Enter the Darksyde

Night's Dark Terrors

Tue, 24 Aug 2004 11:02:51 GMT

It had been a long night of patrolling the streets of Paragon City and her many, many suburbs. I had dispatched or incapacitated many a villian, and received more then my fair share of scrapes and bruises for my efforts.

It would seem the various villians of this world are quite stubborn when it comes to facing justice. Alas, my combat training and gifts from the Netherworld more then tip the scales in my favor.

I had lain down for the night, after taking a soothing, refreshing shower, and having attended to the more gastly looking wounds, I promised myself that I'd go by the nearest Hospital to have them further checked out. I couldn't have been asleep more then an hour or two when it happened, an explosion so large it shattered every window and piece of glass in my apartment.

I bolted up out of bed so fast I nearly crushed my skull against the ceiling, a cold shiver like death's embrace had run straight down my spine. I knew the absolute worst thing I could imagine had happened, the Rikti had come for me, just as they had come for my parents.

The door to my room burst open and sure enough, dozens of Rikti begain to pour through. It was all I could do to hold what semblance of sanity I had left together. I was not ready for this battle, no where near ready. To go against my most hated enemy now would mean certain defeat, and unreparable dishonor to the memory of my parents and to the Elders who raised me as their Champion.

But they had invaded my home. My space so private not even my teammates know if it's location. They had brought the fight to my doorstep.

There was no way out, the drop was over 30 stories, so, I did what honor demanded, I turned to face them and growled out a challenge ... "I am Darksyde, you will fear me!"

The battle was quick and fierce; I had managed to render unconscious two of them before I was taken down. I didn't get to revel in my minor victory long, as they used my own kitchen knives to staple me to my bedroom wall.

They started to chant and dance as if they were performing some sick, twisted, ritual, similar to what I have witnessed at several Circle of Thorns encampments. Then the nature of their castings was all to suddenly revealed to me, as I watched my very essence, what makes me who I am and what I've become flow from me like a river of dark vapor, originating from my heart. As I watched the spirit of Darksyde leave me, the agony of what was happening came tearing out of my throat as a scream to rival the keen of the ancient banshee's of celtic legend.

It was then that I was shaken awake by my all too nosy neighbor, the widow, Mrs. Groomser. She had heard my thrashing and when I started to scream so much that it nearly literally made her blood boil in her veins, she ran to the superintendant and forced him to unlock my door.

I was still visibly shaking when I ushered them both from my home, neither was very reassured that I was indeed alright, and both looked with more then a little curiousity over my many bruises. They have never really believed my cover story of being a loader down at the warehouse.

I have to admit, I was more then a little bit relieved to discover it was all just a horrible dream.

However, sometimes my dreams, especially the vivid ones, have a knack for becoming real.

At home

Sat, 07 Aug 2004 11:37:07 GMT

Elders,

I have been busy of late, dispatching various neffarious villians within Paragon City. Of late, my contacts have had me stemming a growing tide of Tsoo activity, as well as arresting a slew of Lost from the troubled streets of Skyway City.

My trials and tribulations with the Vahzilok and Clockwork plagues continue. Oh, how I loathe those ... those things. The Vahzilok can't really be termed human anymore, and I hardly consider anything that fights with such capacity as the Clockwork as simply an object. Those wounds will be a long time healing, I'm certain.

My powers continue to grow my lieges. I've recently discovered a new found ability to tap the very life essence of my enemies to refresh myself during the heat of battle. With a small bit of experimentation, I quickly learned that the more villians I surround myself with, and thereby tap, the more refreshed I become. It feels as if the very soul of the Netherworld is only now beginning to grow inside me. I feel more at home in the thick of battle then at any other time here on Earth.

Your humble servant,

Darksyde

My humblest apologies Elders

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 00:15:48 GMT

My Elders, I bow before you in deep regret, begging for your forgiveness. It has been entirely too long since my last report, and I have no excuse. I shall accept whatever punishment you deem appropiate, even if it means terminating my mission here in Paragon City.

But I beg of you, let me make my report before you enforce your will. I have been once again reunited with my companions Slap Hazard and Albatross. It would seem the bulk of The Angry Seamen have disappeared, to what location and for what purpose I have as yet been unable to determine. As you have trained me, I excell in all matters relating to combat, however, my detective skills have proven to be lacking. I am considering it an utmost personal priority to correct this greivous oversight on my part.

Most recently, Slap Hazard and I undertook missions for our respective contacts. Neither of us could complete these missions on our own, as the tasks set before us far outstripped our abilities, but we've found that we work very well together, very well indeed. Oh Elders, you should've seen us fight! It was glorious! No villian was spared from our wrath as we waded through their lairs with ease.

A couple of times, I must admit, the battle seemed lost as I received more wounds then I was able to deal with, but Slap was there to save the day. The power he commands is truly staggering. Even from the brink of death, he can restore me to life as if nothing had happened, all while in the midst of nearly insurmountable odds. He is a powerful ally, one I hope to have fighting by my side when it comes time to bring Justice to the doorstep of those most heinous Rikti.

Please consider this report while you consider what my punishment will be for my transgressions.

Great News

Mon, 17 May 2004 13:41:18 GMT

I have terrific news Elders. I met another new member to The Angry Seamen today, Slap Hazard. And when he and I join forces together, we are quite the powerful duo. The havoc we unleash upon the villians of Paragon City is truly amazing. I definately look forward to the next time we get to patrol together.

