Nereidia

Nereidia
Empire of Atlantis
Player: @Nightfall Witch
Empirical Standing
Rank:	Ambassador
Profession:	None
Origin & Archetype:	Natural Defender
Security Level:	50
Atlantean's Personal Data
Species:	Atlantean
Age:	Appears 25 years in human years
Height / Weight:	5'6 / 120 lbs
Eye / Hair Color:	Blue/Gray / White/Sea Foam Green
Citizenship:	Atlantean
Current Residence:	Atlantean Temple
Marital Status:	Married to Leviathas
Known Relatives:	Ophysia (Daughter), Posidius (Son), Parents (Deceased)
Known Powers
Healing Magic, Mild Telepathy, Water Manipulation
Training & Abilities
Archery
Personal Items
A bow made from Atlantean Steel
Footnotes
Also serves as the Atlantean liason to Paragon City officials

With this one thought, the woman known as Nereidia began a journey that would bring her name amongst the most beloved in Atlantis' history. Her tale began as a simple one...

The daughter of an Atlantean soldier and an apprentice of the Temple of Poseidon, Nereidia never knew her parents. Her young mother died in childbirth, while her father died weeks later of a broken heart. Nereidia was then taken in and raised by the priests of the Temple. Her primary caregiver was the High Priest Zemos, who saw great potential in the girl. She had a command of the healing powers of the gods, stronger than most youths her age. Her training began almost immediately. But Nereidia was not satisfied to be just a healer. She proved her skill with a bow and arrow as well, impressing even the most skilled warriors in Atlantis.

It was at the Temple where Nereidia also encountered a headstrong youth by the name of Leviathas. The two seemed complete opposites. While Leviathas proved himself brash, impulsive and adventurous, Nereidia was calm, peaceful and the voice of reason. They became fast friends...trusted confidantes. One was rarely seen without the other and they spent many a day in each other's company. It was a bond that would last more than a lifetime...

The two would grow up in relative peace on Atlantis' shores. Nereidia continued her training with the Temple priests and healers, while Leviathas would eventually enlist in the Atlantean army. But that peace would soon be shattered upong the death of their beloved King Bahamut. He had been assassinated, poisoned during a great festival. His killer fled the Great City, and the Atlantean army followed, Leviathas included.

Nereidia watched, helpless, as her dear childhood friend followed his duty and set off from the Great City. It was the first time the two had been truly separated.

Nereidia joined her brethren in the Temple daily, mourning the loss of the Atlantean king. They buried Bahamut and watched as his widow, Queen Cassiopea, took the throne. Nereidia admired her, for she maintained strength during the chaos, shining like a beacon of hope for her people.

It was what was needed, because for weeks, all of Atlantis also waited for any word about the departed warriors. Nereidia tried to keep in constant contact with her friend. The two had developed a special telepathic rapport, one that carried over great distances. But the Atlantean army traveled fast and hard, chasing the vile Cocharados across the globe.

Then, the warriors began returning home. It was a bittersweet time, for none had returned saying their king's killer had been caught. Nereidia watched as time and time again, fathers and mothers reunited with the children, husbands once again kissed their wives, sons and daughters embraced their families, yet her own dear friend was not among them. For even more tides, Nereidia kept vigil at the Great City's edge, hoping for any sign of Leviathas. But till no avail...

All the warriors had since returned, but the scout Leviathas did not. Nereidia was told he had chased after King Bahamut's killer...all the way to the surface. She had heard tales of humans and the dry land upon which they lived. She was also told Leviathas' was forever lost, for no one returned from the surface dwellers' realm alive. Nereidia almost believed it, for she was plagued with dreams of his torture and death, death upon the shores of some nameless beach. So she set off on a journey to ease her spirit and mourn the loss of her friend.

That is, until she heard His call. Not from Leviathas, but from the Sea God Poseidon, himself...

Nereidia did not hesitate, and began the long journey to the surface world, swimming for many, many hours until she reached Talos Island in Paragon City. It was there she found Leviathas, beaten nearly dead on the beach. She used her healing powers to save his life, and together the two spoke of how their king's killer remained alive, amassing a small army to protect himself. It was then they both decided they needed help to take down Cocharados...so they began to pray.

For days they sought help from Poseidon, for help reaching out to their Atlantean brethren deep below and far away from Paragon's shores. They had almost given up, until one day a great storm slammed into Talos Island. While the surface dwellers ran for cover, Nereidia and Leviathas braved the maelstrom, watching, waiting...until 'they' arrived...

