Aaron Barcai

Aaron Barcai (アーロン・バルカイ, Āron Barukai) is a major character in Genso Suikoden Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki. He is the father of Ilia Barcai as well as the mayor of Schradt.

Mayor of Schradt
"They are my guests. You can't just do what you want with them."

- Aaron Barcai

Aaron Barcai was the mayor of Schradt and foster father to his daughter Ilia. Originally born in Martylion, he lost his family in the tragedy that razed the city to the ground in HIY 280. Following this he adopted Ilia and moved to Schradt.

At first lost and unkempt, Aaron would work diligently eventually becoming the town's mayor. His compassion and leadership were well regarded and the people of Schradt respected his even-handed approach to the Holy Empire of Ionia, being willing to entreat with them while protecting Schradt's independence and interests.

Adopting Ilia, Aaron would make sure to raise her well, encouraging her to grow beyond her own pain and hatred from losing her family in Martylion and to become happy for her own sake. At 12 years old Ilia would move to Therbe Village for herbalist training. Due to the close distance between Schradt and Therbe, father and daughter would remain close over the years.

Aaron was also close with Chief Hagar of Therbe Village, the two conversing frequently. He was also ably assisted in his duties by Rochelle Kollek, his aide. His business sometimes took him outside the town but never for very long, though such trips did become frequent in the months before the HIY 300 Teras Pharma conflict.

When the hero, Ilia, and Myra came to him to report the Teras Pharma attacks, Aaron was slow to act. He was apparently worried that the attacks would lead to the Ionian Army occupying Schradt and perhaps annexing it completely regardless of if there were any further attacks. When Ducas arrived to take the group to Thaksis, Aaron attempted to prevent this, to little avail.

The Vermilion Axe
"This is the day I hold in my hands the axe I shall use to sever the roots of Ionia!!"

- Aaron Barcai This side of Aaron would be revealed as nothing more than a charade when, following the appearance of the first Teras Pharma in HIY 300, Aaron would launch an attack on the Holy Empire of Ionia as head of the Vermilion Axe. Steadfast in his belief that the deaths caused by Ionia over the centuries were unforgiveable, Aaron pledged to destroy the Yggdrasilian Throne no matter the cost in sin or lives.

Though he initially claimed there was no vengeance guiding his actions, he would later admit that perhaps that formed part of his motivation. Still, he insisted upon his belief that the Holy Empire was a greater monster than the Teras Pharma could ever be even as he wielded those same monsters in his cause.

Though the Vermilion Axe's advance seemed to be progressing apace, a meeting with the hero at the Peft Ruins introduced new information and doubts to Aaron. The Barrier and the state of the world beyond momentarily caught his attention, as did the notion of someone within the Vermilion Axe meeting with the Mountain Roots.

Because of this, Aaron would not appear during the Vermilion Axe attack on Achlites leading to their failure to breach the Great Wall. Instead, Aaron traversed Mt. Plegate, fighting his way through the Grubs there on the way to the House of Wisdom.

Inside, Aaron learned the truth about everything. The pain and anger he felt after losing his family had been deliberately stoked by the Mountain Roots to create the foundation of a rebellion that the Holy Empire could use to maintain an ever-present enemy to lead the people against. Even his tools, the Teras Pharma, stemmed from Ionian technology.

Driven to the brink and confronted with the Company and Rochelle, the Mountain Roots mole, Aaron released all the Teras Pharma within the facility, certain their rampage would finally reveal the truth to the world. Extoling the hero, Ilia, and Zaveed to survive and ensure that Ionia paid for everything it did, he would die immediately after releasing the Teras Pharma, consumed by the monsters.

After Lugat changed the past to move the Teras Pharma facilities, Aaron met a similar fate. At the Tower of Zoe, he had confronted Rochelle and the two had killed each other in a fatal struggle.

Ilia mourned her father, stating that although Aaron had followed his path willingly, it was Ionia that laid the road itself.