Name: Aikka (no surname is given in the series)

Age: physically appears 19, but he's actually 38 in Earth years

Height: 5'8”

Weight: 148lbs.

Birth date: October 31, 2066 (Standard Earth Reckoning)

Star Sign: Scorpio

Handedness: Ambidextrous, Right dominant

History

Aikka is the scion of a long line of Nourasian royalty, and has inherited a great many responsibilities. From the moment he was born, the crown prince was fervently prepped to one day take his father's place as High King of all Nourasia, ruler of the Five Kingdoms. Born in the Holy City of Dol, Aikka was worshiped as both a member of the royal family and as a deity in his own right. It is believed that the royal family descends from the great creator spirit, Dol Arrah, who takes the form of a mighty tree within the center of the capital. Conscious of his rank within Nourasian society, Aikka graciously accepted any and all responsibilities which his status entailed, his sense of duty overriding any personal desires he might have enjoyed.

As an only child, it was Aikka's sole duty to become the heir-apparent to the throne and to carry on the royal bloodline. Surrounded by servants and tutors, he was constantly reminded of his birthright, and grew to become a rather reserved and lonely boy. He trained from a young age to become a Nourasian Knight, but never really considered his fellow students as anything more than acquaintances. They were always formal with him because they were aware of the vast differences in their social rank, and so Aikka never really pursued meaningful relationships with his peers. The closest he had to “real” friends was his mount, G'Dar, and his trusted fencing master, Canaan, who personally trained Aikka in the ways of warfare and taught him the Code of the Nourasian Knights. Over the years, he grew close to Aikka and became something of a father figure to him since Aikka's father, King Lao, was often kept busy by his duties to the state and to their “allies” the Crogs. The Crogs arrived on Nourasia when Aikka was very young in hopes of “rescuing” their neighbors and bringing them the “gift” of advanced technology and industry. Aikka was forced to watch as huge swathes of forest was burned away to create landing strips and power plants, all just to keep the Crog war machine running smoothly on the front lines.

Frustrated at his inability to fight the Crogs directly, Aikka began to despair that Nourasia would soon become the next in a long line of worlds dominated by the Crog Imperium. But hope appeared in the form of a mysterious being calling himself the Avatar, who invited both the Nourasians and the Crogs to participate in the Great Race of Ōban for the chance to win the Ultimate Prize. The Crogs, seeing the opportunity to further increase their chances of winning, appointed Aikka to represent his people as their champion racer. Despite his parents' protests, the Crogs demanded that the crown prince act as the Nourasian representative, despite his duties to the throne. Aikka knew that the Crogs purposefully chose him specifically because he was the sole heir to the throne, and therefore easily manipulated. Should anything happen to him, Nourasia would be left without a direct heir and the kingdom would be thrown into political turmoil. Nevertheless, Aikka relished the chance to participate in the Great Race and trained hard to become the best racer in all of Nourasia. Conscious of the Crogs' insidious machinations, Aikka vowed to win the Ultimate Prize for the sake of his people so that he would finally possess the means necessary to rid Nourasia of the Crogs once and for all.

A chance meeting with a certain girl on Alwas would change Aikka's life forever. His encounter with the human girl, “Molly,” taught him an unforgettable lesson about loyalty, trust, and the true meaning of friendship.

Personality

A prisoner to his duties and to the Crogs, Aikka has always had to deny himself the simple freedoms that most people take for granted. In a culture where social obligations and public appearances mean everything, Nourasians are conditioned to keep their emotions subdued and to always be respectful to those higher in rank. Public displays of affection are not only frowned upon, they are outright disrespectful, even among Nourasians who are familiar with one another and of similar rank. Seeing people hugging and kissing in public makes Aikka a bit uncomfortable and those feelings become even more awkward if he happens to be on the receiving end of such gestures, even from someone close to him. He's slowly becoming more accustomed to the openness and generally laid back attitude of Earth culture.

