CHAINED BY FATE
Consciousness flooded through my system and my eyes jerked open. I bolted upright, unaware and uncaring of my surroundings, consumed as I was by the vision I had experienced and the searing pain in my shoulder.
"Serah!"
A sudden shout, filled with longing, forced me back to the present.
Snow was sitting upright, his hand outstretched, surprise etched on his face. His eyes met mine for a moment, then he turned his head and looked around himself.
I repeated his motion and was greeted with an overwhelming sight. Waves of crystals cascaded around me, glittering. They formed a circular clearing of sorts, and it was in this clearing that I found myself.
The others that surrounded me began to wake with small groans. Beside me, Lightning got to her feet slowly. I felt a sudden desire to help with this simple task, but she needed no aid, and rose steadily.
"Is this... for real?"
Snow was on his feet and gazing around at the cacophony of color that was all around us.
Atop the horizon of waves, the vestige stood lopsided in the distance.
Five of us were walking around, trying to make sense of our new location. Only the boy was still seated, his head buried in the crook of his elbow. It briefly occurred to me that he might be crying.
"This must be... Lake Bresha?"
The afro-haired man spoke to the air, but there was a feeling of familiarity about the shapes of the crystal. It was obvious that they were crystallized waves of water, all frozen in time.
"I guess we fell from up there," he said, peering skyward, "and the lake turned to crystal?"
I turned to him and opened my mouth to speak, but his next words held a sense of urgency.
"Help me out here! I mean, did the fal'Cie do this?" He turned to Lighting and I, his arms outstretched. "How in the world did we end up here?"
She responded quickly and derisively. "How should I know?"
He posed very good questions, and I relayed my theory to him.
"I suppose we fell, like you said," I answered lamely. "But the lake... I don't know."
The orange-haired girl fell to her knees and clasped her hands together.
"We're alive. How?"
"Serah!"
Snow, who was standing on the edge of the clearing, had turned to face us, his face alight with hope and grief.
"Now one survives a fall from that high, not without a miracle. Serah saved us!"
"Serah?"
Lightning's eyes flashed with anger.
"Listen. It's all your fault she got-"
But she never finished her sentence.
I took a step back from her in surprise and she turned.
There were gasps from the others as they saw the huge Cie'th bear down on Lightning.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" The afro-haired man ran towards Snow, stumbling on his way.
I moved forward, but it was Snow who reached the Cie'th first.
"Watch out!"
He moved fast, much faster than I would have imagined him able to, and shoved me out of the way.
The Cie'th brought its giant arm down upon the large man, but Snow crossed his arms above his head, effectively blocking the blow.
I watched as the Cie'th reared for another attack, but Snow reacted first.
He brought his left arm back for a mighty swing, and there, branded onto his forearm, was the mark of a Pulse l'Cie.
I gasped as I saw the insignia, which glowed bright blue. The sound that one associated with magical energy pierced the air, and Snow's fist crackled with blue light. He brought his arm forward in an arc, and the impact was shattering. The Cie'th was launched into the air, and came crashing down.
But none of us had eyes for the fallen Cie'th. The light that radiated from Snow's brand began to fade, and he clutched his wrist, his eyes wide with awe and wonder.
"What did I... just do?"
The boy was the first to recover.
He scrambled to his feet. "You used magic!"
The sound of more Cie'th echoed in the clearing, and the orange-haired girl gasped as three more entered the clearing.
"You used the power of a l'Cie!" He shouted. "The fal'Cie cursed us. We're l'Cie now!"
It suddenly dawned on me. The pain, the vision. I peered at my shoulder, hoping that I would find three pink scars, but it was there. The l'Cie symbol was branded on my shoulder, just like Snow's, and the scars ran over it, cutting three lines into the black mark.
Lightning drew her gunblade with an air of fierce determination.
"Right," was all she said.
I drew my own weapon from its holster, and the two blades gleamed once I pressed the button.
Snow and the orange-haired girl joined our ranks.
