It was a very interesting revelation that Vincent's father had previously studied Chaos and his brother-WEAPON Omega, not that anyone but Veld or maybe Aerith planned on tackling that elephant any time soon. Even more interesting was his mother's reaction. Her smile was indecipherable, a little strained and rueful and something else that was hard to pin down. What she said, however, was, "that was not what I meant when I told you you should have become a Temple Guardian."

Vincent only chuckled, shrugging a shoulder. "Perhaps one day I will yet. There's time."

That, too, went unaddressed.

"You and Chaos will speak with your grandmother," she said after a pause. "While I speak with these here. I do not know all you have planned, but I can imagine enough."

"You don't wish to speak with him yourself?" Vincent asked mildly.

Amaya's lips pursed. "…I feel that would be unwise, at this time. Perhaps later, after he has spoken with your grandmother. Midori?"

One of the guardians rose, watching her in silence.

"Guide my son," she said simply.

With murmured assent, the guardian waited for Vincent to join her, and led the way further into the temple proper.

Amaya turned her gaze back to the rest of them, looking to Veld first. "We will do what we can, even if only in thanks for the return of my son. I'm aware he won't stay, his heart lies in the east. But this is enough, to see him again, to know that he's alive."

"I'll see if I can't finally train him to use his phone," Veld said lightly, sharing a small, knowing smile. "In the meantime, perhaps I should make introductions?"

"Please," she agreed.

"Aerith Gainsborough, and her soulmate Cloud Strife," Veld said, gesturing. "As well as General Zack Fair and his soulmate Second Class Kunsel James. Down the line are First Class Commanders Drew Morrison, Benji Richards, and Nikolas Gregor."

She nodded slowly, taking them all in. "All that remains of ShinRa's Firsts?"

"As far as we know," Zack said. "I can't personally account for Genesis but he was on death's door last I did see him."

She nodded again, thoughtful. "You are all the ones that Vincent spoke of, then. That have the Calamity's cells."

"And Cloud," Zack added. "But yeah."

"And Cloud's soulmate is the one with Cetran heritage," she said.

It wasn't a question, but Aerith nodded anyway in confirmation. "I am. I'm not really trained, I didn't have much time with my mother, but Chaos seems to think I can do things."

"I am sure you are more capable than you know," Amaya said. "Much of the old magics are even more dependent on willpower than they are any specific education."

"That I have," Aerith agreed, smiling tentatively. "I want to do this. I just have no idea what I'm doing."

"No one starts out knowing, dear," she said gently.

"…it just… seems a bit presumptuous even for a WEAPON to up and say I could be an oracle," Aerith said. "I don't have the bloodline, or even the training, for it. Isn't that something you should be trained in young?"

"Historically, those who hear the voice of the gods can happen at any age, though yes, often from youth," Amaya said. "But you may not be a conduit for any one god or goddess. Cetra often spoke to the Planet itself."

Aerith's lips parted with a soft intake of breath, and her hand found Cloud's under the table. "I… think I could do that, yes. But when he spoke of paladins…"

"Here, we have simply called them guardians," Amaya said. "It isn't a term that translates well across all languages. But yes, I think that perhaps that would be the best way to go about having the SOLDIERs involved. It would also justify the power expended on healing them of their taint if there were any… grudges."

Here she looked at the SOLDIERs, meeting their eyes one by one. And no matter how uncomfortable her words made them, they held her gaze.

She smiled faintly. "Are you ready to risk death, if they decide that is to be your fate?"

"I mean, all due respect ma'am, but it's either living like dead men or this," Benji said quietly.

"We're not the sort to go down without a fight," Zack said. "If this is what we have to do, we'll do it. We didn't knowingly choose to be put in this position, but we're here now and ready to do what we have to."

"Good answers," she said quietly. "I hope, for your sake, that it's enough."

Vincent had only been into the inner sanctuary of the temple once, and that he only knew because every child of the temple - even the boys who kept their father's names, even the ones not pledged to service - were taken once. But he had been extremely young at the time. All he remembered was an overwhelming sense of power, his sensitivity to magic nearly completely untrained at the time as it hadn't been realized - that was swiftly remedied.

Going now, as a grown man with full understanding of the privilege, was humbling. Or at least it should have been, but there was bleed over between his feelings and Chaos' and while the WEAPON was somber he didn't hold the same sort of reverence.

His grandmother was waiting for him, smiling gently with a hint of tears in her eyes. "Vincent."

He left Midori behind, barely noticing her leave as he knelt but a few steps away, head bowed. To his surprise, Chaos pulled away, and let him have his reunion in peace. "Grandmother."

"Welcome home, child," she said, cane clicking on the floor as she made her way over, laying a weathered hand on his hair and petting gently. "You have been through so much…"

"Forgive my absence," he said quietly, only looking up when her hand cupped his chin and encouraged it.

"There is nothing left to forgive, you have already paid the price for your sins." If she knew how deeply the gentle words would affect him, she was kind enough not to show it. She stroked his cheek, tilting her head. "But you do not come alone."

Instinctively, he knew she didn't mean Veld or their SOLDIER accompaniment. He resisted Chaos' urge to rise to his feet, nodding instead and ever so slightly turning his head into her palm. Unfamiliar pain stretched across his back, an unknown urge that made him want to roll his shoulders, but he didn't move.

His grandmother's eyes narrowed, and flickered a pale blue. "You ought to be kinder to your host, Herald. He would not have been able to contain you were he not worthy of the privilege."

Vincent could feel Chaos' rush of thoughts, too fast to follow, and the pressure in his throat to let him speak. He didn't fight it.

"Does the Cetra's chain make no difference?" Chaos' question was cautious, in contrast to the near-overwhelming incredulity.

His grandmother's smile was not her own, nor were her now wholly blue eyes, of the shade of the stormy sea. "You mistake me. The materia allows him to keep his form. His worth allowed him to keep his life. No ordinary mortal would be capable of housing even a demi-WEAPON, let alone surviving to even have a contest of wills."

Chaos fell silent, pondering that, and Vincent lowered his (their?) eyes at once. His tongue felt thick and slow. "…my lord?"

"You remain under the protection of the temple, even as far as you strayed. You have, and will continue, to play an important role in the course of this planet's fate." The voice was lighter, lilting, though he gently lowered his priestess' form to the ground in a kneel to reduce strain. "This is not what we foresaw, however. Mortals can be… unpredictable, at times, especially humans. But perhaps this is for the best. It was wise to come to me, child. Your faith will be rewarded."

Vincent nodded slowly, still looking towards the ground, though he picked up bits of movement from behind long lashes.

Chaos, seeming to understand that he was having difficulty in the moment, smoothly regained control. "Then you will aid the SOLDIERs and the little Cetra."

"In as much as I can. Our powers are not what they once were. I can start you down the path, but to reach the end you will need to go to the Southern Caverns," Leviathan said. "I can help set the Planet's Daughter on the right path. But it will take Minerva to purify your tainted warriors into something you can use against the Calamity."

"Your aid is appreciated," Chaos said simply.

A tiny smile curved the corner of the borrowed mouth, a smile not at all the woman's. "Bring her to me, Herald. Once we begin, time will be very short indeed."