Daedalus' Origins, as told by Icarus de Flamme
I haven't thought about him in so long…I almost forgot that I wasn't an only child. But we're twins…fraternal, not identical. My brother…his name was Jacob…was born healthy. I was…well, I was not exactly what my parents expected. Naturally, Jacob was the favorite son. He was the first at everything. I was the smartest, but at that age, does it even matter? Jacob was the first to walk. The first to talk. And he really didn't like me. In his mind, I was just a trivial thing, a creature that happened to divert some of our parents' attention. So of course, Jacob picked on me, in the way that brothers do. Anyway, that's the way it goes.
When we got older, this trend continued. Jacob was well liked, and I was tormented. But you're not here to learn about that…you want to know about Daedalus. So skip forward a few years…until we were both six years old. That was the year our powers began to manifest. I was in the front yard, watching some ants. Jacob had walked down the sidewalk a little ways (still in site of the house). He was planning to tackle me. A few experiments of his, only a few feet at a time, had revealed his super-speed. He hadn't let our parents know yet. He was afraid I would find out before he could surprise me. So he took off running down the street, as fast as he could this time. But he…he….well, the thing about me, I have several mutations along with my albinism, my fragile bones. One of these, is my 'speed aura'. It protects me from the friction of moving at super-human speeds. But Jacob? He was born 'normal'. He didn't have the aura. As he ran, he heated up. Burst into flame. The air around him ignited. He crashed into me, and we skidded down the street, leaving a smoldering trail in our wake. By now, our parents had run outside.
Jacob was rushed into the basement laboratory. He was….[here Icarus paused in his recollection, bit his lip] He wasn't even recognizable as a human anymore. He was burned beyond belief, some of his limbs were hanging by a thread. I was left on the street, broken and bleeding. Our parents did everything they could for Jacob, left him on life support. For the rest of the time I spent in that house, he was there. That THING on the table…he scared me so much, that thing that used to be my brother.
I of course, survived. A combination of my fast healing (which Jacob didn't have), and my speed aura which prevented me from catching on fire (which Jacob ALSO didn't have). At first my parents just thought I was lucky…they despised me for that. I was the freak. [Icarus spat out the word]. I was the son they wished they didn't have. It wasn't until the incident at school, where I was almost torn apart by dogs, that they learned about my healing factor. Thinking that I possessed something that might cure Jacob (who continued to lie in that dark, cold room), they began those vivisections that made me what I am today. [Icarus grimaced].
When I killed my parents, and left my childhood home, I left Jacob behind. I had forgotten about him. I guess he remained there until now. It seems he's awake now…he's found a way to keep alive while he runs, and he's burning the world whole. You can't put out the fires since the air itself is burning.
Now, look closer at this note if you don't mind. [Icarus held it up]. It's a page from a book. A book of Greek Myths that both Jacob and I adored when we were little. I don't think I need to mention which our favorite was. The cover had the sun logo I wear on my chest, and which my brother has burned into the world. When we were little, he liked playing 'Daedalus'. This involved pushing me down the stairs. He seems to have taken up that persona again. I don't think he knew about me…me being Icarus. He only knew Julius. And he thinks he's Daedalus. Look at these symbols around the name. It's a Rebis. Symbols that have another meaning, form a sentence.
That's all I know. But…I am willing to help stop Daedalus. I'm afraid his equivalent of the stairs now is much, much worse.
Daedalus
And of course Julius was right. His brother had been let loose on the world, and he was ready to watch it all burn. Only Julius' near sacrifice was enough to stop Daedalus, leaving both brothers near-dead in the Minos Institute for the Criminally Insane. He has been safely contained since, but a new group has taken interest in the blazing speedster...
Characteristics
Name: Jacob de Flamme
Age: 30
Height: 6'2" (but usually stands stooped)
Weight: 200 lbs (largely metal implants and life support)
Base of Operations: Arizona
Eyes: Faded blue
Hair: None
Known Relatives: Julius de Flamme
Powers and Abilities
Superspeed: Able to run at incalculable speeds, but has no speed aura. Wherever he runs, things burn
He may have other powers, but these have not bee revealed
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