Chapter Text
Jin-Ah was 10 when her younger brother was born. She was ecstatic to be a big sister, having many friends with siblings and wishing she had one to play with at home. But that joy was short lived, as just two years later at just 12 years old, their father, a former Fire Fighter turn Hunter, was lost to a Gate. His friends and those he had saved that day had done their best to help them. Ensuring they had someone they could call for anything. If it weren’t for them Jin-Ah isn’t sure how their mom would have remained sane during her grief.
Of course, with their dad gone, Jin-Ah took up as many chores as she could at home. To make things easier on their grieving mother. Doing her best to make sure her adorable baby brother wouldn’t be lonely. She had promised to be there for as many of his milestones as possible. She was a bit saddened whenever she missed one while at school. But did her best to not show it, wanting her brother to see smiles more than frowns and tears.
They didn’t need to rely too heavily on the many aunts, uncles, and grandpas who always looked after them, that is, until Jin-Ah was 18. Just before her high school graduation, their mother fell into Eternal Sleep. Leaving a barely adult Jin-Ah and 8-year-old Jin-Woo without either of their parents.
The scramble after that to prove she was capable to look after her brother was maddening. Jin-Ah refused to let anyone take her last family away from her. Thankfully her best friend Han Song-Yi moving in with them helped. Wanting to leave her nagging parents who wanted her to quit being a hunter. With her, Child Services seen there was more than one person living there to look after young Jin-Woo.
Though what really got them off their case was the many Hunters who showed up to support them. The biggest being two S-Ranks who owed their lives to their father. The Hunter Association Chairman Go Gun-Hee himself, and the White Tiger Guild Master Baek Yoon-Ho.
With them backing them, Jin-Ah didn’t have to completely give up on becoming a doctor. Though Jin-Woo took priority, Jin-Ah was determined to become a doctor so she could hopefully find a way to help their mother and others who were affected by Eternal Sleep.
Their lives were in a relatively stable routine after that. Both siblings going to school, Song-Yi doing raids, visiting their mom every couple of days, weekly check ins with their S-Rank sponsors, and the occasional check in with their social worker to make sure Jin-Woo was being properly looked after.
Until some time after his 10th birthday.
Jin-Woo
Jin-Woo was getting used to being the only one at home after he finished school, having convinced his sister and Song-Yi after his 10th birthday that he’d be ok for a few hours until they finished school and work. Jin-Ah often had long classes at her university, and Song-Yi took as many raids as she physically could handle as an E-Rank. It was a bit lonely sometimes, he often missed having his mom welcome him home with a snack. But he didn’t want to bother the others with something so trivial.
Besides, he didn’t really have any friends at school, and wasn’t interested in any sports or clubs. So, it was either go home or wait at the school with teachers until one of them was finished and came to get him. Thankfully they eventually caved in and allowed it after making many rules and lectures on safety.
So, he quietly entered their apartment, locking the door behind himself. Something the girls had drilled into him to keep him safe. Not that anyone could break in. Grandpa Go and Uncle Beak had them moved to an apartment building with strict security after their old landlord tried to basically double their rent when their mom got sick. Others tried to scam them too.
So, for their safety, they moved. It was a little bigger than their old place, three bedrooms, nice sized living space, even a deck with a nice view, though the girls didn’t like him out on it by himself. There were even Hunters from Uncle Beaks Guild living in the building to help make sure they were looked after.
He toed off his shoes, moving into the house with socked feet. Placing his bag next to the living room table so he could start on his homework. Moving towards the kitchen to put his lunch box in the sink and went to grab a snack.
When he opened the fridge, he spotted a sandwich and veggie sticks with a note from Jin-Ah for him.
“Eat this as your after-school snack. Love you! ♡”
He smiled slightly, taking the plate along with a juice box with him carefully to the living room.
He never understood why the pushy adults always asked if he was ok and if he was neglected. Despite being in university, Jin-Ah made sure to make him lunch each day, even when her classes started before his school did. When they started after, she’d walk him to school. Along with making sure he had snacks ready for him after school. Sometimes it was just some fruit or rice balls, but she always put him first.
After settling in to start his homework, he paused, spotting some notes at the bottom of his bag. He frowned, taking them out and unfolding the crumpled papers. Some kids at school often picked on him, making fun of him for not having parents. He ignored them most of the time, not really caring what others thought since he had Jin-Ah and Song-Yi at home, and all the Hunter aunts, uncles, and grandpa.
The notes were as he expected, more jabs about how his parents died and got sick because of him. One was saying he was so creepy and quiet and that’s why he had no friends. Another calling him a waste of space. Nothing new. Sure, they stung a bit, but he’s been getting notes like this since his mom got sick two years ago.
Sighing softly, he stood and went to their shredder. Not wanting the girls to see the notes again.
Jin-Ah had gone to yell at his teachers last time about them letting others bully him. It didn’t go anywhere, since they had no proof of who had left the notes. It just made those leaving him notes sneakier about it. Besides, it’s not like they did much aside from leave these notes. Occasionally people tried to trip him, or bump into him in the halls. But he can handle petty harassment.
His chest stung as he watched the paper feed in and fall into its bin. It wasn’t like he didn’t have any friends. He liked to think Uncle Beak’s Guild members were his friends. They were always happy to see him and asking how he was whenever they seen him. He just didn’t have friends at school. No one was interested in him there, so he didn’t feel like talking more than he had to.
