CHAPTER 33

THE REALM OF THE DEAD

"Unghhhh..." Ramza groaned as he picked himself up. He was quite surprised when he stood up and found that he couldn't tell the floor from the ceiling. Everything around him was coated in a thick, green mist. "Where is everyone?..."

"Ramza, is that you?...."

Ramza turned around to see Cinna walking towards him. "Thank God I found you!" Cinna exclaimed. "I've been walkin' around in this soup for hours and I haven't found anyone else."

"Well, well..." the dark voice of Ajora echoed through the vapors. "It appears the hero has awakened..."

"Ajora!" Ramza called out. "Where are you?!"

"Oh, do be patient, young one..." Ajora's voice said in a low sneer. "This is all just a game to me... You really can't do anything but play it."

"Who's this Ajora dude anyway?" Cinna asked.

"Ajora was a man that lived hundreds of years ago," Ramza explained. "He collected the twelve Zodiac Stones and harnessed the powers of the Lucavi in an attempt to take over the world. The church at that time tried to put him down, but he destroyed one of their major sanctuaries. One of his followers, Germonik, was able to flee from him and write the Germonik Scriptures, but he was executed for one reason or another. Someone finally caught Ajora and had him executed later."

"...So why did you say you've fought him?" Cinna asked.

"Ajora decided he'd come back to take over the world again, so the remaining Lucavi began an intense plot to put certain people in Ivalice's government so they'd have easier access to the powers needed to revive Ajora. They're the ones that put Ovelia, and then Delita, on the throne of Zeltennia."

"Ya mean that queen's a fake?" Cinna asked.

"No," Ramza said. "Ovelia was truly the rightful heir, but they put Delita there to make sure they'd get what they wanted. Of course, Delita betrayed them and seized power for himself, but that's another story."

"You are wise in the ways of history, boy," Ajora's voice cackled. "But let's see how you handle the scars of the past!"

"What do you mean?" Ramza asked.

"You have reinforcements, so I have collected some as well," Ajora said. "There are six guardians you must defeat before you get to me. Ah... Your friends should be meeting you at any time now... Don't disappoint me, Ramza!"

"Wait! Ajora!!!" Ramza yelled as the voice faded out and all grew quiet. "...Dammit!" he cursed.

"Ramza!"

Ramza looked up and saw all his friends coming in from all directions. It was very strange-looking to see the 14 other people running towards him, considering that there was no visible ground to walk on.

"Ramza, are you all right?" Rafa asked.

"We were really worried about you," Alma said.

"We all landed in a group, but you and Cinna disappeared," Meliadoul said. "Oh... Looks like you're both here... Good."

"What?" Cinna asked. "Didja miss me, Mel?"

"Hmmph," Meliadoul snorted.

"Ajora said there were six guardians ahead," Ramza said as he pointed forwards. Suddenly, five doors appeared in front of the party. They each had a name over them...

Queklain...

Velius...

Zalera...

Adramelk...

...And Hashmalum.

"The Lucavi..." Agrias growled.

"It's gonna take a while to fight through these guys," Mustadio said.

"Not if we take them all down at once," Ramza said. "There are five doors, and sixteen of us. Agrias, Mustadio, Cloud, you take Queklain. Rafa, Malak, Worker No.8, handle Velius. Orlandu, Alicia, Lavian, take on Zalera. Meliadoul, Cinna, Beowulf, Reis, you deal with Hashmalum. Rad, Alma, you're with me on Adramelk."

"Well, that certainly got organized fast," Malak chuckled. "OK. Worker No.8, move out!"

The parties entered their respective doors and prepared themselves for the worst...

"Get ready, boys," Agrias said as Mustadio, Cloud and she walked through Queklain's door. "Be ready for anything."

"I never met this Queklain guy," Cloud said to Mustadio. "What's he like?"

"Ah, Lady Agrias!" a voice said. "Good to see you again."

