@TheWindel I think yeah, it is a cool thing to be added. I initially did not think it that far, but yeah his rampage killing warriors would very likely attract the authorities. But I don't know about the Head Magister, whether or not the title was present in the past, since it was hundreds of years ago, and Alister, being a human, is already dead by our time (Yurius is only alive because he's a vampire)
Forgive my intrusion. Please tell me if you find him a bit too powerful or something.
"Strength alone is directionless. Determination is useless. Only when the two join, is a mighty warrior born."
Appearance:
Name: Yurius Diencrade
Title: King of the Vampires.
Age: 502
Species: Vampire
Role: Teacher
Abilities:
-Adrenaline Rush: The key behind his strength and pride. Blessed ever since he was born, Yurius has the ability to strengthen himself by inflicting physical damage his own body. The more he damages himself, the stronger he becomes. This enables him the ability to make a great comeback as his opponents try to overwhelm him. His enemy also has to pay attention to him and fight with caution rather than relying on brute strength. However this comes with a risky scenario where he can potentially faint or even die due to going overboard, and if he tries to regain his life energy - AKA blood - the adrenaline's effects will become weaker.
-Drain: Like any normal vampire, blood is his main source of life. He uses his sharp fangs to drain the blood from others as a means to regain life. This serves to diminish the drawbacks of his Adrenaline Rush ability, but it is difficult to actually use it in combat scenario, so he does not rely much on this ability. His fighting style is risky, but gives him high rewards.
-Cannot turn into bats: Surprisingly, Yurius does not possess the ability to turn himself into bats like a normal vampire. However, the King of the Vampires did not mind such inconveniences
Skills:
-Exceptional unarmed skills
-Great endurance
Personality and Traits:
-Prideful and Arrogant: Yurius has his reasons to be titled King of the Vampires (even that he isn't actually king), and he takes great pride in it. He ultimately sees himself as superior to most species out there, even his own kind. He looks down upon most warriors, seeing them as competent, but unworthy and hopeless, and wishes to guide his students to a different path. Those who are not willing to learn in his class will be looked upon with scorn, while those eager for strength and knowledge he will consider worthy and mostly devotes himself to them.
-Polite: Despite being prideful and sometimes feared by students, he acts relatively polite and mannered towards those who he considers worthy and respectful.
-Used to be Evil: His distaste for other warriors used to be extreme back in his younger days hundreds of years ago. Some of the warriors at the time were fueled with self-interests and only desire for fame and wealth, which disgusts him. He saw them as gluttons and hunted them down. This act once stirred up a large vampire-hunt, especially made to hunt down Yurius and end his terror. Nevertheless, most vampire hunters are unable to take him down, except for one man: Alister Marid. Sent by the Head Magister, he was regarded by Yurius, even by today's standard, as the most powerful opponent he has ever faced. The fight ended after a long and tiring series of blow exchanges. Lucky for Yurius is that Alister was also a warrior. He also desired for victory, for strength to protect his people. And most importantly he comprehended Yurius's cause for his actions, unlike others who only saw him as a monster. Out of respect for him, Alister did not kill him, and vice versa, Yurius agrees to go into a hundred years self-exile, promising not to interfere with his affairs anymore. His sentiment changed as well during that time.
Sample Post:
"Mnnngghh-uahhh..."
Yurius's tiring groan echoed inside his room in the morning, as the glimmering sunlight signaled him the dawn of a new day. Soon, his bloody red eyes shot open, and the old vampire woke up from his slumber. His hand crawled into a fist as he struck his shoulders a few times.
"The current of time is slowly carrying me away..."
He was indeed getting old. Five hundred years. Five hundred springs of his life had now gone to past. When he looked at it, he was kind of surprised that he had become this old. A vampire's life might be a lot longer than a human, but they end all the same. There were all the early games, the golden age and the late games in life. For Yurius, he was slowly reaching the late one.
