A/N: This is my first official song fic piece. I have no idea if there's a specific format for these things, so I just went with whatever looked okay. I had originally planned to release this one-shot much later on, as it's the prequel to what will be the sequel of my "Tainted Fal'Cie" story, but given recent events and its subject matter, I felt it appropriate to post it now. This bridges the gap between the end of FFXIII-2 and Tainted Fal'Cie's sequel. Please note, the sequel to Tainted Fal'Cie won't be written until my "The Kingdom of Etro" story is finished.

The song used in this piece is called "Through Glass" by the band Stone Sour. Much of the dialogue and inner commentary has been taken from the FFXIII-2: Requiem of the Goddess DLC. There are spoilers, so beware!

For those of you who've left unsigned reviews, see my replies below:

LightHouse - Thanks for your kind words. I'm happy you took the time to read this piece and comment on it. :)

Riku91 - Thanks for the review. ^^ That particular song has been haunting me for a while now and it just really clicked suddenly with that piece. The one-shot over all turned out really well, I'm very pleased with it. Thank you for your kind words.

Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The song used in this one shot belongs to its creator. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.

Tears of a Crystal

I'm looking at you through the glass...
Don't know how much time has passed

Darkness blotted out the sun, Chaos entering into the Seen World unhindered as the final seal on Etro's Gate shattered completely. Like a black fog, everything was enveloped and consumed, nothing spared. Time became twisted and distorted. Buildings disappeared, replaced by small islands of floating rock and corrupted fauna. People screamed in panic and fear, some trampled underfoot as the masses tried to outrun the blackness which none of them could escape.

Oh, god it feels like forever
But no one ever tells you that forever
Feels like home sitting all alone inside your head

All the while, a sole crystal statue sat atop an intricately carved white marble throne in the sky, shimmering tears rolling down its cheeks.

How do you feel? That is the question
But I forget.. you don't expect an easy answer

It was done. The Tainted was defeated, and her family safe. While most would never remember the suffering they had to endure over these last few years, they were safe. Yet such a victory felt hollow to the Goddess' champion. Chaos still lingered between worlds, and two of her family members were still frozen in crystal. That was better than nothing, right? As the living embodiment of the Goddess' will, Lightning could only stare across the vast expanse that was Valhalla, clenching at the railing in front of her with a white knuckled fist.

When something like a soul becomes
Initialized and folded up like paper dolls and little notes
You can't expect a bit of hope

This was supposed to be the right thing.

This would be the means of her atonement.

This was how she was going to make up for all of her past mistakes.

Or so Lightning tried to convince herself, hoping one day she'd actually believe that after repeating it enough. But in truth, was it really the right thing? Would this really bring atonement, her past mistakes absolved and forgiven? If so, why did it feel so... empty? Why did she have to be separated from those she most cared about? Why couldn't she bring Fang and Vanille back, and they all live together like a real family? What did she have to do to finally set things right?

So while you're outside looking in

Describing what you see

Remember what you're staring at is me

The beaches of Valhalla blackened with the coming onslaught of tainted creatures. At the forefront was their leader, a former servant of the goddess. Black armor covered his form, feathers and beads intertwined with lavender coloured hair. The Tainted was but one faucet of Chaos, one minion out of many. While Lightning sought out the rest of them and destroyed them in the name of the Goddess, the strongest of them still remained.

Caius Ballad.

Throwing her hand to the side, her divine weapon materialized into existence in a flash of holy light and ethereal white feathers. Leaping from Etro's Throne Room, Lightning flipped in the air, her trusted stead already running below her across the colourless sands, waiting to catch her.

This would be the last time. This would be her last fight.

Then it would all be over.

Finally.

Blades clashed in sonic booms and sparks of light. Limbs and magic moved faster than the human eye could process, blurring as they tore through the air, lashing out. Lightning gritted her teeth, narrowly turning to the side to avoid Caius' massive blade which would have otherwise skewered her right in the face. The Goddess' Champion pivoted on her heels, slashing diagonally downwards, only for her opponent to block the attack with his weapon. They broke apart for a split second before slashing at each other again.

Cause I'm looking at you through the glass...
Don't know how much time has passed

Caius was airborne. Just as he landed over twenty feet away, Lightning threw a Thundaga at him, swiftly covering the distance between them at the same time.

