Alex was sitting in the Washingtons' house, waiting for dawn — just one hour left, and with the sunrise, all the Wendigos roaming the mountain would return to their nests. He smoked and explained to the teenagers what they should say once they reached the hospital. Alex repeated again and again: not a word about the Wendigos. Not only because they'd be considered insane, but also because the police would surely check the mines — and then the mountain would gain another pile of corpses, this time in the form of police officers.

So as not to waste time, he began treating the wounds. He started with Samantha. She didn't have any serious injuries — just scratches on her arms and legs — but after the sanitarium and the mines, even minimal care was needed. Alex sat her down across from him and carefully cleaned her wounds.

Samantha winced slightly from the sting. Alex smiled and gently took her hand, blowing softly on the scratch to ease the burning. The girl grew embarrassed and tried not to look at him. The others exchanged glances — some with pity, some with mild confusion, as if they were watching a melodrama where they were merely extras.

"Don't you two ever get tired of acting out these romantic scenes?" Mike muttered, giving Alex and Samantha a sour look.

"You want me to blow on your boo-boo too?" Alex smirked. "Go to your big brother — he'll blow on it, and all the pain will go away."

Mike just grimaced and bit back his reply, while the others burst out laughing. Samantha blushed, but didn't deny that she liked it when Alex showed care — even in such little things, it warmed her heart.

When Samantha's wounds were taken care of, Alex gestured for Mike to sit down in front of him.

"Now you gonna flutter your eyelashes at me?" Mike asked as he sat.

"Go the fuck away, dude," Alex snapped back, immediately dousing Mike's hands with alcohol.

"Ah— shit!" Mike howled from the burning sting.

"Thought so. Now stop acting like a kid and let me finish. I still need to treat your girlfriend's wounds. We'll get to the hospital, but nothing stops us from cleaning things up right now," Alex said with a wide grin as he started disinfecting Mike's arms.

Alex worked quickly and without much tenderness — Mike's face kept twitching with grimaces, he winced from the pain, but stayed silent. Then it was Jessica's turn. When she sat down in front of him, Alex couldn't help but click his tongue: the Wendigos had really torn her up, and her survival looked like a genuine miracle. Alex treated her wounds with extra care, trying to cause as little pain as possible. Mike held Jessica's hand the whole time, supporting her.

"You're pretty lucky, Jessica. You could say you're incredibly fortunate," Alex said, setting aside the bandage.

"Yeah, the luckiest girl alive," she answered sarcastically. "I got kidnapped by a monster, woke up at the bottom of some mine, and then spent my time running from those creatures. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket."

From the corner, Old Jack rasped, his voice sounding like a reminder of grim reality:

"Believe me, girl, you really were lucky. In your place, most wouldn't have lasted a second — they'd have become food for those creatures right away."

Everyone fell silent. A heavy pause hung in the room: after jokes and lifted spirits came the harsh reminders of how close they'd all come to death. Alex glanced around at everyone once more and slowly pushed the used wipes aside. Dawn was approaching: just a little longer, and they could leave the mountain.

When Old Jack's voice was heard, everyone turned their heads toward him at once. Until then, he had been unconscious from heavy blood loss, but now he had unexpectedly come to. He looked deathly pale, as if one foot was already in the grave.

Ashley rushed to help him up, but Jack brushed her off, roughly pushing her hand away, and forced himself to sit up. The first thing he did was grab the open whiskey bottle nearby and take a long swig, as if that alone had brought him back to life.

"I see you're awake, old man. How's it feel, coming back from the other side?" Alex remarked with a faint smirk.

"Awful," Jack rasped. "I thought I'd finally get some rest… But it looks like you're all still alive. And who's that…?" His gaze landed on Hannah. There was something familiar in her face.

"That's Hannah. Until recently, she was a Wendigo," Alex said calmly.

"Say that again?" Jack frowned at the girl. "This little one — a Wendigo? You're kidding me. It's impossible to return those creatures to human form."

"You're partly right," Alex shrugged. "But there's a chance. Hannah wasn't a Wendigo for long. That's why it worked."

Jack squinted at her, not believing it.

"How did you do it? And don't you dare say it was the power of friendship or any of that crap. If they could be cured with words, I wouldn't have wasted decades hunting every Wendigo on this cursed mountain," he grumbled and took another swig.

