A/N: EDIT: The story has been edited to reflect grammatical and slight plot adjustments.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Summary: Rebellions marked the start of a new age, a new dawn. It often occurred in history to the point it was expected rebellions turned tides. Tyrants were dethroned, beheaded and the system was changed, giving the people the power to rule for themselves. Rebellions marked the beginning of change, not the end of one.

Red Rebellion (Part 2)

The wind swept across the cobblestones, lifting dried leaves in their paths, away from the two opponents. Flapping their mite-encrusted wings, a flock of crows landed on the decrepit shingles cawing to one another. Twitching their bodies filled with worms and maggots, the crows squawked at the two opponents below them. Lightning raised her sword and took slow but calculated steps across from Caius. The King had not a grin on his face. Tossing aside all fun and games, the King was ready to claim victory over Lightning. They never once crossed swords, but he heard of rumors about the woman.

Lightning was a skilled swordswoman, adorned with a strong sense of justice to do whatever that was right. Stealing from the rich and giving it to the poor, Lightning was their beacon of hope. She was their shining star.

Not for long.

Caius heard stories of Lightning challenging thugs even if she was outnumbered. The end result was Lightning stood proudly over the bloodied bodies. However, Lightning not once ended their lives; she believed in second chances. Caius mused quietly, would Lightning give him a second chance if he perhaps tactfully surrendered? The ploy was transparent, he knew, but it was worth a try to get closer to her.

Lightning stopped. Straightened her back, she eyed Caius with a piercing gaze.

"Any last words before I tear out your heart?"

What game is she playing? Caius too stopped in his tracks to respond to the lovely lady. "No, not at all."

"Good."

Taking a deep breath, Lightning raised her sword to the sky. It was the gesture of those who were about to die. They were going to give their all until their last breath.

The sudden scrambling of footsteps caught Caius's attention; before he had the time to react, his eyes were locked on figures on rooftops pointing their arrows at him and his men. On the ground, men, women and children confronted him. Men gripped swords, bludgeons, and spears. Women held swords and pitchforks. Even the children, the sweet, innocent youth gripped tightly onto slingshots loaded with rocks. Caius was surrounded.

"This is entirely unexpected," Caius spoke nonchalantly, eyes scanning the sea of humanity. These people wanted him dead, "A rebellion,"

"You're surrounded, Caius," Lightning walked directly to him as the people parted. "Surrender peacefully and you won't get hurt."

In fact, Caius was hurt; he fell into her trap. "You fooled me, Lightning. I am impressed."

Extending her sword to his throat, she narrowed her eyes. "Surrender."

Caius dropped his sword and commanded his guards to do the same. The sounds of metal collided with the bruised and broken cobblestones. Raising their hands as a sign of defeat, Caius's men stood still, waiting for their next command. The King did the same but only with a smirk.

"This rebellion," Lightning spoke through her teeth. "Will be called 'The Red Rebellion.'"

She was wise to chose a name fitting for the outcome of the rebellion.

"We stand here, together, as one to bring justice to your victims. The men you have tortured, the women you have burned or the children you crippled. Your crimes will be paid in blood!" Lightning could sense it; she could sense approaching victory! "Once your head comes off, we, the people of Bodhum will rejoice. We shall sing songs of your beheading and the end of your tyranny. A new dawn awaits us!"

The men and women hollered and rejoiced. It was not long before the King's head would roll on these cold, wet stones. Pushing the tip of the blade into his neck, a pool of blood seeped out, staining the once silver blade held by the town's hope.

"I ask you again, Caius Ballad, do you have any last words before I end your miserable existence?"

"I do," Forced to his knees by two men, the King was going to spill information the townspeople were never meant to hear. "Would you like to know how your beloved King plunged into a sea of madness?"

The town fell silent. Everybody loved the King, even during his reign of madness. The townspeople knew the King was loyal to his people, doing everything he could to increase the quality of life. He was a kind and gentle man, combating the monsoon rains the moment he learned his people were in desperate need. He was a selfless King. The people were his family as he had none. However, since the arrival of Caius Ballad, things changed. The King became distracted, distanced and paranoid. He burned down schools and churches. Those who worshiped gods and goddesses were beaten senseless and their limb bodies were tied to trees for crows, flies and maggots to feast on. The King went as far and torched the national library; the library which he gifted to the people. Everything the King touched was rendered to ash.

The King increased taxes all around plunging people into poverty. Nobody was safe; not even the bourgeoisie or the aristocrats. Everybody succumbed to the madness of the King. Everybody. Everything started the moment Caius Ballad set foot on the land. He was the disease that infected the King and his beloved people. He must be eliminated.

"You, his people are well aware of the King's reckless antics, I am sure. His madness brought devastation to you all in many forms; he killed loved ones, torched national treasures or spilled poison into the sea. He was a sad and pathetic man."

