Transcription
What's happening with the Orri? I believe it is preparing to carry out the death sentence. Finina? No. I still need [Music] [Music] [Music] answers. [Music] [Laughter] You sorry. That shocked expression on your face is just too amusing. I couldn't help myself. You are not Finina. Who are you?
Ah. The sweet sound of bewilderment, marvelous. A sure sign that my attempt to deceive everyone was a resounding success. But to answer your question, I am Falor. You know, the God Falor. Why did you deceive us?
Oh, that wasn't my goal, of course. Goodness, no. But I had to fool everyone else too, if I was to stand any chance of deceiving the Heavenly principles. Deceiving the Heavenly principles. It's all because of that pernicious prophecy. Dreadful, wasn't it? Everyone doomed to dissolve. Fontaine condemned to be flooded. One was not amused; in fact, one was positively befuzzled when that problem was thrust upon me by my dearest predecessor. That's the former Hydro Archon, Egeria, for the uninitiated. It hardly gets more disastrous than a pre-ordained national catastrophe, now does it? She knew full well that the prophecy would surely come to pass, and as one of the Seven, she also knew full well that one defies the Heavenly principles at one's peril. So yes, as you have no doubt surmised, it was a rather impossible situation that I found myself in. I spent a terribly long time mulling it over alone on the ocean floor, and I was almost growing barnacles by the time I finally realized there was only one possible solution to this confounding conundrum. I had to outwit the Heavenly principles, allow the prophecy to be fulfilled ostensibly, at least, while saving everyone at the same time. I'm a genius, I know. I can only assume that's why Egeria chose me as her successor, although looking back now, it was hardly the inheritance one dreams of. Between the task of saving the nation, the quotidian duties of the Hydro Archon, and not to mention the original sin of creating a new race of humans, I dare say she left me quite a colossal mess to clean up. That one can only play the hand one is dealt. I did not choose this any more than I chose to be one of her Oate familiars.
So you were also once one of the Oites, transformed into a human by Egeria's hand? Yes, I was. I always dreamed of becoming human, and I still do, even now. In my eyes, to be human is to be part of the greatest opera ever known. After becoming a God, I separated my Divinity from my body and spirit, leaving behind only a self that was as naive and bewildered as my past self on her first day as a human being. The me you see before you now is that Divinity, and the human counterpart I left behind, I named Finina. She could feel joy, sorrow, and everything in between. She could be as vain and conceited or as meek and vulnerable as she wished. Her strengths were of a kind only a human could possess, as were her shortcomings. But in my eyes, Finina's humanity was what made her perfect. She was perfectly human in every way, the person I always wanted to be.
Anyway, so then I cursed her. All part of the plan, of course. The plan to deceive the Heavenly principles. Do you still remember the final scene of the prophecy? The Hydro Archon alone, weeping on her throne, in order that the prophecy might appear fulfilled? I invited Finina to be an actress, to play the part of the Hydro Archon in the prophecy. Under the curse I placed on her, so long as Finina's Divinity continued to exist, she could not die, but nor was she free to live her life in the pursuit of happiness. Instead, she was forced to take the stage in the opera house, to embrace the role of leading lady, to forever play the part of the God from the prophecy, all to create a deceitful appearance of that prophecy coming to pass. I suppose now you probably understand why your court is called the Opera Epicles. But Finina is only human, isn't she? Even though she has had a long life, her mind is no stronger than that of any other ordinary human being. I cannot begin to fathom what she has had to endure; it must have been torture for her. It has indeed. And although she is, in a sense, me in human form, I most definitely owe her an apology for it. It's been 500 years, and all along she's been playing her part in the most unimaginably long, unbearably lonely, and agonizingly painful opera of all time.
So even Finina doesn't know the truth? You've never once let her in on the full plan? Yes, it had to be done. To deceive the Heavenly principles, you must first deceive yourself. She did very well. If she had let her resolve falter even once in these five centuries, Fontaine would have been doomed to the most tragic fate. It seems that trusting humanity was the right decision after all. I believe that I understand how your deception works, but that is only half the truth, is it not? How would you build on this foundation to save the people of Fontaine? That is the most important thing.
