Zurok Mia Takamatzu

''This article will probably be considered CRAP in my eyes for a long time, because I will expect nothing less than greatness from it, given what it's about. So there.''

Zurok Mia Takamatzu is an elusive woman of Koldizé origins who according to popular culture is arguably the most mysterious Serenghe alive. She is a notoriously powerful seer and ritualist, and her powers as an Anima Sensei make her a formidable foe. She plays an incredible role in every volume of the series, and is believed by many to be the reason for the entire series of events that go down in the books.

Background
Zurok was the eldest child of Munazakro Nozomu Takamatzu and Kunazera Norika Takamatzu, born in a small village north of Capital Terranea in Koldia. She entered the realm of mortality on the 16th of the 1st month, in the year 4490, 182nd Age. While it has been confirmed that she has numerous siblings, only two of them are known by name.

Zurok lived a quiet life at the Takamatzu Estate, where despite some eccentricities such as playing with dangerous magic or cackling manically, she had a normal childhood. She was a brilliant-minded girl who enjoyed nothing more than gaining knowledge and skill. If she was not studying something, she was practicing something, usually involving chi or the elements. She was a very keen child, well-aware of many of the world's workings from this tender, early age. She was always fueled by her ambition of knowing that there was always more out there for her to learn, and she was eager to search out this knowledge and gain it for herself. The fact that she was an Anima Sensei greatly bolstered her confidence and desire to attain this knowledge and hone these skills.

Unsurprisingly, she was a brilliant student who excelled in her academic classwork and was a vicious overachiever in everything she did. Because of the way she allocated her time, and how much she worked her own mind, she was quickly considered to be a slightly unstable child, despite her intellect and even her adequate social skills. However, Zurok was utterly unfazed by these labels, and continued to do what she enjoyed. She took no pleasure in gloating about her knowledge, nor did she ever try to outperform anyone, be they older or younger than her. The only competition she had was against herself, and against the world as a repository of knowledge. This has been her most obvious driving ambition for her entire life.

Zurok holds a passion for politics and manipulating the grand scheme of things, which, while seemingly harmless, has still led people to believe that Zurok has some form of grand design up her sleeves. However, as of The Koldian and the Queen, there is no solid evidence to support these theories.

Political involvement
Zurok is notorious for having her hands deep in various political schemes of each of The Five Nations. She is in league with Zerviah Junichi Foxx of Krawvill in particular, and even after the latter abdicates to let her son step up to the throne, the two continue to play their deep political games. Zerviah handles the affairs of Krawvill fairly well, while Zurok is usually manipulating events in Koldia quite well by utilizing an d allying with The Seer of Koldia, and down in Kroggné, where her cunning tactics and sweet-sounding words convince the peace-loving Shitenou down there not to get involved with the wars on the main continent.

The Crest-Bearers
Zurok is involved with a handful of Serenghe with special markings on their necks called crests. While it is unknown what they mean other than a "sign of the times", it is often Zurok that informs them that they bear a certain crest, and when she locates one of these Serenghe, she always takes special interest in them. It is why she took such strong interest in California and Asami, for example.

Appearance
Zurok is a pale-skinned Koldian woman with golden eyes, jet-black hair, white wings, and a rather petite stature. She stands at a height of 3'2" and weighs in at 39 pounds. Most notable about her appearance is perhaps her expression, which is consistently curved upwards in a smile. She either has a calm smile with her red lips together, or a slightly eerier smile where her fanglike Serenghe teeth are showing. While it is very rare to see Zurok in a mood other than one of calm contentedness, it is also rumored that there is some form of paralysis in her jaw that prevents her from ending her smile. whatever the case, it does not seem to bother Zurok at all, and she handles herself just fine.

Ever since she was young, Zurok was well-known as the best-dressed little girl a Serenghe would ever meet. Always one to dress up nicely and smell pretty, Zurok exuded a certain classiness that many others emulated. Living with a high-class family, she would always dress up in rather formal or ornate clothing, although also never straying above a certain line. She was classy, but not extravagant. She carries herself properly, and while she is not afraid to do what she must to accomplish a goal, she generally tries not to get dirty--physically, at least.

Personality
Zurok's personality is a mixture between intellect, cunning, culture, and amiability. She appreciates the finer things in life, as well as the simple things. There are few things in the world that Zurok enjoys more than being outdoors surrounded by plants and flowers. She appreciates them for their beauty the same way she appreciates Serenghe for it. Not wanting to be a hypocrite about it is part of the reason Zurok dresses so finely, but the primary reason is that she simply enjoys dressing sharp and smelling pretty.

