Livia, daughter of Hecate

[Catryn Greyling]

Name: Livia [Born Olivia Rose Aralec]

Age: 16 (Born December 21st; almost 17)

God Parent: Hecate

Mortal Family: Thomas Aralec (father, deceased), Jade McAlloy-Aralec (step-mother, unknown status), Louis Aralec (baby step-brother, unknown status), Amy Aralec (grandmother, deceased)

Years in Camp: 0 [Gonna be a rogue demigod. Though she will spend one day in camp. Stealing stuff. Huzzah!]

Brief History: Thomas Aralec was a simple man. He didn't make much money with his job as an elementary school teacher, but he didn't really care - he enjoyed his job, and he survived on his paycheck, so he was happy. Being from the UK, he didn't have any family members living near or with him in Illinois. He spent his days learning magic tricks to entertain himself, and occasionally it was a good way to get the little ones' attention at work. One day, out of the blue, he met a woman named Kate in a magic shop, and was immediately smitten. He began vying for her attention, and eventually got it.
     They were together for no more than a year. Kate left him with no explanation, no last goodbye. All she left was a baby, Olivia Rose Aralec. Thomas was heartbroken, but continued on with life for the sake of their daughter, and eventually found someone else when she was three. He married Jade McAlloy soon before her fourth birthday, with a baby brother already on the way. Olivia hadn't even gotten to meet Jade until the wedding, and was nothing short of unhappy when the stranger lady moved in. Jade didn't like Olivia much, either, and showed it. She and Thomas had arguments over Jade unfairly scolding the young girl, which, of course, Jade always won. Thomas wasn't sure what to do but hope they would come to peace eventually. And so the troubled household stayed that way.

     Not too long after, Thomas was killed by a hit-and-run motorcyclist. Livvie was then put into the sole custody of Jade. She was at the full mercy of a naturally mean and not to mention hormonal-from-pregnancy stepmother. She was scolded often, being yelled at or maybe even hit when Jade got really riled up. Jade wanted a perfect stepdaughter - no, she never wanted this stepdaughter - and Olivia, confused and scared, had no idea what she was doing wrong. When Louis McAlloy-Aralec was born, Jade only became more irritable, tired, and abusive, hitting and scolding young Olivia ever more frequently and spending the remainder of her time ignoring her, busy with baby Louis. After about a year of this, a grandmother Olivia never knew about came into town, and, after being harshly denied the right to see her granddaughter by Jade, she fought for the girl's custody and, with a bag of toffees and wits, managed to win.
     Her time with Amy was the best she could ever imagine. She raised her with a more gentle hand, helping Livvie along while making sure she would be strong enough to handle things on her own. Her fondest memories of Amy were the days of picking mangoes from the tree in her backyard, and getting strawberry ice-cream from the shop a few blocks away.
     About a year and a half later, Amy Aralec was diagnosed with cancer. Livvie was given back to Jade to take care of, but her worry for her grandmother exceeded that of her fear of her stepmother. It was around a week before her 8th birthday that Amy died.
     Things only got worse from there. Sometimes she'd yell back at Jade, only to cry in her room later. No matter what, it seemed, Jade was always the winner, and Olivia's fear of her broke any short bursts of courage. Slowly, though, the girl began numbing herself to the hurt caused by her stepmother, growing thicker skin and deciding that no matter what it was that Jade yelled at her for, she didn't have to listen. She wasn't even doing anything wrong. It was Jade's problem. Jade meant nothing. Authority meant nothing.
     It didn't take long for Olivia to make plans to run away, and when she snuck out of the house early that morning, she didn't look back.

