JAX MYST

"I lost an arm, but gained the universe. Fair trade, don't you think?"
― Jax Myst, Nexus Realms
Jax Myst, originally known as Jax Teramis, is a complex antagonist in the Nexus Realms, who undergoes a harrowing transformation from a genial bartender to a near-omnipotent megalomaniac. Drafted into a devastating war and losing an arm, he grapples with trauma and an escalating mental instability fueled by a corrupted form of Ethereal Essence. He gains god-like command over the Nexus Force, enabling him to manipulate every known form of energy in the Nexus Realm. An embodiment of the consequences of unchecked ambition and the duality of power, Myst serves as a dark mirror to other characters, challenging their ethics and capacities. His strategic brilliance and chaotic tendencies make him a compelling and formidable villain.
== Appearance ==
Jax Myst is a haunting and unforgettable figure, a nightmarish blend of human and creature that bears little resemblance to his former self, Jax Teramis. His eyes, once twinkling and full of warmth, are now an unsettling shade of crimson that seems to pierce through the very fabric of the Nexus Realms. These blood-red eyes are set within a skeletal, canine-like visage, framed by tufts of inky black fur on the ears that rise sharply above his head. These ears possess an almost sentient quality, swiveling attentively to capture sounds and voices from various directions, as if always tuned to some whispered secret or impending threat.
His smile is sadistic, more a baring of fangs than an expression of emotion, disturbingly incongruent with the human visage that once was. His once dark, luscious locks have taken on an ethereal quality, flowing down to his shoulders like tendrils of darkness, imbued with an otherworldly essence. Adding to this already imposing figure is a black overcoat, resplendent with a fur collar that seems to imbibe darkness itself. Underneath, a ripped white long-sleeve shirt serves as a stark contrast, almost as a last remnant of his former life. He completes his attire with sleek black dress slacks that adhere to his mutated form like a second skin.
Gone is his left arm, a loss from the war that preceded his dark transformation. In its place is a void, a haunting absence that he refuses to mend, serving as a grim reminder and fuel for his insatiable rage. His skin is a tapestry of turmoil, patchworked with splotches of white that resemble scars—lasting imprints of his harrowing journey into madness.
Most jarring of all are his wings—two skeletal, bat-like appendages that emanate from his back. They bear an almost skeletal appearance, evoking images of decay and ruin. These wings can retract into his back at will, adding an element of surprise and deadliness to this already fearsome creature. All these elements converge to create a visage that is both horrifying and entrancing, embodying the malevolent yet intelligent force that is Jax Myst.
== Personality ==
Jax Myst is the personification of warped idealism and dislocated morality, a far cry from the grounded, comforting persona of Jax Teramis. He oscillates between megalomania and self-loathing, caught in an endless loop of existential despair and a feverish craving for more power. No longer the caring bartender who once lent a sympathetic ear to troubled souls, he has become an enigmatic paradox, impossible to fully understand or predict.
Myst's megalomania manifests as a relentless pursuit of omnipotence, an aspiration to be beyond reproach, critique, or limitation. He sees himself as an omnipotent ruler of the Nexus Realms, not out of a genuine desire for authority over others, but more as an extreme form of self-affirmation. He grapples with an intense feeling of inadequacy, and each new increment of power becomes a balm for his festering insecurities. Yet, this megalomania is perpetually at odds with a part of him that recognizes the moral vacuity of his pursuits, adding layers of self-doubt and introspection to his already tumultuous psyche.
Contradictions lace his every thought and action. Myst is plagued by a relentless, maddening chatter in his mind, a ceaseless interrogation of his motives and choices. Unlike Jax Teramis, who brought equilibrium to himself and others, Myst's mental landscape is a tempestuous sea of conflicting ideologies and desires. It's as if he's perpetually caught in a Sisyphean debate with himself, unable to find resolution or peace. This internal conflict results in erratic behavior, making him volatile and unpredictable—a dangerous combination when paired with his near-omnipotent abilities.
Yet, amid the chaos of his existence, Myst exhibits moments of startling clarity and deep intellect. These instants are, however, few and far between, and most often dedicated to existential pontifications or developing convoluted schemes aimed at proving his own theories about the universe or the Nexus Force. He has become a philosopher-king gone astray, his mind a treasure trove of dark wisdom that offers no comfort, only further isolation.
Perhaps the most haunting facet of Myst's personality is his lingering sense of tragedy. A part of him is acutely aware of what he's lost in his transformation: his humanity, his ability to connect, his moral compass. He mourns these losses even as he plunges further into the abyss of his own making, and this perpetual grief infuses him with a sadistic form of poeticism. He has become a tragic hero in his own narrative, fully aware of his descent yet unable to halt the gravitational pull of his darker instincts.
In essence, Jax Myst is a complex tapestry of conflicted emotions, twisted logic, and unchecked power. He's a cautionary tale brought to life, emblematic of the corrosive influence of unlimited power on a susceptible mind. His transformation into Myst has made him a magnetic, yet deeply unsettling, force—an entity that draws you in even as it fills you with dread. He is an ever-changing enigma, a disturbing reflection of both the grandiosity and frailty of the human condition.
