The Strike

New Eden rested quietly along the outer surface of Cocoon, though it wasn't as peaceful as normally desired. Citizens had limited areas of access, for officers and militia patrolled most of the streets with weapons in hand. The usual street vendors and activities were indefinitely suspended, and no one had the idea of arguing with the New Sanctum about any of it. Pulse l'Cie were still on the loose. That was more than enough to make citizens comply.

Lightning observed her soldiers' movements at the Guardian Corps base. Resting a hand on her gunblade's grip, she passed subordinates as they stocked airships with weapons of the deadliest kind. Little by little, they had to worry less about the protection of the citizens...and more about war. Just hours after the last assault, Jenova called for a globalwide warning and the Pulse l'Cie to be killed on sight. Aggression among the streets rose, and even the PSICOM elites joined the front lines. These Pulse l'Cie were a "serious threat", and everyone has turned a blind eye to their primarch.

'She has the perfect opportunity now,' Lightning thought as she clenched her hand into a tight fist. Any moment now, the monstrous fal'Cie could strike at the pillar, and they would all meet their doom without raising so much as a finger.

Lightning needed to act fast.

"Captain Farron!"

She turned toward a Guardian Corps private, who saluted her. "We have received news from the lady primarch. She requests your presence at the airship docks."

At that, Lightning nodded. "I'll go when we finish here." She was halfway turned when the private spoke up again.

"Captain...I'm afraid I must insist." There was more than a hint of urgency in the private's voice.

Lightning looked back at him with a blend of curiosity and annoyance...until she noticed the unmistakable mark on the side of his neck. Observing his expression more carefully, she could see the beads of sweat crawling down his face, the fearful reflection in his eyes should he fail his duty. The leash Jenova had on Cocoon's militia was growing tighter, all to make sure Lightning stayed in check.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Lightning bit her tongue before speaking again. "Right...Give me a moment. I'll leave right away, assuming everything goes as planned."

The soldier looked at her again with desperation, but a careful nod from Lightning seemed to have assuaged him a bit. He gave a final salute before turning away, allowing her to take in a deep breath.

'Damn her...She's just branding anybody.'

As the time drew closer, Lightning could feel Jenova's urgency under the sneering façade. This was the fal'Cie's last chance; if the Pulse l'Cie struck her now, she would be finished.

Lightning's insides twisted as she remembered the primarch's leverage: the Sanctum l'Cie herself. It took all her willpower to do what she did - betray those she loved close to the point of no return. She needed to help them as much as she could in her own way, and she couldn't do that as a cie'th. In the end, she hoped they all understood the choices she had made, the heartless front she had to show, even though it was the hardest to do so in front of Serah...and Cloud.

This mission was twice as hard as last year, most likely more. How could she stand having her heart torn to shreds from losing hope so many times? How was she still standing?

The only sense of warmth in her heart, the one thought that gave her light...was knowing that she wasn't alone. Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent traveled of their own free will into an unknown territory for her sake. Serah and Snow dropped any worry, any doubt, to come to her aid.

She couldn't let them down.

As Lightning wrapped up giving orders to her second-in-command, she was about to board a private mini airship when thunderous booms echoed through the streets. The Guardian Corps around her froze, stopping whatever they were doing to be sure of what they heard. All were still until another boom rang in their ears, then more in succession, and by then they knew what to do. Many fell into formation with rifles at the ready; there was unspoken hesitation, but they prepared for anything.

"Captain! Shall we send first wave to investigate and engage?"

"No, hold." Lightning raised a hand in the soldier's direction, her eyes fixated on the origin of the echoing booms. They continued in an irregular pattern, indicating some sort of attack. "Your jobs are to protect the citizens, and make sure that whatever it is is contained. Let PSICOM engage for now."

The Guardian Corps private was unsure for a moment, but decided to comply. Lightning's reputation was polarized; she was either heralded as a brave soldier who challenged her fate, or was branded a traitor for previously being a Pulse l'Cie. Nonetheless, her past achievements were enough to give her respect. With a quick salute, the private went back to his post.

Lightning turned back to head toward the source of the sound, intending to investigate herself, when a wave of PSICOM grunts appeared at her station, accompanied by higher levels of soldiers, wielding staffs and deadly weapons. A shiver ran down her spine, though she did well to hide it; it never meant good news when the PSICOM Reavers were deployed to handle a situation.

