In Fantasy stories, particularly RPGs or anime/manga, Magic's primary purpose is "power" rather than "tool." It's not so bad in more "literary" settings, but to me it's been very apparent for a while now that Magic only really ever gets used to blast monsters to bits and sometimes build big airships, mechs, etc that are also only really good at blasting things to bits. Is that truly all Magic is meant for?

NOTE: I wrote him originally as part of a Fantasy world, but Roland could also work in an urban setting--if you've seen something like the Fate/X franchise or Harry Potter, think that. The Magic society would be secretive and hidden, and Roland would likely be taking a role as a University student or something that would give him access to a lot of knowledge he could use in his magical research.

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_{"Our bodies were made from the World; we are the World experiencing itself. Thus if we wish to use Magic to change the World, we must recognize the change in ourselves."}

Roland is a Sage from a world of swords and sorcery, and in his world Magic is the use of one's will power, or Mana, to envision and manifest the "possibilities" of the World; it is "possible" that lightning could strike at any moment, or that magma from beneath the earth could erupt anywhere, or that matter and energy could react in just such a way as to produce a particular substance. With Mana these possibilities become certainties, and with enough power one could even create new possibilities, temporarily bending the World to their will. But for each and every action there is a reaction, a consequence, reward, or punishment, and a Magi must be careful that they do not invoke the World's wrath.

In Roland's time, however, despite universities and libraries popping up as the knowledge and influence of Magic reaches a never-beforeseen height, its use has become narrow-minded. "To be the strongest mage," is a common goal amongst students, and they become adventurers to slay monsters or soldiers to use their talents as magical artillery in war. They neglect to commune with nature and spirits, and any technology they build or healing they perform is institutionalized, used to create slovenly convenience or to make money. Even other Sages have begun to use their power solely for their whims, without a second thought. So Roland took his leave, and began to wander and study on his own. He agrees that magic certainly is "cool," but it's not because one can throw lightning bolts and fireballs, summon dragons, impress a harem of girls, or conjure a field of blades. Magic, to him, is meant to be a tool of spirituality.

But of course, the kings and headmasters and Dark Lords aren't going to just accept one of the greatest magical minds refusing to apply his talents...

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Name:
Roland Ogier
Age:
Unknown for sure, physically within his prime
Height:
6 feet 2 inches / ~188 centimeters
Weight:
180 pounds / ~82 kilograms

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Goals:
To understand the fundamental Laws of the World;
To obtain self-reflection and enlightenment;
To create things or perform actions of enduring value
Notable Traits:
Diligent, Focused, Moral rather than Ethical, Honest, Creative, Intelligent, Aloof, Introverted, and Factual.
A good teacher, but not much of a conversationalist; it takes work to get him to open up.
Has little time for fools, villains, and manipulators; bluntly honest to the point of insult.
Weaknesses:
Can study details forever and never act.
Freezes up when confronted with knowledge that doesn't fit his perceptions.
A perfectionist, but once he has decided on something it's hard to dissuade him.
Sometimes an aimless wanderer and misfit among society.
A degree of arrogance; self-esteem takes a heavy blow if he is proven wrong or outdone.
Limited empathy; sometimes he can be too stoic and "boring."
Fears:
Being helpless and trapped, being unable to succeed.
Being corrupted or going too far for the sake of knowledge.
Being mediocre.
Being misled, being ignorant.
Having unintended consequences to his actions.
Likes:
Wandering through nature and the wilderness.
Communing with likeminded individuals.
Reading, studying, experimenting.
Using Magic to help others.
Simple, home-cooked food.
Hates:
Those who misuse power, mislead or manipulate others, those who belittle, anything "evil."
Cities and most types of large structures.
The overly religious; anyone who is too zealous or, controversially, too centrist or too open.
The misuse of Magic and meaningless violence.

What does a Battle Shonen Protagonist do when, at a tender 14-16 years of age, they travel the world to unlock their potential, learn lots of special moves, and become the Strongest X...and now they've still got their whole life ahead of them? Could someone like that ever re-integrate into normal society? What kind of career could they seek with their abilities? And would the Battles stop coming to them just because they stop fighting?

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_{"Better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war...but wars today are fought with guns and missiles. So...for what reason did I clench these fists?"}

Hayate's story is that of a "Modern-Day Wuxia," similar to things like Dragon Ball Z, History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi, and Korean manhwa like The Breaker and Veritas. Even as a child he loved the martial arts, and was the ace of his middle school Karate Club. During his first year of high school (by Japanese standards) he accidentally interfered in something beyond his comprehension, and found himself drawn into an entirely new world...and new dangers. To protect himself and the people he cared about, and to reach the highest pinnacle of this path that opened up to him, he trained his body to the very limit. He learned how to harness Ki, the spiritual power coursing through every human's body, and mastered ancient techniques that the modern world has long forgotten. He fought at first with simple bullies, disciples whose heads got too big for their own good, but soon found himself drawn into conflicts with secretive clans, assassins, and superhuman masters of the fist. He fought in hidden tournaments on deserted islands, he traveled all throughout the birthplaces of different arts in China and India, even participated in a war in some third-world country no one's ever heard of where swords and fists were still the choice weapons of the regime. He made friends and allies, sparred with Rivals, accidentally became the head of an Alliance, and even surpassed his Master. When an organization sought to bring the Martial Arts World out of the shadows and influence global politics, Hayate stepped up and fought the strongest, most inhuman opponent he had ever faced. And he won.

