Avarius Gresko

*"Life without purpose is worse than death."*

Avarius Gresko *"The Shadowbringer"* - Markus' successor and a famous figure of the Phoenix and Antarean Unity's elite guard.

## Biography

Avarius' early years, which preceded the arrival of the Antarean Unity at his homeworld, were relatively peaceful, despite the fact that his planet was at the very center of an emerging empire. Gamma Gliese was a rebel colony of a distant totharial Earth, and it's inhabitants, fearing a punitive expedition, gladly welcomed the antarean power even when the Unity itself was just a hypertrophied trade and research corporation, that secretly operated within several similar human civilisations.

### **Elite Guard**

Most of the Avarius' biography was concealed with the moment as he was assigned to the elite guard of the Antarean Unity, but considering that he joined it only ten years before the Civil War, and the early records about Gresko remained before the foundation of the Unity as such, with considering the fact that the Unity itself existed for longer than a century - the true age of this man can only be guessed so.

It is known that Avarius Greso took direct participation in one of the last wars of the Multiverse, when the Unity's research forces, not fully equipped according to the name, completely destroyed one of the extraterrestrial races that refused to voluntarily transmit an alternative version of ROT-2102 that appeared to be within their domains to jurisdiction of the antarean leadership. For his efforts and valor, subsequently Gresko was transferred to the honor guard, assigned to patrol the region of the Antares capital system itself. In the same period, he will acquire the nickname "Shadowbringer" but the truth about it's origin will forever be buried with the antarean fleet.

### **The Split**

During the civil war, Avarius will take the rebels side, enticing the patrol unit entrusted him, which in the future will play a key role in the foundation and formation of Phoenix as a military force.

It is well known that Avarius personally eliminated the bodyguards of the Commissariat leader, for what he earned a frightening reputation even among his own allies. But when he found out that the shadow finanicing that rebellion was receiving - comes from individuals, no better, and in some places - far worse than the functioning Commissariat - he will understand that the Antarean Unity, suddenly deprived of it's competent leadership, don't have a single chance. Without warning, Avarius will leave the war, alongside with the legendary elite squad. Subsequently, it is this act that will save the life of Gresko and his people - a month after his disappearance, the Split occurs, the events of which will put an end to hundreds and hundreds of worlds.

### **Phoenix**

Avarius Gresko, who played one of the key roles in Phoenix's foundation, will be, perhaps, only less popular than Markus himself. His contribution to each of the organization's military campaigns will be colossal, and no one will be surprised when Markus, without too much hesitation, will appoint the former guardsman as his deputy. Experience, which, according to some conjectures, exceeds a century, will bring Phoenix many victories in the future.

*"I remember my first operation against the cultists of Sakhn'Kar, which, unfortunately, was the last for them. Our detachment, led by Avarius, had to infiltrate the fanatic's ranks and find out the location of their last planetary fortress. We followed the idiotic consecration rite, I remember how we were forced to sworn in front of absurd idols, tattooed and sang prayers, but we could not even imagine what we had to face in the end. When we finally arrived at the fortress, the high priest of Sakhn'Kar decided to make a public sacrifice. He simply walked from one victim to another, men, women - it doesn't mattered, he ripped open their bellies in front of a half thousand crowd of this mad wasteland inhabitants, without the slightest sign of emotion on his face. We planned to take the bastard alive, but at that moment Avarius, struggling with memories known only for him, broke off, reached the platform with lightning speed and crushed fanatic's nasty skull into bits with one single blow. That day, we destroyed them all, to the last. Avarius, usually cautious and reasonable... no, he was not a warrior - he was the war incarnate."*

*From the memories of Captain Beliar about the Thirty Years Campaign*

After the tragic Siege of Aelim events, Avarius Gresko will become Markus' successor, leading the Firebird in search of it's own path, as it's founder once willed.