Han ran through the woods and into the fields, heading towards Kalm, running from his pursuer. His hair bobbed and jumped wildly as he pumped his strong legs as fast as he could, running fast towards Kalm. Then a gunshot made him widen his eyes in fear. A bullet tore through his thigh and he fell to the ground, slamming into the tall grass and rolling.
Han gasped and panted, dragging his injured leg as he tried to crawl for cover, but Aurum appeared before him instantly.
"Han, do not run from me. I am your sacrifice." he said. Aurum bent down and touched Han's leg and it felt better, but Han could not feel Aurum's hand on his thigh.
The bullet wound healed on its own and the pain was gone, gasped and in terror Han moved back from a smiling Aurum, "What do you mean? Who are you?"
"I am Sephiroth and I am sacrificing myself to you."
Han got to his feet and looked at the man, it was the same one in his dream, it was Sephiroth. Aside from the two white pauldron plates on his shoulders he bore a striking resemblance to Sephiroth, though the manner in which he spoke and even moved was clearly that of Sephiroth.
Aurum bowed before Han and looked into his eyes, "You seek power. Great power. I'll be your sacrifice to find that power. One the time comes my body will become yours. In my flesh is Mother, in your flesh is Mother. Together our combined power will be unmatched in this world."
Han gasped and stared at Aurum, unable to believe what he heard or thought was even possible, stammering out the only response he could, "I-I won't e-e-eat you! It-it's wrong!"
Aurum nodded and helped Han to his feet, literally picking Han up off the ground to do so. His voice was calm and sagely, "Not all of my body, just the concentrated cells of Jenova that reside in it."
Han moved back, his face showing his nervous reaction to Aurum and his offer. Aurum stepped forward stretching his arm out toward hand in an effort to grasp the youthful man overcome by sudden morality.
Receding slowly, Han motioned back more, "I won't eat you. I'll become a monster." Aurum started to laugh slightly, realizing what Han was thinking.
"Eat? That is bad word to describe it. However, consumption is the closest thing to being able to describe what it really is."
Aurum moved forward towards Han. Slowly, but surely Han stopped and Aurum placed his hand onto Han's right shoulder, grasping it firmly, like a father to a son, "Will you take me, Han?"
Han's eyes focused in and defiance surged through him as he yelled, "I want to become powerful on my own!"
Suddenly, Aurum started to hold his head and gasp and groan in pain, "What are you doing, old man! Stop! You are a part of me! Nooo!" Aurum fell back a few steps and something changed about Aurum, his eyes wided and it looked as if he viewed Han for the first time.
"Ah.. Experiment No. 322. Han Akasugi. Age 23. Experiment No. 321. Oni Akasugi. Age 24. Experiment No. 323. Miko Akasugi. Age 21. The trio of SOLDIER. It's been a long time Han, you've progressed more then I could have imagined in these past 11 years."
Han eyed Aurum. His voice had changed and no longer was a powerful influence over him. Something had happened to Aurum, he was no longer himself.
Aurum continued, "While you have progressed you are still not at your peak. Sephiroth may not know how to convey it to you, but only a respected and wonderful scientist like me can! Ha-ha-ha."
Aurum started to pace back and forth a little bit, holding his chin with his right hand and nodding, "Where to begin, from the beginning of course. 11 years ago while the Akasugi family was in Wutai the swine managed to capture and torture your family, until Sephiroth freed you. Since your mother and father died during torture and captivity you three were selected for SOLDIER. Being far too young, I tested three separate cases on each one of you. Your brother with super-senses, you with super-speed and your sister with embedded materia."
Han growled, "She suffers to this day for what you did Hojo!"
Aurum laughed and Han grabbed Aurum by the chest and lifted him up off the ground, "Do you want to die?" Aurum continued laughing at Han. Han flung Aurum down through the air in an attempt to slam him into the ground, but Aurum quickly foresaw it and threw Han instead by quickly changing position to have Han's energy be used against him. Han landed on the ground with a thud and Aurum stepped onto his chest with a dirty boot.
"You see. Unlike what happened two years ago with Omega and Vincent Valentine, I've become used to entering bodies and my power surpasses even my own son. Now sit back and let me finish!"
