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"Ruthlessness, violence, suffering—
these are the twisted seeds from which mercy blooms.
When man inflicts pain...
rips away hope...
leaves another broken and bleeding...
then there may come a moment of grace.
A hand extended in compassion...
a soothing word...
a ray of light in the abyss...
This is mercy."
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⥼ AGE and BIRTHDAY ⥽
28 prior to Slumber ─ November 5th
⥼ IDENTITY ⥽
M ─ Cis Man ─ He/Him
⥼ STATISTICS ⥽
6’2” ─ 174 lbs ─ O-
Aleksei's most striking feature is his wild, curly white hair that cascades in an unruly mane around his slender face. Though rare, his albinism gifts him with the ethereal appearance of a prince stepped out of a fairytale, from the snowy crown atop his head to the soft blue of his eyes. Those eyes, so pale they verge on violet when the light catches them just so, are framed by long white lashes and fine arched brows. Their cool color contrasts beautifully with the warm undertone of his skin and the rubicund flushing of his cheeks. His face is all gentle curves - a soft jaw, round cheeks, and a pert upturned nose combine to give him a sweet, almost cherubic look. This innocence is complemented by his near-constant crooked smile, charming in its lopsidedness. Though his resting expression trends toward cheer, it can morph into a dark scowl when irritation takes hold of his gentle spirit. The decades spent in slumber have made such soured moods more frequent. Still, Aleksei's handsome smile returns swiftly, lighting up his face and creasing the fine laugh lines that have accumulated at the corners of those striking eyes. His height, just above average, complements his slender build. Wiry muscles, honed from years of knightly training, ripple subtly under his fair skin. Though less bulky than some warriors, he possesses a quiet strength and graceful poise.
Insightful ─ Tempered ─ Passionate ⤄ Egotistical ─ Vengeful ─ Sadistic
Once upon a time, Aleksei was a genuinely kind and gentle man, radiating warmth and compassion to all he encountered. In his youth, he was known for his passionate friendliness, eagerly striking up conversations with strangers and acquaintances alike. Aleksei performed acts of service constantly, gladly giving his time, money, or possessions to those in need without expecting anything in return. He held a deep empathy for others, intuitively understanding people's troubles and motivations. Aleksei's generosity knew no bounds - he would forfeit all his worldly goods if it meant aiding another soul.
However, after decades trapped in an enchanted slumber, Aleksei awakened as a twisted, corrupted version of his former self. His warped psyche interprets kindness through a lens of egotism and self-interest. Now, Aleksei's so-called selfless acts serve to stroke his ego and feed his inflated sense of self-importance. He views his superficial generosity as concrete evidence of his greatness, pointing to his supposed sacrifices as justification that he deserves glory and praise. Aleksei no longer performs true acts of service, instead delegating tasks he deems beneath him to others while taking credit for their deeds. His empathy has become a tool for manipulation - he uses his intuitive understanding of others to trick and deceive them into serving his wishes. Where he once freely gave, Aleksei now makes uneven trades and deals, offering his power in exchange for people's possessions, freedom, or very lives if it suits him. This corrupted man is but a dark parody of his once kind self - he abuses the image of benevolence for personal gain, growing enraged if his "kindness" goes unacknowledged and vindictively attacking those who fail to thank him.
⥼ ORIENTATION ⥽
Homosexual ─ Panromantic
⥼ LIKES ⥽
Good Company ─ Cold weather, specifically rain ─ A game of Durak ─ Sweet, plum wine
⥼ DISLIKES ⥽
Solitude ─ Hot weather ─ Sitting still and having nothing to do ─ Stouty ale
⥼ FOCUS CORE ⥽
Soul, minoring in Shape
⥼ APPLICATIONS ⥽
Aleksei wields the elemental forces of Soul and Shape with cunning mastery, cloaking his cruelty in false generosity. With a smile, he raises walls of earth to shelter the downtrodden, only to leave them trapped and abandoned. He conjures flames to warm the cold, letting them grow until they consume all in their path. Aleksei's gifts appear kind, but breed suffering.
