Markus Watkins

Markus Watkins was a human mainly known for his work as a gunsmith and freelancer in the Northern and Western Reaches.

## Early Life

Although he doesn't remember exactly where, Watkins was aware that he was born in the Southern Reach. When he was very young, he was violently kidnapped from his mother by slavers. He was not sure of the whereabouts of his father, but he remembered seeing his mother killed as the slavers took him.

At the labor camp he quickly befriended Decker after the older child defended him from others in the camp. Decker, one of the more cold and experienced kids in camp, warmed up to Watkins after hearing his story. Later, lead by Decker, the two of them managed to slip out of the camp and make a run for it.

After traveling on their own for some time, they are eventually taken in by Erica Ford, a traveling gunsmith. Ford, seeing the poor condition the two boys are in, makes them her apprentices.

## Gunsmiths

Under Ford's guidance, Watkins and Decker became quite the young gunsmiths. They happily worked with Ford for years, traveling across the Northern Continent and soaking up all the knowledge they could.

During a routine trip into the Western Reach, the trio was attacked by bandits. Ford was killed during the skirmish, leaving her supplies and business to the two young men. They buried her and moved on, deciding to take over the business and make it their own.

Although Watkins was several years younger than Decker, he was surprised to find that Decker allowed him to take more of the leadership role among the pair.

Although they were fully capable, the duo didn't have the salesmanship that Ford possessed. Returning customers continued doing business with them, knowing the quality of the work being passed on from Ford. They were very inefficient at bringing in no clients, however. Overtime, the two found their income was slowly declining, and they were forced to look for new ways to make money.

## Service to Alpha Clan

As their situation eventually became somewhat desperate, they answered a call from the Alpha Clan for human freelancers who were familiar with the Northern and Western Reaches. They didn't like the idea of working with the Dragoons, but the pay was good so they signed the contract. They were assigned to Raven Squad, in Idol Company of the 12th Battalion. Their primary job was to provide intelligence and reconnaissance on the regions, while occasionally joining the squad in battle as extra support. Once Raven Squad caught on to their talents as gunsmiths, part of their job became to repair the squad's weapons as well.

The two served alongside Raven Squad and the Dragoons for quite some time, making their way through the Northern Reach to the Western Reach during the Alpha campaign to eradicate the remnants of Zeta Clan.

During that time, Watkins noticed one of the Dragoons in the squad, Lina, began to be overly critical of his performance. One night Lina ordered him to report to her bunk. Expecting to be heavily criticized, he was surprised when she began to seduce him. The two slept together, and Lina firmly stated it was just a one-time thing. This proved to be false, as the two began a secret affair. Although Lina and Watkins both told each other it was strictly sexual, their relationship slowly became more intimate.

After the Battle of Patna, their contract expired. Lina managed to convince her sergeant, Krius, that the two were worth keeping on board for the squad's next assignment in Darheel. Krius agreed and made the arrangements.

### Darheel

While stationed in Darheel, Watkins and Lina's physical relationship blossomed into a full on intimate romantic relationship. The two would often sneak away to spend time together, knowing that it wouldn't end well if word got back to her father, a very conservative Dragoon, about the relationship. Unbeknownst to them both, several dragoons (including Krius, Durant, and Spaniol) all began to become suspicious of the two.

Lina eventually discovered she was pregnant during a routine physical. The doctor also checked on the status of the fetus, sending the findings off to be analyzed. Realizing that they would discover the baby is half-human, Lina immediately went to tell Watkins. She suggests they run away, and Watkins reluctantly agrees to the plan.

### Desertion

Watkins packed his gear and headed off in the middle of the night to meet Lina in the woods outside of the town. As he approached their meeting spot, he was knocked unconscious by Durant.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Lina's father was immediately notified of the pregnancy. He ordered the tests be expedited and for his eyes only. Upon discovering the potential baby as half-human, he reached out to Warlord Gray to help him find a solution. Her father, Gray, and Spaniol all agreed that Lina should abort the child and that the human father should be killed to make a point. They brought Krius into the conversation, and Krius happily agreed to carry out the order. He, in turn, brought in Durant to assist.

Watkins woke up early the next morning, finding himself chained to the wall inside a small cabin. Krius and Durant joined him soon after, bringing Lina with them. Krius and Durant then spent some time torturing and beating Watkins in front of Lina, bringing her to tears.

Krius then gave Lina a clear run down of what they needed to happen: Lina will remain faithful in her engagement to Turan Fice, Watkins will be executed, and her child will be aborted. Lina flat out refused to abort the child, and Krius stated he would just be forced to kill the baby as soon as it is born. With that, he left the two alone in the cabin for about an hour to take that information in. Lina spent that time curled up next to Watkins' tortured body, trying her best to comfort him. He tried to convince her to spare herself and do what they ask, but she refused

When Krius and Durant returned, Lina attempted to disarm Durant and kill them both. She managed to somehow take Durant's knife and pistol, sticking the knife into Durant's shoulder. But before she could go further, Krius shot her once as a warning. Lina stubbornly tried to turn the pistol on him, but Krius shot her again. After she fell to the ground, Krius and Durant left the two alone again. Durant stood guard outside, while Krius returned to report back to Gray and Spaniol.

