[ Lightning briefly clenches her teeth together, eyes narrowed. When she first arrived in Luceti two months ago, explaining all of this would have been not far from impossible, considering she had only heard the whole truth herself a few hours earlier. Now, she's had time to think about it, and time to piece together what little information the library's books here seem willing to share. Really, that doesn't mean it's any easier though, and it's obvious she's still struggling with it. ]

Because-- humans have souls and... when they die, their spirit goes to pass into the afterlife through something that's called the Door of Souls. The fal'Cie all believe... they believe that 'the Maker' who created them is also beyond the Door, but that it's too 'closed' for him to make it back.

[ Do you see where this is going yet? She stares at her hands determinedly and then puts them together slowly, with only a small space in between. ] So... all the people inside Cocoon-- if it's destroyed and the tens of millions inside of it die... [ Hands apart, and Lightning looks from one to the other with an odd, agitated look on her face. From an emotional standpoint? This is definitely the hardest part. ] The Door will be opened, and the Maker will return.

However... the Cocoon fal'Cie can't do the deed themselves. And so they take humans, and they Brand them to make l'Cie- bind their souls to them to do their bidding. Don't do what they want in time... and it's lights out for good.