listen to the Ost 'FFXIII - Serah's Theme Extended'
Solis Knight
by
Sha Yurigami
Once upon a time a knight wandered on the lifeless plains. The knights gaze was fixed onto the floating clouds and the soaring heavens. The gust of wind was stroked his skin. He closed his eyes and took in whatever there was, with his senses.
The forests, with it's thousands of inhabitants. The proud deers galloping through the wilderness,holding high their antlers. Their every movements compared to us, seemed free, unrestricted. The birds accompanying them on their march. Chocobos with their yellow fur like feathers flowing in the wind, raced past their flying brethren. Even with their inability to fly, those strong slender legs carry them many miles. Proud Adamantaimais, giant turtles were wandering along the riverside passing their natural brethren one by one in their tired and sloppy walk. The earth beneath their feet was trembling, their weight normally scares smaller animals, but these days everything seemed to pass.
The lifeforms swimming within the rivers, fishes, reptilian and horses, neither seemed to care about the others. With strong paddling, a widespread river running was coming closer. The water was parting and the dweller steadily and hastily were pushing the approaching waves apart. Heaves a fish colony colored the waterside, with their falling scales, crimson.
The barren fields emitted heat and those arthropods layed on their backs, orange liquid flowing out of their shells. The land shifted from the fluorescent woods over the sandy beaches to the sea.
A soft gust was stoking his skin. The knight opened his mind and traveled with his sight through this surreal place. His silvery armor was laying beside him, his white jacked clutching on his frame and his helmet hid his face. The cloak he wore bared the emblem of his belief.
A heart with two open palms holding it.
The knight ,like every other knight, saw the place he called home in his inner eyes.
In this world, since a long time ago, the current flowed near.
The current, a glistening essence surfacing and shimmering lightly through the skies. All living beings strived , longed to be near its warmth. When the sun was moving out the radiance of the current broke through the canopy, emerging the world into a light when the night skies stars seemed dim. Once a wise woman said that the current was the light between the worlds, a river in which time and space doesn't exist.
Little did she knew that her words would bring conflict.
Those who heard her tale, began to travel. In search for the paradise, the eternity, to become immortal. Many kings forgot those who they should have harbored, their nation, when they began to search for the otherworldly. Promises were broken, chaos and resentment began to creep into the hearts of the innocent. Forced to endure the madness that reside in their heirs and pushed aside from those with power, the population of this world began to revolt.
Peace seemed to vanish as one country after another began to dissolve. Everything became vacant. The cities became ruins, the flora took over most. But in those ungodly hours, in which humans couldn't decided to wage on their ideals, something happened.
The current which observed the foolish acts of the civilization began to pity, the tormented humans. Light shone onto the ground and for the first time since the river of life and passing darkness, man watched towards the heavens and prayed for forgiveness…and their prayers were answered.
Drops from the current fell onto lifeless earth, crystallized and floated in these new forms, through all nations. The light emitted from them healed the wounds of the fallen ones and hope once again was in the hand of man.
Since then the crystals were anted. Temples and shrines were built to their honor and holy knights watched over them. So that no evil soul would dare to touch. Even thought the crystals brought peace once again to them, those who denied such salvation cursed them and were cursed.
Their bodies began to deform.
A man ,face hidden under a hood claimed their objective was to bring the world to their downfall. And once again conflict raised to the surface of the world. Monsters roamed through the fields and human hearts were contaminated with false powers. Those powers drove them into madness. Poor citizens were kidnapped and appeared afterwards as ghosts to torment the living.
The despair within the hearts of man polluted the crystals. It wasn't until monsters materialized from the shining cult objects that it was clear that they could no longer stay in this world. Some brave man swept away there doubts and fear and began to use their power and the remaining crystals, to create a new plain. A greenish lightning shoot towards the heavens, and surrounded the entire planet. Within that light were those brave mans souls. They sacrificed their own lives to from a new plain for the surviving humans.
They created a new world next to the old one, and left a passage for those to come after.
And with their last hope before them two women guided the lasts of humankind towards the passage leaving behind their old home. But as soon as the last refugees pass the gate, some of the crystals followed behind them, the holy knights final deed. They lifted the crystals all together and pushed it into the gate and closed the passage with their souls…thus the gate of sacrifice was born. Those two women who lead humankind away from their homeworld settled at one place on this new plain. They looked at each other and stretched their hands towards another in assurance, but crystallized before their hands reached each other.
Their final words were ''Grand Pulse''. It was the name from the world they departed off.
The knight sighted when he remembered the final scene of those heroes. He looked towards the city before him. Kapitol Eden, as they named it, was in flames. He steadied his walk and lifted his blade. Holding with both hands his companion, the knight began to pray to the goddess Pulse ,she who granted him his life, she who lived within the current.
Once again the world was in chaos ,not Grand Pulse - mother of this planet - but Cocoon.