Alex smirked slightly.

"You're not that far off, old man. A Wendigo is a curse — the embodiment of gluttony and insatiable hunger. I thought: what if I lifted the curse? I tried… and here's the result. I simply forgave her sins. And bam — Hannah was human again."

While Alex spoke, Jack listened with a scowl, but gradually his gaze softened as he finally remembered where he had seen the girl before. A year ago. Back then, there had been another with her. The old man wanted to ask about the second one, but stopped himself: if one had turned into a Wendigo, the other had likely died and become her victim.

The rest of the teenagers watched silently. They were stunned by how easily Alex and Jack conversed, as if they were old acquaintances. Alex briefly recounted everything Jack had missed while he was unconscious.

Jack frowned when he heard about his dead wolf, torn apart by the Wendigos. Alex poured himself some whiskey, raised his glass, and clinked it against Jack's.

"To your dog, old man. May he rest."

Jack nodded.

"Never thought the Wendigo curse could be lifted… Always believed it was impossible. That's why I tried chaining them instead. Though once, someone told me there might be a chance. Only he never called back," Jack said before taking another drink.

"And who was that?" Alex asked with interest.

"His name was Bobby Singer. We met by chance. When we first ran into that old bastard, he introduced himself as an FBI agent, supposedly investigating the disappearances in these parts. But I knew right away — he was a hunter, just like me. Together, we caught a Wendigo and chained it up. Bobby said he needed to dig through some old books — maybe he'd find a way to lift the curse. But he never called back…" Jack smirked bitterly.

The smile on Alex's face faltered slightly. He sighed. Bobby Singer had been dead for several years. A bullet to the head, courtesy of Dick Roman — the Leviathan who had taken human form. Alex knew: nothing could change that now. He had landed in this world just as the truly serious events had begun, when Chuck — the avatar of Nyan-Nyan — started his "little play."

Samantha, sitting nearby, noticed the shift in Alex's expression. Jack picked up on it too.

"Looks like that explains why the old drunk never called back," Jack muttered, understanding everything.

"Unfortunately, yes," Alex nodded.

"Alex… this Bobby, he's dead?" Samantha asked cautiously, tugging at his sleeve.

"Dead. Like I said: if you're a hunter, living to old age is a rarity," Alex replied, lightly swirling the whiskey in his glass.

"You knew him personally? When did it happen?" Jack asked.

"We never met face-to-face. But I learned a lot about him through his collection of books. Believe me, what Bobby had was something else. Unique volumes you won't find anywhere else. He died a few years ago," Alex sighed heavily.

Jack raised the whiskey bottle.

"To Bobby. May he at least find peace on the other side."

Alex nodded, lifted his own glass, and said quietly:

"To Bobby. May he finally rest there…"

Alex and old man Jack clinked glasses and downed their whiskey in one gulp. Even if Alex hadn't known Bobby Singer personally, that didn't stop him from respecting the man. In Alex's eyes, Bobby was smart and steadfast, someone who had saved Dean and Sam's lives more than once.

For a moment, Alex's hand froze in the air — he remembered an important detail about this universe. Heaven and Hell existed here. Which meant Bobby was now in Heaven, spending his peculiar "retirement" in celestial halls. Even if Heaven in this world was just another cage for souls, same as Hell, it still meant one thing: Bobby could be resurrected.

The thought made Alex smile. A plan was already forming — after he dealt with all the problems of this universe, he could hire Dean and Sam. And if Bobby joined them too, things would get even more interesting. More than that, Alex toyed with an even crazier idea — resurrecting Mary and John Winchester to reunite the family in full. "The Winchester Family saving worlds from monsters" — it sounded damn tempting.

The only sticking point was Adam Milligan. Technically, he was also Sam and Dean's brother, but at the moment, he was Michael's vessel, stuck in the Cage with Lucifer. Alex clicked his tongue in irritation: he would have to face the pathetic fakes called "Michael" and "Lucifer" of this universe. Killing those impostors — he had no doubts about that. But what about Adam? He hadn't decided yet. Besides, the timelines in this universe were too tangled, making it hard to be certain of exact events.

Setting those thoughts aside, Alex returned to the present and explained to old man Jack what they would need to say once they arrived at the hospital. Jack only nodded — he knew as well: monsters "didn't exist," and if you'd seen them, you'd better keep your mouth shut.

