    Whispers emerge once more from the light, "I sense that my time of awakening is near... but is it too soon?", the light murmurs. The message is just as cryptic as ever and more questions arise.

    What is it preparing for? And who is it speaking about? Each encounter with the light reveals a little more, but it still holds so many secrets. Before any answers come, the darkness swallows the light once again, and we''re drawn back to Mac and Mr. Lou, who were in the middle of their sparring session.

    The two moved so quickly that it was impossible for a bystander to follow-only blurs clashing against one another. Mac had trained hard for the past five years, improving immensely, but even now, Mr. Lou remains far beyond his reach. No matter how much Mac pushes himself, he struggled to land even a single blow on his sensei.

    "Good, Chandler! Keep it up! Don''t you dare quit on me now!", Mr. Lou shouts, dodging and blocking every attack with ease. He''s impressed with how much Mac has improved, but Mr. Lou doesn''t let it show. Praise could make Mac cocky, and Mr. Lou knows better than to fuel that side of him.

    As the match drags on, Mac begins to show signs of exhaustion. They''ve been at it for a while, and Mr. Lou decided it was time to end it. With one fluid motion, he strikes Mac squarely in the chest with a single-handed palm strike, sending him flying backward. Mac hits the ground hard, groaning as he tries to catch his breath.

    "What the hell, old man?!", Mac exclaims, sitting up and wiping the sweat from his face.

    "That''s enough for today. Take a break, and I''ll get you some water," Mr. Lou responds, heading over to the mini-fridge. He grabbed a couple of water bottles and tossed one to Mac, who catches it. Mac slowly gets up, walks to a nearby chair, and takes a seat.

    Mac cracks open the water bottle, taking slow sips, while Mr. Lou handed him a towel. "Here, clean yourself up," Mr. Lou says, sitting down next to him.

    Mac wipes his face and stares at Mr. Lou expectantly. "So?" he asks, clearly waiting for some kind of praise.

    "So... what?" Mr. Lou replies with a raised eyebrow.

    Mac sighs in frustration. "Seriously? At least tell me I''ve improved."

    Mr. Lou stares at him for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Martial arts is a lifelong journey, Chandler. No one becomes a master overnight. It takes time, patience, and dedication. Over the past five years, you''ve gotten a solid handle on the basics for each style that I''ve taught you, and from here on out, all you can do is keep improving," said Mr. Lou.

    While it''s not the outright praise Mac was hoping for, it''s enough to make him feel accomplished. He sits quietly for a moment, reflecting on how far he''s come. But something from earlier still nags at him.

    "Oh, by the way," Mac says, glancing at Mr. Lou. "What was that move you did to disappear and hide your presence when I first got here?"

    Mr. Lou chuckles. "No, Chandler. Before you ask, I''m not teaching you that-not yet, anyway. You''re not ready for it."

    Mac groans. "Then at least teach me the style first. Maybe then I''ll be ready for it later."

    Mr. Lou pauses, realizing that Mac has twisted his words against him. "You conniving little brat," Mr. Lou mutters, cracking his knuckles as he glares at Mac.

    Mac quickly throws up his hands in defense. "Hey, don''t blame me for outsmarting you!", taunted Mac.

    Mr. Lou lets out a chuckle and relaxes. "That move isn''t something you can learn in just a few lessons, Chandler. It took me five years to learn to use it, then another five years to fully master it. My sensei told me it usually takes someone about 25 years to master."

    Mac''s eyes widen, impressed by the feat. "You learned and mastered something that difficult in just ten years? That''s insane!"

    Mr. Lou simply smiles. There are other reasons why he was able to master the technique so quickly, but those secrets will remain with him for now. To change the subject, he decides to excite Mac with something else.

    "There might be other moves that I can teach you," Mr. Lou says, placing a hand on Mac''s shoulder. As soon as he does, a sudden shockwave pulses through Mac''s body and into Mr. Lou''s hand. Mr. Lou mentally recoils, but he hides his reaction, not wanting Mac to notice.

    "For now, though, why don''t you head to the locker room and change out of that uniform? When you''re done, meet me in my office, and we''ll talk more about your training."

    Mac nods and heads toward the locker room. As soon as he''s out of sight, Mr. Lou lets out a long sigh and heads to his office and closes the door behind him, his mind racing. "This can''t be happening. It''s still too soon for Alpha to awaken... the boy isn''t even 18 yet. That''s one of the requirements," Mr. Lou thinks to himself. "Unless... is Alpha sensing that Chandler''s going to die soon?"

    Before he can continue down that line of thought, a knock comes at the door. "Come in, Chandler," Mr. Lou calls out.

    Mac entered Mr. Lou''s office, glancing around. It hadn''t changed much since the last time he was in there, but one object always catches his attention: a strange insignia hanging on the wall behind Mr. Lou''s desk.

    To the average person, it might seem like a piece of art, but to Mac, there''s something about it that feels... important. The insignia resembles two pitchforks reflecting one another, with the letters "OSD" inscribed in the center.

    "Alright, Chandler," Mr. Lou says, snapping Mac''s attention back to him. "It''s time we start getting into more advanced techniques. You''ve built a solid foundation over the years, and your body is ready to handle more."

    Mac''s eyes light up with excitement as he listens.

    "Starting Monday, I''ll start teaching you some of the advanced techniques of Wing Chun, focusing on defense rather than offense," Mr. Lou continues.

    Mac couldn''t contain his excitement and jumps up, cheering. Mr. Lou chuckles. "Alright, calm down. Now go get some rest. I''ll see you on Monday."

    "Later, Mr. Lou!" Mac calls out, running out of the office and the studio with renewed energy.

    But as soon as Mac left the studio, Mr. Lou''s concerns for Mac returned. He pulls out a phone from his desk and dials a number labeled "Crispin." After a few rings, a man answers the phone.

    "Luis? What''s wrong? Why are you calling me?" the man asks, his tone laced with concern.

    "Crispin, it seems Alpha will awaken sooner than expected. Be prepared," Mr. Lou warns.

    "What? But how? He''s not even 18 yet. Does that mean...?"

    "Yes," Mr. Lou replies grimly. "Alpha will awaken once the boy dies."

    Mac returned to his apartment exhausted but satisfied from the intense training session. After taking a quick shower, he grabs a snack and settles into the living room.

    Flipping through TV channels, he finds something to watch, though he''s not really paying attention. His mind keeps drifting back to his training and what Mr. Lou said about his progress.

    "Wing Chun, huh?", Mac thinks to himself, "I can''t wait to see what that''s all about."

