Name: Adriel Hansen
Age: 27 (looks) 1206 (actual)
Family: None
Species: Valkyr
Faceclaim: Toby Regbo

Benevolent || Amiable || Peaceful || Hardworking
Reserved || Cynical || Fearful || Misguided

Adriel was born to two parents in the medieval kingdom of Norway, which is now known as Oslo, under the new moon during the last day of spring solstice. His birth wasn't considered a miracle the way others raved it to be. This is due to his parents' I'll relationship. Hilde and Ivan have been arguing from day 1 after they were arranged to be married. As such, the two were not a happy couple and a child on the way was not what they expected. To say that his birth became a somber affair for the two would the understatement of the century for Hilde couldn't even spare a glance at the baby boy who kept crying for his mother. What could be expected from a mother who did not wish for a baby? Ivan, on the other hand, was slightly more ecstatic to hear that he would be having a child.

Ivan was the one who gave him his name; Adriel. It had been a name he heard from a clergyman during his travels to Wessex. Nobody knew what it meant and it made Adriel felt a bit left out as he grew up in the community that doesn't seem to give him much care the same way his mother wouldn't. But he was seen to be a jewel in his father's eyes. That didn't last long either, his father departed for his travels again to bring back something for them to live on. Hilde was forced to care for him, a son she didn't even want. There were numerous times where the blonde would remind Adriel that she did not carry him in pain for 9 months for this. Whilst Ivan treated Adriel with love in his eyes, the same couldn't be said for the mother of his child. They wouldn't speak, and Hilde would only utter a few spiteful remarks toward Adriel for the sake of flipping his switch off, knowing that the light-haired boy was sensitive to temperamental outbursts.

It was months later when they received the news of Ivan's death, their ship didn't make it back home. It left Adriel alone with his mother. Both mother and son were plagued with grief and mourned for him. If only that was enough to rekindle their almost non-existent bond together. Adriel grew apart from his mother and sought out others, he had the same ambition his father had; he wished to navigate the seas and travel to learn new things. He's heard about the kingdom of Wessex and wanted to venture there so badly. Hilde, of course, took every chance possible to crush his dreams. Nobody knew why she acted so coldly towards her only son but acted the opposite when it came down to his baby sister by 5 years, Rhea. Rhea and Adriel, however, maintained a very close-knit bond together, with the elder male always bringing back something for the little girl, whether it was a tree bark he's carved or the dagger he furnished for her during his studies at the smith.

3 years later, at the tender age of 14, Adriel had grown taller and was studying diligently with the smith, insisting to be an apprentice. He also tried teaching her 9-year-old sister how to draw a bow on her birthday. Secretly, of course. Hilde would unleash wrath upon the household had they been discovered. Little did they know, that was the same year their mother passed away from the flu that also robbed away the lives of a few others in the village. It was only Adriel and Rhea now. How was he going to care for her sister when he couldn't even care for his own self?

Slowly but surely, he threw away his childish antics aside and focused on giving Rhea a better and clearer future, in whatever form he was able to present her with the dreams of one. When she reached her teenhood, he was already 18 years old, and was still working with the town smith, he was able to provide for them decently. However, due to his unruly behavior, Adriel was forced to quit his apprenticeship when he got into a fight with the other new apprentice who mocked him for the lifestyle he was having. He received the last compensation, making up for his work and efforts, before he slumped against the edge of his bed to his room, face down staring at the floor while wondering how else he was going to get by, in the future.

Rhea grew up to be a beautiful maiden, sought out by every eligible bachelor in their town and her brother grew no less protective over her. Adriel told Rhea that he had nowhere else to make their living and wished to travel to England. Rhea gave her brother her blessing and kissed his forehead, telling him he didn't owe her a thing and how she desperately wished to see his return one day. He gathered a few supplies he needed to bring with him after paying the ship crew a substantial amount to get him to England. That seemed to be the last time he met his sister. Clearly, Adriel didn't know what else was in store for him.

Unfortunately, the unpredictable sea steered them elsewhere, the storm hitting them a few times over the period finally resulted in them being washed out somewhere. It wasn't the place he wanted to go to, but it was also another place he could start over and rebuild his life. He was still young, he could learn anything so long as it brings him the knowledge and serenity he sought. Adriel was able to pick his life back up again, and while he missed his sister dearly, he had to make good on his promise; that he shall return one day, but only after he had found what he so desperately desired. He hasn't found that yet hence why he still chose to stick around the continent for more years to come.

