CriticalHit

Persona ~ The Beholder

Still kicking

Persona ~ The Beholder

Interactions With: Kirsty:@Lugubrious The Raven: @LetMeDoStuff
In the Vicinity of :Alina:@BCTheEntity

Seconds which felt like hours passed as the five remained in a standoff of sorts, frustrated Liam grit his teeth and sighed as the armed one outright denying him any sort of useful information as they seemed to deliberate over which one of their number was "them", whatever that meant. The masked one seemed to be paying particular attention to Kirsty and her well dressed doppelganger, not unlike a hawk watching their prey. He was going to speak up, say something, anything; but that thought was washed well away as the doppelganger's demeanor shifted to denounce the recently arrived "Vagabond" and strange beings Liam had not noticed until recently formed up behind the shouting clone. He looked on, utterly dumbstruck as mid tirade a wave of dark force rocketed past and quite literally swatted the "Vagabond" away like a bothersome gnat. What kind of madness had he found himself in now? A declaration from the clone rang out across the gathering, as her so-called peons rushed the armed figure, transforming into monochromatic, crescent headed guards as they gave chase. Liam couldn't help but notice the similarity between the guards and the hounds from earlier. Both hunted with single-minded focus, and held forms that defied reality, yet these trident brandishing warriors weren't simple beasts hunting and killing on instincts. No they seemed to take orders from the doppelganger. Turning his back upon the developing battle for now, he begun listening in on Kirsty and her clone.

They spoke of her order to kill the Vagabond, how only a demon would dare strike at an angel. Observing the pair it was plain for Liam to see that the real Kirsty was not pleased with this turn of events, though the other her was growing more manic by the second. Claims of supremacy and being worthy of worship abounded until she dropped the boldest and strangest claim yet. The two were one and the same, and that her outwardly kind nature was but a means to an end. Mentally, Liam was sent reeling by this declaration. It was completely illogical, though logic had been long thrown out the window since that miasma rolled in outside Thames' Edge. Could that really be true? Although the "real" her had denied her doppelganger quite vehemently, was she perhaps just doing this since the truth was revealed? So many more maddening questions added themselves to the whirling maelstrom in his mind, none of which he could even begin to answer. The two had turned upon one another the manic clone declaring that she'd rather eat than be eaten, before a blinding golden glow enveloped them all.

When at last the light had faded he found himself looking up at a massive silken clad golden-skinned creature with cow legs as wings floating above the trio of students, Liam couldn't help but feel infinitesimal next to it. Oh what the hell is THAT? His mind screamed as the creature before him once again defied all logic, seemingly the normal for wherever they were now. He hardly had time to react as a bullet landed mere centimeters away from him, there was no time to be wasted on thinking and like a spurred horse he took off towards the nearest alley he could find. Rounding a corner, he placed his back against a marble pillar and looked skyward trying desperately to calm down and slow his own breathing lest someone or something find him. Alone, if only for a moment his thoughts steered themselves back to the recent revelation from the doppelganger prior to her transformation into that cow-winged angel. Was Kirsty really so two-faced? Granted he'd only known the girl for a day, yet still she seemed so genuine when she spoke and in the ways she acted. Could that really all have been a simple act? Only being there for others so that she could "ride their coattails to Heaven's door" at a later date? There's no way to know for certain... he thought as his gaze drifted back towards the direction of the carnage ...Unless. Curiosity welled up within him, did the others make it out of there as well? What of the erratic Vagabond? These and more questions like them swam through his psyche as he cautiously approached the corner and peeked back at the nascent battlefield.

The once pristine thoroughfare had erupted into chaos, broken and scattered tables and glassware littered the area. The False Idol and the Vagabond seemed to be locked in combat with several guards backing up their master. Much more interesting and shocking though was Kirsty standing alone against four of the monsters, whirling a flaming banner overhead. Not simply keeping them at bay but actually defeating two of her assailants! Not only did she stay, but she's FIGHTING them too?! If what the clone said was true, why would the real her stay back and fight? Such declarations of feigned benevolence for the sake of selfish gain were severely undermined by the selfless stand he was bearing witness to. Such thoughts were cut short however as he watched one of the aggressors get the upper hand and deliver a telling blow. Without thinking, his legs were moving on their own as he began to run back towards the scene of combat, as he came around the corner he grabbed a broken table leg, in case worst came to worst. Racing down the thoroughfare, he watched the guards turn upon one another and fade into ash. Strange, yes but ultimately irrelevant as he began to search the nearby area for Kirsty, the growling flames a reminder that time was short and he needed to be swift.

After a few panicked moments of fruitless searching, he caught a hint of white hair amongst the growing blaze and billowing smoke clouds. Liam had found her though she was surrounded by flames and likely didn't have long before they encompassed her. "Shit..." he muttered under his breath as he searched for anything to help before his eyes fixed upon a nearby beverage cart. Tossing aside his makeshift club for the time being, he grabbed the two pitchers of water atop the cart, one in each hand before emptying their contents upon one side of the blaze. Drowning enough of the flames to make a small path. Pushing into the broken ring of flame he crouched down and offered his hand to the girl. "Kirsty! We have to go, quick!" Looking down at her as he spoke, he noticed the leg wound she'd taken earlier. "Damnit your leg... hang on." he said as he slung her arm over his shoulder so as to help her walk before helping her to her feet. "We have to get out of here and quick!"

Relief washed over Kirsty's face as Liam pulled her out of the grasp of the approaching flames, though her head continued to swim. Her heart felt like it could explode at any second, but at the same time her spirit held firm. She still couldn't really feel the full extent of her wound yet, only the warm creep of blood and the dull lancing throb, so she felt sure she could see her resolution through. "Thank you, thank you," she rasped. "But we can't go. At least, I can't. That thing...we can't...can't coexist. One of us has to go. So I'm going back." She grit her teeth and propped herself up on her good leg, lessening the load on her helper. "Drop me away from the fire if you need to, but I'm fighting."

As the two made their way away from the towering inferno, Liam let out a disapproving sigh at Kirsty's proclamation. Though even just by listening he could feel the conviction behind her words, she was right. The self-idolizing demon and her were as anathema to one another, and he'd be damned if he let her do something this crazy alone. "Normally, I'd call you crazy for wanting to fight something like... that thing" he said as he pointed to the abomination before them. "...But you're right. That thing isn't you, and if you're going to try to fight it, then I'm along for the ride." he declared with a half-confident smirk. As he spoke the air itself all throughout the plaza began to blacken and bubble unnaturally, something very bad was about to happen, that much was plain. The alleys between buildings showed no such signs of bubbling however, and so he quickened their pace towards one, quite close to the Idol and the Vagabond hoping to find some shelter from whatever was about to happen. Not moments after the two had ducked in an ocean of blackened force consumed the plaza, only to dissipate mere seconds thereafter. "Okay, will you be alright here? If so I'll go make some noise then. Hopefully I can give you an opening for whatever you plan on doing."

Kirsty exhaled deeply, relieved that Liam didn't plan on dumping her and running. All that remained, then, was to actually go and fight the monstrosity. With Liam's help she hobbled close enough to the plaza to get a full view of the shadow's immense attack, covering almost the entire area in roiling darkness. "Good g-grief," she sputtered. "I guess we better hope that doesn't happen again." She slid into a sitting position against the a street wall, wondering exactly what Liam meant by 'noise'. He didn't miss what just happened, did he? Only someone as quick-witting and agile as the Raven could reach that safe spot in the middle of that accursed storm. That meant he knew he risked his life to help her, a girl he barely new without any kind of plan, against his abomination. She felt horribly guilty about involving him, however that might have left her otherwise. How could she ever repay him? Her eyes fell on the golden idol, and she clenched her jaw. By figuring out what to do, for a start. But she couldn't do anything from down here. With a groan she twisted to pick herself up using the wall. If she could just get to one of the fire pits, she could make another torch. Maybe even find a poker. Anything to help her fight--to help her quit being a liability.

With Kirsty now in a much safer position then in the center of a ring of flames, Liam snuck a glance outside of the alley they had hidden in. It seemed that all the peons had been dealt with, only the False Idol remained and with her back to the street no less. Quick as a flash Liam ran to one of the few carts left mostly unscathed from the chaos and took note of the tools available to him. He had to find some way to hurt this monstrosity and quickly, luckily for him, Kirsty's earlier brawl served as quite an inspiration. He took pieces of the once immaculate silken banners and stuffed them into the necks of several still intact bottles of spirits. Was this incredibly dangerous? Absolutely, but what other chance did he have against this powerful being? Pushing down what apprehension he still felt, he knelt down next to one of the more tame ongoing fires and carefully lit the cloths on each of the bottles, silently praying to whatever deity that would hear him that he and his plot wouldn't go up in flames. With one last deep breath he took a few steps forward and begun throwing his makeshift arsenal at the as of yet unaware False Icon.