The lights turned on, and Agrias saw that the group was back in the sanctuary where they had first battled Queklain. Cardinal Draclau sat in his chair behind the altar, his bald head glistening in the blue and purple light. "How have you been, Lady Agrias?" he asked.

"I'm a Captain now," Agrias growled, allowing the Cardinal to see the new insignia that glistened on her chest.

"Say, where'd you get that, anyway?" Mustadio asked.

"Before we left for Zeratul I went and talked with my teacher, Professor Daravon," Agrias boasted. "He promoted me in the name of the Gariland Academy."

"Wonderful," Draclau mused. "Ah, well. After that little fleeing stunt you pulled I'd have thought you'd be demoted to a Squire again."

"Argh..." Agrias snorted as she glared at the old man. "If I hadn't have had to protect Ovelia, you'd have been a dead man, Draclau!"

"Oh, I disagree," Draclau said as he stood up. "Besides, I'm a dead man now, and I'll still kill you." The air shimmered around him for a second, and then he became the dastardly Queklain.

"WOAH," Cloud gasped as he looked at the person. "It's Jabba the Hutt!"

"I am NOT!" Queklain yelled angrily. "EVERYONE makes that mistake."

"Oh, yeah," Cloud said, looking again. "Jabba had a tail. Never mind."

"GRRR..." Queklain growled. "Your end is near! NIGHTMARE!!!"

The dark blue spikes shot through the room and sent the party flying. Agrias was the first to get up. "I'm not giving up so easily this time!!!" Agrias yelled angrily. "LIGHTNING STAB!!!"

The electric blast knocked Queklain back for a few moments, and then he got back up again. "You've improved..." he growled. "Well, so have I! DOOMSDAY SYNDROME!!!"

The huge, fanged mouth in Queklain's stomach opened up and spewed out a black cloud that engulfed the party.

"(Hack! Wheeze!)" Mustadio gasped. "Where are you guys?!"

"I'm here!" Cloud called from one side.

"Where?" Mustadio asked as he began groping around in the fog. Offhand he grabbed hold of something squishy. "Is that you, Cloud?" he asked.

The response was a hard slap in the head. As the smoke cleared, Mustadio was confronted with Agrias's angry and blushing face. She was rubbing her butt as if something had damaged it. "Save it for later, hotshot!" she yelled angrily.

"Sheesh, sorry," Mustadio grumbled as he nursed his red cheek.

"This guy can't be that difficult!" Cloud yelled. "CLIMHAZZARD!!!"

Cloud ran and planted his sword in Queklain's fanged stomach. He then lurched upwards and split the beast in two. Queklain roared in pain and agony as he staggered around with bodily fluids spewing every which way.

"HOLY EXPLOSION!!!" Agrias yelled, sending her divine attack at the monster. Queklain fell on his butt and couldn't get up.

"Now it's my turn!" Mustadio said. "Hasta lavista, baby!!!"

Mustadio fired one shot from his Blast Gun, and Queklain exploded into nothing. Smirking, Mustadio blew the smoke from his gun, spun it around on his finger, and holstered it.

"I've always wanted to say that," he chuckled.

"Yeah, real original," Agrias snorted. "Come on! Let's hurry!"

"That was a Lucavi?" Cloud asked. "...He didn't seem that tough."

The air shimmered and the church dropped away and things reverted back to the usual green-mist setting that The Realm of the Dead had. A door appeared in front of the group, and they went through it.

"Why'd Ramza assign this clunker to OUR team?" Malak complained as he glared at Worker No.8.

"Because Ramza felt confident that he would respond well to you," Rafa sniffed. "Be considerate."

"Oh, you're just saying that because he's your BOYFRIEND!" Malak taunted, saying 'boyfriend' in that drawn-out, mocking voice.

"Shut up!" Rafa argued as her cheeks went bright crimson. "We have a mission to complete!"

Suddenly, the air shimmered and the scenery around them changed.

