Well this is gona be big. As I said we're nearing the end of this… I think maybe two chapters away so if you've followed me thus far I hope you appreciate the ironic twist of fate I'm about to put into this. Now let's get down to business.

Reality benders 'the truth. "The great will"'

He looked into her eyes. They didn't have the sinister intent sephiroths had held, nor did her countenance hold the intimidating stance he had thought her to have. She almost seemed calm. Like water within a basin. She at the very least was disarming for someone called the calamity.

"I am jenova…" her voice was deep and commanding, like the voice of a queen.

"why did you…" cloud was shocked as he looked at the tattered remains of his shirt.

"you know very little… tell me… what is it you believe me to be…"

"a…"

"a monster… as I said… very little…"

"then what are you…"

"I am not of this world… yet I am part of it… and as such I do not take kindly to being referred to as the calamity… yes I caused destruction… because that is the will… it bids both creation and destruction. The creator is only just that… it cannot destroy… however… I am one such being who can…"

"Creator?" koty chimed as the word struck a chord. "what do you know of the creator?"

"you are lost aren't you?" she was confident as she placed a hand on his cheek. "the creator is part of the great will… like we are…"

"and what of this great will?"

She removed her hand from his face and stepped back a few steps. "there is no time to explain now… we must hurry or that girl will… we're too late…"

Tifa rose from the floor as if she didn't notice them. Her naked form stood with robotic precision and jenova seemed to be the only one who knew what was going on.

"we must flee… you especially." She looked at koty who held a confused face at her comment. "we can't fight her like this." She then grabbed cloud who still stared in awe and leapt through the opening in the ceiling koty only lingering a moment before following her.

He wouldn't have left tifa but when she opened her eyes to reveal them now filled midnight he felt her lost to him and evacuated.

"tifa… no… tifa… lemme go… damit… let go of me!" cloud fussed with the manhandling he was receiving while reaching to return to his love.

"fool we have no time… she isn't yours anymore. She belongs to the paradox." she was soaring through the air as if she had sprouted wings. She remained at the altitude for quite some time before landing and as if it were a small walk cloud immediately turned face and walked back in the direction. "strife stop… you mustn't."

"she's my wife damit. I can't… its tifa… I won't abandon her…" he stated as he drew his sword.

"cloud wait…" koty's voice was now again its dark demon tone. "as much as I hate to admit it tifa is lost to us for now…"

"don't tell me that! That's a lie!" he was denying that he feared the worst.

"she's alive though… however… she isn't herself. Somehow the paradox is controlling her… the plan to bind it to the fetus worked… but this is apparently a repercussion of a flawed attempt… we must wait until we…" he was cut short as cloud lifted him revealing that his eyes were now the dark ebon sheen of anger.

"cut the crap… tell me what the hells goin on… I've had enough of bein in the dark. From you and shinra… now talk… or I'm gona beat some answers out of you."

"you didn't know?" his voice was now still as dark but its demonic growl had faded.

"know what?" cloud was obviously very angry but stayed his hand to acquire information.

"I think both of you are in need of enlightenment." Jenova spoke softly as she lowered clouds arm with a disarming manner.

"start talkin or I start swingin…" clouds eyes took their endless blue once again and he lowered koty to stare jenova down.

"first for you… it is less complex and needs only you to remember." She looked at cloud as if apologetic "your woman…" cloud interrupted.

"Tifa."

"yes… she is now the harbinger of the paradox."

"and what exactly the hell does that mean."

"I watched as the paradox infested the body of your beloved… but it isn't her that the paradox seeks… it only needs a suitable host."

"and tifa was suitable…" he was silenced as she raised her hand.

"as hard as it is for you to do I need you to please be patient." She lowered her hand. "no… tifa isn't its host… the child is."

"what?"

"you didn't know did you?"

"that's exactly why I'm askin you bitch… what the hell don't I know."

