Raffles Smith

**Manga** | The Final Gathering

**Raffles I** (ラフルス1世, *Rafurusu 1 Sei*) is publicly regarded as the savior who is responsible for creating Amaterasu and The Holy Sol Temple.

## Appearance

Raffles is a bald man that sported a moustache, a beard and slight stubble. During the days after the Great Cataclysm, he wore a white cloak that covered his entire body.

When his Doppelgänger appeared as a titanic Infernal, his body was in the shape of a sun corona with his gigantic face in the center and facial hair aflame.

## Background

According to the teachings in The Holy Sol Temple, in the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm, Raffles I and his apostles began a journey in search of light. Having found the Adolla Burst, Raffles returned to his wife but his caravan of followers was destroyed. He used the flame in conjunction with human technology to create Amaterasu, which bathed the lives of people with its light.

In reality, Raffles Smith and his caravan encountered a demonic being known as Yona. The demon impaled Raffles and absorbed him into its body, stealing his appearence and taking control of his group. It used Raffles' stature and humble origins to become the saviour of the land, founding a religion that exists to support The Evangelist. Yona used his position of leadership to introduce Amaterasu to the people, which was eventually fashioned into the power generator that would allow civilisation to rebuild after the Cataclysm, but in a way that serviced Yona's grand design. Raffles' wife noted that his personality had radically changed upon his return. Her private dairy was later discovered centuries later by Leonard Burns and would be key of uncovering the truth behind Yona's deception.

## Abilities

The abilities that Raffles possessed in life are largely unknown, however he was charismatic enough to gather a number of followers whom followed him as part of his caravan despite their nature desperation and despair after the Cataclysm. Yona claims that he was just a normal human with nothing remarkable about him besides being 'touched by Adolla'.

As Raffles is viewed as the saviour of mankind and the bringer of life, his Adolla Doppelgänger was incredibly powerful compared to the original. Returned as a Titanic Infernal, he was able to levitate and he could blast an extremely powerful beam of flames from his mouth that caused tremendous damage to the countryside whenever it fired an attack. It was also able to spit out Demon Infernal from its mouth.

## Plot

### Stone Pillars arc

When the eighth and final pillar emerged off the coast of Tokyo, a Doppelgänger of Raffles appeared along with a Titanic Infernal. At first, the people were overjoyed to see him decanting from the sky in a ray of light, believing that he had once again come to save them from the uncertain future they were currently facing. However, this was not the case. Seemingly under his control, the bizarre star-like Infernal launches devastating attacks at the mainland. Believing this to be divine judgement, people begin to wail in misery and beg for forgiveness from their Messiah.

Company 4 move to protect the Empire by forming a defensive dome while Shinra reunites with his brother to battle the false Raffles above the ocean. In response, the Doppelgänger fuses with the Titan Infernal and shouts to the world that it will show mankind the path to salvation and return them to the great fire. The Doppelgänger was defeated by Shinra Kusakabe, but seeing the 'saviour' killed before them is traumatic to the general public. The result is that people to see Shinra as a devil who had killed their savior, despite 'Raffles' trying to destroy them mere minutes earlier.