Part 22: Stratum 3: Anathema Part 2 Boss: King Bellion

And so Saint Bellion, drunk on pride, did stand defiant before his Goddess and declare himself to be her equal. In this he was mistaken, and with a wave of her hands she cast him into the deepest pits of darkness, never to return to the world of light.
- excerpt, Valdian scripture

Long Live the King

We’ve come this far, I’ll be damned if I let some wretched Majin stand in our way now.

Video- “Anathema Part 2”

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Ally Team:
I start out with just six on the field, with Ares, Irina, and Yuri as mercs. I’m going to summon a Zerda once we get closer to the King.

Enemy Team:
We’ve got two each of Scytodida, Chiroptera, Aquamote, and Zerda backing up the big man himself, King Bellion. Let’s take a look at this monarch of misery.



You’re not reading that wrong, he has a whopping 1500 HP. He resists all forms of physical attacks, as well as Fire, Earth, and Darkness. He’s somewhat vulnerable to Wind, Water, and Light. His Revenge IV skill gives him a straight up 100% chance to counter an close up attack, and he’s armed with powerful Fire and Earth spells. His Maelstrom attack can Bleed targets as well. While he only has 250 Overkill HP, his Alert skill makes things a bit trickier by negating the bonus damage from a side or rear attack. He is very slow, however, and as we’ll see in the map he has a significant and unexpected weakness we can take advantage of.

Deployment:



We deploy in a forward fashion so we can aggressively attack the Majin that will support the King and leave him alone. We’ve got no chance of pushing through all that health if he’s getting heals and we’re dealing with a ton of other Majin at the same time.

Tactical Objectives:
- Capture the King
- Everything else is expendable

Map:



Ashley manages to level up almost instantly. No new skills, I don’t really expect any unless she maybe gets one at level 30. Ashley’s got such monster stats at this point even with her relative vulnerability to physicals that even King B can’t do that much to her. We push on to engage the first Zerda, who shoots at Ares and misses. Fortunately Evading an attack still counts for experience purposes and Ares levels up as well. We’ve got Chiroptera coming at us from both sides, though with one engaged we need to deal with it now. We’ve also got an Aquamote coming at us from above.



The strong will always have a place in my heart.
We don’t kill for sport, like you do.
Does the reason make it right? Killing is killing.
Your bloodthirst makes you worthy to become one with me!
The angel Bellion was a character in our scriptures.
He was a lion who tempted people to fall from paradise.
Did the Goddess cast you aside for your sins!?
Hahahahahaha!

We smash the Chiroptera with a Light Attack from Ashley and a Sacra II and leave it near death. I almost consider killing it right now but I’m considering trying to capture it and want to leave that option open.



I bet a little Light magic should crack his Demon Aura.

Glynne is dead right, we need to use Light magic to break King Bellion’s Aura. And not just any Light Magic, it has to have somewhere around and about a hundred base power. Anyway, we send Glynne at the approaching Aquamote and Ares at the Zerda that’s shooting at us. Reyna joins Glynne shortly after, and I blast the Chiroptera and Zerda with a Sacrasphere. I was hoping to Overkill the Chiroptera but end up not doing quite enough damage. I get a lot more lucky against the Aquamote, Overkilling it with a Crow’s Beak. Ashley moves over to meet the incoming Chiroptera from the other side while Reyna burns down the Zerda, again just killing it. The whole crew moves over to meet the second Chiroptera and quickly smash it, and Yuri levels up after killing it. She gets Sacrasphere from level 16, which is pretty nice. Now we summon Zerda and start advancing on the King.



I can’t.
I won’t become what you want me to be!
King Bellion! Where is the Eternal Poison!?
Only the Falsin are foolish enough to chase illusions.
What you seek lies buried in the fiercest of hearts.
What does that mean…?

Ashley charges up and breaks the Aura with a Sacrasphere. We start advancing the rest of the party up to support Ashley, who is Bled by King Bellion’s Maelstrom attack. However, now I can deploy my patented trick on the big guy. See, while he might be resistant to Earth spells, he’s actually very vulnerable to Fracture. A Terra II from Glynne Fractures him, compromising his defenses. The other Aquamote has engaged as well, so we need to deal with it quickly. Ashley hits it with a Sacrasphere and Glynne attacks it while we throw everything else at Bellion. Annoyingly, the Aquamote manages to Freeze Ashley with an Aqua spell.



