Okay, this is my first time, so, bear with anything that seems horrible, and fire away if you have comments.... Actually, it's here for critique, so, obviously, I'm prepared.. Here goes.
EDIT: Re-done my Bio. Do take a look
And, to make it easier to differentiate edited segments from original segments..
Color Legend:
Not Part Of Character Bio
Title/Subject
Information: Original
Edited Information
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-
ORPG/URPG
Name –
Sapphire Zephiris Leslie
Title –
Shadow
Alignment –
Neutral (Slightly towards: Good)
(Sorry, but, I checked the description of Lawful Good. I think it doesn't portray the character well. She's no 'Crusader' and definitely not 'Saintly'.)
Race –
Human
Gender –
Female
Age –
16
Appearance –
Sporting a long flowing hair that reaches to slightly below her shoulders, this girl is a sight to behold. Her fringe, cut in bangs, is slightly above her round eyes, reveals a clearly defined face, characterized by thin eyebrows, and, her often complimented eyes of mesmerizing aquamarine. Despite this however, there is something chilling that can be sensed simply by looking into those eyes. Her lips are a natural, soft pink, and her skin tone is, contrastingly, an unnatural white.
Coupled with a slim and lean body, she is considered a beauty. All that is lacking would be the chest factor. However, she 'makes up for it' with muscular abs. (Those in apostrophe being her words) Strangely enough, her arms aren't as brawny. Her ears are perhaps her most unnoticeable feature, being a normal, rounded, human-looking ear with attached earlobes.
She stands at a height of 164cm, and weighs about 56kg.
(The Lina Inverse Reference was unintentional. Was just trying to set it up like a 'Light Strike Array', so I can receive my 'Laguna Blade'. Now, that was intentional. )
Attire –
Casual. A simple, dark blue hand-sewn, Viking-style linen tunic, with a scarf of a matching color. This tunic is slightly loose on Sapphire, but is not loose enough for her to simply wriggle out of it. Over all this, she wears a black vest, which serves to hold her loose tunic to her body, and ensures loose clothing won't impede any rigorous activities that may take place.As shown in the picture, there are 15 buttons, as well as lines that cross over them. To accommodate her occupation's need for stealth, she has customized those to be in black too.
For her lower torso, she wears yet again, a matching black colored skirt. This skirt is not that long, so it does not get treaded on easily.It does not have any pockets, so, Sapphire have made up for this loss with a pouch which she carries, hidden in the top layer of the skirt. (The top layer referring to the second layer over the inner layer. The boots she wears, puts the finishing touches to her commonly seen wear. Once again, a black color, this fitting suede boots ensures comfort with every step.
(Please note that there are some links to further illustrate the description.)
Armour –
None. If engaged in battle, she prefers to fight in her common attire, so that she may move around with ease. However, if forced, she may cede to wearing a breast plate, and plate legs, but would ardently refuse wearing a helmet. (Which, to her, and in reality, is too stuffy. She considers it a hindrance, and gives it less credit than it deserves)
(Well, she rarely gets bonked on the head, since she is considerably agile. The head having a smaller surface area is harder to target compared to her torso, or at most, shoulder or neck)
Personality –
Sapphire is an introvert. She does not readily engage another in conversation, and is rather reticent, not forgetting to mention, she hates being in the centre of attention. As such, she appears to be cold, and unfeeling to others, when in fact, she is not what they make her out to be. Her eyes only inspires more of such opinions, however, deep within, she is kind-hearted. It is only because her demeanor refuses others the chance to see her true nature.
When conversing, Sapphire is extremely polite. No matter who the converser is, be the person a friend or foe, she adopts a irreproachably courteous tone, though against foes, her words tend to be more chilling. (In which she subtly expresses a dislike, or sarcasm, to the person) Open insults can do little to change this politeness.
This only supplements her known personality, doing little to change other's view of her. Furthermore, she does not offer her assistance to those in need openly. If helping someone in dire straits (Under various circumstances) involves the public noticing her, she would never lend a hand. (She would, if it can be done with anonymity)
However, in the course of her occupation as Assassin, she has never hesitated to kill, which is the irony of her personality. It is her desire to be kind openly, but her job restricts this right. (And she doesn't intend to change that)
First Impression –
Cold. Just by looking into her eyes would already send a chill down almost anyone's spine. Her eyes simply exudes a chilling aura which, ironically, complements the beauty of the eyes nicely. This however, adds up to the words that would follow the description of her as a 'Cold' person- 'Beautiful eyes'. Speaking to her only adds up to this, with the extremely formal tone adopted, as well as politeness. Conversing with her further only supplements this first impression, which subsequently (And usually) stays as the converser's opinion of her.
