Disclaimer: uh... yep you've guessed it...
A/N: I'm baaaack!! from easter holidays without internet (aka: hell) so as an easter pressie i give you all part 2 of chapter 3. Things start to pick up here so enjoy! btw the XOX-XOX mean that the narration is a sort of flashback.

hope you like it!


Flammarius

I was dragged back into consciousness by a ruffling noise. I stirred a little but I didn't open my eyes, I remained in the comforting blackness of unconsciousness even though I was now aware of everything that was going on around me. The ruffling noise persisted, only this time it was accompanied by an anxious squawk. Being stubborn as usual I remained with my eyes closed. Only when I felt something shift underneath me did I open them. For a moment I didn't realise that I had opened my eyes, everything around me was still black. After a few moments my vision focused and I realised that it was late, very late, for the moon was shining above me with its peaceful aura. However the air surrounding me was anything but peaceful, there was tension, anxiousness and even a little fear clouding around me. I sat up and looked around; I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a pair of chocolate eyes staring back at me. Then I remembered what had happened: I was in the middle of the Calm Lands when a black chimera and a pair of burning machina had come out of nowhere and attacked me, I had been severely injured by the extraordinarily strong fiends, then when I was about to be crushed by the chimera…it ran off, terrified for some reason, and I was left unconscious. When I awoke I found out that I had been saved by my newest companion, the chocobo which I had affectionately named Cyjeuin, then I had fallen asleep.

I looked at Cyjeuin remembering how he had brought me a remedy when I was injured. The deep brown orbs blinked at me, trying to tell me something, something that I couldn't understand. When I didn't respond he squawked again anxiously and ruffled his crest nervously. Well I've found out what the noise was but what's the matter with him?

"What's the matter Cyje? What's wrong?" I whispered to him as I lifted my hand to stroke him soothingly. I winced when my muscles protested angrily, they were still sore from the fight. The bird cooed softly at the touch but didn't calm down, he shifted his gaze to look over my shoulder, squawking again, only a little louder this time. I turned slowly and paled slightly when I saw a pair of fire red eyes glaring at us from the darkness. I reached for my dual edged staff but my hand closed around nothing but air.

"Cred" I muttered under my breath. I was unarmed, completely vulnerable to the fiend before me. Judging by the eyes and the silhouette that I could only just make out, I decided it was some kind of fiend from the lupine family. I swore under my breath again, if it was like that chimera or those machinas I was done for. I was still weak from the other fight, no potion or remedy could cure that, the only cure was a good night's sleep and I was being deprived of said rest. My magic hadn't been restored either, ethers and elixirs were extremely rare these days. I cursed myself inwardly for being so stupid, who sets off for a trip across the Calm Lands without any provisions? I do obviously.

The wolfish creature growled as I pushed myself to my feet, taking a few swift steps towards me and Cyjeuin. The chocobo stayed on the ground, glaring at the fiend as menacingly as he could but with no effect, the lupine continued slinking towards us. I took a few steps forward and positioned myself for a hand to hand combat; I had learned a few moves during my training in the Crimson Squad. I really hoped that the fight would not last more than five minutes, sufficient enough to scare the fiend off if it was a 'normal' fiend, because my whole body was groaning in protest. I wouldn't last long if it was another one of those extraordinarily strong fiends or I would be turned into mushy Praetor pulp.

The lupine stopped when it saw me getting into a fighting position. I noticed its pause and prayed that it would turn around and leave, not wanting to hunt down prey that was willing to put up a fight. Much to my dismay it did no such thing, instead it bared its pearl white fangs and snarled viciously, crouching down until it was in a pouncing position.

