When a God Warrior was unearthed in Pejitei, Pejitei was attacked by the Imperial

Guards of the Vai Emperor of Tormekia[2], despite them being allies.

Pejitei City was almost completely destroyed, and only Asbel, as well as a number of
refugees on a Pejitei Brig escaped. However, the Brig, carrying Asbel's
sister Rastel and the control stone of the God Warrior, lands in the Sea of
Corruption , which causes insects to attack it and it to crash[3].
Asbel flees Pejite in the Pejitei Gunship and attacks the Torumekian forces lead
by Kushana during the Periphery Campaign, shooting down two Bumblecrowsbefore
being shot down by Kurotowa[4]and ends up crashing in the Sea of Corruption. He is
rescued by Nausicaä, who gives him the control stone for the God Warrior that
Rastel had carried.
After their escape, Asbel and Nausicaä are captured by Mani Doroks, where it is
revealed that Asbel speaks Dorok [5], albeit their dialectal differences. When they
attempt to escape, Asbel decides to stay behind to ensure Nausicaä's escape.
Asbel then is brought to a Worm Handler village, where Doroks are
engineering Ohmu biolgically. He conspires with the Holy One of the Mani
Tribe and Ketcha to destroy the tanks containing the Ohmu larvae[6].
Then Yupa arrives and they execute their plan.
Asbel, Ketcha and Yupa escape by stealing the Worm Handler Brig[7], but the Holy
One is killed by Miralupa, who just arrived.
After the brig is shot down by a Dorok Air Monitor[8], the trio is saved from the
pursuing Worm Handlers and Doroks by the Forest People[9], who warn the Worm
Handlers off.
They stay with the Forest People and travel through the Sea of Corruption. The
Forest People give them some boats and they meet up with the recently
downed Valley Gunship[10].
He learns from Mito that Nausicaä was concerned about him and kept the bandage
he bound her wound with as a token[11].