The brighter the sun, the harder to see.
Agent’s Stats
Agent:Adrian Van Alen // Vyrkomod Chuz
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Arcana Destiny
My Tarot card:The Sun (Reversed)
My Mark has been burned on: The arch of my right foot.
My Mask
I wield the power of: Sunset. In a normal reading of The Sun, the card shows new life and growth as the sun rises higher into the sky. When reversed however, it shows a sunset, the sun has passed its zenith and has now begun to fade. Similarly Vyrkomod was gifted with the ability to drain the energy from the world around him. Generally manifesting as a dim grayish-gold haze emitted in a cone from his outstretched hands, objects or persons caught within this field will have their kinetic energy sapped away while within its boundaries, slowing projectiles and freezing them in midair and making any movement by self-propelled organisms drain their stamina within a matter of moments. Prolonged exposure will continue sapping energy, even down to a molecular level, the target finding itself becoming colder and colder, beginning to actually freeze (under normal circumstances) after about two minutes of steady exposure. The size and shape of the field can be altered according to Vyrkomod’s will, but doing so requires concentration. This being something he lacks quite often, Vyrkomod generally is only able to generate a field ten feet long and six feet wide at the very end.
Bio
Personality:At his core, Vyrkomod is a amicable aristocratic youth who genuinely enjoys the company of others and does what he can to negotiate disputes and always keep the group going. He is the last person to get angry, and when irritated tries to let off steam by performing manual labor or exercising rather than resorting to crossing tongues. However due to his insanity this is not always the case. As put by a physician who studied his mental activity, Vyrkomod’s brain is essentially dreaming while he’s awake. Normally this only shows up as hallucinations, but as with all dreams can get unpredictable and should he believe himself to be a “great hero fighting against alien invaders” will act with total certainty towards his reality. It is unknown whether he is sane while sleeping, or dreams even then.
These are a few of my favorite things:
·Gardening
·Collectable Card Games
·Fluffy Things
·Spicy Food
·Clear Weather
My weaknesses and dislikes:· Heat (thermal)
·Being Alone
·Terrible Strategist
·Nut Allergies
I dance to the rhythm of:Artificial Intelligence
My history: As a member of the illustrious Van Alen family, it was entirely expected from a young age that Adrian would one day be a ‘card-carrying‘ (oh how his parents had laughed at that ‘joke‘) member of the Arcane Society. And sure enough the lad did show a remarkable sensitivity to the spirit world, in some cases perhaps too much sensitivity. Not three hours after a five-year-old Adrian had run bawling to his parents about a ‘scary bloody man‘ staring at him from the ceiling, had the nurse arrived in a similar fashion, screaming that Adrian was running around through the house shrieking German profanities. Apparently the same ’scary bloody man’ had been the spirit of a soldier killed over sixty years ago on the very ground the Van Alen’s new estate covered. Long since consumed by the overwhelming hatred of death and longing for life, the soldier‘s ghost had been steadily following Adrian throughout the house upon realization that it had been seen, and as such the child was sensitive to the spirit realm and possibly… could allow passage back into life. The first moment Adrian was alone again (which was some time considering the fuss his parents were making about his newly discovered sensitivity) the spirit immediately swooped down and engulfed the boy before even the slightest cry could escape his terrified frame. Using whatever instinctual knowledge it is that comes to those who pass from this world into the beyond, the intangible mass of spirit wormed through Adrian’s physical form to invade his psyche, his very soul. It was there, in that space some have claimed is a room that reflects one’s true self that icy fingers closed around the still-screaming boy and severed its place within that body, the dead soldier Viktor Korcheff assuming control, the inner world of Adrian withering away as a new consciousness arose within. Or, perhaps this is merely a poetic fabrication of the true process, for who could know with certainty how the mind is invaded? Only the spirits themselves, but understandably they have deigned to refuse any interview. What can be known is that which followed. Using Adrian‘s body, the spirit fled throughout the interior of Van Alen estate for unknown reasons. However, having possessed the body of a mere