Hello peoples this is the next chapter to my fic, hope you guys like it
Chapter 9- Heroes never die
Zack, Noel, Serah and Mog exited the time gate to stumble upon a sort of coliseum like place. They all looked around vaguely to ponder the environment
"looks like nobody's home" Zack said
"yeah but we're not looking for someone, we're looking for the artefact" Noel replied
Then all of a sudden the group are approached by a ghostly figure, the arbiter of time
"why do you come here leave now or face the consequences" it bellowed
"well we tried lets go" Zack said until he was caught by Sarah's grasp
"we came here for a reason Zack, and you we are looking for something" Noel said sharply at the enigma
The figure looked disturbed as if something was affecting him. It could have been the artefact
"there is an omen here that should not be present here"
"maybe that could be the artefact" Serah asked
"what if we take this omen of your hands and leave you in peace" Noel insisted to the Arbiter
The creature mumbled in frustration but then decided to agree to the bargain
"very well take it and leave at once" with that the arbiter disappeared and left behind the omen which was in fact the artefact.
"great we got the artefact" Zack said in delight
"yeah no thanks to you" Noel said in frustration
"well at least we got it now we can head back to Snow" Serah said while walking back with Mog by her side. Zack and Noel shortly follow on
"yeah probably not waiting quietly" Noel said
But after hearing that she turned to the two men who looked at her in surprise
"hey what's wrong Serah" Zack asked
"yeah umm, do you guys like Snow" she asked them
"yeah sure, he's a swell guy kind of reminds me of a blonde guy I know but more happy" he replied adding a smile which made Serah smile but that changed when she looked at Noel
"what about you Noel" she asked him
"I don't like his attitude, he just charges in to things without thinking whatsoever, not caring about the people around him. Putting himself and others in danger"
Serah looked upset from what he was saying
"he thinks he's everyone's boss acting all tough, as though he thinks self-sacrifice will save everyone but everyone dies"
Zack starts feel upset that Serah has to deal with this
"Noel, you and Zack saved me without thinking about your own safety" she replied
"well of course" Zack said
"don't compare me to Snow" with that Noel walks off to the time gate
"how come he's so mad at Snow" Zack asked
"I think that Noel might have lost someone close to him" she replied
"oh" replied Zack still looking confused
"hey are you two gonna stand there all day" Noel shouted
"what and wait for that grim reaper to show up again no way, let's go Serah"
"okay come on Mog"
"kupoo"
The group then headed to the time gate and was sent into the historia crux.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They returned to see Snow waiting like he was asked to do
"well good thing you didn't go looking for the monster's trouble" Noel said to Snow
"hey I stayed exactly like you told me" he replied
"there still lots of flan all over the place, could it be another paradox?" Serah asked
"it's possible there can be many paradoxes" Noel replied
"hey guys can we get going I'm really itching to fight that giant flan" Zack said
"you and me both" Snow said while putting his arm around Zack's shoulder
"we're not fighting the flan until we find the other time gate" Noel said
The group then headed off through the marsh to find the next time gate that could fix the paradox.
With all the efforts of looking the group stumble upon the time gate
"well lets see where this takes us" Noel said
"aww do I have to go can't I just stay here with Snow"
"No! one you and Snow could try something reckless, two when your with us we can get the job done quicker, and three when we get the job done quicker the closer we get to Lightning. Understand Zack" Noel explained
"can't say no to him alright. We'll see you later Snow" Snow replied with a friendly fist pound to Zack
"bye Snow" Serah said to him and he replied by giving her an air kiss. The group then transported into the historia crux, waiting for whatever place to be put in.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They finally exited the historia crux and ended up in a vivid wasteland known Archylte Steppe.
"so where the heck are we now" Zack asked
"not so sure but it must be where the anomaly is happening" Noel replied
"there's so many monsters around her" Serah said while observing the scenery until Noel noticed something
"Look Out!" Noel grabbed Serah away from the speeding chocobos that were ridding part with their hunters wanting to catch prey.
