Ashnard: Difference between revisions

Although he was born as a son of the previous king of Daein, the young prince Ashnard was of "such a distant bloodline" that he was low in the country's line of succession and was never considered as a serious candidate for the throne. Instead, Ashnard served as a royal dracoknight and built a reputation as a fearsome warrior whose strength was the equal of entire Begnion pegasus brigades. He participated in numerous border skirmishes between Daein and Begnion, and his efforts played a major role in Daein claiming small portions of Begnion land as its own.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ike:''' And yet Ashnard survived.<br>'''Tanith:''' He did. It is quite interesting, in a sense. You see, his name was never mentioned in any talk of succession before that time. He was of such a distant bloodline that he was unlikely to be king. In another place though, his name was already well known.<br>'''Ike:''' Where was that?<br>'''Tanith:''' On the battlefield. As you know, Daein is home to many brave warriors. At the time, then-prince Ashnard was said to have been a match for an entire troop of pegasus knights. Begnion and Daein both keep close watch over their borders, and their patrols fought in many skirmishes. Although there was no war to speak of, these land disputes did end with Daein claiming a small portion of Begnion soil. It would be no exaggeration to say this was soley due to the strength of one man: Ashnard.|[[Ike]] and [[Tanith]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

After the [[Serenes Massacre]], Ashnard became involved in the plots of [[Sephiran|Lehran]] to end life on Tellius. Ashnard's ambitious nature and desire to change the world convinced Lehran that he would be a viable tool for his cause, and when he let Ashnard learn of the existence of [[Lehran's Medallion]] and the [[Yune|dark god]] inside it, Ashnard became determined to set the god free at any cost.<ref name="lehran">{{Cite|My aim has always been to wake Ashera so that she might pass judgment on all the people of the world. What I needed was a war that would spread all across the continent. How could I achieve this? My attention turned to the young Daein prince... I could use the fiery Ashnard for my purposes. He was ambitious, a fierce warrior, and more than anything, he had an earnest desire to change the world. When I allowed him to know of the goddess sealed inside the medallion, he became determined to set her free. We could use heron galdrar or a massive, continent-spanning war to throw the world into chaos.|[[Sephiran]]|Radiant Dawn}}</ref> Lehran left both the medallion and the surviving [[heron]] princess [[Lillia]] in Ashnard's custody after finding them in the Serenes Massacre.<ref>{{Cite|'''Sephiran:''' Lady Sanaki, your theory is half correct... and half incorrect. Sir Ike, I'm afraid your father's death was an unfortunate result of Zelgius's own personal agenda. I must admit that I did ask him to seize the medallion and hand it over to King Ashnard, but it was not to gain Ashnard's trust.<br>'''Sanaki:''' Then why?<br>'''Sephiran:''' Because originally the medallion belonged with me. 23 years ago, I placed it with Princess Lillia of Serenes.|[[Sephiran]] and [[Sanaki]] ([http://serenesforest.net/radiant-dawn/scripts/game-script/part-4-final-chapter-rebirth-4/extended/ extended script])|Radiant Dawn}}</ref> Ashnard had Lillia imprisoned in the temple at Palmeni and repeatedly went there to personally demand that she release the dark god, ignoring her protests and her inability to do so.<ref>{{Cite|Yes, I tried to get her to free the dark god from the medallion, but all she did was get sick and die. Pah! They're ridiculously frail creatures. I should have just killed her in the first place and saved some time.|Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|'''Reyson:''' She was kidnapped twenty years ago, on the night of the Serenes Massacre. I...I thought that Lillia had been murdered along with my other brothers and sisters. I believed that until today...<br>'''Ike:''' Who took her?<br>'''Reyson:''' The walls say only that he was a large human. She probably never knew who it was. He thrust a clan treasure at her and demanded that she use her magic to revive the thing sealed inside it. He exhorted her again and again, but to no avail. Lillia refused his request every time...because she did not possess that power.|[[Reyson]] and [[Ike]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> Shortly before her death from illness, Lillia ensured that [[Elena]] and [[Greil|Gawain]] escaped Daein with the medallion to get it out of Ashnard's reach. On Lehran's orders, a warrior known only to Ashnard as the [[Black Knight (character)|Black Knight]] entered Ashnard's employ and quickly won Ashnard's trust with his immense strength, and he provided Ashnard with [[Ashera]]-blessed armor which repelled all weapons which were not similarly blessed.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' You are an enigma, dark one. Everything you possess is fey and of unknown origin.<br>'''Black Knight:''' The armor I presented to you...Do you find it dissatisfactory?<br>'''Ashnard:''' No, it has my approval. My wyvern Rajaion, and this armor which renders any enemy attack impotent... Both are well suited to me. They both shine because they are mine! And now the medallion, and that galdr as well, both belong in my hands!|Ashnard and the [[Black Knight (character)|Black Knight]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

