Book Four: The End is nigh

Chapter One: Misplaced Anger

Genesis

The flight from Midgar to Benora was frightening. Cissnei held on for dear life as Genesis flew at a high rate of speed. She could sense that he was angry, but for the life of her, she could figure out why. "Gen, is something wrong?" She asked.

Genesis briefly looked down at her, "We will discuss it when we reach Benora!" He stated flatly. Then he turned his attention to where he was going.

Cloud

After Marlene had stated the urgency of getting to the Forgotten City, Cid had the Highwind fully opened and was guiding her, full-throttle towards that destination.

Marlene and Cloud stood on the lower deck, looking out the port window. Sensing her foster fathers' conflicted emotions, she slipped her hands into his. "It'll be O Kay, Cloud!"

He looked down at her and replied. "I hope so."

Genisis landed hard, on purpose. Letting go of Cissnei, causing her to roll across the ground. Standing up in a fury, she screams, "What the Hell?"

Genesis turned and smirked at her. "Having fun, were you? Must have felt nice to be accepted back into the fold of those lap-Dogs?" He sneered.

Cissnei stood there, unsure of what to say, but the anger of humiliation burned through her conflicted thoughts. "I was doing what you told me to. I was learning what the current situation is and what had happened over the last few years. Because if you haven't realized yet, your Buddy Sephiroth came very close to annihilating this plant! Not once but twice. Add to the fact that Hojo managed to resurrect himself through Weiss and summon Omega, It is a wonder that there is anything left living on this planet." The anger boiled inside Cissnei as a seething mass of hatred with no clear focus.

Anger flashing in his eyes, Genesis steps forward, grabbing Cissnei by her chin, forcing her to look him directly into his eyes. "Let me make something very clear, my sister! Sephiroth is not my buddy! He was a colleague and nothing more! And if you ever raise your voice to me like that again, I will finish what Deep Ground tried to do to you! I am the one who saved your life, and I am the one who can and will take it away!"

Tears pooled in Cissnei's eyes as Genesis grasp on her face tightened. She felt utterly betrayed, and she was confused by his action towards her. What had caused it? She nodded in understanding. "Yes, Genesis!" She replied in defeat.

"Good Girl!" He sneered and then turned and strode to his house. "Are you coming?"

Meekly, Cissnei followed him towards the house. Still, as she did, she covertly looked at the restored village and realized that something felt very wrong. Aside from the fact that there was now a village again, the very atmosphere hummed with malevolent energy. And, as she gazed at her Brother, see noticed dark energy that seemed to radiate from him. And for the first time since she woke up, she admitted to herself; she was frightened.

Ardyn squirmed with pleasure as he becomes gloated with negative energy.

Causing Genesis to doubt his 'Sister's' motivations had truly ignited an inferno of anger within him. Making him act furiously towards her only added to his intoxication, as her fear of her 'Brother' blossomed.

Ardyn spread tendrils of energy around Genesis, binding them together all the more.

Soon, very soon, this host will be his for the taking!

Cid landed the airship on the outskirts of the Forgotten City and the party prepared to disembark.

Marlene, Cloud, and Aera were this first to leave the ship. Cid, Barret, and Vincent followed at a discreet pace. The atmosphere of the Capital was still the same. Silent and reverent. A holy shrine to an ancient civilization.

It took them about twenty minutes to reach the temple and climb down the stairs to the platform where Aerith had prayed and died.

Each step Cloud took was like walking back in time to that fateful day. By the time he had reached the Alter, Cloud was so consumed with grief and anger that he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. There before him stood the man who was responsible for all the pain and agony, the loss of almost everything Cloud had held dear. Sephiroth! His idol, his sadness, his disappointment, his Brother, and as Cloud stared at this image, he felt once again the strange compulsion that he had felt all those years ago. The desire to follow this man anywhere, even to the end of the earth.

And that's when the anger ignited in him. "Why won't you stay where you belong!" He cried out as he drew the fusion sword from his back. A tiny part of his mind registers that this spectre only stood there, looking at him with sorrow in his eyes.

