TV-Series
Description
Clen is the humanoid disguise used by Clevatess, the immensely powerful Beast King of the South, for his journey through human society. In his true form, Clevatess is a colossal, shadowy wolf-like creature with multiple barbed tails and dominion over the southern badlands, where he lived as an isolationist for centuries, indifferent to humanity. This changed when the kingdom of Haiden sent thirteen heroes to slay him. In retaliation for this unprovoked attack, Clevatess annihilated the heroes and destroyed the kingdom's capital, killing the monarch in the process. Amidst the ruins of Haiden, he discovered a baby, the royal heir named Luna. Moved by the dying plea of the infant's caretaker, he chose not to kill the child but to spare and raise it himself, embarking on an experiment to determine if humanity was worthy of survival or deserved extinction.
To travel freely and inconspicuously with Luna, Clevatess adopted the form of a young human boy named Clen. This guise is modeled directly after a deceased child who had tried to protect Luna, an act that Clevatess appears to respect. While in this form, his true power is significantly diminished, and his massive shadow-beast form remains concealed within his own shadow. The transformation is not perfect, as one of his central horns remains partially visible, though it is not an uncommon trait among some humanoid races. This disguise allows him to observe human societies firsthand and protect Luna without causing mass panic due to his true, terrifying appearance.
Personality-wise, Clen initially projects a cold, pragmatic, and regal demeanor, viewing most humans as beneath him. As a Beast King, he holds himself to a high standard and possesses a strong, if brutal, sense of honor; he will not break a promise and disdains cruelty that serves no purpose. His primary motivation at the story's outset is to use Luna as a metric to judge all of humanity. However, as he travels and cares for the child, his inherent indifference begins to erode. He develops genuine, protective paternal feelings for Luna, which he often masks with claims of pragmatism. His interactions with the humans he encounters, particularly those who show kindness or resilience in the face of suffering, force him to confront his sweeping negative judgments about their entire species.
In the story, Clen acts as the de facto leader and primary protector of a small, unconventional family. He travels with Alicia, a hero he killed and then resurrected as an undead servant bound to obey him, whom he tasks with caring for Luna. The relationship between Clen and Alicia is tense and complex, built on a foundation of enslavement, yet he comes to rely on her combat skills and insights into humanity. He also recruits Nelluru, a former slave and nursing mother, to join them after she risks her life to protect Luna from a bandit group. Clen is so moved by Nelluru's sacrifice that he ultimately resurrects her after she is mortally wounded, binding her to his group as well. Throughout his journey, he must continuously balance the need for concealment with the necessity of unleashing his true power to protect his charges from various factions, including rival humans and servants of other Beast Kings.
Clens development throughout the narrative is central to the story. He evolves from a detached, near-omnicidal force of nature into a complex individual who begins to value specific humans not just as scientific specimens, but as companions. His initial desire to potentially exterminate humanity is gradually replaced by a reluctant hope that people might be able to change their world for the better. This transformation is driven by his growing love for Luna, whose simple existence challenges his nihilistic worldview. He is also influenced by Alicia's unwavering commitment to her heroic ideals, even in her undead state, and his own observations of both profound human cruelty and resilience.
In terms of notable abilities, while his power is suppressed in the Clen guise, he retains access to several formidable magical skills. He is a powerful necromancer, able to raise the dead and control them by infusing their corpses with his own dark ichor, which also grants them superhuman regeneration. He has mastery over shadows, which can consume, teleport, and store objects and even house his true form. He is also an astute analyst, able to quickly understand and counter magical weapons and combat techniques he has never seen before. His true power, which is only unleashed in moments of extreme crisis, far surpasses his human guise, cementing his status as one of the most powerful beings in his world.
To travel freely and inconspicuously with Luna, Clevatess adopted the form of a young human boy named Clen. This guise is modeled directly after a deceased child who had tried to protect Luna, an act that Clevatess appears to respect. While in this form, his true power is significantly diminished, and his massive shadow-beast form remains concealed within his own shadow. The transformation is not perfect, as one of his central horns remains partially visible, though it is not an uncommon trait among some humanoid races. This disguise allows him to observe human societies firsthand and protect Luna without causing mass panic due to his true, terrifying appearance.
Personality-wise, Clen initially projects a cold, pragmatic, and regal demeanor, viewing most humans as beneath him. As a Beast King, he holds himself to a high standard and possesses a strong, if brutal, sense of honor; he will not break a promise and disdains cruelty that serves no purpose. His primary motivation at the story's outset is to use Luna as a metric to judge all of humanity. However, as he travels and cares for the child, his inherent indifference begins to erode. He develops genuine, protective paternal feelings for Luna, which he often masks with claims of pragmatism. His interactions with the humans he encounters, particularly those who show kindness or resilience in the face of suffering, force him to confront his sweeping negative judgments about their entire species.
In the story, Clen acts as the de facto leader and primary protector of a small, unconventional family. He travels with Alicia, a hero he killed and then resurrected as an undead servant bound to obey him, whom he tasks with caring for Luna. The relationship between Clen and Alicia is tense and complex, built on a foundation of enslavement, yet he comes to rely on her combat skills and insights into humanity. He also recruits Nelluru, a former slave and nursing mother, to join them after she risks her life to protect Luna from a bandit group. Clen is so moved by Nelluru's sacrifice that he ultimately resurrects her after she is mortally wounded, binding her to his group as well. Throughout his journey, he must continuously balance the need for concealment with the necessity of unleashing his true power to protect his charges from various factions, including rival humans and servants of other Beast Kings.
Clens development throughout the narrative is central to the story. He evolves from a detached, near-omnicidal force of nature into a complex individual who begins to value specific humans not just as scientific specimens, but as companions. His initial desire to potentially exterminate humanity is gradually replaced by a reluctant hope that people might be able to change their world for the better. This transformation is driven by his growing love for Luna, whose simple existence challenges his nihilistic worldview. He is also influenced by Alicia's unwavering commitment to her heroic ideals, even in her undead state, and his own observations of both profound human cruelty and resilience.
In terms of notable abilities, while his power is suppressed in the Clen guise, he retains access to several formidable magical skills. He is a powerful necromancer, able to raise the dead and control them by infusing their corpses with his own dark ichor, which also grants them superhuman regeneration. He has mastery over shadows, which can consume, teleport, and store objects and even house his true form. He is also an astute analyst, able to quickly understand and counter magical weapons and combat techniques he has never seen before. His true power, which is only unleashed in moments of extreme crisis, far surpasses his human guise, cementing his status as one of the most powerful beings in his world.