Final Fantasy 7: The Rebirth of Sephiroth Chapter 2: Fear

Han awoke from his bed and left the cottage without so much as a word, Oni rolled over in his bed and continued to sleep. Miko snored softly in her bed as always. What Han saw had disturbed him greatly and he left without waking the other two. He left them to sleep soundlessly as he had before. His dream had been vivid and shocking, he was dumbfounded.

Sephiroth had spoken to him through his dreams, but as another entity itself. Sephiroth's will proclaimed to him that a sacrifice would be given to him, but it would come at a high price. Han pulled out a cigarette and smoked outside, he was nervous and started to pace around while the others slept.

Oni would also have a vision, but his was completely different from Han. Sephiroth was choosing his pieces and bending them to his will by force. Oni started to thrash in bed, consumed by a nightmare.

Five years ago the sector 7 plate fell to the slums below, Oni relived this fateful day in his mind over and over and over, but now it was different. Shinra had gathered troops in the area, a good portion of the army was inside when Barret Wallace detonated explosives, knocking out the support and causing the plate to fall.

The ground shook and Oni ran through the streets towards a house. Inside the bodies of his little brother Claus and ten others lay dead. Han and Miko were near death, but he managed to drag them out of the house and fled into the sewers. However this time he realized that something was different, something he might not have noticed before. Heavy bullet rounds in the door and a tattered piece of clothing that had to have belonged to Barret Wallace. Also when he ran for the sewers he remembered their screams, their cries and one man had shouted, "AVALANCHE is fighting Shinra on the pillar."

Oni opened his eyes and softly said, "Claus! You died for nothing." He woke up in a sweat and was scared a bit. Thinking about everything his memory kept coming back to AVALANCHE on the pillar in Sector 7. Even Shinra released a statement saying that AVALANCHE was responsible, but could it really have been true? Dispatched as a member of SOLDIER he was told to destroy AVALANCHE or else get out of Sector 7, but the deadline had been pushed up after the bombing of the first reactor. Shinra knew when Sector 7 would fall, but AVALANCHE was responsible after all!

Oni's head was spinning. As a member of SOLDIER he could not take this easily and decided to head outside. He walked over to the door and walked out to see Han smoking a cigarette. It looked like it was a least his fifth and he was still shaking.

"Han, AVALANCHE killed Claus."

Han just nodded and continued to pace around. His long hair still covering his face, the feminine male made no sound or gesture to comfort his brother. Oni clenched his fist and slammed it down on the wooden railing, smashing it to pieces. The wood exploded with a crack and it fell to the ground with a soft thud.

"We have a mission. Our final mission. Not as assassins, but as men. We'll take some jobs and earn enough to put it into motion and then we'll finish it ourselves." Oni stated.

Han nodded and put out his cigarette on the wooden post nearest to him. The other cigarette butts stood up from where he left them previously, but this one he put it out harder, crushing it into the wood, "We'll need the best SOLDIER to defeat Cloud and destroy AVALANCHE."

Oni nodded, "That traitor back stabbed Sephiroth and killed many of us. Only Sephiroth himself will defeat that traitor."

The two of them nodded and after a long pause looked at each other closely. Oni was embarrassed and turned away first, but Han reached out and held his brother tightly in his arms. Oni started to cry and then Han did to. Both brothers cried tears for what they had lost and what they were going to lose.

"The Oath of Men."

"Men must be strong."

"Even when it takes away our brothers and sisters."

"We're raised to be this way."

"Unable to show weakness."

"Unable to show emotion."

"Unless in the arms of a lover."

"That is the sacred unspoken oath of men."

As they spoke the oath they stopped crying and started to laugh softly, still holding each other. The laugher hid the tears and the pain, but it was still there. An uneasy, but calming emotion overtook them. They wore the mask as if it was their own face. Once more succumbing to the world of men.

"Brother?"

"Yes, Han?"

"…"

"…Right."

