Prologue...

Infinite in mystery

Is the Gift of the Goddess.

We seek it thus, And take to the skies.

Ripples form on the water's surface.

The wandering soul knows no rest.

Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII

Loveless, Act I

"Congratulations, ma'am," the doctor said over the wailing of the baby in his arms to the woman on the hospital bed, "It's a boy!"

The woman looked up as the doctor said this and a small tear came to her eye. Her long, shiny, brown hair was disheveled and her beautiful, green eyes were dulled with weariness, but she still had a joyous glow around her. Her face was now contorting with a mixture of weariness and pure, unmistakable ecstasy. She wiped her face on her hospital gown and held out her arms to her beautiful baby boy. The doctor gently placed the child in her arms and, suddenly, the baby stopped crying. The eyes that gazed back at her were green like his her's but the sparse hair on the top of his head was pure, jet black. The mother looked up at the doctor and cocked her head to one side.

"Why is his hair this color? My husband's hair is blond and mine is brown... Wait. Does it have something to do with, um, what's it called..."

"Recessive genes." The doctor smiled. "That is what you mean, but I'm not sure that that's it..."

"What? What do you mean?" "When he was born, I was sure that his hair was blond. Then, when he was being cleaned, it looked brown. Now, it is black! I'm not sure what that was about, but his eyes did the same thing. I looked into his eyes a while ago and they were blue. Now they are green... It's like his body can't make up it's mind on what color everything should be! It sure is a mystery..."

But the woman wasn't paying attention. She was lost in the eyes of her son. Her one and only child. In fact, she had been staring into his eyes since she had asked the last question. Hmmmm, she said to herself, I feel like he knows exactly what I'm thinking, what I'm saying... There is an intelligence in his eyes that can only come with age and wisdom. What are you thinking, little one? I wish I could see into your head, my little Adrian...

"Ma'am?" The doctor tried to get into her field of vision, but she was completely oblivious to him and everything around her. He smiled and left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

I remember it all so clearly. The day the Keyblade Bearer was born. I felt the wave of magically charged energy wash past me, on its way to alert those who could feel it of this great event. I smiled as I watched all of this as if from above. I waved my hand through the Mist and focused my eyes on my surroundings.

The Lhusu Mines were not the nicest set of caves for a single traveler to wander. Luckily for me, the thick Mist that enveloped Site 7 and the Staging Area was an excellent deterrent for fell creatures who would try to make a snack of me while I spoke with the Lifestream. The bluish rock sparkled as the Mist swirled around and around, reflecting the light and showing me the spirits of those trapped within it. I strode over to gaping hole in the wall that led outside. It looked to have cut roughly by a massive sword. Or, perhaps, multiple, smaller swords.

I smiled as a heard a snuffling behind me. As I turned, I heard the voice of an old man, trying not to attract my attention.

"Damn you a thousand times over! Enkidu!" The voice didn't seem to have a source. But, of course, the Mist did have that effect on sound. "Return to my side!"

I saw an over-sized wolf look around for a moment, then look at me. I guessed that the wolf was Enkidu. It took a hesitant step toward me, then the voice spoke again, halting it.

"Nay! Come to me!" The wolf turned a little to the right, as if looking over its right shoulder. It then turned around and started sniffing something at the entrance to the Site. I walked over to the wolf and saw an extremely large, old man trying to drag the wolf away from the entrance and out of sight of me. I stopped and watched the two fight for a moment, amused. This old kook didn't even notice me.

"Come, Enkidu! You must --" He froze and looked slowly over at me. He had a scarf wrapped around the lower part of his face and seemed a little lumpy around his mid-section. There were two large lumps in his coat-folds that looked like they could be extra arms. He stood to his full height, (which was a good nine feet tall), and proved my comparison of the lumps on his sides much more true than I could have hoped for. Two extra arms unfolded from his sides, and then another two. The lumps were extra arms!

"Aw, crap." I muttered as the man drew a katana for each arm. Six katanas against my magic? Not likely that I'll win.

"Long have I gone without food nor rest as I search for the Sword of Legend!" The man yelled, brandishing his katanas at me, "I am the mightiest swordsman in all Ivalice! You are nothing compared to the Great Gilgamesh!!! Your lack of a blade will be your undoing!" And he charged at me, slashing like a madman. I easily sidestepped him. He was surprisingly predictable. He ran headlong into the wall behind me, falling onto his rear. I turned around as I heard a growl from Enkidu and fell backward to dodge his lunge. He crashed into Gilgamesh as he attempted to get up.

"Damn you a million times over, Enkidu! Fly, you clumsy dog! Fly!" Gilgamesh got up and charged me again. I jumped as high as I could to dodge him. He ran right underneath me, crashing into another wall. He got up again, Enkidu at his side.

