Keeper's Dome, 2299 Kingdom Calendar

One lazy afternoon under the dust clouds of the ruined future, a young woman was... attempting... to use a computer console. Belthasar normally discouraged this, seemingly intent on not letting Zeal or Schala do any irreparable harm, but Schala had determined it necessary if she was to... "journey", soon.

"Belthasar has been researching and documenting the locations of instabilities and 'gates'..." she thought to herself. "Maybe... just maybe if I can figure out how to... pull it up... I can figure out how to get to the middle ages. If a gate takes one to the same place in a different era, then perhaps it is possible to compare gate locations in different eras to find a way!"

It was clumsy and awkward. She had no real computer skills, being from Zeal, and neither did her mother. To make matters worse, she couldn't ask Belthasar for help for obvious reasons.

"Wait..." she said, as she clicked around in random files, "map... map... maps... 999... 1998... 65,000,001... ! 599 Kingdom Calendar! That's... that's just a year before Janus is supposed to... oh my... There's nothing sooner either? This will have to do then. Ok, Schala, let's figure this out: a gate to 599 has to come from somewhere, right?"

Schala started opening random maps, looking for anything where the coordinates matched up. She had to teach herself how to use this thing, but she was clever. Eventually, after about half an hour of searching, she finally had her answer.

"Positioning links up with... 999 Kingdom Calendar, in the back of a place called... Leene Square! That's it! That has to be it. Right in that small space at the back. That must be where I need to go..."

Belthasar's voice could be heard in the distance. Quickly, Schala shut the machine down and tried to leave it looking untouched before pretending to sulk about.

"Oh... hello Belthasar..."

Belthasar nodded casually and went towards the back room, almost without a thought. If she could just get the gate key away from him, she could make a dash for Bangor Dome. That's the gate Belthasar brought them through, and would be close enough to Leene Square. If she were as intelligent on this matter as he was, she might have been able to simply target Janus and drag him through the Bangor Dome gate herself, just like Belthasar did to Schala and her mother...

A thought came over Schala's mind. What was she planning, here? A poor old friend was losing his mind, and she was going to rob him of his only means of leaving this terrible time period? Not to mention leaving her mother to deal with him as well. She felt terrible about what was on her mind, but her heart ached too much. She had to see Janus. She had to reach out to him.

As always, she found her mother on the mezzanine, taking in the sunlight.

"M-mother... I would like to seek au-"

"No, no..." the woman insisted. "For once, Schala... just say 'Mom, I want to talk.' I want you to feel like you can do so freely. We are no monarchs anymore. I will not hold you accountable for... less than protocol."

"Mother, I need help."

Zeal looked concerned. "What troubles you, my light?"

"I... I know how to get to Janus, but I need the gate key to do it. I'm... I'm scared, Mother. I know what I have to do, but... I just don't think I can do it."

"My light..." Zeal smiled, "You know that I possess no intention of ever leaving this time period, and Belthasar spends all of his time on those "wings" of his, now anyways. He only fears you would try to escape. You are the only one of us with any desire to leave this prison... and the only one with no sentence to serve anyways."

Schala shook her head. "Mother... I can't leave you..."

Zeal could hear her daughter's voice begin to break, tears began to form. "Oh..." she began, "No, my light, don't do that..." in a bit of a half-mumble, not as an order but as a reassurance, as she immediately threw her arms around her daughter and held her tight.

"Schala... my light..." Zeal smiled, holding her head to her shoulder, "You are a young woman, now. You cannot stay at my side forever - such is the nature of things. I am glad though, that before we parted ways, I could hold you again and tell you... ...tell you... just how sorry I am... for mistreating you, for neglecting your brother... For hurting my subjects. When I think about the fear and pain I put into your eyes as I struck you and lashed out... it puts those same feelings in my own..."

Zeal's eyes were watering now, too. "I've been a terrible mother. I love you Schala, and I'm sorr... he... for..."

It seemed mother and daughter had to console each other at this point. The more warmly Zeal acted towards her, the more comfortable Schala grew with it. The only true cruelty Schala believed in now was that fate was tearing them apart just as Schala got to know a truly kind, supportive side of her mother. It wasn't the harbinger of Lavos, or the good but strict queen of the land before that. It was... a mom. An actual mom. Someone who wanted to be this role for a long time.

One week passed since that emotional day. Zeal had resigned to assist her daughter as much as possible in, if not reaching Janus, then at least escaping this awful future. She was sure to let Schala know, as well: if Belthasar was not going to help them, they would have to act against him. As his mind slipped, Zeal saw more of her brainwashed self in him. She understood that she would need to undermine him at this point, for her daughter's sake... and she was prepared to accept the consequences of doing so.

Because Zeal had no actual desire to leave the future, Belthasar did not notice at all when she swiped his gate key. He asked if she'd seen it after a while, but Zeal shrugged and shook her head. Schala at this point was keeping it well hidden on her person, but since Belthasar had always fervently kept her away from it, he was certain that she did not steal it. Although he was not wrong, he was outsmarted. Schala had just about all of the resources she needed now, to begin a trek to Arris Dome. There, she could find out more about Magus before making her journey towards Bangor Dome.

"Mother..." Schala called out, in the dark of the night. "I... I think it's time."

"Hmm?" Zeal pondered as she stirred from her sleep." ...! OH! Schala!"

Mother followed daughter to the exit of the dome and held her tightly, knowing it would possibly be the very last time she would ever do so. "Schala?"

"Yes, Mother?"

"You are so kind.." Zeal smiled, tears streaming. "Don't ever let anyone or anything change that, no matter what! I am so proud of you... Schala... when you find your brother... My light... tell him... he was my moon. My starry night. Tell him... I'm sorry for the way I acted towards him... and that I love him."

Schala smiled, reassuringly. "I will. Mother... thank you. For everything."

Zeal smiled back. "Be on your way now, my light... the longer you wait, the harder it will be."

Schala held her mother once more, then turned and ran. She didn't look back - she couldn't look back. She couldn't change her mind about this. "Just think of Janus..." she told herself, smiling with tears as she headed out into the night.

"Don't worry Janus... Big sis is coming to save you!"

Mount Denadoro, 590 Kingdom Calendar

Magus ascended the mountain trail alongside Ozzie. In his right hand, he carried his new weapon of choice: a sharp, frightening looking Scythe.

"Do not falter, Ozzie. We need to hurry."

"Alright, alright geez..." Ozzie huffed and complained. "What's so important about this Masamune anyways?"

"For one thing..." Magus explained, "If the kingdom of Guardia lays claim to it, our battle will be over before it ever truly began. More importantly however, It is made of a rare, extinct mineral known as Dreamstone, which will allow me to control the beast. If I must destroy the sword, I am prepared to do so. However, having it will be a great boon to the end of humanity. Understood?"

"I don't get it though..." Ozzie asked. "Axl stands watch from up here. Why don't we just ask him to take care of it?"

Magus glared. "Damn it, Ozzie this is no light task, especially for an insolent whelp like Axl. There are trials required in order to obtain the blade. I alone shall meet the requirements and descend with the sword in one hand and my scythe in the other."

Ozzie stopped for a moment to enjoy the view, as Magus continued on.

"Aaahhh... ...Mountains're nice."

"OZZIE."

"Oof! Coming!"