Lucian soared through the night sky, the remnants of Ashford fading into the distance beneath him.
Continuing through the air, it didn't take long for him to come upon the nearby city. Even by car, the city was only twenty minutes away, so naturally flight at super speeds made the time into nothing.
The city lights flickered like stars below Lucian, a stark contrast to the chaos he had left behind. He felt invincible, a god of destruction, and the exhilaration coursing through him was intoxicating.
As he approached the sprawling metropolis of Tulsa, he could see the towering skyscrapers reaching toward the heavens, their glass facades reflecting the moonlight. This was where he would begin the next phase of his transformation. A new identity awaited him here, one that would strike fear into the hearts of all who heard nis name.
With a swift descent, he landed on a rooftop overlooking the bustling streets below. The sounds of the city enveloped him—car horns, chatter, and the distant wail of sirens. Lucian reveled in it, feeling the energy of the urban jungle pulse beneath him.
He needed to make a statement before all else, to solidify his place as a force to be reckoned with.
He scanned the area, searching for a suitable location. His eyes fell on a high-end fashion boutique, its windows showcasing sleek, modern designs. It was time to upgrade from the tattered remnants of his past.
Walking toward the front of the store, Lucian tried the front door, and found it to be locked. With no effort he punched through the glass of the door, sending shards cascading across the floor. Lucian unlocked the door and with ease, the door swung inward. He stepped inside, the air thick with the scent of luxury and cheap perfume. The store appeared to be empty, the only witnesses to his arrival were the mannequins dressed in high-fashion attire.
*Dink*
Looking up above the door, a small red light was flashing. Obviously a silent alarm of some kind.
"Oh well. If they come, let them come. They'll need a head start with my arrival anyway. Maybe I can get this done without bloodshed if I'm fast. Don't wanna spoil the surprise after all."
"Now, let's see. Perfect," he said with a smirk, glancing around. He quickly began to sift through the racks, ignoring the exquisite dresses and suits as he searched for something that would embody his newfound power.
His fingers brushed against a sleek black spandex suit, the fabric glimmering faintly under the store's lights. It was unlike anything he had seen before, form-fitting and designed for both style and movement. It seemed like it may have been a base for game design he had seen online once. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the suit to him, the fabric swirling and without much effort, he donned the attire.
As he donned the suit, he felt a rush of energy course through him, as if the very essence of the fabric was amplifying his power. The suit hugged his form perfectly, accentuating his physique while allowing for fluid movement.
But it needed something more—a symbol that would define him as Eclipse, a mark of his dominion. Without much luck, he looked around and tried to find anything that matched what he had in mind.
"What the fuck? Who the hell are you?" Suddenly, a short elderly man stepped quietly out of a back room that Lucian had neglected before. It seemed the elderly man had been sleeping in the store.
"Oh? Do you own this place?" Lucian asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
"Of course I own this place, get the fuck out of my store!" The elderly man reached behind the counter and produced a small handgun.
"Hahaha, no. I don't think I will." Lucian laughed quietly as he walked toward the man.
With no hesitation the elderly man fired three shots, but all three bounced off Lucian. Baffled the man released the rest of the rounds in the gun but they all went nowhere. Lucian walked directly up to the man and towered multiple feet over him.
Grabbing the man by his collar, he pulled him up to eye height.
"Ack, let me go you fucking brute!" The elderly man squealed.
"I can do that, but I need you to do something for me first. See, I've taken a liking to this spandex suit you have here. I want you to make more. A lot more. I have a feeling that I'm going to break these and often. But I want you to change a detail. Take this one, and embroider an eclipse upon the chest. No special colors, just black and white will do. I'll let you go if you can do this for me. And I'll even promise you safety from what is to come if you comply."
With a long winded reply from Lucian, the elderly man shook and agreed. Taking the suit from a now naked Lucian and scurrying off to the back for while. If not for the random noises he heard, Lucian would have assumed he escaped.
"Hurry, before the police arrive. I don't want to cause a scene quite yet if I can avoid it."
As if caught in the act, the man seemed to move more quickly than he was previously judging by the noises he was making in the next room.
Sitting on a stool beside the counter Lucian relaxed in the meantime seemingly not worried about whether police actually came or not.
Minutes later, the man returned with the suit in tow. Not only was there a magnificent emblem shaped like an eclipse, crafted with intricate detail, the suit also seemed a bit bigger, and more apt to fit his body while still being form fitting. Additionally, it included a black cape. After all, what's a good super villain without a cape? Without another thought the suit went back on and seemed to glow with a dark, cosmic light that pulsed in rhythm with his heart.
Lucian stepped back, admiring his reflection in the mirror. The black spandex shimmered with an otherworldly aura, the eclipse symbol radiating power. The cape seemed to flutter even wothout a wind present. He was no longer just Lucian Drake; he was Eclipse—a harbinger of darkness, destruction and dread. He was a force to be feared. He was now a god.
"Now, I look the part," he said, a cold smile spreading across his lips. "Let the world know what has come."
As he flew over Tulsa, he could see the pulse of life below—their ignorance, their bliss, so unaware of the storm that was about to engulf them.
"Soon, they will know," he whispered, eyes glowing with anticipation. "They will know the name Eclipse."
He descended into the heart of the city, ready to unleash his power, to make his mark on the world. The darkness had embraced him, and now he would embrace it in return.
With each beat of his heart, he felt the power within him surge, ready to plunge the world into chaos. The night was his, and he was determined to make it unforgettable.