"Dammit" I whispered as I watched the fiend's actions. I prepared myself to dodge the imminent attack when I saw the wolfish monster run towards me. With only a few metres to go it jumped, its motive clearer than water. If it got me to the floor it would be able to reach my throat, something that I had to avoid at all costs. I sidestepped its pounce and punched its hind leg as it went flying by me. It yelped and landed unsteadily on the ground. It recovered itself and charged towards me again, trying to nip at my feet. I avoided its pointed daggers and aimed a punch in between its eyes. The fiend leapt backwards to doge my fist and brought its head back round sharply, its fangs slashing the back of my hand. I yelled and pressed my hand against my chest, it was bleeding profusely. The lupine took advantage of my already vulnerable state and pounced on me again. It tackled me to the ground trying to bite my neck. I rolled over and pushed it off me but I didn't get up, I couldn't. My legs felt like jelly and my head was starting to spin due to the loss of blood. The fiend growled angrily and turned towards me, walking deliberately slowly, knowing that it had already defeated its prey. It let out a cruel snarl, showing all of its fangs, now covered in specks of crimson blood, my blood, and ended it in a predatory howl. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable, the painful fangs sinking into my throat, the blackness of unconsciousness calling to me. I heard another snarl and I braced myself but I shot my eyes back open when I heard a yelp and a dull thud.

Cyjeuin was standing in front of me, one of his big talon-ended feet out in front of him and the fiend lying a few feet away, whimpering. The lupine turned its red eyes towards the bird and then towards its feet, calculating that it wouldn't be a good idea to come within kicking range. Slowly it got up, wobbling a little, and licked its injured side. It turned to us, a new emotion flaring in its eyes, one of vengeance. Cyjeuin ruffled his crest menacingly and pawed the floor, letting out an angry chirp. The fiend looked Cyjeuin over, knowing that it was outsized but not knowing the strength of his new opponent. The chocobo flapped his wings, rushing towards the lupine. The monster made up its mind, turned its heel and ran off, not wanting to get squished by the bird's huge feet. Cyjeuin chased the fiend until it was well away. I marvelled at the bird's bravery and called out to him. The chocobo cocked its head to one side and trotted back over to me.

"You did it again" I stroked his soft feathers admiringly. "Thank you…" Cyjeuin cooed at the touch but ended his coo in an anxious chirp when I passed out, my hand falling dully from his neck.

My mind was resting peacefully in the blackness of unconsciousness when suddenly a bright light blinded me. The light was filtering through my closed eyelids like a miniature sun. I growl rose up from my throat, I took an immediate disliking to this light, the light that had disturbed me from the comfortable blackness in which I was submerged, the light that had brought me back ruthlessly to reality. I wished that the light would go away, along with the excruciating pain that it had brought, a pain that I knew belonged to part of my body but where I still didn't know. I was still stuck between the consciousness and unconsciousness. I tried to focus my mind, I knew that I couldn't remain in the comforting blackness forever… Slowly I regained the feelings in my limbs; I bent both of my knees and wiggled my toes, good, bottom extremities intact, I proceeded to bend one of my arms at the elbow and move my fingers around, check, when I went to move my other arm around I was greeted by a pain that was enough to send back into my blissful blackness. I scrunched up my still closed eyes and began swearing under my breath. I held back from opening my chocolate orbs because I was dreading what I would see. Knowing that I didn't really have a choice I opened my eyes millimetre by millimetre, staring straight above me, not wanting to look at my right hand. I was greeted by the sight of the sun, hanging high up in the sky. My eyes became accustomed to the glaring light and slowly drifted to stare at the blue sky; I didn't exactly want to blind myself.

I wanted to delay looking at my hand as much as possible. Suddenly I remembered my companion, the big fluffy chocobo; he had saved me…twice.

"Cyjeuin?" I called out, still looking up at the sky. I heard a distinct shuffle nearby but no happy chirp or a contented coo. I shifted my gaze to look around me. I seemed to be lying on grass, no doubt I was still in the Calm Lands…To my right was a grassy path that led to an even grassier expanse of land, however to my left was a small hut made of scraps of cloth and a few well placed sticks. I lifted my head up a little to stare curiously at the little construction. If my ears hadn't deceived me, the rustling noise had proceeded from the entrance of the hut. I tried calling my friend again.

