Talons

Title: Talons
Author: Silent Afterglow

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Character: Caius Ballad, Achillea Magus, Lightning

Summary: Blood dripped from her fresh wounds, and that sight alone ignited his rage. An unusual thing for an icy Caius Ballad.
Warning: Major Caius/OC. Expect me to use this pairing for a while. A bit AR.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, AND MY STORY MAY NOT BE REPOSTED ANYWHERE.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you. Even if I have to trade my life for yours."

Talons (c) Silent Afterglow 2012
Quote by Sawada Tsunayoshi, a character in Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, a manga by Akira Amano.

Achillea shot a flurry of Blizzaga to a horde of Cie'th approaching the crystallized Lightning sitting on the Etro's throne, her steely teal eyes sharpened, and she wondered before she dived to a corner, launched herself and shot another flurry of Blizzaga at some Cie'th who weren't focused enough. Strange, Achillea thought. This is Valhalla. Cie'th aren't supposed to stay in here, or even able to come here! She then gathered her strength before summoning a column of thunder and crushed the Cie'th caught into it. As she smoothly landed on the land, Achillea flung the ebony strands from her face before she turned to Lightning. Her once powerful arms wielded her gunblade, though they are no longer capable to move. Achillea then looked at the elder female's feather sash, once it swung wildly as she and Caius danced in their dance of war, but now is petrified within the clear crystal, a flick of wind is not able to move the feathers. Light's pale aqua eyes were hidden within her eyelids, unable to open. 

"Lightning," she whispered in respect. "The warrior goddess, the protector of Etro's Throne," Achillea then took a step forward and knelt down in the solemn silence, her teal eyes closed. "I will be the one who continue your legacy. True, Etro, our goddess, might be as well as waning in strength, almost dying, and you fight to protect her, despite knowing that Etro might be as well dead." Achillea then smiled as she shed silent tears, remembering times she and Lightning used to spend together, looking for each others' back, remembering the time they worked together as they fought Chaos Bahamut. "Rest in peace, Lightning Farron, the Warrior of Goddess. I will continue to stand guard your legacy."

Achillea then stood up as she sensed an ominous presence. "Caius." she whispered the name as she turned, and saw the man approaching her. Caius Ballad, one that she had opposed for a very long time, is now where she leaned for support. She first saw him as an intimidating figure and posed great threat, but she can now comprehend a little bit of Caius' humanity. She then raised her head, her teal orbs gazed at the man approaching him, but soon Achillea found it to be a little odd. An unusual air of danger rushed through her before it diminished, leaving Achillea confused. Nevertheless, this young mage then raised her guard.

"Achillea," the low voice of the male guardian made Achillea gazed straight into his eyes. "Yes?" she asked quietly as Caius approached her before unsheathing his Ragnarok, and this left Achillea stunned. "What the - " she was left surprised when Caius dashed without second warning and stabbed her shoulder. As blood escaped her lips, Achillea fell to the ground, her face hitting the smooth floor.

~0~0~0~0~

Caius felt uneasiness soon surrounded him. He gazed at the ever gray sky of Valhalla, narrowing his lavender eyebrows. He soon knew that an imminent danger is approaching, or even had begun to dissolve itself. Feeling uneasy, the purple haired guardian then opened a portal, his destination is the Throne of Etro. He and Achillea had been separated for a while now, Achillea returning to the Etro's Shrine, with reason to protect Lightning's crystallized stature. Unable to refuse, Caius allowed her to leave his watchful eyes, but he worries for her.

When Caius stepped inside the portal, a scent of blood rushed through, and the male's orbs glinted. Something's happened. And definitely, it is not going to please him. He then decided he had to hurry, and he sped along the portal, closing it once he's inside. Caius could only hope that nothing bad happened, or else...

