The Blacklight Virus was never truly a virus. Long before life existed on Earth, it was a primordial species, designed to awaken hidden genes within its host and drive the next step of evolution. Early researchers called it the Symbol of Evolution—the embodiment of progress itself.
But when the U.S. military organization known as Blackwatch captured and experimented on a variant, everything changed. Unlike the original strain, this version became highly contagious. Infection rates approached one hundred percent, turning hosts into mindless husks.
Even Alex Mercer, a lead researcher within Blackwatch, failed to merge with it. Shot and left for dead while trying to escape with the original strain, Alex shattered the vial in desperation—intending to bury Manhattan with him and expose Blackwatch's corruption. The virus devoured his corpse, absorbed fragments of his memories, and became him.
The Alex Mercer who rose in Blackwatch's labs was no longer human—yet ironically, this viral incarnation showed more humanity than the man who had died. By the end, he would sacrifice everything, piloting a fighter jet to carry a live nuclear warhead into the ocean, saving New York at the cost of his own life.
But before that story reached its conclusion, fate twisted. This new Alex would cross paths with someone else—Malrick, a stranger from another world.
Moments earlier, Malrick had stepped into a new reality—the world of Prototype. His arrival was abrupt, materializing in a dark alley lit only by flickering streetlamps.
Behind him stood Alex Mercer, dressed in his familiar leather jacket and hood. Outside, the heavy cadence of boots and the whir of helicopter blades filled the air. Blackwatch troops were closing in.
Floodlights cut through the shadows, turning the alley into a stage. Gunfire erupted—dozens of rifles and two mounted chainguns opened fire. In an instant, crimson beams and explosions ripped the soldiers apart, the helicopter detonating into a fireball overhead.
Malrick glanced at the wary man behind him.
"So… this is the beginning of the story?" he muttered with a half-smile.
Turning to Alex, he added, "You look like you could use some help. Lucky for you, I could use a favor too."
Together, the unlikely pair carved a bloody path through Manhattan. Blackwatch squads, armored vehicles, helicopters—none survived. Even infected monstrosities were torn apart when they got in the way.
Hours later, every Blackwatch installation on U.S. soil lay in ruins. Alex, through devouring and evolving, began piecing his memories back together. With horror, he realized the truth—he had died in the subway that night. What remained was nothing more than a viral construct with his face and thoughts.
Then came the final escalation. A nuclear missile streaked across the sky, aimed directly at Manhattan. Alex looked up in despair.
Malrick placed a hand on his shoulder. "Remember, Alex—great power comes with great responsibility."
Before Alex could respond, Malrick snatched a vial of the original virus from him and launched himself upward. Crashing into the warhead midair, he vanished in a blinding wave of fire.
Alex's anguished cry echoed beneath the burning sky. Malrick was gone—his essence already returning to the Marvel universe.
On the floating island above Kamar-Taj, Malrick studied the syringe in his hand. The last remnant of the original Blacklight Virus shimmered within.
"Alex must be devastated… I was probably the first person who ever showed him kindness." He sighed, then forced a smirk. "Still, if Peter Parker could grow after losing Uncle Ben, Alex will survive this too."
He tucked the vial away and joined the sorcerers, helping them anchor new wards around the city. But his mind was elsewhere—on what came next. This content belongs to novèlfire.net
Inside his inner world, Malrick's clone construct prepared to use the virus as new genetic material. The original solution floated in midair, glowing faintly.
"Clone Art—activate!"
The world shuddered. Vast currents of energy poured into the virus, breaking it down into raw genetic code. For a moment, the process froze—like a machine crashing mid-command.
Malrick frowned. Strange. The Bloodsea Clone worked fine, so why not this?
Then a spark flared within his core—a fragment of cosmic energy he had absorbed from his journeys. It surged outward, bypassing the blockage and fusing with the viral code. The ritual resumed, enveloping the strain in a black-and-red eggshell. The inner world responded: ten hours until gestation was complete.
When the time came, the shell cracked open with a brittle snap. A formless black liquid, pulsing with crimson light, spilled out. Malrick's consciousness split once more, now extending into this newborn entity.
So this is it… I can't see, can't speak, can't hear.
But with a thought, energy from the Space Stone poured into the clone. Its power spiked—planetary, stellar, universal—until it stabilized at the Domain Lord level. Malrick guided the form onto solid ground and examined its natural gifts.
[Devour Evolution]: By consuming genetic material, it could filter and refine traits to enhance itself.
[Assimilation Absorption]: Able to break down organisms, organic and inorganic matter alike, converting them into sustenance and knowledge.