Tifa gasped. The world around her had changed. The once dull and dead snowy peaks around her shone with an unnatural light. Overhead, Meteo hung close to the planet. It seemed ready to impact at any second. The others filled the clearing around her. Suddenly, Tifa knew where they had to go. "Come on! The planet needs us!"
Cid opened his mouth to speak, but Tifa had already rushed off. Shrugging, he followed. So did the others. Tifa lead them down the mountain, towards the center of the Northern Crater. To the same area where Meteo had been summoned, and the Weapons released.
Barett looked up when a shadow passed overhead. It was the Ultimate Weapon, and it was heading to the same place they were. But then it vanished, out of sight. Soon the five reached the clearing. They never even noticed that Chrono Lucca and Nadia had followed.
Tifa lead them into the center of the crater. In the center lay a pool, formed from the Lifestream's own Mako. Tifa headed to the opposite side. The others joined her, forming a ring around the pool. Tifa looked at Chrono and his companions. They too joined the circle. The pool began to glow white. Landing on the rim of the crater, Ultimate watched. The other Weapons, summoned by a greater force than they, also took watch on the sides of the crater. A pure white beam shot up towards Meteo then broke apart into fourteen different beams, each one coming to land on a different warrior.
A second beam shot forth. This one wasn't as tall, but it was brighter. The beam began to take shape, forming itself into a figure. A familiar figure, holding an orb. "The time has come. Nine came forth to fight. Now again nine join together. Planet! As you are my witness, I take this gift, and use it. The time of the awakening has come!"
On the rim of the crater, the Weapons roared.
The figure released the orb. It began to rise up into the air. "The time of Judgement has come. Let the Planet judge. Life and Death, Good and Evil. These now lay in the balance. Let the planet decided, which ones shall be, and which ones shall be no more…"
Five beams of light surged from the orb, each one hitting a Weapon. The five Weapons, drawn by the beam, came towards the orb, and merged. Where there had once been five, now stood one. Roaring its defiance, the Weapon, guardian of the Planet, arose to do battle.
Up it flew towards its foe, Meteo. On Meteo flew, its course unaltered by the creature. All eyes were glued to the sky, as the mighty Weapon came to meet Meteo. It roared another challenge, and dug its claws into the front of the giant rock. By now, the battle was visible around the planet, and people stood and watched as the mighty Weapon battled the unforgiving stone. The center of the battle began to shift, until it was over Midgar. The citizens began to rush out of their homes in a panic.
And around the world, the Lifestream erupted to the surface, freed from its rocky prison. And forth from their realm, the mighty summoned monsters arose, lending their power to the planet's only hope, Weapon. Yet even as they arose, unsummoned by any materia, their strength was being drained. Moments after each one appeared, it vanished again.
Yet those seconds were enough. Weapon was again altered, by the Lifestream, and again by the powers of the Summoned monsters. It's power increased, and it continued the battle against the unforgiving stone.
But none of the world saw the true miracle that was occurring. Only nine living, and one dead, saw that. Called forth by the planet, the sprits of the Certa arose. There task to pass judgment, and aid holy.
And old man, who appeared to be the leader, moved to the front. "As foretold by the Planet, we have returned to fulfil our final task. Now is the time for judgment…"
The sprit of Arith rose up before him. "As nine began this war, now do nine come forth to end it…"
The man nodded again. Then all eyes turned to the sky, as once again Meteo began to move. Just as it had been summoned, Meteo headed right for the north crater. But now, aided by the power of the Planet, and the strength of the Certa, the creature had the strength needed to battle Meteo. Using its newly gained strength, the creature charged Meteo, driving itself though the middle of the rock, splitting it in half. But then the unexpected happened. The two halves began to change, transforming into some kind of strange monster. Each half-becoming it's own creature. Although they were smaller than Weapon, they held the advantage of numbers.
The first one began to speak. "For thousands of years we have sought life though death. Never before has any world challenged us, until now…"
The second one took up where the last one left off. "And so the life we shall gain from your death shall be greater than any before."
On the planet below, the eight warriors watched helplessly as the three creatures battled it out. Tifa shook her head. "As long as they stay up there, there's no way we can help…"
