Somewhere in the city of ZOA, loud banging noises erupted from a particular building that had a sign at the front it that read "Kickz Gym". This place was one of the most popular Gym in the whole of ZOA. It wouldn't be a surprise since the owner himself was son to one or if not the most influential person in the city. The place was large if one took a look from the outside. And even larger when one got in. On the inside, were different equipments ranging from Barbells, dumbbells punching bags and so on.
The sign hung at the entrance said the building was closed for business today. But a loud resounding bang could be heard coming from an area on the gym.
On closer inspection one could see a figure standing in the dim light. And it looked like this figure was hitting another round object that hung above the ground. Repeated loud bangs could be heard. And after some minutes this round object fell.
Moving away from the only source of light within the area, the figure was once again enveloped in darkness and could not be seen. But then another light was turned on. And in went the figure into what looked like a storage compartment. Now coming out with another one of those round object, the figure's face could now be seen clearly. This figure was none other than Jayden. He went on to turn off the light emanating from the storage room, and then proceeded to the spot he had initially left.
"These is the third bag that's cut loose. And this one's torn open too. They just make fake things this days". Jayden said to himself as he looked to be inspecting the round object that was on the ground which turns out to be a punching bag. Although he claimed they were fake, that was far from true as he would have had the manager running the place fired if the place operated on "cheap and fake" equipments as he liked to call it. The bags have been giving in due to relentless assaults coming from none other than him.
He had picked up this unhealthy behaviour of coming to the gym everyday. Well that was pretty much what he did on normal days. But what makes this scenario special is that he would ask that the place be closed and that everyone left. Leaving him all alone with numerous equipments to play with. This behaviour started from a few weeks ago and he has been relentless with it. Coming in the morning and leaving at night.
One would expect him to get tired. But he was far from tired as he had something driving him. His intention was never to come in and get "ripped" or pile on some pounds. No, in fact from the armless shirt he wore, one could see his perfectly huge carved biceps. He would come here every single day for one reason. To let it out.
He was still mourning his father's demise. And with everything that has been happening, this did seem like a good escape for the young adult.
With his arms wrapped up in white tape and no gloves on he would constantly hit the bag with as much force as he could. And each time it would pack the same power as before. Not a slight sign of him slowing down and he was fueled by rage and sadness. It was like each time he punched the bag, he was punching someone he hated, a long time foe.
And in reality he was actually seeing a face each time he hit the bag. And he would constantly mumble words each time. And then just when it looked like he was about to stop he would hold the bag with both hands and lean in close almost like he was about to go in for a kiss. Then suddenly push the unsuspecting object away and start the onslaught all over again. It was safe to say the bag wasn't having the nicest days.
"Mr!...."
Bang!!
"Mayor!"
Bang!!
"How!?"...
Bang!!!
"Could!"...
"You!"
Bang!
Clank!
And that sound was followed by a thud. Sadly the bag he brought in an hour ago couldn't take the assault no more. Jayden looking at the floor with four bags now lying on the floor all battered sighed and fell on his knees. Then letting out a scream which was swiftly followed by a river of tears. He then got into a foetal position and would tap his feet on the ground from time to time.
Minutes later, still in the gym. Jayden was now seen standing. He was unwrapping the tapes off his hands. And when he had successfully unwrapped the first one of his hands. He looked at it and chuckled.
"You look like you are being misused" Jayden said and then started laughing. As soon as the laugh started, so it ended as he now proceeded to unwrap the second hand. Looking at the hand that's been unwrapped. It looked so red and swollen, it could probably glow in the dark. Whatever protection the tape was meant to provide, it surely failed to do so since the impact it received had long past it's capacity.
After unwrapping both hands he went in to the bath room within the gym to wash up and change into something cleaner and less sweaty. And coming out of a door, a mirror reflected the now changed Jayden who was in a track suit that was blue with white stripes running down the sleeves and then he had a pair of white sneakers which matched the outfit perfectly.
Now clutching onto his hair, he looked at the mirror and one could tell he wasn't been getting much sleep as he had eye bags beneath his eyes.
"I can't take all of this. I need to get away from all of this" Jayden said as he stared at his reflection. Then bending to pick the small bag he would pack his stuffs in, he got up to take one final look at himself only to find that there was a reflection of someone else. A face he had unwillingly grown familiar with.
"You don't need to run from it. You need to embrace it". The man with the helmet on said. It was now a regular routine for this man to pop up out of no where. He'd appear to Jayden and each time he would leave, he would leave a disturbing message that just added more to the mess that the young adult was currently in.
"What do you want this time?". Jayden said casually without turning to face who was at his back.One can't blame him, at this point it was safe to say he was used to this happening and couldn't careless.
"I want to show you something but I need you to prove to me you would be ready to handle anything that comes your way". The man said before walking up to wear Jayden stood and placing his hands on the others shoulder. Right now Jayden could see what looked like a gauntlet on his hand. And it had this red line flowing through it. The same with the one on the mans face. This line looked like larva red.