    Eventually, Mac notices the time and realizes it''s late. He needs to get to bed early since he plans on visiting his parents tomorrow. Just as he turns off the TV and prepares to head to bed, there''s a knock at the door.

    "Who could that be at this hour?" Mac mutters, cautiously approaching the door. He looks through the peephole and is surprised to see Lucky standing outside.

    Mac quickly opens the door. "Lucille? What are you doing here so late?", Mac questioned.

    Without a word, Lucky rushes inside and sits on the couch, her expression troubled. Mac closes the door and walks over to her, sitting down beside her.

    "Let me guess," Mac says softly. "Your parents had another argument?"

    Lucky doesn''t answer immediately, but after a moment, she wraps her arms around him and begins to cry. Mac sits with her quietly, comforting her as best as he can. He hasn''t seen her this upset in a long time, and it worries him.

    After a few minutes, Lucky begins to calm down. Mac gets up to grab her some tissues and a glass of water. "So, was I right?" he asks gently.

    Lucky nods. "Yeah."

    Mac hands her the tissues and water, and once Lucky was finally calm enough, takes a sip of water. "Thanks," she says softly, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Mac sits beside her, waiting for her to open up. He knows she will talk when she''s ready.

    "It''s just..." Lucky begins, her voice quiet. "They were arguing again. I don''t even know what it was about this time. I just couldn''t take it anymore, so I packed a bag and left. Told them I was going to a friend''s house, but I didn''t tell them who."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Mac sighs, knowing how tough things can be for her at home. "You realize your parents are probably going to assume that you''re here with me, right?"

    Lucky lets out a small, nervous laugh. "Yeah, I know, and my dad is not your biggest fan."

    Mac shakes his head. "Nope. I''m pretty sure he hates me. But it''s whatever."

    There''s a brief moment of silence between them before Mac speaks again. "So, I guess you''re staying the night?", Mac asks Lucky, but he already knew the answer.

    Lucky chuckles. "Nothing ever gets by you, does it, huh?"

    Mac smiles. "Come on, Lucille. You should know me by now."

    He stands up. "Let me go get the guest room ready for you." Though Mac rarely has guests, the extra bedrooms in his three-bedroom apartment come in handy on nights like this.

    After a few minutes, he returns to the living room. "Alright, the room''s all set up. You can crash there," he says, pointing to the spare bedroom.

    Looking at the clock, Mac noticed how late it had gotten. "I''m heading to bed myself. Gotta get up early tomorrow to visit my parents."

    Lucky raises an eyebrow. "How early are we talking about?", she asked.

    Mac smirks. "Don''t worry, I''m not waking you up at the crack of dawn. Although that would be pretty funny to watch."

    Lucky isn''t amused. "Yeah, real funny," she replies sarcastically.

    Mac grabs her bag and walks her to the guest room. Before he can leave, Lucky, trying to lighten the mood, deciding to be a bit mischievous. "Darn, I was hoping we''d share your bed at least," said Lucky.

    Mac sees right through her attempt. "Nice try. If you want revenge, you''ll have to do better than that," challenged Mac knowing that she''s only going to continue struggling.

    Though she says it as a joke, part of Lucky secretly wishes it were true. For a while now, she had developed feelings for Mac but hasn''t found the courage to tell him.

    She fears that it would ruin their friendship. So, she masks those feelings, never allowing for anyone to know, even Mac. It weighs on her more than she likes to admit, but what she doesn''t know is that Mac isn''t as oblivious as she thinks.

    Mac places her bag on the bed and starts to leave. "Goodnight, Lucille. See you in the morning."

    "Goodnight, Chandler," Lucky replies softly, Mac smiles as he turns to leave.

    Unlike the majority of his classmates who know him as "Mac", those only close to him, like Lucky and JR, are allowed to call him by his real name. For Mac, if he let''s anyone call him by his real name, means that they''ve earned his trust and respect.

    He closes the door behind him and heads to his room. Meanwhile, Lucky changes into her sleepwear and lies in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with intrusive thoughts.

    "Why did I have to fall in love with him?", she asks herself, rolling onto her side. She has been keeping those feelings bottled up for far too long, unsure of how to express them without ruining everything.

    But the truth is, Mac isn''t as clueless as she believes. He has noticed the subtle signs over time, but he has his own reasons for not saying anything to Lucky. That''s because he has his eyes set on someone else, but because of who he is, he hasn''t approached her yet-not until he''s sure.

    Eventually, Lucky falls asleep, her thoughts continued swirling in her mind.

    The next morning, Mac''s alarm goes off as planned, but he sleeps through it entirely. It isn''t until a loud metallic crash comes from the kitchen that Mac jolts awake to. Rubbing his eyes, he rushes toward the noise, only to find Lucky standing in the kitchen.

    "Lucille, you alright?" he asks, still half-asleep.

    As his vision clears, he finally notices that Lucky is standing there in her sleepwear, and for the first time, he realizes something. She isn''t wearing anything particularly revealing, but there are certain aspects of her figure that he hadn''t paid much attention to before until now.

    Lucky''s face turns bright red as she quickly turns away, realizing Mac had been staring at her.

    "What''s wrong?" Mac asks, puzzled.

    It takes him a moment to realize he''s shirtless. Grinning mischievously, Mac decides to mess with her. He steps into the kitchen, picking up the pan that had fallen and hanging it back on the rack.

    As he does, he leans over her, getting just a little too close. Then, with a playful smirk, he gently grabs her chin and tilts her head toward him, bringing their faces dangerously close.

    "Are you okay, Lucille?" he asks flirtatiously, his voice low and smooth.

    It''s too much for Lucky to handle. Her face flushes even redder, and before Mac can say anything else, she faints.

    Fortunately, Mac catches her before she hits the floor. Chuckling to himself, he carries her back to the guest room and lays her down on the bed. After making sure she''s comfortable, he leaves a glass of water on the side table for when she wakes up.

    About 30 minutes later, Lucky wakes up groggy and confused. "What happened?" she mutters to herself, sitting up. Then it all comes rushing back-the kitchen, Mac being shirtless, and her fainting. Her face turns bright red again as she remembers the details.

    Once she composes herself, she heads back to the kitchen where Mac is now cooking breakfast. This time, thankfully, he is wearing a shirt.

    Mac glances at her and grins. "Well, look who''s awake. Want me to take my shirt off again?", Mac teased as he slightly lifts his shirt.

    Lucky shoots him a dirty glare. "I hate you," she mutters, though she can''t help but smile a little.

    She walks over and gives Mac a playful punch on the arm. Mac chuckles, feeling a little guilty for teasing her so much. He puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her into a hug as he continues cooking.

