From the Ashes || unOrdinary

Prologue

John's eyes lingered on his target. The famous vigilante Feeniks. He was the last piece of a puzzle that the Bureau of Authority had been working on for several months. His ability, Flame Claw, was something that was valued by his superiors. It fit with their narrative: a shadow organization that hunts vigilantes, burning them with a signature symbol... the symbol of EMBER.

John was never one for theatrics, but he appreciated the poetic irony of it all. Vigilantes being struck down by an ability of a former so-called-hero. He brought his fingers up to his earpiece and called into the command center. "This is Joker," he muttered, his voice gravelly and deep. "I have eyes on the target. He's alone. Awaiting further orders."

"Well done, Joker," a mature female voice John immediately recognized as Valerie. "Proceed with the plan, and remember," he braced himself for the unfortunate order he already knew was coming, "we need him alive."

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yes, ma'am," he replied, activating his ability, his eyes glowing a bright, infernal gold. He leaped down from the rooftop he'd been stationed atop, and landed gracefully onto a lower rooftop. He was quickly gaining on his target. When the vigilante noticed him, he stopped in his tracks.

"Who are you?" he asked, eyeing the assassin curiously and suspiciously. John stayed silent. He'd been trained not to engage in conversation with an enemy, especially not with a vigilante. "Strong, but silent type, huh? Well, if I were you, I wouldn't mess with me, I'm not in a good mood today." A few seconds of silence between them passed, and Feeniks scoffed. "Fine then, you asked for it!" He lunged at John with his ability active. His nails extended outwards into claws and his hands burst into flames.

John quickly dodged out of the way, activating his own ability and sampling his opponent's aura. He wanted to keep his ability quiet for a little bit, though, but it was good to have it just in case. Feeniks slashed upwards at John's torso. John managed to avoid his claws, and countered the attack by punching him square across the face. The impact from John's ability alone sent Feeniks flying backwards into a ledge.

Feeniks scoffed and wiped the blood from his mouth. "You're strong, I'll give you that," he laughed. He lunged forward and stretched out his arm to stab John. "But strength isn't power! I'll show you power!"

John smirked under his mask and sidestepped out of the way, causing Feeniks to stumble forward. He caught himself before falling flat on his face, but by the point he began to stand up, John kicked him in the stomach, sending him back down onto the ground.

"Who the hell are you!" Feeniks demanded. "How are you overpowering me with such a basic ability? You shouldn't be this powerful!"

Continuing to stay silent, John revealed the true nature of his ability, extending his nails out into claws and having his hands burst into black and gold flames that burned hotter than Feeniks' own. With widened eyes, Feeniks put his arm over his eyes to shield himself from the burning gaze of the obsidian flames.

"Impossible!" he cried. "That's my ability!"

John lunged forward and stabbed Feeniks in the arm and then slashed across his stomach, making sure to keep the wound shallow in order to keep him from bleeding out. The flames were hot enough, as well, to cauterize the stomach wound, further preventing him from bleeding too much.

Feeniks fainted from the pain and laid their unconscious in a pool of his own blood underneath his arm. John extinguished the flames around his hands and retracted the claws, picked up Feeniks and hoisted him over his shoulder.

He brought his fingers back up to his earpiece. "Target has been collected," he said. "On my way to HQ."

"Good work," Valerie answered from the other end of the line. "EMBER can finally come to fruition, thanks to you, Joker."