Author's Notes
--------------------
This is an alternate universe story, so expect a lot of changes.
This version of AR has been censored for language. An uncensored version is available on my website which you can find in my profile.
My homepage has been updated with thefourth pieces of AR artwork since last week, be sure to check it out if you enjoy the story!
Check back next weekend for chapter X.
If you have any questions, ask them in your review or send them directly to me. I'll either respond directly, or address them as best I can in the next chapter's Author's Notes.
Merry Christmas everyone!
- Luminus
Chapter IX
All Downhill From Here
The Highwind soared over seemingly endless stretches of barren, red stone. The rocky region where Ahziralirul had told them to search for the Cetra seemed almost totally devoid of life aside from the occasional lizard or cactus in the otherwise dull and winding canyons of lifeless stone. They'd been flying over the area for hours now and were beginning to question the validity of this hidden Cetra civilization when Vincent spotted lights. Upon closer inspection, it seemed as if a city had been carved out of a large section of the canyon wall, making it nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the landscape. Opting for a cautious approach, the Highwind had turned back and landed several miles away, beyond a curve in the canyon which would hide the great ship from prying eyes.
For this stretch of the journey, Aerith had been obvious choices, as she had Cetra blood. Cloud, Tifa, Tseng, and Vincent made up the rest of the party, as Cid, Sherra, and Jessie once again remained on the Highwind where they were generally the most use. Those who were venturing out had outfitted themselves as travelers, concealing their weapons beneath dirty brown mantles or cloaks; there was no sense in getting the Cetra worried when they were coming in peace.
The closer they came to the series of lights that marked the civilization on the canyon wall, the more they could make out the city itself. Many of the buildings had been hollowed out of the rock walls. Others were huts secured to the cliff by beams of steel and wood. The area of the canyon where the city was constructed was composed of three major platforms, each a little smaller than the last, giving it the appearance of giant stair steps. The major portions of the city were constructed upon the flat surface of each 'step', and each of these levels was connected by ladders, ramps, natural paths, and tunnels. The strangest thing was the size of the city; there were only a few dozen buildings, hardly enough to support an entire race.
As they neared they came across a long and apparently natural ramp that led up to the first level of the city and began walking on it. There were torches lit along the edges of the ramp and they could hear the sounds of music drifting down. As they reached the top they spotted a large bonfire at the center of the city's lowest level where a dozen or so figures were gathered, their appearances obscured by the dancing flames.
They were about to walk towards the fire, which seemed to be some sort of gathering place, when a sound came from Cloud's left. Reflexively his hand went to the hilt of his Buster Sword beneath his mantle as he turned to have a look. Halfway expecting some sort of sneak attack, he was instead greeted by a boy who looked perfectly human.
The boy was dressed in clothing of a somewhat tribal nature; leather and coarse materials formed tunics and sashes colored in earthy tones. His wrists and ankles were wrapped in thick bracelets that looked to be made of bronze. On his feet he wore wooden sandals, held in place by leather straps. Red tattoos were present on his upper arms as well as two thick dashes under each of his bright orange eyes. The boy's hair was red at the roots, but faded to orange at the tips. It was styled high and spiky in the front and tied into two thick braids that hung low over his shoulders in the back. Around his forehead he wore a headband that sported two long, white feathers that stuck up high behind each of his ears. The finishing touch was a bright white smile on his face that was in stark contrast to his tanned skin; he couldn't be older than fifteen or sixteen at the most.
"Greetings travelers!" The boy said with enthusiasm and a strange accent. "Welcome! Our home is always open to those who pass by!"
"Thanks." Cloud said, glancing to the others to see if they were as confused as he was. This boy certainly didn't look like he'd come to expect the Cetra to. "I don't mean to be rude, but could you tell us where we are? We noticed your lights, but your city isn't listed on our maps."
"Forgive me for not informing you sooner, sir." The boy bowed his head to them, spreading his arms in an apparent sign of respect. "We are small, and not worthy of documentation, but our hospitality is offered nonetheless. This is Cosmo Canyon, and I will be happy to guide you to a place where you can rest."
"That's very kind of you." Cloud said, returning the boys bowing gesture to him. "I'm Cloud Strife, and this is Tifa, Tseng, Aerith, and Vincent. May I ask your name?"
"I am called Nanaki." The boy said, his smile never fading. "And it is a pleasure to meet you all."
