Episode 6: The Gathering Storm
The underground chamber of The Order was massive, a training ground unlike anything Aarav had seen before. The air was thick with tension, the scent of steel and sweat lingering in the dimly lit space.
He wasn't alone.
Across the room, thirteen figures stood apart from the rest, each one exuding an aura that set them apart from the average Order soldier. Aarav felt their eyes on him—calculating, judging. He knew immediately.
These weren't just warriors. These were monsters.
A sharp voice broke the silence.
"You're the new one, huh?"
Aarav turned toward the speaker—a man lounging lazily on a pile of broken training dummies, flipping a knife between his fingers. His golden hair was unkempt, his blood-red eyes sharp and gleaming with amusement. His smirk never faded.
Jack Marten. Division 005. The Psycho Prince.
Jack grinned, tossing the knife straight at Aarav's face.
Aarav barely managed to tilt his head, the blade slicing past his cheek. He didn't flinch.
Jack's grin widened. "Tell me… how do you handle pain?"
---
They watched him like predators eyeing fresh prey.
A woman in a flowing black coat stood near a pillar, her half-mask covering her right eye. She tilted her head slightly, her voice soft yet laced with disdain.
Elaine Voss. Division 113. The Black Witch.
"Tch. Another rookie," she murmured, twirling her umbrella. "I give you… two weeks before you crack."
Behind her, a towering man covered in scars crossed his arms, his massive frame casting a shadow over Aarav.
Reiner Holt. Division 009. The Unbreakable.
He nodded at Aarav. "Survive your first real mission. Then we'll talk."
A blur of motion.
Aarav turned sharply, but it was already too late.
A girl with short silver hair and a hood covering half her face had moved without a sound—one second she was standing across the room, the next she was behind him, whispering in his ear.
Sora Leigh. Division 077. The Ghost.
"You shouldn't trust everyone here…"
Aarav stepped forward, eyes scanning the rest.
A man in a perfectly tailored black suit, a monocle over one eye, and a single red rose pinned to his chest gave him an elegant bow.
Viktor Crowe. Division 002. The Gentleman Killer.
"Welcome, my dear boy," he said smoothly. "Try not to die too soon—it would be such a waste."
A bald, tattooed brute cracked his knuckles, his gaze burning with bloodlust.
Ivan Drake. Division 006. The Butcher.
"You look… breakable," he said, his grin wide. "Wanna prove me wrong?"
A woman with piercing green eyes and a thin silver scarf covering a scar on her throat smirked.
Lyra Novac. Division 017. The Serpent.
"Mmm, fresh blood," she murmured, circling him like a predator. "I wonder how you'll taste when you scream."
A figure in all black, a hood covering half his face, simply watched Aarav in silence.
Zane Ryker. Division 008. The Shadowblade.
He gave a slight nod—then vanished.
A girl with short red hair and a katana strapped to her back stepped forward. She drew her blade just slightly, the steel gleaming.
Mei Fushida. Division 111. The Crimson Lotus.
"Your posture is weak," she said, inspecting him. "Fix that before someone kills you."
At the far end of the room, a man in a dark robe, a blindfold covering his eyes, beads wrapped around his hands stood motionless.
Bishop Kane. Division 003. The Mad Prophet.
He lifted his head slightly. His voice was quiet, yet it sent a chill down Aarav's spine.
"The storm is coming," Bishop Kane whispered. "And you… you are its heart."
Aarav felt an unease settle deep in his bones.
A man with glasses, flipping through a book without looking up, scoffed.
Isaac Vance. Division 014. The Puppeteer.
"Tch," he muttered. "An anomaly. Interesting."
A muscular figure wrapped in chains slammed his fist against a steel pillar, leaving a deep dent.
Alric Graves. Division 016. The Iron Fist.
"You better be worth my time, rookie."
And finally…
A pale figure leaning against the wall, white hair falling over his face, black-painted fingernails tapping against his knee. His eerie grin never wavered.
Nyx Renfield. Division 106. The Laughing Devil.
His laughter was soft, but it sent a shiver down Aarav's spine.
"Ohhh," Nyx whispered, voice laced with excitement. "This is gonna be fun."
---
Aarav remained calm, even as these legends of The Order assessed him like prey.
He wasn't afraid.
But deep down, he knew—these people weren't allies. They weren't even enemies.
They were something worse.
A dangerous force waiting to tear the world apart.
---
As the scene shifted, two high-ranking officers whispered in the shadows.
"Division 404 is being prepared for something… big."
"The higher-ups are moving faster than expected."
"The mission is classified. If it fails—"
"—then The Order might fall."
A storm was coming.
And Aarav was standing at its center.
---
TO BE CONTINUED...