Persona ~ The Beholder

Interactions With: Kirsty:@Lugubrious Alina:@BCTheEntity The Raven: @LetMeDoStuff

Despite the dark-haired girl's protests, the unconscious man began to stir not long after he'd begun his efforts. Looking over his shoulder, Liam flashed a smug grin at the detractor, the recently named Alina. Satisfied, he pushed himself to his feet and offered a hand to the awakening man, which was summarily ignored as the potential drunkard found his footing unaided. Well, he's certainly not dead, so that's good. Liam thought to himself as he turned away from the man and breathed a short sigh of relief. That relief however, was fated to be short-lived as the recently awoken member of their number began to speak, demanding answers pertaining to their current situation. He spun on his heels to face the man, and found him glaring in his direction. Was he seriously threatening them? Liam took a few quick steps towards the larger man as he responded, his own piercing blue gaze meeting the taller man's. "We know just as little as you do, so could you kindly stop acting like a knob?" Watching the other like a hawk, his gaze was unbroken as the other man swept his vision to the two girls among them. Tensions were mounting in those seconds that felt like eons, no clue of what could come next from this unpredictable element. Though he wasn't much of a fighter himself, Liam was prepared to spring upon him should he decide upon more violent means of questioning, especially if he made a move towards either Kirsty or Alina. Thankfully, it seemed that Kirsty was in agreement with him, hopefully some solidarity between them would help the aggressor come to his senses before anything brash was done.

The threat within their gathering was swiftly forgotten as a pack of monstrous things began their approach. Beasts both lithe and hungry slowly and silently striding forth from the omnipresent mists, their fangs bared and otherworldly eyes glaring holes through their soon-to-be prey. The sight of them was unnerving, no dog nor the wildest of animals looked even close to these aberrations. Liam felt every muscle in his body tense up as they advanced, doing all in his power to fight the rapidly rising urge to flee within though his own fear was plain to be seen. As if things weren't already bad enough, a much more imposing fiend reared its head as it made its way to the head of the pack. It looked as if it had come from beyond the grave itself with hairless flesh looking as if it could slough off the bone at any moment, clouded all-white eyes and a cavernous maw ready to devour the unfortunate souls before it. Without warning it let out a soul-rending howl, and in that instant whatever shred of defiance or reason Liam was yet clinging to shattered like glass. Behind him he heard a scream and watched as half of the pack of hounds raced past him, sights clearly set on the others. Yet still he looked on, paralyzed with fear as the remaining monstrosities advanced on him and the other boy agonizingly slowly. What are you doing?! RUN ALREADY DAMN YOU! his mind shouted, though his muscles would not respond. Was this it for him? To be dead and forgotten in some hellscape beyond his understanding? Four sets of soulless eyes watching him, waiting expectantly and hungrily for their prey to make his last move. He felt as tears began to stream down his cheek as the finality of his doom set in. The alpha among them turned his gaze to him, tired of waiting snarling as it approached, the noise reverberating throughout the vacant streets. In that moment, by an act of whatever power was surely having a laugh at this grim spectacle, control returned itself to him, and but one prevailing thought remained. NO TIME, RUN! JUST GO! GET OUT! With a speed unbeknownst to him Liam ran, and the hellish hounds would have their chase. In a full blown panic he sprinted down the thoroughfare, not thinking to look back on the other boy as he ran for his life. Ducking into alleys and darting across the labyrinthine streets as they inexorably pursued him. Every shadow threatened to be a deathtrap, every step he was one mistake from oblivion, but what other choice did he have but to run? Even now his breaths were growing ragged and limbs heavy as they hunted him seemingly unfazed at his attempts to throw them off his trail. What felt like hours passed, running and running and running until finally there Liam had found something. A strange light in the alien world surrounding him, desperate as he was he decided on a gamble and sprinted into the luminous beacon.

The sight that awaited him on the other side of this light, Liam could never have been prepared for. Slowing himself to a stop, he braced against a nearby.... table? as he examined the strange place he found himself in. Gone were the writhing shards of obsidian and jade perforating the sickly skies, gone was the cloying omnipresent and oppressive mists. Best of all? Gone were those damnable things that were pursuing him, the reason why ultimately unimportant. Instead he found himself in the middle of a street flanked by hundreds of temples, adorned with gold and silken banners of every color conceivable. Fire pits warm and inviting, illuminated the entirety of the opulent avenue, seemingly set for a banquet to host and feed an absurd number of guests. Despite more welcoming appearances, this new locale was just as unfamiliar as the jagged skyline he was surrounded by mere moments ago. With seldom little choice of what to do now, Liam started to make his way through this odd place, sincerely hoping the others weren't overtaken by those things all the while. For a brief while he walked, the flawless marble underfoot and warm firelight a welcome change of pace from the bitter chill he'd been running for his life through. Evidently fate hadn't had its fill of cruelty this day yet, as yet another strange scene waited to greet the exhausted boy. Sitting at one of the nearby banquet tables, was Alina and Kirsty, though they were joined by another figure in a gorgeous white dress whose face Liam couldn't see from his current angle. They seemed engaged in conversation he was too far away to overhear. Relieved by the presence of some familiar faces, he quickened his pace to reconvene with them, only for a fourth person to enter the fray, this one seeming far less friendly. Brandishing weaponry and manically shouting at them all, she'd doubtlessly noticed him as well, so hiding would be a fruitless endeavor. Oddly enough, the masked one referred to two of their number as twins, and now that'd he'd closed some of the distance the unknown woman did strike an uncanny resemblance to Kirsty, save for deep glowing golden eyes. Though as the armed and possibly crazed one demanded answers of them, indignation arose within Liam's heart that would not be staunched nor stifled. Looking to the masked one he shouted back, without thinking. " I don't even know where exactly we are in the first place, much less how we got here! All I know is that I almost became some kind of hellhound's chew toy a couple minutes ago! So if we aren't supposed to be here then why don't you fill us all in. Where in the bloody hell are we?!" It was stupid of him to ask this of an armed figure of questionable mental state, and he knew that. Reason was simply not in command of Liam's thoughts at the moment, answers were long overdue and he would get them by any way possible.

Persona ~ The Beholder

Interactions With: Kirsty:@Lugubrious Alina:@BCTheEntity Tate:@CondorTalon

It wasn't long after the encounter with the trombone-playing student that Kirsty had to depart for classes, leaving Liam to his own devices. He offered her a simple farewell and looked on as she left, completely unaware of what he had overheard and intended to come clean about. A laid-back demeanor was easy for him to keep up for the time being, yet the weight and guilt of listening in on somebody else's personal struggles (albeit unintentionally) would likely eat away at the boy for some time. There was nothing to be done about it for the moment. After all, he could always tell her the next time he saw her, Kirsty wasn't exactly the most plain figure in a crowd. For now, Liam could only hope that when he did tell her she didn't think of him as some stalker. That would certainly be unfortunate, yet quite befitting of his luck in recent days. With many students filtering out of the common room upon their myriad paths to class and elsewhere, possibly because of the impromptu performance now ongoing not far away, Liam decided that it was time to relocate. The effects of his restless night beforehand were beginning to be felt, and if he didn't keep himself occupied, he might fall asleep right then and there. Merging into the crowd of exiting students like a stream joining unto a river, he'd walk around the campus until classes were ready to begin. Perhaps the morning air would help to awaken him somewhat from his fatigue, or at least, he certainly hoped it would. As he walked among the crowd, their cacophonous footsteps drowned out the now distant sounds of a trombone as they made their way to the building's entrance.

Though short and uneventful his wandering wasn't fruitless, or at least it didn't feel as such. Liam felt as if he understood the labyrinthine layout of the Thames' Edge just a touch more so than he did earlier, though that was admittedly not a very high bar as his navigational skills were what some would affectionately refer to as "Absolute Rubbish". Unfortunately, what did seem fruitless was the painfully long and monotonous lecture he was currently enduring. The professor, a tall wiry man on the cusp of middle-age with black hair showing early signs of graying droned on as he dryly read his syllabus aloud. His face unmoving and nigh-emotionless as he spoke in a tone that seemed almost hollow. It was if the lecture hall was looking upon a statue with a cheaply recorded voice box saying the same few lines over and over again. It was a trial of patience and mental fortitude, one that Liam had nearly failed on multiple occasions. The fatigue from earlier had only grown stronger with time, and he'd caught himself drifting off a downright embarrassing number of times, yet managed to reel himself back before others could take notice, at least as far as he knew. Nevertheless, the lecture inevitably came to it's end though not nearly soon enough for his liking. It seemed that the other students shared his sentiments as by the time Liam had fully packed up his things, the hall was nearly empty, save for himself and a handful of others. As he dragged himself out into the corridor part of him contemplated going right back to his dorm and passing out, though thankfully the logical part of his brain chimed in that he'd be ruining his sleeping schedule for the coming days if he did that. Much to his own dismay, he'd have to tough the rest of the day out, maybe he'd go find a pub nearby with some good food. That'd be a decent enough distraction for now.

