Author's Note: I don't have a lot to say other than I can't wait to finish this story for you guys. It has been a blast and I can't wait to write more (shorter) fanfiction in the future, but this has to be done first. I have so many ideas that if I start going off on tangents, this will never get finished.

I do not own FF7 or any of its characters. Talin, Unit 28, and some other side characters are mine.

As always, I hope you enjoy and please R&R.


Chapter 59

The teen kept the promise to continue where they left off in the front of his mind in an attempt to ward off his nerves, but even that wasn't enough for long. Talin wasn't able to slow the frantic rate of his heart as he spotted an old gnarled tree, signifying the furthest boundary for any Hunter's patrol, and quickly routed them towards the cliffs to the west.

~We can scale the cliffs this way to get a distant view of the village to see what's there. It's too far for any regular person to see, but I know you can see further than most. ~ Sticking to the facts made it easier for him to think past the pounding of his heart as they moved ever closer to Taka. The darkness of predawn was made deeper by the storm clouds that still hung heavy with rain over the region and they moved like silent shadows with glowing green eyes.

Talin reached the summit of the cliff with ease and had a moment to reflect on how far he'd come since leaving the town as his General scanned the distant valley. In the past, such a climb would have been harrowing. Mako helped, but he's always been extremely cautious of using it needlessly. You never knew what dangers lurked in the mountains and he never wanted to need it and not have enough.

Try as he might, he couldn't see more than the faint outline of a cleared space of land where the village should lay, but Sephiroth apparently didn't have such limitations.

~I can see at least ten small dwellings and a larger building in the center. Some have smoke coming from chimneys, but no lights on or people moving around. ~ The silver 1st turned to look at him, the glow in the slit eyes slowly fading as he continued. ~Looks like people stayed after the Ifrit and rebuilt. ~

~Only the most devoted, ~ And Talin shuddered at the thought of that blind, righteous devotion, ~would have remained after what happened. There'd been whispers of people who'd wanted to leave the town but hadn't had the opportunity... I- I guess I gave them one. ~ It was a bitter-sweet statement but neither dwelt on the thought as the teen began leading the way along the high ridge.

The echoes of memory haunted his every step now, and Sephiroth caught more than one image from Talin's mind as they walked. They vaulted a slim waterway, thick grasses on either side of crystal-clear water that flowed with only a quiet burble of sound, and the General saw a glimpse of this same stream from Talin's past. Far from a comforting memory, it was an image awash in a Mako green haze that did nothing to hide the fight trampled and blood wet grass or the growing cloud of darkness around a motionless form in the water... Each new glimpse of Talin's memories served as another reason for the silver 1st to get his Lieutenant far away from this place as soon as possible.

Their path rounded the very edges of the forest leading to the greatly reduced village but, although the teen would have found some way to force himself to go if he'd been ordered, Sephiroth didn't ask him to lead them any closer to the dwellings. They visually skimmed the portion of woods that had been cleared of underbrush but didn't see any patrols or even a worn path that showed recent tracks.

~How many hunters were there before? You said that they kept you on a rotation so the town was covered at all times? ~ Talin's own thoughts had run a similar line and he nodded.

~There were fourteen, including me. The patrols were set so that we rotated inner to outer parameter and back again, but we never left the town without at least a lookout on watch... ~ Talin's pause halted Sephiroth as he was moving back towards the deeper forest and he almost spoke aloud when the redhead dropped to his stomach to inch out into the cleared woodland.

~Talin! What are you- ~

~A lookout. ~ He'd stopped his slow crawl forward and an image was passed back to the SOLDIER of Talin's perspective from his place on the ground. The roof of the taller central building... and a lone man hunkered in a hollow turret atop it. It was cleverly disguised to hide its occupant but from the angle of the 3rd's lowered view, you could just see the man's outline against the lightening sky.

~He would have spotted us the instant we broke cover to head to the Well. Clever, now get back here or I'll drag you by your ankles into the nearest bushes... ~ The last was said with a purr that punched through Talin's anxiety and made him realize just what he must have looked like from his General's perspective.

Self-conscious and blushing, the younger SOLDIER made his way back to cover. Heated cat-green eyes met his when he looked around for the 1st and Talin almost took an inadvertent step back when Seph stalked towards him in slow measured steps. The deep purring tone continued in his head and some instinct told him not to give way, not to back down from the challenge implicit in the man's approach.

~We might be on mission, but that was more than a little tempting. ~ Talin didn't flinch when a hand snaked its way up to the back of his neck but his senses went on high alert. They were in the middle of dangerous territory...

~What happened to 'mind on the mission'? There might b- ~ The lightning-quick press of lips against his shredded any further thoughts the teen might have had. Within a moment, his mouth was opened and the kiss deepened while he was pulled tight against the leather-clad thigh that slipped between his. Brain scrambling between lust and fear of discovery, the redhead shifted to move away but found himself backed against a tree.

Pinned there against the rough bark, Talin struggled to form a thought beyond the incoherent worry that pounded at the back of his skull. That too flew out the window when the 3rd felt Sephiroth's hands move down to his hips and then down further to grip his ass. The SOLDIER gave a sharp tug and the fire in Talin ignited as his General ground them roughly together. The short-circuit of his mind caused by the pleasurable onslaught could be the only acceptable excuse for the younger fighter's loud groan into the stillness of the forest.

