~The Truth of Xenosaga~

PREAMBLE: This is an unofficial and unlicensed translation of BANDAI NAMCO Games Books' Xenosaga Episode III Official Complete Guide and is in no way affiliated with Bandai Namco nor any of its subsidiaries; furthermore, this is a RAW translation of the book's contents with an edited and revised version in the works.

Translated by Jinx

When the collapse of the universe was preordained, humans were given a choice: accept the collapse and return to nothing, or wish to repeat life through Eternal Recurence. Which of these did humans select? Or did they find a new possibility? The truth of Xenosaga, beginning in the collapse of the universe and ending in the decision of the future, is brought to light here.

1. The Composition of the Universe (Domain of Real and Imaginary Numbers)

The dimensional universe that has become the stage of Xenosaga is composed of two overlapping domains: the real-number domain-- the real-number universe that can be perceived (to know via a sense organ)--, and the imaginary-number domain-- the imaginary-number universe that cannot be perceived. Every single thing that's in the universe is something that exists, extending into these two domains. For example, in the case of humans, the "substance and flesh" that can be seen and touched are in the real-number domain, and the "consciousness and heart" that cannot be sensed are existing in the imaginary number domain. (refer to image #1)

All consciousness exist in the imaginary number domain, and there is no separation between consciousness. In other words, the consciousness of others are completely and directly sensed. The Swiss psychiatrist Jung called this co-ownership of consciousness the "Unus Mundus". The "UMN" in the story is something that uses the imaginary number domain -- the collective unconscious where no restrictions exist -- as a wide-area information network for performing space jumps and ultra-high-speed communication.

Also, according to Jung, there is a hierarchy in human consciousness, and the lowest depths of it is being connected to the consciousness of the entire universe. When it becomes this level, it is no longer necessary to explain to each other with words, but at the same time, it also has the side where emotions, such as malice, that are not wanted to be communicated to another, are easily communicated.

The consciousness that held fear towards the special characteristic that the collective unconscious is endowed with, in time would choose to "escape from the collective unconscious". And, following the increase of the rejecting, evasive consciousnesses, the entirety of the collective unconscious becomes exposed to the crisis of scattering and dispersal. To use an example: if "9 people" withdraw from a "group of 10 people", they can no longer be called a "group". That is to say, when the collective unconscious-- the imaginary number domain-- scatters, then the universe that is made from the 2 domains of the imaginary and real-numbers, also has no choice but to scatter.

>Image 1 - The Composition of the Universe Diagram

Dimensional universe:: A world where the Imaginary and Real-number domains overlap.

Real-number domain - the domain of substance & flesh
Imaginary-number domain - the domain of consciousness & heart

2. Observer from the Upper Domain (U-Do's Purpose)

U-Do. It is an existence that observes the collective unconscious-- an existence that humans recognize as "an energy existence that human intellect cannot grasp". U-Do does not exist in the dimensional universe. If the dimensional universe where humans live is regarded as one domain, U-Do exists in a "higher domain" that transcends that domain. (see image 2)

When U-Do's act of observation is seen from the side of the lower domain, it is recognized as "Abel", which had the appearance like that of a young boy in the real-number domain (substance), and as "Abel's Ark", a phenomenon where the existence of the imaginary-number domain (consciousness) is perceived in the real-number domain.

U-Do was showing interest in the consciousness of humans. Why do they wish for their own isolation? Why do they wish even up to the dispersement of the universe? And so, U-Do observes. ...observes the rejecting consiousnesses that lurk in the collective unconscious-- the negative information.

And, U-Do harbors strong interest in the motivation that the change in human consciousness brings about. When Albedo wished to link with U-Do, and when the violent wave of emotion arose in Shion's heart in the past of her subconscious, Abel's Ark manifested; this is because U-Do responded to their consciousnesses.

>Image 2 - Diagram of U-Do's Act of Observation, as well as the Upper and Lower Domains

*Upper Domain (U-Do) => (observation) => {see lower domain}

*Lower Domain (dimensional universe)

Abel <- recognized as a substance (real-number domain)
Abel's Ark <- recognized only when manifested in the real-number domain (imaginary-number domain)

3. Failsafe (The Creation of chaos)

Long ago, a special power from the place of the Collective Unconscious -- the imaginary number domain -- spontaneously emanated. That power, Anima, took the form of a human and attained an individual consciousness. Its outward appearance that can be perceived as a substance is darkish skin, silver hair, and eyes like flawless jade -- it is chaos.

His role is that of the Failsafe of the universe by means of the Anima. A failsafe is something that is "a function that adjusts so that when an abnormality is generated in one part of a certain system, the ill-effects due to that abnormality won't spread to the entire system."