"Cyjeuin?" I focused my attention on the hut to see if the noise actually came from the mouth of the hut. I jumped when the rustling was heard again, as I thought, from the pile of sticks covered in cloth.

"Don't worry, your companion is alright," I let out a strangled yell when I heard the voice. I thought I had gone mad because I hadn't heard the voice with my ears, I had heard it in my head. I jumped up and looked around wildly only to fall back on my backside with a muffled yelp. As I fell backwards I leant on my right arm, big mistake… I bit my lip so hard that a few droops of blood leaked out from in between my teeth but I didn't scream thankfully. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath and looked at my right hand.

My hand was covered in a bandage that was scarlet from the blood that was leaking out from my wound. I thanked Yevon that I could only see a bandage, even that was enough for me. I have to admit that I've never had a strong stomach for blood even though I could deal with pain. I was so intent on staring at the bandage that I had forgotten about the voice that I had heard… until it spoke again.

"You have reopened your injury" it commented softly with a hint of concern in it. Now I knew I hadn't imagined it. I looked around in search of the origin of the strange voice. I almost jumped out of skin when I turned around and came face to face with a black beak followed by a face covered by red feathers, tribal like tattoos running across its bird like face. When I looked closer I saw that the face belonged to a chocobo, well it looked like a chocobo… in fact it exactly like a chocobo, the only differences were the colour and the markings around its face. The 'chocobo' waited patiently as my perplexed examination continued. When I noticed that my mouth was hanging open and I was gaping at the bird, I closed it quickly I turned my face away, embarrassed.

"I-I'm so sorry, I did not mean to be rude," I said quietly.

"Do not fret my friend, it is completely normal to be curious. Though I have to say I'm glad that you closed your mouth, you wouldn't have wanted to swallow an insect," the deep voice sounded in my head once again. I turned to face him again and stared incredulously. The bird seemed to understand what was going on inside my head because it let out a deep coo, one that almost resembled a chuckle.

"I do realise that I'm an unusual being but please do not worry, I do not wish to harm you, not after I cured you."

"You did this?" I asked, looking at my bandaged hand. The bird nodded. "Well, I… um… thank you…"

"Flammarius."

"Thank you Flammarius."

"You are most welcome, however with your little jump you have reopened your wound, and it will need redressing," Flammarius crouched down and eyed the bloody bandage with a critical eye, nodding his head now and then. "Very well, this may sting a little, I'm afraid I don't have any anaesthetic, you were unconscious the first time."

"It's okay," I said calmly, looking away, I really didn't want to see any more blood. I felt something picking at my right hand and then the bandage falling off. What came next … how did Flammarius put it? Oh yeah… it stung a little. It felt as though I had thousands of needles pricking at my skin, then came a sharp jab and out of the corner of my eye I saw a bright light. So that's what woke me up… I gave a low hiss when I felt a burning sensation on the wound, it caught me off guard, still I tried not to show the pain.

"There," Flammarius' voice sounded again. I looked back at him and then gazed at my rewrapped hand, amazed to see it was as white as my snowy hair. I shifted my gaze to look around me but there was no sign of the stained bandage anywhere. The red bird watched me with an amused look in his eye, as though all the wisdom in Spira was settled in those black orbs. Then he spoke again softly,

"I'm sure you have many questions No, really? "I will be more than glad to answer them, although I cannot assure you of answers for every inquiry." I nodded, glad to finally finding some answers.

"Um… before I… blacked out I was attacked," I looked at my injured hand sadly. "I was travelling with a companion, a chocobo. His name is Cyjeuin… do you know where he is?" Flammarius let out that low coo again, the one that resembled a chuckle, laughter dancing in his eyes.

"Yes I do know where you companion is. She was very brave, fighting off that fiend."

