Final Fantasy VII [3rd Instalment]

Emerald Princess of Vernea

[Five Years Previous - After Nibelheim Tragedy]

It did not take long for Nibelheim to burn to the ground. A matter of hours was all it took. The village was ruined beyond recognition. The flames had ravaged every single building, leaving nothing but a smouldering ruin.

There had been very few survivors. Those that did survive were in no condition to move, suffering from horrendous burns and smoke inhalation. The Shinra soldiers that arrived shortly after carted the survivors away on stretchers to the only building left untouched by Sephiroth's rampage.

Shinra Manor was the only building left standing, standing as solitary guard over the smoking remains of Nibelheim. Though it had remained predominantly unoccupied for the past thirty years it was very active on that night, as Shinra troops went about destroying whatever evidence they could find relating to the disaster.

Professor Hojo had insisted on coming along when he heard the news of what had happened. He had smiled the whole time during the trip via chopper across the sea. The soldiers tried to give him a wide berth, unnerved by his presence.

His smile grew wider when he saw the destruction that Sephiroth had caused. Of course, he did not believe that Sephiroth had been killed. He, more than anyone in Shinra, knew this. Sephiroth was not a man who could be killed so easily. That was the great gift the power of Jenova's cells brought to man. Almost complete invulnerability.

It was to Hojo's great shame that he had been so far unsuccessful in creating other soldiers like Sephiroth. Sadly, most of his attempts had ended in failure. Those that came close were put to some other use: something that only he and the other top-ranking Shinra executives were allowed to know. The others, if they survived, were either released into society, or simply disposed of.

Of course, if they were released, it would only be a temporary freedom. In time, they would all be called back. No matter how far away they were in, they would all be called back in time for Jenova's Reunion. The Jenova Reunion was Hojo's greatest theory; the reunion of Jenova's cells to her corporeal body. He had distributed many of her cells through his experiments, and he longed to see the results. Still, there was always room for more experimentation.

As such he had immediately laid claim to the survivors of the Nibelheim disaster. Shinra wanted to cover up the disaster and pretend it never happened, so it wouldn't do to have the survivors be allowed to tell their story. Such was the reason he gave to the president himself… who quite readily agreed without much persuasion.

Hojo also laid claim to the two Shinra victims, found collapsed inside the mako reactor in Mt. Nibel. He had been unimpressed when he first saw them, but then changed his mind. As Shinra employees, they had already been exposed to mako… The injection of Jenova cells was only the next step. Their fate had already been sealed, so their bodies, living or dead, may as well serve some useful purpose.

Much to the professor's dismay, both of those experiments proved to be fruitless. The first subject, a Shinra SOLDIER First Class, accepted the Jenova cells into his body without much trouble, but that was no surprise. As a member of SOLDIER, he already possessed a small quantity of Jenova cells. It was part of the process of creating SOLDIER, using Jenova cells to enhance their bodies further, giving them greater endurance and strength than ordinary people. Sadly, the experiment failed to produce the required results, and so Hojo had turned to the next one.

The second subject proved to be a bigger failure than the first. This subject was a mere infantryman, and he had a violent reaction when the Jenova cells had been injected into his body. The resulting reactions had left the subject in a vulnerable, barely conscious state similar to mako poisoning, a condition brought on by too much exposure to mako energy.

So ashamed was he of his failure that Professor Hojo was prepared to eliminate them both right there and then, but then he received word that the Shinra army was returning to Midgar. It had been decided by the president and other executives that Jenova would be transported from Nibelheim to a secure holding in Midgar, and Hojo was required to attend to ensure the specimen was treated with utmost care. So the professor sealed the two failures up in the basement of Shinra Manor and left them under the watchful eyes of his staff.

Then he all but forgot about them.

The two men, sealed up in glass cylinders filled with mako, did not know how much time had passed. It could have been days, months… or even years. The SOLDIER was more active than his companion, who barely seemed to notice anything. He had deteriorated more since being sealed up inside the container. It was a wonder he was still alive at all.

The staff remaining inside Shinra Manor came down to the basement three times a day to give them their meals, as well as maintain the basic upkeep of Hojo's lab. In order to feed them, the glass cylinders had to be unlocked. It was at this time that the SOLDIER, whose name was Zack, planned to make his escape.