He moved back to the table, choosing to focus on his math problems instead of the ache. Thankfully he managed to do it without help today. He always felt bad about asking Jin-Ah for help when she also had homework to do. It had become more frequent recently though. Jin-Woo struggled with fractions.
He had just started in on his last bit of homework, language, when he felt a sharp pain in his chest and head. He groaned, gritted and teeth, bringing one hand to his head and another fisting the chest of his sweater.
“Wha- … It hurts. What’s happening to me?” he thought, curling in on himself until his head touched his notebook. Tears welling in his eyes.
“Am I dying?” he wondered as the pain got worse, “No… I can’t leave Nuna. She barely kept it together after mom.”
“Worry not, young one. You are not dying.” A deep voice sounded.
Jin-Woo made an attempt to look around, but moving hurt too much. “Who?” he whispered.
“Surender to the pain. It will make you stronger.”
Not like he could refuse the strange voice. The pain quickly became too much for him, the world blacking out.
When Jin-Woo opened his eyes again, he was standing in a strange castle throne room like place, a few feet from the base of the throne’s steps. This strange room looked similar to what he had seen on the historical shows Jin-Ah liked to watch. Though less bright and vibrant than on the shows. The room was in shades of black and grey, but no less intricate.
On either side of the room kneeled strange purple/black shadow beings. Up the stairs, on the throne sat a large man in armor in similar colours, staring down at him. On either side of him stood knights, one with a long red plum sticking from his helmet, the other had two sets of black wings and a tall spike on his helmet.
“Welcome, child.” Someone spoke.
Jin-Woo looked back towards the being on the throne. He wasn’t sure how he knew that was the one who spoke to him, but he felt certain that he was the one who had just spoken.
“Hello? Who are you?” his voice barely above a whisper. His hands coming up to grab at the front of his sweater nervously.
“I am Ashborn, Monarch of Shadows.” He answered.
“I guess that title fits.” Jin-Woo thought, looking back towards the shadow like beings kneeling around the throne room.
“I’m... Sung Jin-Woo.” The boy answered, with a small bow, knowing he should give his name too.
Jin-Ah would scold him if he didn’t remember his manners.
“No need to be so nervous young one. No one here can harm you.” Ashborn stated, raising one of his sharp armored gauntlets towards him. “I’ve called you here to make you, my heir.”
“Heir?” Jin-Woo asked, “But shouldn’t you pick one of them?” he pointed to the shadows still kneeling in the room. “For your heir? Not a random kid like me?”
“They cannot succeed my power, as they are apart of it. My shadow army needs someone to properly lead them.” He explained.
“… And you think a kid like me is fit to lead them?” Jin-Woo asked, once more looking back towards the shadows in the room.
Many were knights, like the two beside Ashborn. But there were also some with hoods, some beasts he couldn’t name, and laying down in the back corner behind him he’s pretty sure there was dragon.
“I’ve observed your people for a long time. I see promise in you, Sung Jin-Woo.” He stood, slowly making his way towards the young boy below him. “One so young, yet emotionally strong beyond their years. One who has known death, pain, sorrow, yet doesn’t falter. One who wishes to be strong, not to harm, but to protect…” He stood before the now slightly shaking child, towering over him. “I have not seen another in my observations, more worthy to wield my power”
“But… I’m just a kid. I don’t have a need for an army.” He mumbled, trying his best not to shake.
Ashborn took a knee, gently lifting the boys chin to look at him. “Maybe not right now, but I believe you would only use my army for good. Most others would abuse this power.”
“What makes you so sure I won’t?” the boy all but whispered.
“If you were the type to do something like that, you wouldn’t keep hiding those notes from the other children. You’d have shown them to your guardians.”
Jin-Woo stared at him in shock. Ashborn moved his hand to gently pat the boys head.
“You’d also fight back whenever they tried to harm you. Instead, you choose to ignore them. You have a kind heart. That, I am certain of.”
The young boy stared back at the mask of this Monarch of Shadows. He spoke old fashioned like the grandmas and grandpas at their old apartment building. But the boy felt certain the one before him was probably a lot older than they were. And his voice seemed quite sad, like Grandpa Go’s voice when he talked with them after he found out about their mom’s sickness.
“Mr. Ashborn… Are you dying? Is that why you have to find an heir?” the boy asked hesitantly.
The Monarch ruffled his hair a little before removing his hand.
“Something like that. I’ve reached the limits of my soul. I’m unsure how much longer I can last. Maybe a couple more decades, but probably not another century at most… This power has been a great help to me. I’d like to pass it along to another in need of strength. And by giving my power to another, I can last a little longer. It won’t kill me immediately. But it will weaken me greatly compared to my current self.”
“… Will this power hurt me?”
“It already has, and I apologise for that.” He bowed his head to the boy. “I hadn’t meant to put so much in you to start with. I miscalculated how much your small body could handle.”
“So even Monarchs are bad at math?”
The Monarch chuckled. He was certain, this child was the one most worthy of his power. Despite his fear, he was still curious, even cracking a joke.
“Yes, even we Monarchs make mistakes and have things we’re not good at.” He patted the boys head again before standing once more. “Now, I guess I should explain the power I have given you.”