Dozens of Atlanteans and Mer, armed with sword and shield, marched upon the shores, pledging their undying loyalty to Leviathas and to stop Cocharados to avenge their slain king.

More can be found in the Archives of the Great Library: Archived Records & Empire of Atlantis

With an army from the Deep, the Atlanteans were able to hunt down Cocharados and kill him. With the task done, Nereidia chose to remain on the surface, alongside Leviathas. But they were not alone, for many of those who answered the Call also stayed, helping the surface dwellers battle oppression and injustice. They were called the Chosen by those back home in Atlantis. Their ranks grew daily as more from the Great City and the Deep heard of the Atlantean exploits on the surface.

Nereidia found herself in an awkward position, for the young healer was not prepared to be a leader of such a group. While Leviathas led them into battles, Nereidia found herself being the Chosen's source of spiritual strength. She was their friend, their teacher, and mother of sorts. That was particularly evident for two young Mer children, Ophysia and Posidius. Both had lost their biological families, and Nereidia and Leviathas found themselves immediately drawn to the pair. It was not long before the young Mer called both Nereidia and Leviathas mother and father, even though the couple were not wed. But that soon was about to change...

When asked about Leviathas, one will notice an immediate change in the young healer. Because for Nereidia, he is her life. It is said she cannot speak of him without a warm smile upon her face, even if she is reprimanding him.

The initial meeting between the two did not go well. Nereidia would always recall how the brash young boy laughed at her as she was trying to learn to use the bow and arrow. That changed later that day, however, when she used her skill to save the curious Leviathas from more than a few moray eels.

It would not be the first time Nereidia would keep Leviathas from harm. But the incident sealed their friendship, and they remained steadfast by each other's side every day, even after they emerged on the surface. Yet it would take weeks before Leviathas summed up the courage to ask Nereidia to be his wife. It is said the waters in the lake in Galaxy City where he proposed have been blessed by the gods, thanks to their love...

Planning a wedding also proved to be an arduous task, for it seemed 'something always came up.' Among them, a battle for the Heart of Kronos, a mystical gem that granted the power of the gods. How much that stone would play a role in Nereidia's life months later...

The day of their wedding also did not start as smoothly. The Rikti decided to attack not far from the wedding site on Circe Island in Talos. But even the alien invasion fell swiftly at the hands of the Atlanteans and their friends. Many will recall Leviathas' defiant bellows of anger amidst the turmoil. Even Nereidia was said to have spouted an Atlantean curse or two...

It did not take long for the newlyweds to settle into their roles as husband and wife, when news of unrest in Atlantis reached Paragon. Theron, a high-ranking member of the High Council, had taken over the throne, demanding that Bahamut's widow, Queen Cassiopea was not fit to rule. Martial law ensued, with the queen falling under the thumb of Theron's greed as he declared himself 'king.'

But that was not all the news. It was soon discovered that Leviathas was the biological son of Bahamut, and therefore the true king of Atlantis. The couple had precious time to absorb the news, for now their people were threatened, both home in Atlantis and on the surface.

The Chosen had to prepare to fight their own brethren, for word came that Theron was sending thousands of his warriors directly to Paragon's shores. The false king called the Chosen 'traitors of Atlantis' for defying the old ways and remaining on the surface. Leviathas led the Chosen into battle. It was fierce, bloody, and left many Atlanteans dead, a decision that Nereidia found hard to accept. She was a healer and was forced to leave her dying brothers and sisters to rot on the sand, lest they raised their sword to kill her for being deemed a traitor. It was a choice that haunts Nereidia to this day.

With Theron's warriors defeated, Leviathas and Nereidia now had to deal with Theron himself and returned to the Great City with their loyal Chosen. There, they stormed the Royal Palace, going after Theron and crushing his reign of tyranny over Atlantis. But as Queen Cassiopea was about the regain her throne, she collapsed and died. All eyes soon turned to Leviathas who was now the rightful heir to the throne, and now king...thus making Nereidia the new queen...

They began the long process to restore Atlantis, for during Theron's dictatorship and the battle to overthrow him left much of the city in ruin. While Leviathas began overseeing construction, he appointed a new High Council, one that would be loyal to him. For her part, Nereidia began seeing to the people's immediate needs: food, shelter, medical and mystical care. Both vowed Theron, or any like him, would never plague Atlantis again.

The Chosen, including Atlantis' new king and queen, returned to Paragon, for their work was not yet done. But this time, Nereidia found herself in the rare position of leading the Chosen against the latest threat...

