So I have started to write a story, it features 3 male characters and a single female character. Their names are Baldur, Cyrus, Vidar, and Aer( the first three are male the last one is female) later more characters will be introduced. My question is I want each one to grow up and the main character (Baldur) I want to become merciless, how would I have him still be realistic and relatable. He has seen things that have changed him. Vidar is the clever rogue he has a knack for games of both mind and sleight of hand. Eventually he will become a great general. The last male character Cyrus is the nerdy kid who constantly reading. I want him to be throwing out facts constantly and eventually become a great user of the power( magicish) how do I evolve these characters slowly yet constantly? Make their change of hearts natural ?
i won't lie...sounds a bit typical...but...your mc could become heartless by having a string of serious emotional and physical traumas where thereafter he forever sees the world from the perspective of struggle...the rest seem to develop based on their interests and tendencies...
Write them. The only way to develop a character properly is to have them in a story. And then, once they're in it, just make sure they don't forget what they've done before. Make sure they don't have a free ride of it. Though, writing a story pretty much automatically introduces conflict to the characters, so just ensure that conflict is a bit of a struggle. The rest, I'm afraid, is all down to you crafting it well. Think about other things you've read/watched for the pattern of character development (character usually starts confident, takes a knock to their world, struggles along miserably, finds a way to overcome, and does so, though it doesn't always happen like that and doesn't have to).
Baldur needs to start out as a sympathetic character who has a conscience but is plagued by abuse and rather persuasive role models. He may even feel as though he has no choice and no power in his life due to an oppressive, most likely male, role model. The last straw may be when the last good thing (or person) in his life is taken away from him or betrays him. Cyrus reminds me a little of Hermione from Harry Potter, except perhaps less snotty and arrogant at the beginning. The useful nature of his knowledge should be kept hidden and somewhat secretive until something happens in which he has to use all of his strength in order to defend others. Vidar may be a bit of a street rat growing up with a knack for stealing, observing around him and strategizing on the streets for quick getaways, hideouts, robberies, or staying ahead of the police. Someone, an older male perhaps, could catch him and choose to rehabilitate him into a military man due to his abilities to strategize and for his boldness. This may be a relationship that develops trust after Vidar tries to run away or use his skills to outsmart his patron. He'll need a firm hand. As for Aer, let's not forget her entirely, shall we? Maybe Vidar could be separated from Aer for a long time just to encounter her on the battlefield as a warrior of a small but fierce barbarian tribe or something. That would be cool.
Maybe you can link merciless to specific issues/events. Then he cannot be related as merciless by default which may incline your readers to start disliking him.... By way of example, he is merciless if he sees someone beating a child, but not if he is ridiculed over some mistake.
