I do not own FFVII characters – though I wish I did. lol
I do own my own character – Jalyne
Author's Note: Since I dedicated a chapter to Reno, it was best to find out what Jalyne had been doing. Their paths will cross soon enough, and they will need to figure out where and how to proceed. I apologize that there isn't a lot of 'action' in this chapter, but it is full of information that will be needed in future chapters.
Chapter 11 – The Knowledge
She awoke to an eerie greenish hue surrounding her. As she glanced around, Jalyne noticed she was hovering within a sleek looking pristine room that had almost resembled the apartment at the Shinra building. She glided to the land on the floor and took a look around the area. On the wall were huge tapestries depicting various events and though there was antique furniture, the stone floor made the room look cold. The window behind her looked frosted but did not see outward to any landscape or city, nor did light shine inward from any sun or light source. Jalyne slowly walked down the hall, noting the ornate structures and the doorways at the end. Peeking through one them, she saw a bedroom, artfully decorated but still maintained the antiquity of the place. The other doorway led to a fireplace and kitchen, that gave off no heat or light that she could feel. There was not a doorway for entry or exit, Jalyne noticed.
Jalyne glanced down at her clothing. She was still dressed in her Turk outfit. The last memory she had was plunging into the cold water of the ocean after Sephiroth stabbed her. Parting her jacket, she could see the tear that was in her uniform, but her body only left the sliver of scar from where the blade had punctured it.
She decided to go to the main room, however, one of the tapestries on the right caught her attention. It was dark towards the top depicting the stars and universe and below it, a small map of Gaia. She surmised it was Gaia because of the landscape she had witnessed during her trip to Junon. What interested Jalyne was the depiction of a large comet, but above that meteor was a figure of a beautiful woman with wings. As she traced and felt the pattern of the tapestry, Jalyne noticed where the calamity would have fallen. In the North. She mused. Not far from where I landed.
Jalyne turned around to look at the adjacent wall. Her eyes widened slightly as she recognized the tapestry's depiction of events. Floating high above a world a goddess with two wings hovered in the dark background of the universe. Other worlds floated in the background of the tapestry. Jalyne raised her eyebrows as she inspected it closer. She had seen this one before, as it hung in the throne room of Trerran proper. It was known that her people were descendants of the great goddess. The worlds surrounding Trerran were systems that were within the T'Karvian Empire. Jalyne recognized a few of them as she had travelled with her father when she was younger, before the current outbreak of war on Trerran.
Jalyne turned to look at the next tapestry for Gaia, thinking that history was being recorded. The second tapestry portrayed the people of Gaia, ones who were one with the planet. She could see the embroidery of the Lifestream circling the planet and how those people interacted. Jalyne had read of the Cetra during her time at the Shinra building. The Cetra were ancestors to Gaia, much how the nobility of Trerran were the descendant of Her on Trerran. The only difference was the Cetra was extinct save for one.
She glanced at the corresponding tapestry for Trerran, which showed the evolution and introduction of humans and other races. Further down, Jalyne looked at how the nobility rose to provide guidance, order and perfection. Except those concepts went to their head. Jalyne studied the drapery, taking in its knowledge and looking at the embroidery of it.
Jalyne turned to the next one of Gaia, taking in the events of the calamity that fell from the sky in the north. Near the middle was the lady with wings, only now one was missing. She was beautiful and reminded Jalyne of the goddess of Trerran. Following the embroidery further down, Jalyne saw how this lady sought out the Cetra in an attempt to take over Gaia and the Cetra's response in containing her within the Northern Crater, though it cost them a great many lives.
She looked at the corresponding tapestry for Trerran and the Empire. Jalyne's eyes widened slightly at the sight of bright orange and red colors woven into the fabric. The great portrait of a Pheonaie hovered over a baby and a woman. In it's grasp was a wing, broken or taken, Jalyne didn't know which. As her eyes trailed deeper into the montage of images, she noticed a figure with flaming red hair accepting a gift from the pheonaie. Jalyne remembered the story from her childhood. It was said that as the nobility rose, the soul forge diminished and became extinct.
Jalyne walked down the hallway, gathering bits and pieces of information from the wall hanging, including the excavation of the lady on Gaia. She remembered him saying that the former president, Rufus' father, had profited greatly from that excursion. Jalyne rounded the corner to the main room and walked to the window that saw nothing. The green hue pulsed, and she mindlessly reached out to touch it. She bowed her head and sighed, thinking of him. Jalyne had no idea how long she had been in this reality and her heart ached to get back to normalcy or in short, life.
