Alexander never liked the feeling of cold. But that was his first focus, his first thought as his senses awakened themselves to the cold tile floor his bare feet were pressed against, to the cold metal chains that were wrapped around his wrists and the cold metal chair he sat on.

He was tied up.

Alexander's eyes were still shut as he slowly regained consciousness with the flickering of a lighter. And in the next second, the smell of smoke filled his nose.

All he could do was let out a grumble as his head drooped forward and his eyes finally began to open.

He was right. Sitting directly across from an air conditioner, his feet stood against white tiles. And his wrists were chained behind him with handcuffs. He was wearing clothing that wasn't his.

"You know who I am, right?" a voice said.

Alexander finally looked up to the source of the stench of smoke. A suit-wearing, spectacled man, with a burning cigarette sitting on his lip.

Alexander shook his head.

A sigh left the man's lips. With one hand, he ran his parted, curtained hair through his head and pushed it back. "My name is Xerxes Agnes. I'm the chairman of the Magecraft Association."

He extended his arm, opening his hand to shake Alexander's.

But Alexander only stared at his open hand. "I can't shake your hand. I'm handcuffed."

The Chairman stared at him with stale eyes. "That's the joke, kid. ....You're not that bright, are you?"

"Not generally, no."

It was then that Xerxes laughed. "You got chops, kid. I like that." He raised his cigarette back to his lips and stood up straight. And Alexander was still confused.

He took a step back and smiled. "I'm a personal friend of Charles Archibald. He's told me a lot about you, you see." Xerxes paused. "...Damn, there's no point in stalling, is there?" he asked himself.

"Well..." he continued. The burnt parts of the cigarette broke off and fell to the ground, becoming a stain of dust and smoke onto the white floor. "The Association has arranged for a secret execution. For you, who harbors a demon within."

Alexander's eyes widened. 'You can't be serious.'

"Yeah, we're serious," Xerxes chuckled out. "Unfortunately. Archibald and I even worked together to try to prevent this, but I guess there's no stopping the inevitable. Personally, I don't find the sense in executing such a valuable and capable asset like yourself. But I guess the higher-ups just don't care." Another puff of smoke left his lips.

The boy's chains clinked as he struggled to move. "But why? Wait a minute, man. Why..." he choked out through his clenched teeth, still struggling to break his chains. "Why am I being executed?!"

A wry smile floated onto Xerxes' lips. "'Cause you're a liability, kid. A danger to society. Do you even know what you did while in that demon form or whatever?"

Alexander shook his head.

"Wait..." Xerxes removed the cigarette from his mouth. "Wait, you really don't know?"

Again, Alexander shook his head. And Xerxes pressed his palms against his eyes and let out a frustrated groan. "Jesus Christ, kid, that's not gonna hold up in court in the slightest. That's the only way to appeal the motion to execute you, anyway. So if that starts to work, and if anyone asks you, that demonic transformation of yours... You were conscious during it. Maybe not completely in control of your actions, but still clearly conscious. Got it?"

Alexander nodded, his eyebrows furrowing. But that wasn't what concerned him. That wasn't what he was focused on. Instead, he opened his mouth and spoke: "What did I do back then?"

Xerxes raised his cigarette back to his lips. He let out a sigh, and with it, a thin cloud of smoke. With a sharp inhale, his eyes met Alexander. "Over 3- Well, nearly 4 million dollars of property damage. But in numbers you would care about... Two buildings collapsed. An under-construction structure fell, too. And in total, 18 people were injured. No one was found dead, thankfully. And those injuries were mostly minor. Worst thing to happen was a guy breaking his arm in the process of fleeing the scene."

The Demon-Born stared at the ground. 18 people were hurt because of him. No one had died, but... What if someone had?

Their blood... Their life and their death were all in Alexander's hands.

His face was beaded with sweat, growing twisted and contorted as his heart and mind ran rampant, brimming with confusion and despair. But...

Xerxes stood up and placed his hand on Alexander's shoulder. "Kid. It's alright. There's no point in imagining what could have happened, and what that would've led to. We only live in one world, one time. So... Focus on that one. Not whatever your mind is creating. Fear, stress, despair... Leave it all behind. And focus."

