Automatic Dread
03-26-06, 01:51 AM
(Yes, it's long. No not, Lorenor-long... longer. Sorry)
Given Name: Nemesio Cortez Delgado
Pseudonyms: ‘Sio, Nem, Cortez
Race: Human… ish
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Birthday: 14th February
Height: 6’5”
Weight: Ideal (I’m not very good with exact weight…)
Hair Colour: Burgundy
Eye Colour: Honey
Relatives:
• Mother – Alva Delgado (46)
• Father – Javier Delgado (45)
• Sister (Elder) – Catalina Delgado (21)
• Sister (Elder) – Elena Delgado (21)
• Brother (Younger) – Nicanor Delgado (15)
• Grandfather (Alva’s Father) – Adán Vidaurri (72)
• Aunt (Javier’s Sister) – Elvira Rios (39)
• Uncle – Eduardo Rios (43)
• Cousin (Female) – Dolores Rios (19)
• Cousin (Male) – Demetrio Rios (17)
Marital Status: Single
Birthplace: … (I’ll get back to you, heh)
Current Location: Unknown
Education: Schooled the alphabet and simple mathematics, Nemesio’s academic education only truly came into its own when ‘Sio began to teach himself.
(Very) Detailed Physical Description: Standing a solid 6’5”, Nemesio Delgado is notably tall for his age and for a long time this proved to be an aesthetic disadvantage, rendering him lanky and somewhat gaunt but after almost a full year of trekking through the plains of Althanas; Nemesio has finally gained enough muscle to give his figure a more appealing shape. Although devoid of any softness, ‘Sio has remained fairly lithe, but overall, his form is highly attractive, composed in a manner that suits and compliments the rest of his appearance. Beautifully proportioned, Nemesio’s body is all about balance and strength. Large feet retain the dimensions of the rest of his frame admirably, leading upwards into legs that are slightly longer than most men’s; the main offender when it comes to his abnormal stature but comprised of defined thighs and calves, they are hardly feminine. Sinewy tendons help to exhibit their lines before dragging upwards into an eye-pleasing rear that is high and tight as well as sexy. At his front, the slice of his hipbones pulls upwards into a splendid abdomen that might not have the rippling form of the greatest warrior but bares a long, taut six-pack nevertheless. His pectoral muscles reflect the rest of his body’s trunk; defined but not to the extreme, leaving his left nipple’s piercing the most noticeable feature of his torso. A prominent collarbone spans the front of ‘Sio’s reasonably broad shoulders, wrapped in muscle that leads right the way down his arms to the very points of his extended, dexterous fingers. Even though his body’s muscular structure isn’t bulky, it clearly showcases a good deal of recently acquired power.
In his motions, all of this is emphasised and the strength of his person, both physical and mental, is displayed magnificently. Nemesio’s learned confidence lends an air of authority to his stride that is far beyond his position, suited better to a leader, instead of the loner he has become. Decisive, practiced and precise, ‘Sio’s movement is rarely clumsy but astonishingly, he is flawed by a complete lack of grace. Every wide gesture, every assured step of his walk is linked to the next in the most jarring, disjointed manner; devoid of the fluidity that would lace them together with elegance. All the same, Nemesio manages to pull off decent performances in battles. With a fighting style that’s fast but grounded by an overall lack of technique, the young explorer is always thinking four or five steps ahead and has a response for almost every assault that is unleashed upon him. Naturally, ‘Sio can still be surprised and taken off guard but speedy reactions and an even faster mind help to generate adequate counterattacks and defences though sheer inexperience often leads him to fault.
Having spent most of his life under the sun, ‘Sio’s skin has adopted a beautiful golden colour that highlights the muscles lurking beneath the surface. However, nothing is perfect and Nemesio is far from the exception to this rule. The instant ‘Sio was born, his elder sisters instinctively hated him and sought to hurt or upset him in any way they could. They plotted and schemed, stole his toys and tricked him into getting into trouble but by far the worst of their cruelties was the one that has marked him forever. By the time Nemesio turned ten, he had finally grown a backbone so when one of the twins tried to grab the ball he’d been playing with, the young Nemesio lashed out and pushed her away. Sadly for ‘Sio, she was stronger than him at the time and pushed her brother back so harshly that he staggered and fell. It was just unfortunate that he had to fall through the window. As a result, much of Sio’s form is littered with the reminder of the horrible lacerations he suffered. Pale marks of all shapes and sizes sporadically lace over his left arm, much of his back and parts of his legs and against the tanned expanse of his skin, these lines are frighteningly clear. Still, ‘Sio is unashamed and doesn’t bother with impractical attempts to disguise them, especially when they’re so good at warding off muggers.
Nemesio’s handsome head is supported by a firm, yet slim, neck and displays features that seem far too regal to belong to a mere traveller yet somehow suit ‘Sio just perfectly. Their bold, angular lines compliment his masculine figure wonderfully and hint at his mother’s exotic descent. Nemesio’s face is oval shaped, with an elegantly angled jaw capped with a firm chin. A, long straight nose with a delicately rounded tip provides a strong centrepiece and below sits a well shaped mouth that is slightly too big for ‘Sio’s face, though this has no negative sway on his appeal. His lips are full enough to be attractive, the bottom more so than its counterpart, and of a dull red shade that adds a sensual feel to an otherwise hardened form. Often, these lips are stretched into wide smiles that show off Nemesio’s straight, white teeth and are horribly contagious. ‘Sio’s cheeks are slightly hollowed; an effect of having high cheekbones and something that is emphasised with every grin. Framed by thick, dark lashes, Nemesio’s eyes are of a deep honey colour that becomes burnt around the edge of the iris and the pupil. Proportionate and beautifully shaped, they are extremely expressive and convey ‘Sio’s emotions swiftly and without a word making it difficult for the youth to pull of a convincing lie. Their magnetic appeal is highlighted by an inner light, causing them to be faintly luminous and ensuring their place as Nemesio’s favourite aspect of himself. Thick, dark eyebrows arch over them neatly and in turn, a sloped forehead leads back into a straight hairline. ‘Sio’s ears are mostly covered by his hair, but are well-shaped regardless and sport the last of Nemesio’s piercings; his right baring three and his left a mere one.
Parted off-centre and reaching an inch or so past his shoulders, Nemesio’s hair is straight but in a constant state of disarray. It’s untameable, choosing to do as it pleases and as a result, it appears wild, as if Nemesio had only just moved from his bed. The fact that his cut is self sustained understandably fails to help with this lack of order. An early attempt at introducing layers to his hair has resulted in every strand having its own unique length and due to Nemesio’s haphazard side-parting, many of these jagged locks fall in front of his left eye, almost completely hiding it from view. Still, there are some consistencies, for one, ‘Sio’s hair does seem to get longer as it reaches the back and in spite of all it’s flaws, somehow, in some way it manages to look totally right on the teenager. Its colour is an appealing shade, though fairly unusual for human hair; it’s a deep purplish-red, a burgundy shade flecked with browns and blacks of all flavours. This Nemesio inherited from his mother and it’s a trait that his siblings share. However, if asked to explain it, it’s highly likely that the colour would lose a drastic amount of its appeal. His mother’s blood alchemy caused her blood to grow into her hair, staining it a dark red which, due to her continued practice of such dangerous arts, remains a strong vermillion shade. Due to the dangers of her craft, she wisely forbid her children from dabbling in it and as a result, the blood that stains their hair, becomes darker at the edges, appearing as if it’s merely coated in the liquid and has that it has begun to dry. Nemesio has been warned that should he choose to pursue other magical paths, his hair will adopt a different shade, thanks to his mother’s unusual lineage, though this has yet to show.
Nemesio’s voice is a culmination of the rest of his appearance, holding many of the qualities and negativities found within those other aspects. Its basis is a strong, rich tone that’s deep enough to reflect his masculinity yet just like his motions, has a sharp aspect that actually serves as a positive here, helping to grab a listener’s attention with ease and efficiency. ‘Sio has a tendency to slur his words, speaking in a manner that does away with such silly things as the beginning of sentences and leaves him with such common contractions as ‘wanna’ and ‘kinda’. Akin to his eyes, Nemesio’s voice is an expressive tool, his tone and volume shifting easily to match his mood. This heartfelt quality is no doubt why his singing voice is so alluring; whilst he may not be a superstar in that regard, missing the range, or control of such idols, ‘Sio manages to hold a tune pretty well and captures the emotions of a song marvellously.
Considering that Nemesio has been relying on the charity (and carelessness) of others to survive, it’s hardly surprising that he has little variety in his clothing. Indeed, ‘Sio has only two black tops, almost identical, two pairs of black pants, almost identical, and a pair of black knee-high boots and that’s it. Still, the youth manages to look sexy, if only for the sheer tightness of his garments; both his t-shirts and his pants cling to his form as if for dear life, highlighting the muscle movement beneath their confinements. Understandably, his garments have become worn and frayed in recent months; his T-shirts trying to rise above his midriff as the edges grow notably more tattered with each passing day. ‘Sio pants, though, have escaped much of this, with only the ends of the legs becoming worn and those then being tucked into his boots. It appears that they’ll last a little longer than his soon-to-be-replaced shirts. All the same, Nemesio has managed to adorn himself in enough jewellery to offset this, throwing an extravagant, outlandish aspect into his otherwise unremarkable attire. Chains hang round his waist and off the thick belt that secures his blades to his person; black laces, along with silver and gold chains wind round his neck and wrists in varying degrees of tightness, laden with trinkets and inexpensive gems. Every single item has its own story and you can bet that it holds some sentimental value for ‘Sio though getting the stories out of him would certainly be a challenge.
(Very) Detailed Personality: The deep and profound faith of Alva Delgado was something she was unable to pass on to her son, for whilst Nemesio certainly believes in the power of the soul, he remains unconvinced of its immortality. For him, death is the end of existence, a time when all a person has to anticipate is the plethora of maggots that will soon burrow within their rotting flesh, yet in truth, ‘Sio can’t help but pray that he is wrong. He does not and will never want to stop existing. It’s selfish, he knows, and Nemesio feels immensely guilty for wanting perhaps the greatest gift of all but such guilt pales in comparison to his conviction. The tales of vampires, of other eternals, of necromancy and biokinesis that wooed him so effectively as a child, still hold a dramatic sway over his judgement, for they give him a hope; a hope of his own amaranthine future and have driven him to travel Althanas, seeking his salvation, before his time runs out.
Nemesio’s choice of magic reflects this attitude to perfection for what else could the teenager choose to develop but biokinesis; the manipulation of the genetic structure and living organisms. In its highest levels, biokinesis could craft a super-human, eradicating all weaknesses, reprogramming the genes that control how far they see, or how much force their bones can tolerate and in the most extreme cases, make it possible to alter the roaming free radical atoms that bring the plague of old age upon mortal kind; granting immortality to the effected. Understandably, Nemesio is far from such mastery, the young traveller has barely started focusing in this particular field and as neither his mother, or his father are accomplished in his chosen art, the evolution of Nemesio’s powers has been furthered purely by his own practice and chance discoveries. ‘Sio longs for real guidance, a tutor, a friend, a book; someone or something that can help him perfect such a difficult craft as it’s deeply infuriating for ‘Sio, to have the power, yet lack the control, skill and knowledge to fulfil his ambition.
