World of Advent Chapter Fifteen

Author's Note: I'm so terribly sorry for the wait everyone. You would not believe how stressful my life has become at times. For the first time in a long while I'm able to write World of Advent, and thus I write. Hopefully this will be everything you wanted in this chapter. Well, I've kept you waiting long enough. Here it is! Chapter fifteen.

"Neige!" A young Cipher, around eleven years of age, laughs and hugged his friend. "What's going on today?"

"Well," Neige smiled, "Not much, but I was hoping we could change that."

"We?" Cipher asked in confusion. "What do I have to do with anything?"

"You have to do with everything," Neige assured him. "Have you ever heard of Cipher, the son of Zero and Ciel?"

"Of course," Cipher said glumly. "Everyone seemed to think that I might be him."

"Well," Neige said, "I believe that too. You look just like Cero. And you're so smart! And loyal. You're so much like them, you just don't know it. You have to be the real Cipher. I just know it."

"You really think I could be him," Cipher asked, not daring to hope. "You mean—I could have a family? Are they my parents? Is Cero my brother?"

"I think so," Neige said. "I just need you to take the blood test."

There was a silence as Cipher looked at the ground. Anywhere but Neige. "You… You want me to see if I'm real?"

"Well, yes." Neige said. "But it's only a formality, Cipher. I've never been more certain of anything before. Just take the test, and we'll show the world who you are."

"You're just like them," Cipher said, his little hands clenched in fury. "You're just like my foster parents! You just want me to be Cipher. No one cares about who I am!"

"That's not true," Neige said desperately. "I care. Even if you aren't Cipher, I would still care."

"Then let the world know me for who I am," Cipher said. "I'm never taking that test. I hate it. I hate every part of it! I hate my parents. I hate them all! They just want me to be real. They just want to be famous…"

"Of anyone I've ever met," Neige said, "You're the one most deserving of it. Even now, you're so much like them. I can see it so clearly. Won't you please take the test?"

"If they want their son," Cipher said stubbornly, "They would have to accept me first."

"I'm sure they would," Neige said. "Just give them a chance."

"Fine," Cipher said. "But first, they'll have to give me a chance. Without them ever thinking that I'm their child. A family is more than just blood."

"Very well." Neige sighed. "When you're old enough, you can join the Resistance. I'm sure they'd love to accept you. They're very selective, but I know you can make it."

"Alright…" Cipher took something from his old friend, a brochure filled with information about the Resistance and their famous leaders.

Long after Neige had left, Cipher traced Zero and Ciel's outlines with his finger. "Are you my parents?" he asked. "Are you my family?"

Many years passed, and Cipher found himself speaking the words he swore he never would.

"I am the son of Zero."

There was a shocked silence as the last of Cipher's oversol spread across his face. In appearance and power, he had taken on Zero's form. Even the mavericks seemed to hold themselves at bay in awe of this powerful revelation.

"No" Cy whimpered. "It can't be. You? You?! Why not me?"

"A family," Cipher said, approaching the mavericks at bay with a thin energy saber protruding from his wrist, "Is more than just blood. It's a foundation and trust and support. You, who never considered the bonds a true family is composed of, could never understand that. Those who fight beside me are my family. Those who die beside me are my brothers and sisters. Those who believe in me, are my family. Aunt Neige was always there for me. She always believed in who I really was. How could you understand something like that, Cipher Unclaimed? I am Cipher Kanara, the true son of Zero."

Cipher regarded the horde before him with contempt. "Come at me, then. Let's get this show started."

The wave of fallen reploids roared in response, and Cipher took a stance, determined to let no one behind him get hurt.

Sorra looked at him in awe. "You're him. We found you."

"I was always here." Cipher responded simply before cutting down the first of many mavericks that reached him.

With each cut, I avenge you. Cipher thought of the many who died in service looking for him. He thought of his brother, who shared the truth with him.

With each hit, I protect you. Cipher let out an aura of power, preventing any reploid from touching Sorra or even Cy.

The mavericks thrashed and wailed, but not one saw through Cipher's newfound strength. At last, even the final Maverick fell. And with it, Cipher collapsed.

"There you are!" A voice shouted out. Theta and Gamma came rushing in beside Skie, who gaped in shock at Cipher's full oversol.

"Zero?" he asked dumbly. "No… Cipher?"

"Get him to safety," Theta ordered. "An Advent's first full oversol is always taxing. Skie, Sorra, take him and Cy aware from here. A Maverick Queen is on its way."

"What about you," Skie countered. "Even you two can't take a Queen."

"Not without our oversols," Theta said. "But with them, we can do more than this much."

They shared a look. "I suppose you've figured this much out already. We're not Theta and Gamma."

Theta nodded. "My real name is Venti."

"Specter," Gamma said.

"The true generals of the Rikku Gundan and Zan'ei armies," they said. "Run. We can take this thing."

Above, a warped creative descended upon them, its many parts strung together from fallen Mavericks. It reeked of death and took the stench of despair with it. A scraping sound resonated throughout the walls of the factory clearing as it touched ground. A draconic head roared, mechanical wings and pipes bursting with corrupted oil sprayed the room.

"We have to trust them," Skie said, dragging an unconscious Cipher away. "We can't let Cipher get hurt."

"I know," Sorra agreed. "Let's hope that they're everything they say they are."

The two hefted Cipher's body and ran to a nearby exit, where Cy was waiting. Cy led the way, giving them a place of refuge. Even the crazed Advent seemed oddly compliant in the wake of the new revelations.

"Who knew?" Sorra asked to no one in particular.

"He must have," Skie said. "For how long though?"

