Infernal Castle

The Infernal Castle (), also known as the Vermillion Apocalypse's Castle (きの) and Blaze Demon Castle in Falcom's romanisation, is the manifestation of the Vermillion Apocalypse's underground sealing area brought to Heimdallr's surface by the Lucifen Lied ().
== Background ==
After Emperor Hector I defeated Zoro-Agruga with Testa-Rossa, the dragon's blood took the emperor's life and cursed the Divine Knight, transforming it into the Vermillion Apocalypse. The emperor's son had the cursed Knight sealed by Roselia and Black Alberich under Valflame Palace.
During the War of the Lions, Orthros Reise Arnor was able to awaken the Vermillion Apocalypse, summoning the Infernal Castle in place of the Valflame Palace on July 1st, S.952. Dreichels Reise Arnor and Lianne Sandlot entered the castle and defeated Orthros, dispelling the castle three days later, on July 4th. Memories of the Infernal Castle's appearance, as well as the participation of Divine Knights, faded away soon after, with only the Black Records containing the truth of what happened.
== ==
=== Background ===
On December 31st, S.1204, at the end of the October War, Duke Cayenne and Vita Clotilde take Cedric Reise Arnor to the underground sealing area in preparation for the ritual. After Class VII rescue the rest of the Imperial Family at the Karel Imperial Villa, they witness Vita's incantation and the rise of the Infernal Castle. Approximately 800 arge in height, the castle is pushed toward the surface level by the purgatory's great tree (の), with its roots enveloping and penetrating it.
The Courageous takes Class VII to the castle's gate before being chased off by the Pantagruel. However, the castle's appearance causes Magic Knights to appear in the streets. The rest of Thors Military Academy comes to provide cover for Class VII as Valimar is able to break the magic barrier using Rean's Spirit Unification, leaving the Knight drained until the final battle.
Once inside, Class VII makes their way upwards through various strata of the castle. They fight Bleublanc and Duvalie at the end of the first stratum, with Toval and Olivert coming to their aid while Mueller and Neithardt help the Thors members outside the castle against the Magic Knights. 
Xeno and Leonidas wait at the end of the second stratum, with Fie demanding to know why Zephyr disbanded and left her behind. After a battle, the Zephyr commanders admit that Rutger Claussell's last wish was to have Fie abandon the jaeger lifestyle, but they still refuse to let Class VII past. Claire and Sharon arrive, holding the two long enough for Class VII to make it past them, leaving Fie with a final remark that Zephyr was working on bringing the boss back.
At the end of the third stratum, McBurn appears and demands a fight with Valimar, but Rean refuses to waste his mana before his battle with Crow, causing McBurn to attack them. After forcing McBurn to assume his Blazing Demon form, they're saved by the intervention of Victor S. Arseid, who's able to fight the Blazing Demon on equal terms.
After finally making it to the pinnacle of the castle, the Vermillion Throne, they find Crow, Vita, Duke Cayenne and a bound Cedric in front of the Vermillion Knight. Crow and Vita fight Class VII to prepare the stage for the final battle between Ordine and Valimar, disregarding Duke Cayenne. Rean and Valimar are finally able to defeat Crow and Ordine, and while Vita is surprised by the result, she admits witnessing the battle was her only goal.
Infuriated, Duke Cayenne forces Cedric onto the Vermillion Knight, awakening it. Outside the castle, red veins appear and begin draining mana from everyone present, forcing Thomas Lysander to reveal what he knows. Inside, Vita, Emma and Celine protect Class VII with a barrier until Crow is able to break through the miasma, giving Class VII the opening to force the Vermillion Apocalypse back and the Divine Knights a chance to recover. Together, Rean and Crow defeat Testa-Rossa, but Ordine takes a fatal wound while Valimar cuts out the core containing Cedric.
While Cedric is saved, Crow dies on their arms after taking the feedback from Ordine's wound. Duke Cayenne takes Cedric hostage while the others were distracted, but before Vita can force him away, Rufus Albarea rushes in, killing Grianos and wounding Vita. However, Rufus denies saving the duke as Altina Orion appears and apprehends him, revealing that he has been the primary Ironblood since long before the war.
The rest of the Ironbloods walk in, followed by Giliath Osborne, having survived Crow's assassination. The chancellor announces that thanks to Rufus the war will be put to a swift end, with the Noble Alliance taking a major loss to their power, and that he would be taking over the Phantasmal Blaze Plan from Ouroboros. Rean confronts him before suddenly remembering Osborne is his biological father, as the chancellor proclaims Rean will be known as a national hero for his actions in the Infernal Castle.