Appearing unfazed, Lightning did her best to ignore the PSICOM fleet and head into town...until two grunts stood before her.

"We'll handle the situation," one of them said. "You can fall back and escort the citizens."

Lightning didn't let up. "I can help you guys."

The two grunts gripped their rifles more tightly, a subtle move that Lightning still couldn't fail to miss. "We insist."

At that, she realized how resistant they were to take "no" for an answer...and how a gradual wave of PSICOM grunts started heading toward her. Lightning's hand slid to her holster, anticipating whatever could happen to her in the next few moments. She willed her racing pulse to stop deafening her ears, shook away the slightest tremor in her hand. A cold stare was aimed at the PSICOM grunts who stopped her.

The ground shuddered beneath them as the echoes in the sky intensified, but none of them budged or hesitated. In a flash, Lightning reached back and pulled her Sabre out in its rifle mode, firing a barrage of bullets at the soldiers in front of her. At the same time, an ice blue mist formed in her free hand, and before the soldiers behind could retaliate, she waved her hand before them, creating an impenetrable wall of ice.

Some soldiers rushed forward for close combat, but Lightning already flicked her Sabre into sword mode and accepted the challenge, being as graceful and nimble as ever when she fought in close quarters. All the while, the ground still shook beneath their feet, smoke began to spread in the sky, and explosions could be seen just down the street from the base.

The unmistakable rev of an engine caught her ear, which only made Lightning fight harder. She noticed a large PSICOM automaton charging toward her from behind, hoping to trample her down even if it meant harming its soldiers in the process. Rather than facing it head-on, Lightning ran in the other direction, toward a PSICOM elite with a deadly lance swing toward her neck. She narrowly missed it, dropping to her knees and sliding forward, all the while arching back as her Saber switched to gun mode. The muzzle was aimed at the still-charging automaton, and two swift bullets whizzed through its metal skull. It dropped lifelessly to the ground. Lightning quickly lifted her foot, crouching on one knee, and she whirled a full 180. She once again flipped her weapon into sword mode to slash through the elite's kneecaps.

The revving engine was closer than before, but it didn't do Lightning any good to be stuck in a crowd of PSICOM soldiers. With every step, the engine got louder, and Lightning's strikes were harder. She saw a gleam of pure black just behind the soldiers in front of her, a wall separating her from cavalry. Gripping the Blazefire Saber tightly, she rushed forward, intimidating the soldiers for a brief moment before slicing through them in a wide arc. She spun on her heels, swinging her blade around her; the enemies flew away like debris and cleared the area for her. Just as she was coming back around, Lightning shot her left hand out, and it was greeted by another hand gripping it tightly.

Her weight was lifted off the ground, but threatened to rip her arm from the rest of her body. With all her might, Lightning curled her legs closer, until she was swung around and settled into the passenger seat of the motorcycle.

The vehicle continued drifting away from the crowd of soldiers, who in turn directed their fire at it. Compartments along the side of the motorcycle popped open, and Lightning heard the echoes of bullets colliding with steel. When she found the chance, she raised her arm and took a few shots in retaliation. It was only when she heard startled cries from PSICOM that she knew their attention was averted to somewhere else.

The motorcycle finally came to a stop; Lightning eagerly hopped off as the kickstand came out.

"Took you long enough," Lightning retorted with a smirk.

Cloud returned with sarcasm. "You're welcome for saving your ass."

She tucked the Saber away in its holster. "I could have handled that. Did the others make it here all right?"

Lightning was answered with an arc of fire blazing down the plaza. As PSICOM ships started approaching from the skies, ramps of ice rested along the sides of buildings, and water started pouring down the street. She saw glimpses of humanoid figures spewing elements unnaturally, but the sight brought relief through her body.

However, the moment of reprieve was gone when she saw more soldiers starting towards them, flanked by more machinery. Lightning brought her hand toward her chest as Cloud revved the engine. The crystalline rose came into existence in the palm of her hand just before she crushed it; she flung her arm out, spilling the shards in a flurry of rose petals. As she turned on her heel, a quick gust of wind blew through her hair, and she knew Odin stood at the ready to defend her and Cloud.

"I'm counting on you," she said as she mounted the motorcycle. "And thank you."

With a brief nod toward her, Odin turned and swung his sword in a flurry before charging the soldiers. Giving no less than her full trust, Lightning braced herself as Cloud turned the bike and headed toward the plaza.