After their introductions had been exchanged, Nanaki motioned behind him with a sweeping gesture of both hands and then began walking, prompting the party to follow him. Stepping up along side of Cloud, Tifa nudged him with her elbow and nodded towards the boy. Even without words, Cloud knew exactly what it was she wanted him to do.
"Nice little place you have here." Cloud said, attempting to spark a conversation.
"We are quite content with it, yes."
"Do you often get visitors through these parts?"
"No, but it's not entirely uncommon for wanderers to wind up here." Nanaki said, looking over his shoulder to Cloud. "Speaking of which, what brings you and your friends into this region?"
"Just exploring really." Cloud lied. "A friend of ours named Ahziralirul thought we would find this area interesting."
They were just passing by the bonfire where many men, women, and children were gathered when he spoke the name of the spirit being they'd encountered in the long abandoned Cetra ship. Cloud carefully watched the faces of the people gathered near them, noticing quite a few had turned to look at them with great interest.
"Ahziralirul?" Nanaki repeated, though his voice was guarded enough to not give away his thoughts. "That's an unusual name. Do you know its heritage?"
"Oh, I'm not sure." He lied again. "It sounds almost alien though, doesn't it?"
"Indeed." Nanaki replied, glancing towards the people staring at them from the bonfire who seemed to quickly mind their own business when they realized he was looking at them.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about the name, would you?" Cloud prompted.
Nanaki did not respond. They were nearing a wooden door built over a cave entrance on the canyon wall when the young boy made a series of strange noises that sounded like a mixture of purrs and clicks of his tongue. When he reached the door, he did not open it, and instead turned and raised a dagger to Cloud's throat. The action had been so fast that Cloud barely had time to register what was happening before it was too late. Sounds came from the shadows around them, and they found themselves surrounded by men and women of varying ages brandishing all sorts of weapons. All of the warriors had red tattoos similar to Nanaki's.
"We have not lived in peace and secrecy for so long by taking unnecessary chances, human." Nanaki said, the cheerful voice he had offered them earlier gone, replaced by cold and malice. "Now you will tell me all that you know of the Cetra."
"We're not here to cause trouble." Tifa said as she raised her hands up chest high to show she was unarmed, not that it really mattered with her fighting style.
"Then you have failed miserably." Nanaki growled. "Now speak. I have little patience for this."
"We've come seeking your knowledge and assistance." Vincent said. "We are enemies of the Emperor, Rufus Shinra; of Jenova."
The mention of those two names had an instant effect on the boy, though whether it was good or bad was difficult to tell.
"What do you know of Jenova?" He asked cautiously. "And how do you know the name of Ahziralirul?"
"We spoke with her." Aerith quietly spoke. "In the Frozen North, we stumbled across the vessel the Cetra used to travel to this world."
"She told us to seek you out." Tseng added.
"I find that rather hard to believe." Nanaki scoffed.
"It's the truth." Cloud said, remaining calm despite the dagger at his throat.
"And why should I trust the word of outsiders?"
"Aerith is half Cetra." Tifa pleaded. "She wouldn't lie to you."
"Do not insult me, woman." Nanaki growled. "I already sensed her heritage, and that makes my trust in you wane further. Partial bloods like her are the reason we were driven into hiding."
"I don't understand." Aerith said as her forehead creased. "Why would you not trust your own kind?"
"Of course you don't understand." Nanaki's lips curled. "It is the nature of humans to forget the things they have done wrong, otherwise they could not live with themselves."
"Nanaki." One of the other tattooed warriors spoke up and motioned towards the back of Aerith's head. Her voice was tinged with an emotion they couldn't quite place. Fear? Or perhaps reverence? "You must see this."
"What is it?" Nanaki asked, looking to Aerith.
"May I?" She asked, realizing that they were referring to Holy, which was again tied into the ribbon in her hair.
Nanaki didn't look pleased about the idea, but for some reason he didn't seem all that compelled to argue against it. With a nod of his head, he gave her his endorsement and Aerith pulled the ribbon from her hair. As her long brunette locks fell down her back, she brought her hands in front of her bosom, the white orb of Holy nestled in her palms.
"That!" Nanaki's breath caught in his throat. "Where did you get this?"
"It was my mother's." She explained. "She entrusted it to me many years ago."
The emergence of the Holy orb had drawn an even larger crowd of onlookers who had come from the fire as well as the wall buildings of the city to see what was happening. Murmurs began spreading through the growing crowd like wildfire, prompting Nanaki to signal two of his warriors to push them back.
