Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
The City Of Light
Before waking up from her long, long crystal slumber in the shrine of the deceased goddess Etro, Lightning Farron believed the world waiting her when her crystal stasis end would be a dying world, with no one who could relieve the painful loneliness she was going to feel.
Although she'd have preferred her tongue being cut rather than admit it, Lightning feared loneliness. Her harshness towards the others was merely a way of trying to reach out to them. But at the same time, she also feared to be hurt by them, so she ended staying alone.
However, the young warrior felt she'd rather have chosen the solitude of a devastated world when she stepped out of the Etro's crystal throne room and she saw the huge city beneath the shrine.
Where am I?
It was a strange city, crawling with black and white tiles, full of artwork pieces everywhere, paved, jet-colored roads and snowy sidewalks. The buildings were a mixture of archaic and futuristic architecture, showing elegant balconies and elaborate latticework and balustrades. A loud, screeching sound made Lightning lift her head, startled; a monorail had crossed a hanging railway, standing against the sky, covered with thick clouds.
Those clouds made Lightning shiver. Something about them gave her chills; her instinct told her there was something in the air that shouldn't be there.
The streets were crowded. Despite the altitude at she was, Lightning could see a lot of people walking there, as in any other city she had known. All those people were dressed in black, although their attires were slightly different.
How's that possible that there are people alive in a world where time doesn't exist?
She gave a critical look at her clothing. She held back a swearing after she noted that her silver armor wouldn't get unnoticed in that place. Nobody would ignore she was a foreigner, or, in her case, the guardian of a fallen goddess who, because she failed at protecting her, had dragged the world into chaos and entropy.
I highly doubt anyone here will welcome me with fanfares and fireworks.
Lightning sighed as she continued to examine the city from the large balcony of the shrine. It was undoubtedly a beautiful place, but there was something… Its sight filled with sadness and yearning her heart. The black color of the clothes and the streets made that feeling even stronger. It seemed as if the city was crying the loss of someone dear, as if it was in permanent mourning.
Helplessly, Lightning's thoughts turned to Serah.
Tears and pain shook her by just remembering that her dear little sister was dead because of her. She could never forgive herself for putting her in danger, and she knew it.
Wipe your tears away, Lightning. Serah knew what she was doing. And she told you not to grieve her death, so don't do it, for her memory.
That thought gave her the strength she needed to fight back her grief. Serah wouldn't want her sister to give up without fighting, and so her spirit had told her before Lightning decided to become her eternal epitaph.
Serah would've wished Lightning to find hope to guide her and keep going on.
With some hesitation, Lightning took a few steps toward the high staircase that would make her descend to the mysterious city surrounding the goddess' shrine. She couldn't help giving a last look to the crystal throne's room, and it was then when she found something that, just upon waking, she hadn't seen.
She walked toward it slowly, her soldier senses in alert. When she reached the thing's side, she knelt and observed it with her crystalline, blue eyes wide open.
It was a jar made from stunningly beautiful, blue crystal, carved with exquisite dedication, placed in a small, stone pillar on the side of the pit where the goddess' throne was floating. Inside that vase, filled with water, there was a beautiful pink rose in all its glory, with bright petals and leaves of an amazing green color.
For anyone else, that'd have meant just a simple, though heartfelt, offering to a guardian entity. But for Lightning it mean more than that.
So I haven't been forgotten. The people here… Do they know who I am? Do they know my story and what my connection is with this flower?
It wasn't something many people know. Lightning had disappeared from history just after saving Cocoon and witnessing Fang and Vanille's crystallization. And she was sure many centuries had passed since then.
A weird thought crossed her mind when her gloved fingers touched the rose; a gentle breeze stirred her white-feathered sash. The flower sent her a warm familiarity.
Perhaps Fang and Vanille woke up from their crystal stasis. Maybe they were the ones who told my story to these people, so someone made me this offering… But I'm no goddess, and I doubt they told it that way.
She'd have liked to continue mulling that mystery, but she couldn't stay there for so long without finding out where she was and what was happening. After caressing last time the reddish-colored petals of the rose, Lightning got up and walked toward the shrine's staircase to walk into the monochromic city.
The breeze was nice up there. But it gave to the warrior that sense of deep longing she couldn't place. She assumed living in a world dominated by Chaos wouldn't be easy, but that didn't mean its inhabitants' plight had to be sensed in the air.
Focus, Lightning. Stop thinking about nonsense and think about how you're gonna go across this city without being noticed by anyone until you find a more discreet outfit.
The last staircase's step led Lightning to a large, square-shaped square in which center there was a huge fountain of tinkling water. The cobblestone paving that place also were black and white; another color was barely visible in the city, as she had seen from the lookout it was Etro's shrine.
Even though the world should be destroyed, as far as she knew, the city looked prosperous. Of course, it was beautiful, in its way; a beauty full of longing, kind of a relic of old times mingled with the future to come. Such an ironic idea in a place where time was no more.
