DarkSlyde
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| DarkSlyde | |
| Player: @Flirte | |
| Origin: | Mutant |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Stalker |
| Threat Level: | 50 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Matt Meyer |
| Known Aliases: | Dark |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 24 |
| Height: | 6'1" |
| Weight: | 210lbs |
| Eye Color: | White |
| Hair Color: | White |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | SuperVillain |
| Place of Birth: | Confidential |
| Base of Operations: | Rogue Isles |
| Marital Status: | Engaged to Pyre Curse |
| Known Relatives: | None |
| Known Powers | |
| Dark Melee/ Ninjitsu | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Teleportation, Fitness, Soul Mastery | |
| Equipment | |
| Designer Sunglasses | |
| No additional information available. | |
Contents |
Personality
Comes off as cocky, arrogant, yet calm under pressure. Has supreme confidence in his abilities, even though this confidence is often times unwarranted. Struggles with authority (most of the time) and yet has the desire to feel like a member of a team.
Powers
Dark Melee
DarkSlyde's unique mutation allows him to harness the dark and negative energies that each living object possesses, and to focus these energies into a strong offensive weapon. These "dark weapons" can be used to compliment DarkSlyde's potent hand to hand combat repertoire, or in certain cases, allow him to essentially drain the life force of his enemies, replenishing his own. On occasion, DarkSlyde can focus greatly and be overcome with negative energy, boosting his damage output for several moments.
Ninjitsu
DarkSlyde's natural-born reflexes seem a perfect fit for the art of ninjitsu. Having spend a great deal of time learning the ancient art, he is adept at nearly any situation he may encounter. His ability to remain hidden amongst his enemies and to counter their attacks with his quickness is unmatched by his peers. In true ninjitsu fashion, DarkSlyde can use several tricks to escape otherwise perilous situations, such as Blinding Powder or a simple Smoke Flash.
Teleportation
While it may seem on the surface that DarkSlyde has the uncanny ability to vanish, only to reappear several meters away, this power is essentially tied into his mutation. He can literally "slide" through the negative energy aforementioned, which results in a visible "shift" of his position. He can also use this power to call his allies close by, and it is also believed that he may possess the ability to remove a foe from his companions, although this is speculative at this point.
Fitness
While a mutant, DarkSlyde still has the work ethic of a normal human and thus is able to keep his body in top shape at all times.
Background
Beginnings
DarkSlyde's mutation hit rather late in his life, and thus, he often times feels unwanted and isolated. He was too old to attend a mutant academy, so he instead focused on learning his abilities on his own. He has yet to grasp his true powers, and hopes to be able to as time goes on. DarkSlyde attempted a life of heroism and fame by traveling to Paragon City. He desperately wanted a feeling of belonging and met with a renowned mutant in Atlas Park. His first task was to save a lady from being robbed of her purse, a fairly common occurrence in Paragon City. He succeeded in apprehending the criminal, but having pinned him down on the concrete, DarkSlyde felt that he would best sentence the man's fate. He pummeled the man to his death, all the while feeling as though he was doing the right thing. Needless to say, DarkSlyde's actions were illegal, and now a hero-to-be was on the wrong side of the law. DarkSlyde was judged a "menace to society", and was set to undergo experimental gene therapy treatment to remove his mutated genes from his body. He was being held in the Zig awaiting his fate when Lord Recluse's attack on the compound began.
Alliances formed
After his escape, DarkSlyde found himself on the Rogue Isles, a man lost among many. He searched for a place to belong, and was about to give up hope when he met a mysterious, sensuous being known as Pyre Curse. There was something about her that made him feel as though he belonged around her. Pyre Curse introduced DarkSlyde to a formidable ally, Baron Crimson, and succeeded in persuading Baron into accepting DarkSlyde into the Darwinian Order. DarkSlyde became a quick study to the Baron's teachings, and the Baron was using DarkSlyde's brutish strengths to accomplish his goals. Not much time had passed until DarkSlyde attained the rank of "Lieutenant" in the organization. Baron then confronted DarkSlyde with a proposition. Baron asked him to further submit himself to the Order, and to undergo a new training regiment that would most likely kill him. Baron noticed DarkSlyde's quick reflexes, and thought that he was wasting his talents as a front line warrior. What Baron proposed would essentially make DarkSlyde a perfect assassin, and an even stronger tool in the Baron's arsenal. DarkSlyde agreed, however reluctantly, for he knew that he may never see Pyre Curse again. He was stripped of his title, his belongings, and kicked to the proverbial curb to start anew in the path of the Stalker.