"Tifa is pregnant cloud." Koty spoke out of the blue as he walked forward. "shinra was developing a way to harbor the paradox in a fetus… as a way of raising it to use its potential power as a weapon… I …. Brought her to modeohiem… I thought if I could alter the paradox's base power and suppress it I could nullify it completely within the embryo… however… that… demon… sephiroth… he… betrayed me…"

"she was… you mean…"

"yes… you were the father of a would be child… but now… I'm afraid you may very well be the benefactor of the paradox…" jenova placed a nurturing hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry but as long as the paradox is inside of her… then we cannot hope to reclaim her… my sincerest apologies."

"spare me… I don't think I can handle pity right now… but I want to know… is she still there somewhere…"

"yes… inside her mind… however the paradox is making sure that the mother of its host is well protected… even our little angle of devastation cannot hope to break the barrier it inhabits… and also your beloved is strong… it would be difficult to contend with her in this state."

"wait… angle of devastation… you mean him" he nodded in koty's direction.

"ah… yes and now the more extended conversation… first you were all wrong…"

"what?"

"he was wrong about the paradox pursuing your beloved… shinra was wrong about it seeking to reciprocate the distortion… and your robotic friend was wrong about it being after our friend here…"

"then what does it want…"

"it doesn't want… it is…"

"what does that mean…"

"this is the complicated part… you see our friend here… perhaps… where has he gone…" the two looked around momentarily before an immense darkness clouded the area. "quickly strife… we must make haste." She again scooped him up and carried him high into the air. "we will continue this conversation elsewhere."

intermission

Well for those who have read the first chapter this is gona get intense now try to recollect all that you've heard about koty and the paradox because this is gona be a doozy… tell me if I confuse ya… now back to work.

resume

Reality benders 'the truth "the great will 2"'

He was in darkness again. The same primal darkness as before. He neither felt nor saw anything. Not even the faintest fraction of visibility made his sight.

"you taunt me again do you spirit?" koty rumbled into the darkness now both agitated and slightly forlorn.

"I only find it necessary to enlighten you." The deep thunder of the voice from before quaked as it invaded the silence. "do you realize now where you are?"

"in darkness… what more is there to this place but this blackened void?"

"this is where you were born… as all things… you were forged here… but you are more than just one of the many… you are the envoy of the end."

"what manner of evil do you speak… I understand not your riddles."

"I speak truth… have you any memory of your childhood?"

"I remember my mother… when I was young… she would sing to me…"

"think back farther what is the first thing you remember?"

He stalled searching his mind for its capsized pieces. "I remember a war… fire… death…"

"the life you remember wasn't yours… was it?"

"no… what treachery is this?"

"it is the truth… your duty is forgotten… I mean to remind you of it. You are that which cleanses. The great end… ragnarok… judgment… the grand apocalypse… do you understand your history."

"you speak in strange tongues… what do you mean?"

"the paradox… it wasn't created by tifa… because it is more ancient than her… you were never born into the world you so now love… you were never born to any world… here is the place where you were born. Where you were created child… you are the envoy of the end."

"you answered not my question."

"then I shall be plain… you are the paradox."

"what…"

"you were never meant to exist in this world… so when you crossed over… you became the paradox… you were never meant to exist at all. But the great will saw fit to create you. Thus when you escaped the void of your creation… you summoned the paradox… and now your destiny has been written."

"it can't be."

"but it is. You were never meant to exist here or anywhere. The paradox lingered in the out realm reaching for a subject that would be its harbinger. You are the paradox. no one mortal can exist between realms. You bend reality to your whim and see not the consequences. With each rift you make it grows stronger. Until you made the error of taking Mrs. strife to your world. There the paradox fed from your power and her human desire for completion… and it developed a consciousness... a paradox knows nothing but want. It desires and nothing more. But this paradox that you are is simply different. You aren't whole because you are meant to consume. To devour."

"you mean this?" he held up his arm in despair.

"yes… you were never hunting the paradox… it was hunting you. You are the paradox. the distortion of its birth… and my finest creation…"

"what… what game do you play. I grow weary of your antics."

