application.
Character: Mysterica "Tear" Grants (also formerly known as Mysterica Aura Fende)
Series: Tales of the Abyss
Version: Game/Anime... it's pretty much the same? I used the anime to canon review, so... :\a
Age: 16 in game... I suppose she's 18 or so now???
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Appearance:
Tear measures up at about 5'3". She has long brown hair that falls close to her rear end, and two strands that almost always seem to stray away from the rest of the party, and frame her face and... assets down the front, instead. She has long bangs brushed to the right side, which almost always obscure the view of her bright blue eyes on that side. Her complexion isn't pale, but isn't quite as dark as her brother's, either.
She has a nice figure, her curves are accentuated by her clothing most of the time, and the party does not seem to be shy about mentioning how her "melons" measure up (or... don't measure up??) in comparison with the other females.
Her outfit of choice is her Oracle Knights uniform, which is a dark brown colour with decorative gold lining. It consists of a dress-like garment, sleeveless, and comes down in the front to a point near her feet. There are two side layers that conceal both of her legs, as well as give her easy access to the knives that she keeps tucked away in garters at mid-thigh height, where her maroon leggings start. There are also traces of the same colour near her collar, suggesting she may wear underarmour or something of the like beneath the top portion as well.
She wears long brown gloves which start at her bicep, the tops of which are lined with gold, and the bases, where her hands fit into, are white. Her slightly-heeled boots have the same colour scheme.
Personality:
At first glance, Tear seems to come across as the cold, aloof and calculating soldier she makes herself out to be. Really, she is well mannered and polite, and generally easy to get along with, as long as you're not being a complete douchebag (if you are, she would definitely call you out on it). She has a strong sense of duty and has no problem differentiating right from wrong when the clueless Luke seems to have no ability to do so. Very much the responisble type, she admits when she has made a mistake, and does her best to atone for it, seeing the task through to the very end. This is seen very early on, when because of her, she and Luke are transported outside of his prison, the Fabre manion's walls. She takes the respnsibility on of seeing him home herself, giving him her word that she will get him there safe and sound. She is self-assured in her own abilities, as seen by her first attempts to bring Van to her knees without any outside help. Even though its obvious he is stronger than her, she does not second guess her course of action, until it brings a harmless civilian into the mix.
Perhaps in part also thanks to her training, Tear sort of has a "no BS" clause to her personality. She sticks to the facts, explaining things from a realistic point of view, even if may not be the sunniest of outcomes. Of course, this isn't always the best course of action, as Luke even tells her at one point that despite her trying to make him feel better... she really only made him feel worse with her words of "encouragement." Of course, she did not realize it herself that her approach could be taken in such a way, and causes her to stumble over her words slightly afterwards, apologizing.
Tear is very much the sort of person that thinks something through long and hard before acting on it (the exception being situations that directly involve her brother). This can most likely be attributed to her military training, and she often encourages the party to see their game plan from different angles to try and see the bigger picture at hand. When confronted with the truth that her allies/family have turned on her at certain points, Tear can often be found trying one last time to get them to listen to reason... before coming to terms with the impossibility of the matter. This really shows that when she dedicates her loyalties towa"rds something / someone, she really pours her whole heart and soul into it, wanting to believe in them until the very last moment. She even goes so far later on, explaining that she feels, as someone close to these "turncoats", that it is her duty to stop them.
With all that said, there are also parts of her personality that Tear herself tries to conceal, and I don't just mean her melons. When it comes to her body though, she really is quite modest, and perfers clothing that doesn't reveal too much of her figure, as lovely as it is. She opts not to wear the bikini that the Malkuth Emperor provides, and instead chooses to rent a one piece from the local shop. She has an intense love for cute things, anything from maid outfits to cheagles (and a hush hush fear of ghosts). It is a secret love (shhh) that tends to bubble to the surface whether she likes it or not, however. This usually leads to her silently beaming and / or blushing, thinking to herself how adorable something is.
Even the Locrian Sergeant isn't immune to emotional and physical breakdowns, but what separates her from the rest... is that she does so in private. She seems to have an outright distaste for losing face in front of anyone, and begs Luke to leave her alone when fighting off her tears. She does not like to have the others worrying about her, and would rather lie and state she is fine than drawing any attention to herself or her present condition. It's almost a denial defense mechanism of sorts, and perhaps reveals that even she would rather not admit to herself that there is indeed a problem. She would rather be a rock for the rest of the party, encouraging them not to cry, even when she would like nothing more than to be able to do the exact same thing.
