Arcadios

Arcadios (アルカディオス Arukadiosu) is a Squadron Chief in the Royal Kingdom of Fiore, though he seems to also have an allegiance towards Zeref.

Appearance
Arcadios is a muscular, well-built man of average height, seen to be wearing armor of the Cherry Blossom Holy Knight Squadron. He has deep set eyes and high cheekbones, with a small scar running from his left temple to the edge of his thick eyebrows. He also has a snub, square-shaped nose. His hair is dark and wavy, sticking up around his head, with prominent sideburns that join into a curved and pointed beard.

Personality
Arcadios seems to have a dark personality, and has a tendency to use metaphors while talking. Also, as he seems to be affiliated with Zeref (whom he called "Lord") he doesn't come across as a person with good intentions. Arcadios is also a person who is willing to sacrifice the lives of others in order to achieve his goals. However, if it is necessary, he would also not hesitate to sacrifice his own life to achieve his goals. Despite all this, he seemed to have pretended being the villain all along, simply to protect the princess Hisui E. Fiore, the true mastermind behind the Eclipse-Plan, thus, his true personality is now called into question.

Grand Magic Games arc
As Arcadios watches the fight between Lucy Heartfilia and Flare Corona, he gets excited that "it" will be completed at the Grand Magic Games this year, and wishes for Zeref to wait just a little longer.

After the first day of the Grand Magic Games, Arcadios is seen kneeling in the presence of Fiore's King, asking him if he has any requests for the battle pairings of the second day. After hearing the King's broken reply and request that he should rest, Arcadios leaves the room, laughing to himself at the thought of being able to relax when "that" is almost complete.

During the second day of the Games, Arcadios accompanies the King to Domus Flau to view the battles portion of the competition. After the King conveys his excitement at getting to see Erza Scarlet fight Bacchus, Arcadios quickly realizes that he has misinterpreted the King's request from the day before and organized for Elfman Strauss to fight Bacchus instead. When the King expresses his annoyance at the mix-up, Arcadios begrudgingly apologizes. During the battle, Arcadios has ordered some men to kidnap Lucy. However, the men fail and are captured by Natsu Dragneel, angering Arcadios and prompting him to proceed to plan B, a plan to utilize the discord between Fairy Tail and Raven Tail in order to capture Lucy and fulfill his Eclipse Plan.

Arcadios is later approached by the Minister of Defense, Datong, who questions him about his intention when he tried to have Lucy kidnapped. Arcadios tells him that he needs Lucy to try a test run of the Eclipse plan, revealing to him that it is already complete. He also tells him that he is willing to sacrifice her life in order to open the gateway to changing the world, much to the Minister's horror.

Upon seeing Yukino Aguria battle Kagura Mikazuchi in the last battle of the second day, Arcadios displays his amazement that there is another Celestial Spirit Mage in the tournament, happily grinning as he confirms that his plans are now more assured than ever before. After the second day finishes, Arcadios is seen rifling through a mass of papers and books, figuring out that with Lucy and Yukino's keys combined, the Twelve Zodiac are complete. After stating that the Eclipse Plan will now activate completely, he begins to laugh maniacally and call Zeref's name.

At the end of the Fourth Day's Event, Naval Battle, Lucy Heartfilia, one of the competitors, is drastically-brutalized by Minerva before her defeat in the event. Arcadios, afraid of losing his targeted Celestial Spirit Mage, sends his guards and orders Mato to stop the event immediately.

After Lucy is brought to the infirmary, Arcadios is seen talking with Datong about it, saying that their strategy failed and the best thing to do would be enjoy the rest of the festival. Arcadios says that the plan that will change the world will start in 3 days, much to Datong's tension. He then states that Zeref has been waiting for it.

On the night of the fourth day of the Grand Magic Games, Arcadios and Yukino travel together to the catacombs underneath the Domus Flau, where they encounter Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Gajeel, Gray, Happy and Carla trying to resurrect a dragon soul from the dragon skeletons that litter the caverns. Having not been seen by the group, he and Yukino stand back and watch as Wendy successfully uses Milky Way to summon forth Zirconis, a huge emerald dragon. He listens in as Zirconis explains the history of the dragons to the group, as well as Acnologia's past of once being human, and the destruction of the dragons at the hands of the Dragon Slayers. When Zirconis fades away, Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers begin to wonder if overusing their Magic will turn them into dragons as well, and Arcadios uses this moment to reveal himself, stating that something like that will not happen and that his research into the history of the dragons has now been confirmed. Ignoring the surprised reactions of the Fairy Tail Mages, Arcadios goes on to ask if they have heard of Zeref's dark book of Magic, and states that he believes it was Zeref who turned Acnologia from a human into a dragon. From this, he concludes to the group that destroying Zeref, the root of all darkness, is the first major step to defeating Acnologia.

