#frequency: wounded reflection

Character Introduction

Broken chains of the past, an unceasing gaze set on the future. A sword fashioned after the phases of the moon, and a sickle tied to a heavy weight by a thick chain. Lukas Tiro. There's a lot to say about Lukas, so let's start small. Lukas is a man deeply tied to time. From his Frequency to his beliefs, time is a defining characteristic of Lukas, just as much as any other trait of his. From the start of WR, where is deeply chained to his past — unable to see anything but his regrets — to the end of said story and beyond, where he lives to bring about the future he envisions. Never once does he prioritise the present, always does he see far beyond him, either in past or future.

During WR, he struggles with grief, loss, and learning to not be held down by either. He grows from a boy lost in the world, to a man with a firm conviction of the life he wants to lead. Whereas in SG, he has built that life, and now learns of something new. Letting go. He learns to release what he has built, to let others use it to build something he could not.

Appearance

Lukas, obviously, changes in appearance over time. However, it isn't too drastic, so let's start with the basics and show how he changes.

At the very start of the WR, Lukas is 14 and stands at a modest 162cm & 45kg (or 5'4" & 100lbs). - This later changes to 175cm & 61kg (or 5'9" & 135lbs) by the end of story at age 17. - Lastly, at age 44 during SG, he weighs 70kg (or 155lbs). His height doesn't change. His hair is long and dark brown, almost always tied behind him in some fashion to keep his face clear. With emerald green eyes, one of which is missing by the time of SG. His features during WR are much softer than later appearances, except for his eyes with are always haunted by the sharpness of a warrior for more seasoned than he should be.

In terms of outfits, he only ever wears one. Well, one kind, at least: The Fortissimo (Special Division) uniform. At first, it was a plain white gi, while he was training. Then, he was given a black gi with white accents around the wrists, waist, and ankles — denoting his rank as "Special Asset". Later, in his promotion to "Hunter", the uniform became pitch black. With the last change being when he becomes the Master of the Fortissimo Special Division (shortly after the events of WR), however, the only change is a robe adorned over the gi. - All but the training gi are adorned with the symbol for Time on the back of the uniform, including the robe.

Lastly, a few misc. details: - The bottom of both of his feet are deeply scarred. - (SG) After losing the ability to see in his left eye due to his Frequency (read below), he replaced it with a mechanical one the can emit a small, dim light. Along with a thin scar. - (SG) He has the symbol for Time tattooed on his chest. - He is almost never seen without his weapons; descriptions written in the General Facts section.

Frequency

Lukas has two Frequencies, or rather, two activations of his Frequency.

Both abilities have the same use time (at first, five seconds), as well as the same drawback-cost time (at first, roughly one minute).

During the majority of WR, Lukas has only one ability: - He can send himself back in time. Specifically, his memories, not his body; injuries don't carry over, only information. This ability has a drawback: - If used too soon after its previous use, the energy cost required is increased immensely. The cost does go down over time, returning to normal after roughly a minute, as stated above.

However, later in WR (and in all subsequent appearances), he gains another use: - He can see into the future. All actions he sees (other than his own) will happen, unless he changes something that would prevent it. This ability also has a drawback: - Just like his first, if used too soon after its previous use, he will suffer. But instead of it being costly, it instead worsens his eyesight. - At first, it's temporary vision-loss/blurriness/pin-hole/peripheral vision that lasts from a few minutes to a few days. However, extreme over-use can result in temporary blindness, permanent vision-loss, or even permanent blindness — all of which can affect one or both eyes. - Sometime before the events of SG, Lukas became fully blind in his left eye from the over-use of this Frequency Ability.

Lastly, the use time & drawback-cost time are tied to his age. In that, every three years roughly one second is added to his use time (so, he can travel 6 seconds into the past instead of 5). Whereas roughly four seconds of drawback-cost time is added every year, or 12 seconds every three years. - This all is to say that by the time of SG, Lukas can send himself back in time/see into the future by roughly 15 seconds (14⅔, but who's counting). As well, he has to wait a staggering 176 seconds (or almost three minutes) before he can use that specific Frequency Ability again as normal.

General Facts / Misc.

