Enyxia Markov
Enyxia Markov is a Plasidian woman and Mystic Empress of the Avinadal Empire, though for the first years of her life she was little more than a vessel waiting to be claimed. Born in 177 AF to Amelie Markov and Augustus Markov — a union forced by their mother, Queen Edith, who believed the Markov bloodline was the key to restoring her fading power — Enyxia was never intended to be a person. She was placed into stasis as an infant and kept alive by machines while Edith spent years preparing the ritual that would allow her to take over Enyxia's body.
She had no childhood, no memories, no sense of self. Edith calculated that this emptiness would make the takeover effortless.
What Edith did not account for was her other granddaughter, Persephone — Piper — whose essence survived death as a crystalline shard in Aries Villanite's possession. When Aries stormed the ritual hall in 190 AF and drove Piper's crystal into Edith's chest mid-takeover, Piper entered the contested body and pushed Edith out from the inside. What followed was a long, private conversation between two sisters — one dying, one waking up for the first time.
After Edith's death, Enyxia emerged carrying an enormous amount of Mystic power and something perhaps more remarkable: the collective memories of every Plasidian citizen, absorbed during the ritual. She chose to use this not as Edith had intended, but as something entirely new. She proposed a joint rule with Aries, and the two fell deeply in love. He named the empire Avinadal after Piper's middle name.
Enyxia is not a subtle ruler. She has a talent for public statements that embarrass the Santerran Federation without technically accusing them of anything, and her command of Myst is described by those who have witnessed it as uncomfortable to watch. She rules alongside Aries with a warmth that runs contrary to everything Edith stood for.
Enyxia Markov woke up for the first time as an adult, with no childhood, no formation, and the memories of every Plasidian citizen inside her head. She had to build herself from scratch out of everything she had inherited from others — and the person she assembled from those pieces is warm, direct, and thoroughly her own.
She is openly emotional. When she told Augustus that she loved Aries and would do anything for him, she said it without embarrassment, as a fact being reported. She does not perform restraint she does not feel. In a family shaped largely by manipulation and suppressed pain, this reads as revolutionary.
She is also politically sharp in a way that does not announce itself. Her response to questions about the Hadi Enterprises logo plastered throughout the raided facility — "Oh, so it is. I didn't recognize the logo. I'm sure the Federation will be looking into how one of Hadi Enterprises' non-domestic facilities was stolen by pirates" — is the kind of statement that ends careers without technically saying anything actionable. She is aware of exactly what she is doing.
The enormous volume of voices and memories she carries inside her mind is both a burden and a resource. It gives her an unusual capacity for empathy: she has the felt experience of thousands of lives to draw on. She also knows what it is like to feel overwhelmed by voices she cannot quiet — something she and Aries bonded over almost immediately.
Her love for Aries is not deferential. She proposed to him, told him what she wanted, and made room for him to choose differently. She does not minimize herself to fit around him. What she offers is genuine partnership, and she expects the same in return, which is why it works.
Aries Villanite: Years 175–178 AF — Kanin, Robin Flynn, and the Markov Succession ►
Following the HEMPP power plant explosion, fifteen-year-old Aries Villanite wakes in a field on Anili Island. The incident is officially classified as industrial terrorism by the Public Data Trust, suppressing rumors of a monster. Aries, now carrying the absorbed memories and voices of those he consumed—including Piper and Kiriko—struggles with acute self-loathing and a perceived lack of empathy, exacerbating his existing mental disorders. Attempting to leave Anili for Kerbas Island, he is aided by Kanin, who pays his passage. Kanin believes Aries' account entirely and advises discretion. The two part ways on Kerbas, but the encounter catalyzes Aries' stabilization. He settles in Palin City, taking work with local gangs and developing a charismatic persona built from absorbed memories. He meets Robin Flynn, a member of the Palin City Mafia, after intervening in an assault against her. Their relationship develops from reluctant acquaintance to romantic partnership. When Robin is assaulted by the don of the rival Eiston Family and abandoned by her mother, Aries infiltrates the estate, allows himself to be tortured, and kills the don and several underlings using his Beast Form. Kanin subsequently recruits both into an operation dismantling violent gangs across Kerbas Island. The three operate for roughly two years, gaining a positive reputation. The partnership ends when Robin is abducted; Aries' uncontrolled Beast Form during her rescue terrifies her, and she rejects him. Aries returns home to find Kanin's severed head. Concurrently in Markovia, Edith Markov forces her children Amelie and Augustus to conceive. Enyxia Markov is born in 177 AF and immediately placed in stasis as Edith's future vessel.
