After changing into something more suited for sleeping, Lightning went to shut her window, yawning tiredly. She was spent, the adrenaline from the day's shock having ebbed away her energy. Sighing, she threw her dirty clothes into a hamper, preparing to tuck into bed. Then she froze.
There was the gray substance that looked like smoke, materializing in her own bedroom, sneaking in through the crack in her window. Lightning recoiled, bumping painfully into her dresser. Not this, she thought, anything but this.
But, unlike that day so many years ago, the chaos did not reach for her, did not try to steal her away from her home and her family. Instead, it began to materialize into the shape of a familiar girl. Lightning blinked, her heart pounding so hard that it almost hurt.
"Yeul?" she said uneasily. The figure nodded.
"Yes," she said. "But I do not have much time here. So please, listen to my words."
Lightning straightened, looking down at the girl made of chaos. "You're the one who sent him here, aren't you," she said, her voice aggressive now. "Why?"
"Because we wanted him to be happy. We wanted to let him live the life he deserved."
"The life he deserved? He destroyed a world!"
"Centuries of heartbreak can drive a man to commit terrible deeds. Don't you remember what happened to Noel and Snow?"
"How could I forget?" Lightning sighed, folding her arms. "But neither of them did what Caius did."
Yeul looked pained. "Had a few more centuries gone by, perhaps they would have," she said sadly. "Had Snow lost Serah over and over, had Noel lost me as often as Caius had."
Lightning stared at the girl, a sickish feeling in her gut. "Fine. But why send him back here? Didn't he swear to stay in the unseen realm with you, guiding the souls of the dead? What happened to that?"
Yeul looked up at Lightning, her green eyes serious. "We regretted our part in Caius's madness. We are the reason he destroyed the world. We are the one to blame for his nightmares. We are the one that kept him from dying when that was all he wished for. And yet he never begrudged us. He refused your salvation that he would stay with us forever. And we wished to repay him."
Turning away, Lightning passed a hand over her face. "So you sent him here, where he could have the chance at a normal life. How? And why are his memories gone?"
Yeul looked down at her skirt. "It was the only way we could," she said. "If he remembered us, he would stay with us, his soul unable pass on. So we locked those memories away, all of the ones that had to do with us. It took us three of your years, but at last he was freed from that burden. Thus, we could send his soul here to be reborn, just as you and your friends were three years ago."
Lightning's mind was reeling. "But won't you miss him?" she asked.
"Of course," said Yeul, her green eyes full of complexity. "But we know that he will return to us eventually. It is inevitable, for his memories are powerful, and we will not always be able to contain them. He will slowly regain them, and once he does so completely, his soul will return to us, reclaiming his place as the God of Death alongside us. It will take a few years to do so, but in the meantime, he will live the life that was taken from him, free from his sadness and free from his duties. I only wish we could have given him more time."
As Yeul finished speaking, Lightning sat on her bed, leaning her head back. "I see. But one more question. Why send him here, to where I am? Why not to Noel and his Yeul?"
Yeul looked Lightning directly in the eyes, and it was somewhat disconcerting. "If he saw her, his memories would come back, and our work would have been futile. And we sent him to you because you were important to him."
"What?" Lightning scoffed. "Important to him? What do you—where are you going?"
"I cannot remain here any longer," said Yeul, slowly beginning to dissipate. "But, Claire Farron, I must ask you a final favor."
The use of her true name sent a shiver down Lightning's spine. "And what's that?"
"Please," said Yeul, almost gone altogether. "Watch over him." Her words hung disembodied in the air as the chaos disappeared, vanishing without a trace. Lightning sat on her bed in shock and confusion. Most of what Yeul had said had made sense. It had been her last two statements, however, that left Lightning reeling. First, how was she, Lightning, important to Caius, aside from having been his mortal enemy for countless years? Second, why was she supposed to watch over him? He was a grown man and could care for himself. Leaning back in bed, Lightning massaged her eyes with her hands. She lay for another few moments, her mind in turmoil, until at last she fell asleep.
