quote:

The Rites of Annihilation

The final day arrived, and Hope showed Lightning the path she must take. He told her that Serah is watching over her. If Lightning can lead the people to the world that should be, he is sure that Serah will return to her. With those last words, Hope disappeared.

Down on the surface, the Soulsong was beginning. Believing Hope's assurance that stopping the ceremony will bring Serah back to her, Lightning headed for the cathedral. Along the way, she encountered Lumina, who told her that the Soulsong is meant to wipe the dead from history, making it so that they never existed in the first place. With an even greater conviction that she must stop this ceremony, Lightning set off at a run. Lumina remained where she was left, unnoticed by any as she began to fade into the Chaos.