However, a natural intelligence and a solid sense of realism have helped Nemesio to come to terms with the horrible fact that his quest may end in vain; for all his efforts, ‘Sio can still die and consequently, he believes that he should at least make the most of what life he is given. Should everything come to dust, the youth want to be able to reminisce and not see a life wasted chasing a foolish, unobtainable goal but something of value, something that is worth remembering. Should his life be finite, he wants it never to be forgotten and thus, Nemesio will try anything once, often acting on impulses that most sensible people would quell quickly. He’s a shameless, wild child whose actions would traumatise his poor parents should they ever discover them yet ‘Sio is still anything but stupid and his actions remain as discreet as possible, to prevent his scandalous lifestyle being shared with those he cares for back home.
It is this compassion, this loyalty to his loved ones that is Nemesio’s most noble trait. These are the people ‘Sio would do almost anything for, were they in danger, he would stop what he was doing and fight for them; were they about to die, Nemesio would not hesitate to lay down his life for their sustentation yet only a small number of people ever manage to obtain such devotion. It takes a considerable amount of effort to become a friend of Nemesio Delgado, mainly because the youth expects those he holds dear to be prepared to follow his example. ‘Sio needs to believe that these trusted few would give their lives in exchange for his, would fight on his side, no matter what the odds and would show him the comfort that he desperately craves. This element of Nemesio is easier to understand when taken into account alongside his shockingly low self-esteem. ‘Sio knows he’s more intelligent than most, has more potential than most and is more attractive than most and yet he is of the opinion that his flaws outweigh anything good that can be found within him. Nemesio’s self view is incredibly depressing; sighting himself as an arrogant, cynical creature who can’t help but annoy people to within an inch of their sanity and it is because of this that he cherishes those who tolerate them yet so unsure of himself, ‘Sio needs to feel that they are as devoted to him as he is to them. He needs that reassurance, otherwise he feels rejected. Understandably, ‘Sio has made few friends during his travels.
Quite surprisingly then, Nemesio has somehow become an incredibly outspoken person who seems to have an opinion about anything and everything. However, to those who pay attention to his words, it could not be more apparent that he is holding back for ‘Sio rarely speaks negatively about his immediate environment, the exceptions to this being when he is convinced others will agree with him but by far the least talked about subject in Nemesio’s world, is Nemesio himself. Sure, the youth may be able to rant and rave about his sexual conquests, as teenagers are wont to do but beyond that, ‘Sio finds it uncomfortable to talk about his feelings. If the subject ever comes up, he deviates from it as quickly as he can, straying back into conversations about his favourite musical artist, or sexual position. If he is unable to form a tangent, he excuses himself or replies with one-word non-descript answers such as ‘tired’ or ‘hungry’.
Considering Nemesio’s moral code, or rather, his outright lack of a moral code, it’s hardly surprising that the young traveller has no preference when it comes to the sexes. To ‘Sio, choosing to pursue either males or females conclusively would feel wrong, as if he was cutting away a bit part of himself in an utterly wasteful and stupid move. He loves women with their curves, their intricacies and their wonderful warmth yet he loves men with their strength, their passion and their perfect tightness, to limit himself to one would be like slaughtering a best friend; he’d always feel as if he was missing out on something great. Understandably, this has meant that whilst Nemesio has had a fair number of lovers, he can’t find it within himself to settle down with anyone for this would mean those undesired restrictions would tighten around his neck like a twisted slipknot. Consequently, ‘Sio only has sexual conquests and one night stands, refusing romantic things like dates, or even the post-coital exchange of contacts for such things could lead to the most terrible confusion with his steadfast loyalty and his promiscuity mangling inside him in a chaotic mental mess.
In addition to ‘trying everything once’ Nemesio is determined to learn all he can. He knows that natural smarts can only take him so far and consequently, ‘Sio is someone who is pleased by learning new things, no matter how insignificant they seem. Each fresh piece of knowledge he acquires is something that is beyond priceless for it gives him that little burst of satisfaction that can leave him in a good mood all day. As a result, Nemesio tens to prefer the company of people with a similar mindset; who wish to broaden their horizons for they in turn seem to teach him new things and ‘Sio can’t help but value that. Sharing knowledge, to Nemesio is something warm; intimate. Of course, the flip side to this is Nemesio’s utter hatred for the ignorant, specifically those who wish to remain so. In his eyes, those who place their trust and lives in some fucked up religion don’t deserve sympathy and the presumptuous people who believe they know it all just deserve a good kick to the groin.
Unlike normal people, who would avoid those they disliked as if they were infected with a disgusting and contagious disease, Nemesio seeks out those who disagree with him and argues his point until it’s drilled into his opponent’s head. Often, these verbal quarrels escalate into physical conflicts but this is something that ‘Sio welcomes for whether with his wit, or fists, he will fight his corner until there is not a single bated breath left within his body. Nemesio is not content with just clashing with his enemies, no, the young traveller’s antagonistic urges spread far further across the board. ‘Sio is all too eager to seek out the world’s greatest minds and take them on in a battle of intelligence and yet he is rarely disappointed when he loses. In those cases, he considers himself privileged to have learnt something new from someone so revered. Though when he wins, regardless of whether it’s against some lunatic evangelist or a renowned philosopher, Nemesio feels utterly thrilled. His competitive and somewhat sadistic side shines brilliantly and he may not gloat but it’s obvious he is proud of himself.
‘Sio enjoys giving his mind these challenges and even when his disagreements do come to blows, the practice remains the same. For Nemesio, a physical fight is as much a mental challenge as any complex discussion he may partake in. Only in the midst of battle, everything seems that much more intense. ‘Sio must think quickly if he is to survive, inventing new and creative ways to dodge and assault his adversaries yet the immediacy of the situation demands that he do this as competently, as swiftly and as accurately as he possibly can. To Nemesio, a good battle is utterly exquisite, the satisfaction emphasised by the passion that drives his movements, that triggers the adrenaline rushes that keep him standing half the time. All of his anxiety, all of his doubt, all of his hate, his anger, his bloodlust comes pouring out of him and through his sword, is launched into his challenger and out flows the most beautiful, most twisted schadenfreude. Again, none of this is lost when he loses. Nemesio is content to have his bloodlust beaten out of him; once or twice, ‘Sio has even indulged this masochistic side and lost purposely. It’s easy to see that in both tangible and cerebral clashes, Nemesio’s true fulfilment comes from the conflict itself as opposed to the ending. It’s the act and not only the result, that ‘Sio finds rewarding.
Nemesio may be proud of his abilities but he is simultaneously disgusted with himself for submitting to the thrill of the fight. He’d love to be able to be an utter pacifist but he simply gets wound up too easily and his fickle temper can’t help but push him deeper into the pit that is his aggression. It’s just another thing he hates about himself. Yet there is one thing that Nemesio is definitely proud of, without reservation; his appearance. ‘Sio knows that he’s attractive, stunning even and he is happy to spend hours perfecting himself in the mirror because looking at the end result gives him that little happy feeling he associates with pride. Nemesio’s vanity is the reasoning behind all his trinkets as they dramatise his alluring, outlandish appeal, giving him the air of a fallen, tribal prince. ‘Sio’s wild hair and torn clothing give the youth a dangerous aura, making him seem a little akin to the bad boys so often in the newspapers. In addition, Nemesio is even proud of his scarring, as not only does it make him a little more unique to the people on the other side of the street, it shows that he has survived something that could have easily taken his life. Yes, all in all, Nemesio is perfectly willing to acknowledge his beauty but even if he wasn’t, there are enough people willing to inform him of it on a day-to-day basis.
Lacking in the skills or social standing that would open up job opportunities and never in one place for a long time anyway, Nemesio has found that he frequently runs low on money thus, ‘Sio finances his survival based purely on the charity – and carelessness – of others. He has found that if he sits at the bar long enough, someone will by him a drink, or if he crouches and shivers in the run-down doorways of the filthy slums, someone soon takes him to warm himself before their fire. It’s manipulative and yes, it’s another trait Nemesio feels is worth disliking about himself but he can’t think of is as a negative, he just can’t. Nemesio knows that it’s imperative to his survival, yet even so, it doesn’t always work and when this happens, ‘Sio is forced into robbery. Nemesio has become a fairly good thief, able to grab himself a lady’s purse, or her escort’s pocketwatch with ease and efficiency but naturally, as a teenager, ‘Sio is prone to getting over-ambitious once in a while, resulting with Nemesio being subjected to some quite nasty punishments that often leave the youth unwilling to steal to weeks, though self-preservation always wins him back over in the end.
History: (A little rushed in places, I apologise for that; I just wanted to get it done, lol)
Just over seventeen years ago, in a small village not far from the massive city of Radasanth, Alva Delgado gave birth to her third child; a healthy baby and her first boy. Her other children, twin girls Elena and Catalina, had been sent to her sister-in-law a little over a week ago when it appeared that their might be complications in the birth but all the while, her devoted love, Javier Delgado had stood stalwart by her side until this moment, which had reduced him to trembles and tears and sweet murmurs of how well she’d done and how magnificent his son was. He practically threw the midwife out of the room and swept his son into his arms, cradling him gently and smiling widely. It took Javier two seconds to name his son, he had planned for this moment, Alva could tell, but she liked the name and as her beloved settled beside her on the bed, placing the newborn between them, Alva couldn’t help but feel elated. Nemesio Cortez Delgado; her most beautiful creation.
Prior to meeting Javier, Alva Delgado, then Alva Rios, had devoted herself to her craft of blood alchemy and had never even thought about the concepts of wife or motherhood but she had taken to them quickly. Although neither of her pregnancies had been planned, Alva considered children the happiest accidents of her life and she knew her husband felt the same way thus, when Alva fell pregnant with a second son, Nicanor, the couple were delighted. Two boys and two girls, all with the hair of blood and eyes of brown, all so beautiful and all so precious to their parents who seemed to have no shortage of love. However, Alva and Javier were not completely soft, Javier was a teacher after all and new how to handle the misbehaviours of children and Alva herself was no pushover. They governed the household with a firm but fair hand and though life remained somewhat hectic, the couple always put aside time for the family.
That isn’t to say everything about family life was great, far from it for Nemesio’s sisters were far from enamoured by the arrival of siblings. Unused to sharing the attention of their parents that for four years had been theirs and theirs alone, Catalina and Elena saw their younger brothers as threats to their position within the family; intruders into a family they shouldn’t belong to. Thus, for his first couple of years, ‘Sio spent half his time stuffed into draws and cupboards as his sisters believed that if they hid their brother, their parents would forget about him but such a strategy only served to bring the twins punishment, which of course, they blamed on their baby brothers. As the years wore on, Elena and Catalina resigned themselves to the realisation that Nemesio and Nicanor were here to stay but that didn’t mean they’d let either off the hook. The boys were still less than human to their sisters and the twins delighted in tormenting their siblings, refusing them sweets they were supposed to share, ‘losing’ their favourite toys and other such cruelties.
Luckily for Nemesio, his sisters were soon sent to school, meaning that for a good portion of the day he was free to enjoy the comfort that his parents enjoyed giving him. He became healthier, happier and cried significantly less but poor Nicanor was less resilient and grew twitchy, wary and withdrawn. Even the slightest upset sent Nicanor into a screaming fit and he became quite desperately needy. As a result, he was given most of their parents’ attention, leaving Nemesio lonely and feeling neglected. By the time ‘Sio hit four, his parents began to notice the predicament and tried to rectify the situation by sending the young Nemesio to Javier’s sister to play with his youngest cousin, Demetrio Rios. Demetrio was a bright youth full of energy and charisma and he turned his cousin’s life completely upside-down. Instead of days of boredom and playing on his own whilst his sisters went off with friends and his brother was coddled by his concerned parents, Nemesio found himself enjoying life. Demi introduced ‘Sio to various joys of childhood such as mud fights and tree-climbing and other such brilliant pastimes and as the two grew up together and their games became wrestling and mock-swordplay, the cousins grew ever closer. If Nemesio was ever forced into ranking his family, Demetrio, without a doubt, would be at the top of the pile.
