V
CHAPTER FIVE
THE ETERNAL GUARDIAN
The Gate of Naught was a secured iron doorway six inches thick, its hinges welded to the cramped tunnel walls with bolts as large as Cloud's fist. Flickering lamps hung limply along the passage, doing little to conceal the years of rust that scarred the old metal, nor the insects inhabiting the fissures in the red sandstone. Abandoned barrels and kegs filled with stagnant liquid stood guard, but they need not have bothered, for the electronic panel aside the door frame had been dead for decades.
"Ho ho hoo, this is it," Bugenhagen hooted as he approached the iron gate, cross-legged on his floating medicine ball. "Are we all set?"
Cloud frowned, exchanging an uncertain glance with Nanaki. Of all the places in Cosmo Village he had expected the elder to take them, this was something of a mystery.
Despite the late hour, Bugenhagen had insisted the secrets of his adopted grandson's heritage could not wait. They had left the others around the Candle to mull over Nanaki's recount of his love for Deneh, his capture by the Turks, and how the shame of his cowardly father still weighed heavily on his heart. Their companions needed time to reflect on all they had learned during their stay here; Cloud needed to occupy his troubled mind.
Wary of whatever threats loomed in the dark reaches of the canyon, the blond swordsman had been nominated to accompany Bugenhagen and Nanaki. He did not complain; it was as good an excuse as any for the ex-SOLDIER to evade the party's dorm at the Shildra Inn. As instructed by the aged scientist, though, he had armed himself with the Buster Sword and, more curiously, equipped an orb of Cure Materia.
Perhaps he fears for his own health, not ours…
"Grandpa, I…I don't understand," Nanaki admitted, tentative as he watched Bugenhagen hover among the casks, murmuring to himself.
"Ho ho hoo, it's here somewhere…ah!" There was a soft click, and a control switch suddenly emerged from the murky fluid of the keg nearest him. Pushing the faded button, a deafening grinding sound resonated throughout the tunnel, and the doors slowly parted. The elder peered back at the two, grinning beneath his bushy white whiskers, then gestured to the shadowy path beyond. "Shall we?"
"Shouldn't you lead the way?" suggested Nanaki.
"Are you crazy?" Bugenhagen shook his head vigorously. "It's dangerous in there. I told you that! You want an old man like me to go first? What's the matter with you?"
"I just meant-"
"It's fine," muttered Cloud, trudging past the fiery beast. "I'll go first."
"And I'll be right behind," Bugenhagen assured him cheerfully.
Even as he crossed the threshold of the inner caverns, a stifling heat washed over Cloud. The air here was close and sticky, with a strong scent of dust and sulphur. Cobwebs were draped like curtains in this long-forgotten corridor, and the scuttle of a thousand disturbed creatures did not bode well for their venture into the unknown.
Guided by the radiant flames of Nanaki's tail, the three soon arrived at a spacious hollow, empty but for a set of rough-hewn steps on the opposite corner, and a bulky generator against one wall. The machine was an outdated piece of Shinra, Inc. technology – identifiable by the diamond emblem on its front – and seemed to be the power source for the security gate.
Another gift from Professor Gast?
"Come, come," Bugenhagen urged them towards the stairway, stealing Cloud's attention from the generator, "it's this way."
The descent was long and draining, the stone steps winding their way into the bowels of Cosmo Canyon. None of the group spoke as they went, brooding but alert. The torchlight swayed gently as Nanaki walked, the reddish surface of the rock gradually replaced by an unusual green sheen of fluorescent moss, adding an eerie element to the environment.
They were brought eventually to what appeared to be the hub of a larger network of subterranean caves. A thin haze hung in the air, clinging mainly to the razor-sharp stalactites that adorned the vast chamber like menacing chandeliers. Visibility was much improved here thanks to the translucent walls, and the entrances to several passages could be seen amid the mesmeric display of moss. Shards of odd-shaped rocks lay strewn across the ground, but there was a distinct trail among them.
"Which way?" Nanaki asked, hushing his voice in the uneasy stillness.
"Ahead," replied Bugenhagen.
