Demonic Purge

From Bal, Ramza and his allies learned all about Olan's paper. He was looking into various incidents such as Limberry, Riovanes, and Lionel, in order to figure out more about Ramza's attacks on those who had taken his sister from him. Many of the guards he had talked to at Lionel had mentioned that they were surprised by his actions, and that he didn't seem to want to kill them, just wound those that stood in his way, and to go past and speak with Cardinal Draclau. It certainly hadn't fit the description of the victims from the interior of the castle, those whose deaths were attributed to Queklain.

Riovanes and Limberry would prove much more difficult. After all, few had survived either of those attacks. At Riovanes, the survivors attributed the attack to demons, and that's how it had become to be connected to Lionel, as well as the fact that Ramza was in the area. Limberry, on the other hand, was mostly a demon garrison, so the only survivors of that attack were monsters.

Thus, Ramza sent Tess, as his fastest warrior, to Olan's house in Zeltenia. She would deliver a message that was marked "from an old friend, who wishes to help" and leave it under his door. Then, she was to come back, right away. Tyler, Margurita, Pete, and Leon went with her, leaving Sage to take care of the clinic. In order to stay safe from those who still hunted him, Ramza hid his company in the Sweegy Woods. Without the spies seeing him in taverns, he felt he might be much safer.

* * *

The five warriors were greatly delayed in their endeavors. That was, because, they ran out of money when Leon bet it all in a bar, thinking there was no way they could lose. They were forced to stay in the bar at Bervenia Free City, working odd jobs around town, as well as monster hunting. Tess had insisted that the group change their setups, in order not to attract attention. So the whole team changed their job to Knight. It worked, no one recognized them as Ramza's allies.

It was May 11 by the time they arrived back at Ramza's camp. Agrias had a small celebration for Queen Ovelia's birthday, even though she couldn't be there in person. A few days later, though, they heard the sad news. Assassins had killed the queen, and tried for the king. Luckily, Delita had lived. But although he had wounded Ovelia's killers, they had gotten away. Neither Margurita - - ever the skeptic - - or Agrias believed that story. Something wasn't right, they just didn't know what.

But mourning was interrupted when a team of Ultima Demons came and attacked the camp. Dycedarg and Elmdore were with them, but it was apparent that neither man wanted to fight Ramza at the moment. All they wanted was to watch the slaughter that would take place.

"Well, my skills will be useless here," Meliadoul commented, "After all, they don't work if the enemy has no equipment to break. You should take Tess, Tyler, Pete, and Margurita with you, they're powerful warriors. I can always help hold bowls and wash wounds in the clinic."

Ramza smiled, Meliadoul was always ready to do her part, even if she wouldn't be fighting. And she knew too when she would be of little use in the battle. She was also a wiz at devising battle plans out of thin air. He smiled, knowing that such a shrewd fighter and hard worker was a great asset to the team. So he went with the battle plan she had devised, adding those four to the team.

"On my signal, we charge. Tess, I want you to sneak up behind and throw our extra Rune Blade at one. Then, try to get them in a line so Tyler can Earth Slash. Pete, you help her in doing that, fire arrows into them while you're at it. And Margurita use Kyomori and Masamune on the party. If we have extra protection, these guys should be a piece of cake," Ramza stated.

They began to fight. Margurita first took out her Kyomori Katana and cast Shell and Protect on the warriors. Next, was the Regen and Reraise from Masamune. Tess had purchased a group of Rune Blades with her extra money while on the way to Zeltenia to get the information to Olan. As well as some Slasher Axes. Thus, she had plenty to throw at the enemies. Pete was filling the group with arrows. Together, they managed to push back the demons, into a strait line. Tyler then used Wave Fist, killing them instantly. Then, the four went back to cover their leader from the two on the hill.

Dycedarg yelled, "You're stupid demons were useless, Elmdore. You told me that they were much more powerful than normal humans. I knew I should never have listened to you, I should have hired a few tavern thugs to attack my stupid half brother. But no, you had to insist on using those Ultima Demons. Now, we're out of manpower to send against these five."

Elmdore didn't take this lightly. "It is not my fault that this happened. How was I to predict the outcome of the battle? Besides, at Limberry Castle, Ramza struggled with my two lovely Ultima Demon assistants, Celia and Lede. He's gotten stronger since then, and it hasn't even been a full year. This boy is special, mark my words. He must be chosen by god or something."

"Well, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day," remarked Dycedarg, "I suggest we retreat strategically, and come back to finish the boy off on another occasion." He then ran off into the woods. Elmdore, not wanting to take Ramza on alone, ran after him at top speed.

* * *

Back at the camp, everyone congratulated Ramza and his allies on a job well done. Sage and Leon didn't even have to open their clinic, as no one was wounded. Izlude was relieved, he had been worried that Lucavi had gotten stronger when Altima revived them. But it looked to be the same old tricks, just the very shock of their return had made things a little tougher.

'But if I know Ramza, he's not going to give up the fight. He will battle with my father, no Vormav, and his allies until the day he dies if he has to. Because that man is a true hero, and he's never going to allow demons to harm those he cares about," Izlude thought.

- - - -

Just a battle, nothing more. We definitely have to jump a lot, in order to make a comprehensive story in a year. Ok everyone, when we jump a month or two, in order to get to the big events, think that Deverca has been here to attack, and got beaten up. Or they have just been successful at avoiding him, by avoiding towns and the like. If it is an important event, you will see a fight.