Application to rakuen

[ecthelion]

PLAYER INFORMATION

Name: Awe
Journal: awestriker
Contact information: [AIM] awestrikernova, awestriker
Other characters: None here!
Do you need an invite code? I don't.
Do you want a buddy? Sure!

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name: Ein (or Ecthel, in the Japanese version; as fun as the potential use of "Ecthelclan" would be, Ein/Einherjar flows far better than Ecthel/Ecthelion)
Age: Unknown - I'm going to go ahead and say 19. He looks to be a few years younger than that, though; I'm willing to change this if necessary.
Subject taught: Spear Fighting (although he specializes in swords, he is not bad with a spear at all)
Canon: CANON
Canon point: Just after defeating Seth-Ra (at endgame, before ending)

Personality:

Ein is a Grim Angel, a servitor of Asgard. Grim Angels are combat-oriented, and also tightly controlled; while he can make some decisions himself, his long-term objectives are usually decided for him. He deals with more open-ended decisions especially poorly, and will always ask people for suggestions whenever one comes up. A typical Grim Angel is usually more obedient, and also bears the symptoms of a genetic mutation known as leucism, namely extraordinarily pale skin. Ein is an exception in this regard, and may be perhaps wiser for it - for one to acquire his or her Diviner, or signature weapon, a sacrifice is required. Ein chose to give up his wings.

Riviera was his first actual assignment, and it shows - when confronted with an enemy, he has to ask what it is. His relative lack of awareness of his situation may be attributed to a general naivete or, possibly, the fact that Grim Angels are usually kept in some form of cryostasis due to their shord lifespan. His partner Ledah, as well as his familiar, Rose, are there to guide him, and soon enough the differences between them are highlighted - Ein asks whether or not it's possible for Asgard to be saved without destroying Riviera as per Hector's plan. Ledah tells him that it doesn't matter, and because they were ordered to use the (potentially) plane-destroying Retribution, that's what they were going to do.

It isn't too much later that he's separated from Rose and Ledah and his memories sealed off by Riviera's guardian, Ursula. This, coupled with an unauthorized trip to the demon-besieged Lacrima Castle, allows him to see the plight of Riviera's native Sprites, and when Ursula tells him that destroying demon "generals" called the Accursed, Riviera should be able to be saved, Ein decides to follow this new plan, because his sense of right and wrong tells him it's a better one.

He slowly grows closer to his companions over the course of his adventure. Even when Ledah finds him again after dealing with a fallen angel (that, unbeknownst to him, is named Marietta), he doesn't abandon them or his new plan. It just wouldn't feel right to him to destroy a world for the sake of another, even if the other was Asgard, a place he'd never really felt at home, yet was obligated to protect.

It would eventually turn out that Hector had been planning things from the beginning solely for his own benefit. Ein didn't know too much about the Magi, but he did know they were supposed to be balanced and equal with one another. And so he decided that Hector needed to die. He didn't care about his orders anymore, because he was doing what was right. And that, to him, was what really mattered. Sure, he still might not understand some things, but he's learned a lot since he started.

In short, he's a somewhat naive, but inquisitive, young lad with a kind heart and an unbreakable spirit, willing to discard everything he's known to do the right thing.

Weapon:

Name: Einherjar

Form: A...

...mind if I just link to an image? It's a kind of lightning-like sword, I guess, but it's actually Sanctity (holy)-element.

Upgrades:

• UPGRADE 1: Unbreakable Will
  
• UPGRADE 2: Light Elemental
  
• UPGRADE 3: Offense Up
  
• UPGRADE 4: Strength Up
  
• UPGRADE 5: Ultima

Lost memories:

• 1: Which of his companions was killed by Malice (it was Cierra)
  
• 2: Accidentally walking in on half of Elendia's female population while they were bathing
  
• 3: Gloves aren't necessary to be worn all the time
  
• 4: Ledah Rozwelli
  
• 5: What the ocean is
  
• 6: The fact that his memories have been sealed once before (although it will still feel familiar)
  
• 7: That different mushrooms have different properties
  
• 8: The Cyrillic-looking written language of Asgard
  
• 9: How to use a shield
  
• 10: Everything pertaining to fallen angels, such as Aries and Marietta - including the fact that a "fallen angel" is even possible.

Sample:

There was nothing to be spoken of about this place.

Well, other than that it was gray.

"Hello, Ein".

The voice doesn't cause him to flinch, even though he's never heard it before. The fact that his body refuses to respond is only part of that.

"Who are you? Where is this?" he asks, unshaken. For some reason, the situation he's found himself in is oddly familiar.

"I am nothing. We are nowhere."

"Wha?" Whatever answer he might have been expecting, that certainly wasn't it.

"Are you ready? Please step forward."

Whatever was holding him back stopped doing so. A few moments pass, after which the angel's legs carry him forward.

"Every journey begins somewhere. You have taken the first step towards Utopia."

He didn't know what that was. Maybe he would get to find out later. Was it through this door that totally wasn't there before? What was inside? He couldn't help but take a look.