I knew that unless we worked together, we would never defeat the Cie'th.
Lightning took command, and barked orders immediately.
"You," she rounded on the orange-haired girl. "Distract that one-" she indicated the one of the left - "try to stagger it so I can get a clean hit."
Snow took the order as his cue to start launching magic attacks at the one in the middle.
I knew what my job would be, and Lightning saw no reason to direct me in this battle. Instead, she attacked the orange-haired girl's victim, and they quickly disposed of it.
I dodged a swipe from the Cie'th on the right, and focused my attacks on the one in the middle. As Snow fired a small ball of ice into its face, it stumbled, and I took the opportunity to deliver a quick lunge into the Cie'th's midsection, where it disappeared in a wisp of purple smoke.
Lightning and the orange-haired girl had moved on to the remaining Cie'th, and I turned in time to see the two bring it down with a deadly combination of attacks. The orange-haired girl waved her hand rapidly, and an orb of water splashed into the face of the Cie'th, followed up by a fireball. Lightning dashed in and swung her gunblade in a wide, diagonal arc, and the Cie'th vanished.
Snow slowly lowered his fists, and his grunts of exertion became shallow breaths.
"So we really are l'Cie."
I replaced my rifle and turned to him, praying that my expression showed no sign of the horror that I was feeling.
Lightning just sighed in annoyance, her head bobbing slightly.
The afro-haired man hung his head. "Looks like it."
Snow turned to the orange-haired girl. "You too?"
She nodded, and lifted up the side of her skirt. The l'Cie brand was visible on her thigh.
"Yep, right here."
I turned away sheepishly after seeing the mark.
Snow turned to me.
"Yeah." I pointed at my shoulder.
"L'Cie to the last," Lightning said.
It was the silver-haired boy who succumbed first. I was still in a state of hopeless denial.
"Why me?" he said as he sank to his knees, his hands kneading the ground.
Then he turned to the rest of us, his eyes filled with agony.
"I don't even know you! But you have to go and attack that thing?" he said accusingly. "Just leave me alone."
I couldn't look away, despite the blame that was partly mine.
"It's your fault-" he started quietly, "It's your fault my- you could've-"
Then he leaped to his feet and rounded on Snow, his tone harsh.
"All of this is your and Serah's fault!"
Snow wouldn't have any of it.
"Watch it!" he snarled, advancing on the boy, who fell backwards in his haste to escape Snow's sudden movement. He scrambled towards Lightning and looked up at her, but the sight of her hard face and crossed arms did nothing for him, and he crawled away with his head in his hands.
All the years of my PSICOM training had hardened my softer side. There was no room for compassion on the battlefield, but the events at the Hanging Edge had brought forth the moral dilemmas I had been repressing in my service to the Sanctum, and the sight of the boy cowering there ignited a spark of pity.
But only a spark.
Snow however, seemed to regret his outburst.
"Sorry," He said.
I watched as the orange-haired woman approached the boy and placed her hands on his trembling shoulders. He went still at the contact and looked up at her.
"Everything is gonna be all right. You'll see," She pulled him to his feet, saying "Come on," as she did so. "Off we go."
The duo lead the way out of the clearing, following a winding path through the crystal.
I followed in their wake, staying close to Snow and the afro-haired man.
"L'Cie, huh?" Snow said direly.
"Yep. We're all playing for Team Pulse now," The afro-haired man said.
"This day just keeps getting better and better," I said.
"Why me?" he said loudly.
I patted him on the back.
"That's a good question," I told him. "But if it makes you feel better, we're all l'Cie as well."
Lightning said nothing, but walked in silence ahead of the three of us.
"Trust the soldier to keep her cool through this mess," The afro-haired man said.
"I'm a soldier too, you know?" I told him in a mock offended tone.
Ahead of us, Lightning stopped in her tracks.
"Okay, if we don't know our Focus, how do we complete it?"
It was the orange-haired girl who answered.
"I think... I saw it."
