Chapter 3

(Sephiroth POV)

Where am I…?

I look around I see Daxos, Elspeth, Nikka, a young Akroan woman who I met shortly after slaying Polukranos, and another woman who wore green, had a well muscled body and strong features. We're sitting in a pavilion while I can hear music and dancing outside.

We're making souvlaki, skewers of roasted meat and vegetables.

The scene shifts to outside, on the way to Heliod's temple in Akros. Nikka is sitting on the ground, with a wound in her stomach, I'm healing it as fast as I can, and Elspeth is standing watch over us. I look towards one of the mountains in the distance where large clouds are gathering in the night sky. Lightning crackles through the clouds and begin striking the summit.

After a few minutes of this, the mountaintop exploded and a massive Satyr took its place, I can't see the creature's face. He almost immediately looks to Nyx and disappears into the sky. The dream fades away again.

I find myself standing outside the Temples of Heliod and Ephara. From my position at the top of the steps of Heliod's Temple which gave me a large field of view.

I notice the milling crowds parting around a young woman. She's dressed in a pair of black shorts with a flowing length of material that gives the impression of a cloak or long coat. A black midriff baring top covers her torso. I begin walk away from my perch and approach, as my vision begins to fade again…

My eyes flutter open, I'm back in my apartment. I rub my face with both hands, I can see dawn's first light begin to break through my bedroom window. I trough of my blanket and splash some water on my face. I stare into the mirror above my basin. My long hair is heavy mussed and disheveled, and the bathhouse isn't open yet…

I sigh. Why did I ever let Shinra tell me to grow my hair long? It would make you look good they said, it would make you popular they said.

I suppose they never expected to have a Planeswalker in their ranks. Not unreasonable given that Elspeth has told me that we usually go to great lengths to conceal the fact that we can move across the planes of the Multiverse.

Truth be told I like it this way. I draw some Mana and cast a spell to straighten it out. As much as I enjoy immersing it in steaming water, magic must suffice sometimes.

I pull on my black trousers and long coat, with the suspenders crossed over my chest, same as usual, or at least as often as I can afford without body door becoming a problem, and slip on my boots. A body of Jenova cells was so much easier to look after, no need to eat, drink or sleep, or other pesky human needs.

I leave my apartment and head towards Heliod's Temple.

(Elspeth POV)

I stand in the grand stoa, awaiting Daxos, who has yet to arrive. Which is odd, he's usually here before I am, we usually meet here everyday to spar, if Sephiroth is around he joins in too. Daxos hasn't shown up yet, and, well Sephiroth loves the other side of town, so he's usually not around until a little latter on.

I think back to a note that I found slipped under my door this morning. There's no signature on it, but I recognise the hand writing as Daxos', and I seemed like something he would say, 'You are the divine protector in Heliod's absence. You alone can wield his weapon. You are destined to be the Hero of Theros.'

It's been on my mind since I read it. On the surface it sounds like the platitudes that Daxos and the other priests and priestesses spout when I ask what being a champion entails, Sephiroth too. On the other hand I wonder whether he's trying to say something in some sort of code, because as Heliod's oracle, he has to maintain an outward and inward appearance of piety, something that the other members of the Temple have begun to doubt since the Silence was enacted a month or so ago.

I think back to when I asked him about the meaning of the silence. His answer amounted to what was simply 'life carries on as normal' while also mentioning the members of the Temple rarely ever see a god. I guess I should count myself fortunate that not only have I met one, but that he tried to kill me, and then nominated me his champion when I used magic to resist, creating my current weapon, Godsend, from my sword. Which I obtained when I first came Theros many years ago, a short time after I ascended, and I met Daxos when he was a child, not much younger than me.

Finally I arrive at an argument that happened yesterday morning. During our usual morning starring session, I asked for a definitive answer about what my entails and means… I got the same platitudes and vague evasions. One thing led to another and he accused me of being selfish…

What's that?

I see Sephiroth's silver mane, nothing else really describes it. Strangely accentuated by his now darkened skin. He casts his glowing green "Mako eyes" on me.

"Good morning, Elspeth," he extends casually. He looks around himself. "Where's Daxos?"

"I don't know. He hasn't shown up today."

He tilts his head to one side, "Oh…is he unwell?"

I shrug.

He smirks, "You look bored, perhaps I could substitute?"