Since the plan to use galdrar failed, the alternative was to free the dark god through a continent-spanning war. To do this, Ashnard needed to become the king of Daein, so he convinced his father to sign a [[blood pact]] with a mysterious wise man (possibly Lehran himself) under the pretense of it being a contract to secure the services of this wise man. Ashnard then had the wise man invoke the curse of the blood pact, crippling Daein with a plague in the year 626. Among its many other victims, the plague struck Ashnard's mother and twenty princes and princesses,<ref>{{Cite|'''Ike:''' Nobles, you say? So the royal family fell victim to this plague as well?<br>'''Tanith:''' Yes. The reigning king and queen and some twenty or so princes and princesses fell ill. And everyone who fell ill perished. For a time, the people despaired of losing the entire royal bloodline of Daein. It seemed that none would survive.|[[Ike]] and [[Tanith]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> killing all of them and leaving only Ashnard and his father. Ashnard then killed the king, took the throne, and destroyed the blood pact, ensuring that he would not be affected by the curse himself.<ref name="blood pact">{{Cite|'''Almedha:''' In the Begnion era, year 626, a terrible plague swept through Daein, killing over a thousand people.<br>'''Pelleas:''' Yes, including nearly the entire royal family. Those who had ruled and those destined to do so–none were spared except Ashnard, who ascended the throne in the wake of it all. I've heard that tragic story for as long as I can remember.<br>'''Almedha:''' That was no disease. It was the curse of a blood pact.<br>'''Pelleas:''' What?!<br>'''Almedha:''' It was all plotted by my husband in a bid to claim the throne of Daein. Ashnard tricked his father into signing a blood pact with a traveling wise man. Ashnard convinced the king that he was signing a contract to procure the services of the wise man, which was true, in a fashion. With the pact signed, Ashnard had the wise man invoke the curse. My husband looked on in triumph as the royal family began to wither. The power of the curse killed every royal in line for the throne. It was brilliant. With no one to block his way to the throne, Ashnard executed his master stroke. He killed his father and took the crown from his head. What's important is that, after killing his father, Ashnard was not cursed himself.<br>'''Micaiah:''' He broke the pact's curse?<br>'''Almedha:''' In order to break the curse of the blood pact, two conditions must be met. The destruction of the document itself, and the death of the one bound to it. Either condition by itself is not enough. I watched it happen. Ashnard killed his father, then tore apart the pact. And before my eyes, the mark of the pact faded from the dead king's arm.|[[Almedha]], [[Pelleas]] and [[Micaiah]]|Radiant Dawn}}</ref> Only Almedha and Lehran ever knew the truth of Ashnard's actions, and the rest of the world believed it to be a simple plague with no magical cause.<ref>{{Cite|Ashnard's coronation, let me see... Yes, it was eighteen years ago. You see, a plague had struck the capital, spreading out to affect the surrounding region of Nevassa and beyond. Ashnard was crowned the year after that great tragedy finally subsided. In the entire history of Tellius, no calamity has claimed the lives of so many beorc and laguz--not since the great flood. Two years before, it struck Begnion, and the entire population of Serenes was nearly obliterated. The year after that, close to a thousand beorc--nobles and peasants alike--perished in Daein.|[[Tanith]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> Ashnard himself later claimed responsibility for the act to [[Bryce]] as a test of his loyalty.<ref name="liege">{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' Tell me, Bryce... You were my father's retainer, were you not?<br>'''Bryce:''' ...From the fifteenth year of my life...and for twenty more years until his death... I did serve him faithfully.<br>'''Ashnard:''' The thing that killed my father was not plague, nor was it another illness. It was me.<br>'''Bryce:''' Wh-what?<br>'''Ashnard:''' Oh, but it doesn't end there. There was my stepmother, too. And every brother who stood to be a legitimate heir...All of them died by my hand.<br>'''Bryce:''' ...<br>'''Ashnard:''' Are you still determined to protect me? Knowing this truth?<br>'''Bryce:''' ...I am...Even knowing now as I do...you are still your father's son. The blood of Daein's kings flows in you. You are all that remains....By your leave.<br>'''Ashnard:''' Such loyalty to a corpse...In truth, there is nothing in this world more humorous than a knight.|Ashnard and [[Bryce]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

