[Re]introducing Srentha, Dove's life-long friend.


Appearance

Srentha has extremely light skin (not "fair"/white or transparent and pale, but his skin is a very light shade of health), and he has a face that wouldn't exactly stand out in a crowd… except for one little detail. His round eyes are bright, blue pools of light so deep, they don't seem confined by the space within his face. A wild and uncontrollable mass of what one might call "hair" tops his head; miraculously, it's always everywhere except in his face, though a bit falls forward over his eyes – nobody is quite sure how he sees past it. Probably because it only obscures one of his eyes. He stands about an inch taller than Dove (so compared to the average teenage boy, he's a little on the short side). His build is slightly tall, hardly muscular, and definitely a lightweight. Oh yeah, and his hair? It's cerulean blue.

If he had to conform to "normal" standards for some reason, he'd have those same clear-blue eyes with platinum-blonde hair – basically, he'd look albino. …ish.

Personality

Very placid and calm. Funny, lighthearted, and optimistic, he responds well to stress, but is also very sympathetic and understands when enough is enough – he's very serious when the situation calls for it. Get him in any conversation and you'll immediately find out he's extremely enthusiastic about magic and deeply thoughtful; he asks a lot of questions if there's time for him to ask for in-depth answers. What he's feeling is no secret; his emotions are almost always gentle and clear on his face. Never the pragmatist, he rarely seeks answers to cold, factual questions; he'd much rather try to find something exciting and innovative, and he also tries to solve any emotional or otherwise unpleasant problem around him. He's extremely spontaneous – he acts without intense consideration and if there's no immediate danger, he'll take a risk. And more than anything, he's extremely curious, and thus driven to experiment. Luckily the magics he works with are generally harmless. Not so luckily, they're easily manipulated if one knows just the spell…

Bio

From the moment he was born, those around him knew he had been "touched by magic." His fair skin and unusually light wisps of birthhair were evidence enough, but one of the more sensitive nursemaids announced an undeniable aura of purpose surrounding the infant. His future was known before he took his first breath: he would be a priority student of Azar's magick. As such, he spent most of his life in study, with his tutors as the only company. Magic was in his blood, after all; his family tree was rooted in Azarathean soil. Coman, the high magistrate of the entire society, was his grandfather. And with that family history also came a dedication to Azarath itself. Srentha loyally followed the native beliefs, in heart, soul, and even apparel; he spent most of his childhood wearing traditional training robes.

He's not entirely Azarathean in his thoughts, though. The limited knowledge that the Azaratheans teach always discontented him, and he began craving variety and new opportunities. It was always the same for him: a time of training, a 'break' that he was expected to study during, and more magical training. He loved the learning and eagerly embraced his lessons, but the daily repetition bored him. He longed for someone to share his unconventional thoughts with; the tutors always scoffed his innovative ideas…

It wasn't until he went on a rare outing with his grandfather and came to Alerina's home – and eventually met Dove – that these desires were satisfied. Both children had been cloistered away and longed for something more – and they were able to give each other what they wanted most. For Srentha, it was an open ear and an enthusiastic audience; and Srentha had given Dove the gift of friendship and support. Naturally, they became extremely close. Unfortunately, they were both forbidden from outside interaction – they had to meet in secret whenever a rare chance came. Their friendship opened Srentha's eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. Dove always seemed to be hiding one secret or another, but she was also eager to share her thoughts, listen to his, and comment on his philosophies with an open mind. He thought he was condemned to a life of admonishment for his strange beliefs! Her determination and compassion were unlike anything he had ever seen. She told him about how close she was to her mother – Srentha was pleasantly surprised. Azarathean culture rarely allowed for such bonds! And she taught him that it was okay to resist something terrible, even if it meant putting pacifism on hold. She taught him about compassion. And she let him show every bit of excitement without scolding him for his energy.

He, like all Azaratheans, was deeply affected by Azar's death, and went through a temporary state of depression. Dove helped him pull through it and rebound with his signature optimism, and they became friends forevermore. With Dove's encouragement, he soon found his life goal: to discover something totally unprecedented and new, preferably something involving magic and how it can work.

He chased this dream for several years, until one day he saw Dove heading for the dimensional doorway with her head bowed, and he could see that she was upset… He followed her to Earth and searched for her, but went back after two days of finding nothing but a terrifyingly violent dimension he hoped never to visit again. Of course, he feared he wouldn't be able to make it back, for one of Azarath's main rules is once one has forsaken Azarath, he may not return. With the help of his skills in Azar's magic and a bit of luck, he made it through the dimensional barrier. And found Azarath razed and ruined. {{This would be where the stories stand now.}}

Seeing his land of origin destroyed, and too shocked to mourn, he would stay there for nearly six years before returning to Earth, being unable to stand living solely by magic and missing Dove more than anything else. He will search out his lifelong friend, and when he finds her, he will meet the team that has become her family as well. He'll take up residence in Titans' Tower, to continue his studies and eventually grow to love his lifelong friend more than he ever knew possible…

Powers

If he can open his mouth and access his energies, he can use skills in magic. He also has the power of the mind. He's a strategist, though he rarely engages in anything competitive.

Strengths

He spent almost all of his life studying and is now highly skilled in Azar's magic. He knows a spell for just about any situation. He also grew up cultivating quick reflexes; he trained himself to catch a falling vial or cover a delicate scroll from the explosion of volatile workings. He's very agile and coordinated, and he has a steady hand. He's also very intelligent (but far from distanced – he's actually very compassionate and soft-hearted, especially towards things that he especially cares about – his home, his magic, his friend, eventually his family, etc). He learns quickly, and once he makes a mistake, he'll never make it again.

Weaknesses

Srentha may be fast, but he's physically weak. He can't lift very heavy things, and his body is practically useless for anything other than distraction in battle. (Not that he'd ever willingly engage in it anyways.) His heart is too weak to allow it. Like most spiritual energy, his magics are susceptible to the energy-binding properties of iron. If his hands, or nearly any part of his body are bound by the metal, he can't use the energies and thus can't bring his spells into being. He's also very spontaneous – dangerously so sometimes; growing up in a world so isolated from violence, he never learned how to tell when a situation endangers his physical health. (I also think he's probably more susceptible to sickness on Earth… not quite sure.)

Favorites (most extensive to least)

Food: None in particular. (After being trapped on a transdimensional pile of ashes for six years, any food with flavor is welcome.)

Color: Gold, mostly because it reminds him of Azarath and he thought he'd never see that color again.

Animal: Any one that tolerates his desire for observation and constant following.

Hobbies: Magic, reading, researching – learning in general.

Place: Anywhere he can get his hands on something magical.

What you'll know him by

His wild hair, his deep eyes, and he's still wearing his training robe. He randomly gets lost in thought and starts rambling about ingredients and incantations, and if you're lucky you might even hear him mention what kind of food goes best with what spell. (He theorizes that muffins don't work well with magic.)

To others, Srentha is...

Eccentric and hyper when excited. Seems obsessive at times.

Characteristic Quotes

"How does that work, exactly?"

[thought] "Note to self: Muffins and magic don't mix."

"A single candle of true peace within one's mind is a flame that cannot be extinguished by an ocean of hatred."

"If here is here and there is there, then why do you have to ask where is 'where'?"

[while sugar-high] "And then you went to touch the star but it burned you but that's okay because it smelled like CINNAMON!"

"Yes, I like the fact that it's sparkling, that means - hey, why are you looking at me funny - ?" Whispers, "And why did that man just wink at me."

[later] "And that's why she loves me!"