Welcome back everyone! And here we have the chapter that we have all been waiting for (other than the middle chapter and the last chapter: AKZERIUTH! There will be a lot of timejumps in this chapter, that's just my warning. Anywho onward to the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of the Abyss. Lythia and Arya are mine. Caius belongs to Defiance-of-Fate

Response to Guest Review on last Chapter in the event that you haven't read my one-shot - Yes, the other God-Generals are still going to die, I can't save them all.


Lead Up To Destruction

~2 weeks before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Lythia stood next to Natalia in the Manor of Duke Fabre, before the bedside of Lady Suzanne, as the honey blonde princess spoke to her Aunt. It had been a long two weeks wandering the castle with Natalia, and the young princess had convinced her father to let Lythia accompany her to visit the Lady Fabre. The Lady Fabre was glaring at Lythia, having just accused the Malkuth woman of kidnapping her son. Keeping Emperor Karl's words in mind, Lythia knelt before the woman, keeping her eyes trained on the Duchess.

"Duchess Fabre, I can assure you that Malkuth was not behind the kidnapping of your son," the ward princess began. "Not now, nor did we kidnap your son seven years ago, as your son has shared to be your speculation. I can also promise you that your son was safe when he was on the Tartarus, and my commander will do everything in his power to return him to Baticul."

Suzanne continued to glare at Lythia as she spoke up.

"Princess Lythia. I heard you were one of the soldiers who fought with my husband's forces during the War, would this not give you reason to kidnap my son and try to cover it up?"

Lythia's fists clenched and she threw her pride away as she bowed her head to the woman before her.

"I do not hurt children," she spat angrily. "There are too many people who do that already."

Silence wreathed around the room.

"I have insulted you," Lady Fabre noted after a few long moments. "Raise your head Princess Lillian."

The name that the Lady Fabre chose to address Lythia by had the blonde Malkuth princess looking up in shock, to see the smiling face of Luke's mother.

"You are a good princess for Malkuth," the red haired woman said. Lythia turned her head away.

"If I was I good princess wouldn't I have married Emperor Peony as our Lord Father wished?" she asked quietly. There was a certain sharpness in the Duchess' gaze that gave Lythia the answer to her question. The red haired woman shook her head and spoke up.

"No," she stated. "You are a good princess for Malkuth, but you are no Queen. In your eyes, I see you already have someone else that you are trying to get on that throne that your father offered you. You don't want that throne."

Lythia smiled tightly at Lady Fabre's words. Natalia and Lythia left the room after that, with quiet farewells.

As the pair walked through the halls of Fabre Manor, Lythia noticed a familiar voice coming from the foyer.

"Is that Luke?" she asked, hopeful. The two continued to the entrance of the manor to see Luke, along with Tear, Anise, Jade and someone who was hauntingly familiar to Lythia.

"No way, impossible…" Lythia murmured as Natalia ran forward calling Luke's name. "Everyone from that house died."

The proof of her statement was on the pillar wall in the very room they were standing in. Many things were discussed, including Van Grants and Luke's apparent memory loss. Just as Natalia was turning to leave, Lythia decided to speak up.

"You there, the one Princess Natalia called 'Guy'," she started, directing the words towards the blonde man who was cowering behind Luke. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"M-me my lady?" the man stuttered, causing Lythia's eyebrows to rise at the way he addressed her. "That is highly unlikely."

The Malkuth Princess stared at the blonde man for a few seconds.

"Hmm… Indeed," she muttered, before turning to Jade. "Colonel, I'm afraid that I am technically a prisoner here due to the circumstance of my arrival, I will therefore await your return to the castle later."

Jade acknowledged his sisters words with a slight nod, then Lythia and Natalia left and headed back to the castle.