The Guardian proceeded into the cavern, tracing the route between the boulders as the vaulted ceiling expanded above like a natural cathedral. The scene reminded Cloud of the Mako-stained grottos he, Tifa and Sephiroth had once navigated within Mount Nibel. Despite the suffocating warmth, the very thought of it sent a cold shiver down his spine.
Hundreds of snakes observed the trio from the gloom, their cautious eyes reflecting the glare like brilliant sapphires. Bugenhagen recognised them as heg vipers, characteristically territorial, but not too fond of light. Their sporadic hisses and rattling twin tails did not faze the mercenary; experience had taught him to be more concerned by a silent enemy.
After a short hike, the maze of stone and mist narrowed to form a twisting channel that sloped further beneath the earth, occasionally branching off into the blackness. It ended abruptly at a fracture in the wall of the central chamber, the way blocked by a boulder that seemed to have been placed there to obscure its existence. Nevertheless, plumes of steam continued to filter into the cave through the cracks, as welcoming to the three as the hegs' hostile reception.
"What now?" Nanaki queried, inspecting the obstruction.
"Ho ho hoo, we break it open," said Bugenhagen, pounding a fist on his palm in demonstration. "Don't worry, it's quite brittle. Cloud, would you do the honours?"
In his youth, the ex-SOLDIER had taken tremendous care to avoid abrading the Buster Sword. Whatever values had compelled him before were of little importance now, yet still he faltered as he drew the weapon from the magnetic disc on his back. Savouring its weight in his hands, his gaze crept over the gilded carvings at its hilt, and up all four-and-a-half feet of its steel alloy blade.
Use brings about wear, tear and rust, he recited from some distant memory, and sighed. Rotating his grip on the greatsword, he hammered the blunt edge down on the boulder, cleaving it effortlessly in two.
A blast of acrid smoke engulfed Cloud, consuming him in its sulphuric stench, causing him to gag as it caught in his throat. The rush of air that followed echoed noisily among the shallow gully, scattering rubble hither and thither. Spluttering and brushing a layer of grime from his bare biceps, he made to holster the Buster Sword again, but paused as a strange groaning met his ears.
The sound grew steadily louder, an unnerving blend of abhorrence and torment. Cloud turned, his gloved fingers wrapped firmly around the blade's handle. There was a shuffling movement in one of the nearby hollows, and he saw a crouched figure materialise amid the shadows. It was a man, his face and shoulders hidden under a ragged cowl, and naked but for a loincloth, his exposed skin grey and sickly. No sooner had the apparition taken shape, he vanished from sight, his moans fading to a disgruntled whisper.
"What the hell was that?" growled Cloud, his heart thumping in his chest.
"These caves are haunted by ghosts of the Gi Tribe," Bugenhagen answered solemnly, "each the spectre of a warrior killed during a battle long ago. By his manner, though, I'd guess that one was probably once a scout."
Nanaki frowned. "Which battle do you speak of, Grandfather? How are such spectres possible?"
"Ho ho hoo, how best to explain?" Bugenhagen exhaled ponderously, caressing his beard. "At death, your Spirit Energy returns to the Lifestream, yes?"
"That's correct," agreed Nanaki.
"Well, there can be exceptions; sometimes, something gets left behind. In rare circumstances, if an individual's soul bears too much anger, or they have unfinished business in this life, a fragment of their Spirit Energy will remain. This is what you have witnessed. After the battle, the vengeful spirits of the Gi didn't disappear; their hatred prevented them from fully passing on to the Lifestream."
"Vengeful spirits?" Nanaki repeated, his features laden with confusion. "What happened here? How does it relate to my father?"
"Let's move on," bade Bugenhagen, redirecting his ball and drifting through the gaping hole Cloud had created. "We still have far to go…"
The slender tunnel beyond progressed a further quarter-mile before opening above a treacherous underground ravine. Dense columns of smoke billowed up through the chasm, produced by the bubbling rivers of molten rock at its depths. The heat was torturous, and the sulphur so thick that Cloud had trouble breathing, pulling the collar of his poloneck over his mouth as a makeshift respirator.