Before executing the blood pact plan, he met [[Almedha]], a [[Black Dragon|black dragon]] princess from [[Goldoa]] who had abandoned her country out of disdain for its neutral, non-violent policies. Though the two never conducted a formal marriage ceremony, they considered themselves to be married for all intents and purposes. The relationship was never truly built on love, but on power: Ashnard desired Almedha for her sheer power as a black dragon, but after getting her pregnant, she lost her powers and became completely useless to Ashnard. Following the birth of [[Soren|their child]], Ashnard became obsessed with the boy out of hope that he possessed [[Branded|great power]], but he soon proved to have no special abilities to speak of. Ashnard used his son to bait Almedha's brother, [[Rajaion]], to Daein, who he turned into a [[Feral One]] and forced into service as his "wyvern" steed. Ashnard then abandoned the child, and he and Almedha parted ways and never met again.<ref>{{Cite|'''Elincia:''' Lady Almedha, you were King Ashnard's wife, correct?<br>'''Almedha:''' There was never a formal wedding ceremony, so I suppose some would call me a mistress... But I was the only one he could ever call his wife. And I'm the only one who can be called the mother of his child...<br>'''Elincia:''' King Pelleas.<br>'''Almedha:''' Yes, Pelleas. We were separated so long... Finally having him back is the greatest gift imaginable.<br>'''Elincia:''' ...Forgive me for asking, but why did King Ashnard suddenly decide to invade Crimea? I want to know why my parents died.<br>'''Almedha:''' Truthfully, I don't know.<br>'''Elincia:''' You were closer to him than anyone. Didn't he say anything? Did he never explain his reasons?<br>'''Almedha:''' The last time I saw Ashnard was long ago, more than twenty years. I'm afraid I don't know many state secrets from after that point.<br>'''Elincia:''' But, why...<br>'''Almedha:''' You look so surprised. We had a falling out and ended up living separately... It happens rather a lot, I'm afraid.<br>'''Elincia:''' No, it's just that... Well, you said that King Ashnard had no other wives or children... I just assumed that you had always been by his side.<br>'''Almedha:''' Ha ha... There was always gossip, of course, and I hated it. But I know with absolute certainty... Ashnard had relations with no other woman. And so I said as much.<br>'''Elincia:''' So he did love you, in his own way?<br>'''Almedha:''' Love? Love?! Ha ha... Seriously... Ha ha ha...ha ha haa!<br>'''Elincia:''' Wh-what's so funny?<br>'''Almedha:''' There was no love between Ashnard and me. There was a strong mutual attraction between us, eventually resulting in a child... But all I ever was to him was a source of power. Once I became pregnant, I was useless to him. Bereft of my strength, he found my presence nothing more than an irritating distraction. After Pelleas was born, Ashnard became obsessed with the boy... But, once he realized Pelleas had no special powers... Ashnard rejected him, and used him as bait in a cruel trap for my brother...|[[Elincia]] and [[Almedha]]|Radiant Dawn}}</ref> Rajaion's capture led his fiancée, [[Ena]], to leave Daein in search of him, and when she found him in Ashnard's possession, she joined Daein as a strategist out of a desire to at least be with Rajaion and to find a way to save him. She in turn recruited her grandfather, [[Nasir]].<ref>{{Cite|'''Ike:''' So, you were with King Daein because you were trying to save Rajaion?<br>'''Ena:''' Yes.<br>'''Nasir:''' Ena's fiance went missing many years ago. After Ena finally found him, she came to me for help. She told me that Rajaion was with King Daein, and that he had been warped almost beyond recognition. Long ago, Ena's parents died, and I was unable to do anything for her. Even so, she still came to me for help. No matter what, I had to help her... It was to that end that I used you...... I am so sorry.<br>'''Ike:''' It's all in the past now. There's nothing for you to worry about any longer.|[[Ike]], [[Ena]], and [[Nasir]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

