Flardrek

"Those who wield true skills do not feel the need to show them off in an arrogant display of power. The fact that you do so simply proves how insecure your are about your own abilities."

- Glatorian Flardrek

Flardrek is a veteran Glatorian residing on Spherus Magna, who once served the Fire Tribe as both its Second Glatorian, and as a convoy escort.

Early Life
On Spherus Magna, Flardrek originally resided in a small valley in between the regions of the Black Spike Mountains and the Great Volcano. Prior to the Core War, Flardrek served as a caravan guide, helping navigate convoys across the plains of Spherus Magna. Flardrek was later recruited into the army of the Element Lord of Fire to fight for control over the power of Energized Protodermis. In order to better prepare him for the war, Flardrek was sent to a Fire army training camp, and educated in the ways of combat by Magmus, one of the Element Lord's high-ranking commanders. However, their lessons were cut short due to his tribe's increasing need for warriors.

Although originally starting out as a soldier under Ackar's command, Flardrek quickly proved his developing skills in combat, and eventually gained the rank of lieutenant. Later on, Flardrek was promoted to the rank of field commander, despite his youth, and placed in charge of a decorated battalion of the Fire Tribe's army charged with going on possible suicide missions. However, despite this, Flardrek believed the motives of the war were wrong, and was more reluctant to battle on the Element Lord of Fire's behalf. Had it not been Flardrek's sense of duty and commitment to his tribe, it is believed he would have most likely abandoned service to the Fire army. During the war, he led a successful assault on a Rock army outpost, where he dueled an elite Skrall later known as Tervok, fought in the Battle of Iron Canyon, and managed to spring a surprise attack on a large task force of Jungle Tribe warriors.

During the waning days of the war, Flardrek and his battalion were sent to capture an Ice Tribe village so as to use it as a strategic position that would allow the Fire Tribe to claim the Energized Protodermis spring. After establishing a camp in a valley, Flardrek took the time to reflect the motives of the war before mobilizing his troops. Before leaving camp, Flardrek noted the constant migration of the wildlife native to the Nothern Frost, deeming the Ice Tribe responsible for their migrations. Having an Agori villager hired as a navigator to guide them to their destination, the group set off into the ice region. After motivating his troops to travel quicker, Flardrek and his soldiers arrived at the outpost ahead of schedule, and swiftly assumed command.

Unnerved by the lack of resistance posed by the Ice Tribe, Flardrek took to patrolling the outskirts of the village, and upon hearing a suspicious noise, proceeded to investigate a large shrub. Before he could reach it, an Ice Tribe commander leapt up from behind the bush, and attacked Flardrek. Upon realizing his forces had been led into a trap, Flardrek crippled the commander and returned to the village to aid his forces. After gathering his battalion, Flardrek attempted to lead them out of the village using the one available route, though before they could reach it, an Ice warrior named Strakk blocked off the pathway after forcing a number of large boulders off a ledge. With no the choice, Flardrek assembled his forces and charged at the Ice Tribe legion.

However, before they could clash, a pair of Thornax were fired at the ground between the two armies by a small squad of Skrall warriors perched on a high ledge. As the two armies stopped to assess the threat, the Skrall shattered their mountain ledge, causing a rockslide. As Flardrek was attempting to escape with his soldiers, he was downed by a small rock that hit him in the head, and left lying on the ground as the rockslide drew closer. Before he could be killed, a Great Being named Parikon appeared, and prevented the rockslide from reaching Flardrek before teleporting away. Flardrek then fell unconscious, and was recovered by two of his troops and returned to the Fire Tribe's territory. After spending a week recovering from his wounds, Flardrek decided he wanted no more involvement with the war, and attempted to receive a discharge from the army from the Element Lord of Fire.

The discharge was refused, and Flardrek was convinced to be included in a squadron that would travel to the Northern Frost and capture the Energized Protodermis spring from the Element Lord of Ice. Shortly after the mission succeeded, Flardrek was isolated in the desertic region of Spherus Magna when the planet split up in an event referred to as the Shattering. Flardrek then fled to the village of Vulcanus, where he succeeded in taking refuge there. He then aided the Fire Agori Raanu in bringing the village out turmoil.