The fact that the consciousness of humans came to wish for the dispersal of the Collective Unconscious is, in a manner of speaking, the abnormality that arose in the system of the dimensional-universe -- the abnormality is the consciousness of the universe going berserk; and the power for the sake of correcting that abnormality is the Anima.

The correction by means of the Anima disperses the consciousness of the universe that wishes dispersement, and purges and initializes the universe. What could it mean that power of this magnitude emerged naturally without some sort of intervention?

4. The Start of the Universe's Collapse (The Gnosis Phenomenon)

All existences that are in the universe exist, extending into the the domain of real and imaginary numbers. (see p.432). This applies not only to humans, but also machines and planets and such, and the very portions of them that exist in the imaginary number domain are Gnosis.

Also, the consciousness of a person that was touched by the fear of the collective unconscious-- "choosing rejection and escape = all the way to wishing for the dispersal of the universe"-- those consciousness also come to be perceived in the real-number domain. This is the Gnosisization that can be seen in the story; it is the Gnosis phenomenon.

As for the consciousness that have been Gnosisified, each of them will act to seek the scattering and dispersal of the universe. And, the increase of the number of this kind of consciousness is what will become the trigger for the "consciousness of the universe going berserk".

At one time, there had been those who purely responded to chaos's Anima. The consciousness of those who gnosisify, as mentioned above, are the "consciousnesses that passively and instinctively seek dispersal". And against that, are the consciousnesses of those that responded purely, the "consciousnesses that can actively access the Anima."

By these "consciousnesses that can access Anima" acting in concert with chaos's Anima, Anima results in the stage where the function of the Failsafe is forced to manifest. In other words, preparations had been arranged for causing the consciousnesses, those that wish for the dispersal of the universe, to be dispersed and eliminated by Anima. Due to this, it became only a short postponement until the dispersal of the universe would be set into motion.

5. The Word of God ("Lemegeton")

Ancient Earth. chaos was at the place where a long black haired man would preach. That long-haired man later received belief from a great many people, and is the person who came to be called the Messiah. chaos served as that man's disciple. And he performed various miracles as the long-haired man's proxy. One among them was to leave behind of the Word of God, Lemegeton.

"Lemegeton" are words in order to manifest the energy of the higher domain into the dimensional universe of the lower domain. However, even though it is words, because it was an incantation-like thing that cannot be pronounced by normal humans, it came to be called the "Word of God".

When Lemegeton is recited, the upper and lower domains become linked. And, by accessing the upper domain from the lower domain, an enormous energy is introduced into the lower domain. However, this also causes to disrupt the balance between the domains.

And so, a failsafe was applied to Lemegeton. When too much access is made by Lemegeton, the failsafe activates, and the balance between the upper and lower domains is automatically corrected. That correction is initialization. In other words, think of it as if the very act of accessing is made to have never happened.

6. Extremely Ancient Civilization and People (The Creation of God's Relics)

The "extremely ancient civilization" are the people who sought the power of God in ancient times. They actualized Lemegeton by some kind of means, and manufactured the Relics of God from the information that was contained in it (Refer to Image 3).

Their purpose for using the Relics of God was to become God. They linked the upper and lower domains with Lemegeton, and they planned to try to shift to the upper domain by the power of the Relics of God. However, that act ended in failure. The ascension of humans to the upper domain was not something that could possibly be granted.

And, the Relics of God and Lemegeton that they actualized were later analyzed by the hand of Grimoire and Mizrahi, to also be used by future generations.

>Image 3 - Things That Were Made From Lemegeton chaos: left behind the Word of God, Lemegeton
{from this, two arrows point to A and B lines below}

1A - Extremely Ancient Civilization: built the Relics of God (Zarathustra, Omega, Merkabah) from information that was revealed when Lemegeton was substantiated.
V
2A - Joachim Mizrahi: analyzed the data of the Relics of God, and created the Y-data.

1B - Grimoire Verum: In the era of Lost Jerusalem, he discovered Lemegeton, analysed it, and turned it into a program.
V
2B - Joachim Mizrahi: Analysed and reconstructed Lemegeton which had been made into a program, and completed the U-Do System and the Song of Nephilim.

7. Anima's Splitting (Maria's Decision)

The woman who was called the Messiah's companion -- Maria. In her was the power that controlled a Relic of God, Zarathustra. And therefore, when the people of the extremely ancient civilization used the Relics of God and tried to ascend to the higher domain, she made use of that power. As was mentioned earlier, that act was not successful.

