THE RED SAVIOR’S SACRIFICE
“You’re a blank, John. A hollow shell. Do you really think I’d tie the future of the Card family to a man who can’t even manifest a drop of instinct?” Caleb’s voice was like a wire garrote, tightening around John’s throat. “Carl is the heir. You’re just the mistake we kept in the basement.”
John Mark was the Syndicate’s golden prince—until his power never came. In a world where the Hale Mafia rules through raw, predatory instinct, being a "blank" is a death sentence. When his biological brother, Carl Cole, returns to claim his birthright, John isn't just pushed aside; he’s erased. His brothers look at him with loathing, his father treats him like a stain on the ledger, and his fiancé, Caleb Card, discards him for the new, powered heir.
But the city is rotting. The Abyss King, Morcant, demands a soul to keep the shadows at bay.
With nothing left to lose and fifteen days to live, John signs the Sacrifice Certificate in secret. He’ll give his life to save the family that hates him, paying back his debts in blood. He dons a red coat and a porcelain mask, becoming the nameless "Red Savior" the city worships—while by day, he is the "useless" son the Hales kick into the dirt.
As the clock ticks toward the final jump, John discovers his power didn't vanish—it was stolen.
Now, trapped in a house of vipers, John must decide: Does he reveal the truth and watch his family’s world burn, or does he leap into the dark to save the monsters who broke him?
The Abyss is hungry. And the man they called a failure is the only one who can feed it.
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Chapter: CHAPTER 5John Mark sat on the edge of the rusted cot in the basement, his skull thumping. Every second felt like a fever dream. The theft of his fire, Carl appearing out of the shadows to claim his life, his brothers treating him like a diseased stray.None of it lined up. How did he go from the heir of the Hale Syndicate to the grit under their heels?He shut his eyes and pressed his palms together. He wasn’t the spiritual type—not since the Abyss King started whispering in his marrow and the high gods went deaf. He’d spent years hoping Caleb, or some divine intervention, would show him a way out.The silence had been total."Don Frank Ye, if you're even watching... just give me the truth." John’s voice was a dry rasp in the dark."Please."The final request.Suddenly, a massive surge of electricity slammed through his ribs. This wasn't the calm, tactical clarity he used to carry. This was raw. Violent. Hot. For a fraction of a second, a deep, ground-shaking snarl echoed in the back of his mi
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-02-07
Chapter: CHAPTER 4"Oh, for God’s sake, look at Julian!" Carl’s voice cut through the air, sharp as a razor. He lunged, his fingers digging into Marcus Jr.’s bicep. "Isn't it a miracle? We need to get inside, get the specialists on the line! You have to help me with the gala. It has to be legendary!"Carl flashed that high-gloss, curated smile. The split second of mercy in Marcus Jr.’s eyes flatlined. He turned his back on John to focus on the biological heir.The last embers of hope in John’s chest went cold.He didn't stick around to see if a single one of them would look back. He knew the rhythm of this house by now. He just kept walking, counting the heartbeats until the fifteen-day clock ran out."Why the hell are you crying now?" Carl’s voice drifted over his shoulder, dripping with that artificial sweetness that made John’s stomach turn. "You were fine a minute ago, John. Julian just got the best news of his life. Are you really trying to leak a few tears to steal the moment? It’s pathetic, don't
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-02-07
Chapter: CHAPTER 3The messenger’s words hit the porch like a detonator. The blast radius of the news cleared the suffocating silence, leaving a vacuum of pure, manic energy. Don Marcus Hale underwent a grotesque transformation. The crushing debt of the Syndicate’s blood-oath seemed to evaporate from his frame, and a predatory light ignited in his eyes—a spark missing since the glory days of the Hale reign.“Incredible! The Syndicate is preserved!”The Don’s voice cracked with a reverence he usually reserved for the Abyss King himself. He looked at the runner as if the man were a prophet.“A soul of true steel still pulses in this city,” Marcus whispered, his chest expanding. “This volunteer is a legend in the making. They just bought our legacy back from the brink with their own life.”He pivoted toward Ryan Steele, his lead enforcer, barking orders with a sudden, sharp authority. “Track them. Now. Scour every digital log and every hand-written drop. I want the identity of this saint. I’ll raise their
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-02-07
Chapter: CHAPTER 2The gravel bit into John Mark’s palms, grinding against the meat of his hands. Without the "beast" to thicken his skin, he bled like a normal man—fast and messy. He stared at the red smears on the grey stones.Besides the kids at the orphanage, one reason fueled his drive toward the ledge.His brothers. His family.He remembered the day they hauled him out of the gutter in the Rogue districts. How Marcus Jr. had wiped the grime from his face. How they’d given him a name that didn't taste like trash and called him one of their own.If he didn't go into the Abyss, the Tithe would demand another Hale. That was the price of the crown. He couldn't let it be them.“You’re our treasure, John,” Ethan had said once, years ago. “We’ll always have your back,” Marcus Jr. had promised.They’d held his hand until they realized he was a "blank." Until the animal they expected to see in his eyes never woke up.Now, Marcus Jr. stood over him, his lip curled in a sneer that looked like a scar. "You mak
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-02-07
Chapter: CHAPTER 1John Mark gripped the splintered wood of the small box, his knuckles white and trembling. The weight of the Sacrifice Certificate inside felt like a lead slab. Across from him, the ornate iron gates of the Hale estate loomed—a gilded cage he’d occupied for two decades, and one that had finally soured into a tomb."You’re sure about this, John?" Officer Daniel Miller’s voice was a low rasp. The Gamma’s uniform was tight across his broad chest, his fingers twitching toward the damp ink on the registration forms. "You’re the Don’s son. Adopted or not, Marcus wouldn't just watch you march into the Abyss. Your brothers...""My brothers haven't looked me in the eye for two years, Dan." John’s voice was flat, stripped of the resonance it once held. "I’m a blank. No heat, no instinct. To a family like the Hales, a man without a 'beast' is just a broken tool. I’m invisible dust."Two years ago, John Mark had been the prince of the city. Then the "Gift" failed to manifest. No predator’s edge, n
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-02-07
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