Final Cry

by Study in Elegant Death

The world no longer needed the Savior, she served her purpose of shepherding the souls of old to a New World and freeing them of the creed of Gods. Now all that had been left was trying her best to assimilate into a normal life. But fate had other plans for the Savior, and being 'normal' just didn't cut it. Especially when Yeul and a red-clad demon hunter get involved.

8. Chapter 8: Fall from Heaven

Chapter 8: Fall From Heaven

Hearing the open/shut of a door, Hope turned his head as with the rest of his students and shared their looks of confusion. Checking his watch, he still found it a tad bit early for someone to be leaving his lecture. Feeling a peculiar object in his front pocket when he'd been checking his watch, Hope was sure he hadn't stored anything there. His gaze lingered on the door for a few moments, and Hope swore he'd seen pink hair when the door had shut. Although he didn't necessarily want to get his hopes up on the fact that it could be the person he'd been waiting on, Hope still bet on the possibility that Lightning had come through and that the woman was somehow behind an elaborate reunion. How, he couldn't exactly say- but he just had a feeling. Clearing his throat, he waited until he had their undivided attention. "That'll be all for today. Be sure to review anything you don't have a keen understanding of- it will be on the test."

Dismissing his class, not one of the students complained about being let out early, in fact, they just chalked it up to their favorite professor being 'cool'. Smiling and nodding to each of his students as they left, Hope waited until he was completely alone in the room and finally rummaged through his pocket. Staring at the foreign object he'd fished out, it turned out to be an envelope. Hurriedly opening it, he was met with a short, to the point message.

'I need your help. After you're finished here, come back to your office- alone.'

Deciding not to keep the person waiting, Hope wanted to confirm whether or not his suspicions of them being Lightning were true. Near-sprinting to his office, the professor hurriedly bypassed a multitude of student/faculty members and made it to his office. Turning the doorknob, he opened the door and stepped inside. Glancing around the room, he was disappointed to see no one. Sighing a bit, he stepped inside. The door shut behind him, and he saw a familiar face that hadn't shown up for at least a decade: "Lightning!" His initial disappointment instantly melted away once Hope's eyes landed on her. Smiling instantly at the presence of an old friend, Hope was ecstatic to have gotten a visit from her after so long of a silence.

"Hope." Lightning smiled and barely got out his name before the taller man hugged her. Caught a bit off-guard, Lightning honestly didn't so much mind being on the receiving end of a hug from Hope. Had it been from anyone else (other than Serah), it would have been a very different story. Having finally gotten the privilege of meeting him in his adult form, Lightning was surprised on how he now towered over her a bit and had to lean down to her level in order to hug her properly. Lightning knew that she could no longer deny it- he was a man now. She could honestly now say she knew what it likely felt like to be the younger Hope Estheim when he'd received the same gesture from her all those centuries ago, and had a keener understanding of how he'd felt awkward.

"It's...it's really you." Hope murmured, grateful that this hadn't been some sort of trick of the mind- he'd dreamt of the day that Lightning would return, and no matter how 'real' things turned out to be...it ended up only being a disappointment when he awoke. He'd missed her more than Lightning would probably ever know.

"Don't start the water works on me, Hope...I don't think I could handle it without joining in." After all these years, she was glad to see that he hadn't changed and remained the individual she'd known him to be: a good man with a heart of gold, who had long ago earned his name- Hope.

"Sorry...I just- I missed you, Light. A lot." Hope semi-explained, for once finding himself at a loss of words. He knew that Lightning and he had their promise to one day find one another, and that, even after a decade he should never give up on her or the fact that she'd go against her word- but Hope had grown a little weary. Being with her in the now passing moment, he was a little ashamed to have ever doubted Lightning.

"I know. Me too." Lightning smiled and pulled herself out of the long hug. "Hope...I wish I was coming for a simple 'visit' or that I was bringing good news, but-"

"Don't worry about it. I'm here for you, Light." Hope grabbed her hands, smiling sincerely down at the woman before him. "Whatever's bothering you, we'll get through it together."

"Hope, there's no easy way of saying this, so I'll just have to come outright and say it: The world's at stake...again." It seemed like each time she left the lives of the ones she cared for, Lightning only ever returned when there was some divine threat on the verge of destroying the world. She honestly needed to find a better way of saying 'hello'.

Taking a short moment, Hope placed his hands on her shoulders and nodded. "Fill me in, Light." No matter what was coming their way, he was certain that Lightning could handle all of it. She who toppled Bhunivelze wouldn't have much out there that could even remotely challenge her, so for Lightning to come to him, he assumed that she'd need his help in some sort of way.

"There's...I don't know exactly what's coming- but creatures are hunting me. They've been hunting me, actually. I've been avoiding them and killing whatever comes across my way, but I'm not sure that that's good enough. They won't stop, and they're getting desperate." Giving him a short, sweet explanation of her current predicament, Lightning hoped it would be enough to get the topic underway.

"Is that why you disappeared, were you scared that if you stayed with us, we'd all be in danger? Do you know what they want, Light?" Now it all seemed to make sense. Lightning dropped off the edge of the earth in order to let everyone else progress with their lives and prevent them from being hunted along with her. But for Lightning to break the silence after a decade, he assumed things weren't going so well. Having not heard anything of Lightning from the others, save for the interview he'd had with that reporter, Aoede, Hope wondered if he'd been the first one of the group she'd come to see.

"I...you all deserved a new chance on the New World, and I couldn't take you away from Nora and Bartholomew, Hope. It isn't even until recently that this mess all started, and I didn't want to drag people into this, and I'm sorry to do this to you...I just didn't know who else to go to. You're the person I feel like I can put all my faith and trust into, and I'm really just winging it as I go along. I hope that my being here won't put you in danger." Staring into his green eyes, Lightning felt that things were getting a little too 'heavy' between them, so she decided to hastily add in one last part. "-any of you." Maybe it was just her, but Lightning saw a tinge of disappointment in Hope's facial expression. "They want to kill me for my Eradia. Supposedly, it's going to give them one hell of a power boost- and I don't think we want to see that. Demons are trouble enough without being enhanced by Gods."

"So you decided to go it alone." Hope listened to everything she had to say, and understood why she believed that she had to go through these trials alone, but he completely disagreed. Taking a step back from Lightning, he frowned for a moment, thinking of the terms she'd been using. Eradia. Demon. Gods. "You still have magic!" Finally clicking for Hope, it took a moment for him to realize that Bhunivelze's enhancements hadn't faded from the woman. How could he not have noticed? She still looked every bit the woman he'd met 1010 years prior.

Lightning nodded. "Not so loud, Hope! If people hear you yelling about magic, then I think we're both off to a mental institute- and I'd hate to have to harm humans in order to break us out."

"Sorry, Light! I just- I can't believe this. With the defeat of Bhunivelze, shouldn't the powers of the Savior have left you?" Hoping she knew why Lightning remained one of the 'divine', Hope waited for an answer.

"Etro." Seeing the confusion at the mention of the long lost Goddess, Lightning knew she'd have to elaborate. "The Goddess knew that the reality we currently live in was a possibility, and she wanted to tip the scales in humanities favor. She knew that toppling Bhunivelze would only be the start of a new threat, and that mankind would need someone to protect it. So she created me. When I washed up on the shores of Valhalla, Hope, it was no accident. Yeul dragging me there was for more than a last stand against Caius and the impending demise of Etro- it was the will of the Goddess that I become the Grail of Valhalla."

"The gifts of the Goddess often harbor unforeseen consequences. That's why Fang used to think of her as a benevolent deity like Lindzei and Pulse- though her good intentions do mean well, the Goddess' miracles often spin catastrophe regardless of intent." Folding his arms, Hope leaned against his desk and took in all of the information Lightning was giving him. "How have you been managing to take on these 'demon' creatures in combat, alone?"

"I'm never alone." Lightning said cryptically. His expectations were without a doubt very high of her, but Lightning wouldn't withhold the fact that the Eidolons had a very big part in her victories. "Come on, there's something I want to show you." Grabbing his hand, she began to lead him away until a knock came at the door.

"Professor Estheim?" A girl's voice could be heard from the other side, and Lightning turned her attention to Hope. Raising a brow, he smiled and laughed nervously.

"A student." Hope explained in a low voice to Lightning. "Come in!" Completely due to habits, his first reflex was to allow the individual inside for a consultation.

The door opened, and a blonde girl stepped in. Staring at the pair, and the fact that they were holding hands, she raised a brow. "Your girlfriend?" The pink haired woman appeared to be a mercenary of some sort- the complete opposite of what she assumed to be Hope's type.

"I-" Hope began to explain away the situation, but Lightning cut him off.

"Yeah, I'm his girlfriend. We were just about to head out, would you mind coming back?" It would be far easier to say she'd come to steal away her professor because she was his girlfriend, as opposed to someone who dropped in out of the blue with the world about to be destroyed. Shooting Hope a look that said 'play along', Lightning hoped he understood.

"Oh. Professor Estheim's never mentioned you, so I had no idea. Are you in the military, or something?" The pinkhaired woman seemed to carry herself in a different fashion than most. It wasn't 'unladylike' so much as confident/tough.

"New Bodhum security regimen. Lieutenant Farron of the Guardian Corps." Using her old credentials, Lightning seemed to please the blonde girl. "Now if you'll excuse us, we really have to be going." Dragging Hope along with her, Lightning nodded to the girl and walked out of the room.

"If it's regarding an assignment, we'll go over it later!" Hope promised on their way out. Once they were out of earshot from his student, he felt inclined to ask Lightning the question he had on his mind. "Uh, Light- why did you say we were dating?"

