Appeared In:
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Name:
Kalas
Age:
24
Gender:
Male
Appearance:
Kalas, in this armor on the left. (minus the eyepatch FOR NOW)
Wings
Personality:
"In this world, there are things that people mustn't touch... Who cares!?"
At first, Kalas was what you would call a colossal jerk, only out for himself and only helping others out of coincidence and practicality. However, after the events of his game, he has become more well-meaning and genuinely kind and heroic. Though he still retains his bitter sarcasm and looter tendencies, his previous 'not my problem' attitude has changed to one who's a lot more willing to help those in need, and absolutely refuses to let anyone sacrifice themselves for the greater good. While this gives him more of a reckless and impulsive edge, when the need calls for it, he can be very resourceful and pragmatic with his surroundings.
Despite his redemption and change for the better, however, Kalas harbors a deep guilt for his betrayal and erasing his Guardian Spirit's memory, unable to forgive himself even after being forgiven by everyone else. When reminded of his crimes, he falls into a state of self-loathing; at his worst, he holds an irrational hatred for those who remind him of how he once was. However, this is all set aside if he or someone he cares deeply for gets hurt or worse (especially if it's Xelha). To this end, he is extremely protective and vengeful, going out of his way to chase the potential perpetrators to the ends of the skies in order to exact that revenge upon them.
Powers:
In the world of Baten Kaitos, people once had Wings of the Heart, spiritual wings that could be summoned, and reflected one's soul. Though they had disappeared after the events of the game, Kalas' single wing was granted back as a result of the Convergence, along with an enhancement of his heart's power in order to use it for much longer than before. With the support of his custom-made winglet, this allows him a form of flight, and provides balance for battle. However, even with their enhanced power, the use of his wings are still limited in that they're not strong enough to carry him or slow his descent in extremely high areas; should he have his wings out for too long, he will grow weary as a result of his heart losing resolve, needing to recover before he can use them again.
Due to his origin as a being created out of pure Magnus energy, as well as having Fee's soul within him, Kalas has an extraordinary, almost superhuman amount of willpower. Though he can fall under control depending on the circumstance, he will do everything in his power to break out of it, even at the cost of his own health. He gives off an aura that's different from other people, only sensed by those who are magically gifted; even then, he may come off as soulless due to having no perceivable Magnus within him. This is because his soul is different from a typical human being, similar to a creature with blue blood instead of red.
Kalas has a unique set of attacks that make use of his sword. These abilities, like everything else in the world of Baten Kaitos, come in the form of Magnus cards for him to use. He retains each and every one of them after his adventure, though due to the removal of the bond with his Guardian Spirit, they are a lot weaker than they normally would be. As well, his abilities run on his world's form of mana called Magnus Power, which builds up the more he attacks or charges up. When reaching max MP (level 5), he can go into an MP Burst, allowing him to use any of his skills without cost and string together combos with them. When the Burst reaches its end, however, his MP is reduced back to 0 until it's built up again.
List of special attacks
(Video showcasing his attacks.)
Abilities:
Kalas is an exceptional swordsman, knowing how to dual-wield with his sword and dagger; the latter is mostly limited to blocking or striking in a feint. Not only is his offense fairly high, he is also very quick due to his affinity to wind, and has very strong endurance thanks to his immense willpower.
In spite of the occasional lack of foresight, one notable trait about Kalas is his cleverness, able to think on the fly and use his surroundings to catch his attackers off-guard. With his experience as a spy, he can be deceitful and find ways to keep suspicion off of him, even keeping the act up for a fairly long time until he's found out. He also has a tendency to pick up on certain things that most people wouldn't think too much, such as when Xelha made a slip of the tongue that tipped him off to her dishonesty.
Thanks to being raised by an engineer, Kalas is fairly knowledgeable with tech, and can be crafty with tools. Though not to the same god-like level as his grandfather, he can repair smaller appliances and build small contraptions, resorting to traps more often than not.
Weapons:
A sword and reverse blade dagger that he wields simultaneously.
Equipment:
Awareness:
While he's aware of the existence of other worlds, he doesn't know about their nature as games made reality.
History:
Kalas' origins are that of an artificial human, created from Magnus by the inventor Georg and his friend Dr. Larikush. Their original intent in learning the secret of the mysterious technology was to trap a living being's Magna Essence within the card, something that was deemed impossible. However, in part with an influence from the taint of the End Magnus; something which had been passed on to him by his mother; Georg instead reversed the experiment, working with an already existing Magnus and manipulating its properties to create life within it.
Though the initial intent was to create any lifeform, the newly-appointed Emperor Geldoblame, upon discovering this experiment, ordered for them to create the perfect being called the 'Divine Child' in order to fulfill his own selfish ambitions in discovering the secret to eternal life. After several months, the experiment was complete, Georg and Larikush successfully creating a lifeform born from a Magnus. Kalas was the result of that experiment.
However, though a success in that regard, Kalas was considered "excessively human," holding the flaws that human beings tended to have (pride, arrogance, and a mean spirit). Not only that, but he was born with only one wing, a deformity that was presumed to be the sign of a tainted soul. Displeased with the result, Geldoblame deemed him a failure, giving him the name 'Kalas'; meaning 'raven' in a forgotten language; out of a paranoid assumption that he was an ill omen of things to come. The experiment had to be done all over again, taking several years to perfect in order to create the Divine Child. After those years, another life was created: Fee, the perfect being that the Emperor wanted.
Despite the success, Georg had begun to see the error of his ways over the years, having developed a parental bond for his creations. When Geldoblame ordered for the scientists to dispose of Kalas and hand over Fee, it was the last straw for the inventor. Georg and Larikush faked their deaths in a lab fire and fled the Empire, taking their 'sons' with them. In order to live in hiding, they settled in Mira, an island that occasionally drifted into other dimensions; Larikush left some time later to become a village doctor in a farming hamlet in Sadal Suud.
Due to the trauma caused by the fire, Kalas lost all memory of his time in the Empire, whereas Fee was simply too young to remember. They were raised under the illusion that Georg was their biological grandfather, who found them after the supposed disappearance of their 'parents'. The only thing Kalas remembered was his name, refusing to change it out of a hatred that he just couldn't get rid of.
From then on, Kalas grew up in Balancoire, the capital city of Mira, along with his perceived grandfather and little brother. Outside of his family, he only had two friends; Trill, a girl who grew up to be an apprentice baker, and a young man who grew up to work at a local shop. Otherwise, he was ostracized and bullied by most of the residents for his one wing, being seen as a curse and a freak of nature. He was close to his family as a result, Georg crafting a winglet tailor-made for him, and Kalas promising Fee that they would go on a journey to search for the fabled lost Ocean and its Whale one day.
However, this somewhat peaceful life would not last. Two years prior to the main story, they were found and attacked by Giacomo; Georg's real son and a high-ranking officer of the Imperial army; and his subordinate Ayme, burning their house to the ground. Georg died in the fire while Kalas and Fee were both shot and mortally wounded by Ayme. The boys managed to escape to the dark forest of the Nekton Shrine, but it wasn't long before Fee collapsed, giving in to his wounds. His final words to a tearful Kalas were for his older brother to find the Ocean and the Whale for him, before he died in his arms.
Unfortunately, the despaired Kalas was unable to carry out his request. Unable to go on with the loss of the family that he deeply cared for, he collapsed next...
But then, just before he gave in to his wounds, Fee's soul of pure Magna Essence was absorbed into Kalas' being, the will of the Divine Child healing him and saving his life. Kalas awoke, revived and his wounds healed, but alone in the dark forest. The deaths of his grandfather and little brother were fresh in his mind, as well as the man who caused it all. Despair and sadness turned to rage and hate, the young man swearing revenge on that man for his murdered family.
In the midst of his anger, he was found by Melodia, the duchess of Mira, who had been drawn to him by some mysterious force. She sensed his anger and a deeper desire for power, and offered to help him obtain the vengeance he sought, as well as two perfect wings that he truly longed for. In return, he would aid her in resurrecting the ancient god of destruction, Malpercio, from the End Magnus that laid buried in the five Nations. Broken and with no one else to turn to, Kalas accepted.
