Eka-Katara Zelgiaz Montoya 2

*"Everyone always wonders what the Kuelez must think knowing there's a copy of 'em out in the world; they don't ever think about how the copy must feel. I'm blind because she was blind. Funny how accurate these Rites of the Kumenza are, innit?"*
*~Eka-Katara Zelgiaz Montoya 2~*

Eka-Katara is an artificial Kumenza who was created using essence from Katara Zelgiaz Montoya 2. It is unclear what her purpose was, or whether that purpose was fulfilled or not. Regardless, Eka-Katara is a freewheeling assassin who has also had experience in the Talaki Gladiator Arenas, and she has the same talent at murder that her Kuelez possesses. As such, some have nicknamed her "The Grey Whisper" in a similar way to how the original Katara is referred to as "The Red Whisper".

## History

Eka-Katara was essentially "born with targets on her back" from the moment she was created. As a Kumenza of a woman from the notorious Red Shadows, as well as a Žkha, Eka-Katara was sought out by many hoping to use her for her power.

Originally created by the Red Shadows as an attempt to duplicate the prowess of one of their most formidable members, Eka-Katara almost immediately went renegade in a desire to be independent and do what she wanted. While she was technically created in Koldia, she used the knowledge of the Kuelez to flee southward and make Shahar-Eka her home and base of operations.

### Early Life

As an artificially created Kumenza, Eka-Katara's life started in the body of a 39-year-old, armed with the same knowledge and skills as her Kuelez. Perhaps the largest caveat of this body was that by this time, Katara had already lost her eyesight, and thus Eka-Katara was created as a blind woman. This trait, as well as a few other physical and emotional scars that Eka-Katara bears as a result of Katara, have both slanted and darkened Eka-Katara's views on the world, and on those who create Kumenza.

These views, as well as her lack of a real childhood due to her status as an artificial Kumenza meant that Eka-Katara did not need to waste any time growing up. She relied on the memories, skills, and experiences of her Kuelez to hone her talents further, and so was already a professional assassin within 4 weeks of her "birth".

### Pit Fighter Career

Many of Katara's early stasis years after fleeing the Red Shadow sanctuary in Koldia were spent gradually moving southward and keeping her killing skills sharp in various gladiatorial arenas. While the venues in the underbellies of Shioru and even Korziña helped her make a name for herself, it was not until she reached the Kroggñan underworld that she truly shone. Despite not being able to see, she performed astoundingly due to her own elemental attunement, and so she emerged from each fight she participated in as a survivor.

Many of Eka-Katara's early days were spent as a gladiator in some of the Talaki arenas in Kroggné. While this might have traumatized others, Eka-Katara fed off of the memories of her Kuelez and instead desensitized herself to the pain and to the killings, which made her a rather talented and successful combatant. After years of this, she escaped the grind and managed to make her way northward to Korziña and then later back to Koldia.

Eka-Katara spent most of the remainder of her stasis years in Koldia before moving westward to Matsakan and eventually to Krippa. Her westward trek ended in the Krippan state of Meng-Dana, where she settled down up until the Krippa-Krawvill War broke out. While she did not explicitly choose a side, she became a notorious wanted figure among the Shinzoka for her ruthless assassination of many of their prime targets. Despite her efforts, the Shinzoka still managed to capture the state of Meng-Dana as well as many others. However, she would return the favour in time. For the time being, she laid low, especially when word of this "Dark Žkha" got out.

### Life of Notoriety

When the 79th Krippan Empire resurged, Eka-Katara swiftly took up contracts to target high-ranking members of Krawvillzé government. With her assistance, the Krippan Empire managed to essentially take over most of Krawvill in the chaos of the Shinzoka losing so many leaders, and by the time all was said and done, the Shinzoka Grandmaster Council had effectively been wiped out. However, as an apolitical entity with no real motive aside from coin and murder, Eka-Katara's killing contract spree never really died down, and she maintained her reputation as a fearsome murderer who was uncannily skilled at evading capture.

The Red Shadows organization took note and interest in Eka-Katara for the same reason they had taken note of her Kuelez. Despite her origins with them, they had technically never wronged her, and offered her a position within the organization's ranks. Katara and her mother were already high-ranking members of the group, and so to find an individual that had power and skill to rival their own made the group come after her, and subsequently label her as an enemy once they learned that she had no interest in joining what she called "some pretentious hierarchy". Despite the efforts of the Red Shadows, however, not even either of the Kataras were able to subdue or apprehend her.

While the Red Shadows continued their hunt for her, this rivalry was very one-sided and Eka-Katara simply considered it business as she went about living her life. To this day she remains a free woman, albeit with a great deal of blood on her hands and Red Shadows at her heels.

