A/N: I recently received a message from a very infuriating reader that if my story was anymore 'explicit in its violence or intimacy', they were going to report me. So, in order to protect ASF, as well as my other stories, I will be copying this over to my new AO3 account over the coming weeks. If my fanfics or my account disappear at any time, don't worry. My works will be on AO3 shortly. As long as I am not reported, FFN will still be my main host site. Honestly, why anyone would go to such lengths to eliminate my story is beyond me.
Hope you like and review please :)
Reviews:
Deflow (2) - Yup, five. It was more around eleven hours in the kitchen, but I really enjoy baking so it was fun... if not a little exhausting. And thanks for the story share. I'll have to check it out.
Daaku Urufu - Thank you. And sorry for the cliffhangers. I can't help it. Leaving a chapter off in a suspenseful moment, even in a small way, leaves me sort of hanging too. It just makes me want to write the next chapter faster. Even if I know what happens next, it's still thrilling. I don't know. I'm weird like that.
Guest - I'd like to... eventually...
Ivonnebagel12 - I really want to add more of the game feel in the story now that I can and now that they're out on Pulse. I tried to piece together a very thorough fight scene with a lot of the game's elements, while still showing the true effects the battle would have on the characters. It was... tiring. I had to research the monsters and some of the magic spells to keep it all legit. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. More action is definitely coming up. Can't have it be too easy on our little family, now can we? And, God, no. Can't lose Sazh... Can't have that... Maybe... And trust me, I'd love to give Lightning her powers, though I stand by what I previously said. It's not the right time. I'm never one that likes to make things too convenient for my characters. But possibly in the future... perhaps.
KingZDj (2) - Nope. Still alive and kicking. As far as I'm aware...
LightPhantom742 - Thanks. Everyone was getting back into action last chapter and out of the slumps of the previous chapters, for the most part anyway, so it was a nice chapter to write as well. Glad you enjoyed it.
Snoerah - That would be nice, but there's still a long road ahead of them. A happy ending will have to wait.
Revised: March 2016
The fight was a blur of teeth, claws, howling and yelling. Darkness and the surroundings allied with the mountain dwellers, allowing them to get ahead in the battle. Lightning didn't allow this to deter her, however. Her instincts were ready and roaring, assuring her with quick reflexes and ease of movement. Sight was lost for the most part. Since Sazh had also been swept up in the crazed brawl, the light was going this way and that, aiding him, but only distracting her. So she shut it out, letting her other senses guide her.
She wasn't faring badly. A few nips and claw scrapes were her only wounds whereas she'd managed to take out much of the beast family's number. Every swipe of her blade and every shot of her gun managed to hit some piece of her target and that was all she could really ask for in such circumstances.
Her mind was clear of all outside interference, all nonsense that could distract her from her battle. She didn't let her thoughts stray from landing another hit or dodging another blow. The only thing she let herself think about was survival. Her concentration was held solely by the decimation of the still unknown creatures she was fighting, and the injured man fighting beside her.
One last howl rang in her ears as the mountain pup collided with the ground, its body producing no further movement. With the ending of the cave dwellers came a few, very precious moments of peace. Lightning allowed her guard to lower, her hand loosening from its firm, iron grip around her weapon and her tense stance relaxing as she leaned against the wall for brief support.
"That could have gone... better," sputtered Sazh before he too came to the ground, the flashlight slipping from his fingertips and rolling away in the dirt. His leg had finally given out. Leaving was already going to be a trial. And now he had new wounds that hindered their escape even more.
Swiftly, Lightning hurried to his side. "Sazh, you-"
"No." The man's strained voice was steely and stern. There was no way he was getting out of the caverns. If this was to be his end, he wasn't getting Lightning killed too. "You gotta go. Now. If you stay here, we're both dead."
Her left eye twitched irritably at the pilot's command. Apparently he hadn't heard her earlier. "I said-"
"And I said-"
"Dammit, Sazh, I will knock you out and drag your ass out of this hell hole if I have to. Look at me." Sazh did, seeing only a faded shadow of the woman's wholly serious face in the dim, off focused light. "I'm not leaving you," she ground out as she grabbed his shoulder and forced the man up. "You're important to this team and I'm not letting you be another casualty of that bitch, got it?" She was getting Sazh through this mission and she was going to get him home.
Sazh shook his head at the stubborn brute of a woman, but found that his stamina was already far too weak to endure the simple strain of an argument. With a breathy scoff, he conceded. "Fine, but when we're being feasted on by those ravenous... things, I reserve the right to say I told you so."
Lightning smirked and began making her way toward the exit of the little monster corpse riddled cave. She dragged Sazh along beside her, his boots scraping languidly against the dirt as he tried to help. Their pace was excruciatingly slow, but they were getting somewhere.
The quiet caves and their heavy pants were the only sound until more screeching was heard ahead of them, halting them in their tracks. Lightning's hold strengthened instantly on the man as they stood there, listening to another batch of the mountain monsters making their way towards them. She could feel Sazh's trembling worsen as the cries increased in volume and number. The man wouldn't make it through another battle. Not in his condition. Not this time. He could hardly stand, let alone fight.
"It'll be alright, Lightning. We need to keep moving." Sazh wasn't going to wait and hide until they were spotted. He wasn't a coward. If he was going to die, it was going to be fighting.
Lightning could only agree. They had to try and get out when they could. If there was still any way that they could escape out of there, then they had to take it, even if it meant an ensuing battle in the mix. But intense trepidation instantly rippled under her skin. Her feet would not move. Her muscles ignored her brain's commands to continue forward.
If they engaged in another brawl, Sazh would not make it.
A stream of gunfire mixed in with the howling and snarls, causing the soldier's blood to run cold. A loud explosion rocked the caverns, presumably some semblance of a fire spell. Oh, Etro... Had her time limit already run out? It was a serious possibility considering how much time it had taken to seek out their missing companion and fight off the vicious monsters from consuming their meal.