L'Cie and cie'th, they could handle. The occasional wielding of magic, PSICOM knew what to do.

Complete onslaught of Eidolons - they only faced this once, and they were helpless.

From the skies, they were greeted by swirls of fire and ice. A frozen ramp settled itself along the sides of buildings, and Snow blasted across with inhuman speed. The rev of Shiva's engine knew no mercy. Serah sat comfortably behind Snow, aiming her bow and arrow at soldiers who dared to approach. On the ground, Snow skid the wheel, throwing frostbite at the enemies as distraction before speeding off in the opposite direction.

Not too far away, Vincent ran straight toward a line of fire brought upon by PSICOM soldiers. At first, they hesitated by his extreme confidence, but fired nonetheless. His swift, shadowlike movements threw them off, even more so when a demon-like knight dropped down right before them, emitting unbearable waves of heat. It swung its lance in a flourish just as Vincent pulled out Cerberus and pulled the trigger, unleashing relentless shots. Both lance and bullets made contact with the soldiers, and it was impossible to make a dent in the pair's defenses.

Ifrit tossed his lance toward Vincent, who caught it with ease. Vincent didn't have to question what his Eidolon was up to; they worked in sync, their actions as one. In step together, Vincent folded the lance until he held it like a shotgun, and Ifrit contorted his form to that of a large hoverboard. Its sides were intricately detailed with sheer black metal; jagged ends protruded, forbidding anyone from approaching. Wordlessly, Vincent jumped on without fail and held the shotgun at the ready. At the end of the hoverboard, Ifrit's mouth spewed an inferno to propel them forward; with the easy motion of his feet, Vincent steered through the enemies and streets, clearing the way for his comrades. As he zoomed past, he took aim at PSICOM automata, his precision allowing him to dispatch them with one shot. He never lost a moment of balance, for he and Ifrit moved as one.

Meanwhile, Tifa sailed over the concrete in her cerulean glider. Torrents of water followed her tracks, flooding the streets and colliding into any soldier attempting to trail her. She left her enemies slipping on wet slicks and immobilized some of them in separate bodies of water. No matter how much they writhed and jerked, they couldn't break themselves free of the aqueous hold on their limbs. It was like swimming through gelatin - useless.

Ahead of her was the Guardian Corps base, and in Tifa's way were two PSICOM elites. Their lances were poised at the ready. Around them, grunts directed their line of fire toward Tifa, but she and Siren were one step ahead. Tifa effortlessly hopped off and went into a dash toward PSICOM as Siren reverted to her original form. Her harp let out a single strum of its strings, and the PSICOM soldiers turned sluggish. Their muscles relaxed, the muzzles of their guns sagged toward the ground, and all the willpower in the world couldn't keep them focused on the l'Cie before them. Even the elites hunched over, unable to hold their lances up in the midst of their fatigue. Reeling her arm back, Tifa sent a fierce punch into the first grunt she could reach, and like a row of dominos, they fell back. She tugged a rifle out of one of their hands, spun on her heel, and slammed the rifle into the helmet of one of the elites. Crouching low, she readied herself as she sprung up and jammed her elbow into the gut of the other elite; the air swept out of his lungs, and he flew back like the rest of PSICOM's soldiers.

Tifa leapt back and allowed Siren to handle the rest. Another strum of the Eidolon's harp strings summoned a torrent of water to swamp their enemies, and they were washed away like insects. In no time at all, the water drained away from the streets and left the path clear for Tifa and Siren.

As she approached the base, Tifa noticed the other l'Cie converging on her location as well. The mythical creatures behind them disappeared in the air; a glance over her shoulder told her that Siren followed suit. For once, the brand on her ankle didn't burn with pain, but invigorated her with power and confidence.

Cloud smoothly pulled Valefor up as Lightning hopped off. Once he dismounted, Valefor vanished in a gust of wind, as if she was a mirage.

"Starting the party without us, Light?" Snow asked with a smirk, resting his hands behind his head.

The captain crossed her arms before her. "Only because you were too slow." Her retort left none of them sour; rather, they held onto the slight relief that her spirits were enough to get them through what was to come.

"Where's Jenova?" Vincent inquired as he holstered his Cerberus gun.

"It's been hard to track her movements." Lightning opened her arms as Serah came up to wrap an arm around her sister. Regardless of their confidence in Lightning's plan, Serah was more than relieved to see her sister safe. "She jumps everywhere, "preparing" for the main event."

