Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII-2 or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Notice:Thank you all so much, my fellow readers of fanfiction, for helping me decide the title of this story. So here it is, the sequel to Destinies Intertwined, Threads Connected! Also note, whenever the point of view through which this story is told is changed, it will be marked by a line saying (Point of View Change: …). Besides the first part of this chapter though, the story will mostly be told through the point of view of Deiru.

Last Story:

Deiru Tamashi, an average human sixteen year-old, arrives home from school one day and decides to start a new game on his copy of Final Fantasy XIII. But as soon as he does however, a meteorite strikes the field near his home, and he investigates. Upon arriving the rest of the meteorites fall, and Deiru is hit by one. When he awakened he has no injuries, save for a silver crescent-shaped burn mark on the bottom of his right forearm. Later he arrives home, but when he starts the new game a line of script that doesn't appear in the game tells him that his fate had been altered, and he will be rewarded a choice beyond value should he follow the path of the l'Cie to its conclusion. Just as he reads this he is enveloped in light, and is transported to the world of Cocoon.

Using strange powers that he obtained upon arriving, Deiru meets up with the other characters and branded a l'Cie alongside them, and also learns that he had been brought into this world by the goddess Etro. The makers of FFXIII had captured the timeline of a real world and built it into a game, so anything that any player of any game did would be reflect in the real Final Fantasy world. The timeline of it was rewritten, altered, bended over and backwards so much it was in danger of shattering, and Etro brought Deiru here to prevent it. If he traveled with the l'Cie then the true timeline would be altered, and the game version of the events would no longer affect it.

And so Deiru traveled with the l'Cie to save the timeline and finish their Focus, eventually developing feeling for Lightning along the way. She unknowingly had feelings for him as well, and shortly after Deiru severely injured himself to save her life in Palumpolum they came together. When they attacked the Palameciato save Vanille and Sazh they also learned that Barthandelus had brought a childhood friend of Deiru's, Sofia, into this world to use as a hostage against Deiru and the other. Luckily they were able to save her and defeat Dysley, though still ending up in the Fifth Ark. Later, Deiru learns that his powers were given to him by Etro, and his seventh one, a homicidal alter ego named Uried, awakened when fighting Raines.

Deiru was able to regain control of his body and the group traveled to Pulse where they, after several mishaps and delays, learned Dysley's plan in Oerba and returned to Cocoon, hoping to stop him. After reaching the heart of Orphan's Cradle and defeating both it and Barthandelus, Uried emerged from Deiru's body and tried to use the energy released by their deaths to take physical form. After a long battle they defeated him as well, and while Vanille, Fang and Sofia became Ragnarok and saved Cocoon the other l'Cie turned to crystal.

In a rift in the Void Beyond Etro gathered Deiru, his family and Lightning, offering Deiru the choice to either stay in the world of Cocoon or go home. After much thinking he chose to stay, and after bidding farewell to his family Deiru was given his tenth and final power by the goddess. The spell could only be used once, but would free all the l'Cie from their crystals and allow them to retain the use of magic and Eidolons, placing a timer on Vanille, Fang and Sofia so that they too would awaken when Cocoon fell. The story ended with Deiru formally introducing himself to Serah, and Lightning giving her blessing for her and Snow's marriage.

Three years pass...

Threads Connected

Ch.1 Unending Battle

That time was lost, yet time continuedonward.

In a world beyond time a clock struck thirteen, bells chiming. They once would have made the merry melodies of celebration, but now the bells tolled a grave funeral dirge. In the heart of the grand temple, black and white feathers floated in the air over a blue crystal throne, which hovered over a hole in the ground while light fell upon, sparkling with unnatural radiance.

DivineEtro, go peacefully your rest. We will stand guard over your legacy.

Before throne two figures, and man and a woman, knelt and placed a hand over their hearts. Their oaths sworn, the two stood and exited the throne room, armor clanking. Once they were outside, they each rested a hand on the balcony and looked on at the world they were in.

This endless realm is awash with sadness. Life and death lose all meaning under the rolling waves of chaos.

Beneath a gray clouded sky countless empty stone buildings, some with the same greens rings as the temple, covered the land before ending a gray sand beach. Beyond the beach was an endless sea, over which hung several floating buildings and rock formations.

Valhalla. The currents of time do not touch its shores.

