Nikriontra Sydona, also known as Nik is a male Nirak and heir to the Imperial Throne of Niraxus, due to be crowned the Eighth Sydonan Emperor of the Niraxian Empire. Considered by many to be one of the best close combat assault fighters of his time[citation needed], Nikriontra's skill in the battlefield is unquestionable. He is a member of the Order of the Unknown Knight, serving under the rank of Knight Commander.
Born on August 2nd 1801 CE to Akriontra and Daryci Sydona, he grew up with his elder brother Katriontra and younger sister Luciontra. Nikriontra began his military career shortly after the Bryckster Invasion of Niraxus, pursuing a career in his brother's footsteps. His natural born ability to lead as well as his daring maneuvers and strategy during the course of the war earned him praise and prestige. Following Katriontra's death at the decisive Third Battle of Therhold, Nikriontra assumed his elder brother's place as Champion of Niraxus, spearheading the effort to defeat the Brycksters.
Following the signing of the Treaty of Torrom that concluded the Fighting War, Nik went through a period of depression, becoming distant from those around him. He ultimately left Niraxus 7 as part of a top secret directive to explore the now de-militarised region of the galaxy known as the Borderworlds, discovering Earth in the process.
Nikriontra served in the Earthern-Niraxian Alliance as commanding officer of Sentinel Company until it was suspended and subsequently dissolved by the ENA High Command. Nikriontra then distanced himself from the organisation eventually founding Sentinel 7 with his best friend, Jarod Freeman.
History[]
Youth and pre-war days[]
Nikriontra was born on the second of August, 1801CE (291E3) to the seventh Sydonan Karo Akriontra and his wife, Queen Daryci in the Imperial Citadel on Niraxus 7. Born into the Royal Family as a middle child, he was proclaimed second in line to the Niraxian Throne behind his older brother Katriontra. Growing up, both Nik and his younger sister lived solitary lives in the shadow of their renowned brother. They attended school together, forming a close bond. Despite Katriontra's attempts to spend more time with his younger siblings, Nik and Lucy very rarely saw him.
During the pre-war days, Nik and Lucy went to the same school. Lucy was two batches below him, and they very rarely interacted in their academics. Despite this, they managed to forge friendships with a small number of characters. Lucy, who had already skipped a year due to her signs of increased intelligence, befriended Meribel Atakaris and the two quickly became close.
Early war period[]
With the Fighting War raging in full force across the Milky Way, tension was high. Nearly everybody on the capital had close family who were fighting on the front lines. However in his youth such matter did not affect a royal prince. It was only when Katriontra announced his intention to fight in the war did Nik truly realise how close the war was. Kah's years of training among the Niraxian Zealots had made him a formidable warrior, and his leadership skills were unquestionable. In the wake of the Battle of Wesdenrath, where a massive Bryckster capital fleet decisively crushed the Niraxian navy effectively opening a new front in the War, Kah departed Niraxus 7 to begin assembling the Niraxian counter-attack, taking the brunt of the Niraxian Armada with him. With Kah gone, pressure had begun to mount on Nik from all sides, even at home. Akriontra, confident in his heir's ability to lead, wanted his youngest son to fight in the War and gain experience. Ultimately, Nikriontra chose to volunteer, partially convinced and guilted by his father into doing so. Unlike Kah, Nik had no military training or experience, and had never even held a weapon before.
Nik departed the imperial capital for immediate training, following which he was inducted into the Niraxian Inner Division where he was assigned to the 1113th Battle Arc. Nik's first battle was the Battle of Okran, where Niraxian forces crushed the Xeno-Sec military controlling the planet, taking control of the agricultural world that would allow new offensives into Xeno-Sec space. As the war progressed, Nik's natural-born leadership skills began to rise to the surface. As he became more confident in battle, so too did his rank grow. By the onset of the Third Battle of Therhold, Nik held the rank of Battle Captain, leading his own squad of soldiers. His unit was assigned to the Diamond Sea, a Niraxian Warcruiser. There, he befriended Shipmaster Ko'Raf and began to gain experience on naval tactics and strategy, coming to understand the importance of orbital control in relation to a greater battle.
