AEHU/Plot/Plot Sketch Chapter 33
"What the Prophet Seeks"
- A month later Schala and Jaya are stranded on the surface by a storm that impedes skyway operation. While stuck in Algetty with civilians making quick progress on developing Zealian language skills, they learn of Earthbound hunters who haven't returned from the Beast's Nest after last night's hunt, so Schala and Jaya investigate at the Earthbound Elder's request. In the Beast's Nest they reunite with Derben and Grishe for the first time since Demeria's disappearance. They cooperate to solve the dilemma, the hunters apparently having been overwhelmed by an especially dangerous breed of new elemental beasts.
- Schala & co. return to Zeal, where they hear tale of a recently arrived prophet. Janus has been assigned to Gaspar's tutelage but the Guru of Time has failed to coax any magic ability whatsoever out of Janus following Demeria's disappearance; it is as if he's shut off his abilities entirely. Schala & co. and Janus are called to a meeting in a secret laboratory Melchior keeps, where the Gurus discuss the Lavos situation. Melchior and Gaspar have apparently achieved a victory in swaying Belthasar's opinion and the Gurus wish to continue the discussion on the surface so as to keep as far out of earshot as possible. They join Schala's next goodwill voyage to Algetty on the pretense of witnessing the birth of a child there.
- After Schala serves as midwife in Algetty, the Gurus discuss the possibility of a coup if Queen Zeal can't be dissuaded from forging ahead with the Lavos project, and making Schala queen. Derben and even Jaya encourage her to take part in this, but Schala refuses to do something that might result in another conflict. Everyone is disturbed by her willingness to go along with Queen Zeal's effort. Belthasar wishes to make a last ditch effort and approach Queen Zeal to resign his position as overseer of Ocean Palace construction.
- The only person Schala has left to confide in is Janus, who accompanies her to a practice run for the Mammon Machine activation ceremony scheduled to take place in the Ocean Palace in a few days. While they walk through the Ocean Palace, Janus briefly mentions the prophet and a prediction he made that other foreigners would appear in Zeal soon. The subject turns to how Queen Zeal has become consumed by the approaching operation, and it seems even he is pressuring her to do something. Schala snaps at Janus and reveals how afraid and unconfident she is in her own decisionmaking ability, considering how her last major decision turned out. She wishes Demeria were still around, and Janus says he has something to tell her but Dalton interrupts with news that the Gurus have all been arrested. Schala deposits Janus in Zeal and seeks out Grishe, Derben, and Jaya.
- Despite frayed nerves on all sides everyone agrees that the next course of action is to help the Gurus. Schala and Jaya save Gaspar from a quiet execution on the surface while Derben and Grishe sneak into the Sun Palace to rescue Belthasar. The Gurus have learned that it was the Prophet who revealed the locations of their secret laboratories and they're flabbergasted at the Prophet's apparent omniscience.
- Schala learns that Melchior's gone to confront Queen Zeal and she tries to catch up with him, but finds that the Prophet has ascended Mt. Woe with Melchior in tow. Fearing the worst, she travels to Mt. Woe only to confront the Prophet at the mountain's base; he has finished his task. Schala warns the Prophet about Giga Gaia, but the Prophet replies that he has sealed Melchior in ice so as to prevent the executioner from detecting him, so he is safe for now.
- Schala joins the Gurus holed up on the surface to reveal the latest news. Belthasar has sent Nus to learn more about the Prophet and is expecting them back soon, but only one returns with a report that the Prophet has destroyed the others. The Nu could detect only rage in the Prophet's heart.
- Schala is still hesitant to seize control of the kingdom from Queen Zeal so Derben decides what she should do for her: go along with things for now, try to learn more about the Prophet, and make Queen Zeal think everything is going according to plan. Derben, Grishe, Jaya and the remaining Gurus will figure out the next course of action. Schala agrees to this arrangement and returns to Zeal Palace in time to prep for the Ocean Palace's Mammon Machine activation ceremony.
- Schala makes contact with the Object briefly and the consciousness within shows her Derben, Grishe, and Jaya sabotaging the Ocean Palace at this very moment, an operation that the player actually plays through instead of the typical Frozen Flame trial. Sabotage of the Ocean Palace leads to the deaths of Earthbound workers Dalton oversees within, and the consciousness wonders at how easily men like Po'hjol, Derben, and Raqh turn their backs on their own moral code when push comes to shove. Schala replies that it seems to be inherent in leadership, and is thankful that she stayed out of this one. The consciousness excitedly reports that it expects something major will happen soon, but it won't reveal what exactly.
- The Heroes of Time arrive in Zeal, fulfilling the Prophet's latest prediction. Janus reports having seen them at Enhasa and Dalton - now strangely wearing an eye patch for some reason - corroborates. Schala gifts an Amulet Melchior fashioned for Janus to him as an early birthday present to help calm his apprehension with the present situation, and the Heroes of Time enter her room briefly before she's summoned to meet with Queen Zeal.
- Janus catches up with Schala on her way to the throne room and reveals that he knows how Demeria disappeared: Queen Zeal shoved her against the Mammon Machine during an argument, and Demeria disappeared, perhaps in the same manner their father disappeared. Dalton was party to the event and from all appearances, couldn't be happier to see Demeria go. Schala is stunned, and this becomes the focus of her conversation with Queen Zeal, Dalton, and the Prophet while the Heroes of Time are busy charging up the Pendant.
- The Heroes of Time barge into the throne room, where they are leveled by a Golem and put in stasis.
- Schala threatens to toss her Pendant off a balcony into the ocean below and thus dispose of the key needed to reactivate the Mammon Machine after it's moved to the Ocean Palace. Queen Zeal and Dalton freak, but the Prophet reminds Schala of her new secret dream -- becoming immortal so that she might seek out and meet Beck again if he's reborn someday. Schala hesitates long enough for a Scouter to secure the Pendant, but only Schala knows the secret of its use. The Prophet asks to have Schala placed under arrest, which Queen Zeal allows.
- Schala finds herself in the same cell Po'hjol occupied long ago, the Prophet visiting her occasionally to try and convince her into cooperating with Queen Zeal's plan. He embarrasses and torments her by replaying the entry from her own projection mirror that Janus saw earlier. The Prophet guesses correctly that Schala directed those words at Beck during her time of mourning, and plays other recordings showing that she bought into her mother's project for so long entertaining a small dream that she might encounter a reborn Beck if the cycle of life and death spoken of in Earthbound religion happens to ring true. She asks what the Prophet wants, and he says he also entertains a small dream. He promises Schala that he knows the future for a certainty, and that they will both achieve their dreams if only she cooperates. Schala realizes that her mother must be truly dead inside if she's allowing this psychological torture session to go on.
- Janus visits Schala with a note from Derben: see if she can lure the Prophet to Bekkler's abandoned sky island laboratory, where security is lax enough for an attempt on his life. Schala plays on the line of brainwashing the Prophet's been attempting, requesting to visit Beck's office while she reconsiders.
- The Prophet grants Schala's request and personally escorts her. The Prophet can't help but wonder at the fact that the Lavos Spawn stored in the lab is missing, and when he learns it was dispatched by a traveler who disappeared shortly afterward, his demeanor seems to be thrown off balance for the first time. Derben, Grishe, and Jaya leap from behind restraining beakers and attack the Prophet. Derben instructs Schala to free Melchior while the Prophet is distracted: since Melchior constructed the Mammon Machine, he might be able to figure out how to disable it. One of Belthasar's Nu assistants takes her away in the Ganymede.