And I am back with another Final Fantasy XIII story. Hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: FFXIII and its characters belong to Square Enix. I merely own this fic. This disclaimer will be applied for all the upcoming chapters.
/I am the Guardian of Etro, but I am merely a servant, a pawn of the Gods./
The Guardian stood at the balcony as she stared blankly out, as if she was watching something that was visible only to her eyes. The air was poignant and still, having signs of neither life nor death. The vast area which the fabled Valhalla occupied was empty. Abandoned. The atmosphere was precariously balanced between serene and unsettling. The Guardian let out a soft sigh, breaking the silence. She closed her eyes as she thought about her fate which she had long resigned herself to.
She defied fate, the Fal'Cie and her supposed eternal sleep. She had broken her leash of being a Fal'Cie's pet. Yet, she was dragged into the undying world of Valhalla, where time ceases to flow. She was initially indignant, to go through so much to get this kind of end. But then, she understood. She understood why she was brought here. A new duty for a new future.
And with that, she took up her new position as the Guardian of Etro.
She felt a tug at her consciousness and she felt the familiar divine presence around her, wrapping around like tendrils, filled with warmth and compassion. But at the very core of it, there was a hint of grief. A soft dull pain, ever present. She felt herself being guided back into the hall, and she willingly followed, but not like a puppet. She would never be a puppet, with her will fortifying the promise she had bound to herself.
"Lightning, my guardian. I have a final calling for you."
The soft whimsical voice echoed throughout the area, resonating in her very soul. The voice felt near, as if the Divine Etro was right next to her. Yet, Lightning well knew that she was far too distant. Distant in many ways. The main thing that defines the divines from the mortals.
Finally, she arrived the centre of the stone platform. She kneeled down, one knee guard in contact with the rough surface of the stone flooring and the other in contact with her arm braces. Her free hand rested on the floor, glove protecting her palms. Lightning bowed her head solemnly as she awaited further instructions from the Goddess herself.
"It is wisdom to solve problems from its roots. There is a final time I need you to travel to. Five hundred years before the fated Fall of the Cocoon. The War of Transgression."
Lightning's eyes widened minutely before she nodded numbly. The Divine's task might be vague, but she had an idea forming on what she was meant to do. She slowly got up, straightening herself to her full height.
"You may keep your gunblade as a souvenir, as you call it. Now go forth."
The Guardian took a deep breath before turning back, finding yet another gateway. She stepped into the paradoxical contraption, finding herself in the familiar stream of time. She allowed herself to drift through time, quite literally, deciding to close her eyes and succumb to the comfort of sleep until she arrived at her destination.
Gran Pulse.
Alright. This is just a prologue of the fic. Expect longer chapters soon.
Hope you enjoyed and please do read and review!
Cheers!