A One-Winged Angel
Exitate vos et somno, liberei mei

Chapter 1: Who am I?

I was in the darkness and I liked it. It was very comforting, calming. No, I'm not evil, if that's what you think. I'm a perfectly, normal boy in this stupid world. I'm just a regular boy who, like others, sometimes wishes to have those things they have in video games. You know, swords, maybe magic. But swords the most. Pathetic guns. It's a coward's weapon. But a sword is the weapon of a man with honour. Fighting in close combat with his foe. Not from afar, were he can't get hurt. There's one particular sword I like. It belongs to an Angel with One Wing. An angel who, if he wasn't evil, could have been a great God.

Masamune… Great Katana sword of legends. If I only could hold it in my hands. Even once, it would be enough. That sword, Masamune…

With those thoughts, I fell asleep. In my normal bed, in a normal world, where swords are a thing from the past, only to appear in games like my beloved Final Fantasy. Magic, ha, a thing in fairytales, that's all it is.

I was in the darkness that night, and I liked it. The darkness seemed different. Different from the darkness I have in the place that is supposed to be my home. It all felt different. That change in feeling came sudden. It was strange, but comforting. Again, I liked it.

In my dreams, deep, dark dreams, I saw him. He carried that sword. I stared at it, if only I could touch it… Then I looked at him. He stared back. Then he started asking questions.

"Do you want to forget something?"

"Why do you ask? Why do you care? You are evil. An angel fallen from grace. You never cared about anybody but yourself. Why ask something that asks about how I feel?"

"Because I can. Because it is you who comes here to look for me. It is you who comes here and wants comfort. And you find that comfort when you are near me, don't you?"

I nodded and I couldn't help it but grinned.

"So, do you want to forget something?"

"Everything!" I cried in disgust. "This pathetic world, this darkness that is no darkness but a shadow of the day. I want real darkness. Darkness in which you can fall forever. Hide yourself."

"But hiding is not good. You know that."

"Look who's talking! Who was the one that hid in the Northern Crater the whole game long?"

"True." He nodded. "But that's what I was supposed to do. You can decide it."

"Maybe you're right…"

"Of course I am." He snapped. He waved his hand softly. "So why do you want to forget?"

"I want to be somebody else. Not who I am now. Somebody completely else. Somebody like you." I replied.

"An Angel Fallen from grace? An evil one? You would want that?!"

"Even that." I nodded. "Because in my eyes, I wouldn't be evil. That's how you think, too."

He smiled. "You understand me well, boy. Yet I do not know you." He put his arms around me like he was a big brother of me. "Maybe someday Angels will hear your cry. Maybe someday you'll be like me." I looked up at him, stared in his eyes. "When that day comes, remember me. Remember me, only me. Forget all the rest if you want. But remember me."

"I will." I promised. "I will."

"I think he's awakening." A voice from a young man, sounding far, far away. But I could hear it, even in my darkness. Why did somebody from my stupid world disturb me in my sweet darkness? Am I, even hear, not save from them anymore?

"Mia, you keep an eye on him, I should go back to the deck." Again that unfamiliar voice.

"I will Isaac. I will call you if anything happens. Or if he would awake, whoever he is."

Mia? Isaac? Those names, they ARE familiar. I know them from somewhere… Someplace that does not really exist. Or so I was led to believe… Could it be? I want to open my eyes. I love the darkness around me but now I want to the light, to see what has happened with me.

It takes effort.

Somebody touches my arm, my eyes are opened in a second. Somebody gasps. I try to sit up, my body refuses to respond well. Like something pushes me down in the bed. But my will is stronger. I want to get up, so that's what I'll do. My vision is a bit blurry. I rub in my eyes for a few seconds. That's better. I stare in front of me. The sheets covering me are unfamiliar. Where am I? My eyes look in every direction. I don't stir my head. Looks like I'm in some sort of cabin. Finally, I stir. I look up to the girl who had jumped up as soon as I had opened my eyes when she had touched me.

"Waar ben ik?" I ask. A puzzled look appears on her face.

"I fear I… can't understand you." She replies honestly.

"That's fine." I look away.

"You can understand me?" She's surprised again. I simply nod. She observes me a bit. It irritates me. "Will you cut that out?"

"I'm sorry." She quickly apologizes. I look at her again, and this time, my eyes grow wide.

I look at her from top to toe. "Will you cut that out?" she snaps. I laugh silently, inside myself. "Forgive me, Miss Mia."

"You know my name?" she gasps.

I know her name? Of course I do. My head hurts. Right besides me, there's Mia. One of the main characters in 'Golden Sun'. Could he have been right? Could my dearest wish to forget become reality? I must know the truth. I must sea the world, not this small cabin. I slowly try to get out of the bed.

She stops me. "Are you sure you'll be alright? You look very pale."

"I'm fine. Now let me out. I must see the world. I must see the truth." I stand up, but I almost immediately fall down again. My body is not working properly. "Come on!" I cry "You're not going to stop me now, are you, body?"

The pain I feel disappears. My darkness melts away. I can feel the wind. Somehow. A new spirit. I get up again, still a bit shaky, but I'll be alright.

I got out of the cabin, Mia followed me slowly. Like she was afraid of me. I looked around, but did not know the way. "Can you help me?" I asked, as friendly as I could. "I want to see the sky."