Power…?
You’d be powerful enough to grant your OWN wishes.
That much power brings only destruction.

The second Aquamote catches a bad case of being dead thanks to Glynne’s second Crow’s Beak, and we manage to unfreeze Ashley. As a nice side effect, she’s not Bleeding anymore either since someone can only have one physical status at a time. We toss all the heat we can on the King and bring him down into the red, and then we show him the meaning of LAW.



And that’s how we capture King Bellion. Also, the King is SO going into my librum of active Majin after this.



The Throne of God is ahead…
It is no place for someone like you.
We must keep moving onward.
Madness…
Saint Bellion…
I wonder if he was the real one…?
There’s no point worrying about it.
I know.

Battle Result:

Levels:
Ashley 26->27
Ares 19->20
Yuri 15->16

Majin:
Aquamote Lv 19 x 1
King Bellion Lv 23 x 1

Gold:
12100

Given what I’d said to Bellion, it was inevitable I’d have to explain things.

Video- “Anathema Lead Out”

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Ashley? You look exhausted.
I’ll be alright.
That’s good…
You want to ask me how I know the Princess, don’t you?
Yeah…
Alright, but you should both be here.
Glynne?
You okay, Ashley?
You both’ve been asking me about my relationship with the Princess… Do you still want to know?
Yeah.
I need you both to promise me you’ll never tell anyone about this, alright?
I swear in the name of Holy Atona, I will never repeat what I hear.
If I ever reveal what is being confided in me, may that be the final breath I take.
How’s that?
Thanks. Reyna?
…
Promise her, Reyna, or else get out of here.
Okay…

I guess we know where Reyna’s from for sure now.



With sincerity and compassion, I seal her words in my heart, and as long as it still beats, may this vow never be broken.
Hey, that’s an oath from the Stag Domain.
It is.
Thank you, Reyna.
I was born with that cure in my blood. It’s been a part of me my whole life.
My older sister was the one who suggested I join the Church, hoping it would ease my pain… And it did.
I owe the Church so much… that’s why I’m still a Protector of the Faith.
I know we came here for the Eternal Poison and Master Leto… but I’m also here to find my sister. She was kidnapped by the Majin.

Nothing to do but tell them, I guess.



H-Hey, wait! Does that mean…
Ashley, you’re a princess?
I would’ve never imagined I’d be traveling with a Princess of Valdia.
Reyna, don’t forget your vow!
Hey, I said I’ll keep my word, and I meant it.
I hope so…
Glynne, you need to learn to trust him more.
Ashley, I still can’t believe this…
Is that why Master Leto was so protective of you?
I… never told him.
I’m sure he figured it out. He always had a way of knowing things…
It would be dishonorable for me to do nothing, while royalty is in danger. Ashley, we need to get you out of here.

And their reaction was pretty much why I hadn’t told them. It’s too much of a hassle.



That’s all the more reason to keep you safe. If you both died down here… Your country needs an heir, Ashley.
Reyna, I pledged my life in service to the Goddess and the Church.
The throne of Valdia means nothing to me.
But Ashley…
…
Now you both know the whole story.
Let’s get back to our mission. The Eternal Poison is still out there!
Alright.

I guess it’s no problem for the Count to call me this now, everyone who matters knows.



With the strange activity in Besek, I had Shivan peer into the future.
She became extraordinarily uneasy… I believe she foresaw something terrible.
Whatever it was, I hope it does not happen, but it probably will…
I’m very sorry for keeping you. I just wished to warn you. Take care!

Something terrible… I just hope we’re in time.



Muse: But I’m glad you look more energetic than you used to!
When you get back from this adventure, I’ll perform a special victory dance!
Good luck!

Everyone here in Isapolis was so nice the whole time.



Basil: Are you heading out again?
Make sure you come back here if you need any help.
Everyone is praying for victory, and for your safe return.
Please take care!

I don’t know what Shivan saw, and she’s not talking either.



Shivan: Yet I cannot see what lies beyond it…
Could the end also mean the beginning?

Even some of the people here are getting afraid of how Besek’s been lately.



Leon: Besek is getting more and more dangerous.
Maybe you should go back home. I’d hate to see something happen to you.
I’m gonna leave soon too… but not because I’m scared! It’s just time.

I don’t know what’s waiting for us in the darkness, but I can feel that we’re almost at the end of our journey. Only Atona knows how it will end, though…
- journal entry