Four months passed after Sebastian first gained his power, during that time he'd already become a sort of urban legend known world wide. He started changing his face and appearance when walking alone during the night, then revealing himself and trapping any criminal dumb enough to approach him in his cage of eternal suffering.
Sebastian removed his need to sleep and eat just to be able to go after criminals without needing rest nor sustenance, for months without end he'd roam the streets of multiple cities in multiple countries with the goal to cause fear in the hearts of the wicked, when the sun rose, he'd go to another city or country where it was dark, he repeated that cycle endlessly.
Every criminal unfortunate enough to cross his path was cursed with experiencing agony beyond belief all over their being with no cure except for death and were also stripped of their voice, having no way to cry out suffering, to add on top of everything, he also took pictures of himself with them and posted the photos on their social media, just as he had done before. This was Sebastian's calling card.
As Sebastian expected, the possibility of a fate worse than death struck fear in criminals around the world, and thanks to him, crime had dropped drastically worldwide, however it still hadn't disappeared.
Despite the good caused by Sebastian's actions, The Void was considered an international criminal, wanted in almost every country in the world, yet they still had no way to stop nor capture him.
Sebastian's persecution didn't stop with law enforcement, however, criminal gangs and cartels worldwide also had him as a top priority, each one of them planning how to put an end to their torment.
Sebastian was aware of all this. He couldn't care less about it though.
"This abhorrent world where law and crime search for the same goal is the epitome of filth." He thought.
During this time, Sebastian found out that he could only use his powers on living beings after trying multiple times to change objects around him, objects have no soul after all. He felt stupid for not realizing this sooner, but was happy to understand more of his ability.
Sebastian also had no contact with his friends during that time, they tried and failed many times to contact him but he refused to even look at his phone when they called him.
And even though he had overwhelming power, was present in the minds of everyone, and was finally completing his goal of changing the world, Sebastian still felt that dreaded feeling of something missing inside of him.
Sebastian was working at another job had been hired for, a car dealership who needed pictures for their new cars. He found it insane to still be working despite being who he was.
However, instead of feeling that same emptiness he always felt when he worked, Sebastian found joy and calmness when he was hired for a job.
The day still went by quickly, daylight faded and Sebastian finished his work. He waved goodbye to his employers and walked home, while walking the thought of that first night where he encountered that criminal, Fuse, he had long forgotten his name by then.
As he walked, Sebastian, passed around a dimly lit area, somewhere no one in their right mind would've gone to after dark.
He raised his eyes and looked in awe at how many people were also walking there, and felt proud of what he had accomplished.
Sebastian's pride quickly faded into monotone nothingness as he entered a trance, lost in thought, as he usually did while walking.
Nearing his home something made Sebastian look up one more time, he saw Emily going somewhere. His face went pale.
Sebastian resolved to speak to her, he had no idea where she was going but felt that if he didn't he'd regret it later.
Sebsstian picked up his pace and quickly managed to catch up to Emily. As soon as she saw him, she went pale aswell.
"What are you doing here at night alone? You never went out at night like this." He asked her.
"Do you forget who you are, Void? The city's been safer thanks to the criminal torturer roaming the streets. But I guess you've been so busy to even call once."
Sebastian looked saddened by her remark.
"Why are you here, Sebastian?" She continued.
"I just wanted to say hi is all. Am I not allowed to?"
"You mean you ignore us for months while you're out there doing the things you do and now you come to say hi?"
"Well, yeah, I'm sorry for n-"
"You're always sorry for something, Sebastian, when will it end?" She interrupted.
"Even before you became this thing, you were a pain in the ass to get a hold of. Kat and Mat always wanted to talk with you yet you barely answered them."
"You weren't like this, Sebastian, and it hurts to see you act this way with us for no reason."
Sebastian was shocked to hear his friend talk to him that way.
"Walk with me, Emily. Or are you too busy?" He said coldly.
Emily reluctantly followed him after denying being busy.
"Are you alive, Emily?"
She didn't answer, bewildered by the sudden question.
"Us as humans, we seek to live, we seek to keep our lives going just a little bit longer, we do whatever is takes to do it. It's the prison of every living organism that has ever lived."
"There's really no reason to do anything, anything at all, yet we still do, we seek meaning in a meaningless existence."
"Connections, work, education, high status, fame, money, it's all boring as hell! There's no meaning to any of that, but we still want it so bad, we desire these meaningless things to fill a void within ourselves."
Sebastian started raving, entering a frenzy.
"Its not like we had a choice, poor us, poor everyone who was born into the world, we never chose to be born yet here we are, forced to play by our own rules which aren't truly ours."
"Tell me why should anything matter if we're all going to be released from our sentence sooner or later? Why not just free ourselves from these shackles whenever we want?"
"Its because we don't want to, Emily, we're slaved to ourselves, if he weren't we would all be corpses, each and every one of us."
"Our slavery to our being is what keeps us shackled, and there are slaves that enslave others aswell, binding those poor souls even more."
Emily was distraught by Sebastian's words , wanting to stop him and leave immediately.
"Sebastian, what are you saying? Are you sick? Stop it, jackass!"
"I can't get sick, dear Emily, I'm me after all! You know why those slaves enslave others? We need to be enslaved! Can't you see it?"
"We humans need order to be imposed on us to stay in order! Yet… some people, they refuse order, they deeply want those vain things in life, so they free themselves from the imposed shackles we need but not from the shackles of their own."
Sebastian went pale again, except it wasn't out of fear nor worry.
"These people are disgusting swines. They believe in their false freedom and make other people's time in prison even more of a hell to accomplish their selfish desires."
"Even bigger are the swines who enslave others yet do nothing at the sight of their slaves breaking free from them and disrupting the blissful ignorance of the weak."
Emily stared at him blankly with a disguted look, processing what Sebastian was telling her.
"Like I said, there is no reason for anything, I had no reason for anything. But now I do. Keeping those swines in check is my reason, of course I'm still a slave to myself but I'm a slave with a purpouse now."
"I truly envy those beings without a soul, those who even my power cannot touch, they're not bound by anything. Those are the ones who really are free."
"Or maybe I am free myself, you know? Maybe I'm not a slave like the rest. I'm living in a hanged man's gallow, Emily, and living here made me realize that before they pull the lever and let me go, I must achieve my goals. Maybe this power truly has broken all of my shackles and freed me. I said I was free, it must be so, right?"
"I pity you, those who are still slaves to slaves and slaves to yourselves."
Sebastian fell to his knees and looked up at Emily.
"What the hell are you doing? Get yourself off the floor, you freak!"
Sebastian looked at Emily with pleading eyes as he whispered to himself and his body began to be replaced by a burning darkness.