Taking a rare and brief moment of silence as he gazed out of the window, Yurius reflected on his current life. Who would have thought? The once King of the Vampires would be teaching children about combat. He wouldn't believe it either, if he was his own self a few hundred years ago. The man who hated the world, whose only means of existence is to hunt down those gluttonous warriors. And to be honest, he did not really regret that life. He hated those fools. Those whose thirst for victory was impure, corrupt and pathetic! He had no doubts that there were still some people like that in this era. They are everywhere.
What had exactly brought the vampire to the career of teaching, people may ask? Yurius chuckled, as he reminisces. That faithful fight... "Alister! Fighting you is so exhilarating!" The younger vampire, donning a comfortable and semi-formal suit, with a portion of his chest muscle exposed, cried out at his opponent.
"I second you, Yurius Diencrade. Battling you makes me want to forget everything that I have achieved, and only become a warrior!" The man, dressed in knight armor and a sword, yelled back, his tone aggressive but still held respect for his adversary.
"You are truly a man unlike any other. Your blade is artful, and your strike holds desire and determination. It is unfortunate, however, that there will be only one winner in this fight." Yurius replied.
"A shame indeed Yurius. You have the strength of a hundred men, and yet you devote it to a devilish cause." Alister countered him, with his familiar mocking tone.
"Ha! Believe it or not Alister. This world is barren, filled with rampant self-interests. Warriors like you are nearly extinct. Extinguished and overshadowed by those sluggish fools!" Yurius shouted back, as he stepped forward, his claws matched the knight's blade. "And I wish to reverse it!"
Alister yanked his blade, and Yurius charged forward for another blow. It was his intentions though, as he agilely danced to the side, avoiding the incoming attack. He gave a horizontal slash, to be blocked by the vampire's gloved hand, while continue the conversation
"If you had wished for such warriors, why don't you train them yourselves?" He retracted his blade and went for another slash, only to be blocked again by the vampire. But this time, the block was a lot softer, as the sentence Alister just said appeared to have penetrated him.
"Your strength would be wasted on killing."
The vampire took a moment, separating him and his combatant ahead of him, his expressions seemingly unimpressed.
"...Enough of this nonsense. Let us bring this fight to a conclusion!"
And they clashed, yet again... Never Yurius had thought that he would have taken that advice seriously back then. But after his defeat and self-exile, in the depths of solitude, he soon realized that he was right. There were those who were gluttons, but there were those that were truly the great warrior Yurius wanted them to be. Miraculously, he was accepted into the teaching role, and more surprisingly by the man who ordered his death centuries ago. There were still gazes of cautions and distrusts, but his place was pretty much stable. He had a place to live, and was able to instruct his students his ways. That was the only thing that mattered to him now.
After taking a brief shower, brushing his teeth and got dressed in his old yet unworn suit, he was ready to begin teaching. Straight up after opening the door, he saw a student, apparently a senior one, waiting eagerly for him to come out.
"Teacher! Today I shall show you what I have learnt! I shall challenge you to a fight!"
Yurius laughed audibly, his all-too-familiar friendly mocking tone was present.
"Though you are weak, your courage and passion is admirable."
Then finally...
"Let us fight!" (Ok he did not fight at the school ground)
As they made their way back to the apartment building where the group made their home, John would respond to Rachel, saying, "Ten million credits for a bodyguard? Of course its suspicious, but the Ascendancy is not in the best state right now, at least not at the fringes. It just got defeated in a major war, so it's doubling down on dissent at home. But if Moonstrike's existence is any indication, they're stepping on the wrong toes." Suspicion then pricked John. "Planet Cobalt...its an Ascendancy planet, but rebellious. It's a frontier world chosen for its rich mineral resources, but the mining conglomerates that were extracting said resources lost a lot of money in the war. It stands to reason that...more data is needed."
He then looked at Terry, but found the other young man lost in his own thoughts as the latter walked beside John to the minor residential district the group were living in.
Then, as they passed an intersection with an holographic 'billboard', John's eyes would dart towards said billboard sharply - It was showing the Interplanetary News. The Newscaster, a female Quo'arta, would then say in Galactic Standard Language as the background showed the burnt-down ruins of a Planetary Shipyard, one that, from the wreckage, had been producing the legendary Drone Carriers of the Ascendancy Fleets.