The next morning, Lightning awoke with a mild headache. Massaging her temples, she sat up groggily, getting dressed in the weak sunlight that filtered into her room. Running a comb through her untidy hair, she pulled it over her shoulder as she always did, picking a stray strand off her shirt. Half-stumbling down the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen, the smell of eggs and bacon wafting to her nose. Serah was once again in the kitchen, frying up breakfast.
Running her fingers through her hair, Lightning said, "You're up early." Plopping down at the table, she poured herself a glass of juice, drinking it slowly.
"Good morning, Light," said Serah, yawning. "Yeah, Ellia woke up early and, obviously, I had to get up with her. She wanted to know all about the 'nice purple man' before she fell back asleep. But you know me. Once I'm awake, I'm awake for the day." Serah cracked another egg into the frying pan.
Lightning raised an eyebrow. "'The nice purple man?' What did you tell her?"
Serah shrugged. "I told her the basic truth, more or less, about Caius being a really strong warrior. I didn't go into much greater detail, of course."
Lightning scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "Speaking of him, I'm surprised he isn't already awake. He seems like an early rising type."
"I know," said Serah, a frown appearing above her nose. "It makes me a little nervous. Would you mind checking on him? Just in case?"
Lightning nodded. "I don't know what he could be doing up in that attic, but I know what you mean. I'll go grab him." Standing once again and stifling another yawn, Lightning went up the rickety stairs to the attic, knocking brusquely on the door.
"Come in," she heard Caius say. He sounded very awake. Uncertain, Lightning pushed open the door, seeing Caius sitting cross legged on the thin bed, looking somehow awkward and proud at the same time. His clothes were folded neatly on a sparse chair, and though a thin blanket was wrapped around his waist, his chest was bare, well-muscled and covered in scars. Blushing slightly, Lightning raised an eyebrow at him.
"Why haven't you come downstairs?"
"I was not certain that I was invited," said Caius, a wary edge to his voice. Lightning cocked her head to one side, placing her hand on her hip.
"It's not like we'd make you stay up here forever," she said. "Get dressed and come down, Serah's making breakfast."
She turned and left before he could respond, padding back down the stairs and reclaiming her place at the kitchen table.
"He's coming," she said, placing her chin in her hand. "I think he's just been sitting up there."
Serah looked amused. "He seems kind of... I dunno, awkward without a single-minded goal. Barely like the same person."
"I know," sighed Lightning. "It's disconcerting."
"What is disconcerting?" Caius's voice came from the hall as he rounded the corner, now wearing his odd outfit from the previous day.
"Nothing you ought to worry about," said Lightning, perhaps a bit harshly. Caius gave her a look, leaning against the wall.
"What will you have me do today?" he asked, looking at Serah.
"Nothing for now," she replied, dishing out a few plates of eggs and bacon. Lightning caught Caius looking at it hungrily. Placing the plates on the table, Serah said, "For now, just eat. And sit down like a normal person." Caius blinked, but did as he was told, taking the seat opposite Lightning. He avoided her eye contact, which she was grateful for. She didn't know if she could take the sight of those fearsome eyes. Instead, the three of them ate slowly, sitting in silence.
"So," said Lightning, finally looking at Caius. "What's your plan for the day? You gonna get out of our hair?" She suspected that she sounded rude, and felt a bit guilty when she saw Caius's hurt expression. Just a bit.
"Is this how you treat everyone?" he said, putting his utensils down. He looked pointedly at Lightning. "I did not ask to be sent here. Believe me, I will leave you and your family alone as soon as I am able, but you must at least tell me how. I am unfamiliar with this place. I am sorry for intruding upon your home, but you seem already to have a grudge against me. I do not know how so, nor why, and I would be grateful for some sort of answer."
Lightning shrank back, feeling truly guilty now. This Caius had no memory of what he had done. He did not know why Lightning and her sister were begrudged against him, and was likely feeling terribly out of place in this world, not to mention trying to solve the gaps in his memory. As much as she still distrusted him, Lightning supposed that this reborn Caius did not deserve the treatment he had gotten.