This time, her husband's very soul was at stake. Leviathas's body had been invaded by a dark Titan called the Devourer, one who wanted the power of the Heart of Kronos itself. Nereidia immediately ordered a search for the Heart, earning the wrath of her brethren, the fellow Titan Aegaeon. He vowed she would be destroying mankind if she allowed the Heart to fall into the wrong hands. But the young queen followed her own heart, and led the Chosen on a path that would bring them right into the dark recesses of Leviathas' own mind. There, they encountered his Innocence, his Courage, and his Wrath.

Nereidia and the Chosen fought hard, finally defeating the Devourer, but the devious Titan literally ripped its way out of Leviathas' chest. The damage was great, even Nereidia's healing power could not save him. Yet, the Heart of Kronos was now in the Chosen's hands, and only its power could help. The gem's shards were sealed within Leviathas' chest, saving his life, but changing him forever...

He was now a demigod, with powers that made him stronger, more powerful. For Nereidia, however, that did not matter. She accepted what happened to him without question. What did matter, was that her husband was alive, and Atlantis had its rightful king, one that she loved dearly with all her heart...

Nereidia has known many, both in the Great City and on the surface. These are their words about the young healer:

• "My Queen, my wife, my companion, my best friend. All of these things, she is to me. Since we were children, there was not a single day that we spent apart. People tell me that I am a man who has everything. That with my own two hands, I built an empire. If it were not for her, none of this would be. Without her, I would not be. My Queen, my wife, my love, my life." ~ Leviathas

• "Have you ever met someone who could move mountains? Someone who's very presence changes the course of everything around them? I have the honor of not only having met someone who's strength of spirit has brought about the greatest HERO I know, but having her influence me as well. She has unknowingly shaped the destinies of the strongest souls I know. Men and Mer, who during their most turbulent hour, have, by her grace... found that something inside them. That something that seperates men, from legends. Through the grace of one woman, empires can rise or fall, and through HER grace, I find myself... ever striving to be a better soul. Nereidia, you ask...? I guess you can say she brings out the best in us all..." ~ Tritonius

• "She is absolutely brutal...slapping me across the face, prying into my head..and I wouldn't want her any other way." ~ Kydras

• "My mother is the kindest, smartest, most beautiful ever! She never fails to make me feel better and her heart is bigger than Atlantis itself!! I thank Poseidon every night for leading me to her and father." ~ Ophysia

• "The Atlantean Queen. Nereidia is very much an example of poise and elegance. For every devout warrior in her guard she emits such a degree of subtlety and tact that I would at times credit the presence of the Atlanteans in Paragon City to her. The Atlanteans are truly gifted to follow such a worthy queen." ~ The Knight Sentinel

• "*Whistles* Heh heh heh heh...Too bad she be wit da King, 'stead 'o me, sez I! BWAHAHAHAHAW! Good lil' mer, I sez. Heart o' gold, a treasure worth plunderin'!" ~ Saeglopur

• "Never in my life have I met someone who is friendly, beautiful, responsive, concerned, and genuinely caring. She would go out of her way to speak to me of any troubles or concerns I have, and I could not ask for much more. Sometimes, I feel envious of Leviathas. Either way, Nereidia is a wonderful friend, and there have been many times I wonder why I had not met someone like her sooner." ~ Albert

• "The Lady Nereidia exemplifies the ideal to which all sentient life ought aspire; her beauty, grace, and charm are surpassed only by her kindness, compassion and wit." ~ Cade Lawson - Consular Madrigal

• "Ah little Nere. She loves with all that she is and yet will never understand the true power she wields. She's a credit to all of Atlantis. On her best of days, I believe that even Queen Casseopia would smile down on her." ~ Dexamene

• "The beautiful queen Nereidia. Leviathas is a lucky man to have her by his side. I've long known about the tensions between the Atlanteans and the terrans, but my working relationship with Nereidia gives me hope that we can all strive for something better." ~ Xeden

Nereidia and her family remain in Paragon City, living under the waves of Talos Island in the Temple. The Temple lovingly built by her husband, and her good friend Tritonius for those Atlanteans, Mer, or any other citizen of the sea who choose to remain on the surface. She continues to be a liason between Atlantis and Paragon, sometimes traveling to the Great City to fulfil her various duties.

One may often find the young healer continuing to do battle, assisting both the Empire and their trusted allies, the Palladium Sentry,the New Age Mutants and the Lightning Strike Initiative. She will also help any in need, for her healer's instinct refuses to see any come to harm.