Alpha: First To Rise (Updated 2024)

Written & Created By: Eddie Yagami
*Readers Discretion Is Advised*
Rain... rain started to pour down as if the world just felt the death of Mac, it was truly a sad moment in time. Was the world crying for the loss of Mac or was it crying for something else? The Creature withdrew the sword from Mac's body, and he collapsed to his knees. Before he could hit the ground, JR slid across the wet pavement, catching him just in time. Turning Mac over, JR looked desperately at his friend's face, searching for any sign of life. But there was nothing. His heart sank.
"Cha--Chandler?" JR whispered, his voice barely audible as he struggled to even put his hand on Mac's face. Tears streaked down his face. "Please... wake up... Chandler, please!!" he pleaded, but Mac didn't respond.
The Creature stood motionless, its fiery eyes still burning through the gloom. Then, a deep, unsettling voice echoed, even more terrifying than the growl of The Creature.
"KILL ALL WITNESSES!" the voice boomed, frightening JR to his core.
Before JR could react, The Creature lunged at him, its sword aimed for his chest. The tip of the blade hovered just centimeters from his heart when, suddenly, everything froze.
It's like time itself had stopped, freezing everything and everyone in place.
JR could see the chaos in frozen detail-the sword suspended in midair, the creature's twisted snarl locked in place. Not far away, Mark, who had finally knocked out the other man, was frozen mid-run, still too far from the boys to reach them in time.
Even Mr. Lou, who had been racing to reach them, was frozen as well, although he was able to move ever so slightly.
From above, the scene shifted to Mac's lifeless body. The view zoomed in, focusing on his face until his eyes snapped open, glowing with an unnatural light. Then, darkness.
"Chandler!" A voice echoed in the void. "Chandler, wake up!" the voice repeated, growing louder.
Suddenly, Mac's eyes shot open. He found himself lying in his bed, back at his apartment. He sat up slowly, his mind racing. "How did I get back here?" he asked aloud.
The memories of the alley flooded back to him-the fight with The Creature, the stabbing, the pain. Instinctively, he got up and walked to the mirror. Pulling off his shirt, he looked at his chest, expecting to see the wound. But there was nothing. No scars, no sign of the injury.
"What the hell is going on?!" he exclaimed.
A noise came from the kitchen. Mac quickly put his shirt back on and made his way toward the sound. Before he could speak, a glowing orb of light appeared before him.
"What in the-" Mac began, but the orb interrupted him.
"Hello, Chandler," the light greeted him. "Sorry, no time for pleasantries. You're dying, and I need to take over to heal you."
Mac's confusion deepened. "What are you talking about?" he managed to ask.
"I'll explain later. For now, you need to rest," the orb replied. Without warning, the light shot into Mac's chest, enveloping him in a bright, golden glow.
As time remained frozen, Mac's eyes flickered open, glowing brightly. A circle with strange symbols appeared around Mac, JR, and The Creature. The Creature, sensing the change, managed to move its head ever so slightly, its fiery eyes widening in shock.
"NO! IT HAS AWAKENED!" The Creature roared, its voice filled with terror.
The ground trembled violently, and moments later, a massive pillar of light shot up from Mac's body, piercing the sky, which also caused time to flow normally once again.
The spectacle didn't go unnoticed as people nearby were startled by the phenomenon and began pulling out their phones to record it. The pillar of light could be seen for miles, its brilliance capturing the attention of everyone in the vicinity.
In a distant city, a woman stood at her desk, staring out the window at the light. She smiled, her expression dark and twisted. "So, my brother's mysterious power has finally revealed itself," she said, her voice filled with malice. She began to laugh, the sound echoing through the room.
At Santera Medical Tower, Samantha and Crispin were discussing their latest financial success when the pillar of light caught their attention. Both stopped mid-conversation, their eyes locked on the glowing spectacle.
"Honey, let's go. We need to get everything ready," Crispin said calmly. Samantha nodded, knowing what was coming. "They'll be here soon," he added before they hurried out of the office.
As the pillar of light faded, time resumed. JR blinked, momentarily disoriented. He glanced around, expecting to see The Creature still standing over him, but it had vanished. Panic surged through him as he looked down. Mac's body was gone.
"Chandler?!" JR shouted, his voice cracking with concern. He scrambled to his feet, scanning the area frantically, but cautiously. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted movement. There, lying on the ground, was The Creature, missing an arm.
"What the...?" JR muttered as he cautiously approached The Creature.
Before he could get too close, a hand grabbed his shoulder. JR jumped and turned around, only to find himself face to face with Mac-or at least, someone who looked like him.
"Chandler?!" JR gasped, noticing Mac's glowing eyes. "What the hell is going on with your eyes?"
JR reached out to touch Mac, but Mac grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
"Chandler, are you okay?" JR asked, growing more alarmed by the second.
The figure smiled faintly. "James, is it?" the voice said as it echoed, but it wasn't Mac's voice. It was deeper, more commanding.
