Battle of Nalbina Fortress The Battle of Nalbina Fortress was fought during the Archadian Empire ' s subjugation of neighboring kingdoms Dalmasca and Nabradia . It serves as the opening setting for " Final Fantasy XII " as the prologue and tutorial , and is expanded upon in the " Final Fantasy XII " manga . Instigation . When the Neo - Rozarrian attempt to assassinate King Raminas was foiled by the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca , the pro - Rozarrian faction in Nabradia abandoned subtlety and rose up in open rebellion in the year 704 . Under the pretense of restoring order in the country , the Archadian Empire responded by invading Nabradia . After dispatching Rozarrian troops , the Empire headed for the capital , city of Nabudis . Under the orders of Doctor Cid , the Empire ' s leading magicite researcher , Judge Zecht used a piece of deifacted nethicite to decimate the city and the surrounding land . Back in Rabanastre , the Order of the Knights received news of Nabudis ' s destruction . Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg and Lord Rasler Heios Nabradia led their troops to secure the Nalbina Fortress and protect the borders of Dalmasca from the Empire ' s approach . The siege . The battle occurred in the evening when the Archadian army marched toward Nalbina Fortress from the northeast . The remaining Nabradian troops fought together with Dalmascan soldiers to fortify the fortress from Archadia . An air battle took place between an Imperial Fleet led by scores of Cruiser Class " Ifrit " airships and fighter class Dalmascan aircraft deployed from Rabanastre . Mages constructed a paling around the fortress preventing an airstrike , but were killed by Archadian infantry and the paling dissipated . This proved to be the start of Rabanastre ' s downfall , as the Imperial fleet moved in into Dalmascan airspace . Down below , garrisoned Archadian soldiers were deployed into the chambers within the Nalbina Fortress . Despite Captain Basch ' s decision to withdraw , Lord Rasler continued to defend the fortress in the name of his late father when he was struck by an arrow of an Archadian infantryman . A destroyed " Ifrit " fell on the fortress and killed many soldiers on both sides . Sensing defeat , Captain Basch carried the fatally injured Rasler away and retreated to Rabanastre with his few remaining troops . In the manga , Rasler was appointed the head of the Dalmascan military as Archadia prepared to attack Nalbina Fortress . Despite being outnumbered , the Dalmascan forces achieved an advantage by crashing unmanned airships into the Archadian forces , dousing them in flammable oil . The two armies entered battle and the Archadians discussed retreating , but were threatened into fighting by Judge Bergan . Bergan and Judge Drace led a charge to push the Dalmascans back , and though Rasler began to order a retreat Bergan goaded him into fighting him , while Basch fought Drace . While they fought Judge Zargabaath infiltrated Nalbina with a teleportation stone , and the Archadians worked down the fortress ' s paling so their airships may move in to attack . Rasler and Basch retreated to the fortress , but the paling fell and in the chaos Rasler was struck by an Archadian arrow . Rasler and Basch escaped to Rabanastre , but Rasler died from his wounds . With Nalbina fallen , the Archadians planned to force Dalmasca into an unfair peace treaty . Aftermath . With the fall of Nalbina Fortress the Archadian Empire moved in closer to Rabanastre . Lord Rasler succumbed to his wounds and died and his funeral was held in the cathedral . The Archadian Imperial Fleet that had reached Dalmasca flew in Rabanastre airspace , signifying Archadia ' s occupation of the royal capital . The treaty signing . Following Archadia ' s occupation , the Empire presented Dalmasca with the terms of surrender , the Emperor ' s Treaty of Peace , and implored King Raminas to sign it at Nalbina Fortress . Intel reached the Order that the Empire aimed to kill Raminas afterward , and so Basch and Vossler set out to Nalbina with a small garrison of troops , including Reks , older brother to Vaan . Reks was separated from Basch and Vossler during their rescue attempt and pressed forward until he reached the signing chamber , and found the king and many Dalmascan troops dead with Basch standing in the middle . Basch claimed the King had betrayed Dalmasca to the Empire and deserved to die before stabbing Reks . Reks fainted , but glimpsed Basch being arrested by Vayne Solidor and the Empire ' s soldiers . Controversy . Basch ' s twin Gabranth was the one who killed the king with a scheme he and Vayne had concocted . As Basch entered the chamber he found Raminas assassinated and was subsequently captured , while his brother took on his identity . Basch watched on from the sidelines as Gabranth stabbed Reks , making him the witness the Empire needed to ruin Basch ' s name . Basch was found guilty of incitement of sedition , the assassination of King Raminas , and high treason . Archadia announced him executed signifying the end of the war and defeat of Dalmasca . Rabanastre would be under Archadian occupation for two years . This led to the creation of the Resistance . Basch ' s name was never cleared .