Despite the rigidity of Nourasian culture, Aikka is actually a very passionate person and its only through years of training and self-discipline that he's been able to temper his emotional outbursts into more constructive outlets. Calculating and analytical, he is good at reading people and discovering their hidden motives. Ironically, Aikka often hides his true feelings behind a mask of formality, rarely revealing his true face to others. He is wary of strangers, a trait that many Nourasians share, but those that earn his trust will discover a loyal and stalwart companion. Those that betray his trust beware: Aikka is prone to hold grudges against former friends, and once his trust has been lost, it is not likely to be earned again.

Chivalrous to a fault, he is a strict adherent of the Code of the Nourasian Knights. This means that he fights with honor and is always ready to intercede on the behalf of those whom he views weaker than himself. Nourasian Knights not only are trained in warfare, but they are expected to cultivate their artistic talents, as well. Aikka himself is an excellent orator, able to recite epics and poetry from memory. He enjoys the simple beauty of the natural world as much as the constructed artifices of man-made art. He maintains an immaculate appearance and prefers loose clothing.

Aikka considers Eva to be the first true friend that he ever made outside of Nourasia. Growing up alone and unable to maintain meaningful relationships, he cherishes this friendship with Eva above all else and would do nothing to jeopardize it. He found Eva's frankness and honesty a refreshing change from the empty flattery of the nobility of the court. He admired her courage and sense of justice, seeing in her the qualities of a "true Nourasian." She treated him as a person first and foremost and as a prince second. Around her, Aikka felt that he could truly be himself, without having worry about his actions reflecting badly on the Nourasian court, because she accepted him for who he was, without condition.

Abilities

Though Aikka is an excellent diplomat, and prefers peaceful means to solving an argument, he's not above using violence to maintain peace. He has trained extensively in various martial arts which include hand-to-hand combat, archery, and fencing. Nourasian Knights possess the ability to power up their arrows with spiritual energy containing enough force to topple mountains. Their magical abilities can create forcefields, reveal hidden foes, even communicate telepathically with others. But a Nourasian Knight's greatest strength lies with his mount, which is a giant beetle. Raised together at a young age, Nourasian Knights form a telepathic bond with their mounts and are able to guide them without the use of bridles or verbal commands. Aikka considers G'Dar to be a part of himself and the two are inseparable.

Nourasians are lithe and dextrous. Aikka has demonstrated feats of agility that far outstrip those of ordinary humans. Like the fabled shinobi of ancient Japan, Aikka is able to move about swiftly and silently. His keen hearing and eyesight allow him to spot foes before they are aware of his presence. Possessing uncanny reflexes, Aikka is able to dodge most blows if he is aware of his foe's movemtents.

Like many non-human races, Nourasian's have a lifespan that extends past one hundred Earth years. Not only does their planet revolve more slowly around their sun (thereby extending their calender year beyond standard Earth years) Nourasians also physically mature at a slower rate than humans. The oldest known Nourasian lived to be close to one thousand Earth years.

Items of Interest

G'Dar – Not really an item. Aikka's loyal beetle mount. They've been together since the time they were born and have grown to trust and respect one another. Faithfully served as Aikka's “star-racer” during the Great Race of Ōban. G'Dar and Aikka share a telepathic and empathic link, so they are always aware of one another, and they each know exactly how the other feels. G'Dar took an immediate liking to Eva when they first met. Maybe he's a good judge of character, too?

Bow and Arrows – Specially issued to Nourasian Knights, these arrows are topped with pale blue crystals that act as a focus for Aikka's magic. His aim is true, and these arrows possess enough power to shatter mountains, if Aikka wishes it. He always wields it with his right hand.

Short Sword – Given to him by Canaan when he graduated from his training as a Nourasian Knight. Used in close quarters combat, he bequeathed this weapon to Eva before the final battle, saying, “Even Canaletto will feel its royal sting.” Sadly, the original was destroyed before it could ever pierce Canaletto's heart, but Aikka found a replacement. He usually wields it in his left hand, but Aikka has demonstrated his proficiency in wielding it right-handed, too.