EDIT: Apologies if you get an email about this chapter again - I'm replacing the scene dividers that FanFiction(dot)Net so unkindly deleted for me.
Chapter One
If You Want to be a Hero…
Sephiroth…where are you?
Zack drifted in the Lifestream, unsure which way to turn now. He'd followed the familiar, dark vibrations radiating from Sephiroth's spirit, but now they were oddly distorted, and he no longer quite knew which direction to go.
He frowned, "listening" to the movement of the Lifestream around him and the patterns it made. The energy of the souls, green and luminous, swirled and danced around him, pulsing with the rise and fall of a great tide, the heartbeat of the Planet.
Zack had always found enjoyment in racing through the rivers of life among the other spirits. The Lifestream had different moods, depending on the season and the nature of the souls, and even upon Zack's feelings at the time. Sometimes it was exhilarating, like riding with dolphins leaping through the surf, or chasing a galaxy of shooting stars across the heavens. At other times, it was unpredictable, churning and playful, gusting like the wind in the canyons. Still yet, it could be the cool, gentle brush of delicate butterfly wings against his face, dancing in light eddies in the current, or tiny warm sparks ghosting slowly upward into the night sky, as if from the everlasting Candle in Cosmo Canyon.
He and Aerith used to dance among them occasionally, just the two of them. Well, and the thousands of other spirits around them, but the spirits didn't intrude, and they really only had eyes for each other. Zack smiled fondly, as he remembered.
But that was before he'd had to dedicate his efforts to stopping Sephiroth. He sighed. More than anything, he wished that this could be over with. He just wanted to return to Aerith, maybe watch over Cloud and the others with her. He never even got to say goodbye before he left this last time. He'd always made a point of it before…you know, just in case. But he didn't want to see the worry in her eyes, the unasked questions over something he couldn't tell her. It was better this way, he told himself, so that Sephiroth wouldn't somehow find out what he was doing. He was clever like that, so Zack just couldn't take any chances.
Zack wished that none of this had ever happened. The good old days before his death, before Nibelheim, were just a dim memory. With another sigh, Zack closed his fingers around the warmth of the treasured item he was carrying, holding it close. Well, at least there were some memories that weren't so dim. Sephiroth's memories…
It had been such a heartbreaking task, gathering them all. He remembered when he found the first memory – it had been a child's laughter. Sephiroth's laughter! Zack didn't even know he'd ever had a reason to laugh as a child, what with being in Hojo's tender care. It must've been from an earlier time, before Professor Gast left. The laughter had echoed the images of bright, innocent green eyes and short silver hair, of a small boy scrambling about in play. It was the most adorable thing Zack had ever heard, and the most tragic – lost to the distant past as Sephiroth grew up, and now discarded like a useless piece of trash.
The memory had given him hope – the first real hope he'd had since Sephiroth had nearly made him kill Aerith with his own hands. He shuddered, not wanting to remember. Why Sephiroth had not fully invaded his mind again remained a mystery, but Zack supposed he should be grateful for that small miracle. But, Gaia help him, he had been so badly shaken that it was almost impossible to feel gratitude, or anything good, towards that…monster. That event had sent Zack on a downward spiral. He'd tried to bounce back, stay the cheerful, optimistic SOLDIER he'd always been, and he thought for a while that he'd succeeded… But that optimism had been a mask, hiding a growing well of doubt and misery. Fight after fight, always ending inconclusively or with defeat, didn't help him at all. He'd come to think of Sephiroth as a dark spectre, a demon lurking within the dimmest depths of the Lifestream. He was Zack's nightmare.
But that ringing laughter had finally shone a small, but ever so bright, ray of light into the darkness.
That first memory had been linked by a thin, fragile thread to another, which Zack had carefully followed. That, in turn, had led to another, and another until, at long last, Zack had them all gathered up safely in his arms.
Some of the memories, like that one, had been truly joyful. But there had been others so full of pain and despair that he'd wanted to weep for his friend. He half wondered why the very Planet itself hadn't wept for him. He hadn't deserved that life, the innocent boy with the pure laugh and clear, shining eyes. But that had been the only life he'd been given, and though Zack now knew more about his friend than he'd ever wanted to know, he was incredibly proud of him. It was his friend who'd been that boy, his friend who'd grown strong despite the torture, his friend who'd become the trusted advisor and General, who cared about and watched out for his SOLDIERs and allies.
