Chapter 312: The Servants of Light that Fight the Furthest in the Ever Crises.

As brutal and dramatic as Mike and Astra's adventures to the Gan Worlds had been, the last team's experiences were hardly underwhelming in compression. But for now we turn back time once more to Ezan right after the other two teams took off.

The sliver haired warrior looked at the children of his fellow Warrior's of Light run off before Daigo saw how tense he looked before he winced." What's wrong Ezan? Is this place about to be attacked?"

Ezan saw those around him look on edge before he sighed." Sorry to give a false impression, I'm just wary that I am sending them into a mission they can't win. I swore to protect Ben's son, not send him to his doom."

Aries smiled before grasping his hand tightly." You know you don't have to worry too much Ezan. Mike's stronger than you now!"

Ezan had his eye twitch before retorting with," Maybe in raw power but he's not had nearly enough time to train with that power and we are entering an operation where every kind of skill is going to be needed."

Daigo sighed before he nodded." I want to keep my word to the boss to man. But, the stakes are just too big right now right? I mean Mike got himself out of hell so seems he knows how to get out of tight spots as good as you!"

Aries nodded before adding," I know your concerned, but we got to have faith this can work right?"

Ezan sighed before he grasped her hand tightly." I am glad your back physically dear…it makes calming down a tad easier darling. You're right, we have to make do with what we have.

There's no room for reinforcements, for the sake of the Multiverse, we must see this mission completed successfully. We are about to pass the point of no return, so is everyone hear ready?"

Ezan saw those who were joining him, and saw Clive, Cid, and the rest of the Eikons, Alphen, Shionne, and their friends, Johnny Sliverhand, Billy Butcher, Neku, Beat, and the Wicked Twisters, and a few others before the former leader of the Boys snickered." Do I even have a choice you crazy wanker?"

Ezan shrugged before responding with," You can choose to try and have some honor in your life Billy."

The bearded man saw the angry looks from his own former teammates before he sighed." Well at least there seems to be a lot of cunts that need their ass kicked that are right up there with the Vought clan eh? I heard its your old stomping grounds eh Ezan?"

Ezan paused before he closed his eyes." As long as nothing's changed that's correct."

"So, if we are just doing déjà vu from your lover's best hits mate then sounds like we got a leg up right?

Before he could go on a new voice cut in with," Over all the Gan Knot World is indeed mostly Planet Cetra, being monitored by the Shinra Corporation. But it's not that simple."

Ezan turned to see Themis, the man that looked like a younger version of Grand Master Myers, along with Jack Garland and Angeal walked up before the member of the Multiversal Rebel Alliance nodded." Based on what scouts were able to make it through so far, it is mostly the world you know Ezan, even up to your former comrades being there."

Aries winced before uttering," So Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and all the others are really there?"

"Yes, along with a another you. But just remember they are variations that never met you and might have at least…minor differences then those you knew. And, while Cetra is the dominant part of the Knot World there are other worlds merged with it. We are still trying to get that figured out, but we do know that everyone is being controlled…by Sephiroth."

Ezan saw his wife tense up before he narrowed his eyes." I already fought this " ultimate counterpart" back around Vought Tower…the next time we clash it will be his last."

"But only if he does not get stronger." Angeal threw in." Remember how your Sephiroth summoned Meteor to try and force the planet to heal itself with the lifestream, and when it did so, he would merge with it, become one with the planet, and ascend to divinity? It seems that this Sephiroth is trying to do that on a greater scale to ascend to become another Sixth Dimensional Being."

"Very well…then let's go to the Northern Crater and shut it down before it happens."

"You're thinking too far ahead Ezan, he's not there yet. From what we gathered, Shinra is on the hunt for Cloud in the Knot World, along with all other" rebels". We know how Sephiroth loves to torment Cloud, so the best bet may be to run into them and draw Sephiroth out. Are contact said they were approaching Nibelheim."

Aries let out a sad smile before she closed her eyes." Really? This…this is going to be crazy kind of home coming. Never had a reunion with myself before."

Ezan shrugged as he walked up to her." You well…know yourself more than anyone. You think you would react to another you alright?"

Aries gave a victory sigh in respond before nodding." As long as it was not zombie me then hell yah! I always wanted a sister after all. I…was rather lonely for a while."

"I know, and I'll still do what I can to make sure you and everyone like you won't be alone and afraid again Aries." Ezan uttered warmly." But that's all the more reason to see the mission complete."

Neku looked around before he raised his hand." Um…I admit I don't know about a lot of this stuff but like, you said that the IV&C has entire universe's worth of soldiers right? That means that it's not just Sephiroth we have to worry about right?"

"Indeed." Themis bluntly replied. The IV&C has…augmented Shinra's control over the planet with many of their most productive members overseeing it, with the native Rufus Shinra having over all command of them. That's why we will be leading an assault on the planet to distract those forces, so they don't all converge on you."

Garland cracked his neck before yelling out," I don't care if they have a billion men I'll kill them all to kill the chaos!"

Aeris paused before she sighed." I knew Rufus was greedy but I did not think he would sell out his entire planet."

Sliverhand snickered before he shrugged." You know how it is flower girl? That's how they got you to sign up for the war; they just showed you all the cool tech. Well, time to show them all that shinny crap was not worth the cost."

Masaki and the rest of the SWR team was around to, and the green haired mecha pilot gave Ezan a thumbs up." Don't worry Ezan we got your back. We will keep them distracted enough for you to do your thing buddy."

Ezan nodded as he looked around." We are about to enter a battle ground where anything can change at a moment, so be prepared for anything. I'm sorry that's the best I can do."

Clive nodded before he grasped his fist tightly." There might be much we are not aware of Ezan, but I'd rather fight then just wait for the mercy of a ruthless enemy."

Cid nodded before he finished a cigar." Alright the forest is dark enough, so fine day for a little mischief, wouldn't you say? We are survivors mate, we will fight tooth and nail for are freedom to the end."

Ezan took a deep breath before he nodded." Alright, then let the mission begin. First we have to get on to the planet without getting detected, then we will take it from there."

"Don't worry, the ship you will be on will land on the Gan Knot World without being detected, right Riku, Kairi?"

While Ezan saw Jr and the massive four thousand meter long Durandal ship that looked like a massive red sword fly closer to the House of Hope along with Edge Mavrick and his SRF-003 Calnus ship, and a few others fly by, they saw the Warrior of light was pointing to elastic and rubber like " Gummi Ship" land besides Ezan before Aries raised an eyebrow." Wait…are we tricking Shinra with a ship they can…eat?"

"Hey this Gummi Ship is a lot more stable than it looks on the outside."

A woman's voice replied before the source revealed itself to be a red-haired woman in red and pink armor with a key like sword. She landed on the ground and smiled before waving to everyone." I'm Kairi, a Keyblade Master. Don't worry, they may look funny but Gummi Ships are the ideal way to travel from one reality to another. Works pretty well, right Riku?"

Everyone saw a man that looked like Ezan, but with longer sliver hair.

He was dressed in a sleeveless, black, double-zippered shirt under a white vest. The shirt is zippered up to just below his neck and to just above his belly button. The white vest is yellow at the bottom with a blue stripe separating the two other colors. The collar was folded down to reveal the color on the inside, yellow, and is decorated with four small, silver buttons.

On his left arm he wore a white wrist guard. His blue baggy pants have very large, paler pockets, and are held up by a black and silver belt. His white shoes were gray on the bottom and top, with three black stripes on each side and yellow laces.

Aries noticed that this Riku had a blade like Ezan's old Soul Eater Katana, but this Way to Dawn Keyblade with its guard that was composed of one angelic wing and one demonic wing before she widened her eyes." Ezan you did not tell me you had a brother!"

Riku winced before he rubbed his head." Yah…that's just fate playing tricks again."

Kairi giggled before she shrugged." Don't worry, we will get you there. After that it's on you guys though."

"Thank you Kairi." Ezan replied." We will see the mission through no matter what it takes."

Themis grasped his blade tightly before uttering," Are contact already on the world 's code name is "White Wing Angel." And, I'll be joining you shortly. But first, I'm trying to rally those who worlds are on the verge of being assimilated into the Gan Knot World. They might not be able to turn the tide alone, but everyone deserves a change to fight to change their future."

"No arguments there." Ezan uttered." Let the mission begin."

Aries giggled as she looked around." Well…got to make the most of things right?"

Daigo nodded before he looked at his new allies." Yah, guess seeing Cloud and the others like this is the best we can hope for. Boss, I, I still hope you're out there. That's why, we will get through this! If, if we can find the other you in this knot universe thing, maybe it's not too late."

"It's never too late till the last moment." Ezan uttered bluntly." We know the stakes, so let's move out before others that are not prepared get sucked into a fight they can not win."

With that the group got into the Gummy Ship with Kairi and Riku to prepare to head for the Gan Knot World. While Ezan only dwelled on thinking who else could be involved in the conflict for a few seconds, to those who were getting into the fight, it was a lot more to process. For now we leave the group to another part of the Multiverse.

Four individuals were walking down the halls of Balamb Garden, one that looked like a kid, one that looked like a woman, and two older men that seemed trivial to those around them, but were the saviors of the planet.

The four continued to walk along slowly. At their age, after all, they always took their time. Even as the storm clouds rolled in and low thunder began to rumble, they continued to make their way down the path all the way to Balamb, and went beyond there for a "viewing pier" over in the distance.

Nothing other than rowboats ever tied up there. It was mostly for the public to just watch the ocean slowly roll in and out. As the weather grew darker, it became clear it wouldn't be long before the only thing to watch would be a choppy sea, but although Bahamut was not his sea-loving brother he still could appreciate the raw power of a stormy coast.

At any rate, it wasn't yet time for the skies to break. Lightning had not even begun to crack yet when the quartet reached Balamb and saw the pier beyond, jutting out over the water and built as a concrete "semi-circle" with posts and chains. No boats were docked, and a couple of children playing there already broke and ran for the town nearby. There were two stands out there: one for hot dogs and one for ice cream.

Both were closing up, although there was a small group of Garden cadets outside the former. Not exactly the "disciplined" type, though. They weren't in uniform, although that wasn't much of an issue since that requirement was lax, but the clothes they did wear were trashy, torn, dirty, and lined with various emblems of power or even gang signs. They seemed to be of the "punk" crowd as well, clearly some of the more "rejected" members of the Garden. From the looks of it, ones who were fairly muscular and used to intimidating the younger students as well.

One was practically a bodybuilder, standing head and shoulders above his companions and laughing like an oversized jock in a tone that made Bahamut and Eden alike wince in disgust.

Leviathan adjusted his glasses and kept his eyes forward. As they walked by this small gathering en route to the dock, Carbuncle let out a groan and rolled his eyes as he realized, from his position, he'd pass the closest to them. It only grew worse as he started hearing them making arrogant boasts over feats of strength.

Suddenly, as they passed by, the muscular one stepped back. This caught Carbuncle off guard, and he ended up running right into his foot. As a result, the hulking one stumbled and spilled some of his ice cream on his shoes. In an instant he wheeled around and glared at the four of them, especially Carbuncle.

"Hey!"

Bahamut and company stopped at that, although it had been directed at the smallest one. Instantly, the thug glared at Eden and pointed his hand at Carbuncle.

"Your sissy-ass kid with the fag hair coloring just ruined my shoe! He snorted. "You think little twerps like you can smack into me whenever you feel like it? Why don't you hurry up and make your twiggy-little brat here apologize before I crack his skull into yours?"

Eden didn't react in the least, clearly not in an apologetic mood and not threatened. Carbuncle, on his part, let out a groan.

"…How about you piss off while you can still chew solid food?" The small child responded. "See if you can cobble enough brain cells together out of these pinheads to have enough sense to watch where you're going."

Leviathan merely rolled his eyes. Eden sighed. Bahamut did nothing. As for the gang, they began to make "fake scared" noises, getting eager for a fight, as the hulk turned red as a beet.

"What the Hell did you just say to me you ugly little freak?" He sneered as he lowered his head just enough to breathe foul air in the kid's face. "How'd you like me to rip your little head off?"

Carbuncle's eyes narrowed; his own look going from bored and annoyed to angry.

"…How about you get out of my face before I count to three, dumbf*k, at which point I'm going to punch you so hard you go sailing 100 yards and land in the ocean?"

The hulk let out a foul, resounding laugh at that. "What'd you say, you worthless little loser? You think just because you're a snot-nosed kid I'm going to go easy on you, punk?"

"One."

"I'm gonna rip your arms off and beat your mom to death with them.

"Two."

"Because you know who I am? I'm the-"

BAM.

The jaws of the gang nearly dislocated as Carbuncle calmly extended a punch into the man's gut…instantly turning him into a cannon projectile. His body gracefully sailed through the air, frozen in that moment of being curled around the fist, for exactly one hundred yards out to sea…before he crashed into the cold, choppy water. The dock was silent. None of his friends made a move. Their eyes looked like they were ready to fall out of their heads.

"Three." Carbuncle answered as he calmly withdrew his hand. After that, his eyes twitched as they looked at the remaining gang.

Like a gunshot on a bird-covered beach, they scattered and fled.

Carbuncle snorted as he looked forward again, his companions staring at him. "Rocks-for-brains thugs piss me off…"

"…I'm honestly impressed, Carbuncle." Eden stated after a moment.

"What? You think just because I'm cat-sized I can't smack a human down as much as the next esper?" The six-year-old snorted. "I'm insulted."

"That may have drawn attention…" Bahamut muttered.

"Oh, what are they going to say? A six-year-old kid in a green rabbit hoodie ruptured his spleen? No one else was around besides them. If he makes a fuss about it, I'll just drop by once a week and beat him up for his lunch money…"

"Considering my experience as Dael Levinson, Bahamut," Eden added. "I'd have to say I agree with Carbuncle for once. After a few hundred years I still wish I had broken more of Warwick's bones, you know. Maybe it would give his girlfriend a break to lay him up in the Garden infirmary for a few days."

Carbuncle snorted as he kept walking. "Get real, Eden. What fool would be that guy's girlfriend?"

Leviathan had stayed quiet for most of this. By now, however, he was rubbing his bearded chin a bit as he turned and looked forward. The gesture wasn't lost on Bahamut, who turned to him and raised an eyebrow as he resumed walking with the others.

"…You have that look about you, Leviathan."

Eden and Carbuncle alike turned to him, and the blue-haired esper also focused. "Yeah…you only ever make that look when you think of something."

The old man paused momentarily, but then shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing important."

Bahamut didn't look convinced. "Normally when you get 'that look', Leviathan…it's because it's something that you think is important came to mind."

He shook his head again. "Not this time. Just…" He paused, looking out to the sea horizon. "Just…reminded me of a dream I had last night, is all. A vivid one."

"…Oh?" Eden answered. "What was it?"

"Like I said, it was nothing. I stopped trying to interpret dreams a long time ago, even vivid and bizarre ones."

"Oh, come on." Carbuncle snorted. "Don't leave us hanging like that."

"I've dabbled in dreams myself, Leviathan." Bahamut added. "If it's something to get you to pause over, it must be something severe."

The sea serpent in human guise sighed. After holding a moment, he shrugged. "Alright. But it won't make much difference. Not this time. Carbuncle…your little stunt back there reminded me of a man I saw in my dream…but he wasn't the main part of it. Not by a longshot. Oh no…he was only one piece. Let me see if I can recall…"

He leaned his head back and looked skyward as he folded his hands.

"I saw something out of one of Bahamut's stories from when he was on Etteca. A planet filled with technology that even the modern world hasn't caught up to yet. Only it wasn't just one world. It was pretty much all of them…some advanced like that one and some even more primitive than when we were reborn. It seemed like everyone in the universe. And there was this one place where pretty much the heroes of all of those worlds came together at…like a military academy or the like."

"What…like the Gardens?" Eden asked. "Or Esthar's Hawks?"

"Bigger. This was for the entire universe, if you can believe it." Leviathan answered. "Even stranger was who was there… Some of them were odd things like funny-looking men who claimed to be plumbers. Others were these…cartoon-like…hedgehogs, or something. I think I saw an actual elf for the first time since Elfheim fell.

Even more shocking, though, was that I saw Cecil Harvey, Terra Branford, Cloud Strife, Zidane Tribal…even that student we're watching right now…that…'Leonhart' fellow… I think I even caught a glimpse of that Darwin person you told me you trained in that alternate reality, Bahamut…although he didn't call himself that…it was…was… 'Rod-something'…I can't think of what. There were honestly a lot of names."

"…And that made you think of me punching a muscle-head?" Carbuncle asked curiously.

Leviathan sighed and shook his head. "No, not that…there were these others…trainees or something… One with glasses…one who just liked beating things up…and this one young man who had one of the more 'average' backgrounds out of any hero I've ever seen. No major deaths. No lineage from a hero. Just…him and his obsession with becoming 'a hero'."

Eden shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that. For most of my struggle against Mianyl, I thought of myself as being the average human, after all. Then again…if he had parents, then he had the edge on me."

"Anyway…he was forever going after this one girl who had less self-respect and self-confidence than Garnet Til Alexandros, if you can believe it…" Pause. "…On second thought, I think she was there somewhere too… Anyway, where was I… And this girl was clinging to some muscle-headed thug like that one.

Anyway, they all were trying to stop some sort of malevolent entity that made the Void look 'tame' by comparison, if you can believe it, who had all of these minions running around trying to break him free from a seal. If you thought Mianyl was deceptive, Eden, one of these minions actually ripped off the skin of the person he was impersonating and wore it like a costume. His regeneration put you to shame, honestly, Bahamut."

The dragon paused on hearing this, even as they reached the stone stairs that led down to the rotary pier. He stayed silent all the way down. Eden looked to him, and snickered as she gave him an elbow. "Come on, Bahamut. From what I've heard, even Wyvern EVOLUTION outstripped your regeneration."

Bahamut's look didn't change.

"I…think I had a similar dream."

This caused Carbuncle and Leviathan to join looking at him in similar interest.

"…It wasn't just Cloud Strife." He muttered as he continued. "It was Sephiroth…and Sorceress Aerith the Radiant. But she wasn't 'Sorceress Aerith'. Somehow she merged with Minerva, Eden…and she was attached to one of those cold bastard types like that young man I ran into today, only more fixated on his own power rising.

Although…a lot of the other faces were totally unfamiliar. I think I recall a young man continuously professing that he wouldn't stop until he became a hero…only he was pushed by this sadistic, warped man who shared Mianyl's vision that good and evil alike needed to be destroyed. In his case, however, he would have settled for simply being 'god' rather than destroying everything."

