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Rafayel is the third love interest introduced inLove And Deepspace. He is an eccentric artist who lives on the beach of Whitesand Bay. If there’s one thing that can be said of spending time with Rafayel, it’s that you will never be bored.
His frequent mood swings, bursts of inspiration, and snarky remarks are sure to keep you on your toes. Rafayel is a loving (if clingy) partner who will constantly remind you how missed you are. If you are looking for a man who will always give you the time of day, he is the one for you.
This article contains spoilers for the main storyline and many of Rafayel’s Memory cards.
Who Is Rafayel?
Rafayel is asnarky Lemurian artistand a bit of an elusive character in the eyes of the public, as he veryrarely leaves his studio.
After investigating apossible Wanderer attackat an art collector’s house, the MC finds one ofRafayel’s paintingsat the scene. Since the painting had beentainted with Metaflux(the energy signature that indicates a Wanderer’s presence), theMC went to Rafayel’s houseto ask about any possible Wanderer sightings in his studio.
Rafayel is aLemurian. Lemurians are a race ofimmortal merpeoplefrom the fabled underwater city of Lemuria. Occasionally, he’ll recite Lemurian poems and phrases or sing Lemurian songs to the MC.
Rafayel claims he did havea few Wanderers appearin his studio at late hours. In exchange for his help in her investigation, Rafayel decides tohire the MC as a private bodyguardfor their trip to Hat Island, the island that they traced the Metaflux trail back to usingcontaminated Coral StonesRafayel had been using as paint pigment.
Outside of spending time with the MC, Rafayel israrely seen outside of his house. His manager,Thomas, even tells the MC that Rafayel spendshalf his yearlocked in his studiopaintingand the other halftravelingto remote corners of the globe in search of creative inspiration.
On top of being a talented young artist, the24-year-oldRafayel is also popular in the media for hisgood looks. Hissix-foot (182.88 cm)height,chiseled features,pink and blue eyes, andpurple hairturn heads everywhere he goes.
Rafayel’s birthday isMarch 6. Fittingly for a Lemurian, he is aPisces.
But painting is not the only skill he has mastered. Rafayel’sEvol is fire manipulation, and he can summon flames hot enough to split tidal waves.
Personality
Rafayel’s personality isbold, to say the least. He’s never one to hold back what he’s thinking, and hedoesn’t care muchabout what others think of him. He’s not afraid todish out insults and complimentsalike.
As expected of aneccentric artist, no one is ever quite sure what Rafayel is thinking or what his next move will be — artistically or literally. He’s been known to makeeye-catching entrances and exitsalike, even going so far as tojump out of windows.
He hasno shortage of personality quirksto explore, and he’s much more conscious of his ‘flaws’ than some of the other love interests. For instance, hereally dislikes catsand doesn’t care who knows it. He’s alsoafraid of heights.
In the Memory card,Rafayel: Tailwag Momentfrom theYes, Cat Caretaker pool, Rafayel lived out his worst nightmare:being turned into a cat.
This land-walking fishie is also a bit of ananimal whisperer— so long as the animals are aquatic. He’s been known toconverse with Octopi, goldfish,and evenanemones.
But Rafayel is much more than witty one-liners and unexpected outbursts. Deep down, Rafayelstruggles with abandonment issuesthat lead him to seek frequent validation from the MC.
Work Life
Rafayel is one of themost popular young artistsin Linkon and is already a household name. His largeocean-themed paintingssell out moments after they’re released, and he’s exhibited work at severalart galleries and museums.
Occasionally, Rafayel is also aguest lecturerat universities and can be found teaching anart class to young artists, such as in the memory,Rafayel: Into The Canvas.
Because his talent is much sought after, Rafayel isfrequently pursued by wealthy individualseager to get their hands on one of his pieces. Rafayeldoesn’t caremuch about his clients, but hewon’t turn down the money.
Even though Thomas laments that he wishes Rafayel would think more about the money and less about the craft, Rafayel has made several comments throughout the story that suggest he’smore than comfortable with his wealth.
Rafayel’s Past
Not much is known about Rafayel’s past other than what is revealed in his Myth stories. Rafayelhasn’t been in Linkon City nearly as longas Xavier, Zayne,Sylus, orCaleb, the game’s other love interests.
With Rafayel being ahermetic newcomerto Linkon, no one knows all that much about his history or even what his hometown is. There arevery few glimpsesinto his past in the main story.
However, one moment in Rafayel’s past stands out as themost formative. When he was a young Lemurian boy who hadwashed up on the shore, he met the MC.
The MC helped Rafayel and the two talked and played on the beach for a long time. She hadpromised that she would always remember himand that she would visit him at the same time each year. Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of either of their control, the MClost all memory of her promise. She never returned to that beach.
Yet Rafayel returned to that same beacheach year, waiting for her until, eventually, he realizedshe had forgotten all about him. They reunited years later when they were both adults. Rafayelmeets her at a fountainand helps her capture a little red fish, which they then nameReddietogether.