"…she…?" The red bird nodded, the laughter still present in his eyes. I blinked once or twice repeatedly, surprised. "Cyjeuin is a female chocobo?" Flammarius nodded again. Thank Yevon I didn't go for an only male name… now that would have been awkward… Then Flammarius let out a musical chirp and waited patiently. A scratchy noise was heard from the hut, followed by gentle footsteps. A few moments later I heard a happy chirp that I had recognised immediately. I turned to where the chirp had come from and surely enough there was Cyjeuin trotting towards us, a bandage around her leg, but with no difficulties movement wise.

"Cyje!" I got up quickly to stroke her neck as she neared us. I only made it a few feet before I started seeing little white dots and began to get dizzy. Cyjeuin caught me gently on her back and walked over to where I was sitting before, next to Flammarius. She put me down and sat next to me so I was nestled comfortably between the two birds. "Stupid head rush" I muttered as I waited for the white dots to disappear.

"Close your eyes for a while, it may help," I did so and leaned against Cyjeuin, resting my head on her shoulder, just above the wing. "You have more questions," it wasn't an inquiry. I nodded, my eyes still closed. Flammarius waited patiently as I put my thoughts into words.

"What are you? I-I mean what kind of creature are you?" I added not wanting to be rude, opening my eyes just a little to look at Flammarius. "At first I thought you were a chocobo, but your feathers and beak and different colours than normal chocobos and you… you can talk."

"I was once a part of a battle group, they called themselves the Crusaders. They are not the Crusaders of your time though, no, these Crusaders came together much before the Machina War and even earlier than Sin," I looked incredulously at the bird, the white dots having disappeared. Flammarius continued his story. "I will call them the First Crusaders, that way you will understand better. You know of Yevon and New Yevon yes? I would be surprised if you didn't, being the Praetor of New Yevon… Anyhow the First Crusaders were like Yevon and the Crusaders that you know of were like New Yevon, only there was a much bigger time difference," I nodded, now understanding what the bird meant, but at the same time realising…

"But then… that must make you… thousands of years old!"

"I will come to that soon enough," I mumbled an apology and let him continue, not wanting to interrupt him again. "So as I was saying I formed part of the First Crusaders. When I was enrolled by my rider I was the youngest there. I soon made myself comfortable though and in a matter of months I shot up through all the ranks, coming to second the highest rank there was, General of the Armed Forces. I think my quick adaptation skills and my willingness to learn helped me soar through the different ranks, anyway I was named General, coming in behind the Commander. My rider was ecstatic; I even caught him crying with happiness…" Flammarius let out his bird like chuckle as he remembered. "When they promoted me, he even dared to ask the Commander for a few days off to go and celebrate. They let us have one night off, sufficient enough to go to the closest bar/restaurant and have a few celebration drinks. Lraan, my rider, was radiating so much happiness that he contaminated everyone that night; we even got a few drinks on the house. Everything was going to perfection until… they came. At first no one noticed anything strange about them; just a group of people that walked into a bar after a long day's work… that is until they pulled their machine rifles and guns out. Everyone started screaming and rushed to get to the entrance, causing a human stampede in the process. Bullets started going off, smashing glasses and bottles, spraying the drinks everywhere, blood smearing on the floor and the walls… it was horrible… Lraan and I took cover behind the bar and waited for the newcomers to cease fire, or at least to run out of ammo, though we very much doubted that the latter would be very soon. We crouched down and waited eternal minutes for the shooting to stop. A ghostly and eerie silence came over the room, Lraan poked his head around the bar to see where the attackers had gone. When he didn't see anyone he decided to get up and look around murmuring that they were just a bunch of kids that were showing off," Flammarius shook his head sadly, his black eyes shining with contained emotion. He lost himself in the memories of his past, staring off into space.