JR recoiled, his heart racing. "What the fuck is going on?!" he shouted, unable to contain his confusion.
'Mac' released JR's wrist and stepped forward. "Apologies for the confusion, James. I'll explain everything later, but for now you can call me Alpha," said Alpha, brushing past him. "But first, I need to take care of this Creature of The Darkness."
The Creature, now regenerating its lost arm, stood up again, snarling viciously.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" JR groaned, unable to believe what he just saw. "Are you really going to fight that thing again?"
Alpha, now using Mac's body, chuckled. "I'm not planning to fight it. I'm going to kill it."
Before JR could react, Alpha gestured toward something behind him. "Go check on your father, James. He's over there, unconscious."
"What?!" JR turned, spotting Mark lying a few feet away. He raced over to check on him.
Meanwhile, Alpha turned back to the Creature, summoning a sword out of thin air. "Tell me, Creature. How much does the Order know about me?" Alpha demanded.
The Creature growled, baring its sharp, monstrous teeth. "Does it matter?" it rasped. "You've already exposed yourself to the world."
Alpha wasn't satisfied. "It seems I'll have to force the answer out of you," said Alpha, taking a fighting stance.
JR cradled Mark's body, propping him up against the wall. "Dad, what are you doing here?" he muttered, still confused by the situation. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Alpha effortlessly overpowered the Creature. The difference in strength was staggering.
A few minutes later, Mr. Lou finally arrived, just in time to see the fight about to end, so he waited. Mr. Lou had witnessed the pillar of light from a distance while he was frozen, realizing what had happened.
"I'm too late," Mr. Lou muttered as he approached. "Alpha has finally awakened."
Alpha landed a series of critical blows on The Creature, bringing it to its knees. "Your time is up," Alpha said coldly. "Now tell me. How much does the Order know about me?"
The Creature hesitated before answering. "The Order doesn't know anything yet. The Darkness was gathering information before contacting them." It let out a fiendish laugh. "But after that little light show, they know about you now."
Alpha's expression showed disappointment. Without hesitation, he raised his sword and swiftly decapitated the Creature. The body crumbled to ash as soon as it hit the ground, disintegrating completely. The bodies of the other men who had been knocked unconscious earlier dissolved in the same manner.
Alpha let out a heavy sigh. "Luis is not going to be happy about this mess," he muttered.
Suddenly, Alpha heard footsteps behind him and instinctively raised his sword. But it was only JR, who had approached cautiously. Alpha lowered the blade and let it dissolve into nothingness.
"Sorry, James. You startled me," Alpha said, his voice softening.
JR, still trying to process everything, blurted out, "Who are you? And what have you done with Chandler?"
Alpha nodded. "It's time you got some answers," he said. "As I mentioned earlier, my name is Alpha, and I am a supernatural power that was given to Chandler a long time ago," Alpha stated.
JR stared at Alpha, still struggling to comprehend what had just happened. His best friend had died-he saw it with his own eyes-and now this... thing had taken over his body. JR's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in shallow gasps.
"What do you mean, you're Alpha? Where's Chandler?!" JR demanded, his voice shaking with both confusion and anger.
Alpha stepped forward calmly, raising his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "Chandler is alive... for now," Alpha explained, his voice both familiar and foreign. "But to save him, I had to take over his body. Chandler's soul is still here inside his body, dormant, but he can't wake up until I finish healing him," said Alpha.
JR backed away, shaking his head. "No... this can't be real. This is some kind of weird dream."
"I understand that this is overwhelming," Alpha continued. "But there are things happening in this world that you wouldn't understand. The Darkness has revealed itself today, and without my intervention, Chandler would have died permanently."
JR's mind raced, filled with conflicting emotions-grief, confusion, and anger. Then JR began to realize... how was he going to explain this to Lucky, but thankful she wasn't around to see it in person. JR focused his anger back towards Alpha.
"Why didn't you stop it before?" JR spat. "You could've saved him without this!"
Alpha's expression remained calm, though there was a flicker of something almost human-regret, perhaps? "It was not my time. The rules of my awakening... they bind me, and I can only intervene when certain conditions are met. The moment the Creature of Darkness killed Chandler, my awakening was triggered."
JR blinked, trying to process the information. "So you... saved him by taking over?"
Alpha nodded. "Yes, but there is a cost. Chandler will eventually return, but things won't be the same. His role in this battle is only the beginning, and now, more than ever, he will need the people he trusts-like you," explained Alpha.
JR felt the weight of those words settle over him. He had always stood by Chandler's side, joking and laughing like things were normal. But nothing was normal anymore. His best friend had just died-been brought back-and was now involved in something bigger than either of them could have imagined.
Suddenly, Mr. Lou's voice interrupted their conversation, "Alpha."
Alpha turned to see the older man standing at the entrance to the alley, his sword drawn but lowered at his side. Mr. Lou's expression was unreadable, though there was tension in his stance.