Ah, good, good. Of course. The Udex of Fontaine has pinpointed the crux of the issue. I'm sure you've long sensed that the Orri is no simple machine. Yes, I've always suspected that it had its own consciousness, and Lenny did mention that he heard a human voice within the core chamber. It now seems that that person was you, hidden within the machine all along. Am I right? And then I became one with the Orri, taking Fontaine's Nosis with me? Yes, it would seem so, wouldn't it? Alas, your understanding of this device still lacks sufficient depth. In truth, it is no enactor of justice; it is, in fact, a device created to kill the God of Justice. I beg your pardon? Oh, you have it. And to be more precise, not only will the Orri take down the God of Justice, it will also take down the Divine Throne upon which she has been placed. I mean, did you think I would be the sort to enjoy peaceful repose? My work over these last 500 years has been to constantly accumulate indem-nidum within the Orri. But really, some have already discovered that only a small fraction of the energy generated by the device was ever used to provide power to Fontaine; the vast majority has been—had to be—accumulated to enact this death sentence.
It was all part of your plan then, both the trial and the sentence? Indeed. This power, accrued over five centuries, could have sustained Fontaine for millennia had it only been used for that purpose. Almost all of it has now been stored within the Orri. But only power of this magnitude could hope to destroy the Hydro Archon's Divine Throne, shaking the rules established by Celestia and breaking through the institution that is the Seven. So the Orri's call for death was for neither Finina nor Falor, but for the Hydro Archon, the destruction of that Divine Throne. If I do not misunderstand your intent, you must be returning what's rightfully yours to you, of course. In other words, this was all done to return the authority of the Hydro Archon to the Hydro Dragon of this planet. But no, what, getting sad again, are we? The authority of the ancient dragons shall soon be yours once more, oh Hydro Dragon Sovereign. And this is the face you [Music] make? All you've done throughout the years is just so you can sacrifice yourself at the very end? I've never quite seen it that way, you know. Even now, I'm quite pleased at how well my deception [Music] worked. Hydr Dragon, Hydr Dragon, don't [Music] cry. I must say, had it been within my rights, I would have loved to judge the Heavenly principles themselves, were they not guilty of essentially the same crime. Egeria stole the power of the primordial sea, and the Heavenly principles stole the power you ancient dragons possessed. I, for my part, am the God of Justice, and is it not just that your original powers should be returned to you?
Speaking of Justice, I have always believed that Justice lies in the process of pursuing human existence itself. So if the theft of the primordial sea's might was Fontaine's original sin, then, leaving matters of procedural right and wrong aside, the descent of the Fontanans as humans and their right to exist in this world would be Fontaine's original Justice. In other words, existence was Egeria's Justice, and to me, Justice is the continuation of that existence. Defying the prophecy and ensuring that Fontaine's people shall live on—that should be the Justice enthroned over all others. At this point, we—whether it be myself or all other Fontanans—have shouldered the burden of this sin for far too long. Udex, the highest judge in our land, when you regain your full power as an elemental Sovereign, what verdict shall you pass upon us?
So when I was invited to the court of Fontaine to serve as Udex, I see now that that was your idea too. At last, I now understand the true purpose behind this position. In the beginning, I was uninterested in human existence, but these five centuries of living alongside them have gradually brought about mutual understanding between us, and I have even attempted to feel as they feel. You are a devious one, Falor. Things being as they are, surely you know that I could never declare them to be guilty. [Music] The hour of my execution is almost here, for the sinner. The curtain call has come. I know I may not show it, but faced with death, I find myself a little afraid. Perhaps this is one thing both Gods and humans have in common. Farewell, Neret. I hope you've enjoyed the part you played these 500 [Music] years. [Music] [Music] [Music] I, Udex Neret, hereby declare, people of Fontaine, your sins are forgiven.