XOX

"One of the attackers came out from behind the door, Lraan had his back turned, vulnerable and defenceless… He didn't know what hit him, the man shot him in the back and ran out. Lraan fell to the floor, his shirt already crimson red, blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. I sprinted towards him and hauled him onto my back as gently as I could, with just a flicker of hope that I could make it to the first aid tent in time. By the time I got there my back was covered in his blood and his breathing was so slight I thought several times that he had passed away without me noticing. The doctors all came rushing out and they immediately called for the emergency team. They took the bullet out, it was lodged just beneath his left shoulder blade, so very near his heart I was surprised that he was still alive. Once the bullet was out they covered his whole chest in bandages and laid him back on the narrow bed. The doctors said that he would be okay if he got enough rest, but I could see in their eyes that he had no chance… he had already lost to much blood. I sat by his bedside all night, resting my head next to his limp arm, waiting for the slim chance that he would wake up. Dawn came and with it, much to my surprise, the Commander. When he walked through the door I sat up quickly and gave a half-hearted salute. He nodded his approval and sat down on the other side of Lraan's bed, looking at him with such sadness that I thought I even saw tears shining in his eyes.

"He's not going to make it, is he?" he asked me, his gaze still on Lraan. I shook my head.

"The doctors said that if he rested enough he would be okay, but they were only saying it to try and console me," I answered. "Not that it helped," I muttered under my breath as an afterthought. The Commander looked at me, a mixture of pity, sadness, understanding and even a little… regret?

"I…," He paused, organizing his thoughts. "I know how you feel, and I have to confess something. The people that attacked you in the bar weren't after you or Lraan or anyone else in the bar," I looked at him questioningly. "They were after me, they still are, but they saw that you were my General and Lraan was your rider and decided to take you out, as a warning I suppose… either that or they wanted to hurt me. Both have completed their objective," He looked at me, his eyes now definitely full of tears; I didn't know what to say, I was too dumbfounded. My mind just couldn't accept that Lraan was going to die because of the Commander, even if it wasn't his fault directly. The first reaction that I had was to kick the bird in front of me, but my common sense told me that that wouldn't be a good idea. I looked up at the Commander and stared into his eyes, the question burning in my own…

"Why…?" He just shook his head, tears flying as he did so

"I have no idea who they are, I just know that they want me terminated. I never wanted my friends to be hurt… Lraan was… is one of the best riders around here, he is also a great person with a heart that you could fill with all the kindness in the world and there would still be room for more, and yet on the battle field he is a cold blooded, merciless soldier with the enemy… You have no idea how much I respect and appreciate him or how lucky you are to have someone like him to ride with." Tears were slowly falling down the Commander's face. I had never seen the Commander in such a vulnerable state, it was the first time I saw him cry. Then it suddenly struck me, the Commander had said that I was lucky to have someone like Lraan to ride with and it was to my knowledge that the Commander's rider was killed in a battle… did he envy me? I would never have thought so… I didn't want to think so. As though he had read my mind the Commander spoke again:

"I'm not jealous if that if what you're thinking," he said touchily. "I'm just devastated that… he may not make it… Well," he got up brusquely. "Remember that I am here to help you through if the worst comes to the worst… I know what it's like to lose a rider and a friend and Lraan is probably one of the few people I could ever trust with my life…" He turned and left the tent, his shoulders shaking a little. I bowed my head and turned to watch over Lraan once more, not letting sleep take over me, not risking the chance of him leaving without me knowing… Midday came and went and Lraan was still fighting to live on. I was watching him without seeing him, I couldn't see anything through the curtain of crystalline tears that showered down my face. Every now and then I shook my head, not wanting to accept the inevitable. I was about to start ripping my feathers out in despair when I noticed a slight movement. I dried my tears on the sheet and looked at Lraan, a huge weight in my chest as my hopes soared inevitably. There it was again, his finger gave a slight twitch. His chest rose slightly higher and his eyes flickered open until they were slits. He looked around the room, as though he was searching for something. His slightly unfocused eyes rested on me and they immediately focused in recognition. His dry chapped lips opened only to murmur something so quietly that I almost didn't catch it.