~1 week and 6 days before Fall of Akzeriuth – Baticul – Dungeons~

Lythia's boots clicked on the stone steps descending down to the dungeons of the castle with her brother beside her as she went to see Van Grants who had been arrested during the night. It was early morning, and she had received permission from King Ingobert, after she had regained her freedom, to interrogate the Commandant before everyone convened to discuss the peace treaty. Jade was there to stand guard with the Kimlascan soldier to ensure that no one listened to the conversation happening inside the cell.

The Commandant seemed to be standing serenely near the wall when Lythia entered. He turned to face her with a smile that only radiated pleasantness, which the Malkuth woman met with a smile that spoke in frosted tones.

"I have five minutes to ask you whatever questions I wish in the privacy of this room," she started. "I do hope, Commandant Grants, that you will be cooperative. Or perhaps I should address you by your birthname, Vandesdelca Fende."

The man's smile faded slightly and became tight with anger.

"And how do you know that name?" he asked.

"My dear child, and yes, I can call you that, I have a list of all the survivors of Hod and I have tried my hardest to keep track of everyone," Lythia replied. "Though I do believe that I am the one asking the questions, so tell be Commandant – have you ever conducted fomicry experiments?"

The question was seemingly random enough to make the man blink in surprise.

"I have not," Van finally responded after he got over the shock. Lythia looked at him appraisingly.

"Have you ever used a fomicry to create a replica of anything be it living being or object?"

"No, I have not."

"Is Saphir Ortion Gneiss involved in any fomicry experiments currently?"

"I would not know."

Lythia paused, and sent a sharp look at Van, trying to discern lies.

"Saphir Ortion Gneiss is your God-General, Dist the Reaper," she snapped. "Are you telling me that you have no control over the… recreational activities your God-Generals?"

"Dist most likely spends his time trying to revive his Professor Nebilim!"

"Professor Gelda Nebilim is dead and her replica data is nowhere for him to get his hands on!" Lythia shouted, throwing her hand into the air, before she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Jade and the Kimlascan soldier who had been standing guard had entered the room.

"One last question Commandant Grants," said Lythia as she started to walk towards the door. She paused and looked over her shoulder. "Did you order the attack on the Tartarus?"

Her voice was icy cold and there was no emotion in her eyes.

"I did not," Van replied, making Lythia hum thoughtfully. She turned away from the man, leaving the room throwing words over her shoulder.

"Send Arietta to me in Grand Chokmah when you get back to Daath. Also, ensure that Dist doesn't cross paths with me if you wish to still have the Reaper as your God-General. He won't survive meeting me again."

With that the Malkuth woman left, with her brother following close behind. Jade turned an inquiring glance at his younger sister as they headed towards the throne room in the castle.

"I'll believe him for now," Lythia said, keeping her eyes focused forward. "I don't trust him, but I don't have any evidence against him yet. It seems I need to go visit the Broken Dagger."

"Isn't the Broken Dagger in the middle of the black-market?" Jade asked incredulously. Lythia snorted at that.

"Hardly, the military just fails to realise that the black-market isn't as illegal as it looks," she replied. "No, dear brother, my business there is with the Informants Guild of Malkuth, and the military isn't allowed to follow me, especially with the number of soldiers that are a part of the Guild."

Jade stopped as Lythia started cackling semi-madly. Had she just given him a hint or a warning? He couldn't tell. All the Colonel could do was follow his sister.


~1 week and 6 days before Fall of Akzeriuth – Baticul – Throne Room~

Natalia and Lythia spoke quietly, occasionally sending sharp glances around the room at certain people, while the room was waiting for Luke to enter the hall. At the sound of the great doors opening, Natalia moved back to her throne and Lythia took her spot beside Jade. The Malkuth soldiers glared lightly at Grand Maestro Mohs, who was walking in with Luke and Tear behind him.

"Ah, we've been waiting for you, Luke," King Ingobert started, and with that, the emotional blackmailing of Luke fon Fabre's consciousness began. Lythia would have laughed at how easily Luke's thought process could be manipulated if she wasn't standing in that room, she promised herself that she would laugh later. Then the Score was brought up, resounding in Tear's voice as the melodist read from the Fonstone.

