Book 4; Chapter 2: Day Becomes Night
As Genisis flew towards the Northern Crater, Ardyn had him take a path the crossed over each continent. And as Genisis did so, Ardyn tainted the Lifestream with demonic energy. Calling forth beings from the void to attack and kill all they could and add to the pain and misery that Ardyn was converting into the Lifestream.
Niblehiem
The instant Raven sensed the Lifestream changing; she jerks herself out of the trance. In full battle fury, she launches herself into the sky, and lets out a battle shriek that reverberates of the peeks of Mt. Nible as she thunders towards the Northern Crater.
Nanaki, Yuffie and Shelke had been in the mansion gathering information on what they had learned. Shelke was about to conduct a Synaptic Dive and send the information to Shin-Ra Prime when they heard a monstrous cry echoing down from the heights of the mountain. Running outside to see what the commotion was. They caught a glimpse of a dragon flying towards the North.
"Man, that thing is huge!" Yuffie states in awe.
"I hope that it isn't going to become a problem for Cloud and the others!" Shelke states.
Townspeople had come out of there homes to see what the confusion was. But at that moment, Nanaki felt the stirrings of evil energy, and he started to howl in a warning. "Yuffie, come with me! Shelke, get into the Mansion and start the lockdown protocol, then join Yuffie and me in the village. !" And as the three went to do this, dark tendrils of the tainted Lifestream enveloped the village, and demonic monsters started to appear and attack those standing outside.
As Yuffie ran towards the village, she instinctively called forth Gilgamesh. "Protect them! Please," she begged. Gilgamesh strode forward, his swords flashing as he attacked the monsters that got to close to the villagers.
"GET INSIDE YOUR HOMES!" Nanaki cried out as he dashed into the center square, attacking with bared fangs and lethal blades of air as the Sylph adding their magic to his attacks.
Shelke ran back into the Mansion and hit the panic button that would automatically alert and lockdown all of the reactors. She then went and grabbed her Mako suit and energy sabres and quickly got suited up. Running full tilt, she joins her companions. The three of them, with the aid of the two Guardians, battle the demonic hoard that invaded the village.
Banora
Once Genisis and Ardyn had left, Minerva was able to materialize in the cave that had been her shrine. Here she restored the materia, filling it with her essence. With that accomplished, Minerva focused on cleansing the Lifestream. She then established protection for those that lived in Medeel and the tiny fishing communities of the Island. As the monsters had manifested and multiplied and were now in the region.
Gonga
Being so far out of the way, the people of Gonga knew nothing of the events that had been transpiring on the western continent, but when the sirens begin to blare out, they quickly left their homes and headed into the reactor. A sanctuary where they hoped they would be safe from whatever disaster was to come. A moment later, a surge of pure energy, untainted by the Lifestream, forms in the centre of the village, and Zack SOLDIER 1st. Class materializes. Looking at demonized monsters that roamed around looking for victims, he shakes his head, "Not my hometown, you bastards!" Now being a pure spirit form, he uses magic, unseen and unused, for millennia to attack and eradicate the hoard the stood before him.
Corral, Rocket Town, Costa Du Sol, Junon, Fort Condor and the Gold Saucer
It was only a moment from the first sighting of monsters when the alarms went off for the reactors, and the citizens of these towns all heeded their emergency plans. Heading into the reactors. The centre of the Saucer. The freighters dock in the port and so forth, where they hoped they would be safe until the crises were over.
Wutai
In a flash of incandescent light, the Pagoda and Temples began to glow, and an otherworldly voice boomed out across the nation. "MY PEOPLE, NOW IS THE TIME TO SEEK SANCTUARY WITHIN MY HALLS. MAKE HASTE!" Hearing the sound of their God. The people of Wutai headed towards the Temples and Shrines. To wait out the storm that was breaking out across the land.
Kalm
Shan was driving down the dirt road that led to Kalm when he was overcome with a feeling of dread. Unsure of the cause, he heeds his instincts and steps on the accelerator, careening dangerously towards the village. Elena grabs hold of the door and dash to steady herself as Shadow braces himself in the backseat but neither say anything being unsure of what made Shan react this way.
