Jace's heart throbbed painfully as he looked at his brother, Kael, whose face mirrored his own—pale, scared, and desperate. The gnawing hunger consumed them both, but it was Jace who succumbed to the primal instinct first. Driven by despair and the will to live, he made a choice that would haunt him for eternity. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he whispered a broken apology, his trembling hands reaching for Kael's fragile form. The air felt heavy, as if the world itself mourned the sacrifice about to be made.
The act of consuming Kael was not one of malice, but survival. Jace's body trembled with each agonizing moment, his mind fracturing under the weight of guilt and despair. Kael's eyes, wide with terror, never left his, even as the light in them faded. "Why...?" Kael's voice echoed faintly, a whisper that would forever linger in Jace's soul. The moment his brother's essence fused with his own, Jace felt a surge of unimaginable power—but the cost was a piece of his humanity.
Shadowy tendrils emerged from Jace's trembling frame, wrapping around him protectively. They pulsed with life, cold and alien, as though Kael's very soul had become a part of him. His body shuddered with the transformation, his raven-black hair now shimmering with a ghostly sheen. His once warm eyes darkened into voids, pools of shadow that reflected the emptiness inside him. He resembled a younger Sung Jinwoo, yet his aura exuded both menace and profound sorrow.
Every step Jace took after that day was a struggle. The wilderness tested him relentlessly, forcing him to rely on the new shadow powers he had gained. Creatures larger and fiercer than anything he had ever imagined prowled the lands, drawn to his scent of despair and strength. Wild quirk-users, desperate and feral, hunted him for the power they sensed within.
It was during one such encounter that Jace's powers truly manifested. Cornered by a towering beast with jagged claws and glowing red eyes, he felt the shadows stir within him. They responded to his fear, lashing out like living weapons. Tendrils coiled around the beast, dragging it into an abyss of darkness that seemed to swallow all light. When it was over, Jace stood trembling, the echoes of Kael's voice haunting him. "Is this the strength you sought?"
Jace wandered alone for years, a solitary figure in a world that seemed to reject him. He observed society from the shadows, learning the intricacies of quirks and the roles of heroes and villains. The world fascinated and repelled him in equal measure. He longed to belong but felt unworthy of connection. Kael's voice was both his tormentor and his guide, urging him to find purpose in the chaos.
At the age of four, Jace's presence became impossible to ignore. His powers had grown exponentially, and his aura radiated a mixture of menace and sorrow that drew the attention of dangerous figures. It was then that his life took another dark turn.