"Zalera!"
The loud call of the Pulsian's name furthered Lightning's worry and concern. Hope was down in the caves. Hope was fighting those very same beasts that had been a handful even for her.
"I'm fine."
Zalera's pained gasp followed her declaration, only proving otherwise. Lightning's muscles trembled and her fingers twitched, itching to rush out and fight. She needed to go out and protect her comrades. She needed to protect him. But she already had a severely wounded teammate that needed her protection and she had a duty to defend and shield the man should any critters find them.
Lightning had no choice but to wait and trust that Hope could handle himself. She had to put faith in his growth and newfound experience. Hope was indeed older. He was very much stronger. The small quivering boy that she'd once sheltered and guarded no longer needed her coddling or safeguarding. He was now a man that could fight and fight well. Over the years that she'd missed, Hope had trained and fought, gaining the skill and power that he'd once lacked. Hope could protect himself. Hope could fight and protect his friends.
I'll leave this battle to you, Hope.
He was very capable of saving the world. She had to let him fight his own battles. At least, every once in a while. She'd be damned if she was going to abandon her duty to protect him completely. For now, she had to wait. For now, she would let him fight.
I trust you...
Sazh took a small, unsteady step forward, only to be held back by the soldier's unyielding grasp. "Aren't we-" Her expression was schooled, withdrawn of any decipherable emotion. The man was stunned by the fact that she was not rushing to their friends' aid. It was extremely unlike her and he couldn't understand why, of all times, the woman had chosen to freeze up now. Repeatedly, he attempted to move in the battle's direction, but Lightning's pertinacious resistance didn't allow him to slip an inch from her grip.
With further observation, Sazh could see it - the serious strain she was forcing herself to endure. Her jaw was set, teeth clenched, and her dread filled azure orbs stared at the entrance. The fingers that held Sazh's arm like a vice were digging deeply into his muscle. Lightning was doing everything she could to hold back.
The battle seemed to go on for ages, every minute causing an ever increasing sting in her heart. She could hear the resonant metallic sounds of Hope's gunblade and Zalera's chakrams as they met the shielding barriers atop the monsters' backs. Every growl and yelp the creatures made met her ears, along with every grunt and groan of her allies. Hope and Zalera weren't far and the silence of the caves illuminated the sounds of their battle greatly.
Lightning could only imagine the mass that would no doubt be coming for her comrades soon. If she and Sazh could hear the fight with such clarity, then the rest of the mountain's residents could surely hear it as well. It was only a matter of time before more would come to the beasts' aid.
The bodies of those already defeated littered the ground at their feet. Hope had ignited some of their carcasses, the remnants of the critters breathing new life into the flames, illuminating the room and giving the two struggling warriors their sight back.
Zalera's chakram embedded itself into the attacking monster's eye just before the creature could ball itself back up. It fell dead and the green haired woman swiftly yanked her weapon back to her side.
Zalera turned away from her last kill to face another snarling beast. Its slimy nose rose in the air, sniffing rapidly as it eyed her still bleeding thigh hungrily. The beast yearned for a fresh meal of something much rarer than their usual monster meat, but Zalera wasn't willing to be the next main course.
Balling itself up, the creature rolled toward her. Flinging a chakram at the ball, Zalera watched it uselessly strike the shiny black shell. The mountain critter lunged out of its ball as it came to Zalera's waiting form, some of its claws lodging themselves in her side. The paw's nails, now deeply embedded in her abdomen, scraped down her skin. The woman cried out at the strike, finding the pain to be overwhelming.
A long tongue slithered out from between the monster's jagged teeth, soon lapping at the blood that seeped from Zalera's wound. Raising her arm to strike the beast away, Zalera was caught off guard by another rounded creature. It hit from behind, knocking her backwards and over it. Back hitting the ground, the Pulsian tried to immediately scramble up and out of her vulnerable position, but failed as her original attacker - whose claws were still rooted inside her - pounced fully onto her form, keeping her firmly pinned to the ground.
The beast bared its teeth at her, eyes alight with sheer delight at its trapped prey. Blood red irises focused on her throat and a thick vein that slightly protruded through the skin. With a sharp growl, it attacked, teeth rapidly descending toward the awaiting meat.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Zalera swung her chakram before her, protecting herself from the creature's snarling mouth. It's teeth clicked hard against her chakram's spike and she swallowed heavily at the thoughts of those teeth sinking into her flesh. The monster attacked fervently, snapping and biting down onto the offending weapon as its claws ripped against Zalera's abdomen. Cringing, the woman felt the rabid beast's drool drip down onto her face and its saliva spray against her.
It kept at it, attacking and attacking. Zalera was losing strength and her chakram began its own slow decent towards her, the monster's eager eyes widening with each inch it gained.
Desperate fingers clawed the ground beside her. The green haired woman reached towards her other chakram that had previously been knocked out of her grasp, her slender fingers stretching out as far as possible. The lone hand withholding the beast wavered as the nails of her other hand scraped in the dirt until just grazing the metal of her chakram. The critter was getting closer, but so was she. Almost... there...
Cutting off the head of another mountain creature, Hope took note of the large mass of new monsters coming their way. He couldn't let them get any farther. With a flick of his wrist, the young man sent out a dozen small aero cyclones into the approaching herd. It appeared to have no affect against them as they only continued to scurry closer.
Backing up, Hope nearly stumbled over a fallen monster as he cast a libra. Immediately, he was able to see through his enemy almost entirely, their bodies exposed before his eyes like an x-ray. His heightened sight allowed him to see the enemy's every detail internally and outwardly. His knowledge about the creatures automatically increased, their strengths and weaknesses flashing through his mind in an instant. Their greatest vulnerability appeared to be fire.
Bursting out from his fingertips, a firaga flew through the air, immediately clinging onto the spinning tornadoes. The flames fed on the oxygen, soon engulfing the cyclones completely.