Melodia led him further into Nekton afterwards, to meet with his "Guardian." There, they were found by one of the many Spirits that resided, drawn to Kalas' mysterious aura and the pain in his heart. With Melodia's help, Kalas bonded with the Spirit, who turned out to be a shy girl by the name of Audrey. Despite her timidity, they would become a team, the girl lending him her power as his Guardian Spirit.
Little did either of them know, this "Spirit" was from the real world, displaced as a result of what would be known as the Great Convergence, her soul separated from her body. But that's a story to be told elsewhere.
For the next two years, Kalas would go on working for Melodia and hunting down Giacomo across the skies, leaving Mira behind since the deaths of his grandfather and little brother. Although he and Audrey bonded over the years, the Spirit telling him many stories from her world and marveling at the various sights, he ultimately saw her as a means to an end rather than a friend, needing her power for his quest. However, one day, Audrey had come to disagree with Kalas and Melodia's plans to revive Malpercio, refusing to cooperate. Her defiance forced Kalas to have Melodia wipe the Spirit's memory of the past two years, in order for her to keep working for them without knowing their true plans.
Melodia placed the spell deep within the Moonguile Forest, knocking Kalas unconscious so he would later claim accidental amnesia as the cause of his Spirit's lost memories. However, unbeknownst to them, their exchange was witnessed by Xelha, a mysterious young woman who fled the Empire. Though not knowing what to make of it at the time, this would lead to the start of their real adventure.
Kalas awoke in the farming hamlet of Cebelrai some time later, having been brought back to health by Dr. Larikush, whom the young man didn't remember. During his visit in the village, he met Xelha, the young woman behaving like it was their first time meeting, before she left with her allies to the Moonguile Forest in search of its ancient ruins. Deciding to explore the forest again himself, in spite of the "danger" he was in before, he came across the girl again, this time in danger from a monster that killed her friends.
Although saving her from it, his robbing of her fallen friends and insensitivity to her when she called him out did not lead to a good first impression. However, due to the fact that they were headed in the same direction, as well as Xelha sensing the Guardian Spirit bonded to him, the two joined up for the time being, heading further into the forest and soon discovering the End Magnus sealed deep within the ruins, thanks to a magic pendant that Xelha held. However, the minute they retrieved it, they were suddenly apprehended by Giacomo, who had been seeking out the End Magnus under Emperor Geldoblame's orders. The Imperial soldiers led by him captured Xelha, the pendant having been stolen from the Emperor, and knocked Kalas out before he could stop them.
Kalas chased the soldiers to the city of Pherkad once he came to, with the intent to finally exact his revenge on the man that killed his family. Although Xelha was saved in the process, it was once again out of coincidence (despite Audrey's insistence otherwise). Unfortunately, after they clashed, Giacomo escaped before Kalas could take his revenge, leaving them to make a hasty retreat as they were chased by the soldiers.
After losing wind of them, Xelha explained her story on how she got involved with the Empire. As a maid working in the Imperial Fortress, she stumbled upon Geldoblame's plot to unleash the End Magnus and awaken Malpercio, and set herself on a quest to stop him. She asked for Kalas and his Spirit's aid in her quest, unable to take on the might of the Empire all by herself. However, Kalas refused, not at all caring about the fate of the world and finding her quest to go against the Empire to be unrealistic and foolish. He would've left her at that, but as they were headed in the same direction yet again, they continued to travel together out of coincidence rather than any alliance.
As their adventure went on, others joined their quest to lend their aid: Gibari, a Skyfarer and former knight; Lyude, an Imperial Ambassador who had turned against the Empire; Savyna, a bounty hunter and former Imperial soldier; and the Great Mizuti, a Child of the Earth. Though Kalas remained adamant that he was only sticking around because their "save the world" mission coincided with his search for revenge, in truth, he was monitoring their progress, keeping his true motives a secret and doing everything he can to keep their suspicion off of him.
Their quest soon took them to the Alfard Empire, on the trail for the final End Magnus. It was here that Kalas finally faced off against Giacomo, along with his subordinates Ayme and Folon. Though emerging victorious, Giacomo revealed that Georg was in fact his father, before setting the battleship where they fought to self-destruct. The party made their hasty escape before the ship crashed and exploded, leaving the fate of their enemies uncertain. Despite finally getting his revenge, only soured by the confusion and inner turmoil with the revelation, there was just one more matter for Kalas to take care of.
They headed for the Lava Caves, where the final End Magnus was sealed, only to find that they were too late. Geldoblame had already claimed it, all five End Magnus in his possession. Unleashing their powers, bringing the dark castle Cor Hydrae into existence, the mad Emperor was then turned into a grotesque monster, forcing the heroes to fight him off. Once he was defeated, Melodia revealed herself to be the true mastermind, the Emperor a pawn in her scheme. With his Imperial troops now under her control, his monstrous form was shot down into the lava.
It was then that Kalas stepped forward, revealing to have been working with Melodia all along. He also revealed to his Guardian Spirit that he was the reason for her amnesia, needing her power in order to avenge Georg and Fee. In spite of finally attaining that, there was one last part of the deal that he was promised, that he was ready to accept. Ignoring both Xelha and Audrey's attempts to get through to him, he was bestowed with the power of the End Magnus by Melodia, granting him a second wing as promised, a full pair of glittering white wings as he always desired. And after this so-called "blessing," Kalas rejected the Spirit from his being, fully embracing his new power while his former friends were captured and imprisoned.
However, in truth, that power had corrupted him, slowly making him lose his sense of self and turning him into a mindless slave. Deep down, the formerly one-winged boy struggled in his inner turmoil, conflicted with his new "gift" and the guilt of his betrayal that had been stewing long before this.
It all came down when his former companions; having escaped from their separate prisons, the Guardian Spirit now bonded to Xelha's being instead; confronted them within the core of the Imperial Fortress, not only to stop the resurrection of Malpercio, but to also rescue the former hero. A fight broke out between the heroes and the "Angel of Darkness," doing everything they can to get through to him.
But, it was after the heroes emerged victorious that Melodia set the final step of the plan into motion. From the five "unsuspecting mortals," their power was drawn into the End Magnus, their bond of trust and camaraderie, along with Kalas and Melodia representing the will and determination to be reborn, being the last thing needed to revive the god of destruction. However, fighting back against the force that drained her, Xelha pulled out the Ocean Mirror; one of three sacred artifacts that was used to stop Malpercio a thousand years ago; and shone it on Kalas out of a misguided hope that it would save him from the darkness.
It didn't. Instead, the holy power imbued within the mirror burned him nearly to death, forcing the young woman to give up as Melodia destroyed the mirror and their last hope with it. With the strength of the heroes gathered within the End Magnus, everything had gone just as planned. The End Magnus came together, the severed parts of the five dead gods sealed within fusing together into one being. After a millennium of confinement and suffering, Malpercio, the cursed god of destruction, was finally reborn...
But not all hope was lost. As it turned out, despite the deadly burning, the Ocean Mirror did bring Kalas back to his senses, long enough for him to fully realize the severity of his selfish actions. Even after he was pulled back into the corruption, he broke out just before he could kill his friends. By the force of his own will, fueled further by Xelha's memory and prayer, Kalas tore out the left wing right out of its socket, severing Malpercio's influence and restoring him back to his one-winged self. With a new resolve, he turned against the corrupt girl that he once worked for, and swore to drive Malpercio and his forces back to the dark depths they came from, cementing his role as a hero from thereon.
However, Melodia and Malpercio ended up retreating to the Cor Hydrae castle in order to recuperate. Kalas, due to the overexertion and severity of his wounds, had fallen unconscious, the last traces of darkness plunging him into a nightmare. He experienced flashbacks of the deaths of his grandfather and little brother, reliving the painful memory of Fee dying in his arms. He would've fallen into a deep darkness within his heart once again, had it not been for Xelha and Audrey finding their way into his dream, thanks to a dormant power that the Spirit held. Fighting back against his "Nightmare," they managed to pull him out and rescue him for good. Before they would awaken from the dream, Kalas apologized to his former Spirit and the woman he treated so badly at the start, opening up and promising to make it up to them (though not before Audrey punched him in the face for what he did).
