Chapter Ten

All entries taken from the game's datalog.

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 from 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 understanding 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 event 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 wish 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 protected 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 his 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 fiancée'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 friends, 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.

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