A/N: I'm back! Man, do I know how to take my sweet time or what? I apologize. I'd like to say that these long breaks won't happen again, but that wouldn't be very honest of me. I try to work on this when I can, but, you know... life.
Please enjoy & Review :)
Reviewers -
titus1994 - Thank you so much. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.
Ototoi no Asa - Your english is fine. Thank you. I wanted to slow things down some before getting back into the action and moving forward with the plotline.
time-and-relative-dimensions91- I remember when I read your review all those months ago -again, sorry for the wait- and it made me incredibly happy. I work really hard to try to keep Lightning and Hope in character while still showing the growth and changes that come with time. It's truly amazing to hear that I'm doing a good job. It means a lot.
0erbayunFang - You're back! Or, at least you were... Good to hear from you again. Hope all's well.
Ivonnebagel12 - An astounding review, as usual. You spoil me, I swear. I'm excited to get to add more Sazh in. His character isn't utilized enough in most other FFXIII fanfics, in my opinion. That Lightning and Zalera scene... Even I wasn't completely sure where I wanted it to go while I was writing it, but I'm very satisfied with the direction it took. Zalera has always been a supporter of our Hopurai so I couldn't really see her just suddenly changing her mind. As for Zalera and Yeul, I think I'll leave that to the reader's interpretation. It's more fun that way ;). That may change, so don't hold it against me. And yes, Hope and Lightning are just so irritating and adorable, I can't even. Thank you so very much.
Erucchin - Glad you could join us. Thanks :)
Guest - Thank you. Sorry for the long wait.
TVMaster2000 - I'm terribly sorry to hear that, but this is rated M for a reason. I don't take that rating lightly. This is a war. With a war comes the deaths of not just those who are convenient. I hate killing off characters. As for the betrayal of the soldiers, Cocoon is their home. It holds their family and their friends. They'd do anything to get it back. And it would take a lot for people to change their deeply ingrained ideas about Pulse and l'Cie. Hatred is easy to cling to.
Guest (3) - This story ignores XIII-2 and Lightning Returns. Yes, this makes Lightning considerably weaker than in both the sequels. I happen to like plain soldier Lightning, who she really is without all of the magical enhancements. She's still extremely bad ass and without her powers this shows just how tough she really is. She doesn't need to be a divine goddess of death or a liberator of souls to kick ass.
AdamthePyromancer - I love writing this story far too much to abandon it :)
Guest - Thank you. And I know. I'm trying to respect some of my reader's opinions. And I actually cut out some of the torture scenes... but that'll come up later.
Daaku Urufu - Thanks again. Your words have encouraged me even more to finally get this done. I'm very grateful for your review.
LightPhantom742 - He's alive! Supremely delighted to hear from you again.
Hi no Hime - Aw, you're too sweet. Thank you. I'm not stopping anytime soon.
Deflow - I will! It was... hectic. My family is nuts. We drove my grandma out of the state. I'm totally serious too. And I had to make five pies in one day. Five. But it was still great. Thanks for asking :)
Revised: January 2016
Time dragged by at an excruciatingly slow pace as their little team hiked through the mountains. It had already been nearly three days since they'd started on their mission and there had been no change in scenery and truly no change in spirits. The heavy grey clouds loomed over them in a giant mass, blocking the sun's brilliant light from illuminating their journey and its warm caress from touching their stiff, nearly frost-bitten skin. The snow came in heaps, not flakes, falling from the sky with little grace and clumping on the ground. Harsh winds bit at their quaking forms, the silvery gusts threatening to blow them right off their feet.
"This whole journey sounded a lot more favorable when we were sittin' 'round a campfire in our warm little cave!" shouted Sazh as he tugged his jacket closer to his body. Zalera had said that it would take four to six days just to get out of the Argodian Mountains. That statement seemed intent on proving itself true. "I'm gonna be a popsicle by the time we finally get outta this mess. I think my hair's frozen solid," he muttered, his legs slowly forcing their way through the packed snow surrounding him.
"That would be a frosicle then, wouldn't it?" Hope nudged Sazh's forearm with his elbow as he chuckled. He nearly toppled over as his elder playfully shoved him away.
"Oh, ha-ha. Just hilarious."
Zalera spared a glance behind her from her position at the head of the group and smirked. "Quit your griping, old man. We'll just leave you here. I'm sure the beasts would love a good meal. Frozen or not." She watched Sazh wave her off with a tired sigh and gave a snort. There wasn't much she could do about their circumstances. She had never even been on the Argodian Mountains before. Most Pulsians knew of its horrible year-round winters. It was not habitable to the faint of heart. Their current trail was the only way she knew to take without risking getting them lost.
"Let's just keep moving," came Lightning's sharp command. They still had a long ways to go and she could tell that they were slowing down. Sazh wasn't doing well under the conditions akin to that of a frozen tundra and she could see that the severe hiking was getting to Hope too. He was a strong fighter, but he wasn't a soldier. He wasn't trained to adapt like she was. But even she was starting to feel it, the heavy iciness that was beginning to overtake her functions. They needed to pick up the pace. She wasn't even sure if they could stop to sleep again until they were out of the god forsaken mountains.
The heavy reality of death sat perched in their minds as they strode forward. Sure, they joked and gibed. Appeasing and nearly empty smiles sat on their faces, stiffening their facial muscles. They were facing the world with optimism, determination, humor and denial. But they all knew what was coming.
The darkness and undying winds clouded Hope's vision as he fell into step beside Sazh. He'd decided a while back to remain beside the pilot, keeping him company while watching out for him as well. He was fine letting Zalera lead the way while Lightning kept her ever watchful eyes sharp and her even sharper blade ready at her side. He found it amusing and sweet as Lightning kept an even keener eye on him than their surroundings. The young man could feel her eyes focus on him every few minutes. The fact that she was sparing the time and thought was heartwarming to say the least.