"I made you… like I make all things… I am the forge… the creator for the great will. And you are my balance. Perfect for your mission in every way… but when you were young… you escaped my watchful void… and now… these poor humans pay the price."

"silence… you speak lies… you poison… I am more than a mere puppet…"

"that I cannot argue… I made you to think freely… you are the envoy of the end… as I am the envoy of beginnings… and I made you from the great wills design… it beacons both creation and destruction… and you… are destruction."

"what…"

"you are the left hand of the true god… the great will… the hand of devastation… the will of defiance."

"so… the paradox…"

"it wasn't it's time to be created… nor yours… souls… are not born… I make them… and your soul was never finished… its counterpart laid barren only waiting to be awakened… when you escaped into existence your soul pulled it forward… it is… fate… but now… the mistake cannot be corrected… you know what it means… child… I beg of you… stay… do not defy the great will… it will bring only sorrow."

"what is the great will?"

"it is all things… it is destiny… love… kindness… yet it is pain… and suffering… it is the writer of existence… time itself holds no meaning to it… for it is eternal…"

"so it toys with life… sickening."

"it seeks to create perfect balance. Unity… consider it a form of chess… the great will wishes to make the perfect balance of good and evil… peace and chaos… you my child are that chaos…"

"how do I stop the paradox…"

"completion… you must gain a whole… become whole… and it too shall become whole…"

"and what of this place… I imagine hell could be no worse than eternal darkness…"

"your knowledge is far too subtle to understand the infinite… to tell you would take all of time… eternity and beyond could not feed that question… now… they need you… this is your destiny… the great will has spoken… you shall go back… may the great will be with you… my child."

He awoke somewhere in the outskirts of edge. The familiar seems of war threatening to engulf him in both memory and sorrow.

"tifa… what should I do… I can't continue knowing that I'm the one that causes so much pain… this great will is an insufferable pain that I cannot defy… one way or another… I am forced to endure… but now I have caused you so much pain… please…. Forgive me sister." He knelt on the ground before him and allowed a tear to fall from his hardened face. "Kara… forgive me… but… I do not see a solution…"

"what's there to see… you need to move on." A serene familiar voice called to him from the ashes of the ruins.

"Kara?"

"stop moping and get up… your family needs you… tifa needs your strength… cloud need your help… and Denzel needs your guidance… are you going to abandon them after all the kindness they've shown you… koty… I'm gone from this world… if you really love me you'll let me rest knowing that you've moved on… and if you die… then I'll be waiting here… now get up… show them the god of war they want you to be… show cloud that your more than just a monster… show tifa that you're not just some strange coincidence… get up… you have something to do… live for them… not for me. They need help… I don't."

"Kara…"

"I love you koty… I always will… and that's why I'm waiting for you… don't worry about me… I'm fine in this place… because I know I'll see you again… now… you for the moment have a confession to make to poor shelke and some time to catch up on with the rest of your family… now… get up… quit moping and fight back… fighting's what you've been good at right… well surrendering is your enemy… get up and fight it."

"yes…" he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand before standing and looking into the ruins. "but to help tifa… I need a great deal of power… power I can acquire from the other side… this place is filled with the souls of the dead and angry… with their souls… I may can suppress the paradox… or possibly destroy it."

"would you find it so simple" sephiroths voice immediately found koty at a loss for words as he walked for words. "that creature is part of you… surly the voice told you that."

"yes demon… it did…"

"now I think we have unfinished business to attend to." He relinquished the masamune and took stance against koty.

"my fists versus your blade hardly seems fair… how would you say to a proper duel." Koty lifted his hand and in it appeared the long bowed handle of a scythe. "this is thanatos… it was the only thing I remembered when I woke in this world… and I had to travel to my world to acquire it… this ancestral weapon… is more built for a specter… but I think I can at least satiate your lust for combat with it myself. Now come at me."

Far away In the north of the continent miles away from modeohiem.