As the exhausted fresher trudged his way to the building's entrance, he audibly sighed as he hit the exterior of the building. Sodding fog, again. As if the dreariness of the day needed to be reinforced yet further... he internally groaned as he made his way towards the campus' main gates. Though as he made his trek, he did begin to notice a certain absence of other students, though he brushed it off as people not wanting to deal with one another especially on what was the first day for many. Nonetheless it was eerie all the same, a place so full of people mere hours ago was now nigh-abandoned, save for Liam. Alone in the fog. His arms and legs felt as lead, the blood in his veins ran cold, and a sudden wave of world-spinning nausea washed over him. Unprepared, he stumbled and fell to the ground, barely catching himself on one knee. This wasn't normal, just what the hell was happening to him?! Did I... pass out in class or something? This is all way too weird..As if to punctuate his thoughts, a shrill shriek pierced through the cloying mists. Reflexively, he whipped his head around to the direction of the sound but found nothing to greet him but a wall of thick fog, he could hardly see more than a few metres in front of him. Though if somebody was screaming from that direction, he couldn't very well ignore it. Maybe they knew what was happening, probably not, but it was worth the venture in Liam's currently addled mind. With a decent deal of effort he pushed himself to his feet, and took off running in the direction of the sound fueled by adrenaline.

As he approached the campus' gates he slowed himself to a normal walking pace, out of breath and far more exhausted then he should be from running such a distance, Liam looked upon quite the curious sight. Kirsty, leaned up against the supporting pillar of the gate, the antisocial girl from earlier sat on the sidewalk and another man, seemingly unconscious on the pavement next to her. Utterly confused yet certain this was the source of the earlier scream he tried to catch his breath, holding his side as he asked the two girls. "What the hell happened here? I heard a scream. Is he just out or is he... you know..?" he rushed out looking between the two of them for any response as he hastily approached the body of the other man. Though as he did so his vision was caught upon the city in front of them, Liam stopped in his tracks and his face drained of colour. An eldritch skyline stared back at the boy, the buildings like gnarled and warped shards of obsidian, perforating the sky and land at unnatural angles. The thick and cloying miasma from earlier washing over it all, threatening to consume any and everything in its path. The city he'd lived his whole life in was now a twisted hellscape, and for a few moments, he was left completely speechless, before he finally managed to formulate a sentence. "Wh-What the FUCK is THAT?! I'm not the only one seeing this, right?!" he shouted as he gestured to the transformed town. Idiot! Hysteria isn't going to help anything right now! The rational part of him raged within, as a shape danced through the gloom from the corner of his eye that he noticed for a fraction of a second before it was gone once more. Stop. Compose yourself, or you'll only make things worse. he thought as he took a deep breath and focused, in an attempt to regain his calm. Someone might need his help, he could not let himself be swayed from that. Once he had steeled himself, he knelt on one knee next to the possibly unconscious man and begun shaking him to see if he could wake him up. "Hey, can ya hear me? The sidewalk isn't exactly a great place to take a nap." He half-shouted, attempting to rouse the other young man from whatever stupor he'd fallen into.

Persona ~ The Beholder

Interactions With: Kirsty:@Lugubrious Alina:@BCTheEntity Tryg:@Rethel34

Liam looked on with slight anticipation as the white-haired girl took a moment to process what he'd said, it seemed his words were quite effective judging by the flushed tone she'd taken on. Her reaction only served to brighten his own grin, though a nearby sharp sigh denoted that not all parties present were pleased with his sudden and admittedly strange interjection. He stole a quick glance at the source, the other girl present, long dark hair and green eyes, dutifully tapping away at a keyboard until a moment ago. I've interrupted something rather important now haven't I? Liam thought to himself as he watched the black-haired girl practically withdraw into the couch, perhaps he'd chosen a poor time and place to try and cheer the other girl up? In hindsight, the whole scenario was just a touch odd, what with him approaching someone he didn't know to thank them for something others would see as so simple and mundane. All he wanted was to try and brighten the day of someone who was already doing that for others. Was that really such an alien idea? His attention drifted backed to the white-haired girl who'd begun to get up and hastily scribble something. He backed up a pace or two as she did so, not wanting to encroach any more upon the other two then he already had, spying a small smile on her face as she walked past and asked for him to follow. He hesitated briefly, looking back to see the black-haired girl still embedding herself deeper into the furniture. Though it was likely she wanted to talk to nobody right now, it'd simply be crass for him to walk away and say nothing if he'd caused her discomfort or stress. He whispered a quick "Sorry about that." to the girl on the couch before following his crimson-eyed acquaintance.

He trailed albeit slightly as she lead the way through the somewhat crowded common room and towards a much more secluded area near a support pillar where they both came to a rest. Scarcely a moment had passed before Liam found himself on the receiving end of a deluge of words; apologies, acceptance of his thanks, and even a mention of him being too kind all included. Once again, he found himself genuinely grinning like a fool from something so small. "Yeah- Probably wasn't my best idea to strike up conversation with somebody trying to work so close by..." he said as his hand reached up to scratch the back of his head, whilst a halfhearted chuckle escaped his lips. "Anyway, it might not have been that big a deal for you, but small things like that can really help sometimes. One person's kindness can make a terribly tough day not so tough, y'know?" His hands had retreated to the pockets of his hoodie as he watched the girl stick her hand out and introduce herself as Kirsty. "That easy to tell, huh?" he said, feigning surprise with a mild chuckle. "Well, in any case you're spot on. I'm Liam, a first year studying psychology. Though you probably already guessed that last bit with all my rambling...." his voice trailing off as he briefly averted his gaze for but a moment before taking her outstretched hand in his own. A voice creeping in the back of his head reminded him of what he'd overheard moments ago. One of the main reasons he'd decided to approach Kirsty in the first place was because he overheard pieces of her call with someone. His expression traded for a more serious one, as he dropped his voice much lower then beforehand. "Actually... there is something else I wanted to talk to you about..."

However, his train of thought was interrupted by quite the strange thing. Music from quite close by begun to echo throughout the common room, Liam turned to see another student had set up shop quite close by with a trombone. The slow and calm melody flooded the room, and for what it was worth the player was actually quite nice sounding. Though he couldn't help but notice the song he chose seemed a touch sappy for their current setting. Looking back to Kirsty he found himself fully taking in the fact that she was well, quite the pretty face. Though that was beside the point for the current moment, they were in a public place. What the hell was he thinking by almost spilling his knowledge of that private call where others could possibly hear them? "On second thought... nevermind." the boy said, trying to return to his upbeat, yet calm demeanor from beforehand. But seconds after, something began to occur to Liam. Wait a minute... The player had set up right next to the two of them, whilst he and Kirsty were notably away from the crowd. He was playing sappy music. He more than likely saw them holding each others hands moments ago.

He was taking the piss out of them, now wasn't he?

Oh you cheeky little f-

Liam couldn't help but laugh a little bit, it was just a little harmless fun though he wasn't exactly a fan of being the butt of said joke. "I guess somebody thought we needed a soundtrack." he said as he scoffed and looked from Kirsty to the trombone player, a mix of amusement and mild annoyance on his face. He fished around in his pockets for a moment before coming up with a few pounds and some pence, before tossing the coins into the musician's case. "What a cheeky bugger... but I guess a little schadenfreude never hurt anybody." Liam stated as he shook his head while suppressing a small chuckle.

Persona ~ The Beholder

Regrettably, Liam was already awake when the shrill digital beeping had begun. He'd spent yet another half-restful night involuntarily drifting between the unconscious and waking realms, finally dozing off after what seemed like hours of tossing and turning only to be cursed to repeat the whole process again all throughout the night. Sluggishly, and with no small degree of difficulty he wrested himself from the soft embrace of the sheets surrounding him, dragging himself to a seated position with his head rested in his hands. Of all the days for this to happen... of course it just had to be today.... The boy thought as he rubbed his eyes and let out a yawn before turning his addled attention upon the source of the alarm. Groggily he reached for the phone, having to squint as the display all but blinded him while he silenced the blaring electronic tone. Liam breathed a quick sigh of relief as the annoyance was dealt with before promptly discarding the thing back to the nearby nightstand for the moment. Forcing himself to his feet, much to the complaint of his fatigued limbs the blond-haired boy made his way to the nearby dresser and begun digging for something to get changed into. On any other day he might've considered going back to sleep, but today that was simply not an option. Today would mark his first "real" day at Thames' Edge, and being late on the very first day was tantamount to giving up on his future here in the eyes of some. What is that future though? Why the hell am I even here...? a part of him railed internally as he searched. Shaking his head as he dismissed the thought as a mere product of his fatigue mingling with his nerves, he was here to help people. Plain and simple as that. It would be madness to give up so quickly after arriving, much more so after putting in all the effort to get here in the first place. No time for doubts now.The drowsy blond thought to himself as he finally withdrew his chosen attire and started the uncoordinated walk to the nearby washroom.