Of course this vigilance went both ways. Green irises kept their gaze almost firmly locked upon Lightning's back, her form always within an arm's length. He had meant every word spoken to her back in the cave. Every mental declaration. Hope would never let her go. He never wanted to know a day without her presence. The teen knew too well how it felt to have her out of his reach. But even so, he could never imagine a day where she was out of his scope for good.
He would keep going, keep fighting, and keep smiling for her. He would be the best man he could be for Lightning, as he'd set out to be long ago. Though the overwhelming waves of misery never receded. Thoughts of ending things never ebbed away. They wouldn't. Not until their mission was complete and the threat was gone.
He was ever doubtful that that day would come. When everything would be over. Reality was harsh and unyielding, stabbing and slaughtering every hopeful thought and feeling that threatened to emerge. Every step was another leap towards his demise. His soul seemed welcoming to the idea of his end. It wished to see anything outside of the dark, dreary place it was lost in. Anything outside of their current task. It was longing for the simpler days.
Days slaving away on the massive pile of paperwork at his desk while Alyssa pestered him to no end. Nights at NORA with the gang, drinking until they were stupid and laughing until they couldn't breathe. Times with Rygdea when the man would train him and help him with his hopeless form. The fleeting moments with his father when Hope would get a genuine praise and a congratulatory pat on the shoulder.
Anything but this constant worry. Hope couldn't handle any more blood, any more conflict. The deaths at his hands were driving him deeper into a pit of emptiness. The further and further he fell, the less he could see the sun. The longer this war dragged on, the farther away from his future he was.
It was getting harder and harder everyday just to see a future for himself. The dreams and desires he'd had were fading. That marvelous future he had envisioned for himself, for his city, was slipping from his grasp. Only faint traces of his tomorrow remained in his heart.
Instead, all he could see was nothing. The world was a void filled only with death and decay. A war had raged, leaving no one victorious. The two worlds, the floating nest of vipers and the hell below, had finally met as Cocoon was nothing but shattered shards scattered across Pulse's landscape. Crumbled heaps were all that remained of the cities, settlements and villages.
And of the people? Of the fal'Cie? No one remained. No corpses. No souls. Gone like faint whispers in the wind. All life had evaporated into a history never to be told. The fear, the hatred, the rage, all the stifling emotions that had led to such a devastating battle, meaningless. Any dreams or hopes that had fueled the fire, had been fruitless. There was no new world, no savior to rescue the remnants of a dying planet, no Maker to give its children new life. There was no future.
Only nothing...
Hope recoiled at his own thoughts. Nearly purple fingers scratched at the covered brand on his arm. Hatred for his brand still stewed within his being. The bright blue mark only promised a prolonged, torturous death. His leash tethered him to a faceless monster and an undeniable fate.
Gone was his buoyant thoughts and sanguine nature. There was no longer a limitless sky above him. He could only continue to sink into the ocean of despair and the resentment he held towards himself. His brand would continue to drain him of all of his happiness, snatching away all he held dear and stealing away any thoughts of a bright tomorrow.
Hell. He was in hell.
"Cease those useless words, little one. I will not fight beside one who harbors such ill thoughts."
A voice of reason halted his spiraling thoughts. Alexander's disappointed words caused Hope to visibly flinch. Sorry, big guy.
Alexander. The one thing he could thank his brand for. The Eidolon was his savior, his friend. His partner was always there, ready to fight at a moment's call. Hope could sense the being's uneasiness within him and realized just how much his own thoughts could affect Alexander. Hope's eyes clenched shut briefly. He felt deeply ashamed.
"Wars are fought not only on the battlefield, but inside our hearts as well. We must always stay firm and strong. We must never let the enemy conquer us. Never grant them that much power."
Words that had been spoken with such sincerity and strength so long ago, reminded him of just how powerful his connection with Alexander was. Words that had given Hope something to cling to, when the world had felt too dark. Back when he had first met the giant, those words had done well to soothe him. Alexander was just as much a part of this team as the others.
A loud roar from the distance broke the fragile air of silence surrounding the group. A few more responding cries followed, echoing off of the mountain side. The team froze in their haste, listening to the chorus rising from the distance. All that could be seen was the bleary, snow-fogged image of maybe fifty feet before them. But they all knew. By the sounds of it, they were coming across a herd of Behemoth Kings.
"Shit." Zalera's hand flew to her chakram that had been holstered on her back. Her fist tightened around the weapon, though her skin rejected the frozen metal. This had not been a part of the plan. Not at all. She hadn't known.
The roars continued for a good few minutes until they died out into the whispering winds. "T-that sounds like a lot…" stammered Sazh, looking ahead with wide eyes.
Lightning looked to Zalera with a stern eye, a small amount of controlled panic hidden within her icy irises. "That's a Pack." Stomping up to the Pulsian, Lightning switched her blade into gun mode with a snap of her wrist. "You're leading us into Behemoth territory?!"
Jaw tightening, Zalera kept silent, thinking. "It's the migration," she admitted, her voice soft, almost apologetic. "It happens twice a year, but I thought they'd be on the other side of the mountain by now."
"Tch." Lightning turned her head away, her muscles in her arm constricting with fury as she gripped her gunblade impossibly tight. They didn't have time for this. They needed to get out of the mountains. The soldier wasn't even sure if they could handle one Behemoth in their condition, let alone a pack. "By the sounds of it, there's at least seven, too."
"I counted eleven different calls." Zalera's face remained impassive as the others gaped around her. "And that's how many I could hear, the ones that made a responding cry." Letting out a resigned sigh, Zalera rested her weapon back in its straps. "If there's eleven and more, then it's the Alpha pack. There are at least thirty in its family. There's no way we can take them all." Pulsian villages and tribes kept track of the monsters surrounding them on Pulse. It was a way to keep safe and assure that unless you were looking for a fight, you'd be safe from the wild beasts on Pulse's landscape.
Lightning growled, ready to bark at the woman until she felt a calm tug on her wrist. Hope gave her a subtle shake of his head, eyes pleading.
