A/N: This is the final (Hopefully) part of the story. The Songstress is now free, but still inside the castle. Serah and Hope are going to save Lightning while Cain is about to finish her. How will this end for everyone? I just hope it doesn't end with Lightning dead and Yuna being sold and enslaved...oh wait, I'm the author, I can just write it the way I wanted it to end.

Lightning lays on the ground, moaning in pain. Cain stands over her, grabs the turtle neck of her sweater, then holds back his free arm with the metal blades out.

"Now it ends!" Cain shouts.

Lightning can see she's in a struggle. In pain, pinned down with her death warrant above her. She can pretty much see how this will end. Lightning closes her eyes, accepting her fate. Cain is surprised to see Lightning just giving up like that, but he doesn't care, he only wants her dead. Cain draws his arm back, yelling. Just then, he gets hit in the back of the head.

Cain becomes interrupted by the attack. He turns, and looks surprised. Before he could react, Hope smashes his body against Cain, knocking him back and off Lightning. Hope staggers, he falls onto his knees, trying to recover his strength.

Cain sits up, he looks at Hope and is disappointed. "You!" His tone is growling, Hope looks up, shocked. "You're the brat who's interfering with my plans!" Cain gets back up on his feet. "I'm gonna finish what I started back in Palumpolum."

Cain charges. Hope isn't sure what to do at the moment, so he just stands his ground. Lightning can see what the kid's doing. "Hope! Don't!"

Cain takes out his sword, leaps towards Hope with his blade held high. He makes the strike. Hope grabs hold of the blade and tries to pull back. However, with lack of strength, it's not really successful. Hope was forced to his knees. As the blade draws closer to his face, Hope rolls aside. Cain soon realizes his moment, then makes a quick strike, knocking Hope down.

Cain looks down at the boy. "Bah! Pathetic!" Metal blades comes out of Cains wrists, he impales the blades around Hope's neck, trapping the boy in between the blades. "You are a fool, Hope Esithem. Do you really think you can play hero in battle? You are weak!" Cain deeps the blades into the ground. "You shouldn't have come alone."

"He didn't!" Cain turns his head over his shoulder. He didn't see who it was right before he gets punched in the mask, knocking him back. The punch shattered his mask, Cain slides on the ground and crashes against a metal chimney pole.

Hope sits up, his hand over his throat. It doesn't hurt, but he was pretty scared. Cain could have impaled his blades into it. Hope looks up to see the man who attacked Cain was Snow. Serah runs up to Hope, kneeling down with her hands on him. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Hope and Serah stands up.

The whole group gathers and they all look at Cain, who's moaning while trying to get up. Cain is on his hand and knees, he looks up. His mask falls apart, revealing his face. Snow, Fang and Yuna are pretty shocked to see his ugly burnt face. Cain looks down, noticing his broken mask. He then looks back at the group, growling and getting on his feet.

"I have had enough of this!" Cain says. "All of you have interfered for the last time." Cain turns his attention to Yuna. "I see you have escaped, Songstress. You better accept for your fate." Then Cain turns his attention back to Lightning. "...Unless you wanna end up like Farron here."

Yuna seems confused, she turns her attention to Lightning, wondering what he could have meant. Cain makes his stance, the metal wrists extend and coats his hands in metal, then the metal blades pop out. Fang takes out her spear, Snow cracks his knuckles, Lightning draws out her Gunblade, the three of them preparing for battle.

Cain reaches for the holsters attached to his boots, taking out the two guns. Lightning looks at Hope, over her shoulder. "Hope. Get Serah and Yuna out of here."

"But, Lightning-"

"No buts!" Lightning shouts at him. Lightning turns, standing in front of Hope. Lightning sets her weapon down, the puts her hands on his shoulders. "I made a promise I would protect you...But in this fight, I can't keep that promise. You have an important role here, and that's to take Serah and Yuna somewhere safe."

Hope takes in what Lightning's says. He knows what he's saying is true. He really wants to stay and fight Cain with her, but he really knows that he can't take him on. He is weak. Hope nods. "Okay."

