Fade into a bar on the edge of town…
Smoke drifted through the air, an eerie white presence. Dirt and dust flicked up beneath the feet of Drake Nygma. His facial expression spoke of a deeper internal darkness. This was his way of late, turning his aggression into darkness, a darkness which he unleashed on his opponents. “A tag team tournament to crown new tag team champions… the idea of running the table is thrilling, the amount of bodies to break… equally thrilling”.
A slight smirk tipped his lips, his confidence obvious in how he held himself. Today his look had evolved, his suits had gotten more expensive, his style had become more refined.
An white button shirt started the look, an obsidian coloured blazer, paired off with an elegant looking bowler hat, dark slacks as if this man had fully embraced his darkness.
“There is beauty in the violence. It would not be a lie to say the language I speak is violence, broken limbs, scars, the screams of the injured and dying, this is what I live for. You live long enough and eventually you learn that nature can be brutal, as well as gentle. These two things are what make nature intriguing”.
There was a glass of ice cold beer, set before him. From the shadows Drake noted a shivering, nervous wreck of a human making nonsensical sounds.
Big bold laughter escaped his mouth at the sight of this terrified looking human.
“Where is your courage? Strength? Backbone? Have you humans gotten even softer in the years since I slept? Pathetic.” A growl accompanied these words, his tone darkening even further, annoyance causing his facial features to tighten.
Downing the beer in but a single gulp, true appreciation for the alcoholic beverage flickered through the ominous set of his eyes.
Beeping sounds brought an end to the sarcastic, mocking remarks. Looking down at the screen of his phone Drake began to read.
“Eun Young Han. That is the name of my tag team partner it seems.”
Rising to his feet the tall masculine looking form began to move out of the bar, a wicked smirk alighting itself on his features.
Mere hours later, Drake found himself on a plane empty of life, apart from a pilot and Dollia Trypp. Leaning back in his seat, for a moment he would look out the window, lips twisting in a scowl.
“I hate being in small spaces, even momentarily. You better have a good reason for why I am on this flight.”
Dollia simply smiled, her expression warm and generous, empathy flowing through her veins as always. There it was, a momentary flash of the boy she had grown up with, never had she thought to see even a passing glimpse of her friend after Drake had reached physical maturity.
“I do have a reason, a conversation needs to be had, between you and I. Dollia and Drake. Childhood friends now full grown having walked different paths. You chose to become a fighter, to master the art of violence. In war you found peace. I chose the opposite, to ride out the waves of emotions, to learn how to soothe beasts clothed in human flesh.”
Her speech came out gentle, endearing, emotion present on her face. Breathing slowly, Dollia began to speak again.
“The nature of memories…. Of dreams are winding, many paths exist along the road of the mind. Yours, is spinning in a multitude of directions. Two halves at war…. One side human, the other pushing far beyond humanity. I see how you loathe humanity and yet you are also human, this is a contradiction Drake. Together you and I will uncover answers… unravel the mysteries of your past, of how you became the vessel for the sphinx”.
Silence held true for several moments, neither Drake nor Dollia knew what to say to break the silence that lay between them.
Sipping at a tumbler of whiskey, Drake began to speak, his voice a mixture of confusion and intrigue at the emotions and thoughts evoked by Dollia’s words.
“Vessel? Do you mean to imply that you can see the entity I share my body with?. You speak of memories, of dreams as if you know something I do not.”
Dollia’s lips turned in a smile, eyes softening as she regarded the man who had been her best friend, whom she had gone to in the wake of her father’s abuse.
“I know how you came to house The Sphinx in your body. I’ll share that story with you soon. Our plane is about to land. For now all you need to know is that you protected me. You kept me safe. I owe both you and The Sphinx a debt I can never fully repay.”
True surprise flashed upon Drake’s face, a single question whirling throughout his mind.
“What do you mean? How are we connected?”. The question would hang in the air, going unanswered as both Drake and Dollia would depart the plane.
Fade into an unmarked tomb….
Drake’s eyes widened upon seeing a dimly lit tomb spreading out before his very eyes. A table laid mid centre of the room, a dusty tome open to reveal an illustration of an eerie red orb, much like the one that was set in the championship presently held by Jeremiah Vastrix. Flashes of memory rose up within Drake’s mind, the opening moments of the match to be precise when he had felt possessed by something other than the entity he had come to know.
For a moment, the dark energy of The Sphinx rose up, both man and god were enraged, their features twisted into a mask of unrelenting fury. In the mind of both Drake and The Sphinx a line had been crossed in the post match events.
“Jeremiah Vastrix…. Want to know what you have really achieved today? You have secured yourself an enemy for life. Congrats. Our quest for that belt and the jewel is far from over…. The entire roster should consider themselves warned. Getting in our way would be a foolish move.”
Drake’s eyes closed slowly, journeying deep into his mind, his physical form battered and bruised, his soul and spirit free to traverse the realms of memory.
Dollia’s expression tinged with concern appeared before the camera, her eyes narrowed as she began to speak.
“Rest now old friend…. Regain your strength. This is only the start of the journey that you and I shall embark upon together.”
With Dollia’s words hanging in the air the camera would cut out, the lights going out as The Sphinx fell into a deep slumber, a slumber in which he would experience either a dream or a vision centred around that glowing red orb.
Fade to black….