Iona "Ble Poulí" Toxotai

**Iona Toxotai**, Also known as "Blue Bird" or "Ble Poulí" is the youngest of the Toxotai, a group of BIoengineered humans made by the Snake Tong as a commision for Clan Drakos of the Covenant of Aeaea. Iona and her 8 sisters were made to be an elite squad of operators for the Trial by War against Clan Cirillo for control of New Attica, a Border Realm territory contested by the two clans. Their superhuman physique and tactical capabilities carried the Drakos to victory, but Iona and her sisters were betrayed by the Drakos as soon as they "outlived their usefulness". In their escape, only Iona and Lydia, her eldest sister, escaped. The two soon found refuge in the Snake Tong and would become members of Unit 16, who specialize in assault operations, just like their role in the New Attica War.

## Background

### Origin of the Toxotai

The Cirillo and Drakos clans of the Covenant of Aeaea were always bitter rivals, even before they joined the Grand Order. From debates in the council to constant disputes about properties in Aeaea-territories in the Border Realm, the two sides continue to secretly wage war on another. For centuries they have settled their arguments using the Ludicium Per Bellum or "Trial by War", a form of trial by combat, an waging all out war in the Border Realm region known as "Sanguine Fields" by utilizing armies of familiars, automata, and even summons from the Mythic Realm. These wars last as short as a month to decades. While assassinations of Cirillo and Drakos members were considered dishonorable, the two were allowed by pact to use any methods necessary in the Sanguine Fields, from utilizing Homunculi foot soldiers to full-blown Schnee automatons powered by magical materials. In preparation of a new War between the two rivals over the Border Zone island of New Attica, the Drakos decided to create a special breed of super soldiers to compliment their Spartoi and Pegasi Riders, a project that brought forth the Toxotai. By utilizing the genetic template of an Aprósopi and hiring the bioengineering capabilities of the Snake Tong, the Drakos created 9 Toxotai, each with their own specific roles and capabilities, along with their superhuman biology. Even without magical capabilities, their raw physique and skill was made to turn the tides of the New Attica War through precise operations. Designated as "Iona", she was the last of the Toxotai batch, and were given Multi-frequency Ears for advanced scouting and intelligence gathering.

### The War

Iona and her "sisters" began training as early as they could walk and talk. Raised by the Drakos to be loyal special soldiers of the clan, bred to carry on their orders and to bring "glory and victory" to Clan Drakos in the upcoming war. Lydia only knew training and was devoid of any normal human interactions, save for her time spent with the 8 other Toxotai, and one of the hired trainers by the Toxotai, an agent of the Snake Tong who trained them in spec ops and unconventional warfare. Due to their circumstances, the Toxotai became a close-knit band of battle-sisters, and a well-drilled unit meant for one thing, bringing victory to the Drakos at all costs. They were made to be loyal to themselves and the clan, and the Drakos was highly satisfactory with all the trial operations that they successfully pulled off during the preparation period for their war. By 2005, when Lydia and the other Toxotai were in their teens, the Drakos challenged the Cirillo to another Trial by War for control over New Attica, and the two sides immediately deployed their armies in the Sanguine Fields. This War was designated to be a "Dominion" Conflict, which meant that the two sides had to take over all of the designated territories in the Sanguine Fields while wiping out the opposing side's army. Unbeknownst to the Cirillio, the Toxotai were deployed as part of the "Familiar Army" and in the span of 2 years, the Drakos came out as victors in the war thanks to multiple successful operations with the Toxotai. However, the Toxotai were not heralded as heroes returning from war. The Toxotai were recalled to one of the Drakos workshops for "post-war examinations", but they quickly realized that this was not the case. Upon their arrival, the Drakos attempted to overpower their own free-will and to have all the Toxotai disassembled and be "recycled" for future experiments. Seeing this as a betrayal, Iona and her sisters go on a daring escape, but the Drakos were fully prepared for that eventuality. Only Iona and Lydia successfully escaped, their siblings sacrificing themselves to buy time and allow them to break through.

