The End is Coming…

Summary

There wasn't long left now, Noel knew this. Yet it couldn't hurt to take a little time to talk to an old friend, after all Lumina did seem to know everything about Nova Chrysalia.

A little angst and fluff piece between Noel and Lumina about the days to come.

Notes

Or will we start over?

Noel awoke to the sound of his radio. It crackled for a moment before the host continued talking. For 50 years or even longer, he wasn't really sure, this radio station had operated with the same group of people since its inception. The Order of Salvation. The Children of Etro had set up their own station, only for it to be periodically shut down as it was deemed 'illegal' by the Order. It was never clear who made one first, but it seemed as if they got the idea from the Fanatics in the Wildlands. It didn't hurt to have them both around and it was better than hearing the Order go and on about Almighty Bhunivelze. Keeping an ear on both had provided useful information.

Their mundane routine and repetitiveness were predictable. The Order would begin with prayers, giving thanks and followed it by the news, weather and anonymous confessions, that always ended with same 'pray to Bhunivelze and may his light guide you' answer. Recently however, the routine had broken. There was a sense of urgency around the Cathedral that spread to the rest of the residents in Luxerion. He knew the reason why, the Order knew, the Children of Etro knew and he was sure everyone else knew too.

The end was coming.

No news was reported. Nothing about the weather. No confessions to be heard.

He sat up, cushy duvet pushed under his arms. Fingers carded through smoothing it away from his eyes. Noel reached back to prop up his pillow and listened to the morning segment.

'Let us pray for mercy. This is a trial from the heavens above-.'

The voice of the High Priestess rang loud in Noel's room.

'Do not shy away from his radiance for it is true-'

He wanted to laugh. A trial from Bhunivelze? Even after centuries it was still funny to think that Bhunivelze was any kind of merciful. But Etro… Noel didn't want to complete that thought. Some people were sick of deities, Fal'Cie, anything that wanted to pull their strings like puppets, or keep them as pets. Yet, he couldn't dismiss how important the goddess Etro had been in his life.

The renewed hope that blossomed when he met Lightning again. The real Lightning, even if she was called the 'Saviour' now. That was what they needed. Hope for the future. If God was creating a new world for everyone he had to believe it would save everyone, didn't he?

'Isn't it funny? Time is running out and the people feel like they have to pick a side.'

Lumina's voice came close to his ear. She laughed as he swatted her away.

'Which side are you going to pick, Noel? The Order, Children of Etro, another false god long forgotten or the Saviour herself. After all you want to be saved, don't you?' She asked, taking off her shoes, making herself comfortable on the bed.

Lumina's timing really was impeccable.

Noel scooted backwards, resting against the headboard. Lumina stretched out herself, legs resting on top of Noel's as she leaned against the wall.

'At this point, the answer is obvious isn't it?' He replied.

Lumina cocked her head to the side, egging him on.

'My friends… It has to be Lightning. I failed to keep Serah safe, to protect Yeul and stop Caius but our mission, the same one Hope had, it's not over. Not yet. If we have to kill god- 'Noel turned to face her. 'Then we'll do it.'

Lumina grinned, slapping his foot.

'Ah, if Lightning was here she'd be so proud of you.'

'As scary she can be, she's actually a real softie, or that was what Serah said.' Noel said, voice soft.

'And that's why she's so fun to tease, right?'

'Well, aren't you clever?' She said and dug her hands into the soft sheets. 'Sometimes you just gotta give a push you know? With the way she is right now, you have to drag a reaction from her. She needs to struggle a little bit, then maybe she'll realise what is happening.'

Noel frowned. 'What's that supposed to mean?'

Lumina stuck a finger in the air gesturing.

'It's like this. When she meets one of her…'friends', she feels something. A tug on her heart, a tug on her very soul. She can't help but save you. If she fails, or misses even one of you she start's all over again. After all what's the point of having a new world without the ones you care about the most in it?'

Noel was silent. If it was anything like the journey he and Serah went on it meant there were other futures, or in this case, multiple attempts to make it to the right future. The music playing from the radio did nothing to calm him.

'How-' He felt his voice falter, 'how many times has it been?'

Noel had never seen Lumina smile so decrepitly.

'No one knows, well maybe the Chaos and maybe her but not you, Lightning, or even God himself could give you that answer.'

He looked down at his hands, he hadn't noticed he was clenching them tight, fingers twisting the duvet cover.

'But, as you know. Time is hard to forget. You've seen it first hand when reversing a gate, you've already used.'

Noel swallowed thick. He didn't want to dwell on what could be an infinite number of tries and fails of coming even close to this day. It was possible they had even had this exact same conversation before, but there was no sure way to even know.

The radio crackled, another song began filling the room with sombre stringed instruments.

'Hope had said it before, how sometimes he felt déjà vu when he met us.' He said, smile pulling at his lip as he recalled the memory.

He glanced at Lumina who cushioned her head on a pillow she took from Noel's side.

'When we handed him all of the graviton cores for the new Cocoon it was funny. He had just told us about them and we handed all of them over in one go, right there and then. He was so shocked he dropped his clipboard and it fell from the platform and past the other floors.'

Noel leaned back comfortable himself.

'He was sure he already had a few but couldn't figure out why he thought that. We did, uh end messing with him a few more times. So, eventually we told each Hope to keep a diary of things, especially after- '

'You kissed him. Straight after you entered a new gate and thought you were in the right year.' Lumina finished.

'How do you- Oh right.'

Lumina smiled wickedly.

'Do you know everything then?'

'Nope. I can talk to her kind of. It's hard to explain. Her soul and heart are connected. In the Chaos all those souls can speak to me.' She said, intertwining her fingers.

'It's not easy is it?'