"ND2000 In Kimlasca shall be born the scion of Lorelei's power. He will be of royal blood with hair of red. He shall be called the 'light of the sacred flame' and he will lead Kimlasca-Lanvaldear to new prosperity.

ND2018 The young scion of Lorelei's power shall bring his people to the miner's city. There…."

Even as Tear proclaimed the rest missing, Lythia felt dread growing as she tried desperately to remember a conversation she had with Fon Master Evenos after the end of the Hod War. However she knew that what she was looking for was a book in her rooms back in Grand Chokmah, written in Ancient Ispanian in the margins of the pages.

"Who shall accompany him besides me?"

Jade's question brought Lythia back out of her thoughts.

"Is Major Balfour not going with you as well?" Natalia asked.

"Nay, Princess," the blonde woman responded. "I have to return to Grand Chokmah and give my report to Emperor Peony."

If anyone noticed the way she detached herself from the royal family of Malkuth, no one commented.

"The Order of Lorelei wishes to send along Tear and Van," spoke Mohs. Lythia turned to him.

"If you are sending Van Grants, then my request to him is now passed to you," she said. "And I request that Arietta comes to me in Grand Chokmah. Preferably soon."

The Grand Maestro nodded in acknowledgement.

"Arietta will be in Grand Chokmah as soon as I can get her there."

Lythia thanked the man before turning back to King Ingobert. The King turned his gaze upon his nephew.

"Luke, who would you like to take with you?" he asked. "You should take Guy with you as your personal attendant."

Luke's arrogant response almost had Lythia cringing, but the Malkuth Princess was more interested in Natalia's request to accompany the group. Though that request was denied, Lythia started to formulate a plan. When the audience with the King was dispersed, Natalia and Lythia went back to the Kimlascan Princess' rooms.

"Natalia, if you still wish to follow Luke then you should sneak out," Lythia said as soon as the door had closed behind them. She reached up to her hair and removed the gold vine clip which managed to remain undamaged, making Lythia believe that Jade had it inscribed with Fonic Glyphs. She handed it to Natalia.

"This is my blessings to you," the Malkuth woman murmured. "If you show it to Jade then he will not question your presence. My brother will also help you convince your new Goodwill Ambassador to let you come along."

"But isn't this yours?" Natalia asked.

"My brother, Jade, gave that to me when I was eight," Lythia stated quietly. "Natalia, I don't really believe in good luck charms, but if I ever feel the need for one I always wear this clip. I'm lending it to you as a way to keep you safe"

"What?" Natalia gasped, trying to give the trinket back. "No, I can't take this, not something this precious to you, and surely you need more good luck than I."

Lythia smiled softly.

"You are sneaking out of this castle to follow Ambassador Luke to Akzeriuth," the Malkuth princess responded, "whom is also accompanied by my brother. You are going to evacuate Akzeriuth because of the miasma. All I will be doing is guarding an Emperor who barely leaves the capital and completing the tasks required of me as a Princess. I foresee you needing a good luck charm before I have to worry about anything my Lord Brother disappearing."

"But you said your brother gave this to you," protested Natalia. Lythia pressed a finger to the younger woman's lips.

"Yes, and when our two countries have truly achieved peace," Lythia murmured, "You can give it back to me in Grand Chokmah, where we should meet, since I am giving you my clip here in Baticul."

The two stared at each other for a while, then Lythia let her hand drop to her side.

"A fitting place to meet," Natalia conceded. "Very well, I shall accept your gift, and await the moment when I stand in Grand Chokmah with you, handing it back."

The two smiled at each other and left the room. From there they met with King Ingobert who was to be taking Lythia down to the port where there was a ferry to take her to Chesedonia where she could then get a ferry to Grand Chokmah. Lythia said her farewells to Jade and Natalia and she was on her way home, and the Ambassadorial party was preparing to leave for Akzeriuth.

