New World

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is property of Square Enix.

An AU if Lightning never went to Valhalla, and Noel was sent by Etro herself to save the world from the Chaos. Contains Noel x Serah x Snow love Triangle. Eventual Hope x Light.

Darkness was everywhere. I struggled to walk, but now it felt useless. Where was I going to go. There's no home, no safe place to stay. Living was feeling like a chore now. I wake up, eat whatever berries and nuts I find, but most of the time I find nothing. I cannot even find any animals for meat anymore.

Maybe they died out, and I killed the rest. My body was weakening from lack of food, and everything felt cold. Was it really cold, or was my body tricking me again. I'm even fighting against myself. Everywhere I look, all I can see is her face. Watching me.

I wish she was here. But I also don't. I want her here so I didn't have to be alone anymore.

But I know if she were here, she would be suffering as much if not worse than I am now. And I can't wish that upon anyone.

My vision began to blur, as I started losing the strength in lifting my feet, dragging against the gray dirt. After a few more steps, I collapsed on my knees. Everything felt heavy, and my stomach began to eat itself. I groaned in pain, and curled up within myself.

I looked pathetic in my fetal position. But that was exactly how I felt. I lost. I fought so long for years for survival. But life just wasn't meant living when you are the last human on Gran Pulse.

This was it. I was dying. The wind whistled over my head, gray dust sweeping across my face. I didn't care. It was getting harder to breathe, and I could feel my heart stopping. Then, as if the universe pitied me, it started to rain.

We hadn't had rain in years. Now just seemed perfect. At this point I was just lying there, reaching my hand out to the sky, the rain mixing in with my tears. My eyes began to burn. Then I just let go. I began to cry at the hopelessness in this world. All my life, I hoped to save it or preserve it. But...there was nothing I could do.

One by one, people began to disappear in my life. First my mother, before I even met her, was killed by me. Childbirth. Then my dad left, so devastated to be able to look at my face and know I'm the reason she was gone.

Then my grandmother died when I was eight, then as the years went by, friends died from animal attacks, sickness, or they just vanished and were never seen again. I was the last human on this Earth.

My hand clenched into a fist. "I don't want to die."

The man was Noel Kreiss. A hunter from a nomadic clan that was no more. The last human on Gran Pulse. "Etro, please. Give me one more chance. I want to save the world." He prayed before losing conciousness. His hand fell limp at his side.

Etro must have heard his prayers, because just as his life began to slip away, the clouds opened up, the rain halting, and a bright silver light shined down on him. His once risen hand rose up again, as if somebody was pulling him up, and he was lifted off the ground.

The last man on Gran Pulse disappeared into the clouds.

The sky turned to swirls of gold and silver as if he was being transported through a portal. Flying past him were images of himself, his clan, his friends. Then it began to distort showing history itself.

Noel opened his eyes. "Am I dead?" He whispered to hismelf.

He then saw a brighter light on the other side and was shot out of some sort of tunnel.

Out of the sky!

Noel screamed as he began free falling to the city below. A group of commoners began to scurry away when they saw the incoming hunter, screaming as they did so.

Just at the nick of time, a flying beast caught him and he was soaring through the sky again. Noel opened his eyes and they first thing he was greeted by was some sort of funny looking doll.

Only it was alive!

"Whoa!"

"Kupo!" The doll squeaked.

The beast shifted as if about to drop it's riders. "Oi!" A woman lectured. "Keep it together back there or I am gonna drop you for real this time."

Noel looked up and noticed a tall woman with brown skin and messy black hair. She was wearing a black tube top with baggy blue silk pants, almost resembling Noel's. She carried a tall red spear, and she was steering the beast.

"Where am I?" Noel asked aloud. "Who are you? How did I get here!? What happened?"

"Slow down, man." The woman said in exasperation. "We'll answer your questions when we get there. But anyone, my name is Fang, that moogle is Mog."

"Hi." The moogle waved happily.

"And we are in the Kingdom of Valhalla."

The group finally arrived at the biggest building in the entire kingdom. Fang told Noel that this is where Etro lives. At first he didn't believe her.

Until she saw a gorgous tall white haired woman approach the balcony. She wore a silver gown and her one arm that was exposed had a very intricate dark tattoo up the sleeve. Beside her was a petite red haired woman, around Noel's age wearing an orange headdress and matching robes.

As they approached, Fang dismissed her ride, Bahamut, and the moogle, Mog bounced happily to the goddess's side.

Noel had no idea what to do. It was really her. The Goddess that he prayed to every night. The Goddess that they talked about in class. The Goddess that some people turned away from because they were against her for turning her back on her own people. The one he stayed faithful to til the bitter end.

"Do not be afraid, my child." Etro, beckoned with her exposed hand and Noel hesitantly approached her. She pulled him into an almost maternal embrace, and Noel felt like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

"You saved me." Noel stated as he stepped back.

