The Web- Part 1

[Tyson Terra]

*An undisclosed location somewhere in the east, near Hong Kong.*

Terra is escorted into what looks like a very elaborate lab by some armed grunts, men recruited as the personal army of his "benefactor". He walks amidst the grizzled mercs as cool and calm as ever, adjusting his tie as he is met by one of the scientists assigned to the locale. With his thick Russian voice, the man greets Tyson.

"Salutations, Mr. Terra. It is good to see you again."

Let's save the pleasantries for another day, doctor. I've been sent here for a very specific reason I don't think needs to be reiterated. What of the progress?

"Yes, we have most wonderful news. As you may known, there has been a very strong release of some kind of mysterious energy that has been detected here around Hong Kong and China, it is of a very dark and powerful nature as well."

Yeah...and?

"We have been able to match the signature of this energy, and it matches to a tee an energy that had been detected somewhere within New York City last year."

Ah yes, the Big Apple, center of attention in 2006 was it not?

"Indeed, but that is not the end of this. The energy, was merely that of...and I myself am finding it to be a bit hard to swallow myself...that of some kind of...being!!!"

Being...you mean, like...a human?

"Or likeness thereof, also last seen in New York before it had dissipated. And interestingly enough it dispersed in the coordinates that match that of, Madison Square Garden?"

It wasn't always MSG, doctor. At one point it was...the LXW Arena. Hmmm...this is getting quite interesting now isn't it?

As they spoke, the two men had made their way deeper into the depths of this lab, reaching a special chamber. Both men pulled out access cards, strolling over to either side of this armed, metallic door, and swiped simultaneously.

The seal has broke and the door opened, revealing yet another hall, steam billowing from beneath. The temperature had to be at least 30 degrees colder than where they had just stood, but Terra hardly flinched. Such is the case when you're cold blooded, he was right at home. They made their way to the final destination, what looked like some kind of incubation device, and inside of it...

[tormentor]

Cold. Bright and cold. Steam everywhere. Light hits him from every possible angle, it's sickening. Light...the one thing that he had loathed for many years, now being subjected to almost. What was he doing here? Why was he in this place? He had been released, defeated first but the released, his energy dissipating into nothingness.

But now, this chamber, it...cradled him. He was as far from nothingness as one could imagine. The power, the evil power, it was welling up within him yet again. All the memories of the atrocities that he had commited, they were slowly coming back to him as he heard two muffled voices from the other side of the chamber.

[Tyson Terra]

Looking into this monstrous incubation device, Tyson's curiosity had begun to peak. He wanted to see this project for himself.

I've waited long enough. Open it.

"But sir! He's not...ready yet."

This project has been in development stages since LAST YEAR. If he isn't ready now, he never will be. There's only one way to find that out...so, OPEN IT.

The scientist slowly obliges. As if on cue, a small squad of grunts enter the chamber as well. There was no telling what this thing would try to do after it was released, and they were in place put it down if deemed necessary.

Reaching the control panel, the scientist hits a single button which reveals a single switch, and flips that switch to begin to process of releasing the "project" from it's confines.

[tormentor]

A loud his could be heard as the cold steam began to drain out of the chamber. He could barely lift his head to see that the gears of this...device had been put in motion. It was truly unlike any other machine he had been familiar with, archaic device, amny of his own design, created to torment, to torture, to cause suffering and then...death. More of these memories had filled his mind as the vial he was once confined in seemed to open up.

Disoriented he was. He had literally stumbled out onto the floor. His hands, they were different. He felt, heavy. His skin was just as pale and lifeless as it had been for centuries, but there were, differences within as well as outwardly. He looks over himself in amazement, shock and disgust all at once, then his white eyes fall upon the men that are looking on. All but one of them seem to have fear in their souls, fear that he could still smell like it was a warm meal. All but two possessed those idiotic weapons he had seen before. Firearms, they were called. He had seen beings who possessed true "FIRE" arms. The thought brings a slight grin to his face. Killing these fools would be easy...but he had to assess the situation.

"What...have...you done to meeee..."

[Tyson Terra]

We've given you a new lease on life, my friend. You can thank me later, but for now there is much work to be done and I need as many...reliable hands as I can find. Humans as you might know by now can be very...undependable, so we opted to recruit the services of a bonafide monster.

Terra can literally feel the trembles of the men surrounding him. The temperature of this room had dropped dramatically.

Pull yourselves together, men...you're embarrassing me. The one that they once called "The Dark Enigma" deserves a bit more respect than that, don't you think?

[tormentor]

"The Dark Enigma". The memories had reached a fervor the moment this man uttered those words. The carnage. The chaos. The death and destructio by his hands, all for a reason. He was that being, he was "The Dark Enigma"...

"You...have made...a grave...MISTAKE..."