And soon, it would be his friend once more.
But now, the real question was where should he go? He'd already been drifting here for some time, trying to figure it out.
What the heck, Sephiroth? You never cared about trying to hide before. He was so powerful that he could easily crush anything that bothered him. He'd had no reason to hide what he was doing, as far as Zack knew, though he never openly declared his plans, either. In fact, Sephiroth had always seemed to find amusement in knowing that those in the Lifestream watched, powerless to stop him. So why start concealing things now?
The dark whispers emanating from Sephiroth's presence echoed chaotically around Zack, as if he was in some kind of fun house. It was impossible to tell from which direction they were coming. Zack groaned. Now he'd probably have to comb the entire area. I just hope he doesn't decide to get the drop on me. Again. He shuddered.
He started forward, the currents of the Lifestream parting before him, already planning the path he'd take. He couldn't really pick a reference point to start from, and there wasn't a true up or down, but he'd learned through practice that he could feel where he'd been before. Sometimes he got mixed up, but he'd really been getting better…
After a long while, which could have been anything from hours to months, as far as Zack could tell, he finally seemed to be closing in on…whatever he was closing in on. The Lifestream whirled thickly about him, and the dark energies thrummed in his ears now, he could feel them vibrating around and through him. That had to mean he was on the right track, didn't it?
Suddenly, the Lifestream parted. Zack came to a halt, stunned at the sight before him.
It was a storm. That was the only thing that could describe it, even though Zack had never seen weather of any kind in the Lifestream. He was still some distance from it, and it was difficult to judge the size from here with nothing solid to compare it to, but it felt big. It was a dark, roiling mass, churning in the center of the wall of Lifestream rotating around it. Clearly, the Lifestream gave it a wide berth, wanting nothing to do with it.
As Zack looked closer, he could see flashes of light from the inside, almost like lightning in a supercell. As he watched, a jagged bolted lashed out, arcing across the gap and spearing into the surrounding Lifestream. A small portion of the shimmering green blackened and fell, swirling down into the tempest.
Zack gasped. Was that…Dark Lifestream? The same corrupted Lifestream Zack had watched Sephiroth call down during his last battle with Cloud? Was that what the storm was made of?
But how was that even possible? Zack didn't know how much Dark Lifestream there was, but surely there hadn't been that much, had there? And it seemed to be capable of corrupting the Lifestream around it, through whatever energy bolt it had used! How was Sephiroth doing it?
Guess there's only one way to find out.
Drumming up his courage, he drifted forward, leaving the relative safety of the Lifestream, one lonely little soul floating toward the massive black sea. It loomed over him as he neared it, dark and foreboding.
He paused, as he got within arm's reach, suddenly apprehensive. There'd been a growing dread forcing itself upon him as he'd approached, and now he felt his resolve failing him. No wonder the Lifestream kept its distance; his very spirit was trembling under the oppressive darkness the storm was radiating.
Zack didn't know if he could force himself to move any closer.
What if he turned back right now? Gave up this useless charade? I could go back and see Aerith. We could be happy and just ignore Sephiroth. Cloud'll be okay – he did great during that last fight! There's no reason to worry about him anymore…
He stared into the boiling clouds, doubt and fear filling his heart. I don't really have to do this…
But then he looked down at the radiant glow of the memories he was holding, and the misgivings were driven away. Yes, he did have to do this. There was someone counting on him, though that person didn't know it yet. And Zack wasn't going to let him down.
He threw off his reservations and reached out a hand toward the blackness. Hesitating for only a moment, he thrust it inside.
It burned. Zack gritted his teeth and pushed forward. The final step that immersed him completely made him cry out in agony - the Dark Lifestream tore at him, ripping at his essence, trying to dig invisible claws into the core of his being. He resisted as best he could, but knew he couldn't take too much of this. He shut his eyes, concentrating on making it through, on denying the Lifestream purchase on his soul.
At some point, Zack was certain he wasn't going to make it. Was the entire storm like this? How would he find, let alone defeat, Sephiroth in this? He could feel himself weakening, battered about by the violent energies. He was going to be ripped apart!
Abruptly, the ferocious winds were gone, and Zack gasped in surprised relief, eyes flying open. He drifted weakly downward, away from the maelstrom raging behind him, to come to rest on his hands and knees on a solid surface.
