Serah, for the fourth time that day, stumbled during her teaching session. It was not a weakness she recognized since their new life here in the New World. Since coming here, they hadn't been hit with weakening magic for a while now. And as far as she knew, she was completely healthy.

"Ms. Farron?" One of the kids come up to her for help on a question. She had decided she would keep her last name, despite being married to Snow.

"Ok, so this is the problem, Todd. If I have ten apples, five boxes of juice and two sticks of cotton candy, and I eat three apples, and drink two juices, what do I have?"

"A tummy ache!" Todd giggles madly at his witty answer.

"Very funny, Todd," Serah smiles, "But I still need the number of everything left over. So you just need to do the subtraction. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Ms. Farron!" The kid chirps and goes back to his seat.

Serah chuckles. The laugh nearly freezes in her throat as she looks out the window of the classroom, towards the metropolis. For a moment, in the semi-reflection of the glass window, she saw something like a checkered curtain fluttering from another dimension.

…

"Wait, wait, wait... she came from another world... where the fal'Cie's were still active?"

Lightning had bought Yeul and Luna to Hope's office in the research facility where he worked. Apparently, Lightning couldn't be bothered to wait in the condominium for him, as the manager said he wasn't present. Sure enough, this was indeed something that could not wait.

"But, once we defeated Bhunivelze... actually, when Bhunivelze awoke, shouldn't all the fal'Cie have known the creator was awakening and drawn themselves to self-destruction? Their focus from Lindzei and Pulse would have been fulfilled," Hope leans back on his desk, unable to sit from the recent news, "Actually, if the times which we lived were actually parallel, then that would explain that... but then why are you here only now? Unless the travel through worlds altered time's flow somehow..."

Luna politely sips her tea as Hope mutters to himself. She could not wrap her head around these different worlds either, and she had already been to two thus far. All these different rules and forms were jarring. One thread that seemed to connect them all though, were these gods.

"The point is, they're saying their world was destroyed when Bhunivelze woke up. No idea how, but …" Lightning sighs, "We knew we could never have killed a god, that he would return."

"Yeah... but we figured that we'd still have our magic. When that ran out, we thought it really was all over. Geez..." Hope runs a hand through his white hair, "And our technology in this world... none of the original Cocoon or Pulse materials are left! These don't deal with that kind of stuff anymore..."

"A year ago..." Yeul-Etro seems deep in thought.

"You were already gone by then, weren't you, Etro? Actually, remind me how you're still here?"

"Yeul and Caius have taken my place as gatekeepers. Caius had bore my heart, and Yeul still has my eyes, even if I did die that time. I live on through them as they lived on in the Chaos as specters. As you saw, death was not the end for either of them. And my influence is not undone by it so easily."

"But Caius is gone now then?" Lightning sounds almost unbelieving of the fact. He was such a persistent bastard.

"...Yes," Yeul-Etro says quietly.

"... And how are you making out in all this?" Hope gives a weak smile to Luna. She looks up in surprise, not thinking she'd be addressed.

"Oh, erm..." She sighs, "I had spent my life serving the gods. I thought I had all the world's mysteries found out... only to have it overturned so soon..."

"Well, I don't think we know much more than you do. But we'll try not to be cryptic and drown you out. So what's still a question on your mind?"

"Well, everything, really," Luna manages a small laugh. At least he was willing to be open, unlike Yeul, "I suppose I'm still boggled by these other gods you speak of. Bhunivelze and... these fal'Cie... I still can't believe our sun, Eos, was such a thing..."

"The original fal'Cie were Lindzei and Pulse, sons of Bhunivelze. When he made everything, he gave them the power to make other things, which are other fal'Cie. Etro was instead …" Hope sighs a little here in explanation, "She was never given the power to create, because Bhunivelze hated her. She looked too much like his mother, who he killed. So, she ended up watcher of the gates."

"Yes, Etro's gate. We know that to be where souls of the departed go to the Unseen Realm."

"Yes. The Unseen Realm is where Mwynn, Bhunivelve's mother lies. Bhunivelze thought he had to destroy her because she placed a curse on the world. A curse of chaos. This would ultimately destroy our realm, and so he wanted to destroy her first. But to do so, he needed to find the gate. And for that, there needed to be servants, who were the fal'Cie."

Yeul-Etro finally speaks up, "The methods of fal'Cie differ, but generally fall into two categories. One follows the will of Pulse, who seek to find the most powerful beings to force open the gate. The other side of the coin is Lindzei, who believe that ultimate sacrifice, a torrent of souls to death, will force the gate open."

"Does either sound like something you know? Whether in your culture or lore and history? The fal'Cie play with us like that, giving us tasks to do that seem to be common sense, but really, they lead to their own goals."

"... In my world," Luna starts with a slow breath, "We were taught that the planet was created alongside the six Astrals who act as its guardians. When an earth-shattering force from the outside broke into our atmosphere, it was the Astrals who prevented humanity's destruction. However, as a result of the meteor, a plague known as the Starscourge descended onto Eos and infected every living thing..."

Hope strokes his chin, listening intently. Lightning stands by, aloof.

