Nomura Ryo

#### Background

Nomura Ryo, used to be a samurai serving under a lord in the Sunvalley Shogunate. During this time several girls and even some young boys would regularly disappear, never to be seen again. Despite this no one seemed to do anything. Some even covering up the disappearances.

Ryo decided to take justice into his own hands and began  investigating the disappearances. Not long after his investigation began his own younger sister was taken. With rage burning in his heart he doubled his efforts until he finally found the responsible. The one behind the disappearances was none other than his lords eldest son. The son promised him riches and power in return for not killing him, he even promised to release his sister. Unmoved Ryo beheaded him. Ryo released several young women including his sister, however killing the son of a lord came at a price. Because his actions were righteous he was given a choice, a honorable death by seppuku or exile. Ryo chose exile and left Sunvalley to never return. A few months after his exile he joined the Diamond soldiers, hoping to cleanse the world of evil in anyway he could.

#### The Inteligent Shadow Beast Conspiracy

Nomura was one of the mercenaries called by the Lads to help Gareth and its armies fight the Shadow Beasts in the south. His squad was composed of 4 other mercenaries, Frida from the freedom fighters, Sharbyt from the Diamond Soldiers, Cord L'ringe from the Hermit circle and Tairus an independent mercenary. Together they travelled to the front lines were they received others to stop the Shadow Beast attack. Nomura and the others fought alongside Gareth and thwarted the Shadow Beast charge with Nomura delivering the final blow to the Shadow Beast leader.

After the fight was over Gareth instructed them to search for a courier that was missing in action. All other couriers had returned expect this one. The mercenaries rested for the night and left at dawn. Gareth gifted them a scroll of sending so that they could report back. It did not take long for them to find traces of Shadow Beasts, as well as a regiment of dead Ladian Soldiers. While they investigated the remains, Frida noticed someone or something watching them. Pretending not to notice Nomura moved into striking range and dashed to catch the spy. The one watching them seemed to be a humanoid Shadow Beast. By casting zone of truth Nomura and the rest of the mercenaries ascertained that he was not the one responsible for the deaths. He seemed to have very few memories of what he is or his past but offered to lead them to where the shadow beasts were. Frida distrusted them and suggested to kill him, Nomura believed he would prove to be valuable if brought back alive. After some discussion they decided to keep him alive although Nomura promised to cut his head if he tried to attack. The Shadow Beast had no name and seemed to have no preference of name, as such Sharbyt named him Preference.

Following Preference and the tracks left by the Shadow Beasts, the mercenaries came upon various fiends feasting on a human and horse corpses. Deducing that the human was probably the courier the mercenaries engaged the fiends and quickly disposed of them. While searching the human corpse Frida found a scroll of sending proving that this was indeed the courier they were looking for. Using one of the now two scrolls of sending in their possession the mercenaries reported back to Gareth before proceeding with the investigation.

By following the Shadow Beast tracks the mercenaries found a tribal camp, Preference told them that this was the place where he got turned. According to him, this tribe desperate because of the losing war tried to fuse their warriors with Shadow Beasts, this was accomplished by the power of the tribes shaman. The tribespeople surrounded a large hole on the ground, where supposedly the Shadow Beasts and warriors were fused. There was no sight of the Tribe's leader or shaman however, as according to Preference they usually left to hunt more Shadow Beasts. The mercenaries used their last sending scroll to report to Gareth and retreated to come back with reinforcements.

Gareth and a regiment of Ladian soldiers found them halfway to camp. Reporting all to Gareth in person the mercenaries were ordered to come with the soldiers to attack the tribe. Gareth did not trust Preference and ordered him to be brought along, he also assigned guards to watch over him during the battle. The attack was strong and swift, Nomura stroke down the Tribe´s leader causing the tribe to retreat in panic. Inside the hole there were multiple Ladian soldiers tied as well as several Shadow Beasts. Gareth and the mercenaries killed the Shadow Beasts and released the soldiers. The Shaman was nowhere to be found however and inside the tribe's tents there seemed to be nothing of value.

As they were about to retreat back to camp Nomura noticed several Ladian soldiers whispering among themselves. Nomura approached and asked what the issue was. The Ladian soldiers responded that none of them remembered which one of them was supposed to be watching Preference and now he was gone. Outraged with the situation Nomura reprimanded the guards for failing in their duties, telling them they should all slit their belies open after such failure. Gareth was more comprehensive, telling them they "screwed the pooch" and that he was "not happy". Nomura tried to search for Preference but found no track of him.

With their mission complete the mercenaries returned to camp to get some deserved rest.

#### Season 3

Nomura is called to lead a mercenary unit against the Gliga army troops in aid of the Vulcan Team. He and his men are catapulted to the frontlines were he fight alongside the Vulcan Team against the Gliga army general Oo Be Se. He alone escapes the massive explosion caused by the hundreds of explosives panted by the Molten Towers. Desiring to honor the valiant deaths of his soldiers Nomura, despite wounded joins Rodrik in the attack against the Purple Gliga Dragon. Despite his efforts the dragon proved to be a mightier foe than he could handle, the Sunvalley warrior was tossed into the air by the mighty wings of the beast. Nomura fell to the floor and felt his ribs give out piercing his lungs, the taste of blood filled his mouth. As his vision blurred and he sensed his consciousness escape him, Nomura gripped his sword as hard as he could. "A blazing death." he said as he drew his last breath.