He awoke to find the rest of his former companions beside him. On the verge of tears, Kalas begged for forgiveness and for them to allow him to help stop Melodia and Malpercio, in order to make up for what he unwittingly caused. To his surprise, he was accepted back without question, his winglet returned to him and Audrey bonding back with him after their mental heart-to-heart. Though the guilt he harbored made him feel undeserving of redemption, Kalas was back to being a hero once more, this time of his own accord. This change of heart was proven when, during Malpercio's attack on Mizuti's homeland, he refused to leave the inhabitants and Mizuti's parents to die for their sake, instead fighting back against the evil god. Although this cost them their one last chance to defeat Malpercio, Kalas and his friends didn't lose their resolve, instead looking to find a way to break into Cor Hydrae and take on the god from there.
Before they could decide on a plan of attack, Kalas received a letter from Dr. Larikush, summoning him back to Cebalrai. It was here that Larikush revealed Kalas' origins as an artificial being crafted by Georg, as well as something that was left for him by his grandfather, that he'd find in an old cabin upon the Celestial Alps. However, upon arriving there with his friends, they were met with an unexpected surprise: Giacomo and his allies had turned up, having survived the previous battle and watched the events unfold from behind the scenes. One last battle against the Chaotic Trio ensued, their adversaries overpowering them and Giacomo managing to knock Kalas to the ground.
As he lay at the mercy of his archenemy, the memory of his brother's death came to him once more. But this time, one part of that memory came to him, that he'd forgotten after two years. That he'd nearly died alongside Fee, only for his brother's soul to be absorbed into his being to save him. Giacomo revealed that his true goal was to claim the Divine Child's power for his own purposes, but with the world on the verge of ending, he no longer cared about his quest for power. Vowing to kill Kalas then and there, he destroyed his beloved winglet, sending the boy into a fit of rage
Just before Giacomo could finish him off, however, they discovered exactly what Georg left behind for Kalas: a second, more durable winglet, created to aid him in the journey that he would undergo. His resolve restored, vowing to not let Fee's story die while he still lived, Kalas faced off against Giacomo one last time, defeating him for good. As the former Imperial officer lay on death's door, his final words were for Kalas to stop Melodia and Malpercio, and for Ayme and Folon to aid the heroes from thereon. The one-winged hero silently promised him that he would stop them, finally allowing himself to lay his hatred to rest.
After this was done, Kalas aided his friends in their personal quests, clearing out some of the dark forces that plagued their world. On the night before they would make their way to the final battle, he began to realize the true reason why he was created, Fee's soul saving him and Georg leaving behind that second winglet factoring into this realization. Besides a mere experiment, Georg, by the influence of the End Magnus; a fact that had been revealed to him by Giacomo; had created a being that would counter Malpercio's dark powers, one that would hold a "Magnus of Life" within them against the destructive nature of the End Magnus. Despite Malpercio's supposed aim for destruction, there was another side to the ancient god that influenced this, a side that wanted to be put to rest after suffering for so long. Kalas, and Fee to an extent, were the answers to that prayer, in contrast to Melodia's curse in bringing death and destruction to the world.
With this, the heroes were ready to stop Malpercio once and for all, using the power of the five Nations, Empire included, to break through the dark barrier surrounding Cor Hydrae. Fighting their way to the throne room, they confronted Melodia and Malpercio once more, battling against the still-incomplete god and managing to weaken him. Before they could finish him off, it was revealed that Melodia had died from a plague nine years prior, revived by the influence of the End Magnus and under possession the entire time. She snapped into a fit of insanity after the revelation, and fused with Malpercio, completing his revival and restoring him to his full power. Just when the ancient god was about to finish off the heroes for good, they were protected by Fee's soul, the Magnus of Life reacting within Kalas.
With the help of the Divine Child, the heroes confronted Malpercio one last time, managing to fight back against his full might. Before they finished him off for good, Kalas flew into the god's being, rescuing an untainted Melodia with Audrey's help. Remorseful for what she'd done, the duchess aided them in putting Malpercio to rest for good, at the behest of "the poor child" that spoke to her. With the power of her End Magnus, Kalas' Magnus of Life, and the Guardian Spirit, they restored the three sacred artifacts that had been destroyed over the course of the journey, and used them to finally defeat Malpercio. As Xelha's prayer allowed the five gods that made up the cursed being to pass on, the ancient god's suffering had finally come to an end. The Cor Hydrae castle and Malpercio's minions were banished to another dimension, and with the last of the sibling gods' power, the floating islands were returned to the Earth, the taint that covered it after the ancient War of the Gods finally cleansed after so long. The world was saved.
However, one last sacrifice had to be made. Following her to the Moonguile Forest, Kalas confronted Xelha, having caught on to the fact that she found him and Melodia when they had zapped Audrey's memory. After confessing such, she revealed her true identity. As the Ice Queen of Wazn, Xelha revealed that the supposed lost Ocean, the very thing that Kalas had promised Fee to search for, was sealed within her all this time. With the islands' return to the Earth, it was time for her, as the last of the Ice Queens, to release the Ocean back into the world. However, due to their bonding with the same Guardian Spirit, she needed Kalas and Audrey's help to do it.
As Kalas had come to care for her over the course of their journey, he couldn't bring himself to carry out the ritual, fearing that he would lose her like his grandfather and little brother. But, with Xelha's pleading, her promising that she wouldn't leave him, and Audrey reassuring him, they completed the final prayer for the Ocean to return. But then, all of a sudden, Geldoblame, fused with the Earth thanks to what little of the dark forces' power that was left, had shown up out of nowhere, about to swallow them in revenge. However, he was quickly defeated by Kalas and Audrey's combined power, their strengthened bond allowing them to use one final Spirit Attack to finish him off.
But, it was right after that battle that Xelha collapsed into Kalas' arms. As she lay dying in the distraught hero's arms, she confessed to him that she had a dream of him two years ago, crying and holding someone close in a dark forest. Her final words were a confession of love, lamenting that they couldn't be a couple like she wanted. Twice-bereaved and heartbroken, Kalas watched in tears as her body vanished into a salty rain that restored the lost Ocean, the Wings of the Heart fading away, and even the Great Whale returning, fused together from all of the Greythorne creatures of the world.
Just as he promised Fee, he had found the fabled Ocean and its Whale. But, in turn, he lost the woman that he had fallen for, the woman who saved him from his despair.
Despite the hurt, Kalas had gotten his act together long enough for him to say goodbye to Audrey, their journey coming to an end. Returning to the Nekton Shrine where it all began, Kalas, with his friends gathering together with him, thanked her for all of her help, reassuring her that she would find whatever it was that she was looking for someday. Of their own accord this time, the Spirit was separated from his being, their bond coming to an end.
However, just before she would fade from the world, Xelha's pendant was returned to Kalas, her voice heard within. A rush of water suddenly flowed out of the pendant, and from the following burst, Xelha reappeared, having been revived by the Great Whale. Elated, the two heroes tearfully embraced in their reunion before they, and their companions, said their final goodbyes to the Guardian Spirit as she finally faded from the world, supposedly returning to her own and ensuring a new era of peace on the restored Earth.
Five years had passed since then, the people of the world adjusting to life on the Earth with even some new settlements forming. Over the years, Kalas had joined Xelha on a new adventure, traveling the world with her and finding new discoveries in the restored lands. The two had grown closer together, a stark contrast to their shaky alliance from when they first met; now they were joined at the hip and riding off into the sunset together. A classic happily ever after.
However, strange things had begun to happen on their world. The first was sightings of strange, malleable blocks falling from the Sky now high above them. The second was the Wings of the Heart returning to some people all of a sudden, Kalas' own one wing included. And lastly were attacks by strange creatures, both shadowy and white, too few and far in between to cause panic, but enough to raise concern. These attacks came with sightings of a person in a black hood, thought to be the one controlling the creatures.
