The last chapter is here! Wow, I can't believe it took me four long years to finish this! Thank you to all who supported this fic, shout out to Guest for leaving a review on the last chapter.
Hold on to your seats beloved readers as I bring you the final chapter of my first crossover fic - New World.
To match the feels of my final chapter, you may listen to the following music. I have marked the paragraphs with numbers as guide so you know when to insert the corresponding background music for that. Also, you may notice most of it is from "Goblin". Well, I just binged watch the kdrama last Sunday and I loved the story and their OSTs, goodness! It's something different from Hwarang which is another kdrama I get introduced to by a friend. Seriously though, whenever I see Grim Reaper, I think of Sephiroth and when I see Goblin, his lonely immortal life reminds me of Vincent hmmm…
Anyways, I won't hold you guys for long! Enjoy!^u^
Songs:
1 "Winter is Coming" by Han Soo Ji (Goblin OST)
2 "First Love" Instrumental OST from Goblin
3 "When the Time Stops" Instrumental OST from Goblin
4 "Kiss Me Goodbye" by Angela Aki - English version (FFXII OST)
5 "Aerith's Theme" Piano instrumental from FFVII OST.
6 "Never Far Away/Stay With Me" MV OST from Goblin.
7 "Lost Memories" Instrumental OST from Goblin.
8 "And I'm Here" by Kim Kyung Hee OST from Goblin.
9 "Dreaming of the Dawn -SOMNUS-" Instrumental OST from FFXV
10 "Yakusoku no Basho" by Mai Fukui (FFXIII-2 OST)
Just repeat the music if you're not finished reading the paragraph with the indicated music in the background.
Chapter 38 – New World
-1-
The pillars of light scattered across the world serves as a portal which will lead all life on the Planet towards a new world. Back at the Academia, the huge gush of light erupted from where the ground has split, startling all those in and out of the institute.
"What is… that light?" Shelke asked to no one in particular.
"Perhaps it's Etro's answer. A beacon of light, a symbol of hope for all." Nanaki exclaimed in awe.
"Look!" one female shouted, referring to how the black winds turn to Lifestream as it draws closer to the pillar of light.
"If I'm not mistaken, those are the souls who got tainted by the void. But they seemed to be purified by the Light!" exclaimed another warrior, this time it was a male.
"The souls are bein' drawn to the light, whaddaya think it is Red?" Barret asked his fiery tailed friend.
"Could be a portal." Says Nanaki reluctantly.
"You mean a portal which will lead us to the New World?" Shelke asked in surprised.
"Most probably." Nanaki replies with a nod.
The warriors began to approach the light, rejoicing for they will now be saved. Nanaki, Shelke and Barret looks on as those who approached the light slowly started to soar from the ground and gets absorbed into its bright depths.
More of the warriors followed the others who already stepped into the light, eager to leave this dying world. Nanaki and his friends were just observing them, suddenly they heard a male voice calling out their attention.
"Nanaki! Shelke! Barret!"
They all glance at the same time and saw Reeve running towards them. Behind him was Rufus Shinra with Ellone Loire beside him, followed by his loyal Turks, Elmyra with both Denzel and Marlene, Cid Highwind's wife Shera, Godo with his cohorts. Plus some more people confined inside the building were spilling out into the open grounds, some were already approaching the light while some are still hesitant, unsure of what it will do or where it would lead them.
"What is happening?" Reeve asked in confusion
"Etro's light shines forth. I believe it's a portal leading to the New World." Nanaki answers, hoping to ease the man's anxiety.
"So this is Etro's light. Are you sure it'll lead us to where we should be?" this time, it was Rufus who asked Nanaki. His cool blue eyes focused on the beast as if trying to search for an assurance.
"I can't tell but as you can see, no other choice has presented itself except for the pillars of Light."
"He does have a point. I suggest let us all go together." Reeve suggests.
"Alright! Let's go Rude, I can't wait to exit this dire world!" Reno hastily run towards the light as Rude adjusted his necktie and said, "Please excuse us." Then off he went to follow his Turk buddy.
"Papa, let's go!" Marlene invites as she holds out a hand to Barret, in which the latter takes and gave his daughter a nod and a smile.
"What about Cloud and the others?" Denzel asked, hesitant to proceed.
"I'm sure they're fine, I bet they're already waitin' for us there!" Barret replied, trying to reassure Denzel.
Elmyra looks down at him and said, "Let's go?"
Denzel takes her hand and they all started walking towards the light.
-2-
Back at the Shera, everyone still ponders on Sephiroth's sacrifice. "I still can't believe… Yeul prophesize about his sacrifice after all." Noel speaks sadly.
"He knew and yet he didn't falter." Lightning added.
"Up until the very end… he… he proved that he was the hero." Zack mutters softly.
"That bastard… always wants to take all the glory for himself, damn you Sephiroth, I can't believe you have to go like this." Genesis says dejectedly.
Aerith is still crying silently to herself as she still couldn't believe this is all happening. Deep inside she wants this to be all just a dream – a bad dream which will eventually fades when she wakes up.
Suddenly among the flowing Lifestream, Caius reappears on the Shera's deck accompanied by four Yeuls. They were all startled particularly Noel and Minerva.
"Caius…" Minerva utters in surprise.
"Yeul!" Noel calls out as four pairs of green eyes looks at him.
"You again… do you never stop? One of our friends sacrificed himself to deliver us all to the New World, are you here to intercept us once again Caius?" Lightning exclaimed in an accusatory tone.