"This body is just a mere shell, I uploaded Aurum's mind to the World Network and shot him in the head, but managed to resurrect with more experimentation on his body. Sadly his brain was gone and he proved incapable of being useful. Though the injection of more Jenova cells lead to a breakthrough! The mind repaired itself and infected the soul, devouring his spirit and it was expelled. All that remained was a zombie shell that was perfectly configured for control, but with no method to control I threw the body into stasis. Luckily I split conscious self between Aurum and Weiss and infected them both, but I was beaten and only after awakening after the death of Omega and Chaos did I used my will to reconnect myself and Sephiroth to this body! Aurum is able to be used by anyone with a strong will and spirit to control the body!"
"Where is Aurum's mind?" asked Han.
"Oh, his mind? Destroyed I bet! Hee hee hee! The meteor almost destroyed my consciousness to, but thanks to the Jenova cells it performed a sort of Neo-Reunion and allowed me to become whole again upon restoration of the World Network!"
Han drew both katanas and pointed them at Aurum, "Hojo, you will pay for what you have done."
With a flick of his wrist Aurum reached inside his left cuff with his right hand and drew four needles, instantly launching them into the neck of Han. The needles were sharp and cut through, instantly drawing blood, but contained a sinister mix of chemicals on the tip, instantly paralyzing the body of Han and shocking his system with intense pain. Han could not even move his own mouth or breathe from the intense paralysis.
Aurum smiled, "You see Han, I have all the cards. My son needs help, from you. You either listen to our demands or you die right here and now. Simple as that." Aurum kneeled down before Han and smiled wickedly.
"Let's help you say what's on your mind." sighed Aurum, drawing needle from inside his right cuff with his left hand. He fired it with a flick of his wrist into Han's neck, dangerously close to his vocal chords, but still missing any veins.
Han gasped and his body writhed out of control. His back rose off the ground and his chest shook, eyes grew large and bulged in his eye sockets. Every vein in his body exploded in size as blood surged through him, his entire being screaming out in agony, but some small ability to be able to live, where each breath felt like it would be your last. Between the border of life and death in a mystical Hell that existed for those rare few to be tortured by masters of pain.
Han gasped for air again, his second breathe and writhed more and more, unable to control his own body. It had been less then a minute he was without any movement at all, but he had literally died until Aurum's needle brought him back from the verge of death. He mouthed two words to Aurum, two clear and intense words.
"You insolent insignificant flea! What a foolish waste of a living being! You refuse…oh no….no!"
Aurum suddenly convulsed and started to scream, "Don't! No! NO! NO!" His head wracked in pain and suffering, but then silence as Aurum fell to the ground and ontop of Han.
Blood seeped from the ears of Aurum and onto Han. It burned his flesh and stung, it contained Jenova cells in it. The body of Aurum started to breakdown, blood started to pour through the black clothes and the body twisted and cracked impossibly as it was reduced to a jelly-like state.
Han couldn't move, but still screamed as the body of Aurum soaked him in crimson blood, burning him as Jenova cells entered his body. As if the blood acted on its own it started to run up his face towards his mouth.
Han's screams served only to hasten the blood's entrance, now glowing faintly of its own accord, into his body. The blood poured into his mouth, the usual iron taste filled his mind, but it burned and hurt his body. He was drowning in a pool of blood in his mouth.
He breathed in and his body convulsed and he accidentally swallowed it in his body spasms. Though all of a sudden all the pain vanished and a voice filled his head.
Han. Return to Mother.
Han had no idea what this thought was, but slowly and surely his mind was being warped. Every cell in hid body screamed to leave this place, pain filled him. At last he heard the will of Sephiroth freely, but it was not pure. Soon a collection of cries filled his soul, one belonging to Hojo, some belonging to other members of SOLDIER, to ordinary people, but then one to the traitor Cloud.
Kill Cloud. Destroy the traitor.
It was as if all of Jenova was connected to itself, the thoughts of Sephiroth traveled the planet, through the cells of Jenova. At last Han had been bestowed a greater power.
Visions flashed before him. He would have to regroup with Miko and Oni and rush to Northern Crater. Inside the house lay the means to get to the crater and the reach Sephiroth. There would be so much to do so quickly. Han became enlightened, Sephiroth himself showed the path to greatness and resurrection. The time would come when Han would regain his honor as a SOLDIER and Sephiroth would rule the world. Little did Han know that he had become a complete pawn to Sephiroth.