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Chapter Thirty-Three

Dysley's Plan

The group stared at the man, surprised and shocked to see him here. Thought none of them was more shocked than Lightning. Raines was the leader of the Cavalry…why was he here and not Dysley? What was going on?

"Raines, why are you here?" Lightning asked him.

Raines approached them.

He was dressed in Primarch's robes, not like the ones Dysley wore, but they were of similar designs thought his had more blues in it.

"It would seem that you haven't heard the news Lightning," he said, as he removed himself from the window.

"News?" the soldier repeated.

"I am the new Primarch," Raines told them.

"You…You're the Primarch?" Éclair said, "But…what happened to Dysley?"

"Primarch…I mean, ex-Primarch Dysley retired from the post two days ago," Raines told them, "He said that he was too tired in his old age to continue with the work of protecting and guiding Cocoon. It would seem that his wound had also been causing him some pain."

"His wound," Éclair whispered, something shining in her blue eyes.

Lightning was thinking also. It was when Basch had shot him…but she knew he had been healed right after that when he had reappeared in that strange light.

"Tonight's celebration is in honor of Primarch's Dysley peaceful reign and also as a welcome for me as the new Primarch," Raines told them, "but tells me Lightning, are you here to kill me?"

The soldier lowered her gunblade.

"No…you aren't my target Raines," she said, "Dysley is."

The dark haired man let out a short chuckle.

"That also explain why they haven't been any Sanctum guards," Lightning said.

"I may have been chosen as the Primarch, but it doesn't mean I will trust the Sanctum blindly," Raines told them, "After so long working separately from them, except for the time you have shortly united us to hunt down for the Pulsian in Palumpolum, once doesn't simply abandon the old ways."

Raines glanced toward Éclair briefly before glancing back at the group once more.

"From what Dysley told me," he said, "I had to make sure that Eden would have been safe or even Cocoon…but it seems that the blockade had failed."

"You set up that blockade?" Paine exclaimed.

"It's all in the matter of the safety of Cocoon that hangs in the balance now that the Pulsian is sighted once more," Raines said, "I couldn't take that chance after what Dysley had told me."

"What did he tell you Raines?"

"He told me that your return will cause a cataclysm that will bring about the world's end," Raines told them, "But even so, I want to hear it for myself from you Lightning. Why would a soldier, who was once praised by the ex-Primarch himself, fall so low in such a short term? I know for once, that you haven't shot the Primarch…"

Lightning looked up at him in surprise.

"How?"

"The Sanctum and the Cavalry use different handguns," Raines told her, "As a soldier you might have known of that. Basch was the one who shot Primarch Dysley and since I don't see him with you, I can tell that he had died. Tell me, what actually happened back there?"

Lightning was looking at the man in shock. She couldn't actually believe that Raines wanted to listen to her.

"Why…Why would you listen to us?" she asked him.

Raines looked down for a little before looking back up again.

"Being an underdog in the Army taught me a lot of things," he said, looking at the window, "I told you before, I'm not one to trust the Sanctum blindly. I have felt for a long time that the Sanctum was hiding something and with a Pulsian appearing on Cocoon for the first time in centuries and the two side of the Army joining forces. I have felt that something big was coming. All those events, happening because of one man journey to the Lower world."

He looked at them all.

"The man who had found the Crystalis, my ancestor,"

"What?" Vaan said.

Raines gave him a glance.

"Basch's little brother," he said, "Yes, my ancestor Dr. Cid Raines was the man who found the Crystalis many centuries ago. It would seem that our fates had been intertwined long before we even born."

"Do you know where Dysley is Raines?" Éclair asked him.

"Back at his Tower," Raines told them, "At least, that's where I had last seen him. I have a feeling that's where your road will lead you also."

Lightning nodded.

"I can't tell you everything right now because time is running short," she said, "But…when all of this is over, I will tell you everything, that`s a promise."

Raines stayed silent, contemplating the idea.

"I will hold you to that," he said, "You can use the Primarch personal ship, it's already programmed to make straight route for the Tower. Maybe I'm not doing so well as a Primarch letting the enemy go without even alerting guards."

The group started to make their way back, and Lightning glanced at the man in front of her.

"You're already a good Primarch in my books Raines," she said.

"Then as your Primarch, I'm giving you an order," he said, "Finish this business and relieve Cocoon of the secrets that plague its history. Maybe then, we, as humans, can move forward."

Lightning give him a nod.

"Yes sir," she said before running out.

Raines walked toward the window once more, his eyes watching the celebration that were taking place.

"A free Cocoon," he whispered, "That is my dream…a Cocoon free of the clutches that holds it...clutches that it can't even see or feel."

He looked up seeing the ship flying out of the Stadium.

"May the Maker protect you Lightning and friends," he said.

Primarch Tower-Primarch's Throne Room

The group had arrived inside the place a few minutes ago. The Tower had been empty of life even thought the lights were still on. They were inside the exact same place, Éclair Lightning and Basch had uncovered Dysley's secret.

"There is no one here," Paine said, "There is no one anywhere."

The place was devoid of life.

"What do we do now?" Tifa asked.

"We look for Dysley," Lightning said.

"But we don't even know where to look," Paine told her.

"What do say about this Éclair?" Vaan asked the Pulsian.

He noticed that Éclair was looking around herself as if she was searching for something.

"Éclair, what are you doing?"

The armored woman glanced at them.

"I…I can hear something," she said.

Vaan strained his ears.

"I don't hear anything…except for the Parade," he said.

"Try to listen…with your magic," Éclair told him.

"And how do we do that?" Paine asked.