"No, I am here to wish you all well on your safe travels. Etro has won, her champion proved that there is indeed light beyond a dark tunnel. At the cost of a sacrifice, he opened my eyes." Caius then looks at the far off horizon and with a smile he speaks again in a sincere tone, "Despite the wrong actions you've committed, no matter how grave your sins are… you can still redeem yourself. All it takes is for you to act on the choice you make."
"Sephiroth… made his choice…" Cloud utters in a sad realization.
"And you're the reason why he has to make that choice!" Genesis shouted as he unleashed his blade and charges at Caius. The latter just looks at Genesis, unmoving and unfazed by the Crimson clad SOLDIER.
"Genesis!" Angeal shouted as he tries to stop his friend. Some screamed while others watch in horror as Angeal failed to stop his friend in time. Genesis reached Caius and slashes him. Unfortunately, the blade just passes through Caius as if he's just an illusion.
"What?" Genesis exclaimed in disbelief.
"This is just an astral projection of mine. I'm already dead. I am nothing but a spirit." Caius explains, he then looks at the Pillar of Light a few distances from the Shera. "Instead of lingering in here, I suggest you should all hurry and get in there while the portals are open." Caius instructs them.
"Damn you…" Genesis muttered under his breath as Angeal stands beside him. Angeal rests a hand on his friend's shoulder as a non-verbal way of telling him to let it go and calm down, while he shot Caius a murderous glare.
"What about you? Aren't you going in there too?" Serah asks.
"I already made a choice."
"What choice?" Noel asked in curiosity.
"The world of the living may no longer need the guidance of the Fal'cies or gods. But for the world of the dead, someone needs to fill in Etro's throne. Someone needs to keep the Chaos gate close, someone needs to make sure that Nova Chrysalia shall never rise again. So I made that choice… to stay in Valhalla for good." Caius explains.
"You don't have to burden yourself with that role Caius. It was passed unto me by Etro when she was still alive." Minerva replies.
"You no longer have to deal with everything alone Eun. Just like Sephiroth, I wish to atone for the gravity of my sins. Being Valhalla's overseer will be the start of my path to atonement, to make sure nothing like this ever happen again." Caius replies with conviction.
Minerva's eyes widen in surprise as Caius mentioned her Paddra name. She was once Eun of Paddra, protector of Yeul, lover of Caius. Her eyes softened as she reminisces those days in the past long gone, basking under the warmth of the sun, peacefully lying on the grass, running barefoot on the stream and gazing at the stars around a bonfire.
She smiled at him and nods, "Very well, we'll oversee Valhalla together."
"Yeul is coming with us as well." Caius added,
"No way! I won't let you take her with you to Valhalla Caius, hasn't her life as a seeress enough? I won't let you seal her fate!" Noel objects.
"Would you replace her then?" Caius dares him.
"Yes, if that's what it takes to free her from her fate then I'll do it!" Noel replied with conviction.
Caius smirks as the Yeuls shifted into tendrils of Lifestream and gathers in front of Noel, the others simply observes, the tendrils began to form a figure until another Yeul appears in front of him. Her eyes slowly open, her green eyes met Noel's curious blue orbs while everyone looks in amazement.
"Yeul…?" Noel mutters in disbelief.
"Noel…?" Yeul replies in surprise. The young man abandoned his inhibitions and just wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"You're back… I've missed you very much…" Noel whispers in her hair. Yeul closed her eyes and revered in his embrace. "I've missed you just as much… Noel. I will stay with you now…"
"B-but how?" Noel asks to no one in particular.
"Her essence has not been fully corroded yet because of merging the world of the dead to that of the living. This has caused her soul to just aimlessly drift within this realm. The Yeuls of previous generations who possess different personalities and memories which lingers in Valhalla, and has been gifted a physical body like me in the world of the dead, combined and condensed their essence instead to create a physical body for her. The previous Yeuls sacrificed themselves to grant the aimlessly drifting Yeul a vessel." Minerva explains.
"She's the last of her kind so you better take care of her Noel, or else I won't be nice to you when we meet in the afterlife." Caius threatened before softening his gaze at the young man. Noel gently releases Yeul and beams at Caius.
"You can count on it and when we meet again, I can proudly tell you I made Yeul happy." Noel answers joyfully.
"Caius nods in acknowledgement before turning to Minerva and said, "It's time Eun."
Minerva nods and approaches his side. She then looks at the warriors of Etro and said, "It's been wonderful fighting alongside you all warriors of Etro. I'm praying for a wonderful new life for you in the New World, till we meet again."
"How are you going to return to Valhalla?" Lightning asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"The pillars of light are like a door, but the current it flows is different for everyone. Those who already passed on to Valhalla but get mixed into our world because of Nova Chrysalia phenomenon, are still meant to go back to Valhalla. Those who are dead and are already part of the Lifestream, will still be part of the Lifestream in the New World. And those who are just like Yeul whose essence has not been fully corroded by the LIfestream may or may not join the living." Minerva explains.
"But Caius, you did not pass on to Valhalla right?" Noel ask trying to make sure he understands the process.
"We'll be going together so Caius can bypass the current and reach Valhalla with me." Minerva clarified.
"Minerva… I…" Aerith calls out with her hands clasped against her chest.
Minerva turns to her and urges her to speak, "What bothers you Aerith? Pray tell."
"Will there be a chance for Sephiroth to come back in the same way as Yeul?" she asks as her eyes were still puffy and her voice cracks but at the same time filled with hope.