*"Circe, Nikita, Kassandra, Cordelia, Myrina, Ariadne, and Nyx, we shall honor your ultimate sacrifices and live on."*

### Escape and the Snake Tong

After a week of evading Clan Drakos pursuers, Lydia and Iona escaped to Turkey, where the were intercepted by their old Snake Tong mentor. There the two learned the full truth, how Clan Drakos intended to decommission the Toxotai the moment they fulfilled their purpose. The Drakos did not want to waste the opportunity of creating their own brand of super soldiers and using the Snake Tong's bioengineered bodies as a starting point for further experimentation. But as a last laugh, the Tong secretly placed "acidifiers" on the Toxotai's bodies so in event of death, their bodies would fully disintegrate in a matter of seconds to avoid reverse-engineering. Iona was at an existential impasse. Their purpose was to fight the War for Clan Drakos, but with it over and their supposed masters were more interested in using them for experiments than what they were bred for, the two faced a existential crisis. Their mentor, however, offered them a chance at a new life.

*"You were both born thanks to Snake Tong engineering. Why not return home with me?"*

She promised them a position in the organization where they had the freedom to continue fighting, but not be bound as mere soldiers but fellow agents of a group that grants them the freedom to be more than just soldiers bred for war, and learn to be human. While they had physical aspects beyond normal, they were still human. She also promised them safety from the Drakos who are still looking for them. Although paranoid, Iona was completely untrusting of even their mentor. If the people they served with loyalty until the very end betrayed them, how likely was it for the Snake to betray them too? But despite the paranoia, she trusted Lydia's instincts and they decided to take up on the offer, seeing as they had nothing else to lose. The two became part of the Tong and while they spent their first months recuperating and regaining their bearings, Lydia and Iona decided to continue their lives as warriors, embracing the fact that they were made from the template of a Faceless. The Aprósopi in the Shiai-shi also thought them more about their heritage and were more than happy to adopt the two as part of Clan Tejido de Sangre, one of the oldest Faceless Clans to be part of the Tong. She and Iona took on the surname of Toxotai to honor their fallen sisters and to make sure their names are remembered by future warriors as valiant fighters.

While Lydia had an easier time adapting to their new organization, Iona remained completely reserved. Even with their new Clan, Iona remained cautious and distant with people, and only ever conversed with Lydia, who gave her the solace they needed. While it was true that they lost sisters they cared for deeply, Lydia reminded her that their sacrifices were for the sake of giving them a better future, and a shot of carving out a path for themselves outside of the predetermined life of a Drakos soldier and pawn. Years would pass and while she still remained reserved from most people, she slowly started reaching out and forming relationships with others.

Iona and Lydia. were assigned to Unit 16, also known as "Javelin", for their daring assault operations, a field where the Toxotai sisters were bred to do. Utilizing their skills from their training and the war, they adapted to their roles quickly. After a decade past, the scars of betrayal remain, but the sisters had made sure to find better lives for themselves. and honor the sisters that gave themselves up to give her and Lydia this opportunity.

## Personality

A stoic and reserved warrior, Iona is not the most social, preferring to spend most of her time devoted to her martial pursuits and training alone, or with a trusted sparring partner, usually her sister Lydia. When not training as a warrior, she is usually seen alone at the corner of the room, looking outside the window and not paying heed to others, or sitting alone at the edge of a beach listening to, or singing to music, either songs she made or the songs she likes. Even when she was being trained as a child, she had difficulty expressing her emotions even with her sisters and she felt distant towards them. She believed that she only had time to focus on training to fight and disregarded even the most basic social connections. Only through the effort of her sisters in creating an environment of kinship in their training to be come warriors that she learned the value of friendship and family. In an effort to find outlets outside of violence, Iona explores creative endeavors. She discovers solace in music, using her supernatural ears that can pick up even the subtlest of details in sound and songs to let her savor every note, every melody, and using it as a meditative tool to clear her mind. However, even in her artistic pursuits, echoes of her past often linger, reminding her of the battles she fought. In fact the song that got her to delve into the world of music was a lyric from a certain song. *"All of my dreams were broken, Only in my dreams were we can dance again. Our hands are intertwined and unconsciously you taught my heart how to love fully*", a reminder of those when her sister Nyx, who loved to dance, would take her by the arms and dance to the few songs they had access to as she learned to view the Toxotai as her family. That certain song remains her favorite, and despite how it can sometimes bring her to tears, she holds it deeply in her heart.