On the other side was a place he'd been to before. What was it again?

The glowing, triangular designs everywhere only served to accentuate the floating, tetrahedral crystals that tried to pass for walls and a floor. It was difficult to see beyond that. But he kept walking.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you."

He couldn't see where the voice was coming from, but it didn't matter. It was his.

As the crystals gave way to a purple-tinged fortress, Ein's shadow got up and walked beside him. Soon, it lit up, and a softer, golden light pervaded the area instead. The sight of the Stone Lattice, and the giant chains that held it up, wasn't odd to him at all.

When Ein and his shadow were alone, with no way to go but down, they stopped.

"Will you fight?" asked the shadow.

"I can fight, sure," was Ein's answer. "but what for?"

"Fighting is the only way to achieve victory. The only way to get to Utopia."

"How do you know? What is Utopia?"

"I can't answer that question for you."

There was a moment's consideration. From the way the other voice and his own talked about it, it was a good thing. Probably one that was worth it.

"Sure. I'll find out what it is."

"The pact is made. I'm yours."

"Huh?"

As the shadow's upper chest glows, Ein's mouth opens wide, shocked. It takes his hand, guiding it towards the light, where it takes hold of something he knows very well.

"Draw your weapon."

Most wouldn't call it a sword, although it did kind of look like one from the right angle. Solid yellow, and sharp-angled, a holy blade that no other angel had borne before him.

With beating wings, an armless, legless dragon approached.

Ein didn't need to hear the rest. His shadow continued anyway.

"This is you. A power that dwells within you, and everyone."

It had been, ever since the day he lost his wings. It was the point of losing them, after all.

"Its name is Einherjar."

And it was then that the first blow was struck. The dragon reeled back, and Ein pursued it.

It blew noxious, toxic gas from its mouth. Ein coughed, shaken but still fit to fight. His was a sword that would never break.

The light it cast was enough to push the haze away. He could feel his power increasing, even as the dragon beat at him with its wings.

He thought of his friends. One of them was gone, now. Who was it again? He couldn't remember.

He would just have to fight for all of them.

The girl who had taken him in when he was separated. Her devotion and kindness had carried him a long way.

Her friend, the childish treasure hunter. Always cheerful, even if the way she talked about herself was a bit odd.

The scythe-wielding survivor, thirsty for vengeance. That didn't stop her from being a friend.

The scarlet witch, mistress of fires. She had helped him and his familiar reunite. Where was she?

His thoughts renewed his purpose.

"This is the will of the gods," he intoned, eyes closed.

"Disaresta!"

The dragon's life was just about over. And as it ends, head cleaved neatly in two, its phantom body dissolved into the mist. The sound of stone on metal could clearly be heard for a few moments.

"You kept your vow. In payment, take those coins," said the shadow. What exactly the vow was, he didn't know. He'd made one, and apparently he'd just kept it. That was good.

Sweet, he thought, kneeling to pick them up. It wasn't free bread but it was close enough. As he did so, his shadow began to walk away. Ein took the rest of the coins and followed it.

It wasn't long before a wasteland streched out in front of them. As they walked, a ruined city stood in their path, but they weren't alone anymore. There was a shop up ahead.

Ein hadn't actually been in a shop before. He browsed the merchandise, never hesitating to grab anything that caught his fancy with his gloved hands. Link charms, rings of all kinds... He tried one on. It didn't even matter that his gloves were still on. The shopkeep, something he didn't recognize, snapped at him. Ein put it back and apologized.

A 'rak'... That was new for him, too. Maybe the coins he picked up were raks? He picked up a Memory Charm, thinking that it could be useful. He'd been forgetting a lot of things lately.

Someone wearing a simple cloak had one, too. The shopkeep charges her 40 raks, and the customer left, smiling.

"Excuse me, how much is this?", asked Ein, dumping his coins on the table, along with the charm.

"That'd be sixty Raks, kid. Just enough to pay for that memory charm, there."

"But that last person only paid forty..."

"Tough, kid. Take it or leave it." It was clear that the shopkeep - a friendly demon, maybe? - would refuse to budge on the issue. Sighing, Ein left the coins on the counter and took the charm with him. His shadow was waiting at the door.

"Oh, a memory charm. That goes on the chain around your wrist."

What chain? He hadn't been wearing one before... but there it was. Another mystery. But he set it aside - that question could be answered later.

This is a very simple story that everyone knows.

Who said that?

A legend of a Princess, the Demon Lord who kidnapped her, and the Knight who fought to save her.

His shadow was saying the words, too, in a lilting way that, once again, reminded him of the archer.

The Demon Lord had kidnapped the Princess countless times, but every time the Knight bested his challenges and rescued the Princess.

Why wouldn't the knight have just killed the Demon Lord? Wouldn't that be simpler?

No matter what tricks and ploys the Demon Lord used, the Knight would always triumph in the end.

"Next stop: Rakuen Station. This train terminates here. All change..."

Ein awoke, with a start.

"What was all that about?" was all he managed to say before the train began to slow down.