All right! So here is the sequel to The 14th Ark. FYI: This will in total be a 4 story series... because I am insane. Anyways! Let's get started!

It was dark, a type of darkness that he could never recall being in. There seemed to be no up and no down. He managed to stand up and stretched his hands out but he felt nothing. He wasn't even sure if his eyes were open. The last thing he remembered was that it was hard to breath and that some unknown thing was attacking him. He sort of remembered the pain and felt a little worried at it's absence.

"Hope Estheim." The voice was stark and metallic sounding. It reminded him of the Cocoonian Fal'cie. Not Barthandulus, he had personality but the others, still more machine then even godlike. Creepy and insidious. "I've been wanting to meeting you."

Something sounded deeply foreboding about that voice. He felt dread settle into his stomach.

"You are much more noble then those other insects. Even better then my children's pathetic creations." The voice continued. "Although you do have your own set of flaws."

"Who are you?!" Hope rasped as he turned around, searching for something or anything. He had a feeling that resmbled how he felt being in front of countless Fal'cie. And it made him wonder if he was in front of a God. Well, the God it seemed. The references made it seem like it was going that way. He squared his shoulders. He was Hope Estheim, the director of the Academy and a former l'cie. He wasn't going to be cowed by anyone or anything.

"I believe you were a l'cie of Pulse's... Surely you know me as your maker." The voice continued softly. "You who lost so much. Your mother, your father... Your friends one by one. Even the one that you... love." The word sounded foreign and misunderstood coming from the bodiless spectator. "And yet still you are the brightest light on that cursed world. Shining so brightly and benevolently on them... Guiding them through life and into the distant future. Just like a god would do."

"Just like the leader of his people would do." Hope retorted in his best angry professor voice. "The Fal'cie, Lindzei and Pulse did not do any such thing for us. And neither will you!"

"For those broken creations of course not." The voice sounded almost sad, or at least it was faking it's best impression. "You see the Fal'cie were my wonderful creations. And then Etro's cursed blood begot you miserable abominations. But as I watched over you I've come to learn the value of humans. Once you have been cleansed... you will be perfect. A wielder of chaos instead of a slave to it's useless defects."

Hope wasn't sure of what he meant by that. It was true that the human soul was basically pure chaos that through the blood of Etro took on flesh. They were much different from the Fal'cie that existed for centuries, millennia even without being able to create new life. Humanity had a lot of things that Fal'cie didn't. It wasn't raw power but it was still something that this being before him couldn't seem to grasp.

"You see." The metallic voice continued. "There were only two who could create such vibrant things. They are both gone now." The voice seemed to not lament the passing but seemed almost jealous of those beings. "But through you I shall take their puny creations and make them perfect."

Hope found himself dreading everything that was said to him. He stepped back, one foot after the other across the inky blackness. He wanted to say that he was brave. That he could fight this. But the sinking sensation had curled up in his gut and it was obvious that he had no real power here. This wasn't just some Fal'cie with delusions of grandeur, this was the maker. This was Bhunivelze and he was about to be a grand experiment for him.

Light burst through the darkness, revealing a strange space outside of time it felt like. He was lifted into the air, his limbs stretched out almost uncomfortably. A Fal'cie like creature. Large then Fenrir, it seemed larger then the ark. It reached out a massive hand, and a finger pressed against Hope's chest.

"Such fragility. I made my creations with such strong bodies and yet this weak, pale flesh houses one of those who contain the ability to destroy such things." The finger moved up to his head and pressed against his temple.

Hope gasped at the pain, he tried to pull away but couldn't move. Something was inside him, inside his mind it felt like. Crawling around and pushing things around. The pain increased and he felt like he was reaching a limit but black never clouded the edges of his vision. Whatever this torment was, it was going to last a long time.

After what felt like a lifetime, the pain stopped and he sagged in the grip of God's power. Bhunivelze seemed to regard him thoughtfully for a while and then leaned back. Hope opened and shut his mouth a few times. He wanted to say something but his mouth felt dry and his tongue felt too big.

"So many problems." The God of Light murmured to himself. "And this body is highly unsatisfactory. The l'cie body was much better. So much to do."

"Why me?" Hope rasped out. His throat ached. "What do you want me for?"

"I need a host. Something to help me destroy the corrupted chaos. The prototype of the perfect human." The large hand came up again. "But first I want something more pleasing to look at."

Hope screamed as the pain came back. This was much worse then before. Detachedly he realize that the God was keeping him conscious through this. Using it as a way to break him. He wouldn't break. Not now, not ever. Bhunivelze leaned closer, his face unchanging and machine like. And that's when the tearing sensation added to the pain.

Noel stood up slowly and growled between his teeth. The Academy had decided to confiscate all of Hope's things for examination. Basically ruining any starting point they might get out of his things. To make things worse, was Lightning's revelation that Hope was outside the Ark. But the Goddess' champion found nothing outside that resembled anything human. The one person he needed the most was gone without a trace. And there was no lead, no one to blame. Nothing.