"The Warriors of the Red Moon do not require your assistance!" Nanaki bit out, instantly causing some of the crowd to disperse. "Go about your business!"
"You know what that is, don't you?" Cloud asked.
"Of course I do." He whispered, still staring at the white sphere in Aerith's hands.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Tifa asked.
Broken from the trance like effect that Holy seemed to have him in, Nanaki looked to Tifa as if he had forgotten she was there.
"This matter is now vastly complicated." The boy said at last. "We will take you to the Elder. He will know what must be done."
Reno stood on one of the many ridges in this strange. The setting of the sun behind him silhouetted his form, giving him a dark and sinister appearance that fit him rather well. From here, he watched as several of his targets entered a city that he'd had no knowledge of until now. He saw what appeared to be a brief argument and standoff between the inhabitants of this hidden city and the rebels before they were taken inside of one of the city's many caves. A beep then came from his jacket and he reached inside to withdraw his radio. Flipping it on, he raised it to his mouth.
"Reno." He said into it.
"What's your status?" Rude's voice came through the speaker. "It's been several days since your last report."
"Funny you should ask." Reno chuckled as he pressed another button on the radio. "I was just about to call you. I've tracked the Highwind to a canyon on the inner continent, I just sent you the location. Several of our little freedom fighters, including the girl from Icicle, went inside a city here."
"A city?" Rude's voice came back skeptically as he received the coordinates from the locator that Reno had activated on his radio. "There are no charted settlements in that region."
"Yeah, I know. I have a really weird feeling about this place, too."
"What's our next move, then?"
"Let's see." Reno said, deliberating on their options. "I'd say we end this here and now, with all the brute force we can muster."
"What do you suggest?"
"Come here yourself." Reno told him. "And bring two squads of Mako Demons. I want to wipe this place out so that our maps are correct again."
"That's a lot of firepower for a small city."
"Can't ever be too careful." Reno snickered. "Tell the boss to have a party waiting for us when we get back to Midgar. We'll bring him their heads as gifts."
One thing about Cosmo Canyon had bothered Cloud from the moment he'd laid eyes on it. If Ahziralirul had been right, and the Cetra had been living here for generations, why was it so small? It seemed to him that their population would be much greater than the miniscule size of the city would allow. Now, after at least fifteen minutes of travel, that particular mystery had been solved.
The structures on the canyon wall were actually little more than a disguise to mask the truth from travelers who occasionally passed by and saw some of Cosmo Canyon's inhabitants wandering around. The actual city, and the vast majority of its population, was hidden away within catacombs that extended deep and far beneath the surface. Since they'd first entered one of the passages that led to the true city, they had walked down countless tunnels, winding left and right past stores, homes, and hundreds of people. In fact, they had turned down so many different paths that it would be nearly impossible for them to find their way back on their own. It was likely the Cetra had intentionally burrowed it out as a kind of labyrinth to confuse outsiders who happened to stumble inside.
As they delved into the depths, the plain red rock began to give way to a livelier palette of greens and blues. Oddly enough, the deeper they went the wider the caves became and the more the place felt and looked like a normal city. There were people everywhere, working, shopping, and going about perfectly normal lives.
Turning down another pathway, something unexpected occurred. As they stepped through a shimmering field that coated the air before them, a transformation occurred in Nanaki, the warriors guarding them on all sides, and all the civilians they could see. Any doubts that these people were the Cetra Ahziralirul had sent them to search for were wiped away as their human guises faded away to reveal their true forms. They had taken on the distinctly feline appearances that Ahziralirul had used when they'd met her. Nanaki's eyes changed to resemble those of an animal. His pupils had turned to slits, though the orange color remained intact. Both of his ears had elongated and were somewhat furry at the tips. His nose had turned into a light brown and slightly damp nub. The most striking feature, and one they hadn't noticed on the thickly robed Ahziralirul, was the long but thin tail that protruded from the base of his spine and ended in a fiery red tuft.
"We've passed beyond a magical barrier set up to hide our true appearances." The cat-like boy explained to them as he noticed their shock at the sudden change. "We have the ability to use magic to change our physical appearances, but it takes a high amount of concentration. In order to remain hidden, we created machines that emit a field around our city that disguises us so that we don't have to worry about it."
"Must be handy." Tseng said. "That helps explain why Rufus hasn't found this place."
"Yes, and we'd prefer to keep it that way." Nanaki turned his head and growled at the former Turk, showing sharp fangs that hadn't been there earlier. "Most humans who show interest in our city like you have are killed straight away."
