Zuruel En'Artifex [Revamp]
Jun 26, 2020 11:26:54 GMT -7
Post by Skulking Shinzu on Jun 26, 2020 11:26:54 GMT -7
♠♠ Basic Information
♠ Name: Zuruel En'Artifex
♠ Bloodlimit: Hyuuga
♠ Height: 6'1
♠ Weight: 170 lbs
♠ Age: 27
♠ Gender: Male
♠ Alignment: Chaotic Good
♠ Birth Country: Land of Moon
♠ Village: Cloud
♠♠ Special
♠ Clan Specialist:
♠ TaiJutsu Specialist:
♠ GenJutsu Non-Specialist:
♠ Miscellaneous:
♠ Epics:
♠♠ Character Depth
♠ Personality
Owing to the addition of Ljossalfar blood only having a physiological change, Zuruel still carries the negative traits of a being with a rather warped and distorted mentality. Stemming from his training, Zuruel has lost all concept of taking a person’s life. Any attempts at explaining to him the magnitude of such an act would simply end in wasted words. While he is not the type to go on murderous rampages for the thrill, taking a life when given the command would require no more thought than it would to sneeze. Often, this leads to most questioning Zuruel's morals, though in essence, the inability to feel remorse and guilt after committing such a sin is simply the mentality that has been forcefully pounded into him. After all, what use is an assassin that feels remorse?
Despite these mental defects which are the direct result of the torture he was subjected to such an early age, on the battlefield Zuruel is calm, collective, and cold. He is the type to weigh in the entire situation against the consequences before making a move. While he does over think some situations, sometimes to his own detriment, this is due to preferring to take into account every scenario and variable as opposed to relying on blind luck. While this does make him a valuable asset and planner, Zuruel's greatest flaw is his lack of compassion. Never valuing a life higher than his own, more often than not, he wouldn't hesitate to use those around him as sacrificial pawns, whether it be an ally or innocent civilian. The only exceptions being the rare few that he has as of late, grown close enough to call friends.
Mercifully, in defiance of this warped thought process, Zuruel has grown accustom to relying on Lady to be his moral compass and guiding hand. Wishing to remain on the path of good despite knowing his own nature, Zuruel tends to rely heavily on Lady’s wisdom and guidance, even if he may not agree with her at times. Polar opposites, Zuruel never struggles to see the benefit in taking a life, especially if it may save countless other lives. Naturally, even with Lady’s helping hand and tutorage, Zuruel is more than self-aware that he walks a very fine line between good and evil. Not that such a thought could ever stop him in his stubborn and ruthless ways. Relapsing into his old dark personality would always be more favourable than the risk of allowing someone to harm the precious few that he’s allowed to grow close to his heart.
While the childhood torture can be attributed as the cause of most of his problems, some of Zuruel’s issues can be noted to stem from the mentality of a former Kedoin. While most would describe an emotion such as joy as a strong sense of euphoria, Zuruel would simply associate it as something more physical, like a simple change in bodily activity. For example, while the word fear often conjures the image of something terrifying, Zuruel would simply describe it through the symptoms of a dry throat and trembling. Over time, this knowledge of subtle bodily functions to a cellular level has allowed him to deceive even the most cunning of adversaries by faking an emotion through evoking the physical manifestations of it. The advantage of such being that he possesses the ability to very easily portray the persona of a nervous wreck or a broad spectrum of other emotions and afflictions at the drop of a hat, without having to mentally prepare himself for any role.
However, such a mindset isn't without consequence. Being the type that prefers to describe emotion through body language rather than voice, Zuruel possesses grave difficulties with portraying his feelings and mood. Although he has learned to adapt after losing his Kedoin cell craft abilities, basics such as politeness and manners are both concepts that are very new to Zuruel. Although he can pretend and even feign elegance when acting, the skill ends the moment he decides to simply be himself. During such moments, rarely does he express positive words towards someone he is fond of. In his mind, the mere act of choosing to be around someone is proof that he doesn’t mind putting up with their various nuances. At times, this may even suggest that he enjoys another’s company, even if he may never verbally express it. Such is Zuruel’s curse. The ability to fully understand others, despite others rarely understanding him.
♠ Appearance
With his deteriorated Kedoin DNA overwritten by Ljossalfar blood, Zuruel has lost an ability that was once very sacred to him - the ability to shapeshift. However, in the world of Kedoin, gifts are rarely lost or stolen. Instead, they simply change form. Cellular structure permanently altered, Zuruel has gained a new permanent appearance. Courtesy of the Ljossalfar blood overwriting his natural bloodline, Zuruel has lost his unique jester-esque features, such as his distinctive red and blue shifting hair and the tattoo-like markings underneath each eye. Instead, this new form now boasts an elven theme, which becomes very apparent when closely studying Zuruel’s facial features.
Wild and wavy, the Ljossalfar blood now coursing through Zuruel’s veins has instantaneously grown his hair out to chin-length, which is in contrast to before where his hair tended to be kept short naturally swept upwards. Courtesy of this blood and as if rapidly aged, each strand of hair has mutated and taken on a characteristic silvery-white colour that always seems to shimmer against light in a way that only a pure blooded Ljossalfar’s hair would. Although, more of a bane than a boon, its this trait alone that often leads to distant observer’s mistaking Zuruel for someone of considerable age.
Those that do make this mistake, are often left stunned upon approaching to gain a better view of Zuruel’s facial features. Soft, unblemished, and pale, Zuruel’s skin has been described as immaculate and void of virtually any blemishes. Although not snow white, his pale complexion has led to him being mistaken for a corpse on more than one occasion when napping out in public. Lending to this theme are Zuruel’s pale blue iris, which are only a mere shade or two darker than the whites of his eyes. Most tend to say that if not for his pointed elven ears and shimmering hair, Zuruel would more so resemble a corpse than a light elf.