"If Sephiroth sacrifice his soul to the ember, he'll not join the transmigration. As soon as the ember consumes all of the life force bestowed upon it, it will shatter and return to the mother crystal alongside the soul who restored it back to life" Caius explains.
"What do you mean?" Angeal asked.
"When Sephiroth gave his life to the ember, he and the ember becomes one entity. The ember is a crystal which gives life, a part of the Mother Crystal. Once the transmigration is completed it will return to the Mother Crystal, to return to the part of a whole… that is a crystal of life's instinct."
Aerith bows her head as she absorbs this fact – Sephiroth will never return, nor be reincarnated. The thought of it deadened her mind; sadness flowed through her veins dominating her system, dulling her emotions until sorrow is the only palpable feeling within her. She slowly sinks to the ground as fresh tears stained the porcelain skin of her cheeks. Tifa was at her side in an instant, cradling her shaking body as she starts to weep.
She doesn't know how to take this all in, Sephiroth is gone forever. It's like he left a hollow space in her chest when he left, along with it, she felt like she's shrouded in a black mist which she knows will veil her eyes for the days to come. She's oblivious to the number of days her heart will grieve for him, but one thing remains certain, everything seems lost to her at the moment and she knew of nothing that would bring back its focus.
"How can we be sure that you speak the absolute truth?" Genesis tried to protest.
This time, it was Minerva who speaks. "Fabula Nova Crystallis or known as The Tale of the Crystals, it's the Chronicles of the Universe. Just as what you know about the souls of the living returning to the Planet once they perish, the life of a Crystal providing life and magic goes back to its origins once the Planet that contains it is destroyed. The Crystal dies with the Planet, the Planet dies with the Crystal."
"It's a cycle after all." Fang remarks sadly.
"So basically if Caius didn't mess with everything, Sephiroth could still be alive. Well played." Genesis comments in a vile tone as he shot Caius a murderous look.
"We really can't change anything now… Sephiroth willingly throws himself into the furnace so he can still fan the flames of the ember just for a little while. Blaming one another will bring forth nothing but wrath and heartaches. Sephiroth chose not to disclose this information so we can all pass on to the New World in peace. We have to respect his decision, the least thing we could do in return is to live, because that is the purpose of his sacrifice after all." Raines states condescendingly.
"Raines is right… we can't let him waste his sacrifice now do we?" Zack seconded.
"We'll be leaving. Safe travels Heroes." Minerva says as tendrils of Lifestream envelop them both and disappeared.
"We should… proceed. We don't know how much longer the portals will hold." Cloud suggests.
An Academian crew inside the Shera rushes to the deck, all of them shifted their attention to him.
"What's wrong lad?" Cid asked the flabbergasted crew.
"I've received a notification from the Academia sir, they've already evacuated the place and entered the light."
"Looks like my wife and the others have left already." Cid remarks casually.
"I guess it's time, we can't stay here any longer or else the portal might close in on us. We don't know for how long it's going to hold itself open."
"It's time Cid." Raines told the pilot who just puffs a smoke off his cigarette.
"Yeah..." Cid drops the cigarette on the floor and stomp it with his left boot. He approaches Aerith and gave her a gentle, reassuring squeeze on her shoulders. Aerith glances at him as she wipes the tears from her eyes.
"Your man… err… well…" Cid scratches his head shyly before continuing, "Sorry, I still can't believe you and him were already a thing."
She managed to give him a ghost of a smile behind glass-like emerald irises and tear-stained cheeks. Cid takes a deep breath and said, "I admire his bravery. To die so we could all live, I think that is truly heroism. You should smile as we enter the New World, he'll like that for sure. "
Aerith's smile widens a little and said, "I'm sure he will… I'll try to manage a smile so he won't feel bad. Thank you… Cid." Her reply was soft, too soft almost akin to a whisper. Cid nods at her before going inside followed by the Academian crew.
-3-
Lightning looks at Genesis' direction with sympathy. Angeal pats his friend's back, she saw Genesis tells something to him before the black haired SOLDIER nods and left his side to rejoin Zack. Serah noticed her sister's gaze and urges her to comfort Genesis.
"I don't think he needs anyone right now. Perhaps he wishes to be alone." Lightning tells her sister.
"It won't hurt to try." Serah coaxes. Lightning sighed in defeat and shrugs her shoulder. She slowly walks up to him as Genesis just silently stared at the Portal.
"Hey…" Lightning whispered softly to him.
Genesis glances at her, a ghost of a smile graced his lips before bowing his head. Lightning felt his pain, the pain of losing a friend. She lightly touches his hand to let him know she's just there if ever he needs her. When he still wouldn't talk to her, she thought it best to leave him be. She slowly turns away from him but she felt him tug her wrist, strong enough to pull her in an embrace. He buried his face in her hair as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Lightning was lost for words, instead she finds herself enveloping his strong frame with her arms.
His body quivers, as his tears soak through the shoulders of her blouse. She felt him clutching her back tighter as he cries in silence, she lightly pats his back hoping it would soothe him even just for a bit. They just stayed like that in a comforting silence, actions depicting a mute consolation.
Aerith wipes her eyes and bit back tears, she convinces herself to stop crying for now until they reached the New World. She wants to go through that light - the light that Sephiroth created for them, with a smile on her face. So he'll knows that she's going to be okay, perhaps he's watching them or can feel them from somewhere and she doesn't want to make it harder for him that it already is with all of them.
I can get through this, I have to be strong. I know he can feel my sadness wherever he is… I must not make him feel guilty or sad…
She took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh. Tifa loosens her arms which she has wrapped around Aerith.