"Caius Ballad!"

The former servant of the goddess nimbly dodged the magical attack, his mammoth weapon colliding with Lightning's again a moment later. Both battled against the other, their blades screeching and grating as they fought for dominance. Caius grinned, their blades splitting apart yet again, just like the many times they had before. Lightning, not skipping a beat, thrust her gunblade forward through his chest.

Then Caius was gone.

And all that was left was the one person she hadn't expected to see anywhere near here.

"It can't be..."

Lightning's feet felt like two tonne lead blocks, the Goddess' Champion staggering forward as if the weight of the world was upon her shoulders. Her arms dropped limply to her sides, all of the blood draining out of her face. Horrified blue eyes never left the ghostly form, currently on their haunches, their head bowed, in front of her.

She was numb.

Lightning couldn't breathe.

"Serah..."

All I know is that it feels like forever
When no one ever tells you that forever
Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your head

"Your sister - she is the same as us."

Etro's Throne Room.

Serah was being held hostage by a dead, vengeful seer. Lightning's sister floated in from of the Goddess' throne, bound by invisible chains.

"And so she is with us. Always with us."

Yeul's voice echoed all around the room, clouds of Chaos shaped in her image taunting the Goddess' Champion. They laughed at her, their words unrelenting.

"Until time is destroyed, she will sleep with us. When the world ends, she will end with us."

Lightning gritted her teeth, despair and agony eating away at her soul. Would everything she touched fall to ruin? Would everyone she cared about suffer because of her mistakes?

How much is real? So much to question
An epidemic of the mannequins
Contaminating everything

"Let her go!"

With a shaking hand, Lightning pointed her gunblade at the closest Chaos Yeul. If she had to fight, she would. That was what she was good at. But then again, wasn't that what got her here in the first place?

When thought came from the heart
It never did right from the start

"She will melt into darkness. As we all will."

Lightning took a shaky, startled step backwards the moment black tears rolled down her sister's pale cheeks.

"Serah's death is your doing."

Another staggered step backwards. And then another. And another.

"At your bidding, she began her journey... and thus her life was lost."

Just listen to the noises
(Null and void instead of voices)

"It was you. You are to blame for this doom."

Lightning's gunblade clanked to the ground, her breaths coming out in desperate gasps. Her eyes darted everywhere, left and right, up and down, everywhere but to look at the body of her sister now lying before her.

Chaos Yeul was gone.

And now it was just her.

And Serah's corpse.

Before you tell yourself

It's just a different scene

Remember it's just different from what you've seen

Lightning collapsed to one knee, the burden of guilt and regret too heavy on her shoulders now. Sorrowful tears escaped her eyes, traitorous sobs sounding from her willing lips. No longer could she pretend things were alright or that they would be. No longer could she lie. This was all of her fault. And those around her, paid because of it. Serah died because Lightning wasn't strong enough.

"I'm so sorry... Oh, Serah..."

She should have never asked Serah for help. But Lightning couldn't do everything on her own. Even for her, the Goddess' Servant, the Goddess' Champion, it was too much. She was alone. She was tired. And she just wanted everything to stop.

But not like this.

Lightning bit her lip nearly drawing blood, salty tears staining her cheeks.

Not like this.

"Don't be sorry."

Lightning's head snapped up.

"And forget your tears - you don't need them."

Lightning stared wide-eyed at the very image of her sister sitting atop Etro's Throne.

Alive.

Serah smiled at her. "No matter what future is waiting for us, I'll have no regrets. No matter what end we see coming, I won't change my mind."

Serah's corpse disappeared in a flash of light, the Goddess' Champion grabbing at the empty ground when it happened. She looked up again, her sister's form still seated atop the Goddess' chair. Lightning trembled as she rose to her feet and stumbled forward a few steps on shaking legs. Tears continued to fall, but were left unbidden.

"You knew... you knew what would happen."

I'm looking at you through the glass...
Don't know how much time has passed

"I believe in you. You'll keep the future of this world safe."

Serah looked up to the heavens, a calm and peaceful look on her face. The former soldier's stomach clenched painfully, Lightning swallowing hard to push down that overwhelming feeling something terrible was about to happen. Blue eyes a shade lighter than her own met Lightning's gaze.

