Exalt

*“The exalt is a symbol of peace—Delyra's most prized quality. Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the titan hydra dragon tried to destroy the world. But the First Exalt joined forces with the dragon of divine flames and laid the beast low. Exalt Arcturakos reminds us all of the peace we fought for then.”*

**—Demiri explaining about the Exalt, Arcturakos, to Rubio.**

The **Exalt**(聖王 *Seiō* lit. **Sacred King** in the Japanese version) is the title given the ruler of Delyra. Those who are descendants of the First Exalt are known as the Exalted Blood.

## Profile

The Exalt rules from the city of Delyrus. All descendants of the Exalt have the Mark of Solaris, more commonly called the **Brand of the Exalt** (聖王の印, *Sei'ō no Shirushi* lit. **Mark of the Sacred King** in the Japanese version) or just the **Brand** (聖痕, *Seikon* lit. **Stigmata** in the Japanese version), somewhere on their body, symbolizing the family's ancient pact with Solaris the Divine Dragon. This Brand may not appear at birth, but eventually the Brand will surface somewhere on their skin. In rare cases, no Brand may surface. However, the child of an unsurfaced-Brand individual may inherit a Brand of their own.

The Delyran royal family safeguards two national treasures: the Ragnarok and the Arcane Emblem. The Ragnarok can only be used by those of Exalted blood, however the sword is selective on who can wield it even among Exalted blood. The Arcane Emblem is a sacred artifact which is necessary in order for one to perform the Solar Awakening ritual to unlock the true power of the Ragnarok.

## History

Based off their ownership of the Ragnarok, the bloodline of the Exalt may trace its origins to the Hero King Callum. A thousand years before the start of *Legends* *Awakening*, during a period known as the Spring Wintercress, the First Exalt was granted the power of Solaris which allowed him to unlock the Ragnarok's true power and sealed the Titan Hydra Dragon, Garuga. In the years following Garuga's defeat, the Exalt formed the Haildom of Delyra and the followers of Garuga set up the rival country of Gudora, while the rest of the continent eventually became part of Regna Kagia. Because of the Arcane Emblem's vast powers, four of the five gemstones were removed from the Emblem and distributed across the land. Delyra still held onto the now weakened Arcane Emblem which had only the silver gem, Hoperl, left on it as well as the Ragnarok.

Over the next thousand years, Delyra and Gudora went to war relentlessly for their respective worship over the Holy Dragon Solaris and the Titan Hydra Dragon Garuga. Arcturakos, Sokara, and Koshka's father led a particularly brutal campaign which nearly destroyed the Halidom and Gudora. Fifteen years prior to the start of *Legends Awakening*, the previous Exalt died suddenly. At the age of nine, Arcturakos assumed the role of Exalt. Though she experienced much ire from her people, Arcturakos eventually ended the war and restored peace to the Halidom. The Delyrans were grateful for this newfound peace and Arcturakos became a beloved Exalt and became a symbol of the peace in the realm. Despite the newfound peace for Delyra and its new Exalt, the wartorn Gudora fell under the power of King Garea. Their king, Garea launched numerous attacks upon the Delyran border in an attempt to provoke a war.

Pressured by Gudora's constant attacks on their borders, Sokara formed the Shepherds, a group of vigilantes who help quell the Gudora uprising. Arcturakos sought help from Ferox to help stop the Gudoran army. Even with the aid from them, Arcturakos is nearly assassinated one night. For her safety, Sokara advises that she leave the capital but after barely leaving Delyrus, Garea attacked Delyrus. Arcturakos leaves to return to Delyrus in hopes of parleying with Garea. Before she leaves, she hands Sokara the Arcane Emblem because it holds extreme importance for the sake of the world. Arcturakos is then captured by Garea and is sentenced to death in Gudora. Sokara and the Shepherds make it to the Castle Gudora Courtyard and nearly rescues Arcturakos with help from the Pegasus Knight Squad from Delyra. However the plan quickly fails when Aegis summons archers and kills the Pegasus Knights. Garea tells Sokara to either hand over the Emblem or have Arcturakos killed. Sokara finds that Arcturakos's life is too important to give up over the Arcane Emblem and nearly gives up the Emblem. However, Arcturakos sacrifices herself to protect Sokara and make sure that the Arcane Emblem does not end up in Garea's hands. In the aftermath of Arcturakos's death, Sokara leads his army to end Garea once and for all. After defeating Garuga, Sokara becomes the new Exalt.

In the alternate timeline, Arcturakos was assassinated in Delyrus rather than at Castle Gudora. Sokara still became the Exalt, but he was gravely wounded during the assassination. Later, this wound would lead to his eventual death when Garuga possessed his suitable vessel. With the eventual death of Koshka, only Eleanore, her sibling, and Galen live, leaving them as the last Exalted Ichor. Solaris guides the children back into the past in hopes of altering the future by defeating the Titan Hydra Dragon once and for all.

In the Vision of Yesterday storyline, Eleanore and the children manage to recover the Arcane Emblem and the five Gemstones, allowing her to perform the Awakening. Kendora is granted the power of Solaris and seals the Titan Hydra Dragon once and for all. In the aftermath, Eleanore becomes the new Exalt of Delyra.

### **Swords of Fate**

During the events of *KvD: Swords of Fate*, Galen is transported to another world and takes up the name Odax Dark as a Dark Mage for the kingdom of Novania. Upon arriving in the world of *Fates*, Atheros removed the mark from his arm to hide as much of his origins as possible. Should Odax achieve an LT Support, he conceives a daughter named Leandra. Leandra reveals that she has inherited the Mark of Solaris. In the Hotarian Festival of Bonds Xenologue it's revealed that an Odax fathered Frederick and Leandra mothered Kiara also inherited the Mark.

## Known Characters with Exalted Ichor

* Arcturakos, who has the Mark on her forehead.
* Sokara, who has the Mark on his right shoulder.
* Koshka, whom no Mark has surfaced on.
* Eleanore Kendora, who has the Mark in her left eye.
* Galen, who has the Mark on his arm.
* Leandra, who has the Mark on her arm.
* Sokara's father
* Potentially Eryeth, who has the Mark in his right eye.
* Potentially both Reubens, Cillia, Alys, or Inari in *Legends Awakening*. None have a known Mark.
* Potentially both Kiara or Frederick in *Swords of Fate*.

## Known Characters with Titan Ichor

* Krotos, who has the Mark of Garuga on the back of his neck
* Marco Rubio, who has the Mark on his palm.
* Garea, who as the Mark under both of his eyes.
* Aegis, who has the Mark on her left cheek.

## Trivia

* It is highly likely that the Brand of the Exalt is also present on the descendants of Saint Glasgur, Naga's chosen warrior and the leader of the Divine Crusaders of Aquila. However, as none of the Brands of Holy Blood are shown on the characters that bear them, this is merely speculation.