Broken Wings - Chapter Seventy-Six
Sephiroth was no stranger to pain. His entire childhood had been spent in a laboratory, his life at the mercy of merciless scientists that had experimented on his young body frequently. Contrary to the belief of most, the wounds and long scars that covered his body were not earned in battle, for the vast majority of the cases. Tiny, sterile knives slowly and deliberately inflicted these scars.
He had never felt anything like this.
The fever was the least of his concerns, though it did sap his strength and burn away much of his rational thought. He was aware that his lips were moving, but he could neither see nor feel the word he spoke until much later.
He was calling for Aralyn.
It was a relief when he could open his eyes to the darkness of Faramir at night. His entire body was drenched in a thin layer of sweat, but this had not been the side effect of a fever.
Aralyn was curled at his side, a wet cloth still clenched in her hand. Her chest rose and fell softly, the gentle music of her breathing calming, the only noise in the room.
Faramir was a stark contrast to the world of pain he had managed to break free of. He was still breathing heavily, gasping the cool, sweet air in relief.
At least by awakening he had won a small battle.
He collapsed back, against the pillows, trying to recapture his breath. Even now, in the serenity of Faramir, he could hear her.
My son, why do you fight?
He shuddered at her voice that consumed him and filled his being with a passionate bloodlust for the woman lying beside him. His hands, not obeying his own bidding, reached forward to seize the sleeping maid. He gasped and forced his body to roll away from Aralyn's, literally paralyzed by the white-hot pain for his resistance. He could do nothing but wait until the fiery knives relented.
Jenova's voice was soft and loving. My son…why?
Mother…do not ask this of me. Anything in the world, it is yours but please …not this…
The pain came again, and when he regained his senses he found that he had writhed to an extent that he had fallen to the floor. Blood, hot and bitter, rose in his mouth and his entire body felt as if it were in flames.
She couldn't even give you an heir! Jenova shrieked. If you desire a female, then take another!
With what little strength he managed to retain, he drew himself to his knees. He clutched his head, fighting against the entity within his mind.
And then he was surrounded in mist. He was warm, and something was soothing his aching body. Aralyn…?
But it was Jenova's voice that responded in tender, subtle tones. Do you doubt me, my son?
Sephiroth couldn't answer, not with this burning in his soul. This was his mother. He couldn't deny her. Not after her arms had shielded him for these last years, not after it was her that had opened his eyes to the truth of his very being…!
Then why do you resist? Why do you cry for the frail human? The mist began to shift, making Sephiroth feel as if the waves were lapping at him, consuming his pain as they swept over his being and still clutching them as they waned away. My son, she has blinded you. You deserve far better than this filth.
Some part of Sephiroth wanted to resist, but he found himself quite incapable.
Which is why I must do this, my son.
That was his final warning.
Using a tremendous amount of strength that he didn't know he possessed in his weakened state, he seized control of his body, finding that he had acted with only a second to spare.
In the dream-like trance, Jenova had controlled his submissive body. He found Masamune bared in his hands, gleaming in the moonlight, a whisper above Aralyn's pale throat.
He threw himself back against the wall, flinging the Masamune a length away, before the searing pain consumed him again.
Why do you do this, Sephiroth?! Jenova was far beyond rage, her shrieks striking Sephiroth to the bone.
He could no longer breathe as a tendril of power wrapped itself around his throat and constricted.
Leave me… Sephiroth began, calling on the last reserves of power he held. Leave me! Leave me! He screamed with all his might.
He was released, allowed to fall limp on the floor, rolling over onto his stomach, gasping and choking. Sweat rolled down his face, plastering his silver hair to his face.
It was a solid hour before he could rise to his knees, and then several more minutes with the assistance of the bedside to pull himself to his feet.
Aralyn lay silent in the bed, unaware of the torment Sephiroth had just endured. Her face was peaceful and pale in the moonlight, though her cheeks were the color of ash and dark circles tainted her eyes.
She was, nevertheless, the most beautiful sight he could ever have asked for. It had been years since he had felt this passionate longing that throbbed within him now.
He forced himself to turn his back as she cried out, further proof that the sickness was taking hold. As she moaned, he stood erect, unmoving, though her cries went through him like physical pain.
Only when she fell silent did he gather his neatly folded cloak, slipping his arms into the sleeves and fastening the clasps. He sheathed Masamune at his side and slowly exited the room, only glancing back once.
As he was halfway out the front door, he heard the whisper of fabric. He didn't turn, but spoke in a dead, haunting voice.
"Valentine."
He didn't need to hear any sound to sense Vincent's similar greeting.
"If I return, kill me."
That was all he said before he spread his wing and let himself rise into the black sky.
His best bet was to stay as far away from her as possible, for he knew that Jenova had not retreated for long, and had most certainly not altered her goal in any way other than to make Aralyn's demise much more elongated.
A/N: Meh...will probably be rewriten but...what do you think? I wanted to show that Sephy is beginning to doubt Jenova. He's not going to change instantly, no matter how dramatic the circumstances. I think she's nurtured him far too long for any possibility of that.
The week after this one is my Spring Break. I can promise you that book one will be completed by that time, if not earlier. By my counting, we have about four, maybe five chapters left.
And then the sequel, Everglow!