Part 30: The Truth of the Holy Stones

I equip some Defense Rings. Leaving two people open to Nightmare shouldn't be a problem.


Wait, no, let me try this again.


Bunch everyone together, shaping them just so that he can't hit more than one person open to nightmare. It's not like the boss has 10 spells that can still hit just fine.




Way to break the formation, Ramza.



: Or was it bad luck? Anyhow, you're good. You have Beoulve blood in your veins. Even if you are a bastard.

Draclau steps down and walks closer to Ramza.



: Leave the stone here. If you resist, I'll show no mercy...
: Where is Princess Ovelia?
: Why must you save her? You deserted the Beoulves. What can you change by yourself? Don't waste energy. Without power, nothing can be achieved... You're powerless.
: Where's the Princess?!
: She's not here. She left for Zeltennia. She chose our help over yours.
: That's a lie!!
: She has begun to think for herself. She felt unsure of you and chose us for obvious reasons to take the throne. Why don't you join us? You want to get the best of your brothers sails, right? We care about the world, too. How about it?
: I don't want to change the world! I just can't allow people to suffer and die because of some elitist's ideas. Change the world? You think anyone really can? I'm not that reckless!!
: Ha, ha, ha... You're the one holding the stone. You can change not only the world, but the truth of everything with its power. Since you don't seem to understand, let me show you.


Draclau pulls out the Scorpio stone.


A magnificent blast of red light from the stone fills the chapel!


Draclau is bathed in a fiendish red glow as fell spirits pour from the stone and merge with his body!




A flash of light blinds Ramza!


As dark energy flies from where the Cardinal stands, the mist clears to reveal that the Cardinal is no longer there.


Instead, a horrifying monster grins menacingly.



: Now, let me have my fun. Let me hear your screams and suffering death cries!


Thus begins the fight with the Tainted King, Queklan.


Queklan, later translated as Cúchulainn the Impure, is the first Zodiac Demon. His stats are all mysteries, though he's still as much a Scorpio as the Cardinal.

Though impossible to normally see, the description of his class, the Impure King, is
"One who wants all hideous impurities. When controlled by his wickedness, becomes difficult for a human to even maintain sanity."

His stats are all far above those of mortals. He's faster, stronger, and smarter than any member of Ramza's group, and his HP is around 400 at level 20. He has innate Martial Arts and Short Charge.

He has two skillsets. His primary one is Fear. It has Nightmare, his most-used spell that inflicts Death Sentence and Sleep on an area; Chicken Race, a spell that inflicts Disable; and Death Cold, Slow over an area. All of these are instant.

His secondary skillset, Impure, contains Bio, Bio, Bio, Bio2, Bio2, Bio2, Bio2, Bio3, Bio3, and Bio3. The differences between each Bio, Bio2, and Bio3 is the status attached. Bio inflicts minor things like Darkness, Bio2 has stronger stuff, and Bio3 his a larger area can Petrify or outright kill!


In this case, because of my copious abuse of Defense Rings, he decides to cast the Undead variant of Bio3.


Queklain has the first set of abilities that the party can never obtain. Nothing short of cheating can get me any of his 13 abilities.


Bio3 is requires charging. Ramza takes advantage of this and pummels the Impure King.


Bio3's incantation. The undead variant, anyway. No idea if the other 2 have different ones.


Yes, he opens his stomach to reveal a giant set of teeth.

Bio 3 hits hard. Moreso on Norma because Queklain is technically a male human, so she has a best relationship with him. Just wait 'till she gets a Kotets-


Oh dear lord NO!


She killed herself with her own Auto-Potion due to Bio3's Undead effect. Shit.


This is awkward. She's become an uncertainty lich.


Can't revive her - Undead prevents that. Fist has to shoot the thing.


Agrias nails him with a Lightning Stab. Queklain is alone, so despite his superior stats, he's still easy. Queklain's focus on statuses kinda hurts his stopping power.


The guide I have says Queklain is weak to holy. the only thing holy, unless you get Gaffy to toss Excaliburs at you at Zirekile falls, is Holy. Holy is so fucking strong it's easy to assume everything is weak to it.


In this case, it takes out over 3/4 of his HP despite the bad compatibility between Virgo and Scorpio.

This is enough to end the reign of the Impure King.



: I can't... die... until he resurrects...


Despite his protests, Queklain explodes in a storm of vile energy.


All that's left is the Scorpio stone. A demonic howl echoes through the hall, perhaps it was Queklain's soul returning to the hellish realm from which it came.

Ramza, sensing that the stone is now inert and powerless, takes it with him.


400*Lv in this case, as Queklain is level 20.

Meanwhile...


Goltana is meeting with some of his advisers when a young knight enters.



: Delita- Black Sheep knight under Baron Grims, and Hyral. I was sent by order of Baron Grims to save the Princess. I've returned- Mission completed.



: The Baron died in battle last month with the Ryomoku. The Black Sheep were entirely wiped out.
: That's why I returned.


This guy gets exactly this line and no more. I just like his impressive beard.


Cidolfas Orlandu is to the Nanten what Balbanes was to the Hokuten. He was Balbanes rival in not only technique, but also in virtue - Thunder God Cid, as he has been called, cannot turn a blind eye to justice.

: Yes, sir. Bring him!


A scruffy-looking man is brought in.



: ...Taking the regency.
: Who gave you the order? Prince Larg?
: One of Goltana's aids who wants to join Larg.


Minister Gelwan takes offense.

: Silence this lout!
: No need. Listen.
: Who is that?
: ...
: Talk! Now!
: Will you save my life?
: All right, I promise. Who is it?!
: Him... Minister Gelwan.
: It's a lie! How dare you! I don't even know you!



: Treason is a serious crime, minister!



Delita draws his sword.

: I said I don't know a thing!


Heedless of his words, Delita starts to move. The minister turns to run but Delita quickly strikes him down, killing Gelwan in a single blow.



: We must go to the capital with the Nanten now! Or they may hold you responsible for this plot. First, let's remove Orinas and the Queen, then get the Princess on the throne!

After this, Arazlam begins to narrate.


The Queen is out of the picture, removed from her throne, and a vacuum exists.


Orinas, the bastard son of the Queen, and Ovelia, a fake princess, are the figureheads of this power struggle.


In reality, it's Larg, the White Lion, fighting against Goltana, the Black Lion, for the regency - for power.




The war raged for three months before any pause in the action, with thousands upon thousands of casualties on each side...