The blond found a job to last his life properly there, a stable boy. It wasn't the best job anyone would admittedly take but who was he to complain? He's worked plenty of jobs already, from a smith apprentice to a stable boy, what wouldn't he do to ensure his future steers clear of any starvation path. If he was to die from something, it shouldn't be in a famished state. Thankfully, much to his delight, his life continued prosperously as he remained honest and humble to everyone else. Adriel took care of the horses neatly and made sure the stable was well-organized as well as clean. It was hard to find the flaw in his diligence. Yet that seemed to bring about other people's envy. With envy comes hatred. And there are a lot of things that could be done to a person under the influence of those.

It didn't take long for rumors to spread and take its place in the rotten root of the aristocratic society. Nobody looked at him the same way ever again, rumors of him seducing the young ladies of the prominent households in the area made him a rather good target for the stink eye. However, the human found it in himself that he went all this far to find something, a way to provide his sister with a far better life once he returns home. Or he could even bring her anywhere else she wishes to go. His focus remained on his sister and that became his strength to overcome the hurdles and challenges thrown his way.

His tarnished reputation despite having nothing more than a heart filled with the purest intentions made the others glare at him with scornful glares. It became his daily routine to suppress his temper and go about his day like nothing happened. Years passed by and he had managed to secure himself a rather decent life there in the foreign country. He also brought his sister with him when he returned. It was a new life for them. Rhea was happy and so was he. The rumors slowly dispelled after the folks found the truth behind it, Adriel continued to flourish.

Until a day came where a plague struck the entire town, starting with the village he resided in. Rhea was the first to contract it, showing plenty of the same symptoms by other victims. A few months later after her painful torture under the incurable influenza, Adriel soon fell victim to it. The difference now was he didn't have his baby sister no more. He was alone. Utterly and inexplicably alone. His life withered away slowly, and while he had a few visitors, it didn't even feel like anything anymore. The day finally came where he would no longer be suffering, he would be welcomed into death's hands and he would do so willingly without any protest. Adriel was too brokenhearted by Rhea's passing.

Just when he thought life was ending for him. Apparently not. For what seemed to be so long, the human finally woke up with a jolt, he had been lying on the ground, his clothes were all completely soiled by the dirt. He was supposed to be dead. At first, he didn't know that he had woken up and come back to the world no longer as a human. To be fair, Adriel didn't find anyone being within range, no clue on who had turned him into what he would later in the future find out to be, a Valkyr. The first thing he did was try to uncover what had happened to him and why he was still alive, until his hand fell over his chest where his heart was located, there was no faint beating. None. His body felt lighter and so did his mind, it felt… clearer. His eyesight improved just as well, which left him wondering what it was.

He didn't know who she was, he barely even caught her name; the kind woman who helped him up when he staggered in front of her while searching for somewhere to go. He's been walking around for days, the area didn't seem so familiar anymore but he knew he was still in the same country. Or at least, he thought he was. She was very beautiful, and judging from her clothing alone, Adriel could see that she came from a very esteemed background, a noble lady. He was aware that he looked starved and weak, his skin was paler than usual. It was no wonder she decided to help him out, telling him how she would be able to help him if he just followed her back. So he did. The blond knew he was in no position to complain or reject her benevolence. He didn't feel well.

It was probably why he felt like the guilt could eat him alive when he drained her. When all she did was offer him kindness and hospitality in the vicinity of her own home. She wanted to help him but all he could focus on that night was the way her heart beating rhythmically and the way her neck looked inviting. Before he knew it, her body was already limp in his grasp. Adriel fled as soon as he realized what he's done, shedding tears because he couldn't believe what he's done. He couldn't even slaughter his living stocks back then without being sad, much less killing an innocent person. He made sure to board a ship the next day while huddling himself at the back with the rest of the ship crew, he wouldn't even make eye contact with anyone. Not until he arrived in another country where he felt the pull to seek out someone; the Valkyrie, Gideon Ashworth. Everything made sense then, Gideon told him what he was and directed him to Cecilia, his confidant.

Cecilia didn't look as approachable at first, to which Gideon told him it was due to her lover's death recently. It led the Italian Valkyr to mourn for months long. He was only able to get a few words out of her as she guided him on how it was to live as a Valkyr and while it was hard to comprehend the emotions the female felt as she tried to teach him the ropes, he was able to control himself. Even after that, it was hard to find Cecilia smiling genuinely, she always seemed to be dealing with her grief quietly. He was asked to leave her alone, fearing that she would lash out if she was poked too much. After spending a few years with the two, he decided to take his leave, with the intention of exploring the world, like what his former human self would've wanted. Though he didn't have a sister to go back to anymore, he was grateful, especially because he was told he could never return to his past, and anyone associated.

