From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Noon Star
Player: Kerc
Origin:	Mutation
Archetype:	Blaster
Security Level:	22
Personal Data
Real Name:	Xolani Mhaule
Known Aliases:	None
Species:	Human
Age:	20
Height:	6' 6"
Weight:	225 lbs.
Eye Color:	Dark green
Hair Color:	Black
Biographical Data
Nationality:	African
Occupation:	Hero
Place of Birth:	KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Base of Operations:	Paragon City, USA
Marital Status:	Single
Known Relatives:	None publicly known
Known Powers
Energy blaster/Energy manipulation/Teleportation
Known Abilities
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Equipment
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Affiliation

Hero Force

Personality

Funny, witty, loves music and dancing...something that comes from his African blood. Very smart, likes to be around people. In a way, he uses humor and gregariousness to keep away the ghosts of his past.

Story

Xolani Mhaule was born in a rural part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa. Born precisely at mid-day, outside and in the middle of a little-known ancient ritual, it was said that the power of Unkulunkulu was channelled into his being as the Sun itself shone directly into the little baby's eyes.

His parents believed this would bring them good fortune and hope for their life. Although being very poor, they tried their best at raising him properly. He grew to be a regular child, although very bright and unusually tall and fit. He went to school, had friends, and ran and played in the vast, beautiful fields near his humble home.

One night, when he was seventeen, Xolani came home from being in town with his friends. As he was about to open the door, he heard a sound behind him. He spun to see what appeared to be a man wearing a long dark cloak. Xolani couldn't distinguish anything except for an odd glow coming out of where the face should be! The figure reached out to grab him, but he kicked wildly at it. The push worked for a moment, but then Xolani lost his balance and fell hard on his back.

Momentarily stunned, he did realize that the figure's hands were glowing bright green and it was pointing in his direction. Still a bit dazed, reeling in fear, he instinctively put both hands in front of him. A bright light, pure as sunlight, shot from his hands and struck the cloaked figure right on the chest! The bright bolt of energy also glanced the house's roof, setting it on fire.

Another figure approached as Xolani, dumbfounded at what just had happened, scrambled to stand up. He pointed at it with his hand, but nothing happened! Eyes wide open, he saw his cloaked attacker raise his hand. Time seemed to stop...the fire on the house's roof was spreading quickly. He heard his father's voice. The smell of smoke. A bright green flash. And then...everything faded to black.

Xolani woke up in a strange room with a curved ceiling. As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard some whispers, and a man entered the room. Tall, and elegantly dressed, with salt and pepper hair, he calmly sat down beside the big reclining chair Xolani was lying on. It took him a minute to realize he appeared to be inside an airplane, a jetliner of some sort.

"So the rumors were true after all," said the man, his deep voice easily drowning the sound of the engines. "I never believed in such legends--I'm pretty much a skeptic, but it wouldn't be the first time I've been proven wrong. Although, knowing what I know, I shouldn't be a skeptic in the first place..."

"Who--who are you?" Xolani squinted, confused, trying to tie down his thoughts. "Where are my parents? And the hooded men? Where are you taking me?" Even in this strange situation, and with all those questions spinning in his head, he felt oddly at ease. Something about the man's presence comforted him.

"Easy, young man." He sighed and drew a slight smile. "My name is Akachi. I rescued you from the hooded men. I will be your mentor from now on. Your parents...The house fire spread too quickly; we couldn't reach your home quickly enough."

Xolani's eyes welled up in tears, but he kept his composure. He wanted to know, to understand.

"Oddly, though, we never found their bodies in the ruins." continued Akachi. "So, perhaps, we might not have written the last sentence in that book yet." Akachi gave Xolani a deep look, put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Your destiny is brighter that what you thought, Xolani. You are bound to do things you never thought possible. Remember the light coming from your hands?" Xolana nodded while looking at his hands like if he was seeing them for the first time. "Many people were waiting for that. Many people knew about it. What mattered is, under whose hands would you end up?

"You will bring hope to a lot of people," Akachi continued. "You will be like a shining beacon, almost literally! You are a child of the Sun, and as such you must protect the world the Sun shines upon."

Xolani looked up at Akachi, disbelief and amazement in his eyes. Even if it all sounded alien and straight from fantasy books, he knew it was real. The light! The light from his hands...That had happened. He felt the energy, he felt the warmth, the momentary ecstasy. That was no dream.

"Young man," Akachi said. "You are the imbasa emini. You are the Noon Star! The light that nourishes the world, will now save the world."