Chapter Five: Ancient History
She stood there in open-mouthed shock. For a second, Raina's mind drew blank, the last statement by Sephiroth trying to set in. She had to make sure.
"Run that by me again," she said, hoping she was just hearing things.
He seemed to have read her mind, his eyes once again glaring straight into hers. "You are a product of Jenova," he said, calm once again.
But how? How did I come to be of a Cetra bloodline? Suddenly a revolting thought passed through her mind. That would make me…Sephiroth's sister!!!!
Sephiroth's laugh broke the silence. "Pitiful mind you humans have. But you do raise an interesting question—how? For one, I am not your brother. There's much that your race doesn't and can't understand."
Raina let out a huge sigh of relief. "So how am I of Cetra heritage?"
His gaze remained. "Poor child. There's so much you don't know…so much you don't understand. It seems only fit to tell you. As mentioned, it may be a little confusing."
"I'm here for the long run, so go ahead," Raina said, intrigued now.
"Jenova, as you know, was the supreme being of the Ancients. A goddess, if you will. From her, we have the beings known as the Cetra. From her, the bloodline spread out in all directions, but there was one that was special. It was the bloodline that would produce the being to save the Planet from its prophesied destruction. However, 31 years ago, the bloodline was altered."
"So far this makes sense," Raina began. "So, I'm gonna guess that the bloodline was altered as a result of Shinra, right?"
The Angel smiled. "I see that trait hasn't left yet. You do catch on pretty quickly. Yes, it wasn't until Shinra began to delve into its Mako studies before change was wrought. By studying the uses of the Planet's lifeblood—Mako energy—scientists glimpsed into the time of ages past. However, to most of them the old ways of our once proud race were irrelevant, of no use to the corporation. But, it did catch the attention of one scientist. He took it upon himself to study the Ancient history, and it really fascinated him. This, in turn, led him on a search to find the geological stratum in which Jenova rested, a memory of time lost."
"Oh, you mean Professor Gast," Raina said, understandably.
"Very good! Your logic fascinates me. But I continue. He researched long and hard, and finally thought he had found the stratum. He was doing his work near the Northern Cave, at the Great Glacier. The town nearby, Icicle Inn, served as the scientist's place of operations, and he set up his own laboratory. Finally, after almost a year, he found the fossilized Jenova. Since he himself was under Shinra, inc., word finally reached the corporation. At first, they were overjoyed—or so it seemed. The higher-ups made requests to take over the operation…meaning they wanted Gast to step down. He would not. It was his work, his labor, his time, and his energy that went into the important find. By rights, he was correct—I agree with him wholeheartedly. His refusal would be his demise. For as he was involved in his work, Shinra wanted his findings—bad enough that they would kill him. Their aim was to create humans out of the Jenova cells.
Unbeknownst to him, he thought that that would be the last of it. After almost a year after his find, some of Shinra's forces made an attempt on his life. He managed to escape and fled to safety. He wrote a formal letter of resignation to the corporation and quit. Most of the crew that Gast selected had also quit, and remained loyal to the Professor. After which, he continued his work. Several years later, he traveled to Cosmo Canyon, and he met the scientist Bugenhagen. In the village, he met this young woman by the name of Ifalna. She was very interested in the Professor's work. She offered her assistance by sharing her knowledge of the Cetra, telling about the myths, legends, and histories—so many things that Gast himself did not know. In turn, he shared his knowledge. The two combined possessed a great wealth of information—so much that it would fill volumes. Gast became captivated and interested in this woman, and the opposite held for Ifalna. She then told him that she was one of the last surviving beings left. Gast felt as if he had to do something to keep the once prestigious race from truly fading away in the river of time. Out of love, the two had relations with each other, and created Aerith.
Unfortunately, Shinra would strike again. Shortly after Aerith's birth, word seeped down to Shinra that a Cetra child was born. Professor Hojo, another Shinra scientist and enemy of Gast ordered for the capture of the child, alive. 'As for Gast and Ifalna, kill them,' he said. At Hojo's orders and the company's approval, a group of soldiers arrived at Icicle Inn to Gast's home. At a signal, they barged in and opened fire at the family. Using himself as a shield, he urged Ifalna and the young Aerith to escape, run far away. Without any mercy, Gast was helpless as semi-automatic bullets ripped through him. Then they left him for dead, lying in a pool of his own blood. Imagine…murdered by the same company that gave him so much."
