CHAPTER 1: The Sonic Son
Last updated
Last updated
Jerrod Jones was once celebrated as a musical prodigy, a young talent whose beats resonated like they were pulled directly from the soul of the Digi-Verse. His ability to weave melodies and manipulate sound was unmatched, and by the age of ten, he was crafting compositions that left listeners in awe. By fifteen, Jerrod had become a local sensation, his talent blazing a trail through underground clubs and digital music forums.
But genius has its burdens.
As Jerrod’s fame grew, so did the expectations placed upon him. His family, friends, and the music industry saw him as their ticket to something greater, piling pressure on him to perform and produce. What had once been his sanctuary—music—began to feel like a trap. The unrelenting demands and pressures stripped the joy from his craft, leaving only cold precision in its place. Over time, the vibrant energy that defined his music dimmed, replaced by mechanical perfection that lacked heart.
By turning twenty, Jerrod had retreated from the spotlight, disillusioned and burnt out. The boy who once thrived on stage now lived as a recluse, seeking solace in the quiet rhythm of his routines. He moved to a small, cluttered apartment on the outskirts of the city, far from the echoes of his past life. The walls of his sanctuary were covered with posters of past performances and shelves stacked with unused music equipment—reminders of a life he wanted to forget.
Every morning, Jerrod begins his day the same way. His blocxpresso machine, the one piece of tech in his apartment that works perfectly, hums to life, filling the air with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. With his signature cup in hand, Jerrod sits at his desk, surrounded by holographic screens displaying unfinished compositions. The beats and melodies linger like ghosts—echoes of ideas left unexplored.
Jerrod tinkers with sound files and codes, not because he wants to create something but because it’s the only part of his past life that still brings a faint sense of purpose. Music and code are intertwined for him, a combination that once felt magical but now serves as a quiet distraction from the monotony of his existence.
Despite his immense talent, Jerrod’s life is stifled by routine. After a few hours at his desk, he trades his creative pursuits for the dull reality of his job at Sei Burger, a local fast-food joint. The neon sign above the store flickers with the same lackluster energy Jerrod feels inside.
Jerrod’s shift at Sei Burger is as unremarkable as his coworkers’ lifeless stares. The grease-stained counters, the incessant beeping of fryers, and the monotone drone of order numbers being called out—all of it blends into a haze of monotony. For hours, Jerrod flips patties and fills drink orders, the motions so ingrained that his body moves on autopilot while his mind drifts elsewhere.
It’s not that Jerrod hates the work—it’s that it feels so far removed from the person he once was. The Sei Burger uniform is a stark contrast to the vibrant, confident image he once projected as a young musician. Now, he’s just another nameless employee serving faceless customers, a small cog in the machine of the city.
At the end of his shift, Jerrod trudges back to his apartment, the smell of grease clinging to his clothes. The once-bright beats in his head have dulled to faint murmurs, drowned out by the drudgery of the day. His evenings are spent eating quick meals, staring at unfinished projects, and retreating into restless sleep.
Despite the monotony, there’s a spark within Jerrod that refuses to extinguish. Deep down, he knows that his connection to music and frequencies is something special—something more than just talent. When he’s lost in the rhythm of creation, he feels a sense of harmony that goes beyond sound, as though he’s tapping into a deeper layer of reality.
This innate ability to “tune” frequencies isn’t just a skill—it’s a gift, though Jerrod has yet to realize its full potential. His mind works like an intricate processor, capable of manipulating not only musical elements but the digital and harmonic structures that govern the Digi-Verse itself.
Jerrod is unaware that his gift places him on the precipice of something far greater than he could imagine. For now, he remains locked in his cycle of isolation and self-doubt, his potential waiting to be unleashed by the forces gathering in the shadows of the Digi-Verse.
