Winona

Name: Winona Balthier (Win-own-a Ball-thee-er)

Age: 89 (Appears to be about 8)

Gender: Female

Race: Winona belongs to the proud and elusive race of the Strael. Almost all of them dwell in the clouds, where they have cities, castles and all manner of civilized things. Being totally resistant to the sun, the Strael have deathly pale skin that is feared among the few people that have caught a glimpse of them. Each of them also has a “star-child” who they meet when reaching maturity.

Eye colour: Both of her eyes are pale, cloudy grey with little white behind them and tiny pupils. Almost all of the Strael have eyes like this.

Hair: Winona’s hair flows softly down to the middle of her back. It is the colour of chestnuts with a smell to match. She tries as hard as she can to keep it perfectly straight, but balances the formality with some brightly-coloured polka-dot ribbons throughout it.

Height: 4’ 8”

Weight: 104 pounds

Weapon: Winona’s one and only weapon is somewhat peculiar: a small black and white cat that augments her magical abilities. This is Cassidy, Winona’s Star Child. As well as greatly increasing Winona’s magical potential, Cassidy can – to some extent - sing a few spells himself or distract enemies.

Armour: Winona has three bands that act as her armour: a thick, purple circlet that lessens the pain of blunt blows; a thinner, yellow band that protects her from weaker sharp attacks and an extremely thin, gold anklet that absorbs magical energy. Her two physical bands she wears quite often because of their pretty looks, but she tends to wear the anklet less because it spoils her nice girl façade.

Strengths: The Strael are very adept with magic and can deal strong blows with simple spells. Being an elder of spell-singing, Winona is particularly good. Her young appearance can often get Winona out of unwanted battles and she finds that a big enough pout will get what she wants among the dimmer humans. The bands that the girl wears are quite strong, even if they seem to offer no defence. She has great magical stamina and can sing several spells before growing faint.

Weaknesses: No amount of magical bands can ever make up for Winona’s extremely young physical age. Because of her youthful body, Winona is rather slow and could not withstand even the weakest blow without her bands. In a close-ranged, physical fight Winona has almost no means of defending herself other than some defensive spells and whatever offensive spell she can think of at the time.

Magic: Winona can cast her spells alone, but is aided by Cassidy offering aid through telepathic communication. Each of these spells can be cast upon Cassidy who then inflicts it an enemy when he can get closer.

Fire: The first of the four elements Winona controls, fire is the most volatile. She uses it mostly in close-ranged combat, often casting burns and the like on Cassidy. Her attacks with this element normally consist of fireballs or projectile weapons.

Water: Water is the strongest of Winona’s spells, for she has practiced the most with it and revealed more forms of water than any other spell of hers. With water though, Winona must be near a source of it to harness its awesome power. Her most common form of water is sending waves to wind an enemy or knock them off course. She can also create whips of it and knock an enemy down with its power. Ice too, can be harnessed with this element and Winona takes full advantage of it. She can trap foes in a block of ice by sending water spiralling at them and changing its form. Or, she can use it as a projectile weapon and send disks, balls or bullets of ice at her foe.

Earth: Winona is new with this element but is fast learning to harness it. She currently uses it to gain height over her enemies or distance themselves from them while casting more offensive spells. She is however, known to send huge shards of rock flying towards an enemy or wrap an enemy in stone until their breathing stops.

Wind: The girl enjoys using wind more than anything else, for the forms it takes are simply amazing. She can summon up a whirlwind to engulf her enemy or lift her to amazing heights with this element. Winona also uses it to propel her projectile weapons faster and further towards her enemies. Wind can also take the form of a defensive spell by casting a volatile bubble around her that propels all assailants far away.

Green Frenzy: Her opponent becomes sickeningly dizzy and loses control of their limbs. These volatile effects wear off in a few seconds but foes have been known to see everything in various shades of green for hours after the spell is cast.

Force: This is essentially, a force field. But instead of protecting Winona from attacks a faint grey bubble expands around her, pushing away foes. Winona can choose herself when to stop the spell, but it obviously has limits as to how far it can go.

Strike Strike is, put bluntly, pain. The can be used to devastate foes or simply to escape from an assailant. Winona simply outstretches her hand and a wavy spear of energy will fly towards her foes, cracking weaker shields and harming unprotected enemies. Striker is not a physical spell though, for blood is not emitted from any of the wounds; the spell just damages enemies’ life.