He took a moment to gather his strength. With a grim smirk, he noticed that he was quite transparent now – the Dark Lifestream had really done a number on him. Black wisps of smoke drifted off of him, as if water vaporized by the sun…but there was no sun here. He slowly sat back to look around him, wincing in pain. His spirit really didn't want to move just yet.
It was dark here. Not black, but it was awash in a permanent state of gloom, as if from a land where the sun never shone, and a heavy mist lay upon everything. The very existence of the land was a puzzle – there was no land in the Lifestream, not as it existed on the Planet, anyway. Zack frowned.
The ground he knelt on was cold and slightly damp, the soil coarse. It stretched away from him, meeting up with the smooth, dark surface of a lake. Just beyond the lake, rising out of the fog, was a curious tower that appeared as if someone had carved large windows into a giant seashell and planted it into the shore. Zack stared in astonishment. He remembered this place. Somewhere deep inside the structure was where Aerith had died. The lake was where Cloud had laid her to rest. …It was the Forgotten Capital. The City of the Ancients.
Slowly, Zack stood. Far above, the black storm still raged. It drew a wall all around this place, which Zack had come through, but the Capital itself seemed to exist in an island of relative calm.
So… this is where you've been hiding. But how can this place exist in the Lifestream?
Zack had so many questions, but there wasn't time to figure them out. He started for the building. As the mists parted before him, swirling around his boots, he thought he heard faint whispers, just on the edge of his perception. He gazed around, warily. Was it just his imagination, or was there really something there?
Skirting the edge of the lake, he stared into the depths. He half expected some horrible creature to leap out at him. Thankfully, nothing did, and Zack proceeded inside the enormous shell.
What followed was a long journey downward. The inside of the shell was a maze, but it seemed that no matter what direction Zack chose, it always led deeper and deeper into the earth. Pearly surfaces eventually melted away and merged into jagged rock, still descending toward some unknown destination.
He wondered when he would arrive at the pool where Aerith had…died…and from which the magic of Holy had sprung. But it never materialized. Am I even on the right track? What if he'd gotten lost among all the twists and turns? He'd just have to continue onward, he realized. There was no way to tell whether this was the right path, but that would have been the same about any other. He wouldn't know to turn back until he came to a dead end.
As he walked, the whispers around him grew louder, almost reaching the point where he thought he could understand them. But it was disconcerting… Sometimes it would sound like they originated from across the room or down a hallway, and other times as if they were whispering right into his ear. He jumped whenever that occurred, always whirling to look around him. It was downright spooky.
…Rather ironic, since Zack himself was a spirit, and considered that he should be the one doing the spooking. If only there was actually anything around here to spook.
Things continued like this for a while longer, until, at last, the stone room he was in opened up into an enormous cavern. He stared in awe.
Providing the only splash of real color he'd yet seen, large, pale green crystals sprung from the floors, walls, and ceiling. They varied in size from those smaller than his fist, gathering in clusters around the edges, to giant crystals taller than he was. And in the center of the room was the largest yet, a brilliant emerald hue, with a mysterious light shimmering from within.
It was breathtaking. Who knew that such a place existed underneath the Forgotten City? It was a Mako fountain, but on a scale much grander than he would ever have imagined. The crystallized Lifestream hummed around him, filling the cavern with pure tones of energy. Zack approached the central stone, gazing about in wonder.
Here, the eerie whispers were much louder, allowing him to make out some of the words. Then, a voice, deep and familiar, spoke into his ear and made his heart stop:
"Glad you could make it…Zack."
The voice chilled him to the core. Whirling around, he came face to face with the very person he'd been looking for, the person he'd dreaded most to find. Sephiroth.
Immediately, he leapt back, drawing his sword. It was the standard SOLDIER sword, as Cloud still had the Buster in his possession.
Sephiroth smirked. "What's this? Another fight? Come now, Zack, haven't you tired of these games?"
"Games? Is that all you think this is?" Zack demanded, as he watched Sephiroth circle him, moving to keep his sword between them. "You've been playing with people's lives and trying to take over the Planet!"
"Well. They were traitors." As if that explained it all.
Zack made a disgusted sound. "I still can't believe you. How could you…!" He broke off, shaking his head. "Bah, who am I kidding? As if anything you say could be trusted."
Sephiroth chuckled. Then he turned and spread his arms, drawing attention to the cavern they were in. "I have discovered a new way to take back this planet. This Mako spring… It is the source of the Lifestream, the reason the Cetra established their capital here."