The place seemed deserted, which Lightning greatly appreciated. She deduced by the color of the sky she could glimpse that twilight was close, and maybe that was the reason no one was in the streets, or, at least, in the square. A few faint, reddish torches glowed in the increasing dusk, giving a gloomy feeling to the place.
Lightning approached to the fountain. The streams of water flowing from it reflected an almost-ethereal bluish color, as if there was crystal inside the transparent liquid. The sound of its splashes was delicate too, nearly immaterial. By touching the water with her hand, her fingers pierced it as if it was just air.
The young woman recalled the sea surrounding Valhalla. The Sea of Chaos, if she wasn't wrong. Perhaps the Chaos which escaped from the dimension and flooded Gran Pulse affected the water somehow.
Suddenly, then, she was aware she had been feeling the nagging hunger pang in her stomach and the annoying thirst in her throat for a long time. In Valhalla, time didn't pass like in Gran Pulse and she didn't have to eat or drink, not even sleep. But after who knows how many centuries, maybe millennia, of being in crystal stasis, her body had begun to accuse the lack of food inside her.
There were no shops in sight and, furthermore, walking into a public place dressed as a divine warrior wasn't the exact idea of discretion she had in mind. The hunting question was a secondary issue she could solve once outside the city.
Lightning examined the fountain's water with uncertainty. She didn't think it was allowed, but nobody would find her trying to drink from it anyway. She'd just take a sip, just in case, and she'd get out of there before someone came into the square.
She'd already leaned over one of the streams when, suddenly, something grabbed her arm and pulled her back, moving her away from the water. Startled, Lightning tried to pull away, but, surprisingly, she failed to free herself from her captor.
"Well, well… I never thought I'd see such a beautiful girl attempting suicide in the prime of her life", a mocking voice came to her from behind. "Haven't you heard, sweetheart, that Chaos water is deadly poisonous? Although, of course, for how long have you been in the prime of your life? Much more than you should, don't you?"
Making an effort and taking by surprise her captor, Lightning managed to get loose. She found there a man whose features were covered by black fabric that only showed his curly, disheveled, blond hair, and he wore a weird black-grayish suit stuck to his muscular body and a pair of very thick-soled boots. Under the piece of cloth covering his mouth she saw a burlesque, grin-like smile.
And that wasn't the worst: during the time she spent observing the fountain, she didn't notice a crowd had surrounded her. They fenced her without leaving her any single way for escaping.
Lightning looked around nervously. Some of them were dressed like the man who had caught her, but other wore long, black robes with a weird, mechanical device attached to their backs, and half-hoods almost hiding their hair-framed faces, covered by golden masks. It was virtually impossible to guess their expressions, but she was sure they weren't exactly friendly.
Before she could say anything, one of the hooded persons, definitely a woman judging by her voice, joined the talk.
"She's not from the surroundings. And she's so weird, have you seen how's she dressed?"
Look who's talking, Lightning thought annoyed.
"Maybe she's a monster… But never before one of those freaks had managed to enter the city! Why our defenses haven't worked with her?", another hooded said, this time a man. "We should tell it to those supposedly responsible of our safety!"
"Don't you realize she's not a monster? If she were, she couldn't have entered here, let alone walk so close to the shrine! We all know how much this place is protected…"
"Oh, that's what the Director says! Don't expect me to buy that!, I won't trust someone who's that keen on protecting the home of the goddess who cursed us all…", a woman wearing a suit similar to the man who had caught Lightning claimed angrily.
The young warrior frowned, listening closely to the talk without intervening in it and evaluating her choices. These people, as she had assumed, hadn't a very good opinion of the goddess Etro. Furthermore, they were seriously considering if she was a monster or not.
"We always can ask her", suggested a hooded man.
"At first we have to see if she speaks our language! Don't you see she's an outsider?"
"I don't know why we have a monorail if people here don't even bother to explore the world and realize that everyone in this damn world is exactly the same as they were centuries ago."
"Because blood-thirsty monsters are the only thing waiting for us out there! Do you need to be reminded of how many hunters we need to strike down just one of these beasts? Lucky you if you can tell how the battle was!"
No one seemed to notice Lightning was starting to lose her patience. If they kept talking so loud, they'd soon draw the attention of more people, and that was the last thing she wanted.
Fortunately —or maybe not—, the man who had surprised her before grabbed her and put his arm around the young woman's neck, pinning her. She tried to pull away again, but failed her attempt.
"I think we'll solve this sooner if we make her a direct question", the man smiled mockingly. "Where are you from, sweetie? Are you lost?"
"That's not your concern", was Lightning's glacial response. "Let go."
"You are in no position to demand anything, you know?"
"Neither have you to approach to me even an inch. I warn you, for your own sake: let me go now."