He continued: "You killed Mammon. Those buildings were only shops and stores. And the Association is willing to pay those four and a half million dollars in damages. Everyone was treated for their injuries. As far as they're concerned, it was a worthy victory."

Alexander nodded. "Sure," he said, raising his head. "I get it."

"That being said," Xerxes muttered, standing up straight. "...you're still recognized as a threat. Especially by those in the High Council. Ever heard of them?"

"Yeah, I think. You're... the chairman for that council, huh?"

Xerxes smiled and nodded.

"So then, why do you say that you're the Chairman of the Association?"

"Because the High Council practically is the Association itself. More or less, in all honesty. They're a whole bunch of disgusting, old geezers that only act in their own interest. Council members serve till they die or retire, so..." He shrugged.

"But basically," the chairman continued. "They believe that if you were to transform into that demon once again, someone may die. And frankly, I agree with them. In the case that your transformation results in an innocent death, you'd have to be executed, plain and simple. So might as well kill you before you kill anyone else. You understand, don't you?"

Alexander swallowed his dry saliva. "Yeah, I guess..."

"Still... I'm basically at an impasse. Because I don't want you to die. You're an important piece in the game that this war is. So for once, the council is making the right decision. And at the same time, I gotta go against them. I just hope you don't end up proving them right."

Cameras stood in the corner of each wall, all aimed down at Alexander.

The room they sat in was practically a prison without windows, only standing with its vast, thick concrete walls. The only entrance and only exit was a metal door, old and rusted, yet still tall and strong.

"But don't worry," Xerxes said, eyeing the cameras behind Alexander. "I made sure they don't receive audio. They don't know what I'm telling you."

And as much as that brought Alexander comfort, a clamoring knock on the door startled him.

"Chairman Agnes. I was sent to come in. Are you done speaking to the devil?"

Alexander and Xerxes both turned to the door. "Not really," Xerxes uttered. "But you can enter."

Even as Xerxes spoke, Alexander was still focused on the man behind the door. His voice was familiar. But from where? Even as his thoughts raced and scanned his memories for the answer, for the reason behind the churning in his gut, he couldn't think fast enough.

The door had begun to open.

And behind it stood a tall, shaggy-haired man, his face covered in stubble. He was clearly half a foot taller than Alexander, his eyes a striking tint of blue. He wore a long trench coat, with a wrinkled suit and a raggedy blue tie underneath, with his bronze badge dangling around his neck.

Alexander's eyes widened in an instant.

His name was Raymond Matthews. The same man who barged into his house and tried to have him arrested. The same man who told him he was Demon-Born. The man who spurred his life into change.

"Long time, no see, hellspawn!" he said with a smile, his bright eyes meeting Alexander's. "You really look like shit. It suits you," the officer said.

Of course, he had a point.

Alexander had been unconscious for 29 hours, imprisoned all the while ever since the battle's end. His face was perpetually beaded with sweat, dripping down and accumulating in the dull gray sweatshirt they threw on him. He still wore the same pants, the pant legs shredded and ripped apart just under the knee.

His hair was still scrambled and disheveled, torn in the spot where his horn burst out of his head and grew. His eyes were still drooping and shaky, with dried blood still on the side of his lips and next to his forehead.

"I heard you turned 16 last week. Happy birthday!" he told Alexander, approaching Xerxes and clenching his fist as he walked.

He continued. "I'm a bit bummed it took a whole year for this... But it's always good to see people in their rightful spot. This time tomorrow, you'll be a corpse." Raymond Matthews paused and thought to himself. "Wait, a carcass would make more sense," he said with a chuckle.

"What do you think, Xerxes?" Matthews asked, placing his hand on Xerxes' shoulder.

"Mister Chairman," Xerxes uttered.

"Oh, right. Sorry, sir."

Xerxes stood up and removed Matthews' hand from his shoulder. "What's important is that he's going to have a fair trial."

"That's not confirmed."

The device in Xerxes' breast pocket buzzed. "It is now." Xerxes reached into his jacket and pulled it out. "I hope," he muttered under his breath.