Lightning turned to her. "Saw what?"
The afro-haired man took up the slack when she failed to get an answer.
"That is how a Focus comes down, people," He explained. "The fal'Cie? They don't spell it out with clear-cut instructions. All you get is a hazy glimpse."
Snow mirrored Lightning's posture and crossed his arms. They both looked at the afro-haired man skeptically. I however, thought the man was onto something.
"Well, that's what they say. You know, legends and all."
Lightning, to my amazement, addressed the boy.
"Did you see anything?"
He swallowed and shifted his weight back and forth under Lightning's gaze.
"I uh – I just... it's all kind of foggy, but... I saw this big – I mean towering-"
The afro-haired man interrupted, and I thought I knew why. The boy's description sounded very familiar.
"W-Wait a minute. Hold on now. Did we all have the same dream?" he asked everyone.
We all responded in unison.
"Ragnarok."
"So," the afro-haired man said, "We all saw the same dream. We all heard that same voice."
"You mean that was our Focus?" asked the boy. "But, how are we supposed to know what to do from that?"
"That's the tricky part," the orange-haired girl said. "The dream's the only hint the fal'Cie gives us. Figuring out what to do with it – that's our job!"
She didn't seem to use the proper tone. Or that's what I thought. She addressed the subject like it was homework – or something.
"Okay, okay," The afro-haired man said. "We're Pulse l'Cie, right? Enemies of Cocoon!" So, does that mean that our Focus is-? Are we supposed to-?"
"Save her."
I turned to Snow, who had interrupted the afro-haired man's damning words. What he said made sense, given our position. If we were Pulse l'Cie, then wasn't it our job to destroy Cocoon?
"Say what?" the afro-haired man asked.
"Our Focus is to protect Cocoon," Snow continued.
"Really? Okay, and why's that?" The orange-haired girl asked politely, as if this were a mildly interesting discussion and not our immediate future.
"Serah told us," Snow stated simply. "Let's do it. We're all in this together." He appealed to the group. "I'm gonna look for Serah. She ought to be nearby." Then he ran off.
The orange-haired girl made an exasperated gesture. "I'll come too!" She ran after him. "Wait!"
The afro-haired man scratched his head. "That boy can't stay still!" Then he followed after them.
"Really..." the boy said quietly before moving forward after him. He glanced backwards at Lightning, who still had her back turned to him, then he hurried after the rest.
I turned to Lightning.
"I guess we keep moving," I said. "After you." I gestured with my arm that she should go first.
Lightning rolled her eyes, but I knew it was more friendly than a gesture of animosity.
It didn't take us long to catch up with the others, and we all allowed Lightning to lead the way. I supposed she would feel better if she was in charge.
"There's gotta be a way through here somewhere," Snow said. "Let's keep looking. We need to find a way out of here. We can worry about everything else later."
The area was populated with pockets of Cie'th, but with our newly discovered magic abilities, we were able to defeat them with relative ease.
Lightning lead the way through the crystal maze. There seemed to be a clearly defined path through the waves, and after cutting down another group of Cie'th, Snow commented on our new found powers.
"This just might work," he said hopefully.
Nobody asked him what he was talking about, and seeing that I was closest to him (just ahead of him and slightly behind Lightning) I replied.
"Okay, I'll bite. What might work?"
"Magic may be cursed, but it makes us stronger, doesn't it?" he said to me.
"I guess," I replied thoughtfully.
"What's to stop us from putting it to good use?"
I thought for a moment, and he had a point. The abilities of a l'Cie were powerful, but there was nothing stopping us from, say, using that power against Pulse instead of Cocoon.
"We are, I suppose. We could just as easily turn around and say 'take that, Pulse fal'Cie!'" I mimed using magic.
"Then we fight it!" He turned to the group and held up his fist. "Ragnarok!"
Our party stopped to listen to his sudden outburst, and I stepped backwards to avoid any flailing limbs that might be elicited from his passionate speech.
"That's the reason we're l'Cie. To stop it – to keep Cocoon safe!"
