THE total eclipsed heart

In a sprawling city teetering on the edge of chaos, Hinojosa Judasama was a name spoken in whispers—a boy who rose through the ranks of The Deck, a notorious gang that ruled the streets. The Deck's hierarchy was simple: every member held a card. The higher the card, the greater the power.

Hinojosa was one of the 10s, a rank few achieved—a testament to his loyalty and ruthlessness. But above all stood the Ace, the boss, untouchable and absolute.

Hungry for power, Hinojosa joined The Deck at twelve, lured by the promise of strength and respect. He did what was necessary—extortion, violence, and worse. It earned him status, but it also cost him his soul.

One fateful day, a mission went wrong. Hinojosa found himself cornered, outnumbered, and finally shot in the arm. Blood soaked his sleeve as pain seared through him.

"Help!" he shouted, but his comrades—those he had fought beside—turned their backs and disappeared into the shadows.

Left to die in a cold alley, Hinojosa collapsed. His vision blurred, the world fading around him.

"Are you alright?"

A gentle voice pulled him from the brink of unconsciousness.

It was Sayo—a girl known throughout the city for her kindness. Despite knowing who he was, she knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"You… shouldn't help me," Hinojosa muttered through clenched teeth. "I'm not worth saving."

Sayo met his gaze, unflinching. "Everyone deserves kindness, even you."

Her words pierced deeper than any bullet. No one had ever looked at him like that—not with fear, but with compassion.

As she tended to his wounds, Hinojosa asked, "Why are you so kind and helping me, knowing who I am?"

Sayo smiled softly. "A long time ago, I was an orphan, dying in the cold winter. Everyone saw me, pitied me, but no one helped—until a woman came by. She had nothing but gave me everything. She took me in, cared for me, and taught me to be kind and spread kindness. That woman had cancer but no money for the cure. People say it's difficult to live without money, but it's also difficult to die without money."

Hinojosa fell silent, her words weighing heavily on him. For the first time, he saw the world—and himself—differently.

Days later, after recovering, Hinojosa returned to The Deck. His mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. For the first time, he questioned everything.

"I'm done," he declared to his fellow gang members. "I'm leaving."

A hush fell over the room. Leaving The Deck was unheard of. Loyalty was for life.

"You can't leave," one of them sneered. "You swore an oath."

Hinojosa stood firm. "I don't care. I'm done."

The room grew tense as the Ace entered, his presence commanding immediate silence.

"You want to leave?" the Ace asked, his tone calm but cold.

"Yes," Hinojosa replied. "I've had enough."

The Ace's expression remained unreadable. "Very well. You may go."

Relief washed over Hinojosa, but as he turned to leave, the Ace's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Actions have consequences," the Ace said. "And yours will not go unanswered."

Hinojosa didn't understand the full meaning of those words—until later.

Returning home, Hinojosa was greeted by his parents, who hadn't seen him in years. His mother embraced him, tears streaming down her face.

"You've come back," she whispered. "You were just a boy when you left… Why now?"

"I made mistakes," Hinojosa admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But I'm here now. I want to make things right."

His mother smiled. "It's never too late."

For a moment, he felt peace. But peace was fleeting.

That night, news reached him—Sayo had been attacked.

Horrified, Hinojosa rushed to the hospital, only to be told the brutal truth: every bone in her body was broken, her tendons severed, and her once-kind eyes pierced. The doctors couldn't save her voice—her tongue had been torn out.

She was alive, but barely. And it was because of him.

Days later, the final blow came. Hinojosa's parents were found dead in a staged car accident. But he knew it was no accident. The Ace had made his move.

Grief twisted into rage. His heart, once hardened by crime, now burned with a singular purpose: revenge.

As he wandered the empty streets, lost in fury, a figure emerged from the shadows—a man with eyes like fire and a presence that chilled the air.

"You seek vengeance," the figure said. "I can give you the power to destroy those who wronged you."

Hinojosa clenched his fists. "What's the cost?"

The figure smiled, a dark and knowing smile. "You must confront your pain. Relive it. Endure it. Only then will you be strong enough."

Without hesitation, Hinojosa agreed.

In an instant, he was plunged into a world of torment. Visions of his parents' lifeless faces, Sayo's broken body, and the betrayal of his comrades played before him on an endless loop. The pain was unbearable, each memory cutting deeper than the last.

But he endured.

For days—or perhaps years, he couldn't tell—he suffered. And when it was over, he emerged changed. His body thrummed with power, his mind sharper, his soul darker.

He was no longer the boy who sought power for selfish gain.

He was a weapon.

And The Deck would pay for everything