The couple reared their heads back, eyes closing as a vision flashed before them. A young man fell through a seemingly endless realm, orange in color and filled with spinning gears.

In this world of lost moments, begin our lives anew.

The couple looked down and opened their eyes, looking forward. The woman, Lightning, had fair skin and aqua-blue eyes, with pink hair that fell over one shoulder and unto her chest. She wore armor that was silver in color and with a shield strapped to her left arm, while down her right leg was a trail of snow-white feathers. The man, Deiru, had slightly tanned skin and was only taller than Lightning by one or two inches, with a single eye that was as blue as a sapphire. The other was covered a black eyepatch, and his hair was a chaotic mess of black spikes. His armor was similar to Lightning's, only gold and with a silver crescent in the center of his chest rather than a gold bird, and instead of his leg a trail of pitch-black feathers was attached to his right arm.

On his back was a large silver steel sword, five feet in length and a foot wide, edged on one sword. The handle was wrapped in silver and blue cloth, and on the hilt and handle was a silver crescent moon. Along the non-edged side of the blade was line of Etro Script which read "ByEtro'swill and Pulse's hand, forged from the fang ofLindzei, she whose poisonous words ensnare man's will.Indomitus, the sword whose silver blade pierces through the starry heavens." Deiru stood beside his beloved, Lightning, and the two looked out at a scene on the beach. Footprints had been made in the sand, and a man carrying a young girl walked into the water until he was waist deep.

The man, Caius Ballad, was tall and slender, with tanned skin and long purple hair, held back by a purple and black headband adorned with feathers and tribal beads. His eyes, full of sorrow at the sight of the girl lying limp in his arms, were as purple as his hair. His black and purple armor fitted to his form and resembled that of the Eidolon Bahamut, with white fur lining his boots and Etro Script written that said "Undying Witness of Infinite Fate." On his back was a large and wickedly spiked sword with a curved blade, an eye-shaped eidolith set into the hilt.

Caius grunted as he laid the girl into the water, and her body glowed before fading to golden dust. He held up his hand, watching the dust slip between his fingers and vanish, asking "This eternity, it was never you desire. Is that not so, Yeul?" Abruptly he clenched his fist, flashes appearing in his mind. The crystallization of Cocoon, the same world falling, and a gate to Valhalla opening. He spread his arms and countless Rift Beasts burst out of the water, flying through the air. Caius smirked and turned to looks at the two figures on the balcony.

Countless monsters flew through the air and the Eidolons Stiria and Nix flew forward, while Deiru and Lightning watched. "Warrior gods," he said, drawing his sword. The eidolith glowed with power, and he called "Now we cross swords!" Both Lightning and Deiru drew their weapons, and he slammed his sword on the ground before vaulting forward. On the shores of Valhalla the two respective armies clashed, Gorgonopsids attacking the rift beasts on the ground while Amphisbaenas chased the ones in the air. "Lose yourselves on battle, and rejoice!" he called, sending a wave of explosive energy across the ground. The Shiva Sisters flew forward, both casting Blizzaga and trapping Caius in ice.

Nix readied to deal the finishing blow, but he shattered the ice and grabbed her face. While she struggled he smiled, saying "Embrace the terror." Stiria flew forward to help her sister, but once she got close Caius threw Nix into her, sending both Eidolons rolling across the ground. In front of him he saw Lightning ride forth on her steed Odin and Deiru run besides her, weapons drawn. He chuckled before summoning a huge circle of power. "Husk of the wandering comet... I summon thee!" he called, pointing his sword into the air. The ground around him exploded as the ground below and around him was lifted into the air, forcing Deiru and Lightning to stop.

The circle rose high into the air, through which a beam of energy shot and pierced the clouds. Said clouds stirred before parting, revealing a gargantuan meteorite. Slowly it fell, while dozens of small ones shot down at incredible speed. Whenever they hit the ground they exploded, and Caius chuckled when he saw Lightning and Deiru just standing there. They grunted and jumped up, leaping from rock to rock in pursuit. Unfortunately one almost hit a rock at the same moment Odin jumped onto it, but Deiru blasted it with Ruinga spell while Lightning leaped off her steed. The explosion sent Odin off the rock and Lightning's blade out of her hand, stabbing into a rock.

