Wick's Not Aghast in DEATH BATTLE!

                                  

Jack Wick of House Lilimfair

Jack Beloved was created by David and Max Kinne, it can be read on its own website, Tapas, ComicFury, and Tumblr

Welcome back to the blog! This is the first time in a while that I've dedicated a blog to a character I previously spoke of in a potential matchups section. If people are interested, I could potentially combine Wick and his opponent's blogs with an added verdict section to determine the debate. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this one as a standalone blog.

Background

"No one gets to decide for you what’s right. The truth is something you feel. It whispers if you listen. You stuck to your convictions despite what it cost. That’s… beautiful. If your people cannot respect what you know in your heart to be right, then you’re better off without them."

The empire of Korveil is on the brink of disaster. A plague known as curseweed has spread across the lands, draining the life from soil and killing all crops nearby. Who's to blame for this wretched weed? Apparently the ghasts of Umbrora, which Korveil is at war with.

Ghasts are a race of horned humanoids that harbor powerful magic. Not many humans have seen them, but they've achieved boogeyman status. They have sharp claws, frightful faces, they even gobble up souls for breakfast. Ghasts are believed to be nothing more than fiendish monsters that delight in peoples' terror.

However, if a human were to actually interact with a ghast, they'd quickly learn that everything I just said is a sham. They aren't responsible for the curseweed. In actuality it's a natural phenomenon of intense grief and pain outliving the deceased and manifesting as a blight that spreads. With how often humans raid ghasts, curseweed spreads like wildfire.

Ghasts aren't monsters at all. They have cities with a thriving culture, priding themselves on their archives, universities, opera houses, and exotic tea gardens. Ghasts don't eat souls, but rather feed on negative emotions to convert it into helpful magic. There may be nasty hearsay surrounding ghasts, but they're as complex and empathetic as humans. Case in point: Wick.

Wick is a ghast that directly serves under the Umbroran Queen Astralis as her jack. She entrusted him to keep their Well of Magic safe, and she couldn't have picked a better candidate. Wick was appointed the Rune Singer by the royal court of Umbrora, which means he's able to weave complex spells to life with his commanding voice.

His people know Wick as a zealous soul with a healthy ego. Wick is passionate about lyrical theater and was a thriving opera singer prior to his appointing. However, for personal reasons he has given up public performances.

Humans on the other hand are only exposed to a more bitter and menacing Wick. The war robbed him of many things, his old home included. Humans are stubborn in their hateful views of ghasts, so why should Wick be any different? All humans are nothing more than fear-mongering  murderers with no honor… or so he thought.

One day the worst case scenario happened: the Korveilian Vanguard stormed Umbrora to destroy the Well of Magic, believing that will erase all curseweed. Even if his beloved city falls, Wick ensures the Korveilians will never lay a finger on the Well by sealing it with a spell and fleeing into the night. Wick is the only one able to undo the spell, so the hunt for him begins.

Wick tries to hide, but he's ultimately caught and bested in a fight. However, he wasn't beaten by a soldier or bounty hunter, but a simple countryman named Sam.

Sam is a humble guitarist, but is part of the lowest social caste in Korveil. As the son of a deserter he was labeled a Fettered, and Fettered are treated like outcasts. If he captured Wick, he could prove himself to the imperial army, join their ranks, and be recognized as a Citizen Apparent so he can marry his sweetheart Bethany. He proved his doubters wrong by bringing Wick to the Vanguard to take him prisoner.

Wick is as callous, spiteful, and uncooperative with humans as Korveilian would come to expect. With how unpredictable he is and how many escape attempts he makes, the soldiers assign Sam to handle him. Despite everything he's come to learn of ghasts, Sam thinks it’s possible to talk things through with Wick, but everyone shoots him down.

Sam is the only person who treats Wick with an ounce of respect. Wick has no reason to trust him, but when he’s exposed to the radiance of Sam’s soul when he plays guitar, he catches on that the Vanguard is no place for an endearing soul like his. This was the start of a relationship that would change the course of the war between humans and ghasts forever.

