Alexander Vries

Alexander Vries (known to most as simply 'Vries') is the husband of Jessica DeGrandi, father of Marcus Vries, and one of the main protagonists in the story. He became a werewolf after an encounter with Archerios Cloudsmith, becoming the second werewolf in the land of Haven. Vries became public enemy number one after saving Archerios' life, labeling him the 'Scourge of Haven' and subsequently having him hunted. He along with Michael, lead the movement of trying to amend relations between Haven and The Pack.
He and Erykas are currently members of the Haven Council, and as of over a year ago he has become the first Archery Instructor in the Haven Army in over a hundred years. As revealed in the McKinley Games Mini Arc, Alexander's father Richard was in reality his adoptive father, and his biological father is Lucas McKinley, making Vries a direct member of the McKinley Pack's head family.
At the end of the Wild Ones Arc, Alexander ascended as the new Nature Elemental.
==Appearance==
Alexander stands 6'1, has hazel eyes, and has shoulder length reddish-brown hair (almost always pulled into a ponytail) and a small beard. Usually clad in leather and his signature bracers, Alex carries a bow and is an expert archer and hunter. When in werewolf form, he stands 7'3, and has grey-brown fur and yellow eyes.
When he was mutated by Dark Pierce, his werewolf form doubled in size and became even more savage and strong, resembling a monstrous hyena/wolf hybrid. Even his human appearance became more bestial, 
being taller, with sharp fangs and vivid green-yellow eyes.
During his time under Lucifer's control, and again as the elemental of Ice, Vries werewolf body was taller and frosty white, with icy spines protruding from his body.
==Abilities & Powers ==
Alexander is one of the best fighters of The Pack, and uses every tool available to him and makes the most out of every single one in combat situations. 
===Archery===
First and foremost, Alex is one of the best archers in all the land of Ulia. A true master with a bow, he is capable of incredibly long distance precision shots, as well as rapid and swift draws of the bow. He is capable of hitting a moving person in the neck with an arrow from a distance of over 200 yards. His skill is so great, he became only the third person in the history of Haven's Army to complete the marksman course using a bow with a score higher than 100 (out of 120), a feat made even more impressive by the fact he intentionally used a bow of mediocre quality. Ranged combat is his preferred choice of fighting, and while is more than a capable of holding his own, he hasn't received any kind of formal training in melee combat.
=== Werewolf===
As a werewolf of the Alpha strain, Alexander has great broad range physical power and agility, as well as granting him the ability to command wolves, as well as people whom he recently turned. However, perhaps his greatest asset from being a werewolf, is his endurance. Alex has endured some of the most horrendous injuries seen in the story, and has continuously pulled through against the odds. Also, a unique attribute to him, because of his repeated exposure to silver, he is now the only werewolf in the world who is completely immune to it. 
===Hunter===
Alex is a master tracker and hunter, able to successfully track things across entire countries. His fighting skills reach even greater heights when in the woods, where he can trap and ambush his enemies, while also using the brush to keep himself concealed. He can, and has, survived alone in the woods for extremely extended periods of time, and feels right at home in the wilds. 
===Craftsmanship===
Vries is a capable leatherworker as well as having skills in woodworks.
A final quirk to his person, while a running gag is based on Alexander's infamously bad luck, the opposite of this has been seen on occasion as well, with moments of borderline miraculous luck.
==Relationships==
===The Pack===
Alex and Archerios met in the very first scene of the story, and after saving his life from exeuction, became fast friends, and while Vries is basically subordinate to Archerios, due to his strong morals, he has no qualms about disobeying any orders he finds distasteful. Archerios trusts Vries with his life, a feeling that is mutual throughout The Pack. The two balance each other out, with Alexander showing compassion and mercy when needed, and Archerios being merciless and relentless when needed.
Alexander was the one who first recruited the Verro Twins, and while he quickly formed a friendship with both, and trusts both, their relationships differ wildly. Taylor see's Alex as a close friend, whom he sometimes goes to for advice. On the other hand, Vries is almost always without fail at the wrong place at the wrong time when Pierce is looking for a "volunteer".
===Arriana Skinner===
After creating The Pack with Archerios, Vries saved Arriana (Kursed) from her imprisonment, and soon formed a loving, albeit dysfunctional relationship with her. They were eventually married, despite Kursed's constant verbal and physical abuse towards him. Vries knew Kursed had troubling mental issues stemming from her hard past, and tried to overlook her violent nature because of it. Eventually, Kursed ended the relationship, wanting to save Vries further hurt, but under the guise that his constant exposure to harm was causing her too much grief. Vries was deeply hurt, but tried to keep a friendly relationship with her. They have since remained good friends, and both are happy that the other has found happiness and love again.
===Jessica DeGrandi===
When they first met, Jessica was distanced from Alex as she was from the rest of the pack, but they developed a friendly respect for each other on grounds of both being top notch marksmen. This turned into a sort of rivalry, but shortly after Jessica began developing a romantic attraction towards him. She did not press her feelings however, due to him being married to Arriana at the time, but she didn't let them go either. They found themselves working together often, and their respect continued to grow. When his marriage with Ari ended, Jessica wasted zero time in pursuing her feelings. The two would get married, and truly make each other happiest. They fight for each other proudly and powerfully, and are almost unstoppable when sniping as one, each able to sense each other's next move and react accordingly. Their loyalty and dedication for each other is unyielding, even in the face of drastic odds. Jessica is the hothead of the couple, and she enjoys teasing Alex, but would never see him come to harm. 
