It was just another day for the young man, working at his dead end job at a thrift store that he had been working for three years now. His job was to gather the items that people chose to donate to the shop in order to resell them to people who could afford others hand-me-downs. and sort them to their respected containers so the pricers could do their thing with them. He was just as bored as ever, especially with the customers telling him to hurry up with the containers that they had brought their belongings in. All he did was smile and say "Thank you." to them though, it was a talent he had. He could be that guy who brings a smile to your face because of how cheery and happy he looked after he was with a customer. But behind that smile, was a man that didn't want anything to do with these people and their things that they so easily discarded from their homes and closets, especially when they return and ask for it back hours later. The man would simply think to himself"Well, don't bring it here unless you are ready to part with it...simple as that." . Of course he wouldn't say that to their face, as the picky and snippy fuckers would always complain even if you looked at them the wrong way.

Once the day had ended, and the managers had shut down his part of the store. He would walk home, happy they let him leave at least before the sun fully sets. Why was he grateful for that you ask? Well, the young man was legally blind, and very near sighted in fact. As he was growing up, he was always teased and bullied about it, simple because his eyes had a slight discoloration about them as well. one of them was a light brown, you know like most common eyes in the world, but the other, well it was brown with grey spots along the middle of the pupil. Glasses never helped him through the entirety of his life. Sure he wore them for protection when he was a child, but that was because his mother forced him to. He was constantly teased all throughout his school years, even all the way up to junior high. This took a toll on him combine with the abusive step-father who he was forced to grow up with for the first eighteen years of his life. Taylor began to look toward the darker side of things to bring comfort to him when he was going through his life. He mainly listened to metal music when he was either angry or sad. Though the kind of metal that soothed him the most and made him smile was black symphonic metal. A type of music that was dark and beautiful all at once. These bands were normally ones that come from Europe. Cause, lets face it they know how to make some pretty badass metal. His favorite band being Dimmu Borgir. A band that spoke to him about the hypocrisies of religion and such that his mother tried to shove down his throat when he was younger

Another thing that he turned to escape the world was MMORPGs, or rather 'multi-massive role playing games' he had always made friends best that way, for he wasn't like his real self when he was behind a screen, when it came to the games, he was a natural leader, always either playing as a healer or tank. And in every one he played, he would always take control of the raids in his group. Be it in the back, making sure his allies did not fall, or up front and toe-to-toe with the enemy. Shouting out commands and evasive moves to make sure everyone was doing their part

And the final things that Taylor loved to to in his free time, he was a martial artist, mainly excelling in aikido and secondary in karate. No, he did not go looking for fights when he was younger. But you better believe....if he was provoked and gave enough warnings, he would indeed take his aggression out on those who pushed him and attacked him first. To the point to where he would even going into a 'berserk mode' where he would black out in the middle of the fight and suddenly come to standing over his victim with more than he had intended to dish out. As for his last hobby. He liked masks. Yes, he made them, collected them simply because he liked to keep himself hidden from the world. Not because he was a troublemaker or anything. Oh no, he has grown up and doesn't get angry like he used to anymore. Sure, his style in clothing and music hasn't changed, but he is now one of the most calmest people you will ever have the pleasure of knowing. People who smoke weed wonder how he is so relaxed, when the man has never touched the stuff, let alone any kind of drug! As for his mask hobby, there was one mask he favored out of all his creations, it was a mask that he had put his soul into. It had the distinct feeling of bone like material as its base, though its color was grey, though the patterns on it was that of lightning tribal markings that were on the sides of the mask, and around the eye sockets of it were blacked out completely. and in the middle of the forehead of the mask, rested a symbol of the upside down pentagram. No, he wasn't a satanist, though the way he dressed....would probably give you the idea he was.

What's that? You wish to know what this man looks like. Very well then. He was a tall man, six foot two to be specific. Ah, were you expecting a man with nothing but a solid sculpted muscle body of a god? Well too bad. Taylor was more built like a tree. He had fluff on him sure, but he wasn't overweight and out of shape. With his job, he had developed a body that was good to hug, but under that fluff, was a solid body that could endure. While he didn't have abs, his arms, shoulders legs and such were quite built to withstand punishment should the need ever come. yes, he had a belly, all the more cuddly he is! As for his hair, well it was long, about upper back length, he kept it combed or tied back most of the time, he always tied it when he worked. But, at home or out...which he rarely even leaves his home, is always resting behind his shoulders and staying neatly straight. always out of his face. His face...well lets just say without a little bit of facial hair, he had a baby face, the man could go from looking twenty-five to eighteen again should he cut it all off.