Throughout the years of his reign, Daein's relations with neighboring [[Crimea]] were never friendly but had also never escalated beyond minor skirmishes at the border. When Ashnard launched his full-scale invasion of Crimea in the year 645, it came without any warning at all and took the Crimean military by surprise.<ref>{{Cite|'''Greil:''' Was there provocation?<br>'''Soren:''' As you know, relations between Crimea and Daein have never been...friendly. However, the past centuries have seen only minor skirmishes, nothing that has ever approached the scale of this attack. It was brutal and without warning. Daein laid the capital to waste. I've never seen destruction on this scale before.|[[Greil]] and [[Soren]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> Ashnard led the invasion himself and the Daein army claimed a swift victory over Crimea, taking the capital city of Melior in a matter of days. He personally killed the Crimean king, [[Ramon]], and his wife,<ref>{{Cite|...My father and my mother are dead...They fell at the hand of Ashnard, King of Daein...My lord uncle and the royal knights are still battling the Daein army, I believe.|[[Elincia]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> but even after the Daein army finally brought down Prince [[Renning]], he desired the complete extermination of the Crimean royal family and ordered the capture of the escaped Princess [[Elincia]] as a priority on par with reclaiming Lehran's Medallion.<ref>{{Cite|Our only concern is the princess of Crimea and the medallion. We must wait and watch until such time as we can strike.|Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> The fall of Crimea began the [[Mad King's War]]. Ashnard took up residence in Melior and did not return to Daein for the remainder of the war.

