Born 42 years ago into a wealthy Greek family, Alex was troubled as a child with strange dreams and an inexplicable hunger for power.
Given the best education his father's well-padded bankroll could afford and primed to inherit his father's wide business interests as his sole heir, Alex spent most of his youth in prestigious boarding schools, where his urge for domination blossomed as he used his frightening intellect and unswerving force of will to manipulate and control the other boys and even many of the teachers at the instituitions.
After graduating from Yale with full honors at age 22 Alex already had dozens of scions of wealthy houses and promising bright stars under his thumb from years of Machiavellian plotting and favor granting. He had risen to become one of the leaders of the mysterious Order of Skull and Bones his senior year, and had won much support among Bonesmen Allumni impressed with his sharp wit and ruthless cunning. Many of the debts owed him were spawned by events that Alex secretly arranged for himself, of course. Through these years of development Alex discovered that the more he pushed for something, the more events would naturally seem to fall into place for him, and he learned to rely on the idea that things would just work out for him if he wanted them too.
Alex's father next sent him to Europe to broaden his worldliness, with an extended stay in Greece so that the young man would have an understanding of the families roots. While in Europe he came into contact with many old sites with a mystical history, and he sensed the magic acutely. Out of curiousity he turned his powerful intellect towards sussing out the secrets of the magical arts, reading every scrap he could find on the subject and seeking out various supposed mystics for instruction. However, despite his best efforts he could not master even the simplest trick. On the plus side however it was revealed that for some reason, Magic has almost no effect on him whatsoever, save for Magical healing which burns him. One of his instructors, more capable than most, told him that he was like a drain at the bottom of a tub; a mystical sinkhole of sorts. He could detect the flows of Magic, but as he drew them to himself they instantly drained away.
Embittered by his first failure, Alex became somewhat obsessive about the subject, but finally had to accept that it was not to be. Returning to New York he began his apprenticeship with his father, learning everything needed to run the family business at his father's side. Finally, when Alex was 29, his father retired and handed the reins of power over to his son, retiring to a coastal estate in Greece to live out his twilight years.
Alex took control with a firm grip and revitalized the already successful Abraxas Inc. He pushed the company into new technologies, was one of the most successful corporate raiders of the 80's, and absorbed several other large companies in favorable circumstances in the 90's. Business was good, helped in no small part by Alex's many alliances and influence over other notables gained in his formative years and extended further over time. And when legal means were an impediment, Alex was not loathe to walk darker paths to acheive his goals either, although he always used many intermediaries to keep himself clean.
Then the superhero known as The Legend appeared on the scene, helping to solve several mystically oriented crimes and evincing numerous mystical abilities. Alex could literally feel his magic whenever The Legend was within several blocks in the city. Alex knew a fair amount about Magic, and after arranging for an opportunity to observe him directly Alex posited that unlike most workers of Magic, Legend's powers were innate, as natural as breathing. He was like a generator for magical energy; the opposite of Alex.
Some dark twist in Alex's psyche immediate formed an abiding hatred for The Legend, and Alex became obsessed by the urge to either control the Legend or destroy him. Alex sees The Legend as his antithesis, and something deep inside tells him that The Legend will prove to be his undoing if he is not dealt with. He thus sees him as a direct threat and acts accordingly.
However, not directly of course. Alex works through many layers of legitimate business and politics as well as a more criminal arm of his holdings. And he is patient. So for now he spins his webs, confident that one day The Legend will fall into one and become ensnared.... |
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