School was wonderful for Nemesio and it filled a gap that even his brilliant cousin couldn’t ease. As awesome as Demi was, he was young, inexperienced and ignorant and Nemesio craved the intelligence of adults and the knowledge they could give him. This insatiable appetite for wisdom and facts swiftly propelled ‘Sio to the top of his class and with a body that was already bigger, stronger and faster than his peers, it was easy for him to dominate sports subjects too. It seemed everybody wanted to be his friend and when the disruptive Demetrio was moved into his class, Nemesio’s life seemed perfect. Together with his cousin, who despite lacklustre grades and smaller stature had enough sheer charisma and fierce confidence to frighten off anyone who challenged him, Nemesio found himself at the top of the playground hierarchy. At that point in his life, ‘Sio couldn’t fault his existence, everything was perfect; he had loving and proud parents, a cousin and confidant who was always prepared to help him and half the school begging for a moment of his time whilst the rest skulked off in poorly disguised envy. Surprisingly, ‘Sio didn’t develop a superiority complex, his experiences with his sisters’ still sustained ill will towards him stopped that development before it began but some negativity did evolve from his popularity. Nemesio became convinced that he always had a right to speak (as did everyone else) and he lost a lot of compassion for strangers, feeling that if his words offended them, they should simply argue back.
However amongst this bright ideal life, trouble lucked and it was only a matter of time before fate lost patience and unleashed hell. Unfortunately for Nemesio, this came a lot sooner than he would have liked.
One day, a week or so after his tenth birthday, Nemesio found himself at a loose end. Demetrio had been taken out of town to visit relatives and the majority of his friends were busy. Hell, even little Nicanor was unavailable, having caught a particularly aggressive cold and with nothing else to do, ‘Sio picked up one of Catalina’s balls and took it into the garden. Elena watched him silently and with a wicked grin, snuck off to her sister and explained to her what a vile little thief their brother was. Furious, Catalina stormed out of the house and into the garden, blood red hair flying in streaks and she whipped into Nemesio’s vision and started shrieking.
“You fuckin’ thief. That’s mine! Give it back now!”
Nemesio let a low laugh crawl from his throat and held the ball close to his chest.
“Come get it.”
With a growl and without hesitation, Elena lunched for the ball, swiping through the air but she was oh-so forgetful. Nemesio couldn’t help but grin. Had she really not noticed how much taller than her he’d become? How much stronger and faster? The need to remind her was strong in his thoughts and he twisted out of reach but his sister was relentless and launched herself at him again. Once more ‘Sio teased the ball close to her grip then pulled it away at the last second, chuckling as his sadistic sibling cried out in frustration at her inabilities. In retrospect, Nemesio should have expected what she did next. This was his sister, his fourteen-year-old personal hellbringer and torturer, a wild, selfish brat yet for some reason ‘Sio’s didn’t expect her to simply ignore the ball and assault him. With all the might her frame could muster, Catalina Delgado threw herself into her brother who staggered and then fell.
Neither of them realised their position until it was too late and unable to recover his footing, the ten-year-old boy was sent sprawling. Right into the window.
Gods no…
Ragged glass tore deep along his arm, severing through muscle; the first of many and Nemesio slammed backwards hard, hitting shattered glass and ground with enough force to rip the air from his lungs. Shards skewered him, smashing ribs and burrowing deep within mangled flesh and muscle without mercy, without malice but with the cold efficiency of a well-worn assassin. Over and over and over, he was impaled; more and more, the pain built, blinding, suffocating, twisting through his nerves like relentless wildfire. His very blood ran from it, sinking into the carpet and around his skin, dampening his hair, matching it in colour, the perfect picture of Death’s most beloved victim.
How long now before Death would claim him? Hours? Minutes? Seconds?
Blackness crawled at the edges of his vision; his eyes were shutting down now, little by little, everything growing blurry as his focus narrowed. He blinked and everything turned grey. Death wanted him, wanted to claim him, take him as a lover as Fate now raped his body with knives of bloodied glass. The sounds around him grew muffled; a muted scream, a sharp intake of breath and as the last tendrils of darkness blocked out the light he felt strong arms sweep along his side, unwary of the glass, or of the fresh agony it brought to his senses and then… nothing.
Total blackness.
Empty.
Nothing.
Seeing her brother like that, laid out and bleeding in so many places, his legs buckled, his body lacerated over and over, made Catalina finally see Nemesio as a human being. He was no longer an obstacle but someone in pain, a family member who might die and all because of her. Never before had she made her brother bleed, bruising once or twice but never blood, the sight sickened her. The feelings of guilt, of despair, of dread stirred within her stomach and worked their way up her throat. She swallowed, and ran. Quickly, Catalina found her parents and lied, telling them that she’d been playing with Nemesio because her sister was out and that in trying to catch the football, he’d fallen and was bleeding badly. Fortunately, Nemesio survived and Catalina, Demetrio and the younger Nicanor all pitched in to help his recovery. Elena didn’t help but like her sister, she never hurt him again.
Elsewhere in his life, Nemesio found himself with a lot of work to catch up on in school yet he was surprised with the number of younger (and often elder) students that came up to him asking about his scars. Everyone seemed awed that he’d survived yet ‘Sio himself felt nothing but sickness in thinking back. He had almost perished and there, on the brink of death, Nemesio lost any hope of solidifying a faith. Only darkness had waited for him then and for that moment he had known nothing but that, his life out of touch, put of mind and only emptiness willing to take his hand. Tangible and terrifying, death became synonymous with non-existence from then and shaped ‘Sio’s path into something entirely different from the route it would have taken had it not been for Catalina’s carelessness. Even Demetrio couldn’t understand that and Nemesio didn’t want to destroy their relationship he had with his religious cousin. All the while, the elder Elena watched from the shadows, fascinated by Nemesio’s strife, by his pain and most of all, by his survival. She wanted to know about the end, yet she never asked. Elena didn’t need Nemesio’s doubts to form her own and silently, the two bonded through that. Worshiping the Thayne deities became an empty practice and the mere presence of one another during prayer times became a comfort with both children taking comfort in the idea that someone else thought the same as them, that someone else saw the folly in this.
Two years past without event. ‘Sio grew into an incredibly attractive youth, his elder sisters, now sixteen, had also become strikingly beautiful and now came the time for the two to choose their magical path. The whole affair was totally disorganised for having never told, or even hinted to her children about their magical talents, Alva thrust the most difficult choice of her daughter’s lives at them without warning and their own reactions mirrored that chaos perfectly. Poor Catalina changed her mind every five minutes, there was so much she wanted to try, so much she now discovered she could unlock and to pick just one magical focus? It seemed horribly unfair to her. Elena on the other hand, was a different matter entirely. Reserved and more intelligent than her twin, Elena drew back from the limelight and chose her path in secret but Nemesio could guess what it was. Only necromancy would ever satisfy his death-obsessed sister, her vicious morbidity and faithlessness driving her to pick a magic that would let her control dead cells… perhaps even her own. Elena had never asked her brother about ‘the end’, somehow, she knew already. That or she simply didn’t want to know and dreaded the idea of feeling the emptiness that lurked in Nemesio’s mind like the most corrupting of cancers.
After three weeks, Elena announced that she was leaving the family home; that she wanted to make her own way in life and believed that only the wider world could bring her the answers she desired. Nemesio longed to go with her but at twelve, he was intelligent enough to know that he couldn’t contend with the dangers of the world. Not yet. Elena wrote home frequently, often to individual family members and his parents were initially surprised by the wealth of them that were addressed to ‘Sio for Alva and Javier had barely seen the two say two words to one another. Despite the curiosity of his parents and his remaining siblings, Nemesio only ever showed the letters to Demetrio; the one person he trusted enough not to spread his sister’s secrets. Together, the two boys learnt much from Elena’s travels and lusted for such excitement of their own.
Time flew buy and soon it was Nemesio’s turn to choose his magic but having have four years since his sisters’ rushed decision to prepare for the eventuality, ‘Sio’s choice of magic came with remarkable ease and he announced to his mother that he was going to pursue biokinetic magic. In truth, the idea of her child, distorting his DNA, his blood and every aspect of his genetics upset Alva substantially. What upset her most, more than the drastic dangers of biokinesis was the simple fact that it was the DNA she had given Nemesio that he wanted to alter. Still, Alva put on a brave face and let Javier comfort her through her sobs later in the night. All Nemesio wanted though, above everything else was to never feel the lack of life that chilled him to the core just thinking about. It had been six years and dread, despair and depression had all had their turns to claim him yet hope remained and it lay in his magic. One day, one day in the future, he would be able to stop himself aging; he would never die and no matter how guilty his mother’s overheard sobs made him feel, Nemesio couldn’t bring himself to destroy his own life for her satisfaction.
A wedge grew between the mother and her son and ‘Sio drifted closer to his father as a result. In the following year he learnt so much about his father that he’d never even considered. Unlike his mother, Javier Delgado, humble blacksmith, loving husband and devoted father, was not a native of this tiny town. Oh no, his father had once been a mercenary and had the scars to prove it too. Happily, Javier told his newly interested son about the life he had given up for his mother and whilst Nemesio was sure that he didn’t regret leaving his profession for a family, it was obvious in his excited tones that he missed certain elements of his past life. Nevertheless, ‘Sio knew that his father kept his darkest secrets to himself and wary of breaking the new bond that had formed, he never inquired about the details of such matters. Slowly, Nemesio’s life was returning to a lull, a neutral state with no accidents, no awe-struck, idolising students, no magical choices for him to make and ‘Sio was back to learning about life, this time from his father.
He neglected his magic and one day, not long ago, something happened to change that; to change the direction of Nemesio’s life completely. Well, more like give him the push out of the door he needed. A mere week before Nemesio set out on his journey, he was awakened in the night. Someone downstairs was screaming and someone else was screaming back at them. Initially, Nemesio had brushed it off as his parents. Yes, Javier and Alva loved one another deeply but no couple never had an argument and the thought of his parents letting out a few of their frustrations didn’t bother ‘Sio. Then he realised that the first voice was far deeper than his father’s and far more aggressive. There was a crash and Nemesio’s curiosity got the better of him. Quietly, the redhead moved from his bed and snuck out of his room, creeping down the doorway, down the stairs. Now he could hear the voices clearly.
“You think I want to take your bastard child?! Stupid girl, you never did understand. Wasted yourself, you did, now bring me your boy!”
Nemesio bit his tongue to stop himself yelling but his mother was crying now and soon he couldn’t resist twisting round the final corner and into the front room. Responding in a low growl: “I’m not a bastard”
Swiftly, the man turned away from Alva and to her son and Nemesio suddenly found himself breathless. He was tall, whoever he was, far taller than his father and even taller than ‘Sio own 6’5” frame. He was older too, his hair a dusty grey and his skin showing one or two lines but on the whole, he looked healthy; his muscles were strong, straining at the weak blue silk that covered him and Nemesio didn’t doubt that if he wanted to, he could launch ‘Sio through a wall. This though, was not what the redhead noticed first and certainly not what kept his attention. Sprouting from the man’s back and folded beside him, where two massive feathery wings. White in colour and twitching slightly from some sort of irritation, maybe from having to be kept folded.