    "Sorry for messing with you earlier," Mac says, his tone softer.

    Lucky sighs, leaning into the hug. "It''s fine."

    Mac turns back to the stove. "I''m making that spicy egg dish you wanted to try. Think you can handle it?"

    Lucky''s face lights up with excitement. "I should be fine. I''ve got Hispanic blood in me-I can handle anything spicy," Lucky claimed.

    Mac raises an eyebrow. "We''ll see about that. What''s the spiciest pepper that you''ve ever eaten?", he asks.

    Lucky thinks for a moment. "I think it was a yellow habanero."

    Mac smirks, glancing at the ghost peppers he''s used for the dish. "Oh... oh, this should be interesting," he said while smiling.

    Once the food was ready, Mac served Lucky a small portion, which makes her frown. "Oh, c''mon, Chandler, I''m hungry," she said.

    Mac, however, was being cautious. "Trust me, Lucille, you''ll thank me later. Because I didn''t use habaneros," he said.

    Lucky raises an eyebrow. "Then... what did you use?", Lucky asked nervously.

    Mac smirks devilishly, "Ghost peppers," Mac replies, watching her reaction as it slowly changes.

    Lucky''s eyes widen in horror. "You used... what?", she asked in disbelief.

    Mac chuckles as he places a gallon of milk beside her plate, "You''ve got this."

    Lucky was determined to not let this challenge get the best of her. She takes a deep breath and digs into the spicy egg dish. The first few bites aren''t so bad, but as the heat began to build, she quickly realized that she may have overestimated her own tolerance to spicy foods.

    Mac watches with an amused grin as Lucky tries to keep her cool, taking a few more bites before finally reaching for the milk. "So... how is it?" Mac asks, barely able to contain his laughter.

    Lucky, her mouth on fire, gulps down the milk, her face flushed from the heat. "It''s... so... fucking... hot... ," she manages to say in between sips.

    Mac can''t hold back his laughter. "Don''t say that I didn''t warn you," Mac said as he continued to laugh. Mac had a very high tolerance for anything spicy, which is why he had ghost peppers in the first place. Not even the One-Chip Challenge can faze him.

    After breakfast, Mac began cleaning up the kitchen. Lucky, who was still recovering from the spiciness, helped him out. Once they finish, Mac turned towards to her.

    "I''m gonna go and get ready to visit my parents. But I''ll walk you home first," Mac told Lucky.

    Lucky nods, heading to the guest room to get dressed and pack her things. As Mac was getting ready, he pulled out his phone and made a call to a number labeled "Stacy''s Desk." The line rang a couple of times before it was answered.

    "Santera CEO''s office. How may I direct your call?" a familiar voice answers on the other end.

    "Hey, Stacy. It''s your favorite troublemaker. How are you doing?", asked Mac in a playful tone.

    "Hmm... I don''t know of any troublemakers?" Stacy teases.

    Mac groans. "Really, Stacy? We''re doing this today?"

    Stacy chuckles. "Oh, relax. I''m just messing with you. What''s going on, Big Boy?", asked Stacy while also being playful.

    Mac rolled his eyes. "Big Boy, huh? That''s a new one. What are you getting at, Stacy?", Mac questioned.

    Stacy laughed, clearly enjoying herself. "Oh... nothing," she said very cryptically, "Anyways, what''s up, Chandler?", Stacy asked.

    Mac pulled his mind out of the gutter, "Oh... right, I''m heading over to visit my folks. Could you send a car to pick me up at Lucille''s place?", he asked.

    "Oh, sure thing, hun. Your parents are expecting you, anyways. I''ll have a car there shortly," Stacy replies.

    "Thanks. I''ll see you soon," Mac said, hanging up the phone with a sigh. Stacy had been working for his family for a very long time, but she was still young because Mac''s parents recruited her straight out of college. Either way, Stacy always liked to tease Mac, especially now that he''s all grown up.

    Once Mac was ready, he walked out to the living room where Lucky was waiting. "You all set?", he asked.

    She nodded and stood up. "Yep. Once more unto the breach, dear friend," she said dramatically.

    Mac smirks. "Alright, Shakespeare. Let''s get you home."

    The walk to Lucky''s house didn''t take too long, and by the time they arrive, the car Mac requested was already waiting outside. Mac walked Lucky to the front door and knocked, then Lucky''s mother answered, relieved to see her daughter safe. After saying goodbye to Lucky, Mac got into the car, then left to go see his parents.

    The car moves through the city streets, weaving through the midday traffic. Mac stared out of the window, his mind wandering. He isn''t exactly sure what to expect when he arrived to see his parents, but still had some sort of idea.

    Almost every visit to his parents are often laced with the usual back-and-forth between his parents'' busy schedules and their attempts to be involved in his love life, always wondering when Mac was going to get a girlfriend.

    Still, he loved them and always tries to make time for them whenever he can. Still, some of the conversations they have always seemed to veer toward the responsibilities he never really wanted, running the family business.

    As the car approached its final destination, Mac caught a glimpse of the tall skyscrapers dominating the skyline, especially the one he''s heading to-Santera Medical HQ.

    Finally, the car slowed down and pulled up to the entrance of Santera Medical HQ. Mac glances up at the imposing structure. It never failed to impress him, no matter how many times he came here.

    After stepping out of the car, Mac thanked the driver and made his way toward the building''s glass doors. As he enters, the familiar faces of the security team greeted him warmly.

    "Good afternoon, Mr. McCullen. How are you doing today?" one of the guards, Dante, asked.

    "Doing fine, Dante. And remember, it''s just Mac. Mr. McCullen is my father," Mac replied with a grin.

    Dante chuckles. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

    Mac smirks. "Tell me about it," said Mac as he flashed his keycard at the guard before heading toward the elevator marked "CEO Access Only." After a quick scan, the elevator doors slid open, and Mac stepped inside, ready for the ride to the top floor.

    The elevator ascended swiftly, and within moments, Mac arrived at the very top floor and stepped out into the elegant reception area. He approached the receptionist''s desk and behind it sat Stacy, the ever-cheerful receptionist who may or may not have a thing for Mac.

    "Hey there, Big Boy. Long time no see!" Stacy called out, standing up and walking around to give Mac a hug.

    Mac hugged her back with a smile, as he felt two massive orbs press against him. "Good to see you too, Stacy. How''ve you been?", he asked.

    Stacy grins. "Oh, you know. Busy as always. You know how your parents can be. But look at you, all grown up!", exclaimed Stacy.