"...Hey, we're back at Riovanes," Malak noted.

"Good day to you," a voice said. Rafa and Malak looked, and at the top of the hall's steps there stood a man in a white cape.

"...You must be Wiegraf," Rafa said. "Ramza told me about you."

"Yes, that's me," Wiegraf said. "Tell me, how is old Ramza these days?"

"Why do you want to know?" Malak asked as he readied his Octagon Rod. "Worker No.8, get ready to fight!"

"I suppose there's no avoiding this," Wiegraf said as he took a step down from the top. "If I can't kill Ramza, I'll bump off his friends!"

Wiegraf shimmered and became Velius, the four-armed ram monster.

"Yikes!" Rafa cried. "He's UGLY!"

"All right, I'll admit I ought to comb my hair more often, but... HEY!" Velius roared. "Who cares?! Get ready to die!!!"

"Heaven Thunder Back!!!" Malak shouted. His dark attack had no effect on Velius. Velius raised one of his arms and smacked Malak into the pond nearby.

"You!..." Rafa huffed angrily. "STORAGE SPACE!!!"

The status-inducing purple rays knocked Velius back a bit, but he kept coming.

"Genocide Mode!" Worker No.8 beeped. "Attack!!!" He ran up and slugged Velius in the stomach. Hard.

Velius staggered backwards, obviously shocked from the attack. "So, you have a toy working for you?" Velius asked. "Pretty pathetic. It must mean you're pretty weak, just like Ramza!"

"If Ramza's so weak, how come you're dead?" Rafa challenged. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to you insult him!"

"Rafa..." Malak sputtered as he climbed out of the water.

"I'll insult Ramza as much as I want, you cheap exotic harlot!" Velius cackled. "Leave it to Ramza to fall in love with someone like you."

"Grrrrr..." Rafa growled as tears started to well up in her eyes. They weren't sad tears; they were tears of rage.

"What a fool you are," Velius laughed as he raised his hand to deliver a death blow to Rafa. Suddenly, it was stopped by a blue sphere of energy that flew in out of nowhere. Velius jumped backwards and looked around. "Who's there?!" he yelled angrily.

"'Thy evil spirit, Brutus,'" a girl said as she materialized beside Rafa. She had flowing, brown hair and she wore the muddy-green knight's uniform of the Death Corps. "You've really sold yourself out, big brother."

"...Miluda?!" Velius gasped. "But... How... What..."

"We're in The Realm of the Dead, remember?" Miluda said, her face twisting into a cocky smile. "I just haven't called on you lately."

"You're..." Malak started to ask.

"Miluda," Miluda said. "Wiegraf's sister. Come on, let's put this goat on a boat!"

"All right," Malak said. "SKY DEMON BACK!!!"

"SKY DEMON!!!" Rafa cried.

"CRUSH!!!" Worker No.8 whirred as his chest opened up and the cannon inside began to fire rapidly.

"WAVE FIST!!!" Miluda yelled as blue spheres of power flew from her knuckle. All four attacks hit Velius. He screamed in agony and was vaporized.

"Whew... That was close..." Rafa panted. "...I can't believe he'd be so bold as to insult Ramza like that! Oh... Thank you, Miluda."

"You're welcome," Miluda said. "Lissen, um..."

"What's wrong?" Malak asked.

"Could you guys do me a favor?" Miluda asked. "I went up against Ramza once, and... well... as you can see, I paid the price. When you see him again, tell him I'm sorry for what happened."

"...We'll tell him," Rafa said.

"Thanks," Miluda said. "And... good luck with him, Rafa."

Miluda faded away, as did Riovanes hall. The scenery changed back to the green mist. A door appeared in front of the group and it opened.

"Shall we?" Malak asked.

"Yeah..." Rafa said. Malak and Worker No.8 walked through the door, but Rafa stopped before she entered. She looked back at the swirling mists and sighed. "Goodbye, Miluda... Thank you..." she said. Then she turned around and walked through the door.