Appearance: Winona looks like your typical girly girl, with a love of bows, pretty dresses and hair products. On her feet she wears a pair of simple white sandals with dainty straps to keep them on her feet. The girl’s legs are unnaturally pale, just like her arms and face. She wears a frilly purple dress that extends down to her knees and when travelling, puts a red cape over it. As I have already said, her arms have a couple of bangles on them, which help make her look a little older.

Winona’s features are sharp and full of knowledge, from her eternally pursed lips to her sharp nose. She has quite a round face, offsetting her otherwise sharp features. Her small lips are a faint pink and her nose is sharp, but doesn’t hook. Winona’s big grey eyes give her face an almost un-dead character. Her hair follows along with her formal face by being completely straight; although she does put some bows in it.

Personality: Winona’s youthful looks and cynic age are always fighting with each other, so there are almost two sides to the strange little girl. On one hand, we have a dangerously sarcastic prune that treats everybody inferiorly and would happily walk over anyone. On the other: a poisonously sweet girl that isn’t afraid to stamp her feet. Most of the time the little war going on inside her is subdued, but she can occasionally burst out almost schizophrenically. She can be cold and unforgiving at times, even to her closest friends and family. She isn’t a trustworthy person either, because she puts her values over anyone else’s. When in conversation the girl’s answers are strong and direct. She often tries to sway others’ opinions in order to achieve her own goals. As a result, the girl has few friends. She is very manipulative too, which is where her sweet side is allowed to come into play.

History of the Strael people

The Strael began their existence around the same time as their human neighbours. The first Straels bore four children, males, which became the fathers of the four countries. At this time, the Strael race bore no resemblance to the humans that dwelled below; but slowly and surely, as each of the four Strael brothers fell in love with human women and bore children, the two races became more alike. The Strael of course, were still superior, but they resembled the humans nonetheless.

The four countries, Treia, Nork, Delva and Sahle fast grew their own laws and diplomacies, monarchies and corruptions, and it was only natural that war would ensue. Nork was the first to give in to fighting by launching attacks on Delva, their foes. Neither was victorious until the armies of Treia joined Nork and defeated the people of Delva. In retaliation against their fellow savage countrymen, Sahle brought a fiery onslaught down on both Nork and Treia. Naturally, they replied with more carnage until the entire Overworld was in chaos. This world of fighting and pain was the one that Winona was born into.

Bio:

“Just one more story!” a four year-old Winona Balthier whined. “You owe it to me after cooping me up in a boring old house for so long.” The little Strael folded her arms grumpily and closed her eyes; willing the inevitable story to come. Her bedroom was lavishly furnished with girly necessities: an overly expensive dressing table with compartments for accessories; immaculate china dolls sporting various cultural gowns; teddy bears and plush toys with eerily permanent smiles. Being sole daughter of one of the richest Houses in Sahle however, Winona hardly noticed the wealth surrounding her.

“Alright then,” the nanny finally exclaimed from exhaustion. “What shall it be, Princess?” The pet name brought a sly smile to Winona’s face and she chose one of the many idiotic tales of princesses and dragons that Nanny had so reluctantly memorised. The tired woman rattled though the foolish tale, eagerly awaiting the soft breathing of a girl that has fallen asleep. It took longer than usual this time – probably due to the lack of activity in Winona’s day – but towards the end the little girl’s shoulders drooped in sleep and Nanny slipped out, unnoticed.

Once out of earshot, Nanny allowed herself a shallow breath and solemnly slid down the lavish stairs. “Her aura is growing too stronger,” she whispered to the girl’s parents as she rounded into the Gathering Room.

“Well what can we do to stop it?” Winona’s worried mother squeaked. “Before long she’ll be a danger to herself and others!”

“We wait.” The knowledgeable nanny replied. “And hold on to her childhood for as long as possible. But what of the father? Does he know of his daughter’s immense magical potential?”

“Of course not. He’s too busy keeping are finances respectable.”

“Well then, may I suggest a good night sleep? They have been known to cure every affliction under the sun.”

“Wise words indeed, Nanny. Words that I shall pay heed to.” With that, the stressed woman walked elegantly up the two flights of her stairs to her master bedroom. The door closed with a slight push of air, and then Nanny was alone.

