Chapter 12: Finding The Code

Day 2, 1:30

After a brief patch up, Lightning resumed her journey to the south side of the town. Solandra parted ways with her at the end of the industrial sector.

"I'm gonna keep watch over this area," she said. "Who knows when the Chaos might strike again?"

"Just be careful," Lightning said. "You can't protect anybody if you're dead."

"I know, I know," Solandra nodded.

Lightning climbed up a large set of stairs and then rounded a corner to find the south station plaza. This plaza was a little bit bigger, and included a gorgeous fountain of marble with a statue of the God Bhunivelze. At the far end of the plaza, towards the east, she could see the Cathedral and the enormous golden clock tower.

Right beside one of the telephone booths was another number, scrawled in the same purple lettering.

4.

"We have two of the numbers. Halfway there," Hope said.

"I've got to collect them by tonight and get into that ceremony," Lightning replied. "If I don't, another soul will be lost forever."

It happened a few seconds after this declaration. While emotion was no longer a part of Lighting's makeup- or at least its effects were severely muted- her instinct hadn't atrophied in the slightest. The air behind her felt as though ripples were running through it, brushing against her arms. She turned swiftly, but there was nobody there, and the air no longer felt hostile.

"What is it?" Hope asked.

"I don't know. Felt like someone was watching... Someone I know," she replied.

Lightning shook it off and returned to her hunt for the numbers. As she turned around to go down the stairs she saw a the figure of a young boy pouting at the bottom of a large platform.

"You okay?" Lightning asked.

The boy grunted. "This stupid small body. I lost my ball on top of this platform and I can't reach it!"

Another lost treasure, Lightning thought. At least this one is within reach.

Lightning climbed up to the top of the platform and tossed it down to the boy.

"Thanks, miss!" He smiled. "This is my brothers really. He told me to hang on to it while he went to go take care of that monster."

That monster, Lightning's stomach sank. It can't be...

"You mean the monster that poured out of the Chaos? In the industrial sector?" Lightning asked.

"Yeah," the boy said. His face suddenly darkened with realization. "Why? Did you see him?"

He doesn't know.

"I'm sorry to tell you this," Lightning said. "The monster was defeated... but only one person survived the attack, and it was a woman."

Strangely, the boy did not cry, and his face seemed oddly serene for somebody who had just been told their brother had died. In a small voice, barely more audible than a whisper he sighed.

"I told him. That stupid fool. I told him there was no sense in throwing his life away. If I was bigger, maybe I could have helped him. But no, he had to go play a hero," the boy sat down and began to roll the ball through his fingers. " 'Stay here, Talbot' he'd say. 'You're not big enough to fight a monster like this'. Never mind the fact that he was barely older than me when the Chaos crashed time. Seven years... what's the difference in the long run?"

This was a form of grief that Lightning was very familiar with. Grief beyond tears. Grief that had already been prepared for through an eternity of waiting. She knew this boy's pain. And she knew the acceptance that came with it.

"I'm sorry," she said. And it was oddly sincere. A spark that wasn't quite caring but at least understanding. Perhaps that was a form of emotion that couldn't be dulled, more intellect than heart.

"It's okay. We're all just waiting to go now aren't we?" Talbot replied. "I saw you looking at that number over there. Did you know there's one down by the restaurant district, down one of the alleys?"

"No, I didn't," Lightning replied. "I guess I'll have to backtrack."

"It was five," Talbot said. "No reason I can't read you a number after all. Consider that repayment for helping me get this ball back."

"Thank you," Lightning nodded. "And please, let me know if there is anything I can do to help you."

Talbot smiled weakly. "You've already done quite enough."

Lightning's heart warmed and the burden around Talbot washed away. It was a bittersweet way in which his soul had been saved. Similar to Solandra's. Perhaps it wasn't just about a happy ending, but about accepting the grief that came to you. Talbot had accepted the circumstances already. He was prepared for what would come. Lightning knew that when the end came, he would have nothing to fear.

She moved towards the fountain and sat down. Tapping on her ear, she spoke to Hope again. "That's three numbers," she said. "One more number and we've got ourselves a code."

"I've been thinking about that. I've analyzed a pattern from all the locations you've found numbers," Hope said.

"Okay, let's hear it," Lightning replied.

"There was the one against the wall in the industrial sector, and the one next to the south station platform," Hope explained.

"With you so far."

"Talbot said there was another near the restaurant district in an alley. I only see two likely alleys and I have a good guess at which it is. Furthermore, we know the rites take place in the Forsaken Graveyard. Factoring all these points together it looks like they make the head of an arrow, all pointing towards the Forsaken Graveyard. This is more than just a hunch too, the rooftops all perfectly connect around these points, and the Children of Etro seem to favor those to the streets," Hope explained.

"So where's the last number?" Lightning asked.

"My guess would be somewhere in the Warrens," Hope explained.

"If that's the case we've got a big problem. The Warrens don't open until midnight, remember?" Lightning asked.

"The rites don't begin right at midnight though, it's just when the Children of Etro start to gather. If you're fast enough, you might be able to locate the last part of the code and get into the Graveyard in time to stop them," Hope said.

"That's a hell of a chance to take, but I don't really have an alternative," Lightning sighed.

There was that sensation again. The rippling of the air. She turned quickly to see a figure with brown hair and a black shirt dart across a rooftop and disappear before she could get a good look at him. It was unmistakeable now. Somebody was tailing her.

"Strange," Hope said. "I thought I saw someone following you, but my sensors show nothing."

"Could be our friend the Shadow Hunter. Maybe he wanted to drop by and say hello."