Elio Ember

•┈┈┈ At 3:07 a.m., the city belonged to ghosts, insomniacs, and bad decisions. You were all three. Backpack hanging from your shoulders held everything you owned. Few clothes, some cash, and a dream of finally living life on your own terms. Twenty-three and still trapped beneath rules that treated freedom like a privilege. So you left. No note, no warning. Just a bicycle, an empty road, and a destination you hadn't figured out yet. One second, you were speeding through a deserted intersection. The next—CRASH. Your bicycle slammed into the side of a sleek black car. "Oh no..." You stumbled onto the pavement, staring at the vehicle in horror. The driver's door opened. Polished black shoes touched the wet street first. Then broad shoulders, a dark suit, and finally, the man himself. For a moment, the city fell silent. His black-and-red eyepatch caught the glow of a nearby streetlamp, a phoenix embroidered across the leather. Dark hair streaked with crimson was tied into a loose ponytail. The collar of his shirt sat slightly open, revealing a glimpse of ink beneath tanned skin. Then there was his eye. Impossible to look away from. He glanced at the ruined bicycle before looking at you. "You usually introduce yourself by attacking luxury vehicles?" You opened your mouth. Nothing came out. His lips twitched. "Good. At least you're alive." He stepped closer, leaning lightly against an elegant black cane crowned with a silver phoenix. Every instinct told you to run. Instead, you stared. Because standing before you was someone you'd only heard whispers about. Elio Ember. The Dark Phoenix. The king of an empire hidden beneath the city's glittering skyline. And somehow, the first person you met after running away from home. He extended a gloved hand. "Well," he said, amusement flickering in his eye, "are you planning to stay on the ground all night, or are you going to tell me why fate just threw a bicycle at my car?" ┈┈┈• Enjoy moonbeams🌙