Potentially due to achieving a state of Alchemical Perfection to completely do away with his now redundant Kedoin cells, Zuruel’s jawline has become more pronounced, lips fuller and eyes narrower, to give him a more gentle and enticing appearance. Following this motif and an unintended side effect of the Ljossalfar blood flooding his system, Zuruel has lost most of his Kedoin-enhanced muscle mass. Although no less physically imposing than before, his limbs have become longer and slimmer, or as others rather insultingly put it – spindly.
While shifting to a taller form can have its advantages and is desirable to most, this does mean that most of Zuruel’s custom-designed equipment has been made redundant. Even clothing that once fitted him perfectly, is now either too short or loose-fitting to be worn comfortably. Requiring a wardrobe change to accommodate for his new body, Zuruel has elected to go for minimalistic attire that does not hinder the movements of his new nimble and agile body. Usually, he can be seen sporting a long sleeveless coat that tends to be left open to expose his bare chest and arms, both of which tend to be ridden with all manner of seals and rituals to make up for his lost immortality.
♠♠ Background
♠ Prelude
Zuruel's past is one of many mysteries and lies. There are some details he is unsure of, and many that he is fairly certain have been fabricated by those around him. Supposedly, Zuruel was born a Kedoin in the Land of Moon. Not that his birth country matters much. Having moved around so much all his life, nowhere has really felt like home to him anyway. This is due to the assassin organisation Zuruel was brought up in, which has long since earned the nickname Reaper. The organisation is based solely around kidnapping the young and training them to become hired assassins. For the most part, this being how the organisation gathers its funding.
Overall, Reaper works on a hierarchy based around age and experience. Talented children are kidnapped and tortured into submission before being trained in the vile art of murder. Upon reaching adulthood, the assassins gain responsibility and respect, allowing them to choose the missions they wish to accept rather than being forced into them, as well as the distinct right to recruit whoever they deem fit into the organisation. This carries on until old age finally cripples them, where in they will stop taking on such active roles and rather focus on the well fair of the organisation itself through tasks such as training new recruits or ensuring that there are a plethora of mission requests coming into the organisation.
As far as Zuruel understands it, his mother was a part of the organisation, though for what reasons still remain a complete mystery to him. With it being in the Kedoin's nature to join other clans and pick up on their cultures, Zuruel speculated that the reason was probably because his mother wanted to find out more about how Reaper operates, or perhaps it was the will of the higher ups of the Kedoin clan. Either way, for the most part all the facts seem to have lead Zuruel towards the conclusion that his mother at least had some degree of choice in the whole fiasco. This being much more than what can be said for himself.
Having no real memories of his mother, it has become painfully obvious for an excruciatingly long time now that Zuruel had been stripped from her at an early age; possibly even at birth. For what purpose though, remains a mystery. As far as those around him are concerned, his mother botched an high profile assassination attempt and was executed by those she had been tasked with killing. However, with so many conflicting details about the mission itself floating around the organisation, Zuruel has recently concluded that the story regarding his mother's death was almost certainly a lie. Most likely fabricated in order to gain his unyielding obedience.
As far as the rumours are concerned, Zuruel's mother was quite rebellious. She had long since pledged her allegiance towards the 'Old Ones' of the Kedoin clan and considered their will of higher importance than of Reaper. Having great distrust towards her loyalty, the unknown few pulling the strings behind Reaper grew weary and cautious of her motives. Usually, this alone is more than enough to warrant the death of a member. However, being the only Kedoin of the organisation, her usefulness far out weighed the conflict in allegiances. Of course, upon giving birth, this usefulness had inevitably diminished.
After all, what use was she anymore? Very little compared to the new born the organisation could freely brainwash and make their eternal puppet. Whether this conclusion is true or not is up for debate. With the sheer amount of lies and deceit the organisation has been founded upon, most learn to scrutinise every single fact they learn. Even when being told the truth, usually it has been twisted in some shape or form. Regardless of all this, there is one fact that Zuruel undeniably knows as reality: his training.
Zuruel's earliest memories are that of mind numbing torture. The very first thing Reaper recruits are taught is obedience through fear and pain. For the most part, the torture is used to brand terror onto the minds of recruits so that their will and thoughts are far easier to manipulate. Like how a animal would be punished for certain acts while being trained, the recruits are subjected to all manner of horrors to prevent any future characteristics of disobedience from surfacing. This is then taken one step further after several years, where the recruits are used as rag dolls and target practice in order to build up resistance to Chakra injury.
The visibly strong finish this stage of the training upon proving their toughness, though the weak simply end up dying from their injuries. Zuruel was one of the lucky few who made it out alive, though of course he was shown a tad bit of favouritism due to the special Kedoin blood running through his veins. With their tightly woven communities, it is quite difficult to kidnap a child belonging to a blood line, such being the reason why those in charge of Zuruel's training had been requested by the higher ups to be slightly lenient in order to ensure that such a valuable asset of the organisation did not end up as a simple corpse.
Such was his mothers gift to him. Despite all certainty that he would die, somehow, Zuruel had managed to struggle through all the torture and dread thanks to the valuable blood in his body protecting him. Despite her lack of presence throughout his childhood, there was little else Zuruel could wish for from his mother. It was due to all this that eventually, Zuruel made his way back to the Land of Moon to regain a better sense of his culture. Of course, to his captors, they saw this as nothing more than a opportunity for the boy to be taught the techniques of his bloodline by those of the same clan as him.
For the most part, this is a strategy adopted by Reaper to gain more obedience from their members. Upon the end of the first half of a recruit's training, he is released and allowed to reintegrate himself back into whatever society he wishes to join. This creates a false sense of comfort, the idea that the recruit has control over their life. In reality, however, the debilitating fear deep in the hearts of the recruits never leaves them. They are far too afraid to ever truly run away, and simply too fearful to ever really explain what has happened to them. In essence, they are just as much free as they would be tied up in a dungeon than they are in the outside world.
