Creed Graphite

Creed Graphite
Information
Appearance	Tales of Hearts
Hometown	Cind'rella
Age	2,000+ (physically 20)
Height	5'11" / 181 cm
Weight	249 lbs / 113 kg
Race	Mineran
Weapon	Bracelets
Japanese Voice Actor	Shin'ichirou Miki
Character Designer	Mutsumi Inomata

Creed Graphite (クリード・グラファイト, Kuriido Gurafaito^?, "Kreed Grafyte"), also known as the "Scarlet-Haired Devil" (緋色の髪の魔王, Hi'iro no Kami no Maou^?), is the main antagonist in Tales of Hearts. He is one of the last descendants of Minera, and the master of Incarose. He spends much of the game residing within Kor Meteor's Spiria, similarly to how Lithia Spodumene resides within Kohaku Hearts.

History

As a child, Creed was abandoned by his parents and placed in an orphanage, as they feared his powers. It was during this time that he became friends with Fluora Spodumene and Lithia Spodumene, in the Mineran city of Cind'rella during a period of unending Mineran Will wars. He was awkward, but kind. There was a time where he saw a baby bird abandoned by its parents and showed it to Fluora, who later took it in.

He was considered a genius, second only to Fluora in the use of Will Artes. Many other Minerans loathed the two of them and Lithia for their talents, and they were ostracized by many.

To stop the endless conflicts that ravaged Minera, Creed took part on a plan alongside with Lithia to remove the war-like components from a person Spiria: a plan that would receive the codename "Savior System Gardenia".

To that end he created Incarose, a mechanoid that would assist him during his experiments. Fluora warned multiple times and questioned the unethical manipulation of someone else Spiria to both of them. Despite all of her warnings, Creed and Lithia managed to activate Gardenia using Lithia's Spiria as the core for Gardenia. However, Lithia was unable to control Gardenia, causing every Spiria on Minera to be consumed by Gardenia and calcifying the entire planet in the process.

To stop Gardenia, Fluora sacrificed herself in order to protect both Creed and Lithia. Against Creed's wishes, Lithia managed to seal Gardenia alongside with Fluora. Such action caused animosity toward Lithia, as Creed opposed Lithia's decisions by insisting that he holds the ability to return the Spirias devoured by Gardenia and save Fluora. Unable to reach an understanding, Lithia proceeded to seal Creed with an arte, failing in the process. The arte bounces to Creed and Lithia, causing their Spiria to be expelled from their physical bodies.

Since Mysticete had meanwhile landed on Organica, both proceeded looking for a host in whose Spiria they could nestle. Having expelled each other's Spirias from their physical bodies, both existed within Organican hosts over the course of two millennia. Changing host over countless generations, Creed waged a secret and endless battle for control over Gardenia against Lithia. Together with Tekt Tourmaline, Labrodor Akerman, Sydan Meteor, and Kardia Meteor battled Zirconia Tourmaline. During the battle, both Kardia and Zirconia's minds shattered with Iola Hearts being seriously injured in the process, forcing both Lithia and Creed to seek new vessels. Creed retreated to Kardia's unborn child's Spiria, while Lithia did the same with Iola's. Kardia took the opportunity and managed to create a seal that forced Creed to rest inside the child's Spiria in the coming years.

Appearance and Personality

Artwork for Tales of Card Evolve.

Creed's physical appearance consists of a slender build, pale white skin, bright red eyes and wavy, mid-length hair of the same color. His attire is a unique uniform of pitch black, with grey polka dots outlined with blue, giving off the appearance of a night sky. The front of his torso is completely exposed, only having five white straps covering it.

Creed has an "ends justify the means" mindset, and because of this, he does not care who he has to make enemies with to achieve his goals. He is completely indifferent to what happens to his Organican victims, and rather believes that they should be sacrificed in order to revive the Minera. Despite this, beneath his cruelty is a man who just wants to bring back the people of his homeland, as well as the woman who showed him kindness. His biggest weakness is that he doesn't know what love is, which influences many of his actions throughout the game as well as is pointed out by the party many times.

On that note, while he doesn't have anyone he would consider a "friend," he does have a band of subordinates who will do his dirty work: Incarose, Chlorseraph, Corundam, and Geocron Striegov namely.

Fighting Style

Cut-in image for Tales of the Rays.

As a master of Will Artes, Creed is capable of casting Will Artes of every kind.

In the first battle, Creed merges with the Gardenia Core (ガルデニア・コア, Garudenia Koa^?) in a vain attempt to control it. With it, he can also summon xerom allies to even the playing field.

In the original Tales of Hearts, the core is permanently stuck on the right side of the area, with a Garstoma (ガルストーマ, Garusutooma^?) on the right to act as a diversion. Creed uses the core to directly control the terrain to attack the party, such as shooting thorny tendrils, or spikes in front of him. In some cases, he will pull his body out of the core to cast a Will Arte before quickly returning within to shield himself. In this version, Creed's Will Artes consist of Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth, whereas the Garstoma's arteset is greatly smaller.

In Tales of Hearts R, Creed can move freely around the area, using the core to protect himself. In this version, Creed's arteset is greatly reduced to five strike artes.

Cut-in image for Tales of Hearts.

Cut-in image for Tales of Hearts R.

In the second battle, Creed is capable of flight. He uses the claws on his fingers in close combat.

In the original Tales of Hearts, one of these attacks include summoning a double ended, flaming sickle, to throw at the enemy. In this version, Creed's will arteset consists of nearly every kind of spell, capable of casting them with little time.

Additionally, he can create a dark-formed replica of any party member's Soma to use temporarily. He is also able to change his primary element without a necessary pause.

In Tales of Hearts R, Creed's arteset is greatly altered. He will summon a dark broadsword for his normal attacks. He now has five strike artes, and seven Will Artes, one for each element.

Trivia

• Creed's first and last names are based on the crystals creedite and graphite, respectively.
• Creed's outfit appears as a legacy costume for Yuri Lowell in PlayStation 3 and Definite Edition releases of Tales of Vesperia.