Book 4; Chapter 3: The Battle Before the Storm
The Northern Crater
Genesis landed on a ledge at the edge of the Northern crater, releasing Cissnei and Wess. He looks out over the vast expanse. Clouds were covering the top as lightning streak madly through. But the Lifestream flowed in abundance here, and Genesis drew freely from it. Replenishing his spent reserves. He smiled cruelly, "The time has come, and all shall pay the price!" He thundered out. His voice, taken on a demonic echo as it rang off the face of the cliff's walls. He strides forth, confident in his intent. At the edge, he stops and raises his hands. Drawing the lifestream into him, as the spectre of Ardyn appears behind him, laughing as he takes control and begins to open a rift in time and space.
Cissnei cries out in horror. She tries to run towards Genisis but is held firmly in place but an unseen force. She looks to Weiss, who only shook his head, as he too was bound to the spot he was standing. "GENESIS!" She cries out. Hoping to break whatever spell he was under. But the howling wind tore the words away from her. Genesis was being controlled by this being. And she could see no way of stopping it. "No!" She cried mournfully.
Midgar
Tifa woke up to stabbing pains in her belly. Confused, as she wasn't fully awake, she cried out. "Cloud, something is wrong!" Boots thundered up the stairs, and her door flew open. She stared at the image before her and blinked as memory caught up to her. And then her water broke! "Oh, God, not now!" She moaned.
Rude stepped into the room. "Tif, are you alright? What's wrong?"
Tifa couldn't help herself. She started laughing. "I think I just went into labour!"
Rude just stood there and blanched. "Are you sure?"
Tifa nodded and grimaced as another contraction took hold of her.
Reno, standing behind his partner, muttered. "And what the hell are we supposed to do? We're Turks for crying out loud!"
Tifa looked up at him and glared. "Get the damn Docter here!" She growled menacingly.
Both men turned and fled, quickly as they could to fetch the local doctor. Tifa hugged the bedpost and moaned. She feared that the baby would arrive before the doctor did.
The Northern Crater
As the Highwind neared the Northern Crater, the howling winds caused the airship to lurch dangerously. "I'm going have to land her here," Cid announced. "Any further, and we're likely to get slammed into the side of the mountain!" He was able to maneuver and land the ship on a substantial outcropping. As they disembarked, they look up the sheer face of the mountain. There was no path for them to take. And they could see a dome of the Lifestream forming at the top of the crater.
"Now, how in the hell do you propose we get the rest of the way up there?" Barrett bellowed over top of the screaming wind.
Sephiroth stepped back and closed his eyes. In the next moment, not one but two wings appeared on his back. And they weren't black but a silvery hue that shimmered in the sun's rays. "I should be able to carry and protect Marlene!" He stated vehemently.
A voice echoed in Cid's head. "Now is the time to call me forth, my friend. I can carry two of you!"
Cid smiled. "Well, I'll be damned!" And as the group stared at him in confusion, he raised his hand, snd cried out. "Tiamat!" A giant sapphire-blue dragon materialized and hovered at the edge of the ledge. "I will take you and Cloud!" She confirmed.
At that moment, they heard an unGodly howl emanating above them. Turning to look, the party all watched as an army of undead monsters begins to rise out of the rock face. There every other species of monsters known to Gaia. A sick feeling of dread welled up within the party. They all weren't going to come out of this alive.
A shriek of anger reverberated off the rock face as a significant figure came hurling out of the sky and towards the tiny group. "Oh great, what now?" Vincent muttered sarcastically.
Tiamat's head jerked up at the cry, and she responded in kind. And a moment later, the party could see that it was another dragon. And judging by Tiamat's reaction, it was a friend and not a foe. "Well, if this isn't the weirdest day ever!" Cid commented as he scratched his head.
Raven had managed to reach the crater just in time. And from what she could see, the party was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She telepathically communicated with Tiamat to find out what was needed. There were two more in the party who had to get to were Genesis, and Ardyn was. So she flew down to the ledge and greeted Tiamat with a quick nuzzle of her snout.
