First Blood

The city had a heartbeat, a rhythm that pulsed through its streets and alleys. It was a living entity, filled with life, secrets, and darkness. And tonight, Ardyn Kael would introduce a new element to this rhythm—fear.

He moved through the shadows like a wraith, his steps silent, his presence undetectable. The wind was cold, biting at the few pedestrians still lingering on the streets, but it had no effect on him. His exoskeleton insulated him from the elements, his senses honed to detect even the slightest movement around him.

Tonight was different. Tonight, he would begin his purge.

The Order had made their intentions clear—they saw him as a threat, a variable they couldn't control. Ardyn had no intentions of being controlled by anyone. His power demanded action, and the Order had unknowingly provided him with the perfect targets to test it on. It was time to remind the city of its true nature, and to show the Order just how formidable he had become.

His first target was an underground facility, hidden beneath the facade of an abandoned warehouse. Ardyn had spent days tracing the faint energy signature he'd sensed during his encounter with the Order. The signal led him here, to a location most would overlook. But Ardyn was not most people—his transformation had sharpened his instincts, and he knew this place held more than just dust and decay.

He approached the warehouse, scanning the area for signs of life. It appeared deserted from the outside, but Ardyn knew better. He could sense the faint vibrations of machinery beneath the surface, the hum of electricity running through hidden circuits. This was no ordinary building.

Without hesitation, Ardyn moved to the side of the warehouse, locating a hidden entrance that blended seamlessly with the wall. He pressed his hand against it, his claws tapping a specific pattern. There was a click, and the door slid open silently, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.

He stepped inside, the door closing behind him with a soft hiss. The air was cool and damp, the scent of metal and oil thick in the confined space. Ardyn descended the stairs, his eyes adjusting to the darkness with ease. The further he went, the more he could sense the presence of others—faint heartbeats, the soft murmur of voices. They were close.

At the bottom of the staircase, Ardyn reached a large, reinforced door. He could hear the sounds more clearly now—men talking, machinery humming. This was it. The facility where the Order conducted their operations, hidden from the public eye.

Ardyn placed his hand on the door, and with a surge of telekinetic energy, he forced the locking mechanism to disengage. The door slid open, revealing a large, dimly lit room filled with computers, monitors, and various other equipment. Several men in tactical gear were stationed throughout the room, their attention focused on the screens in front of them.

The moment the door opened, their heads snapped up, eyes widening in shock as they saw the figure standing in the doorway. Ardyn stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the room. The men quickly reached for their weapons, but Ardyn was faster. With a wave of his hand, he sent a powerful telekinetic pulse through the room, disarming them instantly. Their guns flew from their hands, clattering against the walls.

Panic spread among them. Ardyn could see it in their eyes, hear it in their frantic whispers. They were well-trained, but they had never encountered anything like him before. He could sense their fear—taste it, almost—and it only fueled his resolve.

"You've been watching me," Ardyn said, his voice calm, but laced with an underlying threat. "Now, it's my turn to watch you."

The men exchanged glances, uncertainty flickering in their expressions. One of them, clearly the leader, stepped forward, trying to maintain control of the situation.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded, though his voice betrayed his fear.

Ardyn tilted his head slightly, regarding the man with cold, unblinking eyes. "I want what you took from me—freedom. You think you can control me, monitor my every move. But tonight, I'm here to show you how wrong you are."

With that, Ardyn raised his hand again, and the room exploded into chaos. The machinery sparked and malfunctioned as he unleashed a wave of telekinetic force, sending monitors crashing to the ground and lights flickering wildly. The men stumbled, trying to regain their footing, but Ardyn was already upon them.

He moved like a predator, his claws slicing through the air with precision. He didn't aim to kill—yet. Instead, he incapacitated them, leaving them writhing on the floor, clutching at their injuries. The leader managed to grab a knife, lunging at Ardyn in a desperate attempt to defend himself.

Ardyn caught the man's wrist effortlessly, twisting it until the knife clattered to the ground. He looked into the man's eyes, seeing the fear that now consumed him.

"Tell your masters that I am coming for them," Ardyn whispered, his voice cold as ice. "This is just the beginning."

With a final, brutal twist, Ardyn sent the man sprawling to the ground. He turned to the others, who lay groaning and defeated, and surveyed the room. The destruction was significant, but it was only a taste of what he could do. He had held back—these men were mere pawns, not worth the full extent of his power.

As the alarms blared throughout the facility, Ardyn knew reinforcements would arrive soon. But he had made his point. The Order would know that he was not to be trifled with, that he was more than capable of tearing down everything they had built.

Ardyn turned and left the room, moving back up the staircase and into the night. The city awaited him, its lights glimmering in the distance. He had begun his purge, and the first blood had been spilled. But it would not be the last.

The hunt had truly begun.