Maria's power is not only the control of the Relic of God. She was an existence that eminated from Animus-- a power that could also be called Anima's pair. Using the power of Animus that was concealed within herself, Maria divided chaos's Anima. Moreover, chaos's Anima was divided into 12 "Vessels of Anima", and they became sealed in Rennes Le Chateau.

The result of that, was that the Failsafe of the universe that chaos' power brought about would no longer move. In other words, the dispersal of the universe due to Anima would no longer execute. However, it should not be forgotten that the universe was in danger of dispersal from the start. It was only the "execution [of the universe's collapse] in response to the Failsafe" that had disappeared-- the fact that the collapse of the universe due to the consciousness of people who wish for dispersement would happen someday has not changed.

Also, in compensation for having sealed the Anima, Maria lost her life. Maria's body was laid to rest in a grave at Rennes Le Chateau, and her consciousness was scattered throughout the UMN. Later, Kevin made use of her body and consciousness, and he created KOS-MOS and T-elos. (refer to P.442)

8. The Sealed Mother-Planet (Earth's Disappearance)

A.D. 20XX. During the excavation operation of ancient ruins in the vicinity of Kenya's Lake Turkana, a giant object that glittered in gold was discovered-- the Zohar. Afterwards, the Zohar was recovered by Vector, and it came to be studied and analyzed.

Before long, Chief Grimoire of the research team, knowing that an enormous energy could be obtained by linking the Zohar to the mysterious wave-existence U-Do, began to search for that extraction method.

And, having analysed the ancient language (Lemegeton, the Word of God that chaos left behind) that was excavated from the ancient ruins, he created the Zohar control program (this one is what the people of future generations recognize as Lemegeton).

After that, a Zohar control experiment that made use of Lemegeton was conducted. However, during the course of the experiment, the Zohar went berserk, and the little girl Nephilim, who was participating in the experiment, completely vanished. Because this disppearance phenomenon continued to enlarge with no signs of stopping, humanity had no choice but to abandon the Earth's range and migrate to the universe.

At this point in time, the disappearance phenomenon that broke out is something that was caused by a Local Matter Shift (see p.438). U-Do had been linked to the Zohar, and its act of observation of consciousness caused to promote the consciousnesses that wish dispersal to go berserk, and because of that, the Zohar went berserk, and a Local Matter Shift broke out. Due to that, existences that originally should have been perceived in the real-number domain had shifted to the imaginary-number domain, and could no longer be perceived.

In order to prevent the spreading of this disappearance phenomenon to the entire universe, there was someone who sealed away the Earth. That someone is Wilhelm. The sealed Earth was thought by everyone to have disappeared (although, in actuality, it is only reduced down to the Planck Scale), and it came to be called "Lost Jerusalem".

9. Rebellion Against Fate (The Preparation of Eternal Recurrence)

Wilhelm, who implemented the sealing of the Earth, is an existence the same kind as chaos, one that transcends that of a human being, and he holds the role of preserving the lower domain. He both knew of the fate of the eventual collapse of the universe due to the consciousness of people who naturally wish for dispersal, and also thought up the means to counteract it.

That counteracting-measure is: if the universe is fated to eventually perish, then rewind time to the past before it perishes, and continue to live, eternally repeating within that circle of time-- namely, Eternal Recurrence.

Wilhelm first added the function of Eternal Recurrence to Zarathustra, a Relic of God. And then, he began preparations in order to supply the necessities for causing that function to be invoked.

Various things are required to invoke the Eternal Recurrence function (see p.443), but the preparations that are required beforehand are to have control of chaos's Anima, and Maria's revival and awakening (see p.442).

For control of the Anima, cooperation from existences that possess "the factor that responds to Anima" is necessary, and for Maria's awakening, Maria's body and consciousness are necessary. In order to secure those things, he prepared the existences called "Testament" (see page to the right).

10. The Ones Under Contract (The Role of Testament)

The ones that become the Cloaked Men (Testament), who secretly maneuver as Wilhelm's subordinates, are humans who had died at one time, like Kevin and Virgil. But that doesn't mean that they reincarnated. They are existences who were freed, by means of dying, from their bodies, from the shackles of the real-number domain-- in other words, they are existences of the imaginary-number domain. Although they are devoid of substance, because they access the real-number domain from the imaginary-number domain and can manipulate events of the real-number domain at will, they avoid physical attacks.

Testament is not an existence that just anyone can become. Ones who are endowed with the factor that can actively access the power of Anima, like "those who responded purely to Anima" who, long ago, became the cause that predetermined the universe's collapse-- only those humans are made into Testament by means of Wilhelm's power. There are two reasons that Wilhelm made the humans who possessed that factor into Testament.