"Alright." I adopt my ready stance, Godsend held out forwards, knees bent, facing sideways, so as to reduce the available areas for immediate attack

He takes his blade from his back, he remains bends his knees slightly and holds his massive curved sabre with both hands, holding it parallel to his face. He scrutinises my every twitch with great intensity, but seems unwilling to make the first move…

I take a step to my right and he takes one to my left in perfect sync

I step back to where I was and he matches without fault, that same steely, cold expression. He raises an eyebrow.

I take two steps to the left and he matches mechanically. I stare into those cold, almost dead eyes.

We continue circling, neither one of us wants to launch the first blow, lest the other has some counterstrategy…

(Sephiroth POV)

I await like a viper on the hunt. Each moment Elspeth is another I have to formulate my plans, every second she procrastinates further seals her defeat.

She springs forwards thrusting Godsend straight towards my side. I duck under the blow, sidestep, then come up to strike her from the side. She anticipates and swings her spear-blade around and throws my stab off, and leap away, just narrowly evading Elspeth's counter stab.

I spring forward, swinging with an upwards diagonal slash. Elspeth positions herself to block with staff. I smirk, I skip to the opposite side and redirect Masamune to my attack vector. Elspeth tries to dodge the sudden blow, however she's firmly with in Masamune's reach. I stop the blade just above her shoulder.

"Impressive," I say to her.

"Thank you, not too shabby yourself."

"Another round?" I ask as I remove my coat and throw it out of the ring.

"Yeah, but, are you trying to distract me?"

I turn to her with a smirk, "That depends, do you find me distracting?"

"No…" I detect a slight hint of uncertainty.

"First woman in my life who has admitted that!" I say with a smile tugging at my lips. I adopt my ready stance, as does she. "Who ever they are must be a very special someone."

We both spring towards each other simultaneously, locking blades in a bind at the centre of the arena. I leap back and slash downwards in a diagonal arc, while she counters by swinging Godsend up to meet it.

The two collide and Elspeth deflects my slash, I use my momentum to barrel into her and send the woman tumbling to the ground, while leap over, perform a one-handed cartwheel and land on my feet. I press the attack, but she once again parries beautifully and throws me off balance.

She springs to feat and sends a flurry of rapid spear blows to my torso, I beat each away… barely. Her newfound fury pushes to ever greater feats as she leaps into the air, higher than I thought possible and launches a piercing attack that bypasses Masamune and touches me lightly upon the chest.

"Tell me, were you the rule or the exception on Bant?" I ask, as we reset our stances.

"The exception, but many were above me."

"That is something I find hard to believe," I respond. It sounds a bit more flirtatious than intended, I'm not one for mincing words, I to speak candidly. It can go either way

Elspeth smiles sweetly, "You flatter me."

"An accurate assessment of prowess is hardly flattery," I shoot back.

We lock blades again, this time the bout rapidly descends into something resembling a dance of death. We slash, cut, stab, thrust, duck, dive and parry our way around the training arena, both of us have learned from the previous rounds how to cover our weaknesses.

After an in determinant period we lock our blades in a bind, and glaring furiously into each others eyes, sweat glistening on our brow, beginning to run down in droplets and the sun having risen a quarter of the way through its daily climb. "I've had enough," I break the bind and head for my jacket. My stomach growls loudly.

"Let's get some breakfast," Elspeth suggests.

"Yes, I could use some sustenance, then to the bathhouse."

I strap Masamune to my hip and throw my coat over my arm, and leave alongside Elspeth.

We enter the refectory, it's primarily devoid of life, aside from a few people who were late getting up this morning. A couple of lay-servants place bowls of porridge with honey in front of us, while others pour out goblets of water.

When the servants left, Elspeth says, "Any interesting jobs recently?"

"No, but I have some interesting news out of Akros that I heard from the last convoy I escorted to the polis." I respond.

"What is it?"

"There are rumours of random animal heads mounted on spikes have been found scattered around the Kollophon, in particular, right inside the Royal Palace."

Elspeth is taken slightly aback, "Really?"

"King Anax is starting to lose his mind over it, or so the stories say."

"Very strange…"

"One of the most popular theories is that it's some mad prophet trying to warn them of some impending doom. I think it's a group who want to make the king lose face. Prophecy is far too vague. It's just as easy to twist a prophecy to suit facts as it is to twist facts to suit prophecy."