His voice was unlike it was before, more muffled, tinny. Like that of...a machine? He slowly rose to his feet. His eyes, they were different. He couls still see the fear in the souls of these men but, there was more.

Targets: 8
Systems Functional...

*Following contains violent content*

He pounces like a cat towards the men with their weapons. They immediately begin to open fire at him, their bullets bouncing off of of his body like raindrops. Grabbing the barrel of one grunt's gun, he bends it like it was made of rubber and palm the hapless victims head in his large metallic hand. Squeezing slowly he could hear the screams of pain from him until the bone and flesh cracked under his force, bursting like it was some kind of bloody fruit.

"Oh my God..."

These were the words of another soldier, the fear stinking from him like a wondrous aroma. Dropping his first victim, he lunges toward the next target and clinches his fist hard, thrusting it forward...and secconds later through...the man's chest. Blood trickled down and off of his metallic shell as this fool writhed in pain before the very soul of his being fleeted from him body.

He drops this one too as now blood stains his hands. The remaining soldiers continue to fire, it's about all they could do to save themselves...

"You...are all...going to die...so sayeth The Dark Enigma...so...sayeth...STRIFE!!!"

[Tyson Terra]

"My God...TERRA!!! We must deactivate him!!! He will kill us all!"

The scientist screams in fear, but Tyson simply looks on as this project does exactly what it was that he had intended.

No. Consider this as a real time "field test". These men are paid to die for us, let them earn their keep.

[tormentor]

One by one the blood flowed. Death came swiftly and violently until these 6 hapless being, unworthy to call themselves warriors, lay in ruin. Their blood stained Strife's hands and puddled at his feet. Now there were only two remaining.

"You have seen my wrath, fools. Now...you shall...taste it for your own!"

As he charges towards them...that newfound power of his, it fleets from his being now.

Directive 1 Activated...
System Shutdown Engaged...


"What...is...happening... GAUUUGH!!!"

[Tyson Terra]

This is just rich. Guess you never watched the movies the last time you rolled around the "mortal realm", did you?

The once remorseless killing machine was now writhing in whatever kind of pain a machine could feel with it's processing units going haywire.

It's Directive 1, a little fail-safe that was implemented in the event you started ideas that you were back to carry out you own ends. Should you try to attack a top tier agent of Monarch Industries, in this case...me, your system shall shut down.

You see, you are NOT the "Dark Enigma" anymore. He was beaten. You...will NOT be beaten, because you're under the the control of someone more sinister, more cold and calculating and more evil than your former master. You're under OUR control...no, better...MINE. So from here on out my friend, you are STRYFE-"Tormentor V1.0".

Or...if you wish, you can be nothing more than that empty energy that had been floating about aimlessly for over a year now.

Terra takes a seat and crosses his legs with his signature evil smirk on his lips.

The choice is yours, take your time...I have all night, but I don't think you do, do you?

[tormentor]

Controlled? By...a human?

"I...would choose...death...before...enslavement..."

[Tyson Terra]

Really, now...that's a shame, after all the money that we invested in building you that wonderful new body. Just look at all the carnage that you can cause with it, why would let all that go to waste because of foolish pride?

You know, for a fallen immortal you sure do act like a BABY. Pathetic. Truly pathetic...but what if I told you that some of your old play friends are still around, hmm? That former master oof yours on some pathetic little mission of retribution and even one of your former adversaries trying to piece their life back together?

Wouldn't you just LOVE the chance to make their lives a living hell? There's only one man who can give you that chance, my good man. Me.

Last chance to reconsider...

[tormentor]

The master...he who could have ressurected him after his failure, but chose not to. The adversary...there were many, those Souls. Some were not even worth the effort to hunt down and eliminate, wastes of effort, but who is this one he spoke of...he had to know for himself.

"You...know...too much."

He stops struggling.

"I may use this knowledge to my advanatage...I will use this...body...to crush my enemies..."

[Tyson Terra]

Terra applauds.

Now that's more like it. That's the spirit...no pun intended of course. But before you even fathom crushing your enemies, you're going to help me crush mine...ours...Monarch Industries' enemies.

And that, they, them, are whoever it is I say that are. Understood?

[tormentor]

"Yes...master."

Deactivating Directive 1
Systems Functional...

[Tyson Terra]

Please, please. "Master" is far too formal for my tastes.

Tyson stands up, surveying the damage before he brushes off his suit.

Just call me Tyson. Doctor...get this place cleaned up will you, and inform the superior that the "Tormentor" project is a complete success.

"Um...yes sir."

As for you, Stryfe...the shadows have always been your home. Why don't you reacquaint yourself, and take some to get used to your newfound abilities, you'll find that you have quite a bit of them. When it is that I need you, I will contact you. You'll know when you feel it, ha ha.