The aim of the Mad King's War was to incite the world-wide conflict that would free the dark god. The invasion of Crimea was not his endgame, but the first step in the plan which was followed by attempting an invasion of [[Gallia]], a task which he left to the [[Black Knight (character)|Black Knight]].<ref>{{Cite|In the interim, I want you to take charge of the invasion of Gallia. Be smart. You must not allow Gallia to bring their full might to bear. Understood?|Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> It was believed by [[Ena]] that according to Ashnard's plan, invading Gallia would provoke fellow laguz nations [[Phoenicis]], [[Kilvas]], and Goldoa into declaring war on Daein as well, which in turn would force Begnion to join in on Daein's side rather than side with [[laguz]] nations.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ena:''' Then tell me...why did the king suddenly order the invasion of Crimea?<br>'''Kasatai:''' As...as...sanctions for that nation choosing to ally itself with those evil and treacherous sub-humans.<br>'''Ena:''' On the surface, that would seem to be so. But doesn't the action strike you as odd? To apply sanctions properly, it would be necessary to speak with Begnion first. Begnion is the suzerain state, and Crimea answers to her. We needed Begnion's leave to make a formal declaration of war. Daein's disregard for that process made us a pariah in the eyes of our neighbors, and opened us to attack from all sides. And yet, not only did the king not do this, but he chose to invade without warning. It was the worst possible strategy. Furthermore, once the king conquered Crimea through strength of arms, he seized the castle and set up residence. And now he uses it as a stepping stone for an invasion of Gallia. Which means, the king's goal was never to apply sanctions, or even to defeat Crimea. If Ashnard moves against Gallia, it's easy to envision Phoenicis, Kilvas, and Goldoa joining the conflict. And if that happens, Begnion would be forced to ally itself with Daein rather than side with the sub-humans. Look where that leads us...A continent embroiled in war. Is that not the true desire of the king?|[[Ena]] and [[Kasatai]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> The success of this plan depended on Ashnard getting Goldoa involved in the war as well, so Ashnard did everything in his power to provoke Goldoa's king, [[Dheginsea]], into joining the war effort on any side, knowing that once the dragons joined in, they would be unable to stop fighting. However, despite taking two of Dheginsea's children, Dheginsea held out against all of Ashnard's provocation and refused to join the war for the sake of preserving the world.<ref>{{Cite|'''Nasir:''' Ashnard needed Goldoa to get involved in his war. That's why he did everything in his power to provoke King Dheginsea. Most of you have never fought in a war, but even more than other laguz, the dragon tribe loses control once they taste battle.<br>'''Kurthnaga:''' Oh...<br>'''Nasir:''' Near the end of the war, we found out that Prince Rajaion could not be saved. I thought the king would surely go on a rampage. At the time, we had no idea that Lady Almedha was still alive. The king thought he'd lost not only dragon soldiers but also his children.<br>'''Ena:''' ...<br>'''Nasir:''' If the war had ended any later... Had Ike not killed Ashnard... Goldoa would have joined the war. And we would have started killing. We would have destroyed the Daein army, its co-conspirators, everyone. We would not have stopped until the continent was ashes. Then the spirit of chaos would have spread across Tellius, awakening the goddess and destroying the dragon tribe. That was the danger we faced in the Mad King's War.<br>'''Kurthnaga:''' ...<br>'''Ena:''' But Ashnard was defeated. And Rajaion regained his sanity thanks to the songs of the heron clan.<br>'''Almedha:''' ...Sniff... Bwuah... Sniff...<br>'''Nasir:''' We escaped annihilation once. We took Prince Rajaion's body back to Goldoa. And the king did not shed a tear, nor fly into a rage. He endured his loss by himself. He endured for the sake of his last child, and for the sake of his people. Goldoa remained neutral.|[[Nasir]], [[Kurthnaga]], [[Ena]], and [[Almedha]]|Radiant Dawn}}</ref>

During the Mad King's War, a mission at Palmeni Shrine led Ike and Reyson to the false conclusion that Ashnard had been the one behind the Serenes Massacare, and that he had both assassinated Apostle [[Misaha]] and framed the heron clan as a plot to claim Lehran's Medallion and the galdr of release.<ref>{{Cite|If true, it changes the meaning behind this war... The treatment of Lillia is one thing but...The assassination of the former apostle? The framing and destruction of my nation? If it was all part of Daein's plan to steal the medallion and the song, then I...I... The reason I fight...|[[Reyson]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> The two passed this story onto others after the war, including Sephiran, and it became the commonly assumed story until [[Rafiel]]'s return to Tellius allowed him to share his knowledge of the senate's role. Once he did, all laguz nations save for [[Goldoa]], along with the [[Greil Mercenaries]], formed the [[Laguz Alliance]] and declared war on Begnion, demanding justice for their role in instigating the massacre. This war achieved two of Ashnard's failed plans, both by turning into a war spanning the military might of all of Tellius, and by caused the release of the dark god in the final battle between Daein and the Laguz Alliance at Castle Nox. [[Ashera|The consequences of this]], however, could not have been more different from Ashnard's final ambition.

