While the twin brothers of the Zilart began their twisted schemes once more, Gilgamesh and Lion plotted their next course of action. Remembering having once happened upon an old woman deep within the Temples in Yhoator Jungle, Gilgamesh sent lion to investigate. With the help of the Mithra Chieftaness, Lion discovered the hidden truth of the Zilart, that long ago the Zilart had controlled the land and enslaved the Kuluu and the Priestesses of Altana.

The old man, Grav'iton was the memory of the Kuluu, now warped and transformed into the Tonberry by the lust for power of the Zilart.

The Zilart were the ancients, the Zilart had built the gigantic monuments around the world, and the Zilart were the ones who caused such destruction that even Altana herself cried....

and now they would try to do the same again.

Zeid had found himself on a quest around the world to collect shards of the multicolored crystals on headstones of cermet from ancient Zilart locations. With these they could form a seal in the ancient ruins of the Galkan homelands that would grant them access to all the domains of the Zilart. Without this seal, all the plans set forth would mean nothing. With the help of the spirit of one of the gate keeper, Yve'noile, Zeid managed to unlock the powers of the Curelean Crystal.

There he learned of the strange history of the Zilart's quest to enter paradise. Just as he is born of the crystal, so are the crystal warriors. Using the power of the crystals, the Zilart created them, with enchanced power and skill, to protect the crystals. After the destruction of the zilart all creations warped into something different, as the peoples of vana'diel did, as did the Kuluu, and as did the crystal warriors. Zeid questions what or why this happened. Long ago the oldest Zilart prince watch overseeing a crystal when he suddenly had an accident, and was granted a vision. He saw the gods and an enternal paradise. With his powers this vision was viewed by all the Zilart. According to this vision his people had been cast from paradise long ago. However, those who saw the vision also heard a voice...

a voice calling them to return. When the energy of the 5 crystals was returned as one, they would be able to open the gate to paradise.

Meanwhile in Jeuno, Aldo's sister Verena had mysteriously disappeared. The girl, with a strange power to communicate and truly understand beastmen was too valuable and asset not only to the forces of light, but also the Zilart.

Tracking her captors to Delkfutt's tower the 3 heroes assembled once more...not for Vana'diel, but to save Verena. At the very top of the tower Kam'lanaut had already become to reactivate the power source deep within the tower. Explaining that the explosion long had frozen he and his brother deep within the core of Delkfutt's reactor chamber and not until Raogrimm had tapped into the Crystal, which was directly connected to the tower's power source, had they been reawakened. Seeing their chance, they had used and manipulated Raogrimm and the beastmen. They had been planning this moment for the last 20 years, slowly weakening each kingdom and using the visage of the Shadow Lord to distract them all.

But none of that was important now...

Summoning his minions, the Crystal Warriors, to watch over Verena he could now turn his attention to more pressing matters. Drawing on the power of the tower Kam'lanaut lashed out at the three heroes, but the might of all three overcame the power hungry man. Collapsing to the floor they gathered over his body. It was then Eald'narche appeared. Kam'lanaut begged for his brother to help, but the young boy simply laughed.

It was not Kam'lanaut who had orchestrated this plan so long ago... but it had been he. The OLDER brother. The powers of the Zilarts experiments had warped him, keeping his body in the state of the little child, but with amazing powers. Now that his brother had completed his task, he was no longer needed.

It turned out that not only did Verena have an incredible gift with the power to speak to the beastmen, but the Shadow Lord himself. Using the black head of the fallen Raogrimm she could use the power he channeled from the crystal to unlock recharge to crystal core in the tower.

It turns out that she is the key to the heavens. Using the power of the tower, a great beam of light shot into the sky, draining the life from Verena.

Then, in the blink of an eye Eald'narche and the crystal warriors vanished. Running to her aid, the trio pulled Verena from the path of the beam...but it was too late. She lay unconscious, the purpose of the tower had been fulfilled.

Returning to Jeuno, Aldo took after watching his sister while Zeid and Lion went in search of a way to access giant floating island in the sky. Traveling through Ro'Maeve they gateway of the gods, they discovered Tul'ia.

Guarding the entrance were the Crystal Warriors.

Just when it looked like all hope was lost, Aldo arrived and together they defeated the 5 warriors using their weaknesses, and thus strengths of the races they represented, against them.

All that stood in their way now was Eald'narche, mad with power and attempting access to paradise - willing to enter hell to get there....