#ioria

By TCC I assume you mean The Catalyst Chronicles? If so, I write for TCC whenever I need a break from my medieval fantasy stories. It gives my brain a break from that type of story before I delve back into the worlds of Gallinia and Ioria. As sometimes that constant theme-- despite both worlds being different-- can make my head hurt. I adore writing for both, don’t get me wrong. Writing a space-themed story just helps my mind get off of it and helps me come up with better ideas in the long run.

Ioria in Italy, the reason why I keep getting his name wrong when I write in English. Let’s hope I didn’t call him by the wrong name in this too. 

(Hades and Soul of Gold not taken into consideration, I need to re-watch them before talking)

Overall score (character, not looks) Classic: 8/10 Legend of Sanctuary: 8/10

Let’s talk about this oversize cat dressed in gold.  He didn’t impress me that much at first, because he felt like the classic heroic and noble character you normally see in works like Saint Seiya, but then? Yeah, I started loving him, I just needed to know his character a little bit more. 

Aiolia has an heartbreaking character arc, starting with Aiolos being flagged as a traitor, his death and the consequent issues Aiolia had with the people in the Sanctuary.  Even if it’s not strongly stated, you can see that Aiolia got kind of isolated by his fellow Saints, and the betrayal of his brother influenced his life way more than what’s shown on screen. 

And, because of this, when we first encounter him in his role as a Gold Saint, he seems extremely faithful to the Pope, despite having little doubts, and willing to take on his shoulders the task of retrieving Sagittarius and killing the Bronze Saints.  Though, he’s still gentle and has a good spirit, as we see when he tries to save those poor kids running away from the Sanctuary, or when he spares Shaina.  On top of that, we can see he’s a good person at heart when, even if Aiolos intervened to help him, he recognizes Athena in Saori Kido and stops fighting.  Ioria also regrets instantly his deeds under Arles’ control, since he tries to save Cassios and apologizes right away. 

He’s a strong character with a difficult story behind him, I quite like him. 

The reason I can’t give him a 10/10 score is in his behavior towards Seiya and Saori, before recognizing her.  I stand with his brother, and say that he’d been way too blind. He actually met Saori, not just listened to the Pope talking shit about her not being Athena and whatever, but still doubted and wanted physical proof she wasn’t lying.  That, my dear, bites you back.  The sheer fact he believed Aiolos to be a traitor sounds absolutely weird to me, because he knew him at heart, and still thought “wait no, Aiolos wasn’t trying to save a life, he’s just a traitor”.  Come on, little lion. You could have done better. 

I can't tell you the actual worst event but I'll tell you one of them, and they're sort of conjoined.

It has been a while but the scars still feel fresh. Revian was, for the lack of a better term, captured (mutiny at its finest) and then horrendously tortured. And when I say horrendously tortured I mean it would have destroyed a lesser god, completely shattering their mind. Of course, when Phenir rescued her she acted like everything was fine. After all she had her people that she needed to look after (and the other gods she had to govern with Phenir), they couldn't have their queen be weak.

Yes, I can never stress enough how bad of a man Merrick was. Of course he did have his moments but over all he wasn't good. He didn't start out that way but years can change people. Warp them into something they never knew they could become.

Aghadi: The Aghadi situation was detrimental to everything that Aghadi is today. It was because of his father that he trained so hard. It was because of his father that he lost so much in his life, whether it be his friends or the love of his life. Merrick took everything from Aghadi because he didn't want his heir to be weak. And the reason Aghadi was Merrick's heir, and not Keane or Daealla, is simply because he saw more in Aghadi. He saw something that he could shape to his advantage. He saw Aghadi's heart and clear love for his country. He saw the potential that Aghadi had when in terms to fighting and politics. He saw everything from the moment Aghadi was born, and that changed everything.

Daealla: Daealla was in a much similar situation, but different all the same. As Daealla was growing up she wasn't allowd to act like a normal child, even though she always wanted to. She wanted to go outside and actually play with the other children of the palace. However, she was never allowed to because her studies were more important and Merrick would never allow her to be anything but the best. Obviously Daealla stopped being fazed by it after a while. She stopped wondering what the cool autumn breeze would feel like on her skin. She stopped listening to the sound of children laughing in the courtyard and wondering what made them do so. She stopped reminiscing what it would be like to feel like an actual child, because she wasn't. She was the eldest child to Emperor Merrick. She had responsibilities that she needed to uphold, and nothing was going to change that. And she was fine with her lot in life until it started occurring to Aghadi, and when she saw what was happening to him? She completely broke down (she only ever let's her emotions show when in regards to people she cares for) and tried to do everything in her power to make him actually have a childhood. Just because she didn't have one doesn't mean he couldn't.

Of course, Merrick noticed what she was doing almost instantly. And to say he was pissed would be an understatement. Daealla still has some of the scars from when he found her holding Aghadi after a nightmare. She can still hear his words, snarled into her ear as she was thrown against the floor. "You're making him weak by mothering him. You're going against everything that I have worked for. And you'll be punished exactly like the miscreants that break my rules." After that night Daealla was sent away for her studies. Losing contact with Aghadi for almost three years before she was able to send him a letter. A letter that he never received because it was burned before it even reached his desk.

Keane: As for Keane... do you really have to ask? He was the favored child in almost everything. He was given anything he could ever wish for with little to no repercussions. However, Merrick had always known that he could never be Emperor. His drive and motivation were too skewed for Ioria. He didn't have Aghadi's skill nor did he have Daealla's brain. He was caught in the middle of two unimaginable shadows that he could never measure up to. Of course he felt inadequate but that doesn't excuse what he has done. Or how he sat back and watched as his brother went through lesson after lesson. Life slowly leaving his eyes with each one, until they were hollow.

Keane was also the only that Alina actually got to talk to, and care for. Which she has never forgiven Merrick for, but of course she could never make it right with her other two children. Not after Merrick executed her.

In general? Or when in terms to Ioria/PoF?

In general I would say I'm the most bad at drawing/curbing my craving to cookies when I see them.