White. It was such a odd, colorless thing that everyone seemed to pray their hopes and dreams upon. It was also one of the few memories that was deadly attached to her river of strands within her tired mind. Strange, her mind felt so tired when she thought of that everlasting white. Quite funny how she preferred the darkness over that white room really. After all, the darkness was considered to be cruel and the essence of evil. Everyone described it so, like the dark intentions that rest within their hearts or to describe fear itself. Yet, in a way, the darkness was comforting to those who accepted it. Misjudged and unwanted, it wrapped itself around others in a warm embrace, shielding them from the view of danger. The White Room only seemed lonely... One could see clearly yet nothing was ever there. It felt cold, unwanted, and completely alone.

Yet perhaps it was her overthinking too much.

With a slow groan, her blue eyes slowly opened to find herself on beach. Lifting her face from the sand, the long silver haired woman pressed a gloved hand against her cheek.

Why was she here again? Well to be exact where was she? She didn't remember... Her eyes blinked slowly, showing brief darkness before opening once more. Gingerly, she brushed her left hand against her own face, the black leathery fabric feeling smooth against her tan skin. Her index finger brushed across the bridge of her nose, feeling the large scar that went from cheekbone to cheekbone. Silver strands tickling against her cheeks and over her blue eyes.

Scars.

Yes, they tainted her skin as if to show her misdeeds. To show that they are also apart of her heart. Unconsciously, her fingers moved downward to her scarred neck hiding within her black vest's long up tilt collar. To her revealed her chest, just above where the zipper rested. Her index finger gently ran across a particular scar, number 1050 was burnt in. She felt her dark blue shoulder cape flap with the wind as it clung to her left shoulder, kissing her bare arm. A silver pendant, that had a rather odd symbol, on her left shoulder, keeping the cape in place. Her hips shifted within the black shorts she wore, a silver high tech belt securely wrapped around it.

Her name? What was her name? That was quite the question, since she no longer knew who she was anymore. Perhaps she used to, yet no a days she doubted herself, doubted what was real and what was just a fabrication she had made up for protection. Her true name was lost, even now she could not have found the needed files to at least discover who she once was. Once, she was but the number she held upon her chest while another had been but a simple nickname. Throughout her memories, she held so many faces that she was unsure who she was anymore. In a way, she feared herself the most.

Standing up now, she took time to examining the world around her. It looked like a broken city, holding sadness with a strange aura. The skies colored a pretty jade color. Having no idea where she was, she spotted a place that seemed to be the best place to go. It was a sort of temple above the city, holding a sense of holiness among its large walls. She could almost swear that she could hear a gentle voice calling her.

Deciding it was her best shot, her footsteps walked along. Despite how quiet she walked her steps still seemed to make a gentle echo in the silent broken city.

A name came to mind... What was it?

Valhalla

Yes.. That is what this place was called.

It took her sometime, but she made it up the steps. The stranger slowly wandering through the looming doorway, entering a hallway. Slowly, she continued, her footsteps making gentle echoes against the ruined walls. It was then she came to a large room, where a throne stood before her in front of a large statue of a goddess.

Opening her mouth slightly, she gazed upon the statue, as if it was singing to her. Calling her... For what purpose?

It wasn't that she wanted to leave. Far from it. Lightning had torn through the web of lies sown by the Fal'Cie only to encounter her current predicament. Instead of living free, she once again was thrown into a life of burden. Only this time it wasn't the Fal'Cie she protected those who mattered most from. It was Chaos and the time paradox. There was still so much she didn't know about it. The Eyes of Etro had shown her what the future held, and she was at a loss of what to do. Though the most obvious path lay before her, was it truly the correct path to take?

She had chosen to remain behind. Etro, an entity which she had only heard from lore as a child, had been the one who saved her colleagues and her when Cocoon crystalized. Etro had condemned the lives Lightning had taken when she was a l'Cie. This was the older Farron's way of atoning, or so she thought. With Etro's intervention, Chaos flowed forth and threatened to consume the world. Lightning couldn't have that. Even now, as she walked amongst the land of the dead, she did everything for Serah. Erased from history, Lightning continued to fight for a future she had no part of.

Like every other day, Lightning roamed the empty halls of Valhalla while Etro slept. The goddess grew weary from the events coming to pass. Shifting her valkyrie-like armor, she looked out of an opening to them temple. She missed the comforting fit of her guardian uniform. The armor had fitted perfectly to her lithe body, but it still felt ... unnatural.

More memories passed through her mind as she heard approaching footsteps. Her body tensed as she quickly made her way back to the antechamber. An unannounced intruder, here? She felt no taint of chaos, which puzzled her even more. Surely there weren't others who could travel between the two realms as well?