The Third Battle for Therhold was technically a strategic stalemate for all sides that fought in it, but was a decisive tactical defeat for the Empire. On its surface, Commander Katriontra became trapped in a Bryckster ambush. Desperate to rescue him, the Niraxian war command assigned Nikriontra to lead the rescue effort. This battle was the true test for the young aspiring leader. Charging straight into an overwhelming Bryckster force, Nik faced heavy losses, and his attempts to withdraw were blocked by military bureaucracy that demanded he rescue Kah or perish. By the time he had managed to relieve Kah's unit, it was too late. The Crown Prince's elite Zealot unit had been entirely decimated attempting to protect their Prince, and Kah himself had taken several grevious wounds. Nik found his brother, his armour shattered, burnt and bloodied, lying in a pool of his life's blood. There, Kah exchanged a few words with his little brother before passing away.
In orbit, Ko'Raf, who had been listening to the exchange between Kah and Nik via a microphone, was determined to rescue the young prince and his fallen brother. In a daring maneuver, he performed an Angel Dive, sending the Diamond Sea tumbling through the cloudy atmosphere of Therhold. Using his captain's instincts, he successfully brought the vessel directly above the surface of Nik's position, using the Sea's weaponry to crush the overwhelming Bryckster army approaching on their position. Nikriontra, his unit and Kah's body were returned to the Sea and the vessel, along with the shattered Niraxian Armada retreated from Therhold to re-organise and lick their wounds. On their way to Eaggoran, which was then the nerve center of Niraxian operations in the Energis Front, the Sea was diverted back to the Imperial Capital where a ceremony had been planned for many months. It was originally a parade to announce Kah's selection into the coveted ranks of the Order of the Unknown Knight, but with his untimely passing spreading throughout the Empire like wildfire, it was changed into a funeral. Regardless, the Order had decided to pass Kah's knighthood onto his younger brother. Upon his return, Nikriontra was crowned a Knight, the second Sydonan to hold such a rank, the same day his brother was interred into the Imperial Masoleum beneath the Imperial Citadel.
Morale was low, and the Niraxian military, now without a champion, began pulling out of the Energis front in disgrace. It was then that Nik, still shattered and reeling from his brother's death, knew that only he could rise up and take his brother's place as the Champion of Niraxia, so that was what he did. His fate was decided at the massive Siege of Niraxus 7, which contained one of the largest naval battles at that point in the war thusfar. As the battle progressed, it seemed that the imperial capital was going to fall, until the Young Knight, situated aboard the Diamond Sea, rallied the Niraxian Armada with the aid of Ko'Raf. Seperating the fleet into two, the much faster and nimble Niraxian ships allowed the Bryckster fleet to come in close, flanking around them and destroying them from the rear. Although this allowed massive amounts of Bryckster forces onto the surface, the Bryckster capital fleet was all but destroyed, effectively breaking the back of the Bryckster navy. Prior to this, the Niraxian withdrawal from Energis space allowed the Energis Coalition to divert new units to the war, forcing the Brycksters to retaliate by pulling forces from elsewhere. Just after the Battle for Niraxus, the Energis and Niraxian Empire agreed to temporarily put aside hostilities between one another until the Bryckster menace was destroyed.
The effect of the Niraxian victory was overwhelming. Overnight, Nik turned from a recently knighted untested leader into a Champion, effectively usurping Kah's position and fame. The victory at Niraxus 7 remains one of Nik's greatest military feats. Nikriontra re-organised the Armada and named Ko'Raf Fleetmaster. With his most trusted friend leading his fleet, Nik was able to take the fight to the surface, crushing Bryckster forces.
It was during this time that the War took a sudden turn. The growing military might of the Energis Coalition had managed to expel the Brycksters from the Genui-Sphere while Bryckster control of the Central Galactic Worlds waned heavily. The Niraxian Empire and Aralian Dominion came to the aid of the Central Worlds, crushing the last pockets of Bryckster forces. Defeated, the Bryckster Faction was banished to the Galactic Far-East. The galaxy then collectively held its breath as the Niraxian forces creeped closer to Energis territory. Many believed that the forged alliance betweeen the superpowers would shatter by the weight of their might and the War would continue.
