Ashtear Higgins

"Please to meet you. I am the chairman of LOA. You may call me Ashtear."

- Ashtear Higgins, "Chairman" and leader of the Lords of Alchemy. "I would expect nothing less, from a destroyer of lives!"

- Ashtear Higgins

Ashtear Higgins is the "Chairman" and leader of the Lords of Alchemy or LOA as they go by in public, and one of the antagonists of Ninja Gaiden III. . Ashtear is an evil madman skilled in the ways of alchemy and sorcery, so much so that he can control the accursed magic of the Grip of Murder, just like the Regent of the Mask who revealed to be his son Theodore Higgins.

Biography
Sending his grandson Cliff under the pretense of being a scientist for the JSDF (Japan Self-Defense Force), Ashtear, the head of the LOA conglomorate, sets off a terrorist attack in London, hoping to ensnare the Dragon Ninja Clan's leader Ryu Hayabusa in order to bring him to his death. But when Cliff said that they needed his blood for their project's success, Ashtear lets the ninja live.\

Aware of Canna's potential, he sends Cliff to retrieve her. But Ryu follows him to the icy plains of Antarctica, where Ashtear meets Ryu for the first time. He reveals that their true objective was Ryu's blood, which is the blood of the Dragon God flowing through the veins of the Hayabusa heirs. Ashtear then leaves with Cliff while Ryu fights his demonic clone. Boarding a jet, they head for the US first fleet, the Black Narwhal, in the Polynesia Sea. As soon as Ryu laid waste to the alchemists and soldiers in his way, Ashtear goes head to head with the Dragon Ninja, and despite using all of his alchemy, he is killed by Ryu in the end. When Canna takes on her form as the Goddess, the Black Narwhal is torn apart, and Ashtear sinks into the ocean.

Trivia

 * The Alchemy Robot Ashtear used to fight Ryu looks extremely similar to some models of Zoids, one of Japan's famous robot model toys.
 * Even he told Ryu his name, Ashtear is listed simply as "LOA Chairman" in the official site and strategy guide.