     She didn't know where she was going. Losing herself in a forest near Lake Superior, she curled up and waited for someone, anyone, to pick her up and save her like they did for those princesses in her favorite movies when she was younger. She woke up to the face of such a person. He called himself David - and he wasn't alone. It was a group of three - David, who was ten; Tayler, a twelve-year-old; and Sarah, a sixteen-year-old and the leader of the trio. They determined that she was one of them, a 'half-blood', as they called it, by carefully pricking her left thumb with a special metal given to them by the satyrs, one they called Celestial bronze. This being her 'initiation', they took her in as one of their own.
     David was a son of Nemesis from Kansas; Tayler, who didn't know his god-parent yet, came from Texas; and Sarah was a daughter of the goddess Hebe from Missouri. They had lost their satyrs (half-goat guardians for demigods, as they told Livvie) on their way to some place called Camp Half-Blood, and had found each other and ended up traveling together in a general direction that they hoped was taking them towards camp. They had come to learn how to survive on the streets, defending themselves from monsters as they came.
     The quartet traveled along Lake Michigan, hoping that the lakeside would be safer than the streets, while trying to search for this safe haven. They eventually crossed into Ontario, and kept looking, losing hope slowly. They eventually decided to settle where they were. After all, they knew how to defend themselves. They could handle living as they did without going to camp. Or so they thought.
     By now, Livvie was 12. She had spent four years with this little group of rogues, and had spent them very happily, despite all the hardships they had to face. They were her new family, and there was nothing she wouldn't do for them. And there was nothing they wouldn't do for her. Monsters attacks were not too frequent, and it was usually enough for the older two to take care of. She had also developed something of a crush on David, and she felt as if he liked her too, though she never asked. Maybe later. They had plenty of time, right?
     It had seemed like a normal evening. The four were chatting at random and speaking of their old lives that they had left behind. Livvie had passed on that, but none of the other pried, just moved on to the next. Livvie stared into the fire, spacing out a little as Sarah spoke of her annoying older half-siblings. Out of nowhere their campfire was snuffed out, their backs pushed to the dying embers as the gleaming eyes of the Laistrygonian ambush surrounded them. Sarah and Tayler immediately leaped into action, clearing a path through the giants and yelling at David and Olivia to run. Neither wanted to leave the older two, but they had no choice. They fled the scene, heading for the lake where they had left a raft. They were almost there when some Laistrygonians began catching up. Both would've died if David had not pushed Livvie on and went back to distract them for as long as he could. She sat there at the shoreline, waiting for David to return from causing his diversion, but he never came. The Laistrygonians did. The twelve-year-old cut the line tying the raft to a rock on the shore, but she wasn't going to be able to sail away in time. The giants bore down on her, and with a wordless cry of fear, she caused a magic blast of energy that incinerated one of them and boosted her raft across the water. She awoke the next morning in the middle of the lake, tear stains dried on her cheeks, blood dried on the cut on her right arm, and the memories of her dead new family ripping at her mind.

     Once again, she was alone. She paddled determinedly away from the camp's direction. Her instincts screamed at her to go back for them, but a colder part of her mind knew that they were dead. Going back would be stupid. Besides, she couldn't face the Laistrygonians... especially not with just a dirk. She was still in a subdued state when she found a branch of the Amazons tribe. To them, she probably just came off as calm, and solemn, but in reality she was just closing herself off in her misery. They took her into their feminist family, but she knew better this time. These people were to mean very little to her, or they'd drop dead like the rest of them. And when they asked for her name, she hesitated, then said firmly, "Livia." She had changed too much, seen too much now to still consider herself the same person. Even if it was just knocking off one letter and forgetting her middle and last name, she felt as if it suited her. And she did change, and she continued to change. The happy little girl that had once jumped around with a Celestial bronze weapon like it was a toy was slowly corroding into a teen who gripped one of those weapons like her life depended on it, like she very well knew it did. She discovered herself as a daughter of Hecate, and learned she had the capacity to do magic. She fashioned herself a broadsword that she tinted black except for the edges, which gleamed a wicked bronze. The dirk from her past she kept, but modified and kept to herself. It was now slimmer and sleeker, with a barbed end, and it compacted into the hilt, a black baton she kept on her right sleeve; it was a weapon of stealth, designed to come out of nowhere and create the final, painful blow. She didn't let any of the other Amazons know of it, just in case she needed a surprise on her side...
     It's been almost five years since then. Along the way she had met a griffin, which was going to be put on sale. However, she had connected really well with it, and since she was the second-in-command at that time, she was allowed to keep him, naming him Edgar. He kept her sane, but the fact that her life had been in major blocks of four years, and that she was now heading towards her fifth year with the Amazons... it unsettled her. It was just a matter of time, she knew, before this period of her life came to a close. And then, Nadia, the leader in their branch, died in a fight. Livia, being her second-in-command, took her place. Some murmured dissent, knowing Livia's unpredictable behaviour. This came mostly from another girl named Taren. And so, Taren challenged Livia to a duel for the leadership of the Amazons' Ontario branch. Perhaps there had been some doubt in the challenger's mind, however, because the afternoon before the duel, she did what Livia had always been paranoid about: she went after Edgar. Thankfully Livia managed to stop her before she could hurt her griffin, and the duel came to start a little early. Taren charged, and Livia blocked with her greatsword, Shadows' Revenge, and without a second thought, quickly whipped out her surprise - the dirk Thorn - and embedded her 'surprise' into her rival before she ever saw it coming.
     The other Amazons took it with a little tinge of what looked like disappointment to Livia, but accepted it; the duel had unexpectedly happened earlier, and she had defeated Taren, and that was that. But Livia shook her head and announced her leave. The Amazons were surprised and confused. She had won her place. Why was she leaving? But for Livia, this had been a long time coming. The incident with Edgar and Taren was a sign, and really, there was nothing left for her with the Amazons anyway. So with that, she climbed onto Edgar's back, and the two flew off, headed for a destination even they did not know.