"Noel. NOEL!" Serah was standing before him with her hands on her hips. He looked up at her and sighed deeply. It had been nearly 3 weeks since Hope had gone missing. The Academy was having a hard time quelling the public without their charismatic leader now that it seemed that things were going more and more wrong. "We're going to go meet with Light... She thinks that she has a lead."

He hopped to his feet almost immediately. He wasn't sure that he wanted to hear with the champion had to say. It could amount to nothing more then that she found Hope's soul among the chaos. Gone forever as Hope... maybe never to be reborn as someone else.

They trooped through the streets. The unrest was growing as the Academy basically seemed to be falling apart without it's great guide. Sazh had said something about needing closure. Noel remembered scoffing at the thought. He didn't want closure. He wanted Hope back. Instead of meeting at Snow and Serah's, the pink haired girl led him to Fang and Vanille's house.

"Hello!" Vanille created sunnily as she opened the door. She still looked sad, but she also looked determined. Once inside, Noel was surprised to find that people were missing. Vanille took a seat beside Fang and Lightning stood in the corner as Serah went to sit by Snow.

A quiet stretched across the room. He wanted to ask about Sazh and Dajh but found that he had nothing he wanted to say. After a few moments Vanille started speaking quietly.

"I found something out that might be our closest lead at the Academy. It seems that something is happening to the Ark... destabilizing it." She took a deep breath. "The only thing showing up on the readings is light. Pure light."

"And what does this have to do with Hope?" Noel asked turning to look at Lightning.

"I went to Etro's throne and the echoes of her consciousness was unsettled. It spoke of something well... Not of either world. The only thing I could think of was the one the Fal'cie called 'maker' the God of Light Bhunivelze." Lightning spoke as she crossed her arms. "And if that's true... This is really bad."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked quietly.

"Bhunivelze hates Etro... And seeks Mwynn... Both of whom are in the Unseen Realm. Well, Etro is here now but Mwynn is long gone." Lightning bit her lip roughly. "Hope could explain this much better."

"So we have to deal with some god with a mommy complex? If he can stop this stagnation it would be worth it." Snow smacked his fists together. "This is his fault right? All this to attack Mwynn one last time."

"Snow... if he resents things created by Mwynn and Etro we are one the chopping block." Lightning swallowed hard. "If Bhunivelze really is awakening... The end of the world has come."

Noel gritted his teeth. "Great." He spat bitterly. "So the world will end and there is nothing we can do."

'Bhunivelze might have taken Hope." Vanille spoke up finally. "In the lore passed down in Oerba from Anima, we knew that the Maker couldn't fully function in this world because chaos. And other things that Mywnn had created continued to reject him."

"And what does that have to do with Hope." Noel growled out.

"Hope can make anything... We think that God might use his abilities." Lightning sighed softly. "Or maybe not… but Bhunivelze is the only lead we have other then assassination."

Noel folded his arms across his chest and took a deep breath. "Then let's figure out a way to stop a god."

Hope gasped as he was dropped on the ground. If he could call it such. He felt strange, as the strange energy of the God left him he felt weak, empty and small. Lifting his hands up, he realized with a choked laugh, they had shrunk. He was smaller now, as he ran his hands over his 'new body' he realized that he was in a familiar yet not body.

He remembered that Bhunivelze had mentioned that his l'cie body was much more suitable then his older one. As he examined himself he realized that he was wearing mostly what he had worn back then. Oddly enough his scarf was different. He pulled off the handkerchief and studied it. It was black and white but he clearly remember the green handkerchief given to him by his mother. A good luck gift from when he had started school.

"Ah." The God spoke as he noticed Hope's confusion. "Your memories are strange. Certain things are blocked from me. I assume it is a byproduct of the chaos."

Hope nodded faintly. He was very emotional about that scarf. He had taken it with him all the way to 500AF hidden within his things. It was almost as dear to him as the scarf that covered his l'cie brand though obviously for different reasons. He shook himself, chaos gave humans emotions, determination and free will. He would preserve those and preserve himself.

"It is obvious that these things are effected by the chaos and yet I can't sense it within you." The large hand came down and curled around him. "It will take a very long time to fix flaws that I cannot see."

The large hand around him squeezed to the point of painful and the light forced its way inside of him again. Hope opened his mouth and screamed. This was worse then anything that had come before and he hadn't thought it was possible. It felt like bits of him was being ripped away and through out it all his mind stayed horribly clear.

"Ah... So the seeable manifestation of chaos is emotions. I'm not sure of their function but I do believe that this will start the next phase of making you perfect."

The unsettling rumble that the Ark gave off periodically, made Noel pause as he sat the groceries on the counter. He had moved in with Serah and Snow. He wasn't sure about living on his own anymore after the revelations that Lightning had given them. He felt shaky on this inside. As if parts of him were shaking loose and he was leaving them in places he couldn't remember.