"So it's okay. I don't mind if I'm gone."

Lightning ran.

"Serah!"

The mist of Chaos had returned and Serah was now trapped in its embrace.

And disappearing.

"Serah!"

Not again.

She was not going to lose her sister again!

And all I know is that it feels like forever
When no one ever tells you that forever
Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your head

The youngest Farron's next few words ripped into Lightning like nothing had before.

"Don't forget me."

Lightning's eyes opened slowly, the sights and sounds inside Etro's Throne Room filling her senses. A glint of metal caught her attention, the pinkette slowly reaching forward to reclaim her fallen weapon. Rising to her feet, the Goddess' Champion numbly took a few steps forward. Crystal stairs leading up to the Goddess' elevated throne appeared in a flash of light before her, shimmering brightly even in the darkest of shadows.

"Even if I vanish form this world... Promise me, Claire... Promise you'll remember me."

Without hesitation, Lightning walked forward, pausing only momentarily as she stepped on the first crystal stair.

I'll never forget. I promised you that.

Tears rolled down her cheeks unnoticed, Lightning continuing her silent ascent one stair at a time.

Even if I stand to lose everything, I'll preserve your memory for the tomorrows yet to be.

A ghostly light shone down on her, ethereal feathers filling and spiraling the air around her. Lightning continued her slow, almost robotic steps, each one leading her closer to the end.

I will become an eternal epitaph. Your memory will survive for eternity within a crystal tomb.

Reaching the last stair, Lightning spun around and sat back on the Goddess' Throne. Crossing one leg over the other, her gunblade lay across her lap.

This was it.

This was what she decided the moment she heard her sister utter those heart breaking words.

"Promise you'll remember me."

Her thoughts, Serah, would live on for eternity, Lightning becoming crystal as penance for her grave misdeeds. Powers that should have never fallen into mortal hands would be sealed with her, where they would never cause anyone else harm or grief.

This was what should have happened at the very beginning. And it would have, if only she wasn't so naive.

Looking to the heavens one last time, hollow blue eyes closed, skin and armor becoming blue crystal, the Seen World falling into Chaos. Only in time could the crystal statue hope she would be forgiven.

By Fang. By Vanille.

And by Serah.

Cause I'm looking at you through the glass...
Don't know how much time has passed
All I know is that it feels like forever
When no one ever tells you that forever
Feels like home, sitting all alone inside your head

"The gods' tales are woven in crystal. The tale of Bhunivelze, the slumbering god bearing witness to an eternal dream. The tale of Etro, the goddess drowning in a sea of chaos. "

Dark waves lapped quietly against black sand, the shores of Valhalla deathly silent.

"Etro bestowed upon humans a gift. Though unseen, that gift - it lies within us all. It is a constant turmoil of light and darkness, strength and frailty, beauty and unsightliness. That gift is our spirit. It gives us the strength we need to persevere in hardships."

So different was this land now, now that the struggle between purity and chaos ended. There were no shouts of war. There were no feral grunts of battle. There was only calm and silence.

"But at times, it is nothing but a curse, straying beyond our control... causing us pain and sorrow. Even so, it is something far too precious to lose. It is what allows me to hold hope for the future."

A gasp.

One lone figure lay on the near colourless beach of the Unseen World, their once brilliant outfit of fuchsia, white and gold soiled with grit and grime. Rose coloured hair was a stark contrast to the mono-toned land, the one it belonged to slowly rising to consciousness.

"In a world consumed by chaos, in a world where spirits are fading. I ask myself: have I the strength to embrace my gift?"

Pushing herself to her hands and knees, the girl shook her head to clear the fog from her mind. When she was strong enough, her head clear enough, she rose to her feet.

"For now, I sleep, my dreams everlasting. It is here that I await the end of eternity... and the day I awaken once again."

Light blue eyes took in the sights around her, confusion blanketing her face. Fragments of memories were a jumble of images in her mind's eyes, the pinkette rubbing her eyes to push them aside. Looking upon the land again, one question came to her lips.

"Where am I?"

A/N: In loving memory of my Grandfather.

Grandpa Ken

September 4, 1925 - November 12, 2012

Rest in peace. You are missed.