Ashnard was an ambitious and hot-blooded man who lived his life according to a philosophy of strength being the true order of nature. He grew frustrated with the idea of noble gentry and the fact that the position one would hold in life is determined by their parents' position, and believed that the solution was a world in which anyone could claim the right to rule so long as they were strong enough to take it from others; as far as he was concerned, the only way for the weak to survive in this order would be to submit to the strong. His ultimate goal in the Mad King's War was to use the dark god's power to reshape Tellius to establish this as the new order of civilization, and he was determined to risk everything to achieve this, even the possibility that Yune would wipe out all life on Tellius.<ref>{{Cite|'''Reyson:''' If the dark god is awakened, the world will once again be flooded. And this time, even our continent will fall. You will not survive that event... Do you truly desire such an end?<br>'''Ashnard:''' I do. Oh, how I do... It's true. The world may be destroyed by the coming of the dark god. Then again, it may not. I question the way in which our society is designed. No matter what strength a person has, it is the station he is born into that controls his destiny. And you cannot control where you will be born. Do you believe that a person of low birth should simply endure the curse of his station? I think not. If you are stronger than those around you, you should benefit from your strength. This is why I will use my strength to remake this world. Class and rank will not matter. Human and sub-human will not matter. The strong will possess everything. The weak will submit to their will. Is this not the meaning of peace?<br>'''Reyson:''' Are you saying that the lives of those without strength have no value?<br>'''Ashnard:''' That is the natural order. The only way for the weak to survive is to cling to the strong. Our discussion is over. Tell me, frail little bird who cannot fight; which do you choose? Submission? Or death?|[[Reyson]] and Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> To Ashnard, anyone weaker than him was only a tool to be used to his own ends, especially all [[laguz]].<ref>{{Cite|...The king called powerful beorc to his cause. But he had to see if they were worthy. He would test them by pitting them against those laguz. Ashnard considers laguz to be tools in service to his own mad ends. Nothing more. They are instruments to be used as he sees fit.|[[Ena]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

Ashnard's philosophy continued into how he recruited and treated his servants. When employing a new military servant, he did not care about their origins or their rank in life as long as they could prove their strength and their worthiness. This tactic of his was well-known outside of Daein, which made it fairly easy to get outsiders such as the Black Knight close to him.<ref>{{Cite|'''Sephiran:''' At the time, it was relatively easy to get an outsider close to the king. Ashnard was famous for employing powerful men with no regard for their background or social status.<br>'''Ike:''' Obviously, he would have needed no convincing once he saw the bladework of General Zelgius.|[[Sephiran]] and [[Ike]]|Radiant Dawn}}</ref> However, his continued trust in a servant similarly relied on their ability to continue to prove themselves, so if even his closest confidantes gave nothing but continued failures, he would discard them from his service entirely and possibly feed them to Rajaion.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' Now then, Petrine. My dear Petrine...You have made one blunder after another. How will you prove your worth to me...? If you wish to remain in my service, you must show me results. Unless you, too, wish to become food for Rajaion here?<br>'''Petrine:''' Y-Your Majesty! I will redouble my efforts! I won't... I won't let you down again!<br>'''Ashnard:''' You can be a general or you can be dinner. I don't really care which... But do try to show a little initiative, won't you?|Ashnard and [[Petrine]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> He cared so little about the fates of anybody who failed him that he had a tendency to forget about them until reminded.<ref>{{Cite|Oh, yes, her. I'd forgotten about [[Ena|that one]]. I lost all interest in her when she failed to hold Daein's capital, you know? I've no use for failures...|Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' Annoying little insect. Whose path is it that you think to block?<br>'''Jill:''' ...My father died because of you. He tried so hard...to prove he was a loyal citizen of Daein. And you never recognized his efforts. Not even once.<br>'''Ashnard:''' Are you complaining to me? Come back some other time. I'm busy.<br>'''Jill:''' Answer me! My father was General Shiharam! Why did he have to die?<br>'''Ashnard:''' Eh? Who are you talking about? The name is unfamiliar... I don't think we ever had such a general.<br>'''Jill:''' What?<br>'''Ashnard:''' This is a waste of time. Leave my sight at once.|Ashnard and [[Jill]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> He only placed any value on those who proved to be strong and discarded anyone and anything that failed to meet his standards, up to and including the entirety of Daein: he had no particular attachment to his homeland and was not moved at all by the fall of Nevassa, beyond disappointment and frustration at the failures of Ena and his soldiers.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' So the capital's fallen, eh? Ha! I knew it would come to this! Still...how disappointing. It doesn't matter how well you train an army--if they don't fight, they become weak. What's the life of a soldier without a steady diet of war? Blood and pain are the foods of a true warrior!<br>'''Petrine:''' Suh-speaking of soldiers, Your Highness...The majority of our forces have been moved here--<br>'''Ashnard:''' I left more than enough soldiers! And yet they could not prevail... I may have overestimated Ena. Even if she is a dragon, I suppose that was the best she could do.|Ashnard and [[Petrine]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

