Leo Lunaria

the sapphire sun

warrior of light. desperately want to retire.

Profile

Name Leo Lunaria
Age: 33 (in Endwalker)
Height: 192 cm / 6'3"
Race: Miqo'te / Keeper of the Moon
Birthplace: [unknown to him]
Nameday: [unknown to him]
Guardian: The Warden
Main job: Dark Knight, Paladin, Bard
Occupations: Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Mercenary, Animals Caretaker

About

Leo inherently seeks to be a genuinely good person. He wants to be good and do good. But he struggles with his emotions and trauma.
Violence isn’t his defining feature - it’s guilt, self-loathing, and depression that truly define him. Yet part of him enjoys violence and he hates himself for it. The more monstrous he sees himself as, the less he feels like he deserves the affection or care of others.
and with that.....Leo pushes away people he cares about both because of his drive toward a single-minded objective, and because he feels worthless. He is frightened of losing anyone else. He needs someone to save and he seeks someone to save him.
Sometime later, when he’s no longer letting the shadow of loathing and violence skew his judgment/conception, he gets better, but will never be fully cured

" I know I've never been very good, but dear god, I tried. I tried."

Background

Pre-A Realm Reborn (1.0)

Born to an unknown Keeper of the Moon tribe, Leo was orphaned at a young age and sold into slavery alongside Sun, a Seeker of the Sun boy from a similarly dire fate. Both were victims of their families' desperation, sold to the Ul'dah markets to survive. Despite the cruel circumstances, the two children became inseparable, their bond forged in shared suffering and survival.Sun was the embodiment of hope and optimism—his bright personality a stark contrast to Leo’s somber and reserved nature. He often joked, laughed, and dreamed of a brighter future, even in the face of despair. Leo admired and deeply loved Sun for this unwavering light, which made their grueling days bearable.The duo dreamed of escape, quietly observing their captors and planning their freedom. Their chance came during a sudden sandstorm that threw Ul'dah into chaos. Using the storm as cover, they slipped away into the deserts of Thanalan. Freedom was theirs, but the desert's harshness proved another test. They scavenged, worked odd jobs, and grew closer, with Sun teaching Leo to appreciate the small joys of life, even amidst hardship.Their dream of living free together shattered when slavers tracked them down. During a desperate struggle, Sun shielded Leo from a fatal strike, sacrificing himself to ensure his friend’s survival. In his final moments, Sun made Leo promise to live freely and protect others from the fate they had endured. Leo’s heart broke as he cradled his closest friend, but he vowed to honor Sun’s memory no matter the cost.Sun's death became the turning point in Leo’s life. Though burdened by grief and guilt, he channeled his sorrow into a fierce determination, joining the Gladiator’s Guild in Ul'dah. He dedicated himself to protecting the defenseless, driven by the memory of Sun’s sacrifice.By the time the Calamity reshaped Eorzea, Leo was no longer a frightened boy. He was a man scarred by loss, yet fueled by a solemn promise, unknowingly preparing to step into the role of the Warrior of Light.

A Realm Reborn (2.0) : The Hero

As the Calamity's aftermath plunged Eorzea into chaos, Leo, still a Paladin-in-training, was thrust into the role of the Warrior of Light. Tasked with uniting the Scions and rallying the city-states, he struggled to reconcile the weight of the world’s expectations with his own insecurities and guilt.Every victory—against Ifrit, Garuda, Titan, and the Ultima Weapon—strengthened his resolve but deepened his doubts. Haunted by memories of Sun and his failures, Leo questioned if he truly deserved the title of “hero.” Despite this, his dedication to protecting others carried him forward, marking the beginning of his journey as a savior of Eorzea.

Heavensward (3.0) : A Throne of Bones

Seeking refuge in the cold, unforgiving spires of Ishgard, Leo chose to remain behind while others marched toward new horizons. The Warrior of Light became a bounty hunter, trading the grandeur of heroism for the shadows of anonymity. Yet, no matter how far he ran, the ghosts of his past followed. The deaths of two more comrades weighed heavily on his soul, their faces etched into his memory alongside Sun’s.Haunted and aimless, Leo abandoned his role as a Paladin, no longer feeling worthy of the light. Instead, he took up the mantle of the Dark Knight, embracing the darkness within himself to protect those who still needed saving. Fray, his dark reflection, became both a guide and a tormentor, pushing Leo to confront the truths he had long buried.During a pivotal confrontation with Fray at Whitebrim Front, Leo’s struggle came to a head. The battle left him scarred in body and spirit, his left eye lost in the clash—a stark reminder of the price of his self-destructive path.He spent his nights in the Forgotten Knight, drowning his guilt in ale, his hulking frame slouched in a corner, his thoughts a storm of bitterness and grief. Yet even in the shadow of despair, Leo clung to his vows. As a bounty hunter, he fought not for glory or recognition, but to honor the memory of those he had lost. Each blade swung was a silent tribute to their sacrifices, a bitter-sweet reminder of his pain and his purpose.In Ishgard’s cold embrace, Leo found no absolution, only survival. But in that survival lay the faintest glimmer of hope, a belief that one day, even a scarred and broken soul like his could find peace.