Carbuncle snickered. "And, uh…where were you in all that, Lord Bahamut? Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for a human hero to take him down?"

The ancient dragon grimaced. "…I wasn't there, but I'm not sure I could have done anything if I was. I doubt even Eden at full power could have destroyed this man. Perhaps in my ZERO form I could have…but he was no slouch at technique. His mentality was as strong as Leviathan's if not more so. And yet…he was only one threat.

There was another…and that's what set me off, Leviathan. You're mentioning a malevolent entity who had minions. A rather 'big' minion in this case…who I don't think anything outside of my ZERO form and Wyvern's EVOLUTION could have destroyed."

Carbuncle's jaw loosened a bit. "…Are you serious? Damn…when most people have dreams, it's where they're the omnipotent ones."

"Those forms made you gods of entire planets." Leviathan added with a touch of anxiety. "What manner of monster would need even more power than that?"

"I don't know…only that some strange helmeted man was obsessed with killing him only to be gunned down like a coward…" Bahamut muttered. "And that was where my dream ended."

Now, it was Eden's turn to react.

"…And that's how my dream started." She stated quietly. "A funeral for a man shot in the back."

The three turned to her next, both Bahamut and Leviathan a bit stunned to hear this. Even Carbuncle was laying off the jokes now. As for Eden, her jaw was a bit loose as she walked forward more slowly.

"…I don't know if Carbuncle and you are thinking of the same person, Leviathan…but the 'muscle-bound thug' in my dream was horrific. He made Warwick combined with Jay look almost pleasant by comparison…and before he was done he made what happened to Crow look like a 'skin rash'."

"…Not sure I want to imagine what that looks like." Bahamut stated with a grimace.

"It was the most infuriating dream I ever had." Eden went on. "You thought Sephiroth manipulating Cloud Strife was bad, Bahamut? That was nothing compared to this. I'd never seen a human being so degraded into such a pathetic creature…the way this woman was manipulated.

I'd have sooner run myself through than endured half of the life she allowed herself to be intimidated into living…although considering all the control devices being used on her, I'm not sure if I would have had a choice…although you can be sure every 'conscious' thought would have been devoted to slitting my own wrists.

I considered myself a god until that dream, Leviathan…until I found out the power of Eden coursing through me was insignificant compared to what this individual had within her. I'd have been nothing more than a 'snack'. It felt good to watch this thug die, dark of a thought as that is…but he was only one of many…many of whom were stronger."

"Like who?" Carbuncle asked.

"Sephiroth, for one." She responded. "And Kefka Palazzo. And many other wretched forms of life…"

Bahamut's look darkened. "That's absurd, Eden. Even Sephiroth couldn't contend with you, and in my current body Kefka's 'god' form would be more of a nuisance than a threat."

"…They had 'help' from someone who went about acting like he was the devil…someone who was freed from a seal." Eden went on. "Before everything was done he tried to annihilate the universe, instantly wiping out a fourth of all life with a gesture and then nearly destroying the rest before there was…well…" She exhaled. "…Pretty much a battle between every force for good that ever lived and every force for bad that ever lived. And in the end…his demented followers got exactly what they wanted: to become one with his power before they shared his fate of being turned into nothingness and thrown into an empty state of oblivion forever."

Leviathan's face turned grim. "…A fate worse than Hell, debatably. At least in Hell, the 'view changes'. It sounds like the end that Emperor Mateus gained for himself…sentenced to rule over nothing, banished from Hell and Heaven, to have no one hear his boasts and bragging save himself."

"It was…an unsettling dream, to be honest." Eden admitted after a time. "After that fight with Mianyl, even after a hundred years, I told myself I never wanted to be in that manner of situation again."

By now, they were at last coming to a bench that overlooked the sea, and Eden exhaled as she went around it and sat. The others soon joined her.

"To even think there are foes out there who surpass Wyvern EVOLUTION in terms of power… It's inconceivable. All of us together would never have a chance."

She paused.

"…Although, looking at my dream, I suppose that's not entirely accurate…although it wouldn't be a task either us or a small group of humans alone could accomplish. Still…it's not something I like to think about…there being entities that strong in existence even if they're on the other side of the universe."

The four were silent for a moment as they all sat, and then held there. No one moved or said anything. In the end, however, Carbuncle shrugged.

"…Ok, so it's a bit freaky you all had parts of the same dream…but who cares? They're dreams, after all. Not real. Especially considering the crap you guys mentioned. Heck, none of those guys you listed ever lived at the same time as each other. So it had to either be a fantasy or one of your crazy premonition deals."

"…Perhaps." Bahamut stated after a lengthy pause, exhaling and looking forward. "I haven't devoted much energy to having a proper premonition since I swore it off many centuries ago. To be honest, I'm skeptical of being able to swallow that there's any one being stronger than Omega Weapon. And this certainly didn't have the feel of a premonition. It was simply vain fantasy."

"…Are you so certain about that?"

Hearing the voice of Leviathan interject, everyone turned to him again. His face was focused on them now, his eyes a bit firmer than before. In spite of that, however, his face was a bit calmer…more relaxed as he would be for a "lesson" mode. He gave a shrug.

"How do you know so clearly that our dream was simply a fantasy?"

Eden paused a moment, then shrugged. "It's simple, Leviathan. There's no way all of those heroes could have lived simultaneously."

"Oh they couldn't, could they?" Leviathan answered. "Until a hundred and fifty years ago, Gaia knew it was alone as a planet with life in this solar system. Then Nyx Gaia came along and changed all of that. And what was Gaia, Eden? Our twin, duplicated from a copy of the same Crystal. A planet that would have been us if not for a few twists of fate that placed the Void closer to them.

"What is the source of these 'crystal seeds', Eden? Where do they come from? There are 300 billion stars in the Milky Way. We know now that it's possible that not all planets are unique. Why not stars being identical? And our galaxy is only one of over 100 billion. What about duplicates there? Look up in the night sky.

The next nearest star is four light years away. To even look at it means to look back in time four years. To look at the next nearest galaxy means to look back in time 2,538,000 years…a length of time during which humanity would have gone extinct by the time anyone in that galaxy would ever see us.

"What does it mean if we could instantly travel throughout the entire galaxy? At that point, ladies and gentlemen, 'time' becomes as relative as 'space' itself. You're no longer moving through space but through time itself. Do you have any idea the possibilities inherit in that? Especially if those galaxies out there are 'twins' of our own? Do not even get me started on how many universes there might be…"

This was enough to give the three pause. Bahamut looked somewhat uncomfortable. Even Carbuncle scratched his head. After a moment, however, Eden shook her own head. "Even so, Leviathan…seriously. A threat large enough to destroy the entire universe? Wouldn't we have known about that? Especially since the individual in my dream seemed to be willing to go through space and time to ensure everyone felt it."

"I don't know, Eden." Leviathan answered with a shrug. "One's desire and one's reality are two different things, even for one who would be god. Even with all of our technology on this world, we can only see a 'time-slice snapshot' of the merest part of the universe.

In all of its vastness and magnitude, do you realize that one could threaten all existence itself…and this world could remain blissfully unaware of it even if all but less than one percent of the universe survived? For goodness sakes, mother…our sun could have blown up just now and we wouldn't even know it for ten minutes. Besides, we ourselves are merely a 'snapshot'. Perhaps we have yet to see all of it. Perhaps we have already seen it…and by that I mean humanity."

"Leviathan, if Eden is correct," Bahamut continued. "Then that means there would have been the ultimate 'battle' between everything that was good in this universe and everything that was evil. Does that not mean we would have some memory of a battle of that magnitude?"

"And even if it had indeed taken place, Bahamut," The sea serpent returned. "Who's to say we've 'felt the impact' yet? Who's to say that any moment of the rest of our waking lives we might sudden find ourselves thrown onto another world in a fight with foes of which we would only amount to, say, a 'shock trooper'?

"And all of you are still missing my last point… This is but one universe. Who's to say that something could not have impacted another universe so strongly, so intensely, that it literally shook all other 'realities'?

That there are those throughout all existence that caught a glimpse of it? You have to admit, Bahamut…what are the odds of three of us all seeing the same thing? You can't dismiss that as a mere dream. Perhaps what we saw is a taste of things to come in this universe. Perhaps what we saw is something that played out a billion years before we were created in this universe."

Carbuncle groaned. "…I never was much for the metaphysical crap, Leviathan. What are you trying to say? That we got 'lucky' enough to just see another universe go through some sort of 'Cosmic War'?

That we saw it struggle for its survival against a dude who would dig guys like you, Bahamut, and Eden out from under their fingernails like they were grime? That we're a handful of the only people in the cosmos that know what really happened? For what purpose? Are we being told to get ready for what's coming? To see that our universe is 'repeating history'? To have something fun to talk about over a pint?"

Leviathan shrugged. "I'm not saying anything of that nature. I'm just saying that it's not something to necessarily 'dismiss'. Espers…and Guardian Forces…rarely see something they were not meant to see.

Let's just say that if there are multiple universes, why not multiple gods of light and darkness? Why not multiple gods over them? After all…what if our world is nothing more than the plaything of one god who has a greater one yet over him or her, and who received a glimpse of what another god's 'reality' was? What if what we take for real is nothing more than letters on a page to these gods? What if one of them actually wanted us to see this? I don't know why…I'm just indulging the possibility."

The green kid shook his head and snorted. "That's over my head…feh…"

"…I'm tempted to feel nothing but stress or despair from such a thing." Bahamut added. "We have enough problems of our own to worry about in this universe."

Dael, however, paused. She looked back out to the ocean. She saw far away that the wind was building. Lightning struck out at last and the sea grew choppier. The waves began to lap at the shore enough to throw up a bit of spray. She crossed her arms and stared a moment.

"Perhaps…"

The other three Guardian Forces turned to her.

"…And this is just supposition, mind you." Eden went on. "Perhaps…some greater power is asking what we'd do in that situation. I don't know about the rest of you, but there was more than one incidence of 'gods judging the hearts of mortals' in my dream.

And…I suppose it's a valid question." She turned and looked to them. "We've mostly been content to 'sit on the sidelines' because we don't want our power influencing human history. Yet this would be something else all together. It would essentially be a situation where the best we could hope for would be 'assistants' against something."

Bahamut mused over this a moment, crossing his arms.

"…Perhaps." He echoed. "Perhaps not. Let's be honest…have any of us seriously tried to ever grow stronger since the days of Griever?"

Leviathan chuckled. "Of course not. We already feared our god-like power. Why make it worse? Even Tiamat was content to simply sit in the Lifestream rather than do the work necessary to push his body past its limits.

In a sense, I think we all either were fearful of ourselves growing stronger…or had so much hubris we thought it was unnecessary." He let out another noise. "To think…a universe where we'd actually have to train like normal humans did to 'keep up'. However…am I correct in asking this, Eden? You're wondering whether we'd 'step forward' or 'step back' against such odds?"

Dael didn't answer. She merely looked at Leviathan silently.

After a moment, he closed his eyes, inhaled…and smiled.

"…To that, I'd say I've spent enough of my lifetime sitting on the sidelines waiting for heroes to come to me. And it does grow infuriating to be delegated the responsibility of a 'tip sheet' for the real heroes. And constant existence gets mediocre for a while. I dare say…I'd like to see if my potential could even surpass that of Bahamut."

"I suppose I'd have to." Bahamut added with a shrug. "It's not in my nature to let anything have its way with Gaia, even if it was only the result of something wanting to have its way with the universe.

In the span of two years I went from being weaker than a malboro to being able to destroy a creature that could annihilate a continent with one move. Why not go beyond that if the occasion calls for it? After all…I do grow a bit irritable when ones like Mianyl and Omega Weapon treat me as nothing."

"A whole universe worth of people who don't dismiss me as 'that lame Guardian Force', eh?" Carbuncle said with a grin. "Filled with creatures that look even more pathetic than me yet are just as strong? Heh…might be fun to not be the only 'cute but deadly' one… Besides, we might as well. I certainly don't trust that moody jerk at Balamb Garden to lend a hand…"

Eden herself paused a long time before smiling a bit.

"…One thing about Dael Levinson I never quite 'lived down'. I desired to be the greatest of the Esthar's Hawks. And although I've found peace, fulfillment, and contentment in simply being the 'watchful mother' of this world…I suppose a part of me still longs for a universe where I would be able to 'prove myself' against similar candidates once again.

For all the pain and toil it was, after 150 years…I'm a bit ready to see if I can still 'defend the title' I took from Li Juanhong. Besides…even if Eden could only make the tiniest difference in a conflict like that…would it not be worth it to know that my power actually defended not just this world but countless others? What's the sense of being this strong if you don't use it in a way that helps people, after all? If I could get by without that, I would have remained Dael Levinson. I'm Eden now. So long as there's someone threatening Gaia on that level, I have an obligation to step in."

The four were silent after that. After a bit, Leviathan snickered and leaned back, shaking his head as he looked out to the growing storm.

"Look at the four of us… A gathering of old people talking like we'd love to fly off to Never-Neverland."

Carbuncle snorted. "Speak for yourself, you old geezer. What's the fun in being an ageless immortal if you're going to just sit around acting like you belong in a retirement castle?"

"He has a point." Bahamut answered. "Part of the nice thing of having a challenge…something you can't overcome…it gives meaning to life. That one in my dream…he wanted a universe without conflict. Sentience…no, life itself…is defined by conflict. Part of the 'joy' of being confined to a human body for a few months is that it gave me a thrill and a surge to see my own mortality. It's because of that feeling that I embraced having a mother and enjoying simple things like eating ice cream or going for a walk."

"And I haven't been around quite as much as the rest of you, either." Eden added as she leaned her head back and up to the sky, waiting for it to start raining at any moment. "I'd enjoy 'feeling alive' again… There was a part of being Dael Levinson that was…and is…so much more rewarding than sitting around as Eden…"

"…Saying we should think about 'getting back in action', mother?" Leviathan asked, turning his head slightly to her.

"Sounds great." Carbuncle snickered as he crossed his own legs and leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Booze every night…and I get to punch in some muscle-head's face every day. Beats a cave full of gems any week, believe you me."

Eden couldn't help but smile a bit more. Seemed this little exercise in philosophy had got them thinking. She really did have a longing back for the days in Esthar's Hawks. It had its own appeal, after all. Of course…if that was the case, then what? Turn herself back into a powered-down human?

She'd have to handicap herself to less than a thousandth of her power just to keep from killing these other Garden students. She wasn't sure if she could handle that much of a restriction…but perhaps it would be nice.

It wasn't exactly 'fair', to be sure. It seemed she'd end up being relied upon to do the 'heavy work' if she interjected herself now. But maybe, just maybe, after this current crisis was over, if there were still any Gardens left…it wouldn't hurt to 'hamstring' her body and try out being a SeeD for old time's-

Her thoughts cut off.

Her deep blue eyes shimmered, and in an instant she sat upright. She wasn't alone. Those with her quickly did the same.

"…I sensed something." She stated.

"Me too." Bahamut echoed, his own voice growing stern as his eyes began to blaze.

"Something not from this world." Leviathan added. "Something-"

He was cut off as reality was 'pulled back' like a curtain in front of them, before a blast of power swept over them so hard it blew away Eden's earrings and hair, dislodged Leviathan's glasses, and sent everyone's hats and hoods flying as they struggled to shield themselves. Eden was in for a shock.

She had no idea how it had just 'popped in' on them. How she didn't sense it until literally a moment before it unveiled itself. But abruptly, she felt heat and power blasting over her… It was no attack, however. It was exhaust from an engine…afterburners. Something one would find on a plane as it came in from a vertical takeoff. Yet this was no plane.

Looming before them, somehow "perched" on the ocean as if it was no more than solid ground, was what could only be described as a starship. There was honestly no other word for it, even if Bahamut was the only one who personally had experience with them.

This wasn't the Ragnarok, the shuttle that the current nation of Esthar had built, however. This was something even sleeker, newer, more powerful, and more efficient. It had a 'vague' look of the Ragnarok, what with stabilizers streaming from the back of it, but that was where the similarities ended. It was roughly half the size of a small destroyer and far more compact.

One couldn't even truly make out the cockpit on it at first, just that what appeared to be the "prow" was standing there. Leviathan himself sensed not only energy by particles the likes of which he had never witnessed before emanating from it.

In moments, the four Guardian Forces were up and braced themselves, although they didn't attack. In another instant, they would spring forth into full power if need be. Even now their eyes betrayed their natures as they shone with light and power beyond that of any human. The engine sounds and 'blasts' which had been meant as stabilization quickly eased down, but the craft remained silently standing there. It didn't move or shift from that spot, and so the four continued to watch it and wait.

Suddenly, cracks of light appeared on the front…revealing it was opening up. The hull slid back and began to extend from it, and in moments Bahamut realized it was similar to the Ettecan design: the panel that shut up the starship was sliding out to become a ramp leading from it. It soon finished sliding down and not only formed an opening, but a shining metallic ramp leading right down in front of the four Guardian Forces. The four looked inside, but whether they could see anything within was anyone's guess, for to any normal human the inside was merely flooded with light.

Slowly, a shadow stepped into it. A humanoid one…seeming to be male by Gaian standards.

The voice that spoke was young.

"Bahamut, Leviathan, Carbuncle, and Eden…don't be afraid. I'm not here to fight you. And don't worry…the magical cloaking devices on this ship ensure that no one can hear us or see us who's more than two hundred feet away unless they have proper equipment."

The four eased only very slightly, continuing to give this newcomer a stare.

"…You know of us." Eden stated.

"We've been watching your planet for quite some time, Eden." The figure answered. "It wasn't until one of your civilizations perfected that rudimentary starship, however, that it was decided 'limited first contact' would be acceptable. Hence, I passed the 'inquiry message' onto select people from your world."

The four remained quiet for only a moment before realization went into Leviathan's eyes.

"…The dream."

"What do you want from us?" Bahamut asked, a bit more sternly.

"Sadly, more then I have the right to ask." The individual returned, before his hand reached to his side. "I just ask you all to attend one small function." A moment later, he came up with something that he spread out in his hand…looking like cards or forms of a sort. The four continued to stare at the shadow, but after a moment looked at the cards in his hand. In spite of the light, they could see there were four of them…one for each.

"What kind of function?" Eden asked.

"A change to fight for your future."

At once, the pupils of the four shrunk into dots as their stances began to fall.

"Get out of town…" Carbuncle exhaled.

Bahamut then saw it's the Warrior of Light and remarks that he's seen him in the past. The member of the Multiversal Rebel Alliance saw Bahamut's confusion before he smiled." I am Palad, but I am not. Are you aware of the Multiverse?"