Etro nodded silently.

"I heard your prayers." The small girl informed him. "My name is Vanille." She bowed.

"She heard your prayers and pleaded me to help you." Etro informed the hunter.

Noel turned his attention to Vanille. "Thank you."

"It wasn't completely selfless of us." Vanille informed him.

"I have a task for you." Etro led her servants and Noel to her throne room. It was pretty small, and feathers were flying gently in the background. Steps appeared before her and she climbed up onto her throne.

Vanille sat in a small seat beside her, and Fang took a position by the entrance, like she was keeping watch.

Mog clambered like a child to Etro's lap and settled there as she petted him on the head.

"As you have no doubt witnessed. The world is in trouble."

"With all due respect, my Goddess." Noel awkwardly stated, not sure how to address her. She didn't seem to mind. "But I was the last human on Gran Pulse. Cocoon is gone."

"We still have time to save the world, if I placed you in a different time." She projected an image onto the sky for all to see, then coming into view was Noel...appearing unconcious by a crystal pillar.

Cocoon's crystal pillar!

"Look, Fang, it's us!" Vanille almost laughed and Fang shook her head at her.

Noel looked back at the two women in astonishment. "You were the two Pulsians who sacrificed your lives for Cocoon." They nodded and Noel shook his head in confusion. "But Cocoon fell, and crushed the pillar. You died."

"In your timeline, perhaps." Fang informed him. "Everybody's dead in your timeline."

Coming into view was a large burly man and a dark skinnned man with an afro. They knelt over and checked Noel's body for signs of life.

"And those are our friends." Vanille added as more people came into view. This time it was two pink haired women. One looked like a soldier of some kind and the other seemed much younger. As well as a silver haired kid, and another much younger child who looked like he belonged to the dark skinned man.

"What's happening?" Noel questioned, not be able to hear what was being exchanged. The burly man picked up Noel's body in the image and they left the view.

"We're altering the timeline." Vanille informed Noel. "This is what is happening now."

Noel looked at the four faces staring at him. "So...technically I'm not really here. I'm there?" He questioned.

The image changed and it showed Noel in a bed with the younger pink haired girl tending to him. An older woman with graying hair entered the room. "Mrs. Villiers, it has been a year and the man has not awakened."

"He will. Komas can take years to come out of. Just give him more time." The girl, Mrs. Villiers sat by his bedside seeming in deep thought.

"Your sister is about to leave on her mission she wants to say goodbye."

The girl did not respond. It appeared the two of them had a fight. The elder woman turned as if about to leave, then she looked back and said, "We can't keep using our resources on him. Your sister, and many other soldiers are going back to Cocoon to see if they are willing to take him off your hands."

"Can't you see he is not from Cocoon. He looks like Vanille's people. He would want to be home when he wakes up." The girl tried to reason.

The elder seemed exasperated with her. "You are as stubborn as the Lieutenant."

The image fizzled out. "Wait," Noel's head began to spin. "How much time is going by in there? I've been in a koma for an entire year?"

"Two years." Etro corrected as the image returned.

Time definitely has passed, the girl who has been taking care of Noel's hair was notably shorter now, and in a side braid. The room even looked more homey, like someone came and decorated it. A large man with dark skin entered the room.

"I thought you would be here, Serah." He said.

"Gadot." The girl responded.

"Missin' Snow."

She nodded silently.

"Missin' your sister?"

Serah sighed.

"Have you been talking to her, or are you still mad."

"She won't come home." Serah said in frustration. "It's just...she left me here. And now Snow has too. Why did they do this to me."

"Aw, don't be like that Serah. Lightning and Snow were called away on work. They'll be home."

"Snow's been gone for six months. And Claire has been gone for twice as long. At least my sister's been calling. My own husband hasn't even made an attempt to get into contact with me!"

Gadot sighed. "Maybe he is in trouble."

"I hope not. I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Serah glanced back at Noel's body.

"I got a question for you, Serah? Why do keep him? You really think he'll wake up?"

"Of course he will. I just have to be patient. I can't abandon him. Not now."

"But how do you know he'll ever wake up."

"I know know, Gadot. I just have a feeling that he will."

A sound of an explosion outside of the room sounded.

"Serah, stay here!"

"Wait!" Serah exclaimed, sitting up from the bed. "Gadot! What's going on!?" She glanced back at the body of Noel then followed Gadot out of the room.

The sound of a building crumbling could be heard behind the Shrine. Etro stood up, Mog flying up and surprise. "It is time."

"Let's go!" Fang exclaimed.

Noel, Fang, and Mog ran out of the Shrine as the sky darkened. The people down below began to scream and flee into their homes, slamming the doors and shutting their windows.

"Noel!" The hunter turned around and was handed dual swords by Vanille. They weren't just any dual swords.