Abilities/Weaponry/Strengths:
Tear, being a soldier, is efficent in the ways of battle. She has keen senses and a cold, calculating mind on the battlefield. While physical strength isn't exactly her forte, she can hold her own in hand to hand combat, armed with her staff/spear which also serves to amplify her magical abilities. As a seventh fonist, she is a seasoned healer, though she has come equipped with some offensive artes as well. Some of her abilities can also be charged on the field, in what's referred to as a "Field of Fonons (FOF)." Basically, if the battle seems to be heavily revolved around a certain element (Fire, Wind, Water, etc...) and there are a lot of a certain kind of fonon, the ability will alter slightly.
Her skills can be broken down into the following;
B A S E : A R T E S
POW HAMMER ; Small toy-like hammers fall into the head of the target, with a chance to stun them.
→ FOF Change (Water) → FROZEN HAMMER ; Ice-shaped hammers.
NOCTURNAL LIGHT ; Three non-elemental projectiles are hurled forward.
→ FOF Change (Earth) → INLAY NOCTURNE ; A crystal is erected, and if any enemy comes into contact with it, it explodes.
A R C A N E : A R T E S
SEVERED FATE ; A triangle of light surrounds the target, from three projectiles.
→ FOF Change (Wind) → FATAL CIRCLE ; The projectiles are instead thrown into the ground, creating an explosive glyph.
BANISHING SORROW ; An invisible force hits the target.
→ FOF Change (Fire) → SEARING SORROW ; A meteor is thrown at the enemy, creating a large firey cyclone. Also a chance to knockdown the enemy.
F O N I C : A R T E S
FIRST AID ; Restores a small amount of health to the target.
→ FOF Change (Water) → MEDITATION ; Restores a moderate amount of health and heals status effects.
INVOKE GROUND, AQUA, FLAME & GALE ; Four individual moves cause a Field of Fonons to appear, charged to 50%
CHARGE ; Restores some TP (technical points) to the target.
→ FOF Change (Earth) → TRIBUTE ; Restores TP to the whole party, except Tear herself.
HEALING CIRCLE ; Heals characters gradually within the area of the effect.
→ FOF Change (Wind) → FAIRY CIRCLE ; Heals characters within the glyph gradually, cures status effects and damages all enemies within the area of the effect.
RESURRECTION ; Revives a character from KO status.
→ FOF Change (Water) → REGENERATE ; Raises all characters within the area effected from a KO
ECLAIR D'LARMES ; A glyph appears on the ground, accompanied by a cross. The symbol explodes with light.
→ FOF Change (Fire) → FLAMME ROUGE ; A column of fire appears, burning all enemies within.
ENHANCE CAST ; Reduces casting time for target.
→ FOF Change (Wind) → WITCHCRAFT ; Reduces casting time for all characters and delays casting time for all enemies within area of effect.
HOLY LANCE ; A glyph appears on the ground, and multiple lances of light strike the target.
→ FOF Change (Earth) → CLUSTER RAID ; A beam of energy above the target area sends up stalagmites that impale, then the entire area explodes.
F O N I C : H Y M N S
The hymns work a little differently than Tear's regular fonic artes. In order to use them to their full potential, one must understand not only the melody, but also the feelings and emotions behind the verses that the melodist sings, otherwise they will have little to no effect. While regular hymns seem to be rather weak, these learned by Tear and Grant are mentioned as being "on par with regular fonic artes" as far as strength goes. By this point, Tear has mastered all of the hymns passed down from Yulia.
NIGHTMARE ; "tue rei ze croa riou tue ze." ; (darkness) Chance to put an enemy to sleep. While asleep enemies cannot be killed, only damaged.
FORCE FIELD ; "croa riou ze tue riou rei neu riou ze" ; Creates a force field that renders anyone within it invincible for a short period of time.
HOLY SONG ; "Va rei ze tue neu tue riou tue croa" ; Raises all attributes for allies (strength, agility, magic, defense), and heals a small amount of health.
REVITALIZE ; "Riou rei croa riou ze rei va ze rei" ; Recovers health of all allies within the range of the hymn.
JUDGEMENT ; "Va neu va rei va neu va ze rei" ; The entire battlefield is struck by numerous columns of searing light.
GRAND CROSS ; "Croa riou croa neu tue rei croa riou ze rei va" ; A beam of light shoots up from a glyph and shines bright, in the shape of a cross.
GRAND FONIC HYMN ; "Rei va neu croa tue rei rei" ; final part, wherein all of the verses are sung in succession, and unleash devastating results (but really, only in a major boss battle /shot)
M Y S T I C : A R T E S
(kinda like limit breaks)
INNOCENT SHINE ; Can only be activated during Overlimits (after taking a good amount of damage we'll say), and in conjunction with a Fonic Hymn. Spirals of light damage enemies within range, then with a bright flash, targets are seared by light.