His power over fire and earth allows sinister creativity. With penetrating heat, Aleksei mimics the forging of diamonds, focusing scorching flames through dense minerals. Yet at any moment, he can turn this searing force upon his enemies, blinding them with blistering light. The very ground obeys Aleksei's whims, opening sinkholes and pits beneath the feet of those who displease him. Or he can compress soil and stone into nigh-impenetrable barriers, encaging any who dare defy him.
Aleksei makes the earth's bounty an instrument of manipulation, commanding vines to constrict and roots to spread at this command. His fiery power mutates the natural world, breeding new species of flora to serve his wishes. With but a thought, Aleksei can generate hybrid plants or inflict potent effects upon the environment.
In Aleksei's hands, the fundamental elements of Soul and Shape become tools of covert cruelty, masked by the guise of generosity. His imagination in combining them seems endless, as does the suffering he casually inflicts upon those foolish enough to trust his false benevolence. For behind Aleksei's kindly facade lurks only a desire for narcissistic gain, no matter the cost.
⥼ SIGNATURE SPELLS ⥽
The Precious Blade ─ The most iconic of his talents, The Precious Blade, showcases Aleksei's deftness at fusing the fiery Heat of Soul with the earthen Density of Shape. Calling upon these forces, he can summon gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, and diamonds from the ether, morphing them into elegantly wrought blades balanced to lethal perfection. Though Aleksei's power enables him to craft any manner of swords or daggers, when pressed for time, he defaults to conjuring spikes and spires which require less finesse yet remain deadly implements. The glinting crystals he summons are as beautiful as they are dangerous, singing with the harmonious union of earth and fire.
Blessing of the Sun ─ Another fearsome ability as iconic as his Precious Blade is that of Blessing of the Sun, combining the searing Glow of Soul with Aleksei's gem-shaping skills. Through this synthesis, he forms crystal lenses able to concentrate sunlight into blistering beams. By carefully modulating the lenses' curvature, the resultant rays can either gently warm or melt solid rock, such is their intensity. With but a thought, Aleksei can focus the sun's might into a weapon as potent as any blade.
Healing Soul ─ In counterpoint to his destructive abilities, Aleksei has also cultivated restorative powers. His Healing Soul technique draws on the Spark and Heat of Soul to invigorate the body's own healing processes. Through an ignition of one's inner fire, Aleksei can rapidly mend wounds and regenerate damaged cells. While less flashy than his combat skills, this power highlights Aleksei's versatility through his command of Soul's life-giving aspects.
Shepherd of Darkness ─ Finally, developed during his fifty-year slumber through the guidance of Daemonium, Aleksei's Shepherd of Darkness shows his mastery of all four elements in harmonious conjunction. Combining the earthy Bloom of Shape, the watery Birth of Blood, the airy Freedom of Breath, and the fiery Passion of Soul, this ability permits Aleksei to control all lifeforms through hypnotic movements. Flora bends to his will and fauna heed his call as Aleksei conducts nature's myriad voices like a somber symphony. Though lacking the raw devastation of his other skills, this subtle power evidences Aleksei's deep connection to the forces underlying creation.
⥼ RINCI the MERCIFUL ⥽
This delicate key, once known to embody the Buddhist principle of mercifulness, has since been twisted to inflict harm. Originally gifted to Aleksei by Haoran as an expression of gratitude, this Fu Chen, or horsetail whisk, was intended to channel Aleksei's magic in a way that would not injure any living thing, magnifying his kindness in a way no ordinary weapon could.
The whisk itself was crafted from lightly hued, warm wood, etched with intricate markings depicting peace and tranquility. Its fibers were as pale as Aleksei's own snowy locks, evoking a sense of purity and light. When Aleksei first received Rinci, he wielded it gracefully, using it to channel and direct his magic like a conductor guiding an orchestra. The energies flowed from him effortlessly, calming storms and healing wounds without causing any pain.
