Final Fantasy XIII
Datalog Entries (SPOILERS)
Version 1.1
Copyright 2010 Eric Kanki, all rights reserved
===============================================================================
Disclaimer
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===============================================================================
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Version History
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Version 1.1 Apr-05-2010
Fixed indentation
Version 1.0 Apr-02-2010
Completed all entries
Version 0.6 Apr-01-2010
Finished Events
Completed from People to Cocoon Society
Version 0.2 Mar-31-2010
Started doing entries under Events
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Contents
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I) Introduction
II) Datalog Entries
01) Events
02) People
03) The Thirteen Days
04) History and Myth
05) Locales
06) Cocoon Society
07) The Fal'Cie
08) Analects
09) Primers: Gameplay Basics
10) Primers: Battle
11) Primers: Exploration
12) Primers: The Main Menu
III) Closing & Credits
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I) Introduction
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Welcome to my very first FAQ. After getting so much help on so many games here
on gamefaqs, this is my way to contribute back to the community. I've decided
to make these datalog entries because I didn't bother reading them until after
completing everything in the game and I found it a hassle to go to each entry
one by one to read a few paragraphs on it. Seeing that all the information
could be displayed elsewhere at once, I have decided to take the initiative of
compiling it here.
The datalog can be found by going into the game's main menu and it will be
located right above settings.
This is FULL of *SPOILERS* given that datalog entries are added once past a
section of the game and it will notify you when it has been added. I will not
go into detail when each information is added. This will be the fullset that
everyone should have once the story and all sidequests are completed.
You could just read these entries if you would like find out how most of the
story unfolds excluding the ending since it's not included on the datalog.
Entries within chapters sound repetitive, but it's only because these entries
also appear while loading a save file, so it's there to remind the player what
has just happened, and sometimes, it even reveals what's up ahead.
Although Enemy Intel is located under Datalog, I will omit them here given that
there is a separate FAQ just for that.
Datalogs under Primers include PS3 buttons. For those that are playing this
game on the 360, use the equivalent buttons. (Although these entries will
become common sense the more you play, I'll just list them anyways)
Now, onto the entires...
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II) Datalog Entries
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01) Events
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===========
Chapter One
===========
---------------
Defiers of Fate
---------------
Lightning and Sazh are held abroad a military 'Purge' train along with a group
of civilians destined for exile. In stark contrast to the uncertain and
despairing people around her, Lightning appears determined and focused.
She seizes upon an instant of inattention to disable a guard, and her
impressive display inspires Sazh and the other civilians to take up arms
against the soldiers.
After clashing with army forces, the train crashes to a halt in the war-torn
district known as the Hanging Edge.
Sazh attempts to figure out Lightning�s angle, but she shows little desires to
share, The former soldier throws herself into battle without the slightest hint
of hesitation -- what could be driving her...?
-------------
Fields of War
-------------
Suspect citizens of Cocoon are wrenched from their tranquil existence and
threatened with exile to the world of Pulse. The Purge has begun.
The �land below� is said to crawl with unknown perils, and terrified civilians
begin to rebel against the Purge. A revolt also occurs on the train
transporting Purge deportees, as Lightning�s battle against the guards
galvanizes the other prisoners into action.
The train comes to a halt in the district of the Hanging Edge -- now a hellish
war zone where soldiers open fire indiscriminately upon civilians.
Lightning makes her way through the middle of the conflict, all but ignoring
her uninvited companion, Sazh. She seems determined to press onwards even when
the path before her is destroyed by military strikes.
-----------------
Another Rebellion
-----------------
The peaceful citizens of Cocoon live in constant fear of invasion by the forces
of Pulse -- the world below and supposed home of terrors unknown.
Were even a single Pulsian agent to be discovered on Cocoon, panic and civil
unrest would be sure to follow, threatening the very fabric of society. To
prevent such a calamity, the Sanctum (Cocoon�s governing body) initiates the
�Purge� -- a government initiative officially entailing the deportation of all
those who may have come into contact with corrupting Pulsian influences.
However, the Sanctum army is now brutally slaughtering the civilians they were
supposed to be deporting.
Realizing that the Purge is nothing more than a massacre in disguise, Snow
leads the young freedom fighters of NORA in an effort to protect the Purge
�deportees� from the Sanctum soldiers.
----------------
The Warpath Home
----------------
The Purge is a Sanctum initiative designed to protect the stability of Cocoon
by forcing potentially dangerous civilians to relocate to Pulse.
However, the relocation is simply a fa�ade to cover the massacre that ensues.
The government�s true goal is the brutal extermination of all possible threats
to a peaceful society.
Having discovered the horrific truth, Snow leads the members of NORA against
the government soldiers of PSICOM.
Inspired by the actions of this handful of brave young men and women, the
beleaguered civilians take heart and join the battle in hope of returning to a
normal life.
Among the citizens who stand against the forces of PSICOM is a mother who
wishes for nothing more than to protect her son.
----------------
Fallen Innocence
----------------
Cocoon�s citizens have always been terrified of Pulse and the mysterious
horrors that are said to stalk its hostile wastelands.
Their fear is so great that if a Cocoon native were to have even the briefest
contact with Pulsian elements, former friends and neighbors would consider them
corrupted and dangerous.
In light of this fact, the Sanctum orders the Purging of Bodhum in an effort to
remove all potentially Pulse-tainted civilians.
Accordingly, soldiers round up all those identified as candidates for
relocation and inform them of their impending exile.
However, PSICOM, the elite arm of the Sanctum military, then begins to massacre
the helpless civilians. This prompts Snow to lead the people in a rebellion
against the army. Tragically, one of the civilians who decides to follow him,
hoping to protect her son, dies in the act of saving Snow�s life.
From afar, the boy witnesses the moment of his mother�s death in shock and
disbelief.
------------------
The Fal�Cie Awaits
------------------
A massive object is transported through the sky over the Hanging Edge. This
object is a Pulse Vestige -- a lowerworld artifact that had been nothing more
than a Bodhum landmark. Two days ago, it was discovered that the Vestige
housed a long dormant Pulse fal�Cie.
The fal�Cie had slumbered undisturbed on the outskirts of a Cocoon city for
centuries. The Sanctum decrees that the presence of the Pulse entity and its
corrupting magics have tainted the entire population of the city, and orders
the Purge.
For different reasons, Lightning and Sazh now make their way towards the very
being that was the catalyst for so much tragedy.
Snow, meanwhile, is crushed by feelings of guilt after many die under his
command. He only emerges from his gloom when Gadot reminds him that the fal�Cie
is holding a certain young lady -- captive who needs her hero now more than
ever.
----------------
Into the Vestige
----------------
Snow still cannot shake his feelings of guilt. Despite his efforts to protect
the Purge deportees from the Sanctum forces, many have fallen.
The death of one woman in particular haunts his thoughts: a mother fighting for
the sake of her son, who gave her life to save Snow.
In the moments before her death, the woman begged the leader of NORA to take
care of her child, but slipped from Snow�s grasp without revealing the boy�s
identity.
With Gadot�s help, Snow breaks out of his depression. He figures that if he
just goes ahead and protects everyone, then the woman�s son will be saved as
well.
After checking to see if the children are safe, Snow leaves the waning battle
to his fellow NORA members and sets off with new determination towards the
Vestige. His fianc�e is still held captive by the Pulse fal�Cie.
A boy watches him leave, eyes filled with rage and loathing. To his grief-
stricken mind, Snow is responsible for his mother�s death.
-----------------
Fates Intertwined
-----------------
For centuries, a Pulse fal�Cie has slumbered undisturbed on the outskirts of a
Cocoon city. On the day of lowerworld entity is finally discovered, Cocoon�s
peaceful society is plunged into chaos.
The government judges the city�s inhabitants to have been tainted by their
unwelcome guest, and begins a merciless campaign to expunge both the fal�Cie
and the �corrupted� citizenry from the face of Cocoon.
Instead of the exile they were led to expect, the civilians face extermination
at the hands of the Sanctum army.
The people attempt to fight back, but are hopelessly outmatched by the
military.
Lightning cuts her way through this battlefield, doggedly followed by the
desperate Sazh. Snow, meanwhile, seeks to rescue his fianc�e.
...And a boy spurred on by dreams of revenge pursues Snow with the help of an
unusual young lady.
Though driven by separate goals, their paths all lead to the same end: the
Pulse fal�Cie.
===========
Chapter Two
===========
------------------
In Pursuit of Snow
------------------
Hope has fallen into a panic.
In his single-minded pursuit of Snow, he has rushed into the lair of a fal�Cie
and is only now recalling the terrible nature of the being that lurks within.
The Pulse entity could use its power to curse them -- to turn them into l�Cie.
Pulse l�Cie are the doomed servants of the fal�Cie who created them, despised
and feared by the people of Cocoon.
Hope�s companion, Vanille, seems unconcerned by this dreadful possibility.
Bemused by her indomitable cheerfulness, he nervously follows her in search of
Snow.
It was Snow who convinced his mother to fight. It was Snow she was protecting
when she died. And it is snow who must be made to pay.
-----------------------
Where Men Fear to Tread
-----------------------
To the citizens of Cocoon, the lowerworld of Pulse is a hell rife with unknown
terrors, and the recently discovered Pulse fal�Cie is an invader from that
hell.
In an effort to quell the growing panic in the wake of the entity�s discovery,
the Sanctum initiates an extreme measure known as the Purge. Under this
initiative, not only is the fal�Cie to be cast out of Cocoon, but all of the
civilians living nearby as well.
Any person coming into contact with the lowerworld being�s foul energies could
already be corrupted, and no potential enemies of Cocoon can be allowed to
remain.
The ensuing �deportation� claims the lives of countless civilians, Hope�s
mother among them. After witnessing her death and chasing Snow into the
Vestige in a blind rage, Hope suddenly realizes that he may soon share the same
fate as the Pulse fal�Cie: relocation to the world below.
Vanille, however, calmly accepts the situation, and lends her support to the
distraught boy.
Unaware of his young pursuers, Snow begins exploring the arcane halls and
chambers of the shrine-like vestige in search of his captive fianc�e, Serah.
-----------------
Open Doors Beckon
-----------------
The Pulse fal�Cie -- an entity that threatens the peace of Cocoon�s society --
holds Snow�s fianc�e captive.
As the determined Snow delves ever deeper into the alien structure, Lightning
and Sazh arrive at the Vestige after fighting their way through waves of
Sanctum forces.
The unlikely duo�s progress is halted by an impassable gate, which finally
opens as if in response to Lightning�s whispered words of apology.
Did her plea reach the mind of the fal�Cie? Or was another being responsible
for opening the portal?
Sazh follows the ex-soldier into the Vestige, bemused by the lack of
explanation, but driven on nonetheless by a purpose he has yet to reveal.
----------------------
In the Shadow of L�Cie
----------------------
Military �weapons� stalk the halls of the Vestige... Though the PSICOM recon
team that uncovered the lowerworld being two days previous is still trapped
inside, Lightning and Sazh know that the real threat is not a part of the
Sanctum army, but the Pulse fal�Cie and its servant l�Cie.
Pulse l�Cie are former humans who have become agents of destruction. Those
residents living near the Vestige face being Purged simply because of their
proximity to the fal�Cie and the possibility that its power has bound them into
servitude.
With tales of l�Cie haunting his thoughts, Hope hears Snow�s voice calling in
the distance.
Although he plans to confront Snow over his mother�s death, the reality of the
situation becomes too much for Hope to bear. He cannot go through with it.
Not yet.
----------------
Saving the Enemy
----------------
Pulse l�Cie are cursed beings who wield supernatural power and whose very
existence incites panic and destruction.
Hope explodes into a rage upon hearing that Snow plans to rescue Serah, now a
l�Cie herself. Even if she is Snow�s fianc�e, nothing good can come of helping
a sworn enemy in Cocoon. The situation only serves to magnify Hope�s hatred of
the man he holds responsible for his mother�s death.
Shaking with fury, he is unable to form the words he desperately wants to say.
Oblivious to Hope�s anger and worried for their safety, Snow decides to bring
Hope and Vanille along on his mission.
Meanwhile, Sazh explains the cruel fate of a person cursed as a l�Cie. L�Cie
are bound in eternal service to a fal�Cie, and failure to carry out a Focus
results in transformation into a mindless abomination -- a Cie�th.
A person shackled by the l�Cie curse is beyond salvation.
As Sazh comes to this grim conclusion, Lightning angrily compares him to those
who insisted on the Purge. She knows full well the doom that awaits a l�Cie,
and will do anything in her power to save her sister from that fate.
--------------------
The Gift of Eternity
--------------------
A legend on Cocoon states that if l�Cie complete the Focus given by a fal�Cie,
they turn into crystal and gain eternal life.
And just as the legend describes, Serah, Lightning�s younger sister and fianc�e
to Snow, glows with an incredible light and turns into crystal. But has she
truly gained eternal life? And what Focus has she completed?
This timeless crystal sleep seems nothing more than another form of death to
Lightning, and she turns her feelings of grief and anger upon Snow.
Snow, however, refuses to give up hope of a future where Serah will return to
him.
Just then, the Sanctum army begins its assault on the Vestige. Though it may
mean sharing the Vestige�s imminent destruction, the group heads even deeper
into the complex.
Snow seeks to persuade the fal�Cie to release his fianc�e, while Lightning and
Sazh have other plans in mind...
--------------
Pulsian Menace
--------------
Snow pleads with the Pulse fal�Cie. He offers himself in Serah�s place if it
will release her from her fate.
The fal�Cie remains silent.
Seeing Snow�s desperate pleas go unanswered, Lightning and Sazh draw weapons on
the lowerworld being. Even if the fal�Cie will soon be destroyed along with the
entire Vestige, they have reasons to defeat it with their own hands.
They work together to bring down the fal�Cie, and the Vestige now plummets
towards the lake below. A final wave of power explodes from the dying fal�Cie,
transforming the water and surrounding into solid crystal.
Lightning and the others do not witness this breathtaking event -- upon
defeating the fal�Cie, they are drawn through a rift into a dimension where an
immense, otherworldly presence awaits.
Onto their bodies, it sears cursed brands; onto their minds, the vision of a
beast destroying Cocoon. Swept along by unimaginable energies, the helpless
companions are swallowed in a lightless void.
As Snow drifts in the darkness, one memory fights to the surface of his
consciousness...
-----------------
Bound in Darkness
-----------------
Lightning feels nothing but anger towards the Pulse fal�Cie. It had taken Serah
and cursed her with a l�Cie�s doomed existence. It is the underlying reason for
the Purge. And it is an enemy to be cut down if she is to fulfill Serah�s final
request: to save Cocoon.
Lightning�s aggression provokes the fal�Cie into action, and it attacks her.
Sazh draws his guns with grim resolve, and Snow joins the battle without
hesitation.
As they deal the killing blow to the master of the Vestige, a flash of light
rends the air.
They are pulled into a swirling void of chaos, where they are bound by an
ominous and inexorable entity. Branded with arcane markings, the companions are
then assaulted with the vision of a terrible beast tearing Cocoon apart. Soon
after, the Vestige finally succumbs to the combined attacks of the Sanctum
forces.
In the midst of the chaos, a memory surfaces from the depths of Snow�s fading
awareness: a marriage proposal made to his beloved Serah under a night sky lit
with the colors of exploding fireworks. Can his wish for a happy future ever
be granted now?
=============
Chapter Three
=============
-------
Branded
-------
After being caught in the destruction of the Vestige, the group awakens
directly under the Hanging Edge on the expanse of a solidified Lake Bresha. An
aftereffect of the energies released by the dying fal�Cie, the waters of the
lake are now frozen in crystal splendor.
Despite having survived a fall from an incredible height, the companions are
unable to appreciate their luck as each one of them now bears a brand of alien
design. The mark seared on their bodies signifies their servitude to a fal�Cie
and the �gift� of magical power.
It is the brand of a cursed l�Cie. Worse, they must now complete their assigned
Focus if they are to avoid becoming monstrous Cie�th, though none can say for
sure what their mission actually entails. Their only clue is the vision they
all witnessed of the great beast laying waste to Cocoon.
Ragnarok.
Though all signs point to a bleak and tragic destiny, Snow alone remains
optimistic. Convinced that his Focus is to grant Serah�s wish and save Cocoon,
he sets off full of confidence.
---------------
A Vision Shared
---------------
Now that they are Pulse l�Cie, Lightning and the others try to figure out what
their Focus could be. The only thing they know for certain is that the
rampaging beast Ragnarok is somehow involved.
Snow is convinced that their Focus is to protect their world by defeating the
beast. But one fact contradicts his belief: Pulse l�Cie are the hated enemies
of Cocoon. A Pulse fal�Cie would never assign such a task to its servants.
Lightning is infuriated by Snow�s refusal to accept this logic. As she sees it,
the fal�Cie not only made them into l�Cie, it also took her sister from her.
The former soldier could never bring herself to meekly follow the orders of
such a being, and Snow�s apparent surrender to its will, however
misinterpreted, is more than she can stand.
As they trade heated words, Sanctum soldiers surround their location. Arguments
will have to wait -- for now, they must concentrate on surviving.
---------------------
Partings and Promises
---------------------
Is she dead, or merely sleeping?
Serah, now a silent statue, is trapped in a crystal embrace. Lightning doesn�t
wish to leave her behind, but reluctantly says her farewells. The army is on
their trail if they stop to dig Serah free, their pursuers will certainly
catch them.
However, Snow is not ready to say good-bye. He elects to stay behind, protect
Serah, and somehow fulfill her wish to save Cocoon.
Knowing they cannot change his mind, Lightning and the others continue on their
way. Hope drags himself away from Snow for what might be the final time -- and
the chance to say what he is burning to say is lost.
---------------
Casting the Net
---------------
Lightning and the others leave Snow behind with the crystallized Serah. As they
continue their flight across thee glassy expanse of Lake Bresha, the four
companions spy a large contingent of Sanctum soldiers.
In order to hunt down and exterminate the Purge fugitives, the government is
mobilizing an inordinate number of troops. The excessive reaction is further
proof of Cocoon�s fear and hatred of Pulse. Even those who have barely come
into contact with lowerworld elements cannot be permitted to exist.
This all-consuming fear of some imagined corruption is the origin of the Purge.
The entire population of a town was subjected to the Purge simply by living
near the uncovered Pulse fal�Cie.
It was Cocoon�s citizens, in their terror, who allowed such an extreme policy
to become a reality -- the government simply acted in response to the will of
the people. And Eden, the fal�Cie who guides the Sanctum, gave its tacit
consent through silence.
Now, after untold bloodshed, a military net is closing in around the fleeing
l�Cie, driven by the clamoring of a panicked and angry populace.
------------------
The Only Way Is Up
------------------
Lightning and the others are now cursed l�Cie. If they don�t complete the Focus
given to them by the fal�Cie, they are destined to become mindless Cie�th.
But how can they complete a Focus that they don�t understand?
Their shared vision of the great beast Ragnarok laying waste to their world is
their only clue. That, and the fact that Pulse l�Cie are held to be the mortal
enemies of Cocoon...
Could their Focus really be to orchestrate the destruction of their own home?
Snow doesn�t think so.
He believes their task is to fulfill Serah�s parting wish by keeping Cocoon
safe. After all, wasn�t she a l�Cie, just like them? His shaky logic only
serves to infuriate Lightning, who holds him responsible for her sister�s fate.
Their confrontation is cut short by the arrival of their Sanctum pursuers.
Having made their escape, Lightning and the others pass through the ruins of a
city damaged several centuries ago in the war with Pulse.
Amidst the rubble, they happen upon an airship which they board in the hope of
finally shaking the relentless army.
Snow, meanwhile, remains behind with the crystallized Serah...
----------------
The Twin Sisters
----------------
There is no doubt in Snow�s mind.
They may be Pulse l�Cie, but there is no way they can be enemies of Cocoon.
Serah�s last words before she turned to crystal are proof enough for him that
their Focus is to defeat Ragnarok and protect their world.
Snow stays behind to defend his trapped fianc�e after Lightning and the others
decide to continue onward.