Sighing, Lightning apologized. "Look, I'm sorry. You just... remind us of someone we used to know, someone who caused us a lot of grief."
"Are we that similar?" Caius sounded disbelieving.
"More so than you realize," Lightning said simply. The silence that followed was tense, questions brimming in Caius's eyes. Lightning maintained pointed eye contact a moment more before she broke away, finishing the last few bites of egg on her plate, taking it to the sink and rinsing it. She sensed Caius's eyes on her back, and Serah, forgotten, cleared her throat.
"Do you have work today, Lightning?" she asked, and Lightning sighed.
"Yes, and if I don't hurry I'm gonna miss the train," she said, grateful for the change in topic, brushing her hair aside.
"Train?" asked Caius curiously.
"A big long vehicle," Lightning said simply. "It only comes through here a few times a day, which is why you couldn't take it last night. It goes to the city where I work now."
Caius furrowed his brows upward. "May I travel with you, then? Perhaps I could find somewhere... more suitable to stay."
"That was the plan," said Lightning, though the thought had somehow only struck her just then. She gathered her bag from a hook by the door, slinging it over her shoulder.
Placing her hand on the door handle, she said, "I'll see you later, Serah." Then, gesturing to Caius, she said, "You, come with me," and went through the door.
Caius followed, staying a fair distance behind her as the two of them went down the path that headed to the train station. Lightning could hear his footsteps, but avoided looking back at him. She could feel his eyes on her back, and every instinct she had acquired in Valhalla was screaming at her to turn on him or run away. She pressed them back, trying to reassure herself that this Caius meant her no harm. She hoped.
The warrior was silent up until they reached the station, where he looked around, an unidentifiable expression on his face. There were a few other people there that day, purchasing train tickets or milling about. To Lightning's relief, no one cast any strange looks as she bought two tickets rather than one, brusquely handing the extra to Caius. He gave her a questioning look, and she sighed. At least his old self would have known about modern technology.
"That's what'll get you on the train," she said quietly, folding her arms. "Just hand it to the guy when you get on."
Caius nodded resignedly. He turned his gaze on his surroundings, taking note of everything that seemed important. Lightning edged away a bit, still ill at ease. She didn't know what to expect from him anymore.
A few minutes later, she heard the whistling of the train, and joined the few other people at the loading platform. Caius took note of this, following her example, though remaining a few feet away from her. The train stopped, and everyone boarded, Lightning and Caius in silence. To her relief, Caius seemed to have no real trouble understanding how the process worked.
Lightning slipped into one of the train compartments, and, perhaps to her slight disappointment, Caius followed her, seating himself across from her and folding his arms.
"That was easy enough, right?" Lightning asked him. He nodded curtly.
"Yes, I suppose so," he said, his voice brisk. He turned his head, looking out the window as the train picked up speed, the landscape flying by in a blur of color, a peculiar look in his eyes. It was a mixture of his old sadness and a new sense of wonder, something Lightning would have thought had long since died from his eyes. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed deep in thought.
They sat in silence for a fair amount of time, Caius's gaze never faltering. At last, just when Lightning could barely take any more of the tension she felt, he broke the silence.
"Everything is gone, isn't it?" Caius said, the sadness in his eyes betraying his stiff tone. "I do not know what happened to the world, but this is nothing like the one I knew. Cocoon no longer floats in the sky, and the land is not that which I recognize. My friends and family are gone, and much of this place I will not understand. I am... at a loss."
Caius's tone was measured and eloquent as always, but his words now elicited a sympathy from Lightning that she had felt far less of in the past. It was then that it truly struck her: This Caius was not the madman she had known, and he would be lost in this world. Her expression softened a bit.
"Yeah, a lot happened during your... sleep," she said, the slight uncertain pause, she hoped, barely noticeable. There was a moment of silence, then she continued. "I'm sorry about your friends and family. I know how you feel, I really do. But they're long gone, and I can't do anything about that. However, I can help you get used to this world—as long as you don't cause any trouble."