Lightning shrugged her shoulders. "It seemed easier than explaining how we've lived over a thousand years each, and our times of being l'Cie, my becoming a Goddess at the hands of Etro, your time traveling experience and our roles in aiding Bhunivelze to create the New World in order to make his human slaves, deciding that that just didn't work, betraying and then destroying God." Glancing over at Hope, she knew that he'd agree it was easier.

"Well, when you put it like that..." Hope laughed a bit. "So, what's the surprise you've got up your sleeve?" Genuinely curious, he hoped Lightning would give it up to him, for old time sake. But he knew her better than that.

"And spoil all of the suspense after I've gone to all this trouble? I don't think so." Lightning shook her head. Marching him outside, she brought Hope into the track by his University. Releasing his hand for a moment, she retrieved her stashed Blazefire Sabre and quickly made her way over to him once more. Seeing the puzzled look on his face, Lightning only smiled in answer. Grabbing Eradia from her symbol of the Savior, she crushed it in her hand and froze time. Everything around them slowed to a stand-still and Lightning firmly held onto his hand, lest he fall to her time dilation abilities as well. Grabbing the crystal she wanted, Lightning tossed it to the sky and fired her Blazefire Sabre. Glancing over at Hope, he seemed at a complete loss for words at the display before him. Despite knowing the scope of her Savior abilities, he was still able to be pleasantly surprised.

Once the sphere containing her selected Eidolon came forth, the hieratic text of Etro formed along it and swirled around the circumference of the outside, just asking to be spoken.

"Light..." Hope called her name, looking from the Eidolon to her. Was this...? It couldn't be, could it?

Lightning nodded to Hope, smiling at his expression. "I thought you'd like to meet an old friend- settling for me just wouldn't be enough, would it?"

Hope's mouth opened and semi-shut, he hadn't been expecting any of this, today. Seeing Lightning was enough to make him overjoyed, but to see Alexander, too? Feeling a tad bit overwhelmed, he felt the sting of tears in his eyes. Glancing away, he remembered his promise not to cry in front of Lightning.

Noticing his tremble, Lightning knew the feeling all too well. When Odin, her most beloved friend/confidant/servant had decided to stay behind in the Unseen Realm, she couldn't fight the tears that fell when her Eidolon knelt before her as a sign of respect. After the centuries that they'd been tangled together, it was only logical that attachment was felt to these divine creatures, as they were the reason that the chosen six had been able to endure through so much. A symbol beyond the l'Cie brand, to never give up, and a byproduct of their bond. When l'Cie truly met the darkest depths of despair, and could no longer continue on, the Goddess Etro would bestow upon select chosen l'Cie a mercy: Her fiercest warriors birthed in the heat of battle, who, if bested by chosen master would be loyal to that individual until their very end- but should you fall to the Eidolon, the Goddess would open up the very gates of Valhalla and greet you with her divine embrace and mercy. Ordinarily, this would have been the case for all of us, but the Goddess tipped the scales in our favor. She knew that, without Hope- I never could have defeated Odin. Without Snow, I never would have learned forgiveness, humility, and acceptance for anyone else to take my sister from my side. Fang and Vanille, our mysterious duo from Pulse who gave all of us a renewed perspective on our misguided prejudice to those from a world none dared venture to. Sazh...my first traveling companion who taught me to slow down, assess the situation and keep a cool head, even when experiencing turmoil.

Shutting her eyes, Lightning turned her head to the sky. On opening them, she recited the text of Alexander.

"By the grace of Etro, stand fast your walls of stern judgment. Come forth, fortress of sanctity.

Fortified virtue. Shattered iniquity.

A name in blood, a pact of light. Alexander shall rise, his bond eternal and unyielding."

One by one, the words faded from the sphere and Hope stared up at it, expectantly. When Alexander himself didn't produce, he turned his attention to Lightning.

"Call his name." Lightning instructed Hope. This was his moment- and she wouldn't rob him of the joys that could come with seeing his Eidolon once again.

"Alexander!" Shouting his name to the heavens, the Eidolon's sphere reacted to the voice of his former master, and his summoning circle appeared beneath both he and Lightning. Bit by bit, the large Eidolon sprouted from the ground until Lightning and Hope found themselves dwarfed by his massive size. Smiling and laughing, tears did fall down Hope's face. Wiping them off with the back of his sleeve, he found himself a bit surprised when Lightning grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"It's okay to show him how you really feel, I bet it's probably the same for him, too." Lightning smiled up at Alexander. Maybe this is what Lumina meant by seeking out the others- she knew that I wasn't meant to handle their guardians...I was just a container, meant for safekeeping. Their true masters are deserving of these reunions, and I am no substitute for the bonds that each share. Hope...Fang...Vanille...Sazh...Snow...no longer l'Cie, they can't summon the Eidolons, any longer- but I may know a way around that.

"Lightning...thank you!" Hope hugged her so tight that she felt like she may break. He never believed that the day would come when Alexander would be standing before him once more, and now that it had arrived- Hope wouldn't let it go.

"You're welcome." Lightning could hear the emotion in his voice, the sheer gratitude from him was astounding. Returning the hug, she could understand all of the feelings he was sorting through. If it were her and Odin in the same situation, then she'd probably break down in front of the Eidolon and whomever was present. "Hope. I want to give him back to you."

Surprised by her statement, Hope pulled out of the gesture and stared at her as if she were insane. "Light- that's impossible." Stating the obvious, he knew that Alexander wouldn't be able to accompany him, as he was no longer a l'Cie or a being with magic in order to sustain his physical form.

"I'm a Goddess, remember?" Lightning produced Eradia in her hand and offered it to Hope. The white sphere was stagnant in her outstretched hand as if waiting to be consumed for whatever tasks it was summoned for. Hope stared between her and the sphere for what felt like eternity.

"There's no telling what Eradia would do to a human, Light. That's not what it's used for." Hope, being a scientist, was all for tests and the pursuit of knowledge, but he had absolutely no idea what Eradia could do to a mortal being. Lightning was the only instance of where such a thing had came to be, but that was facilitated by Bhunivelze himself- a God who knew exactly what he was doing and so there was no room for error.

"The life force of a God- if it can sustain the life of a world on the brink of destruction and prolong time to spin miracles for men, then why can't it make the impossible, possible? If anyone's capable of defying destiny and rewriting our futures, it's us. Barthandelus, Orphan, Bhunivelze- they all knew exactly what humans were capable of- miracles. I may be no Etro, but that's no reason to not try." Once more Lightning offered Eradia to Hope. As one of the former chosen six, all of them should know that destiny was as malleable as they made it out to be- nothing could be set in stone. Even those who saw into the future could only grasp what they'd seen to be utter truth, until mortals showed them a way beyond even their sight could see.

"I trust you, Light." Hope nodded to her. Reaching out his hand, he grabbed the Eradia and stared at Lightning. She made a closed fist gesture to Hope, and he nodded, taking the hint. Inhaling a deep breath, Hope shut his eyes and crushed the Eradia within his hands. On opening his eyes, he saw that the mystical sphere of deific origin was no longer there. After a few moments when nothing happened, he disappointingly turned his attentions to Lightning. "Guess it's not one of those things you can just give away, Light."

"Hope!" Lightning pointed to his left arm, more specifically to just above his left wrist. His arm was glowing, and it didn't appear to be the symbol of a l'Cie beneath his clothing or marking his skin.

"Huh?" Glancing at his arm, Hope was caught off guard by the sudden change. Rolling up the sleeve of his shirt/sweater, Hope was met by the sight of a new symbol marking his arm: That of the Savior. "Light!"

"I see it." Lightning was just as surprised as his being marked, though it had been her intention to do so. Her suspicions were now confirmed: Lightning could share her power. Still watching his symbol, it twisted into a hybrid form between l'Cie/hers in order to create an entirely new design. Pulse/Lindzei created two separate forms of humanity; their fal'Cie marked both creeds of humans, the chosen with the mark of the l'Cie in order to destroy the worlds birthed at the hands of the Gods. Bhunivelze gave me a symbol that transcended the bonds of l'Cie/Master- if my 'focus' was complete, I was to become the new Etro, and reign eternal over the Unseen Realm of stagnant time. Being damned to never leave Valhalla and watch all of those dear to me die off one by one to be reincarnated at my very hands in order to purge themselves of ever knowing the name Lightning Farron. A twisted fate for the new Goddess Bhunivelze intended to birth. Did he believe that my suffering and anguish would only confine me to that fate...? God intended for me to be a lesser, but did he have in mind that I could mold my own creations...?

"Did you see that?" Perplexed on what it meant that his symbol had changed into a halfway between Pulse l'Cie/Savior, Hope had to wonder what would happen to him. Just because he hadn't turned into something like a Cie'th didn't mean he was out of the woods just yet. "Light?" When no answer came, he looked up and saw her staring off in space. Judging by her facial expressions, Lightning was thinking of something very important. Pondering whether or not to pull her out of her thoughts, Hope didn't have long to think it over. Startled by a sudden tap on his shoulder, he looked back at Alexander. The Eidolon flattened his palm on the ground, waiting for his master to stand upon it. Staring at it for a moment, Hope understood what Alexander had meant. Nodding, he climbed onto the hand and smiled while being lift up to eye level with Alexander.

"I missed you too, big guy." Hope spoke up, glad they had this reunion. Though Alexander lacked speech, Hope knew from his subtle body language what he was trying to convey. "You won't mind having to part with Lightning, will you- because I'll be right there with her, every step of the way! So, if you're having trouble deciding whether or not to stay with her or go with me-" Alexander nodded to Hope's babbling. Placing his master on his shoulder just like old times, the Eidolon was glad Lightning allowed him to go back with his master.