Lightning jumped onto the bottom of another boulder, leaping towards her sword while Deiru jumped into the air. Spinning around her sword and vaulting herself up, Lightning pulled her sword out and calling "Caius Ballad!" "Time to die!" Deiru called, and he sent a wave of energy at both of them. While Deiru knocked it away and into the rift beasts, Lightning redirected the blast into the summoning circle in the air, shattering it. A pulse of energy spread outwards as the shards of the circle vanished, and the meteorite disappeared. Both of them landed behind Caius, who said "Impressive." They both readjusted their grip on their weapons, and as one said "Save it."

All three of them spun around, Lightning and Deiru's blades clashing against Caius's. Without the spell Caius cast, the floating rocks began to break apart and fall to the ground. Atop the main one however Lightning stabbed at him and he dodged the blow. Deiru's sword burst into flames and he swung down, just barely missing and creating a blast of fire to spread across the ground. He pulled his sword out and swung again, but Caius knocked his sword sway and caught Lightning's. "Damn you," she muttered, and Deiru added "Bastard." He chuckled before moving her sword to point at his heart, which pulsed with a red light.

"Enough. Let's end this," he said. Both Deiru and Lightning gasped, pulling back while Lightning said "That glow...!" Caius's eye glowed red, and he called "Cast your shadow over all, wings of night!" His held his sword in front of him and the energy blasted outwards, sending the two of them back while a sphere of dark smoke grew and swirled in the air. Within a pair of red eye glowed, and the smoke parted to reveal that Caius had transformed into Chaos Bahamut. He flew forward and swung at Lightning, who dodged as the rock she was on was shattered. While she was in the air he rose up, slamming into her with one hand. Lightning blocked the hand and pushed back with all her might, but before Caius could use the other Deiru blocked that one.

Caius roared and moved his hands in an X, slashing them both and sending them through the air, unconscious.

xxx

(Point of View Change: Deiru)

As I flew through the air I awoke, turning around and spreading my arms while beside me Light did the same. "Odin!" she called and I yelled "Shiva!" Odin in the form of a horse and the Shiva Sisters combined into a motorcycle rode forward, and we both mounted our respective rides, riding along the beach. Caius flew forward and roared, flying next to us. "Forgotten time, be reborn!" Lightning called, unleashing a double blast of Lightning Storm. "Lost memories, shine with power!" I chanted, swinging Indomitus and using Energy Arc, sending out three blue-white waves of power through the air at Caius. He fell back from the attack but responded by casting Ignis.

A ball of blue flame exploded in front of us, but Lighting urged out to leap over it while I drove around the blast. I pointed my sword at Caius and used Fury, sending out a barrage of multi-elemental spells while Lightning used Snipe. The volley of spells barely affected him, and he cast Inferno, sending a wave of fireballs at us. "Nice try!" I called, revving my rides engine and using Icicle Ramp to block the fireballs. Lightning used Lightning Storm again and Caius buckled from the force of the blow. He roared in anger and flew forward, slashing at us angrily.

"Not kidding around, huh?" Lightning asked, and I nodded in agreement. He flew forward and used Umbral Vise, his hands glowing with power before he slammed them together, hitting us with the energy. Lightning called "Be my shield!" and used Ullr's Shield, restoring her health and bestowing Protect and Shell. "Give me strength!" I said, and cast Salvation. For a second I was wrapped in a milky white light, before it faded and I was completely healed. Lightning pointed her gunblade at Caius and fired Snipe, while I used Energy Arc again.

The combined assault sent him flying, and he changed into Gestalt Form before flying in front of us. He fired Pulsar Burst and Lightning and I rode out of the way, moving back into the empty city. Lightning put away her gunblade and drew Zantetsuken, splitting the one blade into two. I smiled and raised my left hand, the sword Diluculum appearing in it. It was a black and gold copy of Indomitus, burning with flames of the same color. "Come on, then," Lightning challenged, and Caius flew up to her. He used Obliterating Breath to try and knock her away, but she jumped and spun in the air, slashing his chest so hard he reeled back from the assault. He flew towards me and fired Ignis, but spun in a circle and pointed both my sword at him, calling "Volley of Ruin!"

Over a dozen blasts of energy shot at him, and each one alone dealt a significant punch. He flew away and out of sight, and Lightning looked at me. "What's he up to?" she asked. I shrugged and kept going forward, but once we reached the corner he appeared from around it, and we gasped in shock as he unleashed Megaflare.

xxx

Well, here's the first chapter to Threads Connected; I hope you enjoyed it, for more it soon to come!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)