The man loudly laughed out, doubtlessly amused by a woman's threat. The other citizens shared uneasy glances.
"Do you think just by wearing a pretty armor you can aspire to defeat us? I've never seen anything as pathetic as that coming from a woman as beautiful as—"
The following part of the sentence was replaced by a scream of pain when the man was shot back and hit the alarmed citizens after an intense, white glow momentarily brightened the darkened square.
Lightning was in the middle of the circle, her hand raised and breathing heavily. That man had asked for it, but she had no intention to make any hostile action at first. Besides, after her duel in Valhalla with Caius Ballad —the simple fact of remembering the Guardian burnt the flame of hatred in her heart—, his equal in strength and resistance because of his divine powers, she had forgotten a spell as common as Ruin cast by her could kill instantly a mortal being.
"That was magic!", a scared woman cried.
"She's a mage!"
"But how could she strike down one of us just by a single Ruin spell? What kind of magic was that?"
"Not even the most adept mages in our city could do that!"
"I doubt even the Director is able to…"
"Where does all that power come from?!"
The troubled voices overlapped each other, tinged with wonder and awe. Lightning didn't know what to do, and merely tried to calm down and analyze her situation.
Judging by what she had deduced from the talk, the townspeople knew how to cast magic. That wasn't anything threatening for her; her power surpassed their by far. But it wasn't in her plans to destroy a whole city just for leaving it.
She was about to try giving them an explanation that seemed believable without revealing the true story when, suddenly, something pulled her left arm. When she looked down, she found the man she had knocked down by her spell gripping her. His belly was marked by a nasty burn and he was panting in pain, but his face was a true mask of rage and contempt.
"Doesn't this… tell us what we want to know?", the man's voice was full of hatred; he pulled Lightning's arm and showed the crowd the round shield she had attached to it. The engravings of the polished surface gleamed in the torches' light. "This… is Etro's symbol! She's a sorceress serving that filthy goddess!"
A gasp of horror ran through the congregation.
"It's… it's true! It's the symbol of the goddess!"
"For Bhunivelze's sake, this can't be!"
"She's here to destroy us! To wipe out the tiniest shred of life we had fought for centuries by working tirelessly after the goddess devastated everything!"
Great. Just great. Now what I'm supposed to do to get out of here alive?, Lightning wondered fighting back her frustration. She tried to pull away from the man, but she was unsuccessful because more people had joined him to grab and immobilize her.
"Leave me alone! Let go! I'm not an evil sorceress! That's nonsense talk!", the young woman yelled, struggling with all her might to escape, but those people were stronger than the humans she had known. Did the power of Chaos have something to do with that?
"What do we do with her?", a male voice asked at that moment, rising above the voices insulting her.
"You can't be serious! We'll execute her, of course!"
"We'll offer her blood to the great Bhunivelze! The Maker will reward us for saving his legacy from Etro's dark grasp!"
Lightning stiffed when she heard this. Did they want to offer her in sacrifice to the Maker? She had noticed before those people worshiped the god Bhunivelze as their protector, but the thought amazed her.
One thing was clear: although she was reluctant to raise her weapon against them —so much blood had been shed by her hand during her time as a l'Cie—, she wouldn't allow them to kill her just like that, without even opposing.
"You don't have any idea of who're you facing!", Lightning warned struggling fiercely. She raised a hand, and in it her shining gunblade materialized, ready to fight. "I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to, I will!"
People backed away momentarily, but just when Lightning thought they were going to flee, all the hooded persons raised their magic-infused glowing hands, while the people wearing the skintight outfits pulled out bladed weapons like longswords or deadly-sharpened daggers giving off a faint, greenish glow.
Despite her divine power, Lightning wasn't sure she could win against all of them.
Damn time I decided to set a single foot in this damn city.
She raised her gunblade as a warning. The citizens answered by rushing to her with a loud, fierce war cry.
You asked for this.
However, before she could strike her divine blade against them, a voice broke through the uproar in a cry that sank like a dagger in the warrior's heart.
"LIGHTNING!"
Everything went silent then. A silence only broken by a faint rumor among the citizens and the hard-breathing of a tall, thin young man, wearing a black robe and covering his features with a half-hood and a mask like the others, but, instead of the device that the hooded people carried in their backs, a light, white cape hung from his shoulders. He stood still in the center of the circle, trembling, after having broken through the crowd.
Lightning's eyes narrowed suspiciously. How could that stranger know her name? Why did he know her?
The young man took a few uncertain steps toward her. Lightning raised her gunblade, ready to defend herself, but before she could ask anything, his lips let out a single word that made her heart stop for a moment.
"L-Light…"
Lightning's icy-blue eyes opened wide.
That voice…
All of a sudden, her body didn't obey her. She was utterly astounded.
That voice was unmistakable, even though it had been centuries, literally, since the last time she heard it.