First, they are pawns in order to simply prepare the Eternal Recurrence. Though they may be called "pawns", they are not forced into service. The ones Wilhelm has made Testament are given the ability to create a world where they can live forever with a particular consciousness. In other words, Kevin and Virgil [etc] sought time eternal to spend with someone important to them, and in order to accomplish that, they followed Wilhelm.

Second, they are to obtain the necessary Anima for Eternal Recurrence. For that reason, Wilhelm gave the ability to control the Anima to Testament. From this, Testament became able to change the Anima from a power for disperal into a power for convergence. This very "Anima for the sake of convergence" is the Anima that is necessary for Eternal Recurrence.

11. The Cast of the Absolute-One (Wilhelm's Expectations)

Wilhelm carries out various preparations for the sake of Eternal Recurrence. The illustration of his "control of three organizations" is given in Image 4 below, and Vector is the one he himself was extremely deeply involved in. Through this company, he caused to develop, among other things, KOS-MOS's development, and also the Realian that housed "Program Canaan", which was for the sake of locating humans who possessed the factor. Also, through the cooperation with Hyams Heavy Industry, he also caused to carry out the development of the ESs. The reason he sought the ESs was for humans who possessed the factor to be placed on board and to cause to awaken the Vessels of Anima. And, the Vessels of Anima, which the Testaments caused to awaken, completes the "Anima for the sake of convergence". (Refer to P.443)

Also, serving as Executive Committee Director of the Galaxy Federation Government, he was also participating in other organizations. All of it, in order to move the world by his own direction...

>Image 4 - Organizations that Wilhelm Controls

(from an image of Wilhelm, a line branches into three)

Vector Industries <-- he controlled and operated as CEO. Also caused to carry out KOS-MOS's developement (responsibility given to Kevin)
Hyams Heavy Industries (Company of Ormus affiliation) <-- Under the name "Heinlein", he controlled and operated as representative.
Ormus <-- Under the name "Heinlein", as a Cardinal, he directed the recovery of Michtam and controlled the Word of God.

12. U-Do's Search (Confirmation of Lower-Domain Observation)

Humans who make fragmentary contact with U-Do come to see a vision where the world meets its end. That vision is something said to be "one's own consciousness melting into the Collective Unconscious, and before long, it diffuses-- [ie,] the universe diffuses."

For that reason, humans who make contact with U-Do are convinced that U-Do causes the universe to collapse. But the End is something brought about by the consciousness of people who persistently reject the Collective Unconscious. Because U-Do gives despair to people's consciousness by its act of observation, it can be said, in a way, that it is promoting the End of the universe, but it is only that U-Do persistently observes.

In the Miltian space region, when Albedo used the Zohar and linked to U-Do's wave, U-Do held interest in the motivation emitted by Albedo's consciousness. And then, it caused to materialize Abel's Ark in the Miltian space region. Its purpose was for the sake of in-taking the Zohar, which is the door between the upper and lower domains, and more reliably observing the consciousness of people.

Abel's Ark, which took-in the Zohar, next appeared one year later. It was when Shion came to know a certain truth in the past of her subconscious. In other words, it was when she knew that the one who had summoned the Gnosis at the time of the Miltian conflict was herself as a young child, and she had linked with U-Do. Immediately after that, Abel's Ark also appeared in the present world.

And then, having perceived the operation of Zarathustra, which is a Relic of God and also an anti-upper-domain-system, U-Do took-in Planet Michtam where Zarathustra was sleeping into Abel's Ark. That act was also something for the sake of observing the movement of the consciousnesses of the lower domain. It's that U-Do wants to know up to that extent... it wants to know the consciousness of people who wish for a world that disperses.

13. Twelve Counterfeits and One Golden (The Existence Called "Zohar")

The Zohar (the original) is not a substance by nature. It is something like: "although it is possible to both touch and see it as an object, it only exists there because people wish to percieve it as an object."

People recognize the Zohar as "an existence that brings enormous energy" because it is a door connecting the upper and lower domains, and energy of the upper domain begins to flow from it to the lower domain. An existence, like Omega, that treats the Zohar as a power source is something that operates by acquiring energy of the upper domain from the door called the "Zohar".

The 12 Zohar Emulators that Mizrahi constructed were used as supplementals of the Zohar in link experiments and such. However, they were originally used for operating the original. Using the Emulators, Yuriev operated the Original that was sleeping on Abel's Ark, and with that power, he transformed Omega into its ultimate form.