"Were you going to kill us before you saw Holy?" Vincent asked.
"We still might." Nanaki snarled, effectively ending the conversation as they continued walking.
It wasn't long after the Cetra's transformation that they approached another cave entrance, this one draped with large curtains colored red and yellow and guarded by two more Cetra warriors with red tattoos. Nanaki bowed his head to each of the guards, who stepped aside and raised the curtains for them. As they entered the large and generally circular room, they noticed that the walls were carved with murals showing what appeared to be the Cetra's history. Tifa recognized one of the murals in particular that depicted the Cetra's vast star ship.
In the center of the room, seated on a large and beautiful chair sculpted of rock, sat an elderly Cetra man who looked to them as they entered. His wrinkled scalp was devoid of hair, but a long white beard hung from his face down to the middle of his chest. Thick glasses were situated over his eyes, and he sat atop a series of pillows, his lower body hidden by a thick quilted blanket.
"Come in, children." He said, his voice shaky and his accent far heavier than the others. Raising one frail looking hand, he motioned for them to move closer. "I am Bugenhagen, Elder of Cosmo Canyon and of the Cetra, and we have much to discuss."
With his head lowered, Nanaki walked quietly to the old Cetra man and knelt before him. The others were herded into the center of the round room by the rest of the Cetra guards, who then bowed their heads as well.
"Elder, these people have come to us disguised as travelers." He explained. "They know of the Cetra, and spoke of our ancient ship and its caretaker."
"I know of what transpired, Nanaki." Bugenhagen told him.
"Then you know that this partial blood girl has the legendary Holy with her." Nanaki said, looking up to him though he remained on his knees. "How is this possible?"
"Aerith, come here." Bugenhagen said, smiling as he waved to her with his outstretched hand. "I must speak with you."
"How do you know my name?" Aerith asked with confusion on her face as she stepped up to him, prompting Nanaki to stand and face her in what seemed to be a reflexive defense of his Elder.
"The lifestream tells me much, young one." Bugenhagen chuckled quietly. "There is a great deal about you and your companions that I know. Some that you may not even know yourself."
"Elder?" Now it was Nanaki who sounded confused as he turned to look at Bugenhagen. "You had a vision of these people?"
"Yes, Nanaki." The elder Cetra nodded. "You may send your warriors away. We are in no danger from these children."
Though Nanaki still looked unsure, he instantly turned and motioned for the guards to leave the room. Apparently, Bugenhagen's wisdom was unquestioned by the young boy.
"Oh, where are my manners?" Bugenhagen chuckled to himself. "Please, all of you sit. Your legs must be tired."
Happily obliging the Elder Cetra's offer, Cloud, Tifa, and Tseng lowered themselves to the stone floor. After a moment of being indifferent to the situation, Vincent joined them only out of respect for Bugenhagen. Aerith and Nanaki remained standing.
"May I?" Bugenhagen asked Aerith as he reached towards the Holy orb still nestled in her hands.
"Of course." She said, but there was much uncertainty in her voice. Lifting her hands up, she offered the Holy orb to the Elder, who took it very carefully. The old Cetra held it almost lovingly as he gazed at it in wonder.
"I never thought I would actually see this." Bugenhagen said, his voice filled with awe. "Children, do you know what this is?"
"We were hoping you could tell us, actually." Cloud said.
"Yes." Aerith nodded. "My mother gave it to me, but she never explained what it was."
"Elder, do you think it wise to tell our past and secrets to strangers?" Nanaki questioned with concern on his face.
"They are not our enemies, Nanaki." Bugenhagen soothed him. "Trust in my judgment and the will of the lifestream, as you have done in the past."
"Very well, Elder." Nanaki said, bowing his head in a sign of respect.
"I apologize for my grandson." Bugenhagen said to them. "Do not judge him harshly. His father, Seto, was killed by outsiders. Though he distrusts you, he does so only out of his desire to keep our people safe. As our War Chief, he has demonstrated great wisdom and strength, even if sometimes prejudiced."
"War Chief?" Tifa asked before she could stop herself. She promptly placed her hands over her mouth as a result.
"Yes, I am the thirteenth to lead our Red Moon warriors." Nanaki said with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Why does this surprise you?"
"I'm sorry." Tifa said sincerely. "It's just that you look so young."
"We Cetra age much slower than humans." Nanaki said, some of his attitude fading as he realized she didn't know any better.
