Melakuera

**Melakuera** (メラクェラ) was the **Arbitrator**, a former member of the Four Great Spirits. He was a judgmental spirit who viewed Emilia's existence as a sin because she possessed the same physical characteristics as the Witch of Envy, leading him to try and exterminate her. Seven years prior to the beginning of the story, he was eliminated by Puck in a battle that came to be known as the Day of Red Earth and Sky.

## Appearance

Melakuera did not have a true corporeal body, but he had the ability to possess bodies and split his form. In his unadorned form, Melakuera appeared as a red clump of heat and energy. But, when he manifested himself into a familiar form, Melakuera took the form of a winged horse completely covered by crimson flames. All of Melakuera's bodies appeared as fiery horses, even when one of his bodies had possessed Chap. Melakuera ended up turning him into half a manifestation of a man garbed in flames, and half of a fiery horse.

## Personality

Arbitrator Melakuera cared about nothing more than maintaining peace and order. He cared greatly about the ancient rules he adhered to, as he refused to break them even if they were an inconvenience to him. He neglected to intervene in the sacred contracting between Emilia and Puck despite the problems he likely knew it would cause him. He was willing to go to any lengths in order to protect the world from darkness, even if it meant sacrificing the lives of innocents to do so. Melakuera seemed to only care about inflicting his brand of justice when the world was in danger, as he cared little for minor injustices committed by petty criminals. He was even willing to work with criminals to further his goals, such as when he formed a contract with the bandit Chap.

He felt no remorse towards the victims he deemed as necessary losses, and would not hesitate to execute those who stood in the way of his warped sense of justice. During his pursuit of the half-elf Emilia, Melakuera mercilessly executed the lesser spirits that came to her defence and released the venom of the Black Serpent, knowing it would wreak havoc upon the entire forest and the innocent people that populated it. The Arbitrator spoke in a very robotic, matter of fact manner, favouring the archaic pronouns **thou** (汝 nanji) and **mineself** (我 ware). His voice reflects his role as an arbitrator of the world, not wasting any time on connectives or other basic sentence structuring.

Despite his long life, Melakuera still suffered from the same blind paranoia that afflicted lesser beings. For instance, he, like the common folk of the world, showed abject fear and revulsion to silver-haired half-elves as he believed they were descendants of the infamous Witch of Envy who destroyed half of the world centuries ago. So firm was his disgust towards silver-haired half-elves that he actively sought them out wherever they appeared and destroyed them under the delusion that he was keeping the world safe from the legacy of the Witch. Even if the half-elf was nothing more than an innocent crying child, Melakuera would show no mercy, such was the case when he tried to kill Emilia.

## History

A long time ago in the distant past, a spark from a campfire created an "it" which did not possess any intelligence or self-awareness. Near the campfire "it" was born from, there was a completely average family consisting of a father, a mother, a daughter, and a son. The father of the family passed down the role of managing their campfire on the family's travels, and whenever the boy lit the fire, "it" would appear from the flames. Following the family for decades, the boy eventually became a father, and then a grandfather. However, the man would eventually come to the end of his life, and he would pass away while praying for his family's continued safety. After the man's death, the being which had been following him for his entire life would gain self-awareness for the first time. Remembering how the man called "it" a friend, the being, a lesser spirit, resolved itself to fulfill the final prayer of its friend. Seeing the man's grave, the nameless lesser spirit took the name engraved on it—Melakuera—in order for the man's name to live on until its death. As the sole friend of the man, Melakuera would follow the wishes of its friend by maintaining peace and tranquility, protecting the world from all dangers, and saving all others from suffering.

Eventually, Melakuera grew to be one of the four most powerful spirits in the world that were collectively known as the Four Great Spirits. Each of the Four Greats represent one of the four primary elemental attributes. Melakuera, as the bearer of fire, became known as the Arbitrator.

Many years after Melakuera's birth, the Witch of Envy used her terrible power to decimate half of the entire world. Although she was defeated and imprisoned by heroes, Satella's dark deeds ensured that her name was never forgotten. Half-elves, particularly female ones with silver hair and bluish purple eyes, faced prejudice because the Witch of Envy purportedly fit that description. Many beings, including Melakuera, believed that silver haired half-elves were descendants of the Witch and should therefore be destroyed in case they followed in her footsteps.

At some point, Melakuera clashed with another spirit whose might rivalled that of the Four Greats. This beast-like spirit used fire Magic to generate and manipulate ice in stark contrast to Melakuera who summoned actual flames. Their fearsome battle torched an entire city and became well known across the world as an example of what the Four Great Spirits were capable of. The beast-like spirit escaped Melakuera's wrath and later became known as the "Beast of the End" for his capability to rival the Four Greats.

Hundreds and hundreds of years later, seven years before the story, Melakuera sent some of his eyes into Elior Forest to scout the forest in search of Emilia, but they were always defeated by Puck. Eventually, after sensing immense magical power coming from the forest, Melakuera decided to make his appearance there. Puck and Melakuera fought at Elior Forest, ending in Puck's victory. After Melakuera's death, Emilia felt the need to make a grave with his name on it, despite him leaving no body to bury.

## Abilities

* **Melakuera** in full force.
* Melakuera uses Fireballs against Puck.
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**Great Spirit**: As the great spirit presiding over fire mana, Melakuera was able to use a great quantity of mana in his fire attacks. Melakuera was able to launch scorching fireballs that reduced everything in their path to ashes. In addition to that, Melakuera was able to use his wings of fire to launch massive heatwaves that affected a large area, turning everything within the area into scorched remains.

**Wings of Flame:** A technique in which Melakuera’s flaming body produced wings so hot they warp the atmosphere behind him. Melakuera dashed forward as he produced waves of heat that vaporizes the environment around him. This attack was stated to be capable of burning away the soul itself.

**Division**: Melakuera was able to divide his existence into multiple parts. He used this ability to divide himself into seven bodies, each on the level of Puck's normal form, controlling them individually to monitor the world and deter calamity. Although the bodies that appeared as separate beings with equal power, the divided Melakeruas were all one being. He also used this ability to create small “eyes”.

**Possession**: By forming a contract with someone, Melakuera was able to take control of their body, using it as an anchor.

**Intelligence**: Melakuera was a cunning spirit. He deceived others in order to trick the barrier Puck set up over Elior Forest. He also intentionally released the Black Serpent's poison into the forest in order to see if Emilia would use her power.

## References

1. ↑ *The name of the great spirit of fire was engraved on it, but there was nothing buried there. It was a grave in name only. Making such a thing might not have been any consolation to the great spirit. But for some reason, Emilia felt that she had to do it.* Re:Zero Prequel: Bonds of Ice, Chapter 4, Section 8.
2. ↑ *The great spirit Melakuera had divided his existence into seven parts, and was controlling each of them individually. Possessing seven bodies, each of which was on par with Puck, he used this overwhelming power to monitor threats to the world, secretly acting as a force to deter any potential causes of calamity.* Re:Zero Prequel: Bonds of Ice, Chapter 4, Section 5.
3. ↑ *All five of these flaming horses were beings equal to the great spirit that had just been defeated―― No, not equal beings. One could believe they were the exact same being.* Re:Zero Prequel: Bonds of Ice, Chapter 4, Section 5.
4. ↑ *“You were just used as an anchor, but I don’t really pity you in the slightest.”* Re:Zero Prequel: Bonds of Ice, Chapter 4, Section 4.