Not too long after that it was time for college entrance exams, and holy shit was there a lot of cramming to do. Martial Arts took a backseat for the time being, as Hayate began to wonder just what he was going to do with his life from this point on...

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Name:
Hayate (given name) Nishimura (family name)
Age:
18
Height:
5 feet 10 inches / ~178 centimeters
Weight:
170 pounds / ~77 kilograms

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Goals:
To prove his worth through courageous acts;
To obtain skill in a chosen field;
To protect and care for others;
To have a prosperous family
Notable Traits:
Hotblooded, Optimistic, Leaps-Before-He-Looks, Generous, Book-Dumb but somehow Worldly, Quick to Anger, Impatient, Hates to Lose
Is fairly gullible and easily manipulated, because he's too naive for his own good
Has a somewhat twisted sense of might makes right, though he acknowledges that this won't work in the real world
Weaknesses:
Takes on too much himself, won't let others share his burdens
Experiences temptations to commit deadly violence because of his past experiences
Isn't good with technology or domestic life
Can't hold his tongue or take a step back from a situation
Fears:
Being unable to protect or provide for those he cares for.
Being too dumb or too unskilled to be successful at anything besides Martial Arts.
Being lonely.
Being afraid or being thought of as cowardly.
Likes:
Physical activity.
Parkour over rooftops, being up high in general.
Sparring.
Fried Rice and Beef Ramen.
Somewhat Pervy things.
Hates:
Those who bully others.
Those who are too soft on people he thinks need to be punished.
Being treated like an idiot.
Math.

What happens to all the monster armies when the Dark Lord/Demon King is defeated? How would a Fantasy world with so many sentient creatures really function--after all, Humans in the real world have trouble finding enough resources with just us on the planet. When you throw Orcs, Lizardmen, and others into that equation, surely it's not as simple as the stories make it seem? And would "humanoid" races, like Elves and Dwarves, really be so much better than "vanilla" humans with their long lives and better magic and so on and so forth? What's more, what do the Hero and Party do after they've accomplished their mission? And what happened to the Hero's evil counterpart, the Dark Knight that onced served as the Big Bad's right-hand man?

WARNING: THIS PLOT MAY EXPLORE THEMES OF RACISM, CULTURE CLASH, AND ISSUES REGARDING REFUGEE/IMMIGRATION CRISIS. OUTCOMES AND OPINIONS OF EVENTS AND CHARACTERS WITHIN THIS SETTING MAY NOT MATCH OR REPRESENT MY VIEWS OR YOURS, DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

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_{"I have my honor, my duty, and my beliefs. I may despise everything you stand for. Our duel may be to the death. I may never call you friend. But if we meet with the same resolution on the battlefield, I will respect you."}

There are volume upon volume of bestiaries written on the Monsters in this world. Slime, Goblin, Lizardman, Dragon. One of them, the Black Knight, strikes fear into even the heart of a Hero. Like a Werewolf or a Vampire, a Black Knight is not always born--certainly, the very first of them was made, long ago. A noble knight betrayed his liege lord and swore both his sword and his heart to another. Some stories call it a curse, some say the dark powers he served granted him their blessing, but from that day forth he was changed. Never to be without arms, to be without peer in combat, to resist all but the most potent sorceries...and, like any Knight, to live in servitude to another.

He wasn't the only Black Knight in the world, but he was one of the strongest. The Master General of the Dark Armies, the right hand of the Demon Lord; he was the object of the quest for vengeance that almost corrupted the Hero, before his Precious Companions convinced their leader that he was better than this Monster. The Black Knight stood before the Hero once again, just before the entrance to the Dark One's throne room, the penultimate act before the Final Battle that shook the continent...and once again he was defeated. He would rather die than be taken captive, so he slapped away the Hero's outstretched hand...and fell through the collapsing floor, down into the depths of darkness...

A year later, a young man calling himself Grayson enters the Adventurer's Guild, looking for work. No one recalls ever seeing him before, but surely as strong as he seems he would have made a name for himself by now...?

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Name:
Grayson Dopplesoldner
Age:
Unknown, appears to be early twenties.
Height:
6 feet even / ~183 centimeters
Weight:
200 pounds / ~91 kilograms (noticeably doesn't look this heavy)

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Goals:
To find a liege worth serving, a cause worth fighting and dying for;
To achieve great things through military strength and cunning;
To find comrades, maybe even a lover;
To die with honor
Notable Traits:
Strong and Silent type, More Calculating than he appears, Cold but not necessarily unkind, Honorable, Honest but sometimes hides the truth with cryptic speech, Stubborn, a Berserker in battle.
Will always keep his word, never harms innocent bystanders if he can help it.
Doesn't believe in traditional values of Good and Evil
Weaknesses:
Would rather die than admit defeat
Doesn't trust anyone, is borderline paranoid
Always assumes the worst of people and situations
Has no mercy or forgiveness to give, holds grudges
Fears:
Being weak.
Being looked down on and despised or laughed at.
Having no purpose or person to pledge himself to.
Old age, dying of infirmity or sickness.
Likes:
Fighting
Drinking
Meats of all kinds and cooked all ways
People who stand by their convictions
People who value facts over feelings
Hates:
Weaklings or those who would use underhanded tactics when they aren't necessary.
Those who get involved where it doesn't concern them or where they don't have the strength to make a difference.
Archers (especially elven ones)
Elves (especially the ones with bows)
Sweet foods