Clouded Horizons:Katanas DeValle

Katanas Lerentius DeValle Brimstone
Katanas in his office at Garden.
Character Profile
DOB:	April 2, 2127
Age:	25
Race:	Hume
Gender:	Male
Profession:	Elemental Alchemist
Theme:	Every Story Begins With A Name
Artist:	Big Giant Circles
Garden Profile
Garden Attended:	Trabia Garden
SeeD ID Number:	51607
Highest Rank:
	Sentry Commandant (Ret.) Command Division
Planeswalker Information
Championed By:	Xuvanti Aiden
Year Endorsed:	2142
Additional Information
Birth Realm:	Eighth Realm

Katanas Lerentius DeValle is the Overlord of the Nether Plane, formerly both a championed Planeswalker of Xuvanti Aiden and Trabia Garden Garden Commander, in the Clouded Horizons series.

Personnel Information

Biography

"My name is Katanas Lerentius DeValle. I have prevented nations from starting war. I tread paths few dare dream, and fewer believe exist. I completed my Sentry exam at a younger age than most are allowed to start. I have broken bread with Authors, traversed distant realities, and penned epics that made minstrels weep. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?"

―Katanas DeValle

Katanas Lerentius DeValle is the son of Darius DeValle, Sr., and Katal Corelia, and is the older brother to Revolver DeValle and Darius DeValle, Jr. He is a strong proponent of protecting the indentured and the repressed, often using his influence and extensive network of contacts to ensure that those who would take advantage of others inhumanely suffer a heavy price for it.

At an early age, Katanas showed a fondness for for chess and history, and was an engaged student in all of his studies. Teachers loved having him as a pupil, as he was always hungry for answers to endless streams of questions, and he rarely needed to be taught a lesson twice. Once he started his SeeD education and training, he began earning the attention of his headmaster, Victoria Rosalyn, who took him under her wing early on.

In 2142, Katanas was contacted by Kisara during a mission in Balamb, a meeting which would change the lives of both forever. She informed him that the Guardian of Creation, Freya was interested in choosing him as one of her chosen. Though his initial reaction was skeptical, Kisara eventually convinced him to pay a visit to Freya. The meeting was interrupted by the arrival of both the Overlord of Unrest, Xuvanti Aiden and the Lord Sovereign, Lukälius diVanégo, each of whom had been keeping an eye on Katanas for their own personal reasons.

Xuvanti eventually won the right to champion Katanas as his own, though he allowed the newly-christened Planeswalker to assist the other leaders "as a display of good faith," an offer of which Freya and Lukälius took full advantage. Aware of the many realms there were outside of his own, he began to make additional contacts amongst other Planeswalkers, as well as suggesting to both Lukälius and Freya additional candidates from Gaia. Over the course of nine years, he had developed a large list of potential candidates, sympathetic, apathetic, and outright hostile Planeswalkers, and adjusted his plans accordingly.

Shortly after becoming a Planeswalker, he was taken under the wings of the Vayash Moru Liam Bayloh, senior Planeswalker to Freya and a SeeD instructor in his own right. They would build a strong friendship, and it was Liam's sense of morality and justice that would help Katanas refine his ideals of bettering the world. It was also Liam's explanation of the Author's game that would cement Katanas' resolve to bring forth change for the better.

He would meet with other people who would heavily influence his life. In 2145, Katanas would meet Ein Beoulve, whom he took under his wing and began discretely preparing the boy for the rigors of SeeD command. Ein would become Katanas' reminder of all the good in the world, as well as a way to keep his ambitions grounded by reality. Also during this time, Andréa Beoulve would become the second person to be personally mentored by Katanas, and their dynamic was more a partnership - Katanas explained to Andréa from the outset why he needed her help, and though reluctant at first, she eventually would become Katanas' eyes and blade in places he could not be. In this role, she excelled. Finally, in 2147, Rubedo Alaberti would become the first person Katanas would recommend as a Planeswalker, and both fed off each other in their desire for change.

These three in particular are also the only people in which Katanas has ever been truly intimate, either physically or emotionally; his talent and knowledge keep him apart from his peers, preventing him from fully opening himself up to others. It would stand to reason that his search to make the world a better place wouldn't leave much personal time.

Arguably, it was the arrival of Benji Powell in 2152 that would provide the cornerstone of Katanas' plans, as it seemed every cosmic force at play wanted the dimensional traveler dead, which in turn would propel events into action for Katanas to play off in order to achieve his goals during what would become known as the Dimensional Legend.

