Xenoblade Chronicles: Rise of the Skywalker

Chapter 16

Sora falls and is caught by Yaldabaoth's hand. Everyone asks Dickson why he shot Sora, to which he replies that he is just doing his job, then proceeds to focus his sights on Egil, who recognises him as a Giant and Disciple of Zanza. Dickson then tells everyone to prepare for Zanza's return; Sora's body starts glowing and rises into the air. Egil tells Zanza that he will not allow his return, and fires a shot from Yaldabaoth, which is absorbed by Sora and fired back at Egil, damaging Yaldabaoth. Zanza, the god of the Bionis, appears out from Sora's body as a blond man dressed in white and gold. He takes the Monado and tells everyone not to be surprised about his return, as it was predestined, and has been since he first resided in Sora. Meyneth, speaking from Ikaruga, explains that after the great battle Zanza grew weak and his soul - the Monado - was sealed in Ose Tower. Dickson reminds them that he "rescued" Sora with the Monado, having "found" the others dead, as the Monado had drawn the life from them to sustain itself. Zanza tells them that Sora only appeared alive due to Zanza being inside him; Sora has been dead since childhood and was chosen at random from the researchers. Dickson confirms that Sora's ability to use the Monado and his visions, were Zanza's, and that everything that has happened has been by design. Zanza declares that the time for the destruction and recreation of the world is nigh, but he must first eliminate the Mechonis, and the Bionis awakens once more.

Egil engages Zanza in battle, despite protests from Vanea that he is too weak to fight more. He claims he does not care, for he will gladly give up his life to defeat Zanza to attain peace. Zanza converts the Monado to a new form, even as the Monado appears as the sword of light in the hand of the Bionis, and Zanza easily destroys the Mechonis' sword and bisects Yaldabaoth and the Mechonis' head. He then prepares to lay waste to Mechonis, but Meyneth, finally unleashing her own Monado, successfully protects it and Sora and her friends. She tells Zanza that she understands that their life forms' lives are theirs to control, and if he will not accept that, she will fight for them, and she engages him in battle in Ikaruga's body.

Meyneth is overpowered by Zanza, who notes that her strength has significantly dropped from their last conflict. Realizing that Sora is important to both Meyneth and Ikaruga, Zanza prepares to kill him, but Meyneth shields her body and takes the blast herself. Zanza tells Meyneth to face him like a god, and releases another powerful blast; Meyneth expels herself from Ikaruga's body and takes the full attack. She suggests that they create a world with no need for gods before disappearing, leaving only her Monado, which Zanza takes for himself. Laughing, Zanza disappears, transporting onto Prison Island, which he sinks into the Bionis' head, releasing high concentration ether waves that affect the High Entia in Alcamoth. Back on Mechonis, Vanea rushes to Egil, who apologizes for everything he is done, and insists he fulfill Meyneth's final wish. Vanea accepts his judgement, and the party escape with Sora's comatose body.

The party leave on Junks, but Zanza intercepts tried to destroy them with the Bionis' Monado. Egil uses one of the arms of Mechonis to block the attack, and the other to punch a hole through the Bionis' chest. In response, Zanza orders Egil to die, before swinging the Monado full force at Mechonis, causing it to glow blue as it prepares to explode. Egil then begs for Sora that for the sake of both their worlds, she must succeed, then calls Meyneth's name before he and the Mechonis are killed.

With life on the Bionis in chaos from the ether event, Bionis moving, and the destruction caused by the Mechonis' attacks, Junks aims to get free - but as they pass between Mechonis and Bionis, Dickson attacks the group with a horde of Telethia and prepares to finish them off, until he is stopped by Judal and his Havres squadron from the Sword. Judal is informed of Dickson's betrayal, and prepares to fight him. Dickson calls for Loritia to reveal herself, and she releases high concentration ether waves from the Havres - made by her design - turning the High Entia soldiers into Telethia. Judal apologizes to Claire for burdening her, having known that this could one day happen, and uses the last of his will to direct his Telethia form to take out Dickson and Loritia, allowing the group to escape back to Colony 6.