As Wick and Sam conversed more, they'd become exposed to each other’s perceptions of each others’ people. Wick educates Sam that the humans are the ones who came to steal from and conquer his people. Umbrora actually used to be part of Korveil, but then humans started stealing magic they needed to live, so they secluded themselves.

While Wick marks his word he'll kill Sam once he finds a means of escape, he starts to sympathize with Sam when he learns of his mistreatment because of his Fettered status. He may be a human, but that treatment is inexcusable no matter the race.

Wick is ultimately escorted to the Korveilian ruler, the Ascended Lord Ember, who forces Wick to work tirelessly to undo his seal on the well. Wick begrudgingly agrees to assist when he learns his Aunt Winter is being held captive and threatened.

Seeing Wick abused so much troubles Sam, and the only thing that can soothe his nerves is Sam’s guitar playing. It worked enough to help him complete spell, but Sam's nerves aren't quelled after learning Ember lied about letting Wick live after breaking the seal.

Sam worked his whole life to reach this recognition from the Vanguard. If he turned a blind eye to Wick and let him go, he'd have to kiss his chances of becoming Citizen Apparent goodbye. As much as he tries to put his lifelong goals above all else, doing what it takes to win war and shove his kindness aside, Wick sees right through Sam. Sam's aura isn’t so easily influenced. Deep in his heart, Sam would never do something so cold-blooded.

Wick also gazed into Ember's soul and saw that something was wrong with it. There's something bigger going on beneath the surface, and tries to sway Sam to question everything he thought he knew. Finally, Sam throws away everything he worked for to free Wick and take the completed runes with them. They weren't able to free Aunt Winter, but she was able to direct them to where the other ghasts are hiding.

Now that they're on the run together, Wick and Sam grow closer. For the first time in his life, Wick was taught there are good humans after all. He owes Sam his life, and for that he acts warmer around him. They still banter and argue, but they're on better terms. However, when Sam takes interest in Wick's musical background, he vehemently refuses to sing in front of Sam, neither for performance or casting spells.

Still, in spite their differences, Wick is starting to fall for Sam.

He reassures Sam that he did the right thing after he freaked out about the potential consequences of freeing him. If people admonish him for doing good, then they don’t deserve him. This includes Bethany, who Sam’s convinced would never love him for who he is if she learns of his betrayal. This frustrates Wick, angry that Sam accepts the world’s treatment of him. If he wants to be loved & respected start with himself.

After avoiding soldiers and fighting bounty hunters, they arrive where Umbrorans are hiding, along with Queen Astralis. When Sam is totally distrusted by Umbrorans and sentenced to death, Wick vouches for him and fights for his safety. Unfortunately it doesn't take long for the Vanguard to unmask and raid their hideout. Wick helped everyone escape and stayed behind to assist Astralis, but he couldn't save her.

Wick snaps and takes on humans by himself, but it's still not enough. He's rescued by Sam in the nick of time and takes his injured body back to the only place he can think of, his home village.

Sam brings Wick to Bethany to heal him, who reluctantly agrees to hide the two. It doesn’t take long before their cover is blown, but Bethany’s chief mom agrees to let him stay for labor due to the curseweed leading to starvation.

Bethany treats Wick like a monster, a thing that should be killed as soon as possible. She attempts to convince Sam to turn him to the Vanguard to regain his honor and be married. Wick was right, Bethany wouldn’t accept him. If that’s all she cares about then she isn’t the one for him.

It's at this point when Wick and Sam grow close enough that Wick is comfortable with divulging why he refuses to sing.

Wick was assigned female at birth. He always felt like there was something wrong with him. He could never explain this feeling to his family, not having the words to. And how could he? His body was perfect to them. They couldn't understand that wasn’t him. He felt confused, alone, and trapped, and his family took notice. They tried looking for answers in music, and found it.

Wick fell in love with opera and everything surrounding it. It kept him from despair. Singing gave him strength to pretend he was himself, but nothing more. Despite becoming prima donna, sorrow still gnawed at him. Queen Astralis saw through him, knowing deep down this isn’t who he is. Her words inspired him to magically change his body to suit his true self.

At last Wick felt whole, but there was a cost. His voice changed, no longer suited for prima donna, no longer suited for opera, so he chose to become rune singer instead.