The largest of the four stared a little longer, but then he stepped forward. His eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared.

"...Palad?"

"I see it too." Leviathan immediately added. "It's him. Different...sharper horns on the helmet than I remember, but...his face. His smell. I'll never forget him. Yet it's...it's...'seasoned' differently somehow.

Bahamut explains about what happened in the last part of the Servant and at the end the Warrior of Light responds with," I'm glad you have some awareness. But there's far more to the Multiverse than you realized. I wish I could explain it all fully but the truth of the matter is that time is not on our side. At this very moment, just a handful of individuals are trying to force their will on every universe in existence. You encountered the Shinra Corporation of your universe yes?

There greed is nothing compared to the Multiverse spanning Infinite Victory and Conquest Corporation under the command of Sieg V-Day Elgan, the man who thinks he deserves to control every thing because he truly thinks he's better then everyone in every universe.

Its more then just bluster though, his greed allowed him to surpass all the deities in his native universe to become what we most commonly call a " Sixth Dimesional Eldritch Dominion being" who can exist in many universe's at once, existing outside spacetime and possessing godlike powers that cannot be quantified.

At this very moment he's unleashing a chain reaction that is trying to destroy every universe at once, so he can recreate all of existence to the atom in what would be more profitable to stop it."

I've heard of speaking of the devil..." Eden muttered.

Carbuncle turned his head to the sky and yelled in exaggeration. "Gee! I was just dreaming about how I was a rich and famous billionaire who could eat all the yakisoba he wanted and never get fat! But that's impossible, isn't it guys?!"

"Not...exactly," Bahamut finally answered the man. "I'm not sure how much you just eavesdropped on, but the closest we ever came to encountering any 'multiverses'...aside from the dreams we had last night...was a planet called Nyx Gaia.

"An exact copy of our world but having enough subtle changes to grow in a completely different direction from ours. Spawned from the same Crystal Seed that gave birth to our world," Leviathan added. "Quite literally a twin of an entire world and everything one it. But not formed by choice. Formed as a result of trying to contain the Void-the elementary chaos of the entire universe."

"There was a woman...a Sorceress named Mianyl...who united this world with its twin to try and bring the Void out. She was insane. She thought existence itself was the true 'original sin' and that the only way to have peace in creation was to negate creation completely and return everything to non-existence. She wanted to either control me and my kind or destroy us to prevent us from intervening. In the end, she accidentally gave our world itself not only a body but a human form."

Eden swished her mouth but didn't add anything.

"It was only because both she and I regained our full power that we were able to stop her. Even then...another sacrifice was necessary to keep this world's existence from being annihilated. Both of us had a brief time to live as humans...but that time ended." His voice lowered slightly even if his face didn't change. "We gave it up for the sake of this world and its past and future."

"To more succinctly answer your question," Leviathan concluded. "As bizarre as it is, we do realize the very real possibility that more than one of 'us' can exist."

"It's not too late to stop it, but we must act quickly."

The surprise the four had before was nothing compared to now. Carbuncle let out a cough and a gulp, before turning to the others. "Welp...we all said we wanted things more exciting around here. Make sure to tell me to put a sock in it next time."

"Good lord..." Eden half-whispered. "This...this is beyond what was in my dream. Far beyond."

"Carbuncle, you mentioned something to the effect of grime under fingernails..." Leviathan muttered uneasily. "At this scale, we would be more akin to something on the atomic scale. I once thought my power to fill the seas with whirlpools, quakes, and tsunamis was enough to make the mightiest foe quake in their boots. But if what this man says is true, then our mother's Radiant Breath wouldn't amount to anything more than a gentle breeze..."

Even Bahamut looked shaken. And that was a rare sight. Even in the face of death the king of dragons had never visibly blanched before those gathered. It was something Eden noticed. For the first time in century and a half, she actually reached out a hand for his shoulder. "Bahamut..."

"For generations I thought my power was without limit...that there was no need for such ridiculous strength once my brother was finally defeated. I was...honestly shocked...perhaps even horrified...at the lengths he went to for more power and the power I had to raise to surpass him. I honestly didn't wish to remain Bahamut ZERO. Now...now I actually long for it..."

He swallowed.

"...And realize even that isn't enough."

"Bahamut..." Dael murmured.

Someone sees a wall of anti-matter in the distance erasing the very universe before someone says they will do what they have to, causing the Warrior of Light to nod." You don't have to do this alone, we are part of an army, an army of everyone in the Multiverse with the courage to defy fate. We will tell you what you need to know before the fight begins, so please trust me."

The group saw the wall of Anti-Matter erasing more of their universe before someone gives a response, causing the Warrior of Light to nod." I promise it won't be nothing and that we can reverse this. The fight's already begun, let's go!"

Eden gasped at the sight. Leviathan looked shaken to his very core. "Great Gaia...it's already begun."

"W-What's begun?" Carbuncle spoke up, before stammering and pointing at the phenomenon. "What the hell is that thing?!"

"Annihilation, for all intensive purposes. It seems this IV&C is already 'liquidating' our planet."

Bahamut glanced at it for only a moment. After that, he turned back to the Warrior of Light and began to walk straight for him and his ship without another word.

Carbuncle spun to him. "Where are YOU going?!"

"This version of you may be superior to the Palad I know, but I remain the King of All Dragons," Bahamut uttered as he walked up to the Warrior of Light. "And I still have a 'thing' against taking orders from humans. I'll suffer the humiliation for this, however. Let's be on our way."

"You're actually going with the guy who mounted the impala on his helmet?" Carbuncle retorted. "Like...now? I thought you just said this was a fight we couldn't win!"

"This won't be the first fight I got into that I couldn't win...simply the direst. There is no alternative. Obviously, this man thinks I can make a difference and that's more than enough for me when oblivion is the only other option."

"I guess I get to see if I'm still SeeD material sooner than I wanted..."

Bahamut's expression finally broke, turning to surprise, as he turned and saw Eden run in alongside him. Her face was almost as resolute as he had been.

"Eden, you can't-"

"You said it yourself, Bahamut. There's no other option."

"This planet will survive so long as YOU survive, no matter what happens. I'm riding into the jaws of oblivion."

"I definitely won't survive standing around here. The safest place now is among whoever is left that has a chance of opposing all this. I said I wanted to make a difference. If I can't make one here, then any other opportunity means nothing."

"Ed-"

She was silenced as a hand was put over his mouth. Eden rolled her eyes and let out a long groan.

"Bahamut...I can't believe you are making me say this right now. This is the most annoyed I have been in over a century. Nevertheless, you've forced my hand."

Her eternal eyes focused into his blue ones.

"Don't talk back to your mother."

Bahamut grit his teeth, practically morphing his face into a reptillian scowl right then and there, but he knew he had already lost the battle as soon as she pulled his hand away.

"I guess that means you can count me in as well," Leviathan exhaled as he quickly moved after them. "I may have lost the title of King of Eidolons ages ago, but hopefully I'm still good for something. Brains if not brawn. You coming, Carbuncle?"

"Aw man..." he groaned, glancing to the world around him and then back to the growing anomaly. He winced and looked between those two and the ship for a few fateful moments. "Can't we at least bring some of the others along? Someone...bigger? Like Alexander? Or Odin? Or Gilgamesh? Hell, that giant Tonberry? Do NOT make me beg for Tiamat."

"No time," Bahamut flatly retorted.

"It's your big chance, Carbuncle," Eden shouted out. "Show the multiverse what you're made of. Carpe diem."

"Oh, carpe dick..." he grumbled as she forced himself after the others. "What am I gonna do? Become a hairball lodged in one of their throats? Just make sure you save the easy ones for me..."

We don't have a lot of time and we need to get going. Can you tell us who you are?"

The four hesitated, giving a glance to one another as they were still trying to take this all in, before looking back. Carbuncle exhaled. "Alright...uh...I'm Carbuncle, that old guy who looks like he wants to sell you fish sticks is Leviathan, Master of the Seas..."

"...Really?"

"Man, even when you upgrade your wardrobe you'll still 50 years out of date. Anyway, that guy with the chip on his shoulder-"

"Wait, wait...you're who, again? Did you say Carbuncle and Leviathan?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"You're all human in this universe?"

Carbuncle frowned. "I'm sorry. Maybe wherever you come from no one nobody minds if a big sea serpent and dragon go walking down the street, but here it kind of freaks the locals out. And I'm sick of people treating me like I'm some pocket monster's evolution and threatening to bite their face off like a steel trap. It's bad enough that I look like a kid..."

The Light Warrior turned to the white-haired man, who regarded him without change in expression. "And you are?"

His eyes glanced over him for a moment. "...Bahamut. Lord of All Dragons."

"Which Bahamut?"

This made the others look at him in puzzlement. "I beg your pardon?"

"Which generation are you? Which one to hold the title of Bahamut?"

"...Title?"

"Bahamut is the title the greatest of all dragons take upon themselves in each new generation, isn't it?"

The white-haired man narrowed his eyes. "There's only ONE Bahamut."

"Unless you're counting that usurper business with Wyv...sorry, Tiamat..." Leviathan half-muttered.

The Light Warrior looked confused. "I...don't quite understand. The Bahamut from my world conferred with me when I fought against the Four Archfiends of Chaos. The Bahamut of Azulean was the god of the eidolons. The Bahamut of Gaia was a being of destruction who was enslaved by Kuja..."

"Wait, wait," Bahamut cut off, now looking rather puzzled himself. "YOU fought against the Four Archfiends of Chaos? Who are you?"

Leviathan turned to him. "Bahamut...was this from the alternate world you spoke of? The one you said was broken from existence?"

"No...no, I've never seen this man in my life or any other life."

Carbuncle groaned. "Could someone around here start making some sense? This is giving me a headache..."

"You're not the Bahamut I remember," the Light Warrior broke in. "Are you saying there was another Light Warrior on your world?"

Bahamut was quiet for a moment, but his expression did not change.

"...I conferred with the light warriors against the Four Archfiends of Chaos. AND I was called the God of the Eidolons. AND my brother was enslaved by one named Kuja to attack the human race. And there was a mirror of me who witnessed the rise of the Emperor of Palamecia from the depths of Hell, the machinations of the mage Xande against the world, and fought against Exdeath to prevent him from drawing Nyx Gaia into the Void.

And after being slain and rising again as Neo Bahamut, I saw that my race had been rendered extinct by the Gesthalian Empire, and I departed this world until after Jenova made its final move against the last of the Cetra. That should have been the end of myself and our race, but it seems by the power of this planet's will and that of the former Cetra, we live again as what the humans call Guardian Forces."

The Light Warrior had gone a bit wide-eyed. He seemed stunned.

"Is something wrong?" The blue-haired woman finally spoke up.

"I've seen multiple universes before, but...never an alternate universe where the universe itself was an amalgam of alternate universes. I don't suppose you've ever heard of a Sorceress named Ultimecia, have you?"

Bahamut clenched his jaw but said no more. Leviathan, on the other hand, looked a little perturbed. "We had some...dealings with the Sorceresses. Some who were far worse than others. Especially one named Mianyl who thought existence itself was a mistake." He turned and gestured to the blue-haired woman. "Our mother ended up having to deal with her personally to save this world. Even thought it meant incarnating into the body of a human and growing up as a soldier in the Esthar's Hawks military branch for 20 or so years."

"...Mother?" the Light Warrior echoed, still sounding a little incredulous.

"Younger than I look, I know," she sighed.

"The Sorceresses...at least those that weren't burned at the stake or decapitated by humanity following what she did from Esthar...are benign now," Leviathan continued, "Although, now that you mentioned it, I've been sensing something odd on the air since then. Almost as if...there's another presence among the Sorceresses already here."

The Light Warrior frowned. "Then it sounds as if you will soon find out who Ultimecia is whether I'm here or not, but now is not the time for that. It's good that you've lived through multiple universes worth of evil in a single one, because you're about to live through hundreds of thousands more." He turned to the blue-haired woman. "So you're the mother of the eidolons? Are you pretty powerful?"

"Well...I guess. To be honest I've only had a consciousness since I first took a human form and haven't been in a fight since, and that was a couple centuries ago."

"It'll have to do. What name do you go by?"

"Barthandulus."

The Light Warrior looked at her as if she had just told him she had another head growing out of her ear. Carbuncle snorted. "See? I told you that was a lousy name. They'll call you 'Bart' for short."

"It's gender neutral, Carbuncle." She focused on the Light Warrior. "Is there a problem?"

"So you have a...different name to go by?"

"What? That an ethnic slur or something in your universe?" Carbuncle snickered.

"Let's just say there's only one other universe where I or anyone else encountered a Barthandulus. He...wasn't a very pleasant individual."

The woman sighed. "Very well. I think it's a bit much, but Eden, Third Ethereal Aspect of Gaia."

The Light Warrior paused. He nearly began to reply.

She cut him off with a groan. "Just call me Dael for now, alright? I think that persona will probably fit in best with this situation anyway. And while I'm at it..."

A flash of green-blue light emitted from the woman's body. When it subsided, her regular clothes were gone, but what looked like a regal broadsword was at one hip and a large and sophisticated special handgun was on her other.

"They're both stronger than they look. Like me, I'm just making them 'seem smaller' for now. Let's go."

As the new allies to the Warrior of light joined him before their universe was erased, the fight they just joined had already started.

While Ezan and the others had their doubts, the Gummy Ship managed to land on the Gan Knot World without any trouble.

To the last defenders of the Multiverse's relief they saw they were suddenly in front of a wide mountain range before the sliver haired warrior looked on in shock." It worked, we really are around Mt. Nibel."

Aries looked around at all the several caves lit green by mako are dotted around the mountain, and a mako spring was located within a cave containing several dead trees before she blinked to make sure she was not seeing things." It…it really looks just like are, are world. That, that's were me, Cloud, and the others fought that creepy Materia Keeper spider!"

"We will land here." Kairi calmly replied." Should keep us from being spotted. As the ship landed everyone got out. Clive looked around at the Mako before he raised an eyebrow at the green luminous substance." I'm not sure I got everything down, but this is the lifeblood of your planet?"

Aeris looked at her surroundings before she let a sigh of melancholy." That's right Clive. Mako is the liquid form of the planet's lifestream in our, in this world. It is the world's primary energy source except for Wutai and rural areas.

The lifestream can condense into materia or mako stones such as what you are seeing now. The Shinra Electric Power Company extracted Mako with their reactors, and were going to kill the planet. They knew this…but did not care."

Cid snickered as he looked up." I don't know all those terms but I understand greed when I see it lass. So it's like how the Mother Crystals were killing are planet eh? Really does seem that no matter the difference in culture or knowledge, greed dominates all eh? After all, we are here because the greediest guy of them all wants to suck everything up from every world eh mates?"

Ezan grasped his blade tightly before uttering," That's what we are here for…to cut down all of their ambitions. So, let's begin before it's too late."

As the others braced themselves, moaning was heard before Daigo narrowed his eyes." Might be too late already Ezan, I smell a lot of really nasty stuff coming this way already!"

Ezan took out his sword, and saw tall men who appeared very pale. They wore dark but tattered hooded robes with a large white abstract symbol on the back that were walking into the cavern. They were shuffling about like zombies before moaning out " Reunion…"

Ezan had lighting crackle around his hands." Is this some soldiers from the other worlds? Either way they are going to their graves."

To his shock Aeris got in front of him with a pleading look." Wait Ezan, those are not enemies…just victims really. These, are all the folks injected with Jenova's cells by Professor Hojo to try and recreate Sephiroth. Cloud, was one of these people.

After Sephiroth killed everyone in Cloud's town, Hojo rounded up the survivors of Sephiroth's rampage into his lab in the Shinra Manor, with the exception of Tifa and experimented on them. They are just…suffering, wondering without purpose. Sephiroth took control of them from time to time, but let them suffer in the meanwhile."

Johnny Sliverhand took out his gun before he shrugged." Shinra, Vought, they all think of people as just their damn cattle. Sounds like killing them would be a mercy."

"No wait!" Aeris uttered." I…I was not powerful enough to save them back then…but I might…I might be able to reverse the damage to their minds with the level of holy magic I have now."

Ezan saw the guilt in the flower girl's eyes before he sighed." I understand lamenting past failures Aeris but…I'm not against the idea but not sure we have the time. What if Sephiroth takes control now?"

One of the men with the tattoos moaned in pain before uttering," Sephi…roth…reunion…were it all started."

Aeris widened his eyes before she stepped back." Wait…I think I get it now. I might even know where Cloud is. It might be where we first met Vincent! Yah, we thought we found Sephiroth in the manor where he first went nuts, only for him to taunt Cloud and well, dissolve because he was just a clone. It's not that far! Ugh, if our Vincent and Red XIII was not still with the remains of the Enji at the House of Hope then we could have asked him!"

Ezan paused before he remembered his own times Cloud gave him a tour of Nibelheim before he nodded." Its ok. As long as this world's layout is not too different form are's, I think I can just warp us there at this point with the Rinnegan. Get ready everyone."

Cid snickered before he put his cigar away." Not kidding about not wasting time hear eh mate? Well, not like anyone likes spending hours fighting grunts so works for me."

Ezan nodded before his Rinni-Sharingan widened and he cast the Space–Time Dōjutsu. Everyone saw that the dark spiraling portal was stable before Daigo nodded and got in, before everyone went into the portal.

They emerged on the outside of a road, where they saw a small town below. It looked like a small rural town, with the exception of a derelict house of grandeur with a walk leading from the town outskirts to the entrance.

As Aeris felt a wave of nostalgia sweep by her Billy Butcher looked at the town and snorted." Well since only one house in this dump seems big enough to have a party that makes this hunt real damn simple."

Daigo closed his eyes before he nodded." More importantly, I can feel many power a whole lot of scents in the manor. It just might be Cloud and the others guys! It's not quite the same, but it's like how they use to smell! This is awesome let's get them!"

Ezan grasped his comrade's shoulder before clearing his throat." Wait Daigo…we must be careful about this every step of the way and have to make sure the area is secure."

Aries smirked before she patted Ezan on the back." Don't overthink it to much dear. When we were hunting for Sephiroth there was a long stretch of time were we kind of lost Shinra for a while and while this town's important to Cloud and Tifa its not that important to Shinra at this point."

Ezan saw his lover was looking carefree before he sighed." I'll take your word on that but this is a world also under control of the Infinite Victory and Conquest corporation after all so we can't take anything to chance.

