Astos Astos is the evil king of the Dark Elves in the original " Final Fantasy " . He is fought as a boss in the Western Keep where he is found disguised as a king . In " " and future remakes , Astos appears in the Whisperwind Cove . There is a room with flame - like spirits which must be calmed so they can go rest in peace . One of those souls is Astos , seeking revenge and attacking the party when he encounters them . After his soul is destroyed , he curses the Warriors of Light before fading away . Story . Astos and his cronies attack Elfheim before the Warriors of Light arrive , placing a curse on the Prince of Elfheim ( that puts him in an endless sleep ) and sacking the treasury . He steals Matoya ' s Crystal Eye to prevent her from making a potion to revive the Prince , and poses as a weak old king in the Western Keep and tricks the Warriors of Light into recovering the Crown from the dangerous depths of the Marsh Cave . When the Warriors return , Astos shows his true form , but the Light Warriors destroy him . Battle . Unlike Garland , Astos is the first truly challenging boss players are likely to face , particularly in the NES , MSX and " classic mode " " Final Fantasy Origins " versions . While his HP pool is still unimpressive , his physical and magical defense are high . Astos has a tendency to lead off with Death / RUB , which , if the player is unlucky , will immediately leave them down a party member . If the fight drags on , Astos can cast Death repeatedly , which can make short work of a party and leave them unable to damage him fast enough to win . Astos can use Slow 2 and both Fira and Thundaga . If Astos is encountered in the Whisperwind Cove , he will retain the same stats and attacks as before , and since the Light Warriors will have grown more powerful by this point , the fight will be short . Strategy . Being on level 8 or 9 , with a generous helping of Mythril Swords on those who can use them , is typically the recommended level for Astos to not present much of a roadblock . To defeat him , physical attackers should use Attack while Hasted , as this is the first battle in which the player is likely to have access to Haste . Red and White Mages should spread around NulBolt and NulFire , and heal where necessary . Black Mages should use Tier - 2 magic , such as Fira , when not keeping the physical attackers Hasted . In " Dawn of Souls " and onward , the player should prepare with some Phoenix Down s or the spell Life in case Astos lands Death ; players of the NES , MSX or " Origins " ( normal ) versions , however , will simply have to adapt ( or reset ; using a Tent outside Astos ' s Castle is recommended for " save - scumming " the initial Death use ) . Another strategy is to cast Silence at the beginning of the battle to prevent Astos ' s spells , particularly Death ; without them , he simply has an average - for - his - level physical attack , even when hasted . By using the item Cockatrice Claw , which can be won by finishing in third place in the ship ' s 15 Puzzle , has a small chance of an instant KO . The latter option is only available in newer versions of the game . Other appearances . " Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade " . Astos appears in " Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade " . " Final Fantasy Record Keeper " . Astos appears as an enemy . Non - " Final Fantasy " appearances . Astos appears in the 34th episode " The Fractured Fantasy of Captain N " under the disguise of a friar who has the Light Crystal guarded within his castle , trying to overthrow the Prince and take his kingdom . His true form is revealed by the light of the crystal . Astos wields a sword like a staff and the sword ' s design is similar to the North American version of the " Final Fantasy IV " logo of the Super Nintendo . His sword function as a normal sword , but the pommel of the sword is a magical jewel that can shoot a beam of energy and cast enchantments .