However, with the rise of Aleksei's corruption, so too came the shift to Rinci's capacity for damage. Aleksei has since begun coating the delicate fibers in diamond dust, transforming the once harmless horsetail whisk into a brutal weapon. The diamond fragments are as fine as fiberglass, inflicting deep lacerations with the slightest touch. With each graceful flick of his wrist, Aleksei can now lay open flesh to the bone, bringing immense suffering rather than mercy.
Though originally a gift representing the ideal of harmlessness, Rinci has become a frightening physical manifestation of Aleksei's corruption, its beauty warped into something sinister and cruel. The whisk that once channeled healing now dealt devastating wounds, sparkling with diamond shards as sharp as its master's corrupted heart.
⥼ SKILLS and HOBBIES ⥽
Painting ─ Dancing ─ Singing ─ Animal Husbandry and Handling ─ Blacksmithing ─ Sleight of Hand
⥼ SPELL LIMITS ⥽
The Precious Blade ─ While Aleksei can summon gemstone blades that are elegantly crafted and lethally sharp, overuse of this ability risks migraines, fatigue, nausea, and bleeding from prolonged Vitanima channeling. Each blade also requires intense mental focus to will into existence and maintain structural integrity. In the chaos of battle, it may prove difficult to summon more than a few weapons at once without losing control. The blades themselves, though beautiful, lack versatility beyond slashing and stabbing. Aleksei's chronic illness exacerbates these issues, with nerve pain and coughing fits potentially disrupting his concentration while wielding the crystals. Ultimately, The Precious Blade provides deadly yet limited offensive options that Aleksei can only employ sparingly before physical and mental exhaustion set in.
Blessing of the Sun ─ This power enables Aleksei to unleash destructive solar beams, but excess use risks overtaxing his body and mind. Each lens requires careful calibration, limiting how many can be controlled at once. The heat and light may also give away Aleksei's position. While able to melt rock when focused, the diffuse rays have limited range and can be blocked. The symptoms of Vitanima overuse and his chronic ailment will steadily debilitate Aleksei the more he channels the Blessing. While the solar onslaught can devastate foes, it quickly drains Aleksei past the point of effectiveness.
Healing Soul ─ Though this ability can rapidly heal wounds, Aleksei's chronic illness limits how much Vitanima he can channel at once. Overextending this power risks bleeding, fainting, and exacerbating his symptoms. The healing is also localized to Aleksei's hands on a body, preventing wide-scale mending. Powerful injuries or illnesses may require prolonged sessions to fully treat, tiring Aleksei past his limits. While useful for quickly stabilizing injuries, Healing Soul cannot persistently undo massive damage without incapacitating its wielder.
Shepherd of Darkness ─ Though this subtle power highlights Aleksei's Vitanima mastery, the extensive focus required gives enemies an opening to attack. The range of control is also localized, allowing distant foes to resist. Summoning specific creatures is mentally taxing, with general manipulation of plant and animal life easier to sustain. However, without precision, the Shepherd can do little beyond distraction. Moreover, any disruption in concentration due to Aleksei's chronic illness rapidly breaks his influence. While evidencing profound skill, the Shepherd's weaknesses betray its lack of direct combat impact.
⥼ KEY WEAKNESS ⥽
Though a formidable weapon in skilled hands, Rinci the Fu Chen does suffer from significant limitations that inhibit its efficacy in many situations. Most notably, the horsetail whisk relies extensively on open, sweeping, dance-like motions to build momentum and inflict damage. The long, graceful arcs and flicks of the wrist required are simply not possible in close quarters or cramped spaces. Tight hallways, small rooms, and other enclosed areas restrict the broad, sweeping movements needed to slash and lacerate with the diamond-coated fibers. Even open spaces can pose issues if crowded with obstacles or combatants, preventing the unencumbered motion ideal for Rinci's use. With ample space to wheel and pivot freely, flicking the horsetail whisk to and fro, Aleksei can inflict devastating wounds. But without room to maneuver unimpeded, the whisk's potential is sharply curtailed. The exquisite, hypnotic swirls and arcs through the air transform into clumsy, stifled gestures when deprived of space. Though beautiful and alluring when allowed to dance through the air unhindered, the encrusted diamond fibers lose their bite when movements are constrained. For all its grace and elegance, Rinci remains dependent on openness and freedom of motion to fully manifest its lethal potential. The very quality that makes it so mesmerizing - the sweeping, unbroken flow - also exposes its limits in situations where space is scarce.