"Perhaps, but people here put great trust in omens."

I shrug, unwilling to press the matter further. I take my first spoonful. "Has something happened between you and Daxos?"

She take a sharp breathe, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"I'll not pry further then." We both continue to eat in silence.

About halfway through the meal, Elspeth asks, "Have you had any strange dreams lately?"

My spoon stops about midway between my bowl and mouth. "Yes actually… why?"

"I have been having some as well."

I cock an eyebrow. Elspeth continues, "First off is I see a man being impaled by a Minotaur, second I've stabbed a young man in the neck with a skewer, and finally I find your remnants have planeswalked into the Temple Gardens after creating proper bodies for themselves, and… walking into this temple with murder in your eyes."

I frown, "I saw you, Daxos, Nikka, another woman and I having dinner in a tent, then you, Nikka and I on the mountain trail up to Heliod's Temple in Akros, we had stopped, Nikka was wounded, I healing her and you were standing guard, when a giant Satyr exploded out of a nearby, and teleported itself into Nyx, and finally I was standing under the colonnade outside when a woman appeared, one from my world."

"I wonder are these portents and omens, or figments of our imaginations." Elspeth says with a hint of irony.

I smirk and shrug, "We shall see."

We finish up, I throw on and buckle up my coat before heading out of the temple to my favourite bathhouse nearby, while Elspeth heads with a few priest and lay-members to tend to the sick and poor.

I enter the front lobby of the establishment.

"Good morning, Sephiroth," the receptionist says with a smile. I'm arguably their most regular costumer, personal hygiene is of a generally acceptable standard here, at least per Gaian culture, with most favouring a bath every second day, I on the other hand prefer to take it to once a day, while I'm in Meletis.

"Morning, Astraxia," I say back.

"The usual?"

"No, I'll take the Golden Treatment, please."

"Of course, go right in." I leave my fee on the counter and enter the changing rooms…

I leave about two hours later deeply at east and relaxed, that was a goddamned bargain! My body feel loose and incredibly pliable. I go to the bounty board in the main city square. Several other sell-swords and I jostle to see what's going. Several part for me, having learned that pushing me out of the way results in finding yourself ten feet away, while I take the best pickings.

I scan around and find nothing of particular interest. Most of them same mundane drivel, missing persons, bandit leaders, minor monsters that need removing, and the ever present need for caravan guards especially as monster attacks have increased since the Silence. Nothing worth pursuing since my trip to the Skola Valley.

Just thinking about it casts my mind back to the peculiar ransom note, what would a Satyr want with iron? Smelting and mining techniques have only just been refined to make the process viable, iron still remains the domain of the rich men who want wall ornaments, heroes who want an edge and kings, most notably King Anax has an iron sarissa, and rumour has it he's commissioned a suit of iron armour.

I wonder if it has anything to with the fact that animal head keep turning up inside his palace…?

I move away, and look up to that the sun has reached its daily peak.

I turn around and begin to walk towards the Temple of Ephara, goddess of the polis, and Meletis Patron. I find her to also be one of the most bearable members of the pantheon.

As I reach the top, a wind sweeps through my hair, and stops… I turn around to see crowds gathering around a young in dark shorts and vest, crouching over, with her hand clutching her stomach, while blood spills out onto the ground. I immediately channel White Mana into a healing spell. The crowd parts for me without complaint.

I press my hand to the wound as soon as I get with reach. Just out of curiosity, I pull back her fringe.

I raise my eyebrows…

"Tifa Lockheart…"

She starts glaring at my healing spell and snaps her attention to me. She pushes me away considerable force. She stands up, and tries to ready herself for a fight. "What are you doing here?!" she says with as much force as her wounded body will allow, though my spell has significantly decreased the bleeding.

"I have no interest in you dying, right now you need a healer."

Just then Stelanos and two other priests from the temple burst through the crowd, "Where is she?"

I nod in her direction. Stelanos glares at Tifa's wound, "You need healing, now!"

"Not while he's around!" She points to me

"Tifa, I'm not here to cause trouble." I retort sharply. "Look I'll explain everything when you have recovered but right—"

"HEY BROTHER!" someone shouts nearby. I turn to see a young man with a black wing over his left shoulder, with a longsword in his right hand. He stands perched upon a nearby building, with a savage grimace.

