Immortal. (Book One) ✔️

SEQUEL teaser - Revival **coming soon**

Immortal: Revival

Book Two

Chapter One

Lives Rebuilt.

Part One: CODY

The market in Ayda was bustling with life. The hunters who had made it through the battle were stocking up on weapons and battle gear and clothes. Even though the sun was burning brightly, there was still a chill in the air that Cody couldn't ignore. He'd cut his blond hair, shaved the sides, creating a Mohawk, more floppy than spiky. Last month it had been his twentieth birthday, and thirty days into his twenties he was already giving up on his life as a demon hunter.

The battle had filled him with dread: dread that he would start caring for someone only to have them ripped apart by demons. Dread that he would have to go through the same emotional pain as Lars had, seeing his girlfriend dead at the hands of the brutal demon summoner. Dread that he would trust someone only to have them lie and deceive them, just as Toby had.

It had been unbelievable. How someone so young and as sweet as Toby could be so cunning, deceiving and killing, all for a shield that he didn't even get to keep.

This life can be so cruel. But it was in Cody's blood to be a demon hunter. Now he sat alone on a bench in the market, contemplating having his powers stripped by Lukas, the warlock, then live his life like a "normal" human being.

He'd spent so long in the Hall, surrounded by the same people every day, that he had forgotten how many people lived around here. Seeing everyone go about their day happily, blissfully unaware of the dangers that are lurking in this world, made him want to scream at them all. Warn them. But he knew they wouldn't listen. It was normal. It was their life. In their blood as much as it was in his.

So why did he feel so differently now?

It might have been the sight of Skarlet and Jayden, their fingers entwined as she skipped a pace or two ahead to twirl around and face him, smiling widely as if they were sharing a joke. They stopped walking and Jayden embraced her, his muscular arms encircling her lightly, and he touched her lips softly with his. The sight may be beautiful, or romantic, to some people, but Cody just found the relationship pointless now. One of them was sure to be killed horrifically in battle, leaving the other devastated and heartbroken.

When they broke away from their embrace, Skarlet saw Cody out the corner of her eye. She smiled and waved. Jayden began walking over, while Skarlet went off to browse items on a nearby market stall.

"What's the matter with your face?"

"Charming as ever, Jay." Cody said sarcastically. Jayden chuckled and sat down next to Cody, who carried on talking. "Nothing really. Just tired, that's all." He lied.

"Don't lie to me, dude. Something is wrong. Just talk to me. "

"Maybe later. I'm going to go for a little nap, I think." He stood up from the bench and began walking in the direction of the Hall.

When he was sure Jayden couldn't see him anymore, he changed direction. The park. More of a field than a park. It was to be rebuilt after the towns and houses were completely finished. The one remaining marble bench gleamed in the sunlight. As he sat on the sun-warmed marble he realised he had just been going from bench to bench all day. He hadn't eaten, hadn't drank. Just walked and sat.

Autumn is definitely coming, he thought as he began to regret not putting on a jacket. He looked around him. Broken down trees littered the ground. Snapped and battered fences lay across the pathways. The rose garden, once blooming bright and beautiful, was now just a patch of burned grass with a broken gate standing alone as the black picket fence enclosing the rose bushes had been torn down.

Something caught his attention. Something glinting in the sun. Just by the gate to the old rose garden, a silver object lay on the ground. He narrowed his eyes, trying to concentrate, to figure out what it was. But he couldn't make it out. Curiosity got the better of him and, with a sigh, he walked over to investigate.

The silver object was slightly warm to the touch as the sun had been beaming brightly all day. With a punch of sadness he realised what it was.

A wand. Broken clean in half.

After the battle in Helroute, where Lars had redeemed himself after killing Tommy; where Jovah was found out to have been working against them this whole time; and where Limus had been defeated but the Hunter's Shield had not been found, they had returned to the town of Ayda to find it being attacked by demons. Everyone had sprung into action, and after almost two days, had defeated them all. But some had lost their lives trying to save the town and the demon hunters who lived here.

Unfortunately Tria had been one of them who would die here.

It was here in this park where Kaine had tried with all his might to save his sister, but it was all in vain. When he had finally managed to get to her, she was already dead, only holding half of her wand.

Now Cody was standing here clutching the other half. As he argued with himself as to whether he should give it to Kaine or not, he heard the main gates clatter open. A truck pulled into the destroyed park and four men jumped out to start clearing up the devastation.

The trailer was soon full of parts of trees, fences, broken gates, and benches. Apparatus from the children's park, like climbing frames, slides, and swings and half a roundabout were also loaded onto the trailer.

"Found yourself some treasure there, sir?" One of the men asked as he walked by Cody to retrieve some of the broken fence from the rose garden.

Cody smiled. "I guess. Something like that." He pocketed the piece of wand and offered to help the man carry a large piece of metal fencing and throw it onto the trailer.

"Thanks, pal." The man said, and Cody left the park. He was still debating whether Kaine would appreciate his find, or if he would be too upset by the memories the small, silver piece of metal held.