Zak Matu Dreggite

"I'm not sure if you've realized it or not, princess; but knowing things I'm not supposed to know is basically what I do." ~Zak Matu Dreggite~

Zak Matu Dreggite is an easy-going Serenghe mercenary from his country's local guild, who mostly seeks to just do a little good in the world. He is most famous for his uncanny ability to know nearly everything that's going on, and his web of connections runs much deeper than most people realize. It is unclear if 'Zak' is his real name, a nickname, or a shortened version of a longer name, and neither Zak nor any of his immediate family have disclosed the answer either.

Early Life
Zak originated from the city of Marzan in Tazuké, where like most Serenghe, he honed his martial and elemental skills in the hopes of becoming a capable fighter one day. He was the middle of three children, with an older brother who became a mercenary shortly before Zak came of age; and a younger sister who seldom left the house. He did not ever describe his family as dysfunctional, but his parents were both busybodies with a reputation in the Tazuké Mercs' Guild, which was what inspired Zak and his brother to take the same road.

Mercenary Life
Bereft of most company, Zak pursued his mother, father, and elder brother into the mercenary life shortly after his 35th birthday, attracting the attention of the Tazuké Mercs' Guild when he turned 37. While his combat skills were more than adequate for his line of work, it was his amiability and easiness to approach that quickly turned the young Serenghe very popular. He outranked his brother within a year, and within two had become more popular than both of his parents, even if he did not outrank them.

Zak's wild success as a mercenary grew at a runaway rate until the rest of his family were but shadows in comparison. His closeness with the infamous Princess Leto also bolstered his reputation, for good or ill; and this only amplified after the discovery of the Crown of Zivia, as did his subsequent befriending of the notorious Zivia herself. While his reputation of being amiable, flexible and diverse in terms of places he travelled and people he interacted with was his strong point, his versatility and efficiency as a mercenary also did him numerous favours.

Physical Appearance
While Serenghe are known for their often exotic hair colors, Zak's natural green hair is hardly an eye-turner as much as much as its spiky style just being a trademark of the famous Zak Dreggite. While 4'2" is on the taller side for a Serenghe, he is still very small compared to most Serenza, for even the Dorenzu, whose shorter individuals are occasionally around this height, are much bulkier and stockier than the lithe seraphs. Similarly, weighing only 79 lbs means that most Dorenzu children are heavier than him, as are many children and adolescents of larger races, such as Arakos or Todawa. Despite this, what he might lack in pure brute strength he makes up for in agility and reflexes, while still having a formidable sword arm in his own right.

Wings and Hair
Like any respectable Serenghe, Zak keeps his wings well cared for, even when they aren't out. He leaves his hair untidy, which he considers a style in and of itself, as well as a little stubble around his lower chin and jaw, due both to the already small amount of facial hair his race grows, but to also augment that slightly unkempt look he is known and loved for. He boasts a magnificent pair of wings, and when he opens them, he makes it a display before putting them to actual use.

Clothing
Zak tends to wear lighter, breezier clothes, preferring dark colors over light ones. His favourite choices are blacks and blues, with the occasional grey making an appearance as well. He usually goes barefooted, although sometimes wears plated gloves similar to those many Kumenza choose to wear. He occasionally wears light leather armour when he's on a particularly challenging job, but like most Serenghe, he finds that lighter, breezy clothing is more suitable for he and his race's lightning-swift rougelike fighting styles. Zak also sometimes wears green as a symbol of his Affinitive Element, despite the potential of clashing with his hair.

Personality
Zak is a very amiable and easy-going trickster who prides himself on "knowing things he isn't supposed to know". While he has his own sets of morals that he keeps to, he is very unimposing with them around other people, and his overall relaxed attitude has him as someone who is easy to get along with. Despite this, he is no pushover and will not hesitate to state that he refuses to do something on a moral basis.

Virtues
While Zak tends to live by the Golden Rule, he has a calm and easy-going attitude that is actually very reminiscent of Zivia's modern attitude. Unsurprisingly, the two are best friends, and Zak's amiable but humble attitude has earned him many admirers. This is also further backed by a mellow albeit slightly witty sense of humour, and a dedicated work ethic, which have all earned him a reputation as a popular and knowledgeable mercenary. Zak enjoys the popularity, but does not feed off of it. He is just as content with receiving little or no attention as he is with receiving copious amounts of attention.

Vices
Zak has been in the mercenary business for long enough that he occasionally comes off as insensitive or uncaring, although he tries to reserve these attitudes towards people he knows less or likes less. Despite his friendly attitude, and while he does not let others walk over him, he also has no qualms with others and their beliefs, which in turn means he is unlikely to try and talk someone out of bad or dangerous decisions. In some cases, such as Leto's rebellion, he is even supportive, despite the damage that the Elven Civil War wound up causing. Such actions from Zak are admittedly not as uncommon as he'd like them to be.

Beliefs & Morality
Zak's moral compass generally points him in the direction of what most people perceive as a Common Good. He does not believe that his morals are inherently right, and so while he is no pushover, he does not try to exert his beliefs on anyone else. Perhaps from all his time with Zivia, he also low-key believes that the Jalenga were not entirely wrong in their recent actions in the 181st Age, although whether that's sincerity or just him flattering Zivia remains to be seen.

Relationships
One does not become as famous as Zak Dreggite without making friends and enemies. Most people know Zak for good or ill, and thus he has mead both several friend and several enemies. His immediate family is also all still alive as of the events of The Voice of Shenhua.

Family
Zak is the middle child of three, with his mother and father also serving as mercenaries in the Tazuké Mercs' Guild, and his elder brother Elyk also following in their footsteps. The two brothers also have a younger sister, but unlike Zak and Eylk, this young woman did not become a mercenary, and instead remained at the otherwise empty home.

Zak is currently unmarried, although he has taken a great interest in his friend and comrade Zivia. However, with him being a fairly young adult Serenghe and she being a nigh-immortal Jalenga, the idea of a more intimate relationship is unlikely to work out in their opinion, and so Zak keeps his options open in terms of a life partner. Zak also as a Kumenza of himself named Eka-Zak, although the two have seldom interacted. Fortunately, neither one seems to harbour ill will towards the other.

Friends
Zak has a great many friends considering his willingness to put his mercenary skills to work helping those in need or those with coin. He befriended Zivia the Conqueror-Queen almost immediately, finding in her a kindred spirit of sorts, considering that they were both middle children and now both spend their lives doing freewheeling mercenary work. He was also close friends with Princess Leto, and helped assist her in her rebellion. He he connections within the Kadasi Circle, and was there with them and California during the Renkida Vampire Crisis, just as he was with Asami during the Shinzoka Uprising. While Zak did not take part in the Siege of Shangda-Fei, he did manage to befriend nearly all of the Lakamaté who were involved, to name but a few of his friends.

Enemies
Zak has rivals or enemies from other mercenary or fighter's guilds across Mencu, and is considered a menace to certain groups like the Red Shadows. Loose attempts have been made on his life, but nothing that would tarnish the Red Shadows' reputation. Individuals such as the Archon, Drazen, Zarbozen, Suzume, and other individuals that side themselves against endeavours Zak becomes part of also inevitably become his enemies as well.

Role in the Series
Zak is one of only three characters that appears in every volume of the series. As a result, he has a remarkably long-reaching influence over many characters from many volumes, despite not being in any position of political power.

Trivia

 * Zak is one of three characters to appear in every volume of the series.
 * Zak has a Kumenza named Eka-Zak.