Brought to his knees by wave after wave of PSICOM soldiers during a protracted
battle, the desperate young man is suddenly overcome by a strange phenomenon.
The Twin Sisters of Shiva, Stiria and Nix, appear before him in a blinding
flash of light. They easily dispatch the remaining troops, and then turn on
Snow.
He manages to defeat the icy Eidolons, but is soon captured by an unfamiliar
Sanctum unit.
A striking woman accompanies the soldiers -- a woman with a l�Cie brand.
Meanwhile, try as they might, Lightning�s group cannot shake their determined
pursuers. Crippled by enemy fire, their airship plummets towards the ground...
============
Chapter Four
============
-----------------
Nothing but Grief
-----------------
Their airship damaged during the escape from the army, the l�Cie are forced to
make a crash landing in the Vile Peaks.
Accustomed to the rigors of conflict, Lightning immediately sets off to
outdistance any pursuit, trailed by Hope.
Exhausted and on the brink of despair, Sazh cannot bring himself to follow. He
knows the army will never stop chasing them. And even if they do somehow evade
capture, they face transformation into Cie�th. How can they complete a Focus
they don�t understand?
Despite the futility of the situation, Sazh cannot leave Vanille to fend for
herself, and he forces his reluctant legs to carry him onward.
Far ahead of the others, Lightning recalls a conversation with her old
superior, Lieutenant Amodar, in which he had warned her not to get involved
with anything connected to the lowerworld. She, of course, subsequently chose
not to heed his warning, and after confronting the Pulse fal�Cie found herself
branded a l�Cie.
Now, anger smolders, within her. Anger at her transformation into a l�Cie,
anger at being forced to flee like a fugitive, and anger at herself for
allowing it all to happen.
-----------------
I Wanna Be Purged
-----------------
The Sanctum announces that the Pulse fal�Cie and any civilians who may have
come into contact with its influence are to be deported to the world below.
Knowing that Serah is being held by the offending creature, Lightning reasons
that the only way to reach her sister before they are exiled is to board the
train and be Purged herself. After coming to this conclusion, she acts without
hesitation. She knows the risk, but there are some things you just have to
do...
As Hope listens to Lightning�s tale, he begins to realize how different they
are. He knows he doesn�t have the strength to change into certain danger, even
if he has no other choice. Unable to keep up with the battle-hardened soldier,
Hope falls into despair.
Meanwhile, Sazh and Vanille fight their way along a different route. Like
Lightning, Sazh had joined the Purge voluntarily, but now he simply acts as
fear and despair prompt him, his former resolve seemingly forgotten.
----------------
Hope and Despair
----------------
As a resident of Palumpolum, Hope should never have been a candidate for the
Purge. The radical government policy only concerns the inhabitants of the town
of Bodhum.
Unfortunately for Hope and his mother, the Sanctum announces the Purge on the
day they are visiting the coastal community -- and the Sanctum soldiers
rounding up the deportees make no distinction between locals and visitors.
Later, at the Hanging Edge, Hope�s mother is killed in the violence which
erupts when the true nature of the Purge is revealed.
This indirectly leads to Hope�s encounter with the Pulse fal�Cie, and
transformation into a cursed l�Cie.
Now, he rails against his cruel fate. He curses the government that started the
Purge, the fal�Cie who made him a l�Cie, the army that hunts him like a
criminal...
But most of all, he chokes on the hatred he feels for Snow -- the man
responsible for dragging his mother into the battle that claimed her life.
Sazh wants to help Hope return home to his father. The boy shows little
enthusiasm for a family reunion, but Sazh is insistent.
He knows how it feels to be a dad.
-------------------
Taking in the Trash
-------------------
The War of Transgression -- the conflict between Pulse and Cocoon.
A towering wreck is all that remains of a lowerworld airship shot down during
the battle that took place centuries before...
At that time, forces from Pulse attempted to invade Cocoon only to be repelled
by the efforts of the Sanctum fal�Cie -- though not before the invaders had
rent a great wound in the floating world�s shell.
Though Sanctum fal�Cie subsequently repaired the damage using debris from the
surface of their routed enemies� planed, the psychological wounds inflicted by
the conflict are evident even now in the Cocoon citizen�s unreasoning fear of
all things Pulse.
And reminders of the lowerworld threat still remain. Mechanical terrors brought
in with the debris replace their rusting parts and wander the area, while
government troops struggle to contain them.
The Pulse fal�Cie buried in Bodhum may have arrived in the same fashion,
sleeping away the years until its eventual discovery.
With lowerworld terrors lurking in every shadow, Sazh creeps forward, doing his
best to shield Vanille and Hope...
---------------------
Fugitives in Futility
---------------------
Lightning says little of her feelings, but Sazh senses her frustration. Despite
braving the dangers of the Purge and the Vestige in an effort to save her
sister, Lightning was helpless to prevent Serah�s transformation into crystal.
Now she is forced to flee as a fugitive -- a Pulse l�Cie and hated enemy of
Cocoon.
And then there is their Focus. If they don�t complete the task they have yet to
figure out, they face transformation into mindless Cie�th. Should they fulfill
their Focus, eternal crystal slumber is the only reward.
And should they stop too long to ponder their fate, they risk capture and
execution at the hands of the relentless Sanctum army.
All roads seem to lead to despair -- something Sazh understand only too well.
The question is: will Lightning help them find a way out of their hopeless
situation?
Unbeknownst to Sazh, the answer has already begun to form in her mind...
------------
Eden or Bust
------------
Lightning makes a decision.
The Pulse fal�Cie transformed her and Serah into l�Cie. The Sanctum fal�Cie,
Eden, directs the army hunting her down.
Pulse or Sanctum, �fal�Cie� means one thing to Lightning: an enemy responsible
for ruining their lives. A clear-cut enemy is something she can deal with.
Having a target is something she can understand.
The former soldier means to infiltrate the Sanctum capital, and take out the
fal�Cie Eden.
She knows her plan is reckless. It could be disastrous for Cocoon, and flies in
the face of Serah�s last wish. It could even end in battle against Snow, who
will do anything to save Cocoon. But it is the only path that will satisfy her
rage.
Sazh and Vanille oppose her idea, but Hope embraces the opportunity. This is
his chance to grow stronger and finally confront Snow.
Lightning is done running away.
Now she runs forward, her mind set on toppling the Sanctum. But even Lightning
cannot foresee how this journey will end...
-----------------
Thunderous Hooves
-----------------
Hope makes a choice to fight alongside Lightning, but quickly finds himself
exhausted by the pace.
Lightning grows even more agitated. Their enemy is the Sanctum army. She cannot
afford to look after the straggling Hope while she faces such a dangerous foe.
Losing all patience, Lightning curses his weakness and tried to leave him
behind.
In that moment, her l�Cie brand burns with radiant pain.
As if to strike down obstacles in Lightning�s path, the Eidolon Odin appears
and attacks the bewildered Hope.
Lightning moves without thinking. She blocks the deadly blade aimed at the boy
she meant to abandon moments before.
Lightning defeats Odin, and brings the entity under her command. Why did the
Eidolon appear in the first place?
There is no answer to her question, but one thing is certain: she no longer
wishes to leave Hope to survive on his own.
-----------------
Loathing and Fear
�----------------
Sazh and Vanille decide against joining Lightning in her vendetta against the
Sanctum, though doing so leaves them without a road to follow. It seems all
they can do is keep running. And then there is hope to worry about. But he�ll
surely grow tired of the fighting and make his way home -- won�t he?
Sazh also harbors another fear: with the entirety of Cocoon in an uproar over
the recent Pulse activity, any incident involving l�Cie could spark a
full-scale panic. After all, not even Sazh can shake his dread of the
lowerworld.
If Cocoon is to know peace, he argues, l�Cie like them all need to die.
Even as the words pass his lips, he immediately regrets giving voice to such
sentiments, suddenly aware of his companion�s feelings on the matter. But
Vanille just smiles bravely, and urges Sazh to keep on moving.
They have to stay ahead of the army if they want to survive.
---------------
Cold, Hard Fact
---------------
As Lightning and the others make their way through the Vile Peaks, Snow is
escorted aboard the airship Lindblum after his capture at Lake Bresha.
His captors are members of the Wide-area Response Brigade, otherwise known as
the �Cavalry�. The Cavalry is not directly involved with the Purge or the
tracking down of l�Cie.
Nevertheless, their commander, Brigadier General Raines, calmly explains the
reasons behind the Sanctum and PSICOM operations, and their plans to hold a
public execution.
If the l�Cie are killed in plain sight of the populace, he asserts, the panic
threatening the stability of their society will be defused. Are Raines and the
Cavalry also tools of the Sanctum?
And who is the woman who works with them? Isn�t she a Pulse l�Cie and enemy of
Cocoon?
Full of questions and unsure of his captors� motives, Snow recalls another time
when he felt hits powerless -- a time when one cold fact robbed him of the
strength to stand.
It was the moment he learned that his beloved Serah was a Pulse l�Cie.
--------------
Separate Paths
--------------
If l�Cie were machines, they would seek to complete any Focus without question.
But l�Cie are human, and no human willingly desires the slavery imposed by a
fal�Cie.
Sazh and Vanille support each other in their desperate flight. What is their
Focus? They are scared to even contemplate the answer to that question.
Snow, by contrast, chooses to pursue his objective without hesitation, not
because he wants to obey the fal�Cie, but because it is Serah�s wish.
He believes without the slightest shred of doubt that his Focus is to protect
Cocoon.
Lightning and Hope, meanwhile, choose to fight. They turn their anger against
an unjust fate and a world hostile to their very existence.
On their way to Eden at the very heart of Cocoon, Lightning and Hope prepare to
enter a military-controlled zone...
============
Chapter Five
============
---------------------
A Strategy for Change
---------------------
Rejecting the fate chosen for her by the fal�Cie and set on exacting revenge on
her cold-blooded government, Lightning enters the Gapra Whitewood along with
Hope. It seems they�ve managed to lose their PSICOM trackers, but the Whitewood
is a Sanctum military zone, and their chances of encountering hostile units are
high. Yet what choice do they have? It�s the only road that leads to the
Sanctum capital.
Lightning now intends to fight on Hope�s behalf after Odin�s appearance forces
her to rethink her decision to leave the boy behind.
But she isn�t the only one to have had a change of heart.
Having relied on Lightning for protection from the beginning, Hope resolves not
to flinch from danger, choosing instead to put himself squarely in the line of
fire.
Sensing the shift in his attitude, Lightning entrusts the lead to her young
companion.
-----------------
Weapon of Choice?
-----------------
Taking the lead of his own free will, Hope precedes Lightning into the depths
of the Gapra Whitewood.
He needs to be stronger.
Hope joins Lightning in her fight against the Sanctum because he thinks the
experience of battle will toughen him up.
He cannot show fear. He cannot show weakness.
If he does, he�s afraid Lightning will decide to go on without him again. So,
even if it is a lie, he puts on a brave face, and pushes his terror aside.
Seeing that he is struggling to control his fear, Lightning gives Hope a knife
in an attempt to boost his confidence.
-------------------
The Price of Vanity
-------------------
A Woodlands Observation Battalion patrol passes by. Strangely enough, the
soldiers don�t appear to be looking for intruders.
From her own experience as a soldier, Lightning realizes why: these troops
still don�t know about the l�Cie fugitives.
PSICOM, wishing to cover their failure to exterminate them in the Vile Peaks,
is suppressing information. As an elite unit under the direct command of the
Sanctum, PSICOM has its reputation to consider.
That pride has left a hole in the security net for Lightning and Hope to sneak
through.
It seems their journey through the Gapra Whitewood will be easier than
expected. After all the ill fortune that has befallen them so far, they�re
certainly due some luck...
--------
No Rules
--------
Thanks to PSICOM�s reluctance to share intelligence, the security level of the
Gapra Whitewood is comparatively low.
Now that they have a little space to breathe, Lightning and Hope ponder the
fates of their fellow l�Cie. Sazh and Vanille must still be on the run. And who
knows how Snow must be faring?
Out of the blue, Hope asks Lightning why Snow�s gang calls itself NORA.
Though puzzled by his sudden interest, Lightning supplies him with the answer:
it�s an acronym that stands for �No Obligations, Rules, or Authority�. They
wish to live without restrictions, she explains, though some might argue that
what they really with to live without is responsibility.
Hope�s face darkens at this explanation. Spurred by his agitation, he hurries
onwards through the waiting gate. Where�s an enemy when you need one? He needs
an outlet for the anger that suddenly threatens to consume him.
---------------------
Of Revenge and Regret
---------------------
Lightning learns the reason for Hope�s animosity towards Snow: his mother�s
death during the chaos of the Purge. Believing the responsibility to lie with
the NORA leader, the grief-stricken boy has been feeding his rage ever since.
Hope�s motivation for joining Lightning in her vendetta is to experience battle
and grow strong enough to challenge Snow.
The blade in Hope�s hand shines brightly. Will the gift Lightning gave him to
boost his confidence become the instrument of his revenge?
The weapon Hope stares at so intently awakens memories in his companion.
On Lightning�s birthday, Serah confessed to her sister that she had become a
Pulse l�Cie. Not willing to believe the story, Lightning pushes Serah away with
disdainful words. By the time she discovered that Serah had been telling the
truth, it was too late...
Now the knife is all she has left of her sister -- a birthday gift, and symbol
of unbearable regret.
--------------
Operation Nora
--------------
As hope reaches out a hand to a fallen soldier, Lightning stops him with a
harsh reminder: they have chosen the path of war. They will face many soldiers
on the way, and it�s kill or be killed. If you allow yourself to be controlled
by compassion, if you allow yourself to falter, then you are lost. Lightning
teaches Hope a strategy for removing hesitation: decide upon a goal, and shut
out everything else.
Hope takes these words to heart, and comes up with Operation Nora. Named after
his dead mother, it is the means by which he will exact vengeance upon Snow.
Though he knows it won�t bring his mother back, it�s nevertheless something he
needs to do.
Lightning soon realizes her mistake. Her lecture to abandon compassion was
intended as a warning against the hesitation she fears will be his undoing, but
he has clearly interpreted it as a cue to hurl himself headlong into harm�s
way.
Regretting her words, Lightning continues on through the Whitewood.
--------------
Driving Forces
--------------
Hope now concentrates all his efforts on Operation Nora -- his plan for taking
revenge against Snow.
Though she feels responsible for his newly acquired recklessness in battle,
Lightning finds herself unable to say anything. She is afraid that if she
prevents hope from fighting, he will lose the drive he needs to keep going, and
succumb to despair.
Not knowing how to reach Hope, Lightning rescinds her earlier decision and
suggests they visit the boy�s father in Palumpolum.
Meanwhile, Snow struggles with his conscience as he prepares to help the
Cavalry track down the other Pulse l�Cie. Snow swore to do whatever it takes to
save Cocoon. What has happened to make him act against that promise?
Now clear of the Vile Peaks, Sazh and Vanille approach a stretch of beautiful
countryside that promises an easier road to travel.
===========
Chapter Six
===========
------------------
Sun-dappled Flight
------------------
As they flee with no particular destination in mind, Sazh and Vanille spot
warships passing overhead. The military craft appear to be flying in the
direction of Palumpolum. Lightning and Hope were heading towards that city...
Could the army have found them?
Though Sazh is worried for his former companions� safety, he knows that any
attempt to rescue them from Sanctum troops would be suicide. Still, they can�t
just walk away -- can they?
Sensing Sazh�s uncertainty, Vanille swiftly agrees that there isn�t much they
can do, and suggests they run. Reasoning that it would be best to put as much
distance between themselves and the army as possible, she suggest heading in
the opposite direction -- towards the city of Nautilus.
And so Vanille skips off through the dappled shade of the Sunleth Waterscape,
only too eager to put danger behind them once more.
----------------
A Wish for Daddy
----------------
Sazh and Vanille make their way through the Sunleth Waterscape, trying to
distance themselves from the Sanctum forces assembling in the city of
Palumpolum.
Vanille�s offhand question about family fills Sazh�s head with memories of his
son, Dajh...
As fireworks illuminated the night sky with brilliant color, Dajh had made a
wish out of concern for his dad. Touched by the insight of his little boy,
Sazh smiled, pretending to be cheerful -- but all the while an unbearable pain
gnawed at his soul.
This pain plagues him even now. But what is the reason for Sazh�s misery? And
who is the enigmatic woman with a more than passing interest in the boy and his
father?
--------------
Father and Son
--------------
With a heavy heart, Sazh reveals the fate that has befallen his son, Dajh.
When Pulse l�Cie invaders attacked the fal�Cie powering the Euride Gorge energy
plant, it chose the closest human to become its servant and defender: a small
boy who had wandered into the facility. Now a Sanctum l�Cie with the ability to
sense the presence of Pulsian energies, Dajh has been held in custody and
monitored by government officials ever since.
It is thanks to Dajh�s unique ability that PSICOM was able to discover the
Pulse fal�Cie in Bodhum. However, with his exact Focus yet to be determined,
the boy is doomed to become a Cie�th.
This is what prompted Sazh to board the Purge train. Guessing that Dajh�s Focus
might be to destroy the Pulse fal�Cie, Sazh seized the only means available to
him to reach the accursed creature before it could be carried to the world
below. If he could slay it somehow, he reasoned, he might just be able to save
his son.
So, now that the Pulse fal�Cie is no more, has Dajh gone through the same
crystal transformation as Serah? Or was his Focus not to rid the world of the
fal�Cie, but of the l�Cie servants it created?
If that is the case, then Sazh and his companions must die to spare Dajh a fate
worse than death.
---------------
Chain of Events
---------------
Sazh�s son, Dajh, was branded a Sanctum l�Cie when he stumbled into the midst
of a Pulse attack on the Euride Gorge energy plant.
With the help of the l�Cie powers Dajh gained during the incident, the military
discovered the Pulse fal�Cie in Bodhum, instigating the Purge. In the ensuing
violence, Hope lost his mother, and Lightning and Snow witnessed Serah�s
transformation into crystal.
The whole series of events that has thrown their lives into chaos and threatens
even now to shatter Cocoon�s peaceful society can be traced
back to Euride.
Had that incident never occurred, could these tragedies have been avoided? Who
can say? There is little point lamenting that which cannot be changed.
Yet though the past cannot be changed, it can be forgotten -- for a while, at
least -- and so Sazh and Vanille make their way to Nautilus, �City of Dreams�,
as storm clouds gather overhead.
Meanwhile, Lightning and Hope enter one of the largest cities on Cocoon -- as
quite another kind of storm approaches...
=============
Chapter Seven
=============
-----------------------
The Capital of Commerce
-----------------------
With events spiraling out of control, the Sanctum army mobilizes all the forces
under its command in an attempt to apprehend the Pulse l�Cie and thereby
prevent Cocoon from descending into chaos. Prioritizing its mission over its
reputation, PSICOM accordingly enlists the aid of the local Guardian Corps
soldiers.
Under the general command of Colonel Rosch, units of troops occupy positions
across Palumpolum in anticipation of a l�Cie attack.
Originally planning to take the Eden-bound train from inside the city,
Lightning is now having second thoughts. She can�t help but feel concern when
she sees the rage-fueled Hope throwing himself into battle. It doesn�t help
that it was Lightning herself who inadvertently encouraged him to concentrate
on his goal of revenge in the first place.
And that goal is what drives him now. He must complete Operation Nora, and make
Snow and the Sanctum pay for the death of his mother. But who can say how much
time remains for a l�Cie who ignores his Focus?
Ignorant of her worries, Hope leads Lightning to an underground complex that
will allow them to sneak past the Guardian Corps troops and into the city.
-----------------
Under Their Noses
-----------------
Under the command of Colonel Rosch, PSICOM and the Guardian Corps occupy
positions across Palumpolum in anticipation of a l�Cie attack.
In order to avoid the increased security, Lightning and Hope travel through an
underground complex that reaches far beneath the city. If they can enter the
town undetected, they should be able to find a way to reach Eden -- the capital
that lies at the heart of Cocoon.
Hope hurries onwards, eager to continue Operation Nora, and exact revenge on
Snow and the Sanctum.
Yet l�Cie who fail to complete their Focus become Cie�th. It�s uncertain when
the exact moment of transformation will come, but time is not on their side.
