The world was normal until it wasn't. It was just another busy day in New York City, with people going about their lives. Kyle Thompson stood in Times Square, waiting for the light to change when the atmosphere suddenly shifted. The big screen above him flickered and then went dark. The ground shook violently, sending vibrations up his legs. Panic ensued as people screamed and ran in every direction.

"Stay close!" Kyle shouted, pulling his wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Emily, tight against him. He had no idea what was happening, but instinct screamed that he needed to protect them. They had come to the city for a simple outing, but now it felt like the end of the world.

Above, a massive crack split the sky, and blinding light burst forth like a star collapsing. It was the essence of God, cascading down and filling everything it touched with unimaginable power. Kyle felt a surge of energy course through him—electric, terrifying, yet strangely exhilarating. He glanced at Sarah, her eyes wide with fear, and then at Emily, who clung to her mother. They were terrified but looked to him for safety, and that was enough to ground him.

"Let's get out of here!" Kyle urged, ushering his family back toward their apartment as chaos erupted around them.

***

In a secret laboratory hidden beneath the ruins of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Dr. Alaric Forge watched the scene unfold on a series of monitors, his heart racing with excitement and ambition. Beside him stood Lucifer, the fallen angel, whose expression was a mix of anticipation and dread.

"Forge, are you sure this is the right path?" Lucifer asked, though the gleam in his eye suggested he was all too aware of the power that awaited them. "The all-seeing angel has shown us the way to Heaven, but you must be ready for the consequences."

Forge smirked, the confidence of a man who had longed for power for years. "You gave me the idea, Lucifer. With your demons and resources, we will finally rid the world of God. Just imagine the chaos we can harness when He is gone. We'll take control!"

Lucifer nodded, though his unease lingered. He had not anticipated the lengths to which Forge would go. "And what of the archangel Michael?" he pressed, knowing that Forge had already turned on many of the celestial beings.

"He is a pawn," Forge replied, his voice cold. "I will eliminate him just as easily. Once we have the essence of God, we will wield ultimate power."

With the all-seeing angel as their guide, they ascended to Heaven, where they unleashed the God Killer machine and assassinated God. As the final blow was struck and God fell, the blinding light burst forth, showering the world with His essence. In a moment of betrayal, Forge turned on Lucifer, using the machine against him.

The great archangel Michael was also slain in the chaos, leaving Heaven in ruins or so we believed. Forge then unleashed the God Killer on the remaining angels, systematically wiping out more than half of them and leaving only those who swore allegiance to him. The power spread across Earth, awakening abilities in some and sending others—especially teenagers—into a frenzy of madness and death, unable to cope with the overwhelming force.

***

Back in New York, Kyle and his family barricaded themselves in their apartment, a large mansion owned by Kyle as he was a highly respected individual and what seemed to be a friend of the Mayor. They listened to the news reports that painted a grim picture of miracles and madness. Some people had awakened newfound abilities, while others descended into chaos. The world was spiraling into anarchy.

"Dad, what's happening?" Emily's voice trembled as she clung to his leg, her small frame shaking with fear. Kyle knelt down, brushing her hair back and forcing a smile.

"It's just a storm, sweetheart. We'll be fine," he reassured her, but inside, he felt anything but calm.

Days passed. They huddled together, rationing canned food and bottled water, which Kyle had kept in store beneath his mansion in case the need arose. Kyle's newly discovered strength kept some of the looters at bay, but each confrontation wore on him, leaving him feeling more hollow inside. The essence of God had changed everything, awakening powers in some while others descended into madness. Sarah had tried to shield Emily from the reality of their situation with stories, but the little girl's innocent eyes betrayed her understanding that something was profoundly wrong.

"What if I don't get powers?" Emily asked one night, her voice barely a whisper.

Kyle felt a pang of guilt. "It's not about powers, Emily. It's about being strong inside. You're already the strongest girl I know." But the words felt empty as he watched the world crumble outside their window.

The news was filled with reports of teenagers who had survived the chaos but gone berserk, their newfound abilities warping their minds and leading them to violent ends. There were stories of people transforming into monsters, driven mad by the power that had once promised them salvation.

One fateful night, everything shattered. The armored door, which protected the Thompson residence, crashed open, and Dr. Forge himself stormed in, his eyes glowing with the power of the essence he had absorbed.

"Wait a minute, Forge?! Don't tell me you are the one behind all this!" Kyle spat, recognition dawning as rage fueled his strength. It's been a year since he'd last seen the man; Forge had become even more powerful.

"I need you, Kyle Thompson," Forge replied, his voice dripping with manipulation. "You were one of the most respected men I knew. If you are to join me, together we will rule this new world, and with you, the most powerful man with me, no one will dare challenge us. Now I offer you a chance to join me."

In that moment, the essence of God surged through the air, but Kyle stood ready to protect his family. "Get back!" he yelled, feeling the Stygian Method awaken within him. The darkness that surrounded his essence began to coalesce, sharpening his senses and heightening his strength. He felt faster, stronger, more alive than ever.

"I don't want to join you, Forge!" Kyle roared, lunging at the man who had taken everything from him.

"You really don't want to do this, Thompson. The rule of this world is simple: you join me, or you die. Think of your family!" Dr. Forge threatened.

"You of all people should know better than to threaten a man's family," Kyle said as energy coursed through him, allowing him to close the distance with supernatural speed. In an instant, he was on the villain, fists flying. But Forge was powerful, and their clash sent shockwaves through the apartment.

As they fought, Kyle felt something within him shift. The darkness of the Stygian Method flowed through him, amplifying his every move. He had unlocked the First Cast: Pitch Black, a technique that allowed him to take away shadows and transform them into weapons or shields. He reached out, grasping Forge's shadow and twisting it into a blade of darkness, striking at the godlike being before him.

But the energy in the room was overwhelming. As the battle ensued, Kyle saw the horror unfold; Sarah was struck down, and Emily's terrified scream echoed in his ears as the energy consumed them both.

In the chaos, Kyle blacked out.

***

When Kyle awoke, the world had turned cold. He found himself surrounded by blood—his wife and daughter's lifeless bodies lay in a pool of crimson, and Dr. Forge had vanished. Something shattered within him, an irreversible fracture that left him feeling as if he'd been hollowed out. He could sense the remnants of his powers flickering inside him, but they were overshadowed by grief and rage.

He buried Sarah and Emily in Central Park, their favorite spot, under the shade of a tree where they used to play. As he placed the final handful of dirt on their graves, a singular purpose ignited in him: vengeance and revenge. He needed to find Dr. Alaric Forge, the architect of this horror, and make him pay for what he had done to his family and the world.

As he walked away from the graves, a new identity blossomed within him: Alucard. A name born of blood and vengeance. He would become the hunter of gods. The bringer of death.

With every step, the Stygian Method whispered in his mind, urging him to embrace the darkness, to harness the power of shadows and the strength of his immortality. He felt the weight of his loss transform into a burning drive, a relentless pursuit of justice for his family and a world that had lost its way.

He would make Dr. Forge suffer. He would turn the tables, becoming the weapon that would bring down the madman who had taken everything from him. And with the power of the shadows at his fingertips, he would become the force that the world had not seen in centuries.