Unable to ignore this, Kalas and Xelha set out to confront this hooded figure, in order to stop whatever they were planning before it got any worse. However, rather than search him out, he came to them instead, explaining that he was only here in search of any potential 'lights' and cryptically stating that while their world was saved, they were just one of many. Any attempts to fight him off were quickly evaded and countered with his own attacks, the two knocked down with relative ease. With the man stating that he had no further business in their world, he disappeared into a mysterious dark portal. But Kalas, his impulsive and hot-headed nature getting the better of him, gave chase into the portal before it closed on them, Xelha trailing behind in a vain attempt to stop him.
Unfortunately, not only did they lose sight of the hooded man, they were lost in the void, the negative effects wearing them down. They would have been lost entirely, their tale coming to an end, had it not been for the surprise appearance of Meemai; the Greythorne that had accompanied them five years ago, thought to have become the Great Whale along with the rest of the critters. With his power as a piece of their world's god, they were safely transported out of the void.
But, rather than return to their world, they were instead taken to another, not on accident, but to begin a new journey. One that would span multiple worlds, to save not only their own from the coming darkness, but many others. One that would form new friendships and, eventually, reunite them with the Guardian Spirit that had helped them so long ago...
Sample Post:
"Fee's story is now over!"
KRRRRSH
KRRKLE
The sound of metal crushed before one's boot, electrical crackles accompanied with it. His breath caught in the back of his throat, like the wind had been knocked out of him by this indirect action. Deep blue eyes staring at the wreckage that now lay before him.
His winglet...his grandfather's proud creation...now lay destroyed...
Fists curling in until his knuckles turned white, Kalas screamed in anguish and rage. He staggered to his feet, still weakened from the fight, his Guardian Spirit's power being blocked, and the punch to the gut he received prior. Holding an arm over his stomach, he shouted to the man who had done this, the same man that caused his two-year-long grief.
"Giacomo!" he yelled through gritted teeth, from both the pain and the anger that he felt burning within. "You...you destroyed Gramps' winglet!" When the Imperial officer didn't respond, he nearly lunged at him, only held back by his weakened stated. "Y-YOU...!"
"My father, Georg, is dead," Giacomo finally stated coldly, not facing the enraged boy. "So is the Emperor..." His own fists curled in. "When you and Larikush die, everything will be over...yes, everything..." Only then did he turn to face the one-winged boy, his scythe drawn and ready to strike him down.
"Time to die, Kalas!!!"
Kalas wouldn't have had enough time to react, his end surely to come...when suddenly...
CRACKLE
A weak glow emitted from the remains of the boy's winglet. Then, as if reacting to the danger its wearer was in, the broken pieces flew in front of him, intercepting whatever attack was coming, and generating an electrical barrier that separated the enemies. This sudden action surprised everyone in the room, Kalas' own eyes going wide. Was this...some sort of defense mechanism that his grandfather left, in case he was in danger...?
Unfortunately, it proved to be for naught. After quickly getting over his shock, Giacomo sent a force of dark energy, what he'd been granted from his infusion with the End Magnus' power, at the barrier, electrical sparks crackling as the dark powers fought against it.
It managed to break through, the explosion of energy shattering the barrier and what remained of the winglet. The force of the explosion had blown Kalas off of his feet, knocking him down to the ground once again. "Argh...!"
"Kalas!!" Xelha's helpless cries sent a further pang in his stomach, the woman held at gunpoint by Ayme leaving her unable to do anything for him. The rest of his allies were still weakened from the battle themselves, too shocked to do anything to stop this.
It seemed it was the end for him. Fee's Magnus had saved his life two years ago, but now, as Giacomo declared, his story was coming to an end...
...
CRRRAAACK
Just when he thought it was all over for him, the sound of stone cracking caught everyone's attention. His own eyes weakly looked up to the angel statue looming above, having met the brunt of Giacomo's attack and slowly cracking open. Then, a glow emitted, practically symbolic of heavenly light shining forth, blinding them all.
Once the light dimmed down, their eyes adjusting back to what was before them, they saw what had caused the glow. A winglet, similar to the previous one, but shining brightly like a gift from the gods. Which, given what Kalas had learned of his grandfather, may as well be true.
A small breath escaped the young man's throat, his weak eyes widening somewhat. "It's...a winglet...Gramps...?" Once more, he slowly staggered to his feet, stumbling slightly. As if sensing its rightful owner, the winglet slowly descended to him, attaching itself upon his wingless shoulder. He reached a hand back to it, still in a state of shock.
"Is this...what he left for me...?"
His mind wandered back to when his grandfather and little brother was still alive. One day when he ran home in near tears after getting picked on for his one wing, his grandfather reassuring him that he and Fee, who had no wings of his own, were the next step in evolution. When that didn't work, he showed him his project: a custom-made winglet made just for him, one that would grow with him.
And then, what he said last. Something that he didn't quite understand back then, until now...
"...Kalas. I also intend to make you another wing. One that will help you, should you be caught up in a fierce struggle...
"That is the least I could do to redeem what I have done to you... Forgive me, Kalas..."
"Gramps..." His eyes downcast, Kalas finally understood what this all meant. Fee's Magnus saving him, Georg leaving this winglet for him...it all connected...
As he looked up, his eyes were filled with a determined intensity, a new resolve. Pointing his sword at his bewildered adversaries before him, his winglet unfurled itself alongside his gray swan wing. The force within it was strong, not only stronger than his last winglet, but more powerful than those cursed "beautiful wings" he had before. In fact, it was strong enough to break down the Hypertoxic Soundwave generators that Giacomo threw out before the fight, what had been blocking his Spirit's power and voice, now freeing her and giving him back the strength that he needed.
"You there, partner?" he asked upon hearing her sigh of relief in his mind.
"Ugh, FINALLY! Why didn't you just do that sooner?! All you had to do was go up to those stupid things, pull them out of the wall, and..."
She just kept going on, bringing a sigh from the young man, but also a chuckle. Some things never changed it seemed. "Nice to hear you again..." With that out of the way, Kalas' attention was back on Giacomo and his lackeys, the Imperial officer standing angered and dumbfounded by what just happened in front of him. A complete reversal of roles.
"Giacomo...you said...Fee's story was over..." With a sharp glare at the man in front of him, Kalas gave a single beat of his wings, hopping right back into a battle stance. "I won't...let that happen! As long as I live...
"Fee's story will never die!!!"
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Name:
Kalas
Age:
24
Gender:
Male
Appearance:
Kalas, in this armor on the left. (minus the eyepatch FOR NOW)
Wings
Personality:
"In this world, there are things that people mustn't touch... Who cares!?"
At first, Kalas was what you would call a colossal jerk, only out for himself and only helping others out of coincidence and practicality. However, after the events of his game, he has become more well-meaning and genuinely kind and heroic. Though he still retains his bitter sarcasm and looter tendencies, his previous 'not my problem' attitude has changed to one who's a lot more willing to help those in need, and absolutely refuses to let anyone sacrifice themselves for the greater good. While this gives him more of a reckless and impulsive edge, when the need calls for it, he can be very resourceful and pragmatic with his surroundings.
Despite his redemption and change for the better, however, Kalas harbors a deep guilt for his betrayal and erasing his Guardian Spirit's memory, unable to forgive himself even after being forgiven by everyone else. When reminded of his crimes, he falls into a state of self-loathing; at his worst, he holds an irrational hatred for those who remind him of how he once was. However, this is all set aside if he or someone he cares deeply for gets hurt or worse (especially if it's Xelha). To this end, he is extremely protective and vengeful, going out of his way to chase the potential perpetrators to the ends of the skies in order to exact that revenge upon them.