With an eye on Sephiroth, Zack cast his gaze once more about the chamber. The crystals all exuded a faint greenish aura. If he looked closely, he could see occasional bright sparks drifting upward from them, only to fade into the air.
"…That's why this place exists in the Lifestream?"
Sephiroth smirked again in faint amusement. "Zack. Who's to say what really exists in the Lifestream? Are we still in the Lifestream, or some place else entirely? Who knows what barrier you passed through when you came here?"
Zack scowled. From his knowing tone, Sephiroth was just playing with him, as if indulging a child. He should have known he couldn't expect a straight answer.
"This place is kept alive in the Lifestream by the memories of those who once existed here. Haven't you heard them? They're still here."
Uneasily, Zack remembered the voices that whispered to him as he'd made his way down here. They still drifted in the background, providing a faint murmur behind the conversation.
"The spirits…are they trapped here?"
Sephiroth shrugged. "What does it matter? We are all confined within prisons of a sort, some of our own making, and some…not." He chuckled again, and this time Zack thought there might have been a desperate edge to it.
The former General turned away; Zack took note of how he gazed intently at the large crystal in the center of the room.
"Enough of this. I brought you here so you could witness this moment. On this day, the Lifestream will bend to my will, and the Planet will be mine, as is my birthright!"
"You brought me here! Ha! I don't think so, Sephiroth. I've come to stop you, for good this time!" Zack tensed, tightening his grip on the sword. Somehow, he had to get close enough to… Quickly, he stopped those thoughts. Sephiroth was likely capable of hearing them, so not thinking about his plan was the only way to keep it secret.
Sephiroth smiled, darkly. "Are you so sure of that? You wouldn't be here unless I wanted you here." Suddenly, he was beside Zack, whispering in his ear. "Your actions have always been mine."
"No!" Furious, Zack whirled, lashing out with his blade, only to have it cut through thin air. Sephiroth was now standing before the giant crystal.
"Join me, Zack. I think I would miss the amusement you give me, if I killed you now. I could teach you to use your own dark powers; together, we will take this Planet and ascend into the heavens!"
Zack shook his head, his anger growing. "You're insane! The Sephiroth I'd follow doesn't exist anymore." Another part of him wondered what the man had meant about his own dark powers, but he didn't have the time to worry about it.
Another smirk, then Sephiroth threw back his head and laughed. The cruel sound echoed around them. "I wasn't aware that I was asking you, Zackary. You don't have a choice in the matter."
Zack's eyes widened. What…!
All at once, a dark force invaded Zack's mind, seeking out and crushing his own thoughts. It was what Zack had feared most would happen. Sephiroth was attempting to take over his mind, to consume his spirit and have him become just another puppet for his own evil plans.
Zack fell to his knees with a cry, gripping his head. His sword clattered uselessly to the ground. "No…!" He tried to resist the weight of Sephiroth's will, but the darkness was surrounding him, suffocating him. "Sephiroth…"
Sephiroth stalked toward him, kicking the sword out of the way. He kneeled beside the SOLDIER First and placed a hand on Zack's head. "Don't resist," he murmured, and for a cruel moment, the voice almost sounded like Zack's old friend. "I'd rather not destroy more of you than is necessary."
All Zack could see now was a deep, impenetrable blackness. He could feel his thoughts, his very soul, being shredded, and, this time, nothing he did to resist seemed to be working. He was losing himself! He let out a choked cry. "Seph…please!"
Just as he felt he was going to be lost to the shadows of the abyss Sephiroth was drawing him into, something responded to his plea. The spark of memories he was carrying flared brightly, piercing through the darkness and driving back Sephiroth's will.
"What? Impossible!" Sephiroth drew back, astonished. No will was strong enough to compete with his own!
Zack gasped, the life flooding back into him. For a moment, he thought he felt a protective arm around him, glimpsed silver hair at the edges of his vision. A large, black wing encircled him, and a long blade of light presented itself against the demon before him. Now, Zack.
The image dissolved, but Zack was already moving. He rolled forward, seizing the hilt of his weapon, and dashed toward Sephiroth, aiming to get close enough to thrust the memories into his heart. But the Masamune suddenly materialized in Sephiroth's hand, and he struck outward, halting Zack's advance. Zack tried to drive through his defense, but Sephiroth would have none of it; he raised a hand, calling forth a protective whirlwind of Dark Lifestream that blasted Zack away.
