Mist Debriefing d'Allure
À son retour à l'avant-poste, les cristaux leur furent presque immédiatement enlevés par ce qui semblait être un artisan nain. Avec à peine un mot aux recrues, il a pris leurs articles et a commencé à les transformer en tout ce sur quoi il travaillait. Varkasan n'a jamais compris la façon dont les Nains fonctionnaient quand il s'agissait de leurs machines, potions, ou même de l'artisanat simple. Bien que cela l'intéressait, il envisageait de l'étudier plus en détail chaque fois que ses fonctions ne l'occupaient pas.
Après un repas de remplissage (dans lequel Zalfn a commenté comment Dys pourrait probablement consommer une semaine de rations de campagne en une journée), ils ont été ramenés dans leurs quartiers de couchage, que Varkasan était heureux de voir maintenant était une grande tente. Des lits de bunk étaient déjà installés à l'intérieur pour eux, ainsi que d'autres meubles, et un coin pour garder leurs effets personnels. "On dirait qu'ils nous dorment un peu trop. C'est très pratique d'être un avant-poste frontalier. Mais encore une fois, après tout ce qui s'est passé, je suppose que nous pourrions tous utiliser quelque chose pour sourire. Ne pas dire quand notre prochaine épreuve viendra sur nous..." Varkasan pensa à lui-même.
Après avoir enlevé son armure et son armement, et les avoir déposés dans l'entrepôt, il s'est dirigé vers les lits superposés avec une chemise blanche sans manches et un short. Il partageait une couchette avec une recrue qu'il avait vue à l'entraînement, mais n'était pas vraiment au courant. C'était un homme plus vieux avec des cheveux chauves qui ne semblaient pas en dire grand-chose, mais qui avait la décence de quitter la couchette inférieure de Varkasan et de grimper jusqu'à la supérieure. Varkasan a essayé de faire la conversation avec la recrue, mais a seulement réussi à obtenir le nom "Hyner" de lui. Toutes les autres questions n'ont été répondues que par le silence. Varkasan a pris cela pour signifier que Hyner ne voulait pas parler beaucoup de lui-même. Il n'a pas non plus montré d'intérêt pour les histoires de Varkasan.
Un peu plus tard, la chaleur semblait commencer à atteindre les recrues, et Alicia même dépouillée de ses sous-vêtements, à la surprise d'un certain nombre de recrues. Même s'ils étaient aussi fascinés par son déshabillage soudain qu'avec l'étrange tatouage qu'elle avait sur l'estomac. Varkasan en avait aperçu une fois au cours de l'entraînement. Il s'est souvenu qu'il avait accidentellement déchiré ses vêtements sur le ventre pendant les escarres d'armes. Après s'être excusée et s'être interrogée sur la marque qu'elle avait sur elle (comme il l'a d'abord pensé que c'était une cicatrice), elle a révélé que c'était une tradition familiale parmi eux. Varkasan pensait que c'était étrange, mais avait la politesse de garder son opinion pour lui-même.
Finalement, il pouvait à peine supporter la chaleur et enlever sa chemise alors qu'il essuyait la sueur de son corps avant d'essayer de dormir. Cela a quelque peu aidé, mais si la température s'est maintenue jusqu'à demain, ils feraient cuire à l'intérieur de leur armure. Il ferma les yeux, et entendit quelqu'un passer près de sa couchette, murmurant "...n'arrive pas à croire que quelqu'un ait pris tout ce vin... Il n'aurait jamais dû faire confiance à Ulrich pour l'observer. Payant peu d'esprit, Varkasan est retourné dormir. Il savait qu'il aurait besoin de son énergie pour ce qui était attendu demain.
Première affectation d'Aegis
Le lendemain, on leur donna leur petit-déjeuner et un nouveau nom pour leur unité : l'équipe Aegis. Il se sentait spécial de recevoir un nom officiel reconnu par Overlord Levran lui-même, mais Varkasan savait qu'ils auraient besoin d'y vivre comme même leur nouveau capitaine, Aela, leur faisait confiance pour devenir des guerriers respectables.
Ils avaient également une nouvelle mission : ils devaient localiser et piller une caverne voisine protégée par des épées contre-location, et confirmer s'il y avait ou non des activités illégales là-bas. C'était assez simple. "Mais encore une fois, notre mission de bandit en embuscade semblait aussi simple... et c'est devenu tout sauf simple... pensa Varkasan. Aussi facile que cela semblait, ils devaient être prêts à tout. Une défaite tragique a été assez douloureuse.
Une fois le briefing terminé, ils sont allés récupérer leur équipement et se armer eux-mêmes. Varkasan mit son armure Guardian, ferma son bouclier sur son dos, et gaina son épée. Heureusement, la chaleur avait quelque peu baissé et être à l'intérieur de l'armure n'était pas si punissant. Il a aussi emballé de l'eau et de la viande séchée pour le voyage. Certaines troupes faisaient des discussions inactives en attendant que leur équipe soit pleinement armée et prête à partir.
