Aurius

Aurius Pheonix is a human/firebird halfbreed, being known as the Pheonix, Lord of Flames. An ally and brother to Griffon and his friends. They share a vast and rich history together, including him being a general and prince to his brother, the King.

''The majority of Aurius' story stems from the Brother Realm of Menoia, a clone realm with a separate timeline to the Defender's own. Conflicting lore will occur up until the Realm Merge, an event that brought together all eventualities concerning these characters and effectively merged the two realms into a single entity.''

Background
Aurius is the half-brother to Griffon Tempest, the titular leader of the Defenders. Although they have shared a variety of adventures together, the true nature of their relationship has always been strained, convoluted and often manipulated by enemies and allies alike. Aurius' true father, Carth, was murdered by the being Anathos in the Brother Realm. This resulted in Elysio, Griffon's father, raising the boy as his own. While Anathos does not play a large roll in the Rise, his presence is a lurklng shadow, a sworn dagger waiting to wipe the Tempest bloodline from existence. His families history is almost as tragic as the Tempest's, as his kin where all but killed in the First Era of existence, leaving him to be the last of the Firebirds to walk (or fly, as the case may be) the realm.

He has a good relationship with Griffon and Jesska, but he and Crewton have a mutual animosity towards each other. Aurius dislikes his confrontational attitude, while Crewton does not approve of Aurius' penchance to ignore logic for emotion. He is a founding member of Project Alliance alongside a4d9 and Cute. He served under his brother in any capacity he could, serving as both a guardian to the Defender and the rival for which he trained to defeat. Upon Griffon's death, he was overcame with rage and marshalled their forces against Hellfire in a ditch attempt to slay the fiend by any means necessary.

Strengths/Weaknesses
By sword and fire, Aurius systematically takes out his opponents. Although Pyromancy is a fairly common sorcery in the Realm, the utter mastery of flame makes Aurius a distinctly powerful warrior. What ordinary fire lacks is what Aurius grants, utilizing it to heal, shield, and attack in a way unique to his fighting style. It is hypothesized that his abilities are akin to the sun and light itself, which (if proven) would make him just as powerful as his brother. He is equal in abilities concerning the blade with Griffon, and as masterful in the Flame as Hellfire. He is, however, the weakest of the three due to the lack of both telepathy and telekinesis.

He is a shapeshifter, primarily taking the form of a large flaming bird. He can manipulate himself in other ways, including becoming a wolf or bear.

Aurius is initially very naive and hopeful, constantly seeking the best in everyone and being annoyingly optimistic. After his father's death he became darker, and much more focused towards battle and wreaking vengeance. After his discovery of his powers, he become slightly less focused on vengeance and instead focused on honing his skills and helping the people of the Realm.

Combat Style
"A bandit pack was pillaging a village nearby. I surely though this was the end, but then I saw him shining like the morning sun. He charged in and left them all defeated with the flames and blade he wielded. He flattened those brutes, taking them down one by one. I could scarce believe my eyes, the speed in which he cut them down. A spectacle the likes I've never seen. And like that, he left with a smile and farewell."

- Anonymous on Aurius Pheonix

Unlike his brother, Aurius has honed his combat style to incorporate all aspects of his powers. As the host of the Pheonix, he effectively has seven minds within him, each a previous incarnation of the Fire God. With the aide of his father and ancestors, he can achieve the combat efficiency of seven working as one. While some shall focus on the blades-work, ensuring his stance is correct and his strikes hit their marks, others manipulate the flame in offence or defence. When he was young, Aurius used a very acrobatic style, flashy but effective slashes and stabs inspired by a Firebird's aerial combat. However, he adapted a much more conservative and minimal combat style near the time he mastered the Flames.

As a shapeshifter, he can manipulate his body to become various creatures. Although he does not often use this in combat, he can travel extremely large distances easily while in animal form.

As an empath, Aurius can sense and understand the emotions of those around him and occasionally manipulate them to his own ends. He utilizes this to detect attack patterns as well as the intentions of the individuals he meets. Deceiving him is nigh on impossible, which is why the Clairvoyant as so unique in their deceptions.

Ethics
"Griffon. This pains me like nothing I've had to endure. Protect my son and don't cry for me. I know that the fire approaches it's end. I do not have the strength to fight, but I must try. Do not forget that I will always regret what I must now do. My child, brother and fallen wife, I give my life for you. "

- Aurius to Griffon

Aurius holds the belief that all beings are born equal, and the decisions you make shall affect how the world views you. In essence, you are still equal, but must atone for the sins that others charge you with. He has always been willing to sacrifice everything for the betterment of others. He knows that the common good is not always morally correct, and seeks to always minimize the consequences to other beings, usually taking all the responsibility on himself.

Against the threat of Hellfire, Aurius would have gladly stood, fought and died to prevent him from invading other realms. But his brother's retreat prevented him from doing so. His tactical prowess aided Griffon in the ensuing conflicts, ensuring that most were victories, as opposed to a constant attrition. When deciding his own fate, he usually takes a fight or die approach. However, when in command of forces, he uses the most efficient tactics to harm the enemy without costing him soldiers. These tactics have earned him an extremely good reputation as a General, being used as such by his brother.