Sam argues he shouldn’t give up his dream just because his voice is different. However, opera demands perfection, and Wick isn’t that anymore. Regardless, if music’s the thing keeping him going, he can’t leave that behind.

Their breakthrough is cut short when Bethany tattles on Sam. The village is convinced Sam’s under Wick’s thrall, but after Wick exposes himself to protect Sam, they see their relationship for what it is. They're now aware that ghasts aren’t unfeeling monsters.

Sam makes progress to convince people that things aren’t as they seem and tells everyone where curseweed really comes from. This prompts Bethany's mom to give Wick a chance to prove himself by getting rid of the curseweed. Wick isn’t willing to help with how terribly they’ve treated Sam, but Sam convinces him. Not only that, but he persuaded Wick to use his voice to erase the curseweed.

It was this act that led to Wick being treated like a savior, much to Bethany's disapproval and jealousy. She still doesn't accept him, especially when she notices sparks between Wick and her man. This resentment comes ahead when Wick went past his magic limits, leaving him at death's door. He needs raw magic to cure himself, and Bethany expressed to Sam it's better to let him die. Sam saved the village after all, not him.

This was not only the nail in the coffin for Sam's romance with Bethany, but it's at that moment Sam realizes Wick matters more to him than her now. He's in love. Not only that, his time with Wick inspired Sam he’d rather be a musician than a soldier.

Sam takes Wick away from his village to reach a magic area in Vanguard territory. It's risky, but he'll do anything for Wick at this point. Wick's feelings are confused. Before Sam came along he hated humans, but now it’s more complicated. That’s the one thing he despises about Sam. In spite of that, after replenishing Wick's magic, the two finally confess their love for each other…

Unfortunately their intimacy is interrupted by the Vanguard. When they escape to the village, they're led to a trap thanks to Bethany. The whole village was labeled traitor and captured. Thankfully Sam & Wick’s stunt convinced Sam’s former warmaster Andreas they can instantly banish curseweed, so there is hope.

It's eventually revealed Lord Ember knew this whole time ghasts aren’t responsible for curseweed. She simply wants their magic for herself. Lying only serves the truth that it’s a kill or be killed world. Ember made sacrifices to be ascended, and she’s magically mangled under her mask.

Thus, Wick and Sam are brought to Umbrora, completely overrun by Korveilians, to force Wick to unseal the Well of Magic. While there isn't much hope left for his people, he at wants to ensure the safety of those he cherishes. Wick makes an attempt on his own life to get their attention, saying he’ll only cooperate if they do in fact spare Sam and his aunt and not hunt them afterwards.

This is as far as the story goes right now. Only time will tell if Wick can end this cycle of strife and suffering for good.

Experience and Skill

Wick was an accomplished and well-trained jack prior to the story's beginning. He's highly knowledgeable of magic and its limitations, far more than humans normally comprehend. For his delicate and precise weaving of magic with his voice, he was an easy shoe-in as Queen Astralis' Rune Singer and guardian of the Well of Magic.

He's also a skilled fighter, able to take on multiple soldiers at once thanks to his magic. Still, that doesn't mean he's invincible. Sam was able to take him down all by himself and hordes of enemies tend to overwhelm him.

Equipment

Necklace

Wick's necklace was given to him by his aunt Winter. It helps him track other jacks, pointing in their direction.

Abilities

Aura

Ghasts can see humans' auras, the expression of one's nature and the light off the flame of the soul. He can tell a human's emotions just by looking at their soul. This also lets him see the true nature of one's soul.

Emotion Draining

This leads into how Wick drinks emotions to grow stronger. Humans' souls burn brighter than other creatures', making them exceptionally strong. However, it puts a strain on their lifeforce if it isn't tempered. Thus, ghasts absorb the heat of the aura—usually strong negative emotions like fear and sorrow—to convert it into helpful magic that increases their own strength. When accompanied by Sam, his boisterous aura boosts Wick's power, especially while playing his guitar.

Darkness Mimicry

Wick can transform into a shadow, able to scale along walls and move through cracks. His body becomes intangible in this state. If he makes physical contact with someone before transforming, he can take them in his shadow at the cost of burning even more magic.