child, he was quickly subdued when the case was identified as not being a result of normal 5 year-old energy. Within a day, the frantic call for a suitable exorcist had been answered and a woman by the name of Adriana Beltois had entered into the estate. Hastily the plainly, yet practically dressed woman was escorted to the young boy‘s room where the now hysteric nurse had been watching over the possessed child since his capture, fearing that any moment he may tear free of his bed sheet bonds. With practiced ease, Madame Beltois plucked the boy from where he sat on the stripped bed and held him aloft, displaying a strength far surpassing what would have been expected from her small arms. Grasping both his body and head, Madame Beltois locked gazes with the child, holding it even as spittle from the mouth of the now-exhausted boy flicked against her cheeks and glasses. For many minutes this stalemate was held, a rising tension in the air the only sign any changes were occurring. Yet finally the feeble motions of Adrian’s body slowed and, entirely limp Madame Beltois carefully replaced the body onto the bed, a tiny flickering blue nimbus contained within her right hand as she drew away. Cupping the light within both hands, the exorcist (for what else could she be?) bowed her head as if in prayer, whispered a short phrase and upon opening her hands again, showed that they were empty.
----
“That boy, he may have a remarkable sensitivity to the world beyond but I fear that this comes with a terrible burden to him personally.” Taking one last sip from the dainty cup of tea she had been offered a moment ago as a small token of hospitality by the inordinately grateful Mr. and Mrs. Van Alen whom also happened to be Adrian‘s parents, Adriana softly replaced the cup on it’s equally dainty saucer and fixed the two adults with a look that silenced their babbling discussion of thanks and payment.
“In most cases, the spiritual awakening is a ‘removal of the blindfold‘ if you will. The world beyond is, and always has been real, but normally humans are unable to perceive it unless they become aware. Yet in Adrian‘s case his ‘second sight‘ does not merely allow him to sense the beyond, it has opened him fully and as such has become an open vessel to that world. From now on, not only will he see the spirits from beyond, but they will see him as well, and the less cautious ones will attempt to use him to cross over once again. In essence.” She said quietly to the now eerily-silent study.
“This possession was merely the first, safeguards will protect him to some limit but inevitably it will happen again and again unless he gains the power within himself to protect his spirit and mind from outside influences.”
----
And in the following years, those ominous words rang true again and again. Adriana came into the employment of the Van Alen household officially as a nurse (the other one had resigned after the episode) but also as a tutor of sorts to the growing boy. Though his mental defenses grew steadily over the years, Adrian found himself isolated within the household due to his ‘condition‘. Though always trying to give him a life as normal as a Van Alen could have, he found himself denied more and more chances as the possessions overtook him. A demon named Kolgrim forbid him from future parties his parents hosted or traveled to, and Oubliette barred boarding school forever. Even visits with his cousin Artemis grew strained after the untimely appearance of another deceased soul from World War II, Mariette, appeared during one of her summer stays. Yet even as all semblance of normality was stripped from him with each possession, the gentle words of Adriana kept him from despair.
“The hand that has been dealt to you.” She whispered sternly, wiping the tears from Adrian’s reddened face after the exorcism of his sixth spirit, Mariette. More tears welled up from within his eyes when a quick glance to the side revealed his cousin sneaking looks at him through her own mother’s arms who hurriedly kept trying to move her away from the ten year-old.
“Was not one to your advantage. However.” Adriana clasped Adrian’s face and turned it towards her own unshakable sea-green eyes.
“You must not despair. Every obstacle that appears in front of you can be overcome. Any wound you receive can heal. You- Adrian look at me, look at- You are a strong boy Adrian, I can feel your own strength when I draw the invaders from within you. There is a warm glow inside, and though it may be small now, I can feel the way it fights the spirits with all its strength. One day Adrian, that glow within you will begin to shine, and no shadow, no spirit, no obstacle of any sort will be able to block its brilliance. You light your own path, never forget that.