FORTUNE'S ARC ; Again, activated only during Overlimits, using the hymn, Judgement. From a floating sphere, purifying light to rains down onto all enemies on the battlefield.
Aside from her multitide of abilities, her other strengths also shine through on the battlefield; she keeps a clear head in combat, and considers all angles before diving into a challenge. It is not often that she "looses her cool" so to speak, and hardly lets emotions cloud her judgement, even if she could be considered "harsh" for thinking such a way. She is a realist; and simply doesn't live with her head in the clouds.
Weaknesses:
While Tear is a conditioned soldier, she is more accurately a mage or "melodist" and as such, requires uninterrupted time to cast her spells. Whis is capable of defending herself with her staves, she is not the most efficent when it comes to close combat. Were she to fight solo, she would be more inclined to put her enemies to sleep from afar. As an adept user of the seventh fonon, Tear often serves as the party's healer as well, instead of always being an attacker. She takes it upon herself to make sure that they are in good health before even considering going on the offensive, making her at times more suited to the rear than the front lines. And further on that note, when others are hurt on her watch, she tends to blame herself for not being strong enough, not understanding the terms of the fight, and so on...
True to her character, when Tear herself is injured, she puts her own needs on the back burner in favour of continuing forward. This can lead to her outcome being much worse than had she just admitted it from the start, as she will continue to push herself to the point of exhaustion if need be. She does not ask for help, which can put her in some rather compromising positions, perhaps...
Aside from that, her greatest weakeness is more than likely her brother. When Van is directly involved in a situation, we see Tear act out in ways previously unthought of. She tends to throw caution to the wind, and head into the confrontation with no clear plan, which is very unheard of for a soldier of the likes she usually prides herself to be. Luke, of course, as her feelings grow for him, also seems to be starting to fit into this category, as her emotions creep up to get the best of her at times when these two are involved...
History:
Tear's homeland is actually the island of Hod. The Hod War broke out while her mother was pregnant, and as the island literally crumbled before them, her brother, Vandesdelca, mostly likely saved their lives by singing a "fonic hymn." In the world of Auldrant, unbeknownst to most of its inhabitants, beneath the surface lies an area called the Qliphoth, a vast open sea-like environment bathed in poisonous miasma. There are few structures that appear down here, the most prominent location being the Watcher's village -- Yulia City. There, people tied closely with the world's history thrive, protected by the city's barriers. With the passing of their mother, Van and Tear were adopted into the care of the city's Mayor, Teodoro, whom Tear affectionately refers to as her Grandfather.
Knowing the harsh truths about the world at a young age, Tear was immersed into a military-like lifestyle at a young age. Her brother saw to it that she even had a private tutor in the Oracle Knight's very own Major -- Legretta the Quick. A bright student, Tear also possessed the ability to use the Seventh Fonon, and worked hard to hone her skills. Combined with the fonic hymns she learned from her brother, (passed down from a major historic figure, Yulia Jue) she became a "melodist" using the hymns to their full potential, even in battle. She rose on her own amongst the ranks in Daath's forces, reaching the rank of Locrian Seargeant in the Intelligence Division, which oversees the Score (which is essentially described as the Planet's Memory, past, present, and future). But as the years went by, she began to notice a change in her brother...
When her suspicion of Van's motives began to rise, Tear decided to take matters into her own hands and bring him to justice herself. She invaded the manor in the kingdom of Kimlasca, where he trained a young student and tried to strike him down. Unfortunately, she was not aware that his student, Luke fon Fabre, was also a user of the seventh fonon, and so when he attempted to intervene to protect his master, she and Luke caused what's known as a hyperresonnance, which sent them jetting off to enemy territory. Taking full responsibility for her actions, Tear vowed to see Luke home to his manor, even if he was playing the part of spoiled brat rather superbly.
Of course, what's a journey home without a few bumps in the road? Attempting to clear his name at being accused of stealing, the two were whisked away on a mission to a nearby forest, where they encountered the Malkuth Colonel, Jade -- the Fon Master and leader of the religious sect the Order of Lorelei, Ion -- his guardian, Anise -- a sacred repenting now-talking cheagle, Mieu -- and a rather hungry liger queen. With their help in defeating the threat of the liger queen (who also happened to be the "mother" of one of the God-Generals (who are considered higher ups in the Order)), they were subsequently captured for their suspicious behaviour, and asked to help out the Malkuth army in delivering a message to their enemy, and Luke's home, the Kingdom of Kimlasca.