"Thank you Tifa…" Aerith tells her friend, thanking her for the efforts of making her feel okay. She gently wipes the tears away from her eyes. She forced herself a small smile as she looks at the portal, the Shera begins to move towards the Light.
Tifa's observing her friend, always standing ready in case she needed comfort. Aerith slowly walks by the railings and holds onto it, feeling the cold steel bars against her palms as Tifa approaches her side.
"It'll be painful, it'll hurt so much, but know that you can always count on us whenever you need anyone to help ease the pain." Tifa says softly as she placed her hand gently on top of Aerith's.
Aerith looks at her friend who gazes at her with sincerity in her eyes. "Thank you." A small smile tugs at her lips, her tears seems to stop now. Though her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she'd done earlier. Her nose and cheeks are slightly flushed too.
She shifted her gaze back at the portal and said, "It'll be tough to face the new world without him… but life doesn't end here. I can't still accept the fact that he's gone for good. I know that this is not the last time I'm going to cry. Sorrow will be with me every single day, but I have to stay strong, to live for both of us. He offered his life so we can all live, and I swear I would. Because if I don't, I'm sure it'll make him sad, it'll worry him and I don't want that to happen. I want him to be in peace wherever that place will be."
Her lips start to quiver as she fought back the fresh tears threatening to fall again from her eyes. She mentally reprimanded herself that she had enough crying for today. They're getting closer to the portal as all of them starts to face it, prepared and ready to face the New World.
-4-
"Here we go." Cloud said as he, himself is unsure on how to feel about this. He's sure that everyone feels a mixed expression of gratitude towards Sephiroth but at the same time mournful for his sacrifice. Despite all this, there is this nagging feeling of anxiety as they enter the portal towards the New World.
Genesis gently pulled away from Lightning's embrace, she looks at him trying to make sure he's okay. He wipes off the tears from his face with the back of his hand and looks at the portal, Lightning did the same.
"Sephiroth's gift of hope, is beyond this light." Genesis speaks in a hushed tone. Lightning nods and holds his hand, he held hers tighter as they braced themselves for their departure.
Light envelops the Shera and everyone in it, the light was the collection of memories from all souls in Gaia. As they go deeper into its pristine depths, it kindled within each of them, memories of their life on it. Memories that are vivid, bright, briefly recalled, familiar and those that seems foreign – those that are hidden within the depths of their subconscious minds.
A memory of Aerith's childhood flashed across her mind as they pass through the portal, this particular memory isn't something familiar to her, a lost memory of her childhood, a blank canvass. She can see her childhood self clearly, she was running across a long corridor in her plain white dress which drops down just a little bit above her small knees. She was smiling and was looking straight at someone, probably waiting for her down the corridor. She slips and fell face first to the floor, someone rushed to her and slowly helped her up.
That someone was a boy – a boy she knew too well. He has shoulder length silver hair and beautiful yet haunting mako green eyes. The boy puts a finger on his lips, a gesture of telling her not to cry. He gently wipes some tears on her cheeks, tears which she failed to stop from falling. He dusts her and casts a cure materia to heal her bruised knee. He then carried her piggyback style and he runs towards the new director's office which is currently under construction.
"Are you sure it's safe here, Sephy?" she asked warily.
"There are no cameras here yet, this is a newly added room in the building and the workers were on lunch. So, while they're gone, I thought I could let you see the outside from here." The young Sephiroth told her.
She squealed in delight as she holds his arms, Sephiroth smiled at her and led her to the window. She was in awe of the view outside.
"It's beautiful and full of colors!" she exclaimed in astonishment.
"That's just one from hundreds of places I can show you once we finally get out from here!"
"Really? What do you call that blue thing?" her young self asked, pointing her tiny finger to the sky.
"That's a sky, think of it as a roof of the Planet and those white fluffy things are clouds." The young Sephiroth explains to her.
"It's pretty! But… I don't see any flowers like the one you gave me when you went back from your mission."
"Don't worry Aerith, I'll take you to a field of flowers once we escape from here."
"You promise?" she asked, eyes gleaming with hope.
Sephiroth nods at her as his gaze softens at the young girl. "I promise."
"Hey, Aerith… wake up…"
Aerith felt a gentle breeze whipping at her skin, a woman's gentle voice which sounds familiar to her is telling her to wake up. She's also hearing exuberant noises in the background. She slowly opens her eyes, Tifa's smiling face greeted her.
"We made it!" she said beaming at her. And she knows exactly what she meant. They've successfully crossed through the portal and landed on their New World. She's still on the deck while the others who crossed it with her were down on the smooth grass field. She stands up slowly with Tifa assisting her.
"Let's join the others!" Tifa exclaimed happily, they both went down the Shera which is currently parked a little above the fields. They climbed down the rope ladder and once her feet touched soft grass, her chest was filled with so much unexplainable emotions. Tifa runs ahead of her, Aerith smiled softly to herself as she walks and stops besides Tifa. They were on a small grassy hill, patch of flowers were everywhere, and there were rock formations, trees and a view of stream not far from where they are. Clear blue skies hangs above them, clouds were drifting across its vast blue canvass. Everyone was jubilant, even those who were unconscious inside the airship were already well enough and was basking under the sun's warmth.
Aerith walks over to a patch of flowers down the small hill near the stream. Those were lilies, yellow and white ones, just like the ones in her church. She plucks one and hold it near her heart, she bows her head in silent prayer as she feels the insurmountable amount of life from everywhere around her. The pulse of this Planet is beating loud and clear in her mind. Indeed they were alive and this world is so full of life and energy.