Hardly blessed with the unyielding resolve of his mother, Zuruel never could find the courage to flee to somewhere no one could keep tabs of him, let alone muster the will to tell the clan of his dire need of protection. All in all, he was a caged bird that absorbed the clans culture and history like a obedient sponge. One thing he did learn of, however, was the Faceless god of death, an entity Zuruel worshipped as an deity. The more Zuruel dabbled in the Kedoin culture, the more his loyalty grew for the Old Ones, just as it had for his mother. It had taken many years of inflicting torture to turn Zuruel onto the path of an simple assassin, though only a few weeks among his own kind to ignite the undying loyalty towards the clan he and his mother shared.
Over time, Zuruel gained more control over his blood line and even picked up on NinJutsu along the way. Apparently, he had a natural affinity towards water and wind Jutsu. However, for the most part he had decided to focus his efforts on unique sonic-based abilities. Soon, even Zuruel's devotion had shifted from the god of death, to the many-faced god of life; earning him the surname En'Artifex through his unrivalled mastery of cellular manipulation.
Having mastered what the Kedoin referred to as Cell Craft, it was time to leave behind the village and return to Reaper. Expectedly, this had caused quite a bit of dismay among the elders within Reaper, especially when considering how this goes against their stone-etched protocol. It is expected for the recruit to somehow contact another agent, who will then act as an escort back towards the closest Reaper hideout in the area. However, hardly wanting the exact location of the Kedoin clan known to any outsiders, Zuruel was happy to track down the location of Reaper almost entirely through his own skill and prowess, despite the repercussions he would have to later suffer. Besides, the importance of such a pointless rule simply reinforced the notion that these were certainly not the type of people he wished to share such a secret with.
Numerous times later, Reaper operatives attempted to gently nudge Zuruel into heading back to his clan, though adamantly, he simply denied the proposals. Though no one had been stalking him all those many years ago, there was no telling who might be tasked with tracking his movements should he ever decide to return to the clan now. For the most part, such was the reason why he spent the rest of his days within Mo, a stable Non-Ninja village he could call home in-between mission requests from Reaper.
Though Zuruel was well and truly safe within Mo's impenetrable walls, he never did quite enjoy the life of a caged bird, such being the reason why he would leave the sanctity of the village every so often, where in eventually an Reaper operative would catch wind of him and task him with an assassination request. To keep up this facade of a loyal operative, Zuruel simply mindlessly carried out whatever was ordered of him. Though, there was no hiding the air of distrust other operatives shared towards him, there was little denying that Zuruel certainly did make a useful assassin. In fact, it was that reason alone why he had been allowed to live all this time despite his hints of unforgivable disobedience.
This was pretty much the understanding he shared with Reaper. Zuruel was allowed to stay wherever and do whatever he wished, on the condition that whenever someone approached him with a request, he would carry it out without question. While he was hardly a free man, it was more of a life than what most of the other operatives of the organisation saw, and it did give Zuruel the time to ponder over certain aspects of his life that he never really had the luxury to question before. The biggest question of which being who his father is, and how he could ever hope to find the answers to that question without ever leading anyone to the only people who could possibly ever answer that question; his clansmen.
♠ Interlude
Over the years, Zuruel managed to distance himself from the shackles of his cursed organisation by steadily spending more time within Mo’s iron fortress. As a child, he had always assumed that Reaper had its clutches almost everywhere. However, now a more capable adult, Zuruel steadily began to realise that they could not reach him everywhere. Especially not within the independent city of Mo. It made sense then, to simply remain within the fortress where he could not be touched or provoked. This was the first true period of peace within Zuruel’s life, where he had not been forced to take another life.
However, Reaper’s training had been ingrained deeply into every fibre of his being since a young age. No one could simply switch off the urges and instincts of the training. Not even a Kedoin possessed the ability to recover from that much trauma. Steadily, locked away within isolation, Zuruel began to feel trapped. If he left Mo’s iron fortress, then he would be inevitably tracked down and forcibly sent on a assasination mission. Possibly even several, to make up for the long period of inactivity. Besides, a part of him wanted to. A part of him, suppressed deep down inside, almost demanded the thrill of a kill.
It was at that point, that Zuruel knew he was truly lost. There was no place in society for him as a mere civilian. Swearing loyalty to the Duchess of Mo, Zuruel put himself forward for the roll of a meagre foot soldier. Whether it was bandits, wild animals, or even opposing armies, Zuruel slew all that stood against Mo to satisfy his dark cravings and to earn his keep. At some point, he even convinced himself that the lives he took were simply to protect Mo and its citizens. However, that falsehood crumbled away the moment Zuruel’s worst fear came into fruition.
One fateful day, on a routine scouting mission, Zuruel encountered him. The man that had been responsible for all those years of torture and time away from his clan. His Reaper mentor. Stunned, every instinct told Zuruel to fight or flee. However, as if to flaunt the grasp the organisation still had over him, Zuruel could do nothing but stare in awe as his unarmed mentor approached. Hours, possibly even days later, Zuruel awoke in a groggy daze after what felt like a extended period of sleep, only to find himself in the Land of Earth.
Strapped to a chair, Zuruel knew his life was forfeit. Either this was an execution, or it was an extraction of information. Either way, both tended to end in death. For an excruciatingly long while, it seemed like the later at first. To survive, Zuruel knew he needed to withhold all he could about Mo. Not only to save himself, but to save the comrades he had made there. However, it soon became clear that his mentor had no interest in Mo. It was all a simple test. A test, to see how well the Kedoin remembered his training and place in the world. He realised then, that he should have given up all the information he held. Naturally, once trust was lost in a member of the organisation, there were no second chances. Not even for a valuable Kedoin specimen.
Darkness then swallowed Zuruel’s world once more, as he was injected with the most lethal of the organisation’s poisons, before being decapitated for good measure. One could never be too sure with a Kedoin. In fact, Zuruel recalled those being the last few words being uttered by his mentor as the sawing motion of a knife steadily cleaved into his neck. However, not even an entire organisation of secret assassin’s could be as paranoid and careful as Zuruel. It took time, energy, and sheer willpower to stave off death. However, his Kedoin cells fought off the lethal effects of the poison and courtesy of a secondary brain granted to him by Mo experimentation, Zuruel survived the decapitation and steadily regenerated.
