The throne room was bathed in darkness, the thick curtains drawn tight over the windows, blocking out any hint of moonlight. The room, once a place of grandiosity and light, was now a place of shadows and secrets. The air was heavy with the scent of aged wood and burning incense, mingling with the sharp tang of wine.
At the center of it all, a woman in white sat upon a throne carved from obsidian, the dark stone absorbing what little light there was. Her robes were immaculate, the pristine white fabric a stark contrast to the gloom around her. In one hand, she held a delicate wine glass filled with a deep red liquid, her fingers lightly tracing the rim as she stared into the distance, lost in thought.
A single man stood before her, his posture tense and uncertain. He was tall, with sharp features and eyes that darted nervously around the room, as if expecting something to leap out of the shadows at any moment. His name was Gerald, a figure of some importance, but here, in the presence of the woman, he felt small and insignificant.
"Isn't this... tampering with the system a bit too much?" Gerald finally spoke, his voice hesitant, breaking the heavy silence that had settled between them. "We may have ruined the prospect known as Eliza in the process."
The woman's gaze shifted slowly towards him, her expression unreadable. She took a long sip from her glass before responding, the wine leaving a faint crimson stain on her lips.
"Eliza was a means to an end," she said, her voice calm and measured, each word carefully enunciated. "The Magnus Factor is all that matters. For that, we would sacrifice anything, anyone... even you, Gerald."
Gerald swallowed hard, the implication of her words sinking in. His laughter was nervous, a thin veneer over the fear bubbling beneath the surface. "Right... everything is going according to plan then."
The woman's eyes bore into him, piercing through the darkness with a cold, calculating intensity. She took another sip of her wine, savoring the taste before setting the glass down on the armrest of her throne.
"Good," she said simply, the word carrying a finality that left no room for further discussion.
Gerald bowed slightly, more out of habit than respect, and retreated a few steps, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the room. The woman in white remained still, her thoughts once again drifting to the unseen machinations she had set into motion. The fate of those under her watchful eye was sealed, and as she gazed into the darkened room, she knew that the sacrifices made were just the beginning.
*****
Do it... the voice urged, its tone dripping with malicious glee. They hurt her. They deserve it. You're stronger than them, Adrien. Show them what happens when they cross you.
Adrien clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms until they drew blood. The pain was sharp but fleeting, a mere distraction from the boiling rage that threatened to consume him. The guard, Nolan, stood just outside the cell, watching Adrien with a smug grin, as if he was proud of the horrors inflicted on the children within.
Adrien's breath came in ragged gasps, each one fueling the fire inside him. He looked down at Eliza, her chest barely rising and falling with each shallow breath. He couldn't bear to see her like this, broken and helpless. Something snapped inside him, a final thread of restraint severed as the voice inside him reached a fever pitch.
Make them pay.
Without warning, a dark, swirling aura began to emanate from Adrien's small frame, black tendrils of energy twisting and writhing around him like serpents. The air grew thick with an oppressive energy that pressed down on everything within the cell. Adrien could feel it—this power that had lain dormant, now unleashed, responding to his every thought, every emotion.
The guard's smirk faltered as he felt the shift in the air, his eyes widening in confusion and fear. "What the hell...?" he muttered, taking a step back from the cell door. The aura continued to grow, spreading outwards from Adrien until it enveloped the entire cell, tendrils reaching out toward Eliza's motionless form.
For a moment, the dark energy hovered over Eliza, its touch gentle, almost protective. But then, as if sensing something else, the aura turned its attention toward Nolan. The guard took another step back, his bravado crumbling as the oppressive energy bore down on him. He raised his hands defensively, but it was already too late.
The aura coiled around Nolan, tightening with a terrifying speed and force. His scream was cut short as the darkness crushed him, bones snapping like twigs under the immense pressure. In the blink of an eye, Nolan was gone, his body reduced to nothingness, consumed by the power Adrien had unleashed.
Adrien didn't even flinch. The sight of Nolan's instant obliteration barely registered in his mind. All he could feel was the rage, the need to protect what was his, and the sick satisfaction of seeing his enemies destroyed. He took a step forward, the aura parting around him like a cloak as he approached the cell door.
The wooden bars, thick and unyielding, bent and twisted out of the way as the aura brushed against them. Adrien's teeth were bared, a feral snarl curling his lips as saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth. He looked more beast than boy, his eyes glowing with a cold, merciless light.
The guard, a boy of about eleven, stood frozen in place, his expression a mix of horror and disbelief. He had never seen anything like this—a mere child, surrounded by an aura of darkness, bending the world to his will. The sight of Adrien, this eight-year-old boy transformed into a force of nature, sent a chill down the older boy's spine.
Adrien caught sight of the guard's terrified expression and let out a low, menacing laugh. The sound was hollow, devoid of any warmth or humor. "You thought it was funny, didn't you?" Adrien hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "When you hurt her. When you laughed. Why aren't you laughing now?"
The guard stumbled backward, his legs shaking as he attempted a desperate escape. But Adrien was faster. He lunged forward, propelled by the dark energy that swirled around him, closing the distance between them in an instant.
Before the guard could react, Adrien's small hand shot out, grabbing the boy by the throat. The guard's eyes bulged, his mouth opening and closing in silent terror as Adrien's grip tightened. The darkness seeped into the guard's skin, spreading like ink through water, and the boy's body began to convulse.
Adrien watched, his expression unchanging, as the life drained from the guard's eyes. With a final, brutal twist, Adrien ripped the boy's head clean off his shoulders, the aura tearing through flesh and bone as if it were paper. The body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling on the cold stone floor.
Adrien had achieved his first kill. His hearing turned out all the other noise, except for a voice in his head:
"You've gotten your first kill rather early, Adrien. Well then, you shall be rewarded for bringing me a sacrifice, and from the Holy Church, no doubt."
Even if Adrien didn't know it, he changed that day. He had grown stronger, and achieved his first kill.