It was still too cold in the year up north for crickets to be out chirping, but even if it wasn't the City of the Ancients would be silent. This was what unnerved the sentries whenever they guarded it. No one wanted to be there. They felt the place was haunted, and with good reason. Many lives had been lost here throughout history. Each one of the homes had those strange lights that never went out. The place looked like it was made out of the bones of thousands of ancient sea creatures. All in all, it made for an unpleasant place to be. And night was one of the worst times for it.

A sentry uneasily stepped off of the natural stone bridge and went to one of the nearby buildings. Jittery, he put his back up against it and did not turn, using this position to guard himself. He nervously looked before him, and held his weapon up as if to fire. He hated this part of the city. This was where it was dark, almost completely enclosed by the cliffs on one side, and bordering the Sleeping Forest on the other. That forest was scary enough on its own at night, gloomy and eternally covered with mist. He wished desperately that he could have gotten a better shift. He definitely didn't want to be here tonight. He thought he was hearing things out below…echoing up from the deep canyon to his side. He could of swore that he heard an echo rise from the dark theater chamber ahead a moment earlier…scaring him out of his wits rather than encouraging him to look for the source.

Uneasily, the man looked down to his watch. It was still about ten minutes early, but he didn't care. He was ready to make the rounds now. Anything to get away from this side of the City for a while. With that decided, he rose up and peeled himself off of the wall. He looked around once and swallowed, but then began to make his way back toward the main city, walking rather fast as he did. His boots clicked and emitted loud echos as he walked along…returning dark sounds to him that only pushed him faster as he left. Soon he was gone, and his echoes followed, leaving one side of the city abandoned.

A few moments afterward…three men crept forward slowly in the canyon. Ragnar was still swallowing from the noise he had made earlier, and nervously tried to be more quiet as they walked on. The others likewise tried to stay as silent as possible as they finally made their way into the outskirts of the city. Ragnar was glad they made it this way. He thought they would have had to ambush a guard or two…but as it turned out there was no problem. They had come this far without a hitch.

Yet at this point…that was beginning to make the youth nervous. This had been their former base. They had to expect that the PPA would know their way around, or could try and come in from a different angle. He somehow doubted that they were arrogant enough to think that their shoreline defenses would keep any unit from coming this far. This wasn't right… There were more guards stationed in the mines than there were here. This was too easy. He was getting a progressively worsening feeling about this whole approach as he crept on. But there was nothing for it now. They had come too far already…

The three came to a halt just as the audience house came into view. They stood for a moment and looked up and around, trying to see if anyone was waiting for them. Once they were sure it was clear, the three turned to each other once more.

"Alright." Cloud whispered. "I guess I'll be getting her body…"

"Actually, I think Ragnar should do it." Tumahab immediately answered. This caused the mercenary to look to him in puzzlement, but he gave a shrug in response. "I'll go with him. I still need to operate, and he knows the city better."

Cloud hesitated for a little while at this. He seemed very reluctant about acquiescing, and appeared that he wanted to get her most of all. But in the end, he sighed and calmed down. "…Ok, fine. I'll take the Crystal Stone and go into the main ampitheater. I'll start setting up for what it said in the notes, and I'll make sure the area is secure. Let's just get this done as quickly as possible."

Ragnar gave a nod. "Right." He reached into his pocket, and a moment later emerged with the Crystal Stone. In the darkness, it cast off a white light of its own. But luckily it was nowhere near as bright as it had been in the special pit. He passed this to Cloud, who quickly shoved it back into his own pocket. Once that was done, the two groups paired off and moved to separate.

"Hurry." Cloud cautioned, before turning to start scaling the rock cliff. A moment later, Ragnar and Tumahab went on down the canyon, staying as quiet and hidden as possible.

"Thanks for that, master." Ragnar whispered aloud a bit later, as he and Bahamut continued to work their way through the city. They had made it out of the canyon, but now they had to maneuver their way through the dead town to the central area. There were a few more guards here…but again, not as many as Ragnar would have thought. They were sparse and far between…so far between that Ragnar had felt confident enough to talk to Bahamut after a while.

"Really? What for?" The esper in human's clothing answered.

"For giving us a chance to be alone together. I wanted to talk to you."

"Well, that only had a little to do with it." Bahamut answered. "In order to keep up the illusion, I necessarily would need you as a guide, and a 'young' man to pull her out from the pool. That said…" Bahamut paused for a moment here, and smiled. "I'm glad to be talking to you again as well."

Ragnar smiled back, before turning on and weaving them through the city for a bit longer. He was silent only for a moment, before he finally asked the big question.

"So…is he…?"

Bahamut nodded. "Dead. Gone for good. There's nothing left to revive of him now, and his spirit has returned to the Lifestream. It appears the Planet as well has this in mind. It's holding him there to make sure that no one can ever call him from beyond…give him an artificial body. I don't think that would be possible, but with him I'm gladit istaking no chances."

Ragnar walked on a moment more, but a realization soon began to come over him. "So that means…you're the last esper."

Bahamut inhaled deeply as he moved. This notion seemed to trouble him slightly. But in the end, he gave a nod. "Zola still lives. He has genuine esper blood within him. But other than him, I am the last. Once we are both gone, the last traces of the esper race will have passed. Speaking of whom…" Here, Bahamut turned his head back over to the youth. "…I see you decided to spare him."