"What do we do then?" inquired the silveret, his hold on the soldier firm as his eyes rested on Zalera's back.
"Nothing, I'm afraid. We have to let them pass."
Hope felt Lightning flinch before she tore herself from his grasp. She was wound too tight as it was, putting their survival on her own shoulders. Her current temperament was understandable, but it wouldn't get them anywhere. "Lightning, please-"
"What's wrong with you?" The Pulsian's calm aura was pissing her off. Did she not understand just what that meant? Anymore waiting could get them all killed. "You lead us into this mess and you don't even care?"
"How long could it take to let them pass?" inquired Sazh, bravely stepping between the two women.
Zalera swallowed, unsure of the whole situation herself. They couldn't wait any longer, but they couldn't just run headlong into a pack of feral beasts. "I can only guess, but judging on their current position, maybe three hours."
"It'll be night then, you realize?" came Lightning's fury filled words, thinly veiled in a cold calmness.
"Isn't there any other route? Why can't we just go around the herd?"
Sazh's questions sparked her own anger, and she felt the words lash out from her throat. "We would have to backtrack to take another route!" Zalera snapped. Did he think she was a moron? Of course she thought everything through. They were stuck, and it was her fault. "Besides, I know no other way. Sure, I have a vague lay of the mountain, but I will not risk getting us lost. And 'go around'?" She gave a gruff scoff in spite. "They'll smell us if we get any closer, you know that. I'm surprised they haven't found our presence already."
Sazh's shoulder's dropped. They really could only wait. As the bellows of the pack sounded once more, the elder swallowed heavily, his hand hovering over his weapon. What if they came towards them? What would they do then? Just sit and wait until they were eaten alive? There was too much at stake. He had a son to save. Being a Behemoth's dinner was going to have to wait.
Hope noticed Sazh's uncertainty. His frozen hand reached out to the man, but just before he could reach his shoulder, a loud screeching sounded from overhead, jolting them all out of their argument.
Lightning's eyes caught sight of a swarm of winged creatures coming toward them. The Cie'th surrounded them in seconds, hardly giving them time to draw their weapons in defense. Yanking out her gunblade, the soldier had just enough time to swipe away a Chonchon's wing attack. Ducking another wing strike, she drove her saber up into the underbelly of the Cie'th, hearing the monster give a guttural groan before falling to the ground.
Sazh swiftly drew out his pistols, firing quickly at any of the winged creatures that came his way. The Chonchons were irritatingly adept at avoiding the bullets, but Sazh had been perfecting his marksmanship skills over the years. Hitting a moving target was child's play, no matter how fast they could dodge.
Barring the winged Cie'th from tearing into his flesh, Hope's gunblade sat firmly between its teeth. Hope pushed back against the monster, causing it to sway in the air before coming back at him. Hope waited, his gunblade ready. Just as it opened its dark chasm of a mouth, ready to eat its meal, Hope stabbed his blade into the Chonchon's mouth and through its throat. It let out a horrid, choked howl before crashing down onto the floor.
Hope sharply inhaled as another came at him. He held up his weapon defensively, blocking a slew of deadly wing strikes. It attacked mercilessly, its sharp wings clanging against Hope's saber threateningly. The sheer power behind each strike bore down on Hope, causing him to sink into the snow and almost causing him to slip. "Enough!" he yelled after being pushed back quite a ways by the beast. The palm of the teen's hand heated up instantly, a raging fire soon fleeing from his fingertips and into the relentless Cie'th's chest.
Zalera grunted as the sharp curve of a wing sliced against the side of her thigh. The Cie'th's attack had given her a small split second opening and she took it, stabbing down in between the monster's wings. Ripping down the back of the Chonchon, Zalera watched its body spasm, an exceptionally large screech emanating from it. She cringed at the gash in her leg, but didn't give it any more thought.
"Can we get the hell off this mountain now?!"
Zalera's brows furrowed as she heard Sazh's cries come from above her head. Looking up, her eyes widened as she watched the pilot being carried away, the back of the collar of his jacket in a Chonchon's mouth. Sazh was attempting to aim at the Cie'th's wings, but they were out of range in his position. The sight would have been comical had this not been a dire situation. She took aim with her chakram and let her weapon free. It caught purchase in the monster's left wing. On impact, the bird-like creature dropped Sazh, the man crying out on his way down.
He face planted into the snow, his shout cut short. Picking himself up, he shook himself off and caught his breath. He really didn't like these mountains. "Damn Cie'th."
"You alright?" Zalera came up to him, checking on the man. That hadn't been too far of a fall, but it was all in the landing. Sazh nodded, his hand tiredly waving her off.
A large blast caught her attention next as Zalera watched Hope deliver a powerful thundaga to a few other winged beasts. "How many are there?" The question slipped from her lips just before she felt a searing pain ripple throughout her body. Her remaining chakram slipped from her fingers' grasp as her body seized up. Knees buckling, she fell to the snow, her head spinning. A loud cry tore from her throat as she felt intense agony in her limbs.
Sazh felt it too. His whole body convulsed almost as soon as he hit the snow. He could see Zalera beside him, hear her cries, but he couldn't truly register anything outside of the sheer pain running throughout his body. The throbbing seemed to slip deep into his bones, even pulsing in his veins.
Hope and Lightning both stopped momentarily in their fighting, hearing their comrades shouts and sobs of anguish. Catching sight of the two incapacitated, they ran to Zalera's and Sazh's aid.
Two Chonchons were heading straight for the vulnerable prey, but Lightning intercepted them easily, guarding her friends. The woman was momentarily caught off guard as the blade of her weapon began to emanate a rich orange glow. A snake of fire wrapped around her gunblade until a spark ignited at its central ridge, flames surrounding its entirety. An enflame spell, for sure. Lightning glanced back at Hope briefly, nodding at him in approval and gratitude. She turned back to the winged Cie'th, ready for action.