A chorus of shrieks and screeches rose from the mass as the fiery tornadoes swept the monsters up, burning them until nothing but charred bones remained. Hope watched their bodies in the blazing show, eyes wide and hands trembling. His instincts had sent him on overdrive, allowing his body to move without thought or command.
Now as he stood, captive to the scene before him, he realized just how deadly he was. The creatures all howled and roared in pain as the flames ate at them. How could I have...
Hope turned away, disgusted at the sight. "Zalera!" he shouted as his eyes swept over what was visible of the rest of the cave. Sweat poured down his back from the exertion and the fire that was rapidly heating up the caverns. He attempted another call, but began choking on the hot smoke around him. With one quick check back, Hope assured himself that all of the oncoming attackers were dead before drawing back his spells. The fires instantly died out, the remaining tornado winds then dispersing into the air.
Pulling up his shirt in front of his mouth, the director searched out his last companion, not seeing her anywhere. As he was about to call out once again, he was struck from the side by another monster.
Hope rolled in the dirt, his body colliding roughly with the wall. Holding his throbbing chest, he glanced up, taking in his newest opponent. One surviving pup stood, its shell charred as a light smoke drifted off of the beast's body. Burns covered most of its exposed skin and blood matted down any remaining singed hair. Although one of its eyes twitched, looking horribly wounded, the other blood filled orb stared sharply into Hope's soul, promising vengeance and a merciless death.
Lip curling, the lone mountain dweller charged at its target. Hope stilled for a moment, seeing the monster come at him with such intense zeal despite its thoroughly wrecked body. The man could only admire the savage beast - its strong avidity and determination - even as it met its end to the gunblade held within his hand.
Nearly collapsing against the wall behind him, Hope stared at the bodies of the defeated, his slightly unfocused gaze regarding every wound he'd inflicted. This shouldn't have had to have happened. You should have been able to continue living on peacefully in your caves... But we weren't giving you Sazh...
His regretful gaze scanned the hall, searching out his teammate once again. Her name was on his lips when a hoarse groan erupted from a creature's body. Scrambling for his gunblade, Hope watched its form shift slightly, the body slowly rising from the dirt. It wasn't until the body was thrown to the side, that Hope realized that it was already dead.
Zalera groaned with the effort it took to topple the dead thing off of her. When she was free of the weight, she began coughing harshly on the smoky air still drifting in the caves. Her hand immediately came shakily to her side as she sat up. Her breathing was shallow and she found it incredibly hard to take in air, but at least she was breathing at all. Her stunned eyes focused on her weapon that was thoroughly lodged in the previously attacking monster.
A relieved smile came to Hope's face as he bolted over to the Pulsian. He'd doubted her for a minute there, but he should have known better. The woman's blank face stared at the creature she'd wrestled off as her remaining chakram stayed clasped tightly in her palm. "Zalera? You can let go now." Hope drew the weapon from her clenched fist and set it beside him on the ground.
The woman made no other movement and didn't even seem to register his existence. Biting his lip, Hope glimpsed her injuries, soon beginning to heal them where they sat. The wounds put up a small struggle. There was a poison laced in the gashes and lacerations that caused his healing spells to falter. It appeared that the creatures had a hidden talent that had gone unnoticed before.
As he continued to fight the poison off and heal Zalera's wounds, he could feel the poison from his own injuries slowly creep into his veins. His marks were mere scratches compared to the Pulsian's battle ailments, so he held off healing himself.
Wincing as she felt Hope's magic sewing her skin back together, Zalera bit the inside of her cheek. This process was always painful. She could remember when she'd first experienced the work of a healer. Back when Yeul's true guardian still lived. The magic was always warm and soothing, caressing gently over the wounds, but the regeneration of skin and veins as they stretched and reconnected, of bones as they joined back together, generally clouded over any comfort the magic first gave. "Thanks," she croaked automatically as the teen finished.
Hope grinned at her, seeing life slowly coming back into her hazy gaze. His mirth was cut short when he heard a loud snort sound from behind him. Spinning around, Hope met a sight that instantly brought even more joy to his features.
"Laying around on the job, huh?" Sazh joked as he clung to a certain soldier's side.
Hope's smile fell as he took in the sight of the man, the venom from his lacerations most assuredly making its way to Sazh's heart. Leaving Zalera to sit and recover, Hope bounded over to the two newcomers, soon taking Sazh off of Lightning's hands. He set the man down against a wall, readying himself to attack the many wounds.
Lightning almost couldn't believe her eyes. Hope was alive and nearly unscathed. The paralyzing fear that had grasped her heart receded as the young man came forward. Such unbearable relief and elation filled her and she couldn't stop herself as she gripped Hope's collar and pulled him in close.
Rough lips captured his in a bruising kiss he hadn't seen coming and he basked in their warmth. Lightning was alive. She had found Sazh and kept herself and the pilot alive. His happiness was immeasurable. Kissing her back with equal fervor, Hope entwined his fingers in her hair before pulling away. Their eyes met as Hope let his hand cup Lightning's pale cheek. I missed you. Long fingers slid down her smooth skin until they reached her neck, the slightly erratic pulse playing beautifully under his fingertips.
With an uncontainable smile, Hope kissed her once more. He could have stayed like that forever, with his beloved in his arms, but he had a man to heal and repair.
Allowing Hope to begin helping Sazh, Lightning stepped away. She didn't know what had come over her. Seeing the man still whole and smiling had instantly arrested her heart and pulled her to him. It was a magnetic pull that she had never before felt.
He's okay. Really, truly okay...
The craving to be near him had been sated for now and she made her way over to the silent, elder young woman. Zalera was a mess of sweat and blood. Sticky monster saliva dripped off of her chin and began to pool on the ground beneath her. Yet she sat there numbly, her hands limp at her sides and her gaze resting on the dirt. Taking out a cloth from her pouch, Lightning cleaned off some of the muck from her friend's exposed skin, putting herself to some use.