She felt the pulse of the window and when Jalyne raised her head, she gasped slightly. Looking out, she saw her ship near the Northern Crater, and by it, the man she was thinking about. Jalyne watched as Reno entered the haul, looking at different things and flipping switching, buzzing the craft to life. She saw him pull the ships logs and the map of the stars that was to be her path of exile. Even through the window, she saw the date, and marveled. It was almost two thousand years in the past. Though time and distance can be relative, that thought seemed nearly impossible to her. She was twenty-five years old, not two thousand.
Jalyne gazed at the man she held dear to her heart, for he was one that made her laugh, treated her with respect, and overall caught her attention in ways no other in her travels have ever done. Looking at him collapsed in front of the door in frustration and anguish, made her heart bleed and sorrow filled her mind. As he walked away in despair that she could feel, she called out to him in yearning.
Reno.
"You miss him, my daughter?" a voice said calmly behind her. Jalyne turned quickly to face this intrusion, recognizing the voice.
"I do." She paused. "Mother."
The beautiful lady walked to Jalyne's side and looked into her eyes, calculation, discerning and appraising Jalyne.
"My daughter." She said emphatically. "How I missed you." The blonde lady reached out and touched Jalyne's cheek.
"Really, Mother?" Jalyne scoffed at the statement. "I hardly doubt that since you've been gone my entire life."
"But I have been watching, Jalyne." She stated quietly. "Watching and waiting."
"Waiting for what exactly, Mother?"
"For you to join me, of course." The lady stated flippantly. She reached for Jalyne's hand and guided her to a table in the middle of the main room. Jalyne took a good look at the woman who was leading her around the room. Dressed in archaic clothing, the air of regality hung with her. She was beautiful with blonde hair, green eyes and the way she carried herself left Jalyne on edge. The lady was, in one word, perfect. The haughtiness in her attitude bespoke of royalty and at its core, superiority.
"What is this place?" Jalyne questioned, sitting across from the lady.
"The Lifestream."
"So, I indeed died?
A chuckle graced her mother's lips. "Not quite, daughter." She paused. "The Lifestream healed you before Azarian could take you." The lady chuckled again. "The Lifestream is full of surprises."
"I would almost prefer he take me." Jalyne muttered. "At least I would know peace."
"In a hurry to join me?"
"The exile was torturous, Mother, as you would know."
"It wasn't all that bad, Jalyne."
"It was for me."
"The Lifestream gave you a gift."
"Did it now?" Jalyne stated sarcastically. "To live within its barrier with no contact of the outside world. I do not consider that a gift, Mother."
"The Lifestream isn't bad, Jalyne. It's like Haevariendra. A world unto its own." Mother stated whimsically.
"And are you dead, Mother? Or trapped here as I am?"
"A little of both, Jalyne." She said sadly. "How is your father?"
"I wouldn't know." Jalyne commented. "He exiled me remember?"
"Ahh…" Mother paused. "I miss him so."
Jalyne stood at that moment and walked to the hallway. "What is the point of the tapestries, Mother?"
"It is just a reminder of where we were born and where we came from."
Jalyne walked down the hall a bit and stopped in front of one. "This one, Mother. What does it mean? It is not Trerran Proper."
"No, it is not." Mother came to stand beside her daughter looking thoughtfully at the depiction of events of the pheonaie.
"What is the story of the pheonaie, Mother? Why did it take something that wasn't his to give a gift to a human?"
"It begins a very long time ago." Mother began, eyes hardening like she remembered it herself. "The great goddess began to acquire great power. She longed to be free of the chains that bound her. The darkness and chaos that she loved to create tore at her being to be let out. As the worlds began to thrive, she became bored with its people as they created their rules and standards. Many worlds were alive with a great many races but her gift to them was being lost with each generation. It infuriated her to no end, not being able to be adored and worshipped as she thought was right. As the eons passed, she settled on a world and was met with people who shared her sense of power, wealth and supremacy."
Jalyne looked at her mother. The anger that she was exhibiting took her slightly aback. It was almost as if she had firsthand knowledge to the situation. The fire that burned in her mother's eyes was that of a hurt long past.
"The goddess was stricken on what to do. No one matched her power, not even the ones she created and the gifts she gave. The other gods wanted nothing to do with her, fearing the darkness and chaos within her that was her nature." Mother hesitated in thought remembering the story. "As more generations passed, commons became more prevalent, and the nobility was weakening in elemental strength." Mother pointed at a section of the embroidery showing the scene. "However, that only fueled her darkness more. The goddess tore through the heavens, creating darkness and wars whenever and wherever she could. Fate, however, had something else in mind for her."
Mother guided Jalyne back to the window. The scene shifted to a forest region, hidden within mountains. Jalyne could see the temple in the background as the suns set in the distance.
