Blizz

The Gifted (Reborn)

That would be my first guess. Or we can try to proceed as normal for as long as we can.

The Gifted (Reborn)

That's never a good sign...

Now what?

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

”He went this way.”

”If we send Tural to Bestik, he can call for reinforcements.”

“Find the boy!”

Velhass stormed through dense woods and brush, with no concern for where his path took him. It was too dark to see more than a few feet in front of him. But the darkness was safer than the distant glow of torches and swords. In that direction, there was only danger waiting for Velhass. Only death. The Tekeri would likely follow him first if he didn’t take flight. Salaketh’s soldiers couldn’t all chase him down this overgrown thicket. The worst they could do not is anticipate his next move or send a scout.

But that didn’t mean Velhass was safe.

His foot snagged on a loose root, and Velhass tumbled down the side of the hill, falling through brambles and dead leaves. The world seemed to fall away as he lost his sense of direction, thorns pricked Velhass’ weathered skin, bushes splintered and cracked. When the boy stopped rolling out of control, it was due to a tree he collided with face-first. His skull felt as though he had just been splashed with ice cold water, and he felt blood trickle down his lip.

The road lay up high overhead, and the distant shouting of Salaketh sounded as if they were moving away. But still, a chance of being captured was still a chance.

Do not stop moving.

The distant moon and stars provided Velhass with just enough light that he could trudge through the gloam of the forest. He was careful not to make much noise, moving slowly and feeling out the forest floor lest he snap a twig that could alert the life mage, whose presence he couldn’t confirm or deny yet. Once he was far enough from the roads that no one could see him, Velhass climbed into a tree. Above the ground, he could see none of the Inquisitors in pursuit. Thus, he let his guard down for a moment.

Until he saw the fire in the distance.

Too large to be a torch, it had to have been burning for a while now. It couldn’t have been Salaketh’s men. Velhass saw shapes in the darkness moving around the flame, as a door was closed by someone . The motion was shaped like a person… Someone lived down here in this dense wood. And people had food.

If he could just sneak in and make out quickly enough, they wouldn’t miss anything.

Velhass dropped out of the tree and slinked forward. The fire flickered lively as he neared and saw that the house was in a clearing where the moon glowed brightly. The "house" looked… Pitiful. Barely any better than a hut, with what looked like ashes caked against the outer walls in place of mortar. The door had tree bark on it by the touch. A far cry from the architecture of the city. The poor sod inside might be dead for all he knew.

Velhass pushed the door open gently, it made no noise. The house seemed rather spacious on the inside. A single room, containing wooden barrels, plants hanging from clay pots chained to the roof, and a table. There was no fire inside. And this was no house, it was a storage room. There was a second door on the opposite side of the room, opened just by a fraction. Velhass could see light moving towards it. He turned to leave, then that light poured in from behind him.

What he saw was not a fellow S’Tor, a Tekeri, or even a Glen. It was a creature with skin like gnarled bark, wreathed in smoldering flames and ash. Two bright pits of fire were the only semblance of a face that it bore. One of their hands was outstretched, and a mote of orange light was floating above, acting as a lantern of sorts. The flaming figure was hunched over slightly, and looking right at the intruder.

Velhass was terrified.

”You are trespassing. Explain yourself, boy.”

---

Shirik had tuned out most of the ongoings of the feast after Esedel referred to them as an "it." Things seemed to be dying down as everyone ate their fills. Hopefully people were a bit more amicable to each other now that they broke bread and stayed in one place together long enough to tolerate each others' presences. They noticed Kareet had gone over to see what was happening in the bushes with Kerchak. Along with that thought mage and several guards. That was weird, but their cultures tended to send people off on those things for loyalty's sake.

Shirik may have very well fallen asleep at the metaphorical dinner table if they were physiologically capable of that... Or if they hadn't stood up to walked off out of boredom. But just as they stood up, some humans bumped into them. This human seemed a bit more... Rough around the edges than the rest. More decorated, more dramatic. Were they a warrior of some sort?

"...Metal? I am wood and fire. Play what, exact-" Shirik didn't know what "metal" was in this context. But then they overheard a similarly dressed human mention instruments, hearing this to be such by the sound of Zeynap's translator. They looked back to the woman with a slight head tilt. "Ah. I see. Yes, I do in fact. If you are asking me to join a performance, bring me something with strings." Shirik's definition of music was no doubt fundamentally different from that of humans, especially metalheads with electrically produced sounds. But on Kanth-Aremek, there were plenty of diverse musical forms to draw from. Shirik, being as old they were, had picked up quite a few tricks from musicians all over the planet. All too often did they fill the silence of lonely years with gentle noise plucked from strings.

Velhass taught them their first song, in another time.