"Don't worry Aerith, I'll take you to a field of flowers once we escape from here."
"You promise?"
"I promise…"
"You didn't just take me to a field of flowers, Sephiroth... You take me to the New World. Thank you… for keeping your promise." Aerith whispered, hoping that he could hear her somewhere. Uncontrollable tears escape her eyes as she clutches the flower tightly to her chest.
"Please come back… please be here with me… please keep your promise that you'll be with me… please…" she said in between sobs, her eyes closed as she weeps for the person she longs to be with.
"Daughter…" says a female voice inside her head.
Aerith's eyes snapped open. "Is that… the Planet?" she asks herself as she looks around trying to locate where she heard the voice.
"Daughter…" the voice beckons again.
Memories flashed inside her head, her younger self in a laboratory cell with…her.
"Mother…?" she mentally speaks to her, trying to confirm if her real mother was the owner of that voice.
The voice grew silent as the world spins around her, she closed her eyes so she won't feel dizzy. A few seconds gone by and she open them again. She finds herself in her church, lying down on its rickety floorboards.
-5-
"Aerith…" her mother's voice beckons to her again.
"Mom…?" she calls out as she immediately sits up and saw her mother standing by the flower patch, still looking as ethereal as how she remembers her. She still wears the red long sleeved dress with that familiar purple wrap around her slim waist.
Her mother just smiles at her, a smile that reaches her emerald irises. She remembers how those orbs glow with the pulsating life akin to the LIfestream. When she was young, she always loves to look at her mother's loving gaze. Aside from finding it beautiful, she always feels warmth in those soft gaze, a warmth that washes away the laboratory's cold interior.
She rises and walks to her mother slowly, she stops right before she can even step on the flower patch. She looks down on her feet and as she realizes she could no longer move them. Her eyes grew wide and she feels the panic slowly dominating her system.
"Don't be afraid." Ifalna says in that same soothing voice. Aerith looks up to meet her mother's soft gaze.
"I came here in your thoughts to say goodbye…"
"Are you joining our ancestors mom?" Aerith asks sadly. Surprisingly, she shakes her head.
"I'm going somewhere far Aerith, much farther than the Planet, a place where I can no longer return to the cycle of life."
"What do you mean…?" she asks warily. Ifalna just smiled softly and with a loving gaze she speaks to her daughter once more.
"When the world falls down around you and hope is lost. When you find yourself alone in a lightless place, look to the distance and know that I am there and that I watch over you… always." Tendrils of Lifestream appear from the flower patch as it rises and swirls around Ifalna's slender figure.
Aerith tried to move but her whole body was frozen, she tries to shout and calls out her mother's name but no voice came out from her lips. Her mom's hands clasps in front of her as she looks at Aerith one last time, smiling at her beautifully. Then everything gets shrouded in bright, white light.
"Farewell… my dear daughter, Aerith…." came Ifalna's disembodied voice.
Her eyes shot up, she was breathing heavily. When she looks around, it seemed that her friends were all clueless to what just happened to her. Surprisingly, it seems that time has frozen in place as well as everyone still marvels at the wonderful New World.
"What was that… all about…?" she internally asked herself.
-6-
Then out of nowhere, she hears a soft sound of tinkling bells, as if it's coming from a distance. She tries to drown the noise around her, just to make sure she's hearing it correctly.
-ting-
The sound came again, a little clearer. She shifts her attention to where it's coming from, she found herself looking directly at the stream. There were glowing particles gathering by the stream, she squint her eyes, trying to make sure she's not imagining it. The particles becomes more noticeable now, it was Zack's voice which confirms that she's not seeing things.
"Look at the direction of the stream! What's that?" Zack asks aloud as everybody stops what they're doing and turns their attention to the gathering particles of light.
Aerith was intently staring at it, her heart thumping crazily beneath her chest. Why does she get this kind of feeling, this unexplainable ecstatic feeling of… joy?
The particles condensed into a huge orb of light, floating a quite a little high up. It shines brightly, as everyone tries to cover their eyes from the blinding glare. The light finally dims down and the orb bursts like a bubble, water oozing from it as a man with long silver tresses drops to the ground on all fours. His hair falls around him like silver waterfalls, still glistening from the water inside the orb. Silver bangs shrouds his face in mystery.
Aerith's heart skipped a beat, like everyone else, she was dumbstruck as well. The man gasps for air as he rises slowly like a jungle cat, He observes himself as if he was as surprised at what just happened. Finally noticing that he was not alone, he looks up and met dumbfounded emerald eyes of his beloved flower girl, looking straight at him.
"Aerith…?" he says in a soft, bewildered voice.
"I… I'm… not dreaming, aren't I…?"She asks Sephiroth in a perplexed tone. He smiles at her softly and shakes his head lightly before opening his arms wide for her. That action completely washed away the doubts. She dropped the flower from her hand as she runs and throws herself to him, toppling them both on the shallow stream.
He was sitting on the stream and Aerith is in between his flexed knees. She was crying against his bare chest with her arms wrapped tightly around him, fearing that if she loosens it, he'll disappear. Sephiroth has his one hand on the ground beside him, as his left hand caresses her soft hair. He lets her cry against him as he whispers words of affection and comfort as a means of solace. The others run down the hill and stopped a few distances from them.
"I really thought you're a goner." Genesis said half-teasingly, with a notable trace of gladness in his voice.
"Yeah, Caius said that when you offer your life to the ember you'll be gone forever. " Cloud added.