Lightning takes out her survival knife, rests it on Hope's hand. "To keep you safe." Hope looks down at the sealed knife, then up at Lightning with a nod. Lightning wraps her arms around Hope, pulling him into a hug. "Be careful."

"You too." Hope says.

Yuna looks at the two, she tilts her head close to Fang. "Are they relatives?"

"Something like that." Fang answers.

Lightning and Hope disbands the hug. Hope faces Serah. "Let's go." Then he, Serah and Yuna runs off. Lightning returns her attention to Cain, who's standing there breathing heavily in anger.

The trio group arm themselves, Cain yells and then charges with high speed, the group does the same, and the battle begins.

Hope escorts Yuna and Serah down the hallway on floor four of the castle. However, they don't really get far. Halfway down the hallway, dozens of Soldiers, with Piros leading them, runs up. Hope stops, with Yuna and Serah stopping as well.

The soldiers stops, standing on their knees, aiming their guns at the group. "It's that brat that's working with Farron!" Piros says.

"Oh boy, this can't be good." Hope mutters. "Hide!"

The soldiers starts shooting. The moment they do, Hope, Serah and Yuna hides in individual dungeons. "Hold your fire!" The soldiers obeyed orders. "Trap them inside!" The soldiers runs into the dungeons, four in each one.

The soldiers enters the first dungeon. They are surprised to find it empty. Behind the door, Yuna comes out from behind the door, closes it as she makes her leave. The soldiers turn to see what's happening, they try to run for it, but it was too late. They're locked inside. Yuna stands against the door, arms wide and panting with worry. She's glad to make it out of there, but not so glad to get into another situation, with Piros.

In the next room, the soldiers are in, but are surprised to see it's empty. Hope hangs on the support beams. He climbs his way to the chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. He reaches for it, then uses Lightning's knife to cut the line. The soldiers look up and scream when they see the chandelier falling on them. Before they could react, it crashes on to them. Hope hops off then runs outside, and closes the door behind him.

"That damn kid outsmarted us!"

"I really hate kids!"

"What bastard came up with putting chandelier's in every room?"

"I was suppose to retire this week!"

Hope now sees Yuna's in trouble, she's in the grip of Piros. Piros sees Hope, he holds out his lance with his free hand, points it at Hope. "Stay back, punk!"

Hope looks mad, he takes out his boomerang. "You leave her alone!" Hope throws his boomerang. Piros dodges it and laughs in pride, but wasn't so lucky. While he was dodging, Hope gives him a hard punch in the face, knocking him back and releasing his hold on Yuna.

Hope looks down at the unconscious soldier for a moment, then his grabs his hand, that he used to punch Piros, then yells in agony. Yuna looks at Hope with concern, as he falls on his knees. "First time punching?" Yuna asks.

"Yeah." Hope's voice was high pitched from the pain. He tries to ease the pain on his hand, by clenching and unclenching. "I don't know how Lightning or Snow does this." Hope gets back on his feet, looks around and notices someone missing. "Where's Serah?" The sound of rapid gunfire captures Hope's ear, and then someone screaming. Hope turns to see it's coming from a dungeon room. "Serah!" Hope rushes to the room. By the door, he looks in to see Serah standing in the middle of a circle of dead soldiers, with a gun in her hands. Hope seems surprised. "Serah?"

Serah looks at Hope. "What?"

"I...I...I didn't know you had this in you." Hope says.

Serah cocks the gun and walks up to Hope. "Guess Lightning's becoming an influence to me. Now let's get out of here."

Hope, Serah and Yuna moves on. They reach for the stairs and arrives at the third floor. They stop to notice a group of soldiers marching on the hallway ahead. They hide behind a corner, staying out of sight. Hope finds an air vent. He opens it and then they crawl into it.

The battle against Cain is going crazy. Fang gets knocked back as Snow charges in from behind. Snow jumps onto Cain's back. Cain isn't too happy having the big oaf grabbing onto him from behind. Fang gets back on her feet and charges to Cain. Cain jumps and falls on the ground on his back, crushing Snow. Snow releases his grip and Cain quickly gets back on his feet.