"Moonstrike has made their highest-level strike yet on an Ascendancy of Man facility close to the Galactic Bazaar and the surrounding Interstellar Commercial Zone. The target was the Hepaestus Shipyards, a military facility that, per the terms of the Treaty of Galactic Peace, had been slated for abandonment and demolition to avoid future aggression against other species. Due to the evacuation measures already in place, loss of life was kept to a minimum, but rumors indicate that this was a body blow to the Ascendancy's pride and spirit. Moonstrike's leader, The Angel, has since released a statement, a copy of which will be broadcasted in the next few moments," What would come next was a surprise.
For the screen then shifted to show a figure wreathed in a winged dress of light, light that to someone trained in High Magic, can be recognized as raw, burning Mana. The leader of Moonstrike was a Mage!
"Greetings, people of the Galaxy. I am The Angel, leader of Moonstrike. For far too long has the Ascendancy of Man preached war and slaugther where there should be peace and coexistence, robbing its own species of the fruits of their labor. Poverty and inequality is increasing throughout all of Human Space, a symptom of a greater corruption that has overtaken the Ascendancy. President-for-Life Thorfinn Thoreau's tyranny has stolen not just the futures of the adults of the Sector, but children as well. You may think that the rumors of child soldiers used by the Ascendancy are lies, but I assure you that proof is coming that they are true." The voice was beautiful, musical. John felt...touched by the sound of the lady's voice. "So I call upon Humanity: Wake up! You are being decieved!"
The voice then finished and the broadcast shut off. The Quo'arta Newscaster would then continue, "In response to this, President-for-Life Thorfinn Thoreau of the Ascendancy of Man has recalled the 'Undefeated Commander', General Alexander Kherol, from Unknown Space. Having expanded the Ascendancy's dominions against species not covered by the Treaty of Galactic Peace, General Kherol is a ground and naval commander without an equal, one whom it is till rumored could have won the Ascendancy War of Aggression had he been deployed in that war. After a request by the President-for-Life to give a speech responding to these events, the Galactic Bazzar news service has a record of Kherol's counter broadcast..."
The image of the Newcaster suddenly faded away, as the image of the legendary general appeared on screen. It may come as a surprise to a few individuals that a person this young could be called a general. Ever since the first time his name had appeared on the Ascendancy's propaganda, only a few knew his real face, and the only privileged were in the army, a place no commoner would want to join. This broadcast would be marked as his first public appearance.
The man was a rare sight. He had short black hair, deep red eyes and wore a dark blue uniform, with gold epaulettes and embellishments, an uncommon attire comparing to normal Ascendancy officers. On his chest, although small, but could be seen if paying close attention, was a rank plaque, with five gold stars pinned onto it. His face, his eyes glimmered with a hypnotic effect that were seemingly able to bend even the strongests of leaders to his will. But even that, disatisfaction could be read from his expressions. What disatisfaction though was a mystery.
"Citizens of the Galaxy." He began, his tone of voice strict and austere. "In recent days, there has been...political unrest amongst the inhabitants of several star systems. It would be safe to assume that the people had become dissatisfied. With our policies, with our interests. But do not forget. The factor that resulted in the demise of the old government before the Ascendancy was not due to wars, but to rampant incompetence. The people under the name of freedom, justice, pursuit of happiness had done nothing to contribute to the security of their nation, because they were unprepared. This is also the reason why the ancient Thebauter also collapsed, and the Geraren Republic. And many more in our brief history of time."
Alexander said, pausing to let the words sink before continuing, one of his hand placed on his chest, his tone less strict, more of sympathy and kindness.
"Did the war between the Rau've and us cause unnecessary deaths and destructions? Yes. Was it a wrong decision? Yes. As a military man, I regret the lost of lives. I hereby bring my dearest apology, on the behalf of the generals that commanded in the war. I understand your cause of frustrations, but I will ask one question." The general held up his index finger, as a visual aid. "Do you believe that a government built up from the people who rarely, or doesn't even, know the seat of governorship will last? The Ascendancy of Man is a government, currently keeping hundreds of planets fed, clothed and educated. Corruptions, yes. It exists. But no government is immune to the disease of rampant self-interests. But we are changing day by day, to demolish it. Only when the people agrees to cooperate."
