Fernando Alhorn
Fernando Alhorn (フェルナンド・アルホーン, Ferunando Aruhōn) is the main antagonist of the light novel rey infinito.
He is a gang leader of human smugglers who shoots hundreds of civilians with the Bow and Arrow, hoping to awaken their powers. He is the user of a currently unknown Stand.
Appearance
Fernando Alhorn is a middle-aged man with deeply chiseled features. He has green eyes, and the lines on his cheeks and chin are sharp "as if they were forged by a blacksmith". He appears as if he could be an action star, pimp, street vendor, and a character from Greek mythology all at once.
Alhorn's arms, neck, and chest are covered in blue tattoos made with the ink of boiled-down clerodendrums. His tattoos include a lizard, an eagle, thorns, lightning, the cross, a shooting target, hieroglyphics, and a long slogan of revolutionary ideology.[3] He wears a gold wristwatch.[1]
When relaxing in his hideout, he only wears a robe.[2]
Personality
Alhorn is a psychopathic, apathetic, and intimidating man with violent and cruel tendencies. Ever since he was a child, he felt unable to see himself, his friends, or his family as anything else but walking cadavers. However, he felt like he could hear a mysterious howling within him that sounded like a scream, eventually learning the true nature of his soul once he turned 50. While he was in the military, despite seeing maggots infesting the bodies of his allies, houses of innocents being burned down, and civilians shot to death, Alhorn was more concerned that he would soil himself from dysentry-induced incontinence. Although he is from an affluent family, Alhorn doesn't feel as if he has fallen from grace due to his actions. He also feels no joy when he is surrounded by wealth and women, and isn't the type to think about his past or future.[1] His goal is to make war a sport that is handled by private parties rather than being waged between countries, where a team would win based on their strategy, logistics, and ammunition reserves. He strongly dislikes traitors and those who would shamelessly switch sides, such as when Octavio Luna Kan attempts to provide classified information in exchange for gaining powers from the Bow and Arrow.[2]
Alhorn acts impulsively on his curiosity, obsessed with learning more about the powers that the Arrow could awaken. He believes that these powers are one's deepest weaknesses and will lead humanity to new horizons. He feels no compassion or empathy when shooting or torturing his targets, not even when he decides to murder the family of his right-hand-man, Dos Santos. He would hurt women, children, and people of any age or race indiscriminately. Eventually, he creates rules to abide by when choosing his targets so that he wouldn't get frustrated for wasting his time when they fail to awaken powers, ensuring he would push their bodies to the limit from stress or fear.[1] His torturing methods are extremely inhumane, involving either slicing off skin with a razor, ripping off nails, cutting off digits, hammering nails into them, shooting, burning, starving, freezing, drowning, playing songs over and over again, or planting lethal bacteria in their bodies. He would occasionally take pity on his victims and show them mercy to break their minds, making them his loyal slaves to the point where they would even offer their wives or children to him. He also acts prideful and confident over his sadistic techniques.[2]
Due to alcohol use, Alhorn speaks with a husky voice,[3] described as making listeners feel that they are being dragged somewhere by a powerful wave. His presence unnerves even Octavio, who is normally fearless no matter who he's facing.[2] According to Aki Marcela de la Vega, Alhorn acts very friendly and eloquent when speaking. He is intelligent and likes to read philosophical books. Lisa Lisa describes him as being unprincipled, frivolous, and hollow. Despite confronting evil beings who were far more despicable than him, she likens Alhorn to the personification of the depths of hell, noting that his empty eyes lack desire or determination.[3] Alhorn calls those who try capturing him his fanatics, but he doesn't believe in any god or religion, nor is he trying to imitate being a god. His sole purpose is following the voice he hears from his soul deep within him.[2]
Abilities
As a gang leader, Alhorn commands several armed soldiers and bodyguards, both with and without Stand abilities. His mercenaries are loyal and Alhorn relies on them to handle intruders to his hideout before he personally tortures them. While torturing, he has swift movements that are skillful and controlled.[2]
Stand
Alhorn is the user of a currently unknown Stand. He describes it as being dark and murky like black smoke with a human silhouette deep within it.[3]
History
Background
Fernando Alhorn was born into a family that became rich off of the oil and mining industries. His father died when he was 17, but he enlisted in the military instead of inheriting his father's lands or mines since he was the third-eldest son. He was assigned to the Agrupamiento del Norte's 33rd infantry brigade and fought in the Ecuadorian border conflict. He suffered from illnesses such as malaria and typhoid fever while witnessing his countrymen and several people shot to death.