The path thereafter snaked along the jagged precipice, barely wide enough for the three to travel in single file. Another trail mirrored them on the opposite cliff as the walls of the crevasse ebbed and flowed, often drawing so close that Cloud could have leapt the breach if needed. On the floor, puddles of oily scum had collected in patches, making their trek increasingly hazardous, even unsettling the surefooted Nanaki at times.
More disconcerting, however, were the remnants of human skeletons, their flesh having long since rotted in the searing temperatures or been picked apart by the hegs.
"Do not disturb the bones," warned Bugenhagen, gliding alongside his escorts. "The dead don't wander far from their resting place."
Easy for you to say, Cloud grumbled to himself. You're not the one hiking!
After a while, they reached a fork, where one route hugged the ravine but tapered to nothing, and the other fashioned a crooked causeway that rose above the towering abyss. Following the elder's commands, Cloud traipsed up the overpass, very aware of the plunge on either flank. It reminded him of the party's flight through Mythril Mine, and of the ark dragon that had tried to thwart his escape by torching the ropebridge.
Only two months had come and gone since then, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.
Ahead, Nanaki had regained his nimble and elegant stride, his large paws padding lightly on the rough sandstone. The dance of his tail cast creepy illusions over the vapours, as if a score of warped faces were watching them. His demeanour was contemplative; even by his usual standards, the beast's silence and sullen expression were telling.
The ridge brought them to another cleft in the precipice, easing their climb as they shambled into a labyrinth of grottos and channels. Dozens of enormous spider webs glimmered in the murky ingresses, their silken designs each a geometrical masterpiece. Their monstrous weavers were nowhere to be found, but the muffled scurry of pincers kept the group vigilant.
Nanaki's flames steered them through the cobwebbed arrangement to a protruding shelf that overlooked a great lava pit, so deep below the Planet's surface that the Mako rivers themselves dared not venture. Immense rock formations thrust from the crater like the teeth of some ancient demon, and between them roamed a lattice of suspended pathways. Here, visibility was marginally better; the smog was split by numerous shafts of moonlight penetrating the cavern's eroded ceiling.
"There," said Bugenhagen, pointing to a natural portico on the other side of the pit. "Our destination lies just beyond."
"Where are we?" asked Nanaki. "I've never explored this part of the Valley."
"As you have seen, this cave system leads to the rear entrance of Cosmo Canyon, a vulnerable place to attack. Historically, the Gi were a cruel people, and vastly more populous than the Bugah Tribe. These passages are too narrow for an army, yet if they had invaded this way, we wouldn't have stood a chance."
"What are you saying?" Nanaki regarded him curiously. "The Gi attacked the village from the cliffs. I remember it well. My mother gave her life defending us that night."
"A tactic to divert our attention from the true threat, but we realised before it was too late. While that fierce battle raged on, a lone warrior came through these caves, slaying the enemy one by one. They had the numbers, but he had the desire and strategic advantage."
"Grandpa?" gasped Nanaki, beginning to comprehend. "That warrior…?"
"Ho ho hoo, be patient," Bugenhagen teased him, "we're almost there."
Stepping out onto the shelf, Cloud heard an almighty crunch, and recoiled in dismay as the shin bone of a Gi corpse crumbled to dust beneath his boots. The remains had been concealed from view, slumped against the adjacent overhang, but his clumsiness caused it to collapse sideways. As if in slow motion, the skull toppled from the ledge, its momentum dragging the rest behind. The trio cringed in unison, listening as the skeleton shattered on the crags below.
"Do not disturb the bones!" Bugenhagen muttered, flashing the mercenary a reprimanding scowl. "Please be caref-"
A hideous scream filled the hollow, quaking its very walls. Cloud was swift to cover his ears, the wail piercing his mind like a cold dagger. He saw Nanaki do the same, impulsively dropping to the ground, his feline whines drowned out by the eerie cry. Bugenhagen, however, was paralysed, his focus set on the gloomy tunnels from which they had just emerged. Fighting the disorientation, Cloud matched the old man's gaze, his pulse racing as he noticed the horde that had now gathered in the darkness.