"whoa thanks Noel" she said to him
"don't mention it"
"so what these guys are hunting for food or something" Zack asked
"yep it's the way they live as hunters" Noel replied
The group observed the hunters hunting their targets and then noticed a small town.
"lets get to know people and see if they know anything about the paradox" Noel asked
"sure" Serah replied
"oh yeah sure great idea, let's go meet up with some hillbilly's from some unknown land" Zack mumbled
"hey its either them or ravenous fiends here" Noel replied
"huh when you put it that way- NO WAY!" he shouted in amusement when something red caught his eye and then started heading towards it. Noel and Serah saw what he looked at and fel a surge of shock flow through them.
"Zack! You know what that is don't you" he warned him
"yeah it's a cactuar… That's red" he moved closer to
"Zack it's not moving" serah said which gave her and Noel a sign of relief but Zack a disheartened face.
"aww man so its just a memorial, stupid rock" Zack punched it in frustration which caused a beaming light out of it.
"what the" they were all teleported to the middle of the town.
"how did we get here" Serah asked
"that momentum must have transported us to the town" Noel replied
"yeah no kidding" Zack added
"guess we have to ask the locals around" Noel implied
Zack's face expression changed after he heard this
"yeah you guys can go talk to people I'm gonna go look around"
"for what" Serah replied
"something special". Serah and Noel still confused continued on their short assignment with Mog while Zack went looking around. Zack looked around the areas of the town and saw the same sales women he had seen in Bresha ruins.
"Chocolina right?" Zack asked the women who looked surprised to see him
"yep that's me spikey, can help you with anything"
"yeah I want a ring, a remarkable shiny ring"
"got lots of those pick one"
Zack looked around to see which one he favoured and saw one with a small white gem in the middle and steel feathers around it.
"that one, how much?" he asked her
"4000 gil" she said with a smile that made Zack stutter
"ugh alright… she'll like it anyway" he said to himself while he gave Chocolina the money.
"enjoy yourself spikey, hope your lady will like it"
"yeah she will".
Zack kept admiring the ring but once he caught sight of Noel and Serah he hid it away so they did not get a glimpse of it
"so you enjoy your stroll Zack" Serah asked
"yep how about you guys asking people around" he replied
"oh yeah we changed the weather and found out that there is a dragon eating all the flan and sending it to the Sunleth" Noel explained
Zack looked up to the sky and did not even realise the weather change
"the weather changed wow didn't see that, well anyways lets get to that dragon and finish it off" Zack said with enthusiasm
They all agreed and went to the creatures destination but as they got there they realise something was blocking them it was a giant armour tortoise
"oh come on!" Zack shouted in frustration
"well this is gonna be a problem" Noel said
"we could ask one the hunters to help us" Serah suggested
"no I got a better idea" Zack walk towards the giant creature and unleashed his wing and flew up to its face. It was looking to attack Zack but he grabbed his horns and used all of his might to throw the beast to the other side of the plain which made the ground shatter. Noel and Serah and some of the people in the town gawped in shock.
"wow Zack" Serah cheered
"how did you do that" Noel asked
"angel strength, our bodies are prepared for the worst of things… anyways back to the dragon"
The group face the dragon preparing to take it down.
"alright scales lets go" the group then engaged with the beast.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After a long and tiring fight the dragon finally fell and the grouped recovered the artefact from its fading body.
"now that giant flan should stop growing right" Zack asked
"yeah it should" Noel replied
"now we should head back to the sunleth, I wonder if Snow alright" Serah asks them
"he probably is ,I bet you just want to see him again" Zack replied
Serah looked upset for a second
"eh I wouldn't blame you, you must be worried about him all the time like how I', worried about Lightning" Zack added
"oh I'm not worried, Snow is a s strong as a behemoth, I know he can handle himself and so can Light" she replied, Zack and Noel smiled while Mog flew around their faces
"ok let's head back guys" Serah said to them. The group then headed to the time gate and transported themselves to the Sunleth.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Once they arrive they discover that snow is missing from where they asked him to stay.