He spoke and Nemesio’s attention was pulled away, he swallowed.
“Heh. At least your mother did something right. Come here, Boy. What’s your name?”
Hesitating, ‘Sio glanced to his mother for reassurance. She gave none and diverted her gaze. Finally, he responded. “Nemesio.”
“And your magic?”
Nemesio’s eyes widened at that. So this man knew something about them? How much more did he know? Barely audible, ‘Sio replied. “Biokinesis”
A wry grin spread over the winged man’s face, he was somehow pleased with Nemesio’s answer. It made the redhead himself feel highly uncomfortable. He looked away for a second then met the other male’s gaze again, only to find that his hazel had begun to glow faintly yet beneath that, they sparkled with something that could have been interest, or just outright malevolence.
“No doubt you’re wondering who I am. I doubt your mother has ever bothered to tell me.” He shot a glance to Alva, to confirm his suspicions and emphasise his point simultaneously. Without a wasted breath, he continued: “I, am Adán Vidaurri; your grandfather.”
He ushered the youth into the next room, away from his mother and any sort of comfort he might have been able to find in her. Well, at least he knew where his height came from.
“Nemesio,” he said, far more matter-of-fact, than his grandiose tones had been a moment ago. “There is something you need to know. Although I suspect you’ve already figured it out, if your choice of magic is any indication.” He took a breath, Nemesio presumed it was for emphasis. “There is no afterlife for us but whilst your mother’s wasted herself and any chance of survival she might have had, there is still hope for you. And your sister.” He knew about Elena. The glint in his eyes suggested he did and leaning over his grandson, Adán Rios smirked and whispered; “she’ll get there first unless you hurry.”
Unable to remember the conversation that followed through tiredness at the time, Nemesio took what he could recall as a challenge and two weeks after, six days after his seventeenth, ‘Sio left his home. The atmosphere had become unbearable anyway; his mother didn’t trust him and had become very twitchy indeed. She was hiding something, but full of his own, fresh secrets and desires, Nemesio had said nothing and waited to the day of his leave to tell his family (save for Demi, who had been the instant he’d made his decision) that he was leaving. Catalina, Nicanor and Javier waved him off happily but his mother did nothing, as if she’d never cared for him at all.
Inventory:
Death Sentence
Description – The Death Sentence is a sword given to Nemesio by his mother who used it as a magical tool in her blood alchemy. As a ceremonial sword, the Death Sentence is far more suited to be a decoration than a weapon and is made out of a very weak metal that can barely cut through muscle, let alone bone. However, the sword looks rather fearsome. Its blade is serrated nastily on one side and engraved with a glowing filigree that has no purpose other than improving the aesthetics. The sword has an ‘otherworldly’ air about it as a result and this seems to put off many wannabe muggers and rapists that look his way; why take a chance on something that looks so weird and threatening? Nemesio doesn’t ever use this sword and he will never sell it, for as a gift from his mother, it’s far too precious to let someone else have.
Origin – When Nemesio left his home, his mother gave him a present; one of the five ceremonial swords she used in her craft. She told him very little over the matter of why she was giving it away but she did tell him to take care of it.
Link – N/A
Vakerai
Description – A large double-bladed steel axe which Nemesio generally keeps strapped to his back and in clear view of the public. Vakerai, is a fairly large axe, measuring around 33” in total length with each blade measuring over half that at 18”. It has a braided leather handle, which splits into two at around the 19” mark, both of these ‘branches’ continue for about 2” until the leather wrap gives way for the jagged steel blades that pull outwards, upwards and downwards to look more like an elegant tribal tattoo than a traditional axe. Vakerai has no problem riving through the muscle and bone that gives the Death Sentence such trouble, now, if only ‘Sio could actually hit something…
Origin – A recent addition to Nemesio’s arsenal, the youth acquired his axe after chancing upon a closing down weapons store. He thought it looked pretty and the owner seemed pretty keen to get rid of it, so ‘Sio bought it.
Link – N/A
Clothing, Jewellery and Accessories
Description – Nemesio’s two, near-identical outfits aren’t exactly the most extravagant or beautiful things but the young, vain Nemesio has collected a plethora of trinkets to adorn himself with and this redeems the starkness of his garments. Most of these accessories are expensive yet all are eye catching and seem as if they would be worth a lot but ‘Sio will never sell these extravagant items. They mean a lot to him in ways that would seem insignificant to the minds of others and besides, giving them up would seriously anger his vanity.
Origin – Various sources, especially with the jewellery; Nemesio is quite the ‘collector’.
Link – N/A
Camping Equipment
Description – As Nemesio travels Althanas, he can be away from civilization for weeks and he wouldn’t have a hope in hell of surviving were it not for his camping equipment. ‘Sio’s collection includes a tent big enough for himself and one (small) other, two, very thick blankets, a supply of food and a small frying pan. Most of what Nemesio eats on the road, he catches himself (with great effort) and thus, his supply of food isn’t exactly enormous. Still, for now, Nemesio figures it’s enough; his bag’s packed as it is.
Origin – Nemesio hadn’t actually thought about the more practical side of wondering from place to place but luckily, his mother did and took it upon herself to buy some camping equipment for him. ‘Sio is eternally grateful.
Link – N/A
A Satchel
Description – Nemesio has a fairly large, military green, satchel to carry his belongings in. The largest part is where he keeps his camping equipment and clothes, but there are many more compartments to the bag and these are filled with all sorts of things including letters and gifts to and from various relatives.
Origin – Another gift from his sensible mother.
Link – N/A
Abilities:
The vast majority of Nemesio’s skills are down to the quarter of his blood passed down his mother’s bloodline yet unlike other species, this blood is not diluted through the generations. The effects of this blood remain the same, no matter how pure it is, or how little of it one has yet in spite of this, the blood is rare and it is these two factors that, unbeknownst to Nemesio, make those who carry such lineage incredibly sought after items. You see, those who carry this blood are stronger, faster and have more stamina than normal humans but on top of this, they have the ability to manipulate any magic. When a child of this bloodline is born, it is possible for them to access latent powers of anything from pyrokinesis to telepathy although it is stressed that trying to develop too many of these abilities would be horribly confusing and render them unlikely to master any one. As a result, children are encouraged to experiment with all manner of techniques until they reach the age of sixteen at which point, they choose the magic that for the rest of their lives, will be their primary focus. There is one thing, however, that those of pure blood have that others don’t; wings and Nemesio can’t help but envy his grandfather for having such beautiful things.
Nemesio chose to focus on the dangerous and difficult art of biokinesis; the manipulation of genetic structures and living organisms. More detail on what it does, along with how ‘Sio views his ‘gift’ is in the ‘Detailed Personality’ section of this application. Many of the abilities listed here stem from Nemesio’s biokinetics.
Scan – Semi-Passive
Description – With this, Nemesio can see every cell in his body. How it’s constructed, whether it’s infected, how it can be improved; Nemesio can view every single tiny detail and yet he can’t do a damned thing to rectify the faults he notices. In addition, ‘Sio is only able to look at his own body with this skill and cannot even look at other peoples’. However, it’s not completely useless and serves as a good early warning sign as thanks this skill, Nemesio can tell whether he’s coming on with a cold, or even cancer and can seek treatment sooner than most.
Origin – Nemesio simply woke up one morning when he was seven and found that if he concentrated, he could vision every cell in his body. The ability daunted him and it wasn’t till he selected biokinesis as his magical focus, that he tried to rediscover it and found that it had somehow become automatic; he merely had to want to see his cells and didn’t even need to concentrate.
Link – N/A
Photographic Memory – Active
Description – As a side-effect of scan, Nemesio found himself able to examine his brain cells with further clarity. Instead of merely being able to gauge how they were medically, ‘Sio discovered that he could see their contents, to see every detail of the memories and connectives set up within his mind. As such, this ability lets Nemesio examine all the memories stored in his head. However, ‘Sio cannot used this ability as easily as he can with ‘Scan’, instead, due to the complexity of brain cells he but concentrate for up to five minutes (time depends on how dormant and how long the memory has been in his mind) before being able to see what he wishes to see.
Origin – When Nemesio touched upon his ‘Scan’ ability for the second time, it seemed to have furthered itself and a bi-product of its self-improvements was this ability.
Link – N/A
Healing – Active
Description – Nemesio has only one ability that can be used on others, just the one and it’s the most fundamental foundation for every biokinetic ability that ‘Sio may develop afterwards; the ability to heal. At its current level, Nemesio is only able to heal his own wounds and to an extent, he is able to heal everything, increasing the healing speed of any wound he incurs, no matter how superficial or serious. However, ‘Sio is unable to rapidly alter the speed at which things like fractures and internal wounds heal (the latter seems to worsen far quicker than the inexperienced Nemesio could ever heal it anyway) so yes, it’s more than possible for him to die. In addition, there’s always the possibility he may stuff up, for if a fairly deep gash is close to an artery or vain, there’s a chance that he might damage it through lack of control and further injure himself. As a result, this ability something that Nemesio would only use in an emergency.
Origin –
Link – N/A
Speed, Strength and Endurance – Passive
Description – Nemesio’s lineage gave to him an improvement on the normal human speed, strength and endurance but it is his biokinesis that really sets him apart. With this, Nemesio has altered his bones, rendering them able to take impacts of a particularly violent nature without breaking. This means that he can jump higher, hit harder and take more damage than most normal humans. At the moment, Nemesio is just beginning in his self-manipulations and thus, this skill has not yet developed fully. Currently, Nemesio has strength, speed and endurance two times what he would have had without this skill.
Origin – Nemesio acquired his skill in these areas after a fair bit of trial and error with his biokinetic manipulation. He eventually got it right around half a year ago but is far from mastery.
Link – N/A
Non Biokinetic Skills
Axe Combat Proficiency – Passive
Description – Well, if Nemesio could actually hit you, it’d be worrying; his blows are extremely powerful and could easily slice through bone but alas, ‘Sio’s accuracy is awful. Whilst his strength is clearly evident in his style, he overshoots and undershoots his mark so often that his lack of control couldn’t be denied by even a blind man. Nemesio will probably get better with experience but for now, he’s just lucky that he’s not hit himself in the face yet.
Origin – One day in the recent past, Nemesio bought an axe because he liked the look of it. Yeah, he’s that good…
Link – N/A
Unarmed Combat Proficiency – Passive
Description – Nemesio is more skilled here than in other combat areas as he’s simply had more practice, especially in the past year. However, that isn’t to say he’s an expert, far from it, ‘Sio’s attacks are fierce, fast and forceful but he’s not always accurate and is limited to a basic knowledge and understanding of combat. His movements and manoeuvres are predominantly ground based and he can’t keep up with those who are able to perform various high-flying stunts, or those with significantly better groundwork. Luckily for ‘Sio, he’s tall because if it weren’t for that, he’d have fallen prey to an experienced mugger or rapist long ago.
Origin – Nemesio’s parents didn’t care much for fighting and ‘Sio learnt what he could from his cousin and other friends, whose parents were more lenient. He also looked at books but all of this was playful theory until the youth began his travels and began to find those few who weren’t put off by his height or the Death Sentence. As such, this skill has advanced more than ever in the past year or so.
Link – N/A
Note on Nemesio’s Blood
Nemesio’s blood is, simply put, a cure for vampirism. Whilst this is not its true function, it can’t help being the case as ‘Sio’s blood overrides any other within any creature, including the vampiric curse/gift. However, if a vampire then lived out their life as a human, when they died, they would have no afterlife and would not become a ghost; they would cease to exist in any form. This second effect will affect anyone, regardless of race, should they get but a single drop of Nemesio’s blood in their veins.