Even though there may be no light at the end of the tunnel, they have no choice
but to keep trudging along in the dark.
Hope�s grim determination is a source of pain for Lightning. Her attempt at
giving him a reason to survive has backfired, fanning the flames of his hatred
and setting him on the path of a deadly confrontation.
He is her responsibility. She has to protect him.
--------------
No Way to Live
--------------
The Sanctum fal�Cie treat the people of Cocoon like pets. Upon realizing this
fact, Lightning comes to understand herself. Since the moment she was born, she
was raised under fal�Cie care. Sheltered and protected, she never realized how
much she depended on them. But after becoming a Pulse l�Cie, she is removed
from that protection.
And like a child separated from her mother, she wanders in confusion and doubt.
Added to the anxiety of being a fugitive, the grief of losing Serah, and her
rage at an unjust fate, Lightning finds herself on the brink of blackest
despair.
It is all so clear now. Thinking of a future without hope would be too much to
bear, so she made the Sanctum her enemy and sought to lose herself in mindless
combat. But it was all just a way to avoid facing reality.
And now she�s got Hope doing the same. If he loses himself in revenge, he may
grain temporary respite from the horror of his predicament -- but it will solve
nothing.
Overcome by guilt, Lightning tells Hope to abandon operation Nora, much to the
boy�s disbelief. If he gives up on revenge, what else is there to live for?
The two l�Cie have much to think about...
-----------------------
The Weight of Vengeance
-----------------------
Lightning knows that Snow is not Hope�s favorite person. But the only way to
ensure the boy�s escape from the swarm of Sanctum troops is to leave him with
the man he despises.
Her mind made up, Lightning shoves Hope at Snow, then charges the enemy
soldiers, intending to cut a path through which they can escape. She may have
failed to give him hope, but the least she can do is keep him alive -- even if
that means sacrificing herself.
After appearing out of nowhere with an Eidolon and felling soldiers left and
right, Snow explains how the Cavalry picked him up. The rebel brigade is part
of the Sanctum army, but it seems they have plans to topple the government with
the help of the l�Cie.
Hope, of course, couldn�t care less. The man responsible for his mother�s death
stands right in front of him. Operation Nora might be over, but his rage will
not be satisfied by mere words.
As Hope runs through streets sheathed in Shiva�s ice, he can feel the shape of
the knife Lightning left in his care nestled against his side...
------------------------
It�s Called Interference
------------------------
Colonel Rosch, PSICOM Director in command of l�Cie operations, decides to
operate the military presence in Palumpolum. Authorizing open warfare in the
streets while civilians are still being evacuated is inviting disaster, but he
is willing to make that sacrifice.
If the l�Cie are not put down here and now, the Pulse-phobic populace will
reach boiling point: Cocoon�s towns will erupt in riots, and the loss of life
will be staggering.
Meanwhile, the l�Cie -- who are currently split into two groups -- choose
Hope�s house as a rendezvous point. But will they all make it?
Every word that the oblivious Snow says feeds the flames of Hope�s anger. Has
Snow forgotten what he�s done? Has he forgotten how he got Hope�s mother
killed? Hope�s patience has finally run out.
During a radio conversation with Lightning, he states his intention to carry
out Operation Nora... and take revenge. With that, the line goes dead.
Lightning tries to reason with Hope, but her desperate plea never reaches him.
---------------
The Pulse L�Cie
---------------
The hellish lowerworld feared by every citizen of Cocoon is known to Fang as
Gran Pulse. On the way to Hope�s home, she begins relating her past in response
to Lightning�s probing.
Fang reveals that she is a l�Cie from Gran Pulse -- the world below the
floating shell of Cocoon. After completing a Focus, she had turned to crystal.
When she awoke, Fang found herself very far from home in the nest of her
enemies. And she was not alone -- Vanille, a fellow Gran Pulse l�Cie, was with
her.
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Snow and Hope spy a group of Palumpolum
civilians being herded by Sanctum troops. The government means to Purge them
too...
Thinking to rescue the people from that fate, Snow leaps into action, ever the
cheerful hero -- but this serves only to further agitate Hope.
What does a l�Cie with no hope for the future have to smile about? Shaking his
head in disgust, Hope awaits an opportunity to take his revenge.
-------------
Mob Injustice
-------------
Snow has seen the merciless nature of the Sanctum army.
The military�s goal is not the protection of civilians -- it is the
extermination of l�Cie. As long as the Pulse servants are killed, the number of
innocent deaths is inconsequential.
Snow threatens the citizens, hoping to make them run as far away as possible,
and thus protect them from ending their days as �collateral damage�.
But his good intentions are misunderstood.
An angry mob tracks down the two l�Cie, and advances on them with a mix of
trepidation and determination. They believe they are doing the right thing --
that they are standing up in defense of their homes.
The scene reminds Hope just how much everyone on Cocoon hates l�Cie. Hate him.
Coming face-to-face with this cruel reality Hope falls even deeper into
despair. Even if he makes it back to his home in Felix Heights, there is no
salvation waiting for him there.
His mother, Nora, is no longer around to shield him from the dangers of the
world.
Snow saw to that.
-------------
Over the Edge
-------------
Hope finally unleashes the anger he has been feeding for so long. Channeling
his hate into deadly power, he blasts snow with fiery magic. But just as he
prepares to deal the killing blow, he is hurled from the roof of the building
they are standing on by a nearby explosion. Snow doesn�t hesitate for a second.
He hasn�t forgotten the dying with of a mother who fell during the violence of
the Purge. Catching the boy he now knows is her son, Snow shields Hope with his
own body as they crash to the ground below.
Elsewhere, Lightning listens as Fang makes a confession...
When Fang and Vanille awoke from crystal stasis, they had no memory of their
past. Thinking it might give them a hint about their Focus, they decided to
attack the Sanctum fal�Cie in Euride Gorge.
Unfortunately, Fang left the scene none the wiser, and is still desperately
trying to figure out their task in order to prevent Vanille from becoming a
Cie�th -- and to stop the creation of any more l�Cie.
The Gran Pulse native then reveals that she believes Serah was chosen by the
fal�Cie to carry out the Focus they no longer remember.
Lightning takes the news with mixed emotions. Fang deserves to pay for what
happened to Serah. But at the same time, she gives Lightning hope -- her sister
may not be a crystal forever.
---------------
Until She Wakes
---------------
Just as the citizens of Lightning�s world fear the lowerworld of Pulse, the
people of �Gran� Pulse -- as Fang calls her home -- fear the floating nest of
vipers that is Cocoon.
It would seem the two women are not so different. They each grew up in fear of
another world, bear the mark of a Pulse l�Cie, have a Focus they don�t
understand, and live as fugitives from the Sanctum.
But unlike Lightning, Fang has not given up hope. She still plans to track down
Vanille, finish their Focus, and then get back to Gran Pulse.
Hearing this, Lightning laments the fact that she has no plan and no reason to
keep fighting. Fang responds that she has all the reason anyone could need: to
stay alive until Serah wakes up from her crystal sleep.
As Lightning comes around to this idea, there is an explosion in the distance.
Could Snow and Hope be in trouble? Trading worried glances, the two l�Cie race
off in the direction of the fighting.
-----------------
Sustained by Hate
-----------------
Hope regains consciousness to find himself being carried on Snow�s broad back.
The self-styled �hero� staggers under the boy�s weight as he forces his wounded
body forward. Pausing to rest, he talks about the anguish and guilt he hides
behind a cheerful mask -- before returning the knife to Hope�s hand.
The NORA leader is defenseless. With one thrust, Hope can finally claim
vengeance for his mother�s death. This is the moment the boy has fought for.
His chance for revenge. But hope hesitates and then the moment is gone.
Hope reveals that he always knew killing Snow wouldn�t bring his mother back,
but that he had no choice but to cling to that goal. He didn�t survive this
long to see revenge -- he saw revenge as a means to survive.
It is his hatred of Snow that has sustained him through countless battles. In a
strange way, the man who made a promise to his mother has been protecting him
all along.
When he is later reunited with Lightning, Hope tells her Operation Nora is
over, and gives her back the knife. He doesn�t need it anymore.
Having avoided further military pursuit, the group finally arrives at the
Estheim household, where Hope breaks the terrible news to his anxious father...
-----------------
Healing the Rifts
-----------------
The knife Serah gave her on her birthday has become a symbol of regret for
Lightning.
Because she refused to believe her sister�s story that day, Serah ended up a
prisoner of the Pulse fal�Cie, and Lightning herself became a l�Cie when she
later tried to save her, Since then, the former soldier has sought out battle
to avoid dealing with the guilt she feels for turning her sister away.
Now, however, Lightning finally faces the truth of her emotions, and accepts
responsibility for her part in what happened.
She meekly apologizes to the injured Snow -- the man who always believed in
Serah, and protected Hope from harm.
The rifts between the l�Cie are healing, but the reality of their situation is
still grim. When Snow talks about taking down the Sanctum, Hope�s father,
Bartholomew, points out the flaws in their plan.
If the government is toppled by l�Cie, how will the people react? Will they not
see their worst fears realized, take up arms, and hasten the very cataclysm
they wish to avoid?
As the l�Cie ponder their strategy, PSICOM commandos burst into the house. Hope
stands against the soldiers, while the wounded Snow takes care of his father.
----------------------
Here Comes the Cavalry
----------------------
Colonel Rosch, Director of PSICOM, explains the necessity of his actions to the
l�Cie, declaring that the Sanctum�s -- and the fal�Cie�s -- decision to order
the Purge was anything but arbitrary. Had they not initiated such measures, he
contends, and ignored the cries of the people, Cocoon�s panicked society would
have torn itself apart.
If Rosch speaks the truth, then the l�Cie�s enemy is not the government, but
millions of Cocoon civilians. Yet even if this is so, they must somehow find a
way to survive.
Overcoming his desire for revenge, Hope sets out in search of a new goal.
Somewhere beyond the maelstrom of hatred and the grasping will of the fal�Cie
is the future they search for. Hope bids farewell to his father, and boards the
Cavalry airship.
Elsewhere, Sazh and Vanille are still on the run. The two fugitives wander
aimlessly, riding the currents of fate to the doorstep of the City of Dreams...
=============
Chapter Eight
=============
------------------
The City of Dreams
------------------
Nautilus, the City of Dreams -- the biggest theme park on Cocoon -- is crowded
with tourists. If Sazh and Vanille can lose themselves in this crush of people,
the army will never find them. Even so, Sazh finds it hard to feel relieved.
His son, Dajh, has been made into a l�Cie after wandering into a incident at
Euride Gorge. But unlike his father, he is now a servant of a Sanctum fal�Cie
and an enemy of Pulse. As he is locked away under the watchful eye of PSICOM,
Sazh has no way of knowing how his son is doing.
If Dajh�s Focus was to destroy the Pulse fal�Cie in the Bodhum Vestige, then he
should already have turned into crystal...
But what if his Focus was to kill the Pulse l�Cie? Sazh and his companions
would have to die to save Dajh from becoming a Cie�th. And one other thing is
gnawing at his mind: after telling Vanille about his son�s situation, the ever-
cheerful girl has completely lost her spark.
---------------------
Making the Most of It
---------------------
A newsflash is broadcast throughout Nautilus.
During the scenes of combat shown from Palumpolum, Vanille catches a glimpse of
Fang. Although it�s the first she�s seen of her friend since they were
separated at Euride Gorge, Vanille finds it hard to give in to her joy. Not
after what Sazh has said about his son.
Dajh is now a Sanctum l�Cie -- a sworn enemy of his father. And she is directly
responsible.
If Fang and Vanille hadn�t attacked the fal�Cie at the energy plant, the
creature would never have chosen the nearby Dajh as a l�Cie. The young woman is
overwhelmed by guilt.
Ignorant of Vanille�s involvement, Sazh attempts to cheer her up but his
misplaced kindness only makes her feel worse.
The parade is about to begin. For now, she will lose herself in its dream,
knowing that when it is over, the suffering she has been running from will
finally catch up with her.
------------------
Eidolons on Parade
------------------
The Pompa Sancta parade is spectacle of light and sound that commemorates the
war between Cocoon and Pulse.
An embodiment of evil, the Pulse l�Cie appears with plans for the total
destruction of Cocoon. Hard-pressed by a Sanctum l�Cie, the lowerworld servant
takes the form of an infernal beast -- a shape meant to resemble the monstrous
Ragnarok.
The final battle ensues, and the Pulse l�Cie is defeated. It could almost be a
foreshadowing of how events may truly unfold...
While other onlookers are transported by a dream of the past, Vanille is yanked
into the present by a nightmarish vision of the future. The two l�Cie hurry
away in the direction of Nautilus Park.
--------------------
No Place Left to Run
--------------------
Tired of fleeing with no hope in sight, Sazh quietly says his good-byes to
Vanille.
He intends to give himself up to the army and beg PSICOM to let him talk to his
son. Even if it ends in his execution, it will all be worth it if he can see
Dajh one more time and tell him about his encounter with the Nautilus Park
chocobos.
Not willing to let Sazh just give up and die, Vanille tries to talk him out of
it. Revenge is her best bet.
If she reveals the identity of the culprit behind the Euride Gorge incident
that sealed the fate of both father and son, then maybe Sazh will have
something to live for.
The culprit, of course, is Vanille herself. But how to explain...? As the young
woman searches for the right words, sniper bullets bite into the ground around
them.
Sazh covers Vanille as they run for the exit. It�s all fine if he gets captured
by the army, but he has to help Vanille escape.
-------------------
The Euride Incident
-------------------
Upon becoming a Sanctum l�Cie, Dajh gained the ability to sense the presence of
Pulse beings. With the help of his powers, the fal�Cie that had slumbered for
centuries in Bodhum was subsequently discovered on the night of the fireworks
display.
Since that time, no one has been able to work out what Dajh�s Focus actually
is, but now it reveals itself in the cruelest manner possible. He uses his
sensory ability to track down the fugitive Pulse l�Cie -- and turns to crystal
the instant he embraces his father. It seems the boy�s task was to capture the
servants of lowerworld fal�Cie.
As Sazh collapses in shock and despair, Colonel Nabaat, the PSICOM officer
supervising Dajh, appears before him. With sadistic glee, his captor at least
reveals the truth to the distraught Sazh: that one of the people responsible
for his son becoming a l�Cie has been at his side all along.
Vanille flees and Sazh gives chase.
Colonel Nabaat does nothing to stop them. Just think of the data they could
collect by watching l�Cie fight each other...
------------------
Sugar and Rainbows
------------------
Sazh loses his will to go on.
With his beloved son transformed into crystal, he has nothing left to live for.
He curses Vanille for her part in the tragedy, but killing her won�t bring
Dajh back.
Sazh�s brand suddenly glows with burning intensity, and the Eidolon Brynhildr
appears before the despairing father. He doesn�t even try to run. Maybe death
is the easiest path.
But then Vanille puts herself between them. Sazh may despise her for what she�s
done, but she can�t let him die. Once the Eidolon is defeated, Sazh turns his
gun on Vanille. Unable to shoot the young woman, he then turns the gun on
himself...
Soon after, Vanille becomes a prisoner of PSICOM. She faces transportation to
Eden and public execution -- the Sanctum�s chosen doom for Pulse l�Cie.
Watching a news broadcast on board the Lindblum, the Cavalry�s flagship,
Lightning and the other l�Cie learn of the impending execution...
============
Chapter Nine
============
--------------------
The Sanctum Skyfleet
--------------------
The Sanctum plans to transport its l�Cie prisoners to Eden, then carry out
their execution before a public audience.
Brigadier General Raines, the Cavalry commander, suggests that by showing the
deaths of the Pulse �monsters�, the Sanctum fal�Cie hope to quell rising panic
and reaffirm their dominion over society.
Lightning and the others can�t stand by and let their companions be sacrificed
to ensure fal�Cie subjugation.
Deciding to mount a rescue, they plan to use a PSICOM craft to slip aboard the
Palamecia, flagship of the Sanctum Skyfleet and prison vessel for the captured
l�Cie.
Galenth Dysley, Primarch and representative of the people, is also on board.
His presence almost certainly signifies a trap, but what other choice do they
have?
-------------
The Palamecia
-------------
The ease with which the l�Cie slip aboard the Palamecia is, as they had
anticipated, simply a part of the plan to lure them into a trap.
They make it onto the Skyfleet flagship with the help of the Cavalry, only to
be greeted by a squad of PSICOM soldiers as soon as their feet hit the deck.
The l�Cie do not back down.
This is more than just a rescue attempt -- it is a battle that could affect the
future of Cocoon.
The Primarch heads the forces aboard the Palamecia. If they can capture Dysley
and force him to reveal the fal�Cie�s schemes, it may be enough to liberate
Cocoon from the Sanctum�s tyranny and free the hearts and minds of her people.
If they can prove how the government has manipulated its citizens into hating
Pulse, and change the way people feel, then maybe the l�Cie can find a place in
Cocoon�s society -- and some hope for the future.
-------------
Time to Split
-------------
Despite being driven to the brink of suicide by the sight of his son turning
into crystal, Sazh is still alive. Having been captured by Colonel Nabaat in
Nautilus, he and Vanille are now on their way to Eden to be executed. The only
reason they still live is so they can be murdered in front of an audience.
When Sazh learned that Vanille was the one responsible for his grief, he was
consumed with rage. Now, he listens calmly to her tale:
Once a l�Cie who fought in the war against Cocoon, Vanille spent centuries in
crystal stasis.
When she finally awoke, she found that her companion, Fang, had lost all memory
of their previous Focus. Afraid that their new charge would culminate in
another horrific battle, Vanille chose to feign memory loss in an attempt to
flee from her destiny -- a decision which had led to untold tragedy.
Somewhat ironically, hearing Vanille�s melancholy tale sparks a flicker of hope
in Sazh. If Vanille can emerge from crystal stasis, then maybe Dajh can too.
Stirred from his despondency by this thought, Sazh helps Vanille to overpower
the cell guards and the pair begin their escape.
But this time, they�re not running away from their fate -- they�re taking
charge of it.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the ship, the other l�Cie battle through waves of enemy
soldiers in an attempt to rescue their friends.
--------------
Luck Be a Lady
--------------
Colonel Jihl Nabaat is growing frantic. All her carefully laid plans and
contingencies are crumbling around her as the seemingly unstoppable l�Cie
rampage through the ship. To make matters worse, the airship�s main reactors
has suddenly shut down. Jihl has yet to grasp what is behind the loss of
power...
Sazh and Vanille are able to retrieve their equipment soon after escaping
confinement. At the same time, their companions make good progress as routes
open up across the ship. And the sudden engine failure has quieted the wing
howling across the deck.
As if guided by fate, the l�Cie are reunited -- and their success gives them
renewed vigor to attempt the impossible.
And now, at last, they know what they have to do. They will topple the Sanctum,
overturn fal�Cie rule, and put the fate of Cocoon in the hands of the people.
If they can just make it to the bridge of the Palamecia, they�ll show the
Primarch what l�Cie are really capable of...
----------------
A Focus Revealed
----------------
To the amazement of the l�Cie, the Primarch reveals himself to be a fal�Cie
whose true name is Barthandelus. Showing nothing but contempt for his human
tools, he proceeds to casually slaughter Colonel Nabaat and her subordinates.
Barthandelus then shrugs off the l�Cie�s attacks, and, with mocking laughter,
declares his intention to �enlighten� them.
In order to fulfill the Focus given to them by the Pulse fal�Cie, he states,
one of the l�Cie must become Ragnarok, and bring about the end of Cocoon.
Serah�s task was simply to assemble the tools to achieve this end -- to bring
Snow and the others into contact with the lowerworld being. Her wish that they
protect Cocoon was just that -- a wish. It had nothing to do with her, or
their, Focus.
Confounded by the naked truth, the dumbstruck l�Cie flee the plummeting
Palamecia on an airship provided by Barthandelus. Their craft is guided by an
unseen power that protects them from colonel Rosch�s onslaught and flies them
towards the �reality� hidden beneath the capital of Cocoon...