Here are a few miscellaneous facts/details I didn't know how to put into the above: - Lukas, along with Akita, is one of the first characters I conceived of for the Frequency series. When it comes to characters like Lukas/Akita, it gets a little hard to pin-point their origin, since both have even older proto-type versions of their current characters. - His birthday is on the 21st of February! Today! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ - Lukas has a character theme! Two, actually! ♪(´▽｀) One is for his story in Wounded Reflection, whereas the second is his appearance in Shattered Gods. - Lukas (technically) has the record for the most appearances in the Frequency series. Obviously, he's the main character in Wounded Reflection. But he makes a minor appearance in Kindred Spirits, is vaguely mentioned in Hellfire, is a main character in Shattered Gods' second-half, and even has an appearance in Forsaken... technically. - Lukas has AB+ type blood!

Weapon Descriptions:

Lukas has two main weapons: The first is a tachi (single-edged, two-handed, curved sword). - It is roughly 100cm in length, with the blade being 80cm (or 31.5in) and handle/grip being 20cm (or 8in). However, by the time of SG, the handle is instead 25cm (or 10in) — just a change in preference over time. - Its guard (or tsuba), resembles the moon. Along with the scabbard/sheath having artistic renditions of different time-periods & lunar cycles, it is meant to represent the abstract nature of "Time". - Lastly, finely engraved on the bottom of the blade near the guard, is "Weaver Of Time", Lukas' title within the Fortissimo. The second is a kusarigama (chain-sickle): - It has a sickle blade engraved with "Weaver Of Time", connected by a chain at the base of the blade (no handle) to a heavy weight. - The chain is 200cm (~80in/6'6") in length, fully extended.

- - - - - - -

I believe that is all for today! :D

Tomorrow I should be going over Lukas' Background and Backstory! So stay tuned for that! :3

Once again, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them! Either here (as a reblog/comment) or in my inbox! :D If you want Lukas to answer said question, ask it here!

Also, if you want to be update for Lukas' Character Spotlight, a specific future character's Character Spotlight, or just any of them in general, say so in the comments/reblogs!

Skyla Starill is best defined by failure... and persistence. From the very beginning, her life was centred around what she lost and feared losing; A fire blooming in her heart to be strong enough to prevent such loss in the future.

When she was roughly 7 years old, she lost her parents, her home, and her innocence. The only thing that remained was her little brother, age 3, who survived only because he was clutched tightly in her arms.

Without guidance or home, and having lost everything to a ghast, she was taken in by the Fortissimo Special Division. They never intended for her to stay and fight, only to have food & shelter until she could secure those things herself.

But, oh, she wanted to fight.

It wasn't so much born of a noble desire to prevent others from suffering like her, nor revenge against the very monster that stole her life from her.

She just wanted to project Kai, her younger brother; make sure he never had to fight.

This past, wreathed in loss and powerlessness is represented by the sad, slow intro on solo piano.

She spent her youth training, slowly but surely become stronger, skilled, and disciplined. However, it was never enough. She was always outshone by her peers, and although she eventually managed to become a Hunter (leader) in her own right, her achievements always fell short.

However, all of her doubts, envy, and disgust was well-hidden by a deceptive mask she wore.

Skyla could conjure light, that was her Frequency. However, many also expected her to be bright and cheerful, so she pretended to be. But that mask never allowed her to be her true self.

This is represented musically from the building piano ostinato, and eventually violin melody. It's peaceful, quiet, and what is expected of her.

But although she struggled, it never cracked...

...until Kai started fighting.

Skyla fought so that Kai never had to. But, paradoxically, he fought because he was inspired by her. And despite his younger age, he managed to match — and eventually surpass his older sister in strength and destructive capabilities.

That betrayal of her desire for him to be safe, as well as envy in seeing him surpass her put a crack in her perfect mask... but it hadn't broken.

Until Lukas came along.

With his arrival — his favouritism, potential, and skill surpassing her within weeks of knowing him, that crack deepened.

This is when the piano and violin reach higher than before, highlighting parts of Kai & Lukas' themes, even growing slightly dissonant when Lukas' theme specifically plays. Eventually landing on an E, a fifth above the root note of A, not fully resolving the phrase.

