The shadow hunter

Alexanda stepped inside and the door creaked shut behind him, enveloping him in total darkness. The air was heavy with a scent of decay and forgotten memories. His fingers brushed against the cold wall as he strained his eyes even in the thick darkness. He cracked the short pistol he was holding getting ready for any danger that may surface. He darted between shadows , his footsteps muffled by the damp alleyway as his eyes scanned the roof in short intervals. Alexanda was a professional thief hired by a mysterious client to retrieve a powerful device capable of hacking any computer system. Coming back to this familiar old dilapidated building didn't go down well with him, the offer had been too good to reject. He paused and lit up the lighter using the faint illumination to read the compass once again.
"Gosh!" He cursed, realizing he had entered the cursed room.

His eyes widened, his skin seemed to pale as he beheld a sight a few distance from where he stood. His breath caught, and his chest froze. His gaze remained fixed, unable to look away from his source of terror. He fired aimlessly in that direction as he retraced his steps toward the wall. He ran his hands on the wall as if looking for an escape route when his hand touched a knob, he pressed on it, easily it opened revealing a large hall, quickly he ran inside and shut the door behind him. He sighed heavily resting his back on the door
"I hate this job" he mumbled, "he should be fighting humans not mummies" he said as he lit up the lighter again to check the compass. Suddenly a figure dashed at him, lifting him above his feet and throwing him against the wall. He stood up trying to get back on his feet as he held onto the wall. If he was going to survive, he needed to see what he was fighting.

The darkness soon erupted into a flurry of movements, limbs clashing, and the sound of heavy breathing and grunts filled the air. Shadows flickered across the wall cast by the faint moonlight seeping through the windows. Alexanda held his pistol firing randomly, the figure around him seemed to be fast, it could be a vampire he thought, making his knee grow cold. He fired in every direction. Soon he heard a heavy drop, the faint moonlight revealed a figure lying in a pool of blood, he sighed , straining his eyes, he located the area where the compass and lighter had fallen.

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Revealed before him was a partially burned out staircase leading to the upper room. He halted at the base of the staircase when he heard voices emanating from the chamber. He moved carefully from one step to another positioning himself in places of advantage as he held his pistol firmly.
"He's here" he heard someone say from the chamber. Before he realized it was a trap, he was already surrounded by men well armed pointing their guns at his forehead. He let down his pistol and raised his hands up as he they led him to the upper chamber. The statement "he's here" only made him wonder who knew of his presence.

Seated before him was Lexi, his own closest friend, his laughter erupted like a volcano.
"Surprise! Surprise" Lexi said, "Chasing shadows. There's no device, you're the device"

Alexanda's face screwed up in a mixture of unbelief and puzzlement, he didn't understand what Lexi was saying.
"Device? What device?" He asked, like he's just being presented with a math quiz in a language he didn't understand.
"In 1902, you had stolen what belonged to me meant to save my ill father and this led to his death. Ever since I've wanted to pay you back and there was no better way than this"
He had a blank expression as his eyes darted back and forth, "what belongings?"
"The pendant, it was the healing power" Lexi opened up
"I never knew it was yours," Alexanda explained.
"Too late my dear friend"
Lexi lit up a gas and dropped it beside where he was tied up. "Let's go, allow him to die slowly" soon they left the room leaving him to die.

Alexanda struggled to free himself but the more he inhaled the gas the weaker he became. He held his breath and tightened his hand forcing them out of the chain with brushes. Soon he freed himself and staggered into a small room that had less effect. Lexi waited outside for hours, when he was convinced that Alexanda didn't survive it, he drove off. Alexanda came out a day after and knew he was going to live a new life, with Lexi believing he was dead.

This is in response to the Scholar and scribes contest all story writers are invited to participate