Ragnar frowned for a moment in response, but then gave a shrug and innocent look to Bahamut. "…He did help Tifa. And he saved my life in the end. Without Wyvern to give him orders, there's not much he can do against me."

Bahamut turned away again, and frowned. "I wouldn't have been so forgiving. It hasn't served me well lately. But it is out of my hands now. I left you on your own to decide things like this for yourself. It is your choice from now on."

The youth looked puzzled at this. "So…you're still agreed on that? You still want to stay away? But if that's why, then how come…"

"This is special." Bahamut returned. "What I told you will indeed happen if we aren't successful. This world needs the Cetra. Keep this in mind after we've brought her back to life. There aren't any other Cetra who were preserved like her. Perhaps the Planet itself was waiting for us to do this… And it would take a thousand years for the Crystal Stone to recharge. Therefore…we won't have another chance at this. Once she's back to life, I have a new task for you in addition to leading your army. Guard her like she's the Gem Box of the Fanatics' Tower. She's the last of her species, and she has to live long enough to procreate."

Ragnar swallowed a bit at that. "…Man, you make it sound like she's some rare animal…"

"She is, but I didn't mean it to sound in that fashion." Bahamut answered readily. After saying this, however, his look changed again. It became more serious and hard, and his tone became colder.

"There's something else you should know." He gravely continued after a pause. "When I was brought back with the Crystal Stone, I was no longer the esper I once was. I was something far greater. Logic suggests that once she is brought back with the Crystal Stone…" A pause and a swallow. "…She will be something far more powerful as well."

Ragnar didn't like the way that Bahamut said that. However, he didn't really think there was anything to worry about. Why should there be? Bahamut was stronger, but he was still the same person. His mentality hadn't been affected. And how much stronger could she be? And would it even make a difference? In the end, he dismissed this notion for now. He'd wait to see what came up from it.

"That brings me to something else." Bahamut finally spoke up again. Once more, he turned to look to Ragnar. "Exactly how did you manage to generate fire from your sword?"

The youth turned to Bahamut as well on hearing that. He looked a little confused. "…Isn't…it supposed to do that? I mean, it's a magical blade…"

"Be that as it may, that wasn't one of its abilities." Bahamut responded. "What you did was something I've only seen Sorcerers do. They affect their blades with spells and then attack. While that couldn't have been magic…it was something very similar."

Ragnar gave a shrug. "Wasn't it just the Planet helping me out again?"

To this, however, the esper raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'the Planet helping me out again'?"

The young man saw that Bahamut's face turned rather intrigued at this. When he saw it…he realized the truth. Until now, a lot of his phenomenon he had just dismissed as him being "chosen" by the Planet. And so, he didn't bother to mention most of it. He figured that Bahamut already knew. But now…it appeared that wasn't the case. Bahamut seemed surprised to learn about this as well.Something was a mystery to one of the oldest and wisest creatures on Gaia. That didn't bode well for him. He turned away and swallowed a bit, bowing his head. He stammered.

"…W…Well…um… The thing is…back when I learned how to read the Cetra language, I heard that one voice in my head that kept encouraging me until I could do it. You didn't seem to be that upset about that… Well…that wasn't the only time I heard something talking to me. You see, I had to ride a motorcycle after I saved Cloud from Wyvern's attempt to kill him, but I didn't know how. I heard some voice coaching me through it. And then…just recently, before I woke up on day before the sea battle…I heard a voice telling me they were coming. This time, with the sword…I just heard something telling me to use it in that way, and it did the rest."

Ragnar finished here and turned back to Bahamut. But the look he gave didn't help much. Bahamut's expression was now a bit wider, and even seemed a little unnerved. He was deep in thought again, thinking about what Ragnar had just told him. He said nothing in response. He just kept his look focused forward as they walked along, and continued to look like he was thinking. In the end, Ragnar didn't like seeing this anymore. He spoke out again.

"Master…what is it?"

Bahamut stayed silent for a moment longer. Then, his face suddenly straightened and calmed again, and he drew himself up more. "…We're here."

Now it was Ragnar's turn to be puzzled. However, he turned and looked ahead, and saw that it was true. Moments later, he and Bahamut took shelter behind one of the nearby houses, and watched the area ahead. Looming before them was the grove of white trees, growing toward the one center. Inside, the pale eternal light of the shrine glowed forth, coming through the trees to give a radiant glow. There was their destination. They had come up on it while Ragnar and Bahamut had been having their conversation, and the youth hadn't even noticed. However, there was a guard here, posted at the entrance, forcing the two of them to hide once again.

The youth, despite his fears earlier that this was too easy, was now uncomfortable with the new difficulty. This one was stationed right in front of the entrance, and he didn't look like he would be moving anytime soon. He was standing straight and steadfast, and scanning the area constantly. This was terrific. The one soldier they couldn't get by was the only one they had to. Ragnar frowned at the sight. He turned and looked back to Bahamut.

"What now?" He whispered. "We can't wait for a guard change."

Bahamut looked at the guard, and cracked a smile in response. "Leave it to me. Follow my lead."

Then, to Ragnar's surprise, he calmly stepped out from behind the house and into the central street, in full view of the guard.