"I thought so too, I thought I'll be gone forever, no reincarnations. In the brink of my death, a miracle has presented itself, saving me from my fate." Sephiroth explains.
Aerith's cry turns to sob as she slowly pulls away from him and sits back on her toes. "What happened…?"
Sephiroth closes his eyes as he reminisces what happened and began to apprise them of what transpired after he went inside that portal to get to the ember.
-7-
He was standing with his arms raised in front of him as his mind filled with thoughts of Aerith. As the crystal hums to life, his life force begins to flow out of him. The crystal absorbs his life force continuously. He's feeling weak, his knees gave out and he drops to the ground.
He did not falter and just continued offering his life to the ember. Slowly, he's growing sleepy when he heard his mother's voice.
"Stop! Stop it!"
He's in a half daze state when Lucrecia intervenes. She appears in front of him and pries his hands as she held them in hers. The ember seems to stop absorbing his life force. Dropping to the ground she was looking at her son with her tear stricken face.
"Mo…ther…?" he says weakly, he's now sitting back on his toes.
Lucrecia cries and says, "Yes Sephiroth… it's me."
He feels lightheaded as he weakly stoops forward, Lucrecia catches him as his head lolls to her shoulders, his weight bearing down on her. Ifalna came to her aid as both women gently assisted him to lie down properly in supine position.
Sephiroth is still in a half conscious state, he can still hear everything around him, and he felt his mother caressing his face, his hair. He felt her caressing his arms and his hands as well.
Lucrecia wears a worried expression as she frantically turns to the Ancient, "He's cold, he won't last long. Ifalna please, you have to heal him!"
"There's no more Lifestream in which I can draw my power Lucrecia." Ifalna replies sadly.
"If we don't do something he'll die!" Lucrecia exclaimed frantically. Sephiroth is trying to open his eyes, he can't see clearly, everything is a blur as his eyes were trying to focus, he saw his mother's face gazing at the crystal.
"That!" Lucrecia pointed at the ember then she looks back at Ifalna. "Most of his life force was absorbed in there. Can you draw it out? Draw it out and put it back to him. Please Ifalna… he's getting colder, his life is ebbing away every second! Guide his life force back to him, I know Ancients has the power to manipulate the Lifestream, the souls are a portion of the Planet's Lifestream, you can do it right?"
Ifalna looks at her with a dreadful expression and said, "I'm sorry Lucrecia, but what the ember has absorbed, I can no longer draw out..."
"No..." Lucrecia turns her attention to her son, he was still unmoving, eyes lidded. She cradled his head in her arms and holds him close against her bosom. she lightly place her chin on his head as she weeps.
"Anything... let me do anything to save him... " she pleads to no one as she continues to cry, body quivering from uncontrolled sorrow.
Ifalna holds Sephiroth's cold hands and watches as the light in his eyes slowly fades. She knows, Sephiroth won't last long, and it's only a matter of time before his spirit shall drift away and be absorbed by the ember completely.
"There is still one thing we can do to save him." Ifalna states in a firm yet gentle tone.
Lucrecia looks at her immediately, her arms never letting go of her son. Ifalna's big yet attractive emerald eyes held her in a serious gaze.
"A mortal soul is a portion of the LIfestream. I know an Ancient magic where I can I use another mortal human's soul as a way to resuscitate someone as long as their souls have the same wavelength." Ifalna explains in a modulated voice before continuing, "Mother and son... your souls are connected."
Lucrecia's eyes widen before smiling at her softly and with a nod she answers, "I shall do it. Thank you, Ifalna."
Ifalna nods at her with a smile and said, "There is nothing a mother wouldn't do for her child isn't it?"
Lucrecia nods and smiles at her with her tear stained face before looking back at her son.
"Before I perform the magic, I thought I need to tell you this. Sephiroth... was like a son to me, and Gast thought of him as a son too. For someone who grew up in Shinra, he grew up to be such a great young man and I know you're proud of him." Ifalna states kindly as she gives mother and child a soft smile.
"I coerced him into a cursed fate. I wasn't even there with him when he grows up, I am not on his side when he needs me the most and yet he was able to get through on his own..." Lucrecia said as she holds her son's cold cheeks.
-8-
"I have one final request... is it okay to hold him like this as you perform the magic?" Lucrecia asked Ifalna without sparing her a glance, her soft gaze transfixed on her son.
"Of course." Ifalna replies softly.
"You'll have my thanks..." Lucrecia said as she lays her head softly on Sephiroth's.
Ifalna clasped her hands against her chest and closes her eyes as she begins to chant.
"Ancient power grant unto me, power to entwine the tendrils of life..."
Sephiroth could only feel his mother's heartbeat, her warmth against his already cold skin, he can smell her scent which reminds him of gentle summer breeze.
"Use my hands to knit together, the emerald threads of soul..."
"Sephiroth... my son. I'm sorry if I couldn't protect you from Hojo, from Shinra and from Jenova. I'm sorry if I wasn't there during those times you called your mother for help. I'm so sorry for not being with you when you needed a mother's love the most. But you won't be alone now... I am here and I will save you." Lucrecia softly whispers to her son, as her body begins to glow, tendrils of Lifestream begins to dissipate from her body.
"From the mother to her son..."
Lucrecia smiles at the memories of her son's conception. She still remember how happy she felt whenever he moves and kicks inside her womb.
"To finally be able to physically hold you like this in my arms just once... is the happiest day of my life as a mother." Lucrecia whispers softly with a smile as a lone tear rolls down her cheek, dropping on to Sephiroth's closed eyelids, trickling down on his eyelashes and tracing down his cheeks.