Though at first Adrian dismissed his tutor’s words, as all children will when in sorrow, the more he searched, the more they seemed to ring true. Perhaps some members of the outside world hay have closed him off, but in doing so opportunities to meet others arose. And even if those too deserted him, humans in the world were never in short supply. Maybe the halls of his home seemed to push him back when they rang of foreign voices all chattering to one another, but the shadows behind the lilac bushes enveloped him in a loving embrace. After all, Gardener MacGregeor was going deaf in one ear and hardly cared if the hands helping him pull weeds belonged to a small child or a tentacled squid-monster from Zintok IV as long as they actually worked and didn’t dilly-dally damnit!
And then came that fateful day. A soggy October afternoon completely undistinguishable from those many others that had preceded it (barring the dry ones), a crisp white envelope addressed with a flowing hand and sealed with a crimson wax seal arrived at the Van Alen’s estate. Within the week, it stated, they would be visited upon by the Arcane Society whom wished to interview one Adrian Van Alen. Sheer elation coursed through every fiber of Adrian’s nearly-adult body as he scanned the lines over and over again until the tears in his eyes obscured all vision. Here was the group he had heard about since childhood, the same organization who had trained Madame Beltois (who at the moment was visiting family back in France) and who she had assured him would be able to help him far more than she could.
Finally a place where his powers would not be just a burden!
The days leading up to the Arcane Society’s arrival were lost in a haze of celebrations, congratulations, and preparations. Ultimately the sighting of the Society’s vehicle seemed to come faster than anyone imagined, and the air was charged with an energy so powerful that some maids were heard joking that the light bubs didn’t even have to be screwed in to give light.
The entourage turned out to be very small. Radik (last name) was accompanied only by one other member of the society. Pleasantries were exchanged and, stuffing the small talisman Adriana had given him to help focus his mind into his suit pocket, Adrian escorted the two to a private study.
And there is where it all went wrong.
The interview itself went by fairly painlessly, but a strange air filled the room as the all-important deck of tarot cards was shuffled and laid out on the table. Hovering his fingers above the each card, a magnetism seemed to pull them one way, and then the other finally settling above one particularly old-looking card. Trembling, Adrian brought his hand to rest on the card and slowly flipped it over. Across the table from him, Radik could clearly read the words “The Sun”. To Adrian however the card was flipped in reverse. No time was allowed to reflect upon this omen however, as a stabbing bolt of pain leapt from the fingers still resting on the card to Adrian’s brain. The all-too familiar feeling of a foreign intelligence invading his mind threw Adrian to the floor, his fingers desperately grasping for his pocket. After that, he knew darkness.
Later, the story of the occurrence would be told in soft tones to Adrian’s parents. Somehow, a psychic ‘echo’ of a powerful spirit Zemus had found a way to latch onto The Sun card. Most likely this had occurred in the terrible battle many years back which had claimed the lives of nearly all of the Card-Bearers. The previous wielder of that card had vanquished Zemus, but also had fallen as he stuck the final blow. Normally such a weak trace of a spirit would pose no threat to any potential cardholder, but in Adrian’s case…
The attendee Radik had brought with him had turned out to be an exorcist in training, and in an attempt to finally show the fruits of his labor, had banished the spirit within Adrian. Yet the technique used was too harsh, too unrefined and to the already-frayed fabric of Adrian’s mind, too much to bear. Zemus was banished back to the Spirit realm yes, but along with it had gone a piece of Adrian’s psyche.
The Arcane Society… to Adrian it had once been a hope, a dream for a new beginning, but in an act fueled by youthful hubris they had perhaps taken all of that and more away. After all, the Society are protectors of this world from the next, what use can a fool who cannot distinguish between reality and delusion be? Their fault perhaps, but does the responsibility for one overrule the potential harm that may come to others?