The afro-haired man questioned him. "Yeah, why don't you give us one reason to believe that? One reason."
Snow responded without hesitation. "Serah."
The five of us exchanged confused glances.
Snow sighed exasperatedly. "She said to protect Cocoon, and she turned to crystal."
I raised my eyebrows. What did that have to do with our Focus?
"That's the proof right there," he said loudly. "She completed her Focus! That means ours is to save Cocoon."
He addressed Lightning directly now.
"Serah's fal'Cie was the same as ours. Our Focus has got to be the same." He placed a hand to his chest. "We were chosen to be guardians, to defeat Ragnarok! It makes sense!"
The afro-haired man had had enough.
"The hell it does! You're grasping at straws, son! Pulse fal'Cie are Cocoon's enemies. We just got recruited by one of them," He said fiercely. "If I were a betting man... I'd put us on the other side."
Snow wasn't convinced.
"So Serah's an enemy too?" He stamped his foot. "Well I don't buy it!"
Snow turned and strode over to Lightning, who was facing away from him with her hands on her hips.
"We have the power to save Cocoon," he said, indicating the brand on his arm. "If we work together and carry out our Focus-"
Lightning responded with aggression, drawing her gunblade and pressing it against Snow's neck.
"Our Focus? The fal'Cie took Serah from us, and you want to help it? Whose side are you on?"
"Freeze!"
The sudden command captured all of our attention. Lightning turned, Snow all but forgotten with the appearance of seven PSICOM soldiers, dressed in yellow uniforms and with guns trained on us.
Footsteps behind me alerted us to the presence of two more flanking around us.
"Place your hands behind your heads!"
Five of our group grudgingly obliged. Only Lightning hesitated before letting her gunblade fall to the crystallized ground.
"You!" One of them – I assumed he was the commander of their unit – addressed me. "You're PSICOM."
"Was," I corrected.
"I know you, James Hudson."
I blinked.
"And your father. He was a great man... a great soldier. What would he think if he were alive now? What would he think of his son, the traitor?"
It took a great amount of self-restraint not to rush the commander.
"You defied your orders, soldier," the commander said. "You swore an oath to serve the Sanctum."
"The Sanctum's orders were to kill innocent people!" I said loudly, my voice shaking.
"You shirked your duty-"
"Duty!"
"The Hanging Edge was a necessary loss. The Pulse Vestige had to be destroyed. Their deaths were not in vain."
"They didn't need to die," I growled.
"Didn't they? Any number of them could have been corrupted by the Pulse fal'Cie."
I didn't respond. The memories of my service surfaced to my mind, one in particular stood out.
Yaag Rosch stood behind the altar, his piercing eyes swept over us.
I stood in the midst of several other recruits, all standing at attention and hanging onto Lieutenant Colonel Rosch's every word.
"Today, you will join the ranks of the most elite unit the military has to offer: The Eden Force. You have each been handpicked based on your proficiency record at the academy, and I expect all of you to provide a level of service above that of regular PSICOM soldiers."
I found myself enraptured by his voice, his genuine respect for the military, and all it represented to Cocoon. In the beginning, I had only joined PSICOM because my father deemed it the only career worth following, but as I stood there and soaked in Rosch's words, pride began to take me as I finally embraced the soldier I had become.
"Repeat after me," Rosch commanded. "I will serve the Sanctum..."
A chorus of voices repeated, "I will serve the Sanctum..."
"...to the best of my ability, and I will not flinch in my duty to protect Cocoon, from threats both foreign, and, if we are needed, domestic."
I repeated the PSICOM oath, my right hand placed over my heart. From that moment on, I placed duty as the highest priority, all else came second, else Cocoon would fall...
My resolve began to crash down as two halves of my being fought within me. I tried to justify my decisions in the Hanging Edge, but I had been a soldier for most of my life, first raised by my father to believe that the military was all that was standing between Cocoon's safety and ultimate destruction; and then during my years serving the Sanctum, where the needs of the many were greater than the needs of the few, and it was my duty to ensure that it was the many that survived, and that sacrifice was necessary.