"Whoa! This was...a lot easier when I was 14..." Hope scratched the back of his head, recovering from a slight stumble on Alexander's shoulder. "Maybe I'm just out of practice!" Laughing a bit, Hope steadied himself and eventually found good footing.

Alexander let out what sounded like a laugh, and gently removed Hope from his shoulder. Slowly placing him down to the ground, he flattened his palm on the field and waited for Hope to leave so that he could return to his crystal form. Once his master safely left his hand, Alexander shone with a brilliant, green light right before changing back to his crystal.

Watching his crystal descend, Hope gently took it in his hands. "Welcome back, old friend." Grinning at Lightning, the woman nodded to him.

And then everything went dark.

Finding himself lost in an abyss of darkness, Hope tried to claw his way out of it. Somehow he needed to find something- a hand. It reached out for him, and Hope instinctively grabbed onto it for dear life. Finding himself pulled to safety and then dropped a (safe) distance to the ground, he winced slightly out of instinct, but was surprised to find there had been no pain at all.

"And here I thought this was a private place where she and I could be alone. But now she's just letting anyone in? How boring." Lumina pouted, folding her arms and staring at Hope.

"Lumina?" Hope stared at her, frowning when she appeared before him.

"The one and only." Lumina shrugged her shoulders, smiling at Hope.

"But you're-"

"-gone? That seems to be the popular theory. But enough about me, what brought Gods Ears to this sacred place?" Lumina genuinely wanted to know how Hope was intruding on the plane of existence only she and Lightning were supposed to have the 'key' to.

"I- I don't know where here is. And I'm not Gods Ears anymore- he's gone, and that purpose was stripped of me a long time ago." Hope genuinely had no idea where the trickster was going with her old facts. But how and why was Lumina reborn?

"Is he?" Lumina asked, tilting her head to the side. Tapping her finger on her chin, she saw the doubt she cast on Hope about Bhunivelze's demise. "Let me refresh your memory."

Manipulating the world around them, they were both showed past events through the eyes of Lightning herself.

Hope: Is it over? Is God really dead?

Lightning: He's fallen into the Unseen Realm. Does that mean he's destroyed, or merely sleeping? I don't know. Maybe, one day he'll return... But even if he does, it doesn't matter. We'll win again.

Lightning destructed the crystal God had formed of the universe, and every semblance of life within cascaded upon the dark canvas that the void of space had been for her and the rest of the righteous warriors for humanity. Letting the vision come to an abrupt end, Lumina looked down to Hope.

"Are you trying to say that Bhunivelze has come back?" Hope was alarmed at the revelation Lumina was trying to give him.

"Am I?" Cryptically smiling at him, Lumina hopped off the platform she'd been sitting on so that she could address him properly. For some reason, the area had been manipulated by Hope's presence, and the throne of Etro/Etro's throne room was now distorted into the Vile Peaks post-Odin fight. Why was this place of significance to Hope? Was it because this is where Lightning discarded him without a second thought out of fear he may die and his blood would be on her hands, only to later retcon her statement that she could make him 'strong'? Had this place held a sentimental value to him for the relationship he'd formed with her other half?

"I have no idea- you're not very forthcoming with facts." Hope watched her come walk over to him, and try to play off her usual, bratty act.

"Always the curious one so hungry for knowledge- tell me, Hope, what is it that you think you can accomplish if I tell you the answer to your questions? Will you be her knight in shining armor and strike down all of the bad guys so that she'll swoon over you?" Mocking him, Lumina teleported behind Hope and giggled, startling him.

"That's- that's not why I'm helping her..." Hope turned to face her, but found himself confronting thin air.

"Riiiiiiiight." Lumina drew out the word, letting out yet another amused laugh. "See, you can hold onto your lies and self-deceptions anywhere else, Hope, but in here- this world of your making and imagination- you're mine. I can see into every corner of your mind from here. The things that you'd like to keep hidden, from secrets, hopes, dreams, to your deepest desires."

"H-how would you be able to do that?" Alarmed at Lumina's supposed intrusion into his mind, Hope spun around and found himself staring down at the smirking girl. She seemed to rather enjoy watching him squirm beneath her heel.

"We're connected now, you and I." Lumina pointed from herself to Hope. "How, you might ask? Well, you entered into a covenant with Lightning and by proxy myself. You're a part of her and I'm a part of you. It's quite interesting, really. I never thought that my guiding her to you would allow the two of us to have such thrilling conversations." Grinning ear to ear, she clasped her hands together and put on her 'sweet girl' act.

"This is where you took Lightning, isn't it? Where you both spoke so that God and myself couldn't hear you?" Earning a nod from Lumina, she smiled and eagerly bobbed her head up and down, doing a hand motion for him that said 'go on'. "You two were in her mind, and that's how you could keep things 'private'. But what I want to know now is...why me? Why would you want to speak to me in private? Couldn't you just find me with Light?"

"Hope, I'm getting all of the pieces together. Whether or not Lightning succeeds in her venture is solely up to her. And I was going to meet up with you, eventually. But this is even better! This way you and I have total confidentiality!" Seemingly pleased at the prospect of having a total one on one without Lightning, Lumina paced a bit faster around the ever-changing landscape between them. Now it had been the area in Palum Polum where Fang/Lightning/Hope defeated the creature who knocked out Snow. "What I'm going to say to you Hope, I don't want to reach Lightning's ears." Making herself perfectly clear to him, the man nodded. "She'll fill you in on the rest of the details, but I have something to say to you: stay with her. She needs you, Hope, now more than ever." Shifting her demeanor, Lumina seemed to be genuinely expressing the feelings she conveyed.

"Of course. You didn't have to ask that." Hope couldn't help but feel Lumina hadn't said what she'd wanted to as of yet. Waiting for her to either speak again or dismiss him from their meeting place, he let his words hang in the air.

"Can I absolutely trust you, Hope?" Lumina wanted him to make a vow to her that he not tell Lightning what was to come.

Hope nodded to her. "Yes."

"Swear it on your parents lives." Lumina wanted for the conditions to be a little more binding than simply going by Hope's word, so she chose something that she knew he'd grown to treasure in his tenure of being an (ex)immortal.

"I swear it on my parents." Hope was surprised she could be so domineering. But if she truly was part of Lightning, then maybe it wasn't that farfetched.

"At the end of her journey..." Making sure she had his full-attention, Lumina rather enjoyed the theatrics of drawing out such things. "Lightning's going to die." Outright stating it, she expected some sort of huge reaction from Hope, but the silver haired male laughed at her statement. Confused, Lumina wore a puzzled look- was Hope really this morbid?

"Lightning...die...?" Hope shook his head, finding the idea to be preposterous. "She's the strongest person I know- she won't fall to anyone."

"See, that's where you're wrong, Hope- Yeul decreed it. And I think we both know that the Seeress is always spot on in her prophecies." Lumina portrayed herself as very serious, considering Hope didn't seem to be taking her seriously in the passing moment.

"Yeul...?" Hope frowned, placing his hand on his chin. "The Seeress was freed of her fate by Caius Ballad 10 years ago, so how is it possible that she's able to use divination in order to create prophecies?" She'd been stripped of her title/powers and allowed to live out the remainder of her natural life with Noel Kreiss.

"She had a debt that I cashed in on." Lumina shrugged her shoulders, ignoring the shocked look on Hope's face. "Like I said, Hope- I'm stacking things in Lightning's favor. But even what I'm doing isn't guaranteed to help."

"There has to be some way to stop it! If Lightning finds out, then surely...!" Finding himself 'shushed' when Lumina's hand glowed with the aura of Chaos itself, Hope swallowed when he felt tendrils of Chaos wrapping around him.

"You promised." Lumina tilted her head to the side, constricting him with the Chaos. "Maybe I was wrong to trust you." Sighing of disappointment, she didn't allow him to speak. "If you welsh on your promise to me, Hope, there will be consequences. Now, go." Flicking her wrist, Hope was tossed once more into the darkness.

"Hope!"

Blinking a few times, Hope was surprised to find Lightning looking down on him and seemingly very worried. Her features seemed to relax once he showed signs of being alright. "Lightning, I- what happened?" To his knowledge, he hadn't been on the ground previously. Nor was his head propped up on her thighs.

"You fainted." Lightning was still evidently worried about him. Pulling him into a hug, she'd honestly never felt so scared in her entire life. "For a moment there, I- I thought I lost you." If he died and it was her fault for sharing her Eradia- then she wouldn't know what to do with herself. "You warned me, and like an idiot I just decided to go ahead and do what I wanted... I thought I learned better than to gamble with peoples lives- I guess I didn't."

Lightning's going to die. Gripping her shirt tightly, Hope averted his eyes. "It's not your fault, Light. I agreed to it."

"What's wrong?" Lightning asked, noticing his shift in demeanor. "You didn't run into Caius and Yeul, did you?"

"No! Nothing like that! Why- what did you hear?" Hope wondered if he'd been murmuring during his conversation with Lumina and Lightning had been able to catch bits and pieces or not.

"Nothing." Lightning blinked, wondering why he was acting so strangely. "I just thought you might have slipped into the Unseen Realm by accident, and I didn't know if I'd have to go charging in there guns a blazing to get you back." Opting to joke with him, Lightning hoped that she'd be able to lighten up the mood that way.

"Am I really worth all that effort?" Hope smiled at her, trying to get past his inner turmoil.

"After all that we've been through? Definitely." Lightning didn't hesitate in her answer. "Are you feeling okay to walk? I can heal you if need be."

