Auro

"But my life... does not belong to me alone. There is an unencompassable duty I am sworn to fulfill. Until it's done, I cannot allow myself to die."

— Auro to Sunny, Chapter 13, 'Moment of Truth' ^[1]

Description

Auro, more commonly referred to as "Hero" by Sunny throughout most of their encounter, is a character introduced during Sunny's First Nightmare.

He was a young soldier escorting a slave caravan up a frozen mountain in the service of an ancient empire devoted to the War God.^[2] Despite his outwardly noble bearing and apparent kindness toward the slaves, Auro is later revealed to be an Awakened of considerable skill^[1] and a member of the enigmatic group known as the Nine. ^[3]

Notably, out of all the people in Sunny's First Nightmare, Auro was the only one whose name was acknowledged by the Spell.^[3]

Appearance

"Clad in a simple leather cuirass, armed with a spear and a short sword, he looked dignified and noble. To Sunny's irritation, the asshole was really pretty, too."

—Physical description of Auro, Chapter 2, 'Slave Caravan' ^[2]

Auro was described as a young soldier who carried himself with a dignified and noble air. He rode a beautiful white horse and was clad in a simple leather cuirass, armed with a spear and a short sword.^[2] Sunny later remarked, with some irritation, that Auro was strikingly handsome and was the sort of figure who would be cast as the male lead in a historical drama.^[2]Auro's youthful, gentle features are part of why Sunny initially settles on the nickname "Hero" for him.

Notable Abilities

Aspect

Sunny suspected that Auro had not yet unsealed his Aspect during the events of the First Nightmare.^[4]

[Aspect Name]: Unknown

[Aspect Rank]: Unknown

[Dormant Ability]: Unknown

[Awakened Ability]: Unknown

[Aspect Legacy]: Unknown

[Flaw Name]: Unknown

[Flaw Effect]: Unknown

General Capabilities

Although Auro presents himself as an ordinary young soldier, his true strength is far greater than what he lets on. Auro reveals his Soul Core has Awakened long ago and that he has slain countless enemies and absorbed their power, making him immune to poisons such as Bloodbane that would kill a normal human.^[1]

In Sunny's First Nightmare, Auro demonstrates considerable martial skill during the caravan's journey, single-handedly cutting down the remaining Mountain King larvae after the initial attack.^[5]

Auro was also identified as a member of the Nine, a designation whose full significance is not revealed in the early chapters.^[3]

Notable Equipment

Auro was only shown to carry a short sword and a spear.

History

Early Life

Auro was from a peaceful realm that had rolling hills of olive trees and beautiful cities. It was a land with wine-coloured seas, deep forests, and tranquil shrines.^[7] His people were described as mild-tempered and exquisitely cultured.^[8]

Auro was described as a young boy with red hair.^[7]

First Encounter (Volume 1, Child of Shadows)

Sunny's First Nightmare took place during the twilight years of the Golden Age, not long before the Doom War started. During which, Auro was in the service of the militant Empire that was led by the avatar of War.

Personality

"Bear with it a little more, child. We will stop for the night soon. For now, here, drink some water."

— Auro to Sunny, Chapter 2, 'Moment of Truth' ^[2]

Auro projects the image of a noble, honor-bound warrior. He treats the slaves under his charge with apparent compassion, offering water and concern when he need not have done so.^[9] After the Mountain King's apparent defeat, he assumed responsibility for shepherding the survivors to safety.^[10]

Beneath this noble exterior, however, Auro is shown to be hypocritical. He decides to kill Sunny not out of any genuine necessity but because doing so is convenient and improves his own chances of survival, while still framing the act as mercy.^[1] Auro's adherence to his duty is sincere, but in Sunny's eyes, that same dedication is what allows him to rationalise the murder of a defenseless boy as a justifiable act.

Relationships

Sunny

"There is nothing more pathetic than a slave who begins to trust his slaver."

— Sunny to Auro, Chapter 13, 'Moment of Truth' ^[1]

Auro's relationship with Sunny is brief but memorable. Initially, Auro pities Sunny, mistaking him for a young child due to his small stature.^[2] Sunny, for his part, distrusts Auro from the very first moment, noting cynically that the soldier is far too pretty and too noble to be trusted, and quietly nicknames him "Hero" with a mixture of mockery and resentment.^[11] This distrust drives Sunny to begin poisoning the group's water flagons immediately after the first attack, which was well before Auro had given any indication of betrayal.^[1]

Trivia