But it seemed that the commander was done torturing me.
"You," He said, speaking now to Lightning. "You fall off the Purge train?" He scratched his head, or rather, he rubbed his gun on the top of his helmet.
Lightning just placed her hands behind her head and closed her eyes.
"Maybe," she said calmly.
"Are you talking back to me?" asked the commander, walking towards Lightning and pointing his gun inches from her head.
She smiled and looked at him.
"Nice gun."
Then she moved.
Fast.
Lightning knocked the gun out of the commander's hands and delivered a swift elbow to his helmet. Then she circled around him and pushed upwards with her palms, launching him into the air and lifting her leg in a vicious kick that floored the unfortunate PSICOM commander.
All this took three seconds, and then the rest of the unit reacted, stepping forwards and barking orders like "stop her," and "freeze!"
Lightning stepped on the end of her gunblade, causing it to flip in the air above her. While the rest of us watched, she jumped upwards and grasped the hilt, landing gracefully and already swinging her weapon, taking out another soldier.
By that time, we had engaged the other PSICOM soldiers, and I focused on doing my job. I fired at one of them, blood spattering over the crystal surroundings as he fell backwards. A fireball flew past my head and collided with yet another soldier, and I dashed in, my blades at the ready, and lunged.
Near me, Lightning slashed wildly, while Snow forced two back with a series of magic attacks. A bullet pierced my chest, and I whirled, Soldier's Edge once again in its rifle form. Before I could attack, the soldier stumbled, suddenly overcome by pain. At that same moment, I felt a wave of energy wash over me, and I dashed towards the shoulder, completely aware that my movements had become a blur as the magic increased my speed. Within a second, I had felled two soldiers. More magic swam through my body and I felt a fleeting spasm of pain as the bullet-hole in my chest closed. I turned to see the silver-haired boy grin at me, his arms falling back to his sides.
As one, we converged on the remaining soldier, who staggered backwards. Four magic attacks collided with his body and he keeled over backwards, slumping heavily against the crystal wall.
"I thought they'd be tougher than that," said the afro-haired man. He crouched over the corpse. "These guys are PSICOM, yeah? Supposed to be cream-of-the-crop."
"Hey!" I said.
He looked at me sheepishly and apologized, but I waved him off; these guys were definitely green.
"Yeah, but PSICOM's an anti-Pulse task force. Haven't fought a war in centuries," Snow said. "Bunch of rookie troops swinging around overpriced toys."
"Hello? I'm PSICOM!" I said, very annoyed at the blatant accusations of my former order.
"You're an exception." Snow said.
"So, from what you're telling me, it sounds like a regular old soldier has got more training than special forces," the afro-haired man continued.
I rolled my eyes. "I'm special forces!"
"Exception," Snow said again. "But nothing for us l'Cie to be afraid of."
"Cut the crap," Lightning snapped. "Their grunts might be green, but PSICOM's elites are cold-blooded beasts-"
"Beasts?" I said.
"Exception," The afro-haired man said, smiling.
"-they hit the field and it's game over," Lightning finished.
"Thank you," I said to her.
Snow opened his mouth, but the orange-haired girl spoke first.
"Oh-oh. Then let's run away. Ciao!"
Then she took off, bouncing onward.
"Hey, wait!" The afro-haired man called after her.
The chocobo chick flew from its nest in his hair and landed in his palm. He sighed and began to walk after her, saying, "what's a man to do?"
Snow took a look at Lightning's passive expression, sighed, and ran after them. I quickly followed.
"Weird isn't it?" Snow said. "Of all the messed up ways to meet... Might as well make introductions. I'm Snow – Snow Villiers."
He looked at the boy.
"Short stuff?"
"Hope. Hope Estheim," He said quietly.
"What about her?" the orange-haired girl said, indicating Lightning.
