Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their respective owners.
Note: after the beginning of the Ark I will skip to the part with Raines. I apologize if this displeases any of you, but there was honestly just too little dialogue in the interlude to help me. I hope the event with Raines will help make up for it.
Ch. 29 The fal'Cie Plan
The eight of us started to make our way through what I knew was the fifth Ark, when I heard Snow call "Lightning, Deiru!" We turned around to see him walking slowly towards us. "Hey, uh, I've got to apologize. Looks like I was wrong," he said. "About Serah's Focus?" Lightning asked, and he nodded. I was confused. "But why are you apologizing to me?"
"Along with Light, you were the one who tried to tell me I was wrong. But I didn't listen, so now I'm apologizing to you too," Snow explained. "Not like you to second-guess yourself," Lightning commented. "Yeah well, even heroes make mistakes," he replied. "What about your plan to protect Cocoon?" Lightning asked. "Either way, your faith in Serah was strong. That strength got you this far." "I had it all wrong," he said.
"Yeah. You tried so hard to convince us that even fooled yourself. You've been a total idiot," Lightning said. Snow looked ready to protest, but then I said "But while you were an idiot…" Lightning nodded. "That idiocy saved me. You trusted Serah. Let that faith drive you. It even made me want to believe," she said. I nodded, and Snow followed, talking to Serah's crystal tear.
We walked farther into the structure, and Hope commented "I can't belive we're still in Cocoon." "It's kind of creepy," Sazh agreed. Once we reached an open area the floor began glowing. Then it flashed, and a red sign of Pulse appeared. I clutched my right hand, my brand on the palm of it burning, and I saw that except for Sofia the others were being affected the same way. Then the light and pain faded, and a siren began sounding.
A pillar in front of us began steaming, and it rose to reveal a pair of Pulsework Knights. Instantly I drew Indomitus and began attacking, but while the machine had its armor on I could barely make a scratch. "We need to hit it with magic!" I called. The others nodded, and I stepped back while they began casting. Since I had given my powers of magic to Sofia I had next to no casting abilities, and with the Pulsework Knight's high defense the powers I still had were useless.
Vanille and Sofia cast Fire while Lightning, Snow and Sazh used Thunder. The Knights trudged forward and spun around, knocking them all of balance with their arm, and I decided that I needed to do something other than stand on the sidelines. So I focused what magic I had, and an orb of silver-blue flame appeared. "Hey, Screw-bolts!" I called, throwing the orb at them.
The Knights turned to look at me, only for the orbs of flame to hit them in the face. To my surprise though the fire didn't fade, but burned along the machines' body like fire on oil. They both whirred in alarm and came after me, but then the others cast another barrage of spells at them. Getting the idea they used Fire-related spells, adding the fire already blazing along the enemies' bodies.
The additional heat began to actually melt the metal of the Knights' armor, and then with one particularly powerful Fire spell from Hope, the top of half of one Knight slid up to reveal its weal core. Instantly I ran forward, Indomitus in hand, while Lightning did the same. I give the core a wide sweeping cut and Light made a small stab, breaking the crystal that the energy generated from. The Knight gave a few panicked beeps before the light on its head went out and it fell on its back, the fire slowly melting it.
To our right the other Knight suffered the same fate, with Sazh putting a bullet in the core before Snow literally punched it out. Now that that fight was over we kept going, leaving the two Knights to melt into puddles of steel. After that we reached a platform, which lead down a flight of steps into what looked like a warehouse. However, I had never seen a warehouse this large, and pillars similar to the ones that held the Pulsework Knights were scattered through the area.
Vanille looked at the area and gained a thoughtful expression. "This place… it must be an Ark," she said. "An Ark?" Lightning asked. "That's what they called 'em," Fang said. Vanille explained. "Long ago, the fal'Cie who made their home on Pulse were afraid of invasion from the outside. As part of their battle preparations, they created an army of living weapons. They stored those weapons in Arks, and they hid the Arks all over the world."
"Everyone one Gran Pulse knew the legend," Fang added. "So, this is basically a Pulse armory," Lightning said. Fang nodded. "Most of us never believed in them. A few people tried searching, but they never found a thing." She chuckled. "Who'd have thought to look on Cocoon?" "Right under our noses; that's some secret they kept. Those Sanctum guys, what are they up to?" Sazh commented.
"They story's not done. There's more," Vanille told him. "They used the say the Arks had a more practical purpose," Fang said. "Really?" Light asked, and Fang said "Yeah, to force l'Cie to master their shiny new powers." Lightning's eye lit up in understanding, and she said "Okay, now I get it. Dysley's goal is to forge us into stronger weapons. Right." "Not Cie'th, but monsters all the same," Sazh said. I glared at him and said "Becoming stronger doesn't make us monsters. Rather, it means we'll be able to hold off more types of enemies."
