Ristaccia Swords

From left to right : Apocalypse, Trisagion, La Colada d'El Cid, and Tyrfing. L'erisia can be seen in the center.

The Ristaccia Swords are legendary weapons embedded with a piece of Ristaccia. Aside from increasing the strength of the weapon itself, the power of Ristaccia also improves their wielder's intelligence, perception, and/or physical strength ; in extreme cases, it grants abilities that can be termed supernatural.

Thanks to these qualities, Ristaccia-powered weapons very actively during the Ristaccia War. The swords observed during the story were left over from this period, and their users are most often chapter protagonists ; in fact, among all protagonists, only Lien Clewing and Malchut are not Ristaccia sword users.

Ristaccia swords can be considered cursed weapons, as Ristaccia only grants power in a cycle of prosperity and ruin. Because of this, every known user of a Ristaccia sword either falls from grace, ends up bringing about destruction in their path, or in some cases, falls under the control of L'erisia entirely.

List of the Ristaccia Swords

Throughout the Epic of Zektbach, five Ristaccia swords have been known to exist. It is, however, quite likely that more of them were created and either lost or simply never once mentioned.

La Colada d'El Cid

Colada d'El Cid presented in the Guidebook

According to Chapter 1, la Colada d'El Cid is a "legendary scimitar", that lies in a sand cave south of the City of Amuss in the Kingdom of Azuellgatt. It originally belonged to the Kuona, but they were destroyed by the Humina race during the Ancient Sacred Treasure War, so only the artifacts remained.

After hearing rumors of the Colada's existence from a bandit she had arrested, Shamshir went to look after it. After obtaining it, she asked to her father to be appointed as chief commander of Azuellgatt's army, in a time of war against Noigllado. Thanks to the sword's power and her own skills as a battle dancer, she successfully pushed back against the invader.

After Azuellgatt's victory was secured, Shamshir began sporadically murdering her own countrymen in what was dubbed the tragedy of Isfaphan. She was arrested and sentenced to execution, but overpowered the Azuellgatt authorities and eventually brought the country down entirely, forcing her people into exile.

Shamshir was seemingly possessed by her sword; she hunted and killed Lien Clewing on the grounds of his intelligence being "a threat". A'Milia is thought to have broken the sword's curse, although she only asked Sasha to guide her to transcendental beings and Shamshir is not said to be one. Most likely, Shamshir deals away with the Colada to fight L'erisia.

La Colada d'El Cid is a sword rumored to have belonged to legendary Spanish hero Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, most famously known as "El Cid", a mercenary who fought in the Reconquista - a war between Christian and Muslims sovereigns for the control of the Iberian peninsula. Historians believe the historical character fought alongside both Christians and Muslims - although he is remembered as a Christian hero. The historical Colada is not thought to be a scimitar.

Trisagion

A sword most likely forged by the Humina race. It is considered a holy relic by the religion known as Trisagionid, the state religion of the Holy Kingdom of Noigllado and the largest religion in Galukia and Aria Te'Laria as a whole. Although worship of Trisagion existed before that point, the Trisagonid religion truly emerged in the aftermath of the Ristaccia War, as a response to the Humina believing themselves to be the only race left in existence, which they attributed to Trisagion's protection. For this reason Trisagion is known in Trisagionid canon as the "Sword of Hope".

Trisagion quickly became the hallmark of Noigllado's ruler, and the symbol of their legitimacy. This remained a constant throughout the country's history. When identical twins were born to the heir house of Noigllado in Melius 723, Agiona, a caste which had come to concentrate all of the kingdom's power, decided to choose the one who could wield Trisagion as the heir to maintain the appearance of legitimacy per this same tradition. Because Agiona were the grey eminence of the Kingdom, the choice of the heir mattered only insofar as to follow the "prophecy" which they believed in. Thanks to this reasoning and contrary to the Holy Kingdom's tradition, the one who sat on the throne was a girl, despite having a twin brother.

As the events of Chapter 3 unfold, Matin goes into battle wielding Trisagion. During the Battle of Tetroah, Agiona leader Zalieri attempts to take hold of Trisagion as he believes this to be the final key to power ; however, his plan is thwarted by the alliance between rebel leader Adhuk Neuendorf and Matin's knight Falo Credere Etincelle. As such, Trisagion remains in Matin's possession after the war ends. Her and Nox are the first Ristaccia sword users to escape from the curse of their weapons.