"so what the paradox is… is actually koty's other self… like tifa and that girl from his world." Cloud wasn't ever the sharpest tool in the shed but he understood what little the strange woman told him.

"exactly… koty believes he can destroy it… but it only means that it has the power to destroy him… if he tries he will fall… but if destiny were to take its course for either of the two the other would be freed the consequence." Jenova was certain of the facts she spoke as if it were the first truth she had ever known. "but this would require sacrifice…"

"what do you mean? What sacrifice?"

"the paradox's physical form…"

"you mean…"

"your child."

"no…"

"strife the child has been infected with the paradox it poses a threat to existence itself… even koty is no physical match for it."

"no… it's my child… I can't…"

"it is the paradox… it will not think as a child… nor as a human… it will live for the singular goal of survival… and then it will search for a way to eliminate koty… one way or the other the child is dangerous."

"I don't care… tifa… she…"

"would not want harm to come to her family… even if that meant she had to contend with part of it. If you put the life of an unborn before your rationality it will come to haunt you… this creature is not human… it will consume… everything… koty , Denzel… your precious tifa… it will devour all of them… this is the sad but irrefutable truth… koty is the paradox… and as such the paradox seeks to complete itself… but if koty isn't complete it won't simply stop with him. I will devour everything."

"but there's gota be another way…"

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid there isn't."

Seeing that he couldn't change fates cruel set of rules he decided to switch the subject. "and what about you… I mean the last time I checked weren't you suppose to be… I dunno… evil."

"a common misconception… no I'm not evil… I'm every bit as good as you… I don't find it necessary to explain my actions to you…"

"but why didn't you kill me? You had the perfect opportunity to…"

"because... did you ever stop to think maybe that I am closer to human than you've thought previously?"

"what?"

"look at me… look at my eyes… my hands… my hair… my hips, breasts, and legs… were I a human you may have at one time found me attractive… yes?"

"um…" he looked away in slight embarrassment "maybe… what's your point?"

"did you not stop to think that maybe my mentality would only differ from a humans slightly… maybe I found you attractive." This did little to stem the blood flow to clouds face as she swayed her hips seductively. The unnatural blue tint in her skin was though slightly disturbing easily ignored as she sat on her knees and leaned forward in a very deliberate attempt to tease cloud by amplifying her cleavage.

"um could you not do that?"

"my apologies… I didn't know I disturbed you…" she chuckled.

"look I just wana get home and find a way to help tifa… one that doesn't involve murder…"

"there is another way… but it is extremely risky… and requires koty's cooperation…"

"go ahead… tell me."

"at a price…"

"what? Don't play games with me."

"cloud" that was the first time she referred to him by his first name. "I don't play games… I merely want something in return for my assistance."

"what do you want?"

She fell back to the soft grass and stretched her body to its full length as if trying to entice him. "lay with me here…"

"what? You've gotta be kidding me… no I'm not even gona… no the answers no…" his face was a flush crimson.

"why not… do you not find me attractive… I could give you that which you desire…" her body shifted from her own to copy the form of tifa. "is she what you want."

"don't do that." He was now more annoyed than embarrassed.

"I don't ask that you make love to me… but it has been a long several centuries sense I have felt a man's touch… do enlighten me how gentle you can be cloud strife." Her body reverted to its original form.

"this is wrong… wrong wrong wrong… I can't… look you're a nice lookin girl er… woman… but I'm a married man… granted my wife's kina on a homicidal rampage right now…. But I can't do this… I love tifa…"

"then continue to do so… I don't seek affection… I merely seek satisfaction." Her eyes were seductive as she stretched again. "wont you oblige me… hero?"

intermission

You guessed it kiddies… my head works in strange ways but you'll see what's about to happen shortly… now watch closely and look for the subtle hints of disaster about to unfold… now this is the last instillation for this chapter so pay attention. Get back to work… reading slaves… I joke you know I love you guys.

resume

Reality benders "electricity 'crimson stained hands 'nailed it"

"you would seek to destroy me demon… very well then… see if you are worthy." Kotys scythe was deadly in its speed as it matched evenly with sephiroths blade.