"Lies!" Lightning narrowed her eyes, pushing the sword a little further into his neck. "You're the one that poisoned him. He was a lovable man—"

"But nonetheless he wanted more. He wanted wealth and riches, dear Lightning. He wished upon a dying star and I came along and granted his wishes. Every penny you fools made was sent directly into his pockets. Your textiles, crops—anything you made went directly to the King."

"You..."

"I made sure he got everything he wanted. Even women. I made sure he at least once slept with your mother."

Lightning delivered a forceful kick to the side of his jaw. Mildly dislocating his jaw, Caius continued to speak calmly. After all, he was about to be executed, so might as well speak his last words.

"Your mother, as you knew, refused. I merely gave His Majesty a little shove: Hunt down the Farrons and publicly execute them for their little girls to see." Caius looked up at Lightning with a smug look. "Thanks to my advice, I received the honor to meet you and here we are, in the town square. The same square where your parents were brutally murdered right before your beautiful eyes, Claire Farron."

Lightning wanted to choke him. She wanted to strangle him for all he evil he committed against her! Keeping tabs on her emotions, Lightning expelled a sigh. The man kneeling before her deserved a painful, agonizing death. She wanted him to suffer, just like she and Serah did all those years ago.

"Caius Ballad," Lightning gathered her unshaken voice. "As the leader of the Red Rebellion, I sentence you to death."

Caius was done. He was done playing nice.

Lowering his head, Caius muttered, "My apologies but can you repeat what you said?"

"I said: As the leader of the Red Rebellion, I sentence you to death."

"Do you believe that is a good idea... Claire Farron?"

Upon a moment's notice, the two men holding Caius combusted and burst. Lightning quickly scrambled several steps back, raising her sword to level with his heart. The townspeople tensed; their faces turned ghostly white at the sight of the pile of burned flesh and bone. Melting the metal cuffs on his wrists, Caius slowly stood up, rubbing his wrists. Without a single spoken word, his guards turned to face the townspeople and marched forward; one step, then two then three steps.

"You did not answer my question, lovely Claire."

Lightning was rooted to the spot. Unable to move, she was unable to escape. Nay, no magic was at play, but her limbs were fear-stricken. Commanding and cursing them to budge, they refused to. The tip of her sword shook madly, gazing upon the marching army. Swallowing a ball of spit, Lightning was unsure of what to do. The people depended on her for Bodhum's liberation! Yet, faced with fear, she was unable to move as the rest of them.

"N-Not a step closer!" Lightning warned. "One more step and—"

A gust of wind rushed her cheek. Before she was able to think, the marching Guards disintegrated into ash. Piece by piece, silver chainmail and armor rained onto the cobblestones. A Guard's helmet rolled to the base of Lightning's foot. Her eyes, however, were fixed on the demonic figures hovering above fallen armor. They were like dust, black dust mixed with smoke each snapping its jaws at the people. Some of the demons had two or three grotesque glowing eyes in the center of its face. Terrorized by the sight of forbidden sorcery, Lightning was terrified.

"Kill them."

The demons screeched, launching themselves onto the people. The demons did the unthinkable; zipping into the mouths of the unsuspected. The people fought for naught. How could they win when they could not hit what they could not touch? The sound of screams echoed around Lightning. One by one, she watched men possessed by the demons raising his bludgeon against others. Husbands, wives, brothers and sisters went mad; the demons possessed each living person in the town, turning family against family. Everything happened slowly, watching skulls crushed before her very eyes or limbs forcefully torn off joints. It... It was a nightmare.

Walking toward Lightning, Caius twisted the sword out of Lightning's hand. Pulling her close, he embraced her delicately, protecting her from the bloodbath.

"Is it not beautiful? Your Red Rebellion?"

The screams of women were silenced the moment heads rolled off their shoulders or their faces pulverized from a steel mace. Bodies of children lay scattered on the ground as many were trampled to death. Elderly men and women stood no chance in fending for themselves; an old couple merely embraced each other and prayed for a swift death.

"You let her go!"

Turning his head, Caius's eyes were locked with a small boy, equipped with a slingshot. The little boy's eyes burned with resolve. He was a brave little boy. A brave, foolish little boy. Turning his attention to Lightning, the King merely met her lips as he listened to the sound of the little boy being torn in two. The slingshot fell onto the ground, drenched in red.

The bloodbath lasted for so long until the last human fell. What was left was Caius and Lightning, in the center of the square.

"It is over, dear Lightning."

Releasing her, Lightning fell to her knees, hands painted in crimson. Her eyes were frozen in their sockets at the sight before her. She sent her entire town to their deaths. Everybody. Terrified to the core, Lightning could not move. She dared not move.

"Shall we return to the castle? Your sister awaits."

She breathed out of her cracked lips. Her body shook uncontrollably at the sight of bleeding corpses. She had no clue what she was doing, but she needed to do something. Curling her fingers, Lightning forced herself to stand up, picking up the bloodstained sword beside her. Breathing in and out, Lightning was unaware of the surge pulsing inside.

