12. Devine Hope and Treachery

Leon finally opened his eyes late that night, and Sephiroth was the first one he saw. Smiling up at the beautiful man, Leon suddenly remembered what had just happened and why. Closing his eyes again he turned away from Sephiroth's loving smile.

Sephiroth knew that this time would come; he knew that he would eventually have to explain his actions to the man that he loved. But knowing it did not make it any easier. He reached hesitantly for Leon's arm, unsure of how to begin.

Leon cut him off before he could start. The fighter had had too much heartbreak in his past and he could not handle the pain of another rejection. 'Sephiroth.' He said harshly. 'Just go. I don't need your pity. I need your love, which I know I haven't got. If you have come to ask why or give me false sympathy, don't bother, because I'm telling you why right now!'

'It was you Sephiroth!' Leon shouted releasing his deep pain. 'All you! Now get out and leave me alone. I wish I was dead!'

Tears filled Sephiroth's eyes. He had guessed at the reason for Leon's attempted suicide, but had just now had it confirmed. It was all his fault. Even through the haze of tears that now shrouded his vision, he still pressed on with his attempt to tell Leon the truth.

'Leon, listen to me!' he finally cried. 'I know that you must hate me right now but at least wait to hear my story and then pass your judgment, whatever that may be! I have to explain what I have done and the reasons behind my actions. So wait until the end before condemning me.'

The impassioned plea reached to Leon's heart even through the fog of anger that enveloped him and he sat silently facing Sephiroth, his eyes on the floor, wondering what in the man's past could possibly disturb him so much.

x x x

Sephiroth took a deep steadying breath and with strong misgivings commenced his tale that reached over the ages, back to the First Age of the Empire Carna.

'It began when my mother was chosen for the Legion of Angels.' He said quietly. 'Her fame as a mage stretched the length and breadth of the world. All I wanted from childhood was to live up to her legend and follow in her footsteps. She was Jenova but became the one known as Nadine Deva, the divine hope. Her presence and calming magic first brought hope and peace to the warring nations of our world over two thousand years ago. Then she was slain in treachery by one who's identity is now lost to time.

When my mother was alive and directed the Legion's actions, all that the Legion of Angels sought after was peace and tranquility for those who inhabited their world. But after her death that all changed. The Legion was brought under the control of one who called herself The Angel.'

Looking up at Leon, Sephiroth took a deep breath and fought for the control to continue with his tale of times long past and seeing nothing in Leon's eyes but absorption and a hint of the love that had so recently been apparent, he found the strength to resume his story.

'When my mother was killed, I had already risen high in the ranks of the Angels and was on my way to realizing my dream of becoming the most revered mage on the planet. But when she came to power The Angel demanded that those already in service to the Legion join with her cause under threat of death and I, being the arrogant fool that I was, thought that nothing would change, that the death threat was just a hollow warning. I was so wrong.

Her 'cause' was nothing but a vendetta against the Starmardi, those who dared worship another goddess than her and she had vowed to cleanse the world of the Starmardi religion and the leaders of the faith, the Diardhirrim priests. We never laid eyes on The Angel, yet she controlled us. I can now look past the fog she cast over our minds to make us follow her, and see her madness for myself.'

'Cloud has been seeing visions of this past, Leon.' Sephiroth said softly. 'Soon he will know everything of my past and the unspeakable deeds I took part in, in the name of the honored Legion of Angels. I must tell him of my duplicity. But there is something else that I must tell you, and the others too before I am drawn too deep into deceit and bring about the death of the one I love. Please do not hate me for what I am about to say'

Moving over to the small window, Sephiroth drew in an unsteady breath. 'Leon,' he murmured heartbrokenly. 'I am the Assassin.'

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