Twice, people younger than her had out-grown her, out-shone her, and become more skilled than her.

So, she let that mask fall apart...

...and did something something reckless.

She let that anger consume her; that envy, disdain, and even disgust at her own failures, she let it all consume her.

In a fit of desperation and rage, she let instinct triumph over reason, fighting harder, longer, and far more recklessly than was necessary.

And when a threat came that she could not handle... ...she lost.

Of course, she did not die, but she lost an arm — her dominant arm at that. As an archer, the loss of an arm is perhaps one of the worst injuries she could have received. And so, for all that anger and envy, she lost her ability to fight... all for nothing in the end.

However, that loss only reinvigorated her resolve. The mask was gone completely, replaced by... Skyla. She didn't bother hiding her emotions or thoughts anymore.

And, although she had lost her purpose somewhat, she hadn't lost the will to fight. Even going so far as to fight alongside the other Hunters in the final battle of the story — her ranged support being invaluable in a key moment, too.

The rest of the song from 2:00 onwards is representative of that change. That mask of bright, cheerful optimism was fully replaced by the true Skyla. The melody forever etched into it both her anger at herself, and her love of Kai. At times it even incorporates the themes of Lukas, Vesa, Karve, and Cary. Others whom she is close to, as friends, found-family, or who sparked her change to begin with.

- - - - -

“I hate this place, and I hate all of you. When we lost our family, we had nothing, and we just happened to be saved by this forsaken group of villains. I thought we were saved, I thought I had a second chance to keep him safe. But instead, I was led into a group of wolves hell-bent on ruining my life." - Skyla Starill, Frequency: Wounded Reflection, Volume V: The Fire Is Gone

- - - - - - -

I hope you enjoyed! :D

I honestly have a lot to say about Skyla. There's a lot going on with her, and she might be one of the messiest characters in Wounded Reflection.

Beliefs

Like before, today's topic will be split into smaller sections so we can go over everything properly.

Starting with:

Spirituality/Religion

Lukas' beliefs don't change much throughout his life (before the revelations in SG, at least), but they are formed during WR. When it comes to spirituality & religion, there's a bit to say. Firstly, Lukas does believe in a higher power — even before learning of their existence in SG. Granted, he doesn't practice religion very heavily. He doesn't go to shrines often, or make often prayers, instead holding a more passive belief. Of course, during SG's second-half, Lukas not only learns the gods he knows are real, but even speaks with several of them. Like I said, his beliefs don't change too much from this, but they do gain a new perspective.

Outside of religion, though, he does have a few other interesting spiritual beliefs:

During Wounded Reflection, Lukas has a bit of a back and forth relationship with the idea of fate. Eventually, this solidifies as a belief in fate/destiny — that some things truly are meant to happen the way they do. However, he doesn't believe in an immutable fate; he believes it can be changed. Honestly, it's a little bit of a coping mechanism for him that later becomes an earnest belief. On the topic of souls, Lukas has a fairly solid grasp on souls and their connection to the body, mind, and spirit. When he uses his Rewind Frequency, it is his soul that is sent back in time. Along with his mind and spirit, they form the imperceptible experience. Even beyond that, at least once during both WR & SG, he dies and is sent to a kind of afterlife. During both of these experiences, he rewinds to before it happens. Although his body dies, his soul or spirit are sent elsewhere. All but confirming to him the existence of the soul. He also has an understanding of how souls are tied to Frequencies. That they are reflections of each other, and that the latter is the manifestion of the former; the soul given shape and project onto the world. Lastly, though I briefly touched on it, Lukas knows there's an afterlife. As I said, he goes there a few times. He doesn't go to the actual afterlife, however. Only the Realm of the Gods, which is his afterlife since he was blessed by one of the gods.