Given Name: Nemesio Cortez Delgado
Pseudonyms: ‘Sio, Nem, Cortez
Race: Human… ish
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Birthday: 14th February
Height: 6’5”
Weight: Ideal (I’m not very good with exact weight…)
Hair Colour: Burgundy
Eye Colour: Honey
Relatives:
• Mother – Alva Delgado (46)
• Father – Javier Delgado (45)
• Sister (Elder) – Catalina Delgado (21)
• Sister (Elder) – Elena Delgado (21)
• Brother (Younger) – Nicanor Delgado (15)
• Grandfather (Alva’s Father) – Adán Vidaurri (72)
• Aunt (Javier’s Sister) – Elvira Rios (39)
• Uncle – Eduardo Rios (43)
• Cousin (Female) – Dolores Rios (19)
• Cousin (Male) – Demetrio Rios (17)
Marital Status: Single
Birthplace: … (I’ll get back to you, heh)
Current Location: Unknown
Education: Schooled the alphabet and simple mathematics, Nemesio’s academic education only truly came into its own when ‘Sio began to teach himself.
(Very) Detailed Physical Description: Standing a solid 6’5”, Nemesio Delgado is notably tall for his age and for a long time this proved to be an aesthetic disadvantage, rendering him lanky and somewhat gaunt but after almost a full year of trekking through the plains of Althanas; Nemesio has finally gained enough muscle to give his figure a more appealing shape. Although devoid of any softness, ‘Sio has remained fairly lithe, but overall, his form is highly attractive, composed in a manner that suits and compliments the rest of his appearance. Beautifully proportioned, Nemesio’s body is all about balance and strength. Large feet retain the dimensions of the rest of his frame admirably, leading upwards into legs that are slightly longer than most men’s; the main offender when it comes to his abnormal stature but comprised of defined thighs and calves, they are hardly feminine. Sinewy tendons help to exhibit their lines before dragging upwards into an eye-pleasing rear that is high and tight as well as sexy. At his front, the slice of his hipbones pulls upwards into a splendid abdomen that might not have the rippling form of the greatest warrior but bares a long, taut six-pack nevertheless. His pectoral muscles reflect the rest of his body’s trunk; defined but not to the extreme, leaving his left nipple’s piercing the most noticeable feature of his torso. A prominent collarbone spans the front of ‘Sio’s reasonably broad shoulders, wrapped in muscle that leads right the way down his arms to the very points of his extended, dexterous fingers. Even though his body’s muscular structure isn’t bulky, it clearly showcases a good deal of recently acquired power.
In his motions, all of this is emphasised and the strength of his person, both physical and mental, is displayed magnificently. Nemesio’s learned confidence lends an air of authority to his stride that is far beyond his position, suited better to a leader, instead of the loner he has become. Decisive, practiced and precise, ‘Sio’s movement is rarely clumsy but astonishingly, he is flawed by a complete lack of grace. Every wide gesture, every assured step of his walk is linked to the next in the most jarring, disjointed manner; devoid of the fluidity that would lace them together with elegance. All the same, Nemesio manages to pull off decent performances in battles. With a fighting style that’s fast but grounded by an overall lack of technique, the young explorer is always thinking four or five steps ahead and has a response for almost every assault that is unleashed upon him. Naturally, ‘Sio can still be surprised and taken off guard but speedy reactions and an even faster mind help to generate adequate counterattacks and defences though sheer inexperience often leads him to fault.
Having spent most of his life under the sun, ‘Sio’s skin has adopted a beautiful golden colour that highlights the muscles lurking beneath the surface. However, nothing is perfect and Nemesio is far from the exception to this rule. The instant ‘Sio was born, his elder sisters instinctively hated him and sought to hurt or upset him in any way they could. They plotted and schemed, stole his toys and tricked him into getting into trouble but by far the worst of their cruelties was the one that has marked him forever. By the time Nemesio turned ten, he had finally grown a backbone so when one of the twins tried to grab the ball he’d been playing with, the young Nemesio lashed out and pushed her away. Sadly for ‘Sio, she was stronger than him at the time and pushed her brother back so harshly that he staggered and fell. It was just unfortunate that he had to fall through the window. As a result, much of Sio’s form is littered with the reminder of the horrible lacerations he suffered. Pale marks of all shapes and sizes sporadically lace over his left arm, much of his back and parts of his legs and against the tanned expanse of his skin, these lines are frighteningly clear. Still, ‘Sio is unashamed and doesn’t bother with impractical attempts to disguise them, especially when they’re so good at warding off muggers.
Nemesio’s handsome head is supported by a firm, yet slim, neck and displays features that seem far too regal to belong to a mere traveller yet somehow suit ‘Sio just perfectly. Their bold, angular lines compliment his masculine figure wonderfully and hint at his mother’s exotic descent. Nemesio’s face is oval shaped, with an elegantly angled jaw capped with a firm chin. A, long straight nose with a delicately rounded tip provides a strong centrepiece and below sits a well shaped mouth that is slightly too big for ‘Sio’s face, though this has no negative sway on his appeal. His lips are full enough to be attractive, the bottom more so than its counterpart, and of a dull red shade that adds a sensual feel to an otherwise hardened form. Often, these lips are stretched into wide smiles that show off Nemesio’s straight, white teeth and are horribly contagious. ‘Sio’s cheeks are slightly hollowed; an effect of having high cheekbones and something that is emphasised with every grin. Framed by thick, dark lashes, Nemesio’s eyes are of a deep honey colour that becomes burnt around the edge of the iris and the pupil. Proportionate and beautifully shaped, they are extremely expressive and convey ‘Sio’s emotions swiftly and without a word making it difficult for the youth to pull of a convincing lie. Their magnetic appeal is highlighted by an inner light, causing them to be faintly luminous and ensuring their place as Nemesio’s favourite aspect of himself. Thick, dark eyebrows arch over them neatly and in turn, a sloped forehead leads back into a straight hairline. ‘Sio’s ears are mostly covered by his hair, but are well-shaped regardless and sport the last of Nemesio’s piercings; his right baring three and his left a mere one.
Parted off-centre and reaching an inch or so past his shoulders, Nemesio’s hair is straight but in a constant state of disarray. It’s untameable, choosing to do as it pleases and as a result, it appears wild, as if Nemesio had only just moved from his bed. The fact that his cut is self sustained understandably fails to help with this lack of order. An early attempt at introducing layers to his hair has resulted in every strand having its own unique length and due to Nemesio’s haphazard side-parting, many of these jagged locks fall in front of his left eye, almost completely hiding it from view. Still, there are some consistencies, for one, ‘Sio’s hair does seem to get longer as it reaches the back and in spite of all it’s flaws, somehow, in some way it manages to look totally right on the teenager. Its colour is an appealing shade, though fairly unusual for human hair; it’s a deep purplish-red, a burgundy shade flecked with browns and blacks of all flavours. This Nemesio inherited from his mother and it’s a trait that his siblings share. However, if asked to explain it, it’s highly likely that the colour would lose a drastic amount of its appeal. His mother’s blood alchemy caused her blood to grow into her hair, staining it a dark red which, due to her continued practice of such dangerous arts, remains a strong vermillion shade. Due to the dangers of her craft, she wisely forbid her children from dabbling in it and as a result, the blood that stains their hair, becomes darker at the edges, appearing as if it’s merely coated in the liquid and has that it has begun to dry. Nemesio has been warned that should he choose to pursue other magical paths, his hair will adopt a different shade, thanks to his mother’s unusual lineage, though this has yet to show.
Nemesio’s voice is a culmination of the rest of his appearance, holding many of the qualities and negativities found within those other aspects. Its basis is a strong, rich tone that’s deep enough to reflect his masculinity yet just like his motions, has a sharp aspect that actually serves as a positive here, helping to grab a listener’s attention with ease and efficiency. ‘Sio has a tendency to slur his words, speaking in a manner that does away with such silly things as the beginning of sentences and leaves him with such common contractions as ‘wanna’ and ‘kinda’. Akin to his eyes, Nemesio’s voice is an expressive tool, his tone and volume shifting easily to match his mood. This heartfelt quality is no doubt why his singing voice is so alluring; whilst he may not be a superstar in that regard, missing the range, or control of such idols, ‘Sio manages to hold a tune pretty well and captures the emotions of a song marvellously.
Considering that Nemesio has been relying on the charity (and carelessness) of others to survive, it’s hardly surprising that he has little variety in his clothing. Indeed, ‘Sio has only two black tops, almost identical, two pairs of black pants, almost identical, and a pair of black knee-high boots and that’s it. Still, the youth manages to look sexy, if only for the sheer tightness of his garments; both his t-shirts and his pants cling to his form as if for dear life, highlighting the muscle movement beneath their confinements. Understandably, his garments have become worn and frayed in recent months; his T-shirts trying to rise above his midriff as the edges grow notably more tattered with each passing day. ‘Sio pants, though, have escaped much of this, with only the ends of the legs becoming worn and those then being tucked into his boots. It appears that they’ll last a little longer than his soon-to-be-replaced shirts. All the same, Nemesio has managed to adorn himself in enough jewellery to offset this, throwing an extravagant, outlandish aspect into his otherwise unremarkable attire. Chains hang round his waist and off the thick belt that secures his blades to his person; black laces, along with silver and gold chains wind round his neck and wrists in varying degrees of tightness, laden with trinkets and inexpensive gems. Every single item has its own story and you can bet that it holds some sentimental value for ‘Sio though getting the stories out of him would certainly be a challenge.
(Very) Detailed Personality: The deep and profound faith of Alva Delgado was something she was unable to pass on to her son, for whilst Nemesio certainly believes in the power of the soul, he remains unconvinced of its immortality. For him, death is the end of existence, a time when all a person has to anticipate is the plethora of maggots that will soon burrow within their rotting flesh, yet in truth, ‘Sio can’t help but pray that he is wrong. He does not and will never want to stop existing. It’s selfish, he knows, and Nemesio feels immensely guilty for wanting perhaps the greatest gift of all but such guilt pales in comparison to his conviction. The tales of vampires, of other eternals, of necromancy and biokinesis that wooed him so effectively as a child, still hold a dramatic sway over his judgement, for they give him a hope; a hope of his own amaranthine future and have driven him to travel Althanas, seeking his salvation, before his time runs out.
Nemesio’s choice of magic reflects this attitude to perfection for what else could the teenager choose to develop but biokinesis; the manipulation of the genetic structure and living organisms. In its highest levels, biokinesis could craft a super-human, eradicating all weaknesses, reprogramming the genes that control how far they see, or how much force their bones can tolerate and in the most extreme cases, make it possible to alter the roaming free radical atoms that bring the plague of old age upon mortal kind; granting immortality to the effected. Understandably, Nemesio is far from such mastery, the young traveller has barely started focusing in this particular field and as neither his mother, or his father are accomplished in his chosen art, the evolution of Nemesio’s powers has been furthered purely by his own practice and chance discoveries. ‘Sio longs for real guidance, a tutor, a friend, a book; someone or something that can help him perfect such a difficult craft as it’s deeply infuriating for ‘Sio, to have the power, yet lack the control, skill and knowledge to fulfil his ambition.