Cloud's eyes searched the streets. "More than anything, her goal is to drop this big ball."

"Should we also go after Eden?" Serah asked.

Lightning shook her head. "No. It may be sending PSICOM after us, but it's Jenova who's in control. We stop her, we can end this."

Snow's mouth turned into a grimace. "That's a looooot of soldiers to get through just for one fal'Cie. We can't waste time looking for her with all of PSICOM on our heels." He gripped his fist tightly with his other hand.

"Already taken care of."

Just as the Pulse l'Cie, save for Cloud, looked over to Lightning curiously, her phone chirped in her pocket. She took it out and answered eagerly. "It's time," she told the other person on the line just before hanging up. It only took seconds for the deafening sounds of aircrafts to reach their ears.

The l'Cie turned their attention toward the skies. A sole airship descended from the clouds, its turrets searching for targets among the ground. Not long after, more ships came to view; an entire fleet readied their turrets, and soldiers threw ropes out to slide to ground level. PSICOM's own aerial fleet couldn't prepare themselves; the incoming ships fired, and the PSICOM grunts had little time to evacuate their own ship before it crashed into open water.

From there, the rest of the PSICOM skyfleet steered toward the cavalry's assault. Only nearby ground units sought to approach Lightning and the l'Cie, but even then, they were taken down by cavalry soldiers.

Raising her eyebrows, Tifa gave a shrug. "Well, that takes care of that." With the commotion, the citizens of Cocoon were sure to be shaken; with every successful effort of the Pulse l'Cie, the citizens were bound to revolt, to lose their faith in their fabled protectors. With some guidance from Hope and Sazh, they may be able to evacuate enough citizens before the primarch's scheme.

Lightning scoured the wreckage caused by the conflict between PSICOM and the cavalry, and ultimately decided to head in the other direction. "Time to go," she said before taking off, Cloud starting after her almost immediately. Without hesitation, the other l'Cie followed, certain that their nightmares were reaching an end.

Or so they had hoped.

Soon enough, New Eden erupted into madness again. There was no telling of the good guys from the bad guys - PSICOM was meant to protect the citizens, but the cavalry meant to bring justice and save everyone from the fal'Cie's supposed scheme. Reasoning wasn't to be had between the two sides. Orders were to be followed, and that was that.

For the time being, the l'Cie kept their heads down as PSICOM distracted themselves with the cavalry. Lightning led them closer to the heart of New Eden, where they had fought just days before. The town square was cleared, evacuated for the safety of the citizens.

Silently, the l'Cie attempted to cross the square, with Cloud bringing up the rear.

"Cloud?"

A glance over his shoulder brought him to a halt. The echoes of battle in the distance faded away, and his arms felt cold. He thought he would never see her again, for he had tried his hardest to remain strong through his endeavors. Cloud only prayed for her strength when his own faltered, and seeing her now only made him question his resolution.

Aerith calmly approached him, her signature flower basket hanging off her arm. Nothing about her appeared off, aside from her being in a distant world. She had the same red ribbon in her hair; from her red jacket to the gold bangles on her wrists, she looked exactly as she had three years ago. In an instant, he was brought back to the slums of Midgar

"You don't have to fight anymore," she told Cloud in her soft voice. As he struggled to find a word to say, she reached into her basket and pulled out a yellow flower, holding it before her like he remembered on the night they met. The sight of her brought its typical feeling of peace...and yet, Cloud could not shake the feeling that something about her was just wrong. In spite of the purity she brought with her, he couldn't ignore the stirring of dread in his heart. Still, he saw his hand come up and reach out for the flower…

"Cloud!"

He looked over his shoulder. The other l'Cie were turned toward him, their expressions a mixture of shock and fear. Her face hardening, Lightning whipped out her Blazefire Saber and fired a shot in Aerith's direction. The bullet whistled past Cloud's ear; after the shock dissipated, his eyes followed its trail toward Aerith, and for a moment he could have sworn it was the first time he saw venomous anger on her visage.

Before the bullet could hit her, though, Aerith vanished like a mirage. Cloud leapt back and held his sword at the ready, his eyes searching.

Tifa turned her head to and fro, frantically looking for a surprise strike. "Was that-?!"

Vincent shook his head, however. "Nothing more than a trick."

The l'Cie regrouped, their backs to each other as they formed a circle to cover a wide radius. Moments passed, and all they heard was more commotion from the fight in the distance.