Return of a Shadow
Several months had passed, and DarkSlyde had completed his training. He was now a student of the art of ninjitsu, a feat that is not easily accomplished. He returned to the Rogue Isles, and sought out his first true "friend", Pyre Curse. It was on a rooftop in Port Oakes where he found her. Alot of things had changed since DarkSlyde had left, Pyre had left the Order, Baron had found a new Lieutenant, and these changes wore heavily upon DarkSlyde. He was having a hard time realizing what would eventually become the truth and motivation behind Baron's final instructions given. Baron had sensed DarkSlyde's personality, and feared that he may one day lose his control over him. He ordered him to undergo the intense training of the ninjitsu, fully expecting him to fail, ultimately being killed. Furthermore, Baron had somehow discovered DarkSlyde's unusual feelings toward Pyre, and hoped to control his female student even further by removing DarkSlyde from the equation. Pyre would never be able to have feelings for DarkSlyde with him out of the picture. All of these ideas were presented to DarkSlyde that night on the rooftop, and he began to feel a hatred of his former "master".
Revelations and Secrets
Armed with a new-found sense of self, DarkSlyde decides to leave his former master, Baron Crimson, and to work on the one relationship he cherishes above all else: his relationship with Pyre Curse. He knows that he has to gain her trust more now than ever, because of the atrocities she has faced, but he does not waiver in his journey. At first, Pyre seems reluctant to allow DarkSlyde to grow close to her, perhaps fearing that he, too, will hurt her as she has been hurt in the past; but gradually, Pyre begins to accept the fact the DarkSlyde would, in his words, "rather die than hurt her or lie to her." This leads to DarkSlyde revealing to Pyre that she, and she alone, was his salvation in his hour of need, and that without the memories of her, he may never had made it back from his suicidal trainings orchestrated by the Baron. It is around this time that a change occurs in the relationship between Pyre and Dark. Dark senses that his advances, harmless as they seem to him, cause a great deal of heartache to Pyre. True to his word, he promises not to hurt Pyre by putting her through whatever torments he causes when he speaks from his heart, and decides to keep his emotions on the inside, at least for now. It is this act that ultimately proves to Pyre that Dark is more than a friend or an acquaintance, and that maybe, just maybe, Dark is not like the rest of the world; out to control and use her. From that moment on, Dark faces internal struggles with his emotions, especially when he is around Pyre, taking great care not to upset Pyre's delicate sense of trust in him.
Current Events
Putting It All Together
This day was bound to come, the day where Baron Crimson would confront his former Lieutenant about his wavering allegiance. Baron managed to track Dark and Pyre to a rooftop high above Cap Au Diable. It was there that Baron caught his two former students by surprise. Baron began to attack the two from a verbal standpoint, obviously too weak for a physical confrontation. Baron attempted to persuade Dark as he had in the past. Dark would not back down this time, and several times questioned Baron's philosophies and otherwise nonsensical ramblings. It was not until Baron insulted Pyre Curse that Dark felt his emotions getting the better of him. Dark was seriously contemplating teleporting the Baron off of the rooftop to his demise, and just as he was about to focus his energy to complete the task, he was interrupted by several members of the Imperialization Nation. A man by the name of King Fish confronted the Baron, eventually provoking an ill-conceived attack that would result in the death of the Baron. The lifeless corpse of the Baron was taken to a nearby wooded area by Pyre Curse, for what seemed to be a burial ceremony. Instead, Pyre revived the Baron, and vowed that she would never help him again before simply walking away.
New Beginnings
Catching up to Pyre, Dark was introduced to a recruiting officer for the Imperialization Nation, one Mareo. Pyre suggested to Mareo that Dark would be a great asset to the Nation, and after a short interview process, Dark was accepted into the Nation. Dark welcomes the challenges that lie ahead, feeling as though he is a part of something for the first time. Another change happens to Dark on this day of days. After completing a couple of errands with his friend and confidant Pyre, they meet on the top of an old water tower to discuss the days events. Sensing that Pyre has begun to warm up to him, possibly even trusting him, Dark puts all his emotional cards out on the table. Pyre does not seem apprehensive this time, instead welcoming Dark with her inviting eyes. One thing leads to another, and Dark and Pyre share a romantic kiss that would change both of their lives from that point forward. Dark confesses his love to Pyre, and Pyre to Dark. They spend several moments together, seemingly not wanting their new found love of one another to fade away, only to grow stronger. The exchange truly is special and heartwarming. For both of these individuals to have been through so much separately, only to then find one another, grow close to one another, and to develop a love of one another is a beautiful and remarkable event. Where this love will take these two, no one knows. But be sure that where one goes, the other won't be far behind.