"Yes." Bugenhagen nodded. "A trait not shared even with partial-bloods. Though our brain develops at a similar rate to yours, our physical aging slows down rapidly once we mature. Nanaki may look young to your eyes, but he is forty-eight years old."
"Oh." Tifa said as she looked to Nanaki in surprise. She couldn't really think of a better response to that. "My apologies then, I didn't mean to offend you."
"I am not offended, human." Nanaki said. Tifa didn't take the conversation any further, figuring that it was probably the most acceptance that she was likely to receive from him.
"Children." Bugenhagen said, bringing them back to the matter at hand. "Tell me, what did you learn from Ahziralirul?"
"Not much, I'm afraid." Cloud spoke up. "We learned of why the Cetra came to this world, but beyond that she didn't have much information."
"Yes, much has happened since we left her." Bugenhagen said.
"Well, she did mention these things called Atma Weapons." Tifa added helpfully. "She said you built them to fight Jenova."
"Ah, yes. When we Cetra warriors left our world to pursue the Greater Demon, we took with us many weapons such as these." The elder explained. "But none of them as unique as the magical orbs; Holy and Chaos."
"Holy?" Aerith asked. "You mean, my Holy?"
"Indeed." Bugenhagen nodded. "You see, we had never encountered a creature so great and powerful as Jenova. Though we were able to drive it from our planet with the Atma Weapons, we feared that they would not be enough to destroy it."
"The greatest sorcerers and scientists of our world conspired together to create two magical orbs." Nanaki added. "They were designed to call upon the lifestream of any planet we were on."
"Hold on, what is this lifestream you keep mentioning?" Tseng interrupted. "I'm sorry, but I haven't heard of it before."
"Ah, of course." Bugenhagen chuckled. "Knowledge of the lifestream is commonplace among our people, but you humans refer to it as mako."
"You mean the same mako that's used by the Empire?" Tseng asked in confusion.
"Yes, but it is far more than a simple source of energy as you humans believe Allow me to explain; the lifestream is a force that all planets with living organisms contain." The elder told them. "It is, in essence, the blood and soul of the planet itself."
"I'm not sure I follow." Cloud said as the elders words went over his head.
"Well, when a living organism on a planet dies, its soul returns to the planet and becomes a part of the lifestream." Bugenhagen explained again, this time more thoroughly. "So you see, the lifestream is a large collection of souls that have not yet been given a new birth.
"So, when some one or something dies," Tifa thought over the strange idea out loud. "It becomes part of this lifestream thing, and is eventually reincarnated?"
"Yes. As such, the lifestream is also a source of all knowledge of the planets past, and that of its one time inhabitants."
"That's what mako is?" Tseng sounded startled. "You mean they're sucking souls out of the planets crust and using it to build monsters!"
"I am afraid it's even worse than that." Bugenhagen sighed. "I do not wish to know what horrible things lay in the minds of those creatures that your Emperor manufactures as demons."
"That's terrible!" Aerith gasped as she raised her hands to her mouth.
Cloud's eyes went wide as a thought occurred to him. "Wait, if the lifestream is mako, then what does that make the materia? We use that stuff for magic and to power a lot of our technology, please tell me that those aren't souls too!"
"Do not fear," Bugenhagen smiled faintly as he raised his hand in a calming gesture. "The lifestream is a source of great power, as the soul retains the mental and magical strength of the deceased. When the soul leaves the lifestream to be reincarnated as another organism, its power stays behind and crystallizes into the stones you call materia. They are merely the memories and abilities of life forms from long ago. That is why they sometimes contain such powerful magic."
Cloud breathed a sigh of relief at that. The use of materia was commonplace in the world. Even he used it occasionally. He certainly didn't want to think that people across the planet were using the souls of the dead as light bulbs or ammunition.
"This is fascinating." Tseng said, thinking about what he'd just heard. "And the Cetra are able to use this lifestream you speak of?"
"We cannot use it." Nanaki said. "We are simply able to communicate with it. It allows us to search through knowledge to come to a better understanding of the natural and spiritual order of the world."
"That's amazing." Tifa said, obviously impressed.
"It is a wonderful gift." Bugenhagen nodded. "Through the lifestream we can learn of the past, and some of us may even obtain glimpses into the future."
"And Holy uses this lifestream as an attack of some sort?" Cloud asked.
"Yes." Bugenhagen confirmed. "When used against Jenova, it channels the lifestream into an attack that strikes at Jenova's soul, temporarily sapping her strength so that her defenses will weaken enough for a traditional assault."