Gaunt and grey and decayed, the ghostly features of the Gi were horrifying to behold. Like the phantom scout, they were clad in cloaks and pelts and varying degrees of armour, some boasting feather-based adornments. A spectral blue glow emanated from within their eye sockets, and they seemed to be floating, surrounded by an ethereal aura that connected the physical and spiritual worlds.
Cloud hastily drew the Buster Sword as one of the wraiths drifted forward, carrying what once may have been a thin lance. The spearman's wrists and ankles were festooned in golden bracelets, and he was masked by a shabby headscarf, but there was no doubting the malice that lurked behind it. With each movement, his approach quickened, lowering his weapon to skewer his blond opponent.
Easily dodging the initial strike, Cloud swung the great blade with casual intent. It sliced harmlessly through the apparition, who cackled in response, tossing away his spear as he lunged for the ex-SOLDIER's throat. Cloud felt a strange, uncomfortable sensation where the fiend clutched his poloneck, and a burning pain shot up his exposed arm when it came into contact with the spectre.
It…it can hurt me?
He roared in agony, trying to shake off the Gi, but there was little he could do to prevent its grip tightening. Reacting instinctively – or somehow detecting Bugenhagen's yells above the ghost's shrieking – Cloud suddenly remembered the Cure Materia equipped under his skin. Picturing a fountain of healing water in his mind's eye, the emerald green spell burst forth from his fist, consuming the undead creature in a wave of regenerative magic.
Calm descended momentarily over the grotto as they watched the phantom convulse violently, dissolving into the air like ashes. The horde became perfectly still for several seconds, their sapphire stares transfixed on the spot their kin had fallen. Then, in turn, the spectres began to beat the butts of their own lances on the hard floor, gradually harmonising the drumming, the sound building to a crescendo of hate. Cloud instantly recognised the act as a battle ritual, and knew the three did not have much time before the ghoulish swarm surged at them.
"Run!" he bellowed, holstering the Buster Sword again and scrambling out of the cave.
Nanaki was fast on his heels, and Bugenhagen's ball swept alongside, traversing the crude stone walkways that extended from the shelf. Their interweaving nature caused Cloud difficulty in maintaining his balance as he sprinted, as did his light-headedness from the magma fumes. Through the gaps in the rock, he caught glimpses of the lava streams hundreds of feet below, its hypnotic beauty calling to him like some deceitful siren.
A cacophony of war cries followed the company as they careened across the smoking maze of suspended ridges. Cloud risked a glance over his shoulder to see the apparitions in pursuit, passing without restriction above the void. He stumbled as a section of the path gave way underfoot, staggering long enough for the closest of the Gi to reach him.
Countering the challenge, Cloud sprayed a volley of Cure spells, the charms fizzing like firecrackers among the vapours. The first of the sparks tore devastatingly through the ghost, but did nothing to deter his comrades. Visualising a cleansing torrent, Cloud braced himself, unleashing a storm of fluorescent jade. Most of the remaining horde were incinerated by the force, but what few survived learned to keep their distance, retaliating instead with their own dark hexes.
Ducking swiftly as the cursed magic hurtled past, Cloud darted around the last of the rock formations, summoning his Mako-enhanced dexterity to propel himself across the rest of the chasm. Nanaki and Bugenhagen lingered in wait at the cavern's huge gateway, a yawning maw that led to an isolated antechamber. As the trio entered, the chasing pack seemed to desert their hunt, hovering innocuously on the periphery.
The air inside the cave reeked of death. An entanglement of stalactites and organic filth covered the walls, veiling their translucent sheen. The floor was a coarse arrangement of grimy, uneven rubble, inclining towards a compressed barricade of mud and gravel. Had it not been for the hulking mummified figure entombed in the debris, Cloud might have mistaken it for a collapsed ceiling.
However, when Bugenhagen spoke, it was clear he had not expected to find such a sight, and the tone of his voice chilled Cloud to the core.
"What is this…?" whispered the elder, his breath quickening as he inspected the rubble.