X-Men: GenetiX

Ryder kept the gun trained on Scott. Even as he made it clear he wasn't armed with a gun of some sort, she held it there firmly intent on laying him out. She was tempted to probe the man's mind for some indication of what he was planning. But that strange psychic echo she detected before now was an unknown- It could've been him for all she knew, meaning he could be a psychic and know she was about to read his thoughts. That was a curveball that Ryder seriously did not need at this phase of her master plan.

"I don't give a shit what you feel like doing, Shades. I've been thinking this through for longer than you realize, and you're not stopping me now."

Fuck him, she thought. He didn't mean anything in all this. And so Ryder pulled the trigger, multiple times to unload a total of three shots into the man's chest. Two would hit his ribs, one would deflect off his collarbone, but nothing vital would be at risk. Umbra Biogenetics used hollow point ammunition as standard issue in their armory. It would be damn near impossible to kill someone with the weapon Ryder had, but it would definitely hurt like a bitch.

Ryder didn't think to check if the guy would actually stand back up. Why would he? Instead, she turned and stared down the rather high steel-reinforced electronic gate. She held out a hand and made a motion as if she were crushing a tin can, and the door wrenched open automatically. Sparks flew off the security booth's console as she walked by, and hydraulics whined under the pressure of her power. Why does a scientific facility need such heavy security? Because they've been keeping her in the basement.

"I'm fucking free."

She ran and didn't look back.

The Gifted (Reborn)

I think so

X-Men: GenetiX

For an indeterminate length of time, Ryder had been monitoring everything that was of any consequence in this hell they called a lab. What was allegedly just a medium to low-level psychic was actually far, far more powerful than she had been given credit for. She played a good undersell, not a single scientist or researcher expected she was any stronger than what they observed. And so, she had the run of the entire facility. Ryder heard the conversations recorded by security systems, she saw the logs that determined which personnel were in rotation, and she knew who would and wouldn’t be present at any given point. After all, what kind of scientific research facility wouldn’t write down every little thing?

Like bricks in a wall, she slowly constructed her plan. Trawling the wires and processors of every computer in the building for every possible weakness, and leaving no trace of her intrusion. Ryder’s espionage had been going fine. There were tiny holes in the security that made things vulnerable, like micro-fractures in a window that made it all the more brittle. One day, though, something different made itself known. Not a machine, not the minds of the researchers or her “keepers.” No, this was something very interesting. Mentally, it was like a lighthouse in a layer of fog. A ripple in otherwise still waters that ran deeper than realized.

Jean was her name. She made a phone call to someone, and Ryder could hear every word. Someone was on their way to Umbra, and they’d arrive in a short while.

Perfect.

She waited for years, she could wait just a little longer.

---

In a veritable explosion of psychic energy, the lab lost itself like a drunken fool. Security systems spasmed, doors went haywire, even the lights flickered and blew open in showers of sparks. Every now and then, a single security camera would be released from the chaos for a second at a time. That would be Ryder’s doing, so she could mentally check in on the chaos. She ran down the cold hallways of Umbra’s levels, and willed a door to slam shut behind her. Ryder knew every inch of every room in this building with near photographic accuracy, so she reached out into the darkness of the room and just knew the weapons were here, and the ammunition there. Everything was hers to exploit.

Knowing better than to go back the way she came, an air vent was telekinetically crushed into a ball, and Ryder floated up, held her breath, and crawled to the next step. While deep in their computers, Ryder had memorized the pathways of the HVAC system. If she took this vent, went up and down the next three and took a left, she could release an elevator and crawl down the empty shaft. She did just that, making sure the fire suppression system throughout the building wouldn’t stop doing its job for the next few minutes. Just to spite them.

---

Fresh air was a strange thing to Ryder. It was foreign.

The lab was in chaos of the highest order. It stood behind her while she stared out into the open world. Green trees, a blue sky and white clouds. Of course she knew this was waiting for her, but being present in the real world… It was a shock. Her scheming had paid off. She could pick a direction and never look back. All she had to do was-

"Hi. Do you want to tell me why you're running from this place?"

Ryder practically jumped out of her skin at the sound of someone creeping up behind her. She spun around and pointed the gun straight at the… Guard? No. He wasn’t a guard. In fact, he wasn’t even armed. Then it hit Ryder that this guy was one of the visitors. He had some strange visor over his face. She didn’t recognize what kind of device that was and assumed it was just some weird pair of sunglasses. At least he didn’t have a gun like her.

”That doesn’t concern, big guy. Turn around, walk away, and forget you saw me. Do that and I won’t blow your fucking head off.” The gun’s safety was off, and the barrel was pointed directly at Scott’s center mass. Spite and self preservation were written all over her face.

