The Daily Life of the Demon King

Chapter 501 - 501: Scratch — The True Villain Who Isn’t Afraid to Run.

Putting his phone back in his pocket, Alex let out a heavy sigh and took a deep drag from his cigarette. Exhaling the smoke upward, he felt the eyes of Emmet, Saga, Casey, and Kiran on him — all waiting for an answer, whether reinforcements were coming or not.Alex knew exactly what they were expecting, but he couldn't just say outright that the ones coming to help were fanatics known as the Black Templars. Those people were… particular — loyal, but excessively zealous. After being "enlightened" by GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, they had become true followers of the Emperor, ready to march into hell itself if the order was given as a blessing. Alex knew what to expect: it would be loud, chaotic — and very effective.

Emmet, watching Alex's expression, immediately guessed that he had reached out to his guild. He knew those people and could describe them with one word — eccentric.

Saga, after two days spent around Alex, had already learned to read him by his face. Right now, his expression said it all — resignation. She understood: reinforcements were indeed coming, but something about them was definitely "off."

Kiran, unwilling to speculate any further, decided to cut to the point."So, Agent Voldigoad. Will there be reinforcements from your organization? Or are you, like us, left without support?" she asked coldly.

"On the contrary," Alex replied calmly, releasing a thin stream of smoke. "Reinforcements are on their way. It's just... how should I put it..." He scratched his chin, looking for the right words.

"Your organization couldn't spare many people?" Casey asked, frowning.

"Oh no, plenty of people. A squad of thirty is already en route. It's just that these guys… well, they're a bit... unique. The kind who live by the principle 'Do or die,'" Alex said, smirking unbotheredly.

"In our current situation, that's exactly the kind we need," Kiran remarked, nodding. "And thirty fighters — that's excellent news."

"They'll be here in an hour," Alex nodded. "And you'll understand everything once they arrive. For now, Kiran, give me the keys to the holding cells where you're keeping the Koskela brothers and Wake. I need to talk to them."

Kiran narrowed her eyes."You do realize the Koskela brothers are the leaders of the Tree cult?" she said, pulling the keys from her pocket.

Alex sighed, took the keys, and replied evenly,"For heaven's sake, Kiran. Those men have been protecting Bright Falls from the Taken for over thirteen years. You're starting to sound like someone who's fallen under the influence of Wake's story. Try to stay focused before you become part of it yourself."

Kiran froze. His words hit dead center. She herself had noticed inconsistencies in her memories — subtle, but unsettling. The realization came swiftly: the story really was starting to influence her. A chill ran down her spine.

She stood up, leaning on her injured leg, and went to check on her people — to see if their memories had started changing too. Alex, Emmet, Saga, and Casey exchanged glances. Alex just shook his head, taking another deep drag from his cigarette.

"Honestly, I expected more from the FBC," he muttered. "Fighting anomalies, you say..."

He pushed off the table and headed toward the exit. On his way, he grabbed a chair and dragged it behind him — it screeched across the floor, a grating sound that perfectly matched Alex's irritation.

"Why do you need a chair?" Emmet asked, watching him.

"Just in case," Alex replied casually. "And you three slackers, look around the sheriff's office. Maybe you'll find something useful."

With that, he disappeared slowly down the corridor, leaving behind a sharp smell of cigarette smoke — and the uneasy sense that something truly big was coming.

Emmet flinched at Alex's words, feeling a sting of resentment — after all, unlike Alex, it was Emmet who had nearly gotten his nose broken, and two of his ribs had been cracked. They'd already healed thanks to his regeneration, but the memory of the pain was still fresh. He'd also been knocked out more than once, which didn't help his mood. He wanted to protest but held himself back — he knew all too well how that could end. Judging by the way Alex was dragging that chair, that piece of furniture could very well become a weapon at the first careless remark.

Saga understood why Alex had insisted on taking this task himself. It was because of what — or rather, who — was inside Alan Wake. Scratch.

And after what they'd seen at the "Elderwood Palace" motel — that mountain of corpses — forgetting what he was capable of was impossible.

Casey didn't argue either. Without a word, he followed Saga into the sheriff's office.

