Klaus burst into the hospital, clutching his bleeding side as he yelled for help. His footsteps dragged across the floor, leaving a trail of dark red behind him.
"Somebody—! Damn it, it hurts—"
Ruby, a nurse and close friend, rushed over the moment she heard his voice.
"Klaus?! What happened?" she asked, helping him onto a bed.
Klaus breathed heavily, eyes half-shut from the pain.
"Don't… don't worry about that. Just end the pain, please."
Ruby inspected the wound and frowned.
"Klaus, this bullet is deep. Removing this kind of thing hurts like hell."
Klaus smirked weakly.
"Just do it. Pain is inevitable."
Ruby rolled her eyes but grabbed the forceps.
"You better not punch me while you're screaming."
Klaus gripped the rails of the bed.
"I'm done screaming. Just pull it."
Ruby started. Klaus clenched his jaw so hard a vein popped on his forehead.
Metal scraped. Blood spilled. His entire body shook.
"You're insane," Ruby muttered.
Klaus forced a grin through the agony.
"Clockspire's… finest."
Meanwhile inside Clockspire palace
Lord Caesar sat on his velvet chair, swirling wine in a glass as he stared at the city from his balcony. The palace was quiet, filled only with the soft rumble of distant thunder.
His phone buzzed.
"What do you want, Morgan?" Caesar answered, not moving an inch.
Morgan's tone was serious.
"There's been a recent string of murders, my lord. All the victims are connected to Old Greymarch."
Caesar leaned forward slightly.
"What are you trying to say?"
Morgan didn't hesitate.
"The Terminator is back."
Caesar froze for a moment, then let out a slow breath.
"After all these years… he actually returned."
"Yes," Morgan said.
Caesar stood up and walked to a large portrait of himself in his youth — confident, proud, unaware of the monster he would eventually create.
"Very well," Caesar said. "Get Subject X ready. If the abomination I created wants to crawl back into my city… then it's time we put him down."
"Yes, my lord." Morgan said.
Caesar ended the call and lifted his wine glass at the portrait.
"Interstellar, darling."
Somewhere , Leonardo slept on a bench near the market square, arms crossed, pretending not to care about anything. The sun warmed his face. It was almost peaceful.
A foot kicked the bench hard.
"Hey, dumbass. This is my spot," a homeless man growled.
Leonardo opened his eyes slowly.
"…What?"
The man stepped closer and punched Leonardo's shoulder.
"I SAID this is my spot! Go get your own, you fucking hypocrite!"
Leonardo laughed sharply.
"You just don't get it."
"I don't want to get it!" the man shouted, pushing Leonardo off the bench like he owned the place.
Leonardo stood up, dusted his jacket, and placed a calm hand on the man's shoulder.
A second later — flames erupted.
The man screamed as fire wrapped around him, falling to his knees as his clothes burned away.
Leonardo watched him without blinking.
"Pathetic."
He kept walking.
Meanwhile in Fecality Labs
Deep underground, in a cold metal room lit by a single flickering lamp, a small pale boy lay on the floor. His ribs showed through his thin skin. His breathing was weak. Shackles rattled every time he moved.
The door slid open with a heavy hiss.
The boy lifted his head slightly.
"C-c-can you… please g-give me some food, sir?" he whispered.
Morgan stepped in with a smirk.
"Food? Of course."
He kicked the boy in the stomach, causing him to curl up and cough violently.
Morgan crouched down.
"But first… we have a task for you."
He grabbed the boy by the chin, tilting his face up toward the light.
"Subject X," Morgan said.
"It's time to wake up."
The boy stared back… eyes trembling.