Zurok possesses a powerful knowledge and fascination of the arcane and of Serenghe magic. She is always interested in learning of new power and new rites that she can perform, regardless of whether or not they are forbidden religiously. Her latest and greatest feat was the Rites of the Ekae, which began a long and illustrious career in creating Eka-Serenghe, beginning with one of Queen Zerviah.

Because of her fondness for magic as well as her love of things that are beautiful, Zurok has a deep appreciation for the Eka-Serenghe, whom she deems as extraordinarily beautiful creatures who are the pinnacle fo intelligent design, considering their origins. It does not cause her to value the Serenghe any less, but Zurok does appreciate them like works of art, and arguably appreciates Eka-Serenghe even more than normal Serenghe.

More than anything, Zurok has a desire to bring about the end of Leaxyk and Rorret, although she has not divulged how she intends to accomplish that. Most people simply dismiss it as wishful thinking, and few think that she can come up with a way to do so. However, Zurok is also painfully ambitious, and it is said that when she puts her mind to something, she stops at nothing until it is accomplished or deemed impossible.

Zurok holds a distinct passion for politics, and the manipulative nature that such people and positions tend to possess. Such manipulation is the reason she always has her hands in them, even if she does not hold an official government position. Her alleged neutrality and friendly demeanor, combined with her sharp wit and cunning intelligence have helped her get in good graces with the rulers of the world, particularly Zerviah of Krawvill, which has aided her greatly.

Despite her fearless, (perhaps overly) ambitious means-to-an-end personality combined with little remorse for any cultural or religious taboos she breaks, Zurok is actually very friendly. She is also very dangerous, as she is cunning and ruthless, and does not hesitate to manipulate people if it furthers her goals. She does not take such things personally, simply considering it business. She has even done this with her own children. However, even with that considered, she did sincerely love them, and never would manipulate them in a way that would be detrimental to their well-being.

Unbeknownst to most, Zurok is an obsessive control freak who gets very nervous and even frightened when she loses control of a situation. Such a scenario is extremely rare given the levels of backup plans she usually concocts, but it has happened before, though an extremely rare few have ever seen it.

Abilities
Zurok possesses a myriad of dangerous tricks and abilities that she uses to her utmost advantage as much and as often as possible. These talents are the primary reason she is considered as dangerous as she is.

Element Mastery
Zurok is a powerful master of all six elements, although her favorite element is her original affinitive element, Light. She is also an expert at the Advanced Elements: Lightning, Metal, and Flora. She is swift to act and react, and her power combined with deadly efficient chi usage, and she is capable of very powerful attacks that do not expend her energy very fast. She is known for her skillful control over Anima's Peak, and for her precise and swift movements while in combat.

Zurok's favorite element appears to be Light, which is also her affinitive element. She also uses lightning frequently, when she wants something more powerful. Outside of combat, she will sometimes use her elemental abilities simply to put on displays and dazzling performances. In combat She is swift and adept at tearing down single opponents, making her fighting style very similar to that of a rogue. She is not above dirty fighting unless it is an honor duel. Otherwise, she will try and use anything and everything she can find to her advantage.

Magic
Zurok is one of the most proficient users of magic alive on Mencu. she is notorious for performing numerous rituals, many of which are considered forbidden. She is also very adept at various other forms of magic that are practical, including spells that can move her instantly from one point to another, and such tricks that heighten her senses or divert attacks. Adding to her power is that her knowledge of magic includes ancient abilities including efficiient revitalization of one's chi energy, as well as their physical energy, enabling Zurok to trigger Anima's Peak with horrifying frequency. High-level magic such as the rites Zurok performs is very rare, which makes her all that much more dangerous.

Her forbidden magic has been crucial in the creation of thousands of Eka-Serenghe. A great deal of mystery surrounds those rites, but Zurok, having gained the knowledge from Zarbozen during his infiltration of the North Serénes Sacred Realms, went on to perform these rites multiple times throughout the series, being responsible for producing most of the major Eka-Serenghe characters found in the later books.

Foresight
Zurok is one of a rare few Serenghe that is gifted with clairvoyancy, which labels her as a Seer. While she is rare in using it, she has utilized it very efficiently when doing so. Such abilities grant a Serenghe the ability to peer into the minds of other Serenghe, provided that the target's mind is kept open enough. They similarly have the ability to see the future. However, this becomes more difficult the farther one peers into the future. Similarly, it only shows events how they would happen should everything stay the way it is. If external events alter the circumstances, then the results may be much different than what the seer saw.