This cannot be possible…
After taking another shy step toward her, the young man pulled off his hood; messy strands of platinum-colored hair appeared instead of the black cloth. When he took off his mask, Lightning's eyes met a pair of light blue-greenish eyes, the same color of the sea bathed by sunlight, staring at her stunned, but at the same time, with such warmth that made her shiver from head to toe.
She had never imagined encountering those eyes again.
A single word left her lips in a whisper which sounded like a sigh.
"… Hope?"
Although every day, at the same hour, he made the same route to the same end, the young Hope Estheim never imagined that his prayers would've been heard after all those years of absolute silence.
Every time dusk arrived and the citizens went back to their homes, safe from the vicious monsters that appeared when night fell over the world, Hope was the only one who dared to leave his home and walk the dark streets towards Etro's shrine's square holding a beautiful rose in his hands.
In his opinion, no monster would prevent him from going up the staircase to watch that beautiful though sad image he longed so much.
I won't let anyone to seize from me the few things from her I still have, let alone preventing me from saying her I'll never forget her.
Despite being a sacred place, the people of the city didn't feel any respect for Etro's shrine; the square used to be deserted, specially at that late hour, so Hope didn't often find any obstacle to visit the crystal throne's chamber without anyone noticing him. The goddess Etro was hated and accursed by the people, and if they found someone worshiping her memory, they'd not hesitate to lynch him right there.
It's not that I have a soft spot for the goddess. She was the one who stole from me what I most loved and made me forget that she had been by my side before she disappeared…
No, Hope felt no special respect for Etro. It was her guardian, forcefully placed at the service of the goddess, the reason that made the young man going up to the top of the shrine, covered by the sunset. Once he was there, he placed every day a new rose from the small garden of his house, removed the one from the previous day and spent a long time staring at the crystal statue in which his mentor and friend had transformed centuries ago.
That routine had been repeated throughout countless years… until that day.
Lost in his thoughts, Hope didn't realize the uproar in the square until he headed the street leading up to it. The shouting sounded remote, distant, but warned his senses, enhanced since the moment he was marked as a l'Cie. He lifted his head and scrutinized the distant shadowy figures at the base of Etro's shrine through the slits of his mask.
What are they supposed to be doing out of their houses at this hour? And why are they making such a racket?
At first he assumed it was some kind of protest against Etro's memory. It wasn't the first time that this had happened: he had observed from afar those congregations repudiate the goddess and worship the god Bhunivelze. But never before he had witnessed such a rage-filled reunion.
Hope didn't really care about it. As the main designer of the city's defenses, he had merely reinforced Etro's shrine with extra protection so nobody could get into it and harm what the young man was protecting there. What bothered him was the fact he'd have to take a detour to avoid bumping into the frenzy people and reach the shrine's top by the northern staircase; he didn't want the citizens knew he was 'worshiping goddess Etro'.
I don't need Etro's mercy. I have my own goddess, and fortunately she's not like Etro.
However, he was about to turn around to take another route when, suddenly, a woman's voice pierced the din coming from the square and stuck in his heart like a knife.
"Leave me alone! Let go! I'm not an evil sorceress! That's nonsense talk!"
Hope's eyes widened behind his mask.
It can't be.
It couldn't be true. That was what his scientist logic was telling him.
But his heart said a whole different thing, and centuries had passed, literally, since the last time it had stopped that way.
Only one voice in particular could have made him react like that, and Hope knew her too well.
I… I must check it out! Move! Get a grip!
Hope's feet, which seemed to have been nailed to the ground after hearing that voice, moved almost of their own accord, and the young man ran as fast as he could, his eyes fixed on the racket.
"What do we do with her?"
"You can't be serious! We'll execute her, of course!"
"We'll offer her blood to the great Bhunivelze! The Maker will reward us for saving his legacy from Etro's dark grasp!"
Hope deathly paled as he ran with all his might. Not only because of the horrible fate those words were auguring, but for what they implied.
Etro's… grasp? Could it really be…?
Then again, the woman's voice reached him. He couldn't see what was happening with so many people crowded, but a flash of light and a flurry of white feathers emerged from the circle's center.
"You don't have any idea of who're you facing! "I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to, I will!"
And Hope had no longer any doubt. His heart raced immediately and wildly after stopping for a second.
I must… I must get there on time!
He entered the square and crossed it in just three seconds, ignoring the protests of his not that strong muscles. Just as the people there prepared to attack someone, or something, that was in the middle of the circle, Hope glimpsed the unmistakable edge of a weapon he knew too well.
A gunblade.
Without stopping to think about he was doing, the young man almost rammed into the crowd, pushing through the people, and the name he had been spending months, years, centuries, eager to say, escaped his mouth as a cry filled by longing and despair.
"LIGHTNING!"
The silence was absolute, though the stunned citizens began to whisper among themselves. Surely they were aware he was the young Director; his white cape was his distinctive. But he didn't mind at all.