Furthermore, with the local matter shift that the Zohar's running-out-of-control caused, the area between the upper and lower domains became blurred, and there was a change in the structure of space. Due to this, existences of the real number domain began to be unable to be percieved (disappearance phenomenon), and a phenomenon occurred where existences of the imaginary number domain could be perceived in the real number domain (Gnosisification).

14. Human and Realian (Virgil's Purpose)

A few days before the Miltian Conflict occurred, Virgil, who was 18 years old at that time, descended to Miltia as a Galaxy Federation soldier. He was advancing through a forest in the vacinity of the downtown areas to link up with the main unit when he encountered an attack from combat Realians and sustained serious injury.

When he awoke, he was in one room of a church. And then, he learned that he was saved by receiving an organ transplant from Febronia, a Realian who attended the church. Combat Realians had snatched away the lives of many of his comrades, and Virgil was disgusted that the body tissue of Febronia, who was the same kind as them, was within himself. However, during the time he spent with Febronia, who continued to take care of him devotedly, Virgil realized his own feelings began to turn towards her.

After that, the Miltian Conflict finally broke out. Right before Virgil's eyes, Febronia was murdered by Realians who had gone berserk by the Song of Nephilim.

This was Virgil's past, and it is the reason why he was prejudiced against Realians at the time he was stationed on the Woglinde.

In the past of Shion's subconscious, Virgil appeared as a Testament before Shion and the others. He became a Testament because he mourned that he could not save Febronia who was everything to him, and he thought that he would spend eternity with her by using the ability of Testament.

However, Febronia's phantom appeared in that place and said, "Even though my body has perished, I am together with you." With those words, the chains that bound Virgil's heart were loosed. Finally, it was able to be obtained-- time eternal for the two of them. They walked into light. While believing that "Shion would lead the way to a future of Human and Realian"...

15. Two Fathers (The Final Moments of Suou and Joachim)

By orders of the Federation government, Suou took the duty of inspecting the U-TIC Organization, but he was bribed by the condition that his wife would receive medical treatment from Ormus. He accepts those conditions, but, regretting that his own actions begin to allow for U-TIC to become armed, he leaks Ormus's information to his son, Jin. And at the time of the Miltian Conflict, Suou lost his life protecting his daughter, Shion. He was a man who sacrificed everything for his family. Shion learned the truth of that man 15 years after the Conflict, at the time she proceeded to the Miltia in the past of her own subconscious.

Right before Shion's eyes, her younger self linked with U-Do, and Gnosis arrived on Miltia. Seeing that, she too once again linked with U-Do, and the resonance of the two of them caused Abel's Ark to arrive. Kevin, who appeared in that place, told them that he had wished for this very thing. In order to make Abel's Ark appear, Shion was guided to the past of her subconscious.

In Miltia of the past, there was one more man who lost his life. It was Mizrahi who had constructed MOMO. The Zohar was activated due to U-Do's link with Shion, and a local matter shift broke out. Mizrahi, who eye-witnessed that event, isolated the Zohar and Gnosis, sealing Miltian space by causing the Song of Nephilim to overload. It was all for the sake of everyone having a future to live, and for the sake of his second daughter, MOMO...

16. The Man who Spits at Heaven (Dimitri's Purpose)

Yuriev, who was a test subject of the UMN living organism transference experiments, came into contact with U-Do during one of the transference experiments and was contaminated. His own consciousness melted into the Collective Unconscious, and he saw a vision where the universe would breakdown before long. That vision was an unbearable fear for him. But, due to that, he also came to understand: This very fear is the shackles that bind humans to the human domain, and by conquering fear, he should become a super-human existence.

In order for that to be fulfilled, Yuriev sought the Relics of God. By collecting the Relics of God, he would ascend to the upper domain--- he tried to challenge what once the extremely ancient civilization could not accomplish.

Yuriev built the URTVs, who were anti-U-Do living weapons, not for the sake of annihilating U-Do; He wanted to evolve himself into an existence equivalent to U-Do. In order to do that, he judged it necessary to gain information on U-Do, and he created the URTVs. But, among the URTVs, there was also an existence that was made for a purpose other than that. It was variant #669, Nigredo (Gaignun).

By coming into contact with U-Do, Yuriev had acquired a special ability--- the ability of possession of consciousness. In other words, by being able to move his own consciousness into another person's flesh, he could plan for longevity. The one that was made to be the vessel to carry his consciousness was Nigredo.

Having taken over Nigredo, Yuriev captured in his hands Abel and the Relic of God, Omega, and he went to board Abel's Ark in order to awaken Omega with the power of the Original Zohar. His ultimate objective was to gain Zarathustra, which, as written in the Y-data, was the key to ascending to the upper domain.