"Keep on guard," Orlandu said as he clutched Excalibur. "Zalera is around here somewhere..."

"We'll stay sharp, sir," Alicia said.

"He won't get the drop on us!" Lavian agreed.

"Crimony, they're like Thing 1 and Thing 2," Orlandu sighed as they walked through the mists. Suddenly, all went dark.

"Hey, what gives?!" Lavian yelled.

"Turn the lights back on!!!" Alicia shouted. "I'm afraid of the dark!"

"Then you wouldn't last five minutes with me, my dear..."

The lights came back on again, and the group found that they were standing in the middle of the graveyard beneath Limberry Castle.

"Uchhh!!!" Alicia yelled. "This place is horrible!!!"

"You know, for a name as jolly as 'Limberry,' the place is really awful," Lavian noted.

"Now, now, don't badmouth my house..."

Everyone turned to look at where the voice was coming from. Marquis Elmdor was at the back of the room, sitting on a throne made of skulls. Though the room was very dark, the Marquis's silver hair emitted a frightening glow. "Well, Orlandu, it's good to see you," he said. "I just wish it were under better circumstances."

"You should have stayed dead the first time, Elmdor," Orlandu said. "You were honorable before you died at Fuse Plains. Now you're just a pathetic shell for a Lucavi."

"Oh, do spare me your babbling," Elmdor muttered. "I'll get rid of you all, and I won't even have to lift a finger." He put his fingers to his mouth and blew. A shrill whistle shot through the room. Everyone waited, but nothing happened. "...Blast it all, where are my assassins?!" he yelled angrily.

"Oh, they're not here," Alicia said.

"We beat 'em already," Lavian added.

"WHAT?!" Elmdor cried. "But... Where are they now?!"

"All right," Celia said as she leaned forward on the desk. "You seem to be able to pay for this, but we're still a little confused about it..."

"Yes," Lede said. "You've asked us to kill a person we don't know. Tell us, why should we kill this 'ker-plop' guy?"

"Because he never puts me in a good light in his stories!!!" Squall yelled angrily. "I'm always being cut off and thrown into magma and hit with anvils and who knows what else he's got planned for me!!!"

"...Like this?" Celia asked as she hit a button on the desk. A sumo wrestler fell out of nowhere and crushed Squall.

"Ahh, it's a living," Lede chuckled.

"Case in point," Orlandu said, pointing to the above-mentioned ATE. "They aren't here."

"Fine," Elmdor muttered. "I'll kill you myself!"

Elmdor shimmered for a second and then he became Zalera. "Prepare to die!!!" he hissed.

"His name's Zarella?" Alicia asked.

"Does he have a brother named 'Mozz?'" Lavian asked.

"It's ZALERA, not Zarella," Orlandu grumbled. "Just get ready to fight!"

"Right!" Alicia and Lavian said at the same time, drawing their Rune Blades.

"NIGHTMARE!!!" Zalera shrieked. The blue rays sent everyone flying backwards.

"Ohhh... What a shock..." Lavian groaned.

"Count Orlandu, are you all right?" Alicia asked. Orlandu lay in the corner with a large bubble coming out of his nose.

"Crap, he's asleep," Lavian muttered. "I forgot that Nightmare does that to people."

"I guess we'll have to take him on ourselves," Alicia said as Lavian and she clasped hands.

"Oh, no," Zalera wheezed sarcastically. "Two rookie knights. I'm SOOO scared!"

"We're not rookies," Lavian admonished.

"And you SHOULD be scared!" Alicia yelled. The two knights charged in at the same time.

"What's this?" Zalera asked.

"SPEED BREAK!!!" Alicia yelled.

"MIND BREAK!!!" Lavian shouted.

