Hope Estheim was staggered. Best explanation for the feelings going through his mind and heart at the moment he looked behind him and realized Light was nowhere to be found. He was short of breath and felt a keen pain in his chest. But where was her crystal? Looking around, he realizes that though he can see the crystalline figures of Vanille and Fang holding up Cocoon, the recognizable shape of Lightning is not there. Why? I don't get it. If she's not crystal, where did she go? Realizing that the others are having a happy reunion despite Light's disappearance, he swallows his grief and joins them. But he will not give up. He's lost too much...

He was no dummy. Still, graduating with honors from Eden University was still quite a shock. He specialized in science, namely futuristic experiments, such as time travel and an interesting but rare occurence called a paradox, something that was hardly ever discovered in today's world. Apparently it had something to do with the Paddra seeress, Paddra Nsu Yeul. Anyway, that's not important at the moment. It's been 7 years since the Fall, and he's going to see Light for the first time in months. Have I ever missed her. Everything I have accomplished was because she gave me strength. I wouldn't be who I am without her, he thought.

Looking back, he remembered that fateful day...

Falling from the sky, he grabbed hands with Snow and Light, and looked up to realize that Fang and Vanille were not with them. Seeing them suddenly aglow with a terrible light, they transformed, becoming Ragnarok and digging down through the base of Cocoon deep into the roots of Gran Pulse, fulfilling their Focus and simultaneously destroying and saving Cocoon. Trapped inside Cocoon's pillar, they now guarded Cocoon together. Once they hit the ground, the l'Cie must have turned to crystal, because that's when everything goes blank.

Upon awakening, Hope saw Snow and Sazh, and ran to meet up with them. Looking around, they saw Serah and Dajh coming towards them, and Snow and Sazh were momentarily distracted, giving Hope the chance to look around for Light. But where was she? He didn't see her anywhere. Wondering if she had somehow been sucked into the crystal pillar, he wandered over to examine it more closely. But, she was nowhere to be found. If she isn't here, then where is she? he thought. Looking around him, he saw something silver glinting at the base of the pillar. He leaned over for a closer look and realized it was Lightning's knife, the one she got from Serah as a gift, the same one Light gave him for protection. With a heavy heart, he scooped it up and carried it over to the joyful group.

"But where's Lightning?" Serah can be heard asking.

"Serah, I'm sorry," Snow said, looking up at Cocoon. "She must be holding up Cocoon, with Fang and Vanille."

Hope looked up at her, with tears shining in his big green eyes, and said, "Here, I found this at the base of the pillar," handing her the knife.

Choking back tears, trying to be strong, Hope watched as Serah collapsed in grief, wishing with all his heart that Light could be there, that this was just a crystal dream.

But it wasn't. And here he is, after battling grief and depression, a strong, intelligent young man, with the world at his feet. But, it's nothing without you, Light, he thought. I wish I could see you one more time.

Walking across the grassy plain of the Archlyte Steppe towards the pillar, he thought about all that had passed since that fateful day, and how grateful he was for his friends. He sure did miss them though. 4 years ago, they'd all up and disappeared. Not quite so suddenly, they had told them they were leaving, but each person, Serah, Snow, Sazh, had not told him where they were going, just that they'd had to leave. So he was alone with his pain and grief, and lonely with the lack of camraderie he'd grown to need from his former l'Cie partners. No one could quite understand him like them.

Around the pillar, there was a plaque commemorating the sacrifice of Oerba Dia Vanille, Oerba Yun Fang, and Sargeant-Captain Claire "Lightning" Farron. The "Captain" was added on "post-humously", though they were not technically dead, there was no knowing when or if they'd be returned to them, so that was how Lt. Amodar chose to word it. Weekly, Snow and Serah came here with white, pink, and red Pulsian flowers, like the ones at Mah'habara, to lay around the pillar, a little burst of color and life for a still, solemn place.

Hope knelt down at the base of he crystal, holding his hand against it and feeling the smooth strength of the pillar. He fervently prayed to the Maker. Maker, watch over Light, where ever she is. And please, give Fang and Vanille peace...they deserve it.

"Hope," he heard. "Hope,please, can you hear me?"

Wait, that sounded like Vanille. I must be losing my damn mind, he thought.

"No, no, you're not. It's me, Hope. Vanille. I can't stay long, the Goddess Etro has given me a few minutes to talk, but that's all, so please, hear me now."

"Vanille!" he shouted. Looking around him, he was grateful no one was around to see him shouting crazily like that. Composing himself, he stared in awe at the crystal. "Sorry, please, tell me, what is it?"

"Hope, Light is alive. She was sucked into a paradox, a river of chaos that snuck into the timeline when Etro freed you from your crystal sleep. It was Etro's divine intervention that brought you out of it so quickly. She wants to use you to save the world from certain destruction. There is a man, Caius Ballad, who wants to return the world to Valhalla, a place where time flows endlessly, no life, no birth, no death. He wants to stop time. You are the only man with the knowledge to combat his immortal cunning. If you can help the others fix the timeline, maybe Light can come back to you. That's all I can tell you now, except, believe anything you hear from Serah, Snow, and Sazh. They are on your side."

"But..! Vanille, I don't understand, where is Light?!"

"Hope, it's okay. Look inside your dreams for the answers, they will come. I have to go now, but follow your heart, it will always lead you down the right path."

Hope felt her presence leave him. He was shaken, but happy to have some idea what was happening. I will go to my new position at the Academy, he thought, and I will make myself the best damn scientist there ever was. I will save Light, and the world. I can do this for her.