He was eventually discharged after a ceasefire was declared, and later traveled to places such as Brazil and Mexico. He worked several jobs while traveling, being a day laborer, bouncer, pimp, human smuggler, tour guide, and geological survey assistant. He read books and didn't settle down in any one place.[1] Alhorn dabbled in illegal activities such as smuggling, organizing gangs of robbers and kidnappers, supporting far-left extremists, and there are unconfirmed rumors of him committing political manipulation through assassinations and poisonings.[3] When he turned 50, he discovered the true nature of his "alma gritando".[1] He learned of the Bow and Arrow through his role as a geological survey assistant, and obtained it during one of his routes.[3]
At some point, Alhorn became the boss of the human traffickers throughout South America. The organization became more corrupt ever since, doing things like demanding exorbitant fees, forcing people to walk through dangerous areas, and shooting them with the Arrow.[4] He often went out in sandals, went to a random home, knocked on the door, and then shot whoever answered with the Arrow. The man had shot over a hundred people with the Arrow but less than 20% awakened their powers. Instead of wasting his time, he created a set of rules to abide by when choosing his targets. Both Alhorn and his right-hand-man, Dos Santos, are included in the personas más peligrosas list.[1] Alhorn had been detained by border patrols for smuggling, stranded at airports, and interrogated by police several times, but managed to escape each time. However, audio recordings of his interrogations were left behind.[3]
In the early 70s, he traveled back to his homeland of Peru. He found a new place to live in the suburbs of the capital instead of returning to his family home. He made appearances all throughout the country, and sometimes branched out into neighboring nations.[1]
rey infinito
Vacationing at Santa Rosa
Alhorn resides in an extremely large repurposed factory hidden on the summit of San Juan de Lurigancho.[2] One day in 1974, Sasha Loggins and Gustave Shaulo Messina are caught by Dos Santos when trying to investigate his hideout. They are brought to a room similar to a quarantine ward.[5]
Meanwhile, Alhorn is at Santa Rosa. He visits the family home of Dos Santos, and is invited inside. Curious about whether Dos Santos's bloodline or environment influenced his Stand ability, Alhorn shoots Dos Santos's parents with the Arrow. Both of them die and Alhorn leaves their bodies in the living room. He then goes to the bedroom and forces their son-in-law to put his head to his pregnant wife's stomach to hear their baby kicking and breathing. Alhorn shoots them with the Arrow, killing the man, his wife, and their baby all at once. He waits for a while to see if they would awaken any powers, but nothing happens.
Alhorn then takes off his shirt and relaxes in their house, drinking and laying on their bed. Dos Santos arrives to pick him up, telling him that he should return home soon. However, Alhorn tells Dos Santos to relax and have some drinks. Consequently, they end up staying in the house for three more days while drinking. Dos Santos asks his boss to put his clothes on since it's not his house. He explains that there are people waiting for him in their cells, so Alhorn finally decides that they should leave and tells Dos Santos to grab the Bow and Arrow. Dos Santos is shocked to see his sister and brother-in-law's corpses, and laments the death of his family once they head to the living room despite cutting ties with them years ago. Alhorn asks Dos Santos what he expected when they decided they would come to his home.
As they leave the house, they are immediately surrounded by Santa Rosa police officers, who point their guns and have armored cars behind them. Alhorn suspects that Dos Santos set him up, but Dos Santos denies the accusation. Alhorn then orders Dos Santos to wipe out the police officers using his powers.[1]
Intruders of the Citadel
When Alhorn returns back to his citadel, he shoots Sasha and Gustave with the Arrow along with the other prisoners in the quarantine room.[5] Three men who run militia groups in Mexico attempt to band their groups together to capture Alhorn. However, they are captured instead and made into Alhorn's torture victims. Alhorn immobilizes them by tying their limbs to a chair's armrest and legs, with stakes driven through their hands into the wood. For the next few days, Alhorn tortures them by scraping off pieces of their skin and burning body parts on one of them, while tearing out the finger nails and cutting off an ear and toes on the other two. In order to prevent them from going into shock, he covers their bodies with a blanket and gives them smelling salt made from deer horns and hooves.
