AEHU/Plot/Plot Sketch Chapter 34

"Lavos Beckons"

Schala wastes precious minutes only to find Mt. Woe extremely well guarded by proto-Mystics. The only backup she can possibly call upon are the Heroes of Time, so she frees them and charges them with rescuing Melchior. No sooner does she remove them from stasis than the Prophet enters, apparently unscathed by Derben's attack. While he forces the Heroes of Time to show him the Gate from whence they came, the Prophet coolly explains to Schala that he's killed Derben, Grishe, and Jaya, and that he will not hesitate to off the Heroes of Time as well. Thus he convinces her to seal the gate once the Heroes of Time are through.

Schala returns to Zeal with the Prophet, who seems to have no reaction when she breaks down emotionally during their journey. Instead he reveals his disgust for her weakness and lack of resolve, and accuses her of not knowing what true pain is. She calls him the most horrific person she's ever met and he finally relents, bringing her to Zeal Palace where, completely isolated from anyone who could possibly help her, she agrees to help Queen Zeal with the Mammon Machine activation. She takes the Pendant and proceeds to turn off the Mammon Machine.

The consciousness draws Schala into another Frozen Flame trial enquiring about her feelings toward the Prophet. The consciousness is surprised that she doesn't admire him as the consciousness itself does; unlike Derben or Po'hjol, or even her, or anybody the consciousness has ever observed, the Prophet remains true to a raw instinctual desire and acts completely in line with his own moral code. The consciousness shows Schala some of the Prophet's actions while reigning as the Magus in a far-flung era, but refuses to show her more since that would spoil surprises that await her. Schala springs her own surprise on the consciousness when she declares her relationship with it terminated; the Mammon Machine powered off, Schala makes a mad dash out of the Mammon Machine chamber.

Schala grabs Janus with plans of absconding with the Pendant. The Prophet and some Lashers bar her way, but Janus surprisingly casts an offensive spell that stuns the Prophet, and Schala barrels through. Dalton approaches the Prophet and notes that the Prophet isn't as tough as he wants others to believe.

On the skyways Schala wonders how Janus was able to topple the Prophet so easily, and Janus is exhilerated because he considers it a major accomplishment. Seeing Mt. Woe crumble once they reach the surface, Schala heads for Algetty, where she reunites with a very-much alive Derben, Grishe, and Jaya. Derben reports that they managed to escape from Bekkler's sky island after wounding the Prophet, and that Melchior has been miraculously rescued by the Heroes of Time. Melchior is currently in a private meeting with the Heroes of Time, so Derben recounts Melchior's plan: strike the Mammon Machine with the Masamune once it's been reactivated, and it should theoretically explode. Schala says that it's no longer necessary, because she's made the decision to turn against Queen Zeal and their focus should be on destroying the Pendant she escaped with. Derben, Grishe, and Jaya are much enthused with Schala's newfound gutsiness and she goes to thank the Heroes of Time for their assistance and to find out more about them.

There's a commotion outside Algetty; Derben, Grishe, and Jaya investigate. Dalton and the Prophet are amused that they're acting in cooperation for once, though they expect this will be the first and last time. The Prophet says he has a score to settle with the party and Dalton goes ahead to retrieve Schala. Derben reminds the Prophet that he's hardly in a condition for a fight but the Prophet summons attendant Lavoid creatures in slumber beneath Algetty to assist him (the intimation is that Magus is becoming like Lavos in his quest to destroy Lavos). This time the Prophet risks expending much of his strength on a powerful spell, but he does so and defeats them, noting he always settles a score in the end. The last thing the party sees before passing out is Dalton carrying an unconscious Schala out of Algetty.

Schala awakes in the Ocean Palace under the Prophet's watchful eye. She asks the Prophet where the Heroes and Derben's party are, and the Prophet says that they're truly dead this time; Dalton enters and accuses the Prophet of mere boasting. Dalton assures them that in any case, his Golems, proto-Mystics and Lasher corps will ensure that the Mammon Machine activation can proceed unhindered.

Banking on the hope that somebody's going to implement Melchior's Masamune plan, Schala agrees to commune with the Mammon Machine and reactivate it. The consciousness taunts her but also acceeds to her request that it show her visions of what's happening elsewhere. She sees that the Heroes of Time have been charged with implementing Melchior's plan. Derben's group awakes but is in no condition for combat. Derben & co. want to do something other than wait around, so they split up to prepare the populations of Zeal, Algetty, and Shikar for the worst should Lavos re-enact what the Black Songstress commanded it to do aeons ago.

Schala breathes a sigh of relief when the Heroes of Time arrive to destroy the Masamune, but the Mammon Machine continues to power up even after being struck; as soon as Schala observes that it isn't working, Lavos is gated into the Ocean Palace, levels the Heroes of Time, kills Crono, and smashes the Prophet in his weakened state. Masa, Mune, and Doreen all appear in their dream forms and apologize for the plan's failure. As consolation, Doreen informs Schala that there's enough energy in the Pendant to create a spatial gate for three people, and Schala sends the Prophet and the surviving Heroes of Time away.

Lavos communicates directly with Schala, pleased that it can cut out the middle-man this time; the consciousness was Lavos all along. It reveals its trust that human greed would eventually draw the Frozen Flame back to it after this piece of it had been lost when it first arrived. Lavos says it's enjoyed testing Schala, but that she has proven no different than any other Arbiter before her. It submits her to visions of Gaspar, Melchior, Janus, and Belthasar horrifically vanishing due to Time Bastard, Melchior glumly wishing Janus a happy birthday just before they fade away. While Queen Zeal celebrates the release of Anti-Annihilation Energy that makes her immortal, Schala asks Lavos what it is; it replies that it is pure, basic instinct, a natural law unto itself no different than the Time Bastardization that erased the Gurus and her brother. Lavos explains that its purpose has been to simply destroy for as long as it can remember, and that it will enjoy fulfilling its meaning once again. Lavos shows Schala visions of Derben, Grishe, and Jaya, and the player controls them while Lavos destroys the environments they're in; Derben helps a woman out of Zeal palace, then goes back for the magical plant she just *has* to have when the palace begins collapsing around him.

Completely broken after watching all this, Schala trudges over to her projection mirror and records an apology to everyone for her failings. Lavos asks her one last question: why did she gate out the Prophet when she could have gated out herself? Schala answers that she despises herself even more than the Prophet and is prepared to pay the ultimate price for her actions. Lavos is silent and the screen fades to the sound of another round of destruction.