Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Heeding My Mother's Call

"We need a fire," Bahamut finally announced over the clamor of the mortals. He frowned mentally and immediately projected a soothing feeling into all of the distraught minds. "And we need to move Zeno into a more comfortable location. Some of you go on ahead and look for a safe place to rest. The rest of us will stay here and guard Zeno. Once you've found a spot, report back to us."

Tifa, Dusk, and Cid all went trotting down the path simultaneously, their forms quickly disappearing into the green light that was beginning to emit from the depths of the North Crater.

Bahamut watched them go before he turned back to Zeno, frowning once more. What could have happened to him? I know none of my mortal siblings could have managed to poison him somehow… Without hesitating, Bahamut unfastened his cape and spread it across the boy's cold body, rolling Zeno onto his back and off of his wounded shoulder. For the first time since he had taken on the form of a mortal for this journey, most of him was exposed into the open for all eyes to see.

Cloud's eyes rested on Bahamut's sharply pointed ears, his almost metallic-reminiscent blue-gray hair, and the slightly scaled skin that was now a glistening shift of green and gray underneath the few strays of Lifestream light that was reaching up to their place. His eyes narrowed slightly in faintly apprehensive caution before he decided to simply ask what was on his mind.

"So you really are Bahamut."

Bahamut favored Cloud with a patient gaze. "Did I claim otherwise?"

"You know what I mean. That's how you could get rid of the Kajiha so easily. Was it one of your Flare attacks?"

Bahamut closed his eyes. "Yes. Had I the choice, I would have simply talked the dragon out of attacking. But its mind was so deranged and unwilling to listen that I had no other option available other than to terminate it." He stared at Cloud, sorrow once more returning to his eyes that had seen more deaths than any other being. "Had she not been so poisoned by the high amounts of Mako in this area, I think all she would have done is threaten us until we left her territory. Did you know that we used to be the only things alive on this Planet? That was before the other Summons came—and even before the Ancients. The dragons were the true rulers of this world…but I wouldn't be the one to criticize the Planet for adding more life."

Now Vincent joined the conversation, but still crouching protectively nearby Aeris' sleeping form. "Why is it that only the dragons are affected by this sudden surge in Mako poisoning?" he asked softly. "And why is it that the only places they seem to be in…is where Zeno is?"

Bahamut stared at Vincent. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the dragons…seem to be attacking Zeno in particular."

"He's right," Yuffie added thoughtfully. "The surge in Kajihas in Wutai began when Zeno was…in his late teens—physically—and still living within Wutai. Once we left, well, granted that I was the one who found it first, I think that the Kajiha was actually hunting our group instead of the baby chocobo."

"Now one suddenly attacks again, and it specifically targeted Zeno this time. When Bahamut intervened, all it saw was an obstacle between its prey. Also, there seems to be no other Mako-infested creature that any of us have seen. There are no other reports, either." Vincent turned his brooding eyes towards Bahamut. "Bahamut, are you sure that dragon who just attacked Zeno was really not listening to you? What did you hear when you tried to talk to it?"

"I heard…mindless babble, mostly. She kept saying something about enemies and death, but…" Bahamut closed his eyes in thought. "I can remember…some underlying touch of something foreign within her thoughts. Something that kept her mind within its grip—and I also felt some panic, too. I assumed that the panic was aimed towards protecting her territory, but now that you mention it, that feeling…was targeted at the thing that was holding her mind in its grasp."

Vincent nodded grimly. "Jenova. I'd bet almost anything that that was Jenova you felt in the dragon's mind."

"Jenova?!" Cloud felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickle in response to the mention of the alien's code name. "She…can't be alive, can she?"

"Bahamut had a theory," Vincent said slowly, "that what we fought before the final battle with Sephiroth wasn't the last piece of Jenova. He thought that there might have been one last piece hidden away in the Lifestream somewhere and it eventually grew into a whole Jenova. Once it did, it produced another Sephiroth by whatever means it used. And ever since we came to the North Crater, I've had this…feeling…that some part of me is being called into the Crater. Something wants me to come to the center of the Crater…"

"Why don't I feel it?" Cloud asked. "I…was under her control before."