Let's leave it at that, he thought quietly as he saw the light from the end of pathway, his destination. He then unsheathed his Ragnarok, just in case somebody's actually trying to mess with the timeline. He had enough of paradoxes, though he also had a hand in those paradoxes. As Caius stepped out of the portal, he soon saw a body lying to the floor, blood dripping from her shoulder, forming a pool under it. He let loose a slight gasp before he approached the black haired girl, and then as he knelt down near her, he saw a gaping wound from her shoulder, which, bears a striking resemblance if he stabbed his opponent with his Ragnarok. He bit his lips. Somebody is mimicking him, his appearance, and made Achillea loosened her guard?

"Achillea," he whispered. "Get a hold of yourself." As he slowly turned her body to the side and his hand glowed with an unearthly, pale green, almost chaotic light, Achillea opened her eyes, writhing in pain. Caius then pressed his hand against her gaping wound, channeling all powers inside him to heal her. His amethyst eyes met the teal ones of Achillea, and she whined. "...Why?" and then she fell flat. Rage soon ignited inside him, realizing that one had worn his face and hurt her this bad. His amethyst crystals glinted in rage, and the light waned from his hand, and Caius found himself struggled to keep the light alive. He then tried to channel all of his burning emotions, trying to calm down. After a quite moment, he saw the wound closed completely, and the light he struggled to keep alive diminished as soon as he thrown himself into a fit of rage. 

Whoever's doing this is going to pay dearly for his ignorance.

~0~0~0~0~

When Achillea came to, she felt that her head was spinning, but her ear caught the voice of ripped flesh. She gasped a bit before she saw the shadow of a beastly figure hovering above her, and soon she realized it's the Chaos Bahamut. Caius? she thought quietly. I thought he stabbed me and I'm dead. Unconsciously, she touched the place where she was stabbed. No more wound, and it closed completely. Could it be...Achillea then forced herself to stand up, only to be dragged again with the sudden dizziness that struck her head. As she forced her eyelids to stay open, she saw the Chaos Bahamut engulfed in an aura she had never seen. Rage emitted from all over its body and it glittered with a venomous light, its wings darkened, and its eyes are the steely tone of crimson, bathed in its craving for blood. "Caius..."

As the Chaos Bahamut swung its talons, Achillea instantly saw the target. It was her stabber, wearing Caius's face, but now she realized that she had been tricked. That is an impostor, toying with her heart, her feeling of safety whenever Caius is around. She gritted her teeth in anger for letting this man toyed with her feelings, and for the first time, she saw a fit of rage from the icy Caius Ballad. She looked at the pool of blood from the dead body of the impostor, his arms and legs were twisted, his body was bathed in crimson blood. Still Chaos Bahamut grabbed his lifeless body within its great talons, and effortlessly smashed him to the floor, the cracking voice of the bones could be heard. Achillea soon felt terrified as she saw another talon getting its way, she squeezed her eyes. No, this is not the Caius Ballad she loved. Not the Caius Ballad that stole her first kiss, the ever icy Caius Ballad with mute compassion. He acted simply out of his rage, unleashing all of his contained rage.

Gathering her voice, Achillea yelled. "Stop it! Caius! Stop it! It's enough! Stop fighting already!"

The Chaos Bahamut soon stopped its motion, before it fell silent and then an unearthly purple, chaotic light engulfed it before it returned to its human form, and as the light diminished, stood in front of her the towering Caius, his purple hair danced as he gazed upon the dead body of his impostor, and before long he sped towards Achillea, and hissed, his breath is almost poisonous,

"Why? He deserved it."

"He's dead already!" Achillea countered. "Why? Killing him is not going to change the fact he hurt me!"

The female mage was surprised when she saw Caius bit his lips, his eyes were unreadable. "He hurt you." he whispered. "He hurt you..." Caius then knelt down in front of Achillea. "I'm sorry. I weren't there when he approached." Achillea then forced herself to sit down, and thankfully dizziness didn't strike her again, she clasped the hand of the male guardian. 

"It's not your fault, Caius. It's fine. And besides, you healed me already. That's more than enough."

Shall my arms become your home, and my chest become your comfort.

A/N: Seriously I can't stay outta these two. Gotta write an Caius/Lightning.