"ha… cloud was so weak and powerless against the paradox that you brought on. Are you sure you really want to continue to exist knowing that you will lead to his inevitable demise." The man mocked koty with open malice as he swung away at him. "wouldn't you just let me end this."

"play your games with a child… my mind is far too complex for your menial words to challenge."

"then I see we are at an impasse. Very well… then I shall relieve you of your joy and your life… your precious Kara served no purpose other than to resurrect mother… which means you should prove more use to me when I become the true ruler of this world."

"perish the thought fool… you are no match for me…" he swung an angry left hook and hurled sephiroth into a falling building. "if I had seen fit I could have rend your soul at a moment's notice."

Koty sauntered over to the defeated sephiroth as his eyes grew a shade of crimson to match the sky of the impending dawn. He was now carrying a look in his eyes that even the great sephiroth had no choice but to fear.

"ah… so now the true paradox shows its teeth." He laughed to hide his fear.

"do not call me that… you twisted delusional fool. You know this place… it was my sister's home… before she met me… and now it lies in ruins because of people such as yourself… this is why I shall cleanse this world…"

"cleanse… ha… who is more foolish… you or me… I seek to rule… while you seek utopia… hahaha… you are truly a comedian before a warrior." He rose before looking at the masamune now broken and dulled from its former glory.

"you have lost… give up!" koty again hurled him into another wall as his voice became its demonic growl yet again.

"you don't see it do you… humans are drawn to conflict… as long as they exist people like you and I exist… we are the counterbalance to a world of naïve dreamers. You cannot create peace without destroying humanity…"

"you see… that is where you and I differ… perhaps I shall make an example out of you… when I see your throne taken from your dying grasp."

"do not delude yourself… even if I die… I will always exist… I will never be a memory…"

"this may be true… but… as it stands… I think it would be best to see what cloud has in mind for you… so again… I've heard enough… be gone." He struck the man with a forceful backhand sending him flying off into the distance before holstering his scythe. "thanatos… if I kill him… would it really make a difference. Or would it just mean more blood on my already crimson stained hands?"

He had walked for miles. He felt like it was hopeless looking for koty on gut instinct. He had no idea how far out he was nor did he really know where he was going. But a gut feeling told his instincts that his destination lied somewhere in edge.

He was content with walking until exhaustion before someone interrupted his trek.

"hey kid… hey kid! Yo… Squirt… you hear me runt?" a man riding a hover bike stopped in front of him as he ceased his progression.

"what?" his voice was cold and indifferent the way he had learned to talk from cloud.

"that's a nice lookin knife you got there… you don't really need that thing do you? Why don't you just hand it to us and we'll let you walk home without any problems. See?"

"the sword is mine…" he reached for the hilt quietly as he spoke.

"now come on kid… we really don't need to get ugly do we… I bet your mother is really missin ya… why don't you just gimme the blade and I'll let you go?"

"no…"

"now listen here you little brat. If you don't gimme that blade ill…"

"you'll what…" his eyes pierced the man and the elder found himself both stunned and slightly intimidated.

"well… I see you won't just let me have it… so let's rumble."

Denzel said nothing as the man revved the machine and rushed him.

With one swift motion Denzel ran the end of his sword into the front panel of the machine and the hover bike dropped.

"what the hell… that aint normal… alright boys get'em." Three other men riding similar contraptions then surrounded him and circled their spirited prey. "snuff'em."

They all rushed him and he thought back to the day when kadaj attacked edge. Remembering how cid had protected him and tifa he swung his sword in a clockwise motion batting the riders away as if they posed no threat.

"damn guys… this kids whoopin your asses… get out there and fight dammit." They found their way to the battle field again and encircled him once more.

This time Denzel did not wait for an attack but instead charged the men and took the first down with ease.

"leave… now…" he warned the others as they looked at him with wide eyes and slack jawed expressions.