Avengers Academy 💥

Leah Jordan

---

Location: Framework
Skills: Battlefield Manipulation
Today’s Fit

---

---

The fact that the Felsic Thickness went down at all was a surprise to Leah. She was about to shout somethi jg along the lines of, “Are you not entertained?!” towards the simulated heavens for Usagi to bask in their glory. Except, she was until Arcade swooped in and chanted a cheat code- She fucking knew he jacked more than Mario Kart into this fucking rig. The corpse of the Scoria Skank swallowed him while and suddenly Arcade was Ganon. And Arcade Ganon blasted Leah like a glass bottle in some old ass shooter game’s tutorial. She went back flying and hit the ground palms-first. Leah’s legs went over top and she performed a handspring to her feet. She hit the ground rather forcefully, rocks crunched underneath her. Arcade was clearly a tricky fighter. He waited for his moment and took it- Credit where it’s due, that was smart.

But now he was the bad guy here, and Leah had to wonder what the chances were that he could ambulate something that big, even with his techno wizardry. Could Zari just will her brain to instinctually know how a different body functioned? Leah just went through a werewolf moment and she definitely didn’t feel comfortable in that skin. And Arcade wasn’t Zari. So… Leah slammed the ground with her fists, and a tremor split split open underneath Arcade Ganon. Rocks cracked and fractured, until a miniature canyon yawned into existence beneath his feet. Leah watched him fall like a 747 with a broken wing. Perfect.

”Throw everything at him!!!” Leah shouted, running up to rejoin the rest of the group, already forming her next move in her mind.

rolls for next update

Roll for Leah to start producing boulders from the surrounding terrain to start burying Arcade Ganon alive. Calling battle manipulation skill.

Nomadic Odyssey: Find Your Heart

Selena Phoenix

"I have nothing to prove to anyone." _____________________________________________________ NAME: Selena Phoenix _______________________________________________ EPITHET: The Starry-Eyed Wizard _______________________________________________ AGE: 18 _______________________________________________ PRONOUNS: She/Her _______________________________________________ HEIGHT: 5'7" _______________________________________________ WEIGHT: 175lb _______________________________________________ NATIONALITY: American _______________________________________________ LIKES: Books, sweet food, caffeine, astronomy, cats. _______________________________________________ DISLIKES: Loud noise, summer heat, magic haters, failure.

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OVERVIEW

"I'm not here to play nice."
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APPEARANCE

"No, they're not contacts. "
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Selena normally dresses nice and neat, wearing button-up shirts, sweaters, and other things considered "Dark Academia" or "lame" to some. She looks like she goes to a school for rich kids. Her hair is bright orange and always braided immaculately. Selena likes to look nice wherever she goes, as she finds people talk to her more willingly when they think she takes herself seriously, which she does. The most striking detail about her is her eyes, which look like a pair of diamonds. She is also often see wearing a somewhat tacky coat that looks like it was ripped straight from a fantasy book. Selena says it's ominous but it's just ugly.

PERSONALITY TRAITS

"Don't get in my way, and we'll get along just fine."
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Confident: Selena is proud of herself, and sure of her capabilities. She believes she has what it takes to be a Nomad and get what she wants out of life. No one can tell Selena otherwise, because no one but her knows what's best for her. Telling Selena she can't do something is like telling the sun it can't rise in the morning, you're just plain wrong and it'll happen anyway.

Insecure: Selena's self-assuredness hides the fact that she's a little defensive. She believes she doesn't have to justify herself to another person, and Selena worries whether or not people believe that themselves. She tries to project an air of not giving a damn about what others think of her in any way, but deep down, she wants to be liked and cared about.

Bitchy: Sometimes, Selena doesn't go out of her way to be mean to people. Sometimes, though, she can't help but be inconsiderate of the way others feel. She has a habit of being insensitive, minimally empathetic and just plain rude when things don't work out as she expected them to. Selena doesn't do it on purpose, but it's a habit she's yet to break... Not that she tries.

BACKSTORY

"Don't tell my parents I'm here- Not that I care if you do, but..."
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Selena was born to two parents and an brother 4 years older than her. The Phoenix family was formed after two longtime Nomads fell in lover on their journeys, and settled down Gold City to raise their kids. They taught their firstborn son to fight and wield ki. He was a fierce martial artist, and followed in his parents' footsteps proudly. But Selena... Didn't. From a young age, the entire family tried to teach her the ways of a Nomad. They taught her how to throw a punch when she was no older than 10, and spent weeks searching for ki techniques that worked for her. Her brother Remi's lightning fast kickboxing, her mother's fiery mid-range style, and her father's defensive fighting were all applied to Selena's upbringing so that she'd carry on the traditions herself. But as they pushed her further and further, Selena moved less and less. Sure, her punches were straight and her footwork was decent, but Selena couldn't work up the ki to pull off any fancy techniques. Nevertheless, her family put her through it all the same hoping she just needed to struggle more. By the time she was 12, Selena learned of another method. In the attic, she found an old book about the magical Nomads of history. Growing up as a kid with a family full of punch-happy Nomads, this fascinated her.