"Just listen carefully," Éclair said, "You'll hear it."

The group then fell silent, listening for whatever Éclair had heard…

"What the…," Zack said, "Did any of you hear that?"

"I…I can hear it also," Lightning said.

They could hear something…almost like an echo of a voice around them.

"This is freaky," Paine said, glancing around the large empty room.

"Where is it coming from?" Tifa asked.

Éclair who was closest to the Primarch's chair glanced at the furniture in front of her. She approached it leaning forward, listening when the whispers echoed even louder there.

"It's coming from behind the chair," she said.

Lightning approached her.

"That's impossible there is no room behind there," she said, "It's just the wall."

Vaan and Zack worked together, pushing the chair sideway showing the smooth wall in front of them. Vaan approached it and raised his hand to touch when he was suddenly swallowed by the wall.

"What the…?"

"Vaan," Paine yelled, shocked.

The entire group stared at the wall in front of them, surprised and shocked at what had just happened. Then Vaan's face appeared upon the wall again…shocking them even more.

"You guys are not going to believe this," he said.

Then his face disappeared again.

Éclair walked toward the wall and she disappeared into it also and the rest followed. They were now in a strange place with pathways floating all around them and even the ground below their feet was seemingly made out of crystals which were sparkling underneath their feet.

"W…Where are we?" Tifa asked her eyes wide.

"All of this is behind the damn wall?" Paine asked, "No fucking way."

"You don't think Dysley created all of this?"

Éclair walked forward, her eyes wide taking everything in.

"This place…it's resonating with the Father Fal'Cie's power," she said.

She quickly walked forward, letting the others follow her until she arrived in front of a large floating form in the air. It was glowing softly and Éclair's brand was now shining from underneath her armor and even Lightning's brand was now glowing.

"W…What's this feeling?" Tifa asked touching his heart, "It's like…an endless sorrow."

"I can feel it also," Lightning said, "It's coming from that figure."

"Eden," Éclair whispered.

The glowing figure raised its head, and two blue eyes were now watching them. The group approached the figure, as Éclair raised a hand as if to touch the glowing form of Eden.

"Eden," she whispered, "For how long had you suffer this sorrow?"

Father did not return, a voice answered them, echoing in their heads, Father's light had departed this world before his deed was done. Now we weep eternally for him.

"A deed? What deed?" Zack asked, looking at the Fal'Cie.

Father raised the Cocoon to save Humanity from the wrath of Ragnarok, the voice whispered, Father created the Orphan to keep the Cocoon afloat and volunteered we did, to keep the Cocoon safe. But the Orphan's power was too strong for us alone…Father's seal to keep the Orphan asleep was unfinished. Father's light was gone before the deed was done. We alone, used our life as power to keep the Cocoon safe…for eternally we weep for the Father.

The sorrow in the Fal'Cie's voice drew some tears from Éclair's eyes. She was the one who knew them in the past.

"An eternal sorrow," Tifa said.

Weak we grew, Eden continued, Weak we are. Our power is not strong to keep the Orphan asleep. The Cocoon will be safe no longer if the Orphan wakes from his sleep…Failed we have to keep the Cocoon safe…Failed we have the Father…Eternally we weep for him.

Éclair had her head down as Eden was speaking, her body shaking.

"I promise you Eden…I will not let your hard work be for nothing," she said, "That I can swear it."

"You cannot delay what is inevitable Éclair Farron," a voice said.

The group turned around toward the voice. There standing dressed in his Primarch's robe was Galenth Dysley. He looked at them, a smirk crossing his face. Enraged, Éclair drew out her blade and charged straight at him.

"Barthandelus," she screamed at him.

She collided with a shield which threw her backward and send her rolling by the group.

"Éclair," Tifa said kneeling by the woman.

"He really can use magic," Zack said, looking at the man across them.

"Basch was right," Vaan said.

Éclair had gotten back upon her feet.

"Eden is dying," she said, "At her death, Orphan will wake and Cocoon will fall. Is that what you really want? You're also a Fal'Cie, at least help your Sister."

Dysley glanced at Eden, before looking back toward them.

"Eden's death, the fall of Cocoon," he said, "They are only stepping stone into what I want to achieve."

"Achieve?" Vaan said, "What do you hope to achieve with the death of every person on Cocoon?"

"To bring back to this world a creature born out of despair and death," Dysley said, "The creature that caused the death of the Father. Cocoon will be a fitting sacrifice to bring it back to life, stronger than it had ever been before."

Éclair's eyes widened.

"You want to bring Sin back to life? After all that it had done to Zanarkand, to the Fal'Cie and to Humanity?"

"Yes," he said, "The eternal torment they call Sin, born out of despair and death. I will bring it back once more, and with both Sin and Orphan's power under my control, I will open the Unseen Gate and bring Chaos to this world. I will control the very timeline of this world and with it under my control, I will be eternal."

"You're mad," Zack said, "I never thought I'll say this to a Primarch…but you lost your freaking mind."

"I won't let you do it," Lightning said, "Using the very people who trusted you as a sacrifice? We will stop you and fight you for the fate of every man, woman, child on Cocoon."

Beside her the entire group got into a fighting stance, the determination visible in their eyes.

A white owl landed upon Dysley's shoulder.

"You wish to fight me?" he said, "But you forget…I AM FAL'CIE."

His form started to change becoming larger and larger until a giant form was standing right in front of them.

"And you must learn your place…Humans."

Dysley plan is finally revealed...What awaits them next?

Next time: The Unborn Fal`Cie

R&R.

Jacques0 out