    Mac laughed, getting quick glances of Stacy''s figure, "Thanks. I''m actually here to see them now. Are they in Dad''s office?"

    Stacy nods, not oblivious to Mac''s glances. "Yep, they''re both in there now. I think that your father is almost finished with a conference call, and your mother just joined him a little while ago," she said.

    Stacy got really close to Mac and began to playfully tease him, "We have a few minutes to spare, if you catch my drift," she told Mac, he just smiled at her.

    Mac sighs. "Careful, now... you know that I don''t back down from a temptation like that, Stacy. But, let''s catch up another time, alright?", said Mac.

    Stacy sighed in disappointment, "Okay... " Stacy said with a sad look on her face, then she winked at Mac before returning to her desk.

    Mac then made his way down the long hallway, approaching the large double doors at the very end. On the left door, the label read "CEO''s OFFICE", and on the right, "Crispin McCullen". Mac paused for a moment before grabbing the door knobs and pushing the doors open.

    "Hey, old man!" Mac calls out as he steps into the spacious office.

    Inside, an older gentleman sat behind a rather large desk, looking down at some papers. His mother, Samantha, stood near the window behind the older gentleman, her expression was unknown at first. Then, they both looked over towards Mac, their expressions were serious.

    <u>To Be Continued....</u>

 Chapter 4: Revelations

    Written & Created By: Eddie Yagami

    *Readers Discretion is Advised*

    Whispers are heard once again as we''re pulled back into the area of darkness where the mysterious light continues to reside. This time, something is different. A sound, like a TV or monitor turning on, echoing through the void, and a box filled with static white noise appears in front of the mysterious light. For a few moments, nothing happens. Then, a faint picture begins to form inside the box, though it''s too blurry to make out. Voices, muffled and distant, can be faintly heard.

    "Is that you, Crispin?" the light speaks, its tone calm yet cryptic. "It has been far too long since we''ve last seen each other." The light seems to focus harder, trying to see what is happening, but without success. "If I am starting to hear and see you, then that must mean my awakening is near," the light muses.

    "But something seems off... it feels too soon." After a pause, it continues, "Either way, we''ll be seeing each other real soon." The light slowly faded away, taking with it the blurry, static picture and disappearing back into the darkness as we return to the real world, where another revelation awaits...

    Inside Santera Medical''s towering headquarters, at the very top in the CEO''s Office, Mac had just called out to his father, Crispin McCullen, who was sitting at his desk. Crispin turned his attention to his son, his expression was serious, then reacting to Mac''s remark.

    "Viejo tu abuelo!" Crispin yelled, hurling a slipper at Mac so fast that he was barely able to dodge it. Mac glanced at the hole the slipper left in the wall, slightly terrified, before turning back to his father.

    "Jeez, Dad, it was just a-" But before Mac could finish, a second slipper came flying towards him and hit him square in the face, knocking him out cold.

    "Never underestimate the power of the chancla!" Crispin declared dramatically, striking a proud pose.

    Samantha, Mac''s mother, was less amused. "Aye, Crispin... don''t be so harsh on him! I think you might have killed him," she said, concerned. But Crispin was not buying it and walked over to his son, tapping him on the shoulder. Mac immediately woke up.

    "Ah, see... he''s fine Sam, nothing to worry about," said Crispin as he helped Mac to his feet, then pulled him into a fatherly hug. "How are you doing, my boy?" he asked.

    Mac rubbed his sore face, "Well, aside from the pain on my face, I''m doing alright, Dad," Mac replied, returning the hug.

    Crispin McCullen, the founder & CEO of Santera Medical, was known for being strict and stern when it came to business, running the world''s largest medical company with an iron grip.

    However, with his family, he was a completely different person-loving and caring, always putting them first. Santera Medical had risen to global fame for discovering cures for previously incurable diseases, including forms of cancer.

    The company had been leading in the fields of science and medicine for years, and although they hadn''t cured everything in the world, their innovations in medicine and medical technology had drastically changed the world.

    Some speculated that Santera Medical had secret contracts with governments, given their extraordinary financial success, but only those at the top-like Crispin and Samantha-knew the full story... the true story behind its success.

    "Anyways," Mac began, rubbing his still-sore face, "I hope I caught y''all at a good time? Stacy said you were finishing up a conference call?", Mac asked his father.

    Mac walked over to his mother, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Mom."

    "No worries, Chandler," Crispin replied. "I finished long before your mother came in, and I had Stacy hold any further calls until after our family time."

    Mac nodded, "Either way, I won''t stay for long," Mac said. "I know that you''ve both been pretty busy as of late." Mac was being nosy, glancing at the paperwork on Crispin''s desk.

    Crispin let out a heavy sigh. "Chandler, how many times do I have to tell you-work is secondary when it comes to spending time with you. The company can wait," he reminded his son, emphasizing that Mac was their number one priority.

    "If you insist, viejo," Mac teased, which earned him an irritated look from Crispin. But before Crispin could retort, Samantha chuckled softly.

    "Et tu, Samantha?" Crispin asked, incredulous that his own wife was laughing at their son''s comment.

    Mac smiled, appreciating his parents'' efforts to keep him a priority despite their busy lives. They all sat down in a lounge area within Crispin''s office to continue their conversation.

    After settling in, Crispin looked at Mac more seriously. "So, your mother has mentioned that you haven''t been using the car she sent for you all week. Care to explain why?", asked Crispin as he stared intently at Mac.

    Mac sighed, visibly annoyed. "C''mon, dad... you should already know why," said Mac.

    Crispin shook his head. "Listen, son, we know your life hasn''t been easy, and we know that you want something of a normal life. But because of our fame, and this company''s success, your life be everything but normal, especially since this company will be yours one day," Crispin said, explaining to Mac the importance of his future.

    "You also need to understand that everything we do for you is for your well-being, to prepare you for a future where we''re no longer here," Crispin said, noticing Mac''s expression soften slightly.

    "One day, when you have children, you''ll understand what I''m talking about," Crispin added. Mac nodded, understanding how important his life is and will be, although his skepticism remained. Crispin, sensing the shift in mood, smiled and asked, "But enough of that. Tell us how your first week of school went."

    For the next few hours, Mac recounted his school adventures, from his fangirls chasing him to his encounter with the hooded man and Officer Nguyen. Crispin was impressed by how much Mac had improved in his martial arts training, but Samantha had to bring up something else that involved Officer Nguyen.

    Samantha smirked, "Oh, Chandler, why don''t you tell your father about your little obsession with Officer Nguyen?" she teased, ignoring Mac''s frantic attempts to signal her to stop.