By then, the teenagers were utterly exhausted. The last hour before dawn dragged on unbearably. Samantha rested her head on Alex's shoulder and closed her eyes, trying to snatch a moment's rest. Josh stayed close to his sister, Hannah, who still hadn't regained consciousness after turning human again. Alex explained that she was simply drained and needed time. Ashley sat beside Chris, her head on his shoulder. Jessica and Mike kept close, waiting for the first rays of sunlight. Matt had managed to calm Emily down, assuring her he had never meant to abandon her but had been looking for a way to help. She reluctantly accepted the explanation, though a trace of hurt still lingered in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Alex continued chatting with old man Jack, asking about his past. At the same time, he spread out his mana to probe the surroundings — checking for Wendigos nearby. Luckily, there weren't any. It seemed the creatures had retreated back to their lair to wait out the day.

And then dawn came. The sun slowly rose over Blackwood Mountain, scattering the darkness.

"Sammy, wake up. It's morning. Time to go," Alex said softly, gently shaking Samantha's shoulder.

"I wasn't asleep, just resting," she opened her eyes and smiled.

Hearing that it was dawn, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had survived. Alex went up the stairs first to make sure the way was safe. When he stepped out of the basement, the first rays of sunlight warmed his face. Feeling the heat, he called the others.

Ashley helped Chris climb the stairs — his injured leg was still in pain. Mike supported Jack, and Josh carried Hannah on his back. Alex noted that with his sister's return, Josh's mental state seemed noticeably steadier.

They stepped outside, squinting in the bright light, and inhaled the fresh air.

"Ah, damn it! We survived! We made it through this cursed night!" Chris exclaimed, raising his hands to the sky.

Alex gave him a sideways glance:

"Chris, should I remind you how lines like that usually end in horror movies?"

"We're not in a movie, so it's fine," Chris grinned.

Alex narrowed his eyes:

"Well, if you say so… But if the Wendigos attack us before we reach the funicular, I'm sacrificing you for the others."

Chris swallowed hard, nervously muttering:

"You're joking… right?"

To Chris's words, Alex only responded with a light, almost mocking smile. But that smile sent a chill down Chris's spine — he still couldn't figure out what lay behind that expression.

Wasting no time, the group moved down toward the cable station to finally leave Blackwood Mountain. Samantha walked beside Alex, glancing back now and then, afraid that not all the Wendigos had returned to their nests. But Alex walked calmly — he didn't sense a single one of those creatures nearby. Wolverine Peach, perched on his shoulder, slept soundly, as if the entire nightmare of the night didn't concern him at all.

The journey took longer than expected. Chris and old man Jack were injured and could only move with the support of the others. Even on the worn path, guiding two seriously wounded people wasn't easy. When they finally reached the cable station, everyone exhaled in relief: salvation was within reach — they only needed to cross to the other side.

"I hope none of those creatures are hiding inside," Emily muttered, squeezing Matt's hand tighter.

"No," Jack replied, holding the wound on his chest. " It's empty in here. If any Wendigos had come down to this place, we'd already see claw marks and blood. These creatures rarely get this far."

"That's reassuring," Mike said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Entering the station, Alex was the first to notice that the machinery had frozen due to the snowstorm and refused to start. While the others settled into the cable car, he stepped forward and subtly used magic, "fixing" the equipment as if he were just inspecting the mechanisms. For show, he lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and within seconds, the cable car started moving. Tossing the butt aside, Alex returned and took his place in the car, where everyone had been waiting just for him.

"I hope this thing holds us," Jessica said doubtfully, eyeing the taut cable. " I don't want us to fall into the abyss at the very end."

"Don't worry," Josh tried to reassure her. " This cable has been in use for decades. Nothing will happen."

"Exactly," Jessica replied with a smirk. " But if it does snap and we fall, I'll be the first to take you out on the other side, Josh."

"Enough with the falling talk," Alex said calmly, standing in the middle of the cabin, " and just relax. We're almost out."

Everyone agreed. They only had to reach the end of the line — and everything they'd endured that night would stay behind, like a nightmare.