They were his!

"How did you...?"

"No time to explain!" Vanille said as she rushed back to Etro's side and they went down the steps of her Shrine.

Fang reached into her arm and pulled out a a fang shaped crystal and broke it open, throwing the pieces into the sky. The shards disintegrated and a bright purple light shone around and the skies opened up. Bahamut returned from the sky and Fang hopped on, Noel and Mog following suit.

"Who are we fighting!?" Noel asked.

"I'm fighting!" Fang asnwered. "But not after I get you to the Gateway!"

"Gateway to where!?" Noel asked.

Meteors began raining down on the kingdom of Valhalla. "The Gateway to Gran Pulse. Once you go through, you'll wake up on the other side!"

"Is it far!?"

"Not very, as long as-" We were shot down by an incoming fireball and fell off the beast, rolling off into what appeared to be the main roads. "Noel, take out those Nektons!"

"The whats!?" Noel exclaimed as about three of them skittered up to them and began poking him with their spikes.

Mog screamed and began hitting them with his staff, and another poked him in the arm. "Ow! Ohh..." He began to cry.

"Mog, be careful there!" Fang lectured the moogle as it continued to blubber over his reddening hand.

"I just wanted to help." He whimpered.

Noel slashed his sword and the nekton sliced in half easily. He smirked and he began to take out two at a time while Fang swung her lance, taking about six. A gust of wind followed her movement, almost knocking Noel and Mog down. "How are you doing that!?" Noel asked the tall woman.

"I'm a L'Cie!" She informed him. "All L'Cies have powers given by Etro."

After finishing the last of the nektons in the area, Noel holstered his swords. "Do I get powers too."

"Do you wanna be a L'Cie?"

"Uh...I heard about L'Cie. But, if I were to serve the Goddess, then I should probably have some sort of a power. I don't think I can save the world with hunting skills."

Fang chuckled, putting her spear behind her back. Bahamut reemerged from atop the buildings, seeming to have taken care of his own load of enemies. He extended a wing, waiting for his master to mount him once more. "On the contrary, Noel. The reason she chooses her servants is through fate. She sees something she needs in a person and uses their talents."

The two climbed upon the beast and they were off again to their destination. "What are your skills?" Noel asked Fang.

The dragoon, didn't say anything at first, checking for more danger. It appeared Etro had more servants for they were holding their own, clad in silver armor. Their signature feather motifs letting the enemy know they fight for the Goddess. "I was trained on Gran Pulse as a Dragoon."

"What was your mount?"

"Wyverns. We would ride high above cliffs and buildings. Then we would jump off and strike." Fang had a certain smirk on her lips, like she was proud of her accomplishments. "I was the only Dragoon in my village."

"Really?" Noel responded. "Most of our women were priestesses, nurses, and farmers." He responded, remembering his former clan members.

"See, now some of those women needed to expand their occupation. I was not about to settle in just making clothes or getting married and raising the kids. I wanted to go out and fight. I worked hard to get to where I am now."

Despite the absolute chaos that was unleashed upin the Kingdom, there was a silence that followed on the ride to the Gate. "Here, I can see the entire timeline." Fang continued. "Like a movie. I...saw what happened to my friends. How they died. And it will all change with you here now." She looked up at Noel, a serious expression on her face.

"Fang...I will save the world. That is all I wanted. I want to live in a future, where everyone lives." Noel responded seriously.

The dragoon slowly smiled back. "Glad to hear it. Because if you get my friends killed, I am going to have go there myself and kick your ass."

They finally arrived outside of the Kingdom, where a large gate was waiting. Fang dismissed Bahamut. A roar could be heard overhead. "We gotta hurry!" Fang raised her hand and the Gate began to turn back on again. The inside began to open up and a force began to pull the trio into the gate. Fang braced herself against the dirt with her spear.

Another flyer creature approached them from the distance. He resembled Bahamut, only darker. "Go, Noel! I will hold him off!"

"Hold who off!?"

"No time to explain! Just go!" Fang screamed. "Mog, you are going with him!"

"What!?" Mog exclaimed! "Y-you want me to leave Etro, kupo! I-I can't!" He began to cry.

"Mog, do you want to save the Goddess!? Do you want to save the world!?"

But the moogle was not budging. Noel snatched the moogle from the air as it began to cry. "The world will be safe, I swear it!"

"Any day now, Kreiss!" Fang ushered.

Noel quickly jumped into the portal just as the incoming threat sent a dark cloud of Chaos right towards Fang.

On Gran Pulse, in New Bodhum, Team NORA was fighting off an invasion of nektons, after a huge meteor crashed into the small town. Serah had followed Gadot out and suddenly, she was seeing something different. The image around her changed and she saw what was to come.

The end of the world.

And inside the NORA, in a room that only occupied a seeming lifeless body...Noel Kreiss opened his eyes.