Penelope

Immortal

Overview

She is a stylish sorceress with a cute appearance but an incredibly lazy personality. She seldom speaks to others, yet often talks to a doll named "Odysseus". This doll contains the sorceress' heart.

Chapter One

(1429–1452, Era of Eternal Flame) Born to the noble Aritas on the eastern coast, Penelope was educated and raised by the Sanctuary from childhood.
At 17, Penelope's talent for magic earned her an apprenticeship Nova at the Sanctuary, a standout achievement in the noble Aritas family.
The Aritas family had high hopes for Penelope, but she pursued magic only to fulfill her family's wishes.
It was precisely this kind of Nova that attracted Odysseus of Chaos.
On her 19th birthday, Penelope collapsed on her way to the Sanctuary. Upon awakening, a ghost exuding chaotic energy confronted her.
The ghost, named Odysseus, didn't harm Penelope. It explained it was trapped there for millennia and needed her power to escape.
Despite the ghost's reassurances and offer of power, Penelope, as Sanctuary Nova, resisted getting involved with a being of Chaos.
But Penelope had no choice. Odysseus embodied chaos, which the world couldn't tolerate, making it impossible for the guardian of order to escape.
Penelope staggered back to the streets, dazed. The stuffed bear on her back, a gift from her parents, now looked menacing.
In the toy's gem-like eyes, Penelope glimpsed the hidden evil spirit, along with visions of herself covered in blood and missing her heart.

Chapter Two

In the chaos, Penelope felt alone, enduring three fearful nights in the sacred city. The crowd, oblivious to her distress, only eyed the ugly doll she clutched, mistaking her anguish for illness.
Odysseus, true to its word, committed no act against her. Any discontent it felt twisted the stitches on its face into a silent grimace of complaint.
Yet she harbored a constant fear. The Sanctuary of Midgard pulsed with a relentless force of order, repelling chaos. What was once gentle power now burned around her like an inferno, suffocating her.
The Nova, harboring a dangerous scheme, couldn't return to her family. Instead, she obeyed Odysseus and pretended to be on a mission to the southern land of wanderers.
That sinful land, which a Nova would usually despise and ruin, became Penelope's only hope.
\u3000\She met Peri, the cunning leader of the vagabonds, always evading the Sanctuary of Truth.
Peri, concerned for the girl fleeing Midgard, offered the desperate Nova a long-lost sense of peace.
Penelope's panic faded in Peri's embrace as she recalled Odysseus's early words.
"From now on, be loyal to desire, see through false prosperity, and seek the truth."
The vagabonds viewed the sacred city's order as a mere facade from Lord Deity, convinced that only desire revealed the truth. Penelope embraced this mantra for her own absolution.
In two years with the vagabonds, the young Nova noticed a clear difference: Peri's group was flawed, greedy, irritable, and adaptable, unlike the people of the sacred city.
Penelope thought of Layla's Knight Campaign, urging vagabonds to break free from their past and create their own future. She believed Peri and her group embodied that vision.
"If it's a new future they create, it may not be as perfect, but it won't be stagnant, right?"
Penelope mused to the toy bear in her hand, and Odysseus nodded in agreement.
The young Nova didn't know that not all vagabonds were pure like Layla; greed and betrayal lurked nearby.

Chapter Three

In the third year after Penelope left Midgard City, Peri's team continued south, gathering vagabonds and developing persuasive concepts.
Penelope's personality had changed; perhaps due to Odysseus's influence or the recovery of her original sins, the Nova became increasingly slothful.
Meanwhile, the vagabond team welcomed their second Nova, Nuriyah Matia, who came to investigate Penelope's disappearance.
Shocked by Penelope's appearance, Nuriyah decided to blend in with the vagabonds.
She discovered that these pretentious vagabonds, manipulated by Peri, were attempting to gather strength to free "a soul" sealed in the Tower of Sanctity.
"Only in this way can we truly be free… I know the operations can be extremely dangerous. I won't force you; you can choose to stay or leave," Peri told them.
No one left; the mind games had effectively made the vagabonds willing to sacrifice their lives.
However, such a force would attract attention. Lord Inquisitor sent elite Novas, led by the Calpines, to eliminate them, and the outcome was predictable. Faced with formidable armed forces, the vagabonds were doomed, and Peri went missing.
Despite this, Penelope stood against the white dragon, trying to buy time for her people. She fought as she had learned in the Sanctuary, though her approach was different now.
Celestina's claw pierced Penelope, dropping her to the ground. Bloodied, the Nova struggled to her feet and continued to strike the dragon's thigh.
"Oh? The Arita Nova is already dead. Cambion, you could have pretended to be dead. Why do you interfere?" the dragon mocked.
"I just want to follow my heart," Penelope replied.
These were the last words she spoke to the white dragon.

Historical Notes

Odysseus:
Odysseus is the name claimed by a malevolent spirit encountered by Penelope. However, the true identity of this spirit remains uncertain, shrouded in mystery due to the passage of time and the lack of concrete information.

Peri:
Peri (1429–1452, Era of Eternal Flame), known as the "Kiss of Fragmentation," was the leader of the vagabonds in southern Ciaran. She once heard from a powerful entity about an unknown will sealed beneath the Tower of Sanctity near the sacred city. Peri believed that awakening this mysterious force could lead to the freedom she sought.

The Aritas:
The Aritas hailed from the eastern coast, with their coat of arms being the blue otter. Their lineage dates back to the mid-Golden Age. Following the annexation of the Kingdom of Andreia (14793–15892, Era of Frost Veil) by Safaril, many Andreia nobles fled and married into the eastern lords. While initially, the lords were interested only in their wealth, over two generations, these nobles managed to gain influence. The Rumburgh Massacre in 15962 of the Era of Frost Veil was a turning point that allowed the Aritas to consolidate their power. Though rumors connected the noble alliances with the Abyss, these claims remain unverified.

Vagabonds:
The vagabonds in southern Ciaran were independent from those of Cantwell. Their nomadic lifestyle and fragmented leadership distinguished them from other groups in the region.

Celestina:
"Realm of the Sky" Celestina (1428–1459, Era of Eternal Flame), an outstanding Nova of the Calpines, is hailed as one of the greatest Novas of all time.