"The goddess went to Haetri and there she was met with resistance from the other gods." Mother continued, showing the great battle of the gods in the window. "In the end, Azarian wrestled the chaotic energy from her and crystallized it into the form of an opal and hid it away. Furious, the goddess fled to a planet within the original empire she created. There, she met and schemed with a noble who was in war with other clans for dominance."
"The birth of Trerran and the T'Karvian Empire." Jalyne interrupted. "I remember the story."
"Indeed, though it has lost translation through the ages." Mother smirked and continued. "The goddess created the Soul Forge for her and the noble, hoping to create the power she once held and pass it along while she was searching for the great Opal of Azarian, as it was named. The goddess watched as the noble die and return to the Lifestream of that planet."
"The Lifestream of that planet?" Jalyne interjected again. "The Soul Forge does not exist. Neither does true love."
"Yes," Mother paused, "All planets are created with the essence of its people and the gods and goddesses they follow." She furrowed her brows. "Soul Forge is the meeting of two souls destined to be together, stronger together than apart."
Jalyne absorbed as much as she could. Something still wasn't explained and was nagging at her.
"The goddess found another and watched that one perish also. Another one, and another for generations and the Soul Forge became lost, becoming diluted in the genetics of the races. She had lost hope of ever finding the Opal and returning to her formal glory of chaos and destruction." Mother paused and glanced at the window and the scene before them. "It is said that a couple of eons ago, she heard rumblings of the Opal on Devrarna. The goddess longed to search, for now she was angry that Fate had stepped in, and eons passed fueling that anguish into chaos and destruction. She was there to rule and rule she felt she must, but to do so, she needed the rest of her power."
"And where does the Pheonaie come in?" Jalyne questioned, eyes moving back toward the draperies.
"Fate stepped in once again, and the goddess had conceived, something that does not happen." Mother hesitated; her expression stony and lips pursed. "The great Pheonaie rose from the ashes and stole the wing from her child that she was carrying, hiding it away and taking a portion of her power from her to gift to the commons. It is said that only when a Soul Forge is created between the two; one wearing the Crown of Heavens and the other, the Crown of Flames, will the power return to its rightful heiress and darkness will be defeated." The scene in front of them shifted again to show the great flames and fire engulfing the legendary bird. "It is said that since that day, the degradation of the nobility was greatly increased. The goddess struck out at the people, creating havoc and chaos. The people resisted and chained her to exile to forever roam the universe."
Jalyne stood there for what seemed like hours, though one never really knows in the Lifestream. She contemplated everything that Mother had told her. Finally, her despair at the knowledge won and she turned to her mother in curiosity.
"Show me." Jalyne said sternly.
"I'm sorry?" Mother answered. "Show you what?"
"Your wings, Mother."
"Why?"
"Because I want to know why I am incomplete!" Jalyne angrily stated, flaring her left wing out from her back. "I am the only one with this! Father has two, all of the nobility have two. Why am I the only one of Trerran that has a wing missing?"
"My daughter." Mother consoled Jalyne, wrapping her arms around her. She stepped back and flared her wings for Jalyne to see. "I'm so sorry."
Jalyne turned away, tears stinging at her eyes. "I am truly a monster."
"No, you are not." Mother placed her hands on Jalyne's shoulder in empathy. "When you were first born, there was an accident that took your wing. We had to amputate, or the infection would have taken your life. I'm so sorry. I would have thought you Father would have told you. Those that are missing a wing are exceedingly rare."
She lies to you, Jalyne. A voice whispered, one that Jalyne instantly recognized.
"Why are these two worlds connected?" Jalyne suddenly questioned, changing the subject and putting her wing back in its place.
"The Lifestream connects all planet, all living things. It is believed that the goddess was searching for the lost wing and lost her life here."
"And why are you here, Mother?" Jalyne spat, frustrated. "Is this where your exile landed you?"
"In a way, yes." She wavered a moment. "I can be anywhere the Lifestreams are connected. I am anywhere you are because of that connection."
"And I was brought here to aid in dealing with Sephiroth. I need to rest, Mother." Jalyne turned to walk down the hallway. "I need to think about all of this. I will see you on the morrow." And with that, she walked to the bedroom and closed the door, deep in thought.
Jalyne's sleep was fitful and restless. Images crossed into her mind, both of Gaia and T'Karvian Empire. At one point she couldn't discern what was real versus what was fantasy. The story of the pheonaie her mother told did not bear truth in her mind, as Jalyne always felt a pheonaie was of light, flame and strength. If indeed the pheonaie took a wing, then it must have been for protection, but protection from what?