He can't move, but he can hear her, everything she said. He knows she's sacrificing herself for his sake. He can feel his mother's warmth and her heartbeat, which surprisingly feels nostalgic, like he knows this feeling a long time ago, before he was even born into this world.
"Mother..." he was able to force a hushed whisper out of him, he wanted to say more but he's too weak to even utter a single word. Lucrecia heard him as his son calls her mother, she lifts her head gently and looks at his son's unconscious state. She caresses his face as she saw a lone tear escapes Sephiroth's closed eyes, tracing a glistening path down on the sides of his face, she can't help but cries some more.
"Sephiroth..." a woman's gentle voice calls out to him.
Sephiroth opens his eyes, and found himself in the same old place when he dreamt of his mother. A vast grass field and not far from where he stands is a big beautiful tree. Near the tree he saw his mother, dressed in a white robe, her hair down, billowing behind her as the gentle breeze blows softly. She was smiling at him, a smile filled with love and yet his heart wrenches by the longing of being with his mother.
"Since I was a child, all I ever wanted... was to know you and hold you. The gentle voice inside my head which soothes me from my nightmares." Sephiroth tenderly tells his mother, as he softly gazes at her direction. He was filled with so much longing, a son's longing for a mother he had not known until recently.
"I know..." Lucrecia replied softly with a smile. "I wanted to hold you so much too, even just once. I'm glad I was finally given the chance."
They held each other's gazes as Lucrecia started to disappear, Lucrecia smiled at her son and said, "Live a long and happy life, Sephiroth. Know that I'll always be with you, I love you. Farewell, my son."
"Farewell... mother."
"Ancient magic... Weave!" Ifalna exclaims as she finished chanting the Ancient spell of resurrection.
Lucrecia's body becomes lifeless as her hands drops to the ground still cradling her son's head. Her body starts to disappear as tendrils of her soul starts to gather just a little above her lifeless form. Ifalna watches as she shed her own tears for the unfortunate fate of mother and son.
Lucrecia's soul slowly moves towards Sephiroth's body, slowly sinking itself into his bare chest. Sephiroth's body glows as the numbness starts to recedes and the coldness was replaced with warmth. He can already feel his limbs as he moves his fingers and toes. He gasps for air like it was pump right through his lungs, he gently opens his eyes as he saw Ifalna looming over him.
-9-
"You're alive... I'm so glad." Ifalna says with a smile despite her tear-stricken face.
Sephiroth studies her just to make sure she's really in front of him and that he's not just imagining it. Then everything he heard and felt earlier during his dying state finally registers in his mind. He sat up quickly and looks at her with a puzzled expression written across his face.
"What happened? How... ?" he then looks around before landing his gaze back to the Ancient.
"My mother... where is she? She's here right?" Sephiroth asks Ifalna with an urgent tone.
Ifalna wipes the tears from her eyes and looks at him, placing a hand under his chin and said gently, "She... she gave her life for you so you could live."
Sephiroth takes a sharp intake of breath as he recalls his mother saying goodbye to him in his dreams. He ponders on this thought as he touches his chest before saying out loud, "She really... gave her life for me..."
"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. There is nothing a mother wouldn't do for her child, even if it means giving her own life."
Sephiroth bows his head and said softly, "She... would've been reincarnated in the New World... her life would've been so much different."
"But she chose you over her life... you are her living legacy. You are her pride and joy... live a long and happy life Sephiroth."
He then looks back at her and asked, "But the ember... I still have-"
"I'll take it from here." Ifalna cuts him off. Sephiroth was appalled.
"But!" he tried to protest but Ifalna silences him with a motion of her hand.
"Aerith prayed and I heard her, she wishes for your protection. As my soul hasn't been corroded yet by the Lifestream, I heard her. And I located your essence here in the Planet's core. Being a full blooded Cetra, we were gifted with Ancient knowledge on spells and the ability to draw power directly from the Lifestream. I used the Ancient magic called Flow, so I'll be transported by using the trace of your life force as the checkpoint. But in order for me to reach you, I needed someone with the same essence makeup as yours, thus I found Lucrecia's soul which wasn't corroded by the Lifestream yet and we went to where you are. Since the world of the dead and the living are merged, Lucrecia and I was able to form a physical body because of the Chaos. We arrived in this place and saw you almost completing the migration of your soul to the ember. You were good as dead, but Lucrecia offered her life so you could live. I used an Ancient magic of Resurrection called Weave. We can revive another mortal soul as long as those souls were connected. Mother to a child... that connection allowed me to weave her life to yours."
"And now you're saying... that you're the one who'll control the ember and siphon the souls to the New World?" Sephiroth asked in disbelief.
Ifalna nods and said, "My daughter loves you and she wants to be with you. And a mother will do anything for her child."
"No... Aerith would want to be with you." Sephiroth argues but Ifalna just shakes her head lightly.
"I am long dead in my daughter's life. I won't be reincarnated because the full blooded Cetra will all go to Valhalla once they've been purified. I won't be in her life anymore since my soul will end up in Valhalla. This is my last act of love for the two children I loved more than my life."
"No..." Sephiroth's body trembles as his knees drops to the ground. He was crying silently but Ifalna knelt in front of him too, trying to comfort him.
"Sephiroth look at me..." she said in a firm voice and Sephiroth lifts his head gently to look at her. His eyes were still glassy and his cheeks glistens with tears.
