Final Fantasy: After Crisis
Chapter 1: Prologue: Protect your honor... as a friend.
" Embrace your dreams…
and…
whatever happens,
protect your honor…
as a SOLDIER! "
The time is [ ν ] - εγλ 0007. Zack stands still at the outskirts of Midgar as he defeats the last of Shinra's personnel, trying as hard as he can to catch his breath, hanging on his Buster Sword after this harsh battle.
He is alive. The future is now unknown.
"Wait… was that all of them?", said Zack leaving a huge sigh.
"Hey Cloud, did you see that?", said Zack while looking for Cloud.
As Zack was finishing his sentence, behind a rock appeared the Mako-poisoned Cloud, who could hardly move.
"Cloud!", said Zack, "I beat them! You had to see me Buster Sword chopping off heads right and left! We won, buddy!"
"This is great Zack", said Cloud with a weak voice. "Also, what was that energy pulse a moment ago about?"
"Huh? A huge flashing light came out of Midgar. Is that what you mean? I see what you are talking about."
The two brave warriors had just won a very important battle. They barely survived, someone could say. They weren't the only ones that were fighting at that moment. In a parallel timeline, Cloud with the freedom fighting group, Avalanche, was facing Sephiroth, or rather Jenova in the form of Sephiroth and their past selves as incarnations in the form of Whispers. Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aerith and Red XIII were standing in the spot where Zack and Cloud were walking.
"We are almost there", said Zack while grasping for air and carrying Cloud.
"I miss the steel sky", said Aerith while taking a quick glaze at the sky above her.
The two people of fate, Zack and Aerith could sense each other. They couldn't understand how this was possible. Was it the changed destiny that allowed them to sense its other? Was it Aerith's abilities as a Cetra?
The two heroes, Zack Fair and Cloud Strife continued walking slow but steadily onward to Midgar, where they would go for a change of life. But something strange started happening. Zack started shining the same as the energy pulse that came from Midgar.
"Huh? What's happening?", said Zack freaking out because of the strange lights.
Suddenly, Cloud who was with him disappeared from his side. Zack was standing in front of the Avalanche group, with Cloud fully recovered. He had Zack's Buster Sword on his back. It was Cloud from the other timeline, now in the same timeline as Zack's timeline. These two are now merged.
"Huh? Zack? How? You are alive!, said Cloud and Aerith.
"Cloud? You were poisoned a few minutes ago, and now you are okay! Aerith? I haven't seen you in four years!"
Zack hugged Aerith and his best friend Cloud. All of them were moved to tears.
"We thought you were dead, Zack.", said Cloud and Aerith. "You gave me your sword and told me that I was going to be your living legacy. But, you are alive with the Buster Sword on your back. What is happening?"
"Our future is changed", said Aerith with a smile on her face.
Aerith knew that their fight with Sephiroth would change many of the events that fate had waiting for them.
The Avalanche group with Zack headed to Kalm, where the group originally headed to.