"So that's it!" Cloud said as the elder's explanation answered another question that he'd had ever since Aerith had first used Holy when they met her. "That's why I was able to wound Rufus in Icicle! Holy was affecting him!"
"Yes. By using Holy, our physical and energy based weapons became more effective against Jenova. Without it, they did little to no damage to the creature." Bugenhagen said. "When we tracked Jenova to this planet, we landed and immediately assaulted the Greater Demon. Our battles against it lasted for months, but the use of Holy and our Atma Weapons eventually felled it."
"But if you defeated Jenova," Vincent asked, his tone cryptic and skeptical. "Then why does Rufus have access to its power now?"
"That is where things begin to become complicated." Bugenhagen said with a sad smile. "You see, we had assumed that when Jenova was destroyed, its soul would be absorbed into this planet's lifestream where it would be cleansed, and eventually reincarnated into new and harmless beings."
"But you were wrong?" Tifa asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. We had never encountered a creature such as Jenova, and it did not follow the laws that govern all life we had seen thus far. Even after death, its soul refused to become one with the lifestream. At the time, we feared that its soul would eventually find a way to regain physical form, and threaten the world again."
"Well, why couldn't you just use Holy on it again?" Tifa asked as it seemed like the logical choice.
"Holy was damaged during the battle." Bugenhagen said as he lifted Aerith's Holy orb up and rotated it for them all to see. There was a tiny hairline fracture running along its glassy surface that they hadn't noticed before.
"That little crack?" Aerith asked in shock at the damage that she'd always taken for granted.
"Yes. Though it appears so insignificant, that miniscule damage caused a great deal of Holy's power to fade away. It is now much weaker than it was designed to be and can take days or even months to recharge, depending on how much of its power is used. At the time, it would have taken years for it to be strong enough to damage the Greater Demon again."
"So what happened to Jenova then?" Cloud asked as he looked at Holy, wondering if it would be of any use to them against Rufus in its condition.
"The soul of Jenova was sealed away." Nanaki answered. "Our most powerful mages created wards around it and shut it inside of a temple on the eastern continent; in a place you now call Midgar."
"Midgar?" Tseng repeated in astonishment. "Would that be the reason Rufus built the city there?"
"An interesting theory." Vincent nodded as the thought came to him as well. "He did build Midgar of his own accord, and only after he'd attained his so called godhood."
"You think he made it his capital so he could study the ruins or something?" Tifa asked.
"It is possible. There were many Cetra devices and spells used in the construction of that temple." Bugenhagen sighed. "I would hate to think that they are now being used against the people of this world."
"What happened next, elder?" Cloud asked.
"After our long battles with Jenova had come to an end, this world had been laid to waste." Bugenhagen told them. "When the temple was erected and Jenova's soul was sealed, our leaders made the decision to remain here on this world to safeguard Jenova and fulfill our mission."
"Why didn't you return to your ship and stay with Ahziralirul?" Tseng inquired.
"We had lost our bearings many times over during the battles with Jenova, and no longer knew where to find her." Bugenhagen shook his head. "Though it would not have been an impossible task to seek her out, our leaders decided that staying with Ahziralirul would make the desire to leave this world and return to our home planet too great to resist."
"So you chose not to look so that you wouldn't be tempted to abandon your mission." Vincent simplified the elders explanation while nodding his head in respect for the ancient Cetra's commitment.
"Many of us headed out into the world to help heal nature, and to aid the humans in rebuilding their civilization, which had been badly shattered by Jenova's presence." Bugenhagen said. "A large number of us also stayed at the temple along with one of the remaining Atma Weapons and the recharging Holy orb in case Jenova ever escaped her confinement."
"For many generations, we Cetra lived among your kind in peace and prosperity." Nanaki picked up where the Elder left off. "Some even bred with humans, which resulted in partial-bloods like the two of you."
"So what happened?" Tifa asked. "Why are you hiding now?"
"Around one thousand years ago, some humans began to fear our powers." Bugenhagen told them. "They worried that as our numbers grew, we would one day take their place as the dominant species of this planet. Through lies and deceit, they were able to convince many of your kind to believe in them.
"A war between Humans and Cetra broke out, and our kind was far too scattered to truly put up a fight. Many of us were wiped out in a matter of days, still more in the coming months. The attacks were led by partial-bloods that used their strong magical abilities to destroy us in order to gain favor with the rest of humanity so that they too would not be hunted down."