"Bodhum Security Regiment," Snow said when Lightning failed to answer. "She goes by 'Lightning. Last name's Farron. First? Anybody's guess."
"Vanille," The orange-haired girl said.
"Sazh Katzroy. Good to meet you," The afro-haired man introduced himself.
"James Hudson," I said finally.
Snow nodded.
Vanille hurried ahead, and Hope was quick to follow, letting the four adults trail behind.
"It's not right," Sazh said. "Why'd kids have to get dragged into this?"
Snow pointed at himself. "I'll keep the kids out of trouble," He said nonchalantly.
Sazh laughed and clapped him on the back.
"Trouble with that is, you're one of them."
I let out a badly stifled snort of laughter.
"Hey!"
"It's okay, Snow," I told him reassuringly.
"Trying to take on the Pulse fal'Cie, that was our first mistake," Sazh said. "Should have left it to the Sanctum."
"Hey! Come on!"
Vanille was waving at us, beckoning us towards her, then she grabbed Hope's hand and waved it for him.
I grinned in spite of myself.
"Why not?" Sazh continued. "I mean, we've counted on the Sanctum's fal'Cie for food, water, everything we've needed since the time we were born."
"But you still helped us do it," Snow said, his arms folded. "Why's that? Gotta be something."
"There might've been," Sazh said vaguely. "Not so sure anymore." He headed towards Vanille and Hope.
"Wha-?" Snow looked at me, and I shrugged, just as nonplussed as he was. He sighed and followed Sazh, shaking his head; Lightning following silently in his wake while I walked beside her.
Not far ahead, we encountered a group of mechanical felines. Such enemies were standard for the Sanctum, and posed no real threat to us. The Sanctum had been creating bioweapons from living creatures combined with technology. The combination gave the military full control over such creatures, and they were a sight to behold when utilized in force. These mechanical Pantherons were nothing compared to some of the larger bioweapons, like Behemoths. As it was, we were able to defeat the group of Pantherons easily.
"I guess they're hunting down Purge survivors now," Snow guessed.
We continued on for a while, taking out groups of PSICOM here and there. The Cie'th had all but disappeared.
"Is that AMP technology?" I said to Snow after another triumph. I had noticed the strange emblems emblazoned on the back of his coat during the battle.
Snow nodded. "That's right. Increases the strength of the wearer. It's the reason I don't need an actual weapon like you or Light."
"I noticed," I said lightly. "All beware the fist of Snow."
He laughed brightly.
"Still," I continued, drawing my blades and twirling them in figure eights. "I'd rather these."
"Why?" Snow asked. "What if they break?"
"They won't."
"They might." He flexed his arms. "These won't break on me. They're reliable."
"Well, having the range helps," I said, determined to trump the big man and stretching out my arm so that the blade pointed outward, illustrating my point. "And I get to shoot stuff."
I retracted the blades back into their rifle form and holstered it.
"I know how to use a gun," Snow said.
"From NORA?" I asked, grinning.
Snow frowned. "How do you know about that?"
"PSICOM has files on your group," I stated simply.
His brow furrowed.
"And I don't think slingshots count," I said.
"Hey, we used more than just slingshots."
I raised my eyebrows. "Did you beat the poor little monsters to death?" I asked mockingly.
"Would it make you sad if I said yes?"
"A little."
"Then yes."
"Oh, the horror," I drawled sarcastically.
Snow laughed.
We walked in silence for a minute before I asked, "Do you think Serah's down here?"
"Yes," He said, and there was not a shred of doubt in his tone.
We finally came across a more open area, and stepped onto the carriage of one of the Purge trains buried deeply in the crystal.
"The train fell too. I wonder what else is down here," Vanille said in her high-pitched voice.
"Hopefully some food, I haven't eaten in ages," I said grumpily, massaging my stomach.
There were two carriages still linked, and one formed a ramp leading onto a ridge.
Lightning lead the way down, and gasped.
I needed no explanation. On the tip of the ridge was a cluster of crystals, and in the center, was Serah.
