Silver Tears On Golden Lashes
Prologue: Origins
By LoveAnimeForever
Deep in the forests of Wutai, where no one – no one – ever ventured, there was a clearing. It was perfectly circular, and had four stone pedestals on its border, one in each cardinal direction, facing inwards. In the centre, was a square metal plate drilled into the ground, blank but radiating a malevolent aura.
Sephiroth had been standing quietly by the northern pedestal for some time now – wincing every now and then – a Cure Orb in hand as he healed various (what others would term "grave") wounds he'd sustained from the fight just five minutes ago. That done, he kept his gaze resolutely pinned to the metal plate, as if watching the malice permeating the air, while waiting for his comrades to heal themselves too. Finally, he sighed and stepped onto the pedestal. There would be no more stalling; the Demon they had just bound would not allow flimsy metal to keep her in much longer.
Opposite him, Vincent Valentine followed suit and stepped onto the southern pedestal. Cloud Strife and Zack Fair stepped onto their pedestals as well, the raven-haired man with his back to the setting sun and the blond across from him. So this was how it would end. The four greatest warriors of all time, sacrificing themselves to save the world… It didn't rest easy with any of them, especially because of the countless clichés that surrounded the whole idea, but the Demon had to be sealed away – at least, for now.
Sephiroth bowed his head and prayed to the Mother, the Planet. Save us, Mother. Protect our loved ones from the Demon, even as we offer our lives in exchange. Around him, the three friends that he had come to feel for as brothers bent their heads in prayer as well.
A green mist that they knew belonged to the Mother swirled up around them, surrounding the clearing. It spun around them, like a whirlwind, and as it spun, the four felt their legs stiffen. None dared to look down, but all knew what was happening – the frightening image of a man already half-statue filled their minds. But it had to be done. If it was any consolation, the malicious aura they faced was already dissipating, and there was no pain as their bodies turned to stone.
When the four warriors were no more but statues, the green vortex slowed down and morphed into tendrils, caressing the metal plate on the ground and the fronts of the pedestals. Their touch was sharper than it seemed – when they finally faded away, there were words carved where they had drifted. The metal plate shone for one last time, and then it was just a normal plaque, flush against the ground.
Deep in the forests of Wutai, where no one – no one – ever ventured, there was a clearing, or so the elders said. And bordering the clearing – if it even existed – were the statues of four great warriors of times past. It was said, that they had given up their lives to destroy a – the – Demon once and for all, and the elders said that the statues had been erected in memory of their courageous deed.
They were wrong.
Author's Note: I realise the terms used in this chapter are not mentioned anywhere in the FF VII Universe. Bear with it; everything returns to normal starting Chapter One. I use these terms here because it's supposed to be "medieval" Gaia. Thanks.