My name is Abraham.

I was once the servant of the scion Adrammelech, the Wroth. Yes, the scion of lightning and thunder. I was once his greatest protector.

Many sought his power in the Zertinan Caverns. All fell to my power and to his. However, one fateful day, a lone traveler, his name is known to me now as Father Elijah, arrived alone to face the Scion. My Master merely laughed, and mocked the old man behind his shield of a sand twister.

While I readied my powers, and he summoned his undead to fight, Elijah merely produced a spear. A magnificent spear it was! We continued to mock him as he accidentally dropped the spear, but I know now his age had done nothing to his mind or reflexes.

As the dozens of undead closed in on him, he remained crouched, trying to pick up the spear. I myself laughed, and merely watched.

However, that was what Elijah was waiting for. He had the spear the entire time in his hands. In one fluid movement, Elijah effortlessly swirled the spear in a complicated yet beautiful dance, and finished with one twirl. In that single moment, every zombie fell into pieces. My master, offended and taken off guard, promptly summoned more zombies and I readied to fight.

And so it continued for several minutes, him cutting down the undead and getting closer to me, my Master's last defense.

He grew tired, and leapt over the remaining foes, to me. I effortlessly slung several dozen spheres of energy at him. Not one made contact. Not one.

In a single moment, I felt odd. I clutched my stomach, and realized that Elijah had, in one fluid moment, pierced my heart, and left me sprawled across the sand to die.

I watched as my vision dimmed as Elijah, this old man with white hair and a creaky step, defeated a scion made by the GODS themselves all by his lonesome. But Adrammelech had left me one final gift before he fell himself; he healed me to full health, and teleported me away from the Zertinan Caverns to one of the many entrances.

I awoke there, on a dune of what is now called the Dalmascan Westersands. Even there, though, I could feel and hear the roars and echoes of the fight. In the end, Elijah won. He won easily, and left easily.

I have searched and searched for him. For so many years, I searched. I searched for the wizened old man who usurped my Master of his power and freedom, and who took MY reason for life.

My name is Abraham.

And when I find Father Elijah, I will kill him.

I had no power left. My magick power had been lost with my Master, leaving me naked and helpless upon the dunes of this desert.

With nothing else to do, I set off, just barely sighting a large city over the canyons and mountains. I was ambushed multiple times, but something happened that surprised me. I had never used melee combat before. I had enough magick power.

However, I shocked myself when I effortlessly defeated a pack of wolves that ambushed me with my bare hands. I was naked, in the desert, and alone. How did I do that? I still wonder even to this day.

As I continued my journey, I sighted an oasis. In the end, this cut my trial short.

I arrived, but I realized beforehand that there were others there already.

I stepped into the small camp, but many things confused me.

I hadn't encountered another women in all my service, which counted to 3000 years. And these ones intrigued me the most.

They had odd ears. Reminiscent of rabbit ears, I remember once hearing. They were…shocked to see an unclothed man step out of the desert alive.

At first, I had been confused. They had acted rather odd, turning red and pointing. I surmised eventually that they were slightly put off by my immodesty, and asked them.

They were very nervous around me, until one, who called herself Coela gave me clothes. They were well suited to the desert, along with the boots she gave me.

They invited me to stay for the night, until they would be able to return to Rabanastre, the city I saw. I accepted.

After I was settled in, I gave them my story. Oddly enough, only Coela actually believed me. The others couldn't help but disbelieve my story about the scion I served and still serve.

I dismissed their prattle, and continued talking to Coela. She educated me in several ways, including the name of her race. Something she called the Viera, or People of the Wood. I learned more from her, and she eventually told me her secret. She no longer desired the plebian existence of this caravan life, and wanted to become a great warrior.

I realized that the only chance to defeat Father Elijah, is to be faster and stronger and better trained than him.

I also described the intricately designed spear he wielded, and Coela identified it as a legendary lance imaginatively called the Zodiac Spear. She claimed it had been missing for centuries, and this proved someone had found it.

That night, she and I made a pact that we would leave together. We would train and learn together. We would defeat Father Elijah together. We swore that we would avenge my Master, and free him. Then she did something I didn't expect. She kissed me on the cheek. I had no idea what that meant. What she felt for me, until later. Either way, I looked upwards. I had a chance.

That night, Clan Circle Of Umbra was conceived.

We slipped off from the caravan easily enough, "borrowing", as she put it, weapons from her old family.

I ironically chose the spear. She chose a sword called Platinum Blade.

We easily made our way to Rabanastre, and made our final plan after staying at an Inn for several days, living off the gil she brought.

I was wandering through the city one day, and found what they call a Petition Board. I was curious, and asked the bartender of the Sandsea. He claimed it to be a Hunter's petition. I was intrigued, and he instructed me on the nature of the Clans and Hunts.

In mere moments, I made my choice and brought it to Coela. She agreed.

