Anti-Hero Syndrome [Solo]

[Ashla]

Anti-Hero Syndrome:
the Psychological Profile of an Executioner of the Wicked, and the start of the United Althanian Criminal Rehabilitation Project.
Written by Criminal Psychologist, Doctor Calanon Arandorion.

[Ashla]

There were a select few pleasant aspects in the living trash heap that was Lornius. A brutal history and brutal folk dominated its scorched landscape. Corruption and poverty ran wild. What was humanitarianism here? What was it like when the walking skeleton of a mother cried in joy that a kind sir gave her starving children food for the night? What was it like when the surprisingly evil democratic government gave up babbling and arguing and gave something to its subjects for once? Well… I had asked these questions over and over again when I moved from Corone to here to work as a criminal psychologist in Terrinore Isle. Now, after five years of studying cases inside the prison and out, I was determined to go beyond my fancy white doctor's coat and do something. I, Doctor Calanon Arandorion, had a proposition to make to the head directors of Terrinore. I was finally going to make a difference.

This was pretty much one of the only pleasant places in a prison meant to hold the likes of folk like, say, Madison Freebird or Lichensith Ulroke. Both individuals intrigued me, prodded my interest. What could cause single people with single minds to commit so many terrible deeds? I was positive from what little I heard of Ulroke that he was a legitimate sociopath. Maybe a psychopath, considering how well he manipulated masses. Oh, if only they were here so we could study them… Maybe though, just maybe, after tonight I would be able to reach out to people like them.

The room was simple. A white, concrete wall and marble floor surrounded me. With all the shades, shadows, and blood in the prison I was not surprised that a lighter color scheme was used for this room. Still, the room was dark and like fog. Dark oak tables circled around the room on pedestals, fanciful wooden rails guarding them well from the outside prison. All the faces of the prison heads were hidden from me. I did not need to see their faces to present my plans to them. An expert psychologist and mental magician with social influence to match, I was more than ready for this.

"Doctor Arandorion, you asked for council with us?" The prison's main man echoed from his makeshift throne.

"Indeed," I felt myself smile, my blue elf ears perking in excitement, "I have been studying the criminal minds of many, inside the prison and out, for five years now. I have an earth shattering revelation to share. This will not only change Terrinore, but the entirety of Lornius."

In a small tinge of nervousness, I pushed my glasses up my nose. "Not every wrongdoer is a monster." I looked down to a neat and tidy folder clenched against my chest. As my white robe swayed, I held the binder out, "And this single case alone will prove it."

[Ashla]

I turned the page of the leather binder, on it was the name of an individual I kept my eyes on for a while now. She was not a prisoner, but on every holiday and break I had, I searched the globe for word of her. I had my assistant Venya search for much longer. Even if she never saw her face to face, my little sister never failed to bring back something of use. After four years of obsessing, putting this outlier over my patients here even, I had my case ready for presentation. I was making a point tonight, and with a little fancy talk and mind manipulation it would work.

"I have been studying a certain individual for a long time now. Of course, I've never seen her face to face, but I have collected interviews and found stories of her."

I rambled off her list of crimes and felonies to the heads, "This individual is wanted in all regions of Althanas save Scara Brae, Dheathian, and Eiskalt - although Eiskalt still wants her to stay out. She attacked and even killed law enforcement officers in Salvar, is considered a petty theif and full blown serial killer in Corone and Raiaera, is an enemy of Alerar by mere heritage and former nationality, and was an illegal alien and mass murderer in Fallien."

A smirk spread across my faith. I lowered the binder, waving my free hand, "Tell me, does this person sound horrible? Evil? Pathological? A solid case of anti-social personality disorder?"

A random person started to speak from the faceless darkness, "Uh… ye-"

"-I was being metaphorical, don't interrupt me." I shot to the unnamed person before looking at the binder again, "To most people she would be a wretch. A mastermind psychopath more than worthy of being locked up behind the bars of Althanas' most brutal prison forever."

Here, I turned the page. A mugshot penciled by a Coronian law enforcement officer portrayed a surprisingly young and aloof face. Long, black hair and elvish ears made the idea of her being a criminal insane. Yet, she was - not only a criminal, but a tad bit coo-coo. I took a moment to observe the features of an adolescent barrel breaker before turning another page. I looked up again, "In my research, however, I found a person who is surprisingly human - well, half human, half elf-"

"-What are you getting to, doctor?" Another faceless leader, a female, shouted from the shadows. I had to catch myself, this was important. Clearing my throat and muttering an apology, I continued.