Glatorian Career
After the new social system was established, Flardrek, as a Glatorian trainee, returned to Magmus to hone his skills in combat, and undergo more extensive training. At the same time, he also received mentoring from the legendary Ice Glatorian warrior Certavus. After proving his capabilities as a warrior, and completing his training, Magmus relinquished his position as Vulcanus' Second Glatorian, resulting in Flardrek taking his place. During this time, he would go on to win hundreds of arena matches on the Fire Tribe's behalf.

He eventually went on to win the Great Tournament in Atero at least once, and reigned as champion for an entire year before his title was claimed by another Glatorian named Vastus.

Flardrek was later assigned to fight the Water Tribe fighter Botax to decide the ownership over a large supply of natural healing herbs. After traveling Tajun, Flardrek entered the village's arena, and battled Botax. After an intense and evenly fought duel, Flardrek managed to defeat the Water Glatorian, allowing Vulcanus to claim the rights to the healing herbs.

Roughly a year later, Flardrek was contracted to battle the Ice Glatorian Strakk in Vulcanus, in order to determine the rightful owner of a collection of Flame Geysers. However, just as the fight was beginning to tip in Flardrek's favor, Strakk decided to resort to cheating tactics, and succeeded in badly injuring Flardrek and forcing him to concede. Whilst his wounds weren't fatal, they were bad enough to force Flardrek to relinquish his role as the Fire Tribe's Second Glatorian, and pass it onto Perditus. Once his wounds had healed, Flardrek became one of Vulcanus' village guards. Despite this, he retained his title as a Glatorian, and occasionally returned to the arena when Ackar or Malum were unable to fight.

Some time after his clash with Strakk, Flardrek was sent out to search for a Fire Agori named Falmed, who had been captured by a tribe of Vorox. After locating the Vorox pack, Flardrek fought and defeated the pack's leader, freed Falmed and escaped. The pair then returned to Vulcanus.

Several months ago, the Fire Tribe's primary caravan guard, Vesha, disappeared whilst accompanying a convoy to Tajun, resulting in Raanu assigning Flardrek to take Vesha's place. However, this prevented Flardrek from reassuming his role as Vulcanus' Second Glatorian after Malum's exile.

War with Skrall
Along with the other Glatorian, Flardrek traveled to Atero in order to participate in the Great Tournament. During the first match of the tournament, the arena was invaded by an army of Skrall. Flardrek and the other Glatorian attempted to repel the Skrall forces. Despite their best efforts to force the Skrall back, Flardrek and the others were eventually overpowered, and forced to flee the city. Flardrek then returned to Vulcanus with several Agori in order to inform the village of the occurrence.

Raid on Vulcanus
Flardrek later escorted a caravan through the Sea of Liquid Sand to the water village of Tajun. After handing over the supplies, he was approached by a group of Glatorian, who believed Vulcanus was in danger of a a Bone Hunter attack, and subsequently asked for his assistance. Flardrek agreed, and the group ventured back to Vulcanus, and arrived in the midst of a Bone Hunter raid. The hunters were eventually defeated, and the survivors retreated.

Arrival of Mata Nui
Sometime afterwards, Flardrek was assigned to accompany a caravan bound for Tesara. After arriving, and successfully delivering the convoy's goods to the village's Agori, Flardrek made his way to Tesara's arena in order to watch an arena match between Vastus and Tarix. Ackar, Mata Nui, Kiina, and Gresh arrived soon after, and informed the assembled Agori and Glatorian of Tajun's destruction at the hands of the Skrall and Bone Hunters. After having Mata Nui transform Tarix's weapon as proof of his trust, Ackar then announced the end of the Arena Match system, and urged that the villagers unite. Flardrek's support of Mata Nui was enough to convince the Agori to believe in his plan. Following this, Mata Nui used the Kanohi Ignika to transform Flardrek's tool and imbue him with Elemental Fire powers.

Flardrek later participated in the final battle at Roxtus, and aided Mata Nui and his allies in defeating the army of Skrall and Bone Hunters. Flardrek then assisted in the construction of the single, unified city. After the villages united, he joined the defense force under the leadership of Ackar.

Battle of Bara Magna
Mata Nui soon departed, in order to find a method of powering the Mega-Village, which was actually a robot crafted by the Great Beings. He was successful, and brought the robot under his control. Teridax eventually arrived on Bara Magna, and challenged Mata Nui to a duel. As the two robots fought, Flardrek assisted the inhabitants of Bara Magna in attempting to bring the tyrant down, attacking Teridax directly and fighting against his Rahkshi. During the conflict that followed, Flardrek was brought into conflict with a Skakdi warlord named Freztrak. He was almost killed by the barbarian before a Toa of Ice named Soalaz drove him off.