Strength –
Sapphire, despite her looks, is rather strong. Although she does not seem to have much brawn in her arms, she can handle a heavy great sword, albeit the difficulty involved. (But won't be able to fight effectively, for certain)
Speed –
As befits her choice of clothing and fighting style, she is rather agile, moving so quickly that sometimes (Under the right circumstances, which occur by chance- mood, emotions, etc) she appear as a blur. However, she is unable to run long distances without getting tired quickly, though she can sprint for short distances, but at high speed.
This high speed may reach up close to around 27-29 miles per hour. However, thanks to the drag rendered by her skirt, this gets to around 26-28. Similarly, her skirt causes much drag to most of her situations, but the training over the years have made this almost non-existent.
Or, to be more specific, she has learned to accommodate the drag in the ways she tackle enemies.
E.G. When moving in stealthily for the kill, instead of rushing at top speed to plunge a knife in, literally move stealthily, slowly, but without anyone's notice. And when the opportunity rises, slay the target.
E.G. In fast paced combat which requires swift movement, she tries to lift her skirt up, so there is less drag. However, usually, the pace of battle may be too fast for her to do this, but when given the chance, she would.
These are some methods she taken to sustain her speed in battle, but most of the time, she would favor quick removal of the target, or simply a quick end to the battle
Endurance –
Her fighting style revolves around speed, which also consumes her energy quickly, thus, she has trained to raise her endurance. (Without making herself too muscular) She succeeded, but not much. At present, she may fight at optimal level for about 5 minutes, before starting to decline, to a point where she is totally weak and unable to fight on- at about 8 minutes. She may be able to recover some energy by resting, and breathing deeply, but can only add about a minute worth of fighting, and no more than that.
After 8 minutes, it is still possible to fight, but her agility would by then be non-existent, and she seems to fight like an average foot soldier. Nonetheless, it is possible for her to fight casually, slowing her movements down enough to add about 5 minutes to the time she can stay competitive, this, however, isn't her favorite tactic.
Still, in the time she still has strength, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Note, however, that it is battles that sap her energy quickly. Others like running away, or whatever would not use as much energy. (However, 'Sprinting' would use more energy than 'Running'. Will be detailed if she sprints)
As to the amount of physical punishment she can take, thanks to her strong will to survive, she can suffer heavy injuries, but still last for some time. Depending on the severity of the wound, she may or may not reach the 'stage of decline' similar to the above mentioned- after having fought more than 5 minutes. (The 3 minutes it takes to reach the point where she is completely drained of energy is the 'Stage of Decline'. )
Bruise-
She can take tons of this and not be weakened enough.
Bone Cracking/Sprain (Lower Torso)-
It immediately brings about the stage of decline. (As she makes heavy use of her lower torso to escape, dodge, etc. )
Bone Cracking/Sprain (Upper Torso)-
Increases the time needed to reach the 'Stage of Decline', since less energy is catered to her hands, more energy is conserved for her legs.
Bone Breaking-
The stage of decline begins as the battle continues, lasts only about 2 minutes before she's totally drained of energy (For both upper and lower torso. Upper would decrease strength along with energy loss, while lower would decrease rate of evasion, as well as speed)
Stab/Slash wound (Upper torso)-
Attack strength decreases drastically. Battle cannot last more than 5 minutes. Escape, difficult, due to blood loss, evidently slower.
Stab/Slash wound (Lower Torso)-
Speed hindered terribly. May not be able to sprint. Running possible, but with increased blood loss.
If already in the 'Stage of Decline' when she receives these wounds (Exception: Bruise), she may be out of energy as soon as the wound are received. Depending on the place wounded then, it may or may not be possible for her to make her escape. Any sustained at her legs would diminish chances of escape drastically.
She may choose to fight to her last breath, but the most she will last is 2 minutes. (Assuming she sustains no injuries in this time) If she takes more hurt during this time, it's black out or death. (Depending on her opponent)
Reflexes –
In a word, incredible. Years of intense training has sharpened her reflexes to the extent where she is actually able to react almost instantly as soon as the warning signs of danger surfaces. Which also complements her agility. However, this does not make her invulnerable to high-speed projectiles like arrows, or crossbow bolts, though she may be able to dodge them fairly quickly, and sometimes, if lucky, catch them in mid air. (Usually, she wouldn't take the risk, because of the high risk involved.)
More notably, her ability to hear the softest sound generated in about a 5 meters radius also supports this impressive reflex. As with the uncanny ability to react quickly as soon as she realized she had been fooled.
E.G. Someone tosses something into the air in another direction, attracting Sapphire's attention towards it. Then, moving in from behind, he jumps in for the kill. However, Sapphire was a step ahead. From the moment the thing landed, she was already watching it, and saw nothing dangerous from that direction. Quickly deducing this to be a distraction, she already prepared herself to counterattack whatever comes her way. And so, when the man moved, she was more than prepared, and takes him down as soon as he comes close.