===========
Chapter Ten
===========
-----------------
What Fal�Cie Want
-----------------
Shortly after their reunion, the l�Cie�s newfound conviction is shaken by the
fal�Cie masquerading as a human Primarch. If what Barthandelus says is true,
then their Focus really is the destruction of Cocoon.
One of them must become the beast form their vision, and doom the floating
world to annihilation by killing the entity that keeps it aloft -- the being
known as Orphan.
But does Barthandelus desire the destruction of his own world? Why else would
he explain their Focus in such detail?
The l�Cie cannot fathom his true intent, but there is no denying that a power
beyond their understand prevented their demise. Their airship flew with a mind
of its own, evading Rosch�s attacks, and bringing them to this place -- a
sprawling relic of Pulse architecture nestled right beneath Eden, the capital
city of Cocoon.
Each of them feels lost and confused, but Snow, in particular, seems to have
been hit hard.
Believing Serah�s wish to be his Focus is what kept him moving forward all this
time. Now that he has learned that she, too, was an enemy of Cocoon, the very
foundation of his belief has fallen into ruin...
----------------
The Power Within
----------------
Fang and Vanille remember a legend from their homeland -- a legend about the
Arks. Arks are supposedly huge armories filled with living weapons, their
occupants kept in stasis for the day war comes to Gran Pulse.
But why is one of them on Cocoon? It was probably transported in the same
manner as the Vestige in Bodhum, but if it became known that such a facility
existed so close to Eden, even the massed ranks of the entire Sanctum army
would be powerless to stem the resulting tide of panic.
Could it be that the government has been kept ignorant of the Ark�s existence
in the even that such a crisis be required?
The arks are also known as training grounds for l�Cie.
As their brands burn with the awakening of new powers, the companions begin to
understand Barthandelus�s intention in sending them to this place. The fal�Cie
posing as the Primarch really does with the l�Cie to complete their Focus and
bring an end to Cocoon. Why else give them this opportunity to hone their
skills?
-----------------
The Dreams of Man
-----------------
While exploring the Ark, the l�Cie meet cid Raines, who reveals the horrendous
truth of the fal�Cie�s agenda:
The divinity responsible for creating both fal�Cie and humans -- known only as
the �Maker� -- departed long ago, leaving the world to fall into ruin. To save
it, the Maker must return, but to call back the Maker, millions of lives -- no
less than the entire population of Cocoon -- must be sacrificed.
Thus the Sanctum fal�Cie carefully nurture the people within their floating
shell in preparation for this bloody tribute.
Yet, unable to unmake that which they themselves have made, the fal�Cie have
long sought suitable tools to carry out Cocoon�s destruction. The Pulse l�Cie,
in short, have been surreptitiously watched and protested so that they might
gain the strength necessary to complete their terrible Focus...
Raines, the bearer of this awful truth, reveals himself to be a l�Cie under the
control of Barthandelus.
So far, he has guided Lightning and her friends as his Focus required, but now
he chooses to exercise his final shred of free will in an act of rebellion
against the fal�Cie -- if he can kill the Pulse l�Cie, then Cocoon will escape
destruction.
His last wish as a human is to fight for the survival of his world. Even in
defeat, he turns to crystal, and gains his eternal reward.
------------------
On Wings of Misery
------------------
Seeing Raines turn to crystal, not as a consequence of completing his Focus as
a l�Cie, but from fulfilling his wish as a human, has lifted Snow out of
uncharacteristic despair.
It seems that it doesn�t matter what his Focus is. All he needs to do is
remember Serah�s words, and fight to protect Cocoon just as he originally
intended. And ultimately, if ignoring his task were to turn him into a Cie�th,
wouldn�t that still be better than ignoring his fianc�e�s wish and destroying
the world?
Snow decides to spend whatever time he has left in a way that would make Serah
proud.
Though the others warm to his idea, Fang stands apart. She�ll never let herself
let alone her friend, turn Cie�th. Even if it means tearing Cocoon out of the
sky, she�ll complete their Focus to save them from that fate.
Her spirit in turmoil, Fang feels her inert brand blaze to life, and looks on
in stunned amazement as the eidolon Bahamut is summoned from the skies.
Eidolons �save� l�Cie who waver in their conviction by ending their indecision
with death. Realizing that Bahamut is a danger to all of them, Fang is forced
to rethink her path.
Unable to stand by and see her friends hurt, she helps them to defeat the
Eidolon and finds a new road has opened up before them.
---------------
Terra Incognita
---------------
The fal�Cie hope to restore their world with the help of the Maker, but calling
back the lost divinity requires the energy generated by the deaths of millions
of people. Now, the beings who built Cocoon as a place to nurture their
�tribute� seek to manipulate Pulse l�Cie in the final stages of their grand
scheme.
Lightning and her friends have been monitored and assisted by the fal�Cie from
the very beginning. Even their clashes with the military have been carefully
orchestrated to ensure their survival.
Countless Sanctum soldiers, unaware of the callous fal�Cie�s true objectives,
have been thrown into the jaws of the l�Cie in an effort to nurture ever-
stronger beasts.
Knowing this, there is no clear path for the l�Cie to take. Ignore their Focus
and become Cie�th, or give in to the fal�Cie and condemn millions to death.
Their only hope is to trust their own strength of will. They have to follow
Raines�s noble example -- and Serah�s parting wish -- by going through with
their plan to protect Cocoon.
More determined than ever after the battle with Bahamut, the l�Cie begin their
journey to the untamed world of Gran Pulse.
==============
Chapter Eleven
==============
------------------
A Fruitless Search
------------------
The l�Cie scour Gran Pulse for some way to overcome their Focus, but even after
days of searching the bleak terrain, they discover nothing but crumbling ruins
and vicious wildlife. No matter how far they range, there is not another soul
to be found.
Did the people of Gran Pulse fall victim to the brutal struggle for survival
that dominates every aspect of this unforgiving world? And is the rebirth of
this same desolate land the purpose behind the Cocoon fal�Cie�s plan to
slaughter millions of people?
As time passes and their fruitless expedition drags on, the l�Cie slowly
succumb to frustration and despair -- their most dangerous enemies.
Emotional extremes can accelerate the progress of a l�Cie brand. If a brand
evolves to the final stage, it triggers the transformation into a Cie�th.
They are all reminded of how little time remains when Hope�s brand suddenly
advances another step.
--------------------------
A Man�s Hope Is His Castle
--------------------------
Eidolons come to grant a despairing l�Cie the death they crave -- or so it is
believed. But when the Eidolon Alexander is summoned by Hope�s confused
anguish, Lightning sees a different reason behind the entity�s appearance.
She comes to believe that the Eidolons appear in order to prevent l�Cie from
giving up on themselves. When l�Cie, consumed by despair or rage, are close to
losing their path, an Eidolon appears and gives them a life-or-death trial to
overcome -- thereby forcing them to rethink their decision to surrender.
Through his battle with Alexander, Hope renews his determination to survive and
rejoins the others as they set off to the north. That way lies the village of
Oerba.
If they can reach Fang and Vanille�s hometown, then maybe they can learn the
true story behind the War of Transgression, and find a clue to help them break
the shackles of their Focus.
The l�Cie continue their journey, each playing their part to keep this tiny
flame of hope alive.
-------------
Helping Hands
-------------
If they choose not to kill Orphan and bring about Cocoon�s destruction,
Lightning and her companions will transform into Cie�th. But if they do carry
out their Focus, their actions will doom the lives of millions of people.
In search of a way to escape this impossible choice, the l�Cie travel towards
the village of Oerba in the north of Gran Pulse.
On the endless plains they see beasts and birds aplenty, but not a single
person. Could the ruin of this world�s civilization have been caused by the War
of Transgression, centuries before?
Here, where it all began, Fang finally uncovers the truth that Vanille has so
desperately tried to conceal. The l�Cie who became Ragnarok and attacked Cocoon
during the war was not her cheerful friend but Fang herself. Not wanting Fang
to bear the guilt of the beast�s bloody rampage, Vanille chose to take the
blame in her stead.
As if to reprimand her for twisting the truth, the Eidolon Hecatoncheir rises
from the earth even as the two friends argue. No matter how painful it may be,
l�Cie cannot run from reality forever.
-------------------
Speaking with Serah
-------------------
When Vanille awoke from crystal stasis, she sought to deny her Focus --
Cocoon�s doom -- by lying that she, like Fang, had lost her memory. But instead
of preventing a catastrophe, she only spurred her friend into reckless action.
Desperate to prevent Vanille from becoming a Cie�th, Fang suggested they attack
a Sanctum fal�Cie to kick-start their memories, and the tragic incident at
Euride Gorge was the result.
Separated from her friend after their escape, Vanille drifted aimlessly until
she happened upon Serah.
Though Snow�s fianc�e thought the meeting was their first, Vanille knew exactly
who Serah was. She was the girl who had wandered into Bodhum Vestige only to be
turned into a l�Cie -- a replacement for the Gran Pulsians who had seemingly
abandoned their Focus.
Feeling crushed by guilt and cruel fate, Vanille would have given up there and
then had it not been for Serah�s advice that if things seem too much to deal
with, you should face them later. If you can just survive, there�s always the
hope that you can overcome your problems. That hope is what has kept Vanille
going until now.
When she describes this touching interlude to Snow, the kind-hearted hero
renews his promise to fulfill his beloved Serah�s wish. And Lightning, her
anger now a distant memory, means to help him to it.
------------
Dust to Dust
------------
The home that Fang and Vanille remember is a beautiful place surrounded by
flowers and nature.
But the Oerba that greets them after their long, perilous journey is a
wasteland, covered in a layer of fine crystal dust. The hope they had been
seeking vanishes like a desert mirage.
Though they have turned their backs on their genocidal Focus, the l�Cie�s
brands have not stopped advancing, and each passing second brings them closer
to the moment of monstrous transformation.
Oerba, their last refuge of hope, is a hollow shell, devoid of life.
But they must continue on. They must follow the road to its inevitable
conclusion.
---------------------
Their Own Worst Enemy
---------------------
Callous and calculating, the fal�Cie manipulate their human tools via their
emotions.
Taking Serah�s form to catch the l�Cie off-balance, Barthandelus predicts the
imminent destruction of Cocoon.
He has revived Raines, now a compliant puppet, and instated him as the
Sanctum�s new Primarch -- a ploy designed to provoke the Cavalry
revolutionaries into overthrowing the government in outrage at their former
leader�s betrayal.
The gloating fal�Cie also means to play on the Pulse-phobia of the populace to
turn neighbor against neighbor, transforming Cocoon�s streets into a bloodbath.
Worse, Barthandelus then describes how the Cavalry, unnoticed amid the chaos,
will infiltrate Eden and fall upon Orphan, not understand that their actions
will bring their world crashing down.
To prevent this disaster, the l�Cie must return to Cocoon -- but isn�t that
what Barthandelus wanted all along?
The fal�Cie could be manipulating them again -- attempting to draw them into
situation where they have no choice but to become Ragnarok and slay Orphan.
Leaving them yet another airship, Barthandelus vanishes once again. The
choice to return to Cocoon and play a part in her destiny lies firmly in
the hands of the l�Cie.
-------------
The Road Home
-------------
Fang and Vanille visit their home in Oerba for the first time in centuries,
seeking a way to free themselves from their l�Cie curse. But what they find a
broken and empty shell of a town, half-buried in a sea of crystal dust.
Meanwhile, Cocoon, the home of their fellow l�Cie, is poised to join the
village in oblivion. There, the people stand ready to slaughter each other,
their minds twisted by fal�Cie illusions.
The l�Cie have no choice but to return and prevent the impending devastation.
Even if every man, woman, and child on the floating world regards them as
moral enemies, it is still their home.
But the shackles of the fal�Cie yet bind their fates...
With their Focus haunting their every step, the very act of setting foot on
Cocoon might invite disaster. Yet return they must. There is a war to stop, and
fal�Cie rule to overthrow.
In this darkest hour, they must hold fast to hope if they are to protect
Cocoon. The time for appealing to long-departed deities, lost loved ones, or
lights in the sky is past.
As the l�Cie fly towards their final destiny, they make the only choice that
remains to them -- a promise to be true to themselves.
==============
Chapter Twelve
==============
------------------
Start Your Engines
------------------
Lightning and her friends return to Cocoon only to be greeted by the sudden
appearance of an army of mechanical monsters and gigantic beasts. The fal�Cie
have activated the Ark hidden beneath the capital, releasing an army of Pulsian
terrors into the city.
With the army in panicked disarray, the Cavalry seizes its chance. Captain
Rygdea leads his troops in an assault on the Sanctum offices, and confronts the
new Primarch -- his former superior and comrade in arms, Cid Raines.
Raines calmly welcomes his own demise. Revived to serve as Barthandelus�s pawn,
he nevertheless retains a silver of the will he possessed as a human. And it is
humans who must decide Cocoon�s future -- not fal�Cie slaves.
The Cavalry presses on with its plans to slay Orphan, unaware that this effort
to save the world will only lead to total destruction. Barthandelus has twisted
the Cavalry�s desire for freedom to meet his own design.
The l�Cie must stop the Cavalry from reaching the heart of Eden before it is
too late.
----------------
Eden Under Siege
----------------
The creatures once held in stasis within the Ark are now rampaging through the
streets of Eden, but this merely marks the beginning of Cocoon�s collapse into
chaos. Once news of the �Pulse invasion� spreads to a populace already in the
grip of panic, the people will be whipped in to a frenzy of terror -- and the
ensuing orgy of violence will tear society apart.
Yet Cocoon may not survive long enough for that to happen. Even now, the
members of the Cavalry charge into the heart of the capital, unwittingly
seeking to extinguish the source of power that keeps Cocoon aloft: Orphan.
Their idealism is being used against them.
Their quest for liberation is just another cog in Barthandelus�s scheme to call
back the Maker. He will see the world shattered, and offer the lives of its
inhabitants in sacrifice.
Fearing they may already be too late, the l�Cie rush after the Cavalry, through
a city engulfed in the flames of war.
-------------
A Common Goal
-------------
No human wishes to see the world destroyed. The l�Cie, the Cavalry, and even
the soldiers of the Sanctum army are all fighting to keep Cocoon safe from
harm.
But despite their common goal, they have been forced into conflict by
machinations of the fal�Cie. It is the great error of these �higher beings� to
view humans as mere tools -- yet humans are guilty of a similar crime.
Indeed, it is men like PSICOM�s Colonel Rosch, and their outright refusal to
believe l�Cie can be anything but tools, that now prevents an alliance which
could save mankind.
The l�Cie know that the only way to foil Barthandelus�s plan is to protect
Orphan. Yet both the Cavalry and colonel Rosch threaten to thwart them, firmly
believing that they alone represent Cocoon�s only hope of salvation. If
Lightning and the others cannot convince them of the truth, is bloodshed then
the only option?
Suddenly, the NORA crew arrive to lend a hand, and Snow is relieved to find
that, in spite of his transformation into a l�Cie, his old friends treat him
just as they always had. Their acceptance as much as their assistance gives
them l�Cie new hope.
They can�t give up.
There is still a chance to end this conflict, and save the people from
themselves.
---------------------
Misjudged Benevolence
---------------------
When the blinding flash of light fades, where there were soldiers now stand
mindless Cie�th. With no focus to complete, their souls are stripped from them
at the instant of their transformation. Thus do the fal�Cie dispose of humans
whose usefulness has ended.
Rosch, the sole survivor, defends the Sanctum army and their obedience to
fal�Cie law. Even though he harbors doubts as to the fal�Cie�s true intentions,
the peace and harmony of Cocoon cannot be upheld without them.
It is his desire to protect the stability of society that allows him to commit
atrocities such as the Purge. The end justifies the means.
Realizing his error in judgment, the PSICOM director still cannot change what
is done. The only remaining path is to live his final moments as he has tried
to live his life -- in the service of Cocoon.
The conflict among the people is coming to an end, but the danger to Cocoon is
not over. Not until Barthandelus and his schemes are defeated.
================
Chapter Thirteen
================
--------------------
The Cradle Will Fall
--------------------
The Cavalry soldiers set on overthrowing fal�Cie rule now wander the halls of
the Sanctum as monstrous Cie�th.
Barthandelus never intended for them to reach Orphan. It was merely a ruse to
spurt the reluctant l�Cie into action. Though the companions refuse to complete
their Focus, he no longer needs to manipulate their minds.
All that remains is to crush any hope they have for their future. When that
hope turns to despair, one of them, consumed by anger and regret, will
transform into Ragnarok.
And the beast -- an unstoppable incarnation of wrath -- will slay Orphan.
Cocoon will shatter, and the energy released by the deaths of millions will
summon the Maker.
A new dawn approaches...
It is for this day that Barthandelus built Cocoon, tended to its people, and
watched over the servants of the Pulse fal�Cie. He gives one final order to the
fal�Cie Eden: guide the steps of the cursed l�Cie. Bring them to the one who
dreams of death.
Bring them to Orphan�s Cradle.
xxxxxxxxxx
02) People
xxxxxxxxxx
=========
Lightning
=========
Lightning was formerly a sergeant in the Guardian Corps, Bodhum Security
Regiment.
Wanting to outgrow the painful memories of her parents� death, she abandoned
her childhood name �Claire� to take up her current moniker. Faced with a Focus
that demands the destruction of Cocoon, Lightning now refuses the destiny
thrust upon her by the fal�Cie, and swears to follow her own will through to
the end.
To save Cocoon as her sister wished, the young woman makes a decision to return
to the world that sees her and her companions as dangerous fugitives.
=============
Snow Villiers
=============
Without a family to take care of him, Snow was raised in a Sanctum facility.
Now he leads the rebellious group of youths known as NORA.
Believing Serah�s last words to be his Focus, Snow pours all of his energy into
saving Cocoon. His fervor is blunted by the claim that she was nothing more
than a fal�Cie tool, but he renews his determination to overcome the destiny
laid before them. Nothing will prevent him from protecting his world and seeing
Serah return from her crystallized state.
============
Sazh Katzroy
============
A trained civilian airship pilot, Sazh has been raining his son alone since the
untimely passing of his wife almost three years ago.
A Sanctum l�Cie in the custody of PSICOM, Dajh turns to crystal the moment he
is reunited with his father. Yet is responsible for his son�s misfortune, Sazh
is unable to bring himself to shoot her.
His goal now is to survive the coming conflict with the hope that his son will
one day wake from his crystal stasis.
============
Hope Estheim
============
An incidental victim of the Purge, Hope survives the ensuing violence only to
become a l�Cie. Blaming Snow for his mother�s death during the fighting, the
boy gives a name to his revenge: Operation Nora.
Hope eventually realizes that his rage is simply a crutch to help him through
his grief, and decides he needs a real reason to keep on going.
He mends his relationship with his father, and sets off on a journey to
discover a way to escape his destiny as a l�Cie.
=================
Oerba Dia Vanille
=================
Vanille is a l�Cie who was born on Gran Pulse. Her full name stands for
�Vanille of the Dia clan, from the village of Oerba�.
Along with Fang, she was given a Focus to destroy Cocoon. Fang was the one who
became Ragnarok and attacked the floating world several centuries in the past,
but Vanille lies about this and her other memories.
After meeting with Serah, an innocent victim of the Gran Pulsian�s lies,
Vanille decides she will do nothing else to harm Cocoon and resigns herself to
becoming a Cie�th.
==============
Oerba Yun Fang
==============
Fang is a l�Cie who was born on Gran Pulse. Her full name stands for �Fang of
the Yun clan, from the village of Oerba�.
Centuries ago, she and Vanille were given a Focus to destroy Cocoon. Fang
became Ragnarok and cracked Cocoon�s shell, but they were both turned to
crystal before their task was complete. The Vestige in which they slumbered was
lifted by a fal�Cie onto the very world they tried to shatter. Waking years
later, Fang�s brand -- as well as the memory of her Focus -- is now obscured
and indistinct.
============
Serah Farron
============
Serah is Lightning�s younger sister and Snow�s fianc�e.
Also a Pulse l�Cie, she has gained eternal life and slumbers in crystal stasis.
Snow believes their Focus is to save the world as Serah wished, but
Barthandelus explains that her task was simply to gather the tools for Cocoon�s
destruction.
