Van Aifread


 * This article is about the character in Tales of Berseria. For the recurring character, see Aifread.

Van Aifread (バン・アイフリード) is a minor antagonist in Tales of Berseria who serves a pivotal role in the backstories of Eizen and Zaveid. Having gone missing prior to the events of the story, his crew, led by the First Mate Eizen, search relentlessly for him and eventually cooperate with Velvet Crowe in her mission, which intertwine's with their own goals.

History
Aifread was locked away in the prison island of Titania around two years after Velvet's arrival. Rumor has it that he escaped, being the only successful one to ever do so, but in truth, he was taken by Melchior Mayvin, who thereafter used Aifread as bait by turning him into a daemon and manipulating him with illusions in order to keep him obedient. This was not an easy feat, however, as Aifread withstood Melchior's powers through a fierce determination that even allowed him to break free of Melchior's manipulation for seven days once.

In spite of Aifread's resolve, however, his mind is inevitably broken by the power of Melchior's illusions, and Innominat eventually rids of his will entirely by consuming it. Highly respected by his crew, the band of pirates never cease in their search for him, particularly Eizen, who meets his own agenda by joining Velvet and the orders while they use Aifread's ship, the Van Eltia, as their primary method of transportation. As Eizen gradually uncovers the truth surrounding Aifread's disappearance, he clashes with Zaveid on numerous occasions, the latter having been entrusted with an artifact belonging to Aifread known as Siegfried, a pistol with unnatural properties.

Using an illusion of Aifread as a decoy, Melchior manages to use his magic to copy Siegfried's properties and later bestows it upon the daemonized Aifread himself, whom the group confronts and fights after hearing that Aifread attacked the Van Eltia's crew in Endgand. Overcoming the Siegfried-enhanced daemon that now only serves as a ghost of the true Aifread, Laphicet uses his powers to restore Aifread's humanity.