Furthermore we don't want to alarm Cloud and the others. We enter the wrong way and they could very well think we are from Shinra. After all as its been mentioned many times I happen to have some resemblance to Sephiroth."

Aries giggled before she hugged him." Don't worry about that, friendly introductions is my thing."

"Normally but not sure how that applies when you're greeting yourself."

Billy rolled his eyes before snorting out," Oh hell mate just send me I made a career out of recruiting."

Aeris paused before letting out an uneasy giggle." Yah…no offense but you're precisely the type Cloud would cut down at first glance after assuming you were a Turk. Let's just wait for them to finish talking with this universe's Vincent, it was mostly a sort of low key."

Everyone heard a monstrous roar before an explosion came out of the manor. A let out an uneasy chuckle before she gulped." Well…I guess more's changed then I hoped."

Everyone saw a giant canine like beast get blasted out of a wall in the manor, being blasted by various projectiles before Ezan widened his eyes." Wait…is that?"

Everyone heard shouting in the distance, before Clive grasped his fist tightly." So you allies are already besieged? Then let them see that they are not the only monstrous ones about! Let's go!"

Ezan cringed as he saw Clive already transformed or" Prime" into his Ifrit form before he yelled out," No wait its not what you think!"

He was about to move till he heard an angry male voice roar out," Hell is there more monsters outside? It was a trap after all! I knew Murasaki was full of it!"

Ezan muttered," Is that…Barret? Oh hell."

At the moment the horned beast was gathering energy in its horns, but Clive, in his " Prime" state grasped his target by the back of his head and slammed him into the ground.

Ezan saw Clive was about to barrage his target with fire attacks before he flash stepped in front of the two beasts and yelled out," Stop…this is not a enemy, its Vincent Valentine! It's just, he's transformed."

Vincent roared at him, causing Ezan to sigh." And apparently berserk, but we don't have time for that."

He used his Rinni- Sharingan to force Vincent to freeze before Billy raised a eyebrow." I thought that mate was a devil when I took his mind over."

Aeris rolled her eyes before responding with," Yah well, Vincent had a lot of transformations thanks to Hojo. He's in his Galian Beast form now. Maybe, there was a fight? I remember we had to fight a nasty two faced monster finding the key to the basement, man those stairs were long."

"Yah well better get ready to shoot whoever comes out of that…wait is that you?"

Aeris saw Billy's shock and winced as she realized she saw someone come out of the hole in the wall, and it was someone that looked just like her, only her skirt was more white before the Cetra from the Prime Universe gulped and hid behind Daigo." Oh hell I'm not ready for this!"

The other version of her looked confused for a moment as she walked out of the hole. She saw Ezan subduing Vincent, and looked confused for a moment before a male voice uttered," Is something wrong Aerith?"

The voice came from a young man with a lean and toned build, and spiky blond hair. He had glowing blue eyes, dressed in a variation standard uniform for a SOLDIER, which was consisted of indigo pants with a sleeveless shirt and a belt. On his back was a massive blade, the Buster Sword.

On his right was a heavy-set, muscular dark-skinned man. His right arm was mangled in the loss of his hometown, and has been replaced with his weapon, the gun-arm, which lets him interchange various weapon attachments to it.

He had several bands of metal around his waist, and a tattoo of a skull on his left shoulder. His hair was cut similar to a hi-top fade. He has a thick beard, as well as two dog tags around his neck. He had three scars on his right cheek. He also wore a silver hoop earring in his left ear.

He was wearing sunglasses (that possibly serve as ballistic eyewear), a black tank under his vest (with visible chest hair), cargo style pants, and zipper-black styled boots.

Next to him, was a woman with long raven hair and red eyes, wearing a white tank top and black miniskirt with a belt and suspenders and with martial arts gloves on her fists.

Besides her was the Red XIII and Cait Sith of this universe, with a younger oriental woman with black hair and dark brown eyes. She wore a white headband, sometimes with a second black band tied over it. Her outfits are variations on a sleeveless top, a pair of shorts and large boots, with some ninja armor and weaponry. Her weapon of choice was the large 4-Point Shuriken, though she also has a pair of kunai knives tied to the ends of the headband to hang down her back.

Her attire comprised of a green, sleeveless turtleneck jumper that bares her midriff, and a pair of tan shorts with no belt and an unbuttoned/unzipped fly. Over her left arm she wore a protective gauntlet that originates from a single pauldron over her shoulder, presumably meant to also act as a shield.

The gauntlet is held in place via a strap tied across her chest and around her back. Ninja-mail mesh covered part of her right arm and left leg, and an additional piece of armor covers the rest of the thigh. She wore a smaller wrist-covering gauntlet on her right arm, orange fingerless gloves, and orange sneakers with white leg warmers.

She was the one that saw Clive and looked in aw." Hey who got Ifrit to look like that? I want that Materia!"

The other woman saw Ezan looking at them with caution before she widened her own eyes." We have bigger issues to worry about Yuffie! That, looks like Sephiroth! Well…not quite him but almost!"

Ezan saw the blond-haired man take out the sword before he sighed." I know your on edge, but I am not your enemy. I come to assist you all, on behalf of, Avalanche."

Yuffie raised a eyebrow before she rolled her eyes." Oh yah? Do you know who we are?"

"Well who are you?"

As Yuffie nearly tripped the blond man stood his ground." I'm Cloud Strife…SOLDIER…first class. But I don't know who you are. This look like someone from Avalanche to you Barret?"

Barret saw Ezan before he raised his gun arm." Not like we had a party where we met everyone but I sure as hell would have heard of a guy like this! Who sent you? Murasaki?"

Ezan had no idea who that was, looked in Aeris's direction, saw her hiding behind a tree and shrugging before he took a deep sigh." No…not him…its from…higher up, a super elite division. I'm sorry I can't explain more but things have changed far more than you have realized. I know we just met but, its very important you trust me, for the sake of not just your lives, but the entire planets."

While those in front of him looked uneasy, the younger Aries saw Ezan's eyes, widened her own, and just responded with," Well can you tell us who you are at least?"

Ezan saw she looked polite before he sighed and nodded." Sure. My name is Ezan Zeon."

"Thank you. I'm Aerith Gainsborough."

"Aerith? No, never mind, that makes this easier. Find then, thank you Aerith."

His lover from another universe smiled before turning around to look at Cloud." Cloud, Tifa, everyone its ok, I think we can trust him. He could have attacked us if he wanted to right?"

Tifa looked uneasy as she saw the others coming up behind Vincent." But, I mean what if they are some special division of Shinra? They don't look like the Turks but Shinra has everyone in the world at there side at this point!"

Daigo sniffed something before he raised a hand." Um…miss Tifa I know you don't know us yet but um, if we were with the bad guys then we would be coming like, that way right?"

Everyone saw a helicopter coming form the other direction before Ezan narrowed his eyes and had lighting crackle around his hands." Well…looks like there's more then a few deviations going on. But time to, huh?"

He was caught off guard when a brash male voice suddenly boomed out a ," Sorry I'm so late to the party my friend!"

All of a sudden, the transport opened, before a man in a red motorcycle rocketed out of it and landed on the ground. As the new arrival landed with a thud everyone saw that the person on the bike was a young man with a muscular build, fair skin, blue eyes, and long blond hair styled like a mullet and coiffed up top.

He wore the standard SOLDIER 3rd class uniform of dark blue with black base layers, paired with black combat boots, black leather straps with the SOLDIER emblem, and silver pauldrons, bracers, and gloves.

He wielded a SOLDIER-issued broadsword, and as he took it out Ezan uttered," Your…a far cry from Sephiroth."

Cloud was about to say something before the new SOLDIER smirked." My name is Roche, but you may address me by the more accurate appellation: Speed Demon!"

Ezan blinked a few times before he cracked his neck." The only thing that will happen fast is how swiftly you're eliminated if you don't back off now. You're so far over your head that you won't even see the fight ending before its over."

Roche looked around and despite being surrounded he just laughed." You have a lot more pals now Cloud! But that won't get in the way, of are long awaited reunion!"

Ezan was about to swat Roche like a fly, till for a moment he saw Roche as Sephiroth and paused. He saw Cloud look confused to before Aerith looked at Rouche with scorn." I'm not going with you back to Shinra, so back off!"

Rouche smirked before putting up his hand." You misunderstand. I'm defying my bosses to be here! Cause I got a hunger that can not be denied! My desire to see you has driven me on!"

Ezan saw that on Rouche's shoulder that there was a black tattoo before he narrowed his eyes." And just what have you done to yourself to keep yourself on the road? Can you handle it?"

Rouche wiped some sweat off his brow before he shrugged." Some pain is just the price for redling the old engine. I'm giving everything to come out on top! Alright my friend, it's the final lap! So lets gun it one last time!"

Ezan saw how crazed Rouche looked before he took out his blade." I was you once…someone who decided that coming out on top of a rivalry mattered more then anything. Though I did not look this pathetic. You're chasing a mirage, and we don't have time to wait for you to realize it."

Rouche had his eye twitch before he let out a crazed laugh." Those who can't do teach eh man? Maybe you did not have the drive to go all the way but I'll show you the kind of path a real speed demon makes!"

He suddenly was moving so fast he was leaving after images as his motorcycle revved up and his blade glowed." That's right…your nothing but roadkill to me! Com…huh?"

Rouche was about to unleash an enhanced sword attack, till he noticed his sword was suddenly broken. As his eye twitched he heard Ezan utter," Just how much do you want to be embarrassed before today ends clown?"

Rouch saw Ezan was suddenly to his right, with the top half of his blade in his hands before he yelled in shock. He then turned, and saw Ezan was again suddenly in front of him.

The SOLDER yelled with rage and tried to run over Ezan, only for his motorcycle to shatter upon impact at colliding into the sliver haired man. Ezan saw Rouch yell in horror and slam into the tree before a branch fell on him before casually wiping dust off his shoulder." I don't care what you think matters tool, there's no time to waste on the pride of fools today."

Rouch coughed up blood before chuckling bitterly." I…should have been faster to settle this before the effects kicked in."

Ezan put his sword back in his sheath before responding with a flat," No…that's not it."

At this point Rouch just let out a delirious laugh." There's no escaping…the degeneration…my friend. Maybe…I should have went to Cosmos Canyon after all."

Ezan raised an eyebrow before he spat out," What is going on in Cosmos Canyon? Answer now and, huh?"

To his shock Rouch's eyes went blank before the man just uttered," Black…Materia."

Cloud saw Rouch moan like a zombie before he tensed up." Wait…he's like the robed men to? Damn it."

Tifa saw Cloud's dismay before she grasped his arm." Don't worry, that's not going to happen to you. We got bigger issues to worry about then that guy, like what's going on hear. Yours, Ezan right? Thanks for the help, but just who are you guys? Your really from Avalanche?"

Ezan took a deep breath before responding with," Yes a" Super Elite" division if you will."

"And you expect me to just take your word?"

"No, but we share the same values. After all, my code is also the same as yours. Yes...Embrace your dreams, and... whatever happens, protect your honor... as SOLDIER!"

Cloud saw Ezan do the same pose as Zach did before he grasped his head and nodded.

Barret just snickered before cutting in with," Then where the hell have you been? Could have used you when Shinra dropped a damn plate!"

Ezan looked up before responding with," I'm sorry for that, but the situation has…escalated in ways none of you are prepared for. First…it would be best if we are up to speed. You're trying to find Sephiroth yes? That's why you are hear?"

Cloud saw how in different Ezan looked before he nodded." We were trying to find a Shinra computer terminal for Cat Sith hear to hack into so we could get more information."

Ezan raised an eyebrow before he cleared his throat." Yes well…we are here to…speed up things. As all consuming as Sephiroth might seem, the scale of his threat may have gotten worst. I know you all been on the run, but have you noticed anything abnormal about the planet as of late?"

Barret snorted before spitting out," You mean besides Shinra trying to suck the planet dry till there's nothing left dude?"

Ezan was about to respond till he looked up, and tensed up as he saw a crack in the sky. He grit his teeth before pointing at said crack." I was meaning more, something like that."

The natives turned around before Barret spat on the ground." This some sort of test asshole?"

Arieth looked shocked before she quickly turned around." Wait…you can see that to? I…I thought I was the only one who could see that! Ezan…you're not…Centra are you?"

Ezan winced before uttering," No…though…I have access to magic on par with theirs, in some aspects. What I'm about to explain is going to sound overwhelming but I'll try and make it as precise as possible. Both Sephiroth and Shinra are up to even more ambitious schemes then you realized, and we have to act before its to late."

Cloud saw Ezan and the others looked serious before he shrugged." What do you mean?"

Before Ezan could respond a new male voice suddenly cut in with," Cloud! Your being distracted!"

Ezan got on guard as he saw a new male walk out of the hole in the manor. He was a slim build, fair skin, medium-length silver hair styled with bangs, and blue eyes. He wore a school uniform consisting of a white and blue button shirt, a black leather belt, black plaid shorts, tall black socks with suspenders, and brown boots.

He wore a magnification eyepiece, a multi-colored orange bow on his right shoulder, a large backpack, and looked around with an overeager look before Ezan went for his sword." So there's more Shinra agents hear?"

Tifa paused before she smirked." Oh, don't worry about that its just Chadley."

"Who?"

Chadley smiled before uttering," Greetings! I am Chadley! I am an intern for Shinra's Research and Development Division. I hope you'll be interested in helping me with my research."

"A Shinra scientist?" Ezan spat out with indignation. Tifa let out a anxious giggle before she uttered," Its ok! He works in secret to undermine Shinra, commissioning Cloud to collect combat data and then he gives us Materia!"

Ezan saw Chadley smile before he narrowed his eyes." Oh? Has he proven he's on your side?"

"I been giving them Materia!"

"A small price to pay for being able to monitor your moves for Shinra."

"Cloud this man seems rather erratic…lets gather data on the Phenomenon Intel in the region eh?"

The spikey haired man blinked before he nodded." Yah, that sounds like a good way to be prepared for what's to come."

"Perfect! Now let's hunt ten of the local monsters find thirty of the local flowers and that should be enough data to start to,"

"Enough!" Ezan hissed out." I can see through your treachery, and this farce ends now! Chidori Burst!"

With the clap of thunder Ezan sliced Chadly in half, only for his body to become transparent. Chadly just smiled in response." Cloud this is most intriguing combat data but I must insist that we, "

The hologram shattered before Ezan looked at Cloud and the others in disgust." That Chadly was monitoring use and using subtle amounts of nano-machines to make you obedient. My Sharingan could spot it. Damn, this is even more in depth then I suspected."

Barret grasped his head before he grith his teeth." Damn it, I knew going around activating every damn tower in the planet was not really helping things. So there was a spy all along!"

Cait Sith let out an uneasy chuckle before rubbing his head." Yah that does wrap things up in a neat little package eh?"

Cloud looked on in confusion before muttering," Wait, so they were on to us the whole time? Why?"

Ezan thought things over carefully before he took a deep breath." You're not going to like this, but your enemies are not taking you very seriously. The fact is, they are seeing your struggles as entertainment."

Cloud's eyes flashed with anger as he punched the damaged manor wall hard enough to cause part of the wall to shatter." Damn you Sephiroth! You, Shinra, we are not just puppets to your damn game!"

"I understand Cloud, truly. But if you want to break their script we have to move fast."

"Do you know what they are really planning?"

"Yes. They are moving on a bigger scale than you realized. As awful and greedy as Shinra has been, they don't just want to take everything in this world, but all worlds."

Red XIII gasped before uttering," You mean, the universe? Grandfather Bugenhagen talked about a life stream beyond are world but I did not think Shinra could pull it off."

Cat Sith nodded before throwing in a sheepish." Yah got that right they can't even get into space!"

"On there own yes, but the short story is, they made a deadly alliance that is, greatly expanding the harm they can do. It would be best if I just show you."

He motioned to Johnny, before the part time rocker part time terrorist walked up and nodded at Barret." Digging the old school body mods to fight the good fight brother. But your going to need a hell of a bigger gun for what's to come because here's how things stand."

He pressed a button to show a hologram of Midgar. The group were shocked to see a Tuner Fork coming right out of Midgar, right besides the Shinra building before Barret grit his teeth." The hell they have time to build an even bigger Mako Reactor?""

"That's not a Mako reactor." Ezan bluntly answered." It's something that is not just ripping apart this world but the very fabric of the universe. Shinra is working with there new allies to amass an even greater level of power."

Yuffie glared bitterly at the hologram before spitting out," Will it ever be enough for them? Let's just wreck it already! Sonon, this time we will do it right!"

Ezan closed his eyes before reacting with," We have to be more careful about this. A full frontal assault would not go well, so we have to attack in a way that they won't expect.

But first we have to get an idea on the full extent of their plans. First, you have to understand just how big a scale Shinra and their allies are now playing. There's only one way to give you that idea quickly. Its ok, you can come out now Aries."

Cloud's group was shocked to see another version of the flower girl casually walk out of the tree behind them. The older cetra saw her younger counter part's face before she gave a peace sigh." Hey guys…what's up?"

Aerith blinked a few times before she uttered," Wait…are you really…me?"

"I don't know…was Ifalna your mother to?"

"Yah." Aerith uttered as she got teary eyed. Cloud looked at the two before he tensed up." Wait…is she some sort of clone Hojo made?"

"No Cloud don't be silly." Aeris uttered calmly." I'm her, from another universe."

As the others looked on in shock Ezan nodded." Shinra, and their allies are corrupting the very fabric of time and space. That's why she, I , and the others were able to arrive hear."

Tifa looked at the other version of her friend before she widened her eyes." So you both really are Aerith?"

"Sort of. Though I'm Aeris." Aeris answered flatly." I don't know…small differences I guess? I don't sound as much as a valley girl but hey that works for you so no biggie. I met you after Cloud snuck in with a dress to bail you out of Don Corneo so if that's what happened here then seems like we mostly have a lot in common."

Aerith saw those around Ezan snicker before she giggled." Oh my god its like having a sister! I always wanted a sister!"

"Same hear sis!"

As the two counterpart's hugged each other Cloud just grasped his head." Look…this is a lot going on right now so what the hell do we do from hear?"

Ezan nodded before answering with," We find out what are enemies have planned…and stop them before its to late. Its only a guess, but based on how that biker was talking about, something was going on in Cosmo Canyon."

Red XIII growled before hissing out," But my people have nothing that Shinra would want!"

"Normally…but again, the scope of the greed has expanded. I don't know just what their plan is but, we better find out fast."

Aerith broke out of her hug with Aeris before she smiled." Oh I know! Cid should be able to tell us! If there is trouble we can fly over! We were going to search for the Black Materia anyway!"