But then, with a final and threatening say, addressed not at Moonstrike, but the entire galaxy, those who had rebellious tendencies.
"We are willing to cooperate with the people. But we will not tolerate rebellious interests attempting to topple our government. If any rebellious movements are to be recorded, be warned that it will be met with the might of the Ascendancy's Army. Be reminded that disturbance of tranquility is never a way to solve any problems"
"War is a game of skill. A contest between minds and minds. Between tactics and tactics. I study the art of war. Work to perfect it."
Full name: Alexander Kherol
Age: 26
Race: Human
Affiliation: The Ascendancy of Man - 5-star general Appearance:
Alexander has short, neat jet-black hair and deep red eyes. He stands at 5'7, weighing at 63 kilos. He is fairly thin at first glance, but in reality, he is really fit physically for a human. He believed that despite all the technological advances that help assist humans in their convenience, he must always remain physically active, to keep his minds fresh, wash up the distractions and clear one's thoughts.
He is usually seen wearing his custom made dark blue colored uniform, with golden epaulettes, golden collars and artistically embellished sleeves. His torso area also has gold decorations and a white sash. At the top left of his chest is a 5 stars rank plaque, indicating his rank in the Ascendancy.
"You don't need a group of superhuman soldiers to change the galaxy."
Skills and abilities:
Undoubtedly the Ascendancy's most powerful weapon, Alexander is widely known for his devastating tactical abilities. A prodigy being developed at the right place, and at the right time, Alexander has the one ability that really strengthened him in his position as a military commander: the ability to predict other's intention. By just analyzing the position of the opposing enemy forces, he was able to predict his opponent's intention as a whole. In addition to this ability, Alexander is also keen on studying his opponents, not simply their battle tactics, but their history, philosophy, morality and so on. He tries to find out as much as possible about his enemy and exploit them. In the long run, the longer an opponent wage war against him, the more likely he is to lose the battle against Alexander, because if the he knew the opponent long enough, they would be nearly unable to outwit the general, being at least one or two steps ahead of his opponents.
As a 5-star general in the Ascendancy, it is indisputable that Alexander's ability as a fleet commander is utterly competent. He is perfectly capable of rapidly dictating a series of complex commands to his subordinates, keeping in mind where the major units and fleets need to be, and like a chess grandmaster, deducting the best plays using the information he has. He is familiar with a lot of attack and defense pattern.
In terms of personal combat skills, Alexander is fairly feeble, and can be defeated if met with a skilled opponent. But against a normal human, he is capable of withstanding against two or three opponents in a fistfight. He is also capable of using his pistol to defend himself, with mediocre accuracy.
"History is cruel. You always have to prepare to accept it."
Biography (Warning: A lot of words ahead of you)
"Alright, Alexander. How about you, can you solve this equation?"
The teacher said, as he gently handed his child the pen to the holographic board. A child of merely ten years of age. The kid was reluctant, to be called so suddenly, but at the gentleness and politeness of his professor, he found himself unable to deny his offer.
The child walked to the board, slowly, his hand holding firmly the pen to which he would write with. As he neared, he simply stood still, silent. He inhaled, and exhaled. Again, and again.
And he wrote.
"This is an equation that if you follow the conventional way of solving, it will resolve in a massive power number, which is technically very difficult to solve. But if you prove and apply this inequation to our main problem, it is possible to see that the left hand side of the verse can be reduced to this, which is always larger or equal to the right side of the verse, which is zero. So the equation only occurs when a specific condition is met in the left side of the verse. This greatly reduced the complexity of our problem, and it's quite straightforward from there."
The boy put down his pen, as he finished the last of his solution, as he slowly returned to the seat. But what he did not notice, perhaps too young to notice, were the eyes towards him. His teacher. His peers. Even the parents of some other kids who happened to be there at the time.
They were shocked beyond belief. "...In my years of teaching, I've never seen a mind like your son has."