No words were spoken as Lightning and Hope busied themselves caring for Zalera and Sazh. None were needed. For now, they basked in the tranquil silence that wrapped around them both.
Hope's hands grazed over Sazh's leg. The poison had already seeped well into his system and it took a lot of Hope's concentration to heal the man. The pilot's breathing was labored as his chest rose and fell at an alarming speed. Sweat dripped down Sazh's clammy skin while he came under the beginnings of a fever. The silveret kept a close eye on the man's heartbeat during the healing process. Excessive healing had been known to cause heart attacks. That coupled with the poison caused Hope to become beyond nervous. The palpitations of the organ remained relatively normal under the circumstances and for this, Hope was extremely grateful.
As his trembling hands accomplished their job, they came to rest atop his own thighs. "You oka-" The man rested peacefully before him, his breathing ragged, but calming slowly. Taking a breath, Hope spent a few moments healing his own injuries, the task being far easier. Emerald eyes rose to look upon his elder and he patted his shoulder gently, mindful that his body needed this small nap. "It's good to have you back with us, Sazh."
"'Is he in one piece now?" asked Lightning from beside Zalera. The Pulsian was still staring off at nothing in particular, her muscles incredibly tense even after the spans of time since the battle. Lightning wiped one last spot of slobber from the woman's shoulder before tossing the cloth aside and standing to join Hope. "Must have been some battle. She's out of it."
Hope grimaced as he glanced at the zoned Pulsian and then the slumbering pilot, both surrounded by carcasses and blood. "I think she's just stunned, is all. She took some harsh blows." Taking in the woman before him, Hope jolted into action, seeing Lightning's wounds that too needed healed.
"I'm fine, Hope. They're just scratches-"
"They're laced with poison, Light." Adamant eyes stared back into her intense stare. His gentle hands grazed over each scrape and every bite, though they didn't need to. Hope always took his time, making sure every trauma was tended to and healed to perfection. "I'm so happy you're okay. You have no idea how worried I was."
Hope's tender touch only added to the extreme ease that came with the healing of her injuries. After healing a mark, his fingers would lightly glide against it, caressing the newly mended skin. A sensual flame sparked beneath each small contact and it left her speechless.
It had nearly killed her. Every second of their separation. That feeling of complete dependence with a wavering lilt of obsession caused pre-l'Cie Lightning to internally scoff. But a part of her, a small shard of her soul that seemed to grow bigger and stronger every day, reveled in the evolution of her emotions. She would have to properly thank the man later for such a development.
As a hazy fog in her mind grew and as the pulsing magnetism between the two strengthened, Lightning could only submit to the sheer yearning she felt for him. "Neither do you." Sealing off any possible replies with another heated and thought consuming kiss, the roseate let their surroundings melt away. She needed Hope to understand how maddening their separation had been for her as well, to feel her true feelings that she couldn't otherwise express.
The woman's attentions brought Hope to a screeching halt, his tightly wound nerves and lightly lit aggravation easily being assuaged by the unusual, impassioned actions. Hope allowed himself to simply slip into her warmth, his awakening lust firmly heightened by her rich taste that was always so agonizingly enticing. Heated breaths left parted lips as he lifted his gaze to meet hers. After all this time it was still shocking to find that these little moments weren't just the mere illusions of a crystallized fourteen year old.
"You, Estheim, have some nerve making your subordinate worry like that."
A grin surfaced across his visage. This woman filled him with feelings she could never understand. "And you, Farron, have a lot of nerve making your superior wait like that."
"Good to know that mine and Sazh's predicaments don't stifle your libido at all." Zalera stood and collected her chakrams, regarding the two lovesick dorks with an expression of amusement. "Really, my stomach is already doing flips, your adorable little display is going to make me hurl."
Disentangling herself from Hope, Lightning folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. "You're one to talk. Your sappiness could rival Hope's sometimes, I swear."
"Hey!" Hope exclaimed jovially, a little affronted, yet clearly pleased with the lighthearted teasing from both women.
The corner of Zalera's mouth twitched with the hint of a smile. Bringing her senses back from her rather close call, the Pulsian ran a hand through her deep green tresses, her fingers getting mildly stuck in the messy strands. She sneered as her hand came back sticky and wet. "Well, isn't that pleasant?" With a roll of the eyes and a slow, calming sigh, she turned back to her teammates. "Is Sazh okay? I can't believe... How'd you find him?"
"Dumb luck. They had already engorged themselves on the Cie'th they'd caught. Sazh was just laying there. His leg was messed up from getting dragged around so he couldn't move, but all of the monsters were sleeping like they didn't care. If they hadn't gone to sleep... He wouldn't have had a chance."
Zalera gave the dead beasts at her feet a look of extreme distaste. "I guess, but a lot of Pulsian monsters and animals keep their rare finds and kills for their-"
A brain-splitting screech emanated from the bowels of the caves. Hands instantly clamped over ears as they ineffectively tried to shut out the haze inducing noise. A rumbling quake sent them all to their hands and knees as something made its way towards them. The shrill shrieks continued on as it closed in on the debilitated group.
Hope struggled to push himself up. His concentration was shattered as all thoughts rebounded to the agony inducing cries. "Ugh... what... is that?"
Raising herself up, Lightning attempted to will away the screaming howls and focus on the apparent new target. Her head ached and she could feel a warm liquid running from her ear and down her neck. A quick swipe of her fingers along the trail confirmed her suspicions. Her ear was bleeding. Steadying her gaze, she could tell that both of Hope's and even Zalera's and Sazh's were too.
Firmly gripping her weapon, the soldier stood before her comrades. Come on. Come at me.
With large, rage-filled stomps, a massive monster burst through the darkness, its red eyes wild. The beast was an enormous version of the pups they'd been fighting and Lightning no longer had to guess what the extra room in the main passageway was built for. Hair standing on end, the creature's eyes flew from body to body of the dead critters surrounding the invaders. Sorrow and fury seemed to fill the creature before it let out another skull-shattering yowl.