With their combined efforts, they were now joined by Luke's friend-servant... servant-friend, Guy, and his royal fiancee, the Princess Natalia. Their mission was to check out the situation in a border mine-city, Akzeriuth. The miasma was taking over and the citizens needed to be evacuated. Luke, on the other hand, had his head shoved far too high up his own ass to comprehend the situation, and worked on his own hidden agenda he had arranged with his beloved master, Van. There, just as the Score had seemingly predicted, Luke's power, his hyperresonnance, was turned to calamity. He unknowingly destroyed a passage ring, the artifact which keeps the crust afloat, and Akzeriuth collapsed into the Qliphoth. Thanks to Tear's fonic hymn, the party alone was able to make it out alive. It is at this crucial moment that we learn that Luke is actually a replica of the God-General, Asch the Bloody. The brat passes out, and Tear lends him her bed for awhile, while the rest of the gang figures out what the hell to do now that all this shiz has gone down. Tear decides to stay in Yulia City for the time being.
When Luke finally snaps out of his mini-coma with some information courtesy of he and Asch's connection, he and Tear have a heart to heart within a field of blooming selenias. He swears to change, and while she's reluctant to believe that he can do it so suddenly... she agrees to watch over him. He cuts his hair to show he's serious about making a change, from there they return to the surface with a new mission in mind via Aramis Spring.
After a few dozen missions, attempts to save citizens from falling land stretches, attempting to reason with Asch, attempting to reason with the Order, learnin' some more of dem hymns, and further exposing the Van's unthinkable plans (replacing and reconstructing a replica world), the group decides the best way to prevent future tragedy is to lower the entirety of the Outer Lands down into the Qliphoth. The passage rings seem to react to Tear herself, but she grows increasingly and alarmingly more weak as they go on. Of course, at this point many things have changed, the most noticable of them being Luke himself. Sadly, as she is taken for a medical exam, her future seems to be looking rather bleak if they continue. The seventh fonons gathering in her body had been contaminated with miasma, and there was no cure. Despite any reservations she may have, Tear is frighteningly aware that this isn't simply a task that she can back away from, and seems resigned to her fate. At their final destination they confront Van, learn some more horrifying truths (ie. the fact that Ion is a seventh replica of the original Fon Master...) they fight without restraint, and the Commandant falls from the edge of their makeshift battleground, ending his life on Auldrant.
Everything seems to settle down then... for a month, at least.
Trying to return to a normal life isn't as easy as it sounds. Tear can be found in Yulia City at this point, often visiting and praying at the monument erected in Van's name. However, the threat of the miasma seems to again be on the rise, and it is up to the party to get to the bottom of it. They reunite, the Fon Master included, and set out once again. Of course, this leads to uncovering an entirely fresh layer of the earlier described diabolical plan, they soon find that the replicas are pouring in, courtesy of Grand Maestro Mohs, the authorative figure Tear used to report to. With Anise actually working for the enemy all along, she betrays them, and Ion is captured, forced to read the Score on a larger scale than had been done before. In his weakened state, after delivering the message of a future yet to come, Ion fades away, taking Tear's hand -- and her contaminated fonons along with him in his sacrifice.
They continue on, more fuel added to their fire. A plan is devised to neutralize the miasma, though not without the emotional roller coaster that comes along with it. Luke is determined to sacrifice himself to this cause, and being that he didn't stop her when she had accepted a similar fate... she grants him the same courtesy. Of course, her growing affection for him leads her to add that if he dies, she will never be able to forgive him. He manages to survive the mass suicide of the replicas, who gave their life so that their bretheren may have a brighter future, though his condition is questionable, as she learns from overhearing a conversation between Luke and Jade.
Eventually they confront Mohs again, who, drunk on power, has become a monster. With no choice put to put him out of his misery, they do so, even with Tear trying to reason with him until the very end. It is revealed here as well that Van is not dead -- as he is able to regain a physical form again after absorbing Lorelei -- the personification of the seventh fonon -- into himself. The form is obviously not stable, and he gives his sister one last warning -- next time they meet, there will be no mercy.
After some more angst courtesy of Asch, who dies trying to hold off a horde of soldiers, they continue onward. Of course, this leads to a confrontation with her former teacher, Legretta. After a strenuous battle, they emerge victorious, though it seems to leave a bitter taste in Tear's mouth. It's within the inner sanctum that they finally confront Van. With the help of the fonic hymns amalgamated into the GRAND FONIC HYMN, they are finally able to bring him to his knees, and Luke delivers the killing blow. His body disperses, and Tear offers a final farewell.
With the battleground, Eldrant the floating island, collapsing around them, Luke informs them that he will be staying behind, in order to free Lorelei, just as he promised. As Tear approaches him, she makes him promise that no matter what happens... he'll return. Even two years after the events, Tear returns to the field of selenias, watching the horizon for a sign. Luke's coming of age ceremony is supposed to be today... but she can't bring herself to spend it at a gravesite. Instead, she waits, in the company of their friends.