=== Maps ===
<tabber>
|-|Lowest Stratum=
Lowest Stratum
|-|1st Stratum 1=
1st Stratum 1
|-|1st Stratum 2=
1st Stratum 2
|-|1st Stratum 3=
1st Stratum 3
|-|2nd Stratum 1=
2nd Stratum 1
|-|2nd Stratum 2=
2nd Stratum 2
|-|2nd Stratum 3=
2nd Stratum 3
|-|3rd Stratum 1=
3rd Stratum 1
|-|3rd Stratum 2=
3rd Stratum 2
|-|Exterior Corridor=
Exterior Corridor
|-|3rd Stratum 3=
3rd Stratum 3
|-|Highest Stratum 1=
Highest Stratum 1
|-|Highest Stratum 2=
Highest Stratum 2
|-|Highest Stratum 3=
Highest Stratum 3
|-|Highest Stratum 4=
Highest Stratum 4
</tabber>
=== Enemies ===
==== 1st Stratum ====
*Ebony Pawn
*Blood Brand
*Judge Pillar
*Nebilim
*Seraphic Gate
*Tildawn
*Ol-Gadia
*Magic Knight Ashurei
*Balancing Clown: Story
*Duvalie: Story
*Bleublanc: Story
==== 2nd Stratum ====
*Black Widow
*Ramon
*Tyrant
*Magma Serpent
*Crimsondile
*Grim-Zanak
*Abaddon
*Reaver Garmr
*Judgment Javelin: Summoned by Xeno
*Xeno: Story
*Leonidas: Story
==== 3rd Stratum ====
*Black Ooze
*Demonic Mirror
*Demon Rider
*Pit Demon
*Freezing Knight
*Nosferatu
*Greater Devil
*Elvavria R
*McBurn: Story
==== Highest Stratum ====
*Hades Pillar
*Regna Bersel
*NT-I: Summoned by Crow
*Crow: Story
*Vita Clotilde: Story
*Divine Knight Ordine: Story
*Vermillion Weapon: Summoned by Vermillion Apocalypse (Phase 2)
*Vermillion Apocalypse (Phase 1): Story
*Vermillion Apocalypse (Phase 2): Story
*Vermillion Apocalypse (Mech Battle): Story
=== Treasure Chests ===
Stratum	Key	Contents
1st 	1 	Tear All Balm
1st 	2 	Virgo Boots
1st 	3 	All Sepith ×500
1st 	4 	Alfried's Armor
1st 	5 	Monsters: Ol-Gadia ×3
1st 	5 	Deus Gem
2nd 	6 	Sirius Boots
2nd 	7 	Sepith Mass ×1000
2nd 	8 	Celestial Balm EX
2nd 	9 	Monsters: Crimsondile ×3
2nd 	9 	Brahma Gem
2nd 	10 	Zeram Powder
3rd 	11 	EP Charge IV
3rd 	12 	U-Material ×15
3rd 	13 	Celestial Armor
3rd 	14 	Monsters: Greater Devil, Pit Demon ×2
3rd 	14 	Mars Gem
3rd 	15 	Monsters: Greater Devil, Demon Rider ×6
3rd 	15 	Diabolos Gem
3rd 	16 	Loa Boots
Highest	17 	Chaos Armor
Highest	18 	Zeram Capsule
=== Quests ===
*Infernal Castle
== Gallery ==
<tabber>Exterior=
Infernal_Castle_-_Exterior_3_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Exterior_1_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Exterior_2_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Exterior_4_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Exterior_5_(sen2).png
|-|First Stratum=
Infernal_Castle_-_Interior_1_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Interior_2_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_11_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_12_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_13_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_14_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_15_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_16_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_17_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_18_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_19_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_191_(sen2).png
|-|Second Stratum=
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_22_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_21_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_23_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_24_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_25_(sen2).png
|-|Third Stratum=
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_33_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_31_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_32_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_34_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_35_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_36_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_37_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_38_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_39_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_391_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_392_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_393_(sen2).png
|-|Highest Stratum=
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_44_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_41_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_42_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_43_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_45_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_46_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_47_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Stratum_48_(sen2).png
|-|Vermillion Throne=
Infernal_Castle_-_Vermillion_Throne_2_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Vermillion_Throne_1_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Vermillion_Throne_3_(sen2).png
Vermillion_Throne_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_1_(sen2).png
Vermillion_Throne_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_2_(sen2).png
Vermillion_Throne_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_3_(sen2).png
</gallery>
|-|Vermillion Apocalypse=
Infernal_Caste_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_1_(sen2).png
Infernal_Caste_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_2_(sen2).png
Infernal_Caste_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_3_(sen2).png
Infernal_Caste_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_4_(sen2).png
Infernal_Caste_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_5_(sen2).png
Infernal_Caste_-_Vermillion_Apocalypse_6_(sen2).png
|-|Dormant (underground)=
Infernal_Castle_-_Dormant_1_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Dormant_2_(sen2).png
Infernal_Castle_-_Dormant_Testa-Rossa_(sen2).png
Testa-Rossa_-_Dormant_2_(sen2).png
|-|Concept art=
Final Dungeon - Unused Sketch 1 (Sen II).jpg|Unused concept art
Final Dungeon - Unused Sketch 2 (Sen II).jpg|Unused concept art
Final Dungeon - Unused Sketch 3 (Sen II).jpg|Unused concept art
Final Dungeon - Unused Sketch 4 (Sen II).jpg|Unused concept art
</tabber>
== Trivia ==
* The Infernal Castle's Highest Stratum originally featured two additional floors, which were removed from the final version of the game.
Category:Heimdallr
Category:Phase Space Locations
Category:Castles