### The Plaguemaster

Eka-Katara was eventually hired to end the life of a dangerous woman known only as "The Plaguemaster". Half the pay was up front, and without question Eka-Katara took the job. While she showed no concern for who this plaguemaster was, she was curious about testing her wit and martial prowess against such a dangerous foe.

She was remarkably disappointed to learn that this so-called "plaguemaster" was little more than a 19-year-old girl named Tzakani Nazami of the Serénez Tribes. She inquired further, aiming to learn more about what had given such a young girl that title, and after learning the truth, she decided right away that Tzakani was far too interesting and amusing to want to kill, and so spared her life.

## Appearance

Because of her status as an artificial Kumenza, Eka-Katara Zelgiaz Montoya 2 bears a striking similarity to Katara Zelgiaz Montoya 2, and thus the features of a Serenghe. However, like most Kumenza, were she to give birth to children of her own, they would be more around a Kumenza's standard size even if her partner was also a Kumenza of a Serenghe.

### Physical Appearance

Eka-Katara is a small, short and thin woman much like her Kuelez, standing at only 3'5" and weighing only 48 lbs. While Serenghe (and any Kumenza created from them) are known to be small creatures, this is considered a small size for a fully-grown adult, although Eka-Katara tends to use her small size to her advantage. As a Kumenzic Zaderei, Eka-Katara's eyes should have been blue, but due to her blindness, they are instead a glazed silvery-white color. Her Keiza remains dark blue like any Keiza on Kumenza, and the slash marks over her eyes that she inherited from her Kuelez are blue due to the natural color of Kumenza blood.

Like all Kumenza, regardless of Zaderism, Eka-Katara's skin is a dark grey color, and her messy mop of long curly hair is silvery-white in color. The shapes and sizes of her physical features match those of Katara, including a white Mark of the Žkha on her right hand. Like her Kuelez, she almost always keeps her right hand covered due to the dangerous stigma surrounding Crests on Mencu. Eka-Katara also purportedly cleans up nicely, although since she's usually dressed more for travel or combat, instances where she dresses up or cleans up are rare, since she considers her unkempt status "part of her charm".

### Clothing

Eka-Katara's clothing is the standard-fare silvers, blacks and purples that Kumenza usually wear, although instead of the usual shirt and loose pants, Eka-Katara wears a black tunic and breeches that pass just below her knees. She remains barefooted, although wears thick silver anklets inlaid with purple stones. Her right hand is also wrapped beneath the plated gloves that she and many other Zaderei and Kumenza wear, and like most Tzurendi, she seldom removes the covering on that hand.

Occasionally Eka-Katara will also wear a headband, and often wears a belt with a magenta emblem representing the Krippan Empire. She has also been seen wearing regalia from this country, and is rather open about her support of the country, especially after Zulera City became sister cities with the economic hub city of Alinor in Imperial Krippa.

While Eka-Katara considers her hair a hopelessly untameable mess, she has been seen at least once wearing a long, flowing black and purple dress, with which she was still able to move with surprising agility in. She is also one of a few rare individuals that wears Golden-Hoop Earrings at almost all times.

## Personality

Eka-Katara is a stoic, amoral individual who holds little concern or value for life. She is selfish and unforgiving, and is more concerned about business than pleasure. Despite her normally expressionless visage and behaviour, Eka-Katara has also been shown to have a dry, dark sense of humour, coupled with a carefree approach to life. Ironically enough, this has earned her amused, mutual respect from a group referred to as The Mavericks. Like many Kumenza, and their Jalengan creators, Eka-Katara is boundlessly curious as well, and is always keen on learning new things and blazing new trails.

### Virtues

Despite being a cold-blooded killer, Eka-Katara has her virtues. She is not the type to commit wicked acts without purpose, nor does she murder without purpose or motivation. Despite the Red Shadows placing a huge bounty on her head and having many agents trying unsuccessfully to kill or apprehend her, she does not hold a grudge or take it personally (despite it being very personal). She also advocates for social and technological progress, which causes her to later become a staunch proponent of Zulera City and the supporting factions(s).

Despite her Darwinistic approach to society and survival, Eka-Katara sees little need for money beyond supporting an occasional indulgence or hedonistic urge when the uncommon impulse arises, and so she's not afraid to share her wealth on rare occasions. Similarly, she refuses to harm children, and will not be afraid to brutally dispatch those who would cause harm to a child. This is believed to be due to her retaining Katara's memory of being traumatized and blinded at a young age.

### Vices

As a professional assassin, Eka-Katara's moral standards are already very low by most conventional reckonings. She has very few emotional connections, and sees life as an expendable concept that requires proper trimming now and again as she "removes" various individuals from the world. She is apolitical, with her targets usually just being those paid for by the highest bidder. Oddly enough, she seems to care less about the money beyond catering to her own needs, and more just does it because she enjoys the work.