Love is a Battlefield
Not wanting to spend a moment without one another, Pyre and Dark undertake several "jobs" together, all with the same results: No one can match their abilities. When these two are together, Pyre's beauty and skillful artistry with flame perfectly compliments Dark and his lethal abilities to strike from the shadows. Essentially, Pyre "sets em up", while Dark "knocks em down". This fact is not lost on either of them, as they both seem to gain great joy in their sudden aura of invincibility while together. Normally mundane tasks suddenly have great meaning to each of them, and a friendly competition occurs, each one trying to "one-up" the other in combat. While out of combat, these two "lovebirds" can often be found getting close to one another, sometimes forgetting the mission at hand while they enjoy being in the others company. When this occurs, time seems to stand still, and they often lose track of their surroundings, sometimes putting themselves at risk to a counter-attack. This was not more evident than when Pyre and Dark raided a Council base in Sharkhead Isle. Having what they had considered completed a "flawless" abduction, they immediately found themselves in each others arms, when a surprise ambush occurred. More upset than in any true danger, both Pyre and Dark lashed out at their attackers, dispatching them with great ease. They then picked up where they left off moments earlier. Another twist that has happened between Pyre and Dark is that Pyre has been both surprised and impressed by Dark's growing abilities. In an underground lair of the Circle of Thorns, a group of unholy mages and aberrations who previously had tormented Pyre, Pyre witnessed Dark strike down a powerful Force Mage in one blow, eliminating the threat to her as if he were "shooing" a fly away. Pyre was extremely impressed with Dark's ability, and has no qualms in telling everyone she knows about how powerful her "soul mate" has become, essentially bragging to all who would listen.
A Circle Has No Beginning or End
Dark and Pyre's relationship was bursting at the seams, everything going so well for the both of them. The two were growing stronger still, reaping the benefits of their new powers by completing their daily assignments with ease. At one point in particular, in the aftermath of a raid on a Circle of Thorns coven, Pyre became unusually frisky with Dark, tackling him to the ground affectionately and proceeding to playfully and passionately kiss him. Dark and Pyre spent several moments in the deserted cave sharing a new type of connection that was far more physical and aggressive than ever before. Clearly this was a special point in their relationship, as it showed that Pyre had begun to fully open herself up to Dark in ways they both had not imagined possible. It was not until Pyre spoke with a Diviner of sorts that things began to deteriorate rapidly. The Diviner spoke in cryptic code, foreshadowing Pyre's untimely death in the near future. Pyre was hesitant to share this info with Dark, but also knew she could not keep it from him. Upon hearing Pyre's apparent fate, Dark became enraged, offering to kill the Diviner in order to prevent this disaster. Cooler heads prevailed, as Pyre talked him down, suggesting that they play by the Diviner's rules in order to find out more about his warning. They eventually learned of a plot involving the Circle of Thorns and the Freakshow that intended to sacrifice Pyre to summon a powerful being to roam the Earth. Throughout this fateful tale, Dark realized that he could not bear to live without Pyre, and that his love for her had blossomed to the point that he wanted to spend the rest of his life in her arms; protecting her, loving her, cherishing her. Dark made arraignments with an old contact of his, Mikey the Ear, to procure a unique ring, one that would satisfy Dark's requirement of it exemplifying his love for Pyre for all who laid eyes upon it to see. Having found a suitable golden ring, engraved with a single white rose in the band, Mikey the Ear contacts Dark, who excuses himself from Pyre prior to a job they were about to undertake together. Upon his return, he shows great care in not allowing his secret intentions to slip, guarding the ring in his web-belt from Pyre and enemy alike. When he finally musters up enough courage and self confidence to ask the question he wants so desperately to ask, he "locks up", instead showering praise upon Pyre to a near embarrassing point for her. She calms his nerves (which she does quite often), and he finally lowers to one knee, presenting a beautiful box to Pyre. She opens it, and is in awe of the beauty of this special ring. Her customs are slightly different than that of humans, so she listens politely to Dark's description of what this ring means, perking up when she hears the term "marriage". A little confused, which Dark notices, Pyre is not quite sure how to respond to Dark's offer, yet does not want to hurt his feelings either. Dark understands her dilemma, and explains to her that she does not have to answer right away, and that no matter what, both that he and the ring are hers to keep forever. This seems to please Pyre, who asks if she can hold onto the ring to think about its significance. Dark absolutely agrees, and the two head back to their base after completing their mission.