Lightning and Fang strikes at Cain at the same time, Cain blocks their attacks with his axes. Lightning on his left and Fang on his right. Cain shifts the position on his axes and strikes, pulling the two warriors off of their feet and tossed ahead.

Snow spins with his leg out, sweep kicking Cain off of his feet. As Cain falls, Snow rolls back, hands placed on the ground and pushes himself up to land on his feet. Cain looks to see Snow's on his feet, he takes out his guns and starts shooting at Snow. Snow blocks Cain's shooting, but the pain from the heat lasers and the freeze burn from the frozen lasers becomes too much.

Snow staggers back, Cain gets back on his feet. Lightning charges at Cain, Lightning makes the first strike, Cain dodges her attacks. Lightning makes a sweep kick for the head, Cain grabs her leg during the kick. He spins Lightning off of her feet then tosses her to Snow, knocking him down.

Fang hits Cain in the back of the head with her spear. Cain turns to see Fang standing there, spinning her lance around her arms, then grips it in place, ready to strike. Cain growls and takes out his sword. They both strike together, parried their first three attacks. During the third, they hold, then Fang strikes Cain in the stomach with her knee, causing him to stagger, then Fang spins her lance and strikes him in the side of his head.

Cain stumbles back from the hit, then stops and looks back at Fang. "You are just as stubborn as Farron!" Cain charges at Fang, Fang positions herself to block his attack. Cain strikes, she blocks it. The moment she's blocking, he sweep kicks her off her feet, then slams his fists on her, causing her to crash hard on the ground.

Cain stands over Fang, he raises his hands over his head, with the metal blades out. He strikes, but Lightning jumps in and blocks his attack from Fang. Lightning uses all of her strength and pulls Cain away from Fang. Lightning offers Fang a hand, helping her stand up. "Thanks." Fang says. Fang looks over Lightning, noticing Cain charge at them. "Look out!"

Fang moves Lightning out of the way and blocks Cain's charge. Snow gets back on his feet, he runs up to Cain and Fang. They turn to see Snow coming. Snow rams himself at Cain, knocking him back.

Hope, Serah and Yuna leaves the ventilation shaft. First it was Hope, then Serah then Yuna. They're still on the third floor, but they're now closer to the stairs. They head for it, but then stops when Wade and Barret comes out of nowhere. Barret takes out his rifle and Wade takes out his bo staff.

"You'll never make it out of here alive!" Wade says.

Serah aims her gun at Wade. "We'll see about that." Serah starts shooting at Wade. Wade spins his staff at high speed, deflecting the bullets. Barret focuses his attention on Hope. The kid throws his Boomerang, Barret dodges it, then starts shooting at Hope. Hope runs off, avoiding the bullets, while rushing towards Barret. Hope takes out the knife, positions it to attack.

Hope makes the strike, but Barret grabs his wrist with his free hand, stopping his attack. Barret slams Hope against the wall. Hope yelps in pain, then suddenly worries when Barret aims his rifle at his neck. Hope thinks fast, wondering what to do. His eyes capture a torch hanging on the wall beside him. He quickly grabs it then strikes Barret in the face with it. Barret backs up and yells in pain, putting his hands on his face.

Serah's shooting stops when she runs out of bullets, which worries the girl. Wade smirks, he rushes up to Serah. When he's in front of Serah, he strikes. Before he makes the hit, Hope grabs on the staff, he rips it out of his hand. Wade's surprised, he turns back but sees nothing, cause Hope knocks him out with the staff, by hitting him in the face with it.

"Come on!" Hope says.

Hope, Serah and Yuna runs down the stairs. Barret groans in agony as he stands on his knees. "I told them hanging torches on the wall is a bad idea!"

The group now runs down the second floor. Serah decided to take the staff for defense since she no longer has the gun. They rush down the hallway, mainly the clear ones. Guards and soldiers are patrolling down the hallways, in search for the Songstress. Halfway down a hallway, Rio comes out of nowhere, basically falling down from the ceiling, he was braced on the support beams.