Sure enough, she finally revealed herself in her true form, no longer masking herself with their vulnerabilities. The aura around her was as wicked as before, except it was more visible now. No longer fearing the extent of her powers, the l'Cie looked upon her with contempt and determination.

"Your efforts are admirable," Jenova announced, her eyes fixating on Lightning. "I'll admit it. But you can't keep this up forever. You forget - I've flowed through your veins. I've seen what's deep in your mind and heart. Endangering you will tear their souls to pieces." She nodded her head toward the Pulse l'Cie.

Serah glanced toward her sister, wondering how much resolve she gained since their last encounter with Jenova. Was she still hesitant to take another step toward her demise, all just to save the rest of those that she loved?

Lightning didn't betray her cause. "It's not up to them how I choose to fight," she retorted. "Crystal or cie'th, I will stop you." With a flick of her wrist, the Blazefire Saber extended before she held it above her head, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Cloud let out an internal sigh of relief. Lightning seemed to stay true to her word. Steadfast and determined - this was the woman he cherished for over a year.

With a grimace, Jenova tightened her hand into a fist at her side, and Lightning almost doubled over in pain. In an instant, Cloud's blood boiled, yet he kept a clear head as he unsheathed a back blade and dashed forward. He took one swipe at the primarch, but she was able to avoid it with ease, her movements fluid. Still, Cloud continued, swing after swing, his conviction unwavering.

It was like they were locked in a waltz; Jenova matched him step by step, always being narrowly close but not close enough. Cloud didn't tire, only growing faster when he caught the hint of a smirk on her face.

Soon enough, Serah grew too agitated to merely stand by. One by one, she unleashed arrows toward Jenova's back. Cloud could see them as they flew past and easily avoided them when Jenova did. As he prepared for a downward strike, Jenova raised a palm and unleashed a wave of energy, knocking him back…

But giving Tifa an opportunity. Just out of Jenova's peripheral vision, she launched herself as if her legs were springs, her arms stretched out before her. Like the others, Jenova merely shifted, and Tifa's fists failed to connect. She didn't stop there; once Tifa landed on her feet beside Jenova, the martial artist swung her foot back in a reverse roundhouse and followed with a flurry of punches and kicks.

Vincent followed suit. Synchronizing with Tifa, he swung his clawed hand to strike, making sure Tifa wasn't in danger of getting hit. Still, the primarch dodged effortlessly, and in seconds, she grabbed both of them by their throats.

From a distance, Snow concentrated all of his energy into his fist. With a mighty swing, he threw it to the ground, emitting a volcanic wave of tremors toward Jenova. She disappeared in shimmers as Vincent and Tifa regained their breaths. In the nick of time, they too avoided the tremor with a leap.

As the dust began to settle, the l'Cie stood terribly still, their eyes scouring the area for traces of the primarch. None were confident enough to move, in case she caught them in an illusion. Serah's and Snow's eyes connected, as well as Tifa's and Cloud's, searching deep down if they were looking at an ally or the enemy.

Vincent eased up for the slightest moment - a moment taken advantage of. Sure enough, Jenova's silhouette appeared behind him, the veins along her neck giving a dark tint. In one swift motion, she held her arm across her body for a backhand strike. From afar, Serah's eyes widened.

"Vincent, look out!"

He was only able to turn his head a fraction as the thought crossed his mind - he couldn't outrun this.

A bolt of lightning crashed down precisely in the little space between him and Jenova, but it was enough to force them back from each other. The hairs on the back of Vincent's neck stood on end. With the other l'Cie, he looked over to the other side of the square.

Lightning glared at her master with fierce determination, her arm outstretched from the magic spell. Irritated, Jenova tossed her hair over her shoulder, yet she gave a slight smirk.

That smirk drew a shudder from Tifa; the primarch was doubtless that Lightning can't oppose her for too long. Instinct would force her to prioritize her survival, no matter how determined she was to save her friends.

So it left everyone speechless when Lightning drew her Saber and rushed toward Jenova. Like Cloud, she was locked in a dance; as she swung her blade, Jenova took a step to narrowly avoid each attack. Together, they became a blur of the red cape and the white dress; it proved difficult to track them for an extended time. The Pulse l'Cie could feel the rage emanating from the Sanctum l'Cie, furious over her fate.