"Flamma-rius…" he breathed with difficulty.

"Shh, don't worry I'm here, I'm not going to leave," nothing would have been able to move me from his side.

"I-I…"

"Don't say anything, you need to keep your energy if you want to get better," tears were streaming down my face again. By the look that Lraan gave me he knew as well as I did that he wasn't going to 'get better', the only difference was that I had just a slimmer of hope that he would make it through and he was too tired to keep fighting.

"L-listen fireball, y-you are the best thing that has ever h-happened to me," he paused to gain a little strength to continue. "You know as well as I do that I'm not going to make it… I-I want you to promise me something." I nodded my head, willing to do anything for Lraan even if he was about to… "Promise me that you will go on living, without me. Live the rest of my life for me, don't you dare do anything stupid because I know that you would," I hung my head in shame, it had been an idea that had come to me, to follow Lraan to the end. "P-promise me Flammarius."

"I promise Lraan," I said in a hoarse voice that I hardly recognised as my own.

"G-good. And take care of the Commander," he whispered and closed his eyes again, his breathing slowing once more.

"Lraan?" I stared at him. "Lraan?!" More tears spilled over. "Lraan! No please, not now, please, please…" my shoulders started shaking and I started sobbing against the sheets. It was then when I noticed the slight rose and fall of his chest, slight but still there. I closed my eyes and thanked whoever had given Lraan some more time, I just wasn't ready, and I don't think I ever was… I stayed like that until darkness was coming down upon us again, the doctors hadn't come again, it was almost as if they had abandoned him. I placed my head next to Lraan's arm and covered his bandaged chest with my wing so I could feel the movement that indicated that he was still fighting. I closed my eyes for a moment, exhaustion taking over my body. It felt as though only seconds had gone by when I felt a shudder against my wing.

"Lraan?"

"R-remember p-pro-mise" a whisper fell through his lips.

XOX

His chest gave another shudder and ceased total movement. I nudged him gently with my wing, whispering his name gently. When I didn't get a reaction I nudged him again a bit harder. I knew it was futile but I nudged him again, this time screeching his name as loud as I could. Some of the soldiers told me later that it was loud enough to wake the dead… kind of ironic really… At my screeching the doctors and the guards came in thinking I was being attacked. They tried to get me away from Lraan's body but I kicked and bit until I knocked one of the guards out. After that they left me alone but later they came back again to take Lraan away. I followed them to the cemetery and sat down by his grave for the rest of the night. I kept on screeching in despair, not bothering to listen to all the complaints. I spent three days like that, sitting by Lraan's grave until they came and fed me forcefully. I hadn't eaten since the attack, I hadn't left Lraan's side, and sincerely I didn't care about taking care of myself. I ceased my screeching after that but I didn't move for the rest of the week. Four more days passed and I sat there monotonously staring at where Lraan was resting. It was on that fourth day when the Commander came and sat by my side. He didn't say anything at first and neither did I, it was then when I remembered that Lraan had asked me to take care of the Commander. I glanced at him through the corner of my eye, taking in how distressed he looked.

"General," he said, still watching the grave. "There are enemy troops approaching, we must prepare for battle." I nodded, knowing it was my duty to stand side by side with the Commander when we entered battle. The Commander turned to me with a look of utmost sadness in his eyes. "I know you do not wish to part from his side, but there will be time to mourn after we finish with the enemy." I stood up slowly; the tears had long gone dried up, I cried them all during the past week. The Commander followed and together we walked back to the camp, murmuring possible plans of action half-heartedly. In a few hours everything was ready and we were standing on the edge of the battlefield, waiting for the enemy troops to appear on the horizon. They never came… in their place a strange looking canon was pulled towards the battlefield by four men. The Commander sent a messenger to demand an explanation. As the bird sprinted down the men pulling the canon ran off, making the messenger halt in confusion. Then… it exploded.