This however, is restricted within the 'Optimal Time' of 13 minutes. (Read Endurance for more information.)
Her amazing reflex is largely dependent on her speed, and collectively, the endurance she has. So, the time in which she performs at her best is the time where the aforementioned remains a reality. After the time of 13 minutes, her reflexes will slowly worsen.
Fighting Style –
Speed. Sapphire, knowing herself, realizes quickly that her energy has its limits, and this limits would be reached very quickly. Thus, she always tries to finish the battle as soon as it begins. Her weapon serves to complement this strategy, being rather small, and unnoticeable. However, most battles do not allow such easy kills, which proceeds on to what Sapphire terms 'Phase Two', which really is, normal armed combat. In which, she engages the enemy cautiously, striking only after the opponent does so.
In short, she would only attack right after the enemy makes his move... And try to finish the battle with that move.
E.G. The enemy lurches forward, attempting to slash her. Quickly sidestepping aside, Sapphire plunges her dagger into the enemy's neck, finishing him off in a blow.
Most of her enemies should succumb to this scenario. With the exception of some, whom are more powerful.
Unfortunately, if that were to prove difficult, even with her speed, she would resort to causing as much wounds as possible to make the enemy bleed to death. This strategy is usually thrown in when she finds the chance to, since it can slow the enemy down. (Though, by habit, she usually focuses on the killer moves, and rarely focuses on bleeding the enemy dry)
Weapons –
An un-named dagger. This is a trusty weapon which she usually keeps in a special sheath tied to her waist. It is extremely durable, and has not been broken (Probably because it has not met in a direct clash) before.
As seen in the picture, the blade of the dagger has some intricate designs, which she honestly isn't interested in. The length of this dagger is about 20cm, and the handle, about 10cm, which adds up to about 30cm in length. The length of the sheath accommodates the blade perfectly
This weapon was a gift from her foster father when he believed she had mastered the art of stealth in her years of harsh training. As such, Sapphire made it a point never to lose it in battle, and always used it first when the situation called for it.
(Note: In the picture linked to the word 'sheath', the sheath I was referring to is the one on first on the left side of the bag. To be more general, second from the right, ignoring the belt on top)
Abilities –
Assassinate. Her mercenary jobs of stealthily removing targets that are her client's enemies has sharpened her skills in assassination, much so that she is averagely renowned as a proficient assassin. That is, in the 'underworld'. In which she goes by her nickname 'Shadow'. This can be sometimes seen in her fighting style, which involves the quick dispatching of the enemy. (Refer to Fighting Style for more details)
Combat Skills. Years of training brought to Sapphire mastery of her unique fighting style, and subsequently, skills which she can utilize to her advantage:
- Weapon Toss -
As its name suggest, it is simply the tossing of a weapon with the intent to kill. Sapphire basically grabs any weapon, or her own weapon, and tosses it to her enemy with deadly accuracy, and aiming at the enemy's vital areas. (Neck, for instance, however, she would target the upper torso if she isn't confident of hitting the neck or head.)
- Dual Wielding -
A decade worth of training ensured her ability to wield weapons in both hands with almost equal efficiency. However, it must be noted that her left hand is not as strong as her right. (As she is a right hander)
It must be noted that using two weapons at once would drain more from her, mentally, and physically. Mentally, the concentration in the battle must be there to ensure perfect coordination of her two hands. It may, however, deteriorate her reflexes, but not so much.
Physically, it is somewhat taxing, but doesn't drain so much. Possibly taking off about half a minute of the time she is competitive.
- Blink Strike - (If you've played Warcraft, or DotA, this would seem familiar)
By suddenly increasing her speed, she moves in a blur, and strikes the enemy. However, this drains energy fairly quickly, and requires her to get into a stance which acts like a spring, and blasts her towards her enemy. It only applies to enemies directly in front of her, as she is unable to move at such speed to enemies by her side. (Just imagine trying to run sideways and running straight. The difficulty in doing so is the same as it is in using this skill.)
As this is physically taxing too, it will take away about 40 seconds away from the time she is competitive. In battle, she may use this a couple of times, but due to the amount of energy it takes out of her, she refrains from executing this, unless it's for a killing blow.
Another reason for her rarity in executing this skill, is because of the drag her skirt induces on her movements. It doesn't play down it's effectiveness in slaying a target, if it does hit home.
Moving silently.When moving slowly, careful steps, coupled with her soft boots make her movements almost inaudible. Only those with sharp hearing may be able to hear her. This came only after the years of intense training Sapphire underwent.
Magic –
Sapphire has no affinity with magic, and is totally unable to cast any form of magic. She doesn't even bother to learn it anyway, though, she has a naturally strong resistance to Magic.
E.G. A strong fire spell that may burn away the someone's skin may only cause a slight burn on hers.
