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Surya
Surya-haruka4
Character Information
Birthday:
July 9
Age:
58
Height:
179 cm (5'10")
Bloodtype:
A
Family:
Visvakarman (father-in-law)
elder brother (deceased)
sister-in-law (wife)
two other known consorts
Nasatya (nephew, adopted son)
Levanta (son)
Yami (daughter)
Asvin (son)
Shani (son)
Mudgala (cousin)
Occupation:
Innate Element:
Fire
Celestial Stem: Ding
Weapon(s):
Black Dragon's powers (when possessed)
Dominate Hand:
Right
Voice Actor(s):
First Appearance: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4
He has many more wives and daughters, but they do not appear in the game or official media.

Surya (スーリヤ) is a secondary character in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4. Throughout the majority of the game's script, he is known as Raja (帝, literally: Emperor) although his real name is spoken by nobles within his homeland. He poses as the main antagonist throughout the main story, but Surya is actually the avatar for the true villain.

Role in Game[]

Background Story[]

Surya is the younger brother of the former Raja of Tokoyo no Kuni. He was reputed for his heroic image and fairness, yet feared for his ferocity and ruthless cunning in war. During his youth, Surya was heralded as the "Lion King" (獅子王, Shishi-ou) by his people.

When young, Surya obeyed his brother's orders to fight rebels. But witnessing the suffering and chaos, he rebelled at thirty-four, becoming the new Raja. He showed kindness to his brother's family and promised peace. However, after seven years, the Black Dragon's influence corrupted the people, leading to wars and violence. Surya tried to calm the conflicts but failed. To prevent more bloodshed, he punished the responsible parties thoughtfully.

Four years later, the Black Dragon gained enough power to physically manifest itself within Tokoyo no Kuni as a dark energy within the sky. Having felt the powerful malevolence emitting from the "storm", Surya concluded that it was actually the "Bloodied Serpent" of legend and the real cause of his people's strife. He and Mudgala promptly led troops to destroy it. Their military strategy would have been a resounding success if their opponent was mortal, but, even in its weakened state, the Black Dragon completely overpowered them. Annihilating the army that rose against it, the Black Dragon sought "the sacrifice" to complete its summoning into the mortal realm. Sensing Surya's exceptional spiritual capabilities, the dragon god chose Surya as its temporary host and human puppet until the time for its proper awakening.

Upon being possessed by the dragon god, Surya became acutely aware of the dragon god's desire for destruction as it devoured his soul. Determined to prevent its success, his will fought against it for dominance of his body. Surya's just rulings slipped as a result, unintentionally causing more strife within his land. After six years of battling against the dragon god, however, Surya realized he was fighting a losing battle. Aware of Nakatsu Kuni's legends of defeating the "Bloodied Serpent", he personally paid homage to the Queen and asked her to stop the evil deity within him with her powers. He didn't realize that she was powerless since the White Dragon had stopped communicating with her. Following her advice, he unwittingly led a pointless massacre in Takachiho. Returning to his homeland empty-handed, his spirit lost to the Black Dragon soon after.

His body has since been used by the Black Dragon to meet its demands. With Surya's body, it orders Tokoyo no Kuni's army to relentlessly desecrate Nakatsu Kuni in its search for the "replacement sacrifice".

Story Events[]

When Surya was young, his revolution gained support from political powers in his homeland, pledging loyalty for peace. However, his father-in-law Visvakarman and a few ministers were outraged by the violent coup. Visvakarman accused Surya of hypocrisy and vowed revenge. During the main story, Visvakarman and his allies led revolts in the western regions. The Black Dragon, representing the real Surya, couldn't leave but antagonized Chihiro and her group through astral projection.

Surya's spirit resided within the Black Dragon, aware of events but unable to prevent its cruelty. Sometimes, he defied the deity and warned his followers, but was quickly suppressed. In different timelines, the Black Dragon consumed Surya completely. In the final timeline, the White Dragon used Surya's body to summon the Black Dragon and destroy the parallel world.

Personal Route[]

Chihiro first encounters Surya's spirit in a dream. She had been isolated from her friends within the mysterious mist at Chikushi. His spirit has taken the shape of a haggard, elderly man who laments the barren and lifeless landscape which surrounds them. He despairs for the world's fate and says there is nothing to prevent its demise. Chihiro encourages him to be optimistic and says the future is always subject to change. His spirit thanks her for her kind reply before the Black Dragon interrupts their short meeting with its attempt to devour Chihiro's soul. It fails due to the sacred leaf amulet she wears which protects her spirit from possessions attempted from great distances.

As Chihiro and her party defeat the Tokoyo no Kuni forces, they eventually seek to reclaim her kingdom's capital, Kashihara. On the night before the final battle Chihiro encourages Surya's son, Shani, to have faith in himself and the power of his wishes. Shani then believes Surya's spirit is still within the Black Dragon and, thanks to his son's power to literally change the parallel world's destiny, his hopeful wish becomes a reality.

When Chihiro and her friends defeat the Black Dragon in a fight, the seal on the deity breaks and it uses its true powers against them. The Black Dragon wants to devour Chihiro because she and her friends are weakened by its evilness. However, Chihiro believes in Shani's new destiny and willingly goes into the Black Dragon to save Surya's soul. The Raja asks her to come back to the mortal world to avoid being a victim of the Black Dragon, but he is amazed by her honesty and bravery. He happily agrees to go back home with her. The Black Dragon is surprised by Chihiro's ability to defy the fate set by the gods. Feeling completely defeated by the humans it hates, the deity decides to rest in the heavenly realm to recover.

