Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

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Ch.52 Nearing the End

As we progressed through Orphan's Cradle, the eight of us had to continuously find the angelic statue of Eden in order to get through. At one point Fang asked "What's the point of all this, anyway?" "Dysley wants us to give in despair, that's why he's having us fight Cie'th we had seen turn monster. When one of us is enveloped in that anger and sadness, that one will become Ragnarok," I explained. "Then, we just have to make it through faster, that way we can find Barthandelus and finish him," Hope said, and we all agreed. Not few moments later we were teleported into a battle, this time against one Tiamat Eliminator. It looked just like Ushumgal Subjugator that we had fought in Palumpolum, only larger, more deadly and ice-powered to boot.

Sazh, Hope and Vanille began casting buffs on everyone, while the rest of us attacked. It used Ice Grenade and fired a round of ice shards at Sofia, but she knocked them aside with Aerora and threw a Firaga spell at it. The spell only did half damage though, and she had to dodge as it tried to hit her with Tail Hammer. Lightning stabbed in the side, cutting through the metal and hitting wires, and it turned to her. Firing Laser Rain, a blast of shots rained down on her, which caused her to grunt as they hit. "Lightning!" I called, but she waved me off and cast Cure on herself.

Mollified, I turned back to the machine and cast Libra, calling out "It take half damage from elemental spells!" Snow, who was about to use Blizzaga, nodded and instead cast Ruinga. The spell exploded hard enough to force the Eliminator back a few feet, and he jumped up to kick it in the face. The blow was hard enough to make a small dent in the metal, and the machine whirred before hitting him with Ice Grenade. The move inflicted him with Slow, and his movement was turned from hyper-hardhead to slow target. Hastily I cast Esuna on him, and he nodded in thanks. Fang spun her spear and stabbed it into the side of the machine.

It groaned and moved towards Hope, using Tail Hammer to knock him into the air. Fang hung on for the ride and was flipped over , but she regained her sense of balance and twisted the spear, causing the metal around it to distort as well. The Eliminator bucked from side to side, trying knock her off and failing. I jumped up and slashed with Indomitus, cutting off part of its wing and sending it to the ground. The machine squeaked and jolted to the side towards a wall, forcing Fang to remove her spear and get down to avoid being crushed. Once she was off it used Descent, turning into its ground form and walking forward.

Now that it was in ground form Fang, Vanille and Sazh began casting debuffs, while Hope finished casting Synergist spells. I was bestowed Bravery, and I could feel my strength increase as it took effect, proven so when I slashed at the Eliminator and cut through the metal like paper. Sofia hit it with Imperil at the same time Fang, Vanille and Sazh all did, the quadruple-hit successfully inflicting it with that ailment. Snow smiled and cast Blizzaga, watching with satisfaction as the ice spikes punctured it like a porcupine. The Eliminator used Targeting Circle, causing an orange circle with cross-hairs appear on the ground beneath his feet. His eyes widened and he tried to run, but the circle trailed after him.

Lightning tried to stop the machine with Army of One, but it barely noticed her and used Pinpoint Beam, hitting Snow with a rapid-barrage of lasers. He shouted in pain from the hit, and the Eliminator kept on him relentlessly. Each laser was hot as a iron and cold as an ice pick at the same time, resulting in a double dose of pain that sent Snow to his knees. I frowned; this thing's other version, the Ushumgal Subjugator, had been a lot easier to fight then this. "We have to help him!" Hope called. I agreed, and thought of a way to help when it hit me. "Hope, Sazh, cast Protect and Shell on me, and give it everything you've got!" I called. They did so and I used Provoke, getting the Eliminator to target me instead.

The crescent on my arms glowed with a silver light, and I called "Absolute Protection!" My mark flashed, and the others wire enveloped in crystalline spheres of light, and when the Eliminator tried to hit them the lasers bounced off. It whirred in surprise, and I said "Ha, you can't hit them!" in a taunting voice. It turned to me and fired Pinpoint Beam, which I readied for by using Steelguard. The rapid-fire lasers hit me, and although I grunted from the force of the impact I stood my ground. The others, protected by the effects of powers, attacked while I absorbed the damage.

The Eliminator lowered a circle over its face and Photon Blaster, firing a beam at me that was seven feet in diameter. The blow dealt serious damage and I shuddered, unsure of how much more I could take. Hope and Vanille cast Curasa on me, helping replenish my strength. Sazh turned his pistols into a single rifle and fired at the beasts head, creating large hole dead in the center. Before he could do further damage it used Lift-off, spreading it's wings and rising into the air. "You're not getting away!" Lightning said, jumping up and casting Thundaga. The spell caused bolts of electricity to rain down, and the additional energy caused the Eliminator to freeze for a second.

That second gave Hope and Fang enough time to run forward, and while Hope called "Take this!" Fang jumped into the air and said "You are nothing!" As one they used Last Resort and Highwind, both attacks hitting at the same time. The white orbs of Last Resort sailed towards the machine and pierced straight through, creating a dozen holes for the flames and energy of Highwind to got in when Fang slammed her spear down on the Eliminator. It jerked and made a high-pitched keening sound, before exploding and sending shrapnel everywhere.

