Orion set off on his journey, armed with a list of towns where the original members of his gang had been prominent. At the top of that list was Beltor, where he hoped to find people sympathetic to his cause. If only he knew that the name "Eternal Flame" carried weight for all the wrong reasons.
As he arrived in Beltor, he was surprised to see a heavily guarded checkpoint at the main gate, with officers all around. Despite his disdain for law enforcement, he decided to keep a low profile for the time being.
"What's with all the security, expecting an attack or something?"
"You must be new around here due to the high crime rate in recent years Beltor has been turned into a bounty town we outfit volunteers with brands granting them limited power and authority to bring in bounties on our behalf head to the tavern at the center of town if you're interested in signing up."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Orion traversed the bustling town, keeping his wits about him, but it wasn't long before he was approached by a seemingly homeless man.
"You look strong, are you interested in joining the chain gang?"
"What's the chain gang?"
"Only the best bounty hunting gang in Beltor."
"With a name like chain gang i doubt it, a little on the nose ain't it." (Then again, what kind of name is eternal flame)
"You'll regret mocking the chain gang, just see if the other hunters want a rookie like you then you'll come crawling back."
The old man rambled on until he realized that Orion had already walked into the tavern. Inside, there were numerous people—some were signing up, while others were drunk off their ass. In one corner, a large crowd had gathered. As Orion approached the crowd, he saw a young man, no older than himself, arm wrestling a scruffy-looking bar patron.
"Come on, best two out of three!"
"Man all that liquor must be going to your head, old man, I've already beat you three times."
"I was going easy on you, you wouldn't last a second if I were playing for real!"
"Alright, I'll take you on again if you make it worth my time, bet your last bounty on it."
"Hah and what are you going to put up lord knows you and that dumbass chain gang ain't worth the dirt you walk on i mean what good is a bounty hunter who doesn't hunt bounties"
"That may be true, but I'm not the one who lost three times, so what does that make you?"
"If you're so confident in yourself, i have the perfect idea if you lose you pay me and the boys tab."
"Fine, I'll take that bet."
The older man makes a gesture, prompting a member of his crew to bring their earnings to the table as the match begins. However, as the older man starts to lose, he gives a nod, and one of his gang members strikes his opponent over the head with a bottle. This causes the opponent to lose the match and sparks a brawl. Unfortunately for Orion, he gets pulled into the fight.
As fists flew and bottles shattered, the tavern erupted into chaos. Orion tried to duck out of the fight, but a wild punch caught him on the cheek, knocking him into a nearby table. The man who hit him grinned, winding up for another swing.
"Big mistake."
With a swift movement, Orion grabbed the man's wrist mid-punch, twisted it back, and slammed him face-first into the table. The surrounding gang members turned their attention to him.
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Three charged him at once. Orion dodged low, grabbed a barstool, and used it to sweep one off his feet. Another tried to grapple him, but Orion planted his foot in the man's gut and hurled him over the counter. The last one paused, suddenly unsure.
"Still wanna dance?" Orion asked, blood trickling from his lip.
The last guy bolted.
The brawl wound down, with most of the gang either unconscious or fleeing. The barkeep, a burly woman with scars across her knuckles, stepped out from the back room holding a bat.
"Everyone still standing—get the hell out, or I start swinging."
As people stumbled toward the door, she pointed the bat at Orion.
"Not you. You fought back, but you didn't start it. You're staying."
Later, in the now-quiet tavern, Orion sat at the bar with an ice pack on his face. The young man who was struck during the arm-wrestling match came over, rubbing the back of his head.
"You didn't have to jump in like that, but... I'm glad you did."
"Didn't have much of a choice," Orion said. "Guy threw a punch, I threw him through a table."
The young man laughed. "Name's Damien. You got a name, mystery man?"
"Orion."
Damien's face twitched in recognition. "Orion… as in Orion of the Eternal Flame?"
Orion tensed. "That a problem?" (Damn word spreads fast i new Jace said they would make up some rumors about me to get the ball rolling but i didn't think it would be that fast)
Damien leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper. "Not for me. But around here? People don't think too highly of Eternal Flame. Word is, you burned half a border town to ash and vanished."
I'm sure that's just an exaggeration."