He seemsirritated and aloofduring part of the encounter and the MC writes him off asjust some weird guyuntil they encounter each other a second time at his home.
Since the MCunwittingly broke her promiseto Rafayel and never returned to the beach, Rafayel has harbored someserious trust and abandonment issues. Once the two got closer, he made it very clear that he wanted to at the very least get an’I’m alive and ok’text from her each day.
Any time he could spend with her, he would, as he felt he needed tomake up for the years and years of lost timebehind them.
Rafayel’s Myth - Sea Of Golden Sand
InSea Of Golden Sand, the MC is aprincess of Philos. She possesses a special heart thatgrants the people of Philos immortalityand protects the planet itself. However, the Princess mustsacrifice her freedomto protect her precious heart. She isforbidden from leaving the palace, except to visit the gardens.
Unsatisfied with her virtual imprisonment, the Princess has made99 attempts to escapethe castle and see the world beyond the palace walls. One night, during yet another escape attempt, the Princessdisguises herselfusing the clothes of one of her maids and tries to slip into the lake water outside the palace.
As with all previous attempts, the Princess iscaught almost immediatelyand when her guards fire arrows to sink the rowboat she stole, shefalls into the lake. Under the water, she is trapped by seaweed. Confused and afraid of drowning, the Princess panics until avoice tells her to order the guards to leave.
Surprisingly, when she surfaces, the guard who meets her at the water’s edgethinks that she is her servant, Natasha,and not the Princess. The guards disperse, thinking that the Princess must have tried to escape elsewhere. The city is onhigh alertas an intruder has recently begunkilling nobles.
The intruder was none other thanRafayel, the man who spoke to her in the water. Rafayel is dressed as an assassin with hisface covered by a mask.The Princess realizes that if this intruder found his way into the city,he must know a way out. She convinces him to help her escape.
Once they are in the market streets outside the palace, the Princess asks to know her savior’s name. Herefuses to give itto her, and she instead starts calling himMr. Sea God. Rafayel is irritated by this andgives her his namebefore she keeps calling him a god.
Little does the Princess know that Rafayeltruly was a former Sea God. In a past life, hegave up his godhood, people, and domain just for her. Hearing her call him a Sea God when she clearly remembers none of what transpired surely felt like a slight.
As the Princess and Rafayel wander the market, she encounters dozens of sights, smells, and tastes that she has never encountered before. She also learns that many of the items in style were supposedly favorites of ‘Her Highness.’ This stuns her, as she hasnever even heard of most of these things.
She laments that the only reason people care about her is because of hergod-blessed heart. She couldn’t care less about her heart or the value it brings Philos. Shesees her heart only as a burdenwhich overshadows her worth as an individual with her own thoughts, desires, and hopes.
When guards find and chase them, Rafayel and the Princess duck into an alleyway where they take a moment to patch up his arrow wound again. When asked where she wants to go, the Princess tells Rafayel thatshe wants to see the oceanmore than anything.
Rafayelseems surprisedshe would want to go to the ocean at all. Before they can discuss it more, the Princess’s maid, Miss Natasha approaches. Before they part, the Princessasks if Rafayel would come to visit her again, if only torepay her debtto him for taking her to the market.
Rafayelseems even more surprisedthat the Princess doesn’t seem to remember him at all. Heasks her if she still has the fishhe gave her, but she seems confused, and he realizes that she truly has no idea who he is.
In an aside, Rafayel speaks with a man calledElder Amund. It is revealed that theyneed the Princess’s heart— a complete Sea God’s heart — to save Lemuria. They cannot simply cut out her heart as sheneeds to offer it willinglyfor the sacrifice to work.
Back at the palace, the Princess prepares for herComing of Ageceremony. As her maid chooses a dress for her, the Princess lies on the floor looking at a little blue fish in a bowl. She recalls that on her birthday years ago,she was gifted a Lemurian. That same Lemurian had given her the blue fish.
She realizes that the Lemurian from her birthday wasRafayel. She had been given him as a gift because Lemurians were consideredpowerful magical servants. Their blood couldgrant immortalityorresurrect the dead, they sang with beautiful voices, and theylistened to every command, no matter how costly.
Rather than keep Rafayelas a birthday gift, she had escaped to the lake andset him free. Back then, Rafayel had asked her to come with him, but she had refused to fulfil her responsibilities as Princess. However, Rafayel hadvowed to returnand find her again someday. He seals his vow by giving her the magical blue fish.
An arrow lands on her balcony, pulling her from her memories. It’s from Rafayel and attached to the arrow’s shaft is a littleFishtail Beaconand a note that tells her to meet him inthree days.
Since her Coming of Age ceremony is also in three days, the Princess has to leave a note in her room letting Rafayel know that shestill intends to meet himand has not forgotten. She would come to find him at night. However,Rafayel beats her to itand shows up on her bed.