However, a natural intelligence and a solid sense of realism have helped Nemesio to come to terms with the horrible fact that his quest may end in vain; for all his efforts, ‘Sio can still die and consequently, he believes that he should at least make the most of what life he is given. Should everything come to dust, the youth want to be able to reminisce and not see a life wasted chasing a foolish, unobtainable goal but something of value, something that is worth remembering. Should his life be finite, he wants it never to be forgotten and thus, Nemesio will try anything once, often acting on impulses that most sensible people would quell quickly. He’s a shameless, wild child whose actions would traumatise his poor parents should they ever discover them yet ‘Sio is still anything but stupid and his actions remain as discreet as possible, to prevent his scandalous lifestyle being shared with those he cares for back home.
It is this compassion, this loyalty to his loved ones that is Nemesio’s most noble trait. These are the people ‘Sio would do almost anything for, were they in danger, he would stop what he was doing and fight for them; were they about to die, Nemesio would not hesitate to lay down his life for their sustentation yet only a small number of people ever manage to obtain such devotion. It takes a considerable amount of effort to become a friend of Nemesio Delgado, mainly because the youth expects those he holds dear to be prepared to follow his example. ‘Sio needs to believe that these trusted few would give their lives in exchange for his, would fight on his side, no matter what the odds and would show him the comfort that he desperately craves. This element of Nemesio is easier to understand when taken into account alongside his shockingly low self-esteem. ‘Sio knows he’s more intelligent than most, has more potential than most and is more attractive than most and yet he is of the opinion that his flaws outweigh anything good that can be found within him. Nemesio’s self view is incredibly depressing; sighting himself as an arrogant, cynical creature who can’t help but annoy people to within an inch of their sanity and it is because of this that he cherishes those who tolerate them yet so unsure of himself, ‘Sio needs to feel that they are as devoted to him as he is to them. He needs that reassurance, otherwise he feels rejected. Understandably, ‘Sio has made few friends during his travels.
Quite surprisingly then, Nemesio has somehow become an incredibly outspoken person who seems to have an opinion about anything and everything. However, to those who pay attention to his words, it could not be more apparent that he is holding back for ‘Sio rarely speaks negatively about his immediate environment, the exceptions to this being when he is convinced others will agree with him but by far the least talked about subject in Nemesio’s world, is Nemesio himself. Sure, the youth may be able to rant and rave about his sexual conquests, as teenagers are wont to do but beyond that, ‘Sio finds it uncomfortable to talk about his feelings. If the subject ever comes up, he deviates from it as quickly as he can, straying back into conversations about his favourite musical artist, or sexual position. If he is unable to form a tangent, he excuses himself or replies with one-word non-descript answers such as ‘tired’ or ‘hungry’.
Considering Nemesio’s moral code, or rather, his outright lack of a moral code, it’s hardly surprising that the young traveller has no preference when it comes to the sexes. To ‘Sio, choosing to pursue either males or females conclusively would feel wrong, as if he was cutting away a bit part of himself in an utterly wasteful and stupid move. He loves women with their curves, their intricacies and their wonderful warmth yet he loves men with their strength, their passion and their perfect tightness, to limit himself to one would be like slaughtering a best friend; he’d always feel as if he was missing out on something great. Understandably, this has meant that whilst Nemesio has had a fair number of lovers, he can’t find it within himself to settle down with anyone for this would mean those undesired restrictions would tighten around his neck like a twisted slipknot. Consequently, ‘Sio only has sexual conquests and one night stands, refusing romantic things like dates, or even the post-coital exchange of contacts for such things could lead to the most terrible confusion with his steadfast loyalty and his promiscuity mangling inside him in a chaotic mental mess.
In addition to ‘trying everything once’ Nemesio is determined to learn all he can. He knows that natural smarts can only take him so far and consequently, ‘Sio is someone who is pleased by learning new things, no matter how insignificant they seem. Each fresh piece of knowledge he acquires is something that is beyond priceless for it gives him that little burst of satisfaction that can leave him in a good mood all day. As a result, Nemesio tens to prefer the company of people with a similar mindset; who wish to broaden their horizons for they in turn seem to teach him new things and ‘Sio can’t help but value that. Sharing knowledge, to Nemesio is something warm; intimate. Of course, the flip side to this is Nemesio’s utter hatred for the ignorant, specifically those who wish to remain so. In his eyes, those who place their trust and lives in some fucked up religion don’t deserve sympathy and the presumptuous people who believe they know it all just deserve a good kick to the groin.
Unlike normal people, who would avoid those they disliked as if they were infected with a disgusting and contagious disease, Nemesio seeks out those who disagree with him and argues his point until it’s drilled into his opponent’s head. Often, these verbal quarrels escalate into physical conflicts but this is something that ‘Sio welcomes for whether with his wit, or fists, he will fight his corner until there is not a single bated breath left within his body. Nemesio is not content with just clashing with his enemies, no, the young traveller’s antagonistic urges spread far further across the board. ‘Sio is all too eager to seek out the world’s greatest minds and take them on in a battle of intelligence and yet he is rarely disappointed when he loses. In those cases, he considers himself privileged to have learnt something new from someone so revered. Though when he wins, regardless of whether it’s against some lunatic evangelist or a renowned philosopher, Nemesio feels utterly thrilled. His competitive and somewhat sadistic side shines brilliantly and he may not gloat but it’s obvious he is proud of himself.
‘Sio enjoys giving his mind these challenges and even when his disagreements do come to blows, the practice remains the same. For Nemesio, a physical fight is as much a mental challenge as any complex discussion he may partake in. Only in the midst of battle, everything seems that much more intense. ‘Sio must think quickly if he is to survive, inventing new and creative ways to dodge and assault his adversaries yet the immediacy of the situation demands that he do this as competently, as swiftly and as accurately as he possibly can. To Nemesio, a good battle is utterly exquisite, the satisfaction emphasised by the passion that drives his movements, that triggers the adrenaline rushes that keep him standing half the time. All of his anxiety, all of his doubt, all of his hate, his anger, his bloodlust comes pouring out of him and through his sword, is launched into his challenger and out flows the most beautiful, most twisted schadenfreude. Again, none of this is lost when he loses. Nemesio is content to have his bloodlust beaten out of him; once or twice, ‘Sio has even indulged this masochistic side and lost purposely. It’s easy to see that in both tangible and cerebral clashes, Nemesio’s true fulfilment comes from the conflict itself as opposed to the ending. It’s the act and not only the result, that ‘Sio finds rewarding.
Nemesio may be proud of his abilities but he is simultaneously disgusted with himself for submitting to the thrill of the fight. He’d love to be able to be an utter pacifist but he simply gets wound up too easily and his fickle temper can’t help but push him deeper into the pit that is his aggression. It’s just another thing he hates about himself. Yet there is one thing that Nemesio is definitely proud of, without reservation; his appearance. ‘Sio knows that he’s attractive, stunning even and he is happy to spend hours perfecting himself in the mirror because looking at the end result gives him that little happy feeling he associates with pride. Nemesio’s vanity is the reasoning behind all his trinkets as they dramatise his alluring, outlandish appeal, giving him the air of a fallen, tribal prince. ‘Sio’s wild hair and torn clothing give the youth a dangerous aura, making him seem a little akin to the bad boys so often in the newspapers. In addition, Nemesio is even proud of his scarring, as not only does it make him a little more unique to the people on the other side of the street, it shows that he has survived something that could have easily taken his life. Yes, all in all, Nemesio is perfectly willing to acknowledge his beauty but even if he wasn’t, there are enough people willing to inform him of it on a day-to-day basis.
Lacking in the skills or social standing that would open up job opportunities and never in one place for a long time anyway, Nemesio has found that he frequently runs low on money thus, ‘Sio finances his survival based purely on the charity – and carelessness – of others. He has found that if he sits at the bar long enough, someone will by him a drink, or if he crouches and shivers in the run-down doorways of the filthy slums, someone soon takes him to warm himself before their fire. It’s manipulative and yes, it’s another trait Nemesio feels is worth disliking about himself but he can’t think of is as a negative, he just can’t. Nemesio knows that it’s imperative to his survival, yet even so, it doesn’t always work and when this happens, ‘Sio is forced into robbery. Nemesio has become a fairly good thief, able to grab himself a lady’s purse, or her escort’s pocketwatch with ease and efficiency but naturally, as a teenager, ‘Sio is prone to getting over-ambitious once in a while, resulting with Nemesio being subjected to some quite nasty punishments that often leave the youth unwilling to steal to weeks, though self-preservation always wins him back over in the end.
History: (A little rushed in places, I apologise for that; I just wanted to get it done, lol)
Just over seventeen years ago, in a small village not far from the massive city of Radasanth, Alva Delgado gave birth to her third child; a healthy baby and her first boy. Her other children, twin girls Elena and Catalina, had been sent to her sister-in-law a little over a week ago when it appeared that their might be complications in the birth but all the while, her devoted love, Javier Delgado had stood stalwart by her side until this moment, which had reduced him to trembles and tears and sweet murmurs of how well she’d done and how magnificent his son was. He practically threw the midwife out of the room and swept his son into his arms, cradling him gently and smiling widely. It took Javier two seconds to name his son, he had planned for this moment, Alva could tell, but she liked the name and as her beloved settled beside her on the bed, placing the newborn between them, Alva couldn’t help but feel elated. Nemesio Cortez Delgado; her most beautiful creation.
Prior to meeting Javier, Alva Delgado, then Alva Rios, had devoted herself to her craft of blood alchemy and had never even thought about the concepts of wife or motherhood but she had taken to them quickly. Although neither of her pregnancies had been planned, Alva considered children the happiest accidents of her life and she knew her husband felt the same way thus, when Alva fell pregnant with a second son, Nicanor, the couple were delighted. Two boys and two girls, all with the hair of blood and eyes of brown, all so beautiful and all so precious to their parents who seemed to have no shortage of love. However, Alva and Javier were not completely soft, Javier was a teacher after all and new how to handle the misbehaviours of children and Alva herself was no pushover. They governed the household with a firm but fair hand and though life remained somewhat hectic, the couple always put aside time for the family.
That isn’t to say everything about family life was great, far from it for Nemesio’s sisters were far from enamoured by the arrival of siblings. Unused to sharing the attention of their parents that for four years had been theirs and theirs alone, Catalina and Elena saw their younger brothers as threats to their position within the family; intruders into a family they shouldn’t belong to. Thus, for his first couple of years, ‘Sio spent half his time stuffed into draws and cupboards as his sisters believed that if they hid their brother, their parents would forget about him but such a strategy only served to bring the twins punishment, which of course, they blamed on their baby brothers. As the years wore on, Elena and Catalina resigned themselves to the realisation that Nemesio and Nicanor were here to stay but that didn’t mean they’d let either off the hook. The boys were still less than human to their sisters and the twins delighted in tormenting their siblings, refusing them sweets they were supposed to share, ‘losing’ their favourite toys and other such cruelties.
Luckily for Nemesio, his sisters were soon sent to school, meaning that for a good portion of the day he was free to enjoy the comfort that his parents enjoyed giving him. He became healthier, happier and cried significantly less but poor Nicanor was less resilient and grew twitchy, wary and withdrawn. Even the slightest upset sent Nicanor into a screaming fit and he became quite desperately needy. As a result, he was given most of their parents’ attention, leaving Nemesio lonely and feeling neglected. By the time ‘Sio hit four, his parents began to notice the predicament and tried to rectify the situation by sending the young Nemesio to Javier’s sister to play with his youngest cousin, Demetrio Rios. Demetrio was a bright youth full of energy and charisma and he turned his cousin’s life completely upside-down. Instead of days of boredom and playing on his own whilst his sisters went off with friends and his brother was coddled by his concerned parents, Nemesio found himself enjoying life. Demi introduced ‘Sio to various joys of childhood such as mud fights and tree-climbing and other such brilliant pastimes and as the two grew up together and their games became wrestling and mock-swordplay, the cousins grew ever closer. If Nemesio was ever forced into ranking his family, Demetrio, without a doubt, would be at the top of the pile.