Ragnar paled and nearly cried out in a harsh whisper to get back. He panicked at what Bahamut had just did. They couldn't beat this guard. It would attract too many others. And yet…his master had given him an order, and he had learned long ago not to disobey. And so, the youth swallowed and reluctantly stepped out after his master. The esper soon began to walk right for the entrance, and Ragnar followed behind more uneasily.

He soon saw, however, that there was little reason to be afraid. The guard didn't seem to notice them. But that was silly. They were walking right in front of him. Unless he had tunnel vision, he should have seen them. But nevertheless, the guard continued to calmly scan the area, seeming oblivious to Ragnar and Bahamut as they walked forward. At one point, he seemed to look directly at them. And yet he simply looked past in the next moment as if they weren't even there. The two were soon up to him, and beginning to walk by him. However, he still had failed to react.

Here, Bahamut halted the two of them. Ragnar did as he was indicated…but he soon grew nervous. He was standing a mere two feet away from the guard. Bahamut, however, was fully calm, and reached into his pocket. A moment later, he emerged with what appeared to be a gil coin. Smiling a bit, Bahamut turned around and tossed the gil over his shoulder. The guard was totally oblivious to all of this. But after sailing through the air a moment, the gil landed against the shell ground, and in the empty city left a rather resounding, if not quiet, echo of tapping.

Finally, the guard snapped to attention. He immediately wheeled his head around to the source of the noise, and aimed his gun at it. He stepped away from Ragnar and went to investigate where he heard the sound, leaving the two men fully clear. Ragnar saw this and finally understood. Bahamut was using the same trick that Wyvern had used. He was clouding the presence of the two men from the mind of the guard, so that he couldn't see or hear them. Only the gil had been unaffected. At any rate, they were both clear now. Bahamut motioned Ragnar on with a wink, and then turned and continued to walk inside. The youth followed. In short order, the two were passing through the grove and into the clearing within.

Ragnar began to feel a little strange himself as he went on. He had lived in this place for months, and yet now it seemed so mysterious and new to him once again. The light seemed different and strange. The feeling of silence appeared to be of a new unusual source. He didn't necessarily feel scared…but he did feel different. It was as if a new sense of wonder had happened, and things he had once experienced he considered anew. What was that light from? How had this place come to be? Who was so special here to she failed to age even after death?

At last, they were in the interior. There it was. Unspoiled and undamaged, the shell shrine continued to stand. Behind it, the pale white light continued to shine down, becoming almost a beacon here. And below it, filling much of the clearing…was the crystal clear lake. Ragnar had been unnerved enough after finding the dead body inside of it. He was even more so when he heard that this water had been tainted by Jenova. However, it seemed perfect now. Perhaps she had purified it here just as she had done so in the Baptismal Church.

The two walked to the side of the water, and came to a halt. Both of them stared down into its depths. Despite how calm and clear it was…it was impossible to see the bottom, or the body who had been laid to rest there. Ragnar wondered if Bahamut's own keen eyes could see it. At any rate, this was the moment. It filled both with a certain amount of anxiety, that now they were actually here. Old as Bahamut was, he had never done anything like this before.

At last, Bahamut gestured to him. "Alright…go on in."

Ragnar turned to him in response, looking a bit surprised. "I have to get her?"

"It would look a little odd if I was the one who came back wet, when supposedly I'm too weak for this." Bahamut answered. "Besides, you're the one who can hold his breath longer."

Ragnar gulped a bit. Not disobeying, he turned back to the water, and ruefully began to undo his tunic and cape. He didn't like the idea of doing this at all. It didn't matter how young and fresh she looked…she had been a corpse for almost four years. He had the horrible feeling that he would touch her and her soaked flesh would rip from her bones. Although he had seen plenty of dead bodies in his time, it didn't mean he liked touching them. At any rate, his shirt, shoes, socks, and pants joined his cape and tunic, and soon he was down to his skivvies. He inhaled and exhaled once nervously, and slapped his hands together a few times. He stared down into the water, and cracked his neck slightly. But in the end, he finally managed to jump into a dive, and took the plunge.

The youth sank quickly, trying not to taste or interact at all with the water. He wanted to be in and out as soon as possible. It was icy cold at this time of year, but that was no problem for a man like him. He continued to dive down for a bit longer, feeling the pressure closing in and pushing against his ears and head. But he kept his eyes open, and looked for the bottom.

At last, he saw her.

She hadn't changed a bit from Ragnar's memory. She was still framed in that final gesture of total peace, lying against the bottom of the pool as if she was asleep. Her face still hadn't lost its color. She was still extremely beautiful…making the young man's face turn a bit red at the memory of what he had done the last time they "met". Only her clothing had dissolved partially, turning into loose, threadbare rags on her person. Even now, she still looked like she could spring back to life at any time…

Ragnar swallowed and forced himself to go down next to her. Once he did, he winced slightly before managing to reach out…and reluctantly put his hands on the body's shoulders. Immediately, her old military jacket began to flake off and rip underneath his touch. It was wet and slimy, and Ragnar feared for a moment that he was feeling her skin come off. But as he panicked and ripped his hands away…he saw that wasn't the case. The jacket peeled off with his grasp, as did the pink dress underneath, but her skin still held. He stared at this and hesitated. After a moment, he was able to finally reach out and touch her on her shoulders again. The flesh was as cold as the water, but it had the same texture and give as his own. Realizing this, he managed to swallow his disgust. Grasping her shoulders again, he pulled her up into a seated position. He put himself down a bit more, and then moved his arms to wrap around her middle.

