Hey guys, quick update here right. but since i've written this chapter already, so i decided to simply update it.
Enjoy guys and thanks for the last chapter reviews. it was appreciated.
Chapter Eleven
Scion
Éclair removed her buckle, before sighing letting the adrenaline from before drain out of her system. It was amazing that they were able to survive that. She had believed they wouldn't make it through the Gates but through sheer luck and skills from the silver haired girl, Paine, they had finally made it.
"So we continue on your plan Vaan?" Paine asked.
The young man nodded.
"Yes, we will go to Palumpolum," he said, "Maybe then we will be able to make senses of the things."
"I still think going that way is a bad idea," Paine said, "I mean, the rest of AVANLANCHE will be waiting for us. What are we going to tell them? That we're running around with a Pulsian?"
"We will deal with that when the time is right okay," Vaan said.
"I don't think you should involve any more of your friends for my sake Vaan," Éclair spoke out.
The two glanced at her.
"If they believe that my very presence is a danger to Cocoon," she continued, "they might turn against you just like Basch did."
"I told you before," Vaan answered, "Me and Basch never see things eye to eye. But I've been through a lot with those guys. I have faith in them."
Éclair sighed, thought the images of her visions still visited her mind. She just didn't want to believe that this could actually happen. She put a hand against her chest were the warmth of the brand could be felt from.
Is this really my fate? To destroy this world?
Éclair knew that she shouldn't be worry over this but, something on the back of her mind keep telling her that she was doing something wrong somehow. What that could be, she didn't have the slight clue as to what it was.
To distract herself from her thoughts, Éclair pressed a button that was right in front of her and an image popped there with a woman speaking at the camera with a picture at the top left corner…
"…riots upon the streets of Cocoon three days ago. The Sanctum had taken every precaution that such events will be unlikely to take place again. The Primarch will be speaking to the public later on this afternoon."
"Taken every precautions so that such events….such bullshit," Vaan said.
Paine turned her slightly to show that she was listening to what was being a show on the news.
"On the side of the Purge to Pulse," the female announcer continued, "The Sanctum is proud to announce that it had been a complete success in the relocation to the World below. The people that were captured during the riots are now sent so that their tainted ideas and lives will not disturb the course of Cocoon's peace and prosperity…"
"They're lying," Éclair said.
"Of course they are," Vaan said, "If it makes the Sanctum look bad, it is as if it never happened."
Paine didn't say anything simply refocused her attention in front.
"The Primarch had this to say in the Prosper of the Purge," the announcer said.
The screen shifted and now showed a man dressed in large white robes with a staff in his hand. From the many lines on his face, he was quite aged looking as he seemed to be seating down on a large white chair.
"It is with great sorrow and regret that I was forced to take such drastic measures in taking care of Cocoon," he said speaking with a light drawl in his voice, "Seeing peoples acting such manners breaks my hearts as my actions to send them to Pulse. I have long debated before taking actions…"
Éclair stared at the man on the screen, her blue eyes narrowing slightly. Something about the man reminded her of someone she used to know in the past, but even so, she couldn't really think of who it could be.
"Who is he?" she asked.
It was Paine who answered.
"He is the leading figure of Cocoon, Primarch Galenth Dysley, and Lord Sovereign of the Sanctum. My father is a big supporter of him. Always talking about how peaceful Cocoon is under his reign."
Éclair narrow her eyes at him.
"Why did you ask?"
"Something about him seems familiar somehow," she said.
Vaan seemed confused at that.
"Maybe you know someone that looked similar to him in the past?"
Éclair nodded, even thought she was vaguely aware that it wasn't it.
"Maybe,"
"Hey crazy girl," Paine said.
Éclair sighed, not even bothered to contradict the girl anymore.
"What?"
"How did you lose your memory?" she asked.
Éclair blinked.
"What?"
Paine turns her head toward her.
"I mean, you said you woke up on Cocoon with no memory of what happened before that right?"
Éclair nodded.
"Yeah, that's pretty much it."
"Could something had happened to cause you to forget or is it magic related?"
Éclair thought about that.