She entered the room where Etro's throne rested atop a flight of stairs. Her eyes trained on the girl she knew nothing off. She saw the girl's scars. It was a gruesome sight indeed.

Moving slowly from a side entrance, she came to stand by the throne. "I didn't think anything untainted by Chaos could enter here," she said. "An eternal battle between him and I. That's all that exists here. There is no taint on you, yet you aren't here on Etro's behalf. Who are you? How did you get here?"

(Accidental double post!)

In her thoughts, she paused at the sound of footsteps, her body turning slightly to gaze upon a figure. A woman clad in armor. Pink hair seeming to shimmer under the holy glow of this room. Was this the woman who ruled this dead city? No, perhaps just a guardian of it. A goddess, but not the ruler. Silver hair lightly brushing against the cool air, her blue eyes watched as the woman stand closer her by the throne. The stranger narrowed her eyes as she examined this pink haired goddess. What was the word? Lost? Yes she felt lost she supposed.

Glancing away to look at the statue once more, she didn't say anything for a few heartbeats. What could she say? Her mind tried to focus on her memories yet they only held information on the world. The world of Cocoon, of Gran Pulse, even this place Valhala. Yet all of it felt like this was not information she grasped on her own. True, raw, memories.... White... The sound of silence before a rapid tapping sound. Were there others? Any other memories involving those led it to a painful blur and static, like on a television that had no signal.

Odd indeed.

Etro and Chaos? Indeed, she did not belong to either.

"Mhmm, perhaps I am somewhere in the middle then?" She spoke finally, her blue eyes closing briefly before looking at the goddess once more. "Perhaps I'm here just to be a surprise?" She chuckled.

No, she didn't know why she was acting so carefree about this. Perhaps it was just a easy way to deal with it. Her head hurt... It just hurt more the more she tried to figure herself out. She knew the basics, yet everything felt fake. So perhaps she should just play along with the game she was set up with by some god. A pretty pawn to roll the dice in this chaotic world.

"...Well, nice to meet you. Glad to know I'm not quite alone here. Your the only one though, guessing by your reaction by a strange woman in your home hmm?" She questioned.

This caught Lightning somewhat unaware. Still remaining suspicious of the new comer, she turned to stand by the throne's side. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was a middle," she said, "though you'd be the first I've seen.

The pink-haired sentinel stood ever silent as she listened to what else the girl had to say. When the stranger was done, she spoke, "I wouldn't say I'm the only one," Lightning said. "Spirits still reside here, guardians such as myself. If they're human though, that's where it gets tricky."

Lightning wondered just how much she should share. Honestly, she couldn't help but get somewhat excited that another human being - other than Caius and the paradoxes whom she fought constantly - had entered into this tranquil world. It also made her sad, for if the girl was here, then she must have departed from the world of the living to come to a place like this. That last part was impossible though. If Etro slumbered, what could have guided her to Valhalla? It was Etro whom brought Lightning here; she hadn't come on her own accord.

"What's your name?" Lightning asked as the silence grew uncomfortable. A first for her. "If you were with him, I'd have sensed it by now. The Chaos taint isn't the most subtle or ... pleasant."

"Mhmm yes, finding the grey area isn't always easy they say." The silver haired woman replied, watching the armor clad woman. Listening carefully to each word uttered from the guardian of this dead world. The stranger could tell this guardian was cautious, it was understandable. She herself had seen no other, even if there were others such as spirits.

Nodding silently at the comment of spirits, her eyes blinked slowly as she was asked for a name. A task easier said then done. Name? What was her name? It might be silly to forget ones name but like many of the memories that were true, it came in a static. Li... Li... She was sure is started with Li... Lia? No... That was a distorted name. It came from the tapping. Yet it was the only one that sounded proper so she at least would use that.

"You know it's quite rude to ask a name without giving your own." The silverette teased softly with a relaxed smile. Brushing a gloved finger under her chin in thought, she closed her eyes. "But, the name Lia is what you can call me. Or you can call me whatever you wish." She mused before opening her eyes once more to gaze at the pink haired woman.

Tipping her head slightly, she chuckled. "True, but that could be the plan. Throw a untainted soul against enemy lines. Let your guard down before striking. After all, if I'm in the grey, I'm unpredictable. Your goddess there... She doesn't know me either. That is quite odd." Lia mused, unsure how she knew this exactly. Perhaps it was gut instinct. The influence that carried her was goddess nor demon.

"Though, it seems you have a little break, since your here and not fighting your opposite." She said before stepping a little closer, her moves slow yet smooth. Much like a cat really.