"I am not going anywhere." Lifting up her face, her eyes glowed into a beautiful shade of blue. "I will not go anywhere until you're dead!"

She had no control over her body launching at Caius and delivering poorly aimed attacks. Attempting to slash his arms, the woman hollered in pain, remembering the screams of the deceased. Side stepping, she tried to stab his leg, but Caius evaded her easily. Sliding to the side, she breathed, scraping her lungs with the scent of the dead.

"You'll pay for your crimes!"

Running her hands over her sword, light blue inscriptions burned onto steel and set the sword ablaze. Lightning had no control over her body in performing these miraculous feats. Running towards Caius, Lightning lifted her hand and shot out several blue fireballs from the center of her palm. He quickly retaliated, whipping his arm to dissolve the flames upon contact. Watching the woman before him go mad was a pleasant sight, Caius mused. Lightning was using magik.

Magik was believed to be extinct for at least 2,000 years when the last descendants of the gods died out. Shooting out another fireball then another, Lightning tried aiming for Caius's head. Side-stepping the warrior, the blue flames mildly charred the tips of his hair. Reaching out to Lightning, he grabbed her and spun around like he would do in an elegant waltz.

"Magik," Caius's eyes pulsed red, hungry for Lightning. "I'm impressed."

It was a secret that was never supposed to be revealed. Lightning had issues controlling the power since she was young, but she had enough willpower to keep it in place. She never wished for her secret to be revealed here, in front of the enemy.

"Got it from your whore mother, did you?" Caius sneered. "Two surprises in one day. I am truly impressed, Claire Farron."

"Shut the hell up!"

He released her and put considerable distance between them. One who possessed magik was not in possession of one element, he theorized. If Lightning can produce fire, he was sure she was able to produce another. She would be more special if she were a magik dual-wielder. His wishes could not be granted sooner; Lightning ran her fingers over the brilliantly lit sword, chanting out a forbidden spell. It was a beautiful spectacle to witness a serpent woven out of electricity manifest before his eyes, bowing submissively to its master.

Placing a finger over her heart, this was for the townspeople and her family. "I will end your miserable existence!"

The serpent screeched, tearing down pillars, houses, the dry well, the children's playground—everything that stood in its path. Lightning was on the road of self-destruction; she wanted the King dead.

Taking a step forward, Caius's eyes scanned the electric beast and the beauty that commanded it. "I believe, it is my turn."

Lightning half expected Caius to pull something from his sleeve. Clicking his fingers, the entire town was set ablaze, haunting Lightning of her failures. Within the flames, the screams of the deceased played, over and over again. The images on the wall painted the day her parents were publicly executed. On another wall, it painted the day Serah was taken away to the Dark Castle. Lightning was reminded of her hopelessness in both situations. Unable to protect her family, she condemned herself since she was a young girl.

Holding her head and shaking it side to side, Lightning tried to battle the haunting visuals and sounds.

"No..."

"Surrender yourself to the darkness, Claire. You have suffered enough."

Her eyes were tightly sealed, but her mind was in turmoil. Her turmoil was expressed in the serpent, thrashing about, unable to decide whether to attack Caius or not. Once again falling to her knees, Lightning was unable to control her sobs. The feeling of tens of thousands of needles pierced her skull, relentlessly drilling into her brain forced the woman to release a heart aching screech.

"Nightmares..." she muttered. "Family... friends..."

The beast thrashed side to side, colliding with the small bookstore to the left. Releasing another chilling scream, the beast exploded from within and spread the fire around Bodhum. Lightning's frame shook madly trying to cope with the nightmares and guilt. The smell of burning hair and skin was too much for the young woman to handle. Screaming again and again, she was suddenly pulled into an embrace. A hand trailed up and down her spine, protecting her from the advancing flames.

"The rebellion is over, Lightning." She heard him whisper. "It is over. You are over. You are finished."

Dropping her sword, she released a breathless gasp. A strong fist was driven into her gut. Eye to eye, her bright blue eyes looked deeply into a pair of red rubies.

"Caius..."

"Sleep, my angel. Sleep."

"Damn... you... Ballad. Damn you to hell..."

She was unable to fight it. Rolling her eyes into the back of her head, her body went limp in his arms. She had done everything. Lightning had done everything to avenge her parents deaths and the tyranny caused by Caius. Yet, her 'everything' was not enough to defeat him. He was no human, he was the devil.

Scooping up the limp body in his arms, he somberly walked to the great black stallion, waiting for him by the town's rusted gate. Mounting the horse with his prize, Caius took a good look at Bodhum, an entire town slaughtered with thanks to Lightning. She sent them to their deaths.

"The price of freedom is steep, is it not, Claire?" Running a hand over her cheek, Claire remained motionless. "Freedom is never easy, dearest Claire. It is pointless. Remember it well."

Pulling on the reins, the stallion spun, trotting along the soon to be forgotten cobblestone roads of Bodhum.