As he rounds the last bend and the village gates come into view, they can see a hoard of demonic beings converging on two children trapped behind a rock cowering in each other's arms. They were too far from the village to make a run for it and the youngest looked to be only three yrs old. Shan drove the car into the mids of the 'monsters scattering them for the moment. As he jumped out of the car, he yelled, "Elena get those kids to the village! Shadow, you're with me!"
Elana reacted automatically to Shan's command, and before the car came to a full stop, she jumps out and runs towards the children. The youngest, she scoops up under her arm. The other she takes his hand. "Come on!" She cries and heads for the village.
Shan and Shadow, both fly out of the car weapons in hand. Shadow possessing twin Dirks, and Shan had his katana in one hand and his pistol in the other. They both engaged in the growing numbers of monsters. A moment later, Elena returned and taking the 'high ground' by jumping on the roof of the car. She adds her firepower to the battle.
It soon became apparent that only head or heart shots had any effect on these monsters and that they were multiplying. In the break of the battle, Shan made a critical decision. "Shadow, take my gun and stay with Elena! And whatever you both do, stay out of my way!"
Shadow looked at Shan to see that the older man's eyes were no longer green but pulsing a vivid Violet and that his usually smooth features were no drawn tight into a mask of anger. He didn't question his order though and quickly joined Elena on the roof of the car as they continued to fire at monsters who got too close to them.
Shan, taking a deep breath, silently prayers. "Leviathan, guide my steps this day!" A moment later, Shadow and Elena saw Shan enveloped in an aura of pulsing green light. And then he becomes a blur of moving steel and magic as he let lose the monster that resided within him.
The two Turks stared in horrified awe as they watched Shan engage and defeat the horrific horde of monsters until there was no more.
Shan looked at his two companions, his eyes back to his standard shade of green, expecting to see the disgust on their faces. But it wasn't there! Just acceptance and awe. He nodded to the pair and started to walk towards them. He was covered in sweat and breathing heavily but otherwise seemed unhurt. But as he neared the vehicle, he staggers then proceeded to drop in a faint as he had used all of his energy reserves.
Midgar
Rufus was standing in front of the computer, watching the tracking beacon they had placed on Cissnei. "Where the hell are you going, Genesis? And are you Drunk?" He muttered as the beacon seemed to be going in a very erratic pattern.
"It looks as if he is making contact with each landmass, but he is heading North!" Tseng commented.
It was at that moment that the lockdown Alert flashed across his screen, and the sirens could be heard across the cities. "What the hell?" Rufus exploded only to start moaning as nausea overcame him. So great that he dropped to his knees a held his stomach.
"Rufus, are you Okay? What's happening" Tseng asked, his voice full of concern as he knelt beside Rufus
He nodded but could only reply with. "I think I'm going to be sick!" And as Tseng grabbed the waste bin and put in front of him he did get sick in the most undignified fashion. After it had subsided, Tseng passed him a glass of water, which he sipped gratefully.
Tseng slipped his arm around Rufus's waist and got him standing. "Come, Let's get you to the couch!" Leaning heavily on him, Rufus managed to stagger to it and crumpled in a heap, curling into the fetal position as he was consumed with another bout of nausea.
"Rufus?" Tseng questioned. His voice was deep with concern.
"It's alright. It just seems that I am tied to the barrier spell that is cast around the city and there are things attacking it!" he replied solemnly. But as the moments stretched on he alternated between shivering and sweating as he focused on maintaining the spell. As with each attack, it would erode the protective shell.
Tseng sat on the couch beside Rufus and held his hand. He was at a loss as to what to do. A white light glowed around Rufus as the magic pulsed around him but Rufus was so pale. His eyes closed as he continually grimaced in pain. He looked like death and Tseng was afraid that he would lose him just when the two of them had actually acknowledged their relationship and feelings for each other. Tseng laid down beside him and wrapped him in his arms, vowing to protect him forever. And for the first time in a very long time, Tseng prayed. He prayed to Leviathan for the courage and strength to help his beloved. To share the burden of this responsibility.
In the quiet office, the two men curled up together; one surrounded in a brilliant white aura, the other in shimmering green. They held each other as they fought to protect the people of their home.