Emerge: The Scholar: A Fully Illustrated Character Journal

by Melissa A. Craven

  OCCUPATIONS: Senior at Cliffton Academy in Lakewood, Ohio. She is a straight A student, poised to become valedictorian of her class. She is also captain of the girl’s basketball team and has been since her sophomore year. She also plays volleyball. I wouldn’t want to face her on the court. The girl is fiercely competitive. I much prefer watching and cheering from the sidelines. It is my specialty, after all.

  HISTORICAL BIO: Sasha doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t a member of the McBrien family. But for the first five years of her life, she lived in an orphanage in Haiti until Naeemah found her there in 2003. Naeemah was traveling with Ming Lao on a Senate mission to deter an earthquake from the area. (Ming’s gift allows her a modicum of control over seismic activity, but she would normally have gone alone or with her Complement, Jin Jing.) Something urged Naeemah to go with her—it was the pull of her youngest daughter trying to find her.

  Naeemah and Gregg had some trouble with the adoption through mortal channels, but eventually brought her home just before her fifth birthday. At the time they did not know how old she was. As she reached adolescence, it became a waiting game of when she would wake one morning to discover it was her sixteenth birthday. When her Awakening came before Aidan’s, it was a surprise to everyone that she was actually older than the brother who treated her like a little sister.

  CURRENT BIO: Sasha always had a close connection with Quinn Loukas. Even as children, they were drawn to each other. Quinn was her first boyfriend, first kiss, first sparring partner and the first to break her heart. As his gifts began to manifest in ways he struggled to control, he distanced himself from her. The two have been on and off again for years, never quite able to find the right balance in their relationship. He has been absent from her life for nearly a year and the separation has profoundly affected her—more than anyone realizes. She keeps her emotions in check, but in his absence, she has floundered, unsure of who she is without him.

  ABILITIES: Sasha is second only to Allie and Aidan in power among their friends. She isn’t quite the anomaly they are, but she definitely turns heads when she enters a room—and not only because she is beautiful.

  Her defining gift is her ability to communicate with animals. She “speaks” to them through visual thoughts, rather than with words—it is fascinating to watch this gift develop. Animals treat her with great respect and never fear her. They will protect her at any cost. She can also heal animals the way Aidan can heal humans, but that part of her gift will not fully mature until she is much older. She can heal minor injuries, such as a bird’s broken wing or an injured paw.

  She also has an affinity with wind in its natural state, which has yet to completely manifest. She can stir an existing wind and she can manipulate temperatures like Aidan does, but she is uncertain of its full potential. Most assume the gift will be much like her father’s ability to manipulate weather conditions. Eventually she should be able to direct tornados or hurricanes along a path of least destruction. It chills my blood to think such feisty, spirited girl will have the power to control tornados. God help the man who pisses her off.

  WEAPONS: Sasha loves for weapons the way most girls love shoes—a characteristic she’s inherited from her father. She prefers to fight with a Highland dirk or a 16th century French Saber. Most of her jewelry is disguised as a concealed weapon, designed by her father. She wears a silver bracelet that becomes a barbed whip in an instant.

  TALENTS/SKILLS: She is the fastest of her friends; the only one who could ever catch her in a race is Graham. She is also one of the strongest. Sasha can hit any target. No matter what. She never misses her mark. Gregg worries the Senate will eventually want to use her as an assassin because of this talent, but he and Naeemah have worked hard to keep it a secret. Sasha is under strict warning to never use this gift in public. She doesn’t understand how the Senate could force her hand if they knew what she could do.

  Sasha is also a talented artist. She favors oil painting and watercolors. I have a small painting of hers, hanging in my office. She gave it to me when I visited Kelleys Island when she was still very young. Of course, she, nor any of the others, remembers my visit.

  TOP SECRET NOTES: Sasha carries an ancient heritage with links to Indriell nobility. If the Indriell court still existed, Sasha would have probably been considered the highest lady, second only to the First Princess. She would have been raised in the palace along with the First Princess and she would have eventually become her most trusted advisor. Once the new queen ascended, a woman such as Sasha would have become head of the queen’s council.