"I think I'll be fine." Hope's body didn't feel out of the ordinary, so he was fairly confident/certain he could use his motor functions properly.

"Still I better help you up just in case." Lightning gently lift his head off her thighs and slowly helped him to stand up.

"Light...what happens now?" Hope asked, walking side-by-side with the woman he was still a little confused on the details. She wanted him to join the fight, but Lightning also said she intended to give the others back their respective Eidolons. So that brought Sazh, Vanille, Fang and Snow back into the fold. Hope didn't want to discount the old man, but was it wise bringing him into the conflict? He wasn't as spry as he used to be, and when they'd first met Sazh had been at least 40 years old, and a decade had physically gone by on this world, so it may not be 'realistic' for Brynhildr to be given back to him.

"Well, that depends if the others are ready to handle another round of saving a world on the brink of destruction. I don't think it'll take much doing to get Fang on board, and I'm not really sure if I can just show up on Serah's doorstep to try and get her and Snow to come along..." After dodging her calls and disappearing from her sister altogether, how could she face her little sister? Serah forgave all of my prior transgressions without so much as a second thought. From my fights with Snow to my getting her killed in order to save the world...after all of the things that I've done that should be called 'unforgivable' how do people continue to stay by my side? Glancing over at Hope, who seemed to be hanging on her every word/Lightning smiled. Even when the whole world seemed to turn its back on me- you stayed by my side, and vowed to never leave me. Even if I was to take on God himself, you'd cast aside your fears and put yourself in peril just to come to my aid. I owe you a lot more than my life. "I'm glad that even after all these years, you and I still have each others backs."

"I'll always get your back, Light." Hope smiled back at her, hoping he conveyed the confidence he felt in his abilities. How am I supposed to keep myself from telling you? Lightning...after all that we've been through...

"I have to go, Hope. When I get back-"

"No!" Alarmed by her sudden declaration, Hope shot down the idea immediately.

"Hope?" Surprised by his outburst, she felt he was acting strangely.

"You're not leaving me, Light. I'm going with you. We're partners, remember? We go together." Grabbing her hands, he looked her directly in the eyes. Hope was adamant that the two of them go- after Lumina's words, how could he just let her go off alone?

"It's going to be dangerous, Hope. I don't know what's going to happen one moment from the next..." Seeing the unwavering determination in his eyes, Lightning knew it was moot to argue with him. "Alright. We'll go together. But what about your students?"

Hope thought about it for a moment. "I think they can manage for a little while without me. You came back here for a reason, Lightning, and I'm here to help."

"What about Nora and Bartholomew?" Lightning didn't know why she was trying so hard to make him stay behind. Was it for his safety, or her peace of mind? In either case, it probably wasn't fair to treat him like the adolescent boy she'd met 1010 years prior.

"They'll understand." Hope assured her. "Now let's get going."

"Go where?" Lightning was confused.

"To see Serah, Snow, Fang, Vanille, Sazh, Noel and Yeul." Hope didn't have to wonder about any particular order she wanted to visit their old friends- he knew Serah would be next on the list. From the moment that she called him, he knew something was up- Lightning wouldn't just fall off the face of the Earth without a reason. Leaving her sister behind, no questions asked? That just wasn't her. And Lightning seemed a bit anxious about their reunion, so it was all-in-all a win-win situation that Hope was tagging along.

Lightning nodded. Allowing herself to be led by him, she honestly didn't know how much she'd missed Hope until their reunion. I always thought that Serah was my last thread of humanity, that she kept me level-headed and I endured through human interactions for her sake- I was wrong. You taught me what it is to be human, Hope, without you- I would have been lost. If it weren't for you following me to the Vile Peaks, fighting Odin, Snow, Nora, Valhalla, Nova Chrysalia...even now- I don't think I'd be standing here. The Chaos would have claimed me so long ago. And to you, Hope- I owe more than I could ever give. Glancing over at him, she was grateful he decided to tag along despite her initial hesitance.

Making small talk all the way to the train station, Hope caught her up in the last decade of his life, and Lightning like-wise traded off stories of working from the multitude of temp/business jobs she'd accumulated over time. None of them seemed to stick very long, and it was likely because she just couldn't see herself staying at a place she didn't believe in. Joining a military regime seemed like an obvious choice for a seasoned fighter like herself, but she didn't have it in her anymore. Sure, there was fighting in the now, but that was for more than just her own survival- the world depended on her.

The two eventually boarded a train, and were off to meet Serah and Snow in their home of New-New Bodhum.

"The inhabitants actually refer to the town solely as 'New Bodhum' despite its official name/the variation that's listed." Hope explained, spouting off trivia he'd garnered of factoids people somewhat found 'useless'.

"I can see why. It's kind of redundant, isn't it?" Lightning listened to every word Hope had to offer her- they had a lot to catch up on.

"I suppose it does have a practical sense as well, seeing as the people within lived in the prior 'New Bodhum' and wanted to keep the name of their home, while managing to not forget-" Hope found himself rambling, but stopped once he felt a weight on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw Lightning's head using his shoulder as a pillow. He'd had no prior indication of the fact that the Savior was tired, nor ready to fall asleep, so Hope was genuinely surprised. Observing her features whilst sleeping, he figured Lightning honestly needed/deserved the rest she was now taking and was glad she felt comfortable enough around him to fall asleep.

"I'll...wake you when we get there, Light." Hope promised. Hearing the giggle of a few girls who made 'Aww' noises and motioned from himself to Lightning, Hope felt his cheeks heat up. Turning his head away to face the window, Hope distracted himself in the many variables that would come with them meeting Serah/Snow and Lightning's revelation to the pair. He'd also have to keep his mouth shut about the things Lumina had told him- how well would that blow over? Pursing his lips, Hope didn't think he could keep such a big secret from Lightning- she deserved to know the truth of her fate, even if it turned out to not be true.

---

"Well, that's quite the story." Musing aloud while she stirred her drink, the Pulsian woman stared down the white-haired male sitting opposite her and had to admit, of all the farfetched/out there stories she'd ever heard- this took the cake. Feeling his stare still upon her, she boredly cradled her head in her hand and lifted the glass to her lips.

"C'mon lady, you know where she is or not?" Dante asked, waiting for a proper answer from the Pulsian beauty. After all of the trouble he'd gone through just to track her down, the very least she could do was be forthcoming with her answers.

"From that little tale you told me, it doesn't seem like Lightning much cares for a reunion." Stating the obvious, Fang rather enjoyed toying with the demon hunter. Seeing the frown on his face, she slid another beer over to him. "Lighten up a little, will ya?"

"You know, I always thought meeting a girl version of me would be hot and exciting- but you're...I mean, is this how everyone sees me?" Dante felt the need to ask, though he did accept her offering of a beer.

Fang shrugged her shoulders. "I couldn't care less how people see ya. But don't be lumping the two of us together- Lightning actually likes me. Even if she did slug me a few lifetimes over ago." Trying to keep their conversation from being stable, she was rather interested in hearing anything more of 'demons' and how some 'dream girl' -that Fang assumed to be Yeul or a drunken bender on Dante's part- had just handed them the responsibility of saving God's grand new world on the brink of destruction. Snorting a bit at her thought, she voiced a bit of her discontent of the Gods. "You'd think God in all his 'divine wisdom' would've made us a better home. But no no. He wanted us to deal with the scraps he couldn't be bothered with."

"Hit you? And why would our heroine/Savior get off thine pedestal long enough to hit a human?" Mocking Lightning's grandiose opinions of herself, Dante'd honestly rather hear her story than listen to him recount tedious details. If he got her talking long enough, then maybe he'd be able to get her to spill the beans on Lightning.

Fang snorted at Dante's remark and covered her nose. Punching him on the shoulder, she grabbed a napkin. "Oi! I was gettin' me a drink and don't much fancy havin' this expensive liquid oozing onto the counter." Wiping off her face, Fang decided to elaborate. Glancing at Dante, she started to talk. "Ya think you two have it bad? Well, try and be responsible for her sister being marked with the brand of a l'Cie, being cursed to turning to either crystal or a monstrous Cie'th whose only hope could be a mercy kill by someone who just happened to venture to Pulse!"

"Alright. I think you may have just won the 'who pissed her off more' contest." Dante had to admit, he wasn't responsible for Lightning's sister being cursed/likely dead.

"Yeah, but I got a punch to the jaw- I didn't get Eidolons givin' me divine wrath and the powers of a God tryin' to smite me." Fang wasn't so sure who won the 'pissed off Lightning' contest. "By the way, how did Bahamut look? Was he primed and ready for a fight?" Drumming her fingers on the bar, Fang reminisced a bit of her time with the Eidolon. "Such a sweetheart, that one."

"Sweetheart!?" Dante scoffed at her ideations of the Eidolon. "The thing took out a city block and tried to vaporize me- the hell kinda fantasy island are you living on?"

Fang couldn't help the light laugh that escaped when gauging his reaction toward Bahamat's hostility. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Don't get me wrong- it's not as if I don't completely appreciate a drinking partner or wanted ya to turn to dust. But to survive Bahamat's attack, you must really be something."

"You're just about the only person who doesn't have an idea nor seem to give a damn who I am- it's kinda nice." Dante had to admit that fact. Fang was actually pretty good company, and one of the only women he'd ever encountered who seemed like they wouldn't attempt to kill him or extort money.

"What? Ya think some pretty boy charm and a few drinks is enough to win me over?" Fluttering her eyelashes at him, the Pulsian downed her drink and swiftly took another. Shaking her head, she let out a small, mock laugh.

