Chapter 1
In the year 3000, a radiation lab exploded, unleashing a storm of light and thunder that tore through the night sky. Within moments, the devastation stretched for miles, leaving a path of destruction that Michigan would never forget. Those caught in the blast’s range either perished or emerged forever changed, gifted—or cursed—with extraordinary powers.
This was no ordinary explosion. The blast carved a narrow, unforgiving path, leveling buildings, overturning vehicles, and reducing people to ash. The aftermath transformed part of the city into a barren wasteland, where ash swirled in the wind, scattering the remnants of countless lives into oblivion.
As the storm subsided, emergency crews raced to the scene. News helicopters circled overhead, broadcasting the tragedy worldwide, though words failed to capture the depth of the devastation. A collective silence fell across the state as the world mourned the lives lost.
Eight survivors, blessed—or condemned—with newfound powers, emerged from the ruins.
January 14, 3020
Twenty years later, one of those survivors, John, opened his eyes for the first time since the explosion.
Doctors were stunned. They had long assumed John would remain in a coma, but his parents had refused to give up hope. They had waited—faithfully, painfully—believing that this day would come. When they received the news, they rushed to his side, tears of joy streaming down their faces.
Though John’s body had been broken when he first arrived at the hospital, his injuries had mysteriously healed during his decades-long sleep. Doctors wanted to run tests to understand his miraculous recovery, but his parents refused. They wanted to take their son home, to let him find himself in the life he had left behind.
Chapter 2
John woke to a world he didn’t recognize. His parents, Driko and Passadeba, decided to shield him from the full truth of what had happened. They believed he needed time to adjust.
As they drove home, the silence in the car was heavy. John, sensing their unease, thought, They must not know what to say after all these years.
At home, John was relieved to find his childhood bedroom unchanged. It was as if time had frozen for him, even as the world had moved on. Over the next few months, John settled into a routine, catching up on the life he had missed. His parents encouraged him to pursue his GED, and he agreed, though he struggled at first.
Then, something strange began to happen. As John studied, his mind absorbed information at an astonishing rate. His memory sharpened to an almost supernatural degree. Troubled by these changes, he approached his parents with questions.
June 16, 3020
At the kitchen table, John finally asked the question they had been dreading.
“What happened to me? Why was I in the hospital?”
Driko sighed and exchanged a glance with Passadeba before answering. “There was an explosion. You were caught in it. Only you and a few others survived.”
John’s brow furrowed. “How did I survive? And these others… can I meet them?”
Driko slid a piece of paper across the table. “Call this number. Ask for Pal. He might have the answers we don’t.”
September 23, 3020
After earning his GED, John decided to call Pal. Each ring on the line sent his heart racing. Finally, a deep voice answered.
“This is Pal. Who’s calling?”
“My name is John. I… I’m one of the survivors of the explosion. My parents said you could help me understand what’s happening to me.”
There was a pause before Pal responded. “Meet me in two weeks. I’ll send you my address.”
Two weeks later, John arrived at a mansion that seemed too luxurious for someone who held the answers he sought. Inside, Pal introduced him to five others: Caylie, Paul, Ragame, Satcha, and Pie. Together, they shared the unspoken bond of survivors.
Pal revealed the truth: they had all been changed by the explosion, each of them possessing unique powers. But with that power came danger. Two former survivors, Docks and Stormade, had turned against them, determined to eliminate anyone who could challenge their dominance.
“You’re one of us now,” Pal told John. “But if we’re going to survive, we need your help.”
May 15, 3021
The battle began when Docks and Stormade arrived, destroying Pal’s mansion with a single blast. The survivors fought back fiercely, but the cost was high. Satchel was the first to fall, his head severed in an instant. Ragame unleashed a power that rivaled the fury of the explosion itself, but even that wasn’t enough. Stormade absorbed Docks, merging their powers into a single, terrifying entity.
“I am Stockade,” the new being declared, her voice a symphony of malice. “Together, we are unstoppable.”
As Stockade turned to face her remaining foes, John began to rise. His eyes glowed a fierce orange, his veins pulsated with blue energy, and an aura of raw power surrounded him. The air grew heavy as he ascended, his expression calm yet unreadable.
Stockade’s confidence faltered. “What are you…?”
John’s voice was steady, a whisper that carried the weight of an unbreakable resolve. “I am the reckoning you didn’t see coming.”