"As a result, the Crystal was given to humans by the Astrals, as a means to ward off the scourge and save Eos. The ones chosen by the Crystal are the kings of Lucis, or Lucii. Only they can command and draw on the Crystal's powers to thwart the darkness..."

"Sounds like glorified l'Cie if I ever heard one," Lightning scoffs to the side. The unpleasant memories of Cid and Dajh, venerated Sanctum l'Cie, arise in her mind.

"You say that, yet I am not completely sure what you mean, Lightning."

"L'Cie are humans given powers by fal'Cie to do their bidding," Hope interjects, "So, in your mythos, the Crystal would be the fal'Cie commanding humans to carry out its will. Get it?"

"I have heard of that... Fal'Cie forms in stagnant Crystals..." Yeul-Etro murmurs.

"...So are you telling me... the star was evil, then? That it was simply trying to use mine and Noctis' bloodlines to open a gate?"

"It's... possible. We can't be sure just yet. Your fal'Cie sounds a lot more... benevolent, I guess..."

Lightning scoffs again, "Remember Carbuncle?"

Hope rubs the back of his neck, "Yeeep."

Luna sighs, "Was that what you meant, Etro? When you spoke of Eos... and purging darkness?"

Yeul-Etro pauses, "I do not know the minds of all the fal'Cie my brothers had wrought, nor did I watch through all the worlds with my eyes through time. But it would seem the darkness which possessed and revived Bhunivelze, did indeed come from your world. So I wonder if it was part of Eos' desire."

"The darkness is the Starscourge, which is said to be an alien affliction," Luna says with some defense, "I believe that at least... in the beginning it was not meant to be so."

"Hmm..." Hope strokes his chin thoughtfully, "Fal'Cie vary in temperaments. Atomos wasn't exactly like Titan, and Phoenix was a regulator fal'Cie of others like Kujata... Maybe it was like an immune reaction. When this alien thing landed, Eos obsessed over getting rid of it over its duty as a fal'Cie."

"Well, if we're done theory crafting up the past, that leaves us back in square one. Bhunivelze is back. What are we gonna do?" Lightning cuts into the conversation with an irritable edge.

"Do you know why we might have lost our powers, Etro?" Hope looks to the Goddess.

Yeul-Etro blinks slowly in thought, "Time moves differently across the worlds... so what may have happened here a year ago... may only have been a few days' time elsewhere..."

Luna pauses before a look of realization cross her face, "You mean... when we were at the gate possibly, when the darkness poured forth?"

"Yes... at that moment, the universe's unraveling had begun. I no longer hold my place at the gate, and Bhunivelze is completely mad... The fal'Cie were not sources of your magic any longer. It was me and my father. With this whole thing knocked off kilter... that must be why you can no longer access your powers."

"Then what the hell do we do? You're powerless and Bhunivelze would smite us the first chance he got," Lightning scowls slightly, beginning a small pace.

"If I'm thinking of this right, every world with a fal'Cie basically has some kind of source of magic stemming from Bhunivelze... So that means none of the other worlds should be working either. They'd be as defenseless as we are..." Hope bites his lip pensively.

"Not all of them, I think."

Yeul-Etro looks to Luna, "Even without your trident... you can cast white magic, no?"

Luna looks surprised for just a moment. She takes a small breath and focuses. It should be easy, drawing out healing magic as she had before. Her hands shimmer slightly with a warm feeling. However, feeling no corruption to absorb, it remains welled up in her hands.

"... Great. Now how's that going to help us on the long run," Lightning looks at the small display, unimpressed.

"Magic is still possible, even in a world that seems at first devoid of it. A world's rules are not so easily bent, even by their makers," Yeul-Etro nods slightly, "Even without magic, you've not been reduced to the strength of a mere human, no?"

Hope chuckles a bit at that, earning a small, amused scoff from Lightning. It was true that she retained her strength from her Savior days. People at the gym could scarce reach her record on any of the bench presses or weight machines.

Luna rescinds her magic now. She feels that similar lightheaded sensation from when she was performing healing on her pilgrimage around Eos. It happened when she usually cured too many people beyond her usual limit.

"Pure strength isn't going to be enough. We need weapons and magic," Lightning sighs, "Or else we're just sitting ducks here."

"We also don't have any way of telling where he is now. He could be coming right this moment. Where would we even evacuate everyone? It'd be a total massacre," Hope scratches his head, slight frustration in his voice.

"Etro, has the Crux shown any signs of fixing?" Luna looks to Yeul-Etro.

The half goddess seems a bit lost herself, seeing the former heroes of Nova Chrysalia reduced to such hopelessness. And she had not an inkling of how to help them. She raises her hand and the sparks flicker once more before fizzling. There was a distant sound of the clock bell's gong.

"… It remains outside my reach."

"… Well, I doubt we're making much headway, going at it when you two just dropped in," Hope stands, "After all, I know I was pretty overwhelmed back on Cocoon when I first got hit with this stuff."

"You done for the day?" Lightning looks to him.

"Yeah. I'll drive you guys home. Oh, and you two…" He looks to Yeul-Etro and Luna, "I think I might have a room available for you.