  ~ ~ ~

  Aidan

  Aidan Loukas McBrien II

  Never, in all my thousands of years, have I met a young man quite like Aidan. For one so young, he has suffered much in his loneliness, but he still manages to find an inner strength few possess. His penchant for getting into trouble, greatly reminds me of another troubled young man I knew a long time ago, and he turned out just fine. I find myself cheering for Aidan even when Gregg is ready to throttle him. How amusing it is to see the apple has not fallen far from the tree.

  One of the greatest joys I have ever known in my role as Scholar was watching Aidan and Allie meet. It is a powerful thing, meeting a true equal for the first time, and for these two, the meeting was well timed as both were at a crossroads of desperation in their loneliness. I look forward to seeing what their futures hold.

  AGE: 17

  BIRTHDATE: December 31, 1998

  BIRTH STATUS: Unknown Origins, born near Dublin Ireland. His father found him alone in the woods, just after a terrible storm.

  MENTOR: Jin Jing Long

  CURRENT LOCATION: Kelleys Island, Ohio

  APPEARANCE:

  EYE COLOR: Black Star Sapphire

  HEIGHT: 6’4”

  HAIR COLOR: Black with traces of blue

  ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Caucasian American with Irish ancestry

  OCCUPATIONS: Aidan is a senior at Cliffton Academy, in Lakewood, Ohio where he is First Violinist and Concert Master of the Cliffton Symphony Orchestra. His father, Greggory McBrien and his mentor, Jin Jing Long have given Aidan the responsibility of leading his young group of Immortal friends. Aidan is in charge when they are away from home. He hates this duty more than anything. Part of his responsibility as leader is to teach his youngest friends, Chloe and Graham. He makes up for it by teaching them fun things that would make the adults think twice about letting him teach. He figures it’s their problem for giving a seventeen year old that kind of responsibility and expect him to be mature about it. I can’t help but agree with him.

  HISTORICAL BIO: Aidan always knew he was Immortal, but by the time he was three years old, he knew that even among his extraordinary family he was different. As a child, he couldn’t understand why people didn’t like to be near him, or why his own mother flinched at his touch. Despite her visceral response to her son’s power, Aidan and Naeemah have always had a close relationship. It kills her to see him suffer, and it kills him to watch her worry about him.

  It wasn’t until his parents adopted his sister, Sasha that Aidan knew what it was like to have a friend. They were both five years old when Sasha joined the family and they were best friends on sight, even though they didn’t speak the same language. Sasha was always wary of his power, but she rarely let it get to her. Aidan’s bond with his sister runs deep—as if the two were meant to be twins. As he grew into adolescence and faced his oncoming Awakening, Aidan withdrew into himself, letting few, if any, see how much he was hurting. Once he came into his power and realized how difficult it would be to control it, Aidan’s despair reached a whole new level—until a girl named Allie came along, and he finally knew what it was like to have an equal. Allie never saw the Aidan who was regarded as the most powerful of his generation. She never showed him deference, respect, or fear. She never shifted nervously in his presence. She just saw Aidan the boy, and that changed everything for him.

  CURRENT BIO: Allie's friendship h
as made a huge difference in Aidan’s life. He finally let go of his lonely past, but he still worries about his future, and now Allie’s too. They are extremely powerful and Aidan knows there will be many who will want to use them or control them. He still struggles to maintain control of his power. Through his healing gift he feels the pain of everyone around him. He still feels like an outsider in his own family, but all of that is easier to bear because he has someone who knows exactly what that feels like. But Aidan is an extrovert. He craves the company of other people and struggles when he is alone. Allie is an introvert and feels the exact opposite. Those opposing sides of their natures create a lot of friction between them. Until they can truly understand each other, they will always struggle to find a balance in their friendship.

  These two children will bear the weight of the world on their young shoulders far too soon. It is a joy to watch them from afar as they come into their own. I have every confidence they will surprise us all with their wisdom.