As the adrenalin raced through his system, his senses becoming finely tuned, Cloud went into battle mode. Raising his sword, he prepares to lunge until he hears Marlen cry out. "Cloud NO! "

Dazed at the intrusion into his mindset, he freezes and looks at Marlene in confusion.

Marlene places her hand on his. "Put your sword away! He is on our side!"

Looking between the two, Cloud manages to stammer. "He is alive?"

Marlene nodded

Cid, Barret, and Vincent, a few paces away, were also armed and ready to attack but held themselves back as the tension mounted, and Sephiroth stepped forward.

Kneeling before Cloud, his arms outstretched, the Masamune balanced in his hands. He calmly speaks. "Cloud, I may never be able to undo the mistakes of my past, nor will I beg for your forgiveness, but I do wish to atone, and I want to help you in this conflict! It is as much my fault as it is Shin-Ra's or Hollender's fault for what has become of Genesis. And it is my duty as a SOLDIER and as his friend, to correct this!"

Cloud was beyond words. The man before him sounded like the General he had known when he had become Infantry. The calm presence of authority he possessed. The light of sanity in his eyes. The honesty in his words. This man was not the insane Monster that had burned his village and its inhabitants to the ground. Nor was he the cold and calculating spectre that had tormented him and led him across the face of Gaia in search of the black materia.

Time suspended itself as the two stared at each other, and that's when Cloud noticed something in Sephiroth's gaze that he had never seen before. Sadness! And Cloud realized that the past, their past had no bearing on the situation they were in now. Holding out his hand, he calmly states. "I may never forgive you for all of the sadness you have brought to me and mine, but I see that you have been allowed to prove that you are a better person than the one I knew. So I will gratefully accept your offer. But know this if I or the others suspect you of any treachery or deceit. I will not hesitate to end your life!"

Sephiroth calmly stood and nodded. Clasping Cloud's forearm, he replies. "Thank you, Cloud! You are a better person then I. I am not sure I could do the same as you, were I in your position."

Cloud returned the clasp and nodded.

Marlene smiled broadly and slipped her hands into each of their own and chirped happily. "Ok, you two, we've got some planet-saving to do!" She proceeded to drag them back towards the ship.

Every single one of the men chuckled and turned to go, but none of them belittled the situation they were about to face.

Ardyn knew that it was time! People were aware of that Cissnei and Genisis were alive and planning something. So they needed to act now, but this location was too remote, and there wasn't enough energy here to do what Ardyn needed. To open a portal not only back to his home planet but at the time his world begun to fall apart. The time before the scourge. This time he would take on the Gods before they took away his throne; his love and ultimately his life! So he deftly had Genisis question Cissnei.

"So tell me, sister, What have you learned? I wish to make the people of Gaia aware that I alive and that I will seek retribution not only for myself but for you and for the ones who lost their lives to this madness?" Genesis voice purred.

Startled at the change of tone, Cissnei looked at Genesis but could see no trace of the anger that he previously had. But she now doubted her Brothers' intentions. Movement caught her eye, though and glancing; she sees Wiess nod. So on a whim, she replies. "The people of Gaia are just now beginning to prosper. In the last four years, they have led a very minimal existence due to the fact they could no longer use the lifestream and convert it into Mako energy. and all other energy sources were being rationed."

"And let me guess Rufus and Shin-Ra have dominated the populace by dictating what the people can and can not use and when?" Genesis sneers.

"No! Surprisingly Rufus has been at the forefront in reestablishing useable sources of energy and using his own money to help rebuild Midgar."

Genesis raised an eyebrow, "And you believe this?" He asked, his tone dangerous.

She nodded. "I believe what I saw! I had no contact with the President and only a little with Tseng. It was tasked to Kunsel to see that I became trained so as not to become a Behemoth in a china shop, as it were! But the two cities rely on what's called Geothermal energy to produce electricity. Other towns use methods like wind, water and solar! I do not know exactly how they do this, but it has improved life considerably."

As Ardyn listened, he realized that this is not what he is looking for or what he needs. So he prompts Genesis to find out how Sephiroth called Meteor

Walking casually around Cissnei, "So how is it that the entire infrastructure collapsed?"

