CHAPTER III: WRATH OF THE GODS
Sephiroth gazed at the ancient castle ahead of him in the vast wasteland. This will do. Slowly and silently he walked towards the ruins. He walked through the remnants of the door and beheld what had been preserved for centuries after its destruction and abandonment. The dark stone walls were covered in dust and cobwebs with rubble scattered about the floor, along with skeletons of soldiers. Sephiroth smiled at the sight of the loss of insignificant human life and treaded through the graveyard, stepping on any remains that stood in his way. A dark, maniacal laugh echoed through the castle as a person draped in red, blue, black, and yellow appeared, still laughing.
"How delightful is the sight of human suffering," Kefka said with a smile as cruel and twisted as his mind. Nothing can beat the music of hundreds of voices screaming in unison! I see you hate them as well."
"Why yes," the former hero of SOLDIER replied. "After what they did to me, how can I not?"
"So their experiments made you too?" Kefka asked with curiosity.
"Their futile attempts to harness the power of the gods and cosmos," Sephiroth answered coldly. He remembered when he discovered the truth of his origins in Nibelheim and left the town in flames to see his mother, JENOVA.
"Ah yes, they do not understand the power of the gods," Kefka replied. "They fear it, that is why we gods rule over them. But some try to stop this balance." His sinister grin faded into a scowl as he recalled the events at the top of his tower when his rule was put to an end. Damn insignificant pests. They don't know their place and yet they think they have the right to challenge me. I have the ultimate power!
"Never underestimate the strength in unity," Sephiroth added as he regarded the incidents when his motions were stopped by Cloud and the other members of AVALANCHE.
"Unity, bwha haha haha," Kefka replied with his signature laugh. "Unity is the pathetic attempt those insolent fools use to delay their inevitable destruction."
"Judgment," a dark voice added. The two villains looked around as the evil Lunarian Zemus manifested his presence. Sephiroth smiled as he could sense the hatred felt by this being.
Our time is coming Mother.
"Divine judgment," Kefka replied with another dark smile. "Wouldn't you agree Sephiroth?"
"Yes," Sephiroth answered coldly. "Just as my Mother did long ago."
"And shall be done once more," a feminine voice responded. The sorceress Ultimecia then walked into the ruins, followed by Yu Yevon in the body of Seymour Guado. Like a parasite, he needed a host, and Seymour's desire for destruction would suit him fine.
"So all have gathered then," Sephiroth said. "Let's settle things then."
"What is it that you propose?" Yu Yevon asked.
"A union of our own," Sephiroth answered. "Was it not the strength in unity that led to our downfall?"
"Underestimating the despised thing," Kefka replied. "How I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate HATE it!"
"The light pierces the darkness," Zemus added, "but the darkness can obscure the light." Sephiroth smiled at his words.
"Indeed so," he replied. "I have come to learn about an entity as powerful as each of us, one that has spanned the eons of time, Lavos."
"And what does this being have to do with us?" Ultimecia asked.
"Lavos is why we're here," Sephiroth answered. "By using its power, and combining ours, we will be unstoppable."
"Humanity will lie in ruins," Kefka replied with delight at the sound of his suggestion.
"The destruction of hopes and dreams," Zemus added. "The epitome of hatred and darkness."
"Yes," Sephiroth replied. "However, we have an obstacle that must be dealt with. Bahamut has gathered heroes from each of our times to stop us."
"Damn interfering Esper," Kefka added. "And how would you know this?"
"Lavos," Sephiroth answered. The other members of the dark council were satisfied by his answer, at least for the time being. "For now, we'll send minions to dispose of them."
"We must kill them before they can band together," Zemus added. "Lest we be stopped again."
"And so it shall be," Ultimecia replied. "Griever can tend to them."
"No," Sephiroth interrupted. "I have something else in mind."
"And what would that be Cetra?" Ultimecia asked furiously.
"Kefka," Sephiroth replied, "would you be kind enough to send them one of yours?" Kefka smiled at the suggestion.
"I would be delighted to destroy them now," Kefka answered.
"Then we can move on to other issues," Sephiroth replied. "We must harvest the power of Lavos before it is awakened. Drained of its strength, it will submit to our will. Nothing will stand in our way. That is why I have gathered you all here, to take what is rightfully ours." With those words, the dark alliance was secured, for the time being anyway. This would settle a few items on each member's agenda, yet left one unresolved issue, being who would reign sovereign.