"Cloud, I don't know what Hojo did to you and the other Soldiers, but your Jenova cells are dead," Bahamut explained. "Perhaps he only meant for the Jenova implant to be temporary and didn't use some of the better, healthier cells that could survive from even within an alien body. Vincent was an earlier 'experiment.' I can still feel the Jenova inside of him. Hojo used the Jenova cells on himself eventually, correct?"

Cloud nodded. "Before we killed him, he was giving us hell by changing into all of these different life forms."

"He got those shape-shifting powers from the Jenova cells that he used. Those cells are very similar to the ones that Vincent has, and that is why Vincent can shape change as well. My theory is that Vincent—and perhaps even Dusk—was used as a sort of guinea pig for Hojo's own plans, ones that didn't include Soldier."

"Will my Jenova cells die off eventually?" Vincent questioned, his emotionless voice saying that he didn't expect a good or bad answer.

Bahamut hesitated before answering. "Vincent, you and Dusk…might have the Jenova inside of you for the rest of your lives. The cells Hojo used were very strong, and they've been nurturing themselves like a parasite inside of you. It may be that the only way for them to die is for either you to die, which will cut off their food supply, or for them to simply cease to exist due to some unknown condition inside of your body."

"Whoa. So he's going to be Mister Vampire for the rest of his life?" Yuffie asked jokingly.

Cloud had the temptation to whack the impudent ninja over the head, but since she wasn't within a convenient reach of his fist, he compromised by shooting her a warning glare.

Yuffie ignored his look. "So is the kid going to be all right?"

"I don't know," Bahamut returned. "I can't tell. The 'kid' might be another member of Jenova's plot."

"Yeah, Sephiroth incarnated, we know," Yuffie said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

The stare Bahamut gave her almost outdid the one Cloud had presented her with earlier. "You…what?"

"We had our assumptions a few days before we left Wutai—Zeno didn't act like a normal boy of his physical age group, and he had certain tendencies that reminded us too much of Sephiroth," Cloud explained, cutting off Yuffie's attempt. "He…had something of a temper tantrum once, and in doing so he displayed an incredible amount of power. I mean, if Tifa didn't stop him, we would all probably be dead, along with the whole of Wutai."

"You keep saying his 'physical age,' " Bahamut pointed out. "Do you mean that he's really around…say, four and a half chronologically?"

"Right on target," Yuffie agreed.

"That's the same age Aeris is," Vincent whispered. Cloud spun around on his knees, scraping them against the rock floor but ignoring the burning pain.

"What did you say?!" Cloud demanded.

"I…found Aeris four and a half years ago," Vincent said, obviously loathe to reveal his "daughter's" true age but seeing no other choice. "She's not really my daughter, as I'm sure you've figured out by now, Cloud. I couldn't understand why she grew so quickly, but…"

"There's a place a little ways down," Dusk interrupted, jogging up to the group. "The others are waiting there."

Bahamut nodded shortly. "Good." He reached down and swung Zeno into his arms without hesitation, carrying the young man as if he were no more than the child he was supposed to be. Vincent followed suit with Aeris, holding her to him with a gentleness that surprised Cloud.

He really does love her like she's his daughter, Cloud thought as he rose, taking up the rear guard. God…Aeris…You came back…

…But you might as well still be dead to me…

* * *

Bahamut lay Zeno down near the center of the nearly flat, round stone platform that extended a little over the bottom of the Crater—or as near the bottom as it could get, for there was no real end to the Crater's depth. Yuffie was already fascinatingly staring over the edge of the cliff, watching the Lifestream that still poured into the Crater from below shift in shades of green while it moved about almost like a breathing thing. Bahamut glanced around for a minute, noted that all of the members of the group were busy clearing up the area, and quickly set one of his hands palm down onto the stone ground. He closed his eyes and concentrated, sending forth a mere spark of the power that he had used earlier and channeling it through his arm and into his hand. With rigid control, he slowly brought his hand straight up from the area his palm had previously rested on, whispering in an almost inaudible, sibilant hiss under his breath.