Iona's yearns for peace and stability, yet she grapples with a deeply ingrained need for structure and purpose, even after years the command structure and rigidity of her life as a soldier bred only war still scars her psyche. The memories of her past weigh heavily on her mind, making it challenging for her to fully embrace the opportunities for connection and growth in the Snake Tong. While she does not outright coldly reject others approaching her, she still can be awkward and straightforward when talking to others, which can put some people off. While she remains distant and guarded, her loyalty and willingness to protect those she cares about demonstrate her capacity for empathy and selflessness. She loves her sister Lydia greatly, and while she can be overbearing and overprotective, Iona appreciates the concern and care she gets from her. Her relationship with Lydia remains a guiding light, as they navigate the present and attempt to forge a new future together. She admires Lydia's composure and aura of a leader, and cannot help but feel jealous of how calm and collected she can be, as Iona is quick to fluster whenever she finds herself in an awkward conversation, or someone tries to flirt with her and she responds with her characteristically stoic bluntness and she starts overthinking of whether or not she sounded too hostile.

She was closest to her sister Nyx, who always had the desire to wear dresses and elegant clothing, and would constantly tell Iona that she would look great on them too. Iona always held back saying "Of course, we all look the same.", knowing that Nyx saw in all her sisters different individuals. In memory of Nyx, Iona has over the years tried to dress in what her sister would call elegant clothing, although she still prefers the reliability of the Snake Suit.

Similar to Lydia, she has embraced the idea of being part of Clan Tejido de Sangre, despite not being the most active and social member. She upholds their code of honor and loyalty, and she reveres the idea of fealty to one's siblings and comrades in arms. While she might not get along with other clan members in terms of finding shared interests and hobbies, she is more than willing to put her life on the line if it means protecting or saving their comrade. The sacrifice of her sisters have engraved this idea in her that if it's for the sake of the greater good, Iona will not fear death.

The betrayal of Clan Drakos has made her despise the Grand Order of Magi as a whole, especially their system of "Trial by War", where soldiers, whether sentient beings such as her self or enslaved entities like familiars are stripped of a choice and forced to fight and die for a cause that is most likely a selfish one. She is extremely distrustful of anyone who is part of the Order or even former members.

Iona is a person of habit and routine, and would always strictly follow a set of things to do during her off-days. She would go on a jog in the morning, do 300 push ups, 300, sit ups, and 300 pull ups, and making sure to finish said exercise regimen after the 18th loop of her music playlist.

## Abilities

### Martial arts

Bred to be the designated scout and skirmisher, Iona is extremely athletic and utilizes fighting styles that fit hit and run tactics. Fast and agile, she can easily scale even the steepest of buildings or terrain. Her time in the Shiai-shi has only made her a better fighter, utilizing agile styles that emphasize minimal but deadly strikes and swift retreats if the opponent is stronger. While no slouch in hand-to-hand, she is most effective with a weapon, such as a spear or sword, or better yet, a fire-arm. While not as extremely accurate and precise as Lydia, Iona is nevertheless a deadly shot, preferring smaller and portable guns that fit her hit and run approach to combat.

### Bioengineered Body

Snake Tong Bioengineering is considered to be expensive and experimental, and most members are discouraged from getting "experimental upgrades", but the Toxotai were given no such restrictions when the Drakos Clan purchased the services from the Tong. Vatborn and altered even before they were conscious, the Toxotai bodies were highly modified to fit the needs of the Drakos during the War. While her appearance and overall physique was taken from the original genetic template just like her sisters, the Snakes over at the Hermitage, where the bioengineering took place, made sure to provide unique features of each Toxotai sister. The look extremely similar, save for different body parts that were customized for each sister to fit their roles. Lydia was given Multi-Spectrum eyes to fit her role as the sniper and highly-perceptive leader. While she and her sister shared similar modified body parts to turn them into the "Super Soldiers" that the Drakos needed. Despite their lack of a Mana Lobe and thus inability to use magic, their bioengineered bodies are more than enough to overpower a magus using reinforcement. While this means they lack a natural magical resistance, it is covered by equipment given by the Snake Tong.