The broad chest of the man was completely bare, his tattooed skin putrid and purple, but otherwise preserved. His face had contorted in a wicked, snarling grin, with eyes wide and blank, crowned by an impressive war bonnet of eagle feathers. Around his collar clung a necklace of what appeared to be dual horn tusks, worn over a frayed mantle of embroidered cattle hide, its imagery depicting scenes of combat.
"Grandpa…" started Nanaki, joining him. "That headdress…is he…?"
"The Gi Nattak, yes," Bugenhagen answered grimly. "Chieftain of the tribe. But, his body is still…intact."
"What does it mean?" asked Cloud.
"When the Gi died in the battle here, they did not return to the Lifestream; their souls manifested as spectres. Nevertheless, their bodies decomposed the same way most beings do, and they have weak spirits; their hatred can so simply be washed away by healing spells. The Nattak, though…his flesh has endured. And his spirit, like stagnant air..."
As Bugenhagen trailed off, there was a low, unnatural growl, and the corpse blinked. Grit and pebbles began tumbling from the scree, the entire mound trembling as the Nattak's head slowly turned from side to side, assessing the intruders. Suddenly, his jaw slackened to display his sharpened teeth, and he let out a furious roar, igniting flames from his buried hands that blasted rock across the chamber.
Diving to evade the flying debris, Cloud clambered to his feet in time to witness Nanaki advancing, his neck aglow from his embedded Materia sphere. With a flick of his wolf-like snout, a concentrated pulse of Cure magic rocketed towards the undead chief, but dissipated meekly against his ribs. In reply, the brute lurched from his stony prison, ripping his whole upper torso from his spine in one gut-wrenching motion.
"It can't be…" gulped Bugenhagen.
"Why isn't he affected by the Materia?" Nanaki shouted through the explosion of dust.
"This is a power I've never seen before," spluttered the old man, retreating from the Nattak when he realised the revenant was brandishing an enormous spear. "His reanimated corpse must be shielding his corrupt Spirit Energy."
"Grandpa!"
Nanaki watched in horror as the Nattak's floating remains made straight for Bugenhagen, his spinal column and entrails hanging limply below. Drawing an arm back, the abomination prepared to thrust his great lance at the scholar, but was knocked off balance as the Guardian crashed into him. The Nattak spun angrily around, trying to rid himself of the beast who had sunk his fangs deep into the rotten flesh of his bicep. Nanaki clawed wildly at his skin, tearing strips from the chieftain's trunk to expose the phantom beneath. With an almighty screech, the Nattak managed to overcome Nanaki's onslaught by setting alight his mane, and hurling him against a nearby wall.
As the big feline crumpled in a heap, whimpering and brushing away the singed hairs, the Nattak turned once more on Bugenhagen. Cloud seized the opportunity to spring forward, yanking the Buster Sword from its magnetic holder, creating a barrier between the elder and the mummified foe. The Nattak paid him little heed and, as Cloud brought his blade slashing down, he was alarmed to see it easily deflected by the revenant's spear.
Parrying strike after strike, the Nattak matched him well, his unbridled strength enough to withstand the ex-SOLDIER's offensive. All the while, his sneering skeletal face loomed large and terrifying, his eyes maddened with the same abhorrence his tribesmen bore. Heaving up his weapon, Cloud felt a startling blow to his chest, launching him across the cave.
He skidded to a halt a few feet from the edge of the hollow and the observing ghosts, looking to Bugenhagen for guidance. "How do we kill him?"
"Magic cannot destroy the body," he responded, as if narrating from some ancient tome. "Steel cannot destroy the soul. But, together…"
Cloud understood immediately. Extracting the Cure Materia from his forearm, and rammed the orb into one of the empty slots at the sword's hilt. As soon as it was equipped, veins of jade green snaked along the surface of the blade, emitting a faint radiance.
Charging at the Gi Nattak, Cloud threw all his might behind his assault. The undead warrior blocked the first dozen hacks with his lance, but strained under the force as Cloud drove him back, possessed by a berserker's rage. Anticipating a retaliatory lunge, Cloud redirected his aim, slicing through the Nattak's elbow. The monster released a terrible howl as his spear and severed limb fell to the ground, blackening and disintegrating in a matter of seconds, as if the curse preserving it had been shattered.