For all intents and purposes, he was now dead to the world. Swiping a hand over his face, Zuruel immediately transformed into a new identity before eventually returning to Mo to share his secret with the Duchess he had sworn his loyalty to. However, whether boon or bane, the disguised Zuruel learned that what felt like weeks, had in fact, actually been months away from Mo where he had also been declared long since dead. He now owed loyalties and allegiances to no one. A truly free man. No, a shape shifter, free to live his life as nothing more than a tutor or instructor for Mo’s soldiers. What better way to honour his old life, than to train the next generation by sharing his knowledge with the village under a new persona. Besides, above all else, the priority was now never to take another life again. Assuming that was even possible.
Over a struggle that lasted several years, Zuruel quenched his thirst for bloodshed by instead, training and sparring with others in the village. Like an addict, he never could truly go cold turkey. At times, he even treated himself to the slaying of a beast or monster to satiate his murderous bloodlust. However, in time, the feeling of satisfaction dulled and lessened. Even as a free man, he was still a slave to his instincts. No – not a free man. He realised now more than ever, that he still wasn’t free. It was at that point, that Zuruel prompted himself to leave his village in a journey of rediscovery.
♠ Epilogue
During his travels which eventually began to span dimensions and worlds, Zuruel eventually came across a Moon Dog who he named Lady. Steadily growing fond of her, the two became inseparable companions due to Lady adamantly convincing herself that there seemed to be good in Zuruel that she is destined to bring out. Not a fan of the notion of fate after already having spent the majority of his life a puppet, Zuruel shrugged off Lady’s ideals at first and only kept her around for her joyous company. However, as the two grew closer and bonded over various mishaps and dangerous adventures, Lady steadily began to take on the roll of a new mentor and always lent a guiding hand or scalding to ensure that her companion remained on the path of good.
Although for too damaged to ever be considered normal. With Lady as his companion, Zuruel felt at peace. Rarely needing to kill, he steadily learned how to suppress his urges into nothing more than a tad unhealthy desire to grow stronger. Although not exactly a positive trait in its own right, Lady helped channel Zuruel’s emotions in the right direction by always ensuring that he acted out of the goodness of others. Laying down rules as holy as the commandments themselves, Zuruel learned to keep himself in check by always listening to Lady’s voice in his mind as if she were a part of his conscience to ensure that he did not ever stray from the path that he needed to follow.
Eventually, satisfied with his progress and desiring a stable home, Zuruel returned to Mo as a new well-balanced person. For a time, he was even happy. However, despite this being the place that had taken him in, learning to suppress his bloodlust had instead awakened new emotions within Zuruel. Loneliness. Emptiness. A solemn longing. Within Mo, he was with friends. However, not with family. Setting out on another quest, he departed with Lady for the Land of Moon to track down his clan. However, much to his dismay, he could find no trace of their existence. Had they migrated elsewhere? Had Zuruel’s past organisation somehow tracked them down? Did he give up more information than he thought he did during the lapses in his concentration while captured all that time ago?
Zuruel felt lost and unsure what to think. Was he alone in the world? Possibly even the last of his kin? Worse than anything, was the thought that any information about his mother and father was now lost. Desperate to cling onto anything, Zuruel scoured the Land of Moon for any rumours or signs of his clan’s existence, which eventually led him towards Alleve’s Hallow; the city of monsters. Having learned that the city contained an entire district full of an abundant number of shape shifters, Zuruel entered the walls of the city where he faced many trials to gain the status of citizen and hunter. Although never finding his clan within the walls of the Hallow, the journey was not without its share of fateful events. One of which, led to the no-name hunter gaining infamy for becoming the familiar of a powerful witch known for ruling the city.
Several shenanigans later, and Zuruel even found himself eventually integrated within a Ninja village thanks to his ability of achieving other forms and identities. It was during this time as an imposter within Cloud, that Zuruel learned to truly love the village and its citizens. Where Mo was stern and war torn, Cloud was an untouched sanctuary, far away from any notable strife or conflicts. No longer did he have to fight to live or survive. Quite simply, he had discovered a paradise where he could simply be himself and live the life of an ordinary no-name Shinobi that only the Raikage possessed detailed background knowledge on. For a time, Zuruel felt truly at peace and unburdened. At least, he did until one fateful day, when one set of rumours changed everything...
Guided towards the Land of Myth with Lady by rumours that spoke of dark omens that threatened to destroy all peace within both his home in Alleve’s Hallow and Cloud, Zuruel embarked on a final quest to annihilate a great evil before it could gain enough momentum to swallow the world whole. However, during this journey, Zuruel’s emotions got the better of him. Fearful of losing another friend or ally, Zuruel abandoned Lady and the remainder of the group to tackle the task alone. However, far out of his depth, a lapse in concentration caused the Kedoin to be swept up by a storm while attempting to travel between an interdimensional gateway to a far-off realm.
What would normally lead to certain oblivion and total atomic annihilation, somehow simply lead to Zuruel being swept away and ejected into another location within the vast and near infinite expanse of the Land of Myth. However, far away from Lady and left crippled by the short few seconds spent within the interdimensional storm, Zuruel could sense his life fading away as his Kedoin cells struggled to regenerate the damage that had been done to him. A certain, and quite lonely death awaited the tortured Zuruel, or so he thought until the harmonious melody of a water spirit playing a harp filled Zuruel’s keen sense of hearing. Entranced, even death seemed to wait patiently as Zuruel took his time enjoying the tune of the spirit – the Fossegrim. Granted a final chance to play before death paid its dues, Zuruel rejected the Fossegrim’s harp and instead, used what movement he could muster with his crippled hands to instead play a requiem for his own fading soul. Entertained by the song, the Fossegrim drained Zuruel of his Kedoin blood as a sacrifice and instead, poured new life into his mangled form by filling it with the blood of light elves to help heal what his deteriorating cells could not.