A huge mushroom shaped cloud expanded kilometres into the air, we watched in horror. Then the force of the explosion reached us, the shockwaves literally sent us flying through the air, the heat burning our men instantly. I didn't know what happened but I was thrown into the air with the first shockwave, the Commander as well, and I instantly blacked out when I hit the floor. When I awoke I thought I was in hell. Everything around me was burning, there where corpses, soldiers and riders alike, strewn across the battlefield as far as the eye could see, burnt until they were unrecognisable. I looked myself over, I also was burnt badly. My wings were charred and I couldn't feel my legs. I also noticed that the feathers on my neck and my chest were black as coal. I gazed at my surroundings, taking in all the destruction that had been caused by the bomb. I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a ragged breath behind me. I turned and saw the Commander lying on the floor in a much worse state than I was. I dragged myself towards him with difficulty, my legs where useless and most of my body was also burnt. When I reached his side he drew another ragged breath and his eyes fluttered shut. I called out his name, my throat raw and my voice raspy. I gave him a peck on the beak, careful not to hit the burnt part, and his eyes opened just a little at the touch. I looked at him with a pleading look in my eyes and all he did was shake his head feebly and close his eyes again. I pecked him again but he didn't respond. I let out an anguished cry and looked around for help, all there was to see was a flaming inferno with blackened corpses littered everywhere. I couldn't accept, wouldn't accept, that two of my closest friends had gone in a space of a week. I couldn't let the Commander die as well; I had to keep my promise to Lraan. I don't know how I managed it but I dragged the Commander and myself towards the shelter of a jagged rock to our left. The little excursion took all of my strength and a will of steel to reach the objective. Once I got the Commander and myself under the rock I collapsed, literally. I had no more strength left in me, my whole body was aching from exhaustion. Slowly I let the blackness of unconsciousness come over me and I blacked out next to the Commander's body.

I don't know what happened then, I just remember waking up in a place full of white light. At first I thought I was dead but then I felt a pulling sensation and my surroundings changed. I was looking down upon the battlefield, the same battlefield where I had been before I had lost consciousness. The strangest thing was that I could see my body lying underneath the shelter of the rock next to the Commander's. After a few moments a figure in white appeared next to my body, the one I could see on the battlefield, and it started emanating a pure white light. When it faded away the figure was gone, as were the Commander's body and mine. I jumped with fright when I heard a voice asking me if I wanted a second chance. I pondered over the question and asked the voice if I could have a second chance to complete my promise to Lraan. It agreed and everything went black again. When I awoke once again I was in a place much like this one, with the Commander waking up beside me. I was over the moon, I thanked the mysterious figure in white for giving me a second chance and I turned to watch the Commander who was looking very dazed indeed.

When he saw me the first thing he said was: "Where are we? Why aren't we dead?" I proceeded to explain what had happened, from waking up after the explosion to the white figure's question. When I finished the look he had on his face was one of utter disbelief and suspicion. Not much happened for several years, we built a small hut, found a reliable source of food and water and lived comfortable lives for a while. The Commander was a little averse to this new lifestyle but slowly he began to accept that what I had told him was true and he had another chance to live his life. Everything was going fine, I was completing my promise to Lraan, I was looking after the Commander and we lived our 'second lives' with such relaxation that one could believe that time had actually stopped. Ten years passed and a dreadful thing happened, the Commander fell sick. It was some sort of strange disease that I had never seen before. I looked after him as well as I could but I didn't help, after a few weeks it got worse. He passed away three weeks and four days after he caught the virus.