School was wonderful for Nemesio and it filled a gap that even his brilliant cousin couldn’t ease. As awesome as Demi was, he was young, inexperienced and ignorant and Nemesio craved the intelligence of adults and the knowledge they could give him. This insatiable appetite for wisdom and facts swiftly propelled ‘Sio to the top of his class and with a body that was already bigger, stronger and faster than his peers, it was easy for him to dominate sports subjects too. It seemed everybody wanted to be his friend and when the disruptive Demetrio was moved into his class, Nemesio’s life seemed perfect. Together with his cousin, who despite lacklustre grades and smaller stature had enough sheer charisma and fierce confidence to frighten off anyone who challenged him, Nemesio found himself at the top of the playground hierarchy. At that point in his life, ‘Sio couldn’t fault his existence, everything was perfect; he had loving and proud parents, a cousin and confidant who was always prepared to help him and half the school begging for a moment of his time whilst the rest skulked off in poorly disguised envy. Surprisingly, ‘Sio didn’t develop a superiority complex, his experiences with his sisters’ still sustained ill will towards him stopped that development before it began but some negativity did evolve from his popularity. Nemesio became convinced that he always had a right to speak (as did everyone else) and he lost a lot of compassion for strangers, feeling that if his words offended them, they should simply argue back.
However amongst this bright ideal life, trouble lucked and it was only a matter of time before fate lost patience and unleashed hell. Unfortunately for Nemesio, this came a lot sooner than he would have liked.
One day, a week or so after his tenth birthday, Nemesio found himself at a loose end. Demetrio had been taken out of town to visit relatives and the majority of his friends were busy. Hell, even little Nicanor was unavailable, having caught a particularly aggressive cold and with nothing else to do, ‘Sio picked up one of Catalina’s balls and took it into the garden. Elena watched him silently and with a wicked grin, snuck off to her sister and explained to her what a vile little thief their brother was. Furious, Catalina stormed out of the house and into the garden, blood red hair flying in streaks and she whipped into Nemesio’s vision and started shrieking.
“You fuckin’ thief. That’s mine! Give it back now!”
Nemesio let a low laugh crawl from his throat and held the ball close to his chest.
“Come get it.”
With a growl and without hesitation, Elena lunched for the ball, swiping through the air but she was oh-so forgetful. Nemesio couldn’t help but grin. Had she really not noticed how much taller than her he’d become? How much stronger and faster? The need to remind her was strong in his thoughts and he twisted out of reach but his sister was relentless and launched herself at him again. Once more ‘Sio teased the ball close to her grip then pulled it away at the last second, chuckling as his sadistic sibling cried out in frustration at her inabilities. In retrospect, Nemesio should have expected what she did next. This was his sister, his fourteen-year-old personal hellbringer and torturer, a wild, selfish brat yet for some reason ‘Sio’s didn’t expect her to simply ignore the ball and assault him. With all the might her frame could muster, Catalina Delgado threw herself into her brother who staggered and then fell.
Neither of them realised their position until it was too late and unable to recover his footing, the ten-year-old boy was sent sprawling. Right into the window.
Gods no…
Ragged glass tore deep along his arm, severing through muscle; the first of many and Nemesio slammed backwards hard, hitting shattered glass and ground with enough force to rip the air from his lungs. Shards skewered him, smashing ribs and burrowing deep within mangled flesh and muscle without mercy, without malice but with the cold efficiency of a well-worn assassin. Over and over and over, he was impaled; more and more, the pain built, blinding, suffocating, twisting through his nerves like relentless wildfire. His very blood ran from it, sinking into the carpet and around his skin, dampening his hair, matching it in colour, the perfect picture of Death’s most beloved victim.
How long now before Death would claim him? Hours? Minutes? Seconds?
Blackness crawled at the edges of his vision; his eyes were shutting down now, little by little, everything growing blurry as his focus narrowed. He blinked and everything turned grey. Death wanted him, wanted to claim him, take him as a lover as Fate now raped his body with knives of bloodied glass. The sounds around him grew muffled; a muted scream, a sharp intake of breath and as the last tendrils of darkness blocked out the light he felt strong arms sweep along his side, unwary of the glass, or of the fresh agony it brought to his senses and then… nothing.
Total blackness.
Empty.
Nothing.
Seeing her brother like that, laid out and bleeding in so many places, his legs buckled, his body lacerated over and over, made Catalina finally see Nemesio as a human being. He was no longer an obstacle but someone in pain, a family member who might die and all because of her. Never before had she made her brother bleed, bruising once or twice but never blood, the sight sickened her. The feelings of guilt, of despair, of dread stirred within her stomach and worked their way up her throat. She swallowed, and ran. Quickly, Catalina found her parents and lied, telling them that she’d been playing with Nemesio because her sister was out and that in trying to catch the football, he’d fallen and was bleeding badly. Fortunately, Nemesio survived and Catalina, Demetrio and the younger Nicanor all pitched in to help his recovery. Elena didn’t help but like her sister, she never hurt him again.
Elsewhere in his life, Nemesio found himself with a lot of work to catch up on in school yet he was surprised with the number of younger (and often elder) students that came up to him asking about his scars. Everyone seemed awed that he’d survived yet ‘Sio himself felt nothing but sickness in thinking back. He had almost perished and there, on the brink of death, Nemesio lost any hope of solidifying a faith. Only darkness had waited for him then and for that moment he had known nothing but that, his life out of touch, put of mind and only emptiness willing to take his hand. Tangible and terrifying, death became synonymous with non-existence from then and shaped ‘Sio’s path into something entirely different from the route it would have taken had it not been for Catalina’s carelessness. Even Demetrio couldn’t understand that and Nemesio didn’t want to destroy their relationship he had with his religious cousin. All the while, the elder Elena watched from the shadows, fascinated by Nemesio’s strife, by his pain and most of all, by his survival. She wanted to know about the end, yet she never asked. Elena didn’t need Nemesio’s doubts to form her own and silently, the two bonded through that. Worshiping the Thayne deities became an empty practice and the mere presence of one another during prayer times became a comfort with both children taking comfort in the idea that someone else thought the same as them, that someone else saw the folly in this.
Two years past without event. ‘Sio grew into an incredibly attractive youth, his elder sisters, now sixteen, had also become strikingly beautiful and now came the time for the two to choose their magical path. The whole affair was totally disorganised for having never told, or even hinted to her children about their magical talents, Alva thrust the most difficult choice of her daughter’s lives at them without warning and their own reactions mirrored that chaos perfectly. Poor Catalina changed her mind every five minutes, there was so much she wanted to try, so much she now discovered she could unlock and to pick just one magical focus? It seemed horribly unfair to her. Elena on the other hand, was a different matter entirely. Reserved and more intelligent than her twin, Elena drew back from the limelight and chose her path in secret but Nemesio could guess what it was. Only necromancy would ever satisfy his death-obsessed sister, her vicious morbidity and faithlessness driving her to pick a magic that would let her control dead cells… perhaps even her own. Elena had never asked her brother about ‘the end’, somehow, she knew already. That or she simply didn’t want to know and dreaded the idea of feeling the emptiness that lurked in Nemesio’s mind like the most corrupting of cancers.
After three weeks, Elena announced that she was leaving the family home; that she wanted to make her own way in life and believed that only the wider world could bring her the answers she desired. Nemesio longed to go with her but at twelve, he was intelligent enough to know that he couldn’t contend with the dangers of the world. Not yet. Elena wrote home frequently, often to individual family members and his parents were initially surprised by the wealth of them that were addressed to ‘Sio for Alva and Javier had barely seen the two say two words to one another. Despite the curiosity of his parents and his remaining siblings, Nemesio only ever showed the letters to Demetrio; the one person he trusted enough not to spread his sister’s secrets. Together, the two boys learnt much from Elena’s travels and lusted for such excitement of their own.
Time flew buy and soon it was Nemesio’s turn to choose his magic but having have four years since his sisters’ rushed decision to prepare for the eventuality, ‘Sio’s choice of magic came with remarkable ease and he announced to his mother that he was going to pursue biokinetic magic. In truth, the idea of her child, distorting his DNA, his blood and every aspect of his genetics upset Alva substantially. What upset her most, more than the drastic dangers of biokinesis was the simple fact that it was the DNA she had given Nemesio that he wanted to alter. Still, Alva put on a brave face and let Javier comfort her through her sobs later in the night. All Nemesio wanted though, above everything else was to never feel the lack of life that chilled him to the core just thinking about. It had been six years and dread, despair and depression had all had their turns to claim him yet hope remained and it lay in his magic. One day, one day in the future, he would be able to stop himself aging; he would never die and no matter how guilty his mother’s overheard sobs made him feel, Nemesio couldn’t bring himself to destroy his own life for her satisfaction.
A wedge grew between the mother and her son and ‘Sio drifted closer to his father as a result. In the following year he learnt so much about his father that he’d never even considered. Unlike his mother, Javier Delgado, humble blacksmith, loving husband and devoted father, was not a native of this tiny town. Oh no, his father had once been a mercenary and had the scars to prove it too. Happily, Javier told his newly interested son about the life he had given up for his mother and whilst Nemesio was sure that he didn’t regret leaving his profession for a family, it was obvious in his excited tones that he missed certain elements of his past life. Nevertheless, ‘Sio knew that his father kept his darkest secrets to himself and wary of breaking the new bond that had formed, he never inquired about the details of such matters. Slowly, Nemesio’s life was returning to a lull, a neutral state with no accidents, no awe-struck, idolising students, no magical choices for him to make and ‘Sio was back to learning about life, this time from his father.
He neglected his magic and one day, not long ago, something happened to change that; to change the direction of Nemesio’s life completely. Well, more like give him the push out of the door he needed. A mere week before Nemesio set out on his journey, he was awakened in the night. Someone downstairs was screaming and someone else was screaming back at them. Initially, Nemesio had brushed it off as his parents. Yes, Javier and Alva loved one another deeply but no couple never had an argument and the thought of his parents letting out a few of their frustrations didn’t bother ‘Sio. Then he realised that the first voice was far deeper than his father’s and far more aggressive. There was a crash and Nemesio’s curiosity got the better of him. Quietly, the redhead moved from his bed and snuck out of his room, creeping down the doorway, down the stairs. Now he could hear the voices clearly.
“You think I want to take your bastard child?! Stupid girl, you never did understand. Wasted yourself, you did, now bring me your boy!”
Nemesio bit his tongue to stop himself yelling but his mother was crying now and soon he couldn’t resist twisting round the final corner and into the front room. Responding in a low growl: “I’m not a bastard”
Swiftly, the man turned away from Alva and to her son and Nemesio suddenly found himself breathless. He was tall, whoever he was, far taller than his father and even taller than ‘Sio own 6’5” frame. He was older too, his hair a dusty grey and his skin showing one or two lines but on the whole, he looked healthy; his muscles were strong, straining at the weak blue silk that covered him and Nemesio didn’t doubt that if he wanted to, he could launch ‘Sio through a wall. This though, was not what the redhead noticed first and certainly not what kept his attention. Sprouting from the man’s back and folded beside him, where two massive feathery wings. White in colour and twitching slightly from some sort of irritation, maybe from having to be kept folded.
He spoke and Nemesio’s attention was pulled away, he swallowed.