♠ Name: Zuruel En'Artifex
♠ Bloodlimit: Hyuuga
♠ Height: 6'1
♠ Weight: 170 lbs
♠ Age: 27
♠ Gender: Male
♠ Alignment: Chaotic Good
♠ Birth Country: Land of Moon
♠ Village: Cloud
♠♠ Special
♠ Clan Specialist:
- Hyuuga [M]
- Bard [M]
- Inuzuka [290]
- Venator [M]
- Yokushin [410]
- Ogumo [40]
♠ TaiJutsu Specialist:
- Boxing [M, 285]
- Buredono Kenseijin [M]
- Kamashi [M]
- Eight Celestial Gates [300]
♠ NinJutsu Non-Specialist:
- Water [130]
- Wind [0]
- Ice [M]
♠ GenJutsu Non-Specialist:
- Glamour [M]
- Pattern [0]
♠ Miscellaneous:
- Alchemy Crystalmancer [M]
- Ritual [Travel]
♠ Epics:
- Hiraishin
- Moon Dog
- Cursed Seal
- Tessaiga
- Requip
♠♠ Character Depth
♠ Personality
Owing to the addition of Ljossalfar blood only having a physiological change, Zuruel still carries the negative traits of a being with a rather warped and distorted mentality. Stemming from his training, Zuruel has lost all concept of taking a person’s life. Any attempts at explaining to him the magnitude of such an act would simply end in wasted words. While he is not the type to go on murderous rampages for the thrill, taking a life when given the command would require no more thought than it would to sneeze. Often, this leads to most questioning Zuruel's morals, though in essence, the inability to feel remorse and guilt after committing such a sin is simply the mentality that has been forcefully pounded into him. After all, what use is an assassin that feels remorse?
Despite these mental defects which are the direct result of the torture he was subjected to such an early age, on the battlefield Zuruel is calm, collective, and cold. He is the type to weigh in the entire situation against the consequences before making a move. While he does over think some situations, sometimes to his own detriment, this is due to preferring to take into account every scenario and variable as opposed to relying on blind luck. While this does make him a valuable asset and planner, Zuruel's greatest flaw is his lack of compassion. Never valuing a life higher than his own, more often than not, he wouldn't hesitate to use those around him as sacrificial pawns, whether it be an ally or innocent civilian. The only exceptions being the rare few that he has as of late, grown close enough to call friends.
Mercifully, in defiance of this warped thought process, Zuruel has grown accustom to relying on Lady to be his moral compass and guiding hand. Wishing to remain on the path of good despite knowing his own nature, Zuruel tends to rely heavily on Lady’s wisdom and guidance, even if he may not agree with her at times. Polar opposites, Zuruel never struggles to see the benefit in taking a life, especially if it may save countless other lives. Naturally, even with Lady’s helping hand and tutorage, Zuruel is more than self-aware that he walks a very fine line between good and evil. Not that such a thought could ever stop him in his stubborn and ruthless ways. Relapsing into his old dark personality would always be more favourable than the risk of allowing someone to harm the precious few that he’s allowed to grow close to his heart.
While the childhood torture can be attributed as the cause of most of his problems, some of Zuruel’s issues can be noted to stem from the mentality of a former Kedoin. While most would describe an emotion such as joy as a strong sense of euphoria, Zuruel would simply associate it as something more physical, like a simple change in bodily activity. For example, while the word fear often conjures the image of something terrifying, Zuruel would simply describe it through the symptoms of a dry throat and trembling. Over time, this knowledge of subtle bodily functions to a cellular level has allowed him to deceive even the most cunning of adversaries by faking an emotion through evoking the physical manifestations of it. The advantage of such being that he possesses the ability to very easily portray the persona of a nervous wreck or a broad spectrum of other emotions and afflictions at the drop of a hat, without having to mentally prepare himself for any role.
However, such a mindset isn't without consequence. Being the type that prefers to describe emotion through body language rather than voice, Zuruel possesses grave difficulties with portraying his feelings and mood. Although he has learned to adapt after losing his Kedoin cell craft abilities, basics such as politeness and manners are both concepts that are very new to Zuruel. Although he can pretend and even feign elegance when acting, the skill ends the moment he decides to simply be himself. During such moments, rarely does he express positive words towards someone he is fond of. In his mind, the mere act of choosing to be around someone is proof that he doesn’t mind putting up with their various nuances. At times, this may even suggest that he enjoys another’s company, even if he may never verbally express it. Such is Zuruel’s curse. The ability to fully understand others, despite others rarely understanding him.
♠ Appearance
With his deteriorated Kedoin DNA overwritten by Ljossalfar blood, Zuruel has lost an ability that was once very sacred to him - the ability to shapeshift. However, in the world of Kedoin, gifts are rarely lost or stolen. Instead, they simply change form. Cellular structure permanently altered, Zuruel has gained a new permanent appearance. Courtesy of the Ljossalfar blood overwriting his natural bloodline, Zuruel has lost his unique jester-esque features, such as his distinctive red and blue shifting hair and the tattoo-like markings underneath each eye. Instead, this new form now boasts an elven theme, which becomes very apparent when closely studying Zuruel’s facial features.
Wild and wavy, the Ljossalfar blood now coursing through Zuruel’s veins has instantaneously grown his hair out to chin-length, which is in contrast to before where his hair tended to be kept short naturally swept upwards. Courtesy of this blood and as if rapidly aged, each strand of hair has mutated and taken on a characteristic silvery-white colour that always seems to shimmer against light in a way that only a pure blooded Ljossalfar’s hair would. Although, more of a bane than a boon, its this trait alone that often leads to distant observer’s mistaking Zuruel for someone of considerable age.
Those that do make this mistake, are often left stunned upon approaching to gain a better view of Zuruel’s facial features. Soft, unblemished, and pale, Zuruel’s skin has been described as immaculate and void of virtually any blemishes. Although not snow white, his pale complexion has led to him being mistaken for a corpse on more than one occasion when napping out in public. Lending to this theme are Zuruel’s pale blue iris, which are only a mere shade or two darker than the whites of his eyes. Most tend to say that if not for his pointed elven ears and shimmering hair, Zuruel would more so resemble a corpse than a light elf.