Zack landed hard. He almost didn't have the chance to recover before Sephiroth was there, raining blows upon him. Frantically, he parried, looking for an opening. Sephiroth refused to give him one, however. Zack leapt away, desperate to get some space.
As Zack was occupied with Sephiroth, the Dark Lifestream thickened and coalesced into a solid form. It touched down onto the ground and grew, morphing into a hideous black shape. The main body was that of a great beast, sharp, wicked claws dripping with tainted Lifestream that scorched the very rock it was standing on. Where the head should be instead rose the twisted upper half of a woman. Horns framed her face, two jutting upwards to outline a mass of long, dark spines atop her head, and two thrusting down and outwards, warped imitations of human hair. Bony spines ran down the back of the creature, and four large, heavy wings stretched, joints crackling. A long tail ending in several cruelly barbed lashes thrashed about in the air.
It was Jenova.
Oblivious to this for the moment, Zack focused on his opponent. Summoning some energy, he charged up his blade and sent a shockwave hurtling toward his foe. Not surprisingly, Sephiroth easily deflected it and came after him once again. At the same time, the Jenova creature shook itself, then bounded swiftly toward them, leaping in at Zack from the side.
He caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and frantically dodged to the side, just in time to avoid being slammed into the ground. What on Gaia! That thing was huge! He stared. The massive claws were larger than his torso, and the bestial centaur-like form was eerily reminiscent of the monster Angeal had become when Zack was forced to fight him. But Zack recognized the woman as the fiend from his nightmares who had started this whole thing. Jenova!
The beast crouched and then opened her mouth, revealing sharpened teeth, and roared. The deep bellow was overlaid with a piercing scream that shook the chamber, causing the Mako crystals to vibrate in protest. Zack recoiled, bringing up a free hand to clap over his ear, for as much good as it would do, and staggered backwards. The sound was excruciating!
Sephiroth grimaced, almost bringing up a hand to protect his own sensitive hearing. The creature had positioned itself between him and Zack, and he glared at it in annoyance, displeased with the interruption. Then the Jenova spawn lashed its tail, whipping it toward the SOLDIER First, forcing Sephiroth to step back lest he also be caught by the barbs. He glowered.
Zack wasn't as successful in escaping the unexpected blow from the tail, and yelped in pain as the barbs ripped into his arm. But they jarred him from the disorientation of the scream, and he leapt into action. Racing to the side of the creature, he darted in, stabbing upward into its flesh. Thick, black ichor welled out of the gash and spilled down his arm, burning into his spirit. Zack grit his teeth. The monster recoiled with a screech, and tried to bring its claws to bear on him. Pressing his advantage, Zack thrust his blade into the space just behind the giant foreleg, aiming for the heart. But he missed, or it never had one to begin with, and was forced to leap out of the way as the monster attempted to body slam him into the ground.
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. He had not intended to enlist Jenova in this fight; Zack was his, and his alone. He watched the scuffle a few more moments, then stepped forward to put an end to it.
"Enough!"
Both combatants regarded him in surprise. But Jenova, intending to follow her own will, chose to ignore him. With a flap of her wings, she pounced on Zack to rend him limb from limb.
Defiance from Jenova? Unforgivable!
"I said enough!" Sephiroth swung the Masamune, sending a shockwave to cut into Jenova, blasting her into the wall. She recovered, twisting around to regain her feet, and seemed about to ignore him again. Sephiroth reached out with his mind, driving his will into her own.
Jenova curled her lips and screamed at him. Then, with a mighty leap, she propelled herself into the air, fleeing into the shadows cloaking the roof of the cavern. She anchored herself in a dark crevice between the crystals, glaring out at him with baleful red eyes.
Taking advantage of Sephiroth's distraction, Zack pivoted and dashed back into the tunnels, even as he puzzled over what had just occurred between the General and Jenova. Didn't he have control over her? Weren't they practically the same? Or maybe Jenova didn't always carry out Sephiroth's will the way he intended.
In any case, hopefully, he'd only have one of them to deal with now! He tried to shake off Jenova's blood from his arm as he thought; it was still trying to eat through him. Somehow, he'd have to get the drop on Sephiroth. There was clearly no way he was going to be able to fight his way through, not directly. Sephiroth had always been better than he was.
Zack was suddenly aware of footsteps behind him; Sephiroth was coming. He dodged into a side chamber, and again into another, just as a blast of energy slammed into the wall where he'd been. He was gaining!
