Chapter Five: Traitors Revealed

Sephiroth sped through the paths of Fort Tamblin. Springing onto the wall, he looked out and saw Cloud and Lightning. The two of them had their backs to the cliff and were slashing around them at Genesis clones. The clones themselves moved with agonized steps, silently slashing with dual swords.

Cloud parried two of their thrusts and ran one through. Lightning slashed two down before switching her sword to a gun and shooting two more dead. A bolt of lightning from Cloud friend another, as still more came out of the trees. And these were only a small fragment of them.

Sephiroth could sense Genesis everywhere in the woods, coming in great numbers. The Turks were fighting in the trees, and the reserves were being engaged. Even now, he could perceive other attacks being launched.

It was an army.

A Genesis Army.

Drawing Masamune, Sephiroth raised his sword. The blade flashed, and ice froze great hordes of Genesis solid as they came at Lightning and Cloud. Another wave of fire descended on those that came out of the trees, and they let out silent screams. Then the path was consumed.

The flames caught on the trees, and blaze took hold, but Sephiroth silenced it with another wave of ice. Best not to start any forest fires.

He was about to go to reach Cloud and Lightning; however, he suddenly became aware of a new presence. Looking out, Sephiroth perceived a familiar summoning coming into being. It was a demon, emerging in the skies above the forests. It had massive arms and flesh burning with magma and great ram horns, and it descended to do battle.

Genesis' Ifrit.

That meant Genesis was here personally, using his summoning materia to target someone. He'd never have used it against Angeal; it wouldn't have been of any use. And against Lazard, it would be overkill...

"Zack," surmised Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth, there are more of them coming," said Cloud. "Can you give us more support?"

"Lightning, Cloud, can you hold your position a little longer?" asked Sephiroth.

"I doubt it," said Cloud.

"Then move," said Sephiroth. "Find the Turks and work with them. They're professionals, and you'll have more success with them."

"Where are you going?" asked Cloud.

"I believe Zack Fair is about to be killed," said Sephiroth. "He's in a lot more dangerous than you." Then he shot off toward the trees. Sephiroth paused only to unleash a wave of lightning bolts on the Genesis copies as they emerged.

Sephiroth did not get far before he heard the sound of combat throughout the wood. Now and then, he gained a glimpse of the Genesis copies fighting with men from Shinra. Lazard had called in the reserves, it seemed. Even now, they were moving into the forests from the rear to fight. It seemed as if the experienced men of SOLDIER were an even match with Genesis.

One wondered then what the point of having Genesis copies in the first place.

Genesis, however, did not confront Sephiroth himself.

Whenever he went to fight them, the copies scattered and fled. Evidently, Genesis knew better than to attempt a direct confrontation. But Sephiroth pursued them. His sword flashed as he cleaved down three of the copies and rushed on. Others attempted to use Materia against him, but he tore through them with ease.

These were evidently not a serious threat—minor infantrymen taken by raids to fill out the ranks. None of them were a real threat, and they died easily. Sephiroth wondered if the real Genesis was around here or if he was commanding from afar. They'd never tested the range limits of Genesis copies, after all. On Sephiroth rushed, and soon he could see flames through the trees.

Coming to their edge, he found Zack Fair.

When he came to him, the area had been transformed into a raging inferno. Ifrit had turned the surroundings into a duplicate of its own domain, and Zack was fighting with it. The fool was losing, for Ifrit was tearing at him. Thrown down by a charge, Zack struggled to stand as the beast reached for his throat.

Sephiroth surged forward and slashed through it.

Sliding to a halt, he saw the dimension of Ifrit fall away as the creature died. In ancient days, summons had been worshipped as deities, and their use was sacred. Now they maintained their strength because they had been used for so long. Summons as a weapon was simply a fact of life, the same as Lightning Materia.

Sephiroth wondered if they were even sentient.

Either way, he kneeled down by a number of corpses Zack had made before Ifrit showed up. Kneeing, he removed the faceplate and confirmed what Cloud had said. There was the face of one of Sephiroth's closest friends. And a little way on, there it was again. It was disturbing to see his friend dead, even if it wasn't him. "Genesis..."

"The missing SOLDIER first class?" asked Zack, coming forward. He looked at the two bodies. "They're identical."

