Calamity's Reign: Chapter 2 - Infection
Cloud Strife flexed his grip on his fusion sword nervously, eying the abomination at the bottom of the crater. A new Jenova, great, as if Jenova and Sephiroth themselves weren't enough. Now this? This... was bad. What if Sephiroth allied with this thing? They could barely handle the One Winged Angel himself, if both of them...
"Leave now," ordered Sephiroth at the creature, "This planet is MINE."
Cloud raised an eyebrow at that, slightly relived. It was fitting in a way he guessed, Sephiroth didn't share.
The creature hissed at Sephiroth, its wings flickering with agitation, its tentacle-scythe claws scrapping against eachother threateningly. "The claim to this world faded once your sire released its death scream to call to the stars. The feast now belongs to the one strong enough to claim it, spawn child. You are the one will leave."
Cloud gave a start. "I... can understand it?"
"You still have Jenova cells inside of you Cloud, I assume that's the reason," offered Nanaki.
Cloud nodded. "Probably."
"What's it saying?" asked Yuffie nervously.
"I think it just challenged Sephiroth for the right to consume and destroy the planet," muttered Cloud.
"Uh... so... they're going to fight eachother then? Okay, well, I'm not complaining," said Yuffie, "We could really use something going our way right now, I'll take what I can get."
Cloud frowned. "It said it was attracted by Jenova's death scream... but, we never really killed Jenova. Her cells are still active."
"Perhaps not, but, we did kill her main body when we went for Sephiroth during meteorfall," said Nakanki.
"Well shit, ain't that lovely, kill one and it calls to another? Fan-fucking-tastic, fuck our lives," spat Cid.
No further conversation happened as Sephiroth came to a decision, glaring down at the creature. "So be it."
Sephiroth flew down as the creature flew up. They swung at eachother, Masamune clashing against scythe-claw, sparks and blue energy erupting on contact. Sephiroth flew backwards as the creature pushed forward, slashing its scythe-claws at him again and again. The creature threw its claws foreward in a sweeping motion from the left and the right. Sephiroth allowed himself to plummet down to dodge before flying back up and swinging his blade, severing through the fleshy part of the claws.
The creature hissed before aiming a tentacle that was oozing black-blood at Sephiroth. Green mist burst forward and ripped the sky open in a green explosion that sent Sephiroth flying and grunting in pain. Cloud recognized the magic as Ultima. This thing was physically strong enough to keep up with Sephiroth, and magically powerful too. It... was no joke.
In an explosion of black goop, the creature's claws regenerated. Not only that, but its formerly severed claws began to twist and morph, turning into a monstrous mass with wings and a scythe like beak. The two claw-monsters flew up to join the main creature, charging at Sephiroth from three angles. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and aimed a hand, unleashing a heavy explosion of fire at one of the claw-monsters, disintegrating it. He brought Masamune up in time to block the second claw-monster and flew upward after to doge the main creature.
"I am amused," called down Sephiroth mockingly, "I had thought mother was alone, it would seem I was wrong. So tell me, are all of my mother's kin so weak?"
"Little spawn child, you have no understanding of what it is to be strong, the might of magic and of blade means little to the the call of Reunion," hissed the creature.
Cloud fell to his knees, screaming and clutching his head as his body began to spasm. He could feel his Jenova cells inside of him begin to churn and attack his body. Up above, Sephiroth also gave a startled shout of pain, clutching a hand to his stomach and hissing in pain. The creature flew at Sephiroth and slashed twice. Battling his own body, the One Winged Angel couldn't dodge. One carved a blow clean into his chest, the other nearly took his arm off at the shoulder. Sephiroth gave a roar of pain and plummeted downward, barely managing not to crash land and instead landed on one knee and a foot.
"Little spawn child, abandoned and left alone by your sire, will you not heed my call? Become my child and you may share in the feast," offered the creature, mocking amusement in its voice.
Sephiroth's only response was to clutch his head and scream in pain and rage.
The creature continued, "If you refuse then perhaps...," it turned towards Cloud, "The other child will answer instead? Will you not reunite with me?"