Claw Growth

He was de-clawed after being captured, but his claws can be regrown with magic

Magic

Wick is mostly proficient in runes. Spells are like ideas. Aura is the voice he uses to speak them. Runes are a dense and direct way to word that idea. A spell’s power doesn’t come from the symbols, rather their performance. For this reason, Wick's at his strongest when he casts spells while singing (which he will refuse to do under most circumstances). Drawing runes i.e. Owl House works too.

One of the applications of his magic is that he removed Sam's fettered band, which can only be magically separated from its owner.

Death Spell Seal

Wick performed this spell through singing. He casted it on the gate to the magic well to cause anyone to be instantly reduced to a skeleton upon contact. This spell is meant to last for centuries, so undoing it requires specific runes.

Darkness Empowerment

The more darkness he's surrounded by, the stronger his magic is.

Large Size (Type 0)

He can turn into a giant if he has enough magic energy.

Mind Manipulation

Wick once transferred runes into Sam's mind so he could perform them in song.

Portal Manipulation

This is thanks to a rune given to him by Astralis.

Smoke Manipulation

Fwoooosh-

Mending

Wick used a rune to fix a guitar.

Body Magic

Using magic to change one's body to reflect their truest self isn't unheard of in this world, it simply took a while for Wick to realize it's something he's longed to use for a while.

Curseweed Removal Spell

Wick can get rid of curseweed by setting the pain trapped within it free, revealing the hidden truth and healing it. In unveiling the truth it creates figments of what transpired to cause such grief out of aura. If these figments attempt to thwart the Wick in the process of casting, he can use his singing skills to surround himself with the spell's magic like a shield. Of course, Sam's guitar skills amplify its potency.

Illusions

The extent of illusions that's been showcased is masking locations, like hiding this tunnel.

Light Magic

Ironically he can weaponize one of his greatest weaknesses. He makes a bright light that momentarily blinds anyone in the area.

Techniques

N/A

Feats

Overall

• Protected the magic well from humans with a death spell
• Helped the Umbrorans escape from raiding Korveilian soldiers
• Rid Sam’s village of curseweed
• Magically removed Sam's Fettered band

Strength

• Scarred Sam with his claws
• He sent soldiers flying in his giant form

Speed

• Reacted to a crossbow arrow

Durability

• He and Sam fell off a cliff
• Shot in the back by an arrow

Scaling

• Sam blocked an arrow with his guitar
• Sam was given a black eye
• Andreas blew a hole through a wall with an explosive
• Andreas shot a hole through Astralis after she turned gigantic
• Astralis vaporizes people

Weaknesses

• Can’t use his powers when light is present
• Bringing a passenger with him when turning into a shadow burns up too much magic
• His more powerful spells consume a lotta magic. If he pushes his body past his limit with powerful magic, not even Sam’s music can help. He requires wild magic to return his strength.

Matchup Potential

Natani vs Wick (TwoKinds vs Jack Beloved)

(thumbnail by Vibe Check)

Vibe Check

I already discussed this matchup in length in the Natani blog, so I'll link that here. Still, I'll sum up the main points from that blog here.

Connections: Both are magic practitioners who enter an enemies to lovers relationship with an outcasted soldier their race is as odds with. Both struggled with their gender identity, but are now fully comfortable in their bodies after transitioning (a contrast is that Wick had found confidence in his gender identity prior to the story's start). Their transitions are the result of magical means. Despite the beef their races have with each other and their rocky beginnings, now they both look past the stigmas surrounding each others' races to protect them no matter what.

The main crux of the fight dynamic is Wick using his aura and emotion sensing to verbally piece together who Natani is throughout the fight, which frustrates the wolf. It all could build up to Natani making a proud declaration of himself and his identity, making for a emotionally driven storyline. By the loser's passing, both would have a good sense of who the other is and relate to them.

Add in the diverse magic power exchanges and clashing personalities, and you've got a really standout fantasy fight.

The winner is Natani hands down. Wick has some deadly and haxy spells that can easily end the fight like death magic, but he doesn't have the stats to keep up.

NEXT TIME ON WCAB… whenever I feel like it