As Cloud adopted a defensive stance, ready for whatever retribution was forthcoming, he heard the heavy pounding of paws on the floor at his rear. Stepping aside just in time, he saw Nanaki sail past, his leaping headbutt connecting sickeningly with the revenant's skull. Confused and flailing desperately, the Nattak was distracted by the Guardian, and Cloud accepted the invitation. With a single swing, he cleaved the fiend in half, his Buster Sword shining brilliantly as it sent the phantom into oblivion.
In a blinding flash of crimson, the Gi chieftain's screams shook the cavern, his corporeal and spiritual forms dispersing before them. Outside, the other spectres echoed his wails, fading in unison from the world of the living. At the head of the chamber, the mound of gravel crumbled, revealing a concealed passage.
Allowing their breathing to normalise, the three rested in silence for a minute, drained from magic usage, and processing the encounter in their own way.
"Nanaki, you have grown strong, ho ho hoo," Bugenhagen commended him eventually, wiping dirt from his long sleeves. "I know for certain now it wasn't a mistake to bring you here."
The beast bowed, his whiskers twitching with appreciation. "Thank you, Grandpa."
"And thank you, Cloud," added the old scientist. "With your assistance, we all live to serve the Planet another day."
Pocketing the Materia and gently clipping the Buster Sword onto his back, Cloud offered a nonchalant shrug. "Sure."
"Now, come." He gestured to the freshly-accessible exit. "What I wish to show you is right through there."
Rich golden moonlight poured into the cavity like a mountain spring, shimmering enchantingly on the layers of volcanic rock. Cloud felt his skin tingle in the rush of cool midnight air, the draft swirling dust about his ankles in a majestic waltz. Betraying his relative youth for once, Nanaki raced ahead, eager to discover what Bugenhagen had hidden from him all these years.
They emerged from the underground network at the foot of one of the Valley's narrow gorges. Crooked sandstone spires rose from the earth here, as ugly and unwelcoming as the remnants of the Gi Tribe. A blanket of steam hung eerily over the track, suspended between the heat of the subterranean caves and the chill of the desert beyond. Bounding effortlessly from ledge to ledge, Nanaki paused halfway up the nearest rock formation, settling on his haunches to absorb the scene above him.
His eloquent voice drifted down to Cloud and Bugenhagen. "Can it be…?"
"The lone warrior who battled the Gi," answered the elder, slowly ascending to join his beloved grandson, "he defeated the Nattak and his horde, and prevented them taking even one step into Cosmo Canyon. But, it came at a cost; he was never able to return to the village…"
"I…I…"
"Behold, Nanaki," Bugenhagen said proudly, motioning to the silhouetted figure at the crest of an overhead ridge. "Behold your father. Behold the warrior, Seto."
Screening his eyes against the glare of the moon, Cloud too lifted his gaze to the height of the cliff. As his vision adjusted, he saw a second male Guardian materialise, with huge paws and a spiked mane more wild than Nanaki's. However, where Nanaki's coat was aflame and full of vitality, Seto's was as grey and dark as a crypt's statue. His entire body was riddled with arrow shafts, giving his shadow a bizarre barbed shape, yet he peered down upon the ravine as if preparing to pounce at any moment.
"That…that's Seto…?" Nanaki stammered at last.
"He continued to fight the Gi here, to defend our home," replied the old man. "Even after their poisoned arrows had turned him to stone. Even after they abandoned their invasion and ran away. And still he protects us, an eternal Guardian, even now."
"Even now…" Nanaki repeated in wonder.
"You thought your father was a coward and a wastrel, that he had forsaken the village when our enemies attacked. But, he alone risked his life to ensure the survival of Cosmo Canyon. That is who Seto really was."
The beast lowered his head, pondering Bugenhagen's words. "Did Mother know?"
"Ho ho hoo, oh yes," he chortled, reaching out and placing a comforting palm on Nanaki's branded shoulder. "I was fortunate enough to say my goodbyes to both. Your parents made me promise to seal these caves, and not tell a soul. They wanted the truth kept from you until you had come of age."
"Until I was an adult, you mean?"
