Casual Outfit [ Regular - Informal ]

A simple wool sweater, brown trousers, ankle boots, half chaps, and an ochre trench coat. Depending on the climate, he will consider wearing a scarf.

Resting & Home [ Home - Informal ]

Comfortable trousers and shoes, a shirt, and a thick wool sweater over it.

Botanist Attire [ Work - Informal ]

Composed of a long-sleeved t-shirt, long plain pants and ankle boots. On top, Ares wears a leather apron where he attaches different small tools, plants and ingredients gathered.

Notable Possessions

Bear Claws [ Earrings ]

The family’s patriarch awarded him a pair of earrings made of two claws. It’s proof he is already a worthy individual capable of taking responsibility within the clan.

“Roisin” [ Wand ]

A wand of a beautiful aged-flushed coat made of oak. She accompanied Ares from his days at the academy to the present. She is loyal to her owner and shares a determined and sparkling personality.

EARLY LIFE

Bearnard McTeine: “Och, my dear Ares… Grow strong, my son; for the blood flowin’ yer veins may keep ye warm, almost as much as the embrace of our family.”
— Bearnard welcoming a newborn Ares into the world.

Ares was born and raised in the peaceful village of Abermory, in northwest Caerfyr. Son to the druid Bearnard McTeine and Coira—a witch whose traditions forbade having any male offspring. That made her profusely disappointed when Ares was born. Opposite to Bearnard, who welcomed his newborn son into the world with exceptional bliss.
Bearnard’s unconditional love towards Coira made him blind about his wife’s slowly becoming a threat to his son—Bearnard assumed Coira suffered from postpartum depression even when she tried to mutilate their newborn son, leaving permanent scars on him.
In addition to his recovery, soon a persistent cough started haunting Ares, turning his father’s worst fear into reality: Ares inherited a strange disease—more like a curse—running through his clan’s blood, affecting just a few, without any known reason. The Breaths of Fire eventually reduce to ashes the lungs of the afflicted person. It has no known cure, and that’s the only thing his father cared about.

The rift between Ares and his mother grows cold, and the differences in how she treated his sisters compared to the constant despotism towards him became more evident over time—especially after his youngest sisters, Yvainne and Nerys, were born. Luckily, Ares had an excellent relationship with Nerys and Tamara—his eldest sister—, who often would not agree with their mother’s actions. However, Yvainne repeatedly tried to support her, being the apple of the witch’s eyes.
Ares always had his father’s support, following him wherever he went. His love for nature leads him to learn more, growing a particular interest in herbalism and alchemy. He memorised an extensive encyclopaedia before age ten, and he could recognise every herb, tree and fungi and all its properties when he found them in the forest. Without any doubt, Ares was a promising boy. One with enough will to overcome the striking symptoms of the Breaths of Fire.

At the age of fifteen, the mistreatments increased their severity over him. In his rage, Ares tried to burn the witch into ashes by unleashing his natural fire attunement—but as uncontrolled his power went, the fire severely damaged the skin of his back. He would have died accidentally immolated, or by his mother if his father had not interceded, ending Coira’s life right when she was suffocating Ares’ wrapping his hands around his neck.

After the incident, his father fell into a deep depression—feeling guilty for being unable to protect his son instead of letting the tragedy happen, and the fear of almost losing his son severely impacted him. On the other hand, Ares felt practically guilty for experiencing such a significant relief after his mother passed away, erasing all his pain and fear since then. Now, it was time to let his wounds heal slowly. With the witch gone, nothing stopped Ares from eventually joining the Royal Academy of Apothecaries in the heart of his country.

ADULTHOOD

Eventually, Ares becomes a professional, and moreover, an eminent alchemist. However, he had other plans aside from the busy life of a scholar, deciding to keep his life in the family house where he grew up, close to Cauldron Lake and most importantly: near the forest where his father inhabits a little cottage. Ares was comfortable and satisfied with the idea of becoming a teacher for the students of his former academy, enjoying a tranquil life.

