Zen

Zen is a male wolf Keidran and a member of the Boarder Forest Tribe. After the death of their parents at a young age he and his younger sister Natani joined a guild of criminals as a means to survive. The Guild did not expect female members however Zen had helped his sister disguise as a male to let them stay together. During a mission to assassinate a powerful Keidran mage known as Issac, Natani was stuck by a spell that fractured her soul, leaving her completely brain dead, at the expense of Issac's own life. Zen partook in a ritual where he gave up part of his own soul to restore his sister's, binding the two's memories and thoughts together forever, and giving them a strange telepathic link.

After more time working under guild the two siblings were sent to assassinate former Grand Templar Trace Legacy, a mission that would leave Zen injured and the two of them separated. Since the soul link was established Natani began to see herself as more male because of Zen's influence, or so Zen thought, when in fact Natani had felt that way for a long time. During their time apart Natani explored his new gender further, coming to accept her female body while also making her own choice to see herself as male, which Zen was very understanding of, considering him his brother from then on. As of now Zen's future plans are unknown, he was listed as a traitor to both his guild and his kind after helping his brother so there is little for him to return too.

Appearance
Zen appears to be a typical Forest Wolf, covered fully in a coat of brown fur. Like his little sister he has more human like hair onto of his head as a darker shade of brown from his fur. Zen has a pair of plain brown eyes as well.

In terms of clothing Zen is seen throughout his earlier appearances dressed in a grey robe, presumably given to him by his guild, as well as a black cloak on top. After healing from his wounds that he sustained in Chapter 7 he returned on a mission to capture Sythe for his mistaken betrayal of the Forest Wolf tribe, here he is seen to guy wear a black hooded robe without his grey robe beneath. After being ambushed by Sythe's companions and tied up they removed him of his robe to reveal a pair of black trousers beneath, since then he has just remained shirtless in just those since his chest is covered in fur anyways.

History
Zen was born into a typical Forest Wolf village named Bitharm, for the first few years he lived a normal life alongside his two parents. When Zen was a year old, his parents gave birth to their 2nd child, a girl who they would name, Natani. Now being an older brother, his mother urged him to watch over Natani and protect her while he was carrying her for the first time (something he would take to heart after both she was born and after the death of their parents). When Zen was still young, his village was attacked by Humans, presumably the Templar, and during this event both of his parents were both murdered. Zen was able to escape along with Natani and the two were assumed to be among the few survivors of the attack, what had originally provoked the attack is unknown besides typical tensions that had always existed between both Humans and Forest Wolves especially.

With no family or friends left to support them Zen took it upon himself to keep him and his little sister safe and taken care of. Zen has once stated that when was a street urchin, he was ran over by a noble's carriage and was beaten by said noble for wasting his time, while he was doing this, Natani robbed the noble blind, they both ate like kings for weeks and Zen stated he was very proud of her that day. A short while after they were left orphaned, desperate from getting off of living on the streets Zen attempted to get him and Natani into an criminal Guild so they could earn money and have allies to look after them, this Guild was ran by another Keidran, a half wolf, half fox hybrid named Clovis (the self-coined "Prince of Greed"). Due to the sexist beliefs that Clovis and many other members of the Guild shared female membership was not allowed. Originally Zen planned to only join the Guild to earn money for him and his sister, however after Natani insisted that she should join too Zen reluctantly lied about Natani's true gender and successfully convinced Clovis to let them both join.

The first mission the "brothers" where tasked with was the assassination of a Snow Wolf Keidran named Issac. Only during the assassination attempt did they discover that Issac was, in fact, a powerful mage who knew forbidden magic. When Natani unknowingly jumped head first into combat, Issac promptly cast a curse which ripped apart Natani's soul, which also ended his own life in the process.

Zen, wracked with guilt for putting Natani in harms way and desperate to save his sister, rushed to the nearest settlement he could find, after which the doctor said their was nothing she could do but their was a way to save her, that being with magic. Knowing he had no other choice, Zen pleaded with Clovis for help. Clovis said that the only option would be to use magic to bind their souls, a process which would involve Zen sacrificing a small part of his own soul to restore Natani back to consciousness, from that point on Natani and Zen's souls were forever binded. Soon after the soul merge Natani opened up to Zen about her identity troubles (which now took a bigger leap on Natani's gender crisis) for the first time ever, although originally Zen believed these feeling to just be a side effect of the merge, he later realized how long it had been a problem for his sister. From this point on Zen began to treat Natani as less of a brother to conceal Natani's physical identity and more because of how Natani felt, both of them agreed from that point onward the two were truly brothers. Another consequence of the soul merge was the formation of a mental link between the siblings, allowing them to share all thoughts and most feelings with one another and communicate with each other from any distance, although with both time and physical distance the link seems to grow weaker.