A flurry of motion, sound, and the sensation of wind against his face was all Talin caught in the next few seconds. He was in Sephiroth's arms and said man was all but flying over the terrain as somewhere far behind them men crashed towards their previous location. Far from looking angry however, the 1st had a very pleased and devious grin on his lips when he looked down at his trainee.

A moment's warning was all Talin had before he was spun down to his feet and forced to keep the insane pace his mentor was setting. His brain caught up with something akin to a physical snap of a rubber band to his skull.

~What the hell was that?! ~ His irritation was obvious and his physical frustration, although it was rapidly dying as they ran, made the words come out more snarl than question. The quiet chuckle that tickled across their link made the teen wish he dared to try smacking the man.

The crunch of gravel under their boots diverted Talin's attention momentarily to ensure he didn't slip in the loose rocks. As soon as his feet hit solid dirt again, he returned to his previous question. ~So what? You don't have an answer? ~ The same chuckle echoed back to him from the silver SOLDIER and the Lieutenant could only grumble his annoyance while he struggled to keep up.

Panting slightly from the speed of their sprint, the redhead was relieved when they ducked into the cover of a cave. Once they were concealed in the shadows, the 1st terminated their run, coming to a sharp halt by one wall. Talin cut the flow of Mako a second later but used his momentum to skid to a stop in front of the bigger man.

~What happened to 'We're on a mission'?! ~ To wound up to filter his thoughts, the Lieutenant pushed his confusion into the question as well as the sting of his annoyance. There was no chuckle this time, but Sephiroth's smile was still pleased if not as devious as before.

~Where are you, Talin? ~ The teen blinked, more confused than ever, and the General almost laughed at the tart response of 'a cave'. ~Yes, it's a cave, but what cave? ~ This time, Seph saw the reaction he'd expected. Shock and the first, thin trace of fear.

~The Well... ~ Talin didn't need to look around, his mentor wouldn't lead him to that conclusion if it wasn't true, but- ~But then why- ~

~Could you have walked in here without hesitation if you hadn't been distracted and following me out of habit? ~ The shiver that tore down the young 3rd's spine was answer enough for both of them. ~I'm sorry I tricked you, ~ Sephiroth stepped closer, letting his body block out more of the cavern behind him and drawing Talin's eyes back up to meet his. ~but you and I both want this over with so don't be too angry with me? ~

The teen couldn't immediately drop his agitation, but the lingering heat in his gut also reminded him that he had at least enjoyed himself. Not able to laugh or do more than offer a slim, exasperated smile, Talin moved from behind his General's protective figure. However, he couldn't quite smother his growing fear and paused shoulder to shoulder with Sephiroth.

The tall 1st felt the light tug of a lock of his hair and waited patiently unmoving as Talin ran the soft strands through his fingers. It only lasted a few moments while the redhead worked through his trepidation. With a deep breath, he squared his shoulders, let the silver hair fall from his fingertips, and looked up at his mentor with eyes glowing with primed Mako. ~They expanded the mine a lot, but I think it's this way. ~ Sephiroth couldn't help the quiet purr of approval that slipped along their link or the flare of his own eyes in pride as Talin pushed aside his memories and fears to accomplish their mission.

After a few dead ends and a bit of backtracking, they finally found a path that glowed ever so faintly green. They followed the unmistakable light till the tunnel widened out into a large cavern, much larger than Talin remembered from the last time he'd seen it as a child. The air was thick with the smell of Mako and the teen's prior apprehension pushed its way back to the forefront of his thoughts.

Sephiroth, still following closely behind the increasingly nervous redhead, didn't push his Lieutenant to enter the cavern when he suddenly halted in the shadows of the tunnel. They could wait a few moments for- The General's sensitive hearing picked up what Talin's had and he nudged the frozen teen deeper into the shadows.

"Look, I might not know how it works, but it's obviously busted." The voice of the speaker was soft. Not out of reverence for a place some would consider spiritual, but due to some kind of ailment that made the man's intake of breath between words rough and raspy. "Don't know why you've still got it. Just a painful reminder, if ya ask me."

"It's not broken." Where they'd had to listen closely for the first man, the second speaker's voice was clear, strong, and commanding as it echoed off the walls of the great cavern.

From where they were hidden in a side tunnel, Sephiroth was rapidly considering their next move when he felt a tremor go down Talin's spine and the 1st found himself frozen as the young fighter's hand slid into his. It wasn't the physical contact or even the press of the other's mind as it twined itself around his that held Sephiroth motionless. It was that the hand that gripped his so fiercely was shaking.

~Talin? ~ The shadow in the Void that had wrapped around him trembled and clung tighter to his form with a wild slew of emotions that threatened to overwhelm the SOLDIER. Fear of a place couldn't explain the frantic jumble. Only one person could set Talin off like this. ~It's him, isn't it. ~

Sephiroth barely heard the whisper that was nearly lost in the chaotic flood of images, thoughts, and choking fear that surged down their link.

~Rald... ~


Thank you all for reading! Please don't forget to R&R and Favorite the story to get notified when I update!

See you next week!