Philosophy

Similar to Luna, Lukas follows the philosophy of Existentialism. Or, at least something in its sphere of influence. He believes that meaning is derived from the choices one makes, or lack thereof. Only in choosing a meaning for oneself, can one be given meaning to begin with, and that life inherently does not have a grander purpose to it. But, whereas someone like Luna has her roots in freedom, Lukas has a slightly different view. Lukas goes through plenty of hardships during the story of Wounded Reflection. These shape his worldview and give birth to his realised beliefs. Lukas believes the world is inherently cruel, but that one should strive for kindness. One should make meaning for themselves, for the world cannot give you a better one than what you give yourself. He also views that everyone and everything has inherent meaning, and that even that which is perceived as useless or worthless, still has worth and deserves to exist.

Morals/Values

I think Lukas... cares for morals? He wouldn't have an objective stance on it, and I don't think he'd care about the discussion of them. Rather, he cares for more about context, and if a given decision or action was good/bad, right/wrong in the context it was made in. For example: You kill someone. Okay? Lukas has done that before. Were they defenceless? Were they threatening to/actively harming you/someone else? Did they attack you first? No, yes, yes — Well, that's fair. Yes, no, no — ...What? Why? No. That's awful. On other values, Lukas obviously values the future and long-term decision making a lot, as I've said on previous days. Furthermore, Lukas cares deeply for others — even those he has little to no connection to. To the point of helping anyone/everyone as best he can, taking on any burden needed to do so. Honestly, if it isn't apparent, Lukas is just a little self-sacrificial. Taking on other's burden/pain, letting himself fight in place of receiving help, and on occasion actually metaphorically/literally sacrificing himself. That doesn't come from a place of low self-worth. Rather, he values others so much more than himself. Alone, he would value his own survival over everything. But with others, he values them over himself. He's selfless to a fault. Also, I mentioned it offhandedly yesterday, but Lukas does eventually have a kid. So leading into that, how does he value relationships? Well... equally? Friendships, familial, romantic, sexual, platonic, anything and everything. All of them share the same importance to him. He has a romantic/sexual relationship, and even a kid, but doesn't place either above his other relationships.

- - - - - - -

I believe that is all for today! :D

Once again, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them! Either here (as a reblog/comment) or in my inbox! :D

If you want Lukas to answer said question, I have an rp-sideblog where you can ask him or another Frequency character a question!

Also, if you want to be updated for Lukas' Character Spotlight, a specific future character's Character Spotlight, or just any of them in general, say so in the comments/reblogs!

Lukas Tiro

Having lost his family and home at the age of fourteen, Lukas vowed to destroy the monster who caused it. Along his journey, he learns to handle his grief and changes his pursuit of avenging his family, to one of honouring them.

He is a kind-hearted boy who struggles with grief and letting go of the past. Grows to become a dependable leader and appears in multiple stories after his first.

Rain

Alone at the age of 23 and tormented by spirits only he can see, Rain views his gifts as curses. It is during his story that he learns to love not only himself, but others too. Love changes him, and it forces him to live even on the brink of death.

A deeply empathetic man who cares far more about others than he ever does himself. Grows to be more accepting of himself and love that which he considers flaws.

Akita Day

Homeless and surviving off of scraps at the age of 18, Akita lives purely off of spite. During the story he is thrust - unwillingly - into, he finds the determination and will to live even in the deepest pits of despair.

He is a spiteful prick who cares only for himself, yet becomes a leader when no one else can. Selfish to the end and only becomes a more complete version of himself by the end of the story.

Luna

An aspiring Historian & Archaeologist, Luna pursues her goal of discovery dutifully. However, after the heart of a dead goddess forcibly replaces her own, she becomes wrapped up in a web far larger than herself.

She is an endlessly enthusiastic and curious woman who unravels a plot far grander than her research paper would allow. And yet, her biggest weakness is hot woman... T_T

Dusk

Ex-criminal who was publicly executed, only to not end up staying dead, Dusk vowed revenge upon the man he blamed for his troubled past. Yet, along the way, too many threads entangled themselves upon him, and he finds himself making too many sacrifices.

A kind man haunted by a terrible past, he constantly grapples with his own identity and who he really is, deep down. He wishes for companionship, yet struggles to keep it when it is given to him.

- - - - - - -

I wonder who your favourite is? :3c

Tagging (no pressure), @diabolical-blue, @leahnardo-da-veggie (I can't remember if you did one of these recently or not), @ark-inkweaving, and @orphanheirs! :D