The two attacks connected and Zalera flopped backwards, slower and with less magic ability. "You little brats!" he yelled angrily. He held his arm out, and spheres of energy began to merge together in a large, yellow ball. "PLASMA FLARE!!!"

The horrific attack landed between Alicia and Lavian and knocked them to the sides of the graveyard.

"Alicia, are you OK?" Lavian yelled.

"Yeah," Alicia called. "I'm over here, by the McPherson tomb!"

"It's useless to resist me, little girls," Zalera chuckled. "Perhaps if you beg for mercy, I'll make you two my new assassins..."

"Would that include servicing you in other ways besides killing?" Alicia asked.

"...Yes..." Zalera said slowly.

"No thanks," Lavian growled. "Alicia, I know were were saving this to show Captain Agrias, but now's a good a time as any to use it!"

"Right, Lavian!" Alicia said. "On the count of three!"

"What?..." Zalera asked.

"ONE... TWO... THREE!!!" Alicia and Lavian yelled at the same time. "STASIS SWORD!!!"

Both knights swung their swords, and Zalera became surrounded in a sheet of ice. He screamed in agony and exploded when the ice shattered. The debris fell down like a fine snow.

"Yay! We did it!" Alicia cheered.

"Success!" Lavian cried out.

"ZZZ... What? What did I miss?" Orlandu asked. Alicia and Lavian helped him up and explained what had happened. Orlandu scratched his head and smiled at the two. "Well, good job," he said. "You two are on your way to becoming Heavenly Knights, just like your Captain."

"Hooray!" the two knights said at the same time. Suddenly, the graveyard was replaced with the misty-green background of before. A door appeared before them and they walked through it.

"Stay alert," Meliadoul said as the party walked through the mist. "Hashmalum could be anywhere."

"You seem pretty uptight, Mel," Cinna said as the group walked along. "Is something up?"

"Hashmalum killed my father and my brother," Meliadoul growled. "I've got a good reason to be uptight."

"I hope he shows himself soon," Reis said. "I'm getting chills from this mist."

"It IS unpleasant," Beowulf said. "He had better show up."

"My, my... Impatient, aren't we?" a dark voice said. Everyone looked around and saw that the mist had shifted back to the airship they had been flying on when they had battled Hashmalum last.

"I know that voice..." Meliadoul growled. "Come out!!!"

Vormav appeared in front of the group. "Nice of you to come all this way to pay me a visit, dear daughter," he chuckled darkly.

"Shut up!" Meliadoul yelled angrily. "You're not my father anymore, and I'm gonna get rid of you once and for all!"

"Such harsh words," Vormav growled. "Children that talk back to their parents like that should be punished."

"Lay off her, man!" Cinna said, stepping in front of Meliadoul. "I haven't known Meliadoul for long, but I know when something's up! Now you just step back, nice and easy..."

"Cinna..." Meliadoul started to say. She had finally realized that Cinna had never meant any harm; he had just wanted to be her friend.

"Funny, I don't recognize you," Vormav said. "Has another low life joined you and the kid, Meliadoul?"

"Be quiet!" Meliadoul cried. "He's my friend!"

"Mel?" Cinna asked. "That's the first time you've ever called me that."

"Well..." Meliadoul shrugged. "There's a first time for everything."

"This conversation's not getting us anywhere," Beowulf said as he drew his sword. "Let's just fight already!"

"I agree this time," Reis said, her silky dress and golden hair rippling in the breeze that blew over the airship's deck. "Let's defeat him."

"Fine," Vormav chuckled. "But I won't go down so easily this time!"

Vormav shimmered and mutated into the ferocious lion monster, Hashmalum. "Playtime's over..." he growled menacingly.

"Just like when that mad doctor turned into Torokann!" Cinna remarked.

"You defeated Torokann?" Hashmalum asked. "Hmmph. Prepare to meet your doom! DEATH CLAW!!!"

Hashmalum slashed at Meliadoul, sending her flying backwards. She would have been knocked off the airship if Cinna hadn't grabbed her.