"The reason that Kobald failed on his conquest I believe was more to his own logistic than his enemy's tactical ability like you said teacher. The guerrilla soldiers did little in terms of combat, but it was the scorched earth policy done by the citizens that actually dealt the damage. Kobald's region was too far away for a reliable source of provisions, so he brought little and mostly lived off his conquered land, which was vulnerable to this policy"
"He is prodigious. A brilliant mind. One that many centuries we have yet to see again."
"Castling on the king side is the most common move here, as it would grant the king additional protection against the enemy's knights and bishops, but if we play Queen to A4, it will block that Knight from going anywhere, while threatening the D4 pawn, so it's a more reasonable move."
"Please, you have to let him go with us."
The teacher begged, again, as his parents began to feel more and more reluctant.
"He is too young..." His mother said
"I am aware ma'am." The teacher responded. "But his reputation has already spread across the school. It will be a matter of time until the Ascendancy will take notice of him."
His mother's eyelids dropped, as if she was about to cry at anytime. His father looked at his son, who was innocently reading the book inside his room, completely unaware of what was being discussed outside. They both knew the Ascendancy, and the men working under it. It wasn't at all nice. They were quick to conceal the info from spreading out, but rumors travelled far. Lips to lips, now almost everybody knew about it.
It would be very hard. For him to face the harsh and cold reality this early. For his parents, to not worry about him. And for both of them, to say their goodbyes.
"I understand your concern. But it's better to be voluntary early, than being forced out later." The middle-aged female teacher kindly explained. "I know a person who can help him avoid that fate. He's the Duke of Anghen, the region in the far East, and he has great political standings. He can help the boy. But please, for the sake of him..."
"Teacher, what do you think?"
"...you have to let him go."
6 years later.
"You're gonna take the flight at 1000, so you'll have to leave now, Alex."
"This early teacher?"
"Yeah, unfortunately. You can't afford to be late on your first day at the Grand Military Academy. That's bad manners, eh? Hehe..."
The sixteen years old teenager looked down in slight frown in contrary to his teacher's grin, that he would not be able to spend anymore time with his mentor anymore. Again, this felt no different from back then. The remembered bittersweet memories were sour by its very nature, even as Alexander grew to be more mature and less emotionally expressed.
"Hey, cheer up pal. It has been an honor to go through many things with you and teach you things. There are many things to explore and seek for out there that you can't possibly imagine...well, you may possibly do but yeah." The Duke of Anghen, also his long-been mentor of the young genius, scratched his head with silliness. A little odd behavior for a man of such social standings. But this was truly him. He had spent his whole life under a fake mask that he had made for himself all according to this galaxy's standard so that he could rise to his position right now. Now that he had the opportunity to meet with this young boy, he had had the chance to show it, enjoy it, and lived it, when it still lasted.
That silliness did entertain the young child that he took under him, making it a lot more informal and intimate, easier to learn and interact with him. However, 'being oneself' was not always the best thing to do in this world. He had learned that himself. And he taught Alexander that as well. To craft his own mask, his own faked persona so that he could survive. Sure, the Duke was very dispassionate about it, and he was sure Alexander felt the same. But there was no choice. In recent months, he had seen that his teaching had taken its effects.
Still, he did take great pleasure in teaching the boy, along with his daughter, Lan. He was a great person, despite he may not express it dearly. He was different than any other kids that he had taught. He was a man with emotions, with expressions, with a sense, unlike the faceless mooks some of these people in the Ascendancy was like. And he had a fire. A passionate fire that threatened to engulf the world. A man could be whatever he wanted, if he could weather the storm. And among the worthless and despicable world we were living in, he was very much needed. His legacy.
"Go and conquer the world!"
The Ascendancy needed it. The galaxy needed it. More than anything...
7 years afterwards
"Look sharp. The new CO is arriving soon enough."
