Clan Ayashi

"Power through Knowledge; Progress through Sacrifice; Strength through Honor; Justice through Bloodshed; Understanding through Enlightenment."

- One of the constantly-recited mottos of the clan(**src**)

**Clan Ayashi** is one of the well-known Mage Clans of Betoriv, and one of the most powerful. They are the most notable family of mages that practice the aspect of the Void, and earned their reputation of being one of the staunch defenders of the humans' continent. It is said by a few that the best members of the Ayashi clan consider good and evil as merely two points-of-view, and do not believe in moral high ground at all. They are one of the Primodial Mage Clans who had their crest granted directly by Kyron Avelenyss.

## Background

### General

As a prominent family of mages, the Ayashi clan is a very powerful sect of individuals within their homeland, while also being similar to a double-edged sword due to the nature of their practices, such as war, survival, and the concept/s of the Void, which is rumored to be one of the major traits that Odyss feeds on to awaken after her defeat at the hands of the hero/es (or heroine/s) of the fabled Kings of the End, whom also had to learn on the three traits that fed their enemy as well, and pushed them to become stronger.

Due to the concept of death being common among the members, especially in conflicts of battle and war, many within the clan refrain, or decline, or outright ignore studying and creating Vitakinetic Circuits for themselves, for one reason or another, and members of the family are usually never far away from the front lines of war concerning the defense of Betoriv and it's people. However, the wisest and most powerful members are known to have Vitakinetic Circuits within them, to ensure the survival of the clan and continue the bloodline through their descendants.

Clan Ayashi utilizes a family crest aligned to the Void element, and most of the time utilize magic aligned to the Void, Shadow, and Gravity. It cannot be said that they are restricted to only three elements, as a lot of mages who use other elements are also present within the clan's numbers.

Despite their mostly upstanding reputation in Betoriv, not all of the clan's history were flowers and roses. As such, Clan Ayashi have complicated history, if not *the* most complicated, and is equally considered as a cut-throat environment by some people.

### Outlook

As consequence of the nature of their constantly-practiced arts, the Ayashi clan is sometimes subjected to the dark side, due to their pragmatism, criticism, 'brutal honesty', and distrust on all Dwarves and Elves, with Asterians and possibly the Dryads being exceptions. They are also known to be very (or extremely in the most severe cases) secretive to all non-humans, and have difficulty trusting non-humans, moreso accepting them within the clan's ranks. This also extends to their view on people from Kyrsides and Setora entering Betoriv. As such, the clan is well-known for their hatred of liberals and conservatives, and are prone to the thought of over-riding the ideas of others with their own in the most extreme cases, as well as using anything or everything they know to win the war they call "life." They are willing to play unfairly and mercilessly when it calls for it, against both enemies and possibly even allies. As a result, the clan is seen by most as a war-like and elitist family. A member of Clan Ayashi marrying anyone other than a human, or even those of incomplete human blood (half-breeds) is greatly frowned upon by their own as well.

Despite their flaws, the Ayashi family is known for their loyalty to one of their own, their most famous higher-ups treating their subordinates as if they were their own children, and determination to face whatever life and the future has in store for them. They are also known to practice patience and self-restraint, especially the powerful and wise ones, and that learning and training is forever/eternal, not just for a certain amount of time. Like many in Betoriv, they always seek to learn from their own mistakes and that of others, to minimize the chances of destruction on others and one's self. Contrary to what many believe about them, the Ayashi clan dislike participating in politics, and their notable and more open-minded members are known to try avoiding the concept when possible, even if it was a fact of life. They only do participate lightly to heavily in politics whenever either the clan or Betoriv itself was in the danger of any threat, foreign and/or domestic.

## Notable Members

#### The First Ayashi

Considered as the person who planted the seeds of the clan's growth, the First Ayashi was well-known throughout his time, feared and respected by both enemies and allies. He is considered a source of both pride by many and shame by few of his clan, due to how he helped the Zero King crush the bigoted humans. The First Ayashi was later slain by the Zero King in the traditional Ritual Combat for the clan's leadership/loyalty when the former began pursuing his own agendas beyond that of Betoriv.

#### Masayoshi Ayashi

Born as a pure-blood human, Masayoshi is considered as one of the strongest members of the family, if not *the* strongest, and is said to embody much of what the entire Ayashi clan stands for, both good and ill, light and dark.

He is also the Fifth King of the End.

#### Shirayuki Ayashi

Also one of the strongest members of the entire clan, despite being half-blooded. She was one of the key individuals that cemented the beneficial relationship between Clan Heimdiall and Clan Ayashi, and embodied the great light for her clan, if not *the* greatest.

#### Shinkiro Ayashi

Other than the fact that next to nothing is known about him aside being a Strategic-Class Mage to the very few people whom know about his existence, this person is said to be an incarnation of the consuming darkness that many fear of even thinking, moreso mentioning. After the civil crisis at his clan's ancestral home, he was seen as the potential heir to the clan's throne.

#### Yoruhana Ayashi

Being the mother of the Fifth King of the End, Yoruhana became a sort of legend amongst her clan, and was well-respected by the clan's younger generation of members. However, there were still those who shunned her during her reign prior to her exile, and even after the cleansing and subsequent reformation of her clan's policies and ideologies..

#### Sasara Ayashi

The daughter of King of the End Masayoshi, and an expert in the enchanting of items. Sasara is a talented swordswoman who cannot use magic in the conventional way.