In the sepulchral gloom of the orphanage, shadows danced across the cold stone walls like specters haunting a forgotten grave. Gabriel huddled in a dim corner, his small frame almost swallowed by the tattered blanket that served as his only shield against the world. The air was thick with the scent of stale bread and a bitterness that clung to the edges of his young heart, a constant reminder of his solitude. Echoes of laughter drifted from the other rooms, mocking reminders of joys that seemed perpetually out of reach. As he listened, muted sobs crept up from his throat, swallowed by the darkness that wrapped around him like a chain.

Every corner of this twisted sanctuary bore witness to cruelty masked as discipline. The caregivers, humorless and severe, wielded their authority as if it were a blade, cutting into the spirits of the young orphans who dared to spark a flicker of defiance. Gabriel had learned not to show weakness; his spirit forged in the fires of neglect, yet the embers of a greater power flickered beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to ignite.

It was during one of these grim evenings, with the moon fathering a wan glow through grimy panes, that the darkness within him stirred. He had been cornered by a group of older boys, their laughter now harsh and jagged like broken glass. The taunts escalated, their cruel words turning into jeers that pricked at something deep inside him—a feral instinct yearning to break free, to unleash the wrath that had been chained by abandonment.

"Look at the little freak!"

one boy snarled, pushing Gabriel with an anger born of their own fractured lives. For a fleeting moment, an ancient surge coursed through Gabriel, a tsunami of energy that surged up from the pit of his soul, responding to the vitriol with a promise of violence. He clenched his fists, the world narrowing into a singular focus beneath a veil of red.

All at once, the air crackled, charged with a flickering energy that echoed the turmoil within him. With an unrestrained scream—a sound that was both a plea and a declaration—Gabriel erupted, sending the bullies sprawling across the dusty floor. In that harrowing instant, he glimpsed his reflection in their startled eyes; horror, disbelief, and something akin to reverence danced there, a testament to the monstrous potential awakening within him.

But even as they scuttled away, leaving him in a viscous silence, Gabriel felt the weight of what he had unleashed settle heavily upon his shoulders. Power coursed through his veins like fire, a seductive whisper that beckoned him to explore the uncharted darkness. Little did he know, this encounter would only be the first step on a path riddled with shadows, leading him towards a destiny perhaps meant for something far more sinister than mere survival.