Sazh had said that was part of the grieving process but Noel had grieved before and it had never felt like this. He had lost his whole village. His teacher, mentor, father figure. And his best friend, confident from childhood was a specter he could only talk to with permission from the Academy. Life kind of sucked.

The second earthquake like event rolled through and that made Noel nervous. The slow descent of the Ark was scary and also riddle with problems. It was as if something was literally trying to terrify the inhabitants while keeping the actual Ark pristine. Sazh had mentioned something about wanting them out but to evacuate the Ark surely meant death.

"Hey kid... you okay?" Snow asked as he entered the kitchen. He was trying really, to get along with Noel. They were too much alike in a lot of ways and often rubbed each other the wrong way. Also, it had been harder for Snow to deal with what he called new Noel... Who had lost the youthfulness and sunny cheer that he'd always had before. Losing Hope had been bad. Not as bad as it could be with memories still forgotten. But Snow didn't doubt that he and Serah were living with a grief time bomb.

"I... I've never lived on a world that shook before." Noel admitted quietly. "It makes me nervous that the Ark is just going to fall."

"Well that's a sour way to look at things." Snow scratched the side of his head and then shook himself. "I heard from Arcane that the Academy had sent out robots to check and see if humanity can evacuate the Ark..."

"I guess humans sort of can?" Noel replied quietly. "Of course... humans survived the crystal dust before... just not in large groups yeah?"

Snow seemed to think for a second before he shook himself. He slung an arm around Noel that was quickly shaken off as the brunette began to put the food away. Snow gave a put out look but he figured that prickliness was better then defeat.

"Serah said that we were going to have chocobo steaks for dinner." He spoke changing tactics. The taller man had found that if anything appealed to Noel it was definitely food. The other shrugged idly and Snow did deflate this time. He knew he couldn't cheer the other up. But he hated the defeated air the other seemed to carry. Anger it was then. "Are you really going to sit here and mope like a domestic?"

"Well every time I try to go search for Hope some big dumb blond seems to sprout superpowers and stop me." He grouched lowly and then stopped. "I'm tired of feeling helpless. And I'm tired of waiting."

"Me too kid." Snow wrapped an arm around Noel again and this time wasn't refused. "But don't worry. You did good... It's the rest of us that fucked up."

"I guess you are wondering who I am." The voice spoke.

Hope turned towards it. He was on his back, he was fairly sure. The absence of light made it hard to distinguished much. His limbs still hurt from the transformation. He wasn't sure of how the God had managed to put him inside his younger body, but he knew that it involved destroying his real body. Which meant he wasn't going to survive this.

"So silent now." The voice continued. A lance of lightning like pain hit Hope and he rolled slightly. He was constantly in pain. All he really know about this place was pain and the voice. His stomach was sore with hunger and occasionally made sad noises. His throat was raw and aching. And his extremities felt weird. "I know from your memories that you know the lore of the world. Is it so hard?"

"Should it be?" Hope couldn't help himself. He did not react well to people or well creatures with that sort of lording personality that this god had. The next lance of pain was so strong that the mage was sure that he'd blacked out for a second or a short eternity. Did time even matter in this place?

"My name is Bhunivelze... the God of Light and the Maker of all."

"Mywnn was the maker of all... Lying is never a good thing." Hope spoke as he pushed himself to sit up. The God made a dark sound. Hope felt nervous.

The shearing pain that erupted in his side gave way to a wound that would have killed a normal person. Hope realized long ago that Bhunivelze was keeping him artificially alive for his amusement basically. As blood spurted from the mortal wound he tiredly closed his eyes. The pain was great but he was sure that one day, he wouldn't even feel that anymore.

"At this point the only thing that makes sense is that God is awakening." Lightning spoke as she and Fang sat with Noel and Vanille. "What did Arcane tell you?"

"Nothing that sounds better. Basically it seems like something wants us off the Ark. But something strange is happening on the ground below."

"Oh?" Fang asked but her eyes were purely focused on Noel and his reticent pose.

"The Chaos Army has well... the war is getting worse. The chaos has now I guess started to attack the Ark harshly. Almost like it's trying to attack whatever is causing the earthquakes. There are no longer attacks against Yeul's mark but against that. I would ask Yeul but the Academy has banned anyone from speaking to her."

"Idiots." Fang spit.

"I think that Bhunivelze took Hope." The non-sequitur had Noel jerking his head up.

"What?!" He growled.

"All signs that I can see point to that being the only thing that could be happening. It's obviously the end of days approaching. And with the gate opened it's about time the head honcho awoke. After all, the mission was completed."

"No. Just... no. I refuse to believe that." Noel pushed up from the table.

"Wait-" Lightning stood up.

"I just can't right now." Noel stated and walked away.