Was Serah nothing more than a pawn -- an unwitting enemy of Cocoon?
============
Dajh Katzroy
============
Dajh is Sazh�s only child. His mother passed away three years ago, but instead
of being miserable, he bravely comforts his grieving father.
During the incident at the Euride Gorge energy plant, Dajh is made into Sanctum
l�Cie with the ability to sense power of Pulse origin. Although he discovers
the fal�Cie in Bodhum, his true Focus -- capturing Pulse l�Cie -- is learned
when he is reunited with his father and turns to crystal.
============
Nora Estheim
============
Nora is Hope�s mother.
Worried about the worsening relationship between her son and his father, Nora
wonders how to break down the barriers Hope has created Wanting to protect her
boy from the horrors of the Purge, she volunteers to join the battle, but is
killed during the chaotic conflict.
Nora begs Snow to get Hope home, but the NORA leader never hears the boy�s name
before she slips from his grasp.
===================
Bartholomew Estheim
===================
Bartholomew is Hope�s father, but has difficulties relating to his teenage son.
Though deeply upset by his wife�s death, he sees how much Hope has grown during
the subsequent events, and encourages him to find his own path and make his own
decisions.
Now wanted by the Sanctum for his actions in aiding Pulse l�Cie, Bartholomew is
currently under the protection of the Cavalry.
==============
Galenth Dysley
==============
Acting in the guise of a human Primarch, Galenth Dysley has concealed his true
identity as the fal�Cie Barthandelus.
He reveals to Lightning and her companions that their Focus is for one of them
to take on the form of Ragnarok and shatter Cocoon.
Despite overseeing Cocoon�s prosperity for so long, it seems he now desires its
destruction. To that end, he has watched over the fugitive l�Cie, and even
taken a direct hand in their survival.
==========
Cid Raines
==========
During his failed attempt to overthrow fal�Cie rule, Cid Raines was cursed to
become a pawn of Barthandelus. Concealing his l�Cie status as he continues to
lead the Cavalry, Raines pursues his Focus of supporting and guiding Lightning
and her companions along the path to Cocoon�s destruction.
After defying his Focus and falling in battle against the fugitive l�Cie,
Raines turns to crystal. He is later revived by Barthandelus to serve as the
new Primarch -- a puppet with the sole purpose of inciting conflict among the
people of Cocoon.
==========
Yaag Rosch
==========
Yaag Rosch is a PSICOM officer who graduated with results second only to his
fellow trainee, Jihl Nabaat.
His leadership skills shown in joint missions with the Guardian Corps earn him
the command of the anti-l�Cie operations in Palumpolum.
Despite feeling doubt over the fate of innocents during the Purge, Rosch views
the brutal and thankless task of maintaining the overall stability of society
to be a soldier�s sworn duty.
===========
Jihl Nabaat
===========
Jihl Nabaat is a talented PSICOM officer who graduated at the head of her
class.
As the supervisor in charge of Dajh�s testing, she grew close to his father,
Sazh. However, her kindness was simply a ruse to gain access to the boy�s l�Cie
ability to sense Pulse entities.
She captures Sazh and Vanille in Nautilus, using them as bait in her scheme to
draw the other Pulse l�Cie out of hiding. Jihl�s plans backfire when her
carefully laid ambush is unable to contain the l�Cie, and Barthandelus disposes
of her as he would any other tool.
======
Rygdea
======
Rygdea is an officer in the Wide-area Response Brigade formerly led by Cid
Raines.
Disgusted by the deception of the Sanctum, he thought to retire from the
military, but instead joined Raines and the Cavalry in their efforts to bring
down the government. Rygdea followed the general without question, unaware of
his superior�s status as a servant of the Sanctum fal�Cie.
Barthandelus has now placed Raines in the position of Primarch, leaving Rygdea
to lead the Cavalry in a charge to topple the Sanctum and destroy Orphan.
======
Amodar
======
Amodar is a lieutenant in the Bodhum Security Regiment, and was Lightning�s
direct superior.
Climbing his way through the ranks with persistence and hard work, he is
respected by his subordinates for his fair treatment on and off the field of
battle.
NORA�s unregulated monster-hunting falls under his jurisdiction, but aside from
a few warnings for the sake of formality, he generally turns a blind eye to the
group�s earnest efforts.
=====
Gadot
=====
A childhood friend of Snow, Gadot is one of the founding members of NORA. With
his impressive frame, he sees himself as the group�s shock trooper.
Raised almost like a brother to Snow in a Sanctum facility, he knows the NORA
leader better than anyone. Despite his often blunt comments and rough behavior,
he is devoted to Snow�s ideals of compassion.
=======
Lebreau
=======
Friends with Snow from a young age, Lebreau is one of the founding members of
NORA. She run�s the caf� they opened to fund NORA�s operations, and her cooking
is one of the best-kept secrets in Bodhum.
With her brusque, no-nonsense manner, the young woman is treated just like one
of the guys, and she would have it no other way.
=====
Maqui
=====
Maqui joined the ranks of NORA out of his admiration for Snow. He loves to
tinker with machinery and serves as the group�s mechanic. His talent for taking
junk and using it to upgrade machines has provided NORA with a secret source of
income.
One day Maqui wants to be a reliable, heroic type like Snow, but he still has a
long way to go.
===
Yuj
===
A junior member of NORA, Yuj is a kind-hearted young man with an insatiable
interest in fashion.
Though he lacks the same courage as Snow and Gadot in dangerous situations, his
calming influence makes him an invaluable asset to the group.
=============
Chocobo Chick
=============
Sazh purchased this chocobos chick at a stall in Euride Gorge for his son,
Dajh. However, while his attention was on the transaction, Dajh ran into the
energy plant and headlong into the incident that changed him into a Sanctum
l�Cie.
Though boy and chick have met only once during the brief visit Sazh was allowed
by PSICOM in Bodhum, they became fast friends. Dajh is trying to decide on what
he wants to call the chick, but for now, the chocobos remains nameless.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
03) The Thirteen Days
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
==================
Day One: Awakening
==================
Deep within the Bodhum Vestige, two l�Cie -- Fang and Vanille -- awoke from
crystal stasis. Fang�s brand was scarred and scorched, and she had lost every
memory relating to her Focus, including the events surrounding its apparent
completion.
Vanille mimicked her friend, pretending to have forgotten her Focus as well.
Afraid of hurting even more people, she wanted nothing more than to leave her
fate behind.
===================
Day Two: Opposition
===================
Snow was overjoyed to meet the older sister of his beloved Serah, but Lightning
was far from impressed. She had never approved of him or his group�s
unsanctioned activities. As far as Lightning was concerned, NORA�s actions --
hunting down weak monsters and acting like heroes -- were reckless and
irresponsible.
She wanted Snow to forget about dating her sister, but the young man just
laughed away her demands. His flippant attitude did nothing but reinforce her
original impression.
=====================
Day Three: Escalation
=====================
Fang and Vanille discovered the unconscious Serah deep within the Vestige. They
could see the girl had been branded the mark of a l�Cie. The door to the Pulse
structure, closed until now, was thrown open when Fang and Vanille awoke from
their stasis -- and Serah had chosen to walk through it.
They took the newly branded servant outside, and watched over her until she
recovered and set off home. The two women, their Focus forgotten, assumed that
the fal�Cie Anima had chosen a new l�Cie.
===================
Day Four: Searching
===================
Fang was feeling anxious. Her own brand was scorched and showed no sign of
changing, but Vanille�s mark was still active. If they didn�t remember and
complete their forgotten Focus, her friend would become a Cie�th.
With nothing left to lose, Fang suggested they visit the Sanctum fal�Cie in the
Euride Gorge energy plant. If they approached one of their sworn enemies, then
perhaps the memory of their Focus would return...
================
Day Five: Euride
================
There was an accident at the Euride Gorge energy plant located near the seaside
community of Bodhum. Details of the accident were not released to the public,
but the lack of information sparked widespread conjecture among the populace.
Rumors began to circulate about an act of sabotage by Pulse l�Cie, sending a
whisper of panic through a society that has lived in terror of lowerworld
invasion for centuries.
=================
Day Five: Contact
=================
Sazh took his son to the Euride Gorge energy plant after Dajh begged to see one
of the Sanctum fal�Cie. While Sazh was busy buying a chocobo chick at the
souvenir shop, the little boy ran off into the plant alone.
Moments later, a strange phenomenon rocked the building. When the panicked
father rushed inside, he found his son unconscious, lying on a bench. The
energy plant fal�Cie, Kujata, had branded Dajh with the mark of a Sanctum
l�Cie.
==================
Day Five: Good-bye
==================
Fang�s plan to infiltrate the energy plant with Vanille, and recover the memory
of their Focus, ended in failure. Sensing their presence, the fal�Cie Kujata
attempted to defend itself by creating a servant out of the closest human -- a
little boy. Including Serah from the day before last, now two innocent lives
had been forever altered.
The fluctuations in the plant�s power level s alerted the Sanctum army, and
Fang drew the attention of the soldiers onto herself to give Vanille a chance
to escape.
=================
Day Six: Alliance
=================
After shaking her military pursuers, Fang returned to the Vestige to find
Vanille already gone. She searched the town for her missing friend, but was
eventually captured by Sanctum soldiers -- members of the Cavalry, a unit
commanded by Brigadier General Cid Raines.
Raines, a man opposed to a fal�Cie-controlled Cocoon, offered Fang his
protection. Not fully trusting him, but without a way to locate Vanille on her
own, the desperate l�Cie decided to join the general and his fleet.
=====================
Day Seven: Revelation
=====================
Serah was overcome by curiosity when she saw the doors to the Vestige wide open
for the first time. She wandered inside, and was branded by the Pulse fal�Cie.
Unable to tell Lightning that she had become a l�Cie, Serah eventually revealed
her painful secret to Snow, four days later. Unwilling to see him suffer the
same fate, the young woman tried to break off their relationship. But Snow
chased after her, and swore to help complete her Focus, whatever it may be.
====================
Day Eight: Questions
====================
After being made into a Sanctum l�Cie, Dajh was taken into custody by PSICOM
and subjected to a battery of tests. Colonel Nabaat, the supervising officer,
next imparted some unsettling news to Sazh: his son had gained the ability to
sense the presence of Pulse beings, but his Focus was still unknown.
Without a defined Focus, the boy was doomed to become a Cie�th. Could his task
be to discover lowerworld invaders? To destroy them? Sazh�s mind raced as he
tried to figure out a way to save his son.
=====================
Day Nine: Serendipity
=====================
After scraping her leg in a fall on the beach, Vanille was aided by an unlikely
person -- Snow�s fianc�e, Serah. Vanille was responsible for both Serah and
Dajh becoming l�Cie, but lacked the courage to admit the truth and beg
forgiveness from the girl standing before her.
Oblivious of Vanille�s involvement in events, Serah listened to the Gran
Pulsian�s problems and offered her encouragement. The coincidental meeting
helped Vanille to make up her mind -- even if it meant becoming a Cie�th, she
couldn�t bring harm to the world Serah loved so much.
==============
Day Ten: Gifts
==============
It would be Lightning�s birthday in two days.
While out shopping for her present with Serah, Snow slipped away to buy
engagement necklaces. He intended to propose to Serah the very next day. He
knew her fate as a l�Cie, but meant to stand by her, no matter what.
Meanwhile, Serah searched for a gift that would help keep Lightning safe during
her dangerous work as a soldier. After giving her sister the present, Serah
planned to confess about becoming a l�Cie.
=====================
Day Eleven: Discovery
=====================
The Bodhum Vestige was a minor local landmark paid little regard. That changed
on this night, when PSICOM discovered that the relic�s long-sealed entrance had
somehow been opened.
A reconnaissance team was sent inside, reporting the discovery of a Pulse
fal�Cie before communication links suddenly went silent. Deeming it probable
that the soldiers had been made l�Cie, the Sanctum then resealed the door to
the Vestige, trapping the team inside. The following day brought public
announcement of both the discovery and plans for the Purge.
====================
Day Eleven: Proposal
====================
Snow proposed to Serah under the brightly exploding fireworks, giving her
renewed hope for the future.
Serah still didn�t know what her Focus was, and had yet to tell Lightning about
her l�Cie curse. But with Snow by her side, there was no obstacle they couldn�t
overcome. Hand in hand, they watched the spectacle of lights illuminate the
night sky.
In Bodhum, there is a legend: if you wish on the fireworks, you dreams will
come true.
===================
Day Eleven: Warning
===================
Assigned to security detail during the fireworks display in Bodhum, Lightning
was suddenly released form duty by her superior, Lieutenant Amodar -- PSICOM
had found something in the nearby village.
Lightning immediately thought of the accident that took place at the energy
plant six days earlier. Voicing her concern that the incidents may be Pulse-
related, Lightning�s questions were deflected by the lieutenant, who advised
her to avoid anything that involves the lowerworld.
==========================
Day Eleven: Mother and Son
==========================
Residents of Palumpolum, Hope and his mother came to Bodhum to see the
fireworks display. That same night, PSICOM discovered the Pulse fal�Cie
slumbering within the Vestige.
The following day, the Sanctum announced the discovery, and sealed off the
entire district of Bodhum. Trapped by the quarantine and unable to return home,
mother and son were forced to join the other victims of the Purge.
==========================
Day Eleven: Father and Son
==========================
Dajh suddenly decided that he wanted to go to Bodhum. Realizing this may be an
effect of the boy�s new power to detect Pulse beings, Colonel Nabaat permitted
a PSICOM-supervised excursion to the coastal town.
It was the night of the fireworks show, but Sazh�s mood was not lightened by
the beautiful display. The smiling face of his son, oblivious to the fate that
awaited him, was more painful than the troubled father could bear.
Meanwhile, the PSICOM team scouring the area discovered the fal�Cie within the
Vestige. Dajh must have reacted subconsciously to the presence of the
lowerworld entity.
=====================
Day Eleven: Fireworks
=====================
Their faces were all lit by the same display of fireworks.
Lightning felt the creeping shadow of Pulse�s menace. Snow and Serah pledged
themselves to each other, and swore to overcome their destiny. Sazh played for
the salvation of his son, Dajh. Hope could never have imagined losing his
mother, Nora. Fang searched for her lost companion.
And Vanille? Vanille wished for a miracle.
=======================
Day Twelve: Celebration
=======================
On Lightning�s birthday, Serah revealed she had become a Pulse l�Cie, and had
accepted Snow�s proposal for marriage. Thinking her sister had made it all up,
Lightning chased her from the room with harsh, biting words.
By the time she realized Serah was telling the truth, it was too late.
Her sister had returned to the Vestige and become a prisoner of the fal�Cie.
The only thing Serah had left behind was Lightning�s birthday present -- a
survival knife.
=================
Day Twelve: Taken
=================
After announcing the discovery of the lowerworld being, the Sanctum
investigated the Purge.
Below the Pulse fal�Cie could be carried away and Serah doomed to become a
Cie�th, Snow had to get into the Vestige and find out what her Focus was.
If they could figure out Serah�s task, then maybe Lightning would finally
believe them. With that plan in mind, the young NORA leader brought his fianc�e
back to the place she was branded.
Things went horribly wrong, and only Serah entered the Vestige as a prisoner of
the fal�Cie.
Snow explained the situation to Lightning before rushing off to rescue his
future wife.
===================
Day Thirteen: Exile
===================
A fal�Cie of Pulse origin was discovered within a Vestige on the outskirts of
Bodhum two days previously having apparently spent centuries in hibernation
with humans none the wiser to its presence. The Sanctum deemed the potential
contamination by Pulse magic a risk too great to overlook, and immediately
enacted legislation permitting the Purge -- an involuntary removal of the
fal�Cie and the entire population of Bodhum from Cocoon.
Deportees were told only that they would be transported to Pulse.
====================
Day Thirteen: Flight
====================
Believing the Sanctum announcement that the Purge was a forced migration to
Pulse, Vanille decided to board the train of her own free will. This could be
her only chance to return home.
Vanille hated the idea of leaving Fang behind on Cocoon, but if she could make
it back to the lowerworld, her Focus would no longer be a danger to anyone.
Maybe she couldn�t change reality, but she could defy her fate by running away.
Her encounter four days ago had given her the courage she needed.
==========================
Day Thirteen: Volunteering
==========================
After discovering that Serah was being held captive by the Pulse fal�Cie,
Lightning volunteered herself to be Purged.
The fal�Cie was to be transported away from Cocoon, along with the Purge
deportees. Lightning needed to board the train and reach the lowerworld entity
before Serah was taken beyond her reach.
Sazh, too, had his reasons for approaching Lightning and joining her as she
headed for the Pulse fal�Cie. The train carried them away, bound for the
restricted zone known as the Hanging Edge...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
04) History and Myth
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=====
Pulse
=====
Resting in Cocoon�s shadow, the sprawling and enigmatic lowerworld of Pulse is
home to a multitude of terrors. The land is commonly believed to be
inhospitable to human life, and a strict ban on interworld travel forbids
citizens of Cocoon from venturing there to challenge this hypothesis. Not even
members of the Sanctum�s upper echelon can claim to have seen the surface with
their own eyes, but the attempted invasion by the world�s savage armies several
centuries ago is well documented.
Widespread fear of a repeated assault persists among the populace even today,
with colloquial references often likening the world to a manner of living hell.
=============
Pulse Fal�Cie
=============
Fal�Cie are an existence beyond human comprehension, possessed of incredible
magic power. The ones responsible for Cocoon�s construction are protectors of
humanity, but there are others of their kind as well: the fal�Cie who dwell on
Pulse and name themselves enemies of Cocoon.
Humans who encounter Pulse fal�Cie are cursed being turned to l�Cie and ordered
to destroy Cocoon. It is for this reason that most ordinary citizens support
the Purge -- anyone who may have come into contact with one of these fal�Cie
represents a dire threat.
===========
Pulse L�Cie
===========
The beings known as fal�Cie possess the power to enthrall unwilling human
instruments, compelling the victims to serve their will. These individuals,
known as l�Cie, are marked with indelible brands. They gain the gift of magic,
but also bear the burden of completing a task known as a Focus for their
fal�Cie master.
Pulse l�Cie -- tools of fal�Cie from the world below -- are considered
dangerous enemies of Cocoon�s society. As there exists no means of removing the
l�Cie brand and the curse thereby imposed, Pulse l�Cie are hunted relentlessly.
======
Cie�th
======
When a fal�Cie takes a human to be one of its l�Cie servants, that person is
given a Focus to be completed. Should the l�Cie fail to fulfill this Focus
before his or her brand advances to its final stage, that l�Cie becomes a
Cie�th.
Mired in eternal sorrow and regret, and robbed of all free will, Cie�th are
damned to wander the world unloving and undying, until their corrupted flesh at
last can move no more. For Cie�th, there is no salvation.
======
Brands
======
The brands that mark a l�Cie as one of the fal�Cie�s chosen change gradually,
passing through several different stages. When the �eye� at the center opens --
the brand�s final stage -- the l�Cie becomes a Cie�th.
A brand�s rate of progression depends partly on the difficulty of the l�Cie�s
Focus. It is also linked closely to the individual�s mental state, with severe
psychological trauma sometimes spurring rapid advancement. In the most extreme
cases, severe fear and shock at being made a l�Cie has turned newly made l�Cie
to Cie�th at the instant of their branding.
==============
Crystal Stasis
==============
For l�Cie, successful completion of a Focus holds the promise of eternal life
in the peaceful slumber of crystal stasis -- or so the legends say. Yet to
spend an eternity as an immobile crystal is not so very different from death.
The people of Cocoon consequently fear being marked as a l�Cie, equating the
fal�Cie�s brand with a death sentence.
Faced with only the choice between eternal damnation as a Cie�th and eternal
imprisonment in crystal, it comes as a little surprise that many l�Cie decry
their fate.
========
Eidolons
========
These mystical entities reveal themselves before only to a select few l�Cie. It
is said that they are saviors, come to rescue hopeless l�Cie who find
themselves bound to a Focus against their will. If this is true, they offer a
brand of salvation few indeed would seek willingly: without exception, Eidolons
attack the l�Cie whose presences they grace.