"haul ass boys we can't handle this." It was easy enough after the training he had received.

"and don't come back!"

He stabbed the blade in the ground and tossed a rock at the fleeing would be assailants. After a few choice rocks and a tossing contest he returned to the blade and lifted it. 'how did that go again.' He spun the sword in a mirror rendition of clouds stance and sheathed the massive blade. 'nailed it.'

With no further impediments to his progress he continued his journey.

Outside the reaches of modeohiem.

"no… I … I can't…" cloud protested to the strange woman with a strong resolve.

"please… I will not trouble you again I give you my word." Her voice softened and she turned her head to the side. "I wish to know… to know you… you hold a piece of me… so I wish to know you wholly."

"what you see is what you get. And no I can't do this… I'm married and I've got a son… look I can't… if I weren't I might consider it." Suddenly he felt her hand reach up to his and pull him downward.

"was this so hard?" she spoke to him his face now inches from her own.

He was straddling her waist and his hands braced him on both sides of her head with his legs firmly gripping her sides.

"gha… no… I can't… stop… okay just stop… I can't… I won't do this."

"I can give her to you." She again transformed.

"don't… no…"

"you don't want her either… what a strange heart you have." She spoke as if she honestly believed it before reverting to her original form.

"not that's not it… it's just… I love tifa…"

"then why do you not want her."

"I do… but you're not her… don't you see… if I… with you… you know… then that would be like betraying her."

"oh… I see…" she then tossed him to his side sharply. "is this better."

"ow… a little I guess…"

She didn't waste time looking into his eyes as if trying to read him. she seemed pretty captivated by his piercing blue. It was almost like watching tifa when she examined his many scars. However where tifa hinted at a strong sense of lust in the deep pools of her eyes jenova simply held an analytical interest.

"hold still." She demanded as she grasped his hand firmly before splaying her fingers to match his.

To his surprise her skin was soft. Almost silken in its texture. And her eyes were an odd almost pink color. Her hair was the sephiroth trade mark silver but other than that there was no 'family' resemblance.

"what are you do… uh" he was shocked as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she gripped his hand with great force. "are you okay."

"We've made a very bad miscalculation… koty isn't just part of the paradox… he is the paradox." she suddenly fell forward onto her stomach and cloud sat up on one elbow to examine her.

"jenova… jenova… are you okay… hello… wake up… are you still with me here…" cloud watched for a moment before realizing she was unconscious.

He didn't want to leave her but he still wanted to find tifa. 'but if she's being controlled by the paradox… she might be a bit dangerous to deal with… besides… I wana know what's gotten her in such a panic anyway… she said that like koty was some sort of monster.' He watched her as she slumbered. The gentle rise and fall of her back as she breathed almost hypnotizing him into joining her.

As if his hand were possessed he reached out to feel the motion placing his palm between the small of her back and her shoulder blade. 'wow… she's… not a monster… she feels human… extremely human… cloud… snap out of it strife… if tifa caught you doing this with anyone especially jenova… she would kill you… have you lost your mind… scratch that you talk to yourself… so yeah I think we'll go with crazy'

He immediately removed his hand and within seconds of its removal the woman rose.

"you alright now?" he tried to act casual but the sudden embrace of her hand to the back of his head caught him off guard.

"…" she said nothing

"hey… you hear me… you okay?" he would have been less surprise if she had punched him but he flinched in almost a vain attempt to avoid pain as she move quickly forward to embrace his lips with her own.

It was like someone had a gun at his head. The electricity of the kiss completely both shocked and stunned him. he wanted to pull away but couldn't. 'what the… oh crap…' he immediately put his hand between her and himself only for her to pull it to her chest. 'sunova… wait.' He halted as he felt the throbbing of her heart. It was rhythmic but it felt like something other than just a heart was moving in her chest. It felt almost like the building of energy from a powerful materia. 'gota move.'

He swiftly thrust himself away from her as she erupted in a blinding light.

"what… ah… damn" he struggled to regain his vision.