Lumina gave him a hard look. Of course, it wasn't. When it came to hearts and souls nothing ever was. Especially right now, he thought. The Chaos was just a giant cloud of suffering.

In the few times he actually met Lightning he wasn't really sure what to make of her in person. He felt like he knew her from all of the stories he's been told and Serah's determination to get her back. Yet it felt pathetic to let her see how he was, how he had been for years before she fought him. It was easy to reconcile with Lumina, it pointed out the parallels in their thoughts. Lightning would kill gods to save her sister, yet he couldn't kill Lightning to save Yeul somehow. He shouldn't have trusted the false vision and so neither should Lightning. Whatever on Pulse, Bhunivelze was convincing her of. When he met Lightning again he told her about the promise he had made to himself, saving everyone, saving the future people had entrusted them with. He wanted to ask Lumina about Lightning, a selfish question of what she thought of him. He knew that he didn't need Lightning's approval but after failing her again and again, he couldn't help but wonder.

The girl nudged his foot under the duvet, breaking him from his reverie.

'Just a few days left, ask me what you want. What else do you have to lose?' She said hotly.

Noel snorted. 'Yeah, we could become Bhunivelze's puppets.'

'Who's to say that hasn't already happened?' She smiled cryptic. 'You really want to know if big sis can save everyone.'

Noel frowned, he didn't like where this was heading.

'And whether you deserve to saved.'

He bit back a harsh reply upon seeing her face. As sweetly as she said it, Lumina didn't seem to be teasing him, she almost looked sad.

'Considering how much I've messed up it would take lifetimes for any kind of atonement. It's too late now.' He said, eyes focused on the red writing etched into the wall opposite the bed.

Lumina lifted the duvet sticking her feet under to cross her legs.

'Hmm.' She made a show of thinking, tapping her cheek. 'I'd say everyone here is long past atonement. So much time has passed does any of that even matter anymore? You've all spent so long in this purgatory that your sense of time is warped. You never knew when the end would come. Who would? Even Lightning didn't know that before she became the saviour.'

'If God really wanted to, he could've never woken Lightning up. He could've left her be and wiped us all out. The balance between worlds would be a mess but he wouldn't have to worry about humans and their hearts anymore.'

'Then why didn't he? What would be the point in living if you can't make up for what you've done?' Noel asked.

'That's just it. The gods are more human than you think, or rather we're more like gods than we thought. I'd maybe even say Bhunivelze is obsessed with Etro. Why did you think he chose her, the divine knight of Etro to be his saviour?'

Was Bhunivelze lonely?

'A replacement for the goddess of death…' Noel said in realisation.

'Exactly. The new world can't function without one so with her we can begin our new lives. Everyone will be saved.'

'Can she really do that? All on her own?' The mere role of 'saviour' was an incredible burden to bear. Maybe the only way she could cope was to supress her feelings.

'Lightning is still, Lightning. She'd try without even being told. If sacrificing herself meant saving everyone, she would do it. She just needs to figure what Bhunivelze really means by 'save'.'

Lumina clenched the pillow in her hand.

'She wouldn't say a thing either. So, she can stop any other self-sacrificing idiot,' she continued, giving a pointed glance at Noel.

'There do seem to be too many of them around.' Noel said with a sheepish expression.

Noel shifted, crawling over to sit next to her, back against the wall, both looking over at the crimson filled wall.

'What happens to you?' He asked, voice soft.

Her face scrunched up as she tried to school her expression. Lumina gripped the pillow tighter. She was conflicted between the desire to bury her face in it, tell Noel he didn't know what he was talking about or accept any kind of comfort he would offer.

Noel slipped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a half hug. Lumina let out a harsh laugh, but accepted the gesture nonetheless. He rested his chin on her head. There wasn't much he could do other than provide some semblance of comfort. If he knew what Bhunivelze was showing Lightning maybe he could help. He could find a way to convince her that Lumina wasn't just an aberration of Chaos or some kind of echo. If there was a way to reconnect all the souls and hearts so they could be joined, he hoped Lightning would find it. He didn't have that kind of power.

'Then I'll make you a promise too.'

Lumina wiped her eyes and leaned into his side.

'Haven't had enough of those?'

He shook his head. 'Not while we still have hope. I'll make as many as I like. If she can save everyone, if she can save Serah. Then maybe what God is planning isn't right. If I have to stop her, I'll do it.'

'That's hell of a wish. You think you can stop the saviour?'

Noel laughed. 'I can at least knock some sense into her. Like she did to me.'

That made her snort loud. 'Good luck with that.'

'Hey, if I can take on Caius who fought Lightning then, so can I!'

'That was with Serah and a little help from your pets… but if you you're sure, I'll take you up on that promise.'

Noel beamed.

'I'll make sure, we don't waste a single chance.' He said pointing to his chest.

Lumina sighed. 'Wouldn't you just fit in fine with the little L'Cie group.'

He would have to go soon and begin patrolling in Luxerion to keep everyone safe as much as he could. If it were only a few days left that meant there wasn't much time to save everyone. He needed to find Lightning and see what she has planned. Noel untangled himself from Lumina and slid off the bed, stretching tall. He let out a laugh as the girl spread herself wide over the mattress, humming in content. He reached for his swords resting against the opposite wall, but stalled his movements, hand coming up to trace the letters of Etro's script on the wall.

Noel peeked over his shoulder. 'Lumina, I have to ask. Have we had this conversation before?'

A different song began on the radio.

'I think we have.' She said facing the ceiling.

End Notes

Based off the crystal of atonement in the Ark and the final dungeon if you fail to defeat Bhunivelze and go back to Mog. Also, that Lumina has been around for ages supposedly?

[Low-key fits into For the Goddess is Dead AU]

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