**** Four years later****

“Greater conflict in southern Delva!” cried a paper-boy as Winona walked past. “Massacred said to rank those of the Delvan genocide!” A pang of fear struck Winona’s heart. Growing up in a war-torn country and greatly matured her, but not to the point of acting out. She felt helpless having not reached Maturity, especially since her powers were going to be so strong. Or at least, that’s what Nanny said. All she had to do during this war was hide and go to school.

A chill wind tore threw Winona’s impractical coat and into her fragile bones. She let out a cry of torment and broke into a horrible trudge back to the manor. Rain started plodding down before long and the trudge became a dash for shelter and warmth. Managing to outrun most of the rain, Winona gave an exaggerated shiver as she burst threw the doors of the mansion. The little girl stormed up to her room to change while exchanging ruffled glances with Nanny. The woman swiftly set about mopping up the dirty puddle brought in by Winona’s wet boots, but stopped at a glance from the outside world: the powerfully close sun shone brightly on the busy town and any precipitation that had taken place would have been dried up in minutes. How then, did Winona manage to come in looking like a flood victim?

The answer hit her like a ten-ton weight crashing on her shoulders. Immediately abandoning the mop, she half-ran up the few stairs to Winona’s bedroom. She pushed the door open with all the strength she possessed, crashing it against Winona’s wall.

Too late.

The little girl sat blankly at on the pink bed, staring down at one of her many plush toys. It was Cassidy the cat, a favourite of Winona’s in her junior years. “Winona, Princess?” Nanny called sweetly, not letting fear escape form her lips. “Why don’t you put that old toy down? I’ve prepared a snack for you in the grand kitchen.”

“I’m not hungry,” the girl replied in a monotone voice.

“Well at least let go of that silly toy. It’s for babies.”

“But I don’t want to.” With those words Winona stood up vacantly and gave Nanny a little push to usher her out. The door shut firmly behind her.

“Oh, my Winona,” Nanny worried. “What have you gotten into this time?”

**** Two days later ****

“There are no signs of Eruption,” said the plain spell-singer to Winona’s parents. “But I think it’s time we took Winona to the Source.” Winona’s mother let out a faint whimper, but did not object. The Source was a store of great magical knowledge used for training novice spell-singers in the arts of magic and educating them on the effects of Maturity. “If there are no objections, I will come back tomorrow for Winona and she will stay with us until we are sure an Eruption is no longer possible. After that, we’ll leave Winona to decide if she wishes to pursue spell-singing as a career.”

“Thank you, Sir. We will have Winona ready at noon tomorrow.”

****

“So Cassidy, what do you think of that news?” Winona shut the door to her bedroom silently, wishing to review the situation privately. Cassidy had only been her friend for two days, but already she felt a fierce bond between them. “Learning magic could be fun, but I’m sure there’ll be lots of boring parts too.

“It has to be better than this monotony,” the animated cat replied. “Aren’t you bored of mediocrity? This could be your chance to aid the soldiers at war and reach your full potential.”

“That does sound good,” Winona mused. “But it will be my first time doing things for myself.”

“You’ll soon learn,” her companion replied. “I’ve seen how bright you are.

****

Winona stood gingerly at the gates of an enormous establishment. Cassidy sat on her shoulder offering much-needed emotional support while a little bag was slung over the other, containing only her most prized possessions. The rest of her things were dragged along behind her by Nanny and a handful of movers. She took a timid step forward and peered across the threshold: immensely architectural buildings and looming offices surrounded her. Never before had the little girl seen such a place. Before the buildings though, stood countless curious Strael children discussing the newcomer quietly.

“Enough dawdling,” Nanny snorted. “I have more things to do today than wait for you to make a move. Your parents have employed me as housekeeper.” Winona gave a faintly warm smile and obliged the woman’s wishes, slowly walking towards the central building of the huge place. “We need a room please,” Nanny told the receptionist as the got to the foyer of the first building. The young woman that answered handed Winona a faintly rusted a key with a small red signet engraved on the centre. A new-looking key ring hung off it, attaching a small badge with the number ‘332’ to the key. Winona curtsied politely and walked off.

Her new home was modest, to put it in a polite way. A small, brown bed lay in the centre, with a little wardrobe and a bedside table beside it. A plain dressing table sat opposite to the little bed, and across from that was an equally “modest” en suite bathroom. Winona took one look around and made face to Nanny. “Can’t you make it any better?” Nanny rolled her eyes.

“You only have to be here when you sleep. From what I’ve heard they have some games rooms, a library and other really fun things. Can’t you just try to be content with it?”