"Not long," Cipher coughed in an attempt to sit up. "Argh."

"Lay down," Sorra ordered. "You're not well yet."

"That would explain the headache," Cipher said. "No one ever told me that oversols had to hurt that much."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Skie asked.

"It's complicated," Cipher said. "I myself didn't want to accept it for the longest time. It was only when Light made me see the truth that I finally admitted it."

"Light?" the two asked sharply. "As in, your brother, Light?"

Cipher nodded. "I suppose I shouldn't have said that, but the cat's out of the bag now. He just wanted to keep us all safe."

"They're alive," Sorra said in a hushed whisper. "You're alive!"

"I know that," Cipher said irritably, clutching his head. "I just feel dead right now is all." There was a pause as Sorra and Skie let him recover. "I always wanted a real family, but could never accept that I could be the real Cipher. I only took the blood test two weeks ago. I was going to tell them," he said. "I just never found the right time to do so."

"I see," Skie said. "You know what this means, right? We have to tell them."

"No," Cipher said firmly. "I will."

"Good," Skie said, satisfied as a huge explosion rocked the factory. Even their safe zone lit up in heat for a second.

They were silent for a minute before Cy, of all people, spoke up. "You're right, Cipher. I'm the fake. I always knew, really. But you? You're everything I hope for, everything I dreamed of. A real family. You should tell them."

"That's very mature of you," Sorra said in surprise. "Maybe there's hope for you after all."

Cy just shrugged. "We should probably go see if they're dead or not. The explosion must have meant the Queen's death."

They made their way back to the clearing in the factory where Venti and Specter, still in full oversol, stood over the corpse of the dead Queen.

"Took you long enough," Venti called out. "We were wondering if the flash from the explosion had killed you or not."

"Takes more than that to kill us," Skie grinned. "Wow. You really did it. You two must be the real deal."

"Of course," Specter said. "Don't our oversols tell you that, more than anything?"

"So I was wondering," Sorra said. "Why leave Neo Arcadia?"

"It's a long story," Venti said heavily. "But I suppose you deserve to hear it. First, however," she said, taking out a portal, "Cy—step through here, would you?"

"That's a jailing portal," Cy said, eyeing the portal warily. "That doesn't lead to the slag mines, does it?"

"Just the local prison," she assured him. "You'll be treated fairly."

Cy stepped through, giving them all a wave goodbye. "Sorry for everything."

"For a long time, we were proud to be Royal Advents, the children of the Guardians. Born into wealth and fame, we had everything. The adoration of the public, the press… Everyone but the ones who conceived us," Specter spat bitterly. "Phantom, Harpuia; both were too concerned with keeping the peace to keep their family together. It was our mothers who won our loyalty. And when Templar took them from us…"

"My father did nothing," Venti finished. "Too afraid to punish humans for striking out against a reploid family, he let them off. He let the bastards that killed our parents go." Venti's fists are clenched, shaking. "They mourned them, but they lost us as well. And then, everything took a turn for the worse."

"Born, fed, and raised," Specter said, "All for a purpose. We were never simply the children of the Guardians. We were the prototypes for him."

"Who," Cipher asked.

"Xavier," Venti said. "Advent X."

"Of course the people would respond well to the child of their savior," Specter said. "It only made sense. But X was dead. Even the one you call Copy X was killed at the hands of your father, Cipher. Harpuia devised a plan. The combined DNA of pure reploids simply couldn't give birth to an Advent. But what about Advents themselves, whose DNA contained pieces of the Original X's genetic structure?"

"We were born," Venti concluded, "So that he would be."

There was a stunned silence. "So you left?" Sorra asked.

"No," Venti said bitterly. "At the time we were still naïve, still believed in doing everything and anything for our precious city. It wasn't until we learned of Xavier's true colors that we left."

"Harpuia is blind to his faults," Specter then said. "Whatever Xavier does, whatever he says, he keeps it contained in front of his eyes, but to us… We saw who—what—he was."

"A monster," Venti said with a grimace. "And he needed our DNA to be complete. So we did the best thing we could. We denied him that. From my understanding, they took it from Flare and Mist in a routine medical checkup. Only we knew the truth. Perhaps they regarded us as more trustworthy. I wouldn't know."

"Regardless," Specter said. "We can't allow Xavier to escape his Container. Right now, he drifts in fluid designed to keep him alive, but with our DNA, he will be complete. Then Arcadia will have a ruler just as corrupt as Weil sitting upon the throne."

"But surely the Resistance can keep you safe," Skie said. "We'll protect you."

"And we believed it. But it's too late now." Venti said, closing her eyes. "We've activated our oversols. They'll act as beacons for the ones trying to track us. I suspect they're already on their way."

"It's fine," Sorra says, "We have an emergency transport planned."

But such an eventuality was not to be. A black hovercraft descended upon them, and all electronics went silent, even the soft humming machines of the factory. Their emergency transport fizzled out.

"They're here," Specter said curtly. "This doesn't concern you, humans. Even you, Cipher. Stay out of this. This is our fight."

"Like hell," Skie growled. "You joined the Resistance, remember? Like it or not, you're one of us. And we protect our own."

"Very well," Specter says. "Let us test these bonds Cipher ramples on about. Battle stations everyone. This won't be easy."

A voice called out to them from within the hovercraft. "Come on out, Venti! Specter! We know you're there."

"As if my lieutenant could hope to defeat me, Zazhong" Venti called back in disdain.

Zazhong's response seemed to carry his cruel smile with him. "I know. That's why we brought your cousins along for the ride. As well as… someone special. No doubt your friend Cipher knows him. There's nothing better than sibling rivalry, of course."