Hope, Serah and Yuna stopped, surprised to see Rio. "You think you can escape us that easily, Yuna Akimura?" Rio takes out his Dualarrows, in Dual Swords mode. "No one ever escapes the Abduction Agency."

"Try us!" Hope says, making his first strike with Lightning's dagger. Rio parries the dagger with his blades. Hope swings the torch at him, but Rio dodges every strike, then he sweep kicks Hope, knocking him off of his feet.

Serah rushes up to Rio, at the last minute, he sees Serah about to make a strike. He blocks her attack with his blades, then breaks the staff in half. Serah seems surprised, she pulls her broken staff back, looking at it disappointed. "Oh come on!"

Rio shifts his blades together, and aim's his Dualarrow at her, pulling the trigger back ready to shoot a laser arrow. Hope gets back on his feet, he takes out the boomerang and throws it. The Boomerang hits Rio, causing his aim to move to the right and shoot. The laser arrow hits a ripe tied to the wall. Rio looks up and screams as a chandelier falls and crashes on him.

Hope, Serah and Yuna looks down at Rio, as if their disturbed by the chandelier. "Stop right there!" They look up down the hallway, seeing soldiers charging at them.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!" Hope says. They now rush down the hallway, with soldiers chasing after them. They turn into the next hallway. Hope stops and notices a door. He opens it to see it's a storage room. "Girls!" Serah and Yuna stops, looks back. "In here."

Serah and Yuna rushes into the room, then Hope joins in closing the door behind him. The soldiers arrives and runs past the storage room, unaware the group that are hiding inside. Hope listens closely to the door, he hears nothing. "I think they're gone." Hope whispers.

Hope slightly opens the door, to look out. He can see it's all clear, then he opens all the way, then he, Yuna and Serah moves on. They arrived at the stairs, they reach the bottom floor. As soon as they're out, they are greeted by Wing, who is right in front of the doors of the staircase, with out heavy axe out.

"I've been expecting you." Wing says. Hope takes his fighting stance, holding the torch on his right arm and Lightnings knife on the left. "You're got some skills for a runt, I'll admit. But your little game of playing 'hero' ends here."

Hope charges, Wing swings his axe. Hope ducks and the axe hits the wall. Wing tries to pull it out, but it's stuck pretty deep. Hope swings his torch, Wing saw it coming and grabs Hopes wrist and stops his strike just when the torch makes contact with his face. But Hope was expecting it. With Wing's hands busy, Hope stabs Lightning's knife in Wings hip.

Wing yells in pain and collapses. He covers his wound with his hands. Hope, Yuna and Serah hurries on, Wing glares at them as they leave. "Damn you!"

Cain and Snow are face to face, their arms clashing. They push at each other, but their strength is pretty equal, they can barely move. Fang charges at Cain from behind, Cain can hear her coming. Fang readies her lance, making a strike. Cain ducks, and Fang ends up hitting Snow in the head. Snow falls on the ground.

"Oops, Sorry." Fang says.

Cain sweep kicks Fang, knocking her off of her feet, then jabs his knee up on her. Fang flies up then crashes a distance away, near the edge of the roof. Cain now faces Lightning, who's making her stance, ready to strike. Metal blades pops out of Cain's wrists.

"I'm done playing games. Let's dance!" Cain says.

Lightning and Cain charges at each other. Lightning makes the first strike, but Cain blocks, Cain makes the next three strikes, Lightning dodges and avoids, backing up while doing it as well. Lightning shifts her weapon into a gun and starts shooting. Cain deflects the bullets with his metal blades.

Hope, Serah and Yuna runs out of the castle and enters the courtyard. Once they're out, they are completely surrounded by dozens of soldiers and guards. Hiroshi is standing in the middle of the circle.

"This is as far so you go! Surrender now, and we may spare your lives." Hiroshi says.

Lightning is now at the edge of the roof, she holds her weapon out in front of her as Cain strikes with his sword. Lightning holds it back with her strength, but Cain's strength is too much.

"Give up, Claire! You are defeated!" Cain says.