This period of uncertainty came to its climax when one day, under Nik's orders, the Niraxian Armada jumped into the Torrom System, a small system on the very edge of Energis territory, believing that the star system contained a pocket of Bryckster forces, infact actually harboured a massive Energis fleet. Both sides scrambled into formation, however neither side exchanged fire. This standoff remained for several hours until both sides sent an envoy to meet in no man's space. The Diamond Sea was tied to the Energis vessel Elysian Fury by way of an umbilical, and it was on this makeshift station that the first peace rounds began to occur. Later on, Emperor Akriontra and Surgicus himself attended, and the talks concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Torrom. The Empire and Energis Coalition agreed to end hostilities in exchange that both sides withdraw their forces from a strip of space now known as the Borderworlds, and that the Energis de-militarise the former territories of Xeno-Sec and the Alliance for Xeno-Zentralan Unity and hand them limited autonomy. This region is now known as the Inner Xeno-Sphere. Both sides withdrew their forces from the agreed upon territories when the treaty came into effect one week later.
With the War over, Nikriontra returned to the capital to assume his new duties as Crown Prince. However like most soldiers returning home, the loss he faced in the war coupled with the devestating loss of Kah bubbled up to the surface and Nik fell into depression. Sensing the growing darkness in his son, Akriontra, who had faced such a trial much earlier in his life, recommended that his son leave the capital to find himself. In order to be of use to the Empire, Nik was assigned an Imperial Assimilation Directive and ventured into the now de-militarised borderworlds to search for undiscovered species that the Empire could enlighten and later take over. Nik departed for the Borderworlds aboard his corvette Ascended Kin. After a brief search, he came upon the planet Earth, then at the heart of a growing stellar civilization known as the United Earth Republic.
Personality[]
In general Nik is a charismatic and honourable person, keeping promises he makes and trying to help others who seek knowledge that he can provide. Within the Niraxian civilian world he is highly regarded and is considered a hero by his people. This along with his turbulent relationship with his father has led to his dislike of staying long periods of time in his own nation, preferring to reside on Earth with Jay and his human friends. However despite appearing as a strong and brave character, he is infact emotionally scarred due to the premature death of his brother and his induction into the army at an early age. He suffers from Imposter Syndrome, believing that he is a fake and that his own accomplishments are merely extensions of his deceased brother's legacy. Returning from the war, Nik felt heavily disconnected from the throes of normal life, unable to feel comfortable or at ease when outside of a military base or out of his armor. He detests praise received from his own kind, which is another reason why he prefers to reside away from Niraxus.
Appearance[]
Nikriontra has a distinctive hairstyle which consists of three naturally standing spikes of red with yellow streaks. Like most other Niraxians, Nik wears a suit nearly all the time. His armour suit is custom made for Knights of the Order of the Unknown Knight and consists of the Order's distinctive blue, black and grey colours. The most striking part of his armour is his shoulder guards, two large spikes that indicate he is a Knight as shoulder guards are generally used to show rank within Niraxian military customs. He also wears a blue cape carrying on his older brother's tradition of wearing capes in battle. For civilian purposes he removes his cape and the upper spikes of his shoulder guard, leaving the bottom spikes to show his rank as a member of the Niraxian Armed Forces.
When not in his armour, he often wears a white hoody with blue trim and hood and a pair of black pants produced by AlterNation. He also wears combat boots or skateboarding shoes depending on the situation.
Strengths[]
Nik is a highly skilled ranged and close-quarter fighter, making him ideal for any situation. He is agile and quick on his feet, making great use of his Niraxian blade. His primary ranged weapon is his customised assault rifle based on the standard issue Subjugator Assault Rifle used by the Niraxian Armed Forces. It has a custom-made motion tracker and infrared camera attached to the scope, which was wired by Nik with help from Techno.
During the War, one of Nik's greatest strengths was surrounding himself with people he could trust and count on. His friendship and trust in the Fleetmaster Ko'Raf allowed Nik to delegate resources and strategy onto the surface and leave much of the orbital and naval strategy to his Fleetmaster. Techno served as one of Nik's closest battlefield logistics advisors, taking much of the brunt of organising the nightmare of wartime logistics off of his shoulders. With this axis, Nik was able to devote most of his attention onto leading his men into war.
Trivia[]
- Nik is one of the four original characters who were introduced in Generation I of Wildguys, alongside Jarod Freeman, Grumpy and Techno.