There have been no l�Cie in Cocoon for centuries, and as a result, no way of
determining the truth behind tales of these beings. To the citizens of Cocoon,
they remain the stuff of bedtime stories.
========
Ragnarok
========
Lightning, Snow, and the others saw a phantom vision of this beast upon their
branding as l�Cie. In the dream, they witnessed the creature besieging Cocoon�s
capital of Eden, but whether this was a glimpse of past events or a vision of
things yet to come was unclear. What is clear is that Ragnarok is inextricably
linked to their Focus. The nature of that Focus, and what must be done to
fulfill, it remains to be seen.
========================
The War of Transgression
========================
Several hundred years ago, the armies of Pulse attempted to invade Cocoon in a
conflict known today as the War of Transgression. The Sanctum�s fal�Cie were
able to repel the lowerworld forces before they breached Cocoon�s interior, but
not before they managed to seriously damage areas lying near the world�s outer
rim.
Details surrounding the clash remain shrouded in mystery, but the government�s
swift and decisive response to this violent Pulsian transgression minimized
casualties and greatly boosted public faith in both the Sanctum and their
fal�Cie.
====================
Lowerworld Artifacts
====================
In the aftermath of the War of Transgression, regions near Cocoon�s outer rim
were left uninhabitable due to the severe trauma they had sustained. To undo
this damage, the fal�Cie gathered materials from the surface of Pulse and
rebuilt Cocoon�s wounded landscape using them.
Bodhum was one city so affected, and like the others, it still bears lingering
traces of post-war reconstruction in the form of leftover lowerworld artifacts.
The Pulse Vestige that hid a dormant fal�Cie was one such artifact.
=============
Cie�th Stones
=============
L�Cie who fail their Foci become Cie�th, cursed to wander the wilds in a form
of living death. Only after many years and much suffering do they extinguish
the last of their strength and cease to roam. When this happens, the Cie�th�s
remains slowly fossilize, turning into what is known as a Cie�th Stone.
However, this transformation does not mark an end to the Cie�th�s regret and
sorrow at having failed. Even after having turned to stone the Cie�th cry out,
imploring other l�Cie to fulfill the Focus they could not.
===========
The Undying
===========
The Undying are fearsome Cie�th who, cursing their former fal�Cie masters for
forsaking them at the end of their forced servitude, refuse to surrender their
connection to this world.
Whereas normal Cie�th eventually cease their wanderings and turn to stone, the
Undying rage on, fueled by a jealous hatred of all living things. Retaining the
defiant strength of will they knew in life, they act on instinct, doling out
death and destruction to all that dare cross their path.
xxxxxxxxxxx
05) Locales
xxxxxxxxxxx
======
Cocoon
======
From her lofty seat, the world of Cocoon has long enjoyed tranquility.
The interior of her spherical shell supports several sprawling cities and a
population numbering in the tens of millions. Although a variety of dangerous
beasts prowl the wilds, advanced technology and the protection of the world�s
fal�Cie keepers ensure residents a peaceful and prosperous existence. Travel to
the lowerworld of Pulse is forbidden, but given their deep-seated cultural
fears of the place, Cocoon citizens would not even think to venture beyond the
paradise they know.
================
The Hanging Edge
================
A relic of days before the War of Transgression, the Hanging Edge is located
near Cocoon�s outer rim. The area was once a thriving urban center, but
residents were forced to abandon the location when an attack by Pulsian forces
cracked Cocoon�s shell during the conflict several centuries past.
It was since designated a restricted zone and, with civilian access prohibited,
soon became nothing more than a name on local maps.
==============
Pulse Vestiges
==============
The fal�Cie sculpted Cocoon in antiquity, using resources harvested from
the world below. When Cocoon�s shell was fractured in the war, they repaired it
with raw materials again gathered from Pulse -- buildings chief among them.
Remnants of these structures, termed Vestiges, can still be found throughout
Cocoon today. The centuries-old Vestige outside of Bodhum was believed to be
nothing more than a harmless curiosity. The discovery of a Pulse fal�Cie inside
its walls proved this false, however, leading to the detainment and subsequent
Purging of countless citizens whose only crime was being in the wrong place at
the wrong time.
======
Bodhum
======
This modest city by the sea is the hometown of Lightning and Serah, as well as
that of Snow and the members of NORA. Known for its relaxing, resort-like
atmosphere, the location is a popular destination for vacationers.
Bodhum�s largest tourist draw is its annual beachfront fireworks display, but
this year�s event was ruined by the discovery of the Pulse fal�Cie within the
nearby Vestige. The Sanctum quarantined the city on the day after the
discovery, announcing its plan to Purge Bodhum�s entire population, along with
the hapless tourists, to Pulse.
===========
Lake Bresha
===========
Lake Bresha is located near Cocoon�s outer rim, directly beneath the Hanging
Edge. Once a bustling center of activity, this desolate area is now home only
to monsters that lurk amongst the centuries-old remnants of civilization.
The final wave of power released by the falling Pulse fal�Cie has locked the
waters of the lake in solid crystal form, creating a beautiful and unsettling
landscape.
==============
The Vile Peaks
==============
The Vile Peaks are built of debris -- the castoffs of material originally
lifted up from Pulse by the fal�Cie and used in the construction of Cocoon and
later additions of landmass. These towering piles of refuse now serve as lairs
for all manner of beasts, including lowerworld mechanical horrors that,
intentionally or not, hitched a ride with that became the building blocks of
Cocoon. The Sanctum military endeavors to clear out the dangerous inhabitants
of the peaks, but some say they leave the job half done to discourage civilians
from entering the lowlands.
===================
The Gapra Whitewood
===================
The Gapra Whitewood is the border zone that separates the wilderness of the
Vile Peaks from the civilization of Palumpolum. Under the jurisdiction of the
Sanctum military, the Whitewood serves as an experimental facility for
conducting research into bioweapons.
The security of this classified area is built into its design -- the paths
winding through the trees are deliberately confusing, causing intruders to
become hopelessly lost.
======================
The Sunleth Waterscape
======================
Off-limit to civilians, this unusual nature reservation is often visited by
Sanctum officials engaged in ecological field studies. Research into the local
ecosystem is conducted via climate-control mechanisms installed in the area.
These mechanisms provide direct access to the fal�Cie in charge of manipulating
weather conditions.
============
Euride Gorge
============
Euride Gorge is located near the town of Bodhum. The area is best known for its
energy plant, a facility whose output is generated by the fal�Cie Kujata.
Many school students can be found visiting the plant to learn about the role of
fal�Cie in society, but the gorge also sees a large number of tourists who come
to view the spectacular scenery.
Eight days prior to the Purge there was an incident at the plant involving
Pulse l�Cie, but the details were suppressed to prevent civilian panic.
==========
Palumpolum
==========
Hope�s hometown, Palumpolum is one of the biggest cities of Cocoon. Retail
stores line the streets -- a rarity in a society where online purchases are the
norm.
With the goal of promoting their �hands-on� approach the commerce as a tourist
attraction, the local government actively encourages businesses to set up shop
in Palumpolum.
========
Nautilus
========
Centered around the ever-popular Nautilus Park, the �City of Dreams� is
essentially a giant fairground built by the Sanctum for the amusement of
Cocoon�s citizens. Tourists visit from all corners of the world, keeping the
city busy and bustling all year round.
=============
Nautilus Park
=============
Nautilus Park is the crown jewel of the Sanctum-built City of Dreams. It houses
numerous attractions constructed with the latest technology, but the true stars
of the park are the chocobos and sheep found in the family-friendly petting
zoo.
With the wilds of Cocoon crawling with all manner of vicious beasts, people
find the presence of the docile park animals to be a rare and reassuring
change.
=============
The Fifth Ark
=============
This Gran Pulse structure lies deep below the capital city of Eden, its
existence unknown to the members of the Sanctum.
According to legend, Arks are Gran Pulse armories that hold living weapons in
stasis, in preparation for war with outside forces. These facilities also
supposedly serve the function of awakening a l�Cie�s latent powers.
Why this �Fifth Ark� is on Cocoon, and whether there are other Arks hidden
elsewhere, is uncertain.
====
Eden
====
This city, Cocoon�s capital, shares its name with its fal�Cie patron. Host to
the world�s centers of culture and government, it functions as the heart of
human society on Cocoon.
At the city�s core rises the monumental Edenhall, seat of Sanctum�s
administration. The fal�Cie Eden dwells deep within the structure�s interior.
===============
Orphan�s Cradle
===============
This is the dimension created by the fal�Cie Eden at the command of
Barthandelus. The very structure itself is the true form of the being that sits
at the center of Cocoon, overseeing the endless functions that keep the
floating world running.
The sea of data flowing through Eden has materialized as physical matter,
forming a shell that shelters the sleeping Orphan in a space that hoers between
reality and dream.
==========
Gran Pulse
==========
This savage world derives its name from that of the gold Pulse. Its vast
wilderness is populated by creatures ranging from the monstrous to the deadly,
and its fal�Cie seem to have taken decidedly less friendly approach toward
human dealings than those of Cocoon, cultivating the land for settlement, but
demonstrating little concern beyond that.
At one time in its history, Gran Pulse was home to a thriving civilization and
many great cities. Now it is home to many great ruins, and people are nowhere
to be seen.
============
Vallis Media
============
This is the area where Lightning and her companions set up camp after their
escape from Cocoon and emergency landing on Gran Pulse.
The valley has been formed through great shifts in the earth�s crust and
centuries of erosion, and scattered among its twists and turns are mechanical
remnants of Gran Pulse�s civilization. Half-buried in the ground and overgrown
with vegetation, these abandoned artifacts tell the tale of a fallen age.
===================
The Archylte Steppe
===================
This great plain covers a vast expanse of Gran Pulse.
With an unobstructed view clear to the horizon, creatures can easily spot
intruders into their territory. Perhaps this explains why so many beasts of the
steppe are merciless predators -- victors of the unending struggle for
survival.
==================
The Yaschas Massif
==================
This mountain group stretches across a southern region of Gran Pulse. The
area�s geography is diverse, consisting of scenic highplains, sheer
escarpments, and deep fault valleys, with mammoth fallen trees a common sight
across its landscape.
At the massif�s southernmost tip lies the ruin of the fallen city-state of
Paddra. Once the flourishing center of an advanced culture, it is now nothing
more than a Cie�th-infested archaeopolis.
=======================
The Mah�habara Subterra
=======================
Mah�habara is an underground labyrinth of tunnels excavated by the fal�Cie
Atomos. The advanced civilization of Gran Pulse once established mining
operations here, targeting the mineral and ore deposits exposed by the
fal�Cie�s digging. Long-abandoned engineering and excavation drones are now the
only traces of human society that remain, the miners having disappeared long
ago.
==============
Sulyya Springs
==============
These subterranean springs rest within the mountainous northern reaches of the
Archylte Steppe. A unique environment, the springs have spawned an equally
unique and diverse ecosystem.
The bioluminescent plants that line the waterfront represent a particular
danger to unwary visitors. Their beautiful, ghostly plays of light often draw
unsuspecting onlookers to the water�s edge, where the area�s guardian fal�Cie
is quick to strike.
==============
Taejin�s Tower
==============
This towering spire was built by the fal�Cie in ages past. While the purpose of
the structure is unclear, its original height suggests that the mighty beings
sought to pierce even the heavens in their insatiable quest for expansion.
No matter the reason for its construction, the tower now lies in ruin, its
great spine snapped and its crumbling interior serving as a lair for the
fal�Cie Dahaka.
=====
Oerba
=====
Fang and Vanille�s former home, the village of Oerba is located at the
northernmost edge of Gran Pulse mainland. Villagers from several clans shared a
communal lifestyle here, honoring the fal�Cie Anima as their patron and
protector.
Today, what remains of the abandoned village is overrun by Cie�th and in the
process of being swallowed by an encroaching sea of ashen crystal sand dunes.
================
The Faultwarrens
================
The Faultwarrens are a gauntlet of steep walls and deadly drops ruled by Titan,
the fal�Cie believed to be responsible for managing the ecosystem of Gran
Pulse. Creatures selected by Titan are pitted against one another in fierce
battles with survival as their prize and predation the price of defeat.
Only the most formidable of creatures emerge from the Faultwarrens� trials
alive, but those that do so go with Titan�s blessing.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
06) Cocoon Society
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
===========
The Sanctum
===========
Cocoon�s central government, the Sanctum, holds supreme executive, legislative,
and judicial power. It also maintains directive authority over the military.
Despite the fact that Cocoon was built by the fal�Cie, and not by humans,
fal�Cie opt to participate only superficially in governmental affairs, leaving
Cocoon�s administration entirely at the discretion of the human Sanctum and its
Primarch, Galenth Dysley.
=========
The Purge
=========
To the millions who call Cocoon home, the lowerworld of Pulse represents a
constant source of fear. Suspected association with Pulse means stigmatization
as an enemy of the state and all mankind -- even for born and raised citizens
of Cocoon.
The recent discovery of a fal�Cie from Pulse near the city of Bodhum caused
widespread civil unrest. After placing the city�s entire population under
quarantine due to the possibility of contamination, the Sanctum then announced
its intent to forcibly relocate the affected to Pulse in an emergency measure
dubbed by authorities as the Purge.
===============
Sanctum Fal�Cie
===============
The Sanctum fal�Cie are the unfathomable entities that constructed the floating
shell of Cocoon in ages past, and even now watch over the world�s human
inhabitants. Each is assigned a specific task that supports the existence of
Cocoon�s grateful populace, such as generating energy or manufacturing food.
The fal�Cie rarely intervene directly in the governing of society, leaving that
responsibility to appointed human representatives.
One theory states that, including the lower hierarchy, the total number of
Sanctum fal�Cie exceeds eight million.
=============
Sanctum L�Cie
=============
During the War of Transgression, a number of warriors were made into l�Cie to
engage the forces of Pulse alongside the Sanctum fal�Cie. Since that time,
there is no record of a Cocoon fal�Cie taking a human as a l�Cie.
It is possible that there have been unrecorded cases, but even if that is so,
any and all accurate information about the nature of Sanctum l�Cie has been
lost in the intervening years. Even Sanctum researches have been able to
achieve no more than speculation.
======
PSICOM
======
The Sanctum military is composed of two main branches: the Guardian Corps,
responsible for maintaining security in various jurisdictions throughout
Cocoon, and PSICOM -- Public Security and Intelligence Command.
PSICOM is an elite special operations unit charged with protecting Cocoon from
Pulsian incursion. In contrast to the lightly armed Guardian Corps, PSICOM
employs an array of advanced heavy weaponry and cruiser-class airships. As
PSICOM bears responsibility for any and all threats of Pulse origin, it was
PSICOM who conducted the Purge.
==============
Guardian Corps
==============
The Guardian Corps is the branch of the Sanctum military responsible for
maintaining peace and stability within Cocoon.
Within their assigned jurisdictions, the soldiers of the Guardian Corps fulfill
the role of police officers and protectors, working to eliminate all manner of
criminal activity as well as rampaging wildlife. As a unit that works alongside
the general population, it rarely employs heavy weaponry or cruiser-class
airships. However, the Corps does retain squads of highly mobile shock troops.
==========================
Wide-area Response Brigade
==========================
The Wide-area Response Brigade is Guardian Corps unit commanded by Brigadier
General Cid Rained. The brigade is more famous for its unofficial name, the
�Cavalry�. A mobile unit without a designated jurisdiction, the Cavalry patrols
the uninhabited expanses between cities, ready to respond to emergency
situations at a moment�s notice. For this purpose, the brigade commands a
cruiser-class airship -- the sole exception in the Guardian Corps.
============
The Lindblum
============
Due to the expansive area it patrols and the need for mobility, the Wide-area
Response Brigade has no fixed base. The Lindblum is the command ship of the
brigade and serves as both home and headquarters for its soldiers. It is
heavily armed and armored for a Guardian Corps craft, but is easily outclassed
by the anti-Pulse gunships built for the main PSICOM fleet.
=============
The Palamecia
=============
The flagship of the Sanctum Skyfleet, this imposing craft is an anti-Pulse
juggernaut built using the latest in military technology. The Palamecia
bristles with powerful weaponry, and its multiple decks hold several dozen
warships, as well as hundreds of crew members.
During the Purge, the Palamecia transported the entire Pulse Vestige to the
Hanging Edge.
========================
Bodhum Security Regiment
========================
The Bodhum Security Regiment is a section of the Guardian Corps stationed in
the coastal community of Bodhum. Before the events of the Purge, Lightning
belonged to this unit.
Public security issues rarely arose in the sleepy seaside town, and with little
trouble from the local fauna, the regiment was one of the least active units of
the Corps. During long spans of downtime, BSR troops were often sent to aid in
exterminating dangerous wildlife in frontier regions.
===============================
Woodlands Observation Battalion
===============================
This unit is part of the Guardian Corps, but unlike the Bodhum Security
Regiment, the Woodlands Observation Battalion patrols non-residential areas.
Its main duty is to prevent wild creatures from encroaching on suburban
districts.
The battalion also provides the bulk of security personnel for the Gapra
Whitewood bioweapons research facility, despite the facility�s status as a
PSICOM-run initiative.
============================
Palumpolum Security Division
============================
As the name implies, this Guardian Corps unit is stationed in the city of
Palumpolum. In order to properly patrol the immense Capital of Commerce, the
division consists of a large number of troops broken down into many small
regiments.
As a force primarily entrusted with maintaining public security, it is not
outfitted with heavy combat equipment. However, the division is known for its
high morale, and its soldiers were drafted to serve under PSICOM�s Colonel
Rosch during the l�Cie operations.
==========================
Nautilus Security Regiment
==========================
This Guardian Corps unit is responsible for maintaining security in Nautilus,
the popular City of Dreams. With the fun-filled amusement park requiring little
supervision, the Nautilus Security Regiment spends much of its time practicing
combat maneuvers.
The regiment�s highly trained soldiers are often deployed in support of PSICOM
operations, and many of its members joined the sweep teams searching for
fugitive l�Cie in the Vile Peaks.
=============
The Homeguard
=============
This Guardian Corps unit is stationed in the capital city of Eden. The most
elite soldiers in the Corps, the Homeguard is on equal footing with PSICOM in
terms of sheer military might.
As part of an organization that accepts only the best troops the army has to
offer, Homeguard veterans are well respected in Cocoon society even after their
retirement.
==========
Bioweapons
==========
The Sanctum has developed a vast arsenal of weaponry to defend against the
constant threat of Pulse, and these living weapons are one of the many fruits
its research has borne.
Ordinary Cocoon wildlife transformed into efficient killing machinery through
selective breeding, intense training, and physical augmentation, bioweapons
retain all the raw power and feral fury of their natural counterparts while
obeying the commands of their handlers with unwavering loyalty.
==============
AMP Technology
==============
Antimatter Manipulation Principle (AMP) forms the foundation for variety of
technological wonders, enabling phenomena ranging from phase-space interference
to the manipulation of gravitational force.
Humans ordinarily lack the means to wield magic, but through the use of
manadrives -- another product of the principle -- it is possible to synthesize
its effects.
================
The Pompa Sancta
================
This festive nighttime dance parade depicts the events of the War of
Transgression in a stylish and dazzling display of pageantry. Held in Cocoon
fal�Cie as Eidolons who combine their powers with those of flamboyant �Sanctum
l�Cie� in order to overthrow the villainous l�Cie of Pulse.
In the show�s dramatic finale, a Pulse l�Cie transforms into an abomination
reminiscent of Ragnarok before finally being slain by a righteous l�Cie from
Cocoon.
====
NORA
====
The paramilitary organization known as NORA is a group composed of like-minded
youths, assembled by Snow and self-funded by the operation of a seaside caf�
in Bodhum.
Functioning as a neighborhood watch of sorts, NORA members patrol the vicinity
of Bodhum for trouble. Most often, �trouble� consists of encroachment by
dangerous forms of wildlife.
NORA had never openly acted out against the Sanctum prior to the Purge, and
because of this, the military had been content to turn a blind eye to the
group�s activities.
========
Chocobos
========
These large, yellow birds are always crowd favorites.