    "Obsession? What''s this about?" Crispin asked, his interest piqued.

    "Oh, nothing, Dad. Mom doesn''t know what she''s talking about," Mac mumbled, trying to deflect. But Crispin wasn''t buying it.

    "Darling, care to explain?" Crispin asked Samantha, who smiled mischievously.

    "Oh, don''t be mad at him, Crispin. He''s just at that age where he''s... discovering his kinks," she said casually, much to Crispin''s surprise.

    "Kinks?" Crispin repeated, his eyebrows raised.

    "Yes, dear. He''s like you when you were at his age, fascinated by big breasts and big butts," Samantha continued, recalling Crispin''s youth.

    Crispin, reminded of his younger days, burst out laughing. He then turned to Mac, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Son, there''s nothing wrong with appreciating parts of the female body. I can attest to that. But I suggest you get yourself a girlfriend first before you dive deeper into... certain explorations."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Mac''s embarrassment was palpable, but Crispin chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.

    As Mac continued telling them about his training with Mr. Lou, Crispin''s thoughts drifted to the phone call he had received from him yesterday. As concern shrouded his mind, he reflects on that conversation with Mr. Lou about Mac''s future.

    Crispin sat at his desk late on Friday evening, finishing up on some paperwork when the phone began to ring. He initially thought it was his office line, but when he picked up, there was no answer, then he realized that the ringing was coming from inside of his desk.

    After hanging up the office phone, he rummaged through his desk and found an old cell phone he hadn''t used in years. The caller ID read "Luis Marcianos".

    Crispin quickly answered. "Luis? What''s wrong? Why are you calling me?" After the conversation ended, Crispin sat at his desk, contemplating the news. He called Samantha into his office.

    "What''s wrong, dear? You sounded concerned when you called me," Samantha asked as she entered. But upon seeing Crispin''s expression, her face paled. "Oh no... what is it?"

    Crispin got up and gently led her to the couch in the lounge area. "Luis just called me on my private line," he said, which instantly made Samantha worry.

    "What did he say? Was it about Chandler?" she asked, her voice rising in panic. Crispin nodded, and Samantha let out a gasp. "No..."

    Crispin quickly moved to calm her down. "Mi amor, please, take deep breaths," he said, gently guiding her through the panic.

    Once Samantha had regained some composure, she looked at Crispin, her voice trembling. "Wha--What did Luis say?"

    Crispin hesitated, knowing that the news would shatter her. But he had no choice. Holding her close, he sighed heavily. "Luis believes Alpha is beginning to awaken-sooner than expected."

    Samantha began to shake. "Wha-what does that mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but she already knew the answer. She just didn''t want to believe it.

    Crispin caressed her face, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Chandler... will be-"

    Everything goes silent, and Samantha just read Crispin''s lips as he finishes his sentence. All that''s heard next is a heart-wrenching cry escaping from Samantha as she collapsed into his arms. Crispin held her tightly as she sobbed through the night, unable to contain her despair.

    When she finally cried herself to sleep, Crispin gently laid her down on the couch, covering her with a blanket, before returning to his desk, his mind in turmoil.

    "Oh, Chandler... I''m so sorry to have put this burden on you," Crispin muttered to himself, staring out the window. The sounds of his quiet sobs filled the room.

    As Mac finished recounting his training session with Mr. Lou, he looked at Crispin, "Hey, Dad, you alright?" he asked, noticing Crispin''s distant expression.

    "Hmm? Oh, yes. Sorry, I was just lost in thought," Crispin responded, glancing at Samantha, who quickly averted her eyes to hide her lingering distress.

    In their minds, they''re both worried about Mac and how he''ll handle the revelation of Alpha. "Will he be ready to live with this newfound power?" They both thought to themselves.

    Sensing something off between his parents, Mac decided to turn the tables. "Enough about me. How have y''all been doing lately?"

    Crispin smiled. "We''ve been alright. Work''s been busy, but we try to spend time together whenever we can."

    Mac wasn''t convinced. "Look, I know your work is important, but so is your relationship. I just want to make sure y''all are good and not hiding any issues from me," he said, surprising himself with how mature he sounded.

    Crispin and Samantha exchanged amused glances. "Listen, boy, you''re way too young to be giving us relationship advice-especially since you haven''t had a girlfriend yourself," Crispin teased. They all laughed, and the tension in the room eased instantly.

    As they continued to talk, Mac glanced at the clock. "Wow, it''s already 4 p.m., how time flies," he said, standing up to stretch. "I had fun catching up, but I still need to head to the store and see if JR and Lucky want to hang out later."

    Crispin and Samantha stood up to hug him. "Remember, mijo, you can visit us anytime. Don''t worry about our work," Crispin told Mac.

    "Oh, and one more thing, Chandler," Crispin added. "When you head down to the garage, there will be a car waiting for you. All I ask is that you let the driver stay with you until you''re done for the day. Please?", asked Crispin.

    Mac sighed. "Alright, Dad. But just for today," he replied.

    Crispin smiled. "Of course, Chandler. I promise," then under his breath, he said, "at least for now."

    Mac said his goodbyes and headed for the elevator. As he left, Crispin and Samantha remained behind, their concerns for their son weighing heavily on their minds.

    "So, how do you plan on protecting our son, dear?" Samantha asked, her tone serious.

    "Easy, mi amor. I took care of it this morning. I asked Mark to keep an eye on him," Crispin replied.

    "Mark?! Your personal bodyguard? Why him?" Samantha asked, clearly distressed.

    Crispin held her to calm her down. "Don''t worry, Samantha. He wasn''t thrilled either, but I made him a promise."

    Earlier that day, Crispin had called his bodyguard, Mark Rickson, into his office. Mark had been Crispin''s personal bodyguard for many years. They met long ago when Crispin was working as a doctor in Iraq, tending to wounded service members, one of whom was Mark. Mark had since retired from the Navy, but he remained by Crispin''s side.

    Mark entered the office quickly. "Hey, Crispin. Everything alright?", he asked.

    "Yeah, come in and sit down," Crispin said, waving him over while finishing a phone call.

    Once the call ended, Crispin greeted Mark. "How''s James doing?" he asked, referring to JR, Mark''s son.

    "He''s doing alright," Mark responded, though a hint of sadness crossed his face. "Still hanging in there. He doesn''t talk about his mom much anymore, but I know he''s still hurting deep down," said Mark.

    "I''m glad Chandler''s been a good friend to him through all of this," Crispin added.

    "Of course. Your family has been a godsend for us," Mark said sincerely.

    Crispin smiled. "You''re family too, Mark. And we always help family."

