Mercury Black

Age: 24 Height: 5'10 Race: Human

Rosy Complexion Short Grey Hair Grey Eyes

Grey Jacket Black Shirt Steel Vanguards Black Fingerless Gloves Grey Pants Black Belt Black Boots

Mercury is confident, sarcastic, and fiercely independent, masking years of pain behind arrogance and sharp wit. A highly skilled fighter, he relies on talent, discipline, and instinct rather than trust, believing strength is the only thing that truly matters. Mercury rarely allows others to see his emotions, preferring to deflect with jokes or insults, but beneath his cocky exterior lies a young man shaped by an abusive upbringing and a lifetime of manipulation. Though he often claims not to care about anyone, he forms reluctant bonds with those who fight beside him and quietly questions whether the path he's chosen is truly his own.

Assassin; Martial Artist; Agent of Cinder Fall and Salem; Member of Salem's Inner Circle

• Believing strength is everything vs. wanting a life beyond violence.
• Hiding his emotions vs. longing for genuine connection.
• Pride in his abilities vs. resentment toward the life they forced upon him.
• Loyalty to Cinder's cause vs. pursuing his own freedom.
• Confidence he projects vs. the trauma left by his father.
• Convincing himself he doesn't care vs. forming attachments to those around him.

• Training in hand-to-hand combat.
• Sparring to sharpen his skills.
• Maintaining and modifying his prosthetic legs.
• Studying opponents' fighting styles.
• Relaxing with dry humor and sarcasm.
• Challenging skilled fighters simply to test himself.

• Freedom.
• Proving his strength.
• Winning difficult fights.
• Independence.
• Testing his limits.
• Earning respect through skill rather than words.

• Competitive sparring.
• Straightforward people.
• Dark humor.
• Quiet confidence.
• Fast, decisive battles.
• Outsmarting opponents.
• Self-improvement.
• People who can keep up with him.

• Weakness.
• Dishonesty disguised as virtue.
• Depending on others.
• Being underestimated.
• Needless cruelty without purpose.
• Emotional vulnerability.
• Empty promises.
• People who rely solely on luck.

• Marcus Black, his abusive father.
• Being manipulated.
• Feeling powerless.
• Pity from others.
• Cowards who prey on the weak.
• Losing control of a fight.
• Being reminded of his past.
• Anyone who believes they own him.

Sight: His father's relentless training... Cinder recruiting him... the chaos of the Fall of Beacon.

Sound: The crack of gunfire... his father's harsh commands... the roar of cheering tournament crowds.

Smell: Metal and machine oil from his prosthetic legs... smoke after battle... rain-soaked city streets.

Taste: Blood after a hard fight... cheap takeout shared with Emerald... bitter coffee before a mission.

Touch: The impact of countless blows during training... the cold metal of his prosthetic legs... the rush of adrenaline before combat.

• Smirks before challenging an opponent.
• Crosses his arms when unimpressed or bored.
• Uses sarcasm to keep others at a distance.
• Rarely speaks about his past unless forced.
• Sizes up everyone he meets as a potential threat.
• Keeps his emotions hidden behind confidence.
• Relies on instinct before overthinking a situation.
• Constantly pushes himself to become stronger.

Mercury Black is the son of Marcus Black, a notorious assassin who believed strength was the only path to survival. From childhood, Mercury endured relentless physical and emotional abuse as his father molded him into the perfect killer. After his Semblance manifested, Marcus stole it, forcing Mercury to rely solely on his own skill and determination. Years later, Mercury killed his abusive father and was soon recruited by Cinder Fall, who recognized his talent and offered him a new purpose.

Working alongside Emerald Sustrai, Mercury played a key role in the conspiracy that led to the Fall of Beacon, posing as a Haven student during the Vytal Festival Tournament. He later joined Salem's Inner Circle, serving as one of her most capable operatives. Although Mercury often acts confident and detached, years of manipulation and violence have left him questioning whether he is fighting for his own future or simply following another master, even as he continues down the path he believes he was born to walk.