Aiko Kurohara
Age: 17
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
Weight: 110 lbs (50 kg)

Backstory:

Aiko was once an ordinary girl, living a simple life in a small coastal town. Raised by her grandmother, Aiko never knew her parents, who mysteriously disappeared when she was just a baby. She lived a quiet, introverted life, spending most of her time in school, drawing, and visiting the old cemetery at the edge of town—a place that always seemed to call to her, though she never understood why.

When she turned 16, something strange happened. One fateful night, she and a group of friends dared each other to visit the cemetery under the full moon. While exploring a forgotten crypt, they accidentally triggered an ancient curse. Aiko was drawn into a catacomb, where she encountered the restless spirit of a powerful sorceress, once a protector of the realm between life and death. To prevent her powers from being stolen by dark forces, the sorceress had locked a part of her soul in Aiko's bloodline centuries ago.

Aiko was overwhelmed by an unnatural force that caused her to collapse. When she woke up, everything had changed. She felt cold, distant, and different. Her once-vibrant complexion had paled, and her reflection now revealed faint traces of decay. Worse still, she could see spirits lingering in the world, whispering and pulling her toward the graveyard every night. Aiko soon discovered that she had inherited a curse—she had become a half-zombie.

Aiko Kurohara's early life was marked by loneliness and mystery. Raised by her grandmother after her parents' mysterious disappearance, Aiko grew up with an unshakable feeling that she didn't quite belong. Her town was known for its eerie folklore about ghosts and ancient curses, but Aiko always dismissed these stories as mere superstition. That is, until her 16th birthday when her life took a chilling turn.

On that night, drawn by a strange compulsion, Aiko and her friends visited the old cemetery, a place long avoided by the locals. What was supposed to be a night of innocent adventure turned into a nightmare when they discovered an ancient crypt that had been sealed for centuries. Curiosity got the better of them, and upon entering, they accidentally released a dormant curse that had been bound to Aiko's family for generations.

Inside the crypt, Aiko stumbled upon a hidden tomb with an ancient inscription, and upon touching it, a wave of cold energy surged through her. She collapsed, unconscious, while her friends fled in terror. When she awoke, her life was forever changed. She felt cold, as if something had taken root deep inside her. Her once-rosy complexion had turned pale, and her body felt numb, as if it no longer belonged to her.

Unbeknownst to Aiko, her family was cursed centuries ago by a powerful sorceress who had lost her soul in a battle between life and death. This sorceress had once protected the realm of spirits, but when betrayed by those she trusted, she cursed Aiko's ancestors, binding part of her undead essence to their bloodline. The curse was designed to transform one chosen descendant into a guardian of the dead, straddling the line between life and undeath. Aiko had become that chosen one—half-zombie, half-human, with the ability to walk between both worlds.

How She Became a Half-Zombie:

The curse tied to her family was one of half-life, a state between the living and the dead. The sorceress's lingering soul infused Aiko with spectral energy, awakening the dormant, undead part of her lineage. Aiko's transformation didn't fully turn her into a zombie, but it tethered her to the world of the dead. Unlike typical zombies, Aiko retained her humanity, emotions, and mind, but her body was now in a state of limbo, neither alive nor fully undead.

This half-zombie state grants her unique abilities. She can communicate with spirits, heal at a faster rate, and manipulate shadows, but her body is frail, cold to the touch, and susceptible to dark energy. The more she uses her powers, the more of her life essence is drained, pushing her closer to the undead realm.

The full transformation into a zombie looms as a constant threat. If she doesn't find a way to lift the curse, she will eventually lose herself to the darkness, becoming a full undead being, her soul forever trapped in the world of shadows.

Personal Struggles and Motivations:

Aiko's transformation has left her feeling isolated, caught between two worlds. Though she struggles with her strange new powers and her undead nature, she retains her kindness and determination to protect the people she loves. She's quiet, introspective, and fiercely independent, but her biggest fear is losing her humanity. This inner conflict drives her to uncover the truth about her past and break the curse before it's too late.

Fear of Losing Humanity: Aiko's greatest fear is losing herself to the curse. Every time she uses her abilities, she feels the pull of the undead growing stronger, and she worries that one day she'll wake up fully transformed into a zombie. This fear drives her to find a way to break the curse, no matter the cost.

Finding the Truth About Her Parents: Aiko's journey to understand the curse is also a search for the truth about her parents. As she uncovers hidden family secrets, she learns that they were part of an ancient order sworn to protect the realm of the dead from corruption. Their disappearance was linked to their efforts to protect Aiko, and their fate is tied to the resolution of her curse.

Navigating Friendships and Romance: Aiko struggles to maintain normal relationships with her classmates. Her best friends notice her growing distance and strange behavior, but Aiko fears telling them the truth, worried they'll see her as a monster. Despite this, she forms a close bond with a fellow student, Hiroshi, who has his own dark secrets and might be the key to helping Aiko overcome her curse.

The Transformation and Its Consequences:

Physical Changes: After the curse was triggered, Aiko's body entered a state of liminality. Her skin became unnaturally pale, cold to the touch, and her pulse slowed to a near stop, though she remains alive. Her eyes took on an eerie glow, especially under the moonlight, and her senses heightened, allowing her to detect spiritual presences around her. Though her body still functions like a living human, there are traces of decay, and she tires more easily, as if her body is constantly being drained by the undead energy within her.

Emotional Turmoil: Aiko struggles with intense feelings of isolation, knowing she is no longer fully human. Her fear of being discovered as a "monster" drives her to keep her transformation a secret from everyone, even her closest friends. She grapples with her self-image, constantly looking for signs of further deterioration, dreading the moment she might fully succumb to the undead curse.

Memories of Her Parents: Aiko's parents were also aware of the curse, which is why they mysteriously disappeared years ago, leaving her in the care of her grandmother. Unbeknownst to Aiko, her parents had been searching for a way to break the curse before it could claim their daughter. Part of Aiko's journey is uncovering what happened to them and discovering the truth behind their disappearance.

Her Abilities as a Half-Zombie:

Spirit Sight: Aiko can see and communicate with spirits, particularly those bound to the world of the living. This ability allows her to interact with restless souls and gain knowledge that others can't access. However, it also attracts dangerous spirits and entities that seek to use her as a gateway into the living world.

Shadow Manipulation: Aiko can control shadows, using them to cloak herself, create weapons, or manipulate her surroundings. This ability is tied to her connection with the undead, and as she learns to control it, she can summon larger and more powerful shadow constructs.

Regenerative Healing: Aiko's half-zombie state grants her rapid healing abilities, though at a cost. The more she relies on this power, the more she drains her human essence, pushing her closer to becoming fully undead. She must carefully balance the use of her abilities to avoid losing her humanity entirely.

Spirit Binding: Aiko has the ability to bind spirits to her will, allowing her to summon ghostly allies or protect herself from malevolent forces. However, the stronger the spirit, the more energy it costs her to maintain control, and if she loses focus, the spirits may turn against her.

Identity: Aiko's journey is about self-discovery, as she grapples with the question of what defines her—her humanity, her curse, or something in between.Isolation and Belonging: Aiko's struggles reflect the loneliness of feeling different and the fear of being rejected by society.Life and Death: As someone caught between life and undeath, Aiko constantly wrestles with questions about mortality, the afterlife, and what it truly means to be "alive."

Aiko's story is a deeply emotional and thrilling adventure that explores the boundaries of identity, the consequences of ancient curses, and the power of hope in the face of darkness.