== Powers and Skills ==
Jax Myst represents the zenith of what it means to manipulate the Nexus Force, a chilling manifestation of potential corrupted by unsanctioned ambition. His capabilities are vast, and his powers are so intrinsically tied to the primordial energies that govern the Nexus Realms that he becomes less a man and more a force of nature. Below is an elaborate description of his awe-inspiring, yet deeply unsettling, powers and skills:
=== Nexus Force Mastery ===
As a master of the Nexus Force, Jax Myst can tap into the ancient, foundational energies that underpin the fabric of reality in the Nexus Realms. His facility extends beyond mere control; it is akin to an intimate communion with the cosmos. He can transmute matter into energy and vice versa, collapse distances through spatial manipulation, and even dilate time to a crawl. His usage of the Nexus Force is so advanced that it bypasses the conventional wisdom, achieving feats that would be considered impossibilities even by other skilled practitioners.
=== Teleportation ===
Myst's ability to teleport takes the concept to a cosmic level. Not content with simply translocating within the same dimension, he can shift between various realms and dimensions, making him a constant, universal threat. His teleportational prowess operates at a near-instantaneous level, rendering him nigh-impossible to track or contain. This skill also grants him an advantage in battle, allowing him to outmaneuver and disorient opponents with disheartening ease.
=== Psychic Manipulation ===
Jax Myst's psychic abilities are a malign enhancement of his once-empathetic nature. He can trespass into the minds of others with frightening precision, altering memories, implanting false beliefs, or even inducing paralyzing fear. He employs this mental invasion not just as a tactical advantage but as a form of psychological warfare, sowing discord among his opponents and breaking their will long before physical confrontation.
=== Energy Manipulation ===
Myst can manipulate a wide spectrum of energies, from the thermal to the kinetic, and even the ethereal. He can unleash energy blasts powerful enough to level cities or subtle enough to target individual cells. His control is so refined that he can absorb and repurpose incoming energy attacks, transforming them into sustenance to fuel his subsequent moves. Moreover, he can drain the life forces of other beings, adding their vitality to his reservoir of power.
=== Reality Warping ===
Perhaps most frightening of all is Myst's capacity for reality warping. His control over the Nexus Force allows him to enact localized but profound alterations to the rules of existence. He can nullify gravity in an area, transmute elements, or alter physical laws to suit his whims. Although this ability comes with limitations and risks, the mere possibility that he can rewrite reality makes him a nearly unparalleled threat.
=== Retractable, Skeletal Wings ===
The large, skeletal wings that sprout from his back serve multiple purposes. Beyond granting him supersonic flight, these wings act as lethal weapons, their bony spines sharp enough to cut through virtually any substance. They also serve a symbolic function, amplifying the menacing aura that surrounds him.
=== Physical Transformation ===
Lastly, Myst's own physique has become a weapon. Enhanced agility, strength, and senses accompany his canine features. His nails can extend into razor-sharp talons, and his teeth can become fangs dripping with corrosive, mutating ethereal essence.
=== Limitations ===
Notwithstanding his near-omnipotent powers, Myst is not without limitations. The Nexus Force, while mighty, is not inexhaustible, and overuse can lead to both physical and mental exhaustion. Moreover, there exist ancient artifacts and arcane techniques that offer some hope of containing or neutralizing him, though these are rare and fraught with their own perils.
== Backstory ==
The tale of Jax Teramis, who ultimately becomes Jax Myst, is a chilling saga that begins with comic relief and culminates in cosmic terror. It's an enigmatic tale that unfolds in the margins, on the periphery of grand battles and pivotal choices made by heroes. Yet, it manages to capture, almost poignantly, the unintended ramifications of decisions and the corrupting influence of power.
=== Act 1: The Bartender of Elysara ===
Jax Teramis, in Act 1, is an affable, story-spinning bartender in the city of Elysara. He possesses an unassuming presence, his narrative purpose initially serving as a counterweight to the high stakes and escalating tension in the lives of the main characters. Patrons gravitate toward his establishment not just for the liquor, but also for the kind-hearted aura he emanates. Teramis tells jokes, spins tales, and offers a listening ear—a living, breathing sanctuary in a world that sorely needs one.
Unbeknownst to him, however, an ominous undercurrent courses beneath his tavern: the accumulation of Ethereal Essence from Dr. Bloom's laboratory. In a city already plagued by mutated creatures, this essence congregates in insidious secrecy, seeping into the very ground upon which the tavern is built.
=== Act 2: The Shift and the Strains of War ===
In Act 2, Teramis transitions from a background figure to a slightly more prominent role. Although he still serves as comic relief, small nuances in his behavior start to manifest. These subtle shifts in personality provide the keen observer with a sense of impending transformation.