Cloud turned around at that moment and watched in a transfixed mix of curiosity and horror as a column of flame grew from underneath Bahamut's rising hand. It flared up with the man's hand, licking hungrily at the air on all sides but going nowhere above the hand that seemed to hold it back. A bare wisp of Bahamut's voice reached Cloud's ears, constantly changing in tone while he seemed to be saying no more than varying strands of S's. If he closed his eyes, Cloud could almost imagine that Bahamut's mutterings were akin to that of dried autumn leaves that made the same hissing noises as they brushed against one another. Then Bahamut opened his eyes in a flash of crimson light and quickly brought his hand away from the fire while it burst into full life. It was no bigger or smaller than the standard campfires the team built in the past—and burning on absolutely nothing but cold, hard stone that seemed to give it even more spirit than any other fuel. Bahamut smiled, paying no attention to Cloud as he busied himself with moving Zeno into a comfortable position facing the fire.

"What language was that?" Cloud asked softly once Bahamut was satisfied with Zeno's location. Bahamut's back stiffened slightly before he slowly relaxed, settling himself down beside Zeno's head.

"The language of the dragons," Bahamut replied quietly. "It's all but a lost tongue. Most dragons are natural firestarters, and that is because of the language that we speak. Our tongue imitates the sound of fire as it burns away at its fuel. Because of that, we can call fire to us and use it as our weapon. That is why the fire usually comes from our mouths—because that is the source of the fire calling. However…it takes a good dragon with an excellent control of the draconic language to make fire obey their whims. Any dragon can start a fire—but if the dragon is not careful, they can start a blaze that will devour forests and life before it lives out its life."

"What's this one running on?" Cloud asked, crouching next to Bahamut and watching the tongues of flame dance in the greenish light that came from the Lifestream located nearby them.

Bahamut smiled again, flashing his sharp-toothed grin. "Everything. Dragonfire is special—it takes the energy that is underneath our feet, floating in the air around it, and even from the sun. It can almost seem to be living itself, but all it does is merely borrow life. Just as how the fire you mortals create lives on the fuel you give it, dragonfire thrives on any fuel it can reach. With such a huge amount of power right underneath us—the Lifestream—this fire won't burn out until I tell it to."

"That fire at Cosmo Canyon," Cloud suddenly began, his memories searching back in time. "The one that's said to have always been burning there, except it went out in a time of crisis…"

"That is dragonfire," Bahamut agreed. "My own. I am much more involved in this world than my siblings of the Elements. Cosmo Canyon is one of those last places that honor the old ways and the people of the past—those like myself. Although I will not come voluntarily unless summoned, I still have enough contact to warn the people."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"This is the one time when I will come of my own will." Bahamut's eyes grew flinty in the firelight as the others settled nearby, eyeing the fire that burned on seemingly nothing. "In a time of crisis, sometimes in order to get something done…you have to do it yourself." He turned to the others, nodding. "It's all right to get some rest. I will keep watch for as long as necessary."

"What, you don't sleep?" Cloud asked as he stifled a yawn.

"Not true. I do sleep, but only when I need it. Usually, a nap once about every century does the trick."

"I hope this isn't that time of the century," Cloud muttered as he collapsed into a deep, tired sleep.

"No, it isn't," Bahamut answered to the sleeping man. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, assuming a thinking pose while still keeping an ear on the quiet darkness that surrounded the slumbering group.

How can I do this? He wondered to himself, watching Zeno out of the corner of an eye. That boy is going to be the cause of everything. He's Sephiroth, without a doubt, just as Aeris is Aeris. Perhaps bringing Aeris straight into the Crater was not the best idea, but I will have to wait and see as to how Jenova reacts to that. For as much as we know, she might be lurking down there right now, waiting to strike…

And what do I do with Zeno? He's helpless right now…if I don't get rid of him when he's vulnerable now, then he'll be at least twice as impossible to kill later on. Contemplating this thought, Bahamut turned both of his eyes on Zeno, watching the firelight play on his fine, aristocratic features. He closed his eyes and turned away.