Hope came over to Sazh, kneeling next to the writhing man. Recognizing his anguish as the infliction of a pain spell, the young director made quick work of summoning up an esunada to counter it. Hope drew the healing magic from deep within his core, hoping to eliminate Sazh's and Zalera's disabilities fast. It had been a long while since he'd used such a strong healing agent to remove a status ailment, but the silveret found that such things were second nature to him. After all, he had always been the best medic of the team.
With a jolt to her system, Zalera felt the effect almost instantly. The raging burning in her blood, the exceptional ache in her bones and skull, the constricting grip on her heart, it all ceased, though the echoes of the pain remained. Slowly, she gathered herself and sat up, trembling in the spell's aftereffects. She gripped her lone chakram, the other still embedded in the fallen Chonchon a few feet away.
Sazh felt Hope's grip on his shoulder and he flinched, his body wary and sensitive to the touch.
"It's just me. You guy's okay? Sorry it took me so long." His eyes took in the shape of his friends, a frown on his features. He watched Zalera heave herself up, her stance shaky. Words were on the tip of his tongue, but they would have to wait. A guttural groan sounded from above them and Hope found himself having to defend his teammates while they collected themselves.
Zalera sucked in a breath, shoving the lasting remnants of the spell from her mind and ran for her other chakram. The second her weapon had slipped back into her eager hand, Zalera threw it with all of her anger, aiming for the heart of a monster. She wasn't going to let such minuscule beasts as Cie'th best her. It wasn't her time to die. She had a world to save. She couldn't redeem her lifetime of mistakes if she was dead. The Cie'th attempted to deflect the chakram with an aero spell, but because of its aerodynamic circular shape, it wasn't an easy weapon to send off course. It sank deep into the beast's chest, staggering it greatly.
Sazh then drew himself up, shooting at Zalera's enemy. Two shots brought it down, ending it for good, but more Chonchons were waiting to take its place.
Lightning allowed her flame infused sword to tear through the wing of one of the monsters. She pulled her gunblade away and watched as the Cie'th attempted to still fly, but it failed. It came to the ground with a thud and a shriek. It thrashed for a few moments, black blood seeping heavily from the wounds, before Lightning shot into its head with a fiery bullet.
Turning away from the beast, Lightning was then swept up by a blast of wind. She flew through the air, landing a good hundred feet from her original position. The landing was harsh and she gave a loud shout at the impact. A couple breathless coughs forced themselves from her, the icy snow sticking to her face as she drew it from the ground. Her iced over bangs fringed out in her vision as she blearily looked towards her comrades. Shaking her head, she tried to dispel the dizziness, hoping to find her equilibrium. Just as she was about to get up, the ground began to shift beneath her. Before Lightning knew it, it was caving in.
Lightning struggled to keep herself up as the snow and earth gave out from under her. Clutching onto the snow covered ground, Lightning looked down momentarily to stare into a small, but very deep hole that was just waiting to swallow her up. Her heart thudded in her chest as she imagined the fall, knowing that most likely she would not have survived. With a huff, she turned her gaze away and back to her team. They were all still fighting, unaware of her absence. She had to get back into the game.
Using her upper body muscles, the soldier began to pull herself out of her dangerous, dangling situation. You can do this, Farron. Lightning didn't need anyone to help her. To save her. She never did. Lightning didn't rely on people, she relied on herself, on her own strength. If that wasn't enough, then she figured that she wasn't good enough to survive anyway.
She stood and looked back at the hole wearily. What could have caused that? The hole was old and had most likely been covered with ice and snow before her fall had broken through it.
Freeing her thoughts from it for the time being, Lightning turned her attention back to the battle, seeing Sazh and Zalera fighting at opposite ends of the battlefield. Hope was in the middle. She watched as the young man swiftly switched his weapon's modes, a light chill rising from the blade. It was encased in a crystal-esque ice, enfrost having been used. Hope stabbed into one of his enemies, the monster freezing into an icy statue in the impressively aggressive spell's haste. Using a heavy gravity spell, Hope launched the monster into two others, skewering them onto the frozen Chonchon's wing. All three came down to the ground, a puff of snow coming up in their wake.
Lightning smirked. Hope had definitely changed over the years. The deep, inspiring conviction and resilience of his early youth still remained, but he was almost overwhelmingly stronger, his experience and skill shining in his battle. She could watch him fight for hours, marveling at his growth. This new grace and power captivated her. She wasn't his mentor anymore. He didn't need one
Coming to out of her musings, Lightning mentally cursed. What are you doing to me, Hope? She couldn't keep standing there. They had a fight to finish.
Giving him backup, Lightning came up beside Hope, helping him take on some of the last straggling members of the Chonchon swarm. They battled in sync, fighting in a harmony previously unknown to her. She'd never fought so well beside another soldier in her life. It instantly brought her back to her l'Cie days when they all would gather themselves into an arranged technique, balancing themselves and their powers to the current fight. It was amazing how easy it was to fight together with him, even when she had no god-like powers to speak of. Usually, fighting alongside others slowed her down. Now she was realizing that she didn't mind.
When the fighting was over and the Cie'th had been slain, they all took a collective breath. Hope turned to Lightning, sheathing his gunblade as he frowned bitterly at the bodies of the winged creatures. "Thanks for jumping in. I was getting a little overpowered by the mass of them."
She gave a slight shrug. "Not like you needed the help," she replied nonchalantly, a hint of pride and respect in her tone.
A wide grin surfaced on his face before it morphed into a pain filled grimace. Hope hunched over the ground, his hand gripping into the fabric of the clothing covering his chest. Instantly drained from battle, Hope felt as if his strength had been zapped out of him in mere moments. He'd drawn too much power too quickly. He really needed to get used to his new brand. It wasn't like his old one. It was like it demanded more power, forcing him to use more of his strength than necessary when using his magic.
The feeling eased quickly, having not even lasted a full minute. He could feel Lightning's hand on his back and her piercing gaze boring into him. Pulling away, Hope simply shook his head and waved her coming worry-filled questions off. "This brand..." He slid up his sleeve, exposing the mark. His eyes wearily traced over its pattern, seeing nothing different than usual. "I can conjure up stronger magic, but it eats away at me a little more."
