Ramza's Holy love
by
Swordsman of Darkness
Diaclaimer: see chapter 1.
Chapter 4
Ramza could not believe what was happening to him. First, he finds out that he has been charged for evil deeds that never happened. Second, He was labeled as an heretic. Finally, he was taking his sister, Alma, and may be putting her in danger. What was it for? an Holy stone?
Ramza hoped to get into the Monastery, find the Virgo Stone and get out before any thing happened. However, life can be very cruel at times. The sight at the monastery woulf be proof of that. Ramza, Alma Agrias, Mustadio and their soldiers had arrived at the monastery. At first, it was very quiet, it had looked like no one was was here.
Ramza remembered that Alma said that the stone was in the underground library, so he led the way there. It had seem that things would be very easy, until Ramza and company turned around an corner that would take them underground. When they did, they saw the sight of the bodies of dead priests and priestesses. One body had stood out from the rest, Alma was the first to notice. "Simon!!" Alma yelled.
She ran over to the old priest and help him up. "Please answer me!!" She begged. Simon rose and looked Alma in the eyes. "U, ugh...Alma...Why...are you...here?" he asked in a weakened state. "What happened?" Alma asked in a worried tone. "It's dangerous...here. Hurry...run." The elder priest said. "They...came for the Holy Stone 'Virgo'..." he added. Those words caught Ramza's ears. "Holy Stone!? Then Alma was right..." Ramza said as his priestess went to tend to Simon.
"The stone's been a royal treasure for generations..." He said. "When Princess Ovelia came here, they gave it to us as proof of her status." He stated. "Who are 'they'? Who's trying to get the stone?" Ramza asked hoping to shed some light on this new enemy. "You're Alma's older brother Ramza, aren't you?" Simon asked. Ramza gave a simple nod. "Don't get any more involved. You'll be killed..." Simon advised.
Suddenly a voice was heard from below. "Where is the Holy Stone?" asked the first voice. "Wait! It must be here somewhrere! Look for it!" another voice ordered. "We can go underground from here. Let's go!!" the third voice said. Ramza had stood up and readied himself for battle. "I'm a fugitive, branded by the church as a 'heretic'." Ramza stated. "Is it because of the stone? Please tell me. Who are they?" Ramza asked of Simon.
The old priest looked at Ramza and told him the truth. "High Priest and his sect are trying to regain power." He answered. "First, they're reducing Larg and Goltana's military power by causing in-fighting." He replied. "If the war drags on, it not only reduces their power, but trust in the royal famliy." Simon added. "What's the real reason for collecting the stones...and reviving the Zodiac Braves?" Ramza asked. "To gain the people's trust, of course." Simon told Ramza.
"But the Cardinal's already joined Lucavi. If it's only the stone's power, it'd be strong enough to replace the military." Ramza said. "Funeral wants that power?" Ramza asked "There must be another reason." Agrias said. "You're different from your brothers. More like Balbanes." Simon praised. "Perhaps you might be able to detroy their ambition." Simon said.
Ramza went over to stairs stopped before going down. "You stay here. I'll go after them." Ramza ordered of Alma. "I'll go with you!" Alma said as rose from her spot next to Simon. "We can't leave Simon alone. Hide in a safe place!" Ramza told his sister. "...Ok, I will." She replied. Ramza turned around and gave her one of the stones that he was carrying. "Hold on to this stone, just in case." Ramza said. "If I don't come back, make sure to throw it in Burgosa Sea. Ok?" Ramza ordered.
"I regret I can't help you." Alma said as she was helping Simon to his feet. "I wish I were born a man..." She added. "Don't be silly. Other than my warriors, Agrias and Mustadio, You're the only one I trust." Ramza said. "Brother..." Alma said response. "Take care of Simon!" Ramza said as he led his troops into the underground library.
On the second floor of the underground book, Ramza and his troops caught sight of few soldiers. One stood out among the rest. Ramza didn't know his name, but he did see and hear what young man said. "You stay here! Understand!?" he ordered the group of soldiers. "Yes, sir!" said an Shrine knight wizard. Ramza then seen him go deeper and knew he had to follow. Ramza then gave his warriors the marching orders. "It's not over yet! Never give them the stone!" Ramza ordered.
The group of enemies was made up of three lancers, an chemist and two time mages. This group of enemies were small fries, were no match for the archer and summoner that Ramza had brought into battle with him, Agrias and Mustadio. Anyone who was lucky enough to avoid gettiong hit arrows wasn't so lucky when it came to the summoner. Charge shots and Summon monsters ended this before it even began.