In just a week, Selena conjured up a small, rocky substance that lasted for seconds before crumbling to dust. This alone was more progress than she ever made in marital arts, and so she dove in deep. She eventually tried to apply the logic of mythic techniques to what her parents taught her, but nothing happened. Selena came to the conclusion that magic would be the best path for her. When she told her parents about this, though, they were very disappointed. They interpreted Selena's new... "Activities" as a lack of commitment, that she was simply giving up. Selena showed them her spell, and her mother recognized it as a spell that her mother did once. Apparently, magic ran in the family just like martial arts. But this didn't matter to Selena's family, since they were martial artists, and they expected their daughter to follow the legacy they were setting in stone. But no matter how hard she tried, Selena just hit a brick wall, while making progress with magic in a matter of days. She rejected their legacy, and told them they had her Remi for that.

Her parents weren't pleased. The only reason they didn't take that damn book away right then and there was because she kept it safely stored away. Selena stopped training with them and her brother, and instead took to finding more books about magic. Being in Gold City, there were plenty of books to find in public libraries. There weren't many mythic Nomads around, since most were of a martial nature, but this only motivated Selena to push herself and teach herself. By the standards of a teenage, self-made magician, Selena was doing quite well for herself. But alas, talks at dinner were all about how Remi was doing so well in the local Nomad tournaments and how proud they were that he was getting better at fighting. Any time Selena tried to bring up how she had finally mastered a new spell, no one cared. They just switched gears and talked about something else, interrupting her like she didn't even speak. Selena never heard her parents say they were proud of her for learning to master a magic spell, because magic was always just a waste of talent to them. Except she didn't have any talent, she only had skill and hard work.

Year after year, Selena would get noticeably more skilled with her mythic study, and her relationship with her family would grow colder. Every now and then, an argument would erupt between them all, and they'd never apologize to each other. Selena devoted more time to practicing magic, spending entire days locked in her room with dozens of books to learn more. Eventually she found a few magically inclined Nomads in the city, and starting practicing with them. This got her out of the house and allowed Selena to learn a few things she couldn't in books, like the practical application of her spells. Her parents were glad she got out of the house, but they didn't care for her meetings with her "friends" very much. Surprisingly enough, the other magic users Selena befriended held their own miniature tournaments on the other side of the city. One of them taught her a teleportation spell so she could get there easily. This knowledge motivated Selena to try and reconnect with her parents. She invited them to her tournaments, but they were "too busy," and she discovered that "busy" meant they had another tournament to attend- Remi's tournament. They argued about this for hours, and eventually the whole family caved and agreed to attend the small magic tournament, on the condition that she face her brother.

She accepted.

On the day of the tournament, Remi blew through several magicians in minutes. The ones who gave him the most trouble were the defensive ones that burned themselves out before he could with his ki-charged speed. Selena outwitted her opponents by manipulating the environment and getting the drop on them. The two were on a hot streak in their own way, but most of the attendees in the crowd of about 50 were secretly confident in Selena winning. Two hours passed, and the siblings faced each other. Remi walked into the arena with red energy flowing from his arms, and Selena with spheres of light in hand. The match began, and Selena's spheres disappeared. Remi blitzed her, but she ducked. In all the years they fought, she noticed he was always too confident in that haymaker. Remi's fist soared clean over Selena's head, and she cast a spell to send him flying into the sky. In a flash, she teleported above him before he could start falling again, and blasted him with two bolts of light. He began falling, and Selena through a Crystal Wall to the ground before teleporting back down. Remi couldn't stop his fall, even with all his mobility he leaned on. Selena charged up a Falling Comet, and waited until the right second. Down, down, and down he fell like a meteor. Until...

BOOM!

She fired the Falling Comet, and it hit Remi straight in the chest. The explosion sent him backwards into the crystals, which blew apart and bruised him to hell and back. Ultimately, Remi was perfectly fine. He'd walk it off in a day or two, but the entire Phoenix family just watched him get laid out like a towel on a beach in under thirty seconds... Because of magic. And in front of a rather large group of magic enthusiasts no less. Selena could not have been more proud of herself in that moment, as the crowd went absolutely wild. She pulled off the upset, broke Remi's streak and practically stole the winnings- A cash prize and an enchanted cloak that Remi would've just thrown in the trash. Needless to say, Selena felt incredible... Until she saw the faces of her parents. They were angry at their son for losing so easily, as if Selena was a pushover. She put the cloak on and wore it with pride. When the family reconvened back home, the parents once again disregarded Selena's achievements. To them, she didn't win because of her hard work, but because Remi didn't take the fight seriously. Because there was no way a martial artist like him could lose if he tried.

