Returning to the "sketch 1" series depicting preliminary designs for characters featured in Auran Connection, here is one of the story's antagonists, Axel Xavier, a.k.a. "Haywire".

Xavier is one of Raikonia's most prominent assassins, capable of finding his targets even in the most unlikely places. He's best known for sniping an Estorian diplomat from five blocks away (the streets were closed off as far as eight blocks and heavily patrolled). The nature of his species allowed him to climb and leap from rooftop to rooftop with ease until finding an adequate spot to set up his rifle.
Since he's a pine marten, there's no obstacle he can't scale and no crawlspace he can't squeeze through. His natural agility makes him an expert at parkour, which is how he best finds his targets and escapes if, by some chance, he's spotted.
Cold and efficient, he willingly chooses not to form relationships of any kind with others, knowing that at any moment he might be called to end their lives. His reputation is hard-earned, and to date he's found no reason to let it be challenged. It's what he's good at, after all, and what better way to make a living by doing what you do best?
Proficient in both guns and melee combat, he's a force to be reckoned with and in possession of a developing Aura as well, which allows him to disrupt any piece of electronic equipment he touches. Secured doors will open without protest, automated gun turrets will turn on their owners, vehicles will crash themselves on cue, and alarms will fall silent.
And now, he's just been hired to take out the R-Force.

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I got the idea for a pine marten character after seeing an episode of Planet Earth, showing the animal's deft skill at leaping across treetops. It was like giant, carnivorous squirrel! It would make a perfect character for the series, and before long he became one of the story's major villains. Though he usually has a bit more gear on him, I wanted to try and get his thin, lithe body designed first. To maintain flexibility, his infiltration suit consists mainly of sleeves and pants, leaving his torso and head completely open as he darts through the air. The short staff he carries is actually a kind of split-sword; it detaches in the middle to unsheathe twin blades (much like the weapon Johnny Mo carries in Kill Bill). Later on it's revealed later on that the weapon is a Verrocite relic named Gemini.

Axel "Haywire" Xavier copyright Aelius (me)