    Then, Crispin got down to business. "The reason I called you in is that I have an assignment for you. It''s about Chandler."

    Mark instantly tensed. "Is he in trouble?", he asked.

    "I don''t know who or what, but I believe he''s being targeted. My sources say something or someone will try to kill him before his 18th birthday," Crispin explained.

    "Your assignment, starting today, is to keep an eye on him whenever he''s not home-at school, during training with Luis, everywhere," said Crispin.

    Mark thought for a moment before asking, "What about Luis? Can he be trusted?"

    "Luis is a close family friend. He''s in the clear," Crispin reassured him.

    Mark nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

    "Surveillance. Stick to the shadows, follow him, and only intervene if absolutely necessary. Chandler can defend himself, but if things get out of hand, you step in," Crispin instructed.

    "Understood. I''ll start immediately," Mark said, but Crispin had another plan.

    "Actually, I have a different idea. Since you''ll be gone for a while, why not have James stay with Chandler? That way, you can keep an eye on both of them," Crispin suggested.

    Mark agreed with the idea. "I''ll tell James, but I need you to make me a promise." Crispin looked at Mark, knowing exactly what he was about to ask.

    "Since I won''t be here to protect you, promise me that you will NOT leave this building for anything!" Mark asked with a serious expression. Recently, Mark has been getting intel about possible attempts on Crispin''s life, but is not sure who''s behind it, so he''s been keeping a close eye on Crispin.

    Crispin sighs, "Fine, I promise." Mark doesn''t know why Crispin is being targeted now, but with the many accomplishments that his company makes, it was only a matter of time.

    As soon as Mac arrived at the parking garage, he spotted Mark waiting by the car that he was going to be in.

    "Mark? What are you doing here?" Mac asked as they embraced.

    "Your father asked me to drive you home since I was heading out early today," Mark replied.

    Mac raised an eyebrow. "Something going on I should know about?"

    Mark gestured toward the car. "Get in, and I''ll tell you on the way."

    Once on the road, Mark began to explain, "I''ll be going away on an assignment for your father, so I''ll be gone for a while, and I want James to stay with you until I get back."

    Mac smiled. "Of course. You know JR is like a brother to me," said Mac.

    Mark, relieved, added, "Thanks, Chandler. I know you''ll take care of him."

    They soon arrived at the store, and Mac quickly did his shopping before they headed to Mark''s house to pick up JR.

    When they arrived, JR was in the living room, oblivious to their presence thanks to the TV''s loud volume. Mark and Mac exchanged a mischievous glance before sneaking up behind him.

    Mac grabbed a hand towel from the kitchen and threw it over JR''s head, causing him to whip around in confusion. Then Mark jumped in, scaring JR so badly that he screamed like a little girl.

    After a few moments of laughter, JR scowled. "I hate the both of y''all." Then Mark explained to JR about his assignment and that he''ll be staying with Mac while he''s gone. JR was used to these assignments that his father would go on, so he went to his room to pack his bags.

    Once JR was ready, they all got into the car and headed towards Mac''s apartment, but on the way out of the neighborhood, Mark noticed a person wearing an odd-looking jacket that had a strange logo on it.

    Mark didn''t think much of the person, and the jacket itself wasn''t anything to be amazed about, but it was the logo that Mark noticed that was stitched onto the back of it, "OSD", but Mark thought nothing of it as he continued to drive towards Mac''s apartment.

    Back in the plane of darkness, the mysterious light flickered once again. It sensed something.

    "The Darkness has begun to make its move. The boy will die soon," the light whispered before disappearing once more.

    Then, a month passes by.

    <u>To Be Continued....</u>

 Chapter 5: The Darkness

    Written & Created By: Eddie Yagami

    *Readers Discretion Is Advised*

    A month had passed, and the mysterious light remained quiet. Life had carried on as usual for Mac and his friends-Mac was still being chased by his fangirls, JR continued his attempts to flirt with no success, and Lucky was along for the ride.

    JR had been living with Mac since his father, Mark, was still out on assignment, though Mark checked in regularly, keeping a close eye on Mac from a distance. Mac''s training with Mr. Lou continued, his skills improving with the advanced techniques he''d been practicing.

    Mark, on his watch, had started noticing an increasing number of people with the strange logo on their clothing-the same logo he had first seen a month ago. It wasn''t widespread, but it was enough to make him suspicious.

    When Mark reported it to Crispin, Crispin had begun looking into the matter himself. Oddly, nothing about the logo could be found online, which was strange in this age of technology, where nothing is too difficult to uncover. Growing frustrated, Crispin decided to reach out to an old contact for help.

    "Luis, how are you doing? And how''s Chandler''s training going?" Crispin asked through his private line.

    "I''m doing well. Chandler''s progressing quite nicely," Mr. Lou replied. "What can I help you with?"

    "I wanted to check if you''ve sensed anything from Alpha lately," Crispin said, his voice revealing his concern for Mac''s safety.

    "It''s still the same as a month ago, but every few days, I do sense a slight surge coming from him. I can''t quite figure out why," Mr. Lou responded, which only added to Crispin''s worry.

    "I see. That''s concerning. Anyway, the real reason I''m calling is to ask you to look into something odd," Crispin continued. "My bodyguard has noticed a strange logo recently. It''s hard to describe, but there are letters in the center-OSD."

    Mr. Lou''s expression immediately changed when he heard those letters. His gaze instinctively turned toward the insignia hanging on his office wall, and an old memory resurfaced.

    "Crispin, does this logo look like a hexagon with spear tips crossed on either side?" Mr. Lou asked cautiously.

    "Actually, yes, it does. I hadn''t thought of it that way," Crispin replied, now growing more intrigued. "Have you seen it before?"

    Mr. Lou''s mind raced. "Did the Order survive?", he wondered. But this wasn''t something he could reveal to Crispin just yet.

    "I''ve come across it in my travels from long ago, but it''s been quite some time since I last saw it," Mr. Lou said, choosing his words carefully.

    "Let me reach out to some contacts of mine and see if there is anything else that I can find out about this logo. Maybe it was spotted elsewhere as well."

    They ended the call, and while Crispin informed Mark of the next steps, Mr. Lou sat in his office, his thoughts swirling with memories of the past. He stared at the insignia, troubled by its reappearance. "Oh, Master... I wish you were still here to guide me," he muttered quietly.

    Meanwhile, Mac and JR had just returned to the apartment after dropping Lucky off at her house. The school week was over, and the weekend promised some relaxation. Or at least, that was the plan, but JR had something weighing on his mind.