Cloud shook with effort, rising to a knee, lowering his hand, and glaring hatefully at the monster. "I've had... ENOUGH... of you damn monsters screwing with my head!"
The creature seemed amused, "Such a defiant child. Speak my name and submit and you may yet feast on this planet."
Cloud's cells vibrated, he could feel them trying to call out to the creature, he could feel them trying to change and adapt to it. He heard a name in his mind, in a language he did not understand, but, he could feel its meaning and spoke a loose translation of it...
"Morbunova..." Cloud whispered.
The creature purred at it's name. "Submit..."
Cloud gave a strangled cry and forced himself to his feet, a blue aura coating his body, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
A shockwave rippled out from Cloud, sending his allies staggering and causing Morbunova to release a ear splitting scream of rage. Cloud felt the creature's influence over his cells fade away. Cloud shook his head to clear away the last tinges of pain and glared full force at the monster, flexing his grip on his fusion swords. Reunion, the creature had just activated Reunion, not its own, but Jenova's. It had tried to directly subvert and control Jenova's cells. Cloud hadn't felt anything like it since Sephiroth had controlled him back when he thought he was Zack, and this was worse, far worse. Despite how much mental fortitude he had gained since then, the creature had come close to breaking through his defenses.
Not only that...
Though his injuries had started to heal, Sephiroth was still on his knees, clutching his head and screaming. Hmph. Seems he didn't much enjoy someone messing with his head. Cloud smirked at that, about time he got a taste of his own medicine.
brrr. brrr.
Cloud frowned, feeling a vibration from his PHS. He scowled, eyeing the creatures as it glared hatefully down at him before reaching down into his pocket for his phone. He flicked it open, concerned it might be Barret or Tifa, before he froze in shock, sighting who it said the text was from.
Aerith...
"Cloud, help Sephiroth. If he is controlled, its over. You can't beat both of them at the same time."
Cloud felt furious, felt betrayed, even as his mind understood and accepted what Aerith had sent him as the cold hard truth. If Sephiroth was controlled, the two of them together could overwhelm Cloud's mental defenses and control him, if not just outright kill him. Though, that begged the question of how Sephiroth could possibly be losing a mental struggle for control over his own body. Then again, Sephiroth was composed of far more Jenova cells, or rather, S-Cells, than Cloud was. He most likely heard Reuinion's call louder than Cloud did. It was a strange thought, to realize that Sephiroth of all people was vulnerable to it.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud called out.
Sephiroth growled. his eyes rising to meet Cloud's. Cloud flinched in shock. Sephiroth's normally green cat-like eyes had turned a shade of blood red. He... his cells were actually being converted. Cloud knew he had to act quickly, and there was one way he thought of to get through to his nemesis.
"Some puppet master you turned out to be! The 'Puppet' resists far better than you do!" mocked Cloud.
Sephiroth's eyes narrowed and he let out an audible hiss of frustration; Cloud saw a flicker of green re-enter Sephiroth's eyes. "Come on! Is that the best you can do? You've come back how many times to kill me and..."
Morbunova interrupted, unleashing an Ultima spell directly at Cloud. He gave a startled cry, unprepared to take the heavy magic attack. He was sent flying, his cloths burned and charred, losing his grip on his sword. He hit the ground and groaned painfully. Damn...
Cloud looked up, sighting Morbunova directly above him, lashing down with a claw. Cloud rolled and scrambled, screaming in pain as the claw came down on his back instead of his neck.
"Cloud!" cried out Yuffie.
Morbunova's remaining Claw-Monster flew at the others, attempting to distract them from its master. Morbunova raised a claw and brought it down towards the back of Cloud's neck, only to have the appendix severed as Masamune cleaved through it. A fireball exploded into Morbunova's side, causing the monster to scream and spiral away.
Sephiroth, his eyes fully green again, snarled, "The puppet is MINE to kill or control, not yours."
"Nice to know you care," muttered Cloud under his breath, scrambling away to grab his sword and cast cure on himself.
Sephiroth eyed him briefly. "We will conclude our business after this pest is dealt with."