So long the spell is magical in nature, whatever element it is would not hurt her so much. However, if the magic used conjures something physical in nature, there's no denying her death.
E.G. A spear made out of ice.
Still, it must be noted that if the spell has some special effects attached to it, Sapphire have no chance to resist that either.
E.G. Ice spells: Freezing effect. Her movement slows. Lightning: Uncontrollable muscle contraction. Similarly, her movement slows, though with enough mental strength, it may be possible to resist it.
But that's mental strength, not magical resistance.
History –
Born an abandoned child, Sapphire was left in the wilderness as a baby in a sapphire mine. Thus, when her foster father found her, he promptly named her in accordance to the place he found her. Sapphire's father was Wilson Leslie, a renowned assassin known to have succeeded in almost all his missions. However, there was only one mission he failed.
And, he paid a huge price for failure. His wife, Zephiris Leslie was killed in action. Depressed and losing the will to fight, he retires with a generally large fortune, as well as the deep-seated intent to seek revenge on the target he failed to take out.
However, he decided that this revenge he sought would not be taken by himself. In his mind, an 'interesting' plan was already concocted- he intended to make Sapphire take the man's life. Still, that wasn't the main idea. Adding 'Zephiris' to Sapphire's name, he decided she will avenge his wife, in her name, so that it will truly be an 'eye for eye'.
Thus began Sapphire's life of harsh assassin training, which developed the skills she has at present. This was all achieved at the tender age of 13. However, as she was still young, fighting against full grown adults and their heavy weaponry is something she may not be able to handle, so her father, Wilson, patiently trained her for yet another 2 years.
This 2 years was definitely more relaxed than the previous years, since she has already mastered most of what she would need as an Assassin. Hence, she pursued what she couldn't do previously, mingling with the crowds in cities, as well as the children her age.
It was there, her personality was developed. Years of assassin training had hardened her heart to a point where she could kill even the most pitiful person, but with the children, and their loving parents, she learned the presence of kindness, and nurtured it within herself. (Desiring to be like the parents)
Ironically, despite having mingled in with children and played with them, they never stayed friends for long. As soon as their parents knew who her father was, they would shun her. She never understood why that was the case then, but she knew now- that they were afraid of her.
Still, that didn't change her, since her training involved the acceptance of the fact they will not be able to mingle in with society properly.
It was also in this two years, she was more conscious of the relation between her father and herself. For the years before then, her father only trained her, and nothing more. The only love he ever shown would be covering the blanket for her at night, and, cooking and serving the food personally.
She tried to be more proactive in nurturing the relation between the two, but it obviously failed. Her father having spent almost a decade behaving this way to her, found it way too impossible to change. And so, went the two years, with little changes other than her personality.
Finally, the time came, for her first real mission: slaying her father's enemy. Her father saw that it was only right if he followed along with her, and saw to it she finished the man off. This man was no ordinary person, however, he was a powerful noble, with his own private army of skilled mercenaries.
Still, the duo was a force to be reckoned with. They successfully invaded the place attracting almost zero attention, and found their way to the noble. Yet, despite having came close, her father decided to announce their presence, so that his 'plan of vengeance' would be achieved.
It came at a huge sacrifice of their stealth. Immediately, they were tossed into a situation against the mercenary force. The duo have not forgotten their mission, however, and went after the noble.
Unfortunately, against an army of skilled warriors, 2 assassins are not much of a challenge. Furthermore, the battle had went on beyond 18 minutes. Sapphire was simply too tired to fight at a level required to defeat the force.
The same could be said for her father, though experience and sheer will forced him to forge on. Seeing her father this way, Sapphire had to fight alongside him. But, it was evident they must leave the area if they are to survive.
Before it, her father demanded the Noble's death. Sapphire then took a risk, rushing at the Noble in an attempt to slay him. Protected by a force, it was pretty obvious this frantic charge wasn't going to do much. Then, her father came in directing the attention to himself (By appearing to be the real person meant to kill the Noble, when he's not)
With this distraction, Sapphire successfully went past the defense, and finished the Noble off. Sadly, her father fell against the forces, which still fought unknowing of their leader's death.
Her father mouthed a 'Go', and an 'I love you' to Sapphire in his final moments, as the force finished him. After 15 whole years, to show his affection before his death touched Sapphire completely.
However, the force had already finished tackling one distraction, charging at her, they were determined to finish this second target. Conveniently, they noticed their dead leader. Taking the opportunity of the distraction, Sapphire dashed for her escape, successfully making it out alive, and relatively unharmed.
News of her successful assassination spread, and as she followed her foster father's footsteps in offering her own services in taverns, this news helped improve the number of clients she had. So went a year, her fame spread amongst the underworld, and jobs continue to flow in with handsome rewards.