Ragnar felt a mixture of both disgust…as well as a bit of embarrassment…as he braced her body against his own by resting her head against his shoulder. She was cold to the touch…but her touch still had a pleasant, warming quality about it…and he felt himself get goose bumps. Yet he snapped out of it quickly. He braced her as best as he could, and pushed off and began to kick for the surface. He had to kick, because the woman was long since dead weight. Ragnar soon learned that she had been buried with her staff tied to her back, so that her body would sink to the bottom and not float for whatever carrion bird came by. However, the strips of cloth that had tied her had long since dissolved, leaving it easy to pull her off. She was still filled with water, though, making her even heavier. But the youth was strong, and he hadn't swam upstream for months with weights attached to him and not been able to do this. In no time at all, he had managed to get back to the surface, and both her and the corpse's head passed over it.

Ragnar immediately gulped in a large breath of air. As livid-seeming as the woman was, he almost expected her to as well. Of course, she didn't. Her head slumped forward lifelessly, no longer supported by the water, and her brown hair began to string out over her head. She immediately gained more weight. However, he didn't have to bear her long. Bahamut soon came over and took her by the shoulders. He instantly relieved Ragnar of his burden and pulled her fully out on to shore.

Ragnar coughed once, but then waded to the shore himself. He was eager to get out now. Fragments of her rapidly deteriorating clothing was turning the water a bit murky and funky. Some of it was adhering to his wet skin. He soon made it to the edge, and pulled himself out. Once he was back on shore, he quickly yanked off the fragments of her clothes that were stuck to him as best as he could, and shook his head to clear some of the water from his hair. However, he calmed down rather quickly, and then turned his attention back to Bahamut.

To his puzzlement, Bahamut had her stood up and in front of him, and he had placed his arms around her in a heimlech maneuver. He was currently giving her abdominal thusts, with such power that it forced her corpse to spit out the water in its lungs.

Ragnar looked curiously at that, and then cracked a joke. "I think it might be a little late for that."

"Not if you don't want her to drown the moment she comes back to life." Bahamut answered as he continued his work.

The youth hesitated at that. He had a point. A bit humbled, he didn't say anything else.

Once Bahamut was satisfied that her had cleared her lungs as best as he could, he lowered her to the ground and placed her against it. He tilted her head back and breathed into her mouth soon after. This wasn't to revive her. He was giving her dry, hot breaths to drag out the excess moisture that he couldn't remove. With that done, he looked to her body next. Without a moment's hesitation, he seized parts of her ragged jacket and dress and tore them off of her torso, exposing her naked body. Ragnar blushed again and turned away immediately, but Bahamut dug right in to the wound that was in her chest. He readilypushed away the flesh and bone that was within. He quickly assessed the damage, and then backed off and rolled the corpse over. He tore off the clothing on her back next, and examined the wound through that side as well.

At last, he reacted. The beast quickly pursed his lips together as tightly as he could without closing them. With that done, he took aim at the corpse's back. He pried her open again, revealing where the wound had hit. Ragnar turned back at this point, and was just in time to be amazed as a thin beam of burning hot energy came out of Bahamut's mouth and struck the corpse in the back. It looked like a very tiny version of Bahamut's Giga-Pyrin. Using this beam, Bahamut proceeded to move through the lairs of flesh and muscle within, and closed the wounds with heat. He moved his way up and along her back wound until he reached all the way up and through her back. Once that was accomplished, he turned her body over again, and sealed up the rest of the way through the front. Soon, her corpse was whole once again.

Bahamut backed off a bit after that, stopping his breath laser. He proceeded to rip the rest of the clothing off of the woman, as well as her boots and socks. "That will do until she lives again." Bahamut stated. "Once she does, I'll transfer a bit of my regenerative power into her body to make sure the wounds begin to heal up and aren't just seared closed. Just keep in mind that doesn't give you an excuse to put her though a lot of stress."

Once he was done with this, Bahamut reached into his blue coat. A moment later, he pulled out a folded up amount of white fabric. He quickly began to unfold it, and as he did, Ragnar noticed that it had numerous runes of some sort wrought in silver and blue along the trim.

"What's that?"

"Something for her to wear, now that she's nude." Bahamut responded. "The symbology might also be important if Cloud doesn't copy it right. Once she's dressed, let's get going. I don't trust her body to stay fresh outside of this water."

Cloud had just finished setting up when he heard the footsteps clicking against the shell ground. Personally, he thought this all was a little crazy…but as far as she was concerned he was willing to risk a bit. The notes had required him to set up a certain area for this to take place in, and so he had carried it out.