We met with the petitioner, and began the hunt. It was relatively simple; it was to drive off a monster called the Thextera. We began the hunt and found the giant beast.

It brought friends, but after a long and hard fight we emerged the victor, sending the wounded Mark into the desert as the petition requested.

We gleefully collected our reward and realized the potential.

That night, Coela and I created the first Contract. We bound ourselves together as clan mates, and formed the Circle of Umbra, our Clan.

Years passed since that hunt. Coela and I, we flourished and bloomed.

Circle of Umbra grew exponentially. The clan now had two dozen members.

We could've had more, but as I knew, a couple dozen well-trained warriors were far more capable than a ragtag band of two hundred idiots that were incapable of fighting efficiently.

Coela was slightly put off by my incredibly slow aging process, but eventually, we fell in love. I had never felt this emotion before, and I doubted she had either.

We fought it heroically, but it won.

Coela and I married after the clan was twenty years old and beyond Rank SS.

We had met another clan, Clan Centurio, and its owner, Montblanc, a moogle.

Montblanc and I became the best of friends, and by his insistence, I became an honorary Clan Centurio Member.

I was granted the Order of Ambrosia, the highest rank a hunter could achieve. Life was good. But I still hadn't found Father Elijah, and Coela had quickly forgotten her promise to me to help kill him.

More time passed. I had finally found something with Coela. I found his Zodiac Spear, but no Elijah. I took his weapon for my own, and swore once more to destroy him.

In all this time, I had honed my abilities. Training with Grand Kiltias Anastasis in the ways of the mind. I had travelled to the Tchita Uplands and trained with the village of what they called Ninjas. I was even trained to fight like the legendary Judge Magisters, after I met Bergan once. He ordered me to be trained by the other Judges as well. I killed legendary marks such as the Earth Tyrant wyrm, and the Shadowseer, a corrupt sorcerer that claimed godhood. Magic was no mystery to me.

Coela and I had managed to create a HQ for our Clan, hidden deep within the Waterways. I even found another esper. His name escapes me still. Cúchulainn, or something. A large, eyeless, green grotesque monster that sapped my strength even as I walked across to fight him. He was a difficult foe.

However, even as I defeated him, he was unable to provide me with information, so I gave him to Coela as a wedding gift.

Soon, The Circle Of Umbra was feared as one of the greatest and strongest Clans in Ivalice, remarkable considering our small membership and rigorous training.

Life was perfect.

I met someone today. A boy. He was a recruit of Clan Centurio. Called himself Fiera, though most called him "Big Bucket". After much conversation with Montblanc, he revealed that the kid was an admirable hunter, though rash at times. He also requested I keep an eye on him.

I did so, following him stealthily on every hunt. He never suspected a thing. Coela also commented on his skills, saying she "liked the boy's spirit".

I hate to admit it, but the kid IS growing on me. Funny, considering we've never talked and he doesn't know the first thing about me.

What am I saying? Have I gotten soft in my old age? Big Bucket is a window to a different time. I have a job to do.

Montblanc has asked me to do something. Something I have never done before. He has asked me to find and defeat Zodiark, the most powerful of all Espers and Scions. It was a suicide mission. Only one thing TO do.

I accepted.

.Blasted moogle. He VASTLY misjudged the creature's power. I lost after a long and deadly struggle.

But he did much worse in return for my mistake in fighting him.

He used his powers of Darkja and Scathe to burn my face beyond recognition. Should I be exposed too long to the elements and the air, I will die.

What do I do?

Coela…forgive me. To shield my burns, I did something I should never have tried.

I experimented with magicks far too much.

I created a mask, suitable to my needs and reputation. I carved it out of the white stone of the Pandemonium guardian of Pharos. The red lines trailing up the eyes from the blood of the Slyt, Fish Guardian of the Pharos. I used the blade of the Lion-like Fenrir, Guardian of Pharos, to carve magick bindings on the back of the mask to forever bind it to my face. The ash and flames of the Phoenix Guardian of Pharos to forever consecrate the mask in the power of Sun and Darkness.

However, something went wrong. The mask was bound to my face as planned and the magicks worked properly. But it did something to me. It wreathed me in shadow. It gave me immense strength, speed, and pure skill. It increased my power tenfold.

But it forever made me cursed. Hated by the Gods. Consigned to join Ultima in her fate as a fallen traitor of the Gods. I cast my faith in them down. And made me a cursed man.

Coela…I love you more than life itself. The decades we have spent together have far surpassed the 3000 years of service I have dedicated to the Esper.

So…forgive me…

Things have changed. The Circle of Umbra has lost itself in darkness as I lead it. We became the stuff of legends, nothing more. They became obsessed with their own secrecy and power.

Coela, meanwhile, had changed. Fallen into darkness as well. Over the entire time we fell in love, she bore three children to me, all of them after my binding to the mask.

They quickly grew, much faster than they should've, and incredibly powerful.

I grew detached more and more from this world as the mask slowly ate me from inside and forced me to feed on the darkness and light.