Serah was able to steal a glance of Jenova's expression. Though her face was steely, her eyes couldn't hide the confusion. Jenova was sure she had an ace in the hole, but nothing could take away Lightning's free will. Her confidence was put to the test when Lightning brought her sword in for a side swipe at Jenova's face. Jenova raised her hand and caught the blade mid-swing, bare handed. Before she could give a fatal blow, however, a gloved fist connected with her opposite cheek. The primarch stumbled back with disbelief and released the sword.

Everyone was silent. The Pulse l'Cie slowly drew their eyes toward Lightning, who drew deep breaths as she steadied herself on her feet. Her eyes were brighter, icier than before, as if it took everything in her power to contain a great force that threatened to consume her. Snow knew what it was - her fate challenging to take control. Any moment now, she could turn into crystal or cie'th before their eyes, just like Raines before. It was a dangerous thread to walk upon - rewriting the rules at the risk of your own life.

As Lightning pointed her sword toward Jenova, a symbol flashed before her chest. It resembled a spherical shape with layers; two prongs appeared at the top. The symbol drew worried gasps from Serah and Snow.

Jenova righted herself to glare at Lightning with the coldest eyes. "You are too human to the core," she sneered as she rubbed her cheek. "Far from the perfect soldier. But no matter; there are enough souls on this rock to open the door."

As soon as Cloud read her intent, he unsheathed a side blade and threw it in her direction like a knife. Jenova merely shimmered out of sight; the blade stuck itself into the side of a building.

The primarch reappeared above their heads. The l'Cie prepared themselves for another fight, yet Jenova looked resigned for the moment.

"This world will only know sorrow and death, while I rejoin my Maker. Join me." She lifted her hands as she vanished before them one last time.

Snow gritted his teeth. "Where's she going?"

"The pillar," Lightning replied, returning the Saber to its holster. "It's her time. Any minute now, she's dropping this ball." Meanwhile, Cloud crossed the square to retrieve the side blade, his expression dark as he was lost in thought.

Snow's brows knitted together. "She can't destroy Cocoon directly. She's a Sanctum fal'Cie! Legend says that Sanctum fal'Cie are supposed to protect Cocoon, not destroy it!" That much was proven to be certain a year ago. Sanctum fal'Cie had manipulated everything to make sure Pulse fal'Cie gave the Focus of destroying Cocoon, for it was against their nature to harm themselves.

Tifa crossed her arms and brought her fingers to her lips, her mind racing. "Is it possible...that she's a Pulse fal'Cie? She wants to destroy Cocoon, like your Focus from before."

For a moment, she almost entertained that idea...but Serah realized the hard fact that debunked that theory. "Lightning….She's not a Pulse l'Cie." The unfamiliar brand was seared into her memory. Serah turned toward Lightning. "Sis, what is going on? Is Jenova a Sanctum fal'Cie or not?"

The Pulse l'Cie stood silent, anxious for her reply. Cloud's mind instantly went back to when Lightning revealed the progression of her brand.

"Your mark," he started worriedly. "That's not a Sanctum brand?"

He didn't want to consider the possibility that she was fooling them again, but the look she gave him was apologetic. Cloud's heart felt like it was plunging farther than before as Lightning pursed her lips before speaking.

"I'm not a Sanctum l'Cie….because Jenova is not a Sanctum fal'Cie." She brought her hand to her chest, curling it into a fist. "Somehow, she's a whole different fal'Cie, not from Cocoon or Pulse. I think ...I think she's a fal'Cie of Etro."

Snow's eyes widened with disbelief as he took a step toward her. "The goddess of death? She's just a myth."

Cloud gave him an incredulous look; Tifa and Vincent turned toward him, their exasperations coming forward. "Goddess of death?" Cloud mused.

Serah's mind raced to her school days. History wasn't her favorite subject, but the school district made sure to drill what they claimed to be annals into their heads. "They say...from the beginning of time, there were three deities: Pulse, Lindzei, and Etro. Who created them, no one knows. Pulse created the land below - Gran Pulse. Lindzei created Cocoon. And Etro...Etro was banished to the Unseen Realm. Sanctum fal'Cie were created by Lindzei, and Pulse fal'Cie by Pulse."

"And Etro created Jenova," Tifa surmised.

"I guess," Serah replied hopelessly. All this had happened so long ago; there was no one who could say what was true or false.