The expression on Eris's face plummeted. Another CO? Ok, what could this guy possibly be? Another crazy reckless fool who sends his troops on a suicidal frontal attack against heavily armed enemy positions? Or maybe a total maniac who kills or tortures soldiers for every single possible mistakes they make? Or even better, one she had never seen before, a guy with great narcism who always look at himself in the mirror and say his names, forgetting the battle outside of him. It would have been better this way to be honest
Such was the disdain of the seventeen years old blonde and cyborg like soldier of the child soldier's program. Ever since she was abducted by the Ascendancy, there had never been a thing that had actually made her smile wholeheartedly, without being forced. Life was a living hell. All she knew for two goddamned years of her life were eating, sleeping and fighting. All her friends died in the midst. She wondered why she wasn't listed among them anyway. If anyone would dare to say they know what cruelty was, she would slap them in the face immediately with that. For all she knew, she was utterly discontent. She wished to end this as soon as possible. She wanted to see no more of this.
The Ascendancy's shuttle soon landed on the forest moon, where the entire army was kept at ease outside the landing zone. It soon applied its landing gear and made its gentle touch down. After a few seconds, the gate soon opened. And as pretty much a rule of thumb, a line of escort troopers would march out of the ship in perfect coordination. Eris rolled her eyes as she watched the tedious performance pass.
And then, her new general arrived.
The first thing that he took notice was his incredibly young face. Short and neat black hair, deep dark-colored eyes and skins appearing soft and smooth, wearing a formal tan colored general uniform like how the usual commanders and generals looked. But perhaps the most striking feature that she took notice was his seemingly calm and composed aura emitting from him with each steps he took.
Thanks to her zoom in superhuman ability, she was able to gaze closer at his rank plaque
"4-star general..."
At this young age. No way...
With a few glances, the general finally spoke. His voice was calm, slow and smooth.
"Thank you for the introduction Lieutenant. My name is Alexander Kherol. I will be your general, and commanding officer of this region's military expedition from this point onward. As you probably have lived through hell to your objective, I would assume that we all know what to do. So I will skip all the formalities and head straight for the ending. Do you have any questions for me?"
Uhh, what?
That was the reaction among each and every soldiers in the field. That wasn't usually something that they would get almost every time a new CO arrived.
But Eris, for some reasons, managed to look through it.
"He seems to be more decent than the rest. But let's see if he actually knows what he's doing..." She mumbled, before raising her hand. Alexander quickly gestured her to speak.
"Sir, you would probably have known the situation. The enemy is playing a very defensive battle, building forts very close to each other so that they can protect each other. How do you intend to solve this problem?"
Alexander listened to her, inclined his head once before answering.
"Give me enough time, and I will have my solutions. When that time come, I will then begin my operations, and pull the insurgents apart, piece by piece. They will be the architects...of their own destruction."
He finished his speech with a glare of thoughtfulness. This, for some reasons, sent a chill down Eris's spine. He sure spoke with confidence, but she wondered if he could actually do it. Words meant nothing if actions could not back it up, or that there was no actions at all. He said he would need some times. Well, until then, we shall see.
As mercenaries, and without a hacker, cyber security within your group is pretty much non-existent. So it is probable that the team members call each other via com links through a call sign. Tell us if you wish to have call signs, and what it is. If you think the call sign is a little too complicated, please tell us, so we can adjust to it.
"Hello..." Acion gave the seemingly Donny-like person a two-finger salute as the latter approached him. As he saw his first teammate, the winged boy had to take a moment to figure out if he was really Donny or not. He was wearing a huge black cloak that dominated his entire body, and a white steel mask with three round holes in it, two for his eyes, and one for his mouth? From first glance, he appeared like he was wearing some sort of monster costume for a Halloween party or something. It was the voice that were actually recognizable as the typical shy and reserved Donny that Acion knew.
"Well your form is most intimidating" He glanced him top to bottom. "Unlike the last time I see you on the field." He referenced the previous exercise, when Donny approached Acion at point C half-naked, with Mamoru's shield to cover himself. It was a joke of course, as he patted his friend's shoulder firmly to made it look so. He wouldn't want him to take it too seriously.
"Anyway, the exercise is about to begin, so we should probably get a head start." Acion took out his communicator and plugged it into his two ears. "Switch to this channel so you can communicate with me."
After several testings and so on, it worked.
"So it appears that we will face against four teams. And we appear to lack the ability to hit hard. So we are at a disadvantageous position, unless those two have something to prove." Acion said. "Do you know either of those two, Haruka and Luelle?"