Selena felt conflicted at this point. She proved to herself and so many others that she was an incredibly talented magician, but her parents didn't respect that. It was frustrating, and she wasn't sure what to do until she heard about the Power Stone being up for grabs at the World Tournament. Remi wanted to attend it, but so did Selena. As usual, another argument ensued. They argued about how a magician didn't deserve the Power Stone, and forbade her from leaving. But luckily for her, Selena was 18 by now. She could if she wanted, and besides, they didn't have anything to say when she asked if they were scared Remi would lose again. So, Selena gathered up her things, and used her prize money from the local tournament to buy a plane ticket. Selena didn't care if her parents approved or not, or even if Remi was on the way himself. She was powerful enough to contend, and that was enough.

FIGHTING STYLE & ABILITES

"Why would I punch someone when I can do this-"
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SKILLS & ABILITIES

"My victory is written in the stars."
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Selena is a magician. Her abilities come from years of study and practice that she has committed herself to over the years. Most of Selena's magic tricks keep her from the middle of a fight, often inconveniencing an opponent or preventing them from getting within arm's reach. This makes her a partial specialist in ranged fighting who can apply a lot of pressure or make herself harder to land a scratch on. Most people in this day and age still rely on beating their opponent over the head and risking their own skin, so naturally Selena likes to take advantage of that.

SIGNATURE MOVES

"This is a waste of my time."
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■ [Shooting Star]

[Selena points her hand at an opponent, and a spark of pale magic energy is shot outwards. It acts like a fireball, in the sense that it burns things away but doesn't produce a any heat. It's hard to not see the projectile flying towards you, and could be deflected like a tennis ball. Can be fired in rapid succession up to three times.]

■ [Arcane Pulse]

[When Selena needs to, she can channel magic through both of her hands and shoot it out in a shotgun blast, meant to send someone or something flying backwards a few dozen feet. This is essentially an "Oh Shit" move to put space between Selena and her opponent. But due to the fact that the blast is raw energy forced out in such a violent manner, Selena can't do this in quick succession or she'll risk fatigue.]

■ [Flare Step]

[Selena picks a direction and appears at a chosen destination she can see within 50 feet, in a sparkly flash of pale light when she arrives, and can be used to carry up to one other person. This can only be done once per post, unless Selena is affected by Moonlight, which allows her to use Flare Step one more time.]

■ [Moonlight]

[Selena forms a glowing ball of light in her hand and hands it to someone. Whoever absorbs the Moonlight gets a boost to their next move. Attacks hit harder, duration based moves last longer, teleporters can teleport further, and so on. The Moonlight lasts for one move before fading away.]

■ [Crystal Wall]

[Selena hurls a clump of magic energy at a surface, causing it to crystalize and form a glassy barricade on contact. The barricade is roughly 7 feet tall and 10 feet wide, and is sturdy enough to be used as a platform if stood on. It can be broken with sustained attacks, but will slowly crumble away to nothing over the next two posts if not destroyed prematurely.]

■ [Blindsight]

[Selena channels magic to augment her senses, allowing her to detect anyone within 30 feet, from any direction and regardless of if they're visible. If they come within range, she will instinctually know where they are, provided they have a source of ki or magical ability.]

SUPER MOVES

"You never had a chance."

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■ [Falling Comet]

[The Shooting Star's older brother, the Falling Comet is a much larger ball of magic energy that Selena fires towards her target. The projectile leaves behind a much bigger and stronger explosion, but moves like a baseball thrown through the air, giving faster Nomads a chance to dodge the attack.]

■ [Meteor Shower]

[Selena opens up a magical power in the sky, above her head, causing dozens of crystals to rain down and pepper the battlefield. These crystals harden and become cover much like the Crystal Wall move, and burst into dust when they strike a person. Selena primarily uses this to provide herself with a lot of cover over a wider area when there isn't any. The crystals caused by this last much longer, but aren't any sturdier compared to a regular Crystal Wall.]

■ [Imposter's Veil]

[Selena's cloak is enchanted, allowing her to produce a magical clone capable of casting spells and tanking some attacks. The clone does not speak, and bursts into a shower of light when destroyed. Once the clone is destroyed, it cannot be summoned again for the next two posts.]

WEAKNESSES & LIMITS

"Weak? Me? Impossible."
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The biggest thing that holds Selena back is the fact that she's a ranged specialist. The girl isn't capable of winning a fist fight against someone skilled in using their ki for more up-close fighting. Her comfort zone is staying at a distance and blasting her opponents with magic, getting the drop on them with sudden cover and repositioning. Those who rush her head on must contend with this, but if you can, then Selena is dead to rights. Strangely enough, Selena seems to have very little ki herself, if any at all. For this reason, she's generally much more fragile and easier to hurt. Some Nomads are easier to injure than the rest, but Selena struggles to take a beating even by normal standards- Grab her, and she's done for.

OTHER

"The Power Stone is mine, just you wait and see."
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Gay as fuck. Women are pretty.

