Esdras

"Sister of mine, as I foretold to you, someone is heading towards the forbidden gate."

**Esdras** is a member of The Anointed Legion and the brother of Perpetva. He is a boss that The Penitent One will have to defeat if he is to cross the Bridge of the Three Calvaries in order to enter the Mother of Mothers. This bossfight can also be avoided if the path towards the True Ending is followed. In doing so, the Penitent One will still obtain the rewards of the fight and cross the bridge without any issues.

There are a couple of points in the game where he will appear running after the Penitent One and speak about their upcoming encounter at the bridge.

An item description reveals that Esdras is thought to have gone insane due to trauma at the eyes of his companions from the Legion. This is because he is seen talking alone as if his sister, Perpetva, was present. She died in battle time ago.

It is confirmed that sometimes, Esdras is actually able to see Perpetva in the form of some sort of angel, who is constantly watching over him. The Penitent One seems to be the only person who can also see this "ghost". Wounds of Eventide revealed the implication that she is a lie created by the Miracle that seeks to manipulate Esdras into stopping the Penitent, and not Perpetva herself. However, the actual Perpetva can be found in a hidden area from Echoes of Salt.

Once a certain point of the fight is reached, Esdras calls for the aid of his sister. Perpetva's ghost immediately joins the fight.

## Behaviour and Tactics

### Phase 1

* **Hammer Blow**: Esdras swings his hammer in front of him; can be dodged and parried.
* **Hammer Charge**: Esdras starts to spin while moving forward, can be dodged.
* **Knock Back**: Esdras hits the ground creating a wave of energy that deals damage and pushes away the Penitent One.
* **Storm**: Esdras starts to spin and crosses all the area side to side leaving a trail of lightning bolts behind him, both the spin and the lightning deal damage.

### Phase 2

* **Lightning Spin**: Esdras starts to spin in place throwing energy based projectiles in both directions.
* **Lightning Wall:** Esdras rises his hammer and summons a lightning storm in front of him.

### Phase 3

* **Perpetva:** Perpetua joins the battle helping her brother.

Many of Esdras techniques can be blocked by using the Parry button, even the ones that look unblockable. One strategy is to equip the Heart of Virtuous Pain to make it easier to successfully block his attacks and launch a quick counter attack while he is vulnerable. Resist the urge to use Thrust attacks to slide under or through him or to jump over him, his defenses are broadly impenetrable between attacks and his range is infuriatingly wide.

When Esdras begins to slowly spin and build up speed and electrical energy ( the **Storm** attack listed above ) quickly run / dodge to the opposite side of the battle area, place The Penitent One right up against the edge. This is an ideal time to activate a Prayer to heal or boost your offensive power. Esdras will stop spinning before he can hit you and you will have safely moved out of the range of Lightning Bolts. You can begin attacking him before he stops completely and possibly execute a full combo before he launches his next attack. Be ready to Parry his counter attack and follow up with another short combo or riposte.

When Esdras begins a Lightning Spin simply duck under the lightning blades; you are free to use low attacks on him if you are close enough while he performs this technique.

To reduce damage suffered equip Lightning / Electrical resistance ( Perpetva's Protection, Amber Eye, Seashell of the Inverted Spiral ) and Defense improving ( Dove Skull, Ember of the Holy Cremation, Silver Grape, Frozen Olive ) Rosary Beads.

Prayers that work well with this strategy are Saeta Dolorosa (if HP is low), Seguiriya to your Eyes like Stars, or Solea of Excommunication.

## Avoiding this fight

In order to avoid this fight, the Penintent One must first visit The Resting place of the Sister.

There, Perpetva will talk to the Penitent One and reveal a new path to him, beyond Escribar's throne. After the conversation he'll obtain the Incomplete Scapular. Confronting Esdras after gaining this item will cause the fight to stop, as Perpetva will speak to her brother so he aids the Penitent One. After this, Esdras will tell the Penitent to meet him at the upper area of Brotherhood of the Silent Sorrow, where he took the Mea Culpa sword.

The player will still gain all the rewards as if Esdras was defeated in a fight.

## Achievements

Beat Esdras, of the Anointed Legion.

Someone who seeks the purge and excommunication of all that is sacred and rests there.
No... No... Do not place your doubts on me.
 **Second Encounter** | Indeed, sister of mine. Our encounter is approaching.
The Miracle will protect me. I do not need your protection this time.
 **Defeated** | Sister... Forgive me...
 **When encountered after speaking with Perpetva** | Sister, I know you are there, even if I can’t see you. Hear my plea.
After your departure, it is now my turn to prove I’m deserving of our captain’s trust. I will not fail Crisanta.
And may the greatest of pains devour me if I let the penitence through this door.
On your guard, Penitent One.
That elusive light…
It can’t be her…
Is that true, sister?
Is this really the sublime light of your virtue?
So…
You have received the much esteemed and blessed favour of my sister.
With her blessing she has given you the ability to hear her noble voice, full of grace.
Penitent One. Meet me in the chapel where Guilt was given shape.
Where you were anointed the Penitent One and where you knelt for the first time.
 **First Encounter in the Mea Culpa Chapel** | Virtuous Penitent One, this was the place where your sword was born of guilt itself, bringing pain to the flesh as the soul could suffer no more.
The voice of my sister, may the flories protect her, recited verses to me as tender as they were wise, her words revealing a different destiny for you.
Further away, although not in distance. Woven in shadows, though full of light.
I have been guarding this key for a long time now.
It will open the door behind which lies that which the holiness itself condemned to eternal reclusion.
But I no longer have the power, nor the words, to describe it…
 **After failing Crisanta of the Wrapped Agony's questline** | The hands hewn in the gold of Crisanta’s helmet eschew the glare of the truth that you must understand.
Her faith will never let this light pass. Not even you believed in her.

## Relevant Item Descriptions

"Esdras, you say?" spoke the soldier, "That madman could not bear the death of his sister. He's still talking to her as if she were there beside him. Sometimes it even seems as if they were arguing. He's long gone and hasn't been seen since."

## Trivia

* There is a common misconception about Perpetva's ghost killing Esdras once he is defeated, since she waves her arm right as a lightning strikes him, causing his death. This is in reality a casualty created by the synchronization of their animations. Perpetva summons a lightning that takes her away, meanwhile Esdras shares the same death animation as the other knights of the Anointed Legion, who are hit by lightning right as they drop their weapons. Since these weapons carry lightning powers, it is possible that this very same magic kills them accidentally or is caused by something or someone else, but nothing about this part is confirmed.