Currently, he was inside the ampitheater of the city. It was the same place he had seen the projection of Aerith years ago…almost as if the makers of the City knew that those exact events would happen. He was on the higher tier currently. They lacked the material for a circle, so he had taken a stone and drawn a circle about her size against the ground. After that, he had gathered pebbles and arranged them to make stone symbols on four parts of the circle. Once that was done came the harder part. He had to go around the circle and put additional items in the spaces between the stone symbols. On one he simply put a handful of dirt from the ground. On another he was able to leave it open and blank. On the third, he had to run to the nearest spring, gather some water, and pour it out to make a small puddle against the ground. Finally, he ran out to the forest, gathered some twigs, brought them back, and then prepared to light a fire once they were ready.

Now, he believed that was the time.

As he was getting a match ready, he heard the noise from behind him. He figured that it could have been watching guards, in which case he had to get ready to fight. But when he turned, he saw that such wasn't the case. It was Dr. Tumahab and Ragnar, running up to him with their own contribution.

The man stiffened for a moment as he saw her again. He hadn't seen her in the flesh for nearly four years… He could barely see her now. Her body was covered in a long white robe that had more symbols on it, and a white hood had been pulled low over her face, exposing only the tip of her nose and mouth. She looked more than ever like she was sleeping now…and it immobilized the man as he saw her brought to him in Ragnar's arms. He felt himself actually swallowing and growing more nervous as the two reached him. Ragnar immediately bowed to the ground, and placed her inside the circle. Cloud motionlessly stared on at her the whole time, watching him do this. He didn't react at all as he placed her flat there and backed off, so that she was stratling the whole circle. Only after he looked at her…saw her peaceful face lying still against the ground…did he managed to shake his head and snap out of it.

A thought ran through his head as he swallowed again.

Please, God…let this work…

Cloud stood up and began to stand back. He looked back down to his notes again, and gave a shrug. "Ok…I guess we're ready to begin."

Ragnar gestured around. "What's all this stuff for, anyway? It seems kind of creepy…"

As Ragnar said this, however, he heard a familiar voice in his head explaining it.

This is mostly acting as a receiver to better help the Crystal Stone find the one it seeks. The four elements brought together calls attention from the Planet. The letters around it are from our native language, one that the Planet itself is in tune with. Because of that, the mere act of reading or writing them manipulates the Planet's energy. The same with the symbols I put on her robe. We aren't invoking any demons, if that's what you're thinking.

Cloud finally finished by managing to lean over Aerith's body. Very slowly and hesitantly…he managed to reach into his pockets and pull out the stone. He placed it on her chest, right over her heart, and put her two hands on top of it. He then moved over to the pile of kindling, struck his match, and lit it up. Once that was done, he truly did back away. He kept his eyes on Aerith as he did so, but he also reached to his side and went for the papers. Once he pulled them out, he looked away and back down to them. He read over them for a moment, causing the others to look to him again.

"So what now?" Ragnar asked.

"It says to activate the stone…we have to say the words around the circle…" Cloud paused here abruptly. When he did…he turned somewhat paler, and his jaw clenched. It looked like some disappointment had come over him. "…And you have to say them to the Planet." He finished lamely.

The three froze at that. There was a wrench in their plans. The only ones who could talk to the Planet were the Cetra, and that was hardly an option now. At least…the only ones besides the espers. But Cloud didn't know about this. He practically flung the papers down against the ground and grasped his forehead in frustration.

"Damn it all… I never should have got my hopes up. I should have known this would never work. We've gone all this way and…"

"I think…" Tumahab suddenly spoke up aloud, cutting off Cloud and directing his friend's attention to him. The man turned and looked softly at the youth. "That these symbols might be similar to the language that Ragnar knows. And perhaps you only have to read them aloud so that the Planet can 'hear' them, so to speak."

Now the youth's eyes really widened. He had never seen those symbols before in his life, and he hadn't the foggiest idea what they said. But as he opened his mouth to protest, Tumahab continued to smile at him…and sent another mental message.

Just repeat what I send you mentally. I'll do the rest.

That gave Ragnar another moment of hesitation. However…in the end, he believed him. By now, Cloud was looking up and back to the young man. Ragnar looked around a bit uneasily for a moment longer, but then gave a nod. "Alright…I'll give it a try, I guess." He finally said aloud.

The young man turned to the symbols on the ground. Cloud immediately backed up to where Tumahab was, giving him any room he might need. Ragnar swallowed, but then stepped forward a bit, moving until he was on the edge of the circle. He inhaled and exhaled a few times. This was it. The moment had come at long last. Now it was time to see if this would really work…or what would happen when they tried. He wiped his mouth and then turned his head down to the first symbol.No one moved a muscle or uttered a sound.

As Ragnar looked, he began to hear the words in his head. Slowly…he opened his mouth, and uncertainly pronounced a strange language as best as he could. But while he spoke, Bahamut said the same thing correctly…but not aloud. He spoke it directly to the world itself.

The moment the words went into the Planet, a reaction happened. Suddenly…the three felt the wind pick up. A breeze wafted into the ampitheater from the outside, and immediately whipped up against them. Their loose clothing was tugged on slightly, and the robe enclosing Aerith rippled a bit. The three looked around at this, feeling the wind suddenly rush in and blow through the chamber. Yet that only held their interest for a short moment. As the breeze continued, they turned their heads back down to the ground…and found that something had changed. What appeared to be a tiny circular wind was gathered over where the wind element was, and was now whipping around and circling.