Ares put all his efforts into finding a cure for his persistent disease. However, no matter how far he went, the several investigations he performed or even his contact with the aberrant rites of the most forbidden alchemist ever known. For still unknown reasons, Ares has not found yet a solution for a disease that has some symptoms resembling a malediction, still without traces of magic. Desolated and furious, he wrote about living suffering that affliction, sharing some of his studies and emotions every time he was defeated after each attempt to eradicate that curse—as he called it—from his body. Breaths of Wrath was his first bestseller and was soon exported to libraries from different kingdoms, far away from his natal Caerfyr.
At least, Ares has created potions that moderately alleviate some of the most annoying symptoms, which allows him to live with relative calm as long as he is not doing excessive physical efforts. Still, Ares has not fully surrendered and still searches for a cure.

In the middle of his uncertain fate and with a lowered spirit, the news that his youngest sister Yvainne had given birth to a baby boy surprised Ares. The last time he saw his sister was several years ago. With renovated energies and homemade sweets, he visited his sister, wishing to meet the newborn called Edwin. Ares was shocked to find his sister not taking proper care of the newborn, seemingly the woman had other things in mind, even acting erratically. Ares’ first instinct was to call over his eldest sister, Tamara. She decides to take care of Yvainne for a while, and Ares offered himself to care for the newborn while Yvainne’s sanity improves. Against his father’s wishes, Ares sheltered his nephew Edwin. Little did Ares know that the reason for Bearnard’s rejection towards the boy was the fact he could sense the hidden traces of dark energies plaguing Edwin.

Taking care of a child on his own was a new experience for Ares, but unexpectedly for him, it did nothing but awaken his desire to be a father. Nevertheless, he was completely aware that Edwin wasn’t his son but his sister Yvainne’s, and he respected that, not wishing to take away her right as a mother. She visited them from time to time, although she didn’t show any intentions to take Edwin away. In fact, her visits ceased within the next couple of years, reluctant to have contact with her son.
Arer ensured Edwin was safe and sound, bringing good values to the kid until the age of ten when the alchemist enrolled him to study in the magic academy. The fact Ares’ residence was closer to the academy was even better. It was Ares's main intention to protect his nephew.

His peace is affected by his nephew turning excessively reckless and volatile. The alchemist was patient enough to think it was just a rebellious phase common in teenagers, thinking that may be caused by the crooked situation with Edwin’s mother. But when Edwin would eventually disappear for days or weeks, and even left the academy to be involved in dangerous matters, there Ares knew he had to do everything he could to stop him. When Ares felt the situation was slipping out of his hands, he offered a sixteen-year-old Edwin to be adopted by him. The alchemist’s sole request was that Edwin should collaborate to get out of such a self-destructive demeanour. Edwin accepted his first job as a waiter, working for a restaurant owned by one of Ares’ old friends. That, plus finishing his education was a must. He was capable of making Ares proud, getting his trust back.

CAUTERY OF A BLEEDING HEART

Edwin McTeine: “I remember the many times ye sat me there to start tellin’ me that ye wurnt my father and that I shouldnae call ye so. Then, I would wait for the moment ye wheesht to tell ye that I have chosen ye as my father already, but then nae word came out my mouth. I apologise, I should have done it earlier.
Nae matters what happens to us. Ye will always be my father.”
— Edwin gazing back at the past, and apologies Ares for his mistake.

For the next couple of years, things seemed to come to normality. Motivated by his aunt Arthur and his adoptive son Edwin, Ares decides to run a small store of alchemic supplies in the Caerfyrian capital city. He called it Ember Apothecary. The constant chatter and clamour coming and going in the shop cheered up Ares, who seemed slightly melancholic by Edwin renting his own place somewhere else, even when he offered him his house, and decided to sleep on the second floor of the shop. Strange enough, Edwin kept rejecting ideas until he left. Ares has to face for the first time in twenty years how overwhelming it was the amount of silence in the house without his son wandering the place, sometimes with his childhood friends from the academy. The alchemist left the home for a while, living on the second floor of the Ember Apothecary, until he can fully process Edwin’s sudden departure.
The busy days at the shop helped Ares to keep going, eventually washing all melancholy away. He calls Edwin every morning and night, sometimes Edwin would pass by and get breakfast together. It was a matter of time before Ares would come back to the family house, ready to face the silence, and the fact his son has grown sooner than the alchemist wished.