"I present to you," I shouted, "My full psychological profile of Ashla 'Ayleth' Rose Icebreaker!"

[Ashla]

I turned the pages again. A text of simple handwriting, my own, that explained all I collected throughout the years.

"Born to Ashfall Icebreaker and Layla Rose in the region of Eiskalt, Ashla was raised by her uncle. I do not know much of her childhood, but when she was fourteen her entire family, save Fulgur II, were killed in the selfish ambitions of Fulgur I. Ashla's uncle, apparently, was killed in front of the child."

Pushing up my glasses, I continued to read, "After this tragedy, she escaped slaughter by going to Fallien. It is here that her fall started. . ."

I looked up to the hidden members of the group, "The next bit of story I heard of her was from the Althanas Leagues. She lost miserably. Apparently, some of her opponents was were the infamous Lichensith Ulroke and Zack Blaze, who both her mortal enemies during the Eiskalt War, which I will further delve into in a moment."

I turned another page, "Prior to the war, Ashla and Fulgur took over the small country. The young nation was under their and Julius Tabor's rule for a short while before the Eiskalt War was initiated."

I glared as I asked a question, "She was sixteen at the time. Tell me, what ways the massacre of that scale affect not only a teenager, but a teenager in charge of the country that became like a bloodbath?"

[Ashla]

I further looked into the notes as I spoke, "In Eiskaltian culture, the Nobile Families were seen as pretty much one step down from deities. Their powers and political power were legendary. There were two family trees, however. The 'main' members, the immediate family of the eldest child. They were the political leaders and true holders of powers. The second born children were the 'branch' members. They upheld the justice system, worked as a police force and controlled the judicial system. The branch members literally were the judge and juries. Guess which of these Ashla Rose was on..."

I traced my finger across the cursive writings as I spoke with boldness, "During one of the bloodied wars - no - massacres in recent Althanian history, she was in charge of handling the way of the armies and defenses. Not a general,more like a chief of war. Obviously, she must have done a poor job..."

I pushed up my glasses again, "She was, oddly enough, the most loved of the families of that time. After the war, during the civil war, the child was only kicked out with a warning. However, she literally had lost everything in that time period. Take a young girl, put her solely in charge of the justice system, during a war. It only makes sense that when she was exiled outside she was already twisted."

A smirked as I turned a page, "But we have not completed her journey yet. She would go on to create a group called Peace At aLL Expenses. Or PALE."

"Aside it being an uncreative name, the group had its fair share of crimes."

[Ashla]

I looked across the details of the page. Wanted posters, newspapers listing the story of how entire crime organizations were taken down, witness reports of acts of terrorism...

"That 'judge, jury, and executioner' mentality she formed in Eiskalt," I raised my head, "She carried into this new organization. Some compared it to the Ixian Knights, yet others looked upon them as being just as bad as the Crimson Hand."

I pulled out a slip of paper bearing an old recruit's letter to a parent, "Even from the inside, members could see the violent undertones. They spoke of justice, yet claimed that justice only came from taking an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

I lowered the paper, holding the booklet with my spare hand. "PALE carried an extremist philosophy. They took crime down with acts of terrorism and ruthless slaughter. No wonder that after Icebreaker experienced a mental breakdown, the organization disbanded. They had already been kicked out of Raiaera and too popularised in Corone. Fallien was their last leg, and midway through survival their leader... snapped..."

I bit my lip, "She had recently lost a chief in command, her husband. It was obvious that that loss, raising a child, training a pupil, and running a strained organization was too much for her fragile psyche. Icebreaker left her own organization in an act of negligence. Yet, when Ashla died...

... Ayleth was born."

[Ashla]

"She was called the Executioner of the Wicked." I slipped the letter back into the folder. I turned the page. A wanted poster from Salvar, a newpaper telling of the massacre of a crime family in Corone, sheet music for a lute led ballad of the deadly warrior who cut down bandits and assassins. She was a much more vital legend alone than in an extremist terrorist group. Ayleth, the Executioner of the Wicked, was a story told to misbehaving children.

She fascinated me. My analytical mind was obsessed with understanding her kind; understanding her. I felt my heart race with each page turn as I told her story. I secretly influenced their minds with my mind bending magic as I spoke.

"She demolished crime organizations, slayed countless criminals, and made herself feared amongst those on the other side of the law. Ironic, as all those killings were just as bad. She helped and ran from the law..."

I gripped the folder, "She carried the judge, jury, executioner mentality from Eiskalt, showed the cunning of a strategic mastermind... Yet, beneath it all..."

