Hello! Black Rose Petals Falling is indeed back! So...just finished playing this game a couple weeks ago...and WAS TOTALLY LEFT IN AGONY. Warning: Spoilers for those who have not finished Final Fantasy XIII-2. You shouldn't be reading this if you haven't. There are doubts that Square Enix will make another one and it'll just be DLC, but I have my hopes. :) And if not...well, that's what this story's for, to satiate my hunger just a tad bit. So to wrap my long introduction up here's my little teaser prologue! Square Enix owns these characters and original story, and I am only expanding on them as I please. :P

Prologue: The Crystalline Queen

"The goddess…she is gone, kupo." - Mog, Final Fantasy XIII-2

The timeless city was undergoing chaotic activity. Countless ribbons of golden light spiraled forth from its center, eagerly seeking a new destination to spread its influence: the realm of life. Nothing, or for the matter no one, bound it to this place any longer. It was as chaos should be: free and unbridled.

The central structure was evidently the source of the maelstrom. It was the goddess's temple as well as her tomb. A crystalline throne lay within, mounted high in the very heart of the temple. It appropriately seated a crystalline queen, a queen with no words or commands.

No, she would not be speaking any more commands for a long, long time. But unfortunately for this queen, time was ending. She was silenced forevermore.

A man donned in black, form-fitting armor entered the temple. In long but leisurely strides, he approached the throne. Strands of dark violet hair did a poor job in veiling the smirk on his lips. His glowing crimson eyes stood out most prominently of all.

He heard all, saw all through this spreading chaos. And so he heard his former apprentice's words of disbelief.

"I…killed…the goddess?"

A low chuckle echoed throughout the room. "Yes, my former apprentice. It was all for naught." This was fated to happen. Nothing could have prevented it. Every variation of the timeline somehow saw this death at its end.

Caius Ballad gazed up at the queen entombed in crystal. Even as a statue she still possessed a noble beauty while retaining her warrior-like qualities, her sword laid across her lap. The sword she had so often fought with in their battles.

"It truly is a pity our battles are done. You were a most worthy opponent. And yet, your defeat was inevitable, for fate itself was against you," Caius spoke in his sultry voice. He smiled cruelly at the dormant warrior. As expected, she gave no response. It might have been interesting had they been on the same side…although he preferred working unaided. He alone could protect Yeul. Yeul was enough. And now she would be free from her curse. Free and unbridled.

The shadows of chaos enwrapped him, and Caius disappeared.

Each ominous, ubiquitous toll of a clock rung a dirge, rung a solemn pronouncement.

The goddess is dead.

:D End of Prologue! If you should like more, please, please review! Reviews make the world go round! Ah, and another thing...I'm in the middle of countless story projects, and I have a vague outline of where I'll be taking this story. So, for the first time ever, I'd like to have ideas thrown out at me for inspiration. My wonderful inspirers will be thanked and accredited accordingly. ^_^