On a personal level, Ashnard loved participating in combat himself and took great pride in testing himself as a warrior. He placed relatively little value on his own life in the sense that he was completely accepting of the idea of his own death, believing that if he were to fall in battle, then his opponent would deserve the victory and the according right to reign.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ike:''' Mad King Ashnard! I will cut you down with this blade and end your reign of terror!<br>'''Ashnard:''' You? Cut me down? Heee... Good. If you possess the strength to do so, then so be it. That process is the principle on which my ideal world operates.<br>'''Ike:''' What are you talking about?|[[Ike]] and Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> Similarly, he cared little for the idea that he ought to preserve his own life solely because he happened to be royalty.<ref>{{Cite|'''Bryce:''' ...It appears the end is near. Your Majesty, please use the rear gate and withdraw. We will cover your retreat.<br>'''Ashnard:''' I am not leaving.<br>'''Bryce:''' But if... If we lose Your Majesty, the Daein royal bloodline itself will be lost!<br>'''Ashnard:''' Are you saying I will lose? Hm? Is that what you wish to say?<br>'''Bryce:''' ...Of course not! However, our army is in dire straits. It is merely an act of prudence, Your Majesty. I humbly ask that you consider the continuance of the bloodline above all else. Of course, your judgment--<br>'''Ashnard:''' The value of the thirteenth generation of Daein's royal family is not so high as to warrant your pathetic display. I AM Daein. If I am to be destroyed, then let Daein be destroyed with me.|[[Bryce]] and Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> Nothing pleased him more than the prospect of engaging a worthy foe, which led him to take a particular interest in Ike who, as Gawain's son, he believed would be exactly that; he even went so far as to test Ike with a gauntlet of elite soldiers purely for the thrill of seeing how Ike would with them.<ref>{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' Are you the one they claim is the son of Gawain?<br>'''Ike:''' King Ashnard of Daein! Your treachery dies on my blade!<br>'''Ashnard:''' Oh ho? Ah ha ha ha haaaa! I see that blade in your hand... It is a sacred blade, is it not? The only type of blade that can pierce my armor. Hm. It matters not how famous the blade. If the wielder lacks skill, the greatest sword is nothing but blunted steel.<br>'''Ike:''' Don't worry. You will see for yourself how blunt it is.<br>'''Ashnard:''' I expect good things from you, son of Gawain. What you see before you are my elite, handpicked soldiers. How will you deal with them? I'm looking forward to watching you. Don't disappoint me!|Ashnard and [[Ike]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> He was similarly excited by the prospects of fighting [[Tibarn]]<ref>{{Cite|'''Ashnard:''' Oh, the king of hawks! Meeting your feathered carcass here today is... Fantastic! I am so pleased!<br>'''Tibarn:''' As am I. I want to rake my talons across your face so much, I can hardly control myself.<br>'''Ashnard:''' Waaaaa haaaa haaa! Heeee heee haaa! Perfect! PERFECT!!! That is what war is all about!<br>'''Tibarn:''' Come. Let's get started.|Ashnard and [[Tibarn]]|Path of Radiance}}</ref> and [[Nasir]],<ref>{{Cite|A white dragon! To meet with you here... Wheeee haa haa haaaa! For me, there is no greater joy!|Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> and expressed interest in someday personally fighting the Black Knight.<ref>{{Cite|'''Petrine:''' Plus, as you know, the Black Knight is in possession of warp powder. If someone of his might has the ability to appear and disappear at will, it may be that he is without equal...W-with the exception of Your Majesty, of course!! I... I mean...<br>'''Ashnard:''' Ha ha. I will have to test that someday...But not today. It's not often that one finds a tool as useful as he is.<br>'''Petrine:''' Well spoken, Your Majesty.|[[Petrine]] and Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref> He also had a significant cruel streak, taking great enjoyment in provoking Bryce by revealing in explicit detail how he had been responsible for the deaths of Bryce's beloved former lieges.<ref name="liege" /> He did not care about whether he would be regarded as evil after doing all of his deeds, and said there would be no way to know until he was finished, one way or the other.<ref>{{Cite|Will history judge me to be just or evil? We will not know until all of this is finished.|Ashnard|Path of Radiance}}</ref>