Powers:
In the world of Baten Kaitos, people once had Wings of the Heart, spiritual wings that could be summoned, and reflected one's soul. Though they had disappeared after the events of the game, Kalas' single wing was granted back as a result of the Convergence, along with an enhancement of his heart's power in order to use it for much longer than before. With the support of his custom-made winglet, this allows him a form of flight, and provides balance for battle. However, even with their enhanced power, the use of his wings are still limited in that they're not strong enough to carry him or slow his descent in extremely high areas; should he have his wings out for too long, he will grow weary as a result of his heart losing resolve, needing to recover before he can use them again.
Due to his origin as a being created out of pure Magnus energy, as well as having Fee's soul within him, Kalas has an extraordinary, almost superhuman amount of willpower. Though he can fall under control depending on the circumstance, he will do everything in his power to break out of it, even at the cost of his own health. He gives off an aura that's different from other people, only sensed by those who are magically gifted; even then, he may come off as soulless due to having no perceivable Magnus within him. This is because his soul is different from a typical human being, similar to a creature with blue blood instead of red.
Kalas has a unique set of attacks that make use of his sword. These abilities, like everything else in the world of Baten Kaitos, come in the form of Magnus cards for him to use. He retains each and every one of them after his adventure, though due to the removal of the bond with his Guardian Spirit, they are a lot weaker than they normally would be. As well, his abilities run on his world's form of mana called Magnus Power, which builds up the more he attacks or charges up. When reaching max MP (level 5), he can go into an MP Burst, allowing him to use any of his skills without cost and string together combos with them. When the Burst reaches its end, however, his MP is reduced back to 0 until it's built up again.
List of special attacks
- Blue Storm: Forms a small whirlwind from below the enemy with a slash of his sword. (MP level: 1)
- Shadow Wings: Releases a murder of shadowy ravens with a sword slash, which then swarm and tear at the enemy. (MP Level: 1)
- Energy Wave: Shoots a burst of energy into the ground from his sword, which then explodes around the enemy upon impact. (MP Level: 2)
- Flash Explosion: Similar to Energy Wave, except it's a burst of fire instead. (MP Level: 2)
- Water Blade: Self-explanatory; creates a blade of water that's sent out to the enemy. (MP Level: 2)
- Dream Blade: Forms a bunch of phantom blades from the earth, which then impale the enemy all at once. (MP Level: 3)
- Fangs of Light: With light energy imbued in his sword, Kalas slashes in an upward spiral at the enemy. (MP Level: 3)
- Chaotic Illusion: Swings illusory slices, confusing the enemy as he tears through their defenses. (MP Level: 3)
- Lord of the Wind: Surrounded by wind energy, Kalas becomes a human bullet, launching himself at lightning-fast speeds at the enemy, sword first. (MP Level: 3)
(Video showcasing his attacks.)
Abilities:
Kalas is an exceptional swordsman, knowing how to dual-wield with his sword and dagger; the latter is mostly limited to blocking or striking in a feint. Not only is his offense fairly high, he is also very quick due to his affinity to wind, and has very strong endurance thanks to his immense willpower.
In spite of the occasional lack of foresight, one notable trait about Kalas is his cleverness, able to think on the fly and use his surroundings to catch his attackers off-guard. With his experience as a spy, he can be deceitful and find ways to keep suspicion off of him, even keeping the act up for a fairly long time until he's found out. He also has a tendency to pick up on certain things that most people wouldn't think too much, such as when Xelha made a slip of the tongue that tipped him off to her dishonesty.
Thanks to being raised by an engineer, Kalas is fairly knowledgeable with tech, and can be crafty with tools. Though not to the same god-like level as his grandfather, he can repair smaller appliances and build small contraptions, resorting to traps more often than not.
Weapons:
A sword and reverse blade dagger that he wields simultaneously.
Equipment:
- Winglet: Due to having one wing, Kalas wears a mechanical wing for support, custom-made by his grandfather/creator Georg. Aside from the winglet being fairly durable, needing something stronger than a hammer to break it down, it is also modified with a defense mechanism that, whenever in a great deal of danger, emits an electrical barrier around Kalas to protect him.
- Magnus: In his world, everything runs on a type of energy called Magna Essence. These cards are meant to trap the essence of certain items and store them within for later use. Kalas carries his own set of Magnus, separated by five different types (not counting his special attacks listed above).
- - Offensive: These come in the form of swords for Kalas to use, and occasionally small items for him to throw at the enemy. Similar to attack cards in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, these don't necessarily change his weapons, but rather enhance their use; i.e. using a type of fire weapon lights his sword on fire, an ice weapon coats it with ice, etc.
- - Defensive: Magnus used for defense come in the form of helms, armors, and shields for Kalas. He is able to use light to heavy defensive armor, but nothing massive. Like the weapon Magnus, these are more to enhance his guarding and resist certain elements and status effects, depending on the attacks used. His offensive Magnus could also be used for defense in some cases.
- - Equipment: Equipment Magnus are character-specific Magnus that can be equipped, one at a time, to enhance their parameters, like attack, defense, health, and resistance to certain status effects. For Kalas, these come in the form of belt buckles; at the moment, he wears the Platinum Buckle, though he has others for use.
- - Healing: Healing Magnus come in the form of various foods; not for eating, but, again, using their essence to restore damage taken, temporarily raise one's stats, and/or cure certain status effects. Some can rot over time and become regular attack cards, but they can also change to become more effective, especially if they're combined with other Magnus to make a new one. Though Kalas will use the occasional Potion and whatnot, he holds onto these for convenience.
- - Blank: As the name states, these are empty Magnus cards that Kalas carries in the case he may need to collect something. Although Magna Essence only exists in his world, he can still use these to store items from other worlds, like normal foods, plants, and other small objects, and could even be used as tape recorders.
Awareness:
While he's aware of the existence of other worlds, he doesn't know about their nature as games made reality.
History:
Kalas' origins are that of an artificial human, created from Magnus by the inventor Georg and his friend Dr. Larikush. Their original intent in learning the secret of the mysterious technology was to trap a living being's Magna Essence within the card, something that was deemed impossible. However, in part with an influence from the taint of the End Magnus; something which had been passed on to him by his mother; Georg instead reversed the experiment, working with an already existing Magnus and manipulating its properties to create life within it.
Though the initial intent was to create any lifeform, the newly-appointed Emperor Geldoblame, upon discovering this experiment, ordered for them to create the perfect being called the 'Divine Child' in order to fulfill his own selfish ambitions in discovering the secret to eternal life. After several months, the experiment was complete, Georg and Larikush successfully creating a lifeform born from a Magnus. Kalas was the result of that experiment.
However, though a success in that regard, Kalas was considered "excessively human," holding the flaws that human beings tended to have (pride, arrogance, and a mean spirit). Not only that, but he was born with only one wing, a deformity that was presumed to be the sign of a tainted soul. Displeased with the result, Geldoblame deemed him a failure, giving him the name 'Kalas'; meaning 'raven' in a forgotten language; out of a paranoid assumption that he was an ill omen of things to come. The experiment had to be done all over again, taking several years to perfect in order to create the Divine Child. After those years, another life was created: Fee, the perfect being that the Emperor wanted.
Despite the success, Georg had begun to see the error of his ways over the years, having developed a parental bond for his creations. When Geldoblame ordered for the scientists to dispose of Kalas and hand over Fee, it was the last straw for the inventor. Georg and Larikush faked their deaths in a lab fire and fled the Empire, taking their 'sons' with them. In order to live in hiding, they settled in Mira, an island that occasionally drifted into other dimensions; Larikush left some time later to become a village doctor in a farming hamlet in Sadal Suud.
Due to the trauma caused by the fire, Kalas lost all memory of his time in the Empire, whereas Fee was simply too young to remember. They were raised under the illusion that Georg was their biological grandfather, who found them after the supposed disappearance of their 'parents'. The only thing Kalas remembered was his name, refusing to change it out of a hatred that he just couldn't get rid of.
From then on, Kalas grew up in Balancoire, the capital city of Mira, along with his perceived grandfather and little brother. Outside of his family, he only had two friends; Trill, a girl who grew up to be an apprentice baker, and a young man who grew up to work at a local shop. Otherwise, he was ostracized and bullied by most of the residents for his one wing, being seen as a curse and a freak of nature. He was close to his family as a result, Georg crafting a winglet tailor-made for him, and Kalas promising Fee that they would go on a journey to search for the fabled lost Ocean and its Whale one day.