"That's terrible" Aerith said, sadness sweeping her face. "We had no idea."
"It is a tragedy long forgotten by your race." Bugenhagen shook his head. "Survivors from all over the world managed to gather together, and that is how this city came to be. We fled here to hide ourselves in a place where no human would wish to live, the barren rock of a desert."
"We lost contact with the temple where Jenova was sealed over the next few hundred years." Nanaki said. "But eventually we learned that the Cetra who had lived there had been wiped out as well. A few survivors made it to us here in Cosmo Canyon and told us that the Atma Weapon and Jenova's prison had been buried in the ruins of the temple. The Holy orb had been taken by a small band of Cetra who had fled from the human attackers, and were never heard from since then."
"My mother." Aerith whispered, holding her hands to her chest.
"Yes." Bugenhagen nodded. "The lifestream told me of Ilfana, and of you. She was the daughter of one of the few survivors at that temple, and she safeguarded Holy during her lifetime before passing it on to you."
"Elder," Cloud spoke up, determined to find out more about this other orb that Bugenhagen had mentioned. He recalled Sephiroth using its name in Icicle. "You spoke of another orb called Chaos, what was it?"
"We do not speak of it." Nanaki said, his voice stern.
"It's alright, Nanaki." Bugenhagen said with a sigh as he dropped his head. "The second orb that was created to fight Jenova was a terrible mistake made by our people. You must understand, the Greater Demon was a beast that had destroyed countless worlds, and would certainly continue doing so if it was not stopped."
"It was a failsafe?" Vincent asked, realizing where Bugenhagen was going with talk like that. "Some sort of last resort?"
"Yes, yes it was." Bugenhagen nodded. "Like Holy, Chaos taps into the lifestream, but it does so very differently. It summons the full might of the lifestream and converts its power and knowledge into a storm of death and destruction. As the storm expands across the world, killing all life in its wake, the souls of the dead are sent to the lifestream, causing Chaos to grow even more powerful."
"A weapon of annihilation that grows exponentially until all life on the world is eradicated." Nanaki said as he hung his head in shame at what his race had created. "One that even a creature such as Jenova could not possibly escape."
"Please do not judge us too harshly." Bugenhagen pleaded as a thick cloud of unease fell across the room. "We had no intention of using Chaos unless all other means of defeating Jenova failed us. We knew that Jenova would destroy this world if we could not stop it, so we felt the use of Chaos was justified if it would destroy the creature and prevent it from continuing its reign of death on other worlds."
"Where is this Chaos now?" Cloud asked as a terrible feeling crept up on him.
"It is safe." Nanaki said, clearly intent on keeping its location secret.
"Is it really?" Cloud snapped. "Rufus is searching for Holy and Chaos! That's the reason we met Aerith in the first place! If the Emperor gets a hold of a doomsday weapon like that, there's no hope for any of us!"
"Rufus commands a mere fraction of the power Jenova once held." Nanaki argued. "The temple we sealed the beast's soul into was designed to break it apart and force it to return to the lifestream over time. What Rufus found was merely the remains of the once powerful Greater Demon. So long as Chaos remains dormant, he will not be able to sense it."
"I'd still like to know where it is." Cloud said angrily. "Let's just say it's for my own peace of mind."
"Chaos and our remaining Atma Weapon are safely guarded within a second temple we constructed after the war with the humans ended." Bugenhagen interrupted the argument. "You will go there soon enough."
"What!" Nanaki yelped in surprise, turning to look at the Elder. "What are you saying?"
"Nanaki, you will take this man and his friends to the temple. There they can retrieve the Atma Weapon, so that they can fight against the Divine Emperor." Bugenhagen looked to Cloud. "This is what you desire, is it not?"
"Yes." Cloud sputtered, taken back by the suddenness of it all. "We came here hoping you could help us find a way to fight Rufus."
"And so we shall." Bugenhagen said.
"Elder, forgive my impertinence, but why are you entrusting these outsiders with such a thing?" Nanaki spoke quickly. "The Atma Weapon in our temple is the only weapon we have left."
"It is of no use to us if we simply leave it there to rot, Nanaki." Bugenhagen scolded him. "Trust in the will of the lifestream."
"And is this the will of the lifestream?" Nanaki angrily questioned. "To give one of our most prized possessions to a handful of humans and a partial-blood?"
"They wish to defeat Jenova." The elder said sternly. "We must help them."
"But how can you be so certain that they are being honest with us?" Nanaki pleaded. "What if this is a trick by the Empire to steal our weapons and learn the location of our city?"