"Blast you! I've fought worse!" And he sheathed a katana, reaching behind himself to the sheathes on his back. I groaned as I saw what came out of that sheath.

"The Buster Sword?!" I yelled, but stopped dead when I saw the character that was written on it. It was a foreign symbol that read, "fake." I busted up laughing.

"You dare mock me?! I will crush you! Enkidu! Prepare for a juicy feast for dinner! This fool's bones will make a fine mean for you!" And, once more, he charged me, bringing the Buster Sword down upon my head... Well, he would have, if I hadn't cast a Haste spell on myself while he had been ranting! He spun around to see me standing there, smiling away. He roared and did something that really took me by surprise! He actually threw the Buster Sword at me like a boomerang! I ducked just in time, barely inches away from getting my head chopped off. I lunged underneath Gilgamesh's attacks and palm-thrust him in the gut. The arm that had thrown the Buster Sword went straight down to his stomach, therefor completely missing the Buster Sword as it flew back at it. The large hilt of the blade flew around and clocked him right in the forehead. His katanas all flew out of his hands and he fell backward. The Buster Sword flew straight up into the air as Gilgamesh landed on his back, arms splayed out. The Buster Sword came spinning back down, the deadly edge of its blade ready to rip Gilgamesh in half. Lucky for him, I caught it as it was about the puncture him. I had jumped over him, grabbing the handle as I went by it. I landed on his other side, skidding to a stop with the sword out behind me.

He gasped and sat up, holding his chest. He looked around, wondering what had happened to the blade that was about the slaughter him. He turned around and saw me pointing the blade at him. He jumped up and yipped like a dog, Enkidu doing the same. I smiled.

"You gonna take this? It's kinda heavy." I said, flipping the handle around so that it faced him. He looked at me out of the sides of his eyes. Then, he lunged forward, grabbing the Sword and then jumped back.

"Why didn't you let my own blade finish me?" He asked, sheathing the Buster Sword and picking up his katanas.

"'Cause then I'd have a huge, bloody mess in my living space." I said, grinning. "I wouldn't like having to drag a body with your mass over to that hole and dumping it off. Plus, I think your little wolf buddy'd kill me if I tried. He'd want to eat you first."

"Pardon me?" Gilgamesh looked at me funny. "My companion wouldn't perform such an act of betrayal! Enkidu is --"

"A wolf," I finished for him, "In all actuality. Do you honestly think that he'd let a meal your size slip by? Not a chance, buddy!"

"Hmph." Gilgamesh nodded and put his last katana away. "Perhaps you speak the truth. I would like to believe otherwise..."

"Don't get all depressed, now! I'm just stating the facts! Now, Mr. Gilgamesh... What brings you to my humble abode?"

"I am searching for a Blade of Legend. Scoured have I the furthest marches, east and west. And now my search brings me here."

"Uh... Okay... What kind of 'Blade of Legend' is this?"

"A Blade of great worth and power. It is said that the wielder of this Blade shall fear no man, spell, or beast. Not even Death can withstand the power of this Blade..."

"And what if someone already has it?"

"Then I shall challenge him! I will make that Blade my own!"

"But what about it being this incredibly powerful Blade that nobody can defeat?" Gilgamesh fell silent and stared at me. We stood there for a couple moments.

"Damn it all to hell!" He bellowed, breaking the silence and making me jump. "I shall have this Blade, no matter the cost!"

"Geez! Calm down! I just meant --"

"Argh! We shall see! Any fool who dares steal my dream shall meet a dire end, indeed! Come, Enkidu! Our search continues!!!" And he pulled out an amulet that started to glow. A portal opened in the air. I froze for a moment, then jumped forward at him.

"Wait!" I grabbed one of his arms and he stopped. "Where does this lead?!"

"To another world, boy! Now release me so my search can --"

"Which world?!" I screeched, desperate. Please, let this be the one...!

"You sincerely wish to depart from this world? You would follow me?"

"Just tell me!!"

"It is a world with a grand city, fallen to ruin. A great calamity fell from the skies long ago --"

"YES!!!" I screamed and jumped through the portal. And I instantly wished that I hadn't.

It was pitch black. There seemed to be nothing but this pressing darkness around me. I could feel the ground move, as if it was rippling. I closed my eyes and realized that it was just as dark with them open. I heard Gilgamesh's voice calling out to me.

"Foolish boy!" It got closer as I saw a light off to my left. I turned and saw Gilgamesh and Enkidu, both glowing as if from an internal fire. "You cannot hope to traverse the space between worlds without a guide! Follow me and I will take you to Gaia..."

And I followed the radiant figures of Gilgamesh and Enkidu..........