Lightning…
He was stiff in the middle of the circle, shivering and staring at the young woman of lofty demeanor in front of him, although she was frowning in bewilderment. She wore a beautiful silvery armor trimmed with gold, a long sash made by white feathers covered her left leg, and she was wielding a gorgeous gunblade carved with a sentence in Etro's script.
Beyond her warrior goddess attire, she was the same woman he remembered and longed. Heart-shaped face, bright lustrous pink hair resting perfectly on her left shoulder, athletic complexion and piercing, determined icy-blue eyes.
He hesitantly approached to her a little. The young woman raised her weapon, but Hope was too shaken to notice.
"L-Light…", he whispered, as if he wanted to make sure that image wasn't just a pleasantly cruel dream.
Surprised, she looked at him suspiciously. She seemed ready to defend herself, which puzzled the young man at first. But then he remembered that, like the other citizens, he had his face covered.
He took a shy step forward and took off his hood, feeling his silver hair stirring gently by the breeze. By removing his mask, he could see better than ever the beautiful warrior before him, and even though he wasn't the scared teen who had accompanied her during their journey as l'Cie anymore, he couldn't help but blush when their eyes met after all that time.
She looked at him as if she had seen a ghost. Her crystalline eyes were open wide in disbelief.
"… Hope?", she whispered almost inaudibly.
Hope's heart sank on and accelerated even more after hearing her.
She remembers me… She still remembers me after all those centuries!
"Director!", a hooded citizen snapped; Hope and Lightning, startled, broke their eye contact. "Thank goodness you're here! We've found this serving sorceress of Etro few minutes ago!"
"She has come to destroy us! Something's wrong with the defenses you set!"
"I'm sure she came out of that damn temple to attack directly the city's heart!"
"We must stop her before her evil powers wipe out us!"
"Enough!", Hope finally reacted, standing with the authority he had developed during his time as the Director of the Academy. "I don't want to hear cries nor threats like the ones I've just heard! Have you forgotten with what purpose we built this city?"
"The peace we wanted is threatened because of monsters like her!"
"She has Etro's symbol in her armor! She's here to finish what her master failed to do!"
Lightning remained silent, looking around nervously and glancing to Hope from time to time in a questioning look. Although he didn't remind Lightning having doubts before, the truth was she was in a strange city after awakening and the first thing she had found was a horde of people who wanted to offer her as a sacrifice to Bhunivelze.
I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I'll help you somehow, Light.
"Etro's symbol, you say?", Hope looked down to Lightning, pretending to examine her carefully and narrowing his eyes. "I don't see that symbol anywhere."
"Oh, you don't see it? And may you explain what this is, Director?", a woman clothed in the slinky outfit of the city's warriors and workers snapped, grabbing sharply Lightning's left arm and showing Hope the glyph engraved on the polished surface of the shield she had attached to it.
Lightning looked at Hope nervously, but he just wrinkled his nose indifferently as he studied it, or rather, as he pretended he studied it.
"That's not Etro's symbol", he improvised thanks to his vast knowledge as an outstanding member of the Academy. "It's the emblem of an ancient tribe from Gran Pulse known as the Farseers, the citizens of Paddra. So let her go", he added pushing away firmly the woman and taking Lightning's wrist. "I'll take care of her."
"Director!", the woman protested. "That's Etro's symbol! You should know it, that glyph is unmistakable!"
The glance Hope gave her was so stern that the woman stepped back.
"Tell me, how many times have you seen Etro's symbol? I don't think so many, as you're dedicated to prevent any trace of the goddess to last long in the city."
A whisper was shared among the citizens, so Lightning took advantage of this and hastily whispered to Hope.
"Hope, what're you—?"
"Shh", he hissed barely moving his lips. "Keep silent for now. Don't say a single word."
Even though Lightning wasn't convinced, she looked down and said nothing more. Taking a deep breath, Hope looked up and scowled to the citizens.
"Does anyone else want to discuss with me the veracity of the Academy research's results?", there wasn't any answer. "In that case, there's nothing more to say. Go back to your homes; you know it's dangerous to wander the streets at night."
"But, Director…", a hooded man said with uncertainty. "What are you planning to do with her? She's an outsider, and we don't know what her intentions are—"
"That's my business", the young man cut sharply. "I assume the responsibility for her. And now, if you don't mind, I still have work to do."
Without waiting for more replies, Hope walked determined through the corridor the wary citizens had left for them, pulling Lightning's arm in order to make her follow him. Caught by surprise, she took a little time to keep up with his long strides.
"Do you mind explaining me what are you planning to do?", Lightning asked in a quick whisper.
"Don't talk until I tell you so", he muttered under his breath without turning. "And don't look back. Follow me and everything will be alright."
