(Sorry! You are all going to have to wait 'til next chapter to find out
what happened to Cloud! ^_^;; )
Chapter 5
Counsel
The counsel of the Afterworld was in a state of chaos. The members all argued fiercely with each other, and it seemed that no agreement would be reached anytime soon. Lady Nekairi could not stand it anymore.
"SILENCE!"
The hall was instantly quiet.
"This futile argument will bring us no closer to a decision!" she told them all, glaring. "You are acting like children!"
The others nodded and kept their attention focused on their superior. Nekairi sighed. She turned her gaze to Kouru, her eyes telling him to speak. He nodded in understanding.
"The Crisis breaks free from the Sleep even as we discuss this now," he said, continuing from where he had been interuptted. "We have no way to prevent this from happening, though two options are available to us."
All eyes were on him expectantly.
"Two Cetra remain alive today. We have only been able to monitor one, the female, Aeris. The other still remains a mystery, and Lady Gaia does not tell us anything.
"Of course she doesn't, fool!" Aten scowled. "Lady Gaia _cannot_ speak with us now! She must focus her energy on the healing of the Planet! We must sort out these matters on our own!"
"Dammit, Aten! Let me finish! We _could_ rely upon the two remaining Cetra to rid us of the Crisis. Or we could take matters into our own hands."
"With only these choices all is lost!"
"We would be directly defying the Lady if we were to do things ourselves!"
Kouru glared down at his hands. Not a single one of them were willing to listen!
"That is quite enough!" Nekairi hissed at them. "We may have a chance if we rely upon the two that are living."
"But-! Lady Nekairi...surely you don't believe-!" Aten gaped in disbelief. "They are no more than children! And we only know of the female! The other...who knows if he is even powerful enough to make a differance."
"He is _more_ than so."
All turned to see a woman emerge from the shadows, her face determined. Aten glared at her, as did most of the others in the hall.
"You speak out of place, WEAPON."
Kora merely glared back.
"Stop acting like an asshole, _lord_ Aten," she spat, saying the word 'lord' as though it were poison. "Cloud is strong enough to do a hell of a lot more than any of you."
"You know of the boy, Kora?" Nekairi asked gently, trying to calm the other woman down a bit.
Kora nodded, her expression softening towards the head of the counsel.
"Yes. I know much, as do my comrades. We were able to touch his mind."
"What point is there in that?" Aten glared at her. "Cetra cannot hear the voices of the WEAPON."
"He _did_ hear us you ignorant bastard. He heard us and _responded_."
Shocked whispers issued from all about the room. Even Lady Nekairi was surprised. Then she gasped.
"The Dark Cetra?! Guardian of the Promised Land?!"
Kora only nodded. Everyone present looked shocked, worried, afraid, and occasionally a mix of all three. It was copletely silent for a few moments. Aten was positively enraged.
"Do you all truly believe the word of a _WEAPON_? They are just tools of destruction!"
"Shut the hell up!"
Sin strode from hi position to stand beside Kora. She looked up at him as he continued.
"I don't care what you think of our kind," he said, his tone calm despite the obvious anger that radiated from him. "This matter is too serious for us to lie. _All_ of the WEAPON were there, and we _know_ what we saw."
"You are just a bunch of corrupted murderers!" Aten cried, pointing an accusing finger at them. "You want to deceive us!"
"Leave the Past alone you damn psycopath!" Kora screeched at him. "We had no control of ourselves then! It was before we were given souls!"
"Stop it!" Nekairi shouted. "We have not the time to argue."
Kora lowered her head, trying to supress all of the anger within. She felt Sin grip her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
(I want to kill him!) she growled in thought-speech. (I just want to kill that stupid bastard!)
(I know, Kora. I know how you feel. But we must keep our distance. No one trusts us much as it is.)
Kora sighed.
"Sin, Kora, you and your comrades must watch over and protect this boy, Cloud, as best you can. Will you?"
"Of course, lady Nekairi," Sin nodded.
"We won't let you down," his female companion agreed.
Aten glared daggers in thier direction. He was ignored, however, as the two WEAPON left the room.
"Lady Nekairi! Are you certain this is wise?" he asked.
"I trust those two with my life, Aten. They will not betray me."
"If you say so my lady."
_______________________________________________________________________
"You summoned me, lord Aten?"
"Yes. Nekairi has gone soft. She no longer deserves leadership. I want her disposed of."
"Of course my lord."