Wild chocobos are almost unheard of on Cocoon, but thanks to the antics of a
certain TV program�s feathery main character, owning chocobo chicks has become
the latest fad among children.
Although the tiny chicks are easy to handle when young, their rapid growth as
they approach adulthood has forced an increasing number of families to donate
their oversized avian pets to zoos and farms.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
07) The Fal�Cie
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
======
Orphan
======
This mysterious being fuels the fal�Cie Eden with the power necessary to
maintain Cocoon�s complex operational systems, and as such, its death would
bring about Cocoon�s certain destruction. Nevertheless, its death is what
Barthandelus desires, for he seeks to offer the lives of the world�s millions
of inhabitants in sacrifice to call the vanished Maker back to this realm.
As Sanctum fal�Cie and l�Cie are themselves incapable of harming Orphan,
Barthandelus requires the assistance of Pulse l�Cie. If they can transform into
Ragnarok and destroy Orphan, Cocoon�s demise will be assured.
============
Barthandelus
============
This fal�Cie has long lived under the guise of Galenth Dysley, the Sanctum�s
supposedly human Primarch. Unbeknownst even to his closes aides, he has kept
careful watch on the fugitive l�Cie through the eyes of his rukh, Menrva,
forcing them to grow stronger while at times aiding secretly in their flight.
Barthandelus desires only that the l�Cie complete their Focus, which he
explained to be transforming into the beast Ragnarok in order to destroy Orphan
and all of Cocoon.
====
Eden
====
The namesake of Cocoon�s capital, this fal�Cie directs the others of its kind
who support the world�s day-to-day existence. While Cocoon�s other fal�Cie do
not communicate with humans, Eden does. Presiding over the Sanctum�s otherwise
human administration, the fal�Cie is known to issue orders to the Primarch and
step in to correct political gaffes on occasion.
As the sole operational nexus linking untold numbers of fal�Cie, it is not
unthinkable that the loss of Eden could spell the end of Cocoon itself.
=======
Phoenix
=======
Cocoon�s own light in the sky, Phoenix is a Sanctum fal�Cie tasked with
providing warmth and illumination. It floats at the center of Cocoon�s inner
atmosphere like a miniature sun, bathing the surrounding world in its radiant
glow.
It is the fal�Cie who are responsible for Cocoon�s climate, regularly adjusting
weather as deemed necessary. Just as Phoenix regulates daylight, other
subordinate fal�Cie maintain patterns of wind and precipitation.
======
Kujata
======
The task of this Sanctum fal�Cie is providing Cocoon with the power its
advanced urban population demands. From the plant at Euride Gorge, it sates the
voracious energy appetites of surrounding cities.
Eight days before the Purge, Kujata detected a Pulse l�Cie presence near the
plant and took emergency defensive action. Hoping to use a human instrument to
search out the enemy l�Cie, the fal�Cie branded Sazh�s son, Dajh, who had
wandered into the facility, turning the boy into a Sanctum l�Cie.
=========
Carbuncle
=========
Carbuncle is a Sanctum fal�Cie charged with food production. Stationed in
Palumpolum�s subterranean nutriculture complex, this fal�Cie oversees a process
of ultra-efficient hydroponic farming employing mobile paddies and careful
regulation of light and water.
A parallel process within the facility generates raw protein to supplement the
vegetable foodstuff produced.
=====
Anima
=====
This fal�Cie had been hibernating deep within the Bodhum Vestige. It branded
Serah, as well as Lightning, Snow, and the others, condemning them all to the
grim fate of Pulse l�Cie.
Although it appears Anima was brought to Cocoon in the Vestige centuries ago,
Sanctum authorities had no knowledge of the alien stowaway�s presence. Its
discovery, and the resultant fear that Bodhum�s population may have been
tainted by its magic, spawned the Purge.
======
Atomos
======
Atomos toils endlessly beneath the surface of Gran Pulse, ever extending the
world�s network of snaking, subterranean passages. Common speculation purports
that the fal�Cie�s goal is excavation of habitable underground environments but
the truth of the matter is shrouded in mystery.
What is known is that Atomos�s digging often exposes deposits of valuable
mineral resources. For this reason, the human inhabitants of Gran Pulse long
ago established mining operations in Mah�habara.
========
Bismarck
========
An aquatic fal�Cie, Bismarck dwells within the watery refuge of Gran Pulse�s
Sulyya Springs. Wary and cunning, the whale-like creature vehemently defends
its territory, employing various indirect means to eliminate trespassers.
Bismarck�s duty appears to be the slow and painstaking reshaping of the land
through water erosion. This is likely the reason for its aggressive defense of
the waters it inhabits.
======
Dahaka
======
Residing within Taejin�s Tower, this Gran Pulse fal�Cie soars through the sky
with an ease that seems almost uncanny given the bulk of its form.
Although the majority of fal�Cie on Gran Pulse dedicate themselves to
terraforming or other tasks of environmental modification, Dahaka does nothing
of the sort. Plausible conjectures as the nature of the flying fal�Cie�s duty
include some manner of aerial monitoring or the search for something the
heavens conceal.
=====
Titan
=====
This colossal fal�Cie is said to be the guardian of Gran Pulse�s entire
ecosystem. A biogenitor, Titan consumes weaker species and gives birth to new
ones, thereby providing the stimulation needed to prevent ecological
stagnation.
Unlike many other Gran Pulse fal�Cie, Titan does not involve himself directly
with tasks of terrestrial manipulation. However, it is possible that he
performs more subtle alterations of the landscape through the adjustment of
biological cycles and the introduction of new, environmentally impacting
species.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
08) Analects
xxxxxxxxxxxx
====================
I. The Vanished Gods
====================
Luminous lamented,
for creation spiraled unto doom.
Stout fashioned earth,
that future might take root.
Sage turned mind�s eye inward,
seeking truth profound.
Fool desired naught,
and soon was made one with it.
Maker forged fal�Cie,
from fragments Maker�s own.
Maker forged Man,
from traces once Divine.
In time the gods departed,
leaving all by their hands wrought.
Fal�Cie were as Man forsaken,
orphans of Maker absconded.
-Author unknown
==================
II. Lindzei�s Nest
==================
And lo, the viper Lindzei bore fangs into the pristine soil of our Gran Pulse;
despoiled the land and from it crafted a cocoon both ghastly and unclean.
Lies spilled forth from the serpent�s tongue: �Within this shell lies
paradise�. Men heard these lies and were seduced and led away.
O cursed are the fools who trust a snake and turn their backs upon the bounty
of Pulse�s hallowed land! For those who dwell in that cocoon are not Men, but
slaves of the demon Lindzei.
Ye who honor Pulse: rise unto the heavens, and cast down the viper�s nest!
-Author unknown
===============
III. The Chosen
===============
Two l�Cie are they, the chosen, and from the North they hail. Endowed are they
with fal�Cie Focus, to bear the burden of the Beast.
My brothers and sisters of Gran Pulse: Honor the Chosen in your prayers!
Let the blade forged of their will be tempered by your faith, that it might
sunder that devilish cocoon�s fa�ade!
-A Call to Arms
=======================
IV. The Heavenly Deceit
=======================
Ragnarok took wing; made to smite Cocoon, and thereby deliver us our
everlasting peace. But Her Providence would not let it be.
The Goddess pitied the fools who so blindly bowed to Lindzei�s will, and so She
robbed Ragnarok of power, putting the l�Cie to an early crystal sleep, Focus
yet incomplete.
-Sermons of the seeress Paddra Nsu-Yeul
==========================
V. The Age of Fading Glory
==========================
How long now, since the demons of Cocoon violated this land? Where once the
peoples of Gran Pulse stood as one, united against a common foe, today we stand
divided, at war amongst ourselves.
We walk on the edge of a knife, teetering, ever but one step from our demise.
How tired a species, that we must rob our own of the necessities for life lest
we succumb to the fate to which we so willingly subject others!
Even Haeri, at the height of its glory, laid to ruin by a menace greater still!
Surely the vipers within that floating nest look down upon us with
self-righteous scorn, to see this decline of our once-great civilization.
-Criticisms of a Pulsian People
===================
VI. The Age of Ruin
===================
The fal�Cie of Hallowed Pulse offer us no salvation. Populations dwindle, and
still they but make more of us l�Cie, dealing out one incomprehensible Focus
after the next as they drive us toward our end.
Men take up arms against their brothers now. We, who should be joining hands to
survive in the face of nature�s trials, turn on one another to secure what few
of her blessings remain.
I suspect that even the city of Paddra, this last bastion of civilization, will
not long stand against the evils we now perpetrate. Human life on Gran Pulse
has passed the point of no return.
-Criticisms of a Pulsian People
===================
VII. Hallowed Pulse
===================
It was the Great and Hallowed Pulse who seeking to expand divine domain, parted
the chaos and fashioned realm within; made fal�Cie, and charged them with this
world�s completion.
The fal�Cie, anxious to please the hand that shaped them, labored devotedly at
the task they had been given. They made l�Cie of men so that they, too, might
be able to aid the greater cause. Men, in turn, offered praise and prayer to
Hallowed Pulse, naming their great land in honor of its architect.
Yet still the architect departed.
-On the Nature of Fal�Cie
==================
VIII. Fell Lindzei
==================
As our fal�Cie are the children of Hallowed Pulse, so are the fal�Cie who lurk
within Cocoon the brood of Lindzei.
But all gods are not alike.
Lindzei is cunning and false; sovereign to snakes and fiends; an anathema to be
abhorred.
Cocoon fal�Cie are of Fell Lindzei�s line, yet that did not spare them.
They were betrayed all the same; left orphans when their Succubus fled this
earthly realm.
-A Call to Arms
==================
IX. Her Providence
==================
Her Providence sought nothing.
Her Providence made nothing.
She but looked on, silent in Her sorrow.
The Goddess pitied mortals, destined as they were to die, and so She deigned to
intervene in the hour of their greatest peril. She averted cataclysm that was
to be, and put to rest the ones who would have robbed so many of what time
fate had ordained.
Her compassion did not end at this.
The Goddess pitied also those subjected to that fate of Focus, crueler still
than death. To them She sent Her messengers, to deliver hope when all was lost.
-Sermons of the seeress Paddra Nsu-Yeul
====================
X. The Menace Beyond
====================
They say the fal�Cie made the Arks in preparation for battle against the menace
that lurks beyond. Where is this �beyond� of which they speak? Do they mean
Cocoon, and the demons that dwell within? If so, they are mistaken. The legends
of the Arks date far before that sphere was even crafted; whispers even hint at
Arks displaced around the time of Cocoon�s creation, spirited away to be hidden
in its shell.
What, then, is the �menace�? What distant threat confronts us, and to what
purpose? The gods vanished from this place. Are they now residents of the
�beyond�?
-On the Nature of Fal�Cie
==========================
XI. Hypothesis of the Hunt
==========================
We�ve long held the goal of the fal�Cie�s endless excavations to be the
expansion of our world�s inhabitable space -- the creation of new lands with
which to honor the gods. But I contend this to be false. Their methods lack the
order one would expect if that were their purpose, and what�s more, the gods
they would honor have long since departed this world.
I propose a different explanation: the fal�Cie are hunting. Whether they seek a
way to recall the gods or to journey to their side I cannot say, but I do
believe the fal�Cie seek their lost deities. They search the earth, the skies,
the waters, and even the deep places, seeking a gateway to the Divine.
-On the Nature of Fal�Cie
======================
XII. The Door of Souls
======================
When our earthly vessels meet their end, the souls they housed must leave this
world. Would the path of their migration not be the same one taken by our
departed gods? Must they not pass through the same doorway the Divine employed
to reach that place that lies beyond?
If this is the case, it stands to reason that, should a great many lives at
once be cut short, a flood of souls would surge through the aforementioned
portal. The Door would be thrown wide, and perhaps we might even glimpse the
gleaming light of Divinity beyond.
-On the Nature of Fal�Cie
============================
XIII. Fabula Nova Crystallis
============================
Children of Hallowed Pulse scour earth, searching substance for the Door. Those
of Fell Lindzei harvest souls, combing ether for the same. So have I seen.
The Door, once shut, was locked away, with despair its secret key; sacrifice,
the one hope of seeing it unsealed.
When the twilight of the gods at last descends upon this world, what emerges
from the unseeable expanse beyond that Door will be but music, and that devoid
of words: the lamentations of the Goddess Etro, as She sobs Her song of grief.
-Author unknown
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
09) Primers: Gameplay Basics
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
==============
Basic Controls
==============
[Left Stick] Move character
[Right Stick] Rotate camera
[R3] Reset camera position
[Triangle] Open main menu
[X] Perform Action
[Start] Pause game
======
Saving
======
As you explore your environs, you will sometimes encounter Save Stations at
which you can save your progress.
To access a Save Station, approach it and press [X] when the world ACCESS
appears. A menu of its functions will then appear.
Select Save from the menu, and then choose a file to which to save your data.
Press [X] to save your progress to that file.
========
Shopping
========
When you wish to purchase new items or sell items in your party inventory, you
will first need to access a Save Station.
Approach any Save Station and press [X] when the word ACCESS appears to open
the Save station menu. Select Shop form this menu, and then choose the retailer
whose network you would like to access.
Your selection will be limited at first, but as you obtain e-passes for new
retail networks, you will gain access to a wider variety of vendors and
merchandise.
You can obtain the gil needed to make new purchases from treasure spheres, or
by selling items that you no longer need.
Shops frequently expand their stocks, offering you the chance to acquire new
items. Whenever new merchandise becomes available through a retailer to which
you have access, a notice will appear in the upper left corner of the screen.
An icon will also appear next to the name of any shop with updated offerings
when you choose Shop form the Save Station menu.
===================
Upgrading Equipment
===================
You can upgrade weapons and accessories at Save Stations using your Omni-kit
and the various components you collect on your journey.
First, approach a Save Station and press [X] to access it. Then select Upgrade
from the Save Station menu to access the workbench. After choosing Upgrade,
select the weapon or accessory that you wish to improve.
Next, you will need to select the type of component you wish to use for the
upgrade, as well as the quantity. The combined EXP value of the chosen
component will then be applied to the target piece of equipment.
After enough EXP has been spent on a weapon or accessory, its level will
increase, improving its abilities and attributes.
Certain components bestow a bonus to any EXP spent on a piece of equipment. By
utilizing these components, you will be able to make more efficient upgrades.
Likewise, some components reduce an item�s EXP bonus. Careful consideration is
required when deciding which components to employ.
Once a particular piece of equipment has reached its maximum potential, its
level will be replaced by a star. At this point no further level advancement is
possible, but the item can be transformed into an entirely different one by
means of specialized components. When this happens, both its name and
properties will change.
A newly transformed item may initially seem weaker than it did in its previous
form, but unlike its fully upgraded predecessor, it will be eligible for level
advancement. Through further upgrades, it can be made even more powerful than
its earlier incarnation.
Unwanted equipment can be scrapped for parts by selecting Dismantle. The
equipment itself will be destroyed, but you will be able to salvage components,
some of which can be obtained in no other way.
There exist well over 100 different components. Obtain as many as possible, and
experiment with their effects in order to determine the most efficient and
effective ways to customize your arsenal.
============
The Mini-map
============
The mini-map in the upper right corner of the screen displays a variety of
helpful information. In addition to revealing the surrounding terrain, the
mini-map indicates the direction of your destination and the positions of
nearby enemies.
Upon entering an area guarded by hostiles, the mini-map will flash in warning.
It also shows where recently defeated enemies had been located, allowing you to
quickly reorient yourself after battle.
You can turn off the mini-map at any time. To toggle its display, simply press
[Select].
=========
Auto-talk
=========
Upon approaching the other characters you encounter while exploring, you will
often be spoken to, or overhear something being said. These conversations occur
automatically and do not require any action on your part.
A few conversations require a button press to initiate. In these instances, a
button prompt will be displayed when you approach the person in question, just
as a prompt appears when you approach any object on which you can perform an
action.
=========
Auto-jump
=========
In many cases, you can jump over obstacles or terrain level differences that
appear to impede your progress. To do so, simply approach the obstruction and
attempt to continue moving in the direction you wish to proceed. If it is
possible to jump over the hurdle, you will do so automatically.
=======================
Blue and Red Indicators
=======================
Swirling blue and red indicators mark the ground of the areas you explore.
Blue indicators represent points on the ground where it is possible to jump
over an obstacle. Red indicators, on the other hand, indicate points you must
reach in order to operate a device or cause something important to happen.
=================
Yellow Indicators
=================
You will find swirling yellow indicators on the ground in the Archylte Steppe
that appear in no other locations on Gran Pulse or Cocoon. These marks indicate
jump points, where a creature with enough leg strength just might be able to
leap to a distant destination.
===========================
Object Interaction � Part 1
===========================
When you approach an unopened treasure sphere, switch, or any other object on
which you may perform an action, a message indicating the action will appear.
Press [X] to perform this action, obtaining gil or items in the case of
treasure sphere, or activating a device in case of a switch or control panel.
===========================
Object Interaction � Part 2
===========================
You will sometimes find yourself unable to interact with treasure spheres or
other devices even when standing directly in front of them. This is due to the
presence of enemies in close proximity to the object in question.
When this occurs, the action button icon does not appear beside the name of the
action you would otherwise be able to perform. Defeat the nearby enemies, and
you will be able to interact with the object normally.
===================
Skippable Cutscenes
===================
You can press [Start] at any time during a cutscene to pause the action. After
doing so, pressing [Select] will allow you to skip the rest of the scene if you
so desire.
Certain cutscenes are unskippable if the Skip option is not displayed upon
pausing, the scene must be viewed in its entirety.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
10) Primers: Battle
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=============
Battle Basics
=============
Characters perform abilities in battle by expending segments of the ATB gauge,
which charges continuously over time.
Auto-battle and other similar commands queue up a set of abilities
automatically, only requiring you to choose a target.
The Abilities command, on the other hand, allow you to specify individual
abilities as you see fit. The number to the right of each ability�s name is its
ATB cost -- The number of charged segments required to perform that action. If
you add an ability to the queue by mistake, cancel it with [O]. By pressing
[Right] at the Abilities command, you can select Repeat, which queues up the
last set of abilities used.
Pressing [Triangle] executes a partial command queue. Queue up a single ability
and press [Triangle] to execute it immediately, or press [Triangle] after
entering a full queue to act before your ATB gauge has filled. Abilities
corresponding to charged segments will be performed, and the rest will be
canceled.
Item use does not deplete the ATB gauge, but permanently consumes the item.
If the battle team leader�s HP reaches zero, the game is over -- regardless of
whether or not other members are still standing. Always keep a close eye on
your leader�s HP.
Once you have entered a battle, there is no way to flee. Appraise enemies
carefully beforehand. If they appear too powerful, it may be best to avoid the
battle entirely.
You can however press [Select] after pausing a battle with [Start] to select
Retry, which will return you to a moment just before the battle. Items will be
returned but all damage to enemies will be reset.
==============
Battle Results
==============
The speed with which you complete a battle determines your rating.
Ratings influence rewards, such as the spoils obtained after battle.
For each second you undercut the target time, your score increases by the
battle�s PPS (Points Per Second) value. This score, in turn, determines your
rating. Finishing at the target time will earn you an average rating of three
stars, out of a maximum of five.
Initiating combat with a preemptive strike provides an initiative bonus, pre-
applied as an extension of the target time.
=====================
Synthesized Abilities
=====================
Open the main menu by pressing [Triangle] and then select Equipment, and you
will see a list of passive abilities along with the right side of the screen.
These are bonuses granted by equipped weapons and accessories.
Certain combinations of equipment grant additional hidden bonuses that none of
the items provide when equipped individually. These are known as synthesized
abilities, and are identifiable by a special icon.
Experiment with a variety of gear to discover which combinations produce the
most beneficial results.
=====================
Chains and Staggering
=====================
Each time you land a successful attack on an enemy, the enemy�s chain gauge --
displayed in the upper right corner of the screen -- will charge slightly. This
gauge drains slowly over time, but by maintaining a steady flow of attacks you
can drive the chain bonus (the percentage of damage dealt by each attack)
upward.
