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Caim2

Caim and Angelus entering into a pact.

A Pact, also known as a Contract (契約 Keiyaku?) in the Japanese version, is a contract system in the world of Drakengard between a human (or other humanoid race) and a beast. By merging their souls together, the human gains supernatural powers, and both participants gain a second chance in life should either or both be close to death. The human must pay some price for the pact, and if one should be fatally injured, it means death for both unless the pact is broken. Beings who have formed a pact with each other are referred to as "pact-partners".

Overview[]

By the power of my Song, I hereby forge a pact in exchange for the life of this dragon! Gods of the east, goddesses of the west, I offer up the flame of my life as payment.

The pact system was first used during Chapter 16 of Drag-On Dragoon Utahime Five by One to save Gabriella from her beastification. According to Partition, forging a pact is "The most severe forbidden Magic of the Old". It was later used in Drakengard 3 by Zero in a desperate effort to save the life of Mikhail after being poisoned by Raphael. Accord describes the procedure as "utilizing the reprogramming function of the Flower". The result was that Mikhail was resurrected with Zero's Flower transplanted into his eye and, while Zero survived, she regressed to a child-like form as her payment. An early example of a pact also occurred between Zero and Mikhail during the events of Drag-On Dragoon 3 Story Side. One element of this was demonstrated when One's brother killed Zero, which also caused Mikhail's death. Several common and/or fundamental elements of the pact system are present in these early instances: a ritual to save a life, the human partner paying a price for the pact, and the lives of the two becoming linked.

As of Drakengard and Drakengard 2, beasts are drawn to the negative emotions of humans and will be inclined to form a pact with a human when they sense those emotions rising, even if they are typically uninterested in humans. This poses a potential threat to the human pact-partner, putting them at an increased risk of mental instability and collapse. A beast's attraction to negative emotions is compared to the human feeling of love.[1] While some beasts like the Faerie have little motivation to forge pacts outside of feeding on negative emotions, others may have different reasons for forming pacts, such as Angelus entering a pact with Caim to save her own life. Although a pact must be mutually agreed upon, it is possible for one being to pressure the other into forming a pact, as seen in the Faerie's pact with Leonard.

The pact-price is always something important to the human: the more powerful the beast, the greater the price. Caim, who sought connection,[2][3] lost his voice in exchange for his pact. Leonard, who struggled with pedophilic urges, lost his sight. Zhangpo, who was accustomed to extreme gluttony, lost his ability to eat. Urick, who abandoned Oror to preserve his own life, lost his mortality. "Lesser" pact-prices, such as Verdelet's hair, are the result of entering a pact with a less powerful beast. However, they are still a loss to the human partner.[4]

A pact can also be broken, as demonstrated in branches C and D of Drakengard. However, the details of how a pact is broken are unclear.

Pacts of Drakengard[]

Broken pacts[]

  • Caim & Angelus (Branch C)
  • Seere & Golem (Branch D)

Trivia[]

  • In Branch C & D of Drakengard, breaking a pact causes the human pact-partner to regain their pact-price. For instance, Caim was able to speak again after Angelus broke their pact.
    • Branch C & D of Drakengard also suggest that it may not be necessary for both pact-partners to consent to breaking their pact.
  • When making a pact, the bond is cemented by a mark placed on the human pact-partner's body. The location of the mark seems to be influenced by the price paid for the pact. This is demonstrated with many pact-partners throughout the series:
    • Caim, who lost his speech, had his mark placed on his tongue.
    • Leonard, who lost his sight, had his mark placed on his right eye.
    • Arioch, who lost her fertility, had her mark placed on her abdomen.
    • Inuart, who lost his ability to sing, had his mark placed on his neck.
    • Zhangpo, who lost his ability to eat, had his mark placed inside his mouth.
    • Hanch, who lost her charm, had her mark placed on her breasts.
  • The pact system doesn't become a widespread concept in branches where Zero and Mikhail never forge a pact, despite One and Gabriella forging a pact before them. The exact reason for this is unknown.
  • The White Chlorination Syndrome caused by the maso of the queen-beast in another dimension forces humans to choose between a pact with God or death.
  • Kaine and Tyrann from the Nier Universe share something close to a pact as Tyrann (the beast) came to Kaine (the human) who was dying and they came to share the same body. If Kaine were to die than Tyrann would die as well.

References[]

  1. Drag-on Dragoon: Inside World - Pact
  2. Drag-on Dragoon: Inside World - Questions and Answers - "I think the reason why he lost his voice was that communicating with words was something highly important for a man who was becoming a demon in his quest for revenge. How poetic it is for him to try to call out..."
  3. Magnitude Negative: Chapter Four - Time - "The lonely soul of Caim, who had continuously and so desperately sought out some connection with others, had reached the depths of despair."
  4. Drag-on Dragoon: Inside World - Questions and Answers - "Hair was something that was very important to him." "The price of his pact being his hair was lighter than most because he formed one with a petrified and weakened dragon. Had he formed a pact with a more powerful creature, he would have lost his genitals or some other part." "Because of his pact, he lost all of that popular hair he was so proud of."
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