Ragnar was astonished for a moment. However, he managed to get his bearings, and he looked to the next symbol. Once more, he heard a language in his mind, and once more he repeated it while Bahamut spoke the words to the Planet.

As the last word went out, a new change happened. Far in the distance, outside of the building and miles away…a distant rumble of thunder was heard. Cloud, Ragnar, and Tumahab turned and looked to the open part of the ceiling, and were just in time to see some drizzle begin to fall. Not only that, but the wind began to pick up. It blew more strongly now, continuously whipping their hair and pulling at their clothing. It threatened to yank Aerith's hood off. A lightning bolt shot out, and soon more rain began to fall, and was blown around by the rising wind. Some of it struck the three men. They turned back to the ground again, and saw a new change. Firstly, the small circular breeze had grown into a tiny dust devil, and was drawing up dirt around it to show its tornadic nature. Where the puddle was…the ground had cracked open, and water was now slowly bubbling forth and widening it from the earth.

The youth felt himself growing a bit nervous. He had to pause for a moment before moving on. As he did, the three noticed something else. There was a light within Aerith's closed palms…where the Crystal Stone was. It was white and pure, and gleaming out from the edges and cracks of her fingers. Ragnar saw this, and realized that the stone was glowing brighter. He swallowed again, but then turned to the third symbol. Again, he and Bahamut repeated the cycle.

As this part was finished, Ragnar nearly trailed off on his own words as he felt the ground beginning to shake underneath his feet. It started off as a mere tremor…but it quickly began to grow in intensity. The three looked around to the ground in surprise, and soon had to stretch out their feet in order to keep themselves balanced. As they did, something happened to the dirt. It suddenly seemed to expand. The ground beneath it began to bulge, and soon things started to poke out of the ground. It looked like crystals were growing out right from beneath it. As they grew, the wind became a full dust devil, and whipped up pebbles into its wake to make itself stronger. The water became a spring, shooting a bit out of the ground and producing more and more water in its wake.

However, the world was getting worse. As the ground continued to rumble, more pebbles and dust began to rain down. Some of the older structures started to fracture. The rain picked up, become a downpour. The wind whipped at it fiercely, flinging it everywhere, including onto the three people. Lightning snapped and crashed, seeming to have gotten much closer than it was a few moments ago. The thunder shook the air like the quake did, and they only continued to build in intensity.

Last but not least…Aerith's form was changing. The wind seemed to encircle her now. The water gathered around her body. The earth was bulging beneath her, lifting her up higher onto a true dais, and not just a circle. The Crystal Stone shone brightly now…with so much light that it seemed to pierce Aerith's flesh and shine through regardless. It was becoming a bright, dazzling beacon, and none of them could look at it anymore. That was…they couldn't look at it even if the wind and water wasn't whipping against them so fiercely, and they weren't struggling to balance.

Ragnar felt a bit of fear inside him…but Cloud felt nothing but anticipation. Both of them realized it was happening. Something that was shaking the very nature of the Planet was coming here, and it was throwing the elements out of control. But it was nearly done. There was only one bit left.

Shaking a bit, and bracing himself for what would happen on this final push, Ragnar turned to the last symbol. Stammering a bit…he slowly repeated the words aloud that Bahamut gave him…and raised himself in volume slowly until he was nearly crying out, to be heard over the gale…

As Ragnar said the last word, the world around him seemed to explode.

A wave of heat snapped over him and the others so intensely that it vaporized the water that had landed on them. The small blaze that Cloud had lit, nearly going out from the rain, suddenly became a towering inferno, knocking back the three who were watching. The wind turned into a full tornado, and stones and debris were whipped violently around them. Rain broke down so heavily that water rushed by in a flash flood. It seemed as they were beneath a waterfall. And yet, the ground began to crack and swell, swallowing it up just as quickly while uprooting huge pillars of stone. Everything seemed to be coming apart. Reality itself seemed to turn to chaos. The noise was deafening. Not only them, but every guard in the city and everyone for miles could hear it as it erupted.

The three were forced to look away as a dazzling white light shone in front of them. It seemed to turn into a white sun, blasting them all with its intense rays. They couldn't see the body vanish into it. So typically…they saw nothing as she was ripped from the ground and torn about by the four elements, blasting her and bombarding her from all angles, as the light totally enveloped her. The very Lifestream seemed to crack into its components and surround her as she was swept into the white oblivion. The spirits of millions encircled her and moved through her along with the elements, coursing through every part of her being, threatening to rip what was left of her body apart… White rays bombarded from all angles, and over the din the noise of millions of voices both human, animal, and plant echoed throughout her and the ampitheater…

Then…one ray of light sank into her…and did not come out again. Immediately, the radiance doubled in intensity, and soaked into the body like water into a sponge. Her body became as brilliant as the sun itself…and the elements broke, scattering in all directions, flinging heat, cold, dry, wet, power, and weakness to every corner of the world…

Then, it broke.

The light vanished, and with it went the roar of chaotic noise. It faded into the heavens and was swallowed by them, along with the wind and the storm. The ground became firm again. The fire died and the air grew cold once more. The ampitheater was still fractured, and signs of water and wind still lingered. Some was still running into the cracks. Rocks fell to the ground and came to a rest. But that wasn't all that fell. Aerith's body, now released, collapsed to the ground on the pillar that the circle had become, and came totally to rest. She did not move.