Lightning didn't like the sound of that at all. His brand was supposed to make him stronger, not weaker. "Then you should be careful." She wanted to tell him to stop, that he should quit using the brand if it was going to cause such effects, but she couldn't. They needed his powers if they were going to complete the mission. If they were going to survive.
This incident did cause a question to form in her mind, however. If the brand continued to gain more power, would it continue to eat away at him until there was nothing left?
Were they slowly killing Hope?
Hope gave her troubled expression a tired, gentle smile and slipped her hand in his, bringing the back of it to his lips. His eyes then glanced back to the mountain, his look wistful. "I wish we could be home right now." Hope's brow scrunched up in sorrow and remorse. The reality, that they didn't really have a home to turn to, was almost too much to bear. Whether it be Academia or Cocoon, their homes had been stolen away from them. But as Lightning's grip on his hand tightened, the young man realized that his wish was unnecessary. His family was his home. Even if he was tirelessly fighting relentless beasts on that frozen mountain, he was with his family. He was home.
"Well, if that wasn't a party and a half," commented Zalera.
Hope laughed lightly, loosening his hand from Lightning as Zalera joined their side. He knew how much Lightning despised open displays of affection, even the innocence of simple hand holding. "Where's Sazh?"
All eyes darted around, expecting to find their worn out elder walking their way, but he was nowhere to be seen. Lightning muttered an expletive as she visibly searched for the man. Her temper couldn't handle a disappearing act along with all of the rest of the shit she'd put up with that day.
"He didn't get dragged off by one of those irritating bats again, did he?" Zalera's question had a lilt of amusement in it, but it was also etched with worry. She had a nagging feeling that the Behemoths and Chonchons were just the beginning.
"Sazh!" called Hope, his hands circling around his mouth to amplify the sound. Nothing returned the call except the roaring winds. His head whipped around, his gaze desperately seeking out the form of the pilot. He wasn't anywhere. "We gotta find him."
The group split up, covering the ground of their battle. They searched the snow, around and beneath the bodies of the dead Cie'th, anywhere in the vicinity. The man had yet to appear.
Lightning's heart jumped into her throat as she caught sight of snow covered metal. Sazh's gun laid forgotten in the snow. It was nowhere near its owner, though it was right next to a hole that could have been a cloned copy of the one she had almost fallen into before. No... The roseate stared down into the hollow, narrowing her eyes at its intense depth. She couldn't see an end to it. If that was indeed where their friend fell... she didn't want to go there.
The soldier called out to her remaining friends, her eyes still stuck to the hole before her. Sazh was down there. She could feel it.
"Did you-" Hope's question died out as he caught sight of the weapon in her hold and the opening in the earth in front of her. "No, you can't mean..." Lightning's blank expression said it all. "Sazh!" Hope's shout echoed down the hole as he leaned directly over it.
Zalera's face paled. This was her biggest fear. Losing those that were closest to her. Hope kept calling and crying into the hollow, no answer returning. She watched the tears well up in his eyes as he shook his head, disbelief inside his vulnerable orbs. Lightning's expression was calm, but she could see the ache lying in wait.
"What is this?" inquired Lightning softly.
Zalera could only guess, but she suspected that it was a burrow. She knew little of the monsters that lived far beneath their feet, those indigenous and only found within the Argodian mountains. "I think it's a borehole… created by some of the creatures of the mountain." Her throat grew dry at the sight of its depth.
"How deep are they usually?"
"I don't know. They tunnel all throughout these mountains."
Lightning's jaw clenched. "Are they hostile?"
"Hostile enough." They were like any other monster of Pulse. The only difference was that they kept to themselves in their little dens, only attacking those that ventured into their territory.
Lightning drew a glow stick from her pack, cracking it in her palm. Without a word, she dropped it down the hole. The green light fell into the dark depths until they could no longer see it. Her heart sank as she lost sight of it.
"I'm getting him." Hope began to scramble, pulling himself closer to the edge, his legs dangling over the drop.
Immediately pulling him back, Lightning tugged him away as far as she could before he yanked himself from her grasp. "I'm not letting you die, too."
The words stabbed into his being. Too? Had she already given up hope on Sazh? The man was their glue. He kept all of their flaring tempers and emotional lash outs at bay. He made sure to stay upbeat and humorous just to keep their spirits up. Sazh had been there through everything. Hope wasn't going to accept this loss. Not this one.
"We're not completely sure he's in there and..." Zalera spoke grimly, her body rigid with distress. "I doubt he would have survived the fall if he is."
The implications of that statement did nothing to sway his resolve. He was finding Sazh. Stepping resolutely towards the burrow, Hope attempted to continue on his way. Lightning pushed past him, staring back into the depths, looking as if she was quickly pondering something.
The hole looked old. It had to have been made quite a while back, but... The dirt walls that she could see were frozen and appeared to be well packed in. The chances of it keeping hold and not caving in were good.
"Keep him up here, Zalera." Lightning sifted through the contents of her pouch before tossing something into the elder woman's hands. "Give me a half hour. If I'm not out by then, use that to get down. Hope knows how to use it."
"You're going down there?" Zalera questioned incredulously.
Hope shook his head, snatching the object from the shocked Pulsian's hands. "No way. You can't do this, Lightning. You can't stop me from going and then just plunge in there yourself. When are you going to stop treating me like a child?"
Lightning rolled her eyes and fixed the man with a callous stare. She was fed up with this conversation. She didn't still see him as a kid. His growth had been solidified in her mind ages ago. Dating him wouldn't have even been an option had she still viewed him as her fourteen year old underling. "Don't be ridiculous, Hope. I'm going to scout for Sazh first. I only have one single serve Grav-Con. Last I checked, I have much more experience with gravity tech than you do. Besides, if we all go in at once, it'll be easier for whatever's down there to sense us."