Lightning's eyebrows narrowed dangerously, but she obeyed: she knew Hope wouldn't give her such an order without having a good reason. She was guided by him, who still was gripping her wrist and leading her through the streets lit only by the reddish torches at a brisk and steady pace.
At least I managed to avoid a catastrophe… though I don't know for how long.
Finally, after several minutes in silence, Hope stopped, looked left and right and went into a dark alley full of small metal boxes, dragging Lightning with him. He let her go and, nervously, began rummaging in the coffers, siding the content in which he wasn't interested.
"Right, Hope; now that we've lost sight of those crackpots, could you explain what's happening here?", Lightning demanded, but her voice was momentarily choked by the bundle of black cloth that suddenly hit her in the face.
"First of all, put that on and then we'll talk. The most important thing right now is that anyone must notice you, and I'm sorry to say this, but it's no easy task with that outfit of yours", Hope replied, still looking into the boxes without even looking at her, focused in finding something for her to wear and be unnoticed.
"You could've been a little less rude…", the young woman grumbled unfolding the fabric, which turned to be one of the hooded robes worn by the people of the city.
The truth was Hope considered an insult to her to have to hide her beauty that way, but he couldn't let anyone hurt her.
I have to protect you, Light. That's what matters most to me right now.
"I'll be plenty of time to be nice after we get out of there", Hope said getting up and covering his face again with his mask and the hood. He placed one of those golden masks in Lightning's hands when he passed alongside her. "Put it on, too. So nobody will think you're an outsider."
Lightning narrowed her eyes while she struggled with the mask for fitting it into her face.
"Why do you all cover your faces in this place?", she asked once she was completely disguised as an ordinary citizen. Her voice sounded a bit muffled under the hood and the mask, which, besides, it was too small for her and hurt her nose.
"It's just a tradition, I guess… I can't remember the exact moment we started to do that, but now it's a habit. In fact, those whose face isn't covered and wear these robes aren't trusted here, so don't even think of taking off that mask", Hope shrugged and leaned out the avenue by which they had come. "Come on, let's go. And remember, don't talk with anyone."
"At least I can talk to you, can I?", Lightning growled, starting to get enough of so many mysteries. Hope smiled gently, a smile half-hidden by the darkness and his hood.
"Okay, you can talk to me. But I wouldn't be pleased if we were noticed, for your sake."
She briefly and harshly nodded. They left together the alley and walked by that long avenue, from which a lot of streets sprang between beautiful, high buildings colored black and white, towers crowned by domes and, overlooking the city, the hanging railway of the noisy monorail.
During the walk, embraced by the red twilight and torches, Hope realized Lightning was glancing around uneasily.
"Don't worry, no one will attack you now", he told her in a low voice. "Nobody usually leave home at this hour, and your clothing isn't a problem anymore with the garb I gave you."
"I'm not worried about that", Lightning replied; she looked offended. "If you think I can stay as calm as you after being in crystal stasis for years and finding myself in a city crawling by weirdoes wanting to offer me in sacrifice…"
Hope shook his head, partly amused.
"Do I count as a 'weirdo', too?"
"At least you haven't tried to offer my blood to any god", Lightning huffed, but she couldn't help chuckling. "So, how about behaving like a gentleman and telling me at once where the hell are we?"
"Oh, you're right, I haven't told you yet", Hope waved for her to not stopping, and he and Lightning took a bit more narrow street. "Welcome to Luxerion, the City of Light. Yes, I know the welcoming committee you've found isn't what I had in mind to greet you, but—"
"Don't even mention it, Hope", Lightning cut off him before he could apologize. "The 'City of Light', you say? Well, neither it nor its citizens seem so luminous."
A silence fell. This silence lasted until the path between the buildings widened and made way for a cobbled forecourt bordered by a stone handrail; the sea was in front of them, bathing the bottom of a huge, rough rock cliff.
Just as Lightning thought Hope wasn't going to answer, the young man did.
"Actually, it hasn't to do anything with the city or the citizens. I was the one who designed its construction, so… you basically could say the idea was mine."
"Did you have any particular reason?", the warrior asked, but Hope didn't answer this time. At least not in a loud voice, but his heart would've wished to give her his true response.
Because the light I longed to see again was in this city.
Again in silence, Hope and Lightning followed the path of blue, black and white tiles marked in the gray cobblestone. The trail was rising, so Lightning deduced they were climbing the ridge toward the highest part of Luxerion.
After a few minutes of ascent, one of those black and white houses appeared in front of them, situated near the cliff's edge. It was neither higher nor larger than the other buildings in Luxerion, but it had a lot of electronic devices in the domed roof and a small garden filled with red flowers. It was possible to see almost the entire city from that place, and it offered a privileged sight of the bright, green crystal arches of Etro's shrine.
Hope walked toward the house while Lightning, who was following him, watched the scenery with interest, as wary as amazed by its strange beauty. She took a while to realize the young man was fiddling with the door.