After finding himself in another long tunnel, the SOLDIER First skidded to a halt. He spun around, driving his sword toward Sephiroth, who parried, intent on pinning the blade against the wall. But Zack quickly let it drop, only to come around, slashing at Sephiroth's exposed side. Sephiroth grunted in displeasure, barely managing to block it in time. He found that it was rather cumbersome to maneuver his long weapon in these close quarters. He stepped back to give himself more room.
Quickly, Zack brought his sword upward, spearing it into the low ceiling. The force of the blow sent an avalanche of rock cascading down upon them. But Zack was already darting away, vanishing into the dark tunnels, with the rock safely blockading Sephiroth from him.
Zack took several more turns, hoping Sephiroth wouldn't be able to easily follow his twisted path. Finally he slowed. Sephiroth didn't seem to be coming. He strained his ears, listening. His heavy breaths echoed in the stillness.
Suddenly, the entire wall next to him exploded inward, slamming Zack painfully into the opposite wall with a yelp. He barely brought his blade up in time for the heavy blow Sephiroth inflicted upon him. The force was so great that the wall behind him shattered, and he was sent flying backward, once again into the main cavern. He hit the ground, tumbling head over heels before coming to an abrupt halt when a hard surface arrested his momentum. He groaned, having struck the back of his head on the object. He slumped against it, momentarily stunned.
"Do you honestly think you can stop me?" Zack heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Gritting his teeth with the effort, he raised his head and brought his sword up in defiance, only to see that the blade had been shattered. Sephiroth smirked at the futile action, and knocked the hilt out of his hand with a lazy flick of the wrist, sending it skittering across the floor. "Don't fool yourself."
Zack stared at the broken sword in shock, then raised his eyes, following the long blade of the Masamune up to its wielder. He glared.
"Are you gonna kill me now?" Zack wondered if that was even possible. Could spirits be killed? What would happen if they were?
"Hmm. I was intending to keep you alive to witness the destruction of your Planet." Sephiroth dropped the sword from Zack's neck, turning to regard the crystal in the center of the room. He left Zack, approaching it.
Zack cast his gaze about the room, searching for anything he could use to his advantage. A weapon, a stone… Heck, he'd even take a blue tonberry pie! He'd always wanted to throw one at Sephiroth, just to see his expression.
He supposed he could simply rush the man, but based on previous experience, the success rate on that wasn't too high. He straightened, leaning forward with a groan. Sephiroth cast a quick sidelong glance back at him, before proceeding to ignore him as he focused on the crystal.
What had he hit, anyway? Zack turned, spying the flat surface of a gemstone. Figures. …But wait… What was that behind it? He could see an odd shape through the crystal, distorted by the facets. He leaned to the side to bring it into view, and his jaw dropped at what he saw.
Hidden around the side, away from Sephiroth's prying eyes, was the Buster Sword. And it was the most gorgeous sight he'd ever laid eyes upon.
It was speared into the ground, the dark surface cleaned of all the wear, tear, and rust that battle and elements had inflicted upon it, gleaming in the light. The golden wing motif shone as if brand new. And around the hilt, fluttering lightly in a small breeze, was tied a very familiar, shimmering, pink ribbon. Zack couldn't help but grin.
Thank you, Aerith, Angeal. He should have known that they would somehow find out what he was up to. But how had they gotten the Buster Sword? He wondered if Cloud had been in on it too. Warmth filled his heart at this silent gesture of support. Thanks, pal.
Zack stood, reaching around the crystal, and gripped the hilt. Strength flooded back into him, and he pulled the blade from the ground, smiling at the reassuring weight. Gaia, how he'd missed it! With renewed determination, he faced Sephiroth. This was going to end, now.
With a growl, Zack dashed forward, blade aimed at his opponent. Sephiroth had his hands resting against the giant emerald; for a moment, Zack saw the crystal replaced by a tank with glowing liquid and a monster inside. He shook the memory away and prepared to swing.
Sephiroth was not to be caught twice by such a move, however. On instinct, he whirled, bringing the Masamune up to clash against the Buster Sword. His eyes widened, surprised to see the weapon.
"How…?"
Zack grinned, darkly. "Surprise! You didn't really think I was done yet, did you?" He shoved at Sephiroth, hoping to break his stance.
Sephiroth glowered. "You are testing my patience." Breaking the sword lock, he forced Zack away from him. "Don't make me cut you down, Zack."