"For fucks sake, can't you all just die already?" Lightning brought her gunblade above her shoulder, her body taking up a usual stance in preparation for the fight. The beast snarled at the woman, its nose twitching.
Zalera came up beside her, slightly more unsteady on her feet. "You think that maybe they were saving Sazh for big mama here?"
Gritting her teeth, Lightning came to remember the circumstances she had found the pilot in and her rage towards the beasts reawakened. The fact that Hope was still struggling to collect himself from the giant's screeches only added kindling to the building fire. "Like I give a damn." I'll take all of you out if I have to.
Bearing its jagged teeth, the monster snapped towards Lightning. The woman back flipped away, shooting directly into the mountain creature's face.
Sending his boomerang towards their target, Hope gave it a strong electric pulse to the nose, one of its more sensitive spots according to his libra analysis of the beings earlier. The shock was nearly insignificant to the monster, being of little consequence when compared to its large size. This was just fine for Hope. The attack was only used to distract the creature from Lightning.
Hoping to use a more invasive librascope, the Academy leader sent another spell deep into the core of the beast, groaning when the monster appeared to be immune to this tactic.
Zalera aimed her chakrams at the creature's paws, trying to topple it down and get a better angle at its face since the rest of its body was safely tucked inside its protective shell. This action only succeeded in pissing the giant off as it swiped at Zalera. The girl had just enough time to draw her weapons up as a small barrier before she was blown back into the cave wall. She hit the ground, her body falling heavily into the dirt before rolling a ways into the Argodian beast's path.
Hope's eyes widened as he noticed a massive paw rising to stomp on the disoriented Pulsian. While using his gunblade to shoot into the monster's eyes, Hope cast a protectra towards Zalera, praying to Lindzei that it would make it in time.
Zalera heard a loud stomp echo from above her. Lifting her head from the dirt quickly, she turned herself over to face the bottom of the enemy's foot. Its step had been hindered, a spell stopping it mere feet from her body. A nearly transparent barrier rippled beneath the monster's foot, its sheer and flimsy appearance masking its strength.
A massive amount of flames shot in front of the beast, soon snaking around its vulnerable paws. Although the attack did serve to pull the mother creature away from Zalera, it hardly frightened the beast unlike with its kin. Instead, the large mountain dweller grew angrier, letting out another enraged shriek.
Cursing at the harsh throbbing in her skull, Lightning ran at the enemy, shooting in its eyes and hoping to take out its sight. The monster attempted to lash out at her as it had Zalera, but Lightning managed to dodge the attack and jump onto its outstretched limb. Running swiftly towards its shoulders, the young woman made it up, then shooting down at her opponent's head.
The sight of Lightning atop their combatant spiked Hope's blood pressure into even worse levels than it already was, but all he could do was continue the fight and try to protect her from below. You never make it easy for me, do you? Hope cringed at the thought of the giant, sharp claws of the beast hitting either of his partners. If they survived the attack, they wouldn't outlive the subsequent jolt of poison to their system - assuming this beast was just as venomous as the rest.
Without another minute of contemplation, Hope made quick work of casting veils over his group as well as himself.
Attempting to fling the soldier off of itself, the creature flailed its front legs around. Lightning kept herself balanced, jumping from spot to spot on top of the furry beast. One particular bat of its paw hit harshly against the wall directly above Sazh. Hope watched as some of the wall began to crumble and cave in. In a flash, he was above the man, the dirt and rock falling onto his own body instead.
"Hope!" Before Zalera could make it a step towards the teen, Lightning's loud grunt caught her attention.
Tired of uselessly attempting to shake the woman off, the beast balled itself up. Lightning fell off almost instantly and just barely caught herself as she landed. She watched the ball roll away and felt instant pins of fear strike every nerve in her body.
It was rolling towards Hope and Sazh.
Hope coughed as he lifted himself up. He shifted some rocks off of his back and drew in some heavy breaths, trying to recover quickly. Sazh was still knocked out and blissfully unaware of the goings on around him.
Frantic shouts stole Hope's attention and he turned to find the reason for his friends' worry. The beast was coming at him. Before he could react, his brand instantly pulsed with a bright yellow light that soon shot out in front of him. The light acted as a barrier and shielded the two from the incoming hit.
Through the magic Hope still took a strong blow. As if he'd taken the hit to his chest, the wind got knocked out of him and this sent him to his knees. With a few chokes and wheezes Hope remained in front of Sazh, staring at his brand in amazement. It took him too long to realize that it wasn't his brand that had protected him this time. It had been his eidolon. Since Alexander couldn't deploy without his enormous stature crumbling the caves, the fortress had attacked from within his host, sending out a shield of magic to protect his master.
After hitting against the wall of magic, the monster rolled back a ways before unfurling itself. Gripping her weapons with renewed vigor, Zalera sent them towards the Argodian monster, still trying to topple the beast and take out its mobility.
"Hope, are you okay?" Lightning ran up to Hope, seeing as Zalera was currently keeping the monstrous being occupied.
It took the man longer than usual to respond, his mind still thoroughly ensconced in what Alexander had just achieved. "Ah... yeah," he replied with a nod.
"And Sazh?"
"He's fine," Hope assured. He gave the man another shielding barrier from a protect spell in case something of the like should occur again.
"Good. Now... got any bright ideas on how to take this thing down?" Inquiring azure orbs flickered between him and the battle. The beast was strong, calculating, and fast. Its swift and jerky movements had kept Lightning from shooting its head or face, and she had been directly on top of it. And with its shell... Hope's offensive magic doesn't seem to be doing a damn thing against it either.
"It's definitely stronger than the others." Brow furrowing, Hope set his mind on overdrive, analyzing the creature and its attacks. They had to take the creature out. Their lives were on the line. If we don't make it out of here... Hope's eyes slid down to his brand and then over to Lightning. ...then everything we've gone through would have meant nothing.