He read it quickly. "And it's confirmed," he said with a smile. "Release him," the chairman ordered.

Raymond Matthews clenched his jaw, before letting out a sigh and began fishing for a key in his pocket.

The two stared at the officer as he fumbled for a silver key, patting each pocket in his coat and pants. "Officer Matthews... I recall you putting the key around your neck."

He paused. He stared down, and just behind his tie, another chain sat, and with it, a silver key. "Found it." Matthews hurried over to Alexander and jammed the key into the shackles. With a turn and an audible click, the chains fell off from his wrists and his ankles in an instant.

And with that, Alexander forced himself to his feet. He wobbled for just a moment as he regained his balance and spun to Raymond Matthews. His eyebrows were furrowed, his gaze turning to a glare at the officer.

Xerxes stared at the two of them with confusion.

"Do you know this guy?" he asked the Demon-Born.

Alexander continued to glare as he spoke. "Yeah. I met him a year ago. Barged into my house and tried to arrest me and my family."

"Oof," Xerxes let out. "Looks like there's bad blood between you two," he said with a smile, taking a few steps back.

"Plenty."

Xerxes pushed up the frame of his glasses. "Well, that makes sense. Some Council member must have chosen him on purpose."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Alexander said as he grit his teeth. As much as he wanted to shove his fist into the officer's face...

He opened his clenched fist.

And the officer smiled. "What are you staring at me for? You wanna kill me, devil spawn?"

Alexander spat out a sigh. "Let's just go, Xerxes. There's no point in standing around like this."

It was then. A laugh left Matthews' lips. "Really? You're afraid of what a real, proper human is capable of doing to you, huh?! I didn't know a hellspawn would be such a coward!"

The Demon-Born understood. Raymond Matthews had no idea of what Alexander had done. He probably wasn't even aware that it was Alexander who killed Mammon. In his eyes, he was just a kid that had gotten arrested. A devil about to be executed.

"Matthews. Just drop it," Xerxes told him. "You have no reason to instigate."

He shrugged. "Not trying to instigate. Just proving I'm not afraid of a kid, even if he is a devil. I'll even let you get a hit in if you want. Although once you do hit me, I'll have to kill you, of course."

Alexander glared. "One hit? That'll be more than enough to knock you out."

He laughed again. "Give me your best shot, Demon-Born. All I need is a reason to beat you to death right now." Matthews grinned and leaned forward.

He blinked. And in that fraction where his eyes were shut, Alexander struck.

The Demon-Born's fist launched upward and slammed square onto Matthews' chin. The sheer force that his fist drove into the officer's jaw sent him up into the air, just inches above the ground.

In that singular instant, Raymond Matthews' consciousness began to slip. His eyes faded and became stale, just as gravity pulled him back and brought him crashing onto the floor.

A tile cracked under the impact and weight of his head.

And Alexander took in a sharp breath, and opened his fist.

"Dude, are you serious?!" Xerxes shouted out.

"What? He was literally asking for it."

Xerxes' finger shot out, aimed at one of the cameras in the corner.

"...Right."

"You didn't have to use magic on a regular human like that," Xerxes said, grabbing hold of Matthews' limp, unconscious body and carrying him onto one of the steel chairs. He sat him down and let go, the officer's head immediately drooping forward.

The door opened once again, and another officer walked in. But before a single word could be spoken, Xerxes' eyes met the officer's with a glare. "You know how Matthews is," Xerxes said.

"Yeah, that's fair," he responded with a sigh. He pulled the radio from his belt and spoke: "Bring a medic. Or a healer. Or anyone."

And with that, another sigh left his lips and he exited the room.

"To be fair..." Alexander muttered, Xerxes immediately turning to him. "I didn't use magic."

Xerxes had to pause to process that. The image of that singular strike replayed in his head. He was telling the truth. Not an ounce of magic energy flowed in that impact, not even with the pure force that knocked a grown man into the air and back into the floor.

"Jesus Christ, kid..." Xerxes uttered. But again, his phone buzzed. "Oh, I already forgot. We gotta go." He took swift, brisk steps forward and out of the room.

Alexander followed. "Go where?"