The Glatorian were then relieved from battle with the Rahkshi with aid from Tahu using the Golden Armor, which defeated the Rahkshi. Mata Nui was then able to complete his mission of reforming Spherus Magna from Bara Magna, Bota Magna and Aqua Magna, allowing the Glatorian and Agori to live with fewer troubles as he revitalized the planet, creating a paradisaical world.

Following this, Flardrek rushed to the site of the destroyed Prototype Robot to see Mata Nui, who wished the population of Spherus Magna and the Matoran Universe immigrants peace with their new life.

Spherus Magna
Several days later, Flardrek went looking for his Agori friend Falmed, who had gone missing shortly after Spherus Magna's reformation. His searches took him to a small village under construction near the outskirts of Bota Magna, whose villagers revealed that Falmed had been one the Agori who had joined them during their migration into the region.

The settlement's newly elected elder also informed him that Falmed had vanished whilst searching for resources. Flardrek then ventured into the jungle, eventually entering a clearing where he discovered Falmed being held captive by a group of Skrall led by none other than Tervok.

After causing a massive fire to divert the Skrall's attention, Flardrek distracted Tervok long enough for another being named Mersery to send him flying into a tree. Flardrek then threatened to kill Tervok, though after a heated conversation, decided not to, believing the Skrall would experience greater suffering if he survived to see the humiliation of his defeat. After freeing Falmed, Flardrek, along with Mersery, decided to leave after the Mersion repelled an attack by Tervok.

Upon returning to the village, they found it under siege by a bounty hunter named Skorr, prompting Flardrek and his allies to attack him in order to prevent him from causing further damage. Although he succeeding in stunning the Zeverek with a barrage of fire, Skorr sent Flardrek reeling into a small shack with a blast from his Plasma Launcher, the impact of which forcing Flardrek unconscious.

He later managed to recover from his wounds, though Skorr had already departed, leaving Flardrek to inspect the damage done to the village. When Mersery regained consciousness, Flardrek supported him in his weakened state, and asked him to take a look at a particular hut he had been examining earlier. Inside, he showed Mersery a previously unknown room, and began speculating on what Skorr could have potentially stole from it. After leaving the hut, Flardrek and his allies were confronted by Freztrak and Soalaz, who insisted they had important information to share.

Abilities and Traits
After his many years of fighting, Flardrek has become a patient, honorable, and wise warrior. Beneath his calm and sometimes cold surface, however, Flardrek is a warrior who longs for an end to his role and involvement in battle, and continues to fight in life mostly out of duty and resignation. This attitude is can be attributed to his horrific experiences during the Core War, and he subsequently suffers from a form of post-traumatic stress to a limited extent in the wake of the war's aftermath.

A veteran of hundreds of battles, Flardrek has become extremely skilled in combat as a result of his past experiences, making him a accomplished swordsman, and he fights with a somewhat flashy, fencer-like combat style. Due to his training under Magmus, Flardrek has learned to always remain calm, cautious, and in control of his emotions, in addition to being well-versed in most forms of combat. However, he is convinced that most warriors will fight honorably, and as a result, he can occasionally be caught off guard by opponents who are willing to use dirty tactics.

Due to his original occupation as a navigator, Flardrek has become an excellent tracker, and his gained an extensive knowledge of routes across Spherus Magna.

With the assistance of Mata Nui, Flardrek was granted Elemental Fire powers, which he can now channel through his weapon.

Tools
Flardrek carries a Magma Blaze Sword as well as a Thornax Launcher. He is also known to occasionally utilize a shield in combat.

Quotes
"Look around you, look at your warriors. They're exhausted, battered, and terrified. Leave now, and prevent any more blood from being shed."

- Flardrek, Tales of Tervok

"This is your last chance Skrall. Leave now with your forces before your body doesn't have a head to run with."

- Flardrek to Tervok, Tales of Tervok

Trivia

 * Flardrek is user Chicken Bond's Secondary Self-MOC.
 * Flardrek's name was suggested by user Toa Hydros.
 * A MOC of the same name was also created by Toa Hydros.

Storyline Appearances

 * Tales of Tervok (First Appearance; In a Flashback)
 * The Soldier's Tale
 * Journeys of Darkness

Non-Storyline Appearances

 * Killcount
 * The Shadows Coil
 * The Dark Side (Mentioned Only)