A fierce recollection surged forward from the back of his mind then. Back when he and Zalera had been fighting their way through Pulse to get to salvation. Flashes of Zalera's strategy against one ferocious behemoth king brought up an idea.
"We need to get under it."
Lightning processed his words before a snicker fell from her lips. "Of course. Zalera's been trying to bring it down with no success and going at it from the top just brought even more pain to my neck." With a plan finally in motion, Lightning flew forward.
Before Hope could even get a word in, he watched Lightning make haste to put down the massive creature. I didn't necessarily mean for you to do it, Light. Springing into action himself, Hope joined Zalera and attempted to keep the beast's attention diverted from his beloved. "Zalera, we need to keep its focus on us. Lightning's going to take it out from below."
With a slightly concerned glance toward the soldier, Zalera nodded. While Hope alternated between different abilities, Zalera switched her focus from the creature's feet to his face.
Lightning made her way to the Argodian beast, dashing between each of Hope's carefully calculated spells and dodging the monster's staggering footsteps. Judging by its current lack of balance, it was being overwhelmed. This was good.
Although the mountain dweller was massive in size, it's belly, like the others, was still very close to the ground. It wouldn't be too hard to slice into it. But that wasn't where the problem lied.
How do I get out from beneath it...
In the haze of dust and the stumbling movements of the beast, Hope had lost sight of Lightning, but he kept himself focused on his task. Another ear-piercing shriek rang throughout the cave as the large monster began to topple over into a wall. It wailed in agony, its legs struggling to stay standing.
Lightning did it. A grin spread across his expression until the monster began to make its descent towards the ground. A foreboding feeling lingered in the air.
Where was Lightning?
After slicing down from the beast's chest to its belly, her gunblade had managed to get thoroughly lodged into its tough skin. As the monster began to fall to its side, Lightning held on tightly to her weapon, her feet leaving the ground for a few heart attack inducing moments. With a swift tug, she ripped her blade from its stomach, gagging on the spray of black blood the action brought forth. This seemed to be the final straw as the massive being's legs gave out from beneath it. Lightning froze as she watched the creature begin its fall.
Time slowed and she couldn't hear anything but the heart beating in her chest. She could feel it in there, palpitating, fast and strong. Within her racing pulse she felt fear. Fear in battle was new to Lightning, especially when directed towards herself. She'd never cared about surviving the battle before. The fight had always been just that - a fight. She strove to win, but didn't care if she lost.
But right now, her heart was protesting her usual ways something fierce. It wanted to survive. It wanted to live.
Strong arms wound around her waist and hefted her up. She was barely able to register being tossed onto a shoulder before she was being carried away. Eyes wide, she watched the beast fall as if she were oddly detached from the scene. She felt as if she had split from her body and was watching it all happen, her sense of self merely floating and hanging in the balance, waiting for Etro's divine judgment.
And then she was being set down and the sounds of reality assaulted her. Rough, dirt-encrusted hands were cupping her face. She regarded the owner with a slow blink before actually focusing on his words.
"-standing there! Light, what were you thinking?!"
His arms wound around her, tight and comforting. His words were harsh and angry, but she could hear the serious panic that had seeped into his tone. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into his shoulder. She'd been completely caught off guard and the whole situation had shaken her, not just in its initial moments, but in hindsight as well.
His eyes narrowed in confusion at the meek apology that he truly hadn't expected to hear. He shook his head as he chuckled. "It's okay. We're okay... You're okay..."
Another screech sounded from the dying mother and Hope looked at it with pity. Its last resounding death throes sounded extremely painful.
Zalera, on the other hand, looked warily back at the creature at its last shriek. There was a lilt to it that she recognized all too well.
It was calling for help in its last moments.
A chorus of howls and cries came from the darkness behind the monster, a nest surely residing in its depths.
Zalera's exhausted body fell back into the wall. "No, not again..."
Hope turned and faced the large monster's dying body and the coming onslaught of more. They couldn't keep fighting. They couldn't. He had to stop them from getting any closer. His only option was to get to them before they could even emerge.
Kneeling on the ground, Hope put his palms down, his fingers digging into the dirt. He had to be quick. He gave the beast one last look and frowned knowing what he was about to do to its kin. "I'm sorry."
With extreme concentration, Hope drew forth a quake spell. He had to put every bit of his mind and every ounce of his soul into the attack. One distracted thought or small interruption and he could end up killing everyone, himself included.
Like an extension of his body, he felt the spell ripple throughout the dirt and stone of the mountain. He felt it course along the walls and the ground of the tunnel until he could feel the scurrying footsteps coming towards them. There were a lot; it was probably most of the remaining mountain creatures. There are so many...
And he was going to crush all of the critters before they could even make an entrance.
"I'm sorry." With one tremendous pulse into the cave's walls, the young l'Cie brought it down. The entire path in front of them caved in. He could feel the earth compacting around the monsters. He could feel their bones breaking, shattering. He could even feel the last beats of their hearts. "I'm so sorry."
Zalera and Lightning marveled at the scene before them. Their rapt and shocked attention fell from the now dead end to the very cause sitting before them.
Hope drew his fingers from the dirt, now feeling his energy waning. His muscles contracted with his utter disdain for his own actions. He was beyond tired of killing.
"Hey." Lightning's low voice drew him out of himself as it was her turn to do the comforting. Coming up beside him, she rubbed his back some, a little lost and more than humbled by his display of power.
Strong and assured hands tugged at his stiff shoulder blades until he complied, falling back into Lightning's embrace. The earlier warmth was no longer present as Hope only felt sorrow blossom from within. Please forgive me... The silence of the darkening caves served to increase Hope's inner struggle. The home of the monsters they had just conquered was nothing but a tomb now.
"We should get going." Tightening her hold on the man before letting him go, Lightning stood. Her protective gaze lingered on the wall of dirt and rock. "If any of those things survived, they'll be burrowing through in no time."