Alex's gaze swept over the people he'd spent the night with. Exhausted, battered, covered in dirt and blood — they looked like war survivors. His own appearance wasn't much better. His black jeans were splattered with dried blood, his shoes worn down, and the hoodie he had changed into after ruining his shirt looked just as bad: torn and stained.

In the reflection of the cable car window, he saw his disheveled hair and a face smeared with a mix of dirt and someone else's blood — either Wendigo blood or that of Chris and Jack. Alex couldn't remember the last time he looked so pitiful. Usually, magic kept him clean, but today he had allowed himself to go through all of it like a normal person. An interesting experience — but at too high a cost.

He leaned his head wearily against the glass and sighed. At that moment, he felt a warm touch on his hand. Turning, he saw Samantha—she was looking at him with a gentle smile. Alex returned it, and a feeling long forgotten pricked his chest. He realized a connection had formed between them. But his life was far from ordinary. If Samantha chose to pursue these feelings, she would have to learn the truth: that her chosen one was the Demon King, the son of the Creator, and that he already had wives. That his destiny was tied to an endless struggle against forces that had betrayed the very foundation of the universe. Few could accept that.

Alex decided the choice should be hers. If she wanted him—he would be there. If not—he would let go. In the hospital, he would need to talk to her and learn her decision.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden jolt. The funicular cabin shuddered, and everyone exchanged worried glances. Josh hurriedly assured them it was nothing, but soon the cabin shook again, and then once more—as if someone were deliberately rocking the cable. Alex was about to use magic to reinforce it when suddenly something heavy landed on the cabin roof.

Everyone raised their heads at once. Alex immediately understood: a wendigo. One of them had decided to chase its prey. A long, bony arm smashed through the glass, and people recoiled in panic. The creature lunged inside, trying to grab someone nearby. Alex had already raised the "Blue Rose," ready to fire, when a thunderous shot rang out from outside. The sound echoed through the gorge, and the wendigo's head exploded, scattering bloody fragments in all directions. At the same moment, the wendigo's body fell like a stone into the abyss.

Everyone froze in shock. Alex raised an eyebrow and peeked through the shattered window. On the opposite station, he spotted a familiar figure: a man in a white military uniform holding a rifle. Ghost. Lowering his weapon, he met Alex's gaze and barely nodded.

Alex smirked and, sticking his hand out, gave a thumbs-up—nice shot.

"Who fired?" Samantha asked, noticing his gesture.

"One of my friends," Alex replied calmly.

Alex's words surprised everyone. They turned toward the cable station at the foot of the mountain and, in the distance, saw the silhouette of a man in a white military uniform. The face was hard to make out from so far, but the figure radiated something both foreign and familiar.

Alex paused for a second: Could Brunhilda have sent our people to clear the mountain of wendigos? Well… I'm all for it. Let someone finish the job for me.

The funicular came to a gentle stop at the station, and everyone began to exit. Alex stepped out first. But the first person he saw wasn't Ghost at all—it was Reginleif. She sat at a wooden table, leaning over a book, barely raising her gaze when he appeared. Alex frowned—it was unclear to him why Brunhilda had sent her too.

Then his gaze fell on familiar faces: Lehm, Soap, Price, Jake, and the rest of the guys stood nearby, clad in combat gear, weapons at the ready. Lehm smirked without taking the cigarette from his mouth. Soap nodded at Alex, and Price gave a friendly nod as well.

When Samantha and the others stepped outside, they froze: a whole group of armed fighters, dressed like real soldiers, stood before them. But the most striking of all was a girl in a white coat and a strange white hat, reminiscent of a scientist's headgear. In her hands was the same book.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you like this, Boss," Lehm said with a smirk, surveying Alex's battered appearance.

"Try wandering around an abandoned sanatorium all night, crawling through dark mines, and fending off wendigos," Alex snorted, rolling his eyes. "Then we'll talk. But what about you guys? Short on work?"

"Big sister sent us to finish what you didn't," Reginleif said calmly, adjusting her glasses and closing the book.

"As you can see," R added with a smirk, "we're here to clean up after you."

"Alright then," Alex shrugged. "I don't mind. But why are you here, Reginleif?"

"Some people forget to fill out reports after missions," Reginleif said coldly. "So I'm here as an observer. To oversee the process. Although I'd rather stay home. I can't stand this weather."

"Got it," Alex nodded. "Thanks for taking it on. I'm counting on you. And the shot, Simon… as always, top-notch."

