Square-Enix owns all characters within this story, save for the ones of my own invention. And I shamelessly borrowed a line from "The Lord of the Rings". Sue me, please, I beg you! :p~Sergeant Phoenix

Foreword

            Everything begins and ends with one simple thing.  One word that we've all known since we could talk, that we've been hearing since we were born.  Your parents probably taught it to you right after "mama" and "dada".  It's a word you hear everyday, in all it's different, yet similar meanings.  Maybe you even hear it every hour, in one form or another.

            Everything begins and ends with one simple thing, so simple and so common that maybe you haven't figured out what that one thing is.  Then again, maybe you have.

            That one simple thing, the ignition factor that brings about all conflict in this world; "we are all bound by this one Fate, this one doom...."  In our lives, it will both make us and it will break us.  It will build our lives up and then tear them to pieces, leaving them to waft in the wind like paper strips, only to be taped and mended back together over and over again. 

            And unless you're very, very lucky.....this continues on until the day you die.

            When you have it, you take it for granted.  You deserve it.  You were born to have it.  "Life owes you this."

            No.

            Life does not owe you this.  Life owes you nothing, while you owe it everything

            Be forever aware that once you lose this one thing, you may never find it again.  And that would be a tragedy indeed.

But, it happens.  Never think that it will always be there.  The second that you believe that it will always be there, you turn around, and it's gone.  The second you do turn around, you think "hey, wait........".  You look around, but it's nowhere to be seen.

This one thing, "this one Fate, this one doom...."....

It is a great creator and yet, it is the ultimate destroyer.

It is the most powerful God-given force this world has ever seen or ever will see for all time that has yet to come.

Love.

Prologue ~ Events Long Past

Then was kindled within him a thirst...

A thirst of fierce fever

Hope, love, doubt, desire, which will consume him

Forever.

                                    --Mary Shelley, "Prometheus Unbound"

            "Schala...."

            "Yes...?"

            The youth with the long silver hair stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  He moved her blue hair aside and kissed her neck gently as she stared out her bedroom window.  Sunlight peered in on them both, illuminating the room and casting their shadows onto the floor.

            "Are you worried....?" he whispered.

            "I'm always worried lately.....you should know better than that, Seph...." she replied as she closed her eyes, leaning back into the embrace.

            "You won't have anything to worry about soon," he said, resting his head on her shoulder.  "Soon."

            "I fear for you," Schala said, turning around to face him.  She took him by his shoulders, looking up into his glowing turquoise eyes.  "What if you're discovered....?  Before you're ready...?  Mother..."

            "Don't worry," he replied.  "There isn't a man in the Kingdom that can hurt me.   I'm more powerful than any Enlightened has ever been."

            "You overestimate yourself," Schala warned.  "You're bad about doing that."

            "But, it's the truth.  All the Gurus said so; Melchior, Balthasar, Gaspar.  Even your mother said so! Even Professor Hojo!"

            "It's still best to be cautious...whether that is the truth or not," Schala replied.  "Lavos...Lavos is the most powerful being in the world.  And mother believes that she controls it..."

            "Just as she believes that she controls me," the youth said.  "And you know how much truth there is to that."

            "You are her bodyguard...you're supposed to protect her," Schala stated quietly, turning around to look out the window once again.  The youth let go of her and turned around, angry.

            "That....that thing Lavos...!  It should be destroyed!  Don't you understand, Schala?" he said, taking her by the shoulders.  Schala whipped around and covered his mouth with her hand, watching the entrance to the room.  She looked up at him.

            "What's the matter with you!?" she said in a hushed tone.  "Don't say such things!!  What if someone should hear you?"

            "Let them hear me, then.  I don't care," he replied.  He sighed.  "I didn't mean to yell.  But, I don't understand why no one else sees what's happening.  This whole Lavos thing will be the death of the kingdom if we don't do something!  It's the entire reason your mother has gone mad and you know it...!  You know it, Schala...."

            "......my mother will do what she will," Schala said.  "What you're trying to do will only end in ruin, Sephiroth.....what mother is trying to do will only end in ruin as well.....there is no escape for the Kingdom of Zeal.  Zeal will fall, eventually.  I know it in my heart and I can see it with my eyes."

            "Maybe so.....but, we have to try," he replied.  "Futile or not, we have to try....I won't go down without a fight.  You know that."

            There was a loud knock at the door.  The two teenagers turned around, startled.

            "Yes...?" Schala answered, going to the door and opening it.  "What is it....?"

           "Your mother requests the presence of her bodyguard, princess," the man said.  He was a short man with small glasses.

            "Yes, Melchior, of course," Schala replied.  She turned around and was startled, as the young man was already at her side.  She looked up into his glowing eyes.  "Mother wants you."

            "I know..." he said.  He stepped out of the room, giving her one last look.  "I'll be back soon."

            Melchior nodded at the princess and shut the door as they left.

            Schala watched the door for a moment, then pressed her back against the wall.  She looked up at the ceiling as she sunk down to the floor and began to cry.