The large irony it that due to the forbidden spell that Issac used on Natani also ended his own life, the brother's mission a success. The events of the mission were quick to spread and be exaggerated, though the fact that such an inexperienced pair of young assassins had somehow been able to eliminate such a powerful target earned them a huge reputation. The duo was soon nicknamed by their fellow guild mates as the "The Magi Brothers" and the tale also earned them the respect of many other criminals alike.

For the next few years, Zen and Natani worked under Clovis' Guild performing many criminal activities including anything from theft to other assassinations. At some point Clovis became aware of Natani's true sex but seeing the potential in her female body to infiltrate curtain groups he decided to keep it a secret and allowed him to stay. Although Natani was allowed to stay in the guild he began to face Clovis' sexist views from then on, such as being excluded from important conversations or the receiving the odd sexist remarks.

Despite the Assassin Brother's skill and fierce reputation, this reputation seem to be over-inflated as almost all of the targets they're hired to kill end up dying through indirect means, often by accident or in ways not originally intended by the duo themselves. Somehow, their universal bad luck seems to rub off on others via proxy.

The Dragon Masquerade
Years prior to the main story and six mouths after being mentally linked, Zen and Natani, indebted to Clovis, are prepared to rob a rare crystal from the Dragon Masquerade, an event that is supposed to be a "symbol of solidarity between humans and keidrans", with noble and rich guests alike attending which upsets Natani who calls out the hypocrisy of the event while Zen, being optimistic,. Zen is assigned to go into the Masquerade as a quest and, presumably, pickpocket the rich humans and keidrans attending the party while Natani sneaks herself in disguised as a young Roselyn, who is the barrier for the mask. While at the party, Zen meets Saria au Gruhen, Templar Trace Legacy future wife, but using the alias of "Sean of the distant Forrest wolf tribe" as a cover. Nervous of what to say to her, Saria tell him that he has nothing to worry about as she’s only the blacksmith’s daughter, she also tells him that if there are more open minded people like Zen

Chapter 7
On a mission to assassinate Trace and Flora, Zen tried reasoning with Flora to come back with him and Natani to wolf territory so she can have her arraigned marriage with Sythe, she refuses but Natani puts a sleep spell on her, Natani tell Zen to kill her while she down, though Zen is hesitate about it, Natani tell him that they needs this job and that it not their job to question things, it's their job to kill, Zen acknowledges this and say that he will kill Flora while Natani kills Trace but in reality, Zen was going to let Flora go and tell her to play died and run for it when their done, saying that he may be an assassin, but only is to provide a life for him and Natani and that he can't kill someone like that, too weak to fight back. He goes through the act of "Killing" Flora but he was stabbed by Keith through the chest with a sword, but he later healed after nearly dying.

Chapter 8
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Chapter 9
Zen is seen in a flashback from Natani, taking place shortly after their parents were killed. Natani is sat crying wondering what they should do when Zen, in a state of grief and sadness, comes over to berate her about being so emotional and that she needs to understand that their mom and dad aren't coming back. Reflecting on her brother's words after the flashback Natani promises not to let emotions get the better of her, this conversation might be one of the main reasons Natani chose to consider changing her gender, as he needed to be strong and that women are only weak.

Zen is then seen briefly later on taking to Natani via their telepathic link, he informs Natani that the wolves have killed the Human king and that the humans are not as strong as they think.

Chapter 10
Zen is seen in another flashback from Natani, after years of living as street urchins, begging for an stealing food, Zen and Natani get desperate for a go meal, so Zen plan to be the breadwinner for both of them by joining the "Brotherhood". Natani, not wanting to be alone beg to come with Zen, but Zen told her if Zen was could, he can't, not he doesn't want to but because the guild doesn't allow girls, knowing well enough what the guild would do if they found out about having a girl in their guild and want to keep her safe. Natani later shaves her hair to the length of Zen's to pass as a boy to join the guild too, with Zen later agreeing to let her come along.

Chapter 11
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Chapter 12
After healing from his wounds for the most part and Natani being a "spy" while she was with Group A, Zen is assigned by his clan to capture Sythe and bring him back alive for questioning or to kill him if he resists to much, due to his perceived betrayal of the Border Wolf Tribe for aiding in Group B's escape from an attack on their town, in exchange for the bounty, he and Natani's name's to be cleared and to have safe passage both to each other and back into wolf territory due to their failure of assassinating Group A.