"Thank you very much…" Luna says quietly as she stands also. They had arrived in the late morning to this world and spent an hour or two finding this man. She'd lost track of how long they had stayed in this facility sorting out details, but she definitely felt exhausted.

…

Snow awoke to the sound of something else in the house. It broke something. There was the sound of shattering glass. A robber? Under original circumstances, he'd have his l'Cie magic. But he was still a strapping young man who could take care of a simple thief. He slips out of bed from Serah's side and slowly makes his way to the kitchen first, where the glass most likely would have broken.

The first thing he sees is the moonlight streaming into the room, spreading dull illumination. On the floor are the glimmering shards of glass. It seems a few glasses fell from the kitchen counter, possibly swept off. But why?

He turns around.

Red eyes stare back at him.

"WHOA-"

Startled, he stumbles back. Before he can make another noise, something like a powerful claw grabs him by the throat with a crushing grip. It felt like the stone-cold grip of a Cie'th claw almost. The form remained in the dark from his eyes. All he could see were those two red eyes.

"Nrgh…" He struggles against that hold.

Just when he thought he had felt his efforts working on those stiff fingers, pain explodes from his chest. Something stabbed him. The strike came from behind and it hurts like hell. Whatever has him in its clutches drops him to the floor with a 'tsk.' He can feel his blood running from the wound. And from the feel of it, it is quite deep… and it's possibly right in the side of his heart too.

"Ughk…" Snow chokes on the blood rising to his lips. He has to call out… to warn Serah…

It was already dark, but his pain-tinged vision made it even harder to concentrate. The thing with the red eyes seems to have run. But a paw steps down from behind him and walks over his body in pursuit. This shape was a lot more familiar. That jackal like form and bloody polearm…

"S…Set…." Snow hoarsely coughs.

The beast seems to pay little mind to him. Its large frame knocks more china off some shelves before it vanishes in an orb of checkered energy.

The curtain of Bhunivelze.

His strength failing, Snow clumsily tries to get up on his elbows. But perhaps he'd lost too much blood. He can barely force himself to speak above a whisper. But that shattering of glass must have awoken Serah. As his vision blurs, he sees the lights turn on from another part of the hallway outside. Just before dark spots overtake his vision, he hears his beloved scream shrilly.

Dammit, please don't let it be… Not again…

…

The call came for Lightning, waking her from a near nightmare. She was back on Cocoon, and their parents were still alive. Serah was asleep in her room. The young Claire called out timidly to her parents in disbelief. They don't turn around. They face ahead down a long hallway filled with the dark. It gives Claire the creeps. She calls out again, feeling a sense of dread. There is a slight twitch of her parent's heads and they slowly moved to turn around…

But before whatever awful feeling could be realized, her phone rings with the tune of "Because You Are Here." The soft singing rouses her out of her slumber. She realizes she has a bit of sweat. Her eyes fall on the caller ID. It's Serah. She answers.

"Serah?"

"Lightning…?" Her sister's voice trembles with a muddle of emotions which make her immediately alert.

"Serah? What's wrong?" Without much of an explanation, Lightning's already swinging out of bed and fumbling in the dark to grab some clothes.

"It's Snow…" Serah's voice is low, "We're at the hospital right now and-"

"I'm on my way," Lightning hurries out the door of her apartment and for her car, which she rarely drove, "What happened?"

"He was stabbed and… Oh I'm so stupid!" Serah bursts as she starts the engine, "I saw the curtain and I didn't tell him! I didn't think-"

"What curtain?" Lightning puts a pedal to the metal onto the near empty streets at this hour of the night.

"The checkered curtain … you remember right? Back on Nova Chrysalia…"

Lightning freezes at the wheel. Thank goodness there was no one to have an accident with at that second. Like back in Yusnaan, at one of Snow's nights of Revelry, a curtain appeared with a chaos infusion and those Anubys appeared. If they are here, that meant that Etro and that Luna girl coming here…

"Shit…!"

"Lightning, be careful! I don't know if they're coming for us but-"

Lightning slams on the brake, screeching to a halt on an empty street. The lights here flicker intermittently. The former savior looks ahead discerningly. She saw it just now: A brief shimmer like a checkered curtain.

"Serah, I'll have to call you back."

"Light-"

Claire ends the call and puts her phone away. Her eyes remain fixed on the space on the road before her. There is nothing. Whatever was there before is gone now.

A twinge pulls at her. It is that old reminiscent battle instinct. Quickly, she throws open her car door and darts out of the vehicle, just as a huge ax comes bearing down upon it, smashing the metal frame and shattering the glass. Well there goes that.

She turns to face whatever swung for her once she reaches a safe distance. Perched upon her wrecked ride is that dark and reddish jackal-headed creature. An Anubys. It glowers at her with its ruby eyes and slowly draws its weapon back. She hears it growl.

Lightning makes an instinctual grab for her back, where Crimson Blitz used to rest between her shoulder blades. Then she remembers they are past those times. So now she's unarmed against this thing.

"Khh… Dammit…"