One quick shower and change of clothing later, Liam emerged from his room into the shared space of the flat feeling only marginally less exhausted then before. Still dark, evidently none of his flatmates were interested in being awake just yet. Suited him just fine, the boy had more than enough to think about alone as he quietly prepared a relatively simple breakfast. A pair of eggs and toast would do just fine, there was no need to be too fancy. He halfheartedly watched the skillet as the whites and yolks gradually set and firmed up, his mind elsewhere entirely as he prepared his meal. Once the eggs were done properly, they were slid off into a waiting plate, the motion punctuated by the pop of the toaster just outside of Liam's peripheral. Deftly, he swiped the finished toast onto the same plate before making his way to a nearby table to have a seat and start eating. Just as he was about to dig in though, a feeling other than hunger occupied his thoughts. So this is it then, huh? There was something almost mystifying about the idea that he was now rightly and truly alone now, starting to find his own way at Thames' Edge. It wasn't unlike the childlike dread of beginning yet another academic year in a way, all the wonder and simultaneous worry right before and even leading up to the day. Though what concerned Liam wasn't so unfounded as that, he almost wondered if his concern over this change was warranted in a way. Did he even really-

A sudden electronic shrieking from his phone caught him unaware, swiftly stole his attention and broke his contemplative state. Right, he'd set a secondary alarm on the off chance he was still asleep. Though he rarely needed these sorts of things, recently he'd found that if he didn't make a conscious effort, it was likely he'd either under- or oversleep, he'd chalked it up to simple stress for the time being. Regardless, he silenced the device as quickly as he could manage, silently hoping he'd not awoken any of the others. A tense few moments passed, thankfully though it seemed he was alone in being awake at least for the time being. With a short sigh of relief, the boy began to dig into his meal undisturbed and by his lonesome. In his left hand he unlocked the previously screeching phone, looking over his classes for the day as he ate. He might be unsure of his current course, but there was no way in hell he'd let himself be the stereotypical lost fresher on day one. Pairing that with the digital map of the campus he'd gotten his hands on prior, Liam was confident he'd be able to make do. Perhaps if he left now he could be gone before any of the others had awoken. Quickly he cleaned up the mess he'd made, rinsed the plate he used, slung a hoodie over his shoulders, and just like that he was gone.

Navigating his way to the campus entrance, Liam was greeted by a veritable flood of students, fresher and otherwise. Unfortunate then, that his first class of the day was on the opposite end of the campus. Keeping mostly to himself as he waded through the mass of students whose moods ranged from nervous to excited to seeming indifference, he did eventually spot something rather... odd. A girl with long white hair and a seemingly cheery demeanor was going out of her way to greet and wish others well. Hell, it looked like she was even giving a pair of scared half to death freshers some directions. Watching the whole scene brought a genuine smile to the blond boy's face, even if it was as simple a thing as greeting people and lending a hand. It reminded him of the sort of thing he wanted to do eventually, to be somebody who can help others in ways big and small... as childish as that sounded.Maybe people here do give a damn about each other he thought to himself before turning his attention back to the digital map on his phone.

A short while later, Liam had made his way to the door of the lecture room his class would be held in, though as he approached something felt... off. He was absolutely certain that he had the right place, but in that case why did it sound like there was a lecture already well underway within? Was he late on his first day? No, that couldn't be possible, he'd planned for this explicitly. In disbelief he looked back to his schedule, perhaps he'd been mistaken about the location after all. As he looked at the timetable once more, any onlooker could see as his expression shifted from confusion to one of shock and realization. He had the place right after all, his misstep laid in the time. In his addled state, he'd misremembered the time the lecture was set to start at. In reality, his class wasn't scheduled to begin until about two hours from now, so much for all those preparations.... A nagging voice in the back of his mind jeered at him,

So what was all that about not being the clueless fresher?

Discouraged and thoroughly disappointed in himself, Liam decided to go and kill some time in a nearby common room, which was unsurprisingly packed, save for a few less-occupied spots. Interestingly enough, he spotted the white-haired girl from earlier sitting on a couch in the middle of a phone call, though with a much less sunny expression than earlier. Though he didn't want to eavesdrop, bits and pieces of the girl's call made their way to Liam's ears. He felt ashamed for listening in on someone's business, even if it was involuntarily. He thought back to the way she'd conducted herself out on the school grounds, Trying to help others, and only getting misery as your reward.... in that way, they were't too different. Then an idea struck him, perhaps he could help cheer up the one who was cheering others up mere moments ago. What's the worst that could happen, the two weren't even really acquaintances, the absolute worst outcome was he made an idiot of himself to a bunch of strangers. Not to mention that some altercation across the room between another group of students seemed to take the attention off of that side of the room... for now at least. He'd began to make his way across the room to talk to the girl, and noticed that she'd been joined by another person. Perhaps a friend of hers? It didn't matter for the time being, as the newcomer's body language and brisk movements suggested she wasn't too open to conversing with some random person. Nevertheless, Liam eventually found himself at the side of the couch the white-haired girl was sat upon as he spoke up with a smile of genuine appreciation on his face.

"Sorry to bother you, I saw you outside earlier helping out some of the freshers. The stuff you were saying to them was really nice. Lots of people are stressed right out on the first day, and little kindnesses like that tend to go unnoticed. So I guess I'm trying to say thanks for all that, from both myself and the people who won't say it, even though they mean it." With any luck he'd cheer the girl up somewhat, or at least, that was his aim.

Persona ~ The Beholder

Liam Koehl - The Hierophant

---

---

Name

Liam Koehl

Gender

Male

Age

20, June 9th

Sexuality

Heterosexual

Nationality

Half-German, otherwise English

---

Appearance
Liam is neither what one would call imposing or scrawny, falling somewhere in the middle of the two with a small amount of extra muscle, though it's not particularly well defined among his typically loose fitting clothing. Possessed of a shaggy, though ultimately short mop of blonde hair atop his head and a pair of cerulean coloured eyes that can go from wide and observant to narrow and nigh-piercing at a moments notice, Liam is by no means unattractive. More often then not he's easy as a book to read, wearing his emotions upon his proverbial sleeve and not the sort to try hiding them most of the time. Wardrobe wise, Liam greatly prefers the easily adaptable style of loose jackets and hoodies over simple T-shirts in a variety of colours, mostly veering towards the darker shades of blue and green paired with simple black or white shirts underneath and a set of black sweatpants. This is not to say he is incapable of cleaning his appearance up, as he does own a number of lighter coloured dress shirts and sets of slacks for when formality is required. He simply prefers a more casual appearance for day to day life.

Within the World of Fog the other him has a much more ostentatious appearance overall. Liam's subconscious desires and repressed traits manifest into a very showy attire comprised of a connected black suit jacket and pants, the former trailing off into a split cape running down to almost touch the ground that is crimson on the underside. Beneath the jacket he wears a simple white button up shirt accompanied by a bright red tie, flanked by the equally red inverted collars of his suit jacket. Atop the figure's head rests a black top hat with a red band running around the brim. Most striking though is the ghostly white mask that typically obscures the shadow's face, bearing a large eerie smile and two crescent shaped slits through which his sickly golden eyes can be seen. Completing the ensemble is a set of white gloves reminiscent of the sort oft worn by magicians, and an ebony cane that bears a similar mask to the one upon the Shadow's face as the headpiece of the staff.

Click Me In Case of Confusing Description

Pretty much this, but reverse the red and black.

Height

5'11" (180cm)

Personality

At first glance, one might mistake Liam as shy, timid, antisocial or some combination thereof. The truth however, is that he is simply not the sort to start conversation for the sake of conversation. When approached he is actually quite friendly, talkative and at times difficult to shut up. Often described as perpetually calm and possessed of a wisdom far beyond what one would expect of someone his age, it is no wonder Liam has earned the unspoken "honor" of being everyone's therapist among his friends and acquaintances alike. A role he sometimes embraces and other times is nearly resentful over, finding the constant seriousness to be an unfading reminder of the sort of person he once was. Perhaps his past experience with the darker elements of life have lead to his heightened wisdom, and a sympathy to those going through hard times.