"Serah," Lightning said quietly, relief saturating her voice.
She started towards her sister, but Snow pushed her aside roughly and ran ahead, crying out his beloved's name.
He crouched in front of the crystal, so his face was level with Serah's and the rest of us approached slowly.
Snow was caressing the side of Serah's face lovingly, and grasped her cold, frozen hand.
"I'll get you out of there!"
He looked around and snatched up a long, sharp metal pole, obviously from the train, and began to claw his way through the crystal at the base of Serah's frozen shell.
Vanille rushed over to him with a sharp pick of her own and began to dig furiously.
"I'll help you!" she said brightly.
Sazh also joined the effort and Snow gave a quick "thanks" before returning to his task.
Unable to just stand there, I broke off one of the sharper pieces of crystal and began to hack away with them.
Lightning muttered something behind me that sounded like "goodbye" and I turned to see her walking away, her back to us.
"Lightning?" Snow cried. "You're just gonna leave her?"
"PSICOM will be here soon," She said, not turning around. "If they find us, we're all dead. You think Serah would want that? You think you know how she feels?"
Snow remained where was.
"If I leave her, I'll never know," He said. "We'll be fine. I can handle anything they throw at us. No one will die. I'll protect Serah. And Cocoon!"
Lightning turned slowly, took long strides towards Snow, studied him for a second, and then punched him in the face.
"Does she look protected to you?" she said loudly as Snow fell to the ground, knocking Sazh over in the process.
"I can save her!" he yelled, getting to his feet, only to be sent sprawling once again by Lightning's heavy blow.
"What can you possibly do?" she shouted back, her arm tensing for another strike.
Snow pulled himself into a sitting position and looked at her intensely.
"Whatever it takes!" he said fiercely.
Lightning's ragged breathing slowed and she lowered her fist.
The rest of us watched on, afraid to interfere, until Sazh waved his arms and said, "You two are hopeless."
He began to walk away as Snow picked up his crude ice pick and continued to hack at the crystal.
"You just can't admit it," I heard Sazh say, "You want to stay as much as he does."
I returned to my task, only to be interrupted immediately by Sazh yelling wildly.
I turned to see him flailing his arms, a bright spotlight trained on him.
It didn't take long to locate the source.
Perched on the train carriage was a Sanctum machine, similar in design to a scorpion, with heavy, white armor. Its plating was beaten and scarred, as if it had been hammered repeatedly under relentless attacks, and its two front pincers were missing, leaving only small joints.
"No, no, no, not now!" Sazh yelled above its mechanical whirring.
Lightning drew her gunblade and ran towards Sazh, taking up a combat stance. The rest of us quickly followed, preparing for battle.
The machine launched itself off the carriage and landed before us, and Hope, who was the closest, ran backwards.
"Stand back!" Snow yelled, but I had no intention of letting him handle this by himself, nor did Lightning and Vanille.
The four of us took up positions, quickly joined by Sazh and Hope.
The machine – a Manasvin Warmech, as it was officially called – lowered its massive head down to our level. The four of us launched a series of attacks, but the Warmech would not be interrupted. Its head split in half, and a beam of light began to generate between the two halves.
As the beam of searing energy was let loose, and the Warmech swung its head sideways, I slid under the beam as Lightning flipped over it.
Vanille and Snow launched several magic attacks, mixing it up into a combo, hoping to beat it down for Lightning and I to deliver crushing blows.
I dashed forward, my blades in full swing when the Warmech swept its long tail towards me, colliding with my side and launching me across the area. I smashed into the wall of crystal and fell to the ground, only to have a crystal boulder collapse on me an instant later, caused by my heavy collision with the crystal wall.
I groaned and tried to heave the crystal off, which had trapped my lower body under it. As I struggled, I wondered why the Warmech hadn't finished me off yet, and peered over at the battle.
Snow branched off from the main group and was bracing himself against an onslaught of attacks, using l'Cie magic to shield himself.