“Okay,” the spoilt girl replied with a pout. “But I’m still going to fix it up.”

“That’s fine. But we’ll have to be going now,” the tired woman said with a weak smile. She extended her arms to hug Winona and then closed the little door.

“Do you think it’s liveable?” asked Winona’s furry companion.

“It obviously needs some work,” she replied smartly. “But I could maybe survive.

****

Winona gave a sigh of relief as the final Source bell of her life chimed. Twelve years had passed since she had first joined the Source, and her magical powers had grown exponentially. What lay ahead was more important however, for she finally had to make a career choice. Three were three fields of magic that one could pursue: political involvement in society by becoming a lesser Elder; patriotic involvement by becoming a War Mage; or community involvement by overseeing events in her own town and using her powers to strengthen the community’s bonds. She had received countless career talks as to which path she would like to follow, but she still hadn’t made her mind up.

“What do you think, Cassidy?” she asked her ever-wise companion.

“From the day I met you I knew your powers would be amazing. With them, in fact, you could really help to end the Overworld War. I think that you should become a War Mage and fight for all Straels’ freedom from this nightmare.” Winona nodded in approval. “

“Alright, then. That means I’ll need to enlist in the Overworld Wars.”

****Ten years later****

“Stations, everyone!” chimed the skirmish overseer. Ten years had passed and the raging war was still no closer to ending. Winona had remained resolute however, and had remained a faithful weapon of the Sahle armies. She positioned herself in her usual spot at the back of the crowd, readying herself for the inevitable onslaught on her mind that these battles brought on. Cassidy extended his strength towards her and she offered a mutter of thanks. “Charge!” the impolite overseer called. Winona immediately raised herself off the ground and scanned the battlefield for potentially danger enemies. Spotting one, she threw a fierce ball of flame down at the opposing mage, leaving him burnt and gasping for breath. She lowered herself a little and threw out a force beam, knocking down several opponents. Just as planned, many of her fellow soldiers swooped in to finish them off. Is this really helping anyone? she asked Cassidy in her mind. Wouldn’t I have helped more people by becoming an elder?

Perhaps war is your key to getting political power, the little cat replied. Try showing off as much as possible and then present your idea to the elders.

That sounds good, but for now I’ll focus on the skirmish. The war mage sent out a fatal strike to a nearby foe, contorting his face into a deathly scene. Her troop soon won the battle and went parading back to camp. But the whole way back, Winona had thoughts of take-over on her mind.

****

“We need to be focusing on ending this war more than winning it!” Winona called out. Her voice rang through the courtroom, angering the faces of some and bringing enlightened smiles to others. A human would have laughed at the confusing scene – an 8 year-old child barking political ideas to much older men and women. She had fast become a rising elder, eventually becoming the youngest ever Mage Elder at only 58. Political debate had made her mind age much quicker than she would have liked, making the once sweet and spoilt little girl nearly fade to make room for a manipulative, persuasive elder who cared about no views but her own.

“And since the elders of Nork and Treia are so unreasonable on the subject of truce, power is the way to go about it! A propose that my star-child and I embark on a venture to find such a power that will end the Overworld Wars.” Several voices cried out in protest.

“But how will Sahle keep its defences up with our senior Mage Elder gone?” accused one of the many enraged on-lookers.

“Surely our mighty country can fend for itself for a little while,” Winona answered back. “Or do you have no faith in your own country?” The other woman quickly sat down in defeat. Suddenly the three other senior elders stood up from their higher seats in unison.

“I am afraid we cannot leave our country so unprotected,” said the closest one. He was a bald man that had chosen to mature at a very late age. “Sahle’s well-being comes before any searches for power and surrender. There was nothing Winona could say to change the minds of her fellow elders - years in this position had taught her that. So she simply sat down in her central chair as the political meeting was adjourned.

****

“Are you coming, Cassidy?” Winona whispered angrily. “Those old fools have lived to long to see the country’s best interests.

“I’m not sure about this, Winona. Treason is an unforgivable crime.”

“You’re either with me or against me.” In answer, the cat jumped onto Winona’s shoulder as she stepped out of her elegant room. The elder halls were silent – exactly what Winona wanted to hear. She shut the door silently behind her and strung a red cloak over her dress. Her position in Sahle had taken her only so far, it would seem that ending this war was now a personal endeavour.

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