Physical Appearance: Livia has medium-length, curly, honey-blonde hair that she usually ties up, framing a face that's a little on the pale side, and often wearing a serious expression. Her dark blue eyes usually contain a stormy, calculating look, much like that of an Athena child's, though perhaps a little colder and fiercer on her. She is around 5'7, with a rather muscular build. She has a scar on her upper right arm, which is often visible since her choice of clothing typically leaves her shoulders bare - a black tank top under a black vest. She also wears black leather jeggings and black high-tops, an imprint left from her time as an Amazon.

Personality: Livia Aralec is not an easy person to know. She's a warrior at heart, and a cold one at that. Her past has taught her not to let people in, as they'll all just leave eventually; they're an unnecessary part of life. She considered the Amazons allies, but not truly her family, or even friends. She's very proud, and will insist on doing things her way. She is condescending and arrogant in the way she talks to people, though on a good day she's just indifferent. Among the Amazons, fortunately, the way she acts is, for the most part, excused. She has a lot of pent-up anger that she lets out on any enemy she encounters; the ferocity is enough to scare even her own team. Accepting a loss is something Livia is not really capable of, and she chooses to pin the blame elsewhere whenever she must. Even for little things, she will never admit to being wrong or even not completely correct. She has few hesitations to kill those who offend her, though her fellow Amazons have held her back before. However, she does have soft spots for very few - like her griffin, Edgar. She loves him dearly, but also sees him as a weakness and is paranoid that he could be used against her. And that is another one of her weaknesses - she is mistrustful to the point of paranoia, and always watching her surroundings and over-analyzing the people around her in case of a threat. Her sleep is often fitful, but she usually gets enough rest.

Fatal Flaw: Personal loyalty. Now, Livia is not one to let people in, knowing from past experience that it never ends well. But once someone gets past her many walls, despite her many attempts to prevent it from happening, she becomes aggressively loyal and would do anything for that person. She becomes someone's most fierce protector, ready to slash down anyone who presents even the slightest threat to her loved ones, possibly picking fights with all the wrong people and monsters. She would very much destroy the world for someone she cared about, though it wouldn't be too hard of a decision considering she couldn't care less about the rest of the world. People could easily hurt Livia through her loved ones, and as much as she hates being controlled by people, she'd do whatever they want as long as she can save those she cares about, even give her own life. She is aware of how she can be used this way, and is in fact quite paranoid of it. In her paranoia, for both people hurting the people she cares about and people becoming someone she cares about, she stresses herself out and may irritate and turn people against her.

Talents: Combat (hand-to-hand or with her sword), can perform some magic, and manipulate the Mist

Weapons: Shadows' Revenge, a tinted black greatsword with a regular Celestial bronze edging, typically held with both hands but Livia occasionally uses it with one hand. In the other hand, she may use a generic shield (not that she has one on hand anymore) or her dirk, Thorn, which she keeps under wraps, only to use in dire emergencies as an element of surprise.

Other: Left-handed. She has a deep fear of Laistrygonians, because of how her last family died. Her only reason for existence is so Cat, Ri and Jake have a reason to go on a quest together. xD

[Cerulaen]

Just as a random comment, you explain Celestial bronze twice in the history. xP

I find her FF rather confusing. Which trait is the fatal one? You mention several, so I'm not sure which one you're talking about. xP And once you tell me, I would put that trait first, then expound upon it from there.

I don't think I really had any other comments... other than she could probably be more talented with the Mist if you wanted her to, cuz it's not like Hazel was a daughter of Hecate, and that Taren seems like too awesome of a name to waste on a dead girl. xP Oh, and since we were planning on David being discovered to be alive... how does he get away from the man-eating Laistrygonians? That one I'm just curious about. xP Maybe you can PM me?

[Catryn Greyling]

Oh, dang it, let me fix that. *takes out the second explanation of Celestial bronze* And her fatal flaw, personal loyalty, simplified as well. ^_^" Sorry 'bout that one, I felt the need to point out that at first glance, Livia doesn't exactly sound like someone who would care that much for people (she really doesn't ). And a little more Mist powa added, huzzah!

It is a shame about Taren, though. xP She was going to be Tara, but there was already Nadia and Livia with the A's at the end. D: Never fear, her name shall appear again elsewhere. I think. Probably.  And yes, I shall sendeth a PM to thee.

[Cerulaen]

And I'm going to guess this loyalty is bad because it could be used against her? Like people threatening the ones she actually cares for?

[Catryn Greyling]

OH. Forgot the fatal part of the fatal flaw. But yes, that is correct. Let me add that in. ^_^"

[Cerulaen]

Okay, looks good. Approved! : D

[GeneralArin]

Approved.

[Catryn Greyling]

Thanks, Jake! And Ceru.

[Cerulaen]

Just another step closer to our quest. ;-)

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