Cid and Cloud quickly climbed on to Tiamat's back as Sephiroth took Marlene into his arms and lifted into the air. But Barret and Vincent stared at the newest addition to the party with extreme trepidation. "I ain't getting on that thing!" Barret stated decisively.
Raven looked at the pair and rolled her eyes. In an open mind voice, she spoke. "And hello to you too! I would strongly suggest you rethink your position." She replied calmly but looked to the hoard of monsters that was quickly advancing on their potion. "Unless, of course, you feel confident enough to take them on!"
Vincent groaned, and Barret growled, but both jumped onto her back, Followed quickly behind was Area. An in an instant, the party, flew to the top of the crater. The scene that met them was horrifying.
Cissnei and Weiss, standing rock still as monsters crawled out of the abyss and towards them. Genesis standing at the edge, surrounded by filaments of black energy and lightning. Ardyn was standing behind Genisis; his arms spread wide as he cast the magic to open the portal.
In one fluid motion, the team reacted. Sephiroth landed and placed Marlene behind him as Cloud took up postin on Marlene's other side to guard her. Sephiroth called out to his old friend. "GENESIS YOU HAVE TO STOP!" It was enough to distract Genisis and caused him to turn.
The look on his Genesis's when he saw Sephiroth was full of anger, hatred and pain. "So you have come!" He admonished.
Area lept of Raven's back and ran straight for Ardyn. The impact she made with him caused him to falter in his spell casting.
Cid and Barret charged the monsters coming up from the crater and fought alongside Tiamat and Titan, preventing the monsters from making any groundway.
Vincent went to were Weiss and Cissnei were. Seeing that they were trapped in a binding spell, he and Chaos quickly worked to free them.
Raven launched herself into the air a went back to deal with the mounters that were now coming up behind them.
Sephiroth heard Aerith's voice in his mind. "You have to sever the connection between Genisis and Ardyn!"
"How?" He asked, in like. And then he was consumed by great sadness, and he knew what he had to do.
Striding forward, his emotions locked behind the facade of SOLDIER. He held Genisis's gaze as he spoke. "The fates are cruel, my friend!"
Genisis laughed insanely. "That is rich coming from you!"
Sephiroth shrugged but continued forward. Marlene and Cloud following closely behind. Area had Ardyn pinned to the ground and pulsed with the magic of Holy even as she howled mournfully into the darkening sky. Vincent had freed Weiss and Cissnei, and they joined Cid and Barret in fighting off the monsters.
Sephiroth shook his head sadly. "Are there no dreams, no honour?" He asked.
Genesis lifted his eyebrow at Sephiroth's' phrasing but replied. "Once, but no more!"
Now Sephiroth stood in front of Genesis. "I am sorry, my friend, for none of us, were meant to be the hero!" He stated softly, and in a blink of an eye, the Masimune flashed into his hand as he lunged at Genisis and impaled him in the heart. Still, his right hand circled Genisis before he could fall and held on to him as he felt Marlene cast Holy. The white light surrounded them both and held them as the link that tied Genisis to Ardyn was severed.
Weiss/Nero looked into Vincent's eyes and nodded as the last ties that held them to this travesty disappeared. Weiss fell backwards into the crater.
And then all was quiet and still.
Midgar
Thankfully, for Rude's peace of mind, the clinic was only a few blocks over. And once the receptionist had clarified what the two Turks needed, she called Dr. Rayz. When the doctor had her kit ready, Rude pick the women up and ran back to the Bar. Sitting her down, he stated. "Tifa is upstairs."
The doctor smiled and nodded. Hearing Tifa moaning, she replies, "That is obvious!" She then heads up to the bedroom to see how her patient was fairing.
Dr. Rayz got Tifa comfortable; the doctor checked her vitals and progress. Patting her hand, the doctor stated. "It won't be long, dear. It seems as if someone is in a hurry to say hello!"
Tifa nodded and tried to smile as she focused on her breathing.