{{main|Ashnard/Quotes (Path of Radiance)}}

{{quote|Hmph... You're outmatched.|Ashnard in [[Smash Brethren 1]].}}

{{quote|'''Ashnard:''' You wear a bold expression, but you're outmatched.<br>'''Walhart:''' You are lost. But once I have broken you, I will put you on the right path.|Ashnard fighting [[Walhart]] in [[Smash Brethren 1]].}}

{{quote|Heh, I think you need a lesson in how powerless you really are.|Ashnard in [[Smash Brethren 3]].}}

{{quote|'''Walhart:''' A man as lost as you will never turn me from my path.<br>'''Ashnard:''' Really? Nonsense like that requires more persuasive evidence!|Ashnard fighting [[Walhart]] in [[Smash Brethren 3]].}}

{{quote|Heh, I see the conviction in your eye. Now, fight me with all you've got!|Ashnard in [[Rogues & Redeemers 1]].}}

{{quote|'''Cherche:''' Why do you ride your wyvern like that? Have you no concern for your mount?<br>'''Ashnard:''' I'm concerned with winning.<br>'''Cherche:''' Then you do not deserve to stay aloft!|Ashnard fighting [[Cherche]] in [[Rogues & Redeemers 1]].}}

 

{{quote|'''Cherche:''' How dare you treat your poor wyvern so carelessly!<br>'''Ashnard:''' Damn you and damn the wyvern. All that matters is I win!|Ashnard fighting [[Cherche]] in [[Rogues & Redeemers 3]].}}

{{Quote|Good! How my heart quickens! We must do this...again...|Ashnard, in [[Smash Brethren 1]].}}

{{Quote|Nngh... How could I lose to such...rabble...|Ashnard, as an [[NPC]] in [[Smash Brethren 2]].}}

{{Quote|Heh heh... Yes! Finally a battle...worth fighting...|Ashnard, in [[Smash Brethren 3]].}}

{{Quote|Such strength... Good... The strong deserve to win...|Ashnard, in [[Rogues & Redeemers 1]].}}

{{Quote|Heh heh heh... So, these wretches have a few decent fighters after all...|Ashnard, as an NPC in [[Rogues & Redeemers 2]].}}

{{Quote|Nngh... You see? This is why I fight... To get a taste of something greater...|Ashnard, in [[Rogues & Redeemers 3]].}}

|Clear [[smashwiki:Target Smash|Target Smash]] Level 3 with 10 characters

==Meet some of the Heroes entries==

*In the NTSC-U version of {{SSBB}}, Ashnard's trophy says that he wields the sword "Gurugant". This is a typo&mdash;the correct spelling is "Gurgurant". This was fixed in the PAL release.