The Pain Eater

The first time was confusing. Pain, sorrow, guilt, regret, and shame were what he felt when he made what should have been an innocent enough contact with Becky's hand. They were two kids, both attracted to each other and starting to feel something special. But Jackson had an ability, something he wouldn't come to understand for many more years.

Jackson was an empath. He'd been that way for years. He could feel the emotions of people around him, and his powers grew with him.

The planet wasn't as protected as it once was. Whether it was the massive solar storm alone or a combination of events, solar radiation was leeching into our atmosphere at an untold rate. By the time Jackson was an adult, not only could he feel the pain of others, but he could see what they saw.

At age 25, his powers finally reached maturity. He could control what was happening. Even better, for those who needed it the most, Jackson could take away their pain. Thanks to the effects of exposure to solar radiation at elevated levels, Jackson became the most powerful empath on Earth.

Jackson was the first psychically charged hero. He was a pain eater. Jackson could free people from the traumas of being human. When he did it for a woman suffering from such a trauma it ruined most of her adult relationships Jackson began to seek out those that needed him.

He can feel you, from great distances. If you need his help, he'll find you. Jackson learned to use his powers for good. But as the first empathic superhero, he's searching for others like him.

No hero remains so in a world of darkness on an island of their very own.