Nomadic Odyssey: Find Your Heart

Selena Phoenix

"I have nothing to prove to anyone." _____________________________________________________ NAME: Selena Phoenix _______________________________________________ EPITHET: The Starry-Eyed Wizard _______________________________________________ AGE: 18 _______________________________________________ PRONOUNS: She/Her _______________________________________________ HEIGHT: 5'7" _______________________________________________ WEIGHT: 175lb _______________________________________________ NATIONALITY: American _______________________________________________ LIKES: Books, sweet food, caffeine, astronomy, cats. _______________________________________________ DISLIKES: Loud noise, summer heat, magic haters, failure.

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OVERVIEW

"I'm not here to play nice."
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APPEARANCE

"No, they're not contacts. "
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Selena normally dresses nice and neat, wearing button-up shirts, sweaters, and other things considered "Dark Academia" or "lame" to some. She looks like she goes to a school for rich kids. Her hair is bright orange and always braided immaculately. Selena likes to look nice wherever she goes, as she finds people talk to her more willingly when they think she takes herself seriously, which she does. The most striking detail about her is her eyes, which look like a pair of diamonds. She is also often see wearing a somewhat tacky coat that looks like it was ripped straight from a fantasy book. Selena says it's ominous but it's just ugly.

PERSONALITY TRAITS

"Don't get in my way, and we'll get along just fine."
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Confident: Selena is proud of herself, and sure of her capabilities. She believes she has what it takes to be a Nomad and get what she wants out of life. No one can tell Selena otherwise, because no one but her knows what's best for her. Telling Selena she can't do something is like telling the sun it can't rise in the morning, you're just plain wrong and it'll happen anyway.

Insecure: Selena's self-assuredness hides the fact that she's a little defensive. She believes she doesn't have to justify herself to another person, and Selena worries whether or not people believe that themselves. She tries to project an air of not giving a damn about what others think of her in any way, but deep down, she wants to be liked and cared about.

Bitchy: Sometimes, Selena doesn't go out of her way to be mean to people. Sometimes, though, she can't help but be inconsiderate of the way others feel. She has a habit of being insensitive, minimally empathetic and just plain rude when things don't work out as she expected them to. Selena doesn't do it on purpose, but it's a habit she's yet to break... Not that she tries.

BACKSTORY

"Don't tell my parents I'm here- Not that I care if you do, but..."
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Selena was born to two parents and an brother 4 years older than her. The Phoenix family was formed after two longtime Nomads fell in lover on their journeys, and settled down Gold City to raise their kids. They taught their firstborn son to fight and wield ki. He was a fierce martial artist, and followed in his parents' footsteps proudly. But Selena... Didn't. From a young age, the entire family tried to teach her the ways of a Nomad. They taught her how to throw a punch when she was no older than 10, and spent weeks searching for ki techniques that worked for her. Her brother Remi's lightning fast kickboxing, her mother's fiery mid-range style, and her father's defensive fighting were all applied to Selena's upbringing so that she'd carry on the traditions herself. But as they pushed her further and further, Selena moved less and less. Sure, her punches were straight and her footwork was decent, but Selena couldn't work up the ki to pull off any fancy techniques. Nevertheless, her family put her through it all the same hoping she just needed to struggle more. By the time she was 12, Selena learned of another method. In the attic, she found an old book about the magical Nomads of history. Growing up as a kid with a family full of punch-happy Nomads, this fascinated her.

In just a week, Selena conjured up a small, rocky substance that lasted for seconds before crumbling to dust. This alone was more progress than she ever made in marital arts, and so she dove in deep. She eventually tried to apply the logic of mythic techniques to what her parents taught her, but nothing happened. Selena came to the conclusion that magic would be the best path for her. When she told her parents about this, though, they were very disappointed. They interpreted Selena's new... "Activities" as a lack of commitment, that she was simply giving up. Selena showed them her spell, and her mother recognized it as a spell that her mother did once. Apparently, magic ran in the family just like martial arts. But this didn't matter to Selena's family, since they were martial artists, and they expected their daughter to follow the legacy they were setting in stone. But no matter how hard she tried, Selena just hit a brick wall, while making progress with magic in a matter of days. She rejected their legacy, and told them they had her Remi for that.

Her parents weren't pleased. The only reason they didn't take that damn book away right then and there was because she kept it safely stored away. Selena stopped training with them and her brother, and instead took to finding more books about magic. Being in Gold City, there were plenty of books to find in public libraries. There weren't many mythic Nomads around, since most were of a martial nature, but this only motivated Selena to push herself and teach herself. By the standards of a teenage, self-made magician, Selena was doing quite well for herself. But alas, talks at dinner were all about how Remi was doing so well in the local Nomad tournaments and how proud they were that he was getting better at fighting. Any time Selena tried to bring up how she had finally mastered a new spell, no one cared. They just switched gears and talked about something else, interrupting her like she didn't even speak. Selena never heard her parents say they were proud of her for learning to master a magic spell, because magic was always just a waste of talent to them. Except she didn't have any talent, she only had skill and hard work.