However, this somewhat peaceful life would not last. Two years prior to the main story, they were found and attacked by Giacomo; Georg's real son and a high-ranking officer of the Imperial army; and his subordinate Ayme, burning their house to the ground. Georg died in the fire while Kalas and Fee were both shot and mortally wounded by Ayme. The boys managed to escape to the dark forest of the Nekton Shrine, but it wasn't long before Fee collapsed, giving in to his wounds. His final words to a tearful Kalas were for his older brother to find the Ocean and the Whale for him, before he died in his arms.
Unfortunately, the despaired Kalas was unable to carry out his request. Unable to go on with the loss of the family that he deeply cared for, he collapsed next...
But then, just before he gave in to his wounds, Fee's soul of pure Magna Essence was absorbed into Kalas' being, the will of the Divine Child healing him and saving his life. Kalas awoke, revived and his wounds healed, but alone in the dark forest. The deaths of his grandfather and little brother were fresh in his mind, as well as the man who caused it all. Despair and sadness turned to rage and hate, the young man swearing revenge on that man for his murdered family.
In the midst of his anger, he was found by Melodia, the duchess of Mira, who had been drawn to him by some mysterious force. She sensed his anger and a deeper desire for power, and offered to help him obtain the vengeance he sought, as well as two perfect wings that he truly longed for. In return, he would aid her in resurrecting the ancient god of destruction, Malpercio, from the End Magnus that laid buried in the five Nations. Broken and with no one else to turn to, Kalas accepted.
Melodia led him further into Nekton afterwards, to meet with his "Guardian." There, they were found by one of the many Spirits that resided, drawn to Kalas' mysterious aura and the pain in his heart. With Melodia's help, Kalas bonded with the Spirit, who turned out to be a shy girl by the name of Audrey. Despite her timidity, they would become a team, the girl lending him her power as his Guardian Spirit.
Little did either of them know, this "Spirit" was from the real world, displaced as a result of what would be known as the Great Convergence, her soul separated from her body. But that's a story to be told elsewhere.
For the next two years, Kalas would go on working for Melodia and hunting down Giacomo across the skies, leaving Mira behind since the deaths of his grandfather and little brother. Although he and Audrey bonded over the years, the Spirit telling him many stories from her world and marveling at the various sights, he ultimately saw her as a means to an end rather than a friend, needing her power for his quest. However, one day, Audrey had come to disagree with Kalas and Melodia's plans to revive Malpercio, refusing to cooperate. Her defiance forced Kalas to have Melodia wipe the Spirit's memory of the past two years, in order for her to keep working for them without knowing their true plans.
Melodia placed the spell deep within the Moonguile Forest, knocking Kalas unconscious so he would later claim accidental amnesia as the cause of his Spirit's lost memories. However, unbeknownst to them, their exchange was witnessed by Xelha, a mysterious young woman who fled the Empire. Though not knowing what to make of it at the time, this would lead to the start of their real adventure.
Kalas awoke in the farming hamlet of Cebelrai some time later, having been brought back to health by Dr. Larikush, whom the young man didn't remember. During his visit in the village, he met Xelha, the young woman behaving like it was their first time meeting, before she left with her allies to the Moonguile Forest in search of its ancient ruins. Deciding to explore the forest again himself, in spite of the "danger" he was in before, he came across the girl again, this time in danger from a monster that killed her friends.
Although saving her from it, his robbing of her fallen friends and insensitivity to her when she called him out did not lead to a good first impression. However, due to the fact that they were headed in the same direction, as well as Xelha sensing the Guardian Spirit bonded to him, the two joined up for the time being, heading further into the forest and soon discovering the End Magnus sealed deep within the ruins, thanks to a magic pendant that Xelha held. However, the minute they retrieved it, they were suddenly apprehended by Giacomo, who had been seeking out the End Magnus under Emperor Geldoblame's orders. The Imperial soldiers led by him captured Xelha, the pendant having been stolen from the Emperor, and knocked Kalas out before he could stop them.
Kalas chased the soldiers to the city of Pherkad once he came to, with the intent to finally exact his revenge on the man that killed his family. Although Xelha was saved in the process, it was once again out of coincidence (despite Audrey's insistence otherwise). Unfortunately, after they clashed, Giacomo escaped before Kalas could take his revenge, leaving them to make a hasty retreat as they were chased by the soldiers.
After losing wind of them, Xelha explained her story on how she got involved with the Empire. As a maid working in the Imperial Fortress, she stumbled upon Geldoblame's plot to unleash the End Magnus and awaken Malpercio, and set herself on a quest to stop him. She asked for Kalas and his Spirit's aid in her quest, unable to take on the might of the Empire all by herself. However, Kalas refused, not at all caring about the fate of the world and finding her quest to go against the Empire to be unrealistic and foolish. He would've left her at that, but as they were headed in the same direction yet again, they continued to travel together out of coincidence rather than any alliance.
As their adventure went on, others joined their quest to lend their aid: Gibari, a Skyfarer and former knight; Lyude, an Imperial Ambassador who had turned against the Empire; Savyna, a bounty hunter and former Imperial soldier; and the Great Mizuti, a Child of the Earth. Though Kalas remained adamant that he was only sticking around because their "save the world" mission coincided with his search for revenge, in truth, he was monitoring their progress, keeping his true motives a secret and doing everything he can to keep their suspicion off of him.
Their quest soon took them to the Alfard Empire, on the trail for the final End Magnus. It was here that Kalas finally faced off against Giacomo, along with his subordinates Ayme and Folon. Though emerging victorious, Giacomo revealed that Georg was in fact his father, before setting the battleship where they fought to self-destruct. The party made their hasty escape before the ship crashed and exploded, leaving the fate of their enemies uncertain. Despite finally getting his revenge, only soured by the confusion and inner turmoil with the revelation, there was just one more matter for Kalas to take care of.
They headed for the Lava Caves, where the final End Magnus was sealed, only to find that they were too late. Geldoblame had already claimed it, all five End Magnus in his possession. Unleashing their powers, bringing the dark castle Cor Hydrae into existence, the mad Emperor was then turned into a grotesque monster, forcing the heroes to fight him off. Once he was defeated, Melodia revealed herself to be the true mastermind, the Emperor a pawn in her scheme. With his Imperial troops now under her control, his monstrous form was shot down into the lava.
It was then that Kalas stepped forward, revealing to have been working with Melodia all along. He also revealed to his Guardian Spirit that he was the reason for her amnesia, needing her power in order to avenge Georg and Fee. In spite of finally attaining that, there was one last part of the deal that he was promised, that he was ready to accept. Ignoring both Xelha and Audrey's attempts to get through to him, he was bestowed with the power of the End Magnus by Melodia, granting him a second wing as promised, a full pair of glittering white wings as he always desired. And after this so-called "blessing," Kalas rejected the Spirit from his being, fully embracing his new power while his former friends were captured and imprisoned.
However, in truth, that power had corrupted him, slowly making him lose his sense of self and turning him into a mindless slave. Deep down, the formerly one-winged boy struggled in his inner turmoil, conflicted with his new "gift" and the guilt of his betrayal that had been stewing long before this.
It all came down when his former companions; having escaped from their separate prisons, the Guardian Spirit now bonded to Xelha's being instead; confronted them within the core of the Imperial Fortress, not only to stop the resurrection of Malpercio, but to also rescue the former hero. A fight broke out between the heroes and the "Angel of Darkness," doing everything they can to get through to him.
But, it was after the heroes emerged victorious that Melodia set the final step of the plan into motion. From the five "unsuspecting mortals," their power was drawn into the End Magnus, their bond of trust and camaraderie, along with Kalas and Melodia representing the will and determination to be reborn, being the last thing needed to revive the god of destruction. However, fighting back against the force that drained her, Xelha pulled out the Ocean Mirror; one of three sacred artifacts that was used to stop Malpercio a thousand years ago; and shone it on Kalas out of a misguided hope that it would save him from the darkness.