"just typical I thinking he'd run off" Noel moaned
"hey I think I'd do the same thing Noel" Zack mused
"shut up Zack"
"Snow!" Serah runs to the man she loves to see him being overwhelmed by the mutantomato which had shrunken since the death of the dragon.
"so went to fight it by yourself again, didn't you learn from the first time." Noel snarled at Snow
"sorry couldn't help myself" Snow replied
The group then went to face off against the shrunken flan.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The battle was over with the flan now dead. Snow could rest from his injuries.
"hmph guess I did need help after all to win this" Snow said to the others
"why did you even try Snow, you knew you had no chance of winning but you still went after it, why" Noel asked
"Fang and Vanille, I couldn't just stand and watch them fade away"
"so you couldn't even wait for help huh"
"hey did what I had to do alright" Zack and Serah watch the two argue with each other
"typical I hate your kind, you think you can protect everyone and make sure everything's alright."
"Noel" Zack tried placing his hand on Noel shoulder
"No Zack" Noel then turned from Zack back at Snow
"do you even know how useless you are, do you even realise what you do to the people you are meant to protect" he snapped at Snow but he was quick to retaliate
"now you just wait a damn minute, you been protecting Serah all this time and I know that you have been protecting people in your village too am I wrong" Noels face did not change
"from the looks of things me and you are the same, you too Zack" Zack looked astonished after Snow said this
"Lightning told me you died but she also called you a hero and I know that heroes don't die for no reason"
Zack looked troubled but found in him to talk clearly
"yeah, I died so she could live… but I'm here now to make things right" Zack announced
"I still don't see how you and I are the same" Noel bellowed
"we both know that we have to keep surviving if we don't the people we love won't" Snow explained
"ngh" Noel sighed "Snow" he then stopped as Snow put his arm around his and Zack's shoulder.
"both of you promise me you'll look after Serah for a while longer" Snow pleaded
"huh" Zack and Noel uttered and saw that Snow was flashing, Serah was also shocked by what was happening to him.
"whats happening" Zack cried
"guess my times up" Snow said vaguely
"we fixed the paradox maybe that's why he's disappearing he's not from this time" Noel explained
"NO!" Serah grabbed Snow from behind
"please don't leave me, I don't want to lose you over and over" she cried
"hey don't worry heroes never die… well Zack did but I wont"
"hey I'm right here you jerk" Zack snapped
"ha I'm kidding Zack, I know you'll find lightning" he added as he was starting to fade
"and babes see ya later" he said to Serah before he completely faded into the air
There was a moment of silence until Serah spoke
"he-he had a l'cie mark, why would someone put it on him" Serah whimpered
"l'cie you mean the ones given focuses" Zack said
"maybe it was something that he asked to do" Noel said
"but who would want to become a l'cie whether you win or lose your still doomed" she cried
"maybe but maybe he got it because he knew he might need powers to achieve something only a l'cie can do, maybe to protect those closest to him, just rushing in and not giving a damn thought about himself" Noel imitated
"is that why you hate him"
"well yeah but I understand him too"
"I understand why you hate him Noel and I won't argue, yeah Snow is reckless but he is willing to do anything for the people he cares about like Serah and now she's in our hands" Zack said with a smile
"I never thought this would come out of you Zack" Noel joked
"I have my moments" he laughed
"ok then I get what you're saying Zack but now it's my turn to save Snow as he tried to do everything to save me when I was a l'cie now I want to do the same for him" Serah said
"sure thin and we'll be there with you after all we are your bodyguards now" Zack laughed
"bodyguards" Noel muttered
"that's great" she replied
"but first it's time to get out of here and continue our search for Light" Zack said
TO BE CONTINUED ON THE NEXT CHAPTER, SOZ IT TOOK SO LONG, CUS I'M IN STUDIES AS WELL AS THIS, PLZ DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ALL THE THANKS TO YOU GUYS :D