Series: Tales of the Abyss
Version: Game/Anime... it's pretty much the same? I used the anime to canon review, so... :\a
Age: 16 in game... I suppose she's 18 or so now???
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Appearance:
Tear measures up at about 5'3". She has long brown hair that falls close to her rear end, and two strands that almost always seem to stray away from the rest of the party, and frame her face and... assets down the front, instead. She has long bangs brushed to the right side, which almost always obscure the view of her bright blue eyes on that side. Her complexion isn't pale, but isn't quite as dark as her brother's, either.
She has a nice figure, her curves are accentuated by her clothing most of the time, and the party does not seem to be shy about mentioning how her "melons" measure up (or... don't measure up??) in comparison with the other females.
Her outfit of choice is her Oracle Knights uniform, which is a dark brown colour with decorative gold lining. It consists of a dress-like garment, sleeveless, and comes down in the front to a point near her feet. There are two side layers that conceal both of her legs, as well as give her easy access to the knives that she keeps tucked away in garters at mid-thigh height, where her maroon leggings start. There are also traces of the same colour near her collar, suggesting she may wear underarmour or something of the like beneath the top portion as well.
She wears long brown gloves which start at her bicep, the tops of which are lined with gold, and the bases, where her hands fit into, are white. Her slightly-heeled boots have the same colour scheme.
Personality:
At first glance, Tear seems to come across as the cold, aloof and calculating soldier she makes herself out to be. Really, she is well mannered and polite, and generally easy to get along with, as long as you're not being a complete douchebag (if you are, she would definitely call you out on it). She has a strong sense of duty and has no problem differentiating right from wrong when the clueless Luke seems to have no ability to do so. Very much the responisble type, she admits when she has made a mistake, and does her best to atone for it, seeing the task through to the very end. This is seen very early on, when because of her, she and Luke are transported outside of his prison, the Fabre manion's walls. She takes the respnsibility on of seeing him home herself, giving him her word that she will get him there safe and sound. She is self-assured in her own abilities, as seen by her first attempts to bring Van to her knees without any outside help. Even though its obvious he is stronger than her, she does not second guess her course of action, until it brings a harmless civilian into the mix.
Perhaps in part also thanks to her training, Tear sort of has a "no BS" clause to her personality. She sticks to the facts, explaining things from a realistic point of view, even if may not be the sunniest of outcomes. Of course, this isn't always the best course of action, as Luke even tells her at one point that despite her trying to make him feel better... she really only made him feel worse with her words of "encouragement." Of course, she did not realize it herself that her approach could be taken in such a way, and causes her to stumble over her words slightly afterwards, apologizing.
Tear is very much the sort of person that thinks something through long and hard before acting on it (the exception being situations that directly involve her brother). This can most likely be attributed to her military training, and she often encourages the party to see their game plan from different angles to try and see the bigger picture at hand. When confronted with the truth that her allies/family have turned on her at certain points, Tear can often be found trying one last time to get them to listen to reason... before coming to terms with the impossibility of the matter. This really shows that when she dedicates her loyalties towa"rds something / someone, she really pours her whole heart and soul into it, wanting to believe in them until the very last moment. She even goes so far later on, explaining that she feels, as someone close to these "turncoats", that it is her duty to stop them.
With all that said, there are also parts of her personality that Tear herself tries to conceal, and I don't just mean her melons. When it comes to her body though, she really is quite modest, and perfers clothing that doesn't reveal too much of her figure, as lovely as it is. She opts not to wear the bikini that the Malkuth Emperor provides, and instead chooses to rent a one piece from the local shop. She has an intense love for cute things, anything from maid outfits to cheagles (and a hush hush fear of ghosts). It is a secret love (shhh) that tends to bubble to the surface whether she likes it or not, however. This usually leads to her silently beaming and / or blushing, thinking to herself how adorable something is.
Even the Locrian Sergeant isn't immune to emotional and physical breakdowns, but what separates her from the rest... is that she does so in private. She seems to have an outright distaste for losing face in front of anyone, and begs Luke to leave her alone when fighting off her tears. She does not like to have the others worrying about her, and would rather lie and state she is fine than drawing any attention to herself or her present condition. It's almost a denial defense mechanism of sorts, and perhaps reveals that even she would rather not admit to herself that there is indeed a problem. She would rather be a rock for the rest of the party, encouraging them not to cry, even when she would like nothing more than to be able to do the exact same thing.