It didn't. Instead, the holy power imbued within the mirror burned him nearly to death, forcing the young woman to give up as Melodia destroyed the mirror and their last hope with it. With the strength of the heroes gathered within the End Magnus, everything had gone just as planned. The End Magnus came together, the severed parts of the five dead gods sealed within fusing together into one being. After a millennium of confinement and suffering, Malpercio, the cursed god of destruction, was finally reborn...
But not all hope was lost. As it turned out, despite the deadly burning, the Ocean Mirror did bring Kalas back to his senses, long enough for him to fully realize the severity of his selfish actions. Even after he was pulled back into the corruption, he broke out just before he could kill his friends. By the force of his own will, fueled further by Xelha's memory and prayer, Kalas tore out the left wing right out of its socket, severing Malpercio's influence and restoring him back to his one-winged self. With a new resolve, he turned against the corrupt girl that he once worked for, and swore to drive Malpercio and his forces back to the dark depths they came from, cementing his role as a hero from thereon.
However, Melodia and Malpercio ended up retreating to the Cor Hydrae castle in order to recuperate. Kalas, due to the overexertion and severity of his wounds, had fallen unconscious, the last traces of darkness plunging him into a nightmare. He experienced flashbacks of the deaths of his grandfather and little brother, reliving the painful memory of Fee dying in his arms. He would've fallen into a deep darkness within his heart once again, had it not been for Xelha and Audrey finding their way into his dream, thanks to a dormant power that the Spirit held. Fighting back against his "Nightmare," they managed to pull him out and rescue him for good. Before they would awaken from the dream, Kalas apologized to his former Spirit and the woman he treated so badly at the start, opening up and promising to make it up to them (though not before Audrey punched him in the face for what he did).
He awoke to find the rest of his former companions beside him. On the verge of tears, Kalas begged for forgiveness and for them to allow him to help stop Melodia and Malpercio, in order to make up for what he unwittingly caused. To his surprise, he was accepted back without question, his winglet returned to him and Audrey bonding back with him after their mental heart-to-heart. Though the guilt he harbored made him feel undeserving of redemption, Kalas was back to being a hero once more, this time of his own accord. This change of heart was proven when, during Malpercio's attack on Mizuti's homeland, he refused to leave the inhabitants and Mizuti's parents to die for their sake, instead fighting back against the evil god. Although this cost them their one last chance to defeat Malpercio, Kalas and his friends didn't lose their resolve, instead looking to find a way to break into Cor Hydrae and take on the god from there.
Before they could decide on a plan of attack, Kalas received a letter from Dr. Larikush, summoning him back to Cebalrai. It was here that Larikush revealed Kalas' origins as an artificial being crafted by Georg, as well as something that was left for him by his grandfather, that he'd find in an old cabin upon the Celestial Alps. However, upon arriving there with his friends, they were met with an unexpected surprise: Giacomo and his allies had turned up, having survived the previous battle and watched the events unfold from behind the scenes. One last battle against the Chaotic Trio ensued, their adversaries overpowering them and Giacomo managing to knock Kalas to the ground.
As he lay at the mercy of his archenemy, the memory of his brother's death came to him once more. But this time, one part of that memory came to him, that he'd forgotten after two years. That he'd nearly died alongside Fee, only for his brother's soul to be absorbed into his being to save him. Giacomo revealed that his true goal was to claim the Divine Child's power for his own purposes, but with the world on the verge of ending, he no longer cared about his quest for power. Vowing to kill Kalas then and there, he destroyed his beloved winglet, sending the boy into a fit of rage
Just before Giacomo could finish him off, however, they discovered exactly what Georg left behind for Kalas: a second, more durable winglet, created to aid him in the journey that he would undergo. His resolve restored, vowing to not let Fee's story die while he still lived, Kalas faced off against Giacomo one last time, defeating him for good. As the former Imperial officer lay on death's door, his final words were for Kalas to stop Melodia and Malpercio, and for Ayme and Folon to aid the heroes from thereon. The one-winged hero silently promised him that he would stop them, finally allowing himself to lay his hatred to rest.
After this was done, Kalas aided his friends in their personal quests, clearing out some of the dark forces that plagued their world. On the night before they would make their way to the final battle, he began to realize the true reason why he was created, Fee's soul saving him and Georg leaving behind that second winglet factoring into this realization. Besides a mere experiment, Georg, by the influence of the End Magnus; a fact that had been revealed to him by Giacomo; had created a being that would counter Malpercio's dark powers, one that would hold a "Magnus of Life" within them against the destructive nature of the End Magnus. Despite Malpercio's supposed aim for destruction, there was another side to the ancient god that influenced this, a side that wanted to be put to rest after suffering for so long. Kalas, and Fee to an extent, were the answers to that prayer, in contrast to Melodia's curse in bringing death and destruction to the world.
With this, the heroes were ready to stop Malpercio once and for all, using the power of the five Nations, Empire included, to break through the dark barrier surrounding Cor Hydrae. Fighting their way to the throne room, they confronted Melodia and Malpercio once more, battling against the still-incomplete god and managing to weaken him. Before they could finish him off, it was revealed that Melodia had died from a plague nine years prior, revived by the influence of the End Magnus and under possession the entire time. She snapped into a fit of insanity after the revelation, and fused with Malpercio, completing his revival and restoring him to his full power. Just when the ancient god was about to finish off the heroes for good, they were protected by Fee's soul, the Magnus of Life reacting within Kalas.
With the help of the Divine Child, the heroes confronted Malpercio one last time, managing to fight back against his full might. Before they finished him off for good, Kalas flew into the god's being, rescuing an untainted Melodia with Audrey's help. Remorseful for what she'd done, the duchess aided them in putting Malpercio to rest for good, at the behest of "the poor child" that spoke to her. With the power of her End Magnus, Kalas' Magnus of Life, and the Guardian Spirit, they restored the three sacred artifacts that had been destroyed over the course of the journey, and used them to finally defeat Malpercio. As Xelha's prayer allowed the five gods that made up the cursed being to pass on, the ancient god's suffering had finally come to an end. The Cor Hydrae castle and Malpercio's minions were banished to another dimension, and with the last of the sibling gods' power, the floating islands were returned to the Earth, the taint that covered it after the ancient War of the Gods finally cleansed after so long. The world was saved.
However, one last sacrifice had to be made. Following her to the Moonguile Forest, Kalas confronted Xelha, having caught on to the fact that she found him and Melodia when they had zapped Audrey's memory. After confessing such, she revealed her true identity. As the Ice Queen of Wazn, Xelha revealed that the supposed lost Ocean, the very thing that Kalas had promised Fee to search for, was sealed within her all this time. With the islands' return to the Earth, it was time for her, as the last of the Ice Queens, to release the Ocean back into the world. However, due to their bonding with the same Guardian Spirit, she needed Kalas and Audrey's help to do it.
As Kalas had come to care for her over the course of their journey, he couldn't bring himself to carry out the ritual, fearing that he would lose her like his grandfather and little brother. But, with Xelha's pleading, her promising that she wouldn't leave him, and Audrey reassuring him, they completed the final prayer for the Ocean to return. But then, all of a sudden, Geldoblame, fused with the Earth thanks to what little of the dark forces' power that was left, had shown up out of nowhere, about to swallow them in revenge. However, he was quickly defeated by Kalas and Audrey's combined power, their strengthened bond allowing them to use one final Spirit Attack to finish him off.
But, it was right after that battle that Xelha collapsed into Kalas' arms. As she lay dying in the distraught hero's arms, she confessed to him that she had a dream of him two years ago, crying and holding someone close in a dark forest. Her final words were a confession of love, lamenting that they couldn't be a couple like she wanted. Twice-bereaved and heartbroken, Kalas watched in tears as her body vanished into a salty rain that restored the lost Ocean, the Wings of the Heart fading away, and even the Great Whale returning, fused together from all of the Greythorne creatures of the world.