Relieved that I seemed 'normal', she nodded and led me slowly towards the deck. My body still refused to work correctly, somehow. Moving my limbs hurt.

"So who are you?" she asked along the way.

"Who I am is not important." I replied "Since I'll be forgetting it soon."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to forget everything. Except one thing: him." I didn't say more.

"Why would you want to forget everything? I don't see why anybody would want that."

"Some people just want themselves to be something else. I'm one of those." I shrugged.

"Where do you come from?"

"What?" I snapped "Are you hearing me out? You think I'm some psycho who has snuck in here to get you all killed?!"

"N-no!" she quickly said. "But admit this: You are dressed strange, look strange, came here by a strange way, act strange, well, you ARE strange. Am I not allowed to ask questions?"

"You are. And to answer the question…" I looked up and laughed warmly. It was just funny. "I want to forget!"

She punched my arm. "That's not nice! How can we trust you?!"

"That's an easy one." I chuckled. "Since I don't remember anything, I won't be able to remember if I'm good or bad. So you guys decide what I am."

She stared in front of her, now and then supporting me when it looked like I was going to fall. Which, fortunately, never happened. Soon she opened the door and led me on the deck. I quickly recognized The Lemurian Ship of Lord Babi.

And then I could feel the wind blowing in my long, black hair. Very long, reaching to the mid of my back. I always had liked it. My hair was just like his. Then I breathed the air of the sea, I could hear the seagulls and the waves. The sun shone upon me. For once, I welcomed this golden light. The opposite of the Darkness I love. I walked to the edge of the ship and looked down to my reflection in the sea. My pale skin, unusual for me, a human, long black hair and mysterious eyes. Green as emeralds and very, very deep. Just like his eyes. I always felt better when I saw how much I already looked like him. At least the face. As for the rest, I was just a regular clothed human. I was disgusted by this fact. Call me weird, call me names, I want to be somebody else. I want to start all over. Like I said, I want to forget everything. Everything except for him. Like he asked me to.

I heard footsteps. I did not look back, I kept staring at the sea, at the land in the far distance, maybe miles away. My eyes were sharper then ever. As sharp as the eyes of the hunting hawk. "Excitate vos e somno, liberi mei." Those words jumped in my mind, all of the sudden. Yes, I had awakened from a very deep and dark slumber. Now, it was time to see my new future. If I had one, that is.

Behind me, I could hear voices. I tried to ignore them, but found out I couldn't. So I listened, but acted like I didn't hear.

"So, how is he Mia?" That was Ivan's voice, I guess. It was the youngest sounding one, so…

"Well," I could hear Mia whisper "His body will be fine. But I think his mind isn't what it's supposed to be."

"What do you mean?" Isaac's, worried.

"He says he wants to forget everything except for a certain him."

"Maybe he doesn't tell the truth?"

"And what would I obtain by doing that?" I sneered, without turning around "And if you're that worried, then read my mind, Ivan. I won't conceal it, I can't."

I looked over my shoulder. Isaac nodded to Ivan. So it really was true. I was no longer 'home'. So I was in the world of Weyard. No, don't think I'm a kid who has always wished for cool powers. I only wished to be like him. Never to go to another world. But if this was the way, so be it. It could turn out to be interesting. Ivan came standing next to me. From the corner of my eye, I observed the young Wind Adept. So this is how he looked in reality, I thought. His eyes were filled with uncertainty. Then he raises his hand and shuts his eyes. He was going to read my mind. But I could not see it, I do not have psynergytic powers. Ivan's face seemed to twist and turn as he continued to read my mind. What he saw perhaps shocked him. After a long while, he fell back, breathing heavily. I looked down on him.

"So what did you see?"

"Horrors…" he gasped. "I cannot understand how one could survive so long in a place like that."

"You'll get used to it." I returned my gaze to the sea.

"So Ivan, what do you think of him?" Isaac helped his friend up while keeping an eye on me. Ivan was unsure and stared at his feet for a moment, thinking. He followed my gaze to the sea for a while, then he replied:

"I guess I can understand why he wants to forget everything. I don't think he has any evil intentions."

"That depends on what you would call evil." I grinned. Then I sighed and shook my head. "Just never mind. If you want me to go, take me to land and I'll go."

"Wait a second." Isaac said, laying his hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him. He seemed nervous, or uncomfortable by touching me. Was it because he was touching me or because he did not know me? Or maybe… He constantly avoided to look me in the eyes. It were my eyes. My eyes gave him the creeps. "It's not in my nature to sent people away, knowing it can be dangerous or that they would have rather stayed with us."

"Did I say I wanted to stay?" I asked.

He shook his head and stayed silent. I smiled. "Well, you are still right. I indeed want to stay."

"Well, I guess, if you won't trouble us, you can come with us, right?" He looked to the others. They just nodded. Maybe he said that because he was scared of me? My eyes… Yes, they were like his, so they were actually evil-looking… It was a fact, they allowed me in because they were afraid of me. I would have to show them sooner or later that I had no bad intentions. Isaac's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"But we need to call you something. So what's your name?"

I looked up and stared in his eyes, a slight grin spreading over my face. "Sephiroth…"