Alex pulled out a keycard and pressed it to the electronic lock. The lock beeped softly, and the door clicked open. Inside, everything looked calm — deceptively ordinary. Dim lights, concrete walls, security cameras.

In the neighboring cells, Alex immediately spotted Ilmo and Jaakko. And in the farthest one, deep in the room, sat Alan Wake — or rather, what was left of him.

The moment Ilmo saw Alex, he lunged at the bars, baring his teeth like a beast trapped in a cage.

"You! You're from that damned Bureau!" he shouted, his voice trembling with rage. "Government bastards! You ruined everything! Let us out, you freaks! We didn't do anything! We were only trying to protect the town the best we could!"

Alex exhaled wearily, set the chair down, and leaned back against it.

"Ilmo, I told you to stay out of this. And what did you do? How many of your people died because of your stubbornness?... Whatever, that's not important right now."

"Wake's going to ruin everything!" Jaakko roared, slamming his fist against the bars. "He has to be stopped before it gets worse! How many more people have to die because of you bureaucratic bastards?!"

"Not a single one," Alex replied calmly. "Now, both of you — out. I'm letting you go. But if you try to run or pull anything stupid—" he gave a short glance at the chair, "—I'll turn you into a piece of modern art."

He unlocked Ilmo's cell.

"You people come into our town acting like you know everything!" Ilmo barked as he stepped out. "But you don't know a damn thing!"

Alex slowly turned his head and spoke lazily:"Shut up, Ilmo. Or I'll test how thick your skull really is." His voice was flat — not a hint of sarcasm. "Now you, Jaakko. I'll say this once — both of you shut up and go to the sheriff's office. Sit there quietly and don't breathe louder than the wind. Am I clear?"

He gripped one of the iron bars. Metal groaned under his hand, bending slightly.

Ilmo and Jaakko froze, their faces paling. Even after years of fighting the Taken, they understood one thing — this was not a man to argue with.

"Good boys," Alex said with a faint smile. The warmth in it looked so out of place that the brothers nearly flinched.

He opened the second cell, letting Jaakko out. The man stepped back cautiously, never turning his back to Alex. Only when both were out did Alex nod in satisfaction and drag the chair toward the last cell.

Inside, in the half-light, sat Alan Wake — eyes sharp, gaze wary, almost analytical.

Alex sat down, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Thick smoke curled through the dim air.

Alan's eyes didn't leave him. They lingered briefly on the bloodstains on Alex's coat — even his pants weren't clean.

"Alex… is he inside you?" Wake finally asked hoarsely, breaking the silence.

Alex exhaled slowly, eyes locked on him.

"Let's just talk first, Alan. Tell me — why write that kind of story? You could've ended it differently, sealed the darkness for good. Why make both endings so grim? Do you enjoy playing with people's lives, turning them into your characters? Or maybe you just like torturing them — because to you, they're not real, right?"

He spoke evenly, without anger, yet every word landed like a weight.

"It's not as simple as you think," Alan said, gripping the bars. "A story needs material. You can't create something from nothing. Even in the Dark Place, where imagination shapes reality, there are still rules."

Alex narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Looks like you've forgotten quite a bit, Alan. Fine then… answer me this — why did you weave Saga's daughter, Logan, into the story? Although, I think I already know the answer. I just want to hear your version."

Alan lowered his gaze.

"I had dreams… they told me of the present and the future. I used them in the book. But then…" he fell silent, fingers tightening around the bars. "Then I realized that careful planning meant nothing. Every word I wrote carried danger. I… stopped writing. And that's when he started writing instead. He rewrote everything, twisting my story."o give.

He explained that Jinx and Nyaruko had appeared in the world already as seven-year-old girls. Hearing that, Emmet grimaced and called Alex a lucky bastard — he'd skipped the sleepless nights, diapers, and tantrums.

"You're a vampire, remember?" Alex countered with a smirk. "You don't even sleep. You'd have handled it just fine."

Emmet had no comeback for that — and then Alex pulled out his phone, showing him the latest messages from the family chat. Chaos had erupted again — courtesy of his four daughters in Orario.

Emmet shook his head as he scrolled through the messages.

