Cructes (カクタス, Kakutasu, lit. "Cactus") is a supporting character in Legend of Legaia. He is known formally as the Soren Elder, being the leader of the illusive Soren tribe. He has two sons, Luctes and Grantes, though the mother of his offspring is unknown.
Appearance
Cructes's age is shown by the lines on his forehead, shaggy white hair, and long white beard that reaches the middle of his stomach. His rank as Elder is signified by his unique clothing, consisting of an orange and purple headdress and an orange and purple gown with an intricate insignia woven down the middle. Surprisingly, he does not seem to be wearing any Seru Wings, though they may be hidden by his long hair.
Personality
Cructes is as wise as he is old, having been able to survive throughout the age of Mist. Strong in will and spirit, he has ordered many attacks on the Floating Castle in the hopes of freeing Karisto Kingdom of Mist. He is a devout follower of Soren law, so much so that he has sacrificed much in order to ensure that their way of life is followed. However, he has been shown to bend the rules for the good of his people. For reasons unbeknownst to others, the Soren Elder allowed members of his tribe to have direct contact with Conkram's royal family even though it is against Soren law to associate with surface dwellers, perhaps out of respect for them.
Story
Early Life
Cructes led the Soren since before the Mist enveloped Legaia. The Soren's love of wind and freedom brought them all over the world, where they lived in many camps. Cructes dwelled in Karisto Kingdom's main Soren Camp and performed all his expected duties as Elder, such as leading the ritual atop Mt. Dhini where Soren are given their Seru Wings.
The appearance of the Floating Castle that sprayed Mist throughout Karisto Kingdom changed the Soren's way of life as drastically as it did surface dwelling humans. Cructes ordered attacks on the Floating Castle but every Soren who attacked perished at the hateful fangs of the Seru driven mad by Mist. Having discovered that his son Grantes unwittingly helped in the creation of the Floating Castle, Cructes stripped Grantes of his Seru Wings and banished him to the surface, leaving him to fend for himself as a surface dweller. Throughout the years, Cructes tried many times to destroy the Floating Castle, but it merely resulted in a severely dwindled Soren population.
Legend of Legaia
- "We've tried every tactic against that Floating Castle. But, you, with the powers of your Ra-Seru, should be able to destroy it! I have decided that the Soren should help you! Go speak to Luctes, in the square. He will take you to the Floating Castle."
- —Cructes to the Ra-Seru heroes
Cructes is first seen alone in his hut after Luctes and a team of Soren warriors escort the Ra-Seru heroes to the Soren Camp after their encounter on top of Mt. Dhini. Seeing the magical Ra-Seru on the arms of Vahn, Noa, and Gala, Cructes decides that they are the ones who have what it takes to free the world of Mist once and for all. He tells them that the Soren will assist in destroying the Floating Castle and orders Luctes to fly them to its entrance.
The Ra-Seru heroes return from the destroyed Floating Castle to Cructes's hut, where he hears them question their Ra-Seru as to the location of the Mist Generator due to discovering earlier that the Mist from the Floating Castle had been a decoy. Cructes states that he sent a reconnaissance team to find the origin of the Mist and that it was discovered to be coming from the Absolute Fortress in the Northern region near Conkram. He tells them that Luctes will take them to Conkram and urges the heroes to destroy the final Mist Generator.
Cructes comes to the realization that living for the future is what breathes life into the human spirit, and after the heroes leave, makes contact with his son Grantes after 10 years of separation. He decides to let bygones be bygones for the sake of the Soren and human's future together and returns Grantes's Seru Wings to him.
Due to the destruction of the Seru-kai, the Seru begin to gradually lose their power. Realizing that the Seru will eventually die out, Cructes and the other Soren decide that they will learn to live as ordinary humans on the surface of the earth, looking to Grantes for tutelage on how to do so. During the end credits, Cructes is last seen at Soren Camp after travelling to Rim Elm, looking after the rest of the Soren.
Special Abilities
- Flight - The ability to travel the skies with the use of wings.