Without warning, a burning fire erupted within Serah - anger. She took a step toward her sister. "So in the end, you're not a Sanctum l'Cie? Why are we even storming New Eden? How could you keep this from us?" It had all ended up being a big circle of nothing. Serah couldn't definitively say what their goal was. "I know in the end, we're still enemies...but don't you trust us?"

Lightning's face reflected the frustration tugging at her inside. Beside her, Cloud was just as frustrated, but he no longer felt in the dark like before.

Vincent laid a hand on Serah's shoulder, hoping to calm her. "The more she helps us, the faster she loses herself," the gunslinger reminded her. "We also need to keep Lightning from turning into a cie'th too soon."

Snow let out a heavy sigh. "So, no-go on the other Sanctum fal'Cie. Well, at least the people won't hate us too much if we stay away from Eden."

For a moment longer, all were silent. Jenova was a great power that had control of the New Sanctum, and she wasn't even a Sanctum fal'Cie. How she obtained such tremendous influence, none of them could say. It was proof that she was a force stronger than anything they've faced. Any moment now, she could destroy Cocoon with one hand.

"Nothing's changed."

The other Pulse l'Cie looked toward Cloud, who began building his Fusion Sword with its individual blades. "At the end of the day, Jenova's done for. She's long overdue to get what's coming to her."

Lightning nodded. "The people of Cocoon and Pulse are counting on us. We do this...whatever it takes." Her voice didn't falter for a moment. For the longest time, the Pulse l'Cie remained wary, but all fears disappeared with her resolution. It wasn't in Lightning's nature to ultimately put her life before others - all of them knew that, far too well. They knew that allowing Jenova to live another day meant a worse fate for the world, and they couldn't let that happen.

Tifa and Vincent nodded in agreement. Snow and Serah looked to each other for a moment, before they held hands and nodded as well.

Lightning pulled her phone out of her pocket, punching a speed dial number. "Sazh, change of plans," she said after one ring. "Pick us up in the town square."

Less than a minute had passed before an airship descended upon them. Snow went ahead toward the cockpit, taking the co-pilot seat next to Sazh as Serah stood behind him. Vincent and Tifa stood close by, watching the cavalry distract PSICOM's eyes from them. The battle in New Eden continued, but they knew it would all end back on Pulse.

Back by the hatch, Cloud and Lightning shared an unbreakable gaze, a myriad of emotions reflecting back at one another. He thought he had prepared himself for this moment, but doubt never failed to creep back and linger in his heart. Was Lightning truly ready to give herself up for them, and if she was, could he move forward? He managed knowing that she was well and alive in a distant world...but continuing to live knowing that she couldn't was the hardest choice.

'It has to be this way,' he thought to himself. He realized he couldn't protect her from everything. Taking away her choice, her freedom, meant that he was killing her, in a way. Seeing her as she was - headstrong in the midst of all odds against her - filled him with a fleeting euphoria that he thought he could never feel again.

Her eyes charged with emotion, Lightning gave a gentle smirk before she reached for his face with both her hands. Cloud eagerly leaned forward, his arms wrapping around her and bringing her close as their lips melded together, moving together in synchronization. They never felt close enough; Lightning ran her fingers through his hair, and Cloud pressed the small of her back more firmly. He felt the desperation in her movements, her strong grip on him only hinting at how deeply she felt for him.

A year's worth of emotions washed over him - emotions that he struggled to contain after the events in Midgar. The months without her made Cloud want to hold her even longer. The memories they shared before the attack on Edge made him want to kiss her even fiercer. Not a single part of him regretted taking the chance to come to Pulse, even when he knew there was little to no chance of him ever seeing the Planet again. With Lightning, he felt that anything was possible...even this crazy mission that had their fates in the balance.

It felt too soon when they broke apart; Cloud rested his forehead on hers, feeling their deep breaths come together in the midst of the silence. In that brief moment, he knew Lightning would always be with him.

"We do this together," he reminded her in a low voice.

Lightning closed her eyes in agreement. "Whatever it takes."

Surprise~! My god, it's been forever. I'm sorry for never updating. I transferred from my community college to a university, and I changed jobs, so I had a complete turnaround in my life. I've seen the favorites, the alerts, and the reviews asking me to continue. It's not that I gave up entirely, I just lost mojo when I lost the original flash drive.

I can safely say we're finally reaching the end of this Part 2. Hopefully, I'll have enough inspiration to get through Part 3. I deeply apologize to readers who gave up on me. Thank you so much, readers who stuck around. And welcome, new readers who recently got through The Vessel!