Abilities/Weaponry/Strengths:
Tear, being a soldier, is efficent in the ways of battle. She has keen senses and a cold, calculating mind on the battlefield. While physical strength isn't exactly her forte, she can hold her own in hand to hand combat, armed with her staff/spear which also serves to amplify her magical abilities. As a seventh fonist, she is a seasoned healer, though she has come equipped with some offensive artes as well. Some of her abilities can also be charged on the field, in what's referred to as a "Field of Fonons (FOF)." Basically, if the battle seems to be heavily revolved around a certain element (Fire, Wind, Water, etc...) and there are a lot of a certain kind of fonon, the ability will alter slightly.
Her skills can be broken down into the following;
B A S E : A R T E S
POW HAMMER ; Small toy-like hammers fall into the head of the target, with a chance to stun them.
→ FOF Change (Water) → FROZEN HAMMER ; Ice-shaped hammers.
NOCTURNAL LIGHT ; Three non-elemental projectiles are hurled forward.
→ FOF Change (Earth) → INLAY NOCTURNE ; A crystal is erected, and if any enemy comes into contact with it, it explodes.
A R C A N E : A R T E S
SEVERED FATE ; A triangle of light surrounds the target, from three projectiles.
→ FOF Change (Wind) → FATAL CIRCLE ; The projectiles are instead thrown into the ground, creating an explosive glyph.
BANISHING SORROW ; An invisible force hits the target.
→ FOF Change (Fire) → SEARING SORROW ; A meteor is thrown at the enemy, creating a large firey cyclone. Also a chance to knockdown the enemy.
F O N I C : A R T E S
FIRST AID ; Restores a small amount of health to the target.
→ FOF Change (Water) → MEDITATION ; Restores a moderate amount of health and heals status effects.
INVOKE GROUND, AQUA, FLAME & GALE ; Four individual moves cause a Field of Fonons to appear, charged to 50%
CHARGE ; Restores some TP (technical points) to the target.
→ FOF Change (Earth) → TRIBUTE ; Restores TP to the whole party, except Tear herself.
HEALING CIRCLE ; Heals characters gradually within the area of the effect.
→ FOF Change (Wind) → FAIRY CIRCLE ; Heals characters within the glyph gradually, cures status effects and damages all enemies within the area of the effect.
RESURRECTION ; Revives a character from KO status.
→ FOF Change (Water) → REGENERATE ; Raises all characters within the area effected from a KO
ECLAIR D'LARMES ; A glyph appears on the ground, accompanied by a cross. The symbol explodes with light.
→ FOF Change (Fire) → FLAMME ROUGE ; A column of fire appears, burning all enemies within.
ENHANCE CAST ; Reduces casting time for target.
→ FOF Change (Wind) → WITCHCRAFT ; Reduces casting time for all characters and delays casting time for all enemies within area of effect.
HOLY LANCE ; A glyph appears on the ground, and multiple lances of light strike the target.
→ FOF Change (Earth) → CLUSTER RAID ; A beam of energy above the target area sends up stalagmites that impale, then the entire area explodes.
F O N I C : H Y M N S
The hymns work a little differently than Tear's regular fonic artes. In order to use them to their full potential, one must understand not only the melody, but also the feelings and emotions behind the verses that the melodist sings, otherwise they will have little to no effect. While regular hymns seem to be rather weak, these learned by Tear and Grant are mentioned as being "on par with regular fonic artes" as far as strength goes. By this point, Tear has mastered all of the hymns passed down from Yulia.
NIGHTMARE ; "tue rei ze croa riou tue ze." ; (darkness) Chance to put an enemy to sleep. While asleep enemies cannot be killed, only damaged.
FORCE FIELD ; "croa riou ze tue riou rei neu riou ze" ; Creates a force field that renders anyone within it invincible for a short period of time.
HOLY SONG ; "Va rei ze tue neu tue riou tue croa" ; Raises all attributes for allies (strength, agility, magic, defense), and heals a small amount of health.
REVITALIZE ; "Riou rei croa riou ze rei va ze rei" ; Recovers health of all allies within the range of the hymn.
JUDGEMENT ; "Va neu va rei va neu va ze rei" ; The entire battlefield is struck by numerous columns of searing light.
GRAND CROSS ; "Croa riou croa neu tue rei croa riou ze rei va" ; A beam of light shoots up from a glyph and shines bright, in the shape of a cross.
GRAND FONIC HYMN ; "Rei va neu croa tue rei rei" ; final part, wherein all of the verses are sung in succession, and unleash devastating results (but really, only in a major boss battle /shot)
M Y S T I C : A R T E S
(kinda like limit breaks)
INNOCENT SHINE ; Can only be activated during Overlimits (after taking a good amount of damage we'll say), and in conjunction with a Fonic Hymn. Spirals of light damage enemies within range, then with a bright flash, targets are seared by light.