Jalyne awoke from a particularly in-depth vision only to be more skeptical. The images she was shown was of her and him, battling for their lives, only this did not take place on Gaia, but on Trerran. Jalyne was not sure what to make of the image, but it felt real. The connection was there, she could feel it within her, and battling next to him just plainly felt right. As she laid there contemplating what she was seeing, sorrow filled her heart at being stranded from him.
Jalyne exited the bedroom and took a look down the hallway. She could see her mothers long blonde hair seated at the table. As she made her way to the table, she glanced at the wall hangings. Some of them had changed. Catching her eye was the scene of a not so distant past that she remembered him speaking of during the evenings when they spent time together. What she saw below made her sharply intake her breath. As she looked to the corresponding Trerran tapestry she observed the great white dragon hovering over a child. Jalyne gazed at the figure below, recognizing the woman seated not too far from her.
"Mother?" Jalyne called suddenly walking to her and pointing down the hall to the embroidery. "Is this you?"
"It is."
Jalyne took the seat next to her and studied her a moment. She could see the flicker of power within her mother's eyes and it made her a bit uneasy. "Tell me of the Soul Forge, Mother. It is only a depiction of love, yes? But love does not exist."
"Oh," Mother flippantly stated, "It is much more than that, Jalyne. It is one of the greatest powers of the universe. It is said that when it is formed, two become one and there is no greater force or power to have. It is also stated that the great Opal of Azarian is needed for total completion of the Soul Forge."
"And should it be found?"
"A great power will be found with it." Mother stated darkly.
"Did you have a Soul Forge with Father?" came the unexpected question.
"Alas, no. But I loved him so."
Jalyne sat there contemplating all that she had seen and heard. It was time for her to leave. She needed answers and wanted them now. As she looked at her beautiful mother, the sense of unease rose within her and before Jalyne knew it, the question came out of her mouth.
"Can you leave this place?"
Taken aback, it took a moment for her mother to answer. "I suppose you could though I'm not sure if it's ever been done."
"Then why don't you?"
Mother peered at Jalyne before answering, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Because I no longer have a physical body."
"Ah." Jalyne commented. She stood to leave. "I believe it is time for me to go. I am healed enough."
"Stay, Jalyne, please." Mother jumped up to her side. "I am lonely. Stay with me."
Jalyne's eyes narrowed dangerously, the ill feeling rising. Something was out of place. Mother was doing this on purpose, keeping her from Fate, keeping her from finding her answers and her path. The question was why. "There are many souls here, Mother. Everyone returns to the planet at some point." Jalyne outstretched her left hand to the viewless window and turned to face her mother. "Mother, one last question."
Sorrow flashed through the lady's features followed by anger. "Yes?" she answered.
"What is your name?"
"Yelovria."
"Thank you." Jalyne said as calm as she could for in the depths of her mind, she heard the screams and wales of others in the Lifestream. "And Mother?" she glanced back at the woman. "Stay out of my head."
Jalyne turned and walked through the viewless window. Once outside, she lifted into the air, through the Northern Cave and into the darkening sky. Her mind was clearing slowly and the wales of anguish and screams of defiance that she heard slowly subsided. Jalyne rose into the upper atmosphere, looking at the world below. She felt the moon's light on her back and glanced over her shoulder to soak in the full moon warmth. Jalyne was conflicted now, angry, and isolated. I need you. She called out, feeling the pull like she was on the end of a string. As she looked at the dark horizon to the east, Jalyne saw the faint greenish glow of Mako. As she hovered there, Jalyne felt another pull on her. Looking to the south, she whispered,
"Thank you, Aerith."
Jalyne looked around and outstretched her arms feeling calm for the first time in a bit. She had no idea how long she was in the Lifestream, but it was time to find answers. The stories her mother had told her were vastly different from the ones she was told as a child and early adulthood. Taking to the air towards Midgar, she let her mind drift, considering the possibilities of what this world had to offer. She knew two things for certain. One, she would seek out Sephiroth, for she believed he knew something of the woman she just left. Two, she would return to Trerran as her father had a particularly important question to answer, one that only he could.
Jalyne lowered herself into an alleyway across from the night club he had taken her to, suggesting lightly telepathically to people that she wasn't there to not cause a panic of a woman flying. As she rounded the corner, Jalyne saw him, lighting a cigarette under a lamp. What she witnessed next, left her heart constricted in pain and sorrow filling her soul. He was kissing a beautiful blonde lithe woman, very romantically and Jalyne realized that in all of her dalliances, she never cared to call any of them special or significant. She was not equipped to deal with this emotion she had never had.
Turning, Jalyne started walking back into the alley, unbeknownst to her that he felt her presence. Glancing over her shoulder, Jalyne sighed, heartbroken, betrayed and humbled, she disappeared into the full moon's dark cast shadows.