"What're you doing?", she asked suspiciously. He didn't answer immediately, but simply turned the knob, opened the door and stepped aside, leaving her space to enter.
"Come in", he said giving her a half smile that could be guessed under his mask. "At least I can properly welcome you to my house."
Lightning blinked in surprise at the prospect of visiting Hope's house. But then she remembered that, obviously, her friend was no longer the fourteen-year-old kid she had met a long time ago. It was assumed he'd already live alone.
Intrigued, she crossed the doorway followed by Hope, who closed the door behind them. Darkness came over the room, but then a soft light coming from a hanging lamp illuminated it. The walls were made of a warm, chocolate-colored wood, paneled with many bookshelves full of books. There was a black and white sofa covered by folders, a small table crawling with paper sheets and a desk with something that looked much like an archaic computer with keyboard. The floor was littered with piles of books that undoubtedly had been left there because Hope couldn't store any more books in the overflowing shelves. Clearly the haven of a genius, there was no doubt about that.
"Sorry, it's a bit untidy…", she heard Hope's apologize behind her; when she turned, Lightning saw he had took off his mask and the black robe. She noted that, under the common garb of the city, the young scientist wore a loose white shirt, a blue tie, gray pants and black boots with straps while in his left wrist he still had his old yellow wristband; she couldn't help to notice how much Hope had grown up and smiled softly. "I don't have many guests, so I tend to forget of ordering my files when I'm working."
"It's okay. I know my visit is everything but expected", Lightning smiled taking off that uncomfortable mask and pushing aside the heavy robe too.
Hope stifled a sigh when he saw her there, gorgeous in her silvery armor and her feather sash.
You can't even imagine how much.
"Right", Lightning said crossing her arms, a gesture Hope had seen her performing countless times. "Now that we're out of those freaks' reach, are you gonna be a little less rude like you said before, or not?"
"Huh? Oh!, err…", Hope scratched his head, embarrassed. "Yeah, sure… I guess you have so many questions… If you want, I can try to catch you up on what's happened since you entered in crystal stasis…"
"That sounds nice, indeed. But I've just awakened and there are so many things I'd want to know that I wouldn't even decide which would be my first question. I think I'd rather forget this madness right now and relax a bit, even if it's just an hour", the young woman grumbled clenching a hand against her forehead and letting out a weary sigh. "I can stay here, can I? I won't bother you if you have work to do."
Because now there was light in the room, Hope had to look away so Lightning couldn't appreciate the blush that appeared in his pale cheeks.
"Of course you can, as long as you want. I hope you weren't thinking I would leave you on the street of an unknown city for you at night… You can sleep in my room; I… well, I planned to stay awake reviewing some files I had to finish…"
Lightning let out a chuckle.
"You only have one room? Sure, you have not so many guests", she amusedly observed, making Hope roll his eyes. "Let me take a look first, because if it's as messy as this one, maybe I'd rather sleep on the couch."
"Trust me, you wouldn't like it. I've fallen asleep in it sometimes when I stayed all night working and when I woke up I felt my back as if it were stabbed by knives", Hope laughed and waved to her to make her follow him. He led Lightning to a wooden staircase and, once they had gone up, he opened the only door that was there.
It wasn't a very large room, but it was full of books, such as the living room. A bed with sheets of black and white squares occupied most of the space; next of it there was a bedside table on which Hope had placed a small pinkish glass vase with a pink rose in water and a dark wood dresser. The ceiling was vaulted, painted black and with many constellations engraved on it, each one with its own name written in Hope's neat handwriting.
"I study astronomy from here", Hope explained pointing the large window which was opened, and beside it there was a strange telescope. "I'm not an expert, but I've been interested in it for a while, since we hardly can see the stars from here."
"If you put it that way, having seen the garden you have out there and that pretty flower, I wouldn't be surprised if you studied botany, too", Lightning noted mockingly waving to the rose.
Hope slightly blushed, but he preferred not to say anything.
There's only one flower I want in my life.
"Are you staying, then?"
"It could be a little tidier, but I think I can take it for tonight since I'm so exhausted."
"Arrange it as you wish", Hope said backing to the doorway. "If you need any clothes, take anything you want from the drawers, though I'm not sure you'll like what I have—"
"I just want to sleep, Hope, not attending a night party", Lightning sighed in exasperation at the continuing young man's apologies.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry… I'll be downstairs, arranging some files and all that stuff, just in case you need something."
Hope closed the door behind him. He took a moment to take a deep breath before going down the stairs: he still couldn't quite believe Lightning was there, at his home. Let alone she was going to spend a day or more with him. He had lived alone for centuries at his house except for his books and his computer.
It wouldn't be a problem to get used to it, though.
Considering he'd have to vacate the couch if he wanted to take a nap, the young man knelt on the floor and began placing aside the folders and books there were scattered on the cushions. He knew he'd have to stack them on the floor, but the truth was that having things scattered everywhere wasn't an unusual sight at his home.