"Prêt à brûler d'autres marques, Team Aegis?" Alicia leur a demandé de plaisanter. Bien que peu de choses aient bien répondu à cette tentative d'humour, il a été surprenant de voir la pierre froide Alicia essayer de se réjouir. Dys a soutenu sa déclaration et a porté sa main forte sur la fille.
"J'aime le son de ça, Alicia von Eternus. Équipe Aegis, je sais qu'on a vécu beaucoup de choses, mais on peut aller mieux pour ça. On est mieux pour ça. Les horreurs qu'on a vues... c'est pour ça qu'on lutte contre la tyrannie de la magie, non? On ne peut pas leur permettre d'utiliser des vies, même des vies de bandits, comme rien de plus que des jeux. Des mages!... Mages, bandits, mercs, on leur apprendra tout ce que ça veut dire d'être un Chevalier Lumineux. Nous vivons pour protéger, et nous vivons pour servir. Nous serons plus intelligents, plus habiles et plus conscients des dangers de la prochaine fois. Nous rendrons nos déchus fiers, et nos vivants plus fiers! » La femme naine a dit avec un salut énergique Nwarven.
Varkasan a vu Freiya assis sur l'une des caisses d'approvisionnement, souriant à ce qui se passait. Bien qu'il ne pouvait pas dire si c'était le bonheur ou l'amusement. De toute façon, il a ajouté sa propre voix pour élever leur moral. "En effet, nous le ferons! Ensemble, nous ferons honneur au nom: «Aegis» et nous traverserons même toute l'Altéa pour amener tous ceux qui s'opposent à elle devant la justice!» Il a dit avec force alors qu'il levait le poing en l'air.
C'était presque comme s'ils s'apprêtaient à se charger d'une guerre sanglante, même s'ils allaient juste faire une demi-journée de trek et attaquer un camp de mercenaires. Néanmoins, Varkasan a pensé qu'il valait mieux traiter sérieusement même les tâches les plus simples afin qu'ils n'oublient pas l'importance de leur rôle de Chevaliers Lumineux. En outre, une demi-journée de marche était longue, et maintenir le moral serait important pour s'assurer que personne ne s'est fatigué ou largué trop rapidement.
**Appearance:**
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Underneath the armor, He has short, neatly-cut, black hair, and rugged (nearly clean-shaven) facial hair. His eyes are a deep blue color, and he has a light skin tone. Whenever he isn't wearing his armor, he usually wears a combination of a white shirt, and brown leather pants, often accompanied by a white cloak bearing the insignia of the Paladins of Altea. Underneath the cloak is usually a brown belt carrying his sword and dagger.
**Name:** Varkasan Trenact
**Race:** Human
**Age:** 21
**Alignment:** Luminous Knights
**Personality:** Varkasan is a very approachable fellow, despite how some people may view Paladins. He is friendly to nearly everyone he meets, while still maintaining the image and discipline of Paladins as an elite fighting force of Altea. He tries his best to find a peaceful solution to conflicts, and will avoid violence if at all possible. However, this does not mean he is any less capable in combat. Varkasan is a skilled swordsman, perhaps not as good as some of the older warriors, but he is excellent in his own right. His skill is also backed by an unwavering drive to fulfill his duty as a Paladin. "Patriotic" would be a word to describe him. His loyalty to their cause is almost zealot-like, as he will do whatever it takes to ensure peace between the people and The Mages, or purge any magic that is deemed to be a great threat to his kingdom. Because of this, he is nearly incorruptible, and will most likely choose duty over any temptations and personal emotions. However, this also makes him susceptible to being manipulated if someone had the rank to command him, and the charisma to hide their ulterior motives.
**Bio:** Varkasan was born to a family who resided in the town of Paltrica, located near Meridian. His father was a soldier, while his mother was a simple housewife. He lived a relatively normal life for a boy like himself. Though he had always looked up to his father and aspired to follow in his footsteps. Not out of a drive for glory like most, but rather a subconscious sense of duty and responsibility to the land he was raised in; a kind of moral debt to Altea. His father often taught him different sword-fighting techniques in order to prepare him for the future, knowing fully-well he could not stop the boy from his dreams. At the age of 17, Varkasan enlisted into the military and quickly made himself known to his superiors with his combat skills, and unwavering loyalty to his kingdom and people. His ability to resist both great fear and temptation so that he can carry out his orders made him a candidate for becoming a Paladin. Since The Paladins are considered greater than the common soldiers, at the age of 19, Varkasan accepted the offer without hesitation.
He spent the next two years undergoing the special training needed in order to wield the power of Luminosity. The two years were some of the hardest of his life, but his zeal managed to carry him through where some would surrender. He was an amiable person to be around for several recruits and managed to make friends and allies out of them. Then there were some who took advantage of his loyalty. An example was when he was tricked into cleaning the bunks of a select group of recruits when they had planted evidence implying that the instructors assigned him for that task. Only when Varkasan had inquired to their superiors about being assigned to cleaning the same bunks for several days in a row was the deception discovered, and the guilty party punished. He heard the instructors say something like "If they ever pass, the shadows will be at their backs for certain..." Varkasan was unsure what this meant, but now he tries to remind himself to be wary of manipulation.