The Cid from Clive's group raised an eyebrow." I know a lot lass but I'm not that great!"

"Oh your name is Cid to? Sorry I meant the Cid we know!"

Ezan paused before uttering," You already met Cid eh? You been to Rocket Town?"

"What's Rocket Town?" Tifa answered." We met Cid when we were looking for a ride to Cosmo Canyon. He's a nice guy…he gave us a ride despite not knowing us well."

Ezan and Aries gave each other looks before Aries raised an eyebrow." Wait…we are talking about…Cid Highwind right? I mean…did he agree because he was drunk?"

"What? Oh no he's a total professional and, oh hey you can see for yourself because there he is up there!"

Ezan watched in confusion as a small reddish pink airplay descended from the sky. It landed right behind the manor, and after finishing landing a man stepped out of it. He wore a navy blue flight jacket over a dark shirt with dark green cargo pants. He wore a white pilot's scarf that covers most of his shirt.

He had blond hair and blue eyes and facial stubble. He wore a pair of goggles on his forehead, and greeted everyone with a smile." Howdy everyone, who's up for another ride with Branco Airlines? Anyone want some tea?"

Aeris blinked a few times before uttering," No way…your Cid!?"

Cid Telamon smoked his cigar before he cringed." I'm going to be honest mate, I was expecting something else."

Ezan eyed Cid Highwind carefully before he rubbed his head." It's almost like I can hear the soul of my Cid screaming in disgust from across the Multiverse. Well…its clear that things might be a bit more different to are universe then we were assuming…might have to be ready for anything to have changed at this rate."

Cid then realized he was seeing two flower girls before his jaw dropped." What in sam hill is this? I knew you could do magic gal but when could you clone yourself?"

Aerith laughed before responding with," Oh…it's a long story."

Cid rubbed his head before muttering," Look guys I'm the best pilot around but not good enough to change reality. No way I can fit all your new pals in the Tiny Bronco!"

"Then you need a bigger ship." Ezan answered bluntly." But regardless don't worry, we have are own means of travel. For now what we need most of all from you is if you seen any air traffic going in the direction of Cosmo Canyon."

"Sure have, but they were getting the hell out of it."

"Wait what!? Why?" Cid saw Red XIII's shock before he shrugged." Something about a monster heading to it."

"That's it? Are people have fought off monsters for generations, I know my father did."

"Maybe man but this is not a normal monster. It's a monster big enough to eat the whole damn canyon!"

Aries looked at Cid in shock before she reacted with," Wait what? Could…it be one of the WEAPONS? Did all the stuff Shinra has been doing to the planet cause them to awaken early?"

"I don't know what that is miss but, its big enough to be on the news."

Cid showed a mini-TV that was on his plane, and it showed a news report showing planes flying, and out of the water a giant whale-like body that moved with a pair of clawed arms, as well as hind legs resembling pectoral fins for movement in water.

Barret saw the sight before he raised an eyebrow." The hell is that?"

Beat blinked a few times before he whistled." That's one nasty ass Noise yo!"

Neku rubbed his head before he sighed." I thought Noise only could exist in the Reaper's Games but I gues there are no rules these days eh?"

Vincent had recovered at this point and saw the sight with disgust." Hojo…what have you done?"

Ezan saw the monster and tensed up before responding with," No…that's not Shinra, and that's not one of the WEAPONS either. That, that's a monster that's does not suppose to even be in this world…Sin."

As the others looked at him in confusion Ezan closed his eyes." A friend of mine spent most of their life fighting this monster. This being, Sin, is not a normal " fiend." On the world of Spira, it was created during the Machina War between Bevelle and Zanarkand. As Zanarkand began to lose, its leader, Yu Yevon, a powerful summoner, devised a plan to defeat Bevelle and preserve his city forever.

Yu Yevon called the surviving citizens of Zanarkand and transformed them into energy like the life stream, acting as conduits for a massive summoning that created a spectral version of Zanarkand, born from the dreams of its former inhabitants. It was powerful enough to leave our comrade's world of Spira in a state of oppression and fear for centuries."

Yuffie looked at Sin in shock before uttering," Man that's the big thing Shinra's trying to use? If I could get my hands on that Materia then."

"Sin is just the start." Ezan cut in sharply. But it's the tip of the iceberg on the effect Shinra is having on the world for worlds, and universes' are colliding. For now, we must stop Cosmo Canyon from falling."

Arith looked at her native Cid anxiously." Cid your going to have to go all out to get there in time! Are stomachs are a small price to pay for everyone's lives!"

As Cid, Yuffie and some of the others looked full of dread Ezan cleared his throat." We might have a more, stable way of getting there on time. We have are own ship…I think we can land near the Ancient Forest. Get ready, once this fight starts, it will be hell itself till it finishes."

Barret snickers as he made sure his gun arm was ready." Well, we are already on this train so might as well get on to the last stop eh guys?"

Aeris winced as she struggled to repress her emotions." Heh, despite everything its so nice to,"

Ezan touched her shoulder before cutting in with," I'm glad you're not backing down. Just do what you can and be alert for anything. Alright, let the mission begin…again."

The Enji quickly tried to get the locals up to speed before heading out to Cosmo Canyon, and despite him being able to get Cloud's group over to the home of Red XIII in only minutes, there was not a second to spare as by the time they saw the observatory on top of the Canyon, they saw Sin closing in.

Further more, they saw Sin was being lead by various Shinra machines. Ezan saw the commander unit was a building sized giant red mecha with four arms before he narrowed his eyes." I saw the data on that command unit before, that, is the Proud Clod. So Shinra is commanding Sin as just another weapon?"

The Proud Clod's eye glowed before it unleashed a hologram of the man who piloted it.

"The man in the hologram definitely had a harder and sharper look about him that was better suited to military rather than corporate administration, but he nevertheless bore at least a variation of the Shinra logo on his uniform. His jaw was clenched under his graying, bushy mustache and he regarded all who looked upon him with a cold indifference and an air of ambition.

"This is General Marco Leers. With all other executives in order of succession now deceased or otherwise occupied, I am the successor to its military assets and personnel and am now the head commander of the New Shinra Army.

The Cosmo Canyon area is hereby now under New Shinra property and administration. All non-NSA individuals that do not vacate the area immediately will be purged on sight. Be advised: I have no desire to waste time on the frivolities of corporate acquisition like my predecessor."

After it was clear his speech was done, a man came out of the canyon to greet him. He was a one hundred and thirty-year-old man who sat on a levitating green orb designed by Shinra.

He had aged fair skin, blinded gray eyes, a mostly bald head with his remaining white hair tied in a small ponytail, bushy eyebrows, a thick mustache, and a long twin-braided beard. He wore black spectacles and a purple and yellow robe.

The "step" father of Red XIII, Geisel Bugenhagen glared at the Shinra commander with defiance before uttering," You can throw a Neo on yourself all you want but no matter how deluded you all at Shinra have gotten about yourselves you will never get away with this! No matter how many monsters and machines you amass you will never take away are people's home from its people!"

Before Leers could respond the ground started to crack before a demonic voice echoed," Arrogant human, this land will at last be reunited with its true people, the Gi tribe!"

He and the natives to Cosmo Cayon around him saw ghost like warriors emerge from the cracks on the ground before howling with rage. The Gi warriors formed blades out of there shoulders before a man behind them snickered out in dark amusement.

He was a slim young man, sporting only one horn on the left side of his head and a third eye that was perpetually closed. He had pale skin and long dark purple hair that covers the right side of his face.

His attire consisted of a jagged black choker, brass accessories in his hair, jagged-patterned fishnets on both arms, and baggy black pants with black split tails adorning it.

As everyone looked at him the pale man laughed." Hey there wankers, who's ready to be muched? Cirsium Zorba is the name, necromancer antics is my game! These Gi had as much hate as my own Clemar did on my world. Its nothing personal, but for the will of Lord Louis and are current allies…you all got to die to make room for the new world!"

In the distance Sin roared, before firing many of its scales out of its body. The scales landed on the ground and morphed into various" Sin spawn," such as the anemone-like Ammes, the jellyfish like Echuilles, and the centipede like Gui.

Zorba saw the locals get ready to fight before he laughed cruelly." You can fight if you want, but all you can do is die."

The Sinspawn Gui roared and prepared to charge Bugenhagen, till Cloud suddenly jumped down and cut the monster in half. He glared at Zorba and the monsters around him before he got into a fighting stance." Oh we can do a lot more then that."

Red XIII tackled and mauled a Gi Spector that was about to attack his grandfather before he yelled out," Grandpa we made it! Whatever is going on we will stop it!"

Gugenhagen looked around before he nodded." Careful my boy…the planet's feeling like it could split apart in its anger. Shinra…they done something horrible."

"Maybe." Cloud uttered." But we are going to stop it. C'mon guys! All you monsters are through! Infinity's End!"

Cloud spun around and unleashed a powerful slash to cut through the Spinspawn Gui.

Barret gathered his energy and unleashed his Maximum Fury on the Ammes Sinspawn, while Tifa evaded a slash from a Gi Spector and shattered him with her Omnistrike skill.

Red XIII got cut from the Echuilles, and entered his" Vengeance mode" before with a howl he ripped apart his target with his Crescent Claw attack.

A plant like Sinspawn Geneaux erupted out of the ground and tried to constrict Cloud, but Yuffie threw her large Shuriken and unleashed her Windstorm attack to cut it all over. Her target roared and fired its" Staccato "blast, only for to get in front of her friend and neglect the blast with her Lustrous Shield magic, and then fired her Ray of Judgment from her staff to vaporize its right arm.

As Cait Sith then smashed the Sin Spawn with his giant Moogle and Vincent shot it down, Zorba saw their success and just had his eye twitch." Your all strong without a doubt…but just how long can you keep that up eh? Cause that's the thing about a undead army…they don't stay dead!"

Zorba laughed as even more undead enemies seeped out of the ground before he hissed out," Your out classed in every way sinners…its over!"

Before Cloud could respond a female voice cut in with," No Zorba, its just getting started!"

Cloud and his group tensed up as he saw a spear go through another Sinspawn. Its owner landed next to it, and revealed itself to be a woman, a tall woman, with blue eyes and long bright red hair.

Her attire consists of a black, low cut full body suit with white ruffled trim along the bustline. Along with this, she wore a black bolero which end with white buttoned cuffs, a black choker with a red flower ornament and black high-heeled boots.

She also wore a black gold-trimmed cuirass with hanging brown belts, a black mantlet which bears the state army insignia in white and a white cravat. She also wore black gloves.

She saw Cloud's confusion and gave a curt bow." I'm Eiselin Burchelli Meijal Hulkenberg, or Eiselin Hulkenberg for short. I'm from the United Kingdom of Euchronia, and while it only happened shortly ago we have a alliance with you of ADVALANCHE. Strohl, Zorba is here as we thought.

Zorba saw the woman from his world before he seethed with rage." Damn Roussainte! You will not stop Lord Loius's dream! It will soon spread across every world, every universe! That Dux Aldric was supposed to have this territory secure!"

Another man ran up to Cloud with short black hair in a red and black outfit. He was welding hook blades and looked determined before he gave Cloud a smirk." Well we made sure to not let this area be locked down creep! I'm Nowa, but lets save the introductions till we win this eh!"

A blue haired man with a horn also ran up and nodded." Don't worry, on the honor of Althena's Guard, you can count on the support of Leo the White Knight. And, on my world that means a lot."

A brown haired woman ran up as well before taking out both a Elsydeon sword and a raygun." I'm Alis Landale, you can count on me. They might have taken the Algo Star System but they won't take this planet!"

Barret saw more and more people he did not know run up and start fighting back the enemies before he snickered." Hey I don't mind having the numbers for once. Maybe we can finally fight back."

Cloud looked up and saw Ezan and Daigo heading for Sin, before he saw a white barrier, casted by Aeris protect Cosmo Canyon from incoming projectiles before he eyed his new allies carefully." That depends on who can hit harder. Watch out." Cloud slashed at a charging Gi Spector as he tried to keep the people of Cosmo Canyon safe.

As he did Ezan looked around at the battlefield and quickly sensed where the strongest power levels were before he eyed Sin carefully." Well…I'm glad that the Alliance was able to recruit even more then I figured for this. The less distractions the better."

Dion was among those around Ezan, and he saw the sliver haired man's aura flare up before he cleared his throat." So this Sin is the commander of the forces aiding the local enemies hear?"

"Not even close Dion. But if we crush this invasion quickly enough we can try and get some answers. Sin…you may have caused misery on Spira for centuries but your harm to this planet ends now. Light Divider!"

The super elite Enji fired a purple energy beam to try and quickly end Sin, only for a energy beam to come from the right to counter the blast. A detached male voice then cut in with," Such resistance is curious…but it will not be allowed."

Ezan and the others saw a figure descend from the clouds. He was a gaunt, pale-skinned humanoid, with pronounced blood vessels, white hair, and blackish contours around his eyes which have darkened sclera and lack eyelids, giving him a zombified guise.

He had four arms, and the vast majority of his body was encased in a purplish crystalline substance.

Ezan saw the new enemy's arms crackle with energy before he shrugged." Are you the enemy commander? You only have one chance to surrender."

"Surrender…to such inferior lifeforms? Nonsense. WE are Ultima… bathed in light I stand above you, my rebirth complete. And you, for your defiance, shall pay the proper price; an eternity of anguish."

Ezan eyed Ultima carefully before he glanced at Clive." Some of his energy reminds me of Muzan before Xehamaru took over his body. It seems he's from a universe that involved another version of you."

Clive shrugged before flames danced around his blade." If he seeks are inslavement then his fate will be among all the others who try and deny are freedom."

Ultima saw Clive and the others defiance before his eyes glowed." The defiance of humans has long been a hinderance. But we have figured out how to correct the flaw.

Consciousness... We see now. Human will is so insubstantial, it cannot exist in isolation. You mitigate its weakness by interweaving it with your consciousness. We believed we had merely to purge you of your will to claim our vessel. It appears we first have to sever every thread of the consciousness that supports it."

"You can try…but humanity clings to that desire to be free far harder than the likes of you grasp it."

Ezan answered bluntly. Ultima looked below, and saw Cloud still fighting before its eyes glowed again." Is that so human? We seen again and again how easily your blind…that's why you will fail for the last time."

As its eyes glowed, Cloud did not even notice Ultima. But suddenly he saw a spiral of dark energy before Sephiroth appeared above him. Cloud saw his mother's killer smirk and utter," That's right Cloud…let that righteous anger guide you."

"Sephiroth? DAMN YOU!"

He suddenly took up Sephiroth's sword stance and sliced through every one in his way. Tifa heard Cloud's yell and looked at him, only to raise a eyebrow." Why did you say Sephiroth Cloud? I don't, see anyone."

Barret winced before spitting out," Oh hell don't tell me he's losing it again this is not the time!"

Tifa saw Cloud was about to attack Hulkenberg before she widened her eyes in terror." No Cloud stop!"

Cloud paused, before the voice of Sephiroth uttered," Cloud…don't let her fool you. She has no scar…the scar my blade gave her."

The mako eyed Swordsmen eyed Tifa for a few seconds before uttering," You…you have no scar. You're not Tifa!"

"Liar!"

Cloud shouted as he looked more and more unstable by the moment." Those we hate, those we love, those we fear, Jenova would become anyone to fool her prey. But I'm no fool!"

Ezan saw this from above before he widened his eyes." Oh hell!"

In a instant he flash stepped in between Cloud and Tifa just as Cloud was about to cleave his childhood friend in half. Ezan saw Cloud's insane look and shouted out," What the hell is the matter with you Cloud!"

"You won't stop me Sephiroth!"

"If you opened your eyes you would see the paradox of that statement!"

Tifa winced before shouting out," Please, something's messing with Cloud's head!"

Ezan eyed Cloud with his enhanced eyed before he grit his teeth." I'm more aware of the situation than you think Tifa. I know Sephiroth is controlling Cloud's mind, I just did not realize it was this bad, I never heard him acting like this back in my, never mind. I can free him of this corruption, I just need time."

He saw that Ultima had instantly attacked Clive and the others once he left before he grasped his fist tightly." Aries…I'm going to need your help the moment we have breathing room…this is escalating rapidly."

As things escalated, the grim look of the one called General Leers continued to radiate from the hologram. Yet about that time, he reached out and switched it off-returning his view to the interior of the Proud Clod and displaying the escalating battle in the vicinity while the speakers fed him a constant stream of the shouts of battle and combat.

At that point, the man's previously calm face suddenly tightened in rage as he smashed his fist against the console. His previously calm eyes turned wild and his teeth clenched in madness.

"What the hell is going on down there?! I thought I was supposed to be finally getting power! Finally having Scarlett's second masterpiece under my command along with her first! Finally able to wipe those damn militias from the face of the Planet myself! Then what the hell is all this?! Where are those things supposed to be from...fairy tales?! Is this some other delusion from that crazy whore? Where-"

The man cut himself off. His face went blank. A moment later, he frantically readjusted the controls on the cockpit; shifting the viewing screen to zoom in on one spot in particular. On one man in particular. One with spiked blond hair and not in the best state of mind.

"You..." he spat as he glared at him. "If it isn't the second general. Looking younger and weaker too. Maybe this IS a good day..."

He quickly seized the controls and pivoted them around while throwing a large switch on his right. In response, the colossal armored suit let out a sound as its primary reactor powered on and quickly began to build up momentum. Outside, the barrel of the large gun across its back began to heat up. But even as it continued to do so, he activated the crosshairs and aimed them for both Cloud and Ezan.

"Stay right there..." he muttered to himself as he kept adjusting the controls. "This really made my day. The only thing that would make me happier is if I could be killing him instead..."

"General Leers!"

Once again, the man at the helm went rigid. This time even more so; as if that sound had been both the most and least wanted noise in the world he had ever wanted to hear. Almost forgetting Cloud even existed, he quickly pivoted the controls around again to recenter the scope. And it took him only a moment to position it on a new target.

This one was in a crude yet official military tan uniform; with high ranks no less in spite of the fact the one who wore it was only in his early 20s at best. Although it was a bit hard to see him clearly. That was because he brandished a sword of considerable size in front of him that was not only shaped like a fiery flame but shimmered like one. About the only thing that burned more fiercely was the eyes of its wielder, who glared at the Proud Clod utterly unintimidated by its size. If anything, it seemed to make him even angrier and more determined. The face, if one looked in just the right way, seemed to almost bear a slight resemblance to Leers' previous target-but the manner was utterly different.