"You OK, Mel?" Cinna asked.

Meliadoul quickly hid the blush on her face and wrenched free of Cinna's grip. "I'm fine," she said. "...Thank you, Cinna."

"You're welcome," Cinna said, smiling warmly at her.

"SHOCK!!!" Beowulf yelled as he cast the destructive spell. Hashmalum was knocked back a ways, but overall it didn't do anything.

"Holy Bracelet," Reis said as she put her lips together and blew out a righteous laser beam that blew Hashmalum back a few feet.

"Lemme help!" Cinna said, strumming his Lute. "Rummbaaaaaa!"

The deadly notes pelted Hashmalum pretty hard, and he slipped and fell off the airship.

"Yes!" Beowulf said, pumping his fist. "We got him!"

"Don't bet on it," Hashmalum roared as he leaped up from the other side of the ship and landed with a hard blow. The airship wobbled around and sent everyone rolling.

"Beowulf, catch me!!!" Reis yelled as she slid towards the edge.

"I've got you!" Beowulf yelled as he slid down and grabbed her just before she went over the side.

"Awww, Wolfy..." Reis said as she nuzzled his face with her cheek.

"Reis, not now," Beowulf said gently. "We've a fight to finish!"

"That was a cheap trick!" Meliadoul growled as she and Cinna faced Hashmalum down on the top of the airship.

"DEATH CLAW!!!" Hashmalum yelled as he charged at Meliadoul with his claws out. The attack was stopped when Cinna brought his lute down on Hashmalum's head. Hard.

"Ah HA!" Cinna laughed. "Just like in FuriKuri!"

"In what?" Meliadoul asked.

"...Aww, never mind," Cinna said. "...Hey, I think he's still alive!"

"GRRRR..." Hashmalum growled as he started to get up. "I'll kill you..." he choked out. "Hold still..."

Suddenly, a huge mass landed on Hashmalum and then vanished. Hashmalum exploded and ash flew everywhere. "What the heck?!" Meliadoul asked. "What was that?!"

"Hello, Meliadoul."

"Huh?" Meliadoul asked as a boy landed in front of Cinna and her.

"Sorry I didn't show up earlier," the mysterious person said.

"Izlude!" Meliadoul cried.

"Meliaodul," Izlude said. "What you did was right. Joining Ramza was the right thing to do... I regret that I didn't."

"Brother..." Meliadoul said quietly.

"I jumped on Hashmalum to finish him," Izlude said, motioning to where Hashmalum had been lying. "I just wanted to see you again. I have to go now, Meliadoul. Take care of yourself..."

"Wait, Izlude!" Meliadoul said, running up to him. She held out her hand to him. He reached for it, but his hand passed through hers like it was a fine vapor.

He held his hand up thoughtfully for a minute, then looked sadly at his sister. "...I'm sorry..." he said quietly. Just then, the airship and Izlude faded and the green mist surrounded the party once again.

"Izlude..." Meliadoul sighed, dropping to her knees.

"You loved your bro more than anything, huh?" Cinna asked.

"He was my best friend in the whole world," Meliadoul said.

Cinna, Beowulf and Reis looked at her as she got up and looked around. "...But I'm NOT gonna cry!" she declared. "Come on, let's go meet the others and kick Ajora's butt!"

"Right! That's the Meliadoul we know," Beowulf chuckled.

A door appeared on the far side of the mist, and the foursome ran into it.

"But seriously, Cinna, what's FuriKuri?" Meliadoul asked.

"Oh... Something," Cinna chuckled.

"No, please, tell me!" Meliadoul said, getting a little irritated.

"Nope," Cinna laughed.

"Urrrgh..." Meliadoul growled as she put her hand over her face.

"Do we really have to do this?" Alma asked as Ramza, Rad and she walked into darkness.

"He's not Dycedarg anymore, Alma," Ramza said. "...Just a shell."