His attire, when he was not working, was that of a long black denim long coat that sat nicely around his body, he would wear it buttoned or unbuttoned, depending upon the weather, a black t-shirt or deep blue, black and deep blue denim jeans. But what really someone would notice about him, is the boots he wore. He wore these boots to work and out. They were about knee high black leather combat boots that had straps almost all the way up to the full length and as if they weren't scary enough, the had metal plating on the front of the boot over each straps, giving it a sort of armor look to it

But behind the darkness of this man, was someone who could be the most loyal friend one could ask for, the few friends he had, who have now moved on with their own lives, though he still keeps contact. All agree that he is the one true friend they could come to if things were rocky. Hell, the man has never had a real girlfriend before in his life and yet he is giving relationship advice to people, and it works!

"Ugh...so glad the day is over..I am so ready to go home and get some food in my stomach, then maybe watch some anime."

he said as he walked home. he would make it right before sunset and would see some rather dark clouds rolling in quickly

"Hmm...I need to hurry up now. Didn't think the rain would be coming in this early tonight."

He said as he quickened his pace, he made it home before the storm hit, but as he was getting ready to settle in for the night, something was nagging at him. And it was something very important, but he couldn't put his finger on it-.

"Oh dammit all!"

He shouted to himself, quickly throwing on his more comfortable black clothing and coat and boots

"I forgot to give my application to the massage establishment...I didn't take those classes for nothing after all!"

Taylor wasn't many things, though he was a badass masseur. He had the hands of a god and he was going to put them to use. And make even more money doing it than his lame job of a lousy seven twenty-five an hour. He may be legally blind and has to read things closely, but you don't need concentrating vision to find the stress in people's bodies, and he knew exactly how to do it even before he took his classes

He ran down the sidewalk with his application tucked within his coat, his footsteps hitting the ground hard as the pounding of his heavy boots echoed. But soon, he wouldn't make it without that storm he was so worried about has suddenly hit, and it hit hard. he would shield his face from the oncoming rain and the wind would do its best to slow him down further, but he was a big man, weighing in at 220 pounds, and yet holding his weight with his large body frame and height giving the illusion of a bit less weight.

"Damnit....I will not let this weather stop me!"

He exclaimed to himself, suddenly things seemed to slow down for him, he felt something was incredibly wrong. He was living in Texas, and it wasn't even hurricane season yet! And the storm was this bad?! Come on fate, do you hate this man so much you would make it harder on him to better himself?! Fate, it would seem,isn't without cruelty. As Taylor was looking around, the sky flashed, and it flashed brightly directly over his head, his eyes met with the lightning bolt that was heading directly for him, bullet time took effect for that one moment, everything slowed, passing cars, the rain itself...

"No....please...don't- AAAAAAAGHAH!!!!!!"

He screamed in pure agony and pain, the lightning hitting his right shoulder and coursing throughout his body, thousands and thousands of tiny daggers that have been pulled freshly from the flaming forge tore through his body, making him jerk into the air and fly back, hitting the cement sidewalk as his body was now burned and scared, lightning like marks showing where his blood vessels has been completely destroyed and his heart had exploded from the strike. He laid there, his eyes slowly opening and close, his body twitching hard ask electricity snapped and zapped out of his body from the discharge

"I don't....want to die...please..."

He said to himself as he coughed up blood as he body couldn't move now, his memories of his life coming into view as his eyes slowly close. Now that he looks back on everything, his life wasn't worth much of living anyways. The way he grew up, the way he was treated all leading up to this final moment of his life. he coughed up blood again and laughed weakly

"Its funny....I was so sure things were going to get better once i had that new job...get a icer place, splurge a little with the new pay. And maybe even find myself a girlfriend for once-."

He was cut off again by another cough and a large amount of blood coming from his mouth. he finally slipped away, and in his last moments, his mind drifted to his final words

"Well, it's been sweet....time to go wherever the afterlife is."

He began to fall...fall...and fall into a deep blackness, it was quiet at first, only the sounds of his coat fluttering in the fall and the rush of a slight wind in his ears. He knew he was dead now, and didn't even open his eyes to see the darkness. though, he did catch a few whispers on the way down to his destination

"Ah, this soul has suffered greatly." one said in a feminine whispery voice

"Indeed, the poor boy had so much potential to." A masculine voice whispered

"Perhaps....he is the one they need? One who has known loneliness and hardship. He could be of great asset to them, and they in turn, could bring happiness and warmth to this young man once more." the female whispered again

"I agree, maybe they could be the ones he could open up to, it will be a hard process for him, but in the end, it will be better for him in the long haul. But until then, Malumi, bind the mask to his face. For this will mark the beginning of this man's new life in a new land. And hopefully. new friends of which he can call his own and care for." the male spoke once more before stopping

"Yes, I shall bind him with the gift as well as the mask, after all, the gift chose him, even though it ended his life, the scars will remain, but they will be reborn as marking to guide his path. Should he take the light, or the dark path. Is up to him."

And with that, Taylor fell further and further, and eventually out of consciousness.

Author's Note

And here it is everyone, the first chapter. I do hope that you will enjoy this little introduction of the man who could become a true friend...or a true monster.

Until then, may the darkness grant you peace.