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10) Greg “Curly” Haller: Who, or what, is this man, woman, or beast? One moment, he dons the unsuspecting guise of a small blonde child with a perpetual bedhead and phenomenal cosmic powers; the next, he is an androgynous winged angel, bringing Heaven’s cosmic fury with him from the skies, showering all the evildoers with an endless barrage of spearheaded ethereal columns of light. The sinners of this tainted Earth resist Heaven’s onslaught, however, and, well, Heaven is just plumb out of ideas. They didn’t really have a ‘plan B’.
9) Matthew “Cylix” Haller: Heaven is a place of order. Clockwork. Stagnant repetition, discouraging creativity. Where deviancy is met with scorn and shunning, and, at worst, ousting from their enlightened ranks. Cylix recognized this. He had been a part of their order for as long as he could remember, but these past few months, seeing the futility that repeated attacks on the tainted Earth was, he resolved to do something about it. He remains in the realm of the righteous, hoping to persuade his brother to join him in their rebellion against Heaven’s stifling command, but from now on, he will dacus no more.
8) Cory “Naugs” Naugle: One day, several months ago, a legendary swordsman passed away. Skilful, yet humble, with the blade, he had known his victories and his losses, and eventually he succumbed not to an injury, but simply to the passage of time. His eternal soul and his earthly deeds had been judged, and his was determined two options: to join the ranks of the solemn in their battle versus the sinning Earth; or to reincarnate as a creature of his choosing. He had chosen the simple, carefree life of the blue jay, though, once that too had run its cycle, he convinced the angels to reincarnate him as another human, so that he may fight their battle with his sword once again.
7) Nick “Lambnadr” Best: Endless was the war between the heavens and the earth. The land was constantly swathed in flame; craters dot the lands like freckles; and columns of light strike the land in endless waves. One of them happened upon a simple field rat, striking its body squarely. Rather than obliterate the poor mouse, instead, miraculously, it was imbued with the powers of the heavens. From its body it can generate the same holy strength, summoning forth electric strikes. That simple field rat then carried with it the force of the skies, and the speed with which its fury can strike.
6) Adrian “B.I.G” White: among the sinners of the Earth lived a kingpin, fancying himself royalty, caring hide nor hair over a feud between ancient religious icons so long as he made a profit. A birth defect had left him with flat, fat hands and a protruding face, resembling the bill of a duck. Picked on mercilessly as a child for his looks, he swore to rise above them all and one day himself come to power among the people, adopting an appropriate moniker to go with his status. He was met with opposition; his hands could carry no gun or blade, but were formed just right to fit a mallet’s grip. Gaining an enormous bulk over the years while he was in power, his mallet was shaped with him, itself becoming a symbol of his power and control over his subjects.
5) Jesse “Attila” Enman: a beast of a man. Covered in hair and weighing eight-hundred pounds of sheer muscle. Though inarticulate and not very book-smart, he knows his own body well enough to perform feats so incredible, it would cause gymnasts and contortionists to gawk in awe and wonderment – and his enemies, long enough to crush them into the floor with his strength. Himself neutral to the battles between the earth and the sky, his only concern is to better the man with the duck face: despite his careful training, the man’s mallet seems to have a mind of its own. In his attempt to fight fire with fire, he has befriended two twins with a penchant for mountain climbing, also carrying a pair of mallets, though a bit more reasonably-sized.
4) Craysyn “Nysyarc” Trottier: These days, there aren’t a lot of safe places to be. If the land isn’t being pelted by the heavens, then the scorched earth is erupting in retaliation. If there is civilization, then the only job a man could get was thievery. Families were huddled in alleys, splitting whatever meagre food they could between themselves. A single five-piece coin was worth more than the fingers a man might risk to get it. This is where a guy like Nysyarc really shines. He only really knows a few things: how to beat people up, and how to keep other people from being beaten up. He was neutral to the conflicts, if only because it was good for business: people would pay top dollar for a mercenary like himself.
3) Parker “billybeegood” Reid: the frontman to the underworld’s factions in their war against the heavens. The man is like a shadow: faceless, with a malleable body that he can adjust to any situation. A master with every fighting style known on the planet, there isn’t a situation he is unprepared for, which is just what his bosses were looking for. Where the heavens rely on their ‘holy’ and ‘righteous’ powers, billybeegood, as he is known, relies on technology, man’s own ‘power’. Small plastic spheres that explode on a timer. Handheld pistols that fire stunning beams of light. Hammers, swords, fists, wings. Whatever necessary to get the job done.
2) Jordan “Raziek” McGee: As far as anyone knows, this man is the very top of the ladder for the underworld. He cares less about the life of his men than he does the ground made or lost against their foes. He accepts nothing less than perfection: insubordination and failure are met with the tip of his rapier piercing their hide. There hasn’t been anyone that could best him in battle: he has faced every known weapon in existence and he has defeated them all. He owns a pet – his most prized possession, a hellhound jackal that can sense emotions in people. Whenever he has a subject meet with him personally, his jackal sits at his side, letting the subject know their fear will not be unnoticed.
1) Matthew “Croi” Simmons: to anyone who knows, Raziek answers to no man. His words are final and his authority is unchallenged. And that is correct. He answers to no ‘man’. “Croi” cannot be described. It has no true form. It is neither living nor dead. It has no real appearance. There is no place “Croi” can be found. Like Heaven’s loyalists believing in their ‘God’, “Croi” is all-encompassing. It is everywhere. It sees everything. And it consumes. It feeds on pain and on doubt. For every blow the underworld makes on the heavens, just that many more people lose their faith, adding their strength to his own. Raziek was simply the first to know and to understand “Croi” – and for that, Raziek has endured the most of them all.
0) Colin “zhao_guang” North: A man of unknown origins. A wanderer by habit, he travels where he is most needed and provides his skills where they could be of most use. He has no liege, and there is no authority over him. He asks for nothing in return. He uses no weapon. And he is the most powerful being alive. Though he has never killed a man, knowing mercy in a time of such turmoil, he has never once lost a battle. Efforts to locate and enlist him for either side have been, time and time again, been futile. Where he will show up next, and who he will decide to fight for, is only for him to decide.
Honourable Mention 1) Kailin Michael Alain Glasgow, “KMAG”: A hardy and respected warrior, once travelled the land, learning new styles of combat with each new culture he encountered. A jack-of-all-trades, he’s fought hundreds of battles and learned dozens and dozens of abilities over his trials. And yet, despite these, there have been no documented sightings of him lately, and any attempts to contact him between the battles go unanswered. It is too early to expect the worst, and yet…
Honourable Mention 2) Michael “Oons” Kelly: A new recruit, neutral in stance for the warring sides. Though unrefined, his potential shows tremendous promise among his peers and have caught the eyes of his superiors. Still, ‘potential’ means nothing. His slacker attitude and his poor attendance record work against him and his efforts to better himself for whatever faction he chooses to fight for. With a little application and dedication, however, he could easily tip the tide in this war.