They were silent from that point on, although they did not say it they looked at each other and smiled. Han pulled back all of his hair and drew a dagger and rose it above his head. With the dagger in hand he cut his hair short in a single stroke. It cut it short in the front, but left the back relatively long. His bangs went down to his cheeks, but his distinct cut was one that was symbolizing the release of the third eye. Han foresaw what would become of them and cut the hair covering his eyes. He was no longer blind in appearance, but still had feminine hair.

Oni paced back and forth, sensing the tension in the air. The two brothers were too embarrassed to speak of their feelings towards one another, but it was mutual in nature. Oni needed Han and Han needed Oni.

The two looked up at the full moon and realized that even though the two of them were destined to live a life of eternal conflict like all SOLDIERs, they would in the end be able to find happiness in the simplicity of life. For the time they lived in the illusion that they would never be separated, but Han's dream seeded thoughts of separation, death and loss. The fear was sown and it would rest deep in his heart, however for the moment this was enough to calm his fears.

Miko still slept in her bed, but she would see the worst nightmare of the three. As she rolled over and over she was consumed in it, but unknowing of what was happening the two brothers decided to enjoy the quiet solace of each others company.

Oni and Han went out down the streets in the middle of the night. Lit by lanterns the path was dark, but it lead them away from their fear, and headed towards their own selfish desires.

As the two walked down the streets of Kalm, the two brothers spotted the Tavern and headed inside. A beautiful busty woman in a tight spotted miniskirt and a loose white T-shirt moved around the round tables, delivering drinks and occasionally food the few people. It was clear she was bra-less, but since she had a beautiful soft face most people tended to keep their eyes up to look into those beautiful eyes with little swirls in them. She was captivating and spunky.

"Here you go!" she said as she delivered two glasses of some booze to a bunch of burly men. Her smile was just as soft and warm as her face, she was the delight of the town and was a welcome new recruit for the town's hardened drinkers.

The past ten years have been tough on everyone. The world is becoming more and more dangerous, but little is being done about it, even the WRO has been too busy to deal with Kalm much since the incident several years ago. As the two brothers entered the tavern the people gave them a strange look and went back to their own conversations and drinking. Inside the tavern only ten people were there, including the black-suited bouncer who looked more like a Turk then anything else. The waitress was the second, with a big strong bar-tender as third. It seemed as if the rest of the people in the tavern were miners, they wore dirty soot-covered clothes and had blackened faces, most of them were partially cleaned off so they could drink. Their muscles were huge and these men were incredibly strong, even as normal humans.

The recent spike of travel to Kalm was because of a large coal deposit found under the city, with massive oil field being close to the swamplands. The city was by no means thriving, but it was the initial construction boom that turned Kalm into a small city. With Midgar in ruins the people have started to spread out and find other ways to work the land to make a living.

The waitress who at a second glance appeared to be from Wutai came up to the two brothers and asked them a question softly, "You two look serious, but please no trouble! Okay?"

Oni nodded, "Can we have two of the house special?"

The waitress perked up her ears and blinked, "Gysahl Greens are for chocobos."

"And for trench men."

She nodded and gave a look to the bouncer wearing the suit. He came over and stared at Oni and Han. His voice was deep and commanding, "Take this, it pays 50,000."

Oni grabbed the folder from the bouncer and put it in his pocket, "Target?"

"Cecil Majeen. Ex-SOLDIER. Traitor. Murdered five people during a bank heist in Marlo. He's held up in a cottage about five miles south of here."

Han nodded and Oni nodded, "An interesting one, thank you." They turned and left the tavern, walking over to a lantern on the street corner and pulling out the documents handed to him.

"Shit." Oni cursed out loud, "This guy is a 2nd Class SOLDIER!. He was part of Tviste to! His name is Aurum!"

Han nodded, "Even after the fall of Deepground and their near-complete destruction…they still live like us as cockroaches. Even Weiss has been seen…"

Oni sighed and hid the papers in his trench coat again, "In any case this guy will be difficult. Something doesn't feel right though."