There was no wait for a confirmation or acknowledgement. Sephiroth flew up into the air, swerving to come at Morbunova from the right. Cloud swore to himself and leapt into the air, coming at the creature from the left. It brought its claws up to block both attacks, but the sheer force behind them send the creature recoiling backwards. The both rushed forward and swung, severing its claws from its body, and then stabbing their blades into its torso. The creature hissed and unleashed an Ultima, blasting them back.
To Cloud's surprise, Morbunova dove below them, down into the crater. Cloud watched it go before it sank its head into a puddle of Mako and gave off a slurping sound...
"It's feeding off the Planet!" cried out Cloud.
Sephiroth and Cloud rushed down, swinging their blades in unison. Morbunova, to Cloud's surprise, evaded the blows. Even if it had been only a quick few gulps of Mako, the monster had grown a bit faster.
"We have to keep it away from the crater," said Cloud.
"Obviously," retorted Sephiroth, "Get it out and I will seal the wound in the planet."
Cloud crouched and leapt at the Calamity, separating his fusion sword into two and engaging it in a duel of claw and steel. He put every ounce of strength he had into the clash, pushing his body to its limit, blue and gold energy coating him. He back-flipped out of an attack and then front flipped, his sword shinning with energy. Morbunova crossed its claws and blocked as Cloud unleashed a Braver limit break, smashing into and through its guard, sending the creature screaming back. He rushed at it, giving no edge. He knew he was going to burn out quickly fighting at this intensity, but he had to get it out of the crater. If it was allowed to feed anymore, not even he and Sephiroth could defeat it together.
"I suggest, that your pitiful friends leave the crater, now," yelled Sephiroth.
Cloud briefly turned his head towards the others. "GO!"
He refocused on the Calamity, chaining one Braver after another, building up his power. With one attack, he separated his sword into its individual pieces, flying to each and rushing back at the Calamity, unleashing Omnislash. Unlike Sephiroth, Morbunova had no experience against the attack. Each blow rent into its flesh, spraying black blood everywhere. With one final cry, he called all of his blades back together and swung a deep blow into its chest, sending it flying out of the crater screaming in agony. Cloud landed on the ground outside the crater and fell to a knee, huffing and puffing raged breaths.
A whine filled the air, followed by a minor earthquake and a flash of light. Cloud turned his head, sighting a barrier covering the entrance to the crater, much like the one Sephiroth had made over the Northern Crater during Meteorfall. Sephiroth himself floated above the barrier, a smug look on his face.
He wagged a finger at Morbunova. "Tut tut, feeding on the prize before the battle is even over. Aren't you a greedy little glutton?"
The Calamity hissed, but said nothing. Instead, it ripped off its own claw-tentacle arms and balled them together. Cloud watched wearily as the Calamity's black blood began to rise into the air and condense on the tentacle-arms. It began to churn and morph. Cloud's eyes went wide with shock as a creature became to emerge from the mass. It... it was the same kind of creature Sephiroth/Jenova had unleashed during their hunt for him. The one from the cargo ship, the one in the whirlwind maze... and the one after Aerith had been murdered.
To his surprise, rather than aid it's creation, Morbunova turned and fled. Cloud swore, the creature was a diversion to cover the Calamity's escape. Before Cloud could follow, the creation dropped to the ground and gave a roar, unleashing a beam of energy that forced Cloud back.
Damn it... they had to kill this thing first and then chase after the Calamity...
Aerith watched the battle uneasily from the lifestream. "It's running, but, its still so strong... I thought it would be as strong as Jenova was when Cloud and the others fought her in the Northern Crater, but, its just as individually strong as either Sephiroth or Cloud. I don't understand, Jenova was never that powerful..."
"Untrue," interrupted Minerva, "Long ago, when the Calamity from the Skies first dropped from the heavens as it's dark harbinger, it was far stronger than any of the three fighting now."
Aerith's eyes went wide. "S-stronger?!"
Minerva nodded. "It all but wiped out your race, beloved child. Even with the help of the planet herself, all the survivors could do was seal it away. The Calamity lost much of its power during its long sleep, and during the time Shinra leeched its cells away. What Gaia's Champion fought in the Northern Crater was but a shadow of the Calamity's former self."