"I'm not really sure about this," she said, "I haven't had any scar in my head so it mostly not a memory. I'm guessing it is magic related, but I've been getting a lot of flashes during my dreams like faces with no names and names with no real images to go with them."
Paine sighed.
"Sound like you're in a pinch alright," she said.
Vaan frowned.
"So if Éclair is an l'Cie right?" she continued, "Do you think she had been an l'Cie before?"
"What make you ask that?" Vaan asked her.
"Well, I've been thinking about it," Paine said, "She took on that large Eidolon thing with no fear in what she could do and she could use a spell right away, and she did it with perfection. She might have been subconsciously remembering how to use the spell if she had already learned them because, if she was just learning it, she would have mess up somewhere."
The two stared at her.
"Sound like you gave this matter a lot of thoughts," Vaan said.
Paine shrugged her shoulders.
"I told you," she said, "I have been thinking about it a lot."
Sanctum Army Base
Lightning and Basch stepped out of the ship that had just landed with soldiers running around everywhere and other ships rising from the ground.
"Who was put in charge while I was gone?" she asked the man beside her.
"Rygdea Colonel," he answered.
Lightning frowned.
She couldn't believe that the Primarch will have chosen him of all people. The man was incompetent and easily manipulated through his own emotions.
"Where is Rygdea?"
"He is in your office Colonel," the man said.
Lightning glanced at Basch who was glancing around himself slightly, his blue eyes glancing left and right probably his first time on a Sanctum base.
"Basch you stay with them before we go on the hunt for the Pulsian," she said, "I have a report to make to the Primarch."
Basch simply nodded.
Lightning walked quickly, taking the elevator and pressed a button. The door closed and it started to quickly rise through the floors. The pinkette then massaged her left arm again. The thing had been hurting more and more than it was in the Bresha Ruins. She hadn't had the chance to fully examine what the Pulsian could have done to her arm, causing her to become slightly afraid of being put down…after all, anyone who was tainted by Pulse are to be purged.
The ding of the elevator caused her to jump slightly and the door slid open in front of her. Shaking her head, Lightning walked through the long corridor arriving in front of her office. The door slid open at her arrival and the cool feminine voice said.
"Welcome Colonel."
Seating at her desk, was Rygdea and the man quickly looked up at the voice, seeing her standing right in front of her.
"Get off my desk Rygdea," she said.
"Nice to see you too Colonel," he said, slowly standing up, "I must say, it is quite a nice surprise to see you alive and well."
"Sorry to disappoint," Lightning answered him.
Rygdea chuckled a little.
"Well, don't let me get in your way then," he said.
He stepped out of the room as Lightning glared hole at his back. She didn't fully trust the man…heck, she didn't even fully trust anyone, except for a few people but that wasn't important right now. The important thing is that she had to make a report to the Primarch.
She quickly approached her desk and quickly typed in the code that the Primarch had given her nearly three years ago when she became Colonel. She didn't have to wait long before the image of the Primarch appeared in front of her.
"Ah, Colonel Farron, what a nice surprise," Primarch Dysley said, a smile appearing on his lips.
"I have some news that I would like to discuss with you," Lightning said.
"But of course my dear," he said, "speak and I shall answer."
"I have managed to find the Pulsian in the Bresha Ruins," she said, "But she had managed to escape me because of some companions that I was not aware of."
"I never would have thought of the day people of Cocoon will willingly land a hand to a Pulsian," he said slowly.
"I believe that they are refugees from the Purge," Lightning said, "At least, the few that had survived."
"Troublesome news for us indeed Colonel," Primarch Dysley said, "I believe you have already taken care of what should be done in order to capture them."
Lightning nodded.
"That is good," he said, "When you have recaptured the Pulsian and her accomplice, I want you to bring them to me."
"Of course sir," Lightning said nodding at him.
"Then get to it Colonel," Primarch Dysley said.
Then Lightning hesitated.
"You have something you need to add Lightning?"
"Yes sir, if I may…"
"Speak then."
"Why haven't you sent more troops after the Pulsian when you have received the data I have sent you?" Lightning asked.