"A Genesis copy," said Sephiroth, irritated at his ignorance.

"Copy? A human copy?" asked Zack.

"Where's Angeal?" asked Sephiroth quickly, in no mood to explain.

"I thought he was fighting around here," said Zack.

Sephiroth reached out with his senses and sought Angeal. However, he found him nowhere in the surrounding area. The fighting that even now was dying down did not include him. If it ever had, Angeal should have finished this far sooner. He'd have cut a bloody swath through the Genesis copies in the time it took for Sephiroth to get involved.

Angeal had a comparable melee ability to Sephiroth, after all.

Still, this did not add up. Angeal was no coward. He might have walked out on the army if he became disgusted by it, but he would not have abandoned it during a mission. Unless...

"So he's gone too," said Sephiroth.

"What?" asked Zack. "Wait, what does that mean?"

"It means Angeal has betrayed us as well," said Sephiroth. It was the only thing that fits with the situation and Angeal's character, really.

Angeal had saved Zack. Sephiroth now suspected that Angeal had been assigned to kill him off on behalf of his superiors. If so, Genesis summoning Ifrit had been a way of cleaning up Angeal's mess. Angeal had probably abandoned Zack out here because he didn't want to kill him personally.

"No way!" said Zack. "I know what kind of guy Angeal is, and he'd never do that."

Sephiroth said nothing.

"Angeal wouldn't betray us!

"Never!"

"Sephiroth sir, we're having trouble here," said Cloud over the com.

"I'll be right there," replied Sephiroth. "Zack Fair, we have work to do. Follow me."

On they went, with Zack falling in behind him.

Sephiroth opened a channel to Tseng in the meantime. He needed more information. "Tseng, is there any word from Lazard?" Sephiroth had tried to sense Lazard, but Lazard wasn't like Angeal and Genesis. He was a brighter candle than most, but not a bonfire like SOLDIER 1st class.

"Yes, we found him, barely," said Tseng. "He was seriously injured. A number of Genesis copies ambushed him and slashed him up. He was the only survivor of that squad, though barely."

"I see," said Sephiroth. He cut the channel and looked to Zack. "Zack, did you see Lazard? What kind of interactions did you have after completing your mission?"

"Well, Angeal and I finished taking the fort and headed back," said Zack. "Once we got there, Lazard met and debriefed us. I'd only just gotten away when the Genesis copies attacked us, and we got separated.

"Angeal told me to escort Lazard to safety, and I did. When I went back to meet him, though, Ifrit attacked me. Then um... you showed up."

"I see," said Sephiroth, reserving judgment. Ahead he sensed Lightning and several of the Turks. "We're nearly there."

Coming out of the trees, Sephiroth found Cloud on the ground. His helmet had been smashed open. Lightning was kneeling by him with a cure materia over his bloodstained brow. The Turks, as well as the reserve unit, were tending to other wounded people.

"Lightning report," said Sephiroth, coming forward.

Lightning looked up at him. "Genesis' copies aren't nearly as good at fighting as we are."

"Lightning, you're okay!" said Zack, surging forward to huge Lightning.

"Get off me," said Lightning, shaking him off.

"I thought you went, rogue! What happened?" asked Zack.

"Brainwashed by a dark lord," said Lightning

"Right, well, nice to have you back," said Zack.

"Are you injured?" asked Sephiroth.

"No, these things aren't nearly as powerful as the real Genesis," said Lightning. "I think..." She trailed off. "Lazard."

Cloud almost sat up at the name, but Lightning forced him down. "Don't move; you're still hurt."

There was an odd tenderness in her movements, even if her face was expressionless. And Sephiroth couldn't help but notice that she'd left all the talking to Cloud. Sephiroth contemplated healing Cloud's injuries. Then reflected he didn't want to burn the mana.

Then there was a commotion from the path. Sephiroth looked up to see Lazard being carried on a stretcher. Men were around him, guns at the ready, and a medic was using cure materia on him. Even so, Lazard was covered in wounded, and Zack stared in horror before running forward.

"Oh no!" said Zack, coming to his side. "Lazard, Lazard, are you okay?"

"I... think I'll be sticking to desk jobs from now on, Zack," said Lazard, coughing. He had a rueful smile on, and Sephiroth wondered if he'd faked this to throw off suspicion. Lazard was a very good actor, after all.