Lightning snapped her fingers, the feeling of the AMP's electrical waves sending shivers along her spine. "I'd much rather you all carry on if I don't make it out within the next thirty minutes, but I'm not delusional. I know you'll come for me." Her eyes met Hope's and she prayed to the Maker that he couldn't see the vulnerability that she knew was lying in her eyes. He cared so much for her. She knew it. He cared enough to throw himself down a hole to rescue her. She was at least going to make sure that his landing would be soft and that he wouldn't be going on a complete suicide mission. "That gravity bomb will stop your fall."
Not sparing another second, Lightning leapt down into the borehole, the electric barrier surrounding her form. She kept her eyes focused before her, watching the hollow's walls whip past her. The journey took a while before there was a turn. Swiftly raising her hand, Lightning slowed her Grav-Con's propulsion so she could direct herself into the turn easier. She slid out of the hole immediately following the change of course, the unit catching her fall as she came upon a large passageway within the mountain.
Snapping her fingers again, the young woman shut down the AMP, conserving its energy. Her glow stick sat at the base of the hole, the only light within the otherwise pitch black area. Lightning slipped her hand into her pouch, deftly procuring her flashlight from it before switching it on. Looking into the hole, she could see the sudden turn the burrow took. If someone were to fall down it, they most certainly would have died there. So, since Sazh's body isn't here, he's either not down here, didn't die when he fell, or... She could feel the grimace pinching her face. Something carried him off.
Lightning left the glow stick where it was, knowing that she would need to find the specific hole after she was done traipsing around in the monsters' den. Using her flashlight, she cautiously took in her new surroundings. The hollow passageway was considerably bigger than the hole she had come through. By the size of it, it was made for something much more massive than whatever creature had made the burrow, or possibly made for a large mass of monsters to scurry through. Or both. That doesn't really improve my optimistic outlook on this little side mission.
The dirt walls were frozen, but slightly damp with a small buildup of condensation. It was frigid, though the temperature was still more favorable than up above. Lightning took in a small breath, immediately regretting it afterwards. Restraining a gag, the soldier steeled herself. Although the scents characteristic of such a place were expected, such as must and dirt, there was a very strong odor that had blindsided her.
The entire place reeked of death and fresh blood. I should have expected this. But... not this strong... She was in a monster's home, after all. They had to feed too. And from what I've seen of monsters in general, they aren't very delicate when eating. Holding her gloved hand beneath her nose, Lightning began breathing only through her mouth.
Swallowing back the bile forming in her throat, Lightning pressed on. Just... Maker, tell me that isn't Sazh. Focusing her mind, she trudged on in search of her friend. She had a limited time to find Sazh. Not only could he still be alive, he could be in incredible danger. But she also had to think of Zalera and Hope. She most definitely didn't want them down with her. She had to be quick to make it back out before her half hour was up. If she didn't locate Sazh by then, then she would leave him.
A ways down, Lightning came upon a small cave. With her hand ready on her blade, she slowly guided her flashlight in. The cave was empty. Of anything alive, anyway. To her immense displeasure it was full of bones and lasting remnants of carcasses. Her azure irises scanned over all of the remains, careful to look for any detail that could pertain to her search. A quick assessment told her that all of the remains in sight were of monsters. Ready to carry on, she was stopped by the minute sound of claws scraping in the dirt. One of the mountain's critters was coming towards her.
Lightning swiftly shut off her flashlight with an imperceptible click and ducked into the little gore-filled room, masking her presence with the darkness. She waited for the creature to pass, not allowing herself to think of the squishing bodies under her boots or the sharp bones biting into her skin. Closing her eyes, the soldier listened to it, building a profile of the monster in her mind. One stride held six perceptible steps, claws scratching against the dirt with each step. Something much like a tail seemed to sway along in the dirt behind it. A light hiss sounded from it as well, the noise bouncing around the cavern's walls.
Though she kept her muscles locked and her body still, she couldn't help it as her boot slid in some of the gore she was hiding in. A loud squelch came in return, along with a queasy feeling in her gut. The monster stopped, its hissing hitching for a brief second. Waiting and listening for any further disturbance, the monster made no move. Just keep moving on. It then changed course and Lightning held her breath as she heard it come closer.
Sniffing. That was the next thing she heard, and it was almost right next to her ear. The creature began sniffing inside the cave, attempting to ferret out what had made the noise. The soldier was up against the wall of the small cave, still out of sight, but the being's nose couldn't have been more than five or six feet away. Each sniff was sharp in the soldier's ear, cutting deeply into the calm she was attempting to hold onto. Lightning kept her hand tightly wrapped around the hilt of her gunblade, ready to attack if it caught her presence. She'd have to end it quickly with her blade. A bullet would be far too loud and most assuredly attract even more unwanted attention. Its hissing began again, this time sounding much more feral. Lightning readied herself to strike.
But then it quieted. The monster turned away, slowly slinking off down the underground corridors. She didn't allow an inch of movement nor a single breath until the critter was out of earshot.
When the silence reigned once again, she heaved in some quick breaths, drinking in the air into her lungs. Cursing the muck that had almost given away her position, Lightning made her way back out into the underground chamber. Deciding that risking exposure and a tussle with one of the beasts wasn't worth it, she carried on in the opposite direction of the foul thing.
She had to find Sazh. She had to. Just imagining that creature tearing into the man sent her into overdrive. If any of them had harmed him, then Lightning would take them all out.
Zalera remained on guard, vigilant, keeping her ears open for the location of the Behemoths and her eyes peeled for any more on coming enemies. They weren't going to be snuck up on again. The woman did occasionally allow her eyes to glance at Hope, the man sitting rigidly at the edge of the burrow, his gaze never leaving its depths. "Have faith in your girl."
"I do," snapped Hope in a barbed tone. It was the first words he'd spoken since Lightning dove underground. He waited impatiently, anxiously, the fingers of his right hand wound achingly tight around the hilt of his blade. His other hand gripped the rim around the deep hole. Emerald eyes taking on a deep intensity, they remained dedicated to their spot, trained for any sight of pink that may arise from the darkness. He was beyond irritated and restless.