Arcadios introduces himself to the Fairy Tail Mages and briefly explains that, in part of his plan, he needs a Celestial Spirit Mage. Natsu approaches him with hostility, wondering why the need for Celestial Spirit Mages is so important. Arcadios does not answer his question and instead instructs the small group to follow him. He leads them inside Mercurius. There, Arcadios reveals that he staged the attempted kidnapping on Lucy several days before, and apologizes for his actions. As he leads the Mages further inside the building, Arcadios elaborates more on his plan: the Eclipse Plan. He adds that it is set to take affect in three days, on July 7; in addition to being the day of a solar eclipse, July 7 is also the day in which the Dragons disappeared fourteen years ago. Soon after, the group is approached and surrounded by a team of Fiore Guards led by Datong. Arcadios is shocked that Datong is betraying him, only to be told that the latter never agreed with his plan in the first place. Datong then issues that Arcadios be apprehended under suspicion of treason.

Soon after, a severely battered Arcadios is discovered underneath the castle in Abyss Palace by the Fairy Tail Mages who were sent there along with Yukino. As the Mages attempt to wake him up, he weakly tells them to get away as a large figure approaches from behind and attacks. As more figures approach and reveal themselves, Arcadios explains them to be an independent unit of the Kingdom known as the Garou Knights and states they're the reason why Abyss Palace is inescapable.

As Natsu laughs at the sight of the Garou Knights because of their looks, Arcadios warns him that they are efficient killers despite their appearance. Soon, the Mages are separated because of the impact Cosmos' destroyed Grow Flow causes, leading Arcadios to fall in the same place Lucy, Yukino, Happy and Carla are located. When Uosuke appears in front of them, Lucy and the others are confident that they can easily beat him as they notice his doltish appearance, but Arcadios says that he is such a skilled assassin that not even the bones of his victims remain when he is done with them.

Watching Uosuke begin his assault, Arcadios is shocked to feel the ground begin to burn, even more so when it splits open into large cracks, revealing lava pooling underneath. Seeing Lucy and Yukino stumble and begin to fall into the fiery pit, Arcadios screams their names, worried as the two dangle precariously over the edge, held up only by their fingers. With the two girl in danger of falling at any second and their feet already beginning to burn, Arcadios pulls himself from the ground, asking the two girls not to give in, as they are the only hope for the Eclipse Plan to begin. This in mind, Arcadios states that he is willing to forfeit his life to see them safe, and begins to run through the lava towards them, despite the two girls screams of protest. Reaching the area beneath Lucy and Yukino, Arcadios grabs their legs and begins to hoist them up the rock face, yelling at them to quickly climb up whilst he supports them. The two girls hastily scale the ledge, but as they turn to pull Arcadios up realise that he has already sunk waist deep into the lava, completely exhausted. As he starts to be fully enveloped by the burning liquid, Arcadios tells the two that if they make it out of the Abyss Palace they must find Princess Hisui E. Fiore, as well as decide for themselves whether to fully support the Eclipse Plan. Having said this, Arcadios completely sinks into the lava. Seeing him disappear, Lucy and Yukino scream Arcadios' name, only to be shocked a few seconds later when Horologium rises from the liquid, Arcadios safe (yet still gravely wounded) within his clock cavity.

After his fiery baptism in lava, Carla is surprised to see he is still alive, seeing how the searing heat of lava did not kill him. After the Garou Knights are defeated, Loke carries him out through the wall Aquarius previously destroyed with one of her spells, they soon reunite with the other Mages. As he is carried within Abyss Palace, Yukino asks how his health is, to which Loke replies that he is just fine, and Happy remarks that it is surprising how Arcadios survived despite being consumed by the hot lava. It is revealed that the jade amulet was what probably saved him, and then the Fairy Tail Mages and Yukino consider meeting with Hisui, as Arcadios requested, before a hooded woman appears before them. The hooded woman reveals to be Lucy Heartfilia, though Arcadios is the only one that doesn't finds this out due his unconsciousness.

Magic and Abilities
Immense Strength: Arcadios was shown to be heavily muscled. While roasted alive by lava, Arcadios was able to lift up both Lucy and Yukino with both his arms alone. Additionally, he was able to walk through extremely thick lava using just his legs.

Equipment
Jade Amulet: A powerful, protective amulet that, according to Loke, protected Arcadios from the lava pit. It is an ordinary amulet with an intricately designed chain and a jade stone centered between a decorative frame featuring a pair of crossing swords.

Battles & Events

 * Arrests at Mercurius

Quotes

 * (To Datong) "For the sake of his king... for the sake of his country... a man can become a demon or a god. Before Eclispe, the gateway to changing the world... the price of a single girl's life is indeed quite cheap."
 * (To Lucy and Yukino) "Keep it up. You two are our only hope... Without you, Eclipse cannot begin. For that sake... I regret nothing, even if I have to forfeit my life!!!"
 * (To Lucy and Yukino) "Whether Eclipse is the right path or not, you should decide for yourselves."