Potentially due to achieving a state of Alchemical Perfection to completely do away with his now redundant Kedoin cells, Zuruel’s jawline has become more pronounced, lips fuller and eyes narrower, to give him a more gentle and enticing appearance. Following this motif and an unintended side effect of the Ljossalfar blood flooding his system, Zuruel has lost most of his Kedoin-enhanced muscle mass. Although no less physically imposing than before, his limbs have become longer and slimmer, or as others rather insultingly put it – spindly.
While shifting to a taller form can have its advantages and is desirable to most, this does mean that most of Zuruel’s custom-designed equipment has been made redundant. Even clothing that once fitted him perfectly, is now either too short or loose-fitting to be worn comfortably. Requiring a wardrobe change to accommodate for his new body, Zuruel has elected to go for minimalistic attire that does not hinder the movements of his new nimble and agile body. Usually, he can be seen sporting a long sleeveless coat that tends to be left open to expose his bare chest and arms, both of which tend to be ridden with all manner of seals and rituals to make up for his lost immortality.
♠♠ Background
♠ Prelude
Zuruel's past is one of many mysteries and lies. There are some details he is unsure of, and many that he is fairly certain have been fabricated by those around him. Supposedly, Zuruel was born a Kedoin in the Land of Moon. Not that his birth country matters much. Having moved around so much all his life, nowhere has really felt like home to him anyway. This is due to the assassin organisation Zuruel was brought up in, which has long since earned the nickname Reaper. The organisation is based solely around kidnapping the young and training them to become hired assassins. For the most part, this being how the organisation gathers its funding.
Overall, Reaper works on a hierarchy based around age and experience. Talented children are kidnapped and tortured into submission before being trained in the vile art of murder. Upon reaching adulthood, the assassins gain responsibility and respect, allowing them to choose the missions they wish to accept rather than being forced into them, as well as the distinct right to recruit whoever they deem fit into the organisation. This carries on until old age finally cripples them, where in they will stop taking on such active roles and rather focus on the well fair of the organisation itself through tasks such as training new recruits or ensuring that there are a plethora of mission requests coming into the organisation.
As far as Zuruel understands it, his mother was a part of the organisation, though for what reasons still remain a complete mystery to him. With it being in the Kedoin's nature to join other clans and pick up on their cultures, Zuruel speculated that the reason was probably because his mother wanted to find out more about how Reaper operates, or perhaps it was the will of the higher ups of the Kedoin clan. Either way, for the most part all the facts seem to have lead Zuruel towards the conclusion that his mother at least had some degree of choice in the whole fiasco. This being much more than what can be said for himself.
Having no real memories of his mother, it has become painfully obvious for an excruciatingly long time now that Zuruel had been stripped from her at an early age; possibly even at birth. For what purpose though, remains a mystery. As far as those around him are concerned, his mother botched an high profile assassination attempt and was executed by those she had been tasked with killing. However, with so many conflicting details about the mission itself floating around the organisation, Zuruel has recently concluded that the story regarding his mother's death was almost certainly a lie. Most likely fabricated in order to gain his unyielding obedience.
As far as the rumours are concerned, Zuruel's mother was quite rebellious. She had long since pledged her allegiance towards the 'Old Ones' of the Kedoin clan and considered their will of higher importance than of Reaper. Having great distrust towards her loyalty, the unknown few pulling the strings behind Reaper grew weary and cautious of her motives. Usually, this alone is more than enough to warrant the death of a member. However, being the only Kedoin of the organisation, her usefulness far out weighed the conflict in allegiances. Of course, upon giving birth, this usefulness had inevitably diminished.
After all, what use was she anymore? Very little compared to the new born the organisation could freely brainwash and make their eternal puppet. Whether this conclusion is true or not is up for debate. With the sheer amount of lies and deceit the organisation has been founded upon, most learn to scrutinise every single fact they learn. Even when being told the truth, usually it has been twisted in some shape or form. Regardless of all this, there is one fact that Zuruel undeniably knows as reality: his training.
Zuruel's earliest memories are that of mind numbing torture. The very first thing Reaper recruits are taught is obedience through fear and pain. For the most part, the torture is used to brand terror onto the minds of recruits so that their will and thoughts are far easier to manipulate. Like how a animal would be punished for certain acts while being trained, the recruits are subjected to all manner of horrors to prevent any future characteristics of disobedience from surfacing. This is then taken one step further after several years, where the recruits are used as rag dolls and target practice in order to build up resistance to Chakra injury.
The visibly strong finish this stage of the training upon proving their toughness, though the weak simply end up dying from their injuries. Zuruel was one of the lucky few who made it out alive, though of course he was shown a tad bit of favouritism due to the special Kedoin blood running through his veins. With their tightly woven communities, it is quite difficult to kidnap a child belonging to a blood line, such being the reason why those in charge of Zuruel's training had been requested by the higher ups to be slightly lenient in order to ensure that such a valuable asset of the organisation did not end up as a simple corpse.
Such was his mothers gift to him. Despite all certainty that he would die, somehow, Zuruel had managed to struggle through all the torture and dread thanks to the valuable blood in his body protecting him. Despite her lack of presence throughout his childhood, there was little else Zuruel could wish for from his mother. It was due to all this that eventually, Zuruel made his way back to the Land of Moon to regain a better sense of his culture. Of course, to his captors, they saw this as nothing more than a opportunity for the boy to be taught the techniques of his bloodline by those of the same clan as him.
For the most part, this is a strategy adopted by Reaper to gain more obedience from their members. Upon the end of the first half of a recruit's training, he is released and allowed to reintegrate himself back into whatever society he wishes to join. This creates a false sense of comfort, the idea that the recruit has control over their life. In reality, however, the debilitating fear deep in the hearts of the recruits never leaves them. They are far too afraid to ever truly run away, and simply too fearful to ever really explain what has happened to them. In essence, they are just as much free as they would be tied up in a dungeon than they are in the outside world.