"I'd planned to discuss it with you after the Rite to Appease the Planet," Bugenhagen confessed regretfully, "but you were taken from us by Shinra."
"I don't understand," he sniffled. "Why would you all insist this remained a secret?"
"You do not have to forgive my role, Nanaki, but I implore you to forgive your parents. They were well-versed in the burdens of being Guardians. Their sacrifice allowed you to be the master of your own path, one free of duty and inheritance if you so chose."
"And what do you want for me?"
"I want you to persevere with your journey, to support Cloud and the others in any way you can."
"But…I am a Guardian of the Valley!" gasped Nanaki, affronted. "The shield of Cosmo Canyon!"
"You are indeed, ho ho hoo," Bugenhagen conceded, fixing the spectacles on his nose as he cast a glance back down at the ex-SOLDIER. Cloud said nothing. The scholar took that as his cue to carry on, hovering hither and thither above the trail. "Listen, Nanaki, I've reflected on much this past day or so. Your friends claim they are endeavouring to save the Planet but, honestly, I don't think it's possible.
"Even if they stop all the world's Mako Reactors, it's only going to postpone the inevitable. Even if they find the means to beat Sephiroth, everything will perish.
"However, I've been doing a lot of soul-searching lately; the elders and I have considered ways we could contribute. As part of the Planet, minuscule though we are, how could we help ease its misery? No matter the outcome, isn't it important to try? Or am I simply wishing against fate? Am I too old to do anything about it now?"
Nanaki looked at him with sad eyes. "Grandpa…?"
"Ho ho hoo, don't forget, I'll be one hundred and thirty this year," Bugenhagen reminded him, sweeping a dagged sleeve towards Cloud. "Which is why, Nanaki, it is imperative you go with them: for my sake! I'm just grateful I was given a chance to show you your real father; I'm so glad you were able to revisit Cosmo Canyon while I was still alive..."
"Don't talk like that!" snapped Nanaki, scrambling to all fours, his tail lashing back and forth. "I don't want to contemplate life without you!"
Bugenhagen smiled warmly, and stroked his moustache. "Well, I've had a pretty good run."
"You must live, Grandpa!" he maintained. "I will see to it! I'll stay and take care of you. I've not been here to protect the canyon, and for that I am ashamed, but I'm here now. I don't have to leave."
"No, you don't have to," agreed Bugenhagen, "though there is more than one way to protect the canyon. What's the point in keeping our home safe if your companions cannot avert the Planet's demise? Do not dishonour your parents' memory by cowering from this global threat. It is your opportunity to prove you have become an adult."
"If…if that's what it takes." Nanaki nodded with morose acceptance. "I'll investigate what's happening to the Planet, then I'll come back for you…and for Deneh."
"I believe you will."
"I am Nanaki, son of Seto," he raised his voice in declaration. "I shall return a warrior true to that noble name! And, as long as Seto is here, Cosmo Canyon will always have a Guardian. So, please, Grandpa-"
"Wait," Bugenhagen shushed him, his thick white brows furrowing "Listen…"
Cloud held his breath, straining to hear whatever had captured Bugenhagen's attention. From an outcrop several feet above, there resonated a soft, repetitive chime, as if two glasses were clinking together. He moved to grab his sword handle, but hesitated when he spotted a tiny object tumbling down the precipice, twinkling in the moonlight. It was followed by another, then another: a steady stream of crystalline droplets that jangled as they hit the stone. Bewildered, Cloud traced their trajectory to locate the source, and the realisation struck him like a freight train.
"F…father?" Nanaki whispered, overwhelmed by emotion as Seto's tears continued to trickle from his petrified features.
With a tremendous surge, the beast sprang onto the next ledge of the spire, and vaulted to its pinnacle. Rearing up on his hind legs, Nanaki howled into the night sky, a powerful release of raw passion. The sound reverberated around the canyon like some haunting war-horn, making the hairs on Cloud's arms stand on end.
As he watched the bittersweet reunion between the Guardians, he knew this beautiful moment would be enough to fleetingly quell the suffering of the Planet, and vowed to do the same in bringing Sephiroth to justice.
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