The three men held back. Slowly, they began to uncover their eyes. Ragnar looked around and gaped as he slowly straightened and relaxed. The power that had been unleashed seemed to throw the world itself into chaos…the end result of taking the superior power of the sun and expressing it on a weaker world. However, it was over now. Things were calm again. He and Tumahab continued to look a bit more, to make sure everything was over.

But Cloud focused entirely on Aerith.

As he stared at her, motionless as a statue, the other two gradually turned and looked to her as well. They stared at her body and waited. But because of her robe, they could see nothing. She didn't move at all. Cloud swallowed. He began to breathe very slowly and shaking, as if he was quivering and trembling inside. But then…he managed to move away, and slowly crept over to her. Ragnar hesitated a moment, but then followed behind. Tumahab brought up the rear. His eyes remained focused on Aerith, and he was forming a new thoughtful expression as he stared at her.

Cloud and Ragnar finally made their way to Aerith. Once there, Cloud slowly and silently bent down to her side. Ragnar moved to the other side, licked his lips, anddid the same, until both were squatting next to her. They both looked up and stared at each other a moment. Both of their faces were nervous and tense. Had it worked? Cloud, on his part, was almost too afraid to find out. If they failed…then he knew he'd never get her back, and he had hoped all of this for nothing. It would feel like losing her again. However…he also wanted to be the one to make sure. Ragnar knew this, and so he gave a nod to the ex-mercenary.

Cloud looked down at Aerith and swallowed. He held his breath, and tried not to make a sound. He didn't want anything to confuse him. Very slowly…he lowered his head down to the woman's body. Once he reached her chest, he froze. He stiffened again, and then slowly turned his head, and placed it against her chest. He rested it there, and did not move.

Ragnar and Tumahab anxiously waited, holding their breathand filled with anxiety.

Cloud stayed still for a moment…before his mako-infused eyes seemed to widen. His lip quivered, as his jaw began to loosen.

"…I…" He choked out, forgetting to breathe and unable to say anymore.

Ragnar blinked. "…What, Cloud?"

"I…" He choked again after a moment, before swallowing and managing to get a breath in. When he did…Ragnar saw two tears run from his eyes.

"I…can hear…her heart beating…"

Ragnar stiffened as well, and his own eyes widened as he began to straighten. Cloud, swallowing again, looked up and over her a moment, unable to know what to do. He was confused and dumbfounded. But in the end, he lowered his head to hers, positioning it right in front of her face. He turned and put his ear to her head next. Ragnar leaned in close, trying to overhear as well. He too was growing excited now.

"…Cloud…?"

More tears began to run from Cloud's eyes. "…She's…she's breathing."

Tumahab continued to look to her, although he began to work mentally. Ragnar turned to her face, as Cloud himself leaned off. He couldn't restrain himself any longer. He placed both hands on her shoulders and grasped her. "Aerith!" He called out to her, nearly yelling it. "Aerith…can you hear me?"

For a brief moment…there was nothing.

But then, for the first time in four years…the eyelids of the woman gently parted, and the eyes on the other side were aware and conscious as they began to look around. They rested on Cloud a moment later…and slowly a weak smile began to spread across her face. She parted her lips and said something breathlessly…before her eyes closed again. For a moment, a fear leapt up in Cloud's heart. But it was only a moment. He could feel her breathing against his face, and her heart continued to beat in her chest.

Cloud's face had fallen entirely. It was blank and motionless, as his eyes continued to let the tears fall. In the end, he could only do one thing. He scooped his hands underneath her, raised her up off of the ground, and then pressed her to his chest as tightly as he dared. He closed his eyes and held her. He just wanted to feel her breathe…feel her heart beat…know that she was alive and safe.

Ragnar watched Cloud, and began to smile himself. He was still overwhelmed at this, that they had been so successful. Tumahab stared for a moment more as well…before his own keen ears picked up on what was happening farther away. When it did, he immediately stepped forward and spoke in a more commanding voice.

"…We need to leave now. We haven't much time before the New Shinra arrive."

Cloud didn't say another word on the way back. He merely picked Aerith up and cradled her against him like a newborn baby. Ragnar had never seen him be so gentle before. He even tried to run smoothly to keep her from being jostled or disturbed. Ragnar might have wondered about this, but he was unable to. He was too stunned that it had happened. The woman he had heard so much about was alive again.

He, Cloud, and Tumahab, only a few minutes after leaving, plunged into the ravine and began to run down it, back to the Sierra. Behind them, they heard a lot more noise than on arrival, as the garrison in the City went into the ampitheater area and investigated the no-doubt surprising damage. They were spreading out again afterward, thinking this had been some new weapon. The three of them were nearly in the clear right now. However…the sky had turned from dark to purple now, and it was getting an orange tint on the horizon. By the time they got back to the ship, the sun would be in the sky. They were going to have to play it safe…maybe having to lie low until the search died down. Ragnar really didn't want to wait for sunset again. There wasn't the time.

"How's she doing?" Ragnar called out once he was clear enough to venture saying something.

"Same as before. Breathing slowly. I can't tell if she's unconscious or asleep." Cloud responded, the first thing he had said in a while.