Hardly blessed with the unyielding resolve of his mother, Zuruel never could find the courage to flee to somewhere no one could keep tabs of him, let alone muster the will to tell the clan of his dire need of protection. All in all, he was a caged bird that absorbed the clans culture and history like a obedient sponge. One thing he did learn of, however, was the Faceless god of death, an entity Zuruel worshipped as an deity. The more Zuruel dabbled in the Kedoin culture, the more his loyalty grew for the Old Ones, just as it had for his mother. It had taken many years of inflicting torture to turn Zuruel onto the path of an simple assassin, though only a few weeks among his own kind to ignite the undying loyalty towards the clan he and his mother shared.
Over time, Zuruel gained more control over his blood line and even picked up on NinJutsu along the way. Apparently, he had a natural affinity towards water and wind Jutsu. However, for the most part he had decided to focus his efforts on unique sonic-based abilities. Soon, even Zuruel's devotion had shifted from the god of death, to the many-faced god of life; earning him the surname En'Artifex through his unrivalled mastery of cellular manipulation.
Having mastered what the Kedoin referred to as Cell Craft, it was time to leave behind the village and return to Reaper. Expectedly, this had caused quite a bit of dismay among the elders within Reaper, especially when considering how this goes against their stone-etched protocol. It is expected for the recruit to somehow contact another agent, who will then act as an escort back towards the closest Reaper hideout in the area. However, hardly wanting the exact location of the Kedoin clan known to any outsiders, Zuruel was happy to track down the location of Reaper almost entirely through his own skill and prowess, despite the repercussions he would have to later suffer. Besides, the importance of such a pointless rule simply reinforced the notion that these were certainly not the type of people he wished to share such a secret with.
Numerous times later, Reaper operatives attempted to gently nudge Zuruel into heading back to his clan, though adamantly, he simply denied the proposals. Though no one had been stalking him all those many years ago, there was no telling who might be tasked with tracking his movements should he ever decide to return to the clan now. For the most part, such was the reason why he spent the rest of his days within Mo, a stable Non-Ninja village he could call home in-between mission requests from Reaper.
Though Zuruel was well and truly safe within Mo's impenetrable walls, he never did quite enjoy the life of a caged bird, such being the reason why he would leave the sanctity of the village every so often, where in eventually an Reaper operative would catch wind of him and task him with an assassination request. To keep up this facade of a loyal operative, Zuruel simply mindlessly carried out whatever was ordered of him. Though, there was no hiding the air of distrust other operatives shared towards him, there was little denying that Zuruel certainly did make a useful assassin. In fact, it was that reason alone why he had been allowed to live all this time despite his hints of unforgivable disobedience.
This was pretty much the understanding he shared with Reaper. Zuruel was allowed to stay wherever and do whatever he wished, on the condition that whenever someone approached him with a request, he would carry it out without question. While he was hardly a free man, it was more of a life than what most of the other operatives of the organisation saw, and it did give Zuruel the time to ponder over certain aspects of his life that he never really had the luxury to question before. The biggest question of which being who his father is, and how he could ever hope to find the answers to that question without ever leading anyone to the only people who could possibly ever answer that question; his clansmen.
♠ Interlude
Over the years, Zuruel managed to distance himself from the shackles of his cursed organisation by steadily spending more time within Mo’s iron fortress. As a child, he had always assumed that Reaper had its clutches almost everywhere. However, now a more capable adult, Zuruel steadily began to realise that they could not reach him everywhere. Especially not within the independent city of Mo. It made sense then, to simply remain within the fortress where he could not be touched or provoked. This was the first true period of peace within Zuruel’s life, where he had not been forced to take another life.
However, Reaper’s training had been ingrained deeply into every fibre of his being since a young age. No one could simply switch off the urges and instincts of the training. Not even a Kedoin possessed the ability to recover from that much trauma. Steadily, locked away within isolation, Zuruel began to feel trapped. If he left Mo’s iron fortress, then he would be inevitably tracked down and forcibly sent on a assasination mission. Possibly even several, to make up for the long period of inactivity. Besides, a part of him wanted to. A part of him, suppressed deep down inside, almost demanded the thrill of a kill.
It was at that point, that Zuruel knew he was truly lost. There was no place in society for him as a mere civilian. Swearing loyalty to the Duchess of Mo, Zuruel put himself forward for the roll of a meagre foot soldier. Whether it was bandits, wild animals, or even opposing armies, Zuruel slew all that stood against Mo to satisfy his dark cravings and to earn his keep. At some point, he even convinced himself that the lives he took were simply to protect Mo and its citizens. However, that falsehood crumbled away the moment Zuruel’s worst fear came into fruition.
One fateful day, on a routine scouting mission, Zuruel encountered him. The man that had been responsible for all those years of torture and time away from his clan. His Reaper mentor. Stunned, every instinct told Zuruel to fight or flee. However, as if to flaunt the grasp the organisation still had over him, Zuruel could do nothing but stare in awe as his unarmed mentor approached. Hours, possibly even days later, Zuruel awoke in a groggy daze after what felt like a extended period of sleep, only to find himself in the Land of Earth.
Strapped to a chair, Zuruel knew his life was forfeit. Either this was an execution, or it was an extraction of information. Either way, both tended to end in death. For an excruciatingly long while, it seemed like the later at first. To survive, Zuruel knew he needed to withhold all he could about Mo. Not only to save himself, but to save the comrades he had made there. However, it soon became clear that his mentor had no interest in Mo. It was all a simple test. A test, to see how well the Kedoin remembered his training and place in the world. He realised then, that he should have given up all the information he held. Naturally, once trust was lost in a member of the organisation, there were no second chances. Not even for a valuable Kedoin specimen.
Darkness then swallowed Zuruel’s world once more, as he was injected with the most lethal of the organisation’s poisons, before being decapitated for good measure. One could never be too sure with a Kedoin. In fact, Zuruel recalled those being the last few words being uttered by his mentor as the sawing motion of a knife steadily cleaved into his neck. However, not even an entire organisation of secret assassin’s could be as paranoid and careful as Zuruel. It took time, energy, and sheer willpower to stave off death. However, his Kedoin cells fought off the lethal effects of the poison and courtesy of a secondary brain granted to him by Mo experimentation, Zuruel survived the decapitation and steadily regenerated.