Aries Villanite: Years 175–178 AF — Kanin, Robin Flynn, and the Markov Succession ►
Following the HEMPP power plant explosion, fifteen-year-old Aries Villanite wakes alone on Anili Island. The incident is officially classified as industrial terrorism by the Public Data Trust, suppressing rumors of a secret lab and monster sightings. Aries wanders the cities, overwhelmed by the absorbed memories and voices of those he consumed, including Piper and Kiriko. His mental disorders intensify as he conflates self-blame with a perceived lack of empathy, deepening his self-loathing. He meets Kanin while attempting to cross to Kerbas Island without funds; Kanin pays his passage and believes Aries' extraordinary account without question. Kanin advises Aries to withhold his story publicly until he understands himself better. Though Kanin offers continued companionship, Aries declines, unwilling to misrepresent himself. In Palin City, Aries takes work with local gangs and meets Robin Flynn, a member of the Palin City Mafia. After intervening in an assault on Robin and later avenging her abuse at the hands of the Eiston Family don by entering Beast Form and killing him and several underlings, Aries, Robin, and the returning Kanin form a small anti-gang team operating across Kerbas Island for roughly two years. Aries and Kanin develop an exceptionally close bond. The partnership ends when Robin is abducted; Aries loses control of his Beast Form during her rescue, terrifying her. She rejects him in panic, and he retreats. He returns home to find Kanin's severed head. Concurrently in Markovia, Edith Markov forces her children Amelie and Augustus to conceive a new vessel. Enyxia Markov is born in 177 AF and immediately placed in stasis for Edith's long-term possession project. Augustus is publicly exiled and disowned.
Aries Villanite: Years 176–179 AF — Kerbas Island, Robin Flynn, and Kanin's Death ►
Following the power plant incident on Anili island, Aries Villanite wakes in a field and spends days wandering cities plagued by power failures. He is haunted by the absorbed memories and voices of those he consumed, including Maggi and Kiriko, which exacerbates his mental disorders and deepens his self-loathing and perceived lack of empathy. Unable to afford naval passage to Kerbas island, he is aided by Kanin, a blond-haired, green-eyed man who pays his fare. Kanin believes Aries' extraordinary account without question and advises him to withhold his story until he better understands himself. Aries declines Kanin's offer to travel together, citing uncertainty about his own identity, but their brief connection catalyzes his decision to settle in Palin City on Kerbas island. There, Aries takes work with local gangs and develops a charismatic persona built from absorbed memories. He meets Robin Flynn, a member of the Palin City Mafia, after intervening in an assault against her. The two form a close bond, and when Robin is victimized by the Eiston Family don, Aries infiltrates the estate, allows himself to be captured and tortured, then kills the don and several underlings using his Beast Form. Kanin later recruits Aries and Robin into a team dismantling violent gangs across Kerbas island. Aries and Kanin become exceptionally close friends. The partnership ends when Robin is abducted and Aries, losing control of his Beast Form during her rescue, terrifies her with uncontrolled Malei energy. Robin flees from him. Aries returns home to find Kanin's severed head delivered to his door. Separately, in year 177 AF, Enyxia Markov is born and immediately placed in stasis by Edith Markov, who intends her as a future vessel.
