Rusalka

is the fifth boss in Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. This aquatic demon compels the squalls to obedience.
==Origins==
A rusalka is a female spirit in Slavic mythology and folklore who comes out of the water in the spring to transfer life-giving moisture to the fields and thus help nurture the crops. However, in 19th century versions, the rusalka was an unquiet, dangerous being who was no longer alive. They were believed to be young women who either committed suicide by drowning due to an unhappy marriage or who were violently drowned against their will.
It is accounted by most stories that the soul of a young woman who had died in or near a river or a lake would come back to haunt that waterway. This undead rusalka would not invariably be malevolent and would only be allowed to die in peace if her death was avenged. However, her main purpose was to lure young men, seduced either by her looks or her voice, into the depths of said waterways where she would entangle their feet with her long red hair and submerge them. Her body would instantly become very slippery and not allow the victim to cling onto it in order to reach the surface. She would then wait until the victim had drowned, or, on some occasions, tickle them to death as she laughed.
==Description==
Rusalka is vulnerable against Slash-based attacks, so equipping the Vol Confodere glyph or similar is recommended, which will also allow the player to deal more damage per second while also giving them a better chance to dodge her attacks in time. Arcus will deal less damage, although it is a safer strategy.
Even though she's also weak to Thunder attacks, it may be better not to use them unless the player plans on using the Iuppiter Glyph Union (Weapon + Thunder). Vol Fulgur doesn't deal as much damage per strike as edged weapons, although it can strike her from atop the Moais.
Another strategy consists in casting Arma Chiroptera from the top of a Moai and continuously fire bats at her, only getting down when she calls a maelstrom or changes her hair to a water pump.
Her attacks consist on either using her own hair as a whip to attack at close range, turning it into a water pump to spray jets of water, firing a wave that erupts into a geyser when it reaches or gets below the player, or dropping Moai stalactites from above.
At some point during the battle, she will yell out: "Maelstrom!" or "Waves be wild!", forewarning of her summoning a gigantic maelstrom attack which will cover the entire screen. The player must then quickly take cover underneath one of the Moais in order to dodge the attack, as the damage of the pounding waves may be enough to kill them in one hit (even to a lv. 255 Shanoa). It's more probable that Rusalka uses this attack when there's at least one Moai left on the screen; if there are none, she'll usually summon another set so the player has a place to hide while she's preparing to use this attack. However, in some occasions she may decide to ignore this rule and summon the maelstrom anyway, especially if the player keeps destroying the Moais over and over, so the player is advised to be careful on when and where to attack, and always make sure to keep at least one Moai intact in case of an emergency.
When defeated, she'll reel back with a scream, turn pale blue and dissolve into water.
==Enemy Data==
==Item Data==
Category:Aquatic Monsters
Category:Demons
Category:Female Monsters
Category:Ice Bosses
Category:Slavic Monsters
Category:Order of Ecclesia Bosses