She's asleep. Bahamut immediately answered Ragnar, speaking mentally again. My body felt like dead weight when I came back to life. It felt like everything needed 3 in 1 oil. I recovered quickly because I absorb energy from the sun. It will take her longer. I've already transferred some of my regenerative powers to her. The former wounds that I seared shut are healing up now.

With that in mind, Ragnar rested much easier. He wished he could tell these things to Cloud as well, but he couldn't without blowing his cover. Now, however…he began to wonder about the other thing that Bahamut had mentioned…

As if reading his mind, which he probably was, he heard a response.

Physically, she's still too weak to sense anything different from a normal human. As for her spirit…it has far greater power than I anticipated. I don't believe this was due to the resurrection, however. I feel that she possesses an unknown and unique strength of her soul that transcends that of most mortals…perhaps all of them. Bahamut's mentality slowed…and he seemed to become more amazed.

It's so strange… I never truly analyzed a Cetra before, not with my new faculties…but their very nature is so different. And yet, it still feels so familiar at the same time. It is as if…

Bahamut's mental messages suddenly cut off. Ragnar could sense it. But at the same time, when they ceased…Bahamut suddenly stopped walking. Sensing this, both men turned and looked to the esper in human clothing.

Ragnar was immediately unnerved at what he saw. Bahamut's face had suddenly blanched white. His eyes had widened, and his mouth was loosening. His hands had gone limp to his sides. It was as if he had just realized something…something very pertinent and important that had escaped him before now, and the knowledge was shocking him. Ragnar was naturally unsettled by this, as he was to anything that could unnerve his master. However…he soon received a new surprise and reason to be unsettled. Bahamut wasn't staring at Aerith as he realized this.

He was staring right at him.

Cloud hesitated a moment more…but he didn't wish to stay here. He wanted to get Aerith to where she could rest, and into the safety of the Sierra. "Doctor, what's the matter? We need to get going."

Bahamut didn't respond. He continued to stare blankly for a moment more. But then, as if by delayed reaction, Cloud's words seemed to reach his ears. He tilted his head up to him, and stared at the other man with the same blank look for a moment. But then…he slowly began to step backward.

"I…I can't…come with you."

Ragnar stared on silently, but was puzzled as to what this meant. "What are you talking about?"

Bahamut continued to step back. "Some…something…has come to my attention… I…I need to stay here…"

"You can't stay here." Cloud called out to him. "This place is lethal. The New Shinra will do who knows what to you. Now come on."

But Bahamut shook his head and continued to back off. He kept that look on his face…unnerving his young student further. "No…no…I can't." He repeated. "I…I need to stay here. I have to find… I…" He continued to back up, but caught himself, as if he was trying to think of something to say but couldn't. In the end, however, he shook his head. "I can't stay here any longer. Just get back to the ship. I'll hold them off as best I can. Don't wait for me. I'm not coming back."

Without another word, the man turned and began to run back down the canyon.

"Tumahab!" Cloud called out, advancing back. He might have run after him if it wasn't for Aerith. Ragnar himself didn't move. This whole time, he had been waiting for Bahamut to give him a mental message and explain things. But one never came. And one wasn't coming now. He hadn't planned on this. He had to escape on the fly, and had been forced to make up something at the last minute. But he had been so shocked by something…something that he remembered or noticed…that even he had been unable to think of a good excuse, and in the end had just fled.

This didn't bode well for Ragnar. He had just been getting used to seeing Bahamut again. And now, he was gone once more. What did this mean? What had he seen? Whatever it was…it couldn't have been good…

"Damn it…" Cloud cursed aloud. But in the end, he turned back down to Ragnar. "We can't stay here and wait, kid. If they see us here they can track us to the Sierra. I can try to get him once we have Aerith down, but…"

"…That's not necessary." Ragnar cut off in the end. His eyes were still fixed on the direction Bahamut ran away in, and his voice was faraway. However, he didn't manage a reply that he believed Bahamut wanted. "…He's not coming back, like he said. We'll be waiting for nothing."

Cloud raised an eyebrow to this, and looked more intently at Ragnar. "…Are you sure about that?" He answered. "The guy came with us this far…helped us out… You're starting to act a bit strange yourself…"

Ragnar looked a second longer, but then shook out of it. He turned back to Cloud, and immediately began to run forward again through the canyon. "Nevermind. Let's just get back while we can." He said in a more ready voice. Soon, he was already dashing past Cloud and making his way back to the airship.

The ex-mercenary watched him go for a moment, his own face turning to puzzlement. He wasn't a total idiot. Something had to have been going on back there for a moment, between the doctor and Ragnar. Something hadn't been right about him since he joined them. In fact…Cloud realized he couldn't clearly remember how he had fallen in with them in the first place… The world had been getting a bit stranger ever since they first heard about this Crystal Stone. He didn't want to leave this man behind…but apparently it seemed that this was what both he and Ragnar had been counting on. He didn't know what it meant or what agenda it had…and if Aerith hadn't been a factor he might have demanded more answers.

But Cloud's mind was split now, and most of it was still devoted to his friend. In the end, he turned away from the back of the canyon as well and ran on, concluding on going for the ship. He supported Aerith as gently as he could all the way there.

To be continued...