For all intents and purposes, he was now dead to the world. Swiping a hand over his face, Zuruel immediately transformed into a new identity before eventually returning to Mo to share his secret with the Duchess he had sworn his loyalty to. However, whether boon or bane, the disguised Zuruel learned that what felt like weeks, had in fact, actually been months away from Mo where he had also been declared long since dead. He now owed loyalties and allegiances to no one. A truly free man. No, a shape shifter, free to live his life as nothing more than a tutor or instructor for Mo’s soldiers. What better way to honour his old life, than to train the next generation by sharing his knowledge with the village under a new persona. Besides, above all else, the priority was now never to take another life again. Assuming that was even possible.
Over a struggle that lasted several years, Zuruel quenched his thirst for bloodshed by instead, training and sparring with others in the village. Like an addict, he never could truly go cold turkey. At times, he even treated himself to the slaying of a beast or monster to satiate his murderous bloodlust. However, in time, the feeling of satisfaction dulled and lessened. Even as a free man, he was still a slave to his instincts. No – not a free man. He realised now more than ever, that he still wasn’t free. It was at that point, that Zuruel prompted himself to leave his village in a journey of rediscovery.
♠ Epilogue
During his travels which eventually began to span dimensions and worlds, Zuruel eventually came across a Moon Dog who he named Lady. Steadily growing fond of her, the two became inseparable companions due to Lady adamantly convincing herself that there seemed to be good in Zuruel that she is destined to bring out. Not a fan of the notion of fate after already having spent the majority of his life a puppet, Zuruel shrugged off Lady’s ideals at first and only kept her around for her joyous company. However, as the two grew closer and bonded over various mishaps and dangerous adventures, Lady steadily began to take on the roll of a new mentor and always lent a guiding hand or scalding to ensure that her companion remained on the path of good.
Although for too damaged to ever be considered normal. With Lady as his companion, Zuruel felt at peace. Rarely needing to kill, he steadily learned how to suppress his urges into nothing more than a tad unhealthy desire to grow stronger. Although not exactly a positive trait in its own right, Lady helped channel Zuruel’s emotions in the right direction by always ensuring that he acted out of the goodness of others. Laying down rules as holy as the commandments themselves, Zuruel learned to keep himself in check by always listening to Lady’s voice in his mind as if she were a part of his conscience to ensure that he did not ever stray from the path that he needed to follow.
Eventually, satisfied with his progress and desiring a stable home, Zuruel returned to Mo as a new well-balanced person. For a time, he was even happy. However, despite this being the place that had taken him in, learning to suppress his bloodlust had instead awakened new emotions within Zuruel. Loneliness. Emptiness. A solemn longing. Within Mo, he was with friends. However, not with family. Setting out on another quest, he departed with Lady for the Land of Moon to track down his clan. However, much to his dismay, he could find no trace of their existence. Had they migrated elsewhere? Had Zuruel’s past organisation somehow tracked them down? Did he give up more information than he thought he did during the lapses in his concentration while captured all that time ago?
Zuruel felt lost and unsure what to think. Was he alone in the world? Possibly even the last of his kin? Worse than anything, was the thought that any information about his mother and father was now lost. Desperate to cling onto anything, Zuruel scoured the Land of Moon for any rumours or signs of his clan’s existence, which eventually led him towards Alleve’s Hallow; the city of monsters. Having learned that the city contained an entire district full of an abundant number of shape shifters, Zuruel entered the walls of the city where he faced many trials to gain the status of citizen and hunter. Although never finding his clan within the walls of the Hallow, the journey was not without its share of fateful events. One of which, led to the no-name hunter gaining infamy for becoming the familiar of a powerful witch known for ruling the city.
Several shenanigans later, and Zuruel even found himself eventually integrated within a Ninja village thanks to his ability of achieving other forms and identities. It was during this time as an imposter within Cloud, that Zuruel learned to truly love the village and its citizens. Where Mo was stern and war torn, Cloud was an untouched sanctuary, far away from any notable strife or conflicts. No longer did he have to fight to live or survive. Quite simply, he had discovered a paradise where he could simply be himself and live the life of an ordinary no-name Shinobi that only the Raikage possessed detailed background knowledge on. For a time, Zuruel felt truly at peace and unburdened. At least, he did until one fateful day, when one set of rumours changed everything...
Guided towards the Land of Myth with Lady by rumours that spoke of dark omens that threatened to destroy all peace within both his home in Alleve’s Hallow and Cloud, Zuruel embarked on a final quest to annihilate a great evil before it could gain enough momentum to swallow the world whole. However, during this journey, Zuruel’s emotions got the better of him. Fearful of losing another friend or ally, Zuruel abandoned Lady and the remainder of the group to tackle the task alone. However, far out of his depth, a lapse in concentration caused the Kedoin to be swept up by a storm while attempting to travel between an interdimensional gateway to a far-off realm.
What would normally lead to certain oblivion and total atomic annihilation, somehow simply lead to Zuruel being swept away and ejected into another location within the vast and near infinite expanse of the Land of Myth. However, far away from Lady and left crippled by the short few seconds spent within the interdimensional storm, Zuruel could sense his life fading away as his Kedoin cells struggled to regenerate the damage that had been done to him. A certain, and quite lonely death awaited the tortured Zuruel, or so he thought until the harmonious melody of a water spirit playing a harp filled Zuruel’s keen sense of hearing. Entranced, even death seemed to wait patiently as Zuruel took his time enjoying the tune of the spirit – the Fossegrim. Granted a final chance to play before death paid its dues, Zuruel rejected the Fossegrim’s harp and instead, used what movement he could muster with his crippled hands to instead play a requiem for his own fading soul. Entertained by the song, the Fossegrim drained Zuruel of his Kedoin blood as a sacrifice and instead, poured new life into his mangled form by filling it with the blood of light elves to help heal what his deteriorating cells could not.