Once he had cleaned a bit the room so no one would think a hurricane had passed through there, Hope realized he hadn't offered to Lightning anything to eat, and she'd probably be starving after all that had happened to her.
"I'm sorry to bother you again, Lightning. I was wondering if you wanted to eat something before you—", Hope said after climbing the stairs and knocking on the door, but he was cut short when he opened.
Lightning had replaced her armor by one of Hope's white shirts —which, as he had expected, it was a bit big for her— and baggy gray pants. She sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him, but the young man realized her shoulders convulsed in quiet sobs.
Lightning!
"Lightning!", Hope's heart and mind had reacted the same way. He rushed to her side, deeply worried. "What's wrong?"
She looked up at him, startled. Tears flowed from her crystalline eyes leaving bright traces in her clear skin.
"Hope…", Lightning's lips twitched a second before she lowered her head again. "I… I'm so sorry… All of this… Serah… It's all my fault…"
So Lightning knew which her sister's sad fate was. Hope recalled with painful clarity the image of Serah Farron's dead body, and all that time he had feared having to give the tragic news to Lightning.
But he'd never had imagined she would blame herself for all posterior misfortunes.
"Don't say that", Hope asked her with his heart broken by seeing her that way; he'd never seen her crying before, and he wished he hadn't to. "Light, please, don't say that. Nothing that has happened is your fault."
He had wanted to do that since the very moment he saw her in the shrine's square, but the constant threat of the citizens of Luxerion had prevented him from it. However, he wouldn't have mind at all if hundreds of citizen were around at that moment.
Gently, softly, Hope surrounded Lightning with his arms and pulled her to him, wrapping her in the embrace he had longed for years, trying to soothe somehow all the pain and suffering the wounded heart of the young woman had restrained all the time she had been imprisoned in her crystal prison. His lips brushed Lightning's silky pink hair; she buried her face in his shoulder and clung to him sobbing almost inaudibly.
How much she must've suffered for no longer being able to endure it.
"If I hadn't failed…", Lightning wailed quietly, trembling in Hope's embrace. "If I hadn't involved you… Maybe… she… you…"
"Please, Light… Don't give another thought about the past. Don't blame yourself for anything more. You've suffered enough so blaming yourself is the worst thing you can do."
"But I… I was the one who caused all of this… I asked Serah for help… and she died for my damn fault…", Lightning's voice cracked with a sob, and Hope embraced her tighter, hating himself for being unable to do anything more for her.
She shivered, but she didn't try to get rid of him. Her choppy sobs smoothly fluttered the silvery straight strands that fell on Hope's shoulders.
"Light…"
"I… I just…", Lightning seemed to struggle with herself for saying those words or not. "I didn't want…"
She paused hesitantly, her body suddenly stiff. She took a breath and let out a muffled sigh.
"… I didn't want to be alone."
Hope felt a lump in his throat when he heard her. He had to make an effort to breathe deeply to loosen it.
You won't now that I've found you.
"I won't leave you alone", Hope whispered softly in her ear, wishing he hadn't to separate from her ever. "I won't abandon you. I promise you, Light."
"…", a faint smile touched Lightning's lips. "Forgive me, Hope. I won't abandon you again."
He smiled almost like her. His heart pounded by feeling her so close after so long. And Hope wasn't a kid anymore.
They pulled away slowly; no more tears flowed from Lightning's eyes, but the silvery trails they had left on her cheeks glistened in the dim light of the table lamp.
Hope and Lightning remained silent with their eyes staring at the other's. It was a bit awkward silence, but filled by warmth and meaning. Both were aware no one would understand them better than themselves.
"Light…", Hope whispered, his eyes locked into Lightning's icy-blue orbs, his cheeks burning as if a blaze was flaming under his skin. "I…"
I love you, Light.
But the young man knew that wasn't the moment nor the place. He didn't feel ready to confess his feelings for Lightning yet, let alone when she still had so much grief inside her heart.
"… I missed you", he muttered instead, his light blue-greenish eyes shining with such intensity that they could've betrayed him if Lightning's weren't as glazed as they were.
She smiled so sweetly, an expression Hope would've never imagined he'd see in the cold, harsh former soldier's beautiful face. One last tear fell from her eyes.
"I missed you too, Hope."
Almost simultaneously, as if they had agreed, Hope and Lightning merged again in a warm embrace, this time overflowing with serene euphoria by both sides after finding at last what they had been looking for and they thought it was gone for centuries.
"By the way…", Lightning muttered after a minute. "Thanks for all those roses."
Hope blinked in surprise, but he didn't take too long to smile shyly, and tightened his embrace with his heart pounding with joy in a pace to which Lightning's heart was even.
Serah… Thanks for showing me the hope I needed.
After all those centuries in the shadows… at last Luxerion is the City of my Light.