"What happened to the other two?" Raina asked. She found herself absorbed in his story, riveted, very interested.
"The two were captured by Shinra and held for scientific experiements. Then, 4 years later in the conflict with Wutai, the two escaped from Shinra HQ. She knew that Shinra was after Aerith. Her escape route took the two of them all the way to the slums of Midgar. At the Sector 7 train station, a woman named Elmyra stood there, waiting for her husband to return home from some fighting. Pleading, Ifalna left her with the child. Sadly, not too long after, Shinra discovered her near Fort Condor and died by their hands. As for Elmyra, she later found out that her husband had died in the conflict and thus put all her love in the adopted child. Elmyra knew that Shinra was after Aerith and thus kept her from harm. Hojo finally got what he wanted. He took over the Jenova project and by utilizing the fossilized Jenova DNA, recreated a clone of Jenova. It was from the clone that I was created…my "mother" nothing but a clone of a mad scientist."
The two looked at each other for a few seconds, moments of awkward silence passing between the two. His eyes continued their hard stare, until Raina broke the silence. "Nice story…but how does this relate to my being of Cetra bloodline?"
He continued his unwavering gaze. "This brings me to Ifalna's story. Before Ifalna met Gast, she was a wanderer of the Planet—a true being of the Ancients. For many years, she walked the lands of the Planet, searching for a familiar face—but to no avail. She kept in very close "communication," if you will, with the Planet, sensing its moods and feelings. We know the Planet is alive. At the time, she was the last surviving Cetra. Luckily, Shinra had no involvement in the Mako project yet. She came to the Temple of the Ancients, where she stayed there, lost in deep meditation and prayer. During her intersession with the Planet, she had a revelation. She discovered something that no Cetra had ever succeeded in doing—actually encountered the Lifestream. This was something that the Cetra had believed in, but no one actually saw it while they were alive—Ifalna, daughter of Jenova did. It was then that she realized she wasn't just a creation of Jenova, but rather, the blood daughter of Jenova."
Raina looked at Sephiroth quizzically. "How? Jenova had no sexual intercourse with anyone of male gender."
The Angel grinned. "You do bring up a valid point. However, for an analogy, consider this: Jesus Christ was the blood son of God. How was Jesus created since God had no relations with a female? This mythological question also applies to Jenova and Ifalna. Anyway, where was I…oh, yes. Because Ifalna had inherited the traits of Jenova, she too had the power to create life. Once again, she traveled up to the northernmost part of the Planet, and it was here in the Northern Cave where she found it—the Lifestream itself, found in the deepest parts of the Planet, where no human or Cetra have been. Now she knew that the legends were true. To encounter the source of life itself was only dreamed about. Using her newfound abilities, she managed to tap into the source, tapping into the forgotten form of Jenova. In doing so, she established a link of communication with the former goddess. Through a combined effort, they created you. However, when you were created, you were held as a spirit being in the Lifestream. Through an accord, it was arranged that, at a specific time you would be the product of conception. At the point of conception inside your earth mother, the spirit being—you—would develop as an earth child. Therefore, here you are. By joining two beings from Jenova, we will be able to bring back the lost race and restore Jenova, since we have her in both of us."
Raina looked at Sephiroth once again, but her face drew a look of comprehension, of compliance. She had understood at last. The Angel had made her realize what she was, discovering her true identity.
"I believe I finally understand. It all makes perfect sense."
"I knew you would. It was just a matter of time." He stood inches from Raina now, their faces inches apart.
"I know what I must do. But one more question: how do I get there? You know, the Lifestream?"
He chuckled. "You know already. You just have to reach into the old knowledge. Remember, you are Ifalna's daughter. One more word of caution: do not tell anyone about this conference—if it gets back to Shinra, all this will be for nil. There will be a huge risk of jeopardy, and all will be for naught. Hojo will be on you as he did Ifalna, as he did Gast. It is all up to you. You are the last." She seemed to get lost inside the emerald eyes of Sephiroth, and as she did, he leaned her face to hers and kissed her, his lips warm amidst the cold stinging her naked body. She closed her eyes and absorbed his touch fully, becoming lost in rapture, her senses enveloped in his warmth, his touch.
Still with me? Hope you like it! Coming soon, Chapter 6: The Journey West.