Teramis is then drafted into a war that shatters his easygoing demeanor. On the battlefield, he is bereft of the sanctuary he once provided to others; he loses friends and, even more devastatingly, an arm. The trauma multiplies the slow corruption taking place within him, triggered by the Ethereal Essence. Desperate to reclaim his lost tranquility, he experiments with visualization techniques, imagining people as harlequins in an ill-advised attempt to bring humor into his grim reality. Far from relieving his tension, this exercise further fuels his decline, leading him to go AWOL.
=== Act 3: A Self-Imposed Exile and Transformation ===
In the first part of Act 3, Jax Teramis is conspicuously absent. Having left the planet, he is in self-imposed exile, grappling with a transformation that has shifted from the subtle to the monumental. Now corrupted into megalomania, he roams through different worlds and dimensions. Echoing the devastation wrought by Bec Noir, he wields his newfound powers to cause cosmic havoc. His Ethereal Essence has mutated into an ability to harness the Nexus Force, affording him almost godlike capabilities.
=== Act 3, Part 2: Jax Myst, The Culmination ===
Returning to the story as its main antagonist, Jax, now Myst, becomes the distillation of unintended consequences. Where Striker, the previous antagonist, symbolized the rigidity of determinism, Myst embodies the chaotic, unpredictable nature of outcomes that ripple from every decision. He is the disquieting realization that even actions made with the best intentions can yield dire results. He becomes an unavoidable confrontation for the heroes, a twisted mirror reflecting the world they helped shape but never fully understood.
In this final act, Jax Myst is not just a character but a thematic nexus, a disquieting amalgamation of everyone's actions and choices. He serves as a cautionary tale, a horrific reminder of the double-edged sword that is free will, and the volatile, often unpredictable, consequences it can engender.
== Quotes ==
"No, I don't fear my own power. I revel in it, stretch its limits, and find it infinite."
"Oh, you want to bind me with ancient spells and artifacts? It's almost adorable how you think the old ways can contain your new God."
"You're still governed by the laws of physics, tethered by the constraints of space-time. I am the laws now."
"You talk of sacrifice as if it's a virtue. The only thing I've sacrificed is limitation."
"Oh, you thought you could outwit me? Strategy isn't just planning several moves ahead—it's reshaping the board to your liking."
"Your ignorance is as vast as the universe I now command."
"Ah, the Nexus Force—the lifeblood of reality, and my playground. Why settle for godhood when you can be the architect of Gods?"
"Do you hear them? The voices? They're not my madness; they're my council. And they're never wrong."
"I can hop between realms as easily as you might cross the street, and yet I'm forever a stranger in all of them. Do you know what it's like to be omnipotent yet utterly alone?"
"Why persist in this futile battle? You're like a moth trying to extinguish the sun. A little poetic, don't you think?"
"Hate me? No one could possibly hate me more than I do. But this self-loathing is the furnace that forges my will."
"You see chaos; I see patterns. You see madness; I see genius. We'll never understand each other, but that doesn't matter. I don't need your understanding, just your surrender."
"They say too much power can corrupt. Let me assure you, I was corrupt long before I became this."
"Strategic sacrifices need to be made. I might be the sacrifice the universe didn't know it needed. But make no mistake, the universe will kneel."
== Trivia ==
* Jax's mutation caused his digestive system to decay. He doesn't have a need to eat anymore, but it still gives him pain sometimes.
* Jax Myst attempts to calm himself with harlequin visualizations, but finds it maddening instead. A nod to the Bec Noir character's association with harlequin patterns. 
* Just like Bec Noir, Jax Myst loses an arm, which becomes a powerful symbol of his transformation.
* Jax finds trivial conversations and mundane interactions irksome.
* Anything that he cannot comprehend or manipulate annoys him to no end.
* The trauma from the war and losing his arm still haunt him, sometimes giving him night terrors.
* In rare moments, he questions the road that led him here, showing glimmers of remorse. However, these moments are few and far in between, and usually are ashened out with just a glance at the stump of his arm, his source of self hate.
* Despite his grandiose beliefs and villainous acts, he is occasionally overcome by a profound sense of loneliness.
* He has a habit of twirling a small void of Nexus Force between his fingers when he's deep in thought, a nod back to his earlier days as a bartender, as he used to roll a coin over his fingers when bored.
* Jax avoids looking at his reflection whenever possible, as it forces him to confront the abomination he believes he's become.
* He has a profound hatred of flowing water, the noise grates on him to no end.
* He loves chess and often uses chess terminology when formulating plans or discussing strategy. This is kept only to himself, however.
* When deep in thought or agitated, his canine-like ears twitch involuntarily.
* As a former bartender, he has a residual appreciation for well-crafted cocktails and aged whiskey, though he no longer partakes.
* Jax sometimes keeps small trinkets or souvenirs from each world he devastates, not for sentimental value but as trophies of his conquests.
* Jax retains a dark sense of humor from his days as a bartender, often making bleak jokes at inappropriate times.
Category:Nexus Realms