Discovery of Maleidic Radiation and the Theft of Maltech (Years 139–160 AF) ►
Dr. Octavia Rousseau discovered Maleidic Radiation while surveying anomalous energy readings on Anili Island, where she unearthed an ancient sword buried within a mountain. Her experimental instruments detected an unknown energy emanating from the sword. To safely harness it, Rousseau developed a prototype glass orb designed to contain and refine the radiation for external processing. Seeking a trusted collaborator, she used her FIST credentials to review scientific profiles and selected Dr. Idris Hadi, a scientist previously involved in the discovery of Myst. After revealing her prototype during their meeting, Idris attacked Rousseau, rendering her unconscious. He subsequently smashed the orb, causing the sword to reject him and trigger an explosion that transported him to the Maleidic realm, where he devoured a manifestation of Rousseau, absorbing her memories and knowledge. Upon returning to the material realm, Idris's eyes became gold and glowing. Using Rousseau's stolen knowledge, he stabilized the radiation and developed the foundational technology for the Hadi Enterprises Maleidic Power Plant (HEMPP). Idris cultivated powerful connections across industries interested in Malei's energy and mutational properties. One such connection was Edith Markov, Queen of the Plasidian kingdom of Markov, whose exceptional Myst abilities were waning. Believing Malei could restore her power through a new vessel, Edith arranged for Idris to take her granddaughter, Persephone Avinadalia Markov, born in 159 AF, to be raised as that vessel. Persephone's birth was concealed from the public under the false claim of stillbirth.
Formation of the Avinadal Empire and the Plasid Campaign ►
The Villanite Trading Company recruited Talia Hekata, a Hornhound dominatrix and sex therapist, as a mental health consultant. After a confrontation in which Aries shifted into beast form, Talia pledged loyalty to him and joined the team with a goal of building a capable imperial staff. Separately, Aries traveled to Plasid after Piper's crystal activated, where he learned of Empress Edith Markov's plan to transfer her consciousness into Enyxia Markov's body using a ritual that would absorb the memories of all Plasidian citizens. Trained in both Myst and Malei by Augustus Markov, Aries allied with Crowned Prince Vinisent Atril and Queen Lynia Yawlin to oppose Edith. The campaign involved liberating slaves in Harkul, surviving military assaults from Edith's forces, and the capture of Augustus and Apollo Regulus. Aries defeated Edith by using Piper's crystal to drive her from Enyxia's body, with Piper's essence expelling Edith before fading. Arielle killed Edith's physical body, trapping her in the Maleidic Realm. Following the victory, Aries and Enyxia founded the Avinadal Empire, named after Piper's middle name Avinadalia. Enyxia became Empress, and a formal imperial hierarchy was established encompassing the Regulus Sanguarchate and Plasidian Triumvirate. Lynia Yawlin and Arielle Villanite joined as High Imperial Consorts. Nyx Regulus and Aurelia Villanite also formed a romantic relationship during this period.
Year 193 AF+: Lueria's Evidence and the Avinadal Press Release ►
In 193 AF+, Aries Villanite and Kiriko are reunited with Lueria, a figure from Aries' past connected to his escape from a Santerran facility. Lueria reveals she retained files and evidence stolen during that escape and has since collaborated with Avlister, a small activist group that spent years documenting corruption within the Santerran Federation. Avlister had been paralyzed by fear of retaliation, as similar groups were routinely eliminated by the Federation upon discovery. Frustrated by inaction, Lueria risks her life and her connections within the group by approaching Aries directly with the accumulated evidence.
This intelligence enables the Empire of Avinadal to issue a public press release exposing a secret facility housing slaves and research subjects. Avinadal claims to have already raided the so-called pirate-owned facility and relocated all prisoners as refugees to Regulus and Plasid. The release conspicuously features visible Hadi Enterprises branding throughout the facility. When pressed in an interview, Enyxia Markov feigns ignorance of the logo, sarcastically suggesting the Federation would investigate how a Hadi Enterprises facility fell into pirate hands. The statement places the Santerran Federation under significant public scrutiny regarding its knowledge of and involvement in the facility's operations.
During the raid, the team discovers a mysterious teal slime creature and rescues Willow Yunaska, a prisoner who had not yet been subjected to experimentation. In gratitude, Willow volunteers to serve as Aries' personal assistant.