Suddenly, the boulder flew into the air and a surge of energy rushed through me, breathing life into my aching limbs.
While Snow was drawing the attention of the Warmech, Vanille had launched a gust of air in my direction, blowing the boulder off me, and Hope had instantly healed me. Within moments, I was back in the fray.
"James, grab its tail!" Lightning shouted over the sounds of battle.
I saw my opportunity.
As the Warmech swung its tail at Snow, who was still in a defensive position, I leaped at it, hooking my leg around it and pulling myself on.
With a massive effort, I readied my blades while managing to keep my position on the machine's tail, and as it neared the ground, I stabbed with all my strength, leaning forward in an attempt to force the tail downward.
The blade stabbed all the way through the end of its tail and lodged itself into the crystal, pinning the tail down.
I clambered off and moved towards where the tail began, and swung my remaining blade, severing the appendage.
Sparks flew and I ran around its front to assist the others in damaging it.
After repeated blows and many dents in its battered armor, the Warmech shuddered. I took that as a good sign, and Lightning leaped onto its back and impaled her gunblade into its head, splitting wires and causing the Warmech to spasm wildly. Lightning held her position, twisting her blade until the Warmech was finally still.
"Finally!" I let out a breath and went to retrieve my second blade, sliding them together and holstering the rifle.
"That wasn't so bad," I said to the group, but none seemed willing to share in my celebration.
Lightning turned and began to walk off, but found her way barred by Snow's large frame.
"You're leaving?" he demanded.
I looked over at the crystallized form of Serah, grasping the importance of getting away from here as soon as possible, but I knew that Snow would never leave her behind.
"We want to help Serah too," Sazh sighed. "But without tools... we could be digging for days." He approached Snow. "The army's on our trail. For now, we've got to keep moving. For now," He said, trying to reassure him.
"So I just abandon her, and save myself?" Snow asked desperately.
"What about your Focus?" Lightning asked coldly.
Snow looked at her, trapped by his own promises.
"What happened to banding together and saving the world? Isn't that what you promised? Now you want to forget it all and die right here?"
Snow looked at his shoes.
"Snow," she sighed. "You're nothing but talk."
Then she walked past him.
Snow didn't move. Neither did the rest of us, though in my opinion, Lightning had been spot-on, albeit a little harsh.
"Lightning!" he said.
She stopped, but didn't turn around.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Snow said. "I'll finish this Focus... and keep Serah safe. That's my promise."
Lightning's next words were cold and indifferent.
"Great job so far," She continued walking.
Sazh was next. He walked up to Snow.
"Stay out of trouble," Snow said with a smile.
Sazh nodded and placed a hand on the big man's shoulder.
"You too," He said, and went to join Lightning.
Vanille and Hope stood there for a moment.
"Get going," Snow said, pointing over his shoulder.
Vanille went first, stopping when she reached Snow.
"Later," he said.
"Okay," she replied, and she followed Sazh and Lightning.
Hope was quick to follow, but stopped just passed Snow. He paused for a moment, then wheeled to face the man.
"Snow..." he began.
But he couldn't go on. Hope stammered for bit before Snow said, "save it for next time, kiddo. You'll get left behind."
Hope again began to move, before stopping and turning back to Snow.
"But..."
"It's okay, Hope. Light will take of you. We'll meet again." He grinned.
"Yeah," Hope said. "Count on it." He hurried after Vanille.
Snow looked at me, and I nodded once.
"Take care of yourself, Snow," I said. "And give PSICOM hell for me."
I knew they would catch up to him soon.
Snow smiled. "You too, James, and remember, you're the exception."
I grinned and nodded. "Don't beat up any more monsters, okay."
He winked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
I gave a short laugh and shook my head, giving him a quick pat on the back as I passed him and saying "good luck," then went to catch up with the others.
Hope glanced back at Snow and I stopped next to him.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine," I reassured the boy. "We'll see him soon enough."
Hope nodded.
"Count on it."