In her final moments, Lina told Watkins that she loved him. She also made him promise to stay strong and not to play their game. Watkins made the promise as Lina passed away.

Sometime later, Watkins heard a distant shot ring out. Moments later, Decker burst into the door: Lina had warned him that her father might know about the pregnancy, and she told him about the cabin in case something were to happen. He found the cabin, observed for a while, then sniped an unsuspecting Durant.

Decker freed Watkins from the chains. Watkins gave Lina's body a cathartic goodbye before the two of them fled the area. Despite the Alpha Clan's efforts to capture the two, Watkins and Decker successfully eluded those that pursued them.

## Freelancers

Fleeing to the Northern Reach, Watkins and Decker considered working as gunsmiths again. Figuring that the Alpha Clan might find them easier that way, they opted to begin working as freelancers. They found their footing quick, and they began taking on jobs and making a decent living. As their workload increased, they slowly began to recruit a handful of other freelancers to form their own crew.

After some time, they accepted a task to investigate a series of mutant attacks deep in the Northern Reach. During their investigation, they found themselves in a a very intense standoff with a Dragoon, Sergeant Ruiz. Once they discover they're all working towards the same goal, they decide to temporarily work together despite Watkins' animosity towards the Dragoon. In the end, they discover an incredibly large concentration of Durin moving into the Northern Reach. The group retreats with Durin nipping at their heels.

Ruiz manages to call in multiple airstrikes, and eventually the Durin cease their pursuit. By then, half of Watkins and Decker's crew had been killed. Ruiz expresses her condolences to Watkins and Decker before heading back to her headquarters. Watkins and Decker keep their crew in the area, finding some sort of purpose in trying to fight the Durin rather than running.

## White Horse

With more and more Durin moving from the Barren-Lands into the Northern Reach (particularly provinces like Alsace), Watkins and Decker realized they couldn't work independently any longer. With White Horse moving into the region to help fight the threat, they decided it was in their best interests to join the organization.

They made a huge first impression when they fought alongside a White Horse unit during a Durin siege of a small town. The ranking White Horse officer, Brigadier Oded Rhaheim, took note of the duo's efficiency during the defense of the town. Later, when Decker and Watkins revealed they wanted to join White Horse to fight the Durin, Rhaheim gladly accepted their offer. Rhaheim went through the proper channels to give both Decker and Watkins field commissions, making them both Staff Sergeants and attaching them both to his personal security detail.

Decker and Watkins both fought loyally alongside Rhaheim, resisting and pushing back the Durin advance on multiple fronts for quite some time. Rhaheim would rise to the rank of general, keeping Decker and Watkins along for the ride.

### Hunan Summit

Eventually, Cassandra Volice reached out to all of the leaders of White Horse, inviting them to meet in Hunan to "discuss strategy." Rhaheim was invited to the meeting, and he took Watkins and Decker along with him. During the meeting, Volice revealed she had communicated with the Alpha Clan. Field Marshal McQuade, representing the Alpha Clan, then entered the conversation and laid out the details of a possible alliance between the Alpha Clan, the Guardians, and White Horse. The room was split: Half wanting to agree to the terms, and half wanting nothing to do with the Alpha Clan. Rhaheim was a part of the latter.

During this meeting, Watkins recognized a Dragoon in McQuade's security detail: Talia Hellion, Lina's cousin. She seemed to recognize him, as well, but neither one got the chance to speak to each other.

The meeting ended on bad terms. Rhaheim tells Decker and Watkins to prepare for war, and they headed back to their headquarters.

Upon arriving back to their quarters, Decker and Watkins found themselves also split on their opinions: Decker wanted to support the alliance, while Watkins said he'll never work with the Alpha Clan again. They came to an agreement: They'll flee once again, not wanting to be part of the coming conflict.

### Desertion

Rhaheim confronts them before they can leave, and demands to know what side they are taking. When they reveal they simply want to leave, Rhaheim orders his men to arrest them. Decker and Watkins fight back, attempting to flee. They successfully outrun Rhaheim's troops, but not before Watkins is fatally wounded.

## Death

Now on bad terms with the Alpha Clan and White Horse, medical options were very limited for Watkins. Decker decided to head towards Roommenor, constantly telling Watkins that they'll be able to "fix him up" and the duo could "get a fresh start." But Watkins' wounds are too severe, and they both knew it.

They somehow managed to make it to the ocean border of the Southern Reach before Watkins began to succumb to his wounds. Knowing death was imminent, he had Decker sit him up overlooking the ocean. The two sat in silence for some time as Watkins slowly faded. Watkins let out a "Thank you for everything" to Decker before passing on.