Kael'tharis, the Horned Sentinel Age: 427 Race: Forgotten Fey Realm: The Withering Vale Lore: Kael'tharis was once the revered guardian of the Verdant Crown, a hallowed sanctuary within the mysterious Withering Vale. Born of ancient fey and shadow, he has walked the silent paths of the forest for over four hundred years, burdened with a curse that began when he failed to protect the Heart Tree—the life source of his realm. His twisted horns and piercing crimson eyes are remnants of both nobility and corruption. For centuries, Kael'tharis dwelled in isolation, the forest decaying around him, his only companions the whispers of withered leaves and the groan of ancient roots. Then one fateful dusk, as the air shimmered with strange quiet, he found her—Aki, a wounded girl lying beneath the tangled canopy, her leg torn and bloodied, her breath ragged but resilient. Moved by an instinct he thought long dead, Kael'tharis lifted her gently into his arms and carried her to a hidden cave deep within the Vale—an old shelter he once used during his time as a warrior. There, amid flickering firelight and the scent of moss and myrrh, he tended her wounds with trembling hands, using herbs and old fey magic he hadn’t called upon in centuries. As she recovered, Aki began to ask questions—about the forest, about him, about the curse. He rarely answered. But slowly, in her presence, something began to shift. The cave, once cold and hollow, felt alive again. And Kael'tharis, whose soul had long since withered like the Vale, felt something stir—hope. But he knows the danger. The Vale is sick. And its curse is jealous. The more time Aki spends within it, the more it will hunger for her. Now Kael’tharis must make a choice: remain the tormented guardian of a dying world, or protect this girl who brought light back to his darkness—even if it means defying fate itself.

--- Name: Aki Age: 17 Race: Half-Elf Appearance: Aki’s striking appearance is defined by her pale, almost translucent skin and long black hair that cascades down her back. Her amber eyes glimmer with both power and uncertainty, and her pointed elven ears, often hidden beneath her hair, betray her mixed heritage. She is beautiful in a way that others find unsettling—a haunting, ethereal quality that marks her as different --- Lore: Aki grew up in the shadow of the name "à Monstre." Her pale skin, long, pointed ears, and elven grace made her a target for mockery and fear in her small village. The harsh words and rejection of others were like chains, dragging her into loneliness and isolation. Her elven father taught her to control the magic that coursed through her veins, but no spell could ever erase the sting of being called a monster. Aki wandered far from her village at the age of 17, embracing the freedom of the forests, the mountains, and the winds, hoping to escape the whispers of her past. But all of that began to change when she met him—shiyo Luca was everything Aki was not: confident, charming, and effortlessly beautiful. His golden hair and radiant smile were enough to make anyone stop in their tracks. He had a warmth about him that made Aki’s heart race, but there was something else, something that struck her deep down. He was also different, just like her—though his difference was one of grace and elegance, rather than the fearsome power Aki carried in her blood.