"Let him take charge." The man said before said to jayden and then suddenly the light on his gauntlet began to shine and it got redder and redder. And as it did, Jayden screamed in pain.
"What are you doing to me!". Jayden screamed as he even lacked the strength to break free from the grip on his shoulder. But after a while the screaming stopped. And right now, the whole of Jayden's clothes looked to have been burnt with no sign of it anywhere.
Now looking at himself in the mirror, he could see a slight glow coming from where the man had held him. And on closer inspection he saw that there was a mark, one that looked like a horse and where the head of the horse was supposed to be, instead was a Man's upper body holding an axe. And this man had a two curved horns sticking out of his head. And his skin looked to be falling off and as it did new one grew almost instantly. This happened a few more times and the process looked like his body was been coated with more and more skin. And now hair that had wilted had now grown back only it was dark now and no longer blonde.
While all this happened, his attention was divided. Since he was force to listen to the voice that was screaming in his head. It had only started when that strange man had touched him and increased ever since. He had tried to ignore it, now this voice wouldn't stop screaming. The voice sounded like chao, it was clear this wasn't ordinary. And the voice only said one thing.
"Kill him!!"
"Kill him!!"
Jayden had tried to make it stop but it only got worse. He covered his ears and started rolling on the floor but the voice wouldn't stop. He then started to punch the flow and after the third punch he stopped. Not because the voice had stopped, but because he realised he had just punched a hole through the floor and that area seem to be melting as well.
"Ok I will!" He screamed in his mind and then the voice finally stopped and he could now think straight.
"I feel...dead!" Jayden thought as he now picked himself from the floor only to have a better look at himself since he hadn't had the chance to properly examine himself.
Now looking at him, his already athletic body looked even more intimidating as some part of his body looked pale and others looked black. His arms where black and this ran down from his shoulders all the way to his wrist. And then his legs were black as well all the way to the ankle. But what stood out the most is the mark on his shoulder that was still glowing, and then his chest down to his lower region which was so pale like it was dead.
Now that he could now think straight, he turned around and walked out of the bathroom and got back to the main area which was now lit up. He walked into another room that had a name at the top of the door which read "Jayden Wayne". He walked in and turned on the lights. And then after few minutes he Walker out with clothes on. He had on him a black hoodie with black joggers. Then he looked around and left the building.
—————
Now in the ZOA's police station, it felt quite empty as a lot of officers had now gone home.
"Hey Reggie, which team do you think is gonna win that game today?" A fat police man asked another who sat on a desk opposite him sorting out some papers.
"I'd be lucky to know, when I'm done with this I'm heading home to go watch PRINCESS BOOTH". The other one who was the total opposite of what the first looked like said.
" Hahaha, your daughter again huh". The first police officer replied still laughing.
"What can I do?" The other replied with a smile.
Just then a figure walked inside to meet the two. And the usual protocol was to state your reason for coming but this figure in a hoodie kept walking and passed them not regarding them at all.
"Hey!! Where do you think you are going?" The fat police man yelled. And while he was at that, his partner had dropped the papers he was sorting, and made it to the figure's front and blocked his way not allowing him pass.
"Hey!...you had better have a good explanation for ..." He was about to say as he placed his hand on the stranger's chest.
"What the..." The slim police man couldn't finish his Statement as just then the stranger knocked off the hand front his chest and pushed the man sending him flying hitting several other desks with a single hand.
Pulling down the hoodie, the police man who had been knocked off into desks had slowly made it back to his feet. And now looking at the one who had just sent him flying. Fear grasp the officer he met eyes with stranger's whose were as dark as midnight. Out of fear not wasting time he pulled out his pistol by his side and pointed as the stranger who looked awfully familiar to him.
"Wrong choice" the stranger said and then, what happened next could only be described horrific. Dark matter began to form in the stranger's hand and he swung it. As it left the stranger's hand and gone out fast slicing through every thing it touched.
"Noo!" The other fat police man at the back shouted as he saw a jet stream of red liquid spill out and then the next minute his friend was on the ground with half of his body left standing and his midsection upward on the floor. There was nothing that could be done as he looked to be pretty much dead.
Not wasting time, the fat man pulled out his own pistol and began to shoot at the mysterious figure. And after several shots it then occurred to him that the figure wasn't moving as it just stood there backing him. Then slowly turning around the figure stared down at the man. And to the man it felt like the gaze had burnt a hole right through his soul but he remained standing for one reason only.
"You know as a martial artist, one of the things I'd regularly tell my underlines is that violence is not always the way. Now I'm only gonna ask you once"
"Bring me the mayor" the figure said.
"Jayden wayne?" The fat police man said astonished.
Jayden now walking towards the man and with each step he took, small objects could be seen falling off him.
And when he had gotten right in front of the now dazed officer, the last object fell. And that was when the last object fell and then the man looked down to see it was his bullets all along. Only they looked melted and deformed. And the police man who stood in front of Jayden felt immense heat and began to sweat.
"Pl..pl..please" the man begged.