==The Lich==
"Alexander.. Think about it. You never left."
One of the most powerful entities within The Gallows Swamp is the anamoly known as The Lich. This spectral sorcerer harbored immense power; so much, he was one of two figures vying for leadership over the legions of Undead within the swamp. 
One of the most shocking, and disturbing, revelations in the story thus far, came with the true identity of the skeletal dark magi. The Lich, is the twisted, undead incarnation of Vries himself. All who enter The Gallows almost always end up being lost souls, and the dark curse of the Swamp consumes them, turning them either into a mindless zombie, a ghoul, or something more. This has sparked countless debates as to whether or not The Lich is even real, if The Gallows is real, or if, in The Lich's own words, that Alexander never truly did leave The Swamp after his first venture inside. Perhaps the most resounding evidence that the Lich was not lying about his identity, is how he knew virtually everything about Vries and his life. The final nail in the coffin was when, to prove he was not lying to him, The Lich held up his skeletal hand to Vries, revealing that he was still wearing his marriage ring of Jessica.
A deeper and much clearer for The Lich's existence has been given much later after the character's introduction. As the entire Ice Elemental line has been cursed by Lilith, when Alexander killed Lucifer and became the new Ice Elemental he was no exception. Part of his soul was damned to the tortured monstrosity in the Mad World that is The Suffering, who in reality is Lilith's sister Fendrania, the Firstborn of Ice. This part of his soul would go on chained to the walking horror without Alex even knowing. Then one day, it somehow managed to break free from its chain, and then escaped from the dark realm. It began it's plot of vengeance against Lilith, and donned the name The Lich. 
For more info, see The Lich.
== History==
===Early Life ===
Vries grew up near Haven City, in a small house bordering the woods. Abused by his father and for the most part ignored by his mother, he spent most of his time in those woods, teaching himself how to hunt, and survive on his own. He eventually left home at eleven without even a goodbye to his parents, and spent years living on his own, even building himself a house deep in the forest. In his twenties, he moved closer to the city, working as a carpenter and leatherworker. Despite having several relationships with city women, nothing ever turned serious, and he soon went back to his secluded living in the woods where he was happiest. 
===Sympathy for The Devil Arc===
Vries and some others of the Pack went to the northern mountains to track Lucifer Deitus, a powerful and dangerous elemental master of ice. While there, Vries managed to wound Lucifer, and, thinking him dead, headed back to The Hollow. Soon after Lucifer returned, capturing Vries and subjecting him to horrible torture for revenge, eventually tearing his limbs to pieces and remaking him as his own fighting machine, devoid of free will. In this state, Vries werewolf body was taller and frosty white, with icy spines protruding from his body. Lucifer used Vries to try and kill the other pack members, until Raith Duskfall was able to intervene and trap Lucifer in the Box of Ensi. Vries suffered long term nightmares and flashbacks from this ordeal, which made it easy for Lucifer to possess him again (to a lesser extent) later.
===Dark Pierce Saga===
Vries was captured and experimented on by Dark Pierce, who  was trying to create the ultimate werewolf supersoldier. As a result of this, Vries' body was heavily mutated.
===Blood Saga===
Pierce returned Vries to his normal form during the rise of Malakai and the Vampyre, as Pierce was working with Malakai for the duration, and Vries' bite was fatal to a Vampyre. During this time he became enthralled by Kira, and served her against his will throughout most of the saga. However, after Pierce remutated him in order to slay the vampyres, he killed Kira, and his blood severely poisoned Malakai.
==Quotes==
"OH MY GOD SHUT UP!" - Vries to Lucifer, multiple occasions
"Stop, you're making me blush." - Vries to Dark Pierce, when being told why he would be a good candidate for experimenting on
"OH FUCK THIS TOWN YALL!" -When Vries has had enough
"Have you ever been to the Gallows?? I have! Not far in mind you.. But enough thank you very much." -Vries on why he doesn't like the Gallows Swamp
"..."
==Trivia==
Greatest fear is not being in control of his actions, this fear horrifically realized when his body was taken over by Lucifer Deitus multiple times, and used to attack and almost kill his comrades.
Has a love/hate relationship with Lucifer Deitus , despite everything Lucifer has done to him, Vries still believes he can be redeemed.
Killed Kursed's own father in a battle, and, succumbing to his bestial rage as a werewolf, ate his heart (he was not allowed to live it down for years, but has since come to terms with it).
Is known for constantly getting injured; despite being a very able fighter, painful things attract to him like magnets.
Has died four times, the first death by silver overdose, and now he is the only werewolf immune to it.
Has a pet shark named Mr. Gills, whom he loves.
Is a very skilled hunter, archer, leatherworker and carpenter. Nearly useless at metalworking however.
Isn't particularly fond of his werewolf form, only uses it when he has to.
Feels constant guilt over the past things he has done, any killing he has done or has to do haunts him. He has since been able to accept his actions, but he still prefers to avoid violence.
Spent 24 hours trapped in the Box of Ensi, in place of his future son, Marcus.
Was once turned into a woman for a short time by Pierce.
Has an extreme hatred towards Ana, whom he consideres meddling.
Took Ana 's place as Death for a short time, and was forced to end Sombras' life as a result.
Owned a shadow bow for a short time, which nearly killed him when it shot an arrow on it's own into Vries' butt cheek.
Was once the thrall of a Vampyre , as well as infected by a zombie-like plague.
Category:People
Category:Werewolf
Category:Alive
Category:Protagonists
Category:The Pack
Category:Elemental