Nazca Estwick (Lapan (GBF))

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Despite having some odd quirks here and there, Lapan is rather friendly and rarely ever judges anyone. She enjoys company, whether it’s a stranger or someone long familiar to her; indeed, it could be said she doesn’t distinguish between the two very much. This has practical uses too; so long as she has the means to get another person to do tasks she sees as chores for her, she will ask them to do it for her. She’s not easily deterred or offended either, and she can probably find someone else to eventually complete the task. Not one to be held back by the positive or negative, Lapan is a bit of a wanderer who seeks out new experiences as though she has much to learn about the world.

Originally a sohei (warrior monk) who fought against other sohei from rival temples in a series of feuds that spanned many years. In those turbulent times, various temples chose to resolve their differences through battle, causing much bloodshed and pain all around. The dissonance between the teachings and the devastation gradually grew to be too much, as new leaders came to power and agreed to sign a treaty and put their arms to rest.

Once peace slowly regained its place, a number of sohei found that they were unable to drop the aggression they had adapted to so suddenly, and looked for other outlets. One such monk was named Nazca. Unable to quench her thirst for battle, she left her temple and set out on a journey to find other sword wielders across the Phantagrande Skydom to challenge, hoping that after a 1000 wins, she would find inner peace.

Her quest brought her some notoriety, and challengers began to come to her of their own accord, speeding up her progress. Eventually having racked up enough wins, she had collected the 999 sheaths from the swords of those she defeated, all while wielding the same sword she had used in the feuds. Her 1000th opponent would have to be someone special, she decided. She followed rumours to North Vast, where apparently an evil sword spirit lay dormant. A fitting finale, she thought, and made her way to the cavernous lair of this sword.

What happened next is unclear; all anyone knows is Nazca emerged from the trial a different person. Win or lose, nobody was sure. Perhaps she had finally found peace and lost the will to fight further. Curiously enough, the blade she had so proudly wielded was never seen again, but in its place she started to carry a giant sheathed sword, said to harbour an evil spirit. She then cut ties with any former associates, and with renewed energy and less bloodlust, set off...

[Fate Episode spoilers below]

The truth is never that simple. After Nazca entered the cave, she was met with disappointment after discovering that the sword seemed to have no wielder or trials to overcome. Taking it as a rather anticlimatic victory by default, she undid the seals around it and proceeded to collect the sheath.

Unbeknownst to her, the sword itself contained the primal beast Hantu-Air, a giant sea snail that was sealed away centuries ago for its power. As a reward for releasing her, Hantu-Air accepted Nazca’s challenge to prove her mettle. Hantu-Air manages to shatter Nazca’s blade, rendering her defeated. As a part of the deal, they swap souls, and now Hantu-Air resides in Nazca’s body while her original soul is sealed within the sword.

Just as any other person who has lost control of their own body, Nazca didn’t take kindly to this, and her desire for vengeance might boil over…

Years later, they are recruited into the Eternals by Arwan under the alias Lapan. Lapan spends her time enjoying their company, though the occasional rattling of the sword on her back seems to happen more frequently in the presence of so many powerful warriors. Eventually, the sword is unsheathed once again and Nazca’s original spirit attempts to take her body back...

[5* Finale]

After going on a rampage and then being quelled by all the other Eternals, Nazca is brought to her knees, accepting defeat.

She has a heart-to heart with Hantu-Air, who finally states her intentions. In the years she spent in Nazca’s body, she sought to share her love of humanity by showing her the beauty of the world, seeking out new things partially out of curiosity but also to remind Nazca that it is not as cruel and ruthless as she had made it out to be; even while Nazca felt stuck in time, the world continued to move forward, ushering in a new era of hope. Nazca is in awe of how Hantu-Air is able to continue to accept humanity even after being sealed away, and allows Hantu-Air to continue residing in her psyche, though she has regained full control of her body. They agree to resume living together as Lapan.