17. Destructive Red, False Black, Lonely White (The Bonds of URTV)

The variant URTVs Rubedo, Albedo, and Nigredo. The bonds between the three of them were deep, and at first, they acted like brothers with a good rapport. However, everything completely changed after the confrontation with U-Do at the Miltian Conflict 15 years ago. Albedo's whereabouts became unknown after going berserk from being contaminated by U-Do, and the bonds of the three was completely severed.

15 years later, the three came together once again at Abel's Ark: Gaignun whose consciousness had been overtaken by Yuriev; Jr, who proceeded into the Ark in order to stop Yuriev; and Albedo, who appeared as a Testament to recover Abel and the Zohar. After Albedo had finished his mission as Testament, he ordered Jr to initiate the spiritual link. By forming the link, Gaignun's consciousness would be housed within Jr, and Albedo alone would try to co-annihilate with Yuriev, who had been contaminated by U-Do.

However, Gaignun rejected Albedo's decision, and he himself wished for annihilation together with Yuriev. Gaignun saw right through him. Albedo was frightened of loneliness as a result of his immortality, and Albedo's true objective was to unify his heart with Jr.

Moreover, he spoke openly that he himself was the stopping power to the URTVs that had gone berserk, and that he was the existence that was created to spy on Jr. Now he wanted this mission to be over, that was his wish. "Let's play again, the three of us". Just before he was annihilated, Gaignun's spirit-body, which had returned to the form from 15 years ago, smiled. And then, leaving his comrades who had achieved unification, he disappeared within light together with Yuriev. The bonds of the three had foiled the ambition of the man who tried to become God.

18. The Man who Set his Sights on the Creator (The True Intention of Voyager)

About the time Planet Michtam was still being called Abraxas, Jan (later Ziggy) was a member of the Federation Police, and he undertook the duty of pursuing Voyager. But it was without knowing that Voyager had slipped in among his subordinates...

Erich Weber. That was Voyager's true name. He made contact with U-Do inside the UMN and as a result, he was terrified by a vision of demise that U-Do showed him. He thought to escape from that vision by assimilating himself with U-Do, and becoming the Creator of a new world. And then, in order to collect the "Power of the People of Zohar" necessary for his contract (link) with U-Do, he murdered them en masse. Jan's family was also counted among his victims.

However, U-Do did not respond to the contract with Voyager. Voyager's choice was to run away from reality, not to bring about change in human consciousness. In short, to U-Do, he was an observation inhibitor.

Voyager, who had been abandoned by U-Do, accepted the invitation of Wilhelm, who had appeared in that place, and by becoming a Testament, he gained ability close to U-do. However, even though he accomplished half his goal, he was still the same, and a sense of nothingness arose in his heart. He tried to bury those feelings by fighting with Jan (Ziggy). That is the reason that Voyager obsessed over Ziggy.

The desire of his heart met its end due to Canaan who was travelling together with Ziggy and the others. Canaan was a Realian installed with "Program Canaan" which Wilhelm built, and he said that he was once spying on Ziggy and Voyager, and now on Jr and the others, as Testament candidates. Canaan regretted the kind of existence that he was, and using the power of Wilhelm connected to "Program Canaan", he chose to be annihilated together with Voyager.

19. Martyrs (Ormus's Truth)

Ormus's dearest wish was to return to Lost Jerusalem by using the Zohar. At least, that's how those like Margulis and Pellegri believed.

However, the truth was different. Ormus's true controller, Heinlein--- or rather, Wilhelm--- established the religious group in order to protect "The Word and Relics of God" as well as "the place necessary for Eternal Recurrence". And, they were only made to protect the places known as Rennes-Le-Chateau, which was necessary for Maria's revival, and planet Michtam. In short, those connected to Ormus merely piously danced to the sweet-talk about "the return to Lost Jerusalem"

Pellegri ultimately never knew the truth, persisting in her mission to protect Michtam and faced with Jin, who was once her lover. She risked her life fighting for the sake of Ormus, and ended up losing it.

Margulis confronted Jin, saying, "Those of us who died without knowing were happier... While knowing the fact that I myself was more of a buffoon than that, I am miserable, only merely waiting to die". Now, there was nothing left for him but to fight Jin. That was the only thing that wouldn't betray him.

Although defeated in the end, Margulis laughed triumphantly. In him was not one bit of regret. Because the man before his eyes knew the proof of his own existence.