His anger was mostly directed at himself. How could I have let him slip away so easily? I'm supposed to watch out for them. For my family. If I'm supposed to be so fucking powerful, how come I can't ever protect the ones I care for? Biting his lip in vexation, Hope could only pray to the very beings that had bestowed him and his comrades with such a fate. He abhorred this. Waiting. He wanted to be down there, finding his friend and decimating any creature that dared to get in his way. But, once again, he'd been stopped and another was sent to take his place. Because he wasn't strong enough. Because he wasn't skilled enough. Or, the reason that pissed him off the most, because he was too important.
How was his life any more important than the lives of his soldiers or his people? Why was he the only invaluable soul that couldn't be spared? He wanted to lead his people not only from behind his cozy desk, but also on the front lines. Yet no one would let him.
Here he was, yet again letting another take on the responsibility. And it was none other than Lightning, the woman he loved, holding his burdens. All he wanted for the woman was a calm, peaceful life. The life she deserved after all of the battles. She'd selflessly sacrificed herself enough. She'd given up enough for Serah. He wasn't going to have her give up anything more for him.
I do trust you, Light. I know you can protect yourself. I know that better than anyone. She had always been on the front lines with Snow and Fang, taking most of the hits and defending him, Sazh and Vanille. The woman never walked away from a battle, always stood her ground, and did it with pride. You're the strongest person I know. But is it so wrong to want to protect you as you protect me? To want to fight with you? You don't have to fight alone. Not anymore.
"Please, come back to me in one piece, Light." Hope let the minutes tick by, restraining himself from going down early. "I trust you..."
The quiet air left Lightning with goose bumps as she crept around the corridors. An indescribable aura hung over her head. Almost haunting, in a way. As if the ghosts of the eaten monsters clung to the walls, eternally damned to the dens of the very creatures that had so gruesomely ended their lives. Was that to be Sazh's fate?
Lightning shook off the unwanted thoughts. Letting her mind go there didn't help. She needed to focus on her search. She could worry about the consequences of not finding him later. Her time was running out. She hadn't come across another mountain critter yet, though she was certain that that wasn't the last that she would see of them. Every time she turned a corner or peeped into another cavern, she was ready for one to be there.
Coming up ahead of her was another, much larger, cave off to her right side. She took a moment, calming her restless thoughts and tensing up her muscles before peering cautiously inside. Her flashlight slowly slid in, illuminating the room, for otherwise, the den sat in darkness as the rest of the tunnels did.
Lightning's eyes widened as her light hit one of the monsters. She quickly jolted back, her light now off. When a minute passed and no noise or noticeable movement could be detected, she warily turned her light back on and flashed it over the creature. It lay there on its back, paws up and in the air, twitching slightly. Its eyes were closed, its jaw in a gape as a small, growlish snore erupted from its throat.
It was asleep. It seems she'd caught a break. Lightning allowed her flashlight to linger on the beast, keeping the light out of its eyes. The monster was no bigger than the pup of a Lobo. It had grey fur, except on its back where a large, dull black shell rested. Six small legs held large paws with small, yet very sharp claws. A long furry tail laid limply on the ground. A particularly loud grumble caused Lightning to look once again at its mouth where very jagged and uninviting teeth waited. Its snout stuck out quite a bit, its nose ending in a point. In her mind's eye, she could see just how close she had been to the other mountain animal's nose. She was amazed she'd gotten away undetected.
Drawing her light away, another noise came from the other side of the room. As she went to search its owner out, she saw just how many monsters she'd stumbled upon. Nearly twenty monsters lay around the room, all in some form and depth of slumber. Thank the Maker for small miracles.
Her gaze caught one detail that caused a shiver to run up her spine. In the center of the pack were a couple large carcasses of Chonchons. Well, I guess we know who preys on who around here... The beasts' mouths and claws were covered in blood, presumably of the fallen birds. Some of them seemed coated in it, as if they had rolled around in the stuff. And if I don't get my ass out of here, it's going to be me that their covered in next.
Lightning went to turn away, set to continue on further, before a harsh whisper caught her attention.
"Hey! 'Someone there? Help me, please?!"
The urgent call sparked some recognition within the eldest Farron's mind and she whirled around, her light flashing in the direction of the plea. Holy shit... It was Sazh. The man was still alive. She had hoped for this outcome, but she had been sure that she would find him dead, or not at all. "Sazh?" she hissed.
"Lightning?"
Sazh laid beside two other monsters, Chonchons as well. One was dead, the other still hanging on, though it wouldn't last much longer with the gash across its chest. The three of them were in the corner of the den, past all of the monsters.
Apprehension gripped her limbs as her eyes took in the rest of the room around the pilot. All self-preserving thoughts left behind, Lightning forced herself forward. Silently and confidently she made her way carefully around the monsters. Around the corpses and bones. Her eyes held onto Sazh's terrified ones, making sure he knew, without doubt, that she was getting him out of there.
Sazh felt immense relief fill his quivering body. He'd been laying there awake for the past ten minutes, trying to find a way to get up and out of his position. With his busted leg, he'd almost lost hope, but a light began to glow in his room, like an angelic sign letting him know he wasn't alone, ready to guide him out. But it hadn't been divine intervention. It was Lightning. How she had been able to find him, he didn't frankly care. He was beyond ready to leave the horrifying place those creatures called a home. Sazh had listened to them tear into the Chonchons. They had ripped into the shrieking Cie'th with delight, some so excited that they had literally bounced and rolled in the blood and remains of their feast, or so he assumed from the sounds.
That wasn't going to be him next.
Lightning came to his side, her foot taking one last step out of the danger zone and over the belly of the enemy. "Are you hurt?"
