Author's notes: Depicts AeriSeph pairing. If you don't like it, then go away. Reviews are welcome. Flames are not. Flamers will only be pointed and laughed at and ignored.

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7. I don't own Squaresoft. Please your head. All original character belong to me. Take them and die. And yes, I have PMS.

Vile Rose
Prologue
By Silver Countess

Professor Scot Daniels strode out of his tent as he followed his excited student through the ruins with workers and scientists carefully scrapping the soil to reveal bones and artifacts hidden beneath. He had been spending more than half his life in this desolate northern area searching for clues about the life of the past. But so far they have unearthed very few almost meaningless things. Broken urns, a sculpture or two, and bones of an old prehistoric monster were the usual finds.

But not today.

No, today was very special. He had earlier unearthed what looked to be the remains of a small underground temple. The student then led him to a small tunnel and together they entered holding flashlights to help illuminate the dark interior.

Five minutes later the professor was standing in the interior of a small room. The student along with several assistants then began lighting torches to bring light to the dim room. The moment the torches were lit a collective gasp filled with air.

The walls were filled with ancient writings and murals, and urns filled with incredible treasure—not of gold—but with scrolls written in the same language as the walls. But the most amazing thing was found in the center of the room.

It was a huge life like statue of a nude man and woman in an embrace.

The student who brought him here was smirking as he dragged the amazed professor to the foot of the statue. "And that's not all. Take a look at this," he knelt down and took a small red orb, probably materia and placed it into the slot. "I knew this thing was good for something," he grinned as he began to explain. "I found this when I was digging at the northern area of the site."

"The Sleeping Forest?" the amazed professor finally spoke to which the student nodded. "Jarek! You know that place was dangerous—" but the student continued on as if not hearing him.

"The risk was worth it. The materia I found had an inscription on it so that was my clue that we were right all along, there is a temple beneath here! And then I found this," he gestured around the room.

The old professor laughed. "My dear boy, you are simply quite amazing! Your name will surely be in the books of history with this most extraordinary find."

The student named Jarek blushed at the compliment then the pair was silent, as a small hidden door appeared to reveal a huge book inside.

Professor Daniels cautiously took out the huge tome and opened it. To his surprise the pages of the book weren't made of paper but of gold. "By Ifrit…" the professor looked in awe as he held the book.

There were back in the tent. Both professor and student intent on translating the ancient scriptures. It took them several more months but Professor Daniels made a breakthrough. It was already past midnight and Jarek had fallen asleep but he had successfully translated the book with the aid of an old tablet he had found in the ruins that he had nicknamed, Rose Tablet.

His hand was trembling when he finally turned the page and the story began to leap at him. His excitement turned into horror then sadness as he read the story further. The sun was already dawning when he flipped the last page of the book. A tired sigh escaped his lips just as his student began to wake up from his slumber.

"Professor…?"

The old man didn't seem to hear him as he took out his glasses and rubbed his temple. Jarek seemed concerned as he pushed his own glasses up his nose and went to him. "Sir, are you alright? Do you want me to get your medicine?"

"No, no…" the old man said suddenly cutting him off. "It's not that." Jarek looked puzzled and then glanced at the book.

"Is it about the book? Did you finally get to translate it? What did it say?" the young man asked excitedly but the professor only sighed looking even sadder than before.

"That book has a very sad story to tell, my boy. A very sad story indeed. Because that book tells the story of the future, our present and the immediate future. That book, my boy, is the Book of Prophecy."

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