Bergard Zeman

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## Biographical information

### Alias(es)

* Gunther Barkhorn (formerly)
* Roaring Lion (formerly)

### Affiliation

* Septian Church (formerly)
* Arkride Solutions Office

## Battle information

### Weapon

Gauntlets

v **·** e

**Bergard Zeman** (ベルガルド・ゼーマン) is a martial artist introduced in *Trails through Daybreak*. He is a master of the Kunlun Style, one of the three great Eastern martial arts. Van Arkride is his secret disciple.

## Profile

### Appearance

Bergard is a broad, muscular elder man with bushy white hair including a moustache and beard. He has light brown eyes, one of which is covered with a brown eyepatch and features a massive scar. Bergard wears a burgundy coat and shirt with a white scarf cravat and ripped brown-gray jeans with matching boots. A golden belt buckle with an elaborate golden lion design is visible on his belt. He uses gauntlets in combat.

### Personality

Bergard lives life the way he has always wanted to, having retired and abandoned his real name, titles and most of his responsibilities. Despite this, he feels a great deal of responsibility and a duty to his former disciples and wishes to support them to the best of his ability. He originally left his position to allow them to grow, amongst other reasons but views some situations as something he cannot ignore. Bergard is ferocious in combat and is not hesitant about calling people out should they be acting foolishly or in his way.

### Background

*See also: Gunther Barkhorn*
Bergard once went by the name of Gunther Barkhorn and held the position of the eighth Dominion of the Gralsritter under the title of the Roaring Lion. During his work for the church, Bergard traveled Zemuria as a wandering priest and instructed many in Sunday schools. He led the actions in North Ambria to retrieve the remains of the Salt Pale and was also active in Erebonia and the Nord Highlands. Gaius Worzel was one of his students during this time.

Bergard is a master of the Kunlun Style, one of the three great Eastern martial arts, and has many students across the continent. Alongside his Gralsritter duties, Bergard trained or mentored Rion Balthazar, Celis Ortesia, Ashrad, Abbas and Van Arkride- his secret disciple. Bergard was involved in the international efforts to shut down the D∴G Cult and had a hand in Van's salvation. Five years prior to the start of *Trails through Daybreak* after finding Van wandering about aimlessly, he took him to Longlai and trained him in the Kunlun style. Bergard was also acquainted with Master Ryuga Rouran of the Taito style.

His teachings included taking advantage of any situation where you're being targeted, having a composed stance, becoming one with the earth and mountains, and using the vitality that flows through them to guide ones actions.

Four years prior to the start of Kuro no Kiseki, Bergard foiled an operation conducted by Zekt Arms in his domain. He intervened to destroy the experimental weapon they were testing because it might have negatively affected the locals around the area. His actions caused Zekt Arms to suffer huge losses and seek retribution.

In order to let his students grow and move from under his shadows, and additionally to give the Dominion a secret edge they could deploy, Bergard faked his death in the Nord Highlands and bestowed his Stigma to student Gaius, losing his special abilities. He then remained hidden and lived a life of retirement under a new name, Bergard Zeman, although he kept tabs on operations around the continent. He picked up an interest in motorcyles and bought one from ETWS during this time.

### *Trails through Daybreak*

Bergard is first seen spying on a confrontation between Ikaruga and Eisen Schild in the Kunlun mountains near Longlai. He mentions there are some things that cannot be ignored. Van passes him heading to Edith as he moves towards Longlai.

He makes his debut and introduces himself to the party when they are attacked by the Bugbear jaeger corps. Bergard smashes his way in and sends them fleeing in terror before showing himself. During his encounter with Van, it is revealed that he is the former 8th Dominion, Gunther Barkhorn but that he now goes by a new name. Bergard says he is here to support Van and is with him when they discuss the fallout from the destruction of Creil once it is announced publicly. He then remains stoic and unimpressed when Ellroy Harwood visits the Arkride Solutions Office with a request to participate in the operation surrounding Oración. Bergard gives a few details away about Elroy but otherwise makes no move against him, leaving it to Van's discretion. Rion and Celis are pleased to see Bergard has returned alive, but disapprove of Van as his secret disciple. Bergard also informs the party of Ashrad and the Papal Guard unit Iscariot‏‎.

Bergard henceforth joins the party and heads to Oración with them, traveling on his orbal motorbike. When choosing another organization to team up with, Bergard is prevented from taking part in a trial battle to determine worthiness, either through standing aside to allow the younger ones to prove themselves or being actively blocked when trying to intervene, as is the case with Walter Kron. Bergard stops an altercation between Iscariot and the Gralsritter, stating that they are all former students of his and they should be fighting on the same side. Despite Ashrad's actions in the final act of the death game, Bergard insists he is a good man at heart.

In the finale, Bergard spends most of Revolution Day sitting and relaxing to music. He lends Aaron Wei the use of his motorcycle but does use it to travel with Van and stop an attempt by Zekt Arms on his life. Bergard is proud to see how far Van has come with his martial arts. When investigating the location of the remnants of Almata Bergard recognizes the appearance of Cold-Blooded Raging Demon, Amdo Jiliath as one of the Seventy-Seven Devils.

When Pandemonium envelops Edith, Bergard reunites with the party in the Dark-light District and explains what he knows about the situation. He helps the party breach Genesis Tower and defeat the resurrected members of Almata before overcoming Gerard Dantes at the zenith of the tower. When Van reclaims the Diabolic Core and takes on the form of Vagrants-Zion, Bergard explains to the others how there were originally only seventy-two Devils before 'the world was rewritten'. He is one of the few individuals that cross over to the Infinite Boundary to get Van back.

Bergard visits some of his other disciples over the new year celebrations, including a trip to the Gralsritter headquarters in Arteria where he reunites with Gaius and other Dominion. He suggests he will be returning to work with Van afterwards however. He leaves Van telling him that that he walks a road with no end and his trails have much further to go, but that he is not alone.

### *Kuro no Kiseki II: Crimson Sin*

Unlike the rest of Arkride Solutions Office, Bergard does not return to Calvard during the events of the game. However, he does return after Garden-Master has been defeated and is part of the group picture taken at the end of the game.

## Gallery

Key visual artworkCharacter concept artworkConcept ArtBergard's gauntletsBergard's bikePromotional screenshotPromotional screenshotPromotional screenshotPromotional screenshotPromotional screenshot