Marvel: Son of TOAA

Chapter 8: The Last Reincarnation

Ethan Cross entered the world in a modest apartment in Hell's Kitchen, New York City, a neighborhood riddled with crime and hardship. His parents, David and Lila Cross, were ordinary but kind-hearted people. David worked as a mechanic, and Lila as a nurse, both scraping by to make ends meet. Despite their struggles, they showered their son with love, teaching him the importance of kindness and justice.

But the world wasn't as forgiving. At the age of seven, Ethan's life changed forever. One cold December evening, his family's apartment was broken into by a desperate criminal, seeking to rob them for money. David tried to protect his wife and son but was overpowered. Lila shielded Ethan, her body taking the brunt of a fatal blow, and David fell soon after. Ethan was left clutching his mother's bloodied hand, staring into the eyes of the man who shattered his world.

That night, something inside Ethan broke. The world revealed its true face—a place of cruelty, greed, and senseless violence. Yet, as tears streamed down his cheeks, he heard his mother's final words: "Be kind, Ethan… no matter what."

---

The trauma of that night haunted Ethan as he grew up in an orphanage. While most children clung to fleeting joys, Ethan remained distant, his golden hair and piercing red eyes making him an outlier. His stoic demeanor and the weight in his gaze unnerved others, leaving him isolated.

By the time he was ten, Ethan had already grown skeptical of the world's morality. He saw bullies torment the weak, watched caretakers turn a blind eye, and learned how easily people could betray one another. Instead of despairing, he resolved to protect others, vowing to uphold the values his parents had instilled in him.

Ethan became resourceful, learning to fight off bullies and protect the younger children. His calm, calculated demeanor earned him respect, though many kept their distance, sensing the quiet fury that lurked beneath his exterior.

---

At eighteen, Ethan left the orphanage with a singular goal: to bring justice to a world drowning in corruption. He joined the NYPD academy, where he excelled in all areas—combat, investigative work, and strategic thinking. His instructors described him as unnervingly sharp, someone who saw patterns others missed and carried an innate understanding of human behavior.

Despite his success, Ethan remained an enigma. His peers admired his skill but found his distant demeanor difficult to navigate. He rarely spoke of his past, instead focusing entirely on the mission. Beneath the stoicism, Ethan's sense of justice burned fiercely. He despised criminals with a passion that was almost personal, yet he never let it cloud his judgment. He believed in justice, not vengeance.

Upon graduating, Ethan was assigned to work under Captain George Stacy, a well-respected and principled officer in the NYPD. Captain Stacy immediately recognized Ethan's potential and took him under his wing. "You remind me of someone," Stacy once said, referring to his own daughter Gwen's friend, Peter Parker, who showed similar resolve.

---

By the time Ethan was 25, he had risen to become one of the NYPD's most skilled detectives. He specialized in solving cases others deemed impossible, earning a reputation for his meticulous methods and unwavering focus. His colleagues often joked that he was more machine than man, but those who worked closely with him saw the humanity that lay beneath.

Ethan's life wasn't without challenges. His investigations often brought him face-to-face with the worst humanity had to offer—traffickers, corrupt politicians, and serial killers. He saw firsthand how the world operated in shadows, where the rich exploited the poor, and justice was often a matter of convenience. Yet, instead of succumbing to despair, Ethan remained steadfast. He was relentless but fair, refusing to cross the line into brutality, no matter how tempting it might be.

---

Ethan lived alone in a small apartment overlooking the city, a quiet sanctuary from the chaos of his work. His hobbies were surprisingly refined: he studied art and history, often sketching in his free time. The walls of his apartment were adorned with paintings and sculptures, a stark contrast to the gritty world he operated in.

Despite his cold exterior, Ethan had a kind heart. He often volunteered to mentor new recruits, teaching them not just about police work but about compassion. "This job isn't about power," he would tell them. "It's about responsibility. Never forget that."

His appearance, with his flowing blonde hair and intense red eyes, only added to his enigmatic aura. He was a man who seemed out of place in the modern world, as if he carried the weight of ages.

---

Unbeknownst to Ethan, his dreams often carried echoes of his true self. He would wake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, after visions of a golden figure standing against a vast, star-filled void. The dreams left him with a strange sense of longing, though he could never place why.

Occasionally, during moments of intense focus, Ethan would experience flashes of knowledge or instincts that felt foreign. Whether it was predicting the next move of a suspect or uncovering hidden truths in a case, these moments unnerved him. He chalked it up to intuition, unaware that the fragments of Azrael's soul were beginning to awaken.

---

As Ethan approached his thirtieth year, his life felt both fulfilling and incomplete. He had become a protector of the innocent, a beacon of justice in a world steeped in darkness. Yet, deep within, he sensed that his journey was far from over.

The chapter closes with Ethan standing atop a building, gazing out at the city below. The wind rustles his blonde hair as he lights a cigarette, his red eyes reflecting the city's neon lights. He doesn't know it yet, but his destiny is calling. Soon, the man known as Ethan Cross will face the truth of who he is—and who he was meant to be.

---