#### Multi-Frequency Ears

Iona’s ears have had its spectrum of frequencies that can be picked up increased, and evolved with a predatory ability to let her focus on one frequency. Not only can he have enhanced awareness of multiple sounds around her, he can also specifically tune in on one sound, a man whispering in a crowded room for example, and focus entirely on even the quietest whisper while temporarily blocking out the other noise. It is a useful ability for collecting info and espionage.

#### Calcium-Alloy Skeleton

The composition of Lydia’s Skeletal System has been altered into a composite calcium-metal alloy, reinforced with organic rubber analogue which immensely increases the durability of her bones, allowing Lydia to sustain more trauma than normal. Offense-wise, elbow strikes, knee-strikes, and even blows which involve using her bones are also more dangerous thanks to this. This results in the Toxotai never needing helmets, and the armor provided by the suits are merely a secondary layer of defense.

#### Multilayered Dermal Plating

Chitinous plates, similar to the calcium-alloy composition of her skeleton, are layered underneath Lydia’s skin, thin enough to be not noticeable, but retains enough durability to provide decent protection from small-arms fire.

#### Micro-analyzer Nose

By increasing the amount of cells dedicated to analyzing specific important molecules, Iona’s sense of smell has been enhanced to the point that even faint and distant scents can be easily picked up. Useful for detecting subtle poisons and tracking down targets.

#### Extra-dexterous Limbs

Iona arms and legs have been strengthened, both in muscles and nerve control, allowing for both strong and agile limbs.

#### Nano-Alveoli Lungs

The alveoli in Iona's lungs have been evolved to be more efficient while being reduced to a nano-scale, which makes it difficult for airborne toxins to enter her bloodstream. A countermeasure evolved to fight against gas-based attacks.

#### Accelerated Spine

Iona’s spine and the nerves that reside in it have been enhanced with secondary processing nodes, for a faster nervous system, which ends up increasing reflexes and overall body efficiency.

#### Tri-Woven Primary Heart

Iona’s heart has had its musculature woven into three directions instead of one, not only increasing her heart’s control of blood flow, but also with increased efficiency thanks to the extra muscles. In a practical sense, this helps in decreasing blood loss when she is bleeding, and to some extent, allows her movements to be enhanced thanks to better blood flow.

### Equipment

#### Snake Key

Iona carries the standard Balisong version of the Snake Key, and considered more of a tool than a weapon. The blade itself was made with special materials that are not necessarily strong enough for heavy combat. The pride of the Pranaja Empu smiths, the steel during forging blessed the property to disperse mana. Since it disperses magical energy, the blade of the knife can't be reinforced with magic. However, the reason why it's named a key is because users can create holes within certain points of a Bounded Field. Since the blade merely disperses mana and not outright destroys it, it creates thinned and weakened areas in a Bound Field that is more susceptible of being bypassed physically without triggering an alarm for the owner.

It can also be used against an enemy using Reinforcement on his body. If the Key is stabbed onto the target's arm, for example, the magical energy of the reinforcement spell disperses to other parts of his body and his arm is now more weakened thanks to the lower amount of mana for reinforcement.

#### S11 'BB' Bulletproof Body Suit

Standard issue magic armor that Snake Tong provides its members. It is a black suit which was made to be bulletproof (tested with 9mm, 7.62, NATO/.308) and provides magic resistance, dispelling low level spells. It is considered to be one of the iconic uniforms of the Shiai-shi. The suit is made with a composite of multiple magical materials, a major one being Huohuan Bu Silk from a Spider Yaoguai. This makes the Suit durable (enough to withstand modern gunfire and magical projectiles), easily enchantable with magic, and has innate fire resistance. If the Suit was stained, one simply needs to burn the area with the stain and the mess will soon disappear without damaging the cloth.