Hope swallowed heavily as he stared ahead. He hung his head in a respectful mourning before rising himself. "Don't worry. They didn't." Masked green irises glanced into her shocked blue for mere moments. He turned himself away from the situation then and began lifting up the still unconscious Sazh. After a pleading look towards Zalera, the woman scrambled over to help lift up the other man's side onto her own shoulder.
Putting the other half of the man's weight onto herself, Zalera gave a light hiss. Her body was extremely sore. A good, long nap sounded incredibly tempting, but if she was this exhausted, she had to consider her teammates. Hope looked deathly pale from that last pull of magic, and Lightning hadn't looked so hot after her last brush either.
"You okay, Z?" came Hope's concerned words.
Looking past the head of the conked out pilot, Zalera gave him a slight grin. "All good. Thanks for earlier, by the way. Didn't really feel like getting splatted today. That shield worked wonders."
Hope gave a small chuckle and a nod of acknowledgement before they began to make their way through the main hallway. "You comin', Light?"
Lightning watched in a small stupor as Hope snapped to attention and began taking the initiative. The fragile man of moments ago was instantly repressed at his command. It was like looking into a mirror. "Yeah, I'm coming."
Hope watched Lightning lovingly, his gaze doting on her form. He laid beside her until her breaths finally evened out, telling of her slumber. The very visible serenity that had befallen the soldier during her sleep gave great comfort to Hope and he smiled as he brushed her dirty bangs from her face. A swift kiss was given to Lightning's forehead before the young man made his way to Zalera at the entrance of their small cave.
The group was still well inside the caverns of the mountains. They'd trekked for a good forty five minutes before finding an empty hollow to shrink into. Sazh had yet to awaken and his body had been weighing heavily on them. They all needed to recoup and figure out the next step anyway, so they'd made to rest for a while.
Hope stretched, groaning as his back popped. "I was about ready to cast a sleep spell on her."
Zalera gave him a lopsided smirk, her amusement illuminated by the fire within the room. "She would have been pissed."
His eyes strayed back to Lightning, her body laying beside the slumbering old man. It had taken plenty of time to get Lightning to even attempt to rest, the woman extremely wary. It didn't help that he'd run off the last time she'd left Hope awake. With Zalera promising first watch, Hope had even resorted to his old tactics of feigning sleep to get the soldier to lay down. Once she was sure he was resting, she was dozing right beside him. "Yeah, well, she needs the rest."
"So do you..."
Her comment held an accusatory tone, to which he paid no mind. Gaze now turning wistful, it swept over the dark hallways outside of their tiny cave. "Man, how are we going to find our way out of here?"
A shrug was Zalera's response as her own green eyes followed his path. Despite her half-hearted gesture, that question reverberated through her mind. How are we supposed to get out? I'm their guide. They trusted me to lead them to the crystals. "We'll figure it out."
"We don't have enough Grav-tech to get back up through the burrows, even if we could find a hole that would take us to the top, and we're too far down to tell." The gears in Hope's mind whirred and shifted, trying to figure out the logistics to get them out.
A pregnant silence settled between them, causing Hope's eyes to wander over to his older partner. He could see the frustration in her eyes, sense the anxiety surrounding her. "Hey, Z? You're okay, right?" Only receiving an inquisitive look in return, he explained further. "I know you took some pretty heavy hits back there."
The memory of the beast's teeth clicking in her face, its hot breath and saliva on her neck, and its nails clawing into her being caused her fingers to clutch onto her previously injured side in a reflex. "It was a pretty close call," she admitted quietly, visibly showing how much it had shaken her.
It had shaken him too. "I couldn't see you..." His tone was quiet, apologetic as his eyes traced all of the corners of their small room. "For the longest time I couldn't see you."
His eyes finally met hers and she was slightly startled to see how upset he was. Between this, the way Lightning had been opening up to her, and the way Sazh had treated her after the crash... I really mean something to all of them...
"I couldn't hear you and it-it scared me. I thought you were-"
"Dead?"
The lone word came out harshly in the cave and Hope tensed. He'd been so worked up in waiting for Lighting and in his fear over Sazh. By the time he'd been able to do something, to fight and search for his comrades, he'd lost track of his other partner. I... lost myself there.
"I couldn't get out from under it and... for the briefest moment I thought I was going to die." Holding herself against the wall, Zalera let her earlier feelings assault her. "And for a tiny second, I was okay with that. Yeul's gone and... I probably won't see her for the rest of my life."
Hope's searching gaze jolted up to hers, but her stare remained in the darkness of the corridors. The woman hadn't spoken of Yeul around him for a while, though he knew the seeress' death still haunted her. He also knew that that was part of the reason she was still with them.
"I don't know how the cycles of her life are, but I know that there is a lapse in time between her death and rebirth. If... If I can see her. If I could see her and my mentor and my family... death might be okay..."
The broken and shaky words struck Hope deeply. He remembered well what that misery felt like. After his mother… and then his father... "You've never really spoken of your family. Your true family."
"There's nothing really to tell."
"What changed your mind? What made you wanna fight?"
"Hope." Hope's eyes went wide and Zalera chuckled, savoring the small bit of humor in their otherwise dark and uncomfortable conversation. "Not you. Well, partially, I guess..." Her laughs died down as she sniffed. The silveret gave her an encouraging smile, urging her to continue. "Hope that I was finally doing something right. That by staying on this path, I could truly redeem my past mistakes. And also the knowledge that... if I did give up and go through Etro's gates, I wouldn't be able to face myself, let alone Yeul."
Hope nodded. "Well... Personally, I think you made the right decision. And I'm glad you're here."
Zalera gave him a small, watery smile before straightening up. "You should really sleep, Hope. I'm most certainly not going to be able to. And I know that your magic is eating at you something fierce. So you should-"
"Rest up?" Hope smirked as she glared at him for cutting her off. "Maybe..." He swallowed harshly as he glanced back at his companions. How am I supposed to sleep...
