Alexis was always designed to be an important character in the Shadow of Phaedrus. His family name is not revealed in the book, but he is one of the sons of General Antigonos Ealhhere.
We discover the story through Alexis’s Shadow, so it made sense to include Alexis as part of the story.
What are Alexis’s connections?
Alexis has been connected to the magical troubles way before he met Rhode. He lost his wife in an accident when Helena was still a young child. Even though he knew of the troubles, it was the first time Alexis got to experience the dramatic consequences of magical accidents. However, his Shadow always remained suspicious of the circumstances that cost Helena’s mother her life.
A few years later, when Helena was 13, she attended the Shadow ceremony held by the Astronomers at the end of her magical education in Agrinion. It was the second time Alexis witnessed the horror of magic gone wrong. Helena should have received her magical Shadow during the ceremony. However, something went wrong, and all Alexis could hear from a distance was her screams.
It makes no doubt Helena would not have survived the ceremony if a young novice had not taken action. Pamphilos confronted the Astronomers and rescued Helena.
Alexis helped Pamphilos hide from the wrath of the Astronomers and their Master directly after the ceremony. The young novice took upon travelling the world and visited Alexis’s land as his first destination. Many believe that Alexis is Pamphilos’s oldest friend and first mentor.
What about Alexis’s family?
Alexis is the youngest of three brothers: Basileios, Karpos, and himself. All three brothers followed their father into the military. His father, General Antigonos, is a respected figure of authority in the Lands of Dynamis. If you were to ask his sons, they would all agree that the man was brutal, seeking victory in battle and in debate through violence. Many believed Antigonos received the support of an unknown benefactor who ensured him a position of power. The fact remains that whether he owed his victories to brutality or skills, his name still carries an aura of fame and glory among the Dynamis territory.
Alexis is a military tactician with a unique skill for drawing maps and finding his way even in unknown lands. He rarely goes anywhere without a quill and some parchment paper. Unlike his brothers, he invested his time in the military to support civilians in war zones and help progress peace negotiations. Pamphilos has been instrumental in opening paths for communication and exchanges between the different magical lands. But Alexis’s sharp and quick judgement has been equally crucial in bringing the battle zone around a round table.
Of course, there is no such thing as achieving world peace through conversations, which is why Alexis is also trained and prepared for battle at all times. But he doesn’t want to think about how many more civilians and soldiers would have died in battles if clans refused to talk.
Alexis and his “daughters”
Alexis’s sole child and biological daughter, Helena, lives a recluse life in the mountains of Dynamis after the incident at the Shadow ceremony. She may be unpredictable at times, but he loves her with all his heart and would not hesitate to kill those who harm her. He has always been very protective of her, worried about what the Master and the Astronomers would do if they found her. However, thanks to Pamphilos and the Shadow, he is learning to trust Helena’s ability to protect herself.
When he first met Rhode, he was surprised by her shadowless appearance. Rhode is about the age Helena was when she attended the ceremony. But, unlike Helena, she shows a real aptitude for magic for an Earthling. Alexis believes Rhode is also a victim of the magical troubles and that her Shadow is trapped inside her body. Even though she is a Nekros magician, Alexis tries to teach her the rudiment of magical education, explaining how to approach enemy magicians. In a way, he is as much a mentor as a fatherly figure for Rhode.
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