"Will he recover? He's got to recover," said Zack, voice panicking.

"The stab missed the vital organs; he should be fine," said the medic.

Sephiroth wondered if Zack would hold the same opinion if he knew the truth.

"Well, look who's wrong," said Reno, sharpening a knife to one side.

"Cloud wasn't wrong," noted Lightning, her voice holding a bit of heat. "Lazard ordered the hit on himself. What, so they just happen to attack him right after Zack leaves? And then they just happen to miss all the internal organs and not notice he was breathing."

"You're going to argue that Lazard had himself stabbed to throw off suspicion?" asked Reno.

"We had him dead to rights," said Lightning. "If he hadn't done that, everyone would have assumed he was behind this. He probably set this up right after he met with Genesis."

"Um, I'm a Turk, and I think you're being a little paranoid," said Elena.

"This operation was far too sloppy for Lazard," said Sephiroth. "The massacre of our fleet was a masterstroke. And it was done by parties who could not be connected to anyone in Shinra.

"In contrast, this most recent operation was poorly planned. It was more like the Genesis copies were thrown in without regard to survival. Perhaps as a distraction, but Lazard is never that wasteful with resources. I suspect Genesis set this plan upon his own initiative after losing contact with his superior.

"Possible Angeal. He is with them now."

"What?" said a man. "How is that possible?"

"Angeal would never turn on us," said another.

"And what brings you to that conclusion?" asked Lightning.

"Well... he's so honorable," said another.

Why were these people so convinced Angeal would never turn on them? Did they think that his speeches about honor actually applied to them? Sephiroth decided to let it pass, but Lightning was not so reserved.

"Yes, why would a man whose entire life is based around honor turn on us?" asked Lightning with sarcasm.

"Alright, fine, so we're a bit in the gray area," said Elena.

"All those bodies hung from church ceilings must have done wonders," said Lightning. "He must have felt as if he belonged perfectly."

"Enough," said Sephiroth. "Where is Prince Yuffie?"

"Cloud got seriously injured protecting her," said Lightning. "The Turks took her right after, though. She's over there." Motioning, Sephiroth saw that Princess Yuffie was tied up near Tseng.

"Why do you care about the kid?" asked Reno. "Not like we haven't already won."

"She's a valuable hostage," said Sephiroth. "And we can use her to ensure Wutai's cooperation. She is probably more valuable to Shinra corporation than the Fort. As long as we hold here, the King of Wutai cannot act against us."

"Yeah," said Reno. "But we already thrashed them."

"That does not mean Wutai is not still dangerous," replied Sephiroth. "They've been sabotaging Shinra equipment for years. With her as a prisoner, however, King Godo will have no choice but to cut off support."

And then Yuffie sprang to her feet and ran forward, struggling in her rope bindings. "You're all wrong! My Dad will never stop fighting! We're going to defeat Shinra and wipe all of you out easily! You'll see!

"We're going to wipe out all you jerks-"

Tseng grabbed her and set a hand to her neck with expert precision. Instantly, Yuffie's eyes rolled back in her neck, and she collapsed. Tseng caught her as she fell and lowered her to the floor. "Smarter than she looks.

"She was playing possum."

"Get some proper restraints on her," said Sephiroth.

Then Sephiroth eyed Cloud and realized that he was only pretending to remain in a stupor. His eyes were a slit open, and he was observing all of this. And one hand was grasping his sword in a death grip like King Arthur lying wounded. That had been when Morgana Le Fay had stolen from him his scabbard, hadn't it?

Or had that been a different time Arthur had been wounded? He'd spent his whole life fighting, after all.

Sephiroth was suddenly sick to death of this.

Both of his oldest friends had walked out on Shinra, and more importantly, him. Neither had contacted him or even asked him to accompany them. Did they think he wouldn't have come? It wasn't as if he was actually loyal to Shinra.

If Angeal and Genesis had both asked him to accompany them...

Well, it wasn't as if there was anything tying him to Shinra. Yet they had not trusted him. They'd assumed he'd betray them out of hand if they tried to recruit him. After all their years adventuring, they still did not trust him.

It was the first time in years that Sephiroth had been hurt by something. And it made him very, very, angry.