Ramza led his warriors to the next floor, but before they got thru the doorway leading to the next floor, they heard the voice of the young man they had seen eariler. "Wow! Is this 'Virgo'? How beautiful!!" The young man said. "Underground! Let's go!" Ramza ordered. Each soldier ran for the next floor hoping to get the stone.
On the third floor, The young man was waiting for Ramza and his forces. He came ready to play with a force of his own. Which was made up of three knights, two archers and a summoner. I didn't expect you to find us here! But, just in time." the man said. "Heretic Ramza, hand us the stone!" he ordered. "No, why don't you give me yours?" Ramza asked. "Do as I say and I'll let you live!" Ramza said. "You think you can beat us?! Then I'll take it by force!" said the man known as Izlude.
This battle tested Ramza and Agrias' abilities. They had never face a Temple Knight like Izlude before. Ramza and Agrias were getting injured and Mustadio couldn't get a good shot on Izlude. The Archer and Summoner were able to get rid of his followers with no problem. "Why do you go against us, Ramza?" Izlude asked. "Though you're a Beoulve, you don't obey your brothers. Why?" he asked again. "It's because I'm a Beoulve that I don't obey them!" Ramza replied. "The name shouldn't be used for self-gain, but rather for divine 'justice'!" he added. "During the War, my father fought and died to save the people from invasion...Beoulve must not fight for a defunct royal family, but only for Noble rights!" Ramza stated.
"Then, let's fight together! Our goals are the same!" Izlude said. "Listen well, Ramza!" Izlude suggested. The Temple Knight then went into plan that the church wanted a world where people were all equal, or as he called it St. Ajora's ideal world. His rant also went into hoe the people don't trust the nobles or the royal family and saying that something must be done or all is lost. Ramza was not stupid, he was not going to buy into that rubbish. Ramza chose ignore Izlude and combined an attack with Agrias. Their attack was an blade of fire laced with holy energy. It almost burned Izlude's clothes to ash. "Damn! I refuse to acknowledge his power!!" Izlude shouted as he was on knees. "I can't die...I must bring the stone back!" he added. "Ramza, The next time I see you, will be your last! Remember!" Izlude said as teleported away from battle. "Wait Izlude!!" Ramza shouted, but it was too late, Izlude was gone.
Ramza and his warriors were heading back to the first floor, unknown to them that Alma had found by Izlude. That wasn't the worst news, Ramza would have a meeting or a blast from the past in the form of Wiegraf. "No! Let go!" Alma yelled, but Izlude didn't loosen his grip. "Izlude, leave this to me! You gotta get out of here with that girl!" Wiegraf said. "You, come on this way!" Izlude said as he pulled her by her wrist. "Help me! Brother Ramza!" Alma yelled as she was pulled away. "Here's Ramza!" said Wiegraf as he heard footsteps. "It would be a fatal mistake to underestimate them! Don't let your guard down!!" The white Knight ordered of his troops.
"...Miluda, finally, i can avenge your death!" said Wiegraf as he readied his sword. Ramza was beyond shocked to see Wiegraf. "Wiegraf!! You're still alive!!" Ramza said stunned. "Been a long time, Ramza. Glad to see you again!!" Wiegraf said being funny. "You've become a dog for the church and have forsaken your ideals!" Ramza said. "You don't understand how hard it is to fulfill your ideal." Wiegraf said. "Even if your ideal is great, it's just a dream if you can't fulfill it!" he added. "So how can you fulfill it? You need power! That's the politics of the world!" the White Knight said as he looked down on Ramza.
"I can see it clearly now! you can't fulfill your dreams without power!" he said. "You say I'm a dirty dog of the church! Go ahead!! I don't care!" He added. "You can despise me, but I'll be laughing at the end you'll all submit to me!" Wiegraf roared. Ramza wanted to end this battle quick, so he dug deep in his arsenal and launched a powerful Tornado Blade attack that brought Wiegraf to his knees.
He looked up into Ramza's face with hatred in the fact that he had lost to Ramza. "Ouh... No, I won't lose...!" Wiegraf said. "I'm...a member..of Zodiac Braves...with 'Aries'... I... can't... lose... like this!" he stated as teleported to safety. "Where are you! Wiegraf!!" Ramza yelled as he search for the White Knight.
He then chose to look outside. Ramza came out of the Monastery to see Wiegraf lying in a pool of his blood and Izlude on a chocbo. "Are you OK? Wiegraf" Izlude asked worried. "Don't worry...about me... Just...go!" Wiegraf instructed. "Alma!" Ramza shouted as he saw Alma on Izlude's chocbo out cold. "Go...Izlude..." Wiegraf said. "Sorry, Wiegraf!!" Izlude said as he rode off with Alma as his captive. "Wait! Izlude!!" Ramza yelled.