"So you've finally returned," Mr. Lou said, his voice low. He approached slowly, his gaze shifting between JR and Alpha.
Alpha approached him with arms wide open, glad to see a familiar face. "Luis... it's been a long time." They exchanged hugs, Mr. Lou happy and sad at the same time.
"I had hoped this day wouldn't come," Mr. Lou said, his tone heavy with regret. "But I knew it would eventually."
JR looked between the two of them, confused. "You knew about this? You knew Chandler would... die?"
Mr. Lou sheathed his sword and sighed. "I didn't want it to happen this way, James. Originally, Alpha was supposed to awaken when Chandler turned 18, and we would've prepared him for it. Either way, this is Chandler's destiny. He carries a power that was always going to awaken, and now that it has, we have to face what's coming next," explained Mr. Lou.
JR felt a surge of anger. "What do you mean 'What's coming next?' What about my best friend?! He's not just some pawn in a game-he's a person!"
Alpha stepped forward again, his expression serious. "He is no pawn, James. He is the key to stopping what is coming. The Order and The Darkness... they seek to destroy everything and conquer the world, and Chandler is the only one who can stand in their way."
Mr. Lou placed a hand on JR's shoulder. "James, I understand how difficult this is to understand. But Alpha's right. There are forces at play here that we've only just begun to uncover. Chandler is at the center of it all, but he needs you now more than ever."
JR took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside him. He wanted to scream, to demand answers, to fight back against the reality that was crashing down around him. But something in Alpha's calm demeanor-and Mr. Lou's steady presence-made him stop.
"Okay," JR muttered finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm with you. For Chandler." Then one thing struck his mind, so he had to ask, "What about Lucille? Should I tell her about any of this?", asked JR, Alpha and Mr. Lou looked at each other for a moment.
"For now, let's hold off on telling her. We'll bring her up to speed soon, but the less people know about Chandler and Alpha, the better. We don't want The Order or The Darkness using that against us," said Mr. Lou as he was unsure of how much they knew about them. JR was worried, how was he going to hide this from Lucky for the time being.
Meanwhile, across the city, Crispin and Samantha McCullen were preparing for what was to come. The pillar of light that had appeared moments earlier had confirmed their worst fears.
"The Order will be coming for him now," Samantha said, her voice tight with worry. "How should we handle what's to come?"
Crispin nodded, his expression grim. "We'll have to stay vigilant and keep a closer eye on things. Let's wait until we hear more from Luis and Alpha and proceed from there."
Samantha continued preparing the room that their son was going to be in as he recovered. Crispin paced the room, deep in thought. He had spent years preparing for this moment, but now that it was here, the reality of what was happening weighed heavily on him.
"Alpha has returned," Crispin muttered to himself. "And with him... the threat to the world itself... with Chandler at the center of it all."
He stopped pacing and stared out the window, the city lights flickering in the distance. Somewhere out there, his son was caught in the middle of a battle he had been born into, a fight Crispin was trying so desperately to prepare him for, but didn't have the chance.
"I'm sorry, Chandler, he thought. I wish I could have spared you from this," Crispin told himself.
Back in the alley, Alpha turned his attention back to The Creature's remains, now a pile of ash. He knelt beside it, running his hand through the remnants. The Creature of Darkness had been a formidable enemy, but there were more out there-stronger, smarter, more dangerous.
"They'll be coming," Alpha said quietly, more to himself than to anyone else. "This is only the beginning."
Mr. Lou nodded. "I'll make sure Chandler is ready. But I need you to promise me something."
Alpha looked up, meeting Mr. Lou's gaze. "What is it?"
"Promise me you won't let him die again," Mr. Lou said, his voice uncharacteristically soft.
Alpha stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "I will protect him, Luis. That is the purpose I was created for."
As the night deepened, JR helped Mark to his feet, guiding him toward the car parked nearby. Mark was still groggy from the fight, but he managed a weak smile.
"You boys are getting into all kinds of trouble these days," Mark muttered, trying to lighten the mood.
JR forced a laugh. "Yeah... you have no idea." JR managed to get Mark into the car and thanks to his father, he knew the basics of driving and was able to get home safely.
In the distance, Alpha stood silently, watching as the McCullen family's future unfolded before him. The battle had only just begun, and he knew that more challenges were coming. The Order was watching. The Darkness was waiting. And Alpha would need every ounce of strength to face what lies ahead.
Soon after, Alpha's energy was about drained and Mr. Lou noticed this as well. "Luis, we need to get to Crispin and Samantha now. I'm losing consciousness from all the energy I've used." Thankfully, Mr. Lou knew a few moves that could help them get to their destination rather quickly.
He put Alpha's arm over his neck and held on to him, then they just vanished into thin air... gone like the wind as they headed towards Santera Medical HQ. What did the future hold for Mac, Alpha and everyone else? Although grim in nature, nothing would ever prepare them for the truth that has yet to be revealed.
To Be Continued....