Aerith frowned. "I see... it truly had to be terrifying living back then when Jenova was at the peak of her power."
Minerva nodded solemnly before tilting her head to the skies. "This new Calamity is troubling, but manageable. However, its existence makes the planet uneasy and fearful for her future. We thought the original Calamity was a unique being, but now that we have found that another of its kind exists..."
"That there could be even more out there," finished Vincent, his voice heavy.
Minerva nodded. "Indeed, and if there are truly more of them, then they to will be drawn to the Calamity's death throes, and the throes of the new Calamity as well when it dies. We fear that Gaia's Champion will not be enough to safeguard the planet."
"What can we do?" asked Aerith, "What can be truly be done? I can cast Great Gospel from the lifestream, but, I don't think it will honestly be enough against that thing, or any others that might come. Not to mention if I cast it now, it will hurt Sephiroth as well, and we need him to help Cloud fight Morbunova."
Minerva frowned. "The planet is not pleased with an alliance, even temporarily, with Calamity's Child. Once this battle is over, he will seek to finish what he started. I have stirred my last champion and sent him to help and even the odds afterwords, but, beyond him, we will need more champions for the future."
Aerith grew curious. "Last champion?"
Minerva smiled faintly. "A man of great sorrow, and yet, great heart and pride. A failed child of Calamity, taken from her and made my own WEAPON. Though, new and not understanding of his power, he was beaten by your friend here."
Zack's eyes went wide. "Wait a second, you don't mean..."
Minerva nodded. "Indeed."
Zack frowned. "Are you sure trusting him is a good idea?"
Minerva raised an eyebrow. "Do you question my judgement?"
Zack held up a defensive hand. "N-no."
Minerva sighed briefly. "Even he will not be enough in the long run. The planet cannot leave its fate in the balance. It must take action. It needs... new WEAPONS."
Zack crossed his arms. "Umm... Spikey and the WEAPONS don't exactly get along ya know. Since they try and attack humanity and all."
Minerva nodded curtly. "We are aware. To that end, we have a... special plan in mind. It will take a great deal of energy from the lifestream to do, and will weaken the planet for centuries to come, but it very well may be the only thing that saves it from oblivion..."
Morbunova flew away, fleeing in a rage as his wounds began to bind themselves. Meddlesome spawn children. How could they be so strong as to resist HIS will? He had come to this world, answering the death call, seeking vengeance for his slain kin. Never before had he heard the chilling melody of death for his own kind. The only way he knew of his kind being able to die was being killed by another of their kind, and that did not release the call. He did not particularly care that one of his own had fallen, but, the fact that it had happened demanded that he investigate and consume or destroy anything with the power to resist them.
He paused his flight, sensing fading life nearby. He swerved his head, noting two creatures of the same species below him. One of a darker brown complexion, one of a whiter one, but deathly pale and leaking blood. Alone, wounded, and defenseless. Yes. They would do nicely as the first of his own spawn children on this world. He flew down and slammed the back his claws into the brown one before it could react and knocked it out. He turned to gaze upon the nearly dead one, a viscous slash wound across its chest. He studied the wound briefly.
The silvered spawn child. The wound matched it's weapon. Curious. He had thought they all were allied. He stored the thought away and jabbed a claw into the creature's shoulder and lifted it up, growing delighted as it let out a soft whimper of pain. Morbunova focused his consciousness onto his large cell production chamber and readied it. Out of the gaping black hole in his chest, a tendril shot out and stabbed into his captive's stomach, pumping his cells into it.
As he did so, he began to sample its memories, no, her memories. Tifa Lockheart was the creature's name. It was a... human they called themselves? He focused his attention towards Tifa's memories of the two spawn children he had fought not long ago. The silver one, Sephiroth. The blonde one, Cloud Strife. The name Sephiroth triggered a number of memories in Tifa's mind and he followed them. He saw a village burn. He saw a mansion. He saw books and words and pieces of paper. The words Project S...