It was on one cool morning when Zack put his plan into action. A member of Hojo's staff came reluctantly into the laboratory carrying a tray of food. He ignored the books scattered about the floor—Professor Hojo would be most displeased if his books were disturbed!—and went over to the desk. He placed the tray on the desk, careful not to disturb the papers, and turned to the two containers. The two men inside looked as though they were asleep. Sighing, bored with this constant routine, he went over to Zack's container.

"Hey!" he said, tapping on the glass to get Zack's attention. "This is your food."

There was no response from the dark-haired young man. The SOLDIER's head was limp, his eyes closed in sleep. The man sighed once again and pressed a button to drain the mako inside the container. It drained quickly, and the SOLDIER slumped against the glass. The man pressed his hand against the lock to release it, and the door opened. He turned back to the desk to pick up the tray.

A noise made him stop. He paused and looked around, wondering where the noise was coming from. Then he heard a shuffling and looked behind him. It couldn't be—the specimen was moving! The man darted forward, but the SOLDIER reached out and grabbed him. He yanked the man into the container and punched him squarely in the jaw. The poor man was sent flying; he fell past the desk and smacked his head against a piece of machinery. Then he slumped, unconscious.

Zack, now on his feet, ran out of the container. He went straight to that of his companion and smashed his palm against it, and the door slid open. He did not bother to drain the mako. This all poured onto the floor as the door opened, and the young man inside came toppling out and fell to his knees.

The SOLDIER knelt by his side and examined him closely. The young man's face was pale, almost sheet white, and glistening with mako. His blue eyes were half closed, but Zack could see that the irises had taken on a glowing hue, just like his own.

As Zack watched, the infantryman's body began to shake. He paled further, if that was possible, and his head began to quiver, on the verge of a violent fit. Zack could only watch helplessly as convulsions tore through the young man's body. The tremors lasted only a few moments, and then the young man, whose name was Cloud, crumpled to the floor, his breathing heavy and laboured.

Zack left Cloud for a minute and went to retrieve his sword, the Buster Sword, which had been rather carelessly left lying against a wall. When he returned he found that the infantryman had managed to push himself back to his knees and was trying to raise his head, but the effort was obviously costing him. His arms were trembling; he wouldn't be able to keep himself upright for long. Zack went back to his side and took his hand to pull him to his feet. They were getting out of here now.

It took him a while to get Cloud out of Shinra Manor and out of town. There were still a few Shinra soldiers patrolling the town, making their escape difficult. He had to half carry, half drag Cloud out of there, for the young man was unable to walk on his own. This slowed them greatly, but Zack would not leave Cloud behind. It was a long journey back to Midgar, but Zack would ensure that they made the journey together.

"Oh, here!! Put on this. It smells a little though don't complain. You look pretty good with that. Well……"

Some time later, Zack and Cloud were in the back of a pickup truck travelling through a rocky landscape on its way to Midgar. Zack had replaced Cloud's standard infantryman uniform with the uniform of a First Class SOLDIER. It suited him surprisingly well, Zack thought.

Cloud's condition had not improved at all since leaving Nibelheim. Zack had hoped that there would have been some change by now. Cloud was still unable to walk, and his words were garbled and incoherent. Zack was not too worried, though. He had faith in Cloud. It was only a matter of time before the mako sickness released its grip on him, and then they would move forward together. They were friends, after all.

Until then, Zack just had to be patient. But patience was a thing that was not in his nature. Waiting around made him restless. He paced about the truck, before turning and banging on the glass of the driver's cab to get his attention.

"Yo! Old guy!" he said in a loud voice. "We at Midgar yet?"

"Shaddap! You're lucky I even gave you a ride!" snapped the driver irritably.

Zack frowned and shook his head. Why were all old people so grumpy these days? He turned away from the driver and walked back down the length of the truck to where Cloud was sitting. The young man was still trembling. Zack sat beside him.

"What're you gonna do when we get to Midgar?" he asked Cloud.

Cloud did not seem to hear him. His only response was to try and lift his head. His glazed eyes remained fixed on the floor. "………"

Zack smiled softly and climbed to his feet. He walked to the other side of the truck and looked out at the rock formations jutting up out of the ground as they rode on. "I know what I'm gonna do," he said. "I got a place I can crash for a while… No wait," he added, "the mother lives there, too… Guess that's out…" He sighed and shook his head. Now he had to think of something else.

"………" murmured Cloud softly, not really listening.

