~692 Years Ago~
Under the stormy night sky, the Imperial City's slums lay covered in darkness. Rain lashed down, and thunder growled, its fury temporarily eclipsing the screams of eight-year-old Ares. He sprinted through the deserted streets, his white shirt stained with blood, his severed hand leaving a gruesome trail.
"Help! Someone, help me! Mother! Mother, where are you?!" His cries pierced the stormy night, but his desperation was swallowed by the downpour.
As he hurtled into a narrow alley, he collided with an imposing figure. Bright blue eyes glared down at him, filled with disdain.
His world imploded when the man grasped his hair, slamming him to the ground with bone-jarring force. Air expelled from his lungs, leaving him gasping. His blurry eyes met the tortured sky reflecting the agony within.