Morbunova grew shocked as it continued to go through Tifa's memories. He had been wrong, so wrong. Sephiroth was no mere spawn child. He was so much more. Seeded with the essence of his kind at birth, he was a... heir, yes, a heir would be the proper term. Which meant he was in essence of the same kind of being as Morbunova himself, thus, a rival. Two of their kind were not meant to be on the same world at a time. Complications always ensued which resulted in one of their kind consuming the other. It was a messy business and why they avoided contact with one another.
He focused his attention on the other one. Cloud Strife. A... clone? He wasn't familiar with the word, and forced Tifa's mind to reveal its meaning. Hmm. Interesting. Cloud seemed to be a heir of a heir. Unusual. The humans of this world and their science had created something never before seen to his knowledge. His kind infected and consumed worlds, activating the Reunion Call at the end to consume and re-integrate their cells before leaving for the next world. Save for the Progenitor, they did not create heirs, did not create true, independent children, all were supposed to be consumed at the end of Reunion. The word Reunion triggered another memory in Tifa's mind, followed by the name of his kin that had come to this world, a name that sent a chill rocketing all over his body...
The humans called his kin Jenova... but he knew her true name.
Morbunova hissed in awe and anger. Firstborn. Eater of worlds, of souls, and other's of their kind, second only to their Progenitor. It was a terror to pass her in the flights through the stars towards new world's to feed on. She was carnivorous, and one of the few who would actually seek out others of their kind to feed on if her appetite grew large enough. The Firstborn had been here on this world. The Firstborn had been slain. THE FIRSTBORN HAD BEEN SLAIN! To have slain her. This world was dangerous. It had to be consumed and destroyed. To that end, he would need to adapt and overcome. The Firstborn and her heir Sephiroth had allied, but, the Firstborn's heirs would not heed his call. So perhaps...
Morbunova glanced down at Tifa Lockheart, a sinister gleam in his eye. Perhaps he needed to create his own heir, and here before him, was the perfect vessel to mold in his image. He stopped injecting her with his cells, and pulled his tendril out of her stomach. Black ooze, his cells, leaked out of the hole he left behind. He commanded that the cells stop their transformation of her body into a mere spawn child. He dove back into Tifa's memories and devoured all information he could on how Sephiroth was created. A low half-chuckle half-hiss escaped his mouth. It was easily done. The humans could only create a heir in the womb of its mother. HE however was a being that was so much more capable of molding life. He modified his next infusion and jabbed his tendril back into her stomach, injecting more and more of his cells into her body.
Tifa began to struggle and scream in his grasp, enough that he had to jab his other claw into her other shoulder to keep her at bay. She was a strong willed one, and powerful as well. She wasn't even enhanced either, like the SOLDIERs her memories told him had been. But he would fix that. He would remake her in his image. He would make her strong. And he would feed her the lifeblood of the planet. Oh yes... she would become his heir, his most treasured daughter, and she would help to deliver him this world.
"TIFA!" came a yell of panic.
Morbunova twisted his head, sighting Cloud Strife rushing towards him, Sephiroth flying overhead. He injected one last infusion of his cells into Tifa's body and commanded that they begin the change before dropping her and fleeing. He ordered the cells to be subtle, and not take control of Tifa until he was ready. Cloud was an ally of Tifa, he would try to 'help' her. He would not understand what was happening, nor would he try to kill her. Not until it was to late...
Author's Notes:
I gave Jenova a bit of a background with her race, she's got quite the reputation, and she doesn't play nice. ^_^
I also dropped the term "progenitor" as well. I'll let you guys stew on that for awhile.
New weapons!? Ominous! But in a good way. Wonder if you guys can guess what I have in mind.
The New Calamity's name, Morbunova, is a play on the word Morbus and the word Nova. Morbus is a word meaning 'disease'. Thus, as Jenova's name meant New God, Morbunova's name means New Disease, and he has delivered on that name. Tifa is infected with the Morbunova virus, and is being changed...
As a... teaser... the next chapter is called: The Edge Incident.
If that rings a bell with the Nibelheim Incident, it should. Minerva is wrong to even consider the new Calamity 'manageable'. It's going to be bad people, its gonna be real bad...