Nevertheless, deep within her heart, her father stays as a happy memory, and became her driving force to stay alive to live happily. (Which, in her comprehension, was doing what she usually did- assassination)
EDIT: Re-done my Bio. Do take a look
And, to make it easier to differentiate edited segments from original segments..
Color Legend:
Not Part Of Character Bio
Title/Subject
Information: Original
Edited Information
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-
ORPG/URPG
Name –
Sapphire Zephiris Leslie
Title –
Shadow
Alignment –
Neutral (Slightly towards: Good)
(Sorry, but, I checked the description of Lawful Good. I think it doesn't portray the character well. She's no 'Crusader' and definitely not 'Saintly'.)
Race –
Human
Gender –
Female
Age –
16
Appearance –
Sporting a long flowing hair that reaches to slightly below her shoulders, this girl is a sight to behold. Her fringe, cut in bangs, is slightly above her round eyes, reveals a clearly defined face, characterized by thin eyebrows, and, her often complimented eyes of mesmerizing aquamarine. Despite this however, there is something chilling that can be sensed simply by looking into those eyes. Her lips are a natural, soft pink, and her skin tone is, contrastingly, an unnatural white.
Coupled with a slim and lean body, she is considered a beauty. All that is lacking would be the chest factor. However, she 'makes up for it' with muscular abs. (Those in apostrophe being her words) Strangely enough, her arms aren't as brawny. Her ears are perhaps her most unnoticeable feature, being a normal, rounded, human-looking ear with attached earlobes.
She stands at a height of 164cm, and weighs about 56kg.
(The Lina Inverse Reference was unintentional. Was just trying to set it up like a 'Light Strike Array', so I can receive my 'Laguna Blade'. Now, that was intentional.
)Attire –
Casual. A simple, dark blue hand-sewn, Viking-style linen tunic, with a scarf of a matching color. This tunic is slightly loose on Sapphire, but is not loose enough for her to simply wriggle out of it. Over all this, she wears a black vest, which serves to hold her loose tunic to her body, and ensures loose clothing won't impede any rigorous activities that may take place.As shown in the picture, there are 15 buttons, as well as lines that cross over them. To accommodate her occupation's need for stealth, she has customized those to be in black too.
For her lower torso, she wears yet again, a matching black colored skirt. This skirt is not that long, so it does not get treaded on easily.It does not have any pockets, so, Sapphire have made up for this loss with a pouch which she carries, hidden in the top layer of the skirt. (The top layer referring to the second layer over the inner layer. The boots she wears, puts the finishing touches to her commonly seen wear. Once again, a black color, this fitting suede boots ensures comfort with every step.
(Please note that there are some links to further illustrate the description.)
Armour –
None. If engaged in battle, she prefers to fight in her common attire, so that she may move around with ease. However, if forced, she may cede to wearing a breast plate, and plate legs, but would ardently refuse wearing a helmet. (Which, to her, and in reality, is too stuffy. She considers it a hindrance, and gives it less credit than it deserves)
(Well, she rarely gets bonked on the head, since she is considerably agile. The head having a smaller surface area is harder to target compared to her torso, or at most, shoulder or neck)
Personality –
Sapphire is an introvert. She does not readily engage another in conversation, and is rather reticent, not forgetting to mention, she hates being in the centre of attention. As such, she appears to be cold, and unfeeling to others, when in fact, she is not what they make her out to be. Her eyes only inspires more of such opinions, however, deep within, she is kind-hearted. It is only because her demeanor refuses others the chance to see her true nature.
When conversing, Sapphire is extremely polite. No matter who the converser is, be the person a friend or foe, she adopts a irreproachably courteous tone, though against foes, her words tend to be more chilling. (In which she subtly expresses a dislike, or sarcasm, to the person) Open insults can do little to change this politeness.
This only supplements her known personality, doing little to change other's view of her. Furthermore, she does not offer her assistance to those in need openly. If helping someone in dire straits (Under various circumstances) involves the public noticing her, she would never lend a hand. (She would, if it can be done with anonymity)
However, in the course of her occupation as Assassin, she has never hesitated to kill, which is the irony of her personality. It is her desire to be kind openly, but her job restricts this right. (And she doesn't intend to change that)
First Impression –
Cold. Just by looking into her eyes would already send a chill down almost anyone's spine. Her eyes simply exudes a chilling aura which, ironically, complements the beauty of the eyes nicely. This however, adds up to the words that would follow the description of her as a 'Cold' person- 'Beautiful eyes'. Speaking to her only adds up to this, with the extremely formal tone adopted, as well as politeness. Conversing with her further only supplements this first impression, which subsequently (And usually) stays as the converser's opinion of her.