"Yep… gotta change my plans!" continued Zack, trying to think more positively. He walked back to the other side of the truck. "Hmm…… No matter what I do, I need some money first…" He thought for a moment. An idea came to him, and he looked at Cloud. "…Hey, wanna start a business? But what could we do?" He looked down at his palms, thinking. "Hey, Cloud. Think there's anything I'd be good at?"

There was no response from Cloud. Zack turned to the driver's cab again.

"Hey old guy! What do you think I'd be good at?"

"What're you yappin' about?" the driver called back to him. "You're still young ain't ya? Young folks should try everything! You gotta pay your dues while you're young. Go out and look for what you really want."

Zack turned away from the cab. "Try everything…" he repeated. "That's easy for him to say…"

The SOLDIER walked to the other end of the truck, trying to think. It was hard to come up with anything. His only ambition in life had been to join SOLDIER and become strong, just like the person he had admired most. Now that Shinra had ordered their termination, that dream was impossible to attain. Surely there had to be another way…

Shaking his head, Zack quickly dropped down into a squat. He pushed himself back up and then dropped again. Squats were his favoured method of exercise, and they also helped to clear his head and allow him to think. And he needed to do some serious thinking about his future.

The SOLDIER did a few squats in that spot, maintaining his balance even though the truck bumped and rattled along the rocky ground. Then he stopped and went over to the other side. He did a few squats there too, before going back to his original spot and doing more. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow, but he did not slow his pace. Suddenly he stopped and turned to Cloud.

"HEY! Of course!" he said. His blue eyes brightened. "I got a lotta brains and skill that other guys don't." He slammed his fist into his palm. "That settles it! I'm gonna become a mercenary! Yeah! Thanks pops!"

"Hey… didn't you even hear a word I said?"

"Listen, I'm gonna become a mercenary and that's that." Zack grinned resolutely. He clenched his fists. "Boring stuff, dangerous stuff, anything for money. I'm gonna be rich! So, Cloud? What are YOU gonna do?"

The driver shook his head. "No, wait… you got it all wrong."

"U… uhhh……" groaned Cloud, raising his head. His glazed eyes fixed on Zack for a brief moment, before dropping back down to the ground.

Zack's smile grew wider. "Just kidding… I won't leave you hanging like that." He walked back over to Cloud and sat down beside him. He touched Cloud's shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. "…We're friends, right?" He leaned close to Cloud and spoke softly. "Mercenaries, Cloud. That's what you an' me are gonna be." He stood up. "Understand, Cloud?" He nodded, smiling.

Zack stopped the driver when they were close to Midgar. It was dangerous for them to enter through the main gates; Shinra soldiers guarded every exit. If he and Cloud were going to enter Midgar, then they would have to enter through one of the secret aqueducts that led into the slums. The driver did not ask any questions and carried on driving without looking back. Dark clouds were rolling in; it was going to rain.

Zack dragged Cloud through the rocky cliffs. It was hard going. The terrain was uneven and dry, with little moisture. There were only a few patches of grass left growing on the ground; most of it had been sucked dry of life by the reactors from the nearby city.

Still, Zack could not leave Cloud behind, so he struggled hard to take him through the mountains.

They were just making their way across a large cliff when the sound of gunshots filled the air. Zack stopped and looked back over his shoulder. This was bad; it looked like Shinra had finally caught up to them. They were so close to Midgar…

Slowly Zack lowered Cloud onto the ground, laying young man facedown on the rock. He stood. He heard more gunshots, this time closer, and a few pinged off a nearby rock. There was no doubt that those bullets were meant to be for them. The soldiers had to be close by.

Zack gripped his sword by the hilt and ran back a little way to see if he could spot them, see how many there were and, if possible defend himself and Cloud.

It was not long before he found them. In fact he ran straight into the first group, and barely had time to draw his sword before they struck. His sword clashed against their guns, but it was not hard to take them all down. The hard part was that there was a second patrol making its way swiftly up the path, and they had already spotted him.

Zack pulled back. The second patrol would arrive at any moment, and in this place he might not be able to fend them off and protect Cloud. He ran back to the top of the cliff, to where Cloud still lay. He knelt by Cloud's side, preparing to lift him up and carry him off to some place safer. He looked up to see if the patrol was near.

Three bullets suddenly hit him in the chest, and Zack was thrown backward. He landed on the ground and skidded back until he reached the cliff edge. There he stopped and lay still, his eyes fixed on the sky.