"Think of it as training for the fight ahead," Hope suggested. Vanille called "Hope's right!" and I said "Let's do it." Then the ground began shaking, and Sazh said "What's going on?" A pillar to our right opened and two more Pulsework Knights marched out. "Aw, these guys again," he said. "Fun times," Lightning agreed. Hope pointed. "Over there! We've got to keep moving!" he called.
xxx
After we began to make our way through the Ark, we fought more than a few enemies, including a Greater Behemoth, Alchemic Oozes, and more than a few slug-like monsters called a Notilucale. I fought alongside the others, but I couldn't shake the impending sense of doom. Soon enough we would fight against Raines, and not only when I played the game was the fight one I didn't enjoy, but I had the feeling something else was going to happen. Something that in no way was going to be good.
On a lighter note I could see Sofia becoming better at her magic, thanks to the fal'Cie's complementary training program. My attacks were becoming stronger as well, and with it I gained more confidence. Unfortunately, we couldn't train in the Ark's underground depths forever, and soon enough we made it to Mezzanine.
We walked into the area only to see Raines standing there, waiting for us. "Raines?" Snow asked, confused. Fang said "What?" and the others, mainly Sazh, Vanille and Sofia, looked at him distrustfully. "Easy guys. Raines is a Sanctum officer. He's been helping us out-" Snow began, but then he was stopped by Fang. "Why are you here?" she asked, suspicious. He said nothing and walked forward, and the truth dawned on us.
"Raines…" Lightning said, drawing her gunblade and charging forward. "You traitor!" she yelled. She swung at him only for him to dodge. She whipped back around and struck again twice, but he blocked both and after the second grabbed her gunblade, using it to throw her back. "Lightning!" I called, taking Indomitus and charging as well.
I tried for a massive overhead blow, but he caught my sword with both hands and did the same as Light, throwing me to the side. Indomitus spun in the air and stabbed into the ground next to me, while Raines caught Light's gunblade. "I put you on the path. That was my Focus," he said. Everyone gasped, and Fang demanded "You're a l'Cie?!" "Since long before we met," he answered.
"I did my best to assist you, as bid by the Sanctum fal'Cie. Now do you understand? The fal'Cie have watched over you, guiding your every step. The 'luck' that saved you time and again was a deliberate machination. Why you may ask? The Primarch- or should I say, Barthandelus- is crafting you into the instruments of Cocoon's demise," Raines explained.
Fang scowled. "We've been played for fools," she said. "A Cocoon fal'Cie? Why?" Sazh asked. Raines looked at the gunblade. "Why? To restore the Maker," he replied. "The Maker?" Hope repeated, confused. "The entity responsible for creating both humans and fal'Cie," he explained, closing his eyes. "Long ago, the Maker departed this world, leaving the two races behind. In a sense, human and fal'Cie are brothers, orphaned by the same parent.
"As for the humans, they forgot the order imposed by the Maker. They began to war amongst themselves for the first time in history. The fal'Cie focused on recalling their lost deity and returning the world to its former glory. This purpose lies at the heat of all their actions." Then Raines opened his eyes. "Calling back the Maker requires a fitting sacrifice." Lightning stood and said "Yeah, we heard. The destruction of Cocoon."
"The lives of this world's entire populace in bloody tribute," he agreed, throwing her back her gunblade. "No, that's crazy talk," Sazh said. "I don't get. Why do they need us? Couldn't the fal'Cie end Cocoon with just a thought?" Hope asked. Raines shook his head. "Their existence is bound to the creation and maintenance of this floating shell. It is their very nature that holds them in check."
"You mean… Cocoon fal'Cie can't destroy Cocoon. They needed tools," Hope said, and he nodded. "if we can't stop this by doing nothing…" Vanille said her expression hardening. "We'll do nothing!" "Noble. I expected as much," he said. "You lied to us!" Snow said softly, his voice rising to a shout. "What about your dream of rebuilding Cocoon for the people? Was it all a lie?!"
"A shadow of a dream, from when I was human. It was change I craved, and once I built the influence to make things happen, there was change. I gained all the power I could hope to wield, but was a puppet with no will to wield it. It wasn't the fal'Cie who changed." The back of Raines's right hand began glowing, giving off an bright green light. "It was me."
"You… you were made a l'Cie?" Vanille asked. "A l'Cie," he confirmed. "Tied to an inescapable Focus; a slave of destiny. I'd lost hope. I'd all but given up on dreams of freedom." Sazh noticed the past tense and asked "What do you mean?" "He means he changed his mind," I said, standing and pulling out Indomitus. Raines nodded and swept back his cape.
"Correct. I'm here of my own accord, not by fal'Cie order. Seeing you fight brought it all back; brought back the dream I once strove for." The brand of the back of his hand glowed brighter. "I too… will challenge my fate." He raised his arm into the air and the light blew outwards in a huge wave. He snapped his fingers and a single barrier, the same symbol as his brand appeared. More spread out from it and formed a complete circle, caging us in. "Easy guys," Lightning said.
"If I can defeat you here, the fal'Cie plan will fail," he announced. "Raines!" Fang called. "I will use all my remaining power," he said. Crossing his arms over his chest. He spread them out and arched his back, and in a wave of light he transformed. His shirt disappeared, showing a muscled chest that was only halfway flesh, while his hair and eyes turned crystal and his right arm did as well, the fingers turning to long sharp claws. "I will set you free!" he called.
xxx
Oooo, I left you all with another cliffhanger! Sorry if that upsets you, but I promise that if you stay tuned the fight will be well worth it!
Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)