Year after year, Selena would get noticeably more skilled with her mythic study, and her relationship with her family would grow colder. Every now and then, an argument would erupt between them all, and they'd never apologize to each other. Selena devoted more time to practicing magic, spending entire days locked in her room with dozens of books to learn more. Eventually she found a few magically inclined Nomads in the city, and starting practicing with them. This got her out of the house and allowed Selena to learn a few things she couldn't in books, like the practical application of her spells. Her parents were glad she got out of the house, but they didn't care for her meetings with her "friends" very much. Surprisingly enough, the other magic users Selena befriended held their own miniature tournaments on the other side of the city. One of them taught her a teleportation spell so she could get there easily. This knowledge motivated Selena to try and reconnect with her parents. She invited them to her tournaments, but they were "too busy," and she discovered that "busy" meant they had another tournament to attend- Remi's tournament. They argued about this for hours, and eventually the whole family caved and agreed to attend the small magic tournament, on the condition that she face her brother.

She accepted.

On the day of the tournament, Remi blew through several magicians in minutes. The ones who gave him the most trouble were the defensive ones that burned themselves out before he could with his ki-charged speed. Selena outwitted her opponents by manipulating the environment and getting the drop on them. The two were on a hot streak in their own way, but most of the attendees in the crowd of about 50 were secretly confident in Selena winning. Two hours passed, and the siblings faced each other. Remi walked into the arena with red energy flowing from his arms, and Selena with spheres of light in hand. The match began, and Selena's spheres disappeared. Remi blitzed her, but she ducked. In all the years they fought, she noticed he was always too confident in that haymaker. Remi's fist soared clean over Selena's head, and she cast a spell to send him flying into the sky. In a flash, she teleported above him before he could start falling again, and blasted him with two bolts of light. He began falling, and Selena through a Crystal Wall to the ground before teleporting back down. Remi couldn't stop his fall, even with all his mobility he leaned on. Selena charged up a Falling Comet, and waited until the right second. Down, down, and down he fell like a meteor. Until...

BOOM!

She fired the Falling Comet, and it hit Remi straight in the chest. The explosion sent him backwards into the crystals, which blew apart and bruised him to hell and back. Ultimately, Remi was perfectly fine. He'd walk it off in a day or two, but the entire Phoenix family just watched him get laid out like a towel on a beach in under thirty seconds... Because of magic. And in front of a rather large group of magic enthusiasts no less. Selena could not have been more proud of herself in that moment, as the crowd went absolutely wild. She pulled off the upset, broke Remi's streak and practically stole the winnings- A cash prize and an enchanted cloak that Remi would've just thrown in the trash. Needless to say, Selena felt incredible... Until she saw the faces of her parents. They were angry at their son for losing so easily, as if Selena was a pushover. She put the cloak on and wore it with pride. When the family reconvened back home, the parents once again disregarded Selena's achievements. To them, she didn't win because of her hard work, but because Remi didn't take the fight seriously. Because there was no way a martial artist like him could lose if he tried.

Selena felt conflicted at this point. She proved to herself and so many others that she was an incredibly talented magician, but her parents didn't respect that. It was frustrating, and she wasn't sure what to do until she heard about the Power Stone being up for grabs at the World Tournament. Remi wanted to attend it, but so did Selena. As usual, another argument ensued. They argued about how a magician didn't deserve the Power Stone, and forbade her from leaving. But luckily for her, Selena was 18 by now. She could if she wanted, and besides, they didn't have anything to say when she asked if they were scared Remi would lose again. So, Selena gathered up her things, and used her prize money from the local tournament to buy a plane ticket. Selena didn't care if her parents approved or not, or even if Remi was on the way himself. She was powerful enough to contend, and that was enough.

FIGHTING STYLE & ABILITES

"Why would I punch someone when I can do this-"
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SKILLS & ABILITIES

"My victory is written in the stars."
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Selena is a magician. Her abilities come from years of study and practice that she has committed herself to over the years. Most of Selena's magic tricks keep her from the middle of a fight, often inconveniencing an opponent or preventing them from getting within arm's reach. This makes her a partial specialist in ranged fighting who can apply a lot of pressure or make herself harder to land a scratch on. Most people in this day and age still rely on beating their opponent over the head and risking their own skin, so naturally Selena likes to take advantage of that.

SIGNATURE MOVES

"This is a waste of my time."
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■ [Shooting Star]

[Selena points her hand at an opponent, and a spark of pale magic energy is shot outwards. It acts like a fireball, in the sense that it burns things away but doesn't produce a any heat. It's hard to not see the projectile flying towards you, and could be deflected like a tennis ball. Can be fired in rapid succession up to three times.]

■ [Arcane Pulse]

[When Selena needs to, she can channel magic through both of her hands and shoot it out in a shotgun blast, meant to send someone or something flying backwards a few dozen feet. This is essentially an "Oh Shit" move to put space between Selena and her opponent. But due to the fact that the blast is raw energy forced out in such a violent manner, Selena can't do this in quick succession or she'll risk fatigue.]