Though not obvious to the casual observer, the perceptive may note that he never seems to say all that is on his mind. Liam is exceedingly careful with his words, keenly aware of the effects a careless statement can have on a person's psyche. He has in the past, used this insight to get what he wants out of people, and at the time developed a small manipulative streak. Nowadays, Liam much prefers to use his persuasive nature in a positive way, encouraging and advising the few people he can call friends in the best ways that he can manage. Those few he can call friends are precious to Liam, and as such he is unrelentingly protective of them, to the point of taking a slight against them as a personal attack.

Recently though, Liam has found himself in a corrosive slump and drained in almost all senses of the word, he feels as if his words and actions are becoming yet more hollow by the day. The once fiery passion he held for helping others seems to be withering away before his very eyes, leaving him empty. His greatest fear of squandering the second chance he was granted comes closer to becoming his reality day by day, and there seems to be nothing he can do about it. Part of him realizes that this is merely a slump, and he simply needs to fight back against it until he somehow breaks through. Yet on the other hand Liam can't help but wonder if this is simply his lot in life, to be doomed to purposeless mediocrity whilst others succeed and excel around him. Deep down part of him wants to come out of the shadows cast by his peers and take center stage for once... though he has no idea how he'd ever do that. The gradual numbness he feels overwhelming his senses and very outlook on life has made him feel almost calloused to the issues of others in recent times, much to his own internal dismay.

Deep within the World of Fog however, the other Liam is all the things he'd like to forget and bury amalgamated into a heartless parody of the original. His old manipulative streak comes to the forefront, the reflection a silver-tongued demon who enjoys belittling and tearing apart the mental states of those unfortunate enough to cross paths with him. Toying with the unfortunate guest by using every insecurity, secret, and personal weakness he knows against them until they either dance to his tune or perish, whichever comes first. His deep desire for attention and to take center stage twists into an inflated ego who oft speaks in hyperbole and is overtly showy about all things. The moniker of being "everyone's therapist" blooms into a superiority complex and an arrogant outlook centered on how everyone knows oh so little without him, perceiving others as helpless and lost without his guidance. The problems and woes of others are but petty and pale imitations of that which he has seen and lived through already, and are thus ultimately insignificant in his eyes.

---

Persona

Virgil (WARNING: LARGE IMAGE)

Virgil is a tall if somewhat thin humanoid figure, who wears a gray-green hooded cloak over what seems to be a combination of a leather cuirass and metallic guards covering his forearms, furthermore the persona's face is obscured by what looks to be the visor and helmet of a medieval knight, all of which seems to have sustained heavy fire damage. The cloak is tattered at the edges, and the metallic armor has obviously been scorched many times over, with blackened sooty patches marring the steely surface. At the figure's hip, twin tomes are holstered on each side, one being a dark orange and the other a deep green close to the shade of his cloak. The helmet and gauntlets are most often a dark grey but can range from their cool looking natural state to an almost incandescent glowing orange in combat situations. One other thing to be noted is that Virgil doesn't seem to have a lower body, the persona's figure seemingly melting into a half corporeal state beyond the knee that seems to almost merge into his cloak.

Arcana: V. The Hierophant.

Skills and Affinities

Virgil makes use of Electric aspected skills when summoned. Though he is capable of direct offense, Liam oft makes use of these abilities in a more indirect manner, laying shocking traps and creating barriers of arcing electricity to limit enemy movement. In addition, Virgil is capable of supportive skills such as those from the healing category. At first simple healing spells are the only skill of this type available to him, though as time goes on the ability to cleanse detrimental status effects and beyond will be added to his repertoire.

Virgil is resistant to Fire and Electric abilities. Conversely, he is weak to both Ice and Psychokinetic abilities

Symbolism

Just as Virgil once guided Dante through the Nine Circles of the Inferno, with purpose restored Liam will guide those close to him through their own personal trials. Perhaps he isn't the main fixture in the journey, but unlike before, now he is noticed and respected instead of a background figure doomed to die obscure and unknown. Finally he is able to use his insight and persuasive talent once again, and for a greater cause. He has walked through hell and shall help others to do the same with his own wisdom, knowledge and otherwise.

Equipment

In the World of Fog Liam wields a Zweihänder as his primary offensive weapon, preferring to stay on the front lines of any given engagement in order to give his more range-inclined allies some much needed breathing room. The blade's large size grants him the advantage
of reach, and subsequently allows a great many opportunities to influence and control the flow of battle. However, not all foes are so accommodating as to rush into close combat, for these such occasions Liam also brings a reliable Gewehr 43 rifle to harry distant shadows.

---

Education

Psychology, 1st Year.

Biography

Liam Koehl was born in London to a pair of parents with a somewhat unstable relationship. He never really knew his father, as he was long gone before the boy had even started attending school for reasons that are still unknown to Liam. Naturally, this placed the sole responsibility for raising the young boy on his mother, one Emilia Koehl. A hardworking soul with near unflinching determination who'd emigrated from her native Germany some five years prior to Liam's birth in order to get away from the demands and pressure of a family that ultimately cared little for her. She'd be damned if she would simply give up on her own son because his father decided to walk out on them, so Emilia grit her teeth, dug her heels in and resolved to raise the child on her own. His mother's job as a professor at a nearby college allowed her to provide a relatively nice, if ordinary life for their family of two. Sure she was often busy, but for the times she couldn't be at home to watch her son, family friends were more than willing to fill in the gaps for Emilia. From an early age Liam had a strong work ethic and sense of perseverance instilled within him, largely in part to his mother's infectious "never give up" attitude. Throughout his early school life Liam became known as a pleasant, relatively quiet student who was a touch too serious at the best of times. His circle of friends wasn't large by any means, but they all got along well and stuck by each other, which was what counted in Liam's mind. For a time things went well, with Liam excelling in school and the two being a genuinely happy family, in spite of the hand originally dealt to them.

But of course, Fate seldom lets good things lie the way they are. Near the end of Liam's final year in primary school, tragedy reared its ugly visage. His mother had collapsed whilst giving a lecture and despite the best of efforts from paramedics and other medical professionals, succumbed to cardiac arrest. Though the exact cause of the incident seemed to be cruel and simple fate, some did speculate the possibility of her over-exhaustion having contributed to the ultimately fatal episode. Liam was temporarily taken in and later officially adopted by a friend and former colleague of his late mother. To say this series of events had a profound effect on the young boy would be the penultimate understatement, for he had just lost his only known family and the resultant shockwave from that loss would be felt in all aspects of his life. Firstly, his quiet and serious nature had seemingly amplified itself to staggering levels, as Liam would withdraw from the world around him and fall out with many of his previous friends. His grades plummeted for the first time in his academic career, and his budding interests in the sciences faltered. Kids seeking a feeling of power as bullies found him exceedingly easy prey, with plenty of material for insults and being an oft isolated target. For a time he simply felt... hollow, as if all that made him who he was had died and been buried alongside the mother who always did her best for him.

How fortunate then, that the one whose care he found himself in knew just how to right these internal wrongs. Ava Hallum, Liam's guardian and eventual adoptive mother held a number of degrees in psychology. As such, she was able to guide the boy through the emotional upheaval he was living through and start getting him back on the right path. Grief is no easy beast to tame, though slowly and surely Liam overcame it, holding tightly to the mantra his mother had ingrained upon him.

"Never give up."

Before the year's end his grades had returned to their previously high levels, though many of the friendships he had before were fractured beyond reparation, for nobody wanted to be friends with the quiet and weird kid who was at this point the schoolyard punching bag of a few bullies. People would talk as if he wasn't even there half of the time, though this did have the side effect of having Liam learn many a rumor from the careless students surrounding him. Although things were far from perfect or ideal they were far better than they could've gotten for him at this point. It was during this transition to and during his first two years of Secondary school that Liam really developed a connection with his adoptive family, and realized what they had truly done for him. From the edge of a self destructive spiral that could've descended infinitely further they pulled him, and gave him a second chance as if they were his own flesh and blood. To say he was grateful for their intervention would be nearly insulting, he didn't want to even imagine where that spiral would end and so he swore to never let someone or something else make him think that little of himself ever again. So when those selfsame bullies who'd harried him all the way back in primary school decided to make their return visits to him, he'd give them nothing in return. He'd do their work and be their metaphorical punching bag no longer.