Hands tightening so much around the controls that they nearly bled, Leers turned the speakers back on to address the newcomer.

"You...!"

"I never got the chance to get in your face and show you what I really felt about you, you heartless monster!"

General Ragnar Vice yelled at the towering machine. "I got a message from everyone in Icicle Inn who died after you impressed them into labor for you!"

"You miserable little brat! You haven't the slightest idea how much I suffered because of you and those terrorists you got to follow you! Do you know how much I dreamed of building the biggest nation from Shinra's ashes? And how many times I had to see you snatch that out of my grip because of you and your stubborn overgrown militia?!"

"The last thing we ever needed was another selfish Shinra blowhard coming back after how much they ruined this world the first time! There'll be no more mako reactors so long as I'm alive! So long as ANY of my race is still alive!"

He tightened his grip as his eyes took on a green, earthen sheen. One that even Leers couldn't deny seeing. "What the devil are...no...no...NO!" Face reverting fully into violence, he seized the controls again. "I don't give a damn who or what you are! You're the bug in my life I've wanted to crush for years, and I finally have the power to do it! Go to hell!"

All three arms snapped out in Ragnar's direction. Panels opened up, and moments later the barrels of miniguns sang as streams of bullet casings flowed from within-to the tune of hails of bullets pouring down on the single man.

In spite of that, he quickly raised his blade and spread the flat part around himself as he began to charge forward, nimbly scaling the rocky landscape with one dash and leap after another as he made his way toward the Proud Clod.

The bullets hit but, in spite of their ability to tear tank armor into pieces, not only did the glowing blade intercept them but it seemed to negate any knockback from them. Leers was stunned, but also far too wild to focus on that. Instead, he quickly mashed other buttons. In response, the wrist paneling over the three limbs broke open, and a moment later burning lasers shot out and began to carve up the landscape around Ragnar as if it paper in a shredder.

But to his surprise, the young man was hardly inconvenienced. Instead, his eyes kept blazing as he whispered something under his breath, causing auras of a sort to wrap around him. Moments later, his speed was increased twofold...even threefold. Unbelievably, he was soon dodging the lasers and shooting around them-all while continuing to close on the giant mech.

"The devil...?!" Leers' shocked voice resounded over the speakers. "Nothing short of a first-class SOLDIER could have dodged those! You're nothing but a human!"

Ragnar couldn't help but give a bit of a cocky smirk. "I'm a bit more than that, thanks to your old company..." he muttered under his breath. Now out of range of the miniguns, he swung his blade away and down to his side-readying it for his strike. The very air about him began to gleam with the same ethereal green light, and no sooner had it gathered than it started to stream down to his sword...

By now, the general saw he was nearly past point blank range. The main mako cannon still hadn't charged, and it wouldn't get the chance at this rate. There was only one opening left.

Quickly, he moved his hand over to another set of controls, but held. His hateful gaze fixated on Ragnar. "Just a little closer, you rotten little crap... You want to hit me? Well walk right into the vents of the knee incinerators you little son of a bi-"

Unperceived over the chaos of the escalating battlefield, two gunshots from a rather enlarged pistol...one so big it required an arm bracer for support...rang out.

And a moment later, Leers' mad hate was aborted again as the screen in front of him blared warnings. An instant later, it projected a graphic of critical damage to the Proud Clod's knee joints, but before he could even recognize that his stomach sank as the massive mech suddenly lost all support in the leg regions and began to fall. Instinctively, the assistant AI reached out with its three limbs and braced itself; barely keeping from letting the entire mech collapse onto the ground even as it jostled the general around in the cockpit like a bean in a can.

Ragnar's eyes widened slightly; fearing for a moment that it was ready to fire. Yet the cannon was still only half charged at the most. His brain made the connection-something had damaged to knees. But he didn't dwell on it. With the mech faltering and his target now in view, he instead aimed right for the chest.

As for Leers, hissing and practically spitting, and now sunk at a sixty degree angle, he pushed himself up from the console and started to reach for the shields...

Two more gunshots rang out, and he mashed the button to activate the defenses only for another red warning message to wink him in the face-indicating a critical system failure. Meanwhile, outside, the entire front chest armor plate of the Proud Clod separated at the shoulders and swung down like it was no more than a set of bib overalls. The vulnerable workings of the interior were exposed, along with the cockpit.

His eyes shrank in terror. "Wha...what?"

From over the speakers, a female voice called out. "Rude and Reno always told me-the bigger Shinra made a piece of tech, the less they worried about gaps in armor the size of bullets."

"Wait...is that...? But...but no! She's supposed to be-"

Ragnar didn't care for Leers' final sputtering. With the armor now exposed and vulnerable, he was finally in range and his sword was blazing with aura and energy. He leapt into the air, spinning the blade over his back, soaring over the hands, and squaring the exposed weakness right in front of him.

"This is the end of the NSA...for good. Blade Beam!"

Snapping his sword down, a lance of energy erupted from the end and thundered to the Proud Clod like a missile. Leers' cockpit view was soon blinded by the energy bearing down right at it. The last anyone could hear of him through the speakers was crying in anguish and hate before the energy pierced the mech.

The blade alone was enough to fully split the top of the armor in half on impact; dividing it in two like a righteous bolt of judgement splitting a tree trunk. Yet that was nothing compared to what happened when the energy blade pierced the still-charging reactor.

A tower of mako energy and light that seemed to echo the very same explosion that triggered Leers' destiny years earlier obliterated all but the limbs of the Proud Clod a moment later; opening it up like a dazzling, explosive flower or firework. As the burst rocketed through the air and into the heavens, it left behind only blackened, twisted metal where the touted anti-WEAPON once was-suspended by a few stray charred metallic limbs.

Ragnar touched down, finally letting out an exhale. He stared at the smoke for a few moments before he replaced the sword at his side.

"He's gone, mom," he whispered. "He'll never hurt anyone again."

However, he didn't put his weapon away. Instead, after only a moment, his look grew cold again before he raised it and pointed it to one side-coinciding perfectly with the arrival of a woman in a cheap suit holstering an oversized handgun.

"Relax, Ragnar," she called out, putting her hands up anyway as she walked forward. "Even if I wasn't to the point where I'd never work for Shinra, new or otherwise, again, do you think I would have lent a hand back there if I wasn't on your side?"

He lowered his sword soon after hearing that, exhaling a little. "So...I guess that means you weren't like him. You're from...after Aleron, then?"

The suited woman let out a visible shudder at that, as if Ragnar had just poured ice water down her back. "Yeah. For what it's worth...after Diablos, too."

He eased a bit more at that, then nodded. "Alright. So I guess that means we're on the same side again. Let's go. There's still a lot more coming."

As they moved out, Daigo saw Rager's victory and smirked at the outcome." Man I was not sure what to make of these Alliance guys at first but a lot of them feel like they would be good pals with the Boss. Hopefully he can meet them one day. He, he will, once we stop all this, and all of you won't stop us!"

He, now as Shinryudramon deflected another blast from Ultima, who looked at those around him with scorn. " You think you can end me? I... cannot end! I am the end! Mortals! The world you seek is but a fantasy! Dimachairos!"

He fired lasers in all directions to keep Shinryudramon and the Dominants at bay before he howled out," Prostrate yourselves, know your insignificance! We will unmake you all as,"

"Before he could finish his speech Jack Garland promptly showed he had arrived by slamming into Ultima and yelling out," SHUT THE HELL UP!"

He slammed Ultima into the ground so hard it left a tremor. As everyone looked on in confusion Jack yelled out in annoyance as he saw Ultima glare at him." The second I got hear I knew you would piss me off and spout asinine crap. You got the look."

Ultima saw Garland's dismissive look before he yelled with outrage." I am darkness manifest. The sum of the world's fears. You stand before despair given form. You stand before Chaos! Bare your soul to, GUH!"

"I don't give a damn who you are!" Garland yelled as he punched Ultima again." My mission is to kill Chaos and you sure look like it! I'll bear you a lot more then soul!"

Garland took out his massive blade, but Ultima screamed in defiance before unleashing a energy blast to knock Garland back. He spat out a tooth, then gathered more energy before hissing out," Bow to your god! My eyes see past you all! U, GUH!"

In his fury he failed to see Clive come at him from behind, and stab him in the back. Clive saw his target yell in fury before hissing out," And yet you still cannot see. You are no better than us, we are one and the same. Your power is not nearly enough for you to deserve your murderous dismissal of us all! And since you abuse that power you no longer deserve it!"

"You damn human…you will never win!"

Shinryudramon powered up before uttering," Well we will never stop trying.

Infinite Exia Ray!"

He fired his rainbow energy blast right at the distracted Ultima, causing the pale villain to scream before he was vaporized. The arm Clive grasped was blown off, before being absorbed into him.

Clive yelled in pain before he suddenly sprouted Ultima's wings. Shinryudramon winced before uttering," Um…that looks bad."

"No its fine…part of his power just went into me."

Jill ran up to her lover before uttering," Clive…are you sure your alright?"

"Part of his power went into me, but that's all. It feels…unpleasant…but if it means there is more I can do then it's a worthy cost."

Cid snickered before he shrugged." Just tell us if your suddenly feeling a urge to kill us eh mate? Madness seems to be spreading around these parts…but for all I know its from that "Sin" over there."

Clive saw Sin getting closer to Cosmo Canyon and had flames dance across his blade." " Ezan told me a little, but I know just enough to know that beast must die."

He, Shinryudramon, and the others prepared to charge Sin, before it roared and unleashed a surge of gravity to pin them to the ground.

Aeris found herself pinned to the ground and struggled to keep her barrier up as she glanced at Sin." What…I feel malice from Sin…but he's supposed to just be a beast! Wait…is this that Seymour creep? Or that Yunalesca Yuna told me about? Wait, this hate feels pure evil, huh?"

Ragnar and his own companion were no exceptions. He had just begun to notice those bowing down to the ground when his eyes widened. He gave a grunt and suddenly shot to the ground as if he was magnetized to it. The suited woman did much the same, although she reached out quickly enough to spread her legs into a crouch and her arms to balance herself.

The young general himself was fast enough to swing his blade around to pierce the soil to avoid going any further, but soon that proved useless when he saw he couldn't push himself up and still slammed against the dirt. The woman, in spite of gritting her teeth and struggling, soon did the same.

"What the…?" Ragnar managed to choke out, even his throat feeling heavy. "Ragnarok…is supposed to be…weightless… What's going…"

"Much better."

Ragnar cut himself off…not at the sound of the voice he had heard, but rather on seeing the woman's own reaction to it. The color had drained from her face. His eyes twisted, and he craned and stretched to move his head and neck in an attempt to see what she was looking at.

And although he had to drag his head across the gravel to do it, he finally managed to twist enough to see their own "side" was now mostly immobilized in much the same way he was. And looming large and powerfully over them was the colossal unworldly frog-like monster. The voice that now echoed over the landscape came from it.

Yet as he watched, he saw something else happen. The head of the great monstrosity suddenly fractured; sending out a crack so loud it echoed even more loudly than the voice had. And it kept cracking right down the middle of its skull.

All before a pair of twisted, cruel, clawed fingers reached out and seized the sides of it.

"Now to properly begin."

With a thunderous noise, the powerful limbs ripped the skull in two like it was little more than a chrysalis or shell. The fracturing quickly spread throughout the rest of Sin, and soon the rest of its body went lifeless and began to fall from the sky. Yet as its massive pieces broke off and sent out thunder as each one landed on the ground in turn, something far more horrible and nightmarish came out from it.

"What…is that thing…?" Ragnar asked.

"It's him," the woman responded fearfully.

"What…who?"

"The thing that tried to kill me…and sis…in Junon…"

"What're you talking about…? I never saw anything in Junon…except that one time I wasn't there because-"

Now his own face turned to terror.

"No…"

The sky itself seemed to darken as if the very light in it was drawn away, and the last of the shell of Sin peeled off and let what was in come out. It was hard to imagine that the monster that emerged was anything less than an arch-demon if not Satan.

It certainly fit the part…compiled of nothing but cruel bones and scales dipped red as blood and black as night. Its yellow, serpentine eyes blazing so brightly in the growing blackness about it they seemed to almost be disembodied and piercing the soul. Finally, as it spread its own wings, thousands upon thousands of black bats arose from the husk with it to join it.

"Diablos…" Ragnar spat.

It was still far away as it cracked its neck and looked about. Its cruel nostrils flared and contracted…and Ragnar soon felt the blood in his body turn to ice as the yellow eyes turned fully to him.

Cruel, irregular teeth were exposed.

"You… How good to see you again. I should have expected you'd be here if I was, thanks to the IV . Splendid, splendid… Is your wife here too? Your children? What about…"

The yellow serpentine eyes went to the woman. She shook as they landed on her.

"…her. Good, good… So much the better. Well then, let's get started."

Holding both of his hands out, Diablos extended them over the canyon below. As he did, the bats streamed into him and a great many began to join with him, splattering into tar-like substances as they struck him before being absorbed and molding into his body—making the demon grow larger and more monstrous yet.

At the same time, however, a great flock of them flew past him and straight into the ground. Each one splat and broke apart into the same tar-like puddles of goo. Yet they did not remain inert. On the contrary. They immediately began to slide toward Clive, Cid, Shinryudraemon, and everyone else.

"No!" Ragnar shouted.

"All of you…stay away from those things!" the woman yelled as she grasped her gun handle. Unfortunately she couldn't budge it an inch.

"Don't keep them all in suspense, you two. Explain a bit more. Not all of them are privileged enough to know what's going to happen to them once that essence reaches them and envelops them like a second skin," Diablos spoke—loudly and monstrously enough for all to hear. He craned his twisted neck higher and spoke louder; enough for all to hear.

"Or let me do the honors… Now hear this! The IV &C has declared the lot for you all! Misery! Anguish! Suffering! Death! Here I am to provide as I remake this world in my image! Light shall fade into oblivion! For air you shall breathe smoke! For water you shall drink poison!

For warmth you shall burn, and for food you shall rot! Once you're enveloped in my essence, I will change you all from the inside out. Not quickly, mind you! Not all at once! Slowly! Painfully! A nightmare in the physical, mental, and spiritual sense! Slowly but surely you will forget anything good, pure, and kind that ever happened to you! Bit by bit you will watch as your bodies are remolded to suit my desires! You'll see your humanity, sentience, love, and goodness fade and you will be conscious enough to feel each bit of it slipping away but powerless to stop it! And when all is said and done, you will be nothing but an entity made to cause suffering and to feel suffering for all eternity!"

Gritting his teeth, Ragnar began to frantically try to raise his blade like the woman went for her gun. The others were much the same, but this made Diablos laugh for genuine joy and clap his hands.

"Good, good, good! That's right! That's exactly right! Struggle! See how futile it is! Scream and panic and fear to the last! See how hopeless it all is! See how useless it all is! Let it fill you with more and more of that tasty, delicious fear and pain! It is exactly how everyone and everything you ever loved will feel! Your families…your friends…your children…they'll all share the same fate! One day you may be thrown into a sulphureous pit with them to fight to the bloody death, and you won't even remember who you or they are! You'll all be slaves, now! Slaves to suffering and pain! Creatures that know nothing but misery and are made to live forever for unending misery! Like a great ocean of beautiful wine endlessly flowing into my gullet!"

Ragnar's heart was pounding so loud he could practically hear it. And while he tried to push it back along with an attempt to defend himself, it was no use. The fear was rising. The despair and misery was rising.

"But not you, Ragnar…not you!" Diablos called to him. "You know where you're going. And the terror, guilt, and anguish of it is far too juicy for me to let slide! I'll give you the exact same fate so that you know exactly what is coming to you…and you can hate it all the more and lament your own helplessness once again all the-"

"Enough."

The voice radiated even more powerfully than Diablos'. So strong that the light seemed to come back for a brief moment, and even his bat-like aspects hesitated and seemed to look up in puzzlement. Yet Ragnar looked up in even more amazement.

"That…that voice…"

He got no chance to say more. At that moment, everyone who was currently pinned heard an immensely powerful female voice speak to them in a command.

Everyone hold your breath.

Even if the people wanted to disobey, there was no defying the sheer power of that voice and it compelled their bodies to act against their will. A good thing too, because not long after the cry of a monstrous sea serpent echoed out over all of them—right before a deluge of water washed over the entire battlefield.

Normally, this would have washed them away with it and left them battered and raked against the stony ground. Yet Diablos' gravity magic kept them perfectly flat…unlike the bat aspects. They screeched in anger and agony as they were swept aside and flung as far away from the helpless people as the owner of the wave could.

As soon as the wave subsided from washing over them, the woman let out a cough but looked up. "That cry was Leviathan…!"

"Then that voice was…"

Ragnar trailed off, now looking like he had seen a ghost. Diablos was no longer alone in the side.

Seeming to stand on the air before him, big as life, in full draconic form, glorious wings spread wide and clawed and armored limbs bulging with muscle, brandishing his full crest and glaring with bloodlust and wrath at his foe, was Bahamut. And in spite of the fact that Diablos had grown to nearly the size of him, he didn't seem the least bit intimidated. If anything…she sheer dragonawe that he radiated made him somehow look a match for the demon in spite of his smaller frame.

"I am the King of All Dragons, and the Lord of the Guardian Forces," he resounded in a voice like thunder. "You will obey me now. Recall your constructs. Release your spell. And then get out of my sight."

Diablos didn't even hesitate.

Like a deranged, demonic hyena, he immediately broke out into a hysterical, mocking laugh.

Ezan was still surrounded by Whispers, but he saw Bahamut and eyed him carefully. That's not a summon. He…he's clearly something more. He seems to know what this version of Diablos is about, guess I can trust him to handle this while I take these pests out.

Ragnar's wonder was cut short as the pressure increased on him and everyone else—becoming painful now. He would have cried out if his lungs weren't so heavy he now had to focus on breathing. As he did, like a plague of rats, the black ooze constructs almost ravenously tore out from where they had been washed and charged for the helpless people with renewed vigor.

Bahamut looked more annoyed than anything. "You are a Guardian Force now. Why do you stand against your king?"

The demon's answer was to hover closer as he grew larger yet, so that his loud laughter could send waves of toxic, rotting odors into Bahamut's nostrils. He laughed even more hysterically for several more seconds before stopping.

"I am indeed a Guardian Force. And I follow your code to the letter. Only the one who can defeat me is my master. And now...there is only one in this amalgam of worlds who can defeat me. So I serve him." His toothy grin widened. "Nay, more! I serve him most willingly and eagerly!"