"Actually, I had other plans." He came at Sephiroth again.
They traded blows for several long moments, until a kick to Sephiroth's leg caused him to stagger slightly, just enough for the opening Zack needed to appear. He drove forward with his fist, the discarded memories held tight under his fingers. At the last instant, he opened his hand, letting his palm slam into Sephiroth's chest, forcing the memories straight to his core.
Sephiroth gave a strangled gasp, staggering back. "What…are you…?" He raised a hand to his heart, not quite sure what had been done. Then he stared at Zack in shock. "My…memories?"
Zack smirked. "If there's one thing I learned from all these years of fighting you, it's that the only one who can defeat you…is you!"
Sephiroth shook his head in denial. "Do you…really think this will work? That pathetic shell of a man you called your friend is gone." He choked, sneering. "If you think…that a handful of memory fragments will bring him back…then you were a failure before you even began this useless plan."
"Sephiroth…" Zack shook his head, then stepped forward with confidence. "The Sephiroth I knew will never be just a memory!"
The former General made a strangled sound, clutching at his heart. He turned such a glare of loathing upon Zack that it almost made the SOLDIER First want to turn tail and run. But he stood his ground. Sephiroth gasped, falling to his knees.
Was it working? It had to be! Zack took another step, hope lighting in his heart. This was it – at long last, the Sephiroth that had fallen to Jenova would be gone. His friend would be back. There would be no more Dark Lifestream, no more remnants, no more Reunion… The Planet, Cloud, and everyone else would be safe!
"…Seph…?"
Sephiroth's shoulders shook. It took a moment before Zack realized that he was laughing. Zack's brow furrowed in puzzlement and mounting apprehension. "Are you…"
The man straightened, his green eyes glinting evilly behind the veil of silver hair.
"Zack… I once offered Cloud a wonderful gift." He pulled himself to his feet, as Zack looked on in growing horror. "But he turned me down… Perhaps you would like to take it instead?" He lifted the Masamune, allowing it to catch the light and shine a promise of death. "Look upon your fate, and despair."
Sephiroth thrust the deadly blade forward, effortlessly knocking aside the Buster Sword Zack had hastily raised to block it. He drove it straight through Zack's heart.
Zack gasped, choking on the sharp agony pulsing through him. He let out a strangled cry and clutched at the blade in a futile attempt to lesson the pain, as Sephiroth levered him off the ground.
"…W-Why? …S-Seph-iroth…" It hadn't worked! Zack had been so sure that it would. Where had he gone wrong?
…He had failed. Gaia…he had failed, and now there weren't going to be any more second chances.
"A-Aerith…Angeal…Cloud…f-forgive…" He shut his eyes. He really was going to accept Sephiroth's gift.
Sephiroth smirked. "You're pathetic."
Pathetic…
…You call yourself SOLDIER? …I don't need such a pathetic SOLDIER…
Angeal…I-I wish…
I have twenty-three tiny wishes, but you probably won't remember them all…
…Aerith…Remember me…Don't forget…
I won't forget. …Goodnight, Zack.
…Cloud…My honor…my dreams…
If you want to be a hero…
Zack's hand tightened on the sword he still held in his grip. You need to have dreams. He opened his eyes.
One dream, that of a friend rescued from the darkness of insanity, would never come to pass. But there was still another…
Gritting his teeth, Zack mustered the last vestiges of his strength and raised the Buster Sword high above his head. His eyes were locked on Sephiroth's, and he found faint amusement and confusion there.
"My honor…my d-dreams…"
He smashed the heavy weapon downward into the back of the Masamune. For a moment, the thin blade resisted, and it didn't appear that anything would come of his actions.
Then there was a pure ringing sound, like a bell of freedom, and the blade shattered. A weapon originally forged for good, it had finally thrown off the shackles of its corrupted master. There was a bright flash of light, and Sephiroth was thrown across the room.
Zack fell to his feet, staggered, then sprinted for the giant, pulsing crystal in the center of the room. He ignored the shaft of the Masamune still impaling him. If he couldn't kill Sephiroth, then he would ensure that he'd never be able to follow through with his plan.
Zack reached the crystal and swung with all his might. His blade shone with the energy he'd pumped into it.
Aerith, Cloud, Angeal…my dreams…
"I give them all to you!"
The crystal shattered, releasing the vast amounts of energy that had been stored inside.
Everything went white.
And then there was nothing.
to be continued…