Thomas Derilic

Thomas Derilic is an exhausted technician forced to extract Solvath's essence from captive fragment bearers. His decade-long wish to escape becomes actionable when Tia arrives, and protecting her eventually matters more to him than loyalty to Atticus.

Biography

The extraction complex and escape

Thomas spends years mapping the Willguard facility and memorizing shifts while condemning himself for never acting. Reporting reduced essence would cause exhausted captives to be replaced, but the arrival of the child Tia finally breaks his paralysis: he cannot accept treating her as another source. He covertly guides Azeron, Thora, and the infiltrators through the complex, then risks a blue-cloaked dash that leaves him bleeding and collapsed while trying to rejoin Atticus. (Chapters 1637–1658)

After the headquarters falls, Thomas asks Atticus to retrieve Tia and joins the survivors returning to Eldoralth. Over the following years he remains her guardian and participates in the coalition's ascent. Their bond becomes his overriding motive; whenever Tia is threatened, Thomas's nervousness and caution give way to action regardless of group permission. (Chapters 1666–1710)

At the Crown, Thomas secretly takes Tia to Zenon to have her ten fragments extracted, believing a normal life justifies the risk. Atticus rescues her from falling and understands Thomas's motive, but interprets the unilateral choice as betrayal and expels them both when Tia refuses to leave her guardian. Thomas survives with Tia, but loses the coalition's trust and protection. (Chapter 1728)

Appearance and personality

Thomas is worn down, anxious, and prone to pacing, nail-biting, and self-accusation. He appears cowardly to himself but repeatedly risks punishment for captives and Tia, making his defining trait protective conscience rather than physical courage alone.

Abilities, bloodlines, and will

Thomas understands Solvath fragments, essence extraction, facility security, and bearer physiology. A blue cloak enables a fast approach or concealment under extreme strain, demonstrated by blood from his eyes and nose before collapse. The source does not clarify whether that effect is innate, item-based, or borrowed technology, nor does it give him a named combat will or rank. (Chapters 1648–1658)

Relationships

• Tia: Child Thomas protects as family, ultimately choosing her future over Atticus's trust.
• Atticus Ravenstein: Liberator and leader who later expels Thomas for acting secretly.
• Azeron and Thora: Fellow defectors and witnesses to Thomas's knowledge of the Willguard complex.
• Zenon Myrianda: Performs Tia's fragment extraction at Thomas's request.

Items

No finalized notable item is assigned to Thomas. The blue cloak's ownership and artifact status are not sufficiently established.