I lowered the folder, looking down upon the scribbles. There were many jumbled notes of various mental illnesses and neurological disorders. Yet, I had found none that described her. Defying all current rules of the psychological handbooks and guides, I had to improvise. I had a theory of my own. So many thoughts raced as I blocked them from their heads. As I controlled their own thoughts.

"She shows no signs of anti-social personality disorder. According to my studies, she took in a student in pity and had a family. The impulse to leave her organization in a flash could hint at borderline or bipolar, but there are no reports of dueling moods or instant shifts in beliefs or values - at least, outside the Ayleth mask she made for herself. Is she delusional? Defiantly. Yet, a lack of hallucinations rule put schizophrenia or psychosis. Schizoid seems closer, yet reports potray her as both cold, calculating; yet kind and emotional. No... She is a unique case."

[Ashla]

I looked down at the notes. In an outline, many key symptoms were written in red ink. I cleared my throat as I spoke.

"In my limited study of this individual, I see...

- Delusional ways of thinking; paranoia and/ or eccentricities.
- A low level of detachment from reality and common sense.
- A wide range of emotions; the ability to feel and act upon guilt and remorse.
- Lack of socially moral right or wrong; a jaded, grey moral compass.
- A potentially heightened sense of self; a false belief that they are above and for the law. 'Narcissistic' traits.
- An inability to take criticism or accept other world views; inflexibility and rigidness.
- Dangerously extremist world view; willing to harm others for the right cause.
- Inability to form and keep friendships; few close relationships.
- Feeling that some sort of weight is on their shoulders; trying to fight for a 'right' or 'good' cause.
- They truly and sincerely believe(d) they were in the right when they were defying society in a dangerous way and/ or breaking the law.
- A criminal record due to their extremist measures."

I turned the page again, looking upon a scribble of red words on the center of the paper. Those words, my new diagnosis, was the first of several main points of my theory and plan.

Anti-Hero Syndrome.

[Ashla]

I looked up to the faceless shadows. My speech was nearly done. With my mental persuasion, this would come along smoothly. I closed the book and tucked it under my arm. Firm and calculating, I spoke.

"I have no existing disorder to diagnose her and other similar people with. However, disorders are diagnosed when the individual causes harm to others and oneself, when it gets in the way of regular living. I believe that with your support, I can crack the code."

I stepped closer to the heads, eagerness and energy pushing me forward, "I have a proposition. I will need resources and gold, but I can make it happen! With your grace, I can help these individuals and all of Althanas." My footsteps echoed across the stone floor.

"It would be a rehabilitation program." I smiled, "I would bring these prodigals into a camp where they can relearn to livr safely in society, have therapy to set their thinking straight, and training programs to learn trade skills. I believe rehabilitation is more important than punishment."

I smirked, "But of course, it would still be heavily guarded and secure." I lifted an intelligible finger, "But here is the best part. These people, already skilled in combat, can aid in our cause. They can arrest other criminals and bring them here, assassinate those who are too dangerous to be kept alive. They can do the dirty work that most prisons, most governments, do not want to. They are still prisoners, afterall. They still are bound to us until they work off their sentence."

I cleared my throat, "It will require a castle grounds with multiple buildings available and a strong gaurd. It should be more focused on not getting out than getting in. I will need the best psychologists and therapists as well. Nothing I'm sure you cannot do, my friends."

I put my hand behind my back, "So... What do you say?"

[Ashla]

Outside the businessroom, a young drow leaned against the wall. Her blond hair covered blue skin. Her armored armor was personalized with painted shades purple and pink. As the sound of distant shouting and prison atrocities rang in her pointed ears, she kept her arms crossed.

Then, from the doors, her brother stepped out. He wore nothing more than a satisfying smug smirk on his face. She saw the glow in his eyes, the sign of his mental grip on the chairmen. He had them ensnared in a trick he did not even need to try to pull. As held his folder in front of him as the doors closed. He turned to her with a triumphant grin. "We have won."

In her elder twenties, for a new elf, she pushed herself off the wall. "The game plan?"

He cleared his throat, "We've been given the previously abandoned Castle Semper on the island of Renascitur. It may not be much, but it is more than I need."

She shared his confidence, her own sly smile forming, "My next move?"

He placed a firm, but fond, hand on her shoulder, "I need you to locate Icebreaker's current location, sister."

She nodded and started to walk away. As she walked out, he called to her, "Vanya!"

She turned to look at her older brother.

He smiled earnestly, "Good luck."

She just winked, "I don't need it, Calanon."