However, when Edwin’s visits became more spared and neither Ares’ calls were answered, the alchemist had a sense that something was going wrong. Or perhaps he had that intuition from the moment suddenly left the home where he was raised. Perhaps moved by old experiences, Ares puts more pressure on Edwin, worried that he would toss his future into the dirt again. Both father and son argued, and Ares said things he should not have said. That time it was not Edwin acting wrongly, but Ares’ worry clouding his judgement of him. Little did Ares know about Edwin’s nefarious fate, and how the young man was facing it all alone. Ares could only realise the pain he has caused his son. He acted unfairly, even when he was certain Edwin was trying to open himself and explain what was the harrowing matter. Haunted by aching guilt and worry. Especially when without crossing new words, Edwin went missing. No one was capable of finding him for over half a year. Ares and Edwin have never been apart from each other for so long. That and the preoccupation caused Ares’ health to quickly deteriorate, causing the alchemist to indefinitely close the Ember Apothecary.
Many days Ares wakes up in the middle of the night and awaits until the sun settles in the sky. He rushed to pick up the ringing telephone and patiently sat on the porch for hours, staring at the horizon. But Edwin never was the one calling, not appearing.
Ares’ health keeps worsening due to stress. He loses weight, while his lungs fall into a critically weak status. Regardless, the alchemist started to consider that whatever happening to himself, it was well deserved.

On the less-expected day, Ares receives a call from his son, saying in a stern voice that, whenever he is, he is alright. Ares desperately to get more information, feeling his emotion swirling wild in his chest and mind. Yet with too many things to say, as soon as the call was initiated, it gets to its end with Edwin letting him know that he couldn’t contact him at the moment but promising a new call will happen eventually. With the sensation he was a failure as a father but still with an incommensurable appreciation towards his son, Ares was certain about something: his son was in danger.
Ares waited a couple of months until Edwin’s next life signal happened. Surprisingly, Edwin didn’t call but appeared on the porch of the family house, apparently unharmed, yet pale as death. Ares knew even if his son seemed eerily calm, he was trying to find shelter from something or someone Ares wasn’t aware of yet. However, soon the answer was revealed.
For the time Edwin went missing, apparently, it was intending to become the apprentice of a fearsome warlock from the high spheres. And whatever happened, Edwin was considered a deserter. And Ares was no warlock but knew very well no one escapes from a warlock without eventually paying a price. The alchemist confirmed his thoughts when a couple of days after his domains were under attack by the said warlock and partner: another McTeine called Morrison. At that moment, his son’s childhood friends, Arlow Boggan and Victor Harfang came to Edwin’s aid.
Unable to protect his home due to his delicate status, Edwin evacuated him to a safe area near Bearnard’s house. Of course, not without covering his terrain with alchemic explosives. No McTeine abandon his home without at least giving a bit of fight. The alchemist didn’t wish to leave the youngsters behind, but he knows his health will only make a burden on him if he dared to fight amongst Edwin and company. But Ares held out hope: the young men on the frontline were wee boys no more.
When the fight was over, Ares was surprised to find his home almost intact but, whatever happened there, the most important thing for him it’s that none of the young men lost their life during battle—although they were left with several wounds: Victor had his jaw broken on the right side, also losing several dental pieces, and Edwin’s right side of his body was severely damaged, especially his leg, which lost an important amount of muscle tissue. Luckily, Arlow had mostly scratches and minor bruises. Ares was lucky that his Aunt Arthur came to his aid quickly. Both treated the wounded with exceptional care.
Eventually, Edwin confesses the truth about his departure, as well as why his appearance had changed drastically. Learning his youngest sister was part of a cult, and that dared to curse her newborn was a low hit. The many memories of Edwin’s erratic episodes made sudden sense to the alchemist, who indeed felt a bit guilty for confusing that phase with mere stubbornness. Despite that, Ares felt relieved to know Edwin had decided to leave the cult and his former mentor, even if it was to follow his own path as a warlock, willing to find how to break the malediction draining his life away. He supported Edwin and apologised for his past judgements. Ares’ expressed how Edwin seemed to show his true colours now; a brilliant, ambitious young man willing to take his life back. Edwin had nothing but forgiveness to offer his father.