⥼ FEARS and PHOBIAS ⥽
Solitude ─ Rejection ─ Failure/Disappointment
⥼ OTHER WEAKNESSES ⥽
Chronic illness is his biggest weakness, physically. Mentally, he faces weaknesses in the form of his fellow knights and the dependency he's developed around them, and in his own lingering self-doubt, believing himself too weak without his spells, weapons, and the support of his fellow knights
⥼ RELATIONSHIP STATUS ⥽
Lusting after Haoran
⥼ POSITIVE FIGURES ⥽Dmitriy Kovalyov ─ Guardian ─ Very Close (deceased)
Dayte Markovic-Kovalyov ─ Husband ─ Very Close (deceased)
Daemonium ─ Savior/Master ─ Devoted
Idunn Matrona ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
Xian Haoran ─ Fellow Knight ─ Very Close
Brann Lohgtroen ─ Fellow Knight ─ Very Close
Terisa Sokolov ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
Renaud ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
@Autumn Moon's character ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
⥼ NEGATIVE FIGURES ⥽
The Council of the Empire ─ Holy Leaders ─ Tarnished
Father Ambrose ─ Headmaster ─ Vile
⥼ ASSOCIATIONS ⥽
The Seven Knights of Virtue ─ An elite force of specialized knights serving the empire, each standing for one of the Seven Holy Virtues ─ The Second Knight, The Knight of Kindness
The Fallen Seven ─ What remains of the Seven Knights of Virtue after their fifty-year slumber ─ The Callous
Discarded at birth for his striking albinism, the infant's cries pierced the frigid [tbn] air, a plaintive melody signaling his remarkable future. An artist, drawn by fate to the babe's makeshift grave, glimpsed beyond societal prejudice to the luminous potential within. Rescuing Aleksei, he nurtured the boy's fledgling talents, finding inspiration in his ethereal beauty. Together, they weathered the storms of Aleksei's chronic childhood illness, the artist employing his young muse as a conduit to conjure exquisite artwork. Despite his fragility, Aleksei exhibited prodigious control over Vitanima, intuitively channeling the element of Soul to generate flames, a fiery manifestation of his inner light. Recognizing Aleksei's rare gift, his caretaker secured tutelage from a master to elevate the boy's skills. With compassion and wisdom, this mentor revealed the deeper meanings of Aleksei's magic, guiding him to fulfill his destiny.
Through battle after grueling battle with his fragile health, Aleksei revealed himself to be remarkably talented and remarkably powerful, becoming a further inspiration for his guardian, a gifted artisan. Though fueled by this creative spark, Aleksei's guardian grew increasingly concerned for the boy, witnessing the violent toll that tapping deeper into his Vitanima took on him - debilitating migraines and bone-crushing fatigue compounding his already delicate condition. Time and again, the guardian gently questioned if Aleksei was pushing too far, asking if he wanted to cease his intense training and seek an easier path in life, one that didn't stretch his physical body so perilously thin. But no matter how the artist pushed, Aleksei refused to abandon his journey. His guardian had shown him such kindness all his life that the boy was determined to capture that benevolence and pay it forward by mastering his magic. As he slowly gained control over the finer intricacies of Soul in the forms of Heat, Glow, and Spark, learning in his training with the master how to tap into the three other elements of Shape, Blood, and Breath, unlocking within them the raw power of Earth, Water, and Air, Aleksei strengthened his inner flame. He forged an especially robust connection to Shape, embracing the structural facets of Dense, Root, and Bloom in conjunction with the wild, uncontrolled power of the flames of Soul. Combining these forces, he developed a unique magical skill, crafting hard gems by harnessing the heat and pressure of fire and stone. Though his body was weakened, Aleksei's spirit remained strong in his quest to master his magic and spread good in the world.