Rude grabbed the whisky bottle off the table and took a long swig. Reno stared at his partner! "Damn! Why us?" He gripped. Rude only shook his head.
The Northern Crater
The sun crested at the edge of the crater. Casting the party in a glow of vivid red. Sephiroth was kneeling on the ground, cradling Genisis in his lap. The Masamune still embedded in his chest as Seph held it still. The others were now able to gather around as all the monsters and Ardyn had disappeared. They all solemnly bowed their heads. Tears streaming down his face, Sephiroth looked to Marlene. "Can you heal him?" Looking to the Guardians, "Can any of you heal him?" But the looks on their faces were enough!
Malene stepped forward and knelt by Genesis's head. Brushing his hair out of his face, she replies. "The possession damaged his soul. The knowledge to heal him is beyond this realm. But I can hold him here long enough for you to say good-bye if that is what you wish?"
Sephiroth looked at her and nodded. "Please!"
Marlene closed her eyes and focused. Once again, the two were surrounded by the light of Holy. The Masamune disappeared, and Genesis opened his eyes. "I am dead?" He asked, frankly.
"No, my friend, but time is not on our side. I'm afraid!" Seph replied earnestly.
Gen nodded and raised his hand, wiping away the trail of tears that marked his face. With a sad smile, he comments. "And what is this? Tears? The Great Sephiroth is crying over me?"
Sephiroth pulled Genesis closer. "You are a fool! Why did you never tell me of your feelings towards me!" Sephiroth asked heartbrokenly.
"Oh, well, I guess I didn't know how to! I feared your rejection more than not knowing. And then it was too late!" Genesis replied honestly.
"I am so sorry! I wish we could turn back the hands of time! I..."
Genesis laid his finger upon Sephiroth's lips, then pulled him forward. He places one small gentle kiss on his lips and then as he drew his last breath, he said. "In another time or place, perhaps!" The light of Holy faded.
Marlene slumped forward as tears streaked her face. Cloud picked her up and gave her to Barret, who held her protectively. The guardians dissipated back to the realms from where they came, and the rest stood in silent vigil as Sephiroth mourned. It was heartbreaking to see this man express himself like this, for none truly knew he was capable of this depth of feelings. But more so that he was and had never been given or allowed to express them.
The sun sank below the horizon, casting the party into darkness. When two balls of light appeared, one gold the other green, manifesting into Minerva and Leviathan. Everyone stared in awe.
Minerva stepped forward and placed her hand upon Sephiroth brow. "Your sacrifice has not done been in vain, and you have proven that you are worthy. I will grant you this boon. Your memories and your will combined have brought you back to the land of the living. So you may choose now if you wish to continue on this path and live out your life here in the mortal world. Or you may choose to release yourself and return to the lifestream."
Sephiroth looked to the Goddess in stunned amazement. "I am not truly alive?" He stammered.
She smiled. "Not in the same sense as those who stand with you now are!"
Sephiroth looked at those who had stood in silent testimony, and he realized that he didn't know them. The people he knew were gone, faded into the lifestream. He looked down at Genesis, who was now beginning to fade and dissolve into the lifestream. "How do I follow him?"
Leviathan replied. "Just let go, Sephiroth. Let go of your feelings, your memories, your 'self'!"
Sephiroth looked on last time to Cloud and nodded. Closing his eyes, he let go and was filled with a feeling of peace.
The party stood there and watched as Genesis and Sephiroth's spirits dissolved and merged with the Lifestream.
As Minerva and Leviathan turn to leave, they both could be heard. "Never forget them!"
Midgar
As the sun began to rise, the city bathed in a warm glow of its light. A child's first cry rang out. A moment's pause and then came, the cry of his brother as Tifa and Cloud's babies were born into this world!
A/N: And so we come to the end of our story. This last chapter was hard for me as I've been torn on how to end it! But this is how it did. Thank you to everyone you have followed me on this journey. There are an epilogue and credits still to come, but I need a breather to finish it.