Strength –
Sapphire, despite her looks, is rather strong. Although she does not seem to have much brawn in her arms, she can handle a heavy great sword, albeit the difficulty involved. (But won't be able to fight effectively, for certain)
Speed –
As befits her choice of clothing and fighting style, she is rather agile, moving so quickly that sometimes (Under the right circumstances, which occur by chance- mood, emotions, etc) she appear as a blur. However, she is unable to run long distances without getting tired quickly, though she can sprint for short distances, but at high speed.
This high speed may reach up close to around 27-29 miles per hour. However, thanks to the drag rendered by her skirt, this gets to around 26-28. Similarly, her skirt causes much drag to most of her situations, but the training over the years have made this almost non-existent.
Or, to be more specific, she has learned to accommodate the drag in the ways she tackle enemies.
E.G. When moving in stealthily for the kill, instead of rushing at top speed to plunge a knife in, literally move stealthily, slowly, but without anyone's notice. And when the opportunity rises, slay the target.
E.G. In fast paced combat which requires swift movement, she tries to lift her skirt up, so there is less drag. However, usually, the pace of battle may be too fast for her to do this, but when given the chance, she would.
These are some methods she taken to sustain her speed in battle, but most of the time, she would favor quick removal of the target, or simply a quick end to the battle
Endurance –
Her fighting style revolves around speed, which also consumes her energy quickly, thus, she has trained to raise her endurance. (Without making herself too muscular) She succeeded, but not much. At present, she may fight at optimal level for about 5 minutes, before starting to decline, to a point where she is totally weak and unable to fight on- at about 8 minutes. She may be able to recover some energy by resting, and breathing deeply, but can only add about a minute worth of fighting, and no more than that.
After 8 minutes, it is still possible to fight, but her agility would by then be non-existent, and she seems to fight like an average foot soldier. Nonetheless, it is possible for her to fight casually, slowing her movements down enough to add about 5 minutes to the time she can stay competitive, this, however, isn't her favorite tactic.
Still, in the time she still has strength, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Note, however, that it is battles that sap her energy quickly. Others like running away, or whatever would not use as much energy. (However, 'Sprinting' would use more energy than 'Running'. Will be detailed if she sprints)
As to the amount of physical punishment she can take, thanks to her strong will to survive, she can suffer heavy injuries, but still last for some time. Depending on the severity of the wound, she may or may not reach the 'stage of decline' similar to the above mentioned- after having fought more than 5 minutes. (The 3 minutes it takes to reach the point where she is completely drained of energy is the 'Stage of Decline'. )
Bruise-
She can take tons of this and not be weakened enough.
Bone Cracking/Sprain (Lower Torso)-
It immediately brings about the stage of decline. (As she makes heavy use of her lower torso to escape, dodge, etc. )
Bone Cracking/Sprain (Upper Torso)-
Increases the time needed to reach the 'Stage of Decline', since less energy is catered to her hands, more energy is conserved for her legs.
Bone Breaking-
The stage of decline begins as the battle continues, lasts only about 2 minutes before she's totally drained of energy (For both upper and lower torso. Upper would decrease strength along with energy loss, while lower would decrease rate of evasion, as well as speed)
Stab/Slash wound (Upper torso)-
Attack strength decreases drastically. Battle cannot last more than 5 minutes. Escape, difficult, due to blood loss, evidently slower.
Stab/Slash wound (Lower Torso)-
Speed hindered terribly. May not be able to sprint. Running possible, but with increased blood loss.
If already in the 'Stage of Decline' when she receives these wounds (Exception: Bruise), she may be out of energy as soon as the wound are received. Depending on the place wounded then, it may or may not be possible for her to make her escape. Any sustained at her legs would diminish chances of escape drastically.
She may choose to fight to her last breath, but the most she will last is 2 minutes. (Assuming she sustains no injuries in this time) If she takes more hurt during this time, it's black out or death. (Depending on her opponent)
Reflexes –
In a word, incredible. Years of intense training has sharpened her reflexes to the extent where she is actually able to react almost instantly as soon as the warning signs of danger surfaces. Which also complements her agility. However, this does not make her invulnerable to high-speed projectiles like arrows, or crossbow bolts, though she may be able to dodge them fairly quickly, and sometimes, if lucky, catch them in mid air. (Usually, she wouldn't take the risk, because of the high risk involved.)
More notably, her ability to hear the softest sound generated in about a 5 meters radius also supports this impressive reflex. As with the uncanny ability to react quickly as soon as she realized she had been fooled.
E.G. Someone tosses something into the air in another direction, attracting Sapphire's attention towards it. Then, moving in from behind, he jumps in for the kill. However, Sapphire was a step ahead. From the moment the thing landed, she was already watching it, and saw nothing dangerous from that direction. Quickly deducing this to be a distraction, she already prepared herself to counterattack whatever comes her way. And so, when the man moved, she was more than prepared, and takes him down as soon as he comes close.
This however, is restricted within the 'Optimal Time' of 13 minutes. (Read Endurance for more information.)