"Goho!" Wiegraf grunted. "Damn...I can't die here. I can't face my dead allies without avenging Miluda.." he stated. "No...I don't want to die..." Wiegraf said as he dropped the stone. "Holder of the Holy Stone... Promise me.." said the Aries stone. "What...?" Ramza asked stunned. "The stone...Spoke...?" he added. "Holder of the Holy Stone... Promise me... Your spirit will unite with my flesh to live forever." said the stone.
"Is this the stone's secret?" Wiegraf asked. "Your despair and resentment called me... now promise.." The stone replied. "No! Wiegraf!! Don't open that!!" yelled Ramza, but his words fell on deaf ears. "Help...me..." Wiegraf said. "I am Velius.. the devil. Your wish is granted." the stone said before giving Wiegraf it's power, turning him into the warlord, Velius. "This is the stone's power!" said Velius. "Wiegraf...!" Ramza called out. Velius turned to face him. "Ramza, its power is magnificent!" Velius said. "No, not just the power centuries of knowledge ingrained into my brain." Velius told Ramza. Ramza readied his sword for battle, but Velius had something else in mind. "Hya, ha...easy...save some for later...!" Velius bellowed. "Hya, ha...superb...Superb power..." Velius added before teleporting to another location.
Simon had came out just as Ramza turned around. "Simon! can you hear me...?" Ramza asked. "H,here..." Simon said as handed Ramza an item. "What is this book?" Ramza asked. "Germonik, a desciple of St Ajora wrote it... It had been missing...til I found it in the undergound library... It explains in detail about the Zodiac Brave Story..." He said. "Please don't try to talk!" Ramza yelled. "That's all right... I'm a sinner...I knew of the church's wrongdoing... but said nothing... You can bring them to jutice with book!" Simon said. "You can bring Alma back with this book..." He added. "Simon!!" Ramza yelled as Simon was closing in on death. "Whew, now I can finally rest. Take care of the rest... Ramza... You're just like Balbanes... when he was young." Simon said as he closed his eye for the last time in his life. "Simon!!" Ramza yelled as the rain continued to fall.
After giving Simon a proper burial, Ramza and Agrias began to read the book that Simon had gave them. The book was unable to be read at first, until Ramza found something written in the language known "Ikoku". Ramza and Agrias had found two different samples of ink. one was dry, as if they were written years ago. The other sample was fresh. Ramza realized that Simon had been translating the book.
The book written by a disciple who betrayed St. Ajora by selling him out to Yudora Empire. As Ramza and Agrias read on, they discovered the book of was keeping track of the human Ajora. Not the son of God. The book went on to tell the story of the Zodiac Brave Legend and Germonik's betrayal for money. The St. Ajora in the scriptures' was completely different from the church wanted people to believe.
The book stated that as founder of a new religion, Ajora was viewed as an threat to the Empire of Yudora. The book also said that Ajora was really a spy for another country trying to gain information. The Yudora Empire had sent a spy of their to watch Ajora, and his name was Germonik.
Ramza and Agrias had came to a part of the book where notes they found, which turned out to be Simon's notes would help them understand a little bit better. One stated that when Simon worked for the church as an examiner, The High Priest and other examiners felt that if people read the book, they would hate the church because everything inside of it was true. After Ajora's death, they united him with God and hid facts that would have proved them wrong and false to make it appear to be true. The church even used the Zodiac Brave Story to pull it off. With the book in his hands, Ramza would prove to be the church's most powerful enemy.
Ramza and his warriors needed a place to rest, so he decided to go to Dorter. Once Ramza arrived in Dorter, he was stopped by a Exotic Wizard. "Heretic Ramza?" he asked. "Where is Alma?" Ramza asked getting ready for a fight. "If you want her back, come to Riovanes Castle." the wizard ordered. "But you must bring the 'Germonik Scriptures' given to you at the monastery." he added. Ramza was confused. "What does it mean to you?" he asked.
"Haven't you read it?" the Wizard asked. Ramza gave him a simple nod. "Return Alma, if you dont want the church's lies exposed!" Ramza ordered. "You're in position to demand anything. You have no choice." The Wizard said. He left with a final message. "You've been warned.". After the Wizard left, Ramza and his soldiers trained to get ready another fight with Wiegraf and his leader, should they be at Riovanes Castle.
End Chapter.