| Name | Lila Bayard |
|---|---|
| Age | 23 |
| Status | Alive |
| Fraction | Order of the Eternal Flame |
| Rank | Paladin Primary (former) |
| Repertoire | Combat Alchemy; Animancy (latent / concealed) |
| Eye Color | Ice blue |
| Hair Color | Pale blond |
| Family | Titus Bayard † (father), Rhea Bayard † (mother), Soren Bayard (twin brother) †, Apollo (son) |
| Love Interests | Luc Holdfast † |
Contents
Biography / History
Lila Bayard was raised within Paladia under the direct patronage of the Principate. From childhood, her life was shaped by a singular purpose: to become a paladin of the Order of the Eternal Flame. With Principate Apollo’s blessing, she was trained relentlessly for combat, her aptitude for alchemy manifesting early and decisively.
Unlike most students, Lila was placed solely in the combat track at the Alchemy Institute. By the age of fifteen, she had already joined the Eternal Flame’s crusades, traveling across the continent to investigate and suppress emerging necromantic threats. Her talent was exceptional even by Paladian standards, earning her a reputation as a once-in-a-generation combat alchemist. Soldiers and citizens alike came to refer to her as the living embodiment of Lumithia, the warrior goddess of alchemy.
Lila’s service was defined by proximity to violence and loss. She sustained extensive injuries over the course of the war, including the loss of her right leg, which was replaced by a fully customized prosthetic integrated into her armor and combat style. Her weapons, armor, and prosthetic became extensions of her body—maintained obsessively, named, and treated with near-reverence.
Despite her achievements, Lila’s position remained precarious. As a woman occupying a role traditionally reserved for men, she was scrutinized constantly. After a failed operation that resulted in Luc Holdfast’s capture, Lila was blamed by the Principate’s leadership and quietly removed from her post as Paladin Primary, replaced and treated as a liability rather than a hero.
Alchemised — Timeline Events
Training and Paladin Oath
With the Principate’s blessing, Lila Bayard is trained from childhood to become a paladin of the Eternal Flame. Entering the crusades at fifteen, she proves herself as a once-in-a-generation combat alchemist, earning a reputation for precision, resilience, and unmatched battlefield control.
Crusades and Rise to Paladin Primary
Lila spends years traveling the continent investigating necromantic activity and fighting in active war zones. Her success and discipline lead to her appointment as Paladin Primary, tasked with the direct protection of Principate Luc Holdfast.
Bond with Luc Holdfast
Serving as Luc Holdfast’s personal paladin, Lila saves his life repeatedly throughout the war. Their bond deepens into a private relationship marked by mutual devotion, shared danger, and unspoken love—one that must remain hidden to preserve Luc’s position and Lila’s rank.
Injury and Survival
Lila sustains severe injuries during the war, resulting in the loss of her leg. She returns to service with a fully customized prosthetic, integrating it into her combat style. Though physically altered, her effectiveness—and reputation—remain unmatched.
Quarantine in the Alchemy Tower
As Paladia collapses, Lila is isolated at the top of the Alchemy Tower to conceal her pregnancy and control the political damage. Cut off from the front and stripped of protection, she becomes a problem the Principate cannot publicly acknowledge.
Kaine Frees Lila and Is Exposed
Kaine intervenes and removes Lila from the Tower, but the act breaks the illusion of loyalty. The extraction draws attention, and Kaine’s position—and duplicity—begin to unravel in the final chaos of the war.
Disappearance with Apollo
With Paladia falling and the Undying hunting loose ends, Lila vanishes into hiding with her son, Apollo. Her survival depends on secrecy, distance, and abandoning the life she was trained for.
Return to End Morrough
When the chance comes to end Morrough’s system permanently, Lila returns to conflict despite the risk. She fights not for rank or glory, but to ensure her child will not inherit a world built on necromantic control.
Rebuilding the Institute
In the aftermath, Lila helps rebuild the Alchemy Institute, formally ending the paladin system. She establishes a vivimancy department free from religious control, leaving behind a structure designed to protect future alchemists rather than sacrifice them.
Physical Description
Lila Bayard is tall and powerfully built, her presence unmistakably martial. She has pale blond hair and striking ice-blue eyes. Her body bears numerous scars across her face and chest, evidence of repeated battlefield reconstruction. Her right leg is a customized prosthetic that clicks softly when she moves, seamlessly integrated into her armor and combat equipment.
Personality
In public, Lila projects control, discipline, and sharp focus—the ideal paladin. She is alert, decisive, and radiates authority earned through action rather than rank.
In private, she is restless and chaotic. Off duty, Lila struggles to remain still or organized, abandoning tasks midway and leaving equipment scattered behind. She channels this energy into obsessive care for her weapons, armor, and prosthetic, which she treats with near-parental attention.
Lila measures her worth through service. When stripped of her role, she struggles deeply with identity and purpose, forced to confront who she is without battle or command. Despite this, she is fiercely loyal to those she protects, particularly Luc and Helena, and will endure personal cost without hesitation if it ensures their safety.
Alchemical Abilities
Combat Alchemy (Paladin Primary)
Lila Bayard is a combat alchemist, trained exclusively for frontline warfare. Her resonance is optimized for kinetic force, weapon amplification, and battlefield survivability rather than versatility. She excels in direct confrontation, rapid adaptation, and sustained combat under extreme conditions.
Her fighting style integrates alchemy with physical movement, armor systems, and weapon arrays, allowing her to engage necromantic entities and enhanced soldiers at close range.
Vivimancy (Forbidden, Self-Use Only)
Unknown to most, Lila possesses limited vivimantic capability, which she used exclusively on herself to suppress injuries and conceal her pregnancy. This practice was illegal under the Sacred Faith and carried severe consequences had it been discovered.
Relationships
| Helena Marino | Lila Bayard and Helena Marino shared a relationship built on mutual respect rather than intimacy. During the war, they shared quarters and operated in close proximity, though Lila was often absent at the front. Unlike many others, Lila never treated Helena as lesser for being a vivimancer or a non-combatant.Lila trusted Helena implicitly as a healer and confidante. When her pregnancy placed her life at risk, Helena became her primary advocate, refusing to leave without her. Their bond is defined by quiet loyalty and survival rather than emotional dependence. |
|---|---|
| Luc Holdfast | Lila served as Luc Holdfast’s personal paladin and protector, but their bond went far beyond duty. Over years of shared danger, the relationship deepened into love and a private devotion that shaped nearly every choice Lila made. She was fiercely protective of him—often at the cost of her own safety—and Luc’s trust in her was personal as much as political.When Luc was captured, Lila bore the blame, sacrificed her rank, and accepted disgrace rather than allow further consequences to fall on him. Their relationship remains central to her story, not only because of what she lost in the aftermath, but because she is carrying his child. |
