Shattered Realms
Why have you deserted me Jenova? A group of fresh maple leaves were swept up and cradled in the air by a frigid breeze. It was cold. Unusually cold for an autumn night. The inhabitants of the forest shivered in their dwellings, disinclined to go about their nightly routines. The sky was devoid of owls which often hunted at this time and the foliage below was scarce of woodland critters. Even the stars seemed disturbed by an unknown bearing and slowly flickered out. Only the moon shone with it's wondrous luminescence. Have you lost faith in me?
If not for the intense moonlight, the source of the disruption would be obvious. Standing there, in between the trees, like some kind of terrible ghost, was a semitransparent man sitting against a colossal oak tree. He had very long straight hair which was the color of the moonlight and looked like liquid steel. He was draped in what seemed like a blanket of darkness which was really an elegant traveling cloak. Very tall and slender yet his build was as if carved from solid stone. Despite all this, his most distinguishing feature were his pale blue eyes which shone like icy water, just visible underneath his silver hair.
The pallid man lifted himself from the ground and abandoning the midnight shadows revealed a very long thin sword protruding from a black sheath on his back. He stared into the night lost in thought... How long has it been? Two years? It seemed like eternity. He had no way of knowing for he had lost track of time a long time ago. I have not lost faith in you. I will soon return. I. Sephiroth. He remembered that dreadful night as vividly as if it were yesterday. The night he was defeated. Conquered. Something he didn't think was possible until it was upon him. Cloud. He had underestimated the boy. But it would not happen again. He would make sure of that.
It was because of Cloud that he was forced to flee into this nameless forest. Sephiroth was believed to be dead. But it takes more than Omnislash to destroy him. He smiled grimly. But look at me now. A broken man. Hovering an inch between life and death. Ever since his vanquishment he had been forced to persist in these hell-forsaken woods, having to live off creatures which sought sanctuary there. He absorbed them and their power. Although very feeble, they kept him alive, a dim ghostly figure. Ever so often an unwary human would wander into his domain and would meat a similar fate as the other life-forms which crossed Sephiroth. They gave him more power than the pathetic creatures.
Sometimes they even possessed materia. So far he didn't have much luck; he had only managed to get the primitive fire, ice, and lightning materia but it was surely better than nothing. The glowing substance reminded him of what he used to be. At the peak of his power his mere radiation made the bravest fighter wither and fall to his knees begging for mercy. Not Cloud though... He quickly strained the bitter thought from his demented mind. Sephiroth had forgotten many things while isolated from humanity. Humanity? Am I even human? I don't remember... But there was one thing that he could never forget. It kept him alive inside and reminded him of it every time he gazed into the glow of his materia.
The thrill of a battle. Of a kill. Yes, I remember... Sephiroth unsheathed his sword. His mind was made up. Once he could grasp and harness that power again he would strike. He would kill Cloud. Once he was out of the way he would begin to seek Jenova. She would take him to the Promised Land. And then... Absolute power... He thought with satisfaction.
Why have you deserted me Jenova? A group of fresh maple leaves were swept up and cradled in the air by a frigid breeze. It was cold. Unusually cold for an autumn night. The inhabitants of the forest shivered in their dwellings, disinclined to go about their nightly routines. The sky was devoid of owls which often hunted at this time and the foliage below was scarce of woodland critters. Even the stars seemed disturbed by an unknown bearing and slowly flickered out. Only the moon shone with it's wondrous luminescence. Have you lost faith in me?
If not for the intense moonlight, the source of the disruption would be obvious. Standing there, in between the trees, like some kind of terrible ghost, was a semitransparent man sitting against a colossal oak tree. He had very long straight hair which was the color of the moonlight and looked like liquid steel. He was draped in what seemed like a blanket of darkness which was really an elegant traveling cloak. Very tall and slender yet his build was as if carved from solid stone. Despite all this, his most distinguishing feature were his pale blue eyes which shone like icy water, just visible underneath his silver hair.
The pallid man lifted himself from the ground and abandoning the midnight shadows revealed a very long thin sword protruding from a black sheath on his back. He stared into the night lost in thought... How long has it been? Two years? It seemed like eternity. He had no way of knowing for he had lost track of time a long time ago. I have not lost faith in you. I will soon return. I. Sephiroth. He remembered that dreadful night as vividly as if it were yesterday. The night he was defeated. Conquered. Something he didn't think was possible until it was upon him. Cloud. He had underestimated the boy. But it would not happen again. He would make sure of that.
It was because of Cloud that he was forced to flee into this nameless forest. Sephiroth was believed to be dead. But it takes more than Omnislash to destroy him. He smiled grimly. But look at me now. A broken man. Hovering an inch between life and death. Ever since his vanquishment he had been forced to persist in these hell-forsaken woods, having to live off creatures which sought sanctuary there. He absorbed them and their power. Although very feeble, they kept him alive, a dim ghostly figure. Ever so often an unwary human would wander into his domain and would meat a similar fate as the other life-forms which crossed Sephiroth. They gave him more power than the pathetic creatures.
Sometimes they even possessed materia. So far he didn't have much luck; he had only managed to get the primitive fire, ice, and lightning materia but it was surely better than nothing. The glowing substance reminded him of what he used to be. At the peak of his power his mere radiation made the bravest fighter wither and fall to his knees begging for mercy. Not Cloud though... He quickly strained the bitter thought from his demented mind. Sephiroth had forgotten many things while isolated from humanity. Humanity? Am I even human? I don't remember... But there was one thing that he could never forget. It kept him alive inside and reminded him of it every time he gazed into the glow of his materia.
The thrill of a battle. Of a kill. Yes, I remember... Sephiroth unsheathed his sword. His mind was made up. Once he could grasp and harness that power again he would strike. He would kill Cloud. Once he was out of the way he would begin to seek Jenova. She would take him to the Promised Land. And then... Absolute power... He thought with satisfaction.