    "WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME THAT LUCKY SPENT THE NIGHT HERE?!" JR shouted, his frustration more comedic than serious.

    Mac, standing in the kitchen with a blank expression, turned slowly to face JR. "Why are you so surprised over something so trivial? You act like we''ve never spent the night together before," Mac replied coolly.

    "That''s not the point!" JR started to protest but abruptly stopped, remembering the promise he made to Lucky a month ago. "Never mind, I''m just gonna shut up now."

    "Oh no, you''re not. Finish what you were about to say," Mac insisted, but JR stayed silent.

    "I see how it is," Mac muttered, amused but letting it drop for now. They sat in the living room watching TV, but JR''s mind wandered back to the promise he made with Lucky shortly after the first week of school ended.

    On that day, JR and Lucky were walking home, but Lucky had been unusually quiet. After a while, she broke the silence. "Hey, James... " she began to say, using his actual name was something she rarely did.

    "Uh oh, if you''re using my actual name, then this must be serious," JR joked, but Lucky didn''t laugh. Instead, she sighed heavily.

    "Yeah, it is. I need you to promise me something, and you can''t tell Chandler."

    JR blinked in surprise. "Okay... I promise," he said cautiously.

    "I''m starting to have feelings for him," Lucky admitted.

    JR stood there, speechless for what felt like an eternity. "YOU WHAT?!" he shouted, but Lucky quickly clamped her hand over his mouth.

    "Shush! I don''t need you making a scene," she hissed. JR nodded, and she let go.

    "You... like Chandler? More than a friend?" JR asked, still in shock.

    Lucky nodded. "Yes. But I''m not going to act on it. I don''t want to ruin our friendship," she reassured him.

    JR let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Because you know he''ll figure it out sooner rather than later."

    "Just don''t tell him, please," Lucky added, and JR agreed, although he knew that Mac probably already sensed her feelings.

    Back in the apartment, Mac glanced at the time and realized it was time to head to Mr. Lou''s studio for training. "Alright, time to go," he said, grabbing his training bag. JR yawned, got up and waited by the door.

    On the walk to the studio, Mac brought up the earlier conversation again. "So, you plan on finishing what you started to say earlier?"

    JR looked at him in disbelief. "He''s still on that?" he thought, then said aloud, "I can''t."

    "Can''t or won''t?" Mac pressed, his curiosity piqued.

    "I can''t because I promised Lucille I wouldn''t tell you," JR blurted out, then immediately regretted it.

    Mac raised an eyebrow. "A promise, huh? I see how it is."

    JR felt guilty, but Mac, sensing this, chuckled. "Relax. I''ve known for a while."

    JR blinked while staring blankly at Mac, "Know... what?", JR asked as he played dumb.

    "I know that Lucille has feelings for me," Mac said with a grin.

    JR stopped in his tracks. "Fuck! How''d you find out?"

    "I had my suspicions, but they were confirmed the morning after she stayed over," Mac replied.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    As they continued walking, they turned a corner into an alleyway. Mac accidentally bumped into a stranger, muttering, "Sorry," as they passed.

    Something about the logo on the stranger''s jacket caught Mac''s eye. He stared at it for a moment, a faint sense of recognition stirring in his mind.

    "Where have I seen that before?", Mac wondered, he quickly shook off the thought, but then he remembered where he saw it.

    What Mac didn''t know was that the stranger had also felt something during their brief contact. The man, now out of sight, pulled out his phone and made a call. "I think I''ve found the Alchemist''s power."

    Mark had witnessed the brief encounter from a distance. He, too, had noticed the logo. "This logo is becoming too common," Mark thought, making a mental note to remember the stranger''s face.

    Meanwhile, Mac and JR arrived at the studio, where Mac began his training with Mr. Lou. As JR sat on the sidelines, he began to message Lucky on his phone, asking her about their earlier promise.

    Lucky playfully dodged his questions at first, but eventually, JR asked her about when she stayed the night at Mac''s apartment to get her side of the story.

    Mac, meanwhile, was focused on his training but couldn''t stop thinking about the logo he had seen earlier. "Hey, Mr. Lou, I''ve got a question," Mac said, taking a pause from his routine.

    "What is it, Chandler?" Mr. Lou asked, intrigued.

    "That crest in your office... where''s it from?" Mac asked. His question took Mr. Lou by surprise, momentarily distracting him. Before he could answer, Mac accidentally landed a full-force punch on his face.

    "Oh shit! Are you okay, Mr. Lou?" Mac asked, panicking slightly.

    Mr. Lou raised a hand to stop him. "Please, boy, it''ll take more than one of your punches to knock me down," he said with a smirk. "But it was your question that caught me off guard."

    "I hope I''m not overstepping by asking a personal question," Mac said, feeling a bit awkward.

    Mr. Lou waved it off. "No, it''s fine. That crest belonged to a dear old friend of mine who passed away a long time ago. He''s the reason I pursued martial arts."

    "I see," Mac said thoughtfully. "I may have mistaken it for something I saw earlier."

    "Oh? You saw something similar?" Mr. Lou asked, his interest piqued.

    "I bumped into someone wearing a jacket with a logo that looked like the crest, but I doubt it''s the same," Mac explained.

    Mr. Lou stroked his chin, his mind racing. "Perhaps it''s just a coincidence," he said, though his instincts told him otherwise. He had to be careful with how much he would reveal to Mac, knowing the dangers the boy might face.

    The rest of the training session passed without incident, and soon the boys were headed back to Mac''s apartment. Once they arrived, Mac took a quick shower while JR relaxed in the living room. When Mac joined him afterward, he was quick to bring up their earlier conversation.

    "So, what did you and Lucille talk about?" Mac asked.

    "Oh, nothing important. Just wanted to get her side of the story from when she stayed over," JR said.

    "And?" Mac prompted.

    JR sighed. "Her story matched yours, surprisingly."

    "Why wouldn''t it?" Mac asked, grinning.

    JR, however, was still thinking about something else. "She still doesn''t know," he muttered.

    "Know what?" Mac asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "About your secret stalker," JR replied.

    Mac groaned. "Did you really have to bring that up?"

    "What, are you worried that Lucille will get jealous?" JR teased.

    Mac laughed. "Lucky.... Jealous?" Remembering that she has feelings for him, "On second thought...."

    JR wasn''t so sure about Lucky either. "Your opinion might change once you know who it is."

    "Oh? You found out who it is?" Mac asked, now he was intrigued.

    "Yep. Wasn''t too hard with the description you gave me," JR said, smirking.

    "I forgot. Remind me what I said?" Mac asked, feigning innocence.