And Lythia knew what she would be doing as soon as she returned to the Imperial Palace in Grand Chokmah.


"Greetings Fon Master Evenos."

"Princess Lythia. It's been a while since you last came to Daath."

"I have been a soldier in the war with Kimlasca for the past year."

"So you have. Tell me, will you let me read the Score for you?"

"Fon Master you know that I haven't heard my Score read since my thirteenth birthday."

"Not your score, but the Planet Score."

"What? Isn't that illegal?"

"Be as that may, I feel as if Lorelei is telling me to read you the Score."

"If Lorelei speaks, you must obey I suppose. Oh well, might as well hear the Score."


~1 week and 6 days before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Natalia glared at Luke sharply as he grudgingly announced his 'decision' to let her travel with them. As Lythia had promised however, Colonel Curtiss supported her, albeit with much suspicion in his gaze. When the group was moving through the abandoned factory, Jade made her slow down so they could talk.

"Where did you get that?" the man asked, indicating to Lythia's vine clip which the Malkuth woman had woven into Natalia's hair.

"Just something that Major Balfour lent me," the Kimlascan Princess replied carefully. "She said that it makes a nice good luck charm."

"Lythia gave that to you?" Jade questioned sharply. "So she is the only one who knows you are with us?"

The smile that Natalia sent him answered that question.

"Yes she did lend it to me," she grinned, reminiscent of the blonde woman who was heading towards the Malkuth capital. "And she told me to give it back to her in Grand Chokmah."

"My sister is a fool…" the Colonel muttered in what he thought was an inaudible voice, but Natalia heard. The Princess moved closer so that she could whisper.

"Your sister wouldn't approve of you calling her foolish, nor do I for that matter."

Jade smiled, perhaps evilly, at Natalia, surprising the Princess.

"Oh so you knew who I was referring to then?" he inquired cheerfully, yet still quietly. "Marvelous! One less shocked face to worry about when someone finally tells the rest of you that Lythia is my sister."

"I fail to understand why you wish it to be a secret from everyone," Natalia stated irritably.

"That, dear Princess," Jade replied, he could have been purring had the Kimlascan woman not known better, "is not a secret. It is just the simple fact that nobody has asked. They hear our different last names and assume. No one really notices the fact that we both have unnaturally coloured eyes and think that perhaps we could be related."

Jade then walked ahead, as if the conversation had never happened.


~1 week before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Lythia stepped off the ferry in Grand Chokmah and was greeted by four people; Peony, Arya, Caius and as promised by Grand Maestro Mohs; Arietta. They asked her if she was alright, Arietta apologising for attacking the Tartarus and for failing to catch Dist, and Arya handing Lythia back her rapier. Then they all returned to the Palace, where Lythia, first changed into military uniform, and then made her report in front of the council.

After this report she then, with the help of Arya and Arietta, made a mess of her rooms as she furiously searched for the book which contained the information she so desperately needed.


~3 days and 5 hours before Fall of Akzeriuth - Lythia~

In the empty ballroom of the Imperial Palace the two royals spoke quietly.

"Lythia, you need to stop worrying," Peony murmured. "Jade will be fine."

"The Score that was on the Fonstone fragment worries me," Lythia sighed, brushing the cloth of her uniform with frustration. "I've heard it before, I know how that verse ends, and yet I can't remember the words Fon Master Evenos spoke."

Peony stared at his adopted sister before he held out his hand.

"Will you dance with me, my lady?" he asked softly. Lythia sighed again, but placed her hand in Peony's.

"Sing my sister," the blonde Emperor murmured. "Forget your worries and sing as we dance to the melodies."

The sweet voice of Lythia Balfour filled the air as the royal siblings danced around the hall, the song the Princess had chosen being sung with an eerie tone.

~Dancing bears
Painted Wings…..~*


~3 days and 5 hours before Fall of Akzeriuth - Jade~

Jade Curtiss frowned at the spot where Legretta had been standing just moments before. So fomicry had been revived by the God-Generals and Lythia had known. His sister had been trying to tell him. So was it at all possible that what he suspected to be true? Quite obviously, if Legretta's words were any hint.