Fal'Cie
The crystals that came to this world, through the current created disorder over Cocoon. Most of the cities lay underneath the surface but those which were facing the sky were majestic and afraid. Afraid…even thought they had their own armies,they were afraid of those they left behind. The creatures of Grand Pulse sill seek for their lives.
The knight fully clad in his armor, braced himself the danger ahead of him.
Once they gave him a name.
The beasts of their home world were coming through a portal near the crystals, in the capital and broke through the defenses of the army.
He, who stood above others, but had the kindest heart.
A man stood among the monsters, saying that he will finish what he had started on Grand Pulse and that the current wouldn't save them this time. He wore a satin cloak and his dark violet eyes bore themselves into their hearts. What frightened them were his four heads. Each pair of eyes -eight in total - looked over the citizens, over the soldiers directly at the king.
His shining armor, his bright sword soared through the battlefields like…
The man claimed himself a god. A Thale ,someone who rules over the current. Total control was what he wanted but before he could commit his act of oppression all four of his heads were falling to the ground…
His name like himself, breaking through the enemy with thunder like roar…
The evil demon's body fell to the ground and before the king stood the knight. The king was pleased with the actions of the knight and wanted to grant him any wish he might have held. But the knight denied and explained, that to protect those he held dear was everything he wanted. As the king asked for his name, he instead looked at the fiance of the king and said while bowing before her
''The name given to me shines through the darkest night and scares the insidious evil, bringing destruction to those who dare try to oppose thy, my name is
''Lightning. And so the knight name Lightning wanders through this world, fighting for those he wants to protect until the end of times. THE END! - But now you have to go to bed now, Clair. Look even Serah fell asleep from this story long ago.'' said to his eldest daughter Clair. She and her two year younger sister Serah wanted him to read out their favorite fairy tale to them.
He chuckled at his daughter while she still fought her sleepy eyes ''But I don't want to sleep yet!'' Clair demanded pouting at him at which she only earned even more chuckling. ''Fine but don't give me the fault when you fall asleep in classes again.'' he said, knowing well that his daughter wasn't the best of student. But what can you expect with an elementary schooler.
He was surprised, as the young lady latched onto his back when he turned around. ''What is Clair?'' he asked amused by the childish behavior of his normally stern daughter, well she was eight so it was still understandable. ''Papa, I - can I sleep with Serah tonight?'' a whisper, had he heard right? Normally Clair would scream at him when he told her to sleep with Serah at night, saying that she is already to old for that ''I don't see a problem with that…but, what brought this up?'' placing her on the ground and kneeling before her, he looked at her face. But Clair wouldn't look up, so he slightly leaned down to get a better view of her face. She was bright red and ,he could swear, had a tear in her eyes.
''I-I don't know…b-but I don't want to leave her…somehow…'' she whispered and the older Farron had to blink, what was his daughter saying? But then it clicked to him 'She wants to be like Lightning from the story.' smiling at the thought of his daughter wanting to protect someone dear to her…but wait ''Clair'' she looked up into his eyes, a hint of fear could be seen in hers. 'Just as I thought…' he thought smiling at his daughter then he held up his hand, his pinky pointed to her.
''Clair. I want you to promise to me, that you will always protect Serah.'' looking first on his pinky and than at his face Clair slowly lifted her own and crossed her pinky with that of her fathers ''Okay Papa!'' she said with a smile, which warmed his heart a little and added ''And'' ''And?''
''I want you to be strong and kind. Become like Lightning, but leave the alone part away…that's a little sad, especially for that old man of yours.'' he finished chuckling as he made his age seem a little too old. But Clair merrily smiled said ''Okay Papa! I'' she moved there connected hands up and down ''Swear!'' and walked off to Serah, who slept on the bed with a blanket alredy on top of her.
Then she stopped and looked up to her still kneeling father, wondering why he made her swear something she was more then certain to do anyway. She settled next to Serah after lifting the blanket. Then she waited for her father to give them a good night kiss. Which came swiftly ''Good night Papa'' she muttered as she made her self comfortable with Serah in her arms.
Their father smiled at them and walked out of them room saying his usual ''Night my little girls'' and closed the door behind him. He leaned against the door a little till it creaked from the pressure. The floor was dark and from the windows came the moonlight. He tried to relax but he couldn't settle. Today came the result for the Destiny Reading of his children…''If only you knew what awaits you in the future…''he said covering his eyes with his right hand. Many consecutive sharp intakes of air could be heard from him but muffled when he felt a soft touch a his shoulder.
''Everything will be okay'' his wife whispered as she comforted him. But that wasn't enough because he knew fully well that, whatever his children do to escape from this fate, that wouldn't change anything. What awaits them…
So he walked his lone road, Pulse goddess of Grand Pulse and Cocoon was still sleeping within the current. The current, still filled with disorder and his sister…forever gone…would he hold his blade till the end? What will await him when he awakens?
Yet he has to wait. Wait till the moment is right. The moment when he was allowed to awaken.
One day, he was sure of it, one day someone who will inherit his will, his mission, his…
One day Odin will bestow upon his successor the right to…
…
…Change Fate.
to be continued…