A/N: Saw the new Versus trailer, and just got pumped to write something related to FFvsXIII!

PLEASE NOTE!

This short IS connected to my other two Versus stories! That's right! This takes place years before the others, when Noctis is only around ten years old. I actually had this idea on my mind since I started Lux Crystallis, but was going to wait until I got to a certain point in that story, or until it was done (which would probably have taken a while...) before I wrote and posted it. Why? There are some possible spoilers for what's to come in my fic. But...since this technically happens first, I let myself write and post it now. Not to mention, I wanted to start hinting at what the Light is and how it plays a role in my story. I'm sure it will be different in the game, but eh, this is essentially an AU already so...why not! I just want to start showing what I had planned/theorized before everything's explained in the game.

Well, enjoy this little prequel! And don't worry if you end up a bit confused at the end, that was the intent...

The Darkness That Follows The Light

The Light.

That which marked the souls of the dead passing into the Underworld. Hauntingly beautiful, those that were blessed with seeing the Light were granted a special strength. A great power that people often confused with another. The power given to one by the Light was believed to be connected to the power of the Crystal—the ancient guardian that forever protected their way of life. An understandable mistake, for both were of an unknown origin. No one knew exactly where the Crystal had come from, and it widely was believed that it had been the Goddess Etro that bestowed it upon them.

But that belief was still a mistake.

He knew better now. He understood the difference. He could see through the lies the people had unintentionally woven. He could see the truth.

While growing up, Noctis had often asked about the Light. The stories had intrigued him, filling his mind with wonders before he would fall asleep at night. There had been a time when he wanted to know just what the Light was, and whether it was more than a fairy tale or not. Since his birth, he had known of the Crystal's power, for he was ever connected to it, but why, if the Light and Crystal were connected, could he not feel its presence as well?

Part of the stories explained that only those with a near-death experience could see the Light. Those who had nearly entered the realm of the dead would forever be linked to it. Since Noctis was connected to the Crystal, he had believed that he would have been exempted from this. But that had not been the case...

Clutching his legs tightly to his chest, the young Prince buried his head in his arms. His tears had long dried out, and there were none left for him to cry. Why did he have to question about the Light? Why did he have to be intrigued by it so? Things would have been better had he never asked about it.

Atop a roof, this was where Noctis would often go when he wanted to be alone. That solitude he desired, he needed it now more than ever. He clutched the black sleeves of the dress shirt he wore. Though he usually preferred to wear dark shades of clothing, there was a different reason for his black attire tonight:

It was what he had to wear to a funeral.

Sighing heavily, Noctis lifted up his head slightly. His expression was a sombre one. Someone as young as he was should not have to wear an expression like it. The funeral was one he had not expected to attend until much later in his life. The death of a mother was hard, but even worse at his age.

She had been the one to tell Noctis stories of the Light before he went to sleep. She had been the one to make the stories feel like they were magic. Now, he would never be able to hear those legends again.

The event of a few nights ago replayed in his mind again and again. Much of it was still a blur. It had all happened so fast. Noctis was not quite sure how it had happened himself. One moment everything was fine, and the next it was a heap of wreckage. A single thought stuck with him, not giving him rest: he should have been the one to die, not his mother. Her last act had been to protect her son, the only heir to the Caelum dynasty. Though injured, he had survived thanks to her.

Since then, he had been able to not only see the Light, but feel it as well. Now he was capable of wielding not only the power of the Crystal, but also that of the Light.

A blessing.

A great gift.

Noctis's brow furrowed deeply. The thought of the Light being a blessing or a great gift caused a bitter taste to rise in his mouth. If only everyone else could see it for what it truly was...

A curse.

Unlike the warmth he got from the power of the Crystal, there was nothing comforting about the Light. True, when he saw it, it shone brightly, but even that light had a chilling quality to it. Nothing good could come from the Light. Why everyone thought such a thing was related to the Crystal, he could no longer understand.

The Crystal and the Light...they were complete opposites. Both powerful, yes, but that was where their similarities came to an end. If only others could understand both like he now could.

"Why so sad?"

Startled by the sudden question, Noctis nearly fell back off the edge of the roof. The young Prince quickly glanced up, not having expected anyone else to be there.

A young girl, no older than he was, walked along the edge of the roof, her arms outstretched for balance. Her crystal-blue hair was at chin-length and matched her pale eyes. It was not that that stood out to Noctis the most though, rather, it was the necklace that hung around her neck.

Made of crystals, it seemed as though the jewelry were a part of her. The precious gems that glinted in the moonlight seemed rather...out of place on the young girl, especially since everything else about her was rather plain.

"Don't walk on that!" he scolded quickly. Jumping to his feet, Noctis reached out to her hand and pulled her off of the edge of the roof. His quick action sent them both crashing back. Groaning, the dark-haired Prince immediately regretted his actions. He was still not fully recovered from the accident, and so now his injuries were even more sore. "What were you doing up there?" he asked once he managed to push himself up. Still wincing, he looked to the girl who was sitting calmly, her legs crossed.

She tilted her head slightly. "I was walking."