"Hey, I'm a pretty big deal here on Earth. Being the Son of Sparda and all. And- you think I'm pretty?" Dante grinned at her.

"Don't get cute." Fang rolled her eyes. He seemed like a Snow type, with the sexual allure of Fang herself, bits and pieces of Lightning and maybe even a few others she'd encountered in all her travels. But she couldn't exactly say for certain. "Well, I don't know who Sparda was or is, but I'm assuming he or she was a pretty big hot shot on the New World before we all arrived. And if you're playin at reputation, then lady luck sure ain't on your side."

"You really have no idea who Sparda is?" Dante raised a brow.

Fang shrugged her shoulders. "Nope. And I'm not really into this little pissing contest you've drawn me into."

"Well it's not so much a 'pissing contest' as the two of us declaring reputation. I mean let me put it this way- Sparda basically pulled feats that Lightning did every single day. Although he was never human, the Legendary Dark Knight did his fair share of dispelling evil and letting them know that just because he could destroy them, didn't mean he would. Get this, the guy takes on a full army of demons, fights them to a complete stand-still, then the king himself Mundus and defeats them all, seals them away, decides to lay low, then reappears. Meets my mom, has us, and then vanishes into thin air." Giving her a short crash course on Sparda, Dante decided to at the very least give credit where it was due.

Eating the cherry from her drink, Fang traced around the rim of her glass. "And I'm sure that you bein' his son must make ya very proud to call him 'daddy'." Fang couldn't help but to notice how his speech made it seem very distant between the pair. Maybe he held some sort of resentment for his dad leaving him behind.

"Not really." Dante shrugged his shoulders. "Let's hear about the mysterious 'Fang'." Changing the subject, he decided to give her some scrutiny for not being 'interesting' enough.

"What's there to tell? I'm from Gran Pulse, I grew up in Oerba. My partner and I were destined to become l'Cie who would one day kill every living being on the worlds of Gran Pulse and Cocoon. The real kicker, is that we thought we were saving our world, because Pulse wouldn't use his own people for a mass murder, oh no, why would a God not care about his disciples?" Scoffing, Fang bitterly recalled the guardian deity of her world. "Ragnarok was all they gave a damn about, so that we'd screw over Etro and everything would go to literal hell."

"Ragnarok? As in the death of the Gods and two humans repopulating the Earth?" Dante had heard the phrase before, and as he recalled that's what it was supposed to be.

"Nope. Death of all humans, Bhunivelze gettin' what he wants, and to hell with the rest of us. But hey, at least now all of that mess is over and we get to sit here, drink and prattle on about the divine tryin' to screw us over." Fang shrugged once again, not really minding having to tell old tales, but it was kind of moot considering the New World didn't have any of these things roaming around.

"Cheers to that." Dante raised his beer to Fang.

"To being treated like a lesser." Fang returned the gesture, drinking her cocktail. "So. Do humans here age normally, or did God decide to give a longer vitality?"

"I don't know. What's 'normal' to someone who can turn to crystal and live forever?" Dante countered her question with a question as it seemed relevant.

"Well, some people would live upwards of 60 years. Some even made it to a hundred and some odd years." Fang thought about it for a moment. "Are you fishing for my age?"

"Sounds about the same as here." Dante was surprised that in a world of magic and gods, they had relatively normal lifespans. "I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours."

Fang scoffed. "What kinda trade is that? You better be offering me a whole lot more than that."

"What else do you want?"

"I want in on the action of course!" Fang felt a tad bit offended that he even had to ask.

"Just so we're clear: you want in on the demon hunting, and not...?" Making a vague gesture to himself, Dante wanted to be sure.

Fang snorted and took a sip of her drink. "You wish, pal. I may be the oldest hag on this planet, but don't think that makes me desperate."

Dante shrugged his shoulders, not really minding her act of violence toward him. "Just making sure. How old are we talkin' here? Because Lightning made it pretty clear that she's at least a thousand."

"1600." Fang shrugged. "1631 years old. And I bet I don't look a day over 21." Winking to him, the Pulsian stood up and retrieved her Bladed Lance. "He'll settle the tab." The Pulsian smoothly nodded in Dante's direction, walking out of the bar. Stretching a bit, she decided to round up Vanille and get the show on the road. Whether or not pretty boy liked her company didn't exactly matter to her- they had a Savior to hunt down and possibly hogtie until she got over her stubbornness and decided to listen to the voice of reason. Taking a few steps from the bar, she heard a peculiar scratching noise from behind her. Continuing to walk away, Fang sweep kicked the creature once it dared to leap at her. "And here I thought I wasn't gonna have any fun at all!" Smirking at the peculiar quadrupedal creature, she winked and grabbed her Bladed lance from its spot on her back. Knocking yet another out of the air, she soon found herself surrounded. "You want some?" Taunting them, her natural fighting style kicked in.

Firmly planting her Bladed lance on the ground, Fang used it to pole vault and kick the first brazen creature who'd tried to maul her from behind. Watching it fly into the wall of another building and its legs buckle from the amount of force she'd used, Fang let out a light chuckle. Twirling her lance, she hurled it like a javelin into a random demon. To her surprise, Fang had actually managed to impale two of them to yet another building. Letting out a loud cry of delight, the Pulsian resorted to hand-to-hand combat whilst weaponless against the demons. Sidestepping one who attempted to jump into her, she clothes lined the very next to try and do so.

"Leaving me with the drink tab was just plain cruel- but I guess I can forgive you for finding me something entertaining." Dante mused. He'd been watching Fang fight for the little while, and she seemed very competent. Were all the denizens of Pulse - which he was more sure had been 'Australia' above anything else - this competent at fighting? If so, sign him up. Retrieving his sword from his back, Dante eagerly joined the fight with Fang. Standing back to back with the Pulsian, she seemed to be a bit disappointed he'd come in.

"Yeah, something else with a pulse ya can bloody hit on." Fang joked smoothly, winking at Dante.

"Just don't get jealous." Dante teased her right back.

"Me- jealous? The day someone picks some run a the mill gorgonopsoid lookin' slag over me, is the day that I give up fighting and drinking." The ex-Bandit leader retrieved her Bladed lance while the creatures were distracted by Dante and her banter. Twirling it in her hands, she glanced over at the demon hunter. "How about a competition?"

"I'm listening." Dante couldn't help the light laugh at her first comment.

"Highest kill count wins."

"You're on."

Leaping into action, Fang and Dante were a blinding flurry of blows and defeated demons were piling up beneath either one of them. Though Fang initially had the lead, neither one could factually tell who had won their little contest.

"And I was just getting started." Fang let out a huff once they finished.

"You really like fighting." Dante caught on to that fact on seeing how disappointed Fang was when someone came to her aid in battle.

Shrugging her shoulders, Fang nodded. "Yeah I do. But can ya really blame me? I grew up on Gran Pulse and ya either learn how to fight or die there. Titan didn't make things any easier, anyway." He'd probably chew up and spit out several hundred different species every passing day in order to strengthen the trials of Pulse's humans in order to make them stronger. The weak obviously fell to such challenges, but through a forced natural selection the clans of Dia and Yun in Oerba flourished.

"Titan?" They had gargantuan Gods roaming around their former home?

"Yeah. One of the fal'Cie who roamed Pulse. He was responsible for keeping the cycle of life going for us. Liked to chew up one species and spit out an even stronger abomination. These things reminded me of them." Fang nodded toward a fallen Assault. Placing her Bladed lance on her back, she began walking in the direction of Vanille. Whether or not Dante followed her was of no consequence. If the world truly did hang in the balance, then Lightning would seek them out or they'd find her. Either one was fine.

"So the Gods who lived among you were all there to 'make life easier' but just seemed to make things a pain in the ass." Dante was trying to figure out whether or not he'd gotten the just of what she was saying.

"More or less." Fang shrugged. "I mean, if you count making the Adamantoise or Long Gui." Seeing the confusion on his face at the mention of creatures from Pulse, she supposed she'd have to elaborate a bit. "Ya know those cute little animals you guys have in the sea, with the shells and the gray skin, scraggly necks?"

"Turtles?" Dante asked, wondering where she was going with this.

"Alright. Now think of a turtle- tiny, isn't it? Well. Now make it over a hundred feet tall, a land animal and imagine having to dodge that thing while it walked." Fang could remember a few people who just weren't smart or quick enough to evade it and they'd just end up being crushed beneath its feet. Those blood puddles were pretty nasty reminders for the Pulsians to live by.

"I don't think I could. Christ. What kind of evolutionary purpose could that serve?" Dante was getting more and more interested of the lores behind the two worlds 'Gran Pulse'/'Cocoon'. One remained stationary in the sky, and the other was below. One was entirely artificial and supported by Gods for everything, the other seemed to be a more primal habitat with some Gods but the people could survive on their own.

"You'd have to ask Titan. But he's long gone, and those creatures are extinct." Fang couldn't say she exactly missed the fal'Cie- but Titan and Atomos really seemed on the up and up for those of Pulse. Even his parting words for the l'Cie were that of encouragement that they could complete their focus, despite being abominations.

"What could kill a giant turtle?" Dante wondered if they somehow caused it to topple over then finished it.

Fang shrugged her shoulders. "Plenty of things. You know, you said Sparda did feats Lightning accomplished everyday- but did he extinct the demons?"

"No. No he didn't." Dante shook his head, wondering where she was going with this.