His travels took him everywhere, from the East to the West, North to South, leading him to England, centuries later. As per lesson for his accidental kill centuries ago when he was just walking the Earth as a few days old Valkyr, he swore to never feed on people to the point where they felt faint. His bloodlust was controlled sternly and Adriel often reprimanded himself for it. Had it been up to him, he would've sworn off anything about feeding on a living person but he needed blood to survive. Adriel was invited to the Baron's estate where he was indulged by the Baron who intended to make a business trade with him.

That evening, the Valkyr pampered his horse by giving it an apple and brushed his mane, saddling up to go for a ride. But before he could even attempt to fix his saddle properly amidst riding, something spooked it and caused it to run off, with the owner still on it. He wasn't sure what to do, when he forced the horse to halt using the reins, it only gave the horse a reason to throw him off, sending the poor guy to the ground. Adriel writhed in pain and rolled over the ground for a while until a figure shielded his peripheral vision. There was a female silhouette towering above him, staring at him with a worried expression. A dazed Adriel actually called her out, asking if she was an angel because god knows what goes on with his head after the fall. The woman who introduced herself as Ophelia, helped him up to his feet. And god, was he in a real daze. Not just from the fall either. Whoever she was, he swore she glowed. Prettily, indeed.

He was enchanted by her. Everything about the Celestial made him think about how far he's come, and despite the past haunting him still, it did not render him useless in trying to become a better person each day. It didn't take Adriel long to realize that he may have fallen for her, the grace she took with her everywhere she went, it entranced him. Ever since their rather awkward first meeting, he's called her angel. Adriel learned a lot regarding who she is, what she does, what she likes, everything. For someone that was taken by her, he spared no expense at trying to woo her. He wouldn't give up easily, no, he would keep on trying until he gets to see that pretty smile again. It worked, something worked right if the raven-haired Wayfinder eventually accepted his courting.

The time they spent together was uncountable, at least to Adriel. Every second was precious and he wouldn't want to trade it for something else ever. Of course, he forgot that nothing that good would last forever and whilst he didn't hope for it to last forever, he wasn't aware that it would last even lesser. That day, Ophelia was busy tending to her apprenticeship at the smithy, leaving the Valkyr to continue his work in his office. Amidst skimming the paperworks on his desk, he received a letter from someone he thought wouldn't reach out to him ever again. Cecilia wasn't really someone he would call a close friend, simply because the Italian female wouldn't consider herself as one but they were on good terms, or so he thought. In the letter, she stated that she received a few complaints and reports regarding his illegal tradings behind the business front he put up and whilst she was reluctant to believe it, there was enough proof to put him where the blame is being held at.

Adriel, who had no idea what was going on by the docks where he was famous for dealing with his clients, knew he was running on a loose end. There was no way he could prove himself innocent under such time constraint. She had given him a moon to settle everything and prove himself innocent but there was simply nothing he could've done when he came back to find his assistant dead. Every ledger was burned and it was showing him to be the perpetrator who was trying to escape from being implicated. Whilst that want work for the authorities there, leaving his hands clean, it wouldn't work as much for Cecilia, especially when the illegal tradings involved human trafficking, slaves who were used as a moving blood bank. Pleading wouldn't do much good because if that was possible, even guilty members would've been let off.

He had to go. Like it or not, it was the only option for Adriel to take in order to avoid bloodshed. He would be seen as a coward, someone who was guilty of the crime he didn't even commit, but it was better to stay alive to prove his innocence rather than lying around awaiting his death. Running meant leaving his beloved; Ophelia. And even then, he couldn't even confide in her regarding his problems, the last thing he wanted to do was involve her. So a letter and his pin was all that he left on her bedside table before taking his leave. It reminded him a lot like the last time when he boarded the ship elsewhere, only this time he was really innocent, though he couldn't say the same as the first one.

Ever since then, he's been traveling non-stop. Not until he caught a wind of the mysterious eternal city that harbored a lot of supernatural who were accepted in their community. He took his chance despite knowing he hasn't been able to prove his innocence a few centuries ago, especially with the Valkyrie in the city. You only live once, right? Yeah.