Chapter 13
Zen is shown tracking down and right on Group B's trail.

Chapter 14
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Chapter 15
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Chapter 16
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Chapter 17
After Zen was captured by the group and then shackled with Raine's Magic Inhibiting Slave Bracelet, forcibly severing the connection to Natani, resulting in him collapsing into unconsciousness.

Chapter 18
In Natani's mindscape, "Young Natani" reveals that because Zen is protective of Natani, the only family he has left, part of him will always see Natani as, again, his "helpless baby sister", which is why Natani was always afraid it was Zen who had made him the way he was. In reality, it was from 'his soul' all along.

Chapter 19
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Chapter 20
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Chapter 21
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Personality
Zen is an optimistic, lighthearted and fairly carefree person. He doesn't take many things seriously, even when he is in obvious danger. Even after he was injured when fighting Trace (being stabbed through the chest mind you), Zen spent a lot of his recovery time teasing Natani about Keith. When he failed in capturing Sythe from Team B and while Sythe was debating with Raine on what to do with him, he still doesn't seem too worried about it, keeping his wits about him and managing to keep himself alive, though between him and Natani, he's the more cautious out of the duo. During the Dragon Masquerade, Zen was actually pretty happy to be there, thinking of all the rich people they could steal from and playing with a wolf mask.

Naturally as Natani is the only family he has left, he is very protective of her. Anytime Natani is in danger, Zen is right there to help. When Natani was hit by the soul splitting spell from their assassination target, Issac, Zen was willing to sacrifice anything to save her. With Keith and Natani now effectively a thing, Zen took a moment to threaten Keith, intent on doing harm should the Basitin abuse his brother's trust. When he and Natani are cut off for each other after he's taken by Group B, he become a bit quiet and depressive, afraid that his sibling has died from having the link cut, feeling guilt that he indirectly killed her by going after and he has no way of knowing if Natani is still alive, almost losing hope until he gets a little signal from Natani, he is relieved that his sibling is still alive.

Zen seems to be extremely pragmatic, far more so than Natani is. Zen also seems to show signs of guilt over the crimes he and Natani do, like in The Dragon Masquerade, while Zen and Saria are chatting, Saria mentions how "open minded people like you" could change human/keidran relations for the better and make the world a safer place, and Zen shows a pang of guilt over that comment indicating he doesn't feel he could, but perhaps might want to if circumstances were different. In another event, he was going to let Flora go and tell her to play died and run for it when their done, saying that he may be an assassin, but only as a way to provide a life for him and Natani, while also stating that he can't kill someone like that, too weak to fight back.

In spite of Zen being an optimistic and lighthearted person, his personality may also hold a bit off a darker meaning as due to all the trauma he suffered and how he was when he and Natani were cut off for a while, it may give the possibility that his lighthearted carefree attitude may be a facade, either as a coping mechanism from all the trauma he and Natani have suffered, as a way to bring a sort of happiness into his and Natani's tragic lives or put it on to make Natani believe that her older brother was capable of taking care of her. In the sketches (some canon) of them as kids seem to portray Zen as the one who used to be shy and sensitive. Maybe a more painful part of their past has been buried by Zen to make Natani believe that their lives before the tragedy where happier than they actually were.

It's ambiguous but there is no hiding that it may be true as losing both of his parents, his life of being an assassin and being Natani's big brother and surrogate parent figure has left an obvious mark on his psyche.

Magic
Zen is shown for the most part to not know much about magic as, usually, Natani is the magic user. While trying to capture Sythe, Natani and Zen become one so that Natani can use her magic to cast an illusion spell of an injured Maren to get Red to attack Sythe as a way to get the two "capable fighters" of the group even more against each other so that it would be more easier to get Sythe. After getting captured by the group, they mistakenly believe he solely was the magic user and decided to put the magic inhibiting bracelet on him.

Swordsmanship
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Stealth
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Soul Link
Zen and Natani are permanently linked via their souls. With this link, the two were bonded in amazing ways. The two could speak to each other mentally over vast distances with seemingly no limit, even appear corporeally. They can read each others minds and experience the others feelings, physical or emotional. When the two are perfectly in sync, they can really do some damage.

Trivia

 * Zen is the confirmed tallest character out of any Keidran or Human with a height of 6'5", and the second tallest of all humanoid characters, only beaten by the Basitin King, Jade Adelaide at 7'2". However some characters without a confirmed height such as Brutus may in fact be slightly taller than Zen.
 * Zen seems to be able to speak Human. During the Dragon Masquerade comic, Zen was able to hold conversation with Saria au Gruhen