"Look, I know ya wanna make him come off as all powerful and whatever, but Lightning extincted every last species that roamed Nova Chrysalia. When the world was on its last legs, and she only had 13 days to save us all, she still found the time to destroy every last creature that dared be a threat to humans. If it weren't for her, I'm sure this world would be lousy with gorgonopsoid, vampires, cie'th, the undying and anything humans here consider to be a 'nightmare'. Believe me, if you think that demons are a challenge, you haven't met an undying. Their souls become so twisted that even after failing their focus, they don't just turn Cie'th- their soul becomes an even worse monstrosity. Back on Pulse, there were plenty of em left when the six of us showed up. And when we met the last one that not even I was sure we could beat- Lightning kept us all going. When the tough gets going and the going gets tough, she didn't just throw her sword down and give up- she struggled through it and made us all believe that there was a future worth fighting for. Without Lightning, Vanille and I would have just been two stupid pawns in the games of Gods and there would have been no world for us to walk on right now. Ragnarok would have destroyed everything, and our sins would never have been atoned for. So my point is, Son of Sparda- don't discount her just because of the little you know and the fact that she can be a little hot-headed. In the heat of the moment Light may say something she doesn't exactly mean. We're all guilty of that. It's what makes us human." Despite his low regard for Lightning, Fang had a very high amount of respect for the woman. Hell, she was sure that Lightning must have had some Gran Pulse blood flowing through her veins.

Taking her words into account, Dante remained silent. Undying. Vampires. Gorgonopsoid. Cie'th. Their world seemed littered with creatures he'd never heard of before. And the Savior, with her time limit to save a dying world, had taken it upon herself to rid humanity of that scourge? He had to admit that hearing someone vouch for her in the way that Fang did left him with a differing opinion to what he'd gotten from their first encounter.

After a few moments, the pair arrived to Fang/Vanille's makeshift 'Oerba'.

"You live here?" Dante raised a brow, finding it strange to walk through two large masses of rock just to make it to their home.

"Home sweet home." Fang mused, walking until they found the true set up of the Pulsians- the home that Fang and Vanille shared. Covering her eyes from the sun, Fang looked up at their home in the trees. "Vanille! We've got company!"

"Hang on a second!" Vanille's voice called from inside their home. After a few crashes that made both Fang/Dante cringe, the redhaired girl came out of their home and smiled/waved. "Fang!" Leaping down from what seemed to be an impossible height, Vanille landed gracefully and without a single scratch. Despite her slim frame and delicate appearance, she seemed to be quite the tough young woman. Sprinting over to Dante/Fang at a breakneck pace, she didn't even seem to break a sweat. "Welcome home. And who's your friend?" Neatly folding her arms behind her back, Vanille smiled up at the white haired man.

"Light's new victim. He's just going through the hazing process. But to sum things up in the shortened version: Lightning and Dante are supposed to save the world." Fang casually dropped that bomb on Vanille.

"Oh no!" Vanille's face instantly etched with worry. "She's picking on you, huh? Well, not to worry too much! It just means she likes you but doesn't know how to say that yet!" Smiling and giggling, Vanille offered Dante her hand. "Oerba Dia Vanille."

"Dante." Dante shook her hand. He honestly couldn't help staring at Vanille- were all the denizens of Pulse this aesthetically pleasing? If so, he was kinda bummed out that there were only two of them left. Observing her outfit, Vanille seemed to have a bit more of a tribal look than Fang, and a little less modesty, though her skirt did manage to cover any areas that needed to be covered.

"Oi!" Fang hit him on the back of her head. "Her eyes are up here." Tilting his chin up so that Dante's eyes met Vanille's, the redhaired girl couldn't resist another giggle. "Don't bloody encourage him!" Fang instantly scolded Vanille.

"Fang..." Vanille whined when she'd earned a noogie from Fang.

Dante shook his head. They seemed every bit childhood friends. "Alright. I gotta ask- are all of the people from Pulse as good looking as you two, or were you both just one hit wonders?"

Momentarily distracting both women, Vanille smiled and shrugged toward Fang, and Fang shrugged her shoulders. "Pretty much."

"Which is it? Are you two irregularities or the norm for Pulse?" Dante had no clue from what Fang had been agreeing to.

"Yes." Vanille nodded, smiling cryptically at Dante. Grabbing his gloved hand, she began to lead him to the home she shared with Fang.

Glancing at Fang, the woman shrugged her shoulders and folded her arms behind her head. Following behind Dante and Vanille, she found it rather amusing how fast her partner had grown accustomed to him.

"Would you like something to drink?" Vanille asked, waiting for Dante to answer.

"No, I'm fine, thanks." Dante shook his head, sitting on the spot Vanille had allotted specifically for him.

Sitting opposite him, Vanille wanted to be filled in on the situation as it were between Fang/Lightning/Dante and now her. "So you're looking for Lightning? Did you lose her, or get ditched by her?" By past experience, Vanille expected it to be the former than the latter.

"She bolted. Went after some pink haired girl who said she was the 'Savior'. Her name's 'Lumina'." Dante had only found that one out thanks to Nero, and it took some doing, but he'd been able to find Fang/Vanille of the others Lightning was said to have hung out with in her 1000 year tirade.

"Are you sure the name was Lumina?" Vanille asked, sharing a look with Fang.

"Yep. No doubt about it. Why, she cause a lot of trouble for you two as well?" Dante asked.

"She...well, we can't say for sure, but Lumina woke us up from our crystal sleep." Vanille began to explain.

"Wouldn't you two consider that a 'good thing' as you both weren't stuck dreaming for eternity?" Dante was a tad bit confused on why she made it seem like a bad thing.

Fang scoffed. "Yeah, bloody good to be woken up when it's a literal hell on Earth. The only reason we were brought out of our crystal forms was to be pawns in Gods little game."

"And while we were crystal- we were conscious the entire time of our surroundings." Vanille chimed in.

"Wow. So you spent...how long sleeping?" Dante felt like that was more of a 'punishment' than a reward for completing the focus of a l'Cie.

"1600 years give or take." Fang shrugged, leaning against the wall.

"But we weren't lonely- we had each other during all that time!" Vanille didn't know how best to explain it, but their crystal stasis hadn't been lonely for a single moment because the two of them were together.

"So you two were able to communicate even though you were crystal? Interesting." No doubt another thing that their Goddess Etro would have done he supposed.

Vanille nodded. "It's sort of like...you're in each others heads, and you're both talking in a dream. It may sound a little strange, but it's true!"

"Actually I know exactly what that's like. Some girl came to me in a dream. She's actually the reason I got caught up in this mess." Dante thought long and hard about her.

"What did this girl say?" Fang's attention piqued at that bit of his story.

"That she was the first human, and basically I needed to find Lightning and we'd save the world." Dante recounted what he'd been told by her.

"Yeul." Fang knew it right then and there. "So the Goddess decided to make her cameo and use you to do her bidding. How 'lucky'." Mocking the intent of the former Seeress, she knew nothing but trouble to follow the divine 'help' of Yeul.

"She's a Goddess...? I thought that Gods were all gone?" Dante was trying to get the story straight, but no matter how many questions/clarifications he got, they all seemed muddled.

"They were." Vanille nodded to him. "But someone had to stay behind. Humans need death and rebirth in order to live, and the Goddess of Death was meant to be Lightning, but the Savior herself had earned salvation; Yeul and Caius stayed behind in the world between death and life. The shores of Valhalla are now their home."

"Humans no longer need the Gods. Lightning herself declared that, and she's the only living one we have left. Yeul doesn't exactly count as she's 'dead' and can't leave the realm of Valhalla." Fang chimed in, as she knew that Vanille couldn't explain everything on her own, and she wouldn't force her to do so.

"So I was talking to the new Goddess of Death who decided to be a martyr so Lightning could come to the 'New World', is that right?" Dante asked, getting a bit of a headache from all of the new information he was taking in.

Fang and Vanille simultaneously nodded. "You said there was a threat...what is it, exactly?"

"A demonic uprising. Not too unusual a thing for the Ear-" Seeing the confusion on their faces, he opted for what they termed the planet to be. "-New World. Demons tend to think this place is just theirs for the taking and like to try their hand at a coupe. Doesn't usually end too well, and I have yet to meet the 'big bad'. But whoever it is, I bet they won't stay in the shadows too long- demons like to declare themselves and have 'pissing contests'." Dante glanced over at Fang when using her terminology, and the Pulsian winked back at him. Dante couldn't believe he felt strange using profanity in front of someone, but Vanille seemed to be a bit 'innocent' for him to use such language.

"How powerful do these leaders tend to be?" Vanille paused for a moment, thinking of rephrasing her question. "If you had to rank it from...do you know what a gorgonopsoid is?"

"I do." Dante nodded, getting the gist of what she was trying to reference.

"Oh. Good!" Vanille smiled. "Alright. From a gorgonopsoid to...God himself."

"Well I've never had the 'pleasure' of meeting God, but I think I'd rate them to what you'd call a 'fal'Cie'." Dante thought long and hard about answering her. He thought it had been a good answer, but she looked about as confused as he believed himself to be when hearing them talk about Gran Pulse/Oerba.

"Fal'Cie isn't really saying much." Fang spoke up. "Sure, they're tough opponents, but some are more dangerous than others- a food supply fal'Cie wouldn't hold a torch to one like Barthandelus or even Titan."

"Well, needless to say, I don't really have comparisons for demons to Gods- I've only met mine and you've met yours." Dante shrugged, doing his best to try and dumb things down for them like they'd done for him.