"No point in me telling you if you're already going with me, huh?"

At the instant Alexander exited the room, he was struck with the scent of air. Real air. He hadn't noticed it, maybe since he was unconscious for so long, maybe because it was masked under the smell of Xerxes' cigarette but...

The room he was held in was putrid. Every breath of air irritated his lungs.

"Yeah, that's why I started smoking almost immediately," Xerxes said with a chuckle, as soon as he noticed Alexander's face strained with confusion. "Put some shoes on before we go outside."

Xerxes pointed at the floor, and just inches away was a pair of dull black shoes.

With a nod and a quick breath, Alexander put the surprisingly fitting shoes on and followed the chairman. And as they walked, Xerxes asked...

"Why'd you hit him like that?"

"Huh?"

"It just..." A stream of smoke flew through his nostrils. "An uppercut didn't make sense from the angle you were in. Just a straight punch would've been more effective, no?"

"Well..." Alexander paused to himself. "When it boils down to situations like these, no one expects you to start with an uppercut. That's just how I won plenty of fights back in middle school."

Xerxes couldn't help but nod. "Didn't expect a middle school tactic to work here."

"But it did," the Demon Born said with a smile.

The two continued walking through the prison-like building until they reached a door.

Out of the entire building, the door stood out. The rest of the structure was dull and grey, built of stone and concrete and bricks. Glass was a rarity even there. Still, it wasn't a particularly disgusting building, with colonnades and archways in the interior here and there.

The door was a grand path of ornate wood, polished and designed, with simple squares of glass windows to let light in. Thin streams of daylight peered through and fell onto Alexander's face. He smiled at the feeling, at the sight of white light silently piercing through the glass crystal and descending onto him.

But that feeling, that smile all faded as soon as Xerxes pushed open the door. And although he was met with pure sunlight... The open door revealed the veil of other bright lights.

Cameras clicked and flashed by the hundreds, all in the same instant, each of them vying for a picture of the city-wrecking devil.

But even the crowd of photographers and reporters quieted down for a moment as they were only met with a 16-year-old boy.

"Let's move," Xerxes told him.

Murmurs and mutters began to spread with Alexander's first step down the building. And before he took another... They reached the conclusion of the truth.

"The kid's a Demon-Born!" one shouted.

"He's a devilspawn!" another cried out.

And the flashing photography continued.

Xerxes walked just a foot in front of Alexander. "Ignore them," he uttered, his voice just barely audible behind the drowning curtain of clicking and shouting. Even as reporters spoke to cameras and live broadcasts...

"Just ignore them."

Alexander kept his head down.

"You might have some idea why they're so fervent to see you," the chairman uttered, as pictures continued to be taken and the two continued to move forward. "But I'm sure you don't understand what a rare case you are."

Alexander hurried a bit and caught up to Xerxes' side. He turned to face him and asked, "What do you mean?"

"See..." he said, throwing his cigarette to the brick walkway and stepping on it. "...Part of the whole thing about giving rights to Demon-Borns and all the like was to get them to register who they are. And yeah, we got plenty of them. But way less than we expected, meaning there's still a large number of people around the Union that can be only part-human, and we may never know about them."

The chairman walked ahead. "But you've been a registered Demon-Born since last year. And since then, you're still the first case with charges against a registered Demon-Born. Something of this magnitude can't just be ignored."

At the end of the walkway sat a black car. Its windows were tinted, its doors were shut, and out of the many near it, it was the one Xerxes headed for. Even as the two walked towards it, not a single photographer or cameraman approached them. Even with every opportunity to do so...

No one dared to.

As soon as he got to it, he knocked a single finger against the front door. He stepped forth and opened the rear door. "Get in."

Alexander climbed in, and Xerxes followed.

"Alright, kid. Listen up, because this is important." That was all Xerxes said. And without another second, the car burst away with unexpected speed.

"You're gonna go to court. And as much as I wanna say you shouldn't worry... There are gonna be plenty of people against you. And that's gonna be tough. I hate to say this, but you should be used to it by now. For you, the world is already terrifying and cruel, after all. I just know it. But listen..."

"It's gonna get way worse."