Vermilion Elm

"In all honesty, I hate the flames I have. Flames remind me of that dark childhood. Though I can't run forever - I'll use them as my own weapon."

- Lance

Lance Vermilio is an Original Character (OC) created by Spixer.

Appearance
Lance is a man of average height in the RWBY world. He is a lean but well-built man, with fair skin and short black hair combed up with a vermilion stripe dyed on his left side. His eyes match the colour of said dye, and he wears two small hexagonal earrings as mementos from his father.

Weapons
Lance's weapon of choice is spear called Belsunna. The spear is 6'0 long and can be used both for close-range and long-range attacks. Belsunna has no other weapon transformations, but can be powered by dust if desired. It has a dark red finish, with white Tron-like patterns that glow depending on the type of dust element it is first equipped with. Dust cartridges and tubes can be loaded at the centre of the spear which can be slid open manually. It is locked to prevent it from opening during action.

At the edge of the spear tip rods are open vents that can shoot out concentrated blasts of flames, water, ice, wind or lightning from the dust cartridges. Within the spear, dust flows from their cartridges and is carried to an exhaust port leading out the air vents. Think of it as how a mage shoots out fire from his fist when he throws a punch, or a dragon breathing fire.

The body of the spear itself is capable of catching fire without getting burnt but is only accomplishable when Lance's semblance is activated (see 'Semblance'). It is also quite durable against blades and can be used to deflect bullets.

Semblance
Lance's semblance allows him to absorb, channel and direct heat. Heat is not only channeled throughout his muscles, it is also channeled through his Aura. When there is high content of heat channeled and stored within Lance's Aura, he can project the heat by producing, literally, a flaming Aura. This flaming Aura acts as a wall of fire surrounding him, burning anything it makes contact with and provides a slightly increased protection against attacks. However, should Lance expend the heat reserves he absorbed and use up his remaining body heat, he could risk being in serious damage as his body's heat temperature would be drained.

In a way, Lance is capable of producing his own heat energy by collecting and channeling the heat his body is constantly producing; however this is slow and inefficient. A quick way for him to absorb heat is by coming in contact with fire, fighting in direct sunlight, or being exposed to fire dust.

When his Aura flame is activated, Lance can use his Aura's fire to set objects on fire; particularly Belsunna. This allows him to make explosive fire-based attacks while wielding Belsunna, adding more damage to his opponent.

Another note is even if Lance's Aura is depleted, he is still immune to fire attacks as he can absorb them through his muscles. He is still capable of setting Belsunna ablaze for fire attacks.

Backstory
Lance Vermilio was born and grew up in a small village situated near the Cliffside forest. The village was isolated and wasn’t as technologically advanced as the big cities, but it was enough to allow the villagers to live in peace.

He had a medium sized house where he lived with his mother, Gáinne Vermilio and his father Diarmuid Vermilio. At the ripe age of 12, his father began to teach him how to fight using a spear to help him hunt animals in the forest for food. Diarmuid gave his son a long, wooden spear with an iron tip to use as training; and every evening he’d spar with his father who taught him basic skills like how to hold the spear, what kind of attacks you can make with it and how to watch your opponent’s every move.

His mother on the other hand, took care of cooking and would forcefully (but lovingly) teach his son how to dance to ease off stress.

Four years have passed and Lance’s skills in using his spear had heightened drastically. He also grew quite fond of dancing. However, during this time, his father became very ill – no matter what cure his mother tried to give to him, it would not heal his ailment. So he would hunt on his own and look for herbs to give to Gráinne; hoping they could make a cure that could heal his father. Lance was set on helping his family out in anyway he could; he loved his mother and father very much.

One day Diarmuid called for him, and gave him a small violet box containing two black, hexagonal earrings which were supposed to be for Gráinne. He gave it to Lance as a memento for when he passes.

In the very same evening while scavenging fruits in the nearby forest trees, Lance discovers a black 'portal' and inspects it. He is attacked by a Beowolf summoned from the portal and manages to decapitate it single handedly with his spear but is wounded by it's claws. Moments after, an explosion erupts within the village, causing a wildfire that could be seen from where he was.

By the time Lance got to the village, everything was ablaze. Not only that but more Beowolves appeared and ravaged the town and people. Lance desperately searched for his parents and found his mother trapped on the other side of a thick wall of fire near the plaza. He forced his way through using the last of his aura, burning his clothes & parts of his skin and rescued his mother by using his own body as a shield. Then, just when a Beowolf was about to slash them both, Diarmuid swiftly appeared and pierced its skull with his own lance. Diarmuid, barely able to stand, ordered his son and wife to leave him while he distracts the wolves. Though hesitant, Lance forces Gráinne to come with him and they run to the forest while Diarmuid attracts and fends off the Beowolves.

Desperately wounded and tired, Lance and Gráinne run north-east through the forest, heading to the kingdom of Vale. Meters behind them was a white Basilisk, who was hot on their tails. Just as soon as Lance was ready to sacrifice himself as well to save Gráinne, Hunters from Vale arrive and kill the Basilisk. The Hunters inform them that they were sent to rescue a village under attack by Grimm. Gráinne gave them the directions to it, and pleaded to rescue her husband. One Huntress by the name of Volta E. Magnus, volunteered to accompany Lance and Gráinne back to Vale using an airship cruising nearby. They were then treated at one of Vale's hospitals.

A few days past, and Volta visited Lance and Gráinne's quarters at the hospital. She informs them, much to their disappointment, that they could not find Diarmuid. However, there could be hope, as the rescue team could not find his corpse in the village either. Meaning he survived. Lance, fuelled with vengeance and a sudden heroic passion to save his father, pleaded for him to train under Volta to become a Hunter. Volta was reluctant, but accepted after seeing the 'fire in his eyes'.

Two years have passed. Lance and his mother, Gráinne, started life once more. They lived in a small apartment which became a cozy home for the two. Lance's mother worked as a chef at a local restaurant while her son continued to train under Volta. During his time with Volta, Lance unlocked his Semblance, which was heat and fire absorption, when he spilled hot coffee on himself after sparring with his mentor. The coffee, described by Lance, felt like it was at room temperature; it wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot either. Not only that but Volta taught Lance the properties of dust & aura, Grimm, the history of Remnant, and of course combat skills.

Lance later forged his own spear, called  'Belsunna' and was instructed by Volta to enter Beacon Academy as she 'taught him every she knew'. Volta signed Lance up for Beacon by negotiating with the head principal, which wasn't very difficult to do.

After being accepted to enter Beacon, Lance informed his mother of his journey and apologised for leaving her alone in the apartment. Gráinne, a little worried over her only son, nonetheless let him go; but there was one thing she told him before he left for Beacon: 'do not let your vengeance fuel you.'

Trivia

 * Lance alludes to the prince in The Prince and the Princess in the Forest


 * Lance's father and mother, Diarmuid and Gráinne, allude to Diarmuid O' Dyna & Gráinne from the famous Irish legend, The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne.
 * Diarmuid O' Dyna was a highly skilled warrior; said to be capable of killing 3,400 warriors single-handedly in order to save Gráinne.
 * In the anime Fate/Zero, 'Lancer' is the heroic spirit in human form; Diarmuid O' Dyna who wields two lances.
 * Lance does not or is not intended to allude to Lancer from Fate/Zero nor does he symbolise him.


 * Lance's weapon, Belsunna, is a combination of the word  'Bel'  meaning 'Lord' or 'Master' in Mesopotamian while  'Sunna' is the personification of the Sun in Germanic Mythology. Sunna is the goddess of the Sun.
 * Belsunna is pronounced 'bell-soon-nah'.