Her amazing reflex is largely dependent on her speed, and collectively, the endurance she has. So, the time in which she performs at her best is the time where the aforementioned remains a reality. After the time of 13 minutes, her reflexes will slowly worsen.
Fighting Style –
Speed. Sapphire, knowing herself, realizes quickly that her energy has its limits, and this limits would be reached very quickly. Thus, she always tries to finish the battle as soon as it begins. Her weapon serves to complement this strategy, being rather small, and unnoticeable. However, most battles do not allow such easy kills, which proceeds on to what Sapphire terms 'Phase Two', which really is, normal armed combat. In which, she engages the enemy cautiously, striking only after the opponent does so.
In short, she would only attack right after the enemy makes his move... And try to finish the battle with that move.
E.G. The enemy lurches forward, attempting to slash her. Quickly sidestepping aside, Sapphire plunges her dagger into the enemy's neck, finishing him off in a blow.
Most of her enemies should succumb to this scenario. With the exception of some, whom are more powerful.
Unfortunately, if that were to prove difficult, even with her speed, she would resort to causing as much wounds as possible to make the enemy bleed to death. This strategy is usually thrown in when she finds the chance to, since it can slow the enemy down. (Though, by habit, she usually focuses on the killer moves, and rarely focuses on bleeding the enemy dry)
Weapons –
An un-named dagger. This is a trusty weapon which she usually keeps in a special sheath tied to her waist. It is extremely durable, and has not been broken (Probably because it has not met in a direct clash) before.
As seen in the picture, the blade of the dagger has some intricate designs, which she honestly isn't interested in. The length of this dagger is about 20cm, and the handle, about 10cm, which adds up to about 30cm in length. The length of the sheath accommodates the blade perfectly
This weapon was a gift from her foster father when he believed she had mastered the art of stealth in her years of harsh training. As such, Sapphire made it a point never to lose it in battle, and always used it first when the situation called for it.
(Note: In the picture linked to the word 'sheath', the sheath I was referring to is the one on first on the left side of the bag. To be more general, second from the right, ignoring the belt on top)
Abilities –
Assassinate. Her mercenary jobs of stealthily removing targets that are her client's enemies has sharpened her skills in assassination, much so that she is averagely renowned as a proficient assassin. That is, in the 'underworld'. In which she goes by her nickname 'Shadow'. This can be sometimes seen in her fighting style, which involves the quick dispatching of the enemy. (Refer to Fighting Style for more details)
Combat Skills. Years of training brought to Sapphire mastery of her unique fighting style, and subsequently, skills which she can utilize to her advantage:
- Weapon Toss -
As its name suggest, it is simply the tossing of a weapon with the intent to kill. Sapphire basically grabs any weapon, or her own weapon, and tosses it to her enemy with deadly accuracy, and aiming at the enemy's vital areas. (Neck, for instance, however, she would target the upper torso if she isn't confident of hitting the neck or head.)
- Dual Wielding -
A decade worth of training ensured her ability to wield weapons in both hands with almost equal efficiency. However, it must be noted that her left hand is not as strong as her right. (As she is a right hander)
It must be noted that using two weapons at once would drain more from her, mentally, and physically. Mentally, the concentration in the battle must be there to ensure perfect coordination of her two hands. It may, however, deteriorate her reflexes, but not so much.
Physically, it is somewhat taxing, but doesn't drain so much. Possibly taking off about half a minute of the time she is competitive.
- Blink Strike - (If you've played Warcraft, or DotA, this would seem familiar)
By suddenly increasing her speed, she moves in a blur, and strikes the enemy. However, this drains energy fairly quickly, and requires her to get into a stance which acts like a spring, and blasts her towards her enemy. It only applies to enemies directly in front of her, as she is unable to move at such speed to enemies by her side. (Just imagine trying to run sideways and running straight. The difficulty in doing so is the same as it is in using this skill.)
As this is physically taxing too, it will take away about 40 seconds away from the time she is competitive. In battle, she may use this a couple of times, but due to the amount of energy it takes out of her, she refrains from executing this, unless it's for a killing blow.
Another reason for her rarity in executing this skill, is because of the drag her skirt induces on her movements. It doesn't play down it's effectiveness in slaying a target, if it does hit home.
Moving silently.When moving slowly, careful steps, coupled with her soft boots make her movements almost inaudible. Only those with sharp hearing may be able to hear her. This came only after the years of intense training Sapphire underwent.
Magic –
Sapphire has no affinity with magic, and is totally unable to cast any form of magic. She doesn't even bother to learn it anyway, though, she has a naturally strong resistance to Magic.
E.G. A strong fire spell that may burn away the someone's skin may only cause a slight burn on hers.
So long the spell is magical in nature, whatever element it is would not hurt her so much. However, if the magic used conjures something physical in nature, there's no denying her death.
