OVA
Description
Kratos Aurion is a storied swordsman who initially presents himself as a taciturn mercenary hired to escort Colette Brunel, the Chosen of Mana, on her pilgrimage. His outward appearance suggests a man in his late twenties, though his true age exceeds four millennia. Millennia earlier, as a human warrior, he fought alongside the hero Mithos Yggdrasill to end the devastating Kharlan War, and he later accompanied Mithos in forging pacts with the summon spirits. After the war, Mithos established the angelic order of Cruxis to reshape the world, and Kratos became one of the Four Seraphim by ingesting a magical substance known as an Aionis, gaining angelic abilities and an extended lifespan. Disillusioned with Mithos’s eventual plan to create an Age of Lifeless Beings, Kratos descended to the declining world of Sylvarant, where he fell in love with a human woman named Anna. They had a son, Lloyd, but their family was torn apart when Cruxis forces killed Anna and left Kratos believing that Lloyd had also perished. Broken, Kratos returned to Cruxis and resumed his role as an enforcer, secretly questioning the path he had chosen.
In terms of personality, Kratos is reserved, formal, and seemingly cold. He speaks sparingly and often responds to situations with detached pragmatism, earning him a reputation as a heartless mercenary. Yet beneath this exterior lies deep regret and a weary sense of duty. As the journey unfolds, he gradually reveals a more protective side, particularly toward the younger members of the group, and his dry, aloof demeanor occasionally gives way to subtle warmth. His guiding motivation throughout the narrative is a complex blend of obedience to the Cruxis mission and a buried hope for atonement. He is tasked with ensuring the Chosen completes her transformation, but he also covertly nurtures Lloyd’s growth as a warrior, seemingly testing whether a new generation can succeed where he failed.
Kratos’s role is pivotal: he serves first as an enigmatic ally and mentor to Lloyd, offering critical knowledge about Exspheres, magic, and the hidden history of the world. Later, his true identity as a high-ranking angel of Cruxis is exposed, and he becomes an antagonist who stands against the party at the Tower of Salvation. This betrayal is not rooted in malice but in a fatalistic belief that Mithos’s way is the only path to reuniting the two divided worlds. However, the unyielding resolve of Lloyd and the other companions erodes that fatalism. Through a series of confrontations and private moments, Kratos comes to realize that he does possess the power to choose his own fate, and he ultimately breaks with Cruxis to fight alongside his son and his friends in the decisive battle for the united world.
His most significant relationships are defined by love and loss. His bond with Anna and the tragedy of her death shape his entire existence, leaving him with an enduring guilt he carries in silence. His connection to Lloyd, hidden for most of the story, transforms from distant observation to a paternal devotion he can no longer suppress. He shares a strained history with Mithos, once his cherished companion, now the mastermind of a bleak, homogenized future. With Yuan, the third Seraph, he maintains an uneasy alliance rooted in shared misgivings about Mithos’s plan. On the journey, he earns the wary respect of the party, particularly through his unspoken lessons to Lloyd and his practical, if brusque, care for Colette.
Over the course of the story, Kratos develops from a man shackled by ancient mistakes into someone who reclaims agency. His fatalism collapses under the influence of Lloyd’s unwavering belief in forging a better path, and he sheds the role of a passive servant of Cruxis. This inner transformation culminates in his decision to oppose Mithos and stand openly as Lloyd’s father, finally accepting that guilt need not define his future.
As a combatant, Kratos is an expert magic swordsman, equally proficient with long blades and daggers. He blends physical strikes with a broad repertoire of offensive and healing magic, reflecting both his ancient training and his angelic nature. His centuries of experience grant him deep tactical insight and an encyclopedic knowledge of summoning arts, ancient civilizations, and the mechanics of Exspheres. In battle, he acts as a versatile front-line fighter who can support allies with curative spells and deliver decisive blows, embodying the calm lethality of a warrior who has lived far longer than any human should.
In terms of personality, Kratos is reserved, formal, and seemingly cold. He speaks sparingly and often responds to situations with detached pragmatism, earning him a reputation as a heartless mercenary. Yet beneath this exterior lies deep regret and a weary sense of duty. As the journey unfolds, he gradually reveals a more protective side, particularly toward the younger members of the group, and his dry, aloof demeanor occasionally gives way to subtle warmth. His guiding motivation throughout the narrative is a complex blend of obedience to the Cruxis mission and a buried hope for atonement. He is tasked with ensuring the Chosen completes her transformation, but he also covertly nurtures Lloyd’s growth as a warrior, seemingly testing whether a new generation can succeed where he failed.
Kratos’s role is pivotal: he serves first as an enigmatic ally and mentor to Lloyd, offering critical knowledge about Exspheres, magic, and the hidden history of the world. Later, his true identity as a high-ranking angel of Cruxis is exposed, and he becomes an antagonist who stands against the party at the Tower of Salvation. This betrayal is not rooted in malice but in a fatalistic belief that Mithos’s way is the only path to reuniting the two divided worlds. However, the unyielding resolve of Lloyd and the other companions erodes that fatalism. Through a series of confrontations and private moments, Kratos comes to realize that he does possess the power to choose his own fate, and he ultimately breaks with Cruxis to fight alongside his son and his friends in the decisive battle for the united world.
His most significant relationships are defined by love and loss. His bond with Anna and the tragedy of her death shape his entire existence, leaving him with an enduring guilt he carries in silence. His connection to Lloyd, hidden for most of the story, transforms from distant observation to a paternal devotion he can no longer suppress. He shares a strained history with Mithos, once his cherished companion, now the mastermind of a bleak, homogenized future. With Yuan, the third Seraph, he maintains an uneasy alliance rooted in shared misgivings about Mithos’s plan. On the journey, he earns the wary respect of the party, particularly through his unspoken lessons to Lloyd and his practical, if brusque, care for Colette.
Over the course of the story, Kratos develops from a man shackled by ancient mistakes into someone who reclaims agency. His fatalism collapses under the influence of Lloyd’s unwavering belief in forging a better path, and he sheds the role of a passive servant of Cruxis. This inner transformation culminates in his decision to oppose Mithos and stand openly as Lloyd’s father, finally accepting that guilt need not define his future.
As a combatant, Kratos is an expert magic swordsman, equally proficient with long blades and daggers. He blends physical strikes with a broad repertoire of offensive and healing magic, reflecting both his ancient training and his angelic nature. His centuries of experience grant him deep tactical insight and an encyclopedic knowledge of summoning arts, ancient civilizations, and the mechanics of Exspheres. In battle, he acts as a versatile front-line fighter who can support allies with curative spells and deliver decisive blows, embodying the calm lethality of a warrior who has lived far longer than any human should.