Chapter 1: The Departure

  The metallic scent of blood filled the air as Jackson wiped his blade clean. He had been careful, calculated—there was no room for mistakes. His eyes never wavered as he surveyed the lifeless bodies around him. Three men. Three who had crossed him, who had dared to defy his authority. Now, they were nothing more than corpses, their faces frozen in expressions of shock and pain.

  He stepped over them, his boots echoing in the cold, sterile hallway. The red lights flickered above, casting long shadows across the walls. The world, with all its ambition and greed, was coming to an end for him. For everyone. Jackson had made sure of that.

  But this was only the beginning.

  He moved swiftly, almost mechanically, toward the control room, where the final preparations were underway. There, his companions—fellow astronauts—were waiting. Each of them was oblivious to the dark actions that had unfolded just moments before. They were focused on the mission ahead: to leave this world, to find a new one. A better one. A place to start fresh, away from the ruin of their current existence.

  Jackson didn’t share their optimism. For him, the mission was just another step in his endless quest. He had long since stopped caring about the planet they were trying to save. His thoughts were consumed by a different kind of goal—one that would transcend everything else. But for now, he played the part. He needed to. There was still much to do, much to destroy, much to control.

  He stopped in front of the door to the suit room and took a deep breath. The air was thick with the scent of metal and sterilized fabric. As he suited up, the familiar weight of the astronaut gear settled over him, an almost comforting presence. He adjusted the helmet, the cold, smooth surface reflecting his eyes—eyes that had seen too much, done too much. Eyes that could never forget the bloodshed.

  With each motion, Jackson's mind drifted to the future. Space—the endless void—was his next frontier. He would find the answers there. He would gain the immortality he craved, leaving behind everything that had defined him up until now. The suit was just a temporary shield. The power that lay beyond was what truly mattered.

  Finally, he turned and made his way toward the spaceship. The airlock hissed as it opened, revealing the sleek vessel waiting to carry them away from everything they knew. His companions were already aboard, checking instruments and preparing for takeoff.

  “Ready?” one of them asked, barely glancing up from his console.

  Jackson didn’t respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the stars beyond the ship’s glass windows, the blackness stretching endlessly before him. It was a familiar feeling—vast, cold, indifferent.

  “For the mission,” he said, his voice low, devoid of emotion.

  His partner nodded and started the countdown. Jackson stepped into the ship, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud. He took his seat, securing himself in place as the engines roared to life.

  The ship lurched as it lifted off the ground, the rumble of the thrusters vibrating through the hull. Outside, the world they had known shrank into a distant memory, swallowed by the vastness of space. Jackson’s heart beat steadily in his chest, but inside, it felt like something more—something bigger was coming. Something he couldn’t yet see.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  As the ship sailed higher, crossing into the black void, Jackson’s thoughts turned inward once more. He wasn’t just escaping. He was leaving behind the last remnants of his humanity, hurtling toward a future that was uncertain but full of promise.

  And as the stars outside blurred into a brilliant tapestry of light, Jackson knew one thing for certain: no matter where they were headed, he would not rest until he had everything he desired.

  Immortality. Power. Control.

  Chapter 1( 2nd)

  The metallic scent of blood filled the air as Jackson wiped his blade clean. He had been careful, calculated—there was no room for mistakes. His eyes never wavered as he surveyed the lifeless bodies around him. Three men. Three who had crossed him, who had dared to defy his authority. Now, they were nothing more than corpses, their faces frozen in expressions of shock and pain.

  He stepped over them, his boots echoing in the cold, sterile hallway. The red lights flickered above, casting long shadows across the walls. The world, with all its ambition and greed, was coming to an end for him. For everyone. Jackson had made sure of that. But this was only the beginning.

  He moved swiftly, almost mechanically, toward the control room, where the final preparations were underway. There, his companions—fellow astronauts—were waiting. Each of them was oblivious to the dark actions that had unfolded just moments before. They were focused on the mission ahead: to leave this world, to find a new one. A better one. A place to start fresh, away from the ruin of their current existence.

  Jackson didn’t share their optimism. For him, the mission was just another step in his endless quest. His thoughts were consumed by a different kind of goal—one that would transcend everything else. But for now, he played the part. He needed to. There was still much to do, much to destroy, much to control.

  He stopped in front of the door to the suit room and took a deep breath. The air was thick with the scent of metal and sterilized fabric. As he suited up, the familiar weight of the astronaut gear settled over him, an almost comforting presence. He adjusted the helmet, the cold, smooth surface reflecting his eyes—eyes that had seen too much, done too much. Eyes that could never forget the bloodshed.

  With each motion, Jackson's mind drifted to the future. Space—the endless void—was his next frontier. It would be the ultimate proving ground, a place where he could push beyond human limits and gain the immortality he craved. He had shed his humanity long ago, but it was in the vast silence of space that he would find the answers he sought. The suit was just a temporary shield. The power that lay beyond was what truly mattered.

  Finally, he turned and made his way toward the spaceship. The airlock hissed as it opened, revealing the sleek vessel waiting to carry them away from everything they knew. His companions were already aboard, checking instruments and preparing for takeoff.

  "Ready?" one of them asked, barely glancing up from his console.

  Jackson didn’t respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the stars beyond the ship’s glass windows, the blackness stretching endlessly before him. It was a familiar feeling—vast, cold, indifferent.

  “For the mission,” he said, his voice low, devoid of emotion.

  His partner nodded and started the countdown. Jackson stepped into the ship, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud. He took his seat, securing himself in place as the engines roared to life.

  The ship lurched as it lifted off the ground, the rumble of the thrusters vibrating through the hull. Outside, the world they had known shrank into a distant memory, swallowed by the vastness of space. Jackson’s heart beat steadily in his chest, but inside, it felt like something more—something bigger was coming. Something he couldn’t yet see.

  As the ship sailed higher, crossing into the black void, Jackson’s thoughts turned inward once more. He wasn’t just escaping. He was leaving behind the last remnants of his humanity, hurtling toward a future that was uncertain but full of promise.

  And as the stars outside blurred into a brilliant tapestry of light, Jackson knew one thing for certain: no matter where they were headed, he would not rest until he had everything he desired.

  Immortality. Power. Control.