Noctis rolled his eyes. Brushing off his pants, the young Prince stood up and went to lean against the edge of the roof. As he stared off toward the city that unfolded before him, there was a nagging feeling that crept up on the back of his mind. Trying to ignore it, Noctis drummed his fingers against the cool cement. It would not go away.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he rounded back on the girl. As he had expected, the pale girl was still there, and staring at him. It had been her gaze on him that had caused the Prince to become so unsettled.

She held her hands behind her back. "To see why you were upset."

Noctis pulled a face and quickly looked away. There had been no one else on the roof when he came up (at least, he was pretty sure no one had been); had she followed him? He had never seen her before, and she certainly had not been to the funeral. No one would have worn such white shades of clothing to a funeral. The Prince glanced over his shoulder from the corner of his eye. That girl was still standing there.

"Who are you?" he asked, fully baffled.

"San," she answered simply. The pale girl walked up next to him. "Now maybe you can answer my question: why are you sad?"

Noctis puffed out his cheek in annoyance. This was turning out to be rather embarrassing for him. "You wouldn't understand..." he mumbled back. The dark-haired Prince glanced away.

"Try me."

Looking over to the girl, Noctis was a little taken aback by the challenge in her voice. With a light huff, Noctis shook his head. "Unless you can see the Light, you won't understand..." he sighed out, hoping that would be enough to end this conversation.

"Is that what's upsetting you? Being able to see the Light?"

Not bringing himself to look back to San, Noctis nodded numbly. It was at least part of the reason why he was so upset. She did not need to know why he could see the Light, nor would he tell her. That was too personal for him to share so easily. Sighing once again, he looked up to the sky, and quickly cast his eyes back down.

It was there. The Light that marked souls entering the Underworld. In the darkness of the night, it stung his eyes when he had seen it. Someone else had just died. Someone else had been taken from this world. Just like his mother.

"I...I don't want to see it," he choked out. Noctis clenched his hands into fists. The young Prince stood there, quietly allowing the anger, frustration, and sorrow to fill him. "I wish I couldn't see it..."

"Hey!" Noctis nearly jumped at her sudden yell. Startled once more, he looked over to her after moving a step away. There was only a moment of relief once he saw that she was not looking at him, but rather the sky. "Leave him alone!He's upset enough as it is right now!" she called out to the sky.

Expression falling, Noctis shook his head in disbelief. Such childish actions. The Prince followed her gaze before sighing softly to himself. San was not looking in the direction where the Light had been, but rather somewhere else. So she was unable to see it, after all.

"Did that help?"

"Not...exactly..." mumbled out Noctis after biting on the inside of his cheek. It had only been slightly amusing, nothing more.

"I may not be able to see it..." she started, her voice taking on a more serious tone. Surprised by the change in her, Noctis looked over to see her staring grimly up at the sky. "But I know it's there... It's always there... Always has been, always will be." It looked as though her face had aged ten years in ten seconds. Though how she stood gave off an air of being calm, Noctis could see through her facade. The pale girl constantly wrung her hands together, showing just how nervous she was. Unable to bring himself to do or say anything, he looked back up to the sky, thankful that the Light was no longer visible. "Beware the darkness that follows the Light, Prince Noctis. Don't let it consume you."

"What do you—" He stopped the second he looked back to San. Or rather, where San had been. Turning around quickly, Noctis looked for any sign of the pale girl on the rooftop, but found none. "Mean..." The young Prince bit the inside of his cheek in frustration. With a shake of his head, he looked back out across the city. Thanks to all the confusion that muddied his thoughts, he was unable to return to sulking.

His actions somewhat sluggish, the Prince reached up and clasped the clothing of his shirt that draped over his heart. The power from the Light...he would lock it away inside of him and never use it. The power received only from the death of others...it truly was a dark side to the matter. There were other means by which he could gain strength one day, but the Light was not one of them.

He swore to himself that night that he would never use the power of the Light...nor the darkness that followed it.

A/N: And there you have it. Confuzzled? Good. To answer some questions you may have (without giving too much away)...

This San is the same San as in my other one-shot, The Dark Waltz. Who she is beyond that...you'll have to wait to see.

The Light and Crystals are different powers in this Versus reality. Related, yes, but not the same. And the Light is not as bad as Noctis, or even San, believe it to be (c'mon, he just lost his mom, and nearly died himself; he simply resents the Light for what it reminds him of in this), but it's not as good as everyone else in this world believes it to be. The Light is...what it shall be in the story. Same goes for the Crystal.

As for the accident and cause of his mother's death...I left it very open and non-specific on purpose. Noctis said he had a pretty bad experience when he was younger, after which he could see the Light, so rather than explaining what it was...you can fill it in for yourself! That and I could only think of something simple, like a car accident... Make it be whatever you want! Or wait for the game to find out what it really was, lol...

If you have further questions (go read Lux Crystallis! heh...), feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to answer without spoiling the whole plot (it's possible).

Another reminder! This story continues on in The Dark Waltz and Lux Crystallis, which are already posted! Lux Crystallis is the main story, while The Dark Waltz was just some fluff I wrote out back when I was tossing around the main story idea. Hope you read them! And if you already have...yay!