"It's alright. You're being helpful." Vanille tried to be assuring, taking one of his gloved hands in hers and smiling at him. "But if you and Lightning are supposed to take this...demon on and you're both needed, I guess I'd have to say it's strong- maybe even stronger than God." Even though it was hard to think of something that could top Bhunivelze, what kind of creature would need the combined might of Savior and Dante? He said he hunted/killed creatures that ranked pretty high in strength, and Vanille assumed he was a warrior from the way he carried himself/his weapons and body structure.

"I wish you two knew who Mundus was, because I'd like to find out if God was stronger than him- but I guess there's no comparison." Dante was a bit touched by the fact that Vanille had so much confidence in a person she'd never met. Why couldn't all women be this easy to deal with? Were Pulsians just superior breeds?

"Sorry." Vanille smiled apologetically.

"Yeah, yeah, just stop bringing up things you know we can't talk properly about, then." Fang had no problem letting him know that he was needlessly saying things aloud. Was this pervert trying to seduce Vanille? Although there seemed to be some sexual tension from either side, as Vanille enabled him a bit by not being offended/hitting him or telling him to piss off and stop staring at her breasts. Some people were just far too nice for their own good and Fang couldn't stand it.

Was it just him, or was Fang burning a hole in the back of his head with her glare? In either case, Dante ignored it. "Lightning's not really cooperating, so I was hoping you two would like to tag along with me in hunting her down."

"And I accepted on our behalf." Fang said, walking outside.

"Don't mind her. I think she's a little bored today." Vanille said, watching her friend leave the room.

"I think she's just eager to see an old friend." Dante mused. "What about you? Where do you stand in all of this mess? You could stay behind, if you want to- I don't want to drag down innocent people into a fight."

"Me?" Vanille pointed to herself and tilted her head to the side. "Well, I'm a part of the group, too. I may not be as big as you and Fang, but I can hold my own in a fight. And if the world's at stake again- then I'm coming." Not wanting to be discounted, she stood up and grabbed her Binding Rod. Unfolding it, she hoped an opportunity would arise where she could prove just how strong she was.

"You sure you're up for a fight?" Dante just wanted her to be absolutely sure.

Vanille nodded to him, not even bothering to think it over. "I made a promise, a very long time ago not to run away anymore. If people are going to fight for me, then I need to be ready to fight for them." Taking on a more serious deposition, the redhead made her way to the entry/exit to outside. "Come on, pops!" Waving him over, she once more took on her bubbly, ditsy persona and leapt off the ledge of the home she shared with Fang. She'd even done so with a smile.

Dante shook his head and amusedly watched the sight unfold. Vanille was...interesting. Of all the women he met from their previous worlds of Cocoon/Gran Pulse/Nova Chrysalia- she seemed to be the one he hit it off with most. A young, bubbly girl with a deceiving appearance for how she seemed to act. How curious. Standing up, Dante scoffed a bit at her choice of name for him. "Pops?" He asked, leaning over the railing and staring down at Vanille who smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She held her binding rod over her right shoulder and shielded her eyes from the sun with her left. Leaping down, Dante was surprised to find her almost nowhere in sight.

Waving to him in the distance, Vanille jumped to get his attention and called out to him. "Keep up old man!" Cupping both hands together to enhance her voice from the distance, she turned on her heels and began running after Fang who had a large head start over him and her.

Old man? Dante scoffed at her idea of him. How could someone who was 1600+ years old call someone 'old'? Running after the pair, he make short work of the distance. He had to admit though, Pulsians were quite fast. "Hey, I'm not that old." Dante said, still not over Vanille's remark about his age.

"Oi! I thought I told ya to lay off?" Fang asked, shooting Dante a pointed look. Vanille giggled and earned herself a frown from Fang. "If you two are just gonna keep this up the whole trip then you may as well get a bloody room."

'Bad mood'. Vanille mouthed the words to Dante and pointed to Fang. Dante nodded to her, understanding that she was being cranky. "Come on, Fang! We're going to be seeing Lightning soon! And not just Lightning- Hope, Sazh, Dahj, Snow, Serah...won't it be fun to have the whole gang back together again?" Running in front of Fang and walking backwards in front of her partner, Vanille smiled and did her best to cheer up her friend.

"Yeah, but I wish we could make these get-togethers pre-apocalyptic events. Although I guess I wouldn't get much chance to practice my fighting skills otherwise." Fang perked up a bit, smiling and shaking her head at Vanille. She could never stay mad at her partner.

About to answer, Vanille was cut off by the loud screams of people off in the distance. Startled/caught off guard by the noise, Vanille tripped. Letting out a small squeal as she fell backward, the Pulsian found herself 'saved' by both Fang and Dante who grabbed either arm that she'd been flailing in a bid to catch herself when she fell. Opening her shut eyes, Vanille was met with the sight of Fang and Dante, either one still gripping their respective arm. "Sorry..." Giving them a sheepish smile, the redhead was honestly grateful they didn't let her tumble and fall on her backside.

"Don't mention it." Dante nodded to her. It seemed like a perfectly reasonable response for someone in her position to lose their footing because of a disturbance.

"Looks like we've got a little work on our hands." Fang commented, using her hand as a visor to block out the sun. "I'd say he doesn't look friendly- and thinks we're lunch."

"What do you see?" Vanille asked, mirroring Fang's actions and wondering where the offending creature was.

"12 o'clock. Whatdya say we give em a proper welcome? Gran Pulse style?" Fang grinned, feeling back to her old self. This is what she needed- a genuine struggle. To hell with 'peace' that lot was boring and she needed a life that was worth fighting for every single day and struggling over/humans living off the land. That is to say she didn't want fal'Cie to come and muddle up the place, but she did need a little excitement every now and again.

Knowing fully well what she meant, Vanille nodded. "Give me a boost?"

"Like you need to ask." Fang cupped her hands together and waited for Vanille. "Ready?"

"Yep!" Vanille nodded her head.

"Well, come on then!" Fang waited eagerly to toss her up. Vanille ran at her full speed and leapt into Fang's hands. Fang used Vanille's force to propel her higher up when Fang added her own strength into the toss. Easily clearing the tops of the trees, Vanille let out a light squeal when she landed in her desired position. "You're in for a treat." Fang commented, glancing over at Dante who'd been staring up at Vanille in the same manner as Fang.

"Yeah? What does 'Gran Pulse' style entail? You two think you'll be enough to take it down without me?" Lucky for Vanille, she said she was willing to fight- but he didn't want to see her get hurt. If need be, Dante would step in and do the fighting. Fang seemed to be a prominent fighter, but Vanille had a much more delicate appearance than he or Fang did.

"What? Ya think just because we're women that we can't do what you do?" Fang asked, folding her arms.

"Well, no, that's not the issue here. Women join the demon hunting business at their leisure. I just don't think Vanille should be up there alone." Dante shrugged. So he was concerned, sue him.

"That just proves you don't know the first thing about her." Fang scoffed. "Watch." Pointing to the large, winged creature coming their way, it was unknowingly flying right into Vanille's trap. The stupid creature was so focused on coming towards Fang and Dante that it didn't even notice her.

As it began to swoop, Vanille activated one of the many effects of her Binding Rod. One by one, each of the spheres surrounding the exterior flew out when she flicked it in the direction of the winged beast and grappled it. Letting out a feral cry of anger/fear, it began to thrash around, furiously trying to escape her grasp. Observing it this close, Vanille couldn't help but to think of the Wyvern she'd captured in the same manner on Cocoon. This 'demon'(?) seemed to be about the same size, though it had a much more 'gloomy' coloring to it. The black/purple on it seemed more the scheme of an undying than anything. Were all 'demons' like this? Tightening her grip, Vanille wouldn't let it go. "Fang!"

"Hold her steady!" Fang twirled her Bladed Lance, lifting it higher than her head, she dropped and kicked it several feet above the trees and Vanille herself. Leaping high up, she landed on a branch and used it to boost her height and easily cleared the trees. Grabbing her lance, she adjusted herself so that she was flipped upside down while plummeting to the creature below. Smirking, she prepared to do her signature coupe de grace- Highwind. Using the force of her fall, she pulled her arm back and thrust her Bladed lance into the creature, impaling it through the torso and right into the ground. Letting out several feral cries, it flailed violently from beneath Fang. "Vanille!"

Hopping off the tree she'd been standing on, Vanille let out a grunt. Somersaulting in the air, she caught Fang's outstretched hand and found herself tossed up with their combined force. Raising her leg, the Pulsian woman landed a powerful windfall that caused all of the demon's flailing to stop at once. Once that had been accomplished, Vanille folding up her Binding Rod and placed it on the back of her skirt for safekeeping. Turning her attention to Dante, she saw a perplexed look on his face. "I'm tougher then ya thought, huh?" Vanille asked, smiling at Dante.

"Uh...yeah." Dante nodded. He had to admit- that was pretty damn good teamwork. They didn't even need him to step in for the coupe de grace.

"Don't act too surprised. We're from Gran Pulse, ya know?" Fang mused, folding up her Bladed Lance. "How about we get this show on the road?"

"I don't suppose you two mind trains?" Dante asked, noticing an immediate shudder from Vanille. Did people from Pulse hate technology, or did she suffer some sort of trauma from trains? Whatever the case, Dante assumed it wouldn't be long until he found out.

"Well, they're no chocobo- but I suppose we can make the trip." Fang shrugged.

"They are rather...efficient." It took Vanille a little while to finally settle upon a word.

"It's settled then, let's get going," Fang knew that Vanille hated train travel due to her time of the Purge and nearly being executed along with Hope Esthim and his mother, but her partner was still willing to travel with such a method.

"Yeah..." Vanille smiled and nodded her head. Running ahead, the redhead made a show of getting ahead of Fang/Dante.