"How hasn't that world burned down yet from the things your four daughters do?" he muttered, clearly impressed by the scale of the madness.

Alex just smirked. He knew perfectly well that sooner or later, he'd have more little princesses — who, under the influence of their older sisters, would quickly turn into the same little gremlins. It was inevitable.

Just then, the distant roar of engines echoed through the quiet night. Both men fell silent and turned toward the sound. A few minutes later, a convoy of military Humvees stopped in front of the sheriff's office.

Alex sighed heavily when he noticed the emblem painted on their armor — a black Maltese cross, the mark of the Black Templars.

Men in heavy combat armor began stepping out of the vehicles. Alex let out another long sigh as soon as he recognized the design — he was the one who had created it long ago, inspired by the pilots from Titanfall. Only now, it had changed: the bright steel was replaced with deep black, and the symbol of the Templars gleamed crimson on their chests and pauldrons.

Once all thirty soldiers had formed ranks, one of them stepped forward and removed his helmet. Alex recognized him instantly — Verrocchio. But this wasn't the same man he'd once known. His eyes were cold, his face calm and stone-like, devoid of emotion.

Verrocchio knelt down on one knee, holding his helmet in his hands. The rest followed his lead, lowering themselves in unison.

Emmet involuntarily shuddered. Even though their faces were hidden behind helmets, he could feel the sheer fanaticism radiating from them.

"We have arrived at your command, my lord," Verrocchio said, bowing his head. "We stand ready to punish whoever you point your hand toward."

"Glad to see you," Alex replied evenly. "Have you been briefed on the situation?"

"Lady Brunhilde explained everything during the briefing," Verrocchio answered without rising. "Our task is to contain those possessed by the Darkness while you complete your work, my lord."

"Excellent. Did you bring what I asked for?" Alex asked.

"Yes, my lord," Verrocchio nodded. "Lady Kiriko has provided us with everything you requested. Your equipment is in the vehicle."

Verrocchio cast a quick glance toward one of his men and gave a subtle nod. The soldier immediately rose and walked over to one of the Humvees. Moments later, he returned carrying a wooden crate adorned with engraved runes along the sides. Approaching Alex, the man dropped to one knee and offered the box forward.

Emmet, standing beside Alex, watched the scene unfold with a blank expression, not fully grasping what was happening. His eyes were drawn to the crate itself — heavy, covered in ancient symbols. Alex lifted the lid and found a neat row of silver stakes inside.

He recognized them instantly — the very same ones he had forged long ago while preparing to confront the avatar of Nyan-Nyan. Back then, he'd believed he would face Nyarlathotep himself, but things had turned out to be far more complicated. Life had changed drastically since then.

Closing the box, Alex ran his fingers thoughtfully across the lid. Though these stakes had been mere prototypes, they were now perfectly suited for what was to come.

At that moment, Saga stepped out of the sheriff's office. She had meant to call for Alex, but froze when she saw the strange scene before her — thirty armored men kneeling before him like knights before their king.

"Alex… what the hell is going on here?" she asked, staring at him in bewilderment.

"Oh, that?" Alex replied calmly, tucking the crate under his arm. "Don't worry about it. This is our backup. They know what they're doing — that's all that matters."

"We will not fail you, my lord," Verrocchio declared, still on one knee.

"Glad to hear it, Verrocchio. Rise. It's time to finish the final preparations," Alex said with a faint nod and a small smile.

At his command, the soldiers rose in perfect unison. Saga watched the display in stunned silence, unsure what to think. Alex simply waved his hand and walked past her without another word, with Emmet following close behind. Verrocchio and his men trailed after him, completely ignoring Saga.

When the last of them disappeared through the doorway, Saga sighed and pressed a palm to her forehead.

"My life just keeps getting stranger and stranger," she muttered, before heading after them.

Everyone gathered in the main hall of the sheriff's station. The arrival of Verrocchio and his men seemed to thicken the air itself — a heavy aura of discipline and power radiated from them.

"Now that everyone's here, it's time to put the plan into action," said Alex, setting the wooden box on the table. "Saga, those two old men — Odin and Thor — are they ready?"

