Chapter Eight

All entries taken from the game's datalog.

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 the crowd 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 an incident at Euride Gorge. But unlike his father, He is now a servant of the 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 is to destroy the Pulse fal'Cie in the Bodhum Vestige, the 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. But 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 into 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 a 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 l'Cie — and turns to crystal the instant he embraces his father. It seems the boy's task was to capture the servants of the 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 last 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 the news broadcast onboard the Lindblum, the Cavalry's flagship, Lightning and the other l'Cie learn of the impending execution...

continue reading: chapter nine →