I can't do it. I know I can't. When I felt his heart earlier, I could feel something that was holding me back from striking the boy down…but what it is, I don't know. My anger should have overcome it, but something still held me back.

Bahamut yawned just then, surprising himself with his action. What the…? I just took a nap ten years ago! I shouldn't be tired right now…

But despite his confused thoughts, he could feel his head beginning to droop down towards his chest while his eyelids lowered themselves as well. He fought against the wave of exhaustion that swept over him, filling every inch of his body with lethargy and slowing his brain down to a sluggish crawl.

What's…going…on…?

Unable to fight the natural reaction of sleeping, Bahamut felt his body slide backwards away from the fire, landing heavily on his side as his mind slowly began to black out.

I…can't…

* * *

Zeno's eyes snapped open the minute that Bahamut's closed. He stood, brushing Bahamut's cape off of his body and letting it land in a crumpled heap around his feet.

What happened? He wondered as he stared around at the bunch of unconscious bodies around him. To his right was the seemingly infallible Bahamut sleeping like a child, and scattered around the fire that began dancing alarmingly were the other members of the group, caught up into a deep sleep of some sort.

Absently, Zeno began moving towards the edge of the platform-like cliff he was on. As he moved closer to the end, the greenish light that already flooded most of the place burst into full glory, washing through his hair and staining his usually dark eyes a muddy blackish-green.

And a voice beckoned from beyond the veil of green.

"I'm coming," Zeno whispered. Eyes fixed straight in front of him, he calmly took a step forward towards the heart of the light…

* * *

Aeris let out a mindless moan as a ray of green light hit her closed eyes. She sat up, blinking rapidly and gasping as she saw the unconscious forms of her companions strewn on the ground. Looking around frantically, she found the source of the light—

Zeno?!

He stood there, nearly touching the brightest section of the glowing light. His eyes were wide open, staring at the light. As Aeris watched, his normally deep black eyes began to lighten almost as if they were drinking in the shifting green lights. And once the lights entered his eyes, they seemed to be trapped there, sucked within his eyes in such great amounts that they changed to a deep, brilliant emerald green that was even darker than the light surrounding him. His long hair was set free from its confining tail by an invisible hand, fluttering around his slender frame in an unfelt wind. As Aeris watched, his hair began to lighten, almost as if he were aging before her eyes and still yet retaining his youthful face. His raven black hair went from midnight to pepper to gray to white in a matter of moments, lightening from his scalp all the way to the tips of his hair as if a bleached comb was brushing through it. And finally, the white disappeared into a metallic aura, brightening into a pure molten silver that no human on the Planet could possess.

Aeris opened her mouth, frozen in place by her rigid muscles and unable to do a thing except to watch as the changes came flowing through Zeno.

And then, he stepped off the edge of the cliff, disappearing from sight while a triumphant laugh of pure cruelty rang out in Aeris' mind, taking the glow of the Lifestream with it.

Aeris screamed like she never had before.

* * *

"No-o! Zeno-o-o-o!"

The distantly familiar voice pierced through his fogged mind like a blunt knife, stabbing at certain areas but not making the slightest impressions.

Who is she? Do I know her…? But who's…Zeno…?

No

The sudden, feminine voice rasped at him from some direction just ahead of him, causing him to recoil from nothing.

Who are you?!

Who am I

The voice began to laugh softly after that answer.

You know who I am

Now the voice was everywhere, caressing his mind and whispering inside of his ears in echoes. He shuddered involuntarily at a breath that appeared on his cheek. As that happened, memories came flooding to him, shredding whatever life he had masqueraded as before into ruins. His hands clenched into fists, suddenly closing around the hilt of a sword that had appeared from nowhere and was very familiar to his mind…

You know

The who

The what

You know

Who I am

And who you are

Because

You

Are

I am… I am…

My son

Sephiroth!

Sephiroth…