20. Kevin's Heart (The Change from Having Met Shion)

In the year T.C. 4747, the planet Michtam crumbled due to a Galaxy Federation's failed Zohar control experiment. A young Kevin was placed on board an escape pod by his mother, escaped from Michtam, and was picked up by a salvage vessel. Afterwards, he met Wilhelm, and was told about Eternal Recurrence. Though he hated the world because of a tragic memory, Kevin approved of Eternal Recurrence, and became a Testament candidate.

Kevin was entrusted with the duty of the revival of Maria who held the key to Eternal Recurrence, and he initiated actions on his own. He first put himself in Mizrahi's Cerebral Sciences Research Center, then transfered to the U-TIC Organization as well where he carried out KOS-MOS's basis design. It was at this time that he met little Shion who often visited the U-TIC Organization's headquarters of the Acute Neurosis Treatment Facility. This is what changed Kevin's heart.

At first, the reason Kevin got close to Shion was because of her persistant power to link with the Zohar. However, while he came into contact with Shion, a very faint kind of feeling came to fill his heart. Afterwards, he transferred to Vector in order to complete KOS-MOS, and there, he reunited with Shion, and they came to have a romantic relationship. From about this time, Kevin began to think that he would use the power of Testament not for the sake of Eternal Recurrence, but for the sake of constructing an eternal world with Shion.

And then, in the year T.C. 4765, Kevin decided that the time to become a Testament had finally come, and so he chose to die by the KOS-MOS Archetype, and he disappeared from in front of Shion.

21. Pure White Spirit and Jet Black Body (Kos-mos and T-elos)

Kevin, who collected the consciousness of Maria from the UMN, gave the consciousness to KOS-MOS in order to make it awaken. Also, because it was necessary to deepen the bonds between Shion and KOS-MOS for the awakening of [Maria's] consciousness, he disappeared from in front of Shion by way of dying due to the running-out-of-control accident.

Due to that, KOS-MOS became the sole existence for Shion to feel a connection to Kevin. And by KOS-MOS having been programmed to protect Shion, the bonds between the two of them became even more intense.

Next, Kevin went to obtain the body of Maria, which slept in Lost Jerusalem's Rennes-Le-Chateau. This is because, when the awakened consciousness of Maria becomes one with that body, Maria will be completely revived. Wilhelm and the others wanted Abel's Ark to appear because, when U-Do's observation resumed by the Ark's appearance, the seal on Lost Jerusalem responded to it, and came undone. And with the seal on aimed-for Lost Jerusalem undone, Rennes-Le-Chateau, which is one part of it, ignored the spatial axis and appeared.

However, Kevin was also worried that the consciousness of Maria, which was entrusted to KOS-MOS, may awaken, having changed into a different consciousness. Because there was the possibility that he would be unable to manipulate her at will if that should end up happening, Kevin planned to awaken Maria through T-elos by having her destroy KOS-MOS. However, eventually T-elos was defeated by KOS-MOS in whom Maria's consciousness had already changed, and with the original Maria, a different Maria awakened.

22. Maria no Miko (Separation from Kevin)

About the time when KOS-MOS awakened as Maria, a large-scale Gnosis phenomenon sprung forth across the whole galaxy, and Gnosis began to gather at Michtam.

According to chaos, that was an effect of Zarathustra, a relic of God that was brought from Lost Jerusalem by those devoted to Maria. Furthermore, he mentioned that Shion was in possession of the important key in its operation. As for why Shion is connected, T-elos answers by calling Shion, the "Miko". Shion was someone who was close to Maria in ancient times. For that reason, she is one who is able to use the key that starts up Zarathustra. And although it was mentioned above that the bonds between KOS-MOS and Shion were essential in the awakening of Maria's consciousness, the reason for that is also because she was the Miko.

Kevin was in the deepest part of Michtam. He said that he himself became a Testament in order to save Shion's life. Shion possesses the same characteristic as her mother where she is inherently able to link with U-Do, and for that reason, her life was being eaten away little by little. He said the only one who could save her was a Testament who can create a world to spend eternity with a specific consciousness... in other words, he said only he could save her. Shion's feelings were swayed, and so she separated from her friends and went to Kevin. However, when she realized the feelings Allen had for her, as well as the support from all of her important friends, she rejected Kevin. It was that she chose the path to live together with her friends.

23. The Endless Cycle of Rebirth that Begins to Turn (The Role of Zarathustra)

Zarathustra-- the expansive crystal structure in Michtam's underground. The affore-mentioned "large-scale Gnosis phenomenon that occurred after Maria's revival" was something that Wilhelm caused, using this Zarathustra.

