Editing Eraqus

{{game|BBS|FMB|KH3|3RM|DR}}

{{Character

|image=[[File:Master Eraqus KHIII.png|300x400px]]

|charworld1=Scala ad Caelum

|charworld2=Land of Departure

{{Q|Fear leads to obsession with power, and obsession beckons the darkness.|Eraqus warns [[Terra]] of the path to the dark side}}

'''Eraqus''', known to his students as '''Master Eraqus''', is a [[Keyblade Master]] who watches over the [[Land of Departure]]. He is the master of [[Terra]] and [[Aqua]], and he also serves as the second master of [[Ventus]]. In his youth, Eraqus studied with his friend [[Xehanort]] in [[Scala ad Caelum]]. Eraqus was introduced in ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]'' and is the main supporting protagonist of ''[[Kingdom Hearts Dark Road]]''.

 

 

===Before ''Kingdom Hearts Dark Road''===

 

 

 

 

===Between ''Kingdom Hearts Dark Road'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''===

 

After passing the [[Mark of Mastery exam]], Eraqus becomes a Keyblade Master and is entrusted to safeguard the [[Land of Departure]] while Xehanort leaves to travel the worlds as a Seeker. When the two meet again, Eraqus learns of Xehanort's scheme to cause a second [[Keyblade War]] in order to recreate the [[χ-blade]] and attempts to fight his former friend to stop him from carrying out what would destroy everything. However, his attempt is futile as Xehanort quickly takes him down and scars his face. Years later, Eraqus obtains apprentices of his own, Terra and Aqua, before taking Ventus under his wing from a seemingly repentant Xehanort.

[[File:Mark of Mastery 01 KHBBS.png|thumb|200px|Master Eraqus starting the Mark of Mastery exam.]]

Eraqus holds the Mark of Mastery exam for Terra and Aqua, with Ventus and Xehanort as witnesses. In the end, Eraqus names Aqua master while refusing to give Terra the mantle on the grounds that he is unable to control his darkness. Despite the formality, Eraqus confides to Terra that he has the potential to become a Keyblade Master. Little does Eraqus know that Xehanort had used his dark powers to tamper with the course of the Exam itself. Soon after, he conveys to Aqua the responsibilities that go with her status and what she is required to do if he died for any reason. With Xehanort nowhere to be seen, Eraqus sends Terra and Aqua to find him shortly after being contacted by Master [[Yen Sid]] about the spawning of the mysterious [[Unversed]]. Sensing a possible connection between the two events, Eraqus later instructs Aqua to look after Terra, as he fears his apprentice may be tempted by the darkness. However, after Terra departs, Aqua and Eraqus witness Ventus leaving as well, and he instructs Aqua to bring Ventus back.

 

 

[[File:Checkmate 01 KHIII.png|thumb|Eraqus and Xehanort leave for The Final World together.]]

After Master Xehanort is defeated and mortally wounded by [[Sora]], Eraqus leaves the newly-freed Terra's body in spirit form and persuades Xehanort to stand down, despite Xehanort's final attempts to enact the purge with the χ-blade. As Xehanort respectfully hands the χ-blade to Sora to close Kingdom Hearts, Eraqus shares a warm reunion with his three apprentices and entrusts Aqua's and Ventus's care to Terra before joining Xehanort as the two fade away peacefully as friends once again.

Terra, Aqua, and Ventus later place Eraqus's Keyblade in the ground in the Land of Departure with their Wayfinders as a makeshift gravestone to honor their fallen master.

==Design==

Master Eraqus has slightly tan skin. He has jagged scars over his right eye and left cheek inflicted by Master Xehanort's [[Dark Volley]], much like the wounds Braig received from Terra. Eraqus has dark grey eyes, and black hair tied into a short, high topknot, with one bang falling off to the right side of his face. He also has a short, triangular {{w|soul patch}} and a mustache.  

Master Eraqus, like his student, Terra, bears a distinct Japanese influence in his choice of clothing. He wears a white, red-lined ''{{w|haori}}'' that has a hood, along with slightly shorter than normal, light-colored ''{{w|hakama}}''. Underneath his haori, he wears a navy blue shirt with a large white X pattern on the front.  

 

 

Master Eraqus physically resembles {{w|Hironobu Sakaguchi}}, the creator of the ''Final Fantasy'' series.{{fact}}

 

Despite his sometimes cold actions toward his apprentices, he still cares deeply for them. He has Aqua follow Terra out of concern for the youth, gives a pained apology to Ventus before attempting to destroy the boy, and sheds a tear when he is forced to face off against Terra. Despite the strain between him and Xehanort, Eraqus attempts to forgive his erstwhile friend, even welcoming him to help preside over the Mark of Mastery exam despite their last meeting ending in violence. Following his apparent demise at Xehanort's hands, Eraqus's influence and strength settle within Terra in order to help him counter Xehanort's possession and hopefully regain his body.

 

Despite some of his extreme measures, Eraqus is a forgiving person at heart as he takes Ventus in, despite the fact Xehanort scarred his face, and in the final confrontation with Xehanort years later, he persuades Xehanort to peacefully surrender and escorts Xehanort to the afterlife as his friend.

Master Eraqus serves as a boss battle for Terra after Terra prevents him from executing Ventus. During the battle, Eraqus uses many quick lunging attacks and is able to land many hits before the combo finisher. He also has several desperation attacks, each based on the light element.

 

As an apprentice in Scala ad Caelum, he specializes in buffing his allies' physical attacks.

Master Eraqus wields a rather basic Keyblade named "Master's Defender", which is grey in coloration. It has the appearance of an old-fashioned skeleton key, and the teeth are shaped like an "E". Its [[Keychain]] is [[Terra's Mark]]. He summons his Keyblade in a fashion similar to Terra, shrouded in a series of golden blocks. In battle, he holds his Keyblade in the {{w|chūdan-no-kamae}} stance.

 

As an apprentice at [[Scala ad Caelum]], Eraqus wielded the {{c|Keyblade|KHDR}}, the same as his classmates.

File:Master's Defender KHBBSFM.png|[[Master's Defender]]

==Notes and references==

*[[Armor of Eraqus]]

 

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