  ABILITIES: Aidan's healing gift won’t be fully realized for many years, but he can heal small injuries and most notably, he can help someone suffering with depression or anxiety. But the gift is sometimes a curse because he can feel the pain those around him experience and it’s a constant battle to keep himself separated from the onslaught of so much suffering. He can also manipulate temperatures on a small scale, which should grow into something more defined as he ages.

  Aidan has an affinity for fire in its natural state, but it is a volatile gift he doesn’t quite understand. He has lost control on two occasions, leaving those close to him with injuries he couldn’t heal. Aidan is a talented fighter, but will occasionally slip into a trance where he doesn’t really feel emotion or anything that would get in the way of his agenda. In this trance, he is brawn and steel. Right now, Allie is the only one who can pull him out of it when he is too far gone.

  Because they are equals, Allie and Aidan have the potential to share certain gifts. Allie has an affinity for telepathy, and because she trusts Aidan more than anyone, the two share a telepathic link. The gift works differently for him than it does for her and he has a difficult time blocking her from his mind. (As an innocent bystander, I get a great deal of amusement watching them learn to cope with this particular gift. It’s better than anything on television.)

  In the years to come, Aidan's charm and charisma will develop into a gift, much like his grandfather, Sayid’s ability to manipulate those around him. My guess is this won't work on Allie or Sasha. I'm currently taking bets.

  WEAPONS: Aidan fights with a variety of weapons. He is skilled with the Italian rapier and dagger, but prefers a custom weapon Gregg designed for him. The dual blades are the length of a long dagger, but they join to form one weapon he wields with precision.

  TALENTS/SKILLS: Aidan is a talented violinist and has been since he was four years old. As a child, he was drawn to the instrument and was always a gifted player. From the moment of his Awakening, Aidan’s power has manifested through his music. When he plays, it is an emotional and extremely private experience for him. All of his worries and fears, happiness and sadness come out when he plays. Anyone who listens is affected by his music because he can make them feel what he feels, he can communicate through music in a way he can’t with words. The only person he has ever played for in this way is Allie. It’s too personal to share with anyone else. I refuse to watch when he plays. It is one of the rare occurrences when my gift leaves me feeling like a voyeur for spying on something so deeply personal.

  TOP SECRET NOTES: Aidan doesn't know it, but Gregg and Naeemah have taken extreme measures to keep the Senate ignorant of the strength of his power. They fear if the Senate knew how powerful he was they would attempt to interfere in his training or try to control him. They want to give him the opportunity to become the man he should be, and not the man the Senate would create.

  ~ ~ ~

  Allie

  Alexis Ann Marie Carmichael

  It has been painful to watch Allie throughout her adolescence, trying to find her place in a world that never accepted her. I thought about stepping in to help her get the training she needed, but at the same time I understood she was right where she should be with the family she loves. Tearing her away from that one comfort would have been a terrible mistake. I was overjoyed when I realized the Carmichaels were on the move again, heading for a place where Allie would meet those like her. I watched with rapt attention during those first few days when she met Aidan and Sasha. They accepted her so readily, it almost seemed too easy. Too effortless. But that is how true friendship should be––effortless.

  Aidan and Allie are the two most powerful Immortals of their generation. But the world isn't quite ready for them yet. I fear we will never really be ready for the future these two represent.

  AGE: 17 on her next birthday

  BIRTHDATE: October 31, 1999

  BIRTH STATUS: Unknown origin, born in South Africa. She was discovered in a hospital waiting room, just hours old.

  MENTOR: Emma Renard

  CURRENT LOCATION: Kelleys Island, Ohio

  APPEARANCE:

  EYE COLOR: Peridot Green

  HEIGHT: 5’2”

  HAIR COLOR: Red with threads of copper, silver and gold.

  ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Born in South Africa and adopted by mortals, Lily and Carson Carmichael, not much of Allie’s past is known. Her features hint at racial ambiguity, but it remains uncertain where her heritage lies.