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" he asked, his brows pinching together in confusion.
The young woman simply stared at him, her long lingering gaze seemingly intruding into his soul. I know how much you hate taking a life. No matter whose or what kind... I'm really sorry you had to do that.
And he understood. Me too. Retreating back to his original spot, Hope plopped down heavily beside Lightning, not hesitating in the slightest to wrap his arms around the woman and bury his nose into her hair.
When all was quiet again and all she could hear were the restful breaths and snores of her mates, Zalera stepped into the dark passageway. She sought out a solitude of some kind, a space that didn't lend to the claustrophobic atmosphere they inhabited. There was a memory working its way to the surface of her mind, a memory that may help her lead them out.
Zalera had been staring at the back of the young girl's head for hours now. Her curiosity only seemed to grow with each passing minute. She had to ask. The fourteen year old Pulsian's eyes travelled up towards the stoic guardian at Yeul's side as they sat around the campfire. She knew he didn't like her asking Yeul too many unnecessary questions, but she had to know.
She waited until the man left the fire, his form stalking into the shadows, presumably to do his rounds around their group. She went to walk forward when a small, tan hand wrapped around her wrist. Her gaze travelled down to its owner, the guardian to be. The one who was supposed to take Yeul's current guardian's place, should the need arise.
The brunet's young gaze was warning as he gripped Zalera's arm tightly. "He don't like us talkin' to her, 'member? You're gonna bother her."
Zalera could never get her mind to wrap around how such a small child, one of the exact same age as Yeul herself, was supposed to become her protector. It was none of her business, however, and she gently extricated herself from his tiny grasp. "It's just one question."
The boy shook his head, but made no further move to stop her. His blue eyes only turned to the subject of their conversation, his entire demeanor changing to one of warmth.
"Yeul?"
The delicate girl looked up from her log, her small hands smoothing her intricately woven skirt. "Hello, Zalera." Her calm and soft voice held such melancholy, though her lips formed into an inviting smile. She let her hand fall gracefully onto the log where her guardian previously sat. "You wanted to ask me something?" Her vibrant green eyes gave the newest addition to their tribe a knowing glance and she giggled softly at the teenager's apparent stun. "I could feel it."
Sitting down cautiously beside the blue haired child, Zalera merely nodded. The little girl was so odd. She was definitely not like any other six year old she knew. Of course, she supposed that a seeress with a soul that withstood time wouldn't be. "I've been trying to figure it out, but... Whenever we leave to a new place... everyone follows you... like you're the leader here and..." She drew in a breath, trying to find the right words and arrange them into a form that the girl would understand. "How do you know where to go? How do you know where to take all of us?"
Yeul's small smile never faltered and she took her hand into her own. "It's like how I knew you were sitting over there in the grass, waiting to talk. I just know. I can feel it."
The answer didn't sit right with Zalera. It was entirely too simple. They all just followed dutifully behind a small six year old and her gut feelings?
Another quiet giggle disturbed her thoughts. "He likes to call it my special sense." Her eyes travelled over to the almost imperceptible form in the darkness. "Along with my special sight, I have a special sense. Etro guides me as she does all of her children. I just feel it more than others."
The dark form of her guardian began to return and Zalera hastily stood. She didn't want to deal with his scolding today.
"I asked him to leave so we could talk. You don't have to be scared."
The elder Pulsian scowled. "I'm not scared."
Yeul shook her head and carried on. "Sometimes it doesn't work though. I don't know why. So when I'm lost or misled... I just have to ask, and Etro will guide me."
Zalera gave the girl a smile and a bow of gratitude before walking away. She didn't know what to make of the conversation, but at least she had an answer of some sort. As she returned to her spot beside the pouting boy, a small whisper hung in the air behind her, though she wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear it.
"... I think she'd guide you too..."
"Please, I don't know where to go, what to do. I have to help them." Zalera's pleading voice carried through the hollows. If Yeul was right, then maybe Etro would help them. Help her. "I have to help them someway, somehow. I'm supposed to be leading them. I'm supposed to ensure their path and safety... But I don't know these caves." Here I am again. Begging these heartless creatures for help. Yet it never comes.
With a huff, Zalera tried to stop her raging thoughts. Today wasn't yesterday. She had to stop dwelling within all of the yesterdays past. She had to try to really pray and hope, to rely on her faith, dwindling as it was. Instead of sinking into her cynicism, she would open her heart.
"Please, Etro, I need to see. Grant me this one favor. I ask as your servant..." Zalera bit her tongue at her words. "As your child. Show me the path I should follow. Please."
The young warrior fell to her knees, the cold, compact dirt catching her graceless decent. As all she received was silence in response to her cries, tears fell from her eyes as her heart shriveled closed once more. "God dammit! Am I not your child too?!"
"... I think she'd guide you too..."
Wrenching herself from the floor, Zalera stood and let out a bitter chuckle. I'm sorry, Yeul. I guess you were wrong this time.
Before she could turn back to her team, a bright glow began to emanate from the ground beside her foot. Zalera stepped back from the spot, eyes narrowed while her hand lightly gripped her chakram. Dark green eyes widened as the light began to grow, just as a seedling, little by little. And just as a seedling, the silvery glow slowly grew a stem with leaves. Zalera's jaw fell slightly as a brilliant bloom came to be, slowly unfurling itself into the form of a daisy.
Her breath caught as she knelt beside the bloom. Her hand cautiously reached out to touch its soft, radiant petals, only for her fingers to pass right through it. Her hand sunk into air. Before the warrior could question this, another bright light appeared on the ground a ways away, followed by another and yet another. A long line of daisies began to spring up along the halls, their silvery luminescence creating just what Zalera had been asking for. A wide smile illuminated her pale features as new tears joined the old ones. These out of immense joy and an unexplainable euphoric high.
"A path..."