“Heh. At least your mother did something right. Come here, Boy. What’s your name?”
Hesitating, ‘Sio glanced to his mother for reassurance. She gave none and diverted her gaze. Finally, he responded. “Nemesio.”
“And your magic?”
Nemesio’s eyes widened at that. So this man knew something about them? How much more did he know? Barely audible, ‘Sio replied. “Biokinesis”
A wry grin spread over the winged man’s face, he was somehow pleased with Nemesio’s answer. It made the redhead himself feel highly uncomfortable. He looked away for a second then met the other male’s gaze again, only to find that his hazel had begun to glow faintly yet beneath that, they sparkled with something that could have been interest, or just outright malevolence.
“No doubt you’re wondering who I am. I doubt your mother has ever bothered to tell me.” He shot a glance to Alva, to confirm his suspicions and emphasise his point simultaneously. Without a wasted breath, he continued: “I, am Adán Vidaurri; your grandfather.”
He ushered the youth into the next room, away from his mother and any sort of comfort he might have been able to find in her. Well, at least he knew where his height came from.
“Nemesio,” he said, far more matter-of-fact, than his grandiose tones had been a moment ago. “There is something you need to know. Although I suspect you’ve already figured it out, if your choice of magic is any indication.” He took a breath, Nemesio presumed it was for emphasis. “There is no afterlife for us but whilst your mother’s wasted herself and any chance of survival she might have had, there is still hope for you. And your sister.” He knew about Elena. The glint in his eyes suggested he did and leaning over his grandson, Adán Rios smirked and whispered; “she’ll get there first unless you hurry.”
Unable to remember the conversation that followed through tiredness at the time, Nemesio took what he could recall as a challenge and two weeks after, six days after his seventeenth, ‘Sio left his home. The atmosphere had become unbearable anyway; his mother didn’t trust him and had become very twitchy indeed. She was hiding something, but full of his own, fresh secrets and desires, Nemesio had said nothing and waited to the day of his leave to tell his family (save for Demi, who had been the instant he’d made his decision) that he was leaving. Catalina, Nicanor and Javier waved him off happily but his mother did nothing, as if she’d never cared for him at all.
Inventory:
Death Sentence
Description – The Death Sentence is a sword given to Nemesio by his mother who used it as a magical tool in her blood alchemy. As a ceremonial sword, the Death Sentence is far more suited to be a decoration than a weapon and is made out of a very weak metal that can barely cut through muscle, let alone bone. However, the sword looks rather fearsome. Its blade is serrated nastily on one side and engraved with a glowing filigree that has no purpose other than improving the aesthetics. The sword has an ‘otherworldly’ air about it as a result and this seems to put off many wannabe muggers and rapists that look his way; why take a chance on something that looks so weird and threatening? Nemesio doesn’t ever use this sword and he will never sell it, for as a gift from his mother, it’s far too precious to let someone else have.
Origin – When Nemesio left his home, his mother gave him a present; one of the five ceremonial swords she used in her craft. She told him very little over the matter of why she was giving it away but she did tell him to take care of it.
Link – N/A
Vakerai
Description – A large double-bladed steel axe which Nemesio generally keeps strapped to his back and in clear view of the public. Vakerai, is a fairly large axe, measuring around 33” in total length with each blade measuring over half that at 18”. It has a braided leather handle, which splits into two at around the 19” mark, both of these ‘branches’ continue for about 2” until the leather wrap gives way for the jagged steel blades that pull outwards, upwards and downwards to look more like an elegant tribal tattoo than a traditional axe. Vakerai has no problem riving through the muscle and bone that gives the Death Sentence such trouble, now, if only ‘Sio could actually hit something…
Origin – A recent addition to Nemesio’s arsenal, the youth acquired his axe after chancing upon a closing down weapons store. He thought it looked pretty and the owner seemed pretty keen to get rid of it, so ‘Sio bought it.
Link – N/A
Clothing, Jewellery and Accessories
Description – Nemesio’s two, near-identical outfits aren’t exactly the most extravagant or beautiful things but the young, vain Nemesio has collected a plethora of trinkets to adorn himself with and this redeems the starkness of his garments. Most of these accessories are expensive yet all are eye catching and seem as if they would be worth a lot but ‘Sio will never sell these extravagant items. They mean a lot to him in ways that would seem insignificant to the minds of others and besides, giving them up would seriously anger his vanity.
Origin – Various sources, especially with the jewellery; Nemesio is quite the ‘collector’.
Link – N/A
Camping Equipment
Description – As Nemesio travels Althanas, he can be away from civilization for weeks and he wouldn’t have a hope in hell of surviving were it not for his camping equipment. ‘Sio’s collection includes a tent big enough for himself and one (small) other, two, very thick blankets, a supply of food and a small frying pan. Most of what Nemesio eats on the road, he catches himself (with great effort) and thus, his supply of food isn’t exactly enormous. Still, for now, Nemesio figures it’s enough; his bag’s packed as it is.
Origin – Nemesio hadn’t actually thought about the more practical side of wondering from place to place but luckily, his mother did and took it upon herself to buy some camping equipment for him. ‘Sio is eternally grateful.
Link – N/A
A Satchel
Description – Nemesio has a fairly large, military green, satchel to carry his belongings in. The largest part is where he keeps his camping equipment and clothes, but there are many more compartments to the bag and these are filled with all sorts of things including letters and gifts to and from various relatives.
Origin – Another gift from his sensible mother.
Link – N/A
Abilities:
The vast majority of Nemesio’s skills are down to the quarter of his blood passed down his mother’s bloodline yet unlike other species, this blood is not diluted through the generations. The effects of this blood remain the same, no matter how pure it is, or how little of it one has yet in spite of this, the blood is rare and it is these two factors that, unbeknownst to Nemesio, make those who carry such lineage incredibly sought after items. You see, those who carry this blood are stronger, faster and have more stamina than normal humans but on top of this, they have the ability to manipulate any magic. When a child of this bloodline is born, it is possible for them to access latent powers of anything from pyrokinesis to telepathy although it is stressed that trying to develop too many of these abilities would be horribly confusing and render them unlikely to master any one. As a result, children are encouraged to experiment with all manner of techniques until they reach the age of sixteen at which point, they choose the magic that for the rest of their lives, will be their primary focus. There is one thing, however, that those of pure blood have that others don’t; wings and Nemesio can’t help but envy his grandfather for having such beautiful things.
Nemesio chose to focus on the dangerous and difficult art of biokinesis; the manipulation of genetic structures and living organisms. More detail on what it does, along with how ‘Sio views his ‘gift’ is in the ‘Detailed Personality’ section of this application. Many of the abilities listed here stem from Nemesio’s biokinetics.
Scan – Semi-Passive
Description – With this, Nemesio can see every cell in his body. How it’s constructed, whether it’s infected, how it can be improved; Nemesio can view every single tiny detail and yet he can’t do a damned thing to rectify the faults he notices. In addition, ‘Sio is only able to look at his own body with this skill and cannot even look at other peoples’. However, it’s not completely useless and serves as a good early warning sign as thanks this skill, Nemesio can tell whether he’s coming on with a cold, or even cancer and can seek treatment sooner than most.
Origin – Nemesio simply woke up one morning when he was seven and found that if he concentrated, he could vision every cell in his body. The ability daunted him and it wasn’t till he selected biokinesis as his magical focus, that he tried to rediscover it and found that it had somehow become automatic; he merely had to want to see his cells and didn’t even need to concentrate.
Link – N/A
Photographic Memory – Active
Description – As a side-effect of scan, Nemesio found himself able to examine his brain cells with further clarity. Instead of merely being able to gauge how they were medically, ‘Sio discovered that he could see their contents, to see every detail of the memories and connectives set up within his mind. As such, this ability lets Nemesio examine all the memories stored in his head. However, ‘Sio cannot used this ability as easily as he can with ‘Scan’, instead, due to the complexity of brain cells he but concentrate for up to five minutes (time depends on how dormant and how long the memory has been in his mind) before being able to see what he wishes to see.
Origin – When Nemesio touched upon his ‘Scan’ ability for the second time, it seemed to have furthered itself and a bi-product of its self-improvements was this ability.
Link – N/A
Healing – Active
Description – Nemesio has only one ability that can be used on others, just the one and it’s the most fundamental foundation for every biokinetic ability that ‘Sio may develop afterwards; the ability to heal. At its current level, Nemesio is only able to heal his own wounds and to an extent, he is able to heal everything, increasing the healing speed of any wound he incurs, no matter how superficial or serious. However, ‘Sio is unable to rapidly alter the speed at which things like fractures and internal wounds heal (the latter seems to worsen far quicker than the inexperienced Nemesio could ever heal it anyway) so yes, it’s more than possible for him to die. In addition, there’s always the possibility he may stuff up, for if a fairly deep gash is close to an artery or vain, there’s a chance that he might damage it through lack of control and further injure himself. As a result, this ability something that Nemesio would only use in an emergency.
Origin –
Link – N/A
Speed, Strength and Endurance – Passive
Description – Nemesio’s lineage gave to him an improvement on the normal human speed, strength and endurance but it is his biokinesis that really sets him apart. With this, Nemesio has altered his bones, rendering them able to take impacts of a particularly violent nature without breaking. This means that he can jump higher, hit harder and take more damage than most normal humans. At the moment, Nemesio is just beginning in his self-manipulations and thus, this skill has not yet developed fully. Currently, Nemesio has strength, speed and endurance two times what he would have had without this skill.
Origin – Nemesio acquired his skill in these areas after a fair bit of trial and error with his biokinetic manipulation. He eventually got it right around half a year ago but is far from mastery.
Link – N/A
Non Biokinetic Skills
Axe Combat Proficiency – Passive
Description – Well, if Nemesio could actually hit you, it’d be worrying; his blows are extremely powerful and could easily slice through bone but alas, ‘Sio’s accuracy is awful. Whilst his strength is clearly evident in his style, he overshoots and undershoots his mark so often that his lack of control couldn’t be denied by even a blind man. Nemesio will probably get better with experience but for now, he’s just lucky that he’s not hit himself in the face yet.
Origin – One day in the recent past, Nemesio bought an axe because he liked the look of it. Yeah, he’s that good…
Link – N/A
Unarmed Combat Proficiency – Passive
Description – Nemesio is more skilled here than in other combat areas as he’s simply had more practice, especially in the past year. However, that isn’t to say he’s an expert, far from it, ‘Sio’s attacks are fierce, fast and forceful but he’s not always accurate and is limited to a basic knowledge and understanding of combat. His movements and manoeuvres are predominantly ground based and he can’t keep up with those who are able to perform various high-flying stunts, or those with significantly better groundwork. Luckily for ‘Sio, he’s tall because if it weren’t for that, he’d have fallen prey to an experienced mugger or rapist long ago.
Origin – Nemesio’s parents didn’t care much for fighting and ‘Sio learnt what he could from his cousin and other friends, whose parents were more lenient. He also looked at books but all of this was playful theory until the youth began his travels and began to find those few who weren’t put off by his height or the Death Sentence. As such, this skill has advanced more than ever in the past year or so.
Link – N/A
Note on Nemesio’s Blood
Nemesio’s blood is, simply put, a cure for vampirism. Whilst this is not its true function, it can’t help being the case as ‘Sio’s blood overrides any other within any creature, including the vampiric curse/gift. However, if a vampire then lived out their life as a human, when they died, they would have no afterlife and would not become a ghost; they would cease to exist in any form. This second effect will affect anyone, regardless of race, should they get but a single drop of Nemesio’s blood in their veins.