The name "Trisagion", meaning "three times holy" in greek, is a Christian invocation, which words are "Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal ; have mercy on us". It is mostly used in the Eastern churches, of Orthodox and Catholic rites, but can also be found in the Latin rite of the Catholic church. This is referenced with Trisagion ~Prayer of Purification~. Legend says that the Christian Trisagion ended a deadly earthquake in Constantinople during the reign of Theodosius II.

Tyrfing

Tyrfing presented in the Guidebook, in its original Blind Justice design

Tyrfing is the twin blade to Trisagion ; as such, it also is most probably a product of the Humina race, and it is called "The Sword of Despair" by measure of contrast. Unlike Trisagion, Tyrfing is not considered holy, and it may even be thought of as a cursed weapon even by those who have not realized the cursed nature of Ristaccia swords at large, though the reason why is unknown.

Nothing is known about the history of Tyrfing, even though it is the twin blade of Trisagion, which story is prominent in the Epic's events. There is no information about its historical wielders, or the place where it resides prior to its acquisition by its first known owner, Nox Catorce.

Nox came into possession of Tyrfing some time after he was brought away from Novarista by his adoptive father Adhuk. The sword is thought to be responsible for exacerbating Nox's hatred for Noigllado and the ruling powers, at the expense of his originally pure wishes for justice.

The only time when Tyrfing is known to be used is the war between Noigllado and Nox's rebellious faction of Novaria, more specifically the Battle of Tetroah. What becomes of it after the war ends is unknown.

Tyrfing originates from Nordic mythology. It is a cursed sword forged by two dwarves named Dvalinn and Durin under the orders of a king named Svafrlami. It is said to be alive and to instantly infuse its wielder with a deadly rage. It does not rust, never misses a stroke, and cuts through rocks and iron as though they were fabric. In exchange for the power it grants, its kills a man every time it is drawn, and causes "three great evils" for each victory it brings.

Apocalypse

Apocalypse presented in the Guidebook

A black sword found at the bottom of the Spring of Lourdes on Fallarien. Its origin is undocumented. It was hidden away by the Spring, and was only revealed when it dried up. Its presence at the source of the water is most likely the cause for its "miraculous" properties.

Apocalypse is arguably the most powerful of all Ristaccia swords. When Hannes discovered it, it immediately caused her to hear the "Voice of God", who is thought to be an avatar of L'erisia. This is the only known instance where L'erisia may have directly communicated with a human being aside from the "Lucis" illusion in Nox and Matin's mind.

In the same vein, Apocalypse has uncanny destructive abilties on top of being able to persuade living creatures more easily. Hannes was able to light fire to the entire island of Fallarien simply by lifting the sword in the air. This extraordinary amount of power is explained by the Voice of God as the "payback for the miracles" that Fallarien's people enjoyed ; in other words, the extended duration of Ristaccia's blessing is reflected in its most violent curse.

The name "Apocalypse" is, at its core, a Greek word meaning "revelation". It is the original Greek title of the final book of the Christian Bible's New Testament and its final book as a whole, known in English as the Book of Revelation. As this book is a series of Christian end world prophecies, the word Apocalypse itself became a synonym for "end of the world".

Ame no Hoakari

A blade forged by the Kagachi people of the Humina race to bear the piece of Ristaccia, their leader Sonigi found it in the Junaguni Island ruins. It was considered the hallmark of the Kagachin ruler, and was a prideful heritage at the time of the Kagachi people's prime.

On the continent of Eijeek, the Gadena race lived alongside the Kagachi. They had not yet discovered Ristaccia and were not sentient beings. When Gadena approached Kagachi settlements with seemingly hostile intentions, Sonigi brandished Ame no Hoakari to threaten them, hoping to scare them away. Instead, the Ristaccia piece embedded in the sword awakened the Gadena and brought them conscience, adding intellect to their great amount of brute force. With this new advantage, they slaughtered the Kagachi, leaving only a few of them to flee.

Six hundred years later, Gijiri, descendant of Kagachi survivors, became Ame no Hoakari's last owner. The only known time where he does use it is at the end of Chapter 5, intending to slay Malchut, but instead killing Kukaru.

Ame no Hoakari is a deity from Shinto mythology, mentioned in the Kojiki as "The Heavenly Deity of Bright Fire".