At least, that held true until the normal clique of degenerates turned the focus of their scorn and insults from him specifically to the few who stood by him, namely his very few friends and his family in an attempt to get under the boy's skin once again. An attempt that would prove very successful, the anger and indignant rage he felt as he watched his friends suffer because of him was nigh-all consuming. The desire to strike back so very strong within him, yet if he did he'd not only be outnumbered and beaten by the gang of miscreants but also be likely labeled as the aggressor by the school's authorities and thus have to face suspension or expulsion. There had to be something, anything he could do to make this end! So when the pack of predators decided to descend upon Liam and his best friend between classes and started letting loose with their usual stream of mental torment, Liam tried something that was a long-shot at best out of pure desperation. He let loose every secret and rumor he'd learned about his assailants from keeping his head down the past two years in front of everyone present. For a moment there was silence, and then chaos as the tormentors turned on one another for letting each-others secrets slip through the cracks. The temporary turmoil allowed the two boys to slip away from the clique, currently busy tearing into one another. The damage was done, and Liam found himself aware of the power secrets and rumors held.

After that ordeal, he noticed the clique wasn't often seen together again, much less did they try to pick on him. People looked at him differently, the kid who was the school punching bag was suddenly possessed of a backbone and lashed out (albeit verbally) at the top dogs.
That fleeting power he held was exhilarating, and he wanted more of it, growing very interested in the workings of the human mind and just what made people tick. He could use these rumors and pieces of information to finally stop being the bottom of the food chain in school! So for a short time he did just that, anyone who gave Liam Koehl or his friends trouble would swiftly find themselves on the unfavourable end of newly leaked rumors and secrets. Alternatively, those who gave him what he wanted would find their social lives considerably less endangered. In quite a short order, the abused had become the abuser. It was fun to watch the usually untouchable kids squirm and dance to his tune, and it's not like he went out of his way to ruin the undeserving's reputation. People flocked to his new false-strength, and with them yet more secrets and woes were added to his arsenal. Though as time went on, he started to wonder.

Was any of what he was doing right? What made him any different to those who once pushed him around? Is this how he wanted to spend that oh so precious second chance he was given? Why did he feel the need to be this way?

Those questions ate away at his resolve until slowly but surely his power trip came to an end, and along with it his time as a respected personage by his peers, though he had made some genuine friends who stuck by him during this time. He didn't want to be the villain in all this any more, instead electing to use what persuasive talent he held to help those close to him, rather than harming those against him. As it turns out, he was quite good at helping others, swiftly becoming the smart, dependable friend among his remaining peers and it made him feel... like he was doing something befitting of the second chance he was given for once. He'd determined that he'd follow in the footsteps of the same person who helped him at his lowest point, get a degree in psychology and help people with the talent he had been given. A far-fetched, childish dream some would say yet the more he dwelled on it, the more convinced Liam felt that this was the course he should follow.

Near the end of his mandatory academic career, doubt began to creep back in. All around him his friends passed their respective final tests and exams with flying colours, each and every one of them possessed of this incredible confidence Liam just couldn't seem to grasp. Needless to say, he felt like an observer, simply watching as those around him rocketed to prominence, whilst he is left behind in their collective shadow. His goals seemed so much more abstract and difficult to follow when compared to theirs. Could one man even hope to make a mark against an endless sea of human troubles? Did he perhaps waste the second chance he was given long ago? Is he even here of his own will? Why is he doing this in the first place?

As the new year at Thames' Edge begins, Liam's remaining convictions and resolve will be tested in many and more ways than he could've ever foreseen....

Affiliations

Emilia Koehl - Liam's Birth mother and an otherwise hardworking tough as nails woman who died of a heart attack when Liam was 10. Had nigh unmatched tenacity and instilled the values of working hard and not giving up unto her son at a young age. Previously worked as an Anthropology professor at a college in London. Constantly worked herself to the bone in order to raise her son alone, ultimately costing her life. The two shared a tight bond, and as such her loss devastated her son.

Ava Hallum - Liam's adoptive mother and a close friend/colleague of Emilia, who looked after her son shortly after her passing. A therapist by trade, she pulled the young Liam out of his self destructive, grief-fueled spiral before it was too late. Whether consciously or not, she's become a massive influence on her adopted son, who wants to now follow in her footsteps and help others as she did for him.

Megan Hallum - Liam's adoptive sister and the biological daughter of Ava Hallum. A couple of years older than Liam, and as such was the sibling Liam didn't have in his earlier years. While he's more of the perpetually calm sort, she's prone to outbursts of emotion and has a fiery passion for any and everything that catches her eye. Currently she's studying Medicine at Oxford, and though it is limited, communication is still open between the two.

Daniel "Dan" Barrett - Liam's best friend since Primary School, who stuck with him throughout his mother's death and his later power trip. Dan and Liam have a friendship outsiders would describe as nearly unbreakable. Dan was the one who taught Liam to loosen up a little bit, and stop taking things so seriously, for which Liam is incredibly grateful. Currently studying Engineering abroad.

Relationships

To be updated/revealed as the story progresses

Character Theme

Still searching....

Persona ~ The Beholder

Liam Koehl - The Hierophant

---

---

Name

Liam Koehl

Gender

Male

Age

20, June 9th

Sexuality

Heterosexual

Nationality

Half-German, otherwise English

---

Appearance
Liam is neither what one would call imposing or scrawny, falling somewhere in the middle of the two with a small amount of extra muscle, though it's not particularly well defined among his typically loose fitting clothing. Possessed of a shaggy, though ultimately short mop of blonde hair atop his head and a pair of cerulean coloured eyes that can go from wide and observant to narrow and nigh-piercing at a moments notice, Liam is by no means unattractive. More often then not he's easy as a book to read, wearing his emotions upon his proverbial sleeve and not the sort to try hiding them most of the time. Wardrobe wise, Liam greatly prefers the easily adaptable style of loose jackets and hoodies over simple T-shirts in a variety of colours, mostly veering towards the darker shades of blue and green paired with simple black or white shirts underneath and a set of black sweatpants. This is not to say he is incapable of cleaning his appearance up, as he does own a number of lighter coloured dress shirts and sets of slacks for when formality is required. He simply prefers a more casual appearance for day to day life.

Within the World of Fog the other him has a much more ostentatious appearance overall. Liam's subconscious desires and repressed traits manifest into a very showy attire comprised of a connected black suit jacket and pants, the former trailing off into a split cape running down to almost touch the ground that is crimson on the underside. Beneath the jacket he wears a simple white button up shirt accompanied by a bright red tie, flanked by the equally red inverted collars of his suit jacket. Atop the figure's head rests a black top hat with a red band running around the brim. Most striking though is the ghostly white mask that typically obscures the shadow's face, bearing a large eerie smile and two crescent shaped slits through which his sickly golden eyes can be seen. Completing the ensemble is a set of white gloves reminiscent of the sort oft worn by magicians, and an ebony cane that bears a similar mask to the one upon the Shadow's face as the headpiece of the staff.

Click Me In Case of Confusing Description

Pretty much this, but reverse the red and black.

Height

5'11" (180cm)

Personality

At first glance, one might mistake Liam as shy, timid, antisocial or some combination thereof. The truth however, is that he is simply not the sort to start conversation for the sake of conversation. When approached he is actually quite friendly, talkative and at times difficult to shut up. Often described as perpetually calm and possessed of a wisdom far beyond what one would expect of someone his age, it is no wonder Liam has earned the unspoken "honor" of being everyone's therapist among his friends and acquaintances alike. A role he sometimes embraces and other times is nearly resentful over, finding the constant seriousness to be an unfading reminder of the sort of person he once was. Perhaps his past experience with the darker elements of life have lead to his heightened wisdom, and a sympathy to those going through hard times.

Though not obvious to the casual observer, the perceptive may note that he never seems to say all that is on his mind. Liam is exceedingly careful with his words, keenly aware of the effects a careless statement can have on a person's psyche. He has in the past, used this insight to get what he wants out of people, and at the time developed a small manipulative streak. Nowadays, Liam much prefers to use his persuasive nature in a positive way, encouraging and advising the few people he can call friends in the best ways that he can manage. Those few he can call friends are precious to Liam, and as such he is unrelentingly protective of them, to the point of taking a slight against them as a personal attack.

Recently though, Liam has found himself in a corrosive slump and drained in almost all senses of the word, he feels as if his words and actions are becoming yet more hollow by the day. The once fiery passion he held for helping others seems to be withering away before his very eyes, leaving him empty. His greatest fear of squandering the second chance he was granted comes closer to becoming his reality day by day, and there seems to be nothing he can do about it. Part of him realizes that this is merely a slump, and he simply needs to fight back against it until he somehow breaks through. Yet on the other hand Liam can't help but wonder if this is simply his lot in life, to be doomed to purposeless mediocrity whilst others succeed and excel around him. Deep down part of him wants to come out of the shadows cast by his peers and take center stage for once... though he has no idea how he'd ever do that. The gradual numbness he feels overwhelming his senses and very outlook on life has made him feel almost calloused to the issues of others in recent times, much to his own internal dismay.