"Such a pity you'd talk of me like that, Ramza."

Everyone looked around and saw the mists change into the huge hall at Igros castle. Dycedarg stood up on the overpass, leering down at the three travelers.

"Hey, don't scare us like that!" Rad yelled.

"I see you're still running around with the commoners," Dycedarg said to Alma and Ramza without even looking at Rad. "You're both pathetic."

"And you should talk?" Alma chastised. "You sold the Beoulve name out, Dycedarg. You made us all look like villans, and then you killed Zalbag!"

"I guess you heard, then," Dycedarg said, a cruel smile appearing on his bearded face. "Well, we're in my territory now, and there's no way you can win."

"Ramza can take you, you old windbag!" Rad yelled. He then turned back to Ramza. "...You can take him, right, boss?" he asked.

"I told you to just call me Ramza," Ramza said to his pupil. "...But yes, I can handle him."

"Then I'll test you!" Dycedarg laughed as he shimmered and became the abominable green goat beast Adramelk. He dropped down in front of them and began to attack. He grabbed Ramza and hurled him at Alma. They both crashed into the wall.

"Hey, leave 'em alone, you stupid nanny-goat!" Rad yelled, bringing his axe down on Adramelk's head. A piece of Adramelk's right horn snapped off and clattered on the stone floor.

"Why, you... you... you..." Adramelk gasped, not able to contain his anger. "WHELP!!! DIE!!!"

Adramelk grabbed Rad and smashed him against the wall, and was about to use his face to crush Rad's skull when Ramza ran up behind him and stabbed him with his Chaos Blade. Adramelk roared in pain and dropped Rad, who started hacking away at Adramelk again.

"Thanks, boss," Rad called.

"...Ramza," Ramza admonished.

"MBarrier!" Alma chanted, surrounding herself and her friends in the magic barriers. She then ran up to Adramelk and smacked him across the face with her Gold Staff.

"You lousy pests!" Adramelk yelled. "Well, how's this? LOSS!!!"

Adramelk fired a green beam from his horns, and the three fighters became confused. They started whacking at each other.

"Weaklings," Adramelk laughed as he walked up and readied himself to crush them all in one blow.

"They were right about you being pathetic, Dycedarg."

"What?" Adramelk asked as he looked around. He was quite surprised when a Lightning Stab zapped him backwards. The blast also shook Rad, Ramza and Alma out of their confusion.

"What? Who did that?" Ramza asked, looking around.

"Up here, Ramza..."

Ramza looked up onto the landing and saw his brother Zalbag, who Adramelk had killed before. "Zalbag!!!" Ramza cried happily.

"You..." Adramelk growled as he leered up at Zalbag.

"Now, Ramza!" Zalbag yelled.

"Right!" Ramza said, running up and stabbing Adramelk through the stomach. The beast roared in agony and vaporized.

"YEAH! Way to go, boss!" Rad cheered.

"You're great, brother!" Alma cheered.

"Nice work, Ramza," Zalbag said as he leapt down to confront the trio.

"Zalbag..." Ramza said. "...I'm sorry about what happened before."

"It's not your fault," Zalbag said, waving his hand. "What's important now is that things be restored to how they should be..."

"Zalbag?" Ramza asked.

"The world has been thrown into chaos by Queen Ovelia's murder," Zalbag said. "From what I've seen, only you can make it right again. Ramza, do all of us a favor and defeat Ajora! By reviving the queen, you'll be bringing order to chaos."

"But Zalbag, will I ever see you again?" Ramza asked.

"Some day..." Zalbag said. "Until then, be brave and fight for what you believe in... And take care of Alma."

"Yes, brother," Ramza said. Zalbag smiled, and then he, along with the scenery, faded back into the green mists that surrounded The Realm of the Dead.

"You've got a swell brother, boss," Rad said.

"Yeah..." Ramza said.

A door appeared before the party, and they stepped through it.