"This…Sieg," the dragon muttered. "Even you are not immune to your end of your own existence. You know the depths of all of mankind's sins and evils. You know he has the same and more. And creatures like yourselves are never content to be slaves to masters."

"Are such feeble arguments meant to sway me to your side?"

A light that almost burned as strong as the evil one from Diablos' own eyes erupted from Bahamut's—blazing with raw nuclear fusion.

"I am more than willing to give you the only argument that does sway your kind."

"You flimsy little relic…" the fiend snickered, before rearing back and stretching his arms wide. The sky grew so dark that an unnatural night seemed to nearly fall—his great wings seeming to drive off the sun.

"What more could the IV &C possibly provide me?! I've glutted myself on the hate...despair...misery...frustration...guilt...and anger of millions upon millions of forsaken souls.

Never in all my feasting did I dream that I was merely a beggar gnawing at the edges of old crusts! Now they've provided me a royal feast! Entire universes...entire realities...worth of individuals who died miserably in pain, anguish, and fear! Countless multitudes of innocents whose lives were cut short! Untold galaxies worth of people cursing gods that ended up powerless to save them! And you think the loss of this insignificant morsel of a world has any impact on me?! When the IV &C will provide me endless delicacies?!"

Bahamut was still unmoved. Only angered as he clenched his powerful jaws. "Your master will never tolerate you growing so powerful! They can't accept anything stronger than them!"

The muscles of the fiend began to swell as his height surged more. All of the remaining bats still in the air streamed into him. Now he stood a head taller than Bahamut. Now head and shoulders. Now down to the chest…

"I only wish to be the dog eating the scraps from his master's table! To feed on the remains of all those 'unworthy' of their society! And the more their madness grows and the more they sentence to oblivion, the more I feed! And with no more room in Hell, all souls have no place to suffer and hate eternally except as part of ME!" He bellowed another hideous laugh. "It was actually worth being destroyed by those Light Warriors the first time!"

At long last, Bahamut's face broke. Genuine surprise painted his expression, which only delighted Diablos even more.

"Oh yes, Bahamut. They showed me the truth. The universe your actions helped erase. I should be thanking you as well as them. To think the will of the Void was so petty as to plunge only one world into eternal darkness and death when there were billions upon billions awaiting the same fate. Now..."

The last of the bats absorbed into him, and darkness exuded and even dripped from him as his body—double the size of the dragon's—now dwarfed him. "Now I am the great Chaos reborn! Now I am the true will of the Void! Now I will consume ALL!"

The stench of death and the sheer power of the voice was finally enough to make Bahamut grimace. And yet, even in the wake of that, with his own light seeming to flicker before the darkness, he showed no fear. In fact, he didn't even seem to regard Diablos at all for a moment. His draconic face was elsewhere…remember others long since dead.

He exhaled. "It seems now that our places have been exchanged... That I stand before Chaos now while you four are the observers in spirit… That I finally make up for my own mistake." With renewed passion, he glared not only with ferocity but hatred at Diablos. "Whatever you are now, the greatest weakness I ever showed was when I let you make me lose my faith in humans. Not this time. I'll do what I should have done when you destroyed the Lufenian kingdom. I will make sure you are completely destroyed...for good."

"You wretched little mite. You couldn't even hurt me then. What makes you think you can stop me now when I'm infinitely stronger?" Wildness, madness, and hatred painted over the monster's expression as darkness dripped from its body. "But by all means, grind yourself to blood and dust against me! Be consumed by all of your past failures and guilt! Wallow in your helplessness as you lay dying like all the others who have stood against the IV &C! Today...I HUNGER FOR YOU!"

A thunderclap arose as Diablos lashed out, his claws snaking across Bahamut's face and easily rending the scales before sending him hurtling to the ground. The dragon didn't even seem to be capable of recovering before he was smashed into it, sending up a plume of rocks and dust.

Before they even reached their zenith, Diablos howled in victory and held out his hand to send a sphere of darkness enveloping the whole area. Instantly, the rock fragments were thrown back into the ground like they were fired out of guns. The twisted teeth bared as the demon curled its fingers into a fist, increasing the gravity where its target had landed with the intent of squishing it like jelly…

That same grin turned into confusion when Bahamut came sailing out of the same sphere without hesitation, roaring in rage and the claw marks against his face already fully regenerated. Diablos didn't even have time to prepare a new gravity spell before the dragon's crest smashed into his own head, sending off flakes of scales and sending the towering demon into the sky. Bahamut didn't let up. Bellowing in rage, his lower claws seized Diablos by the shoulders as his foreclaws began to beat, rend, and tear across his foe's skull again and again.

As he kept fighting, the inky-black aspects had nearly reached Ragnar and the woman—not that he could really notice as the blood was having a hard time pumping through his body, making his head and senses rather fuzzy by now.

Yet just as one reached for him, another "gunshot" rang out…although this one didn't sound like much of a bullet or any other gunpowder projectile. The effect couldn't be denied, however. Not only did it erupt in a small explosion, but the pieces it broke into were immediately incinerated by raw magical power and withered like ashes and embers in the breeze.

Ragnar reacted slightly to that, but wasn't long before he saw the source as two more shots rapidly blew away two more of them. Right before a woman with dark blue hair and eyes that were such a mixed and vivid blend of blues and greens that they seemed to defy logic leapt into his view. She seemed to be dressed in a military uniform of her own, albeit a much neater and more 'futuristic' one as she snapped her body around and with crack-shot speed and sharpshooter precision blew away seven more of the monsters in two seconds.

"This uniform, of all things…" she muttered aloud. "Never thought I'd put one on again… Leviathan! I can't keep up with those!"

Sure enough, a group of tar constructs had united into a 'wave' and were now headed for some of the others, but before they could the ground rumbled as Leviathan's massive body slide around and let his coils form a living wall between the targets. At first, the tar-like things had no problem attacking him instead—leaping onto his body and rapidly spreading out in an attempt to seize it…corrupt it…control it…

No such luck. The sea serpent gave another cry before simply shifting its great bladed coils against one another. In seconds it sliced them all to ribbons. But over that, it cried out behind it in its monstrous aquatic bellows. "Carbuncle! Are you ready yet?"

"Of course I'm not ready!" an unseen voice shouted back. "You think I can prepare as spell this big in two shakes?!"

"Hurry! The moment he thinks he could lose, he'll make his move! We have to anticipate it!"

Eden grit her teeth as she kept shooting. "You're sure this will work? If Diablos has really become Chaos reborn, then all he has to do is-"

"He's a creature of malice and hate who thrives on regret and suffering. Believe me…as sure as he embodies the evils of the world, he'll do this."

As for Bahamut, he continued to rend and tear and beat against Diablos again and again as he forced him higher into the heavens. Blood, scales, bone, and skin rained down in his wake. And yet, when the dragon finally paused, expecting the demon's face to be nothing but a hollowed-out crater by now, not only was the damage minimal…but in moments it was gone all together with regeneration that put his own to shame.

The grin had returned. "We've been here before, fool! You can't kill me! The Oblivion Stone made me immortal to you then! Now thousands of light warriors with thousands of crystals couldn't stop me!"

Like the crack of a whip, Diablos' arm lashed out and seized Bahamut by the face. It dripped with darkness for a moment, before a twisted, warping sound erupted and the dragon was fired away from the demon like a shot from a cannon. Laughing madly, he spread his infernal wings and flew after him.

He spun about toward Bahamut's flying body and lashed out with his own thin, bony tail. With a crack of a whip, a bloody lash appeared over the dragon's body. Another crack, and a second lash happened.

On the third, however…Bahamut moved so fast that Diablos couldn't even track him. In an instant, he was halted, standing in the air, and his claws had reached out and seized his tail. The devil was puzzled for only a moment, before the dragon's eyes blazed again and he yanked. With a sound of bones shattering, Diablos' entire tail was ripped from his body.

Even with his regeneration, the monstrous Guardian Force let out a cry of agony. As he did, Bahamut's jaw cracked open wide revealing a miniature sun within.

"Burn…in…Hell! Pyron!"

A blazing ball of light erupted from his jaws and smashed into the chest of the fiend, crumpling his body around it and bathing it in a sunny, fiery light so that it looked like a great hellbound bat being roasted in flames. Bellowing a bloody roar, Bahamut flew toward his flailing, smoldering body and gave him a lash from his tail. Another terrific crack before he was sent hurtling away from him.

Bahamut spread his wings to go in a dive after him…but barely had managed to fly when Diablos himself suddenly aborted his flailing and was immediately right-side up again. His bloody teeth grinned in delight.

"Good! Burn your hate out on me! It will make your failure all the more scumptuous!"

Flying out again, he seized Bahamut in midair interception. Laughing wickedly he began to claw and rend the dragon's scales and flesh while the dragon dug into the demon's middle with one powerful blow after another.

"Carbuncle…" Eden muttered from below.

"Oh, don't you start!"

"Are you ready?"

"Just twenty more seconds is all I ask…along with less nagging!"

Diablos was even with him for a while…before the dragon's fist suddenly shout out and grasped him by his cackling jaw. The yellow, serpentine eyes widened for a split second before Bahamut bellowed and yanked down—ripping it clean out.

A horrible, gagging sound with his loose tongue wagging came out of Diablos' mouth as the older Guardian Force's fury was fully renewed. He now began to strike him in the head with such force that several of his jagged teeth went flying with each blow. The air clapped with each new strike that sent him careening around.

At long last, some of the monster's look began to twist into anger. It snapped free from the latest blow and raised both hands at the dragon. In response, it shot out and grasped both hands with its own; lacing its claws around Diablos' infernal digits. Dark energy began to gather in the grip of the monster, only for Bahamut to snarl and tighten his own fists. To the sound of multiple bones breaking, both of the demon's hands were shattered into bits—fragments of fingers flying everywhere. It cried out again as it bleeding stumps recoiled from Bahamut's grasp, right before the dragon gave him another tail swipe to knock him backward.

Yet, once again, the devil stopped itself. Letting out an animal hiss of genuine anger, it flexed its huge body and, in an instant, popped out a fresh jaw, teeth, and limbs to fully regenerate.

"You're making me angry now, you disgusting wormy pissant…" Diablos sneered. "Are you here only to frustrate me? Don't you understand yet that you can tear me to pieces as much as you want but it will never matter so long as I have so much power?"

"Seeing as your Gravity magic is worthless against me, I'd say you're not much better off. We're at a stalemate at best. But I think I'll stay here keeping you away from your precious little 'meals' just the same." Bahamut darkly responded.

" Snake! To what purpose?! You can't kill me!"

The dragon's answer was to flash a toothy grin and casually cross his arms.

"Maybe I just enjoy 'ruining your day'."

The demon's aura surged. Suddenly, its mockery and humor went away. It was like a nerve had been struck as its hate abruptly rolled out. "You…mock me? You dare mock me?! With that same miserable little fearless, hateless, guiltless smirk that wretched witch had?! You sicken me! You're turning the flavor to ash in my mouth! I want to vomit! I'll rip your face off! I'll peel the skin off of your body!"

Diablos' wings spread wide, about to shoot forward and strike in renewed, mad passion; teeth grinding and malice filling its eyes. Yet just as he reached out, he halted. He held a moment longer before slowly pulling his arm back.

"Oh…oh no," the demon coolly answered. "It won't be that easy."

Far below, Eden noticed this. "Carbuncle…"

"Alright, alright, it's ready. Just give the word."

Diablos, heedless of all of this, gave another infernal grin. "There's no Magic Lamp to imprison me this time, 'great king'. I've no need to vent my wrath and hatred on you. Maybe your plan was for me to keep attacking you until I finally burned through the billions upon billions of meals worth of anguish and regret I've already consumed, but even if this battle lasted a thousand years that wouldn't be nearly enough."

The grin suddenly spread wider—enough to break the scales and purposely make itself bigger.

"But I know how to get through to you!"

Bahamut's face, if possible, turned to surprise. Diablos, on the other hand, began to laugh hysterically once more as it raised both of its hands. Spheres of dark energy gathered on the tips of all of its fingers—rapidly building in power and strength.

"How can you spend all your focus on fighting me…when so many feeble lives are beneath us?!"

The dragon's jaw dropped. "You…"

"Gravija!"

With that, a shower of spheres erupted from the fingers of Diablos. Each one quickly grew to the size of its own ultimate ability: the Dark Messenger. And each one began to sail down for one of the still-immobilized targets like a rain of darkness.

"Negate that, you old fool!" Diablos screamed in glee, his voice actually growing more high pitched. "Their blood can already barely course through their veins! Their lungs can only half inflate! This last one will crush them all into blood jam! Willing to have yourself crushed in their place to save them?! Or think you can live with your feeble little conscience if you let them die just to waste your effort trying to kill me?!"

As the spheres shot down for their targets, Bahamut looked at them wide-eyed and stunned. Diablos grinned wider yet, waiting to drink in his anguish…his terror…his guilt…

Which was why he was rather confused when Bahamut's surprise turned into a confident smile.

"Brilliant as always, Leviathan. I should have relied on you more often. He did exactly as you said he would."

The demon, if possible, looked utterly perplexed. "…Huh?"

It glanced below, only to see Eden calmly holstering her gun and smirking back at him.

"Do it, Carbuncle."

"Teach you all to call my ultimate power worthless… Ruby Light!"

With a flash of red rubies, the green-haired boy vanished…being replaced with a tiny, fluffy, black-button-eyed, fox-like, green furred creature with a ruby mounted on his brow. The creature immediately held its front paws to it and sent out a wave of iridescent ruby light over the entire battlefield—specifically all of the immobilized people.

One by one, the Gravija orbs attempted to hit the people…only to cause shimmering, rainbow-like shields of light to appear around them one after another. Soon they were all spent, leaving nothing behind but the glimmering shields.

"He knew full well you'd resort to torturing and killing your captives as soon as I angered you. So I drew out this fight long enough to give you a slow burn and pull off the one move he knew you had to hit as many people as possible."

The shields continued to shimmer there for a brief moment. However, they then began to ripple inwardly—rings condensing to the center of the shields rather than out of them.

"But the biggest difference between Gravija and your Dark Messenger attack is its biggest weakness."

The serpentine pupils shrank into tiny lines.

"No…"

"Gravija can be reflected."

The ground lit up with dozens of black orbs erupting back out of the rainbow-colored shields and sent hurtling back to Diablos just as quickly. The demon cried out in anguish. It held out its hands to try and stop them. But it was so mad with hate and shock that it failed to recall how all was useless. There was no defense for a spellcaster against their own reflected magic.

The orbs soon struck and erupted, and Diablos' horrible voice gave out wretched cries. They were made far worse by how distorted and warped they were from being smothered by one gravitational anomaly after another, but that was nothing compared to the demon's anguish. His muscular, enlarged body was turned into rubber as it was stretched, compressed, and spaghettified repeatedly by each new attack that struck it. Bones were crunched by the dozen. Blood was squeezed clean out of his body. And each new move only drove it into more agony.

When the spells were finally spent, there wasn't much left of Diablos. He was a twisted, broken mess. His body had practically been turned into a pretzel and was still oozing copious amounts of blood from numerous places where his own shattered skeleton had pierced his skin. He couldn't even yell anymore. Only stare at Bahamut in disbelief and shock at what had happened.

And now, Bahamut's own gaze turned fierce once more and gleamed with solar light.

"My brother told me one other thing, Diablos. He said being struck by that many Gravija attacks…each one stripping you of 99 percent of your power…would take all of the hatred, guilt, and regret you had an squeeze it out on a logarithmic scale."

Light began to gleam from within his jaws and smoke poured from between his teeth.

"I believe I can 'manage you' now."

Diablos tried to respond, but even if he had been capable of it Bahamut no longer cared to hear it. His face tightened in wrath and power.

"The next time your king gives you an order…OBEY IT. Megapyrin!"

The heavens were rent one last time as a chain of burning spheres of light, like miniature suns, erupted from the jaws of the Guardian Force. Each one struck Diablos and sank into his flesh. Each one made his ruined body gleam a little more with a fiery light from within. Each one made a bigger noise as the attack inched closer and closer to achieving fusion. Until, at long last, the final sphere joined it and all erupted—sending out a chain of burning, blazing, solar nuclear fusion erupts within Diablos' body and lighting up the sky with the explosions that now fountained out of it with a chorus of fire and heat.

At last, the final blast went off. The moment it did, Ragnar gasped and suddenly pushed himself up. Everything was free now. It wasn't long before the others did the same, and the shocked people rose once again. What was left of the tar constructs suddenly fizzled and withered away as if being roasted by invisible flames. And as for Diablos himself, he was already nothing but ash on the wind. And soon the wind blew it away along with all of the darkness he had gathered to himself.

Only when that was done did Bahamut close his eyes and exhale, before his wings began to lower him. "Out of practice… I had hoped I could have actually destroyed him without that."

Diablos's death causes the Whispers to weaken, allowing Ezan to blow them away before he looked up and sighed." Well, whoever summoned Bahamut…you did well."

Yuffie looked at her materia before she raised a eyebrow." Man whoever super charged the Bahamut materia thanks a ton!"

Red XIII saw Bahamut flying in the air despite the fighting being over before he widened his eyes." Wait…is that Bahamut a summon? He…he's still there along with those besides him."

Tifa looked at Clive's group before she gulped." Wait…is he someone that transformed into Bahamut like Clive?"

Ezan saw Bahamut in the distance, and saw Cloud looked stable before he sighed." Whatever is going on, better get a clear idea of the state of things."

Zorba was blasted into a wall during the fighting. He saw most of his forces were wiped out before he wiped the blood off his face." Lord Louis and the others must know about this."

He slipped into the shadows before anyone could spot him. Lucky for him Ezan was to focused on Bahamut to notice. Ezan saw the dragon go up to him before he cleared his throat." Greetings, you have my thanks for the assistance. I take it, you are Bahamut, King of the Dragons?"

"

Bahamut halted as soon as he received the greeting. His eyes were no longer burning, but as he turned to Ezan he regarded him with stoic curiosity.

Carbuncle himself, his task now done, looked around at the people about him fixated completely on the king of dragons. He frowned. "Well don't everyone thank me all at once... What're you all gawking at anyway?" He glanced at the sky. "Whoa...that's a new one. I didn't think humans could do that. This guy junctioned or do Sorceresses come in male varieties here?"

"Neither," Leviathan's voice responded, causing the Guardian Force to turn his head and once again see him in his human form-having used the distraction to quickly abscond his monstrous true body. "More than that, this one's the most powerful by far that we've seen."