Just as he promised Fee, he had found the fabled Ocean and its Whale. But, in turn, he lost the woman that he had fallen for, the woman who saved him from his despair.
Despite the hurt, Kalas had gotten his act together long enough for him to say goodbye to Audrey, their journey coming to an end. Returning to the Nekton Shrine where it all began, Kalas, with his friends gathering together with him, thanked her for all of her help, reassuring her that she would find whatever it was that she was looking for someday. Of their own accord this time, the Spirit was separated from his being, their bond coming to an end.
However, just before she would fade from the world, Xelha's pendant was returned to Kalas, her voice heard within. A rush of water suddenly flowed out of the pendant, and from the following burst, Xelha reappeared, having been revived by the Great Whale. Elated, the two heroes tearfully embraced in their reunion before they, and their companions, said their final goodbyes to the Guardian Spirit as she finally faded from the world, supposedly returning to her own and ensuring a new era of peace on the restored Earth.
Five years had passed since then, the people of the world adjusting to life on the Earth with even some new settlements forming. Over the years, Kalas had joined Xelha on a new adventure, traveling the world with her and finding new discoveries in the restored lands. The two had grown closer together, a stark contrast to their shaky alliance from when they first met; now they were joined at the hip and riding off into the sunset together. A classic happily ever after.
However, strange things had begun to happen on their world. The first was sightings of strange, malleable blocks falling from the Sky now high above them. The second was the Wings of the Heart returning to some people all of a sudden, Kalas' own one wing included. And lastly were attacks by strange creatures, both shadowy and white, too few and far in between to cause panic, but enough to raise concern. These attacks came with sightings of a person in a black hood, thought to be the one controlling the creatures.
Unable to ignore this, Kalas and Xelha set out to confront this hooded figure, in order to stop whatever they were planning before it got any worse. However, rather than search him out, he came to them instead, explaining that he was only here in search of any potential 'lights' and cryptically stating that while their world was saved, they were just one of many. Any attempts to fight him off were quickly evaded and countered with his own attacks, the two knocked down with relative ease. With the man stating that he had no further business in their world, he disappeared into a mysterious dark portal. But Kalas, his impulsive and hot-headed nature getting the better of him, gave chase into the portal before it closed on them, Xelha trailing behind in a vain attempt to stop him.
Unfortunately, not only did they lose sight of the hooded man, they were lost in the void, the negative effects wearing them down. They would have been lost entirely, their tale coming to an end, had it not been for the surprise appearance of Meemai; the Greythorne that had accompanied them five years ago, thought to have become the Great Whale along with the rest of the critters. With his power as a piece of their world's god, they were safely transported out of the void.
But, rather than return to their world, they were instead taken to another, not on accident, but to begin a new journey. One that would span multiple worlds, to save not only their own from the coming darkness, but many others. One that would form new friendships and, eventually, reunite them with the Guardian Spirit that had helped them so long ago...
Sample Post:
"Fee's story is now over!"
KRRRRSH
KRRKLE
The sound of metal crushed before one's boot, electrical crackles accompanied with it. His breath caught in the back of his throat, like the wind had been knocked out of him by this indirect action. Deep blue eyes staring at the wreckage that now lay before him.
His winglet...his grandfather's proud creation...now lay destroyed...
Fists curling in until his knuckles turned white, Kalas screamed in anguish and rage. He staggered to his feet, still weakened from the fight, his Guardian Spirit's power being blocked, and the punch to the gut he received prior. Holding an arm over his stomach, he shouted to the man who had done this, the same man that caused his two-year-long grief.
"Giacomo!" he yelled through gritted teeth, from both the pain and the anger that he felt burning within. "You...you destroyed Gramps' winglet!" When the Imperial officer didn't respond, he nearly lunged at him, only held back by his weakened stated. "Y-YOU...!"
"My father, Georg, is dead," Giacomo finally stated coldly, not facing the enraged boy. "So is the Emperor..." His own fists curled in. "When you and Larikush die, everything will be over...yes, everything..." Only then did he turn to face the one-winged boy, his scythe drawn and ready to strike him down.
"Time to die, Kalas!!!"
Kalas wouldn't have had enough time to react, his end surely to come...when suddenly...
CRACKLE
A weak glow emitted from the remains of the boy's winglet. Then, as if reacting to the danger its wearer was in, the broken pieces flew in front of him, intercepting whatever attack was coming, and generating an electrical barrier that separated the enemies. This sudden action surprised everyone in the room, Kalas' own eyes going wide. Was this...some sort of defense mechanism that his grandfather left, in case he was in danger...?
Unfortunately, it proved to be for naught. After quickly getting over his shock, Giacomo sent a force of dark energy, what he'd been granted from his infusion with the End Magnus' power, at the barrier, electrical sparks crackling as the dark powers fought against it.
It managed to break through, the explosion of energy shattering the barrier and what remained of the winglet. The force of the explosion had blown Kalas off of his feet, knocking him down to the ground once again. "Argh...!"
"Kalas!!" Xelha's helpless cries sent a further pang in his stomach, the woman held at gunpoint by Ayme leaving her unable to do anything for him. The rest of his allies were still weakened from the battle themselves, too shocked to do anything to stop this.
It seemed it was the end for him. Fee's Magnus had saved his life two years ago, but now, as Giacomo declared, his story was coming to an end...
...
CRRRAAACK
Just when he thought it was all over for him, the sound of stone cracking caught everyone's attention. His own eyes weakly looked up to the angel statue looming above, having met the brunt of Giacomo's attack and slowly cracking open. Then, a glow emitted, practically symbolic of heavenly light shining forth, blinding them all.
Once the light dimmed down, their eyes adjusting back to what was before them, they saw what had caused the glow. A winglet, similar to the previous one, but shining brightly like a gift from the gods. Which, given what Kalas had learned of his grandfather, may as well be true.
A small breath escaped the young man's throat, his weak eyes widening somewhat. "It's...a winglet...Gramps...?" Once more, he slowly staggered to his feet, stumbling slightly. As if sensing its rightful owner, the winglet slowly descended to him, attaching itself upon his wingless shoulder. He reached a hand back to it, still in a state of shock.
"Is this...what he left for me...?"
His mind wandered back to when his grandfather and little brother was still alive. One day when he ran home in near tears after getting picked on for his one wing, his grandfather reassuring him that he and Fee, who had no wings of his own, were the next step in evolution. When that didn't work, he showed him his project: a custom-made winglet made just for him, one that would grow with him.
And then, what he said last. Something that he didn't quite understand back then, until now...
"...Kalas. I also intend to make you another wing. One that will help you, should you be caught up in a fierce struggle...
"That is the least I could do to redeem what I have done to you... Forgive me, Kalas..."
"Gramps..." His eyes downcast, Kalas finally understood what this all meant. Fee's Magnus saving him, Georg leaving this winglet for him...it all connected...
As he looked up, his eyes were filled with a determined intensity, a new resolve. Pointing his sword at his bewildered adversaries before him, his winglet unfurled itself alongside his gray swan wing. The force within it was strong, not only stronger than his last winglet, but more powerful than those cursed "beautiful wings" he had before. In fact, it was strong enough to break down the Hypertoxic Soundwave generators that Giacomo threw out before the fight, what had been blocking his Spirit's power and voice, now freeing her and giving him back the strength that he needed.
"You there, partner?" he asked upon hearing her sigh of relief in his mind.
"Ugh, FINALLY! Why didn't you just do that sooner?! All you had to do was go up to those stupid things, pull them out of the wall, and..."
She just kept going on, bringing a sigh from the young man, but also a chuckle. Some things never changed it seemed. "Nice to hear you again..." With that out of the way, Kalas' attention was back on Giacomo and his lackeys, the Imperial officer standing angered and dumbfounded by what just happened in front of him. A complete reversal of roles.
"Giacomo...you said...Fee's story was over..." With a sharp glare at the man in front of him, Kalas gave a single beat of his wings, hopping right back into a battle stance. "I won't...let that happen! As long as I live...
"Fee's story will never die!!!"