Some time later, Pyre and Dark got together again to complete their task to expose the Diviner's prophecy. They had tracked their target(s), and were poised to eliminate them, when Pyre began to behave more mischievous than usual, hiding "something" behind her back. Dark tried to figure it out, but was turned away time and time again. Figuring that he'd eventually find out, he instead focused on the battles to come. Eventually, they discovered their targets, Metal Shift and Barracuda. Feeling supremely confident, Dark charges head-first into battle, not waiting for Pyre's assistance. It was a foolish move, however, as Dark is beaten to within an inch of his life. Pyre, watching in horror and shock, somehow has the energy to summon her love near to her, and begins the process of healing his wounds. Because of the severity of Dark's injuries, Pyre has to resort to expending a large portion of her own energy to bring him back to her. He finally comes to, looking up at his love, seemingly glowing like an angel due to the way her head was positioned against the overhead lights of the warehouse in his view. With one last healing touch of her glowing hand, he was back to full strength. Looking at her left hand, Dark notices (finally!) what Pyre has been playfully hiding...the ring on her finger. Seeing this made all of Dark's pain subside, and he immediately swept Pyre of her feet and into his arms. For what seems like a lifetime, they embrace one another, completely forgetting their assignment for the time being. Pyre does however, explain to Dark that he should never put her through watching him nearly die by trying to show off to her ever again, but cannot remain angry at her love for even a split-second. Eventually, they realize their task is not complete, and continue with their mission. Dark seems to fight with a new-found intensity and purpose, all the while smiling and stopping only to look back at Pyre and the twinkle of the ring on her finger.
"Mage" You Look!
One day, despite Pyre's previous warnings to the contrary, Dark decides he has the strength to carry out an attack against a Circle of Thorns coven by himself. He receives his assignment from Kalinda, and infiltrates the evil sanctuary, striking both fear and death into the hearts of his enemies as he attacks them from the shadows. Dark begins to revel in his powers, truly impressed with himself. After several hours of fighting a nearly endless reserve of Circle Mages and their demons, Dark approaches a place of worship, his only order to retrieve a sacred tome and then escape. But Dark has other ideas, and wishes to eliminate this particularly evil cell of the Circle from the face of the Earth. He ignores Kalinda's warning of the strength of their leader, and stalks his prey. He catches the unique mage; adorned in a much more extravagant robe and wearing a rather large amulet around his neck; completely by surprise, striking a mortal wound to his target. This mage coaxes Dark into not only killing him, but taking his soul, by shooting his mouth off about Pyre and how "he did rather enjoy her" when she was with the Circle as their slave. Dark has the ability to take a small portion of a person's life force, used only to heal himself, and is not well versed in the required methodology to completely remove a person's soul, but once again his confidence would get the better of him. Channeling all of his power into the mage, the mage succeeds in his plan to retaliate toward Dark and casts a spell on him when he is at his weakest point of his attempt at the soul-reaving. Dark's eyes suddenly glow a neon green, resembling the lesser mages and guards of the Circle. He experiences a horrific pain in his head, and passes out from the trauma. He awakes to find himself in Cap Au Diable, his personal communicator going off in his ear. On the other end is Pyre, asking to meet up with him to have him help with an errand. Pyre notices the change in Dark, who explains his appearance with some convoluted tale of what happened, only Dark's words are not his own. Pyre, having no reason not to trust Dark, thinks nothing of it, and they continue with their assignment.