"Please take care of Aerith... live a long and happy life with her in the New World. I know how much you love and care for each other, be there for one another. Life may not always be perfect, but don't ever leave her, no matter what happens both of you should be by each other's side, understand?" Ifalna instructs him sternly.
"Tell Aerith I love her so much... " Ifalna says softly as Sephiroth just nods, she wipes his tears and kissed his forehead. She stands up and as she help him up as well. She then opens a portal and looks at Sephiroth.
"Get in there to exit this place, it's a dimensional gate, you'll find yourself back in Gaia. Soon, the portals to the New World will appear in the Planet, go with Aerith and live happily in the New World with her." Ifalna instructed. "Go before you get dragged into my magic, we don't have much time before Gaia meets its dreadful fate."
Sephiroth nods then he leans down and wraps her in a tight embrace. Ifalna was caught off guard as new tears begins to trickle down her cheeks. She wraps him in a tight embrace as well and gently strokes his hair.
"You set me and Aerith free before in exchange for your own freedom... this time I shall set you free." she whispers in his hair. She gently releases him and Ifalna wipes her tears before saying, "Now go on... you're making me cry so much young man." she chuckles softly as Sephiroth's dark lashes brimmed heavy with tears. He starts to walk away from her and before he enters the gate he glances at her one last time. he was greeted with her beautiful, motherly smile he would always remember of her.
Ifalna waves at him as tears streams down from her beautiful green eyes, she was sending him off with tears and a smile. His hands clenched into shaking fists in a desperate attempt to battle against his grief. He looked away and entered through the gate.
When he was inside, all he can see was a wasteland. He runs just following the path set before him, when suddenly the ground slowly disappears as the sea of Chaos came in like a strong wave and drowns him in its abyssal depths. It felt like he was underwater, as he tries to move and swims upward. The sea of black keeps dragging him down as tendrils of black substance similar to the Lifestream starts gripping his limbs and all he can do is flail his arms. He tried to shout but he couldn't find his voice, he was losing all hope as he closes his eyes but then he thought of her, he shouted her name in his mind.
'Aerith...!'
The white materia encased in a small vial which he wears around his neck like a necklace and was almost laid forgotten due to all the commotion, was now glowing brightly. The light coming from it drove away the black tendrils around him. He was astounded as the white materia emits tendrils of white light and begins to wrap him in a white orb and everything else becomes blank.
-10-
"Two mothers who sacrificed their lives for their children..." Angeal remarks after hearing Sephiroth's tale.
Aerith puts a hand on her chest and speaks in a soft voice, "My mother, MIss Lucrecia and my white Materia..."
"It was Ifalna, Aerith's mother who opened the portal for us. And she sacrificed her life so Aerith can be truly happy." Cloud states passively.
"Then both of you should tie the knot soon and respect your mothers' wishes noh?" Cid said as he lights up a cigarette. Everyone expresses their agreement but Aerith felt flustered.
"Once we're all finally settled in our New World, we should probably hear wedding bells soon." Raines said.
"I do not want to pressure you." Sephiroth says to Aerith as he gently tucks a stray hair behind her ears.
"Pressure?" Aerith asks warily.
"In getting married." he told her shyly looking awkwardly at her.
"I'm not pressured, as a matter of fact I like Cid's idea." she said beaming at him as she holds his ring which she wears around her neck.
His gaze softens as he smiles at her. He then holds her hand and said, "I'd like it to be special."
She shakes her head lightly and with a smile she answered, "Just a simple one will do, as long as you promise you won't leave me anymore."
"I'll take care of you, I won't go away anymore. I promise..." he said looking straight into her eyes before planting a soft kiss on the back of her hand.
"I'm just glad you're back with us." Genesis said to Sephiroth as the latter smiles and nods at his friend.
"Now that we're all complete, let's all go and check our New World." Hope suggests as everyone agrees.
Slowly one by one, pair by pair, and in small groups. they all started walking back to the Shera.
A/N:
The Ancient Magic Flow is an idea I got from FFXIV, it's a forbidden ancient spell that is a powerful teleportation magic that sends the user in the form of aether (mako) along the LIfestream. If casts correctly, it will direct the user to its intended location, but if it's cast incorrectly or incompletely, the caster and those who'll get dragged into may be trapped into the Lifestream. I thought Ifalna may have learned such powerful magic during her death and aimless drifting within the Lifestream.
The Ancient Spell Weave is mainly my idea. I thought of the spell Flow, which in FFXIV was used and there's a scene in the game where they were able to get an NPC out of the LIfestream after being thrown in there by the Flow spell. They were able to get her out because she has a half-sister and it was explained that their aetheric makeup (soul/life essence) is similar. Thus I applied this kind of principle for the spell, to resurrect another by using the soul of another person with the same aetheric makeup, Sephiroth and Lucrecia are mother and son, which made my idea viable.
I initially thought of bringing Sephiroth back by just a simple miracle but that would be too cliché. So I have this idea of mothers sacrificing themselves for their children. It's mother's day so I made it like a tribute to all the loving mothers out there. it was my mother who always tells me, "There's nothing a mother wouldn't do for her children." So yeah, that's where I got the idea.
Ifalna's words to Aerith were Lunafreya's words to Noctis, credits are not for me.
Aerith's memories of her childhood here is also the same as Sephiroth's childhood memories featured in chapter 22.
The white materia necklace was what Aerith gave Sephiroth in chapter 32.
The ring Aerith was holding which she wears around her neck was what Sephiroth gave her in chapter 27.
Hope you all enjoyed my fic, please watch out for the Epilogue! Happy Mother's day!
Please R&R! Thank you!