At the end of his training, he underwent the dangerous initiation needed to hold the power of Luminosity, and he survived. Varkasan was both joyful and relieved. Because of his skills and overall reliability, he was quickly assigned into a unit and given his first assignments.
**Initial Spells/Techniques:**
- _Luminous Blessing:_ Varkasan will enchant an object, covering it with the power of Luminosity, thus giving any normal piece of equipment anti-mage capabilities. This is usually used on his combat equipment, though he can also use it for other things if the situation calls for it. The duration depends on how concentrated he makes it.
- _Sunlight Flare:_ Using concentrated Luminous energy, Varkasan is able to create a floating sphere of light which he can move at will. Same as his previous ability, the duration of the sphere depends on how much energy he puts into it. The sphere creates an aura of Luminosity that slowly burns up mana within its radius. Contact with the flare itself is very dangerous for a Mage. For non-mages however, its effects range from the warm sensation of a hot summer day within the aura, to a sunburn from touching the flare itself.
- _Holy Armaments:_ Similar to Luminous Blessing, a piece of combat equipment is enchanted with energy. However, instead of coating it, the Luminosity takes a more concentrated form. For example, it can create spikes of light appear from the front of a shield to deter melee magic attacks, or create a transparent visor of light onto the openings of a steel helmet for extra protection. Takes the same amount of energy as Luminous Blessing, but he needs more energy and skill for greater armor and weapon additions. Varkasan has a mastery of this ability, in the sense that he can swiftly change the arms additions on his equipment as needed. However as a novice, his augmentation options are limited
**Skills:**
- _The Guardian:_ While not an entirely special skill, Varkasan's fighting style involves playing defensively, and using the opponent's moves against them. He usually lets the enemy make the first strike, and counters it. When an enemy tries to come for him at close range, he either blocks or parries the attack in an attempt to disarm them or throw them off-balance. He tries to see where the enemy attack will come from, and will respond with equal force in the opposite direction. Included in his tactics are outlasting his opponent in a battle of attrition and endurance, and advancing upon them once they feel the effects of fatigue. While blocking and countering, he tries to gauge how powerful his enemy is, and judging how much more he will need to wear them down before beginning his own assault. He may not be the one to make the first move, but more often than not, he will have the final say.
- _Titan's Endurance:_ In conjunction with his defensive tactics, Varkasan can withstand a large amount of fatigue and punishment. More so than other Paladins can. He can withstand long and tiring marches, as well as drawn-out battles. By the time most soldiers are losing their morale and energy, he can still maintain himself at full combat effectiveness. However, even he has a limit. It's just that it's quite higher than most. Some would say abnormally so. However, this also means that it takes much longer for it to fully recover as well. Varkasan needs this kind of endurance to make his Guardian style of fighting work to its full potential.
- _The Arbiter:_ Due to his preference of avoiding conflict, Varkasan is an able negotiator. He is capable of listening to others and inferring things about them based on what they say. With this information, he attempts to reach a common ground with the other party. He may not always agree with what the other believes in, but he can understand where it comes from, and he actively tries to find a way to settle things that would be in the best interest all who are involved.
**Combat Strategy:** Varkasan will always begin a battle by enchanting the necessary equipment with Luminosity. With his equipment now being deadly to Mages, he is capable using his fighting styles against nearly all enemies. He will usually let the opponent make the first move before responding with the necessary counters. If he has the time, he lets them continue their attacks until he thinks they have used up a lot of their energy and stamina, and thus, less capable of dealing with his own attacks. When dealing with multiple enemies, he uses his Flares to scatter them and lets the Flare's aura deter them from regrouping while he tries to deal with the separated ones. If given enough time, he can actually create a makeshift barrier using the Flares (though it would expend a lot of energy especially if it was made to last). He creates and removes various Holy Armaments to his weapons depending on the situation. He makes use of that ability more when he is pressed for time and must quickly eliminate enemies using a blitzing rush of attacks augmented by different Holy Armaments which he swiftly places and replaces to keep himself unpredictable.
**Unique Equipment:**
- _The Sentinel:_ The sword and shield set used by Varkasan. A wealthy friend and fellow recruit of his had it crafted for him as a Paladin graduation gift. It was designed to be more tough and durable than a majority of standard-issue weaponry. This complements his defensive fighting style as his weapons can stand large amounts of punishment without fear of breaking or degrading quickly. However, this also means they are heavier than usual gear, and take more energy to move.
- _Guardian Armor:_ A standard-issue variant of Paladin armor given to Paladins whose duties revolve around the defense of territory and crowd control. It has slightly more armor than the usual armor, however it also gives enough space for the wearer to move without restricting it by too much as most heavy plate-armor would. The difference between this and the standard set is only slight, however.