During this time, Katanas focused on directing the key players throughout the series as if leading an interdimensional play where few of the actors even knew there was a script. He carefully influenced almost every single major event in Gaia from the day he became a Planeswalker, directly and indirectly altering events as he was able for one purpose: to change the very face of the Balance by removing every trace of evil in the realm and proving that Erasmus's creations were worth saving, which would hopefully keep Erasmus in the running in the metagame and keep his creation alive.

Although his motives were pure, he often utilized a number of morally dubious tactics - once even going as far as making himself public enemy number one. Though constantly reassuring those who work closest with him of how in control he has things, he constantly worries about making a misstep, of missing a crucial detail, or worse, as a mistake on his part would have catastrophic consequences.

With the events of the Silent Line, Katanas came across the last method he needed to see his ultimate goal through. The Zodiac Stones interacted with the The Eighteen in an unusual way, and by infusing the general with the power of all 12 stones, he would become a literal magnet for every evil essence in the realm. Should he be slain, the essence, and the stones, would die with him.

Over 436 Planeswalkers, most of whom came from different realms, heeded Katanas' call to battle for the finale moments of battle upon the Crystal Path against the general of the Eighteen, and in the final culmination of Katanas' plan, he was forced to give up his life as the path collapsed from the massive influx of power, but his plan succeeded marvelously. The Balance was positively altered, and the largest threat to the realm put down, at no insignificant cost.

Personality

"There will always be an abundant supply of people willing to break the law, throw away their morality, ruin the lives of others. When will the scales balance? Will the scales ever balance? Perhaps not of their own accord, but what if someone were to nudge them just so...?"

―Katanas DeValle, musing to himself hours before meeting Kisara

"Should great people meet, they inevitably change the world; it’s simply their nature. So, to change the universe, one need only bring more great people. And, should those great people be in a short supply...well, why not make more?"

―Katanas DeValle, conversing with the Overlord, Xuvanti Aiden

Katanas suffers no false modesty about his capabilities; in his early education, he was an exceptional student and quick learner, and consistently made top marks in his classes. As a SeeD, he'd excelled in the use of Alchemy, and became especially proficient in the use of elemental alchemy. He also trained in both classical and unconventional swordsmanship, was an capable marksman, and earned his instructor license with honors.

He also carries about him a sense of knowing more than he does, a trait that is constantly called into question by those around him.

All of his achievements have also been to help propel him down a more difficult course of controlling the outcome of something larger than himself, and while he won't deny his own talents, this perspective has kept him grounded from becoming overconfident or careless. Once he became aware of the metagame and the Authors, he started taking more care in his actions, realizing that his actions would have consequences much larger than those of most people, as he was actively setting people up in high risk, high reward scenarios. He had to become as skilled as he was to be able to know the capabilities of anyone he met, to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and put them to their best uses.

He is also somewhat prideful; while he knows that he's not the only person capable of setting a course for positive change in the realm, he actively believes that he is the best suited for the task, a facet of his mindset once even pointed out by Hyne. While he takes great pains to keep himself in check, he also can't afford to question himself or his abilities too harshly, lest he lose confidence.

In most regards, he is a patient, considerate, thoughtful person, on whose shoulders the future of a realm could very well rest, and that knowledge tempers his every action and his every response.

Combat Information

"Just as planned."

―Katanas DeValle

Katanas exudes confidence on the battlefield, his very presence often making enemies pause. He uses this to his advantage, either to press for a decisive victory or to push for diplomatic talks, but no one can discount his skill with a blade or his alchemic talents.

He has trained his mind and body upon many planes of existence, where time flows much differently than on the mortal plane, allowing him to perfect techniques that would take a lifetime in roughly the span of hours. One of his favorite techniques is to control a trio of blades mentally while he picks specific targets off with his flame alchemy.

In most cases, however, he prefers to wield his reputation as his weapon; often, his arrival is all it takes to end hostilities in some situations. When that isn't an option, diplomacy and tact have often won him victories as well, and he is well-known for his eloquence and charisma.

In situations where he must engage in physical combat, however, he does not hold back, adhering to a policy of hitting the enemy so hard that they never want to attack you again. The destructive power of his alchemy combined with flawless swordsmanship and a shrewd tactical mind have time and time again proven his reputation was earned, not given.

And on nights when he's forced to burn the sky red with flame is his title "Brimstone" particularly pronounced.