■ [Flare Step]

[Selena picks a direction and appears at a chosen destination she can see within 50 feet, in a sparkly flash of pale light when she arrives, and can be used to carry up to one other person. This can only be done once per post, unless Selena is affected by Moonlight, which allows her to use Flare Step one more time.]

■ [Moonlight]

[Selena forms a glowing ball of light in her hand and hands it to someone. Whoever absorbs the Moonlight gets a boost to their next move. Attacks hit harder, duration based moves last longer, teleporters can teleport further, and so on. The Moonlight lasts for one move before fading away.]

■ [Crystal Wall]

[Selena hurls a clump of magic energy at a surface, causing it to crystalize and form a glassy barricade on contact. The barricade is roughly 7 feet tall and 10 feet wide, and is sturdy enough to be used as a platform if stood on. It can be broken with sustained attacks, but will slowly crumble away to nothing over the next two posts if not destroyed prematurely.]

■ [Blindsight]

[Selena channels magic to augment her senses, allowing her to detect anyone within 30 feet, from any direction and regardless of if they're visible. If they come within range, she will instinctually know where they are, provided they have a source of ki or magical ability.]

SUPER MOVES

"You never had a chance."

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■ [Falling Comet]

[The Shooting Star's older brother, the Falling Comet is a much larger ball of magic energy that Selena fires towards her target. The projectile leaves behind a much bigger and stronger explosion, but moves like a baseball thrown through the air, giving faster Nomads a chance to dodge the attack.]

■ [Meteor Shower]

[Selena opens up a magical power in the sky, above her head, causing dozens of crystals to rain down and pepper the battlefield. These crystals harden and become cover much like the Crystal Wall move, and burst into dust when they strike a person. Selena primarily uses this to provide herself with a lot of cover over a wider area when there isn't any. The crystals caused by this last much longer, but aren't any sturdier compared to a regular Crystal Wall.]

■ [Imposter's Veil]

[Selena's cloak is enchanted, allowing her to produce a magical clone capable of casting spells and tanking some attacks. The clone does not speak, and bursts into a shower of light when destroyed. Once the clone is destroyed, it cannot be summoned again for the next two posts.]

WEAKNESSES & LIMITS

"Weak? Me? Impossible."
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The biggest thing that holds Selena back is the fact that she's a ranged specialist. The girl isn't capable of winning a fist fight against someone skilled in using their ki for more up-close fighting. Her comfort zone is staying at a distance and blasting her opponents with magic, getting the drop on them with sudden cover and repositioning. Those who rush her head on must contend with this, but if you can, then Selena is dead to rights. Strangely enough, Selena seems to have very little ki herself, if any at all. For this reason, she's generally much more fragile and easier to hurt. Some Nomads are easier to injure than the rest, but Selena struggles to take a beating even by normal standards- Grab her, and she's done for.

OTHER

"The Power Stone is mine, just you wait and see."
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Gay as fuck. Women are pretty.

Inferno - STRIKE THE MATCH! - Concluded

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Jack Hawthorne

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Location: Limbo
Skills: Extra-planar Navigation
Spells:
Outfit

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There was nothing righteous and noble about the path Jack walked. Nor was there an inherent evil in what he did. At heart, he was an extra-dimensional explorer. He wrote down stories untold in places where the horizon did not reach. He traveled planets and dimensions that mortals were not meant to know the names of, and Jack has seen many who could not protect themselves. When it was worth doing, he stopped to aid others- Beings both humanoid and not remotely similar to life as he knew it, from flesh and bone to thoughts made manifests.

These antics brought Jack a semblance of gratification, but they were just that. Antics, which were not something he felt there was any calling to be found in. The truth of the matter was that Jack rarely cared about the world’s people as a whole. It was a wonderful cauldron of infinite creation, a boundless ocean in which life could never truly die. And yet, even as far as countless trillions of lightyears away from mankind’s known worlds, Jack scarcely met a soul he could connect with. He rarely ever manages to bring himself to care about most people, because there was so little warmth there that the stone had no blood to give.

”I have never been a very profound protector, Ororo. The places I’ve been to may have been endangered from time to time, but I am not an Avenger, or… An X-Man. The universe has never called out to me in all the years I spent exploring it. I’ve never known my presence to be needed by others.”

Perhaps there was an irony in that. Wandering different universes and all the worlds between, only to feel lonely in the lack of human connection. Did apathy make a man like Jack Hawthorne evil? Did that pit him against the side of Life? Or was his detachment the very thing that warranted the title of Sorcerer Supreme?

”I could never live up to the example that all of you set. It may be true that dwelling on what might have been is unwise, but I fear that now, some cosmic force has elected to turn what might have been into what will be. I can only imagine that this is how Steven felt, when this cloak first fell upon his shoulders.”