Caius gave her a strange look. So many of his new expressions were unfamiliar to her. "Thank you, Lightning," he said, though something else seemed to be waiting on the tip of his tongue. "Please tell me, why do you seem so wary of me 'causing trouble?'" he ventured, somewhat bitterly, somewhat curiously. Lightning sighed. It seemed she had gotten herself into somewhat of a mess. However, she chose to tell the closest thing to the truth she could.
Tracing the bottom of the window with her finger, she said, "It's really complicated, but long story short, a... descendant of yours was the one who brought about the end of the old world. That's why Serah and I are—were—so apprehensive of you."
The look of genuine horror on Caius's face sent a bolt through Lightning's heart. His face turned gray.
"I understand," he said, voice hollow. He seemed to shrink a little bit, looking away from Lightning. "What was his name?"
Lightning froze. What could she say?
She bit her lip for a moment before she said slowly, "He was actually named after you. He was known as Caius Ballad."
Caius's eyes grew wide; from shock or horror, she couldn't say. "Ballad? That was the name of—tch," he said, breaking off and massaging his forehead.
"You okay?" Lightning asked.
"Yes," said Caius, his voice tight. "Though a gap in my memory surrounds her, that was... certainly the surname of someone very important to me. That a man who destroyed the world should have both my name and hers is a... painful revelation."
Lightning understood, although she was undeniably shocked. There had been someone truly important to Caius other than Yeul? And it had been a woman?
She remembered vaguely that Caius had once had to battle a fellow warrior, and recalled that, just before they had been able to land the killing blow, an enemy nation had attacked and Caius's foe had fallen protecting the seeress, after which Caius had taken their name. Though Caius himself appeared not to recall this, Lightning struggled to grasp this realization.
She swallowed, trying to tell how her ex-foe was feeling. This knowledge had obviously added a weight to his heart, and his shoulders were uncharacteristically slumped.
"That a man of my own blood was responsible for the destruction of the world I knew... I am sorry. I understand your distrust." Caius's voice was heavy, and Lightning looked at him with what she hoped was a gentle expression. How strange was it that the absence of his memories had changed him so? He seemed genuinely shaken by the idea that someone of his bloodline destroyed the world. What would he think if he knew the truth, that it had been he himself who had set those events in motion? The prospect frightened Lightning, though she didn't know why.
Folding her arms, she gave a soft, bitter laugh. "If there's one thing I know, it's not to dwell on the past. This is a new world, and it's been pretty well-off. Things are okay now, and you'll get used to it."
"I understand," said Caius, but he was clearly still ill at ease. Then he looked away, turning his face to familiar impenetrable stone. Lightning watched him for a moment more, then bowed her head and closed her eyes.
Caius Ballad, her enemy for so long, the man responsible for the end of the world she had lived in. He had committed the ultimate sin, and yet, though the emotion had come close, Lightning could not truly hate him. She knew better than anyone that pain could drive a man to commit terrible deeds, and though Caius's had been unimaginable, they had been driven by a loss that Lightning could find only in her worst nightmares. Then he had chosen to stay behind in the realm of the dead rather than leave the Yeuls on their own, something Lightning couldn't help but admire. She had thought he was gone, then. She had thought that she would never have to see him again. But here he was, sitting silently across from her, changed more than anyone she had ever known.
And, she remembered, she was supposed to look after him. This prospect unsettled her perhaps more than anything else. It went against all of the instincts she had built up in Valhalla, and she couldn't imagine being responsible for watching over the broody warrior. But it had been Yeul's final wish, and Lightning couldn't bring herself to disregard it; she had pitied the poor girl far too much for that. Blinking slowly at Caius, whose heavy gaze was still trained elsewhere, Lightning decided that she would at least watch over him until he could fend for himself, being able to live a new life on his own. She wasn't sure how, but she could try.