10 Years Ago
Jack was just a boy when he saw his world crumble before his eyes. The memory of the night his father left still haunted his thoughts, as if it were etched into his mind forever.
It was a dark and stormy night, the roar of thunder echoing through the small house as Jack huddled in a corner, tears streaming down his face. He watched in silence as his father packed his things, ready to leave forever.
[Interior of Jack's small house - Night]
Jack sits on the floor of the living room, hugging his knees as he watches his father pack his things. His mother is beside him, trying to hold herself together as she faces her husband's imminent departure.
Jack: (with a trembling voice) Why are you leaving, Dad?
Jack's Father: (head bowed) I... I need to go, Jack. I can't stay here anymore. I can't stay with you guys.
Jack: (looking at his mother, eyes filled with tears) Mom, why is he leaving? Doesn't he love us anymore?
Jack's Mother: (embracing Jack tenderly) Oh, sweetheart... It's not like that. Your father has his own issues, and he thinks it's best to leave. But we'll be okay, I promise.
Jack: (wiping away tears) But what about you, Mom? What if something happens to you?
Jack's Mother: (sadly smiling) Don't worry about me, Jack. I'll be fine. And you'll be fine too. We have each other, and that's all that matters.
Jack: (determined) I don't want you to leave like Dad did. I promise, Mom... I promise to protect you. I'll never let anything bad happen to you. I'll be strong, I'll be brave. I'll take care of you.
Jack's Mother: (hugging Jack tightly) Oh, darling... You're already my hero. And I know you'll do everything to protect me. But you don't have to carry all this weight alone. We'll take care of each other, okay?
Jack: (unconvinced, but determined) Okay, Mom. We'll take care of each other.
[Mother and son embrace as Jack's father walks out the door, leaving them behind in the darkness of the night.]
It was in that moment that Jack made a solemn promise to himself and to his mother.
He vowed to protect her at all costs, to never let anything bad happen to her. He swore to be strong and brave, so he would never have to feel the pain of abandonment again.
As the years went by, Jack clung to that promise like an anchor in the storm. He became his mother's protector, caring for her with love and devotion, even as the world around him crumbled.
However, the night his mother was brutally murdered haunted Jack like a recurring nightmare. He found himself unable to protect her, powerless in the face of the violence that consumed her. Guilt consumed him, turning his promise of protection into an unbearable burden to carry.
"I'm weak, Mom," Jack whispered, his voice breaking the silence. His eyes were fixed on his mother's serene face. "I couldn't protect you. I failed you."
His own echo seemed to reverberate in the silent alleyway, echoing his self-condemnation. He stood there, unmoving, as the heavy words echoed in his mind, repeating like a mantra of self-destruction.
"I'm worthless," he continued, his voice choked with the weight of guilt. "I should have been stronger, faster, braver. But I wasn't. I'm just... a failure."
Tears began to stream down his face as he allowed himself to succumb to the despair that consumed him. He had never felt so powerless, so helpless in the face of destiny's brutality.
"Why did you have to go, Mom?" He murmured, his fists clenched in frustration. "Why did you have to leave us?"
There was no answer, except for the cold silence that enveloped him. He was alone with his lamentations, drowning in an ocean of regret and pain.
"I promise, Mom," he vowed, his voice broken by sobs. "I'll make things right. I'll find who did this to us. I'll make them pay."
But his words sounded hollow. He knew his promises couldn't bring his mother back, nor erase his own guilt. He was alone with his demons, trapped in an endless cycle of self-condemnation and self-torture.
And so, amidst the darkness of his own mind, Jack Arlin sank even deeper into the shadow of his own guilt, a shadow that seemed to envelop him like a cloak of darkness, suffocating any trace of light that might remain.
He was lost in his own torment, a victim of his own failures and weaknesses. And there was no one to save him, except himself.
As the world around him crumbled, he drowned in a tide of guilt, believing that his own weakness had led to the tragedy that befell his family. He saw himself as a burden, unable to protect those he loved, and the weight of his inadequacy consumed him.
Instead of being a figure of hope, Jack became an anti-hero, driven not by a sense of duty, but by an insatiable thirst for revenge. He had no intention of protecting others; his only goal was to eliminate the monsters that had stolen everything from him and were responsible for taking the Earth out of its solar system.
The darkness engulfed the shattered city as Jack advanced through the empty streets, his footsteps echoing like the pounding heartbeats of an enraged beast.