For a split second, Lightning thought she saw a smirk on the Primarch's lips...but when she blinked, the man was speaking again.
"I am quite sorry my dear, but I was still viewing the data when the Purge was taking place," he said, "You are quite right. I should have sent more troops, considering what kind of danger a Pulsian can hold for us and the safety of Cocoon. I believed that you could handle it yourself, after all, you are one of the best soldiers the Sanctum has developed so far."
Lightning felt a small smirk coming on.
"Thank you sir."
Primarch Dysley continued.
"I will let you to your duties then Colonel,"
With that the screen turned black.
Lightning then suddenly gasped at the sudden pain that took over her left arm causing her to grasp it, feeling where the Pulsian magic had tainted her. She quickly pulled up her sleeve, revealing the inky black brand that was on her skin as she grunted, trying to ignore the pain…
"You can't fight against it,"
She glanced up toward the voice, finding a young man across her, his spiky blond hair dancing slightly as he watched her with sky blue eyes. Lightning glared at her.
"I won't fall for your tricks Pulsian," she growled, "So leave me alone."
The boy disappeared in swirls of crystal as the pain in the brad diminished slightly and Lighting heard the boy's voice again.
I can only do so little in this situation. If you don't accept the bond…it will come out on its own and then…you won't be able to stop it.
"I'm not weak," Lightning said, looking down at the brand on her forearm, "I'm not weak…and I won't let your Pulsian curse poison my mind."
"Oh, this is bad, this is really bad," Paine said.
"What's wrong?" Vaan said, as him and Éclair approached.
"The scanner picked up two approaching ships coming from the East," Paine said.
"Can't we dodge them," Éclair asked.
"They are already coming straight at us," Paine said, "and they will be on our ass right now."
As soon as the last words leave Paine's lips, the engines of the other ships approached them as they flew right by and they were already circling around them.
"They haven't opened fire yet," Vaan murmured.
"They must think we're friendly," Éclair said, "I mean, it is their ship we've stolen."
"They must not have known that the ship had been stolen," Paine said.
Then suddenly a light started to flash.
"What is that?"
"They are demanding video conference," Paine said, "But if I answer, they will know that we're not on their side, and that we have stolen the ship."
"Then get us out of here," Vaan said.
"On it," Paine said.
She pulled on the controls and the ship launched forward, narrowly missing one of the Sanctum ship that was hovering right in front of them. Both Éclair and Vaan got thrown backward a little from the sudden pick up of speed. The ship was already now flying through the air like a missile.
"They are following us,"
"Of course they are following," Paine said, "Now that we look like the bad guys here."
Then the radar started beeping loudly drawing Paine's attention toward it.
"Shit, they've opened fire on us," she said, "Get buckled in guys. This is going to get really bumpy."
Éclair was already putting on the belt, glancing toward Vaan noticing that he was doing the same.
"Now I bet you're really regretting throwing the gun away huh?" he said to Paine.
"Not now Vaan," Paine said, "Now deploring flares."
The stolen ship suddenly threw out flares as it swerved through the air as it make it difficult for the two Sanctum ships to land a clean shoot upon it but even thought one of the shut hit the ships engine sending it buckling forward, the nose of the craft pointing straight down toward the ground.
"We've lost an engine and loosing altitude," Paine yelled.
"Fuck it we're really going to die now," Vaan yelled, clutching on his seat.
The ground started to become a blur as the ship continued it dive toward the ground with Paine pulling on the controls with all her strength but it seems to have gotten stuck upon it.
"Damn…the controls are jammed," she said, "We're going to crash."
"Paine do something," Vaan yelled.
The silver haired girl stared at him with rage in her eyes.
"Do you want to control this ship that is going to crash against the ground?" Paine yelled at her.
"Hang on to something," Éclair screamed.
Then all they could hear next was the sound of metal crashing upon the ground before everything turned dark.
That's it for now. Hope you have enjoyed that little update. I'm sure you guys all know what's happening to our deal Colonel since the same thing happened to Fang in the first story...
What will happen to our group now?
Next time: The Whitewoods
Jacques0 out.
R&R.