Note: EVERYTHING belongs to Square Enix….enjoy!
Prologue "A glimmer."
"I have lost; I couldn't protect time, or the goddess. Words can't express my failure."
-Lightning
It was the end of time, an end of reality that the human race had known since their birth from Etro. Now she was gone, dead, no longer holding back the Chaos that fought to consume every last living thing in its path. It did just that upon her unfortunate death; Destroying the future Serah and Noel vigorously fought to protect from Caius- despite their efforts he still came out victorious. Valhalla's gates were no more thanks to him, the legendary city that held neither life, nor death appeared as Pulse, and Bhunivelze, Hope's new Cocoon, was being taken by Chaos. Valhalla's Chaos- the ender of the time line.
Serah smiled upon the new Cocoon or as Hope christened it, "Bhunivelze", with satisfying joy. They did it; they saved the future from Caius. She was sure she would see Hope within minutes to greet them, so he could flock along side them with the same satisfaction, maybe he would have Snow with him, even possibly her sister. They might even be able to visit their new home together, including Noel.
"Noel, he's apart of our family now."
She looked at the brunette, seeing the same happiness, and relief through his smile, as he to looked upon his new home. He finally had a future worth looking forward to, instead of the miserable one he was born into; with everyone's help, he completed his goal of saving the future.
"Hey. Noel."
Noel turned to her, still smiling. She glanced at the ground for a second before looking back at her partner, the very person who helped her along their tedious journey throughout time, "Thank you…" she barely spoke the soft words, before she felt pain sting throughout her head and chest.
Serah struggled to breathe, while trying to comprehend the pain, and the sudden sorrow that flowed through her. She hardly heard Noel say her name in fear.
"No, not now please!" He begged, grapping her shoulders, and shaking her petite body, "Serah! Snap out of it! No!" But he knew it was too late, he saw her beautiful grey-blue eyes be clouded over with a glowing golden symbol. She was having a vision.
Serah saw Chaos destroy the future she and the other's fought to protect. Etro was no more in this vision, and she cringed at the sight of Caius reigning victorious. She saw she had failed to protect their future.
Her legs gave out, causing Noel to catch her, "Serah." His voice filled with anguish, while holding her against his chest.
Her eyes widened if not for a moment, but within that moment she saw a glimmer of hope for the future. Her sister, was still alive somewhere, waiting to take back the future from Caius. Her allies and Lightning wouldn't give up. Serah then closed her eyes knowing there was still a chance, and drew her last breath, with a bittersweet feeling within her heart.
"SERAH!" Noel screamed in despair.
Trying to understand why she had to have that vision, he let a few tears drop upon her face. She shouldn't have had it- the future was fine. She was supposed to live, and be happy with everyone; she wasn't supposed to die, not here, not now. Then he came to terms what had happened- the future had changed. Yeul's words struck him like a sword through the heart-
"If you change the future, you change the past."
Serah knew this, she knew if she changed the future she would put herself in danger, yet she still risked her life for a better one. Noel thought he had saved her, he thought she would be okay, but he was wrong, she was now lifeless within his arms.
"Noel?" He barely heard Hope say his name from behind him. Noel glanced back at the confused Hope, and softly shook his head, looking back away from him.
Hope's expression deepened with confusion, and even distress, "But why? You were safe, everything was fine."
"The future changed. It changed." Noel spoke. Hope lowered his gaze, grasping the hunter's words bitterly, and Noel continued, "If you change the future, you change the past. The effects ripple outward, up and down the timeline. The seeress is forced to see it all!"
Hope looked back at Noel, suprised, "You mean Serah…she saw this vision?"
"Yes. And it killed her." Noel stared back into the face of the lifeless Serah he held, and caressed the side of her face, "She knew the risk. If we altered the future, she knew what would happen; that her life could be in danger. But she still chose to save it. I wanted to protect her…" He brought her face against his chest and gently rocked, "I thought I had, I thought she was safe!" Noel looked upward towards the sky, and closed his eyes fighting back more tears.
Hope only stared at Noel, listening to every word he had to say, trying to make sense of this whole ordeal. Serah was gone, and she knew she had to do this for their future. He had dreamed of bringing everyone home to Bhunivelze along with Vanille, and Fang, even Light. Just like that vision, their new focus, he had experienced with them while bringing down Orphan all those years ago. Now one person was missing, forever gone, ruining the dream of that focus. He pondered where he went wrong; did he even have the power to save her? Was what they saw just a false motivator? Hope looked away in disgusted at his failure.
Both Noel and Hope felt the wind pick up, and the sound of what seemed like thunder behind them. They looked around, bewildered by the sudden appearance of dark ominous clouds that began to blanked the sky. Noel gently laid Serah's body down upon the airships, and stood, feeling threatened. Something was wrong.
"Kupo?" Mog said, frightened, while he floated closer to Hope for protection, "Kupo…" He said once more before he dropped to the ground with a slight bounce. Hope quickly retrieved the weakened Moogle, holding him close, "The goddess…she has gone, kupo." The puppet strained to say, causing Hope to shoot Noel a questioning expression. He continued to hold Mog as he suddenly stood at the light but familiar sound of bells surrounded them.
Noel felt a sickening sensation within his chest, remembering Caius's words, "The Heart of Chaos beats in my chest, a manifestation of Etro. Should this heart stop beating, the goddess will die once again."
He only believed that guardian was bluffing, to stop Serah, and him from continuing their journey. It realized to late that there was no bluff only truth in Caius's words. Looking down at his hands, the sensation only grew worse, "I killed the goddess?" He barely was able to hold himself up, stumbling at what he had done. He ruined the future, and possibly killed Serah with his mistake. He ruined what she died to protect.
The bells grew louder, and the screams of the dead echoed throughout the world. Valhalla's Chaos was now consuming their world, the black smoke covering everything in its path, including the airship they stood on. Hope and Noel struggled to keep on the ship, the winds of Chaos threatened to throw them off. Noel grabbed Serah's body, trying to protect it as Hope fell to his knees next him, trying to hold to Mog.
"These bells! I know these bells!" Hope's shouted within his mind, terror clouded his thoughts.
Noel tried to look up at the Academy leader, but his attention turned to purple symbol that shown in the sky, "What is that?" He thought, then forced his stare down at the city of Academia; slowly but surely Chaos was consuming it, turning it to what Noel thought was Valhalla.
This had to be it, they were going to die there just like Serah. They had failed to protect the world from Caius. Noel accepted this death, and held to Serah, waiting for his doom, but as he tried to, a small glow came from her chest.
"Serah?" he said, watching her body with shock.
Hope noticed to, he and Noel stood dumbfounded while her body levitated in the air, glowing. Her body hovered, the Chaos disappearing around her before she burst into golden dust, causing a brought light that clouded Hope and Noel's vision. They only heard her soft voice pierce through the sounds of the dead.
"This is all I can do. Please…find Lightning."
Then everything went black.
"Serah, you sacrificed yourself for the future. Now that future is bleak, yet you still have hope? I should've believed in you more. Rest now, my dear sister."
-Lightning
Just a prologue, chapter one will be out monday, and a new chapter shall be out every monday after that. So what did you think?