"What's wrong with trains?" Dante asked. Fang seemed to know the answer, and he didn't want to be left in the dark.

"Would you like trains if you were taken off the street, lined up and shackled, forced to wear a cloak and board with perfect strangers all to your death, going to a place called 'hell on Earth'?" Fang asked. Seeing the surprise on his face, the Pulsian woman laughed a bit. Clearly not the answer he'd been expecting.

"That happened to you both?"

"Her. We were separated. Vanille suffered a bit on her own, but she still eventually found her way back to me. But that's beside the point- she's enduring through her trauma of trains for our convenience. It's the kind of person that she is...so don't go bringing it up every few minutes or telling her I told ya- you'll just embarrass her."

"So she puts others' needs before her own in a bid to make them feel more at ease...I take it she puts on this act to make people think she's a bubbly airhead?" Dante asked. He had no idea whether or not it was genuine joy experienced from Vanille, but she seemed to be rather enjoying herself as opposed to putting on an act for their convenience.

"Maybe. But that's not really the issue. So long as she's happy and not making a fuss, then we're golden." Fang knew better than anyone when Vanille was suffering, and her partner seemed absolutely thrilled at the prospect of meeting up with their old comrades once more.

"Whatever you say- you know her better than I do." Dante commented, watching Vanille skip ahead of them, and wave to her slower traveling companions. Eventually she out sped them to the train station and happily waited for them.

The path to salvation lies in seeking out the one whom she gave up her life. Once comrades in arms, fate was allowed to change by the sheer will of sisters and bonds that transcended 'Gods', 'Fate', 'l'Cie' and the burdens of time and even the Seeress. Serah and Lightning Farron, beloved daughters of the Goddess...only they may challenge fate and come out triumphant.

Fang and Vanille instantly shared a look while staring at Dante.

"Oh. Good. You heard it, too." Dante joked.

"Serah." Vanille spoke up, looking to Fang. "She wants us to find Serah."

"And here I thought we were done doing the bidding of any higher power who came along." Fang snorted. "Fine. To 'New Bodhum' it is."

"You know where she lives? That's convenient." It saved him the trouble of tracking her down like he had these two.

"Of course we do! We're family!" Vanille smiled.

"I thought you two were the last ones from Pulse...?" Dante asked.

"We are. But after all the trouble we've been through in the last thousand years, it's more than safe to say we're family." Fang shrugged. A long time ago both she and Vanille declared that the denizens of Cocoon they had met were family, regardless of what world they were from.

"Let's go!" Vanille grabbed both Fang/Dante's arms and dragged them into the station. She couldn't wait to see Serah and Snow again. Not to mention Lightning. After speaking to the reporter Aoede about her and recounting every last detail from the War of Transgression to the New World, it would seem like a waste to not see Lightning after all that they'd been through.

---

Lightning.

Her name was the very last thought going through his head. Cycling over and over in a never ending loop of torment, to serve as a reminder of his failure. His new Goddess, fashioned in the test of time, from the crystal shards of a dying world on its last legs, the one who might wield Chaos so as to breathe life into his new world and reset the balance that was lost when Etro fell to the likes of such lower beings with near-sighted goals. Tortured time and again with the sight of his loss from start to finish: Lightning and the groups time as l'Cie to her being his Savior/Goddess of Death and destroying him- God was still furious at her betrayal.

Bhunivelze: Goddess of Death! I cast you out! Into the Chaos! Into the shadows of death!

Lightning: Yes, that's what I plan to do. The Goddess of Death is gone, and there's no one to control the Chaos. Someone has to take Etro's place... And protect the cycle of life. That someone is going to be me. But before I do- I'm taking you into the Chaos with me!

Bhunivelze: Never! Is that your last resort! Your final desperate ploy!? Do you think you can survive me? The power of divine light is mine!

Lightning: It's too late for that. You might have the power of a God, but you have the power of a human inside you as well. And now that human is going to destroy you. It's the final act in the death of a God! I bring you salvation! This is the last soul I'll save. Hope! I'll set you free!

The fault of his plan was that God hadn't anticipated the soul of a human being his downfall- the clay he ever so carefully remade to gold so that it may be worthy of a God inhabiting, it...became his undoing. His anger, hatred, sadness, envy, despair- all feelings brought about by the soul of a mortal corrupting his deific perfection. How could he allow such a thing come to pass? How could he show so much love and mercy to creatures who didn't revel in the fact that they had such a merciful creator who was willing to stoop so low as to join them as they cried out for salvation? Did they not pray for a New World as the last fell to the ravages of time and Chaos itself? Did he not deliver on the promise of a radiant, new world bathed in the light of God himself, so that none of the unclean may ever rest upon it? How could they dare raise their hands to God, who showed them so much love and adoration?

His slumbering corpse was being approached by yet another invader to the Unseen Realm- a demon whom was out of place. Aware of his surroundings, God stirred ever so slightly in response to the unclean abomination approaching himself- it sought to awaken him from his crystal sleep. But for what reason did it believe itself capable of such a righteous task?

"Caius-!" Yeul called out to her champion, alarmed by the turn of events.

"Do not worry, Yeul- I will not allow him near God!" Caius vowed to his Goddess that he'd protect the body that Lightning had entrusted to their care. Producing his sword from the Chaos, he charged at the demonic intruder. Leaping at the monstrosity, he went for an overhead slash, but was easily tossed aside. Recovering, the Guardian attempted time and again to prevent him from reaching God. No matter how many times he was 'defeated' Caius was revived by the will of Yeul and refused to fail her. However, he was no match for the creature.

Eventually reaching Bhunivelze, and barely 'slowed down' by Caius' attempts, the demon marveled at the slumbering body of God. "Such power." It mused, reaching out towards the God of Light.

"You are not worthy of God's love! Begone!" Bhunivelze stirred in his sleep, but his will could not reach that of the abomination attempting to siphon his power.

Once contact was made between demon and Bhunivelze, the God and it began to furiously struggle over power. However, God would emerge victorious and corrupted by the ordeal. His eyes opened and Bhunivelze once more breathed in. Staring down at his physical form, the body he once knew was changing in form. His radiant, golden wings turned into a deformed, dark, evil black/green color. His skin turned a pale gray as opposed to the purest form of white. The weapon he wielded ever so expertly against the Savior began to change as well. The Children he once called to his aid- Pulse/Lindzei seemed to heed his call, and they too reformed into a twisted variant of themselves.

Leaving the divine realm, Bhunivelze, God of Light (if he could still call himself that), arrived in a world not of his creation. The dark, desolate world devoid of any natural light called out to his inner darkness. Feeling himself struggle further within the wicked realm, he found more of the peculiar creatures like the one whom attacked him. From the knowledge he absorbed from the first, he came to know them as 'demons'. And they wished for his power, and the power of the Savior. Caught in a deadlock gaze with the vast armies, Bhunivelze eventually found himself swarmed by a multitude of the creatures. Expertly twirling his Double Deity scythe, the God destroyed countless of the creatures, one by one absorbing their strength into his own.

No matter what opponent faced him; God found himself victorious and growing in might/size/distorting further. But the call of Light/Darkness now struggling within him was too hard not to answer- God needed more. He craved the darkness so that it might balance the radiance of his light. A chorus of voices now called throughout his head, but Bhunivelze silenced them. The body belonged to him and they would not usurp his control/divine will.

Performing his Heartless Angel ability, the two malevolent creatures sprung forth, and they too corrupted beneath Bhunivelze's control. Giggling between themselves, they destroyed a multitude of targets, allowing God to inherit more power. "Yes! Let me discipline you and show you the true might of the divine!" God wholeheartedly enjoyed destroying demon after demon, all the while becoming more and more insane while doing so. After he managed to destroy a multitude of demons with a meteorite, God found himself bowed to and show the respect/decency humans had denied to himself. Taking their surrender, God walked to the throne room and gradually began to remake the realm into his own twisted image.

"Lightning...Savior..." Bhunivelze spoke the words allowed, glaring to the sky. The voices within him told him to kill her, to devour the Savior just as she rightfully deserved for denying God's love to everyone on the New World- and he was tempted to do so. Were she not to strike him down, then God could have defended their world against these creatures who now bowed to him as master- but now she would learn the true wrath of God for all that she had done. His Goddess would learn that she could not so easily escape her fate set into motion by God himself. Of all the mortals he could have chosen- she alone was his Savior, his new, beloved daughter to take the place of his fallen Etro.

---

"The darkness shall eat away at the forces of light...seeking to divide and conquer them one by one. To make those who fight on the side of 'good' and righteousness fall to the depths of despair that they cannot claw their way to freedom. If Lightning does not join forces with the Son of Sparda...then all will be lost." Yeul looked out toward the horizon, once more burdened by the sea of Chaos and souls that wished to be reborn but would not do so in a world in shambles such as the New World.

"Can you offer no guidance, Yeul?" Caius asked, kneeling before the Goddess, hopeful that she might know of a way to save them all.

"If I do this, Caius- there will be no going back...the consequences will be grave, and I cannot forfeit the sake of nature for such things. I will carry my voice across the winds, and into the dreams of those who might influence her, so that Lightning will know the true gravity of the situation...but I can only watch." Yeul's hair blew ever so slightly in the breeze of Valhalla, and the Goddess prayed for a miracle.

"Don't forget about me!" Lumina piped up, winking to the pair. "We have a world to save! And there's no time to get mopey about it! The fun's just begun!" God had been taken, just as Yeul predicted. And now his gradual fall from God of Light was progressing fast. Demons were more than likely to keep showing up and attempting the Savior harm along with her friends/loved ones because of his vendetta- quite the pickle she was in now.