The residents of the western continent were frightened, and confused. They did not get earthquakes, not here. Such phenomenon happened far from here, on the mainland. So when the earth began to tremble with such fury that some buildings in the village of Wutai began collapsing, they were suitably alarmed. Families fled for cover from falling debris, and buildings were evacuated. Panic spread throughout the island. What was happening?
The tremors were the strongest in the mountainous region of the continent, where the towering cliffs loomed over the surrounding ocean.The rocky peaks crumbled under the force of the quake, and collapsed into themselves. The ground heaved and shifted, creating chasms and ridges. The bridges that connected the mountains with the rest of the island were torn apart by the rising and falling of the earth.
Chaos reigned.A quaking greater than anything else began in the center of the mountains. The vibration of following rock was deafening. One mountain, twisted and hulking, began to shudder violently. With an explosion of rocky debris the peak of the mountain disintegrated, and rising from the wreckage rose a grotesque and monstrous form. Wings formed of slimy grey membrane and trailing tentacles spanned the air as they rose and fell in lazy momentum. The body was a twisted mass of flesh and bone and other identifiable matter. Set deep in a severely deformed head, several eyes gazed skyward, glowing with an unholy light.
The Mind was free.Unlike its counterparts, the Mind was very, very intelligent. It was an entity unto itself; it could exist perfectly without the other parts of Jenova. And although the Voice had been able to do the same, it was nowhere near as capable, as deadly, as the Mind. For long centuries it had sensed the weakening of the prison the hated Cetra had sealed it in; the enchanted rock walls that had risen as a mountain around it had slowly, but steadily, lost the power the Cetra had infused them with. And so it had waited, patiently, confidently, knowing that it would break free eventually, and when it did it would wreak havoc on this Planet.
It rose into the air with a grace that belied its appearance. It extended its senses, free of their former dampening constraints. There was no trace of the Voice, or the Heart. But there was a Limb, and it sent out the call that would not be ignored. It dipped then, and glided along the ocean surface, revelling in the sensations that had so long been denied. It pulled its wings close to its body and banked a sharp turn, and then followed the curve of the shore. It felt the Limb acknowledge the call, and it was satisfied. In a short time, they would be reunited, and they would be a force unstoppable.Wutai was now in its view, and it flew closer. It could sense the heartbeats of the scurrying humans, could feel their fear as they gazed upon it in all its might. Coldly, cruelly, it concentrated on doing what it had originally arrived on this Planet centuries ago to do.
Screams erupted. Humans closest to the Mind thrashed in pain as their skin was rent open, and their bones broke and reformed themselves. Teeth elongated, wings burst forth from flesh; scales and fur grew where there had been none. The ground was soon stained with blood and gore.The Mind focused on the humans fleeing the village, fleeing the horror before them. They too began to change, twisting, growing, dying. One by one, they succumbed as the Mind manipulated their cells, their genes. And when the last human had ceased to exist; when humanity had been erased from the island, the Mind pulled away, and began winging its way eastward.
Towards the Limb.Towards civilization.