Rhys Jones

For Rhys' Villainy & Virtue counterpart, see here

Rhys Jones, or Phantom Martyr is a character in Iniquity & Integrity, created and portrayed by AlexJ.

After returning from the grave, Rhys fights crime in Heartania to honour the legacy of his brother, and ensure he does not make the same mistake twice.

Biography
Rhys Jones, like his brother, never truly had a life of note until he turned to heroism. Wayfarer was adept at stimulating the emotions of a target, as well as healing them. Resplendent in a white and gold armoured suit, he traversed the breadth of the city; helping wherever he could. This reputation made him well loved by the people, and a respected member of any crime-fighting alliance.

Though he supported many a team in his day, he was primarily a part of a single unit: one with his brother. Shining Thought and Wayfarer in action would have been enough to inspire anyone who happened to witness such a spectacle, as their synergy was as impressive as their passion. Without a doubt, Rhys had always loved his brother, but as their bond grew not only as brothers, but as partners: he understood what true kinship was. However, it would take a fool to believe such a high would last forever.

The two heroes had been operating for around twenty years the day they had their first cataclysmic argument. Rhys had grown cocky as Wayfarer, and Alfred had become disturbingly pensive as Shining Thought. In a clash of ideals, the two separated for what would have likely been temporary… if Alf had not died.

It shocked Rhys as much as it did destroy him. Not only was his brother gone; but he died with a lasting memory of the arrogant idiot who argued with him. He tried to cope with his grief for a few years, but the rage coupled with the devastation was too much to handle. He turned to a more violent form of vigilantism, punishing the scum of Heartania not for their crimes, but because the adrenaline felt refreshing. Wayfarer could easily take down the petty thugs that littered the alleyways, but when he faced much tougher threats, he learnt that his powers weren’t exactly suited to single combat.

In the process of taking down a crime-ring, Wayfarer ran into a superpowered mercenary: the Marauder. The sheer onslaught of the villain’s blows easily disabled him, and before he could heal, a crushing final blow was delivered to the heart. Rhys felt his world go dark as the life sucked out of him. Before his mind left him and death blanketed his soul, he thought of his brother, and how he would be seeing him soon.

The end would not be so permanent, however.

With no concept of time, Rhys awoke in a hut rather out of place for the city. He would later learn that the ramshackle home would have stuck out from a city because it was not in one, rather on the outskirts of Heartania. The owner of the property was a perplexing figure who donned a mask of tragedy and a black robe. He introduced himself as the Magister, though to Rhys he would be a saviour.

The Magister was ambiguous in his tale, leading Rhys to believe it was sheer luck that he happened upon the body of the fallen hero, and proceeded with a 7-year ritual of resurrection. Such a process left its mark on the recipient, as prominent burn marks of consolations known and unknown were present across his torso and back.

The second chance at life shook Rhys to his foundations, and as he lay in bed recuperating, he began to realign his goals. He would not squander his potential again; instead working to honour Alfred’s memory by being the hero he was meant to be. Although he lost the ability to connect with the living in the way Wayfarer could; he was now able to create illusions of varying iterations. He knew it would be a difficult task: but he would see it through to the bitter end.

As he reclaimed his health, he set his mind to reclaiming his prowess. The Magister, seemingly content with his work, departed once he knew his ‘patient’ would survive, leaving Rhys to train. Though before that, he gave him a parting gift. A bow, forged from wood of a tree that fell the day Wayfarer died; it served as a reminder of what had been bestowed upon him. For approximately ten years he focused his new ability of illusion magic, and learnt the art of archery, growing accustomed to the bow.

He returned to Heartania a new man, though found it to be a significantly different city. A city, recuperating from a nuclear threat, and the loss of one of their own heroes. A city where high-tech bots had begun enforcing the peace. A city where an upstart villain by the name of Black Thought dishonoured Alfred’s very memory. It was a city that disturbed Rhys, but one he secretly hoped for. In a battered and broken state, Heartania could not rely on Wayfarer to save it. It would take a new man: the Phantom Martyr to root out the ingrained evil, and restore the legacy of his brother.

Appearance
Rhys’ frame just borders 6’0; standing tall, with an impressively focused expression. He is well built for his age, though his arms are much stronger than his torso: as befits an archer. To the same effect, his posture is straight, and powerful, almost always standing with one foot in front of the other. His chest and back is branded with what at first would appear to be tattoos of the many constellations of the stars, though upon closer inspection they are a collection of peculiarly permanent burn marks.

His grey, almost silver hair is cut roughly around the edges that meet his neck, that one could easily realise he did it himself. He has a short centre part, pushed back naturally, so that stray hair may find its way back to the forehead. His strong jaw is clean shaven, and his green eyes, though quite clearly able to tell a thousand stories, seem contrastingly youthful.

Rhys dresses properly according to the situation, and tends to do so in a sharp, sleek manner. However, when he is donning the persona of the Martyr, it’s almost always the same affair. A red leather chestpiece, with violet patterns corresponding to the burn marks on his chest (as well as black linings for definition), with shoulder guards, leg guards and knee pads to match. Underneath that is a violet linen-esque shirt and pants; visible only at the arms as well as various areas of the legs. Isolated from the rest of the leather by the undersuit are red gloves and boots, designed for maximum balance of flexibility, strength and comfort. A purple cape hangs just below his off-hand, flowing to a simple cowl that covers all but his mouth and jaw.

Personality
Rhys’ perspectives had totally realigned the day his life transformed itself. Where he was once hot-headed, and impulsive, he is now collected; thoughtful. Once upon a time he’d consider his options to be either listening his head, or following his heart, whereas now he understands both can be applied in almost every situation. There is a certain recklessness to this, as the practise of applying both one’s heart and mind can lead to a conflict of interest, and indeed may also summon a sense of arrogance. Rhys has yet to experience the latter case, though he has certainly dealt with the former as he had established his place in Heartania.

Also leading from his resurrection was a newfound appreciation for life in all its forms. He believes it to be the most important gift, and not one he can take away. This notion transcends to the Martyr, as the vigilante has yet to claim a life, even of those he may detest the most.

Despite all this, he has a blindspot when it comes to family. He was always fiercely loyal to those he shares a blood bond with, and firmly believes in the idea that friends can be surrogates for close relatives. As such, he would do anything for family, even put himself in danger. With this comes an idea of honour to uphold, and one of Rhys’ driving factors in doing what he does is to uphold the memory of his brother, Alfred Jones: Shining Thought. He pushes himself to his limits, and refuses to deviate from his path of justice with the burning image of his brother who was taken from the world so cruelly, along with his family.