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information (contains major spoilers!)
When transformed into his divine vessel, Phainon looks completely different. For one, he sports blonde hair and blazing yellow eyes instead. A large halo and two wings - one yellow, one black - adorn his sides. He is stripped of his attire save for his black gloves and pants, golden gashes adorning his bare chest. Golden crystals jut out from his right hand and shoulder, with a color akin to pyrite.
But things aren’t as they seem. Not when everything they have known is a lie, and the prophecy is the foundation of something far more sinister. For Phainon is NeiKos496 - the factor of wrath necessary to awaken the Lord Ravager Irontomb, a deadly Scepter that aims to destroy the Aeon of Erudition. In order to prevent such an awakening, multiple past selves of Phainon have repeated the Flame Chase Journey again and again in order to delay the inevitable. As the 33,550,336th iteration of Phainon, he has managed to find a way to change their fate by meeting the Trailblazer and entrusting the future of Amphoreus to them.
But that conviction comes with its own doubts, a tingling voice in his head – that he’s not doing enough, that he’s not being the hero that everyone deserves. Heavy is the weight of the responsibilities that burden his shoulders, and often does Phainon doubt his own self-capabilities. That perhaps someone else would be better off for the job. After all, in his eyes, the other Chrysos Heirs possess qualities that he does not: strengths that would lend themselves better to strategy, to leadership, to knowledge. Phainon, by contrast, is just a kid from the countryside. A mere guard turned out to be the chosen one due to the nature of his golden blood. Yet the prophecy dictates him to be the Deliverer, and Phainon is not one to just let all those wishes and expectations down.
He hides his concerns and doubts with that very same friendly smile that brands him as the archetypal hero he always wanted to become, even as a child.
There are times where such worries and anxieties fade away however, and that is when he indulges in his hobbies. Sparring is its primary example – when in the heat of battle, Phainon can simply forget his worries away as he focuses on the present. Mind clears, heart empties, and for that simple fleeting moment, his soul may know a semblance of peace. And yet his loves are few and far inbetween. Because of his selflessness and duty he has forgotten how to be himself in moments, someone who has lost most of his preferences and identity.
Yet in spite of these shortcomings – or, perhaps, maybe even because of these shortcomings – Phainon is someone who manages to meet the expectations given for him again and again. He might be no scholar, but Phainon is well versed in the art of debate. His charismatic speech can touch the hearts of the common people, and so he can connect to what they truly desire. It is for this reason that Agalea finds him to be a worthy successor, and believes that he can truly lead Okhema for when the time comes.
Valor and courage are also something that Phainon has in spades, and his heroism also shines well into battle. He is fearless when he enters the field, placing himself between allies and enemies such that his friends would never take the burnt of the damage. He would prefer that the others would get healed first before him, even in situations where he would also need it. Such is his selfishness, and such is his virtue.
Perfect may he seemingly be, but even he harbors a darkness deep in his heart. Once upon a time Phainon was not the friendly exterior most now know – from the ashes of Aedes Elysiae was a man embittered with rage and fury, an empty shell who had no purpose other than to avenge his fallen friends and townsmen. Everything changed since his arrival to Okhema, and because of the friends and allies he has made along the way. But even now it’s still present, as he shoulders on those that he has left behind. He cannot escape it, this searing anger – for this is the basis of his code, his existence. Phainon, despite all his heroism, his valiance, is ultimately a variable of Destruction. The only thing he could do is to take that fury, that anger, and to direct it against Destruction itself.
(Rage, rage against the dying of the light.)
And yet, Phainon is not a person defined by hatred – the complete opposite, in fact. He refuses such a fate, now that he has been surrounded by a caring and beautiful world. Even if he cannot love himself, he cares much for the world around him, and his anger is a righteous fury that blazes because he knows his friends deserve better, his world deserves better. Hate can only exist in the presence of love, and Phainon is one who loves fiercely. While he has nothing but hateful words towards his enemies, he can only sing praises to those whom he loves, and he will do everything in his power to protect them.
So much that he would burn himself for it.
Phainon is a Chrysos Heir, which means he bleeds gold instead of red. His Path is that of the Destruction - an explosive DPS-oriented fighting style that focuses on attacking three enemies at a time. He is also very fit, befitting of his role as a frontline fighter, and possesses enough strength to pull down a giant bird-god from the sky. Despite his sun-themed attacks, all of his blows count as physical damage.
swordsmanship Phainon is an accomplished swordsman, with the greatsword as his weapon of choice. He is skilled enough that only one of his allies is his equal in combat, and that they both once engaged in a duel that lasted for ten days and ten nights.
teleportation He is capable of summoning portals that let him traverse through both time and space - even trapping him in the past didn't stop him from following his pursuit back to the present. It is implied that he is incapable of teleporting towards venues he has yet to visit, however.
long-shattered vessel Phainon is capable of summoning clones of himself, up to four copies. They are very fast, but also fragile, and injuring them could also injure Phainon in turn.
beginning of the end By temporarily summoning his divinity, Phainon can compress and therefore obliterate all weak or lesser enemies within sight. This would only work against mobs, and not named characters. If the enemy isn’t defeated by this skill, it deals physical damage instead.
divine vessel Gathering the strength from the cycles and the coreflames, he assumes the form of a Divine Vessel - he becomes Destruction itself, with the memories, hopes and wishes of all those before him. In this form he is immune to crowd control debuffs, and his attack and health are further increased. Furthermore, his attacks can restore his health. Finally, he is capable of flight thanks to his wings.
ruinous irontomb An ability known as a Territory, essentially a pocket space where Phainon can unleash his full power without worrying about collateral damage. It evokes an apocalyptic view - the representation of the true meaning of Era Nova. This responsibility is his to bear alone, which is why none of his allies can enter this zone: this is a battleground between him and his enemies only, those who shall bare witness to Destruction. Every enemy inside this Territory is now weak to his attacks.
This state lasts for eight turns, as this Territory slowly collapses - and in the final turn, he shall decompile and destroy this Territory, resetting everything to how it was before. This deals massive physical damage to all enemies inside the Territory.
The following abilities are available to him only inside this Territory:
CREATION: BLOODTHORN FERRY. A swing from his blade renders the space around everything it strikes. In this simulated Territory, it practically tears reality apart into lines of code. Phainon can target one enemy and two adjacent ones to deal massive physical damage.
CALAMITY: SOULSCORCH EDICT. With his sword poised to the ground, Phainon taunts his enemies into attacking him immediately. Each strike received builds the fury within - the more enemies he faces, the more powerful his counterattack becomes. Once all enemies have exhausted their options, he swings a giant version of his blade - one big enough to rend the very earth itself. Physical damage is dealt in retaliation.
FOUNDATION: STARDEATH VERDICT. His greatest weapon, one that tears upon the sky and sends the stars falling down to the earth. Any debuffs on him are dispelled, ensuring he can deal the most damage that he is able to muster.