Two Shinra infantrymen ran up, followed by their captain, and gathered around Zack. They looked down at him. He was still breathing, but weakly. The SOLDIER struggled to raise his Buster Sword, defiant to the last. One of the soldiers raised his machine gun and fired a repeated series of shots into the defenceless SOLDIER's body, rending him to shreds.

Zack cried out in pain, his body shaking from the bullets that bore into his body. The soldier paused, and Zack fell limp against the ground. His head rolled to one side and lay still. The soldier looked at him closely, trying to spot any signs of movement.

There were none.

Even so, the soldier pulled again on the trigger and fired more shots, just to make absolutely certain that the SOLDIER would not get up. There was one final shudder from the SOLDIER's body, and then he fell limp once more, his eyes sightless.

With that job done, the other soldier and his captain turned to Cloud. The soldier took a step toward the young man and looked down at him. Cloud was still, and his face was pale. He looked almost dead. Seeing this, the soldier turned to the captain.

"What do you want to do with him?" he asked.

At the sound of their voices, Cloud's body twitched. He struggled to raise his head, but could not lift it more than an inch off the ground. "…Ah… ughhhh……" he groaned.

The captain came over to stand beside Cloud. He watched as Cloud's head dropped back to the rock, and his body quivered. Seeing the state that he was in, the captain almost felt sorry for him. The reports he had received on this one were vague, stating that he could not move or talk on his own. What threat could he possibly be to Shinra in this state? Looking down at him, it didn't seem like he would last much longer anyway. What was the point in them killing him when it looked like he was close to death anyway?

He sighed. "…Forget it," he said finally. "Just leave him."

Ignoring the looks he received from his subordinates, the captain turned and headed back down the path. The two soldiers hesitated before following him. They left Cloud and Zack alone on the cliff; one to die, and the other for dead.

It began to rain as the soldiers were leaving. The first drops fell from the sky and landed on the dry ground in a light shower, hydrating the parched ground. Cold droplets fell onto Cloud, who twitched as he felt the icy water fall onto his hair and drip down his neck.

Slowly Cloud opened his eyes and raised his head. His body was aching, as though all his energy had been drained and was unable to replenish it. Something about the coldness of the water seemed to refresh him and give him strength, and he slowly began to push himself up. His movements were shaky at first, and he almost fell, but eventually he managed to push himself up a little bit and looked ahead.

The first thing he saw was Zack. The SOLDIER was lying lifeless at the edge of the cliff, in a pool of his own blood. Cloud stared at him through hazy eyes. He tried to move his legs and stand, but they refused to cooperate, and he could only move them a little. Instead Cloud placed one hand in front of the other and crawled forward, inches as a time, trying to reach his friend.

The rain grew heavier as he crawled, soaking him through. The soil turned to mud and slicked through his fingers as he crawled across the patches of grass. More than once he staggered and almost fell to the ground, but he just about kept his balance and continued forward.

He finally reached Zack's side. There was no sign of life in the SOLDIER's eyes, and his body did not move at all. Cloud stared at him, and then lowered his eyes to the sword resting in Zack's lifeless hand. Reaching out, he pried it gently from Zack's fingers. They relinquished the blade easily, as though Zack willingly passed it on.

He lifted the sword up in his right hand, looking at the blade. It was a monstrous blade, almost as tall as he was. Yet despite the thickness and size of the blade, it was not as heavy as it appeared. Even so, in his weakened state, Cloud's hand trembled trying to hold it up. He then looked down at Zack. Zack had wielded this sword so expertly, like a true SOLDIER should.

Looking at Zack's lifeless body, Cloud felt despair surge over him like a giant tidal wave. Tears welled up in his eyes and poured down his cheeks. He choked. Lifting his head, he looked at the sky with its dark, heavy clouds. Water slicked down his face, washing away the tears. Cloud spread his arms wide, the Buster Sword in his hands.

He cried out in anguish.

He would go on, but he would never forget the gifts Zack had given to him. A future and a legacy to follow… that would be his path now.

Over the next crest lay the city of Midgar. There he would make that dream a reality.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS

I know I said I was going to add this as a bonus instalment, but when I saw how little text there was, I changed my mind and decided to add it as a bonus interim chapter. ^_^ It was fun playing with Zack. Well, onto the next one!