Deep within the World of Fog however, the other Liam is all the things he'd like to forget and bury amalgamated into a heartless parody of the original. His old manipulative streak comes to the forefront, the reflection a silver-tongued demon who enjoys belittling and tearing apart the mental states of those unfortunate enough to cross paths with him. Toying with the unfortunate guest by using every insecurity, secret, and personal weakness he knows against them until they either dance to his tune or perish, whichever comes first. His deep desire for attention and to take center stage twists into an inflated ego who oft speaks in hyperbole and is overtly showy about all things. The moniker of being "everyone's therapist" blooms into a superiority complex and an arrogant outlook centered on how everyone knows oh so little without him, perceiving others as helpless and lost without his guidance. The problems and woes of others are but petty and pale imitations of that which he has seen and lived through already, and are thus ultimately insignificant in his eyes.

---

Persona

Virgil (WARNING: LARGE IMAGE)

Virgil is a tall if somewhat thin humanoid figure, who wears a gray-green hooded cloak over what seems to be a combination of a leather cuirass and metallic guards covering his forearms, furthermore the persona's face is obscured by what looks to be the visor and helmet of a medieval knight, all of which seems to have sustained heavy fire damage. The cloak is tattered at the edges, and the metallic armor has obviously been scorched many times over, with blackened sooty patches marring the steely surface. At the figure's hip, twin tomes are holstered on each side, one being a dark orange and the other a deep green close to the shade of his cloak. The helmet and gauntlets are most often a dark grey but can range from their cool looking natural state to an almost incandescent glowing orange in combat situations. One other thing to be noted is that Virgil doesn't seem to have a lower body, the persona's figure seemingly melting into a half corporeal state beyond the knee that seems to almost merge into his cloak.

Arcana: V. The Heirophant.

Skills and Affinities

Virgil makes use of Electric aspected skills when summoned. Though he is capable of direct offense, Liam oft makes use of these abilities in a more indirect manner, laying shocking traps and creating barriers of arcing electricity to limit enemy movement. In addition, Virgil is capable of supportive skills such as those from the healing category. At first simple healing spells are the only skill of this type available to him, though as time goes on the ability to cleanse detrimental status effects and beyond will be added to his repertoire.

Virgil is resistant to Fire and Electric abilities. Conversely, he is weak to both Ice and Psychokinetic abilities

Symbolism

Just as Virgil once guided Dante through the Nine Circles of the Inferno, with purpose restored Liam will guide those close to him through their own personal trials. Perhaps he isn't the main fixture in the journey, but unlike before, now he is noticed and respected instead of a background figure doomed to die obscure and unknown. Finally he is able to use his insight and persuasive talent once again, and for a greater cause. He has walked through hell and shall help others to do the same with his own wisdom, knowledge and otherwise.

Equipment

In the World of Fog Liam wields a Zweihänder as his primary offensive weapon, preferring to stay on the front lines of any given engagement in order to give his more range-inclined allies some much needed breathing room. The blade's large size grants him the advantage
of reach, and subsequently allows a great many opportunities to influence and control the flow of battle. However, not all foes are so accommodating as to rush into close combat, for these such occasions Liam also brings a reliable Gewehr 43 rifle to harry distant shadows.

---

Education

Psychology, 1st Year.

Biography

Liam Koehl was born in London to a pair of parents with a somewhat unstable relationship. He never really knew his father, as he was long gone before the boy had even started attending school for reasons that are still unknown to Liam. Naturally, this placed the sole responsibility for raising the young boy on his mother, one Emilia Koehl. A hardworking soul with near unflinching determination who'd emigrated from her native Germany some five years prior to Liam's birth in order to get away from the demands and pressure of a family that ultimately cared little for her. She'd be damned if she would simply give up on her own son because his father decided to walk out on them, so Emilia grit her teeth, dug her heels in and resolved to raise the child on her own. His mother's job as a professor at a nearby college allowed her to provide a relatively nice, if ordinary life for their family of two. Sure she was often busy, but for the times she couldn't be at home to watch her son, family friends were more than willing to fill in the gaps for Emilia. From an early age Liam had a strong work ethic and sense of perseverance instilled within him, largely in part to his mother's infectious "never give up" attitude. Throughout his early school life Liam became known as a pleasant, relatively quiet student who was a touch too serious at the best of times. His circle of friends wasn't large by any means, but they all got along well and stuck by each other, which was what counted in Liam's mind. For a time things went well, with Liam excelling in school and the two being a genuinely happy family, in spite of the hand originally dealt to them.

But of course, Fate seldom lets good things lie the way they are. Near the end of Liam's final year in primary school, tragedy reared its ugly visage. His mother had collapsed whilst giving a lecture and despite the best of efforts from paramedics and other medical professionals, succumbed to cardiac arrest. Though the exact cause of the incident seemed to be cruel and simple fate, some did speculate the possibility of her over-exhaustion having contributed to the ultimately fatal episode. Liam was temporarily taken in and later officially adopted by a friend and former colleague of his late mother. To say this series of events had a profound effect on the young boy would be the penultimate understatement, for he had just lost his only known family and the resultant shockwave from that loss would be felt in all aspects of his life. Firstly, his quiet and serious nature had seemingly amplified itself to staggering levels, as Liam would withdraw from the world around him and fall out with many of his previous friends. His grades plummeted for the first time in his academic career, and his budding interests in the sciences faltered. Kids seeking a feeling of power as bullies found him exceedingly easy prey, with plenty of material for insults and being an oft isolated target. For a time he simply felt... hollow, as if all that made him who he was had died and been buried alongside the mother who always did her best for him.

How fortunate then, that the one whose care he found himself in knew just how to right these internal wrongs. Ava Hallum, Liam's guardian and eventual adoptive mother held a number of degrees in psychology. As such, she was able to guide the boy through the emotional upheaval he was living through and start getting him back on the right path. Grief is no easy beast to tame, though slowly and surely Liam overcame it, holding tightly to the mantra his mother had ingrained upon him.

"Never give up."

Before the year's end his grades had returned to their previously high levels, though many of the friendships he had before were fractured beyond reparation, for nobody wanted to be friends with the quiet and weird kid who was at this point the schoolyard punching bag of a few bullies. People would talk as if he wasn't even there half of the time, though this did have the side effect of having Liam learn many a rumor from the careless students surrounding him. Although things were far from perfect or ideal they were far better than they could've gotten for him at this point. It was during this transition to and during his first two years of Secondary school that Liam really developed a connection with his adoptive family, and realized what they had truly done for him. From the edge of a self destructive spiral that could've descended infinitely further they pulled him, and gave him a second chance as if they were his own flesh and blood. To say he was grateful for their intervention would be nearly insulting, he didn't want to even imagine where that spiral would end and so he swore to never let someone or something else make him think that little of himself ever again. So when those selfsame bullies who'd harried him all the way back in primary school decided to make their return visits to him, he'd give them nothing in return. He'd do their work and be their metaphorical punching bag no longer.

At least, that held true until the normal clique of degenerates turned the focus of their scorn and insults from him specifically to the few who stood by him, namely his very few friends and his family in an attempt to get under the boy's skin once again. An attempt that would prove very successful, the anger and indignant rage he felt as he watched his friends suffer because of him was nigh-all consuming. The desire to strike back so very strong within him, yet if he did he'd not only be outnumbered and beaten by the gang of miscreants but also be likely labeled as the aggressor by the school's authorities and thus have to face suspension or expulsion. There had to be something, anything he could do to make this end! So when the pack of predators decided to descend upon Liam and his best friend between classes and started letting loose with their usual stream of mental torment, Liam tried something that was a long-shot at best out of pure desperation. He let loose every secret and rumor he'd learned about his assailants from keeping his head down the past two years in front of everyone present. For a moment there was silence, and then chaos as the tormentors turned on one another for letting each-others secrets slip through the cracks. The temporary turmoil allowed the two boys to slip away from the clique, currently busy tearing into one another. The damage was done, and Liam found himself aware of the power secrets and rumors held.

After that ordeal, he noticed the clique wasn't often seen together again, much less did they try to pick on him. People looked at him differently, the kid who was the school punching bag was suddenly possessed of a backbone and lashed out (albeit verbally) at the top dogs.
That fleeting power he held was exhilarating, and he wanted more of it, growing very interested in the workings of the human mind and just what made people tick. He could use these rumors and pieces of information to finally stop being the bottom of the food chain in school! So for a short time he did just that, anyone who gave Liam Koehl or his friends trouble would swiftly find themselves on the unfavourable end of newly leaked rumors and secrets. Alternatively, those who gave him what he wanted would find their social lives considerably less endangered. In quite a short order, the abused had become the abuser. It was fun to watch the usually untouchable kids squirm and dance to his tune, and it's not like he went out of his way to ruin the undeserving's reputation. People flocked to his new false-strength, and with them yet more secrets and woes were added to his arsenal. Though as time went on, he started to wonder.