Despite her slight soft spot towards children, Eka-Katara has next to no sympathy for those who are weak, and is absolutely ruthless towards those she deems "stupid". Anyone who falls into one or both of these categories is someone she firmly believes should be left by the wayside for 'not deserving to live'. She does, however, practice what she preaches in this regard, and keeps her skills honed and her mind sharp.

### Beliefs & Morality

Eka-Katara believes that morality is entirely based on opinion and perspective and that "what's right for the assassin is wrong for the victim." she has no personal qualms with religion or spirituality, apart from being agnostic and asserting that "it simply isn't for me." Eka-Katara is one of the believers in the old saying that claims "it's only wrong if you get caught", which may also explain why she is so adept at hiding both herself and her tracks. Despite this lack of morality, Eka-Katara respects many people, particularly those of great power such as Lakamaté or Kavasazi, who she seems to hold in high regard. Other people to earn her respect are those who are skilled and dedicated to their crafts, whatever they might be.

Politically Eka-Katara is very progressive and supportive of technological advancements, as well as in strong military powers. While she is fiercely independent, she has respect for strong leaders just as she does for strong fighters, and so she is remarkably accepting of authoritarian nations such as the 79th Krippan Empire due to their proven power and efficiency. A staunch proponent of supporting the strong and abandoning the weak, Eka-Katara is also a ruthless capitalist who firmly believes that those with the proper skills and smarts deserve to be rich, while those who are weak or stupid deserve to be poor. The size of her coffers indicates she practices what she preaches.

### Motives and Ambitions

While her Kuelez seeks more strength so she can wield greater control over her power, Eka-Katara seeks power for the sole purpose of testing her limits. She revels in dangerous situations, taking large but calculated risks and testing her own mettle and mental prowess against her adversaries. While she is pursuing power for entirely selfish reasons, the world is fortunate insomuch that Eka-Katara's interest in power is more to sate her own curiosity rather than to try and wreak havoc on the world. Her most glorious ambition is to locate the realm of the goddess Shenhua, and take part in her 251 Trials, a gauntlet of relentless puzzles and combat designed to test every facet of a mortal's skillset, and one that has seen extremely few victors.

## Abilities

Eka-Katara's most notorious abilities are her ability to hide both herself and her tracks, using magic, subterfuge, and the occasional bit of camouflage or even alchemy to disappear in all but plain sight. Her small size and lightning reflexes make her even stealthier in this regard, and while she is vulnerable if her hands or feet are injured due to her blindness, her keen senses and ability to sense her surroundings by detecting the electrical charges they give off, has effectively given her a sense greater than actual vision, barring the inability to read or see colour.

### Elemental Capacity

EKa-Katara is a terrifyingly powerful elementalist much like her Kuelez, with mastery of all six Mencuan Elements. However, while Katara relies a great deal on her elemental prowess, Eka-Katara only really uses electricity, and even that is more to compensate for her lack of eyesight. Otherwise, she uses her own dexterity and magic to augment her stealth and roguish skills. If she ever elected to use her abilities to their full capacity, she would very likely be placed at the same "Devastatingly High" Danger Level that her Kuelez is. However, her mastery over electricity is so great that combined with her magical abilities, she is actually a surprisingly potent healer as well.

### Combat Prowess

Eka-Katara's small size coupled with her deft Serenghe reflexes and dark clothing all help make her a masterful stealth artist, and her silvery snow-white hair does little to detract from this. She is apt at finding pressure points, and usually introduces her blades to these locations to incapacitate or swiftly murder her targets or enemies. Her small size means she is also not afraid to fight dirty, and will aim for the eyes, the neck, the groin, or other sensitive areas with no hesitation. Her swift strikes as well as her retractable claws also means she is an expert at drawing blood, and she will absolutely claw and bite her way out of an enemy's grasp if necessary. While she enjoys using her blades, she is just as deadly in hand-to-hand combat. While her magic is limited primarily to healing or rejuvenating cantrips, she wields these to great effect, helping to minimize or sometimes even negate her injuries, and keep her in the fight.

### Other Talents

Although she is by no means a powerful mage, Eka-Katara's small range of magical abilities all share a common theme: healing. While her selfish and indifferent nature rarely prompts her to lend others a healing hand, she actually downplays her skills on this front, preferring to be known more as a deadly assassin than an electrifying healer.

## Trivia

* Since Katara was already blind and had lost the colour in her eyes at the time of Eka-Katara's creation, Eka-Katara's eyes are also white, rather than Zaderic Blue.
* Similarly, since Kumenza blood is naturally blue, the bloody scars over her eyes that she inherited from her Kuelez are also blue.
* Eka-Katara is one of only two named characters to have completed all of Shenhua's Trials, with the other being Zoroka.
* Eka-Katara shares a birthday with California.
* Leto is named as Eka-Katara's main inspiration for taking up and honing her healing arts and skills.