"Well… if you're trying to fix that name, you just made a good start. That punk you dropped? His bounty's been sitting on the wall for weeks but the officers won't touch him because his hunter gang has the officers in their back pocket, but if you bring his sorry ass in while in a public setting they'd have no choice but to act "
He slid a crumpled wanted poster across the bar.
"Could be your first step to redemption. Or whatever it is you're looking for."
Orion looked at the poster. The bounty wasn't huge—but it was enough to buy trust in Beltor.
The bar is quieting down from the earlier brawl. Damien slouches in a chair next to Orion, flipping a coin lazily.
"You know you fight like someone with a chip on their shoulder."
"You drink like someone hiding from theirs."
"My adoptive dad had me branded when I was a child. I never asked for this life, so I make money through other means, like gambling and odd jobs. The truth is, there's no escaping this life. If I quit, I'm immediately considered an outlaw because I have power, and the law can't control me. Not that it matters, since I've never used my brand."
"When you're branded, you're given a spark of authority—some call it justice, some call it a leash. It's different for everyone. Depends on what kind of power you get and how 5 points thinks you'll use to uphold the law. Or bend it."
Damien takes a shot and rests his head on the bar.
"Take a shot Orion, best liquor in town"
Before the silence settles too long, one of the unconscious Gang members twitches—his eyes cracking open just enough to hear Orion's name.
"…Orion… Eternal Flame…"
He slips out the back unnoticed.
EXT. TAVERN – SHORTLY AFTER
Orion and Damien exit, but their steps falter. At the far end of the street, a wall of bounty hunters blocks the way. The same gang from earlier—backed up by fresh reinforcements.
"Orion of the Eternal Flame… you have a big bounty on your head. Time to do your part, Damien."
Damien's face stiffens. His father-figure—the ragged, homeless man—emerges from the crowd, sadness in his eyes.
"You don't have to like it, boy. Just do it. This is why I had you branded."
"You serious? You're just gonna sell me out?"
"…No. I'm gonna do something I should've done years ago."
He unbuttons his shirt, revealing the faded hunter's brand on his chest—dormant, never activated.
"Do it, Damien! If you use the brand, you're one of us again!"
"No. I'm not like you."
Damien clenches his fist—and for the first time, his brand glows, igniting a subtle aura around him. At the same moment, Orion's shard pulses violently. He stumbles back, gripping his chest as the shard inside him stirs, whispering in a language only he understands.
"Rise, heir of flame… Let them burn for what they've done…"
Orion's eyes flare crimson. The air thickens. His veins burn as embers erupt around him, the chaos shard responding to his rage and fear.
"…What the hell is that?!"
Orion breathing heavily."…Don't know. But I think I'm done holding back."
Damien uses calculated strikes and the ability granted by his brand, which appears to allow him to control kinetic force to knock enemies back or turn their attacks against them despite never using the power fights like its been apart of him his whole life.
Orion, now partially engulfed in ethereal flame, doesn't have full control of the shard's power, but lashes out with chaotic bursts—burning through walls, knocking back multiple enemies with feather-shaped flame surges.
The bounty hunter who cheated Damien earlier tries to escape, but Damien intercepts him and lays him out with one punch enhanced by the brand's force magnifier.
The fight ends with both of them surrounded.
At that moment, the townspeople begin to gather. A woman shouts, "They took out the bastard who's been scamming everyone!"
Another says, "You guards just stood there while the hunters ran wild! These two did more than you ever have!"
The public outcry grows. The guards, sensing the shift, reluctantly back down.
EXT. BELTOR GATES – DAWN
Orion and Damien slip out of town as the sun rises behind them.
"Well. Guess I'm a criminal now."
"You were already an outlaw. You just hadn't joined the right crew yet."
He holds out a ring—one of the Eternal Flame heirlooms.
"You in?"
Damien stares at it, then slides it on.
"…Yeah. I'm in."
From atop the gate, the Chain Gang watches.
The chain gang leader speaks softly."Don't die out there, kid. You were always meant for more than this life. I just wanted to give you the best chance I could in a world like this ."
"You think he'll ever come back?"
"If he does… we'd better be good enough to be worth coming back to.... you've finally broken your chains,..... son