Cecil was walking towards a huge and expensively decorated door, which was old. As Cecil opened the door he stepped into a room with a long red carpet going across the room, which had huge columns on both side of it, to the other side where stood a throne made out of stone. Cecil had stepped into the throne room of the old Chaos shrine.
Cecil looked around the room and noticed that many of the warriors of Chaos had gathered there; at the left side of the throne, behind a column stood a man he believed to be the father of Tidus; Jecht. Also on the left side of the throne stood a man with long silver hair, who he thought was Sephiroth. And on the right side of the throne was ExDeath, with whom Cecil had already crossed paths with once. On the right side of the room there was also a clown looking man and an old woman with silver hair and black wings. Cecil's eyes wandered back to the throne and stared at a man dressed in yellow sitting on the throne in a manner that was highly egoistic. He guessed this was the Emperor he had heard about from Firion. Cecil's eyes narrowed a bit as he started to walk towards him.
"So, Cecil, you decided to join our small group?" Emperor asked with an irritatingly pleased tone in his voice.
Cecil rushed towards Emperor and grabbed him by his throat, raising him high into the air. This was the voice that had been talking to him at the river, Cecil was certain of it. But before he had the chance to even tighten his grip he felt a cold edge that was sharper than a razor against his neck; Sephiroth had raised his blade to defend Emperor.
"Ah, Sephiroth, why would you do this life saving deed?" the man in yellow asked him while smiling in a way that told of absolute superiority.
Sephiroth lowered his long sword as Cecil let go of Emperor. As the silver haired man walked towards the door to leave the room he said without even turning to face them: "Nothing personal Mateus, I just don't want to be caught in the battle for power that would break loose if you died."
At the moment Sephiroth left the room ExDeath raised his voice to Emperor: "Why is the brother of the betrayer in here? Emperor, what is the meaning of this?"
Before Emperor managed to answer had the lady with wings floated towards the one with a blue armor and started to speak: "ExDeath, I believe you do not have any business with dear Mateus' plans for this young man. Besides, Mateus is the one man even I would doubt to challenge to a game of chess. I have no disbelief in his skills."
"You are absolutely right, Ultimecia." Emperor replied to the lady."But, may I ask you all to leave this room? I would like to have a word with our new comrade; besides, I believe you all have tasks that need to be accomplished."
As the warriors of Chaos left the room Emperor rose and looked Cecil straight in the eye, Cecil felt like he could see all of his memories, every bit of his soul and everything he held in his heart.
"You wanted to say something?" Cecil asked while turning his back to the Emperor. It didn't help the feeling that those eyes were reading everything about him.
"Yes, Cecil, I just wanted to make sure that you are sure about joining us?" Emperor asked with an extremely pleased voice.
"If I were not sure I believe I wouldn't be here, just let me go to my room, I'm tired" Cecil replied while starting to walk away.
"You know, 'Emperor' isn't just a nickname. I assume you know how to act in the presence of a ruler, yes?" Emperor's voice felt like it was drilling into Cecil's skull.
Cecil walked to the door and left without saying a word.
As Cecil went to sleep he was bothered by an anguishing dream:
Cecil was on the moon where he saw Golbez. Cecil started to run towards him but suddenly he noticed that he had penetrated Golbez with his spear.
The armored man fell to the ground while his innards slowly started to drift out of his body and thick blood started to spread from all the holes of his armor.
Cecil tried to lift him but all he managed to do was dirtying his hands with his brother's blood.
Cecil started to run away from the corpse of his kin. Cecil ran and ran and suddenly he noticed he was in a room filled with light and warmth.
He heard a caring voice calling to him and the voice felt like it was erasing the memories of his brother's murder and cleansing his hands. Cecil walked towards a horned slim figure that was sitting in the room and laid his head on Emperors lap. Cecil wished he could stay there for an eternity as the rays of light devoured him fully.