"Yeah," she replied. "They've already headed to Cauldron Lake. I think they're a lot more inspired than the last time we visited them at the retirement home."

"Not surprising," Alex smirked. "Alright, let's get to business. Inside this box is the key to our operation."

"And what's so special about it?" Kiran asked, frowning.

"My own invention. You didn't think your FBC was the only one capable of isolating anomalies, did you?" Alex grinned. "Inside are special stakes. They need to be placed around the entire lake. That will create an isolation field — none of the Taken will be able to escape."

"And after that?" Casey asked, adjusting his vest.

"Then comes the concert," said Alex. "We open every door to the Dark Place at once. I dive to the bottom, grab Alan Wake, and pull him back. Simple, right?"

"You forgot to mention that while you play the hero, we'll be the ones fighting off the monsters crawling out of the lake," Casey said grimly.

"Well, you'll have light, weapons, and my men. You'll manage," Alex replied, thoughtfully scratching his chin. "Though there's one detail — once the isolation field activates, everything around the lake will be pulled into the Fold."

"Including us," Saga finished for him.

"Exactly. So, if anyone hasn't written a will yet — now's the time. This night's going to be the darkest of your lives," Alex said calmly, exhaling a puff of cigarette smoke.

"Any more instructions?" Kiran asked coldly.

"Yeah," Alex raised a finger. "Don't screw up. Just buy me time."

He closed the box and tucked it under his arm.

"Then we're heading out?" Emmet asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow.

Alex smiled faintly."Heading out."

He and Emmet exchanged a quick laugh and a nod. Kiran rolled her eyes, gesturing to her people to move — they had to deliver the floodlights to the lake.

Alex turned to Verrocchio and quickly explained how to position the stakes to isolate the area. Verrocchio listened carefully, nodded, then took the wooden box and led his soldiers to carry out the order.

Alex, Emmet, Saga, and Casey headed for the Impala. The engine roared to life, and soon they were speeding down the road toward Cauldron Lake.

Saga sat in the back seat, staring out the window, lost in thought about what was to come. Her chest tightened — she wanted to hear the voices of her loved ones one more time before it all began.

"Alex, give me your phone," she said quietly. "I... want to talk to my husband and daughter. If I call from mine, I probably won't reach them — he's part of the story now."

Alex silently handed her the phone and focused back on the road.

In the rearview mirror, he caught Casey's reflection.

"What's wrong, Casey? Getting scared?" he smirked.

"No," Casey replied with a strained smile. "Just trying to figure out where exactly I took the wrong turn in life."

"Who knows," Emmet cut in, grinning. "At least you're here now. And hey, you've gone further than your book counterpart ever did. In the novels, Alex Casey just solved cases — you're an FBI agent fighting the literal Darkness. Not everyone gets that kind of upgrade. Though, granted, a lot more crap comes with it."

"Don't you ever get tired of that?" Casey snorted. "Still mad I didn't sign your wife's book?"

"Bingo," Emmet chuckled. "Rosalie said if I didn't get your autograph, I'd be sleeping on the couch for a month. So now I'm just making up for the emotional damage by teasing you."

"Screw you, Cullen," Casey muttered, punching the back of his seat. "We survive this night, you'll get your damn autograph — with all my best wishes."

"Now that's the spirit," Emmet laughed, imitating a mock-heroic tone. "You and your 'I'm not Alex Casey, I am Alex Casey!' You book guys are all the same."

Alex couldn't hold back anymore — he burst out laughing, nearly losing grip on the steering wheel. Even Saga, still talking to her husband on the phone, broke into laughter mid-sentence. Casey smiled too, shaking his head.

Light laughter filled the car, and the tension that had weighed on them all day finally began to lift. For a brief moment, none of them thought about what awaited ahead. They just drove — together, ready to do what had to be done.

To be continued...

(I actually thought this chapter would be the end of it all, with Alex diving to the bottom of the Maelstrom. But I thought about it, and then thought about it again, and wrote down what the voices in my head told me. Basically, the next chapter is a concert, maybe. Then Scratch getting hit in the face with a stick and Alan Wake being saved, maybe too.)

Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunte