Author's Note: This chapter is another one of my favorites. :3 I love Cid Raines. xD

You're the most amazing person in the world, Joshua Chung. Thank you! Sorry I'm a day late with this chapter!

S o S t a r s t r u c k

Chapter Fourteen

Recalling Their Lost Deity

The group walked through the piece of Pulse - an Ark, Fang and Vanille called it - for more than half a day. On their way there were many, armored knight-creatures appearing out of nowhere, but they proved to be nothing but nuisances to the group. Snow often remarked on how easy it seemed to be to take down any enemies now that everyone was back together, only to be told to be quiet by either Lightning or Balthier. The blond seemed to be more talkative once he'd had a short discussion with Lightning, most likely about the truth of Serah's Focus. But, he still wouldn't look Balthier in the eyes, for some reason.

What Dysley had said still rang in Balthier's mind, taking over almost all of his thoughts. Was he nothing but a puppet to Ivalice's gods? Was the only reason he was sent to Cocoon was to bring its destruction? And then, there was Ragnarok.

I had asked Vanille about that monster, about what it was and if I really...was meant to become that creature and destroy all they knew. She didn't look me in the eyes when she told me that she didn't know.

Everyone else seemed considerably weary of him, too, and even Fang didn't want to look him in the eyes. None of them knew the reasons why he'd been sent to aid them in their journey, but they seemed to have an idea; the same idea he had.

Would he destroy Cocoon in order to help them complete their Focus? To make sure they didn't become Cie'th?

Would he go so far to even let himself become a monster?

Balthier didn't have the chance to really think about it, because standing before them all in a large open chamber was none other than Cid Raines, the leader of the Calvary. Snow stepped forward, muttering the man's name. Both Sazh and Vanille tensed up behind him, but he turned toward them with a confident expression on his face.

"Easy, guys," he told them. "It's all right. Raines is a Sanctum officer. He's been helping us out-"

Fang held him back before he could walk any further. She glared at Raines as he approached them, and she asked in a cautious voice, "Why are you here?"

Raines kept walking toward them, not saying a single thing. Something wasn't right. Balthier slowly reached for Lightning's gunblade behind her back, keeping his eyes on the Sanctum general, and once he had his hand on the weapon he charged at the man. "Raines!" he snarled, "You traitor!" He clumsily swung at him with the gunblade, only to have Raines dodge each of his attacks with ease. The general grabbed Balthier by the arm, and then carelessly flung him off to the side with little or no effort, taking the gunblade in his own hands. The sky pirate winced when he hit the floor, but he got back to his feet instantly, glaring back at the taller man.

"I put you on the path," Raines said to them all, "That was my Focus."

Fang flinched. "You're a l'Cie?"

He nodded once. "Since long before we met. I did my best to assist you, as bid by the fal'Cie. Now do you understand?" Everyone remained silent, and he continued. "The fal'Cie have watched over you, guiding your every step. The luck that saved you time and again was a deliverate machination. Why, you may ask? The Primarch - or should I say, Barthandelus - is crafting you into the instruments of Cocoon's demise."

"And my world's demise," Balthier added in, scowling.

"We've been played for fools!" Fang murmured, clenching her fists when she looked downward.

Sazh asked, "A Cocoon fal'Cie? Why?"

"Why?" Raines kept his expressionless face as he spoke. "To restore the Maker. The entity responsible for creating both humans and fal'Cie. Long ago, the Maker departed this world, leaving the two behind. In a sense, humans and fal'Cie are brothers - orphaned by the same parent. As for the humans, they forgot the order imposed by the Maker. They began to war amongst themselves, for the first time in history." He frowned weakly, turning his head to the side. "The fal'Cie focused on recalling their lost deity and returning their world to its formal glory. This purpose lies at the heart of all their actions. Calling back the Maker requires a fitting sacrifice."

"Yeah," Lightning said, "we've heard. The destruction of Cocoon, and Balthier's world."

"The lives of each world's entire populace in bloody tribute." Raines tossed the gunblade back to its rightful owner, and Lightning caught it without even flinching.

"I don't get it," Hope stated, both confused and frustrated. "Why do they need us? Couldn't the fal'Cie just end the world with just a thought?"

The general shook his head. "Their existence is bound to the creation and maintenance of this floating shell. It is their very nature that holds them in check."

Balthier rubbed his sore arm, keeping his intense gaze upon the man. "And the Occuria?"

"Unlike the fal'Cie, your gods seek to simply control your world. I would expect you to remember, but...seeing as how your path has changed, you've forgotten the truth and your destiny."

The sky pirate cast his eyes downward, turning his head away from the others. He felt as if their eyes were on him, thinking that he wouldn't hesitate to kill them in an instant. They thought he was going to become a monster - he just knew it.

"If we can stop this by doing nothing," Vanille exclaimed, stepping forward beside Balthier. "We'll do nothing!"

Raines smirked. "Noble. I expected as much."

"You lied to us," Snow growled, gritting his teeth together and raising his voice. "What happened to your dream of rebuilding Cocoon for the people? Was it all a lie?"

"A shadow of a dream from when I was human," he answered, his smirk faltering. "It was change I craved, and once I'd built the influence to make things happen, there was change. I gained all the power I could hope for, but was a puppet with no will to wield it. It wasn't the fal'Cie who changed..." Raines' l'Cie brand on his hand began to glow a light-blue color. "...It was me."

Balthier's gaze softened for a moment. "You were made a l'Cie," he murmured, understanding. The desire to change things, to make things right...He knew that feeling all too well.

"Tied to an inescapable Focus - a slave of destiny. I lost hope. I'd all but given up my dreams of freedom." Raines sighed, then looked toward them all with an odd glint in his eyes. "I'm here of my own accord, not by fal'Cie order. Seeing you fight brought it all back. Brought back that future I once strove for. I, too, will challenge my fate." His brand's glow intensified, and when he raised his arm he summoned a magick barrier around the group. "If I can defeat you here, the fal'Cie plan will fail."

Fang stepped forward, and yelled out his name. "Raines!"

"I will use all my remaining power!" In a burst of light, he transformed into a half-human, half-Cie'th monster. His glowing eyes focused on Balthier as the party drew their weapons. "I will set you free, Ragnarok!"

That name. Balthier drew his swords in a fit of anger, running forward before any of the others could stop him. He raised both his swords and struck down the transformed Raines, knocking him down with an unseen force of magick energy. Something had awoken inside of him, something was telling him to kill that man - no, that monster. Raines was no longer a man, no longer their ally...

He was their enemy.

Lightning ran past the sky pirate, blocking a forceful wave of magick that Raines sent toward them. However, the others weren't lucky enough to have the stamina to stay standing. Sazh and Hope fell first, succumbing to the sleep induced by the monster's magick. Next were Vanille and Snow, leaving only Balthier, Fang and Lightning standing against Raines.

"You all right, you two?" Fang asked the two of them after landing another attack against their enemy. She hunched over her lance, wincing from a slowly bleeding wound in her side.

"Never been better!" Lightning answered, firing multiple shots as they dodged another attack. Beside her, Balthier charged forward again and left them in the dust, going off on his own way to bring down Raines.

The black-haired woman sighed in frustration. "He's going to kill himself, isn't he?"

Lightning didn't answer, running after the sky pirate to make sure he hadn't gone mad with rage - or whatever it was that he was suffering from. His way of fighting had suddenly changed all of the sudden, no longer remaining as the sophisticated style he'd used when they'd first met. Something had changed him, and she knew that it had something to do with what both Dysley and Raines had said. His world was in danger, and he wasn't there to protect it.

Fang revived the others, and once they were all back on their feet they managed to defeat the transformed Raines. He fell to his knees, clutching the l'Cie brand on his hand, and Lightning stepped forward as she sheathed her gunblade. The others cautiously stood behind her, but Balthier was the one to walk forward at her side.

"Raines," she breathed, casting her eyes downward. Was she feeling...regret?

The man merely laughed weakly, shaking his head. "Ironic, isn't it?" he sighed, his voice weak. "The only thing I wanted was a moment of triumph...How it ends isn't important. Just do what you know is right."

"And if that path is one we can't turn from?" Balthier asked, frowning. "You had said-"

"Your path has been set, human. The only thing you can do now...is trust yourself." And with that, he began to fade away with a white light, dissolving into the air as if he was nothing but dust. Then, he was gone.

No one said a thing at first, and Balthier could feel Lightning's eyes on him when he turned away from them all. He couldn't face her, not after hearing more talk about so-called destiny and fate. Sazh was the one who broke the silence between them all.

"What? Did he complete his Focus?" he asked, looking at everyone.

"No," Snow replied, narrowing his eyes. "I don't think so. All Raines did was try to save Cocoon in his way - his own way." He turned around and stormed off, and eventually everyone but Balthier and Lightning followed him. After a moment, she touched his hand and looked him in the eyes, but all he could do was turn away from her.

Perhaps Raines was right. He wanted to understand what it meant to be human...What it meant to defy fate and its bonds. I could only hope to understand it the way he did.

Not long after they had faced Raines, they were forced to do battle against Fang's Eidolon, Bahamut, when she attempted to turn against them, fearing for Vanille's life. Snow had been talking about going against their Focus to destroy Cocoon and do as Serah had said, but Fang didn't agree. They managed to convince her to stay with them, that they would do whatever it took to save themselves from turning into Cie'th. It was then that they discovered an abandoned air ship, and what seemed to be a gate that would take them to Gran Pulse.

"I've gotta feeling this is our only way out," Sazh said, and the chocobo chick flew out of his hair and toward the ship. It chirped when Balthier stepped in the way, and it happily sat on his shoulder.

"Then I guess it's time to go home," Vanille replied with a smile. "To Gran Pulse!"

They all walked into the ship, and for once, Balthier didn't sit in the pilot's seat. He still wasn't feeling like his normal self, and he feared that if he tried to fly an air ship at that time, they'd end up crashing somewhere. And so, he allowed Sazh to take his place as captain, and stood in the far back with Vanille and Hope. They didn't seem to question his sudden silence; not like Snow, who kept giving him odd looks.

"Let's get this show on the road," Sazh murmured, turning on the engine of the ship. "Hold on to your heads!"

With a sudden jolt, they were in the air and flying right toward the gate. Vanille grabbed Balthier's hand and held it in her own, her eyes nervously looking around as they passed through the gate. He smiled weakly, messing up her hair with his free hand as if to tell her not to worry. She nodded, and huddled up closer to him when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It wasn't that he was trying to make a move on her - he'd never think of doing something like that to her. The girl needed comforting, and it was his job to offer any help he could. That, and he needed some comforting of his own.

The trip through the gate was shorter than he expected. With another sudden jolt they were back in the sky, and Vanille snuck out from under his arms, leading him to the front of the ship where the others were.

"Well done, captain," Balthier said with a weak smirk when he stood behind Sazh. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

The older man grinned, giving him a thumbs up. "Yeah! Told you, didn't I?"

Outside their air ship, a long bodied dragon flew past and nearly hit them. Both Vanille and Hope ducked down in surprise. Fang, however, was more than amused.

"Playful little critter, isn't he?" she asked, smirking.

Lightning folded her arms across her chest. "Yeah, well play with someone else."

"He thinks we're lunch."

Sazh nearly laughed from the pilot's seat. "Like a l'Cie food buffet - with a pirate as a side dish."

"Cie food, cute," the pink-haired woman murmured, turning her head the other way.

As soon as she looked over, the dragon came back and attacked their ship, tearing off the side wall. Vanille was pulled out by the strong gust of wind, and out of old habit Balthier jumped out after her, grabbing her arm and holding onto the edge of the ship with his other hand. The ship began to turn and fall downward, and before anyone could reach for the two of them, Balthier and Vanille fell from the edge and plummeted toward the land.

"Fang!" Snow yelled out, leaning over the edge after he unsuccessfully tried to grab Balthier's hand. "Get 'em!"

The woman nodded. "I'm on it!" Both she and Lightning jumped off the ship, and in a matter of seconds she summoned her Eidolon Bahamut. She grabbed Lightning as she jumped onto the creature's back, and not too long later Snow, Sazh and Hope were on the dragon-summon, too. Balthier and Vanille, however, were still falling from the sky.

He wrapped his arms around her as soon as they were close together, despite knowing that they wouldn't survive the fall if the others didn't save them. She looked up at him and called out over the loud wind, "You okay?"

"Of course!" he yelled back, sarcastically. "Just ruddy perfect!"

Out of nowhere, Fang grabbed the back of his vest and pulled the two of them up onto Bahamut. Vanille repeatedly apologized for getting him in trouble, but Balthier simply shook his head and smiled.

"I told you, I'm a sky pirate! Flying is what I do!"

They flew down toward the land, and Fang turned around and faced them all from where she sat in the lead. "Home, sweet home," she greeted, "Welcome to Gran Pulse."

Gran Pulse reminded me of Dalmasca. Vibrant, and untamed. A world where all struggled to survive, captives under the never-ending control of the gods. There was no such thing as mercy...only a continuous string of trials that weeded out the weak and left only the strong. Raines knew the truth, the purpose lying at the heart of all the fal'Cie's actions. "Recalling their lost deity and returning the world to its formal glory". Where had I heard that before?

Humes were nothing but sacrifices, caught in the tempest of the l'Cie. And my coming here? T'was just a way to wake a sleeping god, no doubt. But would I have had the chance to help them, bring back the salvation they desired?

All that talk of a Maker, the fal'Cie, and l'Cie...It was all nonsense, now that I had looked back on it.

Balthier, Lightning, Sazh and Snow walked down a steep hill as they returned to their camp after a day of scouting around. Lightning kept her eyes forward as she walked on, but she nearly tripped over her own feet when she wasn't looking. Balthier caught her by her hand, but she walked past without even uttering a 'thank you'. Although, she did not move her hand from his right away. As she went on, he looked back at the other two, then toward her again.

"See?" he said, tilting his head to the side. "There was no need to search high and low. We're the only humes here."

She stopped walking, and scoffed. "You're the only human," she muttered. "The rest of us are l'Cie."

The sky pirate laughed weakly, shaking his head. "Are you so sure? Perhaps the Sanctum is right - you may have infected me. I could be a l'Cie right now without even knowing it."

"It'll be your fault then." She touched a hand to her lightning-bolt necklace, then looked out toward the distance as he approached her. "You came with us on your own. And you could leave, if you wanted."

"Would you want me to leave, then?" When she said nothing, Balthier shrugged his shoulders. "No matter. I'm afraid you'll be stuck with me for a while longer. Once I confront the fal'Cie and demand that I be sent home, you'll be free of me."

Lightning glanced toward him, then turned her head away. "Balthier...You've been a great aid to us. Without you, we probably wouldn't have escaped the Sanctum in one piece, or found Vanille and Sazh." She turned her body completely toward him, looking him straight in the eyes. "T...thank you."

At first he was surprised by her words, but he smirked at her nonetheless. "You're more than welcome."

A few feet away from them stood Snow and Sazh, curiously watching what was going on between the two. Snow folded his arms across his chest and muttered quietly, "Wonder what they're talking about..."

"You know, I think Lightning's got a soft spot for him," Sazh stated, nodding his head. "You've seen how she acts 'round him?"

"...No?"

He shook his head. "Just look at her. I bet that's one of the few times she's smiled since losin' her sister." Snow scowled weakly, and Sazh only laughed. "Looks like you've got some competition, kid."

"Huh?" Snow exclaimed with wide, surprised eyes. "Competition? What d'you mean by that?"

The question was never answered, because Balthier and Lightning walked back over to them in silence. The blond stared blankly at Balthier, for some unknown reason, and did so the entire way back to camp. Lightning led the way there, and as soon as they saw Vanille and Fang sitting by a small fire the younger girl turned around and smiled.

"You're back!" she greeted, waving her hand at them when they walked closer.

Fang turned around, too, and grinned weakly. "Hey, any luck?"

"No sign of anyone else," Lightning answered, and the sky pirate smirked at her from behind. "But we did find plently of blood thirsty wildlife and crumbling ruins."

"We're run out of places to search around here," Snow continued, and with a pause he looked around the camp. "Where's Hope?"

"He's off with the chocobo getting supplies," Fang replied, and just as she spoke the chocobo chick flew past her and landed on top of Balthier's head.

The sky pirate begrudgingly picked up the chocobo and held it in his hands. "All by yourself?" he asked, and then listened to its some-what quick chirping. "What do you mean by 'his brand'?"

The others went tense, and Snow was the first one to take off running in the direction Hope had gone. Lightning was close behind him, as were Vanille and Sazh. Fang was the only one who stayed behind with Balthier and the chocobo chick, muttering something under her breath. Obviously something happening to Hope because of his brand was not a good thing.

When they returned, Snow was carrying an unconscious Hope in his arms. Vanille tended to him and watched over him while the others sat around the fire, the sky around them turning dark as night arrived. Balthier looked toward the girl and Hope, casting his eyes downward as he wondered if dying was the only fate left for them. Die, or destroy the world. It seemed those were their only choices. He turned back toward the others, watching as Snow stood up in frustration.

"So this is how it ends?" he yelled, looking at them all.

"Just wait," Sazh snapped, staring at the ground. "How long has it been since we left Cocoon, hm? Not a single soul for miles around, not a damn clue about this l'Cie mess."

When the blond took a step forward, Balthier looked up. "We did well for getting this far," he stated, and Snow stared in shock at him as he stood up. "Raines was right. I should have never gotten myself in between you lot and the fal'Cie. I was better off on my own."

Vanille stood up, hurriedly walking toward the group. "Balthier..." she whimpered, reaching out for him.

But he turned away from her and began to walk off, only stopping when he stood in front of Lightning. He looked at her longingly, as if he hoped she would say something. Yet all she did was keep her eyes glued to the ground at their feet. "Go on," she murmured, quietly.

Balthier looked at her face one more time before walking away again, only to be stopped when Snow ran over and grabbed his arm, forcing him back. "We need you," he said in a desperate tone of voice, tightening his grip on Balthier's arm.

"Are you sure you're talking about everyone, or just yourself, Snow?" The sky pirate pulled away from him and walked away, leaving them all behind in silence.

Why did I even try to run away, yet again? I was a coward. Snow was right - they needed me. And what did I do? I ran.

Balthier has lost track of what direction he'd gone in by the end of the second hour. He seemed to just be mindlessly wandering without a clue as to where he was going. This wasn't his world, he understood that, but he just kept walking. He'd given up. Given up on his so-called task to save Cocoon, his trust in others, and whatever he seemed to feel for his comrades back in Ivalice - that is, if he remembered them.

And that whole deal with the creature called Ragnarok? He wanted to just end it all and do as Dysley had said: destroy Cocoon. It wasn't his world, and he didn't care if it was destroyed. As long as he could keep Ivalice alive and well, that was all that mattered. If that was even considered as his home, seeing as how he'd forgotten his journey with Fran and the others. It didn't...make sense.

"I'm through," he hissed, pushing past all the foliage in the woods. "Snow can take the title of hero for all I care. This leading man is done."

When he took another step forward, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He pressed a hand to it, wincing when something warm seeped through his blouse and vest. Looking down at his hand, Balthier nearly yelled out when he saw blood. Red, crimson blood. The wound continued to bleed, and he fell to his knees in the dirt as he blankly stared at a white figure standing before him. It held out its hand, but he didn't have the strength to reach forward in return.

"Ffamran mied Bunansa, your time has come."

As everything faded to black around him, Balthier fell forward and laid there in the dirt; his breath being stolen away in the darkness.

Dun dun dunnn...