The two walked down the streets and headed south, towards their target. As they left the town Oni pulled his machine gun off his back and started snapping the pieces together. The massive black gun was his shield and his weapon. With a quick snap he set the pre-loaded ammunition into place, effectively removing the safety features. The gun was a duel weapon, it had the ability to fire grenades from its bottom barrel and shoot high-velocity armor piercing rounds from the longer barrel right above the grenade launcher. However on the right side was heavy metal plating to be used as a shield, but also as a container for materia. The gun weighed fifty pounds, but Oni carried it as if it was no more then a standard weapon.

Han pulled out both of his two long katanas and held them at his sides. They were as sharp as razors and were notable for being able to cut through almost everything, even armor. Han's swordsmanship was impressive because of his great speed and skill, it allowed for him to swing his long katanas at speeds in excess of 120 mph. Even being hit by the flat side of the blade is enough to kill a man at that speed. Each katana was made of heavy alloy metals such as lead-steel alloys, but for an added effect the tips of the blades were poisoned with powerful toxins that Han would apply right before battle. Han didn't put poison on the tips of his blade for this encounter, he did not foresee a fight, they had no intention of getting close to the house.

As they entered the fields something strange happened, the sound of a large beast tore through the fields. The grass in some parts were flattened in a long, but short width. Oni came across its tracks first and saw that it was a good seven feet wide, but sensed something was amiss when no footprints could be found.

Something was not right at all, they had not heard a single sound since they left Kalm. The normally soothing sounds of crickets, birds and grasshoppers were gone, even the sound of bats flying around was absent.

"Oni…listen!"

A rush of sound not far off to the left, the grass was being bent and broken down. In his head Han saw a pattern, whatever was closing in was big and it was after them. Deciding not to wait and be preyed upon he shot his brother a glance. "Do it."

Han leapt high into the air about thirty feet and he heard a hiss and from behind him a great serpent bared its fangs and attacked him from behind. Han was skilled enough to spin around and stab his katanas into the scaly hide of the great serpent, right above the mouth. Using the hilts as his center of force he thrust himself onto its head, drawing a dagger from his black trench coat.

You will die, tainted one.

Han gasped as he heard the thoughts of the serpent and failed to stab it with his dagger, the serpent bent its head and thrust itself up into Han.

"NO!" yelled Oni as he opened up his machine gun on the serpent, firing his thirty round clip into the scaly hide of the serpent, only to realize it had little effect. The bullets barely broke through the hide and only small wounds formed from where the bullets had entered.

Han tried to cling onto the serpent as it bucked its head at him, but he could not dig into the smooth oversized scales and fell towards the ground, he was falling on his back, but he changed positions in mid-air at great speed. Just as he was about to land the great serpent swung its tail and connected to Han's back and slammed him forward and into the ground, face first.

The body of Han was sent rolling twenty feet back into the grass, he was bleeding badly and his face and arms were badly cut up. His back cracked and he managed to get on his feet in less then a second.

The serpent eyed the two men carefully, Han's katanas still embedded into its body. The being seemed supernatural, it was cunning and ingenius in the way it attacked and counterattacked. Could it really talk to?

Perish for your impurity!

"Perish for your impurity?! YOU FIRST" shouted Oni as he fired two high-explosive grenades at the serpent's head. They both exploded on contact and the creature fell over onto the ground. Han rushed in towards the serpent; able to see the katanas in its hide. He lunged for them, but the serpent opened its mouth and swallowed him whole.

"HAN!" screamed Oni as he flipped a switch on his gun. "Take this you fiend!"

The gun flashed white and a bolt of lightning shot out from inside it, headed straight at the serpent it connected with Han's katanas. Like a lightning rod, the serpent received the full power of the shock and its body exploded in a ball of fire. Han's body fell to the ground as pieces of the great serpent fell with him. Oni rushed over to Han and checked his pulse on his brother's neck. Oni started to cry when he felt his brother have no pulse.

