A tall man with a dark complexion moved gracefully through the devastation of Ambrosia village. His squinted green eyes sparkled with a chilling delight that contrasted starkly with the grim scene around him. A wide, almost sinister smile stretched across his face, revealing a strange amusement as he waved casually at the lifeless bodies that shimmered with a green glow, vanishing into the air. His black hair tossed lightly over his shoulder, framing a face that seemed both compelling and unnerving. Dressed in dark green robes, he embodied an unsettling blend of elegance and menace, igniting fear in the hearts of any who dared to observe him.

  Orion strolled undisturbed toward the Central Building, which served as the hub of the once boisterous village. He glanced around at the destruction caused by both beasts that clawed at dead bodies and agents in dark hoods that killed both beast and Seedlings. Houses and places of business that once held warmth just the day before now stood as nothing but piles of rubble ready to topple over.

  Orion said, the sinister snake-like smile never leaving his lips as he laughed at his own joke.

  With a broad smile and hands clasped behind his back as if taking a stroll, Orion walked through the Central Building, stepping over bodies like stones along a path. He calmly ascended the stairs until he reached the top floor, where a chaotic scene unfolded. Zindra and Logi appeared to have just finished their fierce battle as a silver ball rolled out of the large hole in the back of the room—where Arc had launched the first figure.

  Orion smiled at the dazed child, who was still in a stupor. His eyes locked on where the silver ball had just rolled out.

  Orion's snake-like smile spread further as he spoke

  Carter turned his head to look at the man who just walked into the entrance of the room with a face of shock and fear. Orion looked at the child with a twitch of confusion as their eyes locked.

  Orion said, eyebrows raised.

  The faint sounds of movement and the soft rustle of fabric echoed from beneath the cot where Carter lay. After a moment, Priya emerged, her small frame inching forward as she crawled out from the shadows. Clutched tightly in her small arms was a stuffed toy, its fur matted and worn but cherished. As she peered out from under the bed, her wide, innocent eyes met Carter's, breaking him from his stupor. The sight of the trembling little girl, with her disheveled hair framing a face filled with fear, tears, and pleading.

  Orion said.

  As Priya heard the man speak and smile at her, she stepped back until her back pressed against the wall. One hand tightly held her toy, while the other clutched Carter's hand, which was positioned awkwardly due to her grip and the angle at which she stood.

  Orion's eyes narrowed, and his smile vanished as he watched the two. he said, but his tone and expression contradicted his words.

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  Out of nowhere, an elderly man with white hair and robes materialized between Orion and the children. His demeanor was serene and expressionless as he fixed a steady, unblinking gaze on Orion.

  Orion said.

  Orion said.

  With a sharp snap of his fingers, Priya's body instantly froze, then morphed into a mechanical march toward Orion. Each step she took was precise, like a marionette pulled by invisible strings, her expression vacant. Meanwhile, Carter was still lying on the bed, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief as he watched the unsettling transformation unfold. He could feel the urgency as he held onto Priya's hand with a grip that conveyed fear not only from him but from her as well.

  Hermes watched the scene stoically as Carter tried to hold Priya's hand. However, her subtly shaking hand slipped from his grip just as he fell to the foot of the cot. Carter looked at Hermes with a pained expression, begging for help, but Hermes just watched as Priya walked past him toward the snake-like man.

  Orion knelt with a warm smile and gently rested his hand on Priya's head, reminiscent of a loving father bestowing affection on his child.

  said softly, yet the scene around them told a different story—a chilling tension hung in the air. The stark contrast between his fatherly gesture and the unsettling atmosphere created dissonance, making his words seem almost surreal at this moment.

  The light slowly returned to Priya's eyes as Orion gripped her arm tightly. Her voice cried out for help. She shouted Carter's name as tears ran down her face. She tried to pull away from the smiling man; she kicked, she bit, and continued to cry, but his grip remained.

  Carter tried to run towards her, but Hermes simply grabbed him by the arms, not letting him take another step. Even with Carter screaming and pulling, Hermes remained motionless. Then time stopped for both of them as Orion's hand moved slowly towards Priya's neck, and a burning white flame flared in his hand.

  Through his snake-like smile, Orion opened his mouth,

  His hand glowed, and a beam of bright white flames burst through Priya's neck, and the sound of her crying and screams ceased. Only the sound of Carter's name echoed in the room as her crying head fell to the ground with a soundless thud.

  Orion stood with a sneer plastered on his face as he watched the motes of green light waft out of the body, but after just seconds, the snake-like smile spread once more. He turned to the pair, who stared at the scene with open mouths and wide eyes in shock. With a smile and wave, he took his leave as if saying goodbye to friends he would see later.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Carter could feel the grip loosen from his wrist, but that tight grip was the only thing that had held him up now; with it gone, Carter folded to his knees as he looked into the dull eyes of Priya who still seemed to be pleading for him, yet here he was powerless again to do anything. Carter scooted towards the body, his face still full of shock and acceptance of the situation, but as his hand wrapped around the quickly chilling fingers, a creaking sound that slowly turned into a wail escaped his lips.

  Hermes watched this scene with a pained expression, knowing his own fault. He had thought he had prepared enough. He thought everything was in place, but he didn't account for his inadequacy, which cost so much. Now, a village lay in ruin, and an entire race of Seedlings was gone overnight. He would not have remained silent about the beasts if he could go back. He would not have remained silent about the traitors. He would have done it differently, but Orion was right. He let power and control get to his head, thinking that this time would be different, but it was the same. He felt powerless, so powerless that it was hard to move from his spot, and every wail from the child only sapped more of his strength away. He had failed and needed to clean it up before preparing for the subsequent encounter.