Finally, Bahamut turned fully to him. As he did, his scales again receded, his hulking frame shrank, his scales and tail sloughed off and withered, and when all was said and done he was in an human form across from Ezan. "The same. You don't need to thank me. I'm simply glad that I was able to do anything to assist at all. At the risk of sounding self-depreciating, I can tell you're a human beyond one I've ever encountered. Easily worth a hundred of me and I don't think I'm currently sensing half of your full potential."

" So you are Bahamut and not someone taking his form like um, Dion hear?"

As Dion transformed out of his own Bahamut state the respond from the dragon in the room was," The dragon-turned-man patted his chest. "Don't let this form deceive you. It took me considerably longer after I was reborn as a Guardian Force, but I relearned the widespread ability of espers to be able to transmute themselves into more conventional bodies to live among humans if necessary. This human body is the illusion-not the other way around. Considering the plethora of humans...or humanoids at any rate...among you, I figured it would be simpler if I could intermingle with you and fit into your vehicles."

Ezan calmly responded with," Just, curious. Which world do you come from? No offense, you just remind me of the Bahamut from the world of my comrade Squall Lionheart."

" ..Do not take offense at this, but I generally have problems remembering human names. That being said, just this morning, before the Warrior of Light 'recruited' us, so to speak, I paid a visit to an individual named Squall Leonhart on my world. My brother sensed that my destiny would be tied to his in a very short time, and I took a special interest in him because he seemed to gravitate toward our Forsaken Brother, the Forbidden Lion: Griever. Besides, I've learned by now not to overlook those with great destinies after I failed to grasp the significance of Cloud Strife and Sephiroth..."

Ezan blinked for a moment before retorting with," Come again? Cloud Strife is from your world as well?"

"Not directly. Only through his association with my pupil, Ragnar Vice. In general, I try to avoid direct relationships with humans. The last time I had done so prior to him was Terra Branford."

Now Ezan truly did look stunned.

"...Did I say something surprising?"

"What does the name Zidane Tribal mean to you?"

"I was dead at the time. Leviathan informed me he was an alien artificial life form dubbed a genome whose predecessor managed to enslave my brother when he was acting as my throne's usurper and took on my identity."

"What about Bartz Krauser?"

"He was a hero on Nyx Gaia, parallel to my home world of Gaia."

"And Cecil Harvey?"

A frown. "The group of humans who were the first to ever give me defeat at the hands of their kind... Sometimes I wish I could forget him.

So, if I get this straight, you are from a world were Cecil, Zidane, Cloud, Terra, Squall's, and even Master Myers's worlds all were one world? Well, if the history was spread out enough then it could make sense."

Bahamut saw how casually Ezan was taking it before he asked Ezan about himself, causing Ezan to sigh." Forgive my lack of manners. I'm Ezan Zeon. I come from the world of Vana'diel if you heard of it. I'm…a member of the warrior of lights known as the Enji Knights, and also part of the Multiversal Rebel Alliance. I take it, your part of the alliance as well?"

"I was...and at this point, I am almost surprised at myself for NOT hearing about the world Vana'diel. But..." He hesitated. His eyes went skyward. "Enji... Enji... For the life of me, I can't recall if that name was in my dream..." He shook his head. "It matters not. I'm part of your alliance now. We all are."

He finished lowering himself back to the ground at this point, and he turned to gesture nearby to the others that had come with him. "We all thought much the same as I did that it would be easier to retain a more 'compact' body for now..." He trailed off on looking again, noticing Carbuncle was still in his true body. "...Most of us at least, it would seem. There is Carbuncle."

A paw raised and waved at Ezan. "How's it going, Magic Man?"

Eden rolled her eyes. "After all that fussing, you're staying in that body?"

"Oh, right...going around as some little kid in a pastel hoodie is really supposed to impress people. At least you can go back to carrying me just like old times now. I could be worse. The old man over there looks like he's ready to sell people fishsticks, not save the universe."

Bahamut gestured to him. "Leviathan, Master of the Seas."

"Your servant," he answered, bowing his head to Ezan. "I'm not sure how much even a sea god of primeval chaos will fare against the foes you're up against, but hopefully my brain is still worth its weight in salt."

"And last but certainly not least...our Great Mother."

Eden slapped a hand against her face and groaned. "Bahamut...you make me sound like I should be cast in marble and get crowned with flowers every time you put it that way..." She exhaled and faced Ezan. "I'm sorry, but from my perspective I've spent a much greater ratio of my life living as a human than as a Guardian Force.

"It's a long story," Leviathan cut in, "but suffice to say our world has something called 'Sorceresses' on it...although I guess if you know a Squall Leonhart you probably already knew that. They tried to either enslave or restrain all Guardian Forces and they accidentally brought an aspect of our Planet itself to life in the body of a fetal babe. Our Great Mother grew up as a human soldier in Esthar for nearly twenty years before she finally had her full power and identity restored to her."

"I have my true name now," Eden continued, "But I know the reaction it could get. So you can just call me Dael."

"Mr. Zeon," Bahamut again spoke up. "I understand time is of the essence, but...if I may...I sensed something familiar during the battle with Diablos that was down here. I...don't suppose it is possible, but do you happen-"

"Master Bahamut."

There was a change over his face. In one of his rare moments, Bahamut's stony and stoic gaze broke, and genuine emotion came out for just a moment as he spun about. Dael showed only puzzlement, but both Leviathan and Carbuncle looked up.

"I know that voice..."

Yet the ancient dragon didn't have to look far. He had no sooner turned about than he let out the smallest of gasps. There he was...exactly as he remembered him. Older, perhaps. A bit more built. But there...along with Ragnarok and even wearing that practically 'homemade' uniform of his ridiculously monikered 'Planet Protector Army'. To a dragon's eyes, it was as To a dragon's eyes, it was as if he hadn't aged a day but had been captured right in their final moment.

"Ragnar..."

The two men were silent for several seconds. They seemed to not be able to believe their respective eyes and that what they were seeing was real. Slowly, Ragnar began to walk forward tentatively; fearful that each step he took would cause Bahamut to vanish like a dream. After a short time, Bahamut broke his own posture and began to do the same, no longer able to keep his focused and composed decorum.

At long last, they halted when they faced each other; only a short distance apart. Bahamut gazed him over, his mouth slightly hanging, unable to put his thoughts or feelings into words. As for Ragnar, he looked back up at him, still gasping a little from his own ordeal, but expressing a growing, radiating joy at simply being in his presence.

Finally, one of them broke. To Bahamut's further bewilderment, the younger man suddenly stepped forward and embraced him.

The Guardian Force was speechless, his eyes still staring off in disbelief. Finally, however, his own arms came down on top of his student and hugged him back.

"It was you... You're really here... I thought I had seen you for the last time..."

"I...I..." was all the dragon could manage back. Immortals were used to seeing mortals for the last time. Seeing them again after death was totally unheard of.

Carbuncle and the others watched this, but he suddenly leaned over to Leviathan and tapped him on the leg. "Wait...that's you-know-who's husband, right? Shouldn't he be worm food just like her by now? He died in our universe a long time ago."

"Well...infinite universes mean infinite possibilities. It's perfectly possible that there's a universe out there just like ours that just 'started' a few hundred years earlier. Under that situation, then...yes, it's possible for what we're seeing to happen."

Finally, the two men parted. Ragnar was smiling up at Bahamut as if he had just been reunited with a father. He even sniffed a few times to keep from breaking down. The great dragon swallowed, and finally managed to regain some of his form. He looked the younger man over, and finally was forced to smile. "You've...grown stronger, Ragnar. Much more than you were before. I'm...I'm glad."

"Heh...yeah. And check this out."

He held up one of his hands, and spoke a few arcane words. A moment later, a greenish aura erupted from it and flowed over himself, fixing a few light abrasions from being thrown into the dirt.

"You were right, master. It came back. Magic is all over the place again. And you were right about her. She became the-"

"Sorceress, I know. In the future, they call her 'the Radiant'."

Neither of the men noticed, but at this point the suited woman had stepped up where Ragnar was. She overheard that part, and the moment she did she cupped her hands to her mouth; as if filled with sudden joy.

Ragnar paused, smiling a little more. "Do they...? If...if I get back, I'll make sure she knows that. I think it'll make her smile." He shook himself out of it. "But...but you're here. You said Guardian Force. Does that mean...?"

Bahamut sighed. "I didn't have a hand in it and it was an awful risk, but..." He nodded. "It didn't go as smoothly as anyone anticipated, but...I was reborn just like Carbuncle and Leviathan and all the others."

"But who brought you back? I thought you didn't want to come back? That you didn't want to risk bringing back Wyvern?"

Bahamut's look turned grimmer at that. He was silent-a look that Ragnar realized immediately. The look he had when he didn't want to tell the truth about something.

Yet that only made Ragnar's own look harden. "...What happened?"

"The Sorceresses...Ragnar. Not all of them ended up 'good' in the future. One of them...a very, very powerful one...lost her mind. She commanded the others. She used the Rite of Inheritance to gain more power. She...tried to consume our world with the Void."

"...What?" the woman in the suit spoke quietly.

This, at last, caused not only Bahamut but the others to look up as well. As soon as they saw the woman, their faces changed. They sank, and they looked away at once from her, as if regretting she had even been there to hear that. Bahamut bowed his head momentarily, then looked back up to Ragnar.

"They...abandoned their heritage. They called themselves something new. The Order of Hyne. They started taking their power as...divine mandate. This Sorceress...Mianyl...she did terrible things to your world. And...it turned the world against all remaining 'Hyne's Descendants'." He frowned. "It didn't help that one named Adel tried to follow in her footsteps when she managed to conquer Esthar a second time..."

Ragnar's face turned more somber.

"Are they hated in the future? Are they...hunted? Just like...like she was before?"

"Ragnar."

The flat tone in which he said that snapped the man's attention out of it. He looked up to Bahamut and saw him glaring fiercely back.

"You and I both know that now is not the time to speak of such things. Neither of us need any further distractions. We're in a battle now that dwarfs all others. That is our only focus now."

Ragnar hesitated, but he took a deep breath and exhaled before nodding. "You're right. This isn't the time. Just...just forget I asked. I'm from a different universe, anyway. Who says any of that will happen? We need to focus on living long enough for it to happen first."

Bahamut nodded back. He nearly turned away, but Ragnar reached out and put a hand on his arm, causing him to look back.

The mage smirked. "For the first time, we really will be fighting side-by-side. Aside from that...you know."

After a moment, Bahamut cracked a smile back and held a warning finger in his face. "I'm not doing that again, pupil mine, so you better be ready to pull your own weight on this one."

"Heh...I wouldn't take it even if you offered it this time."

Bahamut allowed himself a moment longer of smiling before turning back to Ezan, then became business once again. "This world...is it your own?"

She may not have noticed, but there was a definitely change among the newcomers the moment Aeris came to Ezan's side. Both Carbuncle and Leviathan looked up in considerable surprise, although even Dael went wide-eyed on seeing her.

"Is that-"

"Don't...say anything, Carbuncle. She must be an alternate universe version of her. Although...I'm a little dizzy just sensing..."

"No kidding. I thought she was big in OUR universe..."

"Why does she feel a little like...me?" Dael spoke up. "Was she always like that?"

Their reactions, however, were nothing compared to that of the other two. The woman in the suit had hardly spotted Aeris before she let out a choked gasp. Then, pulling herself together as fast as she could, she spun away and held a hand up against the side of her own face.

As for Ragnar, his pupils shrank. He took a step forward and opened his mouth to speak to her...

He was halted as Bahamut, never changing or looking away, held out a hand behind him both to halt him and to stop him. If anyone could read minds in the vicinity at the moment, they would have detected the telepathic message he sent to him.

It's not her, Ragnar.

Ragnar then saw Aerith in the distance checking up on Cloud before Bahamut quickly added,

Neither of them are.

Slowly...perhaps even reluctantly...Ragnar calmed on hearing that, and soon stood as resolute and calm as Bahamut did.

Aeris then comes up to Ezan before the sliver haired man sighed." This world, is a important world to me as well. I don't come from it, but many people important to me to are. That's why, I refuse to let any version of it fall to the plans of the Infinite Victory and Conquest Corporation. Sieg has taken enough from me as it is."

"Yes...that name," Bahamut answered. "The Warrior of Light mentioned it when he retrieved us. A Sieg V-Day Elgan. I got the impression he was the mastermind behind all of this. Who or what is he, exactly?"

" Sorry, I forgot you were not given time to learn the full story Sieg V-day Elgan is the leader who hails from the" Negaverse". There's a lot to explain but, he's a counterpart of my friend, and rival, Ben Auro."

Leviathan crossed his own arms, holding a hand to his chin. "Counterparts... Of course. We've been fortunate until now. All the counterparts from other universes we encountered differed mostly just in terms of power, not disposition." He glanced at Dael. "But it seems there's at least a Barthandelus who is a far cry from our Great Mother in another universe. There could easily be 'evil' versions of us from other universes. Perhaps even thousands of them."

"And is your friend here right now?" Bahamut pressed Ezan.

Bahamut asks if Ben is here before Ezan looked dismayed." No…he's not. Sieg attacked me, Ben, his wife, and many others and killed many of us.

To be honest, I'm not sure if Ben's alive. But it's not clear if he's dead either. There's a chance he's still alive, and that Sieg blasted him to the far corner of the Multiverse but, first we have to live long enough to get to the bottom of that."

Before Bahamut could respond Daigo walked up before he widened his eyes." Sorry but…we might not have to wait as long as you think Ezan! Its faint, but I smell, something like his scent!"

Ezan looked at the former Digimon carefully before he took a deep breath." You're sure it's not Sieg?"

"Nah it's not like that! Its, its below! From over there!"

As he pointed to the area of the Cosmo Canyon Red XIII widened his eyes." That, that is where we take in sick people!"

Ezan dared himself to feel some hope as he looked at the talking dog." Was there anyone that had been admitted recently? Anyone that had a sword or a fighter in any aspect?"

Bugenhagen floated over before letting out a sigh." We have not seen anyone with the kind of talents of you folks but, there have been more then a few that have wondered in that are to wounded to even know who they are. Your free to check the clinic under the Shildra Inn if you think someone you know is there."

Ezan eyed Bahamut before he nodded." My apologies but is it ok if we check if he's there?"

The Guardian Force actually let out a weak chuckle. "Even if I was bold enough to speak against you, I haven't the power to demand anything from you, Ezan Zeon. Do as you will. We're not going anywhere."

"Auro…I knew that despite the odds you would defy fate yet again. No matter how bad things get, the mission is not over till the end."

With his speed it only took moments to arrive at the clinic part of the Inn. Ezan saw a startled nurse before he looked around." My apologies but…is there any fighters that are here recently?"

Much moaning could be heard before the Nurse had her eye twitch." Is this a joke? With all the fighting that's been going on the rooms are to crowded as it is!"

"True. But was there any before the fighting that…stood out from the others?"

"What does standing out even mean?"

Daigo looked around before he widened his eyes." Wait I think he's right ahead guys!"

Ben's former Digimon partner ran right into the room before the nurse shouted out," Hey you can't just run in there!"

Daigo just uttered," Hang on boss! I found you, I finally found, you?"

He barreled into the room and froze in his tracks. Ezan and Aries caught up to him before the sliver haired threw out," Is it him? Is it, huh?"

He saw someone was in the room, but the sight nearly frozen him in his tracks. Attached to the bed was a man who was chained down. The man looked like a male human, but his entire face seemed melted with one eye being covered by mutated flesh. The man's arms and legs looked crooked, and the male did not even seem to notice he had guests as he was just moaning in pain.

Daigo saw the man in front of him was yelling in near dearlious pain before he winced." Boss…Ben…can you hear me?"

Aeris saw the state of the man in front of him before she gasped in horror." It…its like his body was…melted. Did, did Sieg do this?"

Ezan saw the man was still screaming before he grasped his fist tightly." Auro…is that you? Do you know who I am?"

The man just kept moaning and only responded with," BENJII! ARHHH!"

As the three figured out the best way to respond the Nurse walked up to them and sighed." You, you know who this is? This man, has not recognized anyone since we found him. He's screamed out Benji and a few other words, that's all we know.

His body is covered with tumors from conditions most commonly known as neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow on nerve cells throughout the body and on the skin.

The best we can figure out is that he has an extreme case of Mako poisoning. We have to keep him restrained because he can be violent at times."

Aeris saw the man who's face was so consumed with tumors that one of his eyes was covered before she muttered," Mako poisoning? It would have to have been, a even more extreme case then what happened with Cloud to…to end up like this."

Ezan saw the one known as Benji scream out before he winced." How…how long has he been here?"

The Nurse sighed before she looked down." To be honest I'm new here, but it seems he's been here for a while sir. All I know is that…the man's broken in both body and mind ever since he arrived."

Ezan saw the blank look in Benji's eyes before he saw Aries grasp his own hand, and uttered," No…after all this…this can't be what it all amounted to.

Authors Notes:

So…got a few curve balls in this chapter so let's get this under way. First, Roche and Chadly are from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Ultima is from Final Fantasy 16…he deserved to show up so Strangers of Paradise Garland could go to town on him and Clive could get the DLC power up lol.

Sin is from Final Fantasy 10, mostly.

Zorba and Eiselin Burchelli Meijal Hulkenberg are from Metaphor: ReFantazio

Nowa and Dux Aldric are from Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.

Leo is from Lunar Blue

Alis Landale is from Phantasy Star One.

While this arc's primary focus is on Final Fantasy wanted to give some spotlight to other JRPG's in this arc as well.

Now for the big ones, cats out of the bag, I'm teaming up with author Piccolo Sky with for his permission to have his creations take part in this arc, with the majority of his creations being written by him. For those not aware Ragnar, Krysten, and General Leers are from his The Servant: The Wyvern Battles Fanfic, Bahamut, " Eden", Leviathan, Carbuncle, and Diablos are technically from Final Fantasy 8, but are all from the Servant stores as well.

I know randomly adding someone else's fanfic can be a bit crazy, hopefully those who never read his stories got a idea on what his story is about and, felt like a ideal way to take on a merged world dealing with the impact Final Fantasy 7 had and, all of are reactions to the remake.

And here would be's Sky's Author Notes: "Hey everyone. I want to thank Darth Necron for giving me the opportunity to dust off my old characters for one last ride and asking me to write their dialogue and action bits. If you happen to be a fan of "The Servant" I hope you enjoy seeing them get one last hurrah."

Ah well hope it all paid off. Let me know if you liked it enough to leave a review, thanks for the reviews as always and see you all in 2025.