Tifa gasps.

"Come on, let's get you healed," Stelanos says urgently. Tifa allows herself to be led away.

"Who are you?" I call back to this Jenova-spawned filth

"My name is Eli and Mother sends her regards!" he swings his sword and a blade of black energy erupts from it. I erect a field of White Mana around my immediate surroundings, and blade dissipates harmlessly against it.

"It is not my mother. My was Lucretia Crescent."

"How dare you speak of Mother as a 'thing.'"

"I believe in giving accurate descriptions," I reply coldly. "Now, is there any particular reason for you being here, or are you wasting my time to delay your inevitable demise?"

"Mother wants you dead, and she created me, as your superior, to do it!"

"There is only one Sephiroth, any who are made in my image are pale, worthless copies," I say with icy derision. I draw Masamune. "Shall we finish this, or are still frightened?"

He screams and lunges through the air at me. I spread my own wing and leap into the air. He dashes beneath me harmlessly.

"Your fast," he says up to me from where I stood just a second ago.

"Your grasp of the obvious is admirable, but I think my better needs to grasp the finer details." I retort backhandedly. He leaps up and slashes wildly. I casually deflect each blow.

"Oh yeah?"

"For instance, he who claims to be my superior should at least demonstrate basic swordsmanship."

He yells at me and seemingly pulls his act together, tightening his movements, making more controlled attacks. I still block each with ease. He clasps his sword with both hands and raises it above his head. I make a quick stab into stomach.

He rolls out of the way, but I catch him on the side. I make a swipe for his flank, to open the wound some more. He sees it coming and dodges, but leaves his wing open.

I slash at it and sever it just above the join. Eli screams and his eyes open in blind terror as gravity pulls him down to earth, and I plunge after him.

He hits the ground with a thunderous smash, and leaves a large dent in the paved square. "How did you get here?"

"Jenova made me to be like you!" Not exactly inaccurate, he has my long features and silver hair, though he wears his spiked in such a fashion as to put Cloud to shame. But Jenova knowing how to create copies of my Spark, that is… terribly disturbing. That she still exists doubly so.

"Why is Tifa here?"

"The chick? I dunno, I spotted her just before I left Gaia, Mother told me to kill her." Elspeth did mention that near-death experiences or extreme physical trauma are enough to ignite the Spark…

"Are there more of you?"

"Oh yes, loads of us and we are going to pick up where left off! But first we gotta kill your fucking traitorous ass."

"Where is Jenova?"

"She's in many places." I raise an eyebrow. "You see, she's in the Lifestream too, waiting for a way to come back, but that little flower slut you skewered plus some up-her-ass bitch called Minerva keep fighting her." Geostigma outbreaks were happening every so often before I left… "But she's got a plan, after you stopped whining like a fucking emo, brought back Kadaj and his boys and got yourself a new body, Mother's been looking to do the same, and she's close!"

I growl, flip my grip on Masamune and plunge the blade through Eli's chest.

He gurgles and spits out red… and green blood… Bahaumut's Name…

"If you think this is the end, you got another thing coming buddy! She knows where are, at all times, so no runnin', one day you gonna have to come back to us, brother."

"The next time I see Jenova, she shall taste the cold steel of my sword," I repond with a dead voice.

Eli simply bursts out in laughter, "Do you even hear yourself! All high and fucking noble, man, that, that spiky-haired fucker and the flower bitch did a number on your head!" He descends into painful convulsions that I assume to be laughter. They slowly give way to heaving up vast amounts of blood. I turn to walk away. "Oh that's it, walk away, run… I was told that you're some mighty warrior! You're nothing but a weak, shit-lickin' PUSSY!" Does this fool ever shut his mouth?

"Tall talk from the one drowning in his own blood," I say over my shoulder. He gives one final heave and cough before the blood loss finally forces him into unconsciousness, at last. I turn around and stab him again, if you want it done right, do it yourself.

As I have proven, death is not necessarily the end. Hopefully Erebos, God of the Dead, will keep him deep in the Underworld.

Is there any release from the eternal shackles that Jenova has locked around my soul? Any escape from her icy embrace?

My fingers tighten around the hilt of my blade.

Her life is mine, she took my life from me! I shall takes hers as recompense!

No one! No one takes from me for free!