| Name | Aris Agron |
|---|---|
| Age | 20 |
| Status | Alive |
| Species | Human |
| Eye Color | Dark blue |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Family | Unnamed Father †, Unnamed Mother †, Unnamed Sister † |
| Love Interests | Harlan Raker |
Contents
Biography
Aris Agron was born in Silverside, where she lived with her parents and younger sister. When Aris was eight years old, she and her sister secretly left their home to visit a nearby cliff, hoping to collect grass and wildflowers. A sudden storm struck, and when Aris sensed the lightning moving toward her sister, she pushed her out of the way and took the strike herself.
Aris’s heart stopped, but her sister and later her father refused to give up on reviving her. When she eventually woke, the red marks left by the lightning had turned silver. From that day forward, Aris was also immune to heat and found herself drawn to fire. Frightened by the markings and what they might mean, her parents kept them secret and vowed to protect her from anyone who might come looking for her. Aris likewise hid her unusual resistance to heat, hoping that ignoring it would allow her life to return to normal.
Two years later, when Aris was ten, a goddess attacked her village and set it ablaze. Aris awoke during the fire with her sister, but the door to their room had been locked. Their parents tried desperately to reach them from the other side and refused to abandon their daughters, ultimately dying in the flames. Aris’s sister burned to death in her arms, while Aris remained completely unharmed by the fire. Through the flames, she saw the goddess responsible, recognizing her by her metallic hair, gem-covered skin, and glowing silver-red eyes.
The following day, Stellan found Aris among the ashes of her former home. He took her in and gave her a new home in Nightfell, a settlement named for the black rock at its center. Stellan later taught Aris both how to forge swords and how to wield them, helping shape her into a fighter.
The destruction of her village and the deaths of her family became the defining trauma of Aris’s childhood. Convinced that the goddess had deliberately murdered them, Aris devoted herself to the belief that she would one day find her again and take revenge. She later learns that the attack was not random: the goddess targeted Aris and her family because a prophecy identified Aris as a future threat.
Starside — Timeline Events
Qualifying for the Culling
Aris earns a place in the Culling, the brutal selection process that determines which mortals will secure one of only fifty spots in the Questral.
Entering the Questral
Aris survives the Culling and becomes one of fifty mortals allowed through the gates into Starside. There, the challengers begin a deadly journey through the lands of the immortals.
The Beast Tree
At the Beast Tree, Aris and Zayne’s paths separate, forcing Aris to continue the Questral without him.
Bonding with the Silver Dragon
At the Beast Tree, Aris bonds with a silver dragon, creating a connection that becomes an important part of her journey through Starside.
A Partnership with Raker
Aris forms a reluctant partnership with Raker. She provides a map of Starside, while Raker offers his strength and protection as they continue the Questral together.
Journey Through Starside
Aris and Raker cross several dangerous regions of Starside together. Along the way, their uneasy alliance gradually develops into trust.
Vander Everen’s Estate
When Aris finds herself in danger, she summons Vander Everen. He brings both Aris and Raker to his estate but keeps Raker imprisoned in the stables.
The Ball
While staying at Vander Everen’s estate, Aris attends a ball and attempts to form alliances that could help her survive the Questral and complete her mission.
Continuing with Raker
Aris resumes her journey with Raker, and the two continue traveling across Starside together.
Fight with Caldoc
Aris faces Caldoc in a violent confrontation and falls into the Burning City, leaving her severely injured.
Recovering with Este
Raker carries the badly injured Aris to safety, where Este helps treat her wounds and aids in her recovery.
Aris and Raker Grow Closer
After surviving the dangers of the journey together, Aris and Raker finally give in to the attraction between them and share an intimate moment.
Raker’s Betrayal
Raker betrays Aris by stealing her sword. Forced to continue without him, Aris makes her way toward the Land of the Gods.
The God of Travel
In the Land of the Gods, Aris confronts the God of Travel. She learns the truth about the prophecy surrounding her and discovers how she might bring her family back before outwitting and killing the god.
Raker’s True Identity
Aris discovers Raker’s true identity and turns his betrayal against him by stealing his sword.
Return to Stormside
Near the end of the Questral, Aris crosses back through the gate into Stormside carrying a cup of magic and Raker’s sword.
Physical Description
Aris has dark blue eyes, a rare shade, and long brown hair, which she usually braids and pins at the back of her head to keep it out of her way during combat. She is pale, thin, and relatively short, with little visible muscle and signs of having grown up without consistent access to proper nourishment. Her most distinctive feature is the pattern of thin, silver, rootlike markings that spreads across her throat, shoulders, arms, chest, and sides. The lightning strike first leaves Aris with red markings, which turn silver when her family revives her.
Personality
Aris is determined, resilient, and fiercely driven, and she channels much of that determination into seeking revenge against the goddess who destroyed her home and killed her family. She guards her emotions closely and hides both her abilities and her deepest trauma from others, making her difficult to fully understand.
Despite her anger and single-minded pursuit of vengeance, Aris is deeply compassionate and protective of the people she loves. Even as a child, she instinctively put herself in danger to save her younger sister. She also carries considerable grief and survivor’s guilt, particularly over being the only member of her family to survive the fire. These experiences have made her wary and hardened, but they have not erased her capacity for loyalty, empathy, or vulnerability.
Abilities
At the age of eight, a lightning strike gives Aris an unusual connection to heat and fire. From that day onward, she can withstand extreme heat, touch hot objects, and even survive being surrounded by flames without burning. The lightning strike also left distinctive silver markings across her body, although the full significance of these markings is initially unclear.
Aris is also a capable swordswoman and weaponsmith. After Stellan takes her in, he spends years teaching her how to forge swords and fight with them. Aris lacks the size and visible muscle of many trained warriors. However, her years of practical combat training make her far more capable than others initially assume.
Relationships
| Raker | Aris Agron and Raker initially share a hostile relationship rooted in resentment and mistrust. Years before the Questral, Raker catches Aris trespassing in a military training area and turns her over to the guards. They imprison and brutally punish her, leaving permanent scars across her back. Although Raker does not know what will happen to her, Aris blames him for setting those events in motion.During the Questral, their relationship slowly changes. Forced into close proximity, they begin sharing secrets, protecting one another, and revealing parts of themselves they normally keep hidden. Their growing trust develops into attraction and intimacy.That trust eventually fractures when Raker betrays Aris and Aris later betrays him in return. Their relationship remains caught between genuine feelings and the conflicting loyalties that repeatedly place them on opposing sides. |
|---|---|
| Stellan | Stellan becomes one of the most important figures in Aris Agron’s life after a goddess destroys her village. He finds Aris among the ashes the following day and takes her in, giving her a home in Nightfell after she loses her entire family and everything she once knew.Over the following years, Stellan teaches Aris how to forge swords and how to fight with them, helping her become the fighter she is during the Questral. Loyalty, care, and everything Stellan gives Aris when she has nowhere else to go define their relationship more than open affection. Aris never forgets what he did for her and recognizes that he gave her a home and a reason to keep going when she had lost everything. |