"Hm. Don't thank me. It's my job," Ghost replied briefly.

"Exactly. You pay—we work," Toji smirked.

"You guys are something else," Alex shook his head.

"By the way," Reginleif interjected, handing him a bundle. "Madam Hephaestus sent you a new coat."

Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected a gift right now. Unwrapping the fabric, he froze: the coat seemed made for him—long, dark, with sharp lines, almost an exact replica of what Nero wore in DMC 4. On the shoulder was an emblem of a sword and shield. Looking closer, Alex noticed the same symbol embroidered on the guys' uniforms.

He said nothing but inwardly noted that the choice of emblem was perfect. The sword and shield perfectly represented the essence of the Guardians guild—to protect people from evil across different worlds of the multiverse.

"Ah yes, Boss," Lutz said, pointing to the side. "Ugo arranged transport so you could take the people to the hospital."

"Thanks, Ugo. Very timely," Alex smiled.

"You're welcome, Boss. It's my job," Ugo replied, slightly embarrassed, giving a small smile.

"Excellent. Let's go. And one more thing…" Alex turned to the fighters. "After clearing the mines, Wiley, you need to blow them up. So no one goes in there again."

"Don't worry, Boss," Wiley smirked. "I've got the explosives. By evening, not a single mine on this mountain will remain."

Alex could only hope Wiley wouldn't blow the whole mountain to hell. Before leaving, he pulled out a map of the mines and the sanatorium, deciding to give the guys a quick briefing. Samantha, Mike, Chris, Ashley, Matt, Emily, Josh, and old man Jack looked at him with stunned faces, unable to comprehend exactly what was happening before their eyes.

Alex, paying it no mind, calmly explained to his group exactly where the wendigos were, where their nest was located, how to reach the sanatorium through the mines, and which paths led to the monsters' lair. He answered questions as they arose, but the briefing ended fairly quickly—there was little point in long explanations. After all, even before Brunhilda had sent them here, his people already knew how to act effectively against wendigos.

When he finished explaining, Alex approached Reginleif and gave her a firm hug. He understood that the valkyrie preferred the quiet of libraries far more than outings like this. She returned the hug and quietly said that she no longer intended to participate in such missions.

After that, Alex said goodbye to his group and led Samantha and the others down to the transport Ugo had arranged. All the while, Samantha and the rest kept casting him puzzled glances. During the briefing, he had acted completely differently, as if he were not himself.

They reached the minibus, capable of fitting everyone. Alex took the wheel, waiting for the others to take their seats. Samantha settled next to him in the front, still unable to take her eyes off him.

"Well, ask away," Alex said, opening the window to light a cigarette. "Your eyes are already burning a hole through me."

"Who are these people? And why do they call you 'Boss'?" Samantha finally asked, voicing what had been on everyone's mind.

"Yeah, I'm curious too," Chris added. "They look like real soldiers, especially in those uniforms and with all that gear."

"Because they are former soldiers," Alex replied calmly, lighting his cigarette. "I've said before that my family has a family business. They call me Boss because they work for me. I saved them and offered them a job—they agreed. That's the whole story."

"And the girl?" Samantha pressed. "Is she your sister? Or… your girlfriend?"

"You mean Reginleif?" Alex smirked. "She's part of my family too. She has eleven sisters, and all of them belong to my extended family. You could say Reginleif is like the family librarian. She's not at all fond of places like this. Her older sister sent her here to supervise the operation."

"You keep saying 'family.' What exactly do you mean?" Samantha asked warily, sensing Alex was avoiding a direct answer.

"We'll talk when we get to the hospital. Save your questions for later," he cut her off and started the engine.

Samantha just nodded, unaware that the truth she would soon hear would turn her entire view of the world upside down.

Alex drove the minibus toward the nearest hospital. He had anticipated that arriving in this state would provoke a storm of questions. And indeed, the moment the doctors saw a group of teenagers with a severely wounded old man, they immediately called the police. While the officers were en route, everyone was sent for medical examination. Jack, with a deep chest wound—though Alex had stitched it—still needed proper care. Chris as well, his leg was seriously injured.

Alex, meanwhile, took a long drag of his cigarette, thinking that the most important thing was that he had managed to help this group survive.

To be continued…

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