sorry if there's any huge mistakes I'm posting this from my phone xD!

Kara, Eden, and Alex


Being informed of their condition – Kara had to make a call. It was probably the most difficult one she’d ever have to make… but it had to be made. She summoned the strength to make it clear when she was speaking to Eden alone, and she wasn’t surprised when the huntress agreed. It was far too dangerous for them to stay here, both for their own sake and the sake of the innocent people. Ultima would eventually learn of what had transpired, and when that happened – they needed to be away from here.

Kara faced the group with a smile she had mastered years ago. She looked at Eden for a moment, then addressed them.

“Eden has informed me of your,” she paused, thinking of the right word. “Condition… I regret to inform you that you may not stay in Alexandria, or in any densely populated city of this paradise.”

The group didn’t like where this was going, but Kara – being Kara didn’t care. Her first priority was the safety of the people. This group of rogue l’Cie threatened that safety and needed to be dealt with. Sending them away avoiding the messy, emotional business of having all of them, including her family – killed.

“Why not?” The words came from one she didn’t recognize – a young man who stood next Markus, his stare more curious then angry.

Kara glanced at Eden, then back at the man. “You must be Jin.”

He nodded, the Matriarch narrowed her eyes a tad. “Surely your friends informed of the legend of the l’Cie?”

Again, a nod – but now he seemed a little nervous.

“Well,” Kara stepped forward a bit. “Your focus, according to Eden – is to destroy Alexandria, Ultima and the seat of power that has kept humanity safe for centuries.” Despite still sounding professional and calming, Kara’s posture was one of superiority. “Unless you plan on completing this twisted focus, you’ll become ceith…” She smiled kindly at Jin. “Do you plan on murdering thousands, of not millions of innocent people?”

He faltered, his neutral expression broken by subtle anxiety and horror at the idea. “No.”

“Then you’ll become ceith – and I cannot have monsters running around densely populated zones.” The Matriarch turned her attention to the songstress. She was nearly in tears.

“H-how can you say that?” Alex whimpered, abhorred.

“It’s the truth.” Kara replied, in the tone a mother would take with an upset child. “As horrible as it is.”

Eden glanced at Kara, frowning.

The Matriarch hesitated, not wanting to give the group false hope. Eden apparently didn’t have the same mindset – if the group had something to focus on, it would delay the inevitable. When it came to the end, Eden had promised to end Nova’s life rather than have him transform into a grotesque, heretical monster.

“There… is one saving grace, however…” Kara crossed her arms. “Near the edge of the barrier, there are some ruins. Near them you’ll find someone, a scholar – who may know of a way to change your focus, or even get rid of it.” The Matriarch watched the flicker of hope return to all of them. “So I’ll make this abundantly clear – you will board the evening train tonight and head west. You will not get off that train until it reaches the final stop. You’ll be wanted within hours, rogue l’Cie are not to be running free in Eden. Stay out of populated zones, because the procedure for heretic l’Cie is one of finality.” She left no room for argument.



Eden looked at the group; there was a very distinct mix of hope and despair. She chose to ignore both of them that were warring in her. The lead was basically a dead end – a ray of false hope, to give them something to do before they died. Kara wouldn’t lie to Ultima, and if she did about where they were or where they were going, Ultima would eventually figure it out. She was a fal’Cie, after all.

“Yuki,” Kara called her guardian over to her. “You will accompany them, aid them on their journey.”

“Of course.” She bowed her head.

Eden moved towards Markus, giving him a curious look. “Aren’t you from the edge of the barrier?”

He nodded. “My village is a few hours from the train’s final stop…” The man paused, thinking about it. “I think it’s near those ruins actually.”

“How close?”

He grimaced a bit. “Alright, ‘near’ wasn’t the greatest word to choose, but it’s the closest mark of civilization to them.” Markus gave Eden a suspicious glance. “I don’t recall hearing about any scholar livin’ there though.”

“You think I’ve heard of him?”

“You talked to Kara alone.”

Eden shook her head. “I don’t know anything about this scholar, but Kara is rarely wrong about these things.”



Distant and desperately clinging to that sliver of hope, Alex had moved away from the group. She had chosen to admire one of the great paintings on the wall. It was an artist’s interpretation of Lindzei, and though her people found it blasphemous to illustrate anything to do with the Goddess’s form… she found it oddly beautiful and comforting. The songstress glanced back at the group, they were chatting amongst themselves – and were no doubt bothered by what had happened but… they were dealing with it.

Which is what she needed to do.

The fal’Cie have abandoned me. She thought miserably, that comfort beginning to fade. Maybe they have an easier time because their lives are not dictated by the doctrine. They’re ignorant to the fate that awaits us. The soul of a twisted ceith doesn’t go to join Etro, it wanders the world until it simply ceases to exist.

But if someone could change that fate…

“Hey,” she heard Nova’s voice and found herself smiling.

“Hi…” She murmured, turning to face him.

“Rough day…”

Burying her sadness, Alex smiled. “The train ride will be nice.”

Nova gave her an odd look and then smiled. “Trying to be optimistic?”

She giggled a bit at her naivety and nodded, unable to meet his gaze for a moment. When she looked up, she spoke. “Better than the alternative.”

“Very true.”