The Circle now worshipped me. They tattooed accurate replicas of the mask onto their face. Coela sported an exact copy of my mask marked onto her face.

Something amusing occurred.

The hunter I mentioned earlier, Big Bucket, allowed his rashness to become his downfall as I predicted. Montblanc and I watched as Fiera was dragged from the Clan Hall by his former allies, and how he swore that he would create a clan better than Centurio's.

I dismissed it, thinking it a vengeful and pathetic ramblings of a prideful child. Montblanc thought otherwise.

No matter. They will not interfere with my Clan's activities so they are no longer my problem, or so I thought. Montblanc requested me to keep an eye on him.

I obliged.

I am worried. I had a conversation with another Centurio member today. A high-ranking hunter that called herself Aerith.

I had seen her training Big Bucket many years ago. She was and is quite powerful.

She was optimistic of his potential to become great. However…she markedly acted odd. She could detect what others couldn't as a powerful mage. She could see my darkness.

I don't trust her. She is the only one thus far to see so clearly into me. I will have to silence her if she continues to gaze beyond my mask, no matter the consequences.

Hmph…it appears that Big Bucket isn't kidding. He has been posting petitions for clan members everywhere.

Much time has passed. Big Bucket has created an amazingly respectable Clan. However…a certain member intrigues me. This one he dubbed "Happy". She hides something dark.

I do not know what…but I will be keeping a close eye on her.

Anyway…the kid got into a fight with a rival clan, "Ghost Sect". Those idiots are nothing but blowhards. I'd deal with them myself if I wasn't so busy keeping an eye Aerith and Happy.

It didn't take long for the kid to finally beat them , and learn magick, too.

I was markedly surprised Zalera the Death Seraph took part in this.

I met him once while in the service of the Esper.

He was powerful…more than powerful. How he lost to their leader, I have no idea…though I do take slight impression in his Chess Piece magicks.

Either way…Big Bucket is doing admirably well.

I have need of something. Many years ago, I met and befriended Gilgamesh. Aerith is becoming too troublesome. I will "arrange" the theft of Montblanc's sword (temporarily) in order to attract Aerith. Hopefully she comes alone.

If not…they may be seriously injured. I suppose I will remain to keep an eye on them.

I already have arranged the plan. I also have provided Montblanc with the necessary amount of gil to oversee this. I feel…bad about doing this to him, but Aerith cannot reveal my true nature, or I am doomed to become prey.

Blasted fools...Biig Bucket accompanied her. She nearly fell to Gilgamesh, but he managed to save her and drive Gilgamesh off. Perhaps he does have the makings of an S rank…his talents are wasted, anyhow, on B-rankings.

I…suppose Aerith can live longer. I will have to avoid her, though.

Poor Enkidu…

I have finally done it. I am finished with the war mongering and rage boiling inside the Circle of Umbra. I left the organization…but barely. I trained my clan mates well. I had to kill three of my own…family in order to escape. Coela is furious.

Now that my three sons: Umbra, Penumbra, and Abyss…I freed them. They are the three that detected my plan to escape. I had to kill my own children. The Gods truly have cursed me. I must run.

My only option. Clan Centurio…and Aerith are too risky. That leaves only one: Clan INFAMOUS. I cannot allow my legacy to fall with me. Elijah is not dead. That much is clear to me, and something tells me my Master is sending me a message that joining Big Bucket will allow me to find him and finish him once and for all.

But should I tell him? Should I say that I have been watching over him from Day 1? No. Better they see me as another Happy…just quieter. However, I have doubts here, too.

Aerith shows up every once in a while. Sly will undoubtedly recognize my training as a Ninja. Tower will recognize my training as a Judge, Tall Ears and Stitches will recognize the Viera influence Coela has had on me. It may be likely that Butterfingers will know the style of magic I use. Happy and Zalera may see my darkness the second they meet me. Vayne…Vayne will instantly see what is inside me. What I am cursed/blessed with.

But do I have a choice?

No.

I have been on the run. Circle of Umbra hunters have been trailing and attacking me constantly. I can easily hide, but they were trained by me. They are difficult to defeat even by ME.

Another problem. I have arrived on the beach my remaining intelligence agents have reported Big Bucket to be on, and he appears to be in trouble.

Do I help him?

I suppose I will.

I just have to find the right moment.

My name is Abraham.

I may be cursed, but I will not fall to my clan mates. They are opportunistic fools. The Circle of Umbra is nothing more than legend. I am nothing more than legend.

I suppose…in the end it is up to me to finally remind Ivalice who I am.

Elijah can wait.

ABRAHAM

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

This character is part of another author's storyline. I give K Entertainment full credit for all characters and events that he created, and I am currently requisitioning his approval of Abraham's story, and he is entirely authorized to make any changes he wishes to this story and his.

The story is Clan INFAMOUS: Help Wanted, if you are curious to know.

THE UNDYING CRYSTAL