Itzel

Itzel with her shield staff.

> Novices like you don't get there is no second chance in the field! If you screw up, we die!
>
> Itzel, AECAST Comic Chapter 2

Itzel is one of the protagonists of AECAST. She is a shield mage and serves in the 22nd Magus Expedition Unit.

## Appearance

Itzel is a girl with brown skin, hazel eyes, and long dark brown hair she keeps in a high ponytail with a gold stopper. She has a bang on either side of her face, both of which are pulled into their own gold stopper. She wears earrings comprised of golden triangles. Her left eyebrow appears to be cut near the inner tip.

Like her other fellow mages, she wears a standardized uniform consisting of (1) a red hooded robe decorated with purple borders and white runes as well as a dark red border worn on the left side, (2) a gold shoulder cape with incisions showing the inner purple layer, and (3) a leather belt with a steel buckle.

## Personality

Itzel is stern and takes the duties of her role as squad leader very seriously. She is impatient with newcomers that do not meet her standards, and as such is dismissive and harsh with Hannah and Aytan.

However, she will not hesitate to defend her squad members from disparagement and will jump into the harm's way to counteract any incoming threats.

## History

Itzel's first appearance was when Anuchar presented Hannah and Aytan as the two final members of the 22nd Magus Expeditionary Unit. At that point, the group was assigned their first mission: a reconnaissance of a citadel on the border of humanity's controlled territories. They were to conduct this mission with assistance from 42nd squad, who was already on-site. Upon taking a glissade portal there, she, Aytan, and Hannah went ahead and met the 42nd as well as their spokesman, Valens. However, while he was showing the three of them where they would be operating later on, Valens was killed by an humanoid abomination. During the confrontation, Hannah was forced to kill the creature.

While Hannah was trying to rationalize what she had done, Itzel looked at the dead body of Valens and was given a horrifying vision in which she was tortured by events from the past suggesting she had abandoned someone. Itzel snapped out of her vision when Hannah received a broken message on her Vakta from Mina. This message was abruptly cut off when Mina was attacked by a similar creature.

Itzel leads her group back to where Paige, Mina, and Naomi are, accidentally killing an abomination with her shield staff on the way. After both groups recounted what occurred since communication was cut off, they decide to withdraw to the room from which they entered the citadel. Mina is unable to create a return portal. Meanwhile, the remnants of the 42nd squad arrive. Aytan wishes to assist them due to their battleworn appearance but is stopped by Paige, who is suspicious of their timely arrival. When the 42nd squad is unable to successfully respond to Paige's challenge, Paige is attacked. Mina and Itzel rush to protect her while Naomi reveals that the 42nd is no longer mages but creatures named Shenmal.

## Equipment and Skills

### Physical Gear

Itzel carries a golden shield staff. The magic crystal at the end of the staff is shaped into a flat ellipse. There is also a half-circle ring of metal above the crystal that has approximately eight dangling metal pieces attached to it at even intervals.

### Magical Abilities

As a shield mage, Itzel is able to project a magical shield from her staff to protect herself and others in a limited radius.

1. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B6BYZzAArBK/