His eyes gleamed with an intense purple light, reflecting the fury burning in his soul. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, a grotesque monstrosity with razor-sharp claws and eyes like burning coals. The monster snarled, and Jack, seeing it, felt a surge of insane fury, the same that consumed him and damned the one who killed his mother.
The battle began with a deafening roar, Jack's blows slicing through the air ferociously as he charged at the monster with impressive speed. The monster fought back, its claws cutting through the air with deadly precision, but Jack dodged skillfully, his agility being his greatest advantage.
With a roar of fury, Jack lunged at the monster, his fists enveloped in a purple aura of energy. He unleashed blow after blow, each one carrying the pain and anger of his loss. The monster howled in pain, but it didn't give up, its resilience being surprising.
The battle intensified, the two combatants exchanging powerful blows as chaos reigned around them. Jack was determined not to back down, his mind focused only on destroying his enemy and avenging his mother. He ignored the pain pulsating in his body, his fury fueling his strength like a voracious flame.
The monster attacked with renewed ferocity, its claws cutting through the air with dizzying speed. Jack dodged skillfully, but one of the claws tore his arm, eliciting a cry of pain.
Ignoring the wound, Jack advanced, his eyes gleaming with fierce determination. With a swift movement, he lunged at the monster, his fists engulfed in purple flames.
He delivered a final blow, his energy colliding with the creature in a deafening crash. The monster let out an agonizing howl before falling to the ground, its twisted form lifeless.
He looked down at the fallen monster at his feet, a grim smile crossing his lips. "Hahahahah," Jack laughed like a madman. His revenge was complete, but he knew the battle was not over yet. More monsters were out there, waiting to be destroyed.
As the days passed, Jack found himself increasingly immersed in his quest for power. He trained tirelessly, hardening his body and mind to become stronger than anyone who crossed his path. He knew that for the wretches responsible for the catastrophic events that had shattered the Earth, he needed to be at the peak of his abilities.
However, his quest for power was not just a matter of survival or justice; it was also a way to drown his own pain and guilt. Each blow struck against the monsters was a momentary release from the anguish that consumed him inside, a way to escape the darkness of his own mind.
As his combat skills sharpened, Jack also became darker and more ruthless in his quest for revenge.
He didn't hesitate to use extreme methods to achieve his goals, sacrificing his own morality in the process.
His purple eyes glowed with a sinister intensity, reflecting the darkness that had consumed his soul. He had become a monster hunter, a figure feared by the survivors who crossed his path.
Meanwhile, rumors about Jack spread throughout the shattered city, fueling fear and speculation among the few who still survived. Some saw him as an unlikely hero, a savior in a world of chaos and destruction. Others feared him as a monster himself, a force of nature unleashed upon a helpless world.
But for Jack, these feelings didn't matter. He was beyond the mundane concerns of morality or judgment. All that mattered was his quest for revenge, his determination to make those responsible pay for what they had done.
Every day was a struggle, not only against the monsters that plagued the city, but also against his own inner demons. Guilt and pain were constant companions, weighing on his shoulders like iron chains.
However, there were moments when the shadow of guilt dissipated, replaced by a burning fire of determination. In those hours, Jack threw himself headlong into the heat of battle, finding temporary relief in his righteous fury.
But even these moments of triumph were fleeting, giving way to a sense of emptiness and despair. No matter how many monsters he defeated, no matter how much blood he shed, the pain of his loss never completely disappeared.
And so, Jack wandered through the ruins of the city, a solitary warrior in a devastated land. His steps were silent, his presence a fleeting shadow in the desolate landscape.
As the sun set on the horizon, Jack found himself at a crossroads. To his left, the city stretched out in ruins, a grim testament to the carnage that had occurred there. To his right, the road stretched as far as the eye could see, a promise of new horizons and new challenges.
For a moment, Jack hesitated, the weight of his mission pressing down on him like an anchor. He could continue fighting the monsters that plagued the city, or he could move on, in search of answers and justice.
But in the end, there was no choice. Jack had already decided his fate. He would not rest until those responsible for the chaos that had befallen his family and the entire world were brought to justice.
With a nod of determination, Jack set off towards the horizon, his path illuminated only by the faint light of the moon and the burning flames of his own fury.
The journey would be long and difficult, but Jack was ready. He would face any challenge, fight any enemy, until his mission was complete.
And so, as the world around him plunged further into darkness, Jack Arlin boldly advanced into the unknown, his heart filled with determination and his mind fixed only on one thing: vengeance.