"No! Don't die on me! Brother! Don't die on me! You can't die to!" he sobbed. He realized what he had to do and placed his lips over his brother's mouth, pinching his nose and breathing into him. One. Two. Breathe. Then he pushed down on his brother's chest quickly for fifteen times. No good, he started it over again. Still it did no good. Oni began to cry more and more, tears freely trickled down his face and he cried out, "Han! I love you! Don't leave me!" He tried again, but still his brother had no pulse. At last he kissed his brother on the lips, his and Han's first kiss. The body of Han grew colder and life started to leave him.

"HAN! You bastard! DON'T GO!"

Oni slammed his fist down hard on Han's chest and his body jerked from the force.

"DON'T GO!"

Oni continued to pound on his brothers chest in anger and sadness, but at last Han coughed and blood spurt from his mouth. A gasp and he breathed in on his own. Oni grabbed Han and hugged him tightly.

"OH HAN! I almost killed you!" cried Oni. He was sobbing like a child, unable to stop the flow of tears even in joy. Han gently patted his brother's back and coughed up more blood, "Brother, you hit me too hard."

Oni pulled back and looked at Han softly, "If I didn't hit you so hard you'd be --"

"Be using my own materia to burst out on my own?" interrupted Han.

Oni shook his head, "You'd be dead if you were any farther in, that thing ate a bunch of explosives somehow. It preys on people."

Han nodded and closed his eyes, reciting from memory, "The great serpent that lives in the swamp that feasts on anything that travels through it, but it can leave the swamp to pursue prey also. If it acquires the taste for human flesh it will never return to the swamp and will prey upon people outside of a town or village until it is killed."

Oni stood up and fetched Han's katana's from the body of the beast, "We'll bring its head back as proof we killed it. Should fetch a good price."

Han started to laugh, "You aren't yourself, what did you do when I was unconscious? You hugged me to…" Oni never replied and continued to hide his emotion by picking up and dragging its head back towards Kalm. Han followed his brother back, but was silent. His mind was troubled once more.

As they walked back they spoke nothing until almost at the city limits. Han finally asked Oni, "Did it speak?" Oni started to laugh and continued walking as he carried the serpents head down the road, "Not a chance."

Oni was deliberately hiding something, but it seemed as if Oni really didn't know about it speaking. Oni would never lie to him, but his brother had didn't seem like his usual self, he was compassionate. Han began to worry if Oni had a dream that tore at his heart. Oni was cold and calculating, but whenever Claus comes to his mind he changes completely, but he wondered if something else was bothering his brother.

This awkwardness was alienating, it seemed as if they were not brothers, but were strangers. Something was threatening to tear them apart, but it wasn't easy to understand what that threat was. The moment Oni showed up on the tavern door everything went back to normal though.

The miners inside actually came out when they saw the head of the serpent and gasped. There were murmurs and whispers, but then one miner shouted, "This is the serpent that ate the supplies to use in the mine! Ate the cart and everything!" Everyone moved in to examine it. The miners scrutinized it and looked at it, some even went as hard as touching it.

Oni asked, "Which one of you wants to buy this beasts head?"

The miners began discussing and fighting between themselves, but at last a big burly man in a checkered shirt held out a large some of money, "150,000. This thing has been ruining my life and even though we haven't posted a reward its only fair to give you what the reward was going to be, but is it the same one?"

Oni nodded, "When I hit this with lightning it exploded violently, if it ate a cart of explosives recently, this is no doubt the head of that beast."

The miners gasped and the man hurriedly paid Oni. He even handed over a makeshift reward sign to him as a bonus, "You saved us a lot of trouble, Johnny was afraid he'd never find a hunter in the tavern to do such a risky job, but you have gone and done it for me!"

Han blinked and wondered about the creditably of the miner; surely no one would willingly carry such a large amount of money around. Things haven't been making sense recently. It gets stranger and stranger each passing day to.

"You boys are SOLDIER to, huh? Come in! Have a round of beers on me, Montalo." said the miner as he beckoned them in.

The group all went inside, carrying the prize of their hunt with them. The tavern became joyous once more in the dead of the night. Though each passing moment Han became more and more skeptical of Oni.