His son had to endure a long physical recovery and find a way to puzzle his curse—which he soon did. But no matter how much it took or how exhausting was the process, Ares stood by his side. He witnessed Edwin’s achievements over time until he abandoned the family home once more: but this time to start a life with Cillian Harrow, who eventually became his son’s husband. Not even a blind man would have missed the strong connection they had, as well as the unspoken love they professed to each other with a single look.
With the certain of his recovering son being safe and with a well-deserved love sleeping on his side, in the safeness of their own home, the alchemist could only feel peace and joy—enough to open again his shop, and most importantly: to not give up on his health again, still looking for a cure to the Breaths of Fire.
From that moment on, Ares has not slept better than any other night in his life.

THE PRESENT

Laïnr: “Why so sad?”
Ares McTeine: “Och, what ye meant, love?”
Laïnr: “Ares, my dear. Mournful eyes follow those children when they return home.”
Ares McTeine: “Would ye judge me? I… cannae ask them to let them stay here for too long. Edwin… waited long enough to be a father.”
Laïnr: “And so did you. Way more than him. A hundred years, to be exact.”
Ares McTeine: “But he is my son too. I—,”
Laïnr: “Yes, but you weren’t certain he would be your son until he was old enough and your sister was erased from the map. Besides, there’s nothing wrong in wanting to experience what it is like to be a parent of a child you know it’s yours from the very beginning.”
Ares McTeine: “Aye, I suppose ye’ right… However, this is how it is. Cannae change that.”
Laïnr: “Perhaps not you, my dear. But I’m pretty sure I can do something about it.”
— Ares confessing Laïnr his hopeless desire to be a father again. Laïnr decides from there it was the moment to make a step forward in their relationship.

The Ember Apothecary had a prosperous future, and soon its owner had to expand the business to a large local in the centre of the capital. All passengers know that even the trickiest ingredients can be found at the Ember Apothecary.

Like some of the best things in life, love found Ares on one unexpected day. A morning like any other, a peculiar individual entered the store, seeming fascinated by the exposed merchandise and herbs, and then they left the store. Two more days passed by following the same routine, not buying a thing. Ares grew curious about the peculiar individual—who was equally interested in the alchemist. Ares doesn’t remember who was the one breaking the ice first, but truth to be told is that from that very moment, Laïnr’s and Ares’ fates intertwined, and soon their sturdy friendship turned into a consolidated relationship; Ares assured to show Laïnr his evergreen country and culture, whilst Laïnr’s unabashed natured arrived in Ares' life to cover the alchemist’s eyes with wrinkles from laughter. Despite the fact Ares and Laïnr belong to different races, both shared a mutual fascination: often leading to uncountable hilarious situations once they start living together back in Abermory. Certain that Laïnr was the cause of his dear home starting to recover the lively clamour it used to fill its rooms.
When Edwin and Cillian revealed that Ares will become a grandfather. The alchemist wouldn’t ask for more, as raw happiness pumped his heart now, overjoyed by all the good things life was giving him.
Destiny or not, Ares is utterly grateful, without enough words to express the feelings overwhelming his chest when, after years of trying, Laïnr finally gets pregnant with their first child together. Laïnr had a delicate pregnancy, as his race is known to have several problems conceiving during most of the phases of pregnancy. Ares took full responsibility for the shop to let his partner rest until their baby was born.
After what the alchemist considered an eternity, his loving partner gave birth to their little sunshine: Aries “Sunny” McTeine.