Deliver enough hits in rapid succession, and the gauge will eventually fill. If
you connect once more with an enemy in this state, you will stagger that enemy.
Staggered enemies take a great deal of damage from every attack.
Increased damage is not the only effect of staggering a foe. Some abilities
behave differently against staggered targets.
Note that some enemies are more easily staggered than others. The chain gauge
for easily staggered opponents will charge significantly even as the result of
a minor attack.
It is always to your advantage to stagger enemies quickly, so keep a close eye
on their chain gauges and try to maintain a high rate of attacks in order to
keep chain bonuses as high as possible.
=========
Paradigms
=========
Each character fights using one of six different roles. Changing a character�s
role changes his or her abilities, and also the way in which that character
behaves during combat.
Combinations of role assignments for your battle team are known as paradigms.
You can create and edit paradigms by pressing [Triangle] to open the main menu,
and then selecting Paradigms.
During battle, you can change the team�s paradigm at any time. Press [L1] to
open your paradigm deck, then select a paradigm and press [X] to perform a
paradigm shift.
Good combat strategy means keeping a careful eye on your situation and shifting
paradigms accordingly. When facing strong enemies, use a paradigm featuring a
Sentinel. Once you�ve thinned their numbers a bit, shift to a paradigm
featuring Commandos or Ravagers to finish them off more quickly. When things
look grim, call in the Medics.
==============
Role: Commando
==============
Commandos are offensive specialists, employing brutal physical attacks and
damaging magic as the tools of their trade. Enemy chain gauges drain less
rapidly when charged by Commando attacks than when charged by those of other
roles.
Commandos are at their most effective when working in tandem with Ravagers, who
drive chain bonuses upward, thereby increasing the damage dealt to enemies.
Role Bonus: Augmented Attacks
Physical and magical attacks deal extra damage.
Allies share a reduced bonus.
=============
Role: Ravager
=============
Ravagers wield powerful magic spells dealing damage of fire, ice, lightning,
water, and other elemental affinities. Combining different abilities allows
them to boost enemy chain bonuses significantly, increasing the damage dealt by
subsequent attacks. Striking at enemies� elemental weaknesses will further
boost chain bonuses.
Role Bonus: Improved Chaining
Attacks impact chain bonuses more severely.
Allies share a reduced bonus.
==============
Role: Sentinel
==============
Sentinels are defensive specialists. They provide interference, drawing enemy
aggression toward themselves and using their enhanced defense to minimize
damage to the party. Sentinels have access to the Provoke ability, which
extends the duration of enemy chain bonuses. They can also use counterattack
abilities, which allow them to retaliate when attacked.
Role Bonus: Damage Reduction
Physical and magic resistance are increased.
Allies share a reduced bonus.
===========
Role: Medic
===========
Medics are healers capable of restoring HP, removing status ailments, and even
reviving KO�d allies. When they remove status ailments, the most recently
inflicted ailment is always removed first.
Medics are incredibly helpful, but they also reduce a battle team�s damage-
dealing capacity. If you with to end battles quickly, it may be necessary to
fight without them.
Role Bonus: Augmented Healing
Healing abilities and items restore more HP.
Allies share a reduced bonus.
===============
Role: Synergist
===============
Synergists employ a wide range of abilities to enhance their allies�
effectiveness in combat. Enhancements range from defensive bonuses to increased
damage and the ability to deal elemental damage via normal attacks.
When facing a particularly powerful enemy, it is a good idea to enter the
battle using a paradigm that includes a synergist. Once enhancements are in
place, you can always shift to a different paradigm.
Role Bonus: Extended Enhancements
Abilities grant longer-lasting status enhancements.
Allies share a reduced bonus.
==============
Role: Saboteur
==============
Saboteurs use their skills to weaken enemies. Their bag of tricks includes not
only attribute-lowering abilities, but also those that inflict status ailments,
like Poison. When successful, these abilities increase enemy chain bonuses.
Even if they fail to inflict status ailments, Saboteur abilities still deal
damage. However, once enemies have been weakened sufficiently, it is generally
best to shift Saboteurs to other roles.
Role Bonus: Boosted Success Rates
Abilities are more likely to succeed on enemies.
Allies share a reduced bonus.
=======================
The Crystarium � Part 1
=======================
When you wish to develop characters and teach them new abilities, open the main
menu with [Triangle] and access the Crystarium.
By spending the crystogen points (CP) that you earn from fighting, you can
advance characters� paths of crystogenesis, obtaining new crystals that provide
a variety of enhancements.
After selecting Crystarium from the main menu, select a character and then
press [X].
Character development paths are divided between the different roles. First,
select the role in which you would like to develop the chosen character and
press [X] to confirm. The finger cursor will jump to the last crystal obtained
for that role.
Next, press and hold [X] and the path of crystogenesis will advance
automatically, consuming the CP necessary to do so.
As the glowing line passes through new crystals, the character will obtain
their benefits, such as improved attributes or new abilities. When the
character runs out of CP, crystogenesis will grind to a halt.
Characters earn CP at the end of every battle. If you wish to develop them
further, fight more enemies, and then return to the Crystarium to spend the CP
earned.
Abilities learned along each path are role-specific and cannot be shared. For
example, learning Ruin for the Commando role will not allow a character to use
Ruin as a Ravager. Techniques are the exception to this rule, and can be used
in any role once learned. Boosts to attributes like Strength, Magic, and HP
also apply across roles.
Gaining levels in a role increases the effect of that role�s bonus. Consider
whether you would rather focus on a single role for each character, gaining
faster access to powerful abilities, or spread development evenly across
multiple roles for flexibility.
=======================
The Crystarium � Part 2
=======================
You can normally perform crystogenesis until running out of CP, simply by
pressing and holding [X]. However, the process will stop upon reaching points
where the path branches. Here, you must press [Dpad] while holding [X] to
choose a direction in which to proceed.
By pressing [Dpad] without holding [X], you can explore various routes to see
what crystal lie along them. [Select] changes which crystal names are
displayed, cycling between only names near the cursor, all names, and none.
Pressing [L1] or [R1] will allow you to develop a different character.
=======================
The Crystarium � Part 3
=======================
Now that all roles have been unlocked, you can assign roles freely to your
characters.
However, a character must have learned at least one ability for a role before
he or she can do it.
If you wish to cast a character in a new role, first access the Crystarium and
teach that character an ability for the desired role. Master enough roles, and
your choice of paradigms will expand significantly.
==============
Status Effects
==============
During the course of battle, the status of enemies and allies can be altered in
various ways, some beneficial and some detrimental.
Synergist abilities grant status-enhancing effects that strengthen or protect
the recipient. Saboteur abilities, on the other hand, inflict troublesome
status ailments. Some enemy attacks can also result in these disadvantageous
conditions.
It is possible for up to 8 status effects to stack simultaneously. Ignore the
harmful ones, and you may soon find your fighting capabilities severely
limited.
Common status effect include bonuses and penalties to offensive and defensive
attributes. These can result from using abilities or even equipping certain
pieces of gear.
Changes to Strength and Magic primarily affect the damage characters deal to
enemies, with Strength affecting physical attacks and Magic affecting spells.
Strength can be boosted with the Bravery ability, while the Faith ability
enhances Magic.
Changes to resistances affect the amount of damage characters take from enemy
attacks. Physical resistance can be improved via the Protect ability, or eroded
with Deprotect. Likewise, magic resistance can be fortified with Shell or
hampered by Deshell.
===============================
Elemental Damage and Resistance
===============================
Some enemies are exceptionally vulnerable to certain elements. Attacks that
deal damage of the proper type are especially devastating to these opponents.
By using Libra technique, you can reveal an enemy�s resistances to the six
elements (earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, and wind) as well as to physical
and magic damage.
The Ravager role is particularly skilled at elemental attacks, using spells
like Fire and Blizzard to deal fire and ice damage respectively. In addition to
spells, some physical attacks like Sparkstrike deal elemental damage (in this
case, lightning), while the technique Quake inflicts earth damage.
A character need not be a Ravager to deal elemental damage. Affinity-granting
abilities like Enfire cause normal physical attacks to deal damage of the
corresponding element. An Icon of a sword combined with the imbued element
indicates this status.
Enhancements like Barfire minimize the damage from enemies who employ similar
attacks and magic, providing bonuses to elemental resistance. These effects are
represented by an icon of a shield combined with the resisted element.
There are no abilities that grant resistance to, or cause attacks to deal,
earth or wind damage. However, there are accessories that do so when equipped.
Physical and magic resistance always take priority over elemental
vulnerabilities.
For example, if you attack an enemy who is weak against lighting -- but immune
to magic -- with the Thunder spell, it will deal no damage. However, attacking
the same enemy with Sparkstrike -- a non-magical lightning attack -- will be
highly effective.
Some enemies are immune to both physical and magic damage. If you should happen
to encounter such fearsome foes, use Libra to glean information that might help
you overcome them.
===============
Status Ailments
===============
The debuffing and debilitating status ailments inflicted by some abilities
render enemies weak and vulnerable. However, opponents can and will use those
very same abilities against you. If you do not take steps to counteract them,
you may find yourself fighting at a disadvantage.
Some accessories grant resistance to status ailments, as does the Veil spell.
An icon with an upwards arrow represents an active resistance bonus.
Icons with a downwards arrow represent detrimental status effects.
(A) Debrave: Reduces Strength.
(B) Defaith: Reduces Magic.
(C) Deprotect: Reduces physical resistance.
(D) Deshell: Reduces magic resistance.
(E) Slow: Reduces ATB gauge rate.
(F) Imperil: Reduces elemental resistance.
Items remove some status ailments:
(A) Poison: Deals damage repeatedly over time. Removed by Antidote.
(B) Pain: Prevents use of physical abilities. Removed by Painkiller.
(C) Fog: Prevents spell casting. Removed by Mallet.
(D) Daze: Prevents all actions and increases damage. Removed by Foul
Liquid.
(E) Curse: Causes own abilities to fail often, while rendering
opponents� likely to succeed. Removed by Holy Water.
The Esuna spell can also remove status ailments. This ability removes only the
most recently inflicted ailment, so it must be used repeatedly if a character
is suffering from more than one.
There are also a small number of special status alterations, such as the
following:
(A) Doom: When a character is inflicted with this status, a countdown begins.
When the count reaches zero, the character is KO�d. There is no way to
stop the effects of Doom, but certain accessories grant resistance to
the instant KO caused by Death and similar abilities.
(B) Dispel: Removes the most recent status enhancement from the target.
===========================
Neutralizing Status Effects
===========================
Status effects can be neutralized by applying the opposite effect, which
effectively cancels out both. This enables a Synergist to remove status
ailments in place of a Medic, and also allows a Saboteur to remove status
enhancements from enemies.
(A) Debrave cancels Bravery.
(B) Defaith cancels Faith.
(C) Deprotect cancels Protect.
(D) Deshell cancels Shell.
(E) Slow cancels Haste.
(F) Curse cancels Vigilance.
(G) Imperil cannot be cancelled.
==========================
Libra and Other Techniques
==========================
Techniques are special abilities you can perform by spending technical
points (TP). They do not require any ATB gauge expenditure.
You can perform techniques in battle by selecting the Techniques command and
then choosing the desired ability. To replenish your TP supply, unleash
successful ability queues or earn high ratings after battle. Certain items also
restore TP.
Libra reveals vital information about your enemies after revealing enemy
weaknesses with this technique, your allies will do their best to take
advantage of this intel when deciding their actions.
To view the information you have gathered on enemies, press [R1] during battle,
or just press [Triangle] to open the main menu outside of battle and then
select Datalog followed by Enemy Intel. A check mark icon will be shown by the
name of any enemy whose attributes you have fully discerned.
Using Libra does not change enemy strengths or weaknesses. Even if you do not
know an enemy�s elemental vulnerabilities, using attacks of those elements will
be just as effective.
===============
Eidolon Battles
===============
When battling Eidolons, it is possible to deal damage to them as you would to
any other enemy. However, this alone will not end the battle. As you attack
Eidolons, a special gauge fills. When this gauge becomes full, you must press
[Square] to assert your dominance over the Eidolon and claim victory.
Attacking is not the only way to charge the gauge. There are other methods,
differing between Eidolons, which are just as effective. Experiment with a
variety of abilities to see which work.
==================
Summoning Eidolons
==================
A character who has overcome the challenge of an Eidolon learns the Summon
technique. Performing this technique calls the Eidolon to the summoner�s side,
where it will attack enemies and restore HP to allies.
A summoned Eidolon will continue fighting for the party until its SP gauge is
empty. The SP gauge drains slowly over time, and also whenever the Eidolon
takes damage.
After summoning an Eidolon, you can press [Square] to activate gestalt mode at
any time. The level of the Eidolon�s gestalt gauge determines how long you can
remain in this mode.
The gauge is charged by working with the Eidolon to build attack chains against
enemies, so the longer you fight together before activating gestalt mode, the
longer you will be able to maintain it.
In gestalt mode, you can perform various devastating attacks by pressing the
buttons indicated on the screen. Alternatively, you can press [X] to use
Autogestalt, leaving the choice to your Eidolon. Each ability expends a certain
number of time units shown next to the ability�s name, thereby reducing the
overall duration of gestalt mode.
Once time runs out, the Eidolon will be dismissed. Enemy chain gauges will be
reset and staggered enemies will recover, but the Eidolon will restore your
entire battle team�s HP and remove any status ailments from members before
departing.
============================
Skipping Summoning Sequences
============================
The animated scenes played during the summoning of Eidolons cab be skipped at
any time by pressing [Select], as can the scenes shown upon activating gestalt
mode.
=================
Three-way Battles
=================
At times, you will encounter enemy groups engaged in battle with one another.
With their attention occupied, it becomes easier for you to initiate combat
with a preemptive strike.
Coming into contact with a member of either side will initiate a battle against
both. However, the enemies may not even notice your presence at first,
continuing to fight one another instead. When this occurs, it is most effective
to concentrate all your attacks against the side you expect to have the most
trouble defeating.
Once you have defeated the first group of enemies with help from their foes,
you can turn and fight the already-weakened second faction. Pick your targets
poorly, and you may be left waging a long and bitter battle against
overwhelming odds.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
11) Primers: Exploration
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
================
Enemy Encounters
================
Many and various enemies stalk the roads that you must travel. Upon entering an
enemy�s detection radius, the mini-map in the upper right corner of the screen
will flash in warning.
Coming into contact with any enemy will initiate a battle.
=================================
Aggression and Preemptive Strikes
=================================
All enemies guard areas limited by their fields of vision or other means of
detection. Upon entering a guarded area, there is a chance that the enemy or
enemies patrolling it will take notice.
If your trespass is observed, a warning icon will appear over the heads of any
enemies alerted to your presence. These foes will then become hostile, taking
up defensive positions or rushing forward to attack.
If your party leader comes into contact with an enemy, a battle will begin.
Battles begin normally if the enemy was aware of the party�s presence.
If the enemy was caught off guard, however, the party will be able to make a
preemptive strike.
Certain enemies, like Zwerg scandroids, have extremely narrow fields of vision
and can be easily be approached unnoticed. It is always advantageous to do so
if possible, as initiating a preemptive strike forces enemies to enter battle
with their chain gauges near the staggering threshold.
=======
Shrouds
=======
Shrouds are special single-use aerosols that can only be used outside of
battle, and grant the party tactical advantages.
Fortisol and Aegisol bestow their bonuses at the start of battle. Deceptisol,
on the other hand, shields the party from enemy detection, eliminating any
concerns of being spotted and attacked. Is it useful for avoiding combat, and
also for launching preemptive strikes.
Enemies like pantherons, whose field of vision allow them to monitor wide
areas, normally turn hostile and display icons as soon as they are approached.
Apply a spray of Deceptisol, however, and you will have no trouble gaining a
preemptive strike.
To open the shroud menu, press [L1] while exploring. Select a should with
[Up/Down] and then press [X] to use it. To close the menu without using a
shroud, press [L1] or [O].
Shroud effects wear off after the brief duration so be sure to time their
application carefully.
==========================
Cie�th Stones and Missions
==========================
Cie�th Stones lie scattered about the world of Gran Pulse -- the Final remains
of failed former l�Cie.
Upon touching a Cie�th Stone, you will be given the opportunity to undertake
its unfinished Focus as a mission, hunting down whatever terror it had been
tasked with slaying.
Finding and defeating the mark will complete the mission, earning you special
rewards.
Complete enough missions and previously dormant Cie�th Stones will begin to
awaken, presenting you with new and more rewarding challenges.
It is only possible to accept one mission at a time. Take on a new mission
without completing your previous one, and the earlier mission will be
abandoned.
You can check the details of your current mission including the whereabouts of
your mark on the map screen at any time.
========
Chocobos
========
These majestic yellow birds allow you to cover greater distances than you could
on foot, in only a fraction of the time. There are also locations that only
chocobos can reach, indicated by swirling yellow indicators on the ground.
To mount a chocobo, approach it and press [X].
Chocobos are courageous creatures, but even they have their limits. Come into
contact with an enemy while riding, and the chocobo will lose one unit of
morale.
Should a chocobo lose all of its morale, it will throw its rider and flee.
Otherwise, lost morale will gradually return, so long as no more close
encounters occur.
Chocobos also possess an uncanny knack for detecting buried treasure. When you
pass near hidden treasure while riding a chocobo, an icon will appear above the
bird�s head. The closer you come to the treasure, the faster this icon will
bounce.
Once you have discerned the treasure location, press [X] to dig it up.
================
Cie�th Waystones
================
Certain Cie�th Stones function as teleporters, or Waystones, once you have
completed their missions.
Using these stones, you can travel instantly to other Waystones that you have
activated previously.
==============
Cie�th Palings
==============
These Cie�th Stone emanations block roads and pathways all across Gran Pulse.
Complete the mission of the Cie�th Stone near them and they will dissipate.
Be warned that the marks for these missions are formidable foes, and you need
not slay them all. Should you decide to undertake one of these missions, be
prepared for grievous challenge.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
12) Primers: The Main Menu
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=================
The Paradigm Deck
=================
The paradigm deck is the list of paradigms available to your party in battle.
To modify it, press [Triangle] to open the main menu and then select Paradigms.
Via the menu that appears, you can change the party�s active paradigm and also
modify its deck.
To do the latter, choose Customize. Select any of the 6 available slots, and
you will have the option to edit the paradigm contained therein. You can also
reorder the list to suit your preferences using [Up/Down] and [X]. To change
the party�s active paradigm, select the desired one and press [Square].
If you are not sure how to compose an effective deck, you can also choose
Generate to create paradigms automatically.
Different paradigms will be generated each time, even if you select the same
category. If you do not wish to use the one created first, try generating new
paradigms of the same type until you discover one you like.
=======================
Battle Team Information
=======================
You can change the composition of your battle team by pressing [Triangle] to
open the main menu, and then selecting Paradigms.
Within the Paradigms menu, select Battle Team and you will be able to choose
the battle team�s leader and members.
Changing the members of your battle team will reset the party�s paradigm deck,
Select Customize to check y our current paradigm and later it if desired.
=========
Area Maps
=========
Area maps display your current position and destination as well as other points
of interest in the vicinity.
To open the map of your current location, press [Square]. You can also view the
map by pressing [Triangle] to open the main menu and then selecting Map.
===========
The Datalog
===========
You possess an advanced digital journal known as a datalog that autonomously
streams information deemed pertinent.
Whenever the datalog records a new entry, a notice will appear in the upper
left corner of the screen. To peruse entries, press [Triangle] to open the main
menu and then select Datalog.
===============
Camera Settings
===============
A total of four camera control schemes are available for selection. The control
scheme can be changed even after an initial choice Is made.
To modify your current setting, press [Triangle] to open the main menu and then
select Settings.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
III) Closing & Credits
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Woo! Finally done!! Hard work doing all the formatting!
Honestly, I never typed so much before in my life, especially fitting it all in
a little over 3 days.
Hope you guys enjoy it. If you find any mistakes or have any suggestions, feel
free to email me at psxsquall[at]gmail.com
Credits go to:
Square Enix for making Final Fantasy XIII
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