He is interrupted when Alhorn's subordinate brings Octavio to his room. Alhorn interrogates Octavio, who reveals he's from Guatemala and has encountered a man who controls iron flies and a girl who uses chalk to make holes. Alhorn doesn't seem to know who Fabio is, but is aware of Izahela and asks whether Octavio could see her chalk. Trying to navigate the conversation, Octavio hints that various organizations are after Alhorn. He emphasizes that he's not just another informant but someone who wants a mutually beneficial deal, since he put himself at risk to provide Alhorn with information. Alhorn tries to gauge Octavio's true intentions, as he's wary of Octavio's potential to betray him, likening him to a dog that might bite the hand that feeds it. Nonetheless, Octavio tries to assert his independence, stating he doesn't want to be a mere pawn but seeks a life of his own. He subtly flatters Alhorn, suggesting he has the physique of an athlete, and tries to steer the conversation towards his desire for the Arrow by wondering whether he plays sports or does archery. Alhorn claims he doesn't play sports, but shares his vision of the future of warfare.
Seemingly growing tired of the discussion, Alhorn invites Octavio to follow him to a different part of the room. Alhorn flips off the blanket on the three objects in front of them to reveal the three men he was torturing. As one man slowly begins to regain consciousness, Alhorn suddenly drives a nail into his thumb and then slices off a sliver of skin from his cheek using a razor. Alhorn orders Octavio to tell him exactly who is leading the investigation and what organization he is part of, since Octavio is next in line to be tortured. Before Octavio could even think about fleeing, Alhorn's subordinates shove him to the floor and restrain him. He is dragged away and thrown into a solitary cell.[2]
Octavio manages to escape by swiping the key to his cell from one of Alhorn's guards. He starts a fire in the citadel which eventually causes an explosion when it reaches a gas cylinder. Dos Santos battles Joaquín Ruiz-Jorruda, Octavio, and Sasha as they try to escape. Meanwhile, Alhorn and his other men evacuate the citadel using a pickup truck and several other cars through a hidden escape route. When Dos Santos is defeated, Alhorn shoots Joaquín and Octavio from the truck using his crossbow with the Arrow. As they crawl on the ground from excruciating pain, Alhorn taunts them about their changed fates and hints at looking forward to seeing them again before speeding off.[6]
Chapters
Novel Appearances- rey infinito - Guatemala Arc
- Chapter 3 (Mentioned only)
- rey infinito - Peru Arc
- Chapter 4 (1st full appearance)
- Chapter 5 (Flashback)
- Chapter 6 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 9 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11 (Mentioned only)
Quotes
Quotes- “The essence of war and murder is asymmetry. They have never had equal actions and results.”—Fernando Alhorn, rey infinito Chapter 4
- “You set me up, didn't you? You led the cops here like a pack of wolves, you son of a bitch!”—Fernando Alhorn to Dos Santos, rey infinito Chapter 4
- “I know when there's prey in my web by the tiny vibrations that travel down the strings. My world's so filled with those sensations that there's no room for anything else.”—Fernando Alhorn, rey infinito Chapter 5
- “A person's inner self can't be said to be good or evil. It's their actions that are.”—Fernando Alhorn, rey infinito Chapter 5
- “I didn't call you here to make a deal—I called you here to make you talk, and I have my ways.”—Fernando Alhorn, rey infinito Chapter 7
- “You're nothing but a dog. There’s no guarantee a traitor like you won't bite the hand that feeds it.”—Fernando Alhorn to Octavio Luna Kan, rey infinito Chapter 7
- “Soon, war won't be waged between countries. It'll be handled by private parties. These won't be wars fought over land, borders, or national identity, and it won't be any holy war fought by future martyrs. I'll make guerra into a sport in every way. Sure, it's a team sport in some ways, but at its core, it'll be all about the individual athlete. Casualties will be like player injuries. So what is it that a team needs to win in the sport of guerra? Strategy, logistics, and ammunition reserves. I don't have time to deal with the mierda who shamelessly switch sides or don't want to become another weapon.”—Fernando Alhorn, rey infinito Chapter 7
- “I've shouted at these bastards about how they're just my fanáticos, but I don't believe in any god or religion. I'm not trying to imitate those fakes that people wrote those reverent hymns about. All I'm doing is listening to that voice deep inside of me.”—Fernando Alhorn, rey infinito Chapter 7
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 rey infinito Chapter 4: IV - Peru Arc
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 rey infinito Chapter 7: VII - Peru Arc
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 rey infinito Chapter 5: V - Peru Arc
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 rey infinito Chapter 3: III - Guatemala Arc
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 rey infinito Chapter 8: VIII - Peru Arc
- ↑ rey infinito Chapter 10: X - Peru Arc