Glancing at Luke and Natalia, Jade pondered whether or not Legretta was purposely trying to tell him something, but he quickly dismissed that thought. Legretta was trying to kill him as much as he had been trying to kill her in that last fight. It seemed at the Malkuth Colonel had some questions to ask his sister when he saw her next.


~1 day and 3 hours before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Natalia had expected Akzeriuth to be bad, but she didn't expect how bad. What greeted the Ambassadorial party was a nightmare. They decided to rest the night in the Inn and discuss their strategy for the next day. There was talk on leaving Luke out of the plan. Natalia and Jade would later come to regret that decision.


~11 hours before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Jade, Guy and Tear were trying to help people out of the dying city. It was a struggle to do, but they tried. Perhaps not enough though.


~6 hours before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Lythia glared at Aslan Frings as he talked in front of the council. Peony had once again left her in with the councilmen as he went off to Lorelei knows where. The Ward Princess of Malkuth had better things to be doing. Sadly she had to sit still for another two hours.


~1 hour before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Jade and Luke walked through Akzeriuth with Guy and Anise following somewhere behind. They were trying to find Tear and Natalia before they followed the report they had received of Commandant Grants and his troops down in Mine Shaft 14.

When the two girls were found, the group went down to the mine shaft. However Tear was called away by Oracle Knights. Jade found this highly suspicious, but it wasn't his place to comment, so the group proceeded without Tear.

"Is it strange that I suddenly feel as if something bad is going to happen now that Tear's gone?"

The question was murmured by Anise but not answered by anyone. No it wasn't strange – it was a general consensus within the group.


~15 minutes before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Jade chased after Tear and Asch down to the passage ring and towards the Sephiroth tree. Everything was going bad very quickly. The Colonel reached the Sephiroth room just in time to see Luke collapse to his knees with a horrified expression on his face.

So this is what panic feels like? Jade thought. Silently he sent apologies towards Lythia, knowing that Akzeriuth was going to collapse.


~ Fall of Akzeriuth~

Lythia was running through the halls of the Imperial Palace towards Peony's chambers. In her hands was an open book, marked with notes. She stopped however, gripping her hand to her chest as her heart seemed to miss several beats. An icy feeling washed over her. Peony, who had seen Lythia running, quickly moved to the blonde woman's side.

"Something has happened ," she gasped. Peony gently lead her back to her rooms and called Arietta to stay with her.

Exactly a week later, a messenger came running into the messenger hall, interrupting Lythia and Peony's conversation.

"Akzeriuth has fallen, everyone in the city is dead."

Peony's eyes flicked to Lythia who had frozen. The woman's violet eyes were wide with terror. Lythia fell to her knees as she let out a heartbreaking wail.

On Loreleiday, Gnome Decan 57 in the year ND2018, Akzeriuth had been destroyed, by an unknown force, leaving the land around it as an abyss of nothingness and everyone who had been in the city was presumed dead.


*Lyrics from 'Once Upon a December' from Anastasia (Disney)

So Akzeriuth has fallen now. No more countdown to fall now. The next chapter won't have Jade in it I'm afraid, and it will be focusing more on the reactions of Lythia and how her reactions affect those around her. From now on I will be using dates on the Auldrant calendar to mark where I am.

Thanks for reading and please review!

~Icetail of WindClan - Meta-If~

Unimportant notes:

So... Lythia is trying to set Peony up with someone? Who could that be? *hint hint* And she seems to find Guy familiar, though that is understandable, since she is the Princess of Malkuth, so she'll have met all the nobles of her country.

WHAT? The rest of the main party doesn't know who Lythia is? What is this? As Jade said - no body asked.

Fon Master Evenos will be mentioned a lot. But ooh! What's this? Lythia hasn't heard her birthscore since her thirteenth birthday? Why?