"Never!" Lightning kicks Cain in the stomach. He staggers back. Lightning disarms Cain's sword, then slashes him with her blade. Cain yells as she cuts his arm. Cain growls, he looks up at Lightning, but turns to the side to see Fang charging at him. Fang strikes him with her lance, right in the head. Cain stumbles back. Snow charges at Cain from behind. He slams into him like a bull, knocking Cain away.

"Lightning!" Lightning runs up to Snow. Snow and Lightning grabs each other by the wrist, Snow spins Lightning once then tosses her towards Cain. "Go!"

Lightning flies towards Cain. She soars through the air, when close, Lightning sticks her leg out in front, and kicks Cain right in the chest.

Cain yells as he falls down from the castle. Lightning lands on the edge of the roof. Fang and Snow walks up and stands beside her, as they all watch Cain fall.

Hope, Serah and Yuna are worried, but Hope hides his worries and readies to fight. Before he reacts, Cain crashes right in the middle of the circle, his impact even cracked the ground. Everyone is shocked to see that, the soldiers and Hiroshi gasp at the sight of their leader.

Cain's body twitches, he tries to pull himself up, but his body collapses and he falls unconscious. Lightning looks down at the courtyard, as the wind blows through her hair. "It's over."

At sunset, the Abduction Agency is being cleaned out. After Cains defeat, Lightning calls the Guardian Corps and give them the location of the hideout. After seeing the situation Hope's in, Lightning, Fang and Snow gives them a hand. They put Cain in a bondage, a pretty intense one, and Lightning threatens the group to surrender or Cain dies. They surrendered.

All the kidnapped women are leaving the castle, either in robes or towels, since they're clothes have been destroyed in the hands of these crazy people. All the girls are entering the airship. Sazh is being put in charge in taking these women back to their homes. Hope is by the castle, Serah, Snow and Fang are congratulating Hope on a good job he did, Serah thanks him even.

General Amodar is sending Wing, Piros, Rio, Wade and Barret in the truck. Lightning stands next to him, arms crossed, looking at her former trainees with disappointment.

"You've done a great job, Farron." Amodar says.

"Thanks, general. All in a days work." Lightning says. With Admiral Raines and half a dozen elite guards surrounding him, Cain is now walking towards the truck, in the exact same bondage Yuna had, expect for being chained to the ground, which would mean the same thing once he's in the truck, while he'll be chained to the walls. Lightning glares at Cain, Cain does the same to her and gives a beastly growl. "Make sure to put that one in maximum security."

"Don't worry, Farron." Amodar says, as he watches Cain enter the truck. "We've been after him for years. We know just what to do with him." Once Cain's in, the soldiers chained him to the wall. The soldiers leaves and Raines closes the door shut. He looks past the truck to the driver and pats at the truck. "Take them away."

The truck drives off. Lightning walks off, joining her group. "How are you guys doing?" Lightning asks.

"We're doing okay." Snow says.

Hope looks around. "He-hey. Where's Yuna?"

"Her manager came in and picked her up." Lightning says.

Hope seems disappointed. "Oh..."

"At least you got the meet her." Serah says.

Hope looks at Serah. "Well...not exactly. I didn't really get to sit down and talked to her. I only saved her..." Hope reaches into his pocket, he takes out the diamond bracelet. "I didn't even get a chance to give this back to her."

Everyone feels bad for Hope. A soldier walks up to Lightning. He taps her shoulder, Lightning turns to see the soldier is holding out a detonator. "Lieutenant, the explosives at all set up. The mansion is completely empty."

Lightning takes the detonator. "Excellent. Let's head out."

Everyone gets on the airship. Lightning and the group were the last ones on board. Sazh makes his announcement. "Welcome to Sazh airlines. Please fasten your seat belts and be ready for takeoff."

When everyone's ready, the airship takes off. Lightning looks back at the castle, out the window. When they're at a good distance, she takes out the detonator and triggers it. The castle completely explodes. Now Lightning looks back at the smoldering ruins of the evil place. When she had enough, she look forward, closing her eyes with a deep breath.

She's just glad this nightmare is over.