Birth of a Dream II

(continued)

Estuary of time I have been residing

Fade does the past as I tread forth

The trinket of my memoirs reverberates

Arises the enlightenment of thine sole true mission

"Do you have anything important to you?" the voice resonates.

It is pathetic.

Casting a retrospection down my life of solitary gone past, revert I could not to that question. I studied the boy who had been enclosed in the same observatory as me, wondering at why he was also caught by Hojo.

Standing up from the metal table on which he had been perched comfortably on, he walks almost non-chalantly to the looking glass which I knew to be two-way mirrors. I could never understand why people had to hide behind fragility akin to that and still believe themself to be totally safe from the assaults that their specimens could inflict on them. The boy looks into the glass and trailed his fingers along the surface in the form of a person, as though he could see beyond it.

"These 17 years of life, you have found nothing?" he glances over at me, golden hair sweeping lazily off his shoulders.

How did he know my age?

I decided that this person must have been a character sent by the mad scientist standing over there to test my loyalty to Shinra or to him.

"What does a young boy like you know?" I sneer, before letting the next few moments lapse into silence. It was true, the latter did not look a day over fifteen.

"So, you have not met her then." He continues, not in the least bothered by my sarcastic remark.

I looked away for I saw little meaning in these questions.

Suddenly, the cranking sounds of metallic doors opening could be heard. Thoroughly surprised, I turned my attention instantly on the bright sunlight that shone beyond the opening. That looked to me like nothing I had ever seen before.

What is this that feels so bright and warm?

Mesmerized by the different colors that reflected upon the metal interior of the observatory by the play of the light from outside, I could not help but step towards the door. The light…it drew me.

Before I knew it, I had come out into the open onto a sandy and dusty surface.

"Hahaha, now let's put my most prized specimen to the test." The irritating voice loomed over me from the loudspeakers of the research facility that I had left behind.

I spun around in alarm to realize that the metal door to the facility had closed and that the boy had followed me out.

Argh, what is Hojo up to now?

My answer soon came in the form of 6 horrendously disfigured beasts galloping towards me at such speed, one would have gaped in shock.

I stood quietly, keeping my eyes shut and formulating a strategy in my mind.

Empty-handed, I had only brought my materias with me in case of emergency battles. Cursing inwardly at having been careless enough to be tricked by Hojo, I shifted into battle stance, carefully arranging my materias for proper execution of my attack plan.

Fira, Thundera and Restora.

"Thundera!" I commanded, watching electric sparks shoot out from the small sky-blue crystal orb and congregate in the skies to form a celestial web of blinding flashes before striking down on the red fanged beast nearest to me.

Disregarding the burnt beast totally, I riveted my attention on the next on-coming two beasts.

"Ultimate Fira!" I cast my magic, letting the thirsty fire run across the desert draining all life and spread as that the whole area was engulfed in a sea of fire.

Watching in satisfaction as the remaining beasts shrieked in agony and pain at the searing flames which was eating away at their bodies, I turned my back on the desert to proceed to return to the research facility.

Enough of this place for now.

I notice that the little boy had been observing me quietly all this time near the door. He had not moved much and I frowned because he did not look like he could hold himself well in battles. Striding in his direction, I brush aside unruly silver strands that had gotten in my eyes.

A sudden pain shot through my body from behind in the form of a fire-ball. It pierces my chest with such speed, I find myself gasping for breath. As if that was not enough, an onslaught of the same wretched attacks came, slashing through my body like the invasion of locusts across a field. I concentrated and made a very focused attempt not to collapse onto the ground. Looking up, I was even more alarmed to realize that the young boy had been severely injured by the blasts. His life-force was flowing out of him by the pool of blood that burst from his ravaged body, staining the metallic walls he leaned against a dark viscous red.

He stares at me, eyes almost lifeless.

What is this that is attacking me? Should I try to save the lad first?

"Restora Activate!" I decided, before turning around to face my assailant.

With the use of Restora, I would not have any time to utitlise any other material whilst it was performing its healing on the boy.

Direct combat then. I grimace a little, not exactly liking the idea. I veered around and raised my fists at a sharp angle to the ground, preparing myself physically and mentally for the humongous and hideous beast that clearly regarded me as its lunch.

The fire blasting maniac.

"Aha, what will you do, my precious specimen" I hear Hojo's sickening voice over the sound system.

Oh, another maniac.

I glared up at the beast and calculated its height and the momentum I would have to gain in order to get atop it. That and considering the fact that I was injured.

My blood stains the earthen grounds a dark red and I realize that I was starting to breathe far harder than before.

This has to end fast. I thought as I steel myself to start running to gain speed.

"Wait, you will die." A weak voice manages behind me, "Thank you for saving me, you have saved yourself."

"What?" I was confused.

"There." He smiles at me one last time as I turned my head slightly to face him but also keeping an eye on the fire blasting maniac that was coming at me in full speed.

Suddenly, the gapping wounds on the boy's body that my Restora material was trying to close burst and became even bigger. Blood was simply just spurting out of his wreakage of a body now.

To be honest, I watched in fascinated horror. It was just like watching a fountain spurting blood.

"You are a brave warrior, young one. And kind too, for you wanted to save me." The boy's voice suddenly seemed to lower an octave.

"What's happening to you?" I could not believe myself but I actually ran over to his side and tried to command Restora to work harder.

"I am draining myself of blo…" the answer was barely audible as the young boy's body suddenly stiffened and went cold. It started to shrink to become smaller and thinner.

The last words of the boy reverberated in the air as his body turned into the unbelievably long and cold hard steel of the blade I was to wield for the next twenty years.

You will become the most powerful General in the world.

And we shall find her together.

For you were born to do so.