Freed from the Black Dragon, Surya returns to the restored plains of Tokoyo no Kuni with Asvin and Shani. He praises Shani for his feat and is welcomed home by his sons. Remembering the ancient lore of his homeland, he congratulates Chihiro and dubs her the "Black Handed King" of legend.

His Aizouban extra event is set thirteen years before the main story. The royal family plans a gathering in Ne-no-Miya, the main palace of their country, to celebrate Shani's first birthday. Asvin finishes his subjugation of the southeastern rebels in two days time to see his first younger brother, an act which causes an sixteen-year old Nasatya to scold him for his recklessness in the palace's courtyard. Surya and Mudgala greet the prince and congratulate him in his efforts. The Raja wishes to have a full report of his son's findings and leaves his general to oversee the rest before leaving. Asvin scoffs that his father is too soft towards his newest son. Nasatya and Mudgala correct the prince's assessment: the Raja cares deeply for all of his family. His kindness ensured that the beauty of the courtyard around them would be preserved.

Two days later, Shani's mother arrives with her child. She is not of royal blood so her meager escort party seemed foreign in Ne-no-Miya's halls. Surya warmly walks towards his son who can barely stand on his own two feet. The infant Shani manages to pluck a flower from the courtyard and offers it to his father. Everyone enjoys the father-son bonding on the sunny day. Suddenly, the sky darkens and Surya crushes the flower Shani had given him. A disembodied evil voices its desire to obliterate through him. Mudgala calmly addresses his liege which helps Surya regain his composure. The damage for the cherry meeting has been done, and the attendees are instructed to leave the premise.

Surya is stunned by the voice which took hold of him. When Mudgala alone approaches, the Raja knows it was the Black Dragon who tried to devour him. He wishes to destroy it before he completely loses his senses, knowing that the sake of his kingdom and his family are at stake. Surya wishes to see Nakatsu Kuni's queen for a cure and asks Mudgala for his assistance in the journey.

Character Information[]

Development[]

Ruby Party members wanted to create a character who symbolized the saying that two suns are never destined to be in the sky simultaneously. If Chihiro represents the rising sun with her new reign as queen, they wanted a giant, setting sun to signal the end of an era. Surya was created with hopes of filling that position.

Personality[]

The Black Dragon compels him to assume the role of a merciless conqueror, displaying indifference towards death and protests. Conversely, Surya embodies regality and sternness, wholeheartedly dedicating himself to the welfare of his countrymen. He perceives it as his duty as Raja to perpetually defend and safeguard them. In many respects, he used to resemble Chihiro, as both possess the ability to attract followers through their compassion and charismatic benevolence. However, Surya's encounters with the Black Dragon have shattered his idealism and dampened his spirits, leaving him in a state of despondency by the commencement of the main narrative. Succumbing to the beliefs of the Black Dragon, he has forsaken his own aspirations for peace.

His sons regard him as a magnificent and formidable hero of their era, having earned his lineage through noble endeavors. They hold his patriotism in high esteem and admire his righteous judgments. Surya fosters his children's individuality and takes pride in acknowledging their talents. However, following the possession by the Black Dragon, his rulings become distorted, leading each son to harbor doubts regarding their father's integrity. Ultimately, their conflicting thoughts about Surya serve to divide them throughout the course of the main story.

Character Symbolism[]

Surya (सूर्य) is one of the chief sun gods in Hinduism. Depending on the region of India, he is also worshiped under the name Arka. He often represents the nurturing properties of the rising sun and is known for being pulled across the heavens with an elaborate horse carriage, powered by seven horses or by a horse with seven heads. His body is often described to have golden properties, and he is known to radiate a powerful light. In East Asian Buddhism, he is instead known as a dharmapala or deva who is named Nichiren in Japan. He is the polar sun god of the twelve divisions of heaven. Nichiren is often associated with the planets in our solar system or by shooting stars.

His symbolic color is a dull violet shade in Japan called murasaki-tobi or "violet black kite" if it is literally translated. The color is used to shade and highlight his illustrated portrait. It is fabled to represent the black kite of the purple world. The bird has been known since ancient times to stalk people and their food, often thieving meals or drying foods away without warning. When a black kite is heard or spotted in the skies, people are advised to never eat in the outdoors since the bird is likely watching them. The golden version of the bird is famous in mythology for blinding Emperor Jinmu's adversaries, helping to pave the path for his victory.

The orange jasmine is his symbolic flower. It is known as a citrus-like plant with thorny branches and tiny white flowers in the spring. Though a native flower of China and Korea, it was imported to Japan and its archaic name was "Kikoku" (枳殻). Within the flower language it represents memories, warmth or tranquility. The fruit itself symbolizes one who acts composed.

Quotes[]

  • "I was lost in an endless nightmare."
  • "This land... This world will soon be reborn. Mudgala, please live within it."
  • "Don't reach for me. If you do, the darkness will devour you too."
  • "I never thought I would see my lands again."
  • "I failed to win against the god's power, and I have fallen. But, Asvin, you are your own person. Slay me, and save this land. I will not resist Heaven's design. You must become the Black Handed King."
"Father!"
"Thou would try to kill thyself. Yet, that is all thou can be: a hopeless existence with the pitiful wish for salvation. Thy will is powerless and filthy. Humans are such ugly creatures."
"Shut up! I won't stand by while you make a mockery of Father!"
~~Surya, Asvin, and Black Dragon
  • "Turn back. Shoot your arrow to light the path for a new age. The dark god within me must be stopped."
"But if I do that, you'll..."
"Daughter of Nakatsu Kuni, my fate has been sealed long ago. If my death can save the future of my land, I have no reason to regret."
~~Surya and Chihiro

Gallery[]

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