Adrien's Revenge

Adrien gazed down at Eliza. The anger that had consumed him moments before had faded, replaced by a hollow emptiness. He could feel the shadowy tendrils pulsing around him, responding to his thoughts, and he willed them to gently wrap around Eliza, lifting her from the ground. But as the dark tendrils touched her, she whimpered, her body instinctively curling away from the touch.

Adrien's brow furrowed, and he withdrew the tendrils immediately. "Why can't I...?" he muttered, looking at his hands as if they would give him the answer. He leaned down and carefully slipped his arms under Eliza's frail body, lifting her with a gentleness that contrasted starkly with the brutality of what he'd just done. Cradling her close to his chest, Adrien turned and walked toward the cell door, which hung off its hinges, twisted and broken.

There was no expression on his face as he stepped into the dimly lit hallway beyond. The adrenaline that had surged through him in the heat of his anger had dissipated, leaving behind a void. He felt nothing—no fear, no remorse, no satisfaction from his revenge. Just an overwhelming emptiness.

The building they were held in was rudimentary, built of rough wooden planks with sparse furnishings. It was clear that it was hastily constructed, perhaps a temporary holding place for prisoners of this brutal game. The silence inside was oppressive, only broken by the sound of Adrien's footsteps as he carried Eliza through the narrow corridors. He moved with purpose, his mind set on getting out of this place, but the darkness clung to him, an ever-present reminder of the power he had unleashed.

As he reached the entrance of the building, a group of kids from B Team appeared, blocking his path. They looked at Adrien, eyes widening at the sight of the shadows that still lingered around him. One of them, a tall boy with a sneer on his face, stepped forward. "Where do you think you're going, prisoner?" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt.

Adrien didn't answer. He didn't need to. The shadows reacted to his unspoken command, lashing out with blinding speed. The tendrils struck with lethal precision, and the boy didn't even have time to scream before he was dead. The others barely had a chance to react before the darkness consumed them too, leaving a trail of lifeless bodies in Adrien's wake.

He continued walking, stepping over the corpses without a second glance. The shadows withdrew into him, no longer needed, and the silence returned. Adrien's grip on Eliza tightened slightly, but his face remained impassive, as if the lives he had just taken meant nothing to him.

As he walked deeper into the camp, he encountered more kids, all of them members of B Team, armed and ready to defend their base. But Adrien's presence alone was enough to strike fear into their hearts. The darkness that clung to him was palpable, a living entity that responded to his every thought. Most of them backed away, unwilling to engage with the boy who had slaughtered their comrades without hesitation.

One boy, younger than the others, stood his ground, his hands trembling as he held a crudely made spear. He was clearly terrified, but he didn't move. Adrien stopped in front of him, looking down with empty eyes. "How do I get out of here?" he asked, his voice flat, devoid of any emotion.

The boy hesitated, looking around as if hoping someone would come to his aid. "I...I can't let you leave," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're supposed to be a prisoner..."

Adrien sighed, the sound heavy in the quiet night. He had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he could find someone who wouldn't make this difficult. But it seemed that even the innocent were too bound by their orders to see reason. He shifted Eliza slightly in his arms, freeing one hand, and with a flick of his wrist, the shadows sprang forth again. The boy's eyes widened in terror as the darkness enveloped him, silencing his screams before they could even start.

"Why...?" Adrien muttered to himself, as he watched the boy fall lifeless to the ground. "Why does it have to be like this?"

He had no answer for himself, and so he continued walking, each step taking him further into the camp. He knew he was nearing the edge of the base, could feel the cool night air on his skin as he moved through the camp. But as he turned the corner of one of the makeshift buildings, a familiar figure stepped into his path.

Rylan.

Adrien stopped, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the older boy. Rylan's face was set in a grim expression, his eyes cold and calculating as he looked at Adrien. "So, you're the one causing all this commotion," Rylan said, his voice even and controlled.

Adrien's lips curled into a smile, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. He recognized Rylan—how could he not? The boy who had dragged him through the woods like an animal, who had treated him like nothing more than a piece of meat. And now, here he was, standing in front of Adrien like nothing had happened.

"I remember you," Adrien said, his voice low and filled with a chilling calmness. "You hurt me... so now I'm going to hurt you."

He gently set Eliza down on the ground, making sure she was as comfortable as possible before he straightened up, his eyes never leaving Rylan. The shadows around him began to writhe, reacting to his rising anger, and for the first time, Rylan's calm demeanor cracked.

"What the hell are you?" Rylan whispered, taking a step back as the darkness around Adrien began to grow, expanding outwards like a living thing. He was on edge now, confused if this was the same kid who he had dragged over here. It couldn't be, right?

Rylan had no time to think because Adrien was rushing towards him, a large smile on his face. He wanted to do the same thing he did to the guard, the feeling felt good, really good! He wanted to experience it again now, and he was going to get what he wanted. Rylan was an experienced fighter though, so a lunge like that was not going to do much against him. He kicked Adrien to the side, similar to how Adrien hit the unknown attacker into the tree. Adrien got up fairly quickly, wiping his mouth and staring at Rylan for a second, that crazy look in his eye.

"Yes, tap into more of that power, let the forbidden magick course through your vains, embrace it!"

Adrien would dash forward, preparing a punch for Rylan's face. The dark aura would gather around his first and punch into Rylan's chest. Rylan would try to block this attack, but the sheer amplification that the darkness granted Adrien was enough to pierce through Rylan's stomach. Rylan coughed up blood and looked down at Adrien with fear in his eyes, before his life force left his body, and Rylan was no more.

"Another Kill? I'll be sure to reward you, servant."