E.G. A spear made out of ice.
Still, it must be noted that if the spell has some special effects attached to it, Sapphire have no chance to resist that either.
E.G. Ice spells: Freezing effect. Her movement slows. Lightning: Uncontrollable muscle contraction. Similarly, her movement slows, though with enough mental strength, it may be possible to resist it.
But that's mental strength, not magical resistance.
History –
Born an abandoned child, Sapphire was left in the wilderness as a baby in a sapphire mine. Thus, when her foster father found her, he promptly named her in accordance to the place he found her. Sapphire's father was Wilson Leslie, a renowned assassin known to have succeeded in almost all his missions. However, there was only one mission he failed.
And, he paid a huge price for failure. His wife, Zephiris Leslie was killed in action. Depressed and losing the will to fight, he retires with a generally large fortune, as well as the deep-seated intent to seek revenge on the target he failed to take out.
However, he decided that this revenge he sought would not be taken by himself. In his mind, an 'interesting' plan was already concocted- he intended to make Sapphire take the man's life. Still, that wasn't the main idea. Adding 'Zephiris' to Sapphire's name, he decided she will avenge his wife, in her name, so that it will truly be an 'eye for eye'.
Thus began Sapphire's life of harsh assassin training, which developed the skills she has at present. This was all achieved at the tender age of 13. However, as she was still young, fighting against full grown adults and their heavy weaponry is something she may not be able to handle, so her father, Wilson, patiently trained her for yet another 2 years.
This 2 years was definitely more relaxed than the previous years, since she has already mastered most of what she would need as an Assassin. Hence, she pursued what she couldn't do previously, mingling with the crowds in cities, as well as the children her age.
It was there, her personality was developed. Years of assassin training had hardened her heart to a point where she could kill even the most pitiful person, but with the children, and their loving parents, she learned the presence of kindness, and nurtured it within herself. (Desiring to be like the parents)
Ironically, despite having mingled in with children and played with them, they never stayed friends for long. As soon as their parents knew who her father was, they would shun her. She never understood why that was the case then, but she knew now- that they were afraid of her.
Still, that didn't change her, since her training involved the acceptance of the fact they will not be able to mingle in with society properly.
It was also in this two years, she was more conscious of the relation between her father and herself. For the years before then, her father only trained her, and nothing more. The only love he ever shown would be covering the blanket for her at night, and, cooking and serving the food personally.
She tried to be more proactive in nurturing the relation between the two, but it obviously failed. Her father having spent almost a decade behaving this way to her, found it way too impossible to change. And so, went the two years, with little changes other than her personality.
Finally, the time came, for her first real mission: slaying her father's enemy. Her father saw that it was only right if he followed along with her, and saw to it she finished the man off. This man was no ordinary person, however, he was a powerful noble, with his own private army of skilled mercenaries.
Still, the duo was a force to be reckoned with. They successfully invaded the place attracting almost zero attention, and found their way to the noble. Yet, despite having came close, her father decided to announce their presence, so that his 'plan of vengeance' would be achieved.
It came at a huge sacrifice of their stealth. Immediately, they were tossed into a situation against the mercenary force. The duo have not forgotten their mission, however, and went after the noble.
Unfortunately, against an army of skilled warriors, 2 assassins are not much of a challenge. Furthermore, the battle had went on beyond 18 minutes. Sapphire was simply too tired to fight at a level required to defeat the force.
The same could be said for her father, though experience and sheer will forced him to forge on. Seeing her father this way, Sapphire had to fight alongside him. But, it was evident they must leave the area if they are to survive.
Before it, her father demanded the Noble's death. Sapphire then took a risk, rushing at the Noble in an attempt to slay him. Protected by a force, it was pretty obvious this frantic charge wasn't going to do much. Then, her father came in directing the attention to himself (By appearing to be the real person meant to kill the Noble, when he's not)
With this distraction, Sapphire successfully went past the defense, and finished the Noble off. Sadly, her father fell against the forces, which still fought unknowing of their leader's death.
Her father mouthed a 'Go', and an 'I love you' to Sapphire in his final moments, as the force finished him. After 15 whole years, to show his affection before his death touched Sapphire completely.
However, the force had already finished tackling one distraction, charging at her, they were determined to finish this second target. Conveniently, they noticed their dead leader. Taking the opportunity of the distraction, Sapphire dashed for her escape, successfully making it out alive, and relatively unharmed.
News of her successful assassination spread, and as she followed her foster father's footsteps in offering her own services in taverns, this news helped improve the number of clients she had. So went a year, her fame spread amongst the underworld, and jobs continue to flow in with handsome rewards.
Nevertheless, deep within her heart, her father stays as a happy memory, and became her driving force to stay alive to live happily. (Which, in her comprehension, was doing what she usually did- assassination)
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