Flames roared in the background, shadows danced along the wall of a clean modern looking room in a modest looking home in present day Japan. In the middle of the room lay a hearth, the warmth within the only heating present in the living room. Art lay along the walls, black hieroglyphs standing out in stark contrast to the pale blue walls. This home was purchased under the Alias Drake Nygma.
By his side stood the empathic and softly dressed feminine figure of Dollia Trypp. A soft white robe sheathed her form, making her look smaller than she had previously. Yet there was a certain stubborn strength to the set of her jaw.
Flashes of the memory from what Dollia knew to be from another life whirled in her mind. Her mystical abilities allowed her to see both the light and the dark, as always she was the calm gentle counsellor attempting to soothe the savage beast.
Alas the memory itself did not remain in her mind for long, her empathic and mystical gifts had not yet fully matured, thus she was inexperienced at navigating the chaotic and tempting nature of memories, whether hers or Drake’s or those of The Sphinx.
Soft drumbeats echoed in the air, adding an element of class and sophistication to the proceedings. The sound rumbled and vibrated through the air, a throwback to the days of ancient Egypt.
Dollia Trypp: “Partners one week, to opponents the next. Eun- young han, The youngblood title lies in the balance. The Sphinx has now turned his otherworldly gaze on to the youngblood title you hold so dear. No mercy shall be offered, no quarter given. You are the next to face the cleansing fire of The Sphinx.”
Flames danced yet higher, illuminating the darkening facial features of The Sphinx.
The Sphinx: “Fire. It can provide warmth and safety, on a cold winter's night. And yet fire can also be a weapon of destruction. My eyes are now turned to the pursuit of the youngblood championship. This is not just about the title itself, but sending a message. I do not tolerate failure. Eun…. you failed to secure victory in our tag team match. Your body was not strong enough to seize victory.”
These last words were spoken on a growl, the feral nature of The Sphinx evident in the noise slipping out from between his lips.
A steady pulse evoking the memory of a heartbeat roared through the air, the outward flowing empathy of Dollia Trypp, coiling itself around the ruthless darkness that rolled off of The Sphinx in waves. Though she rarely spoke of it, Dollia had a healthy amount of fear as it related to The Sphinx.
Dollia Trypp: “The mark of a civilised man is found in his ability to control his emotions, to not allow his emotions to rule him. The question is, are you a civilised man or a monster?.”
Her voice was contemplative as she posed this question, thus challenging The Sphinx to decide whether he wanted to be seen as a conqueror of unparalleled fury or a saviour of the people.
The Sphinx: “Who is to say I cannot exist as both? We all have our darkness, in equal measure to our light. I have fury for my enemies, the infernal flames of chaos will swallow them whole. For you? For those under my protection, I bring safety. It’s simple, if I’m shown loyalty, I’ll repay that loyalty tenfold.”
Dollia’s face lit up as she smiled, the promise of such undying loyalty was touching in its delivery.
Dollia Trypp: “You hide your heart well, beneath cryptic words, mysterious phrases. And yet that’s just the contradiction isn’t it? You feel. Your system is awash with emotion. Who would have thought that underneath all that darkness, a beating heart exists. Certainly not the waking world.”
Soft tendrils of delight echoed through her voice, the juxtaposition of the dual halves of The Sphinx giving her much to think about.
Darkly gleaming eyes turned to gaze upon Dollia, his expression intense and yet there was a brief flash of something gentle spinning inside his gaze.
The Sphinx: “Little sister, your entire being is overlaid with emotion and sensation. You alone I shall preserve after the cleansing fire lays waste to this world. The path I tread has led me to pursue the Youngblood championship. To you I shall present the title. You shall be my chief counsellor in this new world.”
The dark gleam in his eye deepened as he spoke, an internal fire burning thus proving the depth of his convictions.
A series of curious and expressive emotion hummed through Dollia’s blood, a steady pulse of emotion rising and falling in equal measure. It had been years since anyone had ever treated her with such high esteem.
Dollia Trypp: “You shall preserve me alone? Am I that important to you?” a soft breathy question she had now spoken in that gently empathic way she had of musing her deepest thoughts aloud.
The Sphinx: “You are the only entity I consider even worth a flicker of kindness. Remember that”.
Dollia’s mouth opened a fraction as she tilted her head looking at The Sphinx with new eyes, a curious cat-like interest filling their depths. “I’ll always remember that. No matter how far into the dark you descend, no matter what monstrous acts you perform, you’ll always be my best friend big brother.”
A single nod from The Sphinx was all the answer he would give in response to her emotionally fuelled statement. Closing his eyes, The Sphinx would travel the depths of his mind, returning to his shadowy past.
A stranger appears in Egypt, 4000 years earlier.
A golden sun shone over the top of the pyramid of giza, a monument built to honour the wise and noble Sphinx. Clad in a white silk robe, a crown of purest gold adorned the head of The Sphinx. As his eyes shone with an internal fire, the truth of his essence was lingering oh so very close to the surface, he was no god, no titan bent on destruction. Not at this moment in time at least.
No, The Sphinx was simply an alien, a traveller from a place whispered about by those of who knew of it. His arrival in Egypt had come about purely by chance when his spaceship crashed leaving him stranded in a foreign land he knew little about.
Solid, thunderous footsteps echoed along the stone hewn floor. “I’ve heard rumours of The Sphinx, Egypt’s fiercest warrior, a man out of time. Or is it an alien out of time?” high mocking laughter accompanied these words.
The Sphinx: “Speak with caution stranger, after all you are an invader in a land that is not your own. You continue to draw breath because I allow it. Your name, reveal it now while you remain in my good graces.” A sternly worded warning rumbling through the air.
“You may call me Ares, the Greek god of war. The true war god. I can see the spark of violence in you, it just needs to be lit. Yes, you have potential to be a devastating enemy of brutal strength. You may yet be a worthy successor to myself. The only question that remains, do you know who you really are?”.
Booming laughter escaped Ares lips as he watched the darkly lidded eyes of The Sphinx narrow to eerie pinpricks.
The Sphinx: “At present the truth of who i am yet eludes me. There have been flashes of memories, of past events, barely even a blip before it's gone.”
Ares simply smirked at this point, a deep and serious glint rolling through the electric blue of his eyes. “When you are ready, when your mind is strong enough, you’ll uncover who you were long before you became The Sphinx. Egypt is not your first home, nor your true birth place.”
Seconds later in a flash of intense energy Ares was no longer in view, having apparently vanished without a trace.
Present day, Drake Nygma’s home
“Where did you go? What happened?” Dollia asked her voice little more than a whisper at this point in time. Her voice shimmered with soft calm emotion, a trace of anxiety written upon her facial features.
A curious frown tipped The Sphinxes lips at the very memory of that long ago meeting with Ares who had taken great delight in hinting at something while keeping some long held secret about The Sphinx to himself.
“Together you and I shall find out everything at the right time. The one thing I know, is that the gods only reveal things at the opportune moment, patience my dear big brother, you’ll know each and every part of yourself soon enough” Dollia counselled in that calm and gentle way she had.
Steady, soft breaths slipped out a second later, The Sphinxes chest rising and falling with each exhaled breath.
The Sphinx: “Answers are what I seek to become whole, without them I’m wandering alone in the dark, with fuzzy memories that are just out of reach.”
“Poetically spoken big brother, lay the questions to one side and focus on capturing the Youngblood Championship” Dollia intoned softly, a slim hand resting on the hard muscular shoulder of the male she knew to be family.
Fade to black….