Would I still be lying here otherwise? Sazh nodded, gesturing to his now very bum limb. "My leg," he croaked. He attempted to shift, a roaring pain then shooting through his body. Clenching his teeth, he stifled his agony filled cry. Worn hands fisted against the ground as he continued to get up. He had to bear the pain and get out. He didn't want to die. He couldn't. How would Dajh survive without him? Sazh couldn't bear the thought of his son waking up to find him gone.
Lightning stopped the persistent man and shoved a bottle into his hands. It was her last potion and not a very strong one, but it would have to do until they got to Hope. Using her light, she turned to look at the man's leg. It looked excruciatingly painful. Claws had torn through the pants of his right leg and into the awaiting skin and muscle. Blood covered most of the wounds, burying most of the severe trauma from sight.
Sazh drank the potion swiftly, allowing the tonic to hastily flow into his system, repairing and regrowing a minimal amount of his shredded flesh and ripped apart veins. The pain that it eased was only slight, but still significant enough. He winced as Lightning hefted him up, his arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist. Most of his weight was placed on the soldier, but she only grunted in complaint.
Lightning handed him the flashlight so she could focus on getting him upright. She was aware of every unintentional and reflexive sound they emitted. It was unfortunate, but necessary. With Sazh's serious injury, she was surprised at how quiet he was while being jostled around.
The light crept over the room again, this time by Sazh's control. It was shaky, but he could hardly steady his hand as the trembling wracked his frame. There were so many. He'd known that there were a lot as he'd listened to them all, but he had tried not to imagine any of it. Every one of the monsters had quieted and calmed dramatically after their meal. He'd expected them to go for him next, but instead, he'd begun hearing snores.
They were everywhere around the small room. Sazh couldn't see an easy pathway in sight. How was he supposed to get through? Hop over them all? He could hardly walk, let alone jump. A quick glimpse of the soldier's perturbed face told him she was thinking the same thing.
Sazh tried unsuccessfully to put his weight onto his leg again. He had to do it. He had to get out of there. All it did was send a jolt of searing pain through his limb. Remorse and sorrow watered his eyes as he thought about the woman who'd come for him, the woman that was trying desperately to get him out. Sazh considered his options. He wouldn't be able to maneuver around the beasts laying at their feet. Not with enough grace to keep them in their slumber.
He had to think seriously for a long moment. Was it right? Should he put his life above the soldier next to him? The chances of him getting out were slim. But Lightning could still make it. Her experienced and limber form could make it out before he'd even made the first move.
If she stayed with him, futilely trying to get him out, they would both get caught and they would both die. He couldn't let Lightning die for him. She had an entire life ahead of her. A life to live with Hope. And Hope would take care of Dajh. They'd already talked about it once before.
Lightning sensed his hesitancy and didn't allow his sacrificial thoughts to take root. "I'm not leaving you," she breathed, heaving his body up even more onto hers. She would leave no room for argument.
Before Sazh could respond, the dying Chonchon let out some last defiant shrieks, its body writhing as its wings scraped dreadfully against the dirt. And like that, the room began to stir. The once content and slumbering monsters began to rise, their teeth bearing in the wake of the sounds and in the bright, harsh light.
Lightning leant Sazh onto the wall and whipped out her gunblade, her body remaining protectively in front of the man. Sazh warily reached for his lone pistol, holding it in his unoccupied hand. "You got anything other than your gun, Sazh?"
He shook his head, knowing what she was getting at. She didn't want to draw in even more creatures with the ruckus. "You can still leave. I'll hold them off," he offered, strong determination in his eyes.
"Not a chance." She sent a smirk over her shoulder. She wasn't leaving the man to be mauled. He meant too much to her to leave him behind under any circumstances.
One beast lunged at her, its teeth primed to claim her. Lightning slashed at it with her blade, only for her weapon to clang against the creature's shell as it ducked. It curled up into a ball then, its body encased in the hard cover as it rolled towards her. Dodging the monster, Lightning fended off another attack by another set of teeth. Shots sounded, resounding throughout the tunnels.
The critter fell dead as smoke rose from Sazh's barrel. "I guess we'll be livening up the joint then." The creatures screeched and howled in the wake of their kin's fall. All then scrambled up from their positions and joined the fight, snarling and striking at the attackers in a frenzy.
They let the passage of time sink into the backdrop until Lightning's requested thirty minutes crept by. Both were incredibly antsy to get their teammates back and their hearts were practically thundering in tandem as they waited. It'd been long enough. Hope seized the resting gravity bomb from its temporary place in the snow.
"At least this saves us the trouble of finding an alternate route where we wouldn't get detected by the herd." Hope's brow crinkled in confusion as she came up to his side. "Didn't you notice?" Zalera's narrowed gaze returned to where they'd last heard from the pack. "They're getting closer. Even if Sazh hadn't gone missing, we wouldn't have survived up here. I think our only option is down."
Hope's stare turned cold as he looked up to the Pulsian. "But we'd all still be together. We'd be able to make the decision together, had this not happened." Hope turned to the device in his hands, his finger hovering over its switch. "What if we don't find him? What if we don't find either of them? What if they're..." The word sat in his throat like a rock, choking him and watering his eyes. A tense hand landed on his shoulder, but he didn't let its owner speak. "No, we have to find them."
Zalera faced him, their gazes locking as a strained smile surfaced upon her features. "Lightning doesn't die. She has her own brand of immortality. As for Sazh...We won't lose him." The woman nodded, assuring herself as much as the teen beside her. "We can't lose our pops, can we?"
Hope couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled up from his chest. He gave her a genuine smile, extremely happy to have Zalera at his side. He'd never regret befriending the woman. She completed their team well.
With a deep breath, Hope activated the tech and dropped it down the hole. He waited a few moments, making sure it would have enough time to hit the ground before he would. "Wait two minutes, just to make sure that we don't land on top of each other."
She barked out a laugh, envisioning how that would play out. "Alright, let's go rescue their sorry asses."
Unable to contain himself any longer, Hope jumped, leaving the howling winds and icy flakes behind him. He had a family to pull back together.