After Slap Hazard retired for the evening, I accepted an invite from a powerful duo of Heroes. It seems they had trouble dealing with a particular Archvillian, and were seeking any aid available in order to dispatch him, post haste. Of course, I accepted the challege, and all was going well, at first. Until we ran into our nemesis. Oh, the pounded he delivered upon me was most severe indeed. Thankfully, Calabus and his partner managed to pull all the villians away from me, thereby allowing me the necessary time to recover from my injuries enough to be able to move, and then to find a good place to hide to recover the rest of the way.

They managed to recruit a few more heroes and we again ventured into the lion's den. Only this time, the lion was the dinner, and he was served most cold indeed. We trampled him and his minions, thoroughly winning through the day.

It was a glorious day indeed for the forces of good.

For the honor of the Netherworld!

Tonight's Patrolling

Sun, 16 May 2004 13:17:38 GMT

Oh Elders, tonight was an excellent night. The Angry Seamen recruited more members, including an Egyptian husband and wife team. They are most excellent! Shin does an excellent job at keeping me in the fight, no matter the foes or their numbers. Also, somehow, I feel more ... powerful. Like the knowledge I have been gaining throughout all these many fights has somehow manifested itself into some near tangible feeling inside me. And this new strength apparantly enhanced some of my powers somehow. I've noticed that my powers apparantly do more damage, and don't drain me as much when I activate them in combat. This is always a good thing.

I know I have you all very proud. The villians that have fallen to my fists have been many indeed, and the butcher's bill grows with each night's patrolling.

Ah, my fists, the external focal points of the powers you have bestowed upon me. I see other Heroes use weapons of steel or fire. Some even fashion weapons of ice from the very water vapor trapped in the air, or the earth upon which we stand. But these pursuits do not interest me, not in the slightest. But then, my training mentors back home always knew this. No matter how many times they tried to put a weapon of one sort or another into my hands, and to train me in its use, I would eventually toss the weapon aside and resort to using that which I was created with ... my own two fists.

There is something to be said of the feeling invoked by pummeling the body of my enemy into utter, ultimate submission, using only my own two hands. I salivate for the day when I will unleash these horrible fists of rage upon our most hated enemy, the pathetic, cowardly Rikti.

That day grows ever nearer, my Lords.

Ever nearer ...

My most humble apologies, Elders

Sat, 15 May 2004 13:06:14 GMT

It has been a few days since my last communique to you, Elders, and for
that, I must sincerely and deeply apologize. It is inexcusable, and
any punishment you deem appropiate, I shall endure. I have had a busy
time with these Angry Seamen. We have been going on mission after
mission. We've also expanded our ranks some. The Albatross has joined
our Super Group, and he is proving to be quite the powerful ally.
There is no one else who I would wish to have at my back in any
engagement.

My power grows with every mission, with every kill, Elders. I can not predict when I will be powerful enough to seek vengence upon the Rikti, but that day grows ever nearer.

The hour grows late my Elders, and I am very weary from having completed a string of difficult missions, not to mention a number of straining patrols.

I swear to you on the power of the Netherworld, we will have our revenge!

The Second Day

Wed, 12 May 2004 21:24:58 GMT

I woke up on my second day in Paragon City with a strange voice in my head. It was coming from a hero by the name of King Piccolo. He invited me to join his Super Group, The Angry Seamen, and also extended an invite to join his Team for the day.

As this would make my overall goal of bringing pain to the Rikti doorstep easier, I accepted his invitation. I am now one of The Angry Seamen. A ragtag band of super heroes, and one super heroine I am told, who band together day after day to fight crime where ever crime rears it's ugly head.

So far I can say my time with them has been most pleasurable. While there was definately a learning curve associated with fighting in a group, I quickly came to understand the tactics and went about doing what I do best, wreaking pain and death upon the criminal elements of Paragon City.

We took some missions from some locals, and those found us concentrating our efforts on two particular gangs, the Circle of Thorns and the Helions. We left both gangs realing from the misery we heaped upon them, but I'm sure they will quickly replenish their depleted ranks. It seems there will always be once noble citizens turning to the ways of evil, and we will always be there to stop them.

I must admit, this new place, new world, is growing on me. I never thought I could come to look forward to each new day here, away from home, but as each new day brings with it the chance to become better prepared for my next confrontation with the Rikti, I welcome the rising of the sun with arms wide open.

Let the Rikti come, let them all come ...

For I am Darksyde, and they will fear me.

My first day in Paragon City

Wed, 12 May 2004 03:02:03 GMT

I started out in the city really very very new to everything. It's been so long since I've been around "normals" having spent most of my life up to now living in the Netherworld, training with the Elders.

I quickly got the hang of the way things are done here, finding out that the Police of today are about as useless as they were when I was in this world last. It appears that only those of us who are gifted with, what some would phrase special powers, can do anything really at all to benefit humanity here.

Humanity ... that's such a strange concept to me anymore.

I am Darksyde, Champion of the Netherworld on a quest for vengeance against the Rikti.

Vengeance for taking my parents from me.

Vengeance for the destruction they have caused back home.

Home ...

Home to me is no longer this place, this world. The Netherworld is my home now, it is where I belong. I feel out of place here, a fish out of water, a bird no longer possessing the wonderous ability of flight.

I shall learn the ways of this land, and I shall defeat all who stand before me. Taking knowledge from every encounter, every battle, and using that knowledge to grow stronger, to become more powerful. I must honor the Elders. Failure is not an option.

The Rikti will pay for what they have done.

I am Darksyde ... they will fear me.