When Pyre's next task places them at the heart of a Circle hideout, the mage's control over Dark begins to show itself. At first, Pyre smells a mage nearby, even when only she and Dark are in the area. Then it hits her.....it is Dark who smells of mage. Frightened, Pyre flees to the screams of "Mage! Never again! Will die first, Mage!" Dark has no idea what Pyre is talking about, and calls for her to return to him. Pyre instead repeats her warnings, only sounding more feral and ruthless. Dark again insists that he is no mage, prompting Pyre to come a little closer to him, still holding her guard up, fire burning from her hands. When Pyre gets close enough, the mage inside Dark's head commands him to attack Pyre. Dark screams so loud that he shakes the foundations of the cave, but is helpless to resist the command. He quickly teleports directly in front of Pyre, pinning her to the wall. He tries to speak, tries to apologize, but it is too late. His eyes are now engulfed in a green flame, and he places his hand around her neck. Pyre quickly kicks free of her assailant, knocking him to the ground. She moves in for the killing blow, but catches a reflective spark off of the ring she is wearing, the ring that signifies Dark's promise and love to her. Still in a feral state, Pyre manages to speak one word...."Forever." She collapses to the ground, her energy spent. Dark begins to come to, seemingly back to normal, when Pyre backs up yet again. She apologizes to Dark, and begins to cry. Dark, not knowing what happened, sees the marks left on Pyre's neck by his hand, and also falls to his knees, crying uncontrollably. No longer sensing the mage, Pyre tries to comfort her love with a gentle touch, begging for forgiveness. Dark stops his crying, and begins to float in the air, similar to a Circle's victim of a ritual. The green glow returns to his eyes, and he speaks in a foreign voice. "Dark is no more, Pyre, only me!" He lunges at her, instead catching the back of her boot to the side of his head. He falls unconscious, his eyes still glowing green. Pyre knows she needs help, and takes the body back to her base.
Panic-stricken upon arriving at the base, Pyre calls out for help as she lays the body on a table in the meeting room. She comes back with Baal'it and Psychocat, and asks for their help in ridding her love of this dark magic. Baal'it immediately recognizes this type of spell as a form of "remote viewing", where the mage can essentially control his host's actions and words. She succeeds in subsiding the mages power over Dark temporarily, but requires the corpse of this mage to fully break his hold over him. She sends Pyre to collect what she needs. Baal'it begins to awaken Dark, informing him of what is about to occur. In order to save him, she will have to unleash the mage inside him again. She questions his love of Pyre, and mentions to him that he will need to remain strong and use his love of her as his strength to avoid fully succumbing to the mage's control over him. Dark tries to explain his love for Pyre to Baal'it, but she is not really interested in hearing about it, instead instructing him to "keep telling yourself that, mortal". When Pyre returns with the mages' corpse, Baal'it releases the protective wards surrounding Dark, and the mage once again takes control of his "vessel". Baal'it threatens the mage inside Dark to release him, or she would be forced to consume his spirit and sentence it to unfathomable pain and agony. Assuming Baal'it's bluffing, the mage threatens to kill his "vessel", to which Baal'it says to go ahead. She would still claim his soul as her own, no matter what he did to Dark. The mage makes one last attempt to persuade Baal'it to reconsider her actions, threatening that if she kills him, she is only delaying the inevitable, that Pyre would once again lie within the Circle's grasp. Baal'it simply leans over the corpse and kisses it, setting off a chain reaction that begins to call forth the soul of the mage into her awaiting dark energy. Knowing he is defeated, the mage uses Dark's body to attempt to reach out to his own corpse, falling just within an arms reach of it, before leaving Dark for the last time. Dark's eyes lose their glow forever, and Pyre rushes to his aide. <more to come>
Weaknesses
Dark is always trying to push his abilities to their limits, often times "biting off more than he can chew." He usually can escape these situations when by himself, but when teamed with others, he prefers to stand and fight rather than turn away, not wanting to place his allies in danger by leaving a fight prematurely. This is even more prevalent when he is with Pyre, because he truly would die for her. His feelings toward her can also be considered a weakness, should an enemy choose to play with his emotions for her. His "cocky" attitude often times places him in precarious conversations as well, sometimes unable to "leave well enough alone", especially when it comes to Pyre. Should something happen to Pyre, Dark would most likely lose control of his reality, essentially losing control of himself, and fully submit to his powers over the darkness. Also, as his powers over the darkness have grown, Dark has began to develop a small intolerance to light, causing him minor headaches when he is exposed to too much without wearing his sunglasses.
Trivia (Did You Know?)
- Dark can't hold his liquor, getting "buzzed" after only one beer....
- Dark can't cook to save his life....
- Dark is an excellent masseuse, although he never studied the art....
- Dark recently was promoted to the rank of Enforcer in the Imperialization Nation....
- <more to come>
Theme Song(s)
"What I've Done" by Linkin Park, Dark's theme of personal forgiveness and starting anew
Santana's "Into the Night", a perfect match for Dark's love towards Pyre
Skillet's "Whispers in the Dark", another song dedicated to Pyre from Dark
"All Around Me" by Flyleaf, Pyre's song for her feelings toward Dark