  OCCUPATIONS: Senior at Cliffton Academy. Co Captain of the girl’s Basketball team. She also plays volleyball and participates in an advanced art group.

  HISTORICAL BIO: Even as a small child, Allie knew she was different. Other children never wanted to play with her and she spent so much of her time alone, I worried for her constantly. When she was six years old, Allie attended school in Germany. She struggled to find her place among her young peers. When she tried to play with some of the other children during recess, one of the girls told Allie she wasn’t welcome. When she didn’t immediately leave, a boy pushed her down and everyone laughed. It tore my heart to pieces to watch her experience that kind of rejection at such an impressionable age. That experience has always stayed with her. Over the years, I've watched helplessly as she retreated further into herself and her own pursuits, rarely letting anyone get close.

  When her sixteenth birthday turned her world upside-down, Allie had to adapt to a new life surrounded by people who accepted her like none ever had before. But she secretly struggled with her introverted nature and quickly tired of the constant swarm of people. Sometimes she misses her solitude, but I know she wouldn’t trade her new friends for anything. In a way, she is a lot like me. I enjoy my solitude, but I still have great love for my family and friends. I just like them to go home every now and then and leave me to my peace and quiet.

  CURRENT BIO: Her friendship with Aidan has changed Allie’s life forever. He means more to her than she can ever express in words, but her life has changed so much, so quickly she is still reeling. She is one of the most powerful Immortals of her generation but she is struggling to maintain control of her power more than ever now. There is so much she still needs to learn, and her deepest fear is never measuring up to the expectations of others. The poor girl puts a tremendous amount of pressure on herself and if she doesn't learn to manage her emotions, she will lose control and that could be disastrous.

  Allie finds great comfort in her artwork but in recent months, she has neglected her art. For years, she lost herself in her artistic pursuits. Drawing, painting and sculpting were like a compulsion to her. As she came into her power, she realized her artwork had always been an outlet for her. A way to express her gifts, long before they manifested. I imagine she will learn to communicate through her artwork, much as Aidan does through his music. She needs the cathartic release she experiences when she truly gives herself over to the creative process. But she must learn to relinquish control and let the floodgates open, otherwise,
she will remain a bundle of pent up emotions and fury.

  ABILITIES: Allie will be a powerful Clairvoyant someday, but she is still very young and her true potential is not fully apparent yet. In its earliest stages, the gift manifested as strong intuition, which has evolved into uncertain dreams and visions. She struggles to understand the violent nightmares that leave her unrested and traumatized. Allie is also a telepath, but thus far has only linked with Aidan because she trusts him like no other. The telepathic link allows their dreams to mingle in the dreamworld. But when Allie has a clairvoyant dream, Aidan watches as a spectator, rather than a participant. These intense dreams leave them both exhausted and unsettled. They’ve discovered that sleeping together allows them to stay in the same sleep cycle and thus avoid the nightmares completely––a rather convenient excuse for Aidan to sneak into her bedroom at night. It's quite entertaining when Liam kicks him out. I'm waiting for it to get violent. My bet is Aidan will go sailing over the side of that tower bedroom before too much longer. (Liam has taken to the overprotective big brother role with zeal.) Allie still hasn’t been able to face these dreams on her own yet and I'm not sure she even realizes how much she coming to depend on Aidan.

  Allie's solar gift allows her to absorb solar energy and use it to power things but she’s recently discovered how to use it as a weapon that delivers a powerful shock to her victim. If she absorbs too much or drains her stores too quickly, it will tire her and leave her agitated. Allie can also channel energy to others who need it, bolstering their gifts when they can’t quite manage a task on their own. She can take energy from others and use her body as a circuit to send the energy and stamina to another.

  WEAPONS: Her weapons of choice are a pair of ancient, crystalline sai blades she received from Gregg as a gift. She also favors her bladed quarterstaff and the silver, barbed whip she wears around her forearm disguised as a bracelet. She struggled with sparring and weapons training in the beginning, but has since learned to accept fighting as a necessary evil.