After this, Wilhelm drew out the Vessels of Anima from the ESs of Shion and the group who arrived at the core. All the necessary elements for Eternal Recurrence gathered under him: Vessels of Anima, Maria, Abel, and the Zohar.

The control of Anima is the core of Eternal Recurrence. For that, it is first necessary to change into an existence that can manage Anima. Accordingly, Wilhelm gave to the Testaments the power to control Anima in the direction of convergence rather than dissipation, and possessing that power, the Vessels of Anima were made to awaken. With the assembling of the Vessels awakened as "Anima for the sake of convergence", even the Vessels that Shion and the group made to awaken, in turn, became as if possessing the power of convergence. In other words, all twelve became "Anima for the sake of convergence."

The control of these "Anima for convergence" is the role of the awakened Maria. Once the Maiden, Shion, uses the key, Maria utilizes the "Anima for convergence", and she is able to induce the consciousness that wish for dispersal towards Zarathustra. Wilhelm causing to outbreak the large-scale Gnosis phenomenon was preparation for the gathering of all consciousness (Gnosis) to Zarathustra by Maria's power.

Also, the Zohar and Abel are necessary because, by using the Zohar and sealing Abel (U-Do's observation terminal), U-Do's access is interrupted, and so it is easier to control the flow of the consciousnesses of the universe.

24. The Awakening of Consciousness (The Rejection of Eternal Recurence)

Gathering the Gnosis that had been summoned to Michtam into Zarathustra; restoring time by using Anima; and starting everything over from zero-- Eternal Recurrence.

Wilhelm coerced Shion to use her pendant, the key, to invoke the Eternal Recurrence function of Zarathustra. However, the awakened KOS-MOS destroyed the pendant. Wilhelm was amazed. Amazed that a mere human had rejected him-- rejected Eternal Recurrence.

Zarathustra went berserk. As Kevin was suppressing the energy that caused it to go berserk, Shion and the others stopped the Zarathustra System. Immediately after that, Wilhelm became light and vanished. And Kevin, the Testament who had gained existence due to Wilhelm's power, was also engulfed in light. Kevin and Shion spent a brief moment of time as a couple, and shared a smile.

Even though the system had stopped, Zarathustra continued to run out of control. Inside of it, Nephilim appeared before a crouching Abel. Abel and Nephilim-- two of the mutually-complementive existences that constitute the dimensional universe-- faced each other. Nephilim sensed the desire of Abel's will-- to remain in the lower domain, to want to feel a connection to all people, and to want to see beyond the changes brought about by human consciousness.

Nephilim appeared from Zarathustra together with Abel and said, "This running-out-of-control phenomenon is being caused by the consciousness of those who were gathered by Zarathustra but have nowhere to go." And then, she and Abel gathered those consciousnesses and began to shift to Lost Jerusalem. She continued, "We may not be able to stop the collapse of the universe, but if everyone decided now to live by their own will, surely a solution can be found"...

chaos declared that it wasn't Shion who was leading the universe to destruction, but that it was by the Anima that he himself possessed. He said he didn't know how to use the Anima, and so he could only remain a spectator. But now, seeing the awakened consciousness of Shion and the others-- consciousness that decide the future for themselves-- chaos shook off his hesitation. It is what he should do himself: to immediately shift the berserk consciousness to Lost Jerusalem, and to incite renewal by using the power of Anima. He believed that if the collapse of the universe is delayed, then within that time, Shion and the others would be given the chance to find the "key to saving the universe" that sleeps on Lost Jerusalem.

chaos, who had regained the power of Anima, and Nephilim, into whom Maria's power had been transferred, began to guide the Gnosis. About this time, Shion and the others started their escape from Michtam. Refusing to become one, the Gnosis rushed down to chaos and the others, and so KOS-MOS fought hard to protect them. Jin, who was supposed to have escaped, also came rushing back to support them. Then at last, having completed the preparations for the domain shift, everything was engulfed in a momentary flash of light.

(Epilogue)

Shion and the others escaped to beyond the reach of the domain shift.

But just... without chaos, KOS-MOS, or Jin on the Elsa.

The land where their consciousness sleep, the land where the key to saving the universe sleeps-- Mother Earth, Lost Jerusalem.

Needing to search for that land, Shion and Jr departed on the Elsa, and those left behind aimed to construct a brand-new network.

While Wilhelm was repeating Eternal Recurrence, maybe he was waiting for an evolution in human consciousness.

Maybe he wished for wills to appear; wills that would try to change the pre-determined future.

Wills that would traverse the thread suspended over the abyss, without ever despairing... ...like Shion and the others.