With a heart full of hope and a mind focused on his craft, Aleksei embarked on the next chapter of his journey. Though it pained him to leave behind the only family he had ever known, his wise guardian who had raised and mentored him, Aleksei knew he must follow the calling of his magical abilities. His unique mastery over the primal forces of fire, earth, and notes within each had caught the attention of the grand mages, and they directed him westward, to the central island of the archipelago, where he could learn the deepest mysteries of the elements. Aleksei set forth, traversing forests and mountains on his quest, before embarking across the frozen seas to the land of [tbn]. He meditated daily to strengthen his connection to the living flames of his inner fire, the ancient bones of the earth, and the boundless energy of his very soul. Though his body remained weakened from channeling such raw power on top of his chronic illness, Aleksei's spirit soared with purpose. He imagined helping others and spreading light with his magic once he refined his skills. The western lands held the promise of transformation, of transcending to the celestial reaches of Vitanima where he could grasp the fundamental nature of the elements. With steadfast dedication through every aching step, Aleksei journeyed toward this new horizon. The road ahead was long, but his will burned bright with the hope of attaining new heights in his magical arts.
While fate dealt the promising mage a cruel hand, cursing him with such insidious illness that wracked his body with agonizing pain and bouts of violent coughing as his body tore itself apart from the inside out, Aleksei persevered, journeying to the famed Vitanimus Academy where he honed his talents under the tutelage of the wisest mages in the Empire. It was there that Councilman Viktor, overseer of the academy's advanced students, first took notice of Aleksei. One could say, Viktor saw himself in the tenacious young man, and took Aleksei under his wing, nurturing his burgeoning powers despite the protest of his frail health.
"Your weakness is but the crucible through which your strength is forged..."
Viktor would say, urging Aleksei to push past the fire in his veins. With Ambrose's guidance, Aleksei rapidly excelled, earning top marks in all his studies. Ambrose grooming him all the while, envisioning the day Aleksei would take his place on the Council. But Aleksei's passions lay not with politics and academia. On the day of his graduation, to Ambrose's dismay, Aleksei enlisted in the city guard, driven by an oath to protect the common folk who had shown him such kindness when he first arrived, a foreigner with nothing to his name.
Though his illness persisted, attempting to bar him from the life of service he dreamed of, Aleksei persevered. His valor and compassion earned him the rank of knight, defender of the people. In time, the Council itself took notice, inviting Aleksei to join the revered order of the Seven. As a Knight of Virtue, Aleksei safeguarded the empire he called home, his inner light guiding him through the darkest nights. The road behind him was long and fraught with suffering, but Aleksei stood tall, an inspiration to all who knew his story. For he was the living embodiment of strength through adversity. But more than that, the epitome of kindness, taking all which had been given to him in life and giving it back to the world that had given him such promise.
Aleksei settled neatly into his role as the Knight of Kindness, standing strong among the other Knights of Virtue, and though Ambrose, who had held so much faith in him during his schooling, was disappointed to see him pass up the chance to become one of the Council as his apprentice, he appeared proud of Aleksei, and Aleksei was proud of himself. In the final moments, as the Council sealed him and the other Knights into their death-like slumber. As his illness spiked once more and cut off his cries and pleas for mercy, with a final bout of violent coughing through thick, hot blood spilling from his mouth with that oh-so-familiar taste of salty iron. Aleksei could swear he heard that same Councilman, Ambrose, the headmaster who had pushed him so hard against his condition, whisper cruelly across his mind.
"To think...you would face such a similar end to that which eluded you not that long ago... Oh the irony..."