Taking a deep breath, Cissnei recounted the events between Sephiroth summoning Meteor, the discovery of Deep Ground and the ensuing battle between Vincent and Weiss. Of how the Lifestream become dormant and that magic ceased to exist because of this. It took some time, but when she finished, Genisis was smiling. "Good. This news is excellent! The Northern Crater will be the perfect place to exact my revenge. Mayhap Sepiroth had the perfect idea of cleansing this world of those who are unworthy! I need to think. Go and eat; there is food in the kitchen. Be ready for my return!"

He then left, summoning Weiss to follow him.

Cissnei sat there, stunned. Was Genesis going to follow in Sephiroth's' wake and destroy the planet? But why? There was something more going on with him, and Cissnei didn't know what to do or if she should do anything. Maybe the planet would be better off if the human race became extinct. Feeling defeated, she started to cry, something she hadn't done since she was a little girl.

Sometime later, Genisis return, his mood elevated. "Come Cissnei It is time to show these Heathens the error of there ways!"

Looking into his eyes, she could she madness lurking in their depths, but fearing his anger more, she got up and followed him out of the house. Once they were in the clearing Genesis wrapped an arm around both Cissnei and Weiss and unfurling his wing, he took to the sky. His destination? The Northern crater.

A feeling of hopelessness consumed Cissnei and shame. In all likelihood, it had been her actions that culminated in Genesis's ultimate goal.

Nero concentrated hard on reaching Vincent through the tainted lifestream. Successfully he managed it, and in a burst of rational thought, he tells Vincent all he knows. He was expecting the reply he got. Even with Chaos approval. Vincent wanted to know why Nero was doing this! Nero replied in all honesty. He wished for him and his brother to not be bound to this travesty of existence and be manipulated by those who sought power for themselves. Nero felt Vincent's approval and then nothing. For the first time, he prayed to Minerva.

A feeling of triumph consumed Ardyn and bled into Genesis. Finally, he would be able to exact the revenge that he has to live with for too many years. He could barely contain himself! But he did and focused on helping Genesis get them to this location. The taste of victory, adding strength to his convictions.

They finally got to the airship and were boarding when Cid inquired. "So, what's our next move, Cloud?"

Cloud looked up, a troubled expression on his face. "I am not sure?" He glances at Sephiroth questionably.

Sephiroth sakes his head negatively. "I do not know all of what is going on, only bits and pieces." He stated in response.

It was then that Barret had noticed that Vincent wasn't with them. "Now, where the hell has Vincent gotten too?" He asks, annoyed.

Turning, they saw that he was still further up the path, and he was standing stock-still. And his eyes were glowing a vivid red. Something they hadn't seen since his defeat of Wiess/Omega.

They all stood patiently waiting for him, and after a few moments, he strides up purposely with a slight smirk on his face, his right hand held a faint glow. "Well, it would seem we have an unexpected ally?"

Confused, they followed him onto the ship, then Cid explodes, "Alright, Man out with it! What do you have up your sleeve?"

"We need to go to the Northern crater. Genesis is on his way there! But let me warn you! He is more than he ever was. It seems he is possed by a powerful entity who has been trying to accumulate enough power to get himself back to where ever it is he came. He plans to draw from the Lifestream to accomplish this!"

Everyone stood there, stunned. Having to fight, a 1st. Class SOLDIER was one thing but to fight one who was being possed by another being who had an agenda of their own... "Welp, we're up S*^ts creek without a paddle!" Cid exclaimed sarcastically.

Vincent just chuckled. "Not like we haven't done this before!" He states as he glances at Sephiroth.

"Damn it!" Barret growled.

Seph scowls. "S*^T!"

Marlene started to laugh. "Well, Aera. It looks like the adults have forgotten their manners and that there is a young lady in the house!" And she walks down to the lower galleries as the men all stood there shamed faced.

Cloud chuckled. "She is a little Imp! Come on, let's go!" And they all headed into the ships' gally and then Cid, once again, took to the sky and headed for the Northern Crater, while Vincent filled them in on what he had learned and how he had learned it.