Within the walls of the floating city, Eald'narche rushed to complete his plans knowing that with the defeat of the crystal warriors, time was of the essence.

Behind him the large doors open to reveal our heroes, ready for one final showdown. Eald'narche smiles flicking his wrist knocking them back. Sarcastically thanking them for their help so far, Eald'narche explains that the beastmen were in fact not the enemy the 3 kingdoms had thought. They had been sent forth to Vana'diel to stop anyone from accessing paradise, which is what they has done in the areas where they had recovered Magicite for his brother. But with the beastmen beaten back, they can no longer interfere with his plans to revive the crystal line and open to gate. He pauses and turns to the 3, offering them one last chance to join him and enter paradise and see all it has to offer together.

Rising to their feet, the 3 give the Zilart youth the only answer they have, unsheathing their weapons. Eald'narche climbs onto a floating platform as the room around them seems to come to life with machines hell bent on killing them.

Aldo knocking Eald'narche from his platform, the machines cease to function and collapse on the ground. Furious with rage at the lack of vision to 3 possess, Eald'narche begins to glow flying high above them. The energy flowing through his body burns away his eye patch, revealing a horrifying sight, what was once an eye - now a crystal burned into his blackened warped eye-socket.

Firing balls of energy at the group, his rage destroys the room around him. Unable to control his bloodlust, Eald'narche fails to see Zeid sneak from behind striking him down. Collapsing to the ground, Eald'narche throws his hands into the air condemning the gods for forsaking him as they did his brother. Climbing in front of the crystal core before him, he connects the cermet lines to his body. Using the last of his power, he says that if he can't get into paradise, that will be unleash the same fate that befell the world 10,000 years ago.

The crystal glows blue with energy as it overloads. Zeid and Aldo try desperately to think of a way to stop the mad man, as the crystal's power begins to focus on Vana'diel. Just then, in silence, Lion steps forward, realizing what must be done. With a quick goodbye to her friends, she unsheathes her dagger and charges into the crystal just as it's destructive beam of energy shoots down towards Vana'diel. Aldo and Zeid look on in shock as blue light of the crystal begins to fluctuate and in a massive explosion of energy, Lion is gone.

The beam vanishes and Eald'narche is blown back. Outraged by her sacrifice, Eald'narche attempts to limp back to the machine to stabilize the reaction. Just then the visage of Yve'noile appears stopping Eald'narche in his tracks. She tells him his efforts have always been in vain, as paradise can not be achieved through the destruction of Vana'diel, he collapses to the ground.

Realizing he was wrong all along, the light from his crystal eye fades, the last Zilart King is dead. Yve'noile turns to the 2 remaining heroes, as the room collapses around them. She thanks them, the TRUE crystal warriors...

and perhaps they will meet again some day.

Hurrying from the room, Zeid and Aldo escape just in time. The two still in shock over the actions of their friend have a somber moment of goodbye. Safely arriving back on the ground below Tu'lia, Zeid ventures off once more into the darkness and solidarity of his life as a Dark Knight. Though the Zilart were defeated, more evil lurked in the world and he would be there to stop it. Aldo stares up into the sky at the floating capital of the zilart. In the jungles of Yhoator, another, Grav'iton stares at the same sky. Tu'lia's lights fade and soon it vanishes into the clouds once more, the Celestial Nexus lies still.

In Norg, Aldo arrives to explain to Gilgamesh what happened to Lion. Saddened by her loss, but proud of her bravery, Gilgamesh explains that she wasn't really his daughter. During the war, she had washed up on the shore with her real father. Before his death, he asked she be taken care of... if only he could have kept that promise. With a sigh, Gilgamesh admits that even though he never had a child, he was proud to call Lion his daughter. He turns staring out over the ocean, his thoughts turning inward.

Aldo soon returns to Jeuno, the story of his deeds unheard by the common person. Perhaps it was best that way. In the secret lair of Tenshodo he arrives to the cheers of his comrades welcoming him home. Verena hugs him, but senses something, she feels the loss of lion. Saddened and outraged by the loss of her dear beastmen friends and now Lion, she curses life itself for making them suffer. Suddenly a warmth washes over her, she can feel it...

somewhere...

could it be...

Lion... she can feel Lion...

turning to her brother, she claims Lion is indeed alive, she can feel her.

Aldo closes his eyes, and offers that all they can do is hope so.

It all began with a stone, or so the legend says.

In ages past, a sentient jewel, enormous and beautiful, banished the darkness. Its many-colored light filled with world with life and brought forth mighty gods.

Bathed in that life, the world entered an age of bliss until, after a time the gods fell into slumber. That world was called Vana'diel. However, this age will not last. The great bane will devour the fair land of Vana'diel. The ancient seal will be broken, awakening nightmares of ages past. The blood of innocents will soak the earth, and the world will fall into fear and despair.

But as one song rises clear above the roar of beasts...

We hold to one hope in these darkest of times.

That star is you, and the song is yours.

And someday, that hope will become our dreams...our prayers...

Shine forth, star of hope! Let your song ring out across all of Vana'diel! And what was split asunder will once more become whole. Complete and Inseparable for all eternity.