I fell into depression, I had lost two of the most important people in my life and I was now alone in a world that I hardly recognised. I felt guilty because I hadn't been able to look after the Commander properly, I had let him die. I kept tormenting myself, I stopped eating, I stopped sleeping, I stopped doing anything, all I did was sit in the hut and stare at the sky through the doorway. I spent several days like that, until one day… I think I fell unconscious from the lack of food and sleep but I remember seeing Lraan come to me in my dreams and telling me that I was breaking my promise, I wasn't living both our lives for him… he also told me that I already completed part of my promise by looking after the Commander. I recall telling him that I didn't complete any promise, I let the Commander die. Lraan got angry with me and told me that I was talking nonsense, that I was the one who helped the Commander when he most needed it. Slowly but surely I began to forgive myself and I went on living in the small hut. I often visited nearby towns and cities, you wouldn't know the names as they were destroyed with the appearance of Sin, and I tried living as well as I could so that Lraan would be happy. Years and years went by and I began to realise that I wasn't aging, time continued and I watched other generations be born and die but I continued living. I guessed it was something to do with the mysterious figure in white that saved me on the day of the explosion and my second chance. And so I've watched Spira over thousands of years, I've followed all the journeys of the summoners on their pilgrimage to defeat Sin but I took special interest in Lady Yuna's journey… the High Summoner who vanquished Sin once and for all and then went and saved Spira from the threatening Vegnagun. Yes, I have followed her adventures with much interest… I hope one day I will have the honour to actually be able to speak with her… However I have also taken special interest in your journey through life, young Praetor, so when I found you lying unconscious in the middle of the Calm Lands I decided to take action. And so we find ourselves here, and I have reached the end of my story. I apologize for talking for so long, I got caught up in my memories."

I just stared at Flammarius speechless and overwhelmed by his story for during his narration he showed me images of his thoughts in my mind, as though I were watching a sphere. I had shuddered at the scene of the battlefield and tears had come to my eyes when I saw the pain Flammarius had been through when Lraan was shot. I had many questions still but I thought it would be best to let the red bird rest for a while.

"Thank you for telling me your story Flammarius, I had no idea about the history of Spira before Sin came. I knew there were many machina cities and people lived comfortable lives but actual historic facts…"

"I have to confess that you are the first person I have talked to since the downfall of Vegnagun and the first to know of my past since the Commander passed away," I was surprised, pleasantly surprised, at that piece of information.

"It is an honour but why me? I am no one special" Flammarius cocked his head a little and grinned as well as a bird could and said,

"You remind me of someone special," I looked at him inquisitively, waiting patiently for him to continue, Flammarius cooed his chuckle and added "You look as though you could be Lraan's twin."

My jaw just dropped, I definitely wasn't expecting that but the bird hadn't finished. "When I saw you there lying unconscious on the ground, something told me that it was a special moment and an opportunity that destiny had given me. An opportunity to do what I do no know." I sat there gazing at Flammarius, wondering why fate had made our paths cross. I wasn't regretting it, oh no quite the contrary I was delighted to have met Flammarius, it meant that I had now found another good friend and someone to tell me exciting stories of the times before Sin. While I was caught up in my thoughts Flammarius spoke again.

"You ought to get some rest, you need it. Are you comfortable enough or do you want to go into the hut?"

"I'm fine out here. Flammarius…?"

"Mmm?"

"Is that… is that the same hut that you and the Commander lived in?" I didn't really want to intrude on his privacy too much but I felt an inexplicable urge to ask him that particular question. Flammarius turned his head slightly to gaze at the hut with an indecipherable expression, then he nodded slowly turning back to look at me.

"It is."

We sank into a comfortable silence as each of us pursued our own thoughts. I lent back on Cyjeuin, who had fallen asleep, and looked up at her peaceful face affectionately. I gazed up at the stars that had come up; a whole day had gone past although it only felt as though Flammarius had been talking for a couple of hours. 'It must have been the images and all that that made the time fly by so quickly' was the last thing I remember thinking before I fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. It wasn't as peaceful as I would of wished it to be... crimson eyes haunted my dreams that night. I couldn't stop thinking about what I had been about to do. Silently I thanked Flammarius and Cyjeuin because, even though they didn't know, they had stopped me from doing something I would've seriously regretted. They had reminded me that I had many things in this world to keep me going, friendship being a big part of those things.