"This one is bonded to the lifestream, Nanaki." Bugenhagen said quietly as he nodded towards Cloud.
"He is what?" The Cetra boy looked from Bugenhagen to Cloud with furrowed brows. "I do not understand."
"Neither do I." Cloud sounded completely confused. "What does that mean?"
"You are attuned to the lifestream in a way that surpasses even the Cetra." Bugenhagen said. "Your soul is eternally linked to it, which is where you draw your strength from."
"How's that?." Cloud asked with doubt in his voice.
"The lifestream flows through you just as blood does." Bugenhagen told him. "How was it that the Emperor made you to sense Holy and Chaos?"
"Well, he did a lot to me. Genetic experimentation, as well as exposure to raw mak—" Cloud broke off as it came to him all at once.
"I see that you understand. While the Emperor has many creatures that were made with processed mako, as you yourself said, you were exposed to it in its raw form. Because of this, unadulterated lifestream flows through your body. This is how you are able to sense Holy; it draws upon the lifestream for its power, and so it draws you to it."
"Was Sephiroth like that too?" Tifa wondered out loud. "Maybe that's why he was such a powerful black mage, Cloud. Maybe he knew more about the lifestream, so he was able to use it better?"
"It is possible." Bugenhagen nodded. "One who can delve into the lifestream's knowledge can summon great power through it."
"But what does that have to do with whether or not I'm trustworthy?" Cloud asked.
"As I have said before, we Cetra can traverse the knowledge of the lifestream." Bugenhagen explained. "As your very soul is attuned to it, you are incapable of hiding your intentions from one such as me when you are in my presence. In this way, I know that you truly mean to defeat Rufus."
"So you're really going to help us?" Tifa asked excitedly.
"It seems that we must." Nanaki spoke up, his attitude suddenly very different. "If the elder believes your intentions are pure, then I apologize for having such little trust in you before. I will take you to the temple and aid you in your quest."
"Great." Cloud said, though he was obviously taken back by the change in Nanaki's behavior towards them, as well as this weird lifestream business.
"I'd like to stay here." Aerith said, interrupting the conversation and prompting everyone to look to her. Turning to Bugenhagen, she placed her hands on her chest and bowed her head to him. "I want to learn more of my heritage, and of how to properly communicate with the lifestream."
"Are you sure?" Tifa asked, sounding concerned for the other girl. "I mean, will you be safe here and everything?"
"There is no place on this world safer for her than this city." Nanaki said, puffing his chest up proudly. "My Warriors of the Red Moon will see to her well being."
A tip of Reno's fedora greeted Rude as the other Jenova infused Turk arrived at the canyon. Rude wore a stern face and his eyes were hidden by his sun glasses as they always were. At least here in the desert there was a reason to be wearing them.
"The Mako Demons will be here soon." Rude told him as he stepped up on the ridge and looked out at the unusual city. "Are they still in there?"
"Yup." Reno replied. "Been a couple of hours at least."
"Seems that's about to change." Rude said, nodding towards the distant city. A small group of people were exiting one of the many cave mouths on the canyon wall and heading out of the city.
"That's them all right." Reno grinned. "Looks like you got here just in time for the fun to begin."
"Wait." Rude said, frowning as he squinted behind his shades at the tiny figures. "The girl isn't with them."
"Aerith?" Reno asked, looking perturbed. "Dammit, she's the one we're really after. She must still be inside."
"Why are they leaving her there? That doesn't make sense." Rude grumbled.
"Oh who cares?" Reno groaned. "As soon as our critters get here we'll go down there and dig her out."
"No, I don't like it." Rude shook his head. "They're up to something."
"Well, what do you want to do about it?"
Rude thought for a moment as he watched the group head further from the city, towards the Highwind which was barely visible beyond a curve in the canyon.
"I'll follow them." He said at last. "See where they're going, and take care of them myself when I find out."
"You sure that's a good idea man?"
"If the girl is still here then so is Holy." Rude pointed out. "Without that, they won't be able to put up much of a fight."
"True." Reno shrugged. "Alright. I'll wait until the make-believe demons get here, and then I can use them as a shield in case she uses it. We'll head in and take care of these people in no time."
The pair of Turks watched as the small party boarded the Highwind and the mighty ship took off and headed further east. With a final farewell, the two parted ways, Rude to take care of a long time nuisance, and Reno to stay and finally obtain the prize they'd sought after for so long.