Even though she is considered a princess in the eyes of the realm, the MC isnot a true princessby blood. She is not related to the royal family. She claims that shewoke up at the core of the planetwhen others discovered the special properties of her heart.
Rafayelteaches her how to properly use the Fishtail Beaconhe gave her before he takes her out of the city yet again. They head for the dunes, leaving the Princess’s maid to take on her identity for the ball.
Rafayel takes her out into the desert where they sit on a dune and talk.He gives her a gerbilfor her birthday. She asks him if he will one day show her the sea, asshe considers him her Sea Godfor all the things he has already given her. Rafayel then goes quiet, seemingly lost in an unpleasant memory.
She admits that she has only ever seen the sea in unpleasant dreams. In those dreams, she istrapped in a hut on an islanddeep in the ocean. In her dreams, she knows thatone day the tide will swallow herand reclaim her heart. She wants to see the island in person so that she might piece together who she really is.
Rafayel seemsuneasy with her requestand the Princess quickly rescinds it. She then asks himif he would like anything in returnfor being so kind to her. He responds that since she is his master, he can’t go against her wishes. Anything she asks of him, he must do.
Unhappy with this answer, she tells him she doesn’t truly think their bond is one of master and servant. Rafayel insists that they were bonded longbefore the sea dried up.
Rafayel takes her back to the palace, and they take a moment to talk out on Moonbath Lake. She asks if he was gifted to another noble after he escaped and he responds that he could only ever be capturedif he wanted to be.This alarms her yet again, as she thinks it means Rafayel haswanted something from her all along.
Her entire life has been about transactions, andshe feels crushed by the thoughtthat the only person she truly likes may have been using her for her heart all along. To soothe her worries, Rafayel uses his Lemurian magic towalk and dance with her on the surface of the water. It’s his birthday gift to her.
When it’s time to retire, thePrincess returns to her bedroom. Meanwhile, Elder Amund reappears by the water and hands Rafayel aceremonial dagger. He is meant to carve out the Princess’s heart with it.
Days later, the Princess meets Rafayel and Elder Amund on the outskirts of the city. Amund seems irritated to be in her presence and is quite disrespectful. He scolds her for calling Rafayel, as she hasno right to address the God of the Seaby his name.
Later, while they are traveling, the Princess asks Rafayel if he truly is a sea god, since she read that the Sea God died long ago.
Lemurians don’t call it dying. To them,death is just a long ‘slumber.’
Rafayel tells the Princess that the sea god died because his heart wasstolen by humans.Being mischievous, the Princess places her hand over Rafayel’s heart to search for a heartbeat.
That night, Rafayel tells the Princess that the Lemurians have beenkilling nobles to free themselves. They need to be free so that they canreawaken the seasand return to their homeland.
Later, Rafayel takes the Princess to their destination:The Island of Songs. The Princess recognizes the ruins as the building from her dreams of the sea. In her dreams, she lived alone in the hut on the island, toiling away over a stone slab.
Rafayel reminds her thatonly those who share a bond with the God of the Seacan read the slab. Rafayel uses the Fishtail Beacon tocut their handsand use their mixed blood to awaken the slab. He reveals that the slab is theTome of the Sea God, a ledger of Lemurian history and theSea God’s prophecy.
The Princess realizes that in the prophecy, the only way for the seas to return is for theGod of the Sea to kill his belovedand take back his heart. The mystery she’s tried to solve her whole life is answered.Her heart was never hers,to begin with. It was special becauseit was his.
As she gets glimpses into their past life as lovers, the Princessresolves to give back the hearthe gave her willingly. She’d rather he have it and save his people as itwas always meant to be his. However, unsatisfied with the prophecy,Rafayel refusesher heart, stating:
A god must protect his followers. If the legend pertaining to the god of the sea is inevitable… Shouldn’t the god of the sea himself change the story?
Despite her fervent protests, Rafayeluses his magic to erase the Princessfrom the Tome of the Sea God entirely. As she is erased from the tome, sheloses all memory of himand the past they shared.
In the end, it isas if they had never met at all. Rafayel erases her from his story andbids his beloved bride goodbye.
Back at the palace, the Princess is ashell of her former self. She feels the thread of memories just beyond her grasp, butcan’t place the gnawing emptinessinside her. She asks her maid who gave her the little blue fish, and the maid tells her that she received it from her’most important person.'
However, no matter how hard she tries,the Princess cannot rememberwho that person is. Herbehavior becomes inexplicableto her as she tries to walk on water and fill the hole in her soul witha memory that no longer exists.
Her depression deepens until Natasha informs her that theking plans to execute all Lemurianswho had plotted against the nobility. At that moment, the Princess remembers Rafayel anduses the Fishtail Beacon to summon him.
She catches him just before he leaves for good. Together,they ride away for Whalefall City. The Sea God’s hearthas returnedto him, just never in the way anyone would have expected.
