“I am another future calculated by Elysium--another Rean Schwarzer. From the Great Twilight's curse, I was given form. Call me Ishmelga Rean, if you will.”
— Ishmelga Rean, Trails into Reverie
Ishmelga Rean (イシュメルガ=リィン) was an existence calculated by Elysium, and the main antagonist of Trails into Reverie.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Ishmelga Rean resembles a corrupted and hardened Rean Schwarzer in his clothing from Trails of Cold Steel IV. This consist of the outfit being tattered and with the sleeves rolled up, and the introduction of more red elements. In contrast to Rean, Ishmelga Rean has longer hair, an arm wrapped in bandages and the other red, demonic, with claws and a tattered sash scarf. He also has a black pointed mask covering his eyes that are either pale yellow or glowing red depending on the level of control Ishmelga has.
Personality[]
Ishmelga Rean varies in personality, at points appearing collected and melancholic, tormented by the suffering he endured and regretful of the friends and family he had to leave behind. On the other hand, he can be be maniacal, attacking to wound indiscriminately, plotting and calculating to achieve a version of 'world peace' without regard to anyone. In his own words, 'He is Rean, but Rean is not him'. After Ishmelga is purged from Ishmelga Rean, this Rean still believes in sacrificing himself for the greater good.
Background[]
Ishmelga Rean was a calculated existence brought into being by the near limitless predictive ability of Elysium, which had enough processing power to be able to 'predict futures'. Ishmelga Rean is the result of one such prediction, following a course of events where Rean did not receive the Earthen Prison from the spirit of Argres and flew out the atmosphere after winning the final Rivalry at the end of the Great Twilight. In other words, this version of Rean is from the normal ending of Trails of Cold Steel IV where he sacrificed himself. During these events, Ishmelga's thoughtform and Rean fought for control, eventually twisting and merging with each other until a new personality emerged - a personality with control over the perfect completed form of the seven Divine Knights, Zoa Gilstein.
This new "Zeroth Divine Knight" possess all the powers of the original seven and more such as instantaneous long range teleportation, the ability to attack spiritual forms, the ability to call forth lightning, and levitation. The ability to generate spiritual weapons akin to Testa-Rossa was displayed, as was a 'boost form' similar to that of Ordine, albeit red.
This new personality that was created was enough to hijack Elysium and expel the current system administrator, Lapis Rosenberg. He is set about achieving human progression and peaceful world at any cost, utilising the vast computational powers of Elysium's system. Technology to recreate artifacts such as the Sonorous Seashell and the Monarch's Regalia's abilities was used to disrupt communications, Gnome masks were used to take control of Ilya Platiere who could perform a dance that replicated the effects of the Great Twilight, enthralling others, communication was made with key figures such as Cao Lee, Dieter Crois, F. Novartis and more, and simulacra of more powerful figures were created to fulfill other roles, namely Rufus Albarea, the figurehead for his plan: Project: Babel. Manufacturing plants were used to smuggle vast amounts of resources to a secretly constructed facility: the Retributive Tower and the construction of an extremely powerful weapon, Keraunos, that would subjugate the various powers of the world. Vast quantities of powerful archaisms and Zauber Soldats were created as well.
Trails into Reverie[]
Ishmelga Rean first appears piloting his Divine Knight, Zoa Gilstein, in the Nord Highlands, disabling both the Courageous II and the Merkabah Number 8. His primary objective was to remove two obstacles from his plan as well as begin a process where Rean Schwarzer synchronized with the simulated existence. Rean finds himself inadvertently having memories of the timeline that never happened and uttering phrases by the other Rean.
This version of Rean is first seen in person in the Castle of Mirrors, where Rean duels him in a one-on-one fight, breaking the mask that he thinks is controlling him. This turns out to be a ruse, as the Rean underneath suddenly becomes much more aggressive and summons Zoa Gilstein, who had until now been taking the form of Zoa Balor. He withdraws from the Castle in the Zeroth Knight. Following the destruction of the Rufus simulacrum and liberation of Crossbell, Ishmelga Rean reveals the Retributive Tower and destroys Juno Naval Fortress with it.
The calculations and defenses of the Retributive Tower are enough to repel all attacks. However, the tides suddenly turn when the Arseille II appears, forcing Elysium through a series of unpredictable loops that is eventually exploited. This prompts Ishmelga Rean to personally intervene, although he is only able to separate the group into two halves and teleports back into the control room, waiting for their arrival. Ishmelga Rean explains his existence to the party and what he is doing is justified, although the party is unconvinced and attacks him. He easily overpowers them with Zoa Gilstein until the Divine Knights return. Overconfident with the power of all seven Knights at his disposal, he is defeated by attempts a last-ditch effort to assimilate Rean.
Rean manages to have a discussion with his other self before ending him with a final cut, refusing to handle the burden alone. This separates Ishmelga from Rean, allowing Ishmelga to take over and continue fighting until Elysium is shut down and he can no longer exist. In its death throes, Ishmelga turns over Keraunos's control to the collective unconscious of humanity and it begins to target places loathed by the people. In a desperate attempt to rescue Rufus before he sacrifices himself, Lapis Rosenberg, Lloyd Bannings, Zeit, and Jusis Albarea make an attempt to get into the Retributive Tower where they meet Rean who is free from Ishmelga. Rean feels happy at the fact that he is able to meet Jusis and Lloyd again, and offers them knowledge of the future to overcome in three years, but Lloyd declines, saying that they will be able to face any problem that the future brings.
Ishmelga Rean then vanishes while smiling, indicating that he is happy to see a future he hoped to achieve long ago where he saved both Crow and Millium.
Gallery[]
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Trivia[]
- The scarf Ishmelga Rean wears is extremely reminiscent of the sash worn by Giliath Osborne, possibly taken from his dead body in the alternate timeline.