Was any of what he was doing right? What made him any different to those who once pushed him around? Is this how he wanted to spend that oh so precious second chance he was given? Why did he feel the need to be this way?

Those questions ate away at his resolve until slowly but surely his power trip came to an end, and along with it his time as a respected personage by his peers, though he had made some genuine friends who stuck by him during this time. He didn't want to be the villain in all this any more, instead electing to use what persuasive talent he held to help those close to him, rather than harming those against him. As it turns out, he was quite good at helping others, swiftly becoming the smart, dependable friend among his remaining peers and it made him feel... like he was doing something befitting of the second chance he was given for once. He'd determined that he'd follow in the footsteps of the same person who helped him at his lowest point, get a degree in psychology and help people with the talent he had been given. A far-fetched, childish dream some would say yet the more he dwelled on it, the more convinced Liam felt that this was the course he should follow.

Near the end of his mandatory academic career, doubt began to creep back in. All around him his friends passed their respective final tests and exams with flying colours, each and every one of them possessed of this incredible confidence Liam just couldn't seem to grasp. Needless to say, he felt like an observer, simply watching as those around him rocketed to prominence, whilst he is left behind in their collective shadow. His goals seemed so much more abstract and difficult to follow when compared to theirs. Could one man even hope to make a mark against an endless sea of human troubles? Did he perhaps waste the second chance he was given long ago? Is he even here of his own will? Why is he doing this in the first place?

As the new year at Thames' Edge begins, Liam's remaining convictions and resolve will be tested in many and more ways than he could've ever foreseen....

Affiliations

Emilia Koehl - Liam's Birth mother and an otherwise hardworking tough as nails woman who died of a heart attack when Liam was 10. Had nigh unmatched tenacity and instilled the values of working hard and not giving up unto her son at a young age. Previously worked as an Anthropology professor at a college in London. Constantly worked herself to the bone in order to raise her son alone, ultimately costing her life. The two shared a tight bond, and as such her loss devastated her son.

Ava Hallum - Liam's adoptive mother and a close friend/colleague of Emilia, who looked after her son shortly after her passing. A therapist by trade, she pulled the young Liam out of his self destructive, grief-fueled spiral before it was too late. Whether consciously or not, she's become a massive influence on her adopted son, who wants to now follow in her footsteps and help others as she did for him.

Megan Hallum - Liam's adoptive sister and the biological daughter of Ava Hallum. A couple of years older than Liam, and as such was the sibling Liam didn't have in his earlier years. While he's more of the perpetually calm sort, she's prone to outbursts of emotion and has a fiery passion for any and everything that catches her eye. Currently she's studying Medicine at Oxford, and though it is limited, communication is still open between the two.

Daniel "Dan" Barrett - Liam's best friend since Primary School, who stuck with him throughout his mother's death and his later power trip. Dan and Liam have a friendship outsiders would describe as nearly unbreakable. Dan was the one who taught Liam to loosen up a little bit, and stop taking things so seriously, for which Liam is incredibly grateful. Currently studying Engineering abroad.

Relationships

To be updated/revealed as the story progresses

Character Theme

Still searching....

Fire Emblem: Ashes of Sacrifice [Fall of the Empire]

Kyran Cynmaer

---

Kingdom of Reynes, Alymere Fortress

Blade met blade once more, though this time the squire's strike found no purchase anywhere on the mercenary. Frustratingly enough, the opposing swordsman was every bit skilled as he looked, with a clearly experienced block easily deflecting Kyran's slash. As his sword was flung wide from the defender, he offered a knowing smirk, for his allies had arrived and were now rapidly descending upon the exposed man. Like a pack of hungry wolves they struck their prey down with relentless blows of blade, spear, and flame. Not even the most skilled of fighters could defend all their flanks at once. Turning to face his allies he offered them a quick nod to show appreciation before following the amassed group towards the weakened northern wall they'd discovered during their previous scouting sortie. The outside of the fortress was deceptively quiet now, being home to a tempest of combat mere moments ago. Though not all was calm yet, in the distance he could see Bel firing towards the fortress proper and the dragonrider, Branna dealing with brigands of her own. Einar was off planting some kind of blasting powder at the wall so a second entrance could be made, while he waited alongside the others some distance away. All things considered, the assault had been going relatively well. No losses that he knew of on their side and the exterior of the fortress was as good as secured. Those within the fortress however were all still unknowns, and they were about to rattle the hornets nest yet further. Caution would be wisest, as Kyran knew from his admittedly limited experience that bandits would rather fight like wild animals when cornered then try any kind of diplomacy. A stabbing pain shot through his arm very suddenly, it seemed that his adrenaline was wearing off, the wound from the mercenary was making its presence known and felt once again. A glance downward at the torn up, now crimson stained cloth revealed that the wound was deeper than previously thought, and with no healer in sight, certainly an unfortunate scenario. The roar of the blast itself coupled with the pain of the injury caused the squire to recoil, grit his teeth and reach for a vial at his hip, a vulnerary. In a swift series of motions Kyran drank the contents and fought himself to not immediately retch at the taste, a mix between herbal bitters and a lingering earthy aftertaste that was all around nasty. It wouldn't completely take care of the injury and he'd have to deal with the wound properly after the battle, but it swiftly reduced the blazing pain to an almost unnoticeable level. With the injury dealt with and the weakened wall now a gaping open maw, Kyran spurred his mount onwards to join his allies inside. Where he expected resistance however it seemed that the others had swiftly neutralized whoever was guarding the breached room. "Sorry I'm la- Huh... I guess you didn't need me after all." he offhandedly said as he rode up beside Einar. "Thanks for earlier, by the way." Kyran added, as he took stock of the room and situation they found themselves in. Two dead bandits, one exit. Myself, Hadrick, Einar, The Prince, and a mage... alright then. Maneuvering himself and Lei towards the door that lead deeper into the fortress he looked over his shoulder and asked the group. "Okay we're in, so what's the plan now then? Are we just holding this room for now or are we going further?"

_________________________ Status: Regrouped and ready Class: Squire Inventory: Iron Sword (2/3) Vulnerary (2/3) Experience 50/90 Stats END: C STR: D MAG: E DEX: E SPD: D DEF: D RES: C LCK: E Action Using a Vulnerary, and preparing to advance With: Einar - @Savo Atremisia - @Lugubrious Alnard - @Sho Minazuki

Fire Emblem: Ashes of Sacrifice [Fall of the Empire]

Kyran Cynmaer

---

Kingdom of Reynes, Alymere Fortress

The impact of sword upon sword was a brief and intense moment, both the Reynes squire and his foe seeking to either overpower or deflect one another. Thankfully for Kyran, the raw force behind his swing paid off as he pushed his blade past the experienced swordsman's guard and found purchase in his shoulder, before sending him backwards a few feet. Looking around for a moment as he slowed Lei down and brought her around towards the southernmost flank of his opponent to face him once more, the rider noticed that the twin archers both now focused their aim upon him. Crackling blackened smoke and a ball of flame put an end to one of his would-be attackers, it seemed that the mage he shot past noticed the opening and exploited it quickly. More shockingly the one responsible for the fireball seemed to be Alnard, interestingly enough. There was no time for musing on his current commander's abilities though, as the mercenary in front of him was already raring to go for round two. In what felt like only a second, the swordsman was now soaring through the air, looking to deliver a nasty lunging overhead chop. By the time Kyran had noticed this and urged his mount to quickly leap off to the right it was too late to avoid the strike completely, and his opponent's sword found flesh on his left forearm. Luckily it was only a surface wound, but the searing hot pain from the sliced flesh begged to differ. Gritting his teeth and trying his best to ignore the pain, he noticed Einar on the approach, as well as a spearman who'd come to add his presence to the battle, combined with the force of the great knight alongside him, the mercenary would not be long for this world. Rushing forth, Kyran prepared a large cross-body swipe, but as his strike was midway to his target, he feinted and reversed the momentum on the backswing of the sword, looking to cleave a nice gash in the left side of the man's neck.

_________________________ Status: Going to take more than that Class: Squire Inventory: Iron Sword (2/3) Vulnerary Experience 30/70 Stats END: C STR: D MAG: E DEX: E SPD: D DEF: D RES: C LCK: E Action Continuing the assault on a Mercenary With: Einar - @Savo Trace - @Haeo