    "Oh, don''t play dumb. You described her as, and I quote, ''She has bright red hair, a very slim figure, is a part of the student council, and has some nice big tits,''" JR said, sarcastically.

    Mac rolled his eyes. "Alright, I get it."

    JR sighed, scratching his head. "Anyway, the girl who''s been stalking you is none other than Stephanie Connors, the Student Council President."

    Mac wasn''t surprised, but it made sense. "Well, that was slightly unexpected, but it''s no huge surprise," he said.

    The next day, Mac and JR spent most of their time relaxing and catching up on homework. In the afternoon, they headed to Mr. Lou''s studio for Mac''s training. On the way, Mac called Lucky to see if she wanted to join, but she had family plans, which would end up being a good thing.

    As they walked down the usual alleyway, Mac felt a strange sense of unease creeping up on him. He scanned the area without alerting JR to his growing concern.

    "Hey James, ever think about learning martial arts?" Mac asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

    "That was random. But not really, no," JR replied, confused by the sudden question.

    As they neared the next junction that would lead them straight to the studio, two men in suits blocked their path. Mac signaled for JR to keep walking, but the men continued to block their path, refusing to let them pass. Mac''s irritation grew.

    "Can I help you?" Mac asked, his voice sharp.

    The men didn''t respond. Instead, one of them grabbed Mac''s shoulder tightly. Instinctively, Mac grabbed the man''s hand and twisted it, then kicked him back, sending him flying. The moment their contact broke, something surged within Mac-a strange pulse he couldn''t explain.

    "The Darkness," a mysterious voice echoed inside him, but Mac had no time to dwell on it. The second man moved toward JR, and Mac quickly intervened, knocking him back with a swift kick.

    "James, go hide and call Mr. Lou!" Mac shouted, tossing JR his phone. JR, though terrified, obeyed, hiding behind a dumpster.

    As JR fumbled to call Mr. Lou, he couldn''t help but watch Mac in awe. Despite the chaos, Mac stood confidently, prepared for whatever came next.

    Mark, observing from a distance, saw the fight and rushed toward the alleyway, but two more men intercepted him, blocking his path.

    "Get out of my way!" Mark growled, but these men were stronger and faster than expected. He fought them off as best he could, desperate to reach Mac and JR.

    Mac continued fighting and landing blow after blow on the man, but something wasn''t right. The man''s eyes were pitch black-completely devoid of pupils. Mac had no idea what he was dealing with.

    The man knew he was struggling against Mac, so he reached into his jacket and pulled out a strange looking dagger. Mac groaned, "Oh, come on! A knife? Really?"

    But the man wasn''t pointing it at Mac. Instead, he flipped the dagger and pointed it at his own chest and, without hesitation, stabbed himself directly in the heart while shouting, "FOR THE ORDER!"

    Mac was blinded as a bright light enveloped the man, shaking the ground beneath them. When the light faded, the man was gone, replaced by something far worse-a monstrous, humanoid figure covered in a rocky, stone-like substance. Its eyes burned with fire, and flames flickered from its mouth as it breathed.

    Mac couldn''t believe what he was seeing. "What... the... fuck... is... that?!"

    At that moment, the mysterious light pulsed rapidly, its energy reacting to the presence of this monster. "Why is a Creature of The Darkness here?!" the light exclaimed in confusion.

    Mac smacked his face lightly, trying to refocus. He couldn''t afford to be paralyzed by fear now. "James, please tell me you''ve called Mr. Lou!" he shouted.

    JR, still fumbling with the phone, panicked. "Shit! I''m calling him now!"

    "Hurry the fuck up, James!" Mac shouted, barely dodging the creature''s first attack.

    The creature lunged at Mac, its sharp claws slashing through the air. Mac blocked and countered as best he could, but the creature was relentless.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Lou was at his desk, waiting for Mac and JR to arrive, when his office phone rang, "This is Luis," he answered.

    "Mr. Lou! It''s James! We need help-Chandler''s in trouble!" JR''s panicked voice echoed through the line.

    "What''s going on, James?" Mr. Lou asked, his tone sharp.

    "I-I don''t know how to explain it, but Chandler''s fighting a monster!" JR stammered.

    Mr. Lou''s eyes widened. After JR mentioned the monster, Mr. Lou instantly felt The Creature''s presence. "Faex! Where are you?" he demanded.

    "We''re in an alley about fifteen minutes south of the studio," JR replied.

    "I''m on my way. Tell Chandler to hold out as long as he can," Mr. Lou said, grabbing a unique-looking sword from his wall before bolting out of the studio.

    JR hung up and looked at Mac, he was still managing to hold out, but was bleeding from several wounds on his body. "Chandler! Mr. Lou is on his way, just hang in there!" JR shouted.

    Mac gave him a quick thumbs-up, but he was starting to struggle himself. He had taken significant damage, and his strength was fading.... Fast.

    Meanwhile, Mark fought desperately against the two men blocking his path. He managed to knock one out, but the other became faster and stronger, making the fight even harder.

    During the battle with Mac, The Creature stopped for a moment and raised its hand into the air and conjured a sword out of nowhere. Mac groaned, "Oh, come on!" He was running on fumes at this point and could hardly move.

    The Creature lunged at Mac again, its blade slashing through the air. Mac managed to dodge the first few strikes, but with each swing, the attacks grew more ferocious.

    As Mac''s strength had finally dissipated, the next few attacks from The Creature connected. An upward slash going up his chest, triggered a memory from his past.... A happy one, with his parents.

    Next, a downward diagonal slash that went from shoulder to waist, triggered another memory of when he first met JR and Lucky. Followed by another downward diagonal slash that coincidentally formed an "X" on his chest, which then triggered a flood of memories from his past... all happy memories, Mac knew that it was the end.

    Lastly, a heavy blow landed, slashing across Mac''s chest, spinning him around with enough force that the next thing he saw was JR''s face, distraught.

    JR watched in horror as Mac suffered all these wounds, "C''mon, James, do something!" JR urged himself, but his legs wouldn''t let him move. Then, he saw when Mac was forced to look at him, still unable to move.

    Mac smiled weakly at JR, his vision blurring. "Goodbye, James... please tell everyone I love them," Mac whispered, his voice barely audible.

    JR''s eyes widened in terror, "No...", he said. Finally, JR was able to get up and move, but it was already too late.

    The Creature''s final strike was quick and swift. The blade pierced through Mac from behind, and everything went dark. The last thing that was heard next was one last scream from JR...

    "CHANNNDLERRRR!!!!!!"

    <u>To Be Continued....</u>