Elliot Grace

**Elliot "James" Grace** (also referred to as *Eli*,) was a main character that turned evil during the late events of the First World. Eli was originally a human without any magic ability, however possessing an arsenal of magic-infused weaponry and proficient knowledge in martial as well as survival skills. Disputes among the other main characters, specifically Rep Guy and Canaro, lead to his slow transformation into becoming a villain. Eli ultimately faced a just death near the climax of The Chaos War, when the chaos form of Jet killed him and promptly devoured his heart.

## Biography

### Early Life

It is believed that Eli had always been a huntsman, even during his childhood, guided by his parents. During the period of his adolescence, Eli focused primarily on building his physical strength, learning advanced survival skills, and tinkering with salvaged magic parts so to build his own set of personal weapons.

Eli's partner dog, Oreo, had been and grown up with him since childhood. He loved it dearly, as if it were his very own brother.

### Debut

Eli was introduced one day to the other main characters by Guildmaster Brideen through her assignment of him to their team. During this period, Eli was at his most timid state, showing implicit friendliness to the others for a brief time. Eli's alignment change began one day when he made an insinuating joke towards Canaro, comparing his weak, birdlike body to easy prey.

### Life

Over time, Eli slowly accumulated hatred from the other main characters from his constant aggravation and spiteful remarks. It soon reached a point where he was not considered a friend anymore, and the main characters would engage in hostility upon seeing him. Eli also possessed hatred, and this was mainly centered on Rep Guy. Eli loathed Rep Guy for his persistent enraging rebuttals, as well as absurd ways of avoiding every attempt of Eli trying to combat him. After various devised machinations at trying to kill Rep Guy ultimately failed over the course of Eli's life, he finally gave up and sought for another form of power.

### The Chaos Returns

During The Chaos Returns arc, a combat-upgraded Eli makes an unexpected entrance into Kanya's cell, and briefly abuses her out of anger from Atlas' sudden disappearance. Jet and Jean come out of hiding nearby and fight him at Kanya's aide. Although he has shown improvement in strength during their skirmish, Eli ultimately loses at the end of the battle when Jean blows him through the wall with his Sonic Black Flame skill.

Later, during the group's encounter with the high-ranking chaos soldier Aeshma, he mentions that he was in the process of "training a recruit," who he, soon afterwards, believes deserves a promotion. Aeshma briefly acquires Eli's dead body, and revitalizes him into his chaos form. After being revived, the second round against Eli is set off, and it is noted that he is much powerful than he has ever been before, even carrying a new means of invulnerability. The fight ultimately ends in a heavy stalemate, which afterwards, the main characters helplessly witness Eli mutilate all of the experiment children including Kanya.

Eli's chaos form does not last long; near the end of the arc, he is blown back into his human form by a Meranium bullet fired into his heart by ARG. Eli manages to escape alive, but in an incapacitated state.

### The Chaos War

At the beginning of The Chaos War arc, Eli is seen within the halls of the Chaos Realm being escorted to the lair of Drakath against his will. Upon facing Drakath, Eli desperately begs for Drakath to restore his chaos form, even after already failing to kill the ones he hates the most. In response, Drakath promptly skewers Eli through the chest with his Broadscreecher, and acquires the meranium bullet he was shot with, infuses it with chaos, and inserts it into Eli's corpse. Drakath recites an incantation as the bullet transmogrifies the corpse, sending Eli into his next form of corruption.

> *"O I wonder who will be there to stand in face of the stars when they darken their light upon us. Heroes will stand in blind courage, but all ordinary men, women, and children will weep, for they understand this is truly the darkest night upon us. And when true power finally reveals itself, then, there will truly be nothing left."*— *Drakath*
>
>

The emergence of Eli's new form is heard all throughout Lebedev by a hallowing roar, yet he is not seen in person until near the end of the arc. The group encounters Eli upon stumbling into an illusive reality trap near the house, and watch him fall from an inky black glob in the sky. Eli's new form takes the appearance of a black humanoid figure of a strange caliginous material, covered like a coat over his actual rotting corpse. His power exceeded remarkably over the main characters, despite how far they'd come, and even came close to killing them all. However, at the last moment, Jet involuntarily transformed into his chaos form, and tactfully defeated him. At the end, the chaotic Jet tears out and eats Eli's heart before returning to normal.

## Magic

Eli did not possess any magic ability before his transformations. However, after the transformations, he was seen executing various magics of a dark affinity. It is implied that Eli's metamorphosis granted him magical power originating from the Chaos Realm.