After being expelled from the academy, Arden had taken to the road. Leaving behind the small village where he'd spent the night, he walked with no destination in mind. The sky was gray, the air cold and damp as if nature itself mirrored his mood. His blind eye still ached, the god's vision "Your flaw will destroy you" echoing in his mind. Lyra's words, "Find me," were a flicker of hope in his heart, but now… he was alone.

As he walked along a narrow path, a scream pierced the air a woman's voice, filled with fear and desperation. Arden's steps quickened, and he ran toward the sound. At the end of the path, in a small wooded clearing, two men had pinned a woman to the ground, looming over her. She thrashed helplessly, crying, "Let me go!" but the men laughed one held her arms while the other reached for her clothes.

Arden stepped out from the trees, his expression cold as he took in the scene. "Stop," he said, his voice calm but laced with menace. The men froze, turning to Arden one short and stocky, the other tall and lanky, both with vile smirks on their faces. The stocky one sneered, "Who're you, kid?" his tone mocking. "Get lost, or we'll gut you."
Arden took a step forward, blood-red flames flickering in his palms the flames glowed with a cold light, but carried a lethal energy. "Last chance," he said, his voice still calm but sharp as a blade. "Let her go, and leave." The woman looked at Arden, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, but the men laughed. The tall one said, "This kid thinks he's a hero," pulling a dagger and advancing toward Arden.

Arden sighed, maintaining his composure. He shaped his flames into a thin thread, wrapping it around the dagger-wielding man's wrist and yanking the man yelped, falling to the ground, his dagger slipping from his hand. The stocky one let go of the woman, charging at Arden with a raised fist, but Arden shaped his flames into a shield, knocking the man back several steps. "Last warning," Arden said, his voice still calm but a storm brewing within.

The woman scrambled to her feet, sobbing as she ran to hide behind Arden. "Please… help," she whispered, her voice trembling. The stocky man glanced at his fallen friend, then turned to Arden, his eyes blazing with rage. "You little brat!" he roared, opening his mouth, but Arden's patience had run out.

Arden opened his palm, and his blood-red flames formed a ring around the stocky man's neck like an executioner's blade, the flames pulsed, sharp but not yet cutting. A cold, mocking smile spread across Arden's face. "Were you about to say something?" he asked, his tone dripping with menacing calm, as he slightly opened his palm, tightening the fiery ring the flames singed the man's neck, but didn't yet kill.

The man's eyes widened, sweat pouring down his face. "Please… please don't!" he begged, his voice thick with fear. But Arden's eyes were cold Kael's death echoed in his mind, and now… his anger was rising again. The man opened his mouth once more, "I" he began, but Arden closed his palm.

The fiery ring snapped shut, severing the stocky man's neck like an executioner's blade his head separated from his body, rolling across the ground, blood splattering the platform. His lifeless body crumpled, and the tall man let out a horrified scream, but Arden didn't even glance at him. The woman, trembling behind Arden, whispered, "Thank you…" her voice filled with fear Arden's cold composure, even as her savior, was terrifying.

Arden extinguished his flames, not turning to her. "Go," he said, his voice icy. "And don't tell anyone." The woman nodded shakily, fleeing in terror. The tall man tried to scramble to his feet and run, but Arden's flames lashed out like a whip, wrapping around his leg and pinning him to the ground. "I'm not done with you," Arden said, his voice a deadly calm but at that moment, his blind eye burned again, and the god's voice echoed in his mind:

"Your flaw will destroy you."