Year 193 AF+: Lueria's Evidence and the Avinadal Press Release ►
In 193 AF+, Aries Villanite is contacted by Lueria, a figure from his past connected to his escape from a Santerran facility. Lueria, alongside Kiriko, reunites with Aries and reveals she retained files and evidence stolen during his breakout. She has since joined Avlister, a small activist group that spent years documenting corruption within the Santerran Federation government. Despite their findings, Avlister remained inactive due to fear of retaliation, as similar groups had been eliminated by the Federation. Frustrated by the group's paralysis, Lueria approaches Aries directly, risking her life and her connections within Avlister to push for action. This collaboration leads to the Empire of Avinadal issuing a public press release exposing a secret facility housing slaves and research subjects. Avinadal claims to have raided the facility, attributing it to pirates, while simultaneously broadcasting visible Hadi Enterprises branding throughout. Enyxia Markov, when questioned about the logos in an interview, deflects with deliberate irony, placing pressure on the Santerran Federation to explain the connection. The release forces a global public reckoning over whether the Federation had knowledge of Hadi Enterprises' operations. During the raid on this facility, the team discovers a mysterious teal slime creature and rescues Willow Yunaska, a prisoner who had not yet been subjected to experimentation. In gratitude, Willow volunteers to serve as Aries' personal assistant.
Years 190–193 AF: The Plasidian Campaign and Rise of the Villanite Coalition ►
Between 190–193 AF, Aries Villanite (age 30) expands the Villanite Trading Company by recruiting Talia Hekata, a Hornhound dominatrix and sex therapist, as mental health consultant. Talia submits to Aries after a confrontation triggers his beast form, thereafter dedicating herself to building an elite staff for him. A Plasidian delegation led by Augustus Markov, Crown Prince Vynisian Atril, and handler Katalyn Atrilmed arrives at VTC HQ requesting Aries' help to stop Edith Markov's ritual — a consciousness-transfer targeting Enyxia Markov's body, which would grant Edith control over all Plasidian memories. Aries agrees and travels to Plasid with Augustus and Apollo Regulus, receiving training in both Myst and Malei. The coalition secures alliances with Yawlin under Queen Rosalynia Yawlinitik and Atril, then liberates Harkul from a corrupt regime concealing a slave trade. Katalyn Atrilmed, manipulated by radical Atrilian Nationalists who were secretly poisoning Atril's king, attempts to assassinate Aries; Aries subdues her and executes her at Vynisian's reluctant direction. During the campaign against Edith's forces, Augustus and Apollo are captured. Aries defeats Edith by using Piper's crystal to expel her from Enyxia's body; Arielle kills Edith's physical form, trapping Edith in the Maleidic Realm. Enyxia, carrying the memories of all Plasidians and vast Mystic power, proposes assuming Edith's rule as a benevolent successor. Augustus recommends she rule jointly with Aries, whom Enyxia openly declares she loves.
Years 190–193 AF: The Plasidian Campaign and Rise of the Villanite Coalition ►
Between 190–193 AF, Aries Villanite (age 30) expands the Villanite Trading Company's influence by recruiting Talia Hekata, a Hornhound dominatrix and sex therapist, as a mental health consultant. After a confrontation in which Aries shifts into beast form, Talia swears loyalty to him and becomes a key advisor. A Plasidian delegation led by Augustus Markov, Crown Prince Vynisian Atril, and handler Katalyn Atrilmed arrives at VTC HQ requesting Aries' help to stop Edith Markov's ritual, which would transfer her consciousness into Enyxia Markov's body using consolidated Plasidian memories. Aries agrees and travels to Plasid with Augustus, where he, Apollo Regulus, and Vynisian train in both Myst and Malei under Augustus. The coalition secures alliances with Yawlin and Atril, liberates enslaved citizens in Harkul, and overthrows its corrupt government. Katalyn Atrilmed, manipulated by radical Atrilian Nationalists who were secretly poisoning Atril's king, attempts to assassinate Aries; Aries subdues her and Vynisian is forced to condemn her. In the final campaign against Edith, Augustus and Apollo are captured. Aries defeats Edith by using Piper's crystal to expel her from Enyxia's body; Arielle kills Edith's physical form, trapping Edith in the Maleidic Realm. Enyxia, carrying the memories of all Plasidians and vast Mystic power, proposes ruling Plasid benevolently. Augustus recommends she rule jointly with Aries, whom she loves. Augustus also reveals Piper is Persephone Avinadalia Markov, Amelie's missing first daughter.