(...disturbing.)
-Diamond Weapon
Chapter 5
Counsel
The counsel of the Afterworld was in a state of chaos. The members all argued fiercely with each other, and it seemed that no agreement would be reached anytime soon. Lady Nekairi could not stand it anymore.
"SILENCE!"
The hall was instantly quiet.
"This futile argument will bring us no closer to a decision!" she told them all, glaring. "You are acting like children!"
The others nodded and kept their attention focused on their superior. Nekairi sighed. She turned her gaze to Kouru, her eyes telling him to speak. He nodded in understanding.
"The Crisis breaks free from the Sleep even as we discuss this now," he said, continuing from where he had been interuptted. "We have no way to prevent this from happening, though two options are available to us."
All eyes were on him expectantly.
"Two Cetra remain alive today. We have only been able to monitor one, the female, Aeris. The other still remains a mystery, and Lady Gaia does not tell us anything.
"Of course she doesn't, fool!" Aten scowled. "Lady Gaia _cannot_ speak with us now! She must focus her energy on the healing of the Planet! We must sort out these matters on our own!"
"Dammit, Aten! Let me finish! We _could_ rely upon the two remaining Cetra to rid us of the Crisis. Or we could take matters into our own hands."
"With only these choices all is lost!"
"We would be directly defying the Lady if we were to do things ourselves!"
Kouru glared down at his hands. Not a single one of them were willing to listen!
"That is quite enough!" Nekairi hissed at them. "We may have a chance if we rely upon the two that are living."
"But-! Lady Nekairi...surely you don't believe-!" Aten gaped in disbelief. "They are no more than children! And we only know of the female! The other...who knows if he is even powerful enough to make a differance."
"He is _more_ than so."
All turned to see a woman emerge from the shadows, her face determined. Aten glared at her, as did most of the others in the hall.
"You speak out of place, WEAPON."
Kora merely glared back.
"Stop acting like an asshole, _lord_ Aten," she spat, saying the word 'lord' as though it were poison. "Cloud is strong enough to do a hell of a lot more than any of you."
"You know of the boy, Kora?" Nekairi asked gently, trying to calm the other woman down a bit.
Kora nodded, her expression softening towards the head of the counsel.
"Yes. I know much, as do my comrades. We were able to touch his mind."
"What point is there in that?" Aten glared at her. "Cetra cannot hear the voices of the WEAPON."
"He _did_ hear us you ignorant bastard. He heard us and _responded_."
Shocked whispers issued from all about the room. Even Lady Nekairi was surprised. Then she gasped.
"The Dark Cetra?! Guardian of the Promised Land?!"
Kora only nodded. Everyone present looked shocked, worried, afraid, and occasionally a mix of all three. It was copletely silent for a few moments. Aten was positively enraged.
"Do you all truly believe the word of a _WEAPON_? They are just tools of destruction!"
"Shut the hell up!"
Sin strode from hi position to stand beside Kora. She looked up at him as he continued.
"I don't care what you think of our kind," he said, his tone calm despite the obvious anger that radiated from him. "This matter is too serious for us to lie. _All_ of the WEAPON were there, and we _know_ what we saw."
"You are just a bunch of corrupted murderers!" Aten cried, pointing an accusing finger at them. "You want to deceive us!"
"Leave the Past alone you damn psycopath!" Kora screeched at him. "We had no control of ourselves then! It was before we were given souls!"
"Stop it!" Nekairi shouted. "We have not the time to argue."
Kora lowered her head, trying to supress all of the anger within. She felt Sin grip her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
(I want to kill him!) she growled in thought-speech. (I just want to kill that stupid bastard!)
(I know, Kora. I know how you feel. But we must keep our distance. No one trusts us much as it is.)
Kora sighed.
"Sin, Kora, you and your comrades must watch over and protect this boy, Cloud, as best you can. Will you?"
"Of course, lady Nekairi," Sin nodded.
"We won't let you down," his female companion agreed.
Aten glared daggers in thier direction. He was ignored, however, as the two WEAPON left the room.
"Lady Nekairi! Are you certain this is wise?" he asked.
"I trust those two with my life, Aten. They will not betray me."
"If you say so my lady."
_______________________________________________________________________
"You summoned me, lord Aten?"
"Yes. Nekairi has gone soft. She no longer deserves leadership. I want her disposed of."
"Of course my lord."
(...disturbing.)
-Diamond Weapon