FORTUNE'S ARC ; Again, activated only during Overlimits, using the hymn, Judgement. From a floating sphere, purifying light to rains down onto all enemies on the battlefield.
Aside from her multitide of abilities, her other strengths also shine through on the battlefield; she keeps a clear head in combat, and considers all angles before diving into a challenge. It is not often that she "looses her cool" so to speak, and hardly lets emotions cloud her judgement, even if she could be considered "harsh" for thinking such a way. She is a realist; and simply doesn't live with her head in the clouds.
Weaknesses:
While Tear is a conditioned soldier, she is more accurately a mage or "melodist" and as such, requires uninterrupted time to cast her spells. Whis is capable of defending herself with her staves, she is not the most efficent when it comes to close combat. Were she to fight solo, she would be more inclined to put her enemies to sleep from afar. As an adept user of the seventh fonon, Tear often serves as the party's healer as well, instead of always being an attacker. She takes it upon herself to make sure that they are in good health before even considering going on the offensive, making her at times more suited to the rear than the front lines. And further on that note, when others are hurt on her watch, she tends to blame herself for not being strong enough, not understanding the terms of the fight, and so on...
True to her character, when Tear herself is injured, she puts her own needs on the back burner in favour of continuing forward. This can lead to her outcome being much worse than had she just admitted it from the start, as she will continue to push herself to the point of exhaustion if need be. She does not ask for help, which can put her in some rather compromising positions, perhaps...
Aside from that, her greatest weakeness is more than likely her brother. When Van is directly involved in a situation, we see Tear act out in ways previously unthought of. She tends to throw caution to the wind, and head into the confrontation with no clear plan, which is very unheard of for a soldier of the likes she usually prides herself to be. Luke, of course, as her feelings grow for him, also seems to be starting to fit into this category, as her emotions creep up to get the best of her at times when these two are involved...
History:
Tear's homeland is actually the island of Hod. The Hod War broke out while her mother was pregnant, and as the island literally crumbled before them, her brother, Vandesdelca, mostly likely saved their lives by singing a "fonic hymn." In the world of Auldrant, unbeknownst to most of its inhabitants, beneath the surface lies an area called the Qliphoth, a vast open sea-like environment bathed in poisonous miasma. There are few structures that appear down here, the most prominent location being the Watcher's village -- Yulia City. There, people tied closely with the world's history thrive, protected by the city's barriers. With the passing of their mother, Van and Tear were adopted into the care of the city's Mayor, Teodoro, whom Tear affectionately refers to as her Grandfather.
Knowing the harsh truths about the world at a young age, Tear was immersed into a military-like lifestyle at a young age. Her brother saw to it that she even had a private tutor in the Oracle Knight's very own Major -- Legretta the Quick. A bright student, Tear also possessed the ability to use the Seventh Fonon, and worked hard to hone her skills. Combined with the fonic hymns she learned from her brother, (passed down from a major historic figure, Yulia Jue) she became a "melodist" using the hymns to their full potential, even in battle. She rose on her own amongst the ranks in Daath's forces, reaching the rank of Locrian Seargeant in the Intelligence Division, which oversees the Score (which is essentially described as the Planet's Memory, past, present, and future). But as the years went by, she began to notice a change in her brother...
When her suspicion of Van's motives began to rise, Tear decided to take matters into her own hands and bring him to justice herself. She invaded the manor in the kingdom of Kimlasca, where he trained a young student and tried to strike him down. Unfortunately, she was not aware that his student, Luke fon Fabre, was also a user of the seventh fonon, and so when he attempted to intervene to protect his master, she and Luke caused what's known as a hyperresonnance, which sent them jetting off to enemy territory. Taking full responsibility for her actions, Tear vowed to see Luke home to his manor, even if he was playing the part of spoiled brat rather superbly.
Of course, what's a journey home without a few bumps in the road? Attempting to clear his name at being accused of stealing, the two were whisked away on a mission to a nearby forest, where they encountered the Malkuth Colonel, Jade -- the Fon Master and leader of the religious sect the Order of Lorelei, Ion -- his guardian, Anise -- a sacred repenting now-talking cheagle, Mieu -- and a rather hungry liger queen. With their help in defeating the threat of the liger queen (who also happened to be the "mother" of one of the God-Generals (who are considered higher ups in the Order)), they were subsequently captured for their suspicious behaviour, and asked to help out the Malkuth army in delivering a message to their enemy, and Luke's home, the Kingdom of Kimlasca.