After the smoke cleared the enemy was gone, and we were all teleported back to Orphan's Cradle. The three angelic statues floated before us, and the white and gold ones moved to the side, waving their arms and creating two gateways. We looked closely at them, and Vanille pointed at the one on the left. "That leads back to Pulse!" "Yeah, and that one goes back to Cocoon," Sofia said, nodding at the one on the right. "A last 'gift' from Barthandelus?" Hope suggested. I nodded, and the last one, the golden statue, creating a third portal directly before us. It's surface was murky and distorted, but I knew where it led. "The Narthex, wherein lies Orphan," I said.

"Well, there it is. You guys ready?" Lightning asked. We all nodded, and she placed her hand on the portal. We were enveloped in light and disappeared, reappearing in long hallway. The walls were an off-white, covered in rows and columns of circular lights that gave off a soft glow. At the middle was a large statue of Lindzei, the goddess who had created Cocoon and its fal'Cie, along with several floating couches and windows through which streamed sunlight. "What the-? Where's Dysley?" Fang asked. I pointed. "At the end of the hall there's a door. He's right beyond there," I said.

"Alright, let's take a moment to rest," Snow said, and no one argued. Sofia, Sazh, Hope, Vanille and Lightning sat down on the couches, while Snow laid down on one and Fang leaned against the wall. I stood in front of the statue of Lindzei, looking at it closely. So this is what the goddess looked like. "What're you looking at?" Vanille asked curiously. I pulled off Indomitus, holding it up. "The origin of my sword," I said, and she frowned in confusion. Waving my hand over the blade, the symbols along the edge shifted and reformed, setting into English. "By Etro's will and Pulse's hand, forged from the fang of Lindzei, she whose poisonous words ensnare man's will. Indomitus, the sword whose silver blade pierces through the starry heavens," the glyphs read.

Fang's eyes widened. "Wait a minute! That sword is made from a fang of Lindzei?!" she asked incredulously. I nodded. "Yep. Pulse took the fang, forged it with his own hand and gave it to Etro, as per her request," I said. "So how did you get a hold of it?" Hope asked. "Well, it was given to me, as one of my ten powers. We've all seen what I can do with it. The only thing is that I'm the only human who can wield it," I admitted. "Good thing we've got you then. That thing'll come in real handy fighting Dysley," Sazh said. I nodded in agreement, and with that the short break was over.

At the end of the hall the door opened and we walked in, seeing the Narthex Throne spread out below us. Clock-like gears spun around the edges of the room, with a circular pool at the back, and in the center was a single white stone throne, engraved with the symbol of Lindzei. "Ready?" Lightning asked. Vanille nodded and said "Yep," while Hope did the same and said "Yeah." I looked at Lightning and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. She squeezed back, and I said "Let's do this."

The room rumbled and she said to Snow "Moment of truth, Hero," and we all jumped down. I landed on my feet, knees bent to absorb the impact, when along with the others I saw something strange. Tiny pinpricks of light, like glittering dust, hovered all through out the air. "Little lights, just like in Oerba," Vanille said. We looked around, until suddenly a pair of lights shined next to the throne. Dysley's voice sounded. "Life's spark shines on, once freed from its fleshly shroud." The lights faded into two crystals, ones which we recognized. "Dajh!" Sazh called, and Snow said "Serah!" From behind us Minerva flew, gliding around the throne as Barthandelus appeared.

"Dreams meanwhile, shatter in a flash," he said, rising his staff before tapping the ground with it. Instantly the crystal holding Dajh shattered. "Dajh!" Sazh yelled, and Snow reached out to Serah! "No!" he called, and it shattered as well. His hand curled into a fist, and Snow charged forward, yelling in rage. But just like before he was sent back by Dysley's barrier. Lightning knelt next to him. "Think; where's the real Serah?" she asked. He looked at her, before pulling out the crystal tear he had received from Serah. It glowed with a faint light, and rung with energy.

Sazh held his hand down and the chocobo chick hopped on it, chirping. "Listen, it isn't real. Just fal'Cie smoke and mirrors," he said. Drawing his boomerang, Hope said "Yeah, they don't work miracles. They play tricks." I pulled Indomitus off my back, while the others all drew their own weapons. Fang and Vanille looked back as the doorway we came from was sealed by a barrier, but looked forward as Dysley laughed. ''At last, my errant l'Cie. Men fight men, men battle beasts, Cocoon wars with Pulse. There can be no end to such conflict. But Cocoon's end is imminent and inevitable. Will not at least slay Orphan, and make it quick? As an act of mercy?" he asked.

"No," I said flatly. Lightning stepped forward. "Mercy? You mean murder. And Cocoon won't die; we're not here for that." She drew her gunblade and pointed it at him. "We came for you." Dysley sighed and slouched on his throne. "Such willful insolence... Disappointing," he said angrily, his expression hardening as he rose into the air. "You prolong Cocoon's suffering. And to what end? Refusing me today but condemns another to face your Focus tomorrow. If you truly seek salvation..." Minerva flew into the light of his staff, and Barthandelus revealed his true self. "You will obey!"

xxx

Aw yeah, the final battle has come! The story is nearing it's close, but I've still got one plot twist left up my sleeve! What is it? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out!

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