With their combined efforts, they were now joined by Luke's friend-servant... servant-friend, Guy, and his royal fiancee, the Princess Natalia. Their mission was to check out the situation in a border mine-city, Akzeriuth. The miasma was taking over and the citizens needed to be evacuated. Luke, on the other hand, had his head shoved far too high up his own ass to comprehend the situation, and worked on his own hidden agenda he had arranged with his beloved master, Van. There, just as the Score had seemingly predicted, Luke's power, his hyperresonnance, was turned to calamity. He unknowingly destroyed a passage ring, the artifact which keeps the crust afloat, and Akzeriuth collapsed into the Qliphoth. Thanks to Tear's fonic hymn, the party alone was able to make it out alive. It is at this crucial moment that we learn that Luke is actually a replica of the God-General, Asch the Bloody. The brat passes out, and Tear lends him her bed for awhile, while the rest of the gang figures out what the hell to do now that all this shiz has gone down. Tear decides to stay in Yulia City for the time being.
When Luke finally snaps out of his mini-coma with some information courtesy of he and Asch's connection, he and Tear have a heart to heart within a field of blooming selenias. He swears to change, and while she's reluctant to believe that he can do it so suddenly... she agrees to watch over him. He cuts his hair to show he's serious about making a change, from there they return to the surface with a new mission in mind via Aramis Spring.
After a few dozen missions, attempts to save citizens from falling land stretches, attempting to reason with Asch, attempting to reason with the Order, learnin' some more of dem hymns, and further exposing the Van's unthinkable plans (replacing and reconstructing a replica world), the group decides the best way to prevent future tragedy is to lower the entirety of the Outer Lands down into the Qliphoth. The passage rings seem to react to Tear herself, but she grows increasingly and alarmingly more weak as they go on. Of course, at this point many things have changed, the most noticable of them being Luke himself. Sadly, as she is taken for a medical exam, her future seems to be looking rather bleak if they continue. The seventh fonons gathering in her body had been contaminated with miasma, and there was no cure. Despite any reservations she may have, Tear is frighteningly aware that this isn't simply a task that she can back away from, and seems resigned to her fate. At their final destination they confront Van, learn some more horrifying truths (ie. the fact that Ion is a seventh replica of the original Fon Master...) they fight without restraint, and the Commandant falls from the edge of their makeshift battleground, ending his life on Auldrant.
Everything seems to settle down then... for a month, at least.
Trying to return to a normal life isn't as easy as it sounds. Tear can be found in Yulia City at this point, often visiting and praying at the monument erected in Van's name. However, the threat of the miasma seems to again be on the rise, and it is up to the party to get to the bottom of it. They reunite, the Fon Master included, and set out once again. Of course, this leads to uncovering an entirely fresh layer of the earlier described diabolical plan, they soon find that the replicas are pouring in, courtesy of Grand Maestro Mohs, the authorative figure Tear used to report to. With Anise actually working for the enemy all along, she betrays them, and Ion is captured, forced to read the Score on a larger scale than had been done before. In his weakened state, after delivering the message of a future yet to come, Ion fades away, taking Tear's hand -- and her contaminated fonons along with him in his sacrifice.
They continue on, more fuel added to their fire. A plan is devised to neutralize the miasma, though not without the emotional roller coaster that comes along with it. Luke is determined to sacrifice himself to this cause, and being that he didn't stop her when she had accepted a similar fate... she grants him the same courtesy. Of course, her growing affection for him leads her to add that if he dies, she will never be able to forgive him. He manages to survive the mass suicide of the replicas, who gave their life so that their bretheren may have a brighter future, though his condition is questionable, as she learns from overhearing a conversation between Luke and Jade.
Eventually they confront Mohs again, who, drunk on power, has become a monster. With no choice put to put him out of his misery, they do so, even with Tear trying to reason with him until the very end. It is revealed here as well that Van is not dead -- as he is able to regain a physical form again after absorbing Lorelei -- the personification of the seventh fonon -- into himself. The form is obviously not stable, and he gives his sister one last warning -- next time they meet, there will be no mercy.
After some more angst courtesy of Asch, who dies trying to hold off a horde of soldiers, they continue onward. Of course, this leads to a confrontation with her former teacher, Legretta. After a strenuous battle, they emerge victorious, though it seems to leave a bitter taste in Tear's mouth. It's within the inner sanctum that they finally confront Van. With the help of the fonic hymns amalgamated into the GRAND FONIC HYMN, they are finally able to bring him to his knees, and Luke delivers the killing blow. His body disperses, and Tear offers a final farewell.
With the battleground, Eldrant the floating island, collapsing around them, Luke informs them that he will be staying